mmm-yoso – Page 315

Sunday Sandwiches: Tropical Oasis

June 5, 2011 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Sandwiches

Though my heart (or perhaps stomach) belongs to Banh Mi, I also enjoy a good torta once in a while. Not an over-stuffed massive beast of a torta, but something on a nice toasted bolillo, a balanced amount of decently flavored and moist protein (i.e. pork or beef). For me, there's something nice and summery about wrapping your hands around a yeasty smelling roll….. well, perhaps that's not putting my best typing foot forward, but I hope you understand what I mean.

More then a few months ago; a co-worker, "KM" told me about a Juice Bar – Smoothie – Sandwich shop that her husband enjoys called Tropical Oasis off of Telegraph Canyon Road in Chula Vista. I few weeks later I just happened to be in the area…. and went looking for it. The reason I'd never seen it before is that I usually go East on Telegraph Canyon, always looking to my right getting off the 805. If I'd just look at ten o'clock while exiting the freeway, I might have seen the place.

The shop is small, with a few tables, brightly colored walls, and looked very clean and smoothee-ish, if you know what I mean.

KM's husband had a recommendation for me; but I decided to try something a bit…. well simpler, for reasons that would become clear later on. I just went with the simple Torta de Lomo:

The sandwich took a while, but once I sat down and went to work, I found that I rather enjoyed this simple roasted pork sandwich.

The pork was moist, and had a simple, straightforward pork flavor, with a pleasant, almost "clean" finish…. you know what I mean; I didn't feel like I needed a shower and a nap (in that order) after eating this. The thinly sliced red onion added a bit of bite, the avocado rich-creaminess, the tomato a tart-acid presence. Overall, a decent sandwich.

A few weeks later, I was in the area again, and decided to try out the sandwich that KM told me her husband gets. The Torta Ahogada. Again it took a while for my sandwich, but what arrived looked positively monstrous….. good thing I didn't order the "Dinosaurio"! I really enjoyed the toasted and crusty bolillo.

The inner workings of the sandwich was just a decent portion of lomo, just like it should be…..everything else was on the outside……holes were cut into the top of the rolls and sour cream (crema agria) were smeared in and around the "pukas"(holes) , tangy and sour, this also added a cooling element when the hot sauce came into play. Pickled jalapenos added a bit more heat to the whole deal.

I had the notion of pouring the sauce over my sandwich; after all, much like getting a "double-dipped" at Phillipe's, it ain't the real thing unless it is drenched….after all ahogada literally means "drowned", right? I felt, well, much too civilized eating the sandwich. It also would have been great if the sandwich were made using a birote salado, but hey, sourcing bread from Guadalajara doesn't make much sense if you're only selling a couple of these a day. The hot sauce was okay, nothing particularly outstanding. I will say this, though I thought the bread at the El Gallito Tortas Ahogadas truck was outstanding, the pork here was better. If I recall KM's husband's family is from Guadalajara, and he enjoys these…so there you go.

I'd say the sandwiches at Tropical Oasis are decent, as good as any of your fine neighborhood sandwich shops. The service is a bit slow, but the two women working the place are very polite. Maybe not worth a special trip, but if you happen to be in the area and want a torta….this may not be a bad choice.

Tropical Oasis All Natural Juice Bar
417 Telegraph Canyon Rd
Chula Vista, CA 91910

St. Spyridon’s Greek Festival 2011

June 4, 2011 mmm-yoso Festivals & Events, Greek Food

It used to be that we'd attend St. Spyridon's Greek Festival every year. But over the last couple of years because of trips or work, we've missed their annual Greek Festival. I really wanted to make sure to check the festival out this year. I did have a Birthday to attend yesterday, and the Missus was working, but because admission was free from 5 – 10 pm, I thought it wouldn't hurt to just drop by.

And it was a perfect evening for a festival.

There was a decent sized crowd for 5 pm on a Friday, and all the usual suspects were present, such as the Deli, where you can get Greek food stuffs and of course the pastries!

The indoor "Dining Room" is usually the busiest, and this year no different as the line stretched from one end of the building to the other.

