I always appreciate all the recommendations and notifications I receive from all the wonderful FOYs (Friends of Yoso) out there. It sometimes seems that the moment a new place opens, there'll be an email in my inbox awaiting me. Com Tam 75 is no exception. Back in November, I received an email from TammyC letting me know about this new shop. About the same time, I received an email from someone with the handle "ComTamMan" recommending Com Tam 75. Com Tam Man? Hmmm.... The strangest thing was, that even though this place was named Com Tam 75, it wasn't the namesake dish that was recommended. CTM told me to check out the Korean BBQ Ribs, the Teriyaki, and the Philly Cheesesteak! Huh? You know I had to check this place out now.....
Much like Hal Mu Ni, Com Tam 75 used to be an outlet of Rice King, and you can see the remains of the steam table on one side of the restaurant. The interior has been brightened up a bit, the chairs have wheels on them in case you want to channel your inner seven year old. From the various posters, and the channels playing on the television, as well as the application for liquor license notification on the front door, this looks like a sports bar ready to happen.
The menu is humongous, with everything from Banh Mi (including a Philly Cheesesteak Banh Mi), Bo Kho (Beef Stew), Bun Mang Vit, Bun Bo Hue, Chao (rice porridge), and Bun Rieu. It was almost a relief to see no Pho on the menu..... until I looked at the greaseboard.
Yep, there it was Pho, right above the Beef Tamales and Chicken Teriyaki (???).
The young man who waited on me was quiet, but very nice, and waited patiently for me to figure out what to order. I decided that since this was Com Tam 75, not Beef Tamale 75, nor Banh Mi75, that I should go with a Com Tam dish.
I went with the Com Tam Bi Cha Tau Hu Ky ($7.75):
The plate that arrived was a bit on the small side. Let's just use what I got at Com Tam Thuan Kieu for $6.25 as a point of comparison:
Now I realize this is San Diego and all........... but pictures sometimes speak louder than words. Still, if the items on the plate were top notch, I'd forget about the price. Alas, it was not.
Some of the Com Tam was hard and dry. The Bi (shredded pork) lacked the ground rice powder that adds a wonderful nuttiness, and was just plain bland. The Nuoc Mam Cham (fish sauce dip) was on the watered down side. The Cha (steamed egg) was moist and soft, but had a weird camphor like after taste that I found a bit strange. The Tan Hu Ky (shrimp paste in bean curd skin) was probably the best item on the plate, though it was on the greasy end, and the bean curd skin was more flaky than crisp. This wasn't inedible, but it just wasn't very good.
And yet, the folks here were so nice, and the young man kept refilling my water..... I wanted to find something I'd enjoy on the menu, and I think I saw just the item. A few weeks later, I found myself in the area. It was pretty early, about 830 am or so. Com Tam 75 opens at 8, so I though I'd drop in, and order........ Spam, Eggs, and Rice ($4.95):
Spam.... how could this go wrong? It didn't, the Spam was sliced thin and fried crisp. There was also five slices of it on the plate, which is probably like getting 6-7 slices of bacon. The rice portion was on the smaller side, but perfect for me as I've been cutting down on my rice intake. The eggs were slightly crisp on the edges, and nice and runny. I placed them on the rice, added a dash of fish sauce.......
So perhaps Com Tam 75 does make a killer Philly Cheesesteak Banh Mi or Buffalo Wings. Maybe the Teriyaki Chicken was kept on the menu to appease all the former Rice King customers.... I've no answer for the Beef Tamales or Tacos though? I think I'll let you tell me if the Korean BBQ Ribs or the Cheesesteak is worth a visit.
Until then......... I'll wait it out.
Com Tam 75
5420 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115
As a side note, I do appreciate the efforts of places that attempt to make their food more accessible. I do think the line between accessible and dumbed down is a fine one, and it's usually the latter that is achieved. You don't do any dish a favor by removing its soul......
I think what would be even better is the choice of fried rice over white rice with the spam and eggs. But then, that's just me. :)
Posted by: Carol | Monday, 01 March 2010 at 08:47 PM
Hi Kirk, I visited this place last year and I unfortunately couldn't make a post out of it. The Pho, cha gio, and Bulgogi Tacos were difficult to write about. People as you mentioned were super nice. Darn
Posted by: Dennis | Monday, 01 March 2010 at 08:54 PM
Hi Carol - But if it's Spam fried rice, it'll be kinda redundant......
Hi Dennis - The folks here are really nice..... but you gotta be honest, and who knows......
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 01 March 2010 at 09:37 PM
at least they didn't screw up the spam...
Posted by: kat | Monday, 01 March 2010 at 10:10 PM
Hi Kat - thank goodness!!!
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 02 March 2010 at 08:03 AM
I see surprisingly often mexican cooks in chinese/taiwanese restaurants (e.g. lunch at 168 etc.) so perhaps this restaurant has also a mexican cook and he is allowed to add some "his" cuisine to the mix.
Posted by: Twofoodiesonejourney.blogspot.com | Tuesday, 02 March 2010 at 09:32 AM
Hi TFOJ - Actually it's a Vietnamese family running the place and cooking. I didn't see any Hispanic guys in the kitchen. By this logic, I guess one cook would have to be Japanese to make teriyaki, and then there's the Korean cook for the Korean BBQ ribs..... ;o) I don't recall any Mexican dishes at 168...... Most restaurants have Mexicans in the kitchen.... I really can't recall seeing anything resembling Mexican food on the menu at say, Wal Mi Do, Sushi Ota, Hal Mu Ni, etc...... In other words, that logic is a bit of a stretch.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 02 March 2010 at 09:39 AM
Come on if they screw up the spam it's not worth the effort.
Posted by: bill | Tuesday, 02 March 2010 at 11:46 AM
My husband and I ate here for the first time a few weeks ago. I really liked it! The portions were smaller than we are used to seeing in the various Asian restaurants we visit but I thought the ingredients were far superior in quality. We ordered the papaya salad and it was the best one I have had outside of Thailand, the beef stew which came with a baguette and was ultra yummy, and a noodle dish with grilled shrimp. The noodle dish was our favorite out of the three but all of them were delicious and definitely worth getting again.
Posted by: Heather | Tuesday, 02 March 2010 at 12:33 PM
Hi Bill - THey did ok on the Spam.
Hi Heather - Thanks for taking the time out to comment. I gotta say.... that I think the food is a bit dumbed down, but I'm glad you enjoyed the place. But for me, the flavors were watered down.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 02 March 2010 at 12:51 PM
Hi,
Too bad about the dumbed down food. Hate that.
Sounds like they need to edit the menu at the very least. If a place is as all over the map, as this place seems to be, the food is bound to be mediocre.
BTW, did you see that Sab E Lee 1 was mentioned in AAA's Westways Magazine this month?
Posted by: Stephen | Tuesday, 02 March 2010 at 03:45 PM
Hi Stephen - I agree! I'm glad Sab E Lee is getting good pub! It does mean that the place is going to be pretty crazy again.
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 03 March 2010 at 07:55 AM
I love how it's possible to get Spam and eggs and rice at a restaurant! No such luck here - I have to cook it at home!
Posted by: Su-Lin | Tuesday, 09 March 2010 at 02:57 PM
Hi Su-Lin - All the Hawaiian BBQ joints here serve Spam, and even a couple of places like Com Tam 75.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 09 March 2010 at 03:25 PM