Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion – Page 6

Cake De Partie

August 19, 2021 Cathy Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Desserts, What Cathy Eats!

This mmm-yoso!!! post is written by Cathy. Kirk is having a busy week.

Back in 2016, signage went up on what had been Tea Garden, which had been closed for a while (and left some parking spaces for Pangea Bakery Cafe, where we frequented a bit more often). We were curious about the name, the food, the elk… yet even then we were avoiding crowds. Besides, there were posts online and in print about this place. Then there was covid and we couldn't even if we wanted. A few weeks ago, we drove in the parking lot, found a spot open and parked. Should have stopped here sooner.   'Asian Fusion, Desserts Cafe, owned and run by chef Pat & Molly' is all that is written on the web page. However, cc's 2016 blog post has an informative explanation of the business name: Cake de Partie is a play on the words, "Chef de Partie". Acording to the definition on wikipedia:
"A chef de partie, or station chef, is a cook in a restaurant who is in charge of a particular station (area of production); for example, a pastry chef or saucier. The chef de partie may be the only person working in their particular station, or may be in charge of one or more underlings."

Set up now for social distancing, there are a few tables inside and out front. When you walk in the door, there is a table with this menu on it. We were here for a pancake soufflé and knew it would take 30 minutes, so when placing the order, asked for that first. The nice lady at the counter walked back to the kitchen to let them know before we continued making the order. Since we knew we would be waiting for 'dessert', we ordered some Popcorn Chicken ($5.50)- original flavor (there is also a 'Zapp' and a 'Cheddar' option). This was quite *perfect*- a light, crispy, non-oily bite of juicy chicken.
The BBQ pork rice bowl ($9) was also really good. Honey BBQ pork over sticky rice with a small salad on the side. The salad had a sort of strawberry vinaigrette already on it and the dipping sauce for the honey coated charred pork had a bit of sour (lime juice?) and umami (fish sauce?) and a touch of heat that was a very complimentary condiment.
There were several choices of crepe cake slices ($8). We chose mocha. The Mister counted 25 crepes, each separated with a thin layer of a buttery mocha frosting. Buttery frosting. We had never tried a crepe cake before and definitely will seek out the other flavors.
This is why we were here. The Very Berry Soufflé Pancake ($10). Fresh and warm from the kitchen, served with a small scoop of strawberry ice cream and small cup of strawberry jam (pretty sure those were made in house).
There are two soufflé pancakes. Here is a cross section of the delightful, jiggly treat. This is simply wonderful.

As a side note, there is a wide array of beverages to choose from on the menu. A simple cup of organic hot tea ($3.50) is made to order from loose tea leaves. This was the peach blossom – a very natural flavored tea.

Everything served here is quality. High quality. A hidden gem right there on Convoy Street.

Cake de Partie 4685 Convoy Street San Diego 92111 Close Monday and Tuesday. Open Wed-Sun 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (858) 987-0033 Website

"Drink Triple, Eat Double, Act Single"

Regarding the elk: the elk depicted in the logo is due to the chefs' admiration for the elk's revered status in Japan. Their culture views elk as a spiritual force.

Rooster Rice & Noodles

May 17, 2021 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Thai Restaurants

**** Rooster Rice & Noodles is now Ju Feng Yuan

Back in the middle of April I heard about a new "Thai" place that had opened in a strip mall off Scripps Poway Parkway on the "coconut wireless". At first I thought it was Takhrai Thai, which I had been warned off of; but no, it was a place named Rooster Rice and they supposedly made Khao Man Gai. So, on a day when I had to return home from the office at around 11, I checked and found the website for Rooster Rice & Noodles, with online ordering……well, it seemed that almost all the items were using English names and there wasn't Khao Man Gai on the menu. Until I found what I'm guessing is one of their signature dishes; something called "Rooster Rice" that came with either steamed or crispy chicken with soup on the side. This seemed like the item, so I ordered it and drove up to find the shop.

Looking for the address and suite number led me to the signage for Wong's Wok; where I found the banner for Rooster Rice.

I believe that the previous place must have been a Chinese fast food joint based on the "decor".

There was a short wait for my food. I was handed a package and headed home.

I was quite interested to see what the Khao Man Gai was going to be like and I opened up the standard issue styrofoam container and…….what the heck????

Sheesh…well, looks like they made a mistake here. I even gave them my name and everything! Grand opening mistake I guess. So, I had the egg noodles with BBQ Pork – Ba Mee Moo Dang. The BBQ Pork was decent, perhaps a bit tough but not bad. The egg noodles were under flavored, though cooked nicely. Standard issue fast food steamed bok choy had no taste. Needless to say, I was disappointed……as I was expecting to get what I ordered. I thought about calling, but the place is nearly 20 miles from home. I decided to just forget about it. This would be a one-and-done and there would be no post.

Until……..a couple of weeks later, "FOY" RedDevil sent me an email asking me if I'd heard of a "New Hainanese chicken place" named Red Rooster……. I replied saying that I'd visited and ordered the Khao Man Gai but got something else by mistake.

Thinking things over; I decided to give the place one more try. I had an actual fairly normal lunch break at the office so I tried again. And again there was a short wait for my online order. This time, I took a peek at my plate and verified that there was actually chicken in it.

This was quite interesting in a couple of ways. A huge container of scalding hot chicken broth was provided, decent chicken tones, seemed to have a lot of white pepper, in need of some salt, and perhaps a bit more richness.

