mmm-yoso – Page 90

Jerusalem (Before Covid) – A Tour of the Old City and Dinner at Hachapuria

April 21, 2022 mmm-yoso Georgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Israel/Palestine, Travel

**** I'm sure I could write chapters about the Old City. But I'm going to try to be as concise as possible

We had really planned to learn a lot more about the Old City on our third full day in Jerusalem. So, like the previous two days, I figured a private tour might work for the best. And we had really enjoyed the tours we took the previous two days. I had gotten the Missus and I a private tour, that was supposed to be secular….I should have known better. Our guide wasn't very friendly, nor did he take much time to explain things; he basically drove or walked us to places, would tell us what the place was, and set us out on our own and go for a smoke. Oh well.

We started the morning by grabbing our caffeine fix from the nearby Nadi Cafe, which seemed to be full of students.

Our "guide" then met us at back at our apartment and drove us up to the Mount of Olives. We kinda knew what we were in for after he basically left us and went back to the car to wait for us.

Still, it was a lovely view.

We then drove down to the city and parked and then walked along the old city walls.

And eventually crossed a trench that led us to some alleyways. Soon enough we saw a spire rising in front of us. This is the Church of the Dormition. We were led into a room and were told this was the "Room of the Last Supper"; the Cenacle. To imagine that this was where it was believed that the Last Supper was held!

This was also supposedly the place where Christ washed the feet of his Disciples.

We were led down some stairs to a hallway, which had been converted to a synagogue. From here, the Missus had to go one way, I another.

And I entered this room.

This is David's Tomb. While not considered to be the actual resting place of King David (the tomb is empty), this is a quote from Professor Doron Barr on the Wikipedia Page:

"Although the sources for the tradition of David's Tomb on Mount Zion are not clear, it appears that it only began to take root during the subsequent, early Muslim period. Apparently, the Christians inherited this belief from the Muslims, and only at a relatively late juncture in the city’s history were the Jews finally convinced as well"

We were then taken into the Church of the Dormition. Dormition means to "fall asleep" and it is claimed that this is where the Virgin Mary fell into "eternal sleep". The crypt is quite an amazing place; it features a life sized "Sleeping Mary".

And the walls are adorned with mosaics and images of famous women from the Bible.

It's quite stunning.

We also visited the Church as well.

This is the view from Mount Zion.

From here we were led thru the Zion Gate.

To an area lined with colonnades.

We walked down the stairs to the excavated street known as the Cardo, which dates back to Byzantine times and was once the main street of Jerusalem.

It's now a pretty swanky shopping arcade. Regardless, it's quite impressive.

From here we were led past Hurva Square.

And taken to a shop named Everest Cafeteria Ramzi where we had lunch; while our guide left and did whatever stuffs he needed to.

After lunch we were guided down the street……to an area I'm sure most people have heard of.

The Western Wall. Because of the walls proximity to the restricted access Temple Mount, this wall built by Herod the Great is considered the Holiest site in Jerusalem and is a place of pilgrimage and prayer for many Jews. There are separate sections for men and women. The Missus had made sure to dress appropriately for this visit and after going thru security I wore a temporary Kippah (aka yarmulke).

I saw many folks placing "prayers"; slips of papers into the wall. I know some folks to whom a visit to the Western Wall has been one of the most important and cherished events in their life. I had been told that I should never turn my back to the wall as it is considered disrespectful, so I made sure to back away.

One of our requests when we booked the tour was to see all the stations of the Via Dolorosa, the "Way of the Cross"; basically the path Jesus took to his crucifixion. Our guide decided to start at Station III of the Via Dolorosa; where Jesus fell for the first time.

You can see the relief of Jesus falling under the weight of the cross above the door of the Armenian Chapel. Right next to it is the Fourth Station of the Cross, where Jesus met his mother, Mary. This is right in front of the Armenian Church.

We were then walked past the Fifth and to the Sixth Station of the Cross.

This is where Veronica, who would become Saint Veronica, wiped the sweat and blood off of Jesus's face. That cloth, called the Veil of Veronica is said to have the image of Jesus' face on it.

Down the street is the Seventh Station.

The Seventh Station is where Jesus fell for the second time.

The Ninth Station is where Jesus fell of the third time.

From here, we were taken into the main plaza of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Volumes could be written on this, but I'll keep it brief.

Built on what is believed to be the site of Jesus' crucifixion, locations in the church complex are run by various Christian religions using what is known as the Status Quo.

It was quite intense watching folks praying over, weeping, and in one case a woman cried out and threw herself over the Stone of Unction (Stone of Anointing) which lays upon the site where Christs body was laid after being removed from the crucifix and prepared to be buried. Man….

And of course there's the Tomb of Christ, where Jesus laid buried for three days before rising from the dead.

All these sacred sites in one place is kind of overwhelming even for an Agnostic like me.

If we'd had more time, I would have gotten a private guide just for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Our guide just pointed to the entrance and told us where to meet him. He seemed uncomfortable in this area.

After leaving the church, we decided to cut our guide loose. Instead of taking us back to his car and driving us back to the apartment, we decided to walk back. The Jaffa Gate was close by and we strolled thru the Mamilla Mall and did some window shopping. And listened to some music…..

