As in, yoso-silly, yoso-hungry, yoso-full, or best of all; mmm-delici-yoso!!!!! A San Diego based food and travel blog. An Ex-Pat Kama'aina and Friends explore food, restaurants, and travel from San Diego and points beyond since 2005.
At this point in time the first positive cases of Covid-19 had been reported and infections were still in the single digits and the first confirmed cases were reported in the UK and Spain....man, that just seems so long ago.
At this point; we could tell that folks; especially in the Chinese community were getting a bit leery as was clearly indicated by how empty Bistro Na's was during our visit.
Even though it was my birthday; the Missus took charge of ordering, and She quickly found another dish to add to Her "favorites list"; the Okra in Seasoned Dressing.
The okra had been nicely presented in a wonderfully balanced salty-sweet-savory sauce that heightened the pleasantly earth-grassy flavor of the okra. The Missus loved the combination of the crunchy, yet slippery (gotta love that "neba-neba") okra as well. We have another one for the list.
Man, that spinach with sesame sauce was slathered in the stuff.
There was a deceptively large amount of spinach in this as it had been compressed into a square shape. Just a bit too much sesame paste in this for us.
Of course; my favorite is the Chili Tofu Skin. We always place a full order and get another order to go.
So refreshing, crunchy, with a touch of spice, the cilantro adding a nice, bright, mild pungent-lemony touch to things.
We did not care for the Stuffed Lotus Root; it was too sweet and the texture quite mushy.
Back in June, after I called and got a strange message from A Sandwich A'Fare and before I ended up going to the Philadelphia Sandwich Company, I called Gourmet Artisan and got an "voicemail full" message....which seemed kind of ominous. Were they closed temporarily, or permanently, or what? On a recent takeout revisit to SuperNatural Sandwiches, I noticed that Gourmet Artisan was open. So, a few days later, I decided to call....and I got a real person answering and placed an order for takeout.
On the not-so-good side; the fries hadn't been fried enough and were really pale and of course, quite soggy.
The ciabatta could have been more toasted and was too chewy and doughy and over-powered the unevenly made sandwich. Enjoyed the peppery arugula; but everything else just fell flat.
There was one interesting thing that I noticed during my visit. There were three orders before me....each of them ordered burgers. Hmmm.....
So, a few weeks later; I decided to order a burger.....man, when was the last time I had a burger? What the heck is wrong with me?
I ordered the Tex-Mex Burger ($12). And, I was really happy to note that this time around, the fries were crisp and had a good amount of Parmesan and garlic.
The burger was not bad; I enjoyed the brioche style bun; which was not quite up to the task, but really just displayed how moist the burger was. The patty was fairly lean, but had a pleasant beefiness, was decently seasoned, and was not bad at all. It was perhaps a tad on the mealy side in terms of texture, but was perfectly serviceable.
The fries, while not quite to level of what it used to be....lacking in truffle flavor, was nicely fried, and far from bland with a good amount of Parmesan.
I actually enjoyed the milky, melted Swiss cheese and a the sneaky jalapenos on this....heck, I may have another burger next time.
Gourmet Artisan Fine Sandwiches 7094 Miramar Road San Diego, CA 92121 (858) 860-5814 Current Hours: Mon - Fri 1030am - 215pm
Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog since May 26, 2005. Cathy is writing today's post; Kirk has a job with assignments which have deadlines.
I did write a post in August of 2018 about The French Oven, an obscurely located (it's in the middle of a neighborhood, across from a public park) locally owned Bakery and Cafe. With the onset of Covid-19, whenever we do go out to eat, we've made a conscious effort to remain 'local'- both in terms of the businesses where The Mister and I make purchases and distance from home if no outdoor seating is available. The French Oven has become a 'regular' stop.
Only two people at a time are allowed inside and there is sometimes a bit of a line outdoors, but it does move fast. There is a table at the door where pre-paid orders are placed to be picked up. There are paper menus available just inside the door, if you want to 'plan' your purchase while waiting. Let's start with the 'Breakfast' part of the menu. Egg bites ($3) are available in three flavors: Ham, Veggie and Sun-dried tomato. This is the non-vegetarian choice-ham, bacon, Swiss, tomato, parsley and caramelized onions. It is quite large and the flavors are each distinct, melding well together. It can (and should) be warmed.
