July 2025 – mmm-yoso

So Saap (City Heights)

July 30, 2025 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Thai Restaurants

Sometimes there are benefits to having a not so great meal at a favorite restaurant. Once you have a favorite; it's easy to stop exploring and go to your old favorite. Lao cuisine has been a favorite of ours ever since we had a chance to visit Laos. But recently, after what seems to be some major changes, it seems that the food at Spicy Lao Kitchen had changed, and not for the better. We had a very disappointing meal; every dish was a mere shadow of its former self. Sigh….. Well, it was time to start checking out other options.

There was one place I'd had on my "list" for a while. I'd had So Saap on that list when they were located in Chollas View; but never made it out there. They moved into the location that was formerly Ban Lao, which I had noticed in passing back in 2023. Side note……you remember when this place was Que Huong?

So Saap 01

And So (pun intended) it was obviously time for us to check the place out. We arrived right after 11am and the place was empty. The young lady waved us to a table.

So Saap 02

We were the only customers dining in during our entire meal; though there was a steady flow of takeout orders. I'm guessing So Saap is a favorite "to-go" place for folks. We were handed menus, which had all the usual suspects with regards to Lao dishes and some quite fusiony dishes, Laab Poke Tuna anyone? Sorry, not for us!

We actually ordered quite a bit of food.

The Lemongrass Fried Chicken ($12.99) seemed interesting.

So Saap 03 So Saap 04 Which came with a side of sticky rice; which was actually more hard and dry than "sticky". The dish consisted of two whole "wings" and another odd piece. The chicken was nicely fried, more crunchy than crisp, and very moist. The flavor seemed to be a bite "off" though. There was a hint of lemongrass and garlic; but it seemed to need a bit "more" savory-salty tones, and came thru as being on the bland side, an adjective that one really doesn't associate with Lao cuisine.

So Saap 05

Of course we had to order the Nam Khao ($16.99).

So Saap 06

This was an interesting dish; the Missus loved the generous portion of peanuts as it really added to every bite. As did the mint and the old fried, dried chilies (ouch!!!). This was an decent version; though not close to being our favorite. There weren't enough crisp-crunchy rice and the also it fell short in the fermented sour-sausage department as well. Still, nice herbaceous tones, though it seemed to be missing the "touch" of coconut that we enjoy in our nem khao.

So Saap 07

Still, not a bad version.

Needless to say, we also got the Lao Sausage (spicy version – $13.99).

So Saap 08

The filling of the sausage was so tasty; great garlic-makrut leaves (that's what they're now calling kaffir lime)-herbaceousness. The Jeow (dipping sauce) had a nice kick, without being overly tomato forward. The sausage was decently spiced as well. The only issue as you can see was that the casing was totally incinerated. Bummer; because this one could have been our favorite of the meal.

As it was; the Nam Tok ($17.99) took first place.

So Saap 09

Loved the flavors in this one; good, balanced lime, adequate amount of roasted rice powder to add a nutty edge, loved the mint and cilantro as well. The beef was nicely prepped and while toothsome; it wasn't tough. A very nice version of "Waterfall Beef". A vibrant, savory, and refreshing dish when wrapped in lettuce. A keeper for sure.

This was a nice visit; the prices weren't too high and we decided to return a week later for lunch again.

So Saap 10

Again the place was empty when we arrived; but this time several rather large parties arrived during our meal….to go along with the steady flow of takeout orders.

The same nice young lady was working and we again ordered more than we could finish.

I'm not sure why; but the Missus ordered the Pad See Eew with Tofu ($14.99).

So Saap 11

Pad See Eew in a Lao Restaurant? Well, on the good side, the tofu and the noodles were nicely done. The flat noodles still had a nice bit of al dente pull to it. But overall, this dish was way too sweet.

We asked the young lady about the difference between the Seen Savanh (Heavenly Jerky), versus the Seen Lad (Fried Beef Jerky) and she recommended the Heavenly Jerky ($13.99).

So Saap 12

This was another winner! The beef was thinly sliced, making it easier to eat, a nice balance of chewy to tender. A hint of sweetness, good savory tones, hints of gingery-pungent tones as well.

I saw Fried Pork Bell on the menu and asked if it was Moo Tod, the young lady seemed surprised and said yes, it was. So we also ordered that ($13.99).

