Breakfast/Brunch – Page 24

Manna Restaurant (Chula Vista)(Pancake House/Chinese Fast Food)

October 3, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

We here at mmm-yoso!!! are all enjoying this remarkably beautiful weekend. Kirk is relaxing after a solid week of craziness, Ed (from Yuma) is enjoying all that Yuma has to offer and Cathy is writing this short post, so that you have something different and perhaps interesting to read when you stop by to visit.

Apparently, there are a couple of all you can eat Korean BBQ places around San Diego County named "Manna". That's not what this post is about. The Chula Vista Manna Restaurant is not only a place to get a great breakfast, but also a place to get Chinese fast food, burgers and sandwiches.

About the third paragraph on my Vanessa's Deli post, I mentioned that we went to Vanessa's the first time because there was a line of people waiting to get into Manna. Both of those restaurants in this small strip mall, anchored by a Liquor Store and Laundromat (with a gas station in the middle of the parking lot) are constantly busy.Possibly because of the prices, but also because of the unique food selection and proximity to the above mentioned Laundromat.The owner, an older Chinese gentleman, supervises in the kitchen but comes out in front greeting people regularly throughout each hour; you'll see him at least once on each visit. He is very nice.

Booths and tables, two televisions, part of the menu photographed and displayed behind the cash register (those three photos of teriyaki plates at the bottom right side are *not* the same), this local owned diner type restaurant has been in operation at this location since 2009. On weekends, only breakfast is served.After much trial and error, we have found the chicken fried steak ($8.99) with eggs, toast and home fries is our breakfast preference. The crispy coating is just right and stands up to the home made peppery sausage gravy.The pancakes here are made from their own mix of ingredients and are fluffy, a bit crispy on the edges and always so good. Above, the special on the window not photographed ($3.99) of two pancakes, two eggs and two sausage. Just right flavors, really nice sausage and more than enough food for a breakfast.

Here is the menu, just click to enlarge. The Chinese Fast Food Menu is the third one above.

There is a 'Combo A' ($4.99) and a 'Combo B' ($5.99) on the menu. Each has fried rice, chowmein and a choice of two items (of 13 choices). The 'Combo B' includes two (vegetable) egg rolls. Above, the two items chosen are the garlic chicken wings and Kung Pao Chicken. Amazingly good. Not salty, fried correctly, sauces made here and not from a bottle or a can.This is the teriyaki chicken plate ($6.99). The teriyaki sauce is not sweet, salty or sticky. It's really quite good. You can see the portion size is excellent. From the 'American' part of the menu. The bacon cheeseburger ($5.99) ($6.99 with fries or slaw) is pretty standard. The toasted bun and thick bacon are nice and the burger is flavorful. It's a good choice for someone who is not adventurous.The Top Sirloin plate ($9.99) is also pretty standard; I have come to prefer the chicken fried steak over this. The hash browns are a crispy excellence though and I must say the eggs are always perfectly prepared.

All in all, a nice, local choice. I was happy to have told cc and her family about this West Chula Vista gem that I'd been keeping my little secret. They've been here, twice now.

Manna Restaurant 600 F Street (at Broadway), Suite C Chula Vista 91910 (619) 425-9270 Mon-Sat 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

2016 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade Float Road Test #5, breakfast at Lucky Boy (Pasadena)

September 21, 2015 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

Here's another mmm-yoso!!! post with a bit of food, a bit of preparation and another road trip North. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are not posting today; it's Cathy who is writing.

