mmm-yoso!!!

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!

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) - New Frontiers Natural Marketplace (Solvang) and Les Petites Canailles (Paso Robles)

We had enjoyed our time in Solvang and this was the view we awakened to at the Hotel Corque.

It was quite charming in some ways.....during the night before we saw an older couple sitting on the patio having a Dominos Pizza, just enjoying themselves....later during this morning I spied them sitting outside once again having their morning coffee....it's all good, different strokes for different folks and all that.

We saw a market on the way into town; called New Frontiers Natural Marketplace that we decided to stop into before heading on our way. It's really somewhat "Whole Foods" like, but perhaps even better focused on snacks...

They even had Ojai Pixie Tangerines which had just come into season.

However, unlike the watermelon and cherries we were already lugging along the Missus wasn't too interested.

So, I just grabbed some light snacks while the Missus went and got us coffee.....

I'm not quite sure what "Bird Friendly" coffee is, but this was not bad.

And the rest of the "snacks" I had held me over until dinner.....

The folks here were so very friendly.......that I'd gladly come back here again.....after all, who doesn't want to be "bird friendly".

New Frontiers Natural Marketplace
1984 Old Mission Dr.
Solvang, CA 93463

Solvang seems to have changed a bit since we last visited.

We made the hour-and-half drive up to Paso Robles with no problem. Our hotel wasn't quite ready for an early check-in, but that wasn't an issue as the Missus had really enjoyed Paso Robles the last time we visited. As on the last visit, we were staying at the Oxford Suites a couple of blocks from downtown. We parked our car and headed up to downtown.....

All the while enjoying all those familiar sites from our previous visit.

Once arriving in the charming downtown area around the city park, the Missus immediately headed to the General Store.....where one could spend a good amount of time (and money).

Yes, it touristy, but the folks working here are so nice.....and it's full of things you never knew you needed......

It's a fun stop, at least for us......we ended up visiting twice! It's just a nice place to stop and visit.

General Store Paso Robles
841 12th St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

Our friends love the cookies from the Brown Butter Cookie Company, though we've never actually bought them for ourselves....so that was an obvious stop for us as well.

And on this trip, the Missus wandered in and out of various shops....it gave me the chance to take a look at the Downtown City Park.

I wondered about the statue next to the Paso Robles History Museum of Ignacy Jan Padereweski, wondering why this Polish musician and composer is featured here in Paso Robles. It's quite the story, Paderewski was born in Poland in 1860, while in his late 20's he became well known in places like Vienna, Paris, and London. His talents were in high demand and over work resulted in problems with his hands. His friends in San Francisco recommended a stay in Paso Robles, with treatments from the hot springs to bring relief to his pain. He eventually bought property in Paso Robles on which he planted Zinfandel and started a winery, York Mountain Winery. His wine and music are celebrated in Paso Robles each November at the Paderewski Festival.

After making one last stop, to restock on olive oil from Pasoilvo Olive Oil, we headed back to the hotel and our room was ready. We took a nice breather before dinner.

As for dinner; well, after our last experience, I spent a bit more time looking over menus and such and decided on a fairly modern French restaurant named Les Petites Canailles. We opted for outdoor seating and this being a Monday didn't expect the place to be very busy. Well, we were quite surprised when we arrived for our reservations and seeing the place almost full! Tables were nice spread out and we sat outside the tent area for more circulation.

The staff to customer ratio was amazing as was our Server, "Ally" who knew all the dishes, preparations, wine, by heart. She told me that she often eats here on her days off....that says something. The other thing we quickly noticed was that all the customers knew each other and the staff by name. I guess Monday is the local's night to eat out.

Even though it seemed like we were part way into the parking lot, we loved our table. In fact, one of the women on the other table told me, "you have the best outdoor seats"! It was interesting to watch the flow of customers.......

And by the time we placed our order, the place was full.

We had pretty much decided on our dishes for the evening, we'd be sharing four appetizers and a "side". Ally took our order and said, "wonderful, it's a five course meal"! And we left it to her and the kitchen to decide the order of the dishes. One note, just to give you a hint on the service here....our plates and silverware were changed with every course!

We started with the Jaune et Rouge (Yellow and Red) Endive Salad ($17).

