Kettner Exchange

The kids really are beginning to enjoy any restaurant that features share plates.  The variety of good eats makes the meal much more interesting and diverse.  From tapas to dim sum to izakaya, they love taking bites of every dish.  So when I was deciding where to eat for dinner in San Diego, especially in Little Italy, Kettner Exchange shot to the top of the list.  Featuring progressive Westcoast cuisine with Asian influences, Executive Chef Brian Redzikowski isn't afraid to take some risks.  Add in a lovely dining space that has an outdoor spot with views of the harbor, Kettner Exchange offered up everything we wanted in a dinner reservation.

We started off with the Hot Oil Seared Salmon with soy, sesame, crispy sunchokes and shiitake.  One taste and this brought back memories of my childhood where my dad would pour hot oil and sweetened soy atop steamed fish.  In this case, it was buttery salmon belly that was only lightly scored on the top by the hot oil.  Classic ginger and scallion flavors permeated the soy/oil mixture.  Adding texture to the dish was the ample amount of crunchy sunchoke chips.

Also quite tasty was the Baja Blue Fin Tuna Belly Sashimi with crushed avocado, radish and kaffir-soy.  Sliced into small strips, the tuna belly was buttery and had the natural sweetness of the sea.  It was nicely accented by the tangy kaffir soy that was not overly salty.  The fresh avocado was creamy and soaked up some of the soy.  The addition of sliced radish was not merely a garnish as it added the necessary crunch to an otherwise soft-textured dish.

Continuing on with raw fish, we had the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice with radish, cilantro, scallion, spicy mayo and eel sauce.  Sometimes, this type of dish can be unappealing since the rice is either too thick or not crunchy enough.  Well, this was prepared perfectly with just enough chewy sushi rice that featured a crispy exterior.  It did not fall apart even after it was cut into quarters.  On the top, there was a balanced layer of buttery tuna that was just spicy enough for a kick without going overboard.  The addition of unagi sauce added some sweet tang to the dish.

Now the Caesar "Twinkie" was something I was not expecting.  I must give it to them for being creative as they stuffed a large crouton cube with creamy caesar dressing, parmigiano-reggiano, romaine hearts and girl & dug kale.  This was a polarizing dish as the kids were pretty indifferent about it.  For me, I thought it was something different and completely out-of-left-field.  Sure, the crouton was a bit greasy, but it was crunchy with a super soft center (like a Twinkie) and the dressing was delicious.  My only wish is to have less dressing as it was a bit overwhelming.

Up next, the Whipped Buttermilk Ricotta was pretty yummy with balsamic glaze, olive oil, dill, tarragon, lava salt and charred bread.  As much as this didn't seem like the most interesting dish, it turned out to be one of our favorites.  Texturally, the ricotta was creamy and light while blessed with the charcoal saltiness of the lava salt.  Extra richness was provided by the EVOO as well as the sweet balsamic glaze.  Some understated flavor was thanks to the sprigs of dill and tarragon leaves strewn throughout.  The star of the show was the smoky and nutty charred bread.  We had to ask for more since the 2 strips was not nearly enough.

One dish that was not a fan-favorite was the Roasted Chinese Eggplant with Moroccan spice, bulgar, pine nuts and lemon yogurt.  As much as the Moroccan spice was very much at the forefront with its tangy and earthy flavors, the actual texture of the eggplant was a bit too stiff.  If it was only a bit softer with a less chewy exterior, it would've been a better dish.

Although I would've chose a different noodle other than spaghetti, the Hot & Spicy Garlic Noodles with Maine lobster, broccoli, cilantro and scallions was still very good.  It featured al dente noodles that were bathed in just enough "sauce" to create impactful flavors.  This included a bit of numbing spice to go along with garlic and the saltiness of soy.  I liked how there wasn't too much moisture to completely soak the noodles.  There was also no shortage of lobster in the dish.  Those nuggets were sweet and full of lobster aroma as well as exhibiting the classic rebound texture.

Impressively large and served in a cast iron dish, the Duck Meatball was topped with a parmesan cracker sitting atop Anson Mills grits and an heirloom tomato sauce.  Wasn't expecting as gigantic of a meatball, but it turned out to be great as it was very moist and meaty.  Loved that it was not dense and almost crumbly (but not actually crumbly).  The meat was tender and had a very ducky flavor to it.  The intense tanginess of the tomato sauce added plenty of zip and brightness to the dish.  It melded well with the creaminess of the grits.