Saturday was going to be a hot day and The Mister and I left the house earlier than usual to try to avoid traffic and hopefully get to another road testing of some floats which will participate in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade a bit sooner than 7 a.m.. This is the City Of Hope's entry as being tested on Saturday… …and this is how it looked about one month ago.
Similarly, this June road test of a rebar framed bison and horse and…other shapes… Has evolved into 'The Great Faces and Great Places of South Dakota', a float design in keeping with the 2016 Rose Parade theme of "Find Your Adventure", a collaboration between the Tournament of Roses and the National Park Service.
Last month, the City of Glendale float, "Getting There is Half the Fun!" looked interesting… …and it is-there's even 'steam' coming from the locomotive!
Here's a 'Before and After' of "Innovation Rocks", the 2016 entry by Destination Irvine (on that webpage link is the artist rendition of the final float, and all of its colors). The testing this weekend was of the many moveable 'gears' on the float.

So, on to the food part of this blog post… Always, a stop at Cream Pan is first…We were there at about 6:05 and our quick snack choices were still warm. The short walk from the Phoenix Decorating Company barn, over the Metro tracks and one block North to Lucky Boy was completed with these hearty breakfast choices of the Bacon Plate ($7) with sourdough, three eggs, hash browns and ..bacon! (yes, it weighed more than a pound) and my standing choice of breakfast egg sandwich ($3.75) on rye.

Lucky Boy Drive-In 640 S. Arroyo Parkway Pasadena, CA 91105 Website It is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, otherwise it's always open.

Proceeding over to the High School parking lot, the Certified Farmers Market had just opened and wasn't yet too crowded.

We picked up a good variety of vegetables and fruits and headed home, arriving back just before noon…and the heat of the day.

I hope everyone has a good week.

Portland: Case Study Coffee, Tasty n Sons, and the Cheese Bar

September 17, 2015 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Cheese, Portland, Oregon, Travel

*** Tasty n Sons and Cheese Bar have closed

I'd planned on having one "walking" (aka death march) day in Portland and this Thursday was to be it. Little did I know just how much walking we'd do…..on this day and the next because of some unplanned detours.

Things started as planned. Just a block or so away from the hotel is Case Study Coffee Roasters. Very chill and mellow.

The Missus got a pour-over, which was nice, and She decided that I should get the Lavender Infused Cold Brew…which seemed kind of, well, feminine…..but was nice with a refreshing clean finish.

Case Study Coffee
802 SW 10th Ave
Portland, OR 97205

The plan was as follows…the Missus wanted to walk, so I'd decided to head to Mount Tabor, via the Hawthorne Bridge and Hawthorne Boulevard. A decent 4 – 4 1/2 mile walk. We'd take our time and have lunch at Cheese Bar on SE Belmont Street, then catch the #15 Bus back to the hotel for a nice afternoon nap before walking another couple of miles to dinner. As we left case study, the Missus decided that we needed to try Tasty n Sons. We'd gone to Tasty n Alder twice during our last visit to Portland and She wanted to see how TnS lined up…. So let's just add another 4 miles total to things shall we? One does not argue with the Missus when She gets into "mission mode"…..

So off we went. The Broadway Bridge was undergoing some work as we crossed so the bike lane and pedestrian walk area was a single thin path. Folks were biking to work so we'd stop and move under the scaffolding to let them pass. I'd forgotten how friendly and nice folks in PDX were. Every bike rider who passed us and there were many smiled and said "thank you"……

We crossed over the I-5 over to N Vancouver, then to N Williams Avenue. Man that part of North Williams near the Emanuel Medical Center is kind of depressing….but you soon get close to NE Fremont Street with the ton of bikes (3,000 bike commuters on this street daily is what I read), businesses, and gentrification. We'd arrived…..

The building Tasty n Sons is located in is quite interesting, it's named the Hub and contains almost every single type of new-agey business you can imagine, even a Naturopathic Vet!

Anyway, we were seated quickly upon entering the restaurant….we found the service here to not be quite as friendly or efficient as Tasty n Alder or even Toro Bravo (an upcoming post). Still, we sat at the counter facing the street and had a nice meal.

Seeing Shakshuka on the menu, we couldn't resist…and of course, there's the Missus's love of runny eggs…and my love of grilled bread.