We took a nice break at the apartment before heading out to dinner.

After a pretty full day, I decided that we should go to the area around Machaneh Yehudah Market to grab something to eat. And while strolling around the market something clicked. This was the place we felt most comfortable in Jerusalem. So we'd return here for sure; especially since we had reservations at Machneyuda the following night.

We just wanted something casual for dinner and I had a place in mind right outside the market called Hachapuria whose specialty is a Georgian specialty called Hachapuri (Khachapuri).

Service was efficient and the prices were quite reasonable.

We started with a "salad", which was so very good, especially the wonderful smoky, earthy eggplant.

Man, the vegetables in Israel just seemed to good!

Here's the Acharuli Hachapuri.

We loved this. The boat shaped dough was so tasty; a perfect balance of yeastiness-salt-sugar, the texture perfectly crisp; the Sulguni cheese had a mild salty-sour-acidity, was stringy, and not overwhelming….and who doesn't love that egg???? And yes, that's a blob of butter on top of the egg!

We forgot about even using the provided sauces!

A wonderful dinner!

Hachapuria
5 Ha-Shikma
Jerusalem 9432305 Israel

After dinner we strolled back to the apartment. Tomorrow was our "free day" and we were looking forward to just wandering around and Machaneh Yehudah Market was definitely on that list.

Thanks for stopping by!

Roadtrip (During Covid) – Comparing Sea Harbour (Rosemead), Then and Now

April 20, 2022 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Dim Sum, Los Angeles County, Road Trip

Recently we had an appointment….a looong overdue appointment in our old neighborhood. The Missus had been wanting Dim Sum so we decided to revisit an old favorite of ours, Sea Harbour before our appointment. We got there about 10 minutes before opening and we waited by the front door….and then of course the "SGV moment" happened. As the door opened, a guy and his wife just cut right in front of us and then as we stood at the host stand asking for a table for two another couple pushed right in front of us and got seated….but heck, I guess it's ok because they are regulars??? Welcome to the SGV……I'm not sure if it's because I've lived in San Diego so long, but it seems that it's even worse these days…

Anyway, we got our table and placed our order. There seemed to be a strange disconnect during our meal as things took a very long time to come out and the order in which items came out seemed a bit strange. Also, some of the dishes seemed a bit off and one was just plain terrible. So, after coming back home, I dug out some photos from previous visits to Sea Harbour over the years and did a comparison of some of the dishes.

So, here's the meal in order.

Usually, during dim sum meals, noodles and rice comes out last…..but not today my friends…..the Seafood Pan Fried Noodles was out first.

The Seafood was excellent; cooked perfectly. The noodles not so much as some were just really hard….not crisp, hard. And there just wasn't enough sauce/gravy in the dish to help soften the noodles. There seemed to be a smaller portion of seafood as well.

Here's a photo from a previous visit.

The Durian Pastry arrived next….these were good. Light, creamy interior, crisp exterior…though more of a dessert kind of thing.

One of the two items we had that seemed basically unchanged (except for price) was the Egg Tofu with Abalone Sauce.

Wonderful creamy interior; slightly crisp exterior, nice savory sauce……

It does seem that earlier versions had a bit more sauce though….

The other was the Sticky Rice in Lotus leaf which was solid and quite filling….

Quite hefty with a decent amount of pork filling.

Next up was a favorite of ours; the Shrimp, Dry Scallop, and Chinese Celery Dumplings.

The shrimp were nice and plump, the dry scallops added a sweet-savoriness, and the celery helped provide a nice "clean" finish and crunch to things. The biggest issue for us was how thick, sticky, and rubbery the wrapper was.

I thought it was much thicker than on previous visits and also that it used to have "folds"; so when I returned home and looked at previous photos; guess what?

Here's what it used to look like.

I guess I'm not quite senile yet…..

We also ordered the Black Fungus and Celery Dumpling.

These suffered from the same issue with regards to the wrapper as the shrimp and dry scallop dumplings. Too thick, doughy, and sticky. In this case the filling just could not stand up to all that wrapper; even with chili oil…..

Here's a photo of this from a previous visit……it looks like something from a total different restaurant, doesn't it?

And yet, I knew that if the last item to arrive would be up to our Sea Harbour standards, everything would be fine and end on a high note. The Missus's favorite item from here is the Radish Cake with XO Sauce. When it arrived, the Missus and I looked at each other and said "where's the XO sauce"?

Apparently, these days, they saute the bean sprouts with the XO sauce and dump it on the radish cake. Which used to be nicely crisp on the exterior and soft and with a decadently melt-in-your-mouth tender interior. This was like eating mush….it was terrible and lacked flavor. This was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I mean look at how it used to be.

Does it even look like the same dish?

The service was uneven, the pacing terrible, the staff indifferent, all for $80 of dim sum for two. It was quite sad; Sea Harbour was once our favorite Dim Sum restaurant. Perhaps Covid has changed things….I can imagine changing portion size and using some products sparingly….but even technique seemed missing here; look at those dumplings!

