American/New American Restaurants – Page 31

Seattle: Lunch at Salumi Artisan Cured Meats and walking to The Walrus and Carpenter

December 7, 2014 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Italian Restaurants, Seafood, Seattle, Washington, Travel

The Missus and I have always said that Seattle is one of our favorite cities. I had even considered moving here before I met the Missus. We’ve always enjoyed the personality and vibe of the city; the unpretentious, tolerant, down-to-earth, polite, though perhaps a bit introverted folks….. We used to visit every year and our best visits were during the holiday season, so shame on us for not visiting since 2007. And double shame on us for not visiting during the end of fall/beginning of winter in 10 years!

There have been alot of changes in the 7 years since we visited, the very inexpensive Link Light Rail route from SeaTac to Downtown Seattle didn’t even exist back then. Now it’s an inexpensive $2.75 from the airport. I’d have never even considered staying near Pioneer Square when I first started visiting in 1993, yet here we were dropping off our luggage at the Courtyard Pioneer Square. It was easy making eating plans for this trip. Included in those plans was a visit to the Walrus and the Carpenter. The Missus jumped at the plan, since most of our past trips have kind of revolved around oysters. Of course She had Her own little twist on things. I’ve long mentioned various “death marches” the Missus had taken me on. Well, this time the Missus had an urban version planned.

She wanted to walk from Pioneer Square to the Walrus and the Carpenter. A walk of approximately 5.72 miles. In Seattle, in winter, yikes!

Just for kicks, I posted the question of this walk on the Chowhound Seattle Board. Unlike some of the other CH boards, the folks here seemed quite helpful. I didn’t expect 20+ answers….such varied opinions, from being a terrible (read: a nice way of saying certifiably insane) idea, about 50%, to being an urban adventure. As a joke, I mentioned the comment about going to Fremont, since the Missus had never seen The Fremont Troll. Well, She was all in….which made the walk over 7 miles long! Double sigh…..

Still, we were to start at Salumi. We’d never had a chance to check out this very popular shop, so I was more than happy to start here.

I was told that there’s always a line at this shop run by the Batali family….yes, that Batali family. It’s an interesting story that you can read here. So, of course there was a line, which moved very quickly, with folks replacing those in line at about the same pace.

I’ve read rave reviews about the pochetta and all that stuff, but this is a salumi shop. Plus, the Missus doesn’t eat much bread these days, so the salumi plate ($13) was an obvious choice. Man, this was good, nice, distinct, yet balanced flavors to all the salumi. And only $13??? Boy, does what we had at S&M recently seem highly over-priced. My favorites? I loved the addition of a hint of curry to the traditional fennel salame, the Finnocchiona Salame. The flavors of the Agrumi Salame, hints of citrus, also was fantastic.

The beef tongue is not sold by weight, so we ordered a sandwich ($10). The tongue was very nicely flavored, beefy, not too salty, nice seasonings, fantastic tender texture. It’s a bit too much bread for my taste and I felt bad about not eating it all….but I just couldn’t do it; especially after the Missus ate all of the meat of one half the sandwich. A bit too much olive spread for me as well. The ratio is kind of off….but oh man, that beef tongue…..

On a whim, the Missus ordered a single meatball ($2.50) and it was love at first bite.

I loved the sauce, it had just about the right balance for my tastes…..simple, tangy, lightly sweet, that flavor of sunshine…..

The woman managing the orders was very nice. The place is super packed, so she told us to sit at the “front table”, which is basically the front display window. Kind of odd and cool at the same time. You feel like some kind of window display and yet, it’s interesting to people watch.

We really enjoyed our meal and we look forward to returning next time. More meatballs for the Missus.

Salumi Artisan Cured Meats
309 3rd Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104
Hours:
Tues – Fri 11am – 330pm

After this, the death march ensued. We basically headed straight down 2nd, past all those familiar places. Up Pine, past Westlake Center and one of the places we used to stay at; the Westin, swinging around back and down Westlake Avenue which used to look a bit more industrial, but now there quite a bit of construction going on. And I swear, the Space Needle used to seem a lot farther away than this……

And when did Whole Foods get here? Must be after 2003 which was the last time around these parts.

This can only mean one thing…..this part of the Denny Triangle is obviously doing well. I was told all the construction going on in the distance were buildings for Amazon in Belltown….

As for the three fairly odd statues right outside, they are works by ceramic sculptor, Akio Takamori, named “Young Woman, Girl, Mother and Child”.

From here we passed a ton of newer buildings, intertwined with more industrial businesses like a Firestone Autocare, before arriving at Lake Union…..

And all those houseboats…..

It started drizzling a bit more…..though temperatures weren’t too bad….in the mid-high 40’s. We hastened our pace a bit, before finally coming to the Fremont Bridge and that sign I love…..

Of course, after crossing we’d have to climb up to visit The Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge which is on North 36th Street.

After crossing the Fremont Bridge, I was a bit wet and somewhat sweaty….it was time for a break. We stopped at Milstead & Co, the Missus had a coffee and I some iced jasmine tea, which really did the job.

