Vietnamese Restaurants – Page 54

Song Huong Food to Go

July 18, 2006 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Bun Bo Hue, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!

Song Huong Food to Go is another little Mom-and-Pop hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese Diner/Snack Shop located on the corner of Menlo Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard.

This intersection of ECB, must feed a heck of alot of people. A Chau and Minh Ky, are right across the street, and Song Huong shares the strip mall with Thien Thanh Restaurant. Which is how we came to eat at Song Huong. After a recent visit to Thien Thanh, the Missus walked on over to Song Huong to order an Avocado Shake(which she thought was good, BTW). She noticed the Young Lady working there, who turned out to be the Owner’s Sister eating a pretty large bowl of Bun Rieu. So a few days later we dropped by for a quick meal.

The interior of Song Huong is small, and spartan, with a mere six tables, and boxes of supplies, and a cooler, along with the requisite high bar counter taking up most of the space.

The large middle table is usually occupied by family and friends, either reading, eating, or on one occasion participating in a very lively game of cards.

Song Huong also boasts an interesting variety of Banh Mi, all priced at $1.99:

I’m still waiting for Ed from Yuma’s opinion on the Sardine Banh Mi!

One quick look at the menu, and you’ll make an interesting observation. Most items are under $4.99!

In the mood for something spicy I ordered the Bun Bo Hue, the Spicy Noodle soup($4.50) without blood. A plate of "garnishes" soon arrived at the table.

The plate of herbs and veggies varies for Bun Bo Hue varies from restaurant to restaurant, and this version included mint, tiet to(purple perilla), shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, basil, and lettuce. Pretty much a little bit of everything.

A few minutes later the noodle soup arrived.

Like the garnishes, Bun Bo Hue varies from restaurant to restaurant. For example, many restaurants will serve the Bun Bo Hue, as an almost clear broth with chili oil added for heat, and a bowl of fermented shrimp paste and chili paste on the side. Pho Hoa Hiep, and Convoy Noodle House serve their Bun Bo Hue in this manner. I prefer having all the flavorings already added and mixed into the broth, like Pho Ca Dao does. This was the latter version. The broth for this Bun Bo Hue was very straightforward and to the point, nice and spicy, but not very complex. The shrimp paste flavor was also quite muted. In what I found to be a unique touch, Lean Pork Sausage(Gio Lua) was added to the various cuts of meat in the soup. The meats(Thick cut beef, tendon, and some inedible pork parts) were not the best, most were tough and dry, but there was a heck of alot of noodles. The Bun Bo Hue succeeded in filling me up, and then some.

The Missus ordered the Bun Cha Gio Tom Nuong(Vermicelli with Egg Rolls and Shrimp – $4.50):

Like the Bun Bo Hue, this dish accomplished what it should. It really filled you up. The Cha Gio were stuffed with alot of pork, and the Missus poured two little bowls of Nuoc Mam Cham over the generous portion of noodles, and chowed it down. And left quite satisfied. Not quite the level of the Bun at Thien Thanh, but $1.50 cheaper.

A few days later, I decided to grab a Banh Mi, so I headed over to Song Huong, looked at the photos and placed my order for the Dac Biet(special). Now this is where I ran into a little miscommunication. This is the Banh Mi I received.

The bread was nicely toasted and had a combination of a crusty exterior, combined with doughy bread. I didn’t care for the tough cilantro twigs, but there was a good balance of pickled vegetables and cucumber. Beware the stealthy jalapeno, just when you don’t expect it, you’ll munch on a huge piece of jalapeno, hot enough to stop your heart. Of course, if you’re like Ed from Yuma, and driving while eating your Banh Mi……

What I thought was strange were the meats, which basically consisted of Char Siu, though there two types of Char Siu in the sandwich, pieces that were fatty, and looked like pork belly, and slices that were lean. I loved the thick "smear" of pate’, but didn’t care for the amount of mayo on my sandwich. But still, for $1.99, who’s going to complain.

Also, the Gentleman who took my order was neither the person who I believe is the Owner, nor the tiny Young Lady who speaks perfect English. Or maybe it was just the "Dac Biet" du jour?

Undeterred, I arrived back at Song Huong a few days later, and ordered the Banh Mi Dac Biet again($1.99). And this is what I got on this occasion.

So it was basically the same sandwich as before, but without the mayo, and this time with Gio Lua? Damn good sandwich, whatever it is. One thing I did notice; you should eat these ASAP, the bread goes downhill very quickly. Also, these are not the super long K Sandwiches style Banh Mi, but I think they have much more flavor.

One last thing, when ordering, grab one of the plastic menus, you’ll find that the numbers on the display, do not correspond with the numbers on the menu. Recently, I ordered some Buon Cuon($4.99) to go, using the numbers off the board, when I got to my destination I was shocked to find Bun Thit Nuong(Vermicelli with BBQ Pork)! Sorry no camera, but it wasn’t too bad, just not what I intended to order.

