Vietnamese Restaurants – Page 14

Revisits – Pho Duyen Mai and Tiger! Tiger!

October 29, 2019 mmm-yoso Gastropub, Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

A couple of revisits for a Monday.

Pho Duyen Mai:

**** Pho Duyen Mai is under new ownership

In the comments on my last post Pho Hut & Grill, "Alan from Clairemont" mentioned that Pho Duyen Mai had gone downhill. Which was sad news for me; since when our office was in the area, was a fairly regular stop. So, this past weekend, with temps finally getting to normal for this time of the year, I decided to drop by while running errands. Pho Duyen Mai opens at 9am….which is not bad.

I got there right at 9 had a seat and was given a menu…..it was just too early in the morning for me to go with dem' bones; so I just took the easy way out and ordered the Dac Biet. Which arrived within minutes.

I quickly noticed that the basil was starting to brown; not a good sign of quality control. Though unlike Alan's visits, there was a whole half lime on the plate…..a darn good thing, as the broth was even more overly sweet and salty than I recalled. I needed a good amount of lime to attempt to balance the broth, which was even more defatted then I remembered.

On the good side, the rare steak was still nicely rare when the bowl hit the table, the tendon was adequately tender, the other cuts were ho-hum, the flank like cardboard and tripe was MIA.

The noodles, while in a clump wasn't over-cooked and still had a nice stretch to them.

So, the verdict? The broth at Duyen Mai has gotten much more salty and "sweeter", while losing what little richness there was. Not a complete fail, but it seems like the place has slipped a bit. Not a good sign in the vast pho wasteland that Clairemont/Kearny Mesa has become.

Pho Duyen Mai
5375 Kearny Villa Rd
San Diego, CA 92123

Tiger! Tiger!:

**** Tiger! Tiger! has closed

Hard to believe it's been over six months since we were last at Tiger! Tiger! Our visit was just a last minute decision….we just couldn't figure out where we wanted to go.

Not much to say; we ordered the usual, the Bratwurst, which I've posted on a couple of times.

And of course got the 1/2 order of the Charcuterie Board. The Missus loved the chicken and pork liver mousse.

It almost always delivered; except the bread was too hard and chewy this time around. Still, that smokey, porky, terrine was wonderful.

And of course, we always think of Sammy, when we're sitting outside. We miss you!

Tiger! Tiger!
3025 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Sunday Stuffs – Saigon Restaurant Replacing Yum Cha Cafe, Chicken Charlie’s (Balboa) Closes, and the One Chip Challenge 2019

October 20, 2019 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants, yoso-silly

Been kinda busy over the last month or so. I finally had a chance to drive around a bit and noticed a couple of things for a leisurely Sunday post.

Saigon Restaurant Replacing Yum Cha Café:

I noticed some new signage up when I drove by Thuan Phat Market.

Hmmm….is it "that" Saigon Restaurant? This will be interesting.

Well, at least somethings happening in this spot. It's been over two years since Yum Cha Cafe closed.

6933 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111

Chicken Charlie's FryBQ (Balboa) Closes:

I had to drop by the bank and noticed that it looked like equipment and furnishings in Chicken Charlie's were shrink wrapped. So, I parked the car and walked over.

Even though the outdoor tables and chairs are still in place; Chicken Charlie's is closed.

You can still go to the Rancho Bernardo location as a, sorry, can't help it…..bypass if you need to get your fix.

5407 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111

And finally……

Just like last year; "Alle" wanted me to do the One-Chip Challenge.

And, just when I thought it couldn't be hotter than last year…..well, let me tell you……this had me fooled as it wasn't too bad for the first 15 seconds or so. Then it got really, burning, searing hot……like I just ate a porcupine. The heat lasted even longer this year….I got the hiccups, my scalp itched, all normal reactions on my part. Admittedly, I don't use any "props", no gloves and such…so it wasn't a particularly good move when I rubbed my face with my hands with the powder from the chip on them. Oh well, it wasn't as bad as when I worked with Ghost Peppers and didn't wash my hands well…..then took out my contact lenses a bit later.

