American/New American Restaurants – Page 48

Hancock Street Cafe-hmmm

December 2, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is NOT on vacation. Kirk is taking a day off and Cathy is blogging.

Hi. This is gonna be a bizarre post. The Mister and I have been here only this one time,and I usually don’t make a judgment on the first visit… I don’t like to say much bad about any place. The food isn’t "bad", per se…it just isn’t that good…

OK, say you are in the area of the Sports Arena, perhaps on a weekend, wanting to go to Kobey’s Swap Meet, and you got off the I-8 at the Rosecrans exit and were trying to get there from the ‘back way’, making a right at Les Girls (for those of you who don’t know the area, use your imagination)…that’s Hancock Street…its one way…and you see this on your right:

As you pass, you see the front of the building, the Elvis and Marilyn statues..and the "live Jazz and Blues" signage. Well, you know me. I had to stop.

OK. its *tiny* inside. TWO chairs and one table, and those three tables with no chairs out front…

The decor is kind of interesting…

Here is the menu: simple, this two sided paper. We ordered, said we would eat there and we were not asked to pay up front. Mario, the owner and sometimes cook, is a very honest and trusting man.

There were cars pulling up in front, people walking in, ordering something simple-like two pints of chicken soup, one cold and one hot (the soup is fresh-made on the premises), chili (also fresh made) or a candy bar and leaving. One guy ordered a Stromboli and I thought that sounded good. I saw the large Gyros sign out on the side of the building, so ordered one of those..and a coffee. Mario asked if I wanted cream and sugar in it…hmmm…

The Stromboli came out first. It looked a little too perfect; like it was was not made there, but was heated nicely and tasted very good. It was stuffed with ham, sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella, mushrooms and onions.

The gyros took longer to make, and we were told it would be about 5 minutes. The gyros meat was the kind you buy already frozen and the pita was a standard kind you can also buy…nothing fresh here but the tomatoes, lettuce and a lot of onions..well, no, I don’t think the sauce was made there.

Hmmm…

It wasn’t bad, but the lunches were kind of an ode to Smart N Final, or Sysco.

Many people have told me the breakfast croissants are great and made to order. We have to go back from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., when it opens, to see if this is true.

The owner, Mario, plays seven instruments and goes out front and plays music when there is nothing to do inside. Every evening at 9 pm, he plays music out front also..whether anyone is there or not. He looks like a cross between Benny Hill and Charlie Chaplin… and he is playing that look up, by dressing that way ..with the small mustache and funny hat. He has also gotten a copyright for the name "Benny Chaplain"…and he is going to walk from San Diego to Washington, D.C., next year…doing 20 miles a day, leaving on April 1st and arriving on September 11, recording the walk…all while walking like Charlie Chaplain and playing his music along the way…(You know I could not make this up) to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Mario’s wife died of cervical cancer 7 years ago.

He is trying to get sponsors in every state and is also contacting all the Governors of each state he will walk through… His son is going to run the restaurant while Mario walks. He is selling t-shirts to raise money.

You will notice on the menu that he will be opening a location near Petco park downtown in 2007. I wonder if the name will be "Hancock Street"…I will try this place again, for the breakfast sandwiches, to be fair.

Hancock Street Cafe 3354 Hancock Street, San Diego 92110 (619) 296-2060

Episode16/week3-Charley’s Famous Hamburgers, Shakes, Kabobs…and bacon!

October 16, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Burgers, Diner, Mediterranean Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Its been there since 1973. No advertising. Word of mouth. You probably have seen it… Click onto the picture…you are on Broadway in Lemon Grove, heading east, toward Sweetwater Springs Road. They have *finally* finished all that construction…there…sort of to the left, the red sign…Charley's Famous Hamburgers.

It isn't a sit down restaurant, although there are picnic tables in the back and out front. Most people seem to drive though. They all know to order, drive up and shut off the engine. You have to wait for the food to be cooked.

This is it- you drive through on one side of this small building, or walk up to the front and order. All the cooking goes on inside there.

The menu, as seen via the Drive Through.

You will notice bacon on here, a lot.

I will admit to not bothering to having bacon on most items at restaurants, because I just can't taste it…its usually thin and fairly flavorless. Not here….The bacon is always thick, always not greasy and wonderfully flavored. This, combined with the fact that not much food is frozen, makes Charley's one place I will continue to patronize.