Song Huong opens at 6am in the morning for coffee and drinks, but the kitchen doesn’t get going until 730 or so. I think I’ll drop by one morning for the Scrambled Egg Banh Mi.

The folks are quite nice, though as mentioned above the are some communication issues, and other "quirks". Of course, if you speak Vietnamese, you’ll have no trouble. Song Huong is a well priced, take-out joint, so if you’re a bit low on cash…….and in the area, you can always grab a Sardine Banh Mi for two bucks!

One quick note: As with many parking lots in the area; it can be hell! I’ve been blocked in twice in this particular lot, and had to go from shop to shop to find the driver of the car that blocked me in.

Song Huong Food to Go
4650 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

Thien Thanh

June 25, 2006 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

*** Update Thien Thanh has since closed, sigh…..

I've still got 2 more posts on Portland, but I thought I'd take a short break and return "home" to San Diego. I've passed Thien Thanh Vietnamese Restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard hundreds of times. I thought it would be a good idea to finally have a meal there.

I don't ever recall hearing anything on Thien Thanh, so I thought it would be at the least an interesting visit. Thien Thanh is located in a strip mall on the corner of El Cajon Blvd and Menlo Avenue, just East and across the street from the strip mall that houses A Chau and Minh Ky.

The interior of Thien Thanh is quite clean, and bright. The menu is quite varied, and even has a section titled Dac Biet(Specials) which was almost all in Vietnamese(except the Steak & French Fries!!!):

Not quite sure what most of these are, I'm pretty sure the first 5 items are salads, but does anyone see anything interesting…..except the sashimi.

We started off with the Banh Xeo($6.00 – Vietnamese Crepe). A plate of very fresh lettuce, mint, and Tiet To(Purple Perilla), along with two small bowls of Nuoc Mam Cham.

Honestly, some of the freshest garnishes I've ever encountered in a Vietnamese Restaurant.

The very rich looking crepe arrived soon after. The Missus took a lettuce leaf, some garnishes, a large piece of the crepe, dipped her "bite" into the nuoc mam, bit into it, and made a face……. "What, is that taste….too rich!" I put together my crepe, and took a bite. It was very clear, to me. "There's alot of coconut milk in this."

Those that enjoy the taste of coconut milk will love this. I thought the strong coconut flavor detracted from the excellent ingredients. In the crepe were large plump shrimp, strips of pork(instead of the usual ground pork), and the crepe was fried to perfection.

The Missus ordered her remedy to the hot weather; Bun Cha Gio(Vermicelli with Egg Rolls – $5.95):

The Missus declared this Her favorite version of this dish. What set this apart, was the generous amount of Mint and Tiet To cut into a chiffonade. The Nuoc Mama Cham also went well with the dish, as it wasn't too sweet. Sounds like we'll be having a few more of these in the future.

I ordered the Com Tam Dac Biet(Special Broken Rice – $6.50):

As with the Dac Biet Com Tam dishes, a mixed bag. The Grilled Pork was tasteless and dry, and the Fried Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp was fried perfectly but bland. The Shredded Pork, which on a bad day can be like chewing on rubberbands, except rubberbands have more flavor, was surprisingly moist, and there was a little surprise, little pieces of garlic gave the pork flavor. I still haven't met a Steamed Egg(except one) that I didn't like.

And this was no exception. The broken rice was very moist as well. A pretty good dish on the whole.

I think we'll be making another visit to Thien Thanh in the near future. The service was very nice, and there are other interesting dish on the menu, like Bun Bo Hue, Bun Rieu(Northern style crab flavored broth with vermicelli), Bun Rieu Oc(the above with snails), Curry Lamb, and other items from the Vietnamese Menu. I found prices to be on the high side, but the quality and freshness of the ingredients explain why. No Pho Bo' on the menu, though Pho Ga' (Chicken Noodle Soup) is.

Thien Thanh Vietnamese Restaurant
4658 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

Sun-Thurs 8am-9pm
Fri-Sat 8am-10pm

Nhu Y Restaurant

June 5, 2006 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

*** Nhu Y is now Com Tam Thuan Kieu you can find an updated post here.

A few months back "Larry" commented on my post on Saigon Restaurant, and mentioned a few interesting dishes, one of which I've heard of, one which I'd never heard of, both of which I'd never tried. He mentioned eating these dishes at Nhu Y' Restaurant. On a recent quite warm afternoon, I asked the Missus what she'd like to eat. When she mentioned Vietnamese, I jumped on it! Mexican Food and Vietnamese Food are not among the Missus's favorites, so when She is in the mood for it, I really do try to take advantage of the opportunity.

Nhu Y' fronts the same very busy strip mall that contains Kim Chan Sandwich Shop. We had been to Nhu Y' a few times, but mainly for Durian or other drinks served there.

We'd always noticed that the clean but spartan dining room was never full, but that a few tables were always occupied. And this afternoon was no exception.

A serious Older Gentleman brought us our menus, which as is the norm, was quite large.

