Soup Weather – Revisits to Mien Trung and Pho Hiep and Grill (Linda Vista)

If there was one thing I missed during our last trip abroad, it would be noodle soup. That's the first thing I wanted when we got back. After a pretty warm start to November, we finally got some cooler weather, then even some rain.

Mien Trung:

So, having to work that weekend morning; I dropped by Mien Trung on the way to the office.

Admittedly, some of my last few visits to Mien Trung have been less than stellar. However, hope springs eternal, right? The place had been so good for so long. Plus, there's really not much open at 8am on a Sunday morning.

The place was empty and would stay that way for my entire visit. Except for three sets of customers coming in, to get pots of Bun Bo Hue for catering. I hadn't seen the young man at the counter in ages; it was nice seeing a familiar smiling face.

Then he told me that "Mom and Dad are on vacation"….uh-oh. In the past this was a bad sign. I be certain that the quality and the flavors of the food would be sub-standard.

I'm happy to say that this was not true.

The broth wasn't overloaded with MSG and the distinct lemongrass flavor came through. The spicy buzz of chilies on my tongue lasted through the entire meal. The broth was scalding hot, a must when it comes to these type of soups since, if you're like me, that entire pile of greens and sprouts will end up in the bowl. The noodles were firm and slippery, and the meat, which is usually rustically cut thick and rather tough seemed a bit more tender. Granted, it's not the same bowl I first had over a decade ago, but I think it's still the BBH in San Diego.

I left the place, having built up a nice sweat……not having spicy food in a while had kinda lowered my tolerance. But that nice little chili pepper buzz kept on going.

So perhaps I'm not worried about the day that "Mom" retires any more.

Mien Trung Restaurant
7530 Mesa College Dr
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho Hiep and Grill – Linda Vista:

Along with all of these weather changes comes some side effects. In my case, my biennial raging sinus infection. After stopping off at the nearby drugstore to get meds I decided some hot soup might help clear things up a bit. And Pho Hiep and Grill was right around the corner. It had been almost a year since I last visited.

Anyway, I went with #4 – small sized.

The broth was a lot more clear than what I'd had on my previous visit. It also wasn't overloaded with MSG this time. It was however, pretty darn bland, lacking in beefy flavors, anise, or a even a slight sweetness. Perhaps my olfactory system was on the fritz, but I'm usually pretty good with regards to tastes even when I have a sinus infection. I added a bit of lime and I could clearly taste that.

The herbs and sprouts were turning brown, something I often see during the winter, but the portion size, something that has been quickly shrinking at most places was decent.

The brisket and tendon were quite good, though the fatty flank was very rubbery and there were but a few shreds of tripe.

The noodles fine and decently stretchy.

Kind of a mixed bag, but definitely not as good as I've had here before.

Pho Hiep & Grill
6947 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111