Secondly, the two pieces of chicken, a whole chicken quarter and drumstick was still on the bone in them, not chopped or boneless; something I'm not used to with this dish. The meat was dry, with very little flavor…..like it had just been put into a pot of water and simmered. This seemed like a mere shadow of the dish.

The sauce provided was a bit different as well…..almost no ginger….seemed more like a a peanut sauce.

I will say that the rice was not bad; a bit on the mushy side perhaps, but at least there was some ginger tones along with the "flavor of fowl".

I don't think I'd order this again.

However, when placing the order for the Khao Man Gai, I saw a couple of dishes that I decided to try. Yes, call me a glutton for punishment.

"JeffP" happened to be in the office, so I thought it would make for a decent lunch to share. I had seen Nem Khao Tod on the menu (for once not just in English –
Nam Khaow Salad $10), one of my favorite things when done well, so I ordered that and the Crispy Pork Belly Rice Bowl ($12).

On this visit; a Rooster Rice & Noodles banner had replaced the Wong's Wok sign.

And this time my food was just getting to the counter as I arrived and the nice young lady repeated my order to me….she seemed surprised I was ordering the Nem Khao.

So, how was the food this time around?

Well, there was a good amount of sour sausage and a few strands of pork skin. In terms of flavor; it was pretty straight-forward, no hints of kaffir lime leaf/lemograss/shallot/mint/peanut/etc…… The worse thing was that the rice was mushy without that wonderful contrast of crunchy-chewy textures.

The Crispy Pork Belly Rice Bowl had potential.

It came with standard issue steamed and blanched veggies and the rice was really mushy; though it had been drizzled with a sauce.

The Moo Krob was almost there in texture as it had some crispness but was a bit too soft for my taste. It was fairly bland however, it could have used more salt and seemed to be lacking in the swiney goodness I enjoy. I asked JeffP what he thought and he said about the same thing….close but no cigar. Still, this has some potential. And the portion size was quite generous for the price.

The pork would have been even better had the Nam Jim (dipping sauce) been a bite more assertive in heat and savory-sweet tones. It seemed a bit watered down.

Rooster Rice & Noodles seems to fill a niche for the area and the prices are quite good. The food seems a bit "fusiony" with quite a few accommodations made. Perhaps I'll return for that pork belly one day…..but I'm going to wait for a while.

Rooster Rice & Noodles
12265 Scripps Poway Parkway
Poway, CA 92064
(858) 397-2308
Current Hours:
Tues – Sun 1100 am – 3pm and 4pm – 9pm
Closed on Mondays

Fusion Eats

May 12, 2021 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Banh Mi, Sandwiches

**** Fusion Eats is now White Rice Morena

Back in July of last year I noticed a shop called Fusion Eats had opened off Linda Vista…..I believe it was a Vegan Vietnamese place previously. FOY "Som Tommy" mentioned in the comments of one of his posts that a couple of folks who lived in the area liked the place; especially the banh mi and wings; though I wasn't really keen on the name.

The menu had everything from "Banh Mi" to wings, to poke bowls, to "burritos", to curries, beef and broccoli, kung pao/orange chicken and fried rice……..you name it…..

Still, the place had online ordering; though the prices seemed on the high side, and it gave me a break from stewing in my home office for the entire day. So I placed an order and headed off to the strip mall on Linda Vista that houses Ballast Point, Buta Ramen, and formerly International Deli and Cafe and Da Kine's.

During my first visit, there was an outdoor dining area set-up. My bag was on the counter next to the register for pick up when I arrived. The young lady working was quite cheerful.

I ordered the Angus Beef Bulgogi "Banh Mi" ($9.95) and the Garlicky Wings ($8.95).

The banh mi looked standard issue.

And came with a side of what was described as won ton chips; but seemed more like pseudo plantain chips to me. Actually, that was my favorite thing about the dish.

In terms of a standard banh mi set-up this wasn't bad. The bread was decent standard issue, with nice yeastiness and crackly. The pickled veggies were abundant, not overly sour. Boy did this place like their cilantro, though I wasn't a fan off all the hard stems in the sandwich.

Where this didn't fare well was the "Angus Beef"; which was under marinated, and a bit too chewy for my taste.

The beef was just on the tough and bland side.

When I opened my wings, I quickly noticed globs of what appeared to be boogers fat on the greasy looking wings.

Which apparently were globs of butter? The wings were slippery and greasy. The batter was hard instead of crunchy-crispy….maybe it needed to be that way to stand up to all that garlic-butter? The flavor was kind of off as well; way too much butter, giving it kind of a rancid taste to me. The wings were decently fried and moist, but it was hard for me to get past the greasy texture and I wasn't fond of the taste.

In fact, I almost never went back…..which meant that I'd never do a post. Finally, a couple of months later, after taking into consideration how smoothly the online ordering went and how nice the young lady working was, I decided to give Fusion Eats another try.

Same drill as the last time; ordering was a breeze, my order was ready within a few minutes of arriving, and the young man working was very nice. By this time, things were open for 50% indoor dining and the outdoor area had been cleared.

This time around, I ordered the Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi (sorry, just couldn't order the Orange Chicken/Won Ton Soup….and of course not the poke bowl) and something that "ST" mentioned to me called Crispy Avocado Rolls.

The Lemongrass Chicken Banh Mi ($8.95) wasn't quite as good as the Bulgogi Banh Mi.

The bread was starting to go stale. Good amount of pickled veggies and cilantro as before. The lemongrass chicken had been stir-fried and while being a bit chewy was nice and moist, but quite bland. Also, there were almost inedible pieces of lemongrass mixed in with the chicken that made the whole process of eating somewhat ponderous.

