Caffeine Fix – Page 10

Mexico City – Morning Coffee at Delirio Mónica Patiño, Breakfast at Los Tamales de la Roma, Walking Paseo de la Reforma, and Caffeine with a View at Don Porfirio Caffe

January 24, 2020 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Mexico City, Travel

Our second full day in CDMX was another; surprise, fairly walking intense day. The morning in Condesa was quite lovely.

On this day, the Missus wanted to check out Centro Histórico….getting there by foot of course. So I devised a plan…we'd start in Roma, have a breakfast of sorts, then head down Paseo de la Reforma, Alameda Central, before arriving in the Historical Center of Mexico City.

So we headed out, past Parque España, taking a right onto Álvaro Obregón, crossing Insurgentes Sur we came upon a place I had to have a bit of caffeine; a gourmet shop owned by Chef and Television Personality Monica Patiño, named Delirio. I had kept the option open to grab something from this shop, but the Missus just wasn't inspired, so we just sat outside had a nice cup of coffee.

Delirio Mónica Patiño
Monterrey 116
Roma Norte, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

So, for a bite to eat, I went with plan B. The Missus really wanted to have some tamales during this trip, so two blocks away we took a left and arrived at one of the many places I had on my "list". A little shop named Los Tamales de la Roma.

We were greeted by the nicest, sweetest, young man, and we had a seat outside….it was such a nice morning!

When the young man brought over the menus, he explained that they did "two style of tamales…..the typical maiz, and those that use plantanos", he told us to please ask any questions we have; "I want you to have the best time possible"! My goodness…… So we had him recommend something…..after chatting with the Missus a bit, he recommended the "Ratatouille", which he said was done in Plantain leaves and had good vegetables and is so healthy. I ordered the Chicharron en Salsa Verde.

The tamal de chicharron was delicious, porky, great corn flavor, a hint of smokiness, nice tangy acidity from the salsa verde.

The Ratatouille was less so for us; fairly bland, in need of more flavor….but very moist.

You know, based on the service, it's very hard to complain about 2 tamales and bottled water that came out to less than $3/US!

This was more than enough for a light breakfast.

Los Tamales de la Roma
Jalapa 99
Roma Norte, 06700 Ciudad de Mexico, CDMX, Mexico

The Missus really wants to check out Tamales Doña Emi next we visit.

From Jalapa, it was pretty much a straight shot to Glorieta Insurgentes, right before the roundabout, we saw a nice church and decided to duck in for a quick look. This was Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia (Parish of Sagrada Familia).

A few blocks later we were standing on the wide and bright Paseo de la Reforma, staring at the Angel of Independence.

This iconic landmark was built to commemorate Mexico's independence from Spain and was completed in time to celebrate Mexico's 100th anniversary of it's independence in 1910. One interesting fact about the structure is that it contains a mausoleum at its base where heroes of the fight for independence are interred, including Leona Vicario.

The avenue is wide and there's much to see in terms of art pieces; like the kind of whimsical, slightly strange Cocodrilo by artist Leonora Carrington.

More of Vienna and a Caffeine Break at Cafe Central

January 11, 2020 mmm-yoso Austria, Caffeine Fix, Croissants, Travel

**** Not much food in this one……lots of churches and monuments though.

On our second day in Vienna, we set out to explore what we had missed on the previous day. We just walked through Stadtpark onto the Ringstrasse, the road the circles Innere Stadt, Vienna's "Old Town" where many of the city's sights are located.

Like the Opera House, which we passed the previous day.

Right past the Opera House is a Statue of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the famous German writer.

We had to crack up when we walked past the statue….there was an empty wine bottle on the statue's lap……..I guess Goethe might have had a pretty tough night?

Right past the statue is a nice little green space; this is the Burggarten; which is famous for the statue of Mozart that resides there, as well as the Butterfly House.

Just a few steps further up the Ring, you'll pass the Museum Quarter. The impressive Maria Theresa Monument sits between the Natural History and Art museum.

Maria Theresa was the only female ruler of the House of Habsburg, the Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of Hungary and Bohemia. Though she was married to Francis I, the holy Roman Emperor, Maria Theresa reigned over the House of Habsburg due to the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, which her father, Charles VI put into place during his reign.

On the monument, Maria Theresa sits on a throne; the four horsemen represent her four top military commanders. Her four top advisors stand a the ready between the horsemen. Behind and above the left shoulder of the statue of Gerard van Swieten, Maria Theresa's person physician, you'll see a young boy, on the boy's right shoulder rests a hand. The boy is none other than Mozart. The gentleman whose hand is resting on Mozart's shoulder is that of Joseph Haydn. Haydn and Mozart were close friends; it is thought that Haydn, thoguh a quarter century older than Mozart, taught him quite a bit and was a mentor to the child prodigy.

Even though the museums weren't open and it was a windy and damp day; it was fun wandering around the area.

