October 2006 – Page 2

Episode 18/week 3- The End and a couple of taco joints

October 18, 2006 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Stuff, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Hi. Yes, I know you have been wondering when Kirk will be back…He is back and he is ready to tell all of you what He did on his Autumn Vacation.

I want to summarize some stuff and thank all of you for your support these past few weeks. It has been my first time blogging and sharing my opinions about foods and places to eat in San Diego. I have learned a lot from you and hope I have informed you of things. I suppose the main point I hoped to get across is to not be afraid to just stop and walk in to any particular place.

Sure, this looks like an oversized Fotomat booth and you could miss it if you drove over the speed limit or only cared about the Liquor Store….but it has been there in Santee forever and is always busy.

There are all of three booths, three tables (two of them are outside) and Bertha’s makes this:

Carne asada nachos. I like to call it "a pound of nachos" , although I have never weighed it. Fresh chips, great refried beans, carne asada, chunky guacamole, sour cream and cheese. $4.25. But if you don’t stop and go inside, or drive through, you won’t know what you are missing.

Its the same with all of these places:

In general, if you see the words "Cocina, Taqueria, Panderia and/or Tortilleria" written on the outside, GO inside. They are cooking up some of the most wonderful foods inside. Realize that they used no imagination in naming the place, but move past that.

Same thing here. If the place has been there forever and the patrons are of the ethnicity of the signage that you are having difficulty reading, its good. (also, when you do go in to order and the person taking your order says "you no want that", trust them and order something different).

If the windows of the store have interesting food items written on them, items that are usually seen on a menu and not as items you buy in a grocery store…go inside. (Oh, and that small "Taqueria" sign is a clue).

Then again, if the signage shows both Mexican and Greek foods…well, you just have to stop in and see…

If a place is open 24 hours, shares a parking lot with a 24 hour Landromat and *always* has cars in the drive through lane, stop and see why…

I had never stopped here at Bueños Dias before and was on one of my "no meat today because it is Friday" days and I was just going to get a quesadilla, but looked at the menu…mashed potato taquitos….hmmmm…. Mexican Food combined with mashed potatoes, my next favorite food group… and all of it fried in a taco shell, topped with lettuce sour cream and cheese ($1.50)…oh, yeah…now I wait for Fridays. Its kind of not a sacrifice…

Bueños Dias makes the best salads, perfect for those on a no-carb kick…a lettuce spring mix, carrots, cabbage and cheese which melts onto the freshly grilled chicken breast for only $3.50. This is also one of those "one pound" salads, again, I haven’t really weighed it, but it is substantial. In the top of the photo there are the 3 rolled tacos with guacamole ($3). Made (and not pre-made)with fresh corn tortillas.

The carne asada tostada ($2.80) made with beans, carne asada, lettuce and cheese comes with an extra fried tostada shell…either because they know the first one will get soft, or that all the stuff will fall off of the first one and you will just need more corn tortilla shell…. and that quesadilla ($2.50)- huge and wonderfully melted and oily cheese!…and Bueños Dias gives you a mild green sauce as well as a very nice hot red sauce. Oh- and those are the marinated carrots on the bottom there…thinly cut strips and a jalapeño. Nice and hot!

So, that’s it. I think you have figured out that its kind of fun to stop and explore and not be afraid to try anyplace…and look for those parked Mail Trucks out front…those people know what is good on their routes. (Thanks, Trent!)

Bertha’s Mexican Food 8667 Fanita Drive Santee 92071 (619) 562-0143

Mon-Sat 8 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Bueños Dias 5100 Jackson Drive La Mesa 91942 (at Glen) 24/7

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Oooooh…and you don’t know this, but I am definitely *not* a chocolate person at all. BUT…go to Trader Joe’s and pick up a box of these little gems for $2.99

these teensy, tiny little peanut butter cups pack some powerful flavor and are just a perfect sweet and salty snack…

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Again, I am so happy I could help Kirk keep up the interest in his blog while he and his Missus took a well deserved vacation. I am happy that so many of you thought enough to write in and comment, and that you did like what I talked about and my style of writing.