Lets take breakfast, for example. This is the breakfast croissant ($ 3.39) egg, bacon, ham and cheese on a fresh, fluffy croissant. {The extra charge to make a breakfast a combo is worth it if you like OJ-you get a large prepacked container along with a hash brown patty}

There is the famous Kabob-seasoned ground beef patty grilled and in a pita with lettuce, radishes, green pepper, onions and mayo.…and bacon, of course…

This one is the single kabob with bacon ($4.49)

This one is the double kabob with bacon ($5.49). I really like the idea of radishes and green pepper on a hot sandwich. It's a wonderful flavor combination.

Then of course there is the famous hamburger.

This is a the double cheeseburger ($3.29) The hamburger meat is more coarse ground than I have had, more flavorful and definitely not frozen.

There are of course, sides to order.

This is the small Chili Cheese Fries ($2.49) and the onion rings ($1.99)

The chili here is unique and has a nice spice to it. They use those spicy chili beans and not much ground beef. (The cheese melted into the chili before I got a good photograph)..and the onion rings are made of whole real onions, in a cornmeal batter…nice crunch! The plain fries, I am not overly thrilled about, but they have good potato flavor.

OOOH- Look behind the onion rings. That is the plain old, simple BLT ($3.69)…SIX (6) yes, six slices of bacon on that seeded burger bun, with lettuce, tomatoes and mayo…the *absolute* best BLT …EVER.

The part of the menu you may have missed and no photograph could do it justice are the milkshakes…Oh, you *have* to try them. Fresh made to order…my favorite is the banana, made with a real banana, of course… that peanut butter shake…salty and sweet…..absolutely wonderful shakes….the root beer float…just get that as a treat one evening. Its wonderful. The one I haven't tried yet is the apple turnover shake. But, since there are apple turnovers on the menu…well, I can imagine how the shake is made and pretty much what it tastes like…that can be for next time.

So, the next time you are driving, please don't just pass by. Stop. It *will* be the best food you have had in a long time.

Charley's Famous Burgers, Kabobs and Shakes,

8213 Broadway, Lemon Grove 91945 (619)460-2690

Open 7:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m., until 10 p.m. on Friday

Episode 15/Week 3-Crispy Fried Chicken

October 15, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk is being played by Cathy in the interim.

So, say you are driving on El Cajon Boulevard, and you see, like, 40 places Kirk has mentioned and there is so much Pho and Bahn Mi and you are almost overwhelmed…then at the SE Corner of El Cajon Blvd and 49th..you see:

Crispy Fried Chicken

oh…you have to stop….

(as long as its still daylight)

menu on the front window…

menu inside….along with television..note "truth in advertising" in the 2nd column up there on the wall- taped up are boxes for the fried mozzarella, jalapeños and zucchini.

and the convenient menu to use for phone ins…

You will note on this menu, the coleslaw, potato salad, corn bread, corn and steamed rice are the non-fried items, along with beverages of course, and possibly the biscuits….

Now, have you been paying attention the last three weeks? The name of the place is "Crispy Fried Chicken"…Get the chicken!

The three piece mixed chicken meal:

with cole slaw and hush puppies as sides ($4.79). Excellent cole slaw, light fluffy hush puppies and really *really* good fried chicken. Light, crispy batter, lightly seasoned. Large pieces, compared to most chicken places.

The seven piece fried oysters with cornbread and onion rings. ($5.49). The oysters were large in the sense that there were more than one in some of the fried pieces. They were very juicy and in a cornbread-based batter. The cornbread was with a sweet flavor, not too fancy but fresh. The onions rings were made with diced onions…all the same size and passable: not great.

So, if you get that fried food craving again and are on El Cajon Boulevard, stop in. The fried catfish is really good, better than the snapper. If anything, get the popcorn chicken…that will satisfy your craving for a while.

Crispy Fried Chicken 4919 El Cajon Boulevard San Diego 92115 (619) 582-3938

Mon-Sat 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Episode 13A/Week Two-Happy Chef, Happy, Happy!

October 14, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Greek Food, Mexican Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in in the interim.

*** Update. The name has changed to Kayson’s. The people who work there all seem to be the same (even the husband and wife who I thought were owners) including Aurelio, the Chef. The walls don’t have photos of famous Channel 8 ex-personalities. The tables and chairs all match now. There is a wide screen TV and new flooring. The menu has the same foods, but the prices all went up by about $2 per item.

Update of the Update: Happy Chef and Kaysons are now closed.

Ahh, its a weekend and, well…there is this place The Mister and I have been going to since about 1984 and its still there, and I think the tables and chairs are still the same and, well, nobody has ever had a mention of it. YET, Kirk has mentioned Sammy Sushi as being his favorite place and here, Happy Chef is technically in the same building, sharing the same parking lot.