The Ham and Cheese croissant ($4.75) is topped with cheese and filled with Black Forest Ham, Swiss and Béchamel. Creamy interior with a bit of a crunch from the croissant, distinct flavors and even better when warmed. The lox for the Salmon lox croissant ($9) is cured here (not smoked). A very plentiful amount of salmon, served on a fresh croissant with sliced cucumbers, sliced onion, capers and a dill creme fraiche. Large enough to share, but sometimes I want it all. In the refrigerator section (below the pastry display case) are beverages, salads and quarts of soups ($10). This one is French onion and (of course) it was wonderful. The complimentary cheesy croutons make the reheated soup bowls just perfect. The soup selections vary each week and last week it was chilled sweet pea (meant to be served cold) with croutons. We had the first two bowls with some home made egg salad on a Batard purchased that day. I could taste sugar snap peas, lemon and mint in this 'French gazpacho'-which was a refreshing break on those hot days we had last week. The Caprese Sandwich ($8) is served on a fresh baguette with fresh mozzarella, tomato, pesto, basil, olive oil and balsamic. Always a good choice. The Turkey avocado BLT ($8.50) is also a quite perfect sandwich. It has all of those ingredients plus a herb aioli. So many flavors, but none overwhelms. The way a sandwich should be.
The chicken curry sandwich ($8) has a layer of mango chutney which is not overwhelmed by the mild curry, pickled onions, mixed greens or tomato. An interesting blend of unique flavors. We have been using the excuse of 'needing bread' as our reason to drive here and the purchase has always been the Batard ($3.50). It is a simple, fresh made, chewy, flavorful bread. Shorter but wider than a baguette, so over three days, we have different size sandwiches or toast.
There is usually something 'special' on the counter or in the refrigerator each week-jams, sauces or, at this visit, house made pate ($8). Oh my, the paste containing liver, fat, herbs, spices, cognac had an abundance of flavors. We 'rationed' it out (needed to- very rich) serving it on slices of baguette along with some burrata on a batard (and some wine). R.A.C-Raspberry, almond and chocolate croissant ($4.50) is far more complex than an almond croissant. Almost overwhelming in flavors except that the croissant is not overfilled, keeping a good balance. The pear tart ($4.95) is made with a sugar dough crust, lined with almond cream and topped with sliced pears. Always a good choice. The apricot tart ($4.95) is made with some flavorful apricots and also has an almond cream filling. The fruit tart ($4.95) also has an almond cream topped with a jam and seasonal fruit. Every piece of fruit is amazing. The raisin brioche ($3.25) satisfies my craving for raisin, custard and buttery brioche. It needs coffee to make it perfect, though.
mmm-yoso!!! is usually written by Kirk and sometimes Cathy helps. Todays post is from Cathy, because Kirk is busy with work.
Long story short, it is 2020 and there are many reasons I haven't posted about meals since mid-February. Now that the world, as well as eating out, has changed, here is an update from my January 2020 post about Mikami, a revolving sushi bar. The Mister and I had been here twice more, but everything was about the same as that first post. Now, with Covid-19, there is no revolving sushi or indoor bar area. The "Dine In" signage is leftover from when there was a six week or so variation in Covid-19 'rules'; why take it down when things could change tomorrow?. As of now, all California restaurant dining is "to go" or outdoor tables. I understand not wanting to expose yourself to possible Covid-19 and The Mister and I will eat outside at the opening time of restaurants- assuming the unused tables were just brought out and are freshly cleaned. On this day, only three tables were set up when we got to Mikami. One was for handicapped. We were given paper menus and a pencil. Most of one menu was rolls and typical two piece sushi and sashimi selections. Hot green tea ($2.85) came in a paper cup, water in a plastic cup (with a straw!) and condiments in disposable containers. We decided to order the chicken karaage appetizer($6). This seemed to be a larger portion than we had here previously. Hot, fresh, tender, juicy, crispy/properly fried. It came with a mayonnaise and spicy (not Sriracha, which is sweet and not sambal, which has garlic) sauce for dipping. Delightful. We chose two hand rolls: soy paper yellowtail and the spider roll ($3.75 each). The yellowtail was not the spicy version and had great flavors of fish, cucumber and a better (sushi) rice. The soy paper is embedded with sesame seeds, which adds a toasted sesame flavor and crunch. The 'spider' is a half of a soft shell clam along with crab, avocado and cucumber wrapped in seaweed. These were larger than we remember and were made to order. We decided to order a "Mikami Seafood Bucket Shrimp" (one pound, $15, add $2 for headless). The Cajun style buckets have been available only in the bar area and we have been curious.
