Hodads

This review is for those who do not know what a TV is. This restaurant has been reviewed in many channels and many shows and everyone has agreed that this restaurant has the best burgers in the nation. I present Hodad’s burgers, which can be found in Pacific Beach (5010 Newport Avenue, San Diego). I just had to mention this place because it a crown jewel in San Diego and people around the nation will come to this place to eat a mouth watering, delicious burger.

I personally recommend getting a Single Bacon Cheeseburger ($6.25). I have seen several of my friends getting the doubles and they said that is doesn't have that tasty factor, but it has the big factor. In the Single Bacon Cheeseburger, it has the common toppings like the lettuce and thick juicy onions and tomatoes. Then it has the extras, like the sizzling bacon, the melted cheddar cheese and the slab of succulent  beef. The bacon bits overpower the burger (which is a good thing) combined with the juice of the meat in the burger. On a side note the tomatoes and onions were cold. Everything in the burger; the cheese, the tomatoes, onions, and bacon had an amazing combination.

The next thing i ordered was the vanilla milkshake ($4.75). The milkshake had big scoops of vanilla ice cream. The texture was creamy and was more on the solid side and not liquid. This milkshake is a excellent one, and a delectable treat.

 I cant forget about the FRIES!!! There are two types of fries they have: the Seasoned Fries ($4.25) and Onion Rings ($6.25). The onion rings have a crunchy oily batter. The onions that they choose are humongous. The onion itself was pretty good and soft. They give you a savory creamy white sauce you can dip your onion rings in. This sauce heightens the flavor of the onion rings. The seasoned fries had an outer crunch and a soft inside. The fries are lightly seasoned with salt and peppers.

The atmosphere is a total new atmosphere that I have never encountered before in a restaurant. The inside looks like a car enthusiast’s garage with licence plates decking the walls. The background music was blaring hard rock music. Also, you seat yourself  and a waiter will come to you. I recommend being there early before the lunch crowd, because there is usually a long line getting in the restaurant.

Overall, Hodad’s is a place you want to put on your bucket list. Anything you order will be delicious, and if you don’t like the atmosphere, you can always take your lunch to go. Once you go to Hodad’s, you can understand why everyone in America loves the Hodad’s burger.


Taste: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Amazing


Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield



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Azucar

I want to just say that I am sorry for not posting as usual, since April was a very busy month for me. For this month I will only be able to put one review, but do not fear, I will have more reviews next month. So lets eat...

When I think of Cuba, I think of Fidel Castro and Cuban cigars. Then I went to this cafe, that opened my eyes to Cuban cuisine. At 4820 Newport Avenue San Diego, CA 92107, Azúcar is the perfect place to start off with Cuban cuisine. It is all about Cuban specialities, especially pastries. This cafe is all about pastries, but they also serve sandwiches for a nice light lunch. As Vivian (the creator of Azucar) noticed, San Diego needs “more tropical style desserts.” She infused Cuban food with her European training to create fresh, fantastic desserts.

The first thing I had was Pastelito de Guayaba y Queso ($1.75). The pastry was soft and had a fluffy and flaky texture to it. The pastry was so airy, it was so puffy. This pastry was all Cuban with ingredients of cream cheese (the Queso) and guava (Guayaba). The combination of the guava and cream cheese had a complete taste, both sweet and creamy. The pastry was given to me warmed up which added the experience of all the senses.

The next thing that I had was candy with a twist. The Hard Chocolate Sea Salt ($0.50) was hard, stretchy and HAD salt. The thing is that when you add salt to a sweet treat, the salt enhances the flavor. The actual flavor was chocolate  with a caramel taste. These flavors are then heighten by the salt topped on the candy.

This restaurant is truly a unique place to eat and enjoy some  good food. What is really amazing is that the pastries cost about the same amount at Starbucks, but they are fresh and baked daily. If you love pastries, you will definitely enjoy Azucar.

Taste: 5/5

Quality: 5/5

Service: 4/5

Overall: Excellent

Critic: Joshua Villalpando

Editor: Mikery Hatfield

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Pinkberry

I never liked yogurt, because to me its a tarty,  tasteless version of a smoothie. When I found out they made a frozen version, I thought it was a bland substitute to ice cream. That is,  until I went to a frozen yogurt store called Pinkberry, found at 209 5th Ave  in the heart of downtown San Diego. Ever since, I have come to  love the simplicity and taste of Pinkberry’s frozen yogurt.  In my opinion, Pinkberry  is the best yogurt chain to eat frozen yogurt.