This chip made the Triple Atomic Wings seem like ice cream.

Well, I'm done until next year…..

Hope everyone had a great weekend, thanks for dropping by!

Pho Tommy Opens in Linda Vista

September 18, 2019 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Pho Tommy has closed

A few weeks ago, right before heading out on our Road Trip to Laguna Beach; I was picking up take-out from Thai Papaya, I noticed that Farm Market and Sandwiches was gone and replaced with something called "Pho Tommy".

Not quite sure what to make of this rather large space….after all it was a market and all, I was curious and decided to visit soon after.

The place seems to be put together….or at least renovated in a rather strange and haphazard way. It seems that they just pulled out all the shelving and replaced things with tables.

And there are still some grocery items for sale.

A "stage" has been put in near the entrance that faces Linda Vista Road. You gotta watch your step……the UPS guy walking in tripped and almost fell.

Another strange thing was that, other than the UPS guy, and the friends of the really friendly guy running the place named "Kim", I was the only customer on all three visits. Not sure what's going on here. Well, on with the show…..

Since the place was named "Pho Tommy"; it was only natural that I ordered the Pho Dac Biet.

First off, as you can tell, the basil and sprouts were past their "due date" and browning. The broth was clear with a decent amount of richness/texture, but like many places in San Diego these days, it had a salty-sweetness that isn't to my taste. I did enjoy the good amount of cilantro and scallions which helped a bit, along with a good amount of lime to try and balance things out.

As for the proteins; well the rare steak was too well done by the time the bowl hit the table and being the usual top round it was tough and dry. The fatty flank was on the bland side….no tripe in this bowl, though the tendon was fairly buttery and not bad. Not a great bowl overall. There's much better less than a block away.

When I went to pay; Kim just charged me eight bucks. Not wanting to short the place, I showed him the $9.50 on the menu, but was told, "I rang it up already, it's okay, eight dollars for you….."

So, I decided to go back the next morning since I needed to get some stuff from Thuan Phat, I was kinda hungry so I decided to drop by.

This time I ordered the Broken Rice with Bi, Cha (steamed egg), Pork Chop, and Egg ($8.99).

First off, the rice was nice and fragrant and the nuoc mam cham wasn't watered down, nor too sweet.

The Bi, shredded pork and pork skin was really dry and tasteless though. The cha was fine, though a bit drier than I prefer.

The pork chop was nicely charred, though it needed more seasoning as it was also bland.

But that egg was wonderful. Perfectly sunny side up, runny, with crisp edges, and nicely seasoned.

The broth provided, was basically the pho broth….it was less "sweet", but still too salty for me to fully enjoy.

Still, this was an improvement over the pho, so this past weekend, I decided to drop by early in the morning (apparently they open around 730), which is great for me.

I had seen something on the menu that I hadn't had for quite a while.

A dish named after the capital of Tiền Giang Province, My Tho; Hu Tieu My Tho.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't know what to expect. But the plate of sparkling fresh Tong Ho (chrysanthemum leaves, we call it Shingiku in Japanese) and sprouts started things off on the right foot. The Tong Ho was mild in flavor, without that resiny-overly green-grassy flavor. These were mildly sweet and bitter, obviously very fresh.

What really impressed me about this bowl was the liver….I'm usually not a fan of liver in Vietnamese noodle dishes because often times they are old and taste plain gross; but this was fairly tender and had just the right amount of earthy-offal flavor. In fact, in spite of the shrimp being cooked perfectly, the liver was the best meat item in the dish. The other pork was pretty bland.

The Hu Tieu was a bit overcooked for my taste. Though the clear broth wasn't quite as salty this time around. In fact, combined with that rather rich, almost greasy, bright red pork broth, it created a balance in a way. This was also quite a bit more than I'd usually put away for breakfast.

The third time was a charm it seems.

I enjoyed the guy working here; but unless evenings and lunches are super busy….somehow, I don't think it is, I don't know how long a place like this can last. I hope they hang in there. There's something definitely "old school" about Pho Tommy, without the brusque service, that I enjoyed.

