mmm-yoso!!!

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) - Croissant from Pavel's Backerei (Pacific Grove), Mission San Carlos Borromeo and Dinner at Aubergine (Carmel)

 We woke quite early on our "getaway day" in Pacific Grove. But we just took our sweet time packing and such.

While the Missus was getting ready, I decided to head on back to Pavel's Backerei to grab a croissant to share. It was just past 7 am and I guess the "Art Store Cats" knew we were leaving and decided to not be in the window on this morning? 

There was also a line outside the bakery....even longer than the last time. It did move quickly though and before I knew it I had made it in.

 Where I ordered a croissant and ogled the donut bigger than my head..... I purchased my croissant and headed on out.

Pavel's Backerei
219 Forest Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

And while I was sad that the Art Store Cats weren't available, it didn't mean that there weren't interesting things to see......

Sadly, the croissant wasn't very good; lacking in butter, not flakey enough, and too doughy.

And soon enough we were off to our next stop; Carmel. We arrived quite early to the city that has no street addresses, we were staying at 7th Ave & Casanova Street, no street lights, and where you need a permit to wear high heels......really, you do. We got to 7th and Casanova early and were able to check-in! Dropped off our bags and then headed out.

I'd heard some really good things about the Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo, it was the center of Missions in California and Saint (as of 1988) Junípero Serra is entombed there. There were no other visitors when we arrived. We paid our $6 admission and walked on in.........

This Mission is the only Spanish Mission in California that has its original bell and bell tower. The grounds are beautiful and on this day as the only visitors, tranquil....

We were captivated by the place......

One could only imagine how things were when Junípero Serra himself walked these grounds from 1770 to his death in 1784.

And while there are controversies about how Native Californians were treated by the "Catholic Invasion", much of what we see as today's California has sprouted from the seeds planted by Junípero Serra. Who was canonized by Pope John Paul II on September 25, 1988.

It is well worth visiting regardless of your views.

We then drove back to the Green Lantern Inn, parked our car and just decided to do some exploring....which included a walk down to the beach.....

And then doing some shopping......

Because we were able to check in early, we even managed to have a nice afternoon nap, before heading off to dinner, which was at the only Michelin Starred place in SLO-Cal, Aubergine. I had picked our accommodation because it was basically a half block from the L'Auberge Carmel, where the restaurant is located. During this time of Covid, dining was carried out in the courtyard of the hotel. We arrived and were seated in a manner of minutes. There were heaters provided, the staff was amazing. 

Service was indeed at the Michelin level. It was impressive to see....when it started raining, the chef came out to help his staff clear the water from the tops off the tents......while still working to serve the Wagyu Beef mains in person. After having been thru more than a couple hefty wine pairings, we decided to get a single "Sommelier's Tasting" ($155) to share. We told our Server that a single glass would be fine, but he insisted on splitting the tasting......more points for the service here.

   The amuse bouche courses were a great indicator of what the meal would be like. From the decadent anchovy ,artichoke, spinach tart with bee pollen, think savory, complex sweetness, mild vegetal flavors, wrapped in crispness. And the briney Taylor Sheldon Oysters with caviar! My goodness! The South African Bluefin was excellent, perfect texture, very clean tasting......

First up was the Sawara - Japanese Spanish Mackerel in a Nasturtium "Pesto", which was more like a broth.

The calamansi pickled carrots were amazing.....the fish, perfectly cooked, moist, flakey, the "pesto" added an interesting mild bitter-sweetness to the dish.

The smoked maitake mushrooms in a shiro dashi was amazing.

Such wonderful smokey-earthy flavors, which held up to the savory broth; which had hints of sweetness to balance things out.

You definitely wanted to get every drop of the abalone porridge......my goodness this was so good! The pieces of abalone were so tender; buttery-sweet-savory, with a mild oceany brininess. The tomato added a hint of sweet-acidity to help cut the luxurious richness of the porridge....a porridge! 

Also at this time some Parker Rolls were brought out.

Which did really well with the Aged Duck.

My goodness, the dry aging of the duck breast made this so tender. The fat had rendered off perfectly....this was a plain amazing dish.

And then for the last main.....well, it was "drama" time......

   My goodness, triple seared a technique that I believe originated in Japan. Just the smell of the meat almost knocked me off my seat!

A small container of a wonderfully balanced jus was brought out.

And then a plate with several purees. And then the dish was put together on the table.

This was another amazing dish; from the wonderful, pure, clean beefiness.......to the texture, the perfect bite........just crazy good. The eggplant puree was awesome as it seemed to capture the "soul" of the eggplant. An unforgettable dish.

The Missus enjoyed the wine pairing and desserts.

From the service to the food, this was an exquisite meal, and I'm quite surprised the place only has one Michelin Star. Dinner was not cheap coming in at a grand....but heck, with no international trips on the horizon, this was the meal we needed and wanted.

Aubergine at L'Auberge Carmel
Monte Verde & 7th St.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

Arriving back at our accommodation, one block from the L'Auberge Carmel, I broke open a beer I had gotten earlier in the day. I had gone out while the Missus was resting looking for a shop to grab a bottle. 

Walking up the street I saw a couple; she had a mask on and he was walking around sans mask. They came across a sign stating that there would fines starting at $100 (This was during November of 2020) for not wearing masks. The guy freaked out and he and the woman, who I'm assuming is his wife started getting into quite the argument. I walked on over....not quite sure what response I would get, reached into my back pocket and pulled out a spare mask I had in a baggy.

"Good afternoon sir, why don't you try this on to make sure it fits?"

