February 2022 – mmm-yoso

Max’s Restaurant

February 24, 2022 mmm-yoso Chains, Filipino Restaurants, Sisig

Max's on Mira Mesa opened at the end of June of 2020. We have a rather long history with Max's, starting during our time living in LA in the late 90's…by the time we moved to San Diego, Max's in National City had become Villa Manila, which eventually became a favorite of ours for Crispy Pata and Kamayan Night. Though to be honest, we haven't been back to VM since way before the pandemic hit. Enough of that; this is about Max's. A few months after opening, I decided to see if the fried chicken at this location (because, having been to couple of locations YMMV) was any good. Since this was in September of 2020, I decided to do takeout. I went and did an online order….just a half chicken and fries.

So, I arrived and walked up to the counter; it was 1130 and no one was in sight. I waited about 10 minutes until a gentleman showed up. I mentioned my order and was told it was almost ready……and then cooled my heels for another 20 minutes! Now, I had placed my order at 11am, arrived at the designated time, and still waited another half hour for my order. Good thing I didn't have any meetings until 1pm; otherwise……

Anyway, I opened up the cardbox containers upon arriving back in the office. The fried chicken, which I believe is brined and thus is quite juicy was as good as I remembered, thin skinned, crisp, if a bit on the salty side.

Quite nice.

I used the Jufran, the banana ketchup on the really dry and limp fries……I'll bet this was just sitting on the side during the extra time I waited for my chicken.

This was not good eats.

After this visit; I decided that I'd wait awhile before returning…..thinking that dining in might be the way to go. Not realizing of course, how long I'd be waiting during the pandemic.

And then, there was a time, when we thought we good see the light at the end of the Covid tunnel, when we thought that perhaps the worst was behind us……Calvin, "M", and I decided to actually go out and grab some lunch. Of course we wouldn't be taking any crazy chances…."M" wasn't too familiar with Filipino food…other than the usual lumpia, adobo, and the like….we headed over to Max's, arriving right at 11am. And it would be fairly quiet until right before we left.

There was only one hard working young lady on duty…I felt for her as takeout and other customers gave her a tough time. Based on my previous visit, I set some expectations, which unfortunately was pretty much in line with how long things took after we ordered.

We did of course have the fried chicken….sorry no photo, which M really enjoyed. But then, there some other dishes, like the Chicharon Bulaklak.

This is basically the fat that wraps around the intestine. It had a chewy-crispness and was fairly mild in flavor….just the slightest offal-ness. M, not quite used to the earthiness was not quite into this dish.

Calvin loves pancit palabok and enjoyed this version, I thought the noodles were a bit overcooked and it lacked the deep shrimpy-fish savory tones that I enjoy.

It just seemed under-sauced, but heck Calvin never found a version of this he didn't like….so I was happy he enjoyed it.

Just to have our carbs covered; I ordered the Garlic Fried Rice.

Which nicely filled the carb gap.

I also ordered the Classic Sisig. Unlike many of the versions in San Diego which uses leftover lechon kawale, this one used pork cheek.

I haven't had this style of sisig in years. Good swiney gaminess; though I wished they used some other parts of the pig head for some textural variety. Not bad, but in need of more spice, sour tones, and pungency from onions. This came across as pretty greasy and of course "M" was not a big fan of this.

Just to cover myself I ordered the Beef Kaldereta as well.

Man, the beef was so tough, the kaldereta while beefy lacked the tangy-sweetness, with a hint of spice that I enjoy. I also like a hint of liveriness usually provided by lechon sauce (Mang Tomas) which seemed like was missing here.

And so, one would think that I'd end things here, but there was one item that I still wanted to try.

Little did I know that it would take almost half a year for this final visit.

With things slowly improving, the skeleton crew decided to do a takeout order from Max's and I had the honor of ordering.

The drill was basically the same. I ordered at 11, was given the designated time of 1135 for pick-up. The same really sweet, but over worked young lady was the only person working the front of house and there was an additional 20 minute wait for my order.

I got it back to the office and arranged the items in the middle of the walk way between cubicles, set out paper plates, napkins, and utensils and the guys took turns getting their plates.

Of course there was a whole fried chicken. Which when hot was every bit as good as what I'd had before; though it got soft and greasy fairly quickly.

The garlic rice didn't have as much flavor as on my previous visit; but with all this fried food, we needed some carbs.

Actually, with all this fried food and pork what I really needed was to be hosed down afterward, but would have to wait until I got home!

I ordered the lechon kawali sisig which was on the dry and tough side.

