mmm-yoso!!!

Road Trip - Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. (Santa Barbara)

After our stroll along State Street, we settled into our hotel; the Moxy. We took a short nap and then had to decide on dinner. A couple of places on my "list" were closed; several of them for "Employee appreciation parties"! Pretty nice; I'm guessing Super Bowl Sunday is pretty quiet round these parts. There was one place I wanted to try; Santo Mezcal, but they don't do reservations and there was a 90 minute wait.

There was one interesting place I had on my "list", it was all outdoor dining, which was perfect for JJ. Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio was just barely two blocks away. An extension of a company that runs several butcher shops, the menu has everything from tacos to burgers to BBQ, and beer of course. So, we walked on over.

The Funk Zone is an interesting location; there are wineries, restaurants, breweries, shops, and even some houses sprinkled among auto shops, warehouses, it has a real industrial transitioning to hipster feel. 

The actual restaurant used to be the main "cutting room" for the butcher shops and has now been converted.

While the few parking spaces were taken....the place was maybe half full. There was a large screen television mounted on a large golf cart showing the Super Bowl pregame.

You order at the counter, they give you a number, and you have a seat at one of the tables or barrels. The Missus wanted a beer! Go figure! The features brews made inhouse. Not quite knowing what the Missus would want; I got a Funk Zone Blonde to go with what the Missus ordered; the Funk Zone Lager.

Turns out the Missus preferred the Blond Ale....whew...good thing I got that, right?

The Missus wanted a 1/4 Rack St Louis style BBQ ribs ($10.95), with a side of Street Corn ($8.95). I went with the Oak Smoked Tri-Tip Sandwich ($16.50). The woman working the counter was very nice.

The Tri-Tip Sandwich was pretty good; the meat a bit on the drier side, but tender enough. There was a very nice smoke ring, and so I knew the assertive smokiness of Oak would be front and center.

I think the pico de gallo was kind of overwhelmed by the smokiness of the tri-tip, though the garlic bread and aioli came thru nicely; adding some moistness and a rich-mild pungency to the sandwich. The BBQ Sauce, which I believe is St Louis style was a bit too sweet for my taste, but this was an enjoyable sandwich overall.

The "street corn" was sweet and maizey; though it had too much other "stuffs".

Was still pretty good.

I had reservations about the ribs; but they turned out to be pretty good.

Like the tri-tip, the BBQ sauce was a tad on the sweeter side; but the ribs were tender, quite smokey. It might be a bit much for some folks, but the Missus enjoyed the smokiness and the "fall off the bone tenderness" was quite good.

This ended up being a relaxing and enjoyable meal for us. Just what we needed on this day.

Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio
220 Gray Ave.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

After dinner, we walked back to the hotel. JJ was pooped as was the Missus. I'm not sure why since I had been the one doing the driving up from San Diego! I decided to take the opportunity, since JJ wouldn't be displaying his yappy separation anxiety, to walk over to the Figueroa Mountain Brewing tap room a block away and watch the end of the Super Bowl. Like the rest of the area, things were pretty mellow. There was only one table taken and a couple of folks over at the bar.

I had a Frozen Goat Weizenbock.

Fairly boozy, fruity - yeasty notes.

And I took in the last quarter of the Super Bowl and chatted with one of the local guys, who told me that the sports bars around the area are pretty busy, but many places close during Super Bowl Sunday. He lives on State Street and walked on over here.

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. Santa Barbara
137 Anacapa St. F
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

It was a lovely end to a fun day.

Mariscos Tone Camaron at Harland Brewing Bay Park

Sometimes it's just the smallest thing. A couple of weeks ago, I went to get my morning caffeine fix from Bay Park Coffee. I guess everyone else, and their mother decided that it would be a great time for an energy boost and there was no parking to be found on Napier or Ashton, so I had to park on Morena. While walking toward Napier, I noticed this trailer in the back of the Harland Tasting Room.

Interesting, a Mariscos Truck/Trailer was now in back of Harland. I guess they needed something to replace Rosemarie's which was here for quite a long time until they got their own brick and mortar shop.

An interesting recent development is that the Missus enjoyed the Japanese Lager from June Lake Brewing, that I had Her try Harland's version which She enjoyed even more! So, we decided to take a walk down Milton and check out Harland and the Mariscos trailer.

The place was fairly busy when we arrived. I ordered a Japanese Lager for the Missus and tried a sour.

The Missus said that She couldn't tell the difference between the draft JL versus the canned.

The Raspberry Sour was very light and I think a good candidate as a "gateway sour".

As for the food, it was done via QR code. And I'm guessing they do burgers as well as Mariscos?

As for the Mariscos, well, the name of the trailer includes "camaron" and that's what they basically have; shrimp except for the $25 rib-eye tostada.

So, we ordered the "OG Shrimp Ceviche" and the Aguachile Verde Tostadas. In a nice touch, our order was delivered to our table.

