mmm-yoso!!!

Niban (again)

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food.  Cathy is writing today.  Kirk and His Missus are still on vacation.

My most recent post about Niban was in January 2022.  It's time for an update. Walk up and you can read the menu in the front window.  The weekly specials are on the White Board at the bottom; each is $1 less than the menu price.  Walk in, order, pay and find a seat.  Beverages will be brought to your table. 

A clear-er picture of the menu.  Prices are about one dollar more per item than last year. 
 Bento A ($13.50)-Baked salmon, chicken teriyaki, fried seafood, California roll. Rice, salad and
 this really wonderful miso soup are included.  (You can order a bowl for $1.75 if it's not included with your meal; worth it) 
  The Ginger Seafood Bento ($11.25).  One salmon piece, one squid piece, two fish
 and two shrimp.  All cooked well and coated in a really refreshing ginger sauce.  Edamame, chilled noodles, rice and salad are included.
 I have found myself ordering the Vegetable Delight Bento ($11.50) quite often.  Eight pieces of tempura, eight pieces of Garden Roll, edamame, salad and rice.  Of course, everything is properly fried and so very fresh.
 Hot tea ($1) is a good quality green and the cup is kept refilled. 
 The chicken katsu salad ($8.50) can be a meal. The chicken is plump and juicy with a crunchy-light fried coating.
 The fried calamari ($7.50) serving is now only four pieces, but each is quite large.  Again, expertly fried crunch batter and the squid is so tender.
 The vegetable tempura  appetizer (or side order, as the case may be) ($7.50) has eight pieces and light, non-greasy fry.
 I can't believe we had never tried the mix yakisoba ($10.50) until 2022!  Shrimp, chicken, beef, veggies and quality eggy noodles.  This is served with rice or salad.  A really nice meal. 

Always efficient and friendly service, good quality food.  Part of our 'rotation' again. 

Niban 7801 Clairmont Mesa Blvd., Suite 101, San Diego 921110(858) 268-0465  Open Mon-Sat 11:30-2:30 Mon-Thurs 5:00-9:00 Fri-Sat 5:00-10:00 Sunday 4:30-9:30

Lucky Chinese Food (Santee)

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Cathy is writing.

During the height of the pandemic, when "eating out" was kind of scary, The Mister and I had many "to go" orders from Lucky Chinese Food, a Szechuan-Cantonese restaurant located near our home since 1996.  Recently, we have been able to enjoy eating inside the restaurant.  

 Walking the door, the area to the left is where you order To-Go; the original 'footprint' of Lucky.  The restaurant expanded to having Sit-Down in 2014.
 Wonton crisps along with house-made sweet and sour sauce are brought out while you peruse the menu.  A pot of hot tea (choice of jasmine, oolong or green) is $4.50.

 The one item we always ordered to-go are these lettuce cups ($10.79).  Minced chicken, water chestnuts, carrot, white and green onion, toasted almonds served with a half head of lettuce, hot mustard and hoisin sauce.  This appetizer can stay in the refrigerator and still tastes good later in the day.  It was our Covid-19 staple.
 The wonton soup ($9.99) has a rich, deep flavored, chicken-pork broth and is filled with chicken, shrimp, vegetables and large pork filled wontons.  As you can see, more fillings than broth- a meal all by itself.
 Spicy pork ($14.79).  The pork is stir-fried with bell pepper, bamboo shoots, zucchini, carrot, celery and onions in a house-made Kung Pao sauce.  The pork is tender, the vegetables are still crisp; this is such a perfect melding of flavors and texture.  (Entrees are served with a choice of steamed rice, brown rice, chow mein or (as above) Singapore noodle).

Seafood Chow Fun ($16.99) was a recent order.  The wide noodles have the smokey 'wok hei' flavor and the shrimp, fish, scallops and bok choy/peas/carrots are each distinctly flavored.  This is a large serving, easily shared and satisfies a craving.
 Sesame chicken ($15.79) is properly fried so the batter remains light and crisp even on the bottom pieces of the serving dish.  The sweet and spicy sauce has a bit of heat (not too much; you can taste the batter as well as the chicken with each bite).

A great spot in East County.

