mmm-yoso!!!

Sunday Sandwiches - Deli Mart (Miramar)

While I was on my way to Sunrise Deli to pick up a sandwich for lunch, I noticed a shop on Dowdy Drive, which is a pretty busy road off of Miramar. The name of the place was Deli Mart. Now why hadn't I seen this place before? I did a Google thing and found the hours and some other info and was happy to note that the shop opens quite early (730am) on weekdays.

The shop is located on the street facing side of a round-about driveway on Dowdy Drive. All the other businesses along the driveway seem to be auto or cabinet repair shops. The shop has several dedicated parking stalls on each side of the building.

The shop is a bit larger than it looks from the front with a few simple table and chairs indoors and out front.

The shop has a large variety of chips and snacks, along with a selection of beer as well. On all three of my visits, the same two gentlemen were working. The younger one makes the sandwiches and the older handles the counter and phone. 

The prices are quite reasonable for this day and age; sandwiches range from $7.95 to $11.95, with breakfasts even cheaper. All three of my sandwiches were priced at $9.95.

I wanted to start with something simple and went with the Torpedo.

 All sandwiches come with a pickle wedge. This was a straight forward, no-nonsense 3 meat (Salami-Mortadella-Cappicola) on a French Roll. There provolone, with Italian Dressing and mayo. I enjoyed that the sandwich wasn't over-dressed. It was a bit too much bread to "stuffs" ratio. I prefer the almost same version of the sandwich is better at Creative Deli. This really gave me The Sandwich A'Fare (now closed) vibes. Still for the price these days....

I returned a week later and went with a more "interesting" sandwich choice, the Stoner's Delight.

    Not sure about the how or why the name of the sandwich was earned. But this was a turkey and mortadella on sourdough. I enjoyed the heat brought on by the jalapenos, but it was over-dressed, with too much "chipotle" (only in spirit) aioli. Again, the amount of protein was decent in proportion, though folks wanting a super stuffed sandwich would not be satisfied....but really, would you get one for under ten bucks these days?

On my last visit, I decided to try a "hot sandwich" and went with the Reuben.

 So, the rye bread was nicely toasted which held up to the generous amount of Thousand Island dressing. In keeping with the previous sandwiches; this was quite simple. Corned Beef, mild Sauerkraut, Swiss on Rye. It's a sandwich that one might think is on the smallish side, but it was enough for me. The proportion of savory, salty, earthy, worked fine. The toasty bread held up fine and this did the trick as a light lunch.

There are so many of these little shops that keep us fed and I'm always interested to see what is offered. It isn't fancy, but it's what keeps us going, right?

Deli Mart
9210 Dowdy Drive
San Diego, CA 92126
Current Hours:
Mon - Tues 730am - 5pm
Wed - Fri 730am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm
Closed on Sunday

Road Trip - Devisadero Peak Trail, Lunch at Manzanita Market, and Strolling Around Taos

After our meal at Doc Martin's we took a typical after dinner stroll. Downtown Taos was indeed quite charming.

While most of the shops were already closed, the relaxed, tranquil vibe gave us time to appreciate the town. We loved the public art.

And as the sun headed down, the adobe buildings just came alive. It was indeed the "golden hour"!

With nary a person in sight, it was a wonderful stroll.

We slept well, woke early, and headed off to the do some hiking. I gave the Missus a couple of choices and She picked the Devasidero Peak loop trail. It was a quick 5 minute drive to the trailhead. The trail started off a bit steep, but the views were lovely on this morning in early May.

And while we didn't run into any other folks on the trail, there were indications of folks who had come before us.

And the signage on the trail was pretty good.

The Missus is all business when hiking; She wants to get it done ASAP.

I on the other hand, like to enjoy the views and on this hike, the little splashes of color provided by the wild flowers.

We enjoyed the hike and finished in a shade over two hours.

We headed back to the hotel, parked, and decided to grab an early lunch. We had walked past a little sandwich/juice bar/health food shop the previous evening called Manzanita Market and decided to pop in.

It was a cute little shop with a hipster-hippy-ish vibe. The staff was very friendly.