Because I had only a short amount of time I didn't anticipate getting anything to eat….. that is until the smell of lamb and sausages grilling over charcoal got the better of me. So I did grab a lamb plate from the Taverna:

This was much better than I recall, moist and tender, with a tad of the "flavor of the pasture". I ate at a one of the stand up tables, and watched a Dad teaching his daughter some Greek dance steps…. well I think it was Greek dance steps.

The new thing this year is the Greek Wine Bar, where you can purchase glasses or flights of Greek Wines.

Sorry about the lack of photos, but I only had a couple of minutes, which ended up being just enough time to stuff my face! As I walked back across Park Boulevard, the very friendly Traffic Control woman (I guess that's what they call crossing guards for adults) smiled at me and said "wow, that was fast, you must eat quick!" I laughed and told her "I know, it's terrible to eat and run!"

The festival runs through 10 pm tonight, and from 11am through 9 pm tomorrow, Sunday, June 5th. Admission is free from 11am to 1pm on Sunday. More information on the festival's website. Parking is thoughtfully provided at Roosevelt Junior High with a shuttle bus running to the festival every couple of minutes.

Sorry for the late post, but I hope you can make it!

St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church's Greek Festival
3655 Park Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92103

Trying to cure a craving part 1: Tan Ky Mi Gia, Pho Convoy Noodle House, Minh Ky, and Toan Ky Restaurants

June 1, 2011 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

It was really strange during those couple of days after returning from vacation. Much like last year's trip, I got back to wonderful San Diego feeling kinda…. well, melancholy I guess might be the right word. I was really relaxed and all, but after all of that eating, walking, and almost constant moving from place to place, planning our next day's activities, doing the logistics of where we had to be…. my mind and body was in a different mode. And sadly, during our entire trip, I really didn't crave anything….. the Missus kept asking me what food I missed, I often said "nothing". Trying to convince myself that I should be missing something other then Da' Boyz, I finally said "noodles". "Well, what kind of noodles?" "Ummm, well….. yeah, egg noodles…yeah, egg noodle soup, that's what I'm craving." So right after returning we headed to:

Tan Ky Mi Gia in Mira Mesa:

**** Tan Ky Mi Gia has closed

A place I've included in posts numerous times over over the years, often in themed posts (sorta like this one). Some Roast Duck Egg Noodle Soup would surely do the trick, until it arrived at the table:

That duck really didn't look what I had before. The skin was tough, the meat was also tough… and greasy. The noodles were prepared well, but the broth was super salty. Sigh…….

Tan Ky Mi Gia
9330 Mira Mesa Blvd #A
San Diego, CA 92126

By this time I'd really convinced myself that it was egg noodle soup that I was missing. Still, I really wasn't motivated to get into my car and drive down to City Heights…. so instead I decided to…

Gather anecdotal evidence to see if the inverse of a "rule" was true at Pho Convoy Noodle House:

**** Pho Convoy Noodle House has closed

You heard that rule, right? Never have Pho' at a place that doesn't have "Pho" in its name. Well, I was wondering if the inverse was true…. "never have Mi at a place with Pho in its name." And Pho Convoy Noodle House was the closest suspect. At first I was taken aback at that the price of the Mi Dac Biet (House special egg noodle soup) was $6.65…..but you have to remember, the last time I had Mi here was back in 2005!

I really don't remember getting the typical garnish for Pho' with my egg noodle soup. And was surprised at the size of the bowl that arrived at my table, and how much noodles were in it. Mushed up, tangled, overcooked noodles….. some of it cooked into clumps….

The broth was a bit too mild in flavor for me…. though the portion size was pretty huge.

Pho Convoy Noodle House
4647 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

So perhaps it was true?

Now I had to confirm that you had to go a place like Minh Ky to get proper egg noodle soup:

I've been going to Minh Ky for quite a while; looking back, I noticed that I first posted on the place back in January 2006, man that's quite a while. I've become a fan of the Mi Sate Kho, the Sate Egg noodle Dry at Minh Ky, and that's what I've been eating on most of our visits, though the place has also been part of a few theme posts. I decided to order a Combination Egg Noodle Soup.

This was quite good; the noodles cooked to perfection, with a nice pull and crunch. The shrimp, fish balls, and other stuff, well…… just routine. The broth was solid, mildly pork, hints of what tasted a bit oceany to me…salty, but not too MSG laden. Not a huge bowl, but just right for my appetite.

