April 2021 – mmm-yoso

Sue’s Korean Kitchen

April 27, 2021 mmm-yoso Korean Restaurants

It was Good Friday and I decided to run out between meetings and grab some lunch. I thought I'd give Nanay's another shot. Unfortunately, Nanay's was closed for Good Friday. So, taking a quick look around I noticed Sue's Korean Kitchen….hmmm…..don't remember seeing this place before. So I thought why not?

It was around 1030 or so; there was just one very kind middle aged Korean woman working. The menu consists of Korean standards; though there was one item that looked interesting. More on that later. There are lunch specials and also a basic menu.

In addition, the coolers are full of various panchan…..the woman told me it's all made inhouse. In fact, while waiting for my order, two older Korean women came by and just bought Kimchi.

There was something about this place that just reminded me of those places "back home" like Gina's BBQ.

And what did I order? Well, the Kimchi Fried Rice ($9.99) with Spam (of course) sounded like just what I needed on this day.

I really enjoyed this. There was a nice fermented tone to the dish…..I think the baechu kimchi might be worth trying. Not overly sour or salty; it had a decent spicy kick and tons of savory goodness. A generous amount of Spam and pork as well. Chunks of kimchi.

This hands down was the best dish I've over the course of my visits. Quite rustic and enjoyable…..like your Halmeoni (grandma) would make.

I returned the very next week to try something else from the menu. I was greeted by the really nice woman who took my order the last time. This time she was working in the back and another really nice woman was working the front counter.

This time around I ordered the Cup Bap (i.e. BiBimBap) Lunch Special with Bulgogi ($9.99).

The portion size was quite generous. I do prefer my bulgogi to be marinated a bit more as this was quite mild in flavor. At this price point, I didn't expect the beef to be of the highest grade and it was indeed a bit on the dry and tough side.

I did enjoy most everything else provided. The rice was perfectly cooked, loved the eggs….I need more veggies in my life so the salad was perfectly fine. The kongnamul (marinated bean sprouts) and sigeumchi namul (marinated spinach) took me down a nostalgic road.

This totally reminded me of the little mon-and-pop Korean takeout places of my youth. The one's where you'd pick a protein and three side dishes (panchan); what I call Hawaii's version of the "meat and three".

That following Friday, I decided to try "that item" I had seen on the menu. It was the jokbal, pig's feet cooked in shoyu and other ingredients. I was quite curious about how a little shop would handle this. I fully intended to put out out the jokbal ($30) and a couple of other dishes in the walkway and share it with folks who could grab a plate and head back to their office. On the funny side; there were only three people in the office on this day! Still, it was full speed ahead. I hedged my bets and got kimchi fried rice and kimchi pajeon (kimchi pancake – $7) to hedge my bets. The same woman was working; alone again, she told me that the other folks start coming in around 1030 or so. She was quite surprised that I ordered the jokbal and very happy as well. She also gave me a container of Kkakdugi (radish kimchi), which I forgot to take a photos of. It was quite good; with some mild fermented tones. The Missus enjoyed it as truly fermented kimchi is hard to come by.

Anyway; the jokbal is premade and kept in the fridge. I brought it back to the office, opened it, and cracked up!

Jesus……this was enough for a large family! It came with some kimchi and the saeujeot (salted fermented shrimp) was pretty good.

And of course the other "stuffs".

And of course the kimchi fried rice and pajeon. I was shocked at the portion size of the fried rice….maybe it's because I ordered it with the jokbal?

The fried rice was again quite good; a bit spicier than on my previous visit with huge chunks of kimchi.

The pajeon was ok; I enjoy mine a bit more crisp than this….but it could have been the 15 minute travel time.

As for the star of the show…..

No complaints from me. While the flavor wasn't quite up there with our favorite version in San Diego; it was far from bland. Nice swiney goodness. Love the contrast in textures. The saeujeot really cut through any collagen stickiness. There was also the actual pig foot; or what remained after all the meat was sliced…..just in case someone wanted to do some gnawing. There was quite a bit leftover; so I split the rest with JeffP….hope they enjoyed it. JeffP told me that he was going to bust out the beers at home with this.

