Cathy – Page 85

Gillespie Field Cafe- Breakfast and Lunch at the Airport in East County

May 2, 2011 Cathy Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Burgers, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food. Everybody has to eat. Kirk and His Missus are eating, safely, in another part of the world. ed(from Yuma) is eating mostly in Yuma. Cathy is writing about where she has eaten.

Some people have asked me how I 'find' the restaurants where I eat. Basically, it is drive and stop, looking for where somebody who lives or works nearby would chose for a convenient meal.

The County of San Diego is about 4200 square miles and is home to eight airports in addition to the three airports in San Diego City limits: Lindbergh Field, Brown Field and Montgomery Field.

In El Cajon, Gillespie Field is conveniently located between Highway 67 and a Trolley station. (it's the Northernmost station which has both green and orange lines). It is the oldest and largest of the eight county airports, and the land includes many airport related businesses (flight schools, aircraft storage, repair and maintenance shops, avionics and instrument shops) as well as two Business Parks. About 2000 people are employed nearby. People need to eat.

In the far corner of the automobile parking lot, conveniently located next to the airfield, where private plane owners can also park and walk …

right next to the Control Tower is the Gillespie Field Cafe. It serves breakfast and lunch on weekdays (and is applying for a liquor license and is open from 4 p.m. until about 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.)

It is open at 6:30 a.m., Monday thru Friday and 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The Cafe closes about 2 p.m. on weekdays. On March 1, 2011, Roxanne and Peter, took over the running of the cafe. Roxanne is the waitress, Peter is the chef. There are both an indoor and an outdoor eating area, with an unobstructed view of the airfield. They serve good, diner food. Not gimicky pseudo-diner food. This is the real thing.

I was fascinated by the description of '4-5 eggs' being used to make an omelet (in addition to the 'comes with two' part of the menu).

A "Build Your Own" Omelet ($9.75) made with 4-5 eggs, bacon,sausage, mushrooms and avocado. Fresh mushrooms, crispy bacon, really good breakfast sausage. Sides of cottage cheese
and a biscuit with gravy. Good biscuit- fluffy and soft, but almost underdone. I didn't mind not having a crispy crust, because I was mostly using the biscuit as a device to eat the gravy. Great gravy- smooth, with sausage bits and a nice, pleasant combination of Peter's special seasoning including black pepper.
Then there was Breakfast Combo #2 ($7.75) (not the weekday specials; the Breakfast menu is four pages, including waffles ). Six wedges ( 3 slices) of French toast, 2 eggs and two bacon. Properly cooked French Toast made with a thicker white bread. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Not quite creamy soft as an egg bread would be, but very good and egg soaked and cooked through. I did not need the syrup. The bacon was crispy and not thin but also not really thick. It had a good flavor and just enough saltiness.

Perfect poached eggs. Fresh eggs. Creamy eggs. My kind of breakfast.

Of course, Farmer John's coffee ($1.95)…always fresh and hot pot, since everyone here seems to order it.

One weekday, The Mister was home and we came here for lunch.

We had to have a side order of onion rings which are lightly battered and perfectly fried to go with our lunch selections, in this case, hamburger based.

All the burgers are 1/3 pound coarse ground beef, hand formed. The menu says Angus beef. The Patty Melt ($8.29), cooked medium (we were not asked the level of doneness) and topped with a lot of sliced fresh grilled, unburned onions and Swiss cheese, on a very good rye bread, which was not greasy, but lightly grilled. There were almost too many onions, even for me…but I managed. The side of potato salad I chose was good, made with skin on red potatoes, finely chopped carrots and celery. I think it was made with a 'Light" mayonnaise, which I don't crave.
The Mister ordered a chili burger on this visit ($9.29) The same 1/3 pound burger, topped with Cheddar and the Cafe Chili on a toasted sesame seeded bun. The chili, made with beans, is really good and I will order it as a meal on another cold day. The cole slaw was fresh and crispy and lightly dressed with a vinegary mayo mix. I added salt and pepper to it.

Even if you are seated indoors, there is a view of the airfield and runway.

Not fancy, not a large place. Good food and lots of "regulars" who eat here. A true diner.

Gillespie Field Cafe 2015 N. Marshall (at Bradley) El Cajon, 92020 (619) 448-0415

Charlie’s Best Bread Cafe- Point Loma.

