mmm-yoso!!!

Sunday Sandwiches - Gaglione Bros (Mission Gorge) and Where I've Roamed in the Time of Covid-19

I actually took a day off; like a real, what's supposed to be a working day off.......mainly because I needed to take my car in for service. It had just gone over the 10k mark (yes, I bought it last year.....that'll be part of an interesting post; in hopefully the near future).

In the past, I'd make an appointment to take my car in on Saturday and then take the trolley to the Gaslamp or another place where parking was somewhat of an issue to explore and pass the time. In the time of Covid-19 though; I really  wasn't going to do that. So, I made an appointment during the week; when I thought things would go faster and things would be less busy. So, I found myself ensconced on a table a bit far from the rest of the folks waiting; there was some good spacing set-up by the dealer....and masks were required; though there was that part of the population wearing their mask below their nose......sheesh.....

Anyway, I was at a pretty safe distance from everyone.

And my car was done in under two hours.

As I drove the car off the lot; I wondered where I could pick up some lunch on the way home.....I hadn't been in the Mission Gorge area in a while.....in fact, other than trips to the dry cleaners in Tierrasanta, which allowed for a stop at Island Syle Cafe.....I hadn't been East of the I-15 since....well, maybe not at in 2020!

I had been craving a Cheesesteak, since the last rather mediocre one I'd had a month or so back. And I hadn't been back to the MG location of Gaglione Bros in over six years! So, I decided to had on over. Walknig in, things were fairly controlled, though not quite clear on a few things....like where to wait for your sandwich or even where to pick your sandwich up when it was ready.

At first I waited outside; but there were two guys eating at the table there. So, after a few minutes, I went inside where another customer was waiting for his sandwich. At least there was only the two of us; so spacing was not a problem. Eventually, my sandwich made it to the counter.....and sat there for a while; until someone decided to call out my name.......

Anyway, I ordered the Mushroom Cheesesteak......feeling a bit hungry; I made it a large ($11.99), with White American cheese. It was quite a handful...or mouthful....

It was still pretty darn hot when I got home; the meat was fairly tender; there was a good amount of not-overly-sharp, milky, gooey cheese, the mushrroms added a nice savory-earthiness to the mess. The Amoroso was starting to go on the beast, but this was much better than what I last had at the Point Loma location two years ago. My only complaint was how salty this was...... Still, quite a large lunch....great pre-siesta stuff for a day off.

Gaglione Brothers
10450 Friars Rd
San Diego, CA 92120

I mentioned a bit earlier that I hadn't been in the Mission Gorge area since last year......which kind of surprised me. Then I got to thinking about what my "footprint" was since mid-March. Especially since I had texted "CC" when she mentioned a couple of places in the South Bay; saying that I don't think I've been south of the 94 since this whole mess started.

Wondering what my Covid-19 "range" was and quickly did a Google Map. The area below is where I've been to.

It's very telling in some ways......I haven't been South of the 94.....and of course I'm missing all of our favorites down there, Aqui es Texcoco in their new location, Mi Pana, and all the other favorites. Other than my quick run to Kindred, I haven't been south of University ot North Park Way. Not being East of the 15 means I've been missing all the good stuff in City Heights. And other than quick stops at R&B and TP Banh Bao 3, I haven't strayed north of Mira Mesa Boulevard. I've only been West of the I-5 on trips to Trader Joe's in PB. The Missus's footprint is even smaller, no further south than Washington Street, no futher North than La Jolla Village Drive....and She actually walked there (that's also for another upcoming post). And of course I'm wondering how the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings at Royal Mandarin are doing; or really want to check out De Cabeza, which occupies the former location of Aqui es Texcoco. But I'm trying to keep my travels concise; trying to consolidate stops...trying to do what I consider to be the "right thing".

So, how far have you "roamed" since mid-March?

Sunday Sandwiches - A Revisit to the Philadelphia Sandwich Company and a Visit to Cali Banh Mi (Convoy)

Revisiting the Philadelphia Sandwich Company:

So, after getting that weird answering machine message from The Sandwich A'Fare and deciding to drive past and figure out what was going on....well, I still needed lunch. So, I just went ahead and called in a takeout order to the Philadelphia Sandwich Company. As before, I ordered the "Joe's Special".

