mmm-yoso!!!

Romeo & Julieta Wine Cafe

**** Romeo & Julieta has closed

Here's a little place on a rather odd corner in Talmage that I would never had found. It's a recommendation from my "FOY" JasonV. It's a favorite of his Missus, Jackie. The location is indeed interesting; being on the corner of Monoe and 47th Street. I'm sure most folks drive up the back way from Fairmount....but the place is basically a quarter mile from ECB and Nhu Y. The little wine bar is located right next to a dental office in the same strip mall. It's quite unassuming.

This is Romeo and Julieta a Polish Wine Bar of sorts. The humble exterior leads to a pretty nice and cozy interior.

We love the art and the ceiling.

Though when the weather is nice and not too hot; you can drink and dine al fresco as well.

The place is run by what I believe is a wonderful and friendly husband and wife team. The husband is the chef; though he's often helped out serving wine, and the super friendly woman runs the front of house; often on her own. In other words; this is a real mom-and-pop operation. You can't be in a rush here.

There's a regular menu of items; sort of a Polish fusion; the usual suspects, Peirogi's, Polish Sausage, and such, served with purple cabbage, sauerkraut, and cucumber salad, hearty stuff. And other items like Crab Cakes and Barbecued Pork.

The wine list is quite good and you're always served light and crusty baguette; the texture of a nice banh mi; with an addictive garlic aioli.

Don't forget the specials on the Chalk Board; where we found our favorite dish; the Pork Rouladen. Again, knowing what the "base" cuisine is of the place helps...we were looking for Polish - German - Eastern European type dishes.

A classic German - Polish dish of pork rolled around pickle spears. This version features sliced pork cutlets, pounded flat, wrapped around pickle spears and cheese. Smothered in a tasty gravy and served with a nice, rustic mashed potatoes; this is totally comfort food. The Missus enjoys the sauerkraut and sautéed cabbage and onions. The red cabbage is fine, but doesn't compare to what She really enjoyed in Prague. The cucumber salad is a bit bland for our taste; it could use more salt and bit more acidity to help cut the richness of the food.

As you can tell; the portions here are no joke.

Another favorite from the specials board was a version of the Polish Classic Bigos Stew - Hunter's Stew.

This version features the classic base of sauerkraut with Polish Kielbasa, bacon, and chopped pork. A hearty sour-meaty-smokey-porky combination. And that tomato salad was really good as well.

Of course these aren't always featured on the specials board; so the Missus will order the Polish Sausage Plate ($17.95).

 

While I enjoyed the nice snap of the sausage; I didn't think it was anything really special; but the Missus really enjoyed this....for a while. After two or three times, we've gotten a bit tired of this and the Missus tired of the left-overs. Yes, there are always left-overs.

You see; our drill is to arrive during Happy Hour; the Missus doesn't mind the House Chardonnay here; though they've recently changed it; and I'd just get a glass of the Italian Grillo, six bucks during Happy Hour.

Then we'd order the Polish Schnitzel Sliders from the Happy Hour menu ($9.50). I'm usually not a big fan of these fusion slider things; but this is pretty good.

The crunchy beef schnitzel, combined with the slightly sweet, but pungent, beet colored horseradish, the almost always sweet and slightly acidic tomato, and that pickle, don't forget that pickle, just goes quite well in a bun. There are four of these to an order......combined with the Missus's weak spot; sweet potato fries, enough for the both of us.

We usually end up taking most of the other entrée home as left-overs.

We also tried some of the other items over time, not all of which we enjoyed.

The Stuffed Cabbage was a menu board special. These were huge and we loved the mashed potatoes.

But we thought it on the bland and somewhat mealy side. Even with that wonderful horse radish.

The Happy Hour Wings and Fries; was priced right at $9.50.

The Missus of course, enjoyed those fries, but those wings weren't deep fried. I know this place serves flatbread/pizzas, so I'm thinking this was cooked on a conveyor oven? Not sauced enough and rubbery skin, not good eats.

My good friend's Mom back in Hawaii used come and visit with her rolling pin. She made awesome pierogi's. So during one of our first visits I decided to try the Pierogi's; the Happy Hour version. Unfortunately; they were out of the two versions that featured sauerkraut. So I ordered the Potato and Cheese; "bacon style" ($9.50).

