mmm-yoso – Page 343

Cafe Athena

November 9, 2009 mmm-yoso Greek Food

Finding a place to have Greek Food with the Missus can be a bit of a challenge. You see, the Missus doesn't care for the usual Moussaka-Gyros-Kabob-Dolmathes-Souvlaki-Greek Salad stuff. She'd much rather spend Her time with some pita and Fava Skordalia like this:

Or a simple Bamies (Okra) dish.

Unfortunately, it seems such Greek fare is hard to come by in San Diego. Or it could just be us; so if you have a recommendation let us know. Until then, we'll just kinda head off to Cafe Athena in Pacific Beach when we want something other than the Souvlaki-Gyros meatfest.

Cafe Athena is tucked back in the busy strip mall that houses Great Moon Buffet, Great News, and a ton of other businesses. It's kinda easy to miss, especially if you're circling around looking for a parking spot. There is outdoor and indoor seating, though the al fresco seating means the walkway, and you'll have patrons walking past you heading to and from the businesses upstairs, and if you rather not have the homeless dudes checking out your dolmathes you may want to sit elsewhere. The interior is clean, and a bit spartan, with the requisite paintings of the Blue roofed Santorini buildings. Our Server on each visit has been a very nice young lady whose name escapes us, but who is a joy.

The menu at Cafe Athena is a bit different from other Greek Restaurants we've been to in San Diego, and often times we'll make a meal of the various appetizers. Like the Fassoulia ($6.99), which in this case is a fairly simple marinated Fava Bean appetizer:

Mildly earthy, tangy, the Missus enjoys it with a dose of extra virgin olive oil.

Being garlic lovers, we of course always get the Skordalia($5.29), a basic garlic spread.

This is nice, fairly mild garlic paste. The grilled Anaheim Pepper is a nice touch, and the Missus often requests that I throw some peppers on the grill when I have the charcoal going.

When She first ordered it, I dared not tell the Missus that Taramosalata($5.49) was a Cod Roe dip. I don't think She would have ordered it if I had spilled the beans….

This has got to be the mildest Taramosalata I've ever had, though not in a bad way. It had the flavor of a very light Salmon Mousse and the texture of hummus.

Just a dip or two, some warm pita, and olive oil can make for a pretty decent meal on a warm afternoon or evening.

I will usually get the Papoutsakia (stuffed eggplant) Sandwich ($6.99), and share some of it with the Missus.

The ground lamb is usually fairly gamey, and the eggplant adds a rich texture and a tad of bitterness that is offset by the salty feta cheese and the tangy tomato sauce, all wrapped up in the fluffy pita. Add a touch of tzaziki and your good to go…… it is a bit messy though.

Once the Missus ordered the "Vegetarian Phantasia" ($15.49), the veggie version of the de riguer meatfest plate:

It was quite a lot of food. Along with the afore mentioned (and pictured) Fassoulia, there was some Yalandji, grape leaves stuffed with tomato, red pepper, onion, mint, and rice, which I found very puckery, but the Missus enjoyed.

The Imam Bayaldi(eggplant stuffed with raisins, walnuts, and tomato) was good, though I'm not a fan of raisins in savory dishes. I thought that a more savory filling would have done better.

The Missus enjoyed the above dishes, but didn't care much for the Spinach Pastitsio, much like a vegetarian version of Moussaka. This was a bit too rich and cheesy for Her.

So there you go…….. Even though most entree prices are $11 and up, you can still get a pretty decent meal, going with the appetizers. And some of them are a bit more interesting than the usual Gyro or Souvlaki. Nothing against a good gyro, but sometimes you just want something a bit different.

Cafe Athena
1846 Garnet Ave.
San Diego, CA 92109

Nha Hang Quoc Te

November 8, 2009 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Nha Hang Quoc Te has closed

When we moved to San Diego the Missus and I tried the two locations of Quoc Te severals times…. and had some horrendously bad meals. It ended up that the only thing I'd ever get at Quoc Te is the Banh Cuon, which is a bargain at a shade over six bucks. Over the last couple of years however, I've gotten several recommendations for the Quoc Te location on University. There were two items mentioned, the Fried Rice, and the Roast Duck. The prices at Quoc Te have always been pretty reasonable so I thought "why not"?