It's kinda interesting as this time around they included a fork wrapped with my Cheesesteak?

Lots of mushrooms and peppers on this one this time around. The bread, which was an Amoroso, was on the soggy side, the meat a bit too chewy and bland.

Though I did learn something......the nice woman working recommended I get some hot sauce for my sandwich, which I took....tasted like Frank's Red Hot.....but strangely, it added acidity, heat, and most of all, more flavor to the rather bland sandwich.

Go figure......

I do like the folks working here....wish the Cheesesteaks were a bit better though......

The Philadelphia Sandwich Company
6904 Miramar Rd. Suite 207
San Diego, CA 92121

Cali Banh Mi (Convoy):

After doing a bit of shopping at Nijiya I headed home, but wanted a bite to eat. I decided to stop in at Cali Banh Mi. I hadn't been to the place since it changed from being a location of Cali Baguette Express.

There were benches set-up for distancing from the counter.

I got a simple Banh Mi with Egg......I tried to order an Op La; but the young man had no idea what I was saying.....I'll give him the benefit of the doubt....that my pronunciation just sucked.

This wasn't terrible, but the banh mi was too chewy and doughy, lacking in the light, flakey-crustiness of a good banh mi. The fillings were fine, if a bit on the stingy side....even for a Banh Mi....where I usually argue that proportion is the most important thing. So, after this location, along with multiple visits to the Garnet Avenue locale, my opinion remains the same. Americanized Banh Mi not to offend......

Cali Banh Mi
4425 Convoy Street
San Diego, CA 92111

Steak n Fries

In my post on Al Calozzi's Cheesesteaks I mentioned having "two" recommendations for Cheesesteaks in PB. I decided to wait until the weather got a bit warmer to try the second shop, by the name of Steak N Fries. What got my attention was the "Amoroso Bread" signed stenciled on the window.

Entering this tiny little shop, it's basically one tiny two top, a counter with five stools, and two small two tops outside, I was warmly greeted by a gentleman who I assume is the owner, "Angel". He came out from behind the counter, shook my hand, and went over the menu. In short, you got cheesesteaks, and what they call Steak N Fries.....fries topped with the beef used for the sandwiches and a rather lonely grilled cheese. On the good side; along with your choice of cheese, you can request peppers, onions, mushrooms, and the like at no extra charge.

I went with the Cheesesteak with provolone, onions, mushrooms, and peppers ($11)...for a dollar more you can even get fries....

The roll was definitely an Amoroso; it had that nice softness and yeastiness, but unfortunately was cold, which dampened the experience. Especially since the meat to bread ratio left a bit to be desired. I did really enjoy the flavor of the beef. Here's it's sliced in thin strips; reminds me of Geno's in Philly.....I gotta get back there one day, though like I've said several times in my Cheesesteak posts; I've had better at other locales in the city. The beef is tender, with a nice pepperiness, the onions and mushrooms were griddled nicely; though the peppers could have used a few more minutes on the flat top. I'd have liked a bit more milky provolone as well.

Still; if they'd heat that roll, I'd take this over the drier, unseasoned meat at Calozzi's.

As always, I returned for another visit. But with the limited menu, what to get? Well, I decided on the namesake "Steak n Fries" ($7) with onions, peppers, and mushrooms. And took a seat and looked out onto Garnet and "PB Oriental"?

The box with the fork in it looked fairly compact; but this ended up being a lot, at least for me.

The rib eye was tender, though there weren't too much onions, mushrooms, and peppers. I enjoyed the nicely fried, potato-ey fries, which were super hot. I'm thinking you gotta eat this hot. The top layer was nice, not too much "Whiz" and the fries still had some crispness to it. But "crunch time" diminished as you worked you way to the bottom....man they sure use a lot of "Whiz". I just couldn't finish this as it got too salty near the end and I was stuffed.

