mmm-yoso – Page 101

Best Wishes for a Happy (and safe) Halloween!

October 31, 2021 mmm-yoso Cooking, Exploring San Diego, yoso-silly

I thought since I didn't do one of these last year (you know why, right?), I'd go ahead and do one for this year as I've done many times in the past. Like I noticed last Christmas, it seems like folks are really going all out with the decorations; even in our neighborhood.

Man, talking about putting in some work here…..

I didn't see this one crawling out of the ice plants and it kinda startled me……

Folks have put in some effort this year!

Have you noticed the same thing?

We're still keeping a low profile this year as well, but wish everyone a safe Halloween.

I'd usually leave things right here; but thought I'd add in a couple of interesting, perhaps a bit scary things this time around.

Here goes…..

Is the House from the Movie Psycho Located in Bay Park?:

Well, of course not. The set used for the Bates Motel is located on the back lot of Universal Studios.

However, I recall a conversation back in the times "BC" (Before Covid) at my favorite local watering hole, with an old timer who grew up in the area. He told me that when he was going to Bay Park Elementary in the late 60's there was a rumor going around that one of the houses in the neighborhood was rumored to be the house used for Psycho……. I asked which one and was told it was the house on he corner of Denver and Milton which gave me pause. We had actually looked at this house when it was on the market in the early 2000's………

And of course it's not the house from Psycho….though it does bear some resemblance. Anyway, it was built in 1888 (!) and is known as the Stough-Beckett Cottage. You can read an entertaining article here. I also read that it is the only site in Clairemont listed in the City of San Diego Historic Site Board Register.

And then there are the graves still buried under San Diego Avenue:

So, I've recently done a couple of takeout orders from Congress Cafe (I'll post on those soon). While I'm waiting for my order, I'll often take a walk…..there's not much happening at 8am on a Sunday morning in Old Town, so it's a fine time to explore. On my first visit, there was one thing I wanted to find; especially after reading this.

Yes, there's the Whaley House, once named the most haunted house in America. But what I wanted to see was past the Whaley House….near the El Campo Santo Cemetery.

And I'm sure there are so many stories…..

But what I was interested in was located on the sidewalk in front of the cemetery. There are discreet, small brass medallions like this one.

Yep……"Grave Site".

In 1942 San Diego Avenue was widened and many graves were paved over. In 1993 ground penetrating radar was used and 17 more graves were found. Notice the plaque reads "more than 20 men, women, and children who lie buried beneath San Diego Avenue". And only one grave was exhumed and moved……you can figure out why I think.

Man, no wonder they say Old Town is haunted! And this stirred up old memories of a similar situation in my old neighborhood. Anyone recall the faceless ghost at Waialae Drive-In? Here's something from the Honolulu Advertiser back in 1959!

And I grew up a half block from this house…..

Spooky yeah?

And because this is a food blog; here's what we had for dinner tonight.

Have a great week!

Soup Weather – It’s the Cabeza en su Jugo from De Cabeza

October 25, 2021 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants

The Missus sure is enjoying the recent cooler weather; She's going for all of Her "greatest hits", Bun Rieu, Moomiok, Menya Ultra, and this past weekend it was the Cabeza en su Jugo from De Cabeza. Other than visits to De Cabeza, I haven't spent any time in Chula Vista….but to please the Missus! Well, that's a different story. I hadn't been back to De Cabeza since April and I was happy to see Jesus hard at work when I arrived.

There were tables at each end of the restaurant with customers….so it seems they are spacing things out rather well. Jesus greeted me with a big smile saying; "welcome back……it has been a while, it's so good to see you!" What a great guy. We managed to chat for a bit while I placed my order. I actually placed an order for two portions of cabeza en su jugo…..I'd be dropping one off at the Missus's work and I'd have my own portion for lunch.

Our dolsot and butane stove are coming in real handy right now. I have a tortilla warmer that I can use in the microwave….it does a pretty good job reheating tortillas and even pitas.

You know, the deep bovine-beefiness, the hearty stock, cut by lime and pungent onions and cilantro is so nice. Steaming hot, it just has that "aaaah" (or is it "moooo") effect. It's just plain wonderful and comforting on a chilly day.

