mmm-yoso – Page 284

What we did this past weekend – Porcine Party

December 10, 2012 mmm-yoso Cooking, Memorable Meals, yoso-silly

In case you were wondering why the blog was so quiet on Friday and Saturday…..first I was kinda fried, then there was the pig. As noted in other posts on this blog, I've got a great group of friends who are pretty much up for anything. We'd been joking about trying to do a whole hog for a while. Finally, a couple of months ago, FOY (Friend of Yoso) Candice got involved and things atartedrolling. First, the twin's mom allowed us to use her back yard, second Candice put the twins in contact with a pig farmer who slaughtered said piggy…..meanwhile, I provided a marinade recipe…..I was out of town until just before the said swine was toast.

So on Saturday morning at 5am, there we were………

There were a bunch of glitches…..but that's what makes things interesting. First the pig had been butterflied instead of prepped for the rotisserie…..so that meant extra sewing. Candice gave the hog a rubdown, while the guys got the pig on the rotisserie.

I got the hardwood charcoal started….a lot of charcoal. 30 pounds to start with refueling as necessary. All told about 120-130 pounds of charcoal.

We were delayed when we figured out that the darn rotisserie just wouldn't cut it….the kept skipping, it just wouldn't work….so after trying a whole bunch of things we just pretty much did it by hand. The sun had risen by the time things got started…….things looked grim.

We ended up doing 1/8 to 1/4 turns manually….it wasn't easy, the pig was over 80 pounds, then propping it up with one of several garden implements.

Things were going swimmingly until our next bump in the road. John thought we needed to lowerthe hog. Well, the heat had caused the metal stands to swell making movement pretty tough…it was also hot as heck and John didn't do too well with it. So we got a step stool thingy, I climbed up placing one leg on the edge of the pan and basically did a modified deadlift while Candice and John pounded the stand with a hammer to loosen it. First side wasn't too bad…the second side we'll be talking about for a long time. I was up on the edge of the pan….John and Candice were trying their darnest to get the thing loose while I held the hog up. I actually watched the hair on my leg (I wore shorts) burn off, but there wasn't anything I could do. Then my shirt caught on fire……so what to do? Third degree burns or drop the hog into the charcoal??? Luckily, just as I was thinking about skin grafts, they got everything adjusted correctly….and I had brought along a spare shirt. Don't ask me why, for some reason I just did. Of course all the vibrations had loosen one of the retaining rods and the pig almost fell face forward…back to the pig lift while the rod was pounded back into place. This was when I popped open my first Beer Lao of the day….

It was already 10am….time had really flown by. Guests had been told to come at 3pm by Peter. The pig had started developing a nice tan….and John was getting into the habit of peeling the skin off the pig and eating it! Sheesh….. Of course the middle of the pig started getting too brown, so the twin's mom suggesting wrapping those parts in aluminum foil.

The pig was doing nicely…Candice was doing a great job of first basting with coconut oil, then coconut water. At right before 11 Peter returned and Candice and I left….we had to prep some of the other dishes.

The Missus dropped me back off at just before 2 pm and this is what the pig looked like.

By this time reinforcements had already arrived…..Ange had worked getting the tables and everything else set-up, TFD and MrC, YY and MrQ (and "Kyle"), Xianjiang…the whole gang. Everyone took their photo with the pig….then it was covered back up.

It was starting to get darker and the internal temp of the hog was still just over110, we weren't going to make it.

Luckily there was back-up. YY and MrQ brought a bunch of food from Mien Trung…Banh Bot Loc and Hen Xuc Banh Trang.

I set about to fry up about 15 pounds of chicken wings….I loved this set-up.

YY told me that the twin's mom knew that we'd need a "plan B" from the beginning and requested the legs. I've previously mentioned what a great cook she is. So I'll let the photos do the talking.

It was some great stuff. Xianjiang appeared with Fanny Bay oysters…….

It became clear the the pig wouldn't make it. So they did what they could…..and left to cook it further.

I had two slots for guests, so I invited Kirbie and DH. I feel bad that I was so busy behind the fryer that I couldn't spend time with them….my apologies!

Of course, eventually the karaoke started up……and etc……. It was an epic night, something we'll always talk about. Thanks to John and Peter for taking ownership and Candice for keeping things on schedule, YY and MrQ for making sure we had some contingencies, Ange for making sure the area got set-up and decorated, TFD and MrC for always being there for support and help…..and especially the twin's sister Van and their wonderful Mother (thanks for sneaking me all those special dishes!). It was great meeting those folks I knew and those that I met for the first time.

