May 2011 – Page 2

Perry’s Cafe- The one in El Cajon

May 17, 2011 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, What Cathy Eats!

Hi. This is mmm-yoso!!!. Kirk is adjusting from his vacation in Turkey and Greece watching his work load increase, ed (from Yuma) is in Yuma, adjusting to increasing heat levels and waiting for his workload to decrease and Cathy is in San Diego's East County, steadily blogging about food.

Hi. When Kirk and His Missus left on vacation, I posted on the East County location of Panda Country restaurant. Kirk has blogged about "his" Perry's central county location. There may be theme starting. There is an East County location of Perry's Cafe.

Located at the intersection of Magnolia at Madison, near downtown El Cajon (about three blocks North from the courthouse, if you have ever had Jury Duty), this Perry's is under the same ownership as the Pacific Highway location. It can get very crowded here, especially on weekends, with lines extending into the parking lot.

There is some seating under the awning by the door.

Always, a White Board with daily specials is on display. This Perry's serves breakfast and lunch and is open from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m., same as the Pacific Highway location.

The interior is typical naugahyde coffee shop, as are the tabletop condiments.

A salad which accompanied a White Board Special #2 one day. Chilled iceberg lettuce and a standard Thousand Island dressing.

Grilled cod, served with the vegetable of the day, corn and cottage cheese instead of fries. $6.95
The pale colored fish plate was very fresh with the lightly grilled cod being a standout. The corn was typical frozen and crispy as well as sweet tasting and the cottage cheese was full fat, not that weird low fat kind.
I ordered 2 egg breakfast with Italian sausage ($7.25). Of course, I chose poached eggs and rye toast.
I also asked for a side of gravy to go with my hash browns. Since it was a breakfast, I got the peppery sausage breakfast gravy.
I enjoy seeing the classic shorthand on order tickets.

On another visit, the soup of the day was lentil and it was an excellent soup. Thick with beef, celery, carrot and lentils.
The soup was part of the Turkey salad lunch ($7.50). Yes, the old fashioned turkey salad; no dried fruits, no nuts, just leftover turkey, shredded and not in chunks mixed with mayonnaise. A generous scoop placed on top of mixed lettuces and shredded cabbage, tomatoes, avocado, olives, pickles and hard boiled egg halves. A dressing (your choice of standard salad dressings) is served on the side.
My standby favorite here. Hot turkey sandwich ($7.50). Just turkey breast slices on top of white bread with mashed potatoes and gravy over all. Comfort.

So. A 'chain' of Diners in San Diego county. The county is 4200 square miles and there is someplace everywhere to find a good meal.

Perry's Cafe 475 North Magnolia El Cajon 92020 (619)440-5724

We’re Baaack…..

May 16, 2011 mmm-yoso Greece, Greek Food, Turkey, Turkish Food

Right after returning from China last year, the Missus had me planning our next trip. She wanted a trip to Greece. I thought that if we were going to be gone for a month, that it would be interesting to add another Country. The thought of visiting Turkey had been on my mind for a while. As soon as the year turned and we headed into February, I started making plans. It ended up being quite a full itinerary, just the main trips and hotel info alone took up over three pages. I emailed copies of that basic itinerary to FOY (Friend of Yoso) MG, who replied that after reading the first page she felt exhausted. Cathy told me that it read like an outline for the amazing race……. With all of the planning, work, and other stuff, I wasn't able to do as much research on places to eat as I would normally do; and we depended a lot on recommendations from folks, and our explorations. The main hubs for our trips were Istanbul and Athens…….

So anyway, here's a little run down. As always, you can click on the photos to enlarge.

Istanbul:

Was our main hub for Turkey was Istanbul. To say that we were enchanted with the city is an understatement. The sincerely kind and friendly folks really made us sad to leave. As for the the locale…… let's just put it this way. This was the first photo I snapped upon my arrival in Istanbul.

That's the Hagia Sofia. We managed to visit many of the main attractions during our stays. Here's a photo of the Bosphorus from Topkapi Palace.

