so they're not the same?

I'm so addicted to the spicy beef noodle soup at French Baguette on Bush Street that I've had it for two straight lunches. Must not return tomorrow.

For those of you who have already been, you know that French Baguette stands on the grounds of ye olde Hi-Tea and appears to be carrying nearly the same business model. Both serve quick-to-assemble Vietnamese comfort food at happy prices (for the Financial District, anyways.) There are some notable menu differences (Hi-Tea served these great baked rice plates while French Baguette has the secret to a fantastic spicy beef soup) but the flavors and prices are pretty similar.

Now about this spicy beef noodle soup (don't say pho or the cashier will think you're ordering beef balls...) yesterday I got it to go and had to assemble it at my desk. Unlike Hi-Tea, French Baguette does not have those nice wide plastic bowls and I ended up eating out of a tall slender plastic quart. Doable, yes, but not easy or comfortable. So if you can, eat the soup on location. Not only will the spicy beef noodle soup come served in a proper wide bowl but the fixings - bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, pepper, and lime - will arrive on its own ceramic platter. That's mighty fancy, considering that my take-out extras came in a paper bag.

You can't see it but rolled inside that napkin are a metal fork and pair of chopsticks. Metal... not as easy to grip noodles but it does look extra classy.

Now the soup... man the spicy soup is phenomenal! The broth is rich, beefy, and not too spicy and fills you up just right... this spicy pho reminds me of a soup I had in Taipei. Everyone - from kid sister to hunchbacked grandma - hopped on Taipei's metro and ended up in a strange market area. We climbed stairs in violation of basic US fire codes to a cash-only restaurant (no taxes!) where there was only one thing to eat: beef noodle soup. Your only choice was whether to get it original or spicy. Shady? Slightly. Safe to eat? Hopefully. But let me tell you, that tax-free spicy soup in that speakeasy of a soupery was on par with the best pork dumplings in Taipei.

And yes, French Baguette's spicy beef noodle soup really tastes just like that stew in Taipei.

Eater beware: if you're not a fan of the non-beef parts of a cow, French Baguette's spicy beef noodle soup comes with a few pieces of tendon. And even when you count the tendons, the soup could've used a little more meat to fill it out. But I was very happy, due to the memory of Taipei and the fact that I love rice noodles. This filling lunch costs less than $8 with tax and currently, French Baguette offers a free soda with any pho or noodle plate.

I can't speak for the authenticity of French Baguette's Vietnamese-ness but I believe that even if the restaurant is not "truly Vietnamese," it serves tasty grub all on its own.