I should have sat back in my chair, and let out a good "aaaah", but I didn't. For some reason, this didn't do it for me…… it was good, but not what I really wanted.

Minh Ky Restaurant
4644 El Cajon Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92115

So what the heck did I want…… perhaps it was one of my favorites when I'm feeling a bit under the weather; Beef Sate Egg Noodle "dry", that is soup on the side. And I thought that I'd give a place that I really didn't care for on my previous visits a try….

Toan Ky Restaurant in Linda Vista:

**** Toan Ky has closed

I of course ordered the Mi Sate Kho, and when the bowl(s) arrived I was a bit surprised. First, at over six bucks a bowl, this was a pretty small portion, even for me. And what's with the fried won ton wrappers? What was this, Mandarin Canton?

The beef sate egg noodle "dry" is served a bit differently here. First, instead of being served egg noodles blanched in the standard Mi broth, served with the sauteed sate (say that five times quickly) sauce, beef, tomato, onions, and what have you, with the broth on the side. The noodles were served blanched in broth and almost everything else was in a fairly small bowl on the side. The beef was a thin sliced Pho cut, dumped in the broth to "cook"….. and what to do about the Thai Basil? Of course the sign does say Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese…… This tasted pretty watered down…. and that's saying a lot when it comes to sate.

The noodles were well cooked and under the noodles were bean sprouts and green onions…. which told the story of how this bowl was put together…. just like regular egg noodle soup, then rolled out into a bowl. Actually, just the noodles themselves tasted ok….. so even though this place is priced like Minh Ky and Tan Ky, and serves kinda snack sized servings, I may return to give the egg noodle soup another try.

Toan Ky Restaurant
6925 B Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111

I did get a kick out of the two guys who walked in and ordered "Foe", as in Fee Fie Foe Fum…. followed by another young lady who ordered the same thing… Foe… but when I stared over at their noodle soup, I had to agree…. it looked like "Foe".

Getting back to my craving….. still not satiated…. I was feeling so, well, blah, and unmotivated when it came to food. I'd already been home for a couple of weeks, what to do?

Stay tuned for part 2.

Istanbul: The Basilca Cistern and Kokorec

May 31, 2011 mmm-yoso Istanbul, Travel, Turkey, Turkish Food

The Missus and I took a much needed nap after a fairly busy day that included two lunches. I managed to wake after about forty minutes, refreshed. The Missus, well, She was reluctant to drag Herself ot of bed. Deciding to let Her rest, I was going to take a walk, or do something…. but what, and where?

Earlier in the morning, as we walked back to the hotel, we passed by a stone structure known as The Million Stone. Built by Constantine the Great in the Fourth Century, the structure literally marked the center of the city, and was used as the landmark by which distances were officially calculated from Constantinople. A couple of yards away, and just a few steps from our hotel was this pretty humble building.

The sign said it was something called the Basilica Cistern…… we really hadn't read anything about it, and the Missus really wasn't interested in checking out water storage. But now, with some time on my hands, I opened my Lonely Planet Guide and what I read was interesting enough to motivate me to check it out while the Missus continued Her nap. Just as I was about to walk out the door She told me "wait, I better get up. Hold on a couple of minutes and I'll go with you." And I think She's glad to have made that decision.

When Constantine the Great moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople in 330 AD (or somewhere thereabout) he had the Great Palace of Byzantium built. According to what I've read, the complex was huge, and stretched from the current location of the Hippodrome and Hagia Sofia, all the way down to the old sea walls. Not much remains of the Great Palace, but the Basilica Cistern still remains. It's called the Basilica Cistern because it lay beneath the Stoa Basilica, a major square in Constantinople, and is believed to have stored water for the Great Palace. The cistern might have been lost to time if not for French Scholar Petrus Gyllius who was in Istanbul searching for ancient texts. According to the story, which I just love, Gyllius was told that people in the area would fetch fresh water from holes in their basement…. and they even caught fish through those holes! After doing some exploration, Gyllius found some stone steps in the garden of a house which led to the cistern. Man, that's some story…..

