The Money Pit (San Marcos)

Hey!  Here you are, reading mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food.  Typepad must be up and working!  In any case, Cathy is writing today while Kirk is avoiding computers as much as He can. 

I had heard of The Money Pit, but hadn't been this far North in a while.  Then one day, The Mister and I were in the area.   The Money Pit has Yelp reviews from more than 14 years ago, so it has been around a while and made it through Covid.

This building had been a bank in its original construction and the exterior architecture, Drive Through lane as well as the interior footprint are essentially the same. 

IMG_4759

IMG_1756 Then again, the interior decor is unique and focused on types of 'money'.

IMG_1391 Walk up, order and pay.  You are given a number and find a seat. 
IMG_5082 IMG_5081 IMG_5080 IMG_5079 IMG_5078 IMG_5083 Here is a close up of the menu.

IMG_1758 "The Mess" ($9.10) Eggs, cheese, hash browns, bell pepper, onion, ham, bacon, sausage and toast. Everything in every bite. A lot of food, a lot of flavor, a lot of texture.  Should be enough for anyone.

IMG_1760 IMG_1764 Chili Cheese omelette ($8.90) Three eggs filled with house made chili (no beans) and topped with a slice of American cheese.  A slab of crispy hash browns and toast.  Again a lot of food.  A bowl of chili will be a nice meal when the weather cools down. 

We came back for lunch.  Of course
IMG_1396IMG_1396 We decided to share a side and since it was our first time, a Combo Plate ($6) was ordered.  Fries (not too many; a nice surprise), onion rings (whole onion, not diced), zucchini fingers and mushrooms.  This large platter was served with two large cups of house made Ranch (you can order more for 50¢). Excellent, fresh, proper fry (even the potatoes were nice and crisp) and leftovers.
IMG_1396 A "3 x 3" burger ($6.60) was one order.  Three charred beefy patties, three slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion on a toasted bun.   Excellent, fresh and, of course, large.
IMG_1396 The Chicken Breast Sandwich ($7.75) was a great choice.  Served on a lightly toasted Squaw Roll, the grilled chicken breast has a slight char and is moist and flavorful. Lettuce and tomato is all that was needed to compliment this sandwich. 
IMG_1396 We decided to share a banana milkshake ($4.50) and it was great! 

Definitely worth return visits.

The Money Pit 1360 East Mission Road San Marcos 92069  Open daily 7 a.m.  Closes 11 p.m. Friday, 9 p.m. Sunday, 10 p.m. the other days 
IMG_5039 
A remnant from the vault is now part of the decor.

Roadtrip – A Morning Walk in Prescott, Wild Iris Coffee, Montezuma Castle National Monument, and Lunch at the Turquoise Room (Winslow) Again

**** Not a whole lot of food in this one. But if you'd like to see more of Prescott and Montezuma Castle National Monument read on…..

After a really nice night of sleep at the Motor Lodge, I woke early and decided to take a stroll to get the Missus some coffee. Prescott is located at 5,400 feet altitude and it was quite cool on a bright May morning.

Prescott is also known for it's Victorian style homes. Like this one.

IMG_4283

Which brought a smile to my face as I recalled the wonderful self guided Architectural walking tour we took in Pacific Grove.

I headed up South Montezuma Street and the Yavapai County Courthouse.

IMG_8212

Though this time I didn't have to make a turn down West Goodwin. Instead, I kept walking North……

IMG_8213

And past the area known as Whiskey Row, a wild-west looking collection of bars and restaurants.

IMG_8173

Established in the 1870's this row of saloons suffered thru three fires in 1877, 1883, and a devastating fire 1900. Each time it was was rebuilt, with more businesses than before.

IMG_8214

None of which is more famous than The Palace Saloon.

IMG_8216

You might recognize the names of some of the "toughest" customers of the saloon.

IMG_8217

Shades of the Iron Door Saloon! Too bad we didn't have a chance to visit, perhaps next time?

IMG_8218

I took a turn and then made another left and found the coffee spot I was looking for.

IMG_8221

IMG_8222  IMG_8220 Really friendly folks, a nice selection. I got the Missus a French Press and I got an Americano before we hit the road.