Not much has changed from our previous visits, except the prices which have gone up tad over the years. The dining area is a bit dated, and don't look at the carpet, and you'll be fine. The parking lot, with a very limited amount of parking stalls can be a challenge.

We decided on getting those recommended dishes, and throw in a few more Vietnamese style dishes as well.

So we started with the Papaya Salad with Dried Beef:

This was probably the best dish of the night, served ice cold, refreshing, with a good amount of herbs. The Missus has been craving this in the time since this meal, so we've been making it at home quite often.

Taking the fried rice recommendation, we went with the Shrimp Fried Rice:

This one was almost there. The shrimp was cooked perfectly, just past rare, not allowing the flesh to seize and become too chewy. The rice had a smidge of "Wok Hay" (Guo Chi), that caramelized smokey essence of the wok. On the downside, the dish was quite bland, and needed a good bit of soy sauce and white pepper to bring the flavor up to par.

Of course, I got the Banh Cuon Tay Ho ($6.25):

This was strangely bland for me as well. The only item I enjoyed was the Banh Cuon with the dried shrimp, everything else was very dull…. even the Nem Chua (fermented sausage). Even worse, the Nuoc Mam Cham tasted watered down. It sure looks like I'll have to head to Little Saigon soon for my fix, as this sure wasn't it.

And of course, the Roast Duck ($12.95 – half duck):

This was a bit of an "odd duck", no pun intended. It was very meaty, but sorely lacked a decent flavor….even the "drippings" were bland. The skin was strangely cracker-like, not the usual lacquered look and texture, but crumbly. I think this duck had been deep fried to revive it before serving. Personally, I'd take a more boney duck with good skin and great flavor.

A couple of days later, the Missus and I were chatting about Quoc Te, and how it seems that most of the dishes were just a bit off. So we decided to make another trip up to Quoc Te.

Having thought the papaya salad was pretty good last time around, we started with the Goi Xoai Tom Thit, the Green Papaya Salad with Shrimp and Pork.

Again, the fish sauce based dressing tasted watered-down. Good amount of herbs, specifically Rau Ram, the pork was tough but had decent flavor, and the shrimp was passable. Not as good as versions I've had at Seafood Island or Que Huong, but okay.

We also ordered the Stir-fried Egg Noodles with Seafood:

I thought the calamari and the shrimp were cooked to perfection. The egg noodles were a bit over-cooked. And much like the fried rice, this fell short on flavor and needed a good dose of soy sauce and white pepper.

We also decided to try the Whole Steamed Sole ($12.95). The dish that first drove us away from Quoc Te was a Catfish Hot Pot that was so heinously bad, that it still remains in my memory banks. Unfortunately, this dish would have the same effect on us five years later:

First off, apparently the oil used to top the fish had not been heated properly, and so there was no sizzle, nor wisp of steam coming off this. Thus, this caused the dish to have an excessively greasey feel to it. Also, the soy sauce was not appropriately flavored, and didn't add enough flavor. And worst of all, the oil tasted rancid…….yuck. My tongue was coated with a nasty rancidness that was really difficult to conquer. To add insult to injury, the Missus got a fish bone stuck in Her throat after the very first bite. I don't think we'll forget this dish for a while….for all the wrong reasons….

