American/New American Restaurants – Page 30

Portland: Tasty N Alder and other “stuffs”

March 3, 2015 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Portland, Oregon, Travel

*** Tasty N Alder has closed

Ever since we've been doing a good amount of travel internationally, the Missus really hasn't been too keen travelling much in the US, other than heading "home" to visit Her parents and such. But, we had such a great time on our recent visit to Seattle, a city we used to visit almost yearly, that the Missus asked me if I'd like to take a belated birthday trip to Portland. I'd heard that the food scene in PDX has really taken off in the last couple years and it had been over 7 years since our last visit. In other words, we were overdue. I always enjoyed the city, folks are very nice, almost borderline too friendly at times….even the street kids are often quite polite. We did notice a few changes since our last visit immediately; many, many, more hipsters…..man, I don't think they sell many razors in PDX anymore. Folks seemed even more eccentric….some of the outfits wouldn't be out of place in Shibuya! Loved the gal who walked out of one of the business high rises; briefcase in tow, rockin' shiny tap dance shoes featuring bright red bows, a polka dot mini skirt, and a mouse-ear barrette! Keep Portland Weird indeed….or were the folks just doing a reverse satire of Portlandia?

Did I mention the easy $2.50 Max Red Line from the airport to downtown. That, added to being able to check in at 945am at the Paramount, and things were starting out well.

We were of course starving….and downtown Portland is a very easy walking town. Tasty N Alder had been on my list for a while and the Missus and I enjoy family style……

The place was quite full when we arrived….mid-morning and all. Our Server was the most amazingly cheerful and friendly woman. I wish I got her name….friendly, efficient, did a great job talking to us about the menu. She made our visit so pleasant and pleasurable.

always on the look-out for veggies, we started with the Radicchio ($6), which turned out to be the Missus's favorite dish of the trip. In fact, She requested a return visit just for this supposedly simple looking salad.

This dish was just so subtly excellent, from the nice crisp thick cut bacon lardons, to the ice cold radicchio, prepped perfectly, without any of the bitter bite. Topped with crumbled egg…you know how much the Missus loves Her eggs, right. The manchego cheese was shredded so fine that I asked if it was done using a microplane (it is). The cheese melted into the wonderful dressing thickening it….I also think there's some bacon fat in the dressing as well. It was thick and rich in a pleasant way……almost like the best possible Caesar dressing. Wonderful!

Curious, we ordered the "Saigon Brussel Sprouts". Actually, the flavor is more Thai influenced.

The Missus took one bite and said, "I know this flavor….you know this flavor….you make stuff using these flavors". This indeed had the Palm Sugar-Fish Sauce-Garlic flavor I use for making my Thai Garlic Shrimp. Though this is much more sweet and is glazed. I loved the idea and knew I'd be making this after we returned home.

The Smoke Trout Board ($10) was our least favorite item of the day. The trout was decently smoked, but nothing special, the 6 minute egg was over done, though the pickled beets are really great with a nice, balanced flavor.

I was fascinated with the Patatas Bravas, which turned out to be a huge portion for $7. And to make the Missus even more happy it was topped with….you guessed it, two more easy over eggs. That make about five eggs if you're counting.

The garlic aioli had a wonderful "punch", the potatoes had the great texture of spuds that had been twice fried as the interior was fairly creamy. It was a bit too salty and the sauce seemed a bit heavy handed with regards to paprika, but you can't say it was bland.

So this with coffee….what do you think this would cost in San Diego? Here it was $33…….almost a shocking bargain for us. Plus no sales tax. I'd forgotten how reasonably priced things were in Portland.

Like I mentioned before, the woman who waited on us was just a joy. While the Missus went to the restroom, she stopped by and we had a nice chat about the food scene in the city. She told me that the last 3-4 years have been quite amazing for the city. Man, I was looking forward to the rest of our trip.

Tasty n Alder
580 SW 12th Ave
Portland, OR 97205
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 9am – 10pm
Friday – Saturday 9am – 11pm

Mary visited Tasty n Sons on her visit.

After brunch we headed off to see some familiar sites and to make one important stop….Powell's Books. To quote something from an earlier post that included Powell's; "yes, it's all true; the bookstore takes up an entire city block. And yes, you do need a map to get around. And yes…..used books are mixed in with the new. And yes, I think there are people living in Powell's, that may have not left in years" I managed to pull myself away from Powell's…….

Powell's Books
1005 W Burnside
Portland, OR 97209 USA

I really enjoyed the "Pearl" district on my previous visits so we walked on over….man, it's gotten even more upscale since our last visit. Lots of development. The Missus couldn't resist dropping by the Whole Foods to take a peek and even bought some goji berries which were $7/lb cheaper than in San Diego.