I have always enjoyed their pomegranate flavor, but this is a  seasonal flavor (its on vacation, so you cant order it anymore). Blood orange is another flavor that adds further merit to Pinkberry’s reputation. I ordered the medium blood orange ($4.50) with strawberries, mochi, and kiwi. All the fruit toppings were superb because they were fresh and delicious. The strawberries were firm and ripe, and the kiwi was really soft. The mochi did not disappoint (this of course is a acquired taste), being powdered and chewy. The actual yogurt had a subtle tangy taste. The yogurt was light, sweet and very fruity. With the combinations of the toppings, I really enjoyed this yogurt and recommend this frozen yogurt chain shop.

The only thing I hate about frozen yogurt chains is that they emphasize tons of flavors as a good thing. Pinkberry doesn't do that. Instead they only give four flavors, and changes two of them about  every four or five months. These other chain restaurants give 15 other flavors with no flavor or tartness. Even certain yogurt chains don't even have fresh fruits or high quality toppings. That’s why to me Pinkberry is the best frozen yogurt chain to eat at. If anyone can prove me wrong, I would like to hear other options of a frozen treat, because I enjoy a delicious dessert.

Taste: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Fantastic

Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield


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Family House of Pancakes

1900 East Plaza Boulevard National City

 When I think of a restaurant that has the name Family House of Pancakes, I think of a cozy mom and pop shop. The idea of mom and pop shops gives off heavy, big, and satisfying food. So this review was tricky. I visited the Family House of Pancakes twice, and oddly had two very different experiences, due to the fact that I ordered two very different things. The first time I went, I enjoyed their banana walnut pancakes. No problem. The second time,The restaurant was only able to fulfill two of out of the three ideals of the mom and pop shops. It was missing the satisfying part. I tried their Denver Omelet...and unfortunately thats where the problems began. So I will endeavor to share with you the details of both visits in order for you to make your own informed decision about the Family House.

I actually visited two different Family House locations for this review (1900 East Plaza Boulevard National City, 562 Broadway Chula Vista). I first ate at the National City location, where I ordered their banana pancakes ( $8.50) and a coffee ($2.50). I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. The pancakes were huge, almost as big as the plate they were served on! This is exactly what I expected from a place with the name 'Family House': a nice, homemade meal with large portions, just like mom would make. The bananas were fresh and made the pancakes nice and moist. The nutty flavors gathered from of the walnuts combined wonderfully with the sweetness of the bananas for an all around party for my palate. The pancakes were also lightly garnished with a bit of butter and powdered sugar. All together, my first visit to the Family House of Pancakes was excellent, and I eagerly awaited my next opportunity to try more of the menu.

Soon enough, that opportunity presented itself. This time I visited the Chula Vista location. With fond memories of my last Family House meal, I searched the menu with excitement and joy, looking for something that would be even better than the banana pancakes. I decided to take the omelet route, since I had not yet tried their omelets, and I already had their pancakes. It was time to switch things up a bit. Therefore, when our dear little waitress inquired of our orders, I echoed the words I wish I could take back even to this day. If only I could go back in time, before the moment when I asked for the Denver Omelet, things would be better. But I cant. So here's what I experienced:

1) The Cheese: The cheese was repulsively disgusting. Think Velveeta... it was a greasy, processed mess. This was the biggest strike against the omelet.
2) The Veggies and Ham: The flavors of the vegetables and the ham seemed to be drowned out by the thick, goopy cheese previously discussed. I would have like to have had more ham and veggies present in my omelet...but I guess thats just not the way they do things at Family House.
3) The Potatoes: The omelet came with a side of potatoes and buttermilk pancakes. The pancakes were fine. The potatoes, however, were terrible. They were undercooked, but the fried parts were burnt. Not even ketchup could help these potatoes!

As you can see, there was no party for my palate this time around, just a cheesy disaster. This was unfortunate, since I enjoyed the banana walnut pancakes so much before. Overall this restaurant is not a good place to eat at all. Even the decorum made me feel sick. It looks like a old dusty house. The upholstery of the furniture cries ancient. Therefore I suggest that you just stick to the pancakes if you decide to go. The only reason someone would come to eat at this restaurant is their Banana Pecan Pancakes. I just don't think this justifies coming to eat at the Family House of Pancakes.

