Lunch Revisits: Pho Paradise and Yakyudori Ramen and Yakitori

After having the hottest October on record, we've kind of settled into milder weather. Which means pho and ramen can be shoe horned back into lunch.

Pho Paradise:

** Note: Pho Paradise has closed

When Pho Paradise first opened, I thought it had some potential, even thinking that we'd finally get some decent Pho on Convoy. Even though my follow-up visit wasn't quite as good, I still believed they might have been the best pho in the area. So now, over six months later, I was wondering how things would be.

I started with the chicken wings, which looked very pale.

This wasn't too bad, the wings were fairly light and crisp, though sogginess set in rather quickly. A bit too much MSG for my taste, with that strange very salty edging on sweet taste and tongue sensation.

The pho was a disappointing.

This reminded me of the stuff Pho T Cali puts out. Barely any flavors other than being very salty with a very mild hint in the background. It was much too low in fat, the noodles, of which there was a healthy amount of, were over cooked, the proteins had no flavor and the tendon was too hard.

Well, at least the basil and bean sprouts were fresh, right?

In case you have doubts. Here's a bowl from Pho Paradise back in February.

Sad, huh?

Pho Paradise
3904 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Yakyudori Ramen and Yakitori:

I needed a break from the office one Friday and ran over to Yakyudori for an early lunch before the place got too crowded and the Servers too surly. It had been a while since I'd had lunch here and I went with the Friday combo. Chashu Gohan with a Shoyu Ramen.

The pork and rice came in a medium sized miso soup bowl....lots of rice in this though the chashu was good in comparison to what I'd had recently at Okan during lunch. It was tender, had some flavor, and was lukewarm rather than cold. The corn and bean sprouts added texture....but this was mostly a whole lot of rice.

I hadn't had lunch here in a while so I was surprised at the size of the "mini-ramen"....it was more mini that I recalled.

Not that I needed more carbs, but there were maybe three bites of noodles and I really wanted more soup. Overall, this was a decent bowl, just edging on too salty, but quite satisfying and the noodles were prepped well. I should have just gotten the ramen instead of the lunch special.

Since I did it with Pho Paradise, it's only right I do this here too. Here's what the mini ramen used to look like.

No wonder they give you so much rice now. They need to fill you up somehow.

At least they were a bit nicer here than on my previous visits.

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

Comments

[Sandy]

I haven't had pho in the Kearny Mesa area in forever, and I guess it will stay that way! I noticed a sign for a new pho place on Balboa just before Convoy if you're heading east. Hope springs eternal ...

[Kirk]

Hi Sandy - You mean Char House?
http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/2015/09/saturday-stuffs-coming-soon-char-house-and-green-china-grill-and-one-i-missed-izakaya-52.html
And yes, hope does spring eternal! ;o)

[Jason]

That's too bad, reminds me of the cartons of ice cream nowadays. They just keep making them smaller and smaller while hoping that no one notices.

[Kirk]

Hi Jason - I kind of wish they'd just raise the price a buck or something.....but most folks just want quantity...so heap on the rice!

[Sandy]

Yes, that's the one - I must have missed your post. At Yakyudori, I usually just get the regular ramen over the combinations. I haven't noticed surly servers, but sometimes I can't get their attention (and it's not a large restaurant).

[kat]

:(

[nhbilly]

Sad practice, charge you the same for less. Why not charge a little more for the same serving.

[Kirk]

I've had some rather borderline rude service there in the past Sandy.

Totally Kat.

That seems the MO Billy. I totally agree on the pricing concept Billy.

[Soo @ hungryones]

Bummer about the wings. Can you brush off the msg or is it in the batter?

That is a really mini bowl of ramen. I always go for the full size bowl.

[Junichi]

Convoy must be cursed with regards to pho. Puzzling considering there are good shops in Linda Vista just down the street.

[Kirk]

You're welcome to try it Soo......I think it will be a bit of a challenge and spending your lunch wiping off MSG...doesn't sounds like fun.

I agree Junichi....such an odd thing.