Beer – mmm-yoso

Road Trip – Lupulo and Revisiting The Buttery (Santa Cruz)

January 10, 2026 mmm-yoso Bakery, Beer, Croissants, Dog Friendly, Gastropub, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

After a nice morning hike and a pork filled lunch we had ourselves a nice nap. Upon rising, we decided to head back to downtown Sant Cruz, where the Missus could get more shopping in. And then we’d find a place to have an early dinner.

Because the Missus didn’t feel comfortable among all the homeless in San Lorenzo Park, we walked over to the Soquel Avenue Bridge and crossed the river there.

Check out this truck and trailer crossing the bridge!

Right as we got to Pacific Avenue, one of the main streets in Downtown; the Missus saw this shop.

What else could I say other than “Ommmm on in”?

It was quite a “groovy” experience.

We wandered thru the side streets and alleyways. Check out the tea master at this Tea House.

We headed north to where Pacific Avenue meets Front Street and came to the Town Clock.

Which I later learned had quite an interesting story behind it. You can read about it here.

We then headed down Front Street.

Lined with shops, coffee places, and restaurants…..

And came across these Rockin’ Nana’s….man, they were really good! And much cooler than me!

Meanwhile, a street art thing was happening on the corner.

While walking thru one of the passageways, we came across this “groovy” tea shop/cafe. Named Roxa (and no my fellow Kama’aina’s it ain’t RockZa ok!) Hammock Cafe.

It sold tea and other herbal drinks and had actual hammocks spanning two floors! No, I didn’t feel comfortable taking photos since there were folks just having their teas and lounging on the hammocks. The Missus actually got some tea from here.

I could see why Santa Cruz played a big part in the “Summer of Love”. Some of it still lingers on….

We decided to get an early dinner. Of course the question was, where? I had heard about a nice Gastropub named Lupulo, that served up some decent brews and some “Latin” style dishes so we decided to walk on over and give it a try.

There was outdoor seating, which worked fine for JJ. I went in and ordered. The gentleman working was quite friendly.

The place was pretty busy as well…..

The menu was indeed Mexican/Latin based, I placed my order and had a nice Pliny while we waited for our order.

I loved the glasses here!

And we also enjoyed watching the customers……

As for food. Well, you know how the Missus loves Her meatballs, so I ordered the Albondigas.

The bread was meh……but those beef and pork meatballs were quite good. A bit dense, but you could tell there was pork there! The tomato “sofrito” was tangy, with nice garlic tones. This was fairly good.

I also ordered the Cochinita Pibil tacos….which was made from chicken rather than pork.

This was actually not bad at all. Nice tangy acidity, a bit on the chewier side, which is fine for tacos. Decent savory tones, really enjoyed the pickled onions. The tortillas were quite basic and routine, but not terrible. This was actually not bad and made for a pleasant meal.

Lupulo Craft Beer House
233 Cathcart St.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060

It had been an enjoyable day for us!

As for the next morning….well….you know we’d be back at the Buttery. And by this time…..well, JJ was now into full “croissant mode”!

And it was just as good as the day before if not better!

The Buttery
702 Soquel Ave.
Santa Cruz, CA 95062

We really enjoyed Santa Cruz and can’t wait to return….with JJ of course!

Thanks for stopping by!

Valle de Guadalupe – Olibaja Olive Oil, a “Return” to Vinícola Retorno, and Dinner at Salvia Blanca

August 9, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Beer, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Seafood, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

As we passed vineyards on our drive to Vinos Las Nubes, the Missus and I noticed olive trees being used as windbreaks for the grapes. We asked Isaac if Valle produced olive oil and he mentioned several producers of that product in the area. Now this was something we really didn't know! I guess it seemed that we were quite interested in the olive oil and being ever so proactive, when we returned for our next stop Isaac asked us if we'd like to do a tasting! While we were doing our sampling of the wines at Las Nubes, Isaac called around and found a tasting room open, which we headed to after our tasting, lunch, and tour at Decantos Vinicola.

The producer was Olibaja.

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The young lady who provided our tasting was very sweet and also gave us a short tour of the facilities. She was full of information….the few notes I took mentioned Manzanilla olives…..

The olive oil was slightly fruity, with a hint of bitterness, and quite green in color. The Missus had a great time; you know how much She loves Her olive oil having done tastings in several locales.

We ended up purchasing two bottles of olive oil, which is good for daily use, and a couple of bars of olive oil soap as gifts.

Olibaja
Carretera Principal al Porvenir
B.C., Mexico

And then while we were headed to our last stop, Isaac mentioned that his friend, who brews craft beer was working at a tasting room and if we'd like to visit. We said "of course", he then mentioned that it was at Vinicola Retorno which we had visited on the previous day. When we told him this, he was going to revert back to the previous plans, but we told him that Retorno was our favorite wine stop on our tour of Valle and we'd be glad to return. And thus, we "returned" to Retorno.

