For a while I was exploring various pho places to find a new “go to” pho spot. While I’m still open to checking out new places and there are still many I need to visit, I’ve sort of settled on pho cow cali as my “go to” spot. You can read about my first visit here. I thought I had taken a picture of the menu on my last visit, so I didn’t take pictures of the menu this time but apparently I didn’t take pictures of the menu last time. Oops.
I like the friendly service, the extra long egg rolls, and the large amounts of meat in my pho. This spot is also very kid friendly as they have a helium tank to make balloons for the kids to take home. This little extra treat for the kids actually is more of a negative for me. I’ve never liked those helium tanks and am very jumpy around them because I hate the sound of balloons popping.
I had gotten used to the machine in the last few visits, but on this visit, a little boy was standing right next to me when his balloon popped. My left ear was ringing for hours after. Surprisingly, the kid didn’t even cry. He just stared in disbelief at what had happened to his balloon and then went and got a new one a few moments later. I’m pretty sure I would have been bawling at that age had it happened to me.
Anyhow, we ordered the egg rolls as usual. The eggrolls here are extra long compared to the eggrolls at other pho spots and they are fried just right (some places have ones that are sort of burned looking). I think the filling is just perfect, not too salty and not too bland. There are actually 6 per order but I forgot to take a picture at the beginning.
My usual order is #15 (tripe and rare steak). I only took a picture of my bowl of pho and no one else’s because they all pretty much look the same.
Here are the various garnishes to put in the soup including the saw-leaf herb I like.
BF chose a broken rice dish. I think I took a bite but I don’t remember. He seemed to enjoy it a lot though.
Pho Cow usually gives a discount in the receipt for the frozen yogurt shop next door which has the most adorable little hamster icon, where you only pay $.25/oz for the yogurt.
We went over after to get some dessert, but apparently they changed the system. Rather than charging by weight, they have set cup sizes and you can fill to your heart’s content on yogurt and toppings. The prices are very reasonable. I didn’t take a picture, but it was something like $2.00 for an extra small, $2.20 for a small, $3.20 for a medium, and around $5 for a large.
It reminded me of the fast food mongolian bbq food places and I had brief flashbacks of stuffing my bowl full of raw ingredients and trying to cram as much as possible into my bowl.
I didn’t do that here. But I did get a lot of yogurt and my favorite toppings for ~$2.20. I filled up mainly on taro yogurt and the pastel colored mochi balls.
Little brother managed to make stack quite a bit of yogurt in his cup (also a size small).
Pho Cow Cali Express
9170 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 271-8341
www.phocowcaliexpress.com
I went to Pho Cow Cali Express last month; it had been quite a long time since I’d been there (probably before this name change). Unfortunately, I was just getting over the flu and my taste buds were shot. They’ve always had really good business, and I’ll have to try the egg rolls next time.
The yogurt place has been there for awhile, but I haven’t tried it yet. I love your comparison to Mongolian BBQ! What size did Little Brother get?
He got the small size, like me, but he was able to pile it really high. I was too afraid of my yogurt toppling over to overfill it. Unlike mongolian bbq, you cant really smash down the food to create more room. 😉
I miss Pho Cow Cali…love LOVE their egg rolls. And Spring Rolls. I always get a rice vermicelli dish, usually the bbq shrimp and pork.
The yogurt place must be new cuz that wasn’t there the last time I went…which was Comic-con. Hahaha. Okay, maybe not that new?
Hm it was there when I first went in September, but yeah, I don’t know how long it’s been around. The hamster character twirling around is sooo cute!