Happy Lunar New Year to everyone, especially all the rabbits (or cats) celebrating their year.

Condolences to all impacted in Monterey Park. 

Lucky Chinese Food 9740 Mission Gorge Road #8 Santee, CA 92071 (619)596-2978 Website

2023 Rose Parade Floatfest and Portos for lunch

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog.  Sometimes the post explains why we got to the food.  Today is one of those days; Cathy is writing.

 The 2023 Tournament of Roses with the theme "Turning The Corner" has concluded.  The Rose Parade was held on January 2 (the Parade is never on a Sunday; the first parades in the 1800s had floats that were horses pulling carriages and horses were needed for church on Sunday; the tradition stands).  Following the Parade, the floats line up at the end of the five mile Parade route, end to end, and are displayed after the Parade and the next day.  This year, I drove up with my friend, cc (The Mister had to stay home).  It had rained overnight.

 The Sweepstakes Award, for the most beautiful entry encompassing float design, floral presentation and entertainment, went to the float sponsored by Donate Life, "Lifting Each Other Up".   A spectacular asian street dragon is the centerpiece of the float.  There were 44 memorial floragraphs representing those who had given the gift of life.  Those were removed before the rain, so the families could have a memory. 
 You can see the empty circles, where the floragraphs had been, in this photo.  

   Trader Joe's entry, "Onward" won the Wrigley Legacy Award for most outstanding display of floral presentation, float design and entertainment. The three piece float was magnificent and whimsical. 

 Walking along the floats: an alligator, a shark and crested birds were some of the many details not seen during the television broadcast. 
 The Kiwanis entry, "Catching the Wave of Service" was so beautiful.
 The City of Alhambra entry, "Together We Rise" received the Tournament Volunteer award.  
 Elks U.S.A entered "Elks Investing in Our Communities"- a magnificent float. 
 More details- hummingbirds, snails and bees might have gone unnoticed during the quick TV viewing.  Yet so much work was put into the design and decoration of each and every one of the 39 floats in the 2023 Parade.  (I have photos of all the floats if you want any specific pictures).

Now, it is time to start planning for 2024.  Yesterday, the President of the 2024 Parade, Alex Aghajanian, was introduced and he introduced the Theme and logo of the 2024 Rose Parade:

 "Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language".   The float designs are being submitted and construction will begin.  As an aside, each float always has recorded music while it drives down the Parade Route.  This theme will have the floats designed and coordinated with the music.  It should be fun. 

If you would like to see the 2023 Rose Parade Float Road Tests, This Post links to all.

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 cc was looking forward to going to Portos after our morning of walking. 
 She and I needed lunch.  A cubano sandwich, cuban style black bean soup, turkey and cheese croissant and (to go, for The Mister) a rustic chopped chicken salad (which includes house candied bacon-yum!).  There were, of course a few bakery items.  However, we were here on January 3-just before Epiphany, the 12th night after Christmas and the 'end' of the holiday season. 

 Traditional celebratory sweets to celebrate Three Kings Day were for sale; however the Rosca de Reyes was already sold out.  We each purchased a Galette des Rois.
 Puff pastry filled with a layer of almond frangipane cream as well as a touch of guava jam (for a Cuban twist).  The 'baby' could be hidden into a slice by us (if there were more than two of us sharing this tart) and whoever found it could wear the crown.  The Mister and I shared wearing the crown. 
 There were no Roscas, but the seasonal Rosquitas, a sweet bread topped with dried, candied fruits made some nice bites for us this year. 

Portos Bakery, multiple locations in Los Angeles County. Website

 Honda is a Sponsor of the Tournament and their float is not judged; that's why it is not completely covered in organic materials.

Hong Kong BBQ and Dim Sum (again) (inside Vinh-Hung Supermarket)

Thanks for stopping to read this food blog named mmm-yoso!!!  Kirk (and His Missus) are gallivanting elsewhere while Cathy is writing. 

My most recent post about Hong Kong BBQ and Dim Sum was in 2019, before Covid.  Here's an update. 

