mmm-yoso!!!

Wednesday revelations

Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!!, the blog about food.  Cathy is still talking, ed is still in Yuma and Kirk (and His Missus) are still in Thailand.

So anyhow, I was eating somewhere and was talking with my friend about different restaurants and what to order where and someone asked me if I was a food blogger, mentioned  the word "yoso" and walked away-it was kind of creepy, in a stalker-like way.  In that particular restaurant, I saw three people taking photos of their food anyhow.  I didn't even have my camera with me.  I haven't posted on the place and might not.  But, if you are some sort of stalker type, there are clues if you watch how I eat or order... 

Say you are at Wendy's and see someone with a baked potato. 

Seems OK, so far...but the potato is not cut open...the butter is on the outside. 

Hm.  So is the sour cream.

OK.  Now the clue. 

Never, ever, EVER would this be the part I would toss away from a baked potato-anywhere.  Ever.

 

THIS is the part I don't bother with- the innards of a baked potato.  Useless.  I love potato skins. With butter. Real butter.

 

OK.  Here's another clue.

Say it is before the sun rises. 

You are in Santee.

You see Mary's donuts and few cars parked outside.  One of them is most likely mine.

 

You see someone looking at all the hot fresh donuts,    

eventually settling on no more than four.  One maybe has chocolate.

 

(Because The Mister will eventually wake up and somehow know I brought home donuts.)  But one will *always* be a plain glazed French Cruller.  That's mine.

 

 

A final tell about how I eat. Pretty much anywhere (this photo is from Longhorn), I will get a 1/3 to 1/2 lb, medium rare burger, no cheese...and if I can, put some mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles on it. But *never* cheese. 

So, if you see someone eating and talking about food, it might be me and it might not.  We are all just people.  Blogging is a hobby for most of us...a kind of diversion.  It does not define us.  We are just happy to be sharing part of ourselves-kind of anonymously. Start a conversation about food and things that might be of interest to the other person.  Don't worry if they blog or not. 

Today is a busy day for me.  Gotta run.  I hope all of you are having a nice week so far. 

Mary's Donuts SouthEast corner of Mission Gorge Road at the 125/52 exchange, Santee.  Never closed.

K Sandwich- Breakfast goodies.

mmm-yoso!!! is here, a blog about stuff we eat.  Kirk is in Thailand and ed is galavanting in Yuma...and both are preparing to blog about more of their meals.  Today, it's Cathy talking about something she ate.

Hi.  Here I am again and there you are, reading and thinking about what you want to eat today or tomorrow.  Kirk has blogged about K Sandwich numerous times,  mostly in posts about various banh mi. 

This post is just about breakfast items at K. There is a steam tray area and some prepared items to grab and go also...which I will talk about in another post.

Fresh squeezed Orange juice ($1.95). Very sweet (in a good way) and pulpy; the way I like it.  Coffee with milk (sweetened condensed milk) $1.95.  You can get the coffee hot or cold.

The bacon and egg croissant ($2.25). The croissant is lightly toasted, the eggs are whipped and slightly scrambled, the bacon is thin and not overly flavorful. There are two strips on the sandwich. An "inside view' of the ham and egg croissant ($2.25). Same, fresh croissant with the same two lightly scrambled eggs and two slices of ham.

The pate chaud are always on display in the glass case next to the register, keeping warm. Only $1 and *so* worth it. I hope this cross section view (taken after a bite or two) (sorry it isn't a clear photo) portrays the light airiness of the pate/pastry and the ground pork filling. You can see it isn't greasy, or the bottom would be soaked and falling out; it never is.

If you really can't decide, you can get a Super Breakfast Sandwich, on a croissant or baguette -a baguette as long as an old iBook computer- for only $3.35.  Two slightly scrambled, fresh cooked eggs, ham, bacon and cheese in a fresh, warmed baguette.

Near the back of the store, the fresh bread is available for $1.25 or three smaller sandwich size rolls for $1 and croissants are also $1 for the plain and the filled (chocolate, chocolate with cream cheese, strawberry with cream cheese, pineapple with cream cheese and sometimes blueberry with cream cheese).

