mmm-yoso – Page 382

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot & Grill Part 2

December 3, 2007 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants

In part 1 of this post, I went over some of the lunch specials available at Little Sheep, so it’s about time to post on the hot pot. Just the subject of Huo Guo can be a vast universe of choices and personal preferences, so I’ll divide this post into little chunks…..all the better for digestion!

What is this sheet?

Yes, the menu at Little Sheep is a sheet……actually more of a checklist, makes things pretty easy, you just start checking things off.

The list is divided into sections for meat, vegetables, seafood, various "grilled" dishes(not for the hot pot), tofu, and other items, along with the prices. If you’re having Hot Pot you check off what type of broth you desire($3.75 per person), be it only the "Original" (non-spicy), "Spicy" (Ma-La Guo), Vegetarian, or "Half and Half" (Yuan Yang Guo), which gives you the best of both worlds……

Is it soup yet?

Soon after taking your order the pot of "broth" arrives at your table, and the heat is turned on. This pot soon becomes a boiling cauldron, with all sorts of "bits" floating around…..

Something like a total of 32 different flavorings is used for the two broths, probably to make the Colonel feel insignificant for using only 11 herbs and spices…… You’ll find everything from whole garlic cloves, ginger, to longan floating in the broth. Flavor wise, I much prefer the milky, rich, and tasty mild broth, I think the spicy broth, though nice and spicy, to be a bit "flat". It also depends on what various items you’ve ordered for your hot pot, some ingredients tend to go better with the spicy broth. One other note, having visited several times, we noticed that the flavor and oil content of the broth varied from visit to visit. So it is probably a good idea to get the combination. The hot pot also has 2 different eating/serving utensils for each person, one is simply a spoon, the other is a strainer, for fishing out all the good bits.

Where’s the Beef?

Now comes the fun part, all the "stuff". You should be served meat first, because meat will add flavor to the broth, and to everything else that comes after. Once we were served all our vegetables and noodles first, which is a faux pas. Our favorite items are…well since this is Little Sheep, not Little Pig, or Small Cow…..Lamb of course.

There are two different cuts of Lamb available; the fatty "Supreme Lamb" Shoulder Cut(above – $6.50), and the "Premium Lamb Leg"(right – $5.95). The premium cut is a bit leaner, and does well with the spicy broth. Our favorite is the fatty lamb, which is divine after a light dunk in the original broth. As you notice all meats are cut thin…and when the quality of the Supreme Lamb is good, it almost melts in your mouth(if you don’t over cook it).

Overall, we have the found the quality of the meat to usually be pretty good, from the Premium Beef(right – $5.95), to the Pork Belly, to the Beef Tendon (below – $4.95), which I thought was going to be really tough, but ended up being pretty good. While I’m on the tendon(no pun intended) one quick note; at Little Sheep you aren’t served the usual array of sauces, like the leek sauce or fermented tofu. The belief is that the broth has so much flavor you won’t need it. If you want sauces, you’ll be charged for them. There were a few items like the tendon that would be much better with the addition of some leek sauce.

One item we didn’t enjoy were the Lamb Meat Balls($6.95).

Rubbery and bland, I’ll pass on these in the future.

To Dunk or not to Dunk, is that a question?

Among the cornucopia of items available are glass noodles($2.95):

As much as the Missus loves these, they have to cook for a short while, which means they have to be "dunked" in the broth. Fishing these out can be problematic, the noodles become a net for all the herbs, and other detritus. So if you don’t mind eating a bunch of herbs stuck in your noodles…..Otherwise, stick with something a bit thicker in girth. Also, glass noodles get mushy when overcooked, which I don’t care for, but if it floats your boat……

Frozen tofu acts like a flavor sponge, and left to it’s own devices will absorb wonderful flavors from the broth. Which leads to the question, do I dip, or do I dunk? Well there are items that have to be dunked and cook, or like the frozen tofu benefit from a leisurely bath. One of my favorite items is the Lamb Wontons($4.95):

These taste better in the spicy broth. The nice wildness of the lamb stands up well to the heat. And of course these babies should be left to simmer until they start back-floating across the steamboat…..

Personally, I think high quality, thinly sliced meats should not be left to their own devices, but need adult supervision. Once cooked to just below your desired doneness they should be removed from the heat and consumed. If left to become stew meat they get tough, or break-up into little pieces in the broth….well maybe your Glass Noodle net will be able to catch a few pieces….. Like I said, everyone has their own technique and strategy.

Most of the veggies on the list, like our favorite Watercress($3.95), will do okay if dunked:

Is it just me or is it getting hot in here?

