mmm-yoso – Page 215

Seoul: Mirak Chicken, Tongin Market, and the Seoul Lantern Festival

May 11, 2016 mmm-yoso Gastropub, Korea, Korean Restaurants, Markets & Grocers, Seoul, Travel

Our time in Seoul, and Korea, for that matter was coming to an end. The Missus and I discussed the possibilities for a last meal and we decided to give KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) another shot. This time at a place that was more highly recommended. I had a place on my list….which one of my coworkers called a "Hof"??? A Hof? Like "Hofbrau"? Well, she wasn't sure…..the term "hof" is used for various places that serve beer/drinks with food and to my relief had nothing to do with "The Hoff". So it was off to the "hof".

The shop was located in the Gyeongbokgung area, west of the Palace. The Gwanghwamun Gate of Gyeongbokgung looked especially striking on this clear evening.

Finding Mirak Chicken wasn't too difficult; especially with pocket wifi, called an "egg" in Korea, and a photo of the exterior.

Mirak Chicken's popularity is in part due to being shown on a very popular Korean Food Show named Tasty Road, which is how we found out about the place after having two people mention Mirak and the show to me.

The interior has a dark and kind of pub-like feel.

As is typical with these places, there's the all-you-can eat popcorn….which I found a bit odd. You obviously need a beverage of choice; we went with some Hite, which seemed a bit sweeter, but very light, and not as bitter as the versions here in the states. Perhaps it was being on holiday……. After ordering, some shredded cabbage dressed with a somewhat fruity mayo and the standard condiment of KFC, the water kimchi arrived.

Mirak is known for their Garlic Chicken, which of course had to order.

The chicken came with a ton of glazed whole garlic cloves, which of course I loved, but made me socially unpresentable for most of the evening. As with other glazed/sweet/spicy chicken of this type, the glaze was very sticky and way too sweet for me. They really had the batter and the cooking process down as the crust was thin and light, and the chicken very moist. It was just hard to get over the sweetness, for which I was thankful for the radish.

Hedging our bets, we also ordered the regular fried chicken which was quite good.

Crisp, light, and moist. But again, for some reason we both found the seasoning to be on the very mild side. They sure had the cooking process down though.

We were glad to have been able to try a couple of Korean Fried Chicken places.

Mirak Chicken (미락치킨)
17-1 Jahamun-ro
Seoul, South Korea

After dinner, we decided to take a walk around the area. We hadn't been around this part of Seoul so this made for an interesting walk. We came across a shopping arcade and decided to do some exploring.

There were quite a few food stalls……

One stall was especially popular.

It made tteokbokki, not my favorite food item in the world, but this looked different. Bright red, stir fried in oil, so I had to try some…..

The was quite good….nice chew, a slight crunch, a good amount of spice, not very greasy…..I really liked it. It changed my opinion of tteokbokki.

After returning home, I tried to find out the name of this place and learned that it is Tongin Market, which was originally set-up by the Japanese in 1941 during the occupation. I also learned that one of the most popular stalls in the market makes Gireum tteokbokki, basically a fried in oil version…….lines rarely lie, right?

Walking back was a pleasure…..we really enjoy Seoul at night.

Before heading back to the apartment, we decided to head on over to the Cheonggyecheon Stream area. A few nights earlier we'd come across the Seoul Lantern Festival. I'm guessing this night must be something special, because folks were really enjoying the sights.

The theme this year was an "Illuminated Tour of Seoul", which was very cool. We saw lanterns of many of the sights we'd seen during the previous days.

Under the bridge folks were gathered, putting together lanterns to be released in the stream.

People were having a great time. It was a nice way to end our stay in Seoul.

As we walked back to the apartment along the alleyway parallel to the main street. Apparently, the huge building we were staying at was built over the Pimatgol, parallel to the main street of Jongno. Because the lower class residents were required to bow down to the nobles everytime they came across them, this parallel alley; the "alley to avoid horses", was created. There's a couple of very nice stories to be found here.

And while there are quite a few anecdotes I haven't told about Seoul; like the Missus complaining about not seeing a branch of Cocohodo, when there was one on the other side of the building. Just like Japan, it seems like there was a story around every corner.

We dozed of easily on this evening. We'd be rising early, then heading off to the airport, via Seoul Station. Next stop; Sapporo!

Thanks for reading!

