Sang Devan (Deuan?)

This noodle dish was VERY tasty.

The sauce was good; the fish...was tilapia.

Look at this beautiful beautiful sticky rice!

Miko wished her coconut juice was in a coconut.  I wished my iced coffee was decaf.

Rating: One (conditional) thumb up (Jenne), one sideways (Miko)
Date: 3/27/2015
Time in: 12:43 PM

Number in our party: 2

Servers' recommendations: Phad lao, three flavored fish, lao papaya salad, golden wings with sticky rice, boat noodle, khao poon num pla
What we ordered: Thai iced coffee, young coconut juice, mee gatee, three flavor fish with sticky rice instead of regular
Final check amount: $32.72
Price per person: $16.36

  
Notes: 

• They fully redecorated, and a lot of it looked DIY.  They are very into aesthetic details -- for example, they used fresh flowers at each table.
• The noodles were very tasty, with a strong lemongrass flavor.
• The sticky rice was also good, and the portions were generous.
• The servers were kind, and the prices were reasonable too.
• It was kind of our fault for ordering freshwater fish, but the tilapia was pretty bad.  The sauce on it was okay, but it wasn't enough to mask the strong muddy taste the meat had.  Miko: it even triggered my gag reflex, and I couldn't finish the bite. 
• Miko: The young coconut juice came in a glass, and it was sweetened.  I'd much rather have it served in the actual coconut without any extra sugar.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION  
Address: 3904 Convoy St, Ste 112
Phone number: 858.737.4784
Noise level: 3
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Parking: Shared lot. Not bad during lunchtime.
Ideal group size: Any

Available vegetarian options: The menu has a vegetarian section!

Yu's Garden

Yang Chou fried rice -- not exciting but pleasant.

Beef fried noodles -- I usually don't like this dish 
because it's gummy and bland, but this one had a nice flavor. 
The beef was kind of weird, though.

I don't think these are supposed to be so doughy, 
but we like doughy things and the filling was tasty.

Rating: One thumb up (Miko), one sideways (Jenne)
Date: 5/9/14

Time in: 7:15 PM
Time out: 8:14 PM
Servers' recommendations: Pineapple seafood fried rice, Yang Chou fried rice, beef fried noodles
What we ordered: Yang Chou fried rice, beef fried noodles, Shengjian bao
Number in our party: 3 (with Laura as a guest judge)
Final check amount: $23.65
Price per person: $7.88
  
Notes: 

• We had very low expectations because they had a gigantic menu, and we were grateful that it did not suck.
• The server totally gaijined us!  To gaijin (verb, from the Japanese word for foreigner) is to assume that customers can't handle interesting dishes because they are not of the restaurant's cuisine's ethnicity.  We asked her what her favorite dish was on the menu, and she answered the chow mein and fried rice.  Yeah right!
• The fried rice was nicely seasoned and simple.  It could have used more pepper, though.
• The beef tasted like it often does at Chinese restaurants -- strangely tender and gelatinous.  We both find that a bit too creepy to eat. 
• We thought the noodle dish tasted like pretty good yakisoba, minus the worcestershire-ish flavor of yakisoba sauce.
• They don't have any condiments on the table, not even soy sauce.  The server looked a little taken aback when I (Miko) asked for it.
• I  had never had this type of bao before, and I liked them!  But not as much as I like good xiaolongbao.
• In the end, we thought it was pleasant, but not remarkable.  Jenne commented that, while it tasted fine, we did not have the satisfied, happy-feeling in our stomachs afterward that Dumpling Inn gives us.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION  
Address: 4646 Convoy St Ste 110
Phone number: 858.560.1888
Noise level: 2 (no music, which we enjoyed)
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Parking: It's the hideous Crab Hut parking lot.
Ideal group size: Any

Koon Thai Kitchen

Larb Woonsen

Pad Kee Ma

Salmon Panang Curry

Tom Ka

Rating: One thumb up (Miko), one sideways (Jenne)
Date: 10/9/11

Time in: 6:45 PM

Servers' recommendations: Tod Mun Goong (deep-fried shrimp patties), Moo Ping (grilled marinated pork), Pla Salmon Rod, Ka Po Moo Krob, (crispy pork), Panang Salmon
What we ordered: Tom Ka Soup, Larb Woonsen, Panang Salmon, Ka Po Moo Krob, Pad Kee Ma, 3 desserts (2 mango with sticky rice and 1 Bua Loy)

Number in our party: 4 (Sarah and Sarah as guest critics today)
Final check amount: $62.50

Notes: 

• I (Miko) had a total girl-crush on the waitress.  She was frickin' ADORABLE.  
• The default spice level is too intense for me -- I (Miko) would get everything mild next time.  But I am also a huge wimp.
• The pork was definitely the best dish.
• The salmon was a little overdone.
• This would be a good date spot. 
• The sticky rice had crunchy rice bits instead of the usual sesame seeds.  God, these desserts are so tasty.
• I (Miko) had never had Bua Loy before...and I would come back just to eat this.  Mochi balls in sweet coconut milk with a hint of salt... So delicious...

