Caffeine Fix – Page 16

Kyoto Day 3: Typhoon Day – Nishiki Market, Shopping, Katsu Don, and Gyoza

December 18, 2014 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Markets & Grocers, Travel

The Missus had made some plans for our third day in Kyoto. Unfortunately, the impending arrival of Typhoon Vongfong made us change our plans a bit. Masae, the owner of our Machiya kept us apprised of the Typhoon situation, as did Kat. So instead of doing the Philosopher's Walk, we headed off to Shijo-dori to wander around and do some shopping.

Strangely, most things seemed like business as usual. We walked through the Gion and over the bridge, first heading to Nishiki Market, which, unlike the mass of humanity we encountered on our first day in Kyoto was quite sedate at this time of the day.

A handful of businesses were closed, but for most it was just another day it seemed. Like these two who were out scrubbing the walkway in fornt of their shop…….right before a Typhoon?

My favorite stop was the knife shop….with all the handmade scissors and knives.

At the east end of Nishiki Market on Teramachi street is Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine.

The lanterns are quite stunning.

The water that comes from the deep well in the shrine is supposed to be so pure and clean that it has no odor and the temperature is usually at a steady 65 degrees.

The shopping arcades were quite empty at this time of the morning……in startk contrast to our previous visit to the area.

We couldn't help but notice all the "Kyoto drip" gear in a shop called Holly's Cafe as we walked past.

The Missus, who's become a bit of a coffee nerd over the last year just had to stop. So I had a nice Kyoto cold brew….which was very cheap compared to the states….like about $2.50 or so!

It was a nice and relaxing break…….sitting and watching the folks walk by on a slightly wet Sunday morning.

Refreshed we headed off, across the Kamo River for the umpteenth time.

On the corner of Hanamikoji and Shijo streets the Missus found a bustling shop…..full of make-up and other stuffs. One of the objectives of this trip was to stock up on various brands and products, so the Missus was in heaven.

The store was a outpost of Yojiya a time honored Kyoto brand known for their facial blotting paper. The Missus had a blast and purchased a good number of gifts.

We'd done a pretty good job of passing the time and the Missus was getting hungry. She was still craving that karaage from Karako, so we headed up Higashishoji-dori, first stopping off to unload our purchases.

Unfortunately, Karako was closed due to the impending storm. I recalled a couple of shops across the street and we found one of them open. We decided on eating here based on the plastic food display.

No English spoken, but not a big deal….. I had the Tempura Soba, which was nice and hot.

The Missus had been wanting to have a Katsudon, one of Her favorite dishes since we got to Japan, so She got Her wish…though what She really wanted was a Chicken Katsudon, which seemed to be pretty rare…..anyway, She finally got a katsudon.

She actually enjoyed the miso soup the most. As for the katsudon? I think it did the job, though She did tell me; "you know what….you make a pretty good katsudon."

Usually, when we travel, I get some aches and pains from all the walking……with the Missus making fun of all the "grandpa" noises I make. On this trip, I could tell that all the walking was taking a toll on the Missus as well. Somehow, it just made all my aches feel that much better….I guess sharing the wealth does that to you.

Heading back for a post lunch nap we passed this shop.

This place specialized in Yatsuhashi, one of the most well known confections of Kyoto.

We decided to get a few nama yatsuhashi….the soft, unbaked version to try.

I'm not big on sweets and the Missus doesn't care for cinnamon flavored confections, so while it was nice to try these, I don't think we'll be racing back to buy any.

We headed back in a rather roundabout way, taking our time. It had started to rain intermittently, the sky was getting pretty dark, and the wind was starting to pick up.

Even the ducks in Shirakawa Canal seemed to think something was up as they all faced the same direction….upstream.

We headed back to the machiya, the Missus took a nice long bath, and I worked on a post. We'd been going at a pretty good pace so an easy day was a nice treat and just what we needed.

After a short nap we awoke and decided to take a walk around. It was starting to rain pretty hard and the wind was blowing pretty good…..but there were still quite a few people and cars out and about.

We wandered around a bit, then headed back….

Meanwhile, many of the shops in the shopping arcade started closing up early. Even with all of this; things just seemed to happen at a very relaxed pace. Before leaving Tokyo, we chatted with Reiko about the Typhoon. She said, "yes Kirk-san, there will be some rain, maybe some wind……." Some rain? Maybe some wind?

Darkness seemed to fall quickly, like someone pulling a shade down. The big question was, "what are we going to eat?" There was always picking something up at Family Mart….you could basically live out of convenience stores in Japan….though I'm not quite sure what your sodium levels would be after a couple of weeks.

We'd noticed a gyoza shop right around the corner from the shopping arcade the previous day. This seemed like a simple, light meal.