Shan Xi Magic Kitchen Opens on Convoy

May 10, 2016 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants

Driving past one of the many strip malls on Convoy, I glanced and noticed Myung In Dumplings was gone. In just a matter of weeks Shan Xi Magic Kitchen had opened. Shan Xi? So we have Xi'an Kitchen (Shaanxi) up the street and now Shanxi down the street?

Man, they really spruced up this place…..

The menu seems to be mostly Shaanxi (maybe they left out the extra 'A') and other regional (I believe I saw twice cooked pork on the menu) items. Sadly, I saw no Mao Er Duo (Cat's Ear Noodle 貓耳朵), a classic Shanxi item on the menu. Still, there were a few of my favorite dishes on the menu….starting with one that was love at first bite in China. Yang Rou Pao Mo. I've given up on finding "real" Yang Rou Pao Mo in SoCal and have resigned myself to the versions here. With that in mind, I really thought the flavors were quite good.

This was enjoyably gamey and rich in the tummy coating way good, muttony, Yang Rou Pao Mo is. It wasn't very salty; though the pickled garlic was too salty. Not much meat or bean thread in this…mostly the wrong type of waxy, pasty, counterfeit leavened bread. Still, it's the best version I've had here in SoCal, richer and more gamey than what Xi'an Kitchen serves.

I wanted something else to go along with the Yang Rou Pao Mo, but really didn't want a carb load, nor did I want anything particularly heavy, so I chose the combination three vegetables.

Man, this had a ton of garlic on it! The eggplant was nicely done, the insides quite molten. I also liked a the mild green chilies, which just had a little "zip". Very simple, but decent.

So, I sent out photos to my friends and of course they wanted to try things out. So Candice, "YummyYummy", Xiāngjiāo, MrQ, and FCMichael met up for lunch.

We started with the Shanxi staple, the sliced noodles.

The noodles weren't particularly good, kind of brittle, and this was a very simple prep. The use of vinegar reminded me of a more Shanxi style dish.

The Garlic Eggplant though, while pretty oily, was quite good.

We quickly noticed that dishes weren't overly salty here. Nice garlic flavor…..pretty decent standard Chinese fare, with decent wok skills.

The Rou Jia Mo, looked promising. While looking nothing like my favorite version, it appeared much better than what I last had at Xi'an Kitchen, especially the bread.

This also had a decent amount of pork, but was pretty bland overall.

The Biang Biang Mian was pretty good. Some fairly large sheets of noodles with a nice sour-spicy sauce.

Xiāngjiāo had spent some time in China and marveled that they actually used the complex spelling of "biang" on the menu.

Since we had a large group, we got the Da Pan Ji (Big Plate Chicken 新疆大盘鸡). I usually love the potatoes in this dish, but we were all a but underwhelmed at everything but the size of the dish.

The chicken was on the tough side and the flavor in spite of looks very tame. Quantity over quality here.

I had to order the Cumin Lamb of course; Zi Ran Yang Rou is one of my favorite dishes.

Other than needing more cumin, the flavor was good. The meat was sliced too thick for my liking and it needed much more color.

One of the favorite dishes of the day was also the cheapest at $4.99, the Pidan with Tofu.

Nicely refreshing, good balanced flavors, not too spicy or salty, you could make out each item in the dish. I'm sure the Missus is going to like this one.

Of course we got the Yang Rou Pao Mo, which was even more gamey this time around…..probably a bit too much for Candice, but "YY", "XJ", and I really enjoyed it.

Even though the food here seems more Shaanxi than Shan Xi, (perhaps it's written correctly in Chinese – I'll ask the Missus), we thought it a decent option for regional Chinese in Kearny Mesa and preferred the dishes here to those at Xi'an Kitchen. Things seem to be looking up on da' Mesa….I hope they keep on coming.

Shan Xi Magic Kitchen
4344 Convoy St,
San Diego, CA 92111

A quick note – for those who enjoyed Myung In Dumplings; they've moved to the food court in Zion Market. I'll get a post done soon!

K Cuisine

May 9, 2016 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Korean Restaurants

I'd had K Cuisine on my list for a while, even when the place was "Gorilla Korean Fusion Restaurant"…..really. The last time I was here, the place was still Korean Hometown Restaurant ages ago. So when an acquaintance said that the place made some really good mandu, spicy chicken wings, and haemul pajun, I had to check them out.

I'd just returned from Seoul and wanted some straightforward Korean food. So I decided to give K Cuisine a try. The shop was pretty quiet on both my visits, spaced about 5 months apart. The place has a mom-and-pop feel, real down home, unpretentious with the smell of sesame oil permeating the air…..