Nha Hang Quoc Te
4448-A University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

La Abejita

November 6, 2009 mmm-yoso Sandwiches

The area East of 7th street on "C" is not the most picturesque part of Downtown San Diego. Sure enough, there are abandoned buildings, and the trolley line goes right down C. Certain parts of the area do define the term "gritty". I found myself in the area a few months back, just kinda looking around, when I saw what looked like a trio of restaurants. to the right was Rolando's Taco Shop, a ubiquitous San Diego taco shop, many of which end in 'berto's. To the left was "Lui's Restaurant" which advertised five dollar specials, gyro's, and other fairly honest fare. For some reason, I looked into the tiny shop in the middle, a clean, and colorful shop which advertised "Fresh and Healthy Food", a sign that would usually have me walking in the opposite direction. But for some reason, the shop seemed to welcome me in.

The menu is simple, a couple of sandwiches, some salads, and a ton of juices and smoothies. There was one item that caught my attention, it was the Super Torta, which is what I ordered.

After a short wait my "Super Torta" ($6.49) arrived:

The sandwich itself, is as long as my forearm, and contains two shaved slices of ham, lettuce, tomato, onion, what tasted like mild Jack Cheese, pickled jalapenos, avocado, and thin slices of "Lomo" (Roast Pork). It was dressed with a light smear of mayo. The star of the entire production was the Birote (bolillo), which was toasted to a nice crustiness, I admit that I enjoy certain toasted sandwiches. The roll was also light and airy, and heck if I didn't have flashbacks of Banh Mi in Vietnam; it was that light.

If I would have this again, I'd tell them to put the jalapenos on the side. I love pickled jalapenos, but in this sandwich they overpowered all the mild ingredients. I'd prefer to use the jalapenos as my "pickles on the side" in this instance. In this world of over-stuffed sandwiches, I found this light, crusty sandwich to be just what I needed on this day……..

I guess in the future, I'll pay more heed to those places that say they serve "Fresh and Healthy" food. And I need to finds out where they get their Birote…….

La Abejita
817 C Street
San Diego, CA 92101

Open: Mon -Fri 8am – 3pm

Sab E Lee Santee – A first look

November 4, 2009 mmm-yoso Thai Restaurants

**** This location of Sab E Lee has closed

Often times, a bit of information or a recommendation will allow me to order to the strength of a restaurant. When I first visited Sab E Lee, I was taken by the gentleman who ran the tiny restaurant. He eagerly provided me with the information I needed to order by telling me that the cooks were from “Issan” (Northeastern Thailand), and I ended up ordering to the restaurant’s strength. That was a whole fifteen months, and maybe over a hundred visits ago. Since then, I’ve gotten to know Kobe pretty well, and now with the opening of Sab E Lee 2 in Santee, it’ll be more of the same, right? Well, not so fast pilgrim……… During the past weekend when I went to check out Sab E Lee 2 and ran into Kobe, he shared the new menu with me, and information about the chef at this location. This Chef is more experienced in fine dining, having worked at several four star hotels…. I believe The Sukothai Bangkok was one of the hotels named. After looking through the menu, the Missus and I headed over, East on the 52, off at Mission Gorge, and arrived at Sab E Lee. As I mentioned in my previous post, the restaurant is maybe four times the size of the Linda Vista location, Kobe also showed me the kitchen which is about the same size as the dining area!

After we were greeted by Kobe, and several of the familiar faces, we got under way. First off, please forgive the pinkish tinged photos as the reflection of pink everywhere makes everything…. well, pink.

Kobe told me to try the Kra Thong Tong ($7.95):

You see, from what Kobe told me about the Chef, I figured that one of the streng SEL203 ths here would be what I tend to call “Royal Thai” cuisine, with it’s more intricate presentations, lighter fare, featuring many Chinese and Mon influences. And these wonderful, light, rice flour based pasty cups filled with minced prawns and chicken surely fill the bill. Royal Thai doesn’t mean dumbed down, but it presents itself with a wonderfully balanced flavors and textures. In this case a mild curry background, brought up with a cucumber relish that seems to use palm syrup. And yet, it is not overly sweet, but a very complex dish.