April 28, 2011 Cathy Bakery, Sandwiches, What Cathy Eats!

Charlie's Best Bread has changed ownership and is now Point Loma Bakery and Bistro.

A food blog, mmm-yoso!!! is written by several friends who enjoy, individually, writing about food they have enjoyed, food they have cooked, food they have not enjoyed. Sharing, much like a meal. A virtual meal. Today, Cathy is sharing. This post is about enjoying.

The Mister and I were driving down Rosecrans Street the other day. At the corner of Cañon, there has pretty much always been a Bank of one name or another-In half of the building, we noticed something familiar.

About nine months ago, half the (closer to Cañon) building began to house Charlie's Best Bread Cafe on the ground floor. It used to be Con Pane, which moved to Liberty Station (a post about Con Pane soon). So, it was a bakery which turned into a bakery…and deli…and cafe.

Charlie's Best Breads has been in Pacific Beach for about 27 years. We buy bread from Charlie's when we are in that neighborhood (which isn't that often). This Roseville/Point Loma location has breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, sweets and the regular artisan and organic breads as the 'up North' location. We decided to had to stop.
It is not too large inside, and there are a few tables out front. The whole menu is overhead, including espresso coffee choices and weekend specials (French toast made on Challah bread and apple crepes). The regular breakfast menu includes quiches and croissant sandwiches as well as one breakfast burrito and some kids choices.

The complimentary water dispenser (on the left) has water infused with fresh cucumber slices, a nice touch.

Since we hadn't planned on stopping anywhere for lunch, we ordered light. The Mister chose the House salad, with grilled chicken breast ($4.95) Yes. The House salad by itself is $3.95. Since they have grills for the panini sandwiches, they can grill a chicken breast. For one dollar. The salad is all Romaine lettuce and tomato and cucumber and croutons (oops…those seem to be missing, my bad) and a very good size meal.

I decided to try a traditional sort of sandwich order….Pastrami on Rye, half sandwich ($4.95).

Not traditional. The organic rye was sliced thin and had a good sour flavor. The pastrami, a good amount, thick sliced and mildly smoke flavored is heated, the rest of the ingredients are cold and warmed only by the Pastrami. As you can see- Swiss cheese. As you can also see, whole grain Dijon mustard. There is also a light shmear of horseradish. Then there is the Gorgonzola.

Never would I have put these flavors together. Never would I have thought they would "go" together. They do. It is good.

There are also panini's on the menu, same prices as the sandwiches (which are $7.95 for a whole). The pastrami panini is on pumpernickel and has sliced apple and sauteed mushrooms. That will be my order next time. If we aren't stopping in for breakfast.
We bought a seeded baguette to go. It is a proper French bread (weighing about 250 grams…and three feet in length) with crispy crust, light yet chewy bread and the sesame seeds add a nice bit of flavor. $2.25.

There are daily breads (see the website) and the Fri-Sat-Sun Portuguese bread, at $5.25, is frequently sold out. Charlie's is a bread shop stop more than a deli, but the deli offerings are really good. We will be back for breakfast.

Charlie's Best Bread, Bakery, Deli & Cafe 1110 Rosecrans Street (at Cañon) San Diego 92106 (619)487-0227. Mon 7 am-3 pm, Tue-Fri 7 am-6pm, Sat-Sun 7am-5pm Website

Gus’s Subs and Pizza- (the #2/La Mesa location; Breakfast)

April 27, 2011 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!! which is a food blog. Kirk and His Missus are on a vacation, somewhere in the world. As a result, He is not blogging (that whole internet access in a foreign country thing). ed, (from Yuma) is not blogging because of that employment thing. Cathy, who apparently does not vacation nor have employment, is blogging.

On the SouthWest Corner of Baltimore Drive at Lake Murray, a small building has been home to quite a few restaurants which have come and gone. Gus's, a family owned place, with its first location in Point Loma, has established itself in La Mesa for almost three years now.