The eggs were wonderfully runny, the bread nicely charred and smokey. The shakshuka could have had a bit more zip; both in terms of heat, sweet red pepper, and tangy tomato flavors. Of course, since we make our own at home quite often, we have a certain expectation in terms of flavor and prep. Still, this was good.

The real winner was the Moroccan Chicken Hash and of course, yet another egg for the Missus.

The spice-salt-earthy flavors was just what we were craving. The chicken was nicely seasoned and the creamy sauce brought everything together.

During the recent hot weather, I've been making a nice chilled heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad with aged balsamic and Arbequina Olive Oil, which is so delicious. So we were excited to try the Heirloom Tomatoes. Well, you can't claim false advertising as it is heirloom tomato slices.

To our tastes it was a little low on both the acid and sweetness scale and the kitchen had been a bit too liberal in the application of salt.

Overall a nice, hearty, but not too heavy breakfast. I had encouraged the Missus to order the Radicchio Salad here, but for some reason She decided not to. Something She'd regret later.

Tasty n Sons
3808 N Williams Ave
Portland, OR 97212

And so with some cajoling I got my butt in gear and we headed east on NE Fremont, then down MLK Boulevard. On this day, the temps were supposed to hit the high 80's (the next day would go into the 90's) and it was getting pretty warm by the time we got NE Belmont. The walk was slightly uphill, but not too steep.

There are quite a few interesting places along the way…..

Over 5 miles later, we got to the place I'd originally planned as our lunch stop; Cheese Bar.

We've really been enjoying cheese over the last couple of years. Cheese Bar along with the new "Chizu" in downtown are retail/cheese-wine bars owned by Steve Jones former winner of the National Cheese Monger Invitational Contest.

I was pooped, hot, and rather sweaty. Strangely, I was also a bit hungryl. Cheese Bar serves up cheese boards, charcuterie boards featuring Olympia Provisions products, sandwiches, beer, wine, and salads. We just ordered two cheese boards and had some highly restorative mineral water.

The House Cheese Board featured three Spanish Cheeses, chutney, and crostini ($11).

Really nice aged Sheep's milk cheeses. From right to left, a Mahón Reserva, a Buenalba, and a very nutty Zamorano. The Mahón seemed a bit behind the other two in terms of assertive flavors. But after letting the flavors open up as it reached room temperature the sweetness of the cheese became apparent.

We also got the "Stinky" Board with Crostini ($8).

The Grayson (on the left) is slightly ripe, though quite mild in flavor. The Vulto Creamery Ouleout has a wonderful texture, a slightly ripe smell but was also a bit mild for our taste. I guess we've gotten used to Harbison.

This was a nice stop for a light lunch. If we'd been doing some self-catering, we'd surely have gotten a couple of cheeses and a baguette.

Cheese Bar
6031 SE Belmont
Portland, OR 97215

I really looked like "Ji-chan" as I stood up….geez, I'm surely not getting any younger…..especially after taking a "nice" over 9 mile morning walk! The Missus was nice enough to allow us to return to downtown on the #15 bus. I crawled back to our hotel room, showered….and then it was time for a short nap. Which I hoped would be restorative since we'd be walking to dinner!

Thanks for reading!

Azucar, a Cuban Style Patisserie – Sweets and Savories (Ocean Beach)

September 10, 2015 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Cuban Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!! This is a blog about food. Today, Cathy is writing because Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are busy with things.

Azucar opened in Ocean Beach in 2008. Its owner, Vivian Hernandez-Jackson, is Cuban, classically trained in Europe and seven years ago realized her dream to open a Patisserie with a twist in Ocean Beach. Located on the Northwest corner of Newport at Sunset Cliffs (just across the street from Village Kitchen), the small storefront seems unassuming.Step inside and be prepared to be overwhelmed. The descriptions and selection of what is available that day are fascinating (as well as delicious).

