July 2020 – mmm-yoso

Island Style Cafe Closing on 08/16

July 30, 2020 mmm-yoso Local Kine Stuffs in San Diego, Loco Mocos, Plate Lunch

**** Island Style Cafe has reopened in Santee.

I've always maintained that I have a wonderful group of "FOYs" (Friends of Yoso), my own "coconut wireless" that keep me informed of what's going, or even share their stories and experiences with me via comments and emails. I always love hearing from them all. Though it's not always "butterflies and puppy dog tails"….. I recently received an email from "FOY" KarenM who informed me that a favorite of mine Island Style Café was closing! I know; it's hard to believe, it seems I was just there for Covid-19 takeout. Karen was nice enough to provide me with this Nextdoor post.

Man, what a bumma'……I've been going to Island Style Cafe for 12 years! Since I needed to pick up my dry cleaning in Tierrasanta anyway, I called in my order and wen hele over to Island Style Café.

Terri wasn't working the front counter, but the nice young lady did confirm that ISC was closing on the 16th…..I was told that this came on quite suddenly.

Sad, I took my LocoMoco home. I found that my usual favorite; the Kaloko Loco doesn't hold up too well for takeout, so I went with the "standard" Loco ($10.50). And of course, it was more than enough for me.

I enjoyed it as I always do….but of course it was bittersweet. It's always sad when a favorite you've been going to for over a decade closes.

On the bright side; the young lady informed me that they will start looking for a new location after taking a short break. I hope so.

I'm going to try to get another fix in before ISC closes. And, if you enjoy Island Style Café, make sure you visit by August 16th.

Mahalo for all the good meals Island Style Café, a hui hou mākou.

Island Style Cafe
5950 Santo Road
San Diego, CA 92124
(858) 541-7002
Current Hours (according to their website)
Tues – Fri 9am – 2pm, 430pm – 730pm
Saturday 7am – 8pm
Sunday 7am – 2pm

And thanks so much for letting me know KarenM…..so I had the opportunity to have a Loco Moco from ISC at least one more time!

Takeout from Krispy Krunchy Chicken – “I Love the Smell of Frying in the Morning…..”

July 29, 2020 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings

**** Krispy Krunchy Chicken is now a location of Cluck n Sip

Did you know that today, July 29, 2020 is National Chicken Wing Day? Not that I really keep track of that stuff…..

And sadly; the only thing I have in my current collection of chicken wing photos is a revisit to Krispy Krunchy Chicken.

I stopped by the 99 Ranch Market on Balboa on my way home to check on Frankie…the Missus needed a restock of some "snacks". As I walked along the aisles I could make out the unmistakable smell (no, it ain't a fragrance – it's a smell) of deep frying going on…….I knew exactly where it was coming from. I think everyone knows that smell, right? Having worked at various restaurants when I was younger; I recall being coated in a film of oil when walking home…..the most intense was when I worked at a Drive In close to my High School. I swear that dust and other particles used to stick to me as I walked up Kaimuki Ave, crossing over the H-1 at 6th Avenue, before walking up Harding Avenue to home. My skin had an almost reflective sheen and my hair made me look like I was trying out for Sha Na Na (remember them?). Getting all that residual grease off my clothes and myself was always interesting. And yet, whereas the scent of deep frying bothers the Missus….She does enjoy the end product. Me, well….I learned to embrace it in a way.

And on this day; the aroma of chicken frying meant that I'd be getting some chicken wings from KKC. Because of Covid-19 and the fact I was heading home; I wasn't able to take advantage of what I learned when I first visited KKC, if you order ten or more wings they'll fry you a batch fresh. These days; I'm just not up to the task of eating that much fried food.

And make no mistake about it….these are definitely fried….

Well, the steak fries were on the dry side and needed a ton of ketchup. The wings, being on the colder end of the scale was still crunchy, but had lost that wonderful "freshly fried edge" of heat and crispness and was also a bit drier…..thus in need of the Hot Sauce I availed myself of.

To quote from a previous post:

"Though I find the meat itself more moist and with a definite "saltiness" without the spice like Popeyes. Just a little dip into Louisiana hot sauce, the vinegar and spice really helps cut any richness….but not the guilt I'm afraid."

Not quite as good as what I'd had on previous visits. Freshly fried is many times better than sitting under a heat lamp……. But I got my fix in.

