Returning from our trip was kind of a downer. We had eaten well, enjoyed the food....really enjoyed the food. Strangely, I usually start missing certain things on our trips. Even while eating fantastically in Japan, we started missing salad of all things. This time? Nada...... I came back craving nothing, wishing for nothing. We did hit up the usual suspects, a post for another time, but while the Missus was working, I'd often aimlessly drive up and down, say Clairemont Mesa Boulevard (that's also another post) with no goal in mind. I was craving nothing.
Until Saturday. I woke up thinking of oxtails. Caribbean Taste's Oxtails. I'm not sure why; the last time I ate there was when we had the Amazing Graze, which was like 4 years ago. But happy just to be wanting something, I happily headed off to Encanto.
The place looks pretty much the same. The little "market" in the corner is gone and after looking at my post from way back in 2007, I noticed that the mural on the wall has been touched up. The "wood" has gone from yellow to a bright green.
The young guy working the front was really friendly....hospitable. The woman who delivered the oxtails (small - $10) was the same.
And the braised oxtails delivered nicely.
Tender without falling to pieces, nice gelatin, not too salty, beefy, mild sweetness, with a hint of allspice (some of these places go bit overboard), it was pleasure to just suck every little edible bit off the bones. The rice was better than I recalled; though the vegetables are still pretty bland......and, I didn't come here to eat veggies, right? The sauce/gravy was nice and thick....wonderful mixed with the rice. I left with fingers sticky from working the bones with my hands. And a very happy belly.
Which led me to wonder....what have you been craving lately?
Caribbean Taste Restaurant
6171 Imperial Ave
San Diego, CA 92114
First, I hope my years of following your excellent blog via my RSS reader have at least showed up on your SiteMeter or similar feed, so that you get one more accurate count of the popularity of your site.
Second, oxtails!
Third, I can understand your return from foreign travel and craving nothing. It's an awesome feeling, when I had it after travel. It meant that I'd satisfied myself somewhere, and the local locale seemed a bit bland. The exotic wasn't there. But the food was; I realized that soon. And it was back to enjoying the local fare with gusto. So gusto to you, soon! Thanks for all the excellent posts and pics over the years. You've built quite a directory for them heading to SD and Southern California. Cheers for that.
Posted by: Dan | Sunday, 14 June 2015 at 07:58 PM
interesting cravings:)
Posted by: kat | Sunday, 14 June 2015 at 08:20 PM
Good point Dan! Thanks also for commenting and for the kind words. Somewhere along the line we kind of stopped counting "hits". This is really just a way of us remembering things and a labor of love. Thanks again for reading over the years.
It was Kat.
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 06:24 AM
Well Kirk after reading this I'm craving oxtails... I haven't had any since my mom last made them but now perhaps its time to try some.
Posted by: Soo H | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 09:04 AM
Looks delicious.
I'm craving a bacon egg and cheese on a roll, New York corner deli style ($2.95!). I don't know what it is about where I am now, but it just isn't the same. I'm seriously considering going home for a visit just to eat my fill.
Posted by: tofugirl | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 09:37 AM
Hi Soo - Check them out. It's pretty good, nice flavor, nice folks.....much different from Asian style oxtails
Hi TFG - I agree....you need to get that fix! It's also nice to have you posting again!
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 10:14 AM
Oxtails. And we dealt with that this past Saturday. The only problem I has was being lazy and asking the butcher at Vien Hung to cut them up. He didn't seem to care too much about the location of the joints. But on the other hand, it let the marrow melt into the braising liquid better.
Posted by: janfrederick | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 10:52 AM
Why have I not been here? I'll have to check this out.
Posted by: jack | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 01:05 PM
Those oxtails look tasty and that gravy looks rich. I'm still waiting for you to post your oxtail stew recipe with pics of course.
Posted by: Kyle | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 01:06 PM
Suddenly craving oxtails.
Not only don't you count hits, but I don't recall a special "still blogging after 10 years" post.
Posted by: Ed (from Yuma) | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 03:58 PM
Now you got me wanting more oxtail Jan!
You need to Jack. Haven't had it in a while, but thought the curry goat was pretty good as well.
I know Kyle......just kinda lazy and it's not quite cold enough for that. I never get past my oxtail soup.
Hi Ed - That's probably because we're always gone! Though I think we may need to have a milestone post. Though I think you'll need to come to otwn!
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 15 June 2015 at 05:49 PM
Was craving good tebasaki. Craving satisfied at Taisho last night. Ate both the yakitori and deep fried ones. Paired with ice cold $1 draft beers I was in heaven.
Posted by: Junichi | Wednesday, 17 June 2015 at 12:34 PM
Funny thing Junichi....guess where we were last night? I guess the beer thing is for Yakyudori's anniversary.
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 17 June 2015 at 01:26 PM
Huh. I was there from 7pm to close so must have missed you. We were the 3 really loud Japanese dudes sitting at the counter chatting with the chef and drinking all night.
Posted by: Junichi | Thursday, 18 June 2015 at 11:55 AM
Yeah, we usually go early Junichi. Happy you had a great time!
Posted by: Kirk | Thursday, 18 June 2015 at 12:24 PM