The portion sizes for $12 was quite good, though we'll be the first to say that the shrimp were really tough and rubbery. Each portion was enough to make three tostadas. Though I will say, it seems to us to be more about quantity than quality. The OG was really mild, lacking in spice, quite watery.

The Aguachile was better, with nice citrus tones.

The cucumbers were nice and palate cleansing and went well with the maize-y tostadas. Both dishes had a generous portion of creamy, mildly sweet avocado. It was still mild in terms of "heat", but maybe that's based on the demographic. This wasn't bad, though it lacked a good amount of spice and seemed a bit dumbed down.

Overall, while not my first choice with regards to Mariscos, decently priced with fairly generous portion to price.

Mariscos Tone Camarón at Harland Brewing
4112 Napier St.
San Diego, CA 92110

Road Trip - Whoa Nellie Deli (Lee Vining), Gull Lake and June Lake Brewing (Again), June Lake, and Other "Stuffs"

On the way back from hiking the Gardisky Lake Trail, we decided to make a "pit stop" at the Tioga Gas Mart, which is at the intersection of Tioga Road and the 395 in Lee Vining. No, we didn't need gas, but really needed to "fuel up"....that would be getting some lunch. You see, one of the places that had been recommended to us was in the Tioga Gas Mart; the gas station, gift shop, is home to a stand named "Whoa Nellie Deli". Yep, for reals.....

The menu has quite a few options; everything from Wild Buffalo Meatloaf to Lobster Taquitos to Pizza. The Missus didn't feel like having meat, so She ordered the Grilled Veggie Sandwich ($17). I had heard good things about the "World Famous" Fish Tacos ($18), so I went against my instincts and got that. We got a number and sat at one of the tables outside.

Soon enough our number was called and went to the counter to grab our lunches.

The "veggies" on the Missus's Grilled Veggie Sandwich where barely grilled, that Hollandaise like sauce was gloppy and lacked flavor.

The eggplant was quite bitter. The bun was nicely toasted. The fries were the best item, crisp and well salted.

As for my "world famous" fish tacos......

  Good lord. The fish was supposedly mahi mahi, overfried, not seasoned, and dry as heck. The tortillas were like cardboard. The purple cabbage slaw was flavored with ginger and the other had mango "salsa" which really needed some spice. It was all accompanied by a pool of pasty black beans, which at least was seasoned adequately.

I know this place is kind of a cult favorite, but it wasn't our thing. It's interestng that the deli has it's own entry in Wikipedia which says "The Whoa Nellie Deli is a casual gourmet restaurant located in Lee Vining...."

Whoa Nellie Deli in the Tioga Gas Mart
22 Vista Point Rd.
Lee Vining, CA 93541

After our meal, we headed north on the 395 and took a quick side trip to the Mono Basin Visitors Center.

Where we got some nice views of Mono Basin and learned a bit about the history and geology of the basin.

Maybe next time we'll spend a bit more time here.

We headed back to our room and took a nice post lunch nap. Upon waking, the Missus wanted to head back down to Gull Lake, we took the car incase the Missus wanted to do more paddle boarding. We easily found parking, even though there were some festivities going on.

We took a stroll around the area.

As we walked past the Gull Lake Marina Shop, we saw this terrified pooch hiding by the small pond in front of the shop.

We were wondering what was going on? As we walked to the shop we saw the reason. Remember the "beware of cats they attack dogs" sign? Well guess what, I think that poor pooch found out that the sign was in fact true. Also, guess who was waiting by the sign to make a point?

The Missus decided to get one more session in, so I took a nice walk around the marina.

Since the Missus was going to be a while, I had told Her to go ahead and meet me back at the June Lake Brewery when She was done and I'd go ahead and make dinner.

This time around, since it as only myself, I had a seat at the bar in the enclosed area.

I got the Brown Ale which I really enjoyed. The young lady working the register remembered me from the night before! I also found out that the locals sit in this area and had some nice chats; including one with a gentleman from Maui! 

The Missus arrived a bit later and wanted a Japanese Lager. When I walked up to the counter and ordered, the young lady told me "you already left us a nice tip, so don't worry about it, ok?" Wow, that's a new one for me! Like I said, the folks in June Lake are so nice!

June Lake Brewing
131 S Crawford Ave.
June Lake, CA 93529

Once we were done, I made a quick trip to the General Store for a couple of items.

I then returned to the room and I put together a dinner for the both of us.

After dinner we took a short stroll on Boulder Drive, aka the June Lake Loop.

We really enjoyed our stay at the June Lake Villager.

The next morning we woke early. We'd be headed to Lake Tahoe on this day. But first, the Missus wanted to get one more session in, this time at June Lake. I had read that there are only 98 parking spaces at June Lake Beach and it fills up fast. I had also read that in April a $10 per car fee had been started, which isn't such a big deal to us. The folks at the motel had told us to go early in the morning, before the crowds descend.  So, what we ended up doing is to check out at right before 7am, then head on over to The Lift a coffee-tea-cafe-wine bar that opens at 7.

