Midweek Meanderings: Pho DaKao, Hana Mart, and Voltero's (I think) closes. The sign for Dumpling Inn and Shanghai Saloon is up and other stuffs....

A fairly large collection for a SoCal winter Wednesday.

Pho DaKao and Grill Closes:

I drove by and noticed the parking lot was totally empty so I drove in. The Eviction Restoration Notice was posted on the door. Man, this place didn't last very long. I think I visited soon after they opened....so they pulled the plug pretty fast.

5296 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Hana Mart officially closes:

Speaking of pretty fast. No surprise really, after seeing how empty the place was. I guess the new owners couldn't pull it off. Too bad the place couldn't gain any traction. I drove past and noticed an auction sign and a couple of days later, the place looks abandoned.

I'm wondering what happened to Happy Family?

4611 Mercury St
San Diego, CA 92111

Is Voltero's Closed?:

I'd driven past a couple of times and the place looked closed so I stopped by earlier in the week.

This former Balboa Avenue institution moved to this location back in the summer of 2013. It's too bad that the renovation and creation of chain restaurant hell drove them from their old location and it seems that they barely made it past a year here. Though never a destination for me, I'd eaten at the old location a couple of times and thought it decent.......

So hopefully I'm mistaken? But it sure looks like they've shut down....

4344 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

So here comes the "New" Dumpling Inn and Shanghai Saloon:

Hopefully better than the "old" Dumpling Inn, but I doubt it.

While never great shakes, the place really "jumped the shark" in my opinion after the owner got involved with The Dragon's Den and Del Mar Rendezvous, both of which have been sold. So now we get this........ I'm told he has a taste for "fusion", which is great, remember, I'm from the home of Pacific Rim Cuisine, so I love fusion.....but it's a thin line between fusion and "con-fusion".

In the old First Korean Market location.

 4625 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Other stuffs......

We had some much needed rain over the last two weeks........and we're kind of enjoying the nice sleeping weather, which would be great if I wasn't working so many long hours.

Still, I actually saw a double rainbow while driving to Target on the way home yesterday. Pardon the bad photos.

Seeing a rainbow in San Diego is rare enough....a double rainbow, well I don't ever recall seeing one here.

So I took a photo....then took photos of other folks taking photos of the double rainbow.....like I said, this is like an event.

Or maybe a celebrity? This guy is having his picture taken "with" the rainbow! No selfies here....though I did pass two couple taking selfies with the rainbow.

You gotta love it!

I hope you kept dry and safe during the rain!  

Comments

[kat]

pretty rainbow! a rarity here as well! stay dry!

[caninecologne]

Too bad about Hana Mart. With its demise is the 2nd location of Big Joy Bakery. At least they still have their original store.

Loved seeing the double rainbow and the shots of people taking pix as well!

Lastly, Shanghai Saloon? Why am I thinking of that horrible movie with Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan (Shanghai Knights/Shanghai Noon)? Haha

[Kirk]

Thanks Kat!

I know CC.....I feel bad about all the businesses that took the chance with the folks that opened UMart/Hana Mart.

[Soo H]

Cool rainbow!

[Kyle]

You have to google Tosh double rainbow. Hope you didn't have the same reaction.

[Kirk]

It was soo....

Oh my Kyle....

[Junichi]

Yup looks like Voltero's is closed.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/volteros-pizza-san-diego-2

They had good cheesesteaks and calzones. I guess it's back to Rosa's Pizza if I'm craving pizza in the Convoy area.

[Kirk]

That's too bad Junichi. I thoguht their cheesesteaks were a good value and better than other versions in the area. I hoep they find another situation that works for them.