November 2007 – mmm-yoso

Road Trip Day Six: Missouri to someplace in New Mexico

November 30, 2007 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Chains, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!, yoso-silly

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog. Today, again, it is Cathy writing from the road ( written a few days ago; I am actually home-it is the magic of blogging), about food and other stuff. Really. Cathy and The Mister are driving across the Continental USA. You can too, vicariously, from the comfort of your home (or work) computer.

Good Morning!

Still driving and blogging. This photo was taken in Indiana or Illinois with the sun setting. Surreal. I just wanted to share.

By nightfall, we were passing the Arch in St Louis again. Sorry the photo is so blurry. The flash does not do its job from inside a moving car.

So. Sometimes hotel advertise "Breakfast Bar Included". This means cold cereal, oatmeal packets, a toaster, coffee, hot water and a juice machine. If you are lucky, there are bagels and in the condiment section there may be cream cheese and peanut butter. No, no photos…HOWEVER, Quality Inns advertise a "Hot Breakfast Bar"..whoo hoo!

In addition to the items listed above, there is fresh fruit and, in the case of this location, (somewhere West of St. Louis), are sausage biscuits, regular plain biscuits, sausage gravy(really good sausage gravy) …and… The ubiquitous, infamous, make your own commercial waffle machine…oh yes.

You get a cup of batter, and pour it onto the hot machine, close it, flip it and it has a beeping timer (or light in some cases) so you know when it is done. One note: there is usually a can of non-stick spray, or a bowl of melted butter next to the machine…it helps to put that on before pouring…

Anyhow, those waffles are sooooo good. Crispy light exterior and pefectly cooked interior. There seem to be two batters when you encounter these commercial machines and in the Midwest, the more sour, buttermilk based, "malted" batter is always available..and when you get more West/southwest, there is a sweet batter…

ANYHOW…we drove and saw the first of *many* of the trucks hauling Christmas trees out West. We see these on the way home and know it is going to be Christmas…you can see snow on top of this load…yes, Thanksgiving is over and life goes on.

Springfield, MO. Braum’s. Yes.

Small grocery store, fast food and ice cream! The Steakburger combo ($4.75)- with an eggnog shake (extra 50 cents)..By far, Braum’s makes the best shakes ever. They use the milkshake mix and…egg nog instead of milk…oh. Steak. Burger. In the Midwest. This means a chicken fried steak. Excellent. Juicy. Just the right amount of spice in the batter. Topped with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.

Steak and Shake. You know we *must* stop here, always. Located in the Midwest (the closest one on the trip is in Joplin, MO), this "institution" is open 24/7, serving breakfast every one of those hours…but, nope. The Mister was burger-ed out. He got the fried fish plate, I got a single steakburger. No cheese. You get a choice of two of seven sides with each platter. We each got a salad, and I also took a cup of chili (with beans) and The Mister took cole slaw. Very good food. I like the flavor of the meat in the burger- like a Rally’s Big Buford. We also got an egg nog shake ( as a taste comparison) and… there was no comparing the Braums to Steak and Shake, even though I do like the shakes here…the S&S one had an artificial undertone and I mostly tasted the nutmeg sprinkled on top.

The place was slammed, and our Very Nice Waiter(one of only three inside the busy restaurant) told us we were the quietest people in there. I told Him that we had been sitting in a car next to each other for five days and would rather listen to other people talking than each other…

Oh. Another aside. XM satellite radio channel 59-LED, the Zeppelin Channel…very cool.

So, last night…(did you read that post?)(I didn’t finish our evening meal) Culver’s. Home of the Butter Burger. Major Midwest chain. I got a single, ($2.39), The Mister got a double with cheese($4.49 , the fries came with (a combo meal: also included a medium drink))…and..a side of Cheese Curds ($3.29). yep, we were in Illinois. Midwest. Fried cheese. Not those appetizer sicks of mozzarella, but curds, dipped and fried and wonderful. Oh the Butter burgers- *the best* fast food burger, ever. Yes, BUTTER BURGER. Of course it has flavor. Juicy. Culvers’ makes frozen custard. Wonderful, rich, egg based frozen custard. they make it many times a day. It is wonderful. This is a small, $1.69. They have a different Flavor of the Day as well as chocolate available. In the summer, people come in just for a frozen treat.

