More Noodling Around - 777 Noodle House, Pho King, Santouka, Yakuyudori Ramen and Yakitori, and Yum Cha Cafe

Ooodles of noodles in mostly photos for Monday.

777 Noodle House:

This place seems to be doing some pretty good business, I love the diverse crowd. Had my usual simple bowl of Hu Tieu Nam Vang - dry. Did have a fairly lousy bowl of Egg Noodle Soup with Roast Duck Leg recently, but the Pork Intestine Noodle Soup was interesting. Intestine was prepared fine, though on the chewy side....this really smelled funky, but the flavor was good.....the broth did take on some of the intestine flavor.

777 Noodle House
4686 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92105

Pho King:

Hadn't been back here in a while. So had my usual Hu Tieu Mi Kho....man am I getting boring and predictable.

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

Santouka:

Talk about predictable....yep, Shio Toroniku style.

Though I don't feel so bad, since a couple of weeks later I ran into Dennis here and he got his ramen...yep...toroniku style! Dennis also said he just knew he'd run into someone that day.....I guess he was getting readings on his "blog-dar"???? Funny....

Santouka Ramen
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd(In the Mitsuwa Marketplace)
San Diego, CA 92111

Yakyudori Ramen and Yakitori:

I gotta say....this bowl of shoyu ramen was probably the best I had here. Balanced in flavor, not too salty, the noodles were perfectly prepared....just good stuff.

Yakyudori Ramen and Yakitori
4898 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111 

Yum Cha Cafe:

**** Yum Cha Cafe has closed

I feel the place has kinda gone downhill since they opened and have not visited very much recently. However, I was in the area and hungry after shopping next door. I'd always wondered about the $3.99 rice noodle soup with BBQ pork, so I decided to get that.

I was pleasantly surprised. At least in terms of portion size. There were at least 6-7 slices of BBQ Pork, the noodles were nicely done. The soup was a step above MSG water....but in terms of value, I'd say this is pretty good.

Great stuff for the starving student set.....

Yum Cha Cafe
6933 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111

Comments

[Dennis]

Hi Kirk, yes as I walked in the Mitsuwa food court that day I swear I felt a disturbance in the food blogger Force, haha. It was weird running into you right after. We definitely could use more places that serve a good Shoyu. I've actually been Tonkotsu'd out for a while now. Nice to know 777 Noodle House is doing well. I actually went several times not too long after your original post.

[kat]

could go for a bowl of ramen myself, nip in the air over here (Hawaii)...mom says "winter is coming", lol.

[Kirk]

Hi Dennis - Yeah, we've kind of got tonkotsu overload....though not really if you count ummmm.....Chopstix and Teri Cafe....but should we really count those?

Hi Kat - You must have sent the warmth here then....it's starting to get hot again! Hope you get a nice, comforting bowl!

[kirbie]

After reading quite a few posts from you running into Dennis, I had my first run-in with Dennis the other night! Hehe. He's the first food blogger I've randomly run into before.

[Kirk]

That Dennis is everywhere Kirbie! He did mentioned that he ran into you when I saw him this past week.....yes, I saw him this past week!

[Dennis]

Hi again Kirk, I actually had another weird gut feeling when I ran into Kirbie the day too. I wish I can convert the talent to winning lotto numbers, haha.
But anyway, I don't think those ramen spots are "bad tasting" so much as they severely suffer from a chronic identity crisis.

[Kirk]

Hey Dennis - If only, huh? Do let me know if you get that "lotto feeling"! ;o) I don't think those places are "bad", just mediocre....

[Carol]

"A step above MSG water..." hahahaha! That just struck me so funny, Kirk!

[Kirk]

Hi Carol - LOL! MSG ain't soooo bad, right?

[tenjobara]

Kirk, you are lucky you can eat msg. The last time msg was in my food, my forehead swelled up about 1 inch thick, my eyes were swollen almost shut, and my arms broke out in huge bumps. Had to go to the emergency room.

Anyways, I believe that restaurants use msg as a cheap and fast way to make flavor.

Hey, I just figured out that restaurants are there to MAKE money, not to feed us healthy nutritious food! They don't care about our health, the bottom line is more important to them.

[Kirk]

Hi Tenjobara - Man, you better keep away from most chips and stuff like that, canned sauces.....many have even more MSG, then what you'll find in restaurants. I do get some swelling when with excessive MSG and salt, but nothing serious. There are many places that care about the food they serve, you just have to find them.