We started with the usual Cha Gio(Egg Rolls – $4.50):

These wonderfully crisp Cha Gio were served with the usual lettuce leaf, mint, and in this case Tiet To, the purple Perilla (Akajiso) minty flavored herb. The egg rolls were generously filled, though we thought the Nuoc Mam Cham was a bit on the sweet side. The Cha Gio were also fried very well, they were not oily in the slightest bit.

Due to the warm weather, the Missus decided on the Bun Chao Tom Cha Gio(Rice Vermicelli with Shrimp & Spring Rolls – $5.95):

Yes, more Egg Rolls! The Missus also was a bit disappointed with the shrimp. Instead of the "BBQ Shrimp" in the menu, she received "Shrimp Cake". Again, the Nuoc Mam Cham provided was a bit on the sweet side, and this dish tasted very routine, though the vermicelli had the perfect amount of pull and chew for our tastes.

I on the other hand was somewhat obsessed with the "Dac Biet" portion of the menu:

And there I saw it; "Bun Mam". Now I had heard about Bun Mam; someone had told me that it was a fermented fish or fermented shrimp based spicy broth. So when Larry mentioned Bun Mam at Nhu Y', I knew I had to try it. So of course I ordered it ($6.95). The first item to arrive was the mixed greens, much like I get for Bun Bo Hue. The one thing that kind of turned us off, was that some of the mint leaves were very brown and wilted. All the other garnishes were fine.

A dish of "Bun" also arrived. A thicker version of the Rice Vermicelli, also similar to the noodles in Bun Bo Hue. And soon enough the large bowl of soup, with a dark colored broth arrived.

One thing gave me pause; it was the cross cut slices of Catfish. Those that know me, understand that I rarely get catfish, I can't stand the muddy flavor of many fresh water fish. When I had ordered this, the Gentleman had told me there was Eggplant, pork, and "fishies", in the sauce. I had thought He was warning me about the fermented fish used in this dish, but I guess I was wrong. First off, the broth was rich, a touch sweet, salty, and slightly spicy. Yes, it was very "pungent", but I enjoyed it. The Missus didn't enjoy the broth on the first try. But a few minutes later she tried a sip again, and said, "it's pretty good, a little spicy, and rich." Amazingly, I enjoyed the catfish, no muddy flavor(probably due to the strong flavor of the broth), and very tender. Watch for those bones, though. The Eggplant was nice and tender; but my favorite part of the soup was this:

Yep, it a nice thin slice of fatty pork belly. Not "the other white meat" pork, but full flavored pork belly. Good stuff! Not quite knowing what to do, and seeing that the soup bowl was quite full, and that we were given two bowls(The serious Gentleman, was now smiling, I guess He enjoyed seeing that we really enjoyed ourselves), I put veggies in the bottom, some noodles, and then some broth, and ate it all up. Usually, I'd do the "dip" thing for the noodles, and pile the garnishes into the bowl; but it was ponderously filled. This was good stuff; highly recommended, if you don't mind a bit spicy, and slightly fishy. I told Ed from Yuma that He'd love this.

I recently revisited Nhu Y' alone. And the first thing the Gentleman asked me was, "Where is your pretty Lady?" I told Him She had to work, so it was just a solo visit. I asked Him for a recommendation, and he pointed to the Bun Cha Ha Noi($5.95). Such a coincidence, since this was the other dish that Larry recommended. It is also a favorite of Noodlepie. This quite large platter arrived:

Though the vegetable and herb garnishes are much different from the versions I've read about in Vietnam, and Nuoc Mam Cham is used instead of broth, this was a very flavorful and satisfying dish.

Two types of meat was provided; sliced BBQ Pork, and meatballs:

The BBQ pork was nice and tender, slightly charred, but a bit under flavored/marinated for my tastes, though the ground peanuts were a nice touch. The grilled meatball was good, meaty, not too tough, slightly charred, with a slightly peppery beefy flavor.

The drill started out with me grabbing a few leaves placing some Bun, garnishes, and meat; dipping in the Nuoc Mam, and so forth. It evolved to me making lettuce rolls, and eventually, finishing everything up mixed in a bowl.

Pretty darn good for about 6 bucks, eh? As I left, one of the Guys asked me "Are you sure, you don't need to get something for your wife?" Once you get past the serious and stoic front; pretty nice folks. Here's another post on Bun Cha.

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

Open 730am – 9pm, 7 Days a Week

Thanks for the recommendation Larry!

Tan Ky Mi Gia – Mira Mesa

May 22, 2006 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

*** Tan Ky Mi Gia has closed

While on a recent shopping excursion to Lucky Seafood Supermarket, I decided to have a bite at Tan Ky Mi Gia, a Vietnamese-Chinese noodle and soup restaurant that had opened recently.

The generic, and simple interior was well lit and clean. Even though it was a bit on the early side(930 am), the restaurant was fairly busy.