We placed our order and the Missus had a seat, while I took a look at some of the local items available for sale.

I loved the name of this hot sauce brand, Taos Hum. 

In case you hadn't heard of the Taos Hum, it's a low frequency humming/buzzing noise that certain residents of Taos have heard since the 1990's. There have been studies into the hum over the years, but it still remains a mystery, and has been reported in other places around the world. And this Taos Hum Hot Sauce would remain a mystery to me as well as I ended up not getting a bottle. I can and may order it online; or perhaps wait until we next visit Taos.

The Missus had ordered the Mediterranean Vegan, which came from Sage Bakehouse (Santa Fe) Sourdough.

The sourdough was quite good. This was bit on the blander side in terms of flavor in spite of the pickled onions and lime-garlic spread. The textures were very nice; the creamy tahini, crisp veggies and bread. The greens had a pleasant bitterness to them as well. So very healthy!

I got the Naples which also came on that good sourdough bread.

This was a pressed sandwich and was served hot. The bread was a nice crisp-crunchy and I loved the milky-gooey carneros cheese and the nicely spiced-salty sopressata. The mildly assertive feta-garlic sauce and the surprisingly good tomato jam really made this sandwich a winner!

Such a nice place for a light lunch!

Manzanita Market
103 N Plaza
Taos, NM 87571

In retrospect, we should have spent at least another day in Taos, but we'd try to make the best of our last evening!

 

Midweek Meanderings - Is SuperNatural Sandwiches Rebranding and Pieology Balboa Closes

Just a couple of things for a beautiful Wednesday in San Diego.

Is SuperNatural Sandwiches Rebranding?:

**** Update - The Burger Joint and Brew is replacing  SuperNatural Sandwiches

So, back in January, after a not-so-great visit under new ownership, I decided to give SuperNatural another shot. When I arrived, the place was closed with a sign saying "closed for the holidays, will reopen mid-January". Ok, during that previous visit, I had noticed a sushi bar was going in and other stuff going on, so maybe some construction was taking place. In March, when I did my takeout order from Bann at Gourmet Artisan I took a peek at the shop and noticed that there seemed to be some construction going on. Though that "reopen mid-January" sign was still posted. This afternoon, I was passing by and decided to see what was up. Well, the place is still closed.

With that reopen in mid-January sign still up. I find the "We are Back Now Open" sign somewhat interesting.

As I turned to head back to the car, a gentleman walked by and said "they are permanently closed". He was one of the locksmiths working in the shop next door. He added; "I think the owners are going to switch things up and change the menu renaming the place Burgers and Sandwich".

So, it'll be interesting to see what happens here. If this is the end of SuperNatural, it's a sad demise, I really enjoyed their sandwiches from back in the days when the original owners had a stand in the San Diego Public Market and had enjoyed the food many times over the years. Of course, I didn't enjoy my visit under the new ownership, which I think only lasted a couple of months.

So, stay tuned, and we'll see what happens here.

7094 Miramar Rd. #122
San Diego, CA 92121

Pieology Balboa Closes:

Had to run an errand and ended up at Balboa Mesa Shopping Center. While I was walking to my car I noticed that the sign for Pieology was gone, so I walked on over.

And yes, Pieology has closed. I know Cathy has made several visits over the years so I let her know.

Interesting changes in this area over the last couple of months.

5575 Balboa Ave.
San Diego, CA 92111

Sunday Sandwiches - The Wise Ox (North Park) and Evan's Deli & Brew

Every so often I crave a cheesesteak. Actually, it's more like "cheesesteaks" as I'll usually have a couple from different places to quell the craving. It had been a while, a couple of years actually, since I've had a decent cheesesteak and opportunity knocked twice in the last couple of weeks. So, of course I answered.....

Evan's Deli & Brew:

The Missus was wanting some cookies from the Cravory, so I headed on over to Point Loma. I had heard that the shop that replaced Gaglione Bros in the strip mall also made cheesesteaks. So, after getting some cookies for the Missus I walked on over.

And as in the sign on the shop; cheesesteaks are front and center on the menu.

And they even have Tastykakes.

The couple running the place were very friendly and it as a short wait for my Mushroom Steak; I got an 8" for $10.49 which is a bargain for a sandwich these days.

