Thanks to everyone who is stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!! even though it is only about a day before Thanksgiving. Kirk and His Missus are still enjoying the culture, food and weather in another country (or two) while Ed (from Yuma) and Tina are busily preparing for an American Thanksgiving feast (in Arizona). Cathy is writing another post while The Mister is making plans for Thursday.
Since I seem to be writing about restaurants that are inside Grocery stores, that 'theme' will be continued today. This time, a Chinese restaurant inside an Asian grocery store.
From the entrance, you can sort of tell that Vinh Hung used to be a movie theater. 
Walking inside and going to the restaurant-to the right, just past the cash registers- might make it a bit clearer, especially when you see the stairways leading to the balcony and the lighting around what used the be the 'refreshment' area.
There is a lunch as well as a dim sum menu.
Kirk has written about Hong Kong BBQ & Dim Sum, as well as some other restaurants which are located inside the former 'lobby' area. Even I wrote one post, in 2009.
The shrimp dumplings ($3.50) are pretty standard. The inside shrimp are large and juicy and mixed with a bit of ginger and garlic. The crystal skins (tapioca based) were not too thin, soft and didn't break. 
The steamed spare ribs in black bean sauce ($2.60) are one of our usual orders here. The meat is tender as are any rib bones attached. The sauce that has seeped into the bowl…well, I pour it over some rice, or I just eat it with the spoon. It has all the flavors I like.
Squid Black Bean Sauce ($7.95) is so good. The amount of vegetables and squid- so tender- and the salty black bean sauce is one of my cravings. 
Orange peel chicken ($6.95) is a pretty standard dish, but when made fresh, the tang of the sauce with some mild chili heat…and the crispiness…it just all blends into a nice 'comfort food' dish for us.
Putting this post together, I realized we order a 'something'in black bean sauce on almost each trip here. In this case, shrimp with black bean sauce ($7.95). Again, the vegetables with the sauce are so enjoyable and fresh and the shrimp are outstanding.
The very last item at the bottom of the lunch menu has 'Deep Fried Flounder' ($7.95). Since I usually read menus 'backwards' as well as from the bottom up, this had been my first item, but usually bypassed in order to try something else. A few weeks ago, we ordered this and it's become a favorite. Not only is it a good price for a whole fish which isn't tilapia, but the fry is so very perfect:light and crispy. The flavor of the fish shines.
So, there you go, another restaurant in a grocery store. Shopping inside is interesting in the product choices (vegetable prices are good) but also looking around and picturing the projector rooms and seeing where the seats and screen used to be in each of the five movie theaters.
Hong Kong BBQ and Dim Sum 10550 Camino Ruiz San Diego 92126 (858) 408-4888 Open Sun-Thurs 9-9, Fri-Sat 9-9:30
