July 2019 – mmm-yoso

Mexico City – A Walk thru La Condesa and Colonia Roma, Dinner at Pasillo de Humo

July 31, 2019 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Mexico City, Travel

After checking out the Museo Nacional de Antropologia and lunch at El Hidalguense followed by a short nap; we headed back out. The Missus wanted to check out more of La Condesa and Colonia Roma. So we headed out on Avenida Michoacán toward Parque Mexico. La Condesa is quite charming with tree lined streets, once upon a time this land was all owned by a Countess ("Condesa"); María Magdalena Dávalos de Bracamontes y Orozco. Parque Mexico is a wonderful park, circled by the street often called the "most beautiful in Mexico City" which circles the park. Once upon an time the street was once a horse race track.

It was quite relaxing watching kids having fun in Foro Lindbergh (Lindbergh Forum).

While it was fairly warm and the sun shone quite brightly; the trees really helped to cool things down. There are quite a few historical houses built in the area and I should have taken more photos, but we were just enjoying the walk.

We took a left up Avenida Mexico; past the very popular dessert stop Churrería El Moro and headed up Avenida Mexico; where came upon quiet Plaza Popocatepetl and its centerpiece, the art deco fountain.

Things got drastically busy when we took the left turn from Calle Popocatepetl onto Avenida Yucatan, followed by another right onto super busy Álvaro Obregón. Crossing over the hectic cross street, Avenida de los Insurgentes we were now back in hip/hipster Colonia Roma. The Missus enjoyed window shopping and we dropped into a few shops that caught Her interest along the street. We even came across a Passage; which reminded us of those covered passages in Paris.

After returning from our trip; I did some research and found that this place is quite well known; El Parian. You can read more about the history of this covered passage here.

We took a right turn down Orizaba, a street lined with restaurants and shops….

I loved the name of this one.

And arrived at lovely Plaza Luis Cabrera; where we took a short break; drank some water we had purchased along the way.

We saw young children trying to track down birds, women sitting and chatting, and some rather interesting "vignettes".

After our break, we turned back around and headed up Orizaba until we came across lively Plaza Rio de Janeiro.

Where we watched parents and their children; of the four and two-legged kind,socializing.

We were charmed. When we thought about visiting CDMX, this was not the mental picture we had……we were really enjoying our time here.

Soon enough, we started feeling a bit hungry. It was time to head back and get some dinner. I hadn't made reservations for this evening, but had a place in mind that was fairly close to where we were staying.

On the second floor of Parian Condesa Food Hall is Pasillo de Humo, which served Oaxacan inspired cuisine. The restaurant itself is roomy and comfortable.

And service was like we'd experienced earlier in the day; friendly and gracious….and they had this hand-truck contraption loaded with Mezcal! My lucky day.

I requested something "fumar" (smoky) and the really friendly gentleman saw that I had the "Eye of the Tiger"…..literally…..

The guy was quite playful……at the end of the meal, when I wanted another, he asked the Missus permission! You gotta love it!

The missus ordered a cocktail, the Oaxaquillo, Mezcal, Crème de Cacao, Licor 43, and Cardamom.

This was so easy to drink, that the first words out of my mouth when I had a sip was; "abunai".

The appetizer we ordered was one of the three favorite items we had on this trip; the Memelitas de Papa de Cerdo (140 $MX – $7.25/US).

Holy smokes….how do I love thee….let me count the ways…. Wonderful pork cheeks that had been fried; the exterior crisp, giving way to a tender, buttery, tongue coating, decadence. The flavor was full on porkiness, perfectly seasoned with a mild chile, salt, and pepper. The griddled masa cakes had a wonderful, savory "corniness". The pickled onions helped cut through the richness, as did the mild spicy – acidity of the tomato and chili paste on the memelitas.

I ordered the Molleja de Terna en Chichilo (239 $MXN – $12.50/US). Fried veal sweetbreads in a mole with Chochoyote, those masa dumplings that look like mushrooms.

The mollejas were very mild in flavor, no tininess or metallic flavors. The texture was a bit more firm than I prefer. The mole was also very mild and not too sweet. I loved the pickled onions and all the veggies. The chayote was good and the shaved chile de agua was really good.

The Missus ordered the Pato en Mole Negro (293 $MXN – $15.30/US), basically duck breast in mole negro. The duck breast was very tender and the skin had great flavor.