So Saap 13

A very straight-forward fried pork dish. Cut a bit too think for my liking, though still fairly crisp. Lightly seasoned; the acidic-spiced dipping sauce came in real handy.

And yes, we had to get the Lao Sausage again. This time, it was cooked perfectly.

So Saap 14

Even better than on the previous visit. We'll be ordering this on every visit.

And yes, even though it's a bit out of the way, we'll be returning to So Saap. So perhaps there's silver lining to our terrible meal at Spicy Lao. As it got us back to exploring other options for Lao food in San Diego……

So Saap 00

So Saap
4134 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92105

Lunches with JJ – EE Nami Tonkatsu Izakaya and Soi 30th

July 29, 2025 mmm-yoso Dog Friendly, Japanese Restaurants, Thai Restaurants

San Diego has the wonderful year 'round weather to support al fresco dining; but it's been an interesting challenge finding Asian restaurants that are dog friendly. With JJ, we've made a commitment to do those things that we wished we did the with Sammy and taking him to have a meal with us is one of those things. Here are two recent meals we had.

Soi 30th:

Yes, I just did a revisit post on Soi 30th back in November. Funny thing about that post. I didn't mention that we actually took JJ with us and ate on the patio. This was JJ's first week with us and he was amazing for an 8 week old puppy. So, after a walk around North Park, which always includes a stop at Dexter's Deli, we stopped back in at Soi 30th for an early lunch.

Soi 30th Rev 01

We got a table on the empty patio. I've mentioned before that I think there's a difference between "dog friendly" and "dogs allowed"; Soi fits in the "dog allowed" category. JJ was allowed to hang while we ate.

The Missus wanted the Som Tum on this day and ordered the Thai version ($10.95) medium heat.

Soi 30th Rev 02

We loved the obviously hand shredded, crunchy-crisp papaya; though there seemed to be quite a bit of cabbage this time around. The shrimp were plump and tender. The heat level was on the milder side for our taste and while I think it could have used a bit more umami-savoriness; this was quite refreshing with a good meld of textures.

Of course we got our usual; the Chinese Broccoli with Pork Belly ($16.95).

Soi 30th Rev 03

Just like our last visit, this was a winnah! The gai lan was nice and crisp-crunchy, with a pleasant earthy-bitterness tempered by the sweet-savory notes of the sauce. The pork belly was pleasantly toothsome, wonderfully sweet-savory; the rice perfectly cooked. The one thing we decided NOT to get with this was a fried egg; which now costs $3 to add! This is obviously our go-to dish here and we've filed one bad visit away.

JJ did fine as usual; though he was rarin' to go once we were done eating.

Soi 30th
3442 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 11am – 3pm, 430pm – 9pm
Sat – Sun 12pm – 930pm

EE Nami:

I was looking for a place serving Asian food a bit closer to home….it was an interesting challenge, but EE Nami showed up as being dog friendly. Hmmmm……we had kinda put lunch at EE Nami on the back burner, much preferring dinner, but heck, dogs seemed to be allowed on the patio…so why not?

So JJ and I cruised on over arriving right at the 1130 opening time for lunch. We were greeted with smiles and seated at one of the four tables on the patio. I'm glad we arrived at opening, since the patio was filled up within fifteen minutes of our arrival.

EE Nami JJ 01

The woman working was so sweet, especially to JJ…whom she called "handsome"…..which cracked me up!

EE Nami JJ 02

The positive vibes and cool covered patio set JJ at ease. As did the wonderful bowl of water the woman brought out for J.

EE Nami JJ 03

Of course I was having tonkatsu here, I decided to go with the more fattier Loin Katsu ($23.50). Of course I needed rice, so I made it a combo ($3.50) which included rice and miso soup.

EE Nami JJ 04 EE Nami JJ 05 Well, this was quite a hefty lunch! The miso soup was fine; not watered down like many other versions these days.

The finely shredded cabbage with sesame dressing was a nice crunchy "refresher" between bites.

EE Nami JJ 06 EE Nami JJ 07 The rice was moist, tender, and fragrant; though the portion size was a bit too large for me. I think if I go solo again I'll make sure to get a half portion of it. I was really heading into "kanak attack" territory here.

