Circling Back to Minh Ky

**** Minh Ky is under new ownership, you can find an updated post here.

This past weekend I decided to head back to Minh Ky....you see, Minh Ky was one of the last places I dined in at before San Diego County made restaurants do takeout or delivery only on March 16th of 2020. For some reason it just seems like a longer period of time to me. Minh Ky which opened back in 2004....even before I started this blog, is one of what I call the "foundation eateries" (along with Pho Hoa, Nhu Y, Hoai Hue, and a couple of others) of this part of City Heights. It is, what my "FOY" Candice would call a "stalwart" of the neighborhood. Serving all comers from the little shop in the strip mall with one of the worst parking lots in San Diego.

I had actually ordered takeout from Minh Ky in December of 2020....they were only doing takeout at that time.

Last week on my way to Phuong Nga (which is still only doing takeout) I noticed that Minh Ky seemed to be doing some good business.

So, I decided to check them out that weekend, nearly two years after that faithful visit. Of course, I'm still a bit cautious, so I made sure to get there right at opening time; which is now 9am.

There was just one guy eating on one other table in the place when I arrived.

I got my "usual" these days, the Beef Sate Egg Noodle Soup "dry" (soup on the side), which is now heading toward the ten dollar mark. Regardless, I couldn't help but smile when my food arrived; for some reason it looked so sparkling and vibrant......you never quite hit this with takeout.

    And it was as good as ever; perhaps even better.......of course time could have something to do with it. But the beef was tender; the slightly pungent-nutty-garlicky sauce, the firm slightly crunchy egg noodles, there was a good amount of tomatoes this time which added a nice acidity. This was just like old times.

And you know what else was like old times? Well, the crowd of customers coming in, the family of 8 sitting near the window, the three young ladies....college students laughing and carrying on while slurping their noodles, the two strangers, sharing a table since the place was now full....one of the gentleman had a Burberry Messenger Bag....he would have made the Missus envious. Yes, this was the "old" Minh Ky....a place where everyone can eat decent food at a decent price.

I recall "FOY" Red Devil saying in the comments of my post in April of 2020 - "If they reopen restaurants, will people go?" And I guess if it's a place like Mink Ky, they will.

But then there was the "new" me.......tainted by the pandemic....I started feeling a bit uncomfortable seeing all of these people in one small space. I needed to leave as soon as I finished things up. These "old - new" habits are taking a while to overcome I guess.

And as happy as I was seeing Minh Ky doing great business and even with the remaining Covid trappings (plexiglass/staff still wears masks), I realized that it's going to take a while for me to adjust to things. I'm just hoping that I'll be able to have that time and we don't regress....

Minh Ky Restaurant
4644 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92115

So, how have you been dealing with our reemergence from Covid?

Comments

[Jason]

Glad it hit the spot! The good thing as we all adjust is that both options are still avaialable... restaurants still support takeout heavily but you can dine in as well. Glad to see these restaurants still around and hopefully going strong.

[Kirk]

Yes, I was really happy to see Minh Ky is doing well Jason! As I hope you are too!

[Matthew]

Kirk,

Your observations and reflections on dining in the Covid-era are so poignant and relatable. As I begin dining out more and more and seeing life return to some semblance of normal, I find myself feeling "tainted" in that same way, not fully feeling at ease in places that are home to many happy pre-pandemic memories. Hopefully time will grant us that peace of mind once again. Great post as usual on a time tested favorite. Yesterday's Quick Look was great too, I'm looking forward to trying Wolf in the Woods some time soon!

[Junichi]

I've gone to Minh Ky a few times during covid. Always try to get there early before the crowds.

[Soo]

Mmm... I'll have to visit again. 9am sounds like a good time to go.

[Joy]

I've slowly been working my way through the menu here. Great place, I can easily see a few things here becoming 'faves'. Usually very crowded, and you're not kidding about the parking.

[kat]

glad it didn’t disappoint

[Kirk]

Thanks so much Matthew....you know after the past two years there's so much mixed feelings and emotions about simply eating out. I hope all is well.

That is a good strategy Junichi!

It is an excellent time to visit Soo. Especially if you want to find parking.

I always crack up at that one lane of parking that doesn't have an exit Joy! It cracks me up. And yes, Minh Ky is one of those "foundation" eateries in the area.

Me too Kat!

[RedDevil]

Great post! Love reading about places I can tell you really enjoy. We are slowly dipping our toes back into restaurants, but I feel like most people are back to their pre CV routines, which is probably a good thing for restaurants.

[Kirk]

It does seem like folks are making up for lost time in some sense RD!