As soon as I sat a middle aged Gentleman handed me a menu, and stood there, and waited, and waited…..making me feel rather uncomfortable. A quick thought went through my mind. Maybe I shouldn't even open the menu, I should just place my hand on top of it, roll my eyes back, and make moaning noises, "ommmm, ommmm", and then order something I'm sure a restaurant like this would have. But looking at the Gentleman's stoic stare, I just had the feeling he really wouldn't find anything funny with the "psychic ordering" routine. So after a moment I ordered the Won Ton Egg Noodle Soup($5.00). My soup arrived within 5 minutes.

The broth was light, halfway between the very clear broth at Minh Ky, and the darker richer broth at Luong Hai Ky. It was quite salty, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was MSG in it. There was a good amount of green onion floating around, and a few thin slices of dry and tasteless Char Siu. Also in the soup were six won tons, of the dense meatball with a slice of shrimp variety. The won tons were on the bland side, though it could be that the broth was so salty, most other tastes were cancelled out.

There was a good amount of perfectly crunchy, al' dente egg noodles in the soup.

Other then the noodles there wasn't much to make me return. I'd rather have the "loaded" Won Ton soup at Minh Ky, though the broth there is too light. Or the rich, darker broth, at Luong Hai Ky, though I understand that the Owner has passed on, and the restaurant is under new ownership. Since the area has quite a few restaurants, I think I'll let someone else make the next visit.

Notes: The prices at Tan Ky MI Gia range from about $4.75 for Wonton Soup, to $7.00 for Shrimp Chow Fun/Chow Mein. Most dishes are under $6, and the service, while not very friendly is efficient.

Tan Ky Mi Gia
9330 Mira Mesa Blvd #A
San Diego, CA 92126

Before I Pho’-get: The Pho’ Retrospective – Phuong Trang, Convoy Noodle House, Pho Hoa Hiep, Pho Ca Dao (ECB), Pho Cali, Pho Viet Cali, Lucky Pho

May 15, 2006 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

*** For updated content on Pho' you can check out our Pho category.

As promised, here's my Pho' retrospective. But first I made a stop at Phuong Trang:

*** An updated post on the Pho at Phuong Trang can be found here.

Why Phuong Trang? I know I've already done a post on Phuong Trang, but I consider the Pho' there to be the most "middle of the road" Pho'. Not too dark, not to much oil, no strong clove, anise, or cinnamon flavor. That's not to say I don't like it, I've eaten there on many occasions, and don't mind it at all. The Pho' is very accessible, and when someone who's never had Pho' asks me where to go, I sometimes recommend Phuong Trang for that reason as well.

Today's bowl is the Extra Large Combination($5.25). The rare steak is always a good bet here, and the brisket is usually pretty good. Today there was a shortage of tripe, and the beef flank was mostly inedible fat. I also find that Phuong Trang always provides a good amount of Basil, Bean Sprouts, and Jalapenos, at least for my taste. Though I've noticed that quantities have gotten smaller; also no Ngo Gai is provided. The noodles are usually just the right texture. So there you go, your perfect, consistent, middle of the road Pho'.

I've come to understand that Pho' preferences vary wildly from individual to individual. Even more then Banh Mi. Some like a lighter broth, some darker, some enjoy a good quantity of oil, while others are just plain grossed out by it. Some even want the soup brought at a scalding hot temperature, but another said that if the broth is too hot, you won't be able to eat it, and the noodles will get too soft. I won't even get into the various cuts of meat! You get the point, right?

So I'll just list the bowls, and tack on a short impression, and maybe some notes….. All bowls are of the "combination"(Dac Biet).

September 11, 2005 – Convoy Noodle House

*** An updated post on the Pho at Convoy Noodle House can be found here.

*** Convoy Noodle House has closed

Impressions: A darker-full bodied, broth, stronger clove flavor. Meats are routine and are sometimes inconsistent. Skimpy garnishes, no Ngo Gai.

Notes: One of my regular stops, I like the broth, and usually a good quantity of meat.

Convoy Noodle House
4647 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

January 16, 2006 – Pho Hoa Hiep

Impressions: Lighter broth, the flavor of the cilantro, green onions, and garnishes(including Ngo Gai) come through. Love the tendon here, also usually a very generous amount of tripe. Didn't care for the rare steak. Noodles were the normal clump.

Notes: On a subsequent visit, the soup was exactly the same, so looks like a very consistent bowl.

Pho Hoa Hiep
6947 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111

February 5, 2006 – Pho Ca Dao (El Cajon Boulevard Location)

Impressions: Broth a shade richer then Pho Hoa Hiep. Lot's of green onions and cilantro for flavor, which was very balanced. Tendon at Pho Ca Dao, is my favorite, generous amount of brisket, though a bit too fatty. Rare steak was on the tough and dry side. Quantity of garnish on the small side.

Notes: Though I usually have the Bun Bo Hue here, I think the Pho' is pretty good.

Pho Ca Dao
5223 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

March 1, 2006 – Pho' Cali

*** Pho Cali has closed

Impressions: If you're in Mission Valley and must have a bowl of Pho', this is your only choice. Broth had medium oil content, slight anise flavor in medium-light broth. On my visit, the noodles were a cold clump in the bottom of the bowl. Very skimpy on the garnishes, and I didn't care for the meat, rare steak and tendon was tough. The broth is okay, though.