I think I might order this again……..the leftovers did quite well in noodle soup.

And I'm for sure going to get my Kimchi Fried Rice fix here again….and perhaps try out some other items on the menu. I have a special places for these little mom-and-pop shops and hope they do well. The folks that work here are so kind and warm…they make you feel welcome. No tables in the shop; but lot's of outdoor seating in the Plaza Sorrento Food Court area.

I'm glad that Nanay's was closed on Good Friday, because I found Sue's! Sometimes things just seem to happen for a reason, huh?

Sue’s Korean Kitchen
6755 Mira Mesa Blvd.
Suite 109
San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 352-6511
Current Hours:
Mon – Sat 10am – 9pm

Monday Musings

April 26, 2021 mmm-yoso yoso-silly

**** Just a couple of food photos in this one. So perhaps you might just want to return at a later time.

First off, I want to thank everyone who sent me emails worried that the dearth of posts over the last three months. I was going to reply to each one personally; but thought I'd just go ahead and do a post. I am well, so please don't worry. I'm also touched that folks are concerned, but there's no reason to be.

I've never been fan of working from home. I've always enjoyed the teamwork, conversation, feedback, collaborative spirit that comes with working at our offices. Folks that know me personally probably also know that I like people. Even though I keep a rather low profile with the blog; I think, unlike the Missus, I'm a people person at heart. What I did notice after a few months; on those days I'm working from home….after the 8-10-12 hours of sitting at my desk, I was just not in the mood to spend another 1 or 2, or even 3 hours sitting there to do a post, in fact I've often made it a point not to even look at my PC on weekends. This blog is a fun, labor of love for me…….and I don't ever want it not to be so. So, in essence I was pulling the plug….I needed that break. Also, Frankie's care, the Missus's long hours, and making sure She had lunch, dinner, etc….well, those things have priority. It's funny because when I started working at my current job, I worked remotely for almost 8 months…..back in 2000! But, I didn't have the blog then……there was no pandemic going on……and frankly, I probably had more energy 21 years ago!

Of course, it's been interesting working from home when the Missus works day shift. We have Frankie's "Senior living apartment" set-up. And he'll often just hang (sleep) with me in the our home office. We have a video camera set-up, so when I have to run errands, or am in our home office, I can check on him. I can set-up "pet" motion detection which alerts me to his waking up.

And being home during the day means I've been able to try places nearby that I would usually put off trying.

And then there are those places that I have on my rotation nearby.

Of course there are the places I miss when working from home as well.

Thanks for all emails, I'm really touched, and it just goes to show how great all you F(riends) o(f) Y(oso) are! And yes, more posts are on the way.

Sammy, is that you?

A couple of weeks back, the Missus sent me a text with a photo, saying "I think it's Sammy! He's looking over us!"

Whoa……what do you think? Maybe it's just wishful thinking….but, just maybe Sammy is letting us know things will be ok?

You know, we lost Sammy over four years ago, yet we still talk about him everyday….several times a day.

And yes, hopefully things are really turning the corner. California now has the lowest Covid-19 positivity rate in the US…..even better than Hawaii. Let's just hang on a bit longer!

Paris – Snack Shopping at Le Comptoir de Mathilde, À la Mère de Famille, and Jacques Genin. Cheese Tasting at Le Cheese Geek.

April 24, 2021 mmm-yoso Beer, Cheese, Desserts, France, Paris, France, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

After our lunch at Maison de la Truffe the Missus had planned on picking up some "treats" for Her friends and coworkers. Of course, She had already purchased a few items from La Grande Epicerie, but wanted to stop at a few more places. I had done a bit of research the previous night; lookin at options fairly close to where we were staying. So, we headed back to the 3rd and onto Rue Rambuteau for our first stop – Le Comptoir de Mathilde.

Part of a chain of shops and franchises across the country.

By this time; the Missus was focused on caramels and chocolates.

Quite chain like and commercial….but fun to stroll thru.

Le Comptoir de Mathilde
42 rue Rambuteau
75003 Paris France

Less than a block away we were now in the 4th, was another popular chain; this one based in Paris named À la Mère de Famille.