There was actually a line of people waiting for the place to open. We got in, got our coffees, I got a ham and cheese croissant for my breakfast and we headed off.

The Lift
2587 Hwy 158
June Lake, CA 93529

We then headed off to June Lake Beach. The entrance booth where you now pay to enter wasn't open, we had been told by the folks at the motel that it's ok, just go ahead and park. So, that's what I did. It was a lovely morning.

The Missus inflated Her paddle board and sailed off.

I went and enjoyed the view with my croissant, which was still warm. Not really a croissant per se, the crust was crisp and flaky, but it had cheese melted on it, which wasn't a bad thing.

The interior was kind of doughy, a bit too moist, but this did the trick, at least on this day since I wasn't really expecting a classic croissant aux beurre if you know what I mean.

After my breakfast, I decided to take a walk around the lake. I saw a ton of deer hanging around.

Folks were starting to arrive, many of them with their "furry friends".

This pup really didn't want to get on the paddle board, but was eventually coaxed. It was quite humorous.

I enjoyed walking along the west side of the lake which had wonderful views.

Until I smelled a very unique "fragrance" and saw four dudes enjoying the "cash crop" if you know what I mean?

So, I headed back to the beach and walked to the car. I noticed a ranger putting slips of paper on vehicles windshield. I thought this would mean we'd pay on the way out. But no, it was just a count of cars, so they would know how many cars were in when the booth opened and note vehicles as they left. Remember, there are only 98 spaces.

I returned to a table and opened a book, taking time to watch this happy pooch playing fetch.

It was so relaxing.

Eventually the Missus was done. We cleaned up, packed up, and headed to our next stop.....Lake Tahoe!

Road Trip - Lone Star Bistro (Lone Pine), Gull Lake, June Lake Brewing, and the La Parilla Truck (June Lake)

During our trip to the Galapagos back in April-May (yeah, I know, I'm really behind on my travel posts), the Missus really took to doing stuffs in the water. One thing She picked up on was SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) and in fact, we ended up getting one for Her. Several of Her coworkers are really into the kayak and paddleboard thing and will often plan their road trips around camping and those type of activities. So guess what the the Missus wanted?

Yep, She got some recommendations of areas to paddleboard and soon enough we were headed up the 395. Final destination a little town on the west bank of Lake Tahoe named Tahoma. But first, it was recommended that we spend a couple of nights in an area east of the Sierra's named June Lake. My mission as official planner and chauffeur for the Missus? Well, plan things out.

So, it was going to be like a 7 hour drive to where we were staying at in June Lake, which ended up being a comfortable motel/lodge named the June Lake Villager. Of course we needed to stop for lunch. It was early July and super hot, we ended up taking a break in the town of Lone Pine. I had a place picked out for a quick meal; the Lone Star Bistro. Yes, the Alabama Hills Cafe is much loved, but man, it was so busy. So instead we entered this combo ice cream-cafe-coffee-gift-sandwich shop. The place was fairly busy and we even saw some remote workers doing their thing as well. In Lone Pine!

I walked up to the sandwich counter and the friendly young lady filled me in on the "drill".

I basically filled out an "order form" and the Missus handed me two bottles of sparkling water.

I ordered the "signature" sandwich called the "Lone Pine Charmer"; with bacon, turkey, avocado, provolone, it sounded like a single sandwich would be enough for the both of us. I asked that they cut the sandwich in half, paid, and we took a seat in the covered back patio, which wasn't too hot.

The young lady who dropped off our sandwich wasn't quite as friendly....when I thanked her, she went "umph....." Can't win 'em all, right?

 I was pleasantly surprised to see that Marbled Rye was used, which added an interesting yeasty-tangy-sourness to the sandwich. As a whole, a routine sandwich, basic mass produced sliced turkey; we enjoyed the cucumber and sprouts the most. It was enough for our lunch and we walked thru this western theme town to our car and headed off.

Lone Star Bistro
107 North Main St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

From here it was up the 395. I had wanted to stop at Manzanar, it's one of those places on my "list", but it was over a 110 with crazy winds as we drove by, so that visit will have to wait until the next time.

About two hours later we got to the southern junction of I-395 and I-158. The 158 is a loop road, known as the June Lake Loop and passes four different lakes before reconnecting with the 395 just past SR 120. It was a fairly nice drive up to about 7,600 feet.

We arrived at the charming little village of June Lake and went to the motel to see if our room was ready. It was a bit too early, but I had a plan just in case. Gull Lake, the smallest of the four lakes along the loop is close by. And the Marina and launch area was just a few blocks away.

We easily found parking and the Missus set off on Her adventure.

I took a stroll around the lake a bit and then headed to the Marina Shop, which does boat rentals....I saw families and folks fishing off boats in the lake.

The area is quite charming......