Still, had I been in my mid-twenties, after a night of imbibing some liquid refreshment or "ahem" other stuffs. This might have done it for me.

In fact, when Angel came over as I was finishing, I asked him how many of these he sells after 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays (they are open until 2). He laughed and said, "oh, enough......enough".

Steak N Fries
1039 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109
Hours
Sun - Thurs 11am - Midnight
Fri - Sat   11am - 2am

Sunday Sandwiches - Al Calozzi's Cheesesteaks

After my last couple of Cheesesteak posts; I got a couple of recommendations. Strangely, both of them are in PB. I thought I'd try out Calozzi's first.

Calozzi's is a tiny little shop squeezed in right next to Latin Chef. There's basically two sets of counters with chairs; inside you can watch your cheesesteaks being made.

Or you can dine outside and watch PB roll on by.....

The menu is simple and straightforward; a handful of cheesesteaks, in Philly style they come "wit" or "witout" (fried onions). The folks working here; especially the young lady are very friendly.

Of course I just went with "The Cheesesteak" ($10.75). Man, this was totally a meat-bomb.

When I broke apart the two pieces; "meat-shrapnel" flew in all directions. Of course, much of the meat was piled on the top. The White American Cheese provided just enough of the volcanic creamy-gooey texture to provide enough lip searing moisture and milkiness to the sandwich. There was a decent beefiness; with little seasoning, which was just fine in my book. Since I had this "wit"; I quickly noticed that the onions were really stringy, not a big deal, but still noticeable.

For me; it was that bread, there was just too much of it, that took away from this sandwich. I'm fond of the crusty, with gritty textured Italian Hoagy bread of places like Amaroso, which have a nice yeasty flavor, and stand up to all the meat juice and gooey cheese.

In the end; just too much bread.

Still, not a bad sandwich. And you'll need to familiarize yourself with the "condiment" rack....not necessarily for the peppers and such; but that's where the napkins and forks (should you need them) are assembled.

After this meat-bomb; I needed a month to recover. So, I recently revisted and had myself the "Donnie"; Calozzi's version of a Mushroom Cheesesteak.

This version; with provolone was much drier; the meat much more caramelized. It was a bit too dry for my taste as there was so much bread. The mushrooms were chopped in large pieces; I'd have preferred a more finer chop and more integrated into the cheesesteak. It was again; a huge amount of beef, so I'm sure it'll impress those who love this portion size.

For me, Calozzi's, which also has a location in Seattle, is more about quantity....you will get your money's worth here. If you want that "meat-bomb" this might be the place.

It's not necessarily my favorite cheesesteak as proportion and the right "roll" matters; at least for me.

I will say; I don't think you'd go hungry here.

Recently; I went searching for photos form that long ago trip to Philly; waaay back in the nineties; when we still used a thing called "film" for photos. Hopefully, I'll find those one of these days. I'll surely scan them and perhaps do a post.

Al Calozzi's Cheesesteaks
1146 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109
Open Daily:
11am - 9pm

 

Sunday Sandwiches - The Gourmet Bagger

It's funny how things seem to come full circle. More than a few years ago; I attended a lunch meeting, lunch was provided. Sandwiches. Which were not bad. They were from a place called the Gourmet Bagger. As you know; I have a soft spot for all those little, mom and pop sandwich shops, many of which are hidden away sometimes in industrial parks or business buildings, some of which are pretty darn popular. I was told that the Gourmet Bagger was a shop on Miramar Road. So after we moved offices; I went looking for it....it's now LouZiana Food (which is in my backlog of posts). Forward the calendar a few months and after my last Cheesesteak Post (yes, I know I need to check out Calozzi's), I received an email telling me a shop in the Midway area made a decent cheesesteak. The name? The Gourmet Bagger.

I'm not sure why I never noticed the place. It's in the same parking lot as the new 85C, Guahan Grill, and basically across the street from Pho Point Loma.

The place was fairly empty when I visited; but it sure got packed fast. The folks running the front seem to be on the younger side and the older folks work the back of house.

The menu is quite varied, with at least 25 different "gourmet type" sandwiches along with the regular deli sandwiches, salads, and similar stuffs.

