Tom Cat Bar & Grill (Mira Mesa)

Here you are, reading mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Cathy is writing today because Kirk is busy doing fun stuff this weekend before the long Independence Day weekend.

After reading Kirk's recent post about revisiting Tim Ky, The Mister and I headed out that way, but decided to stop on the 'other side' of the construction in the parking lot- the Tom Cat Bar & Grill.

IMG_6449 When the Tom Cat first opened, Miramar Naval Air Station was the military base nearby.  Close to the Pacific Ocean, the base housed aircraft and squadrons which were assigned to aircraft carriers stationed in San Diego.  Among those aircraft was the F-14 Tomcat, hence the bar was initially a hangout for Active Duty and Retired military.  The base also was home to TOPGUN, the nickname for what was the Navy Fighter Weapons School.  (There was a base realignment in 1993 and in 1996, TOPGUN moved to Fallon, Nevada,  while the various Naval aircraft, squadrons and training were relocated to several bases and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar was made official.).

IMG_6443IMG_6430IMG_6430 So now, the Tom Cat is a Sports Bar.

IMG_8167IMG_8168 A simple, two sided menu is available.  We did notice a chalkboard with some specials, at the bar.

IMG_6435 We decided to order the fried mushrooms ($9.25) from the appetizer menu.  The serving is quite large and very well made- light cornmeal based batter, surrounding large, meaty mushrooms, properly fried.  It's served with an excellent Ranch dip.

IMG_6441 Then we ordered the Tom Cat Signature Wings ($13.25).  There are eight flavors to choose from and "Tom Cat Style' (grilled green onions and fresh jalapeño slices)  has the highest spice level, three chilis, but the nicely crisp wing breading was not spicy  if you didn't eat the fresh jalapeños.  Four large flats and four large drums and a lot of carrots and cucumber, this was certainly a meal in itself.  

IMG_6434 The Cobb salad ($14.95) was nice to share.  Bacon, turkey and Blue Cheese crumbles, a hard boiled egg along with other vegetables and lettuce (as well as a squaw roll) in this deceptively large (deep) bowl made this  also a quite large meal.  

A nice place for lunch, dinner or a weekend breakfast.

Soo was here in 2021

Tom Cat Bar & Grill 9388 Mira Mesa Blvd San Diego 92126 (858) 566-5300 Open daily 11-11 Website

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Road Trip – Industrial Eats, Sideways Lounge, and Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden (Buellton)

We still had some time to kill after having lunch at Bar le Cote. We decided a nice walk would be in order. Since we'd be staying in Buellton, I looked for a place to take a nice stroll and came across the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden. So, after doing some additional shopping in Los Olivos we headed on over.

We parked at River View Park which is attached to the garden.

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As we walked past one of the buildings, we saw some signs which gave us a bit of a pause.

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Hmmmm…..Mountain Lions AND Rattlesnakes? Okay……

Still, it was such a nice spot, we sauntered onward.

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There were some nice little trails; signage for various plants, and some really charming art.

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It was a nice place to spend an hour or two.

Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden
151 Sycamore Dr.
Buellton, CA 93427

We then headed to our hotel right down the road to check in. We were staying at a hotel that was known from a certain movie. At that time it was a Days Inn, but it has been rebranded and has taken on the name of that movie. It is now the Sideways Inn. If you'd like to see more locations from the movie, this is a good resource.

We took a short rest after checking in. Then headed out to our dinner destination. One of the reasons we decided to stay in Buellton was to check out Industrial Eats. Our good friend Candice, knowing how much we loved the now closed Tiger! Tiger!, mentioned that we should try Industrial Eats. She told me that while it's not T!T! it did give off the same type of vibe. By staying at our hotel, we were just a short walk down Highway 246 from the restaurant.

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Industrial Eats is located in what seems to have been a warehouse or auto repair shop in a previous life. The wide open and airy space is quite welcoming.

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Industrial Eats does it's own charcuterie and from what I understand works with local purveyors to create a farm to table experience. Much like how things went at Tiger! Tiger! you order at the counter. Things are written out on Butcher Paper, there's Pizza, Not Pizza, and Sandwiches.