Pho Tommy
6959 Linda Vista Rd.
San Diego, CA

Pho Hut & Grill Revisited

September 11, 2019 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

I'm a bit under the weather, so just a short post for tonight.

Recently, on one of my "Honey Doo" weekend morning trips, I felt a bit hungry and was already on the way home from the "Sprouts – H Mart – Nijiya – Marukai – 99 Ranch Market" route. It wasn't overly hot yet and I do love my noodles for breakfast. It had been nearly two years since my last visit to Pho Hut. And even though my last couple of visits have been disappointing, I thought I'd give it another try.

Either they've changed the menu a bit or I hadn't been paying attention. I noticed that they had Hu Tieu Nam Vang on the menu??? I decided to take a chance and order it "dry"; that is with soup on the side.

It took a while for my dish to arrive……and when it did; well, it was Char Siu city.

A couple of things were obviously missing if you eat Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho often enough. No bean sprouts (slightly blanched is best) and lime. No pork shank or bone in the broth….which was really salty….like MSG city.

But heck, if you like Char Siu, which, while being a bit on the dry side wasn't bad at all, maybe this might be your thing? The shrimp were overcooked and there were, thankfully for some, only one fish ball awaiting me in the bowl. Lot's of fried shallots.

The noodles were horrendously over-cooked and mushy and the sauce drizzled on the noodles for flavor, had none….or maybe it's because that sip of soup on the side had numbed my tastebuds?

Whatever the reason, I'm going to just drive past Pho Hut in the future……

Pho Hut & Grill
5252 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

Revisits – Tim Ky and Chicago Fire Grill

August 27, 2019 mmm-yoso Hot Dogs, Vietnamese Restaurants

It's still pretty darn warm out. I think you ought to be trying to relax and keep cool rather than reading a food blog….especially since there's noodle soup involved in this post. But; if you insist, well, I'll carry on.

Tim Ky:

This was actually my first restaurant meal after returning from our last trip to Budapest – Vienna – Munich -etc, etc, etc…..

Not sure why; but I ordered the duck leg egg noodle soup. At most places of this ilk, the duck is served, but here the whole leg is served in the soup. For some unknown reason….perhaps just wanting to see if it was as bad as what I had before?

In some ways this was even worse. The skin on the duck was rubbery; the meat really dry and tough. It's hard enough trying to eat this leg in a bowl of scalding soup without making a mess; but this made things even harder. The broth tastes like salty-bitter water with a hint of five spice….though it is really hot. The noodles were nicely cooked, it still had a bit of "crunch" to it. There was one slice of shiitake mushroom.

Ok, I'm done with this here, I'll stick with the beef sate noodle "dry".

Tim Ky Noodle
9330 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

Chicago Fire Grill:

A few weeks back; before "SJK" changed departments, we were both in meetings together with a short break in between. I knew that she loved hot dogs….but strangely had never had a Chicago Dog. I thought we'd be able to grab a Chicago Dog from Chicago Fire Grill. I called in and it was ready when I got there.

The fries were the same as on previous visits. The Poppy Seed Bun was a bit more soggy than usual and the tomato under-ripe. The Vienna Beef Dog had the requisite snap and of course it had been "dragged through the garden"; though there was a bit less fluorescent green relish than usual.

Still, "SJK" who had never had a Chicago Dog loved this.

The place was packed and quite busy on this day; so I got no "words of wisdom" from the Owner. I'm hoping my next visit will be better.

Chicago Fire Grill
8935 Towne Centre Dr.
San Diego, CA 92122

Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho-mparison: “KuyTeav” From 777 Noodle House, Ly Heng, and Trieu Chau

August 12, 2019 mmm-yoso Cambodian Restaurants and Cuisine, Vietnamese Restaurants

I'm thinking this post is long overdue; after all, I've been eating Hu Tieu Nam Vang ("Phnom Penh Noodles") Kho ("Dry") for ages. But just recently, I decided to try all three (not two) places in City Heights which claim Cambodian (versus Khmer) roots.