And we got in a nice tasting of beer and also a special tasting of something, at that time Retorno was doing as an experiment.

Producing a version of Port Wine. Since our visit to Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, I've come to appreciate a nice glass of Port. Especially with Blue Cheese, something I learned during our cheese tasting at Le Cheese Geek in Paris.

This was pretty good!

Good enough for me to talk them into buying a bottle. And the Missus got a bottle of Her two favorite whites as well.

In the end, we enjoyed the more casual, warm, and personal atmosphere of Vinícola Retorno. In fact, we'd like to "return to Retorno" again soon!

Vinícola Retorno
Santos Degollado 161
Villa de Juárez, B.C., Mexico

We really enjoyed the friendliness, flexibility, and expertise of the drivers that Aimee coordinated for us. She was such a pleasure to work with and arranged all the initial tastings and lunches.

As for this evening; well, four stops worked just fine for us as part of the goal was to relax as well. Which we did back at Contemplación Hotel.

And knowing we'd be wanting to just "chill", I had dinner reservations at the restaurant in the hotel complex, Salvia Blanca which I mentioned in my previous post. We got a lovely al fresco table.

Which came with it's own special "host". This super sweet and friendly pooch!

I think he must be one of the dogs considered to be "staff" by the hotel. The actual host did come by immediately and asked if he was bothering us…..and of course we told him that we loved the extra attention!

Having had my fill of wine for the day; I started things off with a cerveza.

I guess the restaurant has its own line of beer? This was on the fruity-sweet side; but nice and light as well.

As for the food; well, in keeping with we had been eating in the region; it was seafood heavy.

Starting with the Aguachile Oysters.

Nice and refreshing, upfront citrus, with a hint of spice and pungency. The oyster's true colors comes thru in the finish with a meaty-brininess.

The oysters outshone the Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche.

Which seemed bland in comparison. While the shrimp was tender, the scallops seemed tasteless and the marinating liquid seemed a bit on the lighter side in terms of crisp sourness….it could have been that this was served alongside the oysters.

The one non-seafood item was the Tuetano; bone marrow.

A bit of overkill with slices of beef tataki on it, but this was really good on the blue corn tostadas. Wish the bone marrow was a bit more "jelly-ish", but an interesting range of flavors with the blue corn tostadas, avocado cream, cilantro, and pickled onions. Perhaps a bit over-the-top since I like my bone marrow plain, but an interesting dish overall.

The fish of the day was interesting.

A lot going on here. The skin was nice and crisp, the flesh had a nice sweetness to it but was on the drier side. The "sikil pak", a pepito and tomato based sauce could have used a bit more acidity and spice; but was quite rich. The salsa topping had the nice kick of jalapenos and some garlicky pungency.

Which meant I needed a cocktail as dessert.

Overall a nice meal. We love the atmosphere and the vibe.

The wonderful "host" is a plus!

Salvia Blanca (Contemplación Hotel)
Calle Merlot Parcela 325 Ejido El Porvenir
Francisco Zarco, B.C., Mexico

Since we had spent some time exploring the hotel grounds earlier, we decided to take the road down the hill to Calle Merlot and take a short walk down the dirt road.

We had enjoyed our stay at Contemplación Hotel and really had fun experiencing some of what the Valle de Guadalupe had to offer.

Odds and Ends – Cumin Chinese Cauliflower (Caulilini), Pliny the Elder at Bay Hill Tavern, and Other “Stuffs”

June 26, 2025 mmm-yoso Beer, Cooking, Pubs and Pub Grub, Recipes, yoso-silly

Just a couple of quick things for today…..

I don't know if you've noticed. Many times, when we're having Chinese food whether at a restaurant or for takeout, we don't order vegetables. The reason for this is that the Missus has a hard time spending maybe over $15 for stir fried veggies. On most occasions we'll have leftovers and then I'll go ahead and stir fry veggies at home. I still have a Big Kahuna, my second one since 2005, this one goes to 65,000 BTU and is great for wok stir fries.

Or, as in the case of the item below, I'll go ahead and roast something in the air fryer…..sometimes I'll do both at the same time as doing the stir fry can take less than 2 minutes!

Anyway, the latest item was something I just kinda made up. The Missus really likes Caulilini, which is known here as Chinese Cauliflower. It's the type of cauliflower She grew up eating in China. Also known as Baby Cauliflower, it features thin green stems, is a bit sweeter, the florets are more loosely arranged. The Missus grew up eating cauliflower stir fried with tomato. I thought I'd try something interesting, knowing that She enjoys the flavor of cumin in dishes like BO Zi Ran Yang Rou (Cumin Lamb). I thought the P-Cresol-ish cumin would go nicely with cauliflower and it did.

Cumin Cauliflower 01

Because the quantity of cauliflower varies, I'll just give you a photo of the ingredients (minus the cauliflower).