450 years later, I think the Missus is glad that we paid our admission and walked down the 52 stone steps….. you could here dripping water in spite of the voices around us. The air is cool, the ceilings high, the lighting makes you feel like you've entered one of those adventure movies………

You walk along and elevated wooden platform, sometimes staring a huge carp swimming in the water. There are several of the 336 columns in the cistern which garner a lot of attention. The first one you'll come across is the Hen's Eye column. These match the Hen's eye's on the column's of the Triumphal Arch of Theodosius.

But the two columns that garner the most attention are the two "Medusa Head Columns".

No one really knows the origin of the two Medusa Heads. As for the upside down and sideways placement, one explanation is that the heads were placed in this manner to neutralize the effect of Medusa's stare. There is of course the theory that the heads were placed in their specific position simply because they happen to fit that way. I dunno 'bout you; but explanation number one sounds a lot more fun!

Speaking of fun, we were glad that we visited the Basilica Cistern.

Those James Bond fans out there will recognize the cistern from the 007 flick From Russia with Love. I got a strange feeling that I had seen this place recently….. and was right, I saw the courtyard of the Blue Mosque, and the cistern in the movie The International.

After visiting the Basilica Cistern, we decided to return to Eminonu (by the Galata Bridge). The area around the Spice Market is full of food stands and carts. I saw, well actually first smelled something I wanted to try earlier in the day. Kokorec, basically organ meat wrapped with the intestines of lamb, looking like a spool of yarn…. well grey-brown yarn, at this stand it was sliced, then stir fried with peppers, then placed in a rather bulky roll, ready to eat….. Half a roll with Kokorec (Yarim Kokorec) is just 3 TRY (appox $1,75 US).

I didn't know what to expect, but man this was delicious……salty, rich, almost fatty, crunchy bits, with a nice bit of spice this stood up to the large bread real well.

There was a almost buttery taste to this….. and after returning home, I did a search on Gala Kokorec; and low a behold, the place is mentioned in a post on Istanbul Eats! (You can find a nice photo of Kokorec there) Apparently, this place wraps sweetbreads in the tendrils of intestine! No wonder it tasted so good.

The Missus loves a good deal; so when She saw the sign, and the line in front of Sadik Bufe, Doner Kebab and Ayran (yogurt drink) for 2 TRY (think $1.25) She couldn't resist. I did tell Her that this was chicken….but that moratorium went by the wayside for sake of a bargain.

And though the sandwich was mostly bread……

In spite of the huge bread, the meat was super flavorful, smokey and crisp, so you could actually taste the stuff in all that bread. It wasn't going to make anyone's tastebuds do the "happy dance", but for a bit over a buck? The ayran on the other hand, was the most absolute worst I had in Turkey……. tasted like slightly sour salt water…..

We sat on little kiddie stools, which reminded me of Hanoi. After finishing off our sandwiches, we headed into the Spice Market and though most of the shops were closed or closing, the Missus got some nice tea and something for Her sweet tooth from here.

After which we headed back to our hotel……. The Hotel Ares. You really couldn't beat the location; literally feet from everything. The room were a bit small…..check out the location of the toilet. I'm betting if you were fairly large, you wouldn't fit.Also, the placement of the bed was kinda strange….

Due to the location of the wall, I literally had to step/climb over the Missus to get out of bed. Yes, the room here were pretty small….everything was clean though. We thought the price at 133 Euros ($190) a night was kinda steep, and after the front desk told us it would cost us 50 Euros for an airport transfer (we did the tram and metro thing – and found out that other places charge 5 Euros a piece!) we decided on other accommodation on our trips back to Istanbul.

After listening to the final call to prayer in the evening we both fell into a sound sleep……… a woke ready for the next leg of our trip!

Thanks for reading! And my next post will be on San Diego, I promise!

Istanbul: The Spice Market and Pastirma

May 30, 2011 mmm-yoso Istanbul, Travel, Turkey, Turkish Food

Following our lunch in the Fish Market we walked back across the Galata Bridge. One can easily spot the (Egyptian) Spice Bazaar as you cross the street from the bridge.

Originally built in the 1660's as part of Yeni Mosque, it is commonly called the Egyptian Bazaar because during the Ottoman era, the bazaar, which support the Mosque next to it, sold many items from Egypt.

It was pretty funny, we entered the market via one of the side streets drawn in by the lack of a huge crowd……

And the enticing food stalls…….

You know I just can't resist a market……

You learn so much about the what folks eat…. and in turn the culture…..

