September 2007 – mmm-yoso

Peru Day1: El Fayke Piurano – Central Lima

September 30, 2007 mmm-yoso Lima, Peru, Travel

So let's start at the beginning. A few months back, the Missus and I decided on a trip to Peru. It was the perfect country for us…..a great combination of food, history, culture, and more food! After doing a ton of research, we made our arrangements, and could hardly contain ourselves. At this point I need to thank two individuals; Melissa, a great FOY (friend of yoso), who was the first to recommend Copa Airlines and Diamox(for altitude sickness), and uber-food blogger Alejandro, who does the wonderful Peru Food blog. I'll be citing many posts from Peru Food in future posts, so please check out His superb blog.

Most flights to Lima arrive late in the evening, which we didn't think would do. Especially since we needed to be at the airport by 4am the next morning. The Copa Airlines flight arrives in Lima at 3pm. The only catch is this:

Yes, that's right, the flight leaves at 153am in the morning! This meant a drive up to LA, and a flight to catch at almost 2am. Well, at least we'd be able to catch a bit of shut eye on the flight….except for one little problem. I had completed seat assignments online, and had seats reserved in row 7, but when we went to check in, we found that the model of aircraft had been changed, and suddenly, we had row 25, the very last row on the plane…..the nether region of the aircraft where seats do not recline. I did manage to take two short 15 minute naps using the patented "lean technique", where I lean forward, resting my forehead on the seat back in row in front of me. Wouldn't you know that the person sharing our row was from Taiwan! He and the Missus had a nice conversation in Mandarin(the magic word is…Din Tai Fung!). Seems that there are quite a few Chinese and Taiwanese in Panama, working for various shipping interests. As a matter of fact, we noticed that all the Asians were seated around us…..to which led me to comment, "hey, are all the Asians seated at the back of the plane?" Seriously, the service on Copa was excellent, more friendly and accommodating than most US carriers. After a stopover in Tocumen International Airport, where you can get everything from designer attire to top of the line electronics…at the airport! We arrived at Jorge Chavez International Airport on time, and our driver (offered by most hotels) met us, and we were off……the ride from the airport to Central Lima is worth an entire post of its own. So let me just say this, Magic Mountain ain't got nothing on a taxi ride in Lima. I was amazed at the chaotic, yet intricately choreographed dance that occurs on the roads in Lima. I was also glad to make it to our hotel in one piece…… If I was tired getting on our arrival in Lima, the edge of the seat thrills and chills of the ride woke me up.

After checking in at our hotel, totally famished, we headed off for our first meal in Peru. I had intentionally made reservations at a hotel close to a restaurant I wanted to try….. yes, I know, a bit backwards……but since this was just a place to crash for evening….. Right around the block was El Fayke Piurano. I had read about this restaurant in this post in Peru Food. I was sure that the Missus, who loves Cebiche would enjoy Herself here.

We entered and was led to the upstairs dining area. Even though our server did not speak English, we had no problem ordering. The only thing that caused some puzzled looks from our Server was that she could not understand why we ordered 3 dishes……with good reason.

Soon enough our Cancha, those addictive roasted corn kernels arrived. These were a bit on the dry side, but were the perfect addition to the Cebiche de Cojinova (s/18 – 18 soles – about $6):

Cojinova is a fish also known as the Palm Ruff, with a slightly red flesh. The Missus thought the Leche de Tigre ("tigers milk", the cebiche marinade) to be much too sour, but the addition of some cancha and the Aji balanced things out. The Cojinova was a bit more chewy than I enjoy, but was not bad. The Missus never met a camote(sweet potato) she didn't like, and this was no exception.

I still have not developed a taste for Canarios(Canary Beans), I find them tough, fibrous, and dry. Still, I thought this to be pretty good.

The Tiradito en Crema de Rocoto (s/21 – about $7)

Not much to say, other than this was excellent. Fresh, soft, strips of fish, in a velvety, slightly spicy sauce. Nice depth without losing the flavor of the fish. I'd have this several times a week if I had a chance.

Along with our Inca Kola (it tastes different than the version in the US), this was a nice meal so far.

But we weren't done…the Missus also wanted the Arroz con Mariscos (Seafood with Rice s/18 – $6)…yes 6 bucks, for this ginormous portion of rice topped with seafood:

The Missus loved the 2 very fresh, very sweet scallops, but not being a fan of squid and octopus(other than smoked taco), she had a problem with the toppings. The rice was also quite rich, almost like paella, which I enjoyed, but was too rich for the Missus.

