HitH – Farmers Table (Bay Park) Revisited

**** This location of Farmers Table has closed

So, there I was minding my own business…..when I noticed some comments on a post from back in 2019 on the Bay Park Farmers Table location from "FK". To be perfectly honest, I rarely receive comments on older posts. And to be even more honest, I (we) had never been compelled to return after our last set of visits. I had not however, tried the flatbreads at FT. So there's that. Plus, this location of FT is like less than three blocks from our house, so it wouldn't be hard to just take a walk on over to the place and return after three years, right?

I guess it was about time for me to do some H(anging) i(n) t(he) H(ood), right?

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The place was pretty mellow during my visit; which I liked.

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I must say, I found the service much more friendly and efficient that on my previous visits. I did notice a big difference when I received my menu. It seems all the dishes I've tried before are no longer available here.

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When I did a quick check, some of those items, like the beef tartare are available at other locations. So, I'm guessing that BP customers don't like stuff like that? Well, I was here for the Truffle Flatbread anyway. Which I ordered ($20).

HITH FT Rev 04 HITH FT Rev 05  Man, this was pretty big. Crust was nicely charred. Though the first two bites gave things away. The slices weren't cut all the way thru and the resulting dough was tough and saturated and not in a good, Neopolitan Pizza way. Nice truffle fragrance, but no truffle flavor. There was a ton of tasteless mozzarella. The crust, while nicely charred wasn't very yeasty, but was too salty. I liked the bacon, that almost had a flavor of jamon, which gave the pizza almost all it's flavor, but there just wasn't enough of that to overcome all that cheese. Too little radicchio or carmelized onion to make much of a difference.

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I still think the food here is quite "corporate" and some folks like it that way. The service has definitely improved, though I still don't think the food is to my taste.

Farmer's Table (Bay Park)
3055 Clairemont Dr.
San Diego, CA 92117

One good thing that came out of this visit. There are places within walking distance that I haven't posted on in ages. The Missus wants me walking more, so one of my New Years resolutions? More time to "Hang in the Hood". So you'll hopefully see a couple of those posts coming your way.

Fifty 9 Fifty Local Eatery (Tierrasanta)

 Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog.  Kirk and His Missus are currently in the same Time Zone (Pacific) and 'catching up'.  Cathy is writing.

In April, 2019, I saw that this new restaurant had opened on Santo Road at the 52.  Unfortunately things got busy and I forgot to follow through in 2019…then it was 2020 and, you know.  So many businesses in this mall have changed over the years, and Kirk's April 2022 post reminded me  to check it ut again. The Mister and I really like Peruvian food and stopped in a few times, passing Fifty 9 Fifty.  Finally we had a chance to stop in. 2C2E4C86-FABC-4A5C-B432-09C17B26B1D6
45BD1448-43DF-4F4C-92D4-5AB11D7F3DC0 A sort of 'Gastropub' atmosphere with about 20 beers on tap, various seating sections (including covered outdoors), we were given a bottle of chilled water along with chilled glasses with our menu.
1A8BD247-86A0-40A2-9B04-D15C1CD6645C1A8BD247-86A0-40A2-9B04-D15C1CD6645C A simple menu-and there is a Monday-Friday Happy Hour, too (from 4-6:30)
B3A4697F-9F76-4D45-BB2B-3E4D8706D457 We decided to try the Cheese Curds ($12). Wisconsin cheese, breaded and fried.  If you bite into a hot one, it does indeed 'squeak'..but otherwise it's just a good bunch of piece of breaded fried cheese, served with a very nice homemade Ranch.
B3A4697F-9F76-4D45-BB2B-3E4D8706D457 The Stuffed Jumbo Portobello mushroom ($15) can be a meal.  Cream cheese, mozzarella and parmesan topped with a panko crust and placed in balsamic syrup…Oh my!
3A7A8202-1EA8-4671-B123-4C66A69971423A7A8202-1EA8-4671-B123-4C66A6997142 Cross section shows how many flavors you can get in a bite. 