Just one of the many shops you see everywhere…. Serving basically one thing; here it's gyoza, with a few small "salads" on the menu. And cold beer……nice, cold, and refreshing beer.

The gyoza was as good a gyoza can be; crisp on the bottom, the filling nice and light….nothing like a good guotie, mind you, but still good.

We actually enjoyed the onion salad more.

Earlier in the evening, Kat sent me a text, reminding me to pick up some snacks since we wouldn't be going out and about this evening. Thanks Kat! So on the way back, we dropped by the market, which was pretty busy…….. I guess everyone was buying some snacks on typhoon night!

So that's what we did as typhoon Vongfong passed. The Missus was upstairs reading….while I turned on a television for the first time during this whole trip and watched storm reports….

While having a couple of beers and some snacks.

Sometime before drifting off to sleep the Missus said, "you owe me……another trip to Kyoto". I told Her, "no problem, we can come back anytime you want." We have unfinished business here. Which I'm hoping to take care of in the near future.

Thanks for reading!

Seattle: Intrigue Chocolates, Sitka & Spruce, Starbuck’s Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room , and some Figgy Pudding

December 14, 2014 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Caffeine Fix, Chains, Chocolate, Desserts, Fine Dining, Seattle, Washington, Travel

The Missus felt refreshed after Her nap and I felt good after taking a walk around the Pioneer Square area.

Before heading off to Sitka & Spruce for dinner, the Missus needed a couple of gifts. Chocolate is always appreciated. I looked up a couple of places and found a listing for Intrigue Chocolate who specializes in truffles.

The kitchen, cum shop is located….well, I'll quote the website:

"The shop, which is also our industrial-style kitchen, can be a little tricky to find because we are not on the street level. Easiest way to find us is to find the entrance to Sake Nomi (Sake bar) and continue up the stairs. Then it's just down the hall which turns to the left, and we are the clearly marked brown door, third on the left."

The two guys running the place were so enthusiastic, they'd let us try everything if we'd been able to stay longer! They also make a nice cold brew concentrate as well!

Our favorites were the Juniper Berry and the Nutmeg & Chipotle.

We loved the place, they just seem to enjoy what they do…..and even though they currently use, high quality Belcolade chocolate, we were given a taste of a work in progress, the chocolate they are developing on their own. It was nice talking coffee and Belgian chocolate. We'll be back.

Intrigue Chocolate
76 S Washington St. Suite 104
Seattle, WA 98104

We headed back to our room, dropped off the truffles, and headed off to….

Sitka & Spruce:

**** Sitka & Spruce has closed

The walk was a tad over a mile, though the hills…..sheesh…anyway we did pretty good time, about 20 minutes to Melrose Market in the popular and trendy Capitol Hill neighborhood. We loved the setting; Sitka & Spruce is located in back of the brick building, understated, in that warm, yet somewhat industrial style, high ceilings, a large communal table, and open kitchen…..

The restaurant itself is not large; just a few tables, counter, and communal table seating. As is our MO, we try to eat early, before the rush and crowds. We usually get a better experience and the restaurant is able to do "it's thing".

My main reason for selecting S&S was the menu, which is nice and tight, focusing on seasonal Northwest products. We both thought the tapas-type dishes were much more interesting and we prefer having a tasting style meal. Our diet has changed quite a bit over the last couple of years and the small dishes at S&S seemed right up our alley. A variety of great local produce with interesting combinations of texture and flavors. So we were quite excited to try this establishment of the Matt Dillon empire.

There was one interesting thing about the beverage selection…..based on our dinner the previous night at The Walrus and the Carpenter and now Sitka & Spruce, it seems that Wine and Cocktails are still king for meals in Seattle. Which I thought strange since I usually see Seattle ranked in the top 10 beer cities in the US. Here it's nothing on tap, five choices Hilliard from a can or Rainier?

Whatever….I guess we'd just go and find the Stumbling Monk, or another place after dinner.

We started with the Charcuterie ($25)

While the air dried ham (aka prosciutto, though they can't call it that) was "meh", really bland and lacking in the deep cured flavor we love, there were some real winner here. The chicken liver, basically a a light, spreadable pate really caught me off guard, sweet molasses at first, giving away to savory, with that chicken liver finish. I'm not a big fan of metallic chicken liver flavors, though I love my pate's. This gave me a wonderful ride. The duck rillette had a tremendous almost condensed duck flavor. The head cheese was nice and balanced and the pork terrine was also very tasty. Loved the variety of flavors present here.

Next up Delicata Squash, Haloumi, and Pumpkin Seeds ($15).

