Caffeine Fix – Page 9

Breakfasts and Brunch Sandwiches from Bay Park Coffee – and the “Uncle Kirk” Phenomenon

April 5, 2021 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Sandwiches, yoso-silly

While I'm not the biggest fan of working from home (more on that in a future post); during the times that the Missus is working days it does allow me to watch Frankie. It also gives me an opportunity to support my favorite neighborhood places. Heading to the office around 5am had become quite a chore as the only places open for a cup o' joe during that time is the local Starbucks and 7/11….now if this was 7/11 in Japan that would be a different story. But, if I'm working from home, I can go ahead and grab some coffee from one of the various neighborhood places, Clairemont Coffee opens at 6 (I really need to do a post one of these days), Birdrock, which I save for the coffee snob, ummmm, the Missus and usually deliver Her pour over to work on weekends. And then there's Bay Park Coffee, which opens at 730 Mon- Sat and at 8 on Sundays…..which was kind of a bummer before; but these days; with so many people working from home….perhaps not so much.

And BPC has done a nice job with the outdoor set-up; which transitions to al fresco dining for Poseidon Project at night.

On a nice San Diego day, I'll see folks on their laptops doing work…..just like they used to do indoors before in the parklet.

My usual, as I noted before is the cold brew……I'll often drop by between meetings/calls for a "pick me up" and sometimes grab something simple to eat.

And of course, like I mentioned in a earlier post, there's "Bruddah Noel" who I've come to know…….he even introduced me to his wife who is from Japan. And all the wonderfully friendly and smiling faces of the folks who work there.

I will also sometimes avail myself of an item from the "kitchen" menu; though those items aren't served until after 8am. The items on the menu comes in handy when I have meetings around lunch and need to grab something to eat as BPC is a tad over five minutes away for me.

So here's a rundown of items I've tried during the pandemic.

I mentioned in my earlier post of not being a fan of the croissants; which are from Bread and Cie as it lacks the full butter-light saltiness and is more crisp than flakey….you know, the things we like in a croissant. Still, I have tried some of the items again. And even though the eggs and cheese will help camouflage the deficiencies, it's still leaves something to be desired in my opinion.

And my verdict stands….perhaps folks will like these, it's just not for me.

BPC also now offers "sides" of egg, potatoes, and cheese……so you can get a fairly filling breakfast; of say…avocado toast (BPC loves their avocados) with a side of scrambled eggs.

You may find the item I enjoy the most (to date) from BPC kind of strange……it's the Veggie Bagel Sandwich. I will get the plain bagel; which is from Nomad Donuts….I gotta check out their brick and mortar shop one of these days.

The bagel has a light heft to it; mild yeastiness, a slight saltiness, a mild hint of sweet; but it's just the texture I enjoy with the greens, pickled onions…….light acidity from the tomatoes, creaminess from the avocado and they usually have a nice restrained hand with the cream cheese.

I have tried other versions of the bagel sandwiches; Bruddah Noel had me try his "favorite"…….

Which had ham, cheese, a huge portion of egg, pesto, and was just way too much……

I also tried the Lox version.

Which was not bad, though not something I'd have on a regular basis.

And then there's the "Uncle Kirk" thing. Noel started calling me "Uncle Kirk" early on….which cracks me up, it's a well known term of endearment back home….. though my good friends, who are quite a bit younger than me (and not from Hawaii) started calling me that years ago; so it doesn't bother me at all. Though I'm not sure what the motivating factor is? Perhaps I'm like the crazy uncle everyone needs in their lives? Of course, these same people would not dare call the Missus "Auntie"……

So, now even a couple of folks at BPC call me that as well…..and once in a while, I'll even get a "little surprise" like on the cup of cold brew to the right.

Once as Noel called out "Uncle Kirk" when my cold brew was ready, one of the women waiting for her order asked me; "is he your nephew?" To which I answered in a stage whisper, "ssshhh, he's illegitimate and twice removed….."

Well, if you'll indulge me one last story……my good friend "XJ" got married a couple of years back and requested that "Uncle Kirk" officiate their wedding. I was at first hesitant……quite terrified; but there was no way I could turn down such an honor. And things did turn out ok.

Though I've never told them; it's one of the high points of my life as I felt so privileged to participate.

Anyway, a couple of weeks later, I'm walking thru the parking lot at 99 Ranch Market when I hear, "Hi Uncle Kirk!!!!" and see a middle aged couple waving to me from an automobile. At first I didn't recognize the couple….then as I approached the vehicle…well, it was the Groom's Parents…….I had been introduced to them as "Uncle Kirk" and that's the way they knew me.

Life, ain't it amazing?

Bay Park Coffee
4130 Napier St
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 275-4000
Current Hours:
Mon – Sat 730am – 2pm
Sunday 8am – 2pm
Sandwiches served:
Mon – Thurs 8am – 1130am
Fri – Sun 8am – 1pm

Paris – Jefrey’s Cocktail Bar, Stohrer, Sainte-Chapelle, and Café Montorgueil

March 18, 2021 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Cocktails, Croissants, France, Paris, France, Travel

**** Sorry, not much food in this one, but if you like amazing stained glass…..

Our train from Stuttgart arrived right on time to Paris 'Est. We then caught the metro to Les Halles to the apartment where we'd be staying. On our last visit to the Missus's favorite city, we found that we really enjoyed staying on the Right Bank and I found an apartment close to a street we loved on a prevous visit. After getting the keys to our flat and freshening up for a minutes….well, you know the Missus, She wanted to get out and about. I had a route in mind and we headed East on Rue Grenata and then took a quick turn on the corner. The Missus was wondering why I seemed to be going around in a circle when we came to my first destination….to which I replied to Her "voila!"

