Japanese Restaurants – Page 8

Saturday Stuffs – The Big List Returns, Welcome to a New San Diego Blogger, and Do You Really Want Me to Try “Tonkatsu Ramen”?

January 20, 2024 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Ramen, yoso-silly

Just a couple of items for this Saturday.

The Big List Returns:

More than a few years back, I created a page which I titled "The Big List", that listed every San Diego restaurant post. I listed everything and even included photos. Well, the Big List got "too big" and I eventually deleted the page. But over the years I've had a few requests to create a listing of places in San Diego. And back in March of 2023, "CY" asked about having a listing by location, to help him decide on where to try. I really wasn't up to doing this again, but in May, I started on the Big List by Neighborhood. Man, having to go thru over 5100+ posts took a while, but I've finally completed it.

Big List 1

There were some benefits. Since I had to review all local posts, I managed to update the old posts and indicate and hopefully link to updates. I created links which indicated the month/year of the post along with short notations on items like if the post was done by Cathy/Ed from Yuma/Vicki, if the post was on a old location/previous owners, etc….

Big List 3

Big List 2

I tried to divide places up by Zip Code, but there are a few "kinks" regarding my listing. I also learned stuff like Mien Trung is not really located in Linda Vista, but Clairemont. I also did split some zip codes like 92111 and 92110 – I really do think of Bay Park/Morena/Old Town being separated from Midway, which I included with Point Loma/Shelter Island. I'm sure folks will have some feedback on that!

I also have a listing noted as "In Limbo", for places that are currently changing locations, having to find a new location, etc……

Big List 4

I will try to update periodically or when I find out there have been changes.

The one good thing is that there a bunch of places I have to revisit; places I haven't been back to in years…….

So please take a look and let me know what you think:

The Big List by Neighborhood

And, if folks like it; maybe I can do a page on LA/OC and perhaps even places we travel to often.

I also need to thank each and every one of you for being greats "FOYs" all of these years!

**** 01/22/2024 A short update. By request I opened up the comments on the page as well.

Welcome a New San Diego Blogger:

So, I found out via an Instagram Post, that "FOY" Denver, an occasional commenter on our humble little blog has created a blog of his own which covers food and travel. It's called My Phone Eats First.

My Phone Eats First

So, go check it out. I also created a link in the sidebar!

Welcome to the blogging world Denver!

Do You Really Want Me to Try "Tonkatsu Ramen"?

And lastly, I'll end with a bit of silliness. I got an email from a "FOY":

"So, over the years I notice that you have an issue with folks calling Tonkotsu Ramen "Tonkatsu Ramen". You even called out Andrew Zimmern on it. So, I was at Zion Market and noticed that PokeU in the food court actually has Tonkatsu Ramen! Check it out and I double dog dare you to try it"

Ok, so on my last shopping thingy at Zion; I usually go at 9am so don't even bother with the food stands there, I walked over and good lord…..

Tonkatsu Ramen 01

There it was.

Tonkatsu Ramen 02

I know this place made everything from Teriyaki to Rolls, but this cracked me up. Still, based on trying their poke back in 2017 I'm not so sure.

I will however, suck it up and actually try a bowl of "Tonkatsu Ramen" if folks want me too. Or maybe you can try it and let me know what you think?

Poke U (In the Zion Market Food Court)
7655 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Paris – Bercy Village, Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji Revisited, and Takumi Patisserie

January 6, 2024 mmm-yoso Bakery, Desserts, France, Japanese Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

It was a winter Sunday morning in Paris and after my morning croissants we had to decide what to do for the day. We had already spent nearly two weeks in Paris and the Missus was getting fidgety and really needed different stuff to do each day. So, I thought that Paris might be pretty crowded on this day, so why not head out to Bercy Village, formerly wine storehouses the area was converted into a "shopping village" in 2001. It was just a 15 minute metro ride from Chatelet to Cour Saint-Émilion. Plus, we'd never really visited the 12th Arrondissement.

It was an easy walk to the Village.

It was a nice paved, pedestrian street. Surprisingly quiet for a Saturday morning.

We'd arrived just before most of the shops opened, at about 945. And just strolled up and down the courtyard. The Missus explored some shops, but didn't find anything of interest. There were quite a few chains represented; Sephora, Five Guys, Nicholas, etc. I'm thinking this must be nice for locals, but it was not very interesting for us. Except for a few things.

There is a really nice park right across the street from the mall and we really enjoyed our walk there.