The woman working was so nice and friendly that we bought a couple of boxes of chocolates.

À la Mère de Famille
23 Rue Rambuteau
75004 Paris, France

The shop I saved for last was Jacques Genin also in the Marais. You can read more about the Chef and his shop on David Lebovitz's post. Anyway, just looking at the place tells you quite a bit.

I just hung back and let the Missus do Her thing.

She put together quite a lovely (and expensive – but of course you can tell that, right?) box for Herself.

Jacques Genin
133 Rue de Turenne
75003 Paris, France

After which we headed back to our accommodations.

For our last evening in Paris I wanted to do something fun. I had read about Le Cheese Geek on a wonderful post from Madame Fromage and ended up booking a cheese tasting.

Our tasting took place at Fromagerie Saisons which was pretty close to where we were staying. Everything about our booking was easy. We ended up at the cheese shop a few minutes before our tasting and were quickly welcomed in. The tasting took place in the "cave" below the shop….but first; we had to pass all the tempting cheese for sale.

Our guide thru this tasting was Fabrice; who was engaging and had a great sense of humor. Our group of ten was diverse; from "curd nerds" to their friend who just came along for the ride.

Typical question – "is it ok to eat the rind?"

Fabrice – "yes, of course…" and he went on to to explain.

My remark – "just don't do that with the babybel, ok….unless you like rubber…."

We had a nice selection with a nice pairing.

First up was a farmer's cheese made from raw goat's milk in ash named Le Roumé. This was so very light, with a mild acidity, with a nice clean finish.

It was a nice start.

This was paired with a very nice and clean Sauvignon.

Next up was a wonderful Brebis.

This amazing Brebis d’Estive from the mountains of the Aspe Valley is from the farm of Maxime Bajas whose entire herd consists of 100 sheep! It was so wonderfully savory and nutty to my palate, with a mildly rich finish.

This was served with Candied Piment d’Espelette and was served with a nice Gamay.

This was an amazing duo of Comté, a Comté Jeune aged 8 months and a Vieux Comté aged from 36 – 42 months. Both from Montmorot. This was nice example of a difference in taste and texture of aged chesses.

Next up was my favorite duo of a wonderful Camembert de Normandie, so deeply savory and earthy, made from a maker whose entire herd consists of 80 cows; paired appropriately with a nice apple cider. And the Munster, very ripe and "footy" from Alsace.

The last cheese was a wonderful Roquefort, made by a small producer Maison Carles which works with mold from the local rye bread. This was served with a Tawny Port….something I hadn't tried before this tasting, but has now become part of my routine with Roquefort.

Our tasting with Fabrice and Le Cheese Geek was delicious, educational, and most of all a lit of fun. Since our visit, Le Cheese Geek now has a permanent location in the 10th Arrondissement. As with most of these type of events, things are currently paused due to Covid; but by all means give them a try once we're over this pandemic.

Le Cheese Geek
31 Rue Sainte-Marthe
75010 Paris, France

This being the end of May (2019), it was still quite bright outside as we walked back to our accommodations. And though we had initially thought that perhaps we'd grab a small bite to eat on the way back, we were pretty full.

As is kind of my tradition on my last night in a locale, I purchased a beer on the way back to the apartment.

Where we just packed up, caught on emails and messages, then relaxed.

I'm always so thankful that we're able to travel and have these wonderful meals and experiences. And even more thankful to be able to share them with you.

Yes, we may still be stuck at home right now; but one day, hopefully soon, we'll be able to travel again. And we'll make the best of it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Paris – Boulangerie Régis Colin and Maison de la Truffe (Since closed) in La Grande Epicerie de Paris

April 23, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Croissants, France, Paris, France, Sandwiches, Travel, yoso-silly

We slept well after our wonderful dinner at Pertinence. Though the Missus got me up at 630am……because, well, She needed you know what. Yes, this was the Paris moment I mentioned in my Gala Chicken/Zion Market post. Sigh…….well, I needed to head on out. I showered and got dressed, then headed out to find a Pharmacy.