A cup of coffee along with a cheese roll (pastelito de queso) and coconut-almond florentine (each $2) one day was a relaxing and enjoyable respite of flavors and textures. The delicate pastry surrounding the cream cheese filling topped with coarse bits of sugar is delightful and the chewiness of the coconut and crunchiness of the almonds is so satisfying. Many people order specialty coffees here, but I find those too sweet and interfering with the already natural sweetness of the pastries.There are also five sandwiches on the menu. Above, the Cubano ($8). Slow roasted pork, thin slices of ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles. Pressed and toasted on freshly baked organic bread and served with a side salad. This is the way a sandwich should be. Those items in the refrigerated section are larger and each is around $6. Always wanting coconut flavors, our selection one day was the Artemisa: coconut cake, coconut syrup, pineapple, rum, custard and whipped cream. Topped with toasted coconut shavings. Yes. Dense, deep flavors and wonderful.

There are breakfast items here (quiche, Spanish omelet, croquette) as well as a good selection of coffee based beverages. A nice place to stop on your way to or from the beach.

Azucar 4820 Newport Avenue Ocean Beach 92107 (619)523-2020 Open Mon-Sat 7-6 Sun 8-5 Website

Suzy Q’s Diner (Escondido)

September 1, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Sandwiches, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!! Cathy is writing a short post today. Kirk got caught up in something at work and Ed(from Yuma) is also crazy busy.

I somehow was on one of the one way streets in Escondido earlier this year, took a turn to try to find my way back to some sort of familiar landmark and was stopped at the signal light on Juniper at East 2nd and noticed this building. Eventually, I brought The Mister here, so we could try out the food. This definitely is an original building spanning the block. Now it is broken into separate storefronts: Suzy Q's, a small Mexican Restaurant, a Mexican Bakery (Panaderia Oaxaqueña) as well as a Laundromat. I couldn't research what it used to be, but did discover that Suzy Q's has been open since January and is family owned.The decor is 50's style with corresponding music being played overhead. The menu is kind of kitschy, with some silly names for items (the Jed Clampett omelet, Patsy Cline, Jailhouse Rock, Milton Berle, Ricky Ricardo, Mickey Rooney, Dean Martin, Patty Page…then again, these names may not mean anything to you. I digress)

I had low expectations, which were quickly dashed.Monte Cristo (chalkboard special, so no silly name) ($11.49). Wow, this was great. A ham and cheese sandwich on a hearty white bread, dipped in egg and fried, like French Toast, topped with some powdered sugar and served with some great blackberry preserves, fruit and a spinach salad. Quality, thick ham, quality cheese…really great.This is the 'Bye Bye Birdie' ($7.99). Holes cut into two thick pieces of white toast, an egg dropped into the hole and cooked to my request (easy); all of it topped with a really great sausage gravy. Served with Country Potatoes, and either bacon or sausage, this was another winner. A great meal. So glad I took the wrong turn and discovered this gem.

Suzy Q's Diner 258 E. 2nd (at Juniper) Escondido 92025 Closed Mondays. Open Tues-Thurs 7-3, Fri 9-9, Sat-Sun 7-3

What’s My Craving? Hinotez……

August 31, 2015 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Japanese Restaurants, yoso-silly

This past Saturday I went out to fill the "honey do" list. It was :meat day" at Nijiya and since I was going to grill later that afternoon I had all kinds of shopping to do. We like to take advantage of our grilling time and make multiple dishes, and since it was so hot, I'd be roasting vegetables over the charcoal. It was a typical day, Starting at Sprouts, then Marukai, then 99 Ranch Market (Da Boyz needed rice). It was still too early for Nijiya and I didn't want to seem too excited about meat day and be there when the doors open.

