Vietnamese Restaurants – Page 27

Revisits: Pho Hung Cali and Pho Lucky

January 10, 2016 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

For some reason, it seems to be much colder this year….if it's old age, moisture, or what, I'm not sure, but this year feels different. Could be this nagging cold that I just can't seem to shake as well. Of course that still doesn't stop having to run errands during the weekend. Good thing pho shop usually open around 8am. So here's a couple of nice steaming bowls….

Pho Hung Cali:

Since I last visited back in April, I'd been thinking of returning. I thought the pho was decent and worth the revisit.

Man this place is huge. I wonder if they ever fill it up since the parking lot is rather small. The service here was nice; especially the guy who goes around refilling the H2O….he's so friendly. Also, they still don't charge for hot tea.

Having not enjoyed the rare steak the last time through I went with #19, all the meat except the tai. It came out bellowing steam.

Meanwhile, the lime was yellowing, the basil had starting developing spots and the bean sprouts were turning brown. Granted, not the perfect weather for produce; but this was going south.

The broth was nice and hot; it was also clear, meaning that it was kept at that nice temperature; lightly bubbling, without a roiling boil, and the impurities were removed.

It was a bit too defatted for my taste; I appreciate a bit of richness in my both. The flavor was onion/shallot forward, with a good measure of sweetness. It was also a tad too heavy in terms of MSG as well. But not terrible and I'd easily say, it's better than anything in Kearny Mesa.

As for the proteins; thing were much more tasty this time around; especially the pieces of brisket, which were nice and beefy. The tendon was decent, it looked really nice, but was still a bit too hard for my tastes…not bad though. There was one tiny strand of tripe.

The noodles were perfectly prepared. And on a nice note, weren't in a tight clump on the bottom of the bowl. Yes, this does matter to me.

I thought this was a decent bowl. I think I'll even try the Pho Filet next time.

Pho Hung Cali
1060 Broadway Chula Vista
Chula Vista, CA 91911

Pho Lucky:

It was haircut time and Pho Lucky is across the street. Last time it was Cow Cali, so Pho Lucky get equal time.

Strangely not quite as good as on previous visits. The broth was nicely flavored; anise and onion forward, but was on the cloudy side. The noodles were perfect, but the meats all tasted a bit off. The flank was really, really tough…like eating rubber, the tendon; usually a favorite of mine was MIA. So, I've been here many, many, times and I'll allow it an off day…..or perhaps I should have just gone Banh Mi Bo Kho.

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

Midweek Meanderings: Bird Rock Coffee Roasters Morena Opens With Limited Hours and Pho Paradise Closes

January 6, 2016 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Vietnamese Restaurants

Just a quick one on this water-logged Wednesday.

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters Morena:

It's no secret, that Bird Rock Coffee is a favorite of the Missus. From the first time we saw the sign last year on a quick trip to Stehly Farms, we'd been asking if the location on Morena, home to their roasting facility.

Finally, at the beginning of November they opened to the public, albeit with limited hours – 6am to noon, Monday to Fridays. I'm only able to visit when I'm running late for work or on holidays.

Still, my visits have been fruitful. On the morning of Christmas Eve, I dropped by and was shocked to see they had brewed a batch of the iconic Panama Geisha. We'd previously spent ten bucks for pour over at Bird Rock, and while this was just drip coffee, it was worth way more than the $2.15 price tag. Smooth, almost too smooth, aromatic….very nice.

I also noticed that the Kyoto Drip tower had been set-up. The really friendly guys here….they love to talk about the various aspects of coffee….heaven for a coffee nerd like the Missus, told me they were "dialing it in"…… I'm hoping they have some nice cold brew the next time I drop by.

I was also told they were considering the possibility of weekend hours……which I'd appreciate.

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
1270 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110

Pho Paradise Closes:

Right before the deluge hit, I decided to see what was up with Pho Paradise. I was somewhat surprised to see Eviction Restoration Notice posted on the door. Too bad. I once thought that the pho here had some promise, but my last visit here in November was quite disappointing.

One consistent thing about Convoy. There's no good pho to be had.

Pho Paradise
3904 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Revisits: Pho Hut and Hinotez

January 4, 2016 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Ramen, Vietnamese Restaurants

Man, work has been busy. And there were a couple of cool/rainy days, where I just wanted a bowl of noodle soup, and some quiet. Here's where I went.