Onto our larger items, the Niman Ranch Pork Chop was a huge and double-cut.  It was perfectly prepared being just barely cooked-through. Hence, it was juicy and tender with plenty of natural pork essence.  It was covered in a Peruvian sauce that had some spice and was tangy.  Loved the chunky hybrid-mashed potatoes on the side.  Lots of texture and it was well-seasoned.  As much as it was only a side, the brussels sprouts were cooked through while still crunchy (if not a bit salty).  Roasted carrots were sweet and had great bite.

Possibly the best dish of the night was also the last one - Grilled Mary's Chicken with black urfa chilli, pickled red onion and Scintilla Farms pea tendrils.  Deboned and flattened, the double chicken breast (with drumettes) was super moist and tender.  It was well-seasoned and featured nicely charred and somewhat rendered skin.  As you can tell, the meal at Kettner Exchange was solid and enjoyable.  Love the Asian influences done right.  Service was on point and can't beat the rooftop.

The Good:
- Asian influences done right
- Well-prepared food
- On point service

The Bad:
- Share plates mean you will be spending a bit more money, but it was fair
- Taking risks might lead to some misses, but only a few

The Crack Shack

Way back in 2016, Viv and I traveled down to San Diego so we could board our cruise to Mexico.  We dined at Juniper & Ivy, which was delicious and lived up to expectations.  Right next door sat The Crack Shack with its fried chicken staring me in the face.  I didn't have enough appetite to give it a try, but promised myself to do so eventually. We all know that something happened in between then and now, so we have finally made it back to San Diego (with the kids this time).

We ended up going for the Small Flock Meal with 5-piece bone-in jidori fried chicken, 12 nuggets, large fry, classic slaw, 6 biscuits & 2 cookies.  They advertise all-natural chicken without any additives or dyes.  Hence it was quite "natural-tasting".  Chicken was generally juicy and moist with a very crunchy coating.  It had enough seasoning, but the sauce bar helped add even more flavor (more on that later).  Nuggets were all white meat chunks with a thin layer of batter.  They were not juicy, but they weren't dry either.  Fries were crispy and nicely salted.  Didn't like the slaw as it as too wet and dressed.  Veggies were crunchy though with good tang especially from the pickles.  Biscuits were money being buttery and crispy with a soft, fluffy center.  Maple butter was delicious too.  Cookies were light and airy with a crunchy exterior.  It was purposefully sweet.

At the Sauce Bar, one can help themselves from Honey BBQ, Pineapple Mustard, Ranch, Ketchup, Baja Hot Sauce and Sriracha 1000 Islands.  I really enjoyed the mustard as the sweetness from the pineapple balanced the tanginess.  BBQ sauce was pretty sweet.  I personally like the smokier sauces.  That hot sauce was pretty darn spicy where it definitely lingered.  1000 islands did have nice kick from the sriracha but it wasn't too spicy.

We also got the Fried Chicken Oysters which were not oysters if you already know.  These were made popular by the movie Amelie where the father would pick out the chicken "oyster" for his daughter.  It is the small nugget of meat on the back on the chicken attached to the thigh.  These were fried very crispy.  The meat was tender and juicy due to the nature of the meat.  Loved the tartar that went with it.  Creamy and tangy.

Lastly and predictably, I got the Firebird Chicken Sammie which was quite good.  It featured a really large deboned chicken thigh which was super juicy and moist.  The batter was also crunchy and stayed as such even after being sauced.  About that sauce, it had spice, but was flavorful in a smoky kind-of-way.  Loved the ample pickles that added crunch and tang.  Bun was soft, but held up to the wet ingredients.  Loved the sandwich and also thought the fried chicken was pretty good.  Nuggets were a bit stiff due to the use of whole chunks of chicken breast.  Overall a good meal and a really cool spot to hang out.

The Good:
- Crunchy fried chicken
- Loved the firebird sammie
- Plenty of sauces

The Bad:
- Nuggets were a bit stiff and dense

Mr. BBQ

Oh wait.  Mr. BBQ???  Didn't I blog about this already in 2019?  Ah yes, the good times before this thing called Covid-19 existed.  It was so care free...  The memories...  Well that was our epic road trip down the coast and then over to some beautiful National Parks on the way up.  With history repeating itself, we once again drove down the coast in 2022 and instead of parks, we kept close to the urban areas and ate our way back.  But we did repeat at Mr. BBQ in Fullerton because we just love the place.