Again, my favorite item were the won ton chips.

The Crispy Avocado Rolls ($8.95) were basically Avocado Lumpia

I'm not quite sure what to think of these. Perhaps these need to be consumed right away as the oil was starting to seep through the wrappers after my less than 15 minute drive home. There was a kind of greasy mushiness to the fried avocado….I've had fried and tempura avocado before….but perhaps because it was coated in panko/batter before frying….I had enjoyed it. Here it just seemed bland and greasy. Not enough corn/black beans/cilantro to actually make a difference in flavor. Imagine an eggroll/lumpia wrapper folded over a glob of fat……then biting into it. The garlic sauce could have used more garlic as well.

The menu just seems a bit all over the place; more "con-fusion" than fusion in my opinion. Perhaps it's more suited to the palates of USD students? Or maybe I've just tried the wrong things….I did try most of the items based on recommendations. Like always, I'll depend on all of you to lead me to the best items on the menu….though don't count on me going for the Orange Chicken. While the prices seem to be on the high side; I do want to like this place as the staff is so nice and the online ordering – pick-up process has been seamless.

So, any recommendations on what to try?

Fusion Eats
5299 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92110
(858) 633-2974
Current Hours:
Tues – Thurs 1130am – 8pm
Friday 1130am – 830pm
Sat – Sun Noon – 8pm

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Peidras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, Pacific Grove, and Dinner at Passionfish

May 7, 2021 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Seafood, Travel

We had really enjoyed our time in Cambria; from dinner at Madeline's to walking the wonderful trails at Fiscalini Ranch. But it was time to head to our next destination. I walked into Cambria and back to Cambria Coffee Roasting Company for our caffeine fix, we packed, then headed on out. Our next two evenings would be spent in Pacific Grove. The Missus had been to Monterey several times; I've always thought it too touristy for me and decided that perhaps we should stay just a short stroll away. Plus, there was a restaurant I'd always wanted to try out.

We stopped several times along the way, first at William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach.

And took a walk along the wooden pier.

On this day, it was a peaceful and scenic spot…….the breeze from the Pacific lightly caressing your face…..a lovely November (2020) day.

Just a few miles up the road was our next stop; the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery.

There was a lot of parking and a nice boardwalk where you can view the Elephant Seals. This was November, when according to this website, the large male Elephant Seals will start arriving.

No huge males on this day….just a bunch of adorable Elephant Seals relaxing and sun bathing.

And the occasional seal taking a dip to cool off.

We both found this stop relaxing and entertaining.

Maybe next time; once it's back open, we'll check out the lighthouse further on up the road.

We drove up Highway one thru Big Sur (this was before the portion of Highway 1 collapsed). Only stopping once near Big Sur Station.

We made good time to Pacific Grove and arrived before check-in. Which, in the time of Covid was done touch free……everything was done by key code; we never saw a single employee during our stay. I called the provided number and was told we could check in an hour earlier than scheduled. Still, there was a bit of time to kill. So, we found parking on the street near where we were staying and decided to do some exploring.

Pacific Grove is known as "Butterfly Town USA", so we decided to walk on over to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary down Lighthouse Avenue.

First thing I noticed were how charming many of the homes were.

In fact, this would lead us to a fun little walk later on during our stay.

Loved this sculpture at the Post Office on Lighthouse Avenue; it's called "Butterfly Kids".

It was a nice walk to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary.

Monarch Butterfly's usually start appearing in October to stay over the winter.

And yet we saw none as we walked the trails…..

And so we decided to sit on one of the benches for a while. After a few minutes we saw two Monarch Butterflies….unfortunately, those would be the only two we would see.

And while we were a bit disappointed to only see two; it has now turned to sadness upon reading this.

Our accommodations were at the historic Pacific Grove Inn, a Queen Anne style mansion built between 1904 and 1908.

The Missus was a bit leery about staying in an old house like this, creaky floors and all; but I got us a huge room on the top floor, which was way more room than we needed. I mean, how often are you able to stay in such an historical house….with no one to bother you?

I'm sure that in times not driven by the pandemic there might be some great amenities; but I truly liked being left alone to my own devices.

Dinner was a place I'd been wanting to check out for years; a favorite of the late Ed from Yuma, Passionfish. In fact, Ed did a three part post on the place. Of course, with Covid-19 I wasn't sure what was in store. It was all outdoor dining in the area at this time and the restaurant had done a wonderful job setting up on the patio upstairs in front of what looked like a nail salon.

Service was very efficient and professional, the restaurant had even created a satellite drink/wine station upstairs so customers could get served quickly. Ed had mentioned the amazing pricing of wine at Passionfish; bottles are sold at retail prices. Of course, we really weren't going to do entire bottles, so the Missus got Hers by the glass and thoroughly enjoyed things.

We started things off with some Buttermilk Biscuits.

My goodness; these were some of the best I've ever had; perfect, moist, wonderful flavor, a great balance in texture……man this was good!

The Spicy Fish Stew was a bit of a disappointment. It was quite bland; really tasting like a watered down mariscos consomme that one could get from a Taco truck.

Dungeness Crab Salad was excellent.

The sweet-savory crab meat, along with the almost buttery avocado was a nice one-two punch. The vinaigrette added a perfect touch of aciditiy.

Sea Scallop was perfectly seared; still rare in the middle. We both loved the caper-walnut topping.

Though we found the artichoke risotto cake to be a bit too mild in terms of flavor.

