Recently Consumed: Visits to Sultan, Golden City, Homestyle Hawaiian, Balboa Market, Noble Chef, Pho King, Okan, and Bristol Farm

Here's a collection of one-off dishes and other miscellaneous stuff from the last couple of weeks.

Sometimes a dish will arrive that looks just plain delicious. This was true of the Biber Dolmasi (stuffed pepper) the Missus recently had at Sultan.

I just thought it looked so pretty. I'm no great shakes as a photographer; I just point and shoot and after all our meals at Sultan; heck we're there about every other week. I've pretty much keep my camera stowed.....but this one just called for a photo.

It put my Karisik Izagara (mixed grill) to shame......

Oh and here's a Patlican Kebab for good measure as well......

Sultan Kebab & Baklava
131 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, CA 92019

Cathy and Dennis have already done posts on Balboa International Market. I'll usually drop by for some dates, walnuts, herbs, ayran, and citrus for the Missus. One day last week I was pretty hungry so I ordered the lamb shank on fava rice (sabzi polo). Love the price....$8.99 and it's a load of food.

Lamb shank was decent, but the rice was bland and dry....still, the price is right.

Balboa International Market
5907 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111

I don't know why, but on one of my visits to Golden City I only took one shot of the Kwai Fei Chicken. After snapping the photo, I realized that I've probably taken too many photos of it already anyway. But just for the heck of it......

Golden City Restaurant
5375 Kearny Villa Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123

Not too many plate lunches anymore.......on occasion there's an exception. Here's the Korean Chicken from Homestyle Hawaiian.

It had been a couple of months. Mo told me that they were going to renovate and clean up the place a bit.....but it was still a no-go on this visit. Hopefully soon.....

Homestyle Hawaiian Island Style Food
7524 Mesa College Drive
San Diego, CA 92111

A couple of other dishes for good measure.....

Shrimp with XO Sauce Chow Fun from Noble Chef......I was lazy and in a noodley mood.

The Noble Chef
6159 Balboa Avenue
San Diego, CA 92111

I just realize there's an inordinate amount of styrofoam in this post......I guess I've been pretty tired recently......

Here's the Hu Tieu Mi Kho, which I've posted on a zillion times, from Pho King.

Pho King Restaurant
4658 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

Here are the only two photos from a recent meal at Okan, the stewed shishito peppers with ground beef.

And buta kakuni......

Which was on the dry and bland side....I'll need to try this again......hope this isn't the norm.

Wa Dining Okan
3860 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Cathy's already done a post on Bristol Farms, but recently I was shopping there, really hungry, and lazy to come home and make something. I decided to try out the Tri-Tip Sandwich ($7.99), without the BBQ sauce. The meat is hand cut and it comes with mashed potatoes and gravy which might have just send me into cardiac arrest after eating all that meat. I subbed it out with a pasta salad.

Considering that a lettuce loaded sub with 2 ounces of meat goes for $6.50 - $6.99, this is a pretty good value. The meat ain't great shakes, it is on the chewy side...they do ask you (or at least asked me) if I wanted to trim the fat off.....guess what my response to that was. The sandwich was topped with muhrooms and caramelized onions. Bread seemed heat and eat, but it was toasted. Not bad....

Also, is it just me, or does it seem like Bristol Farms have lowered their prices a bit? Maybe I've been shopping at Whole Paycheck too much recently..... You know, I don't think I'm a cheapo tightwad, who is always looking to get on the better side of the dollar, and like many do believe in the reality of scale. For example a $7.95 dish which is well made from Sab E Lee will not equal to the same dish which costs $19.95 at Lotus of Siam. Of course LOS will be....better be, better, it's 2 1/2 times the price. Still, I do like feeling that I get my money's worth.

Bristol Farms
8510 Genessee Ave
San Diego, CA 92122

My goodness, I just realized something as I was setting up the categories for this post......this is quite a variety of cuisines...maybe I need to stop grumbling about San Diego's limited choice.....

Comments

[kat]

nice assortment!

[Mike]

That stuffed pepper is beautiful! We've only been to Sultan once, but it was very good and we need to go back.

[Faye]

I love the photos! What a way to start a Fri (and weekend).
I was a huge fan of Bristol awhile back - feel that their quality has kinda diminished over the years. But I use to get their tri tip sandwiches as well ('and, no, please don't trip the fat, sir!'). It was pretty tasty but you gotta ask them for the more rare tri tip as some are booked way to well done.
Have a great weekend :)

[kirbie]

I've definitely seen the prices at Bristol drop. Sometimes their sale prices are even on par with regular grocery stores. It's probably because they aren't doing so well. Every time I visit, it's so empty.

[ed (from Yuma)]

Like Mike said though I've been to Sultan twice. Great both times - but that pepper looks extraordinary.

[nhbilly]

Talk about missing out on some good stuff

[Kirk]

THanks Kat!

Hi Mike - Even after eating there about every other week or so, there are still surprises.

Hi Faye - Yeah, it was pretty good sandwich.

Hi Kirbie - That's what I thought. I think the Missus likes shopping there because it isn't a packed shopping cart derby.

Hi Ed - I still remember how quickly that baklava disappeared......

Hi Bill - Welcome back....I feel like I haven't heard from you in a while. I hope all is well.