As for the roots of the dish itself; I'm more inclined to agree with folks who believe that Kuy Teav is more of a Cambodian-Chinese (Chiuchow/Teochow) hybrid that had been adopted by Vietnamese cuisine; than a purely Khmer Dish. In fact, while we ran into the very traditional Num Banh Chok when visiting Cambodia, a dish that has legendary deep roots in Cambodian folklore, there's not quite the equivalent for Kuy Teav.

Regardless, I tend to eat Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho in the very typical way; for breakfast. And over the last couple of months, I decided to revisit these three places a mere third of a mile apart.

So, let's get started, shall we?

777 Noodle House:

777 used to be my choice for Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho; but was eventually surpassed by Ly Heng, but on my last visit, things were looking up.

So, what would it be this time around?

The bean sprouts were nicely blanched; the only place that did this during this rotation. The noodles were nicely cooked; though the sauce for the noodles were the mildest of the three. This bowl also had the least and cheapest toppings. The accompanying soup was good, not too salty. I shocked at what was the usual shank with meat as it looked fairly skimpy. It was however, almost all, very tender, very porky meat, and just a sliver of bone!

In terms of price; this was in the middle of the three bowls. If you'd like to know more about the original owners of 777 and enjoy a blast from the past, you can check this out from almost seven years ago to the day it was published.

The place is looking a bit worn; though it's basically the same folks who have been working the front of house from when I first visited back in 2010.

777 Noodle House
4686 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92105

Ly Heng:

Next up; Ly Heng, which I first visited when they opened in 2014. Over time; I thought that Ly Heng had over taken 777 with regards to the Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho.

I was a bit surprised with what arrived. It was the most interesting presentation and also the cheapest ($6).

The soup had a nice sized bone in it with a decent amount of tender, flavorful, meat. As usual; it edged on the salty side, and was perhaps the least favorite of the three.

Check out that presentation; in a shallow bowl, with everything on lettuce (?) which wilted. The chicken served with this was dry, the liver tasted not-so-fresh, the noodles were over-cooked. The bean sprouts weren't blanched as well.

Hmmmm…..

The young lady who waited on me was wonderful and Ly Heng was the most modern and busiest of the three places. It was strange as everyone; all five other tables seemed to finish at the same time and leave within minutes of each other.

Ly Heng
4451 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Trieu Chau:

Talk about a blast from the past. Yes, that post is from 2006! Actually, I did revisit after our Cambodia trip. Let's just say I didn't "handle" the food well and leave it at that. Usually, I'd never return to, or ever post about somewhere when that occurs. But heck, it's 2019, right?

And while the restaurant looks basically the same outside; I think the interior looks a bit better.

Though there are some interesting touches….like did you ever wonder what happened to Mandarin Garden's (another blast from the past) chopsticks after they closed? Well, look no further.

The version here was the most expensive; like eight bucks, but it also had the most meat.

And while there was a pittance of unblanched bean sprouts and the bone in the soup was just that….no false advertising here, it was almost all bone, with some really tough meat and connective tissue, I think the broth was the best, as it actually had some nice porkiness to it.

The noodles were a bit over-cooked, but the sauce used for the noodles were also quite good, if a bit salty (the lime helps with this); it did help that there was a good amount of what looked like seasoned-sautéed garlic as well. The shrimp was large, moist and plump. The rest of the meats were fine as well. So if you prefer more meat with your Kuy Teav, this is the place to hit up.

Trieu Chau Restaurant
4653 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

So who was the winner? Well, me of course as I got to enjoy three decent versions of Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho, all for less than most of us pay for a sandwich! Though I will say that the version at Ly Heng has slipped (though it's only $6) and I was pleasantly surprised by Trieu Chau.

These noodle soups are so inexpensive that you should probably check them out if you're in the neighborhood.