We then hikes up the hill, to visit the troll, who seemed to have a mesmerized fan.

The young woman in a blue coat, who looked Japanese, just sat very still and quiet, like she was trying to communicate with the beast crushing a VW. She moved not an inch….she was quietly sitting in place when we left. For all I know, she might still be sitting there, meditating in front of a troll.

Down 36th Street is another of Fremont’s “(in)famous” art pieces…..

Yep, that’s a statue of Lenin (not Lennon), as in Vladimir, wishing you Merry Christmas. The story of how this statue made it from Poprad, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia) to its current resting place is quite interesting. It’s funny how you find little threads if you travel enough, this statue which was in front of Poprad’s Lenin Sqaure was removed during the Velvet Revolution, which I mentioned in a previous post about Prague.

It was just about 310……and so it was time to head off to our dinner destination…..which was a “mere” 1.9 miles away! Lovely…..

And so we walked on, past the Bev Mo and and the Fred Meyers….and all those industrial areas in between. I’d never been to the Ballard area before….but knew that as long as we saw the #40 bus, we’d be ok. Walking along Ballard Avenue NW, I knew to look for the sign… The Missus walked right pass, but I knew what to look for.

You then had to go down a hallway and at the end you hit paydirt.

It was 345, we’d done pretty good time, about 35 minutes. We were the third party in line(no reservations at this small place)…not bad. I went down the stairs to the restroom, following one of the guys who exiting the restaurant. I was a bit wet and somewhat sweaty from the walk and the drizzle. The guy asked looked at me and said, “drizzling down a bit out there?” I told him that it was a combination of things since we walked here from Pioneer Square, via Fremont. “You what? “I heard that this was where we needed to come for oysters….” “Ok, then, you’ll be happy, we got some good oysters tonight.” Nice guy! I got myself a bit more presentable and headed back upstairs.

We were asked where we’d like to sit and requested a seat at the bar, which turned out to be a great decision. Remember the guy in the restroom? Well, he was the one working the raw bar….. I just knew this was going to be a nice meal. After all, we were here for the oysters, all local, no middle men, no brokers……..

The restaurant itself is tiny, cramped, but warm and inviting and without pretense….like I guess what your little secret neighborhood spot serving world class seafood would be like…..

As for the oysters…..well, I asked for recommendations, describing that I enjoy the finish that’s interesting and more on what I call the “nutty, rare beef side”, though I appreciate that cucumbery flavor as well. David, our master shucker, chose us, “the oysters he would choose on the menu today.”

The first dozen were composed of Treasure Cove, Blue Pool, and Baywater Sweet. The Missus immediately took to the Treasure Cove, which took real well to the mignonette. When it comes to good oysters, I just do a drop or two of lemon, it does just enough to balance out the salinity for me. I just took to the finish on the Blue Pool, it was sort of funky, slightly nutty, with a deep and long lasting finish….. it was just what I’d been wanting.

Meanwhile, our first garde manger dish arrived; the Duck Breast, rockwell beans, masutake mushrooms, sea wolf croutons, and tarragon.

In terms of what we had, this was the weakest dish; but by no means was it terrible, it’s just that the duck breat was dry and lacking in the duck flavor we enjoy. The masutake mushroom and especially the beans were the stars of the dish for us. Loved the use of tarragon as well.

The beef tartare was very nice.

Buttery, with a clean, refreshing finish. This went very well with the rye toast and is osmething I’d have weekly if I could.

Our second dozen oysters; Nordic Knute, North Bay, and a repeat of Blue Pool.

I still loved the Blue Pool…..

The Missus demanded equal time, so we got another dozen with Her favorite, the Treasure Cove, plus the Hove Cove and one of my old favorites the Hama Hama.

The Hama Hama had that almost acid like citrus flavor I recall, but the Treasure Cove were still the favorite of the Missus.

Meanwhile, we got to chatting a bit with the master of the raw bar between plates. He was super fast and shucked with amazing ease. Anyway, “David” is David Leck a champion shucker. If you’d like to see him doing his thing, check this out.

We had a great time…… we loved the oysters, the vibe, the folks working here…..they have a great cocktail program and a nice wine list….but I wish they’d do a bit more with the beer program.

Still, when in Seattle, we’ll be back. David made it a great night for us.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
4743 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107

**** The Noble Fir has closed

Speaking of beer. A bit further up the street is a beer bar named The Noble Fir. We stopped by….because; well, I wanted a beer. Luckily they were having a nice progressive. Which I enjoyed while the Missus went meandering around the local shops.

Anyway, the big name in the progressive was the Bourbon County Imperial Stout, boozy, with coffee-caramel-molasses tones, and a boozy hit. It was a bit too much for me, but the Missus really liked it. She also had a Blueberry Ale from Cascade brewing.

Funny, the thing I enjoyed most about the place was the great 80’s music they played!