"Uh....um...oh......."

I was ready for some kind of weird response...perhaps he'd yell at me.....or worse, so I said:

"Getting fined for not wearing a mask, whether you believe in it or not sure can ruin your day, and we're loving Carmel and I would like to make sure you do too!"

The woman sighed and thanked me. The guy, nodded ok, and put the mask on.......

And hopefully, we had a happy ending to a rather tense situation.......

I'm still not quite sure why I did it. Maybe it was the tone of  sad disappointment in the woman's voice....I'm not sure; but I'm hoping all worked out well.

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) - Pacific Grove Walking Tour and Dinner at Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar

After our walk down Ocean View Boulevard, we returned to our accommodation and freshened up. The Missus still wanted to do a bit more.....and I had been captivated by the wonderful homes we had seen during our walks. So, while the Missus rehydrated, I did some searching online and found a self History and Architecture Walking Tour presented by the Chamber of Commerce. I thought this would be fun and so did the Missus! So, we headed on down to the Chamber of Commerce near Jewell Park. The CoC was closed to visitors due to Covid; but there was a phone number to call. I called and asked if I could get a copy of the walking tour map. The woman who answered was really friendly and told me to "come on down and give us a call and we'll slide you a map under the door!" I told her I was right outside....soon enough, I saw shadow and the walking tour map was slide under the door! And we were off.

Before we headed off, I took a quick glance at the intro to the walking tour. Apparently, Pacific Grove was started as a Methodist retreat in 1875, when the Pacific Land Improvement Company donated land for the retreat. Instead of plagiarizing the pamphlet, if you want to know more, please enlarge the photo below.

   We loved that the walking tour basically started less than a block away, down Forest Avenue.

The houses were chosen based on style. And there was one particular style of home I was particularly interested in after listening to an episode of 99% Invisible. Yes, I was kinda geeking out in a very strange way.

So my apologies in advance.......

The first home was in the American Foursquare design.

Known for the "boxy" shape, this design was deemed "transitional" during a period right before the Craftsman style came into vogue.

At this time (November 2020) there seemed to be some work going on at the home.

A few steps away was a very colorful Pueblo Revival style home.

 Seeing the homes and understanding the designs really gave me an appreciation of styles and design. As in a Victorian Beach Cottage (Victorian design with wood ornamentation around the porches) versus Folk Victorian design (photo to the right).

The next stop was my favorite; the one I mentioned earlier. 

It is a Kit House.

 
 These homes were sold by companies like Sears, Roebuck and Company and arrived by train, delivered to the site by wagon ready to be assembled. Legos, Lincoln Logs, and similar toys came to mind when I thought about these type of homes. The one distinguishing item is the fastening bolts on the corners of the structure. Can you imagine; ordering your home delivered ready to put together.....and we think Amazon is a revolutionary tech company!

At this point in time; we were just starting to enjoy the walk.....regardless of the architecture.

Th next home was of Gothic design....steep roofs, projecting wood work...porch trim.

Versus Gothic Revival.

 At about this time, I started thinking about the folks who live in these homes. Man, how would you feel about folks walking around gawking in front of your house????

And because we were paying so much attention to the homes, we started noticing other homes......some of which had interesting designs. 

Or those that had something interesting in the window as we passed.

Of course, soon enough we were "back on track" with the next home, which was in the Vernacular style......which can be described as respectful to other forms, but based on what is available, but based on "local needs"? Not sure about this one.

   The next one is a style I think we're familiar with; the Queen Anne style. With the towers and gables, it looks like something out of a movie set, doesn't it?

The next one was quite interesting as I thought that it was just "a barn".

This is called "Board and Batten" style and is noted for the vertical wood siding covered by more narrow boards called battens. This is Ketcham's Barn and is a meeting place for the Pacific Grove Heritage Society.

Our next stop was back on Lighthouse Avenue.

This structure, built in 1904- 1905 was built in the Romanesque style; which I think we're somewhat familiar with.

A bit further down you see colorful storefronts with large bay windows.

Those features and the ornamentation identify these as building in the Victorian Commercial style.

Our last stop was the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, which is in a Spanish - Mediterranean Revival style.

The last stop was perfect as we were staying right up Forest Avenue. We made one additional stop to do some shopping and get some gifts and then headed back.

Of course we did a check-in with the "Art Store Cats".

After a short nap break we headed out for dinner. I had made reservations at a place I'd read a bit about and where the menu seemed interesting; Jeninni, which was located right across those Victorian Commercial style buildings we passed earlier.

There was quite a large outdoor set-up. We asked to be seated in the corner away from other folks eating and drinking.

There was something quite fascinating about the menu; interesting combinations. While I would usually shy away from these type of dishes, I was intrigued. And from our first dish of the night, the Radish and Lardo Tartine ($13), I knew we would have a wonderful meal.

The decadent richness of the lardo combined with a wonderful light pungency of the local radishes was a great combination. The bread was fantastic; we were told it was baked locally. The fennel seeds added nice anise tones and the mustard flowers had a light mustardy pungency.....not a typical mustard kick per se.....more like a pat on the head if you will.

I'm not a fan of sweet items in my salad; but I must say, the sour-tangy-lightly sweet pickled raisins in the Kale Salad ($13) was a hit.

The Missus loves kale so this salad with the bitter kale, nutty pepitas, and milky-savory pecorino was perfect for Her.

Or favorite item on the night were the Eggplant Fries ($8)....it was so good that we had a second order.

