Noodling Around - Revisits to Menya Ultra and Pho T Cali

Just noodling around on this Saturday:

Menya Ultra Ramen:

I actually went back a couple of days after my first visit. There was no line, all the customers were Japanese and I got the Chashu Ramen.

The chashu while well flavored and moist, was just too much of a good thing and I left quite full. Still, the noodles were again perfect, just the right amount of pull with a bit of pull, nice and slippery, and a good vehicle for the collagen in the broth, which was, like my previous visit, a solid tonkotsu.

About two weeks later, I found out my haircut guy was working relatively close by and having read about the crowds in the comments on my post....I was curious. I got there at 1045...and no kidding; there were over 30 people waiting in line.

I'm usually not one to wait in line; but I was curious if this new popularity would change anything about the ramen at Ultra. So I put my name on the list....and waited about 30 minutes to get in.

I went with the Ajitama Ramen with an extra egg.

While the noodles were still perfect for my taste and the boiled egg was much better.....lukewarm instead of cold and not as "cooked". There were several things I noticed. The broth had less of a fragrance and indeed, while being fairly mild and nuanced before, was much less rich....more fatty, but lacking in the real noodle coating capacity. It was still good....just not quite as good as my previous two visits.

I'll wait a few months before going back. It'll be interesting to see how things progress. I think it's still the best straight up tonkotsu in San Diego.

Menya Ultra Ramen
8199 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho T Cali:

In my Pho Duyen Mai "dem bones" post; I mentioned being told that the prices at Pho T Cali had gone up quite a bit. While Pho T Cali has never been a favorite of mine, I recall the prices being fairly reasonable. I think it was still under seven bucks when I declared it "aw pho".

Pho T Cali is basically within walking distance from my office.....but of course my previous experiences kind of keep me away....but I just had to see......had it really hit the "ten dollar pho" category?

Upon arriving and having the menu handed to me....I saw...yes indeed, the dac biet was now $9.95.

So for ten bucks I got this.

The broth had almost no color and had a strong onion taste. It looked like dishwater. While the texture of the tripe was good, it had a strange aftertaste; the tendon was decent though. The portion of noodles was quite large and adequately prepared.

The serving of sprouts and such was paltry to say the least.

I think this is why I saw folks (I was the only Asian in the place) dumping in loads of Hoisin and Sriracha into their pho.

On a rather amusing note; a few days later I received an email from "AlanH" regarding Pho T Cali....I'm hoping you won't mind me using a few excerpts Alan? Some of the, ahem, "highlites" of his email were....

"A -small- Pho "Chin" is now $8.95 (I almost walked out at that point, but was too hungry for Pho)"

"They have totally dumbed and stripped down the menu, which should have been my first warning sign...They have gone to the all photo model with a bit of basic text with prices. "

"The "herbal accessory plate" was its usual mediocre affair, but the basil was even more paltry and under-developed than usual (if the basil was human it would have needed a wheelchair)."

"As they do not serve / have Ngo Gai, I asked for a small portion / bowl of cilantro...THEY WERE OUT OF F'ING CILANTRO!!!!!" " Is there a cilantro shortage I was not aware of?"

"I just paid $11.00 (with tip) for a mediocre -at best- bowl of Pho.  Is this   Manhattan?  No, this is not Manhattan......Manhattan would have had cilantro....."

All I can say Alan is...."I feel (or ate...or something like that) your pain".

Pho T Cali
7351 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

This has me wondering....in a very twisted way; if I were to think the Pho at Pho Mignon is still worse than this.

Comments

[TFD]

Not sure when you came here but I came to MUR 2 weeks ago and I don't think I'll come back for awhile. Came at 11 and there was a line just like in your picture. Waited for a long time with 2 wiggly kids. Noodles were good but the soup was so fatty-I felt like I was going to throw up. Took me the whole day to detox the fat out of my system. Chicken dish was good though. They're very attentive.

Pho T-cilantro shortage? bwahahaha. That's like Sab-E-Lee(next to Thuan Phat) with that chili pepper shortage. Mr. C was shocked. LOL

[kat]

bummer about that pho place :(

[Kirk]

Well TFD - This is typical tonkotsu paitan....so perhaps you'd better stay away.

At least they're consistent Kat!

[Sandy]

Tried to go to Menya on a Saturday night (I know, what was I thinking!), but the wait was too long. I haven't been to Pho T Cali in years, and doubt that I'll go anytime soon :-) I did see a sign somewhere about the rising prices of cilantro, but still.

FYI - Cali Baguette in Mira Mesa looks like it's expanding. Mama Testa is gone, and there are signs for Cali Baguette at this location. I'm not surprised that Mama Testa is gone; it was always empty when I was there, and there are two, less expensive taco shops nearby.

[SageOlson]

“I was the only Asian in the place”

Abort! Abort!

Man, Pho T Cali was the first place I ever had pho, about a decade ago. Pretty sure the large dac biet was in the $6 range back then.

[Derek]

I've had surprisingly good and horrible pho at Pho T Cali though $10 for a dac biet is ridiculous.

I haven't been back to Menya since my first two visits (where I walked in and got a spot at the bar without waiting). Drove by there once last week but the line kept me driving. Hopefully things will mellow out in a couple/few weeks.

[nhbilly]

WHAT THE PHO!!!!
When the heck did pho get so $$?

[Cathy]

I started a post about Pho T Cali and deleted it because it was going to not be positive. At all. The redesign is nice, but that's it.

[Kirk]

Sad about Mama Testa Sandy. They just couldn't get any "traction".....good luck with Ultra on a Saturday...sheesh. I hope you get a chance to check them out though!

Lol Sage! That should have been a big warning sign, yeah?

I hope things kind of settle down with Menya Derek. Who's have thounk... $10 pho at T Cali!

Over the last couple of years Billy......crazy $10 pho..... If I'd mentioned that a couple of years back, folks would have laughed.

Hi Cathy - Yeah, that was a pretty bad bowl......and at $10....sheesh.

[RedDevil]

Wow, that's a lot of chashu! Lines have been very long when driving by but will try it eventually.

Sad to see Mama Testa gone in MM. In better news, Tasty Pot and Little sheep are now both open in MM. Little sheep tasted the same as the KM location with less of a wait.

[Kirk]

Good to know RD.....yes, that line is crazy right now.

[Mani Vidar]

Officer Kirk!

Ultra Ramen is next on my list. Nice post, and you were not even star struck this time!

[LL]

Wow, the ramen still sounds as good as our initial visit a few weeks ago. The only thing we did not enjoy was that the entire restaurant reeked of hookah smoke from the adjacent lounge. It felt as if we were still in an izakaya in Japan; smelling the part afterwards. Was that still an issue during your latest visits?

[Junichi]

Pho T Cali. The first place I had pho years ago. But I won't be going there for sure. Had Pho Hoa in City Heights the other day. Still solid. Menya Ultra lines have kept me away since my initial visit.