The Noble Fir
5316 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107

After our liquid refreshment, we walked over to the bus stop and caught the 40 back to downtown Seattle. The Missus, still believing we needed “more exercise”, decided that we should get off at 3rd and Virginia. Which was kind of nice, since we’d get to enjoy the walk through downtown and those sights we’d gotten used too…..

Years ago, we flew into Seattle right after Thanksgiving and ran into a Holiday Parade. At the end, the star at Bon Marche was lit. So even though it’s now Macy’s, it’s still the Bon Marche star to us.

You never know what you’ll run into in downtown. On this night it was a Ferguson protest…..

We skirted the protest, which seemed very peaceful and headed down 2nd……past some very familiar sights.

And some that weren’t around the last time we visited.

Making back to our hotel. It had been what seemed to be a long day, but it was barely 8pm! I dunno…..maybe old age is settling in, but all that walking….perhaps 9 miles or so really wiped me out!

Still, it was nice to be back in Seattle and we were eating well!

I realize this was a supr long post. Thanks for reading!

Stadium Club: food and drink on Meatloaf Thursday

December 4, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog. On this beautiful day with the rain 'storm' ending, Kirk is missing humidity, Ed (from Yuma) wonders what precipitation is and Cathy is letting them both settle back and relax while she steps in with a short food post.

Yes, I've written about a few "must be 21 years old" establishments on the blog before. If you go during daylight hours, they are usually run by nice older ladies who know their way around. (Kirk wrote about breakfast here a few years ago!) The Stadium Club (very close to Jack Murphy, Qualcomm Stadium) is a sort of 'traditional' place to enjoy an adult beverage before, during and after San Diego Padre Baseball and San Diego Charger games. The sort of typical American neighborhood bar atmosphere, with decor consisting of advertisements for various adult beverage brands is prevalent, as is a typical short order menu. But only on Thursdays, there is just one offering.The $5 meatloaf plate. A good two inch thick slice of meatloaf, made with a mix of beef and pork, green pepper and other flavorful (not too salty) ingredients and served with a side of mashed potatoes, fresh vegetable, lots of gravy and a toasted roll half. A perfect comforting meal, accompanied by an adult beverage and simple seasonings.

Hope you are enjoying your week!

Stadium Club 6065 Fairmont Avenue San Diego 92120 (619) 282-3286

Pinnacle Peak Steakhouse- goodbye Santee, hello Lakeside!

November 21, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Steakhouse, What Cathy Eats!

After 45 years in San Diego, Pinnacle Peak has closed.

This is mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food. Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are taking the day off, because they can. Cathy is writing, because she can.

Even though it was only three miles away and a regular stop (from the day we purchased our California home*), I had only posted one time about Pinnacle Peak.The Mission Gorge location in Santee has been here more than 30 years, cow on the roof, open only in the evenings…Walls and rafters lined with the cut off neckties labeled with dates and names of patrons who come in 'dressed up' for the famous steak dinners and are subject to the clanging of a triangle and giant shears in a ceremonial removal of such formalities.Steaks are cooked behind glass near the front door, the first 'open kitchen' concept I had ever seen.These photos were taken on a Tuesday in June. My brother and nephew had been on their cross country drive from Michigan, driving and stopping at the same places as he and Dad had done about 25 years earlier. Pinnacle Peak was on the list.

The usual plastic checkerboard tablecloths were not on the tables. It seemed so empty. So we asked.

This location was going to be closing that Friday…soon to be relocating in Lakeside. Perfect timing to be able to share a similar memory. Each meal now came with unlimited warm corn bread and beans (instead of the original 'buttons and bows'-white bread and beans)…and with a simple iceberg with cucumber and onion salad. There were four of us, but we ordered two of each of the same items: the 6 ounce filet mignon ($21.99) with a side of baked potato ($3.25)And two orders of the 15 ounce ounce "Cowgirl" t-bone ($21.99). We shared stories with the nephew about family visits with meals here, showed him around the now almost empty building and enjoyed ourselves. Soon enough the new location, on Maine Avenue in Lakeside, opened. The cow had moved with everything (the cut off neckties) else (and is really difficult to photograph at night). My brother was visiting a few weeks ago and, of course, he wanted dinner at Pinnacle Peak. Some cut neckties are up in the bar area and a lot of the ties are stacked around the waiting areas, still waiting to be placed everywhere. It was quite crowded and we were seated in the last open area (when we left there was a line waiting to be seated). The tables are new and it isn't as dark or 'rustic' anymore.Cornbread and beans are still unlimited (I took one very blurry photo of the bowl of beans; use your imagination). The salad is now made with a spring mix and includes a tomato slice (no onion or cucumber) along with a choice of three dressings: the House (a lemon vinaigrette), Bleu Cheese and Ranch. This time, The Mister chose the 10 ounce Prime Rib ($18.99) medium rare…The filet of tenderloin is now 7 ounces ($23.99). Large baked potato ($3.25). Naturally, I again ordered the 15 ounce Cowgirl (also medium rare).