The Plaa Shrimp($8.95) was a good second choice:

Butterflied shrimp are quickly charred, and left in a “rare” state. The bracing and spicy lime sauce finishes off the “cooking” process. We quickly noticed that this chef uses a good bit more lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves in his dishes. The spice level was excellent, courtesy of Thai Bird Chilies, and with the slices of raw garlic and Thai Eggplant, this is a dish that would be right at home at Sab E Lee on Linda Vista.

The third dish we ordered was the Pine Cone Fish (Halibut – $16.95):

I’m sorry to say that my photos don’t do this dish justice. It is a good-sized Halibut, de-boned, crusted with panko and placed into the shape of a pine cone. The fish was fried to perfection, soft and tender. The line-chili-fish sauce dip was good if a bit salty. Kobe brought out a little dish of tangy tamarind based sauce which the Missus loved. Kobe told us that it was the sauce used for Three Flavored Fish, which is what we’ll be ordering in the future.

Overall, this was a wonderful meal….lovely presentations, well prepared food, and the prices weren’t too bad. And yes, there’s Koi Soi, Catfish Larb, and many of my other favorites on the menu. But I thought it would be good to play to the Chef’s strengths, and I think he did a great job. I’ll do my Koi Soi comparison on another day…..

Sab E Lee 2
9159 Mission Gorge Road
Santee, CA 92071

Eating on the Hood of Your Car: Mariscos German Truck on the corner of Clairemont Drive and Balboa

November 2, 2009 mmm-yoso Food Trucks, Mexican Restaurants, Seafood

While driving down Clairemont Drive last week, I noticed another taco truck in the old service station at the corner of Clairemont Drive and Balboa:

As I drove up to the intersection, I thought I could read "Mariscos German", not believing what I saw I rubbed my eyes, almost sending me over the median. No way, it couldn't be…… not in this neck of the woods. But as I made the u-turn and drove into the parking lot, I could read the bold blue lettering…..

I still wasn't sold…… I know MG has a couple of trucks, but here???

The menu sure did look promising, and the print and address on the front panel looked legit. I sauntered up to the window and asked the magic question, "is this the Mariscos German, with the truck on 35th and University??" To which the young lady replied, "we recently sold that, and another truck, but yes…"

Which means I had to get a Gobernador:

Mariscos German makes my favorite version of this pseudo-stir-fried shrimp, celery, bell peppers, onion, and tomato taco. The shrimp was cooked perfectly, and the flavor came through clearly. The tomato added some nice acidity to the taco. Everything was enrobed in a corn tortilla protected from the juices of the filling by a layer of melted cheese. Very nice……

I also had a Marlyn Taco, basically a smoked fish taco:

This one was a bit different from the versions I've had at other MG locations. First off, the fish was less greasy, and also didn't have as strong a smokey flavor. Second, it was much more fishy than what I recalled. This was ok, but not as good as what I had previously eaten at MG, and probably not what Ed from Yuma had. Perhaps it was just an off day…..

And just because it was only 99 cents, I had a fish taco:

I'm kinda on the fence about the Tacos de Pescado. There's something about the batter that I'm not too fond of, and I find the crema to ba a bit too "mayonnais-sy" if you know what I mean. Though at 99 cents, it may be worth your while to try it, because it could float your boat.

I ate all of this under the canopy set-up next to the truck. Two tables, and some chairs are available for your eating convenience. On the way to the car I picked up the Caldo de Pescado, fish soup, for the Missus. Even though I told Her that I was not a big fan of the consomme, it was short on tomato, and was very heavy handed with the celery, the Missus wanted to try the Caldo.

The soup was chock full of plump and tender fish, but the broth was really short on any flavor but that of….you guessed it, celery. It really needed a lot of help in the form of lime, oregano, and salt.

I had still not had one of my favorite items at MG, the Aguachile Tostada. Of course, this meant another visit.

Raw shrimp is "cooked" in lime and chile concoction, giving the shrimp a toothsome, but pleasant chew. I think that MG's version is nicely balanced for my tastes, spicy enough to bring a sheen of sweat to my brow, but not blasting hot. The sliced red onions adds a pleasant pungent-sweetness. The lime refreshes without washing everything out.

