mmm-yoso – Page 99

More Than Sandwiches – Exploring Other Options at SuperNatural Sandwiches

September 14, 2021 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Salads, Sandwiches

**** SuperNatural Sandwiches has closed

Man, it seems we're in this never ending cycle of Covid during the pandemic….time just kind of slides by. I thought I had "just" posted on SuperNatural Sandwiches, but that post was back in May of last year!

At that time the ordering and pick-up was still being done at the outside counter. But, just as I'm transitioning back to the office, SuperNatural has also been transitioning and now has the old counter work in effect, with indoor dining and such. While I'm not quite ready for this with the latest variant; I'm still doing online takeout orders which work with the same efficiency as before.

And while it's quite easy to order the same 'ol, same 'ol……."FOYs" like Loren and Junichi have really given some nice recommendations to add some variety into my fairly boring life. Loren had both recommended the fries and the salad variation, which has been added to my ordering routine.

The recent super hot weather has gotten me to order the Salad version of the Kirin a couple of times.

Which has kinda been in the rotation recently. The Kirin – with plump shrimp and Chinese sausage just does so well in a salad. And the portion size is quite generous. I don't need to order any fries with this as I'm stuffed……the dressing also does quite nicely as well.

After having this salad, I wondered how the two other preparations would do. Junichi mentioned having the fried rice option (+ $1), so on my next visit I decided to order the Kirin as fried rice….and of course I added a Fried Egg (+ $2).

Well, this was a bit puzzling for me as I wasn't a great fan of the lettuce in my fried rice. While the rice was nicely coated in a soy sauce mixture, it was on the dry and hard side.

I addition, that egg was overcooked as well.

There also didn't seem to be as much Chinese sausage as I had in the salad on my previous visit.

Overall, it seemed a bit odd and one-dimensional. If I have the fried rice option again; it might be with some other sandwich "option". Maybe Junichi can reveal what his "go-to" for the fried rice might be.

Finally, I decided to get the Kirin as Garlic Noodles (+$4). To be perfectly honest, I didn't quite know what to expect.

And while the container didn't seem particularly large, it was quite heavy. And upon opening the cover….whew…this was garlic noodles alright. Good thing the office was basically empty and after eating lunch all the meetings were via Zoom. I also had to discard the mask I wore on this day.

The standard issue noodles were nicely coated with a soy based sauce, the noodles were nicely prepared and still al dente. I did finish all of the shrimp and sausage and had a ton of noodles left, which I had with dinner. Talk about a major carb bomb, but this wasn't bad at all. The sauce for the shrimp went well with things and I didn't mind having cucumber with my noodles.

The one thing I would really like next time is to have the scallions on top of things. The noodles were obviously just dumped into the container, the green onions in a clump at the bottom. The only way I found it was after eating all the shrimp and the sausage; I gave things a good mix, which, based on how stuffed the whole container was, would not have worked out well with a full container. Still, I'd have this again……when I need to carb load….

You know, these times have me grasping for that which is familiar and comforting. I've been a customer of SuperNatural since they were at the San Diego Public Market and was quite happy when they finally opened a brick and mortar shop (where Gourmet Artisan is now located), before settling into their current location (of course they are still open in Little Italy).

The folks working have always been friendly and my online order is always ready at the designated time. Which keeps me coming back……

SuperNatural Sandwiches
7094 Miramar Rd.
San Diego, CA 92121
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 3pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 4pm
Closed on Sundays

Takeout From Bay Hill Tavern

September 8, 2021 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Gastropub, Sandwiches

During my time working from home, I had my regular stops, Zgara, Bay Park Coffee, Clairemont Coffee, Sandwich Emporium, and so forth….. Still I needed some variety for lunch when I wasn't in the mood for making lunch or eating leftovers. During the beginning of the pandemic I had bought some beer from Bay Hill Tavern. And during the months after they reopened I went and did some takeout from BHT. The online ordering was a snap; the place is so close to the house, and my orders were always ready on time.

The place can get pretty busy; especially starting in the late afternoon. I made it a point to avoid all of that….parking is limited and such, and always placed an order right after they opened at 11am.