Way more food than we could finish…though we polished off the cebiche and tiradito. Can you believe the prices? The whole meal was about s/60…..about twenty bucks!

El Fayke Piurano
Jirón Huancavelica 165
Central Lima

After our meal we took a short walk to grab some bottled water. Jiron de la Union is a pedestrian only mall that bisects Central Lima. You'll find tons of shops…and Pollo ala Brasa (rotisserie chicken) joints on every block!

Even though I could feel a food coma coming on, I managed to take a photo of Iglesias La Merced:

According to what I read this Church is built on the site of the first mass ever held in Lima.

The mass of humanity in this city of 9 million, along with the air quality, was starting to get to us, so after checking out Plaza de Armas (a future post), and grabbing some bottled water, we headed back to our hotel. This being our first evening in Peru, we headed down to the hotel bar and the Missus had a Pisco Sour.

The Missus thought this Pisco Sour was the best She had on this trip.

I had a bottle of Cristal, which the Missus enjoyed as well. The security guard at the hotel was so very nice to us…..he also gave us directions to the "super mercado", so the Missus got him some bottled water, as way of thanking him.

Soon enough we were back in our room, crashing in anticipation of our morning flight. A 330 am wake up was ahead of us……

I’m baaaack…….

September 28, 2007 mmm-yoso Peru, Travel

Well, we’re back….or at least have been back for a few days. I need to express mucho gratitude to Cathy, for doing such a great (as always) job while we were away.

So where did we go, what did we do, and more importantly, what did we eat? I’m in the process of sorting through 1200+ photos, and will hopefully be able to start posting on our trip to Peru starting on Sunday. There is one thing I’d like an opinion on, I’ve got a bunch of stories, and many meals….but I really don’t want to be a bore. So should I just start, and go in chronological order? Or should I just do an abridged version and just to a few highlites? You let me know.

Here are a few photos to help you make a decision.

Cusco is a wonderful city, with warm, friendly, and kind people. Once you get past the hawkers(who weren’t too agressive, and can be dismissed with a courteous "no gracias"), we found Cusco to be a beautiful city to visit.

I’ve got more than a few stories of kindnesses bestowed upon us in Cusco.

And of course the sights and sounds were marvelous…

And of course there was…

Macchu Picchu!

What about food?????

As you can see, there is quite a bit of "stuff"…….and some really great eats, from the Chicha de Jora "speakeasy" in Calca, to Mercado Central in Cusco, an excellent Picanteria, some great Cebiche, and Astrid y Gaston to top it all off.

I’m not sure you’ll want to read it all, so you tell me.

I’ll be back on Sunday!

Rickshaw Corner in Tierrasanta.

September 27, 2007 Cathy Chicken Wings, Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is the blog that never goes on vacation, even though Kirk does. Cathy is still here, talking about yet another meal she ate.

So, long story short. The Mister was stuck in some major traffic on 52 last night. He finally got to the Santo Road exit, took it and was looking for a pay phone (keeping it short, don't ask about a mobile phone right now) and eventually ended up at the Vons at Santo Road and Clairmont Mesa, where there is a pay phone in front of a Laundromat.

He told me there was a Chinese Restaurant on the end of the mall and it looked really busy with lots of people doing take out. I should have asked him to see what they were ordering, but it is too late for that now.

It turns out the menu is two sided, Chinese and Japanese. Taking the 50-50 chance, we chose Chinese…because…well

I grew up with this>

as my definition of Chinese food and so, nothing could be that bad…and- AND- and the Japanese Bento meals were being served on -Honest To God- sectioned cafeteria food trays.

Plus, well, if you read the menu, you get 8 Pot Stickers on the Chinese menu for $4.95-(62¢ each), versus the 5 Gyoza for $3.25 (65¢ each) on the Japanese menu.

Chinese it was.

The 10 piece fried chicken wing appetizer ($4.95). Nicely fried, plump and juicy but absolutely needed the Plum Sauce served with them. Soy Sauce also helped.

The pot stickers. Absolutely wonderful.

Plump, meaty, great pork with some water chestnut filling. Just right thickness skins stir fried to a perfect crispiness.

