American/New American Restaurants – Page 9

Circling Back to Main Chick Hot Chicken (Clairemont) and Golden City

June 20, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Chains, Chicken Wings, Chinese Restaurants

I often say that I would not still be posting if not for all the folks who comment of our posts. The same can be said for all the great emails and recommendations I get. There’s a whole group of folks who don’t comment on our posts, but are thoughtful enough to send me emails with recommendations, observations, and really great comments. One of these folks is “ChrisR” who often has some pretty interesting and sometimes funny observations and recommendations. I look forward to his emails.

Hailing from the Big Island, Chris will often have the most interesting “Subject Lines” to his emails. Here are two of them and my subsequent revisits to those places. Main Ch 01

“The last pretty good food bargain in San Diego?”

Actually, ChrisR was the reason that I visited Main Chick in the first place….I’m not one to follow fads and at that time it seemed that all these Hot Chicken shops were popping up everywhere. Having had some good Hot Chicken in Nashville during my consulting days; all of these shops fell short. Main Chick was no exception.

But, moving away from the Hot Chicken Sandwich; Chris had this to say about Main Chick:

“But there is still one bargain left: The leg-thigh quarter at Main Chick”

“Very juicy. Comes with the same spicy aioli as the dark meat sandwich. Gotten it several times in recent months.”

Well, this location of Hot Chicken is less than three miles from our house, so why not try it out, right?

The young lady working was a joy and I liked that they have outdoor seating. I ordered it “Spicy” this time, instead of “Supreme” like I did last time. My heat tolerance has gone down in my old age…..

I was asked if I needed a “fork and knife”? Huh? This is still chicken, right? And I raised up my left hand and said “fork”; then my right saying “knife”. The young lady cracked up. I did pay a small price for this as I will note later on.

I sat outside and opened my container and I have to say; in contrast to what I’d had before; chicken with burnt spots on it and such, this looked quite nice.

Main Ch 02_02 Main Ch 04 Turning things over was a different story as it was pretty greasy. The meat was very moist, tender, and it had that flavor of dark meat chicken that I prefer. The batter was quite crunchy but the seasoning dust is pretty gritty, though quite spicy; but there’s a lack of other flavors….at Hatties, I remember the chicken being very spicy, but it still had some smokiness, most likely from Paprika and even a hint of garlic tones.

Maybe I just need to order this with no spice next time? Though I recall the “naked version” being quite bland.

Main Ch 03

But, at least it was moist and tender. And at $5.75, Chris is right, these days it’s a bargain.

And the chicken had the last laugh as I had a nice thrill when I removed my contact lenses that evening.

Main Chick Hot Chicken (In Clairemont Town Square)
4705 Clairemont Dr.
San Diego, CA 92117

Subject: Did Golden City hire a chef from Royal Mandarin?

**** Golden City has closed

Whoa, let’s talk about how to get my attention!

“While I waited, a waitress (one who in the good old days automatically brought me a fork for years despite my never using it) brought out salt-and-pepper chicken wings twice that looked crisp and dry and had a good portion size for $13.

So the next weekend, I got the wings. I have had them two more times since.

As good as the Royal Mandarin, IMO“.

Okay! Sold!

GC TO 01

I went and did a takeout order from Golden City. To cover myself, I also ordered the Kwai Fei Chicken, which has been a favorite of mine for years.

It did smell quite good in the car, better than a “new car fragrance” for sure. And I made the fifteen minute drive back to the office wondering if the wings would be looking like this:

Fry-Day RM 06

Opening things up, the wings looked like this.

GC TO 02 GC TO 03 Unfortunately, the batter of the wings didn’t hold up well, much of it getting a bit mushy and flaking off. So, if you’re ordering this, it’s probably in your best interest to eat them ASAP….maybe even in the parking lot! Lot’s of burnt garlic which was on the bitter side, though I enjoyed the spice. The flesh of the wings were nice and moist.

And to be perfectly honest; these were light years better than what I’d had from Golden City years back. So it does look like the wings have improved over time.

GC TO 04

On a sad note; it seems like the Kwai Fei Chicken has gone downhill as well.

GC TO 05 GC TO 07 The chicken really just tasted boiled lacking in the mild hints of anise-wine and devoid of any salt or mild ginger tones….just plain bland. The sauce provided had brown specks in it and tasted a bit rancid and off. The chicken while cooked nicely, just didn’t taste right.

GC TO 08

Man, what a bummer……where do I get my Kwai Fei Chicken from now? Maybe I need to revisit Eastern Dynasty?