   The yeasty, standard Amoroso roll stood up well. The meat was decently shaved, fairly tender, moist, and beefy, the mushrooms earthy, and the white American cheese added a complimentary, not overwhelming milky gooeyness to the sandwich.

This was a nice, standard cheesesteak. Something that's not easy to find in San Diego.

Nice owners, decently priced, I'm sure to visit again.

Evan’s Deli & Brew
3944 W Point Loma Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110
Hours:
Sunday 10am - 7pm
Mon - Sat 10am - 8pm

The Wise Ox:

I'd heard that the Wise Ox, a butcher shop owned by the Trust Restaurant Group made a good cheesesteak. I had thoughts of checking out the place earlier, but the parking situation in the strip mall is terrible. But, since we were staying at the Lafayette, I was in walking distance to the North Park location.

I walked over and arrived just as the place was opening. I was greeted before I entered the shop by the nice gentleman getting the smoker going. The shop offers a nice variety of soy sauces and such, along with sausages and other meat products.

I went and ordered the Cheesesteak ($12.99). The friendly guy behind the counter took my number and told me he'd text me when my sandwich was ready. I started going for a stroll; but my sandwich was ready in like 5 minutes!

The meat, I was told it was New York Strip, was thinly shaved and very beefy-tender. It wasn't as moist as the stuff from Evan's, but I could tell based on the texture and beefiness that it was of higher quality.

The Amoroso roll really stood up well in this sandwich; though as you can see, there was less beef than other versions of cheesesteak I've had before. Thus making it more "bready".

I enjoyed the onions in the sandwich.

I didn't care for the pickled peppers which, in my mind detracted from the overall flavor of the sandwich, especially, at least to me, muted the cheese and beefiness. I'd probably ask not to have that next time. Still, if you go for the quality of beef, this might be the cheesesteak for you.

The Wise Ox Butcher & Deli
2855 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92104
Hours:
Sun - Mon 10am - 5pm
Tues - Sat 10am - 6pm

It was nice to get some decent cheesesteaks since so many places where I'd enjoyed the sandwich before like Monkey Paw, Pop's, and others have closed.

Beginners Diner and the Lafayette Hotel

Recently, we needed to have some work done on our house. It was scheduled (and took) for four days. I needed to be present onsite during parts of the day. The Missus however, was working on a couple of those nights. In the end, we decided to do a staycation and stay at the recently renovated Lafayette Hotel. I would shuttle the Missus back and forth to work, spend the nights at the hotel, the Missus would sleep during the day, and on Her nights off, we'd relax and explore a bit.

CH Holdings spent 31 million renovating this historic hotel and we were interested to see how it was. Well, it was quite chic and lavish, in a retro, over-the-top manner. From the time set foot into the lobby.

The check in counter is a small kiosk, which doubles as a coffee bar.

The Missus actually enjoyed the coffee from here; I believe She'd always get the Ethiopian. There are no phones in the room, so the hotel and concierge can be reached by text.

There are four (now five) venues to get your cocktail fix at the Lafayette. We actually took time to try all of them. Check out the simply named "Lobby Bar" with the statue of Atlas at the center.

Crazy, huh?

We checked in on a Sunday and I easily found parking around the corner, no need to feed the meter....more on the parking, or lack thereof later in the post. The Missus had to work so I enjoyed the Lobby Bar.

Classic cocktails; the bartenders work super hard here as the place was quite busy. Man, I'd hate to see the place on the weekends. The bartender still made time to greet and chat with each customer.

On one of the Missus's nights off, we stopped by for a cocktail before dinner and the Missus tried the famous Pimm's Cup. She said it was a bit too sweet for Her.

We were told that folks stood three or four deep on some weekends! Speaking of customers, they seemed to fit into four specific categories, the multi-generational adults, the "TikTok/Instagram/Influencer/Look at me" group (who were always doing selfies and filming....we saw one group walk back and forth down the front steps like six times!), the Hipsters, and the "Hip Replacements". I'll let you figure out which group I fit into.

Our room was humongous.

Check out the wallpaper.

