Seafood – Page 10

Kanazawa – Omi-cho Market and Jimonotei

October 25, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kanazawa and Ishikawa Prefecture, Markets & Grocers, Seafood, Travel

Our next stop after Hida-Takayama was Kanazawa. Why Kanazawa? Well, I've heard the city called "Little Kyoto" several times. Kenrokuen Garden is considered one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, the seafood is supposed to be great, there's Higashi-Chaya, a famous Geisha District, and did I mention the seafood is supposed to be great?

Also, I'd heard that Kanazawa was booming since the Shinkansen extension to the city was completed in 2015. So I thought this would be a fun diversion. We left Takayama, transferred to the Shinkansen in Toyama, and made it to Kanazawa at around noon. I was surprised at how reasonable hotel prices were in Kanazawa, so I figured "what the heck"? And booked us a nice room at the Hotel Nikko. Of course we arrived too early to check in, but were able to drop off our bags at the front desk, and headed off to get some lunch.

I'd decided that a nice place to start would be Omi-cho Market.

If you've read this blog long enough; you know we just love places like this; whether in Laos, Tunisia, France, Vietnam, or where ever, we just love to explore.

And Omi-cho was no exception. You get to see what's in season, what folks are eating, and sometimes other interesting things. Like this film crew……

There are quite a few restaurant in the market area. We just picked one; seafood of course, at random. This one named Jimonotei.

The prices seemed very reasonable and there seemed to be a rather short wait. The customers were a mix of Japanese (both tourists and some folks who seemed to be locals/regulars) and some larger parties of Chinese.

We got seats at the counter rather quickly because it was just the Missus and myself.

Deciding to order was pretty simple; we went with one sashimi combo (1500¥ – about $14 at the time) and an additional sashimi plate (1000¥ – about $9.50). With one "little" addition.

Soon enough the sashimi combo arrived.

Pretty generous for about 15 bucks US. The Missus didn't care for the Chawan Mushi; I think it was the dashi-forward flavor. I enjoyed it. She did enjoy the miso soup, as I never got a shot at it.

The sashimi was solid if not spectacular and at this price point, a bargain. The Amaebi was sweet, the hirame had a nice chew to it, salmon was buttery, the maguro, while not the prime cuts, was passable. Best of all, everything was super fresh. After all, Omi-cho is called "Kanazawa's Kitchen" and has been around since the Edo Period.

As for the other sashimi; with the "special 100 Yen" upcharge?

Kanazawa' history with Gold Leaf goes back to the 16th century and the city now produces 99% of the gold leaf in Japan. The city attributes its mastery of gold leaf production to both craftsmanship handed down over generations as well as to the water in the area. We really weren't going to order gold leaf covered ice cream cones. But gold leaf covered sashimi; for less than a dollar upcharge? Count me in.

While it didn't add any additional flavor; it did give the dish a bit of "bling" don't you think? We couldn't help but laugh……

Jimonotei
Inside Omi-cho Market

After the nice lunch, we walked back to the Kanazawa Station Area. The Hotel Nikko is right across the street from the station. We checked in and it was nap time.

And tonight….well dinner awaited!

Reykjavik – Aurora Reykjavik and Dinner at Matur Og Drykkur

October 23, 2017 mmm-yoso Iceland, Iceland Food and Restaurants, Seafood, Travel

It was serendipity that brought us to Iceland. Well, perhaps to be perfectly honest, it was good pricing. In addition to some bargain Business Class tickets, we decided to take advantage of Icelandair's free stopover program. Basically, if you flew out of one of Icelandair's hubs you get up to a seven night extended layover with no additional charge. So, even though it was going to be the "off season", we thought it would be fun spending a few nights in Iceland. Which is how we ended up flying out of Seattle almost a year ago. We got into Reykjavik in the late afternoon; got our rental car and found our apartment; which was centrally located, spacious, and quite comfortable. By the time we settled in and headed off to dinner; it was pitch dark. And while we both knew that the chances of us seeing the "Northern Lights" on the nights we were to be in Iceland was basically nil because of the weather forecast…..overcast and rainy. When we ran early for dinner; I decided to make a stop at the quaint Aurora Reykjavik – The Northern Lights Center, which was basically right around the corner from our dinner destination.