Golden City Restaurant
5375 Kearny Villa Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123

Regardless of my opinions, I want to make it clear that I really enjoy and treasure these emails. It gets me “out there” checking things out and keeps it “fresh”. It’s always fun hearing from all of you and I’m flattered that you would think of me when you have an interesting or enjoyable meal.

Thanks again ChrisR!

Roadtrip (During Covid) – Forrest Gump Point, Meteor Crater & Barringer Space Museum, Standing on the Corner….., and Lunch at the Turquoise Room (Winslow, AZ)

May 30, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Mexican Restaurants, Road Trip, Travel, Utah, yoso-silly

We had really enjoyed our tour of Mystery and Monument Valley. After returning to the hotel we went back to the gift shop and then went for a walk around the hotel a bit.

There were some really great views from the patio of the closed (because of Covid) restaurant.

Man, it was pretty……

I noticed a sign and well, wouldn't you know it…..

Not wanting to drive, we just had packaged food for dinner.

And of course we awoke very early for the "show"…….

Man, this never gets old…..

We had some nuts and bars for breakfast before heading out. Our next stop was Sedona; but instead of heading South, I headed Northeast on the 163. Why? Well, this was going to be my "fun day". There were a couple of novel, perhaps obscure, and just plain fun stops. A couple of miles south of Mexican Hat is this little stop.

Beautiful scenery isn't it? But I had a reason for stopping here. This is Forrest Gump Point. Recognize it from the movie? This is where Forrest Gump, after 3 years, 2 months, 14 days, and 16 hours decided it was time to stop running.

Heck, I just "needed" to stop here……

Cue up Running on Empty by Jackson Browne!

It's a pretty popular stop.

After a couple of photos we turned around and headed back to Kayenta for one more stop….this time at the Burger King. No, it wasn't to eat, though I did get a Diet Coke. This Burger King was established in 1986 by Richard Mike, whose father was a Navajo Code Talker in World War II. This BK features a Navajo Code Talker Exhibit.

An important part of our history that wasn't even revealed until 1968!

If you're ever in the area please stop by.

Burger King
Highway 160
Kayenta, AZ 86033

From here I headed down the 160 to the 89. Driving thru Flagstaff I went East on I-40. Not the way to Sedona you say? Well, you'd be right. There were a couple of places I had on my "list" and thought this short detour would be fun.

The first I'd read about and thought that perhaps it might be a tourist trap of sorts.

I think folks often mistake this for a state or national type. Depending on your interests, you may or may not enjoy it here. And it's $25 a pop for admission.

There's some nice displays, a movie, and also a 40 minute rim tour if you're so inclined.

For us…well, it was about the giant crater……

A big hole in the ground. More about the crater here.

Meteor Crater & Barringer Space Museum
Interstate 40 Exit 233
Winslow, AZ 86047

Now the next stop got me quite excited. Depending on your age….well, I'm in the demographic that remembers a certain song. And of course that line:

"Well, I'm a-standing on a corner
In Winslow, Arizona
Such a fine sight to see
It's a girl, my Lord
In a flat-bed Ford
Slowin' down to take a look at me"

Speaking of Jackson Browne and all that.

So our next stop?

Yep, we drove into Winslow, Arizona, parked and strolled to Standin' on the Corner Park. And it was indeed a fine sight to see….heck there was even a mural of a girl in a Flat Bed Ford!

And a Flat Bed Ford parked at the corner as well.

Yes, it's corny, cheesy, cliché, but if you're of a certain age, you'll remember that. And I'm of that age and even the Missus enjoyed this stop.

We saw folks taking photos and selfies. I even went and took a photo of this woman and her pooch….on the corner….in Winslow, Arizona. A fine sight indeed.

Unlike most of the other folks; who just got back into their vehicle after taking their photo, we strolled around town a bit; after all, this is part of historic Route 66.

There was a place I'd read about in Winslow; a hotel that was once a prize jewel and destination during the golden age of train travel, when Fred Harvey and the architect Mary Colter, whom I've mentioned before built a hotel named La Posada which has been restored to it's former grandeur.

We walked on over, strolled around a bit and decided to have lunch in the hotel's restaurant, the Turquoise Room.

It's a beautiful space.

We were quickly seated, the folks working were warm, friendly, and still very professional.

We placed our order and soon some complimentary cornbread arrived.

I ordered the Arizona Grown Vegas Salad Bowl….yes, you read that right. All that National Park Food and "stuffs" had me craving veggies…….yes, it doesn't happen often….