The beds were comfortable and there was a huge mini-bar in the room. Because our room was overlooking El Cajon Boulevard it was a bit on the noisy side; but the Missus still managed to get some sleep at night.

There's a nice, more laid back pool bar.

The Missus and I had a nightcap here on our last evening. The drinks were described as Italian-Tiki in theme. As with all our interactions with staff at the Lafayette, the service was amazing.

Overlooking the historic pool.

That pool was designed by.....well, I'm thinking most of you wouldn't recognize the name, but it was one of my mom's favorite actors/athletes, Johnny Weissmuller, who is probably the definitive Tarzan and to claims to have invented the Tarzan yell!

In fact, there were several moments when I wished the place did tours. Most folks working really didn't have much of a grasp on the history. Except on my last day there, when I spoke to...I believe his name is Dexter. He told us the room we were staying in is his favorite; according to Dexter, room 326 is where Bing Crosby stayed, it's where Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner stayed. It's also where; clearing one's throat a certain president and a certain "Blond Bombshell" stayed under assumed names and off the books. I dunno, but it makes for a great story, huh?

On one of my evenings at the Lafayette, I decided to check out the very retro looking 24 hours diner in the lobby; Beginners Diner.

My goodness, I loved the classic diner look. I had a seat at the counter.

It was pretty early for dinner, so the place was pretty quiet.

I really wanted to try the Wagyu French Dip, but they were out. So, I ordered the Cali Banh Mi ($20). Soon enough it arrived at the counter.

  I didn't care for the fries which quickly got limp and were over salted. 

The sandwich was not bad. A bit too bready and the sambal aioli was kind of weak. But the pork pate, think (pate Campagne) was swiney and winey, if cut a bit on the thinner side for my taste.

The place was getting quite the "hipster infusion" as I was leaving. On an interesting note, the Missus took a walk during one of Her days there and told me the place was packed with folks form the 60+ club. My good friend Candice also noted that quite a few folks who were regulars at the old Red Fox; which has moved across the street now frequent this place.

Beginners Diner (In the Lafayette Hotel)
2223 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92104
Open 24 Hours Daily

You know, I've never been the biggest fan of CH Holdings restaurants which always seemed more style than substance. We were hoping that our upcoming dinner at Quixote would change that.

But I was really enjoying the Lafayette.......and it was time to head on to the Lobby Bar for a nightcap.

The Lafayette Hotel
2223 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92104

Thanks for stopping by!

Banh Mi Express (Formerly Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe)

I was driving on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard when I noticed a Grand Opening sign. It was on the shop that was Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe. Heck, I didn't even know that Phuong Nga had closed. So I headed into the parking lot to take a look.

The sign read "Banh Mi Express". Well it was nearly lunch time, so I decided to walk in and get me a Banh Mi.

They had taken out all of the tables from one side of the place, but the interior looks basically the same.

I just decided to get the Dac Biet....which well....it's the "Banh Mi Special" on the menu. It $7.59, which is sixty cents more than what it cost during my last visit to Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe.

I recognized the young man working and had a brief chat. He told me that yes, the shop has new owners, they still bake their own bread fresh, and that the place is not associated with another "express"; Banh Mi Paris Express.

Here's the Banh Mi Dac Biet.

 Well, this is about the same as Phuong Nga. The bread is very crusty which I like, though a bit more chewy than I prefer. These days, many banh mi shops don't even include cucumber in their sandwiches; but it's present here. The jalapeno was pretty mellow on this sandwich. Of course, one of my pet peeves; the cilantro was mostly stems....I already floss daily; I don't need to have my sandwich doing it as well. The proteins are sliced on the thicker side and there are less pickled veggies than before. What I really liked about this sandwich was the amount of pate. Upon biting, the pate basically  oozed out...a funky, earthy, creamy, savory "puss" of the most delicious sort.

In terms of proportion and bread, I do prefer Paris Sandwiches, but Banh Mi Express is my favorite in the area. So, it looks like things are about the same as Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe. And that'll do just fine for me. And I'm glad they are open on Saturdays as well.