If you want to read descriptions in more detail; check out my previous posts on De Cabeza.

I know the pandemic has been hard on all of us; it's changed the way we work, eat, travel, and live….all aspects of life have been affected. We are so thankful for places like De Cabeza that serve up food that comforts us.

And I am so thankful for all the "Friends of Yoso" who have kept visiting and commenting during these times. We hope all of you are well!

De Cabeza
1043 Broadway
Chula Vista, CA 91911
(619) 349-2505
Hours:
Daily 8am – 8pm

Sunday Sandwiches – Sandwich Island

October 24, 2021 mmm-yoso Cheesesteaks, Sandwiches

Sometimes little "happy accidents" occur. For instance, I had some meetings over the normal lunch time and decided to head to Creative Deli. Thinking about all my meetings I kind of spaced out and before I knew it, I had passed Carroll Road. Sheesh….. I decided to turn around on Trade Street. I took a right turn and headed down Trade Street for a bit. For some reason, I decide to turn around in a parking lot where I saw this signage.

Sandwich Island? Sandwich Island! Wow….well this hit home….I'm from the Sandwich Islands. So, of course I had to stop here since the open sign was lit.

The shop is quite a bit larger than it appears from the outside. A dining area, then a rather long counter area with some additional seating.

The menu was pretty darn large, with everything from Reubens to Club Sandwiches, to Quesadillas and Wraps, to Breakfast options.

Looking at the names of various items on the menu cracked me up….anyone for a "Humuhumunukunukuapua'a" (breaded fish sandwich)……can you even say it? That's always been fun way to test if you're really "local" back home….along with "Kalanianaʻole" and if you can correctly pronounce "Likelike".

Anyway, as I placed my order, I asked the woman if they were from Hawaii and was told that the former owner was; bummas…..

I ordered the Island Club ($8.95) and it felt quite hefty….and when I opened it up…..

Holy smokes….look at all that white bread. This was fine; wish the bread was toasted, but perhaps that was asking for a bit much. Also, wish it had more bacon, but again how could I complain since this was…..in these times, a good value. So, processed ham and turkey, just like "small kid" time…..when we always called this a "Clubhouse". And I couldn't finish this……and had leftovers with dinner.

During my visit, I noticed daily "specials".

Just eight bucks, so I decided to try some of these out.

First was the Haoli, which was spelled Hoali on the lunch special menu, versus Haoli on the menu….I'm assuming this means Hau'oli (happy) versus "Haole"…..which means….well, you know. I got this with the Cabbage Almond Salad.

So, the Italian Roll was actually slightly toasted and fairly crusty and even though it was a bit "too much bread" it wasn't bad. The "salad" was basic almond coleslaw, with very little "dressing on it. Basically coleslaw mix with a bit of dressing.

The sandwich had ham, cheese, and turkey, all standard issue; though the tomatoes were quite ripe and added a nice fruity-acidity to the sandwich.

A bit too much mayo for my taste, but again, you could do a lot worse for eight bucks….like perhaps some interesting "mystery meat"?

So, as things cooled off a bit, I visited on a recent Friday and decided to get the "Special A" for the day….the "Philly" Cheesesteak with fries ($8). And, in all honesty, you couldn't fault the potion size.

These days, here in San Diego, what can you get for eight bucks? Really…. The roll was again decently toasted, the beef surprisingly tender……not enough mushrooms and peppers and the cheese used was really bland and while quite gooey didn't add anything else to the sandwich.

The generous portion of fries didn't hold up well on the 15 minute drive back to the office and was really salty….though some may like that.

I don't want to give you the wrong impression; this is one of those places that is a good value and keeps folks fed. I will say that I prefer Sunrise Deli, Creative Deli, and Kim's Deli to Sandwich Island. Though it again is one of those Mom-and-Pop Delis that keep folks fed for a reasonable price. And I saw some rice bowls and bentos on the menu….so maybe I'll give those a try.

After all, I'm from the "Sandwich Islands"…….