Unlike last time, we came for lunch and it is a steal at $25.99pp.  Even with traffic, it wasn't that far of a drive from where we were staying. Now I'm not going to compare the place to Park's BBQ because they are just not the same (even though they are both Korean BBQ).  So with that out of the way, let's enjoy all the Banchan we were presented with.  Love their selection and they are very good about refilling them.  All very classic and solid including pickled daikon, kimchi, tofu skin, spicy cucumber, pickled sliced daikon, japchae, stewed potatoes, rice noodle sheets, onion, spicy sprouts, mac salad, marinated sprouts, konjac noodles, potato salad and green salad.

Since the place is AYCE, you will never go away hungry and often, be very stuffed.  We started with some Bulgogi, Teriyaki Chicken and Pork Neck.  Marinated just enough without being too sweet nor salty, the bulgogi was tender with sufficient charring from the grill.  Chicken thighs cooked up nicely and of course were buttery due to being dark meat.  We actually got 2 orders of the pork neck and it was quite meaty and soft.  It was very filling though, so maybe we should've only gotten one order. 

Naturally, the thinly sliced Beef Belly was very fatty.  I would've used the word "marbled", but there was more fat than meat, so let's just go with fatty.  Now a lot of the fat did render on the grill, but it was still super buttery and aromatic.  For the regular USDA Prime Grade Beef Brisket, it was rather lean.  However, since it was sliced razor thin, it was super tender and cooked up real fast.  These were not marinated, so dipping it into the sesame oil and salt was the way to go.

Moving onto some more pork, we had the Miso Marinated Pork Belly as well as the Spicy Garlic Pork Butt.  Oh, that miso pork belly was the bomb.  Being pork belly, it was naturally tender and juicy.  Add in the fermented saltiness of the miso and the flavors really popped.  We got 2 orders of this.  As for the spicy pork butt, it was tender and definitely took on the garlic marinade and did have a nice sweet kick.

Last items we had included the Green Lip Mussels and the Spicy Squid.  Nothing super interesting about the already cooked mussels, but they were large and meaty.  Now for the squid, it was probably one of my favorites.  Loved the chewy snap texture of the squid where the marinade completely penetrated.  Hence, it was spicy and sweet with a touch of the natural squid sweetness coming through.

Even the included dessert was extremely satisfying.  We were given the option of either Chocolate Ice Cream or Rainbow Sherbert.  I just had to be different and had the sherbert.  It was super refreshing after a BBQ meal.  Chocolate ice cream was actually decent being creamy with only a bit of iciness. Again, for AYCE, Mr. BBQ really delivers.  No, it can never compete against the big K-Town spots in L.A., but it isn't trying to.  Great value, more than acceptable meats, lots of banchan and great service.  I think I'll be back when I return to the area.

The Good:
- Meats are surprisingly good
- Good value
- Excellent service

The Bad:
- Can be super busy
- Still think the floors should be less greasy 

 

Fuoco Pizzeria Napoletana

After back-to-back days of Asian food that included Japanese and Vietnamese (as well as some eats from the Anaheim Packing District), we decided to go for Neapolitan pizza out in Fullerton.  Just a quick drive out on N. Harbor Blvd, Fuoco Pizzeria Napoletana was closeby to where we were staying near Disneyland.  Luck would have it, it was a Monday and their Margherita pizza was only $5.00!  Score! Also, with free parking at the back, this was super convenient.

If we had known that the foccacia that came with the Bufala & Burrata was essentially a pizza, we would've ordered differently.  However, that wasn't a big deal as the cheese was fresh including the creamy burrata.  It was accompanied by homemade pesto, fresh arugula and cherry tomatoes.  We added the prosciutto crudo di parma for good measure.  A really nice way to start the meal, but we were already getting full off our appie!

For our pizzas, of course we had the Margherita for the super low price of $5.00 (only on Monday's with a purchase of another pizza).  Although you can barely see it (maybe a bit on the edges), the bottom of the pizza sported nice leoparding.  Hence, there was a smoky nuttiness to the crust.  Most of the crust was crunchy, yet a bit too chewy, while the middle was tender.  I found the tomato sauce to be on the milder side.  Would've liked to see more tang and seasoning.  A good amount of mozzarella was on top, but we wished there was more basil (and that it was not cooked with the pizza).

Moving onto something with some toppings, we had the Funghi e Salsiccia featuring roasted mushrooms and sausage.  So essentially this was a Margherita base with the addition of the toppings.  Hence, all the qualities of the Margherita were present in addition to the woodsiness of the mushrooms as well as the meaty fattiness of the sausage.  Naturally, with these ingredients, the pizza ate more hearty and the center was a bit softer.

