We visited my friend La Ley to give her some tomatoes from our garden (beefsteak, roma and cherry!). For lunch, I thought we would try a restaurant she and her sister likes...
It is called Dragon Express on E Street, next to a very groovy looking grocery store (Foodland). The strip mall is a bit on the weathered side but looks are not everything for us...
Dragon Express served both Vietnamese and Chinese food. TC and I were both craving Vietnamese (but she ended up getting a Chinese combo lunch).
It was rather busy there and you can either go up to the counter and order your food (the Chinese food has a steam tray selection) or you can have a seat and order from their menu. Service here was friendly and quick.
Their tables had this design on them...
We happened to sit underneath the flat screen TV...
Their menu had both a Chinese side and a Vietnamese side.
I noticed that they had a half order of the VN egg rolls with lettuce and mint for $4.25 for 3. If you want six, it's $6.25. However, if you want just six eggs rolls with NO lettuce and mint, it's $3.75. Heh!? WTF. So, it's $2.50 extra for just two lettuce leaves and a sprig of mint? I didn't even think about that until later when I got home and was scrolling through my photos. I guess if you just want to eat the rolls without the greenery, that is the WAY BETTER DEAL.
Our lunch that day - TC's one item combo (fried rice and orange chicken) + spring rolls and my half order of fried rolls with an egg banh mi.
There was no egg banh mi on their menu but when I asked our server if they could make it, he said they could make it for me. The bread was the same type we had at Van Hoa, a more rounder and shorter loaf and with a nice crackly top and fluffy interior. The fillings were on point except that the egg was rather bland. They did not put any Maggi sauce on it, which makes a big difference. The egg was also fluffy (I like it fried over hard, like at THH in Tustin; but I'm not complaining since they made this off menu for me). The egg texture was "too soft".
Stickers on their bathroom mirror.
I thought I could get out of the parking lot through the back and when doing so, noticed this awesome mural on their back wall!
It totally reminded me of Kevin Arnold's car, when he worked as a Chinese food delivery driver at Chong's Express (Wonder Years reference).
Dragon Express
678 E St.
Chula Vista, CA 91910
(619) 427-2111
www.dragonexpresschulavista.com + reviews from that four lettered site & tripadvisor
We'll have to take Bert here next time to try more of their VN dishes (if you can't tell, I've been on an egg banh mi kick lately, but their version wasn't that great). I believe that, with the exception of one other VN place (Otay Lake Pho, which I heard sucks), I have now been to EVERY Vietnamese restaurant in the South Bay (as in south of the 54; National City doesn't count for me). I'll have to do a compilation post as I do have my favorites and also places to avoid.
2 comments:
I’d get the egg rolls and then go buy my own mint! haha! Actually mint loves growing in our backyard so I’d just go pick a few leaves. Crazy they charge that much for lettuce and mint… weird.
No kidding man. Seriously. Bring your own mint and lettuce. Gosh. I wish I caught that before I ordered it.
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