And a required photo of the Blue Mosque.

And of course, there's the craziness of both the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market.

We also managed a short cruise of the Bosphorus on a drizzly day, which just seemed to add even more mystery and drama to everything.

We had heard so much about Hagia Sofia, and we saved it for the tail end of our trip. By that time we wondered if it would live up to our expectations…… And let me just say, our expectations were exceeded. It's one of the few places, along with Machu Picchu that we want to revisit.

I also really enjoyed the mysterious Basilica Cistern.

Along the way, we met a fish called "Hamsi".

And a dish called Sac Tava.

Selcuk – Ephesus:

Did you know that the ancient Greek and Roman city of Ephesus is located in Turkey?

Our accommodations in Selcuk were located right across the street from the Basilica of St John.

Where the Aposotle John is believed to be buried.

There's a lot of history in this area.

Goreme – Cappadocia:

Yes, thoughts of fairy chimney's and cave houses dance in our heads when Cappadocia is mentioned.

Among the hiking, visits to the underground city, valleys, and such. The most memorable thing we did was an early morning balloon ride.

Quietly floating amongst the clouds, over exotic looking terrain, this was simply unforgettable……

I also enjoyed the visit to Selime Monastery.

Climbing up into the monastery cut into the rocks led to a view that was amazing. I also took one of my favorite photos of the trip, which almost looked like the cover of a science fiction book.

Athens:

Athens was our hub for Greece. So of course there was the required visit to the Acropolis.

And the Central Market.

Delphi – Meteora:

The Missus wanted to visit Meteora, and the only way I could figure to keep that visit within two days was to take a tour, which included a stop in Delphi.

The cloudy and drizzly morning added an air of mystery to Meteora…….

And when the sun peeked out, the views were dramatic…..

Iraklios (Heraklios):

Next up was the city of Iraklios on the island of Crete.

We had two of our favorite meals in Iraklios, thanks to the recommendations of our hotel staff. The first featured twists on Crete cuisine, which worked very well.

The second featured more straightforward Cretan specialties.

On our second day in Iraklios, instead of visiting Knossos, the Missus requested that we rent a car and drive to some of the small villages. So that's what we did……

70% of the wine in Crete comes from this area.

Cretans also consume about 31 liters of Olive Oil per capita. We both cracked up when we requested a taste of various olive oils and the woman behind the counter almost poured us dixie cup sized portions of each! Good thing we stopped her, and told her we just wanted a taste. She replied, "this is a taste!"

This area is beautiful…….

Hania (Chania):

It's almost impossible to take a bad photo of Hania.

The Missus got an early Birthday present…..

And as a bonus; the really nice young man working at the shop gave a few recommendations, and the Missus found the octopus of Her dreams…..

Hania was the perfect place for us to take a "day off" from "activities" and just kick back and enjoy.

The next day was damp and drizzly as we took the bus up to Omalos through the fog and rain… and sheep….

For our hike down the Samaria Gorge, which, depending what you read is either 18, 16, or 14 kilometers. Regardless of the distance, the "Iron Gates", where the space between the sides of the gorge get to about 3 meters wide is quite dramatic. Looking up the almost straight sides towering at over 1,100 meters is simply awesome.

All of this ends at the ocean in the village of Agia Romelli, accessible only by sea.

You can see why we were sad to leave Hania.

Antalya:

Our last unique stop was Antalya, the largest Mediterranean city on the Southwest coast of Turkey. We stayed in the area called Kaleici, the old town. Here's a photo of the ruins that was located right out the window of our room.

Our initial plan was to use our one full day to visit Termessos, but the Missus had seen enough ruins by then, so we used the day to walk around the city.

So there you go………….

It's good to be home, and hopefully, after a few days to regroup, I'll have a couple of posts ready!

Thanks for reading!

Oishii- the other Thai restaurant in Santee

May 15, 2011 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, Thai Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome (back) to the blog called mmm-yoso!!!. Sometimes Kirk relates a story about His food adventures. Sometimes ed(from Yuma) composes a short story about his food adventures. Today, Cathy is putting a pen to paper, so to speak, and sharing another meal.