In the end, it wasn't about the destination, but the journey. In the end (no pun intended) we have a heck of a tail,ummm tale, don't we!

Thanks again guys……this was quite an effort……I have heard Ange's request for a goat….but we'll have to get a rotisserie that actually works. And I need some time to recover.

Honolulu: Whole Foods Kahala, Ono Seafood, Tamura’s Kaimuki, Take’s Fish Market, Mini-Garden, and dinner

December 9, 2012 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Honolulu, Japanese Restaurants, Markets & Grocers, Oahu, Plate Lunch, Poke

I won't go into great detail about planning or trip; you can read a bit more in my previous post.

During my last trip, I noticed a lot of construction was taking place on a huge lot on Keaunui Drive. My in-laws live about a ten minute walk away. On this trip we saw that one of the "mega-Safeways" had opened on the property. I thought this was great, with more choices, and maybe with a better fish department than the nearby Foodland. Unfortunately, like Foodland, this place serves up carbon monoxide treated ahi….bummer. I guess we'll stick with Tanioka's. We were pretty much pooped and didn't do much the first evening.

But we headed out early the next morning. In all honesty, I'm not the biggest fan of Whole Foods. I did however, relish the opportunity to check out the Kahala location. I wanted the Missus to have a chance to grab some local produce. I was pleasantly surprised to see a really impressive looking food bar area……

This used to be the location of Star Market in Kahala Mall, which sadly closed in 2007.

It didn't seem like we'd have any time to visit a farmer's market on Oahu, so this seemed a decent option. Of course, driving from Ewa Beach on a week day morning wasn't exactly the most wonderful thing in the world….

This was of course, Whole Foods, and the pricing reflected that. I'm not a big fan of the prepared and hot foods, many of which I find on the bland side. But the choice of all the local vegetables was very nice. The Missus and I had sort of a breakfast with stuff like Sumida Farms watercress and Ho Farms Tomatoes.

The Missus just loved the watercress and we bought some stuff for dinner.

Whole Foods Market
Kahala Mall Shopping Center
4211 Waialae Ave, Ste 2000
Honolulu, HI 96816

Our next stop was set to be Tamura's Kaimuki, but their poke department doesn't open until 1030, so we decided to get something to eat. Well, we already did breakfast, so I guess we need to call this brunch?

We headed down to Ono Seafood and decided to share a poke bowl. We went with a "combo" poke bowl; for 50 cents more ($7.50), you get two different poke. The one item that I enjoy eating brown rice with is poke….the Missus loves the "brown rice revolution".

The fish here has been sparkling fresh on all our visits. The poke is not over-sauced and the texture of the fish is not compromised. The Missus really enjoyed the wasabi version of the ahi poke, while I liked the less heavily flavored "Hawaiian" style, with inamona adding a bit of nuttiness, and limu for some crunch. All the juice from the poke flavored the rice nicely, though the Missus has a bit of an issue with putting cold raw fish on top of hot rice…… I on the other hand have no such qualms……

Ono Seafood
747 Kapahulu Ave.Apt 4
Honolulu, HI 96816

We then headed back up the hill to Tamura's.

For some smoked tako, smoked fish, and some other stuff for dinner.

Tamura's Fine Wines & Liquors
3496 Waialae Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96816

We decided to make one more eating stop….. We've done breakfast and brunch, so I guess this one is officially lunch? Anyway we headed to Mapunapuna and the former location of 99 Ranch Market. I'd always thought this was a weird location for a market and 99 Ranch Market didn't last that long. It's now a sort of food court with some shops….great for the working folks in the area. Though it still looks kind of seedy…..

**** Both Take's and Mini Garden Express have closed

I'd heard about a little place that makes a nice take-out chirashi with decent quality fish, called Take's Fish Market.

The place is run by a very nice older Japanese couple. They seem very mild mannered, even shy. I ordered the Kaisen Chirashi and was told it was going to be about 10 minutes. So while the Missus walked around I waited a while and actually saw them cut my fish fresh.

I then went for a walk and got the Missus to order something for me from another stand (see below). When I got back, my bowl was ready.

The shari (sushi rice) was prepared decently, not too sour or wet. The fish was very fresh, the hamachi impeccable. By no means is this an earth-shattering chirashi……but looking at the quality and price ($9.95), this is pretty darn good. I really can't, by any means, call this fast food. If I worked around here, I'd be having this just about every week.