Wild Iris Coffee House
124 South Granite St. Suite E
Prescott, AZ 86303

As I walked back to the Motor Lodge I stopped at the restaurant I'd tried to get reservations at but was unable to. And found out the reason why.

IMG_8226

Ouch!

I also started noticing other signs and art along the way.

IMG_8225

IMG_8165

IMG_8203

And after quickly packing and checking out we were off. I had picked Prescott over Sedona and Flagstaff on this road trip to make a stop at Montezuma Castle National Monument. We arrived at around 930 and was surprised to see the place was quite busy…on a weekday!

IMG_8227

Some of the best preserved dwellings of the Sinagua people are to be found here.

IMG_8228

There's an easy paved loop walkway around the park.

IMG_8229

IMG_8235

You'll see many ruins of dwellings. Though unlike, say Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde, you can't walk among the ruins. The largest complex, called "Castle A" is an impressive and large structure of over 40 rooms.

IMG_8239

IMG_4285

Just to imagine what life was like.

And as we were leaving we saw this. Which made us smile wistfully….

Bark Ranger 2

Sammy would have loved being a "Bark Ranger"…..

I had planned things so that we could make a lunch stop at a favorite of ours.

IMG_8247

Yep, we were back at the La Posada, at the Turquoise Room for lunch.

IMG_8242

We had the same things as on our previous lunch visit and it was just as good, so I'm not going to bore you with that. If you're interested, you can read my post on that visit.

IMG_8241

IMG_8244

IMG_8246

Turquoise Room (in the La Posada Hotel)
303 E 2nd St.
Winslow, AZ 86047

A nice light lunch and we were off to our next stop. Albuquerque!

Thanks for stopping by!

Roadtrip – El Gato Azul, Prescott, Arizona

Right after our last trips to France, "Home", Taiwan, and before out latest trip to CDMX and Guadalajara…..whew, am I behind on my travel posts or what? We decided to revisit Santa Fe and a couple of other places. One of the towns I always wanted to visit is Prescott. You know me a oddball history, right? Turns out that Prescott was twice the Capital of Arizona; first between 1864 to 1867 and then from 1877 to 1899. Much of the reason was due to the prosperous mining of gold and silver in the area. Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, and Virgil Earp were residents of Prescott (though Wyatt Earp was also a San Diego resident for a while). Anyway, I thought a stop in Prescott on the way to Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos might be a fun stop.

I got our accommodations set at the Motor Lodge which was a few blocks from the main square of Prescott and I'm glad we stayed here. Each unit was sort of a vintage "boutique" motel unit.

IMG_8210

We loved the patio area and it was a one bedroom unit with a small kitchen; which we didn't use, but appreciated. The place was very comfortable!

IMG_8158

IMG_8159

And one of my favorite posters ever!

IMG_8161

The staff was really friendly and nice as well.

The Motor Lodge
503 South Montezuma St.
Prescott, AZ 86303

After taking a nice break, we headed off to our dinner destination. The main street in Prescott is South Montezuma Street and it heads past the main square, Courthouse Plaza where the impressive Yavapai County Courthouse is located.

IMG_8171

We took a turn on West Goodwin Street, right at the beginning of Prescott's Whiskey Row, which I would quickly check out the next morning. A couple of blocks down was our destination. El Gato Azul. We were about 15 minutes early for our 530 reservation and there was a line outside the restaurant! We got a table outside on the patio area. Man, the place was packed! It seems like folks eat early in Prescott. The hostess seemed a bit stressed and was short with folks but the rest of the staff was very friendly and we started with some cocktails.

IMG_8180

The menu was an "interesting" fusion of Spanish-Mexican-European-you name it, fusion-tapas like dishes.

We placed our order and the first to arrive was the "Mediterranean Nachos" ($10).

IMG_8182

This would end up being our favorite dish of the night. The combination of briney Kalamata Olives, pungent pickled Garlic, Milky Mozzarella, meaty artichoke hearts, and pickled onions on crisp tortilla chips was quite refreshing. The Chimichurri was mild, but that was probably for the best as it let all the ingredients "sing".