Banh Mi Express
9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92123
Current Hours:
Mon - Fri    7am - 5pm
Saturday    10am - 3pm
Closed Sundays

Sunday Sandwiches - Revisits to Barrio Donas (Clairemont) and San Diego Bakery & Cafe

A couple of breakfast sandwich revisits lie ahead.....

San Diego Bakery & Cafe:

I've been back to San Diego Bakery & Cafe a couple of times since my post. Finding a decent, not overly expensive breakfast spot in Linda Vista/Convoy isn't the easiest thing to do these days. I mean, you could go ahead and spend $9-$12 for what I consider to be a mediocre Banh Mi. But heck, I'd rather spend $5 for a light, tasty Breakfast Bolillo.

And I believe I found my favorite in the Huevo con Tosino ($4.99).

Nothing fancy mind you. A nice airy, light, and yeasty bolillo. 

Queso and bits of bacon mixed into eggs. Some jalapenos to "surprise" your palate, and frijoles. It is a fairly messy sandwich.

Definitely not a hefty breakfast, but it's perfect for me. I do wish the beans were spread a bit more evenly, but I'm not going to complain for five bucks.

San Diego Bakery & Café
6959 Linda Vista Rd.
San Diego, CA 92111

Barrio Donas (Clairemont):

My visits to SD Bakery had me wondering how Barrio Donas was doing. I had noticed changes during my last two visits. But that was back in 2021.....my goodness how time flies. I decided to return on a recent weekend morning.

I was surprised to see that the place wasn't overly busy.

It was my intention to order the Preparado which was still nicely prices at $5.50; but of course, I got distracted and ordered the "Prepa Pig" ($7.50), which came with Ham, Chorizo, and Bacon.

The bread was a cheesy-spicy roll. Like I mentioned in my previous post; the bread here is more dense these days and a lot fancier.

It's a fairly refined sandwich; not a big fan of mozzarella on this as I prefer a cheese with a bit more milkiness. Loved the beans which were spread evenly on the roll. Would have enjoyed perhaps a bit more bacon to add some saltiness to the sandwich. Still, not bad at all.

As I said earlier, what's made here is much more refined than what SD Bakery does. 

Barrio Donas
4714 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117

In the end; it's good to have choices. For a simple, rustic, lighter breakfast sandwich, I'll take SD Bakery. For something more refined and heavier, it's Barrio Donas. 

Sunday Sandwiches - San Diego Bakery & Cafe

Back at the end of last year, I noticed a new business near the corner of Linda Vista and Ulric.

Yes, this was once the location of BaLe, then Farm Market and Sandwiches, then Pho Tommy. You know, one of those locations that seems to turn over every couple of years (or less). Initially, I thought it was simply a Mexican Bakery and just kinda left it at that. But, as the months passed I noticed taco trucks in the parking lot and the ever expanding signage.

So, just before we left for our last international trip in October, I decided to just head on over and check the place out. Walking to the shop, I noticed the opening hours. The place opens at 530am Tuesdays thru Fridays and 6am during the weekend!

The rather cavernous space is pretty large, especially for just a bakery.

Well, like that classic informercial saying goes; "but wait, there's more!"

Yes, to one side is a case of bakery items and a case of various cakes for sale.

And there is a coffee stand, but I've never seen it open.....

But what really got my attention was the "menu".

And there were items less than $5! 

I decided to get one of the Breakfast Bolillos; the Mexicana which was $4.99. What was quite interesting and refreshing to note that when I paid by credit card I did not get a "tip" prompt! So, of course I left a tip...in cash. Also of note, I looked at my receipt and it said "La Princesita Bakery". I asked the nice woman working who told me that the place had the same owners as the La Princesita trailer, Which by the way, I noticed as I left. It is in the parking lot and now painted pink!

  It did seem like my sandwich was sticking "its tongue out at me"......perhaps mocking me? To use a single word to describe this would be "light". From the slightly crusty, yeasty-airy bolillo to the filling. Other than a good amount of heat from the jalapenos this was quite light. In my mind, it could have used a bit more salt (when was the last time I wrote that?), tomatoes, and onions. Still, it was a decent breakfast and the price was right.

On my way out, I decided to get something for the Missus.