Mole Negro is pretty difficult to make well; this was a nice version, smoky – not overly sweet – mild spice. The Missus loved the plantains; especially the texture. For some reason the tamal siete cueros was our least favorite thing; it was a bit pasty and very bland.

This was a wonderful meal overall; I especially loved my dessert…..

Cue up Survivor….heck, enough of these and I'd be hitting (not beating) the meat.

We really enjoyed our meal. Another place we have on our "list" to return to. I think we'll make a meal of apps next time……heck maybe two orders of those memelitas!

Pasillo de Humo
Av Nuevo León 107
06100 Cuauhtémoc, CDMX, Mexico

El Jardin Changes Course

July 30, 2019 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants

**** El Jardin has closed

Sometimes I wait too damn long to do a follow-up post. Such is the case with El Jardin. I just found out via Eater San Diego, that El Jardin will shutter and reopen as a….gasp "Cantina"! This is somewhat sad news as we enjoyed some pretty good meals at El Jardin.

We had returned several times since those visits…..

And yes, that is the $28 "Sonora Dogo" a wagyu beef dog, with chorizo and pork belly….

While not everything was to our taste, the Missus really enjoyed certain dishes; like the Pozole Verde.

And while the food was sometimes uneven and perhaps the service not what we'd say was at the level of the menu; still, it was warm and friendly, the food creative without going for a whole lot of glitz…..

From the Eater post; the chef is leaving, and El Jardin will reopen as a cantina…specializing in, wait for it….carne asada and Margaritas.

So, in spite of having a chef nominated for a James Beard award, making the Michelin Bib Gourmet list, and getting a positive review in the New York Times, El Jardin changes course.

Cheers El Jardin! We'll miss you…..

Chicken Wing Thang – Katzya (In the H Mart Food Court)

July 29, 2019 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Korean Restaurants

**** Katzya has closed

Friend of Yoso "KenP" was nice enough to remind me that today, July 29th was National Chicken Wing Day. So, I decided to see what I could dish up and found photos from visits to Katzya in the new H Mart Food Court.

Not sure it's quite ready for "prime time", but hey, it was two visits.

A few weeks back, Candice, Xiāngjiāo and her hubby MichaelFC, wanted to have lunch. We decided on checking out the new H Mart Food Court. We each picked a place and got something from each shop. I got Katzya, which is the new Donkatsu (Tonkatsu) and Chicken Wing Shop.

I did two orders of wings….it's a sign of the times when folks actually say, "wow, it's only $11.95 for eight wings….that's so cheap", like the girl in front of me exclaimed. I guess when you compare this to Furaido or Bonchon it is cheaper. I guess it's all relative.

Anyway, I did one order of the regular fried wings and one order of the "Spicy Chicken Wings". Sorry to say; this is the only surviving photo I have of that visit.

The wings were medium sized with a decent batter to meat ratio. The flesh was fairly moist, no complaints there. The batter had some crunch but was on the crumbly side and the regular wings were so bland, really lacking in flavor. Notice the quotation marks on the "Spicy" wings…..that's because, while being quite sticky and messy, the wings were way too sweet and not very spicy at all. The pickled radish was fine…….but man, nothing could cut the teeth rattling sweetness of those wings.

Soon after; I started my visits to the H Mart Food Court to start tasting the various dishes and such. Other than Bann; which is kind of like a revisit since which I'd eaten at quite few times when they were on Miramar; Katya was my first revisit.

With the intention of sharing my lunch with folks in the office; I ordered two items; the Soy Garlic Wings and the Spicy Pork Cutlet.

The Soy Garlic Wings were a pleasant surprise.

The wings were still crunchy when I ate them. I'd expected cloying sweetness; but this was more balanced then the (not) spicy chicken wings. More salty than sweet, perhaps in need of more garlic pungency; moist flesh, decent crunch and not overly crumbly, decent meat to batter ratio. Not bad at all.

Then came the Donkatsu; which was nicely packaged; the "gravy" and shredded cabbage separated from the pork cutlet and rice. Good job there!

The pork cutlet didn't fare as well as the wings as it was already getting pretty soggy when I got back to the office. It was pretty lean and so on the rubbery side. The rice was still hot and slightly fragrant.

