As in, yoso-silly, yoso-hungry, yoso-full, or best of all; mmm-delici-yoso!!!!! A San Diego based food and travel blog. An Ex-Pat Kama'aina and Friends explore food, restaurants, and travel from San Diego and points beyond.
Hoooo boy; was it humid this past weekend! The Missus was working as was I this past Saturday, but I got off at a reasonable time and had to head to Nijiya to do some shopping. It was already 11am; kinda late for a typical weekend visit to Nijiya during these times and man, the line into the place was no joke……with temps hitting the 90's and humidity around the same.
I decided that a Banh Mi might be just the thing on a day like this. I'd already tried Cali Banh Mi's Convoy location on a trip home form Nijiya back in June….so, I thought why not give Mignon Pho + Grill another try…make that Mignon Pho + Seafood….and I hadn't tried the Banh Mi there yet.
As always, the folks working here are very nice. I mentioned that I'd be running to Nijiya, so I probably wouldn't pick up my order for another hour, and she told me "no problem, I'll wait and we'll time it for you!" And you know what; I got thru the line and out of Nijiya in around 45 minutes…..as I walked into Mignon to pick up my order; it was just at the window, and ready for me in the blink of an eye. By this time, two of the outdoor tables were filled with folks ready to eat.
I've pretty much considered Mignon to be Vietnamese Fusion, so heck, why not order the "California Banh Mi" ($8). I'd totally missed the part where it says these come with fries…..if I thought the fries would hold up; I would have ordered the Lemongrass Fries, which were the best thing I've had at Mignon to date. I'm glad I didn't because the fries were shot when I opened things up after the 15 minute drive home.
As I figured; this was a pretty "stuffed" banh mi. The bread was dry and crumbly; the egg was nicely fried….large slices of cucumber, and even more scary, look at those thick slices of jalapeno! Spicy too. The pickled carrot and radish were nicely pickled. The marinated beef….being rather bland seemed like it needed more marinating and too thickly cut and chewy. The menu said there was ponzu on his; but I really couldn't taste it…..I would have settled for a nice pate.
Well, I've just one more place to do takeout from in this strip mall……
I really like the folks who work here and just wish the food was a bit better…..
Mignon Pho + Grill 3860 Convoy St San Diego, CA 92111
Well, doesn't look like much yet. So perhaps it might not be ready for prime time this month? Or perhaps they are using my "endless March 2020" calendar…which would still make it March……176th!
I guess it's a bit too hot for curry right now anyway, right?
4428 Convoy St. San Diego, CA 92111
Meanwhile, right next to CoCo Ichibanya was a place I hadn't noticed.
Da Nang Corner:
The restaurant's Facebook Page mentions that the restaurant is taking a bit longer than expected to build out. I'm hoping we get some good Mi Quang?
I'm kinda excited about this place.
4428 Convoy St. San Diego, CA 92111
Greenhaus Vegetarian Eatery:
The Missus and I were taking a little drive around the 'hood, when I noticed that the long time Chinese Fast Food shop Wok in Express next to JV's and Waters was gone and is going to be……yep, a Vegetarian Shop! You gotta say…. Morena sure is changing, ain't it?
Now, if we only get a bakery selling really got croissants!
If you recall; back in January, before the "you-know-what-hit-the fan" the Missus and I took a trip to San Francisco over the long MLK Day weekend. We had enjoyed ourselves at the Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair…man, looking back at those photos kinda sends a shiver up my spine right now…..that's how ingrained all the Covid-19 precautions have become.
We decided to head back to the hotel for a short nap before heading out to dinner.
Heading down Kearny Street I saw this on top of the building near the corner of California Street.
Take a closer look.
I wondered what these shrouded, hooded, ghostly, Grim Reaper looking statues were. Well, after doing a quick search I found that these are the Corporate Goddess Sculptures, created by Muriel Castanis. As to what they are…from the Atlas Obscura post:
“They are empty, toga-draped forms from which the figures have been removed, rendering the sculptures as abstracted reinterpretations of the neoclassical masterworks of Lorado Taft and Augustus Saint Gaudens.”