Its only open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday thru Saturday and is busy most of that time. The sign says "Home Style Cooking" and if your home is American-Greek-Mexican, then yes, it is.

The menu has American, Greek and Mexican breakfasts and for lunch, Greek Food, Mexican Food, Charbroiled burgers, salads, sandwiches, two "Oriental Plates", seafood and combo plates. Note that there is gyros listed under "Mexican Food" and under "Old Favorites" in the breakfast section, the shrimp and mixed cheese omelet….I suppose I grew up deprived…

Here is a better photo of part of the lunch menu (the descriptions are difficult to read on the paper menu because its kind of grey ink on yellow paper) :

The Mister got himself the souvlaki and eggs breakfast with pita ($6.35) and I got my all time favorite- chilaquiles with shredded beef ($4.99). The souvlaki was excellent- tender and served on a kabob with a side of tzatziki. (Those are poached eggs in the cup on the plate). I do *love* the chilaquiles here, some places only make them vegetarian style but you have the option of getting them with shredded chicken or beef and the shredded beef is excellent. Chilaquiles are tortilla strips cooked in a sauce, kind of an enchilada sauce, and then mixed in are meat or eggs or vegetables.

For lunch one day, the Mister wanted the Fish and Chips, which came with 1/2 of the plate covered in salad, the other half with in store cut potatoes and three large pieces of fish, covered in a cornmeal batter. All very tasty. The tartar sauce is made here and is very chunky with jarred relish, kind of tart in taste. I opted for the gyros with onion rings, which were whole slices of onions covered in the same cornmeal batter. The gyros was way overfilled in the pita, nice and thick sliced and had chopped onions and chopped tomatoes in it. The tzatziki is a good one, made without dill.

Now the place is called Happy Chef and the clock on the wall has been there forever. …you know I don’t have photos of people in any of my posts. But when I saw how Aurelio was dressed on this day, I just *had* to ask permission. He did not want to have his photo taken and I told him it was for my mom to see. She will see it…(click onto the photo for it to enlarge and look at the clock). Doesn’t he look happy, just like the guy on the clock?

Anthony’s Happy Chef 7905 Engineer Road San Diego 92111 (across from Pacific Honda) (858)569-1582

Monday-Saturday 6 a.m.-3 p.m.

Episode 12/week two- Mrs. Rice’s Teriyaki Grill and Gourmet Wraps and Hawaiian BBQ

October 12, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Mrs. Rice is closed.

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Oooh boy, did I have a tough time trying to put a category on this one…Mrs. Rice's…It's right there on the southeast corner of Clairmont Mesa and 163…in the same parking lot with Golden City. We first tried it because Golden City was so crowded one afternoon. The menu says it is "Teriyaki Chicken, Gourmet Wraps and Hawaiian BBQ"…"a unique quick serve restaurant that specializes in fresh, healthy and delicious rice bowls and gourmet wraps". The word "healthy" is always bothersome to me. Usually it means "flavorless". But not at Mrs. Rice's!

Click here to see the website.

So, the Mister works near the 163/Clairmont Mesa/Balboa area and in the lobby at work, he saw this coupon page, and remembered we had tried Mrs. Rice's when it first opened and were not overly thrilled with it, but it wasn't bad..and now there were coupons! (Oh, and the Mister is really getting into this whole blogging thing too, trying to help me with ideas of places I should talk about ).

So, this is the regular menu.

and this is the new Hawaiian BBQ menu.

I do think Kirk could give a better eval of whether or not the Hawaiian menu is good, and besides, the coupon wasn't for those items…

So… the regular menu:

We tried the #12 (sweet and sour chicken and BBQ pork) $4.99. Lots of good rice. The sweet and sour chicken is a bit too sweet I think. (All the chicken is skinless here, by the way… part of that "healthy" way of cooking). The BBQ pork was excellent, especially dipped in the sauce that came with and the vegetables were steamed and still a bit crispy. Quite good, quite filling.

Ah, but the #7 (teriyaki chicken and teriyaki steak) $5.49…oh that steak…nice and tender, thick enough and sooo tasty (they only use USDA choice steaks). The teriyaki sauce was nice and not overly sweet..it went well with the chicken and the steak. Same veggies, and lots of good rice.

Mrs. Rice's does serve healthy (no shortening, butter, lard or MSG) food, makes their own sauces and salsas fresh daily, and the food always is fresh. The veggies are not over-steamed or mushy..and if someone is a rice addict out there (Hello Kirk), well, this is a good fix.

As it says on the ads: Always fresh! Always Great!