Smoked Trout Ceviche Tostadas were a bit overwhlemed by the spicy salsa and the mild tones of the smoked trout were lost.

Passionfish was a pioneer with regards to serving sustainable seafood and we were excited to try at least one fish dish. So we ordered the Rockfish, with a Jicama-Mint Salad, Rice Crisps, and Cashews. The fish was cooked perfectly; tender and moist. The spicy nuoc mam sauce might have been a bit too much for such a delicately flavored fish, but you couldn't complain about how well the fish had been prepped. Not a big fan of the grapefruit, but the Missus liked it. Loved the greens, a nice combination of bitter-savory-sweet and the cashews added another layer of savory-nutty tones.

All in all a very nice meal; a couple of dishes that missed the mark a bit; but wonderful service and the Missus and I talked about Ed….how he'd be viewing the pandemic, etc.

Passionfish
701 Lighthouse Ave.
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

On the way back we noticed something in the window of this art store.

It was a cat!

We loved it! From this point onward, we'd always stop and check out the "art store cats" to see what was up! They kept us entertained on our walks back to our accommodations.

We were really enjoying Pacific Grove!

Thanks for stopping by!

Kim’s Deli

February 16, 2021 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Korean Restaurants, Sandwiches

In previous posts I've mentioned the phrase "Google is your friend". Here's another example…..I went ahead and Googled "Teriyaki Beef Sandwich" and was surprised at one of the results. It was fairly close to the office, named Kim's Deli….which seemed like one of those little business park sandwich shops. Looking over the menu, I was fascinated and based on the name, well, it immediately reminded me of The Sandwich Place. I went ahead and drove on over finding the shop in (of course) a business park at the end of a cul-de-sac.

I entered and headed over to the social distancing marks….I was the only person in the place. Soon enough, a very nice Korean woman came over and I ordered the Teriyaki Beef sandwich, priced nicely at $7.

I went ahead and drove back to the office and opened my sandwich.

This was actually not bad for the price. The beef, while obviously reheated in a microwave was more tender than what I expected and while a bit on the sweeter side, nicely marinated and not overly salty. It's actually better than TSP's. The bread was standard issue a bit crumbly, but yeasty. I'm not sure about the provolone cheese on this, the jury's out…..I'll try it again and see. There was a bit too much mayo, but this was a decent sandwich….especially for seven bucks.

While waiting for my sandwich; I noticed that there were some poke bowls (sorry, not for me) and a Bulgogi Bowl ($9) available. The woman working told me it was available every day. So, a week later, I called in my order, which was ready for pick up when I arrived.

I was quite surprised at the heftiness of my package and when opened was surprised at the quantity of food.

I cracked up when I opened my "box" up….as this was bit more than a "bowl"; but beyond that, the plate totally reminded me of something I would get from a lunchwagon back in my hanabuddah days or if they added in some, say namul and kimchi, it would look like one of the "local kine" (I always say local style meat and three) Korean takeout places.

Nothing fancy here; the japchae was straightforward; on the salty side and mostly just noodles.

The Bulgogi was the same meat as the teriyaki; but more tender this time and fairly well marinated.

Again, no frills, straightforward.

I mean, really, what do you expect at this price point?

The green salad was fine, fresh, with a sesame dressing.

The extra sauce for the bulgogi tasted like Yoshida's.

The rice was plentiful, but on the dry side.

No complaints really; I felt I got what I paid for…….

After this visit; I decided that I needed to try a deli sandwich to just complete the set. I called in an order for the Green Chili Roast Beef ($7). Again I called in my order which was ready for pick-up when I arrived.

As you can see; the sandwich used a standard issue telera style roll; though it was a bit more substantial than some I've had.

This one fell a bit short for me; mainly because I wished for a bit less lettuce and more roast beef. The slice of green chili only covered half the sandwich as well. There was quit a bit of avocado in this though. It was on the bland side overall.

Kim's seems to be a good place for hard working folks to get decent food at a good price.

Folks who are regular readers of our little blog know that I have a definite affection for these family owned, mom-and-pop places. Nothing fancy here; just decent food at good prices and on many days….well, that just fits the bill.

Kim's Deli
8515 Arjons Drive
San Diego, CA 92126
(858) 566-0370
Hours:
Mon – Fri 7am – 2pm
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Takeout from Greenhaus Vegetarian Eatery

November 17, 2020 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Indian Restaurants, Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants

**** Greenhaus has closed

Back in August while driving down Morena Boulevard, I noticed that the longtime Chinese Fast-Food place, Wok In Express was gone and being replaced by, gosh, of all things a vegetarian restaurant! The first thing that went through my mind was “wow, boy has Morena changed since we moved to San Diego”!

Nestled between JV’s Taco Shop, the Donut Shop, and Waters Fine Foods in the cramped parking lot, I made a mental note of the place.

Then, returning from picking up lunch from another place on Linda Vista (yes ST, I’ll get that post done soon), I noticed that Greenhaus had opened.

A week or so later, I decided to drop by at around eleven, before that tiny parking lot gets crazy.

The interior of the restaurant had been emptied with two small “two tops” set-up outside….the Covid thing, you know.

With a name like Greenhaus, other than being vegetarian….cause the sign said so; I wasn’t sure what kind of cuisine was being served.

A quick look at the menu and menu card straightened things out quickly.

