Now here's a place that without a heads-up from "FOYs" Farrah and Trent, I'd have totally missed altogether. Thai Pepper Cuisine is located in Serra Mesa on Sandrock, across from the strip mall that has been sorta depressed since Henry's left a few years back. I believe that a restaurant called "The Three Chefs" or something like that used to occupy this space.
On my first visit to Thai Pepper, I was accompanied by some great FOYs (Friends of Yoso). It's not very often that I get to share a table with a Zompus and a Paparatti, so Iwas indeed honored!
The menu is what you'd expect from a neighborhood Thai restaurants, sections of "choose your protein, choose your sauce", various curries, and similar items make up the offerings. This is not a bad thing, if done well, those dishes are wonderful. The interior of the restaurant is small with maybe ten tables. I found the chairs to be interesting; I swear that they are those ergonomic, office chairs that wouldn't look out of place in the average conference room.
Our Server for the evening was an adorable woman named Oy, friendly, and gracious to a fault, She projected that gentle demeanor we found during our trip to Thailand and Laos.
We started with one of those "basic" items, the Som Tum, Papaya Salad ($6.95):
This was fairly average, a bit on the overly sweet side. It was put together well, but lacked the wonderful savory flavor some salted blue crab, or even dried shrimp.
The Spicy Fried Rice with Beef ($7.95), even though lacking in heat was good, with a nice dose of fish sauce. It was just a hair from being very good. Though the rice had some nice caramelization, it was a bit too mushy. The beef was adequately tender, and this dish wasn't overly sweet.
The exotic sounding Wild Boar Curry ($8.95) was the only dish I wasn't too fond of.
This was slices of very dry and tough pork in a very mild curry. I also started realizing that this place loves white mushrooms……
Another of my go-to Thai dishes is Pad See Ew (with shrimp – $9.95).
Personally, I find this simple noodle dish to be a great test of a cooks skill. Temperature control, along with balancing the salty and sweet flavors is very difficult. Though there was no "wok hey" (burnt does not equal wok hey), the overall flavor was nicely balanced, and the noodles were cooked well, though not all the noodles were flavored. Not bad.
And I'm sure the wonderful company of Mr & Mrs Zompus added to the meal as well.
A week later, I dropped by Thai Pepper for another meal. This time, I decided to try the Yum Nua, the Beef Salad ($8.95):
Based on my previous visit, I ordered this "Thai spicy", but of course, it was not served that way. I was pleasantly surprised to find ground rice powder, even though it was ground a bit too coarse, was used to add a mild nuttiness to the proceedings. In direct contrast to what I had encountered in previous dishes this was really fish sauce heavy, borderline salty, and lacked balance, but it was not boring in the least(more white mushrooms?). The beef was tender, and this went well with jasmine rice.
I also ordered a dish I was eyeing on my last visit, the Homestyle Duck ($14.95):
There was nothing "homestyle" about this well prepared dish. Duck breast, flavored with hoisin and other spices, had been deep fried, and much of the subcutaneous fat had rendered off. The skin was crisp, the portion below the skin like great duck jerky, and the meat soft and moist.
The duck rested on a bed baby corn, mushrooms(yet again), and broccoli in a brown, mildy tamarind and ginger flavored brown sauce…an after-thought in my book. I took most of this dish home, and the Missus thought it to be pretty darn good.
During dinner I had a chance to chat with Oy, and the nice folks here. It appears that even though I had ordered my Yum Nua Thai Spicy, they noted that I wasn't Thai or Lao, so they held back! After talking to them about food, and various dishes, I think I convinced them to actually make my food spicy on my next visit, which may not be too far down the road.
Thai Peppers is a really nice restaurant of what I call the "neighborhood Thai" category. The service is friendly, and the food is pretty easy to take. Nothing really exotic, the menu sticks to the tried and true, Bangkok/Royal Thai model. The prices are reasonable as well. The turnover of businesses in the area makes me depressed, so I'm hoping that Thai Peppers changes that trend. Every neighborhood should have a nice place like this.
Thai Pepper Cuisine
3361 Sandrock Road
San Diego, CA 92123
Thanks Farrah and Trent
One last thing:
I usually don't post on various links and such, but I was just tickled when Caroline Russock, who does the Cook the Book post for the one and only Serious Eats mentioned us. I was flattered to be sure. But I was also puzzled when the first person to comment said this:
"I'm disappointed to hear you thought mmm-yoso! was your saving grace for San Diego! All I found on that site was mostly a bunch of fast food Hawaiian and "Asian" restaurants that make Panda Express look good."