Gus's is famous for its sub sandwiches, Italian, Greek, Mexican and Portuguese sandwiches and pizzas. However this location also serves breakfast, opening at 7 a.m. daily.
A small inside eating area of about 20 tables, along with about the same size patio area, Gus's has the menu board for its sandwich and pizza selections just above the cash register. There is a separate breakfast menu, with Monday-Friday specials on chalkboards inside, at the door and stickers in the windows and on the menu. All different specials. The portion sizes are larger than you would expect. Gus's serves affordable, filling, satisfying food, just as a good neighborhood place should.
For His breakfast, The Mister chose the Combo, a four egg fritatta. A fritatta is described on the menu as a "Fancy Italian Omelette"   It comes with a choice of two sides. The Mister chose the pancakes…
and the hash browns. You can see a cross section of his fritatta; pretty much all meat filled. Combo  Fritatta is made with the four eggs, ham, bacon, sausage, mushrooms which are combined and then baked and topped with the two cheeses. (The rye toast is one of my sides.) His meal was $7.75.
I had an urge for steak and eggs. Of course, I wanted poached eggs. I asked for home fries (I was asked if I wanted onions and green peppers cooked with my home fries) along with the rye toast. This was a good sized top sirloin, not the thin cut '6 ounces before-cooking' piece of meat I was expecting. I asked for it medium rare and it was.  The grill marks on the steak were real. The meat had been seasoned before cooking and I did not feel the need to add A-1 at the table. Surprising, both in quantity and quality.

Oh, and price. $6.99- the special listed on the outside of one window.
As you can see, coffee was $1.75. Constantly refilled.

I mentioned Portuguese…One 'side' item sold here is linguica (Portuguese sausage). That sausage is rarely seen on menus in East County…the "Neighborhood Omelette" is made with four eggs and has linguica, shrimp, mushrooms, onions, ortega chili, tomatoes and cheese: A fitting tribute to the Portuguese Community which settled in San Diego five generations ago. The 101st Portuguese Festa do Divino Espiritu Santo is June 10-11-12 this year. The oldest Festival in our County.

Gus's Subs and Pizza- East County 5620 Baltimore Street La Mesa 91942 (619)462-4877 Open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

Abraj Mediterranean Restaurant- a first look

April 26, 2011 Cathy Mediterranean Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is not on vacation; Kirk is. Cathy will be playing His part on the blog today. ed (from Yuma) is unavailable.

There is another new Mediterranean place near SDSU. It is East of College Avenue on the South side of El Cajon Boulevard. One of few places open late in San Diego (until 2 a.m Sun-Thurs and until 4 a.m. Fri-Sat), you'll see it if you are driving in the evening.
During the day, you may not notice, since it is in a strip mall ( next to the check cashing place).
Not very large, very clean, with an overhead menu…you order, pay, have a seat and your food is brought out.
We started with a falafel appetizer ($5.95) (the online menu has changed). These were good. Now that I have had 'real' falafel, made with fresh (not powdered) chickpeas, I look for something superior to the falafel I consider to be the best. The falafel here come in second; I have to do more research. Falafel here are light on the interior, with a good garlic and parsley flavor, light yet crispy fried exterior and not greasy. Served with the fresh (lemony-light garlic) hummus on the plate, I have no complaints.
The gyros plate, with a side of lentil soup (~$9). An excellent rice, Basmati, cooked with toasted angelhair vermicelli and gently flavored with turmeric and something making the rice taste buttery-rich and fresh parsley. The gyros meat was sliced thick and was excellent in taste and in portion size.

The lentil soup. Oh. My. Goodness. Yes, goodness. There was some vermicelli in the soup and it was thick (in a good way) with lentils (both red and green) and vegetables. The deep, rich flavors made me want to be certain to just order this as a side next time I drop in.
A combo plate with a beef Kufta kabob (~$9) and salad. The salad was fresh with cucumber, radish slices and red and yellow bell peppers and a good oil/vinegar/herb dressing. The kabob had a great flavor of spices. I think it was zatar (tarragon, sumac and sesame) but also tasted some cumin and maybe ginger…anyway, it was good, juicy, moist but not greasy. Both of the plates were served with a plate of plain (not baked here) pita bread.
I have been on the lookout for a fresh baked bread, ever since going to Alforon with ed (from Yuma) and Tina and The Mister in December (hmm, one of us needs to post on that). This was just standard pita. However, all the other food was on the edge of excellent and all the food was very fresh.
The Mister had ordered without any beverage, and I asked for a Turkish coffee ($2.50) to sort of have for dessert…The nice young lady ordered it from the Hookah Lounge a few doors down and brought it to our table. A very fresh, excellent cup of Turkish coffee.

The website states they use the "freshest organic produce and meats available". The menu inside has breakfast items, and we will be going back to try those.