Things were pretty quiet on Rue Montorgueil at 7 in the morning. Mostly just delivery trucks and such. I headed down, then back up the avenue checking out the Pharmacies; all of them closed. I later learned that most Pharmacies in Paris open between 800 – 900 in the morning. I passed Pharmacy after Pharmacy, all closed. Man, I was having a longer hitless streak than Chris Davis! Finally, in the Marais, I came across an open Pharmacy and walked in. I headed to the Fem Hygiene aisle…..and was kinda stumped; so I started taking photos and sending them via text message to the Missus. Soon enough, I heard a loud clearing of the throat behind me…..yes, I was busted by the Pharmacist…..a fairly serious looking woman…..with one eyebrow raised, checking out the Asian guy with a maxi-pad obsession.

"Monsieur, what are you doing???"

"Ummmm, I need to buy pads for my wife."

"Hmmmm…..but why the photos Monsieur?" Yeah, like she really believed me.

Right then the Missus replied to my text instructing me on what to purchase. Relieved, I showed the woman the text, grabbed the package and we walked over to the register to pay. After ringing me up, she looked at me, warmly smiled, and said:

"Monsieur, you are a good man!" And handed me my package. Ah yes, more souvenirs from Paris.

On the way back to the apartment I decided to reward myself and grab a croissant. I'd seen a place on Rue Montmartre, which runs parallel to Rue Montorgueil that I wanted to try. By this time of the morning; folks were starting to get out and about.

The Boulangerie I was interested in was Régis Colin as I had seen the le Prix du Croissant sign near the doorway earlier.

**** Boulangerie Régis Colin has closed

So, I went in and got a croissant aux beurre. The system was interesting, you tell the nice saleswoman what you want; she bags it and enters it into the register; you then pay via a machine….so the staff never touches currency…..a hygiene thing I guess.

The croissant was delicious; nice balance of butter to salt; flakey, light and airy, moist……..a definite winner!

Boulangerie Régis Colin
53 Rue Montmartre
75002 Paris, France
Hours:
Monday – Friday 630am – 8pm

After finishing up the croissant we headed out, but not very far for our morning "pick-up" at Café Montorgueil and people watched for a bit.

After getting our caffeine fix, we headed off……with not much in mind.

I had wanted to check out La Grande Epicerie de Paris, a fairly high-end ("haute") food/grocery store so we headed off to the 6th and 7th. I've stated that there always seems to be something interesting to see; no matter how many times you've been down a street. This time around, I noticed this impressive building on Rue du Renard.

Apparently, this is the Syndicat De L'épicerie Française, originally built in 1901, which used to (I believe they still have an office in the building) the grocer's union.

And off course a little more than a block away is the Hotel de Ville – that would be City Hall to us American folks.

Crossing over to Île de la Cité.

It was a beautiful day in Paris. Of course, we took another look at Notre Dame (this visit was at the end of May 2019). The tragic fire had just occurred about 6 weeks earlier.

It was such a sad sight to see…….

Crossing over the Seine to the Left Bank, down Rue Saint-Jacques, then taking a right turn on Boulevard Saint-Germain we came across a street market which kept us occupied for a bit.

From here we strolled down the street, then turned on Rue de Sèvres…..

Stopped for a short; ahem, break at the Hermes store…..luckily, the Missus didn't find anything She was interested in and my credit card lived to see another day. Finally, across the street from Le Bon Marche we got to the La Grande Epicerie de Paris. I probably should have taken more photos in the huge store; but was just plain distracted.

After all this walking….well, I was feeling a bit hungry. And just at that moment I saw Maison de la Truffe…….I looked at the menu…foie gras and truffle? Croque-Monsieur with truffle……smoked salmon with truffle? Are you kidding me? We decided to grab a "light" lunch here.

Sadly, as I was getting some general info on Maison de la Truffe, I read that the place has closed…….so I'm just going to mainly post photos.

I will note that the young man waiting on us was a joy and the food was surprisingly good…..of course with things like truffle oil, truffle chips, and truffle salt…..

And the Croque-Monsieur with Truffled White Ham and Gouda…..and a few nice, fragrant shaved truffles for the heck of it.