Because "ST" mentioned the cheesesteak here; I ordered the Bagger Cheesesteak ($7.49).

A standard issue, fairly yeast French Roll is used for this; which really wasn't up to the task. The rib eye steak was a bit more chewy than I prefer, and the jury is out on whether I like pickles or tomatoes on a cheesesteak. The cheese; white American cheese did fine. Though this isn't something I'd order again.

A few weeks later; I was in the area after doing some grocery shopping at TJ's. It was 1030 on a Saturday and I recalled the Gourmet Bagger opens at around 1030 on that day. So, I stopped by. This was when the temps were really high so nothing hot for me. I was pretty hungry so I ordered the "Killer Klub" ($7.99) with Swiss cheese (70-cent upcharge).

This is my favorite of the three sandwiches I had at the Gourmet Bagger. I have mentioned before; that I have a special place in my heart for Club Sandwiches....or as my late Mom (and most of my relatives); a "Clubhouse". The bacon was really nice and crisp, there wasn't too much mayo, which was evenly spread, the tomatoes were nice and sweet-tart, the turkey and ham were fine. I'm glad I got Swiss Cheese as it added a nice milky component and that whole grain bread was nicely toasted, rustic, and almost nutty. For me; a very nice example of a "Clubhouse".....

A few weeks ago, I found myself on the way back from shopping and decided to stop by for a sandwich. This time, I got the Gourmet Grinder ($7.49); basically your typical Italian style sandwich.

It didn't look like much, but when split in half; you can see the decent proportion of ingredients. I liked the fact that it wasn't over-dressed; though having pickles, Italian Dressing and "sweet" peppers made this tend toward the sour end of the flavor spectrum. I enjoyed the salt that the capacolla and salami brought to the sandwich.

I like the folks working here. They are very pleasant, though you may have to wait a while for your sandwiches. I forgot to mention one last touch.....they always include a cookie and a piece of hard candy with your order.

So, I'll probably be back again. It's a nice, well priced, unpretentious sandwich spot.

The Gourmet Bagger
3357 Rosecrans St
San Diego, CA 92110
Hours:
Mon - Thurs 1030am - 530pm
Fri - Sat   1030am - 4pm
Sunday      11am - 3pm

Sunday Sandwiches - Revisits to The Sandwich A'Fare, Philadelphia Sandwich Company, and Gaglione Bros (Point Loma)

A trio of sandwich revisits for a warm, almost summery Sunday.

The Sandwich A'Fare:

I had a meeting finish at 1230pm and needed something, anything, before my next battery of meetings. By this time, most places in the area are just too busy. Then I thought about The Sandwich A'Fare, which is kind of hidden away in the rear of the strip mall we call the "Kearny Mesa restaurant refugee mall" because it houses Abbey BBQ and the Philadelphia Sandwich Company. I got in, one person ahead of me, got out in ten minutes with my "Godfather".

This was actually better than what I had on my previous visits. The bread seemed fresher and more yeasty and it wasn't over-dressed with too much mayo. Perhaps it was because the owner, Bud actually made my sandwich this time.

No muss, no fuss, and out the door for $6.25. I have a special place in my heart for these Mom-and-Pop sandwich shops. You can see why.

The Sandwich A'Fare
6904 Miramar Rd. Suite 107
San Diego, CA 92121

The Philadelphia Sandwich Company:

Speaking of the "Kearny Mesa restaurant refugee mall" and specifically the Philadelphia Sandwich Company. The last time I visited, was nearly 8 years ago (time does fly, huh?), during one of my Cheesesteak round-up posts.

Another crazy day of meetings stretching thru noon. It was almost 10am and I recalled that the PSC opened at 10. So why not give them a try again after all these years?

Parking in the upper lot here during lunch can be a horror show, but I had no problem just a few minutes after 10.

The young lady working here was awesome and efficient. Really very nice.

I got the 6 inch "Joe's Special" ($7.75).

For scale purposes I placed my iPhone behind the sandwich.