The place was quaint and the folks very friendly. And we learned all about them Northern Lights.

And even though we didn't see any in person during our trip; we were mesmerized by the presentation in the little theatre.

One of these days!

Aurora Reykjavik
Grandagardur 2
Reykjavik 101, Iceland

Soon enough, it as time for dinner. We headed turned the corner and parked in the lot for the Saga Museum.

No, we weren't visiting the museum as it was already closed.

Rather, we entered the front doors and turned to our left.

After a fairly long day and really wanted some food and drink; which is what Matur Og Drykkur literally means, "food and drink". Matur Og Drykkur is also the name of a classic Icelandic cookbook that was originally published in 1947. The concept at "MOD" is to find classic Icelandic recipes and recreate them with a modern and local twist.

One of the first things I did when we finalized our itinerary was to try and hunt down some restaurants that would serve local specialties.

Along with am a la carte menu; there were three tasting menus on this evening. I chose the Game Menu, while the Missus went with the Seafood Menu.

First off; let me tell you about the wonderful moist and substantial bread and the awesome creamy whey butter.

Whoa, this was some great way to start a meal!

We both started with the Herring, micro potatoes, salted angelica seeds, and mustard.

Very nice, the Angelica Leaves had a nice celery like flavor; very clean. The fish was super fresh, with a nice toothsomeness. The potatoes were lovely and full of flavor.

We both also had Trout smoked in sheep's dung.

Before you freak out; I think this was smoked "over" dried sheep poop. It tasted like a very nice, perfectly smoked, lean fish. Very tender; the horseradish sauce wasn't too pungent and everything went together well.

I also had the Cured Reindeer, Sunchokes, and Bilberry Chutney.

In spite of looks a fairly mild dish overall.

The Missus's Halibut soup was very tasty.

The fish and the mussels were excellent; though I'm still not sold on raisins in soup.

The Goose Heart was delicious; chewy but with a very nice, mildly offal flavor. The smoked buttermilk took this to another level.

As did the peppery watercress, the endive, and slightly floral bay leaf vinaigrette. And yes, those are edible rose petals.

The Missus's Langoustine and cauliflower was also very tasty.

We both really enjoyed the cauliflower with the horseradish sauce. The tarragon added that slight bit of anise-like flavor to add complexity to the dish.

The Missus poached almost all the kale, which was really flavorful from my Starry Ray with Rutabaga and lamb jus.

I thought the lamb jus would really play havoc with the mild flavor of the skate, but this was nicely balanced; slightly rich, the skate cooked perfectly as it just melted in my mouth.

Meanwhile, we both watched the chef break out the torch.

It was for this.

Fish head, something that's treasured in Chinese cuisine. This was so good, the cheek meat buttery, the Missus loves the eyeballs. This was amazing. Though the Missus didn't care for the texture of the tongue, which was fried with almost a tempura like batter. Part of the tongue has a jelly-mushy texture that the Missus didn't care for. The other part is a bit tougher. The flavor is a bit more assertive than the cod head.

We were also provided with a very tasty potato salad.

There was a very enjoyable but assertive flavor in the salad and what I initially though was pickled shallot was definitely not. Our really friendly Server told us it was lovage; both the leaves in the salad and the pickled roots.

My main was Seared Mallard, which was surprisingly tender.

Loved the flavor; the wild mushroom sauce really deepened the savory factor in the dish. The Missus loved the beets.

and then dessert of course; the crowberry granite, was refreshing, though very mild, and with a slight bitteness to it.

And this was my first exposure to Skyr which I instantly loved.

I told the friendly Server to bring us just one Cookie to finish because I was stuffed.

I love meals like this. Not only was it delicious and well executed, the service was friendly and laid back. But I also learned quite a bit about some of the local food products….my favorite way, via my tastebuds. It's a meal I'll never forget.

Matur Og Drykkur
Grandagardur 2
Reykjavik 101, Iceland

The Fancy Fish (Mira Mesa)

July 17, 2017 Cathy Seafood, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, a blog with postings about places in San Diego and beyond, focused on food. Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy usually write here. Today, Cathy is at the helm.

