mmm-yoso – Page 354

New to the Rotation: Mariscos El Pescador

November 24, 2009 mmm-yoso Food Trucks/Carts, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

Over the last couple of months, I've noticed that much of our rotation is seasonal. There are places like Latin Chef that fit into our Spring/Summer plans than during the Fall or Winter. Other places, like Asia Cafe we really don't visit often enough anymore. So those have been removed from the rotation…maybe just until the next time I update.

Over the last 3 months, the Missus has often requested a drive down to Chula Vista, and a visit to the Mariscos El Pescador truck. Even though thre are more than a few Mariscos places and trucks closer, heck there's even the new Mariscos German truck about a mile-and-a-half from us. But the Missus enjoys the Caldo de Pescado (fish soup) from MEP the best.

So we'll make the drive so the Missus can get Her hands on the always scalding hot Caldo de Pescado from MEP.

It's not super consistent. We've found that the soup is best between 10am and 2-3 pm, so we usually drive down on a Saturday or Sunday……though I have found myself racing traffic (and the clock) down the I-5 on a weekday evening to get the Missus Her fix.

She loves the large and abundant chunks of fish, usually plump and tender.

It comes with some hand scalding tortillas wrapped in aluminum foil, and for $5, is well worth the price.

Of course, I enjoy the fish tacos here. And I'm not above ordering something else to sate my hunger.

Tacos de Marlyn anyone?

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

Our updated "Rotation" Page can be found here. There will be one further update coming up.

Of course, if we're making the effort to drive down to Chula Vista, we're going to attempt to maximize the effort. Which means that if we're in the area on a Saturday, a stop at Hogetsu Bakery is a must…

As is a stop at La Moreliana, so the Missus can restock on Coricos. We'll usually make one additional stop, and thus far, it's the Al Pastor from Internacional 2000 that has the lead over the Carne Asada at El Poblano. You gotta love greasy goodness…..

So what's on your rotation this winter?????

Village Grill – El Cajon

November 22, 2009 mmm-yoso Iraqi Food and Restaurants, Mediterranean Restaurants

**** Village Grill has closed

Over the years Cathy has mentioned that El Cajon, and Main Street El Cajon has become an enclave for Iraqi's in the US. A few months back, I was meeting two of my favorite FOYs, Candice and Howie in El Cajon for lunch. I arrived a bit early and decided to drive down El Cajon Boulevard, which turned into Main Street, and I was astounded by the amount of Middle Eastern Markets, restaurants, and snack shops. Coincidentally, I would receive an email later that evening from FOY KennethB, who also mentioned Main Street. So over the last couple of weeks, the Missus and I have been driving East to El Cajon to kinda just look around and eat a bit.

On one of our drives we noticed a small shop doing some pretty good business, and I added it to my "list". It was called "Village Grill".

On this day, we decided just to take a drive down to El Cajon and make our decision when we arrived. Little did we know that today was also the day when the annual Mother Goose Parade was held. We decided to park, and head out on foot, and just stop by somewhere……

I've got to say that walking down Main Street past places called Babylon Market, while passing marching bands, and clowns, and cowboys, and walking into Village Grill, the scent of meat grilling on the vertical spits permeating the air was somewhat surreal. The interior of Village Grill is spartan, with just a few simple tables and chairs. We looked over the one page menu, ordered and sat down at our table watching the parade go by.

One thing about these restaurants….. I don't think you'll ever leave hungry, and you'll soon see why.

First to arrive was the Baba Ghanouj (small – $3.99).

Along with one of my new favorite things in the world, the wonderful flatbread I was told is called "Khubz". The Missus thought the Baba Ghanouj had too much tahini in it. I thought it lacked that wonderful, smokey eggplant flavor. The bread was fine, but served barely warm, and wasn't quite as good as the version at Ali Baba (a post is forthcoming) up the street.

A large plate of "Turshi", various "mezze" also arrived.

I expected the usual pickled turnips, but here it was replaced with a pickled turnip and cabbage flavored with tumeric and other spices, giving it a bracing sour-curry flavor. I really enjoyed it, the Missus did not.