Man, these were really stuffed. I found the wrapper to be  bit on the brittle side and there was too much mushy potatoes as filling. The bacon and bacon fat topping was lovely, but I really didn't care for this version. I'll probably try one of the other versions one of these days.

There's a lot to like about Romeo & Julieta. We think the food is quite hearty and you do get your money's worth; especially those Happy Hour items. The owners are really friendly, gracious, and just really nice folks. There's often only two to three people working; which is fine during the time we eat; early on in the evening.

Happy Hour is from 4pm to 6pm Tuesdays thru Saturdays and 3pm to 6pm on Sundays.

And make sure to check out the specials board. JasonV told me he enjoyed the Watermelon Salad.

I'm sure if you choose well from the menu; you'll have a nice and hearty meal.

Romeo & Julieta Wine Cafe
4715 Monroe Ave
San Diego, CA 92115
Hours:
Tues - Sat 4pm - 10pm
Sunday     3pm - 10pm

Thanks for the recommendation Jason! Maybe one of these days we'll run into you here!

And share some Bigos.

Pho Bo

I'm not quite sure how it happened; but it seems I'm back working weekends again just to keep up with our backlog. On the bright side; this means I can take a (usually) traffic free drive to grab an early (or late) lunch. One of my acquaintances, knowing that I really enjoy Vietnamese style Beef Stew - Bo Kho; recommended a place that recently opened in the mixed use Mercado de Barrio in Barrio Logan named Pho Bo.

Even though there's quite a few shops in the this center; parking was totally no problem. As was finding the shop; which in the typical new style has those garage like doors, and a nice modern, yet pseudo industrial (high ceilings) look.

I also enjoyed the fact that the A/C was going full blast on this very hot day. I had recommendations for three items; one of them was the Nem Nuong Cuon; those tasty grilled pork sausage spring roll that places like Brodard have made a staple. Sadly, I was told that the Nem Nuong was no longer available. I was also told that the Goi Cuon; the typical standard issue spring rolls were quite good; so I ordered it.

Sadly, this was just a whole lot of blandness as there were no herbs in the roll; the wrapper was hard and chewy, the pork was dry, and the shrimp had no flavor. The dipping sauce was your standard issue toung cham; hoisin-peanut kind of thing.

I hoped the Banh Mi Bo Kho would be better.

As you can quickly tell; the beef stew was on the thinner side; but man, look at that layer of oil on the top. Sometimes, it can really help a rich, hearty broth, but in this case, it just made the whole thing greasy. The broth was pretty salty; but lacked the pepper-tangy-anise tones I enjoy in the good Bo Kho. I used up the lime and all of the basil provided to help boost the flavor, but it was still mainly just salty.

The bread was interesting; I'm wondering who provided this as it was more dense and chewy than other banh mi I've had around San Diego.

There was a generous amount of tender beef; but no tendon provided.

Well, at least the service was fairly friendly.

I decided to return the following weekend to try out the other item that was recommended; the "Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings with Butter". Basically Butter Wings.

The amount of wings, 8 was decent for the price. These were on the smaller size; which I actually prefer for the good batter/skin ratio. Overall, these were on the bland side when it comes to butter wings. And the batter didn't have the crispness I enjoy; rather it was hard and got rather gummy quickly. There were several broken bones and a lot of blackened meat as well.

I also order the Pho Dac Biet.

As you can see; a nice portion of basil; but it was turning black and there were holes and tears in the leaves.

The broth wasn't overly salty, but still had that odd "San Diego Pho sweetness" that I've been tasting over the last couple of years. Clear, not very beefy, lacking in anise - oniony tones.

The noodles were nicely done; though in the typical clump at the bottom of the bowl.

As for the proteins; the rare steak was the typical top round; which gets tougher the longer it "cooks" in the broth. Luckily, it arrived before being well done. Both the flank and the brisket were fine, nicely done, not tough, nor falling to pieces, good beef flavor. Surprisingly, the meat balls weren't too rubbery or hard. Not bad in terms of protein. But you can tell who the target audience of this bowl is just by what was absent. Tendon and tripe....