This is Passage du Grand-Cerf, a shopping arcade if you will. Created in the 19th century, these glass ceiling shopping arcades once numbered over a 150….but most are now gone. There are a few left; the most well known….at least to me is Galerie Vivienne. There is such charm in places like this….it transports you to a different time. The window shopping….or as the French call it "lèche-vitrine" which literally means "window licking" is fun. I'm guessing those folks with their faces right up to the windows….steaming it up with their breath do look like they are licking it. We've all seen (or done) that, right?

From here we headed down to the Seine, taking Rue Sainte-Denis until we came upon this square right in back of Les Halles.

The rather lovely looking square has quite a grisly history. It is now called Les Fontaine des Innocents and was once the site of a cemetery. I had read that the cemetery had become so full that the bodies were pushed into the cellars of nearby residents. Eventually orders came down from Louis XVI to move cemeteries out of the city for sanitary reasons.

And so the residents of Holy Innocents' Cemetery were moved. But it doesn't quite end there. Apparently, all the intact skeletons were moved to what is now the tourist draw, the Catacombs of Paris.

And it's not only large squares and fountains. Right on the corner of Rue de la Reynie and Rue Saint-Denis I saw this.

Which for some reason grabbed my attention. After doing a bit of searching…luckily the inscription on the monument is readable; I came to find out that this is a monument to Eugene Scribe a popular Playwright and Author.

That's the Tour Saint-Jacques ('Saint James's Tower'), which is all that remains from a church, Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie ('Saint James of the Butchers') which was sponsored by the butchers at the nearby Les Halles. The church itself was destroyed at the end of the French Revolution. But by contract the tower was saved. There's something around every corner in Paris it seems.

Our last trip to Paris had been in November of 2018 (this was the end of May 2019) before the horrible fire at Notre Dame in April of 2019. We were horrified watching it on the television. We took a walk past….the fire had just occurred the month before and we were wondering what we'd see.

We were happy to see that Notre Dame was still standing; but saddened at the damage.

We crossed over to the Left Bank on he Petit Pont and strolled around for a bit…this is the lovely Square René-Viviani.

Then passing the super crowded (with tourists) Shakespeare and Co.

And then decided to go turn around and head back…..and grab a café allongé on one of the cafe's near to where we'd be staying.

And so, we ended up at Café du Centre on Rue Montorgueil a half block from where we were staying.

There's something about this mostly pedestrian market street that we enjoyed.

It was lively. And yes, there are tourists. But there seemed to be the hustle and bustle of everyday like as well.

I'm wondering how much Covid-19 has affected the café culture in Paris. There's something wonderful about sitting outside with our café allonge….you can spent 10 minutes or 3 hours with your coffee if desired….you can read a book, a paper, socialize, or just be like us and watch the world go by. It just seemed so therapeutic.

Losing this would be tragic.

Café du Centre
57 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

After spending a good amount of time just chilling, we headed back to the apartment.

The evening we had reservations at a place I posted on earlier. Before dinner, I wanted to grab a cocktail from a nearby Cocktail Bar I had read about named Jefrey's. It was just one street down from where we were staying.

**** Jefrey's has closed

It's a cozy little place with both upstairs and downstairs seating. We had two of the four seats at the bar. We loved the service here; the folks working were so friendly.

While working through a round of the standards….you know, an Old Fashioned for me, etc. We chatted with the bartender who was so knowledgeable and friendly.

After mentioning that I enjoy smoky flavor profiles he recommended that I try the "Smokey Monkey" made by, well, Monkey Shoulder. It was really wonderful. Sorry to say, I was told that while Monkey Shoulder is available in the U.S.; Smokey Monkey is not.

We were happy to have found a place to grab a cocktail in the neighborhood and would revisit on later trips.

Jefrey's
14 Rue Saint Sauveur
75002 Paris France

Sadly our dinner at Le Pont de Sichuan didn't live up to the first visit. But that was ok……

The next morning I got up and did a couple of things online; then it was time to grab a croissant.

I decided to head to the oldest Patisserie in Paris, Stohrer which has quite a history, dating back to 1730 and just happens to be on Rue Montorgueil.

Another claim to fame that Stohrer brought the Rhum Baba to France. It is claimed that the modern version of this cake was in this spot sometime around 1835.

I stood in line and ordered a croissant au beurre, which looked lovely, nicely lacquered, crackly, but on the dry side and not quite to our taste in terms of the butter flavor.

It was not bad….perhaps I should have gotten a rhum baba as well, but it seemed to early in the day.

Stohrer
51 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

After having the croissant, we headed out. I had purchased advance tickets for Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie. We got to the location right before opening and were quickly allowed entrance.

