Pubs and Pub Grub – Page 9

Dinner in Hiroshima at Izakaya Sairai

February 1, 2015 mmm-yoso Hiroshima, Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

After lunch at Kazuchan in Okonomimura we walked back to our hotel, the Granvia in Hiroshima Station. We took our time meandering through various streets and shopping arcades.

Fairly close to Hiroshima Station I noticed a photo menu….which looked quite interesting…..it had dishes both the Missus and I love. We headed down the alleyway. The place was closed, but we managed to speak, well that's not true either as the really nice young man spoke no English. Somehow, we got to understand that the place opened during the evening and yes, they served what we saw on the menu.

We took our much needed afternoon nap. When we awoke it was dusk. Time to find our little alleyway restaurant. The Missus had Her doubts, but I have a decent sense of direction and we found the place.

We found the place and headed down the alleyway. We entered the restaurant, but through sign language and my really bad Japanese came to find out that the place was booked solid. The woman then lead us the 2 yards across the alleyway and found the one young man who actually spoke a bit of English….about as much English as I spoke Japanese. Anyway, we could eat here, same menu, same drinks.

It was also mentioned that there were "appetizers" served with an automatic charge of 500 yen…..ah yes, tsukidashi…so this was an honest to goodness izakaya.

They seemed very concerned and wanted to make sure that we knew how the drill goes. It was of course, no problem. I actually think of it as a charge in lieu of a tip…since tipping is not done in Japan.

We were both quite happy to find a place like this….it was homey and comfortable, the staff was very nice…..the head bartender spoke a few words of English, not much, but enough. And of course there was a liquid refreshment. I went with a Miyajima Draft…..the Missus wanted something sort of local, so She had some sake from Saijo, which was really nice….clean, slightly sweet, easy to drink.

And then the fun really began. The Missus could make out some items since She could read Kanji. And I spoke really, really bad Japanese….except for some food.

Some of this was easy…..but some of it was plain hilarious…the bartender seemed to have fun….the Missus would point to something and he'd point to a part of his body, or the Missus would say, I think this is tendon and I'd say "suji"? And we'd get a grin and a nod and end up with a really tasty dish like this.

It was the photo of this dish that got us to come in. Classically flavored, sweet-soy, tender beef tendon and meat…….who could ask for more.

This was the spiciest thing I had in Japan, pickled chilies that brought some nice heat.

The Missus pointed to an item and said, I think these are onions….so I asked "Rakyo"? Which they were….

The Missus pointed to an item and the guy pointed to his abdomen……I asked "horumon?"

Nicely grilled intestine, chewy, well flavored….good stuff…..

Meanwhile, the Missus had another sake and was just beginning to hit Her stride it seems…..

Because when She pointed to the next item on the wall, the young man grabbed his ear! The Missus and I looked at each other and instantly knew we had to have this.

Now, I've had my share of pig ear, and while this isn't the most photogenic, I have to say it's among the best I've had. The pig ear had been simmered to where the external tissue was soft and sticky, it literally melted away on your tongue. The internal base piece was still slightly crunchy making for a fantastic textural contrast. The seasoning was plain, just a dip in salt and pepper, but it just perfect….especially with alcoholic beverages.

By now, the little ten seat bar was full….they actually had 6 reserved seats. So the anatomic charades were up. We had the bartender order something for us.

Which turned out to be a typical yakiniku, bulgogi like beef dish.

I was glad we arrived early. We would have not been comfortable taking up the bartender's time once things got busy.

It seemed like everyone at the bar was ordering the chicken wings; so I had to try the "teba".

A bit over battered and under seasoned and definitely not as good as the ears and guts……

The Missus and I had a blast here…it's our kind of place. I only wish I knew the name and address.

Update: Our FOY and fellow Food Blogger Kat did some sleuthing for us and seems to have found the place:

Izakaya Sairai

5-16 Enkobashi-cho

Minami-ku, Hiroshima

Thanks Kat!

After dinner the Missus and I decided to take the tram to….well, wherever. We got off at random spot to have a bit of a post-dinner walk.

Things were lite up brightly as we walked through the various shopping street we passed earlier in the day.

Along the way we found a Don Quijote. I enjoyed walking around and looking at prices. The Missus had to use the restroom which was in the basement.

This area was were all the arcade games were……while the Missus "did Her thing", I took a walk around and looked at some of the "games". I thought the claw crane games the oddest….one had plastic food as the prize, another instant noodles. It just seemed so odd to me…..

We walked past the bright lights of Nagarekawa.

Getting back to our room; the Missus fell asleep almost instantly. I on the other hand put some music on my iPhone and looked off into the bright lights of Hiroshima Station.

I was having the time of my life here….Japan had drawn me in….I was hooked.

JT’s Pub & Grill (Stadium area)(Grantville)

January 28, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Burgers, Chicken Wings, Pubs and Pub Grub, What Cathy Eats!

Look at you, right back here at mmm-yoso!!! probably looking for food blogging. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are each busy with 'research' for future posts and Cathy is writing today, with 'results'.