At first I thought these were pigs feet….. but really had my doubts since Turkey is overwhelming Muslim. Turns out these were Mutton Feet.

Suddenly, about fifty feet into the market, we were caught in a crush of people……which was pretty much how it was for the rest of the time we spent in the market.

Besides the thousand or so Lokum (Turkish Delight), dried fruit, nut, and Spice (Turkish Viagra anyone? Scary thing is, it looks like candy!) stands, are other stands selling everything from kitchen wares to hardware, which was great for us since I had a voltage converter, but found that all the outlets were recessed! Lucky, one of the handy dandy stands sold an adapter…. best 3 TRY ($1.75 or so) I spent!

In need of a break, I stopped when I saw this:

I asked the very friendly (like everyone else, it seems) gentleman behind the counter if this was "pastirma" and was told "yes, yes…. you want?"

Which gave the Missus time to check out the wonderful collection of mezes……

Which led the Missus to get a sampling of meze…. Her favorite was this:

I'm not quite sure what this was, as I believe Koruk Eksisi is what they call grape vinegar…….

Still it was delicious. This shop had a dining area on the second (where there was a hot food – steam table operation) and third floors. Which is where we settled in and had our second "lunch" of the day.

The Missus just had a small variety of meze…..

I had a Pastirma sandwich. Pastirma is a cured, air dried beef. I read that Turkish Horsemen used to place slabs of spice cured meat in the sides of their saddles. The process of pressing the meat by their legs would enhance the curing process…. creating Pastirma… literally "pressed meat". If the name sounds familiar; I've read from more then one source (including an article in Savuer) that this is the origin of Pastrami.

The meat itself is highly spiced, and quite strong in flavor. It stood up well to the aged goat cheese. The flavor came through real well. It was too strong for the Missus but I enjoyed it. The tomato added a nice acid touch, which cut through the spices.

I'd later find out that this place is a well known shop called Namli…. in fact, it's right there in the Lonely Planet guide to Turkey. In fact, we'd come to find that LP's guide to Turkey would turn out to be pretty good compared to other LP guides.

After eating we headed into the Spice Bazaar proper, and made our way through the crowds….

And piles of spices and tea……

Back out into the shadows of Yemi Camii……

Where boxes of tulips were set out bringing color to the crowd.

More on Yemi Camii later on, we were tired, and the walk back to our hotel in Sulthanamet put us in dire need of a nap!

Istanbul: The Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and a Fish called Hamsi

May 25, 2011 mmm-yoso Istanbul, Seafood, Travel, Turkey

As happens with all our trips we awoke early in the morning, this time to the 5 am call to prayer. We got up, and headed out for an early morning walk. In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the previous day; Divan Yolu Caddesi, the main street passing through this part of Istanbul was empty. There was a bit of a chill in the air, but nothing beats walking around at this time of the morning…. especially since the Missus was drawn to the Blue Mosque.

During this time of the morning the courtyard of the Blue Mosque is empty; in direct contrast to later visits when we entered the Mosque. On this morning we just walked the courtyard…..

A view of Hagia Sofia from the gates of the Blue Mosque……

Nobody around but the two of us…. and the local dogs, who were very well behaved….

This one took a liking to the Missus and followed Her everywhere.

He even managed to sneak into a couple of photos! Here he is wondering why the Missus is smiling at nothing…..

After walking around for a bit we headed back to our hotel, I showered, and we headed downstairs via the tiny lift for breakfast. The typical Turkish breakfast is jam, honey, cheese, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, some kind of meat, yogurt, juice, and some Turkish tea…..

And bread….. lots of bread, sometimes several varieties of bread; often including the standard "simit", sesame bread. They don't fool around….. we often got what amounted to almost a whole loaf! Eggs are always offered, but come on; after eating six slices of bread…. there ain't much room left!

Compared to what we had later on in the trip; this was mostly packaged stuff….. but it sure filled me up. Later on, the Missus would often whisper to me, "just because they give you twenty slices of bread doesn't mean you have to eat it!"

Then it was off to Topkapi Palace, one of the must see places in Istanbul.

Constructed by Mehmet the Conquerer who conquered Constantinople after a 57 day siege in 1453, the palace was home to a Ottoman Sultans for almost 400 years.