Take's Fish Market
1151 Mapunapuna St
Honolulu, HI 96819

While waiting for my chirashi, the Missus and I took a walk. It was just after 11 and this place was packed.

The place was doing major business! Looking at the food the other folks were eating, I could tell….this ain't Panda Express. So I got the missus to order me something while I went back to see if my chirashi was ready.

What the missus ordered for me was the Roast Duck Pan Fried Noodles ($7.95). The Missus handed the styrofoam container over to me and I was surprised at its heft. Opening up I noticed that man, this place really packed it in.

The Missus loved the gooey sauce on the vegetables….mostly napa cabbage. There was a good amount of crisp noodles, one of my favorite thing. I found the sauce more like a fairly bland gravy which needed some flavor. The duck was super meaty and wasn't too salty, though it was on the mild side with regards to anything resembling five-spice or bean paste flavor.

Still, this is a load of food……..we had half of it left for dinner.

Mini Garden Express
1151 Mapunapuna St
Honolulu, HI 96819

Speaking of dinner……..it seemed like the Missus could not get enough watercress. We bought some Sumida Farms watercress and Ho Farms tomatoes and made a salad….and drizzled on a bit of soy and sesame oil for flavor.

Along with the stuff from Tamura's.

The smoked tako seemed a bit too sweet for our tastes.

The smoked marlin, which the Missus loved so much that I had to bring some home with me during my last trip, has somehow fallen out of favor with Her.

Turns out that the Missus prefers the stuff I now make at home. Of course it's made with Her taste preferences in mind.

The pipikaula was decent….not too tough, not overly salty.

I could eat a whole container of pickled garlic…..really.

While the Missus could do the same with tako wasabi……

While writing this I realized that we really packed it in…….though if you look through, we shared our food and never ate too much. We really enjoyed this type of "grazing"……..

We crashed fairly early, we'd bee headed to the Big Island the next day.

Thanks for reading!

We’re Back

December 6, 2012 mmm-yoso Hawai'i - The Big Island, Honolulu, Loco Mocos, Oahu, Poke, Travel

In case you've been wondering…..the Missus and I took what seemed like a really short trip, it seemed to be over in the blink of an eye. We were getting a bit stale, so it was time for us to do something. I know I already went home once this year, but we decided to take that trip.

We ended up spending only a couple of days on Oahu and the rest on the Big Island. I've been there at least a dozen times and the Missus about 5 or 6. We had friends who lived in Hilo for a while. But hadn't been back in over ten years and were wondering if things had changed much.

Since we'd been there so many times, we've done all the sight seeing stuff, so we just kind of just wanted to drive around and enjoy….to the tune of 600 miles in four days! So even though we've been here many times before, you can be sure that we'll be at least showing a couple of great sunsets…..

Maybe throw in a waterfall…..

And being on the Big Island, you know we've got to visit here…..

Of course there will be lots of poke….which the Missus just can't get enough of…..

Or even this….a bargain at $9.95:

The Missus really appreciated the local produce on this trip and took full advantage.

Though that doesn't mean I cut this out of my diet…….

We also had a chance to visit a couple of real "old time" favorites on the Big Island, places that are etched into the locals minds. These places have been serving up the same fare for decades and have a place in the history of the Big Island.

From the very "Local-Japanese"……

To a pork chop that was probably cooked in a cast iron pan several decades older than I am…….

It was all good.

Even the Hamakua Mushroom Burger……..really!

We didn't have much time on Oahu, literally two nights total, but managed to enjoy ourselves……

So let me regroup and recover and we'll be back with a post!

Hopefully, before pigs fly……..

Thanks for reading!

Crazee Burger

November 26, 2012 mmm-yoso Burgers

Well, I've often often written about the Missus's various short term obsessions. We've gone through quite a few over the years. The latest for the Missus is wild game…..I guess She really enjoyed that ostrich thinga-majiggy. The Lion's Share and Tractor Room quickly come to mind….but the Missus really wasn't into brunch or cocktails…….. so I casually mentioned Crazee Burger. To be honest, I've always thought the place a bit more hype, with the game meats more of a gimmick. But heck, the Missus was game (no pun intended) so why not? We did luck out and arrived at 11am to find the place empty. it can get pretty crowded here.