Abraj Mediterranean Restaurant 6475 El Cajon Boulevard 92115 (619) 255-3566 Open 10 am, closes 2 am Sun-Th, closes 4 am, Fri-Sat Website (may have old prices)

Kaelin’s Mi Pueblo- A surprising market in El Cajon.

April 25, 2011 Cathy Markets & Grocers, Mediterranean Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

Hi again. You are reading mmm-yoso!!! It's a blog about food in all its forms. Today Cathy is blogging, because Kirk is on an adventure somewhere in the world and ed (from Yuma) is busy. Really busy.

Kaelin's Market has been in the same location in El Cajon on Main near Greenfield for more than two decades. It has had its ups (it was THE fancy IGA in East County) and downs (it got pretty scary for a long while) and recently is under new ownership. It is still IGA.

There are always weekly specials in each department.

It's been cleaned up and the variety of selections have expanded, in a good way. Prices are excellent. Some surprises have been added.

As with other Ethnic markets I have posted about, there is a small area inside where you can order food to eat in or to go. The Taqueria area near the doorway offers five different Aguas Frescas daily(three more five gallon jars are along the other side of the counter). Next to the cash register, you can see small bowls of salsas and other condiments. There are burritos and tortas sold here, in addition to what I am showing in these photos.

The salsa and condiments include grilled onions, radishes, lemons and three types of salsas. However when you order, a 'proper' salsa is put on your item.

Tacos are $1. Every day. (The fried fish taco is $2). The store sells corn tortillas, sopes, hurrache shaped corn tortillas, flavored (chipotle, cactus and other flavors, depending on the day of the week) corn tortillas in the store. Those fresh tortillas are used for the items sold at the counter.

The carnitas tacos have been simmering and are rich flavored. Those are my favorite. The fish ceviche tostada ($3) is fresh and brightly flavored. Both carnitas and ceviche are sold by the pound at the Deli counter in the store, as are guacamole, salsa, refried beans, chicharrones…

The birria, a beef stew, is very good here. I have had birria made with pork or goat and never beef. This version is really good, tender and rich flavored.

On another visit, we got a pork adobada taco ($1). The pork is marinated in a vinegar based marinade and that breaks down the meat to be very tender. The hot sauce which was made for this was complimentary and negated the tartness of vinegar.

Mulita ($2). Two corn tortillas, each with melted cheese surrounding (in this case) al pastor beef. You can choose the meat for this quesedilla on steroids…excellent, filling, fresh. Worth it. Of course, beef made in the al-pastor style is cooked on a spit…

The most interesting aspect of the new Kaelin's is noticed as you are walking in
Two spits of meats- Al Pastor and schawarma. Yes, schawarma.

Just past the spits, there are ovens for baking flatbreads.

The Mediterranean flatbreads sell for 75¢.

Gigantic super sized flat bread, as large as the top of the indoor picnic table where we eat. Hot from the oven…the freshest you can get. Fresh hummus ($2.99) sold in the refrigerator next to the cash register, is the accompaniment.

Then there are the kabobs. Beef kabobs $1.25 each (or 99¢ each if you buy ten). You read that right. These are large, juicy, nicely spiced, beef (or chicken) really meaty, tasty kabobs. Five is too many for The Mister and I to eat for a meal. We always order five and always end up taking at least 1 1/2 home, to use for breakfast the next morning.

This store is not at all selling only Mexican foods.
The Meat Department is NOT Halal. It can't be. Know that Kaelin's sells spices, vegetables, and ready to eat items are Mediterranean based and this is not just a Mexican Market. Stop in if you have the chance.

Kaelins Mi Pueblo 1435 East Main El Cajon 92020 (619) 440-1423
Here is a photo of a carnitas quesedilla ($2) to show you the size perspective, as well as a flour tortilla…The quesedilla is very stringy melty cheesy…

I hope everyone is starting out the week on a good note!

Kaelin's Mi Pueblo Market 1435 East Main Street El Cajon Ca 92021 (619)440-1423

Cardoon Gratin – a green, in-season side dish (using those fuzzy green almonds)

April 22, 2011 Cathy Recipes, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food. Food consumed, food prepared then consumed, food in general. Today, a Springtime recipe from Cathy.

Hi. I haven't shown you a $5 Friday and a while, and with prices the way they are, not many meals are falling into that category, but as part of my New Year Resolution, I will share some recipes and meals which still fit that criterion.