Then we decided to head on back. While on the metro, the Missus decided that She wanted the ramen from Kodawari Tsukiji again. The Pyramides stop was just one further from Chatelet.

The shop still had open seats in this most interesting seafood market themed ramen shop….

Not being too hungry, we got the Sea Bream Tatare.

Loved the shiso in this dish as it added a nice palate cleansing mintiness to the dish. The fish was tender; the rice a bit mushy, but the beany-sweet miso and shiso tones carried the dish.

Like on our previous visit; we got the Sea Bream Paitan Ramen.

And any doubts about the Missus having truly enjoying this on our previous visit was erased as She loved it just as before. Maybe She is ready to have niboshi ramen again on our next visit to Japan! The broth as a bit richer this time around, the noodles slippery with a nice chew. As you can see, that tamago was perfect and still warm….you know my pet peeve regarding cold eggs. The sea bream was tender and we finished the entire bowl…again.

Looks like the Missus has Her favorite ramen spot in Paris now!

Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji
12 Rue de Richelieu
75001 Paris, France

The Missus wanted something for Her "tea time" and I thought that perhaps getting some Japanese Cheesecake might fit the bill. It would also be interesting to see how that measured up in Paris. And since we were in the area of the city dubbed "Little Tokyo", I thought it might be fun. I had a place named Takumi Patisserie on my list which was close by on Rue des Pyramides, so we headed on over.

There's quite a selection here. The young man working was really friendly as well.

The Missus inquired about the cheesecakes and then decided upon Her "test". She asked about how "jiggly" the cheesecake was. Apparently, the young man was ready for this as he brought out a cheesecake and proceeded to show us how it jiggled like a true Japanese cheesecake. The Missus was sold. So we bought one. And when it became le goûter (tea time) the cheesecake was presented.

So, this was bit sweeter and more dense than what is preferred for Japanese Cheesecake. It wasn't bad. And…….when I tried to wiggle it around; it didn't do the "jiggle". Hmmmm. To this day, the Missus and I joke about seeing that jiggling demonstration at the shop. We think they have a "stunt cheesecake" on hand to show folks!

Takumi Patisserie
29 Rue des Pyramides
75001 Paris, France

HiroNori Craft Ramen Revisited

December 18, 2023 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

In my post on Ramen Nagi, "FOY" Mar mentioned liking the Shoyu Ramen from HiroNori. Man, it had been three years since my last visit which was, because of Covid a takeout visit. So, the last time I'd dined in at HiroNori was in late 2019 and the last post I did was in July of 2019 when I stated that HiroNori's shoyu ramen was "my second favorite ramen in San Diego". Of course, the obvious question is, if HiroNori is my second favorite, why don't I visit more often? Well, there's this thing called "parking" that I hate in the Hillcrest area. I mean, there are lots in the strip malls in City Heights and on Convoy that I detest, but for some reason, just having to search for and pay for street parking or some of the exorbitant lot prices kinda drives me off.

But recently an opportunity arose. I had an appointment in Hillcrest and it ran into the opening time for HiroNori, so I decided to finally return.

HiroNori Rev 01

I lucked out as there were two tables still open when I arrived. The two young ladies working were just fabulous, so kind, efficient, and hard working.

As before, I got the Shoyu Ramen ($15.10), I'm not a fan of the Tonkotsu ramen here. I got it with the thicker noodles and the wonderful young lady talked me into getting the garlic paste as a side. There were some huge takeout orders; one guy came and to pick up 10 orders of ramen to go. The young ladies had him drive up front and they walked the orders to his SUV for him. Like I said, great service. So, I was surprised that my ramen came out so quickly.

HiroNori Rev 02 HiroNori Rev 03 Man, I still really like the noodles here. It has that perfect ratio of chewiness to slippery pull and girth that I enjoy. The garlic paste went well with the tamago, which was nicely seasoned and still warm. It was a bit much for the broth; which had that nice tongue feel and savory tones I enjoyed previously. In the past it teetered on too salty, but today it was nicely balanced. The garlic paste was too bitter and messed up the balance of the broth. Man, the barrel aged shoyu does wonders for the broth adding a slightly sweet-umami "edge" to things.

The menma was nicely seasoned but cold. The chashu was as good as always; yes, its not the most buttery, but it is tender enough, providing what a call and pleasant "meaty chew". It has been simmered and flavored nicely and the porkiness has not been lost.

