Vietnamese Restaurants – Page 15

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

Pho Fusion and Pho Hoa Huong Revisited

May 13, 2019 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

Since it's still fairly cool out; here are a couple of places I haven't been to in a while.

Pho Fusion:

Man, has it been three years since I last visited? I'd actually kinda forgotten about this place. I noticed that they were tearing up the parking lot and saw Pho Fusion open. I had thought the pho wasn't too bad; at least for "pho not to offend" on my last visit, so I decided to drop by and have a bowl.

The place was empty during my visit; probably the combination of all the construction and the time of day of my visit. Late afternoon on a weekend.

I started with the Popcorn Chicken which I thought wasn't too bad on my last visit.

And it still wasn't bad at all. Crunchy, well seasoned dark meat chicken. I believe the popcorn chicken here is better than, well the now closed Popcorn Chicken down the street.

As for the pho; well, I got #14; brisket, flank, marbled flank, tendon, and tripe. I was provided with one sprig of basil and a ration of bean sprouts. In all honesty, I didn't expect much more. At least it was fresh. The clump of noodles were decent, not over-cooked. The broth on this visit was way too salty, and sigh; like much of the pho in San Diego these days on the sweet side. Not a hint of beefiness nor anise. The proteins were fine, the tiny sprig of tripe had a soapiness to it; the brisket was tender but flavorless, the tendon was decent, not overly chewy, but not soft and buttery either.

Like I said; "pho not to offend". Still, I'd take this over what I last had at a couple of other places in Kearny Mesa.

Pho Fusion
8038 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho Hoa Huong:

So, the next morning I went on some errands and passed by Pho Hoa Huong at around 730am and the open sign was lit. My understanding is that they open at 8….but no, the place was open. So, since I hadn't been here in a while and, it had been even longer since I'd had pho here, I thought "why not"?

Strange, PHH used to be known as one of those "old school", perfunctory, menu slapped on the table, guy hovering over you for your order kinda place (remember – the "Fastest Pho in the West"?)….in fact the woman working was very nice told me to sit wherever I wanted and brought over a men and laid it on the table. On my last visit, I noticed what I thought was a "a softer, kinder Pho Hoa".

The place still looks quite "old school". I went with good ol' #4, which now cost $8.10 for a regular sized bowl.

Damn, when was the last time I actually had such a generous plate of basil, sprouts, and ngo gai? Well, at the other "old school" pho shop; Pho Hoa.

I'm not sure if I'm turning soft in my old age; but this was a decent bowl. The broth looked much too light, but it wasn't too salty, nor too sweet, had a mild beefiness, anise tones, and a mild hint of onion.

The noodles were prepped well, not too chewy, not mushy.

I wasn't a big fan of the flank which was too hard, but the tendon was decently tender and the tripe was nice and crunchy without any off flavors.

The woman who was my Server was very nice and smiled; the Gentleman manning the register asked me how I enjoyed my meal. Man, this sure ain't the Pho Hoa Huong I remembered. If this is the way things are now; well…all hail the old school pho shop!

And, I still got out in less than thirty minutes!

Pho Hoa-Huong Restaurant
6921 Linda Vista Rd
San Diego, CA 92111

Song Huong Mira Mesa Revisited

May 8, 2019 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** This location of Song Huong has been replaced by Saigon Corner

A few weeks back; Calvin asked if I'd join him at Song Huong; he wanted to have some Banh Cuon for lunch. I told him I wasn't the biggest fan of the Banh Cuon at Song Huong; nor much of anything else I've tried during several visits. Still, it had been over three years since I'd last visited, so why not. Unfortunately; or perhaps fortunately, Song Huong was undergoing some renovation work at that time….so we got Menya Ultra instead.

Fast forward a month and Calvin asks if we could go and check the place out. So, why not?

There're now a couple of groups of older Vietnamese guys hanging out on the tables outside the place. Guess they've found their coffee hangout.

Other than the fresh coat of paint and some wooden tables and benches, the place looks pretty much the same. Though I heard someone saying something about ceiling damage and repairs.

Calvin had one thing on his mind; the banh cuon. I on the other hand, really wanted nothing to do with any of the noodle soups here and was kinda fascinated by the new fried food menu.

Anyway, the Banh Cuon and Banh Uot was mediocre.

The banh cuon was especially bad; the rolls too thick and chewy, the filling bland, the nuoc mam cham watery….'nuff said.