To be perfectly honest; I enjoyed the crunchy, refreshing, simple shredded cabbage with sesame dressing the best.

Because that "gravy"…..well…..

Well, I poured it onto the pork cutlet, it was a bit too gloppy-gluey in texture. It had a serious, slow crescendo of heat…..no joking around there. But it had nothing else to really bolster the spice….no salt, no sweet, no other seasonings and spices. It was very one-dimensional.

This is not something I'd order again.

I had truly intended on doing one more visit. But heck, since KenB did mention it was National Chicken Wing Day….I found a reason to just go with what I have and move on. Those Garlic Soy Wings weren't bad, though one out of four ain't so great. Heck, even in baseball, a .250 batting average might get you sent down to the minors.

Katzya
(In the H Mart Food Court)
7725 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours:
Open Daily 11am – 8pm

Thanks for the friendly reminder Ken!

Trying to Beat the Heat – “Cold Ramen” at Karami Ramen and Gyokai Natto Don at Izakaya Sakura

July 28, 2019 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

Man, that humidity was pretty nasty last week, wasn't it? Well, here's something new I tried and also an old favorite for you.

"Cold Ramen" at Karami Ramen:

So, "FOY" SomTommy sent me an email in the middle of 90% humidity week asking me if I had tried the Cold Ramen at Karami Ramen. I mentioned that over multiple visits; Karami had never been a favorite of mine and that I haven't really found a "go-to" version of Hiyashi Chuka in San Diego. ST replied back that Karami was serving ramen, with cold noodles and a cold broth! Hmmm…..

So, before doing some shopping at Nijiya, I decided to see what this "cold ramen" was all about. And yes, there was a sign on the door that said Cold Ramen – $9.90.

It was pretty quiet during my visit. Considering that this was noon on a weekend and the strip mall was packed; it seemed strange. But maybe not, since it was still quite warm and muggy out.

The young man who served me was pleasant, the service prompt, no complaints there.

As for the "ramen".

So yes, this was nicely chilled. In fact, I bit into a couple of ice cubes. On the bright side; there would be no complaining about one of my pet peeves; the ice cold tamago….as it was cold, with a good shoyu flavor. Speaking of shoyu flavor; i'm certain the temperature really affects the tastebuds as this was super salty. It could have used some sour – savory – sweet tones to help things along. It became a bit much and I couldn't finish it. The chashu was also nicely flavored and tender. The menma was routine. For some reason, I really enjoyed the corn….I think the cold heightens the sweetness of the corn. It was my favorite part of the dish.

So, ST, I know Karami is a favorite of yours. The price at $9.90 is reasonable. This wasn't bad, but I'm not sure I'd have it again. Thanks for letting me know about it though.

Karami Ramen
3860 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Gyokai Natto Don at Izakaya Sakura:

Yes, it's that time again, yet another post on Izakaya Sakura. To be perfectly honest though, I think Sakura has not aged well…the service has been spotty and on occasion, the food has been a bit off. And so; it's been nearly a year since my last visit. It was during another hot spell and I got one of my two "hot weather" go to dishes at Sakura, the Ebi Kakiage Udon. This time though, I decided to retry what used to be my other warm weather favorite, the Gyokai Natto Don. The last time I tried it in September of 2017 it was mediocre; a ton of rice, barely any fish.

So, how's the 2019 version of the dish?

While still not quite hitting the same highs as when Sakura didn't have a sign (ChrisR – I still remember when you said it was "an end of an era"); this did hit the spot. Meaty magura and toothsome ika; with a few pieces of shiromi (white fish) thrown in; fermented goodness from the slimy-stringy natto; pungent wasabi, umami from the seaweed, textural pungency from the scallions……still a bit to much rice for me these days; but what the heck, I was hungry. The miso soup was good, the agedashi tofu held form and didn't breakdown and get mushy……

Just what the doctor ordered.

Maybe I need to return more often?

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

Well, at least it's cooled off a bit today. And looking at the weather elsewhere, you know how much we love Paris, but the mercury hit an all time high there this week at 108.7! Sheesh!

Hope everyone kept cool over the last week. What have you been eating to "beat the heat"?