The amount of lime isn't as balanced in the "Cocteles".

The tomato water concoction will wake up your tastebuds, that's for sure. It is perhaps a bit heavy-handed with regards to the lime. I had originally wanted a Mexican Black Clam Coctele, but since they were out, I settled for regular clams. The generous amount of clam was meaty and sweet, which helped balance out the citrus. Not bad, but I've had better.

The lot is shared with a Smog Check, and on certain evening with the La Princesita Taco Truck, but there is fairly ample parking. Along with the La Princesita Taco truck, this little corner is starting to liven up. Being a mere mile and a half from home, I'm sure I'll be hitting up this truck quite often.

Mariscos German Truck

Located on the corner of Balboa and Clairemont Drive. Open daily from 8-9 am (the sign says 8am, but the young lady told me its "more like 9am") until dusk (the sign says 730pm, but the young lady told me 6 or 7)

Revisiting the Rotation: Sab E Lee, plus more info on Sab E Lee 2

November 1, 2009 mmm-yoso Thai Restaurants

**** This location of Sab E Leee has closed

Yes, yet another post on Sab E Lee, though I'll keep it mainly to photos. Sab E Lee has only been open maybe 15 months, but has become a regular stop for us. As the weather gets cooler, I notice that we've started to transition from the various Larb and Beef Salads to more hearty dishes, like the Chicken with Spicy Mint Leaves:

And other stuff……

Though there are some dishes that I just won't give up, like the Spicy Raw Beef (Koi Soi):

Since we've been eating at Sab E Lee, I've never had to declare a "heat level". Kobe always knew how spicy we wanted our food to be. In the case where I was having lunch or dinner with friends, I'd always ask for things "less spicy", or in one rare case, "Lao Spicy"……. When having dinner with FOY JohnL, who told me that he could eat spicy, I ordered everything "less spicy" except for the Koi Soi, which I asked to be "the way I like it". Poor John could only eat one spoon of the Koi Soi….. Which got me wondering what level of heat was being ordered for the Missus and I. Also, since Kobe was soon to be manning Sab E Lee 2, I'll be having to tell the folks here how spicy I want my food. On one of our last visits, we asked Kobe what heat level he assigns to our dishes. The answer was surprising, most dishes are a 7, except for the Koi Soi, which is a 9!

And of course, the intimacy of Sab E Lee always means there's an interesting conversation floating through the air around you…… In this case, an over-dressed (for Sab E Lee) middle aged WASP couple, sampling some Pad Thai, Tom Yum, and Panang Curry (sigh…..Candice, Howie, and I have had conversations about this trinity). Female in a stage whisper; "this tastes really different…." Male: "yes, something's wrong, this doesn't taste anything like Taste of Thai and Thai House."

I really wanted to scream, "Amen brother, and I hope it never does……"

Sab-E-Lee Restaurant
2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111

More info on Sab E Lee 2:

Since I was in the area this morning, I decided to drop by and check out the new second location of Sab E Lee, which I posted about here.

The first thing I noticed was the size of the parking lot……..it looks like they won't be short of parking! So I snap my photo, and I hear a friendly little honk from a car to the rear of me….. and it's Kobe and his crew. I am so busted…… Kobe's all smiles, though he does look a bit tired. So I get a nice little tour of the restaurant, which is medium sized, but not large by any means. There's room for more tables and growth. Kobe told me that everything is on track, and they will opening for lunch at 11am tomorrow.

I also got a look at the menu, which is pretty hefty, with about three times the amount of dishes that Sab E Lee has. Luckily, many of our favorite dishes are on the menu (click to enlarge photos):

It does seem that some of the dishes from the Thai Restaurant at this location was kept, and the menu has a strong Bangkok Thai influence.

"Superwild Shrimp" sounds interesting, and there's Miang Kum and Kra Thong Tong.

