mmm-yoso!!!

Takeout from Soi 30th

My apologies regarding the "pause" between posts. The Missus and I went on a short road trip and when we returned......well, work has been crazy. You can figure out why, right? Anyway, we're dialing back "dining in".....so....

After all our meals from Sovereign Thai, the Missus has been wanting Thai food.....the recent hot spell has also figured into the equation. I had been trying to get the Missus to try the food from Soi 30th for a while. And after doing three round of takeout from Soi 30th; with the focus on the pork belly dishes, which I think they do well......the Missus has another "go-to" for takeout. 

One thing the pandemic has done was to really bring online ordering to the forefront and Soi 30th is no exception. Ordering has been quick and easy and my order has been ready to go all three times I've utilized it.

Here's a roundup of dishes......

My favorite, by far is the Larb Moo Krob, pork belly larb ($13).

 The fried pork belly is never greasy here, it's crisp, with a bit of toothsomeness to it. There a decent amount of rice powder and the nice zip of lime......I order this spicy, though it's never overly spicy.....no, it's not Issan cuisine. It's a nice rendition of larb and a favorite of ours....after all, it's fried pork belly...nice and swiney. This is both filling and refreshing.

Speaking of Pork Belly, the Missus enjoys two of the very "Chinese-like" vegetable dishes with pork belly.

I think the Chinese Broccoli (gai lan) with Pork Belly ($14) is one of the best items on the menu here.

Nicely fried pork belly, the gai lan is crisp, there's hint of garlic, and of course the Missus loves that fried egg.

We also order the Morning Glory (ong choi) with....well...pork belly ($14).

   The Missus really enjoys this....there's a light amount of soy, the ong choi  is crisp and not overcooked....with that grassy-pleasant chlorophyllic flavor coming thru.  Even ordered "spicy" the heat is quite mild. And of course there's the fried egg and crisp pork belly.

On all our takeout orders, the rice has been nice and fragrant as well.

The other two dishes we tried during our takeout visits didn't are quite as well.

The Chicken with Holy Basil ($12) usually a favorite of the Missus......well, the minced chicken was on the dry and chewy side.

   And while there was an adequate amount of basil; we felt this was quite bland overall. We ordered this during our first go-round at medium spice and it was really too mild. The Missus did enjoy the fried egg though.

The Missus is fond of a good Papaya Salad so we ordered the SomTom E-san ($8).....which, for being an Issan style dish was really mild in terms of heat.

Too much lime threw the balance of the dish off; one piece of quite bland salted crab, and while the shredded papaya was nice and crisp, there just wasn't enough strong savory flavors to this dish.

So there you go. I finally got the Missus to try Soi 30th and we got a couple of "keepers". I'm sure our choices will change along with the seasons. The Missus is happy to have yet another "option". Ordering and pick-up was a breeze. Finding parking was the most difficult part.

Soi 30th
3442 30th St.
San Diego, CA 92104
Hours:
Mon - Fri 11am - 3pm, 430pm - 9pm
Sat - Sun 12pm - 9pm

Pho Mai Cali (Santee)

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!!.   This food blog is usually written by Kirk, but He is still on vacation with His Missus and Cathy is, once again, writing a post. 

One of the first restaurants where The Mister and I enjoyed "Eating In" since restrictions were lifted, Pho Mai Cali is on the 'other end' of the parking lot where the new location of Island Style Cafe opened earlier this year.  In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this second location of Pho Mai Cali opened in the space formerly occupied by Flaming Wok, a 30 year Santee standby. (To the end, the Szechuan-Mandarin restaurant handed out forks, not chopsticks and our eat in order was always the same: the large bowl of  soup, and the Pu-Pu Platter).  The owners retired in April of 2020; it was the right time. 
 The interior was re-done, making space for a few more tables..   A nice touch is the chilled water bottle and glasses of ice brought to the table while you peruse the menu.  Condiments are brought out after you order.
 Spring rolls ($4.99)- rice paper wrapped lettuce, vermicelli, mint leaves, shrimp (and pork on the other side).  These seem to be made to order, as the shrimp have arrived warm.  There is a good amount of filling making this a light lunch.
 Cha Ca Thang Long ($10.99)- Grilled fish with dill and onion...except they didn't have dill, so I received extra onion.  Served sizzling on a cast iron pan with lettuce and various sides and dipping sauce, this was very good. 
 Grilled chicken and Cha Gio (egg rolls) ($9.99).  Under all of those toppings are lettuce and chilled rice noodles and when combined, each bite is a refreshing flavor of summer.
 This is a mango salad with beef ($10.99) and my latest obsession.  Shredded green mango and green apples, carrots, basil and perfectly cooked tender beef (you can opt for chicken or shrimp).  Not like a papaya salad and they shouldn't be interchangeable.  
 The Banh Xeo is better to eat in than 'to go'.  Trust me.  The crepe needs to be tasted while crispy, even if broken.  The pork and shrimp filling (with sprouts and mung beans) with bits of broken turmeric flavored crepe, wrapped in lettuce with some mint and pickled carrot and radish, dipped in fish sauce is refreshing and has distinct flavors and textures.
  The papaya salad ($9.35) is made with shredded green papaya, shrimp and pork as well as sprouts and carrots, topped with peanuts and fried onion and is quite good.  