Ah yes, the social aspect of Huo Guo. Much like the dishes that Hot Pot is often associated with, Fondue and Shabu Shabu, Huo Guo is a social event of sorts. Groups of people gathering over a communal cauldron of of boiling liquid adding flavorful ingredients, while chatting and laughing, is a fun time.

Whenever we’re eating at Little Sheep, I always make several trips to the washroom, not because I need to go, but just to check out what’s going on at the other tables…..one table of three young guys, with 6 plates of meat, and the only green item on the table are the beer bottles. Another table of a older Gentleman and a Young Man, having dinner with a Young Lady. The older Guy and the young lady are having a nice conversation, while the Young Man(obviously the guy’s son) staring into the bubbling stock, looking very uncomfortable, is just stuffing himself silly so as not have to talk. Looks like some matchmaking going on here… A group of middle aged women having a raucous time at one of the larger tables in the back, while piling handfuls of Napa Cabbage into the pot…..

A young couple, who, you can tell by the mannerisms(there ain’t no slurping going on here), and very controlled movements, have probably been dating for a very short while, or maybe for the first time. People watching can be half the fun……..

Just remember to have some broth at the end of your meal…after all, you had a hand in creating it.

Ah yes, the prices…those familiar with Hot Pot in Los Angeles are in for a bit of sticker shock, all items reflect the "San Diego premium", which in most cases is about $1(or more) per item. That said, the quality and portions are about the same as we’ve gotten in LA. Service is generally good (except for the time we were brought our veggies first), and there is one hard working Woman(who seems to be there all the time), who doesn’t say much, but now recognizes us, and always gives us a smile.Which is what I’m usually doing after a nice meal at Little (Fat) Sheep……smiling, that is.

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot & Grill
4718 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Mon-Sun 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 9:00pm
Fri-Sat 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Sun 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 9:30pm

Here’s Candice Woo’s article from CityBeat.

And Professor Salt did a nice post here.

Tori Tori Japanese Restaurant

November 29, 2007 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

*** Tori Tori has closed……

"I miss you like the space where my tooth used to be……."

Is that one weird term of endearment or what? That short phrase is one that the Missus and I use when one of us is gone for a few days. The message pertains to how we don't miss something until it's gone. Remember when you were a little kid…..and were about to lose a tooth, or have one taken out? Now most of the time you couldn't wait to get rid of the darn tooth, because in the end there was some benefit, either monetary(the good 'ol tooth fairy), or pain relief as a reward. But dangnabit, as soon as that tooth was gone, there was some strange force that would inevitably draw your tongue into the space where your tooth used to reside! On some level it seemed like you really missed that tooth. And so it seems when couples have been together for a long time, you get used to having each other around…the little habits, quirks(and there are many!), and other "stuff". But once that individual has to go on a business trip, or maybe a vacation with the girls(or guys), man do you miss them. And you find yourself doing things automatically, just because it has become a routine……just like the magnetic pull that space where your tooth used to occupy has on your tongue…….

So how does this apply to this little Mom and Pop Japanese Restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard? When we first moved to San Diego, Tori Tori had only recently opened. The Missus and I thought the food was good, not great, but good and worth the price. And though the fish was "buffet grade", Tori Tori was just about the only place where I'd actually order a California Roll…..why? Well, the California Roll was made with real crab, was light on the mayo, and was perhaps the best Califonia Roll I'd ever had. The Missus loved the Katsu Don, the sauce was light, yet full of flavor, the texture of the chicken was to Her liking, and it was prepared well. But as things happen so often, whether because of economics or other factors, things changed, the California Roll was replaced with the usual blah, the price of the Katsu Don, at first $5.95, was raised to $6.95, than $7.95, and in the end well over 8 bucks, all in what seemed like the space of 18 months! At which time Tori Tori was excised, just as that tooth….. Though we'd pass Tori Tori, and that magnetic "pull" would start drawing us in, we'd resist. But recently, I decided to drive into that strip mall, and see what happened to Tori Tori.

I'm not sure how many owners Tori Tori has gone through since I've last visited, but the interior looks the same, though perhaps a bit more worn around the edges.

With the addition of Bulgogi and Kalbi on the menu, and over hearing conversations, I assume the current Owner(s) are Korean.

Since I was here, I thought for "old times sake", I'd order the Katsu Don(Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl – $7.45). This came with a choice of Miso Soup or Salad, and I selected the Miso Soup, which was on the salty side.

The fairly large, but very deep bowl arrived steaming hot.