We decided to try the 3 Flavor Sizzling Rice Soup. ($4.95). It was brought out in two bowls, the rice was not sizzling, but was cooked. The broth was cabbage and white pepper based, not at all chicken flavored, even though there was a layer of oil on top and I thought that was an indication it was a chicken broth. The cabbage and peas were fresh and crispy, not canned. The shrimp had good flavor but the chicken pieces tasted old and maybe freezer burned. The beef just had no flavor. It was not good. If I had a cold, I might want it just to get hydration and something into me, but … no. Not really.

We decided to try the vegetable Egg Foo Young ($6.95). I have never seen egg foo young prepared this way. Two pancakes topped with stir fried vegetables and sauce. The vegetables were good and fresh and the sauce was nice and the pancakes were… pancakes, with canned or frozen peas and carrots-no bean sprouts- in them. Kind of thin, kind of tough. Strange.

As were our fortunes. The Mister's says "Great! You're ready for a party." and mine says "You are primed to come up with a creative solution."

Whatever. It was a meal. I am curious as to what they can to do to Japanese food now. The people working are all family, very friendly and nice, knowing the regulars who are coming in to pick up meals …I just wish I knew what they all ordered.

Rickshaw Corner 10428 Clairmont Mesa Blvd (at Santo Road) (Tierrasanta) San Diego 92124 (858)541-1998 (858)541-0877 Mon-Sat 11:30-9:30 Sun 3-9 (Closed M-F 3-4 p.m.)

Curry House-a ch-ch-ch-chain…and, no rules- we didn’t order curry!

September 26, 2007 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Curry House has closed.

mmm-yoso!!!, the blog. About food. Cathy still blogging about food eaten around San Diego. Ed eating but not documenting in Yuma. Kirk eating and eventually documenting from Peru.

Hi. Cathy here with maybe some better photos of this meal. Lunch at Curry House. It says 'Curry and spaghetti' on the front signage.

There are plastic bowls of plastic food in the front window, and menus displayed.

There has been a coupon in the papers lately- buy one and two beverages and get the other menu item free. With a week of meals eaten out, as well as trying to have something interesting to blog about, a coupon was a nice deal. We got a hot tea, which came with a just right size pot of water to make three cups and high quality Japanese green tea bag and a coffee, which happened to be fresh brewed since The Mister apparently was the only person drinking coffee in a Japanese restaurant, and it was served with a little pitcher of real cream (each $1.75).

Then we got the menu and I wanted to try all the other items on the menu and not the curries, mainly because Kirk has already blogged (and so has Guest Commenter Vicky, who blogged a bit and moved North earlier this year) about Curry House and they must do that well, right? The restaurant is owned and run by House Foods, a major supplier of all kinds of goodies, from curries and sauces to tofu 'noodles'. So, the menu items are kind of all made from Asian Grocery Store staples, and are a selling point for the restaurant…but wow: excellent.

So, we decided to try out a bowl of corn potage($2.60)

…this is not corn chowder, but corn soup. Excellent corn soup. Whole corn niblets are in it and it is …oh…more like corn pudding in richness of flavor, but not too thick.

Then there was a hand out that came with the regular menu- a single page with new stuff on it-and photos-…

So anyhow, Seafood with yam noodles. ($9.50)

Sort of in an Alfredo sauce- but not. Thinner sauce, hint of curry heat under, but white. Excellent rich flavor. The yam 'noodles' were wide- we have had skinnier yam 'noodles' that fell apart, but these 'noodles' held up. There were squid rings, fish, mussels, shrimp and broccoli and onions in this *large* bowl. Excellent flavor, unexpected high quality of seafood. I don't know why we thought it would be not great, but this was *really* good. Not Italian seafood fettuccine, but a nice Japanese version and the menu said lower in calories that regular pasta (550 calories versus 900). Like I care about calories. It is flavor I care about.

I decided to splurge and get the crab and shrimp salad($12.75).

We had to wait a bit because they were cooking and peeling the crab and shrimp to put on top of this salad. Yes, they were warm (and sweet/fresh tasting) on top of the mixed greens, cabbage, tomatoes and radish sprouts served on the icy cold plate. While we waited, we noticed the advertising set on the table and the House salad dressing was available for sale for $3.50 and the sign said "no preservatives". We asked and the waitress said it lasts only abut 10 days. Fresh made…oh my. It was rich soy sauce, garlic and ginger flavored, deep and wonderful. I am definitely going to buy some when I hit one of my "daily must eat greens" phases, which happens every few months. The combination of flavors was really good.