Budapest – More Buda, the Great Market Hall, Hold Utca Food Market, and Kacha Belvárosi Piac

July 27, 2019 mmm-yoso Budapest, Hungarian Food and Restaurants, Hungary, Markets & Grocers, Travel

Following a nice break Budavari Retesvar we walked back the half block to the striking Matthias Church. Originally founded in the eleventh century, the current church was built in the thirteenth century by Bela IV after the Mongols destroyed the original structure. The official name of the church is "Church of Our Lady", but the ever popular King Matthias renovated the structure and even got married in the church twice and so the church is called by most, Matthias Church.

While we often spend a good amount of time exploring churches, we decided to just admire this one from the exterior.

Right past the church is the Statue of Saint István (St Stephen) who was the first Christian King of Hungary.

Right past the statue is the Fisherman's Bastion; which was one of the many structures and improvements made for the 1896 Hungarian Millennium Celebration.

While it's normal for folks to enjoy the views from the structure, we really kind of just wandered around and took it all in.

We headed down the stairs, back to the Danube when we ran into one of the sites I had on my list. It's the Péter Mansfeld Monument, the rather disturbing sculpture of a young man hurtling headfirst toward the ground. Péter Mansfeld was one of; if not the youngest victim of the Hungarian uprising of 1956. Mansfield joined the fight for independence at the age of 16. After his arrest by the Soviets, it was determined that he was one of the leaders of a group that were stealing weapons and cars. He was tortured and sentenced to death. In order to look better in the eyes of the world; they imprisoned Péter until he was 18. He was hanged eleven days after his 18th birthday on March 21, 1959.

I told the Missus the story…..it was quite sobering and we walked down the steps to the riverfront in silence.

We walked along the Danube; passing Várkert Bazár, the Buda Castle Park, where we had started up to Catle Hill in the morning.

We were getting a bit hungry; so we decided to check out the Great Market Hall. So, we walked over to the Elisabeth Bridge which we had crossed over on the previous evening.

And of course, in a park near the bridge, is a statue of Queen Elisabeth. There are statues and sculptures everywhere in Budapest.

Instead of crossing on the Elisabeth Bridge, we walked one bridge over and crossed the Danube on the Liberty Bridge.

The Great Market Hall is located steps from the end of the bridge on the Pest side. I'd head a lot of mixed reviews from folks who had been to Budapest. Everything from "it's amazing and fun" to "it's over run with people and tourist traps".

The hall is quite grand; like so many places in Budapest, it was built for the 1896 Millennial Celebration.

So, what did we think?

Well yes, there were quite a few tourists and most of the second floor is full of tourist type shops. But, much like Pike Place Market; there's still much to be seen and bought even for locals.

It's vibrant, alive, with both tourists and locals.

With lots of things to buy. But in terms of food options; we just didn't see anything that appealed to us.

Instead we decided to take the mile-and-a-half walk to a place we had passed on the previous day; the Hold Utca Market Hall. To get there we walked up Vaci Utca which seemed like tourist central…..which we then avoided for the rest of the trip. Up to rather sedate Hold Utca and the market hall.

We both enjoyed the vibe of this market hall. Yes, there are tourists; in fact there seemed to be a group of tourists on a food tour. Still, there were even more locals; quite a few business folks and such eating at some of the shops on the second level.

We had dinner reservations and wanted something small and we found just what we wanted at this shop on the second level.

The shop specializes in duck…..

And so we decided to share a salad and some duck liver.

The duck liver came in a glass; completely submerged in duck fat. It had been slowly cooked in fat at a low temp; think confit. It was rich, not overly livery….and man; dipping the bread into the fat was quite rich and decadent.

The salad was refreshing; the strawberries were sweet; the greens crisp, the light vinaigrette perfect for this salad. Good ingredients; obviously from downstairs.

It was just what we needed to hold us over until dinner. And the woman working in this shop was very warm and friendly

Kacha Belvárosi Piac
(In the Hold Street Market Hall – second floor)
Hold utca 13
Budapest 1112 1054 Hungary

We'd put in a decent amount of mileage and it was just past 2pm! It was time for a nap as I was sure we'd be doing some walking before and after dinner!

