We've had bad luck the past few times we tried going here but then again, those were Friday nights. KD told us about this new Thai vegetarian place a couple of months ago when they first opened. We were curious and wanted to visit
It was much better going during lunch on a dead week day. Plumeria is a few doors down from Rosie Lee's, a cute shop that sells imported items from England.
I loved the decor here - blingy chandeliers, a calming color scheme (plums, lavenders and grays, and dark and weathered woods - seen in the floral wall photo), and swirly painted floors.
The showstopper is this fantastic wall with a gorgeous floral print!
Every table had these beautiful mini floral arrangements. Ours looked so real, but it was actually plastic, but not that really fake obvious kind. I had to touch the succulent to make sure it was real or not. I noticed that all of the arrangements were different as well.
We chose one appetizer, one salad and one entree. You may also see their menu online here
I got one of the salads...
while TC got a noodle dish (I'm sure you can guess which one)...
We were given a mini salad while waiting for our lunch. The dressing was a light ginger soy mixture with a ton of white and black sesame seeds. Have you ever looked at your teeth after eating something with black sesame seeds? It's a lovely sight to see. Make sure to bring a toothpick, yo!
Our lunch (part 1). I have to say that the white dishware they used was a unique leaflike shape. Very different. The oval salad bowl was angled as well, but it is not noticeable in this overhead shot. Points for presentation!
Our appetizer - the Flower Cups, which were filled with tofu and lightly spiced potatoes, peas, and carrots (tasted like curry). The cups were served with a tiny dish of cucumber relish. I feel the cups would have tasted better with some sort of sweet and sour sauce. The relish was refreshing but just added more "chunkage" to the cups. The cups were crisp and sturdy. They didn't crumble after taking a bite.
This was my strategy. Eat "light" over here and have something else small at another place I was eager to visit a few doors down. My daughter just rolled her eyes at my M.O. Anyhow, this was the Thai Salad with peanut dressing. It was presented so beautifully and with strips of fried wontons for crunch. I liked how they fanned out the cucumber and tomato slices. For one dollar more, you could also add a boiled egg to this.
If you guessed Pad Thai for TC's pick, then you guessed right. This is her "go-to" dish at most of the Thai places we go to. Since this was a vegetarian restaurant, you have a choice of having this with either vegetables, tofu, or the "mock meat" of your choice. In this case, she chose the "mock chicken". The portion was just right for the both of us.
A closer look at the flower cup filling and the mock chicken, which really did look like chicken. It was a bit more "spongy" and "chewier" than real chicken. It almost tasted like chicken too! I wasn't a fan of it, but TC liked it. She felt that the noodles could have used more sauce. I had some of her noodles and found them to be sauced just right.
One of their blinged out chandeliers...
Service was attentive and efficient here. During my brief chat with our server, I found that the restaurant opened three months ago. She asked if I was a vegetarian (I'm not) and seemed to really want to know how we enjoyed the food. She said it was much nicer to come during lunch where you can enjoy the ambiance and decor in natural light. I'm sure it looks fab at night as well but it was too much of a hassle to do dinner here. I'm glad we went and I hope to bring Bert along next time!
Plumeria
4661 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA
(619) 269-9989
www.myplumeria.com
Recent reviews:
Everyday Eats - Plumeria's Spicy Noodles - San Diego Magazine
Plumeria - New vegetarian restau in University Heights - SD Reader
Part two of our lunch was up next just a few doors down...
2 comments:
I love that you are introducing TC to your eating strategy early. She will be an expert by the time she grows up! I want to try this place just because of the name and decor. Sounds so pretty!
Haha, she thinks I'm so wierd but she's used to our method already. I try to maximize opportunities to try different places and foods wherever we go...
i think you would like this place. Go when it's not crowded...the decor is beautiful and you can tell that they take great care in making sure the food not only looks good but tastes good.
if i had to redecorate my house and bathroom, i would use their color scheme and decor/style!
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