Vietnamese Restaurants – Page 24

Saigon 5

December 27, 2016 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Pho, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Saigon 5 has closed

Along with Krispy Krunchy Chicken, Saigon 5 occupies a space in the new 99 Ranch Market Foodcourt. They also open at 9am, which, with my current wacky schedule makes it quite convenient for grabbing lunch at say; 10am.

My understanding is that this is owned by the same folks who run Saigon on Fifth.

I've found this location of 99 Ranch Market to be fairly empty every time I've visit. At 10am on a weekday; the place looked like a ghost town.

Not sure what to get; folks who emailed me mentioned stuff like Pho Bo Kho, which I believe was a special. There were no specials during my three visits, so I was stuck with the regular menu. On my first visit, I just got a simple Dumpling Egg Noodle Soup ($6.95), which was nicely priced.

I appreciated the nice little addition of the pork neck, which kept me busy digging little bits of meat out of the crevices. Enjoyed the greens in the broth as well. The broth was a bit on the "thin" side for me. I think it could have been a bit richer, but the flavor, while on the mild side, mostly salt-pepper, was fine.

The dumplings were on the chewy side; though each one had a piece of shrimp (no, don't get excited, not a whole shrimp) in it. Again, a little weak in pork-shrimp and light with regards to seasoning.

The egg noodles were done right, a slight pull and crunch.

This was not bad at all.

So I returned and went with the Pho Dac Biet ($8.95). The comparison to the "Mi" was night and day. I think I have a contender for the worst pho in the area.

A couple of meatballs and some tasteless, chewy well done steak….that's what almost nine bucks got me. The broth was insipid, almost like just salt, water, and perhaps someone gleefully waved a beef bone over the broth to hopefully impart some flavor. It's almost like they used the same broth as the egg noodle soup, but with even less flavor. The noodles were all chopped short and mushy, totally over cooked.

Less said the better…..I'm trying to forget this bowl.

A couple of weeks later I returned and decided on the Banh Mi Dac Biet ($4.50) as my tie-breaker.

The bread was starting to go, you could tell by the texture. It was also ice cold. I liked the pate, which was nice. Rich and funky. Though the person who applied had pressed so hard into the bread causing one long divot of mushy bread from one end to the other. The pork belly and a cha lua were fine; but on the dry side. They also really like a lot of black pepper here. The pickled daikon and carrots were shredded fine and quite crisp; but in my opinion had not been pickled well as it lacked zip.

I'm not sure what to think about this place. My first visit was pretty good, but that pho was just not good, and while the banh mi was below average, there are places that do better, and are open early.

The service was fine, Both young women who work here are pleasant, though one seems a bit detached.

Saigon 5
5950 Balboa Ave (Inside 99 Ranch Market)
San Diego, CA 92111

More Noodling Around – Revisits to Minh Ky and Pho King

December 22, 2016 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

Before the nice variety of breakfasts I had over recent weekends; it was the same 'ol, same old. Yep, basically noodle soup. It was the one thing I missed during our last trip. So between these noodle soup visits and those breakfasts….well, it was more noodle soup.

Minh Ky:

Instead of my usual, I went with the combination egg noodle soup. Not sure what was up on this day; but man, that broth was really weak. The char siu here tastes pretty good; but I wasn't too thrilled with the rest of the stuff….fish balls, fish cake, you know.

The egg noodles were good, slightly chewy with a bit of crunch, the soup was hot.

I'm sticking with one of my usual bowls here next time.

Minh Ky Restaurant
4644 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92115

Pho King:

After that visit to Minh Ky; I decided to stick with the usual at Pho King.

Is it just me; or has this parking lot really become a "horror show" over the last few years?

Anyway it was the Hu Tieu Mi Kho. These days they go a bit lighter on the Chinese celery and bean sprouts.

Still the combination of noodles; the ground pork, both in the bowl and sauce really does the trick for me. A little sweetness, a lot of saltiness, a nice combination of textures. Though to be perfectly honest……it's the combination of noodles that I really enjoy.

Pho King Restaurant
4658 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

So there you go…..just noodling around on this Thursday.

