Chains – Page 3

Sunday Stuffs…..

April 19, 2020 mmm-yoso Beer, Burgers, Chains

I think of this more as a Sunday check-in. How is everyone doing, physically, and well, mentally as well? I keep wondering how all the FOYs are doing.

On my "mission for groceries" I was wondering how some of the restaurants with long histories on Convoy are doing…..Ichiro came to mind. The entire parking lot at 4344 Convoy was empty, with Tasty Bakery the only business open in the strip mall.

And the sign at Ichiro's….. I think I need to make it a point to get more take-out…..

I took the long way home; wondering what was open in the Linda Vista area…. Thai Papaya had a sign saying that The Original Sab-E-Lee is open seven days a week. Pho Hiep and Grill is closed as is Pho Hoa Huong. The porch where the "old timers" used to hang out and drink coffee had been taken over by a group of homeless folks.

As I drove past Tio Leo's on Morena….for some reason, I always make it a point to check out the signs…….this is what is currently posted.

We've cancelled our upcoming trips…luckily, we're able to either get vouchers or full refunds….one of the Airbnb hosts replied to me saying that though their home is an amazing place to visit; now was not the time. Her son is an Emergency Room Physician and she is ever so worried about him.

I have a ritual of sorts when I return from a long trip. I'll get my fix of if a West Coast Icon. Since we wouldn't be travelling anytime soon, after shopping stop at Mitsuwa, I ordered one of these.

I even got Animal Fries.

Which confirmed, much like the egg at Santouka, that I'm still not sure why folks like the fries at In-N-Out….no matter how much lipstick you put on the pig……it's still a pig. Still, having one of my Bi-annual visits to In-N-Out was both comforting and sad at the same time.

Hope all is well…..

Versailles and a Late Lunch at Canard Street (Paris)

December 28, 2019 mmm-yoso Chains, Cocktails, France, French Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

By November of 2018, we were on our third trip to Paris (can you believe it's now up to five?). And even though one could fill a lifetime exploring, and enjoying the city, the Missus thought we should start exploring places around the city. Starting with the Palace of Versailles. So, I got purchased advance tickets online and we headed out on the RER "C" line making it to Versailles-Rive Gauche in 40 minutes or so. From there it was a short walk to the Palace.

It was a misty – foggy day in Versailles.

But there's no denying the grandness of the Chateau.

It is indeed quite impressive and opulent. Hard to believe that this was once a "small country hunting lodge and residence" built by Louis XIII. Eventually, under Louis XIV, the property underwent four "campaigns", huge renovations. The King actually made Versailles his permanent residence and the center of political power, until the French Revolution. It has quite a history and a lot of rooms (over 2,000) and even had zoo (the "Menagerie"). Marie Antoinette had a "farm" ("Hameau de la Reine") created on the property, where she could escape….and where she could have a "faux country life"…..milking cows and sheep; which were carefully cleaned and groomed. The book Marie Antoinette: The Portrait of an Average Woman; has this quote:

"Sheep were led to pasture by ribbons of blue silk tied round their necks"

All this decadence, all that taxpayer money, all the social inequality…….just a few of a the many factors that lead to the French Revolution.

It's all on display in the various rooms in the Chateau.

Don't forget to look up at the ceilings!

The most well known room in the Chateau is probably the Hall of Mirrors.

Which is where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, which ended World War I.

We walked out onto the gardens……still quite grand; even on a misty day like this was.

And of course; all the fountains.

From here we decided to check out the Grand Trianon.

Which Louis XIV built as his escape from the Chateau.

We also explored the Petit Trianon as well.

By this time; the Missus and I were "palaced-out" and we decided to head back to Paris.

The lines were growing ever longer as we left. We caught the train back to Paris and the Missus decided to do (even more) shopping. We made a return trip to Repetto (which I've posted on before).

Sadly….at least for the Missus; She discovered that She had all the styles and colors that She wanted.

We decided to head back to the hotel for a break, but decided to grab lunch. We wanted something quick and decided to head back to Canard Street. We got the Demi Magret and the Sandwich de Foie Gras.