We left sad and depressed, as in the days before Covid, Sea Harbour was a favorite stop for us in the SGV. I must have done at least a half dozen posts on the place and I know that Ed from Yuma had done at least two.

Looks like we'll have to find a new go-to Dim Sum restaurant in the SGV.

Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant
3939 Rosemead Blvd
Rosemead, CA 91770

Sangucheria Peruvian Street Food

April 19, 2022 mmm-yoso Peruvian Restaurants, Sandwiches

Back in mid-March, I went on one of my "drives with no purpose"……I guess basically doing the Flâneur, except very SoCal…..I'm not sure what the French would call it? Perhaps "pas d'entraînement objectif"?

Anyway, I was wondering if anything had taken residence in the previous location of a favorite "local grindz" place of mine. So, I drove on over to Tierrasanta and into the strip mall at 5950 Santo Road. I was a bit surprised to see that the market in the mall seems to have closed; but was even more surprised to see the sign for "Sangucheria Peruvian Street Food"! My goodness!

Folks who've read this blog for a while know that my first documented international trip was to Peru in 2007…man, almost 15 years ago! It was the first time that a cuisine had inspired me to travel somewhere. Something that has since been a common theme for us. So Peruvian cuisine holds a special place in my heart and I was fascinated to see a Sanguche place here.

It was Sunday, so the place was closed, but I made sure to check them out that very week!

The shop is even more spartan than when it was ISC, with a couple of tables and a takeout counter. The menu is brief, with 5 Sanguches (sandwiches) and several drinks and two types of fries.

Of course, I had to order the Sanguche de Chicharron (Pan con Chicharron). After all, I needed to see how it compared to what I had at Dona Paulina in Lima, right?

I ordered the Sanguche de Chicharron and an order of Sweet Potato Fries.

In Peru, they serve this sandwich in what they call "pan Frances"; basically French Bread. Though it is much lighter than what we would call a French Roll here in the states. This version was served on what I'd consider a Telera roll; that you'd get from your neighborhood Mercado. It is light , yeasty, and held up well.

The pork was a bit on the chewy side; which is pretty much in line with what we had in Peru; though I wish it was a bit more "swiney", but "the other white meat" is a US thing. I would have preferred a good Salza Criolla, which would have some heat, cilantro, and lime, then the typical pickeld onions provided. Also would have liked a bit more camote (sweet potato) as it was really lost in the sandwich.

Overall, a decent Sanguche. When I'm missing Peru, I'll have it again.

The Sweet Potato Fries where seasoned perfectly and had that wonderful mildly sweet flavor and nice starchiness.

The fries however, did not travel well and while the flavor was good, it was quite soggy by the time I got back to the office……about 15 minutes road time.

As week later, I decided to return and order something else…..I choose the Asado (beef) Sandwich.

Which came with two "aji"….a nice Aji Verde, a spicy-creamy green sauce and a sorta-kinda Aji Amarillo kind of thing which seemed more like a spicy salad dressing???

The sandwich was served in a Ciabatta Roll, which is typical for Sanguche Asado.

I recall a conversation with Benjamin, who was our driver for our flight over the Nazca Lines regarding Sanguches….yes, you know me……He is the one that recommended Dona Paulina over La Lucha in Lima…it's where he takes his family. He told me that often times folks make Sanguche de Asado with leftover beef, so it can be tough and dry. Which is kind of what the beef in this sandwich was.

It could have used more of the nice, pungent-sweet carmelized onions….though I'm glad I had the Aji Verde. Still, I'll pass on this one in the future.

The folks working at Sangucheria Peruvian Street Food are amazingly warm, friendly, and gracious. And that point alone means I'll return again soon….when I'm thinking and dreaming about wonderful Peru.

Food has that wonderful affect; it will sometimes take me back to people, places, and various moments……and that is priceless.

Sangucheria Peruvian Street Food
5950 Santo Rd.
San Diego, CA 92124
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 4pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 6pm
Closed Sundays

Takeout Revisits – Village Kitchen and Chaba Thai

April 18, 2022 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Thai Restaurants

Recently, the Missus was craving Pidan….unfortunately, the dishes the Missus were craving were from places over a hundred miles away, so "sorry Charlie" it wasn't happening during the middle of the week……

So, we had to make due with what we could get. Which was takeout from Village Kitchen and Chaba Thai.

Here's the kicker for online ordering from VK……they never let you know when the dishes are ready; at least they don't let me know…..I've tried calling in the past, but when I don't speak Mandarin, they hung up on me! Then, when I arrive, the young ladies working basically just ignore me….except when the woman who used to work at Kangxi is Coming is there, she still remembers me and is always so friendly. The things I do for the Missus….

Anyway, here goes…..

Village Kitchen:

I basically ordered the the usual suspects.

The La Rou with Cucumber Skin wasn't very spicy this time around….actually, I've found that all of our dishes in this order were really mild.

Though the crunchy and nice palate cleansing flavor of the cucumber skin came thru quite well and the La Rou was fairly smoky. The dish wasn't as greasy as on previous visits.

The Chou Dofu; Stinky Tofu Stew was a lot milder than usual.

