Pubs and Pub Grub

Road Trip – Tiger Bar & Cafe (June Lake) and it’s back to Erick Schat’s Bakkerÿ (Bishop) and Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery (Lone Pine)

July 26, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

I thought I'd best finish up this series on our stay in June Lake so here goes…..

After the Missus did Her morning paddleboarding while I got breakfast at Silver Lake Resort Cafe and then hiking the Reversed Peak Loop Trail, we headed back to June Lake to freshen up. We waned to grab a quick lunch and just relax. Right across the street from our accommodations is the Tiger Bar & Cafe, one of the few places opened daily from nine to nine.

The place serves everything from breakfasts, to "Mexican" dishes, to burgers, to salads……you get the picture. We decided to just get a simple sandwich and you know the Missus….She loves Her bacon; so we got a BLT on sourdough, with chips as our side to go and walked on down to Gull Lake, returning to pick up our lunch.

Once we picked up our order; we simply strolled across the street, to our accommodations, and split our sandwich in the comfort of our room.

This was pretty much a by-the-book BLT. The chips were a bit thicker than we prefer.

The bread was a bit under-toasted, but the bacon was nice and crisped, the tomatoes decently ripe.

Would I go out of my way for this sandwich…..well, no. But since it was right across the street…..

On my way out, I noticed the "specials" menu.

I noticed a couple of items that we interesting. Plus, the Missus and I just wanted to relax before leaving the next morning. So, after our afternoon nap, we decided to head on over for an early dinner.

It was 4pm and there were a few customers already in the place….most of them having a "happy hour" it seems.

The Missus had a glass of wine, I had a light and refreshing Mammoth Brewing Pilsner.

And we ordered from the specials grease board menu, all items were priced at $9.95. Our Server was very nice and friendly.

First to arrive were the pork rib tips.

This was actually pretty good. Not a huge fan of the overly sweet, mass-produced BBQ sauce; but the rib tips were fairly tender, with nice cartiledgeous chewiness. A decent amount of smokiness with a mild rub. It was better than we had expected.

Next to arrive were the fried pickles. Man, the portion size was pretty large.

Crisp outside, with a sour-tangy-saltiness, this was a nice version.

The Fried Brussel Sprouts on the other hand was our least favorite.

The batter didn't hold up well and was quite salty. The actual brussel sprouts were mushy and had a weird texture.

Still, two out of three ain't bad. Again, I wouldn't go out of my way for this, but being across the street…..

Tiger Bar & Cafe
2620 CA-158
June Lake, CA 93529

Of course, after all of that fried food, we needed to take a walk and headed back down to Gull Lake to watch the day turn into night.

The next morning we headed out early and made a stop in Bishop at Erick Schat's.

This time we got the Sheepherder Bread and of course more cookies for the Missus.

That bread is great…..this will be a regular stop for us from now on.

Erick Schat's Bakkerÿ
763 N Main St.
Bishop, CA 93514

About an hour south of Bishop is Lone Pine and it seemed like a good idea to make a brunch stop before the five hour plus drive home. We decided on revisiting Alabama Hills Cafe. We stopped an easily found parking and unlike our previous visit, things were rather mellow in the restaurant.

The Missus got the bacon and egg breakfast, which came with a rather dense biscuit, and breakfast potatoes….and of course bacon.

While the potatoes had a generous amount of bell peppers and onions, it was bit on the greasy side. No complaints about the bacon as She also ended up poaching some of mine.

Having thought that the BLT I had for lunch here was decent; I got the Breakfast BLT.

Other than the bread being a bit under toasted….and the interesting portion of grapes….I guess they wanted to make sure I had some fruit with breakfast; I enjoyed this sandwich. Even though the eggs could have been a bit more runny; there were no off flavors, the nice smoky saltiness of the bacon (before the Missus stole it), acidity of the tomato, this was a decent sandwich. I'd have it again.

Typical diner-ish fare; pretty much what we expected.

Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery
111 West Post St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

And then we were headed home……intent on getting some Asian food for the Missus!

Thanks for stopping by!

Odds and Ends – Cumin Chinese Cauliflower (Caulilini), Pliny the Elder at Bay Hill Tavern, and Other “Stuffs”

June 26, 2025 mmm-yoso Beer, Cooking, Pubs and Pub Grub, Recipes, yoso-silly

Just a couple of quick things for today…..

I don't know if you've noticed. Many times, when we're having Chinese food whether at a restaurant or for takeout, we don't order vegetables. The reason for this is that the Missus has a hard time spending maybe over $15 for stir fried veggies. On most occasions we'll have leftovers and then I'll go ahead and stir fry veggies at home. I still have a Big Kahuna, my second one since 2005, this one goes to 65,000 BTU and is great for wok stir fries.

Or, as in the case of the item below, I'll go ahead and roast something in the air fryer…..sometimes I'll do both at the same time as doing the stir fry can take less than 2 minutes!

