May 2018 – Page 3

Bonny’s Cafe-Breakfast in El Cajon

May 7, 2018 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, What Cathy Eats!

Here you are, back reading mmm-yoso!!!, wondering where Kirk has been. Well, he's at work. Cathy is writing this post.

Lately, the days have been busy and going out to breakfast seems the easiest; not too crowded, everyone can order what they want, the day is off to a good start. Of course, local standbys are most interesting (Perry's, Izzy's) compared to chains (although I have a few posts about chain breakfasts, too). I realized that I had never posted about Bonny's Cafe, even though we've been here many times

In this location for about 24 years, Bonny's is a breakfast-lunch diner with a bit of a decoration 'theme'.

Primarily 1950's America. This is but a small glimpse; the dining area was packed at 8 a.m. on a Wednesday.

A short stack ($6.50), add bacon and two eggs (scrambled) ($2.95) is quite enough breakfast. The from scratch pancakes are slightly sweet, fluffy, large and cause cravings. The bacon is thick and meaty.

The chicken fried steak meal ($10.75) comes with a choice of toast or biscuit and gravy…oh and the gravy here is magical- smooth, not salty, containing a lot of house made sausage bits and just enough black pepper. More gravy on the house made fresh, fluffy biscuit was a bonus. The chicken fried steak here is *wonderful*- a crispy, lightly seasoned coating on very tender cube steak, cooked just so perfectly. The hash browns were crispy on the top but fairly raw/plain in the center; only the edges were consumed.
French toast, thick slice of a good quality sausage patty, and eggs over hard ($7.95) Why eggs that way?
The salsa. I've never asked if it is house made or a certain brand, but gosh is it good! With the hard cooked eggs, it's quite a burst of great flavors. I sometimes crave a bit of sweet (the French toast) with a generally savory meal. This combination is just right.

Bonny's is a great, local, fun place. Look at those plates!

Bonny's Cafe 596 Broadway, El Cajon 92021 (619) 579-3464 Open Wed-Mon 6 a.m.-2 p.m. CLOSED ON TUESDAYS

Aaharn by Koon Thai (National City)

May 6, 2018 mmm-yoso Thai Restaurants

**** This location of Aaharn has closed

The weather's been warming up, so the Missus decided it was time to start hitting up Zarlitos again for Her weekend poke breakfast. While driving past National City Boulevard, I noticed this.

At street level of Bayview Towers. The thing that caught my eye was the "by Koon Thai" on the signage. Returning home, I did a bit of searching and found out this is a new "concept" by Koon Thai. Along with this National City location, there's one on Kettner near Santa Fe Depot. Shows how long it's been since I've been around those areas, huh?

Anyway, that evening, with the Missus working, I decided to drop on by….yes, back and forth to National City twice in a day! Now that's dedication, right? Actually, I was that curious about the place. Which was small, but I liked the décor.

The young lady working was so warm and friendly.

The menu can be described as Koon Thai "light"……stuff like gyoza? But there were still some ungringo dishes on the menu. I placed my order, not really thinking a couple of things thru.

I started with the Nam Tok, which I ordered spicy. The poor young lady was so concerned about my personal welfare….I assured her that I'd be able to take the heat…evening mentioning Sab e Lee. But she looked so concerned (more about this later), that I ordered it medium.

This was definitely not a "Thai sized" portion. Holy smokes, there was a decently sized steak under the herbs and veggies. On an interesting note; unlike what I've had at Koon Thai, the lime-sugar-saltiness was decent if a bit on the mild side for my taste. I've usually found the beef at Koon Thai on Convoy to be pretty tender. This on the other hand, looked great, but was cut way too thick, and was really sinewy and tough. I'd have appreciated more lemongrass flavor and roasted rice powder, but at least this wasn't too sweet. Oh and it wasn't hot at all….barely tickling my tongue.

I was happy to see a Koon Thai favorite on the menu; the Khao Karr Moo ($10). Again, I found the portion size to be quite large.

There was quite a bit more pork that what I get at Koon on Convoy. There was a nice balance of sweet-soy sauce going on. The pork was a bit drier and tougher than I prefer; except for the darker, fattier slices. There were boiled eggs, decently done for this dish which takes me back to Thailand. I wish the usual pickeld greens were used instead of the gringo broccoli and carrots.