We each ordered our burgers……of course we were told, as it seems to be fashionable these days, the "we recommend our burger cooked pink." Which is just perfect for me. We got our sauces on the side….after all, we wanted to taste the meat right?

And heck I'd always wanted a hopper to try kangaroo, which is what I got ($12.95):

The was pretty dry and gritty….it was also well done, so much for the "we serve our burgers medium" shtick, which is kind of a pet peeve. This was very mild with an off tasting, slight metallic after taste. The creamed horseradish sauce….was neither creamy, nor did it really taste of horseradish. Rather, it was like runny mayonnaise. This was also not seasoned, which it could have used…..some good salt and pepper, not what tasted like iodized stuff in the shaker on the table.

Now I'm determined to buy some kangaroo next time to see how it compares.

The Missus got an ostrich burger ($13.49), which did remind me of my previous experience with ostrich….that is, a bit on the dry side.

The flavor was clean, but again, this could have used some seasoning. The sauce provided, a lemon-chive-cream sauce was a bit better than the horseradish sauce, but still too bland and runny for me. This was also served "well done".

I explained to the Missus that based on my previous experience with ostrich, I expected dry, so when I made my burger, I added some minced red onion, a couple of tablespoons of panko, fresh ground black pepper, and roasted garlic olive oil. I tried to keep the mild clean taste of ostrich, but worked at keeping moisture as well. These patties looked like 100% meat…..the thought is nice, but man it can be dry.

In terms of prices, even though the burgers were no-frills, wild game is more expensive than beef. A regular 100% angus beef plain burger will just set you back five bucks here. The portion sizes are nice. There are about 8 draft beers on tap and several bottled….the interior is rather small and it was starting to get pretty crowded when we left. Two young ladies were nice….you order at the counter and they'll bring your order to your table. Overall, not terrible, but not all that great….the game meats seem more like a gimmick…….

Crazee Burger
4201 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

Thanksgiving Brunch: Sea Harbour – Rosemead (Los Angeles)

November 25, 2012 mmm-yoso Dim Sum, Los Angeles County, Road Trip

This year we decided to dust off an old tradition, one we'd put away into the closet over 5-6 years back and grab some dim sum on Thanksgiving day. Over the years we've become less satisfied with the inconsistent and plain low quality of the dim sum in San Diego. Instead, we opted to drive to our favorite place for dim sum Sea Harbour. We made really great time on our trip to the SGV, having time to grab some roast duck for dinner (a later post) before arriving at the doors to the restaurant about 10 minutes before opening. Sea Harbour is one of those places with an eternal line during weekends and holidays, you either get there early, or try to time the first major turnover of tables.

On this day, the line dictated a major seating effort and the place was at full capacity ten minutes past ten.

Service was bit confused at first and while not exactly the most friendly, much better than Shanghai No. 1, where the asking of the most simplest question (like, "could I have a menu?), would cause them to give us a pained look like Dr Szell had been working on them for a couple of hours, "Oh, don't worry. I'm not going into that cavity. That nerve's already dying. A live, freshly-cut nerve is infinitely more sensitive. So I'll just drill into a healthy tooth until I reach the pulp." You almost thought they were trained here. 'Nuff said……

For some reason the Missus wanted some Gailan…..

They obviously brush some oil on it to give this poached vegetable some sheen. As gailan goes, this was fine, but I thought the oyster sauce was very good.

We usually go fairly light and at Sea Harbour go primarily with seafood. The hargow was good, nicely pleated, the wrappers not too think nor too sticky.

The shrimp were plump and cooked well…my only complaint were that these were perhaps too big, you couldn't eat them in a single bite. Which I guess is not much of a complaint at all.

I loved the Shrimp, dried scallops, and Chinese celery dumplings on our previous visits. These did not disappoint.

Nice wrappers, not too sticky, the savory flavor of the shrimp and dried scallops, with a nice textural counterpoint and the palate cleansing flavor of the Chinese celery. Still a favorite.

We always try something new when we visit Sea Harbour. On this visit it was the Radish Cake with XO Sauce. We usually avoid ordering these because we make it at home, but the allure of the XO sauce could not be avoided. This dish totally changed our opinion of Radish/Turnip Cake.

There were huge pieces of daikon in these, not shreds, that literally melted in your mouth! The texture was excellent. The XO sauce wasn't artificially salty and just added a touch of spice, with a nice savory touch. But those tender chunks of radish cake….I'm sure we'll be having those again.