Every so often I miss the typical breakfast I'd have when visiting my maternal Grandparents or on special weekends. To copy a passage from an earlier post on Fukagawa Soba & Udon:

"One of the earliest (and few) memories I have of my grandparents, is my "Ji-chan" (grandfather) waking before dawn. Even though the plantation days were behind them; the plantation ways were still strong. Neither Grandparent spoke much English and always had problems with my name. Ironically, they ended up calling me "Keiki" (which means "child" in Hawaiian). To this day I'm not sure if they actually knew what keiki meant, or of they just chose that word because it kinda sounded like my name, and was something they'd heard before. Anyway, my job was to climb the ricketty ladder up to papaya tree and pick two of the ripe papayas. My reward? My Grandmother would have a steaming bowl of rice, mix the raw egg with shoyu, pour the egg over the rice, top with green onions and mix……. tamago meshi. This in turn was topped with natto. I was also given half a papaya (to help me digest), and a cup of coffee (!!! I was maybe 7-8 years old) with tons of cream and sugar. A perfect breakfast for getting out there and working the fields……."

It's the breakfast of champions…… To my knowledge, the only place that serves anything like this in San Diego is Hinotez which opens at 8 am every morning.

It's a pick your poison kind of menu. A base with whatever you want to add for additional cost. What I ordered used to be six bucks and now that I add one other item, is now seven. Still cheaper than a sandwich at most places.

I get the three minute egg (not quite the raw egg, but it'll do), natto, and for some reason I love the extra "goo" of tororo (grated mountain yam). If anything, it's too much rice for me. I think in the future, I'll ask for less rice and more green onions.

First goes the egg…then the tororo…which is mixed together with the rice, then the natto, green onions and shoyu.

It's such a lovely mess of a breakfast.

I'm glad it's not one of those Japanese breakfasts we had in Japan. I would have just driven back home after eating and go back to sleep!

I do love my Spam and my Loco Mocos; though I enjoy both in moderation. But it's this breakfast that takes me back to where I come from and what I am. The grandson of immigrant plantation workers who toiled in the fields for Maui Pine.

Hinotez
7947 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111

2016 Rose Parade float road tests (3 &4) Breakfast at Silver Dollar Pancake House (Corona)

August 20, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! Sometimes we write about events in addition to food. Cathy and Her Mister took a few short road trips and here's what they saw and ate. {Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are both still too busy to write today}.

It's been a while since I wrote about the first road test of floats that will participate in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade. A second road test was held two weeks later (on a Saturday in June) and The Mister and I couldn't go to that one. We've been to the third testing and the fourth test just occurred, so this post is a summary of what we've seen, along with what we ate.

First, breakfast following the 7 a.m. tests. You may recall a post from last year, about us stopping at Cupid's following a float road test. When we had left that stop, which we happened upon because of a terrible bit of traffic, we noticed this building……making mental notes that it looked interesting, especially if we had to jump off the freeway again. This past Saturday we had an opportunity.
When you first step inside, there's a horseshoe shaped counter, where you can sit if you see an empty chair. Else, you can sign in under the signage (to the right) and wait for a seat in the adjacent dining area.
While waiting, I read several of the framed newspaper articles in the 'lobby' This one has a good photo of the counter area and the unique seating there. We only saw one open seat or would've sat there, but the wait was not long since we were here before 9 a.m. {Briefly, Silver Dollar Pancake House has been in this location since 1925 and the current family owners used to work here}

The pancake menu here is similar to Original Pancake House, but not in terms of price (ex. coffee is $1.99). Similarly, Silver Dollar is open for lunch and closes in late afternoon. The Mister chose the Silver Dollar Special ($8.99). Two eggs, two bacon, two sausage and two of any of the special pancakes from the pancake menu. He chose the banana pancakes because the description said the bananas were baked in, not merely a topping. Then again, the topping is a delightful sweet mix of a sort of caramel and chopped pecans. Wonderful pancakes, great (skin on) sausage, orange yolked eggs (cooked perfectly over easy, which is not an easy thing to do).
When I saw plates being delivered to other tables, the portion sizes looked huge, so my decision was to be different (!) and I ordered the #3 special ($5.49 plus an additional 69¢ for a sausage patty substitution), French toast and two eggs (plus the sausage). This was a great choice. The two slices of French Toast were cooked perfectly…thick bread was used, the outside was crispy and the interior soft and fluffy. That sausage patty was excellent and the eggs were poached perfectly.