K Cuisine 02 You do need at least a beer (perhaps more) with food like this, and I'm not a big makgeolli fan, so I had a Hite. Strange, but it tastes much more dry and bitter here in the states than Korea.

I'd ordered quite a bit of food, beyond appetizers, so I got some panchan.

Nothing amazing, and yes, those are pickled forcemeat sausage, much like hot dogs. While I'm a big fan of pickled sausages like utopenci, this was way too salty. The baechu kimchi was taken out of a plastic container….like you'd get at Zion or H Mart, but actually wasn't bad. So perhaps they do what we do……I let the kimchi ferment in a cool hallway for about a week after buying it.

The Fried Mandu ($6.99) wasn't bad.

Light and crisp, the wrappers weren't overly gummy like other versions. The filling was rather mild in flavor, but I thought this was a decent version.

I wanted something hearty so I went with the Gopchang Bokkeum ($16.99).

Basically a stir-fried small intestine dish, with perilla leaf, onions, and other veggies. This was surprisingly tame in flavor, at least it wasn't salty, nor was it very spicy. The intestine could have been cleaned better as it had a good bit of musty, dank flavored, "grey matter" in it. Quite a strong offal flavor. It actually smelled even stronger the next day when I took it out of the fridge.

I fully intended to return to K Cuisine, but somehow the place just slipped my mind. Five months later, I returned. I decided to order the other two items recommended to me, starting with the Haemul Pajun – the Seafood Pancake ($7.99).

In terms of texture, this was the best version I've had in a while; light and crisp. It was a bit short in the seafood department and perhaps in flavor, but the salty, soy-sesame oil-onion-scallion dipping sauce handled that. Not bad, I'd have this again.

I also went with the Spicy Fried Chicken Wings ($9.99).

After having versions of this in Seoul, I should have known that it would be more sweet and sticky than spicy. I really needed that pickled radish to revive my tastebuds. The batter was on the thicker side, but decently crisp, the chicken seems to have been fried a bit too long as the meat was dry. This was just too sweet. I think I'll need to return and try just the plain fried chicken wings one day.

So there you go. Two visits over 5 months….I took long enough. Nice folks working here. Things tend to take a bit of time, which I find rather nice in these type of places. it ain't fast food. K Cuisine is only open during dinner to the wee hours of the morning (I think like 1-2 am). So next time you want some makgeolli, or perhaps a Hite and a bite to eat, you might want to check this place out. I'll probably return to try the straight up fried chicken wings and maybe even some kimchi jigae sometime during the winter.

K Cuisine
4688 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Local Kine Teriyaki (Barbecue) Pork

May 8, 2016 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

Great thing about living in San Diego, you can grill just about any month of the year. I've been told that there's been a dearth of cooking/recipe type posts over the last two years….I guess I've been kinda lax in posting these. Though I've posted on most of the dishes I make regularly over the last 10-11 years. Anyway, here's a wrinkle on the recipe I use for Teri Beef and my Local Kine Teriyaki Chicken.

When putting together these type of recipes, I think in terms of ratios.

Anyway, I've started buying a pound or so of sliced Berkshire pork shoulder from Nijiya on "Meat Day" along with a pound and a half of boned chicken legs. I then do a grill session and make Kelaguen with the chicken legs (I know, I know….recipe one of these days) and Teri-Pork with the sliced pork. I also grill whatever the heck I can find….even cabbage.

Yes….cabbage. Since I grill over hardwood charcoal, and even throw some soaked oak/hickory chips on the coals, everything tends to have a nice touch of smokiness. The Missus loves the pork and the tofu….and even the cabbage! I make little Bi Bim Bap type bowls for Her to take to work, topping the whole mess with a couple of fried eggs.

Anyway, back to the pork. While this is basically the same as my other "Local Kine Barbecue" recipes, there's a slight twist. I use sliced onions and gochujang…..I buy stuff made from soybeans…..don't buy the stuff that lists wheat as ingredient number 1. Another key point….this can get messy, removing the sliced onions before grilling and all. But you can use cheesecloth to bundle up the onions. I also found that pork can handle a bit more sweetness and that granulated garlic(good quality stuff) works better than minced/grated garlic with this recipe. Lastly, like grilling the teri beef, if you're not careful, stuff will fall between the grill grates. As I've mentioned many times before, I use Aloha, Yamasa, or Tamari for these type of recipes.

