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

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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

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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. 
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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.

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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.

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It was a nice little stop.

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

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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".

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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.

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We just stood and watched Halemaʻumaʻu doing its thing.

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

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You could even make out the spatter cone!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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."

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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

Huckleberry’s (Escondido)

Thanks for reading mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Cathy is writing today, while Kirk and His Missus are 'researching' material for future posts.

A breakfast appointment with a good friend/client was held at 7:30 in the morning in Escondido on one of the few sunny days this year.  I had passed Huckleberry's many times, usually on my way to or from Home Sweet Home Cafe, but had never made the effort to make Huckleberry's a destination.  I did recall this post, by Maggie written last summer. 0E708EEA-827E-4A8C-92AD-55E396FF5A04 It's located West of the I-15 at Auto Park Way.

51CD5300-3676-412B-9588-62E38351C3ED51CD5300-3676-412B-9588-62E38351C3ED51CD5300-3676-412B-9588-62E38351C3ED This is the breakfast portion of the menu; lunch will be a separate post.  Know that the entire menu is served all day.
23653F67-CEA0-428B-9417-B3A0180099BAThere are tables and booths available.  If you can see the mechanics in this photo, the separating wall at the left booth can be lifted up, making a large booth-seating area for a group.
768A8787-3DFD-4136-A0D4-9DFF565834C657B895D9-9238-4C48-881D-339F8D304A98 The Mississippi Skillet ($16.59) is made with ham, sausage, crisp bacon, bell peppers, onions and mushrooms and topped with Monterey Jack cheese and added avocado (99¢).  Excellent flavors and there were leftovers.  The choice of a scratch made biscuit was a good one-a light, crisp crust with a fluffy crumb.  It didn't even need the butter. 
D98A22D4-752A-4543-8EA6-5295F2C1FED7 Huck's Combo ($11.99)  with ham  (a nice, thick ham steak which was juicy/almost sweet and not at all too salty), two (perfect) over easy eggs, add country reds ($2.59)(sliced and fried red skinned potatoes with bell peppers and onion) along with a half of a butter-crisp waffle (choice of that or a sweet cream flapjack or a slice of French toast).  Each item was excellent in portion size (again, leftovers) and flavor-the waffle didn't need much of any toppings and was indeed crisp yet had a fluffy interior. 
F27389CE-B3DA-43A5-B49A-BBA32650E26C8EA00027-27DA-4AB2-9E45-20341C8B5CD1 About two weeks later, I made it a point to return with The Mister since I hadn't tried anything 'huckleberry' on that first visit.  A Benedict Scramble ($14.99)was my order, because I was craving the ham.  The slice in the Benedict was not as thick as on the Combo I had last time, but was still flavorful on the toasted English muffin topped with plenty of scrambled eggs and a slightly lemony creamy hollandaise.  The potatoes (75¢) are so nicely crisp.
80ACA12F-DF9A-4B22-B343-1135F80AFFF1203D8522-B24A-4906-B311-0F67FFB5C80B203D8522-B24A-4906-B311-0F67FFB5C80BED07BA62-9D84-4710-8934-4E736A1C9222 The Mister ordered a Monte Cristo ($14.99) Sourdough stuffed with ham, turkey and Monterey Jack, dipped in egg batter, crisp fried and topped with powdered sugar.  He chose the optional sweet potato fries (99¢) and the platter arrived with syrup for the sandwich and 'Huck's Sauce' for dipping.  He also added on a biscuit and gravy ($3.99) because he really liked that half biscuit leftover I brought home.  The sausage gravy here is excellent. 

Huckleberry.  The state fruit of Idaho.  A small berry that is red or black or blue.  Tastes like a blueberry with 'wildness'.  That was our first thought when tasting the huckleberry sauce with the fried sweet potatoes-blueberry.  

When you walk in, there's a display of items for sale. 
3885E123-9F09-4BDB-B138-7D5D353380CC E8265E60-57F7-4487-9890-359E4A6B9D37Yes, blueberries are the first ingredient for the jam.  

A little different and very good.

Huckleberry's 1260 Auto Park Way, Escondido 92029 (760) 745-4825 Open daily 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Website
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Road Trip – The Winslow Arts Trust (The La Posada Museum), More La Posada, and Dinner at the Turquoise Room

After taking a short break watching the trains go by, we walked over to the area next to the hotel that was once the railroad depot to visit the La Posada Museum, also known as the Winslow Arts Trust Museum.

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The Museum goes thru much of the history of Winslow with regards to Route 66, the Railroad, and Native American history and heritage in the area.

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We enjoyed our short visit. Especially the menus and items from various Harvey Hotels and restaurants; especially the menus.

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How does Thanksgiving Dinner for $2 sound????

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Of course travel by car spelled the demise of railroad traffic and the planning of the I-40 meant that Route 66 was going to be bypassed. This foretold the end of an era and the demise of the La Posada.

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We enjoyed our little trip back in time and contemplated all these changes as we took one last lap around the grounds of La Posada before checking on our room.

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I must admit that Allan Affeldt and his wife Tina Mion have done a wonderful job restoring the hotel, with classic Spanish and Mission Revival Architecture designed by Mary Colter (for those interested, I've been reading this Biography/Coffee Table book about Mary Colter) having gone as far as trying to track down the original furniture. And there are some artistic touches as well.

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We really enjoyed exploring, even though some of the art of Tina Mion, which displayed everywhere is not quite to our taste.

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By this time, our room was ready. All the rooms are named after different celebrities who have stayed at La Posada. The one we stayed in was the Roddy McDowell (you remember him, right?) room. 

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Of course while going to our room the Missus had a peek in this one which was being cleaned….

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Guess where She wants to stay next time?

We also enjoyed all the historic photos in the hotel.