The ham and cheese baked croissant, also sold in the bakery area, ($1.25) looks like this on cross section.  An excellent, fresh and flaky grab and go snack.

There you go.  Breakfast. Have a good week.

K Sandwich corner of Convoy/Linda Vista at Mesa College Drive Open at 6 a.m. Mon-Sat, 8 a.m. Sunday.

Saturday Silliness-Some meals Cathy has eaten away from home

mmm-yoso!!!, the blog about food.  Cathy is writing to show you she is alive, taking photos and blogging.  Just a little.

Hi.  I got some emails asking me if I was OK...I've been busy this month.  I still found time to eat, while meeting friends for lunch, or working and pretty much took photos of everything I ate.  Nothing exciting, just food. So, here you go.  Sort of a week in my life. Condensed.

Souplantation for lunch.. Where there are no rules. So I always grab two salad plates-one for the ready made stuff as well as the salad -salad.   

OK, this time I grabbed three plates.  I had one half bowl of chili also, but didn't take a picture.   

 

 

I usually try one of the three pastas available, with the sort of garlic/sort of foccacia bread.  This day it was Alfredo sauce and pasta.

I always get the squaw bread. With real butter.  

A blue crab, steamed with Old Bay...(excellent fresh flavor) from Crab Hut .   

   

   

 

 

So, my $5 lunch, while working... Fresh Kaiser onion roll, 1/4 lb roast beef, Black tea on sale.

Turns into a wonderful huge sandwich.. I was working on Voting Day and could not leave the area I was assigned. I also got myself a jelly donut for dessert. (Included in the $5 price).

...

A really good ceviche tostada from some taco shop where I met a friend.

The gyros salad from Daphne's . 

A $21 meal from Nijiya Market. Soft shell crab on bottom center.  Curry croquette, fried squid, chicken Katsu Bento box, some sort of seaweed salad...Total price included the can of hot green tea and the liter of cold coffee as well as that imported banana crepe. We ate it on one of the outdoor tables.

That's it.  Nothing overly exciting.  Hope you are having a nice weekend.

The 2008 San Diego County Fair- Part One: Before the Fairgrounds open

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food.  Today, Cathy is busy writing because Kirk and ed from Yuma are busier doing other stuff.

Hi.  This post was written before the County Fair will open on Saturday June 14.  The Theme of the Fair was chosen about eleven months ago and for this year it is "Summer of Sports" and dates for deadlines to bring entries to the Fair are set -so that everything will be in place when people walk in the gate on opening day.  Not only will things be in place, but awards have been awarded and ribbons are on everything.

You might recall my little little  three part blogging of the Fair last year.  One thing I mentioned (and continue to mention, even to complete strangers in grocery checkout lines) is that the preserved foods are "the heart of the Fair" to me...Preserved foods and Home Arts in general are *the reason* we have a County Fair- why almost every county in the US has a Fair.  The San Diego County Fair is the fifth most attended County Fair in the USA.  If we did not have Home and Hobby, a Student Showcase and Kids Best, the Fair would just be rides, carnival games and a giant Swap Meet sale...oh and wonderfully unusual foods(which will be blogged about in Part Two).

Some of the vendors were in place, since they have no place else to be.  But the Fairgrounds were not really set up when I was there...the Saturday after Memorial Day, when the Preserved Foods were judged. 

These were the entries.  The table in the forefront is where two judges, along with their own "secretary" and "runner" sit. There were a total of six judges. You can see the judges have crackers, lemon slices and water as their palate cleansers- the basket is filled with disposable forks and spoons.

Here is another view.  The entries are set up in Divisions and Categories. The labels with the contestant's names are folded over, so the judging is "blind". Underneath each entry is the recipe the entrant followed. One of the things the judges look for is that the preserved foods were...um... properly preserved.