This recipe uses seasonal, local ingredients, which is the mainstay of keeping costs low.

Some of you may not have seen, or known what to do with what you have seen in the stores. Both of these items were purchased at Vine Ripe Market, in La Mesa, this week. I think you can find the cardoon and green almonds at other Ethnic markets and maybe even some Farmer's Markets.

Green almonds, which look like immature oval shaped peaches are available for about one month every year- you eat them whole…skin and all, except maybe the small brown hard part which is attached to the stem. They are located in a bin to your left at the doorway into Vine Ripe and cost $1.49/lb.

Cardoon sort of looks like celery but is a relative of the artichoke. It is priced at $1.49 for the piece. This casserole recipe tastes like artichoke hearts.
Green almonds are a 'preview' of the almond to come. A snack in Greece, the Mediterranean and Middle East, treasured because of being somewhat 'rare'…kind of taste like a raw pea pod, but with a tartness. An intense flavor, if used in a recipe (and cooked), they are used more to compliment the dish than as the main course, hence the slicing thin for this recipe. The center is jelly-like now, with a thin white skin and, with age, the hull and shell will harden and the center will form a crunchy nut, which will end up being the only part eaten.
When you separate the stalks of the cardoon, you can see how it resembles both celery and an artichoke in appearance. There are spines on a cardoon. The cardoons sold in stores now are the younger, more tender ones. If older, the spines will be more prominent and the stalks will be tougher. If using those older cardoons in a recipe, it is best to discard the woody exterior stalks, cut the center stalks into bite size pieces and parboil first.

Cardoon is a member of the aster family and is a naturally occurring variant of the same species as a globe artichoke. It is native to the Mediterranean/France and I have seen it grown in several home gardens around here; it needs a long , cool growing season and that certainly has been our weather lately.
The recipe is pretty simple and you need only 3 other ingredients- some flour, Mozarella and Parmesan. I used this Italian blend of shredded cheese, since it was on sale. You won't use a lot, depending on the size of your casserole dish.
Slice the peeled/cleaned young cardoon (about one pound) into bite size pieces, maybe 2 inches long. Slice the almonds (about 1/3 lb) thin. Place into a buttered baking dish (this is a 9×13).
Sprinkle a little flour over the whole dish. This will help absorb any liquid given off by the cooking.

Top with a layer of the shredded cheeses. I also put additional grated Parmesan on top.

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes. The cardoon, if pricked with a fork will still be firm and not mushy, but will not be as firm as in its raw state.
This tastes like the best part of that artichoke heart Parmesan dip appetizer you have tasted…all artichoke sweetness, a bit of citrus and some cheese. The green almonds add the lemon/citrus taste which compliments everything. This tastes good cold or reheated in a microwave.

This ends our food adventure for this week. I hope everyone has a very good weekend!

[I've heard from Kirk and The Missus. They arrived safe and sound and are very much enjoying the first part of their vacation.]

Cardoon Gratin

One whole cardoon (about one pound), peeled clean and stalks cut into bite size pieces

1/3 lb (about 15) green almonds, sliced thin

2 Tbs flour

1-2 C shredded mild cheese (Mozzarella/Provolone mix is good)

Combine as above, top with flour then cheeses. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.

Today's breakfast- a part of the sesame bread ring from Vine Ripe (50¢), bananas (69¢/lb at Vine Ripe), leftover cardoon gratin, a basted egg topped with Fines Herbes and a sliced and sauteed green almond. The cardoon is still crispy and a bit stringy. The flavor is all artichoke. The sauteed almonds are even more pronounced in the citrus flavor.

Fat Ivor’s and Meat by the Side of the Road-Valley Center

April 21, 2011 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, BBQ, Diner, Sandwiches, Stuff, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!!, the food blog. Kirk is on vacation and Cathy is blogging in his place. ed(from Yuma) is in Yuma, not on vacation and not blogging.

Hi again. Long story short, I drive up Valley Center Road quite frequently, regularly noticed signs next to Fat Ivor's Rib Rack and back in 2002, I finally decided to stop and see what the signs were all about. I wrote a post about this in 2006.

In reality, the signs were only out near Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter…it took me a while to realize that was when I was driving regularly to Valley Center. Here's an accurate photo of my viewpoint. The yellow sign closest to the road is "Optimist Hams for Kids", next to a "Got Ribs? We do" sign, then there is that trailer with the Optimist logo on it and the sign for Fat Ivor's Rib Rack. Meat. By the side. Of the road. The driveway is at those signs and the parking area is for Fat Ivor's.

