Breakfast/Brunch – Page 4

Dos Palmas Cafe

February 10, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Dog Friendly, Sandwiches

During our visits to Bica, we noticed this rather low-keyed shop across the street.

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It seemed to be doing some rather steady business. So, after our coffee and sandwich, we took JJ on a walk all the way to Kensington and then back over to this shop.

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We took a look at the menu and a gentleman was walking out with a package. We had noticed that folks in this area and Kensington seemed to be rather friendly, greeting us as we passed, some coming over to pet JJ. The gentleman said "you'll like this place; I drop by four or five times a week!"

So, we took a look at the menu.

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Which we put in the category of a neighborhood coffee and sandwich shop. And there seemed to be a cute little patio in the back.

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We also noted that the place opens at 7am, so we made a note to return when we took JJ "exploring" which was a few days later.

Dos Palmas Cafe is a cozy little shop, there was only one woman working when we arrived. The Missus ordered a Pour Over, I got an Americano and we also got two sandwiches and proceeded to take JJ to the quaint back patio.

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I expected things to take a while since it was just one person working but our Avocado Toast ($10.75) with Bacon (+$2) and Truffle Grilled Cheese ($11.50) was ready fairly quickly.

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There was a generous amount of tender, buttery avocado on the nicely toasted bread.

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The bacon, which added that salty component could have been a bit more crisp, but was fine.

My Truffle Grilled Cheese was nicely toasted.

Dos Palmas 09 Dos Palmas 10 Though I really couldn't make out truffle. This was bit too much for me in terms of cheese….yes, I know, it's a grilled cheese, but this really needed more than rich-milkiness. The tomatoes weren't ripe enough to add the sweet acidity to help cut the richness and there wasn't enough onion to add pungency. If you just want gooey cheese-land, this might work for you.

The Missus didn't care for Her pour-over, but I thought my Americano was fine. We did like the patio, the woman working was so nice, and of course, JJ enjoyed himself.

Dos Palmas 10b

So, we decided to return. We'd take JJ for a nice walk in the neighborhood, do some shopping at Stehly Farms, the Missus would pick up a Cortado from Bica and I'd get my coffee and order a sandwich from Dos Palmas.

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This time I went with the Turkey Pesto ($12.75).

Dos Palmas 13 Dos Palmas 14 This was a pretty good sandwich; nothing fancy mind you, the turkey was totally Sysco stuff; but the bread was nicely toasted and held out well. The herbaceous-savory-nutty pesto, the sweetness of the roasted red peppers, the bitterness of the greens, the creamy, slightly sweet avocado all worked well together. And this was enough for both the Missus and I for a light brunch. I think we'll go ahead and add the bacon for an upcharge next time.

I've mentioned "threads in the fabric of a neighborhood" in previous posts; you know, the corner bakery, coffee shop, and yes, the neighborhood sandwich purveyor. I think we just found this area's "sandwich – coffee shop".

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Decent prices, decent food…..

And it seems that JJ was "praying" for more treats here…..

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Dos Palmas Cafe
3562 Adams Ave.
San Diego, CA 92116
Current Hours:
Daily 7am – 2pm

Cinque Terre – Castello Doria (Vernazza), Corniglia, and Caffè Matteo (Corniglia)

January 31, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Cinque Terre/Genoa, Liguria - Italy, Croissants, Italy, Travel

It was our third full day in the Cinque Terre, but it for some reason, it felt like we'd been here for a while. We kept running into a very friendly Aussie couple, like 2-3 times a day. They were staying in a flat we could see from our window with a patio overlooking the sea. We'd see them having wine every evening. We gotta stay there next time!

By now, our morning coffee routine was a visit to Ananasso Bar.

Where the views from one of the tables overlooking the harbor is wonderful.

The wind and the rain from the night before had made for fairly clear skies and the winter air was crisp.

This seemed like a perfect time to visit Castello Doria (Doria Castle) and the tower of the ruins which stands on the edge of a ridge overlooking the village and the sea. Of course, there were a good number of stairs to climb!

The views from the tower are fantastic; especially on a clear day like this was.

From one side you could see the south shoreline.

From the other the North.

And of course a postcard view of Vernazza below.

