Blaze Pizza (Fast Fire’d, customizable)

mmm-yoso!!! is the food blog you are reading on this not too humid day.  Kirk is busy (with work), Ed(from Yuma) is also busy (even though he is retired) and Cathy (who appears to Have time)  is writing this post.  

Driving around while getting hungry, The Mister and I were near Native Foods and noticed yet another customizable pizza location (sad that my favorite had closed).  We decided to try Blaze. 

IMG_5939 Ignoring the fact that "fire'd" is not a word, the idea of being able to watch your pizza being constructed, see it being placed in the fiery oven and having it ready by the time you find a place to sit is fascinating; fast food that isn't all fried or particularly heavy.IMG_5937

IMG_5920 Even better, the selections here are a bit different.   IMG_5914For one, there are four types of pre-made salads to choose from (although you can make a personalized/'Build Your Own' salad from all of the pizza toppings).

 IMG_5916 IMG_5917 IMG_5918There are a variety of sauces and cheeses to use as a base and the amount of ingredients available is excellent; even if you 'Build your own' pizza, using a lot of toppings, the cost is $8.25 (there is only an extra charge if you want a thicker crust or a gluten free crust).
IMG_5922 The system here is a bit more organized; when you order, your name and a number that is embossed on a metal tent-shaped piece are coordinated, so that the pizza in the oven doesn't get lost/given to someone else.  {Let's just say I have received free pie coupons more than once because another customizable pizza place has given my order to an unsuspecting pick up.  It is so easily preventable.}

 IMG_5928  As I was staring at the menu, "Salad Pizza" ($8.25) had me curious.  It's a baked (fast fire'd) pizza dough, topped with pesto sauce and the cooked bread is topped with  your choice of any of the four salads available that day. In this case, I chose the tomato and mozzarella salad.  Gosh, this was perfect- salad, bread with the garlic-y pesto…a meal. IMG_5927 Since it was our first time here, a "Simple Pie" ($5.75) was ordered.  Mild tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese-simple. This was pretty much perfect; it reminded my of pizza we got in Naples, Italy, decades ago.     IMG_6240 On a return visit, the Salad pizza topped with an arugula salad that had fresh blackberries was available.  Again, a great meal.   IMG_6241  There is a "2 Top"  pizza available ($7.50) and since I did want to try the sausage here, a sausage and mushroom pie was ordered.  This was, also, perfect.  So pleasant and cheesy, plus those fresh mushrooms- wow.  IMG_6611 IMG_6612 Being a creature of habit- another tomato mozzarella salad topped pie was ordered. This time I did remember to take a photo of the thin crust with just the basil topping showing.   IMG_6605Most recently, a "Build Your Own" salad, using the base of the Caesar salad and adding bacon, chicken and a selection of vegetables ($8.25) proved to be so large that it wasn't finished in one sitting.  A good and healthy choice.  

Everything is fresh and good here. 

Blaze Pizza, multiple locations across the USA, Website

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Wine tasting in Southern Oregon

mmm-yoso!!! is Kirk’s fascinating food and travel blog out of San Diego. Sometimes he lets Cathy or me, Ed (from Yuma), blog here too. Thanks!!!

I wish I could share with folks the great natural beauty and wonderful hospitality Tina and I experienced in Central Oregon. But I am uncomfortable writing about wonderful meals prepared by friends and family, and Tina and I both failed to take photos of the Cascade peaks and rugged scenery we witnessed our way down to Jackson County in Southern Oregon.

We arrived on a scorching (108°+) afternoon in the Rogue Valley too early for our motel room, so we sought the house where I grew up and the nearby house of my grandparents. Pulling into the driveway there, we were greeted by the current owner, who was happy to learn about the history of the house and happy to share some details about living in Medford these days. After he learned that we were interested in wine tasting, he insisted that we drive a short way to 2Hawk winery, nearby on N. Phoenix Rd.

