Pho Xpress: tasty, fast, food.

Welcome back to the blog named mmm-yoso!!! Kirk does not have time to blog today and neither does ed (from Yuma). Cathy has found some time.

Hi. Today is starting out to be another rainy and chilly day. I'm already wanting a big bowl of something hot for breakfast and think I know what I want for lunch.  Located just East of the Stadium, in the Vons/Rite Aid Center, next to Longhorn Cafe at the intersection of Mission Gorge and Friars and Zion (see Kaiser Hospital in the background?) is Pho Xpress, which Kirk posted about in December 2010.

The storefront of the building is narrow, but there is seating for about 40 inside. Right at the door is a steam table filled with a variety of Chinese selections if you are in a hurry or just want something 'to go'.

The tables are set with the standard condiment and utensil selections.

On this day, The Mister and I decided to share two items.  Above, the papaya salad ($6.50) is listed as an appetizer, but is quite large and the dried beef makes the combination of shredded green papaya and basil a nice balanced meal.  The fish sauce/garlic/lime/chili sauce is not very sweet (not much sugar added) and I really, really like (and crave) this version.

I really enjoy each of the pho broths offered here; the beef and chicken are very rich flavored and great eaten without all the fillings; I sometimes consume all the broth first.  The vegetarian pho ($6.25) that I chose this day also has a really flavorful broth-I could taste carrot and celery and onion, combined with all the fillings you see-onion, zucchini, carrot, broccoli, bok choy and fried tofu, as well as the slightly soft noodles, this soup is just as flavorful and filling as any of the meat based soups. 

Hot tea does have a 75¢ per person charge, and I don't mind, since they will refill the pot if necessary. Service is very fast (probably because they know their clientele is on lunch break from the hospital, or because it is a Pho place) and they have a constant pick up/take out crowd.  This is very good choice to stop if you are in this part of town.

Pho Xpress 6533 Mission Gorge Road San Diego 92120 (619)284-3268 

Comments

[Carol]

Hi Cathy! The papaya salad looks really good. Haven't had one in a long time. Yum, a big bowl of pho would be really good right now. It's all yucky and cold out by me.

[Julie]

This is a must try recipe. It looks so yummy!!!

[Cathy]

The papaya salad is really good at Pho Xpress, Carol...but I've had good versions a lot of places. We have sunshine in Santee now, but it is still chilly and windy. Very strange weather we've been having...
Welcome to our blog, Julie. Here's the post with Kirk's recipe. http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2007/06/thai_style_gree.html

[Rodzilla]

I visited the gGslamp location and had some of the worst service ever. There were plenty of vacant tables and yet they were insistent on rushing our party - the check was dropped off about 2 minutes after our food arrived.

I will say the bahn mi I had was cheap and tasty, but a dining companion said the pho left a lot to be desired.

[Cathy]

Hi Rod. Being fast with ordering and serving is a pretty consistent trademark of most of Vietnamese restaurants. Kirk's post about Pho Hoa (in the same parking lot as Yum Cha) was accurate: http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2006/09/pho_hoahuong_re.html
I've never been to the downtown location of Pho Xpress,(Mission Gorge is much closer to home). The cooks must be different.