mmm-yoso!!!

Tonight's Dinner - Fried Chicken Skin and Sisig from Conching's Cafe

*** Conching is now Erlinda's Filipino Cuisine & Ice Cream Parlor

"It's the most unhealthiest time of the year......"

Or something like that. At least that's the tune going through my head while crunching away on the deep fried chicken skin portion of my dinner from Conching's Cafe:

 

I ended up getting dinner here after spotting Sisig....... which isn't always available from the steam table at Conching.

 

Strangely, after looking through my posts I noticed that I've never done a post on Conching's......... even though we've been there a number of times. The only thing I found was a post which included the sisig which I've always thought was among the best. This wasn't quite as good....falling a bit short on the vinegar. It's still better than most.....

Still...... fried chicken skin and sisig...... I think I'll be eating a bunch of salads after the New Year.

 

Oh, and when you visit Conching's, you can't forget the ice cream...... Ube and Avocado used to be the Missus's favorite (I like Jackfruit)...... but those have been replaced by......

 

Corn and Cheese.... yep, corn and cheese. Well, cheddar cheese is what they told the Missus. It's not what you think. It's not too sweet, but rich and creamy.... and no, there really isn't a big cheese flavor....perhaps something closer to a light cream cheese?

While waiting for Her Corn and Cheese ice cream, a Young Lady was asking a boy, possibly her son what flavor he wanted. Standing tippy toe, the boy exclaimed, "I want chocolate!" The woman smiled and looked down at the child and told him, "you can have chocolate anywhere, but when you're here you need to try something new and different!" Amen, lady, amen......

Conching's Cafe
3400 E 8th St.Ste 115
National City, CA 91950

Song Huong - Mira Mesa

I've been kinda hesitating "pulling the trigger" on this post. Based on comments and emails I've gotten, it seems that opinions of Song Huong are somewhat polarized....... But after a recent third visit to Song Huong I decided it was time for a post..... and I still waited and visted one more time....just to make sure..... When my good FOY (friend of yoso) "Yummy Yummy" told me that there was going to be a second Song Huong opening in Vinh Hung Market, I had mixed feelings. We've had a couple of decent meals at Song Huong on El Cajon Boulevard, but it just seems that the same dish was never the same twice.... perhaps some would find the somewhat whimsical preparations an interesting surprise. For us it was just plain maddening.

And then they opened..... and folks started emailing and commenting. On one side, "Yummy Yummy" and "Janfrederick" were thumbs down. On the other hand "Joe" (you can read his comments on this post) enjoyed it. "Melanie" (thanks for the emails!) was more on the positive side. By the time I finally visited I already had some recommendations......and some dishes to avoid as well!

 

If this doorway looks familiar, this is where Chibugan used to be (more on Chibugan at the end of the post).

Looking at my photos of Chibugan; it seems that the folks removed a good amount of the interior clutter and opened the place up a bit...... I never realized how high the ceilings here were!

 

The place does end up being on the cold side, and things tend to echo.

Like the ECB location; this place seels all manner of shakes and drinks, one thing which the Missus always enjoys at the ECB shop.

I pretty much knew what I wanted to order...... Melanie and Joe recommended the Banh Cuon. So I went with the Banh Cuon Dac Biet ($6.50):

 

As things go; this was decent by San Diego standards. The rolls used Banh Cuon Uot, and the pork was fairly bland and dry. The Nem Chua was pretty good, I like mine a bit more sour, and there was only one slice of it.

 
The Banh Cuon were a bit drier than I enjoy as well. The Nuoc Mam Cham also tasted watered down. The Cha Lua - lean defatted pork sausage were decent. Overall, I thought this was better than the version at Tan Ky Mi Gia, but not even close to say, Banh Cuon Tay Ho. Of course nothing beats having it made fresh in the morning. To be honest, I returned at a later date and had this again, this time it was much better(though they gotta bump up that Nuoc Mam Cham)....... so I guess YMMV??