Located about 2 ½ miles from where I grew up, the brand-new winery was built with old wood: IMG_2927

Amazing to see vineyards where there were once empty fields or cow pastures at the edge of town: IMG_2928

The tasting room was modern and attractive, the servers were very friendly and helpful, and some of the folks at the winery seemed like locals who drop by in the afternoons: IMG_2930

2Hawk offered a couple of different tasting flights, but their lineup was limited but good: IMG_2929

In fact, limited supply seems to be plaguing many of the new Southern Oregon wineries. One place we stopped was out of wine to sell, and when I came back two days later to 2Hawk to pick up a bottle of their excellent reserve Tempranillo, which they had kindly let me sample, they had none.

2335 N. Phoenix Road | Medford, OR 97504
541.779.WINE (9463)

http://www.2hawk.wine/

The Rogue Valley with nearly 30 wineries is the center of the Southern Oregon Vineyard industry but I wanted to take Tina over to the Applegate Valley, just to the west, because it is much more rural, very beautiful, and offers some distinctive wines.

But folks gotta eat; so we stopped in at the C St. Bistro in Jacksonville. Jacksonville, now is a very small town, has a historic district that goes back to the 1850s, when Jackson County was founded. It’s in a nice location up off the Valley floor some, but it would’ve been inconvenient for the railroads, so they went down to the heart of the Valley and created Medford.

The C St. Bistro is a small home style  lunch and dinner spot in Jacksonville: IMG_2983

http://www.cstbistro.com/

It has a pleasant patio though it was getting awfully hot by the end of lunch: IMG_2986

I had a nice fresh lemonade that I failed to photograph. I opted for the turkey BLT, made with toasted homemade focaccia: IMG_2990

Real roasted turkey – an abundant portion – was the highlight of the sandwich. Being lactose intolerant, I ordered the tomato soup with no sour cream. It was full of red ripe tomato flavors, but the acidity might have been better balanced with the sour cream as Tina’s was: IMG_2987

But the real highlight of her lunch was the magnificent wild mushroom and melted cheese cibatta: IMG_2988

Here’s a detailed photo: IMG_2989

The bill was reasonable: IMG_2992

We headed out of town on the Jacksonville/Ruch highway, which crosses a low spur of the mighty Siskiyou mountains and descends into the beautiful Applegate Valley: IMG_3004

We stopped at only two wineries; the Schmidt family winery (the funnest in the Applegate Valley) seems to have a party going on constantly: IMG_2997

330 Kubli Road Grants Pass, OR 97527

541-846-9985

https://sfvineyards.com/

I’m sure the wines were very good, we enjoyed the tasting for sure, but the emphasis at the winery seem to be on the beautiful grounds and picnic areas: IMG_3001

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Our last stop in the Applegate Valley was at Cowhorn vineyards a few miles south off the main road at the edge of the forest and the Valley, one of the most innovative and progressive vineyards in the Southern Oregon wine region: IMG_2994

The entire winery has no carbon footprint. All employees have 52-week a year employment and healthcare. Though the winery is very new, some of their best wines Syrah, Grenache, and Tempranillo are some of the most sought after and expensive in the Valley and (in my humble opinion) some of the best tasting.

The vineyards are spread out from the winery: IMG_2993 IMG_2995

1665 Eastside Road
Jacksonville, OR 97530
(541) 899-6876

 

http://cowhornwine.com/

 

Tina and I thoroughly enjoyed the wine tasting and scenery. What makes Southern Oregon wineries unique is a variety of microclimates, most cooler than many regions in California, all more elevated than most other regions in Oregon or in California, and producing varietals not usually well represented in West Coast wineries such as Tempranillo, Grenache, Viogner, Roussanne.

If you’re in the area, you should definitely stop in and check out the one top 10 Vineyard area in the United States that you had probably never heard of before.

2018 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade float road test, Breakfast at Penny’s Family Restaurant (West Covina), Snack at Kolache Factory (Tustin)

mmm-yoso!!! a blog about food, and events leading up to acquiring said food. Cathy is writing today; Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are staying away from warm things (like computers and the outdoors).

Yes, it is that time of year again. Posts about Rose parade float road tests, float decorating and the Showcase of floats will be on the blog about once a month until January of next year. The related food/meal posts, will be changing quite a bit.  The Phoenix Decorating Company, which constructs the floats where The Mister and I volunteer to decorate  in December, has moved its barn about 20 miles East of Pasadena, to Irwindale. The drive there from here is a bit quicker, but we still left at 5 on Saturday morning, to see the floats lined up at 7 for their mechanical and maneuverability testing. 