B3A4697F-9F76-4D45-BB2B-3E4D8706D457 We also ordered a Cobb Salad ($14).  This tasted really good, very fresh ingredients (egg, bacon, avocado, tomato, gorgonzola and a nice Blue Cheese dressing.  The presentation…eh. 

A nice addition to this little neighborhood which withstood Covid-19.

Fifty 9 Fifty Local Eatery  5950 Santo Road San Diego 92124 (858)737-4665 open daily 11:30-9 website
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Sunrise Deli (Spring Valley)

Here you are, reading mmm-yoso!!! Cathy is writing today while Kirk (and His Missus) are still vacationing.

The Mister and I were out and about, running errands.  We stopped at Frank's Bakery for our weekly fresh loaf of bread (as well as a sweet) and since we parked on the street, walked over to Sunrise Deli for lunch.3EF0B4F5-C68B-4B74-A7C6-51CA16338F43
AA73EBAD-A79D-4AFF-A322-74D447D643BA Walk in, order, pay, find a seat inside or outside.
FCABC1EC-BB17-4AB7-846F-79CF77CECFCFFCABC1EC-BB17-4AB7-846F-79CF77CECFCFFCABC1EC-BB17-4AB7-846F-79CF77CECFCFFCABC1EC-BB17-4AB7-846F-79CF77CECFCF There are menus above and on the wall as well as physical laminated menus. 
D938C7B5-BE0E-4F8C-A3BF-086104F2F52D The Mister ordered a Soup and 1/2 sandwich plate ($10.75)
38DC5008-B65F-495E-9AC0-B146313910FA He chose a hot half sandwich-grilled Pastrami and Swiss on toasted sourdough (instead of grilled rye). Russian dressing, lettuce and tomato were offered and since this order wasn't traditional, he got it all.  This was very good.
38DC5008-B65F-495E-9AC0-B146313910FA There are four homemade soups offered here: Chicken Noodle, Chicken Tortilla, Broccoli Cheddar and Clam Chowder.  The chicken ones are priced at $5.50 and $6.40; the vegetarian is $5.25 and $6.15 and the chowder is $6.50 and $7.75 if purchased as an individual cup or bowl.  No extra charges for the combo plate.  Clam Chowder it is, and it is wonderful.  Creamy, rich with clam juice and a lot of clam meat.  Tiny diced potatoes and celery.  Perfectly seasoned (no need to add salt or pepper), this was really the best we've had out here. 
AAFBBB9D-94FA-4DA8-AFA5-2E95C2AD5B67 I ordered a grilled chicken salad ($13.75) with the house made ranch dressing (as you can see, three containers of ranch are given).  The fresh vegetables and nicely grilled chicken made for a really great meal.  

Quality ingredients.  Open for more than 35 years.  Made it through Covid-19.  Sunrise Deli is a great place.

Sunrise Deli 9945 Campo Road, Spring Valley 91977 (619)460-5800  Mon-Sat 8 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun 9 a.m.-10p.m. Website
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Chicken Charlie’s Table (Rancho Bernardo)

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today.  Kirk and His Missus are on vacation.