Pho Hut and Grill:

I didn't expect much based on my previous visits. I wasn't sure what to order and ended up going with the Mi Sui Cao, dumpling egg noodle soup, not cheap at $8.50, but based on those earlier visits, I really didn't want pho.

The bowl was generous and it was better than I thought it would be.

While the broth was a bit heavy with regards to the MSG, it wasn't bad, decent flavor. The egg noodles were done well…..the dumplings were typical, a bit on an under-performer because all of them were torn open and falling apart. Not bad….but perhaps a bit over-priced in my mind.

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

Hinotez:

When I want a quiet lunch, I'll sometimes hit up Hinotez. There's usually no one sitting at the bar when I at there if it's early enough. And like other visits, the place was empty. Instead of the usual item I order; the Shio Ramen, I went with the Shoyo Ramen.

This was actually a bit better than the last couple of shio versions I'd had here in the recent past. It was piping hot, had a mild, but not too salty flavor. The egg was decent, but the chashu was again cold and dry. The standard issue noodles were prepared decently….could have been more firm, but was a tad better than average. It won't win any awards, but I wanted a quiet and peaceful meal and I did get that…..

Hinotez
7947 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111

Whats My Craving? Bun Mam from Com Tam Nhu Y

December 27, 2015 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

I'd been craving Bun Mam from Com Tam Nhu Y for a while. I finally got a chance last week. Funny thing, Calvin had never heard of Bun Mam, neither had his wife who grew up in Westminster! He had to ask his mother-in-law…. So I made sure to invite him to try some Bun Mam.

It seems that Bun Mam here is evolving. This version was sweeter than what I had last time, rich, lots of shallot and garlic tones, definitely not as spicy, nor nearly as pungent as what I had at the original incarnation of Nhu Y. Still, the flavors are complex, there's a ton of greens and herbs and bun. It's quite a savory concoction……you want to make sure that you don't spill any of it on your clothes. Sammy will often follow me around the house after I eat this….must smell great to him!

Not a fan of the catfish, it was way too bony and muddy this time. The eggplant was fine, the portion size generous, and like mentioned above, it's not nearly as potent as it used to be, but you can't say it's bland. Not a huge fan of the tough pork and shrimp as well…….but, that's not why I order this. It's that broth that keeps me coming back.

Calvin finished all his bun and soup….I guess he liked it! I have a feeling he'll be back, as will I, when I get that itch….

Com Tam Nhu Y
4712 El Cajon Blvd Ste A
San Diego, CA 92115

What’s My Craving? Bun Mang Vit from Tu Thanh

December 14, 2015 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

Great thing about colder-wetter weather? Well, it's noodle soup time. And it had been over a year since I last visited Tu Thanh. Time to reacquaint myself to the Bun Mang Vit.

I have to thank the young lady who helped me out as the folks here spoke no English this time around. I was asked a question that I couldn't answer. Turned out it was whether I wanted duck leg or duck breast. I'd always had breast before, but thought I'd get the leg this time around.

For some reason the portion size seemed much larger than I recalled.

The bun was cooked perfectly, the dried bamboo shoots well hydrated and fragrant. I noticed no blood this time around and the soup seemed to have a bit more MSG than I recalled, but was still fairly "clean" in flavor. The greens and herbs were fresh and crisp with a bit more banana blossom than I recall.

Then there's the sauce…..that wonderful sweet-savory-gingery elixir that I can literally drink. To quote something from an earlier post on how I utilize the sauce:

"I like to eat this a number of ways…dip the duck in the broth, add a touch for the dipping sauce. dip the salad into the broth, then the dipping sauce, just go for the duck in the dipping sauce, just the veggies in the broth, just the dipping sauce like a true salad, add a touch of the sauce to the broth about halfway thru……heck, just drink that sauce…." Once upon a time Chi Tu Thanh actually taught me the dish was supposed to be properly eaten, but that was over 9 years ago and I kinda like this multi-level approach.

As for the duck. I think I'll stick with breast. The leg was nice; much more gamey, but also tougher, and the bones made for ponderous eating.

Even though it was just a few minutes past 9, the place was almost full! Good for them.