We started seeing Delicata Squash on menus last fall. The Missus loves them; moderately sweet, with a nice texture, and an edible peel….heck, even I enjoy them. So it goes without saying the Missus loved this. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors, the nuttiness of the pumpkin seeds, the light subtle milkiness of the haloumi cheese. I thought the amount of nuttiness and milky flavors went beyond just the haloumi and pumpkin seeds. When I mentioned this to our Server, she also noted that the sauce was made of whey and argan oil. The mint also added another dimension of flavor…….

My least favorite dish of the night was the Charred Celeriac, Braised Quince, Ambrosia Apple and Bread Crisps ($15).

I really didn't care for the amount of almost tart-tannic flavors. The celeriac was lost in the dish. Tongue numbing and not in a good way.

The Smoked Potato, Pickled Seaweed, Anchovy, and Egg Yolk ($16), took me to that edge…..I loved the smoky flavor, the seaweed added a nice oceany brine, the anchovies were teetering on the edge of too salty, but that egg yolk somehow seemed to temper the salt.

I loved the smoked potatoes….why hadn't I tried that before? Smashed potatoes also seemed to be "the thing" in Seattle. The Missus said She'd have preferred bacon, but I told Her, "that would be so TGI Friday's". Loved the crisp skin on the potatoes as well. you can tell by the meal I made the day after we returned, that this dish made an imprint.

By far, the best single dish we had on this trip was the Hen of the Woods Mushroom, Guanciale, Oyster Cream, and Cider ($18).

My goodness, the earthy-savory aroma, meaty texture of the Hen of the Woods mushroom, more familiar to me as Maitake, was just superb. The sage along with the cider added an citrus tone, along with a hint of sweetness. The oysters in the sauce just took the flavors to another level. I'm not sure of the purpose of the guanciale as I couldn't make out any pork flavors. But who cares. In terms of an outstanding dish; this has our votes.

I realize that the dishes we chose and enjoyed at S&S might not be for everyone; especially the hardcore carnivore. There are 3-4 entrees on the menu any given night….this time it was chicken, black cod, and rabbit. I just chose dishes that best reflected the foraging background of Matt Dillon. I believed that this would be the strongpoint of the restaurant and it seemed that way to us. Our check came in at a bit over a hundred and it was worth every penny.

Sitka & Spruce
1531 Melrose Ave
Seattle, WA 98101

We were a bit too full and decided against finding a pub. But, as we headed back toward Pike Street we noticed a crowd of people being let into a building. We walked up Pike a bit, then headed back down. When we passed the building again, the Missus couldn't help it…..we had to go and check it out.

The place seemed buzzing….hip…..totally perfect for the Missus….totally wrong for me.

Arriving at the door, we asked the gentleman inside what was going on. "This is the grand opening of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room, please come in……" Wow, it seemed like a big deal.

Just looking at the equipment, it looks like Starbucks is experimenting with going more high end.

I'm not the biggest fan of Starbucks….but kudos to them for seeming to ride the Third Wave.

This place looks fantastic and smells wonderful. Roasters were on hand to explain the different processes and equipment.

These guys really know how to market…….

Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room
1124 Pike St
Seattle, WA 98101

Heading down Pike, we ran into the inevitable shopping crowds…..heck, Christmas is around the corner.

But the crowd seemed extra dense and we heard music in the air……and my goodness…Sugarplum Elves?

Well, it turns out we ran into the Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition near Westlake Center. Man, this was cute and fun.

This was the 28th annual contest and it was such fun. The proceeds goes to the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank. I'm guessing this is a good cause and event since even the Ferguson protesters we'd seen the night before decided to cancel their demonstration on this evening.

It's a fun event……all ages participate.

It's all these things that makes Seattle special for us….there's always an interesting surprise.

We talked about this as walked back to Whole Foods……the Missus wanted me to get in as much exercise as I could. This was the reason I was thinking of moving here before I met the Missus.

And while I don't think we could live here; it's a bit too cold, there's not enough Asian food within a 2 hour drive, and there's not enough sunshine. The city holds a special place in our hearts. So I guess we'll have to keep coming back.

So what do you do on a hot and sticky day? Well, get a $10 cup of coffee, have some pho (at Pho Lucky), and end your night at Izakaya Sakura of course!

