Xin Chào Eatery

Xin Chao Eatery Opens at Del Mar Highlands Town Center | Eater San Diego

"Located in Del Mar Highlands Town Center in North County, Xin Chao Eatery is one of the few Vietnamese restaurants in the area and is run by co-owners Joyce and Justin Nguyen, who signed their lease three years ago before the pandemic. They keep a small menu of popular favorites to focus on quality, highlighted by the House Special Pho, which features a tender, fall-off-the-bone back rib, a good portion of filet mignon, meatballs, and brisket with a choice of wide or thin rice noodles in a fragrant, long-simmered broth; optional add-ons include bone marrow and extra meat. The TNG (Tai Nam Gau) contains rare steak, flank, and fatty brisket, and the menu also offers an oxtail pho and variations made with shrimp, chicken, or tofu. Other dishes range from shrimp summer rolls packed with vermicelli, shrimp, carrots, and lettuce to fish sauce–glazed chicken wings, crispy tofu fried rice, and a selection of banh mi served with a side of bone broth and shrimp chips. Their pho broth takes 10–12 hours to make; they sold out during their first Friday dinner service and had to close for the rest of the weekend. Ms. Nguyen says, “I feed my customers like I would feed my family,” emphasizing fresh ingredients and that nothing is microwaved or defrosted; this is the couple’s first restaurant together, though Ms. Nguyen comes from a family of local restaurateurs and hopes to mentor other aspiring restaurateurs in the future." - Helen I. Hwang