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And also specials on clipboards in front of the counter.

We ordered, got our number thingy, and had a seat. Soon enough, dishes started arriving. Based on the prices, we were a bit surprised as the dishes were larger than we expected.

First to arrive was the Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato, and Mozzarella ($16).

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This was so refreshing. The mild sweet-bitterness of the watermelon, with the sour-sweet-acidity of the tomatoes really balanced things out. The basil added the anise tones, the balsamic a touch of fruity-sourness, and the Mozzarella, which was creamy-milky-sour! This was so good.

Next up was the Smoked Duck with Citrus ($16).

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The toothsome duck had a mild smokiness, with a touch of an almost offal like flavor. The greens were crisp and fresh, the citrus added a nice acidity.

The White Shrimp and Garlic ($16) was quite good.

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While the shrimp was a tad overcooked, it was still nice and sweet. The slices of garlic added some pungency, the broth was richer than it looked.

We really enjoyed the Spinach, Bacon, Blue Cheese ($14) which came crowned with a tasty sunny side up egg.

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Loved the earthy, but not overly funky blue cheese and that delicious egg; the yolk was so tasty. The vinaigrette was perfect with the spinach and the cheese, and the bacon added a bit of salty-savory bites.

As you can tell, we really enjoyed this meal. It was quite a bit of food for two, but this was such a satisfying meal. It was the ingredients that were highlighted and we really did get Tiger! Tiger! vibes eating here.

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Thanks for the recommendation Candice! We can't wait to return!

Industrial Eats
181 Industrial Way
Buellton, CA 93427

It was getting dark as we walked back to the Sideways Inn. As the Missus and I headed to our room, we glanced over to the Hotel's Bar.

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There's also a food truck, but we'd already eaten. The bar looked interesting so we decided to get a nightcap.

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The bar area had what looked like locals watching sports. I got a lager, which was fine.

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Service was friendly, the beer nicely chilled, it was a nice end to a fun day.

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Sideways Lounge
114 East Hwy 246 #9724
Buellton, CA 93427
 

Road Trip – Bar le Cote (Los Olivos)

After spending the evening in Monterey Park and having dinner a Mandarin Noodle House we headed up to our destination. We'd be spending the night in Buellton with reservations for lunch the next day at one of our favorite restaurants in the area, Bell's. Of course we couldn't check in until 3pm, so we needed a a place to pass the time and also for some lunch.

We had always enjoyed Los Olivos; we had enjoyed our first lunch there back in 2018 at the now defunct The Bear and Star and had always enjoyed strolling and shopping the town. Even though our last meal there at Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe was just passable, we love the vibe of the town. We'd gladly stay there except that hotel and AirBnB prices there are way too expensive for us! Thus, we'd be staying in Buellton.

I had read that the owners of Bell's were now co-owners of a Seafood forward restaurant named Bar le Cote in Los Olivos and it seemed like a nice lunch and shopping stop for us. So, I made reservations for a nice Thursday lunch. The place opens at noon, and we got into town a bit early, which gave us some time to do a bit of shopping.

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The Missus loved this shop.

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It might have been this that drew Her in.

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Avec Moi Decor
2906 Grand Ave.
Los Olivos, CA 93441

The shops kept us occupied until the clock struck noon and we walked over to the cottage which housed the self-described "Seafood Tavern".

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We waited a bit to be noticed and when the rather abrupt hostess came over, we chose to eat al fresco since it was such a nice day.

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The woman Serving us was very professional and nice.

We ordered a couple of dishes I'd read about and since I was a fan of the beef tartare at Bell's, we ordered that as well.

First up was the Peel & Eat Shrimp ($18).

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We found the "BLC spice" a bit on the saltier side which nullified the flavor of the shrimp. The shrimp were also over-cooked and rubbery. In this case adding the cocktail sauce or the aioli just further distracted one from the shrimp.

The dry aged Yellowtail Crudo ($24) had a wonderful, firm, yet almost cheese like texture and the flavor was quite mild.

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We enjoyed the acidity from the lemon vinaigrette as well.

Next up, the beef tartare ($28).

