Convoy/Clairemont Pho Revisits: Pho T Cali, Phuong Trang, and Convoy Noodle House

When I recently did a post on Pho in Rancho Bernardo, I received an email asking me about my pick for Pho in the Kearny Mesa area. To be honest, most of my Pho intake occurs to the South of Ulric street, or North of the 52 Freeway.  I haven't had Pho in the Convoy area for at least a year, and that was at Convoy Noodle House......truth be told, it was a pretty good bowl. As with so much that happens here, your recommendations, questions, and requests, are the real ideas behind my posts..... I just provide the stomach! So, with my marching orders in hand, here are some updated visits to Pho T Cali, Phuong Trang, and Convoy Noodle House.

Before I get rolling, there's something I noticed with these places; first, the garnishes have dwindled, you'll need to request more basil, bean sprouts, etc......also, you'll never get Ngo Gai (culantro) delivered with your standard dish of garnishes. You can ask, I have, but that doesn't mean it'll be on hand.   So here goes......

Pho T Cali:

The favorite of many, for me, very MOR (middle of the road) Pho. In past visits, the Pho has lacked character, and I really didn't think things would be much different on this visit. The service was standard Pho shop, I'm pointed to my table, a menu dealt out like the ace of spades, and the gentleman is standing on top of me waiting for my order before I open the menu.

I went with the "Chín, nạm, gầu, gân, sách" (well done steak, flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe - $5.50).

Well what can I say...... the garnishes were fresh, but sparse. Check out the broth........I think the beef flavoring was provided by "old Betsy" in the back of the place who exhaled on a pot of water. The broth was also very salty...... Funny thing was, I had a flashback of Pho I had in Hanoi, and not in a good way. In fact, that bowl from Pho Cuong was better than this.

The noodles were done well, and the brisket was tasty, though the flank lagged behind in flavor, and there was but one tiny piece of tendon in my bowl.

In the end, I decided to cut my losses.........

Try as I might, I just couldn't bring myself to have another spoonful. No wonder I saw everyone dumping loads of hoisin and sriracha into their bowls. What the heck happened here? For those who eat here often, I hope, for the sake of your tastebuds, this was just a bad day.

Pho T Cali
7351 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Phuong Trang:

AKA "Vietnamese Denny's"....as a couple of folks I know call the place. Still, the food is consistent, and usually non-threatening. Actually, the older Gentleman serving me was the nicest and provided the most friendly service of the three places.

Here I went with the Flank and Brisket ($5.50):

Though still pretty light on the beef flavor, there were at least some clove and anise hints in the broth. The broth was also the least salty of the three places, it was funny, I could taste the difference in the flavor form each leaf of basil I added to the broth. Still, much to light for my tastes. The bean sprouts were brown and going South, so I asked the older Gentleman if I could get a replacement, which was done post-haste, and apologetically. As for the meats, the flank was cut too thick, it was dry, and tasteless. The brisket was a bit under-done, and could have been more tender.

When taking this photo, I decided to use another angle since  I've always been accused of taking my Pho shots from the same angle....and sometimes even for using the same generic photo of a bowl oh Pho over and over.....

If you want "Pho not to offend", you can't go wrong with Phuong Trang....... They do ride that middle line in the road well here.....

Phuong Trang
4170 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Convoy Noodle House:

This is the place I usually recommend in the area, but I hadn't eaten here in over a year. As with Pho T Cali, I ordered the  "Chín, nạm, gầu, gân, sách" (well done steak, flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe -  $5.15).

Even though the garnishes here were the most sparse, this bowl was my favorite by a mile. The broth was mildly beefy, with clove and anise over-tones that were smoothed out by a tiny squeeze of lime. It could have used perhaps a bit more oil, but it was pretty good. The noodles were perhaps a touch over-cooked, but edible. Of the meats, the brisket was over-done and crumbled everywhere, and the flank had good flavor but was tough. The look of the tendon lying on top of the bowl wasn't too promising, but it was very soft and almost melted in my mouth.

Funny thing, the cheapest bowl of Pho, turned out to be my favorite.

Convoy Noodle House
4647 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

So there you go......I'm sure all you "Pho-natics" out there have formed your own opinions......

Thanks for reading!

Comments

[Porta Rickin Rick]

Hey Kirk,

I agree, I try to stay off Convoy for Pho when possible. I was wondering if you had any thoughts on the pho from a few places. Anh Hong Pho Pasteur, Pho Than on University, and where would you recommend getting a great bowl of flavorful pho in Miramesa?

[kat]

all would be good today, it is raining and gloomy!

[Jo`]

You need to try out the pho east of the Rockies dude! Um, you won't get bean sprouts here though. I haven't figured out how to get the darn things to sprout and be edible yet. On the other hand, I've got the broth down pat, PLENTY of basil, the peppers are growing on the front porch and we spring for limes from the store until we get a tree going sometime next year. Oh yea, we use the wide noodles instead of the round spaghetti ones... Yea, come for pho Kirk! ;o)

[bill]

That was a pho-ntastic review. If I ever eat pho at a restaurant I'll try to follow you criticism guidelines other than mine either it sucked or it was good. ;-)
I've been in situation were I've just eat the meat and left the rest. I wish half these places cook there pho without msg.

[ed (from Yuma)]

A nice run-down. I realized reading this that I haven't been to Convoy Noodle House in maybe 4 or 5 years, but it used to be one of my favorites. Glad to read it is still doing well.