This was one of those “fast-casual” concepts, basically Indian….where you pick sauces, proteins, and a “style”……whether a wrap, salad, plate…..or even tacos(???). There’s even a “snack” menu with samosas and such. The owner, whose name, please forgive me if I misspell it; is Gubi was so friendly and helpful. I wanted to figure out what the best combination of Sauce and Protein was for a plate. I was thinking Spiced Chickpeas and a Lentil Curry sauce. Gubi said that would be a good combination. I went with a carb two-fer; getting the garlic naan and basmati rice as my sides for the plate ($12). Gubi also said he put in a sample of the Masala sauce for me to try. I was shocked when I opened my bag…..man, this was a lot of food!

Geez Louise, look at all that rice and all that naan? The basmati rice was perfect in texture and mildly fragrant. The lentil sauce, was basically a milder, lighter, sauce version of green lentil daal. It wasn’t super rich, had a nice nuttiness, a decent sauce. The chickpeas were nicely done, I believe they use dried chickpeas, because these weren’t overly salty, nor were they mushy. It had a really nice exterior firmness that gave way to a pleasant creaminess. Again mild and not overly seasoned, but not bad. I saved half of this for the Missus who loved it and wiped it all out. So, I guess Greenhaus has a fan.

There was a generous portion of garlic naan provided. It was a bit thinner and less doughy than what I’m used to; but it went well with the tangy masala sauce. Again, this was a lighter, more tangy-acidic version of masala, without all the thick buttery-creamy textures and not very spicy, nor overly seasoned, which worked fine here.

Overall, I hesitate to call it Indian food, let’s just stick with “Indian inspired”….a bit lighter, fast-casual in concept. While most of these type of places aren’t my kind of thing, we were pleasantly surprised with our meal. It’s also quite a good value as well.

I decided to return a week or so later. I wanted to try the “Veggie Meatballs” especially since they were made with garbanzos (chickpeas), knowing I’d have leftovers for the Missus who loves garbazos (see above). I asked Gubi what sauce to get and he recommended the Masala. So I got the Veggie Meatballs with Masala sauce, basmati rice, and a salad.

Again, quite a bit of food. The “meatballs” were very much a milder version chickpea kofta; though it was a bit on the dry and bland side for our taste. The masala this time was less tangy; though much thicker and richer….frankly, I preferred the previous version.

The salad was fresh, the greens sparkling, though the vinaigrette was quite routine and bland.

So, I think we’ll stick with the spiced chickpeas….especially if the Missus has a say in things.

Overall, while I’m not a big fan of most fast-casual “concepts”……because frankly, most places just seem to quit at the “concept”, with mainly revenue in mind, and let the cards (food) fall where they may. And honestly, I think most folks may have their favorite combinations at these fast-casual places…heck we still order one thing from “Da Poodle” a couple of times a year. I’d say that Greenhaus makes a good quality product and while the flavors may seem on the mild side; I don’t think it’s bland at all. A big plus is the owner, who is very friendly and helpful. This is more fusion than “con-fusion” and I can live with that. After all; someone’s going to have to get the Missus Her chickpeas, right?

Greenhaus Vegetarian Eatery
1118 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110
Current Hours
Mon – Sat 11am – 9pm
Closed Sundays

Road Trip (During Covid-19) – The Black Sheep (Santa Barbara)

November 14, 2020 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Cocktails, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

I spent a good month planning our road trip….the dates; not only was the Missus and I burnt out from work, but also from all the toxic politics and hate being spewed. I knew it was going to boil over during election week. Since I had already voted by mail, we decided to leave on the Sunday right after Halloween. I had basically planned out all the dinners….we really don't eat lunch….just having croissants, fruits, nuts, and bars when travelling. We save our calories for dinner. I had decided to stop overnight in Santa Barbara, where we could pick-up wonderful looking bentos from our favorite restaurant on our previous visit to the city and eat on the patio of the motel we were staying in. Unfortunately, a week before our trip Yoichi's decided to stop take-out service and prepare to reopen for dining in and were going to be closed until further notice. I immediately did a bunch of research and picked out a couple of places and let the Missus decide. Which she did and I made reservations for an outdoor table at the earliest time available.

It was a wonderful morning when we left San Diego.

We got to Santa Barbara in record time and arrived early. Our motel was on State Street, but not on the portion to the South that was now a pedestrian only zone. I basically chose the place because of the location and this was the only stop where I actually went in and wiped down the room before we settled in.

Getting to SB early meant that we had time to kill, so we headed down State Street. The Trinity Episcopal Church was having services (this was a Sunday) when we passed…..outdoors.

And it was a pleasant walk as we passed very few people….everyone wearing a mask, along the way.

And State Street was closed from Sola Street to Haley Street, creating a pedestrian zone with outdoor dining areas created.

And with very few people, being able to walk in the street, really enabled one to distance.

I got a kick from the Earth without Art is just "EH" sign and also took note of the business below that sign.

After checking to see where we'd be eating that evening…..to also scope out the outdoor situation we headed back to the motel; we always include a medium sized ice chest when we do road trips and I grabbed some sparkling water, almonds, and an energy bar. We ate on the empty elevated patio of the motel and when we finished, our room was ready.

We freshened up and took a short nap.

We headed down to our dinner destination.

The place the Missus chose for dinner was the Black Sheep….She was fascinated by the rather eclectic menu and the cocktail list.

And got to chose our little table outside in the covered garage like area. Where we saw an amazing sunset……

Our Server was wonderful, very warm, friendly, gracious. While there were several "hiccups" with our meal, we really enjoyed our experience as a whole.

The menu had quite a collection of dishes; from Potato Tacos to Ramen to Duck Confit….I was quite surprised that the Missus had chosen this place.