While admiring the views, the Missus and I discussed our plans for the day. Well, it ended up being pretty easy; we'd been to four of the five villages f the Cinque Terre. There was just one left, Corniglia. We decided we needed to complete the "set".

So, it was back to the apartment to get our stuffs….yes, more stairs…..

On the way up to the train station, we decided to take a peek at the tiny chapel on the main street, Via Roma.

This lovely little temple is the Chapel of Santa Marta.

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And then we were off to Corniglia; the train there takes only 4 minutes! Corniglia has the distinction of being the only one of the five villages not on the ocean; instead it is perched on a hill above the water. Though the train station is at the bottom of the hill.

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So, to get up to this village of 150, you need to catch the shuttle……or…..

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Yep, you guessed it; take the stairs, all 382 of them! Guess which option the Missus picked?

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No, I didn't count them. It actually wasn't too bad because they were nicely maintained and quite even.

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Once near the top, you simply walk thru some narrow streets and end up where the shuttle buses actually stop.

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We strolled along Via Stazione into the charming little village. And ended up at a lovely little square in front of a church.

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This is the lovely Chiesa Di San Pietro.

Which was built way back in 1334!

While enjoying the white marble interior, we quickly noticed a pooch walking thru the church. The dog had a harness on and we thought he was with the nice gentleman and his son. However, when they left the church, the pup did not!

He just hung around and greeted people.

And when folks started coming in for what appeared to be services, he took his leave! Such a well mannered pooch!

You'd weave your way between buildings.

And then suddenly find yourself on the edge with a view.

Crossing over we entered what looked like the "downtown" of Corniglia, there were some cafes and restaurants and a nice little square. And an interesting chapel.

With an even more interesting…and kinda gory statue in the front.

Later on, I did a search in Google maps and found that this is the Cappella dei Flagellati Corniglia, the "Chapel of the Flagellants". Which explains the statue; because you know what Flagellants are, right?

It's quite a lovely area.

Following the instructions of Rick Steves Cinque Terre guide we walked down the little street named Via Fieschi.

Which led us to a lovely terrace known as Santa Maria Belvedere, which had beautiful 180 degree views of the Ligurian Coast.

Corniglia was so chill!

We decided to get a very light brunch and some espresso and headed back to the square, Largo Taragio. Where the Caffè Matteo was doing some good business! This was the most folks we saw in Corniglia.

And they had a bunch of breakfast deals going.

The Missus got a croissant and coffee for 3 Euros; I got the croissant, coffee, and OJ for 5 Euros. The prices were indeed quite fair; even though the croissant, as expected was not very good.

The exterior hard, the interior too brady and doughy, not enough butter…but of course, we expected that.

Between the carbs and the coffee; well, that was enough to keep us until later in the day.

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And at 8 Euros for two?

Caffè Matteo
Via Fieschi 157
Corniglia, Italy

And carbs were good, because well, remember those 382 steps???

I also loved this sign that was in the cafe…..

As the Missus and I waited for the train; we made a decision on where we'd be going to next….since we'd been to all five villages in the Cinque Terre; we thought we'd visit one to the North where the local train ended.

Stay Tuned!

Bica

January 6, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Dog Friendly, Sandwiches

Recently, the Missus mentioned a place in Normal Heights that was pet friendly and supposedly made good coffee, named Bica. JJ enjoys riding in the car; but gets major FOMO. He does enjoy the walks, so recently I headed on up to Normal Heights and easily found street parking a couple blocks away from Bica, which is basically across the street from White Rice Bodega.

Bica 01

Indoors there's a counter for ordering; the Barista working there on both visits was very friendly.

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Prices aren't too bad either.

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There's a small menu of "tartines" – open face toasts and sandwiches. It was different on both visits.

I went and ordered a Cold Brew and Mushroom Tartine ($12), paid and walked over to the patio area.

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While the furnishings in the patio area were pretty packed in; it was not fully occupied and was quite nice and relaxing.

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The place just gave off a nice vibe and JJ did well, just hanging while I enjoyed my Cold Brew, which tasted lighter, but had a nice caffeine "kick".

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As for my Tartine; well, it looked lovely.