It's too bad this shop closed as we really enjoyed our shared meal. There are other locations around Paris and I hope to be able to check them out one day. On our second trip to Paris in 2019 we'd visit another similar shop in BHV Department Store which wasn't nearly as good as this one.

Oh well……..I'm glad I got to try them out.

And also buy some fairly pricy food gifts for friends.

La Grande Epicerie de Paris
38 Rue de Sèvres
75007 Paris, France

The Missus’s Favorite Bun Rieu From Phuong Nga 2

April 20, 2021 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

Do you have a hard time convincing your significant other? I mean, the Missus and I have been married for over 20 years; but at times there are still those moments. The Missus and I joke about it all the time; if I say "white" She'll say "black", I will go "low" and She'll go "high"….my "yes", is a definite "no" from Her. I often explain it in terms of the Zodiac; I'm born under a water sign, and She, believe it or not, is born under an "earth" sign…..and what do you get when you mix the two? Well…..water + earth = mud, right?

Anyway, ever since "FOY" Elle recommended the Bun Rieu from Phuong Nga 2, I've been trying to get the Missus, who enjoys Bun Rieu to check out Phuong Nga 2 with me. The Missus however, just doesn't believe me. Even though She has stopped getting the Bun Rieu from Mien Trung. A few weeks back, I did see an opening though. The weather was fairly chilly and the Missus wanted some "soup" when She got home from work. I said "I'll figure something out" and went to Phuong Nga right when they opened.

Phuong Nga 2 is currently (as of this past weekend) still only doing take out. There's a steady flow of customers and the phone is constantly ringing. I actually need to go in person to order, since they really don't understand what I'm saying….I need to actually open the menu and point to the Bun Rieu. After that; it's usually a wait of about 15-20 minutes.

On that first visit; I was quite surprised at how heavy my two orders of Bun Rieu were. Imagine seeing this (one order) when I opened things up.

The big mistake on this first visit was to make both orders……the Missus and I can only finish about two-thirds of an order of noodles and about 1 1/3 container of broth. We'll save the rest for a second meal. I put the noodles in a colander and pour some hot water over it to heat and separate. The second container of herbs and veggies is also for that next meal.

This is one entire order of broth; in the largest bowl I have.

For the Missus; it was love at first sip. The broth is on the lighter side, but has decent acidity, a hint of sweetness and savory tones, and is quite good with a touch of the mam tom which comes with each bowl. The noodles are the correct thin bun; which the Missus appreciates….it has also always been perfectly prepared, firm and al dente. We usually split things up these days; the Missus loves the tofu and tomato; I enjoy the cha lua….we both enjoy the light, tender, pork-seafood "cakes", and the dried shrimp. The Missus usually leaves the pork ribs for me.

And look at those sparkling veggies/herbs; the Missus loves the banana blossom and shredded morning glory, which is usually MIA from other versions these days. A few torn leaves of perilla to add a touch do anise flavor and we're ready to go.

This is easily worth the nine bucks it costs these days. After all; it's almost two meals for us, with bun to spare that I use for other dishes.

So far, it's been Bun Rieu every weekend for the last three weeks…..I have a feeling the Missus will insist on having it again this weekend. Perhaps She'll "trust" my recommendations in the future? I'm not going to count on it though.

Phuong Nga 2
4016 54th St
San Diego, CA 92105
Current Hours:
Tues – Sunday 9am – 6pm
Closed on Mondays

And as I always do with posts on Phuong Nga 2; I need to thank "FOY" Elle!

Mister Falafel Revisited

April 19, 2021 mmm-yoso Lebanese Restaurants

**** Mister Falafel has closed

The Missus has been craving falafel like we had in Israel back at the end of 2019. I told Her that I haven't come across anything that is even remotely close….but; perhaps She should try the falafel from Mister Falafel. I thought the Falafel was decent when they had first opened; but seemed to not quite as good on subsequent visits. Still, I really like the older couple that run the place and really wanted to give them some business. So, a few weeks back I went to get some falafel for the Missus on the way home from the office.

I was happy to see that they were still open and from the packages on the table for pick-up; doing decent business.