Yes, I wrote about two egg nog shakes and a frozen custard, and fried foods (and two small salads, remember)…We will be home soon. The diet begins then…or January First…whatever…

…and I didn’t post our dinner from tonight…that post will go up soon. You’ll like it. The last day of travel…

Braum’s website

Steak and Shake website Culver’s website

Tori Tori Japanese Restaurant

November 29, 2007 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

*** Tori Tori has closed……

"I miss you like the space where my tooth used to be……."

Is that one weird term of endearment or what? That short phrase is one that the Missus and I use when one of us is gone for a few days. The message pertains to how we don't miss something until it's gone. Remember when you were a little kid…..and were about to lose a tooth, or have one taken out? Now most of the time you couldn't wait to get rid of the darn tooth, because in the end there was some benefit, either monetary(the good 'ol tooth fairy), or pain relief as a reward. But dangnabit, as soon as that tooth was gone, there was some strange force that would inevitably draw your tongue into the space where your tooth used to reside! On some level it seemed like you really missed that tooth. And so it seems when couples have been together for a long time, you get used to having each other around…the little habits, quirks(and there are many!), and other "stuff". But once that individual has to go on a business trip, or maybe a vacation with the girls(or guys), man do you miss them. And you find yourself doing things automatically, just because it has become a routine……just like the magnetic pull that space where your tooth used to occupy has on your tongue…….

So how does this apply to this little Mom and Pop Japanese Restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard? When we first moved to San Diego, Tori Tori had only recently opened. The Missus and I thought the food was good, not great, but good and worth the price. And though the fish was "buffet grade", Tori Tori was just about the only place where I'd actually order a California Roll…..why? Well, the California Roll was made with real crab, was light on the mayo, and was perhaps the best Califonia Roll I'd ever had. The Missus loved the Katsu Don, the sauce was light, yet full of flavor, the texture of the chicken was to Her liking, and it was prepared well. But as things happen so often, whether because of economics or other factors, things changed, the California Roll was replaced with the usual blah, the price of the Katsu Don, at first $5.95, was raised to $6.95, than $7.95, and in the end well over 8 bucks, all in what seemed like the space of 18 months! At which time Tori Tori was excised, just as that tooth….. Though we'd pass Tori Tori, and that magnetic "pull" would start drawing us in, we'd resist. But recently, I decided to drive into that strip mall, and see what happened to Tori Tori.

I'm not sure how many owners Tori Tori has gone through since I've last visited, but the interior looks the same, though perhaps a bit more worn around the edges.

With the addition of Bulgogi and Kalbi on the menu, and over hearing conversations, I assume the current Owner(s) are Korean.

Since I was here, I thought for "old times sake", I'd order the Katsu Don(Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl – $7.45). This came with a choice of Miso Soup or Salad, and I selected the Miso Soup, which was on the salty side.

The fairly large, but very deep bowl arrived steaming hot.

First off, what to do with the zucchini and mushroom? I enjoy my Katsu Don with just onions, green onions, and beni shoga(pickled ginger). Second, the sauce didn't have much flavor, no soy, not sweet, just maybe the barest hint of dashi. Third, the chicken katsu had been over saturated in the flavorless sauce depriving me of at the least some textural enjoyment. The piece of chicken, though moist, was on the smallish side, though the egg was fine. What there was is a great abundance of rice, I mean a ton of rice…….that even the carb lover that I am could not finish.

"I missed it like the space where my tooth used to be……."

That being the case, I decided to give Tori Tori another try, and for some reason decided to order the Bulgogi Lunch Special($7.95).

I'm sure that just on portion size alone you're pretty much getting your money's worth by San Diego standards. Again the Miso Soup was on the salty side, the huge hunks of iceberg lettuce was a ponderous thing to eat with chopsticks, and the dressing for the salad didn't have much flavor. Frozen mass produced Gyoza…..and two slices of bleh California Roll…'nuff said. The four pieces of vegetable tempura was a mixed bag, the onion slice was perfectly fried, and the sweet potato excellent! The Kabocha skin was too thick and hard, and should have been peeled, and the very large broccoli floret was burnt on the outside, and cold on the inside.

The Bulgogi was pretty good, though the quality of the meat was low, which meant tough pieces of "sugi", a slang we use back home in Hawaii, relating the texture of connective tissue to nylon fishing line. The meat was well marinated, even though the flavor was closer to Hawaiian BBQ than Bulgogi……. What made me laugh, was how Bulgogi was described as "Roast Beef" on the menu!!!