And like the other pork version needed more spice and sour tones.

And of course; what I really wanted to try….the Crispy Pata.

Which looked hard and dry; but wasn't too bad. It's was not nearly as good as my favorite version, but the skin was crisp, there were nice, gelatinous, gooey bits under that skin and the meat was tender. It was milder in flavor than other versions, but was still decently porky. In fact, this was the first tp be wiped out! Good job guys!

Speaking of wiped out; I think I've had my share of fried foods for a while….at least that's what my Cardiologist told me (jjk)!

To me this last meal, even though we ate in our cubicles, there was no one else in the office so we could joke around and chat quite loudly, gave us a taste of how things used to be…… the camaraderie of sharing a meal; good or bad, the bonding of breaking bread (or scarfing down fried pork), something that has been sorely missing in our lives for the last two years!

Cheers!

Max's Restaurant
8285 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92126
Current Hours:
Wed – Mon 11am – 9pm
Closed on Tuesdays

You can read Cathy's post on Max's here and Soo's post on Max's here.

Takeout Revisits – Sizzling Pot King and Mien Trung

February 21, 2022 mmm-yoso Bun Bo Hue, Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

Man, this weather merry-go-round has been crazy. Last weekend, we had the hottest February day ever recorded in San Diego….and the Santa Ana's really messed up my sinuses. Even after temps came down and we had some rain (!?!), I was still feeling congested. So, we figured the best way to clear things up would be…..well, some fairly spicy food.

Starting with our old standby, the Dry Pot to go from Sizzling Pot King…..instead of the medium spicy, we went with spicy.

**** Sizzling Pot King is now Zhang Liang Malatang

Well, like almost every place else prices at SPK have gone up. The Dry Pot Combo is now $38.99! Back in December of 2020 it was $32.99. Frozen Tofu is now $3.99, add to that one order of rice and we're getting close to fifty dollar country here…whoa.

Well, on the good side, the ma-la and spice helped clear me out…it doesn't look particularly spicy above….but I dug through and found 14 dried chilies.

It's getting kinda expensive and they've cut out using Chinese Cauliflower a while back….but this is basically two meals for us.

Sizzling Pot King
8058 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

Still, this didn't quite do it for me…..and with the rather wet and cooler weather, I decided to do some takeout from Mien Trung. With the Missus now preferring the Bun Rieu from Phuong Nga, I really don't get over to MT quite as often as I used to. The really nice gentleman was working and man, he was just so happy to see me. We had a nice chat while I waited for my takeout order. He asked me how long I'd been coming to MT….he laughed when I told him over 15 years now!

Places like Mien Trung and Phuong Nga do so much takeout…..I remember how I used to see those pots of Bun Bo Hue waiting for pick-up….that they really know how to pack things.

And both places slightly undercook their noodles for takeout; so that pouring hot water over them during the prep separates and heats up the noodles perfectly.

As for how this was…..well, it as just what the doctor ordered. Good spice, wonderful herbaceous – sour tones from lemongrass…nice pungency…..this cleared me up!

I'm not sure if it was a case of not having had Bun Bo Hue from Mien Trung in a while; but I thought today's bowl was very good….the thick cuts of beef weren't overly chewy and the pork hock was quite tender.

I gotta get back more often.

Mien Trung Restaurant
7530 Mesa College Dr
San Diego, CA 92111

Thanks for dropping by. I know this seems like one of those C(learing) O(ut the) M(emory) C(ard) posts….but in this case I guess it's more of a C(learing) O(ut) T(he) S(inuses) kind of posts.

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Revisits to Les Petites Canailles, the Alchemist Garden, and Spearhead Coffee (Paso Robles)

February 19, 2022 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Cocktails, French Restaurants, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

At the beginning of last October, the Missus and I decided to do yet another roadtrip……this time to Yosemite. We decided to make stops in Paso Robles at both ends of the trip. We were excited to revisit a couple of our favorites, Les Petites Canailles and the Alchemist Garden. I'll keep verbiage to a minimum since I've posted on these places several times already.

We started the evening at Les Petites Canailles and this time were seated indoors. Things were spaced out quite nicely and we felt comfortable with the set-up.

Sadly, the Rabbit Terrine we had enjoyed so much on our previous visit was no longer on the menu.

And overall, this meal did not quite hit all of the "high notes" as the last time we had visited.

Still, LPC makes one of my favorite versions of Beef Tartare, served at the perfect temperature, great balance in flavors and textures.

Still a winnah!