The Theme of the 2018 Rose Parade is "Making A Difference" and each float entry has its own interpretation of those words. Here are some previews of floats that were tested. We will get to the food in a moment.

 IMG_6416
The Shriners Hospitals for Children 2018 Parade float, "Caring for Kids Around the World", depicts their mascot, Fezzy Bear, in a space suit surrounded by planets and satellites. IMG_6407

Kiwanis International has a tiger driving a race car on its "Racing to Serve Children" titled float.

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"Planting the Seeds of Service" is the theme of the Rotary International 2018 Rose Parade float entry.

IMG_6420The Odd Fellows and Rebekahs float, "Sacrifice To Serve" has another patriotic float entered in the Rose Parade, the title is in line with the 'Making a Difference' Theme. IMG_6444Western Asset is going to have at least a whale and turtle on their 2018 float entry. 
  IMG_6464The Lutheran Hour Ministries 68th entry into the parade is titled "Bringing Christ to the Nations". 

There were two other floats (Armenian and Lions) which were in the 'rebar' stage of assembly which were also tested that morning.  

Phoenix Decorating Company 5400 Irwindale Avenue Irwindale, CA 91706

Now, on to the food section of this post.

The first stop of the day (at about 6:05 a.m.) was at the Red Hill exit, to get to the Kolache Factory, mentioned in this post
IMG_6394IMG_6394IMG_6394We enjoyed the ham, egg and cheese stuffed dough ($3.19) and the simple, wonderful bacon and cheese stuffed  treat ($2.26).  The modern version of an Eastern European pastry roll was enough to keep us satisfied before arriving in Irwindale.

Kolache Factory 14091 Newport Avenue Tustin, CA 92780 (714) 730-2253 Website

When we left Irwindale, we took side roads South, looking for a place to get breakfast and also scoping out possibilities for dinner after we decorate floats in December… We saw a variety of Mexican restaurants and taco shops, several 'Diner Type' places and then somehow got to this "HK2" mall.  Kirk wrote about visits there 12 years ago. (Krua Thai is still there). 

IMG_6521Because we were here before 9 a.m., only workers were showing up for early morning openings of the shops (I counted at least 20 restaurants, of so many ethnic varieties-Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese, Mexican and…the only one that was open when we were there- the American place, Penny's.IMG_6580

 IMG_6575IMG_6576Signage, Specials, Services offered, Penny's has it all, especially good food.  
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The weekday breakfast specials are 40¢ more on weekends.  I went with a "Mini Breakfast" ($6.95 plus 40¢), two eggs (over easy-perfectly cooked) 2 sausage (or bacon) and home fries (also rye toast).  This was great, really good; I love those sliced fried potatoes. The sausage was a good quality.  
IMG_6567The Mister chose the corned beef hash and eggs plate ($8.59). Very flavorful corned beef, with diced potato and crispy grill top fried. Those perfect over easy eggs and more of those delightful home fries.
IMG_6567He chose a biscuit and gravy as the side. Great gravy, a really nice baking powder biscuit.
Now that we (sort of) know this mall is here, we will be back a bit later in the morning to try some of the other restaurants when they are open.  

Penny's Family Restaurant 969 S. Glendora Avenue West Covina, CA 91790 Open 7-2, daily

IMG_4063I hope your week is good so far!

It’s been a while week-Sima’s Grill and Deli

Here you are, on a lovely Friday 'cool down' day, reading this food blog, mmm-yoso!!! Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are preparing to enjoy the Holiday weekend and Cathy is writing.

The last time I posted about Sima's was in 2013.  The Mister and I haven't driven on Miramar Road unless avoiding traffic.  There has been a three week period in the last month when we had to be at daily appointments West of here and taking various routes to get lunch on the way home became a priority. When Kirk mentioned he was writing 'It's Been a While Week', I knew what my contribution would be.