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Loved the bread. Wish there was more mushroom…more savory-earthiness would have been appreciated. A bit too much stracciatella cheese. A bit too much sour-acidity, but overall a decent breakfast.

JJ enjoyed his pre and post breakfast walk as well.

A few weeks later, the Missus decided to join us on another visit to Bica.

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I told the Missus to just order me a Cold Brew and order a sandwich for us to split. JJ and I then just headed over to the patio.

The Missus had gotten Herself a Cortado which She loved.

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As for the sandwich; well, I was surprised that She ordered a Cubano ($17)!

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Once again, we loved the bread, which was perfectly toasted, crusty and crisp, sturdy enough to hold up thru our entire meal.

The pork was tasty, as were all the individual parts. Though when taken as a whole, there was a bit too much pork in this for us. Of course, I'm sure all the swine lovers must love this. For us, proportion matters and more acidity and pungency would helped to balance things out.

The Missus loved the pickled veggies.

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We again enjoyed the vibe and walked JJ all the way to Kensington. Funny how people react differently when you have a pup in tow. Folks were wishing us a "good morning", several women stopped to pet JJ….and being the little ham that he is, we would roll on his back to get his tummy rubbed!

Overall, we enjoyed Bica. Heck, if they were in our 'hood we'd be regulars. Plus, the Missus enjoyed Her Cortado and we actually returned just for that a week later.

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I also noticed another place during our time in the neighborhood that we'd end up visiting and enjoying as well!

Stay tuned!

Bica
3569 Adams Ave.
San Diego, CA 92116
Current Hours:
Daily 630am – 4pm

Saying Goodbye to Lucky Wong of Lucky’s (Golden Phenix) Breakfast

January 4, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch

I was saddened to have heard about Lucky's passing on 10 News on Thursday. Lucky Wong, the namesake of Lucky's Breakfast, which will always remain Lucky's Golden Phenix to me passed away on December 30th.

I wish I had one last chance to drop by and tell him how much I appreciated his kindness, sense of humor, and generosity. In fact, when I mentioned "During the middle of last month I headed up to North Park to grab a late breakfast from a place I hadn't been to in a year or so. Sadly, the place was closed….I'm not sure what's going on but will do an update once I get all the info." in my post on Rising Sun, it was Lucky's I was referring to. And then, in the middle of last month, I took this photo of Lucky's when having our Happy Hour at Finca.

Goodbye Lucky 01

About 30 minutes later, Lucky walked up to check the mail and was entering the building. The Missus told me that I should walk on over and see how things were with him. I told Her that I didn't want to bother him. Ah yes, regrets……

I've done only five posts on Lucky's over the years, starting from that first visit in 2008, though I've visited a couple of more times.

"CC" sent me a text yesterday about Lucky's passing. She had actually dropped by to pay her respects. Over the years, she's done a couple of posts (these days you'll find her on Instagram) on Lucky's, the last being in 2019.

Mary of This Tasty Life (who is also now on Instagram) has also done a couple of posts on Lucky's as well. As has Dennis, who has made his blog private.

That is the "Lucky effect"!

Not only were his breakfasts inexpensive, check out the prices at the end of 2023, when I last visited.

Luckys Rev 04

Remember, this is North Park, right? I once asked him why he kept his prices so low and he told me "everyone needs to eat breakfasts, young people, students, even old people like you!" I loved his sense of humor.

He loved to give health tips as only a Chinese Grandfather could. I once asked him for no butter on my toast. His response? "Are you a health nut? You gonna be old and look like me one day, do you want to stay that way forever?"

And then there's the line that Lucky would use on older women ordering coffee: "You too young for coffee, it will stunt your growth!"

When a gentleman insisted on decaf Lucky exclaimed: "why you decaf, it's full of chemicals, you're already looking like you have too much chemicals!"

Ah yes, Lucky's words of wisdom: "you need to butter your toast, it's good for your complexion!" I should wrote a book!

Reminiscing on my visits, I decided to drive on over so JJ and I could pay our respects.

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As several folks had already done.

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Lucky would often give out "gifts" especially during Christmas and New Year.

On one of my non-post visits one of the customers forgot his wallet and was told to come back next time and pay. Lucky would also often "round down" the amounts on checks.