IMG_1184  IMG_1186  The fried oysters were an interesting touch, I guess it was there to replace the usual egg yolk, and of course BLC is a seafood based restaurant. but we didn't care for the fishiness it added to the beef which was almost mushy. The horseradish cream was excellent; adding the palate and nasal cleansing pungency to things. It seems like everything was minced too finely. The fries were crisp and lightly dusted with what seemed to be the "BLC Spice". In this instance it seemed to work fairly well.

Last up was the Crispy Skin Branzino ($34).

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This was the best item of the day; the skin was very crisp, yet light, with a briny edge. The flesh of the fish was tender, moist, with a hint of oceany sweetness. The charred lemon added a smoky-citrusy-sweetness. The Romesco Sauce was fine, but not needed. The greens were crisp and fresh.

Overall, an inconsistent meal which ran over a hundred, plus an automatic 20% (which we have no problem with) was not quite what we expected. I don't think we'll return. Which is too bad since we'd enjoyed Bell's so much.

Bar Le Côte
2375 Alamo Pintado Ave.
Los Olivos, CA 93441

Then it was time to head on over to Buellton.

Thanks for stopping by!

iHOP- The International House Of Pancakes

mmm-yoso!!! is indeed a blog about food.  Kirk is away and Cathy is writing these blog posts.  This post is about food.

So, anyhow.  I have always worked in professions in which tipping is not the norm.  However, I have a few clients who sometimes give me gift cards.  I've mentioned in a few posts that I do not regift.  In this case, I believe I was the recipient of a re-gifted card. 

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IMG_6199IMG_6199IMG_6199 IMG_6199IMG_6199IMG_6199 Here is the breakfast menu from a few months ago. Lunch and dinner is also served here.

IMG_3325IMG_3320 Well, look at this from the breakfast menu- avocado toast, which comes with two eggs any style and a side of fresh fruit (or hash browns) ($13.49).  A good quality multigrain toast topped with freshly sliced avocado and roasted cherry tomatoes.  This was a surprisingly tasty and filling breakfast.

IMG_3325IMG_3325  The Mister chose a Waffle Combo ($16.49).  A strawberry cheesecake topped Belgian waffle with two eggs (over easy), two sausage (or bacon) and hash browns.  I liked the waffle (plain).  The batter was crisp on the exterior and had a malt/vanilla flavored fluffy interior. The strawberries were very flavorful-see the pink (not white) inner part?  The sausage was standard with a nicely crisped skin and the hash browns were not watery and also had a good crisp. 

A couple of very nice breakfasts.  

iHop, many locations website

IMG_3311 Coffee is $3.99

Road Trip – Treehouse Bar & Lounge (Taos)

After our lunch at Manzanita Market we decided to check out a couple of shops we'd seen the day before. The Missus wanted more chocolates, so we stopped in at Chokola.

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Which had a nice selection for the Missus.

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The Missus got a nice box of chocolates which She enjoyed.

Chokola
100 Juan Largo Ln.
Taos, NM 87571

We enjoyed window shopping.

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Here's an interesting sign in the gift shop for the Benedictine Monks of Taos.

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We found a shirt that both that Missus and I liked in one of the shops and decided to get that. It's one of my favorites currently.

On Kit Carson Road, past all the art galleries and shops we saw a tea shop.

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And popped on in. The girls working were really nice, but didn't have much knowledge regarding some of the teas they sold, so they got the manager to chat with the Missus.

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And in the end, the Missus got some Early Grey and stuffs for Her.

tea.o.graphy
125 Kit Carson Rd.
Taos, NM 87571

After which we headed back to the hotel for a break.

As for dinner; well, I hadn't made any reservations for this evening, but had shown the Missus the menu at Lambert's which many consider to be the best fine dining establishment in Taos. The Missus really wasn't feeling like having that type of meal, wanting something more relaxed. I then showed Her the menu of Lambert's more casual bar and lounge called the Treehouse and we knew where we'd be getting dinner. The place was basically a half block from where we were staying and we strolled over getting there a bit after 5pm.

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The place was already fairly busy! We got one of the small high-tops with stools, our bartender, I wish I could recall her name was awesome. We asked about the various wine and cocktails and once she knew our tastes, heck, we just left it up to her! She didn't let us down.