[Janfrederick]

Porta Rickin Rick, not to step on Kirk's reply, but having come to this site originally for Pho recommendations and being hooked ever since, I'll go out on a limb and say that I'll bet you money that Kirk would say "Lucky": http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2006/03/lucky_pho.html

Although I myself prefer Pho Hoa "Cow" Cali.

Ed, ditto!

[Sandy]

I also don't have pho at the Convoy Street restaurants. There are so many other Asian food choices, plus the pho restaurants in Mira Mesa are closer to home.

My family's choice for pho in Mira mesa is Pho Ca Dao. My least favorite place is Bolsa.

BTW, we went to the new Pho Ca Dao in Rancho Bernanrdo. The place was packed on a Friday night.

[Dennis]

Hi Kirk, I know every pot can't be made exactly the same but I find many pho joint's gap in the inconsistency of their broths rather large to the point it doesn't make want to return. My experience with Convoy Noodle House was more like the bowl you described at Pho T Cali here and I definitely had a better bowl at Pho T then described. Makes me want to avoid both. Luckily it's hard for me to be let down by cha gio, he he.

[Dennis]

sorry for the horrible grammar.. it's way too early for me, haha

[dave]

a timely post, as i was thinking of grabbing some pho for lunch, and the convoy/clairemont area is the closest concentration of pho places to my work. your reviews are making me rethink my lunch plans, though. maybe it's not worth the drive, and i definitely am not bothering with la jolla pho. maybe its another sandwich day...

[kirbie]

Oh now I really want some pho! I haven't been to Convoy Noodle House in many years. Need to go back and check out their pho.

[Faye]

I like Convoy Noodle House as well but only for their Fish Filet Pho (the broth is really great).

I laughed so hard when i read 'I've always been accused of taking my Pho shots from the same angle" - it made it sound like there's some sort of mutiny going on w/in mmm-yoso...haha!

Great post!

[caninecologne]

hi kirk - nice photo angle on the bowls from phuong trang (aka the Vietnamese Denny's).

[Leanne]

How funny! We were just as Convoy Noodle House last night for a bowl. Except Travis got confused and thought he wanted pho when we really wanted ramen. It was still a pretty good dinner, I think.

[michael]

hi Kirk, You know i have noticed that the plates of garnishes at the various places I go to were getting a bit thin? Unlike me of course.

chow

[Kirk]

Hi PRR - How have you been? I haven't heard from you in a while. I hope all is well. Here's Pho Thanh:

http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2007/03/pho_thanh_resta.html

I've had a decent bowl from Pho Pasteur on occasion, but think Pho Hiep & Pho Hao Huang was better. And Jan's comment below is pretty much right on....my two favorites in MM - Pho Lucky and Pho Cow (former Hoa) Cali.

Hi Kat - I've been wondering about Pho in Japan.....

Hi Jo - I may just take you up on that one of these days!

Hi Bill - LOL! I think "it sucked or it was good" is a great measure...it really gets to the point!

Hi Ed - On this occasion it did measure up well.

Hi Jan - I thought it used to be Pho Viet Cali for you??? I had to laugh, you know me too well.....

Hi Sandy - When I went to Pho Ca Dao in RB....I noticed they had those vibrating coaster thing-ies that those busy places pass out.....

Hi Dennis - I gotta say, my last two experiences at Pho T Cali were pretty lousy.....I think that's why you hardly see any Vietnamese eating there anymore.

Hi Dave - Oh my...I'm sorry. It's not my intention to torpedo your lunch plans. Soup is much better than a sandwich in this weather!

Hi Kirbie - Yes, check them out....I'm sure I'll read about it! ;o)

Hi Faye - LOL! I've had a few folks kidding me about my Pho photos....I do seem to take them from the same angle all the time.

He-he-he..... CC - You're too funny!

Hi Leanne - LOL! You need to tell Travis that he could set off some major wars putting Pho and Ramen in the same category! ;o)

Hi Michael - A sign of the times I guess! I hope all is well.

[Porta Rickin Rick]

Hey Kirk,

I've been doing well, but busy. Not as much eating as usual, not by choice though. I appreciate the suggestions (thank you Jan!). We will check them out. I have had different experiences than many at Pho Pasteur, as in generally positive. I agree that Pho Hiep is better, higher oil content, which I like.

***Warning to folks about Pho T Cali, a friend said that he heard the waiters talking about reserving some uneaten egg rolls in Vietnamese and badmouthing a customer for asking for no onions in his Pho ("What is this Burger King"). The latter is actually pretty funny, but the former...

[Kirk]

Hi PRR - I'm glad to know you are well. That's a pretty disturbing happening at Pho T Cali.

[Janfrederick]

Viet Cali used to be spot on. But they've been really inconsistent lately. I still like the meatballs and it is really close to work, but lately I've been making that loooong drive to the other end of Mira Mesa for my fix, passing Viet Cali, Ca Dao, and Bolsa on the way. However, I just might give Lucky a shot again.

Speaking of Lucky, are they affiliated with the shop in Vista? I used to really like that one when I worked a couple of blocks up the street. I remember gushing to the person at the cash register about how great it was. Haven't done that in a while.

[Kirk]

Hi Jan - You know, I haven't been back to Viet Cali, so I need to revisit soon. I don't know about the Vista question....I'll check it out.