Episode two/week one-Emmas...and

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Emma's Mexican Food...and what else I ate today

So, there was an incident in a parking lot on Labor Day and the parts are in, and Carter's Collision opens at 7 a.m., so drop off a car and either walk home (all uphill, by the way, about three miles) or have the Mister follow me and perhaps go out to breakfast (heh heh) on a Monday. I chose the latter.

Those of you who have lived in San Diego, should remember the first/only Price Club (which eventually bought out Costco), in Santee.  It is now an empty lot (although this weekend it had some sort of carnival with all sorts of scary rides on the lot and soon it will have a Pumpkin Patch that will turn into a Christmas Tree sales place in about another month or so) and will sooner-or-later turn into Highway 52 joining up with Highway 67 and make our lives oh so much easier, if we are driving in that direction....[sorry; digression]...AND SO ANYHOW, if you remember that Price Club, the address on your receipts was Buena Vista Avenue, and you usually entered on that street and right on the other side of Buena Vista is Emma's.

Which looks like this from Cuyamaca:

and looks like this from Buena Vista:

and so anyhow...we decided to go here for breakfast.

Here is the menu (I know someone loves to read the menus):

The Mister ordered the Enchiladas Rancheros (two cheese enchiladas, topped with an over-easy egg and some homemade nopalitos (preserved in a jar-with-salt water cactus)/onion/tomato salsa and rice and beans) $4.75:

Here is a better photo of the enchiladas and of the salsa: the enchiladas were nice and cheesy and fried on the bottom, so nicely crispy and the salsa was nice and chunky; good flavor but not heat: 

and I ordered the breakfast burrito ($2.75): 2 eggs fluffily scrambled with cheese and ham:

Both entrees were brought out to the table by the owner and the place was hopping, with 9 other people having placed orders, most to go, before 7:30 a.m.. That is kind of interesting, considering the location being out of the way in a now non-busy part of Santee.  Everything was fresh and tasty. There is a salsa bar with mild red, hot red and tomatillo spicy salsa that you can get for yourself.  It was very nice and satisfying. They don't serve coffee here, so you have to bring your own, or grab some soda pop from the fridge, or a bottle of water from your car if you want something to drink.

We usually go to Emma's for lunch/dinner and get the quesedilla or carne asada burrito and both are always very good, oversized and filling.  If it is on your way to somewhere (its just south of Mission Gorge, right off of Cuyamaca- the "new" Santee Costco is less than a mile from that corner, just northwest.) you should stop in. Everyone who works there is very friendly and the food is good.  They make a LARGE shrimp cocktail for $7.05 (10 shrimp) and all of the shrimp dishes are very good. 

One item unique to here is rolled FISH tacos.  (Usually rolled tacos are made with shredded beef or chicken).  These are especially good if you don't eat meat on Fridays (and we all know fish isn't meat, right?) because you grew up in a certain religion and so, "just in case" you continue to merely skip meat on that day of the week....

Oh, digression again, sorry.

Lunch was a nice respite:

Shrimp (31 count) was on sale at 99 Ranch this week for $4.99 per pound and so the Mister bought about 1.5 pounds and I made two things today: this simple shrimp salad (cook and chill shrimp, mix with grapes, fresh dill, mayo/sour cream, salt and white pepper) on a fresh croissant (99¢ from K Sandwiches)...and also this stir fry:

The rest of the shrimp, some leftover chicken, mushrooms and pea pods..stir fried in some sesame oil.

... served with some stir fried yakisoba and some re-hydrated miso soup from 99 Ranch.

All in all, it was a nice day weather-wise and food wise.  I hope yours was, too.

Oooh, I do like doing this blog so far.  You know, local lobster season just started, so in the interest of research and making an interesting post...

AND FOR TOMORROW- I promise no caffiene when I start writing.

Emma's Mexican Food 8781 Cuyamaca, Santee 92071 (619) 596-8189 7 a.m.-8:3- p.m. Mon-Sat, closed Sunday

Comments

[Jean]

Hmm, cheezy enchilada and burrito... I think I'll head down to our local Salsa Fresca restaurant for my lunch tomorrow. ;) Makin' me hungry!

[RONW]

I'll pass on the shrimp, and wait for your local lobster.

[cathy]

Hi Jean-Thanks for stopping by, and have a nice lunch.

Hi Ron-It was just a "what I ate today" type post..and the shrimp were good.

[dave]

"just in case". that made me laugh. as if your salvation or damnation is dependent on not eating a certain food on a certain day of the week... but sometimes it's hard to let go of those things...

your shrimp salad on croissant looks terrific.

[Captain Jack]

Hey Cathy,
Bug season is here at last. I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve for that.

[cathy]

Thanks, dave. Its so easy to make and the simplicity makes the flavor of the shrimp come out...then a fresh croissant helps with everything....

Hi CJ- Haven't heard them called "bugs" in forever...and, as an aside, I have always wondered about that first person who grabbed a lobster and decided to cook it- what were they thinking??...I mean the hard shell...the claws..ooh-lets see what this tastes like!

[Kathy]

Oh Man! Enchilada's AND eggs?! That has my name written all over it :) Reminds me of a Mexican take on Hawaii's local moco. :)Now if only I could find a place in Claremont that offers good al pastor...