I tried these spots on Monday in the afternoon. I grabbed the meals to go. The first is two blocks north of West Colonial (50) on East Silver Star Rd in a Publix strip mall (Sliver Crossing) at the intersection with Clarke Rd. The signage is inadequate and probably from the last owners. Something crab. The second is in Chinatown in the righthand corner.
Mr J Hand Pulled Noodle - I tried their basic bowl for $16. A salty beef broth with some sliced beef, spicy sesame oil, ground nuts, green onion and some almost potato like, clear, bland vegetable sliced thin (turnip, parsnip, radish, beet?). The beef was tender. They had eight types of noodles. I chose triangle. They didn't look any different. Certainly not like prisms. They were mushy. Disappointing. I'm not sure if being enclosed in a plastic bag did this or if they are always in this condition. I haven't had too many hand pulled noodles. I think I recall much better ones in Las Vegas. You can also get them hand cut. They have a few bowls and finger foods. Things like: gyoza and a spring roll looking thing. They had a lamb and cumin dish like that of Chengdu. They said the food is from the North of China. I forget the province. Something with an L? A small space. Maybe seven tables. Tightly packed. Gray, fake flatstone walls. Cartoons on the tables. Tiny fish tank. Large tv showing a journey through a Chinese airport. It was full. Three workers. Tables were left unbused. Open for a year. It took me a while to get here. I'm not sure if it wa worth the effort. Closed on Sunday. Lunch and dinner.
Pho Ga Hien Vuong - This is another spot that I have been thwarted by for a while. If you are a avid reader, you may recall me mentioning it before. They call themselves a Vietnamese Noodle House. I grabbed a chicken (ga) pho for $17. They play up the quality of their chicken and broth. The broth was exceptional. Clear. Clean. Delicious. A hint of star anise. The chicken seemed like the casualty of the broth construction. Like all the flavor had been boiled out of it for it's brother. Plus they chop up the carcass and count that as part of the meat booty (there are some shreds of white meat too). Too much work and mess getting the scraps of meat from it. The chicken had a tiny, scrawny frame. Probably some word soup variety marketed to sustainiacs. Came with greens/herbs (unwilted), scallions, some kind of flavored oil, bean sprouts and deseeded jalapeno slices. I actually used the remaining noodles from Mr J in place of their noodles. I think I like the thicker noodles better. They do a few riffs on this pho. Plus beef ones. They also sell rice and noodle dishes. I forget if they have snacks. They are the people behind Z Asian on East Colonial. They said Hien Vuong is a street in Vietnam that is known for chicken pho. Small footprint. Maybe six tables. Order at a counter. Modern. Lunch and dinner. Was closed on Mondays. No longer. Now closed on Fridays. Open for two months. This is a hard one. I did love that broth. But, is that enough? Maybe for a fly by if you are in the area already. I wonder if you should avoid the non-broth dishes then? Will the meat be as bland?
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