There's something about how they griddle the meat here; it's a rather unappetizing grey, surprisingly dry, and very bland. The cheese wasn't spread out evenly. The roll was fine; an Amoroso. Not enough mushrooms, not enough flavor, not enough lovely gooeyness for my taste.

The Philadelphia Sandwich Company
6904 Miramar Rd. Suite 207
San Diego, CA 92121
Hours:
Mon - Sat 10am - 4pm

I grappled with what I had eaten and thought about with regards to the PSC. I hadn't had a Cheesesteak in quite a while. Gaglione Brothers, especially the Point Loma location, had been a nice guilty pleasure over the years. But it had been a while. So, just for perspective, I decided to drop by.

Gaglione Bros (Point Loma):

Well, it looks like the sign has changed.

I ordered the Mushroom Cheesesteak with Onions.

I gotta say; I was kind of bummed. While the bread was nicely toasted, yeasty, with a nice texture, the cheese and meat weren't incorporated together well. This lacked the nice gooey and gloppy mixture of meat and cheese. No singed lips and tongues from the napalm juiciness as the meat was on the dry side. The light milky flavor of the cheese was lacking....I'm wondering if they've changed this over the years or is it just how it was griddled today?

While better than the PSC, this was no trophy cheesesteak.

Gaglione Brothers
3944 West Point Loma Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110

Which lead me to wonder.......I know that Monkey Paw has changed ownership. It has me wondering how their cheesesteak is?

Airport Food - Eat at Joe's (Philadelphia International Airport) and Shake Shack (JFK International Airport )

Since we travel a few times a year, we do spend quite a bit of time in airports......though not as much as in my consulting days. During most trips we plan rather well with regards to bring something to eat (i.e. Jamon Bellota Sandwiches in Spain, nuts are always good) to the airport. But there are those times we do grab something. And then we get to relax and people, or even puppy watch.

So here are a couple of places we've tried at Airports.

Eat at Joe's (Philadelphia International Airport):

I'm not sure why we ate at Joe's. I do remember that for some reason I was starving....and hey, in spite of this being the airport; it's still Philly, right?

So why not get a Cheesesteak?

I've had some nice Cheesesteak's in Philly....the last time back in 90's, having tried both Pat's and Geno's, though my favorite was Rick's in Reading Terminal Market. This one, won't make me forget any of those.

A bit on the dry side. For some reason the texture reminded me of shipped beef. The flavor was nice; the Amoroso roll was ice cold. The fries, hot, but routine.

The dining area was a mess. First off, shame on the customers for not cleaning up after themselves. But there were also four airport employees who were just standing around goofing off, until their supervisor came along. They'd start cleaning. When the boss left; it was back to monkey business.

Eat At Joe's
Terminal B, Philadelphia International Airport

Shake Shack (JFK International Airport ):

During a long layover at JFK, I just couldn't help myself.

In spite of the line; I just had to try it; even though I had misgivings about it being "airportified" as in "really, Gordon Ramsey signed off on this"? But I had to try the legendary burger.

Other than the bun, which seemed a bit past its due date; this was quite a nice burger; great char, good seasoning...very moist, and a nice beefiness.

The Missus also enjoyed the burger and said basically what I was afraid to say out loud; "if they come to San Diego; In N Out might be in trouble". Of course, I'm not sure what the price point on that would be, but still, blasphemy! And then of course, I read about the possibility of Shake Shack opening in San Diego on Eater. Check out the comment; it says that they've signed with UTC Redevelopment; which I believe is in charge of Westfield UTC......now those will be some major lines!

Shake Shack
JFK International Airport Terminal 4

Hope you're having a great week!

What's My Craving? The Blairsteak from Monkey Paw

It was about time for my Cheesesteak fix and the Missus wanted some waffle cut fries, so it was back to Monkey Paw.

The Missus loves waffle cut fries; I'm not such a big fan....so here She can get the "Stoner Fries with waffle cut fries"....basically waffle cut fries topped with cheesesteak fillings; beef, in this case provolone, peppers, onions, and mushrooms.