There are a bunch of lunch specials ranging from $5.95(your basic teriyaki chicken) to $9.95(kalbi), and it looks like at least portion-wise you'll get what you pay for. Sushi is also served. The service is basic, I saw my Server 4 times, once when I arrived for the menu and drinks, drink delivery, food delivery, and when the check was dropped off.

I don't know if I'll be back, because frankly, knowing how much we used to enjoy our meals at Tori Tori, this was kinda depressing. God knows, "I miss it like the space where my tooth used to be……."

Tori Tori
1905 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Mon-Thurs – 1130am-2pm 5pm-9pm
Friday - 1130am-2pm 5pm-930pm
Saturday - 5pm-930pm
Closed on Sunday

Wednesday Wanderings…….

November 28, 2007 mmm-yoso Cajun, Southern, and Soul Food

CrawDaddy’s Opens:

They say that imitation is the best form of flattery, so I guess since a second Crawfish Restaurant has opened in the former location of Jamillah Garden, just a block or so away, Crab Hut must be a smashing success.

Unfortunately for me, on the day I visited they were closed. So I’ll visit on another day. For those interested here’s the posted menu:

The address is:

4681 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111.

Here’s another restaurant that I just noticed during my last visit to Ba Ren.

Not quite sure what to make of it……

Bud’s Louisiana Food Shoppe Closes:

Last week, I was in the Little Italy area, and noticed that the sign for Bud’s Louisiana Food Shoppe had been covered in tarp. Here’s the sign posted in the window:

The good news is they’re looking for a new location, so I hope they find one soon. More info by Gil on What We Dig. Here’s what’s opening up in the spot.

A burger place….next to the Waterfront Bar & Grill?

It’s Sanma Season….or at least that’s what it seems like. I don’t remember the last time I had Sanma Shioyaki (salt grilled Sanma). For those who don’t know what Sanma is; it is Pacific Saury, more commonly called Mackerel Pike.

Though I’ve never developed a taste for the intestines, I love simple salt-grilled Sanma. Good oils, great flavor, the oceany skin….. So your trusty neighborhood sushi place should have, or be able to get Sanma. This one is from Sammy’s.

One of these days soon, I’d like to try my hand at this:

I’ve been seeing raw monkfish liver, otherwise known as Ankimo at a few Japanese Markets, and it seems a pretty easy thing to make.

Still, I would feel really bad if I screwed it up….if you’ve had bad Ankimo, you’d know what I mean! But, good Ankimo! Sigh…… The Missus calls it a cross between the best salmon pate and crab eggs. Maybe….just maybe….

I hope everyone’s having a great week! More restaurants tomorrow!

Road Trip-Day Five: Detroit/Ann Arbor, MI to St Louis-ish, MO

November 27, 2007 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Detroit, Michigan, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!, yoso-silly

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog, written in some creative ways. This time it is Cathy, writing about food across America and back. We are now heading back … towards San Diego.

Hello again. We are all back in the car and heading west…albeit slowly. First, breakfast…

Cracker Barrel is along our entire driving route- except, not in California-the closest one to us is 3 hours away, in Yuma. It is good in the sense that all are laid out the same way and I know exactly where the restrooms are-just past the "General Store" lobby (filled with souvenirs and knick knacks and candies)…and they serve breakfast all day. There is a small game on every simply set table. Coffee is $1.39-but I am spoiled by the consistency of Starbucks- cross country(as a side note- we used 6 tanks of fuel and 7 stops at Starbucks on this drive East) I can get a fresh cup of coffee whenever we stop; I can tell you stories of the strangest tasting brown colored hot water I have consumed on prior road trips. This year the signage for Starbucks is better( "Exit 159, Turn Left" with a Starbucks symbol, nothing else) and there are more locations right off the freeway.

So, back to Cracker Barrel, The Mister got the "Holiday Sampler" breakfast plate ($7.19) A choice of country or sugar ham, a slice of wonderful country bacon (it is not crispy, but a cured smoked ham thin sliced and pan fried -different than what most of you grew up with), a wonderful sausage patty, two eggs, hash browns, spiced apples, grits, a regular biscuit, an apple biscuit and country gravy-not too spicy(needed to add pepper), not at all lumpy.Plenty of food. I got the two biscuits with ham and side of spiced apples- they are cooked with the skins on….still crispy in a thick, non-cinnamon, non-sweet sauce.