Perfectly crisp outside with an amazingly moist and buttery interior, seasoned with a mildly sweet-smokey Urfa Pepper which just highlited the smoky-nuttiness of the eggplant. This was definitely delici-yoso!!!

The Crispy Lamb Shank ($32) was also delicious. Think of it as Lamb version of "Crispy Pata".

Like the other dishes, this was a wonderful combination of textures and flavors; crispy-crunchy lamb skin, moist and tender meat, wonderfully gamey in flavor. The broth was harissa based; but I tasted something quite familiar....I asked and it was confirmed it was kaffir lime leaves. The Missus loved te perfectly cooked chickpeas as well.

Service was friendly and professional. While it's hard to put your finger on precisely what type of food this is; I'll just call it delicious! This was a memorable meal and we can't wait to return!

Jeninni Kitchen + Wine Bar
542 Lighthouse Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

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

Munich - A Quick Visit to the Viktualienmarkt and Dinner at Werneckhof by Geisel

When planning our trip last year that started in Budapest and ended in the Missus's favorite city....yep, Paris, I needed to find stops in between. While the Missus does humor my desire to travel by train; She requested that no trip be longer than three hours or so. So, when planning our exit from Salzburg, I had to keep that parameter in mind. After providing a few options; the Missus agreed on Munich. It seemed an interesting city, we'd never been to Germany....and frankly, I'd always wanted to check out an honest to goodness Beer Garden.

Once, I started to do a bit of research, I got a bit excited when I read about Werneckhof by Geisel, lead by a German-Japanese Chef; Tohru Nakamura. I managed to snag reservations quite easily, considering the place has 2 Michelin Stars.

We arrived at the huge sprawling Munich Central Train Station after a uneventful two hour ride from Salzburg. I had made arrangements to stay at an Airbnb on Schillerstrasse a quick stroll from the train station. The rather "International" and slightly seed feel to the neighborhood bothered the Missus at first. But, in the end, She took to the area.

Of course, after settling in, the Missus wanted to head out right away....some things never change. I had wanted to check out the Viktualienmarkt, Munich's popular and very well known open air market. So, we headed on over. The Market has a long history, dating back to the 15th century....though it became a market by official decree in 1807.

Considering that the market is centrally located in Munich; it's amazing to consider that it covers an area of five-and-a-half acres!

Wanting just to quickly check things out; we started at the Maypole, which along with a bit of history, also lists out, like a typical traditional one, the various specialties of the region.

Among the many traditions that surround the Maypole is the mischievous one where rival villages try to steal their neighbor's Maypole. Here's a funny story of a group from the tiny village of Neufinsing (population 4300) who managed to pull off a heist of the Munich Maypole! When the terms of ransom was settled; the thieves managed to get two meals and beer out of it! You gotta love it!

We found folks in Munich and Stuttgart to be very well mannered and yet friendly in a reserved kind of way.

And also very social.

We'd return to the Viktualienmarkt and actually have a meal and spend a bit more time shopping later on during our stay.

We decided to take a quick walk to the Marienplatz ("Mary's Square"), considered to be the hustling-bustling heart of Munich. The massive New Town Hall ("Neues Rathaus") with its famous Glockenspiel takes up one entire side of the square.

We'd return here several times during our stay as well.

For now; it was time to head back to the apartment to take a short rest before heading out to dinner. Dinner was in the North Eastern part of Munich. We ended up taking the U-Banh from the Goetheplatz station and got out at Giselastrasse. From there, Google Maps was my friend and we found Werneckhof by Geisel.

The exterior is very low keyed; we were greeted immediately after entering the restaurant, shown our table, and then taken to meet the chef. We were the first customers this evening; so it was nice chatting with Chef Nakamura; whose father is Japanese and Mother German. The Chef was also interested in why we chose to dine at Werneckhof by Geisel. We mentioned our affinity for Franco-Japanese cuisine, we loved how well the flavors melded together, the precise cooking and presentation, how some places edged more on European and others more Asian. We then rattled off some of the places we'd been to; Sola, Takao Takano, Alliance, and the Chef smiled and mentioned cooking with these Chefs during events and having actually worked in the same kitchen as well.

Dinner started with nice aperitifs, then the appetizer course. We were thrilled that the appetizers revolved around white asparagus which was in season. Each using white asparagus in different preparations.

The pickled asparagus was a sight to behold, wonderfully presented, the tofu and sorrel vinaigrette amazingly smooth. The raw asparagus was amazingly sweet and was balanced out with rocket and camelina. The grilled version was probably the most mundane of the trio; though you really couldn't complain about the quality of the product. The preparations was a nice way to enjoy and appreciate how delicious white asparagus is.

The Missus and I each took one of the tasting menus so, even though there was some overlap we'd be able to get a nice, full range of dishes.

Up next for me was the "Hamachi". Basically a Yellowtail Tatare and some sliced like sashimi.

This was a wonderful range of textures; the firm, yet buttery Hamachi, the thick, rich parsley sauce, and in an interesting touch, the marinade in buttermilk, which added a pleasant milky-acidity to the dish.

First up for the Missus was the Langoustine in Shiitake Aspic, with Oyster and Anchovies.

I wasn't sure how all these really strong flavors would work together; but there was a good amount of balance in the earthy versus the oceany-savory.....and that langoustine basically melted in your mouth!

We both had the Bavarian Salmon Trout (Steelhead) as our next dish.