Cumin Cauliflower 02

There's a certain sequence that I've been using for making this.

Air Fryer Cumin Cauliflower
1 – After rinsing, prepping, and draining the cauliflower pour a few tablespoons of avocado, or any other neutral oil into a mixing bowl. Add cauliflower and combine.
2 – Add Sichuan Peppercorn oil to coat and White Pepper
3 – Add Cumin, Chinese Five Spice, and Granulated Garlic – I used to use fresh shopped garlic but it burned too easy. Mix well.
4 – Taste to make sure the cumin flavor comes thru clearly
5 – Add about a tablespoon of soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of chili crisp, I found that Lau Gan Ma works the best.
6 – Stir and mix well to coat.
7 – Taste and adjust seasonings and add smoked salt.
8 – Roast in 450° Air Fryer for 12-14 minutes.

The time the Missus said She wanted me to grill some Shishamo:

So, I went to grill some veggies and also some of my Local Kine Chashu Chicken for the Missus when She asked me to grill some Shishamo for Her. I thought this kind of strange, since we'd sometimes do it on the Konro, but She wanted it grilled….

So, I prepped some.

Shishamo JJ 01

When I finished, I found out who it was actually for. Guess who got Shishamo?

Shishamo JJ 02b

I actually posted about it on Instagram and some folks found it funny…..

Pliny the Elder at Bay Hill Tavern:

Earlier in the week, the Missus wanted some tacos from the Tacos La Chorreada Truck. So JJ and I walked on over, placed my order and decided to head on over to Bay Hill Tavern for a cerveza until my tacos were ready.

I was given the "specials" menu to look over and was pleasantly surprised.

Man, they had Pliny the Elder on tap! When was the last time I had that?

My goodness….it was so good. I'm hoping they still have it the next time I visit. If you plan on dropping by specifically for a PtE, perhaps you may want to call first as I'm sure they'll soon run out – 619-326-8828.

Bay Hill Tavern
3010 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 9pm
Friday 11am – 10pm
Saturday 10am – 10pm
Sunday 10am – 9pm

And finally……

My latest "ear worm":

I'm sure this might be before your time, but someone mentioned the late Wili Moku to me recently. He was the DJ I always listened to on KKUA in the 80's (before they became Public Radio – hey you rememba the Home Grown album?)

But for some reason, Da' Mokkettes song Palolo Valley Girls, a parody (of a parody) of Frank & Moon Unit Zappa's "Valley Girl" started playing in my head. Arrgh…..I just can't clear it out!

So, just to share the wealth.

"Shoot la dat, no act, no act……" "Make a all the way!"

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

Road Trip – Shalhoob’s Funk Zone Patio and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. (Santa Barbara)

April 4, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, BBQ, Beer, Dog Friendly, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Santa Barbara County, Travel

After our stroll along State Street, we settled into our hotel; the Moxy. We took a short nap and then had to decide on dinner. A couple of places on my "list" were closed; several of them for "Employee appreciation parties"! Pretty nice; I'm guessing Super Bowl Sunday is pretty quiet round these parts. There was one place I wanted to try; Santo Mezcal, but they don't do reservations and there was a 90 minute wait.

There was one interesting place I had on my "list", it was all outdoor dining, which was perfect for JJ. Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio was just barely two blocks away. An extension of a company that runs several butcher shops, the menu has everything from tacos to burgers to BBQ, and beer of course. So, we walked on over.

The Funk Zone is an interesting location; there are wineries, restaurants, breweries, shops, and even some houses sprinkled among auto shops, warehouses, it has a real industrial transitioning to hipster feel.

The actual restaurant used to be the main "cutting room" for the butcher shops and has now been converted.

While the few parking spaces were taken….the place was maybe half full. There was a large screen television mounted on a large golf cart showing the Super Bowl pregame.

You order at the counter, they give you a number, and you have a seat at one of the tables or barrels. The Missus wanted a beer! Go figure! The features brews made inhouse. Not quite knowing what the Missus would want; I got a Funk Zone Blonde to go with what the Missus ordered; the Funk Zone Lager.

Turns out the Missus preferred the Blond Ale….whew…good thing I got that, right?

The Missus wanted a 1/4 Rack St Louis style BBQ ribs ($10.95), with a side of Street Corn ($8.95). I went with the Oak Smoked Tri-Tip Sandwich ($16.50). The woman working the counter was very nice.

The Tri-Tip Sandwich was pretty good; the meat a bit on the drier side, but tender enough. There was a very nice smoke ring, and so I knew the assertive smokiness of Oak would be front and center.

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I think the pico de gallo was kind of overwhelmed by the smokiness of the tri-tip, though the garlic bread and aioli came thru nicely; adding some moistness and a rich-mild pungency to the sandwich. The BBQ Sauce, which I believe is St Louis style was a bit too sweet for my taste, but this was an enjoyable sandwich overall.

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The "street corn" was sweet and maizey; though it had too much other "stuffs".