Next up was the Chorizo Hash ($9).

IMG_8184

The Yukon Gold potatoes were nice and sweet, but the chorizo was very mild in flavor, lacking spice and herbaceous smokiness that we enjoy in a good chorizo. Not sure about the overly chewy baguette either and the so called "pico de gallo" didn't add much to the dish. In fact, we asked if there was hot sauce available and two bottles were provided.

IMG_8190

Both were quite tasty; but for us the habanero hot sauce was spicy-acidic, with a nice smoky-fruitiness we enjoyed. This was our "crutch" for the rest of the meal.

Interesting thing to note. The place was packed with folks waiting in line when we arrive at 515. By 6pm it was starting to empty out!

IMG_8191

Next up were Green Chili Carnitas ($9). Which were basically pseudo carnitas tacos.

IMG_8186

The flour tortillas were too thick, almost like a pseudo pita of sorts. The carnitas were slightly porky, but needed more salt and seasoning. Plus the meat to cabbage/tortilla ratio was skewed in favor of the latter. We must have used half the bottle of hot sauce on this.

The last item to arrive was the "Guacamole Pizza" ($11), which should probably be called a overly-cheesed pita.

IMG_8188

The pita was decently crisp, though it said cumin fried pita on the menu, it could have used a larger dose of cumin. Not enough guacamole for our taste and this definitely needed more salt as well.

The meal started quite well, and the staff, other than the surly hostess were so nice. We loved the vibe and the meal started well. Good thing we had those bottles of hot sauce as they saved the meal.

Here's a photo of the very pretty front of the restaurant I took the next morning.

IMG_8224

El Gato Azul
316 West Goodwin St.
Prescott, AZ 86301

There was a silver lining to this visit though. From our seats on the patio, we noticed this stream and a little path along it.

IMG_8192

As we left the restaurant, we noticed stairs headed down to the trail along the creek.

IMG_8194

Apparently this is Granite Creek. And according to the City's website, the area along what is called the Granite Creek Corridor is being "protected and enhanced" to ensure its sustainability.

IMG_8196

IMG_8197

We strolled Northward. It was a pleasant walk.

IMG_8198

Until the point the creek was emerging from under West Willis Street. We then got back to street level and strolled back to our accommodations.

IMG_8200

IMG_8219

While we didn't see too many folks out and about; those we saw would greet us with a smile and "hello".

And there seemed to be a sense of humor present as well.

IMG_8202

Yes, Prescott, Arizona!

IMG_8201

Thanks for stopping by!

H Brothers (Escondido)

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!! which is being written by Cathy today. 

Recently, The Mister and I were in downtown Escondido to run some errands.  We parked at one of the free parking lots just behind buildings on East Grand (just off of East 2nd Avenue) and started walking.  We knew there would be someplace to eat.

IMG_0748 The red brick building with the black awning, next to LLL Reptile on East Grand between North Kalmia and North Juniper.  It's pretty easy to spot.   
IMG_0748 There is plenty of indoor seating as well as quite a few outdoor tables.

IMG_0711 Step inside and the menu is on the wall.  There are paper menus also.  Order, pay and your food will be brought to your table.IMG_0745
IMG_0727 The first item that caught our eyes, top left-Original Poutine ($8.99).  Fresh cut fries, brown gravy, cheese curds.  We had to.  The fries were skin on, definitely made here.  Not too crisp, but hot and thoroughly cooked, covered with the not-salty brown gravy and cheese curds, which melted in the heat of the fries.  The cheese was plentiful and stretchy and a really great part of each bite.  There were leftovers which reheated quite well in the fry pan at home.  
IMG_0727 Pretty much the center of the menu board, the Cuban Torta ($16.99) wa our agreed choice.  A toasted Torta roll slathered with mayonnaise, filled with adobada, pulled pork, ham, provolone, a fried egg, pineapple, and pickled jalapeño.`
IMG_0729IMG_0729 You can see it all here.  Each meat (plenty of meat in this sandwich) was fresh and offered a discernible variety of flavors.  Then there were textures-the egg was runny, adding a richness and the sweet slice of lightly crisp pineapple was very complimentary to all of the porky goodness.  Even the light crunch, slight saltiness and light heat of the pickled jalapeño helped bring it all together with each bite.  We each had leftovers of our respective halves.
IMG_0735  IMG_4533 Looking over to the bottom right of the menu-Beignets ($7.99).  Oh yes, this would be a dessert day.  We were asked if we wanted the deep fried dough to come out with our meal or would we like to wait, since everything is made to order here.  We said we were not in a hurry and later were asked if they should start on the dessert.  