Hi. I've written about Oishii two other times . Oishii is right down the street from my home and equidistant (for me) to Sab E Lee, the other Thai restaurant in Santee. Oiishi is a bit different in that it serves Japanese as well as Thai food.

Occupying a small space, Oishii has been in this same location since 2003. Some of the interior decor is a holdover from when the space was named Victoria's and had its own eclectic menu as well as decor. I have noticed bamboo here and there, trying to bring an Asian look to the restaurant.

Ignore the menu; Oishii is not open on Sunday. Hot tea is $1 per person. There is a sushi bar, which I have never posted about. It is a very good sushi bar.
On this visit, we ordered the mixed tempura ($6.50). Two shrimp, onion, bell pepper, sweet potato, zucchini all perfectly fried and not greasy.
The Mister ordered the Green Curry ($7.95) cooked with chicken, bamboo shots, bell peppers, basil and coconut milk. A sort of comfort food and always good.
I chose the Yum Talay ($12). A salad of chilled mixed seafood with lime juice, chili, cucumber and cilantro…with a bit of lettuce underneath it all. It was made to the proper heat level I requested (3/5) and I could taste all the ingredients.

Oiishi serves a good selection of Thai curries and noodle dishes as well as really good Japanese and sushi. I am so glad I have a choice out here in East County.

Oishii Japanese and Thai 10251 Mast Boulevard, Santee, CA 92071 (619)596-4872 Website

Niban- a quick Lunch

May 14, 2011 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Hello. You are reading mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food. Kirk is still on vacation. ed(from Yuma) is still working. Cathy is here, sharing with you a meal she and The Mister shared with each other.

I've posted about Niban two times. It is conveniently located on Clairmont Mesa Boulevard at the SouthEast corner of 805, in the parking lot with the Starbucks, McDonald's and Souplantation. This is another place The Mister and I grab a quick lunch or dinner when neither of us wants to cook. There are large menus taped in the front windows and also a display case of the specials for that day at the doorway.

You walk in, order, pay then have a seat. Soon, someone comes by and grabs the numbered receipt you were handed and asks what your beverage choice is. Hot tea is always free. There are two lunch specials on the back wall, behind the cashier.

This is the lunch Bento ($5.25). It is served on a divided round dish. Fried calamari, a fried shrimp and a piece of fried fish (tasted like cod that day), rice and tartar sauce. Six pieces of California roll (made with krab), a piece of nigiri. At the 5 o'clock position, a sort of crabmeat fish cucumber salad…no place else on the menu and enticingly good.

The other lunch special, gyoza ($5.25). You are asked if you would like your dumplings fried or steamed. This time, we chose steamed. Very thin dough, filled with ground pork and vegetables. As you can see, miso soup, salad and rice accompany the dumplings, as well as a vinegar-soy sauce.

Above, the fried calamari appetizer ($4.25). We almost always order this, with lunch or with dinner…or for lunch or fo dinner… Five pieces of breaded, crispy fried calamari steak accompanied by some lettuce and sauce. Hot spicy sauce. *Not* Thousand Island dressing, even though that is how the sauce appears. I think the sauce has sriracha as a base. I used to think it was jalapeño, but since becoming more familiar with sriracha, it seems pretty evident that those peppers are what is in this sauce. It compliments the fried calamari steak quite well.

Good daily specials, good food, nice people.

Niban 7081 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92111 (858) 268-0465

Coffee, tea and sweets and snacks. A few photos.

May 13, 2011 Cathy Desserts, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a compilation of food. All sorts of food, whether prepared in the home or purchased outside the home. Cathy is COMC(Cleaning Out her Memory Card) today.