The very gothic exterior of Sainte-Chapelle is somewhat obscured by the surrounding buildings. And you really don't get the full scope of the chapel.

And then you enter and are simply awestruck at the beautiful stained glass.

There are over 1,000 biblical scenes depicted in the stained glass of the upper chapel in the photo below!

And the lower chapel!

Originally built over the period of ten (!) years – 1238-1248 as a Royal Chapel by Louis IX to house relics including the supposed Crown of Thorns.

The chapel was damaged during the French Revolution, but restored in he 19th century.

Amazing!

Sainte Chapel resides in a large complex of structures originally called Palais de la Cité, now called the Palais de Justice.

Right next to the Palais de Justice is a place with a grim and dark past; once a palace, the Conciergerie became a place of detention after the French Revolution. It is where the Revolutionary Tribunal tried "enemies of the Revolution". During a two year period (a year of which is called "The Reign of Terror") almost 2800 people were executed by guillotine.

Entering the barren and haunting halls is quite an experience if you know just a bit of French history.

And even in the most somewhat innocuous places, the reality strikes you. The lovely courtyard looks so peaceful…..

Until you look up and notice the scary looking spikes; still in place, to keep prisoners confined.

There's a memorial room in La Conciergerie that lists out the 2,780 names of those condemned to death, with some very familiar names.

Whew….we needed a break.

So, we headed back to the apartment and decided to stop for another caffeine break. This time at the place next door to Café du Centre, Café Montorgueil. We actually found that we enjoyed this café quite a bit….it had more of a relaxed local vibe and was actually cheaper than the place next door, go figure?

We enjoyed our Café Allonge; while watching time and people slowly pass……

Café Montorgueil
55 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

Before we knew it, an hour had gone by. We decided to head back to the apartment for a short break……

Before heading back out to do more exploring, shopping, and then of course; dinner!

For those that took the time to read this rather long and rambling post, I thank you! And I'd especially like to thank both Kerri and LaurieH who both mentioned missing our travel posts….thanks so much for the kind words!

Our Pandemic Takeout Rotation

March 11, 2021 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Chinese Restaurants, Greek Food, Japanese Restaurants, Local Kine Stuffs in San Diego, Poke, Sushi and Sashimi

I was recently pondering what our Pandemic Takeout Rotation is….that is, the places we've done a bunch of takeout from over the last year……I'm guessing that this post is somewhat timely since (not a great thing) the WHO declared Covid-19 to be a pandemic on this day a year ago.

What I did notice is that things like weather, work, cravings, or indecision kind of drove the decision process. So I've categorized places by that process

So here goes…..

For cold weather – Menya Ultra and Woomiok:

Like I mentioned before, I'm not if it's because we're spending more time at home; but this fall and winter seems to be much colder then I recall.

So, of course Menya Ultra's Stay at Home Kit…….so well and thoughtfully put together; love the fresh noodles (i.e. fresh made and uncooked) is our rotation.

It's basically at least two meals……there often is too much noodle; so I'll often use it for another dish.

Menya Ultra Ramen
8199 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111
858-571-2010

When the Missus or I feel somewhat tired……we enjoy the Emporer's Soup along with an extra side of bone broth from Woomiok.

We enjoy the restorative effects of the bone broth….even if it might be "all in our heads".

This was especially nice after the Missus or I felt some of the side effects from our vaccines.

Woomiok
3860 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 737-4599

And then when we're experiences unseasonal warm weather – it's the Market at HFS:

That's an easy one, right? It's also a handy fix when I'm missing "home".

Of course, you know the Missus right? Eating poke just ain't the straightforward for Her……there's a bit of prep involved. Can you imagine when I actually deliver this for Her lunch at work?

And I blew this one because one thing was missing….shiso leaves…sigh….

Hawaiian Fresh Seafood Fish Market
6491 Weathers Place
San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 282-0591

For that "special" takeout dinner – it's Tadokoro:

I guess this one should be pretty obvious based on some of my previous posts.

Sushi Tadokoro
2244 San Diego Ave
San Diego, CA 92110
(619) 297-0298

And when we can't make our mind up? Well, it's probably Noble Chef or Sizzling Pot King:

For those times when we don't really know what to get.

The Noble Chef
6159 Balboa Avenue
San Diego, CA 92111

Though I think we've been getting Sizzling Pot King weekly now.

**** Sizzling Pot King is now Zhang Liang Malatang

It's usually two meals for us…..and heck, if you're wondering what I do with those leftover noodles form Menya Ultra…..

I save all the drippings from the dry pot and use it as a sauce for the noodles….I know, kinda weird, but I like this strange version of Liang Mian…..

Sizzling Pot King
8058 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 279-0088

The Missus's weekend coffee fix from Birdrock:

I'll usually drop off pour over from Birdrock on Morena.

She loves the fruity acidity of African beans and of course when there's Geisha (caution – over $12 a cup for pour over)…..

The folks there already know me by name and make an awesome pour over……even though their spelling can be a bit iffy……

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
1270 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110

And then, there's my weekly reward for working from home – Zgara Greek Grill:

Another pretty obvious pick. I'm not the biggest fan of all this WFH stuff; but Frankie needs and deserves the attention and care. So, once a week I'll reward myself.