Was still pretty good.

I had reservations about the ribs; but they turned out to be pretty good.

Like the tri-tip, the BBQ sauce was a tad on the sweeter side; but the ribs were tender, quite smokey. It might be a bit much for some folks, but the Missus enjoyed the smokiness and the "fall off the bone tenderness" was quite good.

This ended up being a relaxing and enjoyable meal for us. Just what we needed on this day.

Shalhoob's Funk Zone Patio
220 Gray Ave.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

After dinner, we walked back to the hotel. JJ was pooped as was the Missus. I'm not sure why since I had been the one doing the driving up from San Diego! I decided to take the opportunity, since JJ wouldn't be displaying his yappy separation anxiety, to walk over to the Figueroa Mountain Brewing tap room a block away and watch the end of the Super Bowl. Like the rest of the area, things were pretty mellow. There was only one table taken and a couple of folks over at the bar.

I had a Frozen Goat Weizenbock.

Fairly boozy, fruity – yeasty notes.

And I took in the last quarter of the Super Bowl and chatted with one of the local guys, who told me that the sports bars around the area are pretty busy, but many places close during Super Bowl Sunday. He lives on State Street and walked on over here.

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. Santa Barbara
137 Anacapa St. F
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

It was a lovely end to a fun day.

Mariscos Tone Camaron at Harland Brewing Bay Park

September 9, 2024 mmm-yoso Beer, Food Trucks, Mexican Restaurants, Seafood

Sometimes it's just the smallest thing. A couple of weeks ago, I went to get my morning caffeine fix from Bay Park Coffee. I guess everyone else, and their mother decided that it would be a great time for an energy boost and there was no parking to be found on Napier or Ashton, so I had to park on Morena. While walking toward Napier, I noticed this trailer in the back of the Harland Tasting Room.

Mariscos Tone 01

Interesting, a Mariscos Truck/Trailer was now in back of Harland. I guess they needed something to replace Rosemarie's which was here for quite a long time until they got their own brick and mortar shop.

An interesting recent development is that the Missus enjoyed the Japanese Lager from June Lake Brewing, that I had Her try Harland's version which She enjoyed even more! So, we decided to take a walk down Milton and check out Harland and the Mariscos trailer.

Harland BP 01

The place was fairly busy when we arrived. I ordered a Japanese Lager for the Missus and tried a sour.

Harland BP 02

The Missus said that She couldn't tell the difference between the draft JL versus the canned.

Harland BP 03

The Raspberry Sour was very light and I think a good candidate as a "gateway sour".

Harland BP 04

As for the food, it was done via QR code. And I'm guessing they do burgers as well as Mariscos?

Mariscos Tone 02a

As for the Mariscos, well, the name of the trailer includes "camaron" and that's what they basically have; shrimp except for the $25 rib-eye tostada.

Mariscos Tone 03a

So, we ordered the "OG Shrimp Ceviche" and the Aguachile Verde Tostadas. In a nice touch, our order was delivered to our table.

Mariscos Tone 04

The portion sizes for $12 was quite good, though we'll be the first to say that the shrimp were really tough and rubbery. Each portion was enough to make three tostadas. Though I will say, it seems to us to be more about quantity than quality. The OG was really mild, lacking in spice, quite watery.

The Aguachile was better, with nice citrus tones.

Mariscos Tone 05

The cucumbers were nice and palate cleansing and went well with the maize-y tostadas. Both dishes had a generous portion of creamy, mildly sweet avocado. It was still mild in terms of "heat", but maybe that's based on the demographic. This wasn't bad, though it lacked a good amount of spice and seemed a bit dumbed down.

Overall, while not my first choice with regards to Mariscos, decently priced with fairly generous portion to price.

Mariscos Tone Camarón at Harland Brewing
4112 Napier St.
San Diego, CA 92110

Road Trip – Whoa Nellie Deli (Lee Vining), Gull Lake and June Lake Brewing (Again), June Lake, and Other “Stuffs”

September 2, 2024 mmm-yoso Beer, Diner, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Taco Shops, Travel

On the way back from hiking the Gardisky Lake Trail, we decided to make a "pit stop" at the Tioga Gas Mart, which is at the intersection of Tioga Road and the 395 in Lee Vining. No, we didn't need gas, but really needed to "fuel up"….that would be getting some lunch. You see, one of the places that had been recommended to us was in the Tioga Gas Mart; the gas station, gift shop, is home to a stand named "Whoa Nellie Deli". Yep, for reals…..

The menu has quite a few options; everything from Wild Buffalo Meatloaf to Lobster Taquitos to Pizza. The Missus didn't feel like having meat, so She ordered the Grilled Veggie Sandwich ($17). I had heard good things about the "World Famous" Fish Tacos ($18), so I went against my instincts and got that. We got a number and sat at one of the tables outside.

Soon enough our number was called and went to the counter to grab our lunches.