Krispy Krunchy Chicken
5950 Balboa Ave (Inside 99 Ranch Market)
San Diego, CA 92111

I mentioned the smell of fryer oil to the Missus who got kind of grossed out…….She's often told me that living next to a restaurant where they fried food would just be a total hell for Her. But then I reminded Her of the "bright side".

The bright side? Well, one of the main neurological symptoms of Covid-19 is anosmia (loss of smell)…and heck, being able to enjoy that strong smell of frying animal flesh in this context….well, it was a good sign right? So let's embrace that…..or maybe even embrace Frankie when he's overdue for a bath…..just to retest that olfactory system.

So, to paraphrase a well known quote: "I Love the Smell of Frying in the Morning….." For now…..

Happy National Chicken Wing Day!

Simsim Outstanding Shawarma – bc (before Covid) and dc (during Covid)

July 27, 2020 mmm-yoso Mediterranean Restaurants, Middle Eastern Restaurants/Cuisine

**** Simsim has closed

Simsim opened at the Gateway at Kearny Mesa back in August of 2018, I first visited a couple of months later…….I then just waited a while before visiting again….then wanting just one more visit before posting took my 'ol sweet time revisiting…..I'd been kinda underwhelmed, not at the portions (at first), but the flavors and such. And then the Pandemic hit. I've actually got a bunch of photos from places that I'd meant to revisit or post on. Simsim was one of them. But with the Pandemic; well, I was just going to delete the photos and call it a day. But I'd already had three visits to the place; so, two weeks ago, I decided to just do one more takeout visit…thus the "bc" (before Covid) and "dc" (during Covid) in the title.

So, here goes.

Simsim is located in the same strip mall as one of Cathy's favorites Niban, Elijah's, and the now defunct Souplantation. Much like Tahini Street Food, the set-up is "fast-casual" (i.e. the Chipotle, which by the way is also in this strip mall) model. You order at the counter and pick up your order when ready.

On all my visits the crew here were very nice and friendly.

The menu consists of wraps, bowls, plates, and sides with names like "Authentic", "Simple", "Spicy", "Tasty", and "Pure"…you get it, right?

On my first visit, I decided to just get the Beef and Lamb (the "Authentic"), which at that time was $10, it's now $12.

It comes with a side of standard issue thin fries, which I think could have been fried a bit longer as it got soggy quite quickly. It was nicely seasoned though.

The bread off the sajj was fairly brittle and lacking in a bit of stretch from other versions that I had enjoyed more. In fact, one of my Middle Eastern coworkers said that this is almost closer to a tortilla for a burrito. I also like a bit more slightly charred "crust" on my bread as well.

The amount of meat in this was quite generous, though it is obviously aimed as "food for the masses" (nothing wrong with that) and was quite mild in seasoning…it was also on the dry side and a bit ore chewy than I preferred. The tahini was also pretty mild in flavor as well.

Still, very nice folks…..so, after a couple of months, I decided to return.

I'm still looking for really good falafel in San Diego; so I decided to try the Falafel Wrap($9).

The fries were done a bit better this time around and the "bread" had been toasted a bit more and actually had some nice crisp spots on it.

The falafel was mushy and pasty, and fairly bland…….in retrospect it was a good thing I had this before our trip to Israel and Jordan; because now I dunno what I would say about this.

After this I just kinda forgot about Simsim. Until the beginning of the year. I was kinda craving chicken with garlic sauce, I'd already tried the version at Tahini Street Food and Alforon was much too far away. So, I thought I'd try the version at Simsim. I got the "Simple" – Chicken and Garlic ($10.50) to go.

I quickly noticed that his wrap was shaped differently. It looked even more like a burrito than before! Also, the one thing I was most concerned about was that the fries would not hold up on the 10-15 minute trip to the office. Which turned out to be true.

The wrap itself seemed much smaller than before as was the amount of meat. Though the chicken had a bit of seasoning it was quite dry. The garlic paste was quite mild in flavor and I could have used more of it.

That same coworker I mentioned earlier told me that they don't make the bread for their wraps inhouse….

So, what you read above would have never (or perhaps should have never) seen the light of day. But, looking at all the "bc" photos I was going to delete, and knowing that Simsim was doing takeout during this time, I decided to call in an order and pick it up on the way home to check on Frankie.

They've got outdoor seating set-up right now.

My order was ready on the counter when I arrived. I had decided against getting a wrap this time around and seeing that they had Muhammara as one of their sides; decided on the "Signature Side Plate" ($13). Which came with very standard issue (and obviously not made inhouse) pita.