It was late March, or maybe April and I was on Mira Mesa Boulevard at the corner with HMart, Daiso, In-n-Out, The Kebab Shop, Go Go Sushi and Ramen and many other places and noticed new signage. Finally, The Mister and I had a chance to stop here; glad we did. Walk in, order, pay. Find a seat and your food will be delivered. Platters, salads, bao and tapas. Everything customizable and made to order. Could be plain, could be fancy.

Customizable: 1. Choose the VIP (very important protein): tilapia, white fish, tofu, swordfish, shrimp, jumbo shrimp, salmon, mani mani, chicken, catfish, albacore or ahi., pick the preparation, pick a sauceWe have tried a variety of offerings already.

2. Choose a style of preparation:Fried, pan cooked, grilled or steamed.

3. Choose a sauce: Cajun dry rub, honey dijon, cilantro lime, lemongrass satay, curry, creamy sriracha, teriyaki, sweet and sour, garlic butter, toasted sesame, hoisin. Each of these sauces are made in house and each that we've tried has been delicious.

4. 5. 6. Choose a salad mix, salad dressings and sides.

Really, many decisions to be made…this is why it's a long post. We needed to figure out what we liked and wanted more of for future visits. We have tried all the preparation styles, which is the focus of this post.
There are a variety of seating areas, some with a great view of the open kitchen. Let's start with fried. The first time here, trying the whitefish platter ($9)with a salad and slaw as the sides- a large piece of fish, perfectly fried. Salad dressing made here, a good ranch. Here's a closeup of the lemongrass satay sauce. There's a touch of heat in it, and it is good. The Seafood Sampler ($9) is interesting in that each seafood is prepared with a different batter for frying. Calamari , Shrimp (wrapped in rice paper), fish bites, shrimp chips and fries. I do so appreciate a good fry. The Bao; "Asian tacos' on the menu. This one is soft shell crab ($6) (it is $4 on Tuesdays). Cute how the Fancy Fish branding is on each fresh made, steamy bun. Shrimp (crispy or grilled ($5.50, $3 on Tuesday) great, large, different than the shrimp on the Sampler. Grilled chicken and grilled fish (an a 'light meal' visit ($5/$5.50). Again, really nice and a different preparation. The bao are filling!

The seared ahi tuna salad ($12) with cilantro lime dressing. Wonderful, fresh, good ratio of tuna to salad. Will order again.
Grilled tilapia ($10) this was meaty steak and really good. Shrimp chips and salad as sides made this a 'healthier' choice.

That first photo of this trio is of the steamer. The whitefish steamed with lemongrass satay was recommended by the owner…we had to. We did ask for the sauce on the side, but usually the fish is steamed with the sauce. Choosing the grilled zucchini and cole slaw made this another nice meal. Both of us really liked this preparation of the fish.

All in all, a great way to get exactly what you want. Great service, nice people and great food.

The Fancy Fish 9430 Mira Mesa Blvd #5B San Diego 92126 (858) 586-6228 Website Open Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Las Morelianas/La Bahia (revisits)

July 3, 2017 Cathy Seafood, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, the food blog is writings by Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy, each of us interspersing anecdotes about food consumed. Cathy is writing today, since Ed (from Yuma) and Kirk are just too busy this holiday eve.

I wrote about Las Morelianas/La Bahia in 2014 and The Mister and I have returned quite a few times; I just haven't posted.
In the interim, the exterior and interior have had a few improvements while the food has remained the same. (The parking lot has been paved, also!) The above seafood menu (La Bahia) is reflected in a table menu- the seafood kitchen is at the back of the restaurant.
The large shrimp coctele ($14) has more than enough plump shrimp(20 at least) in a lime/catsup sauce with cucumbers topped with avocado. Always refreshing on a hot day. The tabletop array of hot sauces to add is extensive. Similarly, the fish ceviche tostada ($5) is freshly made with lime juice, onion, tomato, cilantro and avocado and served with crunchy, dry tostada shells, separately (no sogginess).