And I decided to get Her a slice of the tres leches cake.

She thought this was not bad, if a bit on the sweeter side.

A couple of weeks ago, I was in the area fairly early in the morning, so I decided to drop by. This time I got the Preparados Mixto which was also priced at $4.99.

 This came on a by-the-book, yeasty telera roll. The chorizo was nice and smoky, with a hint of spice. The jamon was a rather thin slice and was made irrelevant by the chorizo. The gooey cheese was the glue (no pun intended) that added a slight milky flavor to things. There was a bit of jalapeno for some zip, but I could have used more beans on this. I think I'll have the papas con chorizo version of this next time.

And with those two visits I was going to do my post. But then I wondered how the most expensive sandwich, the $10.49 Torta Milanesa was. So, I decided to head on over and did a takeout order. This was an interesting visit as my sandwich took 20 minutes. Perhaps they weren't ready to make this at 930 in the morning.

This was a fairly hefty sandwich. I didn't care for the milanesa as it was very tough. I enjoyed the amount of onions and jalapenos, though I would have appreciated more beans. 

Of course, I couldn't help but compare what I've had here with Barrio Donas. Personally, I think the actual sandwich in terms of composition and proportion is better at BD. Though on my last two visits to Barrio Donas it seemed that the telera had changed and based on that I prefer the bread here. So, I guess this means I need to get back to BD.

As for San Diego Bakery, I'm glad I finally visited and will keep on stopping by when I want a five dollar breakfast sandwich.

San Diego Bakery & Café
6959 Linda Vista Rd.
San Diego, CA 92111
Current Hours - The Bakery only. The taco trucks and such are open during the evening.
Tues - Fri 530am - 5pm
Sat - Sun 6am - 5pm

Big Jim's Roast Beef & Subs (Pacific Beach)

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of this blog about food.  Cathy is writing today; Kirk is busy.

The Mister and I were in the Pacific Beach area and it was time for lunch.  We planned to park and walk.  Finding a spot on Cass Street was serendipitous.  We didn't have to walk very far.

 Big Jim's Roast Beef & Subs opened as a Food Truck/pop-up about March 2021 and has steadily built a following of its New England Style slow roasted style Top Round sandwiches, ultimately opening this storefront in September.  They still Pop-Up at the Wednesday Ocean Beach Farmers Market and the Thursday Oceanside Sunset Market.
 A simple menu.  When you order, toppings are described and you can decline or ask for an ingredient 'on the side'.

Junior Beef Sandwich ($9).  This sandwich is very large; the in house roasted top round, sliced thin and served medium rare, the beef chilled.  This has wonderful flavor and texture.  It is served on a butter grilled burger bun with a horseradish mayonnaise and American cheese.  We asked for the BBQ sauce on the side.  
French Dip ($16).  Apologies for the photo.  The aroma of the roasted beef was amazing.  Again, thin sliced beef, cooked more medium, served warmed with Provolone cheese.  Great sandwich, easily shared.
  The Italian bread roll, sesame-seeded, was fresh, flavorful and sourced locally from a bakery in Little Italy.  The jus had bits of meat in it and was not salty.  Quite perfect.  
 The BBQ Sauce had a nice 'tang' and the grilled onions were sweet.  Each was added as a condiment at the end bites of the sandwiches.  

We will definitely try the onion rings next time...because there will be return visits.  If you are from the East Coast, you will have memories evoked.

Big Jim's Roast Beef & Subs 4508 Cass Street Suite B San Diego 92109 (858) 352-6762. Website

 Seating out front.

Paris - Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji

Even though we had quite a bit of walking during the day, we decided to head back out toward the 1st and 2nd Arrondissement for a nice evening walk.

Heading West on Rue Reamur, then up Saint-Denis an interesting and "colorful" area.

I've posted on some of the interesting characters in this neighborhood, the former red-light district that is becoming more gentrified with every visit.

Walking thru Passage Choiseul yet again.

The Missus exclaimed how distances in Paris were seemingly a lot shorter these days......

There was one church we had been wanting to check out in the area; Église Saint-Roch.

We had walked by many times; but had never gone in. We decided to pop on in for a look.