He was a humble man and I still recall on one evening in 2012, the Missus and I were walking past Lucky's. We looked into Lucky's and saw him watching a portable television in the back of his restaurant.

You would always get Fortune Cookies with your check. Something that was probably left over from the days when Lucky's served Chinese food. This was my fortune on that day.

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Lucky….we'll miss you! We were the "lucky ones" to have gotten to meet you.

Egglet (Regents Road/UTC)

November 19, 2024 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Breakfast/Brunch, Korean Restaurants, Sandwiches

While reading thru Eater's post on new restaurants in San Diego, I came across a mention of a Korean Egg Sandwich place that opened in the UTC area. So, I took a quick look online and man, unless I've been missing something it seems like Korean Egg Drop Sandwiches had finally made it to San Diego? Not that I'm really into those fads and such; but the location was quite convenient as were the hours, so I thought I'd drop by and check the place out for a "brunchy" kind of meal.

Egglet 01

I find the location to be quite interesting, in the same strip mall off Regents that houses Leucadia Pizza, Von's, the "ABCDE" (American-Born-Chinese-Dining-Establishment) where I had ok Chicken Wings a zillion years ago. I really hadn't been to this mall in ages; the last time was when I needed some cash from the ATM probably before Covid. The name of the place sounded familiar….then it came to me; Egglettes are those silicon boiled egg cooking cups. Also, the location, wasn't this something like Yakimono Restaurant and then a ramen place and then a sushi restaurant in previous lives?

Taking a look at the interior, you can kinda see where a sushi bar used to be and a flat top in the back, all blocked by nicely lined up boxes.

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There are a couple of smaller tables out front, some seating indoors, and what looks like an outdoor dining space.

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The prices looked to be quite reasonable by today's standards. It's one of these modern you can use the QR code and they'll give you a buzzer for your food. I went with the Egg Double Cheese Egglet ($8) and was curious about the Truffle Hash Brown ($4.50). Soon enough the little bugger buzzer went off.

Egglet 04 Egglet 05 Wasn't sure what to expect with the hash browns….there were three to an order, more than I could consume. This was typical Sysco quality, fast-foodish hash browns dusted with a truffle-Parmesan powder. It had a sweet tinge to it, I later found out that it is also dusted with black garlic. Not sure what hash browns are going for these days at your local fast-food joint, but I'm guessing that it's pretty reasonable for $4.50. Not that I would order it again though.

Speaking of not ordering again; the Egg Double Cheese Egglet was quite large for eight bucks; but the brioche, while decently toasted was way too sweet for my taste.

Egglet 06 Egglet 07 Just having the mix of cheddar-mozzarella which made things nice and gooey and the under-seasoned egg was not enough to overcome the brioche toast. There was a lack of savory flavors to me. I'm sure that some folks might really take to this, but it was just not my kind of thing.

Still, at these prices, I was more than willing to give them another try. This time I went with something from the "sandwich" menu, rather than the egglet like I had earlier. I was told that the sandwich rolls are not as sweet as the toast by the really nice woman. I wasn't feeling like having a burger though, so I thought I'd "hedge my bets" by getting the Smoked Bacon Sandwich ($9.75) in hopes that the bun wouldn't be too sweet for my taste.

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Egglet 09 Egglet 10 This was a pretty messy sandwich. The bacon, which almost reminded me of "Canadian Bacon" hadn't been crisped up enough and was quite rubbery. Still, the savory-saltiness…it didn't seem smoky to me, really added balance to the sandwich.

Also, I'm thinking the roll, which was nicely toasted wasn't quite as sweet as the toast, though the caramelized onions, something I would usually enjoy on a savory sandwich/burger was a bit too much for this. Also, the egg was folded over to one corner of the sandwich. I had to open it up. The cheese, once again a mozzarella blend had a nice stringiness, but really lacked milky-savory-sharpness and other than texture, didn't bring much in terms of flavor to this.

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In the end, Egglet is an interesting fast-casual concept, which I think a certain demographic (which I'm not part of) might enjoy. I also think the prices are good for the location, especially in this day and age. And the prices give you a chance to try them out yourself!