As for the food; things started off with the Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs.

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Quite smoky and savory, creamy, with a slight eggy-richness. Not overly fatty, this was quite nice.

Next up was the Duck Confit and Waffle.

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The duck confit had been breaded and fried, the batter was super sweet, the duck tougher and drier than what we'd consider duck confit. The blue corn waffle was crisp, but the supposed chipotle-agave glaze was overly sweet as well. We loved the charred turnips.

We enjoyed the Bison Relleno.

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Crisp exterior, the bison short rib had a light, seet-beefiness to it and was very tender. The cilantro-lime crema really helped to cut the richness of the dish.

Last up was the Goat Birria Tostada. Knowing how much I like birria de chivo, you know I had to try this.

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Loved the crispy-crunchy blue corn tostada. The queso was mild, so it didn't mess with the flavor of the goat, which was milder in gaminess than other versions I've had but not bad. Mild spices, did not like the broth/sauce which were bland. The pickled onions really helped things by adding acidity to the dish.

Overall, a pretty nice, relaxed meal. Most of the customers on this evening seemed like locals. I'd return if we're in Taos again.

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Especially if that bartender is working, she was amazing.

Treehouse Bar & Lounge (Above Lambert's of Taos)
123 Bent St.
Taos, NM 87571

After dinner, we took our usual walk. This time, we headed south down Paseo Del Pueblo Sur.

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Again taking time to appreciate the art and beauty of the town.

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Before heading back to our room for a nice night of sleep.

I'm sure we'll return to Taos!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Lunch at Vinaigrette, San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church, and a Revisit to Kitsune ABQ (Albuquerque)

After spending the morning at Petroglyph National Monument, we headed back to our accommodations to freshen up. It was getting kinda warm so we wanted something on the lighter side. I had Vinaigrette on my list during our previous visit to Santa Fe and recalled that they had a ABQ location as well. Turns out that the restaurant was just a 15 minute walk from the hotel. Plus, we'd be walking thru Old Town and could take our time and explore a bit on the walk back.

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The place was almost full when we arrived, but we got the last table outdoor table.

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We were glad to get that table as the only outdoor seating still available was this…..I wonder if folks actually sit here?

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As you can tell by the name, Vinaigrette specializes in various categories of salads; savory, sweet, "balanced", and so forth, along with some sandwiches and a few sides and soup.

I wanted something refreshing, so I ordered a concoction called the "Pepino", which featured cucumber and lime juice, along with club soda.

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This was quite refreshing and not overly sweet.

We also ordered the Kale Fritters.

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We enjoyed the crunchiness and earthy tones of the fritters, which went surprisingly well with the Sriracha Aioli. It was a tad on the salty side of things, but was not a bad dish overall.

The Missus got the "Omega".

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This was mostly lettuce and really didn't have as much kale as the Missus would have liked. She thought the toasted pine nuts would be great in a salad, though it really clashed with the provided Blue Cheese Vinaigrette. The avocado was just one small piece. This salad needed more acidity added to really balance out all those greens.

I got the Spinach Mushroom which was a much better choice for our tastes.

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The earthy, slightly sweet sauteed mushrooms, with savory bacon, and a slightly sweet-sour honey-balsamic vinaigrette was a nice combination. I wish there were a bit more onions for pungency and more boiled eggs to keep the Missus happy, but this was not bad.

The staff was very friendly, the crowd….well, as you can figure, very hipster-healthy-ish. Still, we didn't want anything too heavy and this did the trick….at least for me.

Vinaigrette
828 Central Ave. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87104

After lunch we took our time strolling back to the hotel. There seemed to be more businesses open on this day, but things were still really quiet.

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We enjoyed wandering thru the various patios.

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There was a definite charm to this place…..

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While we had stopped to look at the Cottonwood Madonna the previous day, we had just walked past the San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church.

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There has been a church on this site since Albuquerque was founded. The original church collapsed in 1792 and San Felipe de Neri Church was founded in 1793.

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There's a museum and gift shop located in the Sister Blandina Convent onsite.

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And of course the Cottonwood Madonna.