Hi. I just wanted to share some nice moments I have had by taking the time to sit down with friends and share snacks.
Open Face sandwiches (salami, Havarti, chopped liver all on whole grain) with hard boiled eggs and coffee. With Mrs. P, who is from Denmark.
Olive assortment, salami, a sheep's milk cheese with olive oil and crackers with Mr.& Mrs. D. There was wine involved.

A selection of baklava from Babi's Bakery, which had been in El Cajon but has closed. The Kanafa is on the left. The top is orange colored shredded filo topped with chopped pistachios. The filling…the heavenly filling… is a *very* soft sheep's milk cheese, Nabulsi. The cheese is mixed with or has a pour over of a simple syrup which is flavored with rose water. Subtle and heavenly. The wheels of pistachio filled baklava were excellent. Neither of these items was too sweet. Another bakery has taken Babi's place and I will be posting on it soon.

Mrs. B made me an assortment of cookies for us to have with tea, and extra for me to bring home to The Mister. The cookies were made with real butter as well as lemon peel and orange peel and almonds. Mrs. B knows I don't crave chocolate.
Mr. C and I met at Yogurtland in Mira Mesa. I like the tartness of the yogurts here. Bonus! the spoons are biodegradable.
Breakfast aebelskiver with Mrs. P. Similar to a small popover, this round pancake is simply topped with sugar. (This Mrs. P is from Copenhagen.)

I met up with Mr. S for a coffee and chat in person and not online. Starbucks has recently begun selling "Starbucks Petites". Very small servings of sweets, each less than 200 calories, each $1.50. This is the peanut butter mini cupcake, 180 calories. There seems to be a lot of frosting in proportion to cake. It's good and the size-two or three bites- is more than enough to satisfy any sugar cravings I may have.
Mr. and Mrs. P are French. This is a photo of the remnants of what was left after I stopped by for what I thought would be a brief visit. Always traditional, there was a salad, bread, stew, wine, coffee and sweets.
Caffe Vergnano 1882, an international Coffee Shop, has just opened their first stand alone shop in California, in Hillcrest, on the West side of 5th close to University. Most Caffe Vergnano locations are inside other stores and not stand alones. Walk inside, and you feel as if you are in Italy. There are small snacks and excellent coffee.
I met up with Mr. S a bit more than a week ago and he snapped this photo of a medium cappuccino with the stenciled logo (and the other cup is a double shot topped with a 'kiss' of milk foam, a macchiato). Just ordering a coffee here gets you one of the wrapped "biscoffee" cookies you see on the plate. A post about the varied snack selections available (pastry with Nutella, panino, fococcia) is being 'researched'.

Here is a Caprese salad The Mister made for us the other day. Burrata from Trader Joe's, tomatoes and basil from our yard, all topped with olive oil, salt and pepper and sided with some seedy buttered bread from Charlie's Best. Again, with some wine…as an afternoon snack.

In compiling the items for this post, I realized how fortunate I am and what a variety of friends I have. Of the above visits, only two people I shared a coffee and/or snack with were born in the United States. I am glad we know how important it is to stop and take the time to share time…an easy way to share is with food.

I hope everyone will have a really good weekend.

Yum Cha Cafe- Lunches in Linda Vista.

May 12, 2011 Cathy Dim Sum, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome back to the food blog called mmm-yoso!!! Kirk is -yes- still on vacation. I know he is eating well and will have some great posts when He and His Missus get back. ed (from Yuma)is -yes- working a lot right now. Cathy is -yes- blogging again about a meal.

Kirk has posted many times about Yum Cha Cafe. Part of a chain based in Los Angeles, Yum Cha Cafe serves small, individual portions of sweet and savory snacks, soups and BBQ meats. It is not 'traditional' Dim Sum in that you point and pay and get all the items on a tray to carry to a table. It also is not expensive.

It is located in the same parking lot as Thuan Phat grocery store and the corner of Linda Vista and Ulrich, which houses many restaurants and has a good parking area. The ability to have parking nearby restaurants anywhere seems to be a plus lately.