Cold, Windy, Wet Weather-Mama Testa, Lucky Seafood, Chopstix, Pho Hoa, Sam Woo BBQ and Tip Top Meats

December 16, 2016 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, Mexican Restaurants, Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

The mmm-yoso!!! gang has been busy for the past few days, with work, holiday parties, shopping trips and other end of year tasks. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) haven't had time to write and Cathy is writing a short, pertinent compendium today.

We have had some very cold days this month and today it is wet and windy: Winter has hit San Diego. Kirk mentioned this last week. If The Mister and I aren't staying home and cooking, when eating out, at least one of us is ordering a warm meal that is served in a bowl and has a spoon as an essential utensil.

Kirk had mentioned that Mama Testa was re-opening, but neither of us has done a post. I've had the chicken mojados here ($10): rolled taquitos, cut and topped with lettuce and sour cream with a mild, chicken based broth on the side; you can pour it over everything to make an interesting soup-type meal. (The beef mojados is beef rolled taquitos and a spicy, red broth). This is unique and tasty. Mama Testa 9225 Mira Mesa Blvd San Diego, CA 92126 website

The Bahn Mi Bo Kho ($7.50) at Lucky Seafood is indeed the best Vietnamese style beef stew; I have tried versions everywhere, planned on doing a comparison post and was frustrated with so many bad meals. Pho Lucky 9326 Mira Mesa Blvd San Diego, CA 92126

Whenever The Mister and I stop at Chopstix Too, He takes His time looking at the entire menu and always orders the same thing, mabo ramen ($7.45). Chopstix Too 4380 Kearny Mesa Road San Diego 92111 website
We were back at Pho Hoa Huong after grocery shopping (and looking for 2017 calendars) and stopped in for a large bowl of pho tai ($7.25) which arrived with the beef still raw and cooking in the hot, flavorful broth. Pho Hoa Huong 6921 Linda Vista Rd San Diego, CA 92111
Kirk had called his meals at Sam Woo BBQ 'early lunch'. The menu lists these under 'breakfast' ($4.25 each). I almost always order the fish porridge, but another choice is the shrimp dumpling noodle soup. Each is good and satisfying. Sam Woo BBQ 7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd Ste 103 San Diego, CA 92111 An Item I haven't mentioned that is served at Tip Top Meats is the Beef Stew ($6.98). Made daily from scratch, limited in quantity, this rich, meaty, traditional stew is great. Tip Top Meats and European Delicatessen 6118 Paseo Del Norte Carlsbad, CA 92009 Website

Stay warm and dry!

Then again, you can just drop into a local grocer (this was at H-Mart) and grab something to enjoy at home.

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

December 6, 2016 mmm-yoso Bun Bo Hue, Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

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

Pho Minh & Grill – Spring Valley

November 30, 2016 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

So returning from my trip, I needed a haircut….you know where this is going right? Well, Haircut Guy was now working in Spring Valley! Spring Valley? Like I said before, his moving around allows me to visit areas of San Diego I'd usually not explore. But where to go after my haircut? My first thought was Ranas, since I hadn't been back in years. Instead, having to get back home rather quickly; I saw this place in the same parking lot as a gas station.

I knew of Pho Minh in PB, but didn't know they had a location out here on the fringes of Spring Valley.

So I decided to drop by and have a bowl of pho.

The restaurant is quite tiny, though things are not crowded together. The two women who I've dealt with here are quite friendly and it seems they have a nice regular clientele.

Of course I went with the Pho Dac Biet…..just to see what was up. For some reason, I decided to order the large size ($7.99).

My order actually took a while, but the bowl was huge. I liked that the rare steak, in spite of being the usual rather tough top round, was still rare when the bowl arrived. Most of the proteins; the brisket, et al, were pretty bland, though the textures, especially the tendon was pretty much spot on.

I expected the sprouts and basil to be fairly sparse and it was.

And while the noodles were in the usual clump on the bottom of the bowl, it wasn't soft and mushy, and not cold.

The broth wasn't terrible, a bit too defatted for my taste, and while not very beefy, had a mild sweetness and wasn't too salty. So I didn't need very much lime to help balance things out. I've had much worse in Kearny Mesa.