Lovely quinoa (when do you recall me typing that out before?), corn, crisp kale, refreshing jicama…..this really hit the spot.

The Missus really got a winner with the Lamb Posole.

Man, this was so good! Just gamy enough, wonderful lamb flavors; the hominy was cooked perfectly, a hint of spice, a wonderful comforting dish!

One of our favorite meals of the trip. If we're ever back in the area, we'll definitely return here.

Who knew…Winslow….

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

It was just enough food for lunch.

As we headed out of town, the Missus started up Spotify……and you knew which song She started with, right?

All together now:

"Well, I'm a-running down the road
Tryin' to loosen my load……"

Take it easy everyone!

Roadtrip (During Covid) – Mystery Valley, Monument Valley, and Lunch at Goulding’s Stagecoach Dining Room

May 29, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Mexican Restaurants, Native American, Road Trip, Travel, Utah

On our full day in Monument Valley we had gotten a private tour. Since Monument Valley is on Navajo land, the only "real" way to visit is to hire a Navajo Guide. I had also wanted to see Mystery Valley as well. So, I booked a private all day tour with 3 Sister Navajo Guided Tours. Based on our short hike the day before and the amazing sunrise; I just knew it would be money well spent. And it was. Our guide Amory was raised in Mystery Valley, he clarified a lot of things for us, one thing we learned quickly is that the Navajo call themselves Dine', which means "the People". Amory also passed on things he learned from his grandmother and was a great guide.

There was just so much information, so much to learn, that if I ever return, I'm going to take notes. As it is; I'll mostly share photos with you all.

There were two reasons I really wanted to visit Mystery Valley, which is still inhabited….we passed farms raising livestock along the way. I really wanted to see the various arches and the Anasazi ruins.

We were taken in a four wheel ; a must for a tour like this.

That's the Square House Arch above, which was the first stop. Which then led to one of the places I really wanted to see; the vehicle maneuvers along some fairly slick rocks, we stop and Amory walks us into a small valley and points up.

This is known as the Square House Ruins.

A closer look.

During the tour Amory told us what he learned from elders and his grandmother. Seeing these ruins high up, we are often told that the Anasazi used ladders to get to these dwellings.

Amory was quick to point out the walls of the canyon.

He told us that that over time floods had eroded the soil away and pointed out former soil levels. So ladders weren't necessary at that time.

He also asked us to take a look around to see if we noticed anything…….and then pointed out the petroglyphs…..

And then pottery shards…..

Which we had totally missed! We'd be paying more careful attention for the rest of the trip!

It seemed that every turn yielded another arch – this is called the Honeymoon Arch – see how it meets in the middle?

This is the Stout Arch.

This is the Baby House Ruins.

The House of Many Hands.

See the hand prints?

It was just plain amazing.

Soon, it was time for a lunch break. Amory took us back to the hotel.

And we got in the car and drove into Utah and over to Goulding's Lodge, which was once upon a time really the only place to stay near Monument Valley. Since the restaurant in the View Hotel was closed due to Covid, the only other real option for us was Goulding's Stagecoach Dining Room.

It pretty much a diner…..and service was a such

The Missus got the Turkey Soup with Fry Bread.

Fairly bland and dry turkey meat.

I got the Navajo Taco.

This fry bread was kinda "doughy" and not as crisp as the version at Amigo Cafe. Sour cream and generic salsa, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and chili con carne…….

Very generic, simple food for the masses.

Goulding's Stagecoach Dining Room
1000 Gouldings Trading Post Rd.
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT 84536

Walking out of the restaurant we ran into this friendly fella'.

I went to the car and got him a treat; which he quickly gobbled up. We had finished lunch fairly quickly, so we went to check out the gift shop. Guess who was waiting by our car when we got out of the shop? It was great "valet service"!

Goulding's has quite a history and Harry Goulding is credited with bringing Hollywood to Monument Valley.

The original Trading Post is now a museum.

And of course the star of many of those movies needs no introduction….

And when She Wore a Yellow Ribbon was filmed in Monument Valley, structures on the grounds of Goulding's were used in the movie.

We headed back to the View and met back up with Amory and then headed into Monument Valley.

First stop was John Ford Point.

Which was one of Director John Ford's favorite filming points.

It's got quite a view!

Because we had a guide, we were able to get off the main road and thru various gates; getting some wonderful views.

That's the "3 Sisters" above.

And there are arches here as well. That's the Mocassin Arch above.