The plates of fish (whole or filets) ($13) are served with rice, beans, fresh made tortillas (there's a lady on the patio making those around 11 a.m. daily) and, of course, a cup of seafood consommé. This was a simple garlic butter filet plate; didn't want to deal with bones.
At the front of the restaurant is the carnitas kitchen (Las Morelianas) and menu above. The paper menu prices (eat in) are in a few cases less than the wall menu (to go).
The choices of sauce here always overwhelm me and asking for both red and green is usually the only way I can order.
When I am not that hungry, the surtido (mixed carnitas) taco ($3) is always a good choice- all the parts of the animal, even a bit of liver is in here.
In the last year, a juice bar area has been added. A medium simple juice (spinach/cucumber/pineapple, which does not photograph well) is $3.

Las Morelianas/La Bahia 2121 Imperial Avenue San Diego (619)239-6284 websiteOpen Daily 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Pacific Poke Co.

June 6, 2017 mmm-yoso Poke, Seafood

I first noticed this place during one of my visits to Mama Cinia. It hadn't opened yet and I had to sigh at what looked like yet another "Chi-Poke" place. A few months later, I intended on getting some pho at Cow Cali, but there was actually a bunch of people waiting in line.

PPC was right next door and had just turned on the "open" sign. So, I thought why not check them out.

And yes, this was indeed one of those pick some seafood; pick some toppings, make a bowl kind of place. They also had Spam Musubi, miso soup, and a couple of other items on the menu.

I ended up ordering a Large Bowl ($12.50); four scoops of protein, I did like that they had a marinaded version, almost like real poke (not), because the fish looked a bit dried out. So I got that, with the sweet and spicy sauce. Nice that they didn't charge extra for avocado like a lot of places do; white onions, cucumbers, and green onion. Simple is best.

This was actually not bad; the fish was relatively tender, not much connective tissue, no off flavors, the marinade and the "sauce" worked rather well. The avocado was starting to brown, but was fine. There was one sneaky little move….I don't remember requesting any wasabi, but I put this little lump of what looked like smashed avocado in my mouth….ho-ly smokes….try eating an entire spoonful of wasabi!

While not really "Poke" to me, I thought this was pretty good; perhaps on par with Tokyo Deli and much better than other versions I've had.

And yet, I just kinda let it go at that for a few months. Then a few weeks after reading Kirbie's post, I decided to head back. In search of a light lunch, I went with the Large – Salad option. And I did appreciate the availability of Hamachi, since many places don't serve it based on food cost. 2 scoops Ahi, two Hamachi, marinated (of course). I was a bit surprised at the rather small size (even for me a rather light eater) of the salad. Back "home" we call this "manini".

Man, this was on the small side….but all would be well if the fish was good. Which it wasn't. The Hamachi tasted a bit off; on the fishy end of the scale, I pushed that off to the side…my salad got even smaller. The Ahi this time had too much connective tissue and was too chewy. Well, the masago and the rest of the ingredients were decent.

In the end; I'm not quite sure which bowl is the norm here. All I've got to say is YMMV. And I really don't feel like a tie-breaker visit right now. Maybe one of these days.

Pacific Poke Co
9168 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126
Hours:
Sun – Thurs 11am – 8pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 830pm

Point Loma Seafoods, again

May 27, 2017 Cathy Sandwiches, Seafood, What Cathy Eats!

Kirk is taking a short vacation, Ed (from Yuma) is enjoying this three day weekend (in Yuma) and Cathy is writing a few short posts, just to keep you interested in this food blog, mmm-yoso!!!

I've written a few times about Point Loma Seafoods, most recently as part of a birthday lunch, last year. Other posts were written in 2007, again in 2010, 2011, 2012, and in 2014. It was a bit before the lunchtime crowd would be showing up at this dockside fish market restaurant, overcast and chilly. The fish cases were filled, sushi and sashimi grab and go plates were being made. The smoked fish counter had a special on yellowfin and I asked for a piece that weighed 'about a half pound' while The Mister was placing a food order at the front counter. The fish was moist, smoky and delicious. Soon a bowl of clam chowder ($4.91)was ready and I thought that was the perfect amount of food for the two of us to share for a mid-morning snack. But, The Mister had seen the Daily Specials board when we walked in. Soft Shell crab is in season. He had ordered one sandwich for us to share ($12.04)
Two fresh, soft shelled crabs on a sourdough roll with the house made cole slaw (it has bell peppers mixed in with the cabbage and carrots and a light, creamy sauce). A perfect pre-lunch meal enjoyed while looking out onto the docks.