There's a reason they call it Stoner Fries...sheesh. She can never finish this, so we always tell them to drop off a box when they bring the food. The Missus will use the leftovers to make a hash the next day with eggs and some kale from the yard.

Of course I got the Blairsteak.....and got it with waffle cut fries for the Missus.

For years the Missus has told me how gross cheesesteaks were....but this one has made Her change Her tune. I think it's the combination of the soft Amoroso that has a bit of a gritty finish, combined with the milky provolone, the earthy mushrooms and the sautéed onions. I think She wouldn't even need any beef in this....but of course, I'd miss it. She now shares half the sandwich with me. This ain't cheap at about $16 with the upcharge for the waffle cut fries....but it's a nice treat every so often.

And then of course; there's the beer. On one of our visits I got a chance to taste the Ashes from The Grave, a smoked brown that won a Gold Medal at the 2016 World Cup of Beer.

Nutty Chocolate flavors, mild sweetness, and a good smokiness that gets you at the end.

The Missus's favorite here is the Monkey Gose Bananas with Tart and Black Cherry.

We've come to enjoy Monkey Paw as a guilty pleasure. Love the divey feel, friendly staff, and the temperature of the beer is always good. The neighborhood might be kind of terminally "in transition", but it kind of helps with the vibe, which we prefer to Hamilton's which was just way too "hipster" and quite unfriendly the three times we've tried the place.

Monkey Paw
805 16th St
San Diego, CA 92101

Sunday Sandwiches: Revisits to Pacific Time and Monkey Paw

A couple of revisits for a nice leisurely long weekend.

Pacific Time:

I took the Missus and did a "drive-by" of Pacific Time when we were on our way to TJ's in MV. And was pleased to see that they had expanded their hours. So we decided to drop in.

It looks like the shelves are starting to be filled, there's a menu of cheese and charcuterie plates to go along with selections from the beer and wine bar.

They also now have a fairly decent selection of beer as well.

I enjoy chatting with the Cheese Guy here...he's so friendly, approachable, and quick with the samples. On this day we bought a couple, with Andante Dairy's Tomme Dolce being the crown jewel. It is a heck of a nice aged goat cheese.

As for the breads....well, it's that "Bread and Cie" thing....much too chewy and hard, but I do love the breads toasted.

I've also been dropping by for a sandwich now and then. My favorite previous visits is still the Spicy Italian ($9). Like I said, the bread that PT produces does real well toasted, when it gets crunchy and crusty.

Again, I loved the proportion, and that spicy capicola really drives the sandwich.

A few days later I ordered the Veggie Delight ($7). And while I ordered it on a baguette, I had vapor lock and forgot to tell them to add garlic aioli and press the sandwich.

While I like the combination; I still think it lacks zip and having the baguette untoasted made it a bit too chewy for me. It was basically a tug of war with each bite. I'll remember how I want this next time.

Really nice folks; it's good to see their business improving.

Pacific Time
5277 Linda Vista Rd
San Diego, CA 92110

Monkey Paw:

To regurgitate a passage from a post back in 2005:

" Almost a decade (now two decades) ago I had a conference in Philly, so of course I had to try a cheesesteak. A friend of mine took me to two famous stands, Pat's and Geno's both with a huge line and you had to kinda know "the rules", that is, how to order your steak, or you really got a hard time. Well I had this Cheese Whiz thing twice, nice, hot, and gooey, with the faintest hint of beef. And I thought, "what's the big deal"? But a funny thing happened; about two days later, I'm still in Philly, and for some strange reason I'm craving a cheesesteak. Now I've only had this once in my entire life, why the heck am I craving it? I ended up getting a cheesesteak in downtown Philly; wasn't much good, and it pretty much killed that craving. Until a day later, when I had a cheesesteak in Reading Terminal Market, this time with provolone, and I found my "cheesesteak". I'm convinced that there's somethin' in the cheesesteak; some insidious ingredient that after a short gestation causes an extreme craving for another cheese steak sandwich."