Okay then…..
We got back to the room rested, took a short nap, when we awoke, the sun was setting.
After catching up on emails and other things we headed out for dinner.
I had read been reading about Mister Jiu's since the much anticipated restaurant opened in 2016. And the Cantonese (with other regional touches) based fare had garnered Mister Jiu's a Michelin Star. Both the Missus and I were interested; since the other Michelin Star Chinese Restaurant on the West Coast we've visited, Bistro Na's has become a favorite of the Missus. So I made reservations in advance for dinner.
We liked the décor, a very tasteful design, and we especially enjoyed our cocktails for this evening.
We didn't enjoy our lead Server, who was a bit snobby and very condescending, acting like he was doing us a favor by just waiting on us…….. I guess that just meant I needed another cocktail.
We decided on items that interested us; most of which were riffs on staples both the Missus and I enjoy and dishes that I had read about. It was to be a rather light dinner, since we weren't super hungry.
This version, crowned with a touch of spice was quite good….a nice slightly funky fermented nose and taste. A light spice really cleaned things up and the cabbage was nice and crunchy. A well done basic dish.
I love jellied pork dishes, so I had to get the Chicken Feet Terrine, which was also quite good.
Loved the contrasting firm textures of the terrine; it was obviously crafted with skill. Nice mild savory flavors with a touch of sour. Very nice.
Since we enjoy our Liang Cai (cold dishes) we also went with the Chilled Beef Tendon, which unlike the previous two dishes was not quite to our taste.
The chili oil was on the weak end of the scale for us and while it looked quite spicy, it wasn't. There was a real lack of the complex flavors (suan, tian, ku, la, xian).
The Missus loves Her Turnip Cake (and has been grumbling that I don't make it much anymore), so She wanted to try the Crispy Scarlet Turnip Cakes.
This was another non-starter, mainly because, while the exterior was slightly crisp; the interior was quite dry and lacked a light pungency….it was definitely not our favorite. The sauce was much too acidic as well. Give me the version Sea Harbour anytime.
The Missus wanted something with rice; so we ordered the Mapo Doufu.
I gotta say; the rice was absolutely perfect; in texture and fragrance. The mapo doufu, not so much. It was really bland, with a greasy mouthfeel, and really lacking in the basic ma-la we were looking for. I was looking for that numbing-hot (of course my tendency is toward Chongqing in terms of Sichuan), a deep savory – fermented bean flavor, a hint of pungency, all of which seemed to be missing.
Oh well, I had another Cocktail which was another winnah'.
As our final dish, we chose the Sourdough Scallion Pancake. Man, this was very impressive; a definite riff on the typical Chinese Scallion Pancake….texturally, this was amazing; a slight crisp-crunchiness in the exterior that gave way to a airiness, with a bit of a slight chew. The pancake was fragrant, with a definite hint of sourdough and scallion. This was delicious and a nice way to end the meal.
And while Mister Jiu's is now doing takeout during the time of Covid-19; the Missus and I might return once all of this is over and we feel comfortable with travel again. Though it might just be sitting at the bar enjoying a few cocktails and small dishes….and definitely that Scallion Pancake.
Mister Jiu's 28 Waverly Place San Francisco, CA 94108
We enjoyed strolling around Chinatown after our meal. Things were much more quiet, though still quite bright and colorful.
While passing Portsmouth Square we noticed a small group of Chinese Women getting their "exercise"……we decided to sit and watch; just us, two homeless guys and the women getting their groove on. This just reminded us of China and we walked back to our hotel with smiles on our faces.
Man, talk about hot…..man, talk about us being wimpy….especially after reading that Death Valley recorded what might be the second hottest temperature ever! I mean, we've been getting mid to high 80's here in Bay Park and we're complaining. Though we don't have A/C…..we did purchase two portable units; but our place was built in the 50's…..before the time of air conditioning it seems. So, we've been kinda sweating it out. Usually, we'd be heading out, trying to beat the heat, with cooler dishes and some nice A/C. Which, well, just isn't possible this year. Still, I'd been wanting some Bi Bim Naengmyun, one of my favorite hot weather dishes. So the Missus told me to just go ahead and order takeout from Prime Grill.