Point Loma Seafoods 2805 Emerson Street San Diego 92106 (619) 223-1109 Open Mon-Sat 9 a.m-7 p.m. Sun 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (hot foods served after 10:30 daily) website

Two Seafood Dinners in SGV – Seafood Palace; Newport Seafood

May 7, 2017 ed fromyuma Chinese Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Seafood, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!

Ed and Tina recently had an extended weekend in the San Gabriel Valley area, eating interesting food and going to interesting museums. So Kirk and Cathy get today off.

Tina had to work on Friday morning, so we came rolling into Temple City just about dinner time. After the drive, we were looking for something familiar and tasty, and Seafood Palace nee Seafood Village was certainly familiar (another post) and we hoped tasty.

We were happy to see the boiled peanut and pickled vegetable free appetizer:

Refreshing and enjoyable.

Of course, we ordered the house special deep-fried crab:

The flavors are impressive — Dungeness crab, dried red chilies, abundant small fried chunks of garlic, chopped scallions, and the crunchy tasty coating. This is no wimpy crab. Unfortunately, however, the crab itself was overcooked and lacked moist juiciness:

This was not a bad dish, it just fell short of its usual perfection.

On the other hand, the baked oysters in black bean sauce was close to perfect:

The oysters were firm and chewy, nicely breaded, and flavorful. The black bean sauce matched slight funkiness of the bivalves. We liked. We liked so much that we were halfway through before I stopped and took the photo.

And the house special fried rice was light and tasty:

The meal concluded with a small cup of sweet red bean soup:

In addition to the generally good food, we were pleased with the service; there appeared to be a floor manager who oversaw the waitstaff. Our waters were refreshed regularly, and plates full of shell bits were replaced with clean plates. The bill seemed reasonable:

Seafood Palace, 9669 E. Las Tunas, Temple City CA 91780, (626) 286-2299

For our last dinner in the San Gabriel Valley, we were looking for more seafood. Researching restaurants, we kept running across references to Newport Seafood; it seemed to be the gold standard for the area, but it was also expensive and famously over crowded, with long lines and waits of one to two hours.

Then I realized — we were planning on a Sunday night dinner, so there couldn't possibly be long lines. "But let's show up early, just in case," Tina suggested.

So at around 5:30 Sunday evening, we arrived at Newport Seafood, parking across the street to avoid the already crowded parking lot. Here's an exterior shot of the place:

Amazingly, there were already over a dozen people waiting for larger tables, but we got lucky and got the last booth. Here's a fuzzy interior shot:

There is also an area with several semi private rooms as well as the main dining room.

We had barely sat down when we were offered appetizers (not free) of boiled peanuts or cucumber chunks. We went with the cukes:

Very tasty, crunchy, spicy, and tangy — the nutty flavors of sesame oil in the background.

Since this was our splurge meal, we opted for some wine, ending up with the Raymond Napa Valley Chardonnay, which was okay though the restaurant was out of our first choice:

Then came hot and sour catfish soup:

Stunningly good. Not at all like Chinese hot and sour soup, this was redolent of the complex flavors of southeast Asia — pineapple, tomato, lemongrass, cilantro, green chilies, celery and more, closer to hot and sweet than hot and sour. Along with that good broth was a lot of catfish (wonderfully fresh, but somewhat bony) and numerous chunks of fruits and veggies along with chopped bean sprouts. A carnival of tastes.

But we had really come for lobster. The menu offers five different lobster presentations (including simply steamed), but whichever you choose, you get an entire lobster. We opted for the Newport special preparation. It arrived looking very special:

Chopped green chilies, diced scallions, and black pepper were the dominant seasonings. Lobster flesh exposed by the chopping had been breaded before the lobster was fried. While not as moist as steamed lobster, the meat was flavorful, fresh, and juicy when extracted from the shells:

The first-rate New England lobster was a real treat, and the preparation was flavorful.

We also ordered the clams in black bean sauce:

The black bean sauce didn't seem quite as tasty as the one at Seafood Palace two nights before. The clams, however, were perfect –exceedingly tender and mildly clammy, highest-quality bivalves treated well.