As a small example, in this Division 3209 of Relishes and Sauces.  The judges had to judge 7 different barbecue sauces, 12 chutneys, 8 mixed relishes, 7 canned salsas and these 5 "other than listed" relishes and sauces.

After reading the label listing dates and type of canning method and seeing that the item in question was preserved properly, as well as the recipe the entrant has provided,  the judge will open each canned item, being certain to hear the "whoosh" sound of a good vacuum seal.  They then check that enough "head room" was used in the preserving process. Usually then the judge will smell the item and then insert a fork or spoon, to check consistency, spoon some out and either taste then, or do the same above steps with each item and then begin tasting.  A lot of wasted calories and possible illness can be eliminated before tasting. 

I took a photo of this beautiful rose petal jelly, which, unfortunately was kind of liquidy and not properly jelled, but looked so very pretty in the jar.  Apparently it also tasted quite nice, but when a judge has 12 different jellies to try and one isn't properly prepared, it is sadly eliminated from getting or even being considered for a ribbon. 

Despite your thinking that it must be exciting and fun to judge jams, jellies, preserves and conserves...well, it kind of isn't.  These judges have to sit down and eat sugar based products for a good three to four hours in a row.  Think about it.  Even if you are a chocoholic and think you could eat chocolates all day every day...really-four hours straight?  The judges basically eat no carbohydrates for one or two days before they have to judge, so the sugar rush won't adversely affect them.  One judge who I spoke to told me she eats no carbs for two days prior and loads up on meat and cheese for breakfast before driving to the Fairgrounds.  Still, she gets kind of shaky and on a sugar high for hours after she gets home, and then crashes the next day.    The Strawberry Jam category this year had 27 entries.  That poor judge had to not only find the best of all of them...but had to taste and re-taste so many jams just of that flavor to determine the best...of 27.

These were some of many entries in the  "other than listed, miscellaneous" division.  See the  Thai Hot and Sweet dipping sauce-2nd from the right?  That is chopped garlic on the bottom, hot chilis in the top layer and a nice sweet oil in between.  Mix it up, put it on a cracker, and you have the Best of Show winner. 

As I said, the grounds were barely set up when I was there, but they are almost all set up now.  Hope to see you at the Fair!  If not, I will enjoy and then blog it for you.

You can see more details of dates and times of the fair on the website.  I try to go in as soon it opens in the morning, and park in one of the free lots.  Transportation on school buses and a few Double Decker buses is provided every 15 minutes or so; also free.  Parking this year is $9.

Website

Another event. With food. At Nordstrom

mmm-yoso!!! is just a humble blog.   We talk about what we ate and where we ate it and maybe what it cost.  We tell you if we liked it or not.   Today, Cathy is talking about what she ate...the food was free, but the ancillary costs...oh my!

Hi again.  Yes, Nordstrom has had its "spring event".   My friend was invited and asked me to tag along.  Of course I did, with my camera in one pocket...and credit card in the other pocket.  You remember the last 'event' I went to, right? 

In general,  Nordstrom is a high end clothing and accessory store which rewards its best customers by closing the doors and allowing only the best (i.e. big spenders) ones to attend these twice a year happenings, (close to the Christmas holidays and Mother's Day), for easy shopping while serving adult beverages and fancy snacks.  On a 'regular' shopping day, you can eat at the Nordstrom Cafe inside the store.  These 'events' are catered.

I really got all of my purchases into this one bag, since silk does not take up much space when folded or thrown on the floor...and I ate a lot of goodies in between making those purchases. I started out the evening with a melon martini- a sip already taken before the photo... The server told me it was vodka with melon liqueur and you can see, a melon ball was in the glass.  Very refreshing.

Then I moved on with a miniature barbecue chicken miniature mini teensy slider..which was unusually tasty. (The napkin it is placed on is 4 inches square).

This was followed by a polenta puff topped with ancho chili sauce.

The 'Asian chicken' filled pocket was extremely tasty- ground chicken mixed with a taste of green onions, garlic and ginger made this moist delicate pocket an almost hearty snack .