As always, the tonkatsu was moist and tender. The panko breading nice and crisp; and not falling away from the pork.

EE Nami JJ 08b EE Nami JJ 09 I waffle between getting the filet or loin cut….after this meal, I guess I'm back on "team loin"? I really like the meaty texture, fat content, and the porkiness. The sauce tends to the sweeter side in my opinion, so I use it sparingly.

I really enjoyed this meal and they treated JJ so well! I do want to return; though at over thirty bucks for lunch it's hard to justify. I think it'll be the Missus, JJ, and I for dinner next time. The nice woman who JJ really liked advised me to make reservations for the patio ahead of time because they are usually quite busy for dinner. Advice I'll be sure to follow!

EE Nami JJ 00

EE Nami
4706 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours
Wed – Sun 1130am – 2pm, 530pm – 10pm

Post #5571 – Back to the Beginning Redux, China Max, Sandwich Emporium, and Bay Park Fish Company

July 28, 2025 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Dim Sum, Dog Friendly, Seafood

I was going thru my "Big List" page recently and came across an interesting post from back in 2018, where I was asked if I'd hit 5,000 posts yet….well, I wasn't even close at that point! But, I ended up going back to places that were among the first I posted open from back in May of 2005 and did revisits. Well, I quickly checked my current post status and it was now over 5,000….go figure! And those three places from post #3951 were still open…well, one had reopened after a fire with a change of ownership, but I thought it would be fun to just do a couple of revisits and it was easy because two of the places are in my 'hood. And it just so happens that this is post #5571…so here goes.

Post #1 May 26, 2005; China Max:

Of course China Max isn't quite the same place I had enjoyed with the late, great, Ed from Yuma. There was the fire in April of 2020, which shut down China Max. The rebuilding took almost 5 years! At which time the original owners decided to retire and CM was sold to the owners of Taste of Hong Kong. I visited during the soft reopening back in March and was really disappointed as it seems China Max wanted to be DTF "light"…..the meal was a disappointment….they no longer really did Cantonese fare. But heck, it was time for me to check in, right? And thinking about doing this post gave me a reason to return.

China Max Circle 01a

Based on what I'd read about the AYCE dim sum and fluffed up posts on "influencer land", I expected the place to be rather busy when I arrived at opening on a Wednesday. But it was empty; I was the first customer of the day it seems.

China Max Circle 02

While my previous meal had been mediocre; I found the young folks working to be really nice and kind. And on this visit it was no different; really nice folks working.

On this visit, I was not going to order any second rate XLB….I was actually going to try the $8.95 Har Gow and the $8.95 Shu Mai, no matter how much my wallet screamed for mercy.

China Max Circle 03

Of course, one of the items that Ed and I enjoyed at the original iteration of China Max was the Peking Duck. The only Peking Duck item on the menu was something called "Peking Duck Tacos"…..well, going against my better judgement, I ordered that as well.

China Max Circle 04

First to arrive were the Peking Duck "Tacos", which were basically duck already places in the dan bing…..

China Max Circle 05 China Max Circle 06 This was pretty bad. The dan bing was rubbery…speaking of rubbery, the skin of the duck was not crisp, the fat hadn't been rendered from the duck properly and it had way too much sauce. This is what happens when you can't "do your own thing" with Peking Duck.

Next to arrive were the har gow.

China Max Circle 07 China Max Circle 08 I quickly noticed something about these almost $3 a piece shumai…..do you see it? Well, the wrappers were really too thick, but all of them had "puka pants"….suffering from severe leakage. Decent shrimp – savory – sesame flavors, but because of the holes in the wrapper, the filling was too hard and dry.

Last up; the Shu Mai. I could tell just by looking at it, that in terms of texture it wasn't going to be my cup of tea.

China Max Circle 09 First off, look how these lack uniformity, second, how haphazardly the wrappers are placed. Third, the filling was hard and dry. It was also overly salty. The shape was like someone rolled a meatball and just threw wrappers over it.

To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I was hoping that my visit in March was just a fluke….but, after spending almost $30 (w/o tip) on this…..well, I think I'm done with China Max. Quite sad, because CM was the subject of my first post on this blog over 20 years ago.