Anyway, the latest item was something I just kinda made up. The Missus really likes Caulilini, which is known here as Chinese Cauliflower. It's the type of cauliflower She grew up eating in China. Also known as Baby Cauliflower, it features thin green stems, is a bit sweeter, the florets are more loosely arranged. The Missus grew up eating cauliflower stir fried with tomato. I thought I'd try something interesting, knowing that She enjoys the flavor of cumin in dishes like BO Zi Ran Yang Rou (Cumin Lamb). I thought the P-Cresol-ish cumin would go nicely with cauliflower and it did.

Cumin Cauliflower 01

Because the quantity of cauliflower varies, I'll just give you a photo of the ingredients (minus the cauliflower).

Cumin Cauliflower 02

There's a certain sequence that I've been using for making this.

Air Fryer Cumin Cauliflower
1 – After rinsing, prepping, and draining the cauliflower pour a few tablespoons of avocado, or any other neutral oil into a mixing bowl. Add cauliflower and combine.
2 – Add Sichuan Peppercorn oil to coat and White Pepper
3 – Add Cumin, Chinese Five Spice, and Granulated Garlic – I used to use fresh shopped garlic but it burned too easy. Mix well.
4 – Taste to make sure the cumin flavor comes thru clearly
5 – Add about a tablespoon of soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of chili crisp, I found that Lau Gan Ma works the best.
6 – Stir and mix well to coat.
7 – Taste and adjust seasonings and add smoked salt.
8 – Roast in 450° Air Fryer for 12-14 minutes.

The time the Missus said She wanted me to grill some Shishamo:

So, I went to grill some veggies and also some of my Local Kine Chashu Chicken for the Missus when She asked me to grill some Shishamo for Her. I thought this kind of strange, since we'd sometimes do it on the Konro, but She wanted it grilled….

So, I prepped some.

Shishamo JJ 01

When I finished, I found out who it was actually for. Guess who got Shishamo?

Shishamo JJ 02b

I actually posted about it on Instagram and some folks found it funny…..

Pliny the Elder at Bay Hill Tavern:

Earlier in the week, the Missus wanted some tacos from the Tacos La Chorreada Truck. So JJ and I walked on over, placed my order and decided to head on over to Bay Hill Tavern for a cerveza until my tacos were ready.

I was given the "specials" menu to look over and was pleasantly surprised.

Man, they had Pliny the Elder on tap! When was the last time I had that?

My goodness….it was so good. I'm hoping they still have it the next time I visit. If you plan on dropping by specifically for a PtE, perhaps you may want to call first as I'm sure they'll soon run out – 619-326-8828.

Bay Hill Tavern
3010 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 9pm
Friday 11am – 10pm
Saturday 10am – 10pm
Sunday 10am – 9pm

And finally……

My latest "ear worm":

I'm sure this might be before your time, but someone mentioned the late Wili Moku to me recently. He was the DJ I always listened to on KKUA in the 80's (before they became Public Radio – hey you rememba the Home Grown album?)

But for some reason, Da' Mokkettes song Palolo Valley Girls, a parody (of a parody) of Frank & Moon Unit Zappa's "Valley Girl" started playing in my head. Arrgh…..I just can't clear it out!

So, just to share the wealth.

"Shoot la dat, no act, no act……" "Make a all the way!"

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

Offshore Tavern & Grill Revisited (Bay Park)

March 12, 2025 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Loco Mocos, Pubs and Pub Grub

So, I needed to find JJ a groomer. The folks that used to do Sammy and Frankie had a shop in Point Loma, but moved to a home in Lemon Grove which is just a tad far for me to take him for grooming. So, we decided to try one of the groomers in the neighborhood and it's been working out super. What I usually will do is to try and make JJ's appointment for around lunch time; we'll walk down to the Morena area and I'll drop him off. While waiting, I decided to grab something from Superbloom, but the place was, well "super busy". So I walked on back to Morena and went over my options.

In the end, I decided on revisiting a place I hadn't been to in 17 years (!) Offshore Tavern & Grill. I really wasn't too impressed with the chain/corporate style of the place when I visited. But somewhere around 2012-2013 the place went under new, more local ownership, though I just wasn't motivated to revisit.

Well, I guess it was time to rectify that situation.

Offshore Rev 01

I walked in and there were already several groups of older gents at the bar having beers. Looking at the hours, this being a Friday, the restaurant opens at 11, but the kitchen hours don't start until 1130. Well, lucky me as it was just past 1130. It was a seat yourself situation and I walked on over to the covered patio.

Offshore Rev 02b

A nice gentleman came by and dropped of a menu. So, now there's everything from Poke (of course) to Hummus to Burgers and Tri-Tip Sandwiches….to stuff that's so 90's like Seared Tuna. A Chicago Dog here will run you $14. But, there was something that really caught my eye.

