mmm-yoso – Page 115

Road Trip (During Covid-19) – Cocktails from the Good Lion, Sama Sama, Handlebar Coffee (Santa Barbara), and Morro Bay

November 19, 2020 mmm-yoso Cocktails, Indonesian Restaurants & Food, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

After dinner at the Black Sheep we headed down State Street all the way to the "Funk Zone" area. It was way too crowded, even on a Sunday night, so we decided to head back to the motel room.

About two blocks down; the Missus and I looked at each other…….we still wanted a "nightcap" (or two). I recalled the place right under "The Earth Without Art is Just EH" sign, a cocktail bar named the Good Lion. The outdoor tables were nicely separated and we decided to stop here. The Server was really friendly and reminded us that the current law required us to order some food. Right next door was a restaurant that was on the "list" I'd presented to the Missus before our trip, an Indonesian Restaurant named Sama Sama and they had partnered with the Good Lion to provide food. So we decided to order an item from the menu.

The Missus ordered a "Good Toddy" a warm cognac and spiced rum drink that She said warmed Her up nicely.

I got an Oaxacan Old Fashion.

The first one was kind of on the weak side….so of course I ordered another, which was a bit stiffer and I enjoyed more.

While sitting a very friendly pooch wearing a couple of LED lighted collars walked on up…..she was soooo sweet and friendly, just asking to be pet. Her name was Lexi, I wish I took a photo of her.

Meanwhile, our food from Sama Sama arrived. We had ordered the Crispy Rice Salad.

A bit like Nam Khao, except milder in flavor and the rice was very light and crisp. Not very spicy, the Missus enjoyed the fried egg….it was a nice "dessert" of sorts. Really balanced flavors; cilantro, fish sauce, salty-savory sausage. Even though we would have enjoyed some pork skin in this, I'd gladly it again.

We enjoyed the service, our waters were constantly refilled, the servers really made an effort to keep folks happy. It was a nice way to end the evening.

The Good Lion
1212 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Sama Sama Kitchen
1208 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

We headed back to our room and fell asleep. Though the rooms were a bit dated and the walls thin; I could hear people talking and all of the street noise.

The next morning we woke and checked out at around 7 am and headed off….first stopping to refuel and grab some coffee from Handlebar Coffee

The Missus, the coffee snob, was disappointed that even though they roasted their own beans; that they didn't do pour over; so She got a double espresso, I got an Americano.

And then we were off to our next destination.

Handlebar Coffee Roasters
2720 De La Vina St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

We got on 154 West, then the 101 North, then the1, and made good time to our next destination. It was a place that I always wanted to check out….mainly for one thing.

It was still misty when we got to the village of Morro Bay. We easily found parking and started walking down Front Street. We decided to stop into this kinda touristy looking fish shack and shop.

And I saw something that I hadn't had since we visited Vancouver; salmon candy.

The really friendly young man provided samples and even though it was a bit more fishy than what I'd had before; I got some Salmon Candy. We always bring along a good sized ice chest on long road trips so we could purchase items like this.

Giovanni's Fish Market And Galley
1001 Front St.
Morro Bay, CA 93442

From here we headed south and walked down the Embarcadero. There were many shops; but we didn't see any tourists; just a few locals walking their dogs or having coffee and also other "residents".

It was still quite foggy as we walked down the street window shopping. Though we could hear the barks and honks from seals.

There are quite a few memorials along the waterfront…..

I recall seeing this shop and telling the Missus, "I hope they don't get folks orders wrong….."

We ended up stopping and getting Frankie's "cousin" some treats.

We stopped at a couple shops that were open.

And walked all the way down to Tideland Park before turning around and heading back toward the car.

By now, the fog had started burning off; giving me a view of what I came here to see; Morro Rock.

The drifting fog gave the volcanic plug an air of mystery. We could also see the platform where all the sea lions were hanging out on.

Of course there's always that one fellow who has to do his own thing……

All while under the watchful eye of this one.

We'd enjoyed this stop; it was quite relaxing, the views were nice…..I'm not sure when the area is busy or if it's always this relaxed. Also not sure how the food is in the area; perhaps one day we'll spend a night.

For now it was time to head on out to our destination for the next couple of nights.

Thanks for stopping by!