This is the Pho Mai Cali ($11.99).  You receive the large bowl of beef broth with meatball and oxtail in it, then the sides (brisket and other cuts of beef) to add in as you wish.  Herbs, onion, noodles always have been fresh here.
  The Steamed Fish ($10.99) is always a good choice.  
 This is the above mentioned Mango Salad with beef ($10.99) in its 'to go' packaging.  Still great flavors, just not as dramatic of a presentation.
This is the "Special Appetizer" ($8) in its 'to go' presentation- two Spring rolls, two crispy egg rolls.  Lettuce, mint and fish sauce and peanut sauce.  Fresh made and well filled rolls. Definitely a meal.

We are fortunate to have this gem close to home. 

Pho Mai Cali 9888 Magnolia Avenue (at Mast) Santee 92071 (619) 328-2700 Open Daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Summertime Seafood Salads

It's Summer Vacation time here at mmm-yoso!!! Kirk and His Missus are enjoying a few days together.  Cathy is writing this post.

We have been having some daily heat waves over the past month or so.  Thankfully, with the cooling down at night, it isn't unbearable.  The Mister and I have been going out for lunch and I noticed a pattern in our orders.

We finally ventured back to Las Morelianas/La Bahia after missing it for more than a year and were happy to see it was still open and thriving.  

  We always try to order from each 'side' of the menu/kitchen and to compliment the carnitas craving, we decided on a simple fish salad ($9).  Nicely grilled tilapia on lettuce with cucumber, tomato and avocado.  Quite large and refreshing..
 When we went to Chopstix Too!, it was another memorable return. The menu is about the same and one of our choices that day was the Grilled Seafood salad ($13).  The wonderful char on the shrimp and the salmon was a forgotten flavor I had missed.  
 .Since Covid-19, the 'food court' area of the 'first' HMart had been closed (it re-opened about two months ago).  So, our pre-shopping meals have been at The Fancy Fish (after it re-opened with indoor seating).  Deceptive photo.  The salad bowl is HUGE, deep, filled with what might be the equivalent of a whole package of salad greens.  It is topped with FOUR soft shell crabs.  $14.50 and worth it.  Recently, returning to Anthony's in La Mesa brought back so many good memories.  We are happy they have managed to stay open.  It was crowded, there was a wait for tables both inside and outdoors, but seating in the Bar area was available.  The Seafood Cobb Salad ($18.95 on the lunch menu (Monday-Saturday)) was my choice. Real crab, bay shrimp and chilled cooked salmon, along with bacon, tomatoes, carrot, egg, avocado, the house dressing...a perfect meal.

We've also been stopping at La Mesa Bistro, but mostly for breakfasts.  We arrived at 11:30 one day and looked at the lunch menu.  The "Gourmet Tropical Salad" ($10.95) caught my eye.  I saw you could add tuna salad or shrimp for $5.50.  Perfect! Cabbage, cucumber, carrots, tomato, walnuts. dried cranberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries on top of organic mixed greens, with a basil vinaigrette (which perfectly complimented the sweet berries).  The tuna salad- high quality tuna, simply made and plenty (the two scoops were more than one can in volume).

Hoping everyone is enjoying the Summer of 2021!

 

Zion Market Food Court-eating in

Today, mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy. 