The one item that had been recommended to me since BHT opened was the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($13). Even though BHT was fairly close by I had my doubts that the sandwich would hold up well as takeout; but it did.

The fries however did not as it as soggy and under seasoned.

Now to be perfectly honest, the chicken breast had been fried nicely, and was good n' crunchy, but was on the dry side and really could have used a more aggressive seasoning. It was actually, the herb mayo, napa cabbage slaw, and the "zippy" Fresno chilies, along with the mild sweetness of the brioche bun that made this sandwich. It's almost as if the chicken was just there for texture.

The Reuben Sandwich ($14) was another "almost there" dish. This time I tried the truffle fries (+ $1.50).

Which, if it was possible, was even more soggy and limp then the regular fries I'd had before. The fries could have used more truffle oil and I'm not sure what to make of the partially melted shavings of cheese on the fries. Perhaps it was meant to be fully melted and nice and gooey/stringy? I dunno.

The sandwich though, was almost there…the rye bread nicely toasted, the Swiss cheese melted, the pastrami thinly sliced and warm, the "secret sauce" you know, a modified Thousand Island had some zip to it. I could have used more sauerkraut which might have resolved my biggest issue with this sandwich…..it was so darn salty.

On my last visit I went with the special, called the "Cali Cheesesteak" and this time ordered it with the Curly Fries.

As you can see, in terms of fries, the third time's a charm…..I guess this is the way to go with regards to takeout spuds. The fries were crisp and nicely seasoned.

As for the sandwich, well, the roll was nicely toasted. There were three different cheeses used for this a beer cheese, mozzarella, and provolone which provided alot of gooeyness but not a lot of flavor to add to the beef which while more tender than it looked needed a more aggressive seasoning.

I really think that the sandwich could have used more onions and bell peppers for texture. The avocado just made everything more mushy.

I will say that I enjoyed the somewhat elevated pub grub from BHT more than other options nearby. BHT is owned by the same group that runs Working Class in North Park. The folks are professional and quite nice. My orders have always been ready for pick-up at the designated time. And the items I tried were quite close to being good. Like I mentioned earlier, BHT can get pretty darn crowded, so I plan my pick up times carefully.

So, even though I'm no longer working from home much, perhaps in the future, when we're thru the pandemic and I'll go ahead and have a cold one or a cocktail at BHT and a bite to eat as well.

Bay Hill Tavern
3010 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 9pm
Friday 11am – 10pm
Saturday 9am – 10pm
Sunday 9am – 9pm

COMC, the “SSS” Edition – Takeout From Soi 30th, Supannee, and Sovereign

September 6, 2021 mmm-yoso Thai Restaurants

Hope everyone is having a safe and relaxing Labor Day. Here's a quick "C(learing) O(ut the) M(emory) C(ard)" post for all of you. I think you can gather from posts in the month of July that one of the Missus's latest obsession is Thai food. I guess it's my fault as I convinced Her to try Sovereign Thai, which She enjoyed so much that we followed things up with Soi 30th, and then Supannee. And She's been on a roll ever since. Funny thing, I noticed that all three of these places start with "S"……go figure.

So, I thought perhaps a quick follow-up post might be appropriate.

Soi 30th:

Well……here it's all about the pork belly.

Clockwise from the top, the Pork Belly with Gai Lan, The Pork Belly Larb (my favorite), and the Pork Belly with Morning Glory (Ong Choi). They still don't have the Thai sausage back on the menu and it's been a bit too hot to think about soup….so we've been sticking with these three. My post from July here.

A good option for online ordering. My order has always been ready when I arrive.

Soi 30th
3442 30th St.
San Diego, CA 92104
Hours:
Mon – Fri 11am – 3pm, 430pm – 9pm
Sat – Sun 12pm – 9pm

Supannee House of Thai:

Another good option for online ordering.

And even the Missus enjoys the Nam Tok!

As a bonus, on my last two pick-up visits (yes, we've been going to these places THAT much), they've had the house made Thai Sausage back on the menu.

