Thursday, December 13, 2007

Happy Holidays!!


I am leaving in a few days to spend Christmas in Texas. Today I baked some cookies to get into the Christmas spirit. I made sugar cookies, gingerbread men, peanut butter kisses, holly bushes (?), and dark chocolate chip cookies. I am not decorating the house or putting up a tree this year since I'll be in Texas.

United Oriental Food Market

5349 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115
(619) 582-8999


Last weekend I was craving Lao food so I went to United Oriental Food Market. I like it because they are the only grocery store (that I've been to)that sells laap (beef and pork), tam mak hung, keng noh mai, mok pa, and other Lao dishes. This is great for when I don't feel like cooking. Plus around the corner on 54th St. there is a restaurant that sells roast pork.


I got a small order of tam mak hung (papaya salad). It was made right in front of me. I ordered a mild version. It was just spicy enough with lots of slices of tomatoes, but I would've preferred more lime juice. I like eating tam mak hung with pork rinds, pak boong(water spinach), or ngo gai(saw leaf herb).


This is the next dish I picked out. I don't remember what it's called. Maybe someone can tell me. It's shredded bamboo in a yanang leaf sauce garnished with sesame seed and cilantro. I like eating this with slices of eggplant.


This last thing I got was sai oua(pork sausage). It almost tasted like the sausage my mom and dad would make for special occasions. My parents made the sausages with kiffir lime leaves, lemon grass, and coriander root. Well, those were the flavors I could taste. The version from United Oriental Food Market came close. I like my sausages slightly sweet. My mom liked them more sour. She would hang them up to dry before storing them in the freezer or cooking them.

I also got all of that and a container of sticky rice. Everything tasted great.

Monday, December 10, 2007

I Love These Sandwiches

Saigon Sanwiches & Deli
4133 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105
(619) 284-3034



Last Tuesday I got to treat myself a bahn mi, because I did so well in school this semester. I decided to try Saigon Sandwiches after reading Kirk's Blog.This is the 5th Banh Mi shop I've tried in San Diego and it's the best by far. I got the 'special'. The flavors were just right. I loved the pate, the pickled vegetables, cucumber, hot peppers, and even the mayo.


Next time I will have to get two sandwiches, one special and something different. I usually don't stray from the dac biet. Maybe one day I will run into Kirk during one of my Banh Mi excursions and thank him for his very informative food blog.