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And of you want even more about the La Posada, here's a wonderful, albeit abridged (the long version can be found playing in the hotel lobby) video that features Allan Affeldt. 

Once in our room, we rested up before heading to dinner at the Turquoise Room.

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We had early reservations for dinner and were seated promptly. We had really enjoyed lunch at the Turquoise Room on our previous trip to the area and was quite excited to see what was on the menu.

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Service was very professional and welcoming. Looking over the menu, the Missus was a bit sad to see that the Lamb Pozole She enjoyed so much for lunch wasn't available. Still, a version of the salad we had enjoyed last time was. We split the Arizona Grown Vegan Salad ($20).

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Loved the variety of textures, from crisp kale "chips", to wonderful, almost sweet thinly sliced jicama, the perfectly cooked beans, sweetness from the carrots and green beans, earthy quinoa. We really enjoy this salad.

The Missus surprised me by ordering the Grilled Chicken Breast with Tomatillo Sauce and Tamale ($25)

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This was a "airline" chicken breast; which means a boneless breast with the drumette attached. Except for katsu, we almost never order chicken breast when dining out, but this was a n excellent choice. The chicken was moist and tender. I'm thinking that it might have been quickly brined because of the texture of the flesh and the nice flavor which permeated the chicken. The black beans were ono! 

I got the "Wild-Wild" Platter ($40). This was not cheap, but we really enjoyed it.

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Man, that fried quail was so tasty as was the toothsome but nicely gamy Colorado Venison Medallion. The black current sauce really supported the flavor of the venison. The pork, venison, and bison chili that topped the tamale was quite good as well. Though the tamale itself was really dry and lacking in flavor.

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We really enjoyed our meal and the service. 

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

Man, our last three dinners at Joseph's Culinary Pub, Geronimo, and the Turquoise Room were all good. We were three for three!

After dinner, we decided to take a nice stroll around Winslow.

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And of course we had to Stand on that Corner again!

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We enjoyed our stroll. It was a nice way to end our little road trip. I'm hoping to return again soon!

Thanks for joining us on our little foray to Mesa Verde and Santa Fe, with our stops in Durango, Gallup, and Winslow!

Take it easy everyone!

HitH – Fast Times

After my post on revisiting Farmer's Table, I decided to do more posts on places within walking distance of our home. So, I decided to do a H(angin') i(n) t(he) 'H(ood) revisit to Fast Times. I went and looked for my original post on Fast Times and I couldn't find one. What the heck? I did eat at Fast Times when they first replaced Coastal Crave in the neighborhood, but I guess I never did that post. I remember one old timer at FT told me that the classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High was based on Clairemont High School. And according to this Mental Floss post it was. In fact, you might find this article interesting as well. Anyway, I guess I never did that post. I recall coming up with the moniker "TGI Fast Times", as the food really reminded me of stuff you'd get one of those Chain Bars. Well since I never did that post, I'm thinking I'd better catch up here 6 years down the line.

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It's kind of part sports bar, neighborhood hang out, upper level dive bar, with live music a couple nights a week. There seem to be a great many regulars here.  Some very "interesting" folks!

There's a dozen brews on tap, nothing fancy or exotic mind you, but a solid selection ranging from, yep, Bud Light to stuff by Harland and Societe.

I had a .394 on this visit.

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I recall that the one item I had actually thought was decent on my visits way back when were of all things, just simple Tater Tots, which by todays pricing is a bargain at 4 bucks.

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Served with ketchup and ranch dressing; these were light and crisp outside with a creamy interior. Just the way they should be.

Another item I recalled from those visits of yore was the reason I called this place "TGI Fast Times" were the Potato Skins ($11). Sadly, this dish hasn't aged well.

HITH FT 06

The potatoes had been sliced down the center; I'm guessing to aid in the cooking, but it made the potatoes, which were now like large potato wedges quite dry and hard. In fact, this was really salty and dry.

I knew I should do at least one more visit, but wasn't quite sure what to get. One Saturday, I walked on over to Sprouts to do some quick shopping and noticed that Fast Times was open. The place opens at 11am on Saturdays and Sundays. I suddenly recalled seeing a certain dish on the menu for "brunch". Here it is….

HITH FT 07 HITH FT 08  Yep, it's a Loco Moco ($12)….well make that a "loco moco" with those quotation marks. First off, it's topped with bacon, which ain't a bad thing…since of course there are some good locos that have fried rice with stuffs like Portuguese Sausage…..the bacon was a tad overcooked, but heck, at least it was crisp. The item that really threw me off was the slices of toast. This was a new one for me. Which led me to send a Tweet -" Question. Is toast a legit Mac Salad replacement on a locomoco? Methinks not!" It was just kind of odd as there was already rice.

As for the rest? Well, the burger was very lean and dry, the gravy tasted like it came from a "bottle/can", though the egg while a bit overdone was acceptable. Though I'm still fixated on the toast.

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Still, I'm thinking that the majority of folks aren't coming to Fast Times for a gourmet experience; they are doing what we call "pau hana time" back home, socializing, hanging out with friends, coming for the nights when there's live music. And to be perfectly honest, I much prefer Fast Times to Farmers Table, just for the unpretentious, neighborhood vibe and the prices which are quite reasonable at this local Watering Hole-Sports Bar-Neighborhood Hang Out.  During my visits, it seems that the customer base skews a bit older, but perhaps it's because of when I've visited. There's also some interesting little things I've noticed during my visits. For instance, Fast Times has QR code coasters with menus on each table and on the bar, but they automatically give you a paper menu! I've never seen anyone (but me) who has actually used the QR codes!

You gotta love places like these!

Fast Times
3065 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 3pm – 9pm
Friday 3pm – 11pm
Saturday 11am – 11pm
Sunday 11am – 8pm