 The former movie theater, now a Vietnamese Market, with the Cantonese restaurant in the former lobby has survived Covid-19. 
 You can see where the snack bar had been located in the last photo of this post. 
 From the small Dim Sum menu, we ordered XLB-soup dumplings ($6.38).  A nice bite and, as you can see, not quite perfect, but no soup was actually lost because of the creative steaming system.
 From the 'appetizer' portion of the menu, we ordered the 'Double Delicacy' ($19.95) because we couldn't decide on roasted pork or roasted duck and this was a way to get both (there were leftovers) (both of these meats are really good; tender meat, crisp skin, not too salty.).
 Lately, Chow Fun fulfills the craving I've been having for noodles.  The wide, flat, rice noodles, stir fried to get that smoky 'wok hei' flavor always seems perfect.  (This order was shredded pork with preserved vegetable chow fun ($14.95).  I enjoy the briny 'pickle-ness' of preserved vegetables in any dish and combined with the smoked noodles, each bite was delightful).

Always a nice stop before grocery shopping.

Hong Kong BBQ Kitchen 10550 Camino Ruiz San Diego 92126 (858) 408-4888 Website Open daily 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
 Hot tea is always free.  We did have to ask for chopsticks.

Krab Bros-Boiled Seafood (and another meal at Zion Market Food Court)

mmm-yoso!!! is being written (again) by Cathy, while Kirk is not writing, but is, instead, researching.

I wrote about every eatery in the Zion Food Court in a July 2021 post.  There were changes in July and again in August of 2022.  Here's another one.

 In the far corner, the former Sinjeon Food Sys (prior it was CDD Tofu and Grill) has turned into Krab Bros- a boiled seafood restaurant. 
 A simple menu is always appreciated. 
 The lunch shrimp platter ($14.99) with chosen flavors of original butter, garlic parmesan and Bros Cajun was an excellent choice.  This platter has ten shrimp, a boiled egg, sausage, corn and tiny whole potatoes, all coated in the chosen flavors.  The shrimp were quite large, very plump and had good flavor when I tasted a bit without any flavor coating.  I liked the sausage, egg and corn and especially the small, skin-on potatoes; it was a well balanced meal and quite enough to share.

Krab Bros website Closed daily between 3-4

 I walked over to Boba Bar and ordered a mango slush ($5) for us to share.  We had already shopped inside the Zion Grocery store.

We had chosen some 'snacks', from the heat trays at the back of the market between the meat and fish counters.  (There were leftovers, which would become dinner).

Batter fried squid; always good.  Mushroom pancake; eggy.  Light battered fish filets.  Pickled radishes.  In total it was a bit less than $20- the prepared food is sold by the pound.  When you are paying at the checkout, the cashiers have chopsticks and napkins. 

Zion Market 7655 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92111
 Now, the piano as well as the teddy bear are gone from the Food Court platform.  Damn Covid-19!

Eating Inside Mitsuwa Marketplace Food Court

Thank you for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!!  Cathy is writing for a few days while Kirk gathers intel for some interesting posts.

I did write about eating at one of the restaurants in Mitsuwa Food Court in 2016, I wrote about a pop up crepe/dessert place in 2013 and again in 2016, when it became a permanent storefront. Kirk wrote about the actual Market in 2006. In reality, The Mister and I shop here quite often and try to have a bite to eat before walking down the aisles. 
 There is almost always some sort of sale/display in the center entrance area.  The two main restaurants are to your left.
 Hokkaido Ramen Santuoka is a favorite stop, especially on these chilly, rainy days.  
 The display of the menu -in plastic form-is mesmerizing.  All bowls are available in small, regular and large sizes.   
 Shio, soy sauce as well as the miso broths (non-spicy; I like to taste ingredients) are each milky, rich and strong flavored.  The thin, fresh noodles are slightly firm.  Each ingredient is fresh and perfect together.  (This is a small size basic miso ramen ($11) you can order char siu, tonkatsu as well as a variety of sides or sets).

Santuoka open 11-7:30 in the Mitsuwa Food Court
 The other restaurant, Musashiya, has an even larger display of Shokuhin Sampuru; an overwhelming menu and choice of items.  Musashiya is owned by Mitsuwa. 
 The #24, Chicken Katsu Set (the small food model photo is only 'off' by the color of the chicken breading) ($15) is large enough to share for a light lunch.  Miso soup, potato salad, cabbage, pickles and omelet (tamago) along with a good portion of rice are each a compliment to the large piece of crispy chicken cutlet.