Teriyaki (Barbecue) Pork:
1 – 1 1/2 pounds thinly sliced pork (shoulder or loin – it should have a good fat content)

1 cup Aloha or Yamasa Soy Sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup agave syrup
2/3 cup mirin
2 tb granulated garlic
1 tb ginger juice
1 tb Gochujang
1 tb Sake
1/2 medium onion sliced thin

Optional Stuffs:
1/4 c minced cilantro
1 tb good quality sesame oil
Ground cayenne or sliced chilies to taste

– Combine marinade ingredients
– Separate slices of pork and place in gallon ziploc bag
– Pour marinade into the bag
– Gently mix
– Marinade 4-6 hours, no more than 10.
– If grilling remove 1/2 cup of marinade and heat until boiling. Remove from heat. Use to baste meat.
– Wipe off onions and cilantro if using.
– Cook…….

Revisits: Pho Hut and Ramen Yamadaya (Clairemont)

May 7, 2016 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Pho, Ramen, Vietnamese Restaurants

A couple of revisits for today.

Pho Hut and Grill:

Back in January, I had a decent bowl of Dumpling Egg Noodle Soup at Pho Hut and Grill. So, on a recent weekend morning, returning home after the weekly shopping mission, I thought I'd drop by and grab a bowl of the Mi Sui Cao. This time around I noticed that there were forks in the chopstick dispenser….I guess it speaks to the clientele?

And while my last go around with Pho Hut wasn't bad; this was disappointing.

Well, at least the egg noodles were decent, not overcooked. But the broth was basically MSG water, lacking any depth, the char siu was tough and tasteless, and as with previous visits, the dumpling fillings just floated away from the wrappers….I guess you could look at the wrappers and say it's just another noodle and this should be pseudo meatball egg noodle soup.

Pho Hut & Grill
5252 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

Ramen Yamadaya (Clairemont):

**** Ramen Yamadaya has closed

So, my coworkers, JohnF and Calvin were having a discussion about Ramen and Ramen Yamadaya in particular. And while my recent visits to Yamadaya have not been particularly delici-yoso, I still thought you could get a decent bowl if you followed a specific "template". That would be Kotteri Ramen, noodles "katame" (extra firm), with kakuni pork. So we decided to see if this worked out.

And it did to a certain extent as the chashu was low on flavor and tough, so the kakuni pork did quite well. The noodles were nice and firm. Calvin loves the fresh pressed garlic with his ramen, while I think in this bowl it kills all the other flavors. I still think the broth could be hotter as it cooled quite quickly. The egg was decent, but the broth is not what it was when Yamadaya first opened…..lacking in flavor and richness.

The guys really enjoyed the Tori Nanban; the "Chicken Tartar" more.

Crisp, nice ginger tones, with a dose of vinegar……..really good this time around.

As a bonus, John and Calvin treated me to lunch! Thanks guys!

Ramen Yamadaya
4706 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Seoul: Dongdaemun Gate, Gwanghwamun Jip, and Gyeongbokgung Palace

May 5, 2016 mmm-yoso Korea, Korean Restaurants, Seoul, Travel

It was our last day in Seoul. Time had really flown by, but to be honest, the Missus was already looking forward to the next leg of our trip, which was Hokkaido. There were really only two more places the Missus wanted to visit. So we headed off, down Jong-Ro…..walking of course. Past Gwangjang Market ….

And several food streets…..

Until we made it to Dongdaemun Gate (Heunginjimun), which is one of the four main gates of the original Fortress Wall of Seoul.

Of course we had to stop by the massive Dongdaemun Market complex.

The massive multi-building complex is quite overwhelming; covering 10 blocks, comprised of 26 shopping malls. After walking around a bit….I was getting hungry so we decided to head up to the Food Court located on the 5th floor of the "New Wing".

And found a stand that was open and got something simple to eat.

Nothing amazing, but simple and it kept the both of us going. Pretty cheap at 5,000 KRW (about $4.25) too.

We then headed off back in the direction we had come. Jetlagged, we had miscalculated the day of the week when we arrived and found Gyeongbokgung Palace closed. We decided to put off a visit until our last day in Seoul.

We had made our way back here in record time as Gyeongbokgung wasn't open yet! Plus, we were pretty darn hungry….I guess that little breakfast/snack didn't hold up for very long. I had read several posts about a iconic Kimchi Jigae shop down an alley nearby. So we found the area and I believe we found the alley….