September 7, 2014 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Japanese Restaurants, Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

The Missus has a style all Her own. She keeps me on my toes; I never know what Her latest obsession will be. Recently, She's become a bit of a coffee nerd, pour over coffee to be precise. One morning She sent me a text telling me She's ordered V60 "stuff"…..my response was "what do you need a missile launcher for?". I came to find out that She wasn't planning on taking out any tanks, but rather, was ordering the gear she needed to make pour over coffee at home. Of course, what's coffee without beans, right? Which is how we started visiting places like Dark Horse and Portola, with me having stuff like Kyoto Drip Coffee. Anyway, Her favorite current source of beans and a nice cup of coffee is Bird Rock and on this morning She was thrilled…..they had something called Panama Geisha, supposedly the best Panama has to offer. It was ten bucks for V50 pour-over, yikes! Still, I believe it was important for Her to try it….once….since She's really enjoying Her coffee. The guy working here was really nice and told the Missus, "it's perfect……I want to make sure you enjoy every last drop!" Which She did….It's really smooth and fruity….a bit too smooth for me…it is quite lovely, but I like a bit of acid and bite in coffee. I am glad She got a chance to try it. She also bought some Kenyan to grind (by hand) at home….She's started to keep the labels of the various beans She buys to remember what She enjoys. My goodness, I'm married to a coffee nerd in training.

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
5627 La Jolla Blvd
San Diego, CA 92037

Then it's off to Pho Lucky:

So it's like in the 80's at 8 in the morning. What does the Missus want to have? Well, pho of course…. wha???

We actually ordered the same items as on this visit. Today the broth wasn't too salty and loaded with MSG, there was a nice clove-5 spice backbone to the broth. Lot's of tendon which the Missus gave to me…..along with all those perfectly cooked noodles….She stayed with the broth and meat. I'm still not a fan of the Missus dumping all those jalapenos into Her broth, but hey, it's Her soup, right?

I ordered the combination broken rice; most of which (except for the Bi, which the Missus inhaled) came home for a light lunch. I was too full after eating all those noodles.

Things were divided up as follows, pork chop and rice for me, shrimp stuffs for Her. She also had the "cha" which seemed like it had been sitting around for a while, it was too dry for my tastes, but the Missus enjoyed it. Such is how couples who have been together forever eat I guess…..

Pho Lucky
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92126

Gyokai Natto Don from Izakaya Sakura:

I was on my own for dinner. All this hot and sticky weather has me craving certain "comfort" food…..specifically natto. I hadn't been here in a while, and not for dinner in ages.

In fact, I hadn't been here since they cleaned up their menu….it's much more easy to read now…it made it so easy to find the Nankotsu Karaage – fried chicken cartilage. I love the crunch of well prepared chicken cartilage and this was fried perfectly.

The coating was nice, light, and crisp, though I think I'll need some togarashi next time as it needed a bit of umph…..

The combination of raw fish and ika (squid) combined with the sticky stringy natto was just what the doctor ordered. Soy sauce and wasabi just brought everything together for me. The agedashi tofu that comes with this wasn't cooked properly, the coating was gummy and didn't hold up…. otherwise, this was the perfect meal for today.

Izakaya Sakura
3904 Convoy St #121
San Diego, CA 92111

So. You see what we've been eating during this hot and sticky weather….what have you been eating?

2015 Rose Parade float road test #3-(another) food road trip.

August 22, 2014 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food. So many events lead us to food. Today's post is about one of those days. Cathy is writing; Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are reading.

Saturday, we woke up around 3:30 and let the dogs out, made coffee, threw some laundry and dishes into their respective cleaning machines and by 4:50, The Mister and I were headed North in the cool darkness of the early morning. (Other 2015 road test posts here and here.

Our first stop was Cream Pan, six minutes after it had opened. We picked up a ham and cheese croissant, orange chocolate pastry and a loaf of walnut bread, all still slightly warm, from the filled shelving displays.

Cream Pan Japonaise Bakery 602 El Camino Real Tustin, CA 92780 (714) 665-8239

Back on the freeway soon enough; arrived in Pasadena and the Phoenix Decorating Company barn, just before 7 a.m..

A few 2015 Tournament of Roses parade floats were lined up on Raymond Street, ready for mechanical and maneuverability testing.

The American Armenian Rose Float Association, from Pasadena, is sponsoring this very large, beautiful float this year. It's the first time an Armenian float will participate in the parade, 100 years after an Armenian (M.S. Pashgian) was chosen as Grand Marshal for the 1915 Tournament of Roses Parade. The various details of this 'Cradle of Civilization' titled float symbolize the 'Inspiring Stories' of the American Armenian community. (Theme of the 2015 parade is 'Inspiring Stories').Here's the 'Observer' seated in the City of Hope 2015 float. He doesn't control anything, but speaks to the driver (seated more toward the center) telling him how and when to turn, steer and if the speed needs to be increased or decreased. Here's a full length view of the City of Hope 2015 Rose Parade float- it will have various beakers and flasks, a DNA strand, and 'wishes' printed on the tags, all attached to hot air balloons. Seeing the bare outline now is as interesting as seeing the finished product. (The driver sits next to the red fuel tanks).The Shriners Hospitals for Children float, "A Million Stories of Hope and Healing", was also tested that morning. The Shriner Bear rocks from left to right and is just so cute! See the small rectangle cutout at the base of the green bookmark? That's for the Observer on this float.