This was very refreshing, the endive had been nicely prepared, crisp, cold, the bitterness smoothed out and went quite well with the classical pairing of a blue cheese, in this case Fourme d'Ambert.

The next dish was superb; the Rabbit Terrine ($17).

Served with wonderfully crisp and smoky toasts; the terrine was surprisingly light in texture, it had a mild gamey-sweetness.....this was so good!

The Octopus "a la Basquiase" ($22) was solid in preparation.

Served over chorizo veggies, with tapioca chips, the texture was perfect.....the highlite of this dish was the wonderful sweet-pungent black garlic oil paired with a nice parsley oil. It just went so well with this dish.

Hands down; my favorite dish of the night was the Beef Tartare ($24).

 Served at the perfect temperature; made in a fairly classic style, capers, shallots, and with the perfect amount of pungency from horseradish. The acidity helped cut the richness of the dish. The beef had a tender and almost creamy texture.....and of course that confit egg yolk just added more creaminess to the dish.....this was just a decadent version of steak tartare.

We had also wanted to try the Grilled Asparagus ($14) with Confit Egg Yolk.

This is on the menu as a side dish. It fell kind of short as the asparagus sorely needed more acidity to bring out the sweetness in the asparagus.

This was my favorite meal of the trip. From the service to the presentation, to the wonderful flavors, an excellent meal overall. When Ally asked us about dessert we told her we'd be going to the Alchemist Garden for liquid refreshment, she laughed and said "perfect. If you're there long enough you might even see me there!" Like I mentioned before, there's something about the vibe and people in Paso Robles that we love.

Les Petites Canailles
1215 Spring St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

And I'm pretty sure we'll return here.

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) - Sensorio, Dinner at BL Brasserie, and Cocktails at The Alchemist Garden

When planning for our trip to Paso Robles I read about an art installation by Bruce Munro named Sensorio, a "field of light" exhibition made up of 58,000 solar powered fiber optic lights. I went ahead and decided to get VIP tickets which allowed us priority entrance at anytime, along with a private seating area, and a free drink each. I arrived right at opening time, which is before sunset....we went to the front of the line, got our temperatures checked, tickets checked, and then headed to the VIP section. I'm not really going to add much more....this is very visual, so I'll let the photos tell the story.

As the sun started to set, we headed out and strolled the trails along the 15 acres of lights.....

It was quite the experience watching all the lights "come alive" as the sun set.

We headed back to the VIP area; the Missus and I had a glass of white wine and then headed off to dinner.

This was a fun experience; if you're interested in checking it out, Sensorio had been closed for a while during the pandemic shutdown, but has now reopened and I believe the field of light will continue to at least September.

Sensorio
4380 CA-46
Paso Robles, CA 93446

For dinner we chose a highly recommended and beloved Paso Robles institution, Bistro Laurent. However, a while back, the restaurant changed concept and became BL Brasserie. I was told however, that the chef and management were still the same; so I made reservations. We arrived and walked into the restaurant, which freaked us out; even though Paso Robles was at an Orange Tier while San Diego was in Red, the dining room just looked packed. Luckily, I had reservations for outdoor dining, which was in sort of a tent, which kind of defeats the purpose in my mind; but this being November, it seems that no one wanted to eat outside.

The Missus started with a glass of white, I had a glass of champagne and we placed our orders. Our Server wasn't the most friendly woman....I think she was a bit irritated that we were the only folks eating outdoors and she had to come outside to serve us, but whatever.

We started off with the Crispy Shrimp ($15.50).

The shrimp was over-cooked and what I assumed were strips of phyllo dough where really almost burnt. 

Speaking of burnt; check out the "odd man out" Crispy Crab Croquettes ($17).

 The one croquette was just about incinerated, really burnt and bitter....why would they serve something like that? I was thinking of calling our Server to complain and return this; but the Missus asked me to taste the other croquettes which had hardly any crab in it. Our Server was already not in a great mood serving us, so I figured let's just leave that croquette alone and see what happens......which was nothing......as it just sat there the whole meal.

Speaking of "interesting" service, a few minutes after receiving our croquettes our bread arrived.

Sadly the butter was ice cold......