Knowing what I had ordered, the Missus went with one of the "Rice & Stews"; the Okra based "Bamia", this one had beef as the meat.

The stew came with a large plate of rice. We both thought the broth was excellent, rich and tangy, with large chunks of flavorful beef, that looked tough, but was fairly tender. The okra was plentiful, and this would be quite a filling meal. I really loved the whole cloves of tender garlic in the soup, sweet and pungent, it was wonderful.

Of course, this is when my order started arriving. I had ordered the "Village Grill", the mixed meat plate. At $12.99, it was one of the more expensive items on the menu. Things started with a good sized salad.

The Missus loved the salad, which She called "refreshing"….good amounts of citrus and olive oil made this very tasty.

And then my huge plate of meat arrived. This was enough for two people at the least.

The Missus's favorite was the Shawarma Beef, also called "Gus".

This was very moist, with a nice beef flavor, that the Missus said was almost "beef jerky-ish".

Most beef kabobs in these type of restaurants tend toward the tough side, and are sometimes a bit short on flavor. This one was moist with good flavor, and if a bit on the chewy side, I wouldn't call it tough, not by a longshot. It was my favorite meat item.

Of course, that's not to snub the Tekka Beef, which was very moist.

It was also quite tender, and had a decent beef flavor. The rice on the bottom really benefited from the meat drippings.

The only item that I didn't care much for was the Hummus, which again had too much tahini, and not enough lemon, nor any other flavor to carry the day.

This was quite a meal, we left with tons of leftovers, and a full belly. The young lady who works the front of house was very sweet and nice. The prices are very reasonable, and the ingredients, except for the rice are of good quality. We'll be back without a doubt. And because I know folks like RONW love menus, here's a photo of the simple menu at Village Grill:

Ooops, wrong side! (Click to enlarge)

I really think the Mixed Platter for three would probably feed 4-5. And you could always order the Kousi – a 33 pound roasted lamb stuffed with rice.

The best deal here right now is a buy one sandwich, get one free deal.

Village Grill
550 East Main St
El Cajon, CA 92020

El Cajon sure has been full of surprises for us……

Local Kine Portuguese Bean Soup

November 19, 2009 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

Overall, I think these are more cooking notes than a true recipe, as every version of this dish I've had has been different. I also call it "Local Kine" simply because, as with many dishes in Hawaii, it has been mixed with many "local" influences.

According to the timeline on Hawaiian-roots.com, the first large groups of Portuguese arrived in Hawaii in 1878. When the Portuguese arrived on the shores of Hawaii, they brought with them a variety of "food stuffs" that reflected the influences of a cuisine that had been traveling between the Old and New World for over 400 years. Even though at first glance, it would seem that the Portuguese is rather under-represented when compared to other cuisines in Hawaii, a closer look shows a large influence. For example, malsadas, or how's this, that King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread….. is a version of Pao Doce. And the real winna' as we would say, is what we call "Portuguese Sausage", a local version of Linguica. A simple breakfast trip to McDonald's when in the islands will quickly reveal how deeply embedded Portuguese Sausage is……. McDonald's serves Portuguese Sausage, Eggs, and Rice for breakfast. Or if you're really hungry, you can get the "Local Deluxe Breakfast". Portuguese Sausage, Spam®, Eggs, and Rice.

Of course this version bears no resemblance to the two, so called "real" versions of Portuguese Bean Soup I had, one of which had collard greens and no linguica, and the other had chayote. Also, the first version had a pretty intense anise and clove flavor. And I'm also guessing it may not resemble versions you've had of this soup in Hawaii, many of which will use chopped smoked ham, cabbage, and other stuffs. My soup is also bit more hearty, and perhaps uses a bit less kidney beans, mainly because part of the target audience really doesn't care for beans.

Instead of ham hocks, I really like the smoked pork shanks that Siesel's and Iowa Meat Farms carry. They have some heft. Also, since the phrase "Purity Brand is the only Portuguese sausage…." has been branded into my grey matter, that's what I use as well. I've posted about folks from Hawaii and brand loyalty before.

