Pho Pasteur Anh Hong-That Vietnamese place in the same mall as K Sandwiches

Hello again, mmm-yoso readers.  Cathy here, blogging because I want to and Kirk doesn't.

Good morning, or afternoon, or evening, whenever you are reading this.  Cathy here, with a confession and interesting observation.  I somehow always assumed Kirk had posted on this place, and he hadn't.  I have referred to it as 'you know, the place in the mall with K Sandwiches, the one with pink tablecloths' and assumed everyone knew what I was talking about.  Silly me. 

Well, here is one meal The Mister and I had, but trust me, we have have gone here pretty much regularly, because of one item on the menu...it is 123D, on this paper "To Go" menu...in fact, if you can read this menu (there are 197 items on this two sided paper), it isn't all of what you can possibly order once you get inside. There are a few 'variations' and sides and paper words taped over the menu.

So, anyhow, on this visit we got the #55 appetizer- Squid stuffed with ground pork and mushrooms.($4.99)

Not fried, not crispy.  More baked... and flavorful  with a warm sweet-salty sauce o the bottom (which went went with the lettuce, tomato and onions).

The Mister decided to go for more of a Chinese dish this time, # 141-Pan fried rice noodle with shrimp and vegetable ($7.49)

Most of the thick rice noodles were pan fried and had a nice crispiness crust on them and the shrimp had a good, sweet, full flavor.  The vegetables (broccoli, carrots, bok choy)were not overcooked and the sauce was more salty and had a heat we had not experienced before...not Szechuan, but definitely a red chile...it was good and different.

Then, I got my "usual" Bun Tau Hu Ky ($6.29) #123D, if I haven't said it enough.

Salad on the bottom (made with mint and cucumber shreds), cold rice noodles and the usual toppings of mint, peanuts, shredded carrot and daikon and then the topping- bean curd skin wrapped around ground shrimp..and fried.  See that cross section?  Oh how I crave this stuff. I look for it at every Vietnamese place I go and have only found it at three so far: Here, Convoy Noodle House and Pho Saigon Star.  I have had it as an appetizer at all the places, even though it is not listed on the menu that way.  Here, at Anh Hong, they charged us $4.99 or four large pieces.  Worth it.

So, if you are in the Mesa College area, and don't want to go to one of the many other places in the parking lot, try this one; it is good.

Anh Hong Pho Pasteur 7612 Linda Vista Road San Diego 92111 (858)569-7515

Website

Afterwards, walk on over to K Sandwiches (in the same parking lot)

Go to the back, to your left, and pick up a couple of pastries...then do what we did-drive to a Starbucks (there are at least three within 3 miles), get some coffee in "for here" cups , sit down, and enjoy your dessert.  (That is a chocolate cream cheese croissant and a raisin custard swirled pastry. Each one costs $1 and is fresh made at K Sandwiches).    

Comments

[RONW]

wo-fat to you Cathy.

[Amy]

Hey Cathy, you guys could also just drive about 2 miles up Linda Vista to 4176 Convoy St. That's where Big Joy Family Bakery is located, a one stop spot for both coffee and yummy pastry. They even grind the beans fresh to order and have French press pots, which I think makes better coffee than the drip at Starbucks. Nice atmosphere, too, and big comfy chairs and couches.

[Trent]

Did you happen to see if Mien Trung around the corner was open? I happened to catch the owner as they were closing last month, and he mentioned that they would be closed for a while, to re-open in June.

[Cathy]

Hiii Ron.... :D
Hello Amy-We aven't stopped into Big Joy, but now we will! You can ask them to make you a press pot of any flavor coffee at Starbucks, you know. I have done that when the weekly bold drip flavor is one I don't like. They charge you for that cup size and then give out samples of the rest. As far as thedrips go, all the Starbucks stores have timers and the coffee sold is never more than an hour old, which is why I do frequent the place...
Trent! Oh no...I go an email last night about La Basil, the place next door to Mien Trung being closed...to me that means the building is having something going on. Think I need to drive by there and see for myself. Now! Thanks for the question.

[mizducky]

Whoa--Cathy, we are definitely restaurant-stalking each other! I had the bun dac biet bowl at Pho Pasteur just the other day, and it included a generous portion of the stuffed bean curd skin--excellent! FYI, Saigon on El Cajon does also have the stuffed bean curd skin -- at least as an option on the bun bowls, and described on the menu with some slightly obscure verbiage. But to be honest, Pho Pasteur's stuffed bean curd skin is better! At least IMO, anyway...

[Cathy]

Only if you had read the prior response of mine (to Trent) and were at were in that parking lot today, would it really be considered stalking, Miz D. I bet you won't have been where my next two posts are from... It is interesting about Saigon-I never thought about it until now-That is the only place I go where I read and try something different from the menu each time. Usually I have a 'regular' item or two from every place I go and I don't deviate. But the shrimp stuffed tofu at Pho Pasteur is the largest and most flavorful of any of the other places...yes.

[Lynnea]

Oh yes, the stuffed squid is great at pho pasteur. My husband couldn't get enough of it even though he was full from his main dish.

[Cathy]

It can be a meal in itself, Lynnea. It is very different than so many other appetizers out there. Glad to hear someone else likes it also.

[foodhoe]

geez, since I started reading your blog, I am now planning a vacation in San Diego next year and am going to have to start a list of places to eat! your posts are always inspiring...

[Cathy]

Hi, FH! I like reading your blog- the photos and creative slide shows make it even more interesting. I know Pheth said she has printed out our blog and has it bound and everything...We do give addresses but don't have it organized that way, only by type of food and dates... I suppose when you do come to visit here, to eat, you will have to take some breaks to digest and sight see...we seem to have quite a few tourist attractions around town in addition to the food...