Sam Woo BBQ - And a "Fish" Story

I'm pretty sure that most San Diego Readers of this blog know of this location of Sam Woo Ba-Bee-Que! Over the years I've eaten at in at least 7 different locations of Sam Woo BBQ's, located everywhere from San Gabriel to Las Vegas, often times next to or very close to an outlet of 99 Ranch Market, as is this location on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. Since our favorite inexpensive Guangdong style restaurant Golden City closed about 2 years ago, about the only replacement we could find was Sam Woo.

Sam Woo BBQ's have a reputation of decent quality dishes at a good price. In other words, you get your money's worth here! Sam Woo BBQ's also have another reputation, that of very abrupt, impatient, and sometimes downright rude service. Also, no matter how slow or busy, there's always a "divey" feel to Sam Woo's, dishes left to clean up, food stains on the table, etc. To their defense the Servers bust their butt here.

This location of Sam Woo features a Take-out section with the requisite hanging Roast Pork, Roast Duck, and Hot Table items on one side, and a small, pedestrian sit down restaurant on the other.

On this evening, the Missus was not feeling too well, and she wanted some of her comfort food - Jook. She ordered the Rice Porridge with Preserved Egg and Pork($3.75):

She got a large steaming bowl of fairly "loose" jook; just the way she likes it. She doesn't care much for the thick, corn-starchy versions that many Cantonese Restaurants serve. There were large chunks of preserved egg and a good amount of tasty shredded pork; I know because I tasted some. This was actually more than enough for her, she couldn't even finish this.

I ordered the Noodle Soup with 3 Roasted Meats ($5.75):

Otherwise known as my "Oink-Quack-Puck" noodle. This is a large bowl of flavorful broth, won tons, napa cabbage, and my favorite thin egg noodles. The broth had started to absorb the flavor of the roasted duck, chicken, and BBQ Pork. Can you say...Delici-yoso???? Good to the last drop!

A few days later before shopping at 99 Ranch Market we stopped by and decided to have a bite. We found out that Sam Woo's has a Breakfast menu from 9am-11am during the week, and 8am-11am weekends. Most items are $2.95, including the same sized bowl of porridge pictured above.

I had the Stewed Beef on Noodle($2.95):

This was kind of a strange dish, and not quite what I expected. It was basically a de-constructed Beef Egg Noodle Soup. The beef was ok, Niu Rou Mein - spicy beef noodle soup is one of my favorite dishes, and these pieces of beef were similiar to those used in that dish; tender though seasoned with a bit too much anise, and also on the sweeter side. I really struggled trying to eat this, pulling up the noodles trying to dip in the broth and so on. Also, a strange thing happened after eating this; my hands and feet started to swell - not a good sign.

Fast forward a week, and for some strange reason I was craving gloppy-gooey Clams in Black Bean sauce. So we headed back up to Sam Woo's again. This time we ordered off of the lunch menu; about 3 pages long, with an additional sheet of "specials", there was alot to choose from, and most dishes were between $4.50-$5.50 and lncluded a soup(terrible) and rice (starch mmmm....).

We started with Szechuan Shrimp ($4.50):

More like a sweet sour shrimp dish, it wasn't very spicy, though the shrimp were plump, tasty and cooked well, nothing worse than over-cooked rubbery shrimp. We actually loved the onions in this dish; mixed with the sauce they were pungent and sweet.

Rock Cod Filet with Black Bean Sauce($4.50):

The fish filets were soft and tender, the green and red bell peppers were cooked through, but still tender, all put together in a gloppy, gooey, simple black bean based sauce, which tasted good on our rice.

The Clams with Black Bean Sauce ($5.50):

There was a generous portion of plump, juicy, slightly briney clams in the same black bean sauce as the rock cod. I was really surprised at the quality of the clams in this 5 dollar dish!

We basically "blew through" everything, including two pots of tea. Not bad for $15, huh?

Sam Woo BBQ Restaurant
7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd Ste 103
San Diego, CA 92111

And how does a "fish" story tie into this? Well......

A few years ago I was watching a Chargers football game and the Missus happened to walk by…..

“Oh, it’s Jack Murphy Stadium”

“Well yeah, except now it’s called Qualcomm Stadium”

“How’s that?”

“I think nowadays the stadium sells naming rights, and some company purchases them”

She pauses, then adds, “Oh, like Sea World?”

Ok, now I’m totally confused, and scratching my head. “What do you mean, Sea World?”

As she turns to walk away and out of the living room, “Yeah, the whale….”

Now I’m hooked, I have to find out what Sea World has to do with all of this, so I follow her down the hall….

“Can you tell me what you mean by the the whale?”

“Yeah, Sam Woo, the Killer whale….”

I just totally lose it, and I’m laughing so hard my sides hurt…

“No, it’s Sha-mu the Killer Whale”

“Yeah, that’s what I said Sam-Woo the Killer Whale!”

“No it’s spelled S-H-A-M-U”

“Oh, I thought that maybe Sea World had sold naming rights to the Whale and Sam Woo purchased it…..”

“How long have you thought this?”

“Ever since I first heard of the Whale” Seems that the Missus had thought Shamu was named Sam Woo for years..........

To this day, every time we see a Sea World commercial with Shamu, we both look at each other and go, “Hey look, it’s Sam Woo the Killer Whale!!!”

And that's why I love Her so......