Before The Mister and I go food shopping, we try to have a small meal.  Most markets have a steam tray area or nearby restaurants with the same ethnic foods, so we get an idea of what we might buy inside the grocery store.  Zion Market does have a prepared foods area, as well as a food court area (the building used to be a K-Mart and is very large).  We can buy inside the market, pay, then sit at a Food Court table. 

However, during Covid and all the restrictions, we chose to give our business to the storefront restaurants in the Food Court area. All of them.
  This post began in late June of 2020. As of now, just assume most every entree is around $12. 

Wok Bar- Mabo Tofu.  Plentiful, spicy hot and good on a rainy day.  The soft tofu and ground pork, along with the creamy spicy sauce is very satisfying.
 Gala Chicken (it used to be inside the Market).  The three piece leg combo (or you could get wings or chicken strips) is a perfect size.  The chicken is lightly breaded and crispy. The Mac salad is lightly dressed and the shredded cabbage and its dressing are just the right sides to go with the rice. $1 for the side of radishes because it tastes good.  
The generically named storefront has a great version of Bibimbap.
 When it was packed 'to go', it was just as tasty and plentiful as the 'for here' version.
 The pork katsu is a good choice when you are craving crispy. The Mister loves the choices at Poke U.
 The medium size bowl is quite large, includes four scoops of marinated seafood, a base of rice and/or salad, cucumber, seaweed and krab.  There are about six sauces and eight shakers of seeds and spices you can have mixed and matched on top.    There are also Bento box options  as well as some appetizer-ish sides (takoyaki) for about $5. 
  The former CDD Tofu and Grill changed hands sometime in 2020.  
 The bulgogi platter is quite large, very flavorful and the side of calamari ($4) made for an easily shareable meal.   The Bibimbap here is wonderful and almost always a choice... But there was this day when I thought...'hmmm, a Tuna Mayo Bowl", let's try that.  Then I ordered the side of sweet potato.
 Oh my!  Tuna, mayonnaise, rice and lots of seaweed.  Perfect, simple, wonderful.  The sweet potatoes were lightly breaded and fried and just, well just all of this was a perfect meal.  This place.  The menu is loosely translated.  Number Seven. The receipt says Tangsuyuk.  Get it. 
 No, that isn't styrofoam.  It is magic surrounding tender pork.  It is addictive in texture and flavor.  The vegetable dipping sauce that comes with it is warm.  It's really good.  The yellow things are radishes.  A wonderful surprising meal. 
 Paris Baguette.  So many choices.  We have been stoppng here and picking a dessert to take home. The lemon meringue croissant is one of the seasonal choices.  Get it.  The coconut cream croissant, also seasonal, also wonderful.
 Everything here is good. 

Sadly, Cocohodo closed in May 2021.  We would stop to enjoy a small, sweet treat if we were not going to go to Paris Baguette. This was where I saw the infamous 2020 Covid Concoction, Dalgona Coffee, being sold. I never was sure I made the simple recipe correctly at home and really liked the thick version here.

Always interesting and always good.  The Food Court here is unique.

Zion Market Food Court 7655 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard 92111

   Our dear piano playing teddy bear has gone into isolation.  Damn Covid!

 

Sovereign Thai Cuisine

We had yet another takeout meal from the Original Sab E Lee a few weeks back and was quite disappointed. It seems some things had changed a bit. So I asked around and was told that TOSEL doesn't make several items inhouse anymore...... The Missus was really missing the "soulful" (Her quote) food from Thai Papaya especially as the weather got warmer. I had read that a couple of folks from Thai Papaya had struck out on their own, opening Sovereign Thai. Normally, I'd have been there in a minute....but the combination of the pandemic and the location (East Village), well I had put things on he back-burner. But now, with the reopening (though it sadly seems like the next wave might be hitting us), having been vaccinated for months, and the Missus missing Thai Papaya, it was time to check out Sovereign. I decided to just visit on my own initially. In fact, other than that first visit, we've been doing takeout. I'm going to do this post as more of a round-up.....of the dishes.

But first you gotta get there. I must say.....there are those known issues, parking, Padres Games, etc.... And then there's the area. The rather new condos on J street not withstanding, as you exit on Imperial and turn onto 16th Street heading North, if you're not familiar with the area, you'll go past a parade of homeless encampments.......it's grown over the last few years and is quite sad and depressing. And then you need to find parking. I usually will find something on 16th..... 