Next up would be the "best" (it's all relative) of the night, the Crab and Avocado Salad ($15.50) 

A bit heavy handed on the mayo and the balsamic reduction was way too strong and it just strong-armed what crab there was.

Our last dish was the Belgian Endive, Apples and Smoked Duck ($15.50).

Three small strands of smoked duck........I'll leave it there.

Dinner did take a while.......you know social distancing is great for separating tables and groups of people....it ain't so great when your Server seems to want to permanently social distance themselves from you. I'm wondering, was this an off night? Was the "B" team on.....that's bit of a stretch on a weekend night. The inside of the restaurant was packed; perhaps the kitchen and staff was overwhelmed? I had heard and read so many good things about Bistro Laurent, perhaps the change to a brasserie concept really changed things....... Quite sad overall.

BL Brasserie
1202 Pine St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

We were kind of bummed.....we had really enjoyed Paso Robles so far. 

Yet, we still had one more stop for the evening. And the Alchemist Garden would totally turn our opinion of Paso Robles right back around!

The place was basically across the street from BL Brasserie and was fairly busy, but the bar area was empty and asked for seats there, which turned out to be an excellent move. The Mixologist was amazing, friendly, professional, efficient...... At this time, there was a requirement that food had to be ordered along with drinks. He quickly told us, "if you've had dinner already, just o for the popcorn", which is what we did.

He then asked us what we wanted to drink. I explained that I enjoyed a good Mezcal Old Fashioned, I love the smokiness, along with the bitter, etc. He told me, "no problem, leave it to me" and proceeded to make me a custom Mezcal Old Fashioned.....not just a plain Mezcal Old Fashion, but with a twist.

He brought out the "heavy equipment" and started work........

It was quite a show to say the least.

I was worried that the drink would be too smoky for my taste; but it was nicely balanced, smoky but smooth, rich, nice acidity, just a hint of sweetness. Perhaps the best Old Fashion I'd ever had.

   The Missus loved Her cocktail as well. We loved watching the mixologist work, such perfect coordination, minimal wasted motion....he entertained us....chatting while making a zillion cocktails for his other customers.

Funny how these experiences really mold your visit. And Paso Robles was back on our "revisit" list.

The Alchemists' Garden
1144 Pine St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

After our cocktails we headed back to our room. Other than dinner, we'd had a great time in Paso Robles.

The next morning, it was time to head back home. We made one last stop at Spearhead Coffee, which did a pretty good job impressing the (coffee nerd) Missus. She said the pour over was not bad at all.

Spearhead Coffee
619 12th St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

So I guess we would be heading back to Paso Robles..........sooner than we thought actually!

Thanks for reading!

Paris - Boulangerie Collet, Dinner at Pertinence, and the View She Never Tires Of

It had been a fun day so far and after taking a short break at the apartment; the Missus wanted to head on out again. So, off we went to the Marais, and resumed our "lèche-vitrine". We eventually came across a wonderful green space; Paris is full of these little parks. This one had a lovely garden, benches (of course), and wonderful waterfalls. I came to find out that this was Square du Temple.

It was a lovely little oasis.

On the way back to the apartment, the Missus said She was feeling a bit "peckish" and I mentioned checking out another Boulangerie right around the corner from the apartment, Maison Collet.

And we got ourselves a croissant aux beurre to share. This was a bit overdone, hard, dry, and lacking in the amount of butter I enjoy.

Well, it was good to try. Another one for the books.

Boulangerie Collet
100 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

We managed to get in a short nap, then got ready for dinner. We had reservations at a restaurant in the 7th Arrondissement, Pertinence, which held a Michelin star. As has been our habit in recent years, this one was helmed by a Japanese Chef, Ryunosuke Naito from Japan and Kwen Liew from Malaysia. The little restaurant serves only 14 covers a night!

The sun was still shining rather brightly as we finished our walk to the restaurant. It was the end of May (2019) and the sun doesn't set until past 930pm during this time of the year.

It's a clean, spartan dining room and the only folks working were the two chefs!

There is what looks like some kind of sleek manhole cover in the middle of the dining area, which turned out to be a hatch to the cave below. During our meal, the Chef had to run down to grab a bottle, the fellow eating at the other table went "ooooh" and looked at me humming the tune of Mission Impossible. I answered with "Monsieur James Bond"! And he cracked up....who said the French don't have a sense of humor?