China Max
4698 Convoy Street #C101
San Diego, CA 92111

Post #3 May 28, 2005 Sandwich Emporium:

Yes, Sandwich Emporium was my third post way back when. Even though it's just a few blocks from home, I haven't been visiting as much as I used to. As indicated in my last post on SE last year, it seems like things have changed in terms of how SE constructed their sandwiches. Well, I needed to take my car for a wash after a recent road trip and decided to head on over to SE.

S Emporium Circling 01

I walked on in and placed my order.

S Emporium Circling 02

And placed an order for my "usual"; the Spicy Julio ($13.50)….I know after my last visit I said it was time to start ordering something different, but old habits die hard……

Anyway, here's my sandwich.

S Emporium Circling 03

It was, unfortunately, a mayo heavy mess, with less pickled jalapenos than it used to have. Kind of a soggy mess, with just a smear of avocado and for some strange reason, the tomatoes were MIA.

S Emporium Circling 04

As a point of reference; here's what it used to look like when I did post #3951.

3951 SE 03

You know, I haven't seen the Twins who own the place since before Covid. At one point in time, SE had expanded to locations in Rancho Penasquitos, Escondido, and Mira Mesa. All of which have closed. I'm wondering if they've lost interest in the place or what as there seems to be a lack of QC here. Kind of a bummer.

Sandwich Emporium
3054 1/2 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA

And finally……

Post #5 May 30, 2005 Bay Park Fish Company:

The reason I actually started this post was the sign on Bay Park Fish.

Bay Park Fish Circling 01

Yes, just like our little blog, Bay Park Fish is celebrating 20 years!

Anyway, since they have a nice little patio, I decided to take JJ for a light lunch.

Bay Park Fish Circling 02

Bay Park Fish Circling 03

As I've mentioned in previous posts, the only thing I order from BPF is the Smoked Fish Stack, which is now $16. Now, the last time I visited BPF was during Covid, so I didn't know what to expect.

To my immense satisfaction, the smoked fish was quite good. And I wasn't able to finish it.

Bay Park Fish Circling 04

This seemed a bit larger than I recalled. Smoky-savory-oceany flavors without being too fishy. I took the remainder home for the Missus to sample. She was a bit hesitant to try it, but once She sampled it….well, it was gone in the blink of an eye. I wish there was something else on the menu we enjoy as we'd visit more often……well, perhaps we'll be back soon with JJ to try and find another menu item we enjoy.

Bay Park Fish Company
4121 Ashton St
San Diego, CA 92110

Well, at least one of the three "oldies" delivered…..

Bay Park Fish Circling 00

And now I'm wondering….for folks who have been long time residents of San Diego……if you've recently visited an "old time" favorite, how was it?

Hope everyone has a great week!

Road Trip – Tiger Bar & Cafe (June Lake) and it’s back to Erick Schat’s Bakkerÿ (Bishop) and Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery (Lone Pine)

July 26, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

I thought I'd best finish up this series on our stay in June Lake so here goes…..

After the Missus did Her morning paddleboarding while I got breakfast at Silver Lake Resort Cafe and then hiking the Reversed Peak Loop Trail, we headed back to June Lake to freshen up. We waned to grab a quick lunch and just relax. Right across the street from our accommodations is the Tiger Bar & Cafe, one of the few places opened daily from nine to nine.

The place serves everything from breakfasts, to "Mexican" dishes, to burgers, to salads……you get the picture. We decided to just get a simple sandwich and you know the Missus….She loves Her bacon; so we got a BLT on sourdough, with chips as our side to go and walked on down to Gull Lake, returning to pick up our lunch.

Once we picked up our order; we simply strolled across the street, to our accommodations, and split our sandwich in the comfort of our room.

This was pretty much a by-the-book BLT. The chips were a bit thicker than we prefer.

The bread was a bit under-toasted, but the bacon was nice and crisped, the tomatoes decently ripe.

Would I go out of my way for this sandwich…..well, no. But since it was right across the street…..

On my way out, I noticed the "specials" menu.

I noticed a couple of items that we interesting. Plus, the Missus and I just wanted to relax before leaving the next morning. So, after our afternoon nap, we decided to head on over for an early dinner.

It was 4pm and there were a few customers already in the place….most of them having a "happy hour" it seems.

The Missus had a glass of wine, I had a light and refreshing Mammoth Brewing Pilsner.

