Finally, my post on the new Pho Hiep & Grill. The first time TC and I went there about one month ago, they had been open for aobut 3 weeks. I'd say they're about 2 months in now. This is located in the Vons Shopping Center on Telegraph Canyon road, near the 805 freeway exit. This is right next to a nondescript Chinese restaurant. For our first trip there, I was camera-less. I figured I would go again later that month. This is a combination of the last two visits...
The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the decor. None of that faux green marble tabletop stuff going on. No Four Seasons jade carvings. The interior is quite modern with a combination of booth and table seating. When you first walk in, there is a huge sheet of glass with water cascading down the front. It's quite mesmerizing. The wood is dark cherry and there were really cool paper lanterns hung over the cashier's area. The owner is Kevin (didn't catch his last name) and for our first visit, he was greeting everyone at all of the tables.
Below the pony wall is the Buddha with food offerings (not pictured).
Here's the water fountain. On the left is a handcarved wooden screen. It reminds me of something I once saw at my grandparents' house in the Philippines.
Sorry this is dark. We were seated in a booth and it was rather dark.
Almost all of the times I'd been there, I've spotted someone I know. One guy said he had been there multiple times already. Another couple was there for their first time. Everytime I've gone there, I notice the same staff as well. There is an older man and woman, the owner and his wife and his servers. One of them has really long, wispy sideburns, like an anime character.
One thing about their menu is that their prices are a tiny bit more steeper than the one's you see on Convoy or University Avenue. I guess the rent's more expensive down here in East Chula Vista. Pho is about $6 for a small. Gulp.
TC's favorite - the goi cuon. It was #3.95 for 2 pieces. Instead of just lying flat on the plate, they slice it on the bias and lean it against the dipping sauce.
On of the visits, I had bun with char grilled shrimp and egg roll. This was really good. I overheard Kevn telling a woman at another booth (she ordered the same thing) that the proper way to eat bun was to mix in the fish sauce with the noodles. She had been eating it plain and wasn't sure what the sauce was for. Kevin skipped giving me advice since he saw that my fish sauce bowl was empty! They don't top their bun off with crispy pork fat though they did have a crispy garlic (or was that a shallot) slice.
Bert, being on his no-meat kick, got the com tam (broken rice) with char grilled shrimp. It came with a few pieces of romain lettuce and slices of tomato and cucumber. He shared some of this food with TC who had the pho from the "child" menu.
The inside of my pork egg roll. I was kind of leery because the interior was pinkish and this was pork. It tasted cooked and okay to me. It's been more than a week and I haven't keeled over yet so I guess it was all right. I hope I don't end up with tapeworm. Just kidding.
This was one of the biggest disappointments I have ever encountered. This is their version of "Child's Pho". Notice anything missing? No sliced white onions or green onions and no garnish plate. I discussed this with Lotus and she reasoned that perhaps the restaurant figured most kids don't like onions or greenery in their soup. Understood, but I hate to see dumbed down soup. I asked the waitress to bring the garnish plate which she did - it consisted of a slice of lime, one sprig of basil and a small handful of beansprouts, which I promptly put into my daughter's soup. When she has pho from our regular places, it's not plain like this.
I think this is from our dinner visit - the fried egg rolls. I noticed that the egg rolls were on the smallish side and that they shared the plate with the greens. The lettuce slices were also cut in half and there was only one sprig of mint and no cilantro at all. At other Vietnamese places, the greens come on their plate and there is a lot more than this. And we usually polish off the greens and herbs. That's one of the reasons why I like Vietnamese food so much is because it's fresh and healthy (well, not if you eat the fried egg rolls). I like the mixture of sweet, sour, crunchy, salty and hot and cold foods.
Here I am trying to doctor up my daughter's soup. The broth wasn't so great either. It was a bit thin and not really beefy tasting. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking this place based on the pho alone. I enjoyed my bun both times I've ordered it and the service is pretty good. The workers are helpful and friendly and the owner, Kevin is a very personable man. He and his wife worked quite hard to make this restaurant happen and it's nice to have an alternative to all the other places down here in Chula Vista. If we don't feel like driving up to the Kearny Mesa or University Heights area, at least we know we can go to Pho Hiep & Grill.
I just realized I posted another photo of bun with chargrilled shrimp and eggroll. Ooops.
This was Bert's bun with chargrilled shrimp and chicken (this was before Lent).
Again, a better alternative to the other Vietnamese place in Eastlake, Pho Vien Dong. Nicer decor, better service and better food. The prices are about the same but the service here makes the difference.
