This little restaurant makes my favorite Bun Mang Vit in San Diego. I've written about the place before. Under the guise of a Chinese fast-food joint, there's some good Bun Mang Vit going on.
When I first started going here in 2006, the place looked haphazardly thrown together and you actually did order from a hole-in-the-wall at this hole-in-the wall. A couple of years later, some fast-foodish furnishings were added, new signs and the place looked spiffed up a bit. On my last visit, things were starting to settled in that worn in look again. I'm thinking the place need to look that way.....you know, that favorite jacket with the worn elbows, the favorite jeans that fit so well.....
Plus, I'm not here to admire the decor, rather, after a long and tiring week, this is a treat for me.
To get the most out of this restaurant, you need to peel your eyes away from the huge plastic menu on the wall that faces the street. Look to your left and you'll see the heart and soul of the menu. While I've had other dishes here, it's the Bun Mang Vit that keep me coming back. There have been times when I've had to stand on the bench and point to the third line down on the menu to make sure I'd get my order right. The prices aren't bad either.....
This is basically a clear, I'm thinking chicken based broth, very light in color and texture. Dried bamboo shoots are added.....I like to let it rest for a while so the earthy flavor of the bamboo shoots adds flavor to the broth. The noodles are the "bun", vermicelli. You always get a little bowl of a fairly sweet Nuoc Mam Cham full of minced ginger and garlic and on this day a small styrofoam cup of plain, undiluted fish sauce.
I use this to dip my duck and my veggies, which I soften a bit with a quick dunk in the broth. I've actually caught glimpses of the women prepping duck in the back.
I have noticed that they've cut down on the amount of banana blossom and rau ram in the herb-vegetable mixture over the years, but it hasn't really bothered me.
I can still come here to get my fix when I just want to relax and watch the paint slowly turn color on the walls.....
I often kid my good buddy "JohnL" about some of the really bad recommendations he's given me over the years, but this one makes up for all of those. Though I do know the truth John.....it was actually your Mom's recommendation. But that's ok, I'll give you credit for it!
Chinese Kitchen (Chi Tu Thanh Nha Hang)
6160 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92115
Looks like a nice comforting meal!
Posted by: Carol | Thursday, 09 February 2012 at 06:50 AM
That looks amazing!! I've never seen that dish before. Is there another Vietnamese restaurant closer to Mira Mesa/Convoy that offers something similar or do you recommend the drive down to University to try this dish? I've tried the soup w/ the chicken on the side (on a plate) w/ the ginger fish sauce and loved it. I can only imagine how good it would be w/ duck!
Posted by: Faye | Thursday, 09 February 2012 at 09:53 AM
ahahaha!
That bowl is huge! I like the chicken noodle.
Posted by: TFD | Thursday, 09 February 2012 at 04:48 PM
Hi Carol - It was...always does the trick for me.
Hi Faye - Mien Trung makes Bun Mang Vit, but it's nowhere as good as this, in addition to being more expensive.
Hi TFD - I was wondering how the Chao here was.
Posted by: Kirk | Thursday, 09 February 2012 at 07:52 PM
agree with Carol, it does look comforting!
Posted by: kat | Thursday, 09 February 2012 at 11:49 PM
Hi Kat - It is one of my favorite soups.....
Posted by: Kirk | Friday, 10 February 2012 at 07:33 AM
do they make pho? i've passed this place several times but never thought to stop in.
Posted by: caligirl | Wednesday, 16 May 2012 at 08:10 PM
Hi Caligirl - No they don't make Pho. And I wouldn't want then to. They do a few things and do then well.
Posted by: Kirk | Thursday, 17 May 2012 at 10:56 AM