The "veggies" on the Missus's Grilled Veggie Sandwich where barely grilled, that Hollandaise like sauce was gloppy and lacked flavor.

The eggplant was quite bitter. The bun was nicely toasted. The fries were the best item, crisp and well salted.

As for my "world famous" fish tacos……

Good lord. The fish was supposedly mahi mahi, overfried, not seasoned, and dry as heck. The tortillas were like cardboard. The purple cabbage slaw was flavored with ginger and the other had mango "salsa" which really needed some spice. It was all accompanied by a pool of pasty black beans, which at least was seasoned adequately.

I know this place is kind of a cult favorite, but it wasn't our thing. It's interestng that the deli has it's own entry in Wikipedia which says "The Whoa Nellie Deli is a casual gourmet restaurant located in Lee Vining…."

Whoa Nellie Deli in the Tioga Gas Mart
22 Vista Point Rd.
Lee Vining, CA 93541

After our meal, we headed north on the 395 and took a quick side trip to the Mono Basin Visitors Center.

Where we got some nice views of Mono Basin and learned a bit about the history and geology of the basin.

Maybe next time we'll spend a bit more time here.

We headed back to our room and took a nice post lunch nap. Upon waking, the Missus wanted to head back down to Gull Lake, we took the car incase the Missus wanted to do more paddle boarding. We easily found parking, even though there were some festivities going on.

We took a stroll around the area.

As we walked past the Gull Lake Marina Shop, we saw this terrified pooch hiding by the small pond in front of the shop.

We were wondering what was going on? As we walked to the shop we saw the reason. Remember the "beware of cats they attack dogs" sign? Well guess what, I think that poor pooch found out that the sign was in fact true. Also, guess who was waiting by the sign to make a point?

The Missus decided to get one more session in, so I took a nice walk around the marina.

Since the Missus was going to be a while, I had told Her to go ahead and meet me back at the June Lake Brewery when She was done and I'd go ahead and make dinner.

This time around, since it as only myself, I had a seat at the bar in the enclosed area.

I got the Brown Ale which I really enjoyed. The young lady working the register remembered me from the night before! I also found out that the locals sit in this area and had some nice chats; including one with a gentleman from Maui!

The Missus arrived a bit later and wanted a Japanese Lager. When I walked up to the counter and ordered, the young lady told me "you already left us a nice tip, so don't worry about it, ok?" Wow, that's a new one for me! Like I said, the folks in June Lake are so nice!

June Lake Brewing
131 S Crawford Ave.
June Lake, CA 93529

Once we were done, I made a quick trip to the General Store for a couple of items.

I then returned to the room and I put together a dinner for the both of us.

After dinner we took a short stroll on Boulder Drive, aka the June Lake Loop.

We really enjoyed our stay at the June Lake Villager.

The next morning we woke early. We'd be headed to Lake Tahoe on this day. But first, the Missus wanted to get one more session in, this time at June Lake. I had read that there are only 98 parking spaces at June Lake Beach and it fills up fast. I had also read that in April a $10 per car fee had been started, which isn't such a big deal to us. The folks at the motel had told us to go early in the morning, before the crowds descend. So, what we ended up doing is to check out at right before 7am, then head on over to The Lift a coffee-tea-cafe-wine bar that opens at 7.

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There was actually a line of people waiting for the place to open. We got in, got our coffees, I got a ham and cheese croissant for my breakfast and we headed off.

The Lift
2587 Hwy 158
June Lake, CA 93529

We then headed off to June Lake Beach. The entrance booth where you now pay to enter wasn't open, we had been told by the folks at the motel that it's ok, just go ahead and park. So, that's what I did. It was a lovely morning.

The Missus inflated Her paddle board and sailed off.

I went and enjoyed the view with my croissant, which was still warm. Not really a croissant per se, the crust was crisp and flaky, but it had cheese melted on it, which wasn't a bad thing.

The interior was kind of doughy, a bit too moist, but this did the trick, at least on this day since I wasn't really expecting a classic croissant aux beurre if you know what I mean.

After my breakfast, I decided to take a walk around the lake. I saw a ton of deer hanging around.

Folks were starting to arrive, many of them with their "furry friends".

This pup really didn't want to get on the paddle board, but was eventually coaxed. It was quite humorous.

I enjoyed walking along the west side of the lake which had wonderful views.

Until I smelled a very unique "fragrance" and saw four dudes enjoying the "cash crop" if you know what I mean?

So, I headed back to the beach and walked to the car. I noticed a ranger putting slips of paper on vehicles windshield. I thought this would mean we'd pay on the way out. But no, it was just a count of cars, so they would know how many cars were in when the booth opened and note vehicles as they left. Remember, there are only 98 spaces.

I returned to a table and opened a book, taking time to watch this happy pooch playing fetch.

It was so relaxing.

Eventually the Missus was done. We cleaned up, packed up, and headed to our next stop…..Lake Tahoe!

