Cathy – Page 50

T-Pop – Desserts and More! (Mira Mesa)

October 6, 2015 Cathy Desserts, Ramen, Taiwanese Food and Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Once again, mmm-yoso!!! is here with another post. Kirk is having more technical difficulties today than he had yesterday; Ed (from Yuma) is enjoying being retired and isn't glued to his computer; Cathy is in front of her computer sharing a meal she enjoyed in the recent past.

A few weeks ago The Mister and I were in Mira Mesa, planning on going to that location of Seafood City and planning to eat before shopping, as we usually do, similar to the food court of the South Bay Seafood City location. But the parking lot was pretty full and we pulled up on the far West end and noticed this storefront. You know we had to stop and check it out. I vaguely recalled posts by cc, Kirbie and Mary from earlier this year…thinking this was a 'dessert only' place. But there are menus on the door and on the wall as you walk to the back to order. The Mister noticed a 'Ramen' page and I noticed 'Appetizers'. We walked in.The eclectic decor is interesting in that there are so many choices of 'eating areas' and levels of comfort. I'm glad I could take these photos, because almost all the tables filled up within about 15 minutes.Duck ramen with tonkatsu broth ($9.99) with the basic toppings (soft boiled egg, seaweed, scallions, sesame seeds and bean sprouts). This was very good in flavor and size (enough to share). The broth was rich, porky and not very salty. The noodles had a 'bite' and were not mushy. The duck leg was standard. The vegetarian pot stickers ($3.99) were also standard. Fresh fried and crispy with a good amount of filling. Quite large for pot stickers.

The Kani-Cheese Croquette ($2.99) is basically potatoes mashed with cream cheese, formed into a patty and rolled in bread crumbs then deep fried. Topping is kewpie and teriyaki. Again, freshly made but pretty standard. Nice sides to munch on while waiting for my turn with the ramen bowl.

Looking at the menu, I remembered the desserts I had seen online.Shubuya honey toast…presented with a theme. We decided on "London".Based on the photos from other bloggers and the menu, there was a small disaster during the assembly, but all the ingredients are there. The (very) large piece of honey toast was hollowed out and cubed, the cubes toasted and most placed back inside the outer large cube of (also) toasted bread. Ice cream, bananas, caramel sauce, toffee and a side of custard sauce. A really nice, and fun dessert.

T-Pop Desserts and More 8945 Mira Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92126 (858) 566-6494 Website open Sun-Th 11-10, Fir-Sat 11-11

Vinz Wine Bar (No Wine) (Escondido)

October 5, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Pizza, Pubs and Pub Grub, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Kirk is having some technical difficulties, while Ed (from Yuma) is enjoying the pleasant weather (in Yuma) and Cathy is writing a quick post.

We parked in front of Vinz a few weeks ago when stopping at EscoGelato for a sweet treat and The Mister kept it in mind when it was His turn to choose one of his birthday meals. Vinz has been here at the corner of East Grand at Kalmia since 2008.One side of Vinz is a bar and the other side (closed during lunch) has tableclothed tables and only wines stored on display.

A daily lunch menu is provided and The Mister and I both had narrowed our choices to two – the same ones. Serendipity!The House Cheese & Pate Plate ($14) included great multi seeded crackers along with a partial baguette, some greens, roasted garlic cloves, olives, a dollop of a hearty mustard, capers and some fig jam. The seemingly small scoop of duck mousse pate was more than enough of pure luxury; rich, smooth with fresh herbs and cognac melded together, giving a burst of flavor in each bite. The cheeses were a smoked Gouda, Havarti and Brie. This would have gone perfectly with a glass of wine…but you know-daytime, driving, laws.The Pizza Blanca con Spinaci ($11) was really wonderful. Homemade ricotta cheese, roasted garlic, fresh spinach, and mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. You can see the wonderful thin crust. The homemade ricotta…all of it…it just went so well together.

A very nice lunch for a special celebration day.

Vinz Wine Bar 201 East Grand (at Kalmia) Escondido 92025 (760)743-8466 website Open Mon 11:30-9, Tues, Wed, Th 11:30-10, Fri, Sat 11:30-11 Sun 11:30-8

Alaskan Seafood Connection (Normal Heights)

October 4, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Sandwiches, Seafood, What Cathy Eats!

mmm- yoso!!! is a food blog. Today, Cathy is writing a blog post so that Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) can relax and enjoy more of this beautiful, cool weekend.

