mmm-yoso!!! welcomes you back. Once again, Cathy is writing because, once again, Kirk and His Missus are vacationing.
There are two locations of Meet Fresh, a Taiwanese dessert chain, in San Diego. One is in the HMart parking lot in Mira Mesa. The other is in the strip mall on the SouthEast corner of Clairmont Mesa at the 805 (where there was a Souplantation and still has Niban, a McDonalds and Starbucks). The menus are the same, the air conditioning is wonderful, the hours are different. Each location is equidistant from home; we've been to both.
Walk in, order and pay. There is a menu above the register and another full menu on the wall. There's also a laminated one at the register.
Soon your number is called and/or displayed when your order is ready.
Q-mochi set with almond pudding and red beans ($6.75) was presented in this cute dessert bento box/serving tray with tiny cutlery. The two types of mochi were slightly different in flavor, topped with a light Carmel sauce and toasted coconut. The sweet red beans were (and always are) a tasty treat and the almond pudding, when tasted before everything else, had an excellent flavor; the texture remained perfect and never got watery.
This was a hot fresh milk tea with boba ($6.25)which was ordered out of curiosity. I liked it.
This is a medium shaved ice ($11.75) alongside an iced lemon black tea ($4.50)
There are a few choices of shaved ices along with three sizes (the prices are $9.75, $10.75 and $11.75). Topping combinations are varied and all sound good. I pointed at one on the laminated menu at the register. The cylinder shaped Q-mochi, potato balls (sweet potato/taro), jelly and mini mochi balls surrounding the ice cream topped fluffy milk soaked shaved ice made each bite unique. We ended up taking a lot home.
A nice place for a relaxing treat.
Meet Fresh 9420 G Mira Mesa Blvd 92126 (619) 877-8818 open daily noon-10
7051 Clairmont Mesa Blvd #303 San Diego 92111(858) 740-3789 Open 4-10 Thurs-Sun Website
This family owned (since 2004) restaurant has survived the Covid-19 ups and downs and is still going strong. 
The Monday-Friday Lunch menu is simple and offers a good variety. 
I always order a cup of albondigas ($4.25) from the regular menu and enjoy the traditional meatball soup with fresh, still slightly crisp vegetables (zucchini, chayote, tomato, onion), flavorful broth and the fresh herbs (there is oregano in the meatballs and cilantro in the soup). A good start.
The enchilada plate comes with a choice of shredded beef, shredded chicken, cheese or ground beef filling. This is the ground beef-which is really a picadillo- there is onion, bell pepper, garlic and tomato mixed with the ground beef. The from-scratch enchilada sauce and melted cheese round out the flavors of this plate. 
The Tostada Compuesta is a fried flour tortilla topped with refried beans, a choice of meats (this is shredded chicken, photographed after eating half the serving) (shredded beef, ground beef and carnitas are also meat choices) and is topped with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sliced avocado; a wonderful meal. 
The 
The City of Alhambra float was tested; the riders, Driver and Spotter all had to leave the float within 45 seconds during the Fire Drill. Following this float back to the Phoenix Decorating barn gave me an opportunity to explain things in photos which I had mentioned in (years of) prior posts. 
The doorway into the float decorating barn is the maximum height and width of some parts of the Rose Parade route. Each float must be able to fit through this doorway so that it can fit along the parade route. You can see this float needs to "collapse".
the float does indeed collapse!
As always, I ordered hot tea ($2.50). This green tea, served in the thermal cup, was of excellent quality. 
The cucumber salad ($5.95) was served in this deceptively deep bowl. It was refreshing, sweet and salty, cool and crisp and was munched on throughout the meal.
We were here on one (of many) unbearably hot days last week and I was craving 
The miso soup was a notably good quality. 
The plate served was Chicken Katsu ($1 less than the Chicken Katsu Curry). When reminded the order was for curry, our waiter apologized and went to the kitchen. There was a wait because the curry was being prepared. The bowl arrived in a bit (it was quite busy and only two people were working) and WOW- what a lovely curry sauce; carrot, onion and potato. Slightly sweet (from apple I think) yet savory, the thick sauce was very tasty. The chicken katsu was a good thickness, had a nice panko breading and was perfectly deep fried and crisp. The rice and salad were also nicely flavored. I suppose the 'proper' curry plate would have had more rice and less lettuce, with the curry poured over the serving, but eating it this was was nice and we got to see the Chicken Katsu Entree.
Not much has changed since Covid-19. Menu is the same. Tabletops are still sticky. Prices have, of course, increased.
Pho Tai (rare beef) (large, $11.40) arrives with fresh herbs and add-ins, still has a rich deep colored and flavorful broth which is slightly salty. Noodles were not in a 'clump'. Overall, this bowl was very refreshing.
The half order of Spring Rolls ($5.60) arrived with the shrimp and pork still warm. The lettuce, sprouts and mint were crisp and very fresh. Even the vermicelli noodles were still warm. Made to order and exceptionally good.
The grilled pork Bun ($12.60) was quite a large serving of thicker slices of char grilled pork on top of lettuce and cold vermicelli topped with pickled radish and carrot, sprouts and mint and topped with plenty of peanuts. The nuoc nuam sauce/dressing is a wonderfully balanced fish sauce based dressing.