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Comments

[elmomonster]

That is such a funny story! LOL. I've got a similar one about a misheard song lyric, but yours tops it.

BTW, I still think it's cool how you condensed all your recent experiences at Sam Woo into one post...just like you've done so well with the other restaurants.

[Angie]

LOL. Great story. From now on I'm calling him Sam Woo the Killer Whale, too.

I didn't realize they had a breakfast menu--that's good to know. I'm ordering that jook next time I go.

[Kirk]

Hi Elmo - Yes, we do have some really funny conversations. Maybe I should have called this Sam Woo - Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

Hi Angie - We really didn't know about the breakfast menu until recently either - they also have roast duck jook for $2.95 as well.

[MEalcemtric]

"Also, a strange thing happened after eating this; my hands and feet started to swell - not a good sign."-- Did you ever find out why?

[Kirk]

Hi Mealcentric - I'm pretty sure it was something in the broth, I've had it happen before - usually in very "salty" food - I really don't want to say it's MSG, because I've eaten alot of food with MSG, but it does happen sometimes with (mostly) Chinese food.

[milgwimper]

Kirk,

Wow the dishes look really good, and I have agree with the Missus I really like jook/congee a little loose. The price is really good for all that food. I am jealous! :D

ROFLOL That conversation with your wife was a riot. It reminds me of some the the conversations DH and I have. *wipes away tears* Except that my vision of SamWoo the Killer whale was a little different. I was thinking what does Sam Woo the director have to do with Sea World, then I realized it was john Woo the director. oops. The picture in my head wen something along this line. Shamu dressed in black buisiness suit with double barrel guns going off like the John Woo movie the Killers (die xua shuang xiang 1989). Ahh well LOL it was a nice laugh.

[Kirk]

OMG Mills - Unbelievable! I can see it now, John Woo's latest HK Heroic Bloodshed Film - "A Fatter Tomorrow" - starring Shamu, completely filmed at Sam Woo BBQ. After Shamu dies a herioc, bloody, noble death, everyone has dinner! But of course he'll rise again in A Fatter Tomrrow II & III. LOL!

[Jo]

I think the LAST line of the story was the best... "And that's why I love Her so......" THAT made me cry! You guys and and your silly wail tails! ;o)

[honkman]

Nice report. Did you ever tried the other restaurant at Ranch 99, on the other side. It's name is 168.

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - And it's all true.....

Hi Honkman - Thanks for taking time to visit and commenting. Yes, we have gone to 168, it's Taiwanese food - but we noticed on our last visit that it seems the menu had changed - alot more Taiwanese style sichuan dishes, and such. The last time we visited we had the a Taiwanese Egg dish, a potage, and of course Cho (smelly) Tofu....I think we'll be visiting again soon. I enjoy your posts to EGullet and Chowhound BTW!

[milgwimper]

Kirk,

LOL *wipes away tears* Oh you are killing me! "a Fatter Tomorrow" Now thats a whale of a tale! LOL

[Kirk]

Hi Mills - So you've seen A Better Tomorrow, right? I didn't know and took a chance - BTW, I love the "Fried Rice" scene from ABT II......as well as the end, where C-Y-F goes "We're all dying, can we leave now???"

[Reid]

Hi Kirk,

Sounds like the food here was quite good and by reading through the post, it seems like the price was right too.

Too bad we don't have really affordable Chinese food like that here. I think most times, if you want a large bowl of jook, you'll probably pay at least $4. Pei dan jook is probably my favorite.

As far as the swelling is concerned, that happens to me too. Most often at Chinese restaurants. The swelling is usually accompanied by a massive headache that doesn't go away for hours.

[clare eats]

LOL!
Those clams look GREAT!!!

Casey as a kid thought that slow combustion stoves were not named after the way they burned but instead their inventor... Slocum Bustion HA HA HA HA :)

[Kirk]

Hi Reid - Yeah Sam Woo is priced "right", I almost forgot that there aren't Sam Woo's all over the place, just in mostly SoCal, Vegas, and I went to one in Toronto. You should see the prices in LA, because competition is so fierce it keeps prices down!
I've had the headache happen to me too, I sometimes even get when I eat "chicken strips" from a well known chain - and I have to take a nap to make it go away!

Hi Clare - That's really cute. In school we had one of the other students write his name as "Ben Dover" whenever we had sub teachers! The clams were excellent for 5 bucks, but would have not been so great if they were priced at say....$12!

[Pam]

OMG Kirk, that is the cutest story EVER!

Sam Woo is one of my fave Chinese greasy spoons...where else can you get tasty food for two (plus leftovers usually) for under $10??? So much cheaper (and tastier) than fast food! Try their salt & pepper squid...it's pretty damn good!

[ed]

Laughed loudly out loud. And brought back Sam Woo memories

[Kirk]

Hi Pam - I like that description! I'll try the S&P Squid, I had the Pork Chop version once and didn't care for it much, so I crossed all the S&P stuff off my list - but I'll try those!

Hi Ed - Glad I could provide a chuckle or two for you. But nothing beats the delici-yoso dance!

[milgwimper]

Kirk,

Yes I have seen A better tomorrow! I have to agree I did loved the fried rice scene scene! Thanks for reminding me! It has been awhile since I have seen the movies.

I have to go looking for a good priced chinese meal around here! Argh I am so jealous! *wipes drool off the keyboard* ;P

[Scott]

Hilarious! Absolutely hiiiii-laar-iiioous!