Sandwich Island
7350 Trade St.
San Diego, CA 92121

It’s Getting to be Soup Weather Again – So it’s Emperor’s Soup from Woomiok

October 21, 2021 mmm-yoso Korean Restaurants

Usually, during normal times; I really look forward to cooler weather where I can avail myself of various soups…..of course, with the pandemic….well, I don't think I'll be dining in at your local neighborhood pho shop for a while. But that doesn't mean "no soup for you (me)" during this time. We've found what works (and doesn't), though there's still much to try. And Woomiok does real well as takeout. And it had been a while since I'd done takeout. So, it was the typical drill, head on over, place my takeout order, then head to Nijiya to do some shopping. By the time I'm done shopping, my order is ready…….two birds with one stone and all of that.

We've got the drill down at home as well.

The set-up with our dolsot and Iwatani Butane Stove at the ready. The panchan was quite good this time around, with the baechu kimchi having some nice fermented tones.

I tend to eat more rice with my soup, with the Missus enjoying the tendon, trumpet mushrooms, and leaving most of the rest of the meat to me. The Missus enjoys more salt in Her bowl, while Ill go for the carbs.

Man, having this at almost a rolling boil really does provide that "aaaah" factor.

Sure did hit the spot!

Woomiok
3860 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 737-4599
Current Hours:
Daily 11am – 9pm

So, what have you been eating/craving now that the weather is cooling off?

Patio Dining at Tribute Pizza

October 19, 2021 mmm-yoso Italian Restaurants, Pizza

You might recall in one of our posts from back in June, that the Missus was missing Her visits to Tribute Pizza. As we passed by back in June, the nice fellow told us that if things worked out right they'd be reopening for dining in July. And it did take a while, but Tribute did reopen….but then the Delta variant attacked and we put things on hold. As our latest road trip approached, we understood that we'd be eating in various restaurants along the way and Tribute had started taking dining reservations for both dine in and patio seating. So, we decided to go ahead and make some reservations for the patio……on a Wednesday, which would be slower than, say….the weekend, at 4pm, the earliest time.

We arrived right at the appointed time and were seated on the patio. The woman who was our Server was fantastic and we saw really good processes in place; almost everyone, except the bartenders were masked….there were three parties after us all of whom were dining in; they were all seated at different ends of the restaurant.

The Missus went straight for one of Her favorites here; the meatballs made from grass fed-finished beef and pork.

This was a bit different than what we'd had before; the meatballs are still very tender and a bit lighter than what we'd had before. The sauce had a mild tanginess; though we really couldn't make out the roasted peppers and onions this time around…..we missed the sweet-vegetal-pungency. The Parmigiano Reggiano added the requisite milky-saltiness to the dish….which went nicely since the meatballs aren't overly salty. Funny, everytime I get a sniff of Parmigiano Reggiano, it takes me back to Emilia-Romagna and one wonderful day where I learned so much. The texture of the bread was wonderful….they do bread pretty well here. The only downfall was the olive oil used for the bread, which seemed to be rather low quality to us.

Speaking of bread, you know I had to get my favorite here; the Sea Salt Foccacia with the Sea Salt Foccacia with 'Nduja.

As my good friend "Alle" who is Italian-Venezuelan says; "this isn't foccacia….but who cares what it's called, when it's this good." Wonderful texture, love the mildly spicy, slightly funky 'nduja, though over the years it's become thicker….it still reminds me of a good pork spread with Harissa.

As mentioned a bit earlier; there's something different with the olive oil these days……..still, that didn't detract from how nice the foccacia was.

And of course, we needed to get a pizza and so stuck with the Biancoverde with Prosciutto.

For some reason, this seemed much larger than what we recalled. The crust, well was ice and yeasty, light, though perhaps I'll request it a bit more charred next time. Love the combination of flavors; the bitter-peppery arugula, savory-almost cheesy prosciutto……nice textures; though after the meatballs and "foccacia" there wasn't much room left.

We enjoyed the service, which was warm, friendly, as it always is at Tribute. And while we're still picking our spots; heck the only other place where both the Missus and I "ate in" at in San Diego was Prime Grill back in June when things were looking good here in San Diego. I'm hoping we can stay the course, we do miss eating out…..