The Spanish Octopus was not quite as good this time around as it was on the the tough side.

I was interested in the pasta dish since the conchiglie, basically shell pasta was made locally by Etto. The texture of the pasta was perfect and it was dressed well. Sadly, the pistachio pesto was way too mild and there just wasn't enough acidity brought on by the sun dried tomato.

We would however, drop by Etto's shop in Tin City on our way back and bought some of their pasta.

The Mushrooms en Persillade with confit egg yolk was fairly good….though it needed a bit more salt and seasoning in our mind.

The Leeks a la Plancha was quite good, as the leeks were nicely charred, bringing out the herbaceous sweetness, the Espelette Pepper added a nice smokiness and just the lightest touch of heat; we actually wished there was more. Loved the mild sweetness, nutty – butteriness, and distinct flavor the pine nuts brought to this dish…..which it surely would have added to the pasta dish.

Overall, I enjoyed this meal more than the Missus (I could have that beef tartare weekly)…….I'm not sure we'll be returning here for a while.

Les Petites Canailles
1215 Spring St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

Of course our next stop was the Alchemist Garden….it was our third visit and it did not disappoint.

While the Missus got one of the cocktails off the menu……I wanted something custom made….so, I asked for an Old Fashioned, mentioning I like smoky tones….and the Mixologist was off to the races.

He torched some sage and then covered it to get a more smoky flavor and made me an amazing Old Fashioned.

I guess the Missus really wasn't too satisfied with our meal LPC….She ordered some fries; which were pretty good.

Which meant that I could have another cocktail. This time the gentleman had something else up his sleeve. He asked me if I'd ever had a "Clear Old Fashioned"….I told him that I'd heard of it; but had never had one…….so….we were then off to the races!

He explained making the cocktail to me while putting it together. He took his time trying to finds the perfect ice cube; saying that "it had to be clear enough that after stirring a bit, it would be transparent when the cocktail was served"!

He told me that in his opinion Rosemary was the perfect match for this cocktail and set off to smoke some for the drink.

And yes, it's difficult to make out the ice cube when the drink was served.

Man, these folks are artists……….

The Alchemists' Garden
1144 Pine St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

The next morning; while I went to refuel the car, the Missus went across the street to get us some coffee at Spearhead Coffee.

The Missus got Her pour over and I a cold brew and were we ready to hit the road.

Spearhead Coffee
619 12th St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

There's something we really enjoy about Paso Robles…the vibe, the people….the sense of humor and artsiness…..

Thanks for stopping by!

Midweek Meanderings – Ju-ichi Taking Over the Sushi Yaro Spot, Kusina Replacing Boss Bird (Miramar), and Tora Tora Replacing Sandwich Emporium (Mira Mesa)

February 16, 2022 mmm-yoso Blog

Here are a couple of places I've seen while driving around during the last couple of weeks.

Ju-ichi Taking Over the Sushi Yaro Spot:

I was quite sad when I found out that Sushi Yaro was closing at the end of last year. While driving on Engineer Road I noticed an Application for Ownership Change in the window so I went to check things out.

It seems that a a business named "Ju-ichi" was taking over the location. I did a quick check and found that Ju-ichi is currently a catering company that specializes in "Sushi Boards"; something they called "Charcuterie of the Sea".Currrently located in what seems to be a ghost kitchen in Old Town. According to that article; they are set to open in May.

7905 Engineer Road
San Diego, CA 92111

Kusina Replacing Boss Bird (Miramar):

**** You can find a post on Kusina here.

I had heard that Boss Bird Kitchen had relocated to La Mesa a while back; but was surprised to see some new signage up in the old Miramar location rather quickly.

For a place named "Kusina". According to their Facebook site, they are already in soft opening mode – looking at the menu; it seems Filipino, Asian-Pacific Rim focused.

I think we've kinda been down that road here before with Sarap and Gaya Gaya. This will be the fifth restaurant in this spot since 2017……

7580 Miramar Rd
San Diego, CA 92126

Tora Tora Replacing Sandwich Emporium (Mira Mesa):

During a takeout visit to Max's (post upcoming), I drove over to what used to be the Mira Mesa location of Sandwich Emporium. Looks like it'll be a nigiri concept named "Tora Tora"……now really, I know that Tora" means Tiger in Japanese….but being from Hawaii, it also has a deeper personal meaning to me. I'll just leave it at that.

I heard that this was a new concept by the owner of Ototo.

8155 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

And one more…….