Speaking of wine; we took the 6 course tasting menu (105/€). The Missus got the wine pairing, which cost a supplement of 70/€ and was enough for the both of us to share.....as for me; I got the caviar supplement at 30/€ which was worth every last bit of money.

After the wonderful and warm bread bites, the amuse was brought out; a Green Pea Foam, light as a feather, with a slight sweetness and tart from the kiwi jelly.

And then the first dish......the Langostein which came with a Konbu Sauce and a Miso Sauce. Check out that caviar; which really complemented the plump, sweet-briney langostein.

I preferred the konbu sauce with this as it heightened the nice seafood flavor. Also loved that nothing was over-seasoned.

The Missus loved this bottle of wine the best.

Man, look at the size of that Foie Gras.......

And yet, it was the thin slices of pickled daikon that really impressed me. It also was a nice foil to the rich-livery foie gras. Not a big fan of the Amaretto sauce though.

When the Red Mullet came out; I really didn't know what to think as it looked like a solid piece of fish; but it was amazing and my favorite dish of the meal.

The skin was light, yet very crisp, it was a treat indeed. The flesh was perfectly moist and mild in flavor....cue in the caviar. The grilled lettuce had a nice sweetness to it; but it was the celery micro greens that were really amazing, packing quite a punch of flavor!

Next up, the pork neck, which was done medium rare - yes medium rare.....I trust places like Pertinence. And this was very tender, considering it was pork neck, and had a touch of anise lingering on the tongue.

Man, I was pretty full after this......I usually leave dessert totally up to the Missus; but this time it was Roquefort with Umeboshi Caramel Camambert. How could I resist???

This was a fine and enjoyable meal. Service was excellent and relaxed, the dishes well paced, quite impressive with the restaurant staffed with only the two chefs. It was well worth the price!

Pertinence
29 Rue de l'Exposition
75007 Paris, France

Since we like to eat rather early; our timing was perfect as we left the restaurant and headed up to Rue Saint-Dominique and then up Avenue de la Bourdonnais crossing the Seine on Pont d'Iéna to see the sight the Missus never tires of.

And then we headed back to the apartment......

And then off to sleep. Where I'm sure the Missus was dreaming of the "City of Lights".

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip (During Covid-19) - Harmony, Cambria, and Dinner at Madeline's

**** This is kind of a long one; so you might want to save it for when you more time to read.

We headed out from Morro Bay for Cambria where we'd be staying for two nights. But there was one stop to make. In doing my research for this trip, I'd come across a little town about 15 miles North of Morro Bay and 5 miles south of Cambria named Harmony. Population 18. Yep, you read that right, 18. At least that's what "Gladys the Town Cow" says.

Once upon a time the community was a dairy settlement; originally established by Swiss and Italian immigrants. There was a lot of competition which led to intense rivalries; which eventually resulted in a killing, you can read about it here, along with how a desire to restore peace, the town was named "Harmony". Eventually, the creameries closed down. For many years, the only business in the one street, one block town was the post office. Now, it has a winery, and is home to a small group of artisans who produce pottery and blown glass. It has a fun, funky feel to it. Along with the Gladys the cow; there's the "Holy Cow" to the right which celebrates the history of the town.

We spent about an hour in the town visiting the two businesses; the pottery shop and the glass works, purchasing a couple of gifts along the way.

There's also a Creamery and Dairy shop; basically an ice cream shop which was closed during our visit.

There's also a charming and plain adorable Chapel. After all; like the tag line goes for the Chapel's website goes: "Shouldn't every wedding begin in Harmony?"

You can read more about the venue here.

The little town was such a pleasant and fun surprise, we're glad we stopped by and will probably do it again in the future.

Harmony Pottery Works
2191 Old Creamery Rd.
Harmony, CA 93435
Hours:
Daily 10am - 5pm

Harmony Glassworks
2180 Old Creamery Rd.
Harmony, CA 93435
Hours:
Daily 9am - 5pm

After our visit we drove the short distance to Cambria. I'm not sure why I picked the village, but it turned out to be a wonderful stay. We were staying at the El Colibri Hotel & Spa, right on the otherside of Highway 1 from the village. The actual shopping area is made up of the East Village and the West Village which is separated by about a half mile. Since we were still quite early for check-in, we headed to the charming East Village to do some shopping.