It was crowded and I try not to take photos of people, didn't see an open cooking area, but will be back soon enough and take more photos. The menu is much larger (two pages instead of one side of the paper leftovers bag) with many choices including entree salads and many appetizers. The quality and service and taste is the same…just a bit more of a drive for us.

Pinnacle Peak 9927 Maine Avenue Lakeside, CA 92040 (619) 448-8882

(*We closed on our home (a VA reposession) on the day before Thanksgiving in the late evening. On Thanksgiving Day, we drove into Santee, keys in hand, to check out the previously unseen interior, and noticed a person dressed as a clown waving in front of this Pinnacle Peak place. He held a sign 'Churches of Santee' … 'free Thanksgiving meal'. We checked out the house (knew we'd have to clean a lot before moving in) and when driving back to our apartment, saw the now sort of sad looking clown waving to us, had no plans for a meal anyhow and drove up, went inside. There were people milling about and five turkeys, sides and a rather large buffet line of food. All of the Pinnacle Peak furniture (picnic tables topped with plastic checkerboard tablecloths) was set up and we had the nicest meal, meeting new neighbors…and not knowing what the deal was with the cut up neckties or even that this was a restaurant. It was a great introduction to our new neighborhood.)

2015 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade Road Test #6-plus. Breakfast at Lucky Boy(Pasadena), Lunch at Tom’s Farms (Corona)

November 17, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!! This food blog has been around a while now and most posts are written by Kirk, who is taking a bit of a rest today. Ed (from Yuma) also shares food-based musings here and he is also resting. Cathy is all rested up and so she is writing this post.

Two weekends ago, yet another safety and maneuverability road test of 2015 Tournament of Roses rose parade floats occurred at Phoenix Decorating Company. Only three floats were being tested that day.The Princess Cruise Line float is now completely colored in and those sort of 'tiki' faces (one on each side of the ship) will have small 'waterfalls' within.This super long float (see the viewer way in the back, above the float (second photo up) as well as the one in the front looking out (above photo)?) It's by Honda and the first one you will see after the Banner float on January 1, 2015.You can see the seated Spotter and Driver in the United Sikh Mission float, above.

Here's the 'plus' part: my brother was in town on business last week and I asked him to delay his flight departure so he could see the float barn and a bit of Pasadena.
Welders were assembling rebar, floats were being taped off for coloring and foam additions and we got to see a bit more of the real work on the float building process. Then we all went for breakfast. Yes, a simple breakfast it was… The simple egg sandwich (now $3.50) on rye toast… Along with the slightly more complicated egg sandwich with bacon ($5.55) and cheese (40¢) on wheat. There was a *lot* of bacon on that sandwich; enough to share.

Lucky Boy 640 Arroyo Parkway Pasadena 91105 (626)793-0120 website

We drove and saw things around town (Rose Bowl Stadium, the street markings for the float drivers to follow along the entire parade route, bleachers being set up for the parade (those need to be tested for safety before January 1 too) and the Farmers Market, then started the drive back toward San Diego.
Taking the long way, along Route 66. Then we got to the 15 and headed South, stopping at the ever curious signage for Tom's Farms. (which I wrote about for 2009 Burger Week).
Coincidentally, we ordered similarly to that 2009 post, and inflation has barely batted an eyelash here. The 1/3 lb Tom's Burger is now $3.99 (it was $3.95) and the 1/3 lb chili size is now $5.99 (it was $4.95) The whole onion lightly breaded perfectly fried onion rings are $3.99 ($3.69 back then). The food was as good and fresh as ever (the buns are made here; vegetables same as the ones sold here and the meat was cooked to a nice medium-rare) and the small vacation was fun.

Tom's Burgers 23900 Temescal Canyon Road Corona 92883 (951)277-4103 website

2015 Rose Parade Road Test #5. Breakfast at Cupid’s Burgers and Tacos (Corona)

October 28, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! a food blog, sometimes with photos and stories about how the food was attained. Kirk is taking a short break as is Ed(from Yuma). Cathy is writing today.