Tu Thanh
4804 University Ave. #A
San Diego, CA 92105
Hours:
Thurs – Tues 9am – 9pm
Closed on Wednesdays

Revisits: Pho Cow Cali and Pho Hiep and Grill (Linda Vista)

December 6, 2015 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

It seems like our trip was sort of bookended by pho.

Pho Cow Cali:

My director always kids me about my habit of getting a haircut the week before any trip. "I see you're ready for your vacation now……" As I noted in my previous post on the place, the guy who cuts my hair is close by in Mira Mesa, so why not stop in for breakfast before my pre-trip ritual?

I was surprised how busy the place was at 8am on Sunday.

I went with the usual.

Pretty much the same bowl as previous visits. Well flavored proteins. A couple of things did get my attention; while the broth was a bit more rich than before, with some mild beef flavor, it was also several steps below hot. Also, they're really starting to get stingy with the herbs and sprouts here.

Service was as before. All business.

Overall, still better than almost everything else in San Diego.

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

Pho Hiep and Grill (Linda Vista):

It had been ages since I'd had pho at Pho Hiep, though I visited two years ago to check out the Bun Mang Vit and Bun Bo Hue. A bit under the weather, I hadn't been able to eat in over two days, so I thought grabbing a bowl of pho when I started getting hungry might set me straight. Nothing too far away. Since my last visit to Pho Paradise was a bust, I'm back to the "there's no decent pho to be had in Kearny Mesa" stance.

It had been ages since my last pho visit here, so I decided on trying the rare beef…….which was cut too thick, was overdone by the time it hit the table, and was tough. I ordered the #2, which I thought should have had tendon and tripe, but both were MIA. The flank was really bad, tasteless rubber, though the brisket was tender and had a decent beefiness. There was quite a bit of nicely prepped noodles; considering this was a small bowl. The broth was interesting, too sweet and too much msg for my taste. The broth was a bit more cloudy than I prefer as well. There was quite a generous portion of herbs and sprouts, something I hadn't seen in a while.

Barely passable pho. It also shut me back down for another day or so……..

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

Pho Hoa (Huong?)(I Eat Pho!)

November 17, 2015 Cathy Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of this food blog. Kirk is out and about, in a different time zone. Ed (from Yuma) is also in a different time zone and Cathy is in the here and now, blogging.

When I started to write this post, checking on whether or not I had written a prior post (to link) was a bit tedious. Of this location, I saw that Kirk had blogged about it twice now, calling it Pho Hoa-Huong', but the signage now has …"I eat Pho!"…

In addition, there is also a Pho Hoa located on El Cajon Boulevard, about which Kirk has also twice posted.

Then there is Pho Hoa Hiep, located on the other end of this same parking lot as "I Eat Pho", which is anchored by Thuan Phat supermarket. Anyhow, this pho shop has been here a long time, the interior hasn't changed, the food is consistent and gets to the table extremely fast once you order.Delivery from the kitchen this visit was so fast that the Pho Tai ($6.30, small) raw beef still wasn't cooked in the hot broth when it was placed on the table. We like the pho broth (herbal-meaty) and noodles (not in a clump) here. You can order Cha Gio as a full or half order ($3.50), which is nice. The rice paper fried wrapper is my favorite. The fresh fried spring rolls have a good meat to veggie filling ratio. For years, I've been trying Bo Kho (beef stew) ($6.65) at various Vietnamese restaurants, even though I know the best is at Pho Lucky. The stew here is my second favorite in the County; it's rich and satisfying, with tender meat and a multi flavored broth.

Hot foods on a cool day, what a nice feeling. Hope all of you are enjoying this weather.

Pho Hoa 6921 Linda Vista Road San Diego 92111 (858) 492-9108 open daily 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Lunch Revisits: Pho Paradise and Yakyudori Ramen and Yakitori

November 2, 2015 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Japanese Restaurants, Pho, Ramen, Vietnamese Restaurants

After having the hottest October on record, we've kind of settled into milder weather. Which means pho and ramen can be shoe horned back into lunch.

Pho Paradise:

** Note: Pho Paradise has closed

When Pho Paradise first opened, I thought it had some potential, even thinking that we'd finally get some decent Pho on Convoy. Even though my follow-up visit wasn't quite as good, I still believed they might have been the best pho in the area. So now, over six months later, I was wondering how things would be.

I started with the chicken wings, which looked very pale.