While looking at my photos, I noticed that they really don't do scalar justice to the arches. So, take a look at the photo of the Big Hogan Arch above and then for a reference point take a look at the photo to the right.

And all of the arches and rock formations have names!

It can be quite overwhelming!

The last two stops where mainly for taking photos!

And it was so easy to compose some pretty nice photos……

Which made this an unforgettable day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Wolf in the Woods Revisited

May 23, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, European Restaurants

Before we left on our last trip the Missus wanted to have a nice dinner out. Going thru our recent "quick visits" it ended up being between Black Radish and Wolf in the Woods….and Black Radish just seemed to be priced too high…heck, we ate at a Michelin Bib Gourmet listed restaurant in Paris for much less than Black Radish. And WitW starts service at 4pm with outdoor seating, so I ended up making reservations there.

And because we had dinner early, there was actually parking in front of the restaurant and we were the only customers when we arrived.

Our service was just as good this time around. The Missus made sure to ask for a stemmed wine glass as we remembered getting served wine in tumblers. The tables are a bit on the "cozy" side, but since we're used to eating in Europe, the tiny tables really don't bother us too much.

As we'll often do; we made a meal out of just appetizers and we stuck with the one item the Missus loved on our previous visit and tried three "new" items.

Starting with the Calamari ($14). We don't often order fried calamari since it tends to be hard and chewy; but this was light and crisp.

The red pepper flakes was a nice addition….the sliced fried padron peppers and the overly strong sauce were really not necessary. We'd definitely have this again.

The Sweet Corn and Pinon Soup ($14) was just as good as on our last visit.

Lovely, great, not overly sweet maize flavor; loved the smoky-mildly spicy Hatch Pepper powder and the pine nuts just added a nice layer of flavor to the dish.

Next up; the Yellowtail Aqua Chile ($19).

The hamachi was of good quality; quite buttery in texture. I prefer my aguachile to have nice acidic-citrus tones and this was on the weak side. The avocados did well in this dish and the slices of serrano added a much needed punch to the dish.

We finished things off with the Maize and Hen of the Woods Mushroom ($17).

This was a pretty good dish. I wish it had more earthy mushroom flavor. As it was, the polenta and shaved Pecorino ruled the dish. The addition of Marscapone made the polenta very creamy. Like I said pretty good; though I would have liked more mushroom.

This was a enjoyable meal overall. I do wish Wolf in the Woods was in my "neck of the woods" as we'd be having a nice dinner of appetizers every couple of weeks.

Wolf in the Woods
1920 Fort Stockton Dr.
San Diego, CA 92103
(619) 234-2597
Hours:
Tues – Thurs 4pm – 9pm
Fri – Sat 4pm – 930pm
Closed Sun – Mon

Tom’s Famous Family Restaurant #23 (Escondido) (revisit)

May 12, 2022 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, What Cathy Eats!

Today, mmm-yoso!!! has another post about food for you to read. It's written by Cathy, since Kirk is still on vacation.

I wrote about Tom's #23 last November and some things here are pretty much the same, but some changes have occurred. Walk up, order, pay…and you are asked where you will be sitting- the table numbers are tall and visible from the cash register; you aren't handed one to put on your table. Why? Because your food will be delivered to your table by Tomcat!

The Mister ordered a chicken fried steak breakfast ($10.99), with home fries and over easy eggs. Beautiful, orange-yolked eggs. Perfectly crispy fried steak, wonderful sausage gravy, crispy. skin-on potato chunks. Instead of toasted bread, He chose French toast ($1.99) Eggy, crisp with a fluffy interior. Really nice.

I decided on a breakfast sandwich with ham on rye toast ($5.49). I nice, thick slice of ham with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise along with the folded egg omelet.

Good food and a fun time.

Tom's Famous Family Restaurant #23, 505 West 5th Avenue (at Centre City Parkway) Escondido 92025 Open daily 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Breakfast served all day

Tomcat talks to you, politely (even says "goodbye") and knows when all of your order has been removed from the shelves.

Ramona Cafe (Breakfast)

May 8, 2022 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Today's post (again, written by Cathy) takes you a bit inland of this 4200 square mile County.