The duck breast was surprisingly good….especially for what I consider "fast-casual" food. It was just a tad over-cooked, but still juicy, tender, and full of flavor.

We didn't care for the baguette used for the sandwich; it was dry and much too hard and chewy. Hardly any foie gras torchon as well.

Still, this came out to around 20 Euroes which ain't bad for duck breast and foie gras, right?

Canard Street Paris
16 rue des Petits Champs
75002 Paris, France

We had a well deserved nap; then took an early evening stroll. We then headed off in the direction of dinner. This was to be our first visit to Le Pont de Sichuan, you can read that post here. We were still a bit too early for dinner and noticed this spot right around the corner of our destination.

And stopped for an aperitif.

It seemed like a popular after work destination…..lot's of folks having whatever the version of happy hour is in Paris.

And we had a seat at the bar and had a couple of Kir before dinner.

Le Trader's
3 Rue de la Bourse
75002 Paris, France

A nice little aperitif!

Thanks for stopping by!

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.

Lenten Specialties for 2018- fish sandwiches, seafood specials and tuna pie(!)

May 16, 2019 Cathy Chains, Sandwiches, Seafood, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of this food blog. Kirk has written the majority of posts this year and needs a break. Cathy finally has the time and energy to write about various foods she has enjoyed; the blogging will continue, uninterrupted.

You probably notice each January that fast food places make an effort to showcase some sort of 'new'/limited time seafood based item. This is perhaps in conjunction with consumers' 'New Year Resolution' to eat less meat and/or the beginning of the 40 day religious season of Lent, which begins on the day after "Fat Tuesday" and ends on Easter, during which some Christians only eat pescatarian meals. In any case, most of the items shown here still seem to be available. For example, there is the McDonald's Filet o' Fish, which is available at a discounted price (around $2) on Fridays all year. The squared, solid, breaded and fried fish chunk is topped with a 2/3 slice of cheese and tartar sauce and served on a steamed, soft white bread bun. Of course, in March, having a Filet o' Fish along with a minty Shamrock Shake is a short-lived flavor combination. For quite a few years now, Wendy's has offered a North Pacific Cod sandwich (~$4), which is unique and excellent. The cod is flaky, the fry is crisp and not greasy, the toppings of lettuce, tartar sauce and pickles are just right. This year, a few locations of Chick-Fil-A offered a fish sandwich and fish strips on Fridays during Lent. It did not taste like chicken, the sandwich had the 'traditional' CFA topping of two pickles and was certainly different for the chicken-centric chain.
Popeye's offered a $5 " Shrimp Tackle Box" for a limited time. There were a dozen spicy battered, plump shrimp, along with seasoned fries and a biscuit in this filling meal. My friend, and fellow blogger, cc, sent me this photo of the Fish and Chips she and Bert had at Fuddruckers. $10 for three fish pieces and fries.
cc and Bert also managed to try the (real!) crab sandwich offered at Boudin. The limited offering will be back next year and I'm looking forward to trying it. Then there was the day I was in National City. There was a sign in the window and I had to stop. Yep. Tuna pie- $2.49. It's been on the menu since last summer, but I never was in the neighborhood…
It's, you know, like an old fashioned Mcdonalds apple pie- fried. Filled with a warm, creamy tuna (no noodle) casserole, this was a great snack.
Yes, I ate in my car. It had been a long day and there was going to be traffic on the way home.
I also bought a taro boba drink. It was great. Did you know Jollibee is the flagship of Jollibee Foods Corporation, the largest and fastest growing Asian Restaurant Company in the world?

Thanks for reading!

Youtiao at McDonalds? Well, sort of…..

March 19, 2019 mmm-yoso Chains, yoso-silly

I thought I'd break all this "serious" food stuffs with something kinda interesting….or perhaps funny. On Monday, "YZ" quickly came on over to my desk when she got into the office. Apparently, there was a subject in WeChat that was blowing up. It was strangely about youtiao……but not just any youtiao; but youtiao here in San Diego, and at all of things, McDonalds! Or to be more precise; the way YZ and the Missus say it "Màidāngláo" branches on the West Coast! Folks were lining up for the stuff and doing things like…..