Zgara Greek Grill
1229 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110

You know looking at this list makes me wonder why other places from my usual rotation like Mien Trung aren't here…..there are some obvious reasons for others; like Yakitori, Yakiniku, Korean BBQ, and some of my regular Japanese restaurants….well, I just think takeout wouldn't do justice to the food…..though maybe EE Nami might make this list soon.

Anyway; here's looking to brighter days….I'm hoping the light at the end of the tunnel is coming into view.

And of course, I want to know, what has your takeout rotation been?

Cambria (During Covid-19) – Fiscalini Ranch, Cambria Coffee, Shamel Community Park, and Dinner at Black Cat Bistro

March 4, 2021 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Caffeine Fix, European Restaurants, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

During our roadtrip last November, our second stop was in Cambria. We had really enjoyed our dinner at Madeline's the night before. From the food, wine, and wonderful service….it was such a nice experience. We were looking forward to our full day in the town. Man, it really felt good to be travelling for a bit. We had really missed it.

I had gotten up early in the morning. The office had an urgent request so I was on my laptop and the phone for a bit. After my call, the Missus wanted a cup o' Joe. So I got dressed and headed out.

I crossed Highway 1 onto Main Street, which was quite sleepy at this time of the morning.

I really enjoyed the quaint, artsy, but unpretentious vibe of Cambria…..and a definite sense of humor!

A few blocks down was my destination; Cambria Coffee Roasting Company.

While I understand that there's a deck seating area upstairs with a view of the street; at this time, due to Covid restrictions it's closed. Basically, a table was set-up in the doorway and you could place your order.

And then you stand aside until you are called. I was happy to note that Cambria Coffee does pour-over…..which would make the coffee snob in the family (the Missus) happy. So, I got a coffee and a pour over for the Missus.

It was nice to see locals seeing each other….during these times, with the social distancing and such, I'm sure it's a treat for those on fours legs as well for those on two.

I went and walked on back to our room. The Missus enjoyed Her coffee. While not quite on the same level as Birdrock, She did enjoy it.

Cambria Coffee Roasting Company
761 Main St.
Cambria, CA 93428

Bolstered by caffeine, the Missus was ready to head out. I had done a bit of research and planning for this trip to keep the Missus busy. One thing that caught my attention was Fiscalini Ranch Preserve. Previously owned by the Fiscalini family since the late 1800's as a cattle ranch, it was sold in the 1980's to a developer. The plan was to create a residential area, much like what surrounds the ranch. Fortunately (for us), the developer went bankrupt and the North Coast Small Wilderness Area Preservation was formed and raised 11 million dollars to purchase the property. The preserve consists of over 400 acres of trails which straddle both sides of Highway 1. You go from one of the last Monterey Pine Forests to the beautiful coast.

There are at least 17 trails available all of which are well maintained and makes for rather easy hiking. I decided that we should start at Huntington Road entrance, basically just an gate with street parking and walk along the Ridge Trail.

Where we quickly came upon an interesting bench.

This one is known as the, well, Dolphin Bench of course. We'd come to really enjoy the wonderful and quite artistic benches crafted with driftwood along the way.

We hiked along the Ridge Trail coming upon the pine forest.

And then meandered down to the Bluff Trail, which was scenic and beautiful.

And course there are those benches that I mentioned earlier….they really looked like works of art to us.

We took our time, sitting on the benches and enjoyed the views along the way.

These were the Missus's favorite benches.

Once we reached the North Windsor Boulevard Entrance, we headed back up the SeaClift Trail and eventually back from where we started.

Fiscalini Ranch Preserve was a fun, relaxing, and needless to say beautiful way to spend our day in Cambria.

It was time well spent.

After our hike, we headed into Cambria's East Village to do some shopping.

Which was a lot of fun……

We headed back to our very comfortable room at the El Colibri for, at least for me was a well earned afternoon nap.

I had made dinner reservations for this dinner at a restaurant in the East Village. I asked the Missus to get ready a bit early….She was a bit perturbed, but went along. We got into the car and instead of heading across Highway 1 I took a right turn down Windsor Boulevard and right at the turn down the hill stopped and parked at Shamel Community Park.

As we walked from the parking lot to the beach, the Missus got it…..

And boy was it beautiful!

Doesn't get much better than this, does it?

After the stunning sunset, we headed to our dinner destination, finding parking on the street. And enjoying the wonderful fun and artsy décor along the way.

Dinner was at Black Cat Bistro. The menu looked interesting…. We were seated in a covered porch area. During this time SLO County was under the Red tier and had 25% indoor, we requested outdoor. There were only two other couples during our whole meal….all from out of town and the other two parties had such cute and well behaved pooches with them.

The meal started in fine fashion with a delicious Crab Cake and Shrimp Salad ($17).

The shrimp was fried perfectly, the batter was light and crunchy, the shrimp sweet, plump, and oh so tender. The crab cakes was well made, full of crab meat, moist, the breading stood up well in the face of the remoulade sauce. The arugula added a nice balance as the mild bitterness helped to cut the richness. This was easily the best dish of the night, a memorable dish.

Next up was the "Paso Robles Pork Belly" ($15).