There were no signs in older style Hanja that the Missus could read. Plus, all the businesses looked closed. I came across a kindly looking older gentleman and busted out one of few phrases I knew in Korean, "sillyehabnida" and showed him the name of the place, Gwanghwamun Jip. He smiled and walked us a few doors down……

The place did look closed so I used the other phrase I knew "gomabseubnida" and started walking away. He waved at me telling me to stop, opened the door, and one of the ladies running the place waved us in! Nice folks.

They were still prepping, cutting scallions and napa cabbage. They kindly sat us at one of the tables in this tiny hole-in-the-wall. The place looked like it was run by a group of "Ajumma", a good sign. We actually never even ordered…..what's to order since they basically serve two things here, right? A pot was taken off the blue bookshelf and placed on the gas burner on the table.

One of the women was hard at work at the stove near the window. And in a few minutes, everything else arrived.

You can see the other item that Gwanghwamun Jip specializes in, the tasty gyeran mari – a rolled omelet. Perfect for this morning. I loved the baechu kimchi here. It was nicely fermented the flavor complex and not overly salty as versions in the states. The Missus really enjoyed the simple fermented cabbage which reminds Her of the suan cai we make at home.

Meanwhile the pork kimchi jigae was bubbling away.

This was very hearty; even better as it kept bubbling away, eventually reducing to a thick and rich stew. Not too spicy, nor salty, nice savory flavors, this definitely has that "aaaah" factor. The pork was flavorful, though as expected rather tough…..it's there for the flavor.

It was a filling and satisfying meal. We love soulful, homey places like this. In a nutshell, Gwanghwamun Jip did not disappoint.

Gwanghwamun Jip
12, Saemunan-ro 5-gil
Jongno-gu, Seoul

The meal left us warm and ready for our visit to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

As we approached the Gwanghwamun gate we noticed a bit of a commotion.

We had arrived right at the 10am changing of the Royal Guards.

Pomp and circumstance….

Drumbeats and marching……

From the Visit Seoul website:

"Ceremony Procedure

1. The first drumbeat signal sounds and the relieving guard unit mobilizes towards Gwanghwamun Gate.
2. The second drumbeat signal sounds and the relieving guard unit moves outside of Gwanghwamun Gate, and the chief of the relieving guard unit and the chief of the guard unit on duty perform an identification check.
3. The chief of the relieving guard unit orders his unit to take their positions at the gate and the relieved guard unit mobilizes to the inside of the gate.
4. The third drumbeat signal sounds and the chief of the relieved guard unit orders his unit to exit the vicinity."

It does go kind of long….the Chinese tourists got bored rather quickly and decided to leave.

Meanwhile, we enjoyed the entire ceremony. We've now seen Changing of the Guard ceremony's in Athens, Prague, and Malta.

Once the ceremony was over we could enter via the Gwanghwamun Gate.

Gyeongbokgung Palace was constructed in 1395, the first royal palace built by Joseon Dynasty which lasted over 500 years.

Our favorite spots on the palace grounds was the Geunjeongjeon, the Throne Hall.

Which held the throne of course.

And we also enjoyed the aesthetics of the Gyeonghoeru.

As a whole, the Missus enjoyed the colors and aesthetics of Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden much more. Still, the place is well worth visiting.

Walking back along Sejong-ro , we noticed this piece of concrete.

It's a piece of the Berlin Wall! I'm sure the symbolism must stir emotions in many people in Korea, a nation divided north and south, and technically still at war.

We headed back to our apartment, just a few blocks away….we'd done a bit of walking and the temperature was dropping, so it was time for a break. While walking back, we made plans for our last night in Seoul……

What’s My Craving? The Mariscos el Pescador Truck

May 2, 2016 mmm-yoso Food Trucks/Carts, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

I readily admit, I got kinda tired of Hipster Tacos after the fourth place (post coming up one of these days). One morning, I just wanted some good tacos; places like El Gordo (which I haven't been to in a couple of years and haven't posted on in ages), La Fachada, El Poblano, and even Fernandez, But I had been wondering how the Mariscos el Pescador Truck was doing. It had been a couple of years since I last visited.

I shouldn't have worried about how business was…..the place was pretty busy even at 1030 in the morning!

I went with two old favorites of mine; the Gobernador and a Tacos de Marlyn.