If we don’t "talk" again, have a good Halloween and please don’t forget to VOTE on November 7. (Or earlier at the Registrar’s office…and if you are there, go West on Clairmont Mesa and turn south at that next light (Overland) and then take a right, into the parking lot…there is this new Indian place there…next to the 7-11….)

Now, this blog is formally back in Kirk’s hands. Bye!

-Cathy

Episode 17.Week 3=Oishii in Santee: Japanese and Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar

October 17, 2006 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi, Thai Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in in the interim.

So, you are thinking to yourself "Did I read that title correctly?"…Japanese and Thai cuisine and Sushi Bar…in Santee…?!?

Yes, you did….and it is something you can’t miss. All three types of food are prepared here to excellent standards.

Located in a nondescript strip mall, across the street from the Albertsons in Santee, Oishii has been in its present location for about 3 years. Before that, it was a Thai Buffet and before that it was a kind of American Restaurant that sold some really good prime rib. It is small inside, with 10 seats at the sushi bar, 5 booths and 7 tables.

Editor’s Note: The owners of the Thai Buffet are still the owners and are family members/have worked at Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas.

This post will be long, since the Mister and I have tried all three types of foods here. First, the Japanese menu:

The sushi lunch special ($8.50), 3 vegetable rolls, 4 tuna rolls, sunomono (cucumber salad) and albacore sashimi. The albacore was soooo tender. This is served with an excellent miso soup, filled with silken tofu cubes and seaweed.

The mixed tempura appetizer ($5.00) includes one very large shrimp. The breading is very light and delicate, not oily.

The combination lunch ($9.50), in this case beef teriyaki and spicy tuna roll. The beef is cooked medium rare and is tender and flavorful. The spicy tuna is very fresh and the spice is on the edge of being overwhelming and is highly complimentary to the tuna. This is served with soup, salad and rice. The portion size is quite large for lunch.

All of the Japanese dishes on the menu are very fresh and well prepared.

The Thai menu. Most of the people working here are Thai. When the restaurant was a Thai Buffet, I really liked the foods.

The fried soybean cake appetizer ($5.00), served with a homemade sauce that was neither too sweet nor too salty. The soy cakes were nicely crispy and not too thick, so the soy was warm throughout.

The fried calamari appetizer ($5.00). Lightly breaded squid which was very tender. The accompanying sauce is nice and spicy.

The pad see ewe with beef ($7.95)…the thick noodles were very nice textured, made with a black soy sauce and broccoli and carrots, this is a mild dish and the beef was not as tender as I would have liked. Not disappointing, but not exciting. I like the Pad Thai here better. However, the chicken Panang ($7.95) was excellent. It is made with coconut milk, red peppers, basil and green beans, the amount of heat that kicked in was wonderful. This is the way Panang should be cooked. The description on the menu, mentioning onions and mushrooms, is wrong and was not prepared that way.

I enjoy the Thai food here because they ask how spicy you would like it and almost always when I order Thai, the cook comes out from the kitchen to ask how I liked t.

Now, on to the sushi menu:

Along with the Special Rolls menu:

The sushi and nigiri served here is always fresh and wonderful. There is never a night when the sushi bar has no patrons. Even on Monday or Tuesday.

We always have edamame with sushi. ($3.50). A good sized plate.

The oyster shooter ($3.50) is made with 2 oysters, ponzu sauce and topped with masago and ginger. The lime slice in the side is a nice touch. The oysters were fresh and mildly flavored, very tender.

The albacore was so very tender and wonderfully flavored, the nigiri is not served with wasabi on it. It is not needed. Dipping the fish lightly into shoyu is enough to bring out the flavor. The rice is very well made sushi rice and worth the $4.50.

The amabei (sweet shrimp) ($6.00) were served with the fried heads (atama) at the same time and with the hamachi (yellowtail) ($5.00). Excellent, all three.

