We were pretty excited when we first spotted the sign for Little Sheep. Though for some reason, once the restaurant opened we just never made it. Perhaps it was the weather being a bit too hot, or maybe we were just in a rut following our return from Peru. Than came a really hectic period, I got sick, the wildfires struck, I got food poisoning, etc, etc, etc……..
Whatever the reason, we finally got our act together, and made it over to Little Sheep. And though the selection for hot pot items looked very tempting……
A FOY (friend of yoso) had sent me an email regarding the lunch specials listed on the placards at each table. We found the restaurant empty except for one other table. And after giving the regular menu sheet a quick once over, and ordering a few things, we checked out the lunch time offerings.
Cold Pork Jelly ($4.95), this was from the menu sheet. If you’re a regular reader, you already know that I enjoy "jellied meats", tender connective tissue, head cheese, et al…..
This was pretty solid and chewy, served in a little pool of a soy mixture which added just about the only discernible flavor, other than the cilantro, to the dish. The Missus said, that in most versions She’s had, the jellied meat is topped with minced garlic, which would have been a welcome addition here.
Lamb Skewers($4.95), also from the menu sheet.
The lamb meat had some chew, but wasn’t overly tough. What was lacking was flavor, not enough cumin, not enough salt killed this street food favorite. We had ordered these "spicy", but the skewers were still very, very mild.
Beef Noodle Soup with Hand Sliced Noodle (Dao Xiao Mien – $6.95).)
I had been for warned by our FOY, that the Beef Noodle Soup was very bland. But since I love Dao Xiao Mien(Knife Cut Noodles) I had to give this a try. And yes, that broth was lousy, totally devoid of flavor, it was not even salty. I added chili oil, salt, soy sauce….uh-uh, not very good. The 3 thin slices of beef were flavorless, dry, and tough. Too bad, because the noodles were not half bad, much better than the Late Jamillah Garden’s doughy version. This version had a decent chew, along with some pull, and wasn’t shaved too thick. One more thing, we couldn’t believe how much noodle was in this soup……it seemed like an endless amount. Talk about a carb fest…….noodles upon noodles.
The Cumin Lamb Stir Fry($8.95):
This should have just been called Salted Lamb Stir Fry. Again, not enough cumin, and too much salt. Not even close to the version served at Dede’s.
House Casserole($12.95)
A light, but flavorful broth, with "Thousand Layer Tofu"(aka frozen tofu) soaking up the flavor, this was by far the Missus’s favorite of the day. It tasted even better as left overs. The bean thread in the dish along with the Napa Cabbage added substance, though the meat was on the tough side. Still, I’m not quite sure this is worth almost $13…….
I’m sure we weren’t the only ones wondering how Little Sheep will survive the warm, and sometimes downright hot summers. If this is any indication, it may be tough. But for now, as it gets cooler we will enjoy the Hot Pot at Little Sheep.
Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot & Grill
4718 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117
Mon-Sun 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 9:00pm
Fri-Sat 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Sun 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 9:30pm
In Part 2 we’ll do the Hot Pot……