Spring Break Activity Guide Part II
The Starving Student
Jay Donde, Julia Eckhardt and Tom Guffey
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Features
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FOOD: The key here is to find those places that are off the beaten path - avoid the mall like the plague, you'll throw your money away and the air is way too sterilized there anyway. Here are a few of the usual suspects:
Taquerias: No, not Una Mas or Baja Fresh. If it's a chain, then avoid it. Those places tend to be over-priced, if not a rip-off. Look for something that actually has "taqueria" in its name. If it's a little dark inside, there's Mexican music playing, and they sell those glass bottles of soda, then you're in the right place. Chances are, you'll get a great deal for a nice big burrito, soft taco (NOTE: most real taquerias don't have hard tacos) or quesadilla.
La Victoria Taqueria is on Santa Clara near San Pedro, and on San Carlos between 3rd and 4th streets in downtown San Jose. Come for the great food, stay for the mind-blowing orange sauce.
Asian: According to Jennifer Lee, author of the book "The Fortune Cookie Chronicles," America has more Chinese food restaurants than McDonald's, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken combined. That's probably because Chinese food is good, and for the most part it's pretty cheap too. Unlike sushi, which costs an arm and a leg to get a nickel-sized roll of seafood, Chinese food gets you more for less money. Then there's Vietnamese food. From sandwiches to soup, it's hard to go wrong with Vietnamese cuisine, but it's not hard to find a good deal.
Lee's Sandwiches is all over the place and offers some of the best deals on sandwiches known to man. The closest one to De Anza College is just down Stevens Creek Boulevard, one block past De Anza Boulevard, but it's a pretty big chain so I'd recommend Googling it.
Don't know what Pho is? It's a kind of noodle soup with your choice of meat or no meat all tossed on top. I like Pho Hoa at 1089 De Anza Blvd. (about three blocks north of Highway 85), but finding your own local pho joint will be a right of passage for the value-oriented diner.
King Egg Roll is god's gift to egg roll lovers. This egg roll mecca is a two-store chain, one at 980 Lundy Ave., the other at 1221 Story Rd., both in east San Jose. I've picked up bags of egg rolls from this place for less than $10.
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