 IMG_4548This unassuming end building in a mall anchored by a McDonald's, across from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been here since 1984, providing breakfast and lunch six days a week.  Run by a husband, wife and their daughter, it's another 'local' place that has withstood the test of time.
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The interior has remained the same, the menu has also, although there have, of course, been price increases.  
IMG_4543IMG_4547The gyros salad ($9.95) is served with warm, fluffy pita bread with house made tzatziki.  The wonderful house made, herby salad dressing is so fresh and perfect with the crispy fresh Romaine, cucumber, tomato, onion and olives.  The grilled gyros is just crisped on the edges and there is plenty of it on this salad.

 IMG_4540The hot pastrami sandwich ($8.75) is toasted and served with plenty of grilled, smoky, peppery, flavorful (it is Boars Head brand) meat topped with Swiss.  The fries are quite good.IMG_5563 IMG_5559  The char-grilled cheeseburger is still my favorite (window special #1- $9.95, 1/2 lb, includes fries and a drink) burger. It is made from fresh (not frozen) Angus Pride beef and…well..that char grilling is what makes it for me. IMG_5567 I was alone one day and decided to stop in again, opting for a cold/deli sandwich (roast beef) ($7.95) on an onion roll (light toasted).  It's served simply, with lettuce, tomato, a smear of mustard and of mayonnaise…and plenty of the Boars Head roast beef as well as a very good dill pickle. Just right on a hot day.   

Have a great Independence Day weekend!

Sima's Grill & Deli 7160 Miramar Road San Diego 92121 (858) 578-2582 M-F 7:30-4:30, Sat 10-4 Closed Sunday

 

It’s been a while week – Nate’s Garden Grill

I had been wondering about how Nate's was doing for a while. I thought it would make a nice little IBAW post, so dropped by this past weekend.

IBAW Nate's 01

I'd been trying to talk the Missus into revisiting; but in typical fashion She just wasn't motivated after tasting the results of….ahem, playing with my butt.

Still, I'd always rather enjoyed the vibe at Nate's.

IBAW Nate's 02

The rustic interior, the really friendly folks who work here.

I'm thinking it being 8am on the weekend, it was much too early for the Hipster crowd….just a couple of families enjoying the wild west of South City Heights.

IBAW Nate's 03

My food took a while; which I actually enjoyed. It made me relax and notice the "small things"…..

IBAW Nate's 04

Like….did they always have air conditioning here? Well, it was welcomed because it was getting warm outside.

I had decided on getting the Pulled Pork Hash, which I really enjoyed during my previous visit. It was such a nice and vibrant dish back then.

Nate's GG 12

Sadly, this wasn't quite as good as that.

IBAW Nate's 05

While I thought the sourdough bread was nicely crisp and toasted; the eggs, well one of them was nice and runny…the other had leaked out, I really missed all the wonderful textures and flavors from the variety of vegetables I'd had before. This had a ton of pork; of which the smoke flavor was rather over-powering and was a tad too salty. What potatoes there were hadn't been browned very well and while this might be a pork-aholic's choice, I missed the balance in what I'd had before.

IBAW Nate's 06

And yes, it was still way to much food. I did take almost two-thirds of this home and actually redid it with some proper vegetables…..topped with some Greek yogurt to cut the salt and ate the left-overs for two more meals. There's no arguing about portion size here.

I do like Nate's and will probably return….the folks here are so nice…..though I'm not sure what I'll order next time.

Over the years, I've recommended Nate's to several folks I know. One couple really didn't care for the place. I should have known based on where they lived; they didn't like ordering at the counter, wanted better table service, and gave me a lot of grief about looking out at stuff like this while eating.

IBAW Nate's 07

Sigh……

Nate's Garden Grill
3120 Euclid Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Dunkin’ Donuts- sandwiches and donuts

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog.  Today, Cathy is writing; Kirk is busy (again) at work and Ed (from Yuma) is enjoying a beautiful spring day (in Yuma).

Its been a busy year so far.  Since I tend to not plan ahead much, finding meals is an adventure and quite interesting.  When leaving a quick breakfast stop at  Winchell's in National City last month, I passed Dunkin' Donuts, two blocks West. Dunkin' began in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts and I remember a few locations in the Detroit area when growing up.  Nothing stood out in those memories, though.

A mental note was made, research occurred, this location (2139 East Plaza Blvd, National City 91950) is open 24 hours and I had no excuse to not drop in.  