Mrs. Rice's 5375 Kearney Villa Road, #101 San Diego 92123

(858)278-0618 fax: (858) 278-9801

Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed weekends…I bet that is when they do most of the catering)

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Just a reminder: The San Diego Asian Film Festival started tonight, and ChiliCheeseFries has his movie playing (Asian Stories Movie) this weekend. For more info: Click here.

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Episode Eleven/week two-The San Diego Chicken Pie Shop

October 11, 2006 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is on vacation. The part Usually played by Kirk will be played by Cathy in the interim.

Hi. Sometimes I *need* to eat food using chop sticks. Sometimes I *need* to eat food with some type of red, spicy sauce. Sometimes, it has to remind me of my childhood.

The San Diego Chicken Pie Shop has been around since 1938, moving from location to location but with the food remaining consistent….a kind of cross between school cafeteria food and what my mom used to make. Simple, hearty, tasty and economical.

When we went here in 1988, with my dad, the "Pie Dinner" was $3.10 and included the beverage…now it is $5.50 and does not include a beverage. My, how times have changed…but the food tastes exactly the same….and that is all that matters.

The top menu is the sit down restaurant one and the bottom menu is for the take out.

As part of my stating the obvious, the name is the Chicken Pie Shop. Get the chicken pie. The "Pie Dinner" at $5.50 is the best deal. We also opted for a cup of pea soup ($1.25)and a bowl of the "soup of the day"- Oriental Chicken-which was the regular in store made chicken soup with rice in it. ($1.50)( please…I said school cafeteria already…)

The chicken soup has celery, carrots, a bit of onion and bay leaf as seasoning in it. It seems to be a bit creamy, but that could be because of the added rice.

I really like the pea soup- chicken stock based with carrots added to the peas. It is quite unique, thick and flavorful. No ham.

So here it is- the pie dinner:

You get a hearty, chewy fresh made dinner roll, some really nice, finely chopped, fresh made basic cole slaw ( I usually add pepper to it), the pie, institutional mashed potatoes, some lovely congealing gravy and the vegetable of the day, in this case..mixed, previously frozen.

Is that, like, a Swanson’s frozen pot pie you ask…NO!

Look at the innards. Its chicken and gravy, no vegetables…oh and that crust is made fresh also…and the pie is kind of really large…

and also included in this $5.50 price tag is dessert…a slice of in store made pie.…oh the shortening crust…!

There is a "cream pie" of the day, in this case it was banana…I know on Tuesdays it is coconut cream other days have chocolate cream and pineapple cream….which is topped with yet more industrial "whipped topping"…and the "usual" pies of the day are two crusted (with sugar sprinkled on top) and fruit filled- The one the Mister chose was rhubarb, but they also have cherry and peach and I have seen pumpkin and lemon on occasion.

This restaurant takes cash ONLY, no credit cards, no ATM, no checks.

It is good, basic food, served quickly (if you order the chicken pie and then get up to go to the restroom, the food will be on the table by the time you get back) (the chicken liver meal takes the longest to cook and I do order it on occasion).

San Diego Chicken Pie Shop 2633 El Cajon Blvd. San Diego 92104 (619) 295-0156 fax in an order (619) 295-0216

10 a.m. -8 p.m. 7 days

Bud’s Louisiana Food Shoppe

August 13, 2006 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cajun, Southern, and Soul Food

*** Bud's has moved and is now Bud's Louisiana Cafe

Located on busy Kettner Boulevard, right next to that Little Italy landmark the Waterfront Bar(I'll save that for another day) resides Bud's Louisiana Food Shoppe.

I've been to Bud's several times in the past, but recently, it occurred to me that the Missus had never eaten at Bud's, so we had to make sure to correct that oversight.

Bud's is a tiny, well lit, and clean little restaurant, and serves up some really good Cajun and Creole food.

We arrived right at 5pm and were seated immediately. I knew exactly what I wanted to start out with. The Jalapeno Cornbread Muffin(.50/ea):

Don't know what it is, well…..that's incorrect, I know exactly what I enjoy about these muffins; they aren't too sweet, have a nice, but not too overpowering butter flavor with whole kernels of sweet corn in them. Also, I love the added "zing" provided by the minced pieces of Jalapeno, that give the muffins a bit of an "edge". The Missus thought that he muffins weren't "grainy" enough, and too "oily", but I bought four more to go.

We started out with what I usually order when I'm at Bud's; the Fried Oyster Po' Boy($8.95). We split the sandwich and thought of it as our appetizer. Here's my half:

In what was a very astute strategic move by the kitchen crew, the Missus's half had twice the amount of oysters than mine. We both enjoyed the crunchy, gritty cornmeal coating, and the briney, oceany(fresh), oysters. The Jalapeno "Tartar" Sauce, was closer to a mildly spicy aioli, which balanced out the flavor of the Oysters instead of over-powering the Po' Boy.