The shop itself if on the first floor of the condo development....the outdoor seating has a view of Fault Line Park.

The folks here were really happy to see me; they remembered me from Thai Papaya. The restaurant was sadly quite empty on every visit; though I was told they weren't advertising because it was almost impossible to find employees......

Like I said the sister and brother team who runs the place was quite happy to see me; the menu is quite interesting with modern twists to things. And even though I didn't see....say som tom khai kem; I was fascinated by the menu. I was also told that they make everything inhouse from scratch.

Perhaps I was lucky; but I ordered items from the menu that interested me and two of them were real "winners". First off, I was told that they make their Issan style sausage inhouse, so I had to order it.

 This was a pleasant surprise....a wonderful version of Issan style Thai sausage. First off, it had a pleasant "snap" to it from the casing. The filling was fairly light and satisfying and there was a bit of heat to it....which most Thai Sausages do not have. Also, as you can tell by the photo to the right....look at all the herbs....wonderful anise-citrus-herbal tones. This is by far my favorite version in San Diego to date.

In fact we always get two orders..........

I also ordered the "Lao Beef Salad"; which ended up being more like Neua Nam Tok then what I would call proper Lao style as it was missing the bitter tones of Lao cuisine usually provided by beef bile, like I learned during my cooking class in Luang Prabang. Still, this was quite interesting as I was asked how I wanted my beef done, something that is not the norm in most places where you order Nam Tok. I said "medium" and it was delivered as such.

Good lord....this was so good. While not overly spicy (I got medium), the beef was of decent quality, it was tender, beefy, the amount of lime juice was perfect, the toasted rice powder added a wonderful nuttiness, good amount of herbs....mint and cilantro...perhaps just missing enough lemongrass. Wonderful balance of fish sauce to palm sugar....I'm not ashamed to say; this was better than what I make at home. Though when I've had it as takeout; I was never asked for doneness and it was never quite as amazing as what I had dining in.

The dish that was perhaps a "bridge too far" was the Curry Noodles, Duck Confit, Fermented Mustard Greens.

   The duck confit was fine, tender, decent flavor, nicely done. The yellow curry had too much bitterness for my palate; it also had a greasy "tongue feel" for me. There wasn't enough fermented mustard greens (typical Chinese market product) to help cut the bitter-greasiness. The "noodles" were mushy and overcooked.

Still, that sausage and beef salad......and so, it started. I brought some sausage home for the Missus and She enjoyed it. And we started ordering off of the ever changing menu.

Here's a rundown.

Hat Yai Fried Chicken - named after the ubiquitous southern Thai style fried chicken.

The Missus likes this as it holds up well as takeout. Nice soy flavors, we enjoy the fried shallot topping. There's a hint of sweetness but it doesn't over-power the dish.

Another favorite of the Missus is the Stir Fried Eggplant with Basil - it does look quite greasy, but is perfectly stir fried and creamy.

The Missus also always orders the Stir Fried Morning Glory....aka Ong Choi, not sure on this one at the portion is quite small for the price ($8).

But She enjoys it......

A big surprise for me was the Grilled Sirloin with Beef Tallow Fried Rice. I had ordered it medium, but it was cooked beyond that.

   The beef was surprisingly tender....not what I was expecting. It was nicely seasoned with fish sauce and well browned, the crispy shallots were a nice touch. The fried rice was nicely seasoned, not overly salty, not quite sure if I could make out what "beef tallow" brought to the table here as I expected more mild beefiness, but the dish was quite nice overall.

The Missus also enjoyed the Thai Basil Beef a very standard Thai dish.

 First off, the egg was still wonderfully runny even after the trip home. The beef was fairly tender and was nicely coated in a very balanced sauce as it wasn't overly salty or sweet, the anise tones of Thai Basil came across nicely as well.

The Missus enjoyed the Regal Crest Farms Chicken Larb.

I thought this to be a bit underwhelming. Not enough fish sauce, the chicken was on the mealy side in terms of texture....it was too mild in terms of spiciness; we ordered it medium thinking in terms of Sab E Lee, but this had barely any spice at all. It needed more chicken-savory tones....but hey, the Missus enjoyed it.

So there you go, an overview of dishes from Sovereign Thai. The menu is ever changing......the folks here joke that they've seen me more in 3 weeks then during their time at Thai Papaya. The food is interesting, though the Missus still longs for Her "usual" at Thai Papaya. At least that Thai sausage is to our taste.