We especially enjoyed the cute elephant statue in front of the Natural History Museum.

From here we crossed the street and took a look around Hofburg Palace, where we had ended things the previous day, before having lunch then heading to Belvedere Palace.

There are actually some Roman Ruins on display on Michaelerplatz right in front of the Palace. And right across the street is Saint Michael's Church. Since it started to drizzle a bit, we decided to head on into the church to take a look around.

The Altar is quite impressive.

St Michael's is also well known for the Pipe Organ that Joseph Hadyn once played. This is also the church where Mozart's Requiem, unfinished at the time of his death on December 5, 1791 was first played. You can see the date along with a death mask of Mozart on the wall as you enter the church.

At this point we needed a break. The drizzle had ceased and the Missus wanted to visit another Viennese Café. Café Central was just a few blocks up Herrengasse, so we headed on up the street for something light to eat and a caffeine fix. According to what I read, the café was opened in 1876. Among the noted regulars at the café were some pretty (in)famous names. As a matter of fact; during early 1913 it is said Hitler, Trotsky, Tito, and Freud were said to have visited the café. Crazy….

And so we had our coffees and a fairly mediocre "homemade" croissant with paintings of royalty gazing at us.

The coffee was good, the service professional, though not quite a elegant as Cafe Imperial according to the Missus….at least it was less than half the $30 that I doled out at Café Imperial.

And then there was that rather lifelike Peter Altenberg statue……

Cafe Central
Herrengasse 14
Vienna 1010, Austria

We headed out, and decided to take a peek at the Schottenkirche ("Our Lady of the Scots") at the top of the block. The interior was quite impressive.

We headed back down Herrengasse, then across Michaelerplatz and down a passageway to our next destination…….and to our surprise saw some horses walking across the way.

I'd forgotten about the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

Apparently, these are the rather posh stables.

Where I saw an interesting sign…..

We headed to our last destination; but decided to make one more stop along the way. To visit the Augustinian Church, where many of the Habsburgs were wed and where the hearts of 54 Habsburgs are interred in urns in one of the Chapels, and their bodies are in the Crypt below.

The Missus was kind of "Churched out" by this time……

So, we mainly spent time checking out the very interesting Monument to Maria Christina.

And then we were off…..to our next destination…..

Thanks for stopping by!

Vienna – Cafe Imperial and Belvedere Palace

October 19, 2019 mmm-yoso Austria, Caffeine Fix, Desserts, Travel

After getting some "comfort food" at Tofu & Chili, the Missus was back in "mission mode". She really wanted to have the "Vienna Café" experience. So, we headed off to the café at the Hotel Imperial.

Man, talk about posh.

With prices to match. The Missus wanted to try the Imperial Torte, which She had read was created here for Emperor Franz Josef I when the Imperial Hotel opened in 1873.

The Missus really enjoyed the service and the atmosphere…….

Though for me….thirty bucks for coffee, tea, and dessert is a bit on the high side. Still, we were on vacation, right? And the Missus enjoyed herself.

Plus, Imperial Café has some of the most elegant bathrooms I've ever been to…..

Imperial indeed…..

Cafe Imperial
Kaerntner Ring 16
Vienna 1010, Austria

After getting our sugar and caffeine fix; we headed off to visit the last spot the Missus had on "Her list" for the day; the Belvedere Palace.

We headed down Schwarzenbergplatz; which, like the Wikipedia page says is more of a street than a square; with the regal, Equestrian Statue of Karl Philipp, the Prince of Schwarzenberg, his mighty steed with one hoof raised, ready to lead the way.

While the drizzle had stopped; it was still quite overcast and blustery at times. Still, there's something quite regal about Vienna.

Did you know that Vienna has a Soviet War Memorial? I didn't know what this was when we walked through it on the way to the Belvedere.

So, I was a bit surprised to find out it was the Heroes' Monument of the Red Army (Heldendenkmal der Roten Armee). It has been the subject of controversy and has been vandalized several times.

Belvedere Palace was built as the summer palace for Eugene of Savoy; who in spite of being rejected for military service by the French, made his way to Austria and pledged loyalty to the Habsburgs. He became one of the most successful military officers in European History and was instrumental in defeating the Ottomans. The Lower Palace was Eugene's home and the Upper Palace, which was completed in 1723 contains one of the best collections of Austrian art and there was one particular work that the Missus wanted to see.

The upper palace looks quite grand, built in the Baroque style.

The gardens aren't shabby either…..

Nor the grand décor….I'm sure Prince Eugene had some major parties here.

But the Missus was on a mission……

And when we found Gustav Klimpt's "The Kiss", it was mission accomplished.

We wandered about a bit more; then headed out and strolled the gardens……which must be quite stunning on a sunny day.

After wandering about for a while; we decided to take our leave. It was time to head back to the apartment…..you could say we were "imperialed out".