I sitll wasn't quite sure about this place, so I returned and got the very thing I was told NOT TO get..... the Pho. "Joe" did mentioned that the place had changed Pho cooks, so perhaps my bowl of Pho Tai, Chin, Nam, Gau, Gan, Sach..... heck just call it #6 ($5.75) would be ok.

 

I swear, this could be the twin of the bowl I had at Vietnamese Cuisine on Miramar Road. It was cloudy and lacked any distinctive character.... it was far from terrible, but maybe a "C-". The garnishes were fairly scarce. The noodles however, were prepared perfectly.

Where this bowl fell really short was in the protein department.....

 

For some reason all the cuts of meat were very dry, none more than the flank which was tough as well. The worse was the tripe which had that unpleasant soapiness to it.

Still, I returned...... And when I ordered my Banh Cuon the second time, I was starving so I decided to try the Thit Nuong Cuon (grilled pork spring rolls - $3.75):

 

Aside from being a bit too wet, and the bun being on the mushy side this was ok. I also thought these were on the skimpy side, and would have appreciated more herbs to cut the saltiness (in a good way) of the thin slices of the pork.

Being on the wetter side, these started falling apart pretty quickly.

I guess I'm a glutton for punishment because I returned to Song Huong one more time...... this time for the Bun Bo Hue ($5.50):

 

All thoughts that this was going to be a "bland bowl" went away as the bowl arrived, and the funky fragrance of Mam Tom, fermented shrimp paste hit me before the bowl arrived. For me, the over-riding smell sends mixed signals, as what passes for Bun Bo Hue in most Pho shops is a basic clear broth with Mam Tom and chilies, something which totally misses the mark. And unfortunately this was, well, that. I liken it to having a trio play something designed for a quintet...... all the music is there, but certain parts aren't played. The plate of finely shredded cabbage and bean sprouts, though on the small side did fine. I could have used a bit more mint to add a herbaceous flavor to the bowl. The lime came to good use.... it helped me cut through the strong shrimp paste flavor.

 

There was a tiny speck of meat on the pork hock, and the thick slices of beef were tough and dry.... and to think folks complain about the meat at Mien Trung, which along with Hoai Hue is in a total different league.

On the good side; the broth was scorching hot; as must for this type of soup, and the noodles were cooked properly.

In the end, the food here is not terrible; but when it comes to everything other than the Banh Cuon, in my opinion there are other much better options in the area. I do really like the young lady who I believe runs the place.... she is quiet, but very nice.....they've never charged me for tea, and "round down " my check. As to whether I'll return? Maybe after a fairly long break....

Song Huong
10550 Camino Ruiz
San Diego, CA 92126

Postscript:

So what happened to Chibugan? Well, they moved over to a smaller space one door over:

 

One thing I've always liked about Chibugan is that they serve vertically challenged folks like me! Hah, just kidding.... but that's the first thing that went through my mind when I read "We make short orders!!!" Got a crispy pata for shorty over here?

Jector's Breakfast Burritos in Yuma

Today Kirk and Cathy are busy and eating. Sometimes ed (from Yuma) needs a quick breakfast, and maybe the next time you're in Yuma you'll need one too.

I think breakfast burritos are one of the most important contributions of Southwestern cuisine to everyday American eating. A complete breakfast (minus fruit juice of course) rolled inside a warm flour tortilla.

A new restaurant in Yuma, Jector's Breakfast Burritos, specializes in this culinary classic:
Whether you get them to go or to eat at one of the eight or nine small tables on the premises, your burrito will come tightly wrapped with a napkin in paper:
The burritos are $3.50.  This one is ham and egg, and I asked  for the optional pico de gallo (chopped fresh tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions) to be added:

All the burritos come with a picante salsa that has a pronounced sour tang.  Its flavor plays off nicely against the sweetness of the egg. 