The sesame and kombu beurre blanc was quite interesting adding a mixture of nutty-slightly briny flavors to the very tender fish. Yuzu added a nice acidity that helped to cut the richness. In a fairly humorous moment, the Maître'd Markus, a very mellow and friendly young man, ambled on over and started explaining what Yuzu and Kombu was......I started laughing and told him "I'm Japanese" and he cracked up saying that most of the customers, especially the German customers have no idea what these ingredients are and for many, the flavors are still mysterious and exotic. I really enjoyed chatting with Markus and his twin brother, who is the Sommelier, Tobias.

Next dish up, the Gilthead Seabream, another overlap in our tasting menu.

The rice was a bit underdone; but the pressed octopus and especially the fish based sauce was an amazing umami bomb. The fish was perfectly tender; I'm thinking it might have been sous vide.

At this point, we were asked to stretch out legs and led downstairs.

And we were taken to....."Shibuya"!

In the restaurant's wine cellar, a little bar was set-up along with the fixins for some Kushi Shabu. And some great entertainment from the "Mad Professor".....

We got sake or shochu, and a couple of skewers......

We were regaled with stories of the chef and other staff, various jokes, and of course everything ended with the perfect photo-op as well!

We returned to our table for the "main courses". By now the dining room was starting to fill up.

Next up for me was a super tender, rich, and delicious Luma (a company from Switzerland which specializes in Aged Pork) Pork Belly topped with wonderfully earthy morel mushrooms.

The Missus had nice, though rather forgettable (compared to the pork belly) BBQ Eel.

And the meal's crescendo for me was the Ozaki Wagyu......whoa man.

And that truffle sauce....with a nice savory-spicy touch of Gochujang...….

The Missus's Koji Brined Grilled Saddle of Venison was also a big winner.

The lovely, flavor of the pasture, perfectly cooked, fork tender, the jus amazing....a touch of wasabi...good lord; an amazing dish!

And as a palate cleanser...the Missus absolutely loved Erna....the name of the Kombucha's Scoby…..

Dessert here were no joke......the Missus was in heaven.

Shiso, Medlar, Elderflower, and Yogurt.

Mara de Bois Strawberries, Tahitian Vanilla, Tonka Bean, and Sansho.

Hojicha, Raspberry and Lemon Balm.

I thought the snacks that were brought out with the check were presented wonderfully, on a map of Munich where these confections were created.

And I really enjoyed the fortune cookies.

We really enjoyed our meal at Werneckhof by Geisel. And much like our meal at Takao Takano a mere six months before; it was definitely one of the best meals we've had. We loved the effcient yet relaxed service and vibe; not stuffy in the least, a nice playfulness, but with seriously executed food. Markus and Tobias were amazing...….I still remember their names. And that's a photo of Chef Nakamura stirring the pot as a child to the right......he's been cooking for a long time!

I seriously think we'll try to return.

Werneckhof by Geisel
Werneckstrasse 11
80802 München, Germany

We caught a taxi back to the apartment....there were some road closures, so we had the very friendly cabbie drop us off a couple of blocks from our residence. The short walk back actually did us good. We'd get a great night's sleep and wake ready for another busy day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mexico City - Pujol

Yes, we were back in Mexico City. We had enjoyed our last trip so much; that we decided to head on back during the President's Day weekend.  And while this trip was not without some hiccups....more on that later; the linchpin of this trip was reservations at Pujol; considered by many to be the best restaurant in Mexico City; if not Latin America. so, we headed back on the Thursday before the long weekend. The drill was the same as before; though leaving before the long weekend was a blessing as CBX was a breeze. what wasn't a breeze was having had AeroMexico mess up our flight reservations. We made it across the bridge; only to be told that we had to go to the AeroMexico ticket counter because we had multiple reservations for the same flight. How that happened; I'll never know, but we'd lost our Business Class seats on flights going to, and returning from Mexico City. So, we ended up having to spend an extra hour at the AeroMexico ticket counter at the airport. I will say that dealing with the counter staff was amazing as they worked hard to straighten things out. and in the end, all was well, we had our seats going, and a flight change on the return flight.

Like on our previous trip; we got out of the plane, through all the gates, to our hotel transfer....and then had the six mile; forty minute drive to our hotel. We decided to stay at the same hotel as on our previous visit. We really enjoyed staying in the La Condesa neighborhood....and much like Paris, returning here felt much like coming "home".

The Missus decided that we'd walk from La Condesa to Pujol, which is located in upscale Polanco, which was about three miles and change, so about an hour-and-a-half before our dinner reservation we headed out. We'd never really been into Polanco before, so it was an interesting walk; many bars and restaurants; but the area seemed to lack the character of the Condesa and Roma neighborhoods.

We headed down one of the main streets that goes thru Polanco; Avenida Presidente Masaryk, which had me wondering why such a main thoroughfare in the area known as "Mexico City's Beverly Hills", would be named after the first President of Czechoslovakia. Here's a statue of him in one of the roundabouts on the avenue.

This statue was given to CDMX as a gift from Prague in 1999. As for the background on the naming of the street, you can find an interesting article here.

About five block further down the street, you take a turn on Tennyson and end up at the rather discreet entrance to Pujol. We had arrived about 30 minutes early for our reservation, which was no problem since our table was ready. We had a wonderful, discreet corner table, which we loved.

Service during our meal was excellent, very attentive, but not over-bearing. The pacing was a bit off, with some rather long waits between dishes near the end of the meal. But great service overall.

I started with a Mezcal Negroni which I really enjoyed; the Mezcal really tempered the sometimes overwhelming flavor of the Campari. The Missus who really doesn't care for Negroni, even in Florence, actually enjoyed this.