Love the addition of Gigante Beans; the pork belly was fine, the sauce was too salty and sweet for our taste.

Next up; the Gnocchi ($14). The gnocchi is fried giving it an interesting texture…..but beyond the light crispness, the interior was too mushy.

We did enjoy the earthiness of the mushrooms paired with the pleasant bitterness of the radicchio. This added a nice dimension to the plate, though that cream sauce just wasn't to our taste.

The last dish of the evening was the main reason I decided to book our dinner at Black Cat Bistro; the Strozzapreti ($25). The Missus loves strozzapreti and strigoli, the wonderful toothsomeness of the pasta. This was a vegetarian version which the Missus was more than happy to order.

There was just too much going on in this dish and the pasta was over cooked and on the mushy side, lacking in that nice chewiness the Missus enjoys. We enjoyed the purple cauliflower and Romanesco….the Missus just loves Her cauliflower. The currants seemed a bit too much for the dish as was the cream sauce. We would have preferred a bit more restraint in the saucing of the dish….but hey…..this is the US, not Italy. Sometimes, simple is best.

Overall a nice meal; friendly staff, the other two parties were from out of town and come to Cambria yearly. The Black Cat Bistro is a favorite of theirs. The Missus enjoyed the wine pairings as well.

Black Cat Bistro
1602 Main St.
Cambria, CA 93428

As you can see; we didn't go to bed hungry! We really enjoyed Cambria and will be sure to return.

Sunday Stuffs – Ghost Pepper Wings from Popeyes, the “Weekender” from Bird Rock Coffee, Harvest Market (Balboa) is Closed, and Stuffs from D’Artagnan

October 4, 2020 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Chains, Chicken Wings, Markets & Grocers

Here are a couple more odds and ends for yet another day where it seems like the wheels on the year 2020 are coming off…….

Ghost Pepper Wings from Popeyes:

I had a few folks ask me about the ghost pepper wings from Popeyes, I guess since even though we haven't grown anything in a couple of years, I'm kinda fond of making stuffs out of ghost peppers. So, Bob and "ST", here goes.

Frankly, even though Popeyes was once upon a time a "guilty pleasure"; it seemed like the quality (and the size) of the chicken started diminishing over the years. Finally, I just tired of it all and I hadn't been to a location of Popeyes in at least 10 years! So, when folks started asking me what I thought about the "ghost pepper wings"…..well, I wasn't sure. So, on a day where I had some time; I decided to try them out…..just to kinda see. I was surprised at the price; though they really push combos; you can get 6 pieces of wings only (they did include a biscuit) for $4.99. Just make sure to bust out that magnifying glass…..as you can see on the right, the drumette was basically the size of a soy sauce packet.

The batter on the wings were really crunchy…in fact it was mostly batter, very little meat, and quite dry……I know I always say that those jumbo sized wings really mess up skin to meat ratio; but microscopic wings that are mostly batter screw up the ratio as well.

As for the spice? Well, this ain't no Quaker Steak and Lube Triple Atomic Wings that's for sure. In fact, this barely registered in the heat department for me…..it was mostly salty, with a hint of spice, lacking in the fruity-fieriness that is the hallmark of good Ghost Peppers. Pass……

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Locations throughout San Diego

The "Weekend" from Bird Rock Coffee:

I had started ordering several cups of cold brew from Bird Rock on Morena, with no ice, a few times a week.

When the really friendly guy working there; the one whose been there for quite a while asked me what was up; I told him that we usually can't finish a whole coldbrew in one sitting so by having it with no ice; we'd just store it in the fridge. This is when he recommended getting something they call the "Weekender"; think of it as a growler of sorts. They cost $20 for 64 ounces so you basically get 5 1/3 portions for the price of less than 4. It's a good deal for us. We've been going thru about 1 every other week; though I'll still drop by in between those visits to get the Missus Her pour over fix. Though in this hot weather; we've been mostly sticking with coldbrew. I am a bit worried about all this plastic; so we're trying to find ways to reuse these when possible.

And I recommended Zgara to the guy…I believe his wife's family is from Greece as payback.

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
1270 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110

Harvest Market on Balboa is Closed:

I had some merguez in my latest order from D'Artagnan and the Missus was eager to have me sauté them with lemon and wanted some pickled veggies, garlic paste, and flatbread from Harvest Market. So we jumped in the car and took the quick drive over and were rather shocked to find them closed:

That "closed due to Coronavirus" sign was really worrisome.

I asked around a bit and one of sources who works with the local government told me that he understands that Harvest Market has probably closed permanently due to lack of business, not an infection. This is quite tragic and I hope they decide to reopen.

Harvest International Market – Balboa
4220 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

And Speaking of D'Artagnan:

I recently realized that I'd placed my third rather large order from D'Artagnan. It seems that several items have become household staples. I recall mentioning the duck prosciutto in my Ume Dressing post….but we've been enjoying the charcuterie/pates/etc during the recent heatwaves that have swept through San Diego over the last couple of months.

There's always one king of promotion; though I always look for the free shipping deals. Things are packed well and everything arrives chilled.

So far, our staples are the Duck Prosciutto, Duck Rillettes (the Missus loves making a hash with duck fat potatoes/eggs/rillette) which freeze well.

