mmm-yoso – Page 52 – As in, yoso-silly, yoso-hungry, yoso-full, or best of all; mmm-delici-yoso!!!!! A San Diego based food and travel blog. An Ex-Pat Kama'aina and Friends explore food, restaurants, and travel from San Diego and points beyond.

Sunday Sandwiches – Deli Mart (Miramar)

April 7, 2024 mmm-yoso Sandwiches

While I was on my way to Sunrise Deli to pick up a sandwich for lunch, I noticed a shop on Dowdy Drive, which is a pretty busy road off of Miramar. The name of the place was Deli Mart. Now why hadn't I seen this place before? I did a Google thing and found the hours and some other info and was happy to note that the shop opens quite early (730am) on weekdays.

Deli Mart 01

The shop is located on the street facing side of a round-about driveway on Dowdy Drive. All the other businesses along the driveway seem to be auto or cabinet repair shops. The shop has several dedicated parking stalls on each side of the building.

The shop is a bit larger than it looks from the front with a few simple table and chairs indoors and out front.

Deli Mart 02

Deli Mart 03

The shop has a large variety of chips and snacks, along with a selection of beer as well. On all three of my visits, the same two gentlemen were working. The younger one makes the sandwiches and the older handles the counter and phone.

Deli Mart 04

The prices are quite reasonable for this day and age; sandwiches range from $7.95 to $11.95, with breakfasts even cheaper. All three of my sandwiches were priced at $9.95.

I wanted to start with something simple and went with the Torpedo.

Deli Mart 05 Deli Mart 06 All sandwiches come with a pickle wedge. This was a straight forward, no-nonsense 3 meat (Salami-Mortadella-Cappicola) on a French Roll. There provolone, with Italian Dressing and mayo. I enjoyed that the sandwich wasn't over-dressed. It was a bit too much bread to "stuffs" ratio. I prefer the almost same version of the sandwich is better at Creative Deli. This really gave me The Sandwich A'Fare (now closed) vibes. Still for the price these days….

I returned a week later and went with a more "interesting" sandwich choice, the Stoner's Delight.

Deli Mart 07 Deli Mart 08 Not sure about the how or why the name of the sandwich was earned. But this was a turkey and mortadella on sourdough. I enjoyed the heat brought on by the jalapenos, but it was over-dressed, with too much "chipotle" (only in spirit) aioli. Again, the amount of protein was decent in proportion, though folks wanting a super stuffed sandwich would not be satisfied….but really, would you get one for under ten bucks these days?

On my last visit, I decided to try a "hot sandwich" and went with the Reuben.

Deli Mart 09 Deli Mart 10 So, the rye bread was nicely toasted which held up to the generous amount of Thousand Island dressing. In keeping with the previous sandwiches; this was quite simple. Corned Beef, mild Sauerkraut, Swiss on Rye. It's a sandwich that one might think is on the smallish side, but it was enough for me. The proportion of savory, salty, earthy, worked fine. The toasty bread held up fine and this did the trick as a light lunch. Deli Mart 11

There are so many of these little shops that keep us fed and I'm always interested to see what is offered. It isn't fancy, but it's what keeps us going, right?

Deli Mart
9210 Dowdy Drive
San Diego, CA 92126
Current Hours:
Mon – Tues 730am – 5pm
Wed – Fri 730am – 6pm
Saturday 10am – 3pm
Closed on Sunday

Road Trip – Treehouse Bar & Lounge (Taos)

April 6, 2024 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Chocolate, Mexican Restaurants, New Mexico, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Santa Fe/Taos, New Mexico, Travel

After our lunch at Manzanita Market we decided to check out a couple of shops we'd seen the day before. The Missus wanted more chocolates, so we stopped in at Chokola.

Which had a nice selection for the Missus.

The Missus got a nice box of chocolates which She enjoyed.

Chokola
100 Juan Largo Ln.
Taos, NM 87571

We enjoyed window shopping.

Here's an interesting sign in the gift shop for the Benedictine Monks of Taos.

We found a shirt that both that Missus and I liked in one of the shops and decided to get that. It's one of my favorites currently.

On Kit Carson Road, past all the art galleries and shops we saw a tea shop.

And popped on in. The girls working were really nice, but didn't have much knowledge regarding some of the teas they sold, so they got the manager to chat with the Missus.

And in the end, the Missus got some Early Grey and stuffs for Her.

tea.o.graphy
125 Kit Carson Rd.
Taos, NM 87571

After which we headed back to the hotel for a break.