When we were finished with the testing, we walked to cross the Metro tracks and this time stopped to check out the public art decorating the Fillmore Metro Station.The spire (top and bottom details in the above photos) is part of the entire work at the station and titled Geologica 42. (Link to a very detailed description)(Link to a less detailed description). There is symbolism in all of it, from the baseball (at the very top), weather vane, anemometer, Bell X1 rocket ( which first broke the sound barrier, designed at CalTech and tested at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory; locals), the number 42 (Jackie Robinson was a Pasadena Resident) …

…as well as the five bronze steamer trunks which are seats at the Gold Line stop (Harry Houdini was born in Pasadena). We walked over the tracks, to Arroyo Parkway and one block North, to Lucky Boy, for a quick breakfast.

This 24/7, drive in, walk up, American breakfast, burger and burrito joint has been here for decades and prepares quality, hearty food for a good price (without tip jars on the counter). Above, the bacon and egg platter ($6.80): 3 eggs, hash browns toast and…bacon(!) and my usual, an egg sandwich on rye ($3.35) with the included fixings of lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. Served with the fresh made tomatillo based salsa, this was a great meal. Lucky Boy 640 S. Arroyo Parkway Pasadena 91105 (616) 793-0120 Website
We drove five miles East, to the parking lot of Pasadena High School on Sierra Madre Boulevard and stopped at the Pasadena Certified Farmers Market, which was already buzzing.

We try to only shop at Certified Farmers Markets and this one is particularly interesting, being in such a central location to attract local farmers. Pasadena Certified Farmers Market 2900 North Sierra Madre Boulevard, Pasadena Website

Back on the road, headed East to the 15, I wanted some coffee and yet another snack (or three) and we stopped at the Chino Hills location of 85C (a location is being built in San Diego on Clairmont Mesa at Genesee, but seems to be taking forever). This typical (grab a tray, line with paper, grab tongs and serve yourself, take to the cashier who individually bags each item for you) Taiwanese bakery chain is named because 85 degrees Centigrade is the perfect temperature for brewing coffee. There are two sets of cash registers, one dedicated to beverages (but you can order beverages from the other register also). Our snacks, a mini apple pie (puff pastry crust) ($2), Cheese bread (filled with a sweet ricotta cream cheese blend)($1.50) and a Calamari stick (which was round, filled with cheese and topped with garlic)($1).

Sea salt beverages are available here. Above an iced sea salt coffee ($3)and an iced sea salt (mountain green) tea ($2.75). There was no sugar added and each tasted wonderful, with the brewed beverage topped with a dollop of chilled steamed milk with sea salt crystals on the bottom, slightly blended in (swirling the container helps). The flavor meshing is amazing. 85C Bakery Cafe 12959 Peyton Drive Chino Hills 91709 website

We were home by noon. Hoping you have an interesting weekend!

Midweek Meanderings: Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas, How does our garden grow update, and our new caffeine rush

July 2, 2014 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, yoso-silly

Yep, it's really Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas:

Need proof?

A couple of years ago, author Natasha Yim contacted me regarding a certain recipe I had on the blog. Apparently it turned out rather well for her and she wanted to use an adapted version in a children's book she was writing. I was quite humbled, flattered in fact. A few later, her editor Alyssa Mito Pusey….who actually is an ex-pat Kama'aina as well contacted me to get the paperwork done. And so it came to pass…..

I was quite surprised to receive an rather large envelope in the mail last week. In it was a signed copy of Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas, which is quite a cute book, a really nice story. And at the back of the book is an adaptation of one of my recipes…and this:

You know, our little blog is a labor of love…and of well, obsession. We aren't looking for a revenue stream, advertisers, or to market ourselves. So this was such a nice touch, more than I could ever have asked for. Good luck with the book Natasha!

And if you want to get your own copy of Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas, you can get it here.

How does our garden grow – an update:

So here's an update. The Missus is really pleased with how our okra is coming along….large and quite sweet.

We've been able to roast, grill, or pan fry Padrons and Shishitos a couple of times a week…..

The serranos are fruiting quite prolifically…the Missus prefers to wait until they get red, so we're picking a mixed bunch.

I'm not sure what to think about the huge mutant scallions we got growing…..I've three patches of scallions. This one was bought during one of those 10 bunches for 99 cent things last year…..I just stuck them in a left over window box and they are going nuts!

The ghost peppers seems a bit small so far this year. A few cherry sized peppers have already ripened.

The Missus actually likes the small ripened peppers because they are just the right size for "stir frying without dying….."