All in all a great breakfast, a great Diner with great people working. We'll be back. The tabletops? Each is centered with a different breakfast item photo and all are embedded with ads.

Silver Dollar Pancake House 710 East Sixth Corona, CA 92879 (951) 737-5977 Open Mon-Sat 5 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun 6 a.m.-4 p.m.

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On to the floats. The 2016 entry by the City of Los Angeles is titled "Discover Los Angeles". The first two photos of the July Road Test and 'fire drill' show the float expanded. The third photo shows the float inside the Phoenix Decorating Company barn, with the float collapsed (as it will have to, several times along the parade route). Also, the float has been colored in, which will be a guide for the volunteer decorators (who will begin the first Saturday in December). Do you see the 'Spotter' for this float in the second photo? He's inside the incorrectly proportioned Capitol Records building. Childrens Hospital of West Virginia will have their first float in the 2016 Tournamentof Roses Rose Parade. It's titled "Wild and Wonderful". In the second photo, you can see a small slot in the front (to your right) 'pier of bricks'. That's where the 'Spotter' is seated. (In the first photo, you can see the opened doors for the Spotter and the Driver).

The Shriners Hospitals for Children 2016 entry, "Fezzy Races To Adventure" was road tested in July. You see both sides of the float. You can see that people who are seated along the Parade route get different views of the same float. Again, in the top photo, you can see the opened doors for the Driver and the Spotter.

Clicking onto one of the two first photos, you can see rebar outlines of a horse and a buffalo. Look at the above photo, inside the barn. (Enlarge it.) The now screened over float has much more definition… and an eagle!…you can see Mount Rushmore (in keeping with the co-sponsors of the 2016 parade, the U.S. National Park Service along with the general parade theme of "Find Your Adventure").

There were more floats tested for driving and maneuverability, all in rebar. I'll post those with more finished photos, so you can see progression all in one post, instead of having to jump back and forth…the parade is in less than six months!

I hope your week has been going well. As always, thanks for reading.

Bilbao: Breakfast and Casco Viejo (Old Town)

July 24, 2015 mmm-yoso Basque Country - Spain and France, Bilbao, Spain, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Spain

How do you top dinner at Azurmendi? Well, you don't really. You just get up the next morning and get breakfast…….

Then walk around town killing time until you check out at noon and catch your bus to San Sebastian at 2pm.

The Missus decided that we should go to Casco Viejo, the Old Town. We decided to walk along the riverside…… Of course, we first had to pass "Fred".

The morning looked overcast and in fact it drizzled off and on until midmorning.

It seems that all dogs walk off leash here….they are very well behaved. Here's a really friendly one!

Most just mind their own business……

The walk from the Guggenheim to the Arenal Bridge, which crosses over the Nervion River takes about 20-25 minutes or so.

This was a quiet Sunday morning……

That's the Teatro Arriaga in the foreground, which greets you as you cross over the river.

We soon found ourselves at Plaza Nueva. This being Sunday, vendors were setting up for the weekly market of used books, stamps, coins, and other miscellanea.

There's something for everyone it seems. If you loved birds, there's a stand for that…..

What, you don't like birds? Not to worry. The very next booth sells slingshots…..

If you're in the Old Town, all streets lead to Santiago Cathedral. It is said that a church was originally built on this site back in the 14th century. There were additions made to the church at different periods and you can see the variations in styles. The church was declared a cathedral rather recently; in 1949.

It's actually fairly difficult taking a photo of the cathedral since the surrounding buildings are rather close. This being Sunday, and rather early in the morning the cathedral is closed to visitors.