This wasn't too bad, the wings were fairly light and crisp, though sogginess set in rather quickly. A bit too much MSG for my taste, with that strange very salty edging on sweet taste and tongue sensation.

The pho was a disappointing.

This reminded me of the stuff Pho T Cali puts out. Barely any flavors other than being very salty with a very mild hint in the background. It was much too low in fat, the noodles, of which there was a healthy amount of, were over cooked, the proteins had no flavor and the tendon was too hard.

Well, at least the basil and bean sprouts were fresh, right?

In case you have doubts. Here's a bowl from Pho Paradise back in February.

Sad, huh?

Pho Paradise
3904 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Yakyudori Ramen and Yakitori:

I needed a break from the office one Friday and ran over to Yakyudori for an early lunch before the place got too crowded and the Servers too surly. It had been a while since I'd had lunch here and I went with the Friday combo. Chashu Gohan with a Shoyu Ramen.

The pork and rice came in a medium sized miso soup bowl….lots of rice in this though the chashu was good in comparison to what I'd had recently at Okan during lunch. It was tender, had some flavor, and was lukewarm rather than cold. The corn and bean sprouts added texture….but this was mostly a whole lot of rice.

I hadn't had lunch here in a while so I was surprised at the size of the "mini-ramen"….it was more mini that I recalled.

Not that I needed more carbs, but there were maybe three bites of noodles and I really wanted more soup. Overall, this was a decent bowl, just edging on too salty, but quite satisfying and the noodles were prepped well. I should have just gotten the ramen instead of the lunch special.

Since I did it with Pho Paradise, it's only right I do this here too. Here's what the mini ramen used to look like.

No wonder they give you so much rice now. They need to fill you up somehow.

At least they were a bit nicer here than on my previous visits.

Yakyudori Ramen and Yakitori
4898 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

What My Craving? Minh Ky

October 25, 2015 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

Love the cooler temps in the morning. It means I can grab a nice bowl of noodles for breakfast. I'd been wanting some Sate Beef Egg Noodle "Dry", so I headed over to Minh Ky. It has been a good 7-8 months since my last visit and it never fails to amaze me how this place can pack it in at 815 on a Sunday morning….for noodle soup.

The tables turn over quickly and there were twice as many take-out orders….

My usual here; the Beef sate Egg Noodle Soup "dry" – soup on the side. Still nicely priced at $6.45.

A nice portion size, the beef relatively tender. I always say the sate could use a bit more "oomph", but those places that are a bit more spicy tend to not have that nutty-pungent-onion-y flavor. The egg noodles were a bit past perfect this time around, but nice and hot. The soup on the side was slightly porky – I can say this since it was much less salty than usual. So was the sate as well.

For under seven bucks….I'll take it.

Minh Ky Restaurant

4644 El Cajon Boulevard

San Diego, CA 92115

Open at 8am

COMC: Aqui es Texcoco, Pho Lucky, and 777 Noodlehouse

October 18, 2015 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Mexican Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

The recent shifting of the weather (a bit, it's still waaaay too hot for October) meant a shift in our eating as well. We've posted on these places many, many times, so I thought I'd C(lear) O(ut the) M(emory) C(ard).

Aqui es Texcoco:

A lovely Mixiote and a milky, salty(in a good way), Quesataco with huitlacoche, which added a nice earthy flavor to the crunchy, oozy-gooey, texture.

And of course I've noted how much the Missus loves the Plato Azteca. The Missus almost considers this combination; nopales with two choices which are always huitlacoche (of course) and flor de calabaza (squash blossom).

Aqui Es Texcoco
1043 Broadway
Chula Vista, CA 91911

Banh Mi Bo Kho from Pho Lucky:

Of course.

Full of tendon, tangy, savory, richer than usual……

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

777 Noodlehouse:

While I think Ly Heng now makes a better version of Phnom Penh Noodles, I still think this place is quite a bargain.

The Shrimp Fried Rice is very "old school".

And the simple Pig Intestine with Preserved Vegetable, which has become comfort food for me.

Sour from the preserved mustard greens, which along with the bean sprouts add a crunch. I love the earthy flavors from the intestine. Nothing fancy, not earth-shattering …….just good cheap eats.

Plus, I love the folks who work here…….

777 Noodle House
4686 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92105

I hope you had a great weekend!