A couple of quick revisits for a nice Thursday.
Breakfast at El Portal:
I'm always looking for options for a weekend breakfast while performing all those "honey-doo" tasks and was recently reminded that El Portal (has it really been that long?) serves breakfast and they open at 7am. I literally pass this place daily.
It's been over a decade since I last visited, but the place looks the same. I got the basic Huevos a l Mexicana; which was pretty hefty for $7.05.
Eggs scrambled with peppers, onions, and tomato…topped with cheese. Potatoes from the fryer, a load of fairly salty beans, and tortillas. The coup de grace….a bag of chips. I covered things in pico de gallo and could not finish this. Nothing fancy, nothing amazing….but if you're looking to eat nothing until dinner this might do.
A bit too much for me…….
El Portal Fresh Mexican Grill
4101 Genesee Ave
San Diego, CA 92111
AppeThai:
**** AppeThai has closed
Well, it's been a good 10 months since I last visited. It had been one of those mornings; so hectic that the last thing I really wanted to think about was lunch. So I just headed down Convoy and decided to stop at AppeThai.
I did enjoy the Tod Man KhaoPod – Fried Corn Fritters on my previous visits, so I ordered that along with one of those "pick the protein, pick the prep" lunches that many Thai places serve.
The Corn Fritters are now four bucks a pop and this, while still crisp and sweet, also had a slight flavor of old oil.
Kind of fried, I just went ahead and ordered "whatever", which in this case was the Roasted Duck with Spicy Bamboo Shoots ($10.50).
Needless to say, I should have just told them to forget about the insipid soup, the smear of cream cheese in a wonton….well….the salad wasn't too bad.
When my entrée arrived, I took one look and was quite disappointed.
It looked like this wasn't even stir-fried; there was no color; the duck a sad grey, the veggies almost raw….did they put this in a microwave? It was, other than having a small stash of Thai Chilies hiding at the bottom of this fairly bland. The rubbery duck had a bit of flavor; but this wasn't quite what I signed up for.
No wok hey, it's like they made it in a non-stick pan at too low a heat…… Very disappointing.
There were no other customers during my entire meal. I'm not sure this place is going to make it.
Appethai
4813 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111
🙁
I’m not sure what’s up with AppeThai CC….
🙁
Yes, Kat…..yes….
🙁 I really liked AppeThai on my initial visits but I can see the decline happening… There are never other customers when I’m there.
I’ve only eater at El Portal once a long time ago. Good flavor but the carne asada was cold. Never been back. That duck dish….. I have nothing more to add.
Very sad Jinxi.
That was a pretty bad duck dish Junichi. Hadn’t been to El Portal in over a decade! For some reason, I tend to overlook it.