90BBDF33-E8FF-482F-8C66-5EACB183C75A The former Bistro Louisa  closed around the time of the pandemic, eventually re-opening as Chicken Charlie's Table, a second/different named location of Chicken Charlie's Fry BQ (which ended up also closing during the pandemic) and now the Table is the only sit-down restaurant related to the 'infamous' County Fair Chicken Charlie booths. 
B658E38C-9E19-4289-AE02-D51581800BB8 The sleek interior is utilized well, along with outdoor seating.
B658E38C-9E19-4289-AE02-D51581800BB8 There are a few nods to the County Fair painted discretely on the walls.
A7B83F1E-8296-4F51-81A2-E0373CE0C454A7B83F1E-8296-4F51-81A2-E0373CE0C454A7B83F1E-8296-4F51-81A2-E0373CE0C454A7B83F1E-8296-4F51-81A2-E0373CE0C454 The menu is extensive enough, many adult beverages are offered.  There is a daily special listed on Facebook, or you can ask when you are seated.  
7073DF73-047F-4993-9890-9D3D384C7F30 On this day, the special was Fish and Chips ($14) (substitute tots $1). (Regular price of fish and chips is $18.75).
EAF68CE8-CF37-43D6-AC60-03B4DCE0523F Good size (4 ounce) pieces of fish, expertly fried in a crisp, light batter so the fish was cooked well but still flaky (not rubbery; a fault I find with some fish and chips orders).  The tots were quite nice, also fried to a nice crunch. 
7073DF73-047F-4993-9890-9D3D384C7F30 As soon as I saw a beet salad ($14.74) on the menu, I knew that was going to be my order.  I added grilled chicken for $5.  Red and yellow beets (plenty), Feta cubes, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber and onion on lettuce.  A very good portion of grilled chicken.  This was a filling meal.  

Saturday and Sunday include breakfast choices (and specials).  Good food, good people.

Chicken Charlie's Table 12457 Rancho Bernardo Road San Diego 92128 (858) 432-1202 Website Closed Monday.  Open Tues-Thurs 11:30-8, Fri 11:30-9, Sat 9-9, Sun 9-8

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471FE60E-7095-4765-A552-093544D9F02E 

Adalynes Chicken Shack (La Mesa)

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog which has been around since 2005.  Kirk usually writes the posts, but right now, He and His Missus are vacationing and Cathy is writing. 

Back in February, I saw this building going up on University just East of the Kroc Salvation Army Center in La Mesa.3D52C112-49FF-4FF5-A8E2-3CA3159F3CB0 A mental note was made and misplaced.  As fate would have it, The Mister and I were driving by while looking for lunch.  Adalynes opened in March 2022.
3D52C112-49FF-4FF5-A8E2-3CA3159F3CB0 Walk in and step to the right; seating for 40 (along with four big screen televisions) is to the left.  Order and pay- a menu board is above and the open kitchen behind it is quite large.   The "Fish Market" display case was not filled but the price list was available and if you made a purchase and wanted your fish fried, it is an additional $2 per pound.  
87F0ECCA-C27C-4B30-9A53-6383FA6C6BBC87F0ECCA-C27C-4B30-9A53-6383FA6C6BBC A simple menu.
DEB79525-EE9B-48DD-9A39-42B8F9E871B6 B012C7BF-2FAB-4781-8AC2-1654DEC1B5E9 An appetizer order of calamari ($9.99) included tentacles, not all rings.  We asked for the batter to be 'mild' since there were several selections of spicy side dips.  The calamari was tender, the batter was a proper fry; light and crisp.  This is a large serving.
DEB79525-EE9B-48DD-9A39-42B8F9E871B6 We decided to try the Combo meal ($15.99) of three pieces of chicken strips and six shrimp.  We chose our one side to be sweet potato.  Again, we asked for no spice in the batter.  The shrimp were plump and large, had a very light coating and were nicely fried.  The sweet potato side came in the form of 'tots' and were really good.   The chicken-three large pieces of breast meat with just a light coating which was thin, crisped and tasty. 
31B9F518-D3CE-4F9E-8726-3DC3E25B3604 The chicken was not dry at all. 
31B9F518-D3CE-4F9E-8726-3DC3E25B3604 These four sauces were brought out with our food (cocktail sauce, "special" sauce (it has jalapeño juice and bits of jalapeño), a BBQ based sauce and a chipotle/smoky sauce.  There's a counter by the tables which has condiment pumps of hot sauce, ranch and catsup.  

A nice place that is doing a steady business serving quality fried foods. 