We found parking and went about our way. When doing research on Cambria two things kept coming up; Linn's, which has a restaurant, café, a boutique/bookshop, and a gourmet goods store in town. And a Farmstand about 5 miles out of town. The second thing I read about were Olallieberries, a cross between Loganberries and Youngberries developed at Oregon State in 1949. Even though it was developed in Oregon, growing it there proved difficult and it is mainly grown in Central California. And Linn's is know for their Olalliberry Pies and preserves.

We ended up buying a bunch of preserves for friends and some "hot jelly" (to have with cheese).

We walked around a bit more; then headed to our hotel. While our room wasn't quite ready, I had a plan for our afternoon anyway. The El Colibri is located right at the South end of the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk; which is why I chose the place. And so we headed off and did the approximately three mile walk along the boardwalk. It was easy and picturesque.

Of course we had some "supervision" along the way.

We enjoyed the walk.

There were very few people along the way.

One of our lasting memories of Cambria are the benches; which we first started seeing along the Boardwalk.

This one is one of my favorites....for some reason; I just fine the location somewhat romantic.

As I guess many other folks do.

It was a nice little jaunt for the afternoon.

We got back to the hotel, checked in, freshened up....I check in at work to make sure things were going ok.

After relaxing for a bit we headed out to dinner. I'd picked a restaurant named Madeline's. First off, it was in walking distance. Second of all; the wine by the glass list looked really good. During the day, along with serving lunch, Madeline's is a wine shop until 5pm. I'd made reservations for outdoor dining at 530 pm. So, with the sun setting, we headed out, crossed over Highway 1, onto Main Street, pass the Gas Station....we were a bit early and the Missus wanted to do some shopping. Unfortunately, it seems like many of the shop were closed due to Covid-19.

We did stop in at a shop named Bali Gems. The owner was so nice; we chatted for almost a half hour. He told us that the stones found on Moonstone Beach aren't really Moonstones, but a combination of different minerals like agate, jasper, and such. He asked us where we'd be having dinner and when I mentioned Madeline's, I was told that it is the "best restaurant in town", and not like other "touristy" places. He also provided a nice little map for us. The Missus really wanted to buy something, but couldn't find anything to Her taste....maybe next time....

We got to Madeline's and were seated promptly at a nice table....everything was spaced out wonderfully and the heaters worked well. Our Server was a very nice fellow whose name I believe is Oscar. He was efficient, very knowledgeable, and had the perfect combination of professionalism and friendliness. As we often like to do; we ordered a bunch of appetizers making our own tasting menu.

The bread was nothing to write home about.

The Missus picked Her wine, though I waited until our first dish arrived; the Diver Scallops ($18).

The scallops were nicely seared, still wonderfully rare in the middle. The searing added a nice crispness that held out well. The beurre blanc wasn't too heavy with some nice acidity. I went ahead and ordered a Viognier which went quite well with this. Strange, the Missus had never had a Viognier before???? She loved it and because Madeline's is a wine shop; actually ordered a bottle to take with us......which She's enjoyed here at home.

The Spanish Octopus ($18) was cooked perfectly; tender, with the slightest pleasant toothsomeness.

Nice smokiness, the citrus tones came thru nicely to cut the saffron. By this time; I just trusted Oscar to pick a wine to match. He was awesome; he ended up picking wine that weren't on the "by the glass list"; but rather had been part of tastings that afternoon.

The only dish we didn't enjoy much was the Stuffed Quail ($16).

The lemon beurre blanc overwhelmed everything on the plate and while the wild mushroom stuffing had very nice earthy-nutty-mildly sweet tones; the quail was really dry and tough. Oh, but the wine chosen for us.....by this point, the Missus and I were just sharing a single glass that was picked for us.

Sorry to say I never got a shot at the acorn squash in the Fall Salad ($11), but the Missus assured me that it was quite good.