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And if you want to read even more about the Cottonwood Madonna, you can read more here.

As interesting as San Felipe de Neri Catholic Church was, I found something even more interesting down this patio.

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As we were looking at various shops, something caught my eye.

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So I walked on in.

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It was a beautiful little chapel.

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This is the Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

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It has an interesting story and is even said to be haunted.

We enjoyed strolling around Old Town.

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We got back to the hotel and relaxed until it was time to head out for dinner. I had made reservations at a nearby Wine Bar & Bistro, but when we walked over our reservations our reservations were MIA. The place was quite busy and we didn't want to wait so we decided to head on back to Kitsune.

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And ordered our food and had a seat in the back patio this time.

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I found out that the cocktail that was made for me the night before was called the "Autumn" and featured Blue Corn Whiskey.

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Smoky, but not overly sweet.

Of course we got the Karaage.

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Which was just a good as the previous night.

And we also got the Pork Belly Rice "Bowl".

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The rice on this evening was much better than what we had the previous night; though I'm not sure about that mayo. The pork belly was a bit more chewy than I like, but the seaoning and sauce was pretty good; not overly sweet. The pickled onions handled the palate cleansing duties well.

Not bad for two nights in a row.

Kitsune ABQ
524 Romero St. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104

We then walked on back to the hotel. On the way back, we stopped at a shop and got some liquid refreshment and a snack.

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And sat on the porch and watched the action below.

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We went to sleep early as we'd be headed out to Pecos National Historical Park , then it was off to Santa Fe in the morning!

Long Story Short – A Quick Look

**** Long Story Short has closed

Before we left on our trip, the Missus wanted a nice dinner in the North Park area, “something new”. We’d recently had a not so satisfying dinner in the area and with prices these days, well, we’d rather not spend $19 for a single scallop appetizer. While doing a bit of searching, I found that the wine bar Little Thief had closed and was replaced by a restaurant and wine bar called Long Story Short. I enjoyed the backstory of the chefs a husband and wife team. You can read about that here. The restaurant was only open from 4pm to 10pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and the menu was ever changing, based on what could be sourced locally, something that is amazing when it works out, but can be disappointing when it doesn’t.

I made reservations for Tuesday at the 5pm slot and we headed on over.

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The place was pretty quiet when we arrived.

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Our Server was a very friendly woman and we decided to have seat outside since it was such a nice day.

We weren’t too hungry and ordered two “hot” dishes and a pasta.

First to arrive was the Uni “French Toast” ($30).

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Well, this is San Diego Uni, so while I was worried we’d be getting one little piece of Uni on a slice of micro toast, we still had to try it. Luckily, it was not that. The uni melted in your mouth with that delicate lightly briny-savory-sweetness; the brioche had a nice butteriness but wasn’t overly sweet. There was just a touch of avocado which really made no difference. The shoyu added some saltiness to things. As for the koji-maitake miso; well, the best thing I can say is that it didn’t interfere with the clean, yet decadent textures and flavors of the uni and brioche. This was by far our favorite dish of the meal.

Based on the other dishes in the meal; I ordered some bread ($9) and butter. Yes, they charge you nine bucks for bread here.

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Especially since it was “Hoja Santa” Sourdough. You know the Missus and Her love for Hoya Santa, right? Unfortunately, the hoya santa was placed on the crust of the bread and we really couldn’t make out the wonderful anise-minty-grassy tones of hoya santa we love. Also, it just seems that the flavor of Hoya Santa here is not as assertive as what we’d had in Oaxaca. We also didn’t care much for the “street-corn” butter. The bread itself proved to be an adequate vehicle for dipping though.

Next to arrive was the Roasted Winter Squash ($22).

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The Missus loves Kabocha which was in this dish; She loves mushrooms and this featured Maitake and Oyster mushrooms. Unfortunately, the sum of the parts just didn’t go together well. The sweetness of the kabocha was overly heightened which nullified the earthy tones of the mushrooms. A bit too much sour and sweet for us. The brown butter was also a bit much. Our least favorite dish of the evening.

The last item up was the Chino Farms Corn and Ricotta Agnolotti ($29).