Our last pizza was also the grandest in terms of toppings.  The Quattro Salumi with prosciutto cotto, prosciutto crudo, sausage and salame.  No surprise as the base pizza was essentially a margherita once again.  This ate hearty and was a bit saltier due to the meats.  The crust wasn't any soft than the previous one, so it was mostly crispy.  Overall, we thought the pizzas at Fuoco were solid and pricing was reasonable.  Really nice people too.

The Good:
- Solid pizzas
- Well-priced
- Nice people

The Bad:
- Crust was good but maybe a bit too chewy
- Tomato sauce a bit too mild

Anaheim Packing District

We weren't planning on visiting the Anaheim Packing District Food Hall while we were in town, not because we had better things to eat, but we didn't even know about it!  While we were dining with Jess at Playa Provisions, she suggested that we check it out.  That we did... twice!  There is a good selection of eats there and it offers a little of something for everyone.  Best thing of all, most of the food stalls are unique where you won't be finding any big chains setting up shop.

My son didn't need to see what was available because he essentially ordered the first thing he did see!  That would be Zabon Ramen and Rolls.  He got the aptly named Zabon Ramen featuring a chicken and pork broth with soy, chashu, cabbage and fried onion.  He added an egg as well.  The broth was definitely rich as advertised and even a bit greasy.  Not advisable to drink the whole thing.  It wasn't salty, but had good umaminess.  Noodles were al dente and the pork was generally tender with some chewier portions.  Egg was custardy in the middle and nicely seasoned.  He added a California Roll with Salmon for good measure and it was pretty standard.  Rice was chewy being a touch dry.  Good rice-to-ingredient ratio and the amount of salmon was enough.

For myself, I ordered 2 items from 206 BCE including the Sausage Anti-Gravity Noodles.  I know, I know, this looks like a complete gimmick that won't taste good.  Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news (or is it good news?) because this was tasty!  The ample egg noodles were bathed in a delicious garlicky soy butter that was impactful and aromatic.  I couldn't stop eating the al dente noodles! There was plenty of sliced sausage (of the seafood boil variety) hidden underneath.

The other item was the Specialty Pho featuring an entire beef rib, rare beef, meatballs and brisket.  As you can clearly see (sorry for the pun), the broth was clean and clear.  Hence, the flavor was mild and light with only the slightest meatiness and sweetness.  I could pick out some daikon and minor hits of anise.  The amount of meat in this was mind-boggling, especially for the price ($14.00).  I found the meats to be tender and the rib fell off the bone.  Worth the price in my opinion.

My daughter was extremely boring with her choice of the French BLT Sandwich from Le Parfait Paris.  This consisted of brie, lettuce, tomato, turkey, prosciutto, honey and garlic aioli.  Maybe I'm being a bit harsh saying this was boring because brie and prosciutto are higher end sandwich ingredients, but she normally chooses the most complex things!  All-in-all, this was a good sandwich with layers of flavor from salty to sweet.

Viv decided on the Shrimp Pad Thai from the White Elephant.  Although this may not look like a lot of food, it was actually more than enough.  Loved the high wok heat applied to the dish as there was caramelization of flavors as well as evaporating most of the moisture.  In turn, the dish didn't eat wet, but was not dry either.  Good tang from the tamarind balanced off by the palm sugar.  Decent spice too as this was well-balanced and tasty.

On our next visit, I decided to hit up Georgia's Kitchen for the Fried Catfish Po' Boy with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, tartar and garlic mayo on a French roll.  I thought the catfish was nicely prepared being soft and almost flaky.  The cornmeal batter was crunchy and well-spiced.  However, the French roll was a bit dense.  This was a bit much for the amount of catfish and therefore, the fish got lost.  Otherwise, this was generally good.  The side of fries were hot and crispy.

For some inexplicable reason, my daughter once again went for a sandwich. At least this was something I would've considered ordering.  This was the Classic from Black Sheep GCB.  Featuring sharp cheddar and Swiss, the sandwich was simple yet flavorful due to the sharpness.  Bread was evenly grilled with a crispy surface.  She got a side of Scratch-made Tomato Soup on the side for dipping.  It was tangy, yet balanced with nice depth and sweetness.  Perfect match for the grilled cheese she chose.