A variety of flavors as well as (cajun spice) heat levels are available and we were simple and ordered garlic butter, which lined the heavy plastic bag filled with hot, freshly steamed shrimp. The photo of the plate is about half of the bag and the 'dip' is the sauce poured out into an emptied ginger condiment cup. You can see there was some spice used in the cooking process and it was just the right amount.
Trying to patronize locally owned places, the food is good here.
Mikami Revolving Sushi and Bar 7319 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard, San Diego 91911 Open Tues-Sun 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Closed Monday {Covid hours; check website -things might change Website
The parking lot is empty if you get there at opening.
Hoooo boy; was it humid this past weekend! The Missus was working as was I this past Saturday, but I got off at a reasonable time and had to head to Nijiya to do some shopping. It was already 11am; kinda late for a typical weekend visit to Nijiya during these times and man, the line into the place was no joke......with temps hitting the 90's and humidity around the same.
I decided that a Banh Mi might be just the thing on a day like this. I'd already tried Cali Banh Mi's Convoy location on a trip home form Nijiya back in June....so, I thought why not give Mignon Pho + Grill another try...make that Mignon Pho + Seafood....and I hadn't tried the Banh Mi there yet.
As always, the folks working here are very nice. I mentioned that I'd be running to Nijiya, so I probably wouldn't pick up my order for another hour, and she told me "no problem, I'll wait and we'll time it for you!" And you know what; I got thru the line and out of Nijiya in around 45 minutes.....as I walked into Mignon to pick up my order; it was just at the window, and ready for me in the blink of an eye. By this time, two of the outdoor tables were filled with folks ready to eat.
I've pretty much considered Mignon to be Vietnamese Fusion, so heck, why not order the "California Banh Mi" ($8). I'd totally missed the part where it says these come with fries.....if I thought the fries would hold up; I would have ordered the Lemongrass Fries, which were the best thing I've had at Mignon to date. I'm glad I didn't because the fries were shot when I opened things up after the 15 minute drive home.
As I figured; this was a pretty "stuffed" banh mi. The bread was dry and crumbly; the egg was nicely fried....large slices of cucumber, and even more scary, look at those thick slices of jalapeno! Spicy too. The pickled carrot and radish were nicely pickled. The marinated beef....being rather bland seemed like it needed more marinating and too thickly cut and chewy. The menu said there was ponzu on his; but I really couldn't taste it.....I would have settled for a nice pate.
Well, I've just one more place to do takeout from in this strip mall…...
I really like the folks who work here and just wish the food was a bit better.....
Mignon Pho + Grill 3860 Convoy St San Diego, CA 92111
Well, doesn't look like much yet. So perhaps it might not be ready for prime time this month? Or perhaps they are using my "endless March 2020" calendar...which would still make it March......176th!
I guess it's a bit too hot for curry right now anyway, right?
4428 Convoy St. San Diego, CA 92111
Meanwhile, right next to CoCo Ichibanya was a place I hadn't noticed.
Da Nang Corner:
The restaurant's Facebook Page mentions that the restaurant is taking a bit longer than expected to build out. I'm hoping we get some good Mi Quang?
I'm kinda excited about this place.
4428 Convoy St. San Diego, CA 92111
Greenhaus Vegetarian Eatery:
The Missus and I were taking a little drive around the 'hood, when I noticed that the long time Chinese Fast Food shop Wok in Express next to JV's and Waters was gone and is going to be......yep, a Vegetarian Shop! You gotta say.... Morena sure is changing, ain't it?