Pho' Cali
1400 Camino De La Reina #105
San Diego, CA 92018

March 19, 2006 – Pho Viet Cali

*** Pho Viet Cali has closed

Impressions: The Dac Biet was pretty expensive, $6.15. Terribly stingy on the garnishes. Light, unremarkable broth. In addition to all the "usual" cuts of beef, this bowl had meatballs. Overall, lot's of meat, generic broth, a bit pricier.

Pho' Viet Cali
6755 Mira Mesa Blvd. #113
San Diego, CA 92121

March 28, 2006 – Lucky Pho'

Impressions: Darker broth, with a hint of anise and clove. Oil content varies; on this trip it was low, on another slightly higher. Noodles are routine, but good. The meats are not the best, and are on the inconsistent side, some days the tendon is very tough, likewise with the brisket, etc. Adequate garnishes, with Ngo Gai.

Notes: This broth is to my taste, and that is the main reason I return. The meat at Pho Ca Dao and Pho Hoa Hiep are better.

Lucky Pho' in Lucky Seafood Supermarket
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

May 10, 2006 – Bolsaa Vietnamese Restaurant

*** Bolsaa has since closed

Impressions: The garnishes are adequate. Broth on the light side, with low oil content. I found the rare steak to be good, but the rest of the meats were on the tough and dry side. Noodles were fine, not mushy and not too chewy.

Notes: On this visit, the broth was very salty; though I've been informed that it was probably a "glitch".

Bolsaa Vietnamese Cuisine
4646 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Well there it is, and those in San Diego probably have noticed that many of the popular Pho' establishments, such as Pho Hoa Huang, Pho Van, Pho Hoa Cali, Pho T Cali, and so on, have not been "represented". All in due time. And maybe I'll have enough bowls of Bun Bo Hue soon to do a retrospective on that as well.

Until then; like DietChiliCheeseFries always says – "Eat the Pho!!!!"

Bolsaa Vietnamese Restaurant

May 10, 2006 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

*** Update, Bolsaa has since closed. And is now the Crab Hut.

Yep, you read that right; it’s Bolsaa with 2 "aa’s" at the end. Not to be confused with Bolsa on Mira Mesa Boulevard, though I’ve been told that there is a connection. This Bolsaa is located in a strip mall along with several other restaurants on Convoy St.

About a year and a half ago, I had a decent bowl of Pho’ Ga (Chicken Rice Noodle Soup) at Bolsaa, and then had forgotten all about the place. Recently, on a trip to Balboa Tofu House I saw the Bolsaa sign and made a mental note to revisit Bolsaa. And so here I was……

The interior of Bolsaa is alot larger then the tiny storefront would indicate, and is quite clean. There’s also the requisite bar area, that almost all Vietnamese Restaurants seem to have for the express purpose of hiding the cash register.

The restaurant also never seems to be full, no matter what time of day I’ve visited.

On this trip I ordered the typical Pho’ Bo(Beef Noodles Soup) Combination(Rare Steak, Brisket, Flank, Tendon, and Tripe) Extra Large($5.75), compared to the Combination Large($5.25), or just the Combination ($4.75), for some reason I see some humor in this, though I can’t quite understand why. As is the norm, the garnishes arrived first:

I thought the amount of Basil was perfect for my tastes, though the bean sprouts were lacking. What to do about the lemon wedge??????

The large bowl of Pho’ arrived steaming hot to the table.

The rare steak was perfect, thinly sliced, and soft. The rest of the meat items didn’t fare so well, most were dry and tough, and the amount of tripe was negligible. The noodles weren’t in a solid clump on the bottom and were about as good as they could possibly be, not mushy, and not too chewy. The broth was on the light side, and very generic. The oil level was low, and the only very distinctive trait I could really get a handle on was how "salty" it was. It got to the point where I finished the noodles, but couldn’t bring myself to finish up the broth. Who knows, could be a glitch, but man was it salty.

On a recent morning I did manage to make another visit to Bolsaa, and this time decided on a change of pace and ordered the Chicken with Lemon Grass and Hot Pepper($6.95). The dish was delivered on two plates, first, a really "healthy"(or depending how you view carbs, unhealthy) portion of rice:

Then the good size portion of chicken:

The dark meat chicken had been cut into cubes then stir fried with onions. The sauce had a slight sweet-soy/fish sauce taste. There was almost no spiciness or heat, and the dish was on the oily side (even for me….). I honestly felt that I could do better at home. Pass on this one…..

I’ll probably visit Bolsaa again in the (maybe not so near) future. Though I’ll probably have the Pho’ Ga, or check out the Pho’ Bo, just to see if the bowl I had was a glitch.

Some Notes: I’ve been to Bolsaa four times over the years, and it’s always been a pretty quiet, not too crowded restaurant. With current construction in the mall, the parking spaces are always being reconfigured, and during certain hours parking is at a premium. The menu at Bolsaa in not as large as other Vietnamese restaurants; of course it’s all relative if you consider 120+ items to be a smaller selection. So at least Vietnamese Menu Paralysis won’t take over!