IMG_3135IMG_3137Once I noticed one of the many door signs, indicating that "Dunkin' Donuts of San Diego are proudly owned and operated by local disabled military veterans", I felt good that the 'chain' concept was still local. IMG_3549IMG_3518IMG_3534As an aside, the location in Ramona (1410 Main Street, Ramona 92065, phone (760)789-0210, open daily 5 a.m.-10p.m.) is a combined Dunkin'/Baskin Robbins store. Anytime you stop in, a craving can be fulfilled. 

IMG_3105 So, there's a nice menu board with the third section a good choice of various sandwiches- the breads are Texas toast, croissant, flatbread and ciabatta.
  IMG_3510 The donut selection comes into full view once you get to the front of the line to order. IMG_3547There's quite a bit of seating in both of the locations I've been to. 

IMG_3112 The coffee here is very good.  I've seen the ads, heard the raves, read about cravings for their coffee, but now know this for myself.   IMG_3117 For this visit, two basics.  The "Big n' Toasted" ($4.29) Two eggs, bacon and cheese on Texas Toast.  Wow.  Unexpectedly overfilled with bacon, very good.IMG_3119  Only ordering a simple grilled cheese ($1.99) and seeing there were two types of cheese on it (Swiss and a mild Cheddar), I 'borrowed' one of the eggs and made that grilled cheese sandwich special.  It was really tasty.  IMG_3537A side of hash browns (99¢) was a great choice (there were six in the bag; very flavorful with parsley mixed in the potato). 
IMG_3527 The ham, egg and cheese english muffin ($4.09) was another unexpectedly great choice.  The ham, as you can see, is a better quality with thick slices and the sandwich was quite filling.  IMG_3528Then there was this.  It's right in the center of that third menu board.  The 'Pretzel Croissant Breakfast Sandwich' ($3.79).  The first two times I was here, the pretzel croissants were sold out.  My lucky day, my wonderful breakfast. Crispy exterior; pretzel- topped with large grains of salt- fluffy flaky interior of an excellent croissant, filled with bacon, egg and Swiss. Oh wow, now I have another craving.

IMG_3109The donut choices, overwhelming and although fresh, not overly interesting. Chocolate Butternut and a French Cruller; both pretty basic.  Good cake donut topped with 'butternut morsels'-not peanuts- and fresh cruller with egginess of the pastry.  Small, just enough to go with coffee. IMG_3524 IMG_3543There was a whiteboard of specials inside the Ramona location and a 'peanut butter delight croissant donut' ($2.49) sounded good and tasted better.  The peanut butter was mixed with the regular Bavarian Cream filling (so not too sweet) and injected into the 'croissant donut'…which is a delightful conveyor of a crispy, light dessert.

So glad I rediscovered this childhood favorite.

 Dunkin' Donuts, multiple locations nationwide Website

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Buck & Rider – Seafood Dining in Phoenix

Ed (from Yuma) finally has the functional tools and the time he needs to write a post for the blog. Kirk and Cathy get a break today.

Not long before my computer became nonfunctional, Tina and I were in the Phoenix area to get together with her brother and wife and catch a spring training game. But we also wanted to have another lunch at Buck & Rider since our last meal there had been pretty good, and their menu contained a lot of dishes that we wanted to try. We arrived soon after they opened: IMG_2770

Since we were heading home after lunch, we decided to avoid drowsy driving and stick to sparkling water, refreshing on that hot day: IMG_2772

The choices of oysters were impressive considering Phoenix is in the middle of the desert: IMG_2773

We could watch the shucker (or is it shuckster?) at work: IMG_2776

We could even look at the oysters in their shells and inspect their documentation (papers please): IMG_2793

We ordered two High Rollers from Washington (Hood Canal) on the right of the picture, and two Madhouse from the Maryland Chesapeake: IMG_2778

They were served with lemon wedges and our choice of condiments; we picked cocktail sauce, which was spicy and tangy (but which I didn't use) and horseradish, which was pungent and freshly ground. With the horseradish, the taste of the bivalve was emphasized.

A close-up of a High Roller: IMG_2779

And a Madhouse: IMG_2783

While both were certified extra small, both were extra tasty, especially the one from the Hood Canal. Outstanding.