I saw some side dishes that you could order, ostensibly with a curry dish, on the menu and asked if I could get a potato croquette($1.50). I usually get fresh made croquettes at Nijiya Market, in the same parking lot, but I wanted to try this one. It was a nice, plump, moist potato, lightly breaded with panko and with a light fry- delicate, yet crusty. Kind of a nice side to go with the salad, although I could have added on a cup of potage and bread for $1.50.

Also, even though Red Berry is in the same parking lot, it was dessert time and, since it was still a week-o-birthday meal,

we shared a red bean ice cream ($2.95-which was comped by the Manager once He knew it was our birthdays, via an inadvertent mention to our waitress; unexpectedly nice).

All in all, excellent non-curry food. I didn't follow my own rules to 'order what the name of the restaurant is about' and was not at all disappointed. Very pleasantly surprised. They make tasty food. There are daily lunch specials noted at the front of the building and lunch prices range from $7-$14. Not bad at all for the quality and attentive service.

Curry House San Diego 3860 Convoy (in Nijiya Center) San Diego 92111 (858)278-2454 M-F 11:30-2:30, 5:30-9:00 S-S 11:30-9:00

Sakura-Izakaya Yet another post

September 25, 2007 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is a blog about food and Cathy is having a busy week. Kirk is somewhere and did e-mail her from "some God forsaken internet cafe in some alley in Lima". He is alive, but not able to post His vacation eatings just yet.

Hi. I have had an unusually busy week and so this is another short post. I have kind of been eating fast, or while driving (which is not an easy thing to do in a manually transmissioned vehicle) AND it is kind of a special week- The Mister and I have birthdays seven days apart and our "tradition" is to eat out every day-He gets to choose the three days including His birthday, we both agree on the middle day’s eatery and then I get the last three days, ending on my birthday. (By that point, by the way, I get really tired of going out to eat and just want a comforting bowl of chili or soup at home).

So, Sakura. My choice. Izakaya style Japanese food. There are a ton of posts here about the restaurant, but mostly about its Sushi Bar. Izakaya style is …more substantial than tapas…but are still small plates of food, prepared in various manners. Kind of a meal of large appetizers/snacks (otoushi). Actually, alcohol is a primary draw of Izakaya shops, but the last thing I need now is to sleep in on any morning this week, so none for us- hot tea is perfect with this meal.

The meal starts out with a oshibori (wet towel). These are prepackaged and kind of nice and luxurious.

These are fried squid legs($5)- we did get eight, but I forgot to take a picture of the plate.

Lightly breaded, fresh and chewy (but not too chewy) legs.

The spicy fish salad ($8). Kind of a Japanese "poke" with a variety of fish- skate, tuna, squid, halibut, salmon and something else, chopped and in a spicy and sesame oil sauce with tomatoes, thin sliced mild onions and spicy radish sprouts.

There is, of course sashimi on the menu, but we figured this way we got something cold and raw and a few vegetables…

Gosh, we can justify anything…

Soft shell crab ($6). Fried in a different batter than the squid legs.

Light batter, large and juicy crab, cut into five pieces.

Served with a warm dipping sauce and shredded daikon (radish) that I put into the sauce to add flavor.

Yakisoba ($7.50). Buckwheat noodles stir fried with beef, cabbage, carrots in a light sauce.

I always like yakisoba and this was a nice surprise, since we never had ordered it here. Earlier in this week-o-food we had a very strange sauced yakisoba, which I will comment on in a future post…

Beef in sesame sauce ($8). Wow.

A completely different flavor and tenderness level than what was in the yakisoba. Wonderful, tender, flavorful beef.

The sauce was more of a sesame paste, not at all a sesame oil, which I was expecting.

This is one you should have every time.

I wanted to try the savory pancake ($8)- fresh made bread/pancake on the bottom (more pizza crust like than a batter pancake, but you need that thickness because the toppings are heavy) topped with ‘octopus, shrimp and vegetables’.

The vegetables were mostly tomato, but there were pieces of cabbage, and of course topping of shaved (and dancing from the heat) bonito flakes. Kind of sweet; it needed that mayonnaise with some of the bites.

We knew we needed some vegetable with all of this food, so ordered a plate of spinach and mushrooms sauteed in garlic butter ($5). Oh you could taste the butter…

All in all, a very nice, quiet Monday dinner. It was not busy at all (one other table) so my photos a blurry because I did not want to use flash.