Of the four items on the "plate" (Muhammarah, Babaganoush, Moutabel, and Hummus), I enjoyed the Babaganoush the most. It had a nice smoky hint to it, great flavor, decent texture. The Muhammarah was decent, slight sweet-sour tones, it could use a bit more nuttiness and garlic for my taste. Not in the same league as the version at La Miche, though not bad. The Moutabal was nice and creamy; though for some reason the eggplant and tahini flavors were quite mild. The Hummus as just plain bland.

This was by far my "favorite" item I've had at Simsim.

The food here, like Tahini Street Food is a fusion take on Middle Eastern Cuisine for the Western Palate. I think I prefer Tahini to Simsim, but you may want to try both on your own. The folks here have always been nice and friendly and Soo seemed to like the place, so perhaps you'd like to give them a try.

Simsim Outstanding Shawarma
7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 430-6717
Open Daily:
11am – 7pm

So, there you go……I've got a bunch of photos of one time visits….all from "bc" (before Covid), some from last year already. I'm fairly certain that if I do return to these places it'll be "ac" (after Covid). A few I probably won't return to. And if I do a post; I'll start from scratch and do a couple of visits. I'm not sure if it's worth posting mostly just photos from these visits.

So, what do you think?

The Turkey Day Any Day from Gourmet Bagger and Meet the “Bomb Squad”

July 26, 2020 mmm-yoso Sandwiches, yoso-silly

I recently had to expand my "Covid-19 range" again. Apparently, the Missus had a package to pick up at the post office on Midway….with postage due? Anyway, this one was just by a few blocks. I decided to grab something for lunch nearby and called the Gourmet Bagger since it was just blocks from the Post Office.

They were pretty busy when I arrived, but folks were waiting outside for their orders and there were good, well spaced markings for the line to order.

My order was ready when I reached the window. I paid and left for the post office.

Back in the comments of my original post in 2018, "Derek R" recommended something called the "thanksgiving sandwich"; and I do have soft spot for turkey sandwiches with stuffing and just a touch of cranberry sauce and even gravy. So, I got the Turkey Day Any Day ($8.39).

Which is served in a French Roll, just like the Cheesesteak and Grinder. It came with a pretty hefty cookie as well.

The bread was light and yeasty, which definitely added positively to the sandwich. I thought there was a decent amount of standard issue, though moist thinly sliced turkey which did well in this framework. Sadly, I really couldn't taste the stuffing (I do like the version of this that Sandwich Emporium does) and the cranberry sauce wasn't evenly spread making some bites way to sweet and others with no cranberry sauce in it. I'd have also loved some gravy substitute with this sandwich…..weird I know….but it always takes me back to the open faced turkey sandwiches of my youth.

Not a bad sandwich, good service, I'll be back to try something else from the menu the next time I have pick stuff up from the Post Office for the Missus again.

Thanks for the rec DerekR!

The Gourmet Bagger
3357 Rosecrans St
San Diego, CA 92110
Covid-19 Hours:
Mon – Sat 1030am – 330pm
Sunday 11am – 3pm

So, I did make it to the Post Office, got to the counter (this is the location that used to have the "mystery doorway" where you had to ring a bell for pick-ups before Covid-19), and gave the nice woman my slip. She retrieved the package and told me that it had no postage and strangely no return address? I paid the postage and brought the parcel home. I turned it a bit and it sounded like there were some metallic rattling noises.

The Missus sent me a text and asked me to open the parcel. Hmmm…..this was kinda weird…perhaps our current pandemic has made me overly suspicious? I told the Missus that I'd take it to the back yard and open it. The Missus told me to wear gloves.

Just as I was ready to cut through the tape, the Missus told me to "hurry and wear some face protection just in case". Just in case! Just in case???? So, I quickly just grabbed stuff and threw this together. I'll admit, it ain't my best look.

The text conversation with the Missus was even more funny.

The Missus: "You look ready for a bomb"

Me: "Ummm, I don't think I'm bomb proof….more like fart proof"

My friends said that I reminded them of a character from Star Wars. Well, I'm thinking these times are making us all a bit nuts….so perhaps you'll get a chuckle out of this.

Oh, and what was in the parcel? Some snacks and candy the Missus ordered from a company…..shipping was supposed to be free! Well, I guess it was….for them! What kind of Mickey Mouse operation doesn't even have a return shipping label? So unprofessional…..

Oh well, another story for "the books".

Hope you had a great weekend!

