FOODIE FRIDAYS: The Mysterious 7 Course Meal

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, San Diego has great Asian food.  No, I'm not talking about PF Changs, the Asian food equivalent of El Torito.  Those in the know head out to Convoy area where there are tons of scary looking Asian restaurants, mainly hole-in-the-walls in strip malls.  Where to start?  Hey, that one has a bright yellow sign!  It has to be good!

The window said it all - 7 Courses!  And look, smoothies!  And even better, the menu has pictures so you don't have to embarrass yourself by trying to pronounce Vietnamese words.  Nice!  What to get, what to get.... I know, how about the 7 Course Meal!

This darn thing was huge and a deal for $9 or so.  Let's see if I can remember the 7 courses.  That hot dog on a stick looking thing is a deep fried shrimp wrapped around sugar cane, the ball of meat next to it was some sort of ball of meat, there was chicken done up sort of like teriyaki style, next to that was some succulent pork, there was a fried spring roll, I think the crispy things in the middle was fried pork skin, in the middle was some awesome grilled shrimp..... 1, 2, 3, 4...Is that 7?  Why yes, I think I got them all! 

Now this dish will make a vegetarian rethink his commitment.  My buddy got killer grilled beef ribs, sort of like those Korean Kalbi ribs, wow, so good.  These aren't "fall off the bone Tony Roma" ribs, these things have some bite to them and are incredibly addictive.  I think they were around $6.95.  I'm getting these next time.

Here's a weird one.  Get a plate of these "roll em yourself" spring rolls.  They come with the hardened rice wrapper you dip into a bowl of hot water (don't wash your hands in it!).  Tip - don't drop the entire wrapper into the water as it will instantly get too soft.  Instead you just rotate the wrapper a few times until it is al dente.   Put the meat and the herb leaves in it and roll  it up like a burrito and you're set to go.  Dip and eat, delicious.  I know, the meat looks weird but it tastes really, really good.  And yes, that's a mango smoothie, all fruit with no fake colors or sweeteners, $3.

When your co-workers say "Let's get Chinese at PF Chang's, it's only an hour and a half wait", tell them you're pretty busy and let them go without you.  Grab that gal in the office whose always on Yelp and get some authentic Vietnamese food at Pho Convoy Noodle House.  You'll be back before your co-workers can take their first bite of their $14 orange chicken.