Mission Gorge Road, just North of Interstate 8 is a mish-mash of businesses. Bookended by Starbucks, surrounding new and used car dealerships, banks, drug stores, numerous fast food drive thru lanes, a pizza parlor, sit down restaurants, a great vegan donut shop, as well as a Kaiser Hospital and Clinic. There are also more than several Purveyors of adult beverages which also sell food in this area of town.JT's is located closest to the Interstate, on the East side, just across from Rose Toyota and a few blocks South of Iowa Meat farms (sister of Seisel's Meats). The plain exterior is not a signal of things to come. The bar area has seemingly endless adult beverage choices, numerous televisions, seating and there are pool and ping pong tables in the back. There are several chalkboards mentioning beer specials, or you can ask. Menus are on tables. You walk up to the bar to order. Always on the lookout for specials, the back of the menu is usually what I read first.However, the bottom of the front page caught my eye on our first visit- beef from Iowa Meat Farms. Ground fresh daily.Here are the center pages, if you are interested. Don't pay too much attention though…the menu is going to be changing up soon. The same talented people who make the wonderful food I'm about to show you will be working on a new menu with all fresh (as in nothing frozen) items. Currently, the potstickers and fries and tots are frozen items. Basic Burger (cooked to a perfect medium rare, as I had ordered) ($8). Served on a fresh, toasted bun with crispy lettuce, tomato and onion, this is one of the best I've had in a while. It's 1/2 pound before cooking.Since it was a Monday, the $3 wings were calling. Medium Buffalo and Teriyaki were our chosen flavors this visit. The wings were meaty, fried crispy and the flavors not overwhelming (the Teriyaki was not sweet, a plus in my book).Another visit, on a Friday, had The Mister ordering a 16 ounce Cream Ale from (local) Mother Earth Brewing ($5).Friday Fish Sandwich ($6.25) was quite large, with the cheese melted into the bun, a nice touch. The fish was moist and the batter light, almost fluffy crispy. The cole slaw here is excellent, by the way.Sides can be fries, tots, slaw or a side salad. You can see fresh mushrooms on the salad, since they use fresh mushrooms for the beer battered mushroom basket. This visit, The Mister ordered the bacon and Bleu burger ($9.25). Again, the cheese melted into the bun-toasty bleu cheese…so good. You can see the bacon and now can imagine how good it was. It was, it was.

Breakfast on Sunday is a whole other post…

JT's Pub & Grill 5821 Mission Gorge Road 92120 (619)280-4698 Mon-Sat 11 a.m.-2 a.m, Sunday 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Website

Antwerp Day 1: Dinner at De 7 Schaken, bicycles, the best beer in the world(?), and other stuffs

January 17, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Belgium, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

After walking around the Grote Markt area we headed down South. Stopping at various shops in the Fashion District, finally heading down to the area called T'Zuid, which basically mean "South".

This gentrified area is now a very trendy part of Antwerp. Eight avenues extend from Marnixplaats – Marnix Square. The statue in the square is named Schelde Vrij – Scheldt Free which commemorates the settlement with the Dutch that allowed free passage of ships on the Scheldt River.

Stopping here, we took a nice leisurely stroll back to Grote Markt via various side streets.

The weather was a bit strange, passing clouds would make it seem like rain was on the way, then a few minutes later the sun would be out. This pattern kept repeating itself the whole day.

Before we knew it, dinner time had arrived. There was a place I'd heard about, right across the street from Den Engel.

I don't quite remember how this place ended up on my list, but it did. Located on the main square, I had my doubts, but this pub/restaurant, ended up being pretty good.

There's a bar area and an attached restaurant, which looked rather rustic. The menu had a few Flemish specialties along with stuff like salads and spaghetti….spaghetti?

The Missus was overjoyed to be back in Belgium and be able to order stuff like the Oude Geuze Vieille, which She thoroughly enjoyed.

I just loved my draft Tripel Karmeliet, which seemed much lighter than here in the states. The was a definite spice-pepperiness to the flavor and it was much more carbonated and fizzy than I recalled. It was a heck of a glass!

What did the Missus get? Well, that was quite predictable…Sausage and Stoemp of course. This version came with Flemish style bacon, which was delicious.

As for the rest of it; I preferred the version at Le Fin de Siècle in Brussels.

I went with the braised pork cheeks with chicory.

It arrived in a nice sized pot. The flavor was nicely beefy and the sauce was pretty good…definitely beer in this one. Loved the texture of the braised chicory and the sweetness that cooking it this way brings out. The beef had kept shape but was spoon tender.

The meal came with frites, which I wasn't really impressed with…and mayo of course.

We must have been hungry as we polished off this very hearty meal.

I celebrated being back in Belgium with another beer; this time a draft La Chouffe, which was bit more hoppy than I recalled. Like the Karmeliet, this seemed really light for an 8% ABV brew. I was definitely enjoying being back….

De 7 Schaken
Braderijstraat 24
Antwerp, Belgium

Dinner done, we headed west to the Riverfront….there's really not much to see here, parking lots and such.

Actually, the view of the Grote Markt area from here is much nicer.

One thing we quickly noticed about Antwerp. There were more folks riding on bicycles than anywhere else we'd seen on this trip.

The Missus quickly got into the habit of taking photos of bikes parked around Grote Markt. Here are a few from Her collection.

That little splash of color just makes them look so cheerful…..

While walking back to our flat, I noticed this beer store. I talked the Missus into taking a look. I love the collections some of these places had. While looking in the back of the store a name got my attention……well, it actually screamed out at me.

If you're a beer nerd, it would do the same to you….though probably more intense that what I experienced.

For some, the Westvleteren 12 is the holy grail of beer. It is often mentioned as being the "Best Beer in the World". I asked the clerk behind the counter about this and he sheepishly looked at me and said, "yes, it is the twelve…..have just come in today and I have not put away." He immediately grabbed the case and put it behind the counter. But not before I got a bottle. I was interested because I had worked this beer into a part of our itinerary later on during this trip.