The Mister and I found ourselves in Ramona one morning, saw cars parked on Main Street and knew that we should stop. (FYI, there is parking and an entrance from the alley)
The breakfast menu is on one page; lunch on the flip side. Our friendly waitresses were familiar with just about every patron on this weekday. (I did not notice the top left corner; next time).
The Mister ordered the Farmer's Omelet ($12.50) with home fries- and was asked if he wanted onions with the home fries(!). Hash browns were not an option (which is nice; limited menu) and the fresh, cubed potatoes were crisped and nicely browned.
The three egg omelet was filled with cheddar cheese and ground breakfast sausage, topped with sausage gravy and more cheese. A large amount of mild breakfast sausage which went well with the eggs and (mild) gravy. We ended up adding pepper to the sausage halfway through.
Of course, the only 'bread' that The Mister could consider ordering with this particular omelet was a fresh baked biscuit. (There is also a choice of toast or English muffin).
The tall, fluffy-interiored, crisp crusted biscuit was quite large and arrived with its own container of honey. A different type of hand made biscuit, which we shared.
I decided to order the California Eggs Benedict ($13.50) (a traditional Eggs Benedict with tomato and avocado for an additional $1).
Nice amount of thicker cut smoked ham on top of a toasted English muffin topped with the avocado and tomato, a light-medium poached egg and house made hollandaise (not very lemon-y but a perfect consistency).

Another Covid-19 survivor. We will be back.

Ramona Cafe 628 Main Street Ramona, CA 92065 (760) 789-8656 Website Open daily 6 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Verbena Kitchen – A Quick Look

April 25, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants

*** Verbena Kitchen has closed

*** As we continue our "quick look" series – be aware that these posts are based on single visits

After dining at Wolf in the Woods and Black Radish, the Missus implored me to find yet another new place to have an early, not-crowded or outdoor dining place to try. I recalled that a restaurant named Verbena Kitchen had opened in the spot where Splash Wine Lounge used to be. I sent a the Missus a link to the website and She just didn't seem interested!!! I then sent Her the link to the Happy Hour menu….which starts at 4pm, which for us, in these times where we really don't want to be around too many people sounded perfect. So I made reservations for an outdoor table at 4pm.

We arrived exactly at 4pm and was met with the most friendly, gracious guy whose name I believe is Dallas. He was wonderful to deal with. And since it was a bit windy on this day, he even saved us a table indoors in case we didn't want to eat outdoors. But we found an outdoor table in the corner, where sun still shone on us that we liked. Even though the outdoor seating is located street side and the traffic light meant buses and cars stopped right next to us; we enjoyed watching all the pooches walking by and the staff were so very nice.

And he was quick to tell us about the Happy Hour menu.

The Missus had a sangria which She enjoyed….in fact She had a second one!

The Missus enjoys Deviled Eggs so we got 5 at $2 a piece for HH, versus $15 on the regular menu.

The Missus cracked up at the micro cilantro…..if you've seen any of the soups I make, you'll notice that we use a heck of a lot of micro cilantro these days. This was our favorite dish of the evening. Even though the crab on the deviled eggs were pretty much an afterthought we loved the mustard forward flavor of the egg yolk mixture which was texturally nice and creamy. The whites were cooked nicely as well.

The Oysters were our least favorite dish on the evening $1/each HH, versus $18 for a half dozen regular menu.

If you've ever read any of my posts where we eat raw oysters, you'll know that I don't put a lot of "stuff" on my oyster. I prefer at most, a touch of lemon and really savor the "finish" of the raw oyster. These Baja oysters were super briny, almost salty, without the nice "cucumbery" or "briny raw beef" finish. It just seemed to lack nuance. Still, at six bucks……

We also got the Peruvian Shrimp Ceviche $14HH, $17 regular price.

So, while this didn't use a "leche de tigre" for the cebiche as they would do in Peru; it was not bad. The aji amarillo was quite mild and this wasn't overly acidic. I did like the combination of Inka Corn, Furikake, tomato, red onion, and the aji. For some reason, I really liked it matched up with those sweet potato chips…perhaps I was channeling camote? The one thing we didn't care for was that the shrimp was fully cooked….not in lime juice, but actually fully cooked, rubbery, and tasteless. Heck, I could have just had everything but the shrimp and be perfectly happy.

We weren't sure about the Wagyu Beef Tartare ($18) when it arrived at our table.

It seemed drenched in mayo, which turned out to be a decently flavored Dijon based aioli. We liked the grated cured egg yolk, which tasted like good salted egg yolk. We weren't sure about the fermented mushrooms, but they were very meaty in texture, and the capers really, well "capped" off the dish. The beef was cut a bit too coarse, but this was a pretty good dish overall. The slices of cucumber seemed to have had rice vinegar drizzled on it. I'd have this again.