It's that time of year again; The Mister celebrated his birthday and mine was a week later. We go out to eat every day in between and therefore I have quite a few meals to share with you.

Today's post is from a 'my choice' day. The Mister didn't know where I was driving nor what to expect, as is common during our birthday week…we only discuss sharing items when ordering but not restaurant choices.From across the street, I was happy to see the two tables in front of Corner Liquor (which is near but not *on* the South East corner of Adams at Felton) were empty. Those two tables and six chairs are the only seating available.

Alaskan Seafood Connection has shared a space within Corner Liquor since 2013. Seeing an up close of the sandwich board with the current menu should make it clearer to you as to why I chose Alaskan Seafood Connection for my special lunch. Here's a peek inside the door. The menu is repeated on the counter.Walk to the far end of the counter to place your order and pay. You can also purchase refrigerated and frozen seafood items from the cases on this side. You place your order and pay…and will be told how long the wait will be.

The back and other side of the space (not photographed) is the beverage/liquor store and its cash register is just across from this one. (You know, in case you want a beverage with your meal). Our 'appetizer' choice: 'Steamed P.E. Mussels' ($5.99). 'P.E.' is an abbreviation for Prince Edward Island Mussels, a sustainable seafood item. These small yet meaty mussels were simply steamed and served with a garlic butter. There were about two dozen in this serving (usually we count, but we didn't this time). We ended up tearing off some bread to eat the mussels and butter from the below item-The Lobster Roll ($12.99). Fresh Maine lobster broken into chunks and mixed simply with mayonnaise, salt and pepper…served on a lightly toasted roll with some lettuce and sweet pickles. There was a lot of lobster meat in this sandwich. The simple preparation made the sweet meatiness of the fresh cooked lobster shine through.Deciding on a fried item was easy for us; the Fried Scallop Platter ($9.99) included french fries and cole slaw…more to share. The sweet Bay scallops were breaded and fried to perfection (as were the potatoes). The slaw was refreshing and simply sauced.

There are condiments on the counter if needed, but all of the items are just right, to my taste.

All in all, a tasty, fresh and fun birthday lunch. From a kitchen inside a Liquor Store.

I hope you'll have a good week!

Alaskan Seafood Connection 3355 Adams Ave San Diego 92116 (619)281-3089

Closed Monday Open Tues-Fri 11:30-3:30 and 5-10 Sat 12-10:30, Sun 12-8This is the view from the table, in case you don't want to look for addresses or cross streets.

Manna Restaurant (Chula Vista)(Pancake House/Chinese Fast Food)

October 3, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

We here at mmm-yoso!!! are all enjoying this remarkably beautiful weekend. Kirk is relaxing after a solid week of craziness, Ed (from Yuma) is enjoying all that Yuma has to offer and Cathy is writing this short post, so that you have something different and perhaps interesting to read when you stop by to visit.

Apparently, there are a couple of all you can eat Korean BBQ places around San Diego County named "Manna". That's not what this post is about. The Chula Vista Manna Restaurant is not only a place to get a great breakfast, but also a place to get Chinese fast food, burgers and sandwiches.

About the third paragraph on my Vanessa's Deli post, I mentioned that we went to Vanessa's the first time because there was a line of people waiting to get into Manna. Both of those restaurants in this small strip mall, anchored by a Liquor Store and Laundromat (with a gas station in the middle of the parking lot) are constantly busy.Possibly because of the prices, but also because of the unique food selection and proximity to the above mentioned Laundromat.The owner, an older Chinese gentleman, supervises in the kitchen but comes out in front greeting people regularly throughout each hour; you'll see him at least once on each visit. He is very nice.

Booths and tables, two televisions, part of the menu photographed and displayed behind the cash register (those three photos of teriyaki plates at the bottom right side are *not* the same), this local owned diner type restaurant has been in operation at this location since 2009. On weekends, only breakfast is served.After much trial and error, we have found the chicken fried steak ($8.99) with eggs, toast and home fries is our breakfast preference. The crispy coating is just right and stands up to the home made peppery sausage gravy.The pancakes here are made from their own mix of ingredients and are fluffy, a bit crispy on the edges and always so good. Above, the special on the window not photographed ($3.99) of two pancakes, two eggs and two sausage. Just right flavors, really nice sausage and more than enough food for a breakfast.