We decided on what we were going to order and then took a look at the cocktail list….which, unfortunately only had 4-5 drinks on it. A far cry from the online cocktail menu. When we asked what was going on with this we were told that they just lost their mixologist….sad, there's nothing to be done about that, so we went off that list.

I decided on the Yuzu Margarita.

Which, while being a light on the Tequila and Triple-sec, was nice and refreshing. The Missus got the Black Sheep Manhattan which was passable, but could have used a large sized cocktail ice cube or two.

The first dish out was the Australian Wagyu Beef Carpaccio….we laughed when we were told it was "A7 Wagyu" and instantly knew it wasn't Japanese Wagyu.

The dish supposedly had uni and dashi; but we didn't see any on the plate. The beef was very good however; clean tasting, no hints of metallic-off flavors, the basil oil was wonderful and the Missus loved the potato puree

The Missus also really enjoyed the Bone Marrow Bruschetta.

This was wonderful play of textures, from the buttery, very beefy bone marrow, the panko, perfectly toasted baguette. The port sauce wasn't overly sweet….it was closer to a veal jus, the mustard greens added a pleasant bitterness, and the pear a pleasant tart-sweetness.

The potato tacos weren't bad either.

This version used a wonderfully dense, slightly sweeter-nutty purple potatoes, which was really highlited when combined with the pickled onions and tangy crema. Call it hipster tacos if you will; but this wasn't too bad.

While munching on the tacos and bruschetta, we asked the Server about the Uni and Dashi on the carpaccio…..he kindly asked us to hold on for a second while he checked with the kitchen. About ten minutes later he came back out with the chef who had a bowl in hand. Apparently, they'd forgotten the uni and dashi on our carpaccio and decided to give us a special dish using the wagyu beef, uni, and dashi.

Along with the sweet-spice from the sliced chilies; this was really good. In fact, the Missus and I think that had the uni and dashi been used with the carpaccio; it might have just been too much, clashing flavors. Here there was a nice oceany-beefy cleanness to the dish. Kudos to the staff for making things right.

At this point the Server told us he'd bring us our check….but…..we had also ordered the Boqorones. Which they'd kind of let slip. A few minutes later; things were corrected.

Perhaps we had pushed our luck a bit on this one….having had Boquerones in Spain and Portugal…this was a bit too "fishy" for the Missus and the crostini was too hard.

Regardless, in spite of the hiccups, we really loved the service, and the folks here were very warm and kind…..perhaps it had been so long since we'd actually had a meal out (232 days)? But I think not. We really did enjoy our experience and the carpaccio (both ways!) and the bruschetta were delicious.

The Black Sheep
26 E Ortega St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-1113
Current Hours:
Wed – Sat 5pm – 10pm
Sunday 5pm – 9pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

On an interesting note; this wouldn't be our last food (or drinks) on this evening.

Stay tuned for that one!

Sunday Sandwiches – Tadian Cafe

September 20, 2020 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Sandwiches

I noticed this little shop on my way to Hawaiian Fresh Seafood a couple of weeks back. There used to be a little sandwich shop named Café Seven; that I visited last year, but never returned.

It was now named Tadian Café….interesting name. I wondered if the owners were Filipino….you see; back in Hawaii, I used to work with a fellow whose family was from the Province in the Phillipines bearing that name……we used to joke about a specific mountain in that province that had quite an "interesting" name.

After looking thru the online menu; I noticed things like smoothies, Teriyaki Plates, Broken Rice, among the sandwiches….there was a distinct fusion aspect to the menu……which, while particularly not enticing to me, made me a bit curious about the place.

So, I placed an online order and headed over to the Tadian Café. My order was ready and on the counter when I arrived….I was in and out in less than 2 minutes. The young lady prepping food was very pleasant and quite sweet.

And I headed back with my Chinese Sausage Sandwich ($7.99), which nicely priced. There are options for sandwiches online….I basically just wanted my bread toasted.

I quickly read the label on my bag which said "Tadian – Vietnamese Cuisine and Sandwiches"….which cleared up some of what I had in mi Cabeza….

This was a decent sandwich for the price and my favorite of the three that I've had from Tadian. The standard issue "French Roll" was somewhat airy; if a bit too dense to consider a banh mi. The lup cheong had been toasted and had what a pleasant chew to it….it might be a bit too tough for some; but I especially enjoyed this with the creamy avocado……lup cheong and avocado, who knew? The pickled jalapenos, you know, the type you buy at the Mexican market in a can, added acidity, a mild spice, and helped bring things together. Lettuce, tomato, onion, rounded out the sandwich, with the mayo adding richness, but being otherise unobtrusive.

Not a bad sandwich at all.

While taking a quick peek at the photo menu behind the counter, I noticed an interesting sandwich; which I don't recall seeing anywhere before – a Thai Roast Beef ($8.50). So, the next time I had a chance, I ordered one, adding sprouts (50 cents) and thinking it might need some heat, jalapenos.

This time my sandwich was waiting for me on the shelf right inside the shop.

I'm glad I got the jalapenos as even though this was a fairly hefty sandwich; this really didn't impress me in terms of "Thai" flavors….yes, there was some sweet and savory-salty flavors; but it would have been pretty run-of-the-mill and in need of some "zip" and more assertive flavors.

The roll was nicely toasted and somewhat crusty as well; which certainly helped things.

I also noticed a pack of LKK Sweet Chili Sauce and crushed red peppers in my bag. Perhaps I was supposed to add my own flavors?

This past week; I decided to grab a sandwich on the way home to check on Frankie. On my last visit, the young lady recommended the "Pastrami Bomb" ($8.99); so I decided to order it – on toasted sourdough.

