Is there a smell that defines your neighborhood? Can you tell the time of day by whatâs wafting out of the local bakery or BBQ joint? The comfort of ritualistic scent is something no one should take for granted. For years, at 10 am every morning, the air around south Alaska Junction smelled like Pho Than Bros broth. Until it didnât. I miss it all the time.
When I posed the question âWhy Pho?â to Satanik Royalty Records' founder Michael Freiburger, or Frei as heâs known around town, his reply was tough to argue: âPho is life.â
Fremontâs business district is cozy, so it was out of necessity Frei became a Pho Than Brothers devotee. For two years he helped produce shows at Bar House on North 36th Street. The bar is staying open, but they hosted their last show on March 4.Â
âThan Brothers is one of my two favorite pho shops in Seattle," he told me. "I eat there at least twice a week, [and have] for many years. On show days I work 13-hour days. I would get to the venue to do soundcheck and load-in. After that, I would have an hour before bartending and doors openingâI would always go and get a bowl of pho in between. Especially on the colder days, as our venue is indoor/outdoor. I would always offer but never pressure bands to get pho with me. It is very much a ritualistic experience that I will miss. Ben Verellen [owner of Bar House] and I would have meetings over pho there, talk all sorts of business over noodle soup. Than Brothers will forever be special to me.â
As the cozy buzz of K. Savageâs indica-leaning Lilac Wine kicked in, Frei told me about those first years when he was a broke, new Seattleite.
âWhen I first moved to Seattle I lived in the U District and was really poor. Someone turned me on to bĂĄnh mĂŹ from a local pho place on the Ave. I was hooked. Killer sandwich for $2.50. After eating there for almost a year someone recommended the noodle soup. Iâll never forget my first pho. Changes you. Itâs like your first mushroom trip. You're a different person after. For the better. I moved shortly after to First Hill and Phá» BáșŻc became my local haunt for noodles. Since working in Fremont for almost 15 years Than Bros has been a constant for me.âÂ
Pho is about the fixings. A first date's pho prep style can be as telling as what songs they choose on a jukebox, so I hit Frei with a difficult question: If he had to make the devilâs bargain for only one single pho fixin', what would it be? Personally, I couldnât live without the lime, but Frei says he's a Sriracha man. As you would expect from the owner-operator of Satanik Royalty Records, he makes a pentagram in his soup with his hoisin and Sriracha before the first slurp.Â
K. Savageâs hybrid Lilac Wine is as fragrant and memorable as its name suggests. And yes, it will have you feeling light and heady like your love. Iâve spent some time with this strain and it's become a Sunday afternoon chill-out favoriteâit boasts a functional, light body and brain buzz that enhances brunch when you want to roll mimosa-free, and it turned out to be a perfect pairing with pho. My experience with the strain gave hints of jasmine, a bit of tea, earthiness, and a somewhat acidic bottom, so when Frei suggested Than Bros and their floral, tea-centric broth, Lilac Wine was a lock. I found them as close to a match palette-wise as Iâd hoped and Frei picked up on âgarlicâ in the bud flavor profile, adding it was âa perfect warm-up of the palette for a nice bowl of pho. Also really enjoy the mellow high that came with it. Perfect for soup consumption!â
And Frei is a consumer. A big one. âI usually get a large #2 with extra meat on show days. Sometimes, when itâs a super long day, Iâll get an extra-large with extra meat. This seems pretty large to most people. Iâm a large human. A hill giant.â
Even though Bar House will no longer host live music, Frei is set on more 13-hour days. The showâs not over yet.
âMy main gig will be booking heavier shows at Belltown Yacht Club, which is a 150-capacity basement venue in Belltownâs historic neighborhood,â he says. âBut I will also be co-producing shows with Hierophant Booking at multiple venues across town! All my shows will be as Satanik Royalty Records presents, which seconds as production and booking.â
Fortunately for Frei, there are more than 20 spots to get pho within a mile of Belltown Yacht Club.
Check out Satanik Royalty Records at satanikroyaltyrecords.com.