Egglet
7728 Regents Road Suite 501
San Diego, CA 92122
Current Hours:
Daily 7am – 2pm

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S3 Coffee Bar

November 15, 2024 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix

Well, it as that time again. Time to take my car in for servicing. Once I dropped off my car, it was time to get my caffeine fix and get something light for breakfast. I had thoughts of returning to Cuppa Cuppa Coffee Lab, but decided to get something more than a croissant on this morning. I decided to head further up Mission Gorge to a place I'd heard of named S3 Coffee Bar. I thought a nice little stroll would do me some good as well.

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Walking up to the place, I tried to recall what it was before? I seem to remember something with a drive-thru? Perhaps Cathy will remember?

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The space is pretty large, with ample outdoor seating.

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Along with a very bright, modern interior that seems to have every newish-hipster design trend, from the artwork-lighted sayings, to the skylight, to the plant wall, and the pink touches. I've started calling this "Pink-ster" design.

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The gal at the counter was very friendly. As is the norm in many places these days, once you pay, you get one of those buzzer things. Once it goes off, you pick your order up at one of the "cubbyholes".

I had ordered a Cold Brew, which seemed to be priced right at $5.50 for a fairly large 16 ounces.

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Pleasantly strong, not overly bitter, with just enough simple syrup, this did the trick.

I also got the Avocado Toast ($9.50), which looked quite pretty.

S3 06 S3 07 I enjoyed the mashed avocado which added a nice creaminess to the toast. The Balsamic seemed to take it a bit over the edge with regards to sweetness; though I'm thinking some folks would love that. Not enough micro greens to make a difference. The Mozzarella added some milky-sour tones, but I rearranged them to try to get one in every bite.

The one thing that I really didn't care for was that the bread wasn't toasted enough. It just got soggy and I had the somewhat humorous thought that perhaps since I was obviously the oldest person in the place, the sagging was a tribute to me? Let's not even go into me losing my (cheese) balls, rolling off the bread as it sagged as well.

Enough of that silliness. Nice folks, very bright and airy…modern interior. I thought the cold brew was pretty good. I do wish that there were more options for savory items.

S3 Coffee Bar
6225 Mission Gorge Rd.
San Diego, CA 92120

On a more interesting note. I noticed quite a bit of construction and empty lots/businesses on my walk back to the shop.

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The one that really caught my attention was what used to be 6171 Mission Gorge Road.

This place had a bunch of eateries. I recall an Indian Restaurant, a Japanese/Sushi place, Cathy posted on Donut Panic (one of the best names ever!) and A Brooklyn Pizzeria among others that have resided in that strip mall.

I see that the Taco Shops and Iowa Meat Farms look like they're doing good business and the folks from now defunct Salud have taken over the original location of Tio Leo's. So, it looks like new development like the Vora Lux Apartments, which is where Suppa Cuppa is located is taking over? It'll be interesting to see what this part of Mission Gorge looks like five years from now.

Road Trip – Silver Lake, Silver Lake Resort Cafe, and Hiking the Gardisky Lake Trail (June Lake)

September 1, 2024 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

After having a little taste of SUP at Gull Lake the previous afternoon, the Missus was up and ready to go at sunrise the next morning. After getting organized, I thought that heading to Silver Lake early in the day might work out well. So, we headed out. We had no problem finding parking near the Silver Lake boat ramp and the Missus was off and ready to go in no time at all!

Like the day before, I took a walk, taking in the beauty of Silver Lake. I loved the light and reflections at this time of the morning.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

And all you have to do is turn around……

Silver Lake is home to the oldest "resort" in the Eastern Sierra's; formerly known as Carson's Camp which was established in 1916, it is now the Silverlake Resort which has cabins, an RV Park, and most importantly (to me) a store and cafe, which opens at 7am.

There were folks waiting in when the place opened at 7. I decided to take a walk along the lake and returned about 20 minutes later.

I walked into the shop and over to the entrance of the cafe. I was going to write my name down on the waiting list, but I was waved on in. There were some seats at the bar, so I lucked out.

I loved the very "old school" look of the place!

The guy expediting behind the counter was super efficient and quite nice. Of course, I had to start with a cup 'o Joe, right?

Be it Folgers, Maxwell House, Kirkland, or whatever, I enjoyed this!