The clunker of the day….and there always seems to be one, was the vegetarian Black Fungus and Celery Dumpling.

Nice textures, but pretty bland.

I was looking forward to trying the Egg Tofu in Abalone Sauce.

Loved the texture of the egg tofu, the sauce was pretty mild though.

At this point, we were satisfied but waiting on one item. We asked one of the gentlemen about it and he efficiently went to check the kitchen and told us "exact, three minutes"…and about three and a half minutes later our Pan Grilled Spinach Pork Bun. The Missus thinks this is too sweet, but I usually love the flavors. Today, I was less then satisfied with the dough which had the texture of dough where steam had escaped leaving it on the harder, waterlogged side.

I still enjoyed the filling, so I'll just have to wait until our next visit to see……

Overall, our tab came to about $35. Which may be expensive if you dim sum in LA, but not so much if you've had it in San Diego recently. Plus, there's nothing here that comes remotely close to this in quality, prep, and flavor.

Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant
3939 Rosemead Blvd
Rosemead, CA 91770

We made two more stops before heading home; first to Tianjin Bistro for some "day after" suan cai yang rou, then the market for some supplies. We had smooth sailing until the 5/405 merge…after that it was pure murder until we hit Carlsbad, where traffic suddenly dissapated…..very strange!

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year!

Recently Consumed: Ostrich Patties with Bacon and Poached Egg, Merguez, Sriracha-Honey-Garlic Wings, and other stuff

November 24, 2012 mmm-yoso Cooking, yoso-silly

Here's some of the stuff we've been cooking over the last week.

Ostrich Patties with Bacon and Poached Egg:

We stopped by Seisel's and while I was buying calves liver for Da' Boyz, the Missus brought me a package from Seisel's "Frozen Protein Zoo". This time it was ostrich….. this one was going to be fairly straight forward, the Missus wanted simple pan fried "burgers" to have with bacon and poached eggs. I told Her that my one previous experience with Ostrich was that it was D-R-Y. But the Missus doesn't mind dry….so I went ahead and made some ostrich patties. Red onions, a bit of panko, roasted garlic olive oil, granulated garlic, fresh ground pepper, and sea salt. I pan fried these in bacon fat, trying to save every little bit of moisture. I turned out to be dead wrong….man this was moist and tender. And the Missus loved it! I had mine on rice, loco moco style with a light pan sauce……man, this was really good.

The flavor wasn't very exotic….think clean-beefy without a bovine aftertaste.

The Missus had Hers paradoxical new age style…….on quinoa, but with bacon and poached eggs (cage free vegetarian of course…sheesh!).

She actually ate the leftover patty, making a sort of "dirty rice" with kale and quinoa……

Merguez Sandwich:

I went to Whole Paycheck with the Missus and was checking out the meat department, when I noticed they had Merguez! I guess it's one of the standard items they carry. Merguez was one of my favorite items from our trip to Tunisia and I was excited to see these. The price wasn't too bad, $6.99 a pound and the really nice woman behind the meat counter even checked on the ingredients…..100% lamb! My favorite preparation of these sausages were fried….which is what I did. Ate it in a roll, with harissa (of course)…..this was really nice.

These were actually pretty good, even more spicy than Tunisia. The sausages there were a bit more dense, less moist, thinner, and more gamey. The seasoning was pretty close and the casing was thin, which was perfect.

I was really happy eating these as it brought back some nice memories.

I'll definitely have these again.

The Missus even made a shaved kale and brussel sprout salad with pomegranate dressing.

Sriracha-Honey-Garlic Wings:

I bought some chicken wings……and decided to just grab some items out of the pantry.

A bit too sweet, so it needs a bit of work. Nice and sticky-crunchy though!

So there you go…..

What have you made at home recently?

Mushroom Risotto Arancini

November 23, 2012 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

On my last recently consumed post, I noted that I had gone through the two day process for making my mushroom risotto. This time around, I used up my parmesan rind in the stock to make the risotto….which added a wonderful flavor to the risotto, but also made it really rich, perhaps too rich for the Missus as we had a good amount leftover. The left me just the opening I needed to make something I'd been itching to try….Arancini, basically rice croquettes of Sicilian origin. Most arancini have additional filling, meat, a ragu, or the like, but the mushroom risotto had so much flavor I just moved forward "plain jane".

