May 2022 – Page 3

Tahini (Kearny Mesa)

May 6, 2022 Cathy Middle Eastern Restaurants/Cuisine, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Cathy is writing today; Kirk and His Missus are on vacation.

Since October 2017, Tahini has been thriving in the small strip mall on Clairmont Mesa just East of the County Assessors Office. The 'original' location is being reconstructed to open as Finjån (a Turkish/hot sand coffee shop) just next door to the newer, larger corner storefront. Same owners. There is plenty of parking in front as well as behind the building. You step inside, walk up and order (there is also a Self-Service ordering kiosk in that far corner next to the cash register).

The menu is simple.
Three types of 'main' dishes that you can personalize with three types of proteins and toppings. There are also six 'appetizers'-which could be a primary meal, seven 'sides' and one dessert. Everything is made to order; fresh pita is constantly cooling on racks near the entrance, fresh from the oven.
'Halloumi Cheese Stix' appetizer ($9). Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese with a high melting point, so it can be fried. It is a goat and sheep's milk cheese, kind of tangy. It's served on top of a wheat pita along with a fig jam and a cucumber-yogurt sauce. Every element of this appetizer is fresh and flavorful. This is a half order of Tahini Fries ($5). Crisp potato fries topped with tomato, red onion, red bell pepper, pepperoni, kalamata olives, feta cheese, garlic sauce and tahini sauce. (The large size ($7) is more than enough for sharing).
This is a side order of Cumato Salad ($3). Cucumbers and tomatoes, diced and mixed with an olive oil based dressing, topped with feta. Refreshing. (The Cumato Salad appetizer is $6).

The "Build Your Own" menu consists of three choices: Pita Sandwich, Salad or Rice Bowl. There are three choices of protein: falafel (made when you order), chicken shawarma or steak shawarma. The chicken is marinated with 10+ ingredients and the beef is certified Angus, also marinated with 10+ ingredients.
This is the chicken shawarma salad ($12.50-salad, $9.50, add chicken $3), customized with add ons and topped with garlic sauce and tahini sauce.

Choices of add ons: lettuce, tomato, pickles, pickled turnips, cheese, parsley mix, bell pepper, kalamata olives, pepperocini. (Feta cheese is 50¢ as are toasted almonds).

Housemade sauces: tahini, garlic, BBQ tahini, Sriracha tahini, cilantro tahini, cucumber yogurt.

Plenty of moist, marinated, roasted chicken; plenty of all the other ingredients. Fresh, flavorful, wonderful.
The steak salad ($12.50) had a generous portion of the marinated steak as well as all the other ingredients.
This time, asking for the sauce on the side was a way to try the BBQ tahini (it was subtle; you could still make out the sesame base) as well as our 'must have', the whipped garlic sauce. Again, a wonderful, filling, tasty salad.
A falafel sandwich ($9- pita sandwich is $8, falafel is $1) comes with five fresh made falafel, your choice of add ons and sauce. These are fava bean based falafel, mixed with fresh herbs and subtle spices and perfectly fried so the exterior 'crust' is a light crisp and the interior is fluffy.

Owned by American and Arab friends with immigrants, refugees, butchers and bakers as employees, made it through Covid-19. A great place to enjoy Middle Eastern Street Food.

Soo and Maggie have been here.

Tahini 9119 Clairmont Mesa Blvd, Suite H San Diego 92123 Open Mon-Sat 11-8, Sun 11-7 Website

Trays of fresh pita cooling.

La Casa Blanca (La Mesa) (revisit)

May 5, 2022 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Today, mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy. Kirk and His Missus are busy researching future posts, elsewhere.

My most recent Casa Blanca post was written in 2017. It's time for an update. This family owned, longtime (since 2007) restaurant has withstood the test of time and of Covid-19.
Warm chips and fresh made salsa are brought out while you are perusing the menu.
The Mister (once again) ordered the Mexican Scampi ($15.95). Butterflied shrimp sautéed in butter, wine, chili powder and garlic served with Mexican (veggie) rice. Plump shrimp, flavorful sauce and rice. Always satisfying.
As with my post in 2014 (and 2017)., a cup of the Rancho Pinto Bean Soup was ordered ($4.95; a bowl is $8.95).
This meat filled (bacon, sausage chorizo) bean soup really is a craving for me and always is satisfying.
A Coctele Del Mar ($13.95) with shrimp (no octopus was available this day, or I would have ordered the combination of seafoods) was a bright, fresh and flavorful, satisfying meal. The plump, large shrimp are served in a lime juice based sauce filled with fresh chopped cucumbers, onion, tomato and cilantro which is topped with avocado.

This local Mexican restaurant serves a very nice brunch and has a Monday-Friday lunch menu.