Taste: 3/5
Quality: 2/5
Service: 2/5
Overall: Not so Good

Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield


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TJ Oyster Bar

One thing I really liked about Rubio’s was their 99 cent fish tacos on Tuesday. Then one day they raised the price to $1.50. Instead of getting three tacos for three dollars, I can only get two for the same price! To me, this was an outrage and I was not happy at all. I then started on  a journey to look for the most tasty, fulfilling 99 cent fish taco. In my search, I came across the perfect fish taco at 4246 Bonita Rd.,  Bonita, the home of  TJ Oyster Bar.

The fish in the taco is dipped in a batter that once  fried has a crunchy golden texture. The fish itself is fluffy and flaky, giving it a soft texture. The fish taco is covered with lettuce, tomatoes and a secret white sauce, all in a corn tortilla. When you first take a bite, it has a mild taste, then it has a full blend of flavors from the tomatoes, the white sauce and the batter itself. This delicious taco cost only 99 cents EVERYDAY; a great taco with a great price.






This restaurant focuses mainly on pure Mexican seafood, serving everything from fish tacos to octopus to ceviche ( and of course, oysters!). For a restaurant that only focuses on seafood, they are very diverse in their  preparation, serving the seafood either in a burrito, taco, cocktail, or a tostada. The only problem about this place is actually a testimony to their greatness. This restaurant is always packed with people! If you want to eat a quick meal, it will be really hard at TJ Oyster Bar because of the cramped area and so many people. However, if you are willing to wait, you will have the best fish tacos in San Diego!


Taste: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Fantastic


Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield




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Mission Valley Corner Bakery Café

There are so many chain bakeries and coffee shops rising today, like Panera Bread and Starbucks Coffee. They each provide pastries and their own twist on coffee. In San Diego there are 100 Starbucks stores that serve their pastries generic, but make really delicious coffee. There are around 14 Panera Bread restaurants in San Diego with really good pastries and sandwiches, but ok coffee. How about a chain restaurant with only one restaurant in San Diego? At 1025 Camino De La Reina, there is chain bakery and coffee shop called Mission Valley Corner Bakery Café.



At Corner Bakery Café, I ordered the Cinnamon Crème Cake ($2.59), Lemon Pound cake ($1.99) and a cup of coffee. The first thing I ate was the cinnamon crème cake, which was nice and crumbly, like coffee cake. Each bite was moist and very delicious. It was also fresh from the oven. It definitely had alot of cinnamon; the cinnamon was in the cake and even on top of it. Besides being topped with cinnamon, it was also sprinkled with powered sugar. The cake was a real compliment with the coffee. This cinnamon crème cake was a hybrid of coffee cake and crumb cake. The coffee was pretty good, but I don’t think it was quite as good as Starbucks coffee.

The next item does not go with coffee, but is still really good; a nice thick slice of lemon pound Cake. The cake was soft and its texture was thick. It was a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness and it was not dry at all.

In the end this is a really good coffee and bakery shop. They also allow you to refill your coffee cup on the same visit. They have so many lunch combos, from salads to sandwiches to paninis. Corner Bakery has managed to retain it's uniqueness while still being a chain restaurant. Being the only one in San Diego, this bakery-slash-coffee shop has what it takes to keep us all coming back for more!

Taste: 4/5
Quality: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Really Good

Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield



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Tea n' More

Hey boba fans, I have another really good restaurant that serves boba drinks. At 7380 Clairemont Mesa Blvd #111, Tea n More is a busy, bubbling tea and coffee shop. This is a  place where all the college students meet up not only to complete arduous homework assignments, but also to share a common love, and that is boba.

At Tea n More, I ordered a Mint chip and Oreo with boba ($4.75 ). To me the Mint chip and Oreo with boba is a refreshingly delicious drink. The mint definitely stands out in the drink, and I love it mixed with Oreo. The drink's texture is creamy and icy. The best part is that the Oreo and the ice were finely blended, which really impressed me. The boba itself is smooth, sweet and chewy. This is certainly one of the best drinks in San Diego.

What I didn’t have a chance to review is the  food at Tea n More. The bottom line is that this is a neat spot to hang with friends and enjoy good drinks.So  next time you have a craving for boba, be sure to stop by Tea n More and see for yourself how deliciously refreshing they are!