The beer selection was pretty darn good as well. This looked like a nice Whole Foods.

We walked a bit more, then headed back to the hotel for a nap. We both woke a 4am to catch our flight, so a nap was in order……

Thanks for reading!

Camels Breath Inn (revisit) (Stadium area/Grantville)

February 28, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, What Cathy Eats!

Thank you for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Today, Cathy is writing, because Kirk is just too busy and has no time to write, while Ed (from Yuma) is doing something associated with retirement (in Yuma) .

Yes, there are many, many, many small 'pubs' near the Jack Murphy San Diego Chargers football stadium.Each of these purveyors of adult beverages are open during daylight hours and serve food. I did post about Camel's Breath Inn back in 2009, am now less fearful of taking photos and figure an update is due.

People familiar with the area of Friars Road East of the Stadium may have noticed an Armstrong Nursery just along Friars road, with a Stuart Anderson's Black Angus Steakhouse on the corner. Camel's Breath Inn is located with other businesses in that parking lot. There's a theme to the decor here. There are specials listed on the chalkboard (to the left in the third photo up) and usually there's a placard on the tables. This is a link to a current menu. We were here on a Sunday (but not during football season, when there are even more specials between 9 and 10 a.m.). Brunch was available.However, The Mister wanted a burger and ordered a 'build your own burger'($9). The 1/2 lb hand formed fresh ground beef patty, topped with His choices of cheese, avocado and mushrooms along with the standard lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles (bacon as well as a number of other items are choices and all for the same price). The burger comes with a choice of sides and, as you can see, slaw it was. The burger was cooked to a medium rare char on a flat top grill, was very good flavored. The lightly toasted sesame seeded bun was fresh and held up to the burger and toppings. The slaw here is very good. Still on my Benedict craving, the carnitas Benedict (alternately called a 'pulled pork' Benedict on the table menu) ($8) was my choice. Placed on top of a sliced and toasted slider bun, the large amount of in house cooked pork carnitas, topped with two perfectly poached eggs and a house made Hollandaise, was just right on that chilly morning. The sides of refried beans and home fried potatoes were plentiful and most were taken home as leftovers that day.

The food and atmosphere here are improved over our previous visits. There is a definite competition between the 'taverns' in the one mile radius area (yes, there will be more posts) with more quality food as well as beverage offerings.

Camel's Breath Inn 10330 Friars Road, #106 San Diego 92120 (619)281-1722 website

Farmer Boys- farm fresh food, not fast food (Escondido)

February 26, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Burgers, Chains, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog, tries to entertain and sometimes amuse you with almost daily posts centered about food. Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are not blogging today; it's Cathy writing this post.

You've probably seen signage while driving along the freeway or along side streets. Perhaps you've been curious. Here's a post giving you reason to stop.

Farmer Boys first opened in 1981 in Perris, California. Founded by the five Havadjias brothers, the idea of 'Farm to Table' wasn't spoken of as part of the dining experience, yet that's been the business philosophy of this small (79 store) Southern California, Central California and Nevada restaurant chain of both company owned and franchised locations. Yes, it's a chain, but with locations primarily California, it fits into my 'new year resolution' of patronizing locally.There are two locations in San Diego County, both in Escondido. The 'newer' location, pictured above, is near a Home Depot and in the same parking lot as the Escondido Vallarta Market location.You walk up, order and pay and your food is brought to the table. The decor is country and home-like, as is your freshly prepared meal. The restaurant serves breakfast all day, and my go to item is the 'Daybreak Sandwich' ($4.19 or $4.99 with meat). Pictured above, the Daybreak with a sausage patty (other options are bacon or ham). It's on a potato bun and made with two eggs and a slice of American cheese. Good any time of the day. I really like the sausage served here; it's not greasy and has just the right amount of spices.The hearty pastrami sandwich ($6.99) is served on a toasted garlic ciabatta roll with mustard and pickles. The oven roasted, smoky pastrami is of excellent quality.

That's a 7 piece side of 'Colossal onion rings' ($4.19) [a four piece side order is $3.49 if you want to avoid temptation and/or can't do math]. Not only are those rings colossal in size, but also in flavor…the fresh hand battered rings are usually ordered with any meal here. The fry is perfect and never greasy. There are also zucchini and harvest fries available as sides; both are also excellent, fresh and never frozen.The menu has had a 'Natural' (hormone free, antibiotic free, fresh never frozen) burger ($6.29) on the menu for quite a long time. It's 1/3 lb, served on the potato bun (all other burgers are served on sesame seeded buns) with American cheese, onion, pickle and 1000 island dressing. Juicy and flavorful (and *much* better than the Carls Jr 'Natural'), this is my burger of choice here, even though the 'Bacon Boy' and 'Farmers Burger' are a bit heavier and larger in size, the Natural Burger has the flavor I enjoy.The Mister and I came here on a Friday and ordered the 4 piece hand battered fish dinner ($9.99) to share. Hand battered, wild caught, pollock filets (each filet was quite large; the above photo shows two pieces; one is butterflied so it would cook evenly. The photo above it has all four filets as it was originally served.) served with Harvest Fries, two onion rings,the garlic ciabatta bread, toasted…andyour choice of soup or salad. The soups are made fresh daily. The choices are almost always clam chowder or cream of broccoli. Both are excellent.