To me, Sab E Lee is a wonderful success story. From a tiny hole-in-the-wall, to a second restaurant in fifteen months is quite an accomplishment. When we first moved to San Diego, the lack of the type Thai Food we enjoyed (non American-Thai) was a bit, well, depressing. We found a couple of places, that served a few dishes that we enjoyed. I distinctly remember a conversation with the owner of one of these restaurants. They had a few good dishes, and when I asked about some of our favorite Thai dishes using ingredients that I was used to eating in Thai Town I was told, "we could never have that on the menu. People in San Diego would never eat that, and it is economical suicide. There's no way a restaurant in San Diego could serve those dishes with Thai ingredients and survive." In a way, he is an excellent business man, as his restaurant empire has now expanded to several restaurants. But Kobe and crew has also proven him wrong…..you can get good un-Americanized Thai Food in San Diego. And I hope this is only the beginning…….

Some other info on Sab E Lee 2 – Grand opening date is Monday, November 2. Kobe also told me that during the first week, there will be a 15% discount on most dishes. So there you go…..

Sab E Lee 2
9159 Mission Gorge Road
Santee, CA 92071

Open Daily 1030 am – 930 pm

619-328-1568

Fish Sauce Glazed Grilled Chicken Wings

October 30, 2009 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Cooking, Recipes

This recipe was born when FOY (Friend of Yoso) and regular commenter "Billy" mentioned that he makes his Nuoc Mam Cham on the stovetop, using heat to help dissolve the sugar. I thought about using that method to create a glaze for chicken wings, and this recipe was born.

What you see is the second try at the making these wings. The first time I tried making these, I was on call, and just as I placed the wings on the grill, I was paged and had to leave my wings. I turned everything over to the Missus, who is unfamiliar with two tiered grilling…. setting up the grill for direct and indirect heat. She left the wings on direct heat, basting with a sugar based sauce! By the time I resolved the problem, the Missus had the black as coal wings on a plate on the dining table. I gotta leave it to the Missus, She really accomplished something special here…… creating something on the grill that was charred black on the outside, and still totally raw on the inside! I was so grossed out that I decided to not try to make this again. Until………

A couple of weeks ago, the Missus told me that She wanted some grilled Tamarind Shrimp. While buying shrimp, I saw some chicken wings, and bought a couple of pounds. I returned home with nothing particular in mind. After a bit I decided to give Fish Sauce Wings another shot. A couple of things; I use the two tiered grilling method; half of the grill is set-up for direct heat, the other half for indirect heat. The sugar and fat will mean that the wings will burn really quickly (as in the previous try), so I crisp up the chicken over direct heat, and baste with the sauce when I move the wings to indirect heat.

I grilled using a combination of half Kiawe Charcoal, half hardwood charcoal. If you were to taste the glaze, you'd think I was crazy, it seems too salty(no water in this one), and sweet. But because it's a glaze, it works out quite well. And yes, it is yet another super simple recipe…….. and of course, please make adjustments to taste….

Fish Sauce Glazed Grilled Chicken Wings:

2 1/2 – 3 lbs of chicken wings
2 Tb Sea Salt
2 Tb Fish Sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
Fish Sauce Glaze (see below)

– Set up grill for two tiered grilling – half the grill set-up for direct heat, the other for indirect heat.
– Combine chicken wings, salt, fish sauce, and canola oil in a large bowl. Mix wings to coat well.
– Grill wings over direct heat for one turn to brown and crisp up the skin.
– Move wings to indirect heat portion of the grill and baste several times.
– Baste one last time before removing from the grill.

Fish Sauce Glaze:

1/2 Cup Fish Sauce
1/2 Cup white sugar
2-3 Thai Chilies sliced
4-5 cloves garlic finely minced
Lime juice to taste

– Combine fish sauce and sugar in a small pot.
– Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved
– Add garlic and chilies
– Bring to a light simmer and remove from heat

Revisiting the Rotation: The Seasonal menu at Ba Ren and a Beer Week Dinner

October 28, 2009 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants

As I slowly recover from a terrible cold, I thought a nice way to get back into the swing would be a post on one of our two favorite restaurants in San Diego; Ba Ren. I know you all must be tired of my Ba Ren posts, but I promise a coupla new wrinkles, so if you'd like to come along…..