Here's where it gets kinda funny….I call and order the Bi Bim Bap for the Missus and then try to order the Bi Bim Naengmyun. The woman on the phone quickly asks me how far I live from the restaurant. I tell her about 15 minutes and she says "too far away, bi bim naengmyun is no good after that time….too far away…..no good to order!" Wow…ok….. I guess some folks would get a bit upset; but I took her statement to mean that she wanted me to have the best experience with the dish. The Missus told me to order some Dak Bulgogi; so I went with that.
I drove on over to pick up our order and cracked up. Not only had the side portion of the parking lot Prime Grill shares been converted to what almost looked like a Pojangmacha! There was a huge sound system blasting in front of the restaurant which the folks sitting outside of Min Sok Chon were enjoying as well. A older gentleman was working with a saw on a couple tables…..more capacity for the outdoor eating area I guess.
I went up to the older woman who was working and told them I was here to pick-up my order. She quickly got it and as I was leaving told me; "come back and have the bi bim naengmyun here…." I had to laugh.
Anyway; I got home and unpacked things.
The Missus and I quickly realized that something was definitely missing when ordering this way. The bim bim bap had kind of lost its personality….. The rice had lost it's heat; the heat from fried egg had started making the other items slightly soggy. Of course; there would be no wonderful crustiness from a dolsot, but we expected that.
The panchan, specially the baechu kimchi, which Prime Grill usually does fairly well was missing a nice slightly funky, but delicious fermented flavor.
The Dak Bulgogi (BBQ Chicken) didn't have any caramelization and looked a not-so-appetizing grey in pallor.
In terms of flavor, it wasn't bad, but the texture was too chewy and gummy, and I missed the extra texture and charred deliciousness of some browned and crisp edges.
Perhaps we've been pushing our luck a bit with all of our takeout successes and this was a bridge too far.
I guess when I feel comfortable actually eating in a restaurant (parking lot); I may just give in and have the bi bim naengmyun…..might be more sooner than later if this weather keeps up. Probably not though…..
Prime Grill 4620 Convoy St San Diego, CA 92111
On a side note….we worry about Frankie keeping cool; so I bought a little swamp cooler for him. We get a kick checking on Frankie when we have it on……he'll cool off a side of his body; then move around to get another area cool. He's doesn't enjoy having a fan blow directly on him; so the gentle breeze of the swamp cooler does just fine.
What a character.
He is enjoying that little portable cooler.
Frankie hopes everyone is being safe and keeping your cool; physically and mentally!
I was admittedly quite excited to see that Zgara was reopening. A big bonus was that it was a lot closer and less of a hassle then driving to PB….though to be perfectly honest; I would have probably driven to Chula Vista for what I considered to be some of the best Gyros (yes, it's pork) outside of Greece. For the rather short time Zgara was open in PB, it had become a part of the rotation and I was quite sad when they closed.
And then things ramped up a bit when "Stacy" mentioned they were opening on either the 13th or 14th…..so, since I had to go home to check on Frankie both days…..I just had to "pass by" to check to see if they were open…..let's call it stalking if we have to; but heck, I was missing that Pork Gyro Sandwich…..
I only had to wait a single day; because as I drove up on the 14th; I saw that they were open. So, I quickly parked and walked on in.
I was greeted by the owner as I walked in….I was surprised that he remembered me from the PB days……
And there revolving on the spit….the holy grail of porcine loveliness ….. Even though the menu now is quite large; there was no doubt about what I was going to order. I love how things are made to order here; this isn't fast food…..and I excitedly took my sandwich home and unwrapped it.
Man, the lovely light, citrusy, porky fragrance. Man, was the amount of pork always this much? The milky, yet cleansing acidity of the tzadziki, the light pungency of the red onions, mild bitterness from the greens, all in a still warm, nicely toasted, pita. Everything played a nice supporting role to that pork……I love the nice crisp bits.