Making jiangbing guozi???? Here's some of the posts on WeChat.

Anyway, YZ explained what was going on. I thought it was so funny…..that I actually went to McDonalds. I occasionally will drive-thru MickeyD's for a diet coke, but hadn't walked into a store in ages. But there I was at a quarter to six in the morning.

The deal was getting a new breakfast item called "Donut Sticks" without the cinnamon sugar. It's pretty cheap; I got two dozen for a bit over four bucks.

I gave almost all of it away….of course some of it to "YZ", but Calvin, and JeffP who bit into one and started laughing. I mean, just look at it.

Man, looks familiar doesn't it……well, at least a miniature version of one.

So, how was it? Well, when hot it was crisp, fairly light, on the oily side….but it did smell like youtiao. It losses texture quickly and is missing the yeasty-"alum" taste of the stuff we had in China. But, let me tell you; this might be as good as anything you'd get here in San Diego.

The real test will be when I'm able to talk the Missus into trying this…..

Stay tuned…..

P.F. Changs (a first visit)

January 26, 2019 Cathy Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Chains, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food. Kirk is out and about and taking a short vacation. Cathy is writing about a meal.

Yep, this is another Gift Card post. I don't regift and have friends who sincerely want The Mister and I to try some of their favorite places; we have never been to P.F. Changs and were in Mission Valley on a beautiful, clear day and I had the Gift Card in my pocket. The surreal Las Vegas casino-like giant horses out front of each location of this Asian themed, casual chain restaurant greet you.

Along with a tastefully decorated interior.
A pot of (caffeinated) ginger-peach tea was ordered ($3.75). It's by Republic of Tea and very similar to the Plantation Peach tea I usually buy from the Charleston Tea Plantation (the only tea grown in America). I must have hot tea with Asian meals.
As we were being seated, we noticed that every table had this: the first choice at the top left of the menu (under "Street Fare"). So, we had to. Lettuce Wraps (chicken or tofu; we chose chicken) $11.50. A 'secret family recipe', 'signature dish', the do-it-yourself slightly sweet, slightly spicy chopped melange of chicken, water chestnuts, green onion, crisp noodles and chilled iceberg lettuce with a bit more of the sauce was delicious.
Also from the 'Street Fare' section: Tempura Shrimp and Vegetables ($11.95). Lightly battered plump, sweet shrimp, bell peppers spinach and carrots served with a Sriracha/sweet aioli. This was also quite good.
From the 'Lunch' section of the menu, we decided to share the Chiang Mai Noodle Bowl ($11.95). Egg noodles and marinated chicken in a coconut curry broth, some crispy wonton strips with fresh grape tomatoes and flat leaf parsley. Once all mixed, this was also a great mix of flavor and texture. Quite satisfying.
We still have more than $50 left on the gift card. It's good food and there is much more to try.

P.F. Changs 7077 Friars Road San Diego 92108 website Open daily 11-11

Paris – Boulangerie Nelly Julien, Musée de l’Orangerie, and Canard Street

December 2, 2018 mmm-yoso Bakery, Chains, Croissants, France, French Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

We slept a bit later than usual on our first morning in Paris. This was good since we’d be doing a bit of walking on this day. We quickly got ready and before heading off to our first stop grabbed some croissants at Boulangerie Nelly Julian which was right around the corner from our apartment.

We were kind of excited about this since Douceurs et Traditions de Nelly Julien had place in the top in the Concours du Meilleur Croissant au Beurre AOC Charentes-Poitou; basically the best butter-croissant competition in Paris over the years.

So of course it was the Croissant au Buerre we had. It was nice and buttery, great balance with salt, but we didn’t enjoy the hard and not flakey exterior and the interior was on the slightly greasy and doughy side. It might have been the wrong day.

The place is indeed popular; there’s always line as we noticed when passing during our stay.

**** This location is now Boulangerie La Parisienne

Nelly Julien Douceurs et Traditions
85 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris, France

It was a quite a nice and clear day as we crossed Pont Alexandre III and walked along the Seine.

