Beer – Page 4 – mmm-yoso

Sunday Stuffs…..

April 19, 2020 mmm-yoso Beer, Burgers, Chains

I think of this more as a Sunday check-in. How is everyone doing, physically, and well, mentally as well? I keep wondering how all the FOYs are doing.

On my "mission for groceries" I was wondering how some of the restaurants with long histories on Convoy are doing…..Ichiro came to mind. The entire parking lot at 4344 Convoy was empty, with Tasty Bakery the only business open in the strip mall.

And the sign at Ichiro's….. I think I need to make it a point to get more take-out…..

I took the long way home; wondering what was open in the Linda Vista area…. Thai Papaya had a sign saying that The Original Sab-E-Lee is open seven days a week. Pho Hiep and Grill is closed as is Pho Hoa Huong. The porch where the "old timers" used to hang out and drink coffee had been taken over by a group of homeless folks.

As I drove past Tio Leo's on Morena….for some reason, I always make it a point to check out the signs…….this is what is currently posted.

We've cancelled our upcoming trips…luckily, we're able to either get vouchers or full refunds….one of the Airbnb hosts replied to me saying that though their home is an amazing place to visit; now was not the time. Her son is an Emergency Room Physician and she is ever so worried about him.

I have a ritual of sorts when I return from a long trip. I'll get my fix of if a West Coast Icon. Since we wouldn't be travelling anytime soon, after shopping stop at Mitsuwa, I ordered one of these.

I even got Animal Fries.

Which confirmed, much like the egg at Santouka, that I'm still not sure why folks like the fries at In-N-Out….no matter how much lipstick you put on the pig……it's still a pig. Still, having one of my Bi-annual visits to In-N-Out was both comforting and sad at the same time.

Hope all is well…..

Eating (and Drinking) in the Time of Covid-19 – Take-Out from Poseidon Project and Wa Dining Okan

April 6, 2020 mmm-yoso Beer, Japanese Restaurants, Pizza

A few more take-out orders….

Poseidon Project:

My favorite weekly "pau hana time" stop is now doing take-out pizza, beer, and family meals. So, how can I not support the place?

Mostly stopping to pick up a couple of beers now and then; though the Missus has really taken to the Wild Barrel Vice with Passion Cactus Dragon Fruit. I knew the Missus would enjoy this Berlinerweisse the first time I tasted it. I'm happy to get it for Her while they still have it in stock.

And once in a while; one of their pizzas will hit it out of the park…..

Poseidon Project
4126 Napier St
San Diego, CA 92110

Bentos from Wa Dining Okan:

If you're standing in line to get into Nijiya, you can't miss their signs.

I called while waiting in line at Nijiya and ordered the Karaage Bento. When I finished my shopping, I popped in.

While the karaage didn't hold up over the trip back home; I thought this was pretty good.

In fact, I kinda prefer this to my recent sit-down lunches.

And the miso soup was perhaps the best I've had from Okan.

I decided to order again on my last trip to Nijiya and this time ordered the Buta Kakuni.

And while I wish the eggs weren't cooked so much; the pork was surprisingly tender and full of flavor.

I might do this again while waiting in line at Nijiya.

And this post on Okan goes out to "FOY" (friend-of-yoso) ChrisR, who is always the first to gently remind me via email, of how wrong I am whenever I type a negative word on Okan. I hope you and yours are safe and in good health Chris!

Wa Dining Okan
3860 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Take care everyone!

Eating (and drinking) in the Time of Covid-19 – Chicago Fire Grill, Bay Park Fish, and Beer From Harland

March 31, 2020 mmm-yoso Beer, Hot Dogs, Sandwiches, Seafood

How is everyone doing? Here are a couple of stuff-to-go and a couple of cold ones. I'm not going to go into the food much here….it's just not the time for that.

Chicago Fire Grill:

I went to grab a quick lunch for the few souls who are still in the office….plus I wanted to see what "words of wisdom", George, the owner had. Anyway, upon getting there, I ordered from the doorway….George asked me if I could hear him……I told him, "I could hear you from Orange County….."

We all had a zillion calls during the day and with all the self-quarantine, it actually felt good to get out for 20 minutes to grab lunch and scurry back to the office and yet another call.

George says that he'll hang in there; though he wasn't totally sure about the hours….he's trying to keep it going at least for lunch.