Which came with the free cup of consommé. My experience with the broth is a mixed bag. On days when it's on, it's tangy, rich, full of shrimp-seafood flavor. It truly has the "aaah" factor. On other days, it's weak, with flavors not balancing out. On this day, it was spot on. Just plain delicious with a squeeze of lime to cut the brininess.

The Gobernador was a bit of a disappointment.

It had a nice amount of plump shrimp, but was missing the right complement of griddled onions and peppers which add flavor and balance to the taco. There also wasn't enough cheese melted on the tortilla, an important touch which keeps it from breaking apart. It wasn't bad, just not at the level I'd expect from El Pescador. Overall, I still prefer the versions with tomato in it as it adds a nice touch of acid.

The Taco de Marlyn on the other hand was almost a work of art.

The smoked fish was moist, just tender enough, with a ton of flavor. Adding cilantro and a squeeze of lime brings all the saltiness into line. This was a much larger portion than I recalled and not fishy like other versions I've had.

I was tempted to head on over to El Gallito across the parking lot but I was stuffed. There's a reason that all these locheras change hands so much and El Pescador doesn't. A loyal clientele and good tacos.

Mariscos El Pescador (In the parking lot pf RTA/Toys R Us)
1008 Industrial Blvd
Chula Vista, CA 91911

Revisits: Hoai Hue Vietnamese Restaurant and Pho King

May 1, 2016 mmm-yoso Bun Bo Hue, Vietnamese Restaurants

A few more revisits as I completed my weekend morning "honey do" lists.

Hoai Hue Vietnamese Restaurant:

It was just after 9am when I decided to see what was up with Hoai Hue. I think it's been about a year and a half since I last visited. And like my last visit, the place was doing bang-up business at 915 on a weekend morning.

Man, this place sure has come a long way since they moved from their old location a couple of blocks down ECB.

I ordered my usual, the Bun Tam Hoai Hue, basically Bun Bo Hue but with the crab cakes that are usually in Bun Rieu added. As usual, the broth, while steaming hot was on the sweeter side, with the presence of lemongrass or real pungency missing. In this morning the pungency was easily remedied with that huge squirt bottle of Mam Ruoc, fermented shrimp paste.

Don't get me wrong; the BBH is not terrible, it's just a little lighter in flavor and spice than what I really like in a bowl of Bun Bo Hue. I did enjoy the thick slices of Cha Lua. The pork hock was also quite large and fun to gnaw on. The tendon was much too hard to enjoy on this visit. Those slippery, spaghetti like noodles were done well and the sprouts, greens, and herbs were sparkling fresh.

It was a very filling, generous portion.

Hoai Hue Vietnamese Restaurant
4660 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

Pho King:

Man, has it already been almost 9 years since PK opened? I hadn't visited in over a year, so I thought I'd head back. This little strip mall has gotten kind of odd over the last couple of years. On one of my visits back in 2014, some guy kept asking me for money as I entered and left. I even saw him looking into my car windows while I was eating. I notice that there are now a couple of homeless folks living in the corner of the strip mall.

PK is slowly starting to look its age and the menus are showing some wear and tear.

But my favorite dish at Pho King, the Hu Tieu Mi Kho is still a solid choice. From the Chinese Celery, which adds that intense celery flavor and a nice crunch, to the pork studded mildly sweet soy-sauce mixture, to the broth on the side, it's a nice combination of flavors and textures for me.

For some reason, I also like the combination of having the stretchy Hu Tieu to go along with the more crunchy egg noodles, but that's just me.

Pho King Restaurant
4658 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

I'd like to finish up the post by thanking "Hien" for the very nice email. He mentioned that he was born and raised in City Heights, but moved away for college and now work. He says that he enjoys reading our little blog because we often post about places he went to when he lived here and have a special spot in his memory. Hien, I'm glad you enjoy our posts and that they bring back nice memories. Thanks for reading!

From Ronda to Seville

April 30, 2016 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Ronda, Seville, Spain, Travel

*** Not much food in this one. I wouldn't be the least bit offended if you just came back tomorrow…..

We didn't have to check out of the apartment until noon and our train didn't leave until 1300, so we decided to make the most of the rest of our time in Ronda. To be perfectly honest, we were a bit sad to leave as the charm of this amazing locale really made an impression on us.

As soon as the morning rains had passed, we decided to take a walk around and possibly grab a cup of coffee. It was hard getting the past the views…..

It seems that no matter how many times you stared off into the beautiful valley below; you'd notice something new, something you hadn't seen before.

We headed into the Mercadillo Quarter and found a location of the chain Granier on the main pedestrian shopping street of Carretera Espinal.