We walked past Place de la Concorde and over to Musée de l’Orangerie. I had been wanting to visit this museum for a while. A whole lifetime ago; I had to take an art appreciation class. There’s not much I recall about that class; well, at my age, there’s not much I recall about any class…..however, I remember our instructor loved Monet’s series of painting named the Water Lilies. He liken Claude Monet’s situation at the time of creating this work to Beethoven writing his 9th Symphony while completely deaf. You see; by the time work was being started on this work; Monet was suffering from cataracts and going blind.

The Museum itself is small, it was created to shelter the Orange Trees of Jardin de Tuileries.

Monet’s Water Lilies are displayed in two rooms on the first floor, the rooms have renovated to display this work to the specifications designed by Monet himself.

Monet takes us to his garden in Giverny during different times of the day; the light and reflections play off the natural light in the room. From the peaceful morning to the splashes of bright yellow at Sunset.

The second room features the other foliage around his pond.

You really get the amazing play of natural light when you view the works from different angles; which I found, especially with “Sunset” when returning to the first room from the second.

There’s also the Walter-Guillaume Collection wich features works by Cezanne, Renior, and Picasso.

And some other quite interesting work as well; from classic, to very Modern.

We also saw school tours being done almost everywhere we went; some with children quite young in age. It was fun to watch and listen…..

From the museum; we headed across the Jardin de Tuileries over to Rue de Rivoli.

So, here’s a hint about personal property security when in France. We’ve been here several times and have seen these folks in action. A group of girls; clipboard in hand will approach you to sign some sort of petition. You’ll quickly notice that they will surround you and while you’re distracted, pick your pockets, or the like. So, whenever these groups approach, I simply say, “no…thank you….” and scurry away. Our next stop was in the 3rd Arrondissement, so we walked on over to Rue Étienne Marcel, then to where it became Rue aux Ours to pick up our pocket wifi (or as the French say “weefee”) device. It works real well when you have more than 3 wifi devices.

After this…well….we needed a break. We were fairly close to Rue Montorgueil, so we decided to walk over and grab some espresso….and people watch. We saw a “good dog” doing a wonderful job walking without a leash; until it came across what must be the little fellows favorite market, it was time for a sudden detour as he ran inside.

We also saw these fellows…..

A few years back after having coffee at Les Deux Magots we came across Firefighters selling “hunky” calendars for charity and bought one for a friend of the Missus. So, here we were back in Paris; it was that time of the year I guess. It was a hoot watching the firefighters flirt with all the girls and especially the older women…..most of whom ended up buying a signed calendar!

While having our caffeine fix; the Missus and I discussed lunch. I mentioned a bunch of places in the area and others a mile and change away. I had a nice list from that area since we’d be staying in the 2nd on our return trip to Paris.

I mentioned this new “chain” from Lille had just opened a shop in Paris; right on Rue des Petit Champs, named Canard Street. This is basically what they call a “Street Food” concept…think fast casual; but it ain’t your typical “fast casual”. The Missus sounded quite excited; even though I told Her we’d be basically staying right around the corner from the place….She just wanted it “now”.

I know; it looks like any other fast casual restaurant on the street…..

But, think about the name….Canard Street….then think about the items on the menu; Foie Gras Sandwiches, Duck Confit “Burgers”, Magret Tartare……

And what we got; for the nice price of 18 Euros; the simply named “Planche Canard Street”…..basically a charcuterie board.

Yikes…..man, this was like I died and went to duck heaven. Actually, the items were all decent; and the foie gras terrine and the saucisson de magret were excellent. The duck rillete and Saint-Nectaire (cheese) were really good. The baguette was passable and this was a load of food.

The Missus even had a glass of wine….I got a Coke Zero.

Man, this was quite a lunch…….and you definitely got your money’s worth.

Canard Street Paris
16 rue des Petits Champs
75002 Paris, France

It was time to head back to the apartment and sleep off all that duck……

Thanks for stopping by!

Boudin- Breakfast, Lunch, bread!