I've worked every single day since we got back from our trip. Such is the biz. Still, my hair doesn't stop growing, and I needed a fresh trim….I had consultants coming into town and meetings with our customers. So, it was back out to Spring Valley for a rather quick turnaround haircut. So, as is the norm, I returned to Pho Minh. I'd seen Bo Kho on the menu, but when I ordered it, I was told that they don't make that at this location any longer. I had to make some quick choices. I quickly went with the standard spring roll, Goi Cuon ($3.95).

So when I said standard issue; I mean standard issue. Man, look at all that lettuce. Basically a salad in rice paper. And the shrimp was overcooked and rather chewy. Very generic and not something I'd order here again.

I noticed that there was a sign that listed Chicken Wings ($7.40), so I decided to get those as well.

So these were deep fried, then topped with stir fried onions and peppers to give it some umph. These were fairly small wings; which doesn't bother me because I'm more about the ratio of skin to meat. However, half of the wings were slightly burnt, making the exterior bitter, not good eats. Also, these were overcooked and rather dry. The flavor of the wings, the parts that weren't charred, was fairly bland, which explains the need for the "topping". Not my favorite rendition of chicken wings to be sure.

So in the end; possibly passable pho. Really nice folks, though perhaps a stop-gap, but not a destination for my pho-fix. Though I'm glad to have had the chance to visit a locale I usually wouldn't have on my list. As my haircut was complete and I paid my barber, he mentioned that he'd probably be moving on….business here was too slow. So who knows where he'll pop up next?

Pho Minh & Grill
2615 Sweetwater Springs Blvd
Spring Valley, CA 91978

Revisits to Pho Duyen Mai

November 27, 2016 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Pho Duyen Mai has changed owners.

After several visits to Pho Duyen Mai when they first opened a few months ago; I thought they really had some potential. The former owners of Pho Ban Mai had created a menu that was pretty much what they had served before. It's easy for me to do follow-up visits since they are close to work and opens relatively early, 9am giving me a decent late breakfast stop on "honey-doo" weekends.

Here's what I've had since my post back in September.

"Som Tommy" mentioned the Bo Luc Lac in the comments of my previous post. So I thought I'd give it whirl.

This was not bad. The marinated cubes of beef were quite tender; the overall dish wasn't too greasy. The flavor was much too salty and this could have used some sweetness, or even better, a good, citrusy Muoi Tieu Chanh, the lime – fish sauce based dip that is standard with Bo Luc Lac. The sauce that came with this was mostly fish sauce, making things even more salty.

Actually, I kind of enjoyed the buttery simple fried rice.

A few weeks later, early on a Saturday morning, a bit hungry, I decided to drop by again. The place was empty except for a family enjoying a nice breakfast.

I wasn't really sure what to order, but ended up going with the Bun Rieu.

This wasn't my cup of tea. While the correct thinner bun was used and was prepped well; the broth was really bland, lacking in any of the "crabby-shrimpy" savory flavors, nor any real tomato flavor.

The most interesting thing was the crab-pork-egg cake. I'm used to the firmer, almost squeaky version of this. But here it was a light, almost airy in texture, though still rather light in the taste department.

So, that other than a follow-up visit to retry the pho was going to be it for a while. Then my coworker, Calvin mentioned that even though they don't have Banh Mi Bo Kho on the menu, they have Pho Bo Kho, there's a photo of it in the menu. So he pointed to it one day and got the Banh Mi Bo Kho, which he really enjoyed. Now, in all honesty, in my opinion, Calvin doesn't have most sophisticated, educated palate, but I thought I'd give it a try.

This was pretty good; not on the level of, say, the version from Pho Lucky. Though if you care more about the amount of beef, some of which was tender and some of which was not, and don't care much for tendon you'll like this. The carrots were under cooked. The broth was not bad, better than what I'd recently had Cow Cali (in terms of texture and beefiness Pho Hoa Huong was better), but still too thin, light in tangy tomato or beefiness. It did taste like thickened pho broth with tomato and black pepper. The bread was nicely warm and toasted. Not bad overall, but I'll stick with Pho Lucky's version.

So there you go…..well, I did forget about the pho didn't I? I'm thinking I need to do another pho round-up one of these days……

The folks here have always been quite nice and I'm glad to see that, at least on weekends, there seems to be quite a few Vietnamese families having breakfast and lunch here.