By far, my most memorable and favorite tasting food of the night was the orzo pasta, with Kalmata olives, cherry tomato halves (richly flavored cherry tomatoes, I might add), artichoke hearts, with a lemon oregano dressing and topped with crispy feta cheese bits.

There was supposedly a S'mores dessert, but I never saw it being handed out. I don't crave chocolate, but I do like marshmallow, so I was a bit disappointed, however I managed to get to the Godiva shop and bought a serving (four) of the candied orange peels dipped in dark chocolate ($2.25) to bring home to The Mister.

Of course, I hit the coffee bar before driving home....

The store holds these events twice a year and I can't wait for the next one in December.

Nordstrom. Nationwide locations listed on the website.

Giant New York Pizza- You can get other food here too!

mmm-yoso!!! is our blog.  Kirk is away and the rest of us are playing.  Right now, Cathy is writing about a quick meal.

Hello again. I was going to get creative for this start of April post, but am overwhelmingly busy and so am just going to show you last night's dinner.

Giant New York Pizza.  You've seen them around town. 

You can get a 48 inch diameter  pie with three items for about $28.  You need a pick up truck with a gate to  bring it home because the box won't fit in the passenger door.  Or you can just get a couple of  giant slices.  $2.25 each. This photo is in a large pizza box.

 

Then there is the gyros.   Kind of looks small in the photo, but it is overfilled with meat and sauce, onions and tomatoes. For some reason, there was lettuce yesterday.  It tasted very good, moist meat, cut fresh from the spit. The tzatziki is good and fresh.

(Remember my "there are no rules" when it comes to food mantra?  There is no reason you can't ask for your pizza to have gyros meat on it you know...I mean the meat is right there next to the pizza oven.  Try it.)

This was a $5 sandwich, big enough to share.  Too much food with a pizza slice.

Yep, that was our meal- hot, fresh, good.  Less than $10.

I love the Greek salad here also, you know,  when I want greens.  Yesterday, I wanted food. 

Sorry so short, more tomorrow.

Giant New York Pizza.  Numerous locations in San Diego County

A Trip to the new Fresh & Easy

mmm-yoso!!! is the blog and today it is Cathy's turn.  Kirk is busy.

Hi again. Hope you day has been going well. Fresh & Easy has come to Southern California, and the one closest to our home has (finally) opened, so I thought I'd show and tell what our sort of "average" purchase is in a quick post..

For those who don't know, Fresh & Easy is a mini grocery store concept, brought here by Tesco, the third largest retailer in the world, British based  (Wal-Mart and Carrefour in France are #1 and #2) international grocery and general merchandising retail chain. 

The products in the store are not from Britain, per se, but this one item I look for that seems to be sold out rather rapidly.

The "british-brand" uncured back bacon. ( no nitrates added except for naturally occurring nitrates in sea salt and celery juice) It is hand trimmed and hickory smoked.$5.59 a pound and *wonderful* stuff. The slices are not at all uniform- some thin and some thick, but I don't cook a lot at once, so can keep an eye on the bacon in the pan.

Other items we buy on a sort of "regular shopping trip include:

Jewish Rye bread ($1.77)-this is thick cut, light(not dense) and has a hearty rye flavor.  A pack of four cheese Danish ($3.59), light and crispy, buttery crust with a not too sweet, creamy filling. Smoked Polish kielbasa ($2.49) a one pound ring of not bad-but not like I grew up with- garlic-y kielbasa is a staple in our fridge ...OH and that pint of Roasted banana gelato for $2.98 is my personal new addiction- it is pretty much Bananas Foster in cream form.  Every flavor- butter and burned brown sugar- is there along with a wonderful, non-artificial banana flavor. I can't wait for summer so I can maybe try other flavors, or just keep getting this stuff.