The church itself was built between 1653, when Louis XIV laid the first stone, completed in 1740.

Within its walls hung works of the most renowned artists of the day. Of course, the French Revolution was right around the corner and the church was looted and sacked. In fact, the famous French writer Denis Diderot was entombed at Saint Roch. When the church was looted, his grave was sacked and his corpse was left on the church floor. And his final resting spot is not known.

It's quite an impressive church! We should have visited earlier.

We decided it was time to get some dinner so we headed out. We could see the Ferris Wheel from the Tuileries Christmas Market down the street.

Things did seem much "closer" in Paris these days.....

As for dinner; well, the Missus thought some ramen would be nice on a chilly winter night. There was a ramen shop I'd been wanting to try since I first read the story of a retired French Air Force pilot who opened a ramen shop because of his love of of the dish. Jean-Baptiste Meusnier first opened Kodawari Ramen (Yokochō) in the 6th Arrondissement. The restaurant's theme was a "Yokochō" a food alley. Since we were in the 2nd, we headed to Kodawari's second location, Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji, which is based on...yes, Tsukiji. We arrived at a fairly early dinner time, so the restaurant, while busy, did not have a queue. 

The interior was festooned with boxes of fish and fish market themed items stacked everywhere, the floor had even been wet to give it a real fish market feel....lucky for us, the "seafood" in the boxes weren't real nor was there the "parfum de poisson" lingering in the air. It was pretty tight quarters in the restaurant.

Of course I needed to start with a "biru".

By the time we placed our order there was a line outside of the restaurant. So we had some good timing.

Looking over the menu, I knew this was going to be an interesting meal. Based on the theme of the restaurant; this location of Kodawari featured a broth that was based on sea bream and chicken. Now, I wasn't sure how the Missus would handle that; but this would turn out to be the Missus's favorite ramen in Paris!

There are some nice appetizers on the menu, we ordered 3 apps along with the Sea Bream Paitan Ramen.

The "Sardine Shelter" was savory, umami-land.

A bit smoky, briny, good oil, rich lardo.

The Missus loved the Sea Bream Carpaccio.

The fish was fresh and firm; the grilling added a nice smokiness, the miso sauce added a layer of savory.

The Sea Bream Tartare was refreshing, with a clean flavor.

The sauce had a nice savory-slightly sweet miso and the shiso really did a nice job refreshing the palate.

As for the ramen; well, I ordered the Sea Bream Paitan Ramen. Based on previous experiences with similar versions of ramen; I wasn't sure the Missus would like this.

I was wrong; the Missus loved this. The broth was rich enough to nicely coat the tongue; the chicken flavors weren't overly strong and there was a nice balance with the flavors from the bones of the sea bream that were simmered for 5 hours. The shio tare wasn't overly salty and the sea bream was so very tender and moist. The Pata Negra Chashu was quite porky f on the more chewy side. The chili paste was totally unnecessary as this was packed with umami. The tamago was decently cooked and marinated and was warm. The noodles, made inhouse were nice and firm, with a good chew.

The Missus loved the broth.

I was worried when we got here that it was all kitsch and concept over substance, but I gotta say, Kodawari Tsukiji went past the over-the-top setting.

Look at the line outside as we left!

So yes, it was a fun setting, but the food was quite satisfying and by the Missus' request, we'd return later during our stay.

Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji
12 Rue de Richelieu
75001 Paris, France

Bellies warm and full, we enjoyed the walk back to the apartment.

Needless to say, we slept well.

To give us a nice break, I had made reservations to stay in Strasbourg, so we could once again enjoy the wonderful Christmas Markets in the city. It's only a hour and forty-five minute train ride to Strasbourg, but of course, I needed to do the very French thing and get us some sustenance for the ride. On one of my earlier visit to Boulangerie Pezeril I noticed the group of police getting sandwiches from the shop....so heck, if they are getting food from there.....

Our train left Gare l'Est right on time at 1255 and we enjoyed our lunch and desserts on the train.

Boulangerie Pezeril
183 Rue du Temple
75003 Paris, France

And we were looking forward to two fun nights in Strasbourg!

Stay Tuned!