As for dinner; well, I hadn't made any reservations for this evening, but had shown the Missus the menu at Lambert's which many consider to be the best fine dining establishment in Taos. The Missus really wasn't feeling like having that type of meal, wanting something more relaxed. I then showed Her the menu of Lambert's more casual bar and lounge called the Treehouse and we knew where we'd be getting dinner. The place was basically a half block from where we were staying and we strolled over getting there a bit after 5pm.

The place was already fairly busy! We got one of the small high-tops with stools, our bartender, I wish I could recall her name was awesome. We asked about the various wine and cocktails and once she knew our tastes, heck, we just left it up to her! She didn't let us down.

As for the food; things started off with the Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs.

Quite smoky and savory, creamy, with a slight eggy-richness. Not overly fatty, this was quite nice.

Next up was the Duck Confit and Waffle.

The duck confit had been breaded and fried, the batter was super sweet, the duck tougher and drier than what we'd consider duck confit. The blue corn waffle was crisp, but the supposed chipotle-agave glaze was overly sweet as well. We loved the charred turnips.

We enjoyed the Bison Relleno.

Crisp exterior, the bison short rib had a light, seet-beefiness to it and was very tender. The cilantro-lime crema really helped to cut the richness of the dish.

Last up was the Goat Birria Tostada. Knowing how much I like birria de chivo, you know I had to try this.

Loved the crispy-crunchy blue corn tostada. The queso was mild, so it didn't mess with the flavor of the goat, which was milder in gaminess than other versions I've had but not bad. Mild spices, did not like the broth/sauce which were bland. The pickled onions really helped things by adding acidity to the dish.

Overall, a pretty nice, relaxed meal. Most of the customers on this evening seemed like locals. I'd return if we're in Taos again.

Especially if that bartender is working, she was amazing.

Treehouse Bar & Lounge (Above Lambert's of Taos)
123 Bent St.
Taos, NM 87571

After dinner, we took our usual walk. This time, we headed south down Paseo Del Pueblo Sur.

Again taking time to appreciate the art and beauty of the town.

Before heading back to our room for a nice night of sleep.

I'm sure we'll return to Taos!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Devisadero Peak Trail, Lunch at Manzanita Market, and Strolling Around Taos

April 5, 2024 mmm-yoso Markets & Grocers, New Mexico, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Santa Fe/Taos, New Mexico, Travel

After our meal at Doc Martin's we took a typical after dinner stroll. Downtown Taos was indeed quite charming.

While most of the shops were already closed, the relaxed, tranquil vibe gave us time to appreciate the town. We loved the public art.

And as the sun headed down, the adobe buildings just came alive. It was indeed the "golden hour"!

With nary a person in sight, it was a wonderful stroll.

We slept well, woke early, and headed off to the do some hiking. I gave the Missus a couple of choices and She picked the Devasidero Peak loop trail. It was a quick 5 minute drive to the trailhead. The trail started off a bit steep, but the views were lovely on this morning in early May.

And while we didn't run into any other folks on the trail, there were indications of folks who had come before us.

And the signage on the trail was pretty good.

The Missus is all business when hiking; She wants to get it done ASAP.

I on the other hand, like to enjoy the views and on this hike, the little splashes of color provided by the wild flowers.

We enjoyed the hike and finished in a shade over two hours.

We headed back to the hotel, parked, and decided to grab an early lunch. We had walked past a little sandwich/juice bar/health food shop the previous evening called Manzanita Market and decided to pop in.

IMG_8690_00

It was a cute little shop with a hipster-hippy-ish vibe. The staff was very friendly.

We placed our order and the Missus had a seat, while I took a look at some of the local items available for sale.

I loved the name of this hot sauce brand, Taos Hum.

In case you hadn't heard of the Taos Hum, it's a low frequency humming/buzzing noise that certain residents of Taos have heard since the 1990's. There have been studies into the hum over the years, but it still remains a mystery, and has been reported in other places around the world. And this Taos Hum Hot Sauce would remain a mystery to me as well as I ended up not getting a bottle. I can and may order it online; or perhaps wait until we next visit Taos.

The Missus had ordered the Mediterranean Vegan, which came from Sage Bakehouse (Santa Fe) Sourdough.

The sourdough was quite good. This was bit on the blander side in terms of flavor in spite of the pickled onions and lime-garlic spread. The textures were very nice; the creamy tahini, crisp veggies and bread. The greens had a pleasant bitterness to them as well. So very healthy!

I got the Naples which also came on that good sourdough bread.