It was time for nap!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday Sandwiches – Breakfasts at Bay Park Coffee

September 8, 2019 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Sandwiches

A few months ago; I took the long way to Costco on my Sunday fuel run. I decided to finally stop by Bay Park Coffee. I usually drop by the Poseidon Project next door about once a week for a pint or two, but had never really thought about checking out Bay Park Coffee.

If I'm headed this way in the morning; I'd usually drop by Bird Rock on Morena. But on this day, I decided to drop on by.

I just had a cold brew; which had a bit more sweetness and acidity than what I'd had at West Bean. And I really enjoyed the no frills neighborhood feel of the place.

I also recognized the person running the register on this day, he was very familiar and was a bit surprised that I remembered him. My good buddy Candice confirmed that the owner, Rio helped open Menya Ultra and even worked at Ota for awhile!

While the cold brew wasn't as good as the version at Bird Rock, I decided to return the following weekend after looking at the simple Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch menu. I'd enjoyed my simple breakfast sandwiches from West Bean and thought I should give this place a try. Especially after seeing all the folks having breakfast.

So, I returned the following weekend. It was already pretty hot and humid out, so I ordered a cold brew.

I decided on getting a Croissant Sandwich; the ham, egg, and cheese was nicely priced at $6.75. When I asked where the croissant came from; I was told Bread & Cie….sigh, not my favorite baker in San Diego; but what the heck…..they make a fairly huge croissant.

And, as you can see; this was pretty hefty. Based on the tiny kitchen; I expected IQF scrambled eggs; but these were fairly creamy, moist, and the cheddar did well. The saltiness from the ham along with the eggs really helped to temper what I don't care for about the B&C croissant. While nice and flakey, a fairly light, it really doesn't have the buttery-saltiness I look for in a croissant. Used as a sandwich though; it did well.

The young lady working the register was smiling and full of sunshine on this morning as well. I noticed a couple of tables eating something I would usually never think to have at a coffee shop. So, the next weekend, on the way to Catalina Offshore I stopped by for breakfast. Things weren't quite as warm on this weekend morning so I had an Americano to start off.

I had seen folks eating a ton of avocado toasts….which, well, I would just eat at home. But, I had also noticed quite a few folks having the Lox & Levain. Now, to be perfectly honest, I'd usually not have lox (I haven't lox in a while….I should make some soon) at a coffee shop. But, since Rio had worked at Ota; I thought perhaps the quality of the lox would be decent.

And while I'd have enjoyed a bit more salmon on my bread, what there was tasted perfectly fine. Like I said before; this place loves their avocado; which did well on this sandwich along with the nice smear of cream cheese. It really did a good job of balancing out the usually too chewy bread. Good amount of dill which helped to carve through all that fat. Not bad at all. The open faced sandwich rested on a bed of arugula, and the bitterness acted as a nice foil to the richness as well.

After back-to-back road trips over the last two weekends and some scorching, muggy weather to boot, I decided to drop by for a cold brew and a bite before heading off on my weekend errands. Immediately after placing my order, the guy manning the counter asked me if I was from Hawaii. I said yes and he started talking in Pidgin! His name is Noel, he lived in Hawaii, in my old neighborhood, Kaimuki!

I got his story; he moved to Honolulu to study Taiko Drumming with the legendary Kenny Endo! He now runs his own troupe here in San Diego and is also the General Manager of Bay Park Coffee. You go bruddah!

I had ordered the Pesto Turkey Sandwich and Noel recommended some cheese scrambled eggs to go with it.

There was a good amount of pesto, lots of rich-nutty-earthy flavors to the turkey sandwich. Again, I enjoyed the arugula, which added a nice, pleasant peppery-bitterness. The bread was a bit too chewy and the crust was tough. The scrambled eggs was passable and this was more than what I could consume for breakfast.

In the end; while I prefer the cold brew at Bird Rock, I prefer the food and coffee here to West Bean. I also really like the relaxed vibe and friendly staff here. Plus, I got a kick talking to Noel….he makes me miss "home". I guess I have another option for a unfussy, light breakfast, and coffee in the neighborhood. Plus, I run into folks from the neighborhood and on my last visit folks I knew from Thai Papaya who were looking at a nearby property for expansion. Now wouldn't that be a nice addition to the 'hood?

Bay Park Coffee
4130 Napier St
San Diego, CA 92110
Hours:
Mon – Fri 7am – 5pm
Sat 730am – 5pm
Sun 730am – 3pm

Budapest – Jacques Liszt Bakery, By Beans Coffee, and Leaving Budapest

August 9, 2019 mmm-yoso Bakery, Budapest, Caffeine Fix, Croissants, Hungary, Travel

We awoke bright and early on our last morning in Budapest. And of course we took in the view (yet again) from our hotel window.