So, of course I returned the next day…..this time I got the Pork Souvlaki Sandwich.
Which is good in its own right. Nice chunks of mildly toothsome, nicely marinated pork shoulder I believe. For me; I thought the tomatoes and onions really do well in this pita. I also enjoy the fact that the pita is fairly fluffy and not overly chewy or brittle.
Like I mentioned earlier, it seems like the menu now has a few more items on it than before, like a Chicken-Bacon Souvlaki, a vegetable platter….still, it'll probably be the pork gyros for me.
These times have been rather tough…..the social distancing, the quarantines, the caring enough about others to wear your mask, doing the "right" thing…..the inability to travel; which we've done three, four, or maybe more times each previous year…..to explore, not only the sights, but the cuisine as well….so yes, it's been tough….but not tougher than coming down with Covid-19; or worse yet, having to deal with the possibility that I've put someone else at risk…..
So, I have the, right now, not-so-small comfort…..of places like Hawaiian Fresh Seafood Fish Market, which, while it doesn't replace the trip "back home" we had to cancel this year, gives us a little taste of "home". And just taking in the fragrance of that pork gyro has me wandering thru Rhodes Town, or Chania, or Iraklios…….and….just for that moment in time…..I can feel that we will get past this.
Welcome back Zgara Grill, I've missed you!
Zgara Greek Grill 1229 Morena Blvd. San Diego, CA 92110 Hours: Sun – Thurs 11am – 9pm Fri – Sat 11am – 10pm
I guess I'll eventually do takeout from every restaurant in Sunrise Towne Center….after all; it's pretty easy to order, then do my shopping at Nijiya. This time around; I decided to get some takeout from Spicy House since it had been a while since I last visited.
Right now; there's one table outside which is kind of worn and looks like it needs cleaning. There's a table at the entrance to the place where you can order. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they actually have some Liang Cai; the typical Sichuan cold dishes that you usually pick from a a cold table….though the variety was pretty slim pickins'…no bamboo shoots, no green beans, no beef tendon; but I managed to get an order in. I'd been craving some Sichuan……..
So, I ordered the Ko Shui Ji (mouthwatering chicken), a favorite of mine when the weather turns warmer and thinking of what we'd enjoy as leftovers, some Tea Smoked Duck.
The liang cai was ok; the smacked cucumbers were kind of bland; but the Missus enjoyed them. The Fu Qui Fei Pian here is not too bad, with a decent amount of "ma" (numbing from Sichuan Peppercorns), nice beefiness, a good toothsome chew, mild heat, and a touch of anise.
The Ko Shui Ji, the cold chicken dish I enjoy so much; wasn't very good. At least it was nicely chilled, but really lacking in "ma-la", the signature numbing hot that I love from Sichuan cuisine. The sauce was an odd brownish color and seemed watered down. I do enjoy the complexity in good versions of this dish; black vinegar, garlic, a touch of ginger….all missing here. It seemed quite watered down in flavor and the chicken was a bit on the dry side as well.
The Tea Smoked Duck was actually not bad, a bit on the dry side, but it had a nice smoky-"fowlness" and wasn't too salty. The portion size was quite large for $14.99 and leftovers did well minced with water chestnut, cilantro, and scallions or with some noodle soup; so I really can't complain.
I guess; at least for now, the liang cai and tea smoked duck might not be too bad a choice.
Spicy House 3860 Convoy Street #105 San Diego, CA 92111
I decided on hitting up Island Style Cafe one more time before they were set to close and decided to buy our skeleton crew lunch since I was going to be in the office the entire day.. I also want to confirm that they were going to close on 08/16. So I called in our order and drove over to pick it up.
Sadly, I did get confirmation that they're last day will be on Sunday, August 16th. They had a sheet at the take-out table where you could list your name and email for updates.
Instead of the usual Kaloko Moco, I went with a Chicken Katsu – Korean Chicken Mix, which was fine. For some reason, I really enjoyed the mac salad.