This was a pressed sandwich and was served hot. The bread was a nice crisp-crunchy and I loved the milky-gooey carneros cheese and the nicely spiced-salty sopressata. The mildly assertive feta-garlic sauce and the surprisingly good tomato jam really made this sandwich a winner!

Such a nice place for a light lunch!

Manzanita Market
103 N Plaza
Taos, NM 87571

In retrospect, we should have spent at least another day in Taos, but we'd try to make the best of our last evening!

ZZZ_8677

Tonight, it’s not about food

April 4, 2024 mmm-yoso Blog

Oh my, how I hate doing these type of posts. But the recent earthquake in Hualien is such sad and devastating news. To think, we arrived in Hualien on 04/04/2023….exactly a year ago today. Taiwan really left an indelible mark on us; we loved our time there, the food was great, but it was the people we loved the most.

I really am at a loss for words, so I'll just post this.

Midweek Meanderings – Is SuperNatural Sandwiches Rebranding and Pieology Balboa Closes

April 3, 2024 mmm-yoso Pizza, Sandwiches

Just a couple of things for a beautiful Wednesday in San Diego.

Is SuperNatural Sandwiches Rebranding?:

**** Update – The Burger Joint and Brew is replacing SuperNatural Sandwiches

So, back in January, after a not-so-great visit under new ownership, I decided to give SuperNatural another shot. When I arrived, the place was closed with a sign saying "closed for the holidays, will reopen mid-January". Ok, during that previous visit, I had noticed a sushi bar was going in and other stuff going on, so maybe some construction was taking place. In March, when I did my takeout order from Bann at Gourmet Artisan I took a peek at the shop and noticed that there seemed to be some construction going on. Though that "reopen mid-January" sign was still posted. This afternoon, I was passing by and decided to see what was up. Well, the place is still closed.

SNS Closed 01

With that reopen in mid-January sign still up. I find the "We are Back Now Open" sign somewhat interesting.

SNS Closed 02

As I turned to head back to the car, a gentleman walked by and said "they are permanently closed". He was one of the locksmiths working in the shop next door. He added; "I think the owners are going to switch things up and change the menu renaming the place Burgers and Sandwich".

So, it'll be interesting to see what happens here. If this is the end of SuperNatural, it's a sad demise, I really enjoyed their sandwiches from back in the days when the original owners had a stand in the San Diego Public Market and had enjoyed the food many times over the years. Of course, I didn't enjoy my visit under the new ownership, which I think only lasted a couple of months.

So, stay tuned, and we'll see what happens here.

7094 Miramar Rd. #122
San Diego, CA 92121

Pieology Balboa Closes:

Had to run an errand and ended up at Balboa Mesa Shopping Center. While I was walking to my car I noticed that the sign for Pieology was gone, so I walked on over.

Pieology Closed

And yes, Pieology has closed. I know Cathy has made several visits over the years so I let her know.

Interesting changes in this area over the last couple of months.

5575 Balboa Ave.
San Diego, CA 92111

La Pastaia

April 2, 2024 mmm-yoso Italian Restaurants

**** La Pastaia is now Romanella

Back in May of last year, I noted that Farmers Table was going to be an Italian Restaurant named La Pastaia. I had never been a fan of Farmers Table, as the food seemed very “corporate” and generic and lacking in soul. I was excited to learn that the owners were two women from Italy and the pasta was hand made. And yet, when our good friend “Alle” whose dad is from Italy and both parents live there, who travels to the country quite often, visited La Pastaia and was quite disappointed. Well, it gave me pause. I told her not to give me any specifics; I want to try the place, and see how I thought of things. And, while they opened in June of 2023, we waited until October of last year to finally visit.

La Pastaia 01

We like the al fresco seating, so nice on a typical San Diego evening. Our Servers were friendly and warm.

La Pastaia 02a

We started with an apertivo. I found that what I ordered the “La Pastaia Spritz” while rather low in alcohol, was quite refreshing and clean tasting.

La Pastaia 04b

We started with the Trio de Bruschette.

La Pastaia 04

This was pretty good. The bread was on the chewy side; but the toppings; especially the mushroom was so good, creamy and earthy. The tomato and Parmesan a good milky-acidic, adding in the pesto. It was probably the best item we’ve had here.

Now, looking at the menu I was intrigued.

La Pastaia 03

Now, having had pasta alla ruota in Italy, this sounded exciting. And of course there the truffle and porcini!

This however, was not good.

