Top Asian Fusion Restaurant in National City
Bonchon National City
1420 E Plaza Blvd Suite D-04, National City, CA 91950, United States
Was super excited to find time to come here. They werent too busy and we were seated right away. Started off wth a 6 piece Takoyaki appetizer and they came out nice and hot. But after a few bites found that the fried octopus ball only contained a sliver of meat. I ended up eating a giant fried dough ball which was overwhelmingly covered in a sweet sauce over cabbage. Put more meat and less sauce and they would have had something Id come back for, but as it was, pretty disappointing.We also had the chicken sliders for an appetizer, honestly, all i can say was that it was very dry and lacked any flavor. We had chosen the soy garlic. The only flavor that peeked out was the cole slaw.Main entree was the Bulgogi dish and the Chicken Fried Rice. The Bulgogi was average. The Bulgogi was on a bed of onions that were freshly cut and provided a nice contrast to the Bulgogi. It werent for the super oiliness of the Bulgogi, I felt it could have tasted better. The Chicken Fried Rice felt like food you could get at a buffet, precooked rice sitting in a chafing dish, and a choice of meat mixed in when ordered. It did not come out hot, which was a bummer. Any fried rice, imo, taste better hot. Just underwhelming.We really came to try the chicken wings and ordered the small 50/50 boneless wings in sweet red chili and soy garlic. For a place proud of their chicken, I found it truly disappointing. The chicken may have been prefried and sitting in a chafing dish, because there was zero crunch, the texture was hard, and the chicken was not juicy or tender. The sweet red chili sauce felt like a last minute brush on, taste was bland, and the soy garlic flavor was practically missing.Overall, came in with high expectations and left wondering if Id ever come back. For the prices, I think Id be better off getting fried chicken anywhere else. The only real positive, if I can say it, is the food was definitely IG ready. Imo a solid 3 star eatery.
Gerrys Grill
3050 Plaza Bonita Rd Suite 2510, National City, CA 91950, United States
I had fun, and I want more Kare kare lol.Im a fan of Live Band Music. We need it sometimes!Just be prepared to wait on peak nights like Friday.First time coming here.1) The Wait is somewhat long (Friday night) but you can go to the bar area and have a cocktail, Steve was our server and served us pretty drinks like a mai tai and pina colada virgin.2) Strict rules on Friday nights when there is a band, you cannot reserve a table unless you have 3 or 4 Physically present with you.On Friday I believe it closes 11 p.m. instead of the regular 9. p.m.If you have a group of 4 or more you would probably get a table right away or wait just a few minutes the people have to be present.You cannot reserve if its just 2 people, while we were awaiting our friends who came from traffic. So no saving tables on Friday nights.We are a group of 5 but my friend and I arrived earlier but we were not able to get a table until the rest of our guest showed up. That was kind of a bummer because we arrived there 5:30 p.m. and waited for the rest of our party and we couldnt even get sitted till they arrived 6:30 almost. So We watch a bunch of people who we were ahead of go before us. Kahit maaga kami.There was a mix up in the rules. One server was giving us one answer the other a different answer. It was really crowded but I guess its a popular place on Friday nights with a live band!Band was fine. The decor of the restaurant was beautiful, lot of space! Love the floorplan and layout of the tables.We ordered Kare Kare I loved it. I usually just eat more of the sauce. Rice was great, the appetizers, calamari, good too it came in rings. Its great to have a place to go to with a live band and good food.Although the wait was long I guess its worth it and gives you a chance to chat up with your friends and socialize. My friend was craving the Crispy pata. She liked it.We took several photos and the band members were nice. I thought that one of the waitress forgot my drink but finally she did come over with the admf drink hehe. I dont know how it is on other days but that Friday had a lot of people who look excited on getting a table.It was certainly happening. I guess since weve been stuck sa pandemic that we needed to be out.All the servers were wearing their mask. Parking is at the Plaza bonita parking. I would have given 5 stars but only because the answer of the servers were inconsistent as to reservations etc.They did good job serving our food, asking if we needed more. There were time I needed to wave at the waitress but I figured they are so busy its normal for her to take time. FOOD WAS TASTY.(Kare kare) and the Calamari and Lumpia, as for the noodle I think they could have given more or done better.I am glad that I finally get to listen to LIVE MUSIC!!!! Thats worth it. Lot of fun.. I dont recommend ordering through doordash because the portions seem so small.I do think its nice for you to experience the lively place !