In the back of the parking lot, you can see the smokers, being used for the Optimist's hams, as well as for the beef and pork used on Fat Ivor's menu.
Walk into the restaurant through the left door and seat yourself. The right door is the outdoor Bar area. Fat Ivor's has been in Valley Center for decades and was rebuilt after it burned down two months after the original owner, Tommy Thomas, died.

The restaurant is decorated with American flags, pictures of President Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, patriotic items and is frequented by locals, especially at lunch time.

Locals take advantage of the "Lunch Specials", as well as the "Extra Lunch Specials" (which include a side and beverage if you get it as a half sandwich). You'll notice there aren't any smoked meats on the daily specials menu. This is a diner.
So, The Mister and I ordered from the regular menu and his meal started with a fresh, but unexciting salad with blue cheese dressing…which had chunks of blue cheese at the bottom, but was pretty watery overall.
The main part of His meal was a whole farmed trout-deboned and spread open gently, so as to stay in one whole piece. Lightly cornmeal breaded and perfectly fried, with skin on the bottom, this was fresh and a good, firm fish. It was a 'Lighter Meal' and came with cottage cheese ($10.95)
I ordered the BBQ pork sandwich ($7.95) which comes with a choice of two sides. Baked beans (meaty baked beans) and a lightly dressed cole slaw were my choices. The pork is smoked and sliced (not pulled). Real BBQ. The sandwich is topped with a homemade sauce, which seems to be sweetened with molasses. The sesame seeded bun is well toasted so the sauce doesn't permeate the bun to fall apart.
About midway through, I used the BBQ seasoning (that isn't red pepper) from the tabletop condiment choices. The very nice blend of seasonings, including hot chili, black pepper and salt complimented my sandwich.

Yes, Fat Ivor's is known for the all you can eat beef ribs, which are $13.99, seven days of the week. I've had them. They are well smoked, a bit fatty and better without sauce. People travel here for the evening meals.

Oh. The ham.
The best smoked ham ever. The Optimists use Farmer John hams and smoke them deeply with hickory. We could not wait. It was tonight's dinner…tomorrow's breakfast and lunch… and many more meals, including pea soup. We're having Turkey for Easter.

Fat Ivor's 27961 Valley Center Road, Valley Center, CA 92082 (760) 749-0600

Arigato Japanese Restaurant-La Mesa

April 20, 2011 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Hi again. Kirk is on vacation. mmm-yoso!!!, the blog, is not on vacation. Cathy and ed(from Yuma) will be temping in the interim.

Located in the corner of a strip mall at the NorthEast Corner of Baltimore at Lake Murray, is what used to be an eight table (with three chairs in front of the sushi bar), unassuming, local Japanese Restaurant, Arigato. Fast forward more than 20 years, and it has expanded into the next two storefront units, adding another 12 or so tables and a small private banquet room.

Not fancy. Excellent food.

When you are seated and start to look at your menu, your beverages and a small bowl of edamame are brought out. I've noticed different preparations and presentation of edamame lately and will try to document in the future. These were simply steamed and cooled fresh soybeans…no salt added, crisp and fresh in flavor. The green tea is complimentary also.
It was lunchtime and we ordered three items, and all were brought out at the same time. The kitchen staff is efficient.

The soft shell crab appetizer ($5.95). Perfectly fried, not at all greasy. Light batter. Served in this boat shaped platter with a light sauce which was not needed if you had already squeezed the lemon onto the crab. I did, however, dip some of the cabbage, which was a cushion under the crab, into the sauce and the flavor of the sauce went with the cabbage. This was a very good size crab and appetizer.
The Mister ordered "Pork Mayonnaise- thin slices of pork in a special sauce" ($8.25). This was a wonderful tasting dish. The pork was moist, not crispy and had a very rich flavor…no sauce on the plate, just somehow absorbed into the meat…we are looking to see if we can duplicate this dish at home.
The Mister's plate included the rice and a miso soup (good, with lots of tofu) and this extremely crisp salad. (Both were brought out before the three dishes from the kitchen, if you were reading along and not just looking at photos.) Unusually, remarkably fresh crispy tasty romaine lettuce topped with a gentle sesame-ginger dressing. I can't emphasize the freshness of this lettuce. The small grape, instead of a tomato was a colorful touch…

I wanted to try the Sunomono, described as "Variety of rawfish with cucumber, seaweed topped with special vinegar sauce" ($9.95). There was a small amount of lettuce, a lot of thinly sliced cucumber, an interesting, curly black seaweed, the radishes and burdock, as you see…that bit of octopus tentacle and a shrimp, some crab, hamachi, albacore, salmon and some bits of a cooked fish.
Here is a better photo of the unique seaweed. It was tasty and firm, not slimy. Different and the vinegar based dressing was excellent.