Sunday Sandwiches – Banh Mi From Lena’s Sandwiches & Deli

August 11, 2019 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Lena's Sandwiches & Deli has closed

It seems that I just don't get up to City Heights as much as I used to. While driving on ECB a few months back, I noticed that Kim Chan Sandwich Shop, which was once upon a time a Banh Mi staple for me and an old favorite of Ed from Yuma, was gone. It had been replaced by Lena’s Sandwiches & Deli.

So, after returning from our trip, I decided to drop by. Parking in this lot is an adventure; especially in the mornings where all the "coffee guys" hang out at Nhu Y.

In addition, the parking spaces are very small here and on both visits there were vehicles taking up more than one space. Kind of a bummer for the businesses here.

The shop does look a bit like Kim Chan; with a fresh coat of paint and modern signs. The folks here are very kind and mellow.

As is my MO at Banh Mi shops; I started with the Dac Biet ($4.50), just to see how things are put together.

The longer type of "baguette" used here was fairly yeasty; though on this trip it was heading to past its prime as it was mealy and dry.

The pickled carrots aren't very heavily pickled, though the radish is and the jalapenos were no joke! The cucumbers were crisp though the amount of cilantro was rather sparse.

Liked the ratio of Thit Ngoi, the ham to the Cha was perfect, medium-thin slices. I really enjoyed the pate as there was a pretty good amount of it; nice earthy -rich flavors.

This was a pretty good sandwich, so I returned the following weekend.

This time around I ordered the Banh Mi Nem Nuong ($4.50). The older gentleman working was so nice when he mentioned that they griddle the sausage so it would be a few minutes. I tols him no worries since it was Sunday and I'd even managed to score a nice parking space!

This time around the bread was perfeect; it held up well, nice yeastiness, a crackly crust.

I really enjoyed the salty-porkiness of the nem nuong; it was browned nicely. And those jalapenos were pretty darn spicy.

My only issue was that the cilantro was starting to turn brown.

I rather enjoyed the sandwich. Especially after having recently eaten at all these Westernized shops around town. This old school Banh Mi shop was refreshing. And it was pleasure dealing with the folks here as well.

Maybe one of these days I'll do a Banh Mi Retrospective again. Come to think of it; I think the Banh Mi Ba Chi from Cafe Dore is calling me…..

Lena’s Sandwiches & Deli
4712 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92115
Hours:
Mon – Tues 8am – 8pm
Wed 8am – 2pm
Thurs – Sat 8am – 8pm
Sunday 8am – 6pm

Clearing Out the Memory Card – Never Made the Cut Road Trip Edition

August 10, 2019 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Bun Bo Hue, Chinese Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Pho, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Vietnamese Restaurants

Here are some photos that I was just going to delete…..I have a bunch of breakfast one's from when I was driving to Irvine almost weekly as well. But since these weren't in San Diego; where I try to visit places more than once; I thought I'd just do one of those "never made the cut" posts.

I went to lunch with the folks I was working with in Irvine a couple of times.

Ngu Binh:

I've posted on Ngu Binh before, but was excited to try the Bun Bo Hue. Unfortunately, the folks that got there first ordered for all of us…….

They like their Bun Bo Hue not spicy with no pork hock and that's what I had waiting for me when I arrived……what the??????

Ngu Binh Restaurant
14072 Magnolia St
Westminster, CA 92683

Pho Lovers:

Which was right in front of Lien Hoa, it has since moved.

loved the herbs which were amazingly fresh.

The pho was seriously defatted, the noodles over-cooked, though the broth wasn't overly sweet or salty.

Now at:

9892 Westminster Blvd
Garden Grove, CA 92844

From other Road Trips.

Chengdu Taste (Alhambra):

The Missus was seriously psyched to try the place that had been declared the "best Sichuan Restaurant in America". We were quite disappointed.

And the service was so terrible, that we got our mapo tofu and Shui Zhu Niu Rou, the beef boiled in hot sauce to go. Both just didn't have enough spice and were seriously defatted versions. The won tons in hot sauce were too sweet and lacked spice, not even close to the version I had at Long Chau Shou (龙抄手).