La Pastaia 06

The pasta, made inhouse was very good, al dente, so springy. But when putting things together in the Parmesan wheel it was amateur hour, huge clumps of cheese which over-powered everything. The truffle seemed strangely flavorless, one could only be wrestled to the ground by all the mass of cheese; where was the earth-sweet flavors of the porcini and truffle?

The Missus, in full Emilia-Romagna mode ordered the Bolognese, even though I had doubts, since if this was really Italian, they’d call it the “ragu”. What arrived looked like some kind of beef-tomato noodle soup.

La Pastaia 05

Again, the pasta was perfectly al dente, so wonderfully springy, but that gross, watery, bland sauce just brought the dish down. The watery, soupy sauce just wasn’t good to our taste.

After this visit, I had coffee with Alle and we chatted about La Pastaia. It was quite interesting as we both had the same opinion; nicely made pasta, with sauces that diminished the dishes. In fact, we had both asked our Servers if La Pastaia sold their house made pasta (they don’t). Heck, I’d buy it in an instant.

I had fully thought I wouldn’t go back. But recently, the Missus and I wanted a nice date night close by. La Pastaia has an Happy Hour and is just a walk away. We decided to just walk on over.

And of course we started with a spritz.

La Pastaia 08

Nice and refreshing.

And we took a look at the Happy Hour menu.

La Pastaia 07

The prices were so reasonable, our Server so funny and kind. We placed our order.

Things started with the Carpaccio de Manzo.

La Pastaia 09

This was fine. though the slices of beef were super thin, which was mismatched with hard chunks of Parmesan. I would have enjoyed a more assertive olive oil, but this was not bad.

The Missus loves Her meatballs, so we got the Polpette di Carne.

La Pastaia 10

The meatballs were decent, if barely lukewarm. It had a nice meaty texture, though a bit under seasoned for our taste. That marinara sauce though, was really watery and lacking in flavor and even with the sprinkling of Parmesan, this was really bland. And being served at barely room temperature didn’t help things.

For the last item we chose the Pizza Patate e Salsicca, basically a sausage and potato pizza. I was interested to see what this would be.

La Pastaia 11

I cracked up when this arrived. Think of potato chips on a sausage pizza. The sausage was really flavorful, herbaceous, with nice spice, but it was unevenly distributed on the pizza. There was one slice that basically had no sausage on it. And beyond that; the crust was so doughy and chewy, this was not pleasing to eat at all.

It’s kind of sad; the Missus and I really would like to support businesses in our neighborhood; I mean we are regular customers of many places nearby. La Pastaia, in spite of the great service, just didn’t deliver. That said, because of the friendly service, I’m sure we’ll give them another try in the future….though I don’t think we’ll be doing it soon.

La Pastaia
3055 Clairemont Dr.
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 4pm – 830pm
Friday 4pm – 930pm
Saturday 1030am – 930pm
Sunday 1030am – 830pm

Taste of Hong Kong Revisited

April 1, 2024 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Chinese BBQ, Chinese Restaurants

As I noted during my post on revisiting Eastern Dynasty, the Missus wanted to compare Mei Cai Kou Rou. So, a couple of weeks ago we headed back to Taste of Hong Kong. After all, I really wanted those Salted Egg Yolk Chicken Wings again.

We got in right before 5pm and the place was fairly quiet. We ordered three dishes and soon enough our food started arriving.

Starting with the Roast Duck (of course).

Rev Taste of Hong Kong 01

This was very moist, though not quite as good as what we had on our last visit. The flavor was a bit "lighter" in terms of five spice-winey-sweetness and the skin was limp and flabby. Seems like consistency is a factor here.

Thankfully, the Salted Egg Yolk Chicken Wings were just as good, if not better than last time.

Rev Taste of Hong Kong 02

Crisp, edging toward crunchy, with moist flesh, it's the savory-eggy-salty treat for me!

As for the Mei Cai Kou Rou; well, that was not very good.

Rev Taste of Hong Kong 03

The pork was barely lukewarm, making it quite waxy. As you can tell by the photo, the sauce was too gloppy and lacked flavor. It was gluey blandness. There was lack of preserved vegetable as the bottom was mostly napa cabbage.

Rev Taste of Hong Kong 04

Sigh. I wish I could find something to accompany those chicken wings.

What's even more interesting is that the folks that own ToHK has purchased China Max and according to this post in Eater should be reopening in August of 2024. We'll see. What I thought was interesting is in the last paragraph of that post – to quote:

"the team tells Eater that they’re planning on changing the focus of Taste of Hong Kong."

Hmmm…..maybe I better load up on those wings while I still can?