Here is the menu, just click to enlarge. The Chinese Fast Food Menu is the third one above.

There is a 'Combo A' ($4.99) and a 'Combo B' ($5.99) on the menu. Each has fried rice, chowmein and a choice of two items (of 13 choices). The 'Combo B' includes two (vegetable) egg rolls. Above, the two items chosen are the garlic chicken wings and Kung Pao Chicken. Amazingly good. Not salty, fried correctly, sauces made here and not from a bottle or a can.This is the teriyaki chicken plate ($6.99). The teriyaki sauce is not sweet, salty or sticky. It's really quite good. You can see the portion size is excellent. From the 'American' part of the menu. The bacon cheeseburger ($5.99) ($6.99 with fries or slaw) is pretty standard. The toasted bun and thick bacon are nice and the burger is flavorful. It's a good choice for someone who is not adventurous.The Top Sirloin plate ($9.99) is also pretty standard; I have come to prefer the chicken fried steak over this. The hash browns are a crispy excellence though and I must say the eggs are always perfectly prepared.

All in all, a nice, local choice. I was happy to have told cc and her family about this West Chula Vista gem that I'd been keeping my little secret. They've been here, twice now.

Manna Restaurant 600 F Street (at Broadway), Suite C Chula Vista 91910 (619) 425-9270 Mon-Sat 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sauces, Salsas and when you can’t decide, Divorce (Divorciados)

October 2, 2015 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Stuff, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog. We thank you for stopping by to read. On this lovely Friday of a very busy October weekend, Kirk is working a lot of stressful overtime, while Ed (from Yuma) is gearing up for a busy weekend of research for future postings and Cathy is relaxing in front of the computer and writing this post.

For the past few decades, I've been more than interested in condiments. Numerous varieties of ethnic cooking are common here and so many ingredients are available.

Living in San Diego County, the varieties of sauces and salsas used in and on and with Mexican food are numerous.Walk into any generic grocer and the choices are overwhelming…

Walk into a Mexican Market and the choices increase exponentially.

Step into any taco shop and the fresh made vats of salsas and condiments are unique in flavor and selection.Have a seat at primarily mariscos (seafood) restaurant and the hot sauce selection on each table leads to some interesting flavor points if you become curious about what makes each differ from the other.Depending on what you order, at certain establishments, the 'proper' salsa/sauce (made in the restaurant) will be brought out to the table. One of our favorite Mexican places, Maritza's (it's in Clairmont; I'll have a post ready soon) makes a special chopped green salsa, served only with carnitas, which are prepared and served only on Wednesdays. It's multi flavored with a medium heat, a little salty and compliments the chunky seared pork absolutely perfectly.Then there is mole: complex flavored, multi ingredient sauces with flavors unique to various regions of Mexico. The above breakfast (over eggs) mole is from Vanessa's Deli and has a distinct sweetness.These three moles served over chicken enchiladas from Rana's (again, I have a post forthcoming) are each wildly unique: the red mole is poblano chili based and, like the other two, is made with more than 20 ingredients, the white mole has pecans in its base while the green mole uses fresh herbs, tomatillos and sunflower seeds. Each is wonderful on its own and when I can't decide..well the 'Tricolor' plate is my choice.The enchilada suizas at Ponce's is my usual choice. Suiza means 'Swiss' and the sauce is cream based, thick and with a mild green salsa mixed in for this version.Similarly, the Karina's sauce is green and creamy, but more of a culiché sauce: cream, poblano chilis and garlic dominate the flavors.Sometimes, I crave a rich flavored, chili pepper and tomato based red enchilada sauce on top of cheese filled corn tortillas. The above is from my neighborhood taco shop; each taco shop makes a unique version.

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Then, there are this days when I can't decide and everything sounds good. The wonderful Mexican people have a solution on their menus – Divorciados!