The menu has enough choices to satisfy almost any craving or dietary restriction. The shakes are made with real ice cream, need I say more?

Farmer Boys 1333 East Valley Parkway Escondido 92027 (760)739-0770 Mon-Sat 6-midnight, Sun 7-midnight Website

JT’s Pub & Grill (Stadium area)(Grantville)

January 28, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Burgers, Chicken Wings, Pubs and Pub Grub, What Cathy Eats!

Look at you, right back here at mmm-yoso!!! probably looking for food blogging. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are each busy with 'research' for future posts and Cathy is writing today, with 'results'.

Mission Gorge Road, just North of Interstate 8 is a mish-mash of businesses. Bookended by Starbucks, surrounding new and used car dealerships, banks, drug stores, numerous fast food drive thru lanes, a pizza parlor, sit down restaurants, a great vegan donut shop, as well as a Kaiser Hospital and Clinic. There are also more than several Purveyors of adult beverages which also sell food in this area of town.JT's is located closest to the Interstate, on the East side, just across from Rose Toyota and a few blocks South of Iowa Meat farms (sister of Seisel's Meats). The plain exterior is not a signal of things to come. The bar area has seemingly endless adult beverage choices, numerous televisions, seating and there are pool and ping pong tables in the back. There are several chalkboards mentioning beer specials, or you can ask. Menus are on tables. You walk up to the bar to order. Always on the lookout for specials, the back of the menu is usually what I read first.However, the bottom of the front page caught my eye on our first visit- beef from Iowa Meat Farms. Ground fresh daily.Here are the center pages, if you are interested. Don't pay too much attention though…the menu is going to be changing up soon. The same talented people who make the wonderful food I'm about to show you will be working on a new menu with all fresh (as in nothing frozen) items. Currently, the potstickers and fries and tots are frozen items. Basic Burger (cooked to a perfect medium rare, as I had ordered) ($8). Served on a fresh, toasted bun with crispy lettuce, tomato and onion, this is one of the best I've had in a while. It's 1/2 pound before cooking.Since it was a Monday, the $3 wings were calling. Medium Buffalo and Teriyaki were our chosen flavors this visit. The wings were meaty, fried crispy and the flavors not overwhelming (the Teriyaki was not sweet, a plus in my book).Another visit, on a Friday, had The Mister ordering a 16 ounce Cream Ale from (local) Mother Earth Brewing ($5).Friday Fish Sandwich ($6.25) was quite large, with the cheese melted into the bun, a nice touch. The fish was moist and the batter light, almost fluffy crispy. The cole slaw here is excellent, by the way.Sides can be fries, tots, slaw or a side salad. You can see fresh mushrooms on the salad, since they use fresh mushrooms for the beer battered mushroom basket. This visit, The Mister ordered the bacon and Bleu burger ($9.25). Again, the cheese melted into the bun-toasty bleu cheese…so good. You can see the bacon and now can imagine how good it was. It was, it was.

Breakfast on Sunday is a whole other post…

JT's Pub & Grill 5821 Mission Gorge Road 92120 (619)280-4698 Mon-Sat 11 a.m.-2 a.m, Sunday 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Website

ecb (El Cajon Bistro)

January 25, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

Hello again from mmm-yoso!!! a food blog. Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are a bit busy today and Cathy is writing a quick post.

After posting about El Cajon Bistro and Bakery in 2013, it became a regular spot to drop in for a quick snack before grocery shopping at either Kaelins (which has been upgraded in a great way), or Valley Foods when we didn't want to eat at the hot food area in either of those stores. (ecb is equidistant from each of those grocers).The name has slightly changed, removing the 'Bakery' portion and dinner is now offered here. This location is in the same parking lot as Saray and Sultan Bakalava, which are also regular stops for snacks. The ordering area is the same, as is the dining area with an emphasis on juices and fresh fruit along with the still tremendous coffee offerings.This day we decided to have breakfast and The Mister ordered his favorite item- the berry pancakes with bacon and over easy eggs ($8). The fresh berries baked into the house made pancake batter is just a perfect flavor combination and always satisfying.The chalkboard at my eye level on the counter had me curious. I asked what the difference was between this and the 'regular' eggs benedict was and the answer was 'green Hollandaise sauce'. For some reason, I have been asking for the 'green' sauced items at quite a few places this year (tomatillo, suizas, culichi, chimichurri and pesto easily come to mind) now this was a choice. Had to! Well, this was just wonderful! The eggs were poached hard and the sauce was great, with that bit of difference than plain Hollandaise as well as a good amount of fresh veggies making this an excellent breakfast treat.