Tribute Pizza
3077 North Park Way
San Diego, CA 92104
Current Hours
Wed – Thurs 4pm – last seating 8p
Fri – Sat 4pm – last seating 9p
Sunday 4pm – last seating 8p
Closed Monday – Tuesday
Patio seating available by reservation

Red Devil; I know you've been waiting to visit; have you made it back to Tribute yet?

Funny thing, you can tell we're missing travel so much……for some reason, my love of culatello came up……oh man, it was just love at first bite, I just couldn't get enough of the stuff when we were in Emilia-Romagna. Of course, the funniest thing was when I mentioned this to Massimo Bottura during our dinner at Osteria Francescana and to our immense surprise he called out to the kitchen and personally brought us a plate of his own 46 month aged culatello which he makes for his staff and himself. I love to watch the Missus roll Her eyes when I do the old man thing and say; "did I tell you about the time Massimo Bottura served me culatello"? Sigh…….we're looking forward to the day we feel comfortable travelling internationally again.

Hope everyone is safe and in good health!

Sushi Yorimichi

October 6, 2021 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Loco Mocos, Sushi and Sashimi

**** You can find an updated post on Yorimichi here.

Sushi Yorimichi replaced Thai Papaya back in June. While I was still working from home a couple of days a week, until the Delta variant got out of control, I managed to make a couple visits between the middle of June until the middle of July.

I visited right as the place opened on all four visits and was the only customer in the place.

The interior has changed slightly from the days of Thai Papaya' the tables a bit more spread out (perhaps for more Covid "distancing"), there're seats in front of the counter.

Like "FOY" SomTommy described to me in an email, having visited soon after they opened, "there's everything on the menu from sushi to ramen to yakitori". And Junichi mentioned that the yakitori is done over on a gas grill, so I wasn't going to be ordering that for sure.

And yes indeed, the menu has everything from karaage to katsu don, to a "loco moco", sushi rolls (of course), yakitori, yakisoba, ramen (both tonkotsu and birria), poke……. The prices though, except for one exception seem to be quite reasonable.

On my first visit, I decided to try out the Katsudon (I chose Tonkatsu – $9). The portion size was quite generous……especially in terms of rice. A good lesson as I'd order just "half rice" the next time.

This was not bad, the egg nicely doused and tender, a bit on the salty side, but that's something to be expected. The tonkatsu was decently breaded, but over-fried and the panko really dark and starting to peel off of the slightly dry pork cutlet.

The rice was decently done, no complaints there. I've had worse….

Junichi had mentioned enjoying the Dashimaki Tamago ($7), so I decided to get that and some other appetizers to spare me all the rice on my next visit. This version had mozzarella cheese and mentaiko (cod roe).

I did enjoy the mentaiko in this version of the Japanese Rolled omelet, it added a much needed savoriness to the tender egg, which I thought was on the bland side. I really didn't enjoy the milkiness of the cheese in this either.

I also ordered the Agedashi Tofu ($5).

I really didn't enjoy this very much. The tentsuyu really tasted like mentsuyu…..the really salty bottled soup base. The tofu wasn't evenly fried; half of it brown, the other half pale white which fell right off the tofu. The texture of the tofu was quite "wet-mushy"….I don't think it was drained properly before making this.

The Chicken Karaage ($5), looked pretty good and it was indeed decently crunchy.

I thought the cutting of the chicken was interesting….some small cubes, some slices where I could tell the cook was checking to see if the chicken was done. The color was dark and rich looking, but this was pretty bland.

My favorite item of the day was the Kawa-su ($5).

While the chicken skin was on the thick side and some bites were overly chewy; the sauce was quite good; balanced soy, sweetness, and sour/acidity. There was a mild spiciness to this as well.

A few days later I decided to return and actually try some of the fish; I went and ordered the Chirashi ($22), easy on the rice.

This was a mixed bag; not the best quality fish, the cutting was a bit on the "thicker" side, and definitely not even in the same league as even Chef Jun, not to mention other places. The rice was terrible, hard and dry, the sushi meshi very mild…perhaps as to not offend? That albacore was dry and cut much too thick, the maguro had a metallic finish, the scallops somewhat fishy. The uni was decent and the salmon standard issue.