Before I had the version from Sovereign, this was my favorite in San Diego. It's changed a bit. The sausage used to be put together in smaller oblong "orbs" and seemed to be deep dried. This seemed to be grilled, nice texture, good moisture, after having the version at Sovereign, I think it needs a bit more of a "kick" and more herbs. Still, this is still quite good. And we loved the ginger, chilies, and peanuts provided.

And of course the Nam Khao Tod.

The version we had on this day was the best of the three times we've ordered it from Supannee. It was all of the nice crisp bits that made it better than what I'd had earlier.

In need of an additional dish for the Missus; on an earlier visit, I decided to get the "Eggplant Delight" with duck. It was a hit with the Missus as She enjoyed the way the eggplant was prepared.

I think it's ok, but the Missus enjoys the dish…..so it's on the list for now.

Supannee House of Thai
2907 Shelter Island Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 1130am – 3pm, 430pm – 830pm
Sat – Sun 1130am – 830pm

Sovereign Thai Cuisine:

Yes, the place that got the Missus craving Thai Food. I do wish they did online ordering and that it was easier to find parking and such…….but to me; the food is worth it.

I just call in and wait things out at Fault Line Park.

Or, I take a short walk in the area. There are always interesting things to see; like this house on the corner of 13th and Island. Built in 1886, the Sheldon House is a wonderful representative of the Queen Anne style……wow, I actually did remember a couple of thing from our walk in Pacific Grove.

As noted in my previous post, the Missus really enjoys the Hat Yai Fried Chicken.

And of course, we always do two orders of the Thai Sausage. It's that good.

During one of my takeout visits, I was lamenting the loss of the nam tok, which was no longer on the menu, and the "Thai Peppercorns Chicken Noodle" was recommended. I wasn't so sure bout ordering it….but heck, I 've known these folks form the Thai Papaya days; they know our tastes, so I went and ordered it.

Man, this totally reminded us of Thailand! From the pungent green peppercorns, to the wonderful balance of soy sauce – palm sugar, nice savory tones, the noodles perfectly coated.

And the Missus (of course), likes the Stir Fried Eggplant with Basil.

I really love these folks!

Sovereign Thai Cuisine
1460 J Street
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 310-5837
Current Hours:
Tuesday 4pm – 9pm
Wed – Thurs 12pm – 230pm, 4pm – 9pm
Fri – Sun 12pm – 9pm
Closed on Mondays

It is funny that the names of the Missus's current favorite Thai restaurants start with "S"…….but they also have another thing in common. The folks that work at all three restaurants are so friendly, kind, and welcoming. I'm able to feel that even when doing take-out.

You know with the latest surge in Covid, the Missus and I have pulled back the reigns on dining in; we're going to pick our spots carefully. Even though the Missus has never eaten in any of these three places, She can't wait until we're pass this….and we will get past this.

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – The Raven Tavern and the Abandoned Casa Sirena Seaside Resort (Oxnard)

September 3, 2021 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, Cocktails, Road Trip, Travel, Ventura County

After a wonderful lunch at Yai Restaurant we made it into Oxnard in pretty good time. Our room was actually ready when we arrived and we got a short break before heading off to dinner. I really didn't want to travel too far from where we were staying and after reading through a bunch of reviews and such, thought that the Raven Tavern would make for a nice, low stress dinner. The place was quite busy when we arrived, but we had reservations and were quickly seated outside right along the harbor.

The Servers and such were very nice; but they were obviously a bit overwhelmed…….I believe it's Covid staffing, so I won't hold it against them.

I started with the "Joe's Old Fashioned" ($15).

Too much bitters and not enough Bourbon for my taste.

The Missus looked at what other tables were having and really didn't seem too inspired. She wasn't overly hungry and went with the Veggie Hand Pie ($5).

The crust on this one was better than mine; but that sauce had a weird, almost sour tinge to it and the filling just wasn't very good.

The Missus figured that a hand pie would be enough for Her since I ordered the Steak and Mushroom Dinner Pie ($16) with Garlic Mashed Potatoes ($3).