I also like the freeze dried banana/blueberry/raspberry mix ($2.50 for a 44g bag).  This is a wonderful snack or add in to plain yogurt, or on top of salads and costs almost double when sold under other brand names in regular grocery stores.  Freeze dried-light and airy crisp-not a hard and crunchy crispness-wonderful!  The 24 ounce bag of carrots is only $1.03 and the 16 ounce low fat cottage cheese is $2.28, a good price in Southern California nowadays, where dairy prices have gone insane.

I don't usually like orange juice from concentrate, but for $2.19, I tried it this time.  It is not bad at all. The Greek yogurt (honey flavor and fig flavor) at $1.18 each, are a great deal.  This time we bought the regular hot dog buns ($1.19) and a jar of sauerkraut (99¢) because we have some good skinned wieners at home that I think will be tomorrow's lunch.  The hot dog buns feel not soft, but the expiration date is about 5 days away- they were the freshest marked bread product there, so I am going to toast and butter the buns before eating and see how that works out.  I think it will be dense but fresh bread...unlike the 99¢ generic hot dog buns sold in regular grocery stores. 

Oh, the Huntsman Cheese is only $10.48/lb and one of my favorite treats, along with cured, dried meats, which we did not buy this time. 

The store is known for its concept of having foods that are easy to prepare or eat (hence the name) and the refrigerated section is quite large.  Sandwiches, salads, side dishes are not expensive and rather interesting.  I just like to cook, so I only have purchased occasional of those items, when I am in a hurry.  The lasagna is particularly good and, as I recall, $3.99 for a one pound serving. 

As well as easy to eat and prepare items (make your own shrimp and salmon skewers- with sauce and a tomato on each of the 4 skewers -$5.99 for 13 ounces) (boneless skinless chicken breasts ready to bake with bell peppers, cream cheese and butter sauce for $7.99/lb), there are also other grocery items, like whole chicken legs for 79¢ a pound (they are 99¢ a pound at Costco) and 5 or 6 types of ground beef , including Angus (th 80/20 ground beef is $2.59).   There are breakfast cereals, pancake mixes, syrups and baking goods, canned tuna, soups, oils and vinegars, both in popular brands and (about half the store is) Fresh and Easy brand.  They sell plenty of Indian curry items, both fresh and frozen items (a 24 ounce frozen Mac and Cheese is $2.99) and some regular grocery store items, such as pet food, baby needs, cleaning items and drug store sundries, although not a full selection.  Kind of a few notches above 7-11 in convenience and fanciness for those quick stops on the way home after a busy day.

It is an easy one stop shop, where you scan and bag it yourself.  There are no sales: just everyday low prices.  {They did have Whitman Chcolate 2 pound heart shaped boxes for $1.67 sold at the cash registers after Valentine's Day, so I assume the prices were higher within the store prior to the holiday, but there are no sale flyers or things like that. } I do like it here and can do some regular, as well as some fancy shopping here. Addendum:  The "fresh" items are marked down to half price after about 3 p.m daily (Including the flowers).  The end unit you first hit when walking in the door has mark downs anyhow, but the half price stickers are fairly obvious on the items in the regular bins.    There are no 'weekly specials' per se.

www.freshandeasy.com

The Very Last Day of 2007-and a preview of 2008! Behind the scenes at the Tournament of Roses! Oh, food, too.

mmm-yoso!!! is the blog about food..and what some of us do to get to eat said food.  Cathy is having her annual adventure North of San Diego and you get to vicariously enjoy!

Hi.  It is the 31st of December and here we are.  We made it through 2007, relatively unscathed and 2008 is right there staring at us.  We have to learn a little different way to type or write the date; new calendars are out on the walls and on the desk, filled with so many blank pages, papers can be filed and gotten ready to start inputting into the new Tax Program on your computer, or in a folder to hand to your Tax Guy or Tax Gal...and still, there is time to relax, because the the first day of the year is a holiday!  A lot of people have breakfast at home with family or friends and watch the Rose Parade on television.  A spectacular event, planned almost a year in advance, yet assembled only a few weeks before it actually can happen, because every visible portion of each float must be covered with something that is, or was alive...thousands of volunteers have been working on the float decorations, sleeping overnight in Pasadena, waking to sticky, glue covered hands and clothing and going at it the next day...and yet, nobody will see these lovely pieces of art and architecture until tomorrow on television...except for you, dear readers!