Egad! I haven't felt so puzzled since the time a fellow food blogger told me, "I know why you post so often….it's because you have such a big ego that needs to be fed". Yeow….I think I'll leave now, and try not to trip over my ego!
Hi, Kirk!
It was a great pleasure to eat with you. The pad see ew made a fine breakfast the next morning!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen this blog go out of its way to be a shameless attention grab. It started off with some recipes, some food-related experiences, and one couple’s (soon to be many more with FOYs around) restaurant going adventures. Yup. Color me confused as well.
I’m a fairly adventurous eater, but even in places around San Diego I can be a bit intimidated (or just puzzled) at what to get. mmm-yoso’s helped me get a picture (oh ho ho) at what I’m getting myself into.
Shine on you crazy diamonds. My stomach says thank you.
some people never have anything nice to say…
I’m so happy Pad See Ew is one of your go-to dishes, it’s one of my favorites and I agree that it’s a great test of the kitchen’s skills — to cook the vegetables just this side of raw, and to cut/slice them so they’re not too heavy for the noodles, and to not overcook the noodles, and to balance all the flavors… ahhhhh. I love me some good Pad See Ew. The best I’ve had was at a place near work when I lived in Portland. It was always packed at lunch and early dinner, so imagine my surpise when it changed hands a few months after they opened! Sab E Lee’s is pretty good, but not the gold standard I desperately crave.
That duck dish sounds fantastic… and I agree that those definitely look like conference room chairs, LOL.
O dear, how silly and inexperienced that one person on SeriousEats seems to be with Asian food in San Diego. There’s nothing fake-Asian about your blog, or the places you visit. God forbid they be normal places, that normal people go to, to get an affordable awesome bite to eat.
Oh well. It was great to finally get to eat with you & I’m looking forward to next time. Confession: I don’t actually think the Pad See Ew made it to breakfast, I think I ate it all for a midnight snack… <_<
I think your blog is great! If I ever get to visit San Diego, I will follow your reviews. Keep up the good work!
Don’t worry about it, Kirk – some people just don’t get it ๐
I’ve never had the holding back the heat problem – I think in the UK if you say “Make it spicy” they see it as a challenge …
Ah Kirk! Having had the singular pleasure of meeting you in person that comment is just way to amusing! I just WISH we had enough eateries around here to try to write about! ;o) When are you and the Missus heading our way? We are building treehouse accommodations. There’s a few photos of the starting phase on my blog. Last Day of May 2009.
WTF – forgetaboutit. I enjoy it period.
Don’t you love it (not) when some yahoo just reads one or two posts and makes erroneous assumptions about you? Granted, your blog does lean towards Asian cuisines. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that, as Seinfeld would say!) But if there’s anything that impresses me, it’s the breadth and extent to which you try different types of cuisines at hole-in-the-wall establishments to the outrageously extravagant. Your blog has definitely expanded my culinary horizons in SD. Rock on, Kirk. Forget the haters.
Hi Mr Z – The pleasure was all mine.
Hi Xaintrix – Thanks so much for the kind words.
Hi Micaela – For me, it’s the wok hey that the Pad See Ew at Sab E Lee has that does it for me.
Hi Mrs Z – Aaaah, so the truth comes out! ;o) Actually, the thing that bothered me the most was the total ignorance that commenter had.
Hi Kat – Thanks!
Hi Meemalee – Here, most Thai places are afraid to offend. It’s something that needs to be fixed.
Hi Jo – The problem is having enough vacation time to make all the trips we want too. I’ll zoom on over to check out the photos in a bit.
Hi Billy – I have….I just thought the commenter was a bit ignorant.
Hi Toshiko – I don’t think the person was a hater, more than just plain ignorant. San Diego’s food gets a bad rap because of folks like that.
hi kirk
sounds like someone’s been drinking some haterade…forget those people! if they’re that narrow minded, it’s their loss. your posts are always informative and very very eclectic. always an entertaining read! it’s not just “asian” places you go to. sigh. they just don’t get it…
To be singled out at Serious Eats really is quite something. Too bad some clueless poster had to belch something negative. Oh well, I thought that Caroline handled him pretty well. And what’s with “Asian”? Like the dude thinks that Asia isn’t real.
That duck dish is making me sooo hungry! I’ll add them to my list of “to tvisit” when I’m in that area next time.
I suppose we shouldn’t get too upset when simple folks (you know, morons) try to convey their pseudo-erudited sentiments in the only way they can. They are the reason why the rest of us are to the right of the bell curve, right?? hehe.
Kirk, I’ve had the pleasure of breaking bread with you (and Cathy!) and I don’t think “ego” is any word that I could ever use to describe you. I’d use “Brad Pitt” before I use “ego.” ๐ They’re all just jealous cuz mmm-yoso gets so much love.
