Thanks for stopping in to look at mmm-yoso!!!, our food blog. Kirk is not blogging today, nor is ed(from Yuma). Cathy is sharing another meal she has enjoyed.
The first time I went to Asia Cafe, I met up with ed (from Yuma), who drove to San Diego for a visit. It was as wonderful as Kirk had described in his three posts in 2006 and I immediately understood why ed(from Yuma) would drive in (from Yuma) and make Asia Cafe one of his first stops here. Asia Cafe became part of the 'rotation' for me and The Mister. I realized the other day that that part of our rotation had somehow fallen away, probably because the wonderment which is Lao-Thai food showed up walking distance from our home in Santee, in the form of Sab-E-Lee. 
Located in the corner of a small mall anchored by a Laundromat, on Market Street and 47th, Asia Cafe is easy to miss or just overlook; There's a car repair shop in the middle of that mall. However, business has always been booming, either
with most of the six tables with 28 chairs filled, or just with people picking up phoned in orders.
The menu, written in Thai and English, is only 3 pages long, has sections including Pho, Com and Bun as well as stir fried meats and fried rice dishes right next to a section of larbs, Lao-noodles, soups and curry dishes. I must say that each item I have had here is very well prepared and tasty.
So, we started this visit with deep fried spring rolls- (6 for $3.75). These were filled with pork, vegetables and clear noodles and did not have an excess of spring roll dough and were fried perfectly. Served with lettuce leaves, mint and cilantro-which complimented the Lao sweet and spicy sauce (fish sauce with a kick), these are better than average. I don't think any place else serves cilantro with fried spring rolls and the flavors seem so right together.
The other two dishes we ordered, both of which I craved, were (top part of photo) the Crying Tiger ($5.50). Beef larb, basically with at first a heat/spice level you may not have expected…but at some point the lemongrass, lemon juice, onions and fine powdery rice coating on the meat becomes so satisfying and you realize that you can taste all the flavors. This is addicting.
The bottom dish in the photo is chicken cashew nut ($5.50) A simple version of stir fried chicken, onions, straw mushrooms, scallions and cashews. The sauce is a bit sweet, but needs to be in this dish. Steamed rice is $1.50 and sticky rice is $2. One order is enough to share.
I'm so glad that Asia Cafe is still here and that the food, prices, owners and even the interior is unchanged. I do like consistency.
Asia Cafe 4710 Market Street San Diego 92102 (619) 527-1917
Closed Tuesdays. Open 10:30-6:30 M-W-Th-F, 11:00-6:30 S-S
Hi Cathy! I love the name Crying Tiger. I like the slices of cucumber on the side.
hey there cathy! i love how you used “red” to obscure the red car’s license plate. asia cafe is one of our fave go-to places as well. of course, i found out about it through kirk’s blog…my fav is the nem khao and the lao beef jerky.
Thanks for posting. This place has fallen off my radar screen also. Tina and I went there a couple of years ago on a Tuesday, and it was closed. But I love the nem khao and the yum asia on noodles and beef jerky — and the pork rinds they sell are so bad/addictive. But I have never gone there so often that I had opportunity to explore the entire menu. The only dish I didn’t enjoy as much there was a soup (which kind, I can’t recall).
The fried egg rolls very well made.
Not to meantion the decor which screams so old school asian. I like. Nice little window A/C unit.
Yes- Crying Tiger is not only a cute name, but very descriptive, Carol. The cucumbers look like tiger stripes!
cc! I saw a new-to-me feature on the editing portion of Photo Gallery- a teeny, tiny virtual can of spray paint with a choice of colors. I really like the nem khao also, but one spicy item per meal is enough for us.
We did it for you and Tina, ed. Just as a reminder for your next visit. Yes, Yum Asia is part of the next visit for us. If this weather keeps up, I’ll be getting a pho bowl next time.
Good eyes, nhb. The food, atmosphere, people….just a good feeling whenever we are here.
The egg rolls look really good. I will go with my husband.
Hi Ange. You’ll like the food here. Definitely go with someone else so you can order and share…