I left somewhat disappointed. I guess this place is really just for rolls……

I really wanted to find something that I'd really enjoy here; so I went with one last try……I was somewhat fascinated with the Yorimichi Style Loco Moco ($9)….and you know me and Loco Mocos. I guess Justin Young is right, "You can take the boy from the island, but not the island from the boy". I'd had my eye on that from the first time I opened the menu, so I finally went ahead and ordered it.

This was an interesting dish. The rice, while still a bit on the dry side, was better in texture than what I'd had previously. The egg was decently cooked, still somewhat runny, with no off flavors. The burger had less filler than I expected, but was moist, tender, and mildly beefy. The menu claimed that the burger was topped with Hayashi Sauce, which makes me expect sort of a demi-glace beefiness, along with earthy mushroom-onion flavors, with perhaps a tangy tomato-ness. This was like across between Hayashi style sauce and Japanese Hamburg style sauce, both are similar in many ways. I believe I detected a hint of Worcestershire in this. This wasn't too bad and wasn't overly sweet. Totally Yoshoku.

In the end, I think of Yorimichi to be kind of a "diner" of sorts. There's still ramen/curry/teriyaki/etc on the menu. The prices are quite reasonable, the service efficient. I tend toward the "specialists" when it comes to Japanese cuisine, with a few exceptions. I'm not quite ready to make that exception for Yorimichi yet……

Sushi Yorimichi
2405 Ulric St.
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours:
Daily 11am – 830pm

The Little Italy Mercato and Pozole Blanco From My Pozole

October 4, 2021 mmm-yoso Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Markets & Grocers, Mexican Restaurants

This past weekend was the Little Italy Art Walk….a great event to be sure, but I felt kinda sad…..you see for the last couple of months the Little Italy Mercato has become a routine for me. I would grab some coffee and park on Ivy Street…..you know, we aren't able to get back to Paris, where I'm able to shed pounds just doing the the Flâneur thing, so every little bit of walking helps.

And then I'll just walk up Kettner or India and do the opposite back to the car. It's been quite fun for me……after all there's a lot to see.

From places that I'm quite familiar with….

To that which I'd never seen before……

In fact, the first time I saw the statue of Frankie Laine in front of Nonna, it brought a smile to my face. As I mentioned in an earlier post my late Mom enjoyed country music….and I grew up to the sounds of Rawhide and Mule Train playing on the record player….in Kaimuki of all places. More about Frankie Laine in San Diego can be found here.

Often times, I'd arrive a bit early and would just walk along the streets.

On one visit, I was taken with the houses on State Street that are from a different time in San Diego's history….it reminded me of our walk in Pacific Grove.

And of course, Little Italy would not be complete without a Catholic Church and Our Lady of the Rosary truly fits the bill. It just looks like it belongs here. I haven't been in the church yet…..but perhaps I'll be invited to a wedding soon!

And it's interesting to see how Little Italy has pivoted to outdoor dining with parklets and such.

And of course, it's always interesting to see how long the line for Morning Glory will be……

I do hope they are checking out the market after their breakfast/brunch…..

And there's always something to keep you entertained.

But, of course I'm here to shop. And after almost three months I've got my favorites.

My favorite is this one – Indian Summer Farms.

It's a one man show, the proprietor, Andrew is so kind, friendly, and gracious. And he has some really great chard, kale, shishito, radishes, and whatever else comes out of his farm in Ramona. The Missus also loves the eggs he sells which he says comes from his neighbor.

I'm sure you want to know what I've been getting the last couple of months…..well, in a previous post I mentioned that the Missus had started to enjoy gooseberries….

Dragon Tongue Beans are so delicious…..it is stringless, sweet, easy to sauté, and if I recall in season until mid-November.

Shishito of course…..

And oh man; purple okra….so sweet and tender, you can eat them raw. While the Missus loves them roasted, She'll eat them dipped in hummus…..

Of course there's all the prepared food and similar vendors….though for us, it's been a mixed bag. On one visit I went ahead and picked up pozole from this stand.

It was pretty good….pozole blanco. The pork was much better than the chicken version.