Takeout from Greenhaus Vegetarian Eatery

November 17, 2020 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Indian Restaurants, Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants

**** Greenhaus has closed

Back in August while driving down Morena Boulevard, I noticed that the longtime Chinese Fast-Food place, Wok In Express was gone and being replaced by, gosh, of all things a vegetarian restaurant! The first thing that went through my mind was “wow, boy has Morena changed since we moved to San Diego”!

Nestled between JV’s Taco Shop, the Donut Shop, and Waters Fine Foods in the cramped parking lot, I made a mental note of the place.

Then, returning from picking up lunch from another place on Linda Vista (yes ST, I’ll get that post done soon), I noticed that Greenhaus had opened.

A week or so later, I decided to drop by at around eleven, before that tiny parking lot gets crazy.

The interior of the restaurant had been emptied with two small “two tops” set-up outside….the Covid thing, you know.

With a name like Greenhaus, other than being vegetarian….cause the sign said so; I wasn’t sure what kind of cuisine was being served.

A quick look at the menu and menu card straightened things out quickly.

This was one of those “fast-casual” concepts, basically Indian….where you pick sauces, proteins, and a “style”……whether a wrap, salad, plate…..or even tacos(???). There’s even a “snack” menu with samosas and such. The owner, whose name, please forgive me if I misspell it; is Gubi was so friendly and helpful. I wanted to figure out what the best combination of Sauce and Protein was for a plate. I was thinking Spiced Chickpeas and a Lentil Curry sauce. Gubi said that would be a good combination. I went with a carb two-fer; getting the garlic naan and basmati rice as my sides for the plate ($12). Gubi also said he put in a sample of the Masala sauce for me to try. I was shocked when I opened my bag…..man, this was a lot of food!

Geez Louise, look at all that rice and all that naan? The basmati rice was perfect in texture and mildly fragrant. The lentil sauce, was basically a milder, lighter, sauce version of green lentil daal. It wasn’t super rich, had a nice nuttiness, a decent sauce. The chickpeas were nicely done, I believe they use dried chickpeas, because these weren’t overly salty, nor were they mushy. It had a really nice exterior firmness that gave way to a pleasant creaminess. Again mild and not overly seasoned, but not bad. I saved half of this for the Missus who loved it and wiped it all out. So, I guess Greenhaus has a fan.

There was a generous portion of garlic naan provided. It was a bit thinner and less doughy than what I’m used to; but it went well with the tangy masala sauce. Again, this was a lighter, more tangy-acidic version of masala, without all the thick buttery-creamy textures and not very spicy, nor overly seasoned, which worked fine here.

Overall, I hesitate to call it Indian food, let’s just stick with “Indian inspired”….a bit lighter, fast-casual in concept. While most of these type of places aren’t my kind of thing, we were pleasantly surprised with our meal. It’s also quite a good value as well.

I decided to return a week or so later. I wanted to try the “Veggie Meatballs” especially since they were made with garbanzos (chickpeas), knowing I’d have leftovers for the Missus who loves garbazos (see above). I asked Gubi what sauce to get and he recommended the Masala. So I got the Veggie Meatballs with Masala sauce, basmati rice, and a salad.

Again, quite a bit of food. The “meatballs” were very much a milder version chickpea kofta; though it was a bit on the dry and bland side for our taste. The masala this time was less tangy; though much thicker and richer….frankly, I preferred the previous version.

The salad was fresh, the greens sparkling, though the vinaigrette was quite routine and bland.

So, I think we’ll stick with the spiced chickpeas….especially if the Missus has a say in things.

Overall, while I’m not a big fan of most fast-casual “concepts”……because frankly, most places just seem to quit at the “concept”, with mainly revenue in mind, and let the cards (food) fall where they may. And honestly, I think most folks may have their favorite combinations at these fast-casual places…heck we still order one thing from “Da Poodle” a couple of times a year. I’d say that Greenhaus makes a good quality product and while the flavors may seem on the mild side; I don’t think it’s bland at all. A big plus is the owner, who is very friendly and helpful. This is more fusion than “con-fusion” and I can live with that. After all; someone’s going to have to get the Missus Her chickpeas, right?

Greenhaus Vegetarian Eatery
1118 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110
Current Hours
Mon – Sat 11am – 9pm
Closed Sundays

Takeout Revisit to Chicago Fire Grill

November 16, 2020 mmm-yoso Hot Dogs, Sandwiches

I can tell that the pandemic is raging on, just by the fact that I've already done Covid-19 takeout posts on Chicago Fire Grill and SuperNatural Sandwiches……and now I'm circling back! Anyway, here goes.