Similar to its sister location (La Mesa Bistro and Bakery), the lines are out the door on weekends, unless you get here early.

ecb 109 Jamacha El Cajon 92019 (619)590-0278 Website Open 7 a.m. daily (closes 4 p.m. Sun-Mon, 8 pm other days)

Farmhouse Bistro – New in Yuma

January 22, 2015 ed fromyuma American/New American Restaurants, Burgers, Fine Dining, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

After a short run, Farmhouse closed. Krouse's Flattop Grill is in the space now in 2016 and doing very well.

If you have visited here before, you know mmm-yoso is KirkK's foodblog, mostly featuring his wonderful reports on dining in San Diego and worldwide. Cathy helps keep the blog going and has an encyclopedic knowledge of San Diego eateries, particularly those that the rest of us might miss. Some days, Ed (from Yuma) will post about eating on his travels and especially about dining in Yuma. Today is one of those days; you have been warned.

The most exciting new addition to the Yuma dining scene is The Farmhouse Bistro:

Its location – set back from the street with limited signage and lighting – makes this a tough location and many eateries have occupied this site for brief periods since I moved to town, including Mi Playita, TJ's Marisquero, Viejo Loco, Small Fries, Rusty Spoon, and most recently Spanky's Chophouse. But long time Yumans know the location as "where Hensley's Beef, Beans, and Beer used to be," a steakhouse that thrived here for 20 years, 1979-1999.

The interior is small and simple. Of course, there are a couple flatscreen TVs and a bar area that can't yet sell alcohol:

But most of the dining area is filled with about 10 tables of various sizes, and the rustic painted walls are reminiscent of a rural farmhouse (and when packed at lunch, the room almost sounds like the mess hall at a ranch):

While the decor is nothing to speak of, the menu looked interesting right from the start.

On my first visit, my friend and former colleague, Dawn, wanted the lamb burger ($12), so I went conventional and had the basic burger ($14). Hers looked like this:

She said the flavor of the ground meat had a distinct lamb flavor, and she loved the brie cheese topping. My farmhouse burger looked similar and different:

I was happy. I loved the char from the grill, the medium rare doneness of the patty, and the beefy taste of the meat. The restaurant tries to source all of their meats and produce locally – if possible. Maybe that’s part of why it tasted so good.

We were both delighted by the french fries (and surprised as the menu had not mentioned that they came with the burgers). While not crispy crunchy, they were full of real potato flavor – clearly none of them had ever seen the interior of a freezer. People with more perceptive tastebuds may have detected the touch of truffle oil on the potatoes, but I was just happy to get real honest french fries.

On my next visit, I had to try the pork belly tacos ($12) –who could pass up Korean style pork belly tacos? There were 4 well filled tacos:

This close-up gives you a better idea of what is going on:

The thick chunks of pork belly were simply prepared; I could detect no Korean marinade or seasoning, but I was delighted by the smoky char of some pieces. The coleslaw with red and regular cabbage was lightly dressed and definitely not sweet or goopy. As far as I could tell, the only "Korean" seasoning was the ground red chili powder sprinkled over the slaw.

Nonetheless, I had no complaints. The flavor of the pork belly was excellent, and the preparation of the tacos emphasized the chewy, porky, chargrilled flavor of the meat. I would have this again.

Currently The Farmhouse has no liquor license, which is a bad thing for the restaurant I am sure, but it can be a good thing for customers because diners can bring bottles of wine (and maybe beer?) with them to enjoy – and pay no restaurant markup on the beverage. I'm not sure when they will get a liquor license, but let me suggest that my wino friends come try the bistro now when you can save money.

For those not interested in alcoholic beverages, The Farmhouse offers your standard choices plus this amazing beverage ($3):

What you are looking at is a glass of kale lemonade (no I'm not making that up). It is complex and refreshing and probably even healthy for you. Welcome to 2015.

Since two lunches had been a success, Tina and I decided to come by for dinner. We started our meal (after the kale lemonades) with the most unusual sounding item on the menu, fried pickle ($7):

The restaurant brines a range of vegetables – this night included green beans, zucchini slices, small cauliflower florets, sweet potato chunks, and onion strips – dips them in tempura batter, fries them, and serves them with their house sauce, a spicy teriyaki mayo.