And then there's the elbow macaroni. The first Portuguese Bean Soup I had (see story at the end) had elbow macaroni in it. My Mom always made her's with elbow macaroni. These days I make maybe 8 ounces of macaroni, very al dente, and place in the soup bowl right before serving if desired. I've kinda lost my taste for mushy macaroni, especially since, like most soups, this tastes better the next day. At that point, the macaroni will have soaked up a lot of the broth, and become mush. As to the "why macaroni?" question. I'm guessing, that perhaps in the beginning it was used as filler…..

Another problem I used to run into was that all the flavor of the Portuguese Sausage would leach out into the broth. Great for the broth, but this leaves behind flavorless sausage. Also if you just add sliced raw onions, they would melt away pretty quickly as well. So a few years back, I added a step where I lightly saute the sausage. I then remove the sausage from the pan, and add the onions, which I also lightly saute. I deglaze the pan in the end with red wine vinegar, and reserve everything to add to the soup later on.

In the end, if you like more carrots, add carrots……more potatoes….you get it, right?

Local Kine Portuguese Bean Soup:

2-3 Smoked Pork Shanks or Ham Hocks
2 10oz Portuguese Sausages
2 large onions
1 bunch cilantro rinsed
5 cloves garlic
2 dried bay leaves
2 Tb Black Peppercorns
2 dried red chilies sliced in half and deseeded

1 16 oz can tomato puree
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
2 15oz cans of Kidney Beans
2-3 Tb Paprika
2+1-2 Tb Red wine Vinegar

4 Stalks of celery, plus 2-3 stalks of the leafy celery "heart"
3-4 carrots, plus 1 carrot chopped into four pieces
4 potatoes

Tabasco Sauce to taste
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Olive Oil
Water

– In one pot place the ham hocks and cover with water. I use anywhere from 8-12 cups. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, and red chilies.
– Quarter one onion and add to the pot, along with the celery "hearts" torn in half and the one chopped carrot.
– Chop off the stems of the cilantro, and chop about 3-4 tablespoons worth. Add this to the pot.
– Smash the garlic and also add to the pot.
– Bring to a slow simmer and cover.

– Slice the Portuguese Sausage into 1/2 – 3/4" rounds. Or, you could cube the sausage. At this point you'll have 4 end slices, which many folks don't like to eat. I throw this in the pot with the ham hocks to add flavor to the broth.

– Slice the other onion crosswise into slices.
– Heat a large saute pan over medium low heat. Add the olive oil to coat the pan, and lightly saute the sausage until partially cooked and firm. Remove and reserve sausage in a large bowl.
– Add onion slices and saute for a minute or two until slight soft.Deglaze with 2 tablespoons of red win vinegar. Remove onions and remaining "liquid" to the bowl with the sausage slices.

– Check on the Ham Hocks after about 2 hours. If the meat is soft and will come off the bone remove the hock to a plate.

– Strain the liquid through a colander, and discard the pieces of celery, bay leaf, etc….
– Pour the liquid back into the pot and place back over the low simmer.
– Place the ham hocks on a cutting board and chop to desired size, and set aside.
– Open the two cans of kidney beans a drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve the liquid.
– Add the tomato puree, tomato paste, kidney beans, and paprika, and bring back to a simmer.
– when broth comes back to a simmer add the ham hocks back to the broth, along with the Portuguese Sausage and onions. Don't forget all of the liquid in the bottom of the bowl!
– Simmer for about 15 minutes, until sausage is heated through.

– Mean while chop, slice, or dice the celery, carrots, and potatoes as desired.
– Add the vegetables and simmer for 15 more minutes.

– After the 15 minutes, add 1/2 of the reserved liquid from the canned beans.
– Taste. If the flavor of the beans does not faintly come through add more liquid.
– Add salt and pepper, red wine vinegar, and tabasco, if desired to taste.

– At this point you can simmer until vegetables are cooked to the desired doneness, or simmer until vegetables are just a step before desired doneness if serving the next day.

You can serve garnished with cilantro, over some elbow macaroni, rice, or with bread (Pao Doce). Folks I know usually add a bit more Tabasco.

This recipe may seem pretty long, but it's mostly just letting things simmer. I actually made this while watching the Chargers beat the Eagles last weekend.

If after this super long, but easy recipe, you're still up for a little story read on……..