So later in the evening, I opened the bottle…..and my goodness….now I like quads, but this was really boozy and bready….with sweet tones…..it was a bit much even for me. Needless to say, I started having doubts about what I had planned.

Still, we were enjoying our time in Antwerp. It was not overly touristy, the folks rather relaxed, the food decent…..there was nothing to not like.

Thanks for reading!

Testing Out the 30th Street Stumble: Tiger Tiger!, Belching Beaver, Toronado, Hess Brewing, Waypoint Public, Brabant, Modern Times, and others…..

January 12, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub

On one of the Sundays right before Christmas, work done for the day, the Missus and I decided to have some "us time". She wanted to go to Tiger! Tiger!, for a beer and something to eat.

Nursing my "Heavenly Hefe", I went over the little trolley-brewery thing Candice and I did a month or so earlier. The Missus was fairly certain that 30th street would be much more fun. As I mentioned in in this post, that option was certainly open.

**** Tiger! Tiger! has closed

So, there we were noshing on the ciccioli…..

When the Missus, bless Her heart, told me, "let's do it! Let's do it right now"…….which is how we set off on an impromptu 30st Street crawl, which I hereby name the 30th Street Stumble…..

Tiger! Tiger!
3025 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Right around the corner from TT is the Belching Beaver Tasting Room.

I have a couple of friends who refuse to partake or visit the place due to the…well….sort of double entendre naming conventions of the brews and the rather creative visual effect of the logo.

Still, it's a nice space…..

Belching Beaver Tasting Room
4223 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

I can't wait for Rip Current to open their tasting room. I've been to the San Marcos tasting room and I really love their Rye Brown.

Our next stop? Well, it was so the Missus could get Her pork belly skewer fix at Toronado. The Missus really didn't care much for the place when we first visited, but She has really started to enjoy the vibe…..love the jukebox and the interesting ATM.

**** Toronado has closed

And also the beer selection of course…..

Toronado
4026 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We veered off 30th and took a look at Bottlecraft, then walked into Hess Brewing Company.

Where we ran into a couple whom we saw at Tiger Tiger and Belching Beaver….guess great minds think alike!

The folks here were very friendly, the space was nice and wide open, and the cask Jucundus with Vanilla Bean was quite good….much better than the can of Jucundus I'd tried a few months back. The Missus enjoyed the Ficus, though it was a bit too strong for Her.

We were really enjoying our time together. We'd both been busy working, so this was catch up time, without household items getting in the way. We were taking our sweet time and enjoying it.

Hess Brewing Company North Park
3812 Grim Ave
San Diego, CA 92104

Back on course on 30th, we stopped in a couple of shops then crossed the street to one of the Missus's favorite places; Waypoint Public. I like the beer selection here, but the prices can be somewhat painful.

**** Waypoint Public has closed

We had some chicharrons…..

And was then joined by a good friend. I'd sent a text to Candice to see if she'd like to join us. She had plans but was nice enough to drop by for a drink! It was great seeing her as always.

Waypoint Public
3794 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We'd already spent a good 4 hours out and about but were not yet done. We headed down 30th Street….it was a nice day, nice and cool, weather in the low 50's.

As we walked over Switzer Canyon, the sun was starting to go down.

And by the time we reached Brabant, evening had settled in.

The place was in full holiday mode…..

This is where I ordered the Missus's favorite beer of the day….in fact, She still mentions how much She enjoyed the The Oude Tart from the Bruery.

We also had "dinner" here. Brat and Stoemp and some frites……

**** Brabant has closed

Brabant Bar & Cafe
2310 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We had thoughts about hitting up Hamilton's down the street, but decided to turn around here. Tomorrow was a work day after all. But we did have one more stop. This one at Modern Times Flavordome, their North Park tasting room, which is basically on 30th.

We both love the decor, much of it made with recycled items….like the lampshades that line the ceiling.

We ordered small pours for a nightcap.

You could order tacos form Perla next door if you wanted……

Modern Times Flavordome
3000 Upas St
San Diego, CA 92104

We then walked the last mile or so back to the car. This is totally doable, 8 hours, probably 4 miles or so round trip, which is no sweat in good weather. Remember, we did over seven miles for oysters. I had thoughts about stopping at Ritual Tavern….but man, we were stuffed.

The Sunday after Christmas we stopped by Blind Lady Ale House.

And while finishing up our charcuterie plate and our drinks, the Missus said, "hey, you know what?" To which I answered, "no way, that'll by pushing it…." But who knows, maybe next time it'll be BLAH to Hamilton's?

Blind Lady Ale House
3416 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

Antwerp Day 1: Grote Markt and Den Engel

January 10, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgium, Pubs and Pub Grub

*** No food in this one….just more beer. Wouldn't mind at all if you just decided to come back tomorrow!

When I mentioned we were going to Antwerp to some folks who had been to Belgium I was asked "why"? Why? I dunno….doing the Brussels – Ghent – Bruge thing sounded fine, but I wanted more and it just seemed like Antwerpen would be a rather nice, laidback destination after Prague. It was a total slamdunk getting to Antwerp. Get the train from the airport and in an hour or so, you are checking out the beautiful vaulted glass ceilings of Antwerpen-Centraal Railway Station.

It's a stunning site; no wonder they call this the "Railway Cathedral". Until arriving here, São Bento Station in Porto had been the most impressive.