The crew really enjoyed their lunches. "GK" basically inhaled his mixed plate…..growing boy that he is.
Thanks for 12 years of good grindz ISC….until we meet again….and I can enjoy my Kaloko Moco…..
Island Style Cafe 5950 Santo Road San Diego, CA 92124 (858) 541-7002
Last day of business in the current location, Sunday, 08/16/2020.
Right before the "Covid-19 Hammer" came down; I was discussing places in the Bay Park/Morena/Bay Ho area with an acquaintance. I mentioned Rose Canyon Deli and the fellow seemed shocked that I knew of the place. Apparently, he worked in that same business park as the sandwich shop and figured that based on the rather obscure location I wouldn't know about the place. He then mentioned that Rose Canyon Deli was under new ownership which had added better quality and a "freshness" to the place.
So, finally a few weeks back, on my way home to check on Frankie, needing to refuel at Costco, I decided to stop by.
The exterior of the place looks the same.
The interior, now with plastic sheeting as a barrier for Covid-19 had also been freshened up a bit. As had the menu; which has now added smoothies.
The young lady working was very cheerful and pleasant…..previously an older couple had run the sandwich shop.
I went with the "Rocky" ($7.69).
A no-frills, but satisfying Roast Beef – Avocado – mayo – mustard sandwich on a nicely toasted roll. The Swiss Cheese added a nice milkiness, the red onion, a pungent-but slightly sweet touch. Wish the tomatoes were a bit riper; but heck, at this price point, I thought I got my money's worth. Plus, the young lady was so pleasant and cheerful….we need more of that during these times, right?
When folks mention places to me; I'll often ask for a recommendation. This fellow told me to try their wraps; specifically the Chicken Caesar Wrap; with the Spinach Tortilla, which admittedly would not have been something I would have ordered. But, I decided to give it a go ($6.99). This time I called ahead to minimize my time indoors and contact.
And while I did enjoy the spinach wrap; it was nicely toasted, with a nice bit of crunch to go with the doughy stretch, along with a mild charred-smokiness to it; the reheated chicken breast was bland and dry. Too much Caesar Spread on this as well. Not enough veggies to add acidity-sweetness-texture. Oh well, can't win 'em all, right?
One out of two ain't bad….the location is close enough and the prices reasonable, plus I enjoy supporting these small, locally owned businesses so I'll definitely return, especially since the young lady working the counter is so very nice. And, heck, I might just get the veggie wrap next time!
Rose Canyon Deli 4901 Morena Blvd. San Diego, CA 92117 (858) 270-7600 Hours: Mon – Fri 7am – 3pm
You know things are pretty bad with this pandemic when I can actually do a "rotation" post……and since it's now March 160th…..well, that is long enough to have one I guess, sigh…..
Anyway, here goes:
Et Voila!:
Though I think the Missus is kinda burning out on the takeout Cocktails from Et Voila; I think the main reason might be the menu. It was already kinda slim pickins' to begin with and once this was no longer available….
We tried the Ravioli Aux Champingnons, Tarte Aux Champignons, the Coq au Vin, which I didn't care for….
Until we just kinda finally settled on the Charcuterie and Baguette.
We are sorely tempted to just order some baguette…..but that might be pushing our luck a bit, don't you think?
The Missus is really missing Her fix from Thai Papaya which is still closed. So, we've been making due with TOSEL; which of course doesn't have several of Her favorites (Som Tom Khai Kem/Spicy Thousand Year Old Eggs). Still, for some strange reason She was craving Pad Thai….which doesn't happen every often…..must be the Pandemic.
Anyway, I got Her Pad Thai, Duck Larb, and Issan Sausage.
So, I got the Duck Larb at heat level three…..check out all those chilies….a level three….
Still, the Missus got Her "fix".
And the young lady working is one of the folks from Thai Papaya…..it was nice seeing her. I asked about when they'd be reopening and was told that she hadn't heard anything about that. Bummer….