Taste: 4/5
Quality: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Overall: Amazing


Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield



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Benihana

Every time I eat Japanese food, there is always something new either in the Japanese cuisine or in the way the food is prepared. This is especially the case at Benihana, located at 477 Camino Del Rio South. Benihana is not just about food, but also presentation and entertainment. Benihana designed their restaurants so that the chef will cook right in front of you (which is called Teppanyaki). I went to eat at Benihana around lunch time and I had their Lunch special: the Beef Julienne Lunch Boat (around $9.50 ) which comes with shrimp and vegetable tempura, sashimi, (3)half California Roll, edamame, onion soup, salad, steamed rice and fresh fruit. Just to caution, If you do order this item, it will not be made in front of you, as well the ½ Crunchy Roll ($4.15). I didn’t realize that, but I did order the Hibachi Chicken Rice (around $3.25) which is prepared in front of you.



When I regularly eat Japanese food, or any food cuisine at a restaurant, I never see the food being made. So at Benihana it’s a real treat to see the food being made. The chef will actually play with the food by making the fried rice into the shape of a heart or Mickey Mouse! Even with the onions, they create a volcano and put some water and create steam. It is definitely entertaining.







Now how about the food? I first received their onion soup. It was like a chicken broth with green onions and some crunchy fried onions. Overall the soup was a bit tasteless; the best part was the fried onions.


Next was the Crunchy roll, which had avocado, cucumber, crab, and tempura crumbs. All I could taste was the crunch. It had flavor, but to me it was pretty bland for a sushi. I also ordered the California roll which had a similar filling and it was a tad better than the Crunchy roll.




I don’t think I had the best sushi at Benihana, but what made up for the sushi I ate was the Lunch Boat. My food actually came in a boat with several food items in it. The first item I ate was the tempura, which was very crunchy and really good. Since tempura is a fried food, I was surprised that the tempura wasn’t greasy. What was even more of a surprise was the mushroom tempura, which was the best of all the tempura. A soft texture fired to perfection, it truly was an amazing dish. I then ate the sashimi, which is raw fish. This was the new item I leaned in Japanese cuisine. I want to say this is the extreme version of sushi. Sushi is raw fish with rice and other ingredients rolled up in seaweed. Sashimi is just the raw fish with no other ingredients involved. I had salmon and tuna sashimi. Since this was my first experience with sashimi, it was actually interesting. It was really good, but what made it interesting was the texture; it felt flaky and sort of smooth. I think it was delicious and you should try it if you love sushi. The next thing was the main event, the Beef Julienne. The Beef was juicy and very flavorful, but some small slices of the beef were a bit dry. The beef was soft and had a balanced flavor to it. The last thing was also the highlight, and that was the Hibachi Chicken Rice or as everyone knows it: fried rice. Benihana is famous for its fried rice. The rice has eggs, chicken, carrots, onions, rice, butter and garlic sauce. This rice is so delicious with a buttery coating. The chefs also have the most fun cooking with the fried rice.

Overall this restaurant is enjoyable. It has excellent presentation, friendly service (Its all about the chefs), and pretty good food. I do have to admit their sushi was not good at all, but since their sashimi was really good, I would give them one more shot to impress me with their sushi! The main attraction of Benihana is having fun while eating good Japanese food. I don't think that the food is authentic Japanese food, but its pretty close. You are paying, not for the authenticity, but for the entertainment.


Taste: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Amazing


Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield

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Crepe World

As you have seen, I have visited Kearney Mesa a lot in this blog, but I found this French cuisine in the heart of an Asian community. The restaurant, Crepe World, can be found on 4646 Convoy St. I have been a loyal patron of Crepe World, but the problem is that I only get this one item that is so good and is a perfect dessert to finish the day.

The Fruit Crepe with coconut Ice Cream and Nutella ($4.48) is really good. I can’t emphasize this enough but this dessert is really good. The coconut ice cream is milky and creamy and sticks nicely to the thick chocolaty and nutty Nutella. Then they put these ingredients on top of a hot crepe, which melts everything, and top it with strawberries and fold it all together. Its sweet, cold, hot, thick and creamy all in one dessert.

The only drawback at eating at Crepe World is the plastic utensils. It’s such a pain to eat a crepe with a plastic fork and a plastic knife. It makes you work hard for your dessert. If you are having a bad day, those utensils wont help your day eating a perfectly good dessert. I recommend bringing your own fork and knife. If you have never had crepes before, then this is a good place to start. Even though not authentic, they're great crepes nonetheless. 