The Missus ordered "A Taste of New Orleans"($15.95), which is a Catfish Filet over a bed of Crawfish Etoufee, and some rice:

One taste, and you'll know what makes this rich, velvety Etoufee work; it's the sweet Crawfish meat, nice balanced seasonings, neither too spicy, nor too meek, and most of all butta'! All started with a dark roux. Rich, yet so good. The Catfish was coated with a cornmeal batter, and was nice and moist, without a hint of muddiness.

The only thing that threw the Missus, was the "Converted" Rice, which I explained to Her is perfectly normal for the region.

I have always enjoyed the Gumbo at Bud's, and strangely enough, the Red Beans and Rice. I'm not a big fan of Red Beans and Rice, but the slightly smokey-sweet-rich flavor of Bud's version is my favorite. Since I had not had the Cajun Jambalaya at Bud's, but didn't want to give up my Gumbo, nor the Red Beans and Rice, I ordered the Cupa-Cupa-Cupa($11.95):

After tasting the Jambalaya, I told myself that I should have ordered the Fried Shrimp Po' Boy($7.95), with a cup of Red Beans and Rice($1.50) and a cup of Gumbo($4.95). The flavor of the Jambalaya was underwhelming, the rice dry, the bell peppers and celery undercooked. Even dumping several spoons of hot sauce on the Jambalaya really didn't help.

But as disappointed as I was with the Jambalaya, the rich smokey, and slightly spicy Gumbo, and the Red Beans and Rice came through to save the day.

In spite of the parking battleground that is Little Italy, Bud's is worth a try. The portions may seem on the small end, but the food is deceivingly rich. The food is also not overly spicy, but Hot sauce is provided should you need it; we believe you won't. Service has always been excellent and friendly, without being cloying. You can always get the food to go as well, but the fried stuff won't hold up for very long, so you might as well just have a seat, and have (More then) a few muffins.

Bud's Louisiana Food Shoppe
2034 Kettner Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92101

Hours – Tues-Sat Lunch 11am-3pm
Dinner 5pm-9pm

Bay Park Fish Company

July 20, 2006 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Poke

I guess it's about time that I did a post on Bay Park Fish Company, since we live 2 miles from the place. BPFC, is a nice little neighborhood eatery that is a welcome addition to the area.

A portion of the area is utilized as a fish market, the rest as a Restaurant and Bar.

I would call the restaurant design as sort of "industrial-chic", with cinder block walls, corrugated metal siding, and high ceilings with an exposed duct system. Sportfishing photos, and "sea creatures" adorn the walls.

Recently, Bay Park Fish has started a Happy Hour, though the hours are quite early starting at 3pm, and ending at 5pm, the Happy Hour is offered 7 days a week. The Happy Hour covers menu starters(25% off), $2 Fish Tacos(mahi-mahi), and draft beer(5 types, quite pedestrian selection like Amstel Light, Widmer Hefeweizen).

The Missus was very happy to see Her favorite menu item the Smoked Fish Plate( $7 – $5.25 Happy Hour) being discounted for Happy Hour.

This fairly large portion of "fish salad" hits all the right notes for us. Lightly smoked fish, mixed with just tad of mayo, is neither fishy, nor gloppy. Minced jalapeno adds some heat and the kernals of corn add a bit of sweetness. Mix in the pico de gallo, and the avocado, scoop it with a tortilla chip, and it is delici-yoso!!!

The Missus has been having this twice a week during the recent hot weather.

On this day, being very hungry we ordered the Deep Fried Calamari($6 – $4.50 Happy Hour).

A very generous basket of Deep Fried Calamari was dropped off on our table. We enjoyed the panko crust, though the calamari was slightly on the tough side. The aioli, with a layer of olive oil really didn't bring much to the calamari. Just a squeeze of lime was fine, strangely, I like malt vinegar on these as well. I'll have these again.

I also ordered a "small" side order of Fries($2):

Actually a not-so-small basket of shoestring fries. I really enjoy the slightly crisp, nicely salted fries. They take me back to childhood; I used to love those canned shoestring potato snacks, though these are miles ahead.

But we weren't done yet. The Missus's intention was to take home most of the smoked fish salad, and have some fish tacos. Which is just what she did.

A trio of a Grilled Halibut Taco($4), Fried Shrimp Taco($3), and a Grilled Mahi Mahi Taco (Happy Hour – $2).