The Mister an I opted to share three rolls This is the Santee Roll ($6.50) Described as "Crispy tuna, (no rice) topped with the house sauce". The tuna is wrapped in seaweed, dipped in batter and fried, so the tuna cooks. Its different and good.

The spicy crunchy albacore roll was on sale for $5.50 the night we were there. There are usually five or six specials listed on the chalkboard. The albacore was again, fresh and tender and crunchy bits of tempura were dispersed throughout the roll, which also had cucumber inside had toasted sesame seeds on the exterior.

Finally, we had to try the most popular roll sold here, the Cindy Roll, ($12), made with tempura shrimp and asparagus, topped with tuna and the special sauce and surrounded with house and ponzu sauce. Excellent crispy, still warm shrimp and the asparagus is fresh cooked crispy with beautifully brought out flavor.

All in all, no matter which cuisine you order here at Oishii, you will leave very satisfied.

Oishii Japanese and Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar

10251 Mast Boulevard Santee 92071 (619) 596-4852

Open Monday-Sat 11:00 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Sunday

Episode16/week3-Charley’s Famous Hamburgers, Shakes, Kabobs…and bacon!

October 16, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Burgers, Diner, Mediterranean Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Its been there since 1973. No advertising. Word of mouth. You probably have seen it… Click onto the picture…you are on Broadway in Lemon Grove, heading east, toward Sweetwater Springs Road. They have *finally* finished all that construction…there…sort of to the left, the red sign…Charley's Famous Hamburgers.

It isn't a sit down restaurant, although there are picnic tables in the back and out front. Most people seem to drive though. They all know to order, drive up and shut off the engine. You have to wait for the food to be cooked.

This is it- you drive through on one side of this small building, or walk up to the front and order. All the cooking goes on inside there.

The menu, as seen via the Drive Through.

You will notice bacon on here, a lot.

I will admit to not bothering to having bacon on most items at restaurants, because I just can't taste it…its usually thin and fairly flavorless. Not here….The bacon is always thick, always not greasy and wonderfully flavored. This, combined with the fact that not much food is frozen, makes Charley's one place I will continue to patronize.

Lets take breakfast, for example. This is the breakfast croissant ($ 3.39) egg, bacon, ham and cheese on a fresh, fluffy croissant. {The extra charge to make a breakfast a combo is worth it if you like OJ-you get a large prepacked container along with a hash brown patty}

There is the famous Kabob-seasoned ground beef patty grilled and in a pita with lettuce, radishes, green pepper, onions and mayo.…and bacon, of course…

This one is the single kabob with bacon ($4.49)

This one is the double kabob with bacon ($5.49). I really like the idea of radishes and green pepper on a hot sandwich. It's a wonderful flavor combination.

Then of course there is the famous hamburger.

This is a the double cheeseburger ($3.29) The hamburger meat is more coarse ground than I have had, more flavorful and definitely not frozen.

There are of course, sides to order.

This is the small Chili Cheese Fries ($2.49) and the onion rings ($1.99)

The chili here is unique and has a nice spice to it. They use those spicy chili beans and not much ground beef. (The cheese melted into the chili before I got a good photograph)..and the onion rings are made of whole real onions, in a cornmeal batter…nice crunch! The plain fries, I am not overly thrilled about, but they have good potato flavor.

OOOH- Look behind the onion rings. That is the plain old, simple BLT ($3.69)…SIX (6) yes, six slices of bacon on that seeded burger bun, with lettuce, tomatoes and mayo…the *absolute* best BLT …EVER.

The part of the menu you may have missed and no photograph could do it justice are the milkshakes…Oh, you *have* to try them. Fresh made to order…my favorite is the banana, made with a real banana, of course… that peanut butter shake…salty and sweet…..absolutely wonderful shakes….the root beer float…just get that as a treat one evening. Its wonderful. The one I haven't tried yet is the apple turnover shake. But, since there are apple turnovers on the menu…well, I can imagine how the shake is made and pretty much what it tastes like…that can be for next time.