You know, I go way back to the "beginning" with Sab E Lee, when Koby ran the place. I remember the joy when Koby found a purveyor of beef worthy of koi soi. I've witnessed the evolution and changes after Koby left; Sab E Lee in Santee, the expansion to Rancho Penasquitos....when favorites like salted fish fried rice, som tom khai kem, and other dishes were removed from the menu to accommodate "tastes".

To me, this is just the next step in the legacy of the "true" Original Sab E Lee........ This is not TOSEL or Thai Papaya.

Hours are evolving as the shop finds its footing. There's a skeleton staff right now. As my good friend Candice said; "it's a tough spot, I hope they do well!" Yes, they are good people, I hope they do well.

Sovereign Thai Cuisine
1460 J Street
San Diego, CA 92101
Current Hours:
Tuesday 4pm - 9pm
Wed - Thurs 12pm - 230pm, 4pm - 9pm
Fri - Sun 12pm - 9pm

Mike's Red Tacos Truck

I've been reading how birria has been one of the latest food "fads" over the last year or so. Of course, it isn't Birria de Chivo (goat) being mentioned, but Birria de Res, the beef version. Folks who've been reading our little blog for a while know that I really enjoy birria and over the last 7-8 years, I've found my favorite birria de res....from Fernandez Restaurant in Nestor, which has become a favorite of mine. The birria de res is so flavorful, tender, the consommé is so well seasoned that you can just squeeze in a bit of lime, add onions and cilantro and make a meal of by itself. The tortillas have been dipped in the comsomme and placed on the comal, but are always still pliable and up to the task of handling the well flavored, tender birria (must get the tacos "nervio" - topped with buttery tenson).......you get the point, right? 

The popularity of birria tacos hit home when I read about Mike's Red Tacos in Eater. You see, the food truck was going to be stationed in Bay Park! I guess birria really has hit the mainstream now. The truck was scheduled to be in the parking lot of the long running, but now closed Old Trieste restaurant on Fridays, from 4pm. My good buddy Candice was also kind enough to inform me of the opening as well since it's in my 'hood. I was working from home on the first day of business and since I normally start around 530-6 and with no late meetings, I could call "pau hana time" by 330 and headed on down to Morena. I got there at 345....and oh my.....

Man, check out that line!

 In some ways it was quite heartening. It showed me that folks in the area really want more variety and (hopefully) quality.

On the other hand; it was 40 minutes in line and then the wait. Another 40 minutes later, I got my tacos. I really felt for folks as the line kept getting longer. The girl taking orders and working the register was very friendly, though of course this was "opening day" and I'm not sure they expected this kind of reception. I know I didn't.

So, two birria tacos and consomme......

 So, first off; the tortillas did well, they held up to the  barrage of sauce and meat juices quite well. I liked the fact that they were dunked in the "consomme"....however....

The consomme was so bland and devoid of flavor that the only leg to stand on was mouthfeel.....and at this point it just felt like I was drinking and dunking my tacos into a vat of grease. The actual beef in the tacos was a bit on the dry and stringy side....and the flavor was quite mild, though it had a bit of beefiness to it. I had hopes for some nice savory-smokey flavors. So.....this was closer to "food not too offend" then birria de res to me. I had requested salsas, but with all the customers and such it had been left out.

And so, because this food truck is in my neighborhood, I decided to wait a month before revisiting. By this time, the hours had changed to Saturdays from noon until they ran out of product. They were still quite busy at noon on Saturday when I arrived.

The service was still smiling and friendly and the wait much shorter than before. Things I expected after that initial grand opening surge.

This time around I ordered a birria taco....with queso, a mulita, and of course some consomme.

   The first thing I tasted when I got home was the consomme. It was still very bland which left me with a greasy mouthfeel....I'm thinking that Mike believes that the consomme is just for dipping and should not be consumed on its own.

The taco with queso was better than on my last visit. A bit more flavor, the meat more tender....the cilantro, onions, and a squeeze of lime helped things, but it was the cheese....which added a nice textural addition as well as some milkiness that did help. It was still really mild for my palate. I think the tortilla could have spent a bit more time on the comal, which would have added more crispness and a bit of caramelization. But that's just me.