Eating the fried pickles was a treat for the palate. Sour, salty, and crunchy/greasy all at once. These were definitely addictive, if a bit repetitive, and we ate every piece.

The main courses continued to challenge our taste buds and our expectations. Tina chose the diver scallops ($26), which were perfectly cooked – charred at each end and rare in the middle. But look at how they were served:

What a treat for the eye. The scallops were perched atop a mound of beet risotto. The little white puffs are goat cheese quenelles, and the mound is surrounded by a buerre blanc sauce.

And what a treat for the mouth. The riced red beets with rice balanced the scallops nicely and contrasted with the goat cheese much like the old school borscht/sour cream combination. Tina (with a little of my help) happily ate everything on her plate.

I chose the duck breast ($28):

The breast, topped with garlic lemon purée, was served on a bed of lemon risotto, accompanied by three superb giant fresh local asparagus spears. I love asparagus and it doesn't get any better than those three spears. Moist crunchy tender flavorful.

The duck breast was cooked a perfect medium rare:

I enjoyed how the chef used the garlic and lemon flavors to contrast the richness of the duck breast. Certainly the best duck I have ever had in Yuma. The risotto was perfectly prepared, the rice being both creamy and al dente. If I had any quibble, it would be that the lemon risotto flavors were monochromatic. While the risotto was a perfect match to the duck breast, it was less interesting by itself.

For dessert, we had wanted to try the grilled peach, but of course, peaches aren’t in season (even in Yuma) so we opted for the banana crema ($9):

The small mason jar is a nice farmly touch. The banana crema itself was the bottom half of the desert. A layer of crunchy banana flavored cookie crumbs separated it from the raspberry/banana flavored crema at the top. The desert was certainly rich and unusual. It was also nice to see cheese courses on the dessert menu.

For me, The Farmhouse has exceeded expectations. The menu is certainly the most varied and interesting in town. The kitchen can turn out a wide range of dishes skillfully. Farm-to-table ingredients – witness that incredible asparagus – should be a perfect fit for Yuma, at least in the winter. In addition, the place is well staffed, and the service on each visit has been professional and personable. Of course, The Farmhouse is in a tough location, and the menu with lunches or salads between $9 and $14 and entrées from $25 up may intimidate some folks, but the restaurant has been busy and I hope that Yuma will support creative quality cuisine.

The Farmhouse Bistro, 2855 S. 4th Ave., Yuma AZ 85364, (928) 276-9735; open11- 2, and 5-11 Tuesday through Saturday, Sunday brunch 9-1. Closed Mondays.

A Shopping Day lunch at Bristol Farms

January 8, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Markets & Grocers, What Cathy Eats!

Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy are the usual writers here on mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Today, Cathy is writing.

The rush of a multitude of holidays with corresponding activities is winding down, with individuals cleaning up, rearranging and perhaps following some new patterns. Businesses are 'clearing out' holiday-centric food and decorating items. The Mister and I have been out and about, looking for some bargains, and, as always, manage to squeeze a meal into the midst of the shopping. Yes, both Kirk and I have written a few posts about Bristol Farms, an upscale market (the parent company is Albertsons) located in La Jolla.There is both a self serve area (salad bar, soup, hot foods) where you can select, package and then pay for your items and find a seat here in the Bristol Cafe (or just outside), or you can walk up and order items 'to go' or you can seat yourself and a friendly waiter/waitress will bring you a menu and you'll have table service. This Wednesday, the special was a cup of any Soup and Sandwich of the day for $7.49. The Mister chose the carrot ginger soup- which was fascinating in its complimentary flavors and excellent.The 'sandwich of the day' was a "Malibu Melt"…and the description made us simultaneously fearful and curious. Toasted sourdough, the top with soft grilled red onion, Monterey Jack cheese, tuna salad…on top of grilled honey ham and a basil aioli spread. Yeah, we ordered it, ate it and liked it (except for the onion; a bit too many flavors there and it was removed after a bite). The tuna salad alone was excellent, as was the grilled honey ham. No idea who concocted this in their brain, but it works.Playing it safe, I ordered the quiche of the day with a salad ($8.49). The simple salad was accompanied by the most wonderful Thousand Island dressing. The quiche (which you can purchase unbaked in the store) had melange of (at least three types) of roasted mushrooms and spinach baked into a wonderfully flavored custard which was all baked in a crispy, flaky shell.

Yet another day of trying something new, and it worked.