So, the next time you are driving, please don't just pass by. Stop. It *will* be the best food you have had in a long time.

Charley's Famous Burgers, Kabobs and Shakes,

8213 Broadway, Lemon Grove 91945 (619)460-2690

Open 7:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., until 10 p.m. on Friday

Episode 15/Week 3-Crispy Fried Chicken

October 15, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk is being played by Cathy in the interim.

So, say you are driving on El Cajon Boulevard, and you see, like, 40 places Kirk has mentioned and there is so much Pho and Bahn Mi and you are almost overwhelmed…then at the SE Corner of El Cajon Blvd and 49th..you see:

Crispy Fried Chicken

oh…you have to stop….

(as long as its still daylight)

menu on the front window…

menu inside….along with television..note "truth in advertising" in the 2nd column up there on the wall- taped up are boxes for the fried mozzarella, jalapeños and zucchini.

and the convenient menu to use for phone ins…

You will note on this menu, the coleslaw, potato salad, corn bread, corn and steamed rice are the non-fried items, along with beverages of course, and possibly the biscuits….

Now, have you been paying attention the last three weeks? The name of the place is "Crispy Fried Chicken"…Get the chicken!

The three piece mixed chicken meal:

with cole slaw and hush puppies as sides ($4.79). Excellent cole slaw, light fluffy hush puppies and really *really* good fried chicken. Light, crispy batter, lightly seasoned. Large pieces, compared to most chicken places.

The seven piece fried oysters with cornbread and onion rings. ($5.49). The oysters were large in the sense that there were more than one in some of the fried pieces. They were very juicy and in a cornbread-based batter. The cornbread was with a sweet flavor, not too fancy but fresh. The onions rings were made with diced onions…all the same size and passable: not great.

So, if you get that fried food craving again and are on El Cajon Boulevard, stop in. The fried catfish is really good, better than the snapper. If anything, get the popcorn chicken…that will satisfy your craving for a while.

Crispy Fried Chicken 4919 El Cajon Boulevard San Diego 92115 (619) 582-3938

Mon-Sat 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Episode 14/Week 2-Mien Trung – The best “spicy beef soup” ever!

October 14, 2006 Cathy Bun Bo Hue, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Hi. I’ve been watching the Blue Angels Air Show all day today it seems. (There was a night show..little joke there…).

So, it is cold out…rained on and off all day and I’d like a little spice…and I know exactly the flavors I want. They are here: The one on the right, Mien Trung. (I told you about La Basil, the one on the left, in Episode four.).

Mien Trung has been in the same location for almost 10 years now. They do not advertise. They don’t have to . When you are good, word of mouth is your best advertisement.

Its family owned and run, the menu is simple and, technically, there is no Pho on the menu. The soup is listed under Bun- rice noodles. The broth is the *best* I have had in San Diego, bar none. The menu is

short and simple. 24 items total to choose from, not including beverages.

What we had tonight:

The #2- Bun Bo Hue Dat Biet (Large) $4.99- rice vermicelli soup with spicy beef…

Mom (in the kitchen) toned the spice down just a touch for us and it was perfect; I did not leave with my mouth glowing. The add ins were shredded cabbage and shredded lettuce and sprouts along with lime to squeeze in…

The broth here is unique- oily and with such deep, rich flavor. The rice noodles are not in a clump, but properly cooked and spread apart in the bowl. The beef, tendon and meatloaf are extremely flavorful, thicker cut, juicy. Every time we have eaten here, the broth is wonderful and the food has been very fresh tasting…and we have always been asked upon leaving if it was to our liking.

My little "test" for a Vietnamese restaurant is what condiments are on the table.

There is NO soy sauce, NO hoisin sauce, TWO hot chili pepper sauces AND the shrimp paste, white pepper and fish sauce. (All of these places have fish sauce in Kikkoman soy sauce containers…what happens with the soy?).