Budapest – Castle Hill and Budavari Retesvar

July 26, 2019 mmm-yoso Bakery, Budapest, Hungary, Travel

The Missus woke early and was rarin' to go on our second morning in Budapest. I think the cruise of the Danube the previous night had something to do with it….as it displayed Budapest's beauty in perfect form. We headed out fairly early, the Missus wanted to check out Castle Hill before the tourist crowds hit, so we set off from the Marriott, past the Vigadó Concert Hall next door; just another one of the amazingly beautiful structures in the city.

Even beyond all the wonderful buildings, there are two things that quickly come to mind when I think of Budapest. One of them are the benches. I don't recall seeing so many benches in any other city. And folks seem to take good advantage of them.

The second are the sculptures…..which are everywhere as well. Right in front of the Concert Hall is the well known Little Princess statue which was created by László Marton whose inspiration for the sculpture was his daughter.

The one on the right is called Danube Wind. The figure of a woman is leaning against the wind of the Danube River. Not quite sure what she is looking at….though the view is wonderful.

There are also quite a few "mini-statues" hidden about. The Missus found this one close by. At first I thought it was a pile of dog turds; but closer inspection revealed….

A little balloon dog and a bone! you can be easily distracted in Budapest. Perhaps a homage to Jeff Koons?

We crossed over the Chain Bridge yet again; though this time with the intention of heading up Castle Hill. I mentioned that it was too early to catch the funicular up the hill to the Missus…. silly me….the Missus had no intention of catching the funicular. We'd be going up via the Várkert Bazár, the Buda Castle Park. From the park; there's an escalator then an elevator that takes you up to the Royal Palace.

The views from the park aren't shabby either.

And the view from Castle Hill, even on a hazy morning is stunning.

A statue of the Virgin Mary looks over the Danube to the Pest side. The statue was erected fairly recently.

It was nice having this view all to ourselves on this morning. We could really take in the city.

We really took our time at the look-out.

From here it's a short walk along the promontory to the Royal Palace.

According to several accounts I've read; this rendition of Buda Castle, rebuilt after World War II, is a far cry from what it was. To quote Wikipedia:

"The government made a decision about reconstruction only in 1948. According to contemporary photos, all the important interiors were in a damaged state, but their reconstruction was technically possible. The new communist government of Hungary considered the Royal Palace a symbol of the former regime. Therefore, Hungarian leaders chose to thoroughly modernise the interior and exterior of the palace. Architectural trends played a part in the decision, as modernist architects had condemned the Hauszmann style as "too ornate"."

The grand statue in front of the castle is of Eugene of Savoy; who helped to drive the Ottomans out of Hungary.

That statue of a bird above the area where the funicular arrives is the Turul.

This mythical bird is the symbol of Hungary. You can read more about the Turul here.

From here we walked into the Palace Courtyard and viewed the King Matthias Fountain; King Matthias was a very popular leader and is considered the last "true" Hungarian King as all those who came after were foreign born.

This courtyard is also the location of the Budapest History Museum.

From here we headed on out; past the ruins of a medieval monastery.

And of course more statues. This one is of Gróf Bethlen Istvan; who was Prime Minister of Hungary from 1921 – 1931.

This one is of a Hussar examining his saber.

This one is the Statue of the Independence War.

From here we headed toward the nearby Matthias Church. We were getting a bit hungry and started looking for a place to grab something small to eat and some coffee. There seemed to be nothing in sight. And then it hit us. A fragrance we'd been searching for during our walk in the city but had not yet found. The yeasty smell of bread and pastries. We followed our nose to this structure.

Where there was a tiny shop…..

And a young lady with the most welcoming smile…..

I ordered a savory strudel (Rétes) and a couple of the cheese "scones" (Pogácsa), along with some espresso and water. We had a seat at the tiny table.

And enjoyed our snack.

Not a big fan of the cabbage strudel, it was mushy, soggy, and fairly bland. We both enjoyed the "scone" which was almost a cross between a gougere and a scone. It was light and cheesy.

Along with some caffeine and H2O, it was just what we needed.

Budavari Retesvar
Balta koez 4.
Budapest 1014, Hungary

We were ready to get on with our exploration.

La Catrina Tapas & Cantina

July 24, 2019 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Seafood, Taco Shops

**** La Catrina has closed

La Catrina has been somewhat of an enigma for us. I first noticed this shop on the corner of University and Herman, in the former location of Tostada's while walking around the area when the Missus was getting Her hair done one day.