Total damage was $47 without tip. It was nice and relaxing. We enjoy the Izakaya style -in all cuisines- Oh, you’ve seen I have made a meal of appetizers elsewhere.

Don’t even ask how old we are. It is best left to your imagination that I am your age. In any case, I got carded the last few weekends when I went to Pacific Beach Bar and Grill, and I love the security people there…

Izakaya Sakura. It is on Convoy Street in that mall that has the Original Pancake house in it and there is no signage. Go to the back of the mall, next to the Military Recruiting storefront and the neon "OPEN" sign is the entrance. Really.

You can find the plethora of other posts about Sakura on this blog by scrolling in the left column and clicking onto "Japanese restaurants"

West Coast Barbecue and Catering-Good food in La Mesa

September 24, 2007 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is the blog about food and Cathy is still doing the blogging because, you know, she is the Temp, and Kirk is in Peru, eating and taking pictures of a lot of interesting stuff to tell you about soon.

Hello. I’m back with another interesting meal. I asked The Mister to pick up something for dinner the other night and he had heard the the former owners of Bekker’s Barbecue had started a new business on Lake Murray Boulevard in La Mesa. We always liked Bekker’s and were sad when it closed, leaving us not much choice for slow smoked(Texas Style BBQ) meats in East County.

The new location is still pretty close to our place in Santee in the shopping center that has the Ross Dress for Less in La Mesa. For some reason the photo of the front will not load, but it is where the Russian Restaurant used to be.

There is a walk up window for take out, some tables outside and inside table also.

The Mister got there about 8 p.m. . Closing was at 8:30 and it was still crowded.

He ordered the Family dinner of pulled pork-

One pound of pork, 3 dinner rolls, 2 pints of sides. $15.99.

This easily was two pounds of pulled pork. (Editor’s Note: pulled pork is very slow cooked shoulder, so tender it can be pulled from the bones and does not have to be cut) I have one of those 3 pound packages of Kirkland Signature extra lean ham from Costco in the fridge, still sealed (two packages are sold together) and I cut it along the center and the single ham package weighed a lot loss that this box of pulled pork, which was smoky, tender, delicious. The bread was chewy and crust not crispy. It was not what I would call great bread, but I would not call it bad, either.

The barbecue sauce came on the side and was sweet and tangy with just enough, if maybe too little vinegar. It went well with the meat.

The Mister chose the cole slaw and baked beans as the sides. The beans had a different sweet sauce, not the same as the BBQ sauce and some meat in them and were definitely made there, not canned; not mushy. The cole slaw was good. Crispy and dressing was light. Good and fresh, not tasting flat or old.

Other sides he could have ordered were: corn, chili, potato salad, fries, baked potato (which The Mister said was huge-he saw one served to someone inside) tossed green salad and Cesar salad.

All in all, a lot of good food. It was quite good. I know someone will pipe up with their favorite BBQ place, but this one deserves a try. Bekker’s was great and also catered. The catering prices are a pretty good deal and I think worth it for this quality of food. website

West Coast Barbecue and Catering 6126 Lake Murray Boulevard La Mesa 91942 Tuesday-Sunday 4 p.m.-8:30 p.m. To Go phone (619) GO2FOOD (462-3663) Catering office hours M-F 9-5 Catering available anytime.

Cheese Shop Deli- Downtown breakfast and lunch

September 23, 2007 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Cheese, Sandwiches, What Cathy Eats!

The restaurant and menu are the same, but the location of Cheese Shop Deli has moved to the Horton Grand Hotel on 311 Island Avenue, downtown.

mmm-yoso is the food blog and Cathy is writing while Kirk vacations and ed stays in Yuma, grading more papers.

Hi. Food blogging time. This is a short one. I have had to be in downtown San Diego fora few reasons rather regularly lately(I happen to be a registered voter and have a driver’s license; figure it out) and so I have been exploring eateries in the area.

The Mister and I used to go to The Cheese Shop downtown a lot, more than 15 years ago, when Horton Plaza first opened. It is a delicatessen as well as breakfast place and we always liked it. The physical location moved about a half block away, but the ambiance and food seems to be the same.

Except for the prices, of course.

So, I had a couple of breakfast items and will share.

The mushroom swiss omelet ($7.95) comes with that half a plate of hash browns and is made with fresh sauteed thinly sliced mushrooms. Quite full. The egg was not as fluffy/crispy as I like in omelets, but was tasty. This also came with toast.