When I got home I opened things up – it was a decent sized sandwich.

You can tell what my problem was with this, right? The bread hadn't been toasted enough and it had way too much honey-mustard……..the bread was saturated as was the pastrami. I'm game to try this again; but will definitely ask for them to go easy on the honey-mustard mayo, since the pastrami tasted fine outside the sandwich and I think it would have been quite good evenly dressed.

I did however, get a tidbit of information on this visit. I asked the young lady about the meaning of the name and was told that in Vietnamese it means something like "let's go and eat"…..I'm sure one of my "FOYs" will let me know if that is true or not.

So basically, there's an interesting range of sandwiches at Tadian; from Grill Cheeses and interesting variations on standards and a bunch of stuff on the menu with an Asian/Vietnamese flair. As most of my regular readers know; I have an affection for these independent, family-owned sandwich shops. The young lady working is so sweet and my sandwiches have always been ready for pick-up when I arrive, I'll definitely return.

Tadian Cafe
5955 Mira Mesa Blvd. Suite K
San Diego, CA 92121
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 9am – 2pm

Takeout from Cross Street Chicken and Beer

July 14, 2020 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Chicken Wings, Korean Restaurants

In my last revisit to Cross Street, I mentioned wanting to try the garlic parmesan wings. So, last week I placed an online order before heading home to check on Frankie. Interesting set-up; there are two lines one for take-out/pick-up, the other for seating on the patio. There were actually three people waiting to be seated, but my line had no one. There were quite a bit of staff on hand….which made me happy….people working, getting paid….I'm trying to tip at least 20% when I can…..I think of it as not having to pay a delivery fee and I'm hoping it's my little bit to keep places in business. Anyway, up to the window and out in five minutes….heck it took me longer to find parking.

So, a half order of wings ($10) and I couldn't help but order the Corn Poppers ($8) which I had really enjoyed on my last visit.

There are now five wings (instead of six) in a half order; but if anything, these are even larger than before. Not sure what is going on, but the wongs just seem to be bigger on every visit. And that one drumette was huge……it was also tough and dry. Like I always say; I'm all for wings that are smaller, but have a nice batter/skin to meat ratio. I did prefer this flavoring to what I'd had before, not overly sweet, perhaps edging on the salty side, but not bad. Again the batter here is more crunchy than crisp. The wing pieces were decently moist, with no dark spots or off flavors, if a bit on the chewy side.

I was really "on the fence" when thinking about ordering the corn poppers. I really wasn't sure they would hold up well on the rather short trip home. And indeed, these were starting to crack and deflate. The flavor was still that slightly sweet corn, bacon, some mild spice….it's just that the breadcrumb exterior was starting to break down and the textures, which was part of what I had previously enjoyed about these were starting to go down hill; the crunchiness was gone, the creamy bechamel had started to get somewhat gluey, with a slight grittiness…..I really missed that molten, tongue melting, but creamy feel.

Oh well, I'll just have to wait until I'm feeling comfortable with eating in I guess.

Good to see that Cross Street seems to be doing well.

Cross Street Chicken and Beer
4403 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 430-6001
Current (Covid-19) Hours
Daily – 1130am – 10pm

Munich – A Quick Visit to the Viktualienmarkt and Dinner at Werneckhof by Geisel

June 24, 2020 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Fine Dining, German Restaurants and Food, Germany, Markets & Grocers, Memorable Meals, Munich, Travel

When planning our trip last year that started in Budapest and ended in the Missus's favorite city….yep, Paris, I needed to find stops in between. While the Missus does humor my desire to travel by train; She requested that no trip be longer than three hours or so. So, when planning our exit from Salzburg, I had to keep that parameter in mind. After providing a few options; the Missus agreed on Munich. It seemed an interesting city, we'd never been to Germany….and frankly, I'd always wanted to check out an honest to goodness Beer Garden.

Once, I started to do a bit of research, I got a bit excited when I read about Werneckhof by Geisel, lead by a German-Japanese Chef; Tohru Nakamura. I managed to snag reservations quite easily, considering the place has 2 Michelin Stars.

We arrived at the huge sprawling Munich Central Train Station after a uneventful two hour ride from Salzburg. I had made arrangements to stay at an Airbnb on Schillerstrasse a quick stroll from the train station. The rather "International" and slightly seed feel to the neighborhood bothered the Missus at first. But, in the end, She took to the area.

Of course, after settling in, the Missus wanted to head out right away….some things never change. I had wanted to check out the Viktualienmarkt, Munich's popular and very well known open air market. So, we headed on over. The Market has a long history, dating back to the 15th century….though it became a market by official decree in 1807.

Considering that the market is centrally located in Munich; it's amazing to consider that it covers an area of five-and-a-half acres!

Wanting just to quickly check things out; we started at the Maypole, which along with a bit of history, also lists out, like a typical traditional one, the various specialties of the region.

Among the many traditions that surround the Maypole is the mischievous one where rival villages try to steal their neighbor's Maypole. Here's a funny story of a group from the tiny village of Neufinsing (population 4300) who managed to pull off a heist of the Munich Maypole! When the terms of ransom was settled; the thieves managed to get two meals and beer out of it! You gotta love it!

We found folks in Munich and Stuttgart to be very well mannered and yet friendly in a reserved kind of way.

And also very social.

We'd return to the Viktualienmarkt and actually have a meal and spend a bit more time shopping later on during our stay.