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I would usually hesitate in ordering a pasta dish with corn in the fear it would be too sweet. But this dish included Huitlacoche another one of our favorite ingredients. The actual dough for the pasta was a bit on thick side and chewy, but the balance of sweet and salty was nicely balanced. The sauces weren’t too heavy. The aleppo pepper was barely detectible in the dish. Still, the sauce was quite nice with the bread.

The Missus enjoyed the two glasses of wine She had with Her meal. The timing was kind of uneven as it was almost a 30 minute wait between the Kabocha dish and the pasta, though the folks working were quite friendly. We did enjoy the uni, so perhaps we’ll return. It’s totally up to the Missus if we will. I’m hoping they do well; heck two of the places we visited less than a year-and-half ago; Verbena Kitchen and Hoxton Manor have already closed.

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Whoa, I just noticed that I’m over 700 words for a single visit post with 3 dishes! I guess I made what should have been a “short story long” in the case of “Long Story Short”!

Long Story Short
3017 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92104
Current Hours:
Tues – Sat 4pm – 10pm
Closed Sunday and Monday

Test Kitchen Eatery and Workspace (Grantville)

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog.  Kirk is on vacation with His Missus and Cathy is back to writing a few more posts.  

So, with my job, I usually meet clients at their home or place of business (how I find some interesting places to eat).   Had to go to the Post Office one day while in the Grantville area of San Diego and while driving through the Office Park, saw this feather flag and made a mental note to bring The Mister with me for lunch.IMG_2530IMG_5622

IMG_2505 It turns out that this establishment is a recipe testing, preparation and catering kitchen to the family of New Zealand inspired restaurants in San Diego: Bareback Grill, Queenstown Public House, Dunedin North Park, Raglan Public House and Queenstown Bistro…none of which Kirk or I have visited (yet)

IMG_5621 Walk in and there's the menu on the wall in front of you.  Turn to the left, meet Mack, order, pay and find a seat.   

IMG_2501 I noticed this "Mackstar" beverage ($2) described on the wall and decided to try it-an excellent blend of English Black tea and fresh (sweetened) lemonade.  The liquids are different densities so when delivered to the table, we were able to try the excellent black tea separately from the lemonade; each is good on its own and when stirred, the combination is very nice-could still taste the tea.

IMG_2520 The "Soup and Sammie" ($13) was my choice.  Tomato basil soup with pine nuts and herbs, topped with sour cream-thick with chunks of tomato,so  fresh, delightful.  The bowl is low and deceptive.  There is plenty.  

IMG_2516IMG_2526 Two types of cheese on toasted sourdough with mayonnaise, avocado, lettuce and tomato.  Excellent.

IMG_2510 The Cobb Chop salad ($12.50) was really good; fresh (flavorful; I've been buying some bitter lettuces lately) Romaine topped with warm grilled herby chicken breast, chopped bacon, avocado, tomato, hard boiled egg and Blue cheese chunks.
IMG_2522 The salad was served with fresh made Caesar dressing (delightful, non-burning garlic) or we could have tried the Pepper Ranch (next time). 

There were plenty of call-in/pick up orders happening.  The people who work in the area are really fortunate.  A great place. 

Test Kitchen Eatery and Workspace 4651 Mission Gorge Place San Diego 92120 (619) 955-6844 Open 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Mon-Fri Closed Sat-Sun Website

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2024 Rose Parade Road Test #5, Breakfast at Bob’s Burgers (La Puente)

mmm-yoso!!! is primarily a food blog with sometimes interesting stories about how the food was acquired.  Cathy and Her Mister took a short road trip on Saturday and here's that post. 

Link to 2024 Float Road Test #1

Link to 2024 Road Test #2

Link to 2024 Road Test #3

Link to Road Test #4

On the last Saturday in October, we woke at 4, left home at 5 and after a quick stop at Cream Pan in Tustin, arrived at Phoenix Decorating Company in Irwindale, just in time to see three floats for the 2024 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade being tested for mechanics and maneuverability.