I've liked every burrito that I have purchased from this place.  Their chorizo is spicy but not greasy:

 
Machaca and egg is a classic taste combination and very meaty:
The sausage, potato, and egg is one of Tina's favorites:
The asada and egg here is made with real skirt steak:
And the asada can also be ordered as a regular -- that is no egg -- burrito:

The beef flavor is excellent, but I like more guacamole with my asada burritos.

My overall favorite is probably what they call the supreme:

I love the perfectly cooked thick sliced bacon that lends a nice smokiness to the eggs, potatoes, beans, and melty cheese.

The people here are friendly, they take phone orders competently, and they have your burritos ready on time -- though as they have gotten busier, orders sometimes take longer than they used to. The restaurant is open daily from 6 am at least through lunch.

Jector's Burritos, 1473 S. 4th Ave, Yuma AZ, (928) 329-0035.

Merry Christmas

Every year, we take a drive around the area, just like I'm sure many do; to check out how folks have decorated their homes..... it puts us in the Holiday spirit. In spite of the deluge SoCal has had to endure over the last week......things cleared up just in time for Christmas Eve.

 

I'm wondering how much this homes electric bill was? Still we really enjoyed stopping.....

 

This year the Missus wanted Sukiyaki as Her Christmas day meal (my recipe here), so of course that's what we had.

 

 

 

 

 

And now it's time for another post Christmas tradition....... our post meal nap.

 

I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Most Merry Christmas from the mmm-yoso gang!

 
Merry Christmas everyone!

Guess where this is?

Just something short for tonight.... I'm guessing most folks have more pressing matters at hand.... like finishing up all that Xmas shopping!

Of course most will know just by the facade......

 

Yes, it's Mitsuwa Marketplace of course! But where?

I realized when I walked through this Mitsuwa how important design is..... this one is set-up basically the same. It is much larger than the Mitsuwa in San Diego. And so is the the food court, with a variety of restaurants...

And of course there's a Santouka Ramen.......

 

But also a Chinese Fast Food shop and at least one Korean influenced food stop to go with some other interesting offerings.

 

First off; the name makes me think that the burgers here are pork. Having already had an R Burger, whose ahem, buns are fortified with collagen (you know, I should just have someone provide me with the best collagen bun line.... there must be thousands), a teriyaki wasabi burger doesn't sound that strange. The fries here do sound interesting as you can choose various options like curry and cheese flavored or corn soup flavored fries...... I almost gave in.... well, maybe next time.

There are several more restaurants in this rather large food court.

 

I noticed that the market itself had quite a few Korean products.... more on that later. There were also local products...... and you just know that there are folks out there who can't go a day without Phil's Fertile Eggs, right?

 

Can you imagine the untapped marketing potential for Phil's Fertile Eggs!!!

There are of course more conventional Japanese items.

 

 

Ok....enough with the guessing game thing..... this Mitsuwa is located in Arlington Heights, about 25 miles outside of downtown Chicago. When my Admin Assistant was nice enough to book my overnight accommodations, she told me that I'd be staying in Arlington Heights..... I had no idea where Arlington Heights was....and neither did she. So I obviously saw the irony in the fact that there was a Mitsuwa almost right across the street from my hotel. Of all the places in the greater Chicago area....

It did look like business was pretty slow. After waking from my post Hot Doug's nap, it was already 6pm on a Friday, but the place was pretty dead. And there were several of these in the Marketplace.

 

I do hope they make it. I'm thinking I'll stay in this area if I'm in these parts again. As I drove down East Algonquin Road into Mount Prospect, i couldn't help but noticing all the Korean Restaurants..... there was even a restaurant named Dae Jung Keum......sound familiar???

Mitsuwa Marketplace
100 E Algonquin Rd
Arlington Heights, IL 60005

5 Course Dinner at Wine Vault and Bistro

ed (from Yuma) and Tina were recently in San Diego. They came, they saw, they ate, and they took pictures. So today, ed wants to share a feast with you while Kirk and Cathy catch some rest.