The complex is designed around four courtyards, and of course there is much to see……

Not the least of which are the views of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus……

Here's the Asian side of Istanbul, right across the Bosphorus.

Of all the rooms, structures, and displays at Topkapi Palace; there were two that really caught our interest. Unfortunately, both rooms, the Treasury, and the Sacred Trusts don't allow photos. In the Treasury you'll find the Sword of Suleyman, and the even more impressive Topkapi Dagger with the three gigantic emeralds in its hilt. There's even a watch set into it! Even more interesting for us was the Room of the Sacred Relics, which include the Holy Mantle of Prophet Muhammad, along with several other holy relics. There is also the Sword of David, the Staff of Moses, and the Skull of John the Baptist. It is said that when Sultan Selim I conquered the Middle East and North Africa he started bringing the relics back to the city.

One of the areas where you can take photos is within the fourth courtyard which features some beautiful tile panels…..

The wonderful tiles decorate the exterior of the circumcision room…….

The chamber is also beautifully decorated.

All told we spent a good three hours at Topkapi Palace…. and could have possibly spent a few more, but we didn't want to burn ourselves out.

Deciding to grab something to eat, we walked the couple of kilometers to the Galata Bridge which spans the Bosphorus. Starting on the European side we crossed the Golden Horn to Asia in less then 15 minutes! How's that for pretty cool? The current location for the bridge has been used since 1845 and bridge further up the waterway was built in 1836. But plans for a bridge at the current had been in the works for many centuries before the actual construction. Back in 1502, Sultan Bayezid II solicited none other than Leonardo da Vinci who came up with a revolutionary design that was not approved by the Sultan. Another design was requested from some Italian "Dude" who turned down the offer. Today's bridge was built in 1992, and is a lively spot; not only for 2 and 4 wheeled vehicles, but for foot traffic. On a sunny day, the bridge is lined with vendors and tons of men trying their luck fishing….. and socializing.

And of course there's food……. like the folks selling the very popular "Balik – Ekmek" (fish sandwiches – more about that in a future post).

I had read that there was a fish market on the Asian side of the Galata bridge so we went in search of it. Because if there's a fish market, there's bound to be at least one place serving it!

The market itself is fairly small; a couple of stands selling fish, and one or two produce stands.

There happened to be more restaurants then fish vendors on this particular day. One was doing some good business; and his customers seemed to be all older gentleman, who tend to be more picky eaters. So this was the place for us……

But before taking a seat, I inquired about some of the fishes available, and the cook actually let me look at the fishes.

Of course being Turkey; everything started with a huge hunk of bread!

And a plate of veggies…..

I'd heard about a specific fish that is very popular, and after reading posts about it on Istanbul Eats and Eating Asia, it was all Hamsi (European Anchovy) for me.

These were nicely fried. If you love the oil-ruch Anchovy you'll like these. A bit stronger than Shishamo (smelt) in flavor, these were too much for the Missus. I considered it a bargain at 5 TRY (about 3 bucks).

The fish I selected for the Missus, was Cinekop, baby bluefish 15TRY, which She loved:

With water the entire meal came out to 22 TRY (about $13.75)…. cheaper then the previous night's lousy dinner, and tons better.

The funny thing was, even though we were satisfied, we weren't done yet…. the Missus spied the Egyptian Spice Market while crossing back….. and there would be a second lunch today!

Stay tuned……..

Roasted Oyster Mushrooms with Balsamic Glaze

May 24, 2011 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

The Missus has been on a over roasted vegetable tear since we've returned from vacation…. we've been roasting vegetables almost daily so She can get Her fix. Bless Her heart, when the Missus is obsessed with something, She can eat it every day for weeks, sometimes months. There's a broccoli dish that I'm almost embarrassed to mention that She eats several times a week!

I on the other hand, need to have a bit of variety. Sitting staring at a pound of oyster mushrooms, having a bit of time on my hands, I decided to make a balsamic glaze……. one of the easiest things in the world. There's really no reason for buying the stuff from the supermarket. In this case. all it took was 1 cup of Balsamic Vinegar, and since this wasn't great quality, even though it was from Modena, I added 2 teaspoons of white sugar and reduced. Depending on the Balsamic, you may not need any sugar at all since Balsamic has its share of sugar. This one took about 45 minutes to reduce to the consistency I desired; a bit thinner than corn syrup.