Chicago Fire Grill
8935 Towne Centre Dr.
San Diego, CA 92122

Bay Park Fish Company:

During my short shopping stop at Seisel's, I saw this sign in front of Bay Park Fish.

And while BPF has kinda fallen from favor for us over the years; it along with Siesel's were the subject of one of my first posts back in 2005. So I went in and placed an order before I went to Siesel's. When I got out of Siesel's and walked over, my food was ready…….I decided not to take the 30% off and also tip a bit…….it's almost like my responsibility.

Got the shrimp torta and smoked fish stack.

Currently open from noon to 5pm for take-out.

Bay Park Fish Co.
4121 Ashton St.
San Diego, CA 92110

We've been trading food with Frankie's favorite auntie "Alle", who lives close by. One day, she had gone on a "beer run" to Harland and graciously gave some brews.

Here's the Harland Japanese Lager.

And something really special; the Harland MoMo Mochi IPA.

Nice, slightly fruity, mildly sweet, in the session IPA hoppiness scale….very nice Hazy IPA made with…well "Momo" (peaches) of course.

Thanks Alle!

Be safe everyone!

Eating (and drinking) in the Time of Covid-19 – Soup, Sandwich Emporium, and Beer from Bay Hill Tavern

March 19, 2020 mmm-yoso Beer, Cooking, Pubs and Pub Grub, Sandwiches

First off; we sincerely hope that your family, friends, and loved ones are in good health.

It's been an interesting couple of weeks for me; I haven't had a day off in a couple of weeks. Still, we've had to make due with all the restaurant and bar closures.

I'm figuring most of you are eating like us….here's some Cauliflower Soup I made.

The secret ingredient, other than the truffle oil and bacon fat; is that I use saved up Parmesan rinds when making the soup. It adds a nice, milky-savory flavor to soups. So, go ahead and freeze those rinds; don't throw them away.

While the rational part of my brain wasn't surprised when the order came down to end dine-in service at restaurants; another part of me was jolted….I mean…..I kinda like eating out (in case that wasn't obvious). So what to do?

Well we are eating at home and such, and many places are closed, but there are lists like this one and of course Social Media, where you can find places that will deliver. And since one of those places and I go back to the beginning of the blog, I got some of the folks in the office to team up and place a pick-up order.

It was, like most times a decent sandwich. I think the fact that we were able to help out a place that is close to home made it taste even better.

Sandwich Emporium
3054 1/2 Clairemont Drive
San Diego,CA

Give them a call at one of the three locations to see what the hours are.

Speaking of close to home. I was driving home when I saw this……

While I'm sure there was a hint of humor here….after all, the crowds on most evenings from Wednesday to Saturday! I still felt something stir inside….perhaps I was thirsty?

So, I went into the parking lot; which is usually packed, today…..it was desolate. And decided, while I wasn't hungry, I was going to make dinner at home, I did need a digestif, right?

So tonight after dinner; I'll have my Duchesse…or as we were correected and laughed at in Belgium; a "Doo-Chezz"!

And nope, I haven't actually had a drink, nor eaten at Bay Hill Tavern yet……wouldn't it be funny if the first meal I had there would be during the Coronavirus outbreak?

I was told that they are open afternoon and evenings, with to-go brunch on weekends. You can check their website.

Bay Hill Tavern
3010 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117

Of course, who knows what tomorrow…or even tonight will bring?

Take care and best wishes from us!

Salzburg – Hohensalzburg Fortress and a Stop at Stiegl-Keller

March 6, 2020 mmm-yoso Austria, Beer, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

*** Not much food in this one; just a couple of "cold ones"

Revived by our coffee at Cafe Tomaselli, the Missus had one more item to check off our "list". On the cliffs above the Old Town is a pretty imposing castle.

This is Hohensalzburg Fortress; first constructed in 1077 by Archbishop Gebhard during a power struggle between the Holy Roman Emperors and the Roman Catholic Church called the Investiture Controversy. The Archbishop first built a fortress on Festungsberg as a symbol of the power of the Catholic Church, directed at Henry IV.

There's a funicular that can take you quickly to the top off the hill….but you know the Missus….we walked up. The walk isn't super long; but it's pretty steep. I was somewhat glad to see, that there were other folks, most much younger than me, huffing and puffing their way up the hill as well.