The hot fried dough pockets arrived covered in powdered sugar and accompanied by three sauces: chocolate, blueberry and raspberry.   The beignet alone had great flavor, a crunchy exterior, fluffy interior and I thought needed no additions…then I dipped a corner.  The sauces were wonderful!  Fried dough became a spectacular dessert and this was a really nice treat.  There were no leftovers to take home.

Everything is made here, daily.  Quality North American comfort food.  We will return.

H Brothers 212 East Grand Escondido 92025 Open Tues-Sat 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (442) 999-5542  Website Closed Sun-Mon

IMG_0715

 

Big Cheech’s (Chicken, Waffles and Sliders)(Scripps Ranch)

Sadly, Big Cheech’s has closed

mmm-yoso!!! is back to being written by Cathy, while Kirk goes back to doing other things. 

As we were leaving Todo Sushi in April, I saw cars waiting at a (new location to me) Starbucks drive through and this building, just on the opposite side of Carroll Canyon.  We drove in, but it wasn't yet open for business.  There were some vinyl graphics of breakfast and lunch sliders on the front windows and doors.IMG_8846 We recently were back in the area and stopped in. 
IMG_8826 I did not get a photo of the menu, but this link to the online ordering will show you the current offerings and prices. (Breakfast is mentioned on the website as being available from 7-11 a.m., but the restaurant opens at 10 and no breakfast sliders can be ordered from the online menu)
IMG_8828 Of course we had to try a combo: Two chicken tenders, waffle, fries and a drink ($13.99).

Didn't want to try any 'spicy' flavor chicken nor grilled chicken.  The chicken tenders were quite large and moist with a pleasant, lightly crisp, lightly flavored breading (it wasn't a batter that stayed adhered to the chicken).  The fries were very thin and therefore crisp; a good and different fry.  The waffle was made with a flavored batter..cinnamon-vanilla..but it was just a hint of flavor.  Crisp exterior and fluffy interior.  The combination of flavors and textures was 'proper'. IMG_8840 I was curious about the falafel slider ($4.99)
IMG_8844 A fresh made falafel patty with tahini, lettuce, tomato and a pickle on a toasted eggy bun.  I really liked this. 

IMG_8837 We also ordered a House Salad ($6.99).  Mixed greens, cheese, onion, grape tomatoes and cucumbers.  We asked for ranch dressing, which was standard and good.

So far, we like the food here.  A good place to stop.

Big Cheech's Chicken and Waffles 9810 Carroll Canyon Road San Diego 92131 (858) 215-4221 Open daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m. website

IMG_3836

The Grill At Willowbrook (Lakeside)

mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog, is being written by Cathy, who has some free time.  Kirk is busy.

If you happen to be in Lakeside, near the 67  (the Lakeside border is quite a distance along the 8) and on Riverside Drive, you might notice this sign between two Manufactured Home Parks on the East side of the street.  Turn in. IMG_9623

IMG_9087 Park in the fairly large parking lot in front of this building and step inside.  It's open to the public.  The Pro Shop is to the left, the restaurant to the right and straight ahead is the Nine Hole Golf Course, which opened in 1955 and was re-designed in 1981.

