This summer I interned in southern California. One of the cities I frequented was San Diego. Being the foodie that I am, the first thing I do when visiting a new city is looking for the best places to eat at! Thus, I decided to document my journey of food so others may follow my footsteps. After many weekends of fooding, I’ve compiled lists of my favorite places. This will be the first chapter of my San Diego foodie series: Asian food!
1. Manna Korean BBQ
This all you can eat Korean BBQ place is a go-to for locals and a must-visit for tourists! Beat the line by joining the wait on Yelp, but beware this place is super popular. You have two hours to consume as much meat and side dishes as possible. The galbi (marinated beef ribs) and pork belly are absolutely to die for. Order a steamed egg and soybean paste soup to complement the meat. Come with an empty stomach!
2. Din Tai Fung
DTF is a super famous dim sum restaurant chain so, of course, you have to go just to say you’ve been. This joint is more expensive than most but definitely delicious. I wouldn’t say it is the most authentic dim sum restaurant, but the quality of the food was impeccable. You should definitely order the soup dumplings (in Chinese it’s called xiao long bao) – they are famous for them!
3. Tasty Noodle House
Tasty Noodle House was a delicious Chinese restaurant that I discovered. It is surrounded by other restaurants but it was the only one with a line, which is a telltale sign of good food. Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid the line by joining a waitlist ahead of time, but the dishes were definitely worth the wait. Obviously, by the name, they are famous for their noodles (Order the house sauce noodles! You will not regret it!) but there are other gems on the menu as well. The dumplings were exquisite as were their rice cakes. I found it to be very authentic, and most importantly, very affordable. You really get your bang for your buck with their portion sizes!
4. Tim Ky Noodle
Don’t be fooled by their average Yelp reviews! Tim Ky Noodle is a great place to pick up authentic, delicious, and cheap takeout. Although this is a full-fledged restaurant, I would recommend this place for carryout, simply because the ambiance and vibe inside do not suit everyone. It reminds me of noodle joints in Asia, and I love how loud and homey it is, but not everyone enjoys that kind of environment. However, the food will be delicious for everybody. Definitely order the beef chow fun (dry without sauce)! Thick pieces of beef are stir-fried with flat rice noodles and onions. This is one of my favorite dishes!