November 16, 2018 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Chains, Sandwiches, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog. Todays post is written by Cathy; Kirk (and His Missus) are not in town. Probably most of you are starting Thanksgiving early, too.

I should just start out with the title of "gift card meal" because that's how I find out about some places. (Side note: I do not 'regift'). Boudin Bakery began in 1848 in San Francisco. Known for its sourdough, the bread is baked fresh daily. It is now a chain of casual bakery-restaurants with two San Diego County locations serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. As I mentioned, I first discovered Boudin by using a gift card. The drill is similar to Panera and Corner Bakery Cafe– walk up, order, pay, get your own beverage and find a table. Your food is brought to you. All three of these businesses do *not* encourage tipping. You don't have to clear off your own table. All have free wifi.
You can see the fresh loaves bread behind the cash register. A one pound loaf of sourdough is $4.14. What I found out on our first visit is that we can join the Boudin "loyalty club" which gets you one free loaf of bread a month along with a few other perks.
Here are the past three months of free bread. The middle one is a really great multigrain bread, which you can purchase using the $4.14 discount (I think it ended up being 49 cents). The sourdough is wonderful. So is everything else.
The turkey and bacon scramble ($7.90) is quite large, comes with either fruit or potato and a choice of toast. It's a great meal.

The ham and cheddar breakfast sandwich ($5.90) is also quite large. It's served on sourdough and, as you can see, the cheese is grilled in and melted. None of that slapped on slice of cold cheese here. Quality for a reasonable price. The ham is applewood smoked and really good.I broke down and ordered the second avocado toast of my life; "The Purist" ($8.25). It's good, very nice with the eggs and side of fruit…but does not compare to the first avocado toast I ever ordered (photos 4th and 5th from the bottom of the post); that one is the standard for me.

The bacon red bell pepper scramble ($7.90) is also wonderful and again, quite large. That multigrain bread is so very good.

Then there is the rest of the menu…which needs more exploring…
The 'Spring Salad' (small, $5.95, large $8.65, add chicken to either size $2.39) was a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. Granny Smith apple slices, spiced walnuts, dried cranberries, feta, spring mix and balsamic. This was a large that we shared. It will be ordered again, maybe as a small…

Half Sandwich and bowl of soup ($9.35) is a good way to get to try more of the menu. The broccoli-cheese soup was hearty, creamy and filled with broccoli. The sandwich I chose was the turkey cranberry (on sliced sourdough; a good, chewy, old fashioned bread). Turkey breast, cranberry sauce, red onion, lettuce, mayonnaise. Eager to try the 'famous' clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl ($7.49) (you can see that you get all of the bread) this was an order one day. The clam chowder is pretty close to perfect; not salty, very creamy and filled with clam pieces and bits. The bread bowl and its filler piece was great with butter.
There are 'Seasonal Favorites' on the menu and the "millionaires bacon" was a curiosity that I succumbed to. The 'Millionaires BLT' on toasted sourdough with iceberg, Roma tomatoes and mayonnaise was a perfect accompaniment to the thick cut, brown sugar caramelized bacon that had a black pepper and cayenne rub on the edges…a kick of spice in this wonderful sandwich that needed no other additions.

I'm so grateful to my friends for the initial gift card and am very happy to have (finally) discovered the wonderful flavors of real sourdough.

Go- start your Thanksgiving week!

Boudin SF 5407 Balboa Ave, Ste 400 San Diego 92111 (858)737-6571 Website Open Mon-Sat 8-9, Sun 8-8

Din Tai Fung (UTC) – Soft Opening

October 2, 2018 mmm-yoso Chains, Chinese Restaurants, Taiwanese Food and Restaurants, Xiao Long Bao

I believe it was summer of last year; when I heard the first official announcement that the XLB mega-chain Din Tai Fung was going to open at UTC. I know folks who have been waiting with bated breath, patiently awaiting the opening…for those that I know it seemed like the place would never open. And then last week; Eater announced when DTF would be opening their doors, October 1. It would be reservations only for the soft opening period; which I thought was a prudent move…..get your systems in place, fine tune the product, and then open up the floodgates.

