After some thought, I've started a new category of posts. I'll call the these PWTSDS (sounds like putdz). There are just some eating establishments where I'm unable to take photos, usually from lack of adequate light. So I've come to call them my "Posts Where the Sun Don't Shine" or PWTSDS. There have been many potential posts that have been discarded due to terrible photos - Parallel 33 and Balboa Tofu House come to mind. But I thought I'd do the ones that are somewhat salvageable. Please understand that the real PWTSDS is me, for being unable to take even remotely decent photos, and do not reflect upon the quality of food and service of the restaurants I'm eating at.
Most of my PWTSDS photos have long been discarded. But for some reason I still had a couple of photos from Ume No Ya Japanese Restaurant on Miramar Road. I don't really know how this place manages to survive, it's pretty difficult to find, blink your eyes and you've passed it. The location is kind of strange as well; next to a Truck Accessories shop and in the same strip mall as a stri, ummm "gentleman's club". The interior of Ume Mo Ya is quite dark, with Japanese posters, and other "stuff" adoring the walls, and a small television always tuned to the eternal infomercial channel. But the wonderful smell of shoyu and mirin is always floating in the air.
The food at Ume No Ya is strictly homestyle Japanese. If you're looking for sushi and other items you'll be best off trying elsewhere. The only Server I've seen here is a Little Old Lady, so if there are several patrons, the service might be a bit on the slow side. I've never had dinner at Ume No Ya, but I've had lunch there a few times, and the dishes can be hit and miss, but are very reasonably priced, usually between five to seven dollars(US). All lunches come with the "de riguer" green salad, and miso soup which often a bit on the salty side. I'll usually get the Katsudon ($5.00):
Simply done; a deep fried pork cutlet and egg over a bowl of rice, with some dashi-soy sauce-mirin type broth poured over it. Nothing fancy; I've had it on days when the broth was much too sweet, or too salty, but it's never been terrible. The portion size is decent, and Ume No Ya can be a nice change of pace from the other restaurants in the area.
The one thing that always gets me when I have lunch at Ume No Ya, is when exiting, from the dark dining area, you open the door, and "Wham!!!"
The bright sunshine always blinds me.....and I have to stumble around, luckily, the parking lot only holds about 10 cars.
Umenoya Japanese Restaurant
8650 Miramar Rd Ste B
San Diego, CA 92126
Some Sunday "stuffs":
Doesn't "Poulet Sel et Poivre" sound so very refined? What is it? Ha, you'll love this, it's Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings! This goes to prove what I've always believed; it always sounds better in French. Lately, one of my favorite Food Blogs has been Emily K's "What's For Lunch" emanating from Paris. There you'll find some very interesting "lunches" and even the Poulet Sel et Poivre. I just love the Chinese Restaurant named, "Delices Celestes". I'm telling you, it always seems to sound better in French. I wonder what would happen if I dropped by Royal Mandarin and asked for some Poulet Sel et Poivre?
Amanda, on Her Food Blog Too Many Caesar Salads recently featured a few pages from vintage recipe booklets and cookbooks. My favorite is something called Spork. Seems that one man's Spam, is another's Spork........
I'd also like to congratulate Robwonton on the birth of his daughter Maya.
I recently had the pleasure of some wonderful company for dinner, Ed from Yuma, Howie from A Foodie's View, mizducky who often posts on eGullet, Gayla who often posts on eGullet, as well as Chowhound, Calvin who often gives me great restaurant rec's, and his friend Diane, all sat down and broke bread (more like shells) at Saigon Restaurant. I must say, the food on this occasion took a back seat to the fun and lively conversation. Thanks for a great time everyone. What a great group of people!
Finally to get your work week underway - here's an interesting bit of "Engrish" from Nijiya Market:
Don't ask me what part of the pig this came from......
Kirk,
I feel so honoured to be mentioned in your blog! :) My camera is still out of order so I will likely be sharing more vintage cookbook oddities for awhile.
Posted by: Amanda | Sunday, 09 April 2006 at 07:34 PM
Oh my. The storefront for Ume No Ya makes me think of a dive bar, what with the super-tiny window and all. I wonder whether the clientele and/or staff from the strip-j... --oh, excuse me, "gentleman's club" :-) spills over into the restaurant in the evening hours?
Posted by: mizducky | Sunday, 09 April 2006 at 07:53 PM
Thank you for posting even the poor pictures with this review. I think most of your readers would be happy to seen an occasional text-only post, if pictures from a restaurant are unavailable. Certainly, I would enjoy hearing your opinion of Parallel 33 even without the pictures to prove it.
Posted by: Joseph E | Sunday, 09 April 2006 at 11:21 PM
Hi Kirk,
Great idea you have here.
Please accept my apologies for not coming around in a while (a long while, I might add)! Work should be slowing down in a couple of weeks and life should be almost back to normal then.
Posted by: Reid | Monday, 10 April 2006 at 04:38 AM
Dark restaurants are the bane of food bloggers. I have to forgo a review of Bouchon in Las Vegas because the photos I took were so bad. Oh well, it's not like they're some obscure restaurant that no one knows about.
And Pork BUM! Did you know that Noodle stall next to the Hong Kong Market on Colima serves PORK RECTUM! Honest to goodness! That's what they call it!
Posted by: elmomonster | Monday, 10 April 2006 at 08:42 AM
Hi Amanda - Oh my, you're welcome! I Look forward to more fun posts.
Hi mizducky - There seemed to be a steady flow of Japanese Nationals eating there, I don't think they all came from the.......
Hi Joseph E - Thanks for the kind words. We love the Lamb Tajine at Parallel 33, though to me the appetizers there have been hit and miss.
Hi Reid - We've missed ya', hope all is well, and thing return to normal soon.
Hi Elmo - I'll take a double order of Pork Bum, and a side of rectum???? I wonder how many people order that? It was Bouchon's loss I'm sure! ;o)
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 10 April 2006 at 05:22 PM
ROFL love the pork bum photo!!! glad you had the camera handy to catch it. :)
Posted by: Rachel | Tuesday, 11 April 2006 at 05:33 AM
Hi Rachel - I was laughing so hard I almost forgot about my camera!!!!
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 11 April 2006 at 09:19 AM
Hi Kirk and merci!! so I just got off the phone with number one daughter and we are going this weekend to have the langue de canard (duck's tongue), of course, we'll order some other stuff too...just in case...and thanks so much!
Posted by: EmilyK | Tuesday, 11 April 2006 at 11:24 AM
Hi EmilyK - No, thank you, I felt as if you did that post just for me! Sounds like a nice dining adventure - can't wait to read about it and see the photos.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 11 April 2006 at 08:35 PM
LOLOL at the pork bum. nice.
Posted by: stef | Wednesday, 12 April 2006 at 06:41 PM
Hi stef - Hope all is well. I think we might now know what the "secret ingredient" may be!!!
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 12 April 2006 at 08:28 PM
Hi Kirk, just found your Umenoya post. I had the same problem with the light! I wonder if I picked up the thing for acronyms from you too.. ;) Hope you're having a good weekend.
Posted by: Dennis | Saturday, 09 May 2009 at 12:17 PM
Hi Dennis - Sheesh, looking back at these photos makes me wince. ;o) If you only knew how many visits it took just to get one to turn out ok! Hopefully, my skills have gotten a bit better....perhaps I need to drop by again.
Posted by: Kirk | Saturday, 09 May 2009 at 12:26 PM