I did make a spicy fresh tomato sauce with some that were getting a bit soft paired with a nice fresh chanterelle mushroom ragu, that was pretty much like this. Roasted baby eggplant finished the whole thing off.

This was super easy….I used panko instead of breadcrumbs, but it was a total by-the-numbers egg wash deal.

I didn't want these too large, so used one of the missus' scoops for cookie dough, then rolled into a golf ball size orb.

Deep fry at 350, until they float, remove for a minute, then place back into oil for about another minute or so.

I knew that I'd enjoy these, but didn't know just how good they would be! Crunchy at first bite, then practically melting in your mouth…. Really delici-yoso!!!

The sauces were a nice compliment. The Missus didn't care for the tomato version, but I thought it really helped to cut the richness.

I'm sure to be making these again…..it almost has me wishing for leftover risotto!

Happy Thanksgiving

November 22, 2012 mmm-yoso Blog

To you and yours from the gang here at mmm-yoso!

Best wishes for a delici-yoso and safe holiday!

Hope you all get some delicious fresh turkey…….

Sakura’s Son of Different Mothers: Restaurant Kazu

November 20, 2012 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Italian Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants

I'll be the first to say that "Japano-Italian" cuisine has never been a favorite of mine. which I readily admitted when I first mentioned that Sakura was opening up a second restaurant, this one specializing in the Japanese-Italian hybrid. I've had this fusion several times, at a couple of places back home in Hawaii and at Spoon House and Akane Chaya in Gardena. Don't quite know what it is; but I've never really enjoyed Uni Spaghetti and such. So I really thought I'd just leave the posts on the place up to Dennis, who has affinity for this type of dishes. Sure enough, the ever dependable Dennis had a post soon after the very, very, soft opening. Which didn't make me get up and grab some napolitan….. Until…. a FOY (Friend of Yoso), "MichaelC" emailed me, telling me how he enjoyed his meal at "Restaurant Kazu". I call it that because….much like Sakura, the place has no sign.

I decided to visit on a quiet weeknight evening when the Missus was tied up elsewhere. There's just a simple chalkboard sign out front with today's specials.

The small dining area is somewhat intimate, mildly stylish, without being stuffy.

The menu reflects what's on the chalkboard outside with other dishes that I would come to know as the "standards" here….like the creamy uni spaghetti. Appetizers run $4-$12 with entrees going for $10 and up. The menu has been slightly different on every visit.

One thing that stays the same is the slice of bread and a little dish of balsamic vinegar with olive oil.

It's been basically the two same young ladies working here on all my visits. They are both friendly, have a great sense of humor, and are overall a joy.

I started with something a bit different I saw on the appetizer menu; the Squid Ceviche. This was a major surprise for me in flavor.

First off, the texture of the squid was up to Sakura standards. Light chew, but quite tender. The flavors took me by surprise, there was a bit of heat going on, along with a good deal of lime juice. It was a bit on the sweet side; almost palm sugar sweet, which I enjoyed. On another visit, I found it a bit too sweet, but this time it really woke me up. With the cilantro, it almost seemed like a Thai style dish, bold flavors, which I enjoyed.

I went with the carbonara, which was kind of runny.

I liked the portion size, not too massive. It was beyond any doubt, a carb bomb. The pasta was just cooked to perfection….something, along with all the dishes using the same pasta, I'd find on subsequent visits.

Overall, I thought this better than expected. It was a nice, unhurried, relaxed meal. The two servers were very friendly and answered, or tried to answer my questions….many of which, like "when is the grand opening" had no answer.

So, on another evening, I had to dine solo, what better place to go than back here, right? This meal was just the opposite of my previous, with the appetizer, the "Italian Chicken Wings" (you know me and wings, right?) being pretty much a fail.

This was too salty…even for me, it was also kind of greasy. One of the wings wasn't fully cooked.

On the other hand, I really enjoyed the Shishito Pepper with Mushrooms and Yuzu Pepper, Japanese style ($13). The secret to this dish….yuzukosho, a strong fermented paste of yuzu peel and chili pepper, which added a nice citrus zip to the dish.

The pasta again cooked perfectly, the shishito adding a nice crunch to the meaty mushrooms. Again, pretty high on the carb ratio and it did seem like something I could make at home, but I did enjoy it. Plus, that little seed, of using yuzukosho in a different way had been planted.

I again joked with my servers about the mysterious grand opening and when I was told that the place was going to actually have a sign, I couldn't help but laugh….I told them "I'll believe it when I see it."