Adalynes Chicken Shack 6903 University Ave La Mesa 91942 (619) 232-5963 Open Mon-Sat 11-9, Closed Sunday

197A8037-27C0-4B4C-9244-ACA77961ACA7

Home Sweet Home Cafe (revisit) (Escondido)

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today; Kirk and His Missus are vacationing.

The last time I wrote about Home Sweet Home Cafe was 2019-BC (before Covid-19).   Time for an update, because this oddly located Breakfast-Lunch mainstay has survived (for more than 20 years). 254A0335-A93B-4EFB-9B04-B8D0E4B117D3In the midst of a very industrial area of West Escondido, this nondescript restaurant storefront is open only for breakfast and lunch.  Parking is in front and along the side of the building.
1696DA64-BA79-4384-B63A-7214808A931D Many customers are 'regulars'. 
1F17DF77-E83B-45B7-9C0E-6326E305EA5A1F17DF77-E83B-45B7-9C0E-6326E305EA5A1F17DF77-E83B-45B7-9C0E-6326E305EA5A1F17DF77-E83B-45B7-9C0E-6326E305EA5A1F17DF77-E83B-45B7-9C0E-6326E305EA5A1F17DF77-E83B-45B7-9C0E-6326E305EA5A1F17DF77-E83B-45B7-9C0E-6326E305EA5A The menu is served all day. 
254A0335-A93B-4EFB-9B04-B8D0E4B117D3 586457D7-5230-4D3F-AD58-9135DDED1010
AB76CA8F-D769-4F32-8D46-98CD6BF1E9EA My usual order is a ham and egg sandwich ($12) on rye, made with a good amount of juicy, non-salty ham steak.  The plate comes with a choice of potato.  The home fries are excellent, can be made with or without bell peppers and/or onion.  Optional home made gravy on the potatoes ($2.50) is worth it- it is bacon gravy (not sausage); a wonderful version.
254A0335-A93B-4EFB-9B04-B8D0E4B117D3 F9D64BDE-7715-470E-9F75-0BA9FFA8905B The Eggs Benedict ($12.50) are made with perfectly poached eggs and plenty of ham on top of a toasted English muffin, covered in a home made, lightly lemony hollandaise- (we asked for added spinach on this day).  Instead of potato on the side, a request for corned beef hash was accommodated ($2.50).  A good quality canned hash and fried to a nice crisp. 
82ABA8E0-A192-4190-BEE2-75A58D174469 On another visit, The Mister ordered the corned beef hash and eggs ($12) substituting homemade corned beef ($1)- it's just corned beef!  A wonderful, lighter carb breakfast.  (The hash browns were nicely crisped, the over easy eggs were perfect and even the sourdough toast is a better/nice sour quality).

One day, I'll do a lunch post. Soo was here in 2021 and had a burger, among other items.

Home Sweet Home Cafe  662Enterprise Street Escondido, CA 9202 (760) 743-2233 Open Mon-Fri 5-2, Sat 5-1 Sun 7-1
39C5EDD9-AB45-487D-B86D-14819E643FB9 The Christmas tree is decorated seasonally and there are small gifts (one per child) underneath always.  A fond, old fashioned memory.

Smokin’ Joe’s Soul Food Weekends at the Poseidon Project – A Quick Look

I had to make a quick run to Siesel's last week. At that time finding parking was just horrible and I managed to find a spot several blocks away from the shop. While walking back to the car I noticed a huge set-up in back of the Poseidon Project.

Smokin Joes 02 Smokin Joes 01   I went in and chatted with the nice folks at Poseidon and they told me that they were starting BBQ on weekends starting on the 5th of August, running from Fridays to Sundays.

Sure enough, I drove past the place yesterday and saw the signs up.

The BBQ is being done by the folks from Smokin' Joe's BBQ. If I recall, these were the folks doing BBQ in at Iowa Meat Farms a while back.