And we ordered from the specials grease board menu, all items were priced at $9.95. Our Server was very nice and friendly.

First to arrive were the pork rib tips.

This was actually pretty good. Not a huge fan of the overly sweet, mass-produced BBQ sauce; but the rib tips were fairly tender, with nice cartiledgeous chewiness. A decent amount of smokiness with a mild rub. It was better than we had expected.

Next to arrive were the fried pickles. Man, the portion size was pretty large.

Crisp outside, with a sour-tangy-saltiness, this was a nice version.

The Fried Brussel Sprouts on the other hand was our least favorite.

The batter didn't hold up well and was quite salty. The actual brussel sprouts were mushy and had a weird texture.

Still, two out of three ain't bad. Again, I wouldn't go out of my way for this, but being across the street…..

Tiger Bar & Cafe
2620 CA-158
June Lake, CA 93529

Of course, after all of that fried food, we needed to take a walk and headed back down to Gull Lake to watch the day turn into night.

The next morning we headed out early and made a stop in Bishop at Erick Schat's.

This time we got the Sheepherder Bread and of course more cookies for the Missus.

That bread is great…..this will be a regular stop for us from now on.

Erick Schat's Bakkerÿ
763 N Main St.
Bishop, CA 93514

About an hour south of Bishop is Lone Pine and it seemed like a good idea to make a brunch stop before the five hour plus drive home. We decided on revisiting Alabama Hills Cafe. We stopped an easily found parking and unlike our previous visit, things were rather mellow in the restaurant.

The Missus got the bacon and egg breakfast, which came with a rather dense biscuit, and breakfast potatoes….and of course bacon.

While the potatoes had a generous amount of bell peppers and onions, it was bit on the greasy side. No complaints about the bacon as She also ended up poaching some of mine.

Having thought that the BLT I had for lunch here was decent; I got the Breakfast BLT.

Other than the bread being a bit under toasted….and the interesting portion of grapes….I guess they wanted to make sure I had some fruit with breakfast; I enjoyed this sandwich. Even though the eggs could have been a bit more runny; there were no off flavors, the nice smoky saltiness of the bacon (before the Missus stole it), acidity of the tomato, this was a decent sandwich. I'd have it again.

Typical diner-ish fare; pretty much what we expected.

Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery
111 West Post St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

And then we were headed home……intent on getting some Asian food for the Missus!

Thanks for stopping by!

Home Sweet Home (Escondido) (again)

July 24, 2025 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Once again, Cathy is writing about what she eats. Kirk is busy with research so he can write interesting things about his food adventures.

The Mister and I have enjoyed many meals at Home Sweet Home Cafe with my most recent posting in 2022. Recently, my brother and I visited for breakfast.

This nondescript diner in the midst of an industrial park took over from another diner in 2010. The simple breakfast-lunch menu is served all open hours and you are always made to feel like home when you are here. So friendly. Just watch where you park on weekdays; the other open businesses are strict.

There is something to see wherever you look; on the walls, tabletops, windows.

My brother asks to go out to 'local' places, defining such as 'having mismatched coffee cups'. I need to photograph those next time.

Biscuits and gravy (half order) with one large sausage, two eggs and home fries ($13). The potatoes are nicely crisped with onion and bell pepper. The breakfast sausage is an excellent quality and pieces mixed in with the peppery white gravy poured over the fresh made, crisp crusted fluffy biscuit just make it a perfect dish. Of course the orange yolked poached eggs are quite nice.

Hot Cake Special (two) with one large sausage link and two (scrambled eggs) ($13.50) is pretty much what my brother always wants for breakfast.

A side of deep-fried bacon ($7). He asked for 'very crisp' bacon and our delightful waitress suggested deep fried. Of Course! This was really good.

Consistency, quality. A great place. Home.

Home Sweet Home Cafe website 662 Enterprise Street, Escondido 92029 (760) 743-2233 Open Mon-Fri 5 AM-2 PM, Sat 5AM-1 PM Sun 7AM-1 PM

Michi Michi (Hillcrest) An ever-changing bakery collective

July 23, 2025 Cathy Bakery, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is, for another day, being written by Cathy while Kirk is busy with 'research' for his portion of this food blog. Enjoy reading.

cc even did the driving on this day and this was good, since I was unfamiliar with where we were going and really didn't know where to park, even though my Dentist's old office was in the area.