So...it was time for another cheesesteak and since it was a nice and rather balmy afternoon, a good craft brew sounded good as well. So I headed back to Monkey Paw. And got the Blairsteak, I'm just not a whiz kind of guy, plus you gotta remember, Pat's who claims to have invented the cheesesteaks did so in 1933.....taking the Whiz wasn't done after 1953, when it was invented.

First thing I noticed was...well, the price...was it always $13.75? Oh well, I wanted, nay needed, my fix.

Second thing, those really lousy waffle-cut fries were gone. Replaced by crisp, thin cut fries, perhaps bit too salty, but really nice with a dash of malt vinegar....and the good thing? They kept crisp the whole time.

As for the sandwich...well, the roll was perfect, I love that little gritty finish of the Amoroso. The flavors were all in line, from the mildly milky cheese to the beef, to the pyrazinic flavor of the green bell peppers. The cheese was gooey, though the beef was a bit drier than I usually like.

Still, it was just what I needed and now I can go another 8-9 months without one. Hmmm, this should have been one of those "What's My Craving" posts.....

Monkey Paw
805 16th St
San Diego, CA 92101

Sunday Sandwiches - revisit edition: Spam and Egg Banh Mi at Cali Express (Convoy) and the Blairsteak at Monkey Paw

 So....I have a category for Banh Mi and one for Cheesesteaks, so why not both in a post, especially since they're revisits, right?

So here goes.......

Cali Express:

One of the good things about having to work on weekends....well, if there actually is a good reason for working on weekends is that I don't have to get in as early as on weekdays. I'm usually in by about 6am during the week, but heck, I'm working for love during the weekend so I'm going to sleep in a bit. And my choices are a bit better at 830 am than they are at 540am.

I love a good Banh Mi Trung for breakfast, so I stopped by for a nice egg banh mi.

The egg was nicely fried, the baquette, light, crisp, and warm, a touch of Maggi brought it all together with the pickled vegetables. I should have felt great, right? Well, not really, since when picking up my banh mi, I noticed the sign posted to the right.......

Spam Banh Mi??? Spam? Banh Mi? And an egg? Why didn't I see the sign before I ordered? I wasn't going to miss another chance at a Spam Banh Mi.......

Another week went by and another weekend of work. I went and got my Spam and Egg Banh Mi and brought it back to the office to eat.

In all honesty, the previous banh mi trung was better. The Spam wasn't browned enough, leaving it without a nice crisp texture. This was Spam Lite, heresy I say..... I mean, really, if you're going to blow your day's worth of nitrites and sodium on a canned meat product, you might as well go all the way. Also, something was not right with the bread on this day......you can just tell by the color, it was cold and doughy...definitely not the banh mi that I've come to expect from Cali Express.

Oh well.... While it looks like having to put in those weekend hours may be coming to an end, there's still a few more ahead for me. So maybe I'll give this another shot. Though Spam Lite......maybe not.

Cali Baguette Express
4425 Convoy Street
San Diego, CA 92111 

I'd been hankering for a cheesesteak for several weeks. So on the weekend after Christmas, I talked the Missus into grabbing a bite and a beer at Monkey Paw. I'd really enjoyed the cheesesteaks on my previous visits. It's also a favorite of my buddy Candice, who spent part of her childhood in Philly...

Monkey Paw:

So, what I get here is the Blairsteak. For some reason, the combination of sauteed onions and bell peppers, with the milky, melted cheese on a nice Amoroso makes this a favorite of mine.

I'm not the biggest fan of waffle cut fries and these weren't prepped well. Limp and dry, lacking any sort of crispness.

One of the reasons that I'd never brought the Missus here is because bread is on the Missus's do not eat list. And other than the cheesesteaks, I haven't found anything else particularly good. On my previous visit, I tried the chicken wings, which I didn't care for.....so this time, I went with the frenched pork shank item they call "Monkey Bones",

I'd had this before and thought it was decent......I went with the sauces on the side, which was a nice move as none of them were really interesting. The pork lollipops were dry and the interior cold. So now I've got to think of something else on the menu to get the Missus down here for my next cheesesteak fix. Though the Missus did say She enjoyed the "vibe", so maybe.....

Monkey Paw
805 16th St
San Diego, CA 92101