One thing I like about Cracker Barrel is that you can get a book on tape (or CD) at one location and then drive while listening to it and return it at any other location whenever. It ends up costing you less than $5 and is a good way to pass time if you don't have satellite radio. Regular AM/FM stations end up fading so fast while driving (at best one station will last 2 hours) that having something to hold your concentration, besides conversation, helps tremendously.

Wonderful… said our goodbyes and and we were off in the car again. First stop, the University of Michigan. North Campus. Food.

Yes, you are reading correct- Bagel Fragel. A fragel is …yep, a fried bagel.

Raisin packed bagel dough, fried to a golden brown (instead of boiled). Coated in cinnamon sugar. More sugar than cinnamon-perfect. (I don't crave cinnamon) (89¢) An Ann Arbor tradition for 30 years. {The original Bagel Fragel place used to be located on South University, but now is North of North Campus, on Plymouth Road.} I would get one every Saturday morning. Had to get one now. Had to. While I could. It is bread-y inside and the crust is lightly crispy…not hard…still chewy but a little crunch. Healthier than a donut…not as healthy as bagel…like I care.

A salt bagel, toasted, with butter. (72¢) It is quite difficult to find salt bagels around San Diego. These are good, fresh, inexpensive….and salty! The shop also sells muffins, danishes, sandwiches and breakfast bagels.

Then the traditional Ann Arbor stop at The Cube, a beautiful installation art piece that spins on its axis, either with the help of a push, or just the wind. Made in 1966-67, by Tony Rosenthal, it is located near the Michigan Union, {just off of State Street, on Maynard} and has a "twin"of itself in New York City. As a size reference, the corners parallel to the ground are worn out. Those corners are arm level – where you push.

Then, our primary traditional food indulgence. Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger. This small restaurant (Capacity of 50) seems to be patronized by a lot of people after graduation. The people working the grill were commenting about how many "old" people were in there when we were. Eh, after Thanksgiving, the town seemed filled with alumnae. The Mister and I both lived in South Quad, a dorm located only a block away from Blimpy's and frequented this simple restaurant regularly when undergrads.

You walk in, between tables, and queue up. The menu is on the wall behind the tray line (click to enlarge and read).

You grab a tray and tell the cook your order. Then you watch it being made. The beef is ground daily, set up as a ball of meat in single, double, triple and quad packs, and slapped down on the grill to cook and seasoned with a salt/pepper mix. If you are getting fried items, you order from the fry cook…finished sandwich items are

topped to your wishes (ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, raw onions, relish, yellow peppers) and wrapped at the end of the line … you pay and find a seat.

Mine. Double. Provolone. Fried egg. Mayo. Tomato. Onion. Pickle. ($2.85 plus 55 cents for the egg)

His. Triple. Blue cheese. Everything but onion. ($3.95)

Small mixed fried veggies. ($3.45) We sat at 2 of the 5 barstools looking out the front window, onto South Division, as we had many years ago. Enjoyed every last bite.

Oh, the burgers are juicy, flavorful and absolutely the best you will ever have. It has been said you can feel your arteries hardening with each bite. The mixed fries are plentiful, lightly crispy, not too greasy..a mix of onions, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms-no potatoes…perfect. We cleaned our tray and left…already awaiting the next visit. It is cheaper than food…and so good.

We ate more today, but I will just add it to tomorrow's post…

Cracker Barrel website. Numerous locations.

MD Bagel Fragel (734)332-1020 North Campus (Plymouth Road)

Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger 551 S. Division, Ann Arbor 48104 (734)663-4590

***Krazy Jim's closed on August 15, 2013 after 60 years. It should be re-opening and the date and location will be announced on its Web Page

JV’s Mexican Food

November 26, 2007 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

First off, my apologies…..I’m sure after eating more calories in a few days, than you would in a month, the last thing you’d want is to have me waving a burrito in your face. But with a small backlog, I decided to start the post-Thanksgiving diet with a very popular taco shop. When we lived in the area JV’s was a regular stop, in those days we thought they made a pretty good burrito. So not having eaten at JV’s in 4-5 years or so, I was wondering how my tastes had changed, if at all, and recently paid a visit to JV’s.