Munich – Augustiner Keller Biergarten

July 23, 2020 mmm-yoso Beer, Gastropub, German Restaurants and Food, Germany, Munich, Travel

What would be better after a busy day walking around Munich, than having a (couple of) cold one(s), right? And of course we were in Munich, so we had to check out at least one beer garden. Folks I knew recommended Hofbrauhaus, but I did a bit of reading and the place just screamed "tourist". Augustiner Keller on the other hand; well, I'm sure that many tourists visit; in fact we got to chatting with two fellows from the UK who were visiting while their wives were off on a "girls trip". Also, Augustiner Keller seemed quite close to where we were staying….at least it seemed that way.

So, we headed out taking a left down Landwehrstrasse, walking past the Church of Saint Paul and taking another right, then a left, eventually finding a pedestrian overpass to the large street below.

Then heading up a nice pedestrian path named the Kurt Haertel Passage, then crossing over all the train tracks on Hackerbrücke (Hacker Bridge), where I noticed couples climbing up the railing. I later learned that this is a favorite place to view the sunset for young couples.

We made it to the other side and walked East for a rather long block where I saw this rather discreet sign.

Which belies how huge Augustiner Keller is; established in 1812, first legally serving beer outdoors since 1842, the place seats 5,000 people under 100 Chestnut trees, has three restaurants, a fairly expensive regular restaurant, a table service outdoor area, and a self-service area, where I understand folks can even bring their own food. It was a happening place on this beautiful Sunday at the end of May.

We decided on the self-service side of things.

And while the pretzels and pork knuckle looked mighty tempting……

We decided on encased meats in tubular form. Beer was dispensed from wooden barrels and you can get half liter pours….but c'mon, you're in a beer garden in Munich. You need to get beer in a stein (rightfully called a "mass" in German) the size of your head.

The Missus, who just really wanted some sauerkraut, got the Nuremberg Rostbratwurstel which came with Sauerkraut (8,8€).

Six very porky sausages, with slight lemony-herbaceous tones, with a nice "snap" to them. The Missus loved the flavor of the sauerkraut; though the texture was on the soft-mushy side.

I saw a sausage I enjoyed earlier on the trip and got the Käsekrainer (8,4€), basically a sausages stuffed with cheese, which came with fries.

The beer was wonderful, quite refreshing, I had two. The fries were fairly crisp but standard issue, the sausage was not quite as good as what I had in Austria….but I still enjoy that vein of milky cheese in the middle.

We really enjoyed our meal…in a beer garden; in Munich, on a beautiful day, under chestnut trees, surrounded by mellow folks enjoying the day, and drinking a beer the size of my head.

I mean really…….

Augustiner-Keller
Arnulfstrasse 52
80335 Münich, Germany

Life was good!

Thanks for stopping by!

Rubicon Deli (UTC)

July 21, 2020 mmm-yoso Sandwiches

I'm not sure who first mentioned Rubicon Deli on the blog; would it be you Lynnea? Regardless, the Missus will take full credit for getting me to try the Rubicon location in UTC. She's had Rubicon's sandwiches catered at work (albeit not from the UTC location). And sometimes, She'll make bets with folks at work (only when She's sure She'll win of course), with a sandwich from Rubicon at stake.

With all the craziness at work that started with the pandemic, I started ordering online from Rubicon back at the end of March. And I've got to say, at times Rubicon has been a Godsend, like when there have been meetings that run through lunch hour (they open at 10am). Also, since the parking lot isn't currently charging and you don't need a validation, getting in is a breeze. The usual estimated turnaround time for a sandwich is 12-15 minutes and it's always been ready when I arrive to pick it up.

The drill is; I jump in my car and drive the 8-10 minutes to the parking lot on the corner of Regents Road and Regents Park Row.

Walk on over to Rubicon. My sandwich has always been ready on the shelf for me to grab and head back to the car.

I've always seen the staff with masks on and wearing gloves as they make the sandwiches.

And then; it's a quick hop back to the office.

All sandwiches come with a standard issue cookie; which I usually give away.

You get a choice of 6 different breads to choose from; though once in a while they'll be out of something.

The sandwiches aren't cheap; a half runs you $8-9, a whole $13-14. Though I did learn early on that there's no way I can finish a whole.

And there are times I can't even finish a half…..

And yes, there have been times when I've not enjoyed the sandwich I tried and I'm not a big fan when they give me the "end cut" of the bread.

So, enough of the prelim stuff, let's see some sandwiches….

My favorite is the "Super Mario" on Garlic Cheese Bread.