Now, if we only get a bakery selling really got croissants!
If you recall; back in January, before the "you-know-what-hit-the fan" the Missus and I took a trip to San Francisco over the long MLK Day weekend. We had enjoyed ourselves at the Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair...man, looking back at those photos kinda sends a shiver up my spine right now.....that's how ingrained all the Covid-19 precautions have become.
We decided to head back to the hotel for a short nap before heading out to dinner.
Heading down Kearny Street I saw this on top of the building near the corner of California Street.
Take a closer look.
I wondered what these shrouded, hooded, ghostly, Grim Reaper looking statues were. Well, after doing a quick search I found that these are the Corporate Goddess Sculptures, created by Muriel Castanis. As to what they are...from the Atlas Obscura post:
“They are empty, toga-draped forms from which the figures have been removed, rendering the sculptures as abstracted reinterpretations of the neoclassical masterworks of Lorado Taft and Augustus Saint Gaudens.”
Okay then.....
We got back to the room rested, took a short nap, when we awoke, the sun was setting.
After catching up on emails and other things we headed out for dinner.
I had read been reading about Mister Jiu's since the much anticipated restaurant opened in 2016. And the Cantonese (with other regional touches) based fare had garnered Mister Jiu's a Michelin Star. Both the Missus and I were interested; since the other Michelin Star Chinese Restaurant on the West Coast we've visited, Bistro Na's has become a favorite of the Missus. So I made reservations in advance for dinner.
We liked the décor, a very tasteful design, and we especially enjoyed our cocktails for this evening.
We didn't enjoy our lead Server, who was a bit snobby and very condescending, acting like he was doing us a favor by just waiting on us...….. I guess that just meant I needed another cocktail.
We decided on items that interested us; most of which were riffs on staples both the Missus and I enjoy and dishes that I had read about. It was to be a rather light dinner, since we weren't super hungry.
This version, crowned with a touch of spice was quite good....a nice slightly funky fermented nose and taste. A light spice really cleaned things up and the cabbage was nice and crunchy. A well done basic dish.
I love jellied pork dishes, so I had to get the Chicken Feet Terrine, which was also quite good.
Loved the contrasting firm textures of the terrine; it was obviously crafted with skill. Nice mild savory flavors with a touch of sour. Very nice.
Since we enjoy our Liang Cai (cold dishes) we also went with the Chilled Beef Tendon, which unlike the previous two dishes was not quite to our taste.
The chili oil was on the weak end of the scale for us and while it looked quite spicy, it wasn't. There was a real lack of the complex flavors (suan, tian, ku, la, xian).
The Missus loves Her Turnip Cake (and has been grumbling that I don't make it much anymore), so She wanted to try the Crispy Scarlet Turnip Cakes.
This was another non-starter, mainly because, while the exterior was slightly crisp; the interior was quite dry and lacked a light pungency....it was definitely not our favorite. The sauce was much too acidic as well. Give me the version Sea Harbour anytime.
The Missus wanted something with rice; so we ordered the Mapo Doufu.
I gotta say; the rice was absolutely perfect; in texture and fragrance. The mapo doufu, not so much. It was really bland, with a greasy mouthfeel, and really lacking in the basic ma-la we were looking for. I was looking for that numbing-hot (of course my tendency is toward Chongqing in terms of Sichuan), a deep savory - fermented bean flavor, a hint of pungency, all of which seemed to be missing.
Oh well, I had another Cocktail which was another winnah'.
As our final dish, we chose the Sourdough Scallion Pancake. Man, this was very impressive; a definite riff on the typical Chinese Scallion Pancake....texturally, this was amazing; a slight crisp-crunchiness in the exterior that gave way to a airiness, with a bit of a slight chew. The pancake was fragrant, with a definite hint of sourdough and scallion. This was delicious and a nice way to end the meal.
And while Mister Jiu's is now doing takeout during the time of Covid-19; the Missus and I might return once all of this is over and we feel comfortable with travel again. Though it might just be sitting at the bar enjoying a few cocktails and small dishes....and definitely that Scallion Pancake.