Instead of going full bore with a falafel sandwich; I decided to get the "munchie"; basically an appetizer size falafel snack. I also got the babaganoush because I'd always thought they did a decetn version of that. Both were priced right at $5.99 and $6.99 respectively….and heck, since I was there, why not get a small garlic paste (99 cents).

Well, as expected, the falafel didn't go over too well with the Missus. It was quite dry and too gritty……to me the perfect falafel has a crisp and mildly gritty experior, that gives way to a creamy interior. This just wasn't up to the task. The Missus did like the tahini though.

It definitely didn't make the Missus forget this…..

Oh man…..these were wonderful; from a little stand a block away from our hotel called Falafel Razon…..no wonder they've been in business since 1963!

The Missus did enjoy the Babaganoush.

She loved the smokiness and told me the texture was exactly how She likes it. She enjoyed the fact that it didn't have not too much tahini or lemon juice, but had a nice earthiness to it.

I of course, always enjoy the garlic paste from Mister Falafel.

And in what has become a classic "two-fer" for us….I'll often stop for the babaganoush (and garlic paste) when I'm on the way home from La Miche.

I'm happy that we've found items we like at Mister Falafel; the folks here are so very nice.

Mister Falafel
4461 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117
(858) 490-0170
Current Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday Noon – 7pm

Midweek Meanderings – Da Kine’s Landing in La Mesa, Golden Chopsticks Opening in Mira Mesa, Romeo and Julieta Sold, and Panda Country (Clairemont Mesa) Closes

April 14, 2021 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Chinese Restaurants, Hawaiian Food, Local Kine Stuffs in San Diego, Plate Lunch, Polish Food and Restaurants, Wine Bars/Wineries

Here are a bunch of updates for this Wednesday.

Da Kine's Reopening in La Mesa:

**** This location is closed and Nelson is currently only doing catering

**** Da Kine's has reopened in La Mesa. A post can be found here.

I gotta hand it to all the wonderful F(riends) O(f) Y(oso) out there, you are all an amazing bunch.

I noted that Da Kine's had cleaned out their Linda Vista location back at the beginning of March.

I instantly received a couple of emails…..when I went to Bay Park Coffee that weekend Noel came out and asked if I knew about Da Kine's moving….. Man, that "coconut wireless" sure works pretty fast, huh? Noel told me he had a feeling that Nelson would move his shop closer to home…he lives in La Mesa.

Move the calendar forward a month and "FOY" DerekR emails me with the screen shot to the right.

Not five minutes later I receive another email; this one from "FOY" Kerri who sent me an excerpt from Da Kine's Facebook page:

"Aloha Da Kine's Ohana! It's been a month since we've closed. We wanted to share an update with you.
Da Kine's has a new home! Our new location is off University Ave. in La Mesa. We're currently in the process of building the inside of the restaurant. Our expected opening will be mid to late summer 2021."

So, with Derek and Kerri already doing my work for me…..well, it's only right that I go check things out, right?

So, this past weekend I went to pick up some food for the Missus; She had something specific in mind for dinner after She got home from work.

I decided to Google some of those businesses on the sign and I headed off. Once arriving at the strip mall in question, I went ahead and opened up Da Kine's website to see if there were any clues…..and they made it easy for me with the new address.

And based on what I read….it seems that's going to be the new location.

I'm sad that they are leaving the neighborhood; but happy that they will keep the business going.

Call me a stalker or whateva', but I thought folks would be interested.

Awesome work Derek and Kerri!

Romeo and Julieta is sold:

The Missus and I were thinking about various Happy Hours we would like to go to once we're over the pandemic and Romeo and Julieta Wine Bar came to mind. I decided to check out the website and was sad to see that they had just closed, last day of business was April 11th, and the business has been sold.

Sad to see them go; but best wishes on their future endeavors.

4715 Monroe Ave
San Diego, CA 92115

Panda Country (Clairemont) Closes:

I stopped by Mister Falafel for the Missus a couple of weeks back. While waiting for my order I decided to take a stroll. I quickly noticed that the ABCDE Panda Country looked closed, so I walked over.