Still, not too bad. The young lady was very nice. When I mentioned the spice level not being up to par, she apologized and told me a couple of stories about folks not quite knowing what "real" Thai food was like and the various questions, challenges, and folks basically almost dying from "mild" level heat. I get it.

I decided to return yesterday and there was this really nice young man working….same friendliness and warmth, a really nice guy. As temperatures had soared to the mid-eighties, I wasn't in the mood for any curries or soups. I saw something called "Herby Chicken" ($12) on the menu and asked if it was "Kai Yang" and he smiled and said "yes". A whole half chicken arrived.

The photo above really doesn't do the portion size justice as it is a pretty hefty half chicken. As with most American birds, the thigh and leg meat was vey nice and moist, but the large and hefty breast was really dry and didn't absorb much flavor. In terms of taste, well, this was quite mild for me. It was salty enough, but definitely needed more. I use lemongrass, garlic, and ginger in my recipe. It could have also been a touch sweeter. The skin was tough and rubbery.

Still, this wasn't bad by any means, better than many Thai restaurants in San Diego.

I also got free Thai Coffee/Thai Tea with my entrée. I'm guessing this is a grand opening perk.

I love the artwork and really enjoyed chatting with the folks working here. I was told that someone actually came in and had no idea what Thai Curry was!!! The top selling dish? Pad Thai.

I hope they do well. I might return one of these days. I was the only customer in the place during both my visits. I hope and wish them well.

Aaharn by Koon Thai
801 National City Blvd
National City, CA 91950
Hours:
Mon – Fri 11am – 3pm
430pm – 9pm
Saturday 430pm – 9pm
Closed Sunday

There are three or four parking spaces behind the building specifically assigned to the restaurant. Though I parked along A Avenue. After driving in Italy and France, I've kind of learned to appreciate roundabouts and there's one here.

I also enjoy the historic homes in the area.

Right next to the quite 70's looking building is Morgan Square Plaza, a colorful little oasis. And on this day, it looked like some teens were having their graduation pictures taken.

They added some life to a rather desolate area on a Saturday evening.

Saturday Stuffs – Farmer’s Table Coming to Bay Park and Hidden Sushi to Convoy

May 5, 2018 mmm-yoso Blog

Two quick things for a busy Saturday.

Farmer's Table Coming to Bay Park:

At least that's what the window display says.

Yes, this is an outpost of the popular La Mesa eatery.

It's good see some new places opening up in our neck of the woods.

3057 Clairemont Dr
San Diego, CA 92117

Ready for some "Hidden Sushi"?:

Saw this a couple of weeks ago. Right behind the former FuAn/Hui An.

A few days later; I read the piece on Eater. It's an omakase only concept….I hope it's more than just a concept.

4764 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Montreal – The Mont-Royal Street Festival and La Banquise

May 4, 2018 mmm-yoso Beer, Canada, Canada Food and Restaurants, Festivals & Events, Montreal, Travel

During our last evening in Montreal, I wanted something in particular….poutine! The Missus decided to humor me. And to make things even better, She decided we could catch the metro instead of walking all the way to our destination.

So, we got out at the Mont-Royal metro stop and wouldn't you know, there was a street festival taking place.

We couldn't help but really enjoy the chill and relaxing vibe of the street festival.

One of my favorite scenes on this trip was when the gentleman below heard the DJ put "his song" on and just dropped his bags and started……well, calling it dancing might be a stretch. But we just loved it.

We had such a good time that we actually went past the street we needed to turn on and walked all the way until the end of the street fair.

Not sure when it'll be this year….but this was a lot of fun.

Anyway, we turned on Avenue Papineau and backtracked until we came to a place I was looking forward to eating at. La Banquise.

During discussions about poutine in Montreal, this 24 hour-a-day "poutinerie" would always somehow be mentioned. La Banquise is one of those beloved institutions having been around for 50 years. They also have 30 plus variations of poutine on the menu….though there was only one I was after.