The Missus ordered something interesting from the drinks menu; a Junmai Gingo from Nami, the first Sake producer in Mexico. The sake had a light fruity nose, very clean finish, definitely not a Daigingo Junmai, but I thought this would go really well with our dinner. The only problem was it as served at almost room temperature. We both ended up ordering a second round and asked that the sake be put on ice, which fixed things up nicely.

So here's the part in the post where I need to apologize for the quality of photos. We loved our cozy corner table, but the lighting gave me fits....and sorry, but I'm not one of those folks who fiddles around waaaay to much before taking a photo with a gigantic DSLR. I prefer not to draw attention to myself. My point-and-shoot usually has excellent low light capabilities, but this was not one of those days.

There were two tasting menus available and we decided to get one of each, after all we share tastes. The Missus got the "Maiz" (corn) and I chose the "Mar" (sea).

Things started off with two lovely "Street Snacks". First, a wonderful, mini-sope topped with a lovely, mildly sweet butternut squash....great corn flavors shone thru.

Next, a smoking gourd arrived at the table.

This contained one of Pujol's signature dishes; a baby corn version of the ubiquitous street corn dish Elote. I can see why folks rave about this item. The baby corn has the wonderful, slightly sweet, maiz flavor, the slightly fruity, rich, costeno chile aioli, with nutty crunch provided by Chicatanas (flying ants). A wonderful, complex combination of flavors. Definitely delici-yoso!

The Missus's first item; a Tlayuda, topped with black beans, tomato, wonderfully mildly peppery-citrusy-bitter baby papalo leaf, and crunchy chapulines (grasshopper).

A wonderfully bold, but balanced dish....maiz-good acidity-slightly sweet, nutty......amazing.

Which over shadowed my well made Chayote and Scallop Pico, making it seem ordinary.

There was a bit too much acidity for me from the pico de piñata. The pickled chayote was amazing, but the scallops were sorely overshadowed by all the assertive flavors.

The Missus's favorite dish of the night included two of Her favorite items; Huitlacoche with Black Truffle.

Served with blue corn tortillas; this was fungi heaven; the earthy, but almost sweet flavor of huitlacoche, combined with fragrant black truffle....not much I can say about this other than....wow....

Our sake, nicely placed on ice arrived at this time. A really nice gentleman, I believe one of the dining room managers arrived and asked us about our serving preference and we explained that for us, this type of sake is best served between 6 to 8 degrees Celsius to really bring out the flavors and clean finish....really nice guy...he even took out a book and wrote down some notes.

My dish was the Kanpachi Ceviche.

The texture of the Kanpachi was perfect, just a slight toothsomeness. The cacahuazintle (nixtamalized corn) juice, celery, and yuzu made up the ceviche sauce. The hoja santa leaves added a bit of a herbaceous; slight anise-minty-peppery touch to the dish. The only downside was that this was a bit too salty.

The Missus Earthy-Smokey Eggplant "Tamal" with Swiss Chard was a simple, yet perfect combination of flavors. It was quite wonderful.

I loved the texture of the pulpo in the Octopus Chintextle with Pickled Carrot.

The pulpo was beyond fork tender.....just perfect. The various Oaxacan Herbs added a different touch to each bite. The Chintextle; a Oaxacan chili paste was kind of strange to my palate as it had an almost bitter, turmeric flavor....the paste almost came across as a pseudo-curry. The Missus loved the octopus, but hated the sauce.

The Missus loved Her Wild Herb Open Papadzul.

So many amazing flavors; the chiltomate salsa had a wonderful tangy-mild sweetness, with a hint of heat from habaneros. The quail eggs were amazing; the texture, they must be sous vide...it was like eating butter.  This was simply amazing.

The skin on my Striped Bass was so wonderfully crisp. It was a tad overcooked and a tad too salty though.

The fried fava beans were absolutely delicious, as was the mole verde.

The last main was the signature "Mole Madre" and "Mole Nuevo", an amazing dish with regards to contrasts in textures and flavor.

Chef Enrique Olvera's Mole Madre is aged like a mother sauce and fed when the quantity falls below 10 liters. At the time of our meal it had been aged 2,779 days....yes, that's over 7 1/2 years! Needless to say, there's a lot going on here; it's not spicy, but quite thick, slightly sweet, with a pleasant bitterness.....I've mentioned the Chinese suan-tian-ku-la-xian (sour-sweet-bitter-spicy-salty) metaphor for a flavorful, yet balanced dish the Chinese use. This was it. The Mole Nuevo, was more in your face, in terms of sweetness, spice, like a typical mole. what a wonderful, interesting dish.

Then we were provided with something to refresh our palates.

Before dessert......

Which is usually the Missus's department. Though I have to say; I loved the churros, light crunch, then melting away in your mouth. Not overly sweet, slight salt tones.....

In the end, this was an absolutely fabulous meal, perhaps one of our all time favorites. We loved the flavors, how the dishes were composed; it just suited us. In our Uber on the way back to our room, the Missus and I discussed our dinner. I think we've dined at some fairly notable places over the years. And in looking at one of those rankings things; I quickly noticed that we indeed preferred Pujol over that dinner at a place that has been ostensibly the best restaurant in the world and the place named the best restaurant in Latin America. Pujol, like our favorite restaurant just suits us.

And I'm sure we'll be returning......

Pujol
Calle Tennyson 133 Polanco
Mexico City 11560 Mexico

Thanks for dropping by and putting up with my lousy photos!