While the Missus was waking; for some reason, I decided to check on our train that was scheduled to leave Keleti Station at 140pm. I read that Keleti Station was closed for repairs and trains had been routed elsewhere. I told the Missus that I was going downstairs to speak to the Concierge and then perhaps go and grab something light for breakfast.

As is usual for the Marriott, the Concierge was ever so helpful….they checked the schedule, called around and found that our train had been rerouted to Deli Train Station (Southern Station). They got me all the info I needed; told me not to worry, they'd arrange a cab to the station.

So I went looking for a bakery. Right across the street from the hotel in the building which houses the Hotel Zenit I noticed a sign……

It was a bakery….right across the street and we hadn't noticed it at all!

I walked in, and yes, this was a working bakery. You could see the Baker at work.

I recall the prices being amazingly inexpensive for a bakery basically in the middle of all the hotels and tourists.

I ended up getting 2 croissants and a couple of those gougere like items they call "scones" (Pogácsa) here and took them back to our room.

The croissants were a bit disappointing; lacking in the flakiness and butteriness we look for in a good croissant.

The Pogácsa were ok; though a bit more dense than what we'd had the day before.

Jacques Liszt (In the same building as Hotel Zenit Budapest Palace)
Apáczai Csere János utca 7
Budapest 1052, Hungary

The sun rises at around 5am in the morning at the end of May; so even though it was bright and sunny outside; we had the boardwalk to ourselves as we headed out for one last walk.

Passing all the landmarks large……

And small that we'd seen during our short two days in the city.

We loved the sights just as much as we did on our first day……

Though we had learned some of the history, both ancient and some more recent, and of the tragedies that are part and parcel of the city.

Having done some decent walking; we decided to grab a cup of coffee. After checking around a bit, we headed back to the Hold Utca Food Market and that coffee stand where we had seen the sweet pooch lying around the day before. No dog on this morning; but the young lady working was very sweet.

The Missus had a Cortado.

And I had an Americano.

And we sat watching the school kids walking hand-in-hand as they toured the market hall.

It was a nice little break.

By Beans Coffee
(In the Hold Street Market Hall – ground floor)
Hold utca 13
Budapest 1054, Hungary

After our caffeine fix, we strolled back to the hotel and rested for a bit. Check out time was at 11. We got a taxi from the hotel and went across the Chain Bridge again…..this time on four wheels though. We went through the tunnel that bores under Castle Hill and ended up at Deli Station a few minutes later.

Deli Station looks a bit worse for wear, but we easily found a place to sit. And I went to the bakery stand for more Pogácsa and some water.

We had really enjoyed our short visit to Budapest. I'm fairly certain we'll return someday. But it was time to move on to our next stop.

Though I'll always remember the jewel of a city that is Budapest.

Thanks for stopping by!

2020 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade float road test #2 and multiple food adventures: Porto’s, Iron & Kin Coffee, Cafe 86 and Kra-Z Kai’s Lao BBQ

August 4, 2019 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Festivals & Events, Lao Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food and there is always a reason we find the food. Over the weekend, Cathy and cc woke early to drive to Irwindale, photograph participate in the second float road test and then took many side roads to enjoy some great foods and beverages while heading home.

Link to Road Test #1

Link to Road Test #3

Link to Road Test #4

Link to Road Tests #5 and #6

First, the road testing for 2020 Rose Parade floats. This early morning, multiple floats were being tested at Phoenix Decorating Company for mechanics and maneuverability, some with 'weight' on board. The weight was humans, who will be riding on the floats during the Parade on January 1, 2020. cc and I were asked if we would like to help by sitting on a float while it was driven a short way down the street, backed up, turned around and then participated in a fire drill, making sure that all the people (including the Driver and Spotter of the float) could disembark in 45 seconds.

The 2020 Kiwanis International float, "Soaring with Hope" passed its road test (the open doors are from where the Spotter and Driver exited for the fire drill).

The Rotary International 2020 Rose Parade entry, "Hope Connects the World" was painted in and road tested. (It wasn't yet painted in for the first Road Test).

This is the off camera side view of the Lutheran Hour Ministries float, "Anchored in Jesus". It will appear as if underwater.

"Hope for 2020", the Lions Clubs International float entry was also tested that morning.

"First Responders Bring Hope", the 2020 entry by Oddfellows and Rebekahs was fully color coded for easy placement of natural materials during Decoration Days and also tested. Behind it was the Mrs. Meyers Clean Day float, taking its first road test. If you zoom in, you'll see a wheelbarrow with what looks like squash covered by an umbrella. No artist rendering yet.

It was fun and informative to be able to help with a road test. Use this link to the Rose Examiner to keep up to date with Tournament happenings.

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It was the start of a day of food and adventure! cc was without Bert and I was without The Mister.

Back to Portos! Only six miles and a few minutes away. My second visit ever. Again, not very crowded (before 9 a.m.)