When the bread is right…..crunchy crust, garlicky, cheesy…this sandwich is by far my favorite. The combination of Prosciutto and Asiago adds a nice savory-salty-milky component, as does the bread. The red pepper tapenade and balsamic glaze does the sweet-acidity, the pesto mayo has the savory-nutty flavor, and the arugula adds the bitter-slightly peppery flavor. And yes…the turkey….well, I consider that to add some heft to the sandwich.

The Missus's favorite is the "Hog's Breath" on Bleu Cheese Bread – She loves the bacon and avocado, slightly sweet and spicy mustard and the chipotle mayo. The bleu cheese bread is all important….though you might think it would make things too salty, it's a nice complement to the ham and bacon. This is the one She'll get when She wins a bet.

So why the verbiage before the photo? Well, I'm hoping you don't mind a little Covid-19 story. The Missus is on a hiking thing, it keeps Her sane on days off and She has some goals; like hiking the Kumano Kodo….not sure how I'm going to do; so we'll see. Anyway, like many folks the pandemic has been kinda driving Her crazy….and She has some interesting moments. One day, I was at the office when She calls me and says, "let's have lunch, meet me at Rubicon." The problem being, all dining in was already "no Bueno", so I'm kinda confused. What She meant was that She was going to WALK to Rubicon from Bay Park and I'd order a Hog's Breath for us and then drop Her off back home…..yes, for real…I timed everything perfectly and was walking out of Rubicon as She turned the corner. We got in the car and I got ready to drop Her at home when She told me to drop Her at Sprouts on Genesee???? And She walked home from there….crazy! So now you know why we always go on those "Death Marches" when we travel? Oh, and She took the entire sandwich with Her. I had to go find something to eat for lunch……

I'm hitting over 700 words now, so let's go through the other sandwiches I've had.

The "Giddy Up" is a nice choice for me when I want variety. Basically Roast Beef and Horseradish with some of that Red Pepper Tapenade.

I also enjoy the sweetness from the Carmelized Onion, the Arugula does well; but all those strong flavors kinda cancels out the Swiss Cheese on this.

The "Stallion" is Rubicon's version of an Italian style sandwich featuring salami, ham, provolone.

It's fine with the Spicy "Chop-Chop", basically a mayo based spread with jalapenos giving this a bit of a kick.

Of the two Veggie type sandwiches I've had at Rubicon, I prefer the "Hot Mess", especially when combined with Jalapeno Jack Bread, which along with the Chipotle Mayo gives the sandwich a bit of a kick. Unfortunately, this kind of cancels out the earthy mushroom flavor. The tempura fried onions does add some crunch and the sun dried tomato spread helps things along.

It's the Gouda that stands out in the Rubicon Special as it goes well with the red pepper tapenade.

Though I did find this to be rather unremarkable and on the bland side with regards to the sandwiches at Rubicon.

They really threw a lot of stuff at the "Whale's Veg".

Good textures with creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and sprouts. The tomatoes weren't ripe enough and really lacked flavor and the goat cheese, tarragon Dijon mustard, and balsamic glaze just made this too darn sour for my taste.

My least favorite sandwich to date has been the "Rubi Club", maybe it's because the two times I tried it; I got the weird end slices of bread?

Also, both times I had the sandwich it was drenched in this weird jalapeno-ranch "dressing" that just tasted odd to me. The "buffalo" turkey was also messy and too acidic and I really couldn't taste the bacon at all. Along with the pickle, too much sour-acidic tones to this one. And since I had it twice, I'm thinking this is the way it's meant to be served. You know what they say; "fool me once shame on you; fool me twice….." Well, you get the picture.

Still, in my opinion, there's more to like than not at Rubicon. The place is really handy for me and the Missus loves Her, ahem, "Hog's Breath". And I've found my favorites here as well. Though I'm afraid the Missus is going to have me try to "walk off" my sandwich one of these days…..

Rubicon Deli (UTC Location)
4130 La Jolla Village Drive – Suite 104
San Diego, CA 92037
(858) 877-9911
Open Daily – 10am – 9pm

Sunday Stuffs – Convoy’s “Tent City”, Frankie Makes 17, and Other “Stuffs”

July 19, 2020 mmm-yoso yoso-silly

This past weekend, on my way to do my shopping….it was a bit later than usual because of work; I decided to check out what was going on in Kearny Mesa with regards to outdoor dining….I call it Convoy's Tent City. Things moved quickly when San Diego started allowing restaurants to move outdoors without a permit and I heard Convoy really picked things up. So, I just decided to check things out as I went shopping. Pardon the photos – they were all taken with my iPhone while driving.