828 W Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803

The Lark (Santa Barbara):

This one was from the same road trip where we had a wonderful meal at Yoichi's. It was a super hot weekend; yet they had the fire pit going!

From the mushy brussel sprouts to the teeth rattling sweet duck wings, not our favorite meal.

Though the lamb shoulder confit was quite good.

The Lark Santa Barbara
131 Anacapa St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

So there you go; thanks for indulging me.

I'll be back tomorrow with more San Diego restaurants.

Brodard (Fountain Valley)-a Saturday morning road trip

July 7, 2019 Cathy Orange County, Road Trip, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of this food blog. Cathy is writing. Kirk (and His Missus) are enjoying the holiday weekend.

The Mister said he would be responsible for breakfast on Saturday. At 7 a.m., I saw him on the computer, reading a menu.

We took a 'short' (83 miles one way) trip North. The craving for nem nuong (pork sausage) was overwhelming in the middle of this four day weekend. Both Kirk and His missus as well as The Mister and I have been to the 'original' Brodard; it moved South on the same main road (Brookhurst) in late 2017, from Garden Grove to Fountain Valley-so it is much closer to the 405. We arrived at the "new" Brodard location in about 75 minutes. The side parking lot was empty,

as was the beautiful, spacious interior. (Business picks up later in the day; you can get on a waiting list online and the wait was 75 minutes at 2 p.m. yesterday).
We asked for hot tea; jasmine and strong!
One order of nem nuong cuon (grilled pork rolls) ($6) Heritage Berkshire grilled pork (fresh grilled- warm) wrapped in rice paper with lettuce, cucumber, carrots, cilantro, chives, daikon, mint and a strip of crispy fried egg roll wrapper. Served with the 'house special sauce'-warm: savory, spicy and sweet. The pork- I could just eat a plate of that.
Roasted duck spring rolls (goi cuon vit) ($9.95) Warm, roasted duck wrapped in rice paper with asparagus, scallions, cucumber and cilantro. Served with a plum sauce. This was quite wonderful and special.

It was breakfast. We ordered sole porridge (Chao Ca) ($7.95) It came garnished with roasted shallots, fresh ginger, cilantro and scallions and a nice plate of add-ins (lime, jalapeño, bean sprouts and cilantro). Fancy, tasty, filled with a lot of firm, tasty sole.

Instead of a Vietnamese crepe (banh xeo), we ordered the plate of several small crepes-the Luna rice cakes with shrimp (Banh Khot Tom) ($8.95) Small, light, crispy rice-flour crepes made with coconut milk and turmeric. Filled with mung beans, scallions and a large, plump shrimp and served with mint, sesame leaf, lettuce and pickled daikon and carrots. Great little bites.

If you look back at the first photo, that's the doorway to the left of the main doorway. You can walk in there to pick up an order, stare at the bakery offerings or just go ahead and order something.

cc has visited the new Brodard

Brodard Fountain Valley 16105 Brookhurst Street Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (657) 247-4401 website

One pistachio and one raspberry macaron. The almond topped, crispy pastry is filled with hazelnut cream (not sweetened) ($7.88).

Goi Cuon Inc (Hillcrest)

July 2, 2019 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

While driving on Robinson Avenue a while back I noticed that a shop named Goi Cuon was replacing The Thai Grill, which was shut down due to some, ahem, critter issues. A few weeks later I read about the opening on Eater. Apparently this shop is an extension of booths at the Hillcrest and OB Farmers Market.

It's an interesting location; but I really liked the hours; 8am to 8pm, which made it a nice little stop on a weekend morning. You know, a little something to eat before taking care of the "Honey-do" list.

Nice shop; clean, wide open, but man, it's quite a menu, with various combinations of the namesake dish, banh mi, salads, "pho rolls", cha gio. I quickly figured out, since the entire menu was in English, and with items like Shrimp and Strawberry and Shrimp and Avocado spring rolls, and a bunch of vegan offerings that this was kind of a fusiony shop.