Huevos divorciados (divorced eggs) is a Mexican breakfast made with two fried eggs, separated in the above version by refried beans and potatoes (I've sometimes had chilaquiles as the separation food item). One egg is covered in salsa roja (red sauce) and the other egg covered in salsa verde (green sauce), giving each egg a distinct flavor. (The above Divorciados Plate is a breakfast item at El Portal ). Dropping in at Carnitas Uruapan, there is a white board of daily specials and lately 'Carne Divorciados' has been an available special.

The top plate has the red sauce covering chicharron (fried pork rinds) and the green sauce covering pork pieces.

The second plate has the green sauce covering chicharron and the red sauce covering beef rib meat (they were out of cooked pork at the time of our order). You can see how different the sauces are from the same kitchen on different days.

Finding new flavors makes me happy, finding divorciados means I don't have to make many decisions on some days…

Have a great weekend!

Farmer and The Seahorse (another lunch in an Office Park)

September 22, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food. Kirk has a cumbersome load at work today, while Ed (from Yuma) has a comparatively small list of 'to-do' items and Cathy has an unsubstantial schedule on this rainy Tuesday; that's why she is writing this post.

Since about November, The Mister and I have been in the La Jolla area once a month, for various appointments. Following those, we look for lunch, more often than not stopping at one of the two locations of Green Acre, a great set of restaurants founded by Top Chef (Season 3) 'Cheftestant' Brian Malarkey, a San Diego resident and co-owner of "fabric themed" (Searsucker, Gabardine, Burlap, Gingham and Herringbone) restaurants around town. It turns out that Farmer and The Seahorse is another great place founded by Malarkey.

Everyone has to eat, and finding a restaurant near work is usually easy, but not always interesting. So, when we saw this signage…attached to the front of one of the buildings in the 'Biotech' area of Torrey Pines Road (just across from Scripps Green Hospital)…we figured the same concept applied (good, quality food in an office park).Driving toward Torreyana Road, we saw this view of an outdoor seating area just behind a nondescript office building…When we rounded the corner to park in the front lot of that decidedly generic office building…anticipating another possibly great lunch ahead we noticed the lobby area was buzzing with people in a large, open adjacent room. There were signs directing us to take the stairs or elevator to the second floor…Arriving at the top of the stairs, we saw it…while noticing an area of office spaces you can rent, just off to the right. The multipurpose building is interesting.Walking toward the self order/cash register/reception area, you pass this beautifully converted (into a meeting room area) Airstream. There are a variety of seating areas here, as well as various separate rooms, similar to the second location of Green Acre.

There is no garden here, though, because the food concept, while similar, is a bit different.Because we didn't have a reservation (?)(it was a Friday, and…well my guess is there may have been some sort of 'event' planned) we were seated outside, which was fine; the day was nice.Here is a little peek inside…and the bar area. Usually, we don't order beverages, but I had been curious about Butterscotch (instead of root) Beer ($2) after seeing it sold in a six pack…but not wanting to obligate myself to a large purchase. This was a great melding of flavors…spicy with with a smooth almost carmel-y butterscotch/vanilla undertone.

That's not beer in the glass. Both of us have been trying cold brew coffees this summer and the menu showed a 'cold press' ($4.50), so we had to try it (excellent).

{The menu photos will turn as they enlarge}

The small menu means all items are fresh…and within the theme of both 'farmer' and 'the sea'. The Shrimp Louie Louie ($14) sounded good- and not like a 'traditional' Shrimp Louie. This included four very large fresh tasting grilled shrimp, the soft lettuces enjoyed at Green Acre, green beans, cucumber, scallions, capers and peppadew peppers with a light, creamy house dressing. Wow. Fresh and plenty and great tasting.The Farmer and Seahorse version of 'fish and chips' ($13): Local Cod, served with garden chips and slaw (and a wonderful house made tartar sauce) was beer battered to a perfect crispness. The cod was not your standard, frozen nasty fish, but large, thick, fresh and flaky..all complimented by the light batter.

All in all this was really nice, really good, quite fancy. We'll be back.