Some trays of hot foods-which are served up as a portion of either $1.39 or $1,79.
Steam baskets of Dim Sum.
BBQ duck, chicken and pig. These are sold either by the pound or by the half or the whole.
Pay and find a seat. Hot tea is in a pot next to the door. Three "B" choices. Each is $1.79. The fried chicken wings (7 pieces) have been fried, but are not crispy, from sitting on the steam tray too long. Still the flavor is good. The vegetable seafood dumplings (3) are pan fried and filled with crispy vegetables, shrimp and fake crab. The roll is mainly tofu, with a green leafy vegetable…here's a cross section view:
The outside of the roll is a bit crispy tofu and the rolled up insides are a good texture; not mushy. I like the flavor of this vegetarian savory item…

Below is pictured fish porridge ($3.99), dumpling soup ($1.99) . We almost always order the fish porridge. It is filled with a good amount of a fresh, firm white fish and is a meal in itself.

A close up cross section of one of the ten dumplings served in the broth which tasted very much like fish sauce on this visit. But, for $1.99, ten meaty dumplings and some Chinese broccoli is a nice meal. There are also some dumpling with noodle soups for $2.99. I have ordered that also and the broth was not as 'fish sauce' tasting.

If you are eating in, you'll get your items in the steam baskets it was cooked in. The shrimp shu mai, 4 pieces, are also $1.79.

Below, shrimp stuffed eggplant (3 pieces, also $1.79) are a nice way to get a vegetable and protein-and it can be a meal…I do like these.

There are items for $1.39, mostly desserts and non-tofu vegetarian. Apparently we didn't have any of those on this visit.

Here is a braised "Hainan Style" chicken, roast duck and char siu pork on rice with preserved vegetables underneath with to-go packets of Sriracha sauce which was less than $5. This was dinner, then breakfast, then lunch. The lemongrass chicken was the best of the three meats, but I did not find the other meats objectionable. Sometimes I just get 1/2 lb of the roast pork…as a snack.

Yum Cha Cafe 6933 Linda Vista Road San Diego 92111 open 8-8 daily. Website

Nicolosi’s for lunch

May 11, 2011 Cathy Italian Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog. Kirk is not blogging; he is on vacation. ed(from Yuma) is not blogging; he is working. Cathy is blogging; she has time.

Nicolosi's has been in San Diego since 1952, serving Sicilian Italian style food. Started by the man who was grandfather to the present owner brothers, Nicolosi's was originally located on Goldfinch in the Mission Hills area of town. The Third generation of the Nicolosi family is still serving the same family recipes perfected more than half a century ago. Then there are the servers. Five of them have worked for this Restaurant and with this family for more than 20 years. I remember when it was on El Cajon Boulevard and 40th, then it moved to Adobe Falls and Waring Road and last year it moved to Navajo Road at Jackson.

This location had most recently been The Fish Merchant and many other restaurants. This building and location are off the beaten path and has been patronized by neighborhood folk. On this lunchtime visit, Nicolosi's was crowded and there were people dining who had never been in this part of town before.

When you walk in, you are greeted by a montage of photographs of family.
Fresh baked bread (and butter) is brought out to your table while you order.

Everything is made fresh for you. The mural was brought over from the Adobe Falls Road location and has a prominent spot in the largest dining room. There are tablecloths, even at lunch time. Every person is treated as if they are a guest in a home. Nicolosi's feels cozy and friendly.

My dining companion chose a charbroiled chicken salad ($8) from the lunch menu. There was a good amount of chicken breast, freshly cooked, moist and good. As you can see, the salad (which had basil as well as mixed lettuces) was topped with walnuts and chunks of gorgonzola. He said the dressing was a very good oil and balsamic vinegar. That's the house dressing, which is sold here.

I had to have the eggplant parmesan sandwich ($7), which I was craving. The marinara sauce here is always fresh and has that sweetness which comes from fresh tomatoes. You can see the fresh baked bread is toasted just right.

In this photo, you can see the eggplant was breaded, fried crispy and then topped with Parmesan cheese, the sauce and more cheese. All of this was just made; you can taste it.