Still, when I saw Sugar Cane Shrimp with "crispy snack" and "Vietnamese Sausage Pork with Crispy Snack", I figured I'd start there. After all, I've always thought if you can't make the basics, well….. So, there was a very friendly young lady working the counter. She was so nice and was a bit shocked when I ordered the Nem Nuong Cuon and Chao Tom Cuon in horrible Vietnamese. She laughed and asked me if and where I'd had this before and I told her, "Brodard" and the "now closed Dat Thanh". She smiled and we had a nice little chat while I had my Vietnamese Coffee and waited for my Goi Cuon.

Eventually, I got me spring rolls all wrapped up nicely in a little brown bag.

Man, they sure use a lot of plastic wrap. I had to work pretty hard getting it off the spring rolls!

Two sauces were provided; a peanut based dipping sauce and another sauce with a sweeter coconutty flavor.

The spring rolls are not cheap at $3 each, but I was given 20% off as it was during grand opening.

So, what did I think?

The Chao Tom Cuon had a nice thick piece of shrimp paste, which was a bit more tender than I'm used to. It was fairly bland however. There was that "Brodard-like" piece of fried eggroll wrapper which added a nice crunch. There was quite a bit of lettuce in this, some bun, and no other herbs. In spite of being tightly bound in plastic wrap; the spring rolls itself was wrapped fairly loosely.

Next up, the Nem Nuong Cuon.

This was a bit better, though it was again very mild in flavor.

Both really needed the dipping sauces; the peanut version went much better with both goi cuon.

So, no this wasn't nearly as good as Brodard. Heck, it wasn't as good as Duyen Mai or even Banh Mai. But these were fresh and I guess convenient if you live in the area. The young lady was so very nice as well. I wanted to check out a few other items on the menu, so I returned a few weeks later and picked up a lunch to take back to the office.

The nice young lady was again working; I believe she is the owner?

I wanted to try a Banh Mi; there are only "Grilled" meat, tofu, and easy over egg versions available. I'd usually go with the Banh Mi Op La – the fried egg version, but I decided on the grilled pork.

This was by far the best item I've had from Goi Cuon thus far.The bread was nicely done, standard issue banh mi, but warm, crusty-flakey, and it had held up well. The pork almost seemed braised, it was very tender. The pickled carrots and the cucumber were nice and crisp. But man, this was a bit too "gringo" for me, no jalapenos, no pickled daikon, this was banh mi not to offend.

I was curious about the "Pho Rolls"; so I ordered a shrimp version ($3). And yep, this was a version of Pho Cuon, an acquaintance who recently returned from Hanoi mentioned this dish to me, a thickish rice noodle roll, rightly wrapped around beef and herbs used for pho. This is what I got here.

The rice noodle was on the thinner side and was wrapped quite loosely as it just fell apart. No herbs, just lettuce and cucumber; though the shrimp was nice and plump, well prepped. Overall, this was pretty bland and I thought some nuoc mam cham would have gone better with this than the peanut sauce.

There was one more item I was curious about. It was the shrimp and avocado spring roll ($3); so I ordered one. I mentioned how tightly these are wrapped earlier. By the time I got all the layers of plastic wrap off; the spring roll wrapper had started to peel.

The slice of avocado adds an interesting textural contrast; but very little in terms of flavor. The shrimp were thin half slices, quite bland, and having just bun and lettuce again really hurt the overall flavor of the spring roll.

And paying $12 bucks for this lunch seemed on the high side for me.

So, while the spring rolls are nice and fresh; I find the overall preparations and flavors a bit too "Westernized" for me. It's missing the herbs, seasonings, and other ingredients that make these dishes Vietnamese in my mind.

Also, I had thought that Goi Cuon was at least a nice, fresh breakfast option in the area; but at last glance they've changed their hours and are no longer open from 8 to 8. I really like the owner; she's really nice, I hope they do well, but for me, the food has lost its "soul" somewhere along the way.

Goi Cuon Inc
420 Robinson Ave.
San Diego, CA 92103
Hours
Mon – Fri 1030am – 930pm
Sat – Sun 11am – 10pm