First off, what to do with the zucchini and mushroom? I enjoy my Katsu Don with just onions, green onions, and beni shoga(pickled ginger). Second, the sauce didn't have much flavor, no soy, not sweet, just maybe the barest hint of dashi. Third, the chicken katsu had been over saturated in the flavorless sauce depriving me of at the least some textural enjoyment. The piece of chicken, though moist, was on the smallish side, though the egg was fine. What there was is a great abundance of rice, I mean a ton of rice…….that even the carb lover that I am could not finish.

"I missed it like the space where my tooth used to be……."

That being the case, I decided to give Tori Tori another try, and for some reason decided to order the Bulgogi Lunch Special($7.95).

I'm sure that just on portion size alone you're pretty much getting your money's worth by San Diego standards. Again the Miso Soup was on the salty side, the huge hunks of iceberg lettuce was a ponderous thing to eat with chopsticks, and the dressing for the salad didn't have much flavor. Frozen mass produced Gyoza…..and two slices of bleh California Roll…'nuff said. The four pieces of vegetable tempura was a mixed bag, the onion slice was perfectly fried, and the sweet potato excellent! The Kabocha skin was too thick and hard, and should have been peeled, and the very large broccoli floret was burnt on the outside, and cold on the inside.

The Bulgogi was pretty good, though the quality of the meat was low, which meant tough pieces of "sugi", a slang we use back home in Hawaii, relating the texture of connective tissue to nylon fishing line. The meat was well marinated, even though the flavor was closer to Hawaiian BBQ than Bulgogi……. What made me laugh, was how Bulgogi was described as "Roast Beef" on the menu!!!

There are a bunch of lunch specials ranging from $5.95(your basic teriyaki chicken) to $9.95(kalbi), and it looks like at least portion-wise you'll get what you pay for. Sushi is also served. The service is basic, I saw my Server 4 times, once when I arrived for the menu and drinks, drink delivery, food delivery, and when the check was dropped off.

I don't know if I'll be back, because frankly, knowing how much we used to enjoy our meals at Tori Tori, this was kinda depressing. God knows, "I miss it like the space where my tooth used to be……."

Tori Tori
1905 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Mon-Thurs – 1130am-2pm 5pm-9pm
Friday - 1130am-2pm 5pm-930pm
Saturday - 5pm-930pm
Closed on Sunday

Wednesday Wanderings…….

November 28, 2007 mmm-yoso Cajun, Southern, and Soul Food

CrawDaddy’s Opens:

They say that imitation is the best form of flattery, so I guess since a second Crawfish Restaurant has opened in the former location of Jamillah Garden, just a block or so away, Crab Hut must be a smashing success.

Unfortunately for me, on the day I visited they were closed. So I’ll visit on another day. For those interested here’s the posted menu:

The address is:

4681 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111.

Here’s another restaurant that I just noticed during my last visit to Ba Ren.

Not quite sure what to make of it……

Bud’s Louisiana Food Shoppe Closes:

Last week, I was in the Little Italy area, and noticed that the sign for Bud’s Louisiana Food Shoppe had been covered in tarp. Here’s the sign posted in the window:

The good news is they’re looking for a new location, so I hope they find one soon. More info by Gil on What We Dig. Here’s what’s opening up in the spot.

A burger place….next to the Waterfront Bar & Grill?

It’s Sanma Season….or at least that’s what it seems like. I don’t remember the last time I had Sanma Shioyaki (salt grilled Sanma). For those who don’t know what Sanma is; it is Pacific Saury, more commonly called Mackerel Pike.

Though I’ve never developed a taste for the intestines, I love simple salt-grilled Sanma. Good oils, great flavor, the oceany skin….. So your trusty neighborhood sushi place should have, or be able to get Sanma. This one is from Sammy’s.

One of these days soon, I’d like to try my hand at this:

I’ve been seeing raw monkfish liver, otherwise known as Ankimo at a few Japanese Markets, and it seems a pretty easy thing to make.

Still, I would feel really bad if I screwed it up….if you’ve had bad Ankimo, you’d know what I mean! But, good Ankimo! Sigh…… The Missus calls it a cross between the best salmon pate and crab eggs. Maybe….just maybe….

I hope everyone’s having a great week! More restaurants tomorrow!

JV’s Mexican Food

November 26, 2007 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

First off, my apologies…..I’m sure after eating more calories in a few days, than you would in a month, the last thing you’d want is to have me waving a burrito in your face. But with a small backlog, I decided to start the post-Thanksgiving diet with a very popular taco shop. When we lived in the area JV’s was a regular stop, in those days we thought they made a pretty good burrito. So not having eaten at JV’s in 4-5 years or so, I was wondering how my tastes had changed, if at all, and recently paid a visit to JV’s.