Meanwhile, the Scorpion Peppers are getting ominously large…….

The Red Habaneros are finally starting to fruit….can't wait for these. In addition to this plant, I have smaller ones that will probably get going later in the season.

We're still waiting for the cucumbers to kick in. Last year we were getting 3-4 a week.

We're having so much fun with pepper that we added a few more last week……

This might end up being one spicy summer!

And for our caffeine fix:

It seemed that every apartment, B&B, and room we stayed at in Belgium had a Nespresso machine. I'd really started enjoying getting a shot of espresso on the go when in Portugal last year. We had started really getting used to having one of these….so we decided to get one of the smaller models…using points and discounts, we ended up paying less than half price for it.

In talking to folks about this….I never knew how much some people are into Nespresso…..talking to me about limited editions …accessories……sheeesh! I just want a nice cup of espresso! Though I am finding I enjoy the Dulsao do Brasil…….uh-oh!

De Mi Cafe Cafe- Breakfast

May 27, 2014 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a San Diego based food blog. Writers here include Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy. Everyone but Cathy is busy today, so here's a post she wrote.

I've passed by this corner of Friars Road at Via Las Cumbres countless times in the past year, always noticing a dear favorite, Mr. Peabody's, always seeing the 'new' signage for De Mi Cafe Cafe and then continuing on to wherever I was headed. Finally one weekday morning, The Mister and I stopped here.

As with any Cafe, you walk up, order, pay and your food is brought to you. It turns out the owner, Michal, was also our cashier and the barista that morning. He is a very nice, interesting person and quite efficient.

Of course, there is an espresso machine (and most people were ordering espresso based beverages), but we decided on a 'regular' coffee to share. One of the condiments offered at the counter was organic half and half.

Whiile waiting (and after perusing the various refrigerated treat offerings), I noticed the glass topped chest freezer to the side, filled with some delightful items, which we will be returning to try very soon.

The Mister chose a De Mi egg sandwich ($5). It's served on a choice of breads-this is on white toast, and it is a good, hearty white bread. Made with ham, scrambled egg and cheddar (choice of cheddar or provolone) cheese, this was surprisingly flavorful and filling.

I chose the De Mi Breakfast Plate ($6.50) with the wheat toast (again, a very hearty bread). Served with Italian salami, the cheddar and provolone, a large pat of good, unsalted butter and the tomatoes (as well as unseeded grapes), this was another filling and wonderful breakfast.

Oh- and that croissant on the first plate- chocolate ($2.50). Made here. Still warm. Wonderful.

This was a wonderful, European style breakfast right in the midst of Mission Valley.

De Mi Cafe Cafe 6110 Friars Road, Suite 102 San Diego, CA 92108 (619)246-0968 M-Th 6am-4pm, Fri-Sat 7-7, Sun 8-7 Website

Cocohodo Walnut Pastry Cafe (inside Zion Market) Sweet snacks.

November 14, 2013 Cathy Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Desserts, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, the food blog you are perusing, is just that- a blog about food. Today, Cathy has a quick post about a nice respite located in the midst of a Food Court. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are, once again, busy researching things to write about.

As mentioned numerous times, The Mister and I have a habit of eating before going food shopping, so that we aren't overly tempted to purchase items on a whim. This doesn't always work, but we try. Sometimes we have a whole meal and at times, only have a dessert type product. Several times now, we have stopped at this newly opened (in October) small storefront inside the Zion Market complex.

This Korean based franchise is similar to other similar companies which produce machines which automatically fill and bake small filled cake treats. (This link takes you to a 55 second You Tube video of a machine with a different shaped filled small cake (Cocohodo are walnut shaped cakes filled with red bean paste and 1/2 a walnut in each cake) being made and links on the side of that video take you to many other similar videos.). This is similar to the cream filled pancakes made at the cart in front of 99Ranch Market.

The menu at Cocohodo shows variations of beverages and beverages in combination with pastry, as well as shaved ice.

You can't get close enough to see the Cocohodo walnut shaped pastry being made, as you can in the YouTube video linked above, but that's what the man behind the glass is doing. You can however, see to the right—

…the automated machine wrapping and dropping the hot, fresh cakes into the bin. If you are here and Cocohodo is open, you will be offered a free sample of a whole, hot, fresh delightful cake. As I mentioned, each walnut shaped (and sized) is cake filled with red bean paste and a walnut half.

Lately, this has been our usual snack (from the bottom of the menu)- Combination A: a four piece with one cup of coffee ($3.40).

The Cocohodo pastry.

Cross sections- you can see the walnut half and the red bean paste. It's a perfect size snack. Not too sweet, not too large.

You can purchase other size combinations, of course.