Road Trip – Lone Star Bistro (Lone Pine), Gull Lake, June Lake Brewing, and the La Parilla Truck (June Lake)

August 31, 2024 mmm-yoso Beer, Food Trucks, Mexican Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

During our trip to the Galapagos back in April-May (yeah, I know, I'm really behind on my travel posts), the Missus really took to doing stuffs in the water. One thing She picked up on was SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) and in fact, we ended up getting one for Her. Several of Her coworkers are really into the kayak and paddleboard thing and will often plan their road trips around camping and those type of activities. So guess what the the Missus wanted?

Yep, She got some recommendations of areas to paddleboard and soon enough we were headed up the 395. Final destination a little town on the west bank of Lake Tahoe named Tahoma. But first, it was recommended that we spend a couple of nights in an area east of the Sierra's named June Lake. My mission as official planner and chauffeur for the Missus? Well, plan things out.

So, it was going to be like a 7 hour drive to where we were staying at in June Lake, which ended up being a comfortable motel/lodge named the June Lake Villager. Of course we needed to stop for lunch. It was early July and super hot, we ended up taking a break in the town of Lone Pine. I had a place picked out for a quick meal; the Lone Star Bistro. Yes, the Alabama Hills Cafe is much loved, but man, it was so busy. So instead we entered this combo ice cream-cafe-coffee-gift-sandwich shop. The place was fairly busy and we even saw some remote workers doing their thing as well. In Lone Pine!

I walked up to the sandwich counter and the friendly young lady filled me in on the "drill".

I basically filled out an "order form" and the Missus handed me two bottles of sparkling water.

I ordered the "signature" sandwich called the "Lone Pine Charmer"; with bacon, turkey, avocado, provolone, it sounded like a single sandwich would be enough for the both of us. I asked that they cut the sandwich in half, paid, and we took a seat in the covered back patio, which wasn't too hot.

The young lady who dropped off our sandwich wasn't quite as friendly….when I thanked her, she went "umph….." Can't win 'em all, right?

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Marbled Rye was used, which added an interesting yeasty-tangy-sourness to the sandwich. As a whole, a routine sandwich, basic mass produced sliced turkey; we enjoyed the cucumber and sprouts the most. It was enough for our lunch and we walked thru this western theme town to our car and headed off.

Lone Star Bistro
107 North Main St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

From here it was up the 395. I had wanted to stop at Manzanar, it's one of those places on my "list", but it was over a 110 with crazy winds as we drove by, so that visit will have to wait until the next time.

About two hours later we got to the southern junction of I-395 and I-158. The 158 is a loop road, known as the June Lake Loop and passes four different lakes before reconnecting with the 395 just past SR 120. It was a fairly nice drive up to about 7,600 feet.

We arrived at the charming little village of June Lake and went to the motel to see if our room was ready. It was a bit too early, but I had a plan just in case. Gull Lake, the smallest of the four lakes along the loop is close by. And the Marina and launch area was just a few blocks away.

We easily found parking and the Missus set off on Her adventure.

I took a stroll around the lake a bit and then headed to the Marina Shop, which does boat rentals….I saw families and folks fishing off boats in the lake.

The area is quite charming……

I walked into the shop to get some sparkling water.

And I asked about the sign above, which cracked me up. I was told that the cats here are really tough and territorial; "they don't play around!" But there was a sweet pooch hanging out by the sign? I was told "oh, he knows better….he learned his lesson a long time ago!" I would actually find out that the sign is true a bit later on during our visit.

IMG_9880a

I had a seat and checked emails and stuff.

Looking over the lake, I felt so relaxed…..

Soon, I got a text from the motel telling me our room was ready. The Missus had the car keys with Her, so I took the short walk up the hill and got the room keys. When I walked back down to the lake, the Missus was packing things up.

Once in the room, which was quite large, it was a one bedroom unit with a kitchen; the Missus freshened up and then we took a short walk . Most of the restaurants, the general store, and businesses were on the main road. But there were some nice shops down driveways and side streets.

We weren't particularly interested in any of the restaurants; so we decided to head on over to the June Lake Brewery which was basically around the corner from where we were staying….but most everything was!

The brewery had a large, welcoming outdoor space, with a food truck at one end of the lot.

Boy was this place popular! It was the most people we'd see during our time here.

While I went to get our brews, the Missus went to order our food at the truck.

The two gals pouring the beers were so nice and friendly.

We wanted something on the lighter side since it was pretty warm out; so we got the two lagers, both were under 5% ABV.

I found us a table and waited for the Missus. She soon arrived with a buzzer which would go off when our order was ready. The Missus took to the Japanese Lager, which She thought was smoother and easier to drink than the lighter "Lager for Joggers".

There were some pretty interesting "seats" in the place.

Soon enough we got "buzzed" and I went to pick it up and return to our table.