Since I'm all for more variety in our area, I decided to drop on in and get some takeout.

The drill is; you order from the friendly folks here, get a receipt, pay inside Poseidon, and return back with a ticket and pick up your order.

Before ordering, I asked what style of BBQ this was…especially since the menu had Pork Ribs, Beef Ribs, Tri-Tip, Sausage, and Brisket on it. Having worked and travelled thru some of the south during an earlier life, I was quickly educated on the BBQ of different regions. The guys working looked surprised when I asked, but quickly replied, "Mississippi style".

So, at least for me, unless it's Mississippi Smoked Pot Roast (it's really good, try it if you have a chance) it's basically pork products. I was tempted with pulled pork, but really was craving some ribs and rib tips, which is what I got. Speaking of what I got; the meal also gets you three sides…..aaah, the good 'ole "meat n' three" in spirit.

Smokin Joes 03

And also some (rather mediocre) corn bread.

Smokin Joes 04 Smokin Joes 05  The rib and tips both had a very nice, deep, distinctive smoke ring and a decent, almost "crisp" if uneven bark.

The amount of run used on the baby backs made it really salty, though strangely, the amount on the rib tips were perfect. 

The rib tips were very tender, moist, with the porky flavor shining thru and was my favorite. If the baby backs weren't as salty; they would have been quite good as the meat came off the bone perfectly.

The sauce was on the sweeter side; though the spicy version had a good amount of spice. I really didn't use any of it for my ribs/tips.

Smokin Joes 06

As for the sides. Well, I had wanted Black Eyed Peas but they were out.

My favorite item was usually one of my least favorite' the Breen Beans. Can you tell why?

Smokin Joes 07

Yep, that's fatty pork parts in the beans. It added some good flavor. Also, as you can tell, unlike many versions the beans aren't overcooked and are tender, but still somewhat firm. I'm not a fan of mushy green beans….mushy peas maybe, but not green beans.

I thought the texture of the collard greens, usually one of my favorite items was good.

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But this was much too salty and acidic. I also like a nice touch of smokiness in my collards which this lacked; perhaps it was shrouded by all that salt?

The Mac and Cheese was like one giant lump and not my favorite.

Smokin Joes 09

Still, not a bad start. And I'll try them out a again in a couple of weeks. It's a nice addition to the neighborhood and I hope they stick around. I enjoyed the BBQ from Joe's much more than other places that had opened (then closed in the area). It might be a good option if you're grabbing a cold one from Harland or Poseidon; or just looking for a picnic at Mission Bay across the freeway.

And sometimes, because I'm getting and such….these type of posts bring back blogging memories.

And also is a reminder that I need to start using the 'ol smoker again.

RC 03

Anyway, if you check out Smokin' Joe's, let me know what you think.

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Smokin' Joe's Soul Food Weekends at The Poseidon Project
4126 Napier St
San Diego, CA 92110
Every other weekend (Fri – Sun) starting on August 5th

Roadtrip (2022) – Ragamuffin Coffee (Oxnard), Ojai Certified Farmers Market (Ojai), Olive Hill Farm, and Lunch at Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe (Los Olivos)

Whew, ever sine we got back from Ojai, the Missus has been wanting the amazing produce we got from the Ojai Certified Farmers Market. In addition, there was a place I'd been eyeing out to try in Santa Barbara county. So, we planned a overnight road trip to hit up some favorites, old and new, then grab dinner, and as it would turn out lunch from what is a new favorite of ours.

We first drove up to Ventura County and stopped at a place I've posted on twice before; Ragamuffin Coffee.

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I needed a caffeine boost for all the driving and the Missus wanted some natural process beans.

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Just what I needed.

Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters
550 Collection Blvd. (In the Annex Food Hall)
Oxnard, CA 93036

Next up a quick drive up to Ojai to the Farmer's Market.

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We got three baskets of tomatoes from this stand…..last time we chowed it all down before we left town!