The Current Seasonal Menu at Ba Ren:

Over the years, I've tried to do posts on the changing seasonal menus at Ba Ren. I used to attempt to translate what some of the better dishes on the menu were, but no longer will have to do so.

Why? Well, turn the placard around……

And you now have English translations! But in case you're interested, we've had the chance to sample a few of the dishes……

#1 Ba Ren Fish Soup:

Though the fish was prepared to a perfect buttery soft texture, we found the broth to be a bit flat, tasting basically like Huo Guo (hot pot) broth. This was good, but not great.

#2 the Fried Spicy Lamb Ribs is a carryover and a photo can be found here.

Knowing the Missus's love of steamed eggplant; item #4 Steamed Eggplant with Chopped Red Chili was a no brainer:

The chilies on this dish are pretty potent, and different from the usual fresh chilies used in most dishes at Ba Ren. These chilies are pretty spicy, enough to turn your skin a bright red to the touch, as in a mild first degree burn. I enjoyed the garlic, soy, and the mild sweetness in the dish. The eggplant had been peeled before what I believe is a mild steaming, cooking the eggplant, but allowing for the flesh to keep its firmness. The Missus had expected something akin to the steamed eggplant I make at home, and was a bit taken aback by the dish.

#7 Dry Cooked Mixed Mushroom:

What seemed to be a great idea, fell a bit short, as we both felt it lacked "heft", and could have been a bit more savory for our tastes.

#8 Steamed Fish Filet with Green Onions and Red Chili:

This dish was a winner, and a new favorite of the Missus. The fish, as usual was prepared with skill, but those chilies, the same as on the eggplant dish was lip-burning hot. Of course, we always go for "spicy" at Ba Ren, and this one left a bright red ring around the Missus's lips. The dish wasn't just blasting hot, but also had a nice mildly sweet, soy based sauce. As a matter of fact, I really enjoyed the bean thread lying in wait, drenching up the the sauce (along with the heat from the chilies), on the bottom of the dish.

And of course, there are the old favorites………

Yes, Ba Ren is still on our rotation.

4957 Diane Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

Beer Week at Ba Ren?

A few weeks back, Josh Silberman contacted Candice and myself. Josh mentioned San Diego Beer Week, and an idea he had for doing a Beer Week "event" at Ba Ren, which he thought would be a nice change of pace amongst all the other multitude of events. First I had to find out what San Diego Beer Week was…… and after reading the "What is San Diego Beer Week?" page on the Website, you'll be pretty well informed. In a nutshell, it is 10 days of events showcasing San Diego's craft beers and breweries.

We met at Ba Ren, and went through a good number of dishes and beers, and Josh and Andy Waer matched up the favorites with various local craft brews, and we were off!

Now I'm pretty much a neophyte when it comes to local craft beer….. I mean, I enjoy a nice Ballast Point, Stone, or Alesmith brew on occasion, but hanging with these guys is a view into another world….

Andy Waer is a certified "Cicerone", which is basically beers' equivalent of a Sommelier. Which means he lives, breaths, and thinks….beer! So in case you're interested in attending, you can find more information, such as the beer and food selection here.

Tuesday, November 10th.

Of all the selections that impressed me, I think it was Andy and Josh's ability to pair a beer with the Eight Treasure Rice Pudding that surprised me the most! Beer, with dessert??? Shows you how little I know……

Panaderia La Moreliana

October 22, 2009 mmm-yoso Bakery

I'm a bit under the weather, so just a short post tonight. Thanks for bearing with me…..

