San Tong Palace

**** San Tong Palace has closed

San Tong Palace is a little Sino-Chinese Restaurant located in Plaza Del Sol on Convoy St. This Korean-Chinese Restaurant specializes in Shandong style Chinese Food; that is, Northern Chinese cuisine. I've also seen Northern Chinese style Korean owned restaurants back home in Hawaii as well. I really don't have an explanation as to why this is, other than Korea is located right across the coast of the Shandong Province. Maybe someone will have a historical explanation.

The Missus is originally from Qingdao(Tsing Tao) a major coastal port in Shandong, so naturally when we moved to San Diego a few years back we were excited when we found this restaurant. The food, however was not very good, so we hadn't bothered to go back. Recently, I was told that San Tong Palace made a good Niu Rou Mein (Beef Noodle Soup). So one evening, when the Missus was working I decided to pay San Tong Palace another visit.

As I entered the restaurant, the employees were speaking in Korean. But they greeted me in Mandarin; unfortunately I speak neither. I was delivered a pot of tea, unfortunately it was lukewarm, so I had them get me another pot, still lukewarm, so I just decided to forget about the tea, not a good start. A plate of Kim Chee was delivered, along with the sauce for the dumplings I ordered:

Actually, it was a cross between kim chee and Shandong style pickled cabbage. Spicy like kim chee, but with a hint of the vinegary sweetness of pickles. This would turn out to be the best dish of the night!

The Niu Rou Mein was delivered ($5.95):

Looks ok doesn't it? Well, looks are deceiving. If you look a little closer, you'll notice that the beef is sliced sirlion, that along with green onions and onions, had been stir-fried and then dumped in a flavorless broth. These tough pieces of "beef" had no business in this soup, the beef also had that slightly "metallic" taste of old meat. Now I've had Niu Rou Mein with sliced brisket ala' pho', but this was no brisket, it was more like two dollar steak from the nearest market. I've had better tasting beef broth from an envelope. The noodles were ok, though. But this "soup" was nothing like the decent bowl of Niu Rou Mein from Shanghai City. Well at least it was piping hot!

I had also ordered the Fish Dumplings ($6.95):

There were 10 handmade dumplings filled with minced white fish, chives, and green onions. The fillings were ok, moist, and so mildly flavored that it could've been chicken or pork. The wrappers, though handmade, really didn't have the "home-made" texture. The wrappers didn't have the slight "resistance" and elasticity that I look for in Chinese dumplings, these broke up too easily. The sauce was pretty weak, so I just made my own with soy sauce, vinegar, and chili paste.

Well, I really don't think I'll be going back, no matter who recommends San Tong Palace. If you do visit San Tong Palace, stay away from that bogus Niu Rou Mein!

Some notes on San Tong Palace; most signs are in Chinese, including the Restroom signs, so it'll be best if you know what the Chinese symbols are if you're looking for the restroom. The dining room is well lit, and the service is efficient.

San Tong Palace
4690 Convoy St Ste 105
San Diego, CA 92111

(858) 571-6837

Comments

[thess]

ouch! a bit of wasted money there..but you'll never know until you tried, right? lesson learned i guess.
re: ingredients..i hate it when restaurants (or cooks) cheat on the clients and not deliver what they're supposed to.

[Rachel]

Hi Kirk, you seemd to give it a very fair review anyway. Sorry your niu rou mein wasn't what you expected. Always a bit dissapointing when that happens. Ahh well, at least you know not go to back there again. And you've had plenty of good eats elsewhere ! :)

[Kirk]

Hi Thess - You're right, that my mantra, you never know until you try! The dumplings weren't bad - but not worth almost 7 dollars, and the soup was terrible!

Hi Rachel - You know I wouldn't even call this niu rou mein. But as Thess said, you nevern know until you've tried.

[Jo]

Kirk, out of curiosity, how bad would a place have to be for you to get up and walk out after having been served?

[milgwimper]

Ack too bad most everything was bad there, except the kimchi. You never know till you try and find out for yourself.

Jo,

I have never walked out unless it was really bad. I mean bugs in the soup etc. Although I guess I have tried to get a discount or not having to pay, but not just walk out of the restaurant.

[milgwimper]

Jo,

Walking away when you got served, and not paying you are on slippery ground of Defrauding an innkeeper. Therefore I rather talk to them about it then just walk out and possibly involve the law. Although you would most likely be right in the situation it is better to "talk" it out then having to deal with that mess.

[mabel]

I happen to really like San Tong Palace! I go there for all the Korean-Chinese dishes like chajang (jjajang) myun and sweet & sour pork (w/ brown sauce, korean style). I've never had any of their straight up Chinese dishes, since I always considered it more of a Korean establishment.

[lance]

That's too bad about the Niu Rou Mein. Sure would have gone good with the kim chee. The broth looks so rich. Like you said, the picture can be deceiving. BTW, what makes a good Niu Rou Mein broth so dark and rich in flavor? Dark shoyu? Know of any good Oahu restraurant that has a good one? I sure would like to try it.