Sandwiches are available all Day. We decided to share a Pan con Lechon ($6.65) Slow roasted pork, mojo garlic sauce and pickled onion on Cuban bread (with plantain chips on the side). Wow. This was pretty much the best sandwich ever.
I was curious about the Tamal a Caballo ($4.75) as a breakfast item and it was another wow moment. The masa, so very soft, had whole pieces of corn, the savory pork filling, a salsa verde and plantain strips.

We purchased more than several items to take home. I had a handwritten list from The Mister. We also enjoyed beverages at the table. The prices here are great, the freshness and quality are consistent. More menu items will be tried next month.

Portos, many Los Angeles County locations. website

Soon it was off to our next planned stop for coffee. cc had researched and found a coffee shop with an unusual caffeinated offerings in Pomona, sort of 'on the way home'. Iron and Kin opened in May 2018 inside a restored downtown Hotel. Half of the shop is a Craft Cocktail Bar, O'Donovan's Pub, open in evenings. The other side is an efficient coffee bar. cc had asked Josh, one of the owners of Iron and Kin, about the special "Affirmation Drinks" menu (she saw photos on Instagram). We wanted to try each of the drinks, but knew we couldn't drink that much caffeine (or liquid).
Josh was kind enough to prepare sample sizes of each of these unique beverages. First, I must say the espresso, on its own, is of very high quality. A smooth, strong, sweet yet not bitter/sour base to each beverage. The unique Affirmation flavors were distinct, fresh and really wonderful: varying from chillies and cinnamon with cloves to turmeric with ginger, cardamom and honey with black pepper to figs with vanilla, brown sugar and black pepper to smoked salt with cream, brown sugar and Old Forester Bourbon as well as the iced matcha/gingerbeer/limeade/yuzu. Beverages not found in San Diego. Quality.

Iron and Kin 101 E. Third Street, Pomona, CA (951)808-7584 Website
We also made a quick stop at Cravings by 99 Ranch, but didn't snack there. One block away is a Filipino Coffee and Tea Shop. Cafe 86 has been on Edison Avenue since 2014 and serves matcha, coconut, mango, hibiscus, ube and calamansi iced and hot beverages, ice cream and pastries in addition to coffees.
I think ube is the 'new' flavor of the year- even Trader Joe's is carrying an ube ice cream. We only purchased the ube/coconut mini bundt cakes and iced Madelines. These were delicious with a cup of hot tea the next morning.

Cafe 86 4110 Edison Ave Chino, CA 91710 Website

cc had one last planned stop- the only Lao BBQ restaurant in Southern California- Kra Z Kai's. It's located in a large mall area anchored by a Sonic. We each ended up purchasing food to go as well as some to eat in-all of the BBQ meats. The distinct Southeast Asian flavors of garlic and lemongrass with the char grilled meats is just so perfect. The house made sausage is coarse ground and has onion and leeks. Of course, sticky rice is the only proper rice to have with these items, even though steamed and fried rice are also offered.

Kra-z Kais 1218 Magnolia Ave #G110 Corona, CA 92881 (Southwest Corner of I-15 and Magnolia) Website

The end of an epic road trip. There were other stops, because we avoided traffic. These were the highlights…plus my view while on the road test…

Sunday Sandwiches – Breakfasts from The WestBean Coffee Roasters (Morena)

July 14, 2019 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Sandwiches

**** WestBean Coffee Roasters is now Talitha Coffee Roasters

I’m quite a creature of habit; I get into work at around the same time each day, I do things on specific days, like for instance, just about every Sunday, I head off to Costco to fill up my tank. The Missus finds it quite interesting that I’ve got all these habits and rituals; but it doesn’t affect me when we travel.

Anyway, a couple of weeks back, I passed the rather newish location of West Bean Coffee Roasters. The sign mentioned “breakfast” and I recalled CC’s post on the Banker Hill location from a couple of years ago. So, I decided to drop by for a cup of coffee and after reading the menu a breakfast sandwich.

The spot used to be Red Card Café which closed at the end of October back in 2017.

The seating area is spacious and the outdoor seating from the days of RCC is still in place.

I decided on the Breakfast Sandwich #2 on the menu and feeling a bit hungry added on the sausage patty. I did ask to see if they’d make the eggs easy over; but I guess it’s just too much to ask a Barista to make runny eggs.

This was serviceable sandwich; I enjoyed the brioche roll as it wasn’t too sweet and almost fluffy. The sausage patty was standard issue; for some reason the cheddar cheese seemed really mild. I really would have enjoyed a nice, runny egg on this.

Not terrible; somewhat corporate in appearance; but I’d rather spend my money here than at one of the chains in the area.

So, today was of course Sunday. And I headed off to fill up my tank.

On the way down South on Morena, headed to start all of my Sunday shopping, I felt in need of some caffeine and perhaps some breakfast. So, I stopped by West Bean again.

I went with the cold brew; which seemed a bit light and non-descript. I certainly prefer the cold brew from Birdrock.