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More broccolini.

And some eggs…..which are so good.

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The Missus eyed some nectarines from this stand.

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And ended up buying a half dozen….

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And She's already has me planning our next trip up!

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Ojai Certified Farmers Market
300 E Matilija St.
Ojai, CA 93023

I then made the 90 minutes drive to Los Olivos. We'd be having dinner and spending the evening in Los Alamos (California, not NM) and our room wouldn't be ready for a while; so I thought a stop in Los Olivos would be nice.

We stopped in at our favorite Olive Oil stop during our last visit here Olive Hill Farm.

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We did a light tasting and the wonderful, no-nonsense young lady working was amazing with spot on flavor profiles.

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We ended up getting a bottle of the Lucca.

Olive Hill Farm
2901 Grand Ave
Los Olivos, CA 93441

I'm thinking that we have a pretty large collection of Olive Oil right now…maybe I should do a tasting post. What do you think?

It was around time for lunch, so we took a look at a couple of places. Unfortunately, even thought the Fess Parking Inn is still there.

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The restaurant we enjoyed in the Inn, the Bear and Star has been replaced.

So, we took a look across the street and decided to have lunch at the Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe.

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Along with the outdoor dining, there was a wind shop, bar, and restaurant.

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The Missus had seen a salad being brought to one of the tables when we walked pass, which is how we decided on this place.

It was the Grilled Romaine Wedge.

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I will often grill romaine or cabbage these days which the Missus enjoys, so this was a no-brainer for Her. She enjoyed the bacon and gorgonzola, and the salad wasn't over-dressed.

I looked over the daily specials menu. It was pretty hot, so I decided to order a bowl of the Japanese Cucumber Gazpacho.

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While I would have preferred this a bit smoother with more of the vegetal "chorophyllic" cucumber flavors, it was quite refreshing with a clean finish.

I also ordered the Zucchini Sticks.

IMG_0252  IMG_0259 While some of the pieces of zucchini were under cooked and too hard for my taste, there were a couple that were nice and creamy. These were nicely seasoned and not overly salty.

This was a decent lunch, though nothing special; the staff was quite busy, but were professional and doing their best.

Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe
2879 Grand Ave.
Los Olivos, CA 93441

IMG_0258
IMG_0258 IMG_0261  As we strolled on over to our car, the Missus and I remarked about how much we enjoyed the vibe of Los Olivos. We just wished there were better accommodations (like under $400/night) and perhaps a nice destination restaurant.

It was a nice visit though….and it had been almost five years since we were last here!

We got back to the car and headed off…..Los Alamos beckoned.

Paragon Deli Cafe (Point Loma)

Paragon Deli Cafe closed in September 2024.  It is very much missed.

mmm-yoso!!! will be written by Cathy over this Independence Day weekend; Kirk is doing things with His Missus.

It was three years ago when Kirk first posted about Paragon Deli Cafe.   I had commented about something on the menu.
4EB1F681-8E60-4F4A-9655-CAAA30C789A5Recently, I had a craving for tomato stuffed with tuna salad, an old fashioned menu item rarely seen (and very missed), I checked out the menu at Paragon.067FF715-67C7-40A0-BD53-A9157846B07B  12D849CC-9DE9-4430-82E6-76C76D3AACB3 First, it was great to see they were still in business.  Second- the tuna stuffed tomato ($10.95) was still on the menu!7E9F9554-A11C-4290-874C-6211F0ECBBA8 A wonderful, refreshing, flavor filled version of this simple diner classic.  Served on top of a bed of lettuce with a house made dressing, this is a great lunch.
F7353EF9-0187-46D2-A70A-E37674BC962DThere is a chalkboard next to the cash register.53CE95F7-1063-4103-9335-BA4A6155D463 A bowl ($5.75) of the Soup du Jour (from scratch mushroom)
6C86AD6A-F552-4296-9016-7407272CF7BD as well as a cup ($5) (vegetarian pea) were enjoyed on visits.  The 'everyday' soups (tomato basil and chicken noodle) are priced $4 and $5.25.
7E9F9554-A11C-4290-874C-6211F0ECBBA8D658C09F-13EB-4AE0-9D43-8D5C8F188BD2 Of course, we wanted to try the Portuguese Francesinha ($15.95), which Kirk had written about in his post.  Wow! Linguica, ham, roast beef, cheese, topped with a runny fried egg and sauce covering it all-including the fries.  The sauce-you can taste the beer as well as the whiskey.  Magical and it makes me understand why Kirk craved (then raved) about this wonderful sandwich.

