I've been doing a bit of research on expanding my "pho-risens". As I mentioned in my previous "pho-raging" post, it was time to try a couple of new places, "pho-better" or "pho-worse"…..ok, I'll stop with the puns for now!
During my searches, Phonomenal in National City kept coming up. Though it says it's "Khmer" influenced, whatever that means. Was it pho or keay teav? Which I don't consider Khmer, but as more of a Cambodian-Chinese (Chiuchow/Teochow) hybrid. The closest I've had while Visiting Cambodia was Num Banh Chok at a crossroads village outside of Siem Reap. The "pho-tos" sure looked like typical pho, a bit darker perhaps, and with most people raving about 'dem bones (xi quách sưon bò) which Pho Duyen Mai used to make fairly well before the new ownership.
So, I decided to head on over. The shop is only open Thursday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm, or until they run out of soup.
I noticed a line when I I drove over just before 10. I found parking and by the time I walked to the door, the crowd was in the shop. This is what it looked like at 5 minutes past 10. All the tables, the two and four-tops are communal. I sat next to a very nice Korean couple.
And the place was soon full!
The menu has basically one type of pho, spring rolls, and a bunch of drinks on the menu.
And so it was the House Special ($18.95) for me. I didn't know what to expect, would it be pho or keay teav, of which I've had the Vietnamese version Hu Tieu Nam Vang many times.
Well, the small portion of sprouts-basil-chili-lime made this really seem Vietnamese.
Soon enough my bowl arrived, with three ribs full of meat in full display. Now I knew why this place was popular.
I liked the amount of cilantro and scallion in the broth, it added a nice fragrance and flavor. The meat was tender, though it seemed to not be as beefy as I would have desired. Still, if you're a major carnivore, you might enjoy this. Personally, I like a variety of cuts, texture, and flavors.
Sadly, the noodles were overcooked and mushy.
The broth was nice and dark, decently, not overly defatted, there was a nice herbaceous-anise flavor, along with a mild beefiness. It did have that overly "sweet" tone that permeates San Diego pho. My main issue was how salty it was. I was chugging H2o all afternoon.
The service is nice and efficient. There was a waiting list a page long when I went to the counter and paid. Tons of folks were doing takeout. Like I said, if you're a carnivore, this might be your place. For me, there's more to pho than just the meat. I did notice that there didn't seem to be a Vietnamese customer in sight. The couple next to me were of Korean heritage and the young lady was complaining about how salty things were.
Still, perhaps this is the bowl for you.
A bit over-hyped, but not bad.
Phonomenal
811 K Ave.
National City, CA 91950
Current Hours
Thurs – Sun 10am – 5pm or until they run out
Closed Mon – Wed
Seeing that the ridges were falling off the viennoiserie made me somewhat concerned, but the pastry did not shatter into crumbs upon consuming. The exterior was light and crisp, the interior fairly fluffy and "honeycombed". It was sorely lacking in butter and even salt for that matter. Quite bland overall.
The filling was fairly tender, not overly sweet, very classic seasoning. The regular bao was a bit too wet and doughy. The "Black Bao", obviously made with activated charcoal had an almost gritty-crunchy texture, though the flavor was less sweet, but not substantially different from the "regular" one.
The Peking Duck was "almost there". The fat had been nicely rendered, but the skin was still a bit rubbery. The flesh was very tender, the flavors spot on, good gamey-earthy notes, five spice, a hint of sweetness. The dan bing weren't up to the task and tore easily. Still, the duck was not bad at all.
My favorite of the two I ordered was the Cabeza. It was tender, beefy, with a side of "funk". Nicely seasoned and cooked, so very juicy. A squirt of lime to cut the richness, cilantro and onion to add pungency, and it was darn good. The tortillas were fine; they were doubled with some queso in between to hold it together.
The piece of battered and fried fish was quite large. But the batter was soggy and the flesh of the pescado was slimy-fishy-muddy, not my favorite flavors and textures when it comes to fish. Not even the lime and the salsas….I preferred the verde (green), which had a bit more acidity and herbaceousness, but I really didn't enjoy this.
This was quite the bowl! There was shimeji mushroom, quail eggs, fish balls (not my favorite thing), some ground pork, a couple of slices of char siu-ish pork, fairly tender shrimp (not deveined), and two, really tasty fried crab.
The skin hadn't been fried crisp and were rubbery. The "tomyum" was a a packaged powder that was overly salty. The wings were moist and tender, but the drumettes really dry and tough.
I like the folks working here, there is quite a variety of dishes on the menu so I will definitely return. They have some Com Tom dishes so I'll probably drag the Missus along. They have outdoor tables, so maybe JJ might join us. I know my friend "CY" said we'll grab lunch here in a couple of weeks. With Saigon Corner and 
Granted, there was a lot more veggies to shrimp than I recall. But the nice crunch, variety of flavors, with a dip in the wasabi and ginger enhanced Tsuyu, alternated with the perfectly cooked slightly stretchy soba was just what the doctor ordered on this day.