Lyon - Fourviere Hill and Dinner at Takao Takano

After exploring Vieux Lyon we headed up Fourviere Hill, there are two funiculars up the hill; but you know the Missus, right? We walked up the hills...….

Even with the haze and mistiness, the views were amazing.....

It was on this hill that Lugdunum was established by the Gauls in 43BC.

There are two main sites on the hill; the first being The Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière (Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière).

While completed in 1894; it is said that the actual planning of the church was made centuries before.

A plague ravaged Lyon in 1643, the city council promised to do a pilgrimage to the top of Fourviere every year if the plague stopped. It is said that the Virgin Mary  saved Lyon from the scourge and the Basilica is dedicated to her. Mary is also said to have saved Lyon from the Cholera Epidemic of 1832 and prevented the Prussian invasion during the Franco-Prussian War. So of course, Mary deserves her due.

When you enter the Basilica, your eyes are drawn to the six grand mosaics that line the walls. All featuring the Virgin Mary in their story.

The Christian Council of Ephesus in 431, declares Mary to be Theotokos ("God-bearer").

The Battle of Lepanto; where Mary is credited with the victory.

Three scenes of Joan of Arc. In the first scene; on the right she hears messages from Mary.....

Louis the 13th dedicating France to the Virgin Mary.

The Lower Church (crypt) is dedicated to Joseph.

And here you'll find naves with statues of Mary from around the world.

Our Lady of "La Naval" - Phillipines.

Our Lady of China.

Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal).

Are among those we passed.

If you're ever in Lyon the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière is well worth visiting.

Since this was a Monday; the Gallo-Roman Museum was closed, but it had been a busy morning, so we just enjoyed walking through the two Roman Theatres.

The larger theatre was built during the reign of Augustus the smaller during the reign of Hadrian.

From here we headed down back down to Vieux Lyon and ended up grabbing a quick croissant (sorry photos didn't turn out) from a Boulangerie.

And did some window shopping.

We were overdue for a break and so we headed back to the apartment. After a short nap, I woke and with the Missus relaxing, decided to head on out for a walk.

Just a few blocks down the street from our apartment was the vast Place Bellecour, the third largest square in France. Funny thing is; we've been to the other two, Esplanade Quinconces in Bordeaux and Place de la Concorde in Paris.

From here, I walked along the banks of the Saône. That's the Passerelle du Palais de Justice below.

I was ready to head back to the apartment when I saw the sign to my right. It's just a sign for the chain of wine/champagne shops, Nicolas, not a big thing really. Except......we were arriving right after the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau for 2018. It's a big deal....on the third Thursday of November, festivities start at 1201 am. Barrels of Beaujolais Nouveau are rolled down the streets of Lyon. Races are held to deliver the first new bottles to destinations throughout the country.

So, I went into Nicolas to purchase a bottle. The gentleman working was really friendly and spoke great English. In the end, he convinced me to buy the second cheapest bottle, telling me, "you try this one...it is c'est bon....if you like, then come back for more"!

Returning to the apartment, we needed to get ready for dinner. I had booked this meal way in advance; at a place named Takao Takano, yet another Japanese Chef heading a French restaurant with Japanese touches to the dishes. I had booked as soon as I knew we'd be going to Lyon. And wouldn't you know it; two weeks after booking dinner at Takao Takano; they got their second Michelin Star!

The night was lovely as we crossed the Passerelle du Collège and made our way to the restaurant.

Then something quite amazing happened. We chatted with our taxi driver on the way to the apartment from the train station...it was pretty chilly and I mentioned snow. He laughed and said it was too early to know in Lyon and it rarely ever happens (apparently he's correct) and almost never in November. So guess what? As we walked up Place Maréchal Lyautey, we felt tiny flakes hit our head and noses....it was snowing! Nothing major, just a light flurry....but we felt happy as schoolkids!

We arrived at the rather discreet location for Takao Takano, on a rather generic mixed use street.

We arrived and was greeted by the hostess, a wonderful young lady, who sat us at one of the tables (there are about nine in the restaurant) near the window. Where we watched the last of the light flurry hit the ground and quickly evaporate. Would that be an omen?

The simple interior of the restaurant quickly filled up. The Missus had a glass of wine; I got some Japanese Whiskey as an aperitif.

We got the 120 Euro tasting menu....and shared a wine pairing. Believe me when I say; this meal was worth every penny!

Things started off with a good sized amuse; a Egg Custard, Smoked Mackerel, and Mushroom Consomme. Think of this as an amazing chawan mushi with amazingly earthy shiitake flavors, and a superb, smokey, rich saba.

The first entrée was an poached Oyster from Maison Gillardeau, considered the "Rolls Royce" of Oysters. amazingly clean flavors, mildly briney, with a sweet, almost nutty finish.

The black tea consommé and dashi added an amazing finish, really enhancing the sweet-brininess of the oyster. Amazing!

An unmistakable fragrance wafted our way even before our next dish hit the table. It was the familiar fragrance of white truffle.

Served with a wonderfully tender, meaty, sweet and savory crawfish tail and truffle gnocchi, in a luxurious seafood sauce.....'nuff said, right?

The John Dory ("Saint Pierre") in a mushroom foame with, "surprise" Percebes was solid if not outstanding.

The fish was very tender, mild in flavor, an interesting foil for the strong earthy and briny flavors presented.

The Perdreau Rouge; young red-legged partridge was quite tender.

I thought the idea of a date and clementine sauce and sumac seemed a strange combination; but the fairly tart sumac combined with the sweetness of the fruits did fairly well with this wonderfully cooked and mild flavored partridge. A solid dish.