My son went for the Loco Moco Poutine from The Kroft.  Yes, this looked messy and ate equally messy.  Other than crispy fries, this boasted meatloaf, brown gravy, fried onions, cheese curds, fried egg and ketchup glaze (he omitted the green onions).  In one sense, he enjoyed this as it was super filling and each individual ingredient was prepared well.  However, it became a bit monotonous the more he ate it.  Maybe if there was a smaller portion, it would've been enough.

Viv had probably the most visually unappealing dish in the Chili Cheese Baked Potato also from the Kroft.  I guess it ate better than it looked, but there seemed to be lacking in toppings.  For the size of the potato, there should've been more chili.  About that chili, it was quite good though with spice and tang.  There was also bacon, sour cream, chopped onions and green onion, so the flavors were there, we just needed more of it.

We got something sweet to end things off with some Gelato Pops from the Popbar.  We've actually had these before and although they aren't the best gelato/sorbetto we've ever had, it is portable and serviceable.  We got them all coated in chocolate (with one in sprinkles).  From left to right is pineapple, berry and vanilla.  So these are the places we visited at the Anaheim Packing District.  There are a few more that we didn't get to but looked promising.  If you have wheels and are tired of all the stuff in and around Disneyland, just make the short drive here to get something different.

The Good:
- Nice variety of vendors
- Appealing dining space
- Not too far from the tourist attractions

The Bad:
- Parking is limited
- Place gets a bit warm

Honda-Ya

Trying to keep away from the heavier foods as much as we could, we hit up a Japanese Izakaya in Tustin.  Honda-Ya actually has a few locations, but this one happened to be the closest to us.  It was only a 20-minute drive in rush hour traffic.  We had to get on our horses because the place gets busy and you will be stuck in a lineup as a result.  We were lucky to make it there when seats were still available.  Hence, we could get to our eating right way.  We were planning on heading back to California Adventure afterwards!

Generally, ordering a plate of Gyoza doesn't really seem all that interesting.  However, it serves a purpose and when prepared properly, is rather tasty.  For me at least, the qualities of a good gyoza include a thin dumpling wrapper, elasticity in the dough, tender pork and cabbage filling and a crispy seared bottom.  As evidenced in the picture, all of those characteristics were present.  You'll just have to trust me on the filling part, as you can't see it.

One of my favourite dishes when it comes to Japanese restaurants is Ankimo, or monkfish liver.  This isn't a very complex dish, but for me, it has all the complexities when it comes to flavor.  There is a natural sweetness that definitely exudes the essence of the sea.  Of course, when we are dealing with any type of liver, there is that aftertaste, but for me at least, this one is much more pleasant than land animals.

One of more popular items here is the Sauteed Clams with garlic butter.  Don't let the this dish fool you with its basic preparation.  Consisting of whole live clams, the fresh sweetness and brininess of the clam juice combined with the garlic butter created a delicious broth.  They provided a spoon for a purpose because you should just eat it all!  As for the clams, they were buttery and cooked just enough.

My daughter loves black cod, so there was no doubt we'd order the Gindara marinated in sweet miso.  This was a fairly large piece which was grilled nicely with charring on the outside.  Hence, it was smoky with caramelization.  The fish itself was buttery and flaky just like how black cod should be.  The marinade was sufficient to provide enough fermented salty sweetness without doing overboard.

Tempura isn't the most sexiest item you can order at an Izakaya, but we happen to love it, so we ended up with the Mixed Tempura sporting ebi, sweet potato, zucchini and carrot.  I thought this was pretty good even though the batter appeared to be thick on the ebi.  In fact, it was quite light and crispy.  Vegetables were not overdone, even the zucchini still had a bite.  The batter on those was thin and crunchy. 

 

Even though you can barely see it, rest assured, this was the Salmon Carpaccio with olive oil and yuzu sauce.  On the menu, the onions were on the bottom, but for our plate, they were on the top.  So in addition to the tanginess of the yuzu, there was definitely some influence from the plethora of onions in the form of sharpness.  The salmon itself was not sliced particularly thin, so there was a the slightest of chew beyond the butteriness of the fish.

Plated with the onions on the bottom (so much easier to take a picture of it), the Albacore Tataki was lightly dressed in ponzu sesame soy.  The fish itself was barely seared on the outside, letting the soft freshness of the tuna speak for itself.  It was lightly sweet with hints of the sea.  The pieces were actually rather thick, but that really didn't change things.  Tuna was buttery and the dressing added aromatics and brightness. 