All in all, this was another excellent meal. I wondered why we stopped regularly eating here…the menu for lunch and dinner is the same – no price increase. I suppose because there are no lunch 'specials'…we had started going elsewhere. Now I realize we don't need 'specials'. The quality of food and service here are excellent, as always. Arigato is back on 'our rotation'.

Arigato Japanese Restaurant 5775 Baltimore Drive, Suite 110 La Mesa, CA 91942 (619) 469-3157 Open Mon-Sat 11:30-3:00 and 5:00-9:00

Panda Country Restaurant- The one in Santee

April 19, 2011 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! That's us. A few friends writing about food they eat. Kirk is on vacation, ed (from Yuma) is busy at work, so Cathy is writing today.

Hi. San Diego County has an area of about 4200 square miles. There are a few restaurants which have multiple locations here. I hesitate to call them 'Chains', since they seem to be more or less family owned and run. However, the reason they expanded is because the first location did well and they thought to spread out in a nearby community. One of those restaurants is Panda Country. Albeit an "ABCDE" (American Born Chinese Dining Establishment), and Kirk not being overwhelmed by the food he consumed at 'his' location on Clairmont Mesa Boulevard in San Diego, the Santee location enjoys a steady business and has tasty food. It has been in this same mall since 1979, moving to a new building when the Movie Theater was demolished. (Yes. 'The' movie theater.)

There are lunch specials, which cost about $8 and then also a daily lunch special for $5. In any case, every meal starts with this:

Plum sauce, hot mustard, plate of fried wonton skins…and the ever present Chinese Zodiac placemats. The plum sauce is a pretty pink and has the texture of applesauce, but the flavor is tart and not sweet.

The Mister and I decided to go completely ABCDE and ordered an appetizer we used to share when we were dating: shrimp toast ($4.95). The ever craveable paste of shrimp, salt and sugar slathered onto a piece of white bread, pressed into sesame seeds and deep fried.

Here is a cross section view. It isn't greasy, has just the right crunch. You can taste the toasted/fried sesame seeds and the shrimp and even the bread with its crunch is yummy…it brings back memories.

This was a Friday Lunch Special ($4.99). Three ingredient taste: shrimp, beef, chicken, peanuts, scallions and a mildly spicy, rich sauce. This came with a cup of egg drop soup and a fried vegetable egg roll. Everything tasted fresh and 'bright'-The Mister's description.
I wanted to try the Moo Goo Gai Pan ($7.25) from the menu. The waitress called it 'mushroom chicken'. It is wonderful. The white sauce is not sticky and has a chicken base. As you can see, fresh mushrooms and broccoli are part of the dish at this location.

As with all Chinese restaurants, you get a Fortune Cookie with your bill. See what is different here? These are not pre-packaged Fortune Cookies. Not a big deal, I suppose, but different..and tasty. These cookies are thicker and seem to have a more pronounced vanilla with a touch of almond flavor.

I found these photos from a February dinner. As you can see, a tablecoth is used, along with cloth napkins. I missed the Chinese Zodiac placemats, even though I pretty much have them memorized. However, you get the same house made plum sauce, hot mustard and fried wonton strips as soon as you sit down and look at the menu.

We started with a seaweed eggdrop soup ($4.94). Amazingly fresh tasting and not at all salty.
Because I order this wherever I see it on the menu, I chose the vegetable egg foo yung ($8.45). Basic egg and bean sprout cakes, cooked to a nice , non-greasy crispiness- but made with cooked (rather than raw) bean sprouts…a very different taste and texture than egg foo yung made with raw bean sprouts. The three cakes were topped with fresh mushrooms and sugar peas. I like this version. The gravy that comes with is not gloppy/cornstarchy, but smooth and mushroom flavored.