One of the young ladies in the office; "K" from the Beijing area will often stop and chat with me about Chinese food. Late last week; she mentioned hearing that Din Tai Fung was finally opening and if I was going. I told her "probably not, since things would probably fairly chaotic, the crowds would be insane, and I don't think the product would be up to par." She smiled and said, "maybe not….din Tai Fung has so many outlets, they have opened many shops, I think they may have systems in place for a grand opening." Hmmmm……the seed was planted; though I hadn't really planned on making reservations. Until my dear friend Candice asked me if I'd like to join them for lunch….on the first day of business. As a plus; I'd see my good friends, who I just don't see enough of these days, so I was in.

UTC is fairly close to the office; so it was snap getting there. There wasn't much of a line, a product of the soft-opening reservations only policy. Several parties were turned away for not having reservations, some of whom, especially one rather persistent Chinese gentleman were rather unhappy.

The set-up was fairly typical of DTF; at least the shops we've been to. Front desk, window display of folks making the XLB, and dumplings.

The dining room was lengthy and could hold up to 200 I was told.

We received a menu while our table was being readied; the four of us; Candice, Xiāngjiāo, TFD, and I had all been to DTF, both here in the states and abroad before, so we all had items we wanted to order. In the end it seemed like a lot; but we finished almost everything! TFD's little boy did a great job helping us as well!

So, enough verbiage; lets get to the food shall we?

First to arrive was the Truffle and Kurobuta Pork XLB ($23.75). Yep, twenty four bucks for 5 XLB.

The tops of the wrappers seemed a bit on the dry and hard side, there wasn't very much "soup" in the dumplings. You got the truffle flavor upon first bite, then it dissipated rather quickly. Not sure if I'd have these again.

Next up; the comfort dish, Taiwanese Cabbage with Garlic ($10.25). This was nicely done, enough salt, the cabbage was tender, nice garlic tones.

Though this is something I can easily make at home with Big Kahuna. We did enjoy the dish and needed some veggies, right?

Next up; the Kurobuta Pork XLB ($11.50). Maybe it's the Kurobuta Pork, which DTF is now using in all its dumplings, but the filling was on the drier side and there was a lack of soup.

The wrapper was rather dry and brittle. The filling had a mild pork flavor, but was more chewy than I prefer. As I mentioned above; there was a lack of soup in both orders of this. I'm so used to biting the ends of the wrapper to let out the steam before dipping into black vinegar and eating the dumpling; but that really wasn't necessary as well.

Next up; some nice and crisp, slightly spicy "Cucumber Salad" ($5.25) and rather bland, under seasoned Soy Noodle (Bean curd noodle) Salad ($5.25).

Shrimp and Kurobuta Pork Shao Mai ($8.75).

The tops of these were on the hard side; the shrimp had very nice flavor, but were overcooked. This just didn't do it for any of us.

The guotie – potstickers were another non-starter. They looked really nice, the bottoms of the wrappers were nice and crunchy; but the fillings fell out of the tops.

Kimchi and Kurobuta Pork Mandu Dumplings ($10.75)…..were really like mild kimchi mandu. These were not spicy in the least; even though we were told they were.

The wrappers were fine; if a bit stiff; the filling was too mild, not enough fermented-sour-savory-spicy kimchi flavor, which would have been fine if there was a decent porkiness to these; but there was none.

I was looking forward to the Crab and Pork XLB ($14.50).

Though there wasn't much soup in these, there was a nice sweet-crab and pork flavor. The filling was a bit on the dry side however as were the wrappers; which were again on the dry and brittle side.

I had been craving Chao Nian Gao($11) and couldn't help but order it; the version with pork.

This was perhaps the most unsatisfying dish of the meal. The nian gao, rice cakes, had been over-cooked, as you can easily see, and were very mushy. The pork was tough; too much soy sauce….just not good eats. We each had a taste and left the rest on the table.

TFD recalled a nice version of Sichuan Liang Mian at the Taipei location of DTF; so we ordered it ($9).