Meanwhile, after a short wait all the fried food started arriving. First the chicken gizzards ($5.99). Holy smokes, the portion size was more than I bargained for.

These were crunchy, nicely seasoned, and in my opinion the best item of the meal. A good dose of Louisiana Hot Sauce added a nice kick and acidity to cut all that fry-o-lated goodness.

The fried okra ($2.49) was again a good portion size.

While it could have been more crunchy; it was still decently crisp, with a nice, gooey interior. Not bad; though this could have used more seasoning.

And last; the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings (6 pieces – $6.99).

Unevenly battered, bitter garlic, too salty, and rather dry flesh…..this wasn't too good. a lot of the batter just flaked off as well. This one needs some work.

There was a ton of leftovers. We took it back to the office and gave it to Big Daniel from Georgia and he whacked those gizzards in minutes. Then looked sleepy for the rest of the afternoon.

As for the Banh Cuon; Phuong Nha definitely does it better. The woman working was much more friendly than I recalled. But am not sure I'll return.

Song Huong
10550 Camino Ruiz
San Diego, CA 92126

Seaside Pho & Grill

May 5, 2019 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Seaside Pho & Grill has closed

A few weeks back, I recently had to run down to Point Loma to pick a package up at the Post Office for the Missus. I thought it a bit strange that the info given on the slip in our mailbox was for the Point Loma location, not the usual Midway Station. And to make things worse, that Post Office is only open from 10 to 1230 on Saturdays! So, I headed down at 1030, found some parking and headed into the Post Office and stood in line. Only to find out that I was given the wrong location….it should have been the usual Midway Post Office! Sigh…..

Well, I decided to grab some lunch in the area before heading back up Rosecrans to the correct Post Office. I decided to check out a place that had been on my "list" for a while.

An acquaintance recommended Seaside Pho & Grill to me for a specific dish. More on this shortly.

I walked on over and easily found a table as the place was totally empty on a Saturday at 11am. The Server was a bit disorganized and kept calling me "honey"…..ok. The vibe is definitely fusion, gastro-pub/bar, very modern. Looking over the menu; well, there's all types of Asian noodles; everything from Pad Thai, Drunken Noodles, Ramen, to Pho.

My source had recommended that I try the "Garlic Noodles" with Shrimp, not cheap at $16.75. I had pictured something like Crustacean's Garlic Noodles or Momofuku's Scallion Noodles. This tended more toward Crustacean's….though more like a version you'd make when you had midnight munchies and robbed the fridge.

The typical noodles were mushy; the sauce was gloppy-gooey with hardly any flavor and definite greasiness to them. The shrimp were nicely cooked but really bland and lacking in "shrimpiness". I added all the parmesan cheese and was definitely tempted to dump Hoisin and Sriracha on this….but I held back.

For some reason; I decided to head back and try the pho. So I returned a few weeks later. In contrast to typical pho shops there are limited options. So, I got the "Beef Combo" ($10.75 – small bowl). But first, some Garlic – Butter Wings (6 pieces – $9.95).

The wings had a nice crunch and were moist and very hot. Not a fan of all the broken bones and discolored flesh. Also, the garlic was too raw and was on the bitter side; the "sauce" was bottled lemon juice with black pepper.

This could have been a winner…..but no cigar.

I got the "Beef Combo" (small – $10.75); rare steak, brisket, flank, and tendon.

As I had anticipated, not much in terms of basil and sprouts; but at least it was fresh. That lime was much needed since the broth was super salty and like most "San Diego style" pho, on the sweet side. It lacked beefy-anise tones that I usually appreciate in a good bowl. The noodles; while in the typical clump were prepped nicely. The rare beef wasn't too rare by the time it hit the table; but it was more tender than the usual lousy top round I get at most pho shops; the flank and brisket were fine, both were fairly tender. The two pieces of tendon were slightly chewy, but passable as well.

In the end; another newish, modern "pho to not offend" shop. Fairly pricey with small bowls of pho near, or over ten bucks and limited options. And no; I'm not going to get the ramen here. The service was kind of; well, distracted, even though I was the only customer in the place during both visits.

And yes, this place is right next to Shanghai Bun…..still not sure if I should check that place out. What do you think?

Seaside Pho & Grill
1005 Rosecrans St.
San Diego, CA 92106
Hours:
Mon – Thur 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 10pm
Sunday Noon – 9pm