As you can see, we also got a colossal sized gigantic bowl of rice. The rice bowl was larger than the soup bowl.
The Mister, on the other hand, always likes to order Ma Po Tofu when he sees it on a menu. This version has just the right amount of spicy heat, enough that you can still taste the pork and the silky bean curd. ($8.45)

On the menu, this was described as spicy ground pork with bean curd…

However, the pre-programmed description for the bill is different.

Oh yes, it has the same decor as the Clairmont location…

I don't know if the food at this location is better than Panda Country closer to Kirk's home. When The Mister and I first moved to San Diego, we lived just down the street from that San Diego Clairmont Drive location, but never tried it. In any case, the food at the Santee location is fresh and tasty.

Panda Country 9621 Mission Gorge road Santee, CA 92071 (in the Vons Shopping Center) (619)449-7061

Stone Flats- flatbreads, salads and soups.

April 18, 2011 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Stone Flats has closed.

Hey there. You are reading mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog based in San Diego. The part usually played by Kirk is being played by Cathy.

In about November of last year, Stone Flats opened in the Mira Mesa area, in the same mall as the Trader Joe's (East of the I-15). I had been curious about it and had a chance to meet Mr. C (my partner in food adventures when The Mister isn't available) for a quick lunch and exchange of paperwork last month.

There is a menu above the counter or you can just start talking with the very helpful and informative workers behind the counter… just walk along…it is sort of like Subway in the way of ordering…

You first pick a flatbread (it is thin and crispy and fresh) in white or wheat and in regular ($5.50)or large size (large costs $2 more and is wider and a bit longer than the regular size)

Pick a meat : chicken, steak, pepperoni, sausage, bacon
Choose vegetables: tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, sauteed mushrooms, basil, cilantro, scallions, pepperocinis, black olives, basil… (and pineapple)
Choose cheese: Goat cheese, Feta, Mozzarella (regular and low fat), smoked Gouda or Blue cheese.

You also can choose a sauce: marinara, roasted garlic or BBQ sauce. When I was here the first time, hummus was also a sauce, but now it seems to be off the menu.

Nothing costs extra, unless you want more meat. Really, the portion size is enough. If you eat light. The flat bread is just that: flat, more of a cracker crust, not pizza crust.

You pay, get a number and get your own beverage and have a seat. The interior (and exterior) is decorated with steel bar framed tables and chairs-modern. Considering how high the ceilings are, the noise level is low and you can have a conversation here.

The flats are placed into the oven (it is a gas oven…I don't know where the "stone" comes in) and heated so that the cheese is melty.

You can also choose a salad, to make it a combo($8.50) Pick a lettuce/green -I chose spinach in this case- topped only with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, with a balsamic dressing (there are several dressings to choose from). This was a good size and fresh. A side salad by itself is $3.50.
You can also order a combo with soup. This is a cup of pulled chicken and rice soup. It is very good and not salty. It has a touch of a spicy 'kick' to it.

Soon enough, the flats are delivered to your table. My Flat- the regular size, wheat. I chose the hummus, grilled mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, red onions and olives, the goat cheese and steak. I didn't want any 'sauce' and the hummus was nice, the goat cheese tangy. The steak was good but not powerfully flavorful…it was enough.
Mr. C's Flat. The large size, also wheat. He chose a garlic olive oil for the base and topped it with grilled mushrooms, green peppers, olives, basil, Mozzarella and steak. The combination of basil and the garlic oil was an excellent choice. (The large size is wider and a bit longer, so it is more than just two more servings, as you see cut)
I returned with The Mister for another visit a few days ago. I chose a combo with a cup of tomato soup with basil on top.This was an excellent tomato soup.
The Mister's entree salad ($7.95) He chose the lettuces, toppings, goat cheese and grilled chicken as toppings. The regular size salad is a very good portion, the large looked crazy huge.
My (large) flat: whole wheat, with the garlic olive oil sauce, pulled chicken, Mozzarella, tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, basil, arugula and black olives. Melted cheese is wonderful!

I really like the freshness and more healthy aspect of the food choices here. It is a great idea and fun to be able to sit down with a friend and share a meal and good conversation. I have overheard some people saying that the 'could make this at home' and I know you could…just as you can with any food item…if you have the ingredients and inclination.

Stone Flats 9844 Hibert Street San Diego 92131 858-444-2280 Open 11-9 daily Website