I really enjoyed the mild bitterness of the baby arugula, combined with the mild, almost spicy flavor of the Gorgonzola, and the balanced tartness of the pomegranate vinaigrette.

The Missus enjoyed Her Chocolate Truffle Mousse Cake ($11).

While I had a nice digestif to finish things off.

This was a nice meal. But, as is often the case, it's the staff and service that elevated the meal, into something memorable. We'll be back!

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

Arely (one more time, eating outdoors)

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog.  Usually Kirk writes here, but he is taking a short vacation with His Missus.  Cathy is writing today.

In this time of COVID-19, everything has changed.  Although I haven't written about Arely since 2017, The Mister and I have dropped in pretty regularly.  
There is seating out front as well as indoors.  When you order and pay, the table where you will be seated is noted and food will be brought to you.The strawberry cream cheese stuffed French Toast (a white board special, $8.95) is wonderful.  The cream cheese melted inside the middle of the thick sliced egg and cinnamon battered bread; the fresh strawberries on top added enough sweetness (it did not need the accompanying 'breakfast syrup').
The Arely Scramble ($12.95) is served on top of a toasted English muffin.  The eggs are scrambled with a lot of bacon. There is sliced avocado and the freshly made hollandaise, which  was almost-but not quite- breaking (either the egg yolks were too hot or there was too much butter, darn it!). The bites of this were kind of perfect.

 We usually always order the French onion soup when here for lunch.  It is flavorful and the broth is not salty.  The melted cheese and crunch of French bread/'crouton' make it perfect, even though eating out of a reusable bowl is different. A slice of quiche is accompanied by a small salad and some slices of baguette. This is ham and cheese and there are many chunks of ham, a great custard (with a slight nutmeg flavor) and plenty of cheese.  
 The chicken Florentine (mushroom-spinach) crepe ($10.25) was covered in a delightful cream sauce which went well with the 
 accompanying side of home potatoes.  Bell pepper and onion and crispy browned potato chunks made for a good leftover portion. We can't resist ordering some sort of sweet from the bakery counter.  The fresh made (still warm) almond croissant is always a good choice. 

Still going strong after all these years and during COVID-19 times. A great neighborhood bakery cafe.

Arely French Bakery 4961 Clairmont Drive San Diego 92117 (619) 270-1910 Currently Open Monday 7 a.m.-4 p.m., Tues-Sat 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

The French Oven-revisits

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog since May 26, 2005. Cathy is writing today's post; Kirk has a job with assignments which have deadlines.

I did write a post in August of 2018 about The French Oven, an obscurely located (it's in the middle of a neighborhood, across from a public park) locally owned Bakery and Cafe.  With the onset of Covid-19, whenever we do go out to eat, we've made a conscious effort to remain 'local'- both in terms of the businesses where The Mister and I make purchases and distance from home if no outdoor seating is available. The French Oven has become a 'regular' stop. 

 Only two people at a time are allowed inside and there is sometimes a bit of a line outdoors, but it does move fast.  There is a table at the door where pre-paid orders are placed to be picked up.  There are paper menus available just inside the door, if you want to 'plan' your purchase while waiting. Let's start with the 'Breakfast' part of the menu.  Egg bites ($3) are available in three flavors: Ham, Veggie and Sun-dried tomato.  This is the non-vegetarian choice-ham, bacon, Swiss, tomato, parsley and caramelized onions.  It is quite large and the flavors are each distinct, melding well together.  It can (and should) be warmed.

 The Ham and Cheese croissant ($4.75) is topped with cheese and filled with Black Forest Ham, Swiss and Béchamel. Creamy interior with a bit of a crunch from the croissant, distinct flavors and even better when warmed.
The lox for the Salmon lox croissant ($9) is cured here (not smoked).  A very plentiful amount of salmon, served on a fresh croissant with sliced cucumbers, sliced onion, capers and a dill creme fraiche. Large enough to share, but sometimes I want it all.  
In the refrigerator section (below the pastry display case) are beverages, salads and quarts of soups ($10).  This one is French onion and (of course) it was wonderful.  The complimentary cheesy croutons make the reheated soup bowls just perfect.    The soup selections vary each week and last week it was chilled sweet pea (meant to be served cold) with croutons.  We had the first two bowls with some home made egg salad on a Batard purchased that day.  I could taste sugar snap peas, lemon and mint in this 'French gazpacho'-which was a refreshing break on those hot days we had last week.
 The Caprese Sandwich ($8) is served on a fresh baguette with fresh mozzarella, tomato, pesto, basil, olive oil and balsamic.  Always a good choice. The Turkey avocado BLT ($8.50) is also a quite perfect sandwich.  It has all of those ingredients plus a herb aioli.  So many flavors, but none overwhelms. The way a sandwich should be.   