I walked into the shop to get some sparkling water.

And I asked about the sign above, which cracked me up. I was told that the cats here are really tough and territorial; "they don't play around!" But there was a sweet pooch hanging out by the sign? I was told "oh, he knows better....he learned his lesson a long time ago!" I would actually find out that the sign is true a bit later on during our visit.

I had a seat and checked emails and stuff.

Looking over the lake, I felt so relaxed.....

Soon, I got a text from the motel telling me our room was ready. The Missus had the car keys with Her, so I took the short walk up the hill and got the room keys. When I walked back down to the lake, the Missus was packing things up.

Once in the room, which was quite large, it was a one bedroom unit with a kitchen; the Missus freshened up and then we took a short walk . Most of the restaurants, the general store, and businesses were on the main road. But there were some nice shops down driveways and side streets.

We weren't particularly interested in any of the restaurants; so we decided to head on over to the June Lake Brewery which was basically around the corner from where we were staying....but most everything was!

The brewery had a large, welcoming outdoor space, with a food truck at one end of the lot. 

Boy was this place popular! It was the most people we'd see during our time here.

While I went to get our brews, the Missus went to order our food at the truck.

The two gals pouring the beers were so nice and friendly.

We wanted something on the lighter side since it was pretty warm out; so we got the two lagers, both were under 5% ABV.

I found us a table and waited for the Missus. She soon arrived with a buzzer which would go off when our order was ready. The Missus took to the Japanese Lager, which She thought was smoother and easier to drink than the lighter "Lager for Joggers".

There were some pretty interesting "seats" in the place.

Soon enough we got "buzzed" and I went to pick it up and return to our table.

We had gotten the "Boss Nachos" with Carne Asada. The portion size was large and this supposedly was quite spicy, the Missus was warned, but it wasn't overly hot to us. The portion size was quite generous.

The carne asada was nicely grilled, but quite chewy, and mildly seasoned. There was just a small amount of ghost pepper cheese on this, which had some kick, but there wasn't enough to really matter. The chips were routine, there was sour cream and guac added. Overall, just like what you'd get at an Americanized Mexican spot here in San Diego.

I had wanted to try the Al Pastor, so we ordered a taco.

From the bland and brittle tortillas, to the dry and flavorless al pastor, this was not to our taste.

Still, we enjoyed the vibe of the brewery and the service was quite friendly. We'd return for a brew on the following evening.

June Lake Brewing and La Parrilla Grill & Tacos
131 S Crawford Ave.
June Lake, CA 93529

After dinner we walked back down to Gull Lake and took in the view.

It had been a pretty long day; but I'd say the view and vibe was worth it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip - Lucky Luke Brewpub (Lancaster, CA)

So, what were we doing in Lancaster? Yesterday, I posed that question. Well, what happened is that the Missus had found out that the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, a state park, resided just to the west of Lancaster. According to what the Missus had heard, the poppies start blooming in Mid-March, and voila! Here we were. We had a light breakfast at the hotel and then headed on out arriving at the park right before 9am. Unfortunately, we were a bit too early for the poppies this year!

Regardless, we ended up hiking both loop trails, and the views were quite nice.

As you can tell, we were the only folks in the park during our entire stay.

We saw a number of gophers and a couple of Bobcats. And even some wildflowers.

The trails were easy to walk and nicely maintained.

And, as if to tease us a bit, near the end of the trail....well, we saw the first poppies starting to bloom!

We did enjoy the solitude and the relaxing peacefulness of the walk. The Missus mentioning returning one day when the poppies are really in bloom.

We walked back to the hotel and had a light lunch, then headed on back out to explore a bit. Lancaster is quite sprawling and we ended up restocking on water, snacks, and stuff at the Target and Vallarta Market on Avenue K. Then it was nap time, one of my favorite parts of the day during road trips!

Upon waking, we headed back out and walked around the BLVD a bit, stopping into shops that were open. We found many places are closed on Mondays here.

And of course, there's all that public art.

Soon enough, it was time for dinner. I had thought that we'd head to Le Papillon, a more upscale restaurant right across from the hotel, but the Missus just wanted something simple and basic. Which was just across the street from where we were standing.

We liked the outdoor seating. The interior looks very "sports bar-ish". Seemed like locals came by to watch sports and grab a brew.

So, of course we had to get a table outside and I decided to get a Brown Ale.

This was light with a slight sweetness, very easy to drink.

The service was interesting; the woman who initially waited on us really didn't seem to want to deal with folks at tables, She mainly wanted to hang with the folks at the bar. The gentleman who came by and took over was very friendly and efficient.

We had a view of West Lancaster Boulevard and there was something going on for young people at the Performing Arts Center next to the Movie Theatres across the street.

Which was showing Kung Foo Panda???? You gotta love it.

The Missus ordered the Lemon Agave Salad.

Which, except for the pepitas was quite routine. At least the dressing wasn't too sweet, but this is totally something you can get out of a bag from your local grocer.