Michi Michi, a Baking Collective, opened in November 2024. A Collective is a rotating selection of local bakers, showcasing their creativity, artistry and skills. The additional emphasis of a Collective is on supporting local farmers and businesses with ingredients sourced from nearby farms (San Diego County has the most organic farms in the State of California, more than 280. 94% of the farms in the County are Family farms and 41% are owned by women, according to the San Diego County Farm Bureau).

Yes, there is usually a line outside, because the space inside is small, holding about six people. At the far end near the cash register is a listing of the current bakers, makers and suppliers. Something new at every visit.

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There is also a line when the storefront first opens, a 8 AM Thursday-Sunday.

Walk along, try to order judiciously, maybe also pick a beverage and pay.

cc chose a Watermelon-Mint Olive Oil Cake Danish and a Huevo Ranchero Danish (egg, salsa, Cotija cheese and tortilla strips).

I chose the ham and cheese croissant, topped with sesame and poppy seeds. Wonderful perfectly laminated layers of butteryness surrounded by great crispiness. A flavorful ham and cheese filling.

Michi Michi, Baking Collective 2800 Fifth Avenue San Diego 92103 Website Open Thurs-Sun 8AM-2PM Closed Mon-Tue-Wed

We chose different Ceremonial Matcha beverages (hers was caramel and mine had coconut milk). Quality and a new favorite beverage for summer.

Harborside Cuisine- Authentic Lao and Thai Food- (Lincoln Park)

July 22, 2025 Cathy Lao Restaurants, Thai Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of this food blog. Kirk usually is here, but today Cathy is writing while He and His Missus (and JJ) are out and about.

My day of dining adventures curated by cc was so interesting. She decided on Harborside (which is located near the 805 and Imperial Avenue, in the Lincoln Park area of San Diego, not on the side of the Harbor).

Since about 2012, this location has served Lao food; its name was Bane Phonkeo with a Lao market next door (it had been a Vietnamese/Pho place prior to 2012; The Mister and I did go there as I recall). In 2023, new, Lao owners took over and the Bane Phonkeo name has gradually disappeared.

You can walk up, grab a menu and find a seat to decide your order, as we did. I saw people walking up and ordering 'To Go' without even looking at the menu.

The menu had been exclusively Lao but now has Thai additions-probably a new chef. The ladies who work here are so friendly and helpful.

We decided on a 'new to us' salad-Long Bean Salad (Thom Mak Tua ($15)). Long beans and tomatoes in a delightful, garlic-sugar-shrimp paste-fish sauce with (a few) Thai chilies, depending on the spice level you request.

That's a Small order of sticky rice, which we shared. ($6).

Of course we shared an order of Lao sausage ($3) from the Appetizer side of the menu. Made in house with chopped pork marinated in lemongrass, herbs and spices then quickly fried, this version is especially good.

We decided to share something simple- Pad Saw Ew ($13) Wide rice noodles, eggs, broccoli, Chinese broccoli and carrots all wok fried. We chose to add beef ($5), but this would be fine with no added protein. So very fresh and bright.

When walking in, there is a small area of snacks and these cookies were chosen for cc's husband, Bert, so he could enjoy some of our day.

Harborside Cuisine 110 47th Street San Diego 92102 (619) 228-9985 Open daily 10AM-7 PM

Original Pancake House (again)

July 21, 2025 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy while Kirk is having a lovely time with His Missus and JJ during a quick getaway.

My first post about The Original Pancake House was in 2009, then in 2013, again in 2015 and most recently in 2021. It was time for another breakfast report from this consistently wonderful breakfast place. This time I was with my brother.

The menu choices are about the same, with increased prices, of course.

The half and half pitcher for the pure 36% whipping cream (not half and half) has been a mainstay in every location of OPH we had ever been. (Coffee is now $4.65, kept constantly refilled) (it tastes so good with whipping cream).

My brother wanted pecan pancakes. This is a half order ($10.45). The pancake batter here is unique to the franchise; consistency is important. Slightly sweet batter cooked until the cake is lightly crisp on the exterior, filled with pecans and then topped with plenty of toasted pecans and powdered sugar

He really likes bacon and recalled the thick cut bacon here was particularly good. A side order ($7.95) was worth it. Bacon and pancakes, why not? He really liked his meal.