Bristol Farms 8510 Genessee Avenue San Diego 92122 (858) 558-4180 Website

2015 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade Post Parade Showcase of floats, snacks at Cream Pan (Tustin), House of Cookies (Pasadena) and lunch at Corky’s Place (Azusa)

January 5, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Bakery, Festivals & Events, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome to food blog mmm-yoso!!! where Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy (for the most part) write food centric posts, sometimes interspersed with activities surrounding the acquisition of the food. Cathy is writing today.

The ritual of celebrating a New Year can be exhausting and The Mister and I slept through it, but were wide awake before 8 a.m. on January 1 to watch the 126th Tournament of Roses Rose Parade and all three Bowl games on television.

The next morning, we were in Pasadena (with 100,000 other people) enjoying the Post Parade Showcase of Floats, where we could walk along the two miles of roads and see up close details of all the 40+ floats which participated in the parade this year. Each float was designed to reflect the theme of the Parade, Inspiring Stories.

This is a snippet of all we saw. Information overload, provided by the 'white suits', official representatives of the Tournament of Roses, who stood around each of their respective floats, answering questions about symbolism of the particular float as well as decorating materials used, made this two mile plus walk most interesting.

Links to 2015 Rose Parade float road tests and decorating: 2015 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade float road tests: #1 Test #2 Test #3 Test #4 Test #5 Test #6 Road Test 7 Decorating floats

So, our food this day… Obligatory stop at the wonderful, open at 6 a.m., Cream Pan Japanese bakery resulted in a purchase of a loaf of sesame bread, container of still warm chicken karaage, cheese cracker flat and a fresh blueberry (on top of a layer of creamy pudding encased in a buttery, flaky crust) pastry.

Cream Pan 602 El Camino Real Tustin 92780

Arriving in Pasadena, we knew our next stop, because we were going to park in this neighborhood and walk to the North entrance of the Post Parade Showcase…House of Cookies Still owned and run by a very nice older Armenian couple, this small bakery makes cookies, cakes and other snacks, selling at very reasonable prices. The items on the counter are different daily and we chose two of the cheese puffs ($1.65-total).

House of Cookies 2451 East Washington Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91104 (626)794-4280

Inside the Showcase of Floats, there are several food and snack areas.We stopped at the Pie N Burger truck for a $3 slice of (still warm) boysenberry pie. It was at this point my phone told me I could not take any more photographs. I deleted every App while eating the delicious pie.

Not wanting to brave the tourist filled areas of Pasadena, The Mister and I discussed places we had seen while driving on side roads previously and began the drive home East on Huntington, the original Route 66. Previously, this small restaurant in the midst of an industrial area in Azusa, had us curious. We thought today would be good for a light meal.
Small, with a seating capacity of 39, Corky's Place has been here for decades and run by family, who are respectfully memorialized. Prices are extremely fair and the short orders of phoned in breakfasts and grilled sandwiches were constantly being filled. However, we decided to order from the 'Mexican' side of the menu.The Mister ordered the two green enchiladas plate($6)-cheese filled. The sauce was excellent and the enchiladas were very cheesy, with a good stringy Oaxacan.We were given some good salsa with some average chips while waiting.Then there was this…a shrimp and avocado tostada ($5). There's a tostada shell with a layer of (very good) beans, lettuce, cheese, some fresh made guacamole and many, many tiny shrimp. Warm, not sauteed and the kind of shrimp you need to eat three at a time to get the flavor. The rest was filling and we made a note to come back and order from the American side of the menu.

Corky's Place 1050 Foothills Blvd. Azusa, CA 91702 (626)969-7861

I hope your year will be filled with daily adventures and inspirations.

Corner Bakery Cafe-revisits (Mission Valley)

December 26, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Salads

Here you are, at the food blog named mmm-yoso!!! Today's quick post is written by Cathy.

During the pre-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas hustle and bustle of the vehicles carrying groups of people shopping at local malls, The Mister and I tried to get to places as they opened, or during weekday 'lulls' in foot traffic. We found that, just as before shopping in grocery stores, a quick meal before walking about was helpful in keeping to our planned excursions. On the ring road of Mission Valley Mall, on the spot where the Montgomery Ward Tire Center had been located, is Corner Bakery Cafe, a franchise which began on a corner, in Chicago, in 1991. There are now 184 locations in 19 States and the District of Columbia.The business model is similar to Panera in that you walk up, order, pay and your meal is brought to you, there is free wi-fi and the menu includes freshly baked goods, both sweet and savory with breakfast and lunch/dinner choices. Opening at 7 a.m. on weekdays, it's the perfect spot for breakfast before mall stores open. There is a good selection of coffees. This is a made to order 'Anaheim Scrambler' ($7.79) Freshly scrambled eggs mixed with applewood smoked bacon, tomatoes, cheddar cheese (and also green onion, which we asked not be mixed in) and topped with avocado slices. This is served with breakfast potatoes (or fresh fruit) and "Mom's Harvest" toast- grainy and seedy and tasty. Above is my favorite breakfast item, because it is unique to CBC. Swiss oatmeal ($4.49) –muesli– raw rolled oats, mixed with dried (raisins and cranberries) and fresh (apples and bananas) fruit and yogurt. Yes, a cold cereal breakfast. It's far more interesting than hot oatmeal and I enjoy it for breakfast. On the side there is a sweet crisp, sort of a thin biscotti made with dried fruit and topped with sugar crystals.One of my usual meals (here and everywhere) is a bowl of chili ($6). The version made here is excellent- two types of beans, ground beef, tomatoes, onions and mild peppers along with a great chili spice blend which is slightly sweet. It's served with a piece of fresh sourdough.