Portuguese Bean Soup and Cilantro.

Strangely enough, I remember the first time I had Portuguese Bean Soup. I must've been about four, since we were still living on Date street, and hadn't moved to Palolo yet. In the apartment across the way, lived a couple, and the husband was, at least to me at the time, a hulking man of Portuguese-Chinese decent. And as large as he seemed, his booming voice made him seem even larger. One day, "Uncle Henry" as I called him called my Mom and I over……. while my Mom and his wife chatted, "Henry" stood hunched over a large cauldron, slowly stirring and tasting. After awhile Henry declared, "it's ready, time to eat." And along with the "adult bowls", I was even given a "Keiki bowl" of soup. My Mother quickly told Henry, "I don't think he's going to like this….." But Henry shrugged her off and declared (he never really spoke, he declared), "Da' boy's hea' he eats…." To my Mother's surprise, and Henry's delight, I ate a couple of bowls….. it was three or four according to Mom. I remember that the flavors exploded in my mouth, and the soup went down wrapping me in a nice warm cloud of satisfaction. My Mother was curious about I enjoyed about the soup since it had Tabasco and Portuguese Sausage, and kids usually don't like spicy. So when she asked, I pointed to the sausage….and to her surprise, the cilantro, which we called Chinese Parsley. It was such a new a remarkable flavor, that I remember it to this day. Today, perhaps I'm able to duplicate the flavor of that bowl, but have seldom been able to capture the wonderful feeling of discovering new flavors…….

Hmmm…. I think someone's waiting for a Ham Hock bone…. And maybe a haircut after that????

Chicken Wing Thing – City Dragon

November 17, 2009 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings

If you ever want my undivided attention, all you need to do is say "chicken wings". If you've read through enough posts, you know that I kinda have a thing about chicken wings….. from Fish Sauce Chicken Wings at Que Huong to trying my hand at making Chicken Alice's legendary Chicken Wings, and Kyochon, to the granddaddy of them all; doing a Salt and Pepper Chicken Wing tasting. I guess I've got a thing 'bout them wings…….

Recently, I got a taste of some wings from a Chinese fast-food joint called City Dragon. It really wasn't too bad. I thought the name sounded familiar, and sure enough when I drove up to the place, I realized I had been there before.

Located next to Ray's Mexican Restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard, I'd actually once gotten some pretty generic Chinese food from this place.

And the menu does nothing to persuade you that City Dragon is nothing but another of the possibly hundreds of Chinese Fast Food joints littering strip malls through out San Diego. In fact, just a quick glance at the generic menu, and interior makes me want to turn right around and walk out. I can't even bear to place it in the Chinese Food category……

But of course, I just had to check out those wings…which is what I did. They are called "Dragon Spicy Wings" and are $6.99 per order. It is fried to order and takes about fifteen minutes or so. So meet the wings……

From a value point of view, this ain't cheap, 7 wings for $6.99, that's Kyochon territory, and this is no Kyochon. No rice, nothing else, not even a fortune cookie for me. The flavor is decent, a bit of heat, good salt, could use a bit more garlic. The wings are moist. The batter could probably use a bit more leavening, as these did not hold up too well. I'd have appreciated a bit more of a crunch.

In the end, I guess if you'd stick one of these under my nose, I'd gladly consume it. But you wouldn't lose a finger in the process. In other words, I don't think these are worth $1 a wing. Still, this got me wondering how many of these little places have something on the menu, ala Fortune Cookie Express's Chowmamein? So maybe you can tell me?

City Dragon
2885 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Pho in Rancho Bernardo – Pho Hoang Express and Pho Ca Dao & Grill

November 16, 2009 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

It's getting to be that time of year again…..the mid-morning and afternoons may still be warm, but the mornings are quite cool. Perfect for Pho. Though I've had recommendations for Pho Hoang in RB, I never thought of making a special trip North to RB. Until Pho Ca Dao opened a new branch just a stone's throw (if you were Roberto Clemente) away. So one recent cool morning, I bolted on my spare stomach, and made my way up the I-15 to Ranch Bernardo.