Chicago Fire Grill:

I had ben wondering how George was doing; so I decided to get some takeout from Chicago Fire Grill. I tried calling in my order, but no one picked up. After trying a few times, I naturally thought the worst, so I headed on over.

Well, I shouldn't have worried…..the place was busier than before the pandemic. The two tables outside were full, there were three people waiting for takeout….and to tell you the truth; I'm really not used seeing this many people in one place these days and felt kind of weird. Everyone was well spaced and those not eating were wearing masks.

As for George, he was obviously too busy for any words of wisdom on this day. So, I just got my Chicago Dog and headed out. I think this is kind of bargain at 6 bucks.

Over the last couple of visits, I was glad that they were back using poppy seed rolls….a good Chicago Dog should always be enrobed in one. Didn't care for the unwieldy wedge of tomato; it should have been thinner sliced and longer to cover more of the dog. No other complaints about the dog, which had a decent snap, the radioactive green relish, a good amount of onions. Though when it comes to it; I could have used more celery salt this time around.

A pretty good deal for six bucks these days….I mean, you can barely get an order of siu mai for that price nowadays, right?

Chicago Fire Grill
8935 Towne Centre Dr.
San Diego, CA 92122
Phone number
(858) 622-0224
Open Daily 11am – 9pm

Road Trip (During Covid-19) – The Black Sheep (Santa Barbara)

November 14, 2020 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Cocktails, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

I spent a good month planning our road trip….the dates; not only was the Missus and I burnt out from work, but also from all the toxic politics and hate being spewed. I knew it was going to boil over during election week. Since I had already voted by mail, we decided to leave on the Sunday right after Halloween. I had basically planned out all the dinners….we really don't eat lunch….just having croissants, fruits, nuts, and bars when travelling. We save our calories for dinner. I had decided to stop overnight in Santa Barbara, where we could pick-up wonderful looking bentos from our favorite restaurant on our previous visit to the city and eat on the patio of the motel we were staying in. Unfortunately, a week before our trip Yoichi's decided to stop take-out service and prepare to reopen for dining in and were going to be closed until further notice. I immediately did a bunch of research and picked out a couple of places and let the Missus decide. Which she did and I made reservations for an outdoor table at the earliest time available.

It was a wonderful morning when we left San Diego.

We got to Santa Barbara in record time and arrived early. Our motel was on State Street, but not on the portion to the South that was now a pedestrian only zone. I basically chose the place because of the location and this was the only stop where I actually went in and wiped down the room before we settled in.

Getting to SB early meant that we had time to kill, so we headed down State Street. The Trinity Episcopal Church was having services (this was a Sunday) when we passed…..outdoors.

And it was a pleasant walk as we passed very few people….everyone wearing a mask, along the way.

And State Street was closed from Sola Street to Haley Street, creating a pedestrian zone with outdoor dining areas created.

And with very few people, being able to walk in the street, really enabled one to distance.

I got a kick from the Earth without Art is just "EH" sign and also took note of the business below that sign.

After checking to see where we'd be eating that evening…..to also scope out the outdoor situation we headed back to the motel; we always include a medium sized ice chest when we do road trips and I grabbed some sparkling water, almonds, and an energy bar. We ate on the empty elevated patio of the motel and when we finished, our room was ready.

We freshened up and took a short nap.

We headed down to our dinner destination.

The place the Missus chose for dinner was the Black Sheep….She was fascinated by the rather eclectic menu and the cocktail list.

And got to chose our little table outside in the covered garage like area. Where we saw an amazing sunset……

Our Server was wonderful, very warm, friendly, gracious. While there were several "hiccups" with our meal, we really enjoyed our experience as a whole.

The menu had quite a collection of dishes; from Potato Tacos to Ramen to Duck Confit….I was quite surprised that the Missus had chosen this place.

We decided on what we were going to order and then took a look at the cocktail list….which, unfortunately only had 4-5 drinks on it. A far cry from the online cocktail menu. When we asked what was going on with this we were told that they just lost their mixologist….sad, there's nothing to be done about that, so we went off that list.

I decided on the Yuzu Margarita.