In then end; this was basically "pho not to offend", not my favorite. It's fine if you like your basic, generic, pho shop.

Nice service, very clean and modern.

Pho Bo
1985 National Ave (In the Mercado de Barrio)
San Diego, CA 92113
Hours:
Open Daily 9am - 9pm

I did like this location; really interesting. CC has a post on Oi Asian Fusion which is next door. 

 

Man, it looks like things are really looking up in this area!

Eating to Beat the Heat - Revisits to Iron Pig Alehouse and Prime Grill

Here are a couple of more revisits to places during the recent hot and sticky weather we've had.

Iron Pig:

**** Iron Pig has closed

I'm not sure why we don't drop by Iron Pig more often. Actually, I do know why; these days the Missus is more into wine and cocktails and beer has lost favor with Her. She is also not fond of the tumblers used for wine here...…...yes, She's becoming a bit of a snob I guess.

Still, on one of those hot days, I wanted one of my favorite salads....the "Man Salad". Which, by the way; the Missus enjoys as well.

Smoked brisket, goat cheese, arugula, Portobello mushrooms, and yes, French fries. With a nice vinaigrette that doesn't over power nay of the ingredients. Great crisp textures, combined with beefy-milky flavors. Definitely a favorite of mine.

That said; I'm not a big fan of the BBQ here; though the Missus does enjoy the rib tips....She likes chewing on the cartilage and crunchy bits. It's also one of the few items still on the Happy Hour menu.

Sadly the smoked wings; which I enjoy here, is no longer on HH menu.

So, we'll save that for our next visit.

Iron Pig Alehouse
1520 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109

 Prime Grill:

For some strange reason; the Missus enjoys a nice Dolsot Bi Bim Bap when it gets really hot. I was glad to know that even though Prime Grill now has an AYCE menu; it still features good quality items on the menu.

Though I think the panchan here has definitely taken a step down from when Ed from Yuma and Cathy joined myself back 2016 when the place first opened. It is still a step above all the other Korean BBQ places in town.

Over the last couple of years; the Bi Bim Naengmyun at Prime Grill has over taken the version at Buga as my favorite. The noodles are not under cooked, but not mushy, and are the thinner version.

On this visit; they provided a good amount of the spicy-savory sauce; add some cho-jang, vinegar, and I'm good to go.

And the Missus got Her Dolsot Bi Bim Bap.

And all was good in the world. At least until we had to step back out into the heat and humidity.

Prime Grill
4620 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

What have you been eating to beat the heat the last couple of weeks?

Tokyo - Breakfast and We're Off to Nikko

After another wonderful dinner at our favorite restaurant, we slept well, but got up quite early on this Saturday morning. You see, the Missus had always wanted to visit Nikko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; known for it's ornate shrines lying within green, woody, hillsides. A combination of nature and a celebration of the glory of the Edo period. It is about this place that Ieyasu Tokugawa is quoted as saying "Build a small shrine in Nikko and enshrine me as the God. I will be the guardian of peace keeping in Japan." In fact; his mausoleum is located in the lavish, opulent, Tōshōgū Shrine.

But first, we needed sustenance. We were given breakfast vouchers for the coffee shop located next to the hotel at street level. It was obviously a 24 hour coffee shop as we noticed quite a few young men who had missed the last train the night before.

We'd been told stories by friends in Japan about missing the last train and having to stay in either a Karaoke room, the local Mickey D's, or coffee shops. Many of which will let you sleep so long you purchase something.

Breakfast was simple, but enough for us.

Having JR Passes, we caught the train from Yotsuya to Tokyo Station, then the Shinkansen to Utsunomiya, where we changed to the JR Nikko line. It took about 2 hours overall, but as is typical for train travel in Japan, the trip was seamless.

Of course, part of the fun was people watching, as folks have their own unique way of expressing themselves in Japan.

And, one must not forget the entertaining signs....the messages are pretty loud and clear, regardless of the language.

We had a 30 minute layover in Utsunomiya, where we did some shopping and bought a few gifts.

Then it was the 49 minute train ride to Nikko.