As you can figure out by the name; the Cathedral Stands on the Northern route of Camino de Santiago, the Way of St James.

We noticed a little café that was doing some pretty good business and decided to stop for a "caffe" (espresso).

As we sat and relaxed, I noticed the place getting a bit more busy. After paying and leaving, we noticed much more activity in the little alleyways and small arteries in Old Town. Of course! It was Sunday, folks were on their way to church……

We headed out back across the bridge; past the Renfe Train Station….by now I had pretty much finished taking photos. We were just walking. We found ourselves back in downtown….and I knew where we were! Wouldn't you know it, I finally had directions figured out in Bilbao just in time for us to leave!

Oh well. We hadn't seen everything. And there were many more places that I had on my list to eat at. When travelling we always treat a place like we'll return someday….we see the things that are high on our list and don't stress the rest. So maybe…….

Anyway, we returned to our room, packed up a bit, and decided to take a short nap before checking out.

Next stop, San Sebastian…..

Thanks for reading!

Bilbao: Breakfast, a Trip to Guernica, and Revisiting La Vina del Ensanche

July 18, 2015 mmm-yoso Basque Country - Spain and France, Bilbao, Spain, Breakfast/Brunch, Spain, Spanish Restaurants and Cuisine, Travel

While most of our stays on longer trips are in apartments. I try to squeeze in a couple of hotels along the way. The Missus really enjoys doing Her own thing, so I tread carefully.

Of course staying in hotels has it's perks; the amenities; the concierge, front desk, house-keeping, business center….even a "rock tower"…..

The Silken Gran Hotel in Bilbao had that rock tower. It also served breakfast on the rooftop terrace.

Being the anti-social folks we are, we got to breakfast early and while there was a very mild chill in the air and a slight breeze, we sat outside.

It was more than enough for breakfast.

Heading out for the day, we of course passed "Fred"…….who was starting to bloom!

And headed off, walking through Parque de Doña Casilda de Iturrizar to the Bus Station.

I believe this is a memorial to Doña Casilda de Iturrizar.

We'd missed enough day-trip possibilities during our time in Madrid and Barcelona. To be fair, we'd been having too much fun. I thought it would be great to visit the town of Guernica. There were many possibilities, so why Guernica? During this trip, I'd been developing an appreciation for the works of Picasso. I had a chance to read about what is probably his most powerful work; Guernica. By turn, I had a chance to read George Steer's account of the bombing of Guernica.

The bus ride to Guernica from Bilbao takes about 40 minutes. We got off at the end of town and followed the "TI" signs…..which strangely led to the other side of town. It then took a turn and went back in almost the same direction we had arrived from….I'm thinking we missed a turn somewhere. Anyway, we arrived at the Tourist Information Office and the really nice woman provided a map and all the main destinations.

There was really just one thing I wanted to see and it was located behind the Gernika Assembly House.

The "Tree of Guernica", the symbol of freedom for Basque people resides on the ground behind the Assembly House. It is also depicted in the beautiful stained glass ceiling of the Stained Glass Chamber.

From times going back to the 14th Century, the Basque and other leaders would swear to respect the Fueros of Navarre, the charters that ensured the rights of the Basque people as an independent kingdom in union with the Spanish Crown. And though the Fueros was superseded by the Spanish Constitution, the President of the Basque Region – the Lehendakari are still sworn in under the tree.

The current tree is the fifth; each is a descendant of the original tree, planted in the 14th century. This little one replaced the previous tree in March of 2015 and is 14 years old.

The most famous; the "Old Tree" is located in the Templet a few yards away. It is quite popular with folks……

We also visited the Basque Country Museum.

The museum is worth visiting. There's also a section on the Chefs who have lead the moderm Basque food revolution.

Of course we stopped at the copy of Picasso's Guernica down the street.

It wasn't market day (which is Monday) so the area was fairly empty……

Except for the "old-timers" hanging out an socializing outside.