Farmer and The Seahorse 10996 Torreyana Road San Diego 92121 (858)260-5401 (no website yet) Open Mon-Fri 7-3 (closed on weekends)

2016 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade Float Road Test #5, breakfast at Lucky Boy (Pasadena)

September 21, 2015 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

Here's another mmm-yoso!!! post with a bit of food, a bit of preparation and another road trip North. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are not posting today; it's Cathy who is writing.

Saturday was going to be a hot day and The Mister and I left the house earlier than usual to try to avoid traffic and hopefully get to another road testing of some floats which will participate in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade a bit sooner than 7 a.m.. This is the City Of Hope's entry as being tested on Saturday… …and this is how it looked about one month ago.
Similarly, this June road test of a rebar framed bison and horse and…other shapes… Has evolved into 'The Great Faces and Great Places of South Dakota', a float design in keeping with the 2016 Rose Parade theme of "Find Your Adventure", a collaboration between the Tournament of Roses and the National Park Service.
Last month, the City of Glendale float, "Getting There is Half the Fun!" looked interesting… …and it is-there's even 'steam' coming from the locomotive!
Here's a 'Before and After' of "Innovation Rocks", the 2016 entry by Destination Irvine (on that webpage link is the artist rendition of the final float, and all of its colors). The testing this weekend was of the many moveable 'gears' on the float.

So, on to the food part of this blog post… Always, a stop at Cream Pan is first…We were there at about 6:05 and our quick snack choices were still warm. The short walk from the Phoenix Decorating Company barn, over the Metro tracks and one block North to Lucky Boy was completed with these hearty breakfast choices of the Bacon Plate ($7) with sourdough, three eggs, hash browns and ..bacon! (yes, it weighed more than a pound) and my standing choice of breakfast egg sandwich ($3.75) on rye.

Lucky Boy Drive-In 640 S. Arroyo Parkway Pasadena, CA 91105 Website It is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, otherwise it's always open.

Proceeding over to the High School parking lot, the Certified Farmers Market had just opened and wasn't yet too crowded.

We picked up a good variety of vegetables and fruits and headed home, arriving back just before noon…and the heat of the day.

I hope everyone has a good week.

Filipino Food & Bakery (and brunch) (Barrio Logan)

September 12, 2015 Cathy Filipino Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! still blogging about food after all these years. Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are each enjoying this weekend in other states while Cathy is in California, continuing to write blog posts.

Driving to the Naval Base San Diego is different than driving to MCAS Miramar, in direction as well as the surrounding neighborhoods and their food options. Miramar is where many civilians can enter the base and watch the Blue Angels annual Airshow, afterwards perhaps stopping in at one of the many restaurants listed in the Miramar/Mira Mesa area, while the closest many civilians get to the 32nd Street Naval Base is East Village or Downtown. Many national chain restaurants are located close to that Base and it's great to find a local, family owned restaurant or coffee shop in the Barrio.
Filipino Food & Bakery has been in the corner of this mall, at Main Street near 28th, since early 2013. It's pretty large inside and can get busy during the week. The pan de sal, a sweet, yeast-based bread as well as several other types of pan and several dessert products are baked here daily. More or less a typical Turo-Turo (point-point) restaurant, Filipino Food and Bakery is also typical in its food preparation-every Filipino place (restaurants and homes) where I have had a meal prepares their traditional, similar recipes just a bit differently (as I do with meatloaf).The lumpia here (two for $1) are fresh and tasty. The crisp, thin wrapper is an excellent conduit for the mostly fresh vegetable filling. The plates and cutlery here are throwaways, but useful in that we always have leftovers. The above two item combination ($8) includes either garlic rice or (as above) thin rice noodles with various vegetables (pancit).

That item in the left is pork adobo. (Adobo is essentially a marinade containing vinegar, garlic, salt/soy, bay leaf and black pepper; hence the variations by different cooks) and on the right is sisig (pork cracklings or head meat or liver marinated in sour or vinegar then grilled). I've enjoyed the versions here…many times. This ad, aimed at Comicon visitors, appeared in late June. The brunch menu began on July 11 and still is available on Sunday. I've been most curious about one item…
This looks familiar, you say? Why, yes, a Scotch Egg, but made with longanisa, a sausage, similar to chorizo, but in the Philippines, longanisa is made with various meats and regional flavorings. This one? Garlic (and probably pork)! This version of Scotch egg is wonderful. Perhaps ube (purple yam) waffles with a piece of fried chicken along with the Eggs Boni…we enjoy the food and flavors here!