It would be drizzly and overcast during our entire time in Nikko, and yet, it just seemed to add a certain "air" to things.

We'd been sitting on various trains getting to Nikko, so of course the Missus decided that instead of taking the bus ride up to the temple area; we should walk. I was in total agreement since there was much to see along the way.

As you approach the temple area there are more and more shops. I thought this phone booth was quite interesting.

Just a block away is the iconic Shinkyo Bridge.

Which you see in thousand of photographs. It is indeed beautiful.

It is said that this is the spot where the monk Shodo Shonin, who was one of the founders of Nikko was carried across the river on the backs of two serpents.

Right across the street is the entrance to Nikko's shrines and temples.

Up the stairs bordered by moss covered stones you'll run into a statue of Shodo Shonin himself.

Along the way you'll pass walls that are covered with moss...….that may have been here for hundreds of years. It sure does add "atmosphere"......

I think I'll stop for now.....more to come in the next post...…

Here's one last look at the Shinkyo Bridge.

Thanks for dropping by!

Thursdays Near 30th - Toronado, North Park Thursday Market, and Tribute Pizza

During mid-June, the Missus had a hair appointment, and I gladly "volunteered" to drive Her and wait. If you recall, the Missus's hairdresser is located in North Park.

I somehow "randomly" found parking near Toronado. How convenient. It had been a while since I last visited. I ordered a Pliny the Elder....and totally forgetting about this "blog thing" took a sip before remembering to take a photo. Bad food blogger....bad food blogger. Anyway, as always the temp was just perfect.

**** Toronado has closed

Toronado
4026 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

All too soon, the Missus walked on over....She's not so much into beer these days, so we decided to take a stroll and decide where to grab dinner. And ran into the North Park Thursday Market.

It's a rather small run. Located on North Park Way between 29th and 30th. But it was fun just watching people chill and enjoy sunny San Diego.

The North Park Thursday Market
3000 N Park Way
San Diego, CA 92104
Thursdays 3pm - 730pm

While She is not a fan of the wine glasses Tribute uses; it had been a while since we last visited.

We started with the Sea Salt Focaccia with 'Nduja; to which they now add a dish balsamic and olive oil.

The bread was fabulous; I think we'll now ask for just olive oil without the balsamic, which was a bit too much. The 'Nduja tasted great as always; though the texture seems to have changed. It's now more waxy than I recalled. Still tasted great, a mild porky, smokey-spiciness.

The potatoes in the Patatas Bravas were nice; crunchy exterior, mildly creamy interior.

The potatoes were perfectly salted; but it seemed that the aioli was overkill and just over powered the mild starchy sweetness of the potatoes.

The Missus; who loves green beans just destroyed it all before I even had a bite.

Oh well, She's the reason we came up here in the first place, right?

Tribute Pizza
3077 N Park Way
San Diego, CA 92104

It was a fun way to spend an early summer Thursday evening.

I'm thinking "FOY" CC must have though so too! Look where they went for their 23rd Anniversary Dinner! Nice!

Hope you're having a great week!

La Mesa Bistro and Bakery (revisits)

Here you are, looking at mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Kirk is relaxing after a long day at work and Cathy is writing today's post.

I've only written about La Mesa Bistro and Bakery two other times and it's been a while.  I apologize. This restaurant, hidden in a far corner of a busy group of storefronts (including Chopsticks Inn) on La Mesa Boulevard (just behind Dieter Fischers, the Mercedes repair shop) has been here since at least 2009.  Almost everything is made from scratch, is quality.  The menu is amazingly similar to that of Swami's, which has one location just down the street.