I got the Pub House Burger.

With Tater Tots.

    The tater tots were nicely fried, crisp, not hard, and the interior slightly creamy. 

The burger came in a brioche bun, which was a bit denser than I thought it would be; but it wasn't overly sweet and held up well to all that cheese sauce. The cheese sauce was much saltier than I'm used to. I also enjoy a bit of pungency, which this lacked. And as you can see; there was a lot of cheese sauce. Luckily, the pickled jalapenos added a nice counter balance of pickled spiciness that I enjoyed. While the bacon could have been cooked a bit more; I prefer it more crunchy, it did add that smoky-savory component to the burger.

The burger itself didn't look like much, but it was fairly tender, seasoned quite well, and did the job. Not a bad burger as a whole.

There was one item on the menu that I could not resist. The Fried Wisconsin Cheese Curds. Wisconsin you say? Cue in to a flashback of my favorite cheese curds, served at The Old Fashioned in Madison!

These were a bit over-fried and too gooey, not squeaky-stringy. The batter was crisp though. The flavor was mild, man what I would have given for some horseradish dip with this! 

Still, this was a decent dinner, in Lancaster. We liked the very laid-back small town feel to this area. At least that's what it was like on this Monday.

Lucky Luke Brewpub
735 West Lancaster Blvd.
Lancaster, CA 93534

After dinner we took another stroll up and down the BLVD area. In the end, I thought I'd put in some decent mileage.

We returned to our room, relaxed, and watched the sun go down on Lancaster.

Tomorrow we'd be headed back to Rowland Heights for a night and an Omakase dinner in City of Industry of all places!

Stay Tuned!

Oggi's Sports/Brewhouse/Pizza (Santee)

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today.  Kirk is busy.

This is another 'not regifting a gift card' post.  In addition to using 'free' money, The Mister and I decided to also get the most value by using the gift card during Happy Hour and for lunch specials. 

Oggis began as a franchisee of a local pizzeria chain in Del Mar in 1991, it evolved  into a sports themed restaurant and in 1995 it expanded into a microbrewery.  There are now 15 franchised locations in California and one in Arizona (seven of the locations are in San Diego County).

 There are so many television sets in here.  Each seat at each table has a view of at least two, even outside on the patio.

 Here are a couple of tabletop menus.

 The Mister ordered a Happy Hour Group Modelo (16 oz) for $4. I had a taste and it was nice. We were here on a Wednesday and ordered six 'wings' for $1 each (there were nine flavors (three mild, the rest indicated heat)) and we chose the Honey BBQ.  Nicely sauced and topped with sesame seeds, accompanied by celery, carrots and a good housemade Ranch dip.  All drums, no flats and quite a good sized serving.
 The Happy Hour fried Lemon-Pepper Zucchini ($7.99) was another sizable serving.  Light breading, crisp fried and not greasy, the crunch as well as the very pleasant fresh and not seedy zucchini was great tasting on its own and very pleasant with th Ranch dip and housemate marinara. 

 The Oggis Stix ($7.99).  Pizza dough brushed with garlic olive oil and toped with mozzarella, parmesan and parsley were also served with the housemade ranch and marinara dips.  This was kind of a wonderful, decadent bite. since we are watching our carbs; we did take about half of this home and it reheated well.

 Here is another tabletop menu- Monday-Friday lunch from 11-2

 Here's a cup of potato-cheese soup (add on $2.99).  This was very nice on the cool day we were here.

 The half balsamic chicken salad ($9.99) was accompanied by a (giant) garlic knot; much fancier than a slice of bread.   Spring mix topped with grilled chicken, candied walnuts and Gorgonzola and a house made balsamic vinaigrette.

 We decided to try a half flatbread ($6.99) and chose the Charcuterie-Sopressata, Genoa Salami,  pancetta, pepperoni, green onion, mozzarella and shredded parmesan.  This had Oggis 'pizza sauce' instead of marinara and was a tad 'spicy' but nothing to complain about.  I liked the crisp, thin crust and flavor meld.

Since the stores are franchised, prices and Specials may vary.  Overall, there is great quality here.

Oggis Sports/Brewhouse/Pizza 9828 Mission Gorge Road Santee 92071 (619)449-6441 Open Sun-Tours 11-9, Fri-Sat 11-10 Website

Johnny B's (La Mesa)

Yes, you're back at mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food.  Cathy is still writing because Kirk is still on vacation with His Missus. Here's a post about lunch (but they have breakfast on weekends). 

I've never posted about Johnny B's, it's just "always" been there and a regular stop for lunch. 

Since January 1, 1999, this La Mesa bar and restaurant, located downtown on La Mesa Blvd and 4th, has always had a lunch special of a 'Burger and Beer'.  The building has expanded and the prices have, of course, increased.   JB's has made it through Covid-19, keeping the food here very consistently wonderful.