My first stop was Marukai and when driving down Kearny Villa Road on my way to Nijiya; it wasn't long before I started seeing things…this is Tajima on Mercury.

Upon getting to the parking lot of Nijiya; I got to see Woomiok's al fresco dining area; which was pretty well set-up with good social distancing.

The next strip mall over had Bistro Kaz….

Koubou…..

And Izakaya Sakura……though it was too early for customers.

However, Old Fashioned Pancake House was doing some major business…..

And then I went for a quick look at "that" strip mall, the one that Eater mentioned….you know the one, right? The almost unanimous winner of worst parking lot on Convoy.

O'Briens looked set-up.

And man, RakiRaki seemed to take up like a third of the parking lot; but the spacing looked good.

Which is why I was somewhat disconcerted when a good friend of mine told me that RakiRaki was filling up this corner area and not really using the large widely spaced area until the corner was filled. It looks like there's less circulation and spacing……

Hmmmm…….

On Friday late afternoon I went to Sprouts. When I arrived a police vehicle pulled in…..when I got to the register I saw what was happening. There was a guy who was refusing to wear a mask in Sprouts. Sigh…… If you follow me on Twitter you already know what I saw.

Anyway, the staff at Sprouts and the officers were so very patient and professional. Sprouts even offered to provide a mask for the guy….who initially refused. Finally the officers got through to the guy, Sprouts provided a mask and even opened a register specifically for him. Of course as soon as he walked out the door he threw the mask on the ground. One of the officers made him come back and pick it up. I'm mentioning this; not to shame the guy….even though you can figure out what I think. Rather, I want to highlight the patience and professionalism of the staff at Sprouts and the Officers involved.

Frankie Makes 17!

This is kinda late; but on June 23rd, Frankie made 17! I went to buy him a balloon on the way home. When I chose the balloon, the folks asked me if I just wanted one single balloon. When I mentioned it was for our dog who just made 17, they gave me a discount!

Like I always say; there are more good people in the world then bad.

Frankie doesn't get around like he used to…..stairs and stuff are difficult, he's partially blind, a good walk for him is one block these days. But, he still eats like a champ and loves his snacks.

And….since I think a photo of food is needed….here's dinner tonight.

Take care and be safe everyone!

Munich – The Egyptian Museum, Alte Pinakothek, Lunch at Bar Mural, The “Michael Jackson” Memorial (Orlando di Lasso Statue) and Other “Stuffs”

July 16, 2020 mmm-yoso German Restaurants and Food, Germany, Munich, Travel

After a wonderful dinner at Werneckhof by Geisel, we slept soundly. I of course, woke pretty early and just checked email, worked on a post, downloaded some photos. After the Missus woke, I went out and grabbed some coffee, organized stuff and then headed on out. While making some broad plans, I noticed that even though many places are closed on Sunday…which this day was, Museums in the Kunstareal ("Art District"), the city's Museum Quarter charged just 1€ admission! The Missus has been dreaming of travelling to Egypt and our last visit to the Louvre, where we spent most of the visit at the Department of Egyptian Antiquities added fuel to the fire. I told Her Munich had an Egyptian Museum….so of course we had to visit.

So, we headed off….it was a nice day….Sunday at the end of May seemed to be pretty quiet……

We knew we were close when we passed the Propylaea, a large city gate built in 1862 modeled after the Propylaea in Athens which is the gate to the Acropolis.

The main street, Gabelsbergerstrasse is very wide making things look a lot grander.

The Egyptian Museum looks kinda strange at first glance – big and boxy.

And there was this sculpture basically in front of the museum.

At first glance I was a bit puzzled; I actually told the Missus, "why is there a sculpture of what looks like a guy barfing in front of the museum?" After doing a bit of research, I found that this work is named Present Continuous by Henk Visch. If you want to know more, you can read this.

Upon paying our Euro and entering the museum, I got the design……it's to give you the impression you're entering an ancient tomb.

We loved the lighting, the nice spacing between exhibits, and there were just a few people in the place!

There are routes marked on the floors and it was just a fun place to visit.

And the Missus of course reminded me that I owe Her a trip to Egypt.

One of these days……

Right across the street is the Alte Pinakothek ("Old Art Gallery") and since it was only going to cost us a Euro and didn't look crowded we decided to check it out.