Oh yes, The Mister and I like the pizza here. The pizzas are hand made and the crust is just right; they will make a thin crust on request, but that is just wrong. Pizza toppings are fresh and good, especially the Italian sausage which is filled with fennel. The location may have changed, but the food quality, menu and some of the staff haven't. If you have been to the other locations, the menu is consistent, if you have never been here, you can experience fresh made food and tradition.

Nicolosi's Italian Restaurant 7005 Navajo Road (at Jackson) San Diego 92119 Website

Ami Sushi – El Cajon

May 10, 2011 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Yep, you found mmm-yoso!!! Kirk and His Missus are vacationing. ed(from Yuma) is working. Cathy is here today.

Hi again. Kirk and The Missus are safe and very much enjoying their vacation in two countries, one which has a name that is a homonym and the other which has a name that is a homophone.

A long time ago, when I first started participating on this blog, FOY (friend of Yoso) Trent commented to me that to find good restaurants, look for parked mail trucks. I have taken his advice and that is why you see so many 'hole in the wall' places which I post about.

Ami Sushi is in the same location which used to be named Tokyo, just one block West of Parkway Plaza. Tokyo was so disappointing that I posted how much I did not like it. I also titled my post about Tokyo Loha Sushi to distinguish it from this location called Tokyo. Tokyo silently went out of business.

One day about a month ago, I was driving and saw four or five El Cajon Police vehicles parked in front of Ami Sushi. Even though one part of me was telling myself that there may be some sort of Police Action going on and I should avoid the area, another part of me knew all of those Law Enforcement people may be enjoying a lunch break here…because I remembered Trent's wise advice.

Ami Sushi is family owned and operated. I think that may be why it is so efficiently run. The people working are happy, the food has always been fresh, the prices are very good. Consistency is good.

The Ami Bento ($6.50), above, is a large and filling Bento box. The salmon teriyaki and fried salmon are quite large pieces. The fish is fresh, the teriyaki tastes home made and the frying is done right, not greasy and a good deep fried crispy. The California roll is fresh, made with fake crab with tasty sushi rice. A nice touch is the slice of fish cake and tamago (sweet egg). The salad sides are very good.

I put this photograph of the Special Bento ($11.95) so you could compare the two. Again, the teriyaki salmon was a good size, fresh and cooked nicely. This piece also had crispy skin attached. I like that. This Bento comes with two pieces of fried shumai as well as a small piece of fried snapper and a fried shrimp…and the 5 pieces of sushi as well as the California maki, fish cake and tamago and the salads, rice and a very good miso soup.

Edamame ($2.50), is a good size portion, fresh beans steamed and salted and on the Appetizer section of the menu.
Also on the Appetizer part of the menu, the Sashimi Salad ($9.95) is a meal in itself. The 'greens' are mostly seaweed and cucumber, not lettuce. There is a lot of sashimi, in not terribly odd cuts interspersed on the plate. A very fresh sesame oil based dressing is slightly tossed in.

Ami stamina noodles ($6.50) Udon noodles with chicken, fish cake, vegetables and egg, served with two fried gyoza and a tempura shrimp. This also came with a small green salad. The fried items are done properly; you can taste what is inside and the frying of the exterior is there to add texture and not flavor. The udon have a nice 'tooth', the broth is not salty and slightly sweet, the gyoza are nice and meaty and does have some cabbage in the mix.

Though we have only been here twice, we have noticed most people ordering rolls. In fact, the table of ECPD only ordered rolls for their meals. There are daily specials of rolls as well as platters posted on white boards at both doors and the regular prices on the menu are very good.

Ami Sushi 755 Arnele Avenue El Cajon CA 92020 Mon-Sat 11-9:30, Sun 1 p.m.-8:30 p.m. (619)593-7691 Website

Negro Durazo- Mariscos in Lemon Grove

May 9, 2011 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Seafood, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is not on vacation. Kirk and his Missus are on vacation. ed (from Yuma) is not on vacation and also not blogging. Cathy feels like she is on vacation and is blogging.