If you walk in the entrance on the right, you'll be at the proper area. 
If you had walked in the entrance to the left and counter-clockwise through the store, you'll see this overhead signage.
Grab a container and choose from the hot/steam trays
as well as from the chilled trays. At the end of the line are canned and bottled beverages and the cash register and seating area. Everything is $10.99/lb. {there is also a water fountain with cups in the seating area}
The fried items seem to be fresh when we are here; lightly crisp and not greasy. The squid and whole shrimp are a favorite (as you can see from these separate visits). The chilled trays always hold something wonderful. Each of these packed full trays weighed a little less than one pound.
You can also order something from the kitchen- the menu board is right above the trays.
The Bibimbap (mixed rice with meat and vegetables) has been a special taped to the bottom of the menu board for a while now ($9.99). Steamed rice topped with a variety of vegetables and marinated tender, thin sliced beef (you can also get the beef in the per-pound steam tray) topped with an egg. It's served with pickled radish, Kimchi and the mildly spicy, slightly sweet gochujang sauce. A spoon is necessary for mixing the ingredients together. You can have all of this served in a stone pot (dolsot bibimbap) so the rice is sizzling and brown/burned (in a good way) for $2 more (#10 on the photo menu).
#20 on the menu is 'pork cutlet' ($11.99). Topped with teriyaki sauce and served with rice and salad, this is quite a large meal. We were sad that on this visit, the pork was fried just about 30 seconds too long, leaving it a bit dryer and more chewy than usual. 
Depending on the time of day, the shelves may be filled with fresh donuts or not. 
A Raised Crumb and an Old Fashioned ($1.50 each) along with a large up of coffee ($2.49) is a nice treat.
The owner offered us a slice of 'bread pudding', a sort of experimental item which might be offered someday. It was wonderful, rich and milky and topped (as well as filled) with butterscotch chips. I would buy this. But, what kind of bread?
The croissants which are made here, of course!
When you walk in, the Coffee Bar is in front of you.
Also when walking in, the window art lets you know there are more than donuts sold here. 
These menus are displayed straight ahead.
And so that's what we were served! 
I must say, the sandwich had to be cut anyhow to fit onto one plate. 
The Toyota dealership, where I took in the car for service in July. Free coffee and free donuts. 
There is no seating; there is no soup; there is a "Cash Only" sign. There are 12 steam trays and each item is $2.39. (You can choose rice or lo mein or half and half for the $2.39).
So, we chose and paid and drove home. 
The styrofoam containers are the 'small' size, but are packed full. This one included 1/2 lo mein and 1/2 rice, chicken and vegetables and orange chicken. 
This box was all rice (leftover for breakfast), pork with vegetables and ginger chicken. Total price with tax $15.68.
Here's my plate: the pork with vegetables (onion, bell pepper, celery and peanuts)(not spicy); rice; lo mein; ginger chicken; orange chicken; chicken with zucchini and onions. Everything was very fresh; no mushy vegetables (the line was constant and the steam trays were kept full). 
Kirk wrote about Chopstix 
Menu selections are consistent; no need to change what is good. The most recent 'change' is that hot tea is now $1. 
An order of mixed tempura ($11.95) is, as always, perfectly fried and includes three shrimp along with eight pieces of in-season vegetables.
I was craving Hiyashi ($13.95) on this warm day and did select the 'traditional' egg-ramen noodles (being able to select udon or somen is always an option). The colorful bowl, anchored with chilled noodles and cold, crisp vegetables (cucumber, sprouts. ginger, seaweed and corn) and shredded egg/omelet along with the moist, perfectly crisp pieces of chicken karaage and pieces of imitation crab when mixed with the tangy, sesame/soy vinaigrette dressing is very refreshing.
The Mister was craving both the sweet and spicy flavors of Mabo (stir fried ground pork with tofu) ($10.95) and also Ton Katsu (deep fried breaded pork) ($2), so He ordered the Mabo Don set which includes the miso soup and a small salad. A full meal for $12.95.
Located at the 'corner' of the 
Walk up, order, pay and wait about five minutes. All items are made fresh.
One day, I had ordered my meal at another Food Court business and decided that my 'side dish' should be a cheddar-mozzarella ($4.45). This is probably now my favorite item here; quite large and wrapped in the delicious, slightly sweet fried dough. The condiments of 'cheddar cheese' and 'cheese mustard' are tasty additions to add a variety to each bite (I add condiments on the second half of most menu items, enjoying the intended flavors on the first bites).
One day I decided to try the Sausage Kkwabaegi ($3.25). Not very large, a good sausage surrounded by the same light, sweet dough. This was a nice snack. 
Of course, the traditional Kkwabagi (two for $4.49) are what most people order. The Mister chose matcha and ube flavors, saying he thought they were 'photographable'. Very true and very nice flavors. The matcha mixed with sugar had a nice 'background' flavor of green tea/tannin and the ube was lightly flavored but still the starch of ube was discernible. The light crunchy exterior and chewy interior of these yeasty, twisted doughnuts is enhanced because they are still warm when served. 