The #9- Bun Cha Gio ($4.50) is unique here. The bun (rice noodles) are abundant, not in a clump, the bottom, ‘salad’ part of the dish is the same cabbage and lettuce mix that is used as the mix in for the Bun Bo Hue and not too much. The toppings are the traditional chopped peanuts, but then you get pickled vegetables, fried garlic and cilantro. The cha gio are filled with pork and some fungus and rice noodle, but are mostly meat. The sauce served with has a good bite to it and is not sweet nor too salty.

A lot of food for a small price.

This time we also opted for #22, Banh Bot Nam La, rice cake steamed in banana leaf. It was topped with ground pork and shrimp, which more like the #21 (Banh Bot Loc La) but in any case, tasted very good.

You get 8 banana leaves filled with the mixture. It is a nice add in to your other foods and had a good salty topping flavor. ($3.75) It is served with the same dipping sauce that was served with the Bun Cha Gio. It takes about 15 minutes for them to be steamed for you, but that timing works out so you can eat it with the rest of your food, since that will come out pretty fast.

We have also ordered the #8 Bun Thit Nuong- Bun with BBQ pork- $4.99-and it is excellent, tender and crispy with great flavor. Also the #12 Hen Xuc Banh Trang -pancake with baby clams- $4.99- is excellent. Baby clams are an acquired taste, though…

You should notice there is no mint and no basil served here, as sides or toppings, making this a different style of Vietnamese than you have probably tasted. From what I can tell from Google-ing, it is authentic Hue food.

There are all of eight tables and a brisk phone in/take out business. You really will like it here. Not for any fancy tables, chairs or plates (although pleasant music is playing at all times and the TV is set to interesting channels I don’t seem to be able to get ). You will like it for the quality of food and service. Care is taken with every plate served.

Mien Trung 7530 Mesa College Drive(at Linda Vista)(Next to K Sandwiches) San Diego 92111 (619) 576-0962

Tues-Sun 11a.m. to 8 p.m.

Episode 13A/Week Two-Happy Chef, Happy, Happy!

October 14, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Greek Food, Mexican Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in in the interim.

*** Update. The name has changed to Kayson’s. The people who work there all seem to be the same (even the husband and wife who I thought were owners) including Aurelio, the Chef. The walls don’t have photos of famous Channel 8 ex-personalities. The tables and chairs all match now. There is a wide screen TV and new flooring. The menu has the same foods, but the prices all went up by about $2 per item.

Update of the Update: Happy Chef and Kaysons are now closed.

Ahh, its a weekend and, well…there is this place The Mister and I have been going to since about 1984 and its still there, and I think the tables and chairs are still the same and, well, nobody has ever had a mention of it. YET, Kirk has mentioned Sammy Sushi as being his favorite place and here, Happy Chef is technically in the same building, sharing the same parking lot.

Its only open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday thru Saturday and is busy most of that time. The sign says "Home Style Cooking" and if your home is American-Greek-Mexican, then yes, it is.

The menu has American, Greek and Mexican breakfasts and for lunch, Greek Food, Mexican Food, Charbroiled burgers, salads, sandwiches, two "Oriental Plates", seafood and combo plates. Note that there is gyros listed under "Mexican Food" and under "Old Favorites" in the breakfast section, the shrimp and mixed cheese omelet….I suppose I grew up deprived…

Here is a better photo of part of the lunch menu (the descriptions are difficult to read on the paper menu because its kind of grey ink on yellow paper) :

The Mister got himself the souvlaki and eggs breakfast with pita ($6.35) and I got my all time favorite- chilaquiles with shredded beef ($4.99). The souvlaki was excellent- tender and served on a kabob with a side of tzatziki. (Those are poached eggs in the cup on the plate). I do *love* the chilaquiles here, some places only make them vegetarian style but you have the option of getting them with shredded chicken or beef and the shredded beef is excellent. Chilaquiles are tortilla strips cooked in a sauce, kind of an enchilada sauce, and then mixed in are meat or eggs or vegetables.

