Monday Meanderings: Shabu World Opens, Izakaya Sakura Reopens, a visit to the new Northgate Market, and stuff recently consumed

My list of odds and ends is just getting bigger and bigger so I thought I'd better do one of these posts.

SwabShabu World Opens:

I swear to god, the first time I saw the sign, I thought it said "Swab World". And doesn't it look like the place swiped the Nike Swoosh?

I gotta say, this place opened rather quickly. I recall emailing Dennis about just maybe two weeks ago. For some reason, the Missus wasn't too keen on checking the place out…..I guess I'll have to wait and go solo.

Here are the menus:

Shabu Shabu World
3904 Convoy St #117
San Diego, CA 92111

Izakaya Sakura reopens:

Perhaps the reason that the Missus didn't pay much attention to Shabu World is that after closed for repairs for over a month Sakura has finally reopened. I actually knew about it for almost two weeks, but made the Missus wait…..I wanted the place to work out any "kinks". So the Missus was really trying to scratch Her Ten Don itch. I guess we'll be back eating here once a week again.

The place looks much brighter and clean, making it look larger and more spacious.

A bar/counter area now occupies the window area across from the sushi bar adding more seating.

And my Negi-Maguro-Natto Don was as good as ever…….

Izakaya Sakura
3904 Convoy St #121
San Diego, CA 92111

A visit to the new Northgate Market on University:

I'd heard this place opened so one morning, after doing some shopping at North Park Produce and Minh Huong Market, I drove down to the corner of 54th and University to check the place out. Look at the vans for the free shuttle service offered by the market:

The place is not as humongous as the store on 43rd street, but it is big enough.

You gotta excuse me if I spent most of my time in front of all the prepared food……

This stuff just seems to be trying to speak to me….I gotta find myself a "pork whisperer", though I'm pretty sure of what it was saying to me.

I managed not to turn to stone at the sight of the fried medusa and went over to the meat department to pick up some beef liver for Da' Boyz…… but it doesn't mean I wasn't sorely tempted.

Don't fret my fair chicharron, I'll be back to free you on another day….

Northgate Market
5403 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Recently consumed at home:

Just some simple stuff…don't even know why I took photos. But I was pretty lazy over the holidays…..

I made some kalua pork for a pot luck and saved some, which I ended using for a sandwich or two.

Earlier in the year, the Missus and some coworkers were eating at Sipz a lot. Curious, I wondered what the heck they enjoyed so much and was shocked to find out…..and then they told me the prices. I told the Missus that the dishes they enjoyed were no big deal…really, for ten bucks and up??? So She told me to prove it….which I did. But now I'm stuck making stuff not only for Her, but some of the folks She works with too….here's a black-bean tofu dish…the ingredients (other than the oil) cost about $2.50……

I didn't even have to use the Big Kahuna for this. I've made fake pepper steak with broccoli and other stuff as well. As for the oil, I'll filter then reuse for as long as I can. Start with tofu and in the end do your fish and shrimp dishes…..

And of course, not wanting to waste some leftover baguette…..here's a SPAM™ fritatta sandwich….

Silly, I know…but it tasted pretty good……

And finally, just some other silliness:

I'm not sure you know this, but I enjoy some music now and then. I've got a bit too much of it, like about 5,000 songs on my iPod…a bit crazy I know. A good amount are from the thousand or so CD's I own, but I'm always on the hunt for music. The list is slowly shrinking; every year I find a couple….this past year was no exception. I'm really dating myself, but here are a couple that I'd been hunting for years and finally found this year:

 I was stoked when I found out that Seawind's music from the mid-late 70's was finally released. I guess the music was tied up…… But man, I saw them play several times and really think they were ahead of their time.

 

I'm not sure why I really like this one by a band named Q…….but I remember it fondly:

Lastly….well I hated the movie this was from, Xanadu. I remember seeing it and calling it Xana-du-du. But I really enjoyed this piece by Olivia Newton John and the Tubes.

Kinda Embarassing…but heck, I'm too old to really care anymore! The Missus hears this stuff and doesn't quite know what to make of it…….it's kinda funny. Though at least these have words…you should see the look on Her face when I listen to Hank Garland or The Haggis Horns…..