Overall, a decent meal, for a very nice price, the most inexpensive of these "quick look" dinners. A big plus was the friendly and gracious staff. "Dallas" told us to return on a Thursday when it's Happy Hour prices all evening. I do think we'll return.

Verbena Kitchen
3043 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92104
Current Hours:
Wed – Thurs 4pm – 9pm
Friday 4pm – 10pm
Saturday 10am – 10pm
Sunday 10am – 230pm
Happy Hour from 4pm – 6pm and all evening Thursdays

Roadtrip (During Covid) – LP Espresso (Page), Amigo Cafe (Kayenta), and the Lee Cly Trail (Monument Valley)

April 15, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Caffeine Fix, Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Mexican Restaurants, Native American, Road Trip, Travel

We left Zion fairly early in the morning. I was looking forward to our next stop; Monument Valley…after all, my late Mom was a big time Western fan, and I recognized photos from Monument Valley as scenes from some of her favorite Westerns. Plus, Monument Valley, located in both Arizona and Utah and on the Navajo Nation Reservation is not quite as heavily visited as other places we've been to.

We headed out the East exit of Zion National Park, down the 89 thru Kanab. We decided to stop in Page, which we were somewhat familiar with, to grab some provisions and for a coffee break. We took a short stop at the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge before heading into Page.

A nice little stop to stretch our legs…..

In Page we stopped to fuel up and then at the Safeway for water and a couple of other items; then drove over to LP Espresso for our caffeine fix.

Part espresso/coffee bar, part wine/beer pub, the young ladies were very friendly, though our Espresso and my Cold Brew (???) took a while.

There's not much choice for decent coffee in Page……so we took what we could get.

LP Espresso
612 North Navajo Drive
Page, AZ 86040

From here we headed down the 98, then to the 160 East. At the point where we needed to take the 163 (no, not THAT 163) North to get to Monument Valley is the town of Kayenta, which is part of the Navajo Nation. I had marked off a place to grab lunch, Amigo Cafe, mainly because I wanted some Fry Bread.

The restaurant is located past the usual fast-food suspects, right as you take the left onto highway 163.

This small restaurant was doing some steady business. They had some great Covid protocols in place and we had to actually sign in and leave our contact information for contact tracing. The Navajo Nation was hit hard by Covid-19 and at one time had the highest per-capita infection rate of COVID-19 in the US. But due to their response they've beat back Covid and according to several articles I've read is now one of the safest areas with regards to Covid in the nation.

All the tables were cleaned super well, all employees (and customers we saw) wore masks. The staff was friendly and warm.

The Missus got Pork Posole with Fry Bread ($10).

Which was on the bland side and really needed more porkiness and seasoning. The base also needed more chili paste as this was lacking in the fruity-smokiness of dried Guajillo and Ancho chilies. The Fry Bread was light, crisp, and yeasty, reminding the Missus of youtiao.

She was also provided with some pretty plain guacamole and chips.

I got the "Navajo Taco" ($11).

Basically Fry Bread (think of it as a unsweetened funnel cake if you will) with a smear of refried beans, shredded lettuce, onion, and tomato. A side of Spanish rice was also provided. Very Ameri-Mex toppings.

Well, the fry bread was a bit oily, but yeasty, and I got to try it out.

The folks working seemed to know all the other customers, so I'm guessing quite a few locals eat here. The service was very nice and efficient and I thought prices were quite reasonable.

Amigo Cafe
US Hwy 163
Kayenta, AZ 86033

From Kayenta you head up Highway 163 and then take a right on Indian Route 42 right after crossing the border to Utah. Taking the right on the roundabout takes you right back into Arizona, take a left, you're in Utah….straight ahead is Mexican Hat. Many folks stay at Goulding's Lodge down Monument Valley Road. But I decided that we should stay in the only hotel in Monument Valley; the View Hotel. There's only one entrance to Monument Valley, you drive up to the booth and pay the entrance fee, $20 per vehicle. We got to the hotel; which was also under Covid restrictions, so the restaurant was closed and so forth, a bit early. So of course the Missus wanted to "stretch Her legs"……. There are two hikes in the area; the Wildcat Trail and the Lee Cly trail, a 2 mile loop that we took. These are the only two hikes you could take without a Navajo guide. The trail starts just East of the hotel.

And yes, Monument Valley was every bit as beautiful as I thought.

From the left to the right; the "West Mitten", the "East Mitten", and "Merrick Butte".

A wonderful, pretty easy hike to the South of the hotel.

Upon completing the hike our room was ready. The View has hotel rooms, cabins, and a camping area. I took a top floor room for both this view at dusk.

