Too hot to cook, almost too hot to eat. A quick meal at Palomino’s.

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog.  About food.  Kirk, ed (from Yuma), Cathy and a few others just write about what we eat. Today, Cathy is is writing.  Primarily because Kirk is on his way to Guatemala and ed (from Yuma) is…well, in Yuma.

Hi.  It really hit 100 degrees in the East County on Monday.  Dry, dry heat.  It was exhausting to be outside, dangerous to touch anything inside the car and kind of miserable.

I didn't want to cook and was not that hungry.

OK.  I lie.  I am pretty much always hungry.  But, well, not as much as usual.  I needed something refreshing.  As soon as it kind of sort of started too cool down, I headed West, toward the 15 and then one exit South, to Clairmont Mesa, took a left at the second light, Ruffin Road,  by the Registrar of Voters and a right into the parking lot.   Palominos #2.    I've posted about this place before (when it was cold out, and I wanted something to warm me).  It is a great taco shop. Satisfies many cravings as well as weather related meals…

I ordered, grabbed stuff from the "salad bar" area…which is really a salsa bar area, (but there are neon signs above it with "salad" above it) 001.

Then waited for our meals to be ready.

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The Mister got a shrimp salad ($6.35).

Lots of lettuce, tomato and cucumber, 12 fresh cooked, fresh chilled, sweet, large shrimp, a whole avocado, some shredded cheese.  Served with the white dressing and sauces shown.  I always need to mix the sauces and some of the "Palomino" salsa from the bar to get the flavor I want.  Everything tastes good on its own, though. 

002

I ordered the campechana coctele ($10.50). More than 16 whole, fresh cooked and chilled shrimp, a good portion of fresh cooked and chilled, tender octopus and at least one, maybe two chopped avocados in a wonderful tomato based sauce with cucumber.  I tasted all the ingredients individually and only added hot sauce (and salsa) to the last half of the large, pretty solidly filled coctele bowl.  Just for a variation.

This was a very refreshing meal.  Hope you are getting through this heat wave.

Palomino's #2 9353 Clairmont Mesa Blvd., Suite I, 91911 (858)292-8470

12 comments

  1. The shrimp looks so pale I hope it was atleast crunchy.I’m not a big fan of farmed seafood has a weird taste to it IMO.

  2. Hi, sawyer-It seemed to hit the spot.
    Yes, it finally is cooler today, Carol. Foggy this morning even. Three days and none with humidity. We really should not complain.
    The shrimp was fresh cooked and flash chilled, Billy. It has a good, sweet flavor and had a crunch. Just right.
    Oh, Sandy, La Playita is more interesting, but only has 5 tables and 4 stools, no air conditioning and…is a bit more of a drive for me. I know Palominos is good for my craving.
    Hello again, Su-Lin! It was jsut a few crazy days, and is unusual for this time of year, but each night it cools down considerably and is not intolerable. It is just something to talk about, like when we get 0.02 inches of rain-enough to make the dust on the car get messy, and something I *know* should not be complained about. Both meals hit the spot and the weather is back to normal.

  3. Ummm campechana. Getting to be the weather for it. But you complain about 100 degrees??? That’s barely hot 🙂

  4. Hi Cathy,
    I feel cooler just looking at those pics. The last 2 days out here in north park were hi 80’s. Its still too hot for me. I was kinda craving a steak, but not in this heat. Having tuna salad, with marinated artichoke hearts. Cheap and easy.
    There are some good Mexican resturants in the Adams Ave./North Park area. The coctele looks great. Never had octopus before. May have to try it sometime. Thanks for the post and stay cool out there.

  5. I know, I’m an ameteur, ed…
    80/90 is nothing, Stephen. The tuna with artichoke hearts sounds good, cheap and easy, just like me! Oh the heat is getting to me… I will be blogging some places on Adams Ave soon…plenty of posts ahead.

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