One of the reasons I enjoyed grabbing a bite from JV’s was that service was very quick, and the crew at JV’s were almost always friendly…….

In fact, the attitudes are almost as bright as the orange and yellow colors that comprise the interior…. There always seems to be a steady stream of customers.

The menu at JV’s goes beyond the usual San Diego Taco Shop fare, with items like the Del Mar Burrito(shrimp, fish, beans – $7.10), the Surf and Turf Burrito(Shrimp and Carne Asada – $7.10), the Tuna Melt Quesadilla(!!! – $4.90). On this day, I chose the Al Pastor Burrito($4.40):

For some strange reason, I always like to place my burrito next to another object when taking a photo….just for the sake of determining scale. I guess it’s just a bad habit…. The burritos at JV’s are fairly large.

This was just okay, the Al Pastor (marinated pork) was mild in flavor, though the meat was tender. I thought that the guacamole and large quantity of pico de gallo detracted from the overall flavor of the Al Pastor. In this case it was obvious that the pork wasn’t spit roasted, the hallmark of Al Pastor.

Nevertheless, the burrito did fill me up. I also like the hot sauce at JV’s, and the salsa bar stocks roasted jalapenos, marinated carrots, and the like for free.

Of course, I had to make another visit and grab the ubiquitous California Burrito($4.95):

This burrito, as with all the burritos are pretty hefty in size. The Carne Asada was pretty mundane, dry and bland, not quite what I remembered. I also wished for more french fries, and less sour cream.

Still, not bad for under 5 bucks. But not as good as I recall. These days, I’m less of a burrito guy, and more of a taco dude…..

I had thought of going back to JV’s to grab more of our favorites from not-so-way-back-when, the Red Chile Burrito($4.20), and other stuff(Lengua Plate!), but I think, that at least for now, I’ll just rely on my memories.

Still, if you’re in the mood for some "different" burritos, like the Big Chicken Philly(grilled chicken, onions, and mushrooms), perhaps JV’s is worth a try.

JV’s Mexican Food
1112 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
619-276-0758

Open Sunday-Thursday 9am-11pm
Friday-Saturday 9am-2am

Rack of Lamb with Cilantro-Scallion Crust

November 23, 2007 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

I hope everyone had a happy and safe Thanksgiving. The Missus has been quite busy the last few weeks, so we decided to forgo the usual feast……

So this year we had Chinese food which brought back a funny memory……a few years back, we were in Seattle over the Thanksgiving weekend. It was Thanksgiving day, and I was wondering where we’d be able to grab a bite.

Me: "I’m wondering what’s open…"

The Missus: "Chinese restaurants always open on Thanksgiving."

Me: "Why"

The Missus: "Because, wehavenothingtobethankfulfor…..he-he-he…"(She was joking….I think)

And of course we headed off to the International District, and had a nice meal in one of the Chinese restaurants in the area.

Anyway, here’s something I made this past week. It’s really easy, the whole meal can be whipped up in 45 minutes or so. Please excuse the photos, it gets dark pretty early nowadays, and the lighting in our kitchen is dreadful.

RACK OF LAMB WITH CILANTRO-SCALLION CRUST
1 Tb Canola Oil
2 Tb Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
3-4 Tb thinly sliced Scallion
3-4 Tb minced Cilantro
1/2 Cup panko
1 Rack of lamb (7 or 8 ribs) – I Frenched the rack, and trimmed much of the fat cap off – saved the fat, and used it for the brussel sprouts.
Salt
Pepper
2 Tb Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup Dijon mustard
2 Tb Soy sauce

1 – In a heat olive oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking, add the red pepper flakes, stirring for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 20-30 seconds. Add the scallion and the cilantro and cook the mixture, stirring, for 10 seconds. Stir in the panko, salt, and pepper. Remove the skillet from heat.
2 – Mix the mayonnaise, soy sauce and mustard in a small bowl, set aside.
3 – Season the lamb with Salt and Pepper
4 – Heat an ovenproof skillet over high heat until it is hot and brown the lamb. Turning it occasionally until the sides and the ends are browned evenly.

5 – Pour off any fat from the skillet, arrange the lamb, fat and meat side up, and brush with the mayonnaise/mustard mixture.
6 – Apply panko mixture evenly on the fat and meat on the mayo/mustard mixture.
7 – Bake the lamb in a preheated 450 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 130 degrees for medium-rare meat.
8 – Transfer the lamb to a platter, let it stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before slicing.

It was a nice little meal…..Rack of Lamb with a Cilantro-Scallion Crust, Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, and Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Garlic, sauteed in Lamb Fat.