Rev Taste of Hong Kong 05

Taste of Hong Kong
4428 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Road Trip – Dinner at Doc Martin’s (Taos)

March 30, 2024 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, New Mexico, Road Trip, Santa Fe/Taos, New Mexico, Travel

After visiting El Santuario de Chimayo we headed onward to Taos. I had made reservations for two nights at the Historic Taos Inn, which is located right in the center of this charming town of 6,500.

We had arrived a bit early and our room wasn't ready yet. But we were instructed to park in the rear parking lot and take a walk around.

It was May and things weren't too busy in town. We were immediately charmed by the quaint, artsy-funky-outdoorsy friendliness of the town.

The air was crisp and clean, the sky so bright. Charming adobe structures lined the streets.

No wonder folks like Georgia O'Keefe, DH Lawrence, and Kit Carson were drawn here.

We were only spending two nights in Taos and the Missus wanted to go hiking during our one full day, so we weren't able to visit places I had on my "list" like the Taos Pueblo.

We were sent a text when our room was ready; which was in one of the buildings in back of the Inn, it was comfortable and quieter than the rooms up front.

We had reservations for the restaurant in the Taos Inn; Doc Martin's. The Taos Inn was originally the home and businesses of Thomas "Doc" Martin and his namesake restaurant is where the his offices were located. Upon Doc Martin's death, his widow turned the building into a hotel.

We were given the choice of a table in the dining room or one on the back patio area.

It was such a lovely day that we decided dining al fresco would be nice.

The Missus really enjoyed the Gruet Brut and also the Gruet Chardonnay with dinner. Gruet is a winery based in New Mexico. We'd end up getting a bottle for the Missus from one of the shops in Taos the next day.

As to what we ordered; well, we wanted to try New Mexican Chile sauces again; so we went with the Pork Tamale Plate "Christmas style" ($24), that is with both green and red sauce. And I noticed "El Pastor" (Al Pastor) tacos ($20) as a special, which our Server also recommended.

This time around, the Tamale was much better than what we'd had at the Shed, good moist hints of hominy, though the pork was on the dry side and kind of bland. The red and green chile was much better as well.

The green chile had an acidic-pungent heat, not very strong. The red chile was smoky and had more heft and richness to it. The sofrito rice was bland and very mushy and the beans were on the harder side of the scale with regards to texture, also a bit on the blander side as well.

The "El" Pastor Tacos looked pretty good.

The pork was nicely charred. In terms of flavor; it had some sweetness and a bit of spice…..the nice crispy bits were pretty good. The tortillas were almost crisp and brittle without much flavor. The sofrito rice and beans I covered above.

This was an okay meal, much better than what we'd had earlier in Santa Fe. Service was wonderful and the Missus enjoyed the local wine.

Doc Martin's
125 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte
Taos, NM 87571

After dinner, we decided to take another walk around Taos. We really loved the vibe of this town.

Having Haggis at The Pub (formerly Dan Diegos)

March 29, 2024 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Pubs and Pub Grub

Recently, I took a nice stroll down Milton to Morena. I decided to walk back on that current mess of construction called Clairemont Drive. While heading North on Morena passing The Pub, I suddenly had a hankering for some Haggis. Now honestly, how often have you heard that in San Diego? Back in 2023, right after my Bobby Burns night dinner, Dan Diegos changed its name to The Pub. The owners and menu is basically the same. One of the interesting things is that Haggis is now on the daily menu.

So, I'd already walked a decent distance and had the walk up Clairemont Drive ahead of me; so I thought a pint and some Haggis would suit me well.

Rev The Pub 01

The place was doing some good business on a week night. It wasn't even five yet.

I got me a Mulligan Red Ale, nice roasty-caramel tones.

Rev The Pub 02

I also ordered the Haggis Plate ($20). Which includes soda bread and The Pub's definition of Colcannon.

Rev The Pub 03

I do like the soda bread here; it's got a nice biscuity flavor, but much lighter than a biscuit, with a touch of graininess almost like cornbread. The "Colcannon" here is mostly cabbage, mixed with mashed potatoes, not as buttery as I would like; but heck, I got my veggies in right? As for the haggis; it's still milder than what we enjoyed in Scotland, but I think this was even better than what I'd had here before. A bit more offaly, nice balance of savory flavors, a bit less oatmeal, a decent amount of typical spices, and seemed to use less fat (i.e. suet is typical) making it a bit more gritty, but still decently flavored. It was also filling. I quite enjoyed this.