We soon figured things out and caught the metro, getting out at Groenplaats. The apartment we were staying at turned out to be awesome. In spite of the 55 narrow and steep stairs, it was equipped with everything we could want and the small things were taken care of, stuff like laundry detergent, even a couple of bottles of de Koninck, the local beer as a welcome. The woman running things was also a joy. The location was amazing, on Hoogstraat one of the main arteries leading to the main square, Grote Markt. The street had a mini-mart, bakery, produce stand, and meat market.

The Grote Markt is lined with Guild Houses, each one topped with a gold statue or emblem. The City Hall, adorned with flags of different nations really stands out. As does the interesting fountain in the center of the square. Is that really someone throwing a severed arm? You bet….. The Brabo fountain depicts the end of the legendary and feared giant Druon Antigoon who guarded the Scheldt River the main river that flows through Antwerp. The giant would demand a toll for anyone crossing the river. If he was refused, the giant would sever the hand of the person and throw it in the river. Silvius Brabo a Roman soldier vanquished the giant and severed the arm of the giant, flinging it into the river.

Such a story called for….well. a drink of course! We were happy to be back in Belgium and were in dire need of some liquid refreshment.

There were two places that I'd heard of right on the square….in fact, they were right next to each other….and looked almost exactly the same. Strange this city where arms are flung into rivers and two different bars next to each other look like twins.

We chose the one on the left; Den Engel. Why? I dunno…maybe because I'm left handed, or because my left leg is lsightly shorter than my right leg so I just tend to lean left?

The was Antwerp, so we both had a De Koninck. It's a bit dry and almost like a lager….in fact, I would have never thought this was Belgian. The Missus didn't care for it very much, though I thought it was fine.

Den Engel
Grote Markt 3
Antwerp, Belgium

The one great thing about having a drink here was the view of the square and especially the 400 foot tall Cathedral of Our Lady.

Walking over to the cathedral, we noticed this plaque written in Japanese.

I was intrigued….what was this all about? Upon returning I did a little bit of research. This plaque, donated by Toyota is to commemorate at story, written by an English author, about a Flemish boy, that's become a classic in Japan. The story? A Dog of Flanders. If you're interested in the who/what/where/why, I really like this post, it covers the story about the story….about the story.

The day was starting to pass us by….it was time to "hele" as we would say back home……

Upon returning home, I noticed a set of photos of an elderly couple making their way through Grote Markt that the Missus took.

I found the photos sweet and touching……with the hope that perhaps this would be the Missus and I someday……

Prague: Our last evening, dinner at U Tri Ruzi

January 3, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Czech Food and Restaurants, Czech Republic, Gastropub, Prague, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

We had really enjoyed our time in Prague. While a bit more edgy than other places in Europe, there's an interesting sense of humor, the sights are quite stunning, as is the architecture. The lively city isn't full of itself, folks don't appear quite as jaded by the mass of tourists as other places, and the food is hearty. We had gotten to enjoy our large and spacious apartment, especially the fact that it wasn't located in tourist central….yes, there were the loud drunks pouring out of the bar in the basement at closing time and the place had so much security, locks, and gates, that you sometimes felt like you were settling into a fortress at night. Still, I think we got a lot out of staying just close enough to the sights, but far enough to interact with locals. The Missus has already put Prague on the "must return" list.

For our last meal, the Missus selected U Tri Ruzi. She had really enjoyed the beer, food, and ambiance of the brew pub the night before. And She really wanted the duck rillette again. So U Tri Ruzi it was.

I mentioned previously how much we loved the wall paintings, many of which involve the Czech history and love for beer.

And that Vienna Red went down as smoothly as on our previous visit.

We ordered the duck rillette, but were given the duck pate. We notified the folks of the mistake and they were going to swap it out, but we decided to just go ahead and have the pate….which was nice and creamy.

The Missus ordered the duck confit and asked if She could replace the potato dumplings with cabbage. They were nice enough to comply and so the Missus was in braised cabbage heaven with both red cabbage and braised sauerkraut.

The duck decently done, fairly moist with a simple, but good duck flavor. They braised the sauerkraut with bacon, so it was double delish for the Missus.

I saw the roasted pork knuckle on the menu, the price, something like 260 CZK, about eleven bucks sounded right. I was amazed at what arrived at the table…..holy smokes.

For some reason, I really didn't think they'd serve me an entire pork knuckle…..sheesh. The skin was adequately crisp, it could have been better, but the meat was very moist and tender, slipping right off the bone without being mushy, the seasoning simple and balanced. Unlike many cases of "the other white meat" here at home, this was nice and porky.

Our Server told us that people do actually finish all of it! He also said that they will be indicating that the portion will be enough for two on future menus.

We saved the leftovers and had it the next morning with all our other leftovers for breakfast before leaving for our flight.

U Tri Ruzi
Husova 10
Prague, Czech Republic

The Old Town Square is just a block away from U Tri Ruzi. Being one of the Missus's favorite places we took a walk over one last time.

Tourists we strolling up and down the square as the shadows grew longer marking the coming of dusk.

Not bothered by the crowd and noise, a solitary dog bathed in the early evening sun.

We spent a few minutes soaking it all in, then headed back to drop off our leftovers.

Taking a few moments to reresh ourselves, we took our last walk in Prague. We decided on a walk down the Vltava River, just strolling, taking everything in.

Near the Most Legii (The Legion) Bridge we saw something that made us smile…….

Do you see it? Here's a closer look:

Two women, faithful canine in tow, heading off into the sunset in their paddle boat. This just seemed the perfect time to call it a day……time for us to head off and think about the next stop on our trip.

Thanks for reading!