And the night sky…..it was so totally dark, we saw so many falling stars……

Because of Covid, the hotel restaurant was closed, but bag meals, basically brown bag sandwiches and chips were provided. We were enjoying the view so much that we really didn't fdeel like driving out for dinner. Also, no alcohol can be sold on the Navajo Nation.

We walked over to the gift shop before picking up our sack meal. We really liked the gift shop and ended up buying some certified Navajo items as gifts.

It was so quiet, we slept so soundly, and got up before sunrise the next morning, because we wanted to see this.

Beautiful, isn't it?

We had a full day planned out with a Navajo guide and were really looking forward to that!

Thanks for stopping by!

Postscript (04/18/2022) – this one is for FOY Junichi who said he enjoys the Westerns filmed in Monument Valley:

Saturday Stuffs: Lucy Ethiopian Replacing FireBirds Chicken, the Sign for Kumo is up, and Taking a Drive in Serra Mesa

April 2, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Exploring San Diego, Japanese Restaurants, Sandwiches, Thai Restaurants, yoso-silly

Just a couple of things for a damp and chilly Saturday.

Lucy Ethiopian Replacing FireBirds Chicken:

I had been wondering when I'd see signs (no pun intended) that the Hot Chicken fad was hitting saturation point. Well, on a recent visit to City Heights I drove past what is now the former location of FireBirds Chicken. It looks like it'll be replaced by "Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant".

So, like Poke Bowls, Ramen, Korean Style Hot Dogs………

4155 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92105

The Sign for Kumo Is Up:

Back in June of last year, I read that a Japanese Sando shop was opening in the Plaza Sorrento Food Court. According to what I read, both in the Eater post and on what I'm assuming is the businesses website, it was going to open during the summer of 2021.

During my visits to Nanay's and Sue's Korean Kitchen I took a look around and did see empty businesses but no definite sign of the place.

Fast forward to my last last visit to Sue's….well, there it was.

The shop is actually suite 108, right next to Sue's.

I'm guessing all this Covid-ness and such has caused a delay in the opening.

6755 Mira Mesa Blvd.
Suite 108
San Diego, CA 92121

Taking a Drive in Serra Mesa:

I'm finally starting to get out a bit more; though I'm still a bit cautious and "gun shy".

Recently, after doing some shopping at Nijiya; I decided to take "the long way home", via Aero Drive. For a few years our office was located near Montgomery Field. But I really never visited the area much once we moved our offices. And since Covid, other than a single takeout visit from Kokoro; I can't say I've been in the area at all.

So, I decided to just take a quick drive to see how things are.

Just along Aero Drive; well, there are noticeable changes. The long time Argentinian restaurant Pampas Grill closed in 2019 and the spot is still empty.

Though Pear's Thai, which was previously Ka Ti Thai is still there.

Down on Murphy Canyon Road; well, there's a lot more changes.

Pho SaiGon Bliss is now Luxe Boba & Tea.

3755 Murphy Canyon Rd
San Diego, CA 92123

And the mall seems to have a lot of vacancies.

And the Sizzler closed down in 2020, around the time the chain filed Chapter 11. This space is also still empty.

I believe there's one location left in San Diego….not that I'm going to plan on eating there anytime soon. Though Sizzler was a regular stop after working the evening shift back home in Honolulu, though that location closed down years ago as well.

It does seem things are a lot more stable around the strip mall off Sandrock and Greyling.

I'm sure "Mr Z" will be happy to note that Thai Pepper Cuisine is still open! Hope all is well Mr Z!

3361 Sandrock Road
San Diego, CA 92123

And both Kokoro and Maggie's Cafe are still open.

3232 Greyling Dr
San Diego, CA 92123

And heck, I passed this business with the Grand Opening sign……but no other signage….I'll check them out; along with Soup Du Jour (formerly Carve Modern Deli) hopefully soon.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Roadtrip (During Covid) – Angels Landing (Zion), Grafton Ghost Town (Rockville), Pa’rus Trail (Zion), and Dinner (Again) at the Zion Canyon Brewpub (Springdale)

April 1, 2022 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Chicken Wings, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Travel, Utah

*** This is a pretty long post with not much food; so I wouldn't mind at all if you'd just like to return on another day!

I knew that our first full day in Zion was going to to be a full one. The Missus really wanted to do Angels Landing. I wasn't too thrilled about doing the trail, but I knew the Missus had it on Her "list". So, to avoid the crowds and such; I planned for our visit to be during the first week after the shuttle stopped running and more importantly, the week after Thanksgiving. We drove into Zion early and easily found parking. The place was pretty quiet and we crossed over the Virgin River to get started.