 
Using the word 'menu' is incorrect.  Sure, there's a large paper menu you can grab before ordering, but so many other choices are at the doorway, along the walls behind the cash register, on chalkboards around...nothing is repeated.
 So, order, pay, find a seat and you can grab some water or some coffee (pick a country of origin; only two of those pump pots has flavored coffee).  The paper menu touts "Old Fashioned Baking"- the breads, bagels and muffins here are fresh made and wonderfully perfect.  
 Reuben "The Chef" salad ($10.95).  Reuben is the chef's name. This is a wonderful salad of mixed (organic) greens, cucumbers, sprouts, swiss and cheddar cheeses and the three meats... 
ham, turkey and roast beef.  Served with (house made) sourdough garlic cheese toast.
The Blue cheese dressing is made here.  It's filled with chunks of blue cheese...almost too much (!)
The Lunch Sampler ($8.50) is 1/2 of any of the gourmet sandwiches served with a salad or cup of soup.  
One of the daily soups is clam chowder.  It is wonderful, filled with clams, clam juice, some potatoes and celery.  Creamy (see that skin that formed on the top?) and just good. 
  I chose the 1/2 "Bistro Delight" sandwich. Turkey, Swiss, avocado, lettuce and tomato. A simple (turkey packed) and wonderful sandwich; the turkey is a great quality, the sourdough is just sour enough and the flavors are quite perfect.    We returned because The Mister had a craving.  Soup and salad.  He got the Caesar salad (which was very nice)
and a bowl of the clam chowder...oh yes, he wanted this.  It was, again, excellent. 
I was wanting to order breakfast...and there was a chalkboard 'chicken omelette' listed ($8.95).  Mild green chiles, tomato, eggs and plenty of meaty chicken pieces, avocado..house made salsa (not too hot; good) and rye toast (seedy and good) served with house made jam: cranberries, blackberries and apples.  Oh, a side of fresh fruit (they make smoothies here you know; fresh fruit is always available).

A great local place.

La Mesa Bistro and Bakery 8697 La Mesa Boulevard La Mesa 91941 (619)589-0806 Open seven days 5:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.  Website

 

La Mesa Bistro and Bakery 8697 La Mesa Boulevard La Mesa 91941 (619)589-0806 Open seven days 5:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.  Website

Tobey's 19th Hole Cafe (revisit)

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog, covering meals consumed near and far.  Kirk is busy with meetings all day, so Cathy is writing a short post.

 The Mister and I tend to take guests out to 'local' rather than 'trendy' places. The other day was no exception.  I've written about this San Diego City golf course (since 1934) restaurant only a few other times in the past years, yet it is a regular stop, usually for a breakfast meal and the view. 

The parking lot nearest the main building is sometimes crowded, but there are nearby 'overflow' lots. 

Stepping inside the Clubhouse, the restaurant is to your left, the view is straight ahead. There's a bar area as well as tables and booths.
 Have a seat by the window and notice how the menu cover reflects your view.
 Breakfast is served all day here.  You can get a one egg, one pancake two bacon (or sausage) meal for $7 or two eggs, two pancakes and two bacon (or sausage) for $9.25.  The (extraordinarily large) pancakes are light and fluffy and really tasty (sweet without needing syrup).  The eggs were perfectly over easy and the bacon was very good.  All in all, a very large breakfast if you order the 'two' instead of 'one'.  Coffee here is $3 and is constantly kept filled. 
The menu board out front has breakfast and lunch specials and on this day, a choice of a hot roast beef or hot meatloaf sandwich ($10.25) were the lunch specials.  I did order the hot beef, but received this hot meatloaf sandwich.  Instead of returning it, I decided to try it.  Good choice.  A very nicely seasoned (chunks of tomato mixed in with a light breadcrumb) meatloaf on (my choice) wheat bread with gravy and mashed potatoes.  A quite large serving and flavor filled. 
The Mister ordered a Chili Size ($13.50), onions on the side (for me) and tots as his side dish choice. This is a wonderful meal.  The bread is on the side; knowing it gets soggy, it's served this way.  Kind of perfect.  The chili, as always, is meaty, lightly spicy, has beans.  Tots are the best choice of side here, unless you are craving a salad (or regular french fries or potato salad).  

Another great meal with a great view in a San Diego neighborhood. 

Tobey's 19th Hole 2600 Golf Course Dr. San Diego, CA 92102 (619) 234-5921 Open daily 6-6 

Monday Meanderings - Benchmark Brewing Company Opens in Bay Park, Ramen Ryoma, Bonchon, and is Hunan Kitchen Closed?

It's been a crazy busy day. I haven't done one of these in a while...so here goes.

Benchmark Brewing Company Opens in Bay Park:

I was driving past last week and noticed folks in the place. This past weekend; the sign was up.