The crust of the pie was on the gummy-mushy side and the filling was barely lukewarm. The gravy had a strange bitterness to it and wasn't hot. There wasn't very much "steak" in this pie either. The best thing were the mashed potatoes which were nicely seasoned…..the only thing the Missus enjoyed.

The food seemed very corporate and "chain-like"….

Too bad. You can't win 'em all, right?

The Raven Tavern
1651 S Victoria Ave.
Oxnard, CA 93035

We took the short drive back to the hotel and decided to take a stroll. We were staying right on Channel Islands Harbor, just north of Port Hueneme at the Hampton Inn. The harbor is quite lovely, very relaxing, and laid back.

There are many residences along Peninsula Road along with folks living on the various yachts and right next to the hotel was a quaint little park. We had a blast watching all the pooches having their evening social hour.

Right next to the park was an interesting site. We first walked along the dock and along this area there were no boats moored and this was where the sea lions hung out.

You see, right along the harbor is the abandoned Casa Sirena Seaside Resort, which closed down in 2009. I was fascinated in checking it out after reading this in Atlas Obscura. It's both eerie and depressing….the abandoned buildings looking run down and worn.

It was starting to get dark and we saw guys on bikes and other folk hanging around in the walkways and they seemed to be….well….you can figure that one out, right?

Very sad indeed. This must be prime property, so I'm wondering what the back story might be. Going down this rabbit hole a bit, I found this on the Channel Islands Harbor website, so perhaps in the near future a new hotel will stand in it's place. The Hampton Inn we stayed at actually used to be the "annex" of the resort.

Here's a photo of Casa Sirena taken the following morning.

As we sailed off to Anacapa Island……

Stay tuned for that post!

Daddy’s Hot Dogs Revisited

September 2, 2021 mmm-yoso Hot Dogs

I needed to drop by Penzy's on a recent weekend and wanted something quick and simple for lunch. Of course, all I needed to do was look across the street to a familiar sight.

I hadn't realized that it has been nearly two years since I last visited…..well, that kinda makes sense since I haven't been in this area much since the pandemic started.

The two tables were bring rolled out as I headed across the street.

A quick glance at the menu surprised me. Unlike almost everywhere else during these times it seems that prices have not gone up.

I had thought about just getting a Chicago Dog; but I had really enjoyed the "O" on my previous visit, that I just decided to order that.

And I enjoyed it. While I really couldn't make out the bacon much, the acidity of the tomatoes, along with just the right amount of Russian dressing, and a bit of spice from the jalapeno relish really delivered.

And, I'm not sure if it was my imagination; but that hot dog seemed so tender…..almost delicate, enrobed in a warm and soft bun.

Perhaps the atmosphere elevated the meal…….I ate standing at one of the two outdoor tables, no one around me, elbows on the table, sun shining brightly down on me……there wasn't much traffic on University on this day. It all seemed so normal, something which hasn't been "the norm" since March of last year. And for a moment, all seemed right in the world.

Daddy's Hot Dogs
1281 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92103
Hours:
Tuesdays 11am – 230pm, 330pm – 7pm
Wed – Sat 11am – 10pm
Closed on Sunday and Monday

Sunday Sandwiches – Sunrise Deli (Miramar)

August 29, 2021 mmm-yoso Sandwiches

Here's another one of those Mom-and-Pop sandwich shops in a business mall. I found this one while looking up the address of Creative Deli. Located on Silverton Avenue off of Dowdy Drive is Sunrise Deli.

The place really seems to be a favorite of those "working stiffs" and there always seems to be a line. All my visits were between 930 and 1030….and in each case there was a queue lined up. Nothing fancy here; no online ordering, open Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm.

The prices are quite reasonable; especially in these days of Covid……the service is friendly; the woman behind the counter so very nice, and in all my three visits, I got my sandwich in ten minutes!

The menu is rather large with all types of burgers, breakfast type dishes, burritos, quesadillas, and of course a good variety of sandwiches.

On my first visit, I got the Club Deluxe ($7.99).

Which was served on nicely toasted sourdough. For me; it as the combination of bacon, avocado, and the fact that the sandwich wasn't over-dressed in mayo, which made the sandwich for me. Perhaps this is nothing revolutionary….but I just wanted a decent sandwich and the price point was good as was the sandwich. All ingredients in balanced quantity.