The collection features works by Raphael, Leonardo, Botticelli, Rembrant, and Rubens.

The Flemish paintings really caught my eye – like the Two Satyrs by Rubens (to the right).

And the Satyr and the Peasants by Jacob Jordaens. (below)

Things were starting to get crowded, so it was time to head off to lunch.

Like I mentioned earlier in this post….it seems like a lot of restaurants near the city center are closed on Sunday. I'd managed to find a place that wasn't too fancy; it was a sibling of a Michelin Starred Restaurant, and got some reservations for 230 in the afternoon. Which meant we could take our time walking there.

We headed South East, passing the distinctive Obelisk….apparently this was built to commemorate Bavarian Soldiers who fought with Napoleon's Army against Russia.

Then past the Statue of Max Joseph von Pettenkofer in Maximiliansplatz.

Then headed back up Amalienstrasse taking right turn on Theresienstrasse, noting that all the shops were closed and found Bar Mural….which was also pretty quiet.

Bar Mural was basically a wine bar, with a small eight item menu….stuff like Egg Benedicts…..Pastrami Sandwiches…..and the like. We decided to just get a couple of things….after all, we had a biergarten in our sights for dinner.

We got the cheese plate and the 63 Degree Egg with Tomato Compotte……it was just meh……

The cheese was the wrong temp…too cold.

The egg was fine; the tomato compote adding some nice acidity, but this was underseasoned and kind of bland overall.

Can't win 'em all, right?

Bar Mural
Theresienstrasse 1
München, Germany

We decided to check out Marienplatz before heading back to the apartment for a nice afternoon nap. There was one thing I as kinda curious to see. It's that statue pictured to the right; it's of composer Orlando di Lasso. But look at the bottom of the statue…recognize anything? Yes….that's photos of Michael Jackson. According to Atlas Obscura, soon after Michael Jackson's death folks started laying flowers and wreaths at the base of this monument. Why? Well, there's no relationship between Jackson and di Lasso; rather this is because Jackson's favorite hotel in Munich; the Bayerischer Hof Hotel is right across the street. So this is better known as the "Michael Jackson Memorial" these days. Go figure….

Nearby is this interesting "statue".

It's an aluminum statue of Bavarian Statesman Maximilian Joseph Von Montgelas, aka "Maximilian Karl Joseph Franz de Paula Hieronymus de Garnerin de la Thuile, Count von Montgelas"…..whew, can you imagine that signature?

As we headed to Marienplatz, we noticed police, road blocks, and could hear music playing. When we got to Marienplatz, we notice a very large, but really peaceful crowd.

We noticed folks…..adults, children, and even dogs and cats dressed in red jerseys. And then some folk appeared on the balcony of the Town Hall. Apparently, the local Football (Soccer) Team, FC Bayern had won the their league championship. It as great to see a large crowd, relaxed, mellow, celebrating with their local team.

It was a fun scene……Munich was turning out to be much more than we thought it would be!

Thanks for stopping by!

Takeout from Cross Street Chicken and Beer

July 14, 2020 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Chicken Wings, Korean Restaurants

In my last revisit to Cross Street, I mentioned wanting to try the garlic parmesan wings. So, last week I placed an online order before heading home to check on Frankie. Interesting set-up; there are two lines one for take-out/pick-up, the other for seating on the patio. There were actually three people waiting to be seated, but my line had no one. There were quite a bit of staff on hand….which made me happy….people working, getting paid….I'm trying to tip at least 20% when I can…..I think of it as not having to pay a delivery fee and I'm hoping it's my little bit to keep places in business. Anyway, up to the window and out in five minutes….heck it took me longer to find parking.

So, a half order of wings ($10) and I couldn't help but order the Corn Poppers ($8) which I had really enjoyed on my last visit.

There are now five wings (instead of six) in a half order; but if anything, these are even larger than before. Not sure what is going on, but the wongs just seem to be bigger on every visit. And that one drumette was huge……it was also tough and dry. Like I always say; I'm all for wings that are smaller, but have a nice batter/skin to meat ratio. I did prefer this flavoring to what I'd had before, not overly sweet, perhaps edging on the salty side, but not bad. Again the batter here is more crunchy than crisp. The wing pieces were decently moist, with no dark spots or off flavors, if a bit on the chewy side.