We had gotten the "Boss Nachos" with Carne Asada. The portion size was large and this supposedly was quite spicy, the Missus was warned, but it wasn't overly hot to us. The portion size was quite generous.

The carne asada was nicely grilled, but quite chewy, and mildly seasoned. There was just a small amount of ghost pepper cheese on this, which had some kick, but there wasn't enough to really matter. The chips were routine, there was sour cream and guac added. Overall, just like what you'd get at an Americanized Mexican spot here in San Diego.

I had wanted to try the Al Pastor, so we ordered a taco.

From the bland and brittle tortillas, to the dry and flavorless al pastor, this was not to our taste.

Still, we enjoyed the vibe of the brewery and the service was quite friendly. We'd return for a brew on the following evening.

June Lake Brewing and La Parrilla Grill & Tacos
131 S Crawford Ave.
June Lake, CA 93529

After dinner we walked back down to Gull Lake and took in the view.

It had been a pretty long day; but I'd say the view and vibe was worth it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Lucky Luke Brewpub (Lancaster, CA)

July 27, 2024 mmm-yoso Beer, Burgers, Los Angeles County, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Travel

So, what were we doing in Lancaster? Yesterday, I posed that question. Well, what happened is that the Missus had found out that the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, a state park, resided just to the west of Lancaster. According to what the Missus had heard, the poppies start blooming in Mid-March, and voila! Here we were. We had a light breakfast at the hotel and then headed on out arriving at the park right before 9am. Unfortunately, we were a bit too early for the poppies this year!

Regardless, we ended up hiking both loop trails, and the views were quite nice.

As you can tell, we were the only folks in the park during our entire stay.

We saw a number of gophers and a couple of Bobcats. And even some wildflowers.

The trails were easy to walk and nicely maintained.

And, as if to tease us a bit, near the end of the trail….well, we saw the first poppies starting to bloom!

We did enjoy the solitude and the relaxing peacefulness of the walk. The Missus mentioning returning one day when the poppies are really in bloom.

We walked back to the hotel and had a light lunch, then headed on back out to explore a bit. Lancaster is quite sprawling and we ended up restocking on water, snacks, and stuff at the Target and Vallarta Market on Avenue K. Then it was nap time, one of my favorite parts of the day during road trips!

Upon waking, we headed back out and walked around the BLVD a bit, stopping into shops that were open. We found many places are closed on Mondays here.

And of course, there's all that public art.

Soon enough, it was time for dinner. I had thought that we'd head to Le Papillon, a more upscale restaurant right across from the hotel, but the Missus just wanted something simple and basic. Which was just across the street from where we were standing.

We liked the outdoor seating. The interior looks very "sports bar-ish". Seemed like locals came by to watch sports and grab a brew.

IMG_5915b

So, of course we had to get a table outside and I decided to get a Brown Ale.

This was light with a slight sweetness, very easy to drink.

The service was interesting; the woman who initially waited on us really didn't seem to want to deal with folks at tables, She mainly wanted to hang with the folks at the bar. The gentleman who came by and took over was very friendly and efficient.

We had a view of West Lancaster Boulevard and there was something going on for young people at the Performing Arts Center next to the Movie Theatres across the street.

Which was showing Kung Foo Panda???? You gotta love it.

The Missus ordered the Lemon Agave Salad.

Which, except for the pepitas was quite routine. At least the dressing wasn't too sweet, but this is totally something you can get out of a bag from your local grocer.

I got the Pub House Burger.

With Tater Tots.

IMG_5924b The tater tots were nicely fried, crisp, not hard, and the interior slightly creamy.

The burger came in a brioche bun, which was a bit denser than I thought it would be; but it wasn't overly sweet and held up well to all that cheese sauce. The cheese sauce was much saltier than I'm used to. I also enjoy a bit of pungency, which this lacked. And as you can see; there was a lot of cheese sauce. Luckily, the pickled jalapenos added a nice counter balance of pickled spiciness that I enjoyed. While the bacon could have been cooked a bit more; I prefer it more crunchy, it did add that smoky-savory component to the burger.

The burger itself didn't look like much, but it was fairly tender, seasoned quite well, and did the job. Not a bad burger as a whole.

There was one item on the menu that I could not resist. The Fried Wisconsin Cheese Curds. Wisconsin you say? Cue in to a flashback of my favorite cheese curds, served at The Old Fashioned in Madison!

These were a bit over-fried and too gooey, not squeaky-stringy. The batter was crisp though. The flavor was mild, man what I would have given for some horseradish dip with this!

Still, this was a decent dinner, in Lancaster. We liked the very laid-back small town feel to this area. At least that's what it was like on this Monday.

Lucky Luke Brewpub
735 West Lancaster Blvd.
Lancaster, CA 93534

After dinner we took another stroll up and down the BLVD area. In the end, I thought I'd put in some decent mileage.

IMG_5939.

