Than Brothers   

The Than Brothers pho (rhymes with 'duh') cafes are famous among bargain-hunting soup lovers. Folks put off by the slightly worn trappings of the original at Aurora and 78th will be pleased by the bright, shiny interior of this triangular room of spacious, comfy booths, a row of mirrors on two walls and a gleaming koi tank just inside the entrance. Service comes faster than any fast food joint. Neophytes should opt for a small No. 1: a generous bowl filled to the rim with flavorful broth, rice noodles, cilantro, scallions, paper thin flank steak, and served with a plate of add-your-own bean sprouts, basil, lime and hot peppers. An assortment of sauces on each table rounds out the flavorings. Without fail, the greatest difficulty (aside from not dribbling on yourself in your eagerness) is in saving the complimentary cream puff until after you've souped up. But never mind -- you can get a trio to go for a mere $1.25...which doubtless will be consumed in the car on the way home.