The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the decor. None of that faux green marble tabletop stuff going on. No Four Seasons jade carvings. The interior is quite modern with a combination of booth and table seating. When you first walk in, there is a huge sheet of glass with water cascading down the front. It's quite mesmerizing. The wood is dark cherry and there were really cool paper lanterns hung over the cashier's area. The owner is Kevin (didn't catch his last name) and for our first visit, he was greeting everyone at all of the tables.
Below the pony wall is the Buddha with food offerings (not pictured).
Here's the water fountain. On the left is a handcarved wooden screen. It reminds me of something I once saw at my grandparents' house in the Philippines.
Sorry this is dark. We were seated in a booth and it was rather dark.
Almost all of the times I'd been there, I've spotted someone I know. One guy said he had been there multiple times already. Another couple was there for their first time. Everytime I've gone there, I notice the same staff as well. There is an older man and woman, the owner and his wife and his servers. One of them has really long, wispy sideburns, like an anime character.
One thing about their menu is that their prices are a tiny bit more steeper than the one's you see on Convoy or University Avenue. I guess the rent's more expensive down here in East Chula Vista. Pho is about $6 for a small. Gulp.
TC's favorite - the goi cuon. It was #3.95 for 2 pieces. Instead of just lying flat on the plate, they slice it on the bias and lean it against the dipping sauce.
On of the visits, I had bun with char grilled shrimp and egg roll. This was really good. I overheard Kevn telling a woman at another booth (she ordered the same thing) that the proper way to eat bun was to mix in the fish sauce with the noodles. She had been eating it plain and wasn't sure what the sauce was for. Kevin skipped giving me advice since he saw that my fish sauce bowl was empty! They don't top their bun off with crispy pork fat though they did have a crispy garlic (or was that a shallot) slice.
Bert, being on his no-meat kick, got the com tam (broken rice) with char grilled shrimp. It came with a few pieces of romain lettuce and slices of tomato and cucumber. He shared some of this food with TC who had the pho from the "child" menu.
The inside of my pork egg roll. I was kind of leery because the interior was pinkish and this was pork. It tasted cooked and okay to me. It's been more than a week and I haven't keeled over yet so I guess it was all right. I hope I don't end up with tapeworm. Just kidding.
This was one of the biggest disappointments I have ever encountered. This is their version of "Child's Pho". Notice anything missing? No sliced white onions or green onions and no garnish plate. I discussed this with Lotus and she reasoned that perhaps the restaurant figured most kids don't like onions or greenery in their soup. Understood, but I hate to see dumbed down soup. I asked the waitress to bring the garnish plate which she did - it consisted of a slice of lime, one sprig of basil and a small handful of beansprouts, which I promptly put into my daughter's soup. When she has pho from our regular places, it's not plain like this.
I think this is from our dinner visit - the fried egg rolls. I noticed that the egg rolls were on the smallish side and that they shared the plate with the greens. The lettuce slices were also cut in half and there was only one sprig of mint and no cilantro at all. At other Vietnamese places, the greens come on their plate and there is a lot more than this. And we usually polish off the greens and herbs. That's one of the reasons why I like Vietnamese food so much is because it's fresh and healthy (well, not if you eat the fried egg rolls). I like the mixture of sweet, sour, crunchy, salty and hot and cold foods.
Here I am trying to doctor up my daughter's soup. The broth wasn't so great either. It was a bit thin and not really beefy tasting. Don't get me wrong, I am not knocking this place based on the pho alone. I enjoyed my bun both times I've ordered it and the service is pretty good. The workers are helpful and friendly and the owner, Kevin is a very personable man. He and his wife worked quite hard to make this restaurant happen and it's nice to have an alternative to all the other places down here in Chula Vista. If we don't feel like driving up to the Kearny Mesa or University Heights area, at least we know we can go to Pho Hiep & Grill.
I just realized I posted another photo of bun with chargrilled shrimp and eggroll. Ooops.
This was Bert's bun with chargrilled shrimp and chicken (this was before Lent).
Again, a better alternative to the other Vietnamese place in Eastlake, Pho Vien Dong. Nicer decor, better service and better food. The prices are about the same but the service here makes the difference. 
2 comments:
Hey CC - Just for comparisons sake, have you ever tried the original location in Linda Vista....they're pretty good, so I was wondering how they compare.
no. this just shows you how uniformed i am, i didn't know there was an original location. i should try that out next
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