Seoul Korean Corndog & Fried Chicken
3030 Plaza Bonita Rd #2450, National City, CA 91950, United States
A clear example of “Trying to do too much”. A place that sells corn dogs and fries - sure! But having 2-3 employees to prepare chicken, corn dogs, fries, ddeok-bokki in an incredibly saturated mall is far too much work. The place either needs to hire more staff or cut away products from the menu. I have legitimately walked away without getting my corn dogs nearly an hour after ordering them. I have asked once where's my order and once it was apparent they have forgotten about me *again* I decided that I would rather eat the $11 I have spent than waiting potentially another hour for two incredibly simple dishes.The owner *needs to do better*. I am not blaming the overwhelmed employees because I would be as well. You either hire more staff or make adjustments, not add more items to the menu since their menu was smaller upon opening. You have to do better.
Top other services in National City:
Sushi n Gone Teriyaki & Noodles
1539 E 8th St, National City, CA 91950, United States
Ok, so hear me out on this. Paolo is into to something here. Wow! I am a sushi snob and would never have thought that Mexican and Sushi fusion would work. Boy was I wrong. This was some of the best sushi I have ever had outside traditional Japanese sushi. The facade and interior has a little left to be desired. I almost didn't enter as I was clutching my pearls concerned for the safety and security at this location. They need to clean up the former 7-11 facade and make their interior a little more cozy. The place is obviously short staffed and a start up. I want to see them succeed, though! With some attention to interior decorating they could really have an all round 5 star joint here. Also for the price this value is great!
Cafe Indonesia
41 E 8th St, National City, CA 91950, United States
I placed a review on Market on the 8th, but I need to give kudos to this Indonesian Cafe.I said Ive never tried Indonesian food before, so I ordered whatever the guy told me what was popular. BEEF Rendang To explain it like an American way, its like tender pulled beef seasoned like wonderful Indian food. Im not sure what ingredients make Indian food taste that way, but it is similar. They had some picked vegetable.This amazing sauce tasted similar Sriracha Mayo sauce, and they had sliced a boiled egg, sliced in half, and it was dunked that sauce. Yummy. ?? ? ? ?Then we got some delish shikabobs, BBQ chicken and pork. Oh, what I loved is this spicy pepper oil f??that I dipped the meat into that and man was that every good. Yes if thats authentic Indonesian food. I like it! ?There was a green sauce too. Wonderful. I dipped meat into that as well. We had leftovers that we was macked up by my daughter and son later. No wasted bite!!!???
Teriyaki Sun
4 N Euclid Ave, National City, CA 91950, United States
Google recommend that I try out Teriyaki Sun as a new restaurant near me, and I decided to try it tonight. It wasnt very difficult to get here and parking wasnt bad at 6pm. The dining area is fairly plain and simple, but very clean. The decor is Island inspired, with an island / Asian fusion menu. I ordered the chicken teriyaki, with fried rice and a coke. It came with a salad that is tasty, and crisp, with a creamy ginger dressing. The potato salad was not what I was expecting, but I am very happy with what was served. The potatoes seem to be hand mashed with circular sliced carrots and macaroni. It was very mildly seasoned, which brought out more potato taste, which I think is a bit unique for an island inspired side, kudos for that. The chicken has a mild marinade if any at all, but is grilled perfectly. It is boneless thigh meat. It is served with a side of teriyaki sauce that is tasty. The fried rice is good with egg, corn, carrots, onion, and green pepper. All in all, the food is not over seasoned, which is a huge plus for me. The portions are more than adequate for all but the heaviest of eaters. Google referred me to Teriyaki Sun, and I am glad they did. I wish it was closer to my home so I could go more often. I certainly suggest giving it a try for when looking for good food but nothing fancy. As always, I rate stars as follows: 1- not good all around, 2- some good good value, but pretty common and nothing stood out, 3- a solid choice all around, 4- one of my favorites, 5- a great experience all around and very unique for the area.
