Little Mo’s and Little Outpost inhabit two shared storefronts underneath the elevated train tracks of the M line in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. The venture started as a much needed expansion for the overflowing Bushwick gathering spot and coffee shop further down on Myrtle, Little Skips.

In the shared space, divided by a looming, movable wood wall, Little Outpost serves espresso and baked goods, and Little Mo’s serves a Vietnamese based menu cemented around pho, banh mi’s and rice bowls. The space is surprisingly breathable for a restaurant in Bushwick – one wall is lined by a communal table, the wall opposite is lined with with a few tall slab tables, leaving a generous opening in between them. While walking into the original Little Skips sometimes feels like walking into a last minute study session for a final exam where you have to walk over someone to get a cup of coffee, Little Mo’s and Little Outpost is more like walking into a casual gathering of friends.

Little Mo’s shares Little Skips’ penchant for wood furnishings and the result is a warm, welcoming, playful ambiance. Painted murals inhabit one wall while the wall opposite features framed paintings, including some by Little Mo’s staff. Condiments line the tables, including housin, a house made chili oil, sriracha, and most notably fish sauce – which hints at the authenticity of the flavors to be found on the menu.

Lemon grass skirt steak rice bowl with fried egg and schnitzel banh mi

The menu brings the big hitters of Vietnamese cooking including a variety of banh mi sandwiches, with options such as braised pork belly, lemon grass flank steak, and schnitzel. The banh mis are served on perfectly airy and slightly crunchy baguettes with a generous slaw of pickled carrots, daikon and cucumber with jalapenos and a spicy mayonnaise for heat. The schnitzel banh mi is a clear stand out to me. The panko fried cutlet is perfectly moist, not greasy at all, and pairs wonderfully with the pickled slaw. The braised pork belly bahn mi, called “the Little Piggy”, is a perfect rendition of what is arguably the most popular bahn mi in the United States.

Little Mo’s Pho goes pound for pound against any pho in the city. The beef and oxtail broth is rich, complex with a hint of sweetness. The glass rice noodles inside are cooked perfectly. The bowl is topped with bean sprouts, thai basil and fried garlic, with a lime wedge and jalapenos on the side. The classic pho is served with beef ribeye, split meatballs and tripe, while a vegan option offers noodles in a vegetable broth with tofu, baby bok choy and mushrooms. Mo’s pho has an amazing mouth feel and is slurpable, while being incredibly complex, rich and full of marrying flavors. The portion is generous and I’ve rarely left hungry if I’ve left with my bowl empty.

While the classic is full of just about everything I’d want in pho, I do wish Little Mo offered more options for meat in their pho and this difference is the most notable difference between most pho restaurants in the city and Little Mo’s.

Little Mo’s has a very strict policy about their pho. It’s a policy that I respect, despite the fact that each time I have eaten at Little Mo’s a member of the staff has had to explain their policy to a customer. Little Mo’s only serves pho for weekend brunch. With this policy comes the potential to teach customers about the history of pho and the fact that in Southern Vietnam pho is considered a breakfast or lunch dish.

Steak rice bowl with house made kimchi and pork belly baos in background

The chicken wings have also easily become my favorite chicken wings in the neighborhood. While the Spicy Thai Buffalo was too hot for my palate, the Sweet Garlic BBQ variety has a wonderful hoisin based glaze that is topped with fresh scallions and is not burning hot. The wings are lightly battered before being fried and glazed. The wings are perfectly tender, crispy and sticky. My only issue with the wings is something of a personal preference, and that is that I’m not a fan of wing tips being served. They are almost entirely inedible and do little but add to the visual volume being served. But c’est la vie, it is a very minor complaint.

Little Mo’s service is warm and inviting. The staff feels and treats customers like a close knit family, and as a result Mo’s ambiance is similar to that of a family reunion that you would actually want to attend. Other hits on the menu include stuffed baos, and the garlic sauteed and oyster sauce topped baby bok choy. Little Mo’s also serves tea imported from─and only available in─Cambodia along with varieties of Vietnamese beer.