For lunch one day, the Mister wanted the Fish and Chips, which came with 1/2 of the plate covered in salad, the other half with in store cut potatoes and three large pieces of fish, covered in a cornmeal batter. All very tasty. The tartar sauce is made here and is very chunky with jarred relish, kind of tart in taste. I opted for the gyros with onion rings, which were whole slices of onions covered in the same cornmeal batter. The gyros was way overfilled in the pita, nice and thick sliced and had chopped onions and chopped tomatoes in it. The tzatziki is a good one, made without dill.

Now the place is called Happy Chef and the clock on the wall has been there forever. …you know I don’t have photos of people in any of my posts. But when I saw how Aurelio was dressed on this day, I just *had* to ask permission. He did not want to have his photo taken and I told him it was for my mom to see. She will see it…(click onto the photo for it to enlarge and look at the clock). Doesn’t he look happy, just like the guy on the clock?

Anthony’s Happy Chef 7905 Engineer Road San Diego 92111 (across from Pacific Honda) (858)569-1582

Monday-Saturday 6 a.m.-3 p.m.

Episode 13-Week 2 Easy Weekend Breakfast

October 13, 2006 Cathy Cooking, Recipes, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Hi. It was a nice, rainy day. Hope yours went well. This will be a relatively short post. I am going to the Asian Film Festival with the Mister tonight to seeAsian Stories, Book 3 which is directed by DietChiliCheeseFries. Considering I have not ventured into a movie theater, nor rented a DVD or movie in more than ten years, this is kind of major for me.

One thing Kirk and I have in common is that each of us married people who were not born in the USA. Kirk’s Missus is from China and my Mister was born in Finland. This may help explain why most of my posts are not totally Asian in content. I only know what I like, not the intricacies of each ingredient or style in which to eat.

Oh, and Kirk was born in Hawaii and I was born in Detroit and I am mostly Polish, with some German and Russian thrown in. That said, the Mister and I are kind of ‘hearty’ eaters… Here is a common Finnish breakfast treat…it works wonderfully for guests. You can make the mix the night before and leave in the fridge, pouring the mix into the heated baking dish once the butter in it has melted.

Finnish Oven Pancake

9×13 pan.. Put a stick of butter in it, put into oven and turn heat on to 425°. Let butter melt and start mixing:

5 large eggs (7 or 8 small)

1 Tbs sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 C milk

1 half pint container of cottage cheese

1 C all purpose flour

1 Tsp baking POWDER

Pour mix into the buttered hot pan. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes. When you take it out of the oven, it will be puffy, like the above photograph. It will then collapse. Cut it and it looks like this:

The Mister likes it with maple syrup; I like it plain. It can be eaten hot or cold. We serve with bacon and fresh fruit.

This recipe was featured in the "Chefs of the West" section of Sunset Magazine in August 1985. If you find that issue of that magazine, you know the Mister’s name. You also will be considered a stalker….

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The Mister and I just got back from Hazard Center and seeing Asian Stories, Book 3. It was great! It will be played again this Tuesday October 17 at 4:30. If you get the chance, don’t miss it! It is a dramatic comedy, with a girl. The food references are almost too numerous to count…but I am going to look for the artichoke goat cheese empañadas at Trader Joe’s the next time I go…..

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Episode 12/week two- Mrs. Rice’s Teriyaki Grill and Gourmet Wraps and Hawaiian BBQ

October 12, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Mrs. Rice is closed.

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Oooh boy, did I have a tough time trying to put a category on this one…Mrs. Rice's…It's right there on the southeast corner of Clairmont Mesa and 163…in the same parking lot with Golden City. We first tried it because Golden City was so crowded one afternoon. The menu says it is "Teriyaki Chicken, Gourmet Wraps and Hawaiian BBQ"…"a unique quick serve restaurant that specializes in fresh, healthy and delicious rice bowls and gourmet wraps". The word "healthy" is always bothersome to me. Usually it means "flavorless". But not at Mrs. Rice's!