Peru: Pescados Capitales – Miraflores(Lima)

November 18, 2007 mmm-yoso Lima, Peru, Seafood, Travel

Knowing how much the Missus loves Cebiche, it would have been a crime to leave Lima without another meal at a Cebicheria, restaurants specializing in seafood, especially, well what else, Cebiche! In doing research for out meal, I came across several great sources, one was of course, Peru Food, another being the restaurant reviews in klephblog, and finally, this excellent article written by Jonathan Yardley for the Washington Post. In the end, it came down to meals at either Gaston Acurio's Cebicheria, La Mar, or the highly regarded Pescados Capitales. Interestingly enough, the two restaurants are located blocks from each other, in what is slowly becoming the "Cebicheria district", Avenida La Mar. Another well regarded Cebicheria, La Red, is also located on the same street. Since we had already eaten at Astrid & Gaston the evening before, and since Pescados Capitales takes reservations, we decided on Pescados Capitales. It was a bit tough getting reservations, we could never find anyone who spoke English. Luckily, the very nice Concierge at the Marriott, made reservations for us. She did wonder how I knew about Pescados Capitales since it's according to her a "mostly a local place". Later on, when she saw me, she followed up, curious as to how we enjoyed our meal. So, after a busy morning, we flagged down a cab on Larcomar got a price (6 Soles), and headed off. The young man, who looked part Chinese, was amiable, and he humored the Missus who used her survival Spanish on him. When she mentioned taxi drivers in Lima, he made a clucking sound, and told the Missus, "taxi all loco, allll loco, in Lima!" Of course he was in the process of cutting several cars off, and making a left turn from the center lane without using the turn signal at the time…….

Avenida La Mar, is an interesting street, a mixture of auto repair shops, small industrial businesses, residential, and as mentioned before, several upscale Cebicherias. Cebicherias are strictly lunchtime eateries, so location is not such a big issue. Oh, one more thing, in Lima, lunch can mean any time between noon and 6pm! I had heard that Peruvians like to eat late, and we did notice how Astrid & Gaston got busier as the night wore on. In keeping with that, when we arrived for our 1230 reservation, the restaurant was almost totally empty:

The Missus looked at me and went, "humph, you needed reservations for this?" But by 1 pm, it looked like this:

Before we left….packed to the rafters!

Just after sitting we were brought an Amuse of uber-fresh Scallops with Bloody Mary mix:

So simple, yet so very good. The sweet, tender orbs, was like a spicy-tomatoey kiss of the ocean. When the Missus mentioned how good this was, the Server, brought Her two more!

I had read that the name of the restaurant was a play on words, "pescado" in Spanish means fish, you'd think the word "pescados" would probably be the plural of the former word. But it is not, "pescados" is translated as "sin". So using this play on words, many of the dishes at Pescados Capitales are named for the Seven Deadly Sins or the Seven Virtues. A double order of Paciencia (patience) anyone? On some days I could perhaps use a triple order…….. In addition, the Owners of Pescados Capitales are of Peruvian-Chinese descent, and there are several dishes on the menu that reflect this.

The Aji was brought to the table, and was really good, and a bit different from other versions. It had a distinct smokey flavor to it, almost as if some chipotle was in the mixture. The cancha(fried corn kernals) were nice and salty, though very dry. It was best eaten mixed with the Leche de Tigre(Tigers Milk), the cebiche marinade.

Oh, and how good that Leche de Tigre was! We started with the classic Cebiche de Leguado (sole cebiche s/30 – approx $10).

Though the fish was good, not excellent, the Leche de Tigre was the best we've ever had, just the right amounts of sour-salty that is as bracing as the spray created by waves crashing on a rocky shoreline. Mildly pungent and sweet onions, and very spicy red peppers added heat, and the camote, with the slight hint of cinnamon in the background made this a very pleasing dish. To this day, when we think of Cebiche, this is the version that comes to mind.

We also ordered the Caridad ("Charity" s/ 30, approx $10 US), and interesting Eurasian mix of flavors.

Pacific Rockfish had been lightly studded with sesame seeds, lightly dusted with togarashi, and lightly seared, giving it good texture. The reduction which I read contained mirin, dashi, lime, among several other items was much better than I thought it would be. The combination of sweet-salty-sour was quite good. It was accompanied by a nice green salad, with a mild vinaigrette. The only item we didn't care for was the parmesian cheese, the sour cheese along with very rare fish was not a combination we enjoyed.