A fallback menu item we order is the Trio ($7.49) (which is really four salads, because a small order of field greens salad is always included). This day, the choices were: 1) tuna salad (which is tuna, red and green bell peppers, green onion and mayonnaise with some Dijon mustard and basil) 2) D.C chicken salad (chicken, green apples, currants, redonion, celery, mayonnaise and toasted almonds) 3) the new toasted sesame kale salad (fresh kale, shredded carrots and toasted sesame seeds with a ginger soy dressing). Each salad is so refreshing, perfectly dressed and bright tasting.

The year has been filled with mainly local places and a few franchises for meals out. We have had more meals at home than out, which I haven't posted about. It's been fun to share and so nice to see the good wishes to all of us here. Enjoy this final weekend of 2014!

Corner Bakery Cafe Camino de la Reina (SE corner, at Mission Center Drive) (619) 692-0423 Website

Seattle: Intrigue Chocolates, Sitka & Spruce, Starbuck’s Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room , and some Figgy Pudding

December 14, 2014 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Caffeine Fix, Chains, Chocolate, Desserts, Fine Dining, Seattle, Washington, Travel

The Missus felt refreshed after Her nap and I felt good after taking a walk around the Pioneer Square area.

Before heading off to Sitka & Spruce for dinner, the Missus needed a couple of gifts. Chocolate is always appreciated. I looked up a couple of places and found a listing for Intrigue Chocolate who specializes in truffles.

The kitchen, cum shop is located….well, I'll quote the website:

"The shop, which is also our industrial-style kitchen, can be a little tricky to find because we are not on the street level. Easiest way to find us is to find the entrance to Sake Nomi (Sake bar) and continue up the stairs. Then it's just down the hall which turns to the left, and we are the clearly marked brown door, third on the left."

The two guys running the place were so enthusiastic, they'd let us try everything if we'd been able to stay longer! They also make a nice cold brew concentrate as well!

Our favorites were the Juniper Berry and the Nutmeg & Chipotle.

We loved the place, they just seem to enjoy what they do…..and even though they currently use, high quality Belcolade chocolate, we were given a taste of a work in progress, the chocolate they are developing on their own. It was nice talking coffee and Belgian chocolate. We'll be back.

Intrigue Chocolate
76 S Washington St. Suite 104
Seattle, WA 98104

We headed back to our room, dropped off the truffles, and headed off to….

Sitka & Spruce:

**** Sitka & Spruce has closed

The walk was a tad over a mile, though the hills…..sheesh…anyway we did pretty good time, about 20 minutes to Melrose Market in the popular and trendy Capitol Hill neighborhood. We loved the setting; Sitka & Spruce is located in back of the brick building, understated, in that warm, yet somewhat industrial style, high ceilings, a large communal table, and open kitchen…..

The restaurant itself is not large; just a few tables, counter, and communal table seating. As is our MO, we try to eat early, before the rush and crowds. We usually get a better experience and the restaurant is able to do "it's thing".

My main reason for selecting S&S was the menu, which is nice and tight, focusing on seasonal Northwest products. We both thought the tapas-type dishes were much more interesting and we prefer having a tasting style meal. Our diet has changed quite a bit over the last couple of years and the small dishes at S&S seemed right up our alley. A variety of great local produce with interesting combinations of texture and flavors. So we were quite excited to try this establishment of the Matt Dillon empire.

There was one interesting thing about the beverage selection…..based on our dinner the previous night at The Walrus and the Carpenter and now Sitka & Spruce, it seems that Wine and Cocktails are still king for meals in Seattle. Which I thought strange since I usually see Seattle ranked in the top 10 beer cities in the US. Here it's nothing on tap, five choices Hilliard from a can or Rainier?

Whatever….I guess we'd just go and find the Stumbling Monk, or another place after dinner.