And I gotta admit, the views on the walk up weren't half bad.

And while there are a bunch of various room, tours, and such, we had really come here for the views; which were wonderful on a beautiful day like this one.

We wandered along the perimeter of the courtyard, making time to take in the fantastic view. I'll say it again; it was a beautiful day.

We then took some time to visit some of the rooms and also St George's Chapel; a little church that dates back to 1500, with marble reliefs of the Apostles that date back to 1501.

From what I read; the Chapel is named after St George, who is the Patron Saint of Horses.

The small domed ceiling and bright white colors really made the chapel come alive.

There's even an interesting sundial on the outside wall of the Chapel that you can see in this photo.

Still, for us, it was about the view.

You understand what I mean; right?

Walking across the courtyard we were rewarded with another wonderful view.

Looking off to the Berchtesgaden Alps in the distance….I got it. All together now, "The hills are alive with the sound of music ……"

Then it was time to head back down.

I had noticed a place on the way up.

The Missus doesn't drink much beer these days (though She did on this trip); but Stiegl's Grapefruit Radler is a favorite of Hers. Stiegl's Headquarters and Brewery is located in Salzburg and we just happened to be passing their "Gastgarten"……how convenient wouldn't you say?

There was some outdoor seating available; but we weren't going to be eating anything and decided to just head into the bar area. Where we both got Grapefruit Radlers.

The clean, bright citrusy grapefruit, with a hint of sweet, low ABV at 2%, it was so refreshing on a rather warm day.

And the Missus got Her Stiegl Grapefruit Radler in Salzburg.

Stiegl-Keller
Festungsgasse 10
5020 Salzburg, Austria

It was time to head back to the room; freshen up and find a place for dinner.

Thanks for stopping by!

Monday Meanderings – Beer and Cheese (from Venissimo) Edition

April 1, 2019 mmm-yoso Beer, Markets & Grocers

I was going to do a post on a couple of soup places….but man; it's hitting the 80's today. Let's save that for tomorrow…..how about a couple of brews and getting cheesy.

I noticed that I tend to go with quite a few Belgian style beer when I'm at home and usually get something lighter when I'm out and about; unless there's something I'm really interested in.

The Duval Single Fermentation was quite light and the ABV is lower than the typical Duvel Golden which goes thru a double fermentation. I'll take the stuff in the bottle any day of the week.

I was thinking about our trip to Belgium recently. While the Missus no longer enjoys beer and really isn't into revisiting Belgium. I had a blast. When I saw the bottle of St Bernardus on the shelf, it brought me back to biking to Watou, after going to Westvleteren earlier in the day.

Even though a lot of the Belgian brews don't travel well, the memories last.

Did I mention that I've started keeping a cheese journal? Both the Missus and I love cheese…She especially loves the washed rind stuff like Epoisses (did you know that Epoisses is banned on the metro in Paris?) She actually went and requested Limburger from Whole Foods….they had to go into the back of the shop to get it for us.

Anyway, I hadn't been to Venissimo in a while; but dropped by while the Missus was at work yesterday. I went right when they opened and the Cheese Monger working was amazing! We got four definite winners!

From the left to right Brie Fermier, wonderfully rich, with an awesome mushroom-earthy flavor. It was amazing when served at room temp. Jeff's Select, a Gouda from Minnesota, with a bright annatto colored rind, was mildy nutty and easy to eat. My favorite, Monte Enebro, which Liz Thorpe in her wonderful book The Book of Cheese categorizes as a "misfit cheese", was just love at first bite for me. The cheese is ripened with Penicillium Roqueforti; the mold that is used for blue cheese. But while it does have that "spice" like a blue cheese; there's that definite creamy "barnyard" flavor of a goat cheese, along with a mild tanginess and buttery texture. Man, it was so good. The Missus's favorite, was something I just decided to taste on a whim after I had already picked three cheeses, the Ameribella, a washed rind cheese from Indiana. Oh man, this was so creamy, the mushroom funkiness and pungency turns in an almost buttery flavor at finish. Man, four for four, I can't remember the last time I brought home all winners! Thanks Venissimo!

Venissimo Cheese
754 W Washington St
San Diego, CA 92103

That duck salami I got from one of the vendors at the Little Italy Mercato was a winner as well. I add a couple of slices with the Missus's salad for lunch.