A couple of days later, the Missus was tied up during a weekend day. On my previous visit, I was told that lunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 to 3. So why not? Same servers, same smiles, same laughs when I asked "where's the sign?" Lunch is prix fixe, in the typical Japanese "lunch set" way. You have a base lunch, which starts at $12, you can substitute items, or change items.

It comes with coffee or orange juice….I rarely drink coffee, but on this day……

It smelled familiar….and it did turn out to be Starbucks.

The standard issue salad was a simple mix of arugula and romaine, which I enjoy.

Except that the vinaigrette was a bit too sour and this would have been much better with a sliver or two of some milky cheese to help cut the acid.

The standard issue soup was a surprisingly tart minestrone.

The vegetables were really on the crunchy side, which I don't mind at all.

For my main, I went with what MichaelC recommended, the Squid Ink Pasta which was a $2 up charge.

This is sauce made with squid ink, not the pasta. The better squid ink I've had has a mild briney flavor to it, but not much else to it. This one had a slight bitterness and bit more garlic than I expected. It also felt a bit on the rich side, so I was glad to have the tomatoes in the dish. Loved the way the squid was cooked and the pasta was again cooked perfectly.

I also noticed that the portion sizes seemed to have gotten larger during this visit. Overall, it was nice lunch……so when Candice, Ange, Peter, and I had to meet up to plan a little project we have, I thought why not?

We ended up having more food than I could document….mainly because we had such a fun time chatting. The Shishito Pepper with Mushrooms and Yuzu Pepper was again a winner, along with the Cod Roe, Salmon, Roe, Shiso Leaves, and Seaweed Cold Pasta ($14).

Though I really would have appreciated a bit more ikura.

We also enjoyed the Baby Anchovies and Japanese Bell Pepper Peperoncino ($13).

Sort of like a really mild aglio e olio.

As you can imagine, having the same pasta got a bit tedious. Several of the other dishes really didn't make a great impression; the Bagna Cauda was bland, the ribs not very good, and the seafood in the vongole biagno was overcooked, the mussels rubbery. Service was very nice and accommodating. Candice mentioned that the wine list looked way over-priced (a bottle of Kendall Jackson $42!), and the beer options were either the Budweiser of Italy; Peroni, or Asahi, which is what we had.

Oh, and still no grand opening or sign in sight! I realize that for someone who is not really into Japano-Italian food, I've sure eaten here quite a bit in the last couple of months. You can't say I didn't do my due diligence on this one. I do enjoy the lightness of some of the dishes, have enjoyed the servers, oh, and you can tell I really like my carbs, right? Don't go here expecting a meat-fest, you'll be disappointed. The portion sizes seem to have gotten bigger, though I think they can cut back on the pasta and make the dishes more well rounded.

Restaurant Kazu
3904 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111
Current Hours:
Dinner – Tues-Sun 5pm – 10pm
Lunch – Sat-Sun 11am – 3pm
Closed on Mondays

Thanks again for the email Michael!

Sunday Stuffs: Eater San Diego, Two more places opening near Morena, and Zion has a sign.

November 18, 2012 mmm-yoso Korean Restaurants, yoso-silly

Just a couple of things for a lazy Sunday.

Welcome to Eater San Diego:

I've had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know quite a few great folks during my time doing our humble little blog. One of the nicest by far is Candice Woo. Who I'm happy to note is now the Editor-Writer-Jack of all trades for the newly launched Eater San Diego. It's nice to see the Eater expand to San Diego, I often read and even link to Eater LA. So take a look when you have a chance.

Two new restaurant/lounge/bars coming to the Morena area.

This morning I was driving back from my weekly tank filling ritual at Costco, when I noticed that the taco shop on Avanti Drive right off of Morena was now something called, Oasis Restaurant and Lounge. It's in the same strip mall as Boll Weevil.

I took a peek inside and I'm pretty sure this ain't a taco shop. Interesting location.

4033 Avanti Drive – Right off Morena Blvd.

Further down the street construction is going on at this place.

Dan Diegos? It's good to see new places popping up…….soon this will become Morena's restaurant row. So far, I haven't been too impressed with a couple of the places that have popped up. Hopefully, this will be a winner…..

2415 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110

And now to give Zion Market sort of equal time:

I drove by and saw the Zion Market sign is finally up….and on the week of H Mart's grand opening. Must just be a coincidence, right?

I heard they are opening early next year.

7655 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111