I also took a quick peek to see what was going on at what is supposed to be the new location of Golden Chopsticks.

Well…..I guess we'll have to wait a bit longer for our Salt and Pepper Chickens wings……

Takeout Revisits – Rubicon Deli (UTC) and SuperNatural Sandwiches

February 10, 2022 mmm-yoso Sandwiches

Man, it's been a pretty hot couple of days! In fact, I read that we're having record heat here in San Diego….like 25 degrees above normal!

Anyway, I couldn't bear to do a post on the place I was thinking of….instead, let's do what I had for lunch the last two days at work….sandwiches……so here goes.

Rubicon Deli:

Well, it's been a while since I've done a post on Rubicon. I placed my order online and like always, it was ready when I arrived.

Being the boring soul that I am, I got my usual, the "Super Mario" with Crispy Onions. Deciding to change things up the slightest bit; I got the sandwich on Blue Cheese Bread instead of my usual Garlic Cheese Bread. Since it had been almost a year since I last visited….like almost every place else; I believe the prices would have been increased; but it was still the same – half sandwich for $9.79, Crispy Onions for 75 cents more.

The sandwich did look a bit odd when I opened it up……I believe that this was made with the end piece of the loaf.

Still, this was still quite good; though the "crispy onions" weren't as crispy as usual…even with the ten minute (or less) drive back to the office. The nice mild sweetness and sour tones of the Balsamic Glaze; the sweet red pepper tapenade, crisp – peppery arugula, the Asiago……this did me just right for lunch.

I'll definitely be back again during warm weather…..

Rubicon Deli (UTC Location)
4130 La Jolla Village Drive – Suite 104
San Diego, CA 92037

SuperNatural Sandwiches:

**** SuperNatural Sandwiches has closed

SuperNatural has been a regular stop for me during these times, though not always for sandwiches. This time though; I went with the Kirin ($12.25) and Garlic Fries ($4.50). As always, I was able to order online before opening time and my order was ready for pick-up at 1110 when I arrived.

As always, the bread was still crisp-crackly when I got back to the office, the shrimp perhaps a bit tougher than usual, but passable….for some reason, I enjoy the lup cheong in this sandwich.

The fries were more crisp than usual; which I enjoyed.

This was an enjoyable and quite filling lunch.

I was sad to hear that the Little Italy location has closed and SuperNatural is back to a single location.

SuperNatural Sandwiches
7094 Miramar Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121

So there you go; my lunches for the past two days…..if this heat wave keeps up; I'll be hitting up some other warm weather favorites soon as well.

What have you been eating during this unseasonal heat wave?

Where in the World Were We?

February 8, 2022 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Mexico City, San Miguel de Allende/Guanajuato, Travel

Man, when was the last time I typed that out? Well, it had been quite a long time since we "really" travelled, I mean the domestic road trips were fun, but we missed travelling internationally. So, back in November, when it looked like Delta was waning, we started making plans….nothing too far mind you; in fact we planned to visit the last place we visited outside the US, back in February of 2020…..man, it seems like a decade ago.

And then Omicron came along…….sigh. So, we had a decision to make……

In the end, with both the Missus and I fully vaccinated and boosted, having no pre-existing conditions, we decided to go ahead. I had also heard from our good friend "Alle" that folks in Mexico were really compliant with regards to wearing masks….and she wasn't kidding….almost everyone wore KN95s too! They even wore the masks outdoors…….the only folks not wearing masks were….well…..you know from where. We had temperature checks before entering most shops; were asked to sanitize….there were a few exceptions and I'll note my observations in future posts. In fact, when entering one of the restaurants were were misted with……..vinegar!?!?!

Anyway, we really enjoyed our trip.

We got to revisit some favorites of ours…..

And are slowly working our way thru the "list" of places we want to check out…..

We hired a private driver for take us to our next destination……where checking out at least one rooftop restaurant/bar is a must. And you can clearly see why.

And such colorful streets…..

We were the only folks staying at our 6 room B&B, which we really enjoyed.

And had some pretty darn good food as well.

Our third and final stop was our favorite……

We actually took a private walking tour which was the highlight of our trip.

Where we learned some history about this fine city…….

And our favorite restaurant of this trip was here as well……we loved it so much that we returned on our last evening…….

The overall travelling experience felt somewhat surreal at times; though we appreciated the warm and friendly people and the Covid precautions as well. We felt safe during our stay.

Yes, "Viva la Vida"….but also care about your fellow man, have compassion, respect……..

Hope everyone is doing well! Take care!