Which, while being a light on the Tequila and Triple-sec, was nice and refreshing. The Missus got the Black Sheep Manhattan which was passable, but could have used a large sized cocktail ice cube or two.

The first dish out was the Australian Wagyu Beef Carpaccio….we laughed when we were told it was "A7 Wagyu" and instantly knew it wasn't Japanese Wagyu.

The dish supposedly had uni and dashi; but we didn't see any on the plate. The beef was very good however; clean tasting, no hints of metallic-off flavors, the basil oil was wonderful and the Missus loved the potato puree

The Missus also really enjoyed the Bone Marrow Bruschetta.

This was wonderful play of textures, from the buttery, very beefy bone marrow, the panko, perfectly toasted baguette. The port sauce wasn't overly sweet….it was closer to a veal jus, the mustard greens added a pleasant bitterness, and the pear a pleasant tart-sweetness.

The potato tacos weren't bad either.

This version used a wonderfully dense, slightly sweeter-nutty purple potatoes, which was really highlited when combined with the pickled onions and tangy crema. Call it hipster tacos if you will; but this wasn't too bad.

While munching on the tacos and bruschetta, we asked the Server about the Uni and Dashi on the carpaccio…..he kindly asked us to hold on for a second while he checked with the kitchen. About ten minutes later he came back out with the chef who had a bowl in hand. Apparently, they'd forgotten the uni and dashi on our carpaccio and decided to give us a special dish using the wagyu beef, uni, and dashi.

Along with the sweet-spice from the sliced chilies; this was really good. In fact, the Missus and I think that had the uni and dashi been used with the carpaccio; it might have just been too much, clashing flavors. Here there was a nice oceany-beefy cleanness to the dish. Kudos to the staff for making things right.

At this point the Server told us he'd bring us our check….but…..we had also ordered the Boqorones. Which they'd kind of let slip. A few minutes later; things were corrected.

Perhaps we had pushed our luck a bit on this one….having had Boquerones in Spain and Portugal…this was a bit too "fishy" for the Missus and the crostini was too hard.

Regardless, in spite of the hiccups, we really loved the service, and the folks here were very warm and kind…..perhaps it had been so long since we'd actually had a meal out (232 days)? But I think not. We really did enjoy our experience and the carpaccio (both ways!) and the bruschetta were delicious.

The Black Sheep
26 E Ortega St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-1113
Current Hours:
Wed – Sat 5pm – 10pm
Sunday 5pm – 9pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

On an interesting note; this wouldn't be our last food (or drinks) on this evening.

Stay tuned for that one!

Where In the World Were We?

November 12, 2020 mmm-yoso Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

Does the map to the right look familiar? Yes, it's my "roaming range" which I've used in a couple of posts since the pandemic started. And as of March 246th (November 1st most years) it was as far as I'd gone since March 15th, the last time I ventured beyond those boundaries….232 days. For us, we who travel several times a year, having to cancel three trips sure took a toll on us. You could say that pandemic fatigue was setting in. The Missus kept complaining that we hadn't gone anywhere this year, even though we had gone to San Francisco in January and then Mexico City in February, it just seemed so long ago to Her. It was time…..we both needed some time off…..but stewing in our juices at home would just make things worse. So, we made a decision. To take a road trip. We'd play it safe, do things outdoors, stay at a variety of places, eat outdoors, with the option to "pull the plug" anytime we felt uncomfortable.

Well, where in the world were we? Not very far….though I got to visit a couple of places I'd had on my list…..it always seemed so close, that we'd always "put it off until later". I guess it was time.

We started in a familiar spot. Though on this occasion the always busy main drag of the city was now blocked off, made into a pedestrian only zone, with outdoor seating areas for eateries and coffee shops set-up.

We only spent an evening. And while my dinner plans fell through a couple of days before the trip; we did find a nice place with outdoor seating for dinner.

The next morning, after grabbing some coffee, we headed out, making a stop to see something that I had on "my list"….though strangely, the Missus had never heard of the place.

We had a fun little short break as this quaint little beach town was empty.

We also made another stop at a charming, tiny little village along the way.

We spent two evenings at our next destination. We enjoyed doing some walking along the beach front boardwalk and also "hiking" (the Missus said it wasn't "a hike" but merely a walk) along a couple of trails along the way.

The views were wonderful; but it was the benches that intrigued us.

It was all capped off with a beautiful sunset on our second evening.

We had one wonderful and one ok meal here.

