Phorage soft-opened in the former Chego space on Thursday, July 11, about a month after we reported Perry Cheung's plans to introduce a Vietnamese-inspired menu to the neighborhood.

True to his words — Cheung is the former executive sous chef of Slanted Door in San Francisco — the menu reads like an abbreviated encapsulation of what you'd find at Vietnamese restaurants in Orange County, with about two to three options per popular style of dish. This means three types of pho with rare steak, free range chicken and oxtail. Vermicellis come in two choices: grilled pork or chicken. Banh mi is available with pork, chicken or roasted eggplant. There are 14 options in all on the one-page menu, ranging from $7 to $11.

Phorage is set up like a fast-casual restaurant. You'll order at the counter to the right of the entrance, receive a numbered placard and find somewhere to sit while you wait for your food, which will arrive a few minutes later. There's a self-service station at the left of the entrance where you can pour yourself cold water or grab a to-go box. The main dining room is bisected by a long bar table running from front to back; four-seat tables are situated perpendicularly alongside the left of the bar.

We recommend checking the Phorage Facebook page for the most current hours. According to the feed, the hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner; the restaurant is not currently open on Sundays.

And in related news:

– Opening Soon: Little Sister in Manhattan Beach

– Golden Deli's Cupcakes: Chocolate Bacon, Thai Tea + 50-Plus Other Flavors

Want more Squid Ink? Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook. Follow the author on Twitter at @chrstnchiao.

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.