Yes, it's getting close to that time of the year and floats for the 126th Rose Parade are still being built and going through testing and evaluations of maneuverability and safety. It's a nice drive North; we leave home at 5 a.m. to get to Pasadena by 7 a.m. and walk a block and over the Metro tracks to see things like this-The Western Asset Management float entry "The Power of Imagination" was tested in its mostly screened over form, but you can see the rebar outline. It's going to be beautiful- look at the float renditions here. (The last drawing is this float).The 2015 Farmers Insurance Group entry, "Dream Big: World of Possibility" also had it's first road test on Saturday and there is going to be a lot going on this float, including a giant screen resembling a laptop computer on the float (the rendition is also on the above link, 5th photo from the top).When I posted the sixth photo on this post last month, a different angle than the one above, I mentioned it was the Princess Cruise Lines entry, "50 years of Inspiring Travel", and that the crew of The Love Boat television show (which ran from 1977-1987) will be riding the float. {Reading the link, I never realized how each episode had three crossover stories and that each show had a somber/moral storyline as part of the script.}The float is now screened over and details on both sides are clear.
What made this past Saturday was more interesting in that the float was 'Christened' by the Vice President of Public Relations for Princess Cruises, Julie Benson, just before its road test. (The link to the article has better photos of the event. This was a new experience for floats). Long story short, after viewing the floats, we wanted to get back to San Diego ASAP to watch college football and started driving back- East on the 210, to the 57, to the 71 to the 91 and eventually to the 15…we just took an exit at the time we agreed we were hungry. It was the City of Corona. Seeing the above signage, you just know we had to stop. Turns out Cupid's has been in this location for decades, underwent new management a few years ago, when they remodeled a bit, extending the footprint but kept the menu and original signage the same.
That front area with all the tables and booths was added on. The ordering counter looks like it was the original, with the kitchen between the counter and the take out window. We ordered, paid and our food was brought to the table. Huevos Rancheros plate ($5.29) came with steaming hot tortillas and the eggs were perfect, as were the beans and rice (which tasted like it was cooked in a broth). The ranchero sauce was *wonderful*, filled with chunky vegetables, notably fresh strips of chile as well as tomato and onion and so very flavorful. A great choice. While looking at the menu on the wall, there was a whiteboard of specials next to the cash register- and the 'Breakfast scramble" with your choice of meat (we chose sausage) was $4.99. Easily this had three eggs, at least three and probably four sausage links chopped up and was smothered in a really great sausage gravy. All of that was on top of freshly made crispy fries, which turned out to be such a tasty combination of flavor and texture.

I hope we randomly take this exit again.

Cupids Burgers and Tacos 623 E. 6th Street Corona, CA 92879 (951) 737-1772 Mon-Sat 6 am-10 pm, Sun 7 am-10 pm

Frank’s Restaurant – New in Yuma

October 23, 2014 ed fromyuma American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

mmm-yoso!!! is a foodblog where Kirk and Cathy post about restaurants and recipes and locations of interest to folks in San Diego country and often throughout the world. Today Ed (from Yuma) has a long post that will mostly be of interest to folks in Yuma. You have been warned.

This last year has been tough for Yuma restaurants. Chains like Mimi's and Outback have closed Yuma locations. Local restaurants like The Mad Greek, Spanky's Chophouse, and El Papagallo are shuttered. Countering this trend, Frank's opened in July at the old Nick's Coffee Mill location, a spot that I considered cursed because restaurant after restaurant there has failed over the last 10 or 12 years:

I guess this location is still cursed. At about the same time this post hit the Internet, Frank's closed this location and moved to 1245 Desert Hills Dr – basically just off of Avenue A, at the municipal golf course south of 32nd. This may be the fastest closure following a post in the history of mmm-yoso!!! Makes me feel like a typhoid Mary (or in 2014 parlance, an Ebola Ed). If Frank's sounds good to you, try the new location.

Frank's, however, seems to be a success, the restaurant and the parking lots generally full at breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. Most of the booths and a lot of chairs at the front of the restaurant are occupied:

As are the tables in the large back room:

There is a lot to like about Frank's. It is owned and operated by a local family, and almost every time I've been there, Frank himself is watching and supervising. The folks who wait tables are well trained and friendly. When I eat by myself, I am usually called "honey" or "sweetie." Us older gents appreciate that. The prices are also very reasonable, and most folks in Yuma appreciate that.

On the other hand, the food itself has been somewhat inconsistent. The coffee is pretty ordinary:

As is the iced tea:

The restaurant advertises itself as having the "Best Ribs and Fish in Town." So one Friday evening, Tina and I showed up for the ribs and the fish. Friday is all-you-can-eat fish fry ($9.99), and both Tina and I thought the fish platter was good:

I like the coleslaw here, the very fresh cabbage with a slightly sweet and goopy slaw sauce:

On the other hand, the crinkle cut fries are just like you would expect, pretty boring, and not at all crunchy, even when ordered extra crispy. The cod fillets, however, are outstanding:

The breading was crunchy and stayed on the fillets. But they weren’t overbattered. The fish was moist and clean flavored and tasted fresh. I would order this again happily. In fact, I wish Frank’s would add a cod burger to the sandwich choices. That would be yummy.

On the other hand, the best parts about the rib platter were the excellent baked beans and coleslaw and how this half rack looked on the plate ($13.99):

The parboiled ribs had been briefly grilled and then covered in sauce. While they were certainly tender and the meat fell off the bone, there was no discernible smoky flavor (in Frank's defense, the menu does not claim that the ribs are barbecued).

Lunches also have been somewhat inconsistent. On my first visit, I ordered the plain burger ($6.99). I loved the fresh and generous toppings – lettuce, tomato, onion slice, and dill pickles – though the french fries were meh:

The preformed half pound patty was not greasy, but a little overcooked. Next time, I would order cheese, and employ more condiments to flavor the burger:

And I wish Frank's served a better brand of ketchup than First Street, which I find bland and mediocre. Perhaps better ketchup would improve my appreciation of the french fries. Perhaps.