Click here to see the website.

So, the Mister works near the 163/Clairmont Mesa/Balboa area and in the lobby at work, he saw this coupon page, and remembered we had tried Mrs. Rice's when it first opened and were not overly thrilled with it, but it wasn't bad..and now there were coupons! (Oh, and the Mister is really getting into this whole blogging thing too, trying to help me with ideas of places I should talk about ).

So, this is the regular menu.

and this is the new Hawaiian BBQ menu.

I do think Kirk could give a better eval of whether or not the Hawaiian menu is good, and besides, the coupon wasn't for those items…

So… the regular menu:

We tried the #12 (sweet and sour chicken and BBQ pork) $4.99. Lots of good rice. The sweet and sour chicken is a bit too sweet I think. (All the chicken is skinless here, by the way… part of that "healthy" way of cooking). The BBQ pork was excellent, especially dipped in the sauce that came with and the vegetables were steamed and still a bit crispy. Quite good, quite filling.

Ah, but the #7 (teriyaki chicken and teriyaki steak) $5.49…oh that steak…nice and tender, thick enough and sooo tasty (they only use USDA choice steaks). The teriyaki sauce was nice and not overly sweet..it went well with the chicken and the steak. Same veggies, and lots of good rice.

Mrs. Rice's does serve healthy (no shortening, butter, lard or MSG) food, makes their own sauces and salsas fresh daily, and the food always is fresh. The veggies are not over-steamed or mushy..and if someone is a rice addict out there (Hello Kirk), well, this is a good fix.

As it says on the ads: Always fresh! Always Great!

Mrs. Rice's 5375 Kearney Villa Road, #101 San Diego 92123

(858)278-0618 fax: (858) 278-9801

Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed weekends…I bet that is when they do most of the catering)

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Just a reminder: The San Diego Asian Film Festival started tonight, and ChiliCheeseFries has his movie playing (Asian Stories Movie) this weekend. For more info: Click here.

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Episode Eleven/week two-The San Diego Chicken Pie Shop

October 11, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part Usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Hi. Sometimes I *need* to eat food using chop sticks. Sometimes I *need* to eat food with some type of red, spicy sauce. Sometimes, it has to remind me of my childhood.

The San Diego Chicken Pie Shop has been around since 1938, moving from location to location but with the food remaining consistent….a kind of cross between school cafeteria food and what my mom used to make. Simple, hearty, tasty and economical.

When we went here in 1988, with my dad, the "Pie Dinner" was $3.10 and included the beverage…now it is $5.50 and does not include a beverage. My, how times have changed…but the food tastes exactly the same….and that is all that matters.

The top menu is the sit down restaurant one and the bottom menu is for the take out.

As part of my stating the obvious, the name is the Chicken Pie Shop. Get the chicken pie. The "Pie Dinner" at $5.50 is the best deal. We also opted for a cup of pea soup ($1.25)and a bowl of the "soup of the day"- Oriental Chicken-which was the regular in store made chicken soup with rice in it. ($1.50)( please…I said school cafeteria already…)

The chicken soup has celery, carrots, a bit of onion and bay leaf as seasoning in it. It seems to be a bit creamy, but that could be because of the added rice.

I really like the pea soup- chicken stock based with carrots added to the peas. It is quite unique, thick and flavorful. No ham.

So here it is- the pie dinner:

You get a hearty, chewy fresh made dinner roll, some really nice, finely chopped, fresh made basic cole slaw ( I usually add pepper to it), the pie, institutional mashed potatoes, some lovely congealing gravy and the vegetable of the day, in this case..mixed, previously frozen.

Is that, like, a Swanson’s frozen pot pie you ask…NO!