Cho XO Asian Fusion
1420 E Plaza Blvd Suite D-05, National City, CA 91950, United States
Chao Xo Restaurant Vietnamese Asian Fusion Delights! It’s a very delicious lunch with friends, we crave eating Asian foods. The food and ambiance are so extra-special! Luckily, we got a good recommendation to try CHAO XO Restaurant located at 1420 E Plaza Blvd Suite D-05 National City, California. Thank you to Berlan for the friendly and accommodating service! Superb!Chao Xo Restaurant Grand Opening March 21, 2024
Market on 8th
41 E 8th St, National City, CA 91950, United States
Ive lived in Singapore for 22-years, Im well traveled (with Expatriate assignments across Asia, including Tokyo) and heres my take on the menus and the authenticity of the fare at Market on 8th: sampling the dishes at Market on 8th was like a culinary expedition across Asia, but better! I was astounded to find regional favourites, from street food favourites (Asia is well known for its amazing Hawker Stalls; in fact, only in Asia will you find a Michelin star was awarded to a hawker! The equivalent of the Mexican Taco stand, Asians take their street food seriously) to the dishes that one can only find at Japanese Izakayas and hip Asian restaurants (like the ones featured in the movie Crazy Rich Asians). Example, Chicken Katsu Sando (a lightly breaded chicken breast Japanese-style served in a Vietnamese-style Bánh mì sandwhich! The Katsu and Bánh mì are cult favourites in their country and I was blown away by how deliciousness of this fusion sandwich), and dont get me started on the Thai-Style Mango Ice Cream and sticky rice which is aptly named Oh Em Gee! Every dish was so refreshingly flavourful, but heres the best part: the stall owners all have a cultural heritage link to the food they are making and theyve added a fusion of flavours that has not only redefined and reimagined the dishes, but elevated well-known dishes and they do so with a humble brilliance that captures the imagination (they warmly welcome everyone here; theres no trendy hipster pretentious snobbery) and it serves to create an unforgettable sensorial experience (the market is beautifully designed; you feel 100% cooler the minute you step into the place!). Such was my experience that I returned 3-times during my trip to San Diego and I didnt wanna leave!
Hanaoka Restaurant
1528 Sweetwater Rd #C, National City, CA 91950, United States
I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. Staff was courteous and handled our large party well. We went in at about 2pm. Place was filled to about 2/3rds capacity.I had the bento box (14.95); it had quite an expansive amount of food. The chicken and beef teriyaki was thinly cut, ok but a little dry. Teriyaki sauce was just a tad salty, but most places do that. I suggest if you want leas salt ask for half the portion. Salad was fesh ams crisp with a thousand island dressing. Rice is the short graim variety, done well. The piece of shrimp tempura was fried lightly, yet crisp.There are sashimi pieces of tuna and salmon included (2ea). Very well cut and fresh.This was preceded by a cup of light miso soup that was one of the best I ever had. I know it is just soup, but its all in the preparation.California Rolls pieces in the bento were good. Rice had well defined grains.One thing that bothered me was that mangolemonade (5.00) had the syrup settling on the bottom. Asking partons to shake themselves is a no no for obvious reasons.Another thing is the restrooms lack privacy partitions (Mens urinal and one the ladies toilets). That has to be fixed right away.As for the server with the high tone pitch he wasnt annoying, and catered to all our requests. Have those that complain about his voice even consider that a personality trait, and something that should be not made fun of?He service and that of the kitchen was prompt.Go to this place, it has the right people preparing the dishes if reading between the lines. Hint Hint.
Ginza Sushi
925 E Plaza Blvd #108, National City, CA 91950, United States
My favorite Asian fusion restaurant. It is a family favorite and Ive thrown a few parties there. They take very good of me and my family.