And sadly, the note on the door confirmed that they have closed….after 41 years. And while, like Troy's Family Restaurant down the street, Panda Country wasn't my cup of tea, it's sad to see a place that has been part of the neighborhood for so long close down. Much like the neighborhood diner, the local Chinese restaurant has always been part of the foundation of a neighborhood.

4455 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

And Finally, Yes Golden Chopsticks is Coming to Mira Mesa:

*** Golden Chopsticks has finally opened – post can be found here.

And just to end this post on a high note.

After "FOYs" Elle and Sandy mentioned seeing the sign for "Golden Chopsticks" in the comment section of a recent post, well I had to go check it out. So, I dropped by during lunch yesterday.

And yes, right were I believe Payless Shoes used to be; in the mall that holds Target, Menya Ultra, Sandwich Emporium, and a host of others, was the Golden Chopsticks sign.

And soon enough, Eater San Diego confirmed that this is "that" Golden Chopsticks. So it looks like we'll finally be getting some decent Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings north of the "94". And while I'm solidly in the Royal Mandarin camp; I'll gladly partake of Salt and Pepper Chickens Wings from Golden Chopsticks.

8155 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92126

Thanks for the heads up Elle and Sandy!

And just for old times sake, remember this blast from the past?

Have a great week everyone!

New to the Rotation Part 2 – La Miche Kabobgee

April 12, 2021 mmm-yoso Lebanese Restaurants

**** Sadly, La Miche has closed

With the weather getting a bit warmer, the Missus has been craving takeout from La Miche. There are items we want that are only served during dinner service and with the limited hours the place is only open for dinner service on Fridays and Saturdays. So, I've been dropping by on just about every Friday or Saturday for the last month or so.

The owner, Nabih and his wife are the nicest folks and we really want them to do well. It's quite depressing to stop by and see the place totally empty….though during my last two visits there was at least one table (since we reached Red Tier) occupied.

We pretty much get the same thing on my visits. But, much like Jesus from De Cabeza, Nabih understands our tastes. He knows the Missus likes spicy, so he recently recommended spicing up the hummus the Missus enjoys. Also, he is not able to get Soujouk at this time, so he asked if we would like to try the Kafta with the spicy tomato sauce he would use with the Soujouk (kasha kish)…he told me he'd make us a half order. So of course I said yes.

Which I got with the always delicious sweet-nutty-sweet-mildy spicy Muhamarah and the savory and mildly funky (in the best way possible) Shaankleesh, made from a wonderfully ripe and complex cheese.

The Spicy Hummus featured fire-roasted peppers which added an additional smoky layer, along with spice and acidity which really went well with the hummus.

The Kafta, meatiness went quite well with the bright-spicy-acidic tomato sauce….this was pretty hefty stuff and was quite filling. It was quite good……..in fact we got a full order the next time around.

In many ways La Miche really embodies what makes being a regular customer at a great mom-and-pop restaurant. They recognize their regulars, are so warm and friendly, know their tastes and make spot on recommendations based on that. You are welcomed….with a gentle smile, a wave, and a very mellow and sincere "we're so happy to see you". And I'm always happy to see the folks here. I've noted that Nabih has had some serious health issue in the past and I'm glad he seems to be navigating these crazy times fairly well.

And….yes, I'll probably be back on Friday or Saturday for "our usual".

I'm so ever thankful for places like this; it's part of the reason I started the blog almost 16 years ago.

Take care and be safe everyone; things are progressing, but we're not over this yet!

La Miche Kabobgee
9350 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 565-1165
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 3pm
Friday 11am – 730pm
Saturday 4pm – 730pm
Closed on Sunday

New to the Rotation Part 1 – De Cabeza

April 11, 2021 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants

As the days pass and the seasons change our rotation adjusts as well. This one has been great during the cooler temps and I'm sure that four visits over the last six weekends does indicate a place is currently on our rotation.

While the Missus has been sticking with the Cabeza en su Jugo which was love at first bite for Her. I've been trying out a couple of other items on the menu……and Jesus, the Manager hasn't steered me wrong.

And yes, just like I mentioned in my previous post; the upside down items are done on purpose…..it's not a mistake.