I'm fairly certain they use standard Boar's Head product; but I really liked the way they sliced the roast beef.

So, on my next visit I got the "Jimmy Special" ($7.99).

And like my previous experience; the sourdough bread was nicely toasted so the sandwich held up quite well during the 10-15 minute drive back to the office.

I had thought that the roast beef had been cut a bit too thick; but it did well in combination with the mild milky-saltiness of the two slices of Swiss Cheese. Again, in terms of proportion; it was just enough mustard and mayo. And the avocado really brought a wonderful buttery texture, along with a mild grassy-nuttiness to the sandwich.

I had enjoyed the roast beef here that on my last visit I was just going to order the Roast Beef sandwich; but when I got to the window; I had changed things up and went with the Miramar Special ($8.75), which seemed like sort of a "Cheesesteakish" kinda thing.

For me; the bread to filling ratio was a bit off for this one….though like before, it was toasted nicely and held up well.

The bacon was a bit lost in all of this; but like before, the avocado really helped the sandwich along as I wish there was more Peperoncino Swiss both of which kept the dryness of all that bread at bay. The griddled roast beef was a bit too hard and dry for my taste….and in this case; the sandwich could have probably used a bit more mayo!

Still, the service was wonderful, and even though the woman was apologizing to all the guys in front of me….she seemed to know them all by name for the recent price increases, I found myself to be perfectly fine with the pricing.

I'm happy to have found another option for those days where I need to grab an early lunch…….and I do find that it helps my mental state to escape from the office; if only for a few minutes. The prices are reasonable, the woman working the counter is so nice….she even remembered my name after my second visit! And I love supporting these type of local businesses.

Sunrise Deli
7920 Silverton Ave.
San Diego, CA 92126
Phone number
(858) 433-7139
Hours:
Mon – Fri 7am – 3pm

Please have a safe week!

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Yai Restaurant 7 Years Later (Los Angeles)

August 15, 2021 mmm-yoso Los Angeles County, Road Trip, Thai Restaurants, Travel

Just before this latest wave of Covid-19 infections, we decided to take another road trip; this time to Oxnard….yes, Oxnard. And, if you've been reading our recent posts, you'll notice that the Missus has been quite enamored with Thai food recently.

So, as we headed up the 101, the Missus requested a stop on Hollywood Boulevard at the edge of Thai Town….requesting a revisit to Yai Restaurant. Funny thing, when I checked on our last visit to Yai, I was shocked to find out it was seven years ago! And our previous visit was seven years before that one! Time sure does fly.

There was quite a bit of construction going on close to the restaurant; though it seems that there are now homeless encampments all along the 101. The location still looks a bit worn and the Yai sign is now quite faded. It does look like they've done a refresh on the interior though.

Our Server was quite efficient and we chose a table in the far corner. Wouldn't you know….geez, even with all the open seating in the place, two parties would arrive and insist on getting tables next to us….sigh…..

We had our aim on two dishes we've had before and the Missus wanted to try one additional item.

Things started with the BBQ Duck with Chili and Garlic which we had and enjoyed on an earlier visit.

As before, the duck was on the chewy side….but also as before, that wonderful garlic-basil-chili flavor with a hint of sweetness.

The Missus wanted to try the Som Tom, so we ordered it "spicy"……which, well it wasn't. We've always thought of Yai to be on the Thai-Chinese end of the spectrum.

This was still quite good though. Loved the cut of the papaya, you could tell, based on the rough edges, and different sizes, that it wasn't "bought in a bag"…in fact, we saw one of the women actually cutting the papaya. Nice acidity, perhaps a bit light on the fish sauce, loved the dried shrimp which added nice savory tones.

Of course, the one item we just had to have was the Black Egg Pow. This was as good, if not better then we recalled.

Man, I'm not sure how they fry up that pidan, but it's crisp on the outside and oh so creamy. That basil forward sauce has a nice hint of spice, balanced sweetness, good garlic tones, and is just plain wonderful.