Pho Hoang Express:

Is located right off the Bernardo Center Drive exit. If you didn't know it was there, along with Spices Thai Cafe and Passage to India Restaurant, you'd think you'd be driving right past another business park.

The interior is on the dim side, and has an almost classic Vietnamese restaurant feel to it. From the simple tables and the spoon and chopstick stand, to the ubiquitous paintings of Halong Bay and a Hmong Woman and Baby scene. The service here is also classic….. you walk in, are pointed to a table, menu tossed on table, the guy stands waiting for you to order. Not rude, just no nonsense…..

Usually, I'll just order the special ("Dac Biet") when I eat at a new Pho shop, just to get a nice overview of the various meats. But I've really gotten tired of the same 'ol rare steak in San Diego, which is usually of low quality, dry, and tough. You can get it on the side if you want, but it really doesn't make much of a difference…..maybe if the meat was, say, Shabu-Shabu quality, a nice dunk might be great. But until I start seeing Filet Mignon Pho served in San Diego…..

I went with the #4 – well done steak, flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe ($5.70). In less then three minutes, my plate of garnishes, and my bowl of Pho made it's way to my table.

One large and one small (and withered) sprigs of basil, lime, a couple of slices of jalapeno, Ngo Gai (culantro…yay!), and maybe a half handful of bean sprouts. This is about right for San Diego nowadays. The Ngo Gai was fresh, and had that light, but slightly more anise cilantro like flavor. The bean sprouts reminded me of a funny encounter I observed at Pho Hiep and Grill. A Korean Gentleman was apparently trying to show off to the two women eating with him. He did the whole Neoc Beo, meat on the side, etc, etc…… running the poor Server crazy by not making his requests with his order, but piecemeal. And not in a very nice way as well. He did things in a very superior – narcissistic, "I'm the customer, and you'll serve me" kinda way. I specifically remember him telling the two women, "yeah, I eat Pho all the time, and this is how I roll….." Finally, when the garnishes arrive, he tells the very good natured young man to take his plate back. He wanted is bean sprouts "blanched". The Server was really accommodating, and trying to be friendly he told the young man, "oh, you have false teeth?" The Korean guy, "what….no, I have perfect teeth, no trouble!" The Server; "oh, because my mother and grandmother have no teeth, and they need to have their bean sprouts made that way….." The two girls started giggling, the Korean dude turned several shades of red, all the while the Server kept a straight face, with a look of total innocence. So I'm still not sure if he was getting a bit of revenge, or if he was dead serious…… It was funny though…. I guess "that's the way he rolls….."

Back to the Pho:

The broth was on the dark side, but clear. The flavor was mildly beefy, but lacked any good pronounced clove-anise tones, and could have been more savory. The noodles were bunched in the bottom of the bowl, SOP….. and were a bit overcooked and mushy.

There was a good amount of meat, the best being the tendon which was buttery and excellent. The brisket was cooked much to long; it had good flavor but had fallen into tiny pieces. The flank looked good, but had a slight "refrigerator" flavor.

Not a bad bowl, I've had much worse, the amount of meat was impressive. As in most Pho restaurants, everything happened pretty quickly, and I was out in 20 minutes.

Pho Hoàng Express
16425 Bernardo Center Dr
San Diego, CA 92128

Right up Bernardo Center Drive, taking a left on Rancho Bernardo Road, and I was at Pho Ca Dao.

Pho Ca Dao & Grill:

Open just two weeks at the time of the visit, Pho Ca Dao was much more well lit, and had folded the usual "Pho dining set" into kind of a shiny pseudo-tropical looking dining area.

The service here was much more friendly, though not as efficient in the "well oiled Pho machine" way of Pho Hoang. My water was even refilled three times during my meal! But as different as the two restaurants were, there was much in common. The prices looked the same, and the well done steak, flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe was item #4 here as well. And when my garnishes hit the table, it looked like the exact twin of what I had at Pho Hoang.

That's where the similarities ended, as this bowl of Pho looked totally different from Pho Hoang's version:

In fact, it was markedly different from the soup at Pho Ca Dao's El Cajon and Mira Mesa locations. The broth was very light and clear, with almost no oil. I got a spoon of the broth, and took a photo…. it's almost transparent.