The Mahi Mahi Taco:

Too much white sauce killed the fish taco for us. The fish, which was a bit on the over-cooked side still had a nice flavor. The corn tortillas were moist and had the distinctive corn taste that decent corn tortillas should have.

The Grilled Halibut Taco:

This was one killer piece of perfectly grilled, moist and flaky piece of fish. While a bit pricey at $4 a pop, it was very good.

The Fried Shrimp Taco:

The three little pieces of fried shrimp, no matter how good were totally lost in the sauce, pico de gallo, and shredded cabbage. Also, we really didn't care for the "hot sauce" provided with the tacos.

Compare those with this Grilled Halibut Taco we had on a later visit:

With a squeeze of lime; perfect simplicity.

The menu at Bay Park Fish features a limited, but varied menu, along with specials of the day. The Specials usually include several different tortas, and other items.

Here's the Yellowtail Torta($8.95):

A nice slice of grilled Yellowtail, avocado, tomato(very good tomato), and lettuce, in large Bollilo type roll. Though the Yellowtail was a bit on the over-cooked side, it tasted very fresh, with the flavor of black pepper coming through. The coleslaw was a forgettable ramekin of vinegary mixed cabbage, though a large order of shoestrings were also provided.

There was an item on the appetizer specials that caught my attention.

It was the Ahi Poke Appetizer($12). 12 bucks for Poke seemed to be a bit much, but I decided to try it anyway.

A large goblet filled with cubed Ahi, garnished with green onions, sesame seeds, and wakame, lay on a layer of mixed greens, and topped with WonTon Chips. The flavor of the Poke was not my cup of tea, the fish was marinated with a oyster sauce-shoyu-sugar(could be mirin) mixture, which is fine for stir-frying, but the overly salty, sweet, and assertive oyster sauce flavor over-powered everything.

During the meal, I mentioned the flavoring to one of the Servers, a really funny, and nice guy named Jeff, who told me that several variations of Poke had been tried, and this was the most popular with the "regulars". So, I guess it's different strokes….

In our opinion, Bay Park Fish is at it's best when the fish or the other seafood is presented front and center, and simply prepared.

Here's the Smoked Fish Sandwich ($8):

Shared with the Missus, along with a Fish Taco, and 2 Ice Teas, a very generous meal. And still under $20.

The service at Bay Park Fish is very nice and friendly, though like many neighborhood eateries, there are occasional hiccups, like sauces forgotten, or sometimes mistakes in preparation(we ordered our taco without white sauce). Still, we are very happy to have Bay Park Fish close by in our neighborhood.

Bay Park Fish Company
4121 Ashton St
San Diego, CA 92110

Huffman’s Bar-B-Que

July 6, 2006 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants

*** Huffman's has closed

Huffman's BBQ is a Logan Heights institution, established in 1967, Huffman's has been around for nearly forty years! So they must be doing something right.

Though I've been told by a few former and current residents of the area that the food at Huffman's is not quite as good as it used to be, we still decided to drop by.

On this day, the Missus had been craving some homestyle "soul food". Don't ask me to explain how a Girl from Qingdao can crave Fried Okra and Hush puppies, after all this Guy from Hawaii loves good collard greens…..

The interior of Huffman's is always clean, though very spare. Drive-In style furniture is placed around the dining area, along with signed photos of various celebrities.

The Missus, in a state of full soul food frenzy, walked up to the counter and started ordering: "Can I get the Gumbo, a half dozen hush puppies, an order of fried okra, a Red Snapper sandwich, and 1 dozen chicken gizzards….and a Diet Coke!"

The Lady behind the counter: "This'll be to go?"

The Missus: "No I'LL be eating this here"

The Lady: "Okay your total will be…"

Me: "Oh, ummm, excuse me, but that's just for Her…..I'll take a Center Cut Pork Rib Dinner, for here, and 3 pieces of Fried Chicken to go"

The Lady: "I see……." I guess she did understand; you never mess with someone in the midst of a soul food frenzy.

We knew there would be a short wait for our food, since Huffman's is a real Mom-and-Pop type operation. Soon enough our order was ready(except for the Fried Chicken which takes 20 minutes). The "Creole Gumbo" ($8.55):

A generous portion of gumbo, with lots of shrimp, and a good amount of crab, real crab! I thought the flavoring was a bit on the mild side, and the gumbo was slightly watery, but the Missus enjoyed it.

1/2 Dozen Hush Puppies($1.95):

For some reason I thought the Hush Puppies looked like Falafel. These were on the small side, and not as moist as I would have enjoyed them to be. But again, the Missus loved them, so they must be pretty good.