 The interior (there is outside seating) has 33 HDTV's, most showing local sports and at least one showing PAWS-a channel about animals.  I could see 11 televisions from my chair and The Mister could see eight.

 The two-sided menu mentions the weekday Lunch specials, as well as a Monday night special and Happy Hour.  There's also a Tuesday night special of Sliders which flashed across one of the TV screens.  The other side of the menu has weekend breakfast items.

 The grilled chicken salad ($12.95) was topped with a still warm/freshly char-grilled chicken breast.  The bowl is very large and we did take home some leftovers.  The mixed lettuces had tomatoes, onions and shredded carrots and the ranch dressing was a better quality.

 The cheeseburger Lunch Special ($14.75) includes your choice of soda, Bud Light, Coors Light or Amberbock.  You also can choose the type of cheese and also get a choice of fries, chips or a salad.  The burger is large (at least 1/4 lb) and also char-grilled, made with a coarse grind of beef, keeping the meat chunky and moist.  The bun is toasted and those fries have a coating and seasoning, making them very crisp and tasty.

Johnny B's Burgers and Brew 8393 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91942 (619) 464-2465 Open Mon-Th 11-9, Fri 11-10, Sat 930-10 Sun 9:30-9 Website

 More than 20 beers on tap!

Taipei - Mountain and Sea House Restaurant

While planning our trip to Taiwan, I came across a Michelin listing for a place called Mountain & Sea House, which had one Michelin Star. But what really got my attention was the restaurant served Taiwanese dishes that harkened back to the 1930's. In addition, the restaurant sourced their ingredients from their own farm, their swine from a ranch that raises indigenous breeds and so forth. Honestly, I could've spent the entire trip eating Lu Rou Fan (and of course pork chops), but that wouldn't be any fan fun, would it? A big plus is that Mountain & Sea House did online reservations, which I took advantage of.

The walk from our hotel was about 25 minutes where we ended up on Ren'ai Road and a lovely looking structure. The really knowledgeable staff told the Missus that the building is in the style of the Japanese Meiji Taisho period, which coincides with the time period of Japanese rule in the country and what is considered the heyday of Taiwanese banquet cuisine by many.

The interior is austere yet classy.

Of course, it was only the Missus and I, so ordering huge banquet dishes was not a possibility, but there is a huge "family menu" for 8 people that needs to be ordered in advance; a bunch of set menus, whole suckling pig, chicken cooked in pork stomach, and a bevy of seafood offerings as well.

We just ordered a couple of interesting items off the a la carte menu.

What was interesting is the the restaurant had it's own beer, barrel aged in wine barrels.

This had some nice tart-fruitiness to it; but wasn't as strong as say, a Belgian (of which I've had a few).

The Missus started with a Rose from Weightstone and winery in Taichung.

Which She really enjoyed. She would have a glass of white from the same winery, which was exclusive to the restaurant later during the meal.

After our tea service....

Our food started arriving. First up, was the eye catching "White Flowered Mountain Gourd".

The zucchini and carrot laced parcel was filled with a concoction of dried scallops, black pork, and several different type of mushrooms. It was a bit milder in flavor than we had anticipated, but man, the velvety chicken stock, seasoned perfectly, studded with sweet-earthy mushrooms was fantastic.

Next up were the Oyster Fritters.

It was the two types of greens; bitter-vegetal-crunchy that made this dish. The oysters and pork were quite mild in flavor and the fritter batter not as crisp as we would like.

My favorite dish of the evening was the Three Cup Pig Tail Stew. What seems like a bajillion years ago, I had my first taste of Taiwanese food in a restaurant in the SGV. One of the dishes was Three Cup Chicken. It was love at first bite! It was strange for us to not come across that dish in restaurants we visited in Taiwan? Regardless, this was amazing.

At first glance, the pork looked really dark, but it wasn't overly salty, loved the whole cloves of sweet-pungent garlic, a hint of ginger wafted through the air. The earthy mushrooms added another "meaty" dimension to the meal. The pig tail was swiny, the skin soft, the pieces of cartilage perfect for gnawing. The fragrant basil added the necessary herbaceous-anise tones to the dish.

The "Maqaw" Roast Pork was fine if a bit underwhelming.

Love the tender - porkiness; but the pork seemed to have not been marinated long enough for our taste.

I had our wonderful, friendly Server order me a glass of local Whiskey, he told me it was Lychee Flavored. It was quite nice.

This was a fun meal. We enjoyed the service and watching the families, many multi-generational enjoying their meals here. While we could have easily stuck with smaller restaurants, night markets, and street food; I'm glad we made time for places like this!

Mountain and Sea House Restaurant
No. 94, Section 2, Ren'ai Rd.
Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan

Jerusalem (Before Covid) - Exploring Machaneh Yehudah Market and the Old City, Lunch at Jachnun Bar, Dinner at Machneyuda, and Beer Bazaar

**** This is another long one as I try to finish up our Israel posts; thanks for dropping by

I made sure to keep our last full day in Jerusalem open. I figured that we'd have seen enough over the last couple of days to figure out how we'd like to spend the day. And we started off at Machaneh Yehuda Market.