I also wanted to try a tiradito, so I selected the Tiradito Capital(s/ 31 – approx $10.50 US):

This was one beautiful dish, and the tuna was really nice and fresh. The rest of it was a mish-mash of confusing flavors…a very strong oyster sauce reduction, that tasted like it had dijon mustard in it on top, Leche de Tigre on the bottom…too many clashing flavors, you really couldn't taste anything. Maybe this was a little bit too over the top for us. I was wishing I could just have that maguro…….. Still you can't blame them for trying.

The menu at Pescados Capitales is fairly large and diverse. Don't let our meal fool you, there are many cooked seafood dishes like "Lust" stuffed squid, grilled over coals, a very popular risotto we saw many people ordering, and a huge plate of Pulpo! I'm sure next time we're in Miraflores we'll be checking out Punta Azul, a Cebicheria we passed several times on a side street, and La Mar…..but I'd come back to Pescados Capitales in a minute!

Pescados Capitales
Avenida La Mar 1337
Miraflores, Lima, Peru

Chung Hing

November 17, 2007 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants

What the heck was I doing at a Chinese Fast Food joint on Miramar Road you may ask……

Well, over the last 2 years, I’ve received at least 5 emails extolling the high quality and flavor of the Char Siu at Chung Hing. One of them said, "don’t get anything but the BBQ pork", another perhaps less reliable person said "gotta get that BBQ pork, and really good old school Chinese stuff like egg foo yung and cream cheese won tons." Egg foo yung and cream cheese won tons? Still, when I thought about it, I don’t consider those Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings I love so much, Chinese Food, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying them. And who knows, maybe the Char Siu at Chung Hing might be really, really, good.

The interior of Chung Hing is cramped, with tables squeezed in to maximize capacity. The offerings at Chung Hing are like an encyclopedia of Chinese Fast Food. Beef Broccoli, Egg Rolls, and yes, a hand written sign, "BBQ Pork, $7.95/lb." I walked up and ordered the pork from the lady who eyed me with some suspicion. "BBQ pork, huh?" "Yes, BBQ pork….." She brought out several steaming hunks of meat and chopped them for me. I headed home, since a large pot of rice was waiting for me.

I must say, the Char Siu was very fresh, still steaming. But, though the meat was soft and juicy, the flavors were much too mild, not sweet enough, not rich enough, not enough fat. It had the texture of a regular pork roast, and lacked the mild beaniness and the complex depth of sweetness of good char siu.

After a few bites, I decided to let the Char Siu "rest" until the next day. And yes, the next day, the flavors were better, the texture of the meat had more of the tighter texture I’m used to in Char Siu. Not bad……not great, but not bad at all. I still miss the Char Siu and Roast Pork at places like Oahu Market and for some reason Island Manapua Factory in Manoa, and several other come to mind……

Chung Hing
7160 Miramar Rd
San Diego, CA 92121

So now what to do? Well, I decided to make one of my carb-loaded easy dishes. Stir Fried Egg Noodles, with Soy Sauce and bean sprouts. Really easy stuff. The only thing I do a bit different, is that I don’t boil those noodles, they get really mushy, and the texture is all wrong. Instead, I give them a quick rinse, than steam them for 8-10 minutes before stir frying them.

Just an easy stir-fried noodles dish…..

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot & Grill Part 1 – Not the Hot Pot

November 15, 2007 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants

We were pretty excited when we first spotted the sign for Little Sheep. Though for some reason, once the restaurant opened we just never made it. Perhaps it was the weather being a bit too hot, or maybe we were just in a rut following our return from Peru. Than came a really hectic period, I got sick, the wildfires struck, I got food poisoning, etc, etc, etc……..

Whatever the reason, we finally got our act together, and made it over to Little Sheep. And though the selection for hot pot items looked very tempting……

A FOY (friend of yoso) had sent me an email regarding the lunch specials listed on the placards at each table. We found the restaurant empty except for one other table. And after giving the regular menu sheet a quick once over, and ordering a few things, we checked out the lunch time offerings.

Cold Pork Jelly ($4.95), this was from the menu sheet. If you’re a regular reader, you already know that I enjoy "jellied meats", tender connective tissue, head cheese, et al…..

This was pretty solid and chewy, served in a little pool of a soy mixture which added just about the only discernible flavor, other than the cilantro, to the dish. The Missus said, that in most versions She’s had, the jellied meat is topped with minced garlic, which would have been a welcome addition here.

Lamb Skewers($4.95), also from the menu sheet.

The lamb meat had some chew, but wasn’t overly tough. What was lacking was flavor, not enough cumin, not enough salt killed this street food favorite. We had ordered these "spicy", but the skewers were still very, very mild.

Beef Noodle Soup with Hand Sliced Noodle (Dao Xiao Mien – $6.95).)