The broth actually had more anise-onion-clove flavor than Pho Hoang's, but was much more salty, and obviously less beefy. The broth also did better with regards to being able to taste the couple of leaves of basil and Ngo Gai. The noodles were perfect, a bit of stretch, and a mild toothsomeness. The meat was on the sparse side, and even though some of my favorite tendon is served at Pho Ca Dao's ECB location, this wasn't even close. Actually, I thought the flank, though a bit chewy had the best overall flavor.

I was asked twice how things were. The service is bordering on Western in standards. Even with all of this, I was still out in 40 minutes. Very quick for lunch, maybe forever when it comes to having a quick bowl of Pho. The folks working here are attentive, and have obvious pride in their shiny new digs.

Pho Ca Dao & Grill
11808 Rancho Bernardo Rd
San Diego, CA 92128

So which do I prefer? I dunno, it's a toss-up. More meat, it Pho Hoang. Want a clean and sparkling restaurant? Pho Ca Dao. Dark broth, Pho Hoang, lighter broth Pho Ca Dao….. you get it. Half a dozen of one, six of the other. It's nice to have choices, isn't it?

Honduras: Baleadas

November 12, 2009 mmm-yoso Honduran Food, Honduras

If there was one item I was absolutely going to have in Honduras, it was going to be a Baleadas. Looking much like a quesadilla, this calorie bomb is one of the ubiquitous fast breakfasts foods in the land where breakfasts would more likely send me right back to bed.

Remember this menu item from Churrasqueria Momo's?

Yikes!

And even though the Missus ate a Baleadas at Momo's, I wanted to try one from a "Caseta" (food stand). And this pretty busy one seemed to fill the bill:

After a glance at the three item "menu" was there any question what I'd be ordering? "Full toys" of course!

The Missus was kind enough to do the ordering, while I took photos. Like a typical quesadilla, the base of the baleadas is a flour tortilla…. a very large flour tortilla, which is heated on the comal (griddle):

First up is a large smear of frijoles (beans – in this case black beans), a smear of mantequilla, which in this case is not butter or lard, but a very rich sour cream. Next up the huevos (eggs), and then a huge ladle of chorizo, swimming in a pan of grease. Everything is topped off with avocado and a good amount of grated queso duro (a hard white cheese). I wish I could have a photo for you, but everything happened so quickly, that I couldn't keep up.

I was also going to take a picture of the Baleadas being consumed, but the grease just dripped down my arm off my elbows. It is without a doubt a calorie-cholesterol bomb, and like many of that category, it was pretty tasty; salty, greasy, messy, mildy spicy………. I didn't eat until dinner, and I still wasn't very hungry.

Our shuttle back to Antigua had only three passengers. The Missus and I, and a young lady from Canada who was teaching English in Honduras. During our conversation the young lady mentioned that everyone of the foreign teachers have gained weight, some up to thirty pounds while in Honduras. When we asked how this happened, her answer was short and to the point….. "Baleadas"!

Road Trip: Vientiane Thai Laos Restaurant – Garden Grove (OC)

November 10, 2009 mmm-yoso Lao Restaurants, Thai Restaurants

It had been such a long time since the Missus and I went on one of our eating road trips. First I was busy, than the Missus was busy, than I got sick, than the Missus was busy….you get it. I'd say those hours of being sick were the worst. You get into these periods of melancholy, followed by periods where you daydream about being somewhere else, anywhere, away from the body aches, coughing, the irritated spouse, you get it, right? For some reason, my mind kept taking me back to Laos. I can't put my finger on it, but there was something about that trip, that stayed with me……

So as soon as I felt better and we actually had a free weekend day, we were itching to head "up North." And what better place to check out than a Lao Restaurant I'd heard about.

Vientiane Restaurant is located in one of what may be a couple hundred strip malls in the Westminster/Garden Grove area.

It is tucked back, away from the street, over-shadowed by Pho 54 in Saigon Plaza. The sign simply says "Lao & Thai Food". The restaurant itself is tiny, comprised of four tables. When we arrived there was just a woman on her cell phone waiting for an order, and no else up front. We checked out the cold case, and were comforted at all the Jeow (dips) and other items. It indicated that we were at the right place.