Oh yes, The Mister and  have this on our agenda every year...We just are skipping the sticky glue covered hands part this year.  Yes. we merely woke up about 4 a.m. today and drove north to Pasadena, to have breakfast with the Pasadena Host Lions Club at the Historic Castle Green Hotel and then take a VIP tour of the final float preparations.

The Hotel is now mostly an apartment building and the eating area is still used for parties and such. We got some food from the buffet: Kind of standard stuff; scrambled eggs, potatoes, fruit, muffins, danish, ham and sausage. One trip only...coffee, cranberry and orange juice too. We didn't care- we were here to take the VIP tour of the final decoration of the 2008 Rose Parade Floats! I am trying to give you views you will not see on television. This 25,000 pound Indian (Native American) float will be one you see on television, mid parade.

Remember, every square inch of every float has to be covered with something that is or was alive. The smells up close are wondrous...and also glue-like.

This is the back of the Lions Club International Float.. and this is what it looks like from the front. As I said, every square inch on every float must be filled in, and judging was about to happen in less than three hours. If you look close, you can see glue on the back of these Marguerite flower heads and the blank space they were being placed onto the float just behind. Other flowers had been cut and placed in water vials and were also ready to be used for 'spot fills'. OK, here are some other floats...for a sneak peek! AND SO ANYHOW...It was lunch time and we were hungry, but the streets of Pasadena were starting to line up with people claiming a spot along the parade route and we wanted to stay away from those crowds, so jumped on the freeway, started heading East, and decided the"Covina" exit at Citrus Avenue sounded nice...and we saw this sign in a non-descript mall...and stopped The menu was simple- So. we ordered...The pastrami sandwich ($5.25).

Very large, lots of meat, juicy, nicely spicy(not too much pepper), good fresh bread. No jus to dip in, however, there was enough juice on the bread to make it wonderful as a last bite. I wanted the gyros sandwich special ($6.99) included fries and a medium drink...the gyros was wonderful, meat cut in thick slices from a spit and perfectly juicy and flavorful, topped with a tangy tzatziki sauce, chopped onions and chopped tomatoes. In my quest for wonderful onion rings and knowing they are pretty much always perfect from these Mediterranean places that have gyros, I ordered the SMALL size ($2.59). I was not disappointed in the size, nor the quality and spice of the breading and crispiness; I was merely disappointed in myself that I could not finish it all...

P&G Superburgers 1030 N. Citrus Avenue, Covina open 7 am-11 pm, seven days

We wish everyone out there a Very Happy 2008!  (or "2000 ate" as ed so succinctly put it) Have a safe day!

"An Event". With food. At Nordstrom.

mmm-yoso.  A blog about food.  Mostly, written by a Kirk and occasionally some friends.  Today, an occasional day and Cathy is blogging.

Hello, Cathy again. So.....My dear friend, Ms. T., has been able to acquire invitations to the two annual "Events" that Nordstrom Stores hold for "special" customers..one in the Spring, just before Mother's Day and one in the Winter, just after Thanksgiving but before Hanukkah and Christmas.(For those who don't know, Nordstrom is a more upscale store selling mostly clothing and accessories for men, women and children.)

These events happen at 7:30 in the evening and a particular store is closed down, candles are lit, alcoholic beverages are brought out, caterers brought in and the Store Employees greet you by applauding down either side of the main aisle when you walk in... and there are small gifts with purchase, double points given when you use the Nordstrom Credit Card to pay for your purchases and a few giveaways here and there that 'regular' shoppers may not get to take advantage of. (OK, lets get real here: you get invited because you have indeed charged more than X dollars at Nordstrom throughout the year and they reward you this way-just before some major holidays, when you are likely to be spending money anyhow...).