On the other hand, I wanted savory this morning and the Chicken Crepe ($16.70) was my order. Diced chicken breast simmered with green bell peppers, pimentos and olives added to a mushroom sherry sauce and rolled in a flavorful (slightly sweet if you taste it alone), delicate crepe, topped with crispy sliced almonds. This was served with three crisp, light potato pancakes.

Our total condiments included (real) maple syrup, butter, sour cream and applesauce.

Quite a perfect meal.

Original Pancake House website 3906 Convoy Street San Diego 92111 (858) 565-1740 Open daily 7 a.m. Closes at 1 p.m. weekdays, 2 p.m. on weekends.

Anyway, we were reminiscing about going to this fancy breakfast place when we were younger. It turns out OPH started in our hometown of Detroit…and then moved to San Diego. Everything we took for granted did happen in the best possible way; we just followed it.

Friends of Friends -coffee and breakfast (national City)

July 20, 2025 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food which has been around since 2005. Today, Cathy is writing and Kirk is taking a break…he calls it 'researching'.

A few weeks ago, cc planned a food crawl for us, since I had been away from eating out for a long while. First stop was in National City.

Friends of Friends is a locally owned, Hispanic and Filipino inspired eatery, mainly known as a coffee shop, which opened in April of 2024. It's located just across from Big Ben Specialty Market in National City. Niederfranks Ice Cream is a block away.

Friends of Friends roasts their own coffee and makes their own syrups. Wavy, the restaurant within prepares menu items and bakes their own pastries. The menu changes for lunch and alcohol is served in late afternoon/evenings. Each visit can be a different experience.

We decided to share some breakfast items.

Regular drip coffee for me (I could choose my own amount of half and half, instead of telling the barista to 'stop' or 'add more', or as I usually request, 'until it's a pretty color'). Very fresh, nice and strong.

cc chose a cortado which was expertly brewed. A side of soda water accompanies a proper cortado.

We were served this McMuff-breakfast ($8) sausage patty in an egg/onion cup, topped with cheese on a toasted English muffin with some chipotle aoili. Very nice and satisfying by itself.

The Smiley Cristo ($12)- ham and cheese with raspberry jam on a toasted croissant topped with powdered sugar. Fancy and quite large. Great flavors.

I will be returning to try more. This establishment has a 'Listening Bar" and hosts collaborative events along with even more interesting lunch-ish items. Really nice.

Friends of Friends 127 East Eighth Street National City, CA 91950 Website (with current menu) Open Daily 7 a.m., closes at 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday; 8 p.m. the rest of the week

Gillespie Field Cafe (El Cajon) (again)

July 18, 2025 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! thanks you for stopping by. Kirk and His Missus are busy with JJ and another vacation which will be an interesting read. Cathy is writing today.

I wrote about a visit to Gillespie Field Cafe in 2011 and a lot has happened since then (new owners, Covid and just the passage of time).

The restaurant is next to the Control Tower.

It essentially looks the same, with outdoor

as well as indoor seating, both with views of the airfield.

The menu is simpler and the adult beverage choices are listed next to the counter.

My brother was going to be driving home (to Las Vegas) and we stopped here for a quick breakfast.

Without divulging any details, I ordered the 1/2 Biscuits and Gravy from the "Senior Aviator's Menu" ($11.95), which included one egg (poached perfectly) and country potatoes. The buttermilk biscuit crust had a crumbly/flaky texture, the flavorful (there's black pepper and something else) diced sausage filled gravy (house made) was absorbed by the soft chewy interior. The crisped potato cubes with bell pepper and onion and were really good.

My brother chose the Golden French Toast Breakfast ($15.75) with two eggs (scrambled), hash browns and two strips of bacon. He said the French toast was really good; fluffy inside, slightly crisp exterior and the bacon was a good thickness and nicely crisp. The eggs were a smooth soft scramble and the hash browns were a nice crisp quality.

Good coffee here!

Gillespie Field Cafe 2015 North Marshall Avenue El Cajon, CA 92020 Open daily 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (Early Bird specials weekdays 7-9) Website