Mister Jiu's 28 Waverly Place San Francisco, CA 94108
We enjoyed strolling around Chinatown after our meal. Things were much more quiet, though still quite bright and colorful.
While passing Portsmouth Square we noticed a small group of Chinese Women getting their "exercise"......we decided to sit and watch; just us, two homeless guys and the women getting their groove on. This just reminded us of China and we walked back to our hotel with smiles on our faces.
Man, talk about hot.....man, talk about us being wimpy....especially after reading that Death Valley recorded what might be the second hottest temperature ever! I mean, we've been getting mid to high 80's here in Bay Park and we're complaining. Though we don't have A/C.....we did purchase two portable units; but our place was built in the 50's.....before the time of air conditioning it seems. So, we've been kinda sweating it out. Usually, we'd be heading out, trying to beat the heat, with cooler dishes and some nice A/C. Which, well, just isn't possible this year. Still, I'd been wanting some Bi Bim Naengmyun, one of my favorite hot weather dishes. So the Missus told me to just go ahead and order takeout from Prime Grill.
Here's where it gets kinda funny....I call and order the Bi Bim Bap for the Missus and then try to order the Bi Bim Naengmyun. The woman on the phone quickly asks me how far I live from the restaurant. I tell her about 15 minutes and she says "too far away, bi bim naengmyun is no good after that time....too far away.....no good to order!" Wow...ok..... I guess some folks would get a bit upset; but I took her statement to mean that she wanted me to have the best experience with the dish. The Missus told me to order some Dak Bulgogi; so I went with that.
I drove on over to pick up our order and cracked up. Not only had the side portion of the parking lot Prime Grill shares been converted to what almost looked like a Pojangmacha! There was a huge sound system blasting in front of the restaurant which the folks sitting outside of Min Sok Chon were enjoying as well. A older gentleman was working with a saw on a couple tables.....more capacity for the outdoor eating area I guess.
I went up to the older woman who was working and told them I was here to pick-up my order. She quickly got it and as I was leaving told me; "come back and have the bi bim naengmyun here...." I had to laugh.
Anyway; I got home and unpacked things.
The Missus and I quickly realized that something was definitely missing when ordering this way. The bim bim bap had kind of lost its personality..... The rice had lost it's heat; the heat from fried egg had started making the other items slightly soggy. Of course; there would be no wonderful crustiness from a dolsot, but we expected that.
The panchan, specially the baechu kimchi, which Prime Grill usually does fairly well was missing a nice slightly funky, but delicious fermented flavor.
The Dak Bulgogi (BBQ Chicken) didn't have any caramelization and looked a not-so-appetizing grey in pallor.
In terms of flavor, it wasn't bad, but the texture was too chewy and gummy, and I missed the extra texture and charred deliciousness of some browned and crisp edges.
Perhaps we've been pushing our luck a bit with all of our takeout successes and this was a bridge too far.
I guess when I feel comfortable actually eating in a restaurant (parking lot); I may just give in and have the bi bim naengmyun…..might be more sooner than later if this weather keeps up. Probably not though.....
Prime Grill 4620 Convoy St San Diego, CA 92111
On a side note....we worry about Frankie keeping cool; so I bought a little swamp cooler for him. We get a kick checking on Frankie when we have it on......he'll cool off a side of his body; then move around to get another area cool. He's doesn't enjoy having a fan blow directly on him; so the gentle breeze of the swamp cooler does just fine.
What a character.
He is enjoying that little portable cooler.
Frankie hopes everyone is being safe and keeping your cool; physically and mentally!
I was admittedly quite excited to see that Zgara was reopening. A big bonus was that it was a lot closer and less of a hassle then driving to PB....though to be perfectly honest; I would have probably driven to Chula Vista for what I considered to be some of the best Gyros (yes, it's pork) outside of Greece. For the rather short time Zgara was open in PB, it had become a part of the rotation and I was quite sad when they closed.
And then things ramped up a bit when "Stacy" mentioned they were opening on either the 13th or 14th.....so, since I had to go home to check on Frankie both days.....I just had to "pass by" to check to see if they were open.....let's call it stalking if we have to; but heck, I was missing that Pork Gyro Sandwich.....