Now comes the funny part. A very nice woman seated us, and handed us menus. When we were ready to order, I started giving off menu item numbers. No dice. I started reading off the English, translations…. wasn't going to work. The woman giggled. I pointed to the items on the menu (no Lao script – but English translations). The woman leaves, and another very motherly woman comes out….. same drill. The previous woman comes out, points to the menu and tells me "you read it to me." I start cracking up, the Missus is rolling Her eyes….She always gives me grief over my terrible pronounciations, and this might be downright painful. This was going to be much harder than "tres tacos Al Pastor". For some reason, this exchange took me right back to Laos…. So I start, and it is quite interesting…. "Mok Pa", "eh", "Mok Pa", "fish?"," yes, Mok Pa". "Ooooh, Mok Paaa!" The Missus is covering Her eyes. She can't bear to watch this disaster. At the end of the whole drill, the woman laughs, and exclaims, "you say good!" More eye rolling from the Missus. The woman starts walking back to the kitchen, turns and makes a spoon to mouth motion, "rice, you want rice!" I make the Lao three finger to mouth motion and go "sticky rice". "OK!" I thank her, "kopchai lai lai", She starts laughing, and the Missus has a look like She's just returned from the dentist, and says, "we'll see if we get what you really wanted to order."

Well, at least the sticky rice was going to be right.

A large container of perfectly made sticky rice. In San Diego, I believe that Asia Cafe is the only place that consistently makes perfect sticky rice, and this was on par.

Of course, right at this moment a gentleman enters carrying several sacks of groceries. He speaks excellent English.

Next up, one of my Death Row dishes – Nam Kao ($6.50):

Man this was good, the textures, the pork skin, the mildly sour fermented sausage, the smokey, almost sweet toasted chilies. Served with all the requiredveggies and herbs, this was such a vibrant dish. The second best I've had, next to the one in Vientiane. Crunchy crisp rice, chewy sausage and pork skin, amazing flavors, a symphony of textures.

Next up the Larb Pa Thong – in this case Catfish Larb ($7.99):

At first I was worried, as I'm not a big fan of catfish and the muddy flavors. But in this case, the muddiness was muted by the strong savoriness of the sauce. The roasted rice powder added a nice nuttiness, and the mint and galangal helped to cleanse your palate.

As good as the Nam Kao was, the dish that I've been craving is the Raw Shrimp ($7.99):

Even though I know they went easy on us in the spice department, this was a fantastic dish. The shrimp was slightly toothsome and sweet, the amount of garlic and lime was balanced in a never ending tug-of-war of flavor. Heck even the tomato slices tasted good with the sauce! We finished every single piece of everything on the plate, even the shredded cabbage. It looked like we vacuumed the plate. As much as I enjoy the Naked Shrimp at Sab E Lee….. you get the point, right?

The last dish was the only clunker of the day, the Mok Pa($4.00) – fish in banana leaf:

Even though the menu says steamed, it looked like it had been placed on a brazier. The fish was very boney, and not of high quality. The banana leaf also looked past prime, and didn't deliver the wonderful slight smoky flavor that I love. Also, for strange reason, the flavors seemed very muted. Maybe it's because I make this at home once in a while? I dunno…..

Even though we always like to check out different places on our road trips, we'll without a doubt be back here.

Vientiane Thai Laos Restauarant
10262 Westminster Ave
Garden Grove,CA92843

Hours: Mon – Thurs 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sun 10am – 9pm
Closed Tuesday

Postscript:

As went to wash my hands before and after (eating sticky rice, you know) the meal, I walked past the kitchen (spotless clean just like Asia Cafe), and the three women were singing. One humming, two singing different parts of a song. I was reminded of the housekeepers in our hotel in Vientiane, three girls, barefoot (this is Laos), always singing together in harmony while they worked…..

I really don't need much prompting to be taken back to Vientiane….

Or to Luang Prabang for that matter…….

This post is dedicated to some great FOYs (Friends of Yoso) "J & D" who are headed off to Laos in a month or so. I hope you both enjoy Laos as much as we did!

I hope you're all having a great week!

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