 The tempura zaru soba ($12.80) has been a choice ever since I realized that soba noodles do not seem to affect my blood sugar level the way udon does.  The two fritters (kakiage) of tempura vegetables with shrimp were very light and crisp.
 The Sanzai soba ($12) is a bowl ordered when I don't want meat for a meal. The vegetables are Japanese parsley, bamboo shoots and mushrooms.  Really tasty, filling and a bit different.

Musashiya 4240 Kearney Mesa Road San Diego 92111 Website
 When you walk in the front door of Mitsuwa, to the right is J Crepes & Cafe.
 Which, of course, has its own display of plastic food models. 
 Strawberry crepe ($7.50) add vanilla ice cream ($1)

J Crepes & Cafe 4240 Kearny Mesa Road #119 San Diego 92111 (858) 292-5200

Fifty 9 Fifty Local Eatery (Tierrasanta)

 Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Kirk and His Missus are currently in the same Time Zone (Pacific) and 'catching up'.  Cathy is writing.

In April, 2019, I saw that this new restaurant had opened on Santo Road at the 52.  Unfortunately things got busy and I forgot to follow through in 2019...then it was 2020 and, you know.  So many businesses in this mall have changed over the years, and Kirk's April 2022 post reminded me  to check it ut again. The Mister and I really like Peruvian food and stopped in a few times, passing Fifty 9 Fifty.  Finally we had a chance to stop in. 
 A sort of 'Gastropub' atmosphere with about 20 beers on tap, various seating sections (including covered outdoors), we were given a bottle of chilled water along with chilled glasses with our menu.
 A simple menu-and there is a Monday-Friday Happy Hour, too (from 4-6:30)
 We decided to try the Cheese Curds ($12). Wisconsin cheese, breaded and fried.  If you bite into a hot one, it does indeed 'squeak'..but otherwise it's just a good bunch of piece of breaded fried cheese, served with a very nice homemade Ranch.
 The Stuffed Jumbo Portobello mushroom ($15) can be a meal.  Cream cheese, mozzarella and parmesan topped with a panko crust and placed in balsamic syrup...Oh my!
 Cross section shows how many flavors you can get in a bite. 

 We also ordered a Cobb Salad ($14).  This tasted really good, very fresh ingredients (egg, bacon, avocado, tomato, gorgonzola and a nice Blue Cheese dressing.  The presentation...eh. 

A nice addition to this little neighborhood which withstood Covid-19.

Fifty 9 Fifty Local Eatery  5950 Santo Road San Diego 92124 (858)737-4665 open daily 11:30-9 website

Gate of Damascus (revisit)

Thanks for returning to read mmm-yoso!!! Again, Cathy is writing while Kirk and His Missus are nearing the end of their vacation.

I wrote about this new El Cajon restaurant in February of 2022.  In that post, the meal was a small sampling of a breakfast item, a cheese flatbread (manakish) and appetizers.  Everything was wonderful and so fresh.   We've returned a few more times.
 You can order 'to go' or find a seat.  The 'to go' menu is on the wall to make it easy for the 'to go' people.

 The 'for here' menu; a bit larger.

 A cheese manakish ($4.99).  A small version of a herby cheese pizza with no sauce.  Excellent fresh bread: thin, slightly crisp, slightly chewy.
 Here's a zaatar manakish (3.99) add cheese ($1.50).  Zaatar is a spice mixture of thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, sumac and salt.  It's herby, nutty, salty, savory and tangy.  Sumac by itself has the 'tang' you get from lemon juice.  In any case, this combination of zaatar and cheese is really good.
 Six tweaks of falafel ($5.99).  A nice version.  Quite crunchy.  The tahini dip is so creamy!

 Kabab Plate ($13.99) Two very large beef kabobs with rice, grilled tomato and raw onion.  Easily shareable.