The Missus loved the cheese course:

I actually really enjoyed this "pre-dessert" item.

A wonderful Citrus Mousse, so amazingly light, filled with wonderful lemony - nutty flavors.

And of course the Missus enjoyed the Chocolate Tart; we requested only one, since I was stuffed.

And, as is the norm with many of these places; a nice parting gift for later.

We loved Takao Takano; easily one of the best meals we've ever had. From the perfect, professional, efficient, genial, well paced service. To a couple of amazing dishes....what a dinner!

I have a feeling we'll return one day. I guess that little flurry of snow was a good sign!

Takao Takano
33 rue Malesherbes
69006 Lyon, France

We walked back to the apartment' quite satisfied.

Perhaps Lyon is the center of the gastronomic world. Well, at least it was for us on this evening!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mi Pana - Makes Me Say Dame Más (Give me more!). Venezuelan Comfort Food in National City.

**** Sadly, Mi Pana has closed

Sometimes I get really lucky. Recently, I was searching for some Colombian food options when I came across a place that just opened in National City named Mi Pana. Even though there were Colombian dishes (and Mexican) on the menu; I quickly noticed the Venezuelan dishes....arepas of course; but other items I hadn't heard of. I quickly contacted Frankie's Auntie "Alle" who is part Venezuelan and has spent a good amount of time living in Venezuela. Looking over the menu; she got even more excited than I did!

So of course I had to head on down ASAP to check the place out. The restaurant is located in a little strip mall on Highland Avenue.

It's a tidy little shop, with the Venezuelan flag in the logo; so any thoughts of ordering Colombian dishes went out the window.

The very sweet young lady working was so nice and friendly....having very little experience with Venezuelan cuisine (other than arepas), I knew I was out of my depth, so I asked for a recommendation. Something other than arepas. She asked me if I liked plantains, which I answered with a very enthusiastic "yes". So she recommended I try the Patacon, the fried plantain sandwich. So I selected the Carne Mechada, shredded beef version.

Several salsas were provided for me. The nice young lady seemed to really enjoy explaining things to me. She pointed to the bottle on the left and told me "that's wasakaka, it's really traditional Venezuelan, and my favorite!"

I tasted the wasakaka, which was like a garlicky, creamy, slightly citrusy sauce, I was sold. The cilantro based sauce; that was like a nice chimichurri was also quite good.

And then my Patacon arrived.

Man, that fried plantain was delici-yoso; slightly sweet, crisp edges, the interior was soft, almost bread like. The shredded beef was nicely seasoned, with a pleasant toothsomeness. The cheese was mild and milky; much like mozzarella. As you can tell; it was a messy sandwich, which dictated eating it with a fork and knife. It perhaps had a bit too much greens and mayo; but overall a very satisfying sandwich. Especially if you enjoy sweet and savory together.

By the next time I'd seen Alle; she had been to Mi Pana. During one of the days the Missus had to work, we decided to meet up and have breakfast...and what a breakfast it was. She already had her favorites and other items she wanted to try, so I let her start the ordering.

Alle loves Cachapa, panckaes made of sweet corn, so we started with that. She ordered the "classic version" stuffed with cheese.

She loved this, but it was bit too sweet for me. I did enjoy the cheese though; which had a slight salty-milkiness.

Next up the Mandoca con Queso, a sweet cornmeal cake with cheese and Tequenos, think of a white cheese, soft and a tad saltier than mozzarella, wrapped with pastry......oh man, did I love the salty-yeasty-mild sweetness.

Man were those Tequenos good!

Our arepas were still being made as we finished up our...ahem, starters, so the really nice woman delivered some Pan Andino with Coffee to us....on the house!

The Pan Andino is fairly dense and sweet. It's great with coffee or tea....as a light dessert. It was nice gesture as well.

Apparently they make their own bread. On my previous visit; I saw a guy buy five loaves of this bread!

If you've never had an arepa; think of an unleavened "bread" that looks like an English Muffin......but if made well (and they do it well here) that's where the resemblance ends. These arepas taste oh so "corny" and I believe a nice amount of fat is used, which makes these arepas more moist than their Colombian counterparts which I've had.

Alle had ordered her favorite breakfast Arepa; the Reina Pepiada; an arepa stuffed with shredded chicken mixed with mayo and avocado. Think of it as a wonderful chicken salad. Also, Alle recommended getting the arepas griddled (asada) instead of fried; which really created a firm, but moist and bready texture. The corn flavors came through quite well.

Alle wanted me to have a taste of her arepa, so I grabbed the knife and fork; but she told me to put those away saying: "you're mi pana, so grab it with your hands and have a bite....no; two bites." I came to find out that "Mi Pana" means "My Friend" or "My Buddy" in Venezuelan slang. Loved the flavors; perhaps a bit on the rich side, but not overly salty, slightly milky from the cheese; the flavor from the arepa really stood out.

I decided to get what I was told was a breakfast classic....because well, I'm classic (old) and all that. The Perico.

Perico are scrambled eggs which are spiced up and mixed with onions, tomatoes, and peppers. With the pile of cheese, this was a pretty hefty breakfast. This was good; though not as wonderfully satisfying as the Reina Pepiada.

Man, what a breakfast. I asked the woman working if they could wheel me to the car. She said, "I think we can find a wheelbarrow somewhere around here!" I love these folks. Meanwhile, Alle had a nice discussion with the cook talking about where her family lived in Venezuela and all that.