One of the reasons I enjoyed grabbing a bite from JV’s was that service was very quick, and the crew at JV’s were almost always friendly…….

In fact, the attitudes are almost as bright as the orange and yellow colors that comprise the interior…. There always seems to be a steady stream of customers.

The menu at JV’s goes beyond the usual San Diego Taco Shop fare, with items like the Del Mar Burrito(shrimp, fish, beans – $7.10), the Surf and Turf Burrito(Shrimp and Carne Asada – $7.10), the Tuna Melt Quesadilla(!!! – $4.90). On this day, I chose the Al Pastor Burrito($4.40):

For some strange reason, I always like to place my burrito next to another object when taking a photo….just for the sake of determining scale. I guess it’s just a bad habit…. The burritos at JV’s are fairly large.

This was just okay, the Al Pastor (marinated pork) was mild in flavor, though the meat was tender. I thought that the guacamole and large quantity of pico de gallo detracted from the overall flavor of the Al Pastor. In this case it was obvious that the pork wasn’t spit roasted, the hallmark of Al Pastor.

Nevertheless, the burrito did fill me up. I also like the hot sauce at JV’s, and the salsa bar stocks roasted jalapenos, marinated carrots, and the like for free.

Of course, I had to make another visit and grab the ubiquitous California Burrito($4.95):

This burrito, as with all the burritos are pretty hefty in size. The Carne Asada was pretty mundane, dry and bland, not quite what I remembered. I also wished for more french fries, and less sour cream.

Still, not bad for under 5 bucks. But not as good as I recall. These days, I’m less of a burrito guy, and more of a taco dude…..

I had thought of going back to JV’s to grab more of our favorites from not-so-way-back-when, the Red Chile Burrito($4.20), and other stuff(Lengua Plate!), but I think, that at least for now, I’ll just rely on my memories.

Still, if you’re in the mood for some "different" burritos, like the Big Chicken Philly(grilled chicken, onions, and mushrooms), perhaps JV’s is worth a try.

JV’s Mexican Food
1112 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
619-276-0758

Open Sunday-Thursday 9am-11pm
Friday-Saturday 9am-2am

Rack of Lamb with Cilantro-Scallion Crust

November 23, 2007 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving. The Missus has been quite busy the last few weeks, so we decided to forgo the usual feast……

So this year we had Chinese food which brought back a funny memory……a few years back, we were in Seattle over the Thanksgiving weekend. It was Thanksgiving day, and I was wondering where we’d be able to grab a bite.

Me: "I’m wondering what’s open…"

The Missus: "Chinese restaurants always open on Thanksgiving."

Me: "Why"

The Missus: "Because, wehavenothingtobethankfulfor…..he-he-he…"(She was joking….I think)

And of course we headed off to the International District, and had a nice meal in one of the Chinese restaurants in the area.

Anyway, here’s something I made this past week. It’s really easy, the whole meal can be whipped up in 45 minutes or so. Please excuse the photos, it gets dark pretty early nowadays, and the lighting in our kitchen is dreadful.

RACK OF LAMB WITH CILANTRO-SCALLION CRUST
1 Tb Canola Oil
2 Tb Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
3-4 Tb thinly sliced Scallion
3-4 Tb minced Cilantro
1/2 Cup panko
1 Rack of lamb (7 or 8 ribs) – I Frenched the rack, and trimmed much of the fat cap off – saved the fat, and used it for the brussel sprouts.
Salt
Pepper
2 Tb Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup Dijon mustard
2 Tb Soy sauce

1 – In a heat olive oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the red pepper flakes, stirring for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 20-30 seconds. Add the scallion and the cilantro and cook the mixture, stirring, for 10 seconds. Stir in the panko, salt, and pepper. Remove the skillet from heat.
2 – Mix the mayonnaise, soy sauce and mustard in a small bowl, set aside.
3 – Season the lamb with Salt and Pepper
4 – Heat an ovenproof skillet over high heat until it is hot and brown the lamb. Turning it occasionally until the sides and the ends are browned evenly.

5 – Pour off any fat from the skillet, arrange the lamb, fat and meat side up, and brush with the mayonnaise/mustard mixture.
6 – Apply panko mixture evenly on the fat and meat on the mayo/mustard mixture.
7 – Bake the lamb in a preheated 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 130 degrees for medium-rare meat.
8 – Transfer the lamb to a platter, let it stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before slicing.