I first mixed 3/4 cup of Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil with some Turkish Oregano, the last of my stash from Penzy's, 7 cloves of garlic finely minced, and some sea salt (use more then you think you'll need if you use good sea salt). I used this as sort of the marinade as I mixed it with the mushrooms and let sit for 20 minutes while I preheated my oven at 425 degrees.

I rubbed (don't use a paper towel, most of the oil will be soaked up) about 3 tablespoons of canola oil on a sheet pan a set it in the oven for a couple minutes to heat up. Placed the mushrooms in a single layer, slightly spaced, and let her rip for about 20-25 minutes. I opened and turned once so the mushrooms wouldn't brown too much or stick.

I removed the mushrooms from the oven, placed in a bowl, drizzled on some of the glaze, and gently mixed everything together………

Yes, another easy recipe. I still have some glaze left in the fridge. It's gotten a bit thick so I'll either microwave it or add a touch of water and warm it before using it again. Tightly covered and stored, this stuff can last for weeks……. I'm thinking, maybe a filet or some chicken perhaps?

Thanks for reading!

Cali Baguette Express – Convoy

May 23, 2011 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** This location has become Cali Banh Mi

I'd been waiting a while for Cali Baguette Express to open on Convoy. I figured that by the time we returned from vacation CBE would be open…. and we were kinda close; they opened the Saturday after we returned.

Banh Mi has been conspicuously absent from this part of Kearny Mesa for years. I know we have Sau Voi Deli in the 99 Ranch Market shopping area…. but I've never been a fan. The Missus enjoys the Banh Mi from Cali Baguette, and the Mira Mesa location tied for first on our MM Banh Mi sampling. The Missus was happy that we wouldn't need to drive down to the El Cajon Boulevard location when She craved a Banh Mi. The shop is bright and sunny; stack of canned Pate stacked up nicely, Cha Gio and Banh Pate Chaud in bright metal pans under the heat lamps.

On my first visit I went with, well good ol' #1, the Dac Biet (special – $3).

The bread didn't hold up well on my trip home, but otherwise this was pretty much the same as I've always had on my visits to the other locations, save one thing. There was muc more pate on it then usual, which was a mixed blessing….good for flavor, bad for bread.

I'm not sure what time this location opens, and keep on forgetting to ask. I do know when I pass on my way to work they aren't open yet. Too bad, because I enjoy the Banh Mi Trung (Egg – $2.75), which seriously beats out any other "Mc-whatevers" in my book.

At the ECB location, I've actually watch the women there crack the egg into the deep fryer! I don't think they do it that way at this location, but the combination of crunchy pickled daikon and carrots, the Maggi (which tastes good on everything), light a flakey Banh Mi really does it for me. This time the bread was very good!

I've never been a big fan of the Banh Mi Xiu Mai (meatball) at Cali Express…. I prefer the version at Saigon Sandwiches and Deli, but I thought I'd give it another shot.

And though the bread was perfect, I really didn't care for the crumbled very wet meatball…… the texture was too wet, almost like snot, not great mouthfeel.

Overall, I'm happy to see Cali Baguette Express….. when the weather gets a bit warmer, I'll probably be stopping by quite often on the way home. All I can really say is….. it's about time!

I nearly forgot a question I had….. has anyone ever tried the soup or rice dishes at CBE? There's a menu of stuff like Bun Bo Hue, Bun Rieu, and even Bo Kho, but I've never seen anyone (other then the owner, or the owner's kids) eating the stuff.

Cali Baguette Express
4425 Convoy Street
San Diego, CA 92111

Nanjing: Jianbing, Linggu Temple, and Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum

May 22, 2011 mmm-yoso China, Chinese Restaurants, Nanjing, Travel

I got a good night's sleep after a hectic day, anf the next morning my foot felt better. We had made plans for the day, and I just couldn't see letting my foot get in the way. After waking the first plan was to grab some breakfast we walked a couple of blocks and saw a couple of food stands on a side street. Of course it was the Jianbing (rolled pancake/crepe) that really caught our attention. Actually, this stand tried to pawn off some pre-made Jianbing on us, but the Missus "persuaded" the woman to make me a fresh one.