As for the Mulita......well, it was a bit too much for me.

 A lot of cheese as both sides were coated.....think of this a sort of a quesadilla if you will. Again, if the tortillas, which were quite good had been a bit charred adding some crispness and caramelization....perhaps it would be a different story. This was just a bit too rich for me and the beefiness seemed a bit lost here.

As for the salsas....I enjoyed the salsa verde the most. The acidity really helped to cut the richness. And yes, lime is your best friend here.

 In then end; well, like I always say, I'm not happy "just to have something". And yet, I'm pleased to see folks out to support this business. And hope it's a bellwether of things to come.

On my first visit to Mike's, while waiting for my tacos, a nice, friendly gentleman walked over to me and asked me if I'd ever had Birria before.......I'm thinking that he's used to the more "hip" folks...I named off a couple of places and then mentioned Fernandez and also how much I enjoy birria de chivo.....which led to an interesting surprised look and an "ok....I hope you enjoy yourself" as he walked away.......

Mike's Red Tacos - Currently in the parking lot of Old Trieste
2335 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110
Current Hours:
Saturday - Noon - 7pm

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) - Returning to Cambria and a Revisit to Madeline's

Just trying to finish up posts on our May road trip here. 

After having a wonderful dinner at Les Petites Canailles in Paso Robles, then enjoying a nice walk the following morning at Montana de Oro State Park, we headed to our next destination. We had enjoyed Cambria so much during our November road trip that we decided to return for an evening. 

It was a bit early for check-in when we arrived, so I headed over to the East Village where the Missus "caught up" on some shopping at the charming little shops.

Not sure why this pooch was so tuckered out, but he didn't move a muscle as customers came and went......it was quite amusing.

We decided to pick up some snacks for lunch and headed over to Soto's True Earth Market.

   It's a lovely little market with everything from sandwiches and cheese, to local produce and snacks. Folks were very friendly and we enjoyed the little shop.....I even purchased a shopping bag.

Soto's True Earth Market
2244 Main St.
Cambria, CA 93428

I had noticed tables and seating arranged outside the charming Cambria Historical Museum which was closed due to the pandemic.

It was a beautiful day, so we decided to have our snacks here.

 Though we did ask permission from the local "security detail".

Soon enough I received a text message letting me know our room was ready. Just like Paso Robles, we were doing a repeat stay....we had really enjoyed the El Colibri Hotel & Spa on our previous visit to Cambria, the staff at El Colibri are very welcoming and friendly, we enjoyed the quiet location as well, just a short walk to the West Village where I had made dinner reservations at yet another "repeat" location. We had enjoyed our meal at Madeline's during our November road trip, so the Missus and I decided for another visit. It was just as good....so I won't dwell too much on the details and leave you mostly with photos.

The Missus loves the scallops and the "Spanish Octopus", but also really enjoyed the seasonal salad....... Which had....a bacon vinaigrette.

So guess who had to make bacon vinaigrette when we got home? Actually, it was pretty easy as our Server asked the chef about the recipe.....we didn't get a recipe; but got a ingredient list.

They even split our main; the Aubergine Gratin without us having to ask.

The weakest dish of the meal as for some reason the bechamel really didn't bring out the flavors of the eggplant.......

But that's ok as the other dishes were wonderful.

And the Missus enjoyed the Chocolate Truffle Mousse Cake for dessert, while I enjoyed a nice Tawny Port.

 And we got the same lovely outdoor table as on our previous visit. When I mentioned that we enjoyed this table, we were instructed to request "Patio 1" the next time we visit. And....I think there will be a next time. There's something about the vibe and staff that we really enjoy here.

Madeline's Restaurant & Wine Tasting Room
788 Main St.
Cambria, CA 93428

We finished up dinner and walked back to the hotel. Since this was at the end of May, the sun wouldn't set until after 8pm. So, like we did on our previous visit to Cambria we took the short walk down to Shamel Community Park and took in the beautiful sunset.

 A perfect end to our day. Back at the room, I had a brew as a nightcap as I will often do on trips. It always gives me time to think about and ponder how blessed we are.......especially during these times to have our health, each other, and even though we'd obviously love to be in Paris, I've come to appreciate a part of California that I think is vastly underrated.

Thanks for stopping by!