I was really "on the fence" when thinking about ordering the corn poppers. I really wasn't sure they would hold up well on the rather short trip home. And indeed, these were starting to crack and deflate. The flavor was still that slightly sweet corn, bacon, some mild spice….it's just that the breadcrumb exterior was starting to break down and the textures, which was part of what I had previously enjoyed about these were starting to go down hill; the crunchiness was gone, the creamy bechamel had started to get somewhat gluey, with a slight grittiness…..I really missed that molten, tongue melting, but creamy feel.

Oh well, I'll just have to wait until I'm feeling comfortable with eating in I guess.

Good to see that Cross Street seems to be doing well.

Cross Street Chicken and Beer
4403 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 430-6001
Current (Covid-19) Hours
Daily – 1130am – 10pm

Sunday Sandwiches – Gaglione Bros (Mission Gorge) and Where I’ve Roamed in the Time of Covid-19

July 12, 2020 mmm-yoso Cheesesteaks, Sandwiches

I actually took a day off; like a real, what's supposed to be a working day off…….mainly because I needed to take my car in for service. It had just gone over the 10k mark (yes, I bought it last year…..that'll be part of an interesting post; in hopefully the near future).

In the past, I'd make an appointment to take my car in on Saturday and then take the trolley to the Gaslamp or another place where parking was somewhat of an issue to explore and pass the time. In the time of Covid-19 though; I really wasn't going to do that. So, I made an appointment during the week; when I thought things would go faster and things would be less busy. So, I found myself ensconced on a table a bit far from the rest of the folks waiting; there was some good spacing set-up by the dealer….and masks were required; though there was that part of the population wearing their mask below their nose……sheesh…..

Anyway, I was at a pretty safe distance from everyone.

And my car was done in under two hours.

As I drove the car off the lot; I wondered where I could pick up some lunch on the way home…..I hadn't been in the Mission Gorge area in a while…..in fact, other than trips to the dry cleaners in Tierrasanta, which allowed for a stop at Island Syle Cafe…..I hadn't been East of the I-15 since….well, maybe not at in 2020!

I had been craving a Cheesesteak, since the last rather mediocre one I'd had a month or so back. And I hadn't been back to the MG location of Gaglione Bros in over six years! So, I decided to had on over. Walknig in, things were fairly controlled, though not quite clear on a few things….like where to wait for your sandwich or even where to pick your sandwich up when it was ready.

At first I waited outside; but there were two guys eating at the table there. So, after a few minutes, I went inside where another customer was waiting for his sandwich. At least there was only the two of us; so spacing was not a problem. Eventually, my sandwich made it to the counter…..and sat there for a while; until someone decided to call out my name…….

Anyway, I ordered the Mushroom Cheesesteak……feeling a bit hungry; I made it a large ($11.99), with White American cheese. It was quite a handful…or mouthful….

It was still pretty darn hot when I got home; the meat was fairly tender; there was a good amount of not-overly-sharp, milky, gooey cheese, the mushrroms added a nice savory-earthiness to the mess. The Amoroso was starting to go on the beast, but this was much better than what I last had at the Point Loma location two years ago. My only complaint was how salty this was…… Still, quite a large lunch….great pre-siesta stuff for a day off.

Gaglione Brothers
10450 Friars Rd
San Diego, CA 92120

I mentioned a bit earlier that I hadn't been in the Mission Gorge area since last year……which kind of surprised me. Then I got to thinking about what my "footprint" was since mid-March. Especially since I had texted "CC" when she mentioned a couple of places in the South Bay; saying that I don't think I've been south of the 94 since this whole mess started.

Wondering what my Covid-19 "range" was and quickly did a Google Map. The area below is where I've been to.

It's very telling in some ways……I haven't been South of the 94…..and of course I'm missing all of our favorites down there, Aqui es Texcoco in their new location, Mi Pana, and all the other favorites. Other than my quick run to Kindred, I haven't been south of University ot North Park Way. Not being East of the 15 means I've been missing all the good stuff in City Heights. And other than quick stops at R&B and TP Banh Bao 3, I haven't strayed north of Mira Mesa Boulevard. I've only been West of the I-5 on trips to Trader Joe's in PB. The Missus's footprint is even smaller, no further south than Washington Street, no futher North than La Jolla Village Drive….and She actually walked there (that's also for another upcoming post). And of course I'm wondering how the Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings at Royal Mandarin are doing; or really want to check out De Cabeza, which occupies the former location of Aqui es Texcoco. But I'm trying to keep my travels concise; trying to consolidate stops…trying to do what I consider to be the "right thing".

So, how far have you "roamed" since mid-March?