Even at this rather early hour for dinner, the place was humming. Though we had no wait, almost all the tables were taken. We were seated in the covered back area……topped by a bright red-orange tarp, it made all my photos come out rather reddish. So my apologies.

I started with another thing I wanted to try, a Bec Cola. Produced in Montreal with maple syrup being the primary sweetener….well, it was a "must try". This wasn't highly carbonated, with a typical, perhaps slightly bitterish at first taste….but with a definite maple syrup flavored finish. It was refreshing on quite a warm day.

As for my poutine? Well, I'd already had a rabbit poutine in Quebec City and on the previous night, it was an over-the-top foie gras poutine. Here, I just wanted a "classic".

This was by far, my favorite poutine of the trip. It wasn't salty, the cheese curds weren't tough, with a slight "squeak", the gravy had a decent tongue coating beefiness and there wasn't too much of it. The potatoes weren't particularly crunchy, but there was a definite sweetness and deep potato flavor to them. I mentioned this to Cathy who said that she believes the potatoes are grown in excellent soil and left in the ground longer to develop the sugars better.

The Missus, still swooning from the Smoked Meat sandwich at Schwartz's ordered the version with smoked meat.

This wasn't bad….but I'll take the classic version any day of the week.

We were amazed to have finished everything off….and didn't feel stuffed or gross……just totally satisfied.

La Banquise
994 Rue Rachel E
Montreal, Canada
Open 24 Hours

If you want to read more about La Banquise, you can do so here.

Of course the Missus insisted that we walk back to the apartment.

And it "just so happened" as we passed Au Pied de Cochon, we ran smack dab into a chocolate shop.

And the Missus was a happy camper.

Les Chocolats de Chloé
546 Avenue Duluth E
Montréal, Canada

The rest of the walk was uneventful….though I loved the name of this place…..

As we settled in for the night; I opened up the last beer in the fridge. Remember getting those brews by Unibroue on sale for $3.99CAD?

Even the Missus enjoyed this Belgian White Ale with Apple.

Life was indeed good……

Thanks for reading!

Revisits – Pho Lucky and Pho Cow Cali

May 3, 2018 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

Once upon a time; I considered Lucky and Cow Cali to be my favorite pho shops in San Diego. But recently, I've had some less than stellar visits. The weather had been strangely December like over the last couple of weeks; so I thought I'd drop by and see how thing were.

Pho Lucky:

After my terrible last two visits here, I mentioned that I'd stick with the Banh Mi Bo Kho, which has always been a favorite of mine. Which is exactly what I did.

Well, this did hit the spot. Though the stew is not quite as thick as it used to be. There's a light anise flavor, a decent dose of black pepper, a mild tanginess to it all. Though I'm not sure what was up with the herbs…..I don't recall getting as much of it during previous visits.

There was quite a bit more meat than I recall having before. The tendon and connective tissue looked quite tough, but wasn't. It was nice beefy goodness. The carrots were cooked decently, not hard in the center, and the standard issue banh mi was toasted nicely.

A pretty good meal overall. During this visit, I noticed that there were some new items on the menu. I specifically noticed Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho, which got my attention as it is a dish that I usually go City Heights to get when I have a craving. So, I returned the following weekend to try it out.

So here's the thing. I found this to be quite "different" in a way. First; the hu tieu was severely over cooked and mushy. Second, there's usually some sauce; usually a combination of soy…maggi, or whatever either at the bottom of the bowl or poured over the noodles. This had nothing. I was kind of puzzled. Then, on queue the gentleman came over with a standard issue bottle of maggi sauce. Sigh……

There were two slices of leathery char siu….and a ton of really dry; leathery, and bitter tasting liver. I tried eating one piece and it was terrible.

The other thing I found different as the greasy, pork based "gravy", much like what is served with the Hu Tieu My Tho at Pho King; except it was really bland.

The best two things about the dish was the Chinese celery and the broth; which was quite rich and comforting.

I really thought they might have served me something else from the new menu, but the receipt confirmed I got what I ordered (I think).

I'm still a bit gun shy with regards to the pho here as it has seemed to have gone downhill over the last years or so. So maybe now it's only the Bo Kho?