 The chicken curry sandwich ($8) has a layer of mango chutney which is not overwhelmed by the mild curry, pickled onions, mixed greens or tomato.  An interesting blend of unique flavors.
 We have been using the excuse of 'needing bread' as our reason to drive here and the purchase has always been the Batard ($3.50).  It is a simple, fresh made, chewy, flavorful bread.  Shorter but wider than a baguette, so over three days, we have different size sandwiches or toast.

 There is usually something 'special' on the counter or in the refrigerator each week-jams, sauces or, at this visit, house made pate ($8). Oh my, the paste containing liver, fat, herbs, spices, cognac had an abundance of flavors.  We 'rationed' it out (needed to- very rich) serving it on slices of baguette along with some burrata on a batard (and some wine). 
R.A.C-Raspberry, almond and chocolate croissant ($4.50) is far more complex than an almond croissant.  Almost overwhelming in flavors except that the croissant is not overfilled, keeping a good balance. The pear tart ($4.95) is made with a sugar dough crust, lined with almond cream and topped with sliced pears.  Always a good choice. 
 The apricot tart ($4.95) is made with some flavorful apricots and also has an almond cream filling.   The fruit tart ($4.95) also has an almond cream topped with a jam and seasonal fruit.  Every piece of fruit is amazing.
 The raisin brioche ($3.25) satisfies my craving for raisin, custard and buttery brioche.  It needs coffee to make it perfect, though.

The French Oven is a great local place. Kirk has been here, here is cc's visit, Lynn from Oh So Yummy has a recent post.

The French Oven 10299 Scripps Trail San Diego 92131 (858) 766-8706 Closed Mon-Tue Open Wed-Sat 7-3, Sun 7-2 Website

Our Pandemic Rotation - Et Voila, the Original Sab E Lee, and Sushi Tadokoro

You know things are pretty bad with this pandemic when I can actually do a "rotation" post......and since it's now March 160th.....well, that is long enough to have one I guess, sigh.....

Anyway, here goes:

Et Voila!:

Though I think the Missus is kinda burning out on the takeout Cocktails from Et Voila; I think the main reason might be the menu. It was already kinda slim pickins' to begin with and once this was no longer available....

We tried the Ravioli Aux Champingnons, Tarte Aux Champignons, the Coq au Vin, which I didn't care for....

Until we just kinda finally settled on the Charcuterie and Baguette.

We are sorely tempted to just order some baguette.....but that might be pushing our luck a bit, don't you think?

Et Voilà!
3015 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

The Original Sab E Lee:

The Missus is really missing Her fix from Thai Papaya which is still closed. So, we've been making due with TOSEL; which of course doesn't have several of Her favorites (Som Tom Khai Kem/Spicy Thousand Year Old Eggs). Still, for some strange reason She was craving Pad Thai....which doesn't happen every often.....must be the Pandemic.

Anyway, I got Her Pad Thai, Duck Larb, and Issan Sausage.

So, I got the Duck Larb at heat level three.....check out all those chilies....a level three....

Still, the Missus got Her "fix".

And the young lady working is one of the folks from Thai Papaya.....it was nice seeing her. I asked about when they'd be reopening and was told that she hadn't heard anything about that. Bummer....

The Original Sab E Lee
6925 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111

Sushi Tadokoro:

After doing takeout from Tadokoro on almost a weekly basis, we've been trying to show some restraint.....it's now every other week.

And while Tadokoro now has outdoor seating on the patio.....

We're not quite ready to take that step yet.

So we'll just keeping on doing the takeout thing.

It's getting to the point that some of folks are starting to recognize my voice on the phone.

This is a nice treat for the Missus and I. And with the way things are going, we do need to have those moments.