The Missus had one bite and turned it over to me……..She already thinks that if I can eat chou dofu without blinking an eye it's already kinda wimpy….and so, this was obviously perfect for me? The dish lacked the standard spice and for some reason the tofu wasn't very savory-funky; just kinda mushy.

And finally, the Eggplant and Green Chili with Preserved Egg. I didn't order this the last time I did takeout, because on the visit previous to that, it was so terrible. Here's what it looked like on that fateful takeout sojourn:

Thankfully, this time around it was back to the status quo…..

Not as greasy as usual and the Missus enjoyed it; which is the main thing.

Honestly, it's not Hunan Chilli King, but it was fine in a pinch.

Village Kitchen
4720 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Chaba Thai:

As for the other stop….yes, the Missus wanted something from that, ahem "Chubby Thai" place. I ordered the same two dishes. Take out here is pretty much on the mark during my previous visits.

The Spicy Basil Chicken with Century Egg was quite good this time around. In fact, it was the best dish of the night by far. Good spice, the minced chicken was moist and surprisingly tender; the pidan intact with an excellent texture, slightly toothsome out layer, creamy yolk, with the slightest funky-ammonia finish. I agree with "FOY" Si O that the spicy basil dishes here are inconsistent. I'm just happy we ended up on the positive side of the equation on this visit.

Sadly, my favorite dish here; the Khao Kluk Kapi with Honey Pork was not very good.

You can tell how dry and tough that pork is by the photo. The rice didn't have enough shrimp paste and was under cooked with some hard grains in it. Bummer.

Chaba Thai Kitchen
8010 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

Well, at least the Missus got Her pidan fix and with the price of gas these days we didn't have to drive to the SGV and Hollywood for Her fix!

Happy Monday everyone!

Cassoulet Soup

April 16, 2022 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

It's been a while since I've done a recipe post and I thought I should get this done before "soup weather" leaves us!

I'm sure long time readers recall that I will make duck confit and then my version of Cassoulet every year. Well, since we've been getting the amazing Cassoulet Beans from Rancho Gordo and also the Garlic Sausage from D'Artagnan; well, it became a regular item…..until the Missus decided that She preferred having a bean soup with these flavors. So, I started making a Cassoulet-ish bean soup.

We've been ordering from Rancho Gordo a couple of times a year since right before the pandemic started. And when they started having the cassoulet beans….really these are from Tarbais seed stock. Tarbais are AOC protected and are also really expensive to boot. I used to use Flageolet Beans; until I tried these. I've also used Rancho Gordo's "Marcella" beans, especially since RG will often run out of Cassoulet beans; a type of Cannellini Beans as well. If you'd like an interesting guide to beans with recipes, I still open up my copy of the Rancho Gordo Heirloom Bean Guide every so often.

Anyway, we had the bean thing and the French Garlic Sausage thing solved.

But what happens when I run out of duck confit to make my soup? Well, I'm really not going to make more until next year, or maybe not for even longer. And ordering duck confit? Man, that's a bit too pricey since I was (and am) making this bean soup every 2-3 weeks these days!

Then one day I used something we always have on hand from D'Artagnan; duck rillette. And these days; the Missus prefers that version to the one that used the duck confit!

When I first started making this….it kinda looked like this.

After making adjustments to the recipe….well, I've had over a year-and-a-half to work on things; this is what it looks like these days.

The two big additions to the soup are tomato paste and a touch of tarragon

Well, and there is the eternal bean query; "to soak or not to soak"…..that is the question. After trying several different techniques (here's a good primer from the Rancho Gordo website); I now always soak my beans overnight. An additional bonus to this….I use 2 cups of the soaking liquid in the soup. As for that flatulence thing; I'm not quite sure what it is, but since I've used beans from Rancho Gordo and soaked them overnight, the Missus and our good friend "Alle" are both surprised that there's no, ahem "music involved". Strange…..but we'll take it!

Anyway, here's the base recipe……I've noted items that are "optional" in my opinion, but of course, this is made to our taste, so adjust away!

Cassoulet Soup:

Day 1 – The Beans
1 Lb dry Cassoulet(Tarbais), Marcella (Cannellini), or Flageolet beans
Water to soak

Late on the evening before making the soup, soak the dried beans in enough water to cover by 2-3 inches. The beans will soak up the water and expand, make sure to check the water level several times.

Day 2 – Let make some soup

2 Tb Duck Fat
2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 – 1Lb French Garlic Sausage cut in half, then lengthwise into quarters
4-6 Ounces Diced Pancetta (optional)
6 Ounces Duck Rillette
1 1/2 Cup Diced celery
1 1/2 Cup Diced Carrots
2 Cups Diced Yellow Onion – about 1 medium
3 Tb Double Concentrated Tomato Paste (optional) – to start
1/2 Cup minced garlic (yes, for real)
1 Cup Crisp Sauvignon Blanc
2-3 Bay Leaves
1 1/2 Tb Dried Turkish/Mediterranean Oregano – to start
1 Tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 Tsp Dried Tarragon (optional)
6-8 Cups Water
2 Bunches Chard sliced thinly
Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Garlic Paste/Double Concentrated Tomato Paste/Maldon Smoked Salt/Granulated Garlic – to adjust flavors as necessary