Nine pieces are $3.15; you can get a bag of 30 for $10.50. You can also get gift boxes…all fresh made and delicious. A nice respite.

Cocohodo 7655 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard (Inside Zion Marketplace Food Court) 92111 (858) 365-1745 Open 10:30-8:30 daily

{Yes, I posted on Deli Manjoo last November, in the middle of this lengthy post, the 16th, 17th and 18th photos show when my fascination of this machine and its filled pastries started}

{Other blog posts about Cocohodo include Pink Candles at Ridgemont High and Kirbie}

Getting to The Adobo Road Cookbook Tour. {The first stop: 85C-Irvine} Road Trip!

June 26, 2013 Cathy Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Orange County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food. Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy write about adventures in eating. Today, the beginning of one of Cathy's adventures.

In May, I received an e-mail from the LA Times about an upcoming book signing in Pasadena by Marvin Gapultos, whose Blog (cleverly named Burnt Lumpia Blog) I have bookmarked on this machine. Marvin's cookbook, The Adobo Road Cookbook a Filipino food journey -from food blog to food truck and beyond, looked interesting to me, and I saved that email. Later that week, I heard from my friend and fellow blogger, cc, who asked me if I'd want to do a roadtrip with her…because she had already purchased several copies of the cookbook wanted to meet Marvin and have the cookbooks signed by him. Road Trip!

At 7 a.m. on Sunday June 9, cc was at my front door and I had my car filled with fuel and ready. We each had our own coolers so we could transport/bring home anticipated food purchases safely. The book signing was scheduled for 3 p.m.. Yes, there would be a few (nine) stops for food on this 14+ hour day. This post is a link to cc's version about our first stop.

85c Bakery Cafe, a Taiwanese bakery of international franchises. I've heard of it, been asked about it but had never experienced it. Now I have done so, *twice* in less than two weeks. {I had to go back with The Mister…}

When cc and I arrived here just before 9 a.m., we missed an onslaught of customers by less than five minutes. When I brought The Mister here, we were in the parking lot five minutes before the doors opened. I really try to avoid crowds. The above refrierated glass case holds cakes and cake slices…

Cubby holes of various fresh baked sweets and savories line the far wall. Cubbies of shelving about half that size line the two adjoining walls. They are are replenished constantly and announced loudly ("fresh bread!!!"). The individual-doored spaces are emptied quickly most of the day with a steady line (an outside the door and into the parking lot line) of customers. The photo above shows the small floor refrigerator centering the shelving and it's filled with prepacked whipped cream and cheesecake filled pastries.

The choices are almost overwhelming and because of the many people picking and choosing pastries, it's necessary to grab what you want as soon as you see it (trays and tongs are at the door as you walk in).

There are two cash registers here; the one to the right will put your pastries into individual bags and you can order beverages and pay, or someone with you can go the register on the left where only beverages can be ordered and they'll probably be ready about the time you are finished paying for pastries.

These were the purchases cc and I made. The sausage cheese pastry (a soft bread dough) and the tomato cheese pastry (a puff pastry dough) became 'breakfast' for us. The beverages are iced sea salt coffee and iced sea salt green tea…beverages I saw a few times this day but still never have seen in San Diego County. The other items are a mango bread (new item here advertised in a poster "Celebrate Mango Season"), blueberry danish, maple brick toast and a multigrain berry bread loaf (which remained soft into the following morning).

This was the 'breakfast' The Mister and I had -cream puffs (real whipped cream; a heavier dough than at the County Fair cream puffs); we were told to refrigerate as soon as possible…as if those would make it back to San Diego) and a ham and cheese croissant. I got a medium iced sea salt coffee ($2.75) for The Mister and also small Americano ($1.80) just to compare the taste differences.

Everything here has been fresh/still warm and what made it to the next day remained fresh. The salted beverages are different and not crazy salty…they are basically a 'regular' beverage topped with sea salt foam that you either can stir into the regular beverage (by swirling; the beverages are in paper cups topped with that hermetic seal you've seen in Boba Shops) or you get the salt at the end of your drink when the sea salt foam has descended to the bottom of the cup: I haven't developed a craving for those beverages…yet.

85c is a good place to stop, but I don't think I would wait in a very long line if I lived here…there are so many alternatives- even within the Diamond Jamboree Center-just across the parking lot; our second stop this day.

85C Cafe and Bakery 2700 Alton Parkway, Suite 123 Irvine, CA 92606 (949) 553-8585 US website

Boba Bar and Desserts – inside Zion Market

June 24, 2013 Cathy Caffeine Fix, Desserts, What Cathy Eats!

Hello. You've found mmm-yoso!!!-a food blog. Kirk, Ed(fromYuma) and Cathy usually write here. The central focus on our posts is food. Today, Cathy is focusing.

