J&T Thai Street Food

If you read my infamous "Why the Pause" blog, you'll see why this is probably a fitting first post after the pause. Gotta confront your demons, I guess.

J&T Thai Street Food in Linda Vista has been on my rotation for a while, especially during the pandemic. It is located in the strip mall on Linda Vista Road and close by Rose's Donuts. Parking can get pretty busy on that strip mall. It's a fast-casual restaurant serving a variety of Thai appetizers, entrees and drinks. You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you.

Soups offered include Tom Yum and Tom Kha. Appetizers include satay and lettuce wraps. I've had the lettuce wraps before and they were pretty good. Entrees from curries and noodle dishes, to the hearty dishes such as Steamed CHicken Rice, BBQ Pork and Pork Leg Stew Rice.

The inside is a good size with a few tables at the front of the restaurant

What I didn't realize until recently was that there was back area that has a lot more tables

Back area

What I usually get here is the Steamed Chicken Rice.

This is the same or pretty similar to the Singaporean Hainanese Chicken Rice. The chicken is usually boiled, and some of the chicken stock is used to cook the rice. The Singaporean version will come with a green onion/ginger and/or spicy/chili sauce. The chicken is usually breast and/or thigh meat, although there was one occasion where I was given a wing. The chicken is usually pretty tender. There was only one time where the chicken was "off". The rice had a nice texture and flavor. It also comes with soup (which is not always the case at the Singaporean Hawker Centers. I've been to Singapore a couple of times (even gto the famous Tian Tian Chicken Rice at Maxwell Center) so I crave some good chicken rice from time to time. I've had J&T's Chicken Rice before I went to Singapore, and that trip has not diminished this chicken rice. It's still satisfying to me, in its own way.

I've tried the other dishes such as the BBQ Pork (which was good not great) and the Pork Leg Stew

Pork Leg Stew

The Pork Leg Stew was pretty good. The sauce had a nice flavor, both slightly salty and sweet with a hint of star anise. The pork itself was pretty tender and the egg was a nice touch. I will eventually try the curries and other dishes. But for me, the Chicken Rice is where it's at.

J&T serves solid Thai Food and remains part of my rotation. I will eventually try their sister restaurant Me Sen Thai Noodle House at the Ranch 99 in Clairemont.

J&T Thai Street Food

5259 Linda Vista Rd

San Diego, CA 92110

jtthaistreetfood.com

Mon - Sun: 11AM - 10:30pm