I had been for warned by our FOY, that the Beef Noodle Soup was very bland. But since I love Dao Xiao Mien(Knife Cut Noodles) I had to give this a try. And yes, that broth was lousy, totally devoid of flavor, it was not even salty. I added chili oil, salt, soy sauce….uh-uh, not very good. The 3 thin slices of beef were flavorless, dry, and tough. Too bad, because the noodles were not half bad, much better than the Late Jamillah Garden’s doughy version. This version had a decent chew, along with some pull, and wasn’t shaved too thick. One more thing, we couldn’t believe how much noodle was in this soup……it seemed like an endless amount. Talk about a carb fest…….noodles upon noodles.

The Cumin Lamb Stir Fry($8.95):

This should have just been called Salted Lamb Stir Fry. Again, not enough cumin, and too much salt. Not even close to the version served at Dede’s.

House Casserole($12.95)

A light, but flavorful broth, with "Thousand Layer Tofu"(aka frozen tofu) soaking up the flavor, this was by far the Missus’s favorite of the day. It tasted even better as left overs. The bean thread in the dish along with the Napa Cabbage added substance, though the meat was on the tough side. Still, I’m not quite sure this is worth almost $13…….

I’m sure we weren’t the only ones wondering how Little Sheep will survive the warm, and sometimes downright hot summers. If this is any indication, it may be tough. But for now, as it gets cooler we will enjoy the Hot Pot at Little Sheep.

Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot & Grill
4718 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Mon-Sun 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 9:00pm
Fri-Sat 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Sun 11:30am -3:00 5:30pm – 9:30pm

In Part 2 we’ll do the Hot Pot……

Peru: Astrid & Gaston – Miraflores(Lima)

November 13, 2007 mmm-yoso Fine Dining, Lima, Memorable Meals, Peru, Travel

Would you believe me if I said that this charming little house on side street right off of Avenida Larco is the home of one of the top 100 restaurants in the world?

According to Pellegrino, Astrid & Gaston is one of the Top 100 restaurants in the world in 2007, right up there with Robuchon at the Four Seasons, Guy Savoy, Peter Lugar, Zuni Cafe, and many others. I usually don't do posts on fine dining establishments, but I'm sure you'll humor me in this case. A&G was the one "must-eat" restaurant on my list for our vacation. In fact, I had the Missus call the restaurant from Cusco, and we had no problems getting reservations on a Friday evening. When I first started making plans for our vacation, I had been a bit hesitant about eating at Astrid & Gaston. We'd be traveling light, and I had second thoughts about proper attire. But that was soon remedied after a quick email to Alejandro who does the excellent Peru Food blog. In response to my question about attire, Alejandro wrote; "you'll get cut a lot of slack as tourists". Which we found to be true when we arrived at the restaurant. We were seated in the "Wine Cellar" section, a very warm, quiet, and comfortable area of the restaurant. We could pick out the tourists right away, the sweaters and jeans were the tourists, the sports coats were the locals. I had packed a nice dress shirt, slacks, and dress shoes, and they had traveled unused through our trip until this evening.

Our Server, a very kind and friendly young man brought us our menus….

Written in Spanish! This one was going to be much harder than ordering from a chalk board in a Picanteria! So we ordered some drinks, the Missus had some Chicha, and I ordered a Coca Sour, which was pretty strong:

And tried to go through the menu and figure out what was what.

The wonderful bread basket came out, with the uber-addictive bread sticks studded with Quinoa, when dipped in the wonderful spicy-tart Aji, was fantastic.

Our Server brought the Maitre d' over, who was not only very helpful, but had a great sense of humor as well! There were a few dishes that I was looking for, and he provided some assistance in finding them.

Of course the Missus had to start with some Cebiche, and I managed to find the Dos Cebiche Puritanos, basically the two traditional styles of cebiche, the mixto(mixed seafood cebiche), and the cebiche pescado (white fish).

The cebiche mixto was just plain fantastic. A variety of top notch seafood bathed in a creamy-mild marinade. I was amazed at how tender the calamari was…..literally melt in your mouth.

The quality of the fish in the Cebiche Classico, in this case Corvina (White Sea Bass) was a revelation. It was melt in your mouth tender….it would have not been out of place on nigiri sushi.

If I were to have any complaint at all, it would be that the Leche de Tigre(Tiger's milk – Cebiche marinade) was very, very mild. The strong sour-salty flavors were muted, but oh that fish was so good!