We've enjoyed the Wild Boar Saucisson Sec and will probably order the duck version next time as well.

The Torchon of Foie Gras and the Mousses of Foie Gras are favorites and I enjoy the Pâté de Campagne.

Not a big fan of the Medallions of Foie Gras and Truffle; the texture is very crumbly and the overall flavor is a bit too much; even for us.

We also didn't care much for some of the pates as well.

And of course, we do need a "bit of cheese" to balance things out, right?

Which we get from Venissimo after all; we need to support local as well, right?

It's easy enough to Google D'Artagnan. I don't do sponsors, freebies, and such and really don't want to be bothered with non-edible Spam, so I won't do a link. I'm sure you can find them easily. When ordering; you may want to set a farther out delivery date to save on shipping; if you're not getting it free.

Anyway, I just kinda always wanted to start a post with Chicken Wings and end with Foie Gras….so, at least that wish has come true!

Hope everyone has a safe and productive week!

Monday Meanderings – A Requiem for Tiger! Tiger!

September 21, 2020 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Chains, Chicken Wings, Gastropub

Last week Thursday, I got a text from my good "FOY" Candice….it's always great to hear from her….but this time she was the bearer of bad news. She knows how much the Missus and I enjoy Tiger! Tiger! She knew that the Missus and I loved "TT" and we were actually "stalking" the place……..we'd drive by to see if they had reopened, only to have our hopes dashed when we saw that they were still closed.

She wanted to make sure to let me know that Tiger Tiger would not be reopening; before I read the news…….that's what good friends do. And based on the emails I've gotten (thanks KarenM/Bob/ST) once the story broke in Eater (please read the Eater post), I guess a lot of folks were going to miss the place too.

As much as I was sad that Toronado closed; I kinda saw that one coming. This one however, really kinda sucks as you probably can tell by all my posts on the place. I'm surprised by how many of those posts has "back to the routine" in it. And of course the place is inextricably tied to Sammy.

I think this says quite a bit.

We're sad to see you go Tiger! Tiger!; you were an big part of our rotation in San Diego. I wish we had a chance to thank the folks for all the wonderful meals and beer we've had there over the years.

I actually made a special trip to take that first photo above on Saturday to pay my respects.

3025 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Just when I thought that 2020 couldn't get any worse………….

Munich – The Asamkirche, St Michael’s Church, and a Caffiene Break at Dallmayr Delikatessenhaus

September 19, 2020 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Germany, Markets & Grocers, Munich, Travel

**** Not much food in this one as I'm trying to go through my backlog of travel posts.

After visiting the Viktualienmarkt and finishing up my "sir…please no not say Spam….please…… we continued meandering along.

This very modern looking structure is the Ohel Jakob Synagogue. I read that this area, around Sankt-Jakobs-Platz was where the original Synagogue stood; which was destroyed by Hitler in 1938.

On this day; it was a nice peaceful place; close to busy streets and businesses.

There are things that aren't in the guidebooks that you come across when you do the "Flânerie" thing; like these interesting colored tiles.

Sometimes they remain a mystery until I'm able to do a bit of research after getting back home. But this one had a sign in English.

This is the "Monument to the Gays and Lesbians Persecuted under the Nazi Regime". There wasn't much I could find in English; but you might find this article of interest.

A few blocks down Sendlinger Strasse; a busy shopping street was our next stop; the Asam Church (Asamkirche). Also known as Church of St. Johann Nepomuk; this 30 foot wide church was created in the Baroque style by two brothers, sculptor Egid Quirin Asam and painter Cosmas Damian Asam as a private church….so basically, they could really go for it. And I've read that the church could act as a showroom of sorts for the brothers.

So, basically every inch of this chapel is decorated.

In fact, if you do travel to Munich; get Rick Steves guide to Munich and Salzburg, the part on the Asam Church s highly entertaining and a hoot. Mentioning that this private pale of worship served as a "promotional brochure to woo clients, and is packed with every architectural trick in the books."

From the ceiling art….which is created in such a way to make it seem like a domed ceiling to the golden gilded grim reaper snipping off the thread of life…..there's quite a bit packed into one fairly tight Barogue space.

I had read that it was never the intention of the brothers to make the church public; but pressure from local citizens forced the family to allow for public access.

Whatever the intentions and backstory, the Asam Church was a fun short visit for us.

Like I mentioned earlier in the post; Sendlinger Strasse, the street the church is located on is quite a popular shopping area. The Missus enjoyed window shopping as we headed down the street. As always, half the fun is people watching.

I wish things were like Paris and there was a outdoor café handy; it would have been fun having a coffee and just sitting down to watch folks (and their pets) walk by.

We turned a corner and headed up Eisenmannstrasse and found ourselves in front of the impressive St. Michael's Church; with its distinctive façade featuring statues of the House of Wittelsbach; which ruled Bavaria from 1198 until 1918! The church is also considered to be the largest Renaissance church north of the Alps. The church itself was created by the Jesuits as part of the "Counter-Reformation" to counter the Protestant Reformation in 1583.

The Altar stands three stories high.