Tina's tuna burger, the next item to arrive at the table, fell short of outstanding: IMG_2784

The slaw was probably very healthy and certainly very bland. The bun was homemade and nicely grilled. The burger itself was large, filled with ground ahi, breaded and fried. The avocado portion was generous, but the sandwich never came together to my taste. The teriyaki like sauce on the burger and the chipotle mayo spread on the bun seemed an odd combination. And the fried exterior seemed an odd complement to the raw interior: IMG_2790

Likewise, the fries were just okay: IMG_2786

The portion was generous and the potatoes tasted fresh, but they lacked crispness and maybe had sat under a heat lamp for a little too long.

So I felt like I'd hit the jackpot by ordering the Port St. Lucie French Seabass sandwich: IMG_2788

Except for the slaw, this was excellent. The fish tasted fresh and flavorful. The roll, the breaded filet, the tomato, and the tartar sauce along with generous dill pickle made a flavorful combination.

Here's the check: IMG_2791

Was it worth it? Heck yes. The oysters (even though pretty spendy) and the seabass sandwich were outstanding. The tuna burger and the fries were okay; only the slaw was truly disappointing. We'd come back again.

Buck & Rider, 4225 East Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018, (602) 346-0110. website

 

Pegah’s Kitchen (Escondido) Breakfast and Lunch

This is a food blog named mmm-yoso!!! Cathy is writing today; things are busy in the worlds of both Kirk and Ed(from Yuma).

Not much of a story as to how we found Pegah's-driving through Escondido after a trip to the Swap Meet: World Marketplace, traffic was backed up, took a side street and passed this small restaurant, made a mental note to go back when nearby. 

IMG_1482If you take the Ninth Street/Auto Park Way exit from the 15 (and go East, on Ninth) you'll see this restaurant at the corner of Redwood. Open from 6 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., the parking areas next to and in front seem to always be full.  
   IMG_1477There's a small counter area, booths, tables and a sort of larger area to the right with a few tables pushed together, where we saw some groups of people meeting.  IMG_1771 The tabletop condiment selection indicates both breakfast and lunch are served.
 IMG_1464There's a White Board at the entrance, indicating daily specials.  Pea Soup was available on one daily day…and you know we had to have some.  This is a Bowl ($5.99) (cup is $4.99) It was a vegetarian pea soup (good, because this visit was on Friday, when I don't eat meat) and quite excellent, made with carrot and a bit of onion.  IMG_1469 The Mister had been craving fried chicken and ordered another whiteboard special plate ($9.99) perfectly fried in a light, not spiced batter, fresh and hot along with the vegetable of the day and (real) mashed potatoes with gravy, this satisfied cravings.   IMG_1471 I was more in a 'breakfast' mood so ordered a 'Sunrise Breakfast'($7.99) which came with two eggs and home-style potatoes.  I substituted raisin toast ($1).  The potatoes were made perfectly, as were the poached eggs. Of course, raisin toast is always my choice.  IMG_1775 When we returned, The Mister seemed to still be in a 'fried chicken' mode, but made his choice a the chicken strip salad with Blue Cheese dressing ($10.99).  This was very large, filled with fresh ingredients (the chicken strips, again a simple batter fry and served hot on top of the cool, crisp salad ingredients). I liked it a lot when we traded plates.   IMG_1781 Being more in a 'comfort food' mode, the hot turkey sandwich ($9.99)was my choice.  Served open face, on top of toasted, buttered, de-crusted sourdough. Thick sliced, skin on, fresh roasted turkey along with a wonderfully 'thanksgiving-seasoned' gravy, more of those real mashed potatoes and the similar vegetable of the day really hit the spot.   

Taking a detour and finding local, family owned, established in 1987 with friendly servers and quality food. Such good fortune.  

Pegah's Kitchen 912 S. Redwood Street (at Ninth) Escondido 92025 (760) 739-9265 Open daily: 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Website

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Gus’s Subs and Pizza-(La Mesa)(Revisit)

mmm-yoso!!!  is the name of this blog.  Kirk is not posting today and neither is Ed (from Yuma); Cathy has free time.