It's mildly "porky", has a nice velvety texture…. while not quite as rich as "homemade", it's still really nice overall.

Until, of course, the Missus demanded that I make pozole blanco…….which you have to understand is to Her taste. You might want to try this out. It also feeds the "cabbage versus lettuce" thing which I'll go into at a later time.

As a bonus, whenever I see the sign, there's a certain beat that goes off in my head….to the tune of "My Sharona"……"Da da da da dum dum….my pozole!"

I know the Little Italy Mercato is also going strong on Wednesdays, but have only been to the Saturday Farmers Market, so will only list that time for now.

Little Italy Mercato
Saturday 8am – 2pm

I seem to notice something new on every visit. And sometimes, it seems like Little Italy is trying to communicate with me……

Sunday Sandwiches – Revisits to Tadian Cafe, Kim’s Deli, and Rubicon Deli

October 3, 2021 mmm-yoso Sandwiches

Now that I'm mostly back in the office, I've started to make the rounds….it's been super hot lately, so sandwiches are what I've been having for lunch. Great thing about all of these places is that they open a bit earlier than the normal lunch hour. Tadian and Rubicon do online ordering and Kim's is just a phone call away. No muss…..no fuss….

Tadian Deli:

I was actually craving the Chinese Sausage Sandwich, but it's no longer on the menu, so I got the Peppered Roast Beef again. This time requesting a toasted French roll.

This was more "hefty" than what I'd had here previously….but it did well….I requested easy on the sauce, but it was still too much for me.

The avocado wasn't ripe enough and lacked flavor and perhaps a bit too much bread; but definitely better than what I had last time.

Tadian Cafe
5955 Mira Mesa Blvd. Suite K
San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 453-5740
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 9am – 3pm

Kim's Deli:

For some reason, I was craving a Teri Beef Sandwich; so I made a call to Kim's Deli and went to pick up my sandwich. It's hard to complain about a $7 sandwich.

The beef was more tender this time, but also much sweeter.

I even enjoyed the cheese in this.

A good value in my opinion.

Kim's Deli
8515 Arjons Drive
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 566-0370
Hours:
Mon – Fri 7am – 2pm
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Rubicon Deli:

Yes, I'm a pretty boring guy……once I find something I enjoy, I tend to stick with it. In this case it's the the "Super Mario" on Garlic Cheese Bread.

I enjoy the different flavors, from the cheesy-mildly garlicky bread to the slightly sweet tones of red pepper tapenade, the peppery arugula. The balsamic glaze fits right in with a balanced sour-sweet profile.

And my order has always been ready for pick-u when I arrive.

Rubicon Deli (UTC Location)
4130 La Jolla Village Drive – Suite 104
San Diego, CA 92037
(858) 877-9911
Current Hours
Open Daily – 10am – 730pm

So, I'm just wondering…..how many of you have returned to "the office"….or are you still working from home? And how are things going?

Take care and have a great week!

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – The Collection Farmers’ Market, Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters (Oxnard) and Mama Lu’s Dumpling House (City of Industry)

October 2, 2021 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Chinese Restaurants, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, Travel, Ventura County

We slept rather well after our excursion to Anacapa Island then dinner at Moqueca. We woke rather early and I took a short walk. We needed to refuel both on gasoline and caffeine for the drive to Monterey Park where we'd be spending the evening.

I decided to make a stop at the shopping complex called the Collection Riverpark which was right next to the 101 freeway. We had stopped here before to grab some snacks at Whole Foods, but on this morning, being a Saturday, there was a Farmer's Market. Which was pretty mellow, I guess not too many folks want to head on over to the mall at 8am on a Saturday?

Still, we enjoyed the stroll and the Missus figured out how much She enjoyed Gooseberries.

The Collection Farmers Market
2710-2780 Park View Ct.
Oxnard, CA 93036
Saturdays 8am – 2pm

The Missus had been wanting some coffee, so we headed over to the Food Hall in the complex called "The Annex" and Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters.

The Missus really enjoyed Her Pour Over and their Cold Brew was quite good as well.

I think this will be a nice stop for us on future road trips.

Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters
550 Collection Blvd. (In the Annex Food Hall)
Oxnard, CA 93036
Hours:
Mon – Thurs 8am – 6pm
Fri – Sun 8am – 8pm

The drive to the SGV was a breeze and we headed off to our old neighborhood to do some snack shopping at Hong Kong Market, before trying to decide on what to get for a light lunch. We drove down Colima Road and noticed that a location of Mama Lu's had opened up. Some Jiaozi and Niu Rou Chuan (beef roll).

This was back in July when things were looking good, before the Delta surge hit. Still, seats were spaced out nicely. We were seated and then something interesting happened.

We heard strains of Beethoven's Ode to Joy and soon a "robot" made its way past us holding takeout containers!

It followed the set "path" and took the takeout to the front, then promptly returned to the kitchen….rinse….repeat! It was quite entertaining.

First to arrive was the Niu Rou Chuan; which was quite hefty.

The bread was nicely browned and crisp and not overly greasy. The beef was a bit on the tough side and the bean sauce much too sweet for our taste. The slices of cucumber too thick and cumbersome. Not even close to our favorite version from 101 Noodle Express….though we haven't been there in ages…perhaps we'll revisit again one of these days.

And of course we got some Jiaozi….the Shrimp and Pork version.

Well, at least Mama Lu's is pretty consistent. Like my visits to other locations, the wrapper of the jiaozi was on the hard and brittle side. As my MIL taught me, it seems the dough has been over-mixed. The filling was fine, if on the salty side.

Not bad, but not great…..man this had us missing QingDao Bread!

Still, it had been a while since we'd been back and things are always changing.

Mama Lu Dumpling House
17515 Colima Rd.
City of Industry, CA 91748

By now it was time to see if we could get an early check-in at where we were staying in Monterey Park and perhaps grab a nap before dinner.

Thanks for stopping by!

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Anacapa Island and Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine (Oxnard)

October 1, 2021 mmm-yoso Brazilian Restaurants, Road Trip, Travel, Ventura County

There was one reason we travelled to Oxnard, and no, it wasn't to check out the abandoned Casa Sirena. While doing research on our previous roadtrip, I planned a stop at Ventura Harbor on the way to Solvang. While doing a bit of research I came across boat trips to the Channel Islands. Where did I hear about the Channel Islands? Then it came to me! It was on one of the late Huell Howser's episodes of California Gold! ( we miss you Huell!) So, after heading down the Channel Islands rabbit hole, to find out that it's called the "Galapagos of North America" and that it is one of the least visited of our National Parks…well, I thought it would be an interesting place to visit. Of course, I'm not quite the intrepid hiker that the Missus (and Her friends) are. So, I decided to keep things simple; we'd just do Anacapa Island, which has basically one loop trail. You get the boat from Island Packers and it takes a bit over an hour to get to Anacapa Island from Channel Islands Harbor.

It's pretty chill, the boat leaves at 930 from Channel Islands Harbor and you need to check in 45 minutes ahead of time.

After checking in; you wait and eventually board, then head off……

The trip takes a bit over an hour…..we were told things were kind of rough on this day, but it didn't seem that way to me. We were told that on occasion, you will see dolphins and such, but not on this day. Eventually, the island comes into view.

There was a Park Ranger and Two Volunteer Guides on board and they provided us with some really interesting info.

Anacapa Island is home to the largest breeding colony of Western Gulls in the world. Nesting season starts in April, chicks are hatched in May and June. By this time of the year (mid-July), the chicks are getting fairly big and are starting to fly away. So, with all these Seagulls….well, there's quite a fragrance if you know what I mean.

The Landing Cove is quite interesting…….

You disembark and then head up the stairs.

From there, it's "seagull city"…..

They definitely run the place and many of them have no fear! The squawking was pretty much continuous and after a while, it seemed like each seagull made different sounds.

There were three guys on the boat who were camping overnight on the island….man, between all the noises and the "guano-ishness", I'm not sure I'd want to do that.

There aren't very many structures on the island and all of them, including the Visitors Center were currently closed.

And there were gulls as far as the eye could see…….

The Missus pointed at one of the birds and asked me what it was.