-Drain beans over a bowl to reserve soaking liquid
-Saute the sliced French Garlic Sausage in duck fat and olive oil over medium heat to render fat in a large pot/Dutch Oven
-Remove sausage when slightly browned and set aside
-Add Pancetta and Duck Rillette to pot stirring constantly
-Once pancetta turns translucent add onion and garlic
-Once onions softens add celery, carrots, and tomato paste(if using), stirring often
-After a minute or two, crush bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and tarragon (if using) and stir into the pot.
-Once fragrant, add drained beans to pot and mix well
-Deglaze with white wine
-When wine has reduced add in two cups of bean soaking liquid and 6 cups of water
-Bring to a slow-low simmer. Do not cover the pot all the way. Check every 30 minutes add hot water as necessary
-*Optional step, the Missus likes Her bean soup at a "stoupy" (soupy-stewy), so when the beans are soft, I'll remove some and mash by hand and add back to the soup until desired consistency is reached
-Slice browned Garlic Sausage cross wise into thin slices, add to soup. and bring back to a simmer
-Once simmering, add the sliced Chard and bring back to a simmer
-After 30 minutes, taste, add more salt and pepper if needed, and adjust other seasonings.

The Missus enjoys Hers with micro cilantro, a good dose of Pasolivo Olive Oil, and usually more salt.

I like mine with micro cilantro, olive oil, and fried jalapenos for an extra kick.

Man, those beans from Rancho Gordo are so good…..and I'll do a post on Pozole using their hominy soon!

Have a happy and safe Easter!

Roadtrip (During Covid) – LP Espresso (Page), Amigo Cafe (Kayenta), and the Lee Cly Trail (Monument Valley)

April 15, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Caffeine Fix, Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Mexican Restaurants, Native American, Road Trip, Travel

We left Zion fairly early in the morning. I was looking forward to our next stop; Monument Valley…after all, my late Mom was a big time Western fan, and I recognized photos from Monument Valley as scenes from some of her favorite Westerns. Plus, Monument Valley, located in both Arizona and Utah and on the Navajo Nation Reservation is not quite as heavily visited as other places we've been to.

We headed out the East exit of Zion National Park, down the 89 thru Kanab. We decided to stop in Page, which we were somewhat familiar with, to grab some provisions and for a coffee break. We took a short stop at the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge before heading into Page.

A nice little stop to stretch our legs…..

In Page we stopped to fuel up and then at the Safeway for water and a couple of other items; then drove over to LP Espresso for our caffeine fix.

Part espresso/coffee bar, part wine/beer pub, the young ladies were very friendly, though our Espresso and my Cold Brew (???) took a while.

There's not much choice for decent coffee in Page……so we took what we could get.

LP Espresso
612 North Navajo Drive
Page, AZ 86040

From here we headed down the 98, then to the 160 East. At the point where we needed to take the 163 (no, not THAT 163) North to get to Monument Valley is the town of Kayenta, which is part of the Navajo Nation. I had marked off a place to grab lunch, Amigo Cafe, mainly because I wanted some Fry Bread.

The restaurant is located past the usual fast-food suspects, right as you take the left onto highway 163.

This small restaurant was doing some steady business. They had some great Covid protocols in place and we had to actually sign in and leave our contact information for contact tracing. The Navajo Nation was hit hard by Covid-19 and at one time had the highest per-capita infection rate of COVID-19 in the US. But due to their response they've beat back Covid and according to several articles I've read is now one of the safest areas with regards to Covid in the nation.

All the tables were cleaned super well, all employees (and customers we saw) wore masks. The staff was friendly and warm.

The Missus got Pork Posole with Fry Bread ($10).

Which was on the bland side and really needed more porkiness and seasoning. The base also needed more chili paste as this was lacking in the fruity-smokiness of dried Guajillo and Ancho chilies. The Fry Bread was light, crisp, and yeasty, reminding the Missus of youtiao.

She was also provided with some pretty plain guacamole and chips.

I got the "Navajo Taco" ($11).

Basically Fry Bread (think of it as a unsweetened funnel cake if you will) with a smear of refried beans, shredded lettuce, onion, and tomato. A side of Spanish rice was also provided. Very Ameri-Mex toppings.

Well, the fry bread was a bit oily, but yeasty, and I got to try it out.

The folks working seemed to know all the other customers, so I'm guessing quite a few locals eat here. The service was very nice and efficient and I thought prices were quite reasonable.

Amigo Cafe
US Hwy 163
Kayenta, AZ 86033

From Kayenta you head up Highway 163 and then take a right on Indian Route 42 right after crossing the border to Utah. Taking the right on the roundabout takes you right back into Arizona, take a left, you're in Utah….straight ahead is Mexican Hat. Many folks stay at Goulding's Lodge down Monument Valley Road. But I decided that we should stay in the only hotel in Monument Valley; the View Hotel. There's only one entrance to Monument Valley, you drive up to the booth and pay the entrance fee, $20 per vehicle. We got to the hotel; which was also under Covid restrictions, so the restaurant was closed and so forth, a bit early. So of course the Missus wanted to "stretch Her legs"……. There are two hikes in the area; the Wildcat Trail and the Lee Cly trail, a 2 mile loop that we took. These are the only two hikes you could take without a Navajo guide. The trail starts just East of the hotel.