We ordered the obligatory maki sushi with the Rock 'n Roll that sported shrimp, unagi and avocado then deep-fried.  Since this was featured fully-cooked elements, the roll in general was warm throughout.  This consistency in temperature and texture meant this was overall soft, with only some bite from the shrimp.  The warm rice was able to retain some chewiness.  Unlike some fried rolls, the layer of tempura was barely there, so it didn't eat too heavy nor greasy.

Onto another fried item, we had the Hokkaido Potato Croquette.  I'm used to the ones with ground beef and these ones didn't appear to have any (at least the one I ate).  No matter, because it was still delicious.  Soft and creamy, the potatoes were smooth and lightly seasoned.  On the outside, the panko coating was golden brown and crunchy.  It wasn't greasy and ate rather light.  On the side, we found some tonkatsu sauce for dipping.

On the menu, there is a large portion devoted to Yakitori and since we had ordered quite a few dishes already, we only had the appetite for 2 - Bacon Scallop and Pork Belly.  Although cooked right, I found that there could've been a bit more charring.  As a result, the flavors weren't as caramelized as it could've been.  Bacon was a bit flabby but the scallop was buttery.  Pork belly was tender and fatty, yet could've had a better exterior crunch.

We ended off with an order of Atlantic Salmon Sashimi.  Presented in medium-sized slices, the salmon had a nice sheen and appearance.  Unlike the carpaccio we had, we could taste the salmon on its own more.  It was moderately sweet and was soft with a bite.  We actually added this after our original order and it was a nice light way to finish our meal.  Honda-Ya was exactly what we needed since we had some heavier meals upcoming.  Food was good, service was attentive and the prices were reasonable.

The Good:
- Solid eats
- Inexpensive
- Wide variety

The Bad:
- Can get busy, lineups are common
- Chabudai seating is cool, but hard on the legs

Le Kitchen Pho & Rice

Needing to grab some lunch after a morning at California Adventure, we weren't planning on going very far.  Hence we looked for something on W Katella Ave.  To narrow down the search some more, we decided on something much lighter than what we had for dinner the night before.  So off we went to Le Kitchen Pho & Rice located in what appeared to be a former location of Pizza Hut.  We thought it was great since the dining space was large and spacious.

Absolutely loved the owner-lady as she was welcoming and super nice.  That alone was worth the price of admission.  However, I'm here to talk about the food, so we started with the Salad Rolls which was modernly plated.  Portion size was not as big as some spots, but the rolls were prepared well.  The lettuce was fresh and crisp, vermicelli noodles were soft with a chew while the shrimp were meaty.

We also had the Spring Rolls and to our delight, they were prepared with legit rice wrappers.  Some places are lazy and use wheat wrappers which totally changes the texture.  By using rice wrappers, the crunch from the exterior was more firm and it didn't shatter like wheat wrappers.  Rather, it had a slight chew (just how we like it).  The pork filling was moist and well-seasoned.  Loved how they served it with herbs and lettuce, so we could wrap the spring rolls.

For Viv she had the Pho with rare steak and meatballs.  Broth was clean and fairly light with only the mild meatiness and hints of daikon and anise.  This was good though as it wasn't overloaded with salt or MSG.  Furthermore, they skimmed the oil enough so the broth wasn't overly fatty either.  Noodles were decently portioned and still al dente.  There was enough meat which was tender.

For my daughter, she went for her usual in the Pho Ga.  Naturally, the flavor profile of the soup was remarkably different than the beef.  It was sweeter and lighter as well as having a noticeable chicken essence.  Again, it wasn't overly salty.  Once again, the noodles were not overdone nor clumpy.  The ample slices of chicken were relatively tender given that it was white meat.

For my son, he also stuck with his favorite being the Lemongrass Chicken with rice and fried egg.  Nicely charred, the bone-in chicken thighs were marinated well.  As a result, the meat was juicy and well-seasoned.  Lots of aromatics and smokiness that went well with the white rice and perfectly fried egg.  Since it was bone in, it was a bit more difficult to eat, but well worth it for the extra meaty flavor.

For myself, I had the Banh Mi Chao (Bo Ne) featuring cubed filet mignon, fried eggs, pate sauce, cheese wedge, meatball, and sausage with French baguette and salad.  I've had this before and I can say this was pretty good with a creamy and meaty sauce that I soaked up with the crusty baguette.  Beef was medium-rare and super tender.  Well-priced for $12.00.  In fact, this was an inexpensive meal that was tasty and well-portioned.  A good escape from the heavy stuff at Disneyland and surrounding restaurants.

The Good:

- Super nice people

- Good eats

- Well-priced

The Bad:

- Not much ambiance, but you aren't paying for that