Taste: 5/5

Quality: 5/5

Service: N/A

Overall: Fantastic

Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield

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Miso Harney Sushi

Sadly I was really hungry that I 

forgot to take the picture of the

Hawaii 5-0

When you go to a restaurant you want to go and eat food and have a fun time. Miso Harney Sushi not only does that but more. Found at 301 Mission Ave in Oceanside, the restaurant had a party theme to it. Although technically it isn't a club, it has a club atmosphere. To me this is a plus since I really don’t want to go to a restaurant to party. I want to go to a restaurant and eat really good food, and Harney Sushi fulfills these expectations.

So how is Harney Sushi a club atmosphere without the club? It has to do with the ambiance and the crowd. At a comfortable level, they play music of all types from oldies to dance to pop. The music makes you want to dance and enjoy the experience. The music was controlled by a DJ who was doing exceptionally well. The whole look of the restaurant is modern and sleek. The service was pretty good, always being ready to serve our drinks and to see if we were ok with our dishes.

The food was also up to par with the restaurant, they just had crazy names for their sushi! Examples of their specialty rolls are: the Hawaii 5-0, Hippie Roll, and even the Chuck Norris Roll. Since this was the first time I ever went to Harney Sushi, I didn’t know what to get and the names were definitely not helping. I ordered the second thing on the list, the Hawaii 5-0 ($16 dollars). It had eel sauce, cream cheese, tuna sashimi, avocado and some spicy sauce. I ordered around 8:30 pm and received my sushi in ten minutes. The sushi was actually really good and was so smooth. When I say smooth, I mean the sushi goes down your throat nicely and you can feel this slickness in your mouth. The sushi was smooth because it has great combinations. The avocado, the cream cheese and the tuna sashimi not only made the roll actually smooth, but also made it taste really good. The sushi also had a sweet, refreshing taste to it.

Not the Hawai 5-0, but the crunchy Roll

The only problem is the pricing. The cheapest sushi is about 5.50, while the most expensive is18.50. The Hawaii 5-0 itself was expensive, costing sixteen bucks while only getting 8 rolls. I know I did not get filled up with this dish only. If you don’t have a lot of money and if you're very hungry, then you might not be too happy with this restaurant. But if you are a sushi connoisseur, you will want to try Harney Sushi. 


Taste: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Fantastic



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Extraordinary Desserts

Its been said that anything less than extraordinary is a waste of time. As food critics, we hold these words dear to our hearts, because we cant afford to waste the time of our readers. Therefore we jumped at the opportunity to review a place known as Extraordinary Desserts in downtown San Diego (1430 Union St.). We strongly encourage all to give them a visit. We promise, it's well worth your time! Here's what we found:

Pineapple White Chocolate Cookie (2.50)
This scrumptious cookie was well worth every cent. The combination of white chocolate, macadamia nuts, and thick pineapple bits made this cookie unique, and frankly unforgettable. The cookie was dense and bursting with Hawaiian-like flavors due to the pineapples and macadamia nuts. The white chocolate chunks add a subtle sweetness to the cookie without overpowering it. If you're on a budget but want to enjoy a taste of the good life, this cookie is your ticket to paradise! 

Blood Orange Ricotta Cake (6.50) 
Next we switch gears a bit and discuss a member of the ever-expanding cake family: the sponge. The Blood Orange Ricotta cake is a light, fluffy and smooth sponge cake. The blood orange flavors, while first barely noticeable, are bursting through the frosting, and become even more apparent when consumed along with the ricotta and cranberry filling. This cake was nothing short of refreshing, almost palate cleansing. If anything, it left a remarkably fresh taste, leaving us with cravings for more.
White Chocolate Linzen Torte (7.95)
The torte is a very fascinating dessert, most of which are indigenous of Austria and Hungary. They are moist cakes which are packed with nuts. The White Chocolate Linzen torte from Extraordinary Desserts strikes the perfect balance of nutty crunch and moist decadence. The moist cake, coupled with the creamy white chocolaty center made this cake nearly irresistible! To our surprise, the center of the cake slice also held a light, crunchy, nutty meringue which nicely complemented the rich flavors of the torte. The cake was served with a drizzle of raspberry jam, which admittedly was very good, but may have been a bit superfluous. The raspberry jam was a sweet addition, but this rich, moist torte definitely can stand alone without the help of the jam. All in all the White Chocolate Linzen torte was every bit worth 7.95. For all the savvy epicureans out there, this internationally- inspired dessert is just what you've been looking for! 