We returned to our room, relaxed, and watched the sun go down on Lancaster.

Tomorrow we'd be headed back to Rowland Heights for a night and an Omakase dinner in City of Industry of all places!

Stay Tuned!

Oggi’s Sports/Brewhouse/Pizza (Santee)

June 4, 2024 Cathy Beer, Pizza, Stuff, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today. Kirk is busy.

This is another 'not regifting a gift card' post. In addition to using 'free' money, The Mister and I decided to also get the most value by using the gift card during Happy Hour and for lunch specials.

Oggis began as a franchisee of a local pizzeria chain in Del Mar in 1991, it evolved into a sports themed restaurant and in 1995 it expanded into a microbrewery. There are now 15 franchised locations in California and one in Arizona (seven of the locations are in San Diego County).

72064782877__A7FECDAC-1E2A-4DAC-AAF9-CA2F0811B9A1 There are so many television sets in here. Each seat at each table has a view of at least two, even outside on the patio.

Here are a couple of tabletop menus.

The Mister ordered a Happy Hour Group Modelo (16 oz) for $4. I had a taste and it was nice. We were here on a Wednesday and ordered six 'wings' for $1 each (there were nine flavors (three mild, the rest indicated heat)) and we chose the Honey BBQ. Nicely sauced and topped with sesame seeds, accompanied by celery, carrots and a good housemade Ranch dip. All drums, no flats and quite a good sized serving.
The Happy Hour fried Lemon-Pepper Zucchini ($7.99) was another sizable serving. Light breading, crisp fried and not greasy, the crunch as well as the very pleasant fresh and not seedy zucchini was great tasting on its own and very pleasant with th Ranch dip and housemate marinara.

The Oggis Stix ($7.99). Pizza dough brushed with garlic olive oil and toped with mozzarella, parmesan and parsley were also served with the housemade ranch and marinara dips. This was kind of a wonderful, decadent bite. since we are watching our carbs; we did take about half of this home and it reheated well.

Here is another tabletop menu- Monday-Friday lunch from 11-2

72064803621__7D9E711E-DE70-496D-B5F4-A2CB9D34B7AE Here's a cup of potato-cheese soup (add on $2.99). This was very nice on the cool day we were here.

The half balsamic chicken salad ($9.99) was accompanied by a (giant) garlic knot; much fancier than a slice of bread. Spring mix topped with grilled chicken, candied walnuts and Gorgonzola and a house made balsamic vinaigrette.

We decided to try a half flatbread ($6.99) and chose the Charcuterie-Sopressata, Genoa Salami, pancetta, pepperoni, green onion, mozzarella and shredded parmesan. This had Oggis 'pizza sauce' instead of marinara and was a tad 'spicy' but nothing to complain about. I liked the crisp, thin crust and flavor meld.

Since the stores are franchised, prices and Specials may vary. Overall, there is great quality here.

Oggis Sports/Brewhouse/Pizza 9828 Mission Gorge Road Santee 92071 (619)449-6441 Open Sun-Tours 11-9, Fri-Sat 11-10 Website

Johnny B’s (La Mesa)

May 5, 2024 Cathy Beer, Burgers, Salads, What Cathy Eats!

Yes, you're back at mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food. Cathy is still writing because Kirk is still on vacation with His Missus. Here's a post about lunch (but they have breakfast on weekends).

I've never posted about Johnny B's, it's just "always" been there and a regular stop for lunch.

Since January 1, 1999, this La Mesa bar and restaurant, located downtown on La Mesa Blvd and 4th, has always had a lunch special of a 'Burger and Beer'. The building has expanded and the prices have, of course, increased. JB's has made it through Covid-19, keeping the food here very consistently wonderful.

The interior (there is outside seating) has 33 HDTV's, most showing local sports and at least one showing PAWS-a channel about animals. I could see 11 televisions from my chair and The Mister could see eight.

The two-sided menu mentions the weekday Lunch specials, as well as a Monday night special and Happy Hour. There's also a Tuesday night special of Sliders which flashed across one of the TV screens. The other side of the menu has weekend breakfast items.

The grilled chicken salad ($12.95) was topped with a still warm/freshly char-grilled chicken breast. The bowl is very large and we did take home some leftovers. The mixed lettuces had tomatoes, onions and shredded carrots and the ranch dressing was a better quality.

The cheeseburger Lunch Special ($14.75) includes your choice of soda, Bud Light, Coors Light or Amberbock. You also can choose the type of cheese and also get a choice of fries, chips or a salad. The burger is large (at least 1/4 lb) and also char-grilled, made with a coarse grind of beef, keeping the meat chunky and moist. The bun is toasted and those fries have a coating and seasoning, making them very crisp and tasty.

Johnny B's Burgers and Brew 8393 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91942 (619) 464-2465 Open Mon-Th 11-9, Fri 11-10, Sat 930-10 Sun 9:30-9 Website

More than 20 beers on tap!