I had been looking for the causitas, which are minature versions of Causa, a classic dish which consist of cold mashed potatoes topped or filled with various ingredients. After looking over the menu, I found it called "La 5 Razas". These beautiful little mashed potato "cakes" were topped with various items. From what I found to be rather mundane(for me) items, such as the mayo-crab mixture which tasted like California roll filling.

To the very interesting….

This interesting causita was topped with preserved fish that tasted like less oily, top notch anchovy. In fact I thought it was anchovy, but was told it was "Atun", or preserved tuna. Salty and rich, this went well with the potato cake.

My favorite by far was the Conchas a la Huacaina (scallop in yellow cheese sauce).

Sweet scallops, in a slightly salty-rich cheese sauce. Really good stuff.

For Her main course the Missus ordered the Cuy in Orange Sauce:

The Missus adored Her Cuy(Guinea Pig), and it was fitting substitute for duck which is usually prepared in this manner. I had a taste of the Cuy, and it really did have a nice pork-dark meat chicken flavor. As for the potatoes and the relleno, I never had a shot, but the Missus said they were excellent. She still mentions this dish in conversations all the time.

I ordered one of Astrid & Gaston's signature dishes, the 3 Week Old Suckling Pig Confit, on the menu it's called "El Cochinillo de tres semanas del invierno 2007":

When it first arrived it was fantastic. The thin crisp laquered skin of the pork leg was amazing, and the meat was melt in your mouth tender and rich. It was a bit mildly flavored, I had expected more of the rich essense of pork. The cocoa reduction added a nice flavor as well. After a few minutes, the pork really got dried out and was not as palatable. The real treasure of this dish was the minced blood sausage, served on a stewed Quince.

After consuming our entrees, we were stuffed, and couldn't even manage to find room for one of Astrid's desserts. The Maitre d' dropped by, and asked if we had room for dessert. The Missus replied, "oh no, we are too full", raising Her glass She told Him, "I'm just going to finish this so I can kill the Cuy." To which he cracked up and said, "yes, yes, you must kill the Cuy…."

So how much did you think this cost? Well, including 10% automatic service charge, the dinner came out to s/250….or about $80 US! Yes, eighty bucks for dinner for two at a world class restaurant. We found the service to be warm, helpful, and friendly. We will be back, there's so much more to explore on the menu, wonderful sounding Tiraditos, Lechon, Foie Gras Tamale anyone? I'm sometimes a bit skeptical when restaurants fuse and modernize traditional dishes, but Gaston Acurio has done a masterful job. He is true to the dishes, uses excellent ingredients, and most of all everything is prepared well.

Astrid y Gaston
Calle Cantuarias 175
Miraflores

Monday to Saturday
Lunch: 12:30 – 15:30
Dinner: 19:30 – 24:00

I've heard that Gaston Acurio may open a branch of his very popular Cebicheria, La Mar in San Diego. If that happens I'm sure to be one of the first in line……

One more thing, just by coincidence, this happens to be our 700th published post. So maybe it's a bit fitting to do something a bit different for a change.

Birrias Chivos & Cheves

November 12, 2007 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants

**** Birrias Chivos & Cheves has closed

Several months ago I noticed little shop while driving on Highland avenue in National City.

With a name like Birrias….I knew the Missus would want to check the place out.

The walls of this little shop feature reproductions of vintage photos of Tijuana. The menu is written in Spanish, but there's a English translation on the reverse side of the laminated menu.

Even though the menu features items like Sopes, Huaraches, and Tacos, with a name like Birrias, was there any doubt as to what we'd be ordering? We placed our orders, a "complete order" of Birria de Chivo(goat) and one of Birria de Res(Beef – $8.95/ea).

All "complete" orders (half orders are $6.95) include Tortillas, salsa, onions, lime, cilantro and consomme.

We found the salsas to be nice and lively, the tortillas had an excellent corn flavor, but was very brittle, tearing and falling apart.

The consomme looked very rich, but was really mild, and served lukewarm. More oily, than flavorful.

The Birria De Chivo:

The meat was slightly tender, but like the consomme, it lacked spiciness and much flavor. The Missus added a hefty amount of salt, garnishes, and salsa. The meat was very mild, and lacked the "wild" flavor the Missus enjoys.

The Birria De Res was much better.

The very tender meat had a good beefiness to it. The Missus agreed, and thought this to be quite good. I'd have this again if in the area. How two almost exact dishes could vary….you got me.

The service was very nice and friendly. Though Birrias won't divert us from La Nortenita, it wasn't too bad. The young man told me that Birrias will be opening a Imperial avenue location in the near future.

Birrias Chivos & Cheves
2401 Highland Avenue
National City, CA 91950

Hours 8am-8pm Daily