HiroNori Rev 04 HiroNori Rev 05 I enjoyed this bowl and also the service. As things are now Ramen Nagi is my favorite ramen in San Diego. However, the former #1, Menya Ultra has fallen to number 3 as HiroNori holds strong in second place.

I really need to figure out how to get here more often.

HiroNori Craft Ramen
3803 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
Current Hours:
Mon – Wed 1130am – 8pm
Thurs – Sun 1130am – 9pm

HiroNori Rev 06

Thanks for the reminder Mar!

A Day Trip to Chantilly and Dinner at TenZen (Paris – Since Closed)

December 17, 2023 mmm-yoso France, Japanese Restaurants, Memorable Meals, Paris, France, Travel

I knew that when spending two weeks in Paris, I'd need to break things up and plan some side trips, we'd already spent two evenings in Strasbourg exploring the Christmas Markets and for an encore, I thought that since we'd already done Versailles and Chartres, a nice day trip to Château de Chantilly might be fun. I'm not sure I mentioned, but Annabel Simms wonderful book, An Hour From Paris is a wonderful resource. We caught the TER, Regional Express Trains from Gare du Nord, and arrived at Chantilly Gouvieux in 25 minutes!

The Château is a couple of kilometers form the train station. Instead of following the standard signs along the road, we took the path described in the book to get to the Château, and then walked thru the village on the way back.

We loved the forested path.

It was lush and green, birds were singing, even though it was winter. The trail is clearly marked and cleared.

We even had our own "escort" for part of the walk.

You'll past the racetrack before arriving back at the main street and the Musée du Cheval.

These days, unless we're on a tour, we try not to pack too many things into our explorations. We were just going to visit the Château. On Rue du Connétable, you take the road as it curves right, becoming Route Pavée and you'll soon come to this wonderful sight.

That's Château de Chantilly. You saunter thru the gates.

Up to the ticket booth. I'd bought my tickets in advance and then the Château is yours…..to visit of course….

It's quite impressive. There are actually two château here, the Petit Château, and the Grand Château, which is where the entrance is.

We loved the statues of the dogs that "guard" the entrance to the château. The one above are named Lumineau and Seduisant and were actual pooches belonging to Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale, who commissioned Augustus Cain to create these.

IMG_4750_01

The Grand Château was actually destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in the 1870's. The original structure was built in the 1500's by the Montmorency family, but eventually taken over by the Orléans family. Henri d’Orléans had the château rebuilt and that is mainly what we see today.

The Chapel of the Condé Hearts, Suites, Dining Hall and the huge Reading Room are something to see.

But beyond all of that there was one area we really wanted to see.

The Musée Condé.

Consisting of over 2500 drawings it is the second largest art collection in France next to the Louvre. You'll notice some interesting arrangement of paintings. This is because the Duke d'Aumale, who bequeathed this to France, had some conditions, one being that the collection be shown in it's original location; the works cannot be moved, nor can any of the works be loaned out. So, if you want to see these works by Raphael you'll have to come here.

For some reason, we enjoyed our visit here much more than Versailles.

Perhaps it was the lack of crowds or the atmosphere……we kind of enjoyed the peacefulness.

Yes, it's not a palace, but it is quite stunning in its own way.

After our visit, we headed back to the train station via the village of Chantilly. It was getting close to our designated train time, so we quickly grabbed a sandwich and caught our train back to Paris.

After the full morning, we rested up, before heading to dinner. I had read about a small tempura restaurant located under the quite popular Zen Restaurant in the 1st Arrondissment. This little 12 seat underground restaurant was named TenZen and featured a multi-course meal featuring…well tempura of course. Staying in Paris for the length of time of our visit, meant we could really "eat like we would at home", which meant…well, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. Sadly, TenZen closed mid-2023, but I thought you might enjoy the photos.

Zen restaurant is a bustling shop in the area of Paris we call "Little Tokyo". You enter the restaurant, show the hostess the reservation and were guided downstairs.

This was the realm of chef Jiro Kondo. He does all the cooking.

For the three hours, we really felt like we were back in Japan.

From the excellent Otsumami.

To the decent quality sashimi.

This was all fine. But then, came the reason we visited.

My goodness, the tempura was just perfect, the batter light and airy, yet really enhancing each item.

My goodness, the Madagascar Shrimp was so amazingly sweet-oceany, such great flavors and textures.

The shrimp from Normandy was no slouch either.

Several of the items included Black Volcanic Salt from Iceland which really added a slight smoky component to things.

And the tempura finished off with a perfectly cooked scallop.

And things were finished off with a Kakiage Don and some miso soup.

Oh, and of course dessert.

After our meal, we were escorted out by the staff, just like Japan!

We were really sad to hear that TenZen closed as it was a place we wanted to return to on our last trip back to Paris.

TenZen – (since closed)
8 Rue de l'Échelle
75001 Paris, France

I hope you don't mind me doing this post as I want to remember and recall this wonderful meal.

Thanks so stopping by!

Paris – Petit Palais and Dinner at Onii-San

December 16, 2023 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, France, Japanese Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

Our train from Strasbourg was on time and we got into Paris-Est right around 1230. From there it was a snap getting back to our apartment.

After two nights at various Christmas Markets and watching me enjoy myself whether it was doing the flanuer thing, spending the morning on Rue Montorgueil, or just deciding where I was getting my morning croissant from, the Missus was ready to get into "shopping mode".

And so we unpacked, put in a load of laundry, and headed on out.

Passing thru some very familiar places.

And places we had just recently gotten to know.

Past Place Venodome.

All dressed up for the season.

Down Rue Saint-Honore.

The Missus knew the way by heart.

As before, we were treated like royalty at our destination with a personal shopper, some light refreshment……

And as several times before, we left, the Missus happy, our credit card not so much….but such is life.

Chanel
31 Rue Cambon
75001 Paris, France

We then headed out, with no objective in sight, just enjoying the day and came across the Petit Palais.

Life many of the places we visited on this trip, we had passed by the Petit Palais many times and finally decided to visit. Free admission made things a lot more attractive as well. The Petit Palais is an art museum, housed in a beautiful building that was built for the 1900 Paris Exposition.

It houses many several well known works and also temporary exhibitions (of which there is admission).

We were here on a whim, so had no agenda in mind. We'd just be wandering and enjoying things.

There's a grand portrait of Sarah Bernhardt.

It is by Georges Clairin and is said to be a favorite of the Actress who kept it all her life. It was donated by her son after her death.

Being that we're in the Les Halles area a good amount of time during our stays, we enjoyed this work.

Which captures the busy, chaotic place that "the Belly of Paris" was during the 19th century.

We also noticed folks actually painting as well.

It seems like this is an art group or class enjoying Petit Palais.

We got some tea and coffee and settled in the Terrasse and just enjoyed the place.

Petit Palais
Av. Winston Churchill
75008 Paris, France

We then started to head on back to the apartment; doing our share of lèche-vitrine – window shopping (literally translated as "window licking" in French) along the way. Though not everyone wanted us "licking their windows" it seems!

The Missus wanted something for le goûter (tea time) and we decided to stop at Fou de Pâtisserie on Rue Montorgueil again.

She chose the La Tarte Citron.

It was a "tart" tarte indeed, not overly sweet and the Missus enjoyed it.

Fou de Pâtisserie
45 Rue Montorgueil
75002 Paris, France

When it as time for dinner, well, a few days previous, we passed what looked sort of like a modern Japanese restaurant. The tiny place was packed and I cracked up at the name "Onii-San" which means "older brother" in Japanese. So, we walked on in and made reservations for dinner.

We were welcomed and seated. Looking at the menu; it became apparent that this was a pseudo-Izakaya, featuring some interesting dishes. The staff; except for one person we saw in the kitchen was French, so this was going to be an interesting meal. I need to apologize for the photos as the lighting in the place was quite flakey.

We placed our order and soon enough, the dishes started arriving.

First off, the Tempuras de Legumes – Vegetable Tempura (14€/$15.25US).

The batter was a bit too thick and heavy for tempura, the dashi was actually pretty good, nice savory tones. The vegetables were too hard.

The Shiitakes (15€/$16.35US) was interesting.

There were only four halves of mushrooms in this…like 2 Shiitakes! The wakame cream was kinda weird in flavor, mildly savory-oceany, but also milky. There was a interesting bitterness to the dish. We later found out that there sansho pepper in this. The ikura were actually trout caviar and were quite good; salty, with a sweet finish.

The Aubergine (Eggplant – 15€/$16.35US) was another con-"fusion" dish.

The eggplant was on the undercooked side for our taste. We liked the blanched watercress as it had a pleasant bitterness that went well with the sweet-soy-wasabi flavors in the sauce. Not sure about the cheese though as it just didn't seem to belong here.

Things took a nice turn for the better with the Tuna Tartare (26€/$28.40US).

The tuna was chopped nicely; it almost melted in your mouth; the shiso really enhanced the dish as did the trout caviar The ponzu sauce added that savory-sour-tangy component and the wasabi cream added a nice richness. We weren't sure about the brioche, but this seemed more like Japanese milk bread and was quite good.

Speaking of Milk Bread, I saw Toro Sando (26€/$28.40US) on the menu and just had to order it. It was our favorite dish of te evening.

Initially, I took a look at the fish and it sure didn't look like toro; but it was surprisingly tender. The breading, while not the best, still had a bit of crunch. The bread was fairly fluffy, buttery, with a mild sweetness. The wasabi mayo was a perfect match and the ponzu shallot worked so well with seafood. This was a surprisingly good sando!

On an interesting note; while searching for addresses I found that Onii-San opened a Sando shop named Ototo last years as well! Makes perfect sense.

While this wasn't a perfect meal, it was an interesting fusion, sometimes "Con"- fusion. While we've been used to French cuisine with Japanese touches; this place went in the opposite direction, with interesting results. Such is the ever changing state of food in Paris!

Onii-San
82 Rue des Archives
75003 Paris, France

Our accommodation was just 2 long blocks away. We passed the "very blue" Mairie de Paris Centre, the "Mayor's Office" along the way.

We had a day trip set for the next day, so it was off to bed early for us.

Thanks for stopping by!

The Veggie King Ramen from Ramen Nagi

November 28, 2023 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

Back to Ramen Nagi so soon? Well, it wasn't really intentional. I was headed elsewhere at UTC, but I found that the posted opening time of the business was not 11 as I had found on Westfield Site, but 1130. So, I decided to head on back to Nagi to check how busy things were and there was basically one party in line when I got there at 1110! This was a Monday mind you….

Nagi Veg 01

Well, perhaps this was fate? Now as I was handed the order sheet, I made an interesting decision. You see, I received not one, but two emails regarding my post on Ramen Nagi. One from Vinh and another from Franklin. Both of them endorsed the Veggie King Ramen. To quote Vinh's email:

"It's the best vegetarian ramen I've ever had and I think it's even better than the Original King (which was pretty great) and the Black King (I thought this was kind of mediocre)."

Plus, FOY Peter mentioned wanting to try the Veggie King as well in the comments of that post.

So, why not, right?

I filled out the order form…..now, I didn't go "full vegan" on this, as I added a tamago (of course)! And other than requesting my noodles "firm" I made no other customizations.

Nagi Veg 02

There were two tables filled and one person on the counter when I was seated, a far cry from my previous visits.

My rather large bowl arrived soon after, with two "hashbrowns" looking like wings for the bowl of noodle soup.

Nagi Veg 03 Nagi Veg 04 Before my ramen "took to flight" I dug in. As with my previous visits, the tamago was perfect, still warm, with a runny yolk. The firm noodles were indeed that, good stretch, slipperiness, and chew.

As for the rest? Well, those potato cakes were really like hashbrowns. Kinda strange. They started getting soggy and falling apart quickly. Not my favorite thing; but if you do get this bowl, perhaps you could request this on the side? The spinach was fine, quite typical. The mushrooms were really hard and chewy.

As for the broth? Well, this was sort of like a shoyu ramen. There was a savory component that was hard to pin down. I know the broth is mushroom based, but the fungi-flavor wasn't pervasive. It had a good amount of oil, but wasn't overly rich in texture. And, like my first bowl at Nagi, it was very salty, way too salty.

Nagi Veg 05

While I don't think I'll order this again; if I did, I'd order it with less salt. I'm not overly familiar with vegetarian/vegan ramen so I have no real baseline in that comparison. That said, while I won't be changing my "ramen-ways", this was not bad.

And thanks to Vinh and Franklin for suggesting I try this. You both are "FOYs" for sure now! I do enjoy recommendations as it helps to broaden my horizons…..

Ramen Nagi UTC
4301 La Jolla Village Dr. Suite 2033
San Diego, CA 92122
Current Hours:
Daily 11am – 230pm, 5pm – 9pm

Sunday Stuffs – Xinjiang BBQ (supposedly) Opening in Linda Vista in January, Monsta Ramen and Curry Coming to Convoy, and Cocinas del Monte Replaces Mariscos el Cata

November 26, 2023 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Japanese Restaurants, Mexican Restaurants, Ramen

I haven't done one of these in a while, so…….

Monsta Ramen and Curry Coming to Convoy:

I noticed the sign when I drove by Convoy Village Shopping Center, so I headed on in to take a look.

