Soup Weather Returns: Revisits to Mien Trung, Pho Paradise, and Pho Nhu Y

We just got back from an overdue visit to Portland over the last couple of days. The very busy Cathy was kind enough to cover (as usual) for us. The somewhat ironic thing being, the weather when we returned from Portland, was more like Portland than Portland was....or something like that! Anyway, after feasting on foie gras and bone marrow (posts to come) having some soup was quite nice. So here's where I've been since we got back.

Mien Trung (of course):

Ah yes, any hint of rain means a visit to Mien Trung.

Something I've noticed over the last couple of years. As "Mom" gets older, the broth for the Bun Bo Hue sometimes is rather heavy handed with regards to MSG, or even spiciness. Such was the case on this day....not to say I didn't finish every lemongrass tinged drop of soup.

The Hen Xuc Banh Trang however, was a spicy-peppery-savory joy to devour.

Mien Trung Restaurant
7530 Mesa College Dr
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho Paradise:

**** Pho Paradise has closed

I know, they've just opened and I'm doing a revisit post already.

Call me cynical, but I've been kind of down on pho in Kearny Mesa for a while so when I actually had what I thought was a decent bowl here, I had a hard time believing it wasn't a fluke.

So, on my return, I didn't order the rare steak, which was cut to thick, making it quite dry the last time, and just went with the brisket, flank, etc..... the brisket and flank were dry and tough; but the tendon was quite nice as was the tripe.

Of course, there was the broth.....for me broth is the key. This time it was a bit different; not quite as rich and still a touch too salty. The flavor however was pretty much the same mildly beefy, faint anise, strong shallot-onion. Not bad at all. The noodles were even prepared better this time and there was a more generous (and better quality) amount of herbs and sprouts.

So maybe there's decent pho to be had on Convoy after all.....

Pho Paradise
3904 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho Nhu Y:

**** Pho Nhu Y is now Pho Duyen Mai

The weather had got me craving Bun Mam for some reason. I really didn't feel like heading to City Heights. So I headed over to Pho Nhu Y on Clairemont Mesa, which is run by the original owner of Nhu Y. I even went after the 3pm Bun Mam hour. They had declared Bun Mam off limits until after 3pm as to not offend their gringo lunch crowd. Anyway, I found, much to my disappointment that Bun Mam is no longer offered. Bummer....... So what to order? Heck, wanting some noodle soup, I went with the Bun Rieu ($8.75).

The bowl arrived scalding hot....and the positives stopped there. The soup was tasted like pho broth with a touch of tomato and a tiny bit of seafood flavor, but not enough to make it proper bun rieu. There were little crumbs of a meat paste which had no flavor...this was mainly cha lua and fried tofu. I call this "shadow soup"...where a noodle soup; like Bun Bo Hue/Bun Rieu/Bun Mang Vit is made to barely reference the true flavors.

Well....at least I wouldn't be "offending customers" right? I know this place can do better....

Pho Nhu Y Vietnamese Grill
5375 Kearny Villa Rd
San Diego, CA 92123

And finally:

So I've got a kind of new reader....I think. At least the person has been emailing me.....very entertaining emails......telling me I really don't "represent" what true San Diegans eat, or want to eat. Which perhaps is the point of the blog, right? Anyway, I got sent some photos of what, according to this reader, "real San Diegans" eat. And was asked why I don't post on stuff like that....... Great thing is, I can just use the photo sent to me:

Hot Dog....mmmmm. I actually enjoy hot dogs. Heck, I have a whole category devoted to them. Still, perhaps not this one; though it's a good bargain (much better when it was Hebrew National)....maybe one day, never say never, after all, I've had worse at Costco. Still, this makes me chuckle because it reminds me of my good FOY's (Friend of Yoso)   "Xiang Jiao" (you can see her here taking a cleaver to a whole roasted pig we snuck into a karaoke room - as if you could really sneak a whole pig into one) road trip with "friends"....very frugal friends, who insisted on eating at every Costco they could find (they had it mapped out) along the way. Personally "XJ" is too sweet and patient....I would have mutinied....friendships would have been ended and blood (perhaps mine) would have been shed. But that's just me.......

Comments

[J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats]

Ha those emails seem odd...and I'd like to think that San Diegans want to eat something a tad more appetizing than such a forlorn looking hot dog. I mean you can always do review posts on Costco hotdogs but I think 95% of people already know what it tastes like.

[Jason]

Sounds like you're being trolled by someone who couldn't even properly dress his costco hotdog. But be assured, the rest of us appreciate your take on San Diego cuisine.

[kat]

yikes! as to what that person thinks people in SD eat...

[Kirk]

Hi JS - I was strangely surprised that the emails included photos.....of Cosstco pizza and hot dogs! And Rubio's....

Hi Jason - That was strangely funny and not funny at the same time.....says a lot about what some folks eat.

Totally yikes Kat!

[jack]

Very funny....(or not?) You are a good man Kirk, which I think most of us know

[Kirk]

Hey Jack - Kind of funny....I think. At least he/she was nice enoguh to let me use the photo, right?

[Cathy]

Great. You get that comment and I get one that starts out with "I honestly don't think that many of us come to this blog to read about fast food items. Do we really want to hear about this?" when I write my own version of a COMC for Labor Day weekend...we just can't win. But we can keep playing!

[Soo H]

I'm gonna keep coming here to find drool worthy food to eat in San Diego. I don't mind seeing a Costco or Rubio's review but the blog wouldn't be that interesting if those are the only places the blogger eats at...

[Kirk]

No, you can never win Cathy......

Hi Soo - You should see some of the rather odd emails I get. And yet, there are folks who only "trust" chains. Go figure....

[Junichi]

Ha. I went to Mien Trung last night for a bowl of Mi Quang. Food was excellent as usual.

Many people are easily freaked out when things are outside of their comfort zone. Just keep doing what you do! Although when the best of SD listed Viejas for Pho I couldn't stop laughing.

[Kirk]

Every so often I get some of these rather odd emails Junichi. BTW, if you want Mi Quang made with tumeric noodles, try DaNang....I've had Mi Qunag made that way there.

[Mary]

What's a true San Diegan, anyway? Someone who was born here, or someone who has lived here at least a year? Hard to say, really, but there's more to life than hot dogs and Rubio's! He should have at least taken the photo next to a sunset or something.

[Kirk]

Hi Mary - Strange and funny.....in somewhat of uncomfortable way, huh?