We decided to take a quick walk to the Marienplatz ("Mary's Square"), considered to be the hustling-bustling heart of Munich. The massive New Town Hall ("Neues Rathaus") with its famous Glockenspiel takes up one entire side of the square.

We'd return here several times during our stay as well.

For now; it was time to head back to the apartment to take a short rest before heading out to dinner. Dinner was in the North Eastern part of Munich. We ended up taking the U-Banh from the Goetheplatz station and got out at Giselastrasse. From there, Google Maps was my friend and we found Werneckhof by Geisel.

The exterior is very low keyed; we were greeted immediately after entering the restaurant, shown our table, and then taken to meet the chef. We were the first customers this evening; so it was nice chatting with Chef Nakamura; whose father is Japanese and Mother German. The Chef was also interested in why we chose to dine at Werneckhof by Geisel. We mentioned our affinity for Franco-Japanese cuisine, we loved how well the flavors melded together, the precise cooking and presentation, how some places edged more on European and others more Asian. We then rattled off some of the places we'd been to; Sola, Takao Takano, Alliance, and the Chef smiled and mentioned cooking with these Chefs during events and having actually worked in the same kitchen as well.

Dinner started with nice aperitifs, then the appetizer course. We were thrilled that the appetizers revolved around white asparagus which was in season. Each using white asparagus in different preparations.

The pickled asparagus was a sight to behold, wonderfully presented, the tofu and sorrel vinaigrette amazingly smooth. The raw asparagus was amazingly sweet and was balanced out with rocket and camelina. The grilled version was probably the most mundane of the trio; though you really couldn't complain about the quality of the product. The preparations was a nice way to enjoy and appreciate how delicious white asparagus is.

The Missus and I each took one of the tasting menus so, even though there was some overlap we'd be able to get a nice, full range of dishes.

Up next for me was the "Hamachi". Basically a Yellowtail Tatare and some sliced like sashimi.

This was a wonderful range of textures; the firm, yet buttery Hamachi, the thick, rich parsley sauce, and in an interesting touch, the marinade in buttermilk, which added a pleasant milky-acidity to the dish.

First up for the Missus was the Langoustine in Shiitake Aspic, with Oyster and Anchovies.

I wasn't sure how all these really strong flavors would work together; but there was a good amount of balance in the earthy versus the oceany-savory…..and that langoustine basically melted in your mouth!

We both had the Bavarian Salmon Trout (Steelhead) as our next dish.

The sesame and kombu beurre blanc was quite interesting adding a mixture of nutty-slightly briny flavors to the very tender fish. Yuzu added a nice acidity that helped to cut the richness. In a fairly humorous moment, the Maître'd Markus, a very mellow and friendly young man, ambled on over and started explaining what Yuzu and Kombu was……I started laughing and told him "I'm Japanese" and he cracked up saying that most of the customers, especially the German customers have no idea what these ingredients are and for many, the flavors are still mysterious and exotic. I really enjoyed chatting with Markus and his twin brother, who is the Sommelier, Tobias.

Next dish up, the Gilthead Seabream, another overlap in our tasting menu.

The rice was a bit underdone; but the pressed octopus and especially the fish based sauce was an amazing umami bomb. The fish was perfectly tender; I'm thinking it might have been sous vide.

At this point, we were asked to stretch out legs and led downstairs.

And we were taken to….."Shibuya"!

In the restaurant's wine cellar, a little bar was set-up along with the fixins for some Kushi Shabu. And some great entertainment from the "Mad Professor"…..

We got sake or shochu, and a couple of skewers……

We were regaled with stories of the chef and other staff, various jokes, and of course everything ended with the perfect photo-op as well!

We returned to our table for the "main courses". By now the dining room was starting to fill up.

Next up for me was a super tender, rich, and delicious Luma (a company from Switzerland which specializes in Aged Pork) Pork Belly topped with wonderfully earthy morel mushrooms.

The Missus had nice, though rather forgettable (compared to the pork belly) BBQ Eel.

And the meal's crescendo for me was the Ozaki Wagyu……whoa man.

And that truffle sauce….with a nice savory-spicy touch of Gochujang…….

The Missus's Koji Brined Grilled Saddle of Venison was also a big winner.

The lovely, flavor of the pasture, perfectly cooked, fork tender, the jus amazing….a touch of wasabi…good lord; an amazing dish!

And as a palate cleanser…the Missus absolutely loved Erna….the name of the Kombucha's Scoby…..

Dessert here were no joke……the Missus was in heaven.

Shiso, Medlar, Elderflower, and Yogurt.

Mara de Bois Strawberries, Tahitian Vanilla, Tonka Bean, and Sansho.

Hojicha, Raspberry and Lemon Balm.

I thought the snacks that were brought out with the check were presented wonderfully, on a map of Munich where these confections were created.

And I really enjoyed the fortune cookies.

We really enjoyed our meal at Werneckhof by Geisel. And much like our meal at Takao Takano a mere six months before; it was definitely one of the best meals we've had. We loved the effcient yet relaxed service and vibe; not stuffy in the least, a nice playfulness, but with seriously executed food. Markus and Tobias were amazing…….I still remember their names. And that's a photo of Chef Nakamura stirring the pot as a child to the right……he's been cooking for a long time!

I seriously think we'll try to return.

Werneckhof by Geisel
Werneckstrasse 11
80802 München, Germany

We caught a taxi back to the apartment….there were some road closures, so we had the very friendly cabbie drop us off a couple of blocks from our residence. The short walk back actually did us good. We'd get a great night's sleep and wake ready for another busy day!

Thanks for stopping by!