There were lot's of choices on the menu, I started looking over the specials.

Since I sat right across the window, I could see the breakfasts coming out. Some looked pretty hefty and I really wasn't in a position to head back to the motel for a nap. I did want to have a couple of items and I knew what to order when I saw the special.

So, I got the "Fisherman's Breakfast", nicely priced at $9.99.

With not too much of anything, I could try the biscuits and gravy. The gravy wasn't too salty or greasy, the texture was on the lighter side of things, but it wasn't bad. The egg was perfectly easy over, the yolk having no off flavors. The breakfast potatoes nice and crisp on the exterior, the breakfast sausage routine. This was good enough to bring back memories of old school – diner breakfasts I'd had in my younger days.

It wasn't too much and actually was better than I had thought it would be. No wonder the place is so popular! There were about 8 people waiting in line as I left.

Silver Lake Resort Cafe
6957 Hwy 158
June Lake, CA 93529

As I walked back to the boat ramp I could hear the whistling of air being released…..as I figured, it was the Missus deflating Her paddle board. I had perfect timing! Once squared away, the Missus told me "it's too early, we need to do something else before lunch, and you need to burn off your breakfast!" Luckily, I had something in mind. We headed north on the 158 loop, then turned north on the 395 to Lee Vining. From there we headed west on Tioga Road, which was somewhat familiar to us as we had driven here when we visited Yosemite in 2021. Tioga Road heads to the Tioga Pass entrance to the park. We wouldn't be driving quite that far. We took a right onto Saddleback Lake Road and eventually after driving a bit on a dirt road found some parking and the trailhead to Gardisky Lake.

I believe I mentioned before how the Missus enjoys Her non-switchback straight up and down trails. Well, according to Alltrails, this was but a 1.8 mile out and back, but with a 750 foot elevation gain.

At the beginning it was rather easy.

Yes, it was a climb, but the views were quite nice.

Walking alongside the river flowing downhill; it was apparent that the winter snow and ice was still melting. And this was in July!

The portions with all the rocks and boulders were the hardest. You had to be aware not to twist an ankle or fall here.

At the top it really looked like an Alpine Meadow. I guess this is why folks call the area the "Switzerland of California".

The Lake itself is not very large.

But with no one in sight, we did not see anyone else on the trail, it was quite peaceful. Check out the snow still hanging around the lake!

We didn't run into anyone else hiking on the way down either.

All in all, a steep, but very nice short hike.

Now the big question was; where we were going for lunch?

Thanks for stopping by!

Rose D’Amour Cafe (Chula Vista)

July 1, 2024 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! greets you on the Monday of a Holiday week. Cathy is writing while Kirk and His Missus are out and about, researching for future posts about food and activities.

A few weeks ago, my dear friend, cc and I embarked on our annual celebratory end-of-work food crawl. As always, she organizes and I follow along and learn of new and interesting places.

The building housing Rose D'Amour has reincarnated itself several times over the years. It is now owned by a friendly husband and wife and serves breakfast, lunch and various coffees and juices. The ordering online system seemed to be well in use during the time we were here on a Tuesday morning.

Just a portion of the menu.

The interior is small but there is additional seating on an outdoor patio.

cc ordered the Simple Breakfast ($12.99) with scrambled eggs, sausage, country potatoes and corn tortillas. I had a bite and this was very good.

I ordered the Molletes ($14.99) which I always like to try at new (to me) places. The toasted telera was topped with plenty of wonderful flavored refried beans, pico and Cotija cheese. A fresh made Chile de arbol based salsa was served on the side. This was a great savory breakfast; the telera was fresh and soft, even with the toasting.

cc ordered an iced brown sugar something ($6.75) and I got a regular coffee ($3)

The food, beverages and service here were wonderful and I will return with The Mister to try out the lunch menu.

Rose D'Amour Cafe. 1283 Third Avenue Chula Vista 91911 (619) 947-6717 Open daily 8-2

Revisits – Hola Paris and T.P. Banh Bao 3

May 12, 2024 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, French Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

You know, I will often complain about the lack of decent, diverse eating establishments here in San Diego. But then I'll look at my photos and realize while I believe there could be so much more to offer, I should be thankful for what we have here.