This time I went with “Breakfast Sandwich #1”. Without adding any other protein to the sandwich.

I actually enjoyed this.

The Chipotle mayo added a nice bit of “zip”, the peppery and slightly bitter arugula did well with the mayo, the mild sweetness of the roll, and the acidity of the tomato. And yes; I’d prefer a runny egg…..but I didn’t dwell on that too much.

Pretty good sandwich. Very nice folks. And while this won’t become a “ritual”; I’ll probably stop by again since I drive past the place every week.

The WestBean Coffee Roasters
4140 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117
Hours:
Daily 7am – 2pm
Breakfast served 7am – 1pm

Mexico City – Chiquitito Café and Maximo Bistrot

July 11, 2019 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Fine Dining, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Mexico City, Travel

*** Warning – this a is a fairly long and wordy post.

A few weeks before leaving for Budapest, I was already planning our fall/winter trip….the Missus made a request; She wanted something "in between". Waiting those 4-5 months just wasn't going to cut it for Her. So, I went ahead and made plans for two "long weekend" trips.

We'd been trying to make time for CDMX for a couple of years, but could just never find the time. The time was right to finally make that trip. The planning was quick, since it was a mere two months in advance, we weren't able to make reservations for Pujol, but with the help of one of Frankie's favorite Aunties "Alle", who has family in CDMX and usually goes every year, we got some good info.

We decided to fly out of Tijuana Airport using CBX. There were direct flights to Mexico City and business class was about half the price as flying out of San Diego or LAX. Alle, who took care of Frankie, dropped us off at the CBX facility. For some reason I wasn't able to buy the CBX tickets online in advance; though I did complete our FMM forms ahead of time, which did save us a few minutes. Purchasing the round-trip Cross Border Express tickets only took ten minutes. The rest of it….well, it took us nearly 90 minutes to get through Immigration! Crazy. Still, we'd budgeted more than enough time and easily made our flight. We had airport transfer set-up so we basically exited the plane, walked right out to the terminal, to our waiting car, and straight into Mexico City traffic. Yeeesh….. Our guesthouse was but 8 miles from the airport, but it took 45 minutes to get there!

Alle had recommended that we stay in La Condesa, which turned out to be the perfect place after a busy day of checking out the city. The tree lined streets, restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, and relaxed vibe, along with the really warm and friendly folks made our stay wonderful. The location was excellent; close to where the Missus wanted to visit on our first day, and since we do walk a bit; an easy enough walk to the Centro Historical…..also, when we got tired; Uber in CDMX is super cheap, safe, reliable, and all the drivers we had were very friendly.

We stayed at the Casa Condesa Amatlan 84, a very discreet, comfortable, location. The service was wonderful.

We arrived at the hotel, freshened up a bit. Casa Condesa was really good about making sure you always had drinking water and the folks working there we so very helpful and friendly.

We headed out just to walk around the area. We were a bit out of sorts at first since the streets aren't quite in a grid, there are diagonals, parallel street with different names, roundabouts, and all kinds of stuff. The streetlights are often hard to see; there aren't cross signals at many intersections; so you kind of have to check the lights in the middle of the intersection; and just kinda go with the flow.

In need of a break; it was also a bit humid and warm, we found a little café named Chiquitito Café on Alfonso Reyes and decided to take a break for a couple of cold brews. Which ran us 45 Pesos; think about $2.35 US!

It was a bit on the weak side; but the guys working here ere very friendly and actually spoke English to us, and the coffee was nice and chilled. And it was a nice little break.

It was also fun watching the guy selling cell phone cases come on over and two of the guys working in the coffee shop come on out to shop!

In fact, one of the guys actually bought a case! Go figure.

While we weren't particularly impressed with the cold brew; this was a nice introduction to the friendliness of the folks in CDMX and how wonderfully social they are.

Chiquitito Café
Alfonso Reyes 232
06100 Cuauhtémoc, CDMX, Mexico

I had managed to make dinner reservations at the highly regarded Maximo Bistrot Local, considered to be one of the top restaurants in CDMX and Latin America. We had intended to walk; after all it was only a mile-and-a-quarter away, a nice easy walk, but as we were halfway down Vicente Suarez, the lightning and thunder started, then it came down in buckets. It was an amazing, and from what I got to understand from the locals, very typical summer thunder storm. Our umbrellas were not up to the task, so we sought cover and I requested an Uber which promptly cancelled when it was five minutes away. I then called the restaurant who promised to hold our table until 730; our reservations were for 7pm, and it was nearly 650 by now. Our next Uber arrived a few minutes later and we were on our way; only to get to basically a standstill about a quarter mile away from the restaurant. We'd basically gone less than a mile in 20 minutes! By now the storm had passed and the skies were clear. We thanked our driver and walked the last quarter mile. Getting to Maximo right at 730pm! Crazy….