IMG_9086  It's a challenging course that you get to walk twice. 
IMG_3900 The restaurant has seating inside and outdoors.  Menus are on each table, in the condiment rack.  Many people walk in to 'Grab and Go' food and beverages for the course, or just to take home.  A local place.
70810163052__4F797DBB-8F78-4AF2-A833-F1DCBFD3352C Breakfast here is pretty basic.  Coffee is $1.86.  It's a good coffee.
IMG_9614 IMG_9618 The Meat Lovers Omelette was listed on the black board as a special this day ($12.95)  and was made with three eggs, bacon, ham and sausage and topped with cheddar.  Quite large.  It was accompanied by toast and fried potato squares.  A very tasty and filling breakfast. 
IMG_9616 The French Toast Combo ($12.75) was just the right size for me- one slice of thick French Toast: crisp on the exterior; fluffy interior.  It was served with two eggs (poached) and a choice of two bacon, two link sausage or one sausage patty- which was excellent in flavor.  
 IMG_9057 IMG_3904 We came back for lunch one Friday, hoping to try the Friday ONLY Special of Fish & Chips, but the fryer would not be ready until about 1 p.m.. 
IMG_9063 IMG_9064 The Chowder of Clam- we each had a cup (the photo is deceptive; it's a deep cup and filled with many clam pieces, potato and celery).  An excellent New England style clam chowder.
IMG_9070 I had ordered a half sandwich and soup ($10.50) and the sandwich was tuna salad-mostly tuna, very light mayonnaise and great quality-on toasted rye with lettuce and tomato and a pickle spear.  Quite enough food. 
IMG_9074IMG_9076 The Mister chose the Grilled Fish Plate ($15.95).  Seasoned white fish served with rice pilaf and mixed "Normandy" vegetables.  This was a very unexpectedly great meal!  A very large, thick piece of fish, nicely char-grilled and kind of fancy. 

A great restaurant. 

The Grill at Willowbrook 11905 Riverside Drive Lakeside, CA 92040 (619)561-1061 Website Open Mon-Fri 7 a.m., Sat-Sun 6 a.m. 
IMG_3901

Big Island – The Volcano Thursday Market, Revisiting Halemaʻumaʻu, and Dinner at Kilauea Lodge Restaurant (Again)

After lunch at Suisan we headed back to the Kilauea Lodge and took a short break. I also made late dinner reservations at the restaurant, this would allow us to spend more time revisiting Kilauea Caldera. We decided to head back out before sunset so we could easily find parking and relax and watch the "show". Before heading back there, I had one more stop in mind. It was Thursday and Volcano Village has a local food and crafts market at the Cooper Center. So, we headed there first.

IMG_5510

It's a quaint little market and it seems that a lot of the folks there were locals as folks were having fun socializing.

Food and craft booths were set-up thru the community center.

IMG_5512

IMG_5517

IMG_5513

It was a nice little stop.

IMG_5520

Volcano Thursday Market (At Cooper Center)
19-4030 Wright Rd.
Volcano, HI 96785

IMG_5521

We then headed back to the Kilauea Overlook and easily found parking adjacent to the lookout. There were folks just arriving to check out the "show".

IMG_5525

Folks even brought beach chairs! We chatted with a few folks and they were all locals; some driving all the way from Kona!

Several folks brought offerings for Madame Pele.

IMG_5522

We just stood and watched Halemaʻumaʻu doing its thing.

IMG_5541

As the sun slowly set the bright red colors became the star of the show.

IMG_5549

You could even make out the spatter cone!

IMG_4087 1

We just loved this! We stood our eyes fixated on the crater, just as amazed as we were the night before. Heck, if we stayed another night, we would have returned again!

IMG_5568

As it was, we felt blessed to have been able to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience twice!

More folks started arriving and the parking lots were closed. It was time to head back for dinner.

IMG_5580

We just wanted to take things easy on this evening and had made dinner reservations at Kilauea Lodge Restaurant again.

The staff here are wonderful, so warm and friendly.

This time we started with the Coconut Brie which came with the bread made inhouse.

IMG_5575

IMG_5574 IMG_5577  The coconut crust was a bit too sweet for us. There were also spots where the coconut was burnt, adding a rather unpleasant bitterness to the dish.

We enjoyed the bread.

The Missus had the same main as previous night, Crispy Tofu.

IMG_4003

Again, we thought the star of the dish was the cauliflower and mushrooms.

This time around, I kind of went against my better judgement and got the Seafood Risotto.