Boss Bird Kitchen - B(efore)C(ovid), D(uring)C(ovid), D(uring)R(eopening)

**** Boss Bird has moved to La Mesa. This location is now Kusina

Here's a post that was 17 months in the making. Chicken Sandwiches.....especially Nashville Hot Chicken has become (yet another) fad in recent years. And back in February of 2020 Boss Bird Kitchen took over the spot that seems to be a revolving door of restaurants; being Capetown Bar & Grill, then Sarap, and finally Gaya Gaya before Boss Bird took over the spot. My first visit was in February 2020. I then did a takeout visit early in 2021. At that time, I wasn't even sure I'd be doing a post....until I decided to return last week. You can think of this as happening during three distinct phases in time, pre-Covid, during lockdown, and during reopening. It does seem to be much longer of a timespan then that as well.

The place looked essentially the same as Gaya Gaya, minus the interesting artwork.

I thought about trying the "Hot Mess" Chicken "Burger", but decided to just get the "Standard". Basically, buttermilk fried chicken breast sandwich. The size of the chicken breast filet was quite generous.

 I did like the roll it was served on, which had a mild hint of yeasty sweetness and held up quite well to the sorta "secret sauce" (Thousand Island dressingish). The chicken was underseasoned for my taste and while it was quite a hunk of chicken it hadn't been evenly fried and also suffered from "chicken breast syndrome"......as it was on the dry side.

The portion of fries was also very generous; nicely seasoned, though it was also on the dry side and got rather soft quickly. Still for under ten bucks (at that time), this was a bargain.

Even though the price was right and the young lady working was so friendly, I didn't really have any intention of returning. Then came the lockdown and I was still working from the office quite a bit....I'd be driving past Boss Bird every so often and while they were open, it seemed totally dead. So, I decided to go ahead and place an online order. I didn't think the chicken sandwich and especially the fries would hold up real well on the drive back to the office, so I ordered the "Nickle Box" ($9) of wings. While driving over, I realized that it had been over a year since my initial visit.

Man, had the pandemic changed things! Things had been moved around and when I spoke (even with my mask muffling my voice) there seemed to be an echo!

My order was ready when I finally found a live human being......seems like everyone was in the boss bird "kitchen", so I cooled my heels for about 10 minutes. But all was well once the nice gentleman saw me waiting.

I wasn't overly hungry and this five piece box of wings, which came with 2 biscuits (I gave one away) was more than enough for my lunch on this day. I actually enjoyed the pickles the best.

I had ordered the Wings with Garlic Parmesan, but I think there was a "malfunction" somewhere as the wings seemed to just be plainly seasoned. Like my previous experience the chicken was unevenly fried and some of the pieces had rubbery skin and were on the dry side.

I wasn't a big fan of the biscuits which was too crumbly and not buttery enough for my taste. The person I shared the biscuit with said he could barely finish half of it......so I guess it wasn't just me.

And well, two visits in I guess I needed to get a post done, right? And on June 15th, San Diego was fully reopened, though I waited a while to return to Boss Bird. When I finally decided to return, it was just as the restaurant opened, early in the week. I had the whole place to myself.

The only other customers I saw during my stay were two customers doing takeout. And since I wasn't doing takeout; I decided to go with the "Hot Mess" ($11).

 

 I enjoyed the chicken sandwich. This was by far the best item I've had at Boss Bird; a decent spicy rub, you can tell that this time around the chicken had been nicely fried. While it was still on the drier side, it was moist and tender enough for me. Like I said before; there's something about the pickles here I enjoy and the slaw, while quite plain really helped balance out the sandwich.

The fries were a bit thinner this time around and still nicely seasoned; though it's still on the dry and soft side for my taste.

Still, I'd have this again....one of these days.

So there you go. A post 17 months in the making.

For another view on Boss Bird, please check out Lynn's post.

Boss Bird Kitchen
7580 Miramar Rd.
San Diego, CA 92126
Current Hours:
Mon - Sat 11am - 8pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

 

Kindred

And so it came to pass. A couple of weeks after driving past Kindred and seeing the place really busy on a Thursday, the Missus wanted to give it another try. Granted, it was early in the week; one of the benefits of getting into work super early is that on occasion, I can get home rather early. And this was one of those days. We decided to head on down to South Park and see what was going on. We got to South Park at just around 4pm and went and took a walk, returning right when Kindred opened. It was pretty quiet when we arrived and we requested and got our favorite seats....on the outside corner. 