And if you want a bit more about our time in the Czech Republic:

Prague: Hospoda u Novaka and getting oriented

Prague: A little self catering and Wenceslas Square

Prague: The Charles Bridge, the Little Quarter, the Lennon (not Lenin) Wall, the Jewish Quarter, and lunch at Kolkovna

Prague: Havelske Market, a walk along the Vltava River, and the Dancing House (Tančící dům)

Olomouc: The Plague Tower and Drapal

Olomouc: The Astronomical Clock, Turtle Fountain, St Wenceslas Cathedral, Svatováclavský Pivovar (St Wenceslas Brewery), and Museum Night

Olomouc: Side trip to Kromeriz and lunch at Minipivovar Moritz

Brno: Lunch at Spalicek and a walk around Brno

Brno: The "Indecent Little Man" of St James Church, a Mediterranean Festival, and a little self catering

Brno: The Cabbage Market, Spilberk Castle, and Sklizeno Foodie Market

Brno: The Dragon of Brno, Jiří Birk's Wheel, and other secrets of the town hall. Dinner at Stopkova Plzeňská Pivnice

Returning to Prague: Lunch at U Tri Ruzi and all those familiar places

Prague: A walk to the Castle Quarter and Lokal

January 2, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Czech Food and Restaurants, Czech Republic, Prague, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

The day after returning to Prague, we started things early. We'd been to areas like Wenceslas Square, the Charles Bridge, and Old Town Square countless times. But after all of this itme, we hadn't visited one area, Hradčany – the Castle Quarter. Located up the hill from the Little Quarter, it seems that the Missus was "saving" this place for our last day in Prague.

Of course, the Missus couldn't just head on out to the Castle Quarter….ooooh no. Just like the day before, we started out at the Powder Tower and the Municipal House. I gotta say, it looked much prettier sans the crowds, cars, buses, and tour groups.

The sun was shining brightly, even this early in the morning.

Though it was kind of weird seeing the Old Town Square so empty. Kind of eerie in the bright sunshine.

We had gotten used to the crowds, which made us fell like we were almost on a movie set. Strange, we usually enjoy having a place all to ourselves, but it just didn't feel right. Though it was great for taking photos.

Not dodging folks ocming right at and past you, we had a chance to notice other things….like this sign I love; "Techo! House! Jungle Rap ! disco duck?" You gotta love it.

The Charles Bridge was sedate, peaceful, sprakling in the morning sunshine as we looked up at the Castle Quarter.

The Missus decided we'd walk up the hill to the Castle Quarter (of course). Walking up steep Nerudova Street, you can't help but notice the charming buildings that line the street, various restaurants, embassies, hotels, most of which sport very distinctive signs above doorways.

These signs used to indentify the location/residences. Thing of them as addresses of a sort…..

Soon enough, we'd made it to Castle Square…..

Th courtyard area is quite impressive, though nothing tops St. Vitus Cathedral whose spires rise high above Prague and can be seen from quite a distance.

We had arrived pretty early and the ticket offices weren't open yet.

We wandered around just taking in the area, relaxing, grabbing a cup of coffee.

And then, one of those "only in the Czech Republic" moments happened. Every hour, there's a changing of the guard. Nothing odd about that. The band was playing, the sun was shining….then the music stopped and a motorcade appeared, though the car only had a driver. A demonstration of precision driving I assume?

They drove around the courtyard doing figure eights, loop-de-loops, and other patterns from the precision driver's handbook……

Then the motorcade drove away into the distance and the Castle Guards appeared, looking quite dapper and cool behind those shades. They went through a drill routine and marched to music from the band. I stopped when I recognized the music….I swear, it was the theme to "Mission Impossible"! Da-da-da-duh, da-da-da-dah…. Yikes! I actually filmed part of it on my iPhone but it never came out. Bummer……

A few minutes later, we had gotten our tickets and headed off…with the theme from Mission Impossible still playing in my head. Quick, try not to think of that catchy tune right now. Couldn't, could you?

The very Gothic looking Cathedral has quite an history. It was started in 1344, but plagues, wars, deaths of the various Master Builders, and lack of funds delayed the completion of the Cathedral until 1929, almost 600 years!

There's quite a bit to see here; the Royal Mausoleum, amazing stained glass work, The Czech Crown Jewles reside here, displayed once every 8 years. I was especially taken by the wood carving of Prague, which was done in 1630. You can still see familiar landmarks.

As we left, a visiting choir, walked to the middle of the cathedral and began an impromptu performance in an area that seemed to have perfect acoustics….it was amazing; beautiful and haunting. It actually gave me "chicken skin".

The view of the Cathedral form the back is no less impressive….

Close by is the Old Royal Palace, once Bohemian Princes governed from here. The most impressive part is huge Vladislav Hall.

It is so large that it was used for jousting tournaments. In fact, that large stairway used for exiting the building was where the Knights and their horses entered the Hall.

The views of Prague are quite tranquil. It hard to believe that in 1618 two Catholic Governor's were thrown out of the windows of one of the offices in the Ludwig Wing by angry Protestants. Luckily, a dung heap saved them from certain death. This act, called defenestration, started the Thirty Years War.

As you exit the Palace, you can't miss the understated, yet stunning in its own right, the oldest existing church within Prague Castle, the Basilica of St George.

Originally founded in 920, the interior is fascinating and haunting, built in the medieval Romanesque style.

A few steps downhill and to the left is a small street of tiny dwellings called "Golden Lane".

Named for the Goldsmith's that originally worked and lived here, this tiny street also housed castle servants and was in use until World War II. Number 22 is quite popular since it was inhabited by Franz Kafka from 1916 – 1917. Ah, if those walls could talk…..