You will notice on the menu the namesake Pacific Paragon Sandwich ($12.95), which originated at Marston's Tea Room.  Marston's was a downtown San Diego Department Store before being sold to The Broadway in 1961.  This sandwich won a 1960 American Restaurant Magazine award for "Best Sandwich".

16FACFFA-BE49-4724-94E1-297B681C147019CFE281-384C-411F-9018-564035E438B4 Fresh roast turkey (as in roasted here, today), crispy thick quality bacon, shredded lettuce, house made Blue cheese dressing (excellent) served open faced on rye.  This- THIS sandwich is fancy as well as wonderful. 201A21DB-CF2E-47BD-B495-BE836362E1FE A similar item (in that there are crossover ingredients) is the California Cobb Salad ($12.95).  Freshly roasted turkey (remarkably good), bacon, crumbled blue cheese, avocado, tomato and pickled egg.
C5F6BE27-4295-48E6-9328-9DBDE43CC978C5F6BE27-4295-48E6-9328-9DBDE43CC978C5F6BE27-4295-48E6-9328-9DBDE43CC978 There is quite an interest in eggs here; deviled egg dishes are used in the refrigerator and there is a collection on the wall above the kitchen.  

Speaking of eggs, Paragon opens at 7 a.m., so there is breakfast.2A282A78-6238-4417-83B9-B5CDC129B8AA
486CD16F-6710-4A69-B379-1FC9E64825B8 The Croque Madame ($13.95) is made with French ham, gruyere and a house made béchamel.  Very tasty and filling.  

2A282A78-6238-4417-83B9-B5CDC129B8AA6AEE7D6F-493B-4B5A-829B-4E327AF57E65 The Eggs Benedict ($12.95) served on an English muffin with ham and a very proper (unbroken) Hollandaise along with fruit and a hash brown patty is also filling and flavorful. 

Paragon Deli Cafe serves quality food and has the friendliest people working here; most are family. 

Paragon Deli Cafe 2724 Shelter Island Drive San Diego 92106 (619) 888-4997 Website Open Mon-Sat 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Closed Sunday

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Speaking of Department store restaurants, you might remember this post  or this post or this one, this one or even this different type of Department store with a restaurant inside.

Roadtrip (During Covid) – Dinner at Kai and Caffeine Fix From WhereUBean Coffee (Phoenix)

We could have easily just headed home upon leaving Sedona, but I had one more overnight stop in mind. On this road trip, I had decided to bookend our travels with some more upscale meals. On the way to Zion we stopped in Las Vegas for dinner at Partage. On the way back home, I decided we should spend a night at the Sheraton at Wild Horse Pass and have dinner at Kai Restaurant, the only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star restaurant in Arizona. Beyond those accolades, I was fascinated by the menu which is described as having "distinct interpretations of Native American cuisine using fresh local ingredients for elevated dining." I thought it would be a nice end to our road trip.

Upon checking in to this rather posh resort, we relaxed in our room.

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We had a nice view. 

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We got ready for dinner and left our room a bit early to do some shopping in the gift shop before heading off to the restaurant. With Covid measures in place, it seemed like reservations were staggered and until one third way through our meal, we were the only folks dining. The service, while discreet is definitely professional and polished; the Servers all knew our names, crumbs cleared off the table between every course, silverware changed, and still, the service wasn't hovering and did not feel stuffy in the least.