An order of Fried Okra($2.15):

The Fried Okra was excellent, nicely breaded, and perfectly fried. Great texture, good okra flavor, not over seasoned…..good Okra!

The Red Snapper portion of the Red Snapper Sandwich(with 4 slices white bread and stuff – $5.95:

We both agreed that the snapper was borderline terrible; dry and fishy. I'm thinking the fish was on the old side. The Missus, bless Her heart tried everything to make it edible. She even used some Tartar Sauce, which She hates. Nothing worked.

Worth the trip! Some of the best Chicken Gizzards(1 dozen – $5.25):

The chicken gizzards were worth the trip to Huffman's. Battered and fried, chewy but not hard, these were delici-yoso!!! Not only did the batter taste great, but the large sized gizzards had a good amount of flavor as well. (Do they marinate them?)

The BBQ Pork Ribs Dinner (Center Cut – $11.55):

The ribs were a bit of a disappointment, a bit on the tough side, not a hint of any smokey flavor, and a very uninspired tasting ketchup based sauce.

I did enjoy the Collard Greens which had just the right amount of bitter, along with a slight spicy "kick".

The Candied Yams, were not so candied, they were blander than orange colored mashed potatoes.

We also ordered 3 pieces of Fried Chicken($4.90 – chicken only) while we ate(yes, this was one meal), because there's a 20 minute wait.

I enjoyed the Fried Chicken, which had what seemed to be a corn meal based coating. It is worth the wait. And it never did see the next morning, as we had them as a snack.

I had thought about a Hot Link Sandwich as well, but we needed to show some restraint…..

We'll be returning to Huffman's in the near future; the Missus is already craving for those Gizzards, and looking forward to possibly some fried oysters. I feel another soul food frenzy coming on…….

Some Notes: Like I mentioned, there is the very strong possibility that you will have a bit of a wait. So if you're in a rush, I think it'll be wise to phone in your order. Remember, the Fried Chicken takes 20 minutes.(whaddaya mean Huffman's isn't on speed-dial???) Parking is very limited as well. We've always experienced pretty good service, and the other customers always crack up to see 2 Asians chowing down all this food. The menu is not large, but we're certain that you will find something you enjoy.

Huffman's Barbeque
5039 Imperial Ave
San Diego, CA 92113

Portland: Park Kitchen

June 21, 2006 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Portland, Oregon, Travel

*** Park Kitchen has closed

I really didn't do much "research" for my trip to Portland. I usually have my face in guides, and read my eyes red looking over various websites. This time, I decided to minimize my anal retentive research. But that doesn't mean that I just decided to forgo any planning whatsoever. I did purchase a book; Best Places Portland, just so I could have some points of reference. And I also read through two Food Blogs; ExtraMsg.com and Portland Food and Drink, along with the requisite checks on Chowhound and eGullet. There was one entry on Portland Food and Drink that jumped out at me; the review of Park Kitchen. I read through the menu sampling, with dishes such as:

Pork belly mole with pumpkin seeds and oranges
Batter fried green beans with tarragon and bacon
Prosciutto of duck breast with fromage blanc and figs
Duck with root beer spices and cornbread pudding

And I was very intrigued. But still, I put off calling in reservations until the very last minute, which was the Thursday I arrived in Portland. So Thursday night, I decided to call and make reservations for Friday. And when I called I mentioned that I'd like to make reservations for Friday, there was a pause……a breath, and a "what time are you looking at?" When I said I could be there right at first service at 5pm, I could hear Her smiling when the very nice Gal said: "Just come on down, if it's for one, and around opening, we'll find room for you!"

When I entered Park Kitchen, the first thing I noticed was how very tiny this little restaurant was. There were just a few tables squeezed together, along with a bar area in the restaurant. Later I discovered a few more tables to the rear of restaurant near the kitchen.

This makes for a quite "intimate" seating situation, one that my Asian sensibilities sometimes feels uncomfortable with. But that all ended with my Server, Kevin. He made me feel so very welcome, and had such an intimate knowledge of the dishes on the menu, that just having Him to explain and guide me heightened the entire dining experience. If you ever read this; "thanks Kevin, I wish I had someone like you at every restaurant I eat at!" I had decided to order several small plates, and Kevin explained that 4 small plates are equal to an app and an entree. As I perused dishes such as Crisp Duck Blini, Peas, and Lavender; Kevin poured me a pint of Roots Organic IPA. This IPA, was very "hoppy", on the bitter side, and woke me up!!!