A few days later we dropped by for dinner and really enjoyed the tacos……

And the Missus loved the salsas as well; especially the version with chili de arbol and nuts. It was spicy and complex, really heightening the experience.

So, I was thinking we'd do a couple of more visits, then I'd do a post…..except, the menu kept changing, the Rib Eye and Bone Marrow tacos we'd enjoyed changed…..

Then the rock shrimp tacos; which were delicious on a previous visit, were suddenly not fried on one visit…..

On the next visit the shrimp were nicely battered and fried, but now came with fries…..

And then, to top things off, we went twice during hours posted on the place's website; only to find them closed. Sigh…..

So, after three actual visits and two aborted visits, I basically called it quits.

Until we recently got back from Mexico City. The Missus really wanted some tacos….actually She missed the great salsas we had. So, after checking out the hours on La Catrina's website, we returned. And so far so good.

There was one dish we've had at La Catrina on every visit. It's the Carnitas and Octopus Cazuela; a shareable portion of porky, rich carnitas, and nicely prepped octopus.

The flour tortillas served is a bit inconsistent at times; but when you get it slightly charred it just brings the flavors up to another level. I never thought the combination of carnitas and pulpo would work, it does in this case as the octopus adds a very nie texture. And yes, the Missus loves the salsas….

When things are right; there's a wonderful combination of textures, along with the richness of the pork, the acidity and slight pungency of the onions and pico de gallo, all brought together by the charred flour tortilla and picante salsas. And while it's not always been perfect, it's never been bad.

What we also did on our two recent visits is get whatever Happy Hour or special is going on.

There's usually the Rock Shrimp Tacos.

Which were 2 for $7 during our most recent visits. And the last time we had them; the layer of queso on the tortilla had been wonderfully griddled, forming the perfect, crisp, nutty-milky shield for the tortilla. The shrimp were crunchy, moist, and quite well, but not overly seasoned.

This last time the Fish Tacos were 3 for $8.

The Missus loved these. The fish was perfectly fried, crunchy exterior, the flesh moist, with a mild sweetness. It went well with the smooth and creamy guacamole and of course the salsas.

On our previous visit the Rib Eye Tacos were 2 for $7. While the portion of meat was quite generous, we didn't for these very much.

The meat was tender, but hadn't been seared properly and lacked color and the flavor a nice caramelization brings to meat. It was moist, but also seemed on the greasy side and hadn't been seasoned enough for our taste. The queso had not been griddled enough so it was soft and didn't protect the tortilla from all that juice and grease; causing the taco to lose its integrity and fall to pieces. Maybe you'll have better luck with this one.

Something we tried twice but didn't have much luck with at La Catrina is the Ceviche.

Both times we tried this; the fish had been chopped into fairly small pieces and had been overly "cooked" in the lime juice making it mushy. Also, we found the ceviche to be way to sour and salty both times. We haven't tried it on recent visits, so maybe……or maybe not.

We really enjoyed our last two visits to La Catrina; it seems we've found what works for us and what we enjoy. The staff here has always been friendly, welcoming, and quite nice. I'm hoping that all the inconsistencies we ran into are over. I'm also hoping the place survives. Perhaps it's because we eat at a rather early hour; but we've rarely seen more than one or two other tables filled during our visit. There's so much potential here.

La Catrina Tapas & Cantina
3139 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92104
Hours (as of this past week):
Tues – Thurs 4pm – 10pm
Fri – Sat Noon – 1am
Sunday Noon – 9pm
Closed on Monday

Reims – The Significance of 10 Rue President Franklin Roosevelt, Cimetière du Nord, and Dinner at Anna-S – La Table Amoureuse

July 23, 2019 mmm-yoso Champagne Region, France, France, French Restaurants, Travel

After having a nice drive around Champagne, we returned to Reims and dropped the rental car off at Gare de Reims. We took a roundabout way back to the hotel, mainly because there was once place I wanted see. Around the back of the train station is a street named Rue President Franklin Roosevelt. There is a red brick building that still functions as a schoolhouse to this day. You'll see the flags of the UK, US, France, and the Soviet Union flying out front.

Walk up to the doorway and you'll see this sign…..

The top sign basically says: “It is here that on 7 May 1945, was signed the act that ended the Second World War in Europe.” Yes, this is the spot where Germany surrendered. You can read Ralph Morse's first hand account here. This street was renamed for Franklin Roosevelt as was the school it houses which still operates.