And guess what? Our favorite Server Tracy was working and she remembered us! I guess it's because we always like to sit in the same area. It had been a rough year-and-a-half and it was good to see a familiar smiling face.

We started with some cocktails.

The Missus had the "Octave Museum" which featured Bourbon, Sherry, red wine(???), and green apple.

Which She enjoyed.

I got the "Twist of Faith"...I described my taste to Tracy...smokey, not too sweet, etc......and they did a great job creating me a custom cocktail.

As for the food....well, sadly, they still don't have their "secret menu" item, so I'm not able to get the "Dip".

We started with "Fried and Pickled" ($10).

We both loved the fried pickles, not overly sour, a hint of sweet, perfectly crunchy.....it didn't even need the "ranch dressing". The cauliflower was crisp, but way to sour for me....the Missus enjoyed it though.

We always get the "Skewers" ($10).

And while seiten will never make me turn my back on my carnivorous ways, the texture is fine, and man do we love the layers of flavors from the mildly spicy - earthy harissa, the garlicky chimichurri, and the pungent-punchy horseradish sauce.

I decided to try the "Grill Cheese" ($9).

I don't think we'll be ordering this again....the tapioca mozzarella was really weak in flavor and other than a bit of gooeyness didn't add anything to the sandwich, which seemed a bit too greasy for me. Wish it had a bit more kale and the bechamel just put this over-the-top in terms of rich-greasy textures.

I decided on a La Fin du Monde for "dessert"......man, it's been a while since I've had one.....it hit the spot. We had an enjoyable meal with the friendly Tracy waiting on us. It almost felt normal......

Kindred
1503 30th St
San Diego, CA 92102
Current Hours:
Mon - Wed     430pm - 10pm
Thur - Fri       430pm - 11pm
Saturday        10am - 2pm, 430pm - 11pm
Sunday          10am - 2pm, 430pm - 10pm

And we were oh so thankful!

Sunday Stuffs - Urban Eats Kitchen &Tap replaces Hi Street, Nice 2 Meet U on Convoy, and Jim Morrison in Bay Park:?

Just a couple of places I've seen on recent drives and one little excursion down the "rabbit hole".

Urban Eats Kitchen & Tap replaces Hi Street:

**** Urban Eats has closed

 I had been wondering what was going on at 7767 Balboa since Hi Street (and a couple of other short lived places) closed down. I saw the rather interesting Help Wanted sign to the right a while back - I wonder if they ever found a "Weitress"?

And I finally saw signage for Urban Eats a few weeks past....wonder if it has any relationship to the Urban Eats that was open in Hillcrest for a couple of years?

7767 Balboa Ave.
San Diego, CA 92111

Nice 2 Meet U Coming to Convoy:

I noticed that the space next to Da Nang Corner looked to have been filled so I drove on into the parking lot......

Well, "Nice 2 Meet U" too (two???). Wonder how its related to Nice 2 Meet U in the SGV? Hmmm......

4428 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Jim Morrison in Bay Park?

Last Saturday, the Missus mentioned that it was the 50th anniversary of Jim Morrison's death. Jim Morrison had kind of stuck in Her mind since our visits to Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris several years back when we stopped by his grave.

I had recalled that Jim Morrison was a Navy brat and had spent some time in San Diego. So, like I said, Google is my friend and I decided to spend a couple of minutes to see where he lived...... and oh my, I came across this.

And discovered that Jim Morrison, who lived in San Diego between the ages of 9 and 13...actually lived a few blocks from us on Arnott Street! I'm not going to list the address because I've walked and driven past that house thousands of times. And am wondering how many folks have bothered the current tenants of the house there.

He also went to Longfellow Elementary where he graduated the sixth grade and was a Cub Scout.

Longfellow still exists, but is now a Spanish Immersion Magnet School for K-8.

The most interesting item was that the Morrison's attended Pioneer Congregational Church. Which basically right at the end of the street.

I've also walked past here thousands of times in the 18+ years we've lived in Bay Park using the public walkway on the west side of the parking lot to walk down to Western Hills Park. I used to walk Sammy and Frankie down to the park and up around Kane, then Arnott, then back home. 

In fact, I will still take walks down that sidewalk to Western Hills Park at times.....

This was quite interesting for me and other folks I know in Bay Park.