The crypt down the stairs contains the tombs of the Wittelbach. For us; the item that really stood out was the huge Monument to Eugène de Beauharnais who is also interred in the crypt of the church.

After visiting St Michael's we decided to find a café and grab a caffeine fix. I had a place in mind and along the way was the impressive Frauenkirche, which is the location of the Archdiocese of Munich.

It quite amazing that this Gothic inspired church was built in only 22 years – from 1466 – 1488.

Much of the church was destroyed during World War II, the towers survived and the church was rebuilt around that.

What really got our attention was the monument of Ludwig IV as you enter the church.

There's also the Der Teufelstritt (The Devil's Footprint); my photo unfortunately didn't come out…..hmmm……

There's also this relic of Pius X in the cathedral.

As for our caffeine fix; I decided on a place I thought the Missus, who really enjoyed the cafe's in Vienna, might like. Established in 1700, Dallmayr Delicatessen seemed like a place we might like. The "Stammhaus"; the original store is huge, has three entrances, consists of 19 departments, and we were greeted by a fountain…nothing strange about that, right? Except this one had live cray fish in it…..

Though we were tempted by the many offerings…….Dallmayr was given the title of "Royal Bavarian Court Supplier" in 1900 and it's easy to see why.

We headed upstairs to the Café-Bistro Dallmayr.

While the possibility of Lobster Thermidor (a "light lunch"?) seemed interesting; I was still full of Spam Leberkäse, we decided to just get some coffee. The Missus got the French Press which came with the old fashion hours glass timer; very quaint.

I just needed a picker-upper and got a double espresso.

Which was just what I needed.

After finishing up; we spent a bit of time downstairs and the Missus got some gifts for friends back home.

And then we headed out; there were still a couple of other places the Missus wanted to see.

Dallmayr Delikatessenhaus
Dienerstrasse 14-15
München, Germany

Thankful for a nice little break and bolstered by our coffees we headed back out.

As we walked through Marienplatz for the umpteenth time, I was happy to have had a double espresso.

We still had a few sights the Missus had on Her "list"

Well, we're almost at 950 words now…….so, I'll continue on in a future post.

Thanks as always for stopping by!

Midweek Meanderings – Bird Rock Morena Reopens, Is the Sandwich A’Fare Closed, and Other Stuff

May 27, 2020 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Sandwiches

Bird Rock Morena Reopens:

I got the word via their website. The Missus was happy….Bird Rock is Her favorite.

Perhaps being closed for a few weeks actually helped this location of Bird Rock….of course we missed their coffee, but the place was undergoing renovation anyway and this is what it looked like a few weeks back.

Now let's forward the calendar a bit……

Pretty spiffy, eh?

I was a bit confused at first; but you just follow the yellow lines……

Lot's of plexiglass dividers up. Currently cashless transactions and limited hours. The crew here is still wonderful to work with.

And the Missus got Her "Geisha" pour over, not cheap at $10 a pop….but it puts Her in a better mood…..which is priceless.

Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
1270 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110

The Missus is happy to have them back.

Is the Sandwich A'Fare Closed?

I'd been doing phone orders from The Sandwich A'Fare about every other week since mid-April. So, I became a bit worried when I called and got a weird message that went something like "all routes closed". It seemed very strange; so I drove on over and the Sandwich A'Fare looks like it's closed.

Which would be a bummer. I have a soft spot for these little Mom-and-Pop sandwich places.

And where else in the area can you get a decent sandwich for $6.25????

I'm certain the location….hidden in the back of Miramar Center doesn't help things…..

I just Googled "Sandwich A'Fare" and it says permanently closed.

Sad……

The Sandwich A'Fare
6904 Miramar Rd. Suite 107
San Diego, CA 92121

Speaking of sad……

I went by Clairemont Town Square a few weeks back…..to grab the Missus a croissant from Arely's and some cash from the ATM. I'd heard that Troy's Family Restaurant had closed.

Even though I wasn't a big fan of the place; I believe that every neighborhood needs a place like Troy's or Perry's or Rudford's…….places like those are like the roots of a neighborhood, they keep things anchored in place, nourish it even as it grows and spreads out to the sky and replenishes the fruits that grow above. It's a place of cherished memories…..

It's quite sad….and oh my, the notes taped on the windows and doors.

I feel the pain.

After all, I read that a favorite of mine from small kid time, a place I cherished, Like Like Drive had closed after 67 years.

Not much else to say really……

Salzburg – Walking the Old Town and a Caffiene Break at Cafe Tomaselli

March 1, 2020 mmm-yoso Austria, Caffeine Fix, Desserts, Travel

**** Not much food in this one. You might want to drop by for something more substantial to eat tomorrow

Our train was set to leave Vienna at 0930am, so we got up bright and early, checked out and headed off to the Vienna Train Station.

As I've mentioned several time before; I really enjoy train travel. It's much more relaxed and comfortable. A mere 2 1/2 hours later we were arriving at Salzburg Hbf. From here it was a nice walk to the "hotel" we were staying at. I use quotes, because we were staying at Gästehaus im Priesterseminar Salzburg. We really didn't want to stay in the old town, but wanted a place within walking distance to everything and I thought the New Town area would work out fine. In case you do recognize the name; this guesthouse is located in Salzburg Seminary….yep, that's right. No television, but you do get a Bible and a cross over your bed.