Since I appear to be eating all over this large County, I need to include a few more cities in my postings.

Just South of the intersection of Highway 94 and College Avenue is Broadway and Federal Avenues and Sushi Time which Kirk posted about in 2007. This location of Negro Durazo is right next door.

There is another location of Negro Durazo in Chula Vista and I think both locations are related to the Tijuana location. Seafood and Sinaloan is the easiest way to describe the menu and food here. You can tell by the condiments on every table.
The decor is more difficult to describe. There is a bar area to the left when you walk in and the sit down area becomes a dance floor later into the evening. There is constant music from the juke box. Happy, dancing music.

…Fresh chips, fresh salsa and fresh sliced lemons are brought to your table along with the menu.

The Mister and I decided to share a pescado (fish) ceviche tostada ($2.95). This was fresh made. The fish was firm and the lime based marinade had not completely settled into the fish or tomatoes or onions or cilantro. The flavors of each ingredient were crisp and bright. The serving size was very large. We enjoyed this very much.

…

The Mister chose "Popeye Shrimp" from the menu($11.45). A gratin of shrimp, cheese, spinach and bacon. This came with tortillas, rice and The Mister substituted steamed vegetables for beans. This dish was excellent in its flavor melding, because this restaurant is Sinaloan..so the topping was not a thick cheese turned into a sauce, but a mix of aromatics and spices which compliment the shrimp -a flavorful sauce made with onions, garlic, poblano chili, sour cream and Monterey Jack cheese.

The menu Board at the door had Daily Specials and I chose #1- Two Marlyn tacos with rice, beans and beverage ($7.45). I know the beans look pale and the taco shell looks burned. The flavors were good. Really good.

The tacos were filled with smoked marlyn which had been sauteed with green peppers, onion and tomatoes and placed into corn tortillas which were cooked on the grill (not fried). The refried beans had excellent flavor.

The selections at Negro Durazo are plenty. All seafood based. All fresh. All made fresh. It is nice to have this location closer to the East County.

Negro Durazo 6954 Federal Boulevard at Broadway Lemon Grove CA 91945 (619)240-7148

Fresh pea soup

May 7, 2011 Cathy Recipes, What Cathy Eats!

The blog, mmm-yoso!!! is about food. Kirk is off in the world, researching food while on vacation. ed(from Yuma) is in Yuma, researching food while carrying on with life. Cathy is posting about food today.

Of all vegetables, peas may be my favorite. There are many varieties of garden peas, as well as peas which grow in the wild. Some have shells you can eat raw or steamed or stir fried. Some have shells you can't eat, so the peas need to be 'de-shelled' and those spheres from inside the pod can then be eaten raw, by the handful or tossed onto salads or even mixed with other vegetables. Peas can be found frozen, canned and dried.

I especially enjoy raw English peas. A whole portion of my garden is devoted to English peas every year, but as of today they are not ready for picking (they need about 60 days before cultivation) . Costco is selling shelled English peas (from Guatemala) in a 1.5 pound bag for about $5 (in the walk in refrigerator). Here is a recipe I got from the back of the label. I follow recipes the first time, the modify to my own taste after that.

The ingredients are simple, as is the process. The receipe needs 3 cups of peas and the bag from Costco has about 5 cups. Cooking time is only about 15 minutes. You can cut the recipe in half.

Fresh Pea Soup

3 Tbs butter

2 shallots, chopped fine

2 C water

3C peas

3Tbs whipping cream (I used half and half)

1Tbs chopped basil

Melt butter in a sauce pan. Saute the shallots on medium heat about 3 minutes, add the water and peas. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cover. Cook until peas are tender (15 minutes) puree in a blender then add back to the sauce pan with the half and half. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste and serve. This can be re-heated.

Fresh pea soup, tomatoes from the garden, cucumber, jicama and Kirkland frozen pizza (4 cheese pizzas for $10- really good frozen pizza). Lunch outside yesterday.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend!