Cocktails – Page 5

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – The Alchemist Garden Revisited (Paso Robles) and Montana de Oro State Park

June 12, 2021 mmm-yoso Caffeine Fix, Cocktails, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

*** Not much food in this one.

After our wonderful dinner at Les Petites Canailles we walked over for our "liquid dessert" at a place we loved on our last visit here, the Alchemist Garden. We'd enjoyed our selves so much the last time that we requested sitting at the bar again.

The Missus ordered the Alchemist Gold – basically a smoked Old Fashioned.

Which included quite a show. She loved Her cocktail.

As for me; like the last time, I left it to the Mixologist to create something for me based on my tastes on this evening. And boy did he deliver. This was amazing!

Smokey notes, a slight "bite", herbal notes, light bitterness….amazing……

Unlike the last time, we didn't need to order any food.

I asked about the cocktail and was told it used Laphroig 10 and he proceeded to get out several small shot glasses and gave the Missus and I small tastes of the Laphroig and how it compared to the Macallan, the Nikka, and a Rye Whiskey. The Missus is sold on peaty Scotch's it seems.

Places like this and Les Petites Canailles will keep us coming back to Paso Robles!

The Alchemists' Garden
1144 Pine St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

The next morning; just as had done on our previous road trip to Paso Robles, we made a stop at Spearhead Coffee…..an Americano for me, the pour over for the Missus.

Spearhead Coffee
619 12th St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

After which, we headed on out. On our last road trip, we had really enjoyed Fiscalini Ranch, so I did a bit of research trying to find a nice scenic trail for walking/hiking. Since we were headed back to Cambria, I came up with Montana de Oro State Park, south of Los Osos and Morro Bay.

We would end up loving our time here……hiking the easy Bluff Trail.

From the rugged shoreline to the beautiful blue sky…….I just loved the ocean views. While the Missus was absolutely taken by the patches of poppies along the way.

Much like Fiscalini Ranch much of the state park was once owned as dairy and produce ranches. The state of California purchased the property and it became a state park in 1965.

The Bluff Trail displays wonderful vistas, rugged coastline, tidepools, and amazing views.

Can you see the Morro Rock in the background of this photo?

At Corallina Cove, you can actually take the stairs down to the beach and explore the tidepools and the wonderful rock formations.

There's a ravine where wildflowers were blooming……

And of course our little friends all over the place.

Past Corallina Cove is Quarry Cove, with its own set of amazing geology.

And the very photogenic Grotto Rock.

This was a fun way to spend the morning; rugged shorelines with patches of color sprinkled about.

We really enjoyed the Bluff Trail at Montana de Oro State Park.

Montaña de Oro State Park
3550 Pecho Valley Rd.
Los Osos, CA 93402

It's well worth the time spent…..

And of course, we loved Paso Robles.

Thanks for stopping by!

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – First & Oak, Vaquero Bar, and Mission Santa Ines (Solvang)

June 3, 2021 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, European Restaurants, Fine Dining, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

We enjoyed a nice hour nap at our hotel before heading off to dinner.

When I had initially started planning this short road trip; Solvang wasn't even a blip on the radar. We do enjoy Solvang, but have always thought of it as a themed village of sorts where you came to buy your friends and aunt cookies. Until I was checking out the Michelin Guide and noticed a restaurant named First & Oak……the menu seemed interesting, sort of the kind of place we'd enjoy. I had never spent a night in Solvang and was curious as to how things were when all the day trippers left. And so far we were enjoying ourselves. The restaurant, located in the Mirabelle Inn, was just a block away from our hotel. I had never spent much time around this part of Solvang and we really enjoyed the cute and quaint houses.

I had made early reservations for dinner……so we'd avoid any possible crowds….though on this Sunday night, I'm guessing it wouldn't be very likely.

We were greeted and taken to our table….which we really enjoyed as it was at one end of the sidewalk, by a very sweet young lady. Unfortunately, she wasn't much help with the wine by the glass….I saw a Veltliner, something we really enjoyed in Vienna, which was local….a rarity in my opinion. The young lady was very nice, but couldn't tell me much about the wine. She wasn't much of a help with the menu either. Luckily, we had pretty much picked out what we wanted in advance. I will say the wine was served at a perfect temperature and we really enjoyed relaxing and watching the street scene…..which by now was rather sparse, but entertaining.

First up were the Kimchi Cracklings ($9).

The Espuma Garlic Aioli was the hit of this dish; pleasantly garlicky, very light and delicate in texture. The rice-crackerish "cracklings" were fine, if a bit bland in flavor.

The Duck Wings ($15) were up next.

This was pretty darn chewy and much too sweet for our taste. You really couldn't make out much else as the cloying sweetness just over powered the dish.

Our favorite dish of the night was by far the Roasted Cauliflower ($16).

The cauliflower had a nice smoky-light sweetness to it with an almost buttery texture. The truffle vinaigrette was excellent and really paired well with the almonds and raisins.

The Salted Baked Beets ($16) was quite hard.

The Red Dragon Cheese had a nice, mild pungency to it….but this dish seemed kind of plain overall.

We shared a main; the Roasted Loin of Lamb ($38).

This really could have been a winner as the quality of the lamb was excellent and the exterior texture outstanding. There were a couple of issues we had with this though…..we ordered it medium rare, but it arrived medium well. Which wouldn't have been a big deal since the meat was very moist…..but the lamb just didn't seem to be seasoned well. Even the King Oyster Mushroom needed more seasoning and probably more of a searing to give some textural contrast. The gnocchi was fried and just didn't seem to fit in with the dish. The red cabbage didn't have enough pickled "umph" for the Missus. The jus/sauce was quite mild and this ended up being quite underwhelming. Which may describe our opinion of the entire meal………

The staff was very nice; our Server was so sweet, but really couldn't tell us much about the wine or the dishes….at one point, I asked her about the lamb and she had to go ask someone….. Perhaps it was the Sunday night crew? Or maybe Solvang is basically for getting cookies for Auntie?

First & Oak
409 1st St.
Solvang, CA 93463

As we were wrapping up dinner; the Missus told me She wanted a cocktail………I guess dinner did that to Her. After Googling about; I found a place named Vaquero Bar. The Missus immediately went to that four lettered website and said, "we can't go there, there's only 2 reviews". My response was, "that's exactly why we should go there"……..so after paying we walked on over to the usually super busy Mission Drive which was quite sedate at this time of the day.

The Missus cracked up at seeing….well, a very familiar sight.

We took the short walk over and noticed that Vaquero Bar was actually part of what looked like a very popular steakhouse name Coast Range. Second thing we noticed as we ambled in; all the folks seemed to know each other.

Except for the Missus and Myself and a couple who were from Newport Beach. One of the mixologists came over; a very friendly young lady named Gabby and took our orders. I quickly noticed that music was provided via a turn table….with real vinyl albums, with one of my Mom's favorite artist playing……Johnny Cash! I guess this was meant to be?

The Missus got something called the Silver Stallion – Japanese Whiskey-Vanilla-Bitters.

I actually asked Gabby if she could make me an Old Fashioned with Mezcal instead of Bourbon and she cheerfully complied.

When she brought the drink over; she told me that this was a new one for her so she of course did a straw test and liked it….even though she was never a fan of Mezcal. This was a nice solid version….I ended up having another, as the Rolling Stones started playing on the turn table.

The Missus, somewhat disappointed in our dinner, went ahead and ordered the Chateau Fries ($8) and finished it all Herself.

I stayed on my "liquid diet" and had another cocktail. We had a great time here. Just like during our previous visit to Paso Robles, the cocktail bar picked things up when the restaurant failed us. I'd gladly return.

Vaquero Bar (In Coast Range Restaurant)
1635 Mission Dr.
Solvang, CA 93463

Solvang seemed like a different city as we walked back to the hotel. So peaceful, so relaxed……..

Getting back to the hotel; there was one more place I thought we might enjoy visiting. I asked the young man at the desk and he told me that Mission Santa Ines was right around the corner; through the Post Office parking lot. So we decided to check it out.

Mission Santa Ines was founded in 1804 and is the 19th of the 21 Missions in California founded by the Franciscans.

It was quite peaceful during this time of the day and the view was quite beautiful.

It was a nice tranquil way to end the day…….

We headed back to the Hotel Corque….the room was so very comfortable, the Missus loved the double sink…and the bed was lovely.

We fell into a blissful sleep thinking about tomorrow….when we'd be returning to Paso Robles.

Thanks for stopping by!

Roadtrip (During Covid-19) – Sensorio, Dinner at BL Brasserie, and Cocktails at The Alchemist Garden

June 1, 2021 mmm-yoso Cocktails, French Restaurants, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

When planning for our trip to Paso Robles I read about an art installation by Bruce Munro named Sensorio, a "field of light" exhibition made up of 58,000 solar powered fiber optic lights. I went ahead and decided to get VIP tickets which allowed us priority entrance at anytime, along with a private seating area, and a free drink each. I arrived right at opening time, which is before sunset….we went to the front of the line, got our temperatures checked, tickets checked, and then headed to the VIP section. I'm not really going to add much more….this is very visual, so I'll let the photos tell the story.

As the sun started to set, we headed out and strolled the trails along the 15 acres of lights…..

It was quite the experience watching all the lights "come alive" as the sun set.

We headed back to the VIP area; the Missus and I had a glass of white wine and then headed off to dinner.

This was a fun experience; if you're interested in checking it out, Sensorio had been closed for a while during the pandemic shutdown, but has now reopened and I believe the field of light will continue to at least September.

Sensorio
4380 CA-46
Paso Robles, CA 93446

For dinner we chose a highly recommended and beloved Paso Robles institution, Bistro Laurent. However, a while back, the restaurant changed concept and became BL Brasserie. I was told however, that the chef and management were still the same; so I made reservations. We arrived and walked into the restaurant, which freaked us out; even though Paso Robles was at an Orange Tier while San Diego was in Red, the dining room just looked packed. Luckily, I had reservations for outdoor dining, which was in sort of a tent, which kind of defeats the purpose in my mind; but this being November, it seems that no one wanted to eat outside.

The Missus started with a glass of white, I had a glass of champagne and we placed our orders. Our Server wasn't the most friendly woman….I think she was a bit irritated that we were the only folks eating outdoors and she had to come outside to serve us, but whatever.

We started off with the Crispy Shrimp ($15.50).

The shrimp was over-cooked and what I assumed were strips of phyllo dough where really almost burnt.

Speaking of burnt; check out the "odd man out" Crispy Crab Croquettes ($17).

The one croquette was just about incinerated, really burnt and bitter….why would they serve something like that? I was thinking of calling our Server to complain and return this; but the Missus asked me to taste the other croquettes which had hardly any crab in it. Our Server was already not in a great mood serving us, so I figured let's just leave that croquette alone and see what happens……which was nothing……as it just sat there the whole meal.

Speaking of "interesting" service, a few minutes after receiving our croquettes our bread arrived.

Sadly the butter was ice cold……

Next up would be the "best" (it's all relative) of the night, the Crab and Avocado Salad ($15.50)

A bit heavy handed on the mayo and the balsamic reduction was way too strong and it just strong-armed what crab there was.

Our last dish was the Belgian Endive, Apples and Smoked Duck ($15.50).

Three small strands of smoked duck……..I'll leave it there.

Dinner did take a while…….you know social distancing is great for separating tables and groups of people….it ain't so great when your Server seems to want to permanently social distance themselves from you. I'm wondering, was this an off night? Was the "B" team on…..that's bit of a stretch on a weekend night. The inside of the restaurant was packed; perhaps the kitchen and staff was overwhelmed? I had heard and read so many good things about Bistro Laurent, perhaps the change to a brasserie concept really changed things……. Quite sad overall.

BL Brasserie
1202 Pine St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

We were kind of bummed…..we had really enjoyed Paso Robles so far.

Yet, we still had one more stop for the evening. And the Alchemist Garden would totally turn our opinion of Paso Robles right back around!

The place was basically across the street from BL Brasserie and was fairly busy, but the bar area was empty and asked for seats there, which turned out to be an excellent move. The Mixologist was amazing, friendly, professional, efficient…… At this time, there was a requirement that food had to be ordered along with drinks. He quickly told us, "if you've had dinner already, just o for the popcorn", which is what we did.

He then asked us what we wanted to drink. I explained that I enjoyed a good Mezcal Old Fashioned, I love the smokiness, along with the bitter, etc. He told me, "no problem, leave it to me" and proceeded to make me a custom Mezcal Old Fashioned…..not just a plain Mezcal Old Fashion, but with a twist.

He brought out the "heavy equipment" and started work……..

It was quite a show to say the least.

I was worried that the drink would be too smoky for my taste; but it was nicely balanced, smoky but smooth, rich, nice acidity, just a hint of sweetness. Perhaps the best Old Fashion I'd ever had.

The Missus loved Her cocktail as well. We loved watching the mixologist work, such perfect coordination, minimal wasted motion….he entertained us….chatting while making a zillion cocktails for his other customers.

Funny how these experiences really mold your visit. And Paso Robles was back on our "revisit" list.

The Alchemists' Garden
1144 Pine St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

After our cocktails we headed back to our room. Other than dinner, we'd had a great time in Paso Robles.

The next morning, it was time to head back home. We made one last stop at Spearhead Coffee, which did a pretty good job impressing the (coffee nerd) Missus. She said the pour over was not bad at all.

Spearhead Coffee
619 12th St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

So I guess we would be heading back to Paso Robles……….sooner than we thought actually!

Thanks for reading!

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!

Road Trip (During Covid-19) – Cocktails from the Good Lion, Sama Sama, Handlebar Coffee (Santa Barbara), and Morro Bay

November 19, 2020 mmm-yoso Cocktails, Indonesian Restaurants & Food, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

After dinner at the Black Sheep we headed down State Street all the way to the "Funk Zone" area. It was way too crowded, even on a Sunday night, so we decided to head back to the motel room.

About two blocks down; the Missus and I looked at each other…….we still wanted a "nightcap" (or two). I recalled the place right under "The Earth Without Art is Just EH" sign, a cocktail bar named the Good Lion. The outdoor tables were nicely separated and we decided to stop here. The Server was really friendly and reminded us that the current law required us to order some food. Right next door was a restaurant that was on the "list" I'd presented to the Missus before our trip, an Indonesian Restaurant named Sama Sama and they had partnered with the Good Lion to provide food. So we decided to order an item from the menu.

The Missus ordered a "Good Toddy" a warm cognac and spiced rum drink that She said warmed Her up nicely.

I got an Oaxacan Old Fashion.

The first one was kind of on the weak side….so of course I ordered another, which was a bit stiffer and I enjoyed more.

While sitting a very friendly pooch wearing a couple of LED lighted collars walked on up…..she was soooo sweet and friendly, just asking to be pet. Her name was Lexi, I wish I took a photo of her.

Meanwhile, our food from Sama Sama arrived. We had ordered the Crispy Rice Salad.

A bit like Nam Khao, except milder in flavor and the rice was very light and crisp. Not very spicy, the Missus enjoyed the fried egg….it was a nice "dessert" of sorts. Really balanced flavors; cilantro, fish sauce, salty-savory sausage. Even though we would have enjoyed some pork skin in this, I'd gladly it again.

We enjoyed the service, our waters were constantly refilled, the servers really made an effort to keep folks happy. It was a nice way to end the evening.

The Good Lion
1212 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Sama Sama Kitchen
1208 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

We headed back to our room and fell asleep. Though the rooms were a bit dated and the walls thin; I could hear people talking and all of the street noise.

The next morning we woke and checked out at around 7 am and headed off….first stopping to refuel and grab some coffee from Handlebar Coffee

The Missus, the coffee snob, was disappointed that even though they roasted their own beans; that they didn't do pour over; so She got a double espresso, I got an Americano.

And then we were off to our next destination.

Handlebar Coffee Roasters
2720 De La Vina St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

We got on 154 West, then the 101 North, then the1, and made good time to our next destination. It was a place that I always wanted to check out….mainly for one thing.

It was still misty when we got to the village of Morro Bay. We easily found parking and started walking down Front Street. We decided to stop into this kinda touristy looking fish shack and shop.

And I saw something that I hadn't had since we visited Vancouver; salmon candy.

The really friendly young man provided samples and even though it was a bit more fishy than what I'd had before; I got some Salmon Candy. We always bring along a good sized ice chest on long road trips so we could purchase items like this.

Giovanni's Fish Market And Galley
1001 Front St.
Morro Bay, CA 93442

From here we headed south and walked down the Embarcadero. There were many shops; but we didn't see any tourists; just a few locals walking their dogs or having coffee and also other "residents".

It was still quite foggy as we walked down the street window shopping. Though we could hear the barks and honks from seals.

There are quite a few memorials along the waterfront…..

I recall seeing this shop and telling the Missus, "I hope they don't get folks orders wrong….."

We ended up stopping and getting Frankie's "cousin" some treats.

We stopped at a couple shops that were open.

And walked all the way down to Tideland Park before turning around and heading back toward the car.

By now, the fog had started burning off; giving me a view of what I came here to see; Morro Rock.

The drifting fog gave the volcanic plug an air of mystery. We could also see the platform where all the sea lions were hanging out on.

Of course there's always that one fellow who has to do his own thing……

All while under the watchful eye of this one.

We'd enjoyed this stop; it was quite relaxing, the views were nice…..I'm not sure when the area is busy or if it's always this relaxed. Also not sure how the food is in the area; perhaps one day we'll spend a night.

For now it was time to head on out to our destination for the next couple of nights.

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip (During Covid-19) – The Black Sheep (Santa Barbara)

November 14, 2020 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Cocktails, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

I spent a good month planning our road trip….the dates; not only was the Missus and I burnt out from work, but also from all the toxic politics and hate being spewed. I knew it was going to boil over during election week. Since I had already voted by mail, we decided to leave on the Sunday right after Halloween. I had basically planned out all the dinners….we really don't eat lunch….just having croissants, fruits, nuts, and bars when travelling. We save our calories for dinner. I had decided to stop overnight in Santa Barbara, where we could pick-up wonderful looking bentos from our favorite restaurant on our previous visit to the city and eat on the patio of the motel we were staying in. Unfortunately, a week before our trip Yoichi's decided to stop take-out service and prepare to reopen for dining in and were going to be closed until further notice. I immediately did a bunch of research and picked out a couple of places and let the Missus decide. Which she did and I made reservations for an outdoor table at the earliest time available.

It was a wonderful morning when we left San Diego.

We got to Santa Barbara in record time and arrived early. Our motel was on State Street, but not on the portion to the South that was now a pedestrian only zone. I basically chose the place because of the location and this was the only stop where I actually went in and wiped down the room before we settled in.

Getting to SB early meant that we had time to kill, so we headed down State Street. The Trinity Episcopal Church was having services (this was a Sunday) when we passed…..outdoors.

And it was a pleasant walk as we passed very few people….everyone wearing a mask, along the way.

And State Street was closed from Sola Street to Haley Street, creating a pedestrian zone with outdoor dining areas created.

And with very few people, being able to walk in the street, really enabled one to distance.

I got a kick from the Earth without Art is just "EH" sign and also took note of the business below that sign.

After checking to see where we'd be eating that evening…..to also scope out the outdoor situation we headed back to the motel; we always include a medium sized ice chest when we do road trips and I grabbed some sparkling water, almonds, and an energy bar. We ate on the empty elevated patio of the motel and when we finished, our room was ready.

We freshened up and took a short nap.

We headed down to our dinner destination.

The place the Missus chose for dinner was the Black Sheep….She was fascinated by the rather eclectic menu and the cocktail list.

And got to chose our little table outside in the covered garage like area. Where we saw an amazing sunset……

Our Server was wonderful, very warm, friendly, gracious. While there were several "hiccups" with our meal, we really enjoyed our experience as a whole.

The menu had quite a collection of dishes; from Potato Tacos to Ramen to Duck Confit….I was quite surprised that the Missus had chosen this place.

We decided on what we were going to order and then took a look at the cocktail list….which, unfortunately only had 4-5 drinks on it. A far cry from the online cocktail menu. When we asked what was going on with this we were told that they just lost their mixologist….sad, there's nothing to be done about that, so we went off that list.

I decided on the Yuzu Margarita.

Which, while being a light on the Tequila and Triple-sec, was nice and refreshing. The Missus got the Black Sheep Manhattan which was passable, but could have used a large sized cocktail ice cube or two.

The first dish out was the Australian Wagyu Beef Carpaccio….we laughed when we were told it was "A7 Wagyu" and instantly knew it wasn't Japanese Wagyu.

The dish supposedly had uni and dashi; but we didn't see any on the plate. The beef was very good however; clean tasting, no hints of metallic-off flavors, the basil oil was wonderful and the Missus loved the potato puree

The Missus also really enjoyed the Bone Marrow Bruschetta.

This was wonderful play of textures, from the buttery, very beefy bone marrow, the panko, perfectly toasted baguette. The port sauce wasn't overly sweet….it was closer to a veal jus, the mustard greens added a pleasant bitterness, and the pear a pleasant tart-sweetness.

The potato tacos weren't bad either.

This version used a wonderfully dense, slightly sweeter-nutty purple potatoes, which was really highlited when combined with the pickled onions and tangy crema. Call it hipster tacos if you will; but this wasn't too bad.

While munching on the tacos and bruschetta, we asked the Server about the Uni and Dashi on the carpaccio…..he kindly asked us to hold on for a second while he checked with the kitchen. About ten minutes later he came back out with the chef who had a bowl in hand. Apparently, they'd forgotten the uni and dashi on our carpaccio and decided to give us a special dish using the wagyu beef, uni, and dashi.

Along with the sweet-spice from the sliced chilies; this was really good. In fact, the Missus and I think that had the uni and dashi been used with the carpaccio; it might have just been too much, clashing flavors. Here there was a nice oceany-beefy cleanness to the dish. Kudos to the staff for making things right.

At this point the Server told us he'd bring us our check….but…..we had also ordered the Boqorones. Which they'd kind of let slip. A few minutes later; things were corrected.

Perhaps we had pushed our luck a bit on this one….having had Boquerones in Spain and Portugal…this was a bit too "fishy" for the Missus and the crostini was too hard.

Regardless, in spite of the hiccups, we really loved the service, and the folks here were very warm and kind…..perhaps it had been so long since we'd actually had a meal out (232 days)? But I think not. We really did enjoy our experience and the carpaccio (both ways!) and the bruschetta were delicious.

The Black Sheep
26 E Ortega St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 965-1113
Current Hours:
Wed – Sat 5pm – 10pm
Sunday 5pm – 9pm
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

On an interesting note; this wouldn't be our last food (or drinks) on this evening.

Stay tuned for that one!

Road Trip (before Covid-19) – FLG Terroir and Annex Cocktail Lounge (Flagstaff)

November 1, 2020 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Gastropub, Road Trip, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

After our wonderful tour of the Grand Canyon, we took a short rest, then decided to head out for an early evening. I had a place in mind, but as we wandered down North San Francisco Street (can't get the flaneur out of us, I guess); the Missus went into a shop called The Artists Gallery to do some shopping……..it seems that all of the folks who sell their art and crafts here were also at the Art in the Park the previous day. As we were leaving, I took a look upward and saw the "FLG Terroir" sign in the window above.

This was one of the places I had on "my list"; so we headed upstairs. Man, this place was quite large and the selection of wine was quite good.

The Missus enjoyed Her two glasses of wine and I reacquainted myself with an "old friend" from Belgium.

The seats with a view were taken; so we just sat at one of the tables. I went over to the counter and also ordered us some food.

Which arrived piping hot. First to arrive was the "Poutine" ($5) (after our time in Montreal, I needed to add the quotation marks).

This version had thick mushroom gravy, which wasn't too bad, the fries were crisp; but the cheese curds were mushy. Decent seasoning though a bit on the salty side. To us, this was the better of the two dishes.

Next up was the Shrimp and Grits ($10).

This version was made with red curry and coconut grits. Can't say I'm fond of this combination of flavors as it really overpowered the grits. The shrimp were fine, if a bit on the muddy side and the carrots and zucchini nicely prepared.

Overall, I thought the prices were quite reasonable. The food is a bit "fusiony", but the Missus enjoyed the wine selection, the service was very friendly…..one of the bar staff was even from San Diego!

We'd be happy to return when we're back in Flagstaff.

FLG Terroir: Wine Bar & Bistro
17 N San Francisco St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Currently only open for takeout

After heading back down to San Francisco Street, we headed south, crossing over Route 66 and arrived at our next destination. Alice, in her fine blog "Alice's Restaurants" lists Tinderbox Kitchen as one of her favorites. While we weren't quite in the mood for a full meal; the folks from Tinderbox Kitchen own three properties lined up right next to each other. One of them, called "the Annex", a cocktail lounge serving some basic eats seemed like just the thing to end our evening.

It was a beautiful evening so we headed to the area called "the yard", which was quite interesting….especially the wall in the back of the property. I later read that this was once a Basque Handball Court.

We decided on something simple to munch on; the Annex Nachos with Chorizo ($12), which turned out to be quite good.

The chorizo had a nice, mild smoky-spice. The chips were crisp, the avocado heavy, thick guacamole very nice.

I had the Hip Stag – a Pineapple Infused Mezcal based cocktail. Loved the notes the cilantro-lime bitter added. This was slightly smoky and not overly sweet.

Meanwhile, the Missus was captivated by the smoked cocktail menu and started off with the "Coffee and Cigarettes" which featured Pipe Tobacco Smoke and Espresso Beans. I didn't think She'd like it; but the Missus really enjoyed this…..so much….that I didn't even get a taste!

She definitely wanted another drink after this one and settled on the Irish Whiskey (and Pipe Tobacco Smoked) "Red Badge of Courage".

Which She enjoyed even more.

And then it happened. A group of younger folks were having a competitive round of Jumbo Jenga. One of the young men was really "chirping" quite a bit….and he was backing things up by beating all his friends. He saw us watching and started trying to convince us to play……there's no way I'd play. But the Missus; bolstered by a couple cocktails decided to have a go before we left.

I was amazed to watch Her beat this guy in three moves! The young man was stunned and asked the Missus how often She played. Her response? "I've never played this before….but it's all math….geometry. Maybe you should spend more time in class and less time out drinking?" Oooooh snap!

As you can tell, we enjoyed the cocktails, the vibe, and the service was wonderful. The Missus really does want to return here.

Annex Cocktail Lounge
50 S San Francisco St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Current Hours:
Thursday 3pm – 9pm
Friday 3pm – 10pm
Saturday 9am – 10pm

We stopped at a couple of shops on the way back to our hotel. We talked about how much we enjoyed the friendly folks in Flagstaff.

And look forward to returning again someday. The Missus will want Her smoked cocktail fix!

Thanks for stopping by!

mmm-yoso makes 15.

May 26, 2020 mmm-yoso Cocktails, yoso-silly

I was just organizing some photos this last weekend when I suddenly realized that our little blog was turning 15! And by coincidence; this is post 4,350 – we got more posts than Pete Rose has hits!

Sheesh….15……who'd have thought when I pressed "Publish" for that first post in 2005, that we'd still be doing this fifteen years later.

Granted, this is somewhat bittersweet for us. With Covid-19 changing the way we live, socialize, work, and eat. Also, there's a reason I haven't done a "bloggaversary" post since 2009. We're usually travelling during this time of the year. Except, you know….this year has been different.

So, anyway I'd like to propose a toast to all of you; who have read, emailed, taken the time to comment on our little blog over the years! We've been honored to have been given the privilege of sharing our meals and travels with all of you.

Thank you again from the bottom of our hungry little hearts. And who knows, maybe I will get to 5,000 posts?

And, I'm kinda wondering, when did you start reading?

Thanks again! Take Care!

Covid-19 Takeout – Kindred

May 24, 2020 mmm-yoso Cocktails, Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants

In my post on Et Voila during the time of Covid-19 "FOY" Lynnea (we love you Lynnea) mentioned that Kindred was doing takeout during this time. I was actually keeping track of what was being offered with what was called the "Greatest Hits" menu.

The other thing was that the cocktails that we wanted were being sold in portions of six (!!!!)……I mean, I had read that alcohol sales in San Francisco had increaed by 42 percent during the first month of Covid-19! I waited until there was something offered that we had enjoyed during our visits to the restaurant before making the special trip out of the way.

Finally, I saw that the "skewers" were on the menu…..and I had an excuse for heading out of the way……

Which I ordered ($10) along with the Golden Axe ($45). Ordering was easy, on the phone, as was pick-up……I simply walked up to the table to the right of the door and grabbed the packages with my name on it.

The Missus went thru the skewers like a hot knife cutting thru butter.

As for the cocktails, it was provided in a really nice bottle.

I went ahead an measured out, and indeed it was a solid 6 portions of 2/3 a cup for each.

So, shaked with ice. it made a solid cocktail……for three days!

So, perhaps if Kindred offered "the dip", we may do this again…..but man, six cocktails….man, that's a bit more than we wanted.

Though I will say the Missus really enjoyed those Seitan Skewers.

And the Golden Axe….well, was the Golden Axe.

Kindred
1503 30th St
San Diego, CA 92102

Cheers!

Covid-19 Takeout – Luce Bar & Kitchen; which is now also open for dine-in

May 23, 2020 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Gastropub

I needed to head on down to Siesel's yesterday. The Missus was working until late and I decided to also grab something to eat while I was in the area. I had noticed the previous week that Luce had reopened for takeout. They had pretty much held out for a bit. While places like Bay Park Fish Company, Poseidon Project, and even Dan Diego's had started doing take-out. I decided to go ahead and do a takeout order and pick it up after shopping at Siesel's.

What really surprised me was that Luce (as well as Bay Park Fish) had already started doing dine-in, since the approval was just given on the 21st, the day before! Talk about moving fast!

And there were indeed folks eating at both places.

We ( the Missus and I) are not quite ready to take that step yet…….I ordered the Lamb Tacos to go, along with a "Serrano Rita". After completing my shopping at Siesel's I walked over and picked up my prepaid order.

Here's a quick hint if you do order cocktails to go from Luce. Ask that they not put in on ice, as I was surprised to find my drink in a to-do plastic cup on ice. I quickly drove home and strained the drink removing the ice to ensure that it didn't get too watered down. And poured over fresh ice before consuming.

Things came packed nicely…..the photo is deceptive as the tacos were fairly hefty. I removed the tacos, which was more than enough for a light dinner.

The lamb was tender, though the marinade was a bit too sweet for my taste which really blocked out that "flavor" of the pasture of the lamb, which I usually enjoy.

Still, This wasn't bad.

The portion size of the remaining salad was quite generous and the Missus had that when She got home from work.

This was fine.

What was interesting were all the folks eating out……for the first time in probably almost ten weeks…..it seems like folks are just desperate for some kind of social normalcy.

I think I'll wait a while though……

Luce Bar & Kitchen
1959 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110