Sushi Tadokoro
2244 San Diego Ave
San Diego, CA 92110

Take care!

Covid-19 Takeout - Et Voila. Trying for Our Own Little "Happy Hour"

Welcome to March 73rd....or something like that. In a way I'm glad to be super busy with work, otherwise I'd just be out of sorts, I think the days would all just roll into one another...….of all the things I enjoy doing, going out and eat is a big one. and more than that; I think it's the fact that we "can't" do something that is driving us a bit crazy. The Missus and I have been looking for a bit of normalcy. We were chatting about just going out for Happy Hour. I quickly recalled that one of the Missus's favorite spots, Et Voila was doing Curbside and window pick-up. And even better, with the relaxing of ABC regulations, they had two of our favorite cocktails available for pick-up. Reminder; you still need to order food if ordering cocktails for pick-up, so don't go all crazy, ok?

Anyway, the drill was easy, you place an order on the Et Voila website, along with pick-up time, pay using Pay Pal (you don't need a Pay Pal account), and get to the window at pick-up time.

To be perfectly honest; EV wasn't offering any of our favorites for takeout; but I managed to find a couple of items, which turned out to be pretty good.

And then of course, there was this.

Man, these were really good...a bit too good! Much stiffer than what I recall having in the restaurant. And the Huckleberry Bourbon was much better than what we had during Happy Hour last time. And man, the Tequila Mockingbird.....I was getting over a sinus infection and that baby just cleared me up.

As for the food; well, I got the Gazpacho which was refreshing, especially with the hot weather.

No sure what was up with the guacamole, it really didn't do much for the dish. The Missus drizzled on some nice olive oil......and then reminded me that I should plan on making some Salmorejo soon.

We both enjoyed the simple Baguette Pâté-Cornichons.

The Missus isn't much of a mustard fan; but She loved the Dijon provided. It helped, along with the brightly flavored cornichons to cut the rustic flavor of the pate. This was a very nice sandwich for eight bucks.

In the end it was worth going a bit off course....I've been trying to consolidate trips to places along a certain route....but this, along with Sushi Tadokoro were well worth the detour. It helped us to escape from all the craziness going on right now.....we did have our own little Happy Hour sitting in the backyard....in fact the Missus, thinking out loud said, "do you think they'll keep selling the to-go cocktails when this is all over?"

Currently, Et Voila has pick-up times set for 12-2pm and 4-8pm daily. The online form is easy to fill out. They are currently doing orders for same day pick-up.

Et Voilà!
3015 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

A La Carte and 3 Course Menu - Cold or Ready to Eat on their website for Curbside Pick-up or To-go.

What have you been doing to add a bit of normalcy to your day?

Clearing Out (the) Memory Card, the It's Warming Up Edition. Revisits to Thai Papaya and Et Voila

I know it's getting warm when the Missus starts requesting certain places......and it's been warming up the last few days.

Thai Papaya:

So, it goes like this. I get a text from the Missus, "can you pick up Thai on your way home tonight." It can only mean one place and She doesn't even have to tell me what to order. It's the Som Tom Khai Kem (papaya salad with salted egg), Duck Larb, and Issan Sausage.

As it always is and has been.

Thai Papaya by Sab E Lee
2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111 

Et Voila!:

Another favorite of the Missus is Happy Hour at Et Voila! So, with things warming up and both of us getting a home a bit earlier than usual we headed over.

And got our usual.

Sadly, that Huckleberry Bourbon, which used to be a HH favorite and used to be $7, is now $11, and tasted watered down....looking nothing like what it used to back in 2018.

Everything else seemed a bit different and we didn't enjoy it as much as we used to.

The Beignets de Champignons was nicely fried, but very salty.

And the Raviolis de Champignons way too sweet.

After not enjoying that Huckleberry Bourbon (my good FOY "YummyYummy" had warned me that the drink seemed a bit watered down over her last couple of visits), I ordered the Tequila Mockingbird, which I enjoyed; especially since it wasn't too sweet and there was a nice bit of savory heat from the Habanero Bitters.

It was quite telling as we walked to our car....the Missus told me, "I think we're done with Et Voila for a while".

Et Voilà!
3015 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116