Hi Kirk, it was a pleasure to witness your large appetite at Walmido recently but definitely no ego going on here.. Cheers,
Hi CC – Too bad, huh?
Hi Ed – Like Cathy said…..it could be worse, he could have used the word “Oriental”….
Hi Carol – Never thought of it that way.
Hi Dennis – Larger appetite than ego….I kinda like that!
yummy looking duck!
Well, you know we appreciate your frequent posting and we know for a fact that you don’t do it to feed your rather humble ego =)
I want to try duck!!!
Ouch. I hate how people feel they can say such mean things in a post which they probably would never dare say outloud. I’m glad Caroline set the him straight in her comments though.
The food looks so yummy. I’m craving Thai food now.
i found it funny that mr anonymous dismisses your review selection but then recommends ponces! ugh. talk about brown sauce overload…
congratulations on being pointed out on serious eats, that’s very cool! btw, I think that lame commenter goes where the local paper tells them to eat. I like mmm-yoso because you go to uncharted territories.
Big ego??? You??? Kirk, you are one of the most humble, most gracious bloggers I know! Silly, silly person.
Congrats on the Serious Eats mention!
I love SELs Pad See Ew its been so long. Its great to hear you were mentioned on Serious Eats, well deserved. Gotta love the negativity from the Keyboard warriors ๐
I’m in Orange County, and I love your blog. I enjoy how you cover all types of restaurants in the honest way you do.
kirk,
i’m glad you got to try thai pepper, i’ve been waiting for this blog — nervously. but i’m glad you enjoyed it. though i have to agree that they don’t go full on spicy when you ask for it. it’s frustrating.
that person has obviously never gone to one of your blogged venues or ordered the dishes you blog about. UUUGH, that’s irritating. ANYWAY!
thanks for your blogs and pictures and travels and adventurous eats…i thoroughly enjoy them and look forward to more! *cheers* & happy eats!
Hi Lynnea – That duck is worth it!
Hi Melissa – Actually, I want more too! ;o)
Hi Kirbie – Thai food is looking up in san Diego!
Hi Dave – LOL!
Hi FH – I recall mentioning something about culinary lemmings, or something like that to someone.
Hi Pam – Oh gosh, I really didn’t do this for that…though thanks so much, that is so sweet. I just couldn’t figure out why someone would say that????
Hi MA – That was strangely knee-jerk don’t you think? There are so many keyboard cowboys out there.
Hi Mina – Thanks so much. I hope I’ve managed to provide at least a bit of info for you.
Hi Farrah – First off, thanks for the recommendation. This is a really nice neighborhood joint. I’m hoping they come around to understand that when folks say they want spicy…well, they want spicy! Thanks again!
Don’t mind the haters…we love ya!
Hey Kirk!
I’m flattered that you mentioned me on your blog! I am certain that my time spent in San Diego would have been a much less enjoyable experience without mmm yoso.
Hi James – Thanks!
Hi Caroline – No thank you for taking the time out to mention our humble little blog. I’m honored. I’m also pleased that you found some of the info here useful during your time in San Diego.
hey kirk, is this now one of your fave thai places in sd? i’ve been wanting to try out sab e lee for a while and think i will finally have the chance next week. any recommendations on what to get there?
lol i’m guessing that kid who wrote that just read ur hawaiian post a few days back and left it at that. u guys keep up the good work!
Hi Sawyer – It’s a nice neighborhood joint, but not in the same league as Sab E Lee. Shoot me an email when you have a chance, and I’ll make some rec’s.
Hi Kirk. I just came here to look for a thai restaurant to take some friends to for dinner. I read the review of Thai Pepper. It looks promising, but seems a way to go from North Park. Congrats on the mention on Cook the Books. As for the fool who made the comment, people just don’t take the time to investigate. They just make assumptions based on 1 or 2 posts, which we all know is ridiculous. I’ve been reading your blog for a couple years. It’s always been entertaining and informational. Although I haven’t met you in person, I get a sense that you are a great guy who blogs for the sheer love of food. I have never gotten the impression that you are the least bit egotistical. Keep posting. Yours is one of my favorite blogs. I read it every day, and I have mentioned it to several friends.
Hi Stephen – Thanks for the kind words, and visiting! I appreciate it.
Wow!
I’m shocked at the ‘first comment’, all I can say is RTFB, Read the … blog!
you go yoso! I’ve found more then a handful of great places here in SD thanks to you!
Keep it up!
Hi Bob – Thanks so much for the kinds words!