We were charmed by this village of 6,000 and the Missus now has the place on Her "revisit" list.

We got to check out some Elephant Seals along the way to our next stop.

Our next stop was two nights in another seaside town. We loved the architecture and even did our own little architectural walking tour.

And on our full day in the town we walked along the seaside trail all the way to the neighboring city. Needless to say; it was a beautiful walk.

On our first evening, we got to pay respects to our good friend, the late Ed from Yuma by eating at one of his favorite spots.

And on the second evening, we had a wonderful meal….so here's another place on the Missus's "return to" list.

We actually stayed on the top floor of a Victorian Mansion – the entire set-up was contact free….we saw no one during our entire stay. And right down the street was an Art Store….closed, but with two cats that liked to sleep and hang out in the window.

The next day we were in another neighboring city, with reservations at a Michelin Starred restaurant that really delivered the goods. In fact, the Missus claims that this meal might be the best She's had in the US.

We also took a bit of time to visit a beautiful Mission.

Our final stop was another city the Missus wants to return to. Our main reason for visiting was to see a "field of light"……..58,000 solar power lights, blooming over 15 acres.

And while dinner was less than stellar.

We enjoyed our cocktails afterward.

And then we headed home the next morning.

Let me regroup and I'll start on more detailed posts.

Thanks for stopping by.

Takeout From La Miche Kabobgee

November 4, 2020 mmm-yoso Lebanese Restaurants

**** Sadly, La Miche has closed

So, what to do with that leftover Garlic Sauce from Garlic & Tahini? Well, on the Friday I had off, I decided to order some takeout from La Miche. The Missus had been wanting La Miche for a while; but ever since the owner had some health issues La Miche has been operating under limited hours. And the items we enjoy from La Miche are the Mezes are only offered during dinner. Currently from 3pm to 730 on Friday and 4pm to 730pm on Saturdays. Which really limits things for us….especially with the pandemic going on. What I decided to do on this day was to place an order at 11am to be picked up at 330pm on that Friday.

I got there right at 330 and my order was ready and waiting. I as happy to see the owner and his wife; who are in good health. I made my way home; placing the items that needed to be chilled in the fridge. When dinner came along; I heated up the soujouk and then the pita in my handy-dandy tortilla warmer and we were ready to go.

To go along with our leftover garlic sauce……I've posted on these dishes a number of times….

The Soujouk…….slightly spicy, toothsome sausage, with a nice and tangy tomato sauce. I only got a small taste of this one.

Loved the spices, the acidity…..deeply savory and complex.

My favorite; the Muhamarah. Red Pepper – Pomegranate – Walnut, thickened with bread. Such wonderful sweet-tangy-slightly spicy-nutty-mildly sour tones, just perfect with a warm pita.

And of course, the Shaankleesh. The flavor of a mildly "ripe cheese", with onion, tomato, and zaatar added for complexity.

The Missus remarked how much She's missed these dishes; it would have been complete with the Makanek, which sadly wasn't on the menu. I'm going to have to figure out how to get dishes from here more often….I got two shots a week; either Friday or Saturday. I'm hoping for the day that the owner feels recovered enough to open for regular dinner again. Until then; we'll make due.

La Miche Kabobgee
9350 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92123
(858) 565-1165
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 3pm
Friday 11am – 730pm
Saturday 4pm – 730pm
Closed on Sunday

Most Mezes only served from 3pm on Friday and on Saturday

Garlic & Tahini Egyptian Kitchen (Mira Mesa)

November 2, 2020 mmm-yoso Middle Eastern Restaurants/Cuisine

**** As far as I can tell, this location of Garlic & Tahini Egyptian Kitchen has closed permanently

I will often tell folks at work who ask me "how did you figure that out", the simple phrase "Google is your friend". And I truly believe that in certain cases. Take for example, Garlic & Tahini. I really don't think I would have found the place if I hadn't Googled "garlic sauce + Mira Mesa". Harvest Market has closed and the Missus was craving the garlic paste. An interesting place appeared on my search; Garlic and Tahini Egyptian Kitchen. I noticed two locations; one in La Jolla, which seemed to be a restaurant and the other on Mesa Rim Road, which seemed to be another area chocked full of business parks; like Hawaiian Fresh Seafood. I noticed a website; which led me to an online order form. I decided to go for it and placed an order; basically it's a "make-your-meal" type ordering…..you know, pitas, bowls, or salads, pick your protein. I also ordered a container of garlic sauce to take home.