Nearby is the War Memorial of Reims (Monument aux Morts de Reims).

And right across the way is the Cimetière du Nord, which had a quite haunting look to us as we walked through it.

From here we walked past some of the more important locales in the city like Place Royale…..

There was quite a bit of road and other work going on so I didn't take many photos.

And the sun seemed to set quite rapidly……

We returned to the hotel, freshened up, changed, and headed off to dinner. I'd made reservations at a contemporary bistro named Anna-S – La Table Amoureuse, which seemed quite low-keyed, had an interesting menu, and seemed just right for this evening.

Of course things started off some Champagne.

We weren't very hungry, so we decided to share an appetizer, the Missus ordered another appetizer as Her main and I got one of the entrees, to share with Her of course.

The service was wonderful and accommodating.

We started with, well, the Foie Gras of course, two ways, the terrine was wonderful, rich and creamy, the fig compote and the brioche proved to be a wonderful foil for the richness.

The Missus ordered the Noix de Petoncles dans son Mini Potirron.

Basically, sautéed scallops served in a pumpkin. The scallops were very sweet and tender, I was a bit leery about the fennel sauce, but the strong anise flavor had been decently tempered and the acidity lifted the dish as did the rather sweet flesh of the pumpkin.

I ordered the Magret de Canard, the Duck Breast.

I was concerned when this arrived as the duck seemed to be cooked a bit past where I prefer, but it was very tender, slightly gamey, the jus had a nice balance of richness, sweetness, and acidity. We both really loved the potato galette.

The dessert was a game-changer for the Missus. It was a cheese course. Over time we've really forgotten what we chose; but we won't forget this specific cheese course.

First off, all the cheese on the cart, which was sliced tableside were at the perfect serving temperature….the flavors were amazing. Second, the Missus had always avoided having the sweet compote with the cheese; but since this was served at room temperature, all the wonderful complex flavors came through and the compote just helped to elevate things. So thank you AnnaS, for setting the Missus off on the interesting "cheese ride" we're on.

The service was fantastic, professional, polished, but not stuffy. This was a very nice meal and we'd gladly eat here again!

Anna-S – La Table Amoureuse
6 Rue Gambetta
51100 Reims, France

Like the previous evening, we took a pleasant little stroll after dinner, in the peace and quiet of Reims.

Thanks for stopping by!

Little Sakana (Mira Mesa)(lunch)

July 22, 2019 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food. Cathy is writing today while Kirk is at work on some important projects.

We've been in this Mira Mesa neighborhood a lot lately, either meeting someone at the Starbucks or dropping into Hong Kong BBQ or R&B Filipino Cuisine. I had noticed Little Sakana while meeting clients at the 'new' Crab Hut (post to come) and finally had a few chances to drop in for lunch.
We have tried to arrive near opening (11:30) to avoid crowds.
One visit, we shared a cucumber salad appetizer ($6). Lightly dressed with rice vinegar and sesame oil and interspersed with krab, this is quite large and refreshing.
The seven piece Assorted Tempura ($8) was a great way to 'test' the frying technique here. Two shrimp and five different vegetable pieces (onion, squash, carrot, sweet potato and broccoli) were each crispy, not oily and went perfectly with the tempura dipping sauce. The 12 piece fried calamari appetizer ($7) was filling and also properly fried. The breading was crunchy, squid pieces fat and juicy and the Sriracha based dipping sauce was not overpowering.
The Shrimp Yakisoba lunch ($12) came with a choice of soup or salad and three beef potstickers. Plump shrimp, plenty of fresh vegetables (red and green bell pepper, onion, broccoli and cabbage) and not much in the way of yakisoba noodles (which were so very good). The Chicken Katsu Curry such special ($13) was also very fresh. This time, with miso soup and the same pot stickers (nice thin dumpling skin and quite a lot of filling). The katsu fry was, again, proper-light, crispy, non-oily, leaving the chicken moist. The curry sauce with the beef, potatoes, carrots and onions had a bit of sweetness and rich flavor that I crave on chilly days.
The Assorted Sashimi Salad ($15) could easily be shared. This photo doesn't do it justice. The lettuces are mixed and lightly coated with the sesame based dressing. The fish includes raw tuna, seared tuna, hamachi, salmon and shrimp. The salad is topped with a seaweed salad. The large quantity of fish is interspersed throughout the lettuce. Will order again.