IMG_2585 "Sounds of Success". presented by Coding for Veterans, a Canadian based organization.  The H60 and P35 aircraft are much more recognizable now that the rebar outline is covered.  This symmetric float (same on the camera and off camera sides) looks like it will have giant screens in the center.  The 'keyboards' under the screens are surreal. 

IMG_2601IMG_2607 Unsure about this float, but the 'spotter' in front is easy to see, as is the 'driver' near the back (with the ToR safety evaluator seated next to him). You can see the slot where the Spotter looks out in the above float photo. 
IMG_2596IMG_2598 Also unknown is this float, with an intricate 'skeleton' which may have some interesting mechanics attached.

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The road testing was short, the weather was windy and chilly and The Mister and I were not very hungry yet.  We did drive to Porto's and got a few seasonal bakery items and a loaf of cranberry walnut bread (spent less than $11!) and started driving around, looking for 'someplace new to us' for breakfast.

IMG_2623 Well.  Of course we stopped. 

IMG_5697 The walls and ceiling are covered with nostalgia.  After ordering and paying, we got our beverages and found a nice, clean table.  Our food was brought to us. IMG_2624IMG_2651 The breakfast menu is pretty simple.  The complete menu at the Drive Thru has me wanting to return.

IMG_2630 Realizing I haven't had a breakfast sandwich in a very long time, I jumped at the chance to try a sausage breakfast sandwich on rye ($8.99).  flat omelet style eggs on toasted, thick slices of rye with four skin-on breakfast sausages, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise…just a wonderful sandwich.

IMG_2636 The Breakfast plate with a hamburger patty, three eggs (over easy) and real hash browns ($9.99) was The Mister's choice.  Oh, we both really appreciate the char broiling of a patty and the seasoned grill here produces a wonderful flavored burger..  The eggs were perfectly over easy and the soft boiled potatoes, crisp fried on a flat top grill were just wonderful.  Of course The Mister also chose rye toast-an excellent bread, filled with rye seeds.

Bob's Burgers 14952 Valley Blvd. La Puente, CA 91746 (626) 961-2523 Open Fri-Wed 7 a.m.- 9:45 p.m. Closed Thursday  Website

IMG_2643 IMG_2644 What caught my eye, on the counter were these Sampuru- fake food models.  But it's not Japanese food  (although apparently the teriyaki chicken and beef on the menu are very popular items).  I've never seen Mexican or American breakfasts, much less burgers and French fries done in this wax style of advertising.  Then again, look at the wall behind the fake food displays… kanji?

 

Perry’s Cafe (Old Town)

Perrys Cafe closed in August 2024.  It is very much missed.


Thank you for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Today's post is being written by Cathy while Kirk enjoys some time off with His Missus.  

I think it's because I miss having fish as my breakfast protein, which started years ago at Smokey's (which unfortunately closed last month) and eventually was easily satisfied when I discovered fish on the breakfast menu at the El Cajon location of Perry's, which has, sadly, also closed.  Kirk first posted about this location of Perry's in 2007.

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IMG_3737IMG_3738 The Mister and I made the trek West, to Old Town, a few months ago, so that I could have the breakfast I was craving and He could fulfill His cravings.

IMG_8633IMG_8640 His order was F10- the Italian sausage frittata ($15.99).  A simple baked (in cast iron; thicker than an omelet) egg dish of Italian sausage, tomatoes and mixed cheese.  A nice, mild sausage, fresh tomatoes and plenty of cheese and eggs…filling and tasty.
IMG_8630 IMG_8641 Instead of toast, He chose biscuits and gravy- house made, fluffy inside with a crisp crust covered by a creamy, breakfast sausage filled gravy.
IMG_8635 Also part of the meal were hash browns.  Nice and crisp.

IMG_8639 Here's my Fish and egg meal ($16.99)-cod fish, lightly floured and pan fried, two (properly) poached eggs and crisp Home fries. The fish was served with the appropriate condiments of tartar sauce and lemon.  
IMG_8636 Instead of bread, I chose the muffin of the day (blueberry).  It's light and cake-like and filled with fresh, plump blueberries.

So happy this location made it through Covid-19.

Perry's Cafe 4610 Pacific Highway San Diego 92110 (619) 291-7121 Open daily 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Website

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