La Mesa Bistro and Bakery (again)

February 5, 2022 Cathy American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!! while Kirk is enjoying a short vacation. This is Cathy posting.

I wrote about La Mesa Bistro and Bakery in 2010, 2011 and 2018. The menu has remained the same- chalk boards everywhere which match up with a physical menu you can grab and look at before ordering, paying and finding a seat. You also serve yourself coffee and water. A great choice of different coffees are offered.

Smoked salmon scrambler ($12.95) is probably my favorite breakfast here. I do enjoy smoked salmon and the scoop of cream cheese, tomatoes and onions rounds out each bite. Scramblers here are made with two eggs and are quite large. With all the scramblers, you get a choice of fresh fruit or house potatoes and toast. House made salsa and a quick made berry 'jam' are wonderful, fresh and flavorful condiments.
Italian sausage and cheese scrambler ($12.95) was The Mister's choice one morning. A fresh, mild Italian sausage (can taste the fennel) along with cheddar, tomatoes, bell pepper and green onion was a great savory breakfast. The pan fried, crisped potatoes are always wonderful.
The Egg Florentine ($11.95) is essentially a meatless Benedict. Two poached eggs on top of toasted English muffin halves with spinach and tomato topped with a lemony hollandaise is very satisfying. Waffle with bacon and eggs ($11.95) is a more 'traditional' breakfast and quite wonderful- the waffle had a slight taste of vanilla and was quite large, crisp edges and a fluffy interior. It was good with and without syrup. Stuffed French toast with bacon and eggs ($12.95). A bit 'fancier' than just French Toast-stuffed with cream cheese and strawberries then dipped in egg and fried and topped with fresh berries. The bacon here is always crisp and not too salty. Eggs are properly cooked 'over easy'.

Behind the cash register are some 'Specials' and this is the "One, Two, Three" ($8) It includes coffee and is one pancake, two eggs and three slices of bacon or sausage patties. Perfect for a quick, seated breakfast.

Of course there are lunch items on the menu.
A clubhouse sandwich (1/2 sandwich with soup)($10). Turkey, ham, bacon, Swiss on white bread with from scratch clam chowder. An absolutely wonderful New England style chowder, flavorful and filled with clam pieces and skin on potato, creamy and great. All three soups (also chicken tortilla and vegetable) here are made from scratch and very good.
The albacore tuna salad ($11.95) served with a Green Goddess dressing, on top of lettuce, shredded carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, walnuts and fresh strawberries. Grilled bread is on the side and this (quite large) salad is perfect for lunch.

Don't be afraid of the menu or menu boards, basically it's a listing of combinations of basic ingredients. If you are craving something, just ask.

La Mesa Bistro and Bakery 8697 La Mesa Boulevard La Mesa 91941 (619)589-0806 Open seven days 7:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Website

Yakyudori (again)

February 3, 2022 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! welcomes you back. Today, Cathy is writing while Kirk is relaxing.

Kirk wrote about Yakyudori in 2010, two times then again in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, and in 2020. Each of his posts concentrated on the yakitori portion of the menu (only served after 5:00 p.m. now). I wrote a short post in 2014, about appetizer meals. We've done those here regularly, I just have not posted. Since COVID-19, a few things have changed. There are beautiful wood dividers for the socially distanced tables.

When you are seated, the "menu pad" is programmed for your table, so you can order when you are ready.

You can choose your menu with photos (descriptions and options/customizations available upon a tap). or switch the menu to just words. Either way, it is efficient. You can request additional items as well as your check without having to flag down anyone and follow your order:

The last two times we were here, we noticed only one waitress and the system worked very efficiently.
Miso (lunch) ($10). Wonderful, rich deep flavored broth, chewy noodles, fresh fillings/toppings. Spicy Miso ($10.50), customized with no onion (for The Mister). A good, spicy broth with ground pork, bean sprouts, corn and the wonderful ramen noodles.
Fried Chicken Bowl ($11.50) with optional mini salad ($1.50) (can choose sesame or wasabi dressing). Instead of ordering the chicken karaage appetizer (as it seemed every table was doing), the bowl with rice and lettuce, mayonnaise and chopped green onion is a full meal and enough to share.

Of course we have also (still) made meals out of appetizers.
Gyoza ($5.50) (steamed; can also opt for fried) is almost always an automatic order for us. A good amount of pork and cabbage filling inside tender skins and served with hot mustard and black soy, the six pieces along with a side salad could be a meal.
Fried Oyster ($8) was just wonderful, perfectly fried and crisp, not oily. Quite large.
Takoyaki ($6.50) arrives hot with the dancing bonito flakes jiggling everywhere. The small round pancakes are filled with octopus and have crisp edges and are always delightful.
Mini salad ($1.50) and hot tea ($2) are pretty much always ordered here.