If you are a regular reader, you already know that I don't have much of a "sweet tooth". That's why various desserts and sweets don't have much coverage. For that coverage, please visit Kirbie's and CanineCologne's blogs. And though I know that Captain Jack has a real weakness for Mexican Desserts…… in fact, we had to make a stop at Panchita's after our recent South Bay Taco Crawl. And as usual the pastries were just not to my taste. Too much sugar, too much Manteca??? Who knows….. That's why I find the fact that I'm doing a post on a Panaderia kinda odd, because I'm the last person in the world to stop at one.

In this case it was the sign that got my attention…..

Seen from 3rd Avenue in Chula Vista, off the main street on Quintard Street. For some reason, on one of my visits to Internacional 2000, I decided to drive by and check the place out.

After seeing the front of the bakery, I decided to walk in a grab some stuff.

The "tradicional Michoacan" signage got me to walk in. This shop specializes in bread and pastries from the Michoacan region of Mexico. I was curious, mainly because I had read this post on Mexico Cooks. To quote a line in that post, the "people of Michoacán consume a million pieces of artisanal bread per day…." That's a heck of a lot of bread. Unfortunately, there were no "birotes" (what they call Bollilos in that region), I'm guessing they had sold out. There was also about four people in line picking up cakes.

Since these Panaderias usually put out some pretty inexpensive stuff, I decided to grab a few items for the Missus. And though the selection wasn't that large, there were most of the usual suspects.

And on subsequent visits there always seem to be something different.

Subsequent visits???? Well, I found something that I knew the Missus was going to enjoy… the Coricos:

Light and crumbly, very mildly sweet, with a nice savory "masa" (corn) flavor, the Missus likes this version…… I've got to grab some pumpkin turnovers on a future trip.

I guess you never know what you'll find when your driving around….. you might find some coricos!

Panaderia La Moreliana
275 Quintard St
Chula Vista, CA 91911

Minh Huong Supermarket

October 21, 2009 mmm-yoso Markets & Grocers

It's been a while since I've done a Markets & Grocers post, so I guess it's about time. I get a number of emails asking me how or where to find certain ingredients. And one of the ingredients that I get the most requests for is "Hot Basil" aka "Holy Basil" aka तुलसी aka "Kra Pow" (กะเพรา) also known as Ocimum tenuiflorum. The answer used to be easy, it was either United Food Mart or 97 Supermarket, but both are long gone……. So when FOY "Barry BBQ" asked me about Holy Basil, I was kinda stumped….but only for a minute. I had an idea that he'd be able to find the stuff at Minh Huong, which I first posted about here.A while back Minh Huong moved from University Avenue to it's current location on Euclid.

The produce section is not very large, but the variety of goods is quite stunning…..

There is of course, the afore mentioned Hot Basil……

Along with, on this visit five different type of bamboo shoots, several types of eggplant, and much more…..

And though on this visit I was only after some purple perilla and mint, it was a nice bit of information to file away for later…..

And the quality of the mint and purple perilla weren't very shabby at all.

There's also a nice collection of Fish Sauces, Fish and Shrimp Pastes, and the like:

As well as a nice collection of pickled vegetables….pickled rattan anyone?

And though the fresh seafood section is pretty small….

The frozen seafood section is a nice little browse, with everything from whole Spotted Featherbacks to a couple of varieties of frozen Snakehead….. you know them right…. the ones that can breath air and live out of water for several days…. and have been known to eat little mammals, and has been dubbed "Frankenfish" by the press.

I guess man got the upper hand this time around….

I counted four types of fermented sausage in the dairy case……

As well as prepared food, like Jeow Bong, and fresh noodles…..

And of course, I gave in to impulse and bought something that looked interesting…..

So here's where you help me….. how should I prepare this? Put in the toaster oven….grill it….or ???? I may just go to Sab E Lee and ask Kobe what to do with this…..

You may not recognize some of the stuff at Minh Huong, but it sure ain't boring….. and who knows what your impulse buy will be.

Minh Huong Supermarket
4029 Euclid Avenue
San Diego, CA 92105