Bolsaa Vietnamese Cuisine
4646 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Open Daily 9am – 10pm

If I can get my "act" together, I’ll probably do my Pho’ Retrospective post some time next week.

A Banh Mi Retrospective

May 4, 2006 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

A while back I promised Joseph E, a listing of the various Banh Mi’s I’ve had the pleasure of eating in San Diego. So finally, I’ve gotten my act together and here it is. First off, I need to apologize for taking so darn long. I only recently purchased some removable storage, and finally started copying all my back-up photos from CD to storage.

One of the really fun things I noticed as I dug up all these photos, and looking over my posts, is how much my taste in Banh Mi has changed since I did my first Banh Mi post back in June of 2005. I used to be strictly a BBQ Chicken/Pork Guy, and now I say “bring on the head cheese/sausage/pate!” Anyhow, I’m including links to the original posts, a short note on the visit(s), notes on follow-up visits, and such. I hope you all enjoy, and for those expecting a brand new restaurant/food post, please excuse…..I’ll have something new tomorrow!(Note all prices reflect the cost at the time of the original post.)

June 13, 2005 – A Chau

Impressions: Alot of filling, though I never did get the Dac Biet(special). The bread was too soft and doughy. Nice amount of chilies and pickles. Very filling sandwich.($2.50)

Notes: I need to revisit A-Chau soon. I used to grab a sandwich there all the time, but when I started doing the food blog, I got caught up in trying new restaurants all the time. I haven’t revisited since this post….my bad!

A-Chau
4644 El Cajon Blvd Ste 111
San Diego, CA 92115

June 28, 2005 – Cafe Dore

**** Cafe Dore has closed

Impressions: At the time I had this sandwich, I thought it was the best I’d had in San Diego. The bread was toasted and crusty, and there was a great balance of vegetables, cilantro, chilies, and fillings. Well maybe a little light on the chilies….. I loved that the cilantro was mostly leaves and not tough, chewy, stuck between your teeth cilantro.($2.50)

Notes: Follow-up visits(last one in December of last year) were not quite as good. There is a tendency to “over-toast” the bread making it disintergrate into a crumbs when you bite into the sandwich. I still enjoy the fillings at Cafe Dore.

Cafe Dore
4135 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

June 29, 2005 – Bale French Sandwich Shop

**** This location of BaLe has closed

Impressions: Before K Sandwich, the most “accessible” Banh Mi. Mild flavors, crusty bread, and very consistent. I’ve always thought that Bale “hollowed out” their bread a bit to increase the crust to bread ratio, but it’s probably the product of a too active imagination.($2.75)

Notes: Still very consistent, I’ve found Bale to be doing very brisk business on my last visit(December 2005).

Bale French Sandwich Shop
6937 Linda Vista Rd
San Diego, CA 92111

July 15, 2005 – Sorrento European Bakery

**** Sorrento European Bakery has closed

Impressions: Sorry, probably one of the worst photos I’ve taken thus far…. Actually, this visit was a mistake, I didn’t follow instructions, and thought that this was the Banh Mi place. Very light, low on vegetables, I felt this sandwich was missing a certain “something”. The fillings were very tasty, but I could eat 3 of these. I did think the bread was nice and crusty.($2.50)

Notes: I was soon corrected on the location of the correct Banh Mi purveyor, I’ve never returned.

Sorrento European Bakery
6755 Mira Mesa Blvd #117 – in the Sorrento Plaza Shopping Center
San Diego, CA 92121

July 19, 2005 – Linda Vista Food to Go

**** Linda Vista Food to Go has closed

Impressions: Hidden away from most of the traffic on Linda Vista Road, this sandwich was on the small side, and had too much cucumber, and not enough cilantro. Very little meat in the “Dac Biet”, and to add insult to injury, the sign at the time said $2.25, but they charged me $2.50.

Notes: I’ve been back for the pretty good spring rolls. Needless to say, I haven’t had another sandwich at this little shop. Nice people though!

Linda Vista Food to Go
2405 Ulric Street
San Diego, CA 92111

August 23, 2005 – Fusion Food & Boba Cafe

**** Fusion Food & Boba Cafe has closed

Impressions: Don’t know what to make of it; lot’s of meat filling, but the ham tastes like the packaged stuff from the supermarket, sometimes the bread is toasted, sometimes not; the rolls differ from time to time too. Alot of people like this place, so it must be me…… The BBQ pork did taste good.($2.50 – $3.50)

Notes: Haven’t been back.

Fusion Food & Boba Cafe
8038 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

November 2, 2005 – K Sandwiches

Impressions: If you’ve never had a Banh Mi before, this is a good place to start. Safe enough even for my co-workers who enjoy them. The sandwiches are also quite large:

And very inexpensive($1.99 – $2.99). Do ask for extra “pickles”(I’ve never had to pay for them), because they can be really stingy with them. The bread is baked on the premises which can be a plus.