While having our morning coffee, the Missus and I discussed what we should do before check out time. I suggested finding the trail on the other side of Puente Nueva that led down to the area where all those classic photos of Puente Nueva and El Tajo are taken. Bolstered by our morning caffeine we headed off.

It really wasn't hard to find. We just basically took a right, where we took a left the day before and headed down the street. From Plaza de Maria Auxiliadora, to the right of the statue of San Juan Bosco, there's a set of steps that leads to the trail down into the valley.

The views from Plaza de Maria Auxiliadora ain't shabby either, very dramatic in its own way. Check the out view of the cliffs or Alameda del Tajo where we'd taken most of our photos of the valley the previous day!

The stairs give way to a cobblestone path…..it was just a tad slippery on this morning, which gave way to a dirt path.

And you get a photo, you'll never forget. We headed back up after taking a few more photos and took a round about way back to the apartment. Passing through the square with the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor, which we had walked through the night before.

We took our time getting back to the apartment, where we freshened up, sadly packed, and checked out. Picking up some jamon and bread for our travel days had become sort of a tradition in Spain, so we found a shop right across the street from the Apartmentos Rondacentro and got some Jamon Belotta.

Our train left on time and we had to change trains……

There wasn't much going on here……..

Which made it a perfect time for a jamon bocadillo break…..

Even though we'd spent only a night in Ronda, we must have really taken to the place. Arriving in Seville was a jolt to us. The crowds, the narrow streets….the metropolitan area of Seville has a population of 1.5 million people. Making it the fourth largest city in Spain. Our AirBnB apartment was located down a tiny street in Barrio Santa Cruz, a maze of streets and alleyways. We got joyfully lost several times during our first day in the city.

The first thing we needed was a map so we headed down the street and found ourselves at the Giralda (the Bell Tower) and Plaza del Triunfo and the TI was right there.

The Cathedral is quite impressive; the third largest church in Europe.

We took our time and wandered around Barrio Santa Cruz ad ended up at this pleasant square; appropriately named Plaza de Santa Cruz.

As I mentioned earlier, Santa Cruz was once the Jewish Quarter, and a Synagogue once stood at this spot. A distinctive cross rests in the center of the plaza, known as "Cruz Cerrajería" (the Locksmith’s Cross) which dates back to the 17th Century.

Close is another square; Plaza de Refinadores, with one of Seville's most famous, though fictional, personas, Don Juan. So ladies….meet the original Don Juan!

It was starting to get dark and we needed a break, so we headed back to our apartment….

Which meant winding our way thru a maze of streets…..since wifi reception in the alleyways were sometimes problematic, even pocket wifi didn't help. We did eventually find our way back; the apartment was located in an 18th century "casa de palacio", a palace house, it was quite an interesting place to stay. Dinner was coming up. We would soon find the best food of this trip to Spain in Seville.

Ronda: De Locos Tapas

April 29, 2016 mmm-yoso Ronda, Spain, Spanish Restaurants and Cuisine, Travel

We were really enjoying our time in Ronda. From the beautiful scenery, to the friendly people, to the, well, I'm not sure I can put it any other way, atmosphere, we were loving it.

At night, with all the day trippers gone and in low season, there just seems to be a rather romantic mystery to the place. Quiet takes over and you almost feel like your an extra in some exotic romantic thriller from another time.

It was sad that we had only one night to spend in Ronda, with one dinner.

The walk to our dinner destination took us down through the Old Town. Past the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor. Like many churches built during the Reconquista, this was constructed on the remains of a mosque. A quick look at the bell tower belies the Moorish roots of the structure.

Across the way, the light on top of Santuario Maria Auxilium shone brightly in the night.

Our destination was a little shop just inside the Almocabar Gate, once the main entrance to this side of the city. The name of the place? De Locos Tapas.

This place gets a ton of love, so I went ahead and made reservations a month before our trip. It's a good thing too; the place has but 5 tables. When I mentioned we'd be having dinner here to the lovely lady at Apartmentos Rondacentro, Hilde, she went, "aaaah, you've made a good choice, it is my favorite place in the city."