Pho Duyen Mai
5375 Kearny Villa Rd
San Diego, CA 92123
Open Daily 9am – 9pm

What’s My Craving Redux – Banh Mi Bo Kho from Pho Lucky

November 7, 2016 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

Near the ending of our trip; I received a text from Cathy (aaah the joys of modern technology). Pho Lucky had finally reopened….and just to add that little twist of the knife; Cathy had visited and had what I had been craving…..the Banh Mi Bo Kho. So, of course after returning Saturday evening; having to take care of my "Honey Doo" list….I headed straight to Pho Lucky for my fix.

There was one small problem……this past Sunday morning was the time change….we'd already experienced the time change while in France the week before….so I basically ignored my phone….I was focused, and the clock in the car said 915, when I arrived….it was actually 815 and Pho Lucky wasn't opened yet. The irony of it all…..

Luckily (no pun intended), it was only about 15 minutes until the place opened, so I went and did a couple of things….and returned at 845. After all, I really didn't want to appear to excited about having the Bo Kho here, right?

Both Cathy and Alan from Clairemont (in an email), mentioned that Lucky really didn't look much different. I noticed the change in the colors of the walls; but the same somewhat sticky tables were the same as was the configuration.

Still, who really cares….I was here for one reason.

The Banh Mi Bo Kho is now $7.25. I think this is a slight increase in price; but really can't remember.

The standard issue bread was nicely toasted though nothing special.

The broth was a bit thinner than I recalled; maybe they've got to get things back in orders; though it was nicely beefy, but with a bit too much black pepper in it this time around. Not overly salty, hints of anise, the carrots were decently tender; the slightest touch of lime to adjust the flavors….all was right in the world. At least for the moment.

The rather large pieces of beef were well flavored and while it could have been a bit more tender did well….ditto for the rather gigantic piece of tendon.

All in all, this was better than what I'd had while Lucky was closed. And my craving was taken care of…….after two months mind you….but heck, I did get my fix.

Pho Lucky
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92126

Szechuan Chef and Bolsa -cumin (and turmeric) Fish

October 20, 2016 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Today's posting of mmm-yoso!!! is written by Cathy. The guys are busy doing other things.

It's that time of year again; birthday week for The Mister and myself – a week apart; eight days of eating out. Our standard modus operandi is that He gets to choose meals for the first three days, we jointly choose meals the middle two days then I get to choose restaurants the last three days. Putting the posts together, I noticed patterns in our choices this year.

I've posted about Szechuan Chef once before, as has Kirk (he didn't like it). There is one item in particular The Mister craves from this small restaurant, located next to Shan Xi Magic Kitchen.

The cumin/flour/hot pepper coated fish, stir fried until the coating is crisp and topped with stir fried onion, Chinese celery and bell pepper. The numbing shows up at the end while the flavors of the fish and vegetables all come through at first. To accompany the plate of turmeric yumminess, I chose the oyster mushroom with shrimp noodles, which is tasty on its own but neutral enough to have as the 'side' (instead of rice). The bottom of the pot holds a buttery garlic surprise of chopped shrimp and some dried shrimp. It's rare to find any XLB in San Diego, so we chose these soup filled dumplings which were made to order and came out midway through the meal. None were broken and the skins were not chewy at all; quite tender yet not thin. The pork filling was very delicate, had a light crunch (water chestnut) and, of course, pork flavor.

Szechuan Chef 4344 Convoy St San Diego, CA 92111 (858) 279-8881

When it was one of 'my' days to choose a celebratory meal, it was back to Bolsa. Immediately I knew what I wanted. The turmeric fish-Vietnamese style! (cha ca thang long)The fish is coated in flour, turmeric and egg then pan fried with dill and green onion. It's served sizzling on a cast iron platter. Wrapping the fish with some mint in the lettuce and dipping it in the fish sauce is just a perfect grouping of flavors. Not numbing, just tasty.
We also ordered a Banh Xeo (which has turmeric in the pancake batter) and is filled with bean sprouts, shrimp and pork as well as some mung beans.

The Mister wanted the pork and shrimp Spring rolls, made to order. Fresh!

Bolsa 9225 Mira Mesa Blvd Ste 118 San Diego, CA 92126 (858)693-3663 Open daily 8:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Website

There were a couple more 'overlapping' meal choices this year. The Mister and I have similar-yet different- food cravings. Stay tuned!