Sunday Stuff 112623 02

Hmmm…..something called Monsta Ramen and Curry. Well, perhaps ramen and Japanese curry haven't hit saturation point in San Diego yet?

Tried to do some searching on this, but didn't find anything, so perhaps some of you "FOYs" with better skills can fill us in?

4344 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Cocinas del Monte Replaces Mariscos el Cata:

While driving back yesterday after doing my Saturday routine, I noticed that the sign for Mariscos el Cata had been replaced…..

Sunday Stuff 112623 03

It's now Cocinas del Monte? I mentioned this to my good friend Candice, who replied "this corner must be cursed". I have to agree.

2543 Congress St.
San Diego, CA 92110

And finally….

Xinjiang BBQ (supposedly) Opening in Linda Vista in January:

You know how you get used to just seeing the same 'ol, same 'ol when driving? Well, I guess I had gotten used to seeing this:

MM Saigon 01

The signage had been up for over four years and Yum Cha Cafe had vacated the space over two years earlier.

So I'm not sure how many times I drove past here before I noticed this.

Sunday Stuff 112623 01

Whoa so like seven years later, it looks like a business will open in this spot!

I'm thinking this is an offshoot of the Xinjiang BBQ in the SGV? So, it looks like one of those lamb skewer and beer places that have become quite popular in the SGV.

And when I did that "Google thing" I saw this:

Sunday Stuff 112623 01b

January is just over a month away!

So we'll see….

6933 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111

Sunday Stuff 112623 01c

Ok, so we'll see.

Paris – Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji

November 17, 2023 mmm-yoso Bakery, France, Japanese Restaurants, Paris, France, Ramen, Sandwiches, Travel

Even though we had quite a bit of walking during the day, we decided to head back out toward the 1st and 2nd Arrondissement for a nice evening walk.

Heading West on Rue Reamur, then up Saint-Denis an interesting and "colorful" area.

I've posted on some of the interesting characters in this neighborhood, the former red-light district that is becoming more gentrified with every visit.

Walking thru Passage Choiseul yet again.

The Missus exclaimed how distances in Paris were seemingly a lot shorter these days……

There was one church we had been wanting to check out in the area; Église Saint-Roch.

We had walked by many times; but had never gone in. We decided to pop on in for a look.

The church itself was built between 1653, when Louis XIV laid the first stone, completed in 1740.

Within its walls hung works of the most renowned artists of the day. Of course, the French Revolution was right around the corner and the church was looted and sacked. In fact, the famous French writer Denis Diderot was entombed at Saint Roch. When the church was looted, his grave was sacked and his corpse was left on the church floor. And his final resting spot is not known.

It's quite an impressive church! We should have visited earlier.

We decided it was time to get some dinner so we headed out. We could see the Ferris Wheel from the Tuileries Christmas Market down the street.

Things did seem much "closer" in Paris these days…..

As for dinner; well, the Missus thought some ramen would be nice on a chilly winter night. There was a ramen shop I'd been wanting to try since I first read the story of a retired French Air Force pilot who opened a ramen shop because of his love of of the dish. Jean-Baptiste Meusnier first opened Kodawari Ramen (Yokochō) in the 6th Arrondissement. The restaurant's theme was a "Yokochō" a food alley. Since we were in the 2nd, we headed to Kodawari's second location, Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji, which is based on…yes, Tsukiji. We arrived at a fairly early dinner time, so the restaurant, while busy, did not have a queue.

The interior was festooned with boxes of fish and fish market themed items stacked everywhere, the floor had even been wet to give it a real fish market feel….lucky for us, the "seafood" in the boxes weren't real nor was there the "parfum de poisson" lingering in the air. It was pretty tight quarters in the restaurant.

Of course I needed to start with a "biru".

By the time we placed our order there was a line outside of the restaurant. So we had some good timing.

Looking over the menu, I knew this was going to be an interesting meal. Based on the theme of the restaurant; this location of Kodawari featured a broth that was based on sea bream and chicken. Now, I wasn't sure how the Missus would handle that; but this would turn out to be the Missus's favorite ramen in Paris!

There are some nice appetizers on the menu, we ordered 3 apps along with the Sea Bream Paitan Ramen.

The "Sardine Shelter" was savory, umami-land.

A bit smoky, briny, good oil, rich lardo.

The Missus loved the Sea Bream Carpaccio.

The fish was fresh and firm; the grilling added a nice smokiness, the miso sauce added a layer of savory.

The Sea Bream Tartare was refreshing, with a clean flavor.

The sauce had a nice savory-slightly sweet miso and the shiso really did a nice job refreshing the palate.

As for the ramen; well, I ordered the Sea Bream Paitan Ramen. Based on previous experiences with similar versions of ramen; I wasn't sure the Missus would like this.

I was wrong; the Missus loved this. The broth was rich enough to nicely coat the tongue; the chicken flavors weren't overly strong and there was a nice balance with the flavors from the bones of the sea bream that were simmered for 5 hours. The shio tare wasn't overly salty and the sea bream was so very tender and moist. The Pata Negra Chashu was quite porky f on the more chewy side. The chili paste was totally unnecessary as this was packed with umami. The tamago was decently cooked and marinated and was warm. The noodles, made inhouse were nice and firm, with a good chew.

The Missus loved the broth.

I was worried when we got here that it was all kitsch and concept over substance, but I gotta say, Kodawari Tsukiji went past the over-the-top setting.

Look at the line outside as we left!

So yes, it was a fun setting, but the food was quite satisfying and by the Missus' request, we'd return later during our stay.

Kodawari Ramen Tsukiji
12 Rue de Richelieu
75001 Paris, France

Bellies warm and full, we enjoyed the walk back to the apartment.

Needless to say, we slept well.

To give us a nice break, I had made reservations to stay in Strasbourg, so we could once again enjoy the wonderful Christmas Markets in the city. It's only a hour and forty-five minute train ride to Strasbourg, but of course, I needed to do the very French thing and get us some sustenance for the ride. On one of my earlier visit to Boulangerie Pezeril I noticed the group of police getting sandwiches from the shop….so heck, if they are getting food from there…..

Our train left Gare l'Est right on time at 1255 and we enjoyed our lunch and desserts on the train.

Boulangerie Pezeril
183 Rue du Temple
75003 Paris, France

And we were looking forward to two fun nights in Strasbourg!

Stay Tuned!

Menya Ultra (Mira Mesa) Revisited

November 16, 2023 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

FOYs Mar and Sandy were curious about the visit to Menya in Mira Mesa that led Calvin and I to finally brave the crowds and visit Ramen Nagi in UTC. So here it is.

Calvin wanted to meet up for lunch and suggested Menya in Mira Mesa. Even though I last posted on Menya MM way back in 2019 in those days "BC", we had met up at this location a couple of times in the last year.

Menya MM Rev 01

Both Calvin and I had noted that the tonkotsu ramen had been rather uneven at times and wanted to give a place another chance. Because of all the publicity, the Michelin mention, etc; Menya is quite popular. In fact, they've just opened in UTC, which makes I believe ramen shop #3 there!

To get to the visit, we arrived 10 minutes before opening and put ourselves on the iPad "list". It really wasn't too bad on this day as we were the second party seated.

Menya MM Rev 02

Of course I got the Ajitama Ramen ($15.95).

Menya MM Rev 03

So, what was up with this bowl that led us to go "straight to Nagi" on our next ramen visit? Well, first the good. The noodles were cooked to a perfect al dente, with a nice stretch, slippery, and just right for slurping. The chashu was for some reason cold, but flavorful and "porky".

From there; like on previous visits, the tamago was ice cold and very salty. The broth was lukewarm in terms of temperature making it seem more greasy than rich. It was also strangely too salty.

Menya MM Rev 04

This was quite sad because I had been quite a proponent of Menya, from being among the first 10 people in line on the first day they opened on February 25th, 2017, something I would usually never do. I did enjoy their ramen. But perhaps their success has gotten the better of them; after being called possibly the "best ramen in America" by a well known television food personality (though I still laugh because he called "tonkatsu ramen"), then being named as the city's 2017 Restaurant of the Year by Eater San Diego, and then of course being listed in the Michelin Guide. Perhaps sprouting two, now three other locations has diluted the quality? I'm not sure. But I am somewhat disappointed as the Ajitama Ramen at Menya just does not seem the same since reopening post-Covid.

So, while I am now enjoying Nagi, I will return to Menya in perhaps a few months, hoping to prove myself wrong. I hope I do……

Menya Ultra
8141 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

Revisits – Chung Hing, Chicago Fire Grill, and Tenkatori

November 13, 2023 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Chinese BBQ, Chinese Restaurants, Hot Dogs, Japanese Restaurants

So, what would you consider a decent price for lunch close to work that's not a sandwich these days? Maybe under $14? Yeeesh, I never thought I'd ever be typing that. So, since we've gotten back from our trip, I thought about a couple of places……GyroGrill came to mind, but then I recalled that the "Gyro Combo" was $15 bucks when I last visited back in May.

After thinking over things a bit I came up with three places last week and I tried them all in a row. So here goes.

Chung Hing:

I'm not sure why Chung Hing came to mind. I'm not a fan of Chinese fast food, but I drive past the place quite often. Last time I visited; a whole 16 years ago a plate at Chung Hing was barely over five bucks! I was wondering how things were now, so what the heck…..

Chung Hing Rev 01

Chung Hing opens at 1030 and I got there at around 1045. Walking up to the shop, I noticed that "combination plates" are now $10.75, which in terms of the area is dirt cheap.

Chung Hing Rev 02

The woman working was all business. The only item I've found being close to edible here is the char siu; which is kinda their ahem, "claim to fame". So, I got the Chicken Wing – Char Siu plate with Fried Rice. They chopped the char siu fresh for me; I paid and was on my way.

Chung Hing Rev 03 Chung Hing Rev 04 Yes, that's what the plate looked like. Man, those…in very loose quotes "won ton" were like a cardboard gau gee, time didn't do the wrapper any favors as it was quite chewy.

The fried rice was on the mushy side, but decent coated and on the salty side.

Chung Hing Rev 05 Chung Hing Rev 06 The chicken wings were still a crisp-crunchy when I got back to the office, but had way too much MSG and had me gulping down water in no time at all.

The char siu is still the best item here, though I think it has slipped a bit over the years. It's now a bit leaner with many pieces on the chewier side. The pieces that aren't incinerated and bitter have a decent savory-sweet porkiness.

Chung Hing Rev 07

Well, at $10.75 these days I guess I got what I paid for? I have eaten at Panda Express in nearly two decades, how much do they charge now? And in that vein, we may have to wait another 16 years before I eat here again.

You can read about Soo's visit here and Mary's visit here.

Chung Hing
7160 Miramar Rd
San Diego, CA 92121

Chicago Fire Grill:

Man, had it been a year-and-a-half since I last visited? I think part of the problem is all the crazy road construction in the area with ever changing traffic patterns. Still, it had been a while since I'd seen George, so I decided to return to Chicago Fire.

Chicago Fire Rev 01

The Chicago Dog, which comes with fries is now $9, up a buck since my last visit; but still under ten bucks. The young lady working the register was quite nice and George was busy working the back.

Chicago Fire Rev 02 Chicago Fire Rev 04 It seems that I had a "shift" in the tomatoes on the drive back to the office. I was just happy to have tomatoes on my dog which were MIA on my last visit. The fries, which were crisp on my last two visits, were soggy and dry this time around; though I kinda liked the pieces that had celery salt on them.

Other than the roll being on the soggy side, it was pretty much status quo, snappy dog, sport peppers, neon green relish, and all……

Chicago Fire Rev 03

Still, under ten bucks……

Chicago Fire Grill
8935 Towne Centre Dr.
San Diego, CA 92122

Tenkatori:

Well, Tenkatori is an interesting one. I will usually order the Mix Bento Box. But never online. Just for kicks I went and checked how much it was online….$16.30! I will usually call, but this time I drove down and got there right at 1030.

Tenkatori Rev 01

So, would Tenkatori's Mix Bento make the $14 cut-off?

Tenkatori Rev 01b

Well, look at the price on the menu; $12.50. Can you believe a $3.80 upcharge just for ordering online, not even delivery? Sheesh…..

Tenkatori Rev 02 Tenkatori Rev 03 All the chicken, both the karaage and the wings were nice and crisp and very moist; nicely seasoned, a hint of soy, but not overly salty. The best I've had from Tenkatori thus far.

The mashed potato was consistent with other visits; though a bit too cold for my taste.

Tenkatori Rev 04

The one item not good on this day was the rice. Holy cow, it was so mushy and sticky, like it hadn't finished steaming. Look at how it stuck to the piece of karaage in the photo above. Maybe I should have been like FOYs Derric and Junichi, just ordering a bunch of chicken and just forgo the starches.

Perhaps next time! I will say that Tenkatori seems to have really "hit their stride" at least with regards to the chicken.

Tenkatori Rev 05

Tenkatori Miramar
6780 Miramar Rd Suite 104
San Diego, CA 92121

When it comes right down to it. For a $1.75 more, I'll take Tenkatori over Chung Hing any day of the week……