mmm-yoso!!! is the food blog, written by a few friends. Today, Cathy has written a short post. Kirk and ed (from Yuma) and Vicky are reading. Or something.
The other day, I was out in El Cajon near where Second Street turns into Jamacha Road and decided to stop into what has been an old favorite place to shop.
It wasn't crowded around 1 p.m. so I decided to continue my pursuit of a great pastrami sandwich, for FOY (Friend of Yoso), "H" and dropped in. It's a fancy market, with a few branches around town (including Jonathan's in La Jolla) with Boars Head meats and condiments
as well as all the other items you'd see in a grocery store.
A fancy grocery store anyhow...the wine selection is awesome and they have wine tasting events here pretty regularly (sign up inside the store to be notified). I don't take photos of people, so that is why I don't have too many photos inside the store.
But here's a nicely blurred photo of the Produce area, where I picked up a d'Anjou pear for my dessert ($1.49/lb). Then I paid and walked over to the Starbucks in the same mall.
A full sandwich is $6.99 (half sandwiches are $3.50) and includes cheese, choice of bread, lettuce, tomato, onions, mayo and mustard. I got pastrami and kraut, warmed, with mustard on rye, no cheese. The bread was soft and flavorful and a seeded rye. The meat was not fatty but wonderfully smoky in flavor. A quality pastrami, plenty of it. The kraut was nice and crispy. The pear cost 70 cents, so my whole meal was $7.69 plus $1.50 for the fresh, individually brewed with a drip filter and freshly ground beans coffee at Starbucks (I did not want the Pike's Place brew and asked for the Bold of the day, which is Italian this week and the nice Young Man behind the counter ground some beans, poured hot water into a little gizmo over the coffee cup and made me a nice, fresh, hot cup of coffee at the regular price). It was a great meal, just on the edge of too much food.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
Harvest Ranch Market 759 Jamacha Road El Cajon 92019 (619)442-0355
long time lurker, first time commenter :) I just had to share that if you are ever over in the Coachella Valley, Palm Springs or Palm Desert, Sherman's Deli has the most delicious pastrami on earth. It's been 3 months since I ate my sandwich and I still dream of it!
Posted by: Pam P | Saturday, 20 March 2010 at 12:06 AM
Welcome to the 'other side' of the blog, Pam! I have friends going to PS this weekend and will mention it to them. I can travel there in a few weeks...I understand completely what makes a sandwich memorable. I must try Sherman's soon.
Posted by: Cathy | Saturday, 20 March 2010 at 07:44 AM
Good to hear your voice (read your voice?) again, Cathy. I thought you were even busier than I am. I have no idea where one could even find a pastrami sandwich out here - much less a good one.
Posted by: ed (from Yuma) | Saturday, 20 March 2010 at 09:26 AM
Hi Cathy! Most of the Boars Head brand stuff we've purchased have been good. It's been years since I've been to the Harvest Ranch in Del Mar. Next time I'm in that area, I'm stopping in to try their pastrami sandwich. Hope work hasn't driven you crazy yet.
Posted by: Carol | Saturday, 20 March 2010 at 12:03 PM
Hi, ed. It seems I merely 'took off' for a month, doesn't it? At least I got a sit down at a table meal-and took photos. It was a very good sandwich.
Oh, Carol...yes Boars Head meats are excellent, hot or cold. Harvest Ranch is a very nice place to shop, I just hadn't been to that part of town in a while. Now I want to go back, for fun groceries. Maybe in about a month...
Posted by: Cathy | Saturday, 20 March 2010 at 02:38 PM
I'm a huge fan of the house brand tortilla chips they sell there.
Posted by: James | Saturday, 20 March 2010 at 02:59 PM
great place!!!
Posted by: Thatssoron | Saturday, 20 March 2010 at 11:30 PM
That's right, James. High on my list for the next shopping trip.
Welcome to commenting, Thatssoron.
Posted by: Cathy | Sunday, 21 March 2010 at 06:36 AM