It was nice to see Dan Diegos The Pub doing well. The food seems to have improved since my first visits over a decade ago. The crowd skewed a bit older and folks seemed to be enjoying themselves. I should probably try more items from the menu, the walk might do me good too!

The Pub
2415 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
Current Hours:
Mon – Wed – Thurs 330pm – 10pm
Fri Sat 1pm – 11pm
Sunday 10am – 3pm
Closed on Tuesdays

Viet Nom – A Soft Opening Visit

March 27, 2024 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

During my visit to Renaissance Towne Center to see what was going on, I had intended to getting a Chicago Dog from Chicago Fire Grill. However, I noticed a business that I hadn't heard a peep about named Viet Nom. And the place was open.

Viet Nom 01

The sign said "soft opening" and things were 10% off until mid-April. So, I decided to head on in to check things out.

Viet Nom 02

The interior is small, with just a few tables and a counter. The young lady who was working was nice and professional. She was also quite patient with the folks walking in to ask if they had sandwiches (they don't) and other questions.

The menu is small; three versions of pho and six sides, including youtiao, sesame balls, and such. The prices were also on the high side, but I decided to order their Pho Nom which was $19.50 and some Tamarind Wings, which was $16.50.

And then, while waiting, I saw this.

Viet Nom 03

And then I realized what jogged my memory. I asked the young lady if this place had the same owner as Formoosa and Steamy Piggy and was told "yes". Ugh…..I haven't had much luck with the food from either place which just seemed all about concept. In fact, "FOY" Kenneth had asked me why I haven't gone to Flama Llama yet, knowing I love Peruvian Cuisine and I replied about having eaten at F and SP, which gave me pause when thinking about eating there and also at the company's new "KFC" place (you can read about Soo's visit here).

Anyway, it was too late to back out now and my wings soon arrived.

Viet Nom 04

The coating on the wings were getting soggy quickly and ended up being more mushy than crisp-crunchy. The flavor of the glaze was extremely sweet, way too sweet for my taste, as it over powered all other flavors. The quality of the wings didn't seem too bad, though this was a bit much for me and I only finished two wings.

Soon enough the sprouts and accoutrements for the pho arrived.

Viet Nom 05

I'm not sure if it's just me; but the portion sizes of sprouts, basil, and seem to have shrunk. The basil, as seems to be the norm these days was turning brown.

Viet Nom 06

As for the bowl of pho; it was humongous.

Viet Nom 07 Viet Nom 09 It was loaded with meat. The beef rib, their version of Xí Quách Suon Bò had also been seared a bit before service. The sliced "short rib" (as defined in the menu) was cut too thick, super tough, and lacked flavor. Strangely, what is usually not my favorite item in a bowl of pho, the squeaky meatballs was the item I enjoyed the most. Of course, there was no option for tendon or tripe. The rib meat came off the bone cleanly, was decently tender, but seemed to have had all the beefiness cooked out of it. Yes, it was a large portion of meat.

Viet Nom 10 Viet Nom 08 The huge clump of noodles were mushy and over cooked. The broth was super bland….I do complain a bit about how pho broth in San Diego seems to be on the sweeter side of the scale….well, you know what, I would have gladly accepted that here! Much like the Niu Rou Mian broth at Formoosa, the soup here seemed to have been made using the "wave" method, whereupon a piece of beef was waved over some water to hopefully create flavor. The broth was super thin and watery. This seemed to be more about presentation and portion size.

Well, at least I got 10% off; even though the wings cost $16.50 and the pho $19.50. Viet Nom made Xin Chao seem like first rate pho. The thought that this is the future of pho depresses me. I usually do more than one visit; but since the place has just 9 items on the menu; three of them pho and one version of broth with the rib meat in it, I'm just going to say "Viet No" to "Viet Nom" for now.

Of course, with my luck, a couple of days later there's a post on Eater about Viet Nom. If only it had been posted before my visit. Though there was one tidbit of information in that post. Looks like the owner of these places that makes everything from Dumplings to Taiwanese to Peruvian/Latin American to Korean Fried Chicken to Pho is now going to open a ramen shop…….

Viet Nom 11

One last, somewhat humorous item. I brought the remainder of the wings back to the office and told folks about it. One of the guys really enjoyed the wings. I was fascinated and asked him why. He told me "this tastes just like Panda Express….I love Panda Express!" 'Nuff said….

Viet Nom
8895 Towne Centre Dr.
San Diego, CA 92122
Current Hours:
Sun – Thurs 11am – 930pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 1030pm