And yes, Monument Valley was every bit as beautiful as I thought.

From the left to the right; the "West Mitten", the "East Mitten", and "Merrick Butte".

A wonderful, pretty easy hike to the South of the hotel.

Upon completing the hike our room was ready. The View has hotel rooms, cabins, and a camping area. I took a top floor room for both this view at dusk.

And the night sky…..it was so totally dark, we saw so many falling stars……

Because of Covid, the hotel restaurant was closed, but bag meals, basically brown bag sandwiches and chips were provided. We were enjoying the view so much that we really didn't fdeel like driving out for dinner. Also, no alcohol can be sold on the Navajo Nation.

We walked over to the gift shop before picking up our sack meal. We really liked the gift shop and ended up buying some certified Navajo items as gifts.

It was so quiet, we slept so soundly, and got up before sunrise the next morning, because we wanted to see this.

Beautiful, isn't it?

We had a full day planned out with a Navajo guide and were really looking forward to that!

Thanks for stopping by!

Postscript (04/18/2022) – this one is for FOY Junichi who said he enjoys the Westerns filmed in Monument Valley:

Roadtrip (During Covid) – Perks at Zion, the Canyon Overlook, the Scenic Drive, a Walk Thru Springdale, the Riverside Walk, and Zion Canyon Brewpub

April 14, 2022 mmm-yoso Beer, Caffeine Fix, Road Trip, Travel, Utah

For our last day in Zion…well, the Missus really had quite a day planned out. But first, while She was waking up; I strolled on over to the Coffee Shop located in Zion Canyon Village, Perks at Zion.

Which was the one place that seemed a bit busy.

I got the Missus a double espresso, myself and Americano, and brought it back to the room.

Perks At Zion
147 Zion Park Blvd.
Springdale, UT 84767

And the Missus was ready to go once I got back to the room.

Since, like I mentioned earlier, we were visiting right after Thanksgiving and things were pretty quiet. The shuttle had stopped running so if you got started early enough you'd easily find parking. We headed over to East Zion, thru the Zion Tunnel and parked in the small parking area right past the tunnel.

A trail started right across the street from the parking; the Canyon Overlook Trail.

This was my favorite trail of the trip. It's not very long, just a mile out and back, but I loved the amazing, diverse scenery, and the wonderful views.

There are areas with switchbacks and cliffsides, though there are railings in place at some of them, where you can see the canyon below.

At the end of the trail you are treated with an amazing view (to the right of the Missus), the West Temple, Sundial, Altar of Sacrifice, and the Beehive.

In spite of my fear of heights; I found this beautiful.

The Zion shuttle doesn't run to this area; so you'll need a car to get here.

After heading back to the car, we decided to take a drive thru East Zion along the Zion – Mount Carmel Highway. We stopped several times to take photos and just breath in the wonderful, clean air.

We stopped at the Checkboard Mesa viewpoint to take in the wonderful Sandstone Summit of Checkboard Mesa.

We then went out the East entrance and turned around. We decided to take the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to check out places we didn't see on the previous day.

We stopped at "Big Bend" to have a look at the formations.

To the left below is the Organ, to the right, Angels Landing….I actually prefer this view to the one I had the previous day.

We drove until the end of the road, turned around and headed back to Zion Canyon Village.

However, there was a bit of a traffic back-up near the Park Lodge. First, some deer were crossing the road; then a bit further down, this fellow…..

The Missus asked me "what the heck is that turkey doing walking down the middle of the road?"

My answer? "He's celebrating that he made it through Thanksgiving!"

We got back to our room and decided to take a walk to the town of Springdale just next door.

It's a quaint village with a population of about 350…….

We saw kids getting out of school, which made me wonder how it would be growing up here.

We stopped at Sol Foods Supermarket and picked up a couple of items.

Which we had for lunch with some beef jerky back at the room.

Sol Foods Supermarket
995 Zion – Mount Carmel Hwy.
Springdale, UT 84767

After refueling, the Missus was ready to go…….so, we decided to head on back up Zion Canyon Road and this time we parked at the end and did the Zion Narrows Riverside Walk, most of which is a paved, easy, almost two mile hike.

This was an easy, almost relaxing walk along…well, the riverside of course.

At end, if you're like the Missus, you could continue and hike in the Virgin River in what they call the Narrows. But of course I was here and we didn't have the equipment necessary….

So the Missus just decided to give Her feet a soak in the Virgin River.

Before heading back to the car……

We'd had a nice relaxing day.

We really didn't feel like having more fried food or burgers and the places in Springdale we were interesting in were closed for a break following Thanksgiving. So we decided to heat up some of the packaged food we brought.

But first, we walked over to Zion Canyon Brewpub, just like we had done the previous two nights; except we'd be just having some beer before dinner. We stuck to the brwery side of things and the Missus got us one of the small tables alongside the river.