I'm happy for my 'hood.

4112 Napier St
San Diego, CA 92110
Hours:
Tues - Thurs 4pm - 8pm
Fri - Sat Noon - 9pm
Sunday Noon - 7pm

Ramen Ryoma opening in Kearny Mesa:

I had some free time to drive around this past weekend. I was staying away from the crowds. I noticed that Ramen Ryoma is replacing Bangkok West.

I know about the much hyped soon to be Hillcrest location of this Oregon based ramen chain. But hadn't heard they were opening in KM.

9119 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92123

Bonchon Chicken opening on Convoy:

I'd read about Bonchon opening on Convoy in the Eater. It replaces the R&B Crawfish Lounge.

This chain based which originated out of Busan now has a ton of stores in the US.

4690 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

The reason I drove into Plaza del Sol; was that I noticed Hunan Kitchen (i.e. Noodle Hut/Tǔjiā Xiāng Cài (土家湘菜) was closed.

The signs are still up. So I'm hoping it's just for some renovation or temporary repairs.

4690 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

If not; this would be the fifth restaurant in this location since 2011!

Monzu Fresh Pasta

We're still on the hunt for pasta as good as we had in Emilia-Romagna. Simple, soulful, fresh, with "that" texture. Maestoso was pretty good. Then I read that Monzu Fresh Pasta had finally opened in the Eater. So, a couple of weeks later....on a day that the Padres were scheduled for an away game, I headed down to the East Village to check out Monzu.

This rather discreet little shop; wasn't it previously a Meatball Shop? Is bright, clean, and simply appointed.

There are shelves of specialty Italian grocery items and a counter with fresh pasta stocked. There's a chalkboard menu and you order and pay at the counter.

I really enjoyed the folks working here on my two visits...very laidback, but friendly. I believe I spoke to one of the owners about cooking time for the pasta....she was amazingly nice.

On this visit; having just gotten back from Bologna; I went with the Bolognese......simply called a "Ragu" in Emilia-Romagna. The price was very reasonable at $13. When the plate arrived; it looked a bit over-sauced, but it turned out that they add most of the sauce to the top of the pasta, allowing you to mix. I thought the presentation of the grated pecorino was nice, but it also served another purpose as I thought it was too much cheese. The presentation allowed me to not use all the cheese.

The pasta was firm, but on the brittle side, lacking that pillowy, al dente pull that we loved. It was not bad however. The sauce was bit on the thin side and there wasn't very much meat, which meant the meaty "punch" of a typical ragu was missing. On the bright side; this meant it was lighter that the really hearty stuff we had in Bologna.

For your reference.

 

It was without a doubt, more than worth the thirteen bucks. I ended up picking up a pound of the tagliatelle. When I asked about some cooking times; the young lady called back to the kitchen area and a really nice woman came out and told me 60 to 90 seconds.

A few weeks later I took my car in for servicing. Instead of waiting for my vehicle; I decided to take the trolley. It had been awhile since I'd done much exploring using the trolley. I started at Grantville Station....made it down to San Ysidro, got off at H street....but nothing really caught my attention. So, I headed back to the Gaslamp; this was the weekend before Comic-con, so while things were rather busy in Hillcrest and North Park for Pride Weekend, things were rather quiet; at least on this day, downtown. More on that in a later post.

I started getting a bit peckish; so I walked on over to Monzu just as they were opening for the day. 

This time around; I asked for a recommendation. I was told to try the Ligurian Pesto ($12).

This take on the classic Genoese Pesto was fairly strong in the pine nut area. The rather large amount of cheese helped to balance things out. Sadly; the pasta was over cooked and on the mushy side.

Still, not a bad deal at twelve bucks.

Things are priced right at Monzu. I like the simple approach and fresh pasta; though not everything is to my taste. The folks here are very friendly as well. I hope they do well.

Monzu Fresh Pasta
455 Tenth Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
Hours:
Tues - Sun 11am - 9pm

Give them a try.

So, what of the fresh pasta I bought?

Well, I divided up the pound into two half pound servings.