Notes: Think of it as San Diego’s version of Lee’s Sandwich’s.

December 28, 2005 – Kim Chan Sandwich Shop

**** Kim Chan has closed

Impressions: A favorite of Ed from Yuma, the BBQ pork was terrible, but the meat in the combination (Dac Biet) is excellent. I’ve had both stale bread, and perfectly toasted bread here, but portions(for the combination) are always well balanced, and flavorful.($2.50)

Notes: When this place is “on” the “combination” is very good. Only a few items in English, but they must have about twenty or so in Vietnamese. A real Mom-and-Pop operation.

Kim Chan Sandwich Shop
4712 El Cajon Blvd Suite N
San Diego, CA 92115

March 19, 2006 – Pho’ Viet Cali

**** Pho Viet Cali has closed

Impressions: This was the sandwich I was supposed to get when I mistakenly went to Sorrento Europena Bakery. A decent sandwich, though on the expensive side($2.95). I enjoyed the pate, though there was way too much mayo all over the bottom of the sandwich. Also, not enough pickled vegetables, though good meat. No hot chilies either!

Notes: I haven’t been back.

Pho’ Viet Cali
6755 Mira Mesa Blvd. #113
San Diego, CA 92121

March 27, 2006 – Express Deli in Lucky Seafood Supermarket

Impressions: Kind of skimpy on the meat, but lots of pickled vegetables. I really didn’t enjoy the bread that much, not crusty enough. Worth the $2.25 price for sandwich, but not much more.

Lucky Seafood Supermarket
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

Whew, so there it is. Only ten different shops, I’m a bit disappointed. Well hopefully, I’ll do better in the future!

Saigon on Fifth

April 23, 2006 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Saigon on Fifth has closed

You know how sometimes you drive past a locale, noticing the new signage, making a mental note to make sure to try the location out….then immediately forgetting about it? Well, this is what happened with Saigon on Fifth.

Until Calvin sent me an Email mentioning His visit to Saigon on Fifth. Geez, (immediate slap to the head) how could I have forgotten. The location on the corner (sort of) University and Fifth has been a kiss of death for various restaurants. First a Rubio's went down in flames, then a pizza joint called Me N' Ed's lasted a few years. Since our office is within walking distance I decided to head over for lunch on a recent afternoon.

I walked in and, oh my, the decor! I must say, I've never been in a Vietnamese Restaurant that looked quite like this. Very nice and upscale, though I must say that the first thought that entered my mind was "well, somebody has to pay for all of this….."

I looked at the menu, and knew instantly who pays for all of this………guess?

The very nice Server took my order, and soon enough my food arrived, starting with the Spring Rolls ($5.95):

Now I expected maybe a bit more shrimp, or a really refined spring roll, but these were very small, and there were only two small "rolls". There was a bit more pork then usual, but because the rolls were kind of short on vermicelli and lettuce, the pork made the rolls seem very dry. I can get better from Vien Dong market for like 3 bucks for 3.

Now, I had also wanted some nice strong Vietnamese Coffee, but was told they didn't serve coffee, which was fine with me. But just to illustrate the level of service(maybe a bit too attentive), they managed to brew me a nice strong cup of Vietnamese Coffee, which with a touch of condensed milk, really did hit the spot.

Just in time for my "Combination" Pho' ($7.95):

I had never thought that I'd see the day, 8 bucks for a bowl of Pho'! It arrived in a pretty cool, but kinda small "casserole" bowl bolted into a wooden frame. Style points for the presentation, and for being served piping hot, but minus points for the garnish, consisting of a slice of lemon(!!!), a small amount of bean sprouts, and the most pathetic looking sprig of basil I've ever been served. To be fair, I asked for, and was given more basil.

Also minus points for 3 tough, rubbery meatballs.

As well the too thickly cut, and semi tough meat. Also, the "combination" at Saigon on Fifth is meatballs and beef. So no tendon, no brisket, no tripe, nada! So safe……

The amount of noodles was about half of a usual bowl of Pho' as well. What was really interesting, was the broth. For a restaurant that seemed to want to "safely introduce" Vietnamese cuisine, the broth had quite a bit of oil. Enough to coat the back of my spoon! Other then the oil content, the broth was a medium to light Pho' broth with a mild anise flavor.

Let me say that the service was very good, though maybe a bit over-attentive, but that's to be expected at a new restaurant. Other individuals that have eaten items like the Lemongrass Chicken, and other items, have said that the dishes are good, though the portions small, and rather over-priced. Rather then to go into any more detail about my meal, I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

In fact, I think Calvin says it well: "The kind of dimly lit, classy place you could take your boss for something exotic without risk. Nothing funky, nothing chewy, nothing to offend your blue-haired aunt. Service is fawning, but they're still working out the bumps. Pho is rich, but so tame." Calvin should probably do the writing for this blog, he can describe the entire restaurant in less then a paragraph! Calvin, you da' man!!!