The beds were comfortable and we weren't going to be spending too much time in our room anyway.

Though I kept on looking up in the air and over my shoulder….the Missus asked me why and I told Her, "I'm waiting for lightening to strike us down….."

It was a beautiful day as we headed down along the Salzach River. Since we had basically one day in Salzburg, we went with the walk in Rick Steve's Guidebook for this first walk.

And crossed over to the Old Town on the Mozartsteg.

From here we walked over to Mozartplatz.

So, have you noticed the name??? Yes, Mozart was born in Salzburg and spent his younger years there, before moving permanently to Vienna when he was 25. Thus you'll "see" Mozart everywhere, along with being the setting of a famous movie.

Without these two subjects….well, I don't think all these tourists would be here…..

There was quite a bit of work occurring on the Residenzplatz, where the Salzburg Residenz, the Archbishops of Salzburg resided (thus "Residenz"), so we skipped on over to the Cathedral.

This wonderful Baroque church was built in just 14 years, replacing the original church which was damaged by fire in 1598.

We found the stark white interior to be quite striking as all the murals seemed to "pop' and come to life. It just seemed so aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Hard to believe that in 1944, a bomb damaged the dome which wasn't repaired until 1959.

Both Mozart and Joseph Mohr, whom you might know from a little song he wrote titled Silent Night were baptized in this Cathedral.

Though, like I mentioned, it was the murals, especially those on the domes that really caught our attention.

Right around the corner is the Kapitelplatz, a spacious square dominated by this…..

A work by Stephan Balkenhol named Sphaera, a male figure standing on a golden ball…..looking off toward a female figure in a crevice up above.

As grand as this figure was; the one that made the biggest impact on us, was this ominous, scary sculpture named Die Pietà; which I was told meant "Coat of Peace"……it just looked really spooky to us.

On the far end of the square is the "Neptune Fountain" which is quite impressive, considering that it was actually built to be a horse bath….man, horses bathing here must've been something to see….

Right down the street is St Peter's Cemetery.

If you're a Sound of Music fan; this is where the Von Trapp family hid as they made their escape from the Nazis.

It was a beautiful sunny day when we visited.

There are three churches surrounding the cemetery.

We took a peek in Saint Mary's Chapel.

Which was a tiny, but quaint little Gothic chapel right in the cemetery.

We felt a strange kind of eeriness, walking thru the cemetery, even though it was a bright and sunny day.

At the rear of the cemetery, you'll notice structures carved into the mountainside.

These are the "catacombs"….I know, we usually think of catacombs being underground, but in this case they reside in Mönchsberg mountain.

We paid the small fee to climb up some steep steps and were rewarded with some pretty amazing views.

And as an amazing bonus; there was this young lady playing the piano in one of the caves.

She was amazing! When she finished, both the Missus and I gave her an ovation….which surprised her. She didn't even know we were there and sheepishly told us "I'm sorry, I'm practicing for a performance tonight…."

It definitely added to the atmosphere!

From here we walked thru Universitatsplatz (Univesity Square) and ended up facing Mönchsberg Cliff and what might be the most fancy horse trough I've ever seen before.

From here it was a quick turn at St. Blasius Church and you end up on busy Getreidegasse, a busy shopping street.

It was quite interesting walking down the street; you'd see folks dropping by places like Zara and Tommy Hilfiger….then you'd pass a place like Mozart's birthplace.

It was quite busy wo we decided to pass on this one.

We enjoyed wandering thru the passages….and at #3 Getreidegasse, there was a whale rib hanging from the roof. you can read more about that here.

By the time we passed Louis Vuitton and Hermes we needed a break. The Missus had enjoyed the Cafes in Vienna. so, when I told Her that Cafe Tomaselli is the oldest cafe in Salzburg, if not Austria was block away; well, we just had to drop by for some coffee and a snack for the Missus.

Everyone wanted to sit outside, but we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the interior.

Service was quite nice and professional and the Missus enjoyed Her torte and I my coffee.

Café Tomaselli was established in 1703; it is said that Mozart was a regular here……I guess if it's good enough for Mozart…..

Café Tomaselli
Alter Markt 9
Salzburg, Austria

It was nice little stop. And I'd be needing that caffeine…..

Stay tuned!

Mexico City – Our Last Morning; Panadería Almuerzos and Cafe Toscano (Mercado Condesa)

February 8, 2020 mmm-yoso Bakery, Caffeine Fix, Croissants, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Mexico City, Travel

As we were walking back after dinner at Temporal, it started pouring again. We decided to quickly duck under the awning of one of the taco shops that lined the streets.

There was a group of musicians also using the little shop as shelter from the rain. One of the guys saw us; waved us in…..and they started playing! Just for the other seated customer and us. It was a blast!

Sorry to say I didn't get the name of the taco shop…I tried to give the band a couple of pesos, but they declined.

So, the least I could do was to buy a couple of tacos….to go.

You gotta love CDMX……..

The next morning was our last in Mexico City. Our flight didn't leave until 1245. So we decided to check out the bakery that was right across the street from where we were staying. It was quite discreet, but we always saw a line and decided to check it out.