The place is run by a Husband and Wife team. It is Guillermo who is the front man, originally from Basque Country, he is very friendly, quite chatty, warm, with a great sense of humor. He speaks perfect English and is one heck of a storyteller. We were the first customers to arrive, so he took his time with us, telling us about working in a Japanese restaurant. When he found out we live in San Diego, he mentioned he lived in San Gabriel for a time. When I mentioned being from Hawaii, he regaled us with a story about his cousin (if I recall) who came back from Maui with some board shorts for Guillermo. The main pattern on those shorts was, ahem; the "cash crop", if you know what I mean. His dad pointed to the pattern on the shorts and inquired what it was. So quick thinking Guillermo, who remembered the "local" name for said herb said "pakalolo". His dad, thinking it was some kind of exotic tropical plant was satisfied. And so Guillermo got to keep his "special" board shorts.

The menu at De Locos is a combination of various traditional and some very non-traditional tapas. Many with an Asian twist from the time Guillermo worked in the Japanese restaurant. There was also a menu written in Korean. According to Guillermo, there are many Korean visitors during January and February. The Korean menu is an abbreviated version of the hand written menu, consisting of items that their Korean clientele often order.

We had a blast figuring out what to order and decided (quite rightfully so) to stray from the norm except for a few dishes.

We started with the "Quail's Nest". Quail eggs lying in a "nest" made of "Kataifi", shredded filo dough. As you can tell from this dish, the presentation of some of the dishes are composed in a lovely, flashy-whimsical way. The quail eggs were nice but nothing special, the filo a bit too dry and crumbly. Not bad.

The Artichokes and Jamon, a more mainstream dish was downright delish.

The artichokes were nicely seasoned, the texture excellent, a bit of crunch, but not tough. The jamon added that nice savory touch that paired nicely with everything. The mustard based sauce was a nice slightly pungent touch. The Missus (of course) loved the fried egg.

The Truffle Egg presentation was very nice.

Lovely flavors, just enough truffle oil, the jamon again adding a nice touch of savory. The only complaint was that the egg was overcooked for my taste.

My favorite dish, hands down was the Pork Tataki….yes, basically seared, ultra rare pork.

Man, the textures and the flavors, touches of ginger….good lord, this was so good. I've learned that sometimes I just need to go with my instincts….and while the Missus still sometimes has doubts (see torisashi), she's learned that there are times when you need to throw caution to the wind. Many times, the payoff is a memorable dish like this one. I've heard that Japanese is the "in" cuisine in places like Barcelona now…..so I'm looking forward to returning and getting some "Tataki de presa ibérica".

Meanwhile, Guillermo is from Basque Country, so I had to order the Txangurro (Spider Crab), a Basque regional specialty.

For some reason, this didn't do it for us……not enough crab flavor, a bit too mushy, and in need of some additional seasoning.

And while the Octopus was decent, perhaps a bit too chewy, but nicely flavored….those potatoes, the truffle oil…..was delish.

The Sea Bass Ceviche was nicely seasoned, refreshing, though I prefer mine with a bit more citrus.

Since there was Foie Gras on the menu, you know we had to order it, right? This came with a very nice tangy, passion fruit sorbet which acted like a nice intermezzo. The foie was decently seared, the texture wonderful. I did find it a bit too much on the sweet side. Of course, perhaps I've become a bit jaded having had so much foie gras over the last couple of years.

The Smoked Duck was nice, but the duck tasted almost exactly what I get here in San Diego.

The Ox Cheeks were nicely done, I've yet to meet a version of carrillada that I didn't enjoy in Spain.

We also ordered the Deer Tenderloin which we affectionately called "Bambi".

Tasting like a more gamey version of the Ox Cheeks this was very tender and quite tasty.

For dessert the Missus chose the Gin and Tonic Sorbet which has a wonderful combination of tart, sweet, citrus tones, and black pepper (!). It was the perfect end to this meal.

While not every dish was a hit….and with this many, it's hard to do…remember, this isn't Azurmendi or even Disfrutar, the meal topped out at 60 Euros! That's right, with a couple of glasses of wine…all of this, a shade over sixty bucks! Plus, we had a blast chatting with Guillermo. And while, perhaps, this wasn't the best meal of our recent trip, it was by far, the most fun we'd had during a meal in a while! And that really does matter.

If you're planning to visit De Locos Tapas; make reservations, have an open mind….and relax….you'll have a good time!

De Locos Tapas
Arquitecto Pons Sorolla 7
Ronda, Spain

We took our time walking back to our apartment. The Missus climbed up one of the stairways on the city wall and took the photo of the Old Town above. We stopped at the same spot where we took a photo of Puente Nuevo earlier in the day. It's just as beautiful, if not more so, at night.