For me, wine can be an interesting, flavorful, and satisfying addition to meals.  Unlike many traditional foodstuffs, wine exists in a nearly infinite variety of taste profiles, based upon variations in grape variety, soil type and condition, climate and weather, vineyard practices, vintage, winemaker's skill, and luck.

Years ago in Columbus, Ohio (go Buckeyes), a favorite restaurant  shared space with a wine store.  By tasting, friends and I learned a lot about wine there and ate a lot of good food.  So when I read about Wine Loft and Bistro, wine shop plus restaurant, I was interested.   Honkman's report on an Oktoberfest dinner with his wonderful pictures told me that Tina and I had to try it the next time we were in America's Favorite City.

Inhabiting the floor above Saffron on India Street, the restaurant's interior is plain to the eye:

We had chosen to come on a Saturday night when they serve a five course meal ($30) with optional wine pairings ($20).  For dinner, in other words, there was no choice.  Everyone ate what the chef wanted to cook.  Since I eat everything and hate making up my mind, I was fine with that idea.  I certainly wouldn't want to eat what the chef didn't want to cook.

Since this was a special occasion, we began by sharing a split of Heidsieck Monopole Brut ($12 extra).

The first food to arrive at our table was freshly baked, freshly sliced French bread served in a wire basket:

Wonderful aroma.  Great crackly crunchy crust.  Easy spreading soft butter.  Free refills.  A great way to start the meal, though the bread was less spectacular when not fresh from the oven.

The salad showed up next:

Totally different from any other salad in my memory.  Two thin slices of pink (or ruby?)  grapefruit lay on a thin spread of mint pistou.  The slices were covered with nutmeats, shavings of fennel, and whole leaves of arugula. Each bite contained an amazing play of flavor/texture contrasts.  The nuts, in particular, added a crunchy sweet richness to the whole dish.  At first bite, Tina thought they were macadamias, but the menu told us they were, in fact, marcona almonds.  Never had those before, and they did resemble macadamias with a dense creamy nuttiness -- ending with light almond flavors.

The Gerard Bertrand Chardonnay went well with the salad:

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this wine. While French, it is not from any famous region and has a clean, fresh, and balanced taste.  I could detect neither oak nor malolactic fermentation.

Don't let this picture give you the wrong idea; the wine pairings are not full bottles, but rather 3 ounce servings poured into appropriate stemware.  I liked how each of the wines selected matched the food it was served with.  I also liked that each wine was new to me. Not only had I never tasted any of them, but I also had never seen any of them before either.

The next course was equally  unique: 

I was reminded of the old Paul Simon song, "Mother and Child Reunion" as I looked at the plate. A rectangular block of pressed roast chicken sat next to a slow poached egg. The chicken rectangle had a puréed chanterelle mushroom sauce underneath it; the egg was topped with hollandaise. The crusty looking thing on top of the chicken puzzled me until Tina bit into it and said, "oh my God, this is chicken skin!!"  And really good chicken skin it was. Charred florets of broccoli and cauliflower were the side vegetable.

This was another course that boggled the taste buds:

While the egg added a creamy richness, the chicken provided the dominant flavor -- intensely chicken -- with a hint of lemony herbs in the background.  If this were a Chinese dish it might've been called twice roasted chicken, as the chicken seems to have been roasted and then pressed and roasted again. We were impressed by the range of textures.

The accompanying wine was a Bokisch Vineyards tempranillo from the Lodi area.  Both Tina and I loved its spiciness, yet it was not so heavy or powerful that it overwhelmed the pressed chicken.

Chris, our competent and helpful server, then presented us each with a small bowl containing a deep-fried croquette accompanied with very thinly sliced marinated beets, a few micro-beet greens, and small strips of nori.  He proceeded to pour oxtail consommé into each of the bowls.  The finished dish looked like nothing I had ever been served before:
The croquette had been perfectly fried, and its crunchy exterior surrounded a rich filling of oxtail and bone marrow.  The preparation, with just a hint of wasabi, emphasized the light beefy flavor of the oxtail meat. As we ate, the oxtail consommé took on a redder color from the beets and micro greens:

We finished the course by drinking the remaining oxtail soup -- savory, tangy, and full of umami.  The whole dish was complemented nicely by the 2008 Cass Grenache from Paso Robles, a smooth fruity wine with hints of milk chocolate (well, to my palate at least).