And so; I thought I had enough for a post. But I guess my stomach thought otherwise. I was really craving the Tequenos and really wanted to try the Arepa Pabellon. The young lady who was working on my first visit was here and was so happy to see me....I really like these folks.

And those Tequenos were even better!

More crisp, more yeasty....man, bread wrapped cheese...….

I decided to get my arepas "frita", fried this time around, which entirely changed things. Just like the difference a frame can make around a painting; this crisp and crunchy arepa added a crunchy texture. The shredded beef was delicious and the black beans really upped the ante with regards to overall flavor. The slices of plantain really added a pleasant creamy, light sweetness and the cheese on this arepa, which was like a crumbled cotija was a bit more salty and stood up well to all the other flavors. I'll definitely get this again.

On this visit; I noticed this sign near the menus.

Which reminded me of what Alle said while we were having breakfast; "Venezuelans love sweet with their salty; it creates a balance."

Well, if Mi Pana keeps making sweet and salty dishes like this....I'll definitely keep coming.

Mi Pana
2241 Highland Ave.
National City, CA 91950
Hours:
Mon - Fri 10am - 8pm
Sat - Sun 9am - 8pm

It's always great trying new cuisines and dishes I've never had. And even better when the food is good, I have a great guide like Alle, and the folks making and serving the food are gracious and nice like at Mi Pana.

Honolulu - Dinner at Senia

Among all the favorites we were hitting on our visit "home"; there was one newer place I really wanted to check out; Senia. Located on North King Street, downtown, next to Pig and the Lady, Senia has been on my "list" since they opened. From all the reviews and photos; it seemed that two Per Se alums, Chris Kajioka and Anthony Rush were taking Hawaii Regional Cuisine and bringing it to the next level.

So, I quite excited to have dinner at Senia. We didn't do the tasting menu; rather we just decided to have dinner and try out a bunch of dishes.

The Missus started with a non-alcohol "mocktail", the Yuzu Sour. I opted for the "Freddie" and was happy to note that it wasn't overly sweet and had some nice smoky tones.

The place was hopping; quite busy, and the staff tried their best, but seemed a bit out of sorts at times, and the pacing of our meal was somewhat uneven. Yet, as is the case in Hawaii, all worked out fine in the end.

As is our M.O. we ordered more smaller plates, stuff to share as we've found that some of the most delicious and creative dishes we've had have been appetizers and smaller shared plates; it seems that chefs will often take a few more chances on those.

Like the Kalua Pork Croquettes ($7); which had me thinking why aren't more places serving this?

The kalua pork was creamy, but still had "body", and you knew you were eating pork. The minced greens and the crisp exterior gave it a wonderful textural contrast. Mild smokiness came through; the "chili pepper water" added mild heat and acidity, which cut the richness.

We also ordered the Ahi Brioche ($5/piece).

Wonderfully meaty and thick slices of Ahi were torched; aburi style, and brushed with a light tare of sorts. It was placed on a smoked brioche which, in addition to the slightly sweet tones, also had a savory aspect to it. Think of it as Ahi Brioche Nigiri if you will. This was delici-yoso!

Our least favorite item of the night were the Chicken Liver Eclairs ($10).

Chicken liver mousse in pastry, topped with persimmon flavored spheres. This was just too sweet for us. Even the in-laws didn't care for it.

You know I'm always tempted by Tartare. and seeing Venison Tartare ($24) on the menu; I just had to order it.

This was also a wonderful dish. The venison had been chopped perfectly, was almost buttery in texture, no metallic flavors, there was a very mild sweetness to the meat. There was a hint of truffle in this and the pickled onions and the blackberry compote really enhanced the flavors. Every bite was wonderful. My FIL loved this......the Missus was shocked. I told Her; "he's loving this dish....please don't tell him it's raw deer...…."

The Foie Gras Bonbons ($25) were wonderful as well.

Coated with pistachio, there was so much going on here. Earthy-sweet-tangy (green apple gelee); just an amazing array of flavors. And yet, there's a wonderful harmony of flavors, a unique balance; or perhaps a tasty détente of sorts, where all conflicts have eased and the best in each is displayed.

And yet, the dish that I enjoyed the most....I'd read about it several times and was really not sure how Charred Cabbage ($18) was going to impress me. Well, it did. Apparently, the heart and soul of this wonderful dish is the cone shaped Caraflex Cabbage. It is charred, then dressed with what tasted like dashi, and topped with Moringa Leaf.

It is served with dots of a nicely acidic buttermilk gelee and of all things, sort of a Green Goddess dressing. There was so much going on here; yet all the pieces seemed to fit together so well. The moringa leaf added a pleasant herbaceous bitterness. The dashi dressing added deep savory tones. The cabbage itself is fairly sweet and the charring really brought that out. This was so good.

For our last dish, we got the Duck Confit ($26).

Which was fine; it was served on top of a vegetable and bean mixture that looked a bit like a deconstructed cassoulet. After all of the wonderful flavors; this seemed really tame and underseasoned. The duck was fine and the dish was okay. The In-laws asked the Missus why She was less than satisfied with this and She explained that She gets Duck Confit made at home, along with Cassoulet that's made to Her taste. Hmmm.....

The Missus and In-laws finished with dessert and a very good Mamaki Tea. I got another Freddie for dessert.

This was a wonderful and memorable meal. While the vibe is relaxed and casual; the food just takes things up to another level. We can't wait to return.

Senia
75 North King St.
Honolulu, HI 96817
Hours:
Monday     530pm - 10pm
Tues - Fri 11am - 2pm, 530pm - 10pm
Saturday   530pm - 10pm
Closed on Sundays