IMG_5579

The risotto was the standard par cooked version and some of the arborio rice was under cooked and hard in the center, it was also on the salty side. The Kaua'i Shrimp was outstanding, sweet and briny, cooked perfectly. The mussels were overcooked and dry; but the clams were nice and tender.

Overall, based on our dinner the previous night, we got what we expected. Of dishes, made better by the fantastic staff.

Kilauea Lodge Restaurant
19-3948 Old Volcano Road
Volcano Village, HI 96785

And most of all, we got to witness the glory of Madame Pele and nature!

IMG_4090

Brothers Family Restaurant (Grantville)

Today's mmm-yoso!!! blog post is being written by Cathy.  Thanks for stopping by to read about food.

Since the pandemic and Covid-19 restrictions, The Mister and I have had to get used to a 'new normal' with some of our favorite restaurants closing, menus and hours being pared down (so many Breakfast-Lunch only restaurants now) and prices rising.  There were so many places took for granted and I didn't even post about, thinking they would just always be there (RIP The Fancy Fish).IMG_8511 Fortunately Brothers Family Restaurant has survived, since 1994. 
IMG_8485 When you walk in and see people seated at the lunch counter, know that it's a busy day and you may have to put your name on the Wait List for a table.
IMG_3681 IMG_3682
IMG_8605 From the breakfast menu, the Belgium waffle with fruit and whipped cream ($9.95) was ordered by The Mister for lunch one day (the Breakfast menu is available until 2 p.m.).  The light crispness of the waffle edges covering the puffy (not cake-like) filling is one of His cravings…plus we share our meal choices, so I was happy.  IMG_8509 The cup of soup and half sandwich ($10.99).  I chose roast beef on rye toast and the Soup of the Day was vegetable beef.  Two different types of beef and each very flavorful- the large chunks of stew pieces with the still slightly crisp vegetables in a strong beefy broth really hit the spot.  The sandwich came with lettuce and tomato and mayonnaise and the meal was quite filling.
IMG_8609 The Half Tuna Salad ($11.99) was my choice another day.  The tuna salad is lightly seasoned with finely chopped celery, very little mayonnaise and some fresh herbs.  It is basically all tuna, which I like.  Served on lettuce with tomato and a sliced hard boiled egg, the house made Thousand Island dressing pulls every bite together with great flavors.  This 1/2 size is a good size meal.
IMG_8501 The French Dip ($14.99) is served with a choice of sides, so, of course, The Mister chose onion rings.  Nice, crisp batter surrounding whole onion ring slices (you know, made here and not frozen).  The thin slices of warm roast beef were served on a very soft, freshly toasted French roll.  The au jus is not salty and has some herbs for flavoring.  Quite nice. 
IMG_8607 On days when the Soup of the Day is clam chowder, a bowl is ordered ($5.99).  Thick, creamy, some chopped potatoes and plenty of clam meat as well as clam juice, this is a great choice.  Soup bowls are served with a half slice of that soft French Roll made into a crisp topped garlic bread; delightful.

Brothers Family Restaurant 5150 Waring Road San Diego 92120 Website open daily 7 a.m.-2 p.m.

IMG_3683 IMG_3684 As you walk to the seating area, you'll pass the refrigerated dessert case.  Save some room.  (Yes, they make rhubarb berry from scratch!)

Black Bear Diner (El Cajon) (breakfast) (again)

mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog, is, again, being written by Cathy while Kirk and His Missus are out of town. 

I wrote about the "new" Black Bear Diner in May of 2019 and it's time for an update.  This franchise has 156 locations in 14 states (primarily in California and all are West of the Mississippi).  The El Cajon location is still the only one in San Diego County.IMG_3680 The exterior design is themed.
IMG_8434 The interior also looks like you are inside a cabin.

IMG_3677 IMG_3679 IMG_3678 The menu is a printed 'newspaper'.