The initial walk up wasn't too bad and the view was very nice.

And then we entered a pretty area known as Refrigerator Canyon.

And soon enough it starts getting a bit more strenuous.

And then there are the 21 fairly steep switchbacks; known as "Walter's Wiggles"…..sheesh….

Which culminated in an area called Scouts Lookout.

I thought it would be a good place for me to stop and let the Missus do Her thing.

This isn't "Angels Landing" you might say. Why do you want to stop here?

Well…….

But I just couldn't let the Missus go on alone.

And the last portion of the hike is called the Spine…..for a simple reason……

That last portion is is done on what feels like the edge of a cliff…..which it basically is; made of sandstone no less. There are chains bolted into the side of the cliff to use as hand holds as you make your way up. And, btw, that "little person" you see in the background in the photo to the right is me. Oh, and did I mention that I don't like heights?

The Missus tried to motivate your truly by shaming me a bit. Telling me that an ex-coworker, the one who met us for dinner in Kyoto did Angels Landing.

And if she could do it, well I should be able to; so forth and so on. In the end, I just went ahead and did it. The sandstone is a bit slippery, but I made it.

Of course the Missus was in "Her element" and this was just a breeze for Her.

It was actually more difficult (and scary) descending.

And here's the kicker; after finishing up the hike, the Missus sent a text to the young lady telling her that even I managed to climb up to Angels Landing. Her response? "Really, I stopped before the chains!"

What?!?!?! Needless to say, I felt just a tad betrayed here.

And even "Mr Hiking" himself; Calvin stopped at Scout's Lookout.

Hmmm……like they say; "there's one born every minute….."

Though I did feel a bit proud when I saw a guy waiting at Scout's lookout for his significant other, a young lady who I passed on my way down from the top.

I'd say the hike down was a bit harder on the knees and joints; but we did pretty good time, less than 2 1/2 hours.

It was a stroke of luck that we'd arrived the week after Thanksgiving as things weren't very crowded; though we passed quite a few folks heading up on our way down.

Angels Landing is quite popular, I just read that you will now have to get a permit to hike Angels Landing from April 1st.

Because it was still early when we completed our hike; we decided to head into Springdale to fuel up and then head off to a place I'd read about called Grafton Ghost Town.

I read that Grafton was the most photographed Ghost Town in the US and was also in quite a few movies, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It was featured in the famous Bicycle Scene; along with a small-kid favorite song of mine; Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head. I just can't help believing (sorry BJ Thomas "dad joke" insertion) humming that tune as I type this.

Five of the original thirty structures have been restored by the Grafton Heritage Partnership.

The Grafton Heritage Partnership site has a history of the town; established in 1859, the last resident left Grafton in 1945.

The place was so very quiet; we were the only visitors, so we strolled around the buildings. The large Alonzo H Russell home was open so we took a look inside and also walked down into the cellar.

Which provided a peek into a different time.

On the way back, we made sure to stop at the Grafton Cemetery, which gave us a deeper look into the struggles of the folks who settled here.

The surroundings are stunningly beautiful; but the stories are of hardship and tragedy.

This is a wonderful post on Grafton.

After visiting Grafton we headed back to our room, had a super light lunch and relaxed for a while.

Of course, after a while the Missus was itching to do something. So, we decided to take a nice stroll along the easy, paved, Pa'rus Trail, which follows the Virgin River.

There were many instructional-informational signs along the way.

It's one of the few trails that allow leashed pooches and we ran into a couple of happy ones; along with folks biking and families.

All while listening to the comforting sound of the Virgin River….

The mighty Virgin River…..

And like on all our hikes in Zion; there was wildlife to be seen.

We walked until the Canyon Junction Bridge before turning around and heading back to our room.

By now it was getting close to dinner time. Now, in spite of getting the right location and timing the crowds and access for our road trip; there was one thing I'd missed. It seems that many of the restaurants; especially the ones we wanted to eat at in Springdale close for a break following the Thanksgiving weekend. So, we decided to head back across the parking lot to the Zion Canyon Brewpub.

We sat on the back patio again. This time there were several feral cats roaming around. One of them decided to entertain him/herself with one of the customers bags.

There would be no burgers for us this time. We decided to go full on "fry mode" and ordered the Chicken Wings ($12), Chimichurri Fries ($6), and Beer Battered Onion Rings ($6). Actually, this was pretty cheap dinner.