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The decor is low-keyed, the walls festooned with the craft and artwork of the Pima and Maricopa Tribes and each menu has distinct artwork featured on it as well. I was told that the watercolor on my menu was of the Maricopa Butterfly Dance.

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The meal is tasting menu only, with several choices for the "Birth", "Beginning", "The Journey", and the "Afterlife". We decided to share a wine pairing with dinner.

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The Amuse was a very nice Sablefish wrapped in Basil Flower. The Olive Oil served with the bread was outstanding and we were told it was from Queen Creek Olive Mill.

As always, the Missus and I shared our course which would give us tastes of a good range of items.

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The Escargot with Wild Mushroom was an interesting mix of textures, the truffle crema added some decadent touches to the dish. There was a bit more sweetness then I expected in this dish from the black garlic, bread, and the caramel goat cheese.

We both loved the "Pee-Posh Garden".

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While it might have seemed to be a bit much when reading the ingredients on the menu, it was a symphony of textures and flavors, from the fermented white asparagus, to the crunchy and mildly sweet pecan "soil", to the pickled beets, nutty-sweet sunchoke puree, and buttery confit potatoes.

IMG_1401 IMG_1399  I'm sure you know if foie gras is on the menu, we'd be ordering it, even with a $20 supplement. The fois gras was nicely seared, the interior nice and smooth, rich, earthy, though the roasted and compressed apple was perhaps a bit on the sweeter end of the spectrum for us.

The Pork Cheek and Crisp Belly was nice and "swiney". Perfectly done; the Anasazi Bean adding a nice, sweet-earthiness to the dish.

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The mains…ummm "Journey" were prepared well, if a bit on the "standard" side.

The "Kachk", black cod with fennel puree was cooked well, nice and creamy. We appreciated the fact that the fennel puree did not overwhelm the dish.

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This could have used a bit more aggressive seasoning in our opinion.

Kai's signature dish is the Grilled Tenderloin of Tribal Buffalo was cooked to a perfect medium rare.

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It is of course buffalo….thus a bit on the "toothsome" side. A bit milder in flavor than what I expected, the corn puree and saguaro syrup made this a bit sweeter than I like as well.

The cheese plate was quite routine.

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Dessert was served with some fanfare…..

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Both desserts were outstanding and not overly sweet.

The Chocolate and Queen Creek Olives.

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The Mousse "stones" where wonderful, so decadent and creamy inside, with the "hidden" olive cake adding a touch of savoriness, and the lemon foam had just enough cirtus-acidity for the dish.

The Cactus Melange was also stellar.

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That Nopales and Lime sabayon was outstanding and it's really hard to describe the taste of the nopales sherbet.

We loved the parting gift.

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Definitely not a inexpensive dinner at almost $600 with tip.

Kai
5594 W Wild Horse Pass Blvd. (At the Sheraton Grand At Wild Horse Pass)
Phoenix, AZ 85226

After dinner we took a stroll around the property.

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The next morning we headed home; stopping for coffee and a light breakfast at WhereUBean Coffee.

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Nice, relaxed coffee stop; really friendly staff. When I grabbed a Earl Grey cake for the Missus, the guy working pointed me to the "Happy Little Accident" discounted slice….he must've known how much I paid for dinner the previous night!

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The Missus got a pour over and I an Americano….

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And soon enough we were on our way.

WhereUBean Coffee
4804 E Chandler Blvd.
Phoenix, AZ 85048

It had been a fun road trip:

Starting with our first visit to Las Vegas in over 8 years.

And then to Zion, Angels Landing, and a Ghost Town.

Moving on to Mystery and Monument Valleys.

And I even got to do my best Forrest Gump impression and "Stand on a Corner".

We even got our "selfie" moment at a sandstone arch.

Thanks for coming along!