These days, the burgers come with coleslaw, but in the early days a salad (now $2.99) was an optional side. The quality of the greens and veggies were generally good:

I was impressed by the generous portion and the use of mesclun lettuce, instead of iceberg. Fancy lettuces make the salads here a little special.

In contrast, the club sandwich ($7.25) was a disappointment. I’ve been eating club sandwiches for close to 60 years now, and have fond memories of accompanying my grandmother to Woolworth's or Newberry's (she called them dime stores) for shopping and lunch, which for me was always a club sandwich – roasted turkey, bacon, lettuce, and tomato arranged on three slices of toast, cut in quarters and arranged around a small scoop of potato salad.

I knew I wouldn't be getting the potato salad, but I was still surprised by this:
The sandwich was buried under a generous portion of french fries. I expected that. The menu had also prepared me for the slice of cheese (cheese?), but the menu had not prepared me for the slices of mediocre ham, which were far more evident than any bacon, and the "oven roasted turkey" had clearly been roasted in an oven hundreds or perhaps thousands of miles away. A really good club sandwich should be focused on the flavors of bacon, real roasted turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. Those flavors go together and complement each other. Other stuff is an annoying distraction. Grumble grumble.

Other sandwiches have been more enjoyable. The hot beef sandwich ($7.25) was more than I could eat for lunch. The mashed potatoes were made on premises and were full of nice chunks of potato. There were around six fairly thick slices of beef and at least two slices of white bread. It was all covered with dark brown gravy:

Nonetheless, the "oven roasted beef" was more like a good quality deli beef thickly sliced than real roast beef. The dark brown gravy was dark and brown and not too salty, but generally flavorless, the sort of thing I would expect to find in a jar of "dark brown gravy." Still, for $7.25, it was a steal.

I also liked the Reuben sandwich (on this day served with non-crinkle cut fries), which was a pretty good attempt at a Reuben:

The pastrami was lean and mild, the rye toast flavorful and well seeded, and the sauerkraut warmed up and placed between layers of meat so that it didn't make the bread soggy. There was a definite layer of "swiss" cheese, and a little bit of thousand island dressing. While I would've liked a bit more dressing for the sweet/sour contrast, this wasn't bad at all and well worth the $7.49.

Overall, the breakfasts are probably the most consistent food choices at Frank's – and now Frank's serves breakfast all day long.

For good old boys and girls, there is the biscuits and gravy special with two eggs and bacon or sausage ($7.25):

Though not ethereal, the biscuits were pretty good and the gravy was nicely flavored and not too thick and pasty. The sausage was decent. Over easy eggs were well cooked though Tina thought they could have been warmer, as if they were plated first, then the sausage patties, and finally the biscuits and gravy.

If the waffle itself had been a little crisper, the Belgian waffle breakfast special ($7.25) would have been outstanding:

The one time I ordered a single pancake as a side ($2.99), I thought it had a better texture and flavor than the waffle:

Maybe the best single meal that I have had at Frank's was the mushroom and Jack cheese omelette ($7.99):

Okay, the hashbrowns were pretty ordinary and not crispy enough for my taste, but the mushroom and cheese omelette was sublime:

The whole meal was good enough that I even tolerated the Smucker' s "jellies":

Similarly, Tina loves the veggie and cheese omelette ($7.99):

Notice the numerous fresh mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, diced onions, and bell pepper strips.

On the other hand, my Southwestern omelette ($7.99) was supposed to contain diced green chilies, onions, tomatoes, and Jack cheese, topped with salsa and cheddar, but there really wasn't very much in the omelette – most of the flavor came from the salsa on top:

One other thing to watch out for, while most of the omelettes are pretty good, twice Tina was served "veggie and cheese" omelettes that had a suspiciously large amount of ham:

In other words, check your omelette before eating.

Reading over this post, I realize I have been a bit picky about some things. It's my curse to get weird about stuff like packaged jellies and club sandwiches. But I don't want to convey the notion that I have not had a good time at Frank's and have not enjoyed the food. Frank's is a value restaurant, not a gourmet restaurant. For the quality of the food and the excellence of the service, the prices are incredibly cheap. Some of the best restaurant deals in town.

On top of that, the last time I was paying the check, the cashier handed me back more money than I expected. "Why am I getting cash back?" "Oh, hon,”she said, waving her hand at me, "you get the senior discount." "I didn't know you guys had a senior discount." "We do now, so you be sure to tell all your friends."

I think I just did.

Frank's Family Dining, 2951 S. 4th Ave., Yuma, AZ 85364, (928) 276-4950. 1245 Desert Hills Dr.

WOW Cafe (ON the Ocean Beach Fishing Pier)

October 19, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Diner, Seafood, What Cathy Eats!

This is mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food. Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy are the usuals who write posts here. Today's writer is Cathy.