An order of baba ghannouj (6.99) arrived with pieces of hot-from-the-oven pita. The roasted eggplant based dip is smoky and smooth and has a sesame flavor from the tahini.  Olive oil and lemon juice as well as garlic round out the flavors.  The version here is just lovely.
 The Appetizers plate ($15.99). Choice of four.  Plan on taking some home; the serving platter is deceptively deep. Hommus, fattoush, baba ghannouj and in the center, tabboule.  All the salads are made here daily.  The hommus and baba ghanouj are excellent versions.  The fattoush is primarily a 'bread salad' with the pieces of fried pit toping lettuces, tomato, cucumber and other vegetables.  It's another craving I've had.  The tabboule is parsley, tomato, cucumber, mint, green onion and bulgur-crunchy.  Its dressing (lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper with olive oil) really showcases an excellent quality olive oil.   
 A single beef kabab ($3) is sometimes quite enough for a nice snack/small meal.  (This kabob is smaller than the two beef kabobs served on the kabab plate).

Quality, fresh food.  Nice people.

Gate of Damascus 1142 East Main El Cajon 92021 (619) 312-0427  Open Monday: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Tues-Sun 8 a.m.-midnight website
 Free hot tea at the back; serve yourself. 

China Fun (Escondido)

Thank you for stopping by mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog usually written by Kirk (but He is on vacation and Cathy is writing this post).

Earlier this year, some clients told me about a restaurant near their home (I asked, I always ask people where they like to go in their neighborhood; it's how I find places if not randomly driving and stopping).  I had seen the signage, since this is kind of across the street from the Escondido location of Vallarta Market/J & M's Family Restaurant/Farmer Boys.

 I don't know what it had been before, but it's a pretty large space.
 The menu is quite extensive.  Since this was a first visit...

 The Mister ordered the Ma Pu Tofu ($12.99).  Quite large, a nice heat/spice level, plenty of pork.
 My 'usual' first time eating at a Chinese restaurant, Egg Foo Young ($12.99) This choice was BBQ pork (getting to try another favorite in this order). 
 The BBQ Pork was inside (rather than on top of) the eggy vegetable filled pancake.  Another unique version and quite tasty.

We will be back to try more of the menu.

China Fun 1450 E. Valley Boulevard Escondido 92027 (760)740-8888 website Open daily 11 a.m., closes at 9:30 Sunday-Thursday, 10 p.m. Friday-Sat

A pot of tea is $1.99 and is quite tasty as well as being served in this pretty (matching) serve ware. 

Aqui Es Texcoco (again)

Thanks for stopping by to read this blog about food,  mmm-yoso!!! Cathy is writing today. 

We found ourselves in Chula Vista and stopped at Starbread Bakery for a small treat then walked next door to Aqui Es Texcoco (the same location which moved  one mile North on Broadway, South of H, briefly changed names from Aqui Es Texcoco to Al Pastor Authentic Mexican Grill and now it's back to the original name (same owners the whole time)). Traditional lamb barbecue has been served in San Diego County since 1990.  There are locations in Tijuana and in Los Angeles.

 We ordered a medium tamarind agua fresca (fresh water)($3.25)which is made in-house, not from concentrate. Excellent tamarind flavor; refreshing and not too sweet.
One complimentary lamb broth (consommé) was brought out because of one of our orders.  You can also order one small cup for $3.25.  A good deep flavor/concentrated fresh lamb broth made with lamb drippings and with garbanzo beans.   The lamb mixiote ($14.75). Mixiote is traditionally pit barbecue but can be made in an oven. Cubed meat mixed with pasilla peppers, thyme, cumin, garlic and cactus pieces.   Other spices are in the mix, too.  It's all wrapped in parchment paper then cooked (if pit cooked, it's wrapped in maguey leaves) (either way, it's slow cooked). This unique 'stew' has such a medly of flavors, including the unique robust (not really gamey) lamb .

 The Chicharron de Queso ($7) is just that- crisp cheese made on a flat top grill.  The guacamole is included and is always fresh (and wonderful). By itself, this is a decadent snack. An order of flautas ($9.50). Flour tortillas filled then deep fried to a light crispness, topped with lettuce, creama and shredded cotija.  The filling choices are lamb, chicken, potatoes or beans.  Three are are quite a meal, or good for sharing.  

Always a nice place to stop for a meal or snack.

Aqui Es Texcoco 520 Broadway Chula Vista 91910 (619)427-4045 Website Open daily 8 a.m.-9 p.m.