You exit via a staircase and thru a cannon tower, cum prison which is stocked with a few examples of….well….let's just say "devices".

I know, it's a loooong post and you're wondering "where's the food?" I know by this time we were getting hungry. Though the Missus has a way of making me earn my calories and this was no different. We walked the couple of kilometers to Dlouha, pretty close to Kolkovna to a place I'd read about perhaps 2 dozen times. A pub named Lokal.

The interior itself is quite interesting…..one long hallway….the smoking section is (thankfully) in the back. We arrived a bit early so managed to get a table with no problem.

I had read that the Servers here were actually supposed to be gruff and short with you….it's part of the…well, theme, I guess. But the guy serving us didn't have a nasty bone in his body.

It was a pretty hot day as you can tell by the photos. If there's anything Pilsner Urquell was made for, it was to quench your thirst…..amazingly, the Missus had two!

We started with the "Pork terrine with onion and vinegar dressing". This basically a head cheese, a very nice head cheese!

This was lovely, they don't screw around with flavor here. This was nicely porky, sour, pungent, and probably the best head cheese we had the entire trip.

The House Sausages with Mustard and Whipped Horseradish was fine, if not particularly memorable.

Meanwhile, the sausage made from Prestice Pig, a Czech breed, was very nice. Moist, very much like a tender Kielbasa….a very tender and moist Kielbasa.

The pork neck was very nice as was the gravy. You can order bread dumplings as a side…….which is all you can eat. Even though these might be the best I'd had in Prague, who could eat more than one serving of these belly bombs?

A pretty nice meal.

Lokál
Dlouhá 33
Praha 1, Prague, Czech Republic

We rolled out of the place and walked, quite slowly back to our apartment…..those bread dumplings meant a nap was in order. We'd enjoy our last evening in Prague after a nice nap.

Stadium Club: food and drink on Meatloaf Thursday

December 4, 2014 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Pubs and Pub Grub, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog. On this beautiful day with the rain 'storm' ending, Kirk is missing humidity, Ed (from Yuma) wonders what precipitation is and Cathy is letting them both settle back and relax while she steps in with a short food post.

Yes, I've written about a few "must be 21 years old" establishments on the blog before. If you go during daylight hours, they are usually run by nice older ladies who know their way around. (Kirk wrote about breakfast here a few years ago!) The Stadium Club (very close to Jack Murphy, Qualcomm Stadium) is a sort of 'traditional' place to enjoy an adult beverage before, during and after San Diego Padre Baseball and San Diego Charger games. The sort of typical American neighborhood bar atmosphere, with decor consisting of advertisements for various adult beverage brands is prevalent, as is a typical short order menu. But only on Thursdays, there is just one offering.The $5 meatloaf plate. A good two inch thick slice of meatloaf, made with a mix of beef and pork, green pepper and other flavorful (not too salty) ingredients and served with a side of mashed potatoes, fresh vegetable, lots of gravy and a toasted roll half. A perfect comforting meal, accompanied by an adult beverage and simple seasonings.

Hope you are enjoying your week!

Stadium Club 6065 Fairmont Avenue San Diego 92120 (619) 282-3286

Kyoto Day 2: Ippodo Tea, dinner at Okariba, and the Awata Jinja Lantern Parade

December 3, 2014 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Markets & Grocers, Memorable Meals, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

On the way back to the machiya, we ran into Masae, the owner of the property and also the craft beer bar in the shopping arcade. We asked her about finding some tea. She recommended a visit to Ippodo Tea. So after a nice shower and a short nap, we headed off to find Ippodo. Up Higashioji-dori, then west on Marutamachi, crossing the Kamo River…..left on Teramachi-dori right when you hit Kyoto Imperial Palace Park……about four block down, you'll find Ippodo.

The shop and the connected Kaboku Tearoom, where you learn to make and also taste various teas was doing some brisk business. One of the young ladies spoke excellent English. We didn't have time to dally, but she went over all the main types of tea with the Missus and we got to sample a few. We ended up purchasing a few packages…..which the Missus loves. I'm thinking we'll be back.

Ippodo Tea
Teramachi-dori Nijo, Nakagyo-ku
Kyoto

We really weren't sure of exactly where our dinner destination was. I'd heard of a place serving rustic wild game; I recall the term "mountain food" a couple times when reading about the place. It really didn't take us long to find the place. Masae pointed out it was near the Hotel Heiannomori, right past Okazaki Shrine.

The rabbit is the spirit of the shrine and is also said to house the god and goddess of easy childbirth.

It's a nice peaceful place to visit.

Right past the shrine, you can't help but locate Okariba. You can't miss the signs. The place is dark, warm, and very rustic looking. The trappings are simple; a large grill in the middle of the room; beer kegs lie about, the lines drawn to the taps. The owner is a very gentle and soft-spoken bespeckled gentleman named Aoki-san….whose mild manner belies the name of the place; "Hunting Ground" as well as the firearms hanging on the wall.

The Missus took a quick look at the sake bottles on one of the tables and said; "he has his own sake, with the name of the place on it."

And so we sailed off on our maiden voyage at Okariba, with simple, but nicely braised slices of daikon and aburage.

The sake was mild and sweet, but really, this type of food called for beer. After starting with this; it was beer all the way.

Things started off with what is probably the signature dish here (though folks who came in later all ordered trout); the grilled wild boar. Wonderful, surprisingly tender chunks of wild boar with a classic Japanese marinade and tare; smokey from the charcoal, slightly sweet, nicely porky, but mild. The portion size was quite a surprise for us; this is enough for two or three to start.

We weren't going to Kyushu, but I knew I could get a specialty of that area here; basashi – horse sashimi. I really love the flavor of horse; I know, it's not PC…..but it's not endangered either, right?

This was very nice; served just slightly frozen, just the way I was told it shoud be, the flavor is quite clean, with a mild sweet finish. The texture is like beef, with a tad more toothfullness. I love this dish…..

Arriving with the basashi was a combination of preserved vegetables and something else….more on that in a bit. I grew up eating items like takana-zuke, so I loved the pickled greens. I'd never had fuki-miso, basically akunuki butterbur, stirfried with miso, then preserved.

The most interesting thing was the "Inago" – locusts, which had been glazed with a wonderful sweet mirin-soy. These were nice and crisp and so sweet and salty….going well with beer.

The Missus's favorite dish by far was the hobamiso…….

A wonderful, savory, but not salty miso with mushrooms and scallions grilled on a leaf. It was funny; we thought we were doing pretty well; but Aoki-san came by……and decided he needed to show us how it was done….it became this wonderful, miso-mess of flavors.

This just screamed for another beer; so we ordered one. And were soon surprised with this….Aoki-san brought it over and said "gift-tu"….. Some nice home made tofu.

Then another "gift"….this was fantastic. I'd never had Wasabi-zuke before. This was wonderful; made from the leaves and stems of the wasabi plant; on occasion you'd get a super pungent bite, but the flavors were amazing, sweet-pungent-bitter-sour-salty…totally my kind of dish.

When this arrived, I just thought I needed to have another beer…..he's giving us free food. So I had another beer….at which time fried tofu arrived.

By this time I figured out…the more we drank, the more stuff would be coming out. I'd better quit here or we'd be literally rolling back! If there was a time I wished we could tip in Japan, it was here. The warmth and hospitality made me want to do something. I should have brought some omiyagi, or something……

As you can tell….we loved this place.

Okariba
Okazaki Higashi-Tennocho 43-4, Residence Okazaki 1F
Kyoto

The Missus decided that we needed to burn off some of this, so we'd walk back to Shijo-dori…..I figure, that's like 2-3 kilometers? It was really a fun walk though……this was a lively night.

Folks were out and about, having a good time.

Karako, the place where we had great karaage earlier in the day has quite a nice line going.

We decided to follow the Shirakawa canal through Gion. I took this photo on one of the cement bridges, the type with no handrails that passes over the canal near Shinbashi.

Crossing over the Kamo river, we then headed up, the now busy Ponto-chō, restaurants now going full tilt.

As we passed by a hair salon, something caught my eye. I pointed out the one guy doing "hair" in the salon, which was closed to the Missus. She said, "yeah, he's doing hair, so what?" I told Her to take a look….that head had no body! He was actually working on a wig placed on a mannequin head. I'm not sure if this is SOP….but it just seemed a bit, well, strange……

And finally, there as Shijo-dori….while not crazy as Tokyo; which seems to actually be pulsating with it's own heartbeat, the crowds and objective sure were a contrast to the Gion.

The Missus really seemed to take to Kyoto. The size, the crowds, the shops, were just Her speed.

At this point, we decided to head back…….the Missus was tired for a change.

As we crossed Furumozen-dori, we noticed some activity up ahead. Lanterns, laughter, drums……and strange specters seemed to float ahead.

Suddenly we both remembered. Masae had told us that Awata Matsuri was happening this weekend. This was the Awata Jinja Lantern Festival! We were told that one of the key points of the Matsuri was that this was the day when both the Buddhist and Shinto Priests actually get together and celebrate together.

Then of course, there's the inevitable intermingling that occurs when everyone takes a break at Family Mart!

Once things got started, we quickly made it back to the machiya. Why? Well, because the lantern parade went right through the shopping arcade, right past where we were staying…..

It's quite amazing. The paradox, the new, modern, somewhat glitzy, but there's always the respect for tradition that pulls things in….bringing order to things.

I won't pretend to understand what any of these floats mean….but, if you're interested, you can read this wonderful and informative post. It describes all the lanterns/floats and what they mean.

And frankly, I just felt honored to be here…..

And also very thankful. For the fire control, who instantly put out all the burning embers from the fire which was placed on the ground for some symbolic reason. Once it was lifted back up, they sprung into action and made sure everything on the ground was put out in the blink of an eye…….that's Japan in a microcosm.

Having started our day before 5 in the morning, we'd walked at least 7-8 miles easily. The Missus, for the first time I can recall was totally bushed. It had been quite a day. I'd planned our "red-lettered day" in Tokyo; starting with Tsukiji Market and meals at Michelin starred Sushi Iwa and Suzunari. And while that was an epic and unforgettable day. This rather unscripted, hastily planned day was its equal…..Sushi Iwa and Suzunari showed me the skill, execution, and polish of a great restaurant. Karako and Okariba displayed the heart and soul……each has its place in my eating universe.

Thanks for reading!

Sunday Sausagefest: Salt & Cleaver, Toronado, and a little S&M (that’s Sausage and Meat)

November 30, 2014 mmm-yoso Beer, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub

**** All of these places have closed

In my most recent post on Tiger Tiger I mentioned that the Missus has been on a beer and sausage tear….so this meant that we've tried a couple of places. Here are a bunch of one and dones.

Salt and Cleaver:

We visited a couple weeks after Kirbie and CC.

We must be getting old….it just seemed like the music was playing way too loud……

Anyway, since it's about the weiners……

This one is called the Duck.Duck.Pig ($11).

The duck confit was fried crisp, but was alas, also dry as leather. I thought the orange marmalade was a bit too much for the duck and bacon sausage which was fairly mild with mild smokey tones. I liked the grind, but the Missus prefers either a coarser grind or fine and rather loose. The flavor was fairly nice, but this was a bit too much.

Since the Missus doesn't do much bread these days, a sausage board is always welcome. The meat board ($13) comes with 4 sausages.

The Smoked Beer Bratwurst was very bland. The Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno was quite nice, not too sharp or spicy, a very nicely put together sausage. The Smoked Spicy Cajun had a nice kick, but was really salty and I didn't like the casing on this one; it was too tough. We enjoyed the Linguica, a bit on the mild side, but the flavors went together well. The mustards and sauces were fairly routine.

Altogether not bad and we may return……

Salt & Cleaver
3805 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103

Toronado:

Granted, I really wanted to come here for the beers, but I walked the Missus into checking the place out for the sausages.

Loved the bartender here……she was very cool, sorta funny, in a rather detached way. She was good at helping folks make beer selections.

There's really no frills about Toronado. It becomes very clear when you order the Sausage Plate ($12)….it comes to the table exactly as ordered….a plate with 3 sausages…..nary a garnish, sauce, mustard, or anything else except the juices leaking from said encased meats.

This was oh-fer-three. The "Morrocan Lamb" was dry and gritty and really needed a bit more seasoning. The Jalapeno Cheddar was a far cry from Salt & Cleaver. The Bratwurst was also too dry and hard as was the casing.

We did enjoy the Pork Belly Skewers ($6).

Loved the texture of the pork belly, crisp on the exterior, creamy like buttah' interior. The sweet chili sauce was too sweet for us, but this was pretty good overall. The jicama-cilantro slaw could have used more flavor.

Of course, like I said, I came here for the beers.

Loved the selection. I was missing Belgium and this was just the fix I needed. I don't think Belgian's travel real well as the flavors are not quite the same as what we had in Belgium, but I'll take it.

Candice and I are trying to talk our friends into doing a 30th street corridor beer crawl. So I'm sure I'll be back soon enough.

Toronado
4026 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

S & M – That's Sausage and Meat:

So, sorry to disappoint anyone who had thoughts that perhaps mmm-yoso was totally going off the rails. Anyway, this is the latest creation from the folks behind Slater's 50/50. The location is quite familiar….this is the former site of Gulf Coast Grill, which lasted much longer than I ever thought it would.

We visited on Veteran's Day, just a short time after they had opened.

I love the logo…….simple, but to the point. The place is bright and wide open, it'll be great during warmer weather.

Like Slater's the menu is full of, well, interestingly, uninteresting items……twists on stuff I know I can get better elsewhere. So, just trying to play it straight we kept out of the flavored bacon jar, instead playing "straight man" for the main part. Trying to see what kind of clothes the Emporer was wearing…if any.

We started with the Charcuterie Board ($11).

This would be almost the antithesis of a Slater restaurant, in having a very mild prosciutto and soppressata. Not a good value. The one item we both loved was the nicely fermented cabbage and the pickles….the dill pickles were just fantastic.

Since the Missus is still on Her "no bread" shall pass these lips kind of thing we went with the Sausage Board ($15).

I love alligator – pork sausages, so the Alligator-Antelope Andouille seemed like a good pick. Unfortunately, I found it to be very tame and bland, lacking in that paprika-garlic-file-chili, smokey-savory flavors that make a good Andouille. I've cooked with Antelope which has a distinct flavor, I couldn't make that out here. The Missus chose Her favorite sausage of late…..Mexican Chorizo. Man, this was way too mild in flavor, lacking in any heat or zip. I will say, that Whiskey Mustard is a wonderful sweet-spicy-sour-tangy condiment and I could live on those pickles.

I had a Modern Times (Blazing World) Amber, mildly (by San Diego terms) Hoppy with a clean finish and the Missus was happy with Her Almanac sour.

The whole ordering, seating, sign process is both neat and kind of strange at the same time….it's really not clear that you order at the counter (or do you?)…which we did. You get these flip cards which indicate your order, when you don't want to be bothered, and when you want to pay. It's a hybrid of the typical gastropub/bar/fast casual ordering system where you're given a number for folks to bring your order. The twist here is different, even though you order at the register, you don't pay(though you do leave your credit card)…..at least we didn't. You flip the sign and someone comes and brings you your bill….if you pay with cash, this seems kind of strange and redundant….you either have table service or you don't. Oh, and even though we indicated "Scram" folks came by five times to see how we were doing…..though they were really nice and I totally understand having just opened they wanted to do well. I really liked our Servers…..we'd come back just for the pickles and mustard…..

If you'd like to see the other items on the menu; please read Kirbie's post.

S&M Sausage & Meat
4130 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA 92103

And just because I'm feeling silly:

I usually listen to music on iTunes while doing my posts….and yes, they are still usually a one pass deal. Anyway, this song came on…….and took me back. I grew up during the 70's and 80's and this one made me recall the music video…back when MTV actually had music videos. It hasn't aged well, but what the heck. Plus, I always wanted a 'Cuda….though my preference would be for a '70.

The ending is so Miami Vice. One of the guys we knew used to actually dress Miami Vice style…light colored jacket with pastel t-shirts and loafers….white loafers. Egad……he thought he was so cool. He was quite short; like five foot-two, so when we used to see him at the club we used to call him, "Miami mice….."