If you've lived or are living in or visited San Diego and gone to the Ocean Beach area, you may have seen this font. Most likely, you saw it from this vantage point. It's way down there, a building sticking out of the pier.Walking up the stairs at the end of the pier, you are greeted by the gates and various signage.
You begin your walk on the longest cement pier on the West Coast. Enjoying and appreciating the views North and the surfers waiting to catch the next wave, the walk is windy, chilly, invigorating.Finally, it's so much closer… There are public restrooms, a Bait Shop and the Cafe within that building. A lot of people call it the Ocean Beach Pier Cafe (which is the old name and where it is)… But this is the real name. The same family, the Fishers (ha), have been the owners since 1993. Another San Diego Institution.
There are tables out in front as well as bar stools and a table railing on the pier opposite the doorway; plenty of seating. Indoors, there is no wind. Nautical decor, fresh flowers on the tables. The Pier Plate ($10) herb battered pollack and shrimp on top of fresh fried potatoes and cole slaw. The batter was fried properly, had good flavor; the fish was moist, thick and flaky; the slaw was fresh cut and lightly dressed (just the way I like it) and those potatoes…yes they look limp and they are limp and they have the *best* flavor, are cooked through and are wonderful!
{Note: The menu states that each plate has an "O.B. Pier Sinker" (jalapeño popper) on it, which neither of our plates had, and each of our plates was $1 less than the menu price of $11.} Since it is lobster season, I ordered the lobster taco ($6) and made it a plate ($4) – with slaw and a "bun o'chowder" (instead of ordering a sourdough bowl). This was nice. Plenty of sauteed lobster meat and the topping was basically the slaw with tomatoes, sauce and jalapeño bits. The bun o'chowder was fascinating…a toasted hamburger bun topped with a good amount of house made clam chowder. The toasting of the bun meant not much absorbtion of chowder into the bread. The chowder had a great flavor, with clam bits and potato.
When you are finished, the walk back doesn't seem to take as long.

Prices are fair (not expensive but not dirt cheap), the food is fresh and good quality. The view can't be beat.

Walking On Water Cafe 5091 Niagara Avenue (at Bacon Street) San Diego 92107 (619)226-8653 Open 7 days 8-8

Big Ben Specialty Market- and Grill House at Big Ben (National City)(underrated)

October 14, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Markets & Grocers, What Cathy Eats!

Here we are, at mmm-yoso!!! a food blog. Kirk is in the midst of a typhoon, Ed (from Yuma) is in the midst of a heat wave (or maybe because it's in the 90's and Yuma, it's a cooling wave…) and Cathy is anticipating a dry heat after morning fog.

Back in March, I read this post on cc's blog and made a mental note to stop at Big Ben Specialty Market. It looked interesting and I knew exactly where it was located, based on her first photo. Fast Forward to October… ***We should have stopped here sooner***You might notice 8th Street in National City is in the midst of some reconstruction to keep traffic and parking to a more 'Town Center' level, instead of thoroughfare you just speed through. Small islands and angled parking force you to slow down and notice things.There is a parking lot directly behind Big Ben Market, this is the view on the cross street, "A" Avenue…that's open air/outdoor seating for the in store restaurant, The Grill House at Big Ben. We had to.Neat and clean with modern decor (tables made of reclaimed wood from the fire ravaged 65 year old Market which once stood here). Order, grab a beverage and condiments and have a seat; your food will be brought out. (A nice touch- when we ordered, we were given a coupon to use in the market -good on that day only- for 10% off our entire purchase: yet another reason to eat before shopping). Menu items include plates, burgers, skillets, sandwiches and salads made with various fresh spice/vegetable flavors of Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean and American (including BBQ). The Mister ordered the 1/2 lb Tri Tip Plate ($9.95) which came with two sides. He chose the Parmesan Kale salad and sweet potato fries. Everything on this plate was quality: the Tri Tip was moist, tender, had great flavor on its own (before any of the not-too-sweet, house made sauce): the sweet potato fries, skin on, were freshly fried to a nice crispiness yet soft enough to enjoy the flavor; the Parmesan Kale salad was fresh, crisp, flavorful and addictive (it's sold in the store and we bought some for home).The Mediterranean salad ($4.95) with added grilled chicken ($2), served in the deceptive if-photographed-from-the-top-only bowl. Crispy lettuce with more ingredients including not only fresh, but also sun dried tomatoes as well as a creamy, light Feta, onions and cucumbers. The warm grilled chicken and a light balsamic dressing was just right.

Fresh made items, hormone free meats, whole grains, local produce, served on reclaimed wood tables. This would be considered a prime meeting place and shopping market if it were located in a different Zip Code. The quality is noteworthy. Walking into the store, the kitchen and to go area with steam tables, cold sides and same menu as is served outside (see the pass through window third photo above?). Straight ahead, you'll see the meat counter, but just before that -on your left- is a salsa and cheese deli and grab and go meals (I'm assuming leftovers from the kitchen) with great prices ($2-$3 for a good sized meal). Poultry, meat and seafood counter has great prices even if not on sale. Organic, grass fed beef is available here. Gourmet and regular condiments can be found, as well as some fancier/imported candies. There is also a fairly extensive liquor and beer area.Not only are there a good selection of fruits and vegetables, a good portion are organic. There are also freshly made tortillas in the store, both standard and organic.