Pho & Banh Cuon Ha Long Restaurant

October 11, 2016 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

** Update Pho & Banh Cuon Ha Long Restaurant is now Phuong Nga 2

Just a few weeks after Cathy's most recent post on Van Hoa, the place changed ownership and Pho and Banh Cuon Ha Long was born. Banh Cuon? I've yet to have a good version in San Diego, so I was intrigued. And then our good "FOY" (Friend of Yoso) "YummyYummy" told me it was the same owners as Suong Hong and my excitement was tempered.

The place looks basically the same….a bit run down, sticky tables and all.

And the Banh Cuon Dac Biet ($7)? Well, you've read it before; banh cuon a bit too thick, lacking pull; the nuoc mam cham a bit too thin for my taste, the nem chua not quite sour or flavorful enough.

Not my cup of tea. But if you expect Song Huong, you'll be satisfied.

Still, the young lady was very nice……the guys hanging out front gave the place "that atmosphere", and I recalled the Bun Bo Hue at Song Huong being, well, not terrible. So I ordered it ($7.50) on my next visit.

This was an interesting bowl….from the ngo ngai topping the bowl, to the meatballs in the soup (I think it was there to replace MIA cha lua). The vegetables, though fresh really fell short; almost all shredded cabbage and bean sprouts.

The broth was scalding hot; a good start, mildly spicy, not very complex in terms of lemongrass and pungent flavors.

And the most annoying, the noodles seemed to be cut in half and thirds, making them very short……very slippery and short…..

A pleasant surprise was the two pieces of pork hock in this bowl. It was fun gnawing on the skin, connective tissue, and the toothsome, but not too tough meat. The pork was also nicely flavored, though the other pieces of meat fell short, and no tendon!

Like my other experience with BBH at this family's restaurants, not terrible, ok "pho shop Bun Bo Hue", but nothing amazing.

A week later I was in the area and being quite hungry, decided to drop by for a late breakfast (according to the sign, they now open a 6am!). I was going to try the pho, but chose the Com Tam Dac Biet instead. This was actually not bad; except the broken rice was too dry and hard for my taste.

The Bi with the flavor of the roasted rice coming through was good, though a bit dry. The Cha was on the cold side, dry, and more chewy than I care for. The pork chop had a very nice flavor; edging more on the salty than sweet, but other than that little nugget with the fat on the end, was also on the chewy side. The broth accompanying the meal was nice and rich, though it had a bit too much MSG for me.

Based on my meals, I'd definitely say YMMV here. Though if they're really open at 6am….heck, I'll need to try breakfast, right?

Pho & Banh Cuon Ha Long Restaurant
4016 54th St
San Diego, CA 92105

Revisits – Pho Cow Cali and 777 Noodle House

September 26, 2016 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

A couple more stops for "honey doo" weekends.

Pho Cow Cali:

I really wanted the Banh Mi Bo Kho from Pho Lucky unfortunately, they are still still closed for remodeling. At least the sign has changed and said "closed for painting". So I decided to see how the Banh Mi Bo Kho was at Pho Cow Cali. They sat me in the section by the restrooms in back….then proceeded to forget about me. Luckily, I managed to flag one of the army of servers down and place my order ($7.25).

So, beyond the rather odd serving dish…..I'm guessing there was a sale somewhere, what to say about this. In keeping with "Cow Cali" there's quite a bit of meat….it's flank and brisket and is quite tender. I really missed the tendon though. The broth was much too thin and this was really salty…as in the "MS heebie-geebies" salty. The bread was nice and warm though I'll stick with the pho here next time.

And of course, there's the typical pho shop service.

Pho Cow Cali
9170 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

777 Noodle House:

Even though I think that Ly Heng has surpassed 777 with regards to Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho, I still like the folks here, and the variety. I went with the Pork Intestine Egg Noodle Soup, still a bargain here at $5.77.

This was pretty good; the broth was a bit richer than what I've had in the past. The intestine was prepared well; slightly "offal-y", but quite clean. The noodles nice and chewy with a bit of stretch and the blanched bean sprouts adding a bit of crunch to things.

A bit better than I recalled….and a nice choice on this morning.

777 Noodle House
4686 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92105