On one of my visits; I thought I'd try some tacos; I definitely wanted to try the lengua, Jesus suggested the tripas, and the other really friendly guy suggested the longanisa.

The lengua really delivered the deep beefy flavor I thought it would. It was melt-in-your-mouth tender and moist.

But, man…it was the tripas that I really loved…..the toothsome exterior, tender interior, and mild offal flavor. It was delici-yoso!!! The cilantro and onions added pungency and the mildly spicy salsa didn't interfere with the beefiness of these tacos.

The longanisa was fine if not very special. The tortillas, heated on the griddle while I waited held up well (no cracks or tears) and added the deep "corniness" to the tres tacos. I really enjoyed these tacos; the best I'd had since our last visit to CDMX.

As I left with the Missus's soup and my tacos, Jesus told me "try the alambres next time". Which is exactly what I did.

I selected lengua and tripas (of course) for my alambres. My goodness, the combination of textures, the meats had been caramelized on the comal giving it some crispness; loved the "chlorophyllic " and mild bitterness of the bell peppers and the griddled onions added a mild pungent-sweetness. The light amount of cheese kept things in place and of course bacon……yes, bacon….say no more! I'm going to have this again for sure.

So, even though the Missus is currently obsessed with the Cabeza en su Jugo…..

As the weather turns warmer; I'm sure I'll get Her to switch to the Alambres.

As with all my visits; Jesus is so warm and friendly…..and understands our tastes and preferences. And we really appreciate it!

De Cabeza
1043 Broadway
Chula Vista, CA 91911
(619) 349-2505
Hours:
Daily 8am – 8pm

Chirashi-zushi To Go From Kokoro

April 6, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi

A few weeks back I was thinking how hard the pandemic has been on those mom-and-pop places that I'd visit on occasion. You know, places not in the standard rotation, but one's I enjoy for a nice lunch or dinner and Kokoro came to mind. Akio-san and his wife are getting on in years, which had me wondering how things were going for them. I went ahead and checked their website and along with outdoor lunches and dinners, they were doing takeout. It had been a while since my last visit and I'm sure that the late Ed from Yuma, who loved Kokoro would be wanting me to check in and see how things were going. Kokoro is quite "old school" and though they have their lunch and dinner takeout menus on the website; you'll still have to call in your order. Also, please note that even if you call in your order at 1030, the place doesn't really open up until 1130.

Of all the lunch items I'd had at Kokoro, I had enjoyed the Chirashi the most; so I decided to go with that.

I arrived at around 1135 tp pick up my lunch. The place had blacked out the doors and windows and for all the world looked closed. Looking closer, I noticed the door was ajar, so I walked on in.

And wouldn't you know it; my lunch was ready and waiting for me….such efficiency.

Once back at the office, I unpacked my lunch eagerly…..I really wanted to see how different this was from the very good chirashi I'd had for lunch before. Especially since the lack of business can mean supply chain issues and limits flexibility with stock, as in you'll probably only get the "usual suspects"….especially in the case of fresh seafood for sushi restaurants.

The one thing that I enjoyed right off hand was the miso soup. It wasn't watered down and was full of flavor.

The selection of fish was decent; though the shiromi (whitefish) that I'd had before in the chirashi was not present this time around. The anago was quite good, light, mildly sweet, I wish there was more of it. The maguro was of good quality, no "sugi" (connective tissue), moist and tender. The tako tender as well….the saba did well with bites of ginger before and after to help prep, then cleanse the palate of the richness. The hamachi was decently fatty.

The salmon was fine, the shrimp and kanpachi were my least favorite items both were tough and the kanpachi had a bit more fishiness to it then I enjoy.

The rice was moist and fluffy. And as expected based on previous visits, the sushi meshi here is quite bracing at times; they do like their vinegar.

I like the tamago as it was light and not too sweet; a perfect way for me to end my meal.

It was good to know that Kokoro is still in business and I did enjoy my lunch; I'll definitely be back once we're in a better position in terms of dining in. I'm sure Ed from Yuma would be happy to know that Kokoro is still in business.

Kokoro Restaurant
3298 Greyling Dr
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 565-4113