La Casa Blanca 9570 Murray Drive La Mesa, CA 91942 (619) 466-2912 Website Open Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Panda Machi (Alpine)

May 4, 2022 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy (again). Kirk and His Missus have barely begun to enjoy their vacation.

In the first months of each year, when I am driving around the County for my job, I make notes about places I see and would like The Mister and I to return to check out once things slow down.
There in the left corner-walking distance from an Ayres Hotel, Chase Bank and a Carl's Jr., I had seen Panda Machi. The Mister and I returned one weekday. This Chinese-Japanese restaurant (Panda, for its Chinese roots and Machi (means 'town' in Japanese)) is a tribute to the roots of this family owned and run (since 2020) restaurant.

The front of the extensive four page menu lists the less expensive lunch specials and appetizers.

The sushi chef was busy around noon the day we were here.
The Almond Chicken (lunch, $8.95) with fried (instead of white) rice was what we decided to order. The large plate of stir fried chicken with celery, peas and carrots included a cream cheese wonton, pork potsticker,
salad with ginger dressing and an excellent egg drop soup. The freshness of all the ingredients was notable and of great quality.
The Mister and I ordered the Assorted Egg Fu Young ($13.95), as we do on first visits to Chinese restaurants. Chicken, beef and shrimp along with fresh mushrooms, sprouts, water chestnuts, peas and carrots in a lovely gravy covered the unique omelette.
The version made here is baked in the pan (rather than fried like an omelette, with thin edges)- the top, bottom and edges were uniform and a consistent bake. The eggs were blended with lightly mashed cauliflower and broccoli. It is so interesting to see the various versions of this dish, which is basically a way to use up leftovers.

We will be returning to try out the Japanese side of the menu. So happy we stopped here.

Panda Machi 1730 Alpine Blvd, Suite 101 Alpine, CA 91901 (619) 445-6224 Open seven days 11-9 website

Sam Woo BBQ (breakfasts) (again)

May 3, 2022 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Cathy is writing while Kirk is vacationing.

The last time I wrote about Sam Woo was in October. This is a regular stop for The Mister and myself just before we go shopping at 99Ranch Market, across the hallway; we don't want our purchases to be influenced by hunger.

The price for breakfast has increased: now each item is $7.50 and hot coffee or hot tea is 70¢. The menu has remained the same. How different from my first post about Sam Woo, in 2007 when each menu item was $3.20 and coffee or tea was 30¢.

On this chilly morning, we chose the roast duck porridge which had some quite large pieces of fresh roasted duck. The Chinese donut is still $2 and is just the add-in that the porridge needs.
The BBQ pork lo mein is always a good choice. The pork is tender and wonderfully flavored; broth, noodles and bok choy round out this plate.

Always a filling, tasty and satisfying meal here.

Sam Woo BBQ 7330 Clairmont Mesa Blvd San Diego 92111 Open daily 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Cash only

You have to ask for condiments; the white pepper and red chili sauce as well as some soy sauce are sometimes needed halfway through-after eating the food as prepared.

Duke’s Old Fashioned Onion Burgers (La Mesa)

May 2, 2022 Cathy Burgers, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy while Kirk and His Missus are vacationing.

Duke's Old Fashioned Onion Burgers opened less than a month ago at a previous Starbucks location on the North West corner of Baltimore Drive and El Cajon Boulevard. Checking some Instagram photos, it's been owned by this family since at least October, 2021 (when the hood fans were being installed). Step inside, order, pay and your name is called when ready. The simple, straightforward menu. Oklahoma-style onion burgers started as a depression-era way to stretch beef.
Let me say this is a large tray, the serving of French fries is way more than two adults can (should?) eat and the burger and chicken sandwiches on toasted Brioche buns are wonderful. They are also imperfect.
A single onion burger ($8.95). Fresh ground Angus beef, hand shaped, grilled with plenty of onions. No, no cheese (which does not cost extra). I did choose lettuce, tomato, mustard and (house made) pickles (excellent!) as toppings (also mayo, ketchup and jalapeños are available as toppings). The plain, crisp edged, smashed burger was unseasoned; when taking a bite with the other ingredients, it was great, but by itself, well, the quality meat was apparent, but I think needed a pinch of salt. (I read some hidden Yelp comments and people were complaining of too much salt during the soft opening, so they went the other way, which is fine.)
The chicken sandwich ($8.95) was quite large and very good. I do think it was in the fryer about ten seconds longer than it should have been; breading was a bit too crisp. Each bite was really tasty.
This photo is deceptive; the serving is really large. The container is deep. The fries ($3.25) are fresh and are made to order. You are given a choice of ketchup (regular or spicy) or ranch. The lemonade is made in house. It is not too sweet and quite nice.