Since I went to/posted about Zion Market on the first day of its 'soft' opening at the new location, The Mister and I have returned several times for regular grocery, meat, seafood and produce shopping. Slowly, the other storefronts on the West side of the expansive former KMart have been opening. I saw a news story that the official 'Grand Opening' will be this upcoming weekend (June 28).

I took this photo from the South Western corner of the building, in front of CDD Tofu & Grill (an upcoming post). You can see the wide expanse of space the market and other businesses occupy. (The news story said 100,000 square feet). All of the lighting is retrofitted LEDs – very energy efficient. Boba Bar and Desserts is very colorful. Kirbie has a post about her visit which has some better photos of the menu.

The ice creams are '100% natural' according to the Boba Bar and Desserts Facebook page (there is no website). Some of the flavors have me curious…

The corner glass refrigerated section contains Vietnamese puddings and jellies and on this visit, these lucious looking chocolate dipped strawberries.

We decided to try some basics on this first visit: An iced Vietnamese coffee ($3) and milk green tea ($2.75). No boba, no syrup/sweetener/condensed milk. The coffee was very smooth and strong and the milk tea had a good tea flavor, which is the way I like it.

We wanted the beverages to go with my 'regular' purchase from Zion- the freshly made fish pancakes. Since the food court area was relatively empty, this was a nice way to relax for a snack before the drive home…

However, we were there, it wasn't crowded, sweets were beckoning…the Shaved Snow machine was calling.

The "Deluxe" size (16 oz) is $4 and includes two toppings as well as a sauce of condensed milk. I decided on the green tea shaved snow and was told it had just been made the night before and the texture may not be correct. I ordered it, and asked for no condensed milk and two of the fresh fruit toppings…

You can see this was more of a fluffy ice texture…

which melted in the mouth the same way the ribbons of shaved snow usually do. The deep green tea flavor was excellent and unadulterated by not having the condensed milk…the fresh blueberries and macerated strawberries were very complimentary.

We'll try other offerings on our next shopping trip here. Everything was very good. The people working are very nice and helpful.

Boba Bar and Desserts Clairmont Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92111(inside Zion Marketplace at Convoy Street) 619-940-4190 open 9 am-9 pm daily

Tea Station (revisit)

June 11, 2013 Cathy Caffeine Fix, Taiwanese Food and Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!! This food blog is a compendium of road trips, vacations, food store shopping, events, meals, snacks, events and general food-centric posts. Kirk usually posts here, but is catching up from his recent vacation. Ed (from Yuma) is also recovering from his recent San Diego vacation. Cathy is writing today, about another meal during her staycation in the County.

I discovered Tea Houses and Boba places several years ago when one day a friend took me to one and realized that snacks were served in addition to beverages. It was so fascinating as well as tasty. Since then, I've written two individual posts about visits here. It's simple, good and a nice place to share a snack or meal with friends. (I'm the White girl on this blog and there were no Tea or Boba places when I was at the Unversity of Michigan…heck, there was no Zingerman's when I was there).

The exterior and expanded interior have remained the same; neat and clean. Once you order, a basket of utensils, bowls and napkins are brought to the table.

The teas and all beverages are made to order here, (which is why you can get a beverage with half, quarter or no sweetness added-something you can't always ask for from other boba shops because they use pre-mixed syrup bases) and this pot of Kuan-Yin (monkey picked) tea ($5) actually was brought to our table last, perfectly brewed. We usually ask for a bit more water to be added after we finish the first serving; the tea leaves are just about as strong on the second pour. (A brief explanation of 'monkey picked' meaning premium tea is here.)

One order of Taiwan sausage ($5.50)…my 2013 obsession (see this post ). Served with slices of raw garlic, the combination of the sweet in the sausage with the slight bitter of garlic is amazing.

Inside the menu was a "monthly special" card -the 'fried shrimp roll' ($3.99) was really a version of Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky (beancurd wrapped shrimp paste), which I order with bun at Vietnamese restaurants. You can see this is a large serving and that there were pieces of whole shrimp as well as paste inside the delicately fried tofu skin. This was excellent.

We were handed a "Daily Specials" ($6.50) card with the regular menu and the day we were here, the special was chicken curry (quite a bit of chicken, onion, carrots, potatoes and green pepper in a not spicy but a sweet, medium-hot Japanese curry). The football shaped mound of rice divides the curry from the three daily side dishes (which change). This day it was green beans with slices of dry tofu, delicate (rice) noodles with beef pieces and pickled vegetables with pork pieces. A tasty variety that complimented the semi-spice of the curry.

Another nice visit with good food and a really good pot of tea.

Tea Station 7315 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92111 (858) 268-8198 Website