Offshore Rev 03

Hmmm….. "Hawaiian" plate lunch? I guess they need to make sure folks know….because is there such a thing as a "UnHawaiian" plate lunch? I wanted to know so I Googled "plate lunch" and this is what Wikipedia came up with. Anyway, this did catch my attention….though I wouldn't call "pulled pork & cabbage" typical plate lunch material….though they are obviously faking Kalua Pork and Cabbage. At least they aren't calling it that, right?

I decided to just trying the Chicken Katsu ($16).

Offshore Rev 04 Offshore Rev 05 This was interesting. The katsu had been sliced lengthwise and were as long as my fork. Rather unwieldy to eat.

The rice was cooked decently.

The chicken had been over fried; the breading on the hard side instead of crisp. The seasoning was fine; but the chicken was super tough and on the drier side.

Offshore Rev 06 Offshore Rev 07 The katsu sauce was very "local", being ketchup based, tangy and perhaps on the sweeter side of the scale. The mac salad was quite "local" tasting as well, having a touch of vinegar and some shredded carrots. The macaroni was nicely cooked, but unevenly coated. This was probably my favorite item on the plate.

Offshore Rev 08

This was ok, not terrible, not anything to go out of the way for. Service was very nice. And of course I managed to kill time while JJ was getting groomed, right?

And there was one other item I noticed when I flipped over the menu that caught my attention.

Offshore Rev 09b

And no, it's not the Poke Bowl or Grilled Mahi Plate…….. You can figure it out, right?

Offshore Rev 10

There's this strange phenomenon going on in Bay Park; the locals are making loco moco!?!? I mean Fast Times has a version, as does the High Dive. Heck, I've even heard that The Pub is making a version? Must be the loco's version of biscuits and gravy? To be honest, it's probably convenient to make rice, hamburger patty, gravy, and eggs, right? But to make it well….that's another story. But, during JJ's next appointment, I couldn't resist.

Offshore Rev 11 Offshore Rev 12 One big minus was no mac salad, which I kinda liked on my previous visit. One big plus; they have Tabasco! Tabasco sauce has been the condiment I've used for loco mocos since small kid time!

Well, even though this isn't a plate lunch place, I thought I'd go ahead and use the Modified Rubio Scale just for the heck of it. In case you haven't read any of my Loco Moco posts (can you believe I've done 61 of them???), here's a summary.

"The original Rubio Scale measured each item on the Loco, I decided to take the "base" items, the Burger, Gravy, Egg, and Rice. To this I added "Stuffs", that include macaroni salad, Spam, or any other item that comes with the Loco. All items are graded on a scale between 1 through 5, with 2.5 being average."

Oh-kay, here goes:

BURGER: Good sized, lean, but not overly tough. Good beefy flavor. 3.0

Offshore Rev 15

EGGS: Decently runny yolks, would have enjoyed some crisp edges, there was a mild fishy aftertaste. 2.0

Offshore Rev 13

RICE: Was not good. Undercooked with some hard grains. 1.0

Offshore Rev 14

GRAVY: Good consistency, decent beefiness, a by-the-book gravy. 3.0

STUFF: Gotta give points for the Tabasco. Bummah no mac salad. 2.5

Well, 11.5 a tad under average….which kinda describes this. It ain't terrible, but I'm not ordering it again.

In fact, I'm going to hit a different place during JJ's next appointment. Enjoyed the service; looks like lots of older local guys hang out at the bar.

Offshore Rev 16

I actually should visit places in my neighborhood more often than once every 17 years, right? I actually saw two folks I know eating here! I'll try to do a better job of that in the future.

Offshore Rev 00

Hope your having a great week!

Offshore Tavern & Grill
2253 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110

Happy Hour With JJ – The High Dive

February 19, 2025 mmm-yoso Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub

So, we're finding the JJ enjoys his walks….and I mean "walks". He's quite the trooper. We just got back from Santa Barbara and he did the 5 mile round trip walk with no problem!

So, the Missus was trying to figure out where to take the "J-mon" and thought of High Dive. It had been a while since we visited and I noticed hat there are Wednesday specials as well. It was a nice mile walk; downhill one way, uphill on the return, and JJ did well.

High Dive JJ HH 01b

We sat in the patio; it was such a nice day for February. And yes, there are Wednesday specials.

High Dive JJ HH 01

We were tempted by all the birria options; but in the end, that just seemed like a bit much. Instead, we went with a favorite of ours; the Chicken Chicharron ($12) and some Elote Asado ($8). All to be washed down with a Buenaveza Mexican Lager ($8) for me and the Missus had a Steigl Grapefruit Radler ($8).

High Dive JJ HH 02

The Missus had always enjoyed the Steigl Grapefruit Radler… so much that we visited the Stiegl-Keller Gastgarten in Salzburg, where their Headquarters and Brewery is located. She loves the refreshing flavor and the low (2%) ABV.

Soon enough the Chicken Chicharron arrived.

High Dive JJ HH 03

The salty-mildy spicy-tangy-sour Tajin does this dish well. The thinner slices are really crisp…like explodes when you take a bite crisp. Mildly "fowl-ly", this is by far our favorite item at High Dive. It goes so well with a nice Cerveza.

The Elote was warm, crunchy, but had a bit too much butter for our taste.

High Dive JJ HH 04

We used up all the lime to balance out the flavors. Not bad, but not sure we'll have this again.

Our Server was wonderful; the vibe is quite laid back, JJ got some water to relax and then barked at dogs walking by! I'm sure we'll be back…right JJ?

High Dive JJ HH 05

High Dive Bar and Grill
1801 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week and enjoying the warmer weather!

The Shed and Sidecar Bar

February 9, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Pubs and Pub Grub, Sandwiches

I'm sure you've noticed that we've been taking JJ everywhere…..looking for places the little ball of energy would be able to hang. I'd been wanting to check out the latest food stand that's opened next to Sidecar Bar, a favorite of the Missus, which we hadn't been back to in a while. It's called The Shed and took over the "shed" next to the bar back in the middle of 2023 if I recall.

The Shed 01

It's basically a burger stand, but I'd been told that the tri-tip sandwich was quite good. So, with JJ in tow, we thought it was time for him to hang at Sidecar.

The menu is brief; but covers burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and such.

The Shed 02

To order, you basically press that little button, right under "Anthony Bourdain's Middle Finger Salute" and the friendly guy will come out to take your order.

The Shed 03b

And for a modern touch, you're given one of the buzzer/beeper contraptions.

The Shed 04

And you go to the counter and press that "button" again. I think it would just be perfect if the button would be on a plastic "half-peace sign salute" thing. It would just make the experience complete, right?

I ordered the "Just the Tip" ($17.70) and an order of Garlic Parmesan Fries with Chimichurri ($8.30). The portion of fries was generous.

The Shed 05

This was a bit disappointing for us as the fries were gummy and dry and for some reason, the savory-saltiness of the Parmesan was quite muted. We'll pass on this in the future.

The tri-tip sandwich on the other hand…..

The Shed 06

Was pretty good! The trip-tip, though not smoked, was very tender, beefy, nicely seasoned. The brioche bun had a touch of sweetness that complemented things nicely. The fried onion rings…well, that's always a great touch. The chimichurri sauce was fine, though both the Missus and I noted that something a bit more pungent, like perhaps a horseradish based sauce might be really good with this. Still, we'd gladly have this again.

And of course, the Missus loves Sidecar…..

Sidecar Rev 01

And since we needed to…ahem, work on our "immune system", well, we thought some Penicillin would do the trick. Prices have gone up $2 since our last visit and this cocktail is now $12.

Sidecar Rev 02

I like the combination of Scotch, Mezcal, and Ginger in this. And also the fact that it isn't overly sweet.

Now that Sidecar has the Shed to provide some eats, I think the three of us will be dropping by a bit more often.

The Shed 07

Sidecar Bar
1310 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110

The Shed
1312 Morena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110

London – Jack the Ripper Tour and The Hoop and Grapes

November 22, 2024 mmm-yoso British/Irish/Scottish Restaurants/Pubs, London, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

Yes, I know, it was the first time we were really spending time in London. So why not "do" all those touristy things? Like a Jack the Ripper Tour? After doing a bit of research, it seemed like this one would be a good match. And since we were pretty full after having Afternoon Tea, we could just try to find a nice, maybe historical pub afterwards for a late bite and drink.

After all, what would be more fun than to walk the streets of London's East End? And of course everyone has heard of Jack the Ripper, a name that will forever be associated with the East end, who murdered at least (it depends whom you ask) 5 women for a period of about 5 months (again, depends on whom you ask) in 1888. There are innumerable books, websites, and various articles to read. I'm not going to go into too much detail here; I'm sure you can find all you want on the web, library, etc.

We caught the Tube and met at the Aldgate East Tube Station. The group was relatively small, less than 12 people. Our guide Angie was a hoot; totally in character, amazing stories, had historic photos of the area; once strewn with small streets.

We stopped at various sights; like one of the places we had on our lists to have dinner and a drink following our tour; the Ten Bells.

Where at least two of the Ripper's victims were known to visit. In fact, it is said, that Mary Jane Kelly, the supposed last victim of the Ripper was last seen at the Ten Bells. The pub is also supposedly haunted.

We made over a dozen stops; including the corner of this square.

This is the southern corner of Mitre Square; where at 145am in the morning of September 30th, 1888, the body of Catherine Eddowes, the fourth vitim of the Ripper was found. The interesting thing about this is that this is the western most location of the Whitechapel Murders and actually in the City of London!

It was an entertaining evening. Before we headed off, we asked Angie about getting a bite to eat and a drink nearby. She told us the Ten Bells was noisy and full of tourists and recommended another historic pub named the Hoop and Grapes.

This place seemed a bit more local; the folks working quite friendly.

I got a Nicholson Pale Ale.

Hilarity ensued when I ordered the Missus's Gin and Tonic. The bartender asked me what kind of tonic…..something I don't think I'd been asked before. When I appeared stumped he told me "we have over 30 different tonics!" Ok, lesson learned! I just got a Hendricks with the basic Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic.

Since we were in London; the Missus decided on some Fish and Chips, which was made with Haddock.

We had to send this back once because the fish was still frozen. They apologized and actually got a brand new plate; the shape of the fish was totally different. The batter was crisp and light, but the fish was on the dry side. The chips were dry and we actually needed to request malt vinegar; which was provided in packets.

I decided on the "award winning" Steak & Nicholson's Pale Ale Pie…..well since I was having a Nicholson's Pale Ale anyway.

The crust of the pie was decent; crisp and flaky, the "steak" was quite chewy, though the sauce and gravy helped even things out. Overall, a bit on the bland side. I actually had to request some salt; something I almost never do in a restaurant. The peas, green beans and cabbage were pretty much tasteless. Though the mashed potatoes were very creamy it was also on the bland side as well.

Well, we weren't expecting haute cuisine, so this was perfectly fine for us. Some drinks in a relaxed pub with very friendly folks suited us just fine on this evening.

The Hoop and Grapes
47 Aldgate High St.
London EC3N 1AL, UK

Honolulu – Revisits to 8 Fat Fat 8 and Agave & Vine

October 5, 2024 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Chinese Restaurants, Cocktails, Honolulu, Oahu, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

In case you noticed; it's been kinda quiet here the last couple of days…… We're back "home" on Oahu enroute to another destination. We're spending a few days on each leg of the trip. Usually, Cathy will take over the posting duties, but she is quite busy this time around. So, I'll try to do posts when I am able to.

We flew out on HAL again. It's a fairly long flight so we enjoy the lie flat first class seats; though the planes are looking a bit worn with chips and stains, and such.

And we do wish that HAL had a lounge at SAN, but perhaps things will change with the recent merger with Alaska.

We do like the crew on HAL, very nice and friendly. And while having a 930am flight means it's just to early to "partake" in certain liquid refreshments……though we were amazed to see others just going for it! I mean, like four mai tais going for it….and that's only what I colunted before taking my nap!

And on this flight, we enjoyed the Mushroom Frittata, which also featured tender broccoli.

And the Honey Dew Melon was so sweet and refreshing.

And since "FOY" Peter really enjoyed the photo of the "Aloha Shirt" salt and pepper packet on our last HAL post, here's what it looked like this time! This one is for you Peter!

IMG_1583a

I managed about an hour nap while the Missus got in a good 2-3 hours.

We always love the views when arriving…..

This time around we again decided to spend a couple of nights in town…..again at the Ala Moana Hotel. When I asked the Missus what She wanted for Her first meal….I had the next night's dinner planned….She said 8 Fat! So, my apologies, I realize I just recently did a post on 8 Fat Fat 8 and hope you don't mind another? I know it's pretty late on a Saturday night, so I'll keep it short.

Of course, I got my usual.

This time, in anticipation of what we were ordering; the Missus went with a Tsingtao.

As for the food; well it's been really hot and humid so we decided to skip the Crispy Gau Gee this time around. And replace it with something more refreshing. I know I've mentioned how much I enjoy Cold Ginger Chicken, which is quite similar to Kwai Fei Ji. While the Missus doesn't like those type of cold chicken dishes; She does love the sauce. There was Cold Ginger Tofu on the menu, so we decided to try that.

First off, the tofu was nice and "beany". The pungent-aromatic-"spicy" ginger was really refreshing and savory. This was quite enjoyable….the Missus has now directed me to make this when we get back home.

The other two dishes, the Ong Choi and the Fat Fat Chicken were every bit as good as on our previous visit.

It's really fun to note that after all of these years; the Missus is really enjoying the "local flavors"…..it's not just about poke anymore.

As an awesome bonus, we chatted a bit with one of the Servers and mentioned that I had been a customer from the opening of 8 Fat back in the mid-80's. It just so happened that Mary was working. She is the daughter of the original owner of 8 Fat, Sai. She took over when he passed on in 2003 and has run it ever since….now longer than even Sai did! I had spoken to her a couple of time way back when, but of course that was so long ago. We had a wonderful time chatting about her dad; the "old regulars", many iof whom have passed on or are just too old for "Pau Hana" time. She also now has a 14v year old son. These days, she usually works until 5 or 6, then has to head home, but on this evening she happened to be inhouse. She told us that a Japanese series was coming by to do a short piece on 8 Fat! That sounded so awesome.

We talked about what kept me coming to 8 Fat, the vibe, the folks, and of course the food and she left us with something her dad always told her:

"You can get Bud Light everywhere….but you cannot get good Chinese food everywhere!"

8 Fat Fat 8 Bar & Grille
1327 S Beretania St
Honolulu, HI 96814

After dinner we walked back to the hotel….but like the last time, we decided to stop by Lanai in Ala Moana Center for a nightcap. It was Thursday, so I got $2 off the cocktail I had there the last time; the smoky – citrusy Bad Decisions ($12 – $10 on Thursdays).

We had a fun time talking to the woman who runs the place. She loves Tequila, so we chatted about our visit there!

Agave & Vine (In the Lanai – Ala Moana Center)
1450 Ala Moana Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96814

Yes, I know it's kind of a rerun…but it just goes to show how much we enjoyed things previously.

And we'd just like to let you know; because of our travels, things might be kinda sporadic here over the next few weeks! I'll try my best to get some posts done!

So, as always, thanks so much for dropping by!

Road Trip – The Dog & Bear Tavern and Where We Met (Tahoma)

September 27, 2024 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Gastropub, Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt, Lake Tahoe, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

After a satisfying lunch at My Thai in South Lake Tahoe, we headed up the 89. It was a quick half hour drive to our destination in Tahoma, a town on the west shore of Lake Tahoe, with a population of just over 1,000. The area was recommended by one of the Missus's coworkers. I really wasn't too sure about the location, but we ended up enjoying the area.

Other than all the outdoorsy stuff, there's not much going on in the area. The town has one pretty nice Market/Deli, a burger place, a pizza/gastropub/wine bar, and a coffee/gelato shop. We had an Vrbo just a few blocks from the restaurants and coffee shop. The little cottage was very comfortable, though we had to get used to using "bear fences", making sure to arm them whenever we left.

Once we got settled, we walked the couple of blocks down Pine Street to check out the two restaurants and coffee shop.

IMG_0050a

The coffee-ice cream shop was open. And the Missus decided on a coffee while I went in a different "direction".

IMG_0050b

I went with a small Pink Grapefruit Gelato, which was nice and refreshing.

Look who else wanted a Gelato!

Where We Met
7000 West Lake Blvd.
Tahoma, CA 96142

We then crossed over West Lake Boulevard and walked to the end of Pine Street. There's a small beach with a beautiful view of Lake Tahoe.

We strolled back to the cottage, then drove on over to the General Store for a few things and headed back. After relaxing for a bit, we decided to head out for an early dinner at the Dog & Bear Tavern, which was in the same little mall as Where We Met.

It was only 430 and the place was pretty busy. We got one of the two tops. It seems like the place really specializes in pizza, but we found the rest of the menu quite interesting.

The menu was totally not what we expected and we took some time to look over things. The Missus had a nice glass of wine. I got a crisp Pilsner.

We decided on two items; the first being the Chicken Liver Mousse Flatbread. The portion was quite generous.

Well, this was quite a surprise; in a good way. The flatbread was fluffy and yeasty, I can understand why folks would like the pizza here. The duck liver mousse was creamy, smooth, slightly offal-ly, rich, with a slight bitter-sweet finish. There was a touch of pungency and the duck cracklins' were like….well, "crack". The strawberries added a sweet-fruity-acidity to the dish. This was quite nice.

The other dish we got was the Duck & Kimchi Loaded Potatoes. It just seemed like a bit of an odd combo, so we were interested in trying it.

This one might have been a bit too much; the rich-gamy duck was over taken by the sourness of the kimchi. Goat cheese and that gochujang mayo just piled on with tart sourness. The potatoes, roasted in duck fat were really tasty on their own, but this was a bit over-the-top for us.

Still, this was by far our favorite meal during this road trip. The folks working were very friendly and so were the locals. We would end up returning the following evening.

The Dog and Bear
7000 West Lake Blvd.
Tahoma, CA 96142

After dinner, we decided to take a walk. The Missus's coworker who comes up here a lot recommended heading to Sugar Pine Point Beach for paddle boarding. We planned to head on over the next morning, but decided to take a walk over, about a mile and a quarter each way. There's a path that follows the road that is lined with soaring trees.

Gosh, it was so beautiful. We got to the park, strolled thru the parking lot, and then walked over to the shore.

I can understand why people love it here!

We'd return early the next morning to ensure a good parking spot.

We walked on back…..

We decided to head back into the Dog & Bear for a nightcap. This time we had a seat at the bar. The Missus got a glass of wine and I got an Amber Ale.

It was a nice way to end the day!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Lone Star Bistro (Lone Pine), Gull Lake, June Lake Brewing, and the La Parilla Truck (June Lake)

August 31, 2024 mmm-yoso Beer, Food Trucks, Mexican Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

During our trip to the Galapagos back in April-May (yeah, I know, I'm really behind on my travel posts), the Missus really took to doing stuffs in the water. One thing She picked up on was SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard) and in fact, we ended up getting one for Her. Several of Her coworkers are really into the kayak and paddleboard thing and will often plan their road trips around camping and those type of activities. So guess what the the Missus wanted?

Yep, She got some recommendations of areas to paddleboard and soon enough we were headed up the 395. Final destination a little town on the west bank of Lake Tahoe named Tahoma. But first, it was recommended that we spend a couple of nights in an area east of the Sierra's named June Lake. My mission as official planner and chauffeur for the Missus? Well, plan things out.

So, it was going to be like a 7 hour drive to where we were staying at in June Lake, which ended up being a comfortable motel/lodge named the June Lake Villager. Of course we needed to stop for lunch. It was early July and super hot, we ended up taking a break in the town of Lone Pine. I had a place picked out for a quick meal; the Lone Star Bistro. Yes, the Alabama Hills Cafe is much loved, but man, it was so busy. So instead we entered this combo ice cream-cafe-coffee-gift-sandwich shop. The place was fairly busy and we even saw some remote workers doing their thing as well. In Lone Pine!

I walked up to the sandwich counter and the friendly young lady filled me in on the "drill".

I basically filled out an "order form" and the Missus handed me two bottles of sparkling water.

I ordered the "signature" sandwich called the "Lone Pine Charmer"; with bacon, turkey, avocado, provolone, it sounded like a single sandwich would be enough for the both of us. I asked that they cut the sandwich in half, paid, and we took a seat in the covered back patio, which wasn't too hot.

The young lady who dropped off our sandwich wasn't quite as friendly….when I thanked her, she went "umph….." Can't win 'em all, right?

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Marbled Rye was used, which added an interesting yeasty-tangy-sourness to the sandwich. As a whole, a routine sandwich, basic mass produced sliced turkey; we enjoyed the cucumber and sprouts the most. It was enough for our lunch and we walked thru this western theme town to our car and headed off.

Lone Star Bistro
107 North Main St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

From here it was up the 395. I had wanted to stop at Manzanar, it's one of those places on my "list", but it was over a 110 with crazy winds as we drove by, so that visit will have to wait until the next time.

About two hours later we got to the southern junction of I-395 and I-158. The 158 is a loop road, known as the June Lake Loop and passes four different lakes before reconnecting with the 395 just past SR 120. It was a fairly nice drive up to about 7,600 feet.

We arrived at the charming little village of June Lake and went to the motel to see if our room was ready. It was a bit too early, but I had a plan just in case. Gull Lake, the smallest of the four lakes along the loop is close by. And the Marina and launch area was just a few blocks away.

We easily found parking and the Missus set off on Her adventure.

I took a stroll around the lake a bit and then headed to the Marina Shop, which does boat rentals….I saw families and folks fishing off boats in the lake.

The area is quite charming……

I walked into the shop to get some sparkling water.

And I asked about the sign above, which cracked me up. I was told that the cats here are really tough and territorial; "they don't play around!" But there was a sweet pooch hanging out by the sign? I was told "oh, he knows better….he learned his lesson a long time ago!" I would actually find out that the sign is true a bit later on during our visit.

IMG_9880a

I had a seat and checked emails and stuff.

Looking over the lake, I felt so relaxed…..

Soon, I got a text from the motel telling me our room was ready. The Missus had the car keys with Her, so I took the short walk up the hill and got the room keys. When I walked back down to the lake, the Missus was packing things up.

Once in the room, which was quite large, it was a one bedroom unit with a kitchen; the Missus freshened up and then we took a short walk . Most of the restaurants, the general store, and businesses were on the main road. But there were some nice shops down driveways and side streets.

We weren't particularly interested in any of the restaurants; so we decided to head on over to the June Lake Brewery which was basically around the corner from where we were staying….but most everything was!

The brewery had a large, welcoming outdoor space, with a food truck at one end of the lot.

Boy was this place popular! It was the most people we'd see during our time here.

While I went to get our brews, the Missus went to order our food at the truck.

The two gals pouring the beers were so nice and friendly.

We wanted something on the lighter side since it was pretty warm out; so we got the two lagers, both were under 5% ABV.

I found us a table and waited for the Missus. She soon arrived with a buzzer which would go off when our order was ready. The Missus took to the Japanese Lager, which She thought was smoother and easier to drink than the lighter "Lager for Joggers".

There were some pretty interesting "seats" in the place.

Soon enough we got "buzzed" and I went to pick it up and return to our table.

We had gotten the "Boss Nachos" with Carne Asada. The portion size was large and this supposedly was quite spicy, the Missus was warned, but it wasn't overly hot to us. The portion size was quite generous.

The carne asada was nicely grilled, but quite chewy, and mildly seasoned. There was just a small amount of ghost pepper cheese on this, which had some kick, but there wasn't enough to really matter. The chips were routine, there was sour cream and guac added. Overall, just like what you'd get at an Americanized Mexican spot here in San Diego.

I had wanted to try the Al Pastor, so we ordered a taco.

From the bland and brittle tortillas, to the dry and flavorless al pastor, this was not to our taste.

Still, we enjoyed the vibe of the brewery and the service was quite friendly. We'd return for a brew on the following evening.

June Lake Brewing and La Parrilla Grill & Tacos
131 S Crawford Ave.
June Lake, CA 93529

After dinner we walked back down to Gull Lake and took in the view.

It had been a pretty long day; but I'd say the view and vibe was worth it!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Hour at The Lion’s Share, Almost 8 Years Later

August 20, 2024 mmm-yoso Cocktails, Exploring San Diego, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub

Ever since the Clairemont Drive Trolley station was completed near the end of 2021, the Missus and I have been trying to take advantage of it, though mostly due south. Recently, the Missus and I were chatting about doing a happy hour and for some reason we thought of The Lion's Share. Heck it had been so long since we last visited, we didn't even know if they were still open! But, doing a quick check, I confirmed that they were still open and also still did Happy Hour! There were two ways we could do the trolley there; the Blue Line to Santa Fe Depot with a short walk or take the Blue Line, then transfer to the Green Line at Old Town. The Green line stop is right around the corner from the restaurant. We decided on walking from Sante Fe Depot.

Lions Share HH 01

Once opening the door and stepping in, we were greeted by a very friendly gal. The place still has that interesting, somewhat bizarre decor and for some reason it seems even darker than before.

Lions Share HH 02

We decided that the bar area was just a bit too dark for us and decided to get a two top in the front area, under the watchful eyes of the various creatures present; both mounted and framed.

Lions Share HH 03a

The friendly young lady brought us menus and asked if we'd been here before. When we mentioned the last time was nearly 8 years ago, she mentioned changes that had occurred, including a recent changing of chefs.

Looking over the menu, the Missus and I were instantly drawn to the Happy Hour portion.

Lions Share HH 04a

In what alternate universe would you be able to get cocktails for $8 in downtown in this day and age? Of course, in our cynical minds we had doubts to how good they would be and immediately ordered two!

We saw two items from the HH food portion we wanted and I also saw Bison Tartare on the main menu. You know me and tartare, right?

Strangely, two of our food items came out before our drinks!

The Missus had wanted to try the Wagyu Beef Cheek Tacos (HH – $15).

Lions Share HH 05

Looking at this, I wasn't too inspired. The beef looked really "wet", almost scummy, and was that Sambal I see on the tacos? But, this was quite good. The tortillas, while on the milder end of the maize scale held up well; the salsa verde was tangy, sour, and had good spice. And most off all, those cheeks were so very beefy. The Missus actually preferred these to tacos we'd recently had at Tahona (post coming up).

When I think of The Lion's Share, I think of somewhat exotic meats. I had always enjoyed the Venison Sliders (HH – $15), so I had to order that.

Lions Share HH 06 Lions Share HH 07 Man, these were a lot more hefty than I recalled. The venison, which was done medium-well, we weren't asked for a preference. had a mild gamey flavor, the Havarti was kind of wiped out by the bacon and onion jam, which added a nice sweet-pungent touch to this. I enjoyed this, but it was a bit much for the Missus.

In case you were wondering where are the cocktails? So were we. Soon after the sliders our cocktails arrived. I got the Vodka Mule which was quite refreshing and not watered down. The Missus enjoyed it more than I did. And funny thing, the Missus ordered Federal Buffalo Stamp which was too strong for Her, but I enjoyed. These were definitely not watered down and well worth $8!

Lions Share HH 08

Soon enough our Bison Tartare ($22) arrived. Apparently, I hadn't read that it was served on Bone Marrow! I have a thing about cold, raw, beef being served on hot bone marrow, but this was awesome as the bone marrow was warm and not hot at all. This was so much better than what we had at Wormwood.

Lions Share HH 09

The tartare was very tender, nicely diced. I was somewhat concerned that it was "cut" with too much pickled squash and capers, but I enjoyed the palate restoring briny-sourness it added. Was not a fan of the potato puree which had been overly salted. But that toast; oh my, delici-yoso……it had been brushed with beef wagyu fat which added another dimension to things.

And perhaps that's how I should state things. The dishes we enjoyed added that other "dimension". The cocktails at Happy Hour were $8. Our total for the meal, $68 before tip and taxes. In this day and age, pretty darn good, especially for the location. We enjoyed our meal, I'm certain we'll return….for Happy Hour, of course!

Lions Share HH 10