I hope you are having a good weekend.

Filipino Food & Bakery 2852 Main Street San Diego 92113 (619) 549-5665 Website Open Mon-Sat 8-8, Sun 8-5

The Hills-Local Pub (La Mesa)

September 11, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Burgers, Pubs and Pub Grub, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is about food. It's a blog of places Kirk, Ed (from Yuma) and Cathy enjoy meals. On this extremely humid Friday, Kirk is out and about, enjoying a mini-vacation while Ed (from Yuma) is staying indoors (in Yuma) avoiding heat and Cathy is at the computer, writing today's post.

Today, I will write about a pleasant adventure The Mister and I had a few weeks ago, when going out to eat did not include a factor of checking whether or not a place was air conditioned before considering (or rejecting) it as a lunch stop.The Hills is located on La Mesa Boulevard, just across from The Lunch Box (in fact that first photo of The Lunch Box post was taken from the front window of The Hills). A quiet part of town (almost a mile from where La Mesa Oktoberfest will be held) this part of La Mesa Boulevard is backed up by a quiet neighborhood area.The beer selection is updated regularly and is quite extensive. Each tabletop condiment container has the current listing.

You can click on the photos or here to see the menu.Above, my choice: Meanie Fries ($9.95). Fried potatoes (nice and crisp) topped with cheddar cheese, ortega chiles, chopped grilled chicken, "meanie sauce" (it's spicy!) and a fried egg. Technically a proper meal, due to the protein toppings. This was indeed, very good with the 'meanie' sauce part pretty much necessitating a few swigs of good, cold beer.The Mister wanted to try the Bistro Burger ($10.95, substitute salad for fries,$1). It's a 1/2 pounder, cooked to order (medium rare for us) and topped with mozzarella, bacon, fried brussel sprouts and a balsamic aioli. The flavors go very well together.Above, crispy remnants of brussels sprouts…which were cleared up after this photo was taken. {Lately been frying and using brussel sprouts leaves as a topping at our home cooked meals. This is a great idea}

I hope everyone has a safe and cool(er) weekend!

The Hills Local Pub 8758 La Mesa Blvd La Mesa 91941 (619) 741-7166 website

Yes, it's sort of an East County 'chain', with catering available.

Azucar, a Cuban Style Patisserie – Sweets and Savories (Ocean Beach)

September 10, 2015 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Cuban Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!! This is a blog about food. Today, Cathy is writing because Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are busy with things.

Azucar opened in Ocean Beach in 2008. Its owner, Vivian Hernandez-Jackson, is Cuban, classically trained in Europe and seven years ago realized her dream to open a Patisserie with a twist in Ocean Beach. Located on the Northwest corner of Newport at Sunset Cliffs (just across the street from Village Kitchen), the small storefront seems unassuming.Step inside and be prepared to be overwhelmed. The descriptions and selection of what is available that day are fascinating (as well as delicious).

A cup of coffee along with a cheese roll (pastelito de queso) and coconut-almond florentine (each $2) one day was a relaxing and enjoyable respite of flavors and textures. The delicate pastry surrounding the cream cheese filling topped with coarse bits of sugar is delightful and the chewiness of the coconut and crunchiness of the almonds is so satisfying. Many people order specialty coffees here, but I find those too sweet and interfering with the already natural sweetness of the pastries.There are also five sandwiches on the menu. Above, the Cubano ($8). Slow roasted pork, thin slices of ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles. Pressed and toasted on freshly baked organic bread and served with a side salad. This is the way a sandwich should be. Those items in the refrigerated section are larger and each is around $6. Always wanting coconut flavors, our selection one day was the Artemisa: coconut cake, coconut syrup, pineapple, rum, custard and whipped cream. Topped with toasted coconut shavings. Yes. Dense, deep flavors and wonderful.

There are breakfast items here (quiche, Spanish omelet, croquette) as well as a good selection of coffee based beverages. A nice place to stop on your way to or from the beach.

Azucar 4820 Newport Avenue Ocean Beach 92107 (619)523-2020 Open Mon-Sat 7-6 Sun 8-5 Website