I decided to try the breakfast sandwich ($3.75)- an egg with cheese (cheddar) and choice of ham, bacon or sausage (I got bacon) on an English muffin. Looked kind of small, and I did take one bite and then decided to ‘deconstruct’ it

and put some of the jelly that is on the table on the muffin and ate the egg and cheese and bacon with a fork and knife. Made me take my time and remember, again, that there are no rules.

On Friday, I decided to get a cheese tray for two to go. ($11.80 with tax)

Three cheeses (the proper amount- if you do more than that, tastes are muddled) Muenster, Brie and a medium cheddar, some vegetable wheat crackers and grapes. This was perfect snack for the two of us when we were working around the house Friday evening.

My favorite grilled cheese sandwich here is Havarti on pumpernickel. They serve pancakes, bagels an cereals for breakfast and hot, traditional and specialty sandwiches as well as cheese sandwiches burgers and home made soups and salads for lunch. Breakfast is served all day. You can read the menu on line.

Cheese Shop Delicatessen 627 Fourth Avenue San Diego 92101 (619)232-2303 open 7 days M-F 7 am-4pm S-S 8 am-4pm NEW LOCATION: 311 Island Avenue San Diego 92101. Check the website link, above.

2165 Avenida de la Playa La Jolla 92037 (858)459-3921

Silly Saturday- Kirk is away and Cathy will play-More Little Secrets.

September 22, 2007 mmm-yoso Sandwiches, Stuff, What Cathy Eats!, yoso-silly

mmm-yoso!!! is the blog about food. Enjoy reading and vicariously sharing in Cathy’s meals today.

Yes, Kirk is still in Peru. Ed is busy grading papers in Yuma. It is my blog for now and a dreary, rainy day in San Diego. I am not at the Red Bull Air Races, not at Street Scene or a Padre Game. I am at home with the camera and have a bunch of small notes I want to share with you. I know you are reading the blog no matter what. All of these notes have a bit to do with food. Don’t tell me you don’t understand the places I am talking about. Most of you know this McDonald’s . It is the one on Clairmont Mesa across from the San Diego Superior Court-Traffic Court,, if you are *really* familiar.

They modernized it -Big Time-I am talking the outdoor area has a waterfall. It is a work of

art, built into that wall. The permanent tables and chairs on the tile floors are sturdier and nicer than before.

Then inside- yes- you see one of the TWO flat screen televisions, each set to a different channel and with closed captioning on, in case it is noisy. There are several bar-height tables, also. Now- look- yes in the back by the rest rooms. A small library/sitting area. The books are on the Honor System. You can take them. They ask that you please bring them back. Cool. This is McDonald’s. Very nice. Menu is the same. This location also is one of the few that has $1.29 Fillet O Fish Fridays all year, not just during Lent. That is my dirty secret of what I eat at McDonald’s.

Not to be outdone, the Jack in the Box in Santee also had a complete re-doing of its interior this month. No television, but three bar stool height tables as well as a counter with permanent bar stools and new tables and chairs.

My dirty secret from Jack in the Box- those darn 2 for 99¢ tacos. I don’t know what the recipe is. The meat is mushy, finely ground, sort of like baby food, but has this addictive flavor along with lettuce, cheese, salsa and the corn tortilla is fried flat and …gosh I love those tacos.

A biggie secret, which many people have told me is this one. Yes, Hometown Buffet.

They think because I am so into eating, that I would not consider this place.

Ha. The only thing I do

not consider are ‘rules’ . There are no rules. [Remember this in all aspects of life, if nothing else. ]

I get the fried chicken here, always the fried chicken. I can’t make this at home. I also just fill a soup bowl with mashed potatoes and gravy. Salty, sticky brown flavored gravy.

I put some of the already dressed Cesar salad on the bottom of the salad plate, then spinach on top of it, then mushrooms, cucumbers, onions and beets, beets, beets and some sunflower seeds. My salad.

Then it is time for dessert. Again, no rules. Get a glass. Fill it halfway with vanilla soft serve. Get another glass. Fill that one halfway with root beer. Combine. Root beer float.

Yay! I do also like the Waldorf Salad here. Red and green apples, raisins and walnuts in a mayonnaise sauce. That is also part of my dessert.

OK. my one real sweet craving. These- and only these- cookies. Biscos Sugar Wafers. They are either on a top shelf or a bottom shelf and absolutely never on sale. There are three packages wrapped within the big package, so I can make these last a long time. They are soooo good. Delicate and not artificial tasting.

Last secret- today is the middle day between The Mister’s birthday and my birthday. We went to Anthony’s for lunch, got everything we wanted and our very nice waitress, Kathy, brought us a slice of this ice cream pie. The ice cream had almonds in it and hot fudge on top and real whipped cream and the crust was Oreo cookies with butter. Salty tasting. I ate the crust. Yum. Happy Birthday, Sweetie.

Hope you are having a nice weekend.

Da Hawaiian Grinds- Plate lunch in Santee (it used to be Shaka)

September 20, 2007 Cathy Local Kine Stuffs in San Diego, Plate Lunch, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso, the blog, is never on vacation. Cathy is posting while Kirk and Ed are not. Primarily because Kirk is in Peru and Ed is in Yuma…they have interesting lives.

Sadly, Da has closed and now the only Hawaiian food in Santee is L&L, and at my house.

Hi. Cathy here, sort of adding onto “Plate Lunch Week”..with my own ‘White Girl From Santee’ point of view…
Yes, we have a Hawaiian Restaurant in East County…

Well, actually, one day it turned into this place. Wherein they changed the name on the sign on the outside; all of the menu items inside still say “Shaka” and the paper to go menu is the old one with the other Shaka locations crossed out:

You can click onto any photo and it will enlarge. We will soon have another Hawaiian Restaurant!

So, Kirk is from Hawaii…I was born and Raised in Detroit and have never been to Hawaii. But I know what kind of food I like to eat…I paid attention to Kirk’s posts and asked him a few questions. This is because, before this place became “Da”, it was “Shaka”. The Mister and I went to Shaka in November of last year. Admittedly I was in a cast to my shoulder with my little broken wrist (I was not on any pain pills at the time, though; I got a prescription for 100 Vicodin and still have 92 in the bottle; you can check) and, well, the food from Shaka was not good. At all. I just didn’t even want to post about it….and I really did not understand what all this fuss and craving about ‘Plate Lunch’ was all about…

One day, I decided to stop and look at the signage in the window. Hmmm. Kirk was doing his “Plate Lunch Week” and I was a bit curious, so I made The Mister come here after work with me.

We got two basic things-Loco Moco ($7.99).

When we were here in November, this particular item was particularly unflavored- not bad, just…nothing. This time however, the rice was nice and sticky, the gravy rich and flavorful, the egg a nice orange yolked done over easy and the hamburger patty, although preformed, had a nice flavor. The gravy, in particular was rich and flavorful and therefore not a waste of calories.

I wanted to try the Katsu chicken and the Kahlua Pork. ($8.99)

WOW. The katsu coating was light and crispy and the chicken moist. The sauce was tangy and not sweet. It went well with the crispy coating. That Kahlua pork- oh my- such good flavor. Light smoky, deep pork flavor, not greasy. I now have cravings for it. The macaroni salad was tangy and not too sweet. I liked it. I don’t like macaroni salad usually…like never have I ever like macaroni salad…this stuff I ate up.

I went to pick up some ‘To Go’ items the other day. (There are some only listed at the cash register)The chicken curry rice plate($6) was excellent, deep flavored curry gravy and with plenty of chicken. The carrots were fresh and not mushy as were the celery and few potatoes.

The chicken wings ($4 for the plate) were so crispy fried with garlic and a light batter.

I got the Katsu Chicken and Kahlua pork again, because I could not believe the serving size in the restaurant. But there was just as much pork in the “To Go” box as on that platter. It was great.

If you notice on the door, there is a sign about “Happy Hour” , Monday-Friday from 2-6 pm. Hawaiian beer for $3. A PuPu Platter with 2 vegetable lumpia, musubi ( a block of rice wrapped with a choice of meat (Spam, Portuguese sausage, Chicken katsu or BBQ chicken) and edamame for $7 and also the boba drinks are $3 (versus $3.50 regularly).

I went one afternoon and just got two vegetable lumpia and a taro boba drink. My first taro boba ever. Not my last.

Taro is a root vegetable and is that beautiful light lavender color. It is a starch, is sort of nutty in flavor, et also like potato and so wonderfully fulfilling, sweet but not too much, even with the boba.

The lumpia were pretty standard. Fresh made and with a good amount of vegetables.