Yep, I bypassed the beer and wine and went straight for a Cosmopolitan. Let's just say the vodka hit me as I was paying for my first (and actually only) purchase of the night.  A strong mixed drink.  I could feel a blush on my cheeks and up to my ears...A nice touch is the stem removed from the maraschino cherry-less for others to have to clean up. {Note: I was very sober before I left to drive home}
Pasta with peas in a vodka marinara sauce. (Let's keep that vodka theme going, people!) served in red Chinese take out boxes. A very nice flavored sauce, more just tomatoes, which I like. The peas were still firm and tasty.
Baby new potatoes, stuffed with an artichoke filling. Even though small, these packed some great flavors; I could taste the potato and then the saltiness of the artichoke puree. Interesting and in the small bite, just the right amounts of each. I am unsure if I could do this with 'regular' sized new potatoes.
Basil chicken salad in a pocket. Not a pesto sauce, but basil and a touch of mayonnaise and pecans and quite a bit of white meat chicken. Wrapped in a wonton skin and tied with a piece of chive. This was a three bite appetizer; a good size.
Corn and black beans in a lime chipotle dressing which Nordstrom sells and offers in their Cafe. Topped with a piece of avocado and a corn chip. The idea was to sell the dressing. This was quite refreshing.
Small mixed green salad, topped with the Nordstrom Brand champagne vinaigrette. Very nice.
A Prosciutto wrapped fresh fig, stuffed with goat cheese that had a bit of chive in it. Wow. The sugar from the fresh fig, and saltiness of the Prosciutto and cheese...perfect combination. Perfect. If I can buy a lot of the proper sized and aged figs, I will do this at home.
There, of course, is a coffee bar...but you know, a Nordstrom in store-for-special-clients coffee bar...self serve.
The only "sweet" I got- hot apple cider. They also had some very thin, densely cocoa flavored brownies, maybe one inch square, that I didn't care to try. Ms. T said it was good, though.
and, so, we left...Christmas gifts in tow...a very nice experience with some fun treats and ideas to try for at home.

Elsa's Kitchen-Greek Food that is really good.

mmm-yoso!!!  is the blog that Kirk and Cathy and ed and Vicky write on to tell you about meals they ate.  Once again, it is Cathy writing, because Kirk is still not feeling well.

Hi.  Happy Halloween.  I don't play games with treats, or decorations.  Fast food bags turned to luminaria.  Hope you had a nice day.

So.  The Northeast corner of El Cajon Boulevard and 70th Street, just next to the Exxon gas station.  That parking lot.  Here is the street sign.

Here is what the front window looks like.  Hopefully when you go, the  mall will be finished being re-done and there will be signs above the doors of the various businesses. 

Here is a close up of that front window.  Daily specials. Great prices.

The menu is simple.

As is the interior. Seven tables.  Simple. Clean.

ah- the food.

The Spanakopita and falafel side dish. ($4.25)

Three fresh made falafel nuggets.  Tasty.  Served with a yogurt based tzatziki sauce. 

The Spanakopita was very fresh, large and savory.  Feta filled and with flaky filo dough.

The Pastrami sandwich.  ($5.20) Not fatty, a lot of meat, mustard and pickles but the meat was kind of too peppered for my liking.   The bread was very fresh.

The small order of onion rings ($1.75) - perfect.  Almost every Greek place we go to just knows how to make onion rings the right way...a light batter, wide cut sweet onions..gosh I could eat these every day.

The Gyros sandwich, deconstructed ($4.50).

Lots of thicker cut gyros meat, with nicely crispy fried edges...a good fresh fluffy bread....tomatoes,  onions and the fresh tzatziki.  Simple and perfectly good.

We also got a vanilla shake ($2.25).  Not bad, but not

great.

When we were there, a few people came in and ordered the burger, done medium rare and took it to go.  I will try that soon.

Elsa's Kitchen 7022 El Cajon Boulevard San Diego 92115 Mon-Sat 10:30-9 Sunday 12-8  (619)464-6711