Meanwhile the Missus went for some porridge being sold at a neighboring stand.

Pretty much what the working person in Nanjing might grab for breakfast. Nothing exotic. I thought the Jianbing was okay, but the Missus said that it wasn't made very well; the texture was too chewy and "dead", and the youtiao was very greasy and soggy.

Still, it was nourishment. After this quick breakfast we set out looking for the bus to take us to the Zijin (Purple-Gold) Mountain area. We tracked down the bus route on a map we had, but couldn't find the bus stops. After walking all the way to the Fuzi Miao area we were stumped. After asking around, we found that due to road work the bus route had been temporarily changed. We were given instructions on the new bus route and finally found the bus stop…… which turned out to be two blocks from our hotel! Oh well…….. it's kind of funny now.

We finally made it to our destination. The bus was fairly empty, and I was able to elevate my foot, which brought some relief.

We first visted the Linggu Temple area.

The most fascinating place here was Wúliáng Diàn, the Beamless Hall, built in 1381.

The building is made entirely of stone and brick without any beams for support.

It is the only building in the Linggu Temple area that survives from the Ming Dynasty.

All that was interesting for me, but I really wanted to visit the Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum. Growing up in Hawaii, one could not help but learn of Dr Sun Yat Sen's time in Hawaii. If you ever go to the Chinese Cultural Plaza in Honolulu's Chinatown, you'll see a statue of Sun Yat-Sen. There's so much about Sun Yet-Sen's time in Hawaii, and you can read about his time in Hawaii here. Man, he went to both Iolani and what is now known as Punahou School (then known as O'ahu College). What really makes Sun Yat-Sen unique in my mind is that he is revered by both China and Taiwan as both a founding father of the PRC and the Republic of China.

The Missus and I had not seen any photos of the mausoleum, and I was a bit worried that it would be some gaudy, over-the-top monument. But I was pleased at the tasteful design.

Passing through the front gateway, you climb 392 steps to the vault……..

It is indeed quite a monument…….

Though having been taught that he was a very humble man, I could not help but wonder what he would have thought about this……

After spending a bit of time here, we caught the bus back to the main shopping area where a couple of T-shirts caught our eye. We don't usually buy much for us, but we saw these t-shirts and just had to get them.

Those who can read this will probably get a kick out of it. We even found one for my MIL which was very appropriate!

On the way back to the hotel, the Missus noticed…….

And after hitting up 85 C in Suzhou the Missus just had to stop here.

For some strong unsweetened tea and milk bread……. which seemed to be just the thing we needed.

More to come, thanks for reading!

Saturday Stuffs

May 21, 2011 mmm-yoso Blog

Just a couple of things I noticed……..

Koon Thai Kitchen:

Is opening in the old Curry House spot:

Insert joke about yet another Thai restaurant here…… Seriously, San Diego can always use another "good" Thai Restaurant. I don't think we need another Americanized, dumbed down, Thai restaurant. I'm wondering what this will be?

Imperial Mandarin moves…. sort of:

Right before leaving for Turkey and Greece, I noticed the sign for Imperial Mandarin was taken down. I thought that perhaps the long time Convoy restaurant had closed down. After returning from vacation, I took a drive down Convoy and noticed that Imperial Mandarin had simply given up the space for the larger half of the restaurant and is still around.

I've never been a big fan of Imperial Mandarin, but I'll admit a twinge of sadness when I believed the place had closed.

An interesting coincidence (I think):

Driving past Halmouny, I noticed that the location that was the original location and became the catering/panchan outlet when the restaurant moved next door had become something called…..

Sushi, Roll Depot. Depot? Doesn't depot mean something along the lines of a storage facility or transit station? I'm not sure about you, but I'm not really keen on eating sushi from a depot. Turns out that the folks involved with Halmouny is trying to get into the sushi business.

And just by coincidenceI drove up to Plaza del Sol to see what was going on with Nam An (it's still not open),, and noticed that Dokdo; a "Hwe", Korean sushi/sashimi restaurant (one day I'll do a post on the Hwe Dop Bop), was now advertising…..

"Convoy Tofu"…… So Grandmother's Tofu is serving sushi and Dokdo Sushi is serving Soon Doufu? Hmmmm…..