We started with the Charcuterie ($25)

While the air dried ham (aka prosciutto, though they can't call it that) was "meh", really bland and lacking in the deep cured flavor we love, there were some real winner here. The chicken liver, basically a a light, spreadable pate really caught me off guard, sweet molasses at first, giving away to savory, with that chicken liver finish. I'm not a big fan of metallic chicken liver flavors, though I love my pate's. This gave me a wonderful ride. The duck rillette had a tremendous almost condensed duck flavor. The head cheese was nice and balanced and the pork terrine was also very tasty. Loved the variety of flavors present here.

Next up Delicata Squash, Haloumi, and Pumpkin Seeds ($15).

We started seeing Delicata Squash on menus last fall. The Missus loves them; moderately sweet, with a nice texture, and an edible peel….heck, even I enjoy them. So it goes without saying the Missus loved this. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors, the nuttiness of the pumpkin seeds, the light subtle milkiness of the haloumi cheese. I thought the amount of nuttiness and milky flavors went beyond just the haloumi and pumpkin seeds. When I mentioned this to our Server, she also noted that the sauce was made of whey and argan oil. The mint also added another dimension of flavor…….

My least favorite dish of the night was the Charred Celeriac, Braised Quince, Ambrosia Apple and Bread Crisps ($15).

I really didn't care for the amount of almost tart-tannic flavors. The celeriac was lost in the dish. Tongue numbing and not in a good way.

The Smoked Potato, Pickled Seaweed, Anchovy, and Egg Yolk ($16), took me to that edge…..I loved the smoky flavor, the seaweed added a nice oceany brine, the anchovies were teetering on the edge of too salty, but that egg yolk somehow seemed to temper the salt.

I loved the smoked potatoes….why hadn't I tried that before? Smashed potatoes also seemed to be "the thing" in Seattle. The Missus said She'd have preferred bacon, but I told Her, "that would be so TGI Friday's". Loved the crisp skin on the potatoes as well. you can tell by the meal I made the day after we returned, that this dish made an imprint.

By far, the best single dish we had on this trip was the Hen of the Woods Mushroom, Guanciale, Oyster Cream, and Cider ($18).

My goodness, the earthy-savory aroma, meaty texture of the Hen of the Woods mushroom, more familiar to me as Maitake, was just superb. The sage along with the cider added an citrus tone, along with a hint of sweetness. The oysters in the sauce just took the flavors to another level. I'm not sure of the purpose of the guanciale as I couldn't make out any pork flavors. But who cares. In terms of an outstanding dish; this has our votes.

I realize that the dishes we chose and enjoyed at S&S might not be for everyone; especially the hardcore carnivore. There are 3-4 entrees on the menu any given night….this time it was chicken, black cod, and rabbit. I just chose dishes that best reflected the foraging background of Matt Dillon. I believed that this would be the strongpoint of the restaurant and it seemed that way to us. Our check came in at a bit over a hundred and it was worth every penny.

Sitka & Spruce
1531 Melrose Ave
Seattle, WA 98101

We were a bit too full and decided against finding a pub. But, as we headed back toward Pike Street we noticed a crowd of people being let into a building. We walked up Pike a bit, then headed back down. When we passed the building again, the Missus couldn't help it…..we had to go and check it out.

The place seemed buzzing….hip…..totally perfect for the Missus….totally wrong for me.

Arriving at the door, we asked the gentleman inside what was going on. "This is the grand opening of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room, please come in……" Wow, it seemed like a big deal.

Just looking at the equipment, it looks like Starbucks is experimenting with going more high end.

I'm not the biggest fan of Starbucks….but kudos to them for seeming to ride the Third Wave.

This place looks fantastic and smells wonderful. Roasters were on hand to explain the different processes and equipment.

These guys really know how to market…….

Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room
1124 Pike St
Seattle, WA 98101

Heading down Pike, we ran into the inevitable shopping crowds…..heck, Christmas is around the corner.

But the crowd seemed extra dense and we heard music in the air……and my goodness…Sugarplum Elves?

Well, it turns out we ran into the Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition near Westlake Center. Man, this was cute and fun.

This was the 28th annual contest and it was such fun. The proceeds goes to the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank. I'm guessing this is a good cause and event since even the Ferguson protesters we'd seen the night before decided to cancel their demonstration on this evening.

It's a fun event……all ages participate.

It's all these things that makes Seattle special for us….there's always an interesting surprise.

We talked about this as walked back to Whole Foods……the Missus wanted me to get in as much exercise as I could. This was the reason I was thinking of moving here before I met the Missus.

And while I don't think we could live here; it's a bit too cold, there's not enough Asian food within a 2 hour drive, and there's not enough sunshine. The city holds a special place in our hearts. So I guess we'll have to keep coming back.