“Small portions....quality is subpar...cheap but you get what you pay for”
Roger found the portions small and the quality subpar, summing it up as cheap but you get what you pay for. (From an unpublished Yelp draft review, never posted publicly.)
A Convoy District spot Roger rated among the better local options for xiao long bao and pan-fried sheng jian bao, with better-than-typical service to match.
From the order notes
Crab meat xiao long bao · Sheng jian bao · Zha jiang mian · Pork feet
A Kearny Mesa Vietnamese spot Roger praised for freshly made, generous portions — nothing mass-ordered frozen — plus made-to-order coffee and wings he ranks among the only two worth ordering at an Asian restaurant in town.
A low-key Convoy-area grocery Roger called a one-stop shop for a Chinese household: herbal remedies, dried seafood, nostalgic HK/China/Taiwan sodas and whole-leaf teas, tucked in a warehouse half a block west of Convoy.
The newer Chula Vista location of Manna, which Roger tried to dodge the perpetual wait at the Convoy branch; better service and the same standout brisket, "finger meat" and beef tongue.
A Koreatown-area soju lounge Roger used as a pre-dinner stop before hitting nearby KBBQ spots; fast service and reasonably priced flavored soju, though he hadn't yet tried the food.