The Original Sab E Lee 6925 Linda Vista Road San Diego, CA 92111
I'm not quite sure how I heard about Hawaiian Fresh Seafood…..having combed thru my emails, I'm thinking it was via the "coconut wireless". Anyway, I decided to head on over to a business park in Sorrento Valley, off of Mira Mesa Boulevard, to this Seafood Wholesaler's retail market; a la Catalina Offshore.
This is one of those places that you probably wouldn't stumble across. There is a small outdoor dining area and on the side of the building you'll find the retail entrance.
And from here you just follow the signs to the retail area.
I recall being told that during these times; and I'm referring to Covid-19, the Seafood Market operation will sometimes run out of product. So, I made it a point to get there just right after they open at 10am. And wouldn't you know it; there was already four people ahead of me at different stages of being served.
I'm not sure what the Hawaii connection is with this company; I read that they have their own fishing fleet. And guess what? The really nice young man taking care of me is from Ewa Beach! As I spoke, he immediately asked me where I was from…… He is currently going to college here in San Diego.
I took a look at what was offered….it's kinda obvious that I wasn't going to be getting any salmon…..I was, after all, missing "home" and was to get something with Ahi.
So, I got the two scoops poke for $12.99. It's so simple; just like our favorite places back home, this ain't no "chi-poke" shop. It's just poke and rice. I got the Shoyu Ahi and the California Ahi.
First thing I noticed was the quality of the fish; no "sugi" (connective tissue), the fish had the perfect, slight buttery-meatiness to it. The Shoyu Ahi had been nicely seasoned, not overdone, but well coated, not overly salty; the texture as quite good. There was a bit too much mayo on the California Ahi for me; and just a bit too much "stuff". But man, the texture of the fish is what got me. Let's not get too overblown with this….this isn't as good as our favorites back home; but it's good enough to be at what I call "good supermarket" level for the islands.
To put it frankly; this makes the stuff at the place that claims to be "1-1/2" to be closer to "1/3"…….you know the word "one" and the word that sounds very much like "third".
I decided to return the next day and hit the place up on my way back home to check on Frankie to grab some poke for the Missus. She's been kind of bummed that we can't travel and especially aren't really able to go back home to visit Her parents. Spending our entire time (14 days) in quarantine would just not do it for us.
This time I even took notice of the fresh fish available……that premium grade ahi looked pretty good.
I ended up getting four 1/2 pound portions for us to sample.
Clockwise from the top – Kilauea Volcano Ahi, Spicy Ahi, Spicy Cilantro, and Shoyu Ahi.
Of course, the hands down favorite was the Shoyu Ahi. Even though it was "less dressed" than before, we just loved the meaty-tender Ahi, no off flavors…….I looked on that "four lettered" site and someone complained that the Poke only had soy sauce flavor to it….well, duh…..
The "Volcano" was quite spicy, fish was good, in fact, it was good quality across the board.
Fish nicely coated, not overly salty.
Both Spicy Ahi Poke had a bit too much mayo for my taste. I'm not the biggest fan of this style, but the Missus enjoys it, and of course has "trained me well" in making the stuff.
In the end; it's all about the fish for me and this place has delivered on both my visits. And I've been told that they sometimes have Ahi Limu, which I'm hoping is true. For now, I'll be happy with getting the Shoyu Ahi Poke…..which, for me, an ex-pat Kama'aina who isn't able to have a fruitful visit "back home" right now, means the world.
Hawaiian Fresh Seafood Fish Market 6491 Weathers Place San Diego, CA 92121 (858) 282-0591 Covid-19 Hours: Daily 10am – 4pm
As I figured; this was a pretty "stuffed" banh mi. The bread was dry and crumbly; the egg was nicely fried….large slices of cucumber, and even more scary, look at those thick slices of jalapeno! Spicy too. The pickled carrot and radish were nicely pickled. The marinated beef….being rather bland seemed like it needed more marinating and too thickly cut and chewy. The menu said there was ponzu on his; but I really couldn't taste it…..I would have settled for a nice pate.
