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
Love that place! My go-to is the lox/bagel plate and a side of those potatoes.
Posted by: James | Thursday, 26 July 2018 at 06:11 AM
It is a great hidden gem, James. I saw the lox and bagel on the menu and almost ordered it...definitely will do so next time! So many choices/combinations of menu items here.
Posted by: Cathy | Thursday, 26 July 2018 at 10:15 AM
We tried going there once and it was crowded with a long line. We'll have try again in the near future. I know Bert would like that chowder. I'm curious about their CFS.
Posted by: Caninecologne | Thursday, 26 July 2018 at 10:22 PM
sounds like a great place to get your cravings fixed!
Posted by: kat | Monday, 30 July 2018 at 01:00 AM
The CFS is one thing we haven't tried here-yet, cc. We do try to avoid weekends...anywhere, really...crowds seem to be everywhere from 9 a.m. forward.
It's a great, local place, Kat...just about everything is from scratch and seasonal; the way I think it should be.
Posted by: Cathy | Monday, 30 July 2018 at 06:44 AM