My GPS led me to Flanders Drive; the street right past Huennekens (why do I always call it Heinekens?)…the way to HFSF. Down Flanders, right on Mesa Rim Road and eventually a sign……

In a business park.

Whereupon I saw another set of signs and parked in one of the stalls.

Then walked to the doorway to the right of the signs.

Then thru the doorway……

And right into a commercial kitchen. Yes, I know that the concept of Ghost Kitchens are a hot topic right now….. There were quite a few packages lined up on one of the tables.

I called out a rather hesitant "hello" and a really friendly gentleman came on over and I mentioned having placed an order online. He thanked me and said my order would be ready in a minute and he'd be happy to bring it out to my vehicle. So, I went ahead and waited in my car and soon enough he brought out a package with my stuffs.

Back at the office, I unpacked my order. I had gotten a Beef Shawarma Pita, a side of Falafel (five pieces) and an 8 ounce container of Garlic Sauce.

The first thing I noticed when I bit into my pita was the bread itself; which was more fluffy than standard issue pita. It also had a hint of sweetness; which actually wasn't a bad thing at all.

The beef had been chopped and was a bit on the chewier side. I enjoyed the diced tomatoes and onions….and even the parsley; though the Tahini was really mild in flavor and am used to to a more assertive sesame seed flavor.

The exterior of the Falafel were really crisp; though the interior was more gritty than I prefer. I enjoy a bit of light – creaminess in my falafel and I prefer Mister Falafel to the version here. Maybe if we hadn't gone to Israel/Palestine/Jordan late last year, I'd have enjoyed it more. I also preferred using the garlic sauce I purchased to the tahini that was included with the falafel.

Speaking of the Garlic Sauce……this version is truly a sauce and not a paste. As it was fairly thin; not a bad thing at all in this case.

While not as strong in terms of garlic flavor; I did like the texture as it was nice drizzling on salads, veggies, and frittatas – here's a Soppressata – Chard – Potato Frittata I recently made.

I'll definitely purchase more of this.

A week later, I decided on trying a couple of other items I'd seen on the menu and was interested in. So, I placed another online orders and went to pick it up.

Same drill; I ducked in, said hello, and waited for my order outside.

This time I tried the Mesa'aa (Eggplant) and Fool (Fava Bean) Pitas, along with a side of Baba Ghanouj.

I really enjoyed the Mesaa'a; it had a mild spice, was well seasoned, and had a wonderful texture and acidity/tanginess. A definite keeper.

The mashed fava beans was milder in flavor, you could still make out a mild nuttiness, and the tomatoes and pickles really helped it out.

I was told to be careful of the "spicy" finish of the Baba Ghanouj, but I found it quite mild and lacking in the smokiness I expect in the dish.

In the end; I was happy to have found a couple of items I enjoyed from Garlic & Tahini, it's gratifying to support our local businesses during this time, especially in the case of such nice folks like this. I'll definitely be getting more Garlic Sauce, Mesaa'a, and Fool.

Garlic & Tahini Egyptian Kitchen
9932 Mesa Rim Road
San Diego, CA 92121
Hours – takeout only:
Mon – Wed 11am – 3pm
THurs 11am – 8pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 9pm
Sunday 11am – 8pm

Road Trip (before Covid-19) – FLG Terroir and Annex Cocktail Lounge (Flagstaff)

November 1, 2020 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Gastropub, Road Trip, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

After our wonderful tour of the Grand Canyon, we took a short rest, then decided to head out for an early evening. I had a place in mind, but as we wandered down North San Francisco Street (can't get the flaneur out of us, I guess); the Missus went into a shop called The Artists Gallery to do some shopping……..it seems that all of the folks who sell their art and crafts here were also at the Art in the Park the previous day. As we were leaving, I took a look upward and saw the "FLG Terroir" sign in the window above.

This was one of the places I had on "my list"; so we headed upstairs. Man, this place was quite large and the selection of wine was quite good.

The Missus enjoyed Her two glasses of wine and I reacquainted myself with an "old friend" from Belgium.

The seats with a view were taken; so we just sat at one of the tables. I went over to the counter and also ordered us some food.

Which arrived piping hot. First to arrive was the "Poutine" ($5) (after our time in Montreal, I needed to add the quotation marks).