There are weekly in store as well as daily restaurant specials mentioned on the weekly flyer (available at the door). The Grill House specials include a meal with one side for $4.95 from 2-9:30 daily, $2 off any sandwich on weekends, and Buy 2 get 2 meals free on the weekend (dine in only).

Again, if this were located elsewhere in the county, you would have read about it, seen it was the place to go and would have already enjoyed the quality. We had been missing out, but now will be regular shoppers (and a place for meals).

Big Ben Specialty Market 108 East 8th street National City CA 91950 (619)477-1015 7 am-9:30 pm daily Website

Tower 13-Cardiff Beach Bar (Cardiff by the Sea)

October 9, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for dropping by to read the food blog named mmm-yoso!!! Today, Kirk is Far East, Ed (from Yuma) is East and Cathy has ventured to the NorthWest part of the County.

Football Saturday means college games, not professional football. If it's a noon game on the East Coast, the game starts at 9 a.m. here. The University of Michigan (currently #14 in the Big Ten) Alumnae have two meeting places in San Diego County, and Tower 13 is one of them. {The website logo shows "Cardiff Beach Bar @Tower 13", but 'Tower 13' is the name used by locals.} Across the street is Cardiff Beach…and that's the Pacific Ocean -with many surfers in the water waiting for a wave- on an overcast Saturday before 9 a.m. not long ago.Many televisions are inside this Bar, along with a tremendous variety of adult beverages to choose from. On the counter, you may notice a large dispenser with artfully displayed pineapples; that is one of the flavor infused vodkas sold here. Both college and professional football games are streamed from Thursday until Sunday every week. This was a morning game and we were given the Brunch menu, which is usually only available on Sunday. Above, the Baja Bennie ($10.95). Excellent smoky flavored Black Forest ham, avocado, poached egg topped with a nicely spicy Hollandaise sauce on a toasted English muffin, served with Home Fried potatoes, this was tasty and filling. The Breakfast Sandwich ($8.95) had to be ordered, since that is my default breakfast item. This version, on a toasted Brioche bun included ham, bacon and cheese as well as egg and was accompanied by the same herby topped Home Fries. Very good, very large, nice.

Oddly, we were still winning this game and stayed to watch until the end. Since it was lunch time, we ordered this Bowl of Chili ($7). This photo is deceptive; this is a very deep bowl and enough to share. The chili was meaty, and did have beans, onion, tomato, fresh chilis and a great spice blend. It's made daily from scratch, topped with the swirls of a sort of chili and a tomatillo crema and is really good and right on the edge of 'needing to order beer' spicy.

The lunch menu is quite good and varied here, with appetizers, salads, pizzas, tacos, sandwiches, burgers, many smaller ''extras" plates that can be shared to make or round out a meal. A good place to stop, even if there are no football games on television.

Tower 13 2633 S. Coast Highway 101 Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007 Website Hours: Mon/Tues: 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Wed: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Thurs: 11 a.m.-midnight Fri: 11-1 a.m Sat: 9 a.m.-1 a.m. Sun: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Junction Steakhouse and SportsBar – Breakfast (El Cajon)

October 8, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

Here we are, at mmm-yoso!!! reading a blogging about food. Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are not writing today because each of them has something far more interesting and important to do, dealing with timetables and appointments. Cathy's schedule is essentially free, so she's blogging.

Truth be told, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Enjoying the dark coolness of the morning and seeing the sun rise while getting chores done has been my routine for years. Always on the lookout for local places which open early is habit. Back in February, my post about Junction was about the 1/2 pound burger lunch special as well as about the market next door, which has the same owner. I did have a photo of the above poster in that blog post and am finally following up. The breakfast omelette special ($5.99) is made up of three eggs and any four ingredients you choose. It comes with hash browns and toast. As you can see, the ingredients chosen were cheddar cheese, red pepper, mushrooms and diced sausage. This is a lot of food. The regular (weekend or after 10 a.m. weekday) price of this omelette is $9.45. Another breakfast choice we enjoy from here are the sweet potato pancakes and eggs (5.95). Poached is always my preference and the chef here is good at poaching. The butter that accompanies the pancakes is a vanilla-cinnamon blend and quite complimentary in a non-pumpkin spice way.

Coffee is always a part of breakfast ($2.95). Even though there is a Starbucks on the other end of this mall, I wouldn't ever bring my own cup into a nice sit down restaurant. We usually shop at Harvest Ranch Market after breakfast and then stop at the Starbucks before the next stop on morning errands.

The week is half over- two more days until the weekend!

Junction Steakhouse and Sports Bar 777 Jamacha Road El Cajon, 92019 (619) 588-5467 Website