RESTAURANT INFORMATION

Address: 3860 Convoy St, Ste 102
Phone number: 858.514.8111
Website: http://www.koonthaikitchen.com
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Parking: Crowded lot with itty-bitty spaces
Ideal group size: 2-6
Available vegetarian options: Tons

Noise level: 2

Quoc Te II International Seafood Restaurant - CLOSED

A few pages of the giant menu.

We didn't know what any of this was, but it was delicious.

Bun!  With interesting egg rolls.

Aw.

Rating: One thumb up (Jenne), one sideways thumb (Miko)

Date: 6/3/11

What we ordered: Combination steam rice noodle rolls (small portion), vermicelli with char-broiled pork and spring rolls.

Number in our party: 2

Final check amount: $13.70

Notes:

• Spring rolls had an interesting yeasty flavor -- they were different from other egg rolls we've tried.
• We couldn't figure out what anything was on the plate of rice noodle rolls, but it was all tasty!  Even the small portion is more than enough.
• The food is good, but I'm giving it a sideways thumb because I'd rather go to other Vietnamese restaurants on Convoy.  (Miko)
• I give it a thumbs up because it's interesting and tasty, and I haven't come across food quite like theirs at other places.  (Jenne)

RESTAURANT INFORMATION
Address: 4344 Convoy St
Phone number: 858.278.8680
Website: http://www.yelp.com/biz/international-seafood-restaurant-san-diego
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Parking: Private lot shared with a plaza
Ideal group size: 2-6
Available vegetarian options: Shakes, drinks, desserts, and they also have a vegetable section with tender greens, mixed vegetables, and bean curd.
Noise level: 1 (I think we were the only people there.)

Ichiro Happy Japanese Restaurant



Ginger eggplant appetizer



Seafood dumplings

Free salad

Combination #1

Nabeyaki udon

Rating: One thumb up (Miko), one sideways thumb (Jenne)

Date: 5/6/11

Time In: 7:45 PM

Time out: 8:59 PM

Server's recommendations: Combination #1 (tempura, California roll, and salmon yakizakana), teriyaki steak, nabeyaki udon, champon

What we ordered: Ginger eggplant appetizer, seafood dumplings, Combination #1 (Jenne), nabeyaki udon (Miko)

Number in our party: 2

Final check amount: $40.73

Notes:

• The server was adorable -- she actually clasped her hands with joy when we ordered her recommendations.  Very enthusiastic in her recommendations.
• The nabeyaki was delicious; it was probably the best udon I'd had in San Diego. The broth tasted like my mother's.  Great comfort food!  The only criticism I had was that the egg should be on top, not the bottom.  (Miko--thumbs up)
• The rice was dry and a little hard.
• The salmon was overcooked.  (Jenne--sideways thumb)

RESTAURANT INFORMATION
Address: 4344 Convoy St, Ste Q
Phone number: 858.565.8603
Website: http://www.yelp.com/biz/ichiro-japanese-restaurant-san-diego-3
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Parking: Private lot shared with a plaza 
Ideal group size: 2-8
Available vegetarian options: Veggie sushi options. With everything else, you never know if something might have bonito in it...

Noise level: 4, but only because of a rowdy party that sounded like a whole lot of fun on the other side of the restaurant.

Chopsticks: Come with the meal

BBQ Chicken - CLOSED



Teri-Q wings.



Chicken porridge.

All restaurants should have this.

Rating: One thumb up (Jenne), one sideways thumb (Miko)

Date: 10/17/10
Time in: 6:00 PM

Time out: 6:57 PM

Server's recommendations: Sweet and spicy wings, Teri-Q Gold wings

What we ordered: Teri-Q Gold wings (10pc), chicken porridge

Number in our party: 2

Final check amount: $19.02

Notes:

• The food tastes like it's been coated in MSG, much like savory Japanese snacks.  [But in a good way!--JB]
• The chicken porridge feels like comfort food that you'd want if you're feeling worn down.  The portion was of enormous size.  It could use some shichimi.
• The Teri-Q is slightly spicy, even though it doesn't say so.
• Nice server system, where you can ring a bell if you need them.  They come within 10 seconds.
• Average bathroom.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION

Address: 4768 Convoy St

Phone number: 858.571.3333

Hours: Mon-Thurs 5pm-12am; Fri-Sat 12pm-2am; Sun 12pm-11pm

Website: http://www.bbqchickenusa.com/

Accepts credit cards? Yes

Parking: Small private lot, lots of street parking

Ideal group size: 2-8

Available vegetarian options: No entrees that we could see. Vegetarians would be stuck nibbling side dishes.

Who not to bring: Vegetarians; those who have to limit their salt intake; people who think they are allergic to MSG; kids if you're afraid of profanity (the music is loud and uncensored)

Noise level: 3.5

Chopsticks: Just forks on the table, and there was no mention of them.