It was early and the food vendors weren't open yet, so we had a chance to check out the produce, bakery, and meat stalls....something we always enjoy and this was no exception.

We always learn so much about the culture and a region by just exploring the open air markets.

   We stopped to check out the varieties of tea available in this shop and the very friendly young man started chatting with us. He was so nice and we came to find out that he is originally from new York City! Of course the Missus finding out he was from the states immediately started the "interrogation"....boy did the questions flow. And he was so nice, with a great sense of humor. I ended up getting a coffee and the Missus some tea....She even purchased some tea as well. 

I asked the young man where to grab a Sabich and he made a recommendation.....he was so nice.

Machaneh Yehudah Market
Agripas St. 90
Jerusalem, Israel

From here we walked past Mamilla Mall and into the Old City.

This was a Monday and things seemed much quieter than the previous days.

And along with the now familiar sites.....

There were things we hadn't noticed on the previous day. At the Fifth Station of the Cross we saw this.

Apparently, this is where Christ stumbled and placed his hand on the wall to balance himself. And this is his handprint in stone along the Via Dolorosa.

We went ahead and followed the route in reverse from where we had started the previous day.

 Until we arrived at the First Station where Pontius Pilate condemned Jesus to die and the Crown of Thorns was placed on his head.

Right past this spot is the Church of the Flagellation where Pilate had Jesus flogged. We had wanted to see this area the previous day, but our guide would not take us because it as in the Muslim Quarter.

From here we decided to explore the Muslim Quarter for a bit.

Which seemed pretty mellow and relaxed. We stopped for some tea at this shop.

And just hung out with the old timers outside and watched the world go by.....

We were starting to get a bit hungry so we headed back to the area around Machaneh Yehudah Market and found the recommended Sabich Shop. We walked in and the menu was in Hebrew. There were no customers when we arrived so I asked about the menu....the two young ladies working were not very nice; I was told; "you read the menu and order....it right there..." And she walked away. I did a Google translate thing, walked back to the counter and was ignored. Two customers walked in behind me and their order was taken. So, I figured that they really didn't want my business so we crossed the street and went into the Market and stopped at this stand.

The Young Man working the counter was a hoot....he loved flirting with all the girls walking by.

There was something on the menu She wanted to try......

    The Shakshuka. This was quite good; great acidic-sweet tomato flavors.....like sunshine in the form of food. The eggs were lovely, the Missus just loved the seasoning. She even enjoyed the bread!

I was told; "you better up your Shakshuka game!"

Hmmm.....

Me, well I got the namesake item; the Jachnun.

  Man, this was quite good as well. Loved the pastry used to wrap the simple fillings; egg and eggplant was particularly tasty.

This was a very nice lunch...I'm glad we came here; I guess it was fate, huh?

Jachnun Bar
(Machaneh Yehudah Market)

We strolled back to the apartment and packed, we had a morning flight back to Paris, so there would be no time to dilly-dally in the morning. After which we had a nice afternoon nap.

For our last meal, I chose a highly recommended and very popular restaurant near Machaneh Yehudah Market named Machneyuda. I kept reading about the place and when Yotam Ottolenghi mentioned the place in several articles online; well it just seemed like the right pick for us.

We had 645 reservations and arrived at a hair past 630. The place was already packed and we were seated upstairs where the music and the discussions weren't quite as loud.

   The menu is a single sheet; but there's quite a bit to choose from. The direction of our ordering was based on our previous meals and we also selected dishes that caught our attention.

And as we often do; we made a meal out of several starters as those menu items seemed the most interesting.

The first two dishes were easy to pick. We had really enjoyed the vegetables in Israel, so we made sure to get a couple of veggie based items.

Starting with the Turkish Tomato Salad.

Man, the wonderful sweet-acidity of the tomatoes; just perfect.

The Cabbage Siniya was also very good.

The cabbage had been charred thus creating a nice smoky-sweetness and wonderful textural contrast. The nutty-earthy tones of the tahini gave the dish some heft and the chilies added a bit of zip.

Our least favorite item of the night was the Shaour Tartare.

   The tartare was delivered covered by spinach leaves; which were browning and getting discolored. The fish itself was quite chewy and very mild in flavor which was just over-powered by the aioli, herbs, and spices.

Meanwhile, the Sweetbreads were so delici-yoso!!!

Firm at first bite, giving way to a wonderful creaminess; the tomato and radish paired quite well, smoothing out any strong metallic-offal flavors with the dill adding in a grassy, slightly anise touch to things. The flatbread was crisp and nicely charred.

Our last dish was the Crispy Brain with Eggplant.

As if things couldn't get better; the brain was nicely fried; the interior so crisp then creamy, the tender eggplant smoky, the bread added a brioche like sweetness.