I told Her it was a seagull chick……

She told me, "no way, look how big they are….."

Well, many of the chicks were just learning to fly……they'd flap their wings a bit and get some air under them….and then come right back down to earth.

There is only one trail on Anacapa Island, it's two miles long in kind of a figure 8. We ended up doing it three times. The views are quite amazing.

The views from Inspiration Point are so beautiful.

We could hear the harbor seals clearly as we passed Pinniped Point.

After our third pass, we headed to the short portion at the west side of the island where the Lighthouse is located. The trail ends right before the lighthouse which is not open to visitors.

We sat on the bench and one of the Volunteers came along. We had a nice chat and I learned a bunch of things.

I asked about that red spot on the beak of the gulls.

And was told that it's basically the "bullseye" for the chicks…..they instinctively peck on the spot when they want to be fed. And then the really nice fellow asked me if I saw the chicken bones and left over french fries on the ground….and yes, we had noticed those. He mentioned that the gulls are expert "dumpster divers" and will fly all the way to Oxnard and Ventura for easy eats!

We also chatted about how graceful the Pelicans were in the air and he mentioned that the Brown Pelicans were almost wiped out in the 1960's. And this one spot, on the west side of Anacapa Island is the primary breeding area for the pelicans.

I really appreciated his insights and I mentioned his expertise he laughed and told me; "no, I'm a retired Botanist, my friend who is the other volunteer here today….well, she's a retired ornithologist!" You gotta love it.

Soon enough it was time to head on over to where the restrooms and main buildings were located. Soon our boat would be arriving to take us back to Oxnard.

I really enjoyed our time on Anacapa; from the beautiful views, the crystal clear water, the kelp beds easily visible.

I loved learning more about the gulls; I think I've kinda taken them for granted and I developed more of appreciation for them…..and even their dumpster diving skills….I recently saw one hauling a huge sandwich across the sidewalk in Little Italy.

If there's one thing I've gained by just travelling in California during the pandemic, it's an appreciation of how diverse and wonderful this state we live in is.

As we left Anacapa, the boat made sure to pass by the photogenic Arch Rock.

We arrived back at Channel Islands Harbor at around 445. We'd only had some nuts and cheese for "lunch", so I thought we should just head on over to Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine which was basically a building away from Island Packers. I had made reservation for 530; but I just thought we'd see if we could get in early.

The restaurant is located on the second floor of a rather non-descript building that holds another restaurant and assorted businesses.

There was only one table occupied when we arrived so we were gladly accommodated.

And were given a nice table with a view of the harbor.

The staff were very friendly and efficient.

I started with a Caipirinha (of course), the Missus a glass of white wine.

It was pretty weak overall, but at least it was somewhat refreshing.

Some toast with Beringela (our server said – "Brazilian Tapenade") arrived with our drinks….which was not bad at all….this was already better than what we'd had for dinner the previous night.

We started with an order of Pastelzinhos (Empanadas), getting 2 beef and 2 cheese.

Nicely fried and crisp. The beef version was nicely seasoned and pretty good, while the cheese version was on the bland side.

And of course, the Missus just needed to get the Mandioca Frita; fried yucca which She really enjoyed.

And since we were at a place named Moqueca, we needed to order the namesake dish, right? Moqueca is a seafood "stew" of sorts that is from the state of Espírito Santo. We simply ordered a small portion with shrimp and cracked up when it arrived in a Korean Dolsot!

It came with some rice that reminded me of a rather dry pilaf, it did well with the tangy-cilantro-mild coconut-mild garlic flavors of the Moqueca. The shrimp was ok quality, but gladly, it wasn't overcooked. The urucum (achiote) provided a bright red color to the dish.

I was actually glad that I had also ordered the sautéed collard greens which went so well with the Moqueca….we ended up just dumping the whole plate into the stew. It added a nice savory-earthy-bitter counterpoint to the acidity of the stew.

This was a pretty good meal, much more enjoyable than what we'd had the previous evening. The staff was friendly and accommodating and while we wouldn't go out of our way to dine here, we'd gladly revisit if we're in the area again.

Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine
3550 Harbor Blvd. Suite 201
Oxnard, CA 93035