We were so happy with our meal. And though the prices have gone up quite a bit….it's been seven years after all, and the portions are smaller…it's actually more in line with true "Thai portions" like we had in Thailand. We didn't order any rice with our meal…..after all, I still had a bit of a drive up to Oxnard….the woman working said "oh, you are trying to be healthy" when we didn't order any rice. And then when I paid, she gave me a couple of cookies for the road, "because you had no rice, you might get hungry." It just kind of put that "cherry on the top"; you know what I mean.

For some reason, the fact that Yai was just as good seven years down the line just made us feel great……..we felt blessed that in this time of Covid, we were able to get out for a bit and grateful for a wonderful meal.

And hopefully, we won't have to wait another seven years to have that Black Egg Pow again.

Yai Restaurant
5757 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Sidecar Cocktail Co. and Old San Luis BBQ Co. (San Luis Obispo)

August 14, 2021 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, BBQ, Cocktails, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

On the way back to the motel after dinner, I asked the Missus if She'd like to stop for a cocktail. I was somewhat interested in a place we had passed earlier in the day named Sidecar….no, not "that" Sidecar; this Sidecar, located on Broad Street.

This was the place we passed that had seating along the the creek. They also had tables lined up outdoors as well.

Unfortunately, none of those tables were available….plus, we weren't eating anything, so we just got one of the tables in the bar area which was nicely spaced.

The folks working were quite friendly….the Missus ordered one of the specialty cocktails….called "Walk on Home Boy" ($15).

Strange this supposedly had both Bourbon and Mezcal, but was quite mild in flavor and on the sweeter side/

I asked for an Old Fashion made with Mezcal – which wasn't too bad at all.

We decided to call it quits after one drink each and decided to head back to the motel.

We enjoyed the service and vibe was very nice.

Sidecar Cocktail Co.
1040 Broad St.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

A half a block away, we stopped by this nice piece of public art named "Web of Life".

Close by was the Old San Luis BBQ Company – also known as "Old Slo BBQ". It was basically a window and small attached dining area.

Along with a small outdoor dining area along the sidewalk. The menu had tri-tip "sliders" on it, so I talked the Missus into ordering one ($4.25) to take back to the room.

It was a short wait, but soon enough our little slider was ready and we walked back to our room.

Old San Luis BBQ Co.
670 Higuera St.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Returning to our room I opened things up……

The rather dry tri-tip was served on a standard issue sourdough-ciabatta style roll. The tri-tip had a strong smokiness with not much else in terms of seasoning and was quite tough and dry. The actual flavor of the bread was stronger than the meat….except for all that smoke.

That BBQ sauce was overly sweet for my taste. I guess we'll stick with our "old faithful" if/when we're back in SLO……

Takeout from Supannee House of Thai

August 10, 2021 mmm-yoso Thai Restaurants

In my post on Rooster Rice & Noodles, "FOY" Si asked if I'd ever had the Nam Khao Tod from Supannee House of Thai:

"Have you every try nam khao tod from Supannee House of Thai? I had it in a party once and it was nice."

Wow, well….I had not had the Nam Khao Tod from Supannee….in fact it had been over three years since my last visit and well…..I hadn't been that far down Point Loma since before the pandemic. And recently, the Missus has been craving Thai food as you can tell by my recent posts. So a visit was probably overdue.

With Covid cases surging of course we did takeout…..and the online ordering worked fine, though they no longer have the house made Thai Sausage which before having the version from Sovereign recently, was my favorite in San Diego….there was a short wait when I arrived, but that was perfectly fine as I sat outside.

So, here's a rundown of what we ordered……

Our favorite item was the Nam Tok ($14) at Medium Spicy.

The beef was tender; just the right amount of heat, nice acidity from the lime juice, pungency from the red onions, mild pungent-almost citrus tones from the cilantro, and while it could have used more toasted rice powder; this was quite enjoyable.

The Nam Khao Tod ($13) seemed to have way too much ginger, but it was quite good.