Overall, this was a excellent dinner and a great way to end our stay in Jerusalem.

Machneyuda
Beit Ya'akov St. 10
Jerusalem, Israel

After this wonderful dinner, the Missus treated me to a nightcap, stopping at the Beer Bazaar location in Machaneh Yehudah Market.

Hipster Jerusalem anyone?

Actually we enjoyed the vibe here; the bartender spent time in San Diego! 

She told me to keep the coaster to remember our time here.

Cool folks!

Beer Bazaar Jerusalem
(Machaneh Yehudah Market)

Like I said, this was our favorite area in Jerusalem.

Back at the apartment, I sat on the porch for a while.

And tried to take in all that we'd seen and done over the last couple of days....whew.....

The next morning we were off to Ben Gurion International Airport. We had time to check out the lounge since we were flying Business Class on El Al.

And had a light breakfast.

And we got fed again on our flight to Paris.....

We arrived in Paris on time. We'd have one night before moving on to our next stop!

Roadtrip (During Covid) - Perks at Zion, the Canyon Overlook, the Scenic Drive, a Walk Thru Springdale, the Riverside Walk, and Zion Canyon Brewpub

For our last day in Zion...well, the Missus really had quite a day planned out. But first, while She was waking up; I strolled on over to the Coffee Shop located in Zion Canyon Village, Perks at Zion.

Which was the one place that seemed a bit busy.

I got the Missus a double espresso, myself and Americano, and brought it back to the room.

Perks At Zion
147 Zion Park Blvd.
Springdale, UT 84767

And the Missus was ready to go once I got back to the room.

Since, like I mentioned earlier, we were visiting right after Thanksgiving and things were pretty quiet. The shuttle had stopped running so if you got started early enough you'd easily find parking. We headed over to East Zion, thru the Zion Tunnel and parked in the small parking area right past the tunnel.

A trail started right across the street from the parking; the Canyon Overlook Trail.

This was my favorite trail of the trip. It's not very long, just a mile out and back, but I loved the amazing, diverse scenery, and the wonderful views.

There are areas with switchbacks and cliffsides, though there are railings in place at some of them, where you can see the canyon below.

 

At the end of the trail you are treated with an amazing view (to the right of the Missus), the West Temple, Sundial, Altar of Sacrifice, and the Beehive.

In spite of my fear of heights; I found this beautiful.

The Zion shuttle doesn't run to this area; so you'll need a car to get here.

After heading back to the car, we decided to take a drive thru East Zion along the Zion - Mount Carmel Highway. We stopped several times to take photos and just breath in the wonderful, clean air.

We stopped at the Checkboard Mesa viewpoint to take in the wonderful Sandstone Summit of Checkboard Mesa.

We then went out the East entrance and turned around. We decided to take the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to check out places we didn't see on the previous day.

We stopped at "Big Bend" to have a look at the formations.

To the left below is the Organ, to the right, Angels Landing....I actually prefer this view to the one I had the previous day.

We drove until the end of the road, turned around and headed back to Zion Canyon Village.

However, there was a bit of a traffic back-up near the Park Lodge. First, some deer were crossing the road; then a bit further down, this fellow.....

The Missus asked me "what the heck is that turkey doing walking down the middle of the road?"

My answer? "He's celebrating that he made it through Thanksgiving!"

We got back to our room and decided to take a walk to the town of Springdale just next door. 

It's a quaint village with a population of about 350.......

We saw kids getting out of school, which made me wonder how it would be growing up here.

We stopped at Sol Foods Supermarket and picked up a couple of items.

Which we had for lunch with some beef jerky back at the room.

Sol Foods Supermarket
995 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy.
Springdale, UT 84767

After refueling, the Missus was ready to go.......so, we decided to head on back up Zion Canyon Road and this time we parked at the end and did the Zion Narrows Riverside Walk, most of which is a paved, easy, almost two mile hike.

This was an easy, almost relaxing walk along...well, the riverside of course.

At end, if you're like the Missus, you could continue and hike in the Virgin River in what they call the Narrows. But of course I was here and we didn't have the equipment necessary....

So the Missus just decided to give Her feet a soak in the Virgin River.

Before heading back to the car......

We'd had a nice relaxing day.

We really didn't feel like having more fried food or burgers and the places in Springdale we were interesting in were closed for a break following Thanksgiving. So we decided to heat up some of the packaged food we brought.

But first, we walked over to Zion Canyon Brewpub, just like we had done the previous two nights; except we'd be just having some beer before dinner. We stuck to the brwery side of things and the Missus got us one of the small tables alongside the river.

And we each had a beer before heading back to the room.....

It's hard to beat the view here.....

 After the beer we strolled back to the room and proceeded to heat up our packaged meals for dinner.

We'd enjoyed our time in Zion. But tomorrow we'd be heading out to our next stop. Monument Valley!

Thanks for stopping by!