Speaking of the Little Italy Mercato. Ever see this interesting couple around?

On this day, they were both strutting their stuff, with "Wild Thing" blasting on the hand held speaker! You gotta love it!

And thanks so much for indulging me!

I'll be back with something more substantial tomorrow!

Midweek Meanderings – Tram Chim Opens, Junz Closes, and Royal Garden Has Limited Hours

January 30, 2019 mmm-yoso Beer, Vietnamese Restaurants, yoso-silly

It's been a while since I've done one of these……

Tram Chim Opens in City Heights:

Two years ago, I mentioned that Ly's Garden was the last "man standing" of the former 54th St trifecta of Ly's, Lee's, and Lucky Star. Well that's no more as Tram Chim; yes, Tram Chim, the seafood specialist with restaurants in Garden Grove and Westminster has taken over the spot.

This is going to be an interesting addition, as folks who I know mentioned they are not particularly fond of the OC locations for either food, nor hygiene.

Tram Chim
4350 54th St
San Diego, CA 92115

Junz Teriyaki & BBQ Closes:

I noticed this last month when the Missus had Her hair appointment in the area.

Though I wasn't particularly fond of the food here; I know folks who liked the place. Looks like the Hanaoka "empire" has taken a hit.

As an aside….notice the little sticker on the left hand side? Hmmm……is that what's moving in?

3010 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92104

Royal Garden Has Limited Hours:

The reason I ended up at Hoai Hue this past weekend, was that I drove by Royal Garden nd noticed they were closed! So I parked the car and took a look.

Not sure what's going on here…according to the sign it says they are only open on Thursday and Friday evenings. I'm hoping this is only for the short term.

Royal Garden
4201 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92105

Anchorage – 49th State Brewing Company

December 15, 2018 mmm-yoso Alaska, Beer, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

After having the “first half” of dinner at Yamaya Seafood we headed on down H Street to a place we’d seen earlier in the day; 49th State Brewing Company.

We arrived to find the place pretty busy.

After a short wait we were taken upstairs to a very nice patio area. The views were lovely.

I started with the “Into the Mild” on nitro. A lightly hopped, easy to drink ale with a nice creaminess was quite a pleasant beverage.

We also ordered two appetizers. Starting with the “Award Winning Smoked Wings”. They went a bit too far with the paprika on this as the “rub” was quite bitter. I was also not a big fan of sprinkling on all that gritty rub after the wings had been smoked. The wings were also on the dry and rubbery side. The quality of the product itself was decent.

We also ordered the Elk Meatball.

As expected, the elk was on the dry side and rather tough.The meatball itself was really bland; while the marinara was super acidic and over-salted. This just wasn’t very good eats; and not cheap at $9.99.

Service was professional, the beer good, and the views…..well, that was probably what we were paying for.

49th State Brewing Company
717 West 3rd Ave
Anchorage, AK 99514

The sun didn’t set until after 11pm at night; which we strangely found more disconcerting than Polar Winter. So we walked around a bit more and headed back to our supposedly haunted hotel. After a full day; I needed some rest.

Thanks for stopping by!

Denali State Park Milepost 135 and Revisiting Twister Creek Restaurant & Denali Brewpub (Talkeetna)

August 23, 2018 mmm-yoso Alaska, American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Gastropub, Travel

There was still a lot of daylight left when we completed our flightseeing and glacier landing and the Missus wanted to do something. So we decided to head out and take the short (by Alaskan standards) one hour and change drive up to Denali State Park. Don't confuse Denali State Park with the enormous and much more popular Denali National Park. The park is known for the views of Denali and the Alaskan Range; especially from the stop at milepost 135 of the Parks Highway. And even though it got overcast and drizzly, the views were still breathtaking.

We also loved the signs.

After lingering for a bit; the Missus was getting hungry, so we decided to head back to Talkeetna. We did make a brief stop at Denali Brewing Company on Talkeetna Spur Road….just in case they'd have that Single Malt Whiskey in stock. And while we were greeted by a very friendly pooch; there was no whiskey to be found.

Since we'd only had a couple of scones for breakfast; we were getting hungry. We drove back to the lodge and walked the half mile into Talkeetna. We just decided to head back to Twister Restaurant & the Denali Brewpub for dinner.