And we each had a beer before heading back to the room…..

It's hard to beat the view here…..

After the beer we strolled back to the room and proceeded to heat up our packaged meals for dinner.

We'd enjoyed our time in Zion. But tomorrow we'd be heading out to our next stop. Monument Valley!

Thanks for stopping by!

Tuetano Taqueria and Mar Rustico – Old Town

April 12, 2022 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Seafood, Taco Shops

I was quite excited to hear the news that Michelin recognized Tacos Tuetano was opening in Old Town. For me, this marks what could possibly be a long overdue revitalization of Old Town eateries for locals. I had visited the location in San Ysidro once, but hadn't returned in ages before they moved and shuttered.

I/we have visited Tuetano about a dozen times since they've opened in Old Town and this post is long overdue.

I guess that one of the reasons I've taken so long on this post is that every couple of visits there's something new.

First was the addition of Mar Rustico; a Mariscos Place.

Then the shops in the back; of which we haven't partaken yet.

During the last two visits; the wine shop next door has opened, but were closed during our visits.

Also, the ordering can be confusing….on certain days you would have to go down the side of the dining area to order the birria and tuetano, then to Mar Rustica counter to get Mariscos, then off to the drink station to order drinks. The last couple of times we've gone on slow days (i.e. Monday) and at off hours and would then order from the drinks counter. You get a one of those buzzer things and sometimes you pick up your order and sometimes they'll bring it to you……

It's interesting when you do order from all three places and try to get things in a cohesive manner.

We love the al fresco dining when the weather is pleasant….though it's not as much fun when it is chilly or windy. Of course this is San Diego…….

I think the one thing that really got my attention having been to the San Ysidro location were the prices; at the old location a birria taco + bone marrow was $6.75. Here…well, it's $11….call it the Old Town mark-up if you will.

Since we've tried a bunch of items here; I thought I'd list out our picks and pans…..

Favorites:

During the recent cooler weather, I would usually order the consomme with birria ($9) with a side of bone marrow ($7). This is not your side order-after thought birria consomme as there's a good amount of birria in the nicely flavored broth. Also a good quantity of onions and cilantro and the broth is well seasoned with a pleasant amount of acidity. My drill consists of picking out the bone marrow and using that to top the tacos I make with the nicely soaked birria and then pouring all the rendered beef fat/marrow liquid into the soup. Be still my heart…literally. I will say the on one occasion I had a bone with less than a teaspoon of marrow in it and when Tuetano first opened the birria had a tendency to be on the tough side. But not on recent visits.

The Missus loves the Smoked Marlin Burrito ($16), though they've often out of it.

The wonderfully smoked fish is moist and seasoned nicely and we've never experienced any "off flavors". The Missus loves that the tortillas have been nicely griddled on the comal. As you can tell; these aren't huge, but they are mighty tasty with a squeeze of lime.

And of course the reason most people come here….the Birria Tuetano ($11).

Yes, $11 is pretty steep, but when it's good, it's very good. I will say, I've had this a few times when the birria was too tough, but recently it seems they've got things right. A nice bit of spice, onions and cilantro to cut the richness, and bone marrow to add that decadent beefy-richness back in…a squeeze of lime. The Missus likes the simple chili de arbol "salsa", but it detracts from the enjoyment to me.

It doesn't get much better than this….

Decent:

If I'm hungry I'll get the Birria Torta…..the price differs depending on the day; I've had it for $18 and for $16……

The bollilo roll on both occasions was toasted perfectly and held up for the entire meal. That griddled queso, while being a bit mild in flavor was a nice touch. The birria in the torta is on the drier and chewier side. The pickled onions adds pungency and there's always a ton of cilantro to add even more citrusy-pungent tones to the torta. On one occasion, I added in a side of bone marrow a rich – buttery addition to the torta.

We tried the Quesa-Taco once and thought it was ok.

The birria was dry and too chewy on this visit; though we loved the griddled tortilla with the cheese to protect it from getting soggy. I guess we missed the bone marrow? Or maybe we just should have ordered a side of it with this?

Pans:

The two items we didn't care for came from Mar Rustica. We tried both twice.

The Ceviche ($21) was very inconsistent. While it always looked good; once it was super salty and had too much lime juice; the fish was over marinated and rubbery. And once it lacked enough lime and was really bland.

The Fish Tacos were even more disappointing. For $16 for two tacos de pescado we expect perfection. On both occasions the fish was over-fried. As you see below.

The fish had dried out on both visits. Not sure what fish they were using on one of the visits but it tasted fairly muddy. Not very good and you can get better elsewhere for half the price or less.

As you can tell; there are items we keep coming back for at Tuetano. Though there can be some "unevenness" at times and you're paying the "Old Town premium", when it's good it is quite good. And though we've had better Tuetano in Mexico….that consomme with a side of marrow is quite nice on a chilly day.

And we hope that this is just the beginning for Old Town.

Parking can be a bit of a challenge, though because of that and since we don't want crowds were usually go during the week and at off hours.