It was a nice little meal…..Rack of Lamb with a Cilantro-Scallion Crust, Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, and Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Garlic, sauteed in Lamb Fat.

Road Trip-Happy Thanksgiving from Detroit

November 22, 2007 Cathy Cooking, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!, yoso-silly

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog -a diary of food eaten- written by a bunch of friends independently of each other. This is Cathy, who is in Detroit with her family.

Good wishes to you and your family from all of us.

in the midwestern United States. Ham, with an orange marmalade/mustard glaze, cheesy potato hot dish Kielbasa, roast beef Turkey, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole..other stuff too. and three pies…mince (apples and raisin filling), black forest pie (made by my nephew) and pumpkin pie (made by my niece). Including Staples the traveling poodle (in the wind)… and Gizmo, the much traveled cat, with snow flurries on his back… I hope all of you are having a good meal with family and friends and that we all have something to be thankful for. It is a good time to reflect.

Road Trip-Day Three: Joplin, MO-Detroit, MI

November 21, 2007 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Chains, Detroit, Michigan, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!, yoso-silly

mmm-yoso!!! is the food blog. Cathy is blogging about food and some other stuff this Thanksgiving week.

Hi. Yes the third day in the car with The Mister, one small dog and one cat. We do this. Annually. You get to peek in and see what it is like, sort of. I would like to take this time to let everyone know that XM stereo radio is the most wonderful invention, ever.

One small note. yesterday (or the day before-it is all a blur), we had passed under the World’s Largest McDonald’s, which crosses over the Will Rogers Turnpike in Oklahoma. Usually we stop- as there is fuel sold on either side- but we did not need to this time. I’ll post more on the way back. I know someone may have noticed… In the morning, we stopped at the Russell Stover/Whitman’s Chocolates "Superstore"…the adversting has changed; it used to be an "outlet" and does sell some candies in a "scratch and dent/basic box style, as we,, as items in the fancy wrapped boxes for less than list price. My brother happens to crave the butter toffee almond sticks…and I had a few of the samples offered. They also sell Blue Bunny ice cream cream in the store- not that I wanted any; it was very windy and about 50 outside..ooohhh…cold (for us from California)…. We ended up stopping at a Panera in Rolla, MO so I could post yesterday, and then driving on. Then, the outskirts of St. Louis and a Local Chain- Lion’s Choice. A simple menu and simple decor. You can have the beef on your sandwich cooked to your liking if it is available (you know, they do run out of rare at some point in the day) although you would have to wait for ‘well done’, since most of the beef is rare to medium rare… and the meat on the sandwich is topped with a seasoning salt- but it is not too salty; in this case, we asked for it to be cooked as rare as possible…and the bread is toasted and buttered….in the photo, the top is the large, bottom is a small…there is au jus available (it is not at all salty) as well as horseradish sauce….it isthe most wonderful roast beef sandwich, ever. If you see a Lion’s Choice, you should stop and partake.Oh, the small was $2.79 and large was $3.29 and that is a small fries.

Then, seemingly soon, we were in Illinois…and this sign, which we always see off the side of the road…Foot High Pies. You can see the building used to be a Stuckey’s. Most of the height is the merengue, of course. We got a slice of chocolate and one of banana- also available are coconut and lemon. $4 each slice and $14 for the whole pie… it is wonderful and so fresh. The restaurant makes great food…menu on wall in back…We will have to eat there next time….

Not much scenery for you, for now…It was a driving day… Gotta go shopping. Now. Bye!

Road Trip-Day Two: Albuquerque, NM-Joplin, MO

November 20, 2007 Cathy Albuquerque, American/New American Restaurants, Chains, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!, yoso-silly

mmm-yoso!! s a food blog, with diversions. It is a Holiday week. Cathy is silly and blogging it. Enjoy.

Hi. It is me again, with another day of my life, with food. Online. Really. The Mister and I are driving, taking photos, downloading and sharing another day on the road, driving across America. We stopped for fuel at a Loves Truck Stop, where we have seen (forever) "Chester's Fried Chicken" being sold and decided, for the sake of the blog, to try a three piece combination (three breast strips, three potato wedges and a roll for $3.59)…wow=excellent light breading with a nice heat spice kick. We also ordered a medium fried chicken livers($3.29) Very juicy, fresh and the breading was spiced nicely. Justg a bit of heat and salty. Really. We figured this would not be good and were glad how wrong we were.