I decided to make the Missus's current favorite; Tagliatelle ai Funghi Porcini. Using the last of the porcini cream we bought in Bologna and dried porcinis, which I soak, strain the liquid, then reduce by half to make a "sauce" of sorts.

I tried the sixty second version first and it was much too hard and brittle. The second time; I did an eighty second boil; which the missus preferred. Timing is important here....you make sure to salt your pasta water, get your sauce going and reduced, perfectly in time with getting your pasta cooked. That's why I specifically asked for timing when I bought the pasta.

It is so simple, but quite good. Though the Missus still thinks the pasta from Assenti's is a tad better.

Paris - Boulangerie Laurent B, Les Deux Magots, and L’Avant Comptoir

The Missus was starting settle in a bit.....and She needed a "mission"; something to obsess about. So why not croissants? I had always thought that an excellent croissant au beurre is harder to come by than most folks think. I believe our lunch the previous day at Gontran Cherrier had stirred something. The Missus had croissant fever. During our wonderful meal the previous evening at Arnaud Nicolas we had a nice chat with one of the Servers. He said croissants are a very "personal preference" and we should explore.....but we should definitely stick with artisan boulangerie, where strict codes are adhered and the products are made on premises.

So the very next morning we stopped almost right across the street from Le Fontaine de Mars (La Fontaine du Gros-Caillou).

At the beautiful Boulangerie Laurent B.

We loved the vibe and the very "French" design of the shop.

The croissant, not so much. It was doughy, not buttery nor flakey enough.

Boulangerie Laurent B
112 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris, France

We spent the day on the left bank; exploring shops and taking in some of the sights. Nothing major; just kinda having a nice time in the Saint Germain and Latin Quarter. There's tons of shopping to be done here.

And sometimes and occasional sight like the Église Protestante Saint-Jean.

After spending a good amount of time shopping; we needed to refuel a bit.

On our previous trip to Paris; we passed Les Deux Magots ("le do mago") once the meeting place of Paris's literati and the artistic set. Names like James Joyce, Hemingway, Oscar Wilde, and Albert Camus are mentioned.

It is, of course, now a major tourist stop. We sat outside and had our caffeine fix.

Sitting outside; paying a ton for over priced coffee, watching dozens of tourists taking selfies in front of the place.

I went in to take a look at "Deux Magots"....the café opened in 1884 and kept the name of the silk shop that once stood here.

You do have a nice view of the Église de Saint Germain des Prés.

And the people watching is quite interesting.

Les Deux Magots
6 place Saint-Germain des Prés
75006 Paris, France

A bit more shopping...well, then it was time for lunch. We just wanted something small to eat and a tapas bar named L'Avant Comptoir came highly recommended.

We found the tiny shop to be quite charming. It did indeed remind us a bit of those stand-up pintxos places we enjoyed in San Sebastian and Bilbao.

Menu cards hung on the wall; specials on a chalkboard.

The service....was well, brusque and borderline rude.....only to us though.....

It was bit strange.

Though I got a kick out of watching one lady walk in; order a glass of white wine, and chug the whole thing down in one gulp. She must have been thirsty.

I managed to order two glasses of wine and three items from the menu before the guy just turned around and walked away from me.

The first to arrive was the foie gras (remember "Basque Butter"?). This version was served with preserved cherries.

First off; the bread here was nice and warm, it was delish.

The foie gras was overcooked and mealy. The sauce was a bit too sweet for our taste. Very disappointing.

I ordered the Chanterelles with Jamon Iberico.

Loved the textural contrast of the crisp, crunchy croutons and the mushrooms. Wasn't a big fan of the Jamon as it was too lean for my taste.....I must be spoiled by all the Jamon Bellota Iberico Pata Negra I ate in Spain. The flavor was off for us as well; too much sour acidity.

The one dish that was excellent was the pork belly.

Crunchy skin, buttery fat, nicely seasoned; the wonderful porcine flavor shone through.

So; it was one out of three with regards to the food. Perhaps it was an off day? But the lousy service didn't help things either.

It seems we always have one not-so-great meal in Paris. So perhaps it was good that we got that out of the way.

L’Avant Comptoir
3 carrefour de l'Odéon
75006 Paris, France