Dulce De Leche  (8.95)
In perfect honesty, there was one dessert that we tried that didn't quite meet the standards of "extraordinary". With the Dulce de Leche, the bottom layer has a crisp layer like Rice Krispies. The whole look and decorum makes the dessert look amazing. The taste though was not up to par. If you are a chocolate lover then you will actually like this cake. But if you don’t like chocolate on chocolate and layers of chocolate, then you wont like it. It’s too rich with chocolate and was really too sweet.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. When it comes to Extraordinary Desserts, what sets them above the rest is their seamless amalgamation of ingredients and flavors which leave you and your taste buds leaping for joy! Their consistent attention to detail simply makes them one of the best places to enjoy a dessert in this city. Next time you find yourself in downtown San Diego, why not give Extraordinary Desserts a visit? Be warned: the lines are long and the crowds are large, but as we've discussed, this is no waste of time.


Taste: 4.5/5
Quality: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Overall: Amazing


Critic: Mikery Hatfield, Joshua Villalpando
Editor: MIkery Hatfield



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Dumpling Inn

One of the best places I ever ate for Chinese is the Dumpling Inn. Located at 4619 Convoy St # F San Diego, this is one of the craziest places to eat, what I believe, is true authentic Chinese food. The Dumpling Inn utilizes a wide variety of food, ranging from regular white rice and soy sauce to the most extreme, like jellyfish. The actual restaurant is really small and hidden from plain sight. Since I was with a big group, we ordered a lot of things, so here we go:


Pork Pot stickers ($6.95), Jellyfish Salad ($7.25), Beef Curry Dumpling ($4.95), Spicy Eggplant with Garlic Sauce ($9.95), Da-lu Mein ($8.50), Sea bass with Black Bean Sauce ($11.50) and finally Chicken Pan Fried Noodles ($10.25).


I would not recommend getting potstickers at a dumpling restaurant. It was good, but not worth it. To me they were potstickers that can be found anywhere. One side was crunchy and the rest was chewy, sort of doughy. The pork was subtle and enjoyable.

Jellyfish Salad

The jellyfish was the craziest thing I ever ate, but it was surprisingly delicious!  It wasn’t the best of the night, but it was memorable.  The jellyfish actually reminded me a bit of chicken. In no way does it taste like chicken, but the texture is like the cartilage of the chicken. Its soft, chewy and it is crunchy. The actual flavor of a jellyfish is neutral. I don’t think it has flavor at all, but they put a lot of flavor in it. They dressed it up with vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce and with cucumbers and carrots. This dish is well worth ordering.

The beef curry dumpling was an all fried dumpling, which makes it crunchy. The filling had curry and ground beef. The curry wasn't overpowering which is nice especially for people who hate spicy food. It was pleasantly delicious.


I am very picky with the next item and that is the eggplant. Eggplant can’t be squishy or soft because then it becomes nasty. But this dish is just the opposite, with a kick. I didn’t realize that the eggplant was spicy. The garlic sauce and spiciness of the chee swan makes an awesome combination. Not only does it have eggplant, but also has noodles, pork and bamboo. This has to be one of the best dishes of the night.
The Da-Lu dish was more bizarre than the jellyfish salad. It was like a thick soup, which has egg drops and chewy mushrooms. It had a bland taste which made the dish not worth it.
The only fish dish I had was the Sea Bass with Black Bean Sauce. This fish dish was amazing. It seasoned perfectly and had a variety of flavors and ingredients. It has green peppers, onions, the seabass, and black bean sauce. The onions made the dish sweet and the fish was flaky but not to the point of being dry. It was very delicious with a kick of flavors.


The last dish can only be described as metamorphosis. The chicken pan fried noodles had chicken, fried noodles, buck chow, broccoli, and carrots. The reason the dish changed was that the noodles were hard and crispy, but later on it absorbs the sauce and became soft. This was also a very good dish because the variety of ingredients and the crunchiness and softness.


In the end, this restaurant is one the best authentic Chinese food places in San Diego and should definitely be considered next time you're in the mood for Chinese. It’s not like other Chinese restaurants like Panda Inn where it is fine cuisine, but the soul food of China. Simple and complex all in each dish they served. Even the restaurant is modest but it doesn’t affect the food.


Taste: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Fantastic


Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield


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