It turns out that only 30 Loves fuel stations also offer Chester's, and I think we saw them all. The closest one to San Diego is on I-10 just after you get onto it when driving from Gila Bend to Phoenix. It is *really* good fried chicken. When The Mister and I drive through Amarillo every year, w stop at a Classic American Art Installation project,Cadillac Ranch. It changes daily, by the participation of the viewers of the art. Here is a photo when we visited two years ago…

You can see there are ten older Cadillac cars buried inthe ground, and spray painted randomly. Last night, it was after sunset. There was a half moon out. The cars are a good 1/2 mile from the road. The Mister and I walked. We left, and you know we had been there…

This morning- Waffle House! A staple restaurant in Mid America. Each stand alone building has 9 booths and 5 barstools at the counter. The menus are the same. Basic breakfast served 24 hours a day, served up by efficient grill cooks and pleasant waitresses who all call you "Dear" no matter your age.

The Mister ordered a bit of everything, with a waffle, eggs over easy, hash browns with cheese and sasuage. I got the cheese scrambled eggs with grits and bacon …and, of course, raisin toast, which is served with apple jam.

And so, we are still driving….seeing the beauty of Mid America, and the changing seasons and weather… and the tourist traps from the freeway…

So, from somewhere in Missouri-this is Cathy-driving away….

Road Trip-Day One: San Diego, CA- Albuquerque, NM

November 19, 2007 Cathy Albuquerque, American/New American Restaurants, Chains, Road Trip, Stuff, What Cathy Eats!, yoso-silly

mmm-yoso is a food blog-a diary of what a bunch of friends eat. Occasionally we explain why we happen to be eating whatever, wherever. Cathy is merely blogging what she usually does at this time of the year.

Hi. Yes, you read the title correctly. This is a blogging of what The Mister and I do for Thanksgiving every year -except for last year-

because I tripped, fell, was in a cast TO MY SHOULDER for about 7 weeks, and so driving a manual transmissioned car for days at a time was out of the question.

Yes, days at a time. Because of the ability to transmit from my iBook directly to the internet, when there is a connection, you-all of you reading this- get to share in a drive almost all the way across the Continental United States, and back. With food and sights.

So, really late Sunday afternoon, The Mister and I left the house, grabbing one cat (he is diabetic and needs insulin twice a day), one dog (her 'sister' died a few weeks ago and so I am trying to pay a little bit more attention to her), my auto reload Starbucks card ( a wonderful thing; once the balance gets below $15, my AmEx credit card automatically reloads this one with another $20), a small suitcase and jumped in the car and started driving…we left 7 cats, 3 dogs and three large birdcages of parakeets, finches and canaries for my Dear Neighbor, Ms. N, to play with for a few days…and we started driving.

We didn't do much in the way of eating, except for In-N-Out in Yuma (sorry, ed) I apologize for the post looking kind of odd; I haven't ever posted using a Mac; only the PC… So, when we stopped for fuel, we saw this, leaving a gas pump: Absolutely the *coolest* dune buggy.. The scenery leaving Campo, with the electric generating windmills was beautiful. We spent the night in Camp Verde, AZ at a Quality Inn and had a simple-do it yourself breakfast I had a hard boiled egg, a toasted bagel with butter and grape jelly, an orange and some oatmeal, as well as orange juice and hot tea (Only buying coffee at Starbucks and have taken photos of each cup we bought…at four different Starbucks as of this posting. When we got to Winslow, AZ, we saw Sonic! and we had to… We each got a Brakfast sandwich- on Texas Toast. Egg, cheese and bacon for me, sausage for The Mister. Also some tots and -oh yes- the fried macaroni and cheese nuggets… Sonic is a Drive in, much like was common in the 1950's. You cannot walk inside and have to order from the menu board voice system next to where you park. Then a live person comes out with your order and takes your money and gives you change. They make great burgers, hot dogs and shakes. You'll see soon enough. Other sites we have seen today includ the Worlds Largest Kokopelli: and just beautiful scenery of the American West. Erosion is really neat. Yes, I am posting this from a Starbucks in Albuquerque. It is Monday, about 12:45 p.m. in San Diego time. We have to get to Amarillo before dark. Hope all of you are having a good short week.