Just like the previous evening, this was the busiest place on the street. And we were in for another surprise; the Hostess Stand was manned by one of the folks that worked at Talkeetna Air Taxi. We'd often see folks working multiple jobs…..we were told it's normal during the high season….though it was somewhat funny….I think there's a sitcom hidden here somewhere. We also saw our favorite Server from the night before. She made sure to stop by and tell us hello.

I started with a Mother Ale; a very light almost Pilsner like brew. Very easy to drink.

We started with the item they were out of the night before; a monstrosity named "The Gourmet" ($15).

Candied Pork Belly in a mess of too sweet BBQ sauce, topped with a relish with jalapenos, red and green bell peppers, and even more pork belly…in the guise of bacon. This is one of those dishes that look great on a menu….but is just a bit too over-the-top for us. At least we'd be amking up for missing out on lunch, right?

We decided to share a dish and went with the Fish and Chips with Sweet Potato Fries ($16), which the Missus thoroughly enjoyed.

The batter on the fish and chips was fine, it was crisp with body, the seasoning perfect for our taste, the fish was moist, though it wasn't of the best quality…..still, not bad, and more than enough for the two of us.

Of course, one of the main reasons for returning here was "dessert"; or more appropriately a digestif; the wonderful newly released single malt whiskey. It was wonderful.

We loved the service and the prices were quite reasonable.

Twister Creek Restaurant/Denali Brewpub
13605 E Main St
Talkeetna, AK 99676

After dinner we walked around Talkeetna a bit….the Northern Lights Gallery was awesome…..I chatted with the owner of ne of the gift shops….he mentioned visiting San Diego in the 80's and the "Gaslight" (Gaslamp) district. We loved the folks here; friendly, but not overly so……just good people.

Just as on the previous evening, I sat by the window of our room and watched the Susitna River rolling by. And of course, I'd bought a bottle back from the Denali Brewpub.

This was a very nice Belgian Strong named One Tree Birch Beer made with birch syrup. This was very smooth, bready, with light citrus tones, and the sweetness of a typical Belgian Strong. I really enjoyed it.

It was 9pm but it looked like 4. I watched the river roll on by and though about what a great day it had been.

And there was still much more to come.

Thanks for reading!

Thursdays Near 30th – Toronado, North Park Thursday Market, and Tribute Pizza

July 26, 2018 mmm-yoso Beer, Gastropub, Markets & Grocers, Pubs and Pub Grub

During mid-June, the Missus had a hair appointment, and I gladly "volunteered" to drive Her and wait. If you recall, the Missus's hairdresser is located in North Park.

I somehow "randomly" found parking near Toronado. How convenient. It had been a while since I last visited. I ordered a Pliny the Elder….and totally forgetting about this "blog thing" took a sip before remembering to take a photo. Bad food blogger….bad food blogger. Anyway, as always the temp was just perfect.

**** Toronado has closed

Toronado
4026 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

All too soon, the Missus walked on over….She's not so much into beer these days, so we decided to take a stroll and decide where to grab dinner. And ran into the North Park Thursday Market.

It's a rather small run. Located on North Park Way between 29th and 30th. But it was fun just watching people chill and enjoy sunny San Diego.

The North Park Thursday Market
3000 N Park Way
San Diego, CA 92104
Thursdays 3pm – 730pm

While She is not a fan of the wine glasses Tribute uses; it had been a while since we last visited.

We started with the Sea Salt Focaccia with 'Nduja; to which they now add a dish balsamic and olive oil.

The bread was fabulous; I think we'll now ask for just olive oil without the balsamic, which was a bit too much. The 'Nduja tasted great as always; though the texture seems to have changed. It's now more waxy than I recalled. Still tasted great, a mild porky, smokey-spiciness.

The potatoes in the Patatas Bravas were nice; crunchy exterior, mildly creamy interior.

The potatoes were perfectly salted; but it seemed that the aioli was overkill and just over powered the mild starchy sweetness of the potatoes.

The Missus; who loves green beans just destroyed it all before I even had a bite.

Oh well, She's the reason we came up here in the first place, right?

Tribute Pizza
3077 N Park Way
San Diego, CA 92104

It was a fun way to spend an early summer Thursday evening.

I'm thinking "FOY" CC must have though so too! Look where they went for their 23rd Anniversary Dinner! Nice!

Hope you're having a great week!