Pho Lucky
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92126

Pho Cow Cali:

Speaking of pho…….I was wanting a bowl of pho and decided to revisit Cow Cali. After my last visit here, I had pretty much decided to stick to the pho.

I arrived at 10am and the place was already almost filled. I'm not a fan of the rare steak (tai) here; so I stuck with the flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe.

The amount of herbs and sprouts provided was on the stingy side. The broth, in what seems to be an increasing trend here in San Diego, was "sweeter" than I recalled. It was also not as rich. It did have some beefiness to it, with mild anise tones.

The noodles were a perfect stretchy and the proteins, as is usually the case here was the highlite of the bowl. Especially the brisket; though the flank was nice and beefy and very tender. The tendon looks really tough, but is not bad at all.

Not the best bowl of pho I've had here, but it did the trick.

Pho Cow Cali
9170 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

I left wondering…..is it just me, or is the state of pho in San Diego on the downswing?

Ta’cul

May 2, 2018 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

**** Ta'Cul has closed

Because I like to make more than one visit before doing a post, I sometimes take too long. As was the case with El Trebol, a taco shop that a couple of folks had recommended to me at what I call the "gateway to PB". By the time I went to make my second visit, a shop by the name of Ta'cul had taken its place.

The configuration has been changed around a bit and the place is looking kind of rustic. But the young lady and the guy working the kitchen are quite nice.

I liked the menu; both mariscos and what I consider a bit different for this part of town, tacos guisados are available.

Your guisados can be ordered as "street tacos" or larger tacos and run at $2.25 a pop for the smaller sizes. The prices for tacos de mariscos are four bucks and up.

Well, since I was here and fascinated by the menu, I ordered Al Pastor and Cochinita Pibil street tacos, and in typical form for me when it comes to tacos de mariscos, a Gobernador ($4.95).

Service was rather "laid back" as some of the containers on the tables were missing napkin and such. It also took a while to get my tacos.

Even though I saw the trompo in the kitchen, it was not in use. The "al pastor" was heated on the plancha and laid to rest in a mild tasting corn tortilla. It had a very strong, earthy, lightly peppery achiote flavor which kind of overwhelmed everything. It was also quite dry and tough; lacking the different textures of something off the vertical spit. The guacamole helped a bit, as did the onions, but still this really lacked the mild sweetness and balanced flavor I enjoy in a tacos al pastor.

I was quite excited to be able to try the Cochinita Pibil, which I rarely see on menus here in San Diego.

While this was also on the dry side and the achiote flavor was also quite pronounced, there was a mild porkiness to the meat, and the time on the flat top helped add some textural contrast to it. The flavor really reminded me of a milder version of my carne guisada. I did expect a bit more complexity; citrus, cinnamon, garlic, and cloves……but this was better than the previous taco.

The Gobernador looked a bit skimpy, but at least the tortilla was nicely coated with melted cheese to preserve the integrity of the taco.

Not enough onions…peppers….and the shrimp was over cooked. This was the best of the three tacos, but it's hard to get super excited about this……since I usually expect this when I order a Gobernador.

And this for an Al Pastor.

But this is PB and all……

I really did like the friendly service and this time I returned rather quickly.

And ordered the Fried Shrimp ($5.00), Pulpo ($5.95), and a Birria (de res) street taco.

The fried shrimp taco, while being a bit on the greasy side was the better of the two. The shrimp had a nice oceany-briney flavor, the onions and lime helped to cut the greasiness a bit; the batter had a lacquer like crunchiness and the shrimp were moist this time around. The octopus had a nice texture, not too chewy, but really had no flavor and was over shadowed by the peppers and even the queso.

The best was saved for last. It took a while for my taco de birria to arrive. But it was worth the wait.

While this won't make me forget Fernandez or any number of places; most of them are in the South Bay. While the meat was on the stringy side; this had a nice beefiness to it with a decent richness. Definitely the best item I'd had on my two visits.

Due to the nice, friendly atmosphere, I may return for a some more birria and perhaps something else from the menu. Though it's not very high on my list. Also, all they had on my two visits were bottled salsas.

Ta’cul
2015 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109
Hours
Open Daily 11am – 10pm

I wonder if this pooch was waiting for some tacos?