The next course was perhaps even better. A piece of venison loin, perfectly cooked sous vide, rested against a risotto: 

Since it was cooked at low temperature sealed in plastic, the meat was perfectly rare and very tender without being mushy.  The loin tasted fully of venison, yet it was not exceptionally gamy. The jus, in the foreground of the picture, was heavily flavored with juniper and added a distinctive flavor note to my slices of deer loin.

As good as the venison was, I enjoyed the risotto even more.  The perfectly cooked rice was flavored with ground chestnut and guanciale (smoked pork cheek).  Small sweet chunks of butternut squash added a taste contrast while the yellow foot mushrooms contributed texture.  I love risottos; I can even make a pretty good risotto; but this risotto was in a whole different league.

The 2008 Stolpman "Originals" syrah poured with the venison was the deepest and most intense wine of the night.  It worked well with the meat.

I'm not really much of the desserts kind of guy, so I couldn't imagine a conclusion for the meal that would match what had come before.  That just shows the limits of my imagination:

Homemade peanut butter ice cream topped with honeycomb sat on top of a thick dark chocolate mousse.  A piece of dark chocolate lay on one side.  This dessert tasted even better than it sounds. Ummm, peanut butter and chocolate.  Reese's -- eat your heart out.

The coffeeless Irish coffee (a 1 oz pour of Irish whiskey and cream?) paired nicely with the desert.

Wow and wow again!!  For my tastes, this was an outstanding meal and a wonderful value.  Every course was a palate pleaser.  Even if you did not like wine, the five course meal by itself would be a delight.

The Wine Vault and Bistro is original in its business attitude as well.  Meals are only served on some evenings.  Some days, the meal is three courses, sometimes five courses, sometimes 10 courses.  Winemaker dinners featuring the wines from a particular winery are also available.  If you want to try this restaurant, you'll need to go to their website to see what is happening when. And you do want to try this restaurant.  Seriously.

Wine Vault & Bistro, 3731-A India St, San Diego, CA 92103, (619) 295-3939.

Chicago: Hot Doug's

It was pretty chilly on the day I drove from Madison to Chicago. Walking to the car I encountered something that I don't see very often here in San Diego...... that would be frost.

 

I'm also not quite used to temperatures in the 30's either.

 

Instead of the usual rest stops like we have in SoCal, there are stops above the highway that looks like an overpass. These are called Oasis and contain various fast food shops, restrooms, ATMs, and Gas Stations.

 

My curiosity finally got the better of me, and I stopped at the Belvedere Oasis. The place was very clean, and also had a nice view of the I-90.

 
As another tidbit; did you know the Federal Regulations forbid commercial development of rest areas? Other than a few rest stops that were "grandfathered in", only toll road can offer these type of services. (23 CFR Part 752.5)

I had decided to spend an extra day in Chicago for one main reason...... to eat of course! And there was one place that was a "must try" on my list...... Hot Dougs. Admittedly, I really wandered if Hot Doug's would deliver. My luck really hasn't been that good with places generating so much attention and hyperbole...... the Kogi Taco Truck comes to mind. But after seeing the place for the umpteenth time on No Reservations, and reading numerous reviews and posts (like Passionate Eater's) on the place, even from a couple of San Diego based Food Bloggers like Canine Cologne (read her post here) and Liz of Fooding 411 (her post here), it was without a doubt on my list. Which is why I started driving from Madison at 745 am on a Friday morning. My intention was to arrive at Hot Doug's a couple of minutes before opening........ well Doug's opens at 1030, and I finally found my way there, found parking on the street, and saw a line had already formed out the door at Hot Doug's.