Hardly any spice; the noodles were too soft, the sauce lacked any depth of flavor (i.e. suan-tian-ku-la-xian)…I mean I was looking for something; Sichuan Peppercorn, black vinegar, sesame paste, garlic…..something……

Our savory dishes ended on a high note though, as our second round of the crab and pork XLB arrived. This was much better; though the wrappers were still a bit too stiff, they were moist and had a touch of pull. The crab and pork was juicy if still without enough soup. This was quite nice….perhaps this is what we have to look forward to?

Though I'm still looking for this in the XLB – from a DTF in Asia. I'm wondering if the flour is making some difference?

We ordered the XLB with Red Bean for dessert. Think of it as a sorta, kinda, red bean manju…..

A bit too sweet for my tastes.

Overall, we really enjoyed the service, it was with a few hiccups….which was to be expected, very nice….really nice folks working here. The consensus was also pretty much unanimous; we'd had better at other DTF locations, though that was also to be expected.

Regardless; we still thought that this is the best XLB in San Diego without a doubt.

It's going to be interesting to see how things evolve here. I'm hoping the service and really nice staff remains the same and am expecting the XLB to get better over time; a bit more moist and tender wrappers with a decent "pull". Of course, I'm picky like that. And, I'm going to have to wait a while before bringing the Missus or my Shanghainese coworker "YZ" here.

And, it's always great to see my good friends "hanai family"…..

So, let me know how you're enjoying DTF now that they've arrived in San Diego!

Din Tai Fung
4301 La Jolla Village Dr (UTC)
San Diego, CA 92122

The Patio Marketplace at Axiom

February 26, 2018 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Chains, Sandwiches

**** The Patio at Axiom has closed

The ever expanding Patio Group recently opened another location of what Eater San Diego called their "corporate hospitality arm", the Patio Marketplace right up the street from our offices. It's located in the Axiom Office Building. It's pretty much in walking distance, so I decided to drop by for an early lunch.

It's a huge space; like 8,000 square feet; with outdoor and indoor eating areas and a bar.

Since they had just newly opened, there was basically no one around during my two visits. The place features a coffee bar and is only open until 6pm from Tuesdays to Wednesdays right now. I was told…..the staff here was very friendly and chatty on my visits, that breakfast is basically only grab and go stuff from the cold case.

The lunch menu featured three sandwiches, three salads, and two flatbreads, with basically nothing under fourteen bucks

I went with the Carne Asada BLAT Club ($15).

The sandwich was no joke. Quite hefty, a bit too much bread that was a bit too hard for my taste. The thick cut bacon; Nueske's I'm told was thick cut and nicely done; there was a nice single layer of decently done beef. It wasn't overdressed, though the tomatoes were under-ripe. I usually enjoy a certain proportion when it comes to sandwiches; perhaps excluding a smoked beef sandwich from a place like Schwartz's. This was too much bread for me. Though a rather decent "corporate" sandwich.

The fries didn't hold up on the short walk back to the office and were soggy and over salted.

A couple of days later, I decided to visit again. The menu, which is rather limited at this time, left me wondering what I should get…..salads were from $12-14, but if you wanted some chicken it was 5 bucks more, carne asada 6 bucks more. So, I went with the Speck Ham Flatbread ($14).

I enjoyed the crisp speck, nice saltiness, though it was kind of over-kill with the bread again. I'd have preferred this amount of protein on a smaller and more crisp flatbread, without whatever made this very salty and the middle really soggy, keeping the nice, milky, Havarti. The entire middle section was saturated and not pleasant to eat. I appreciated the pungent red onions and the bitter-peppery arugula which also added texture to this dish.

Overall, really nice folks. It's probably better to call if you're doing take-out, both of these took at least 20 minutes wait time. The food is not bad; it's just not something I crave or am searching out; especially with $15…for lunch, without drinks, on the line everytime. I mean I love charcuterie and all, but am not quite sure about having a charcuterie board for lunch ($19), then heading back to work…..but maybe that's just me.

The Patio Marketplace at Axiom
4535 Towne Centre Dr
San Diego, CA 92121
Hours
Monday 7am – 3pm
Tues – Thurs 7am – 6pm
Friday 7am – 3pm