We walked back to the bus stop and caught the next bus back to Bilbao. Instead of going all the way to Termibus Station we got off…well somewhere in downtown. Somehow, we found ourselves back at La Vina del Ensanche. Now this was a Saturday and the place was packed….well the bar area was packed. There was possibly room for you….if you were a jamon hanging from the ceiling.

The tables though, were empty. Most had reserved signs on them…except for two. We asked and got one of the tables.

The Missus buoyed by the festive atmosphere ordered a "cava", sparkling wine….but not a glass….a whole bottle!

I ordered the Josellini – basically Joselito Jamon (here's the website in English, scroll down to the part about "Happy Pigs" – you'll love it), Foie Gras, with a sweet glaze on toast. Man this was good!

Rich, porky, sweet, salty, yeasty, crusty, creamy, and all of that mixed into one. I could eat this all day…..

We also got the regular order of the Carrillera de Iberico (braised pork cheeks) . The sauce was great mopped up with bread.

All while watching the ebb and flow of the crowds. The packed bar would start to thin out…..

Then wham! The next group of 40 people would walk in. This place has been around since 1927, so I guess this has been going on for 88 years.

Meanwhile, a family of a mom and three daughters sat at the table next to us. The youngest looked to be about 5-6, the oldest perhaps 10. When the foie gras mousse arrived, the three young girls nonchalantly dug into it and spread it on bread….like they eat this stuff every day! I turned to the Missus and said, "my god……they treat that like butter!" Her response? She turned to our server, pointed to the foie and said, "I'll take one of those." Which is how we had our second serving of foie gras during this "light" lunch.

It was quite good….nice and mildly liver-y and oh so rich……and I've been calling this "Basque Butter" ever since.

The Missus was having such a great time; She even ordered dessert…..

Man…..Basque Butter……

La Vina Del Ensanche
Diputacion 10
Bilbao, Spain

Just like before, we had a rather hard time finding our way back to the hotel….not sure why. But, when we did get back, it was time for a much needed nap!

J&M’s Family Restaurant (and the Chili Extravaganza)

June 25, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog. Kirk and Ed(fromYuma) and Cathy are the usual bloggers. Things pretty much work out that when one doesn't feel like (or can't) blog, one of the others has something they can post. Today, Cathy is writing.

A few weeks ago, The Mister and I were headed to the Vallarta Market in Escondido, planning to eat lunch beforehand either in the store (link is about a different location of Vallarta; but the food court inside all stores have the same food selections) or at the Farmer Boys, which shares the same parking lot…However, seeing this signage at J&M's (also sharing the same parking lot)…well…had to stop. The week after we had been here, this small ad appeared in the Union-Tribune. It looks like a June-only promotion. When looking at the regular menu, chili is not listed anywhere.The interior decor is newer, neat and clean, there is a separate closed room for meetings and wonderful friendly waitresses.

Some of you may remember there used to be a Spires Restaurant (a small Southern California chain of Traditional American Diners, since 1965) in Escondido which burned down in 2012. J&M's opened here in 2013 with the same owner and many of the same employees.

The regular menu is straightforward and has two 'added value' menus at the back for both breakfast and lunch (these special menus are served anytime).Therefore, breakfast it was. The #3 ($6.99). One and a half slices of French toast with two eggs and bacon. This was great, just enough and everything fresh, tasty and quality (and perfectly poached eggs).From the 'regular' menu, the appetizer of onion rings ($4.99). One size only. 20 fresh breaded and perfectly fried whole slices of onion. For the first time ever, The Mister and I did not fight over who got the last one; we were full from sharing this giant serving. THE chili bowl ($5.69). If you know, or care much about chili…this is great. No beans, tomato, peppers (just a hint of the typical mild/red bell pepper flavor and possibly Anaheim chilis), onion, spices of cumin and garlic with a bit of chili powder heat. This would be perfect on a cold day.