 

Stepping into line and overhearing conversations, it seemed that at least half the crowd were not from Chicago. As for the line, a suited gentleman in front of me, who had a page from a legal pad full of "orders" told the couple in back of him that, "this is nothing....it seems to be a pretty slow day."

So, on this slow day, I made it to the second set of front doors by 1045, and actually into the shop proper at 1050.

 

The line was moving fairly quickly..... and the menu read like a sausage junkie's dream.

Having a couple minutes to read the menu and check out the dining area, something struck me. First off, you can't grab a table or seat until you place your order and pay. Second, Doug Sohn, manning the front counter moves at an unhurried pace. This combined with the fact that folks are eating sausages mean that the dining area turns over very quickly, and it seems that most everyone gets a seat.

Now as to what I came here to eat...... well there were just two things......

 

Of course I was going to have the Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage ($9). When Doug asked me how I wanted these; I asked him to make it the way he eats it. Doug replied with a smile, and a simple "ok, very good....." Yes...... it was very good indeed.

 
So good I think it deserves another photo.....

 

I thought that perhaps the truffle aioli would just overpower everything; but this was wonderfully rich... decadent.....I felt  like I needed a shower afterwards. The sausage with its mild sweetness was no slouch, and the Foie Gras Mousse with a light sprinkle of sea salt. was pure fatty joy.

I've had Duck Fat Fries before, but wanted to try the version here ($3.50 - Fridays and Saturdays only). These were typically Chicago "Natural" style fries, skin on.

 

These were nice and rich.....the duck fat doesn't really add too much flavor; mainly an additional richness to the fries. They also don't hold up for very long and seem to start getting a bit greasy fairly quickly.

I had intended to hitting XOCO for dinner, but my failure was based on the most basic item on Hot Doug's menu..... the simple Chicago Style Hot Dog ($1.75):

 
Yes, this was my downfall..... Overall a nice, though not amazing Chicago Dog. The dog didn't have quite the snap I like. For once I had enough celery salt on my Chicago Dog... but man, after eating this I was beyond stuffed; I was cross-eyed stuffed and really needed a nap. When I awoke, I just couldn't muster the energy to drive from Arlington Heights, back into Chicago proper.... such is the power of the encased meats at Hot Doug's.

As I left, about 1130, the line outside Hot Doug's stretched down the street.

 

Amazing!

Hot Doug's
3324 North California Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618

Open Monday - Saturday 10:30 am - 4:00 pm

A drive North- Smokey's Lake Wohlford Cafe

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of blog. Saying that word (mmm) indicates happiness. Cathy is blogging today because she is happy.  Kirk and ed (from Yuma) are probably also happy, but just aren't blogging.

Hi.  Thought I'd get out my East County posting "rut" and still stay within San Diego County... which is about 4200 square miles... I had a long story about how we got here, but will leave that for another time.  Let's just say The Mister and I drove through Escondido to Valley Center, picked up some meat by the side of the road (still $35) and then stopped at Bates Nut Farm.   
where we bought some candy...
and nuts.  Then we proceeded to Lake Wohlford, a few miles South.  Stopping here.  
Smokey's Lake Wohlford Cafe. Been here since 1947 (new owners bought it in 2006).  Right across the street from Lake Wohlford at a turn in the winding road. You might miss it if you are driving too fast... 

You can sit inside, as the regulars do...
at the bar (there are bait and tackle, fishing licenses and other accoutrement sold here starting at about 5:30 a.m. daily (to the left when you walk in the door) Food starts being served at 6 or 7, depending on the time of year. Patrons were watching The Princess Bride on the flat screen...Breakfast is served until 1 p.m. here.  I found my perfect selection from the menu...
Yes.  Smokey's,  the home of  the Famous Catfish Dinner.