[Dylan]

Kirk, you're right. Shantong province is right next to Korea. My relatives are from Shantong and they look Korean. As do i. But I'm cantonese.

i was always intrigued by the whole korean-chinese restaurant gig. Like Mabel said... they serve a ja jang myeon which is basically asian spaghetti with brown sauce. Chinese have the same thing and it's called "ja jiang mian". There's also a hot and sour beef noodle soup called Jaam Bong, which is similar to the chinese "chao ma mian".

Sorry you had a bad NRM. like you said, it's a hit or miss. i'm having a really hard time in SGV finding the best NRM.

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - There are three things that would make me walk out of a restaurant. Rude/Racist/Terrible service - the service here was good. Unsanitary conditions, as you can see, this is a well lite and clean restaurant. Food that is grossly bad, or in a condition that is inedible, food here looks fine and is edible. Once I sit down 99.9% of the time I've committed myself to having my meal.

Hi Mills - I've only walked out of a restaurant twice in my life - both times for terrible service, and both times before we even placed our order.

Hi Mabel - This was the third time I've eaten here, and the only reason I actually went, was that I was told (and I don't even remember who made the recommendation)that the Niu Rou Mein was good here, which in my opinion it wasn't. Actually, I enjoy the Chinese version of Jajiang Mein more than the Korean jjajang mein, it's a personal preference. The dumplings weren't bad, and I'm sure some would like them, but i'm pretty picky about dumplings. I'm sure people enjoy San Tong Palace, they've been in business a while, but i'm not one of them. If you enjoy Chinese-Korean style food you probably enjoy Lucky House as well. I've been to a few Sino-Chinese places back home in Hawaii, and have enjoyed them as well.

Hi Lance - It is the soy sauce. I'll be making two versions in the future, one from a "base" that I purchase, and another from a recipe that I received that I need to get permission to reproduce before I post. I never had Niu Rou Mein until I moved to the mainland - maybe Reid from Ono Kine Grindz can help you out?

Hi Dylan - It's pretty funny, the soup broth for Niu Rou Mein in every restaurant I go to varies wildly from day to day, so I just go with the one that's the most consistent. I'm intrigued by the Food History of the Sino-Chinese food.

[lance]

Great!!!! Will be looking forward to your next two posting on Niu Rou Mein, especially the homemade one. I hope your friend will give permission to share the recipe. BTW, it's understandable that you're picky about dumplings, especially since you get great homemade Shandong ones.

[Kirk]

Hi Lance - Will be few weeks; I've got a backlog, but hang in there, and I'll get to it! Thanks.

[Dylan]

kirk, when are you gonna make your NRM? i'll do mine too! and we'll post at the same time.

[Kirk]

Hi Dylan - Let me check my schedule and I'll email you, ok?

[milgwimper]

Kirk,

I agree I have walked out of several restaurants before I have ordered any food, for various things. But I do not think I have walked out when I received my meal...Well except once when it was very unsanitary. I am so sorry the noodles were terrible, but I will be keeping an eye out for the post with your recipe. :)

[Jo]

I've never walked out after recieving food. I have walked out after ordering though. Always because of service.

As for a "rich brown" color. I've discovered that a tiny bit of tomato, either catsup, paste, or peeled/seeded/chopped fresh is invaluable for both flavor and color. Only a tablespoon or so, not enough to make the flavor "recognizeable" in the dish. If using fresh, I will reduce the pulp a bit if I need something "drier". I made a "sorta" pizza last night and for the tomato sauce I put the seeds & juice in a skillet and cooked over medium heat till it was almost dry stirring frequently. Then I added the pulp and a few slivers of the onion that was going into the topping mixture, a bit of salt & a bit of pepper. I cooked that until it started to create a "leather" around the edge. It was perfect consistancy & gave the pizza a fresh, sweet/acid flavor that melded perfectly with the bread and toppings.

[Kirk]

Hi Mills - Actually the noodles were ok, everything else, the soup, meat, etc...were not good.

Hi Jo - Believe me it's not tomato paste - even though the Chinese first discovered the use of tomatoes in cooking!

[Kirk]

If you believe that I've got some beachfront propery in Nebraska.....

[milgwimper]

Kirk,

LOL Well ok thye broth, and meat were terrible. Sorry my mistake. :D I saw your post and had to have noodles again. Man I have been eating noodles pretty much 3-4 meals already.

[Rachel]

Mmmm noodles !! I think I will have some tonight in a spicy soup with meat and chive dumplings *drool*

I agree with milly, I don't think I have walked out after a meal has been served but defintely before anyone has taken our order. Even once when nothing on the menu looked good at all. We apologised and went out (they didn't post any menus in the front of the shop) and anyway they didn't even give us any water or tea. I didn't even walk out when once, a cockroach ran out from a plate of salad !!! I caught it under a plate and asked the waiter to come and get it. He just said that "oh it happens this time of the year" No apologees or anything ! I just paid up and left. Nevermore !