Soup Challenge 7: Travis Clifford (Tiger! Tiger!) - Minh Ky
Lloyd: What's the soup du jour?
Waitress: It's the soup of the day.
Lloyd: Mmm, that sounds good. I'll have that.
If you don't know that quote I'm not sure we can be friends.
Soups with chefs number 7 is here! Quick back story...about a year ago my favorite restaurant, Peking Cafe (We called it "Chop Suey") closed after being the oldest running restaurant in North Park. My family and I had been patrons almost my entire life so needless to say we were slightly devastated but also happy that the owners closed on their own terms. At "Chop Suey" we sat on the same side of the restaurant, always ordered the same dishes and it was home for us. My favorite dish was the won ton soup. Rain or shine, healthy or ill, pandemic or not...I always wanted that damn soup! After they closed their doors I looked for anything that would ever compare to that perfectly simple bowl of contentment. When Travis Clifford of Tiger! Tiger! told me we were going to Minh Ky for his favorite soup I thought nothing of it. A small space located in a small strip mall, I had never heard of Minh Ky so I looked forward a new experience but was not expecting what occurred that day.
Upon arriving Travis told me there were two things he always ordered. The first was the #6: Dumpling & Wonton Egg Noodle Soup. When I asked how he had heard of this place he mentioned other cooks recommended it so I knew it was once again an industry staple. Hailing from the Bay Area but living in San Diego for the past 12 years, Travis was no stranger to legit Asian cuisine and Minh Ky offers just that. As a matter of fact, their soup list alone is about 50+ varietes deep including soups with egg noodles, rice noodles, fire pots and porridges. If you're a soup fan then I bet you could easily find something for yourself here.
The second dish Travis always ordered was the orange chicken. Yes...good ol' orange chicken. This wasn't your fast food takeout 99 cent shit either. The chicken was crispy outside and perfectly juicy inside. The actual taste of sweet orange and savory spices were everything orange chicken should be. The sauce was not slimy or too thick. I asked Travis what made this place and this food so special to him and he mentioned that he knew that a lot of care was put into these dishes without the frill. It was purely and simply, good food. "When I leave, all I can think of is that I want to eat it again soon and that's a feeling that I hope to provide with my food for others". Growing up, Travis watched Food Network and knew working in the food/restaurant industry was his future. From our short time at lunch I could hear his passion for making people happy with his food. He isn't distracted by wanting to be "the best" for anyone but himself and his guests.
Upon receiving my own order of soup, I immediately noticed the pieces of BBQ pork
which took me back to my old favorite, Chop Suey. I added a touch of chili paste and dug in. The amount of meat, dumplings, noodles and scallions was immense! They were NOT gipping us on portions. The flavors were pure and delicious. I took a bite, looked at Travis and said "I think I might have found my new "Chop Suey" soup!" The broth was seasoned but still delicate to allow the other flavors to shine through. Everything was perfectly cooked and I kept taking spoonfuls of the broth by itself. Every component stood up to the next very well. The dish was a dance circle where everyone got their turn to party (in your mouth). I was beyond grateful to have experienced this moment in this place and stoked to have it with a chef who truly still had the drive and heart for making the adventure of eating a memorable one. Thank you Minh Ky and thank you Chef!
Now go get some f'ing Minh Ky!
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