I only had to wait a single day; because as I drove up on the 14th; I saw that they were open. So, I quickly parked and walked on in.
I was greeted by the owner as I walked in....I was surprised that he remembered me from the PB days......
And there revolving on the spit....the holy grail of porcine loveliness ..... Even though the menu now is quite large; there was no doubt about what I was going to order. I love how things are made to order here; this isn't fast food.....and I excitedly took my sandwich home and unwrapped it.
Man, the lovely light, citrusy, porky fragrance. Man, was the amount of pork always this much? The milky, yet cleansing acidity of the tzadziki, the light pungency of the red onions, mild bitterness from the greens, all in a still warm, nicely toasted, pita. Everything played a nice supporting role to that pork......I love the nice crisp bits.
So, of course I returned the next day.....this time I got the Pork Souvlaki Sandwich.
Which is good in its own right. Nice chunks of mildly toothsome, nicely marinated pork shoulder I believe. For me; I thought the tomatoes and onions really do well in this pita. I also enjoy the fact that the pita is fairly fluffy and not overly chewy or brittle.
Like I mentioned earlier, it seems like the menu now has a few more items on it than before, like a Chicken-Bacon Souvlaki, a vegetable platter....still, it'll probably be the pork gyros for me.
These times have been rather tough.....the social distancing, the quarantines, the caring enough about others to wear your mask, doing the "right" thing.....the inability to travel; which we've done three, four, or maybe more times each previous year.....to explore, not only the sights, but the cuisine as well....so yes, it's been tough....but not tougher than coming down with Covid-19; or worse yet, having to deal with the possibility that I've put someone else at risk.....
So, I have the, right now, not-so-small comfort.....of places like Hawaiian Fresh Seafood Fish Market, which, while it doesn't replace the trip "back home" we had to cancel this year, gives us a little taste of "home". And just taking in the fragrance of that pork gyro has me wandering thru Rhodes Town, or Chania, or Iraklios…….and....just for that moment in time.....I can feel that we will get past this.
Welcome back Zgara Grill, I've missed you!
Zgara Greek Grill 1229 Morena Blvd. San Diego, CA 92110 Hours: Sun - Thurs 11am - 9pm Fri - Sat 11am - 10pm
I guess I'll eventually do takeout from every restaurant in Sunrise Towne Center....after all; it's pretty easy to order, then do my shopping at Nijiya. This time around; I decided to get some takeout from Spicy House since it had been a while since I last visited.
Right now; there's one table outside which is kind of worn and looks like it needs cleaning. There's a table at the entrance to the place where you can order. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they actually have some Liang Cai; the typical Sichuan cold dishes that you usually pick from a a cold table....though the variety was pretty slim pickins'...no bamboo shoots, no green beans, no beef tendon; but I managed to get an order in. I'd been craving some Sichuan........
So, I ordered the Ko Shui Ji (mouthwatering chicken), a favorite of mine when the weather turns warmer and thinking of what we'd enjoy as leftovers, some Tea Smoked Duck.
The liang cai was ok; the smacked cucumbers were kind of bland; but the Missus enjoyed them. The Fu Qui Fei Pian here is not too bad, with a decent amount of "ma" (numbing from Sichuan Peppercorns), nice beefiness, a good toothsome chew, mild heat, and a touch of anise.
The Ko Shui Ji, the cold chicken dish I enjoy so much; wasn't very good. At least it was nicely chilled, but really lacking in "ma-la", the signature numbing hot that I love from Sichuan cuisine. The sauce was an odd brownish color and seemed watered down. I do enjoy the complexity in good versions of this dish; black vinegar, garlic, a touch of ginger....all missing here. It seemed quite watered down in flavor and the chicken was a bit on the dry side as well.
The Tea Smoked Duck was actually not bad, a bit on the dry side, but it had a nice smoky-"fowlness" and wasn't too salty. The portion size was quite large for $14.99 and leftovers did well minced with water chestnut, cilantro, and scallions or with some noodle soup; so I really can't complain.
I guess; at least for now, the liang cai and tea smoked duck might not be too bad a choice.
Spicy House 3860 Convoy Street #105 San Diego, CA 92111
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