This sign is in the window also, and it is why I did not put the post up sooner. There is a Ukulele playing guy who used to come to the restaurant on Wednesdays, and when I went, one day, he wasn’t thee and he changed to Fridays and I haven’t been able to make it to get a photo. A lot of people come to hear him and eat some great food.

I don’t know if all this food is authentic, or if Kirk would approve, but I liked it and I think you will too.

Da Hawaiian Grindz 205 Town Center Parkway Santee (Backed up to the Costco Gas Station in same parking lot as Home Depot but next to Big Lots) 10:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m, 7 days

Wednesday Wackiness-Helpful hints-What I did on my Summer Vacation

September 19, 2007 Cathy Recipes, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is the name of the blog…written mostly by Kirk and sometimes by Cathy. Today is a sometimes day, since Kirk is in Peru and all…

Hi. Since you didn’t know me a year ago at this time, we never spent a summer together. We did, but I barely mentioned it. I took pictures anyhow and thought I’d just pass along some backyard cooking tips at you can use for yourself at home, or for when you have to bring something to an outdoor party. It isn’t like we don’t have those out here all year round anyhow. Then I will appease your voyeuristic tendencies and let you know other things I have eaten this summer.

There is a new Albertsons downtown, on about 12th between Market and G streets. It is way fancy. They sell these cheese Kaiser rolls…6 for $1.99…they don’t sell these at the Albertsons in Santee. Makes everything taste better, even a plain cheese sandwich.

So, cooking a burger- push it down/make it a little thinner in the center. Then when it shrinks down, it becomes level and stays flat and round. Don’t keep flipping it over. Three times at most. Be patient. Always toast the bun, either on the grill or in a fry pan indoors. It just tastes better.

Potato salad. As many hard boiled eggs as potatoes. Real mayonnaise. Fresh dill. Salt and white pepper. (you don’t see white pepper when it’s mixed in, but you still get that touch of heat/flavor from it.) (We use white pepper in mashed potatoes also-same reason).

See these three ingredients?

Watermelon, fresh mint, frozen limeade concentrate? Memorize them and then DON’T TELL ANYONE.

Chop the watermelon. Chop the mint. Let the limeade thaw. Don’t add water, just pour the thawed concentrate on it all. Smile when someone asks you what is in it. If, for some reason, there are leftovers, make some *really nice* smoothies the next day.

Here are some photographs of a pool part we went to this past summer.

My friend, Mrs. T., had it in honor of her dad’s birthday.

She made chicken, burgers and hot dogs and we brought the rest and it was a great potluck.

Chips, bowls of home made guacamole, pots of chili, cheese, snacks. There were fresh fruit places and fresh vegetable plates too.

Cake and Ice cream, of course. Two cakes, to be more precise.

Mrs. T spent time every day making a pint or two of unique ice creams or sherbets to have to serve with the ice cream.

She used real cookies, peanut butter, candy bars, orange, lemon, and lime juice from fruit trees in her yard, fresh strawberries and just about everything you could think of. It made the party just perfect.

One of my dear friends, Mrs. B. has a back yard and and garden filled with miracles.

She gave me these citrus selections from her trees and more than these photographed tomatoes, along with a pot of fresh made tomato sauce that I took home and froze into packets. I thought you would enjoy these photos. The small green ones did eventually turn red, by the way. Every day I would snack on some and the darkest red tomatoes would be gone, but the next day…there would be more.

Some days this past summer were really hot and I did not want to cook.

We would go to In-N- Out. This is what we always get.

His is a Double Double with no onions and mine is just a Double (no cheese) with both raw and grilled onions. Fries.

Then there is Costo . In San Diego. the eating area is on the outside of the store, making it convenient on hot days. We don’t even have to walk inside.

A huge slice of cheese pizza is enough to share. (1.75)

The hot dogs and Polish dogs come with a soft drink for $1.50. I ask for a side of kraut and put deli mustard and onions on mine. Cheap, easy, plentiful. No clean up at home.

Finally, a sad commentary into proving I am not much of a Gourmand.

Sometimes I *need* to have Bugles. WITH Asahi.

and sometimes, just sometimes…oh they brought back Banana Twinkies…this box will last me all year…and the last one will taste as fresh as the first. I grew up with Banana Twinkies. That package saying they are "new" is a lie.

I hope all of you have had a nice summer. It is almost Autumn and time for ‘cold weather’ meals and baking. I can’t wait.

I’ll be back with more interesting blogging tomorrow night.