Saigon on Fifth
3900 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103

Trieu Chau – The Meal

April 13, 2006 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

In Part I of this post, we made our way to Trieu Chau, and sat, only to open the menu, and discover that most of it was not in English (there was a handwritten section with stuff like pork fried rice). So as the Missus tried to decipher the Chinese portion of the menu, and little plate of Youtiao(Fried Dough, "Crullers") found it’s way to our table.

These were cold and dense, not crunchy and light; a very inauspicious start. At this point, the Missus had gotten through much of the menu, but still could not figure out what some of the dishes were. This is when our intrepid "guide" Kathy appeared. She patiently explained that the dishes we were having problems with were dishes with specific types of noodles. She started in English, went to Cantonese, and finally was able to explain some of the dishes to the Missus in Mandarin. At one point, she thought that the Missus was Laotian, so she started speaking in what I think was Lao. Talk about a humbling experience, I barely speak one language well (that would be English), and Kathy just jumps from language to language without hesitation. Needless to say, we were impressed. Finally, the Missus decided to go the "small plates" route, instead of ordering noodle soup and ordered a few dishes that She had already picked out, and Kathy helped fill out the menu.

First up was the Missus selected the Beef Stew:

The Missus picked this out, because she knew how much I enjoy a good Beef Stew. This was almost a hybrid Chinese – Vietnamese style Beef Stew. Beef colored by annatto oil, nice hints of anise, cinnamon, and garlic. The meat was pretty tender, and the fat content was pretty low. What I really enjoyed about this dish, was the large amount of buttery, melt in your mouth tendon, cooked to perfection. Also, the usual layer of oil coating the top of the sauce, was minimized. An average dish, brought up to good by the delici-yoso tendon.

The Missus also selected the Soy Sauce Duck:

Nice, meaty and tender, soy sauce flavored duck leg, served with pickled vegetables. What made this dish work was that the salty duck was tempered by the pickled vegetables and pickle "juice."

Kathy had selected the rice noodle with seafood for us:

I could smell the fragrance of this dish as it was cooking; thinking to myself; "that must be for us…." Wide rice noodles, egg, bok choy, and seafood, in a brown sauce. First off the shrimp were over-cooked and tough, and the squid was like rubber. The sauce though a tad on the sweet side had quite a bit of garlic which balanced it out a bit. The interesting thing was that I could taste a hint of a slightly smokey flavor in the noodles; I think there was a bit of Wok-hey going on.

Strangely, Kathy also ordered Lup Cheong(Chinese Sausage) and Shrimp Fried Rice for us. I think she was hedging her bets a little, just in case we didn’t care for anything else we ordered.

This was the weakest dish of the meal. Again the shrimp were over-cooked, and some of the Lup Cheong were charred, and nothing about the dish stood out. As we were eating, the Missus, said "didn’t you make this last night." I had indeed made fried rice with leftovers the night before, and this was no better then what I had thrown together at home. But still, nothing terrible about the dish.

All told the "damage" was $20, for 4 dishes(we had the leftovers for dinner) and tea, not bad at all! The service was very efficient, and Kathy was very patient and helpful. While the Missus went to the Ladies Room, I chatted briefly with Kathy, who recommended the Lemongrass Chicken, and a few other dishes for our next visit. Though I’m sorely tempted to try some of the Beef Stew Noodle Soups……

Trieu Chau Restaurant
4653 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Trieu Chau – The Teaser

April 12, 2006 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

While sitting here realizing it’s pretty darn late, and that I’ll never finish this post before I just plain "crash out", something popped into my "head" (that in itself is a fairly unique event). You see Diet Chili Cheese Fries just sent me something he calls a "teaser" for His movie Asian Stories (Book III). Which led me to wonder if you all would buy into a "teaser" post????? So here goes…..

Recently we had heard of a Cambodian-Vietnamese-Chinese Restaurant on University called Trieu Chau, and finally managed to get there.

Since there was no available parking in the lot, we parked on a a side street and noticed that the restaurant was pretty full. Though the exterior and interior of the restaurant was a bit worse for wear, there were wonderful smells all through the dining area. This was probably due to the configuration of the restaurant, a small "L-shape" with the kitchen separated by a "bar-counter" from the dining area. As we were seated, I noticed the usual condiment tray:

Thing were looking up…..until I opened the menu:

There was nothing in English!!! Talk about cutting this Third – generation (Sansei), only English speaking(I can cuss in several languages), American of Asian ancestry down to size. All items in everything from Sanskrit to Chinese, but not English……wait a minute, there’s the Chinese portion of the menu whew! Until, the Missus(born and raised in China) said; "You know, some of this stuff, I can even read, but it doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t know what it’s saying!" Oh-uh……..

Talk about feeling a bit nervous………

So now for the tease. Would our intrepid eaters fail? Would they get kicked out on their butts onto University Avenue? Would they die of starvation? Would they at least get a spot of tea? Would the Missus have a sudden revelation and decipher the menu? Would my facade of Banana-Asianism be revealed? Would the Missus please call Her Mom for some GUIDANCE!!!!!

Stay tuned tomorrow……..And RONW, this menu’s for you. Can you help us decipher it?