And while I prefer Lao versions of this; with pork skin, this was good as well. It could have had more crispness to it, but the sausage was nice and sour…..like I mentioned, I thought there was too much ginger in the dish but it really grounded things. Earthiness from the peanuts, good sour tones, the kaffir lime leaves added complexity. A nice enjoyable version of Nam Khao.

I ordered the Papaya Salad ($9) spicy….and it was decently spicy.

But the Missus, while She enjoyed the Mexican Wild Shrimp, said that this was missing the deep savory tones She enjoys…I'm thinking She really wants Issan/Lao style Papaya salad.

I was curious about the Het Larb ($10) – basically a mushroom larb……no it's not a nam prik; which I might have really loved, but basically Shimeji Mushroom Larb.

This dish, while quite spicy fell flat since it didn't deliver much else. I was expecting some nice earthiness from the mushrooms…nope, cilantro…mint…fish sauce…..not really enough. This was quite one dimensional overall.

Still, the Nam Tok and Nam Khao will bring us back……and hopefully they'll have the house made Thai Sausage again.

Thanks Si for the recommendation!

Supannee House of Thai
2907 Shelter Island Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
Current Hours:
Daily 1130am – 830pm

On an interesting side note…..the Missus asked me if I could hit up the last three Thai places and coordinate takeout…..my initial response was no…but then, I remembered having already set the precedent for this……sigh.

Sidecar Bar and Highway 101 Signs on Morena

August 9, 2021 mmm-yoso Cocktails, Exploring San Diego, yoso-silly

Before the current Covid situation got out of hand the Missus found a favorite local bar to grab a cocktail at. Sidecar!

Yes….Sidecar!

The Missus has taken to the place……it's just "divey" enough for Her. The staff is professional while still being quite friendly. To be perfectly honest; we've only gone right after Sidecar opens and it's just for one drink and we head home for dinner. So, my observations are based on that.

The place is usually quite quiet when we visit…..

And no; I haven' played foosball in years….well, make that decades.

We always sit at the front window area overlooking the converted parking lot….fresh air and the "view" makes it "interesting" for us……

As for what we usually get….well after sampling several cocktails over our visits; it's the Penicillin for me. It uses both Monkey Shoulder, one of my favorite non-peaty Scotch's and Montelobos Mezcal, another standard that I first had at Fernside. I'm usually not a fan of ginger in my cocktails….but hey, it's summer and it works fine in this cocktail.

The Missus enjoys the Brown Derby……She enjoys the Bourbon and Grapefruit in this cocktail.

The drinks have a nice balance for us….not watered down, not overly sweet, but with just enough booze where we can actually taste it.

Actually, I introduced the Missus's current new favorite……a combination of Gin, Laguinitas Hop Water (non-alocholic), and lime. At my favorite watering hole they call it "the Andy".

It's super refreshing and brings out the botanicals in the gin.

The customers….well the one's that we've seen are interesting…..and quite nice….like I said it's usually one drink and then home. There are a bunch of old-timers….regulars and just an interesting mixed crowd. Like this group who came in for a drink before heading out in a limo. They asked me to take a photo of them.

With the increase in Covid cases; we're not sure when we'll be back…….hopefully things will get straightened out soon.

Sidecar
1310 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110
Hours:
Daily 3pm – 2am

I love the sculpture on the roof of the "Exotic" Animal Hospital next door too.

On one of our first visits; right after the June 15th "reopening" I noticed this sign on Morena.

For some reason I had never noticed them before, but they've been up since summer of 2017! Apparently, before the I-5 was built….who knew!

And then, while going down that rabbit hole, I came across these street videos from 1970 on the City of San Diego Website – approach with caution as it can keep you busy for hours. To quote from the site:

"This collection consists of film created by the Transportation and Storm Water Department from January to October 1970. Some are from a later date. Described as a Photolog by the department, each reel of 35mm color film was taken by a camera attached to a car driving down the street or highway, producing street level views. The individual reels were converted to a digital version by the City Clerk’s Archives. Users may freeze and print the images."

And there's videos of Morena headed North and also South. And since there's a version on Youtube….well guess what? For folks who live in the area, see how many places you recognize (the Clairemont Drive video is fun as well).

Be safe and have a great week!