Anyway, we were seated outside; things were really nice and pleasant after the deluge. It was time for dinner…but first, a well earned cocktail!

I went with the Mescalina de Fresca y Chile de Arbol.

This was pretty mild in the Mezcal department; but the combination of salty-heat, and orange made this quite refreshing.

The Missus got the Julep 16.

Which was also on the mild side.

While we were looking over the menus, a party of two gentlemen left. One of them, by the name of Jorge came on over, and very nicely made some recommendations! Apparently, he's a regular. He'd tell us what not to order ("this is not very good…..but don't tell the chef, ok?") and what his favorites on the menu were. We'd have folks engaging us this way during our entire trip. It just made things so much more fun!

I'll try to include prices as I remember them. To figure out the conversion to US $ at this moment in time; divide by twenty – i.e. $1.04/US = 20$ MXN.

Things started out with an Eggplant dip, smokey, perhaps a bit too salty, with an amazing bread. Perhaps among the best I've had; the crust so crusty and crunchy, the interior soft and fluffly, with just the perfect "chew".

We started with the Pacific Scallops (290 $MXN); which were served on a tostada.

We loved the herbs on this; the scallops weren't as sweet as I expected though it was texturally perfect. The sauce was apparently made with Chicatanas, flying ants, which seemed to add a bit of earthiness to the dish according to my tastebuds. The crunch of the tostada completed the dish.

Next up, the Octopus Ceviche (230 $MXN).

The octopus was amazingly tender; I'm thinking sous vide? The liquid provided had a combination of lime and tomato and was a bit too acidic for us….and you're talking to folks who love Peruvian Cebiche! The liquid kind of over-powered all the flavors and the wonderfully smooth avocado cream was overwhelmed. The blue corn tostadas had a wonderful corn flavor and texture to them.

Things started getting from decent to great when the next item arrived. We'd ordered the Porcini Mushroom Soup (175 $ MXN). I made Porcini Mushroom Soup at least two dozen times this winter so I wanted to see how this compared to what I make.

While a bit milder in overall mushroom flavor; you couldn't beat the velvet texture of this soup, which was amazing. I also loved (and learned) the toasted breadcrumbs which added a wonderful crunchy-nutty contrast to the dish. It's something I'm going to incorporate into my soup when I start making it during the fall! Very nice.

Undoubtedly, the best dish of the night, and one of the top three of the trip, was the Roasted Quail stuffed with Veal and Foie Gras (450 $MXN).

This was definitely an OH-EM-GEE dish. The quail was perhaps the most tender and moist I've ever had. Even the usual rubbery legs were so very soft and juicy. Paired with a moist, rich, and decadent veal and foie gras pate, this was simply heaven. Mild rich sweet-liveriness just went so well with the mildly gamey quail. And that texture…….

Jorge had recommended the quail and also the Flat Iron Steak (450 $MXN), something that I'd usually not order.

The beef was fork tender, cooked a perfectly medium rare, and had that wonderful, complex, mild gamey-pasture flavor to it. The "mole de olla" sauce had a pleasant, complex, mild sweetness to it. And the spinach and cheese sauce was so delicious as well.

The pacing was a bit off; the service professional, but a bit stiff and the least friendly of all of our meals in CDMX.

We enjoyed sitting outside. After the storm passed it became a beautiful night.

I'm not sure we'd dine here again….but man; perhaps that quail will call us back?

Maximo Bistrot Local
Tonalá 133, Roma
06700 Cuauhtemoc, CDMX, Mexico

Funny thing, when I asked he Missus about dessert, She said "no, there's something else I want….."

Stay Tuned!

The UPAC Neighborhood Cafe (City Heights)

May 28, 2019 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Filipino Restaurants, Mexican Restaurants, Sandwiches, Somali Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog primarily about food. There are many ways we (all) encounter places to share a meal. Cathy is writing today, while Kirk and His Missus continue to enjoy their vacation.

As is our usual method, The Mister and I began driving with hunger but no destination in mind. We saw this eye-catching signage "Now open at 8 a.m., Breakfast Specials". Of course we had to stop.

I knew the location. Kirk had written about it in 2010, then The Mister and I went to Pho Tay Do a year later. The 4600 square foot restaurant now has become a Social Enterprise Center run by the non-profit organization Union of Pan Asian Communities.

A spacious area is now the Cafe, but that's only part of this Neighborhood Enterprise Center: Kitchen Creations, a Technology Hub, Product Design and Print Shop (hence, the signage) and The Community Gathering Place are each part of this building providing much needed resources and opportunities for both UPAC clients and the ethnically diverse residents and small business owners of City Heights.

It was breakfast time when The Mister and I walked in and we didn't know what to expect.

The Breakfast menu is next to the cash register. The Lunch and Global Menu as well as the Beverage menu are on the wall to the left.