By this point of the meal, we realized a certain unplanned similarity between our two seafood dinners. Yes, Seafood Palace features chiu chow cuisine, and Newport Seafood is in the style of Tan Cang, a small port by the Mekong River estuary, but chiu chow dishes often show Southeast Asian influences. And yes, the fried crustaceans were different, as were the mollusks in black bean sauce, but the overall pattern of the dinners was largely the same, hence this post.

Anyway, at the end of the meal at Newport, we received a complementary chopped orange:

And the bill for the meal:

The overall experience Newport was positive. While the waitstaff was not as attentive as Seafood Palace, it was certainly professional and unobtrusive. The food was excellent. So we were happy as we walked out of the restaurant past the couples and families waiting for the next table to open up.

We had a good time in the SGV.

Newport Seafood Restaurant, 518 W. Las Tunas Dr., San Gabriel CA 91776, (626) 289-5998 (website)

Top Choice Fish Market and Eatery (Carlsbad)

April 26, 2017 Cathy Seafood, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today; she has time and Kirk as well as Ed(from Yuma) are just too busy.

There are many posts on this blog about the Carlsbad Grocer and Restaurant, Tip Top Meats. It's a great German owned and European style meat store, grocery store with a small restaurant inside. When The Mister and I drove up last November, we saw that a new Fish store was being constructed inside the adjoining former produce market. We finally had time for the drive North the other day. Turns out Top Choice opened less than a month ago.
Stepping inside, there is a refrigerated display case with prepared items and above that, menu boards, the same as at Tip Top, but the prices aren't listed on it, yet. We were given a paper take out menu, which was helpful. We ordered, paid and found a seat (there are some larger communal like picnic tables out front and inside, but not as much seating as the meat store.

While waiting, I walked over to the fish market side. It's small, the prices are fair (not inexpensive) and everything was very fresh. I enjoyed that the menu has a similar to the meat store 'Special Steak Dinner', mentioned at the bottom of this post-The 'Showcase Fish Platter' feature of picking out any fish from the case and you pay the price of the fish, add $5 for two sides. The fish will be sautéed or broiled as you request.

Since this was a first visit and the menu was so interesting, we decided to try simple basics. The Bouillabaisse (cup $2.98, bowl $5.98, bread bowl$8.98)was a wonderful choice. The garlicky broth was filled with a large piece of grilled solid fish (a various 'fish of the day'), two large shrimp, five clams and three mussels. Next time we might just order two bowls of this, although I am curious about the New England clam chowder and house made special fish stew soup. The Fish and Chips (substitute cole slaw for the chips) ($9.49) came with five large pieces of lightly battered and fried Alaskan cod. The batter and its frying was proper: crisp, thin, to a light brown. The fish was flaky and light flavored. A quite large side of house made tartar sauce came with the plate and was very good. The slaw seemed to have small bits of pineapple but also some pungency, almost like horseradish or maybe a special mustard. In any case, it was very good.

All in all a great meal. We will be back.

Top Choice Fish Market and Eatery 6118 Paseo Del Norte, Suite B Carlsbad 92011 (760)517-8680 Open 7 days. Fish Market 8-8, Eatery 11 a.m.-8 p.m. website

Buck & Rider – Seafood Dining in Phoenix

April 19, 2017 ed fromyuma American/New American Restaurants, Phoenix/Scottsdale/Chandler/Central AZ, Seafood, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!

Ed (from Yuma) finally has the functional tools and the time he needs to write a post for the blog. Kirk and Cathy get a break today.

Not long before my computer became nonfunctional, Tina and I were in the Phoenix area to get together with her brother and wife and catch a spring training game. But we also wanted to have another lunch at Buck & Rider since our last meal there had been pretty good, and their menu contained a lot of dishes that we wanted to try. We arrived soon after they opened:

Since we were heading home after lunch, we decided to avoid drowsy driving and stick to sparkling water, refreshing on that hot day:

The choices of oysters were impressive considering Phoenix is in the middle of the desert:

We could watch the shucker (or is it shuckster?) at work:

We could even look at the oysters in their shells and inspect their documentation (papers please):

We ordered two High Rollers from Washington (Hood Canal) on the right of the picture, and two Madhouse from the Maryland Chesapeake:

They were served with lemon wedges and our choice of condiments; we picked cocktail sauce, which was spicy and tangy (but which I didn't use