Case in point, having to catch up with things and recover from my jet lag, I made the two following breakfast stops this weekend. Yesterday, it was a savory crepe from Hola Paris in Old Town and for strange reason I was craving the "FBB" (fried banh bao) from T.P. Banh Bao 3. You really can't get more diverse than that, right?

Hola Paris:

**** Hola Paris has closed

On my way back from my typical Saturday morning "rounds", I decided to stop by the Old Town Urban Market to see what was going on since Tuetano moved out. Walking past Hola Paris, the owner Benjamin saw me.

Hola Paris Rev 01

He came out to say hello and mentioned that it had been a while since he last saw me! It's quite nice that he remembers me. He also mentioned that they've added a couple more options with regards to savory crepes. I guess he also remembers that I don't have much of a sweet tooth as well!

Hola Paris Rev 01b

After chatting a bit, I decided to order one of the savory crepes and went with the Milo.

Soon enough it arrived.

Hola Paris Rev 02

Well, this was quite good. I loved how the salty-savory Prosciutto and the earthy-milky-nutty Brie balances out the sweetness of the crepe. The tomatoes added a nice acidity and I wish there was more of that.

Hola Paris Rev 03

This was deceptively filling and rich. I enjoyed it and am glad I have a "go-to" here. I really enjoy chatting with Benjamin and will try to stop by more often.

Hola Paris
2548 Congress St.
San Diego, CA 92110
Current Hours:
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 9am – 4pm
Wednesday 9am – 2pm
Sat – Sun 9am – 6pm

T.P. Banh Bao 3:

While completing some shopping, I was strangely craving something……fried. Of course we didn't get any Asian food in Ecuador, but I'm not sure what brought on this sudden craving for a fried bao? Perhaps it's because it had been over three years since my last visit? Anyway, I decided to head on over.

TP Banh Bao Rev 01

I really didn't want to wait for them to fry up the version with the salted egg, so I just got two of the pork, sausage, and egg which they had in the display case. The woman working was a hoot. She placed several napkins in the bag telling me "just in case you can't resist and have to eat them while driving!" Lol!

I was able to resist temptation and waited until I got home to enjoy these brown orbs of artery clogging deliciousness.

TP Banh Bao Rev 02

The fried bao was still crunchy after the drive back home! There's an interesting combination of sweet-savory-porky-salty crunchiness with these. Oh, I could only finish one before needing a "timeout". I'll have the other one a bit later on.

TP Banh Bao Rev 03

This was a nice guilty pleasure. I'll probably wait awhile before having these again, since like "FOY" ChrisR mentioned to me in an email "I loved them, but I feel like they subtract weeks from my life expectancy."

T.P. Banh Bao 3
11271 Camino Ruiz
San Diego, CA 92126
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 8am – 7pm
Sat – Sun 730am – 6pm

So I guess I need to stop whining about the lack of choices in San Diego, right?

We'd like to wish a most wonderful Mother's Day to all Mom's out there!

iHOP- The International House Of Pancakes

May 4, 2024 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is indeed a blog about food. Kirk is away and Cathy is writing these blog posts. This post is about food.

So, anyhow. I have always worked in professions in which tipping is not the norm. However, I have a few clients who sometimes give me gift cards. I've mentioned in a few posts that I do not regift. In this case, I believe I was the recipient of a re-gifted card.

Here is the breakfast menu from a few months ago. Lunch and dinner is also served here.

Well, look at this from the breakfast menu- avocado toast, which comes with two eggs any style and a side of fresh fruit (or hash browns) ($13.49). A good quality multigrain toast topped with freshly sliced avocado and roasted cherry tomatoes. This was a surprisingly tasty and filling breakfast.

The Mister chose a Waffle Combo ($16.49). A strawberry cheesecake topped Belgian waffle with two eggs (over easy), two sausage (or bacon) and hash browns. I liked the waffle (plain). The batter was crisp on the exterior and had a malt/vanilla flavored fluffy interior. The strawberries were very flavorful-see the pink (not white) inner part? The sausage was standard with a nicely crisped skin and the hash browns were not watery and also had a good crisp.

A couple of very nice breakfasts.

iHop, many locations website

Coffee is $3.99