We took a while to decide on our meals and our waiter was very patient.  The coffee ($3.89) is a good quality and kept refilled.
IMG_8438 The Mister chose the waffle "Bear's Choice" ($13.79) with the optional upgrade of the sausage patties ($1.99)(the kitchen makes their own).  The eggs were perfectly over easy, the sweet cream waffle is more cake-like (denser interior) and served with warm syrup.  The sausage patties are wonderful; menu states mild or spicy Italian and the mild flavor is just right for breakfast. 
IMG_8442 I chose the Shasta Scramble ($13.99) with grits and added "loaded" ($1.99).  The Scramble had spinach, tomato, onion, bell pepper and Jack cheese, topped with slices of avocado.  The menu stated it was two eggs, but those must be the extra-large size, since this scramble was quite filling.  All of the vegetables were quite flavorful/fresh.  The grits were a tasty porridge of cornmeal and the 'loaded' part was cheese and bacon.  Sometimes I only want salt, pepper and butter on my grits, but this topping made them special and more flavorful.  

A great place for breakfast.  I'll be writing a post about the lunch and dinner menu soon. 

Soo was also here in 2019.

Black Bear Diner 1025 Fletcher Parkway El Cajon, CA 92020 Website Open daily 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

IMG_3675

HitH – Bay Hill Tavern

Strangely, before setting out to do these H(anging) i(n) t(he) 'H(ood) posts, I hadn't actually dined in at Bay Hill Tavern. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it always seemed that the place was super busy, though I did purchase beer to go and then did takeout during the pandemic. But, even though BHT is but three blocks from our house, I never felt the need to visit…until I started this series of neighborhood posts.

HITH BHT 01

BHT does get pretty busy, especially on weekends. The Missus and I decided to pay a visit on a Tuesday night and got some seats at the window. I hadn't been too impressed with the food on my takeout visits and we decided to not order those items. Service was very friendly and even though the place was soon packed, the folks working were very nice.

We ordered two items, starting with the Short Rib Tacos.

HITH BHT 03 HITH BHT 04  This was fine, the beef tender if a bit on the salty side. The guacamole is the "MVP" here as it helps to temper and balance the flavors. The tortillas are standard issue, brittle, and not especially strong in terms of maize flavor. This is a very hipster type of item. The salsa verde has decent heat and acidity.

We also got the "Dirty Fries", the Missus actually enjoyed the beer cheese, which had some nice savory-milky tones, without being overly sharp in flavor.

HITH BHT 05

The bacon added a nice dose of salt and the sour cream actually added a bit of milky-acidity to the dish. This is best eaten with some haste as the fries tend to get limp fairly quickly.

I will often try to make multiple visits before doing a posts. And for a place in my 'hood, well, there's no reason why I shouldn't. On my next visit, which was done solo, I sat at the bar. The folks working the bar, Jennelli, Sam, and Jules were so friendly and welcoming. It seems that this is where the "regulars" sit. What's great is that they also are willing to make suggestions for various dishes with customizations. Like this version of Dirty Fries…..I was told to try it out with a fried egg on it.

HITH BHT 05b

With less sour cream, the gooey egg really added to the dish. Loved the fact that the staff volunteered customizations.

A few weeks later I noticed Roasted Mushroom Tacos on the menu, so I ordered that.

HITH BHT 09

These were pretty good. The earthy, nicely seasoned roasted mushrooms, the pickled onions added a nice sour-pungent flavor, the flavor of the tortillas, while still not quite up to the task in terms of texture did well with the mushrooms, the arugula added some nice peppery-bitter tones. The only thing I didn't care for was the goat cheese, I thought the milky-sour flavor detracted from the overall dish.

On my next visit, sitting at the bar, I mentioned this and was told "lets just order it without the goat cheese."

HITH BHT 10

I was also encouraged to order it with different salsas on the side. Along with the salsa verde, it was suggested to try the habanero salsa as well. Truth be told, these tacos, in my opinion were flavorful enough without the salsas.

While the food was nothing exceptional, I really enjoyed the folks working here. They were really warm and welcoming. In fact, I felt more comfortable and welcomed here than at Fast Times. So maybe, after all these years, I've actually found a place for "pau hana time" in my 'hood.

Bay Hill Tavern
3010 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours:
Sun – Thurs 11am – 9pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 10pm