Catfish is available as a meat choice on the breakfast plate ($7.75)...
Rye Toast, two perfectly breaded and fried catfish loins, house made tartar sauce, home fries, two perfectly poached eggs and some really good coffee ($1.50).  This was the perfect breakfast for me.  Everything was just right...the eggs were perfectly poached and drained ( a little thing which I notice about poached eggs), the thick slices of rye toast, the just right home fries...and that catfish...crispy cornmeal coating over a fresh and flaky catfish...mmm. [The All You Can Eat catfish meal is $13.75, after 4 p.m. Friday]
The Mister and I decided to share the chalkboard special soup of the day- bacon/potato/cheese ($3.50) Not overly creamy(i.e., no 'film' left on the inside of your mouth with each bite and not thickened with flour); wonderfully flavored with carrot and onion and potato and some cheese...just right.
The Mister ordered the chalkboard special open faced meatloaf sandwich ($6.50).  The thick slice of toasted sourdough had mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion and the slice of bread under the two thick meatloaf slices was toasted.  Oh the meatloaf...it was fresh ground beef and pork, had tomatoes and carrot and some onion in it and the gravy was nicely flavored and not salty.  So nice and homemade... The Mister ordered iced tea (also $1.50) and it is a good, strong brew.

It is pretty large inside, with this view of the lake...a pool table... 
The prices are well worth the home made meals.  If you are in North County East, this is the place to eat.  mmm! {Yes.  The pot of coffee is more expensive than a domestic beer.}{Yes.  I ate catfish for breakfast}

Bates Nut Farm 15954 Woods Valley Road, Valley Center 92082 (760)749-3333  Website

Smokey's Lake Wohlford Cafe 25484 Lake Wohlford Road Escondido 92027 (760) 749-6585 Website 
 

Pho Santee. Yes.

mmm-yoso!!! is the blog you are reading and enjoying vicariously. Today, Cathy is blogging because Kirk is waaay busy and ed(from Yuma) is busier than Kirk.

It is going to be a cold, rainy weekend.  Some sort of soup is going to be craved. East County.  Santee.  I live here. We have Costco, Lowes and Home Depot, Target and WalMart, many chain restaurants, a steak house and now have two Thai restaurants, three places which serve sushi, eight Italian eateries (but more than half of those are pretty much pizza places) , seven taco shops and now, two Vietnamese restaurants. Yes.  In Santee.  The American home of Comedian Dat Phan.  This post is about the unimaginatively named Vietnamese restaurant.

Pho Santee is in an nondescript shopping mall, just across from the Santee Sheriff Station. It used to be Royal Szecheuan/Sushi, neither of which was done very well.  The menu at Pho Santee is Vietnamese -and Chinese- both are done quite well.  Good enough that I come here for lunch when I have a craving instead of driving the 15-20 minutes to Convoy Street or 20 minutes Mira Mesa Boulevard.   The interior here  is clean and shiny (also a contrast to the old place). Two televisions, but usually only one is on.
With a little Christmas decor at this time of year...

 

 

Table settings are standard.

Pho Santee serves pho and other standard Vietnamese items (bun, broken rice, steamed rice) and some more or less Chinese items (fried rice, stir fried noodles, stir fried vegetables). .   
No sawtooth. Pretty basic add ins.
Pho Ga-large ($6.65).  We asked for added shrimp ($3) to go with the chicken broth (The Mister was starting to have a cough/cold/crud). The (hot!) broth was not greasy and had a good chicken stock.  The noodles were not mushy and only slightly clumpy. The shrimp were quite large, as was the portion of chicken for this bowl. 
BunThit Nuong-grilled pork ($6.95).  Only lettuce, no fancy greens under the chilled rice noodles. The grilled pork was not crispy.  It was nicely flavored and not fatty.  The add in sauce was just the right amount of fishy vinaigarette (no fish sauce on the table condiments).

 
I like that you can order Cha Gio (fried egg rolls) either 3 ($3.99) or 6 ($5.99)...these were nicely fried, filled with ground pork and shrimp, egg, fungus and cellophane noodles. Served with lettuce and mint.