The yogurt parfait ($2.50) was one choice. Looks simple and basic. Nope. The fruit mixture (various fresh berries) is prepared in the kitchen, as are the granola toppings. The yogurt is wonderful and thick.
Overnight oats ($2.50) was another choice, made with oats, chia and almond milk with cinnamon, this was also served with the granola topping. Wonderful mix of flavors and so good. Will get again.
One menu item was 'Three Injera and large Tea" ($4). The Somali thin and spongy pancakes were made to order, topped with sesame oil and sugar. We used our hands to tear and enjoy these warm and flavorful flatbreads.

The tea choices were Chai or Somali tea (or assorted bags). We were told that one had sugar and the other didn't. This tea -a mix of spices- was also made with the individual ingredients here. Oh my, what a difference in being able to taste the cardamom, cinnamon, fresh ginger, cloves, black pepper! This was a wonderful, refreshing accompaniment to our breakfast.

Of course we returned. The turkey cranberry sandwich ($5.50) was served on a croissant (croissants and bagels are not made here) and was filled with fresh ingredients. The house-made cranberry sauce was spread on both sides of the bread, the greens are spinach, the meat was of high quality. An excellent sandwich.
We also ordered a side salad ($3.50) which you can see, arrived with walnuts on top…a fancy touch. Fresh ingredients. Quality. Of course the dressing is made here.
We decided to order from the Global Menu and chose this month's Filipino offering-adobo chicken ($5.85). Wow. An excellent version of this basic Filipino cooking and marinade method. Vinegar, garlic, salt (or soy), black pepper and bay leaf are the flavors of adobo-prepared anything (I've had mushroom adobo and it's great). Even the rice was high quality. Let's go back to when we walked in and pay attention. All of the products sold on the shelves to the left are printed here. The Product Design and Print Shop is equipped with all professional machinery. The Youth who work here design and print the items (and are available to print items people order).

Now, check out the glass case to the right of the cash register. Fresh baked items daily.
On top of the glass case there is a basket with bits of day old items to sample…so you'll know what to order next time. This was a berry turnover, which was still warm. Again, the berry mixture made in house. So good.

A great addition to the neighborhood for many reasons. Wonderful food and worth the stop.

The UPAC Neighborhood Cafe 5296 University Avenue #A 92105 619-255-7644 Mon-Fri 8-5 {Kitchen closes at 3, but sandwiches, beverages and the baked fresh daily items available from 3-5}

Union of Pan Asian Communities website

This is the current menu; the Global menu changes monthly.

Dunkin (donuts and sandwiches)

May 22, 2019 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Chains, What Cathy Eats!

Here we are, reading mmm-yoso!!! on this rainy, chilly morning. Cathy is trying to keep this food blog interesting, while Kirk and His Missus are vacationing.

There have been situations when I want to re-gift some gift cards received. The thought that one of my friends or clients has gone to the trouble of purchasing a 'little something extra' stops me. One client in particular, gave me a Dunkin' Donuts Gift card which I used in 2017, at both the Ramona And National City locations. I had thanked him profusely and so, this year…another gift card.
Now, there is a location closer to home in East County. So, The Mister and I have had a few breakfasts.
Of course there are donuts, but there is much more offered (note that the name is merely "Dunkin" on the exterior of this new building.)
Breakfast sandwiches are available all day. The egg, cheese, bacon (or sausage) on a croissant ($4.39) is substantial and tasty. Black forest ham with egg and cheese on a toasted English muffin ($4.39) is also a good choice (less calories). Also on the menu is a bagel with the same fillings; but I haven't ordered it.
There are two "bowls" available, one with egg whites/spinach/roasted potatoes, cheddar and carmelized onions or this one, a 'sausage scramble' ($5.49)- eggs, sausage, Cheddar-Jack cheese, pepper and onions. This was interesting once we figured out the difference between this and other 'scramble' (no potatoes). It is quite good. You could order a side of 'toasted hash browns'($1.09) and add those in if you really want some carbs. It's nice to know there is this menu item available. There is also a 'Wake Up Wrap' (egg and cheese only is $1.29, with meat (bacon, sausage, ham, turkey sausage) is $1.79). Essentially the carbohydrate is a small flour tortilla. There is a half egg, one slice of cheese and one slice of Black Forest ham and makes for a warm, tasty light meal.

Now, a word about the donuts and coffee.
First, the dark roast coffee is the only one I like here. Hot or iced, it does not matter. The other flavors are just not satisfying. Second, the cake donuts (and cake donut holes) taste good; the 'fried' items don't. They just don't. I've read that the donuts are delivered to the store frozen. If true, it makes sense regarding the flavors.

Not terrible if you know what to order. Helpful, friendly workers, amazingly fast service (they keep the drive thru moving!).

Dunkin' (over 8,500 locations in 41 states and 3,200 international restaurants in 36 countries) Website In San Diego, there are seven locations on military bases and five locations in other areas of the county. All of the franchises are owned by local military veterans.