All in all, a very nice, large restaurant serving really good lunch specials and appetizers. There are all sorts of weekday specials noted at the front door and apparently the sushi rolls and alcoholic beverages are a draw for most people (I really don't research places until writing a post; we drop in). There is also an 'All You Can Eat' option for both lunch and dinner. A more or less 'traditional' menu which we will try again.

Little Sakana 8270 Mira Mesa Blvd, Ste E. San Diego 92126 (858) 860-5000 Open Sun-Th 11:30-10, Fri 11:30-11. Sat 11:30-10:30 Website

Sunday Sandwiches – Waters Fine Foods

July 21, 2019 mmm-yoso Sandwiches

**** Waters Fine Foods has closed

The weekend after we got back from CDMX, I had to drop off lunch for the Missus. After picking up my dry cleaning, I was driving home on Morena Boulevard and for some reason Waters Fine Foods came to mind. Sheesh, the last time we'd had anything from Waters was back in the early 2000's at the original location on West Morena which I believe is now their catering location. The Missus and I really didn't care for the sandwiches we had on that visit and we kind of just filed it away.

Waters moved their café to the strip all next to JV's Mexican Food. So, now a good 16-17 years after that visit….well, it was time to check out Waters again.

The interior is set-up sort of like a café-deli-coffee shop…..it's a bit confusing as you order not at the register, but at the counter, pay, and either have a seat or cool your heels.

Though the employees are quite pleasant.

I ordered the Smoked turkey Panini ($10) which seemed a bit "light" as I carried it home. So when I opened it….

Having just returned from Mexico City, mind automatically did the mental calculation…..man, this was 200 $MXN. Still, like I've said about Banh Mi; it's all about proportion. So, there's was barely a sliver of smoked turkey; which would not have been bad if I could actually taste the turkey, which by the way, wasn't evenly spread through the sandwich. There was just way too much pesto in comparison to the meat, few strings of roasted red pepper, and cheese. I enjoy pesto and this version was quite "pine nut" forward if you know what I mean. But that was all there was, pesto and arugula, usually two of my favorite things just overwhelmed everything. Including the nicely crusty bread.

Again, I don't mind having a "Manini panini" mind you; but in a case of a sandwich like that balance and proportion is quite important.

So, this past weekend I decided to head on back. Folks that know me understand that when it comes to places in San Diego, I usually don't let things go after a single visit, and if I do, it's because we thought the meal wasn't very good and the additional investment really wasn't worth it (i.e. Trust, Pardon My French, Juniper & Ivy, etc…). Or the meal was so terrible that I'm not willing to go myself and I can't talk the Missus into returning (Officine Buona Forchetta comes to mind). Or perhaps I've dropped the ball and my last visit was way too long ago and I'll have to start the "meter" running all over again to do a post (Hachi Ramen), or worse of all, I suffer some particular "ailment"…..

But Waters is a café and in my 'hood, so no excuses, right?

Same really nice group of folks working.

This time I went with the Roast Beef ($9.25). And while not being particularly hefty, I enjoyed this sandwich much more.

I used the dinner fork to provide a bit of "scale" for the sandwich. While the baguette was a bit on the "dry" side; the roast beef was moist, tender, and best of all, I could taste it as the horseradish sauce and aioli were used with a nice restrained hand and complemented the meat. Nice crunch from the lettuce, I wish there were more crunchy onions as it would have added even more crispness and a sweet-pungency to this. The tomato added a slight acidity, but would have been had it been more ripe.

Not bad at all.

I'm glad I returned for that second visit. And while I saw some folks eating a pretty good looking salad; I'm not sure I'll return to Waters….at least for a while. It's not quite my style.

Oh and to that couple who were discussing and dissing all the customers in the place; from the colors and skirts the women were wearing to the tattoos on one of the customers…..try not to talk so loud as I and the guy sitting at the end of the table could hear everything you said. From the guy who you (the woman) said there were "too many of their kind in the neighborhood these days."

Waters Fine Foods
1122 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
Hours:
Mon – Fri 11am – 7pm
Sat 11am – 4pm