The Missus was looking for some dessert (other than pineapple cake) to go with the tea we brought back from Taiwan. So, She thought we could stop by Uncle Tetsu. I mentioned reading that Yiko Yiko had opened while we were in Taiwan and maybe we should check them out. So, we headed on off to Mercury Village Shopping Center to see if they were open.
And indeed they were.
They're in soft opening mode and unlike what I and many other folks thought, it's not a cheesecake purveyor. I read in the Eater post that the owner is from Xi'an and the menu, at least right now is limited to what's on the hand written list.
And on this evening, they were out of several items as well. The Missus wanted the Sea Salt Caramel Cake, but they were out.
As you can see by the "case", there's not much.
And there were even three people still working in the kitchen at this time of the evening.
The Missus chatted with the young lady working in Mandarin and ended up ordering the Mung Bean Cake ($15).
From left to right, red bean, matcha, and white bean flavors.
The Missus enjoyed this and I had a taste….I enjoyed the red bean the best. These aren't sweet confections and go really well with tea. The ingredients are all organic according to the young lady. Not overly eggy or buttery, these have a nice smooth texture. And since I really don't have much of a sweet tooth (you can tell by the lack of dessert posts, right?), these did fine by me. The Missus thought they went well with the tea we got from the shop of a Tea Master in Shiding, Taiwan.
No, this stuff isn't cheap, but according to the Missus the quality is worth the price.
The shop is still in soft opening mode, so availability of items and the hours may vary.
So, if you stop by, let me know what you think.
Yiko Yiko
8008 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111
The broth looked very light, yet cloudy, and had what I call the "San Diego sweet" pho broth flavor. At least it wasn't overly salty, but it also lacked beefiness.
There were two strips with nicely done tripe and some very thinly sliced tendon which also wasn't bad. And of course there was that beef rib. The meat on the rib was quite tough and as you can see trying to get it off the bone resulted in the meat peeling off in one large piece. It did have a decent flavor, but was quite chewy. It definitely wasn't like 
Of course, in typical fashion, when there's just too much to see, like when 
The fat on this was quite velvety, but the meat kind of dry. The flavor was a lot milder, lacking in the sweet-soy, ginger, and slightly pungent tones I'd used to in this dish. It also had a bit too much of a greasy mouthfeel for us as well.
We'd enjoyed the vibe at the Ningxi Night Market, though I think the Missus had gotten Her share of fried food and really wouldn't order much for the rest of the trip!
This was fine, the beef tender if a bit on the salty side. The guacamole is the "MVP" here as it helps to temper and balance the flavors. The tortillas are standard issue, brittle, and not especially strong in terms of maize flavor. This is a very hipster type of item. The salsa verde has decent heat and acidity.
One of five city gates in the city, it is the only one of the gates that still maintains its Qing-era appearance. 
Man, the beef was so tender and beefy! The knife cut noodles were a bit thick for my taste, but the texture was very nice, good pull, not doughy or overly chewy. The broth was light on the beefiness and edged on being too sweet. We would have liked a bit more tangy-tomato flavor as well. Still this was quite enjoyable.
The Mister and I returned the other day and were going to order from the regular menu, but the All Day Special Menu, which was All You Can Eat for $27 per person would cost about the same. We decided it would be fun to cook our own and eat all we could. 
The complimentary banchan (pickled 'sides)were brought out along with the sauces (and salad and rice we ordered from the menu). Everything is replenished when you ask.
First up-thin brisket, beef bulgogi and chicken BBQ.
You are given tongs and scissors to help cook and cut your meats. The bulgogi and BBQ sauces carmelized on the grill and gave some flavor to the brisket.
The 'corn cheese' is an excellent side to share. 
For our second round, we chose thin beef belly and thin pork belly…so we could compare. 
A clean grill had been brought out, so there was no flavor imparted from the bulgogi and BBQ sauces and we instead ate the meat with the pickled sides (the kim chee is excellent) and rice on top of salad: a completely different second meal.
Greek sounded good for lunch, too.
There's a menu above the cash register and on the wall to the right. Order and pay and your food is brought out in disposable/"To Go" containers.
The walls from the former restaurant are still here; the furniture is new.
Lentil soup with pita ($4.50) was an excellent Mediterranean version. Cumin and turmeric flavors were primary and the broth not too thick with lentils or potato or carrot as other versions, but very deep with flavor. I did not taste onion and salt/pepper were not needed. 
A side of four pieces of falafel ($2.50) was a good choice. The thin, crisp edges were perfect, leaving the inside fluffy. The side of tzatziki sauce was refreshing with its yogurt and garlic base.
Greek Mix Plate ($14.99). 1/2 chicken shawarma, 1/2 lamb gyro on top of yellow rice and pita along with a good sized side salad (served with a herb-infused vinegar dressing) was quite a lot of food to share. The shawarma was not shaved, but instead chopped and grilled. It had great flavor. Indeed, it was lamb gyro and shaved, leaving each piece with a crisp side. The rice, pita and salad made this a good size meal, enough to share. 
Lemon and mint lemonade ($2.99) was excellent- fresh lemon juice, not too much sugar and dried mint gave this beverage two 'thumbs up' from us. We'll be back to try more of the menu.
The stamped floor with animal footprints remains.