 
The Goi Cuon (spring rolls, we chose tofu as the filling- [all fillings (chicken, shrimp, pork or tofu) are the same price: two for $3.99-these are cut in half] filled with vermicelli noodles, mint and lettuce, these were very fresh and good.   The spicy peanut sauce for dipping was very good.

Dac Biet (small)($5.85) was filled with meat, various onions, the same good and almost not clumped noodles.  The broth was rich, not greasy and not overly flavored (other than beef...not much anise).
In fact, if you just want meat and noodles, this is the place.  The pieces of tendon, brisket, tripe and rare beef were plentiful.
The lunch special chicken chow mein ($6)[most expensive lunch combination is $7] comes with..um.. egg flower soup (tasted beefy), egg roll (the same Cha Gio but without lettuce, mint or dipping sauce) and fried rice.  The chow mein...well..excellent flavored chicken, water chestnuts and pea/carrot mix.  No MSG overload and very fresh.

Pho Santee is maybe not as authentic as some of the places in San Diego.  It is good, not pretentious and very good to have in East County.  The people who work here are very friendly and all of them help you.  We have had at least four different individuals assist with refills, questions, etc. at our table each visit.

Pho Santee 8790 Cuyamaca, Suite K Santee 92071 (619)562-5151. Sun-Th 9-9, Fri/Sat 9-10

Pho Xpress - Mission Gorge Road

A couple of months back, the Missus sent me on a mission.... of course it was mission She wanted no part of. You see, the Missus claimed that a certain feature wasn't working on Her camera, and had bugged me about since we had gotten back from China. Of course the Missus wasn't about to take the camera in, or even accompany me... since, good lord, "it's technical, and god forbid, you might have to change batteries and stuff...." So I arrive at the camera shop, and walk to the counter and explain that my wife claims the camera isn't working properly. The guy kinda smirks, and then tells me, "this model doesn't come with that feature...." He then calls to the guy in the back, asking him to confirm. Of course the guy in the back is cracking up..... I'm glad I made their day. As I slunk off out the door I swore I heard the sound of laughter in the background....... When I told the Missus that the camera does not come with the so called "feature", She laughed and said, "oh really, how funny....." Yeah..... how funny.

On the way home, I decided to soothe my bruised ego in a bowl of Pho. I'd passed Pho Xpress a couple of times, and decided that this was the perfect time for a bowl of Pho.

 

Like many Pho shops that have sprouted up over the years..... the set-up looked like a conversion from a steam table fast-foot joint. Or perhaps it was built that way. There's a small dining area to the left of the counter and steam table and I had a seat.

 

This pace was a typical "A-B" (All Business) Pho shop, at least on this morning it was, I was pointed to a seat without a word, a menu placed in front of me, and water arrived soon after.

I requested a small "combination" minus the rare steak ($5.99). Based on the herbs and bean sprouts placed before me, I mentally set the bar very low.....

 

But taking one look at the broth when my bowl arrived changed all of that.

 

The fragrance of the broth was nice and comforting and the soup clear . The flavor, while straightforward, was quite good, perhaps lacking the anise-clove tones, but nicely beefy, and fairly rich as well.

 

The various cuts of beef were prepared well, nothing spectacular, but better than average. The amount of meat provided was a bit on the stingy side; but it's the broth that makes the Pho for me, and tis was good. The noodles were a bit on the soft side, but passable.

 

If this is the norm for Pho Xpress, I'd put this in my top 5-6 bowls with regards to Pho broth in San Diego. I'll need to return soon. My good FOY "YY" told me that the Pho Xpress in the Gaslamp is also pretty good; not as rich and the broth a bit lighter, so I'll need to check them out soon.

Like I mentioned before, service here was all business. I'm not sure that anyone spoke more than a single word to me the entire time. If you're expecting a Pho meat-fest go elsewhere. Still, the soup was hot, it tasted good, and was the perfect salve for a bruised ego on this day......

Pho Xpress
6533 Mission Gorge Rd
San Diego, CA 92120

Open Daily from 9 - 9