The Reyn

The Reyn Restaurant Review:

For decades, The Reyn has gone relatively unnoticed on an unremarkable stretch of Lake Avenue. A rather stark coffee shop, it serves standard American fare for breakfast like pancakes, Ortega chile omelets, butter-soaked grits, and banana bread. A Vietnamese menu was introduced to go along with the American favorites at lunch, and is offered exclusively at dinner. Alongside the usual burgers, a Reuben and the de rigueur grilled cheese, all enjoyed at a Formica counter or blue leatherette booths, there is deep-fried tofu, grilled lemon grass-marinated salmon, curried shrimp, and barbecue pork spring rolls. But the big draw is the pho, which rivals the stuff served in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley. The big bowl holds an abundance of noodles swimming in a heady, earthy beef broth enhanced with scallions, onions and cilantro. The special pho includes filet mignon, brisket, flank steak and meatballs, but we prefer the version with just the rare, thinly sliced filet mignon, which cooks in the broth. It’s a full, satisfying meal all by itself.