This version had thick mushroom gravy, which wasn't too bad, the fries were crisp; but the cheese curds were mushy. Decent seasoning though a bit on the salty side. To us, this was the better of the two dishes.

Next up was the Shrimp and Grits ($10).

This version was made with red curry and coconut grits. Can't say I'm fond of this combination of flavors as it really overpowered the grits. The shrimp were fine, if a bit on the muddy side and the carrots and zucchini nicely prepared.

Overall, I thought the prices were quite reasonable. The food is a bit "fusiony", but the Missus enjoyed the wine selection, the service was very friendly…..one of the bar staff was even from San Diego!

We'd be happy to return when we're back in Flagstaff.

FLG Terroir: Wine Bar & Bistro
17 N San Francisco St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Currently only open for takeout

After heading back down to San Francisco Street, we headed south, crossing over Route 66 and arrived at our next destination. Alice, in her fine blog "Alice's Restaurants" lists Tinderbox Kitchen as one of her favorites. While we weren't quite in the mood for a full meal; the folks from Tinderbox Kitchen own three properties lined up right next to each other. One of them, called "the Annex", a cocktail lounge serving some basic eats seemed like just the thing to end our evening.

It was a beautiful evening so we headed to the area called "the yard", which was quite interesting….especially the wall in the back of the property. I later read that this was once a Basque Handball Court.

We decided on something simple to munch on; the Annex Nachos with Chorizo ($12), which turned out to be quite good.

The chorizo had a nice, mild smoky-spice. The chips were crisp, the avocado heavy, thick guacamole very nice.

I had the Hip Stag – a Pineapple Infused Mezcal based cocktail. Loved the notes the cilantro-lime bitter added. This was slightly smoky and not overly sweet.

Meanwhile, the Missus was captivated by the smoked cocktail menu and started off with the "Coffee and Cigarettes" which featured Pipe Tobacco Smoke and Espresso Beans. I didn't think She'd like it; but the Missus really enjoyed this…..so much….that I didn't even get a taste!

She definitely wanted another drink after this one and settled on the Irish Whiskey (and Pipe Tobacco Smoked) "Red Badge of Courage".

Which She enjoyed even more.

And then it happened. A group of younger folks were having a competitive round of Jumbo Jenga. One of the young men was really "chirping" quite a bit….and he was backing things up by beating all his friends. He saw us watching and started trying to convince us to play……there's no way I'd play. But the Missus; bolstered by a couple cocktails decided to have a go before we left.

I was amazed to watch Her beat this guy in three moves! The young man was stunned and asked the Missus how often She played. Her response? "I've never played this before….but it's all math….geometry. Maybe you should spend more time in class and less time out drinking?" Oooooh snap!

As you can tell, we enjoyed the cocktails, the vibe, and the service was wonderful. The Missus really does want to return here.

Annex Cocktail Lounge
50 S San Francisco St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Current Hours:
Thursday 3pm – 9pm
Friday 3pm – 10pm
Saturday 9am – 10pm

We stopped at a couple of shops on the way back to our hotel. We talked about how much we enjoyed the friendly folks in Flagstaff.

And look forward to returning again someday. The Missus will want Her smoked cocktail fix!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip (before Covid-19) – Grand Canyon Desert View Tour

October 30, 2020 mmm-yoso Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Road Trip, Travel

***** Not much food in this one, mostly just photos – just clearing out the memory card

When planning our road trip to visit Antelope Canyon and Flagstaff, I decided to do a small group day tour of the Grand Canyon from Flagstaff. Why a tour you might ask? Well, the main reason being that it was Labor Day weekend and I didn't want to deal with traffic, parking, etc, etc….. I thought doing a small group tour might work out well and it did. Plus, I figure we'll be back someday….I can take my time and meander around then.

I'm going to try to keep the verbiage down. There are many resources out there for visiting the Grand Canyon.

This tour took the less crowded East Entrance (currently closed due to Covid-19) from Navajo Country into the park. Our guide/driver was a hoot….warm, funny, knowledgeable, just a great guy.

We met at our assigned time in Flagstaff, loaded up the van and were off…..the group was on the older side; so folks were really mellow, even the three biker guys who had ridden in from California. We drove in through the East entrance not running into a single other vehicle until we came to Desert View known for the historic Desert View Watchtower.

Talk about wonderful scenery!