So glad it has survived COVID-19. The food quality and people who work here are great.

There is online ordering but no delivery service.

Yakyudori 4898 Convoy Street San Diego 92111 Hours: Mon-Fri: 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., 5 p.m.-midnight, Sat-Sun 11:30 a.m.-midnight website

Gate of Damascus (El Cajon)

February 2, 2022 Cathy Middle Eastern Restaurants/Cuisine, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog, is being written by Cathy today. Kirk and His Missus are on a little vacation.

We were sad when Speedy Falafel closed in the midst of the pandemic. There had been a few signs on the building indicating a new restaurant was soon to be opened in early 2021, but that never happened. In September, Gate of Damascus opened. We stopped by in early January.

It was pretty busy with people at the entrance waiting for their "To Go" orders.

The interior looks about the same and you can have a seat at one of the many tables and a menu will be brought out. (Hot tea is self serve along the back wall). Breakfast is served until at least noon.
Foul with olive oil ($9.99) is always a favorite. Warm mashed fava beans cupping a wonderful amount of chickpeas, tomatoes and olive oil was certainly a filling savory breakfast. (There is also a tahini Foul served with yogurt, which will be ordered next time).
We ordered a Manikesh (cheese pie) ($3.99) because we saw it on other tables. Fresh, tasty, a bit salty (in a good way). Perfect crunch. Two fresh made pitas were also brought out. Because we ordered this:
The small appetizer plate ($11.99) Tabboule, Baba Ghannouj, Hummus and Motabbal (another eggplant based appetizer). ( Motabbal is made with eggplant, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini (ground sesame sauce). Baba Ghanouj is made with eggplant, onion, tomato, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and no tahini!). We took home plenty of leftovers. This is also a meal. {Other appetizers to choose from include Mohammarah (red pepper hummus), Yalanjee (stuffed grape leaves), fried or grille Kebbeh (ground meat, onions, spices and bulgur wheat), Arabic salad, Fattoush, Tzazaiki and coleslaw}. Very refreshing, fresh, bright flavors.
Also we decided to try a single skewer of beef kabob ($2.50) which is also a great choice and filled with subtle spices mixed in the ground beef.

We will be back to try more of the menu, because everything is great!

Gate of Damascus 1142 East Main Street El Cajon, CA 92021 (619) 312-0427 Open Monday 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Tues-Sun 8a.m.-midnight

Speedy Falafel had a choice of desserts sold by the pound in this display case. Now there are choices of boxed desserts.

Siam Nara (Mira Mesa)

February 1, 2022 Cathy Thai Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

This food blog, mmm-yoso!!!, is being written by Cathy today; Kirk is enjoying some free time with His Missus.

In late December, The Mister and I were in Mira Mesa and looking for a nice lunch. We decided to stop in at Seafood City and explored the parking lot. Thai sounded good. Siam Nara opened in 2010. Kirk wrote a post in 2011. Walking inside, the decor is amazing, glittery and appearing 'loud', yet the interior is quite quiet. Even the tableware is beautiful. Executive chef Suree has created a delightful menu with Northern Thai specialties. She has recently joined Supannee in the kitchen at her Point Loma restaurant in addition to two other restaurants she owns.
We started our meal with an E-san sausage appetizer ($9.99). The mild, northeastern style sausage is made with fermented pork, rice, garlic, lemongrass, kaffir leaves and a small amount of chillies then grilled, served with cabbage, raw onion and peanuts, along with a slice of lime. The sour/slight vinegar flavor of the fermentation is pleasant along with the multiple other flavors.
The Boat Noodles (with pork) ($13.99) and its general description sounded like a good choice. It was. A deep flavored broth (I tasted lemongrass and cinnamon, garlic, maybe white pepper mixed in with the pork flavor and pork blood) and fresh ingredients of all textures (bean sprouts, fried garlic, basil, cilantro and crunchy fried pork rind (with (not mushy) noodles) made us realize how this dish is a Thai staple meal; common ingredients, always available.
We also decided to try a fried rice dish- Kao Pad Boran with chicken ($13.99) sounded good. Jasmine rice, stir fried with chicken, egg, garlic, Chinese broccoli and cherry tomatoes. Again, great flavors and something 'new' to us.