Tuetano Taqueria/Mar Rustico
2548 Congress St.
San Diego, CA 92110
Hours:
Sun – Wed 11am – 7pm
Thurs – Sat 11am – 8pm

A GyroGrill Price Check

April 11, 2022 mmm-yoso Greek Food

**** GryoGrill has closed

Since “FOY” ST asked about this visit in the comments of my previous post; I thought I’d just go ahead and do this.

I’m sure that everyone who reading this blog in the US have noticed the rise in prices over the last two years…..it’s hard not to notice. My dollar and I’m sure your dollar does not go as far these days as it used to, though in some cases (definitely not gas prices) the change might seem more subtle. Though in other cases it’s quite obvious and perhaps a bit disturbing as well. As I mentioned in my previous post on GyroGrill, I was a bit shocked at how prices had risen since they opened back in October of 2020.

Now, I’m not doing this post as a condemnation, nor am I in anyway angry at GG. I believe that they are trying, as many other businesses are to survive. But, for some reason the prices at GG just seem to be an indicator of rising prices for me. I’m sure we all have that “internal price gauge” for certain thigs.

So, just last week I headed over to see how things were at GyroGrill and to see if the sign for Tenkatori, which is opening in the same strip mall had gone up (it hasn’t). I walked into GyroGrill to place my usual order for the Gyro Combo – this is the current price.

Whoa, it’s now $14! To think that when GG opened in October of 2020, a mere nineteen months ago, the combo was a mere $7.99 To be perfectly honest, perhaps it was under priced. In August of 2021 it was $8.99, still a bargain in my mind. It October of 2021, a year after they opened, it was $10.99, a 27% increase in a year. When I visited in January of this year, it was $12.99 a 15% increase in three months. And now, less than three months later it’s $14…….

The food; well it’s pretty much the same.

A bit less potatoes and I noticed no tzatziki included anymore; though that might have just been overlooked. The gyros were even drier, gummy, and lacking in seasoning than I recalled on my last visit. It was also barely warmed through…..as it had been pre-sliced and set out in a hotel pan. At least the potatoes were still crisp and crunchy and the pita was quite full of pork; albeit dry and kinda tough pork.

Now, if the gyros here were as good as Zgara (I think their lunch Gyro special still hovers around ten bucks – but you gotta figure how location affects prices) I might be ok with that. But in my opinion it’s not.

Like I said in the beginning, this is not a condemnation of GG; they are doing what they need to do to survive. It is, at least to me, an illustration of inflation and the economy. The Consumer Price Index for February rose by 7.9% over the last 12 months, the largest increase since January of 1982. I’m hoping the effects of all the disruptions and inflation start tailing down soon.

And then it’ll be interesting to see if places start actually lowering their prices.

Gyrogrill
6780 Miramar Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121

Tell me, has the increase in prices affected your eating/grocery shopping habits yet? And what is your “internal price gauge” item?

Sunday Stuffs – Tenkatori Replacing TJ Dumplings, Tan Ky Mi Gia Has Closed, and Do Mushrooms Communicate with Each Other???

April 10, 2022 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants, yoso-silly

Well, after the recent record heat we had here in San Diego I was going to put up a sandwich post….but now it's back to the mid-60's here……so let's just do a short round up, ok?

Tenkatori Replacing TJ Dumplings:

I had read about Tenkatori replacing TJ Dumplings last Monday and was waiting to drive on by to check things out.

I then read about the change on two other websites and "FOY" Junichi mentioned it in the comments of my Chicken Wing Wednesday post as well. So, since I wanted to do another revisit/price check at GyroGrill, I dropped by Miracrest Plaza to see what was going on. Well, TJ Dumplings does indeed looked closed and as I left GyroGrill with my lunch, a truck pulled up and some folks went into the space and started doing some work. So yes, it looks like TJ Dumplings is gone and now I can cross off visiting Tenkatori in Gardena off my list.

6780 Miramar Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121

Tan Ky Mi Gia Has Closed:

Per "FOY" Elle (what would I do without all of you???) in the comments of my recent 777 Noodle House revisit post; mentioned that Tan Ky Mi Gia on ECB closed a while back. Man, talk about a a blast from the past. My last visit there was at the end of 2019; which seems like decades ago. Of course, I used to visit when it was, well Tan Ky Mi Gia, then when it became Hing Ky Mi Gia, then returned to being Tan Ky Mi Gia….I think; though on my last visit the menu and the sign on the street still said Hing Ky Mi Gia….go figure. The folks working were always the same though…

So, on my way to Northgate Market to pick stuff up to make Pozole, I dropped by and it is indeed closed. Sad, it seems like the end of an era……I still remember posting on Tan Ky Mi Gia in Mira Mesa all the way back in 2006 which closed in 2014 and became Tim Ky.

5237 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

Do Mushrooms Communicate with Each Other?:

And here's one from the "I am a cesspool of useless information" files (at least that's what a friend of mine "back home" called me). Read an interesting article in the Guardian where a Professor from the University of the West of England theorizes that mushrooms communicate via electrical impulses. Whoa….

Of course I instantly wondered what the mushrooms I used in any number of my recipes thought of me? I truly hope they thought I was a "fun-guy"…ok, I hit my limit of dad jokes for today.

Have a great week!