Look at the innards. Its chicken and gravy, no vegetables…oh and that crust is made fresh also…and the pie is kind of really large…

and also included in this $5.50 price tag is dessert…a slice of in store made pie.…oh the shortening crust…!

There is a "cream pie" of the day, in this case it was banana…I know on Tuesdays it is coconut cream other days have chocolate cream and pineapple cream….which is topped with yet more industrial "whipped topping"…and the "usual" pies of the day are two crusted (with sugar sprinkled on top) and fruit filled- The one the Mister chose was rhubarb, but they also have cherry and peach and I have seen pumpkin and lemon on occasion.

This restaurant takes cash ONLY, no credit cards, no ATM, no checks.

It is good, basic food, served quickly (if you order the chicken pie and then get up to go to the restroom, the food will be on the table by the time you get back) (the chicken liver meal takes the longest to cook and I do order it on occasion).

San Diego Chicken Pie Shop 2633 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego 92104 (619) 295-0156 fax in an order (619) 295-0216

10 a.m. -8 p.m. 7 days

Episode Ten/Week 2- Daphne’s

October 10, 2006 Cathy Chains, Greek Food, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

So, as I am getting hungry (again) and looking for something relatively inexpensive, I check my email (because in September, The Mister and I share birthdays seven days apart and I let everyone at my spam email address know this) and there are a few e-coupons with some good deals:
Rubios sent me a coupon for a free chips and guacamole with purchase (worth $1.99)
Sammys Woodfired sent me a coupon for a free "Messy Sundae" (worth $7.95, which I would never pay that much for, but we ate it anyhow)
Pat and Oscars sent some sort of two for one coupon, have until Oct 15 to use..
and then there was Daphne’s;

Yes, it is a chain. They call it "contemporary, casual, delicious Greek food". The owner, George Katakalidis, is a former San Diego Socker who also played for other Professional Indoor Soccer teams and also was the Captain of the National Youth Team of Canada. He was born in Greece and adapted the foods for Daphne’s to be Greek, but also consistent throughout the chain. There are presently 65 locations throughout California and Arizona. This is a photo of the one in Santee, next to the trolley station.

So, when you sign up on the Daphne’s website to be a VIP member of their e Club, you get a few benefits…one of those benefits is a monthly coupon for something…This month it was for the gyros pita, fries and beverage for $5.49 which is $6.99 as a lunch special or the sandwich by itself is regular $5.29. This is incentive for us to go. (No, I did not get any coupon for my birthday).

The pita is fresh, the gyros meat is moist, tender, sliced thin and plentiful. It comes with lettuce, tomato and tzatziki sauce, which is made with yogurt, cucumber and dill. It is a good, filling sandwich.

The menu is simple, also on the website and prices are consistent throughout the chain.

I usually get the vegetarian platter which has a nice spanakopita, falafel, dolmas and hummus and is served with a Greek salad, rice pilaf, tzatziki and pita bread. ($8.29)

Today the Mister wanted the Greek chicken salad with avgolemono soup ($6.49 at lunch).

The soup is creamy, rich with chicken stock and rice and with a good lemon overtone.

The salad is a plentiful Greek salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, pepperocini, feta cheese, kalmata olives and a home made Greek dressing. The marinated chicken placed on top is warm. It is served with more tzatziki and warm pita.

Daphne’s offers a "Fire Feta®" cheese, which we have tried. It costs 79¢ more and it just isn’t that thrilling and doesn’t add anything for either the Mister or I..but I see lots of people buying it.

You can always add rice pilaf to any salad for no extra charge here and it is good.

The eclub has its benefits in addition to the monthly coupons. You register with Daphne’s and can either get a card or give them your phone number each time you order and after you have ordered $200 of food, you get a coupon/gift card for $25. This is a good deal if maybe you are ordering a lot or go there regularly, maybe for an office.

Yes, it is a chain. Yes, you have probably seen it. Go and try it. The food is not bad and always fresh.

Daphne’s- 65 locations in California and Arizona

Check the website for specific locations.