I started with the Chickpea Fries with Pumpkin Ketchup($8.50):

Served in the manner of pomme frites, these were wonderful. What was explained to me was that chickpeas are mashed, spread on a tray and baked. They are then formed, breaded and deep fried. Yum! At the beginning of my meal, I asked Kevin what the food at Park Kitchen was all about. I was told that the combinations are innovative, but always pull in the flavor of the "familiar". Chickpea Fries? Yeah, right! But as I ate them, there it was, the familiar, falafel like flavor, the caraway seeds adding character; the pumpkin ketchup acting as a fine tahini. So good, I really didn't need the ketchup….Good stuff!!!

At this point, I needed another brew. I asked Kevin what he recommended to go with the meal, and he got me a Siletz Spruce Ale:

Spruce Ale!!! Never had it. But it did work, the ale did have the scent of spruce(just like Christmas…), but was quite light and refreshing. In fact, the Spruce Ale did a fine job of palate cleansing between bites of food. I now understand that Spruce cuttings and other flavorings are added instead of Hops to offset the sweetness of the malt.

Being the big time lamb lover, I ordered the Lamb Tartar, spiced chickpeas, and mint($10.50):

My favorite of the night. Minced lamb and mint, served with a chickpea puree, topped with a quail egg. The lamb was moist, and though I could have done with the lamb being a bit wilder in flavor, this was good. The flavor of the mint reeled you back into the realm of the familiar, and cut the richness. The pseudo-hummus did the same.

Duck Ham, Preserved Strawberries, and Goat Cheese Fondue($9.50):

The preserved strawberries were fabulous with a nice anise flavor to balance out the sweetness, the mild goat cheese added a creamy texture. The weakness of the dish was the very tame duck ham, which I thought was quite flavorless. Still those strawberries……..

I asked Kevin for a recommendation for my last small plate. He recommended the Sherry Soused Spinach, 8 Minute Eggs, and Hazelnuts($9.50):

This earthy dish, had so many components(the Spruce Ale didn't help), the slight bitter tastes aided by nutty flavors. I do think that some "salty" component would have made the rich dish shine more, but it's very hard to complain about perfectly boiled eggs.

I even ordered dessert! Strawberry Panna Cotta with Verbena and Pistachio Amaretti($7.00):

Other then the over chewy Amaretti(macaroons), I enjoyed this dessert. I'm not a fan of the overly sweet and rich, so this filled the bill.

The damage? $57. Not bad for a splurge dinner. I'd recommend Park Kitchen for the adventurous eater, who is willing to take chances, just as Park Kitchen does, with the realization that not everything will be a "hit". But when it's good, it's very good! I'd also advise to go early for Dinner, and hopefully you'll find someone as knowledgeable and professional as Kevin to help guide you. Sometimes it's good to trust your Chef!

Park Kitchen
422 Nw 8th Ave
Portland, OR 97209

(503) 223-7275

Lunch: Mon-Fri 1130am-230pm
Dinner: Mon-Sat 500pm-"Close"

Still not quite adjusted to the efficiency of mass transit(when trimet says 4 minutes, it won't go past 8 minutes), and how small the blocks are; I arrived at my destination very early. Like 1 hour early! Fine with me. I was able to walk around the "North Park Blocks", and even got some shopping done for Da' Boyz here:

A combination Pet Boutique, Doggie Daycare, and Groomer; Urban Fauna had a nice selection of toys and treats for Sammy and Frankie. I also had the chance to relax and take a walk around the park blocks and admire the artwork:

Oh, and by the way, Powell's Technical Books is located here as well.

While I was reading, waiting for Park Kitchen to open, the most interesting thing happened:

A Fire Engine drove on up, and the Ladder Truck proceeded to extend it's ladder to one of the Lofts.

And two Firefighters scurried up the ladder.

I don't know if someone was locked in, or locked out….but it sure beats a Locksmith. Can you imagine this happening in San Diego, or Los Angeles?

After dinner I took a walk around the Pearl District. Once a Warehouse and Industrial area, it has now become Portland's SoHo. Antique Shops, Furniture Stores, and Trendy Restaurants abound. Upscale Lofts and Townhouses now share the block with auto-repair and bearing shops. Here's some really interesting street art from Jamison Square Park:

It's called Tikitotmoniki, looks sort of like a cross between Tiki and Totems.

Funny thing happened to me in The Pearl. By this time, I had assimilated to Pedestrian and other rules in Portland. I had also gotten a bit too complacent…..after all pedestrians were looked after and cared for in Portland. So while being a total bozo and entering the street to take that photo, a sportscar drove up, horn blaring, the two male passengers yelling at me and giving me the "finger", and then driving off……..sorry to say, the car had California plates. Sigh………