There are several diners that The Mister and I tend to frequent.  I wrote a short post about Gus's in 2011 and we've been here many times since then.  You'll see menu specials on the exterior windows and there's a sandwich board at the door…IMG_1539
IMG_2667IMG_1548along with the menu above the cash register, which mirrors the one handed to you and there are more specials listed on an inner wall.IMG_5891We seem to be here for breakfast most of the time.  The Top Sirloin and Eggs (now $10.99) is (still) a good deal, served with home fries or hash browns and toast or pancakes.  IMG_5895French toast with eggs and sausage (that is a very large, very flavorful sausage) or bacon ($8.25) is also a tasty choice.  

IMG_2879Most of the lunches come with a choice of soup or salad and the house made pea soup is always a choice.  IMG_2883Liver and onions ($8.95) is also a choice of mine at many lunches.  The calves liver here is prepared nicely: tender with a floured/light crunch.IMG_2886
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The gyros topped Greek salad ($9.25), served with garlic toast and a very good (house made) dressing usually results in leftovers and my enjoying another meal later that day.

 IMG_2669 IMG_2674One of the exterior window specials is for a large (one topping) pizza and salad ($11.99) and that is a definite meal with leftovers for us.  The pizza over here is cheesy and is nicely crispy.  The crust sometimes seems a bit  'fluffy' and tastes better the next day, but really I have no complaints.  The sausage topping is, again, unique in flavor and texture; really good.

 IMG_1549 IMG_1556The pastrami sub (12 inches, $12.75) is one of the best we've ever had. Fresh bread, toasted and brushed with mustard and layered with a plentiful amount of quality smokey pastrami, griddled thoroughly, with crisped edges and melted provolone which is then pressed before serving…it is perfection.  Taking home half results in enough meat for two omelets the next morning.

IMG_1552IMG_1554Ending this post with a rather sloppy set of photos is not intentional.  A 1/2 lb chili cheese burger with fries ($9.95) is a comfort meal sometimes.  The chili is made with beans and has a good spicy kick.  The charred part of the burger went with the chili.  The fresh, toasted bun and side of fries made from gigantic potatoes is, again, more than enough food for a single meal.

Gus's Subs and Pizza 5620 Baltimore Drive La Mesa 91942 (619)462-4877 Open 7 a.m.-9 p.m. 7 days IMG_1558

Daily Grind(s) Cafe (Rolando)-Breakfasts

Thanks for taking a break to read this food blog, mmm-yoso!!! Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are too busy researching places to post about so Cathy is writing today's post.

In early October, cc and I met up for a Saturday breakfast at a location which has changed owners and business models a few times in the past 30 years.  (In the late 80's, The Mister and I came to this location for fried chicken every Sunday and I also recall it being only a coffee shop for a short while, until the Starbucks opened across the street). Located across the street from Ralphs (and on the other side, from Starbucks) in the general area of SDSU, you may have noticed the small building with a large sign on the roof if stuck at the signal light.  IMG_1424    IMG_0296The interior hasn't changed much over the years.  It isn't hipster, just clean and comfy.  Family owned, with customers from the neighborhood as well as from the University, Daily Grind(s) is steadily busy.    

IMG_1418 IMG_1421 That Saturday morning, cc ordered her usual, a chicken fried steak and eggs plate ($9.95) -tender cubed steak with a crispy, light batter topped with a good peppery sausage gravy.  I ordered the pancake special($9.95)-three fluffy (with lightly crisp edges) pancakes wrapped around a filling of scrambled eggs and sausage (there was a choice of sausage or bacon).  This was a quality, tasty basic breakfast.   

A few weeks ago, there was finally time for The Mister to come back to this great place with me.  It was a weekday and there is a special Monday-Thursday menu offered.  

IMG_0290He chose the bacon and cheese omelet ($6.95) which comes with home fries and toast.  This was a large, heavy omelet and very filled; I only have blurred photos of a cross section, though.
  IMG_0288I decided on the french toast plate ($7.95) which comes with two eggs and a choice of bacon or sausage.  The french toast was properly made (crispy outside and fluffy/gooey innards), the eggs were properly over easy and the bacon was of good quality; thick and smoke flavored.    

IMG_0281All in all, a really nice neighborhood diner.

Daily Grinds Cafe El Cajon Blvd San Diego 92115 (619)697-0750 Open Daily 6a.m.-4 p.m.IMG_0298