We enjoyed wandering around….I could probably spend an entire day here…..

And of course we spent some time in the watchtower, which only dates back to 1932 and was designed by Mary Colter; Chief Architect for the Fred Harvey Company and one of the few women architects of her time.

The tower was designed to resemble Pueblan Watchtowers, though it is much taller than any known traditional structure. The interior is also quite stunning.

Among the various landmark signs is this one.

Which recalls a terrible tragedy, the deadliest plane crash/collision of its time. Because of this and other tragedies and near misses that followed the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 was passed which became the FAA.

We had a few more short stops……

Before heading to the Tusayan Ruins. Our guide got us to the site just as a Ranger was ready to start his tour.

I could probably do a whole post just on this site; but I think you'll enjoy the National Park Services document much more.

After a quick stop at the Museum/Gift Shop, it was time for lunch under a nice patch of trees. Just simple sandwiches and chips….which did us just fine.

After lunch our next stop might have been my favorite; Grandview Point. The views from the point are amazing.

The Grandview Trail also starts here.

I was just happy with the views.

And our guide made sure to take photos of everyone (who wanted) on the rock outcropping.

There's also quite a bit of history here…..

Would you believe that a hotel once stood on this ledge?

Yep, the Grand View Hotel once stood there! Man, I wouldn't want to be walking around outside the place after having a few whiskies…..

Beautiful, ain't it???

We made a couple more stops before ending things at Grand Canyon Village.

As you can tell; some rain had rolled in right before we stopped here.

So, while folks went to take a "bio-break", got some coffee, or did some shopping, the Missus and I explored this structure.

It's another structure designed by Mary Colton; the Hopi House. Designed to resemble a Hopi Pueblo.

There's an actual Hopi door from Oraibi which leads to an altar room. If you'd like to read more about this amazing architect you can do so here.

From here we headed back to Flagstaff. We'd really enjoyed this small group tour. It gave us a nice taste of the Grand Canyon; I'm sure we'll be back. It was well worth the time and money.

We got back to our room, had a short nap, and got ready for dinner.

Yes, this is still a food blog, so I'll get to that in my next post. Thanks so much for indulging me!

Circling Back to Fredcel Lumpias & Catering

October 28, 2020 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants

I took last Friday off. I needed to take my car in for service and decided to just take the day off. Amazingly; they finished up my car in half the usual time! I'm guessing they've really dialed back on the amount of appointments. The Missus had been craving the Salvadoran Tamales from El Salvador Pupuseria y Restaurante. So, since things wrapped up early, I decided to expand my Covid-19 "footprint" and head up to grab the Missus some tamales. I was a bit hungry and it had been quite a while sine I'd been to Fredcel so I decided to check them out.

Fredcel had just opened when I arrived. They've blocked off most of the area inside the restaurant and the "steam table" is not accessible by customers. Instead, they post what items are available on a menu sign.

I decided to get the menudo and Bicol Express, along with a few pieces lumpia (of course).

The Styrofoam box felt pretty darn hefty and when I opened it at home, I was surprised at the amount of pancit it held.

The pancit was very plain and bland…..I know why they give you that packet of soy sauce….though the portion size edged on ridiculous.

Opening up the menudo and Bicol Express and looking at the dishes really didn't whet my appetite.

The Bicol Express was more like a greasy curry. It lacked the deep savory-pungent tones of bagoong, wasn't very spicy, and seemed to use a ton of curry powder instead of coconut milk. As I mentioned earlier; it was also quite greasy instead of creamy and didn't have much pork in it.

The menudo was also sorely lacking in protein, was quite tangy, and needed more salt.

To me, both dishes were more like soups, quite thin and watery.

What saved the day was the lumpia; I got six for $3.

This was every bit as good as what I'd had here before. Still crisp and crunchy after the trip home….which is why it holds up well for catering. Not oily, the filling was moist, with a nice porkiness. That neon red sauce is way too sweet for me though.

I must be getting old; after eating the six lumpia, I needed a nap.

So, I guess I'm sticking with the lumpia from Fredcel. There were four people behind me in line as I left, so it seems that the business is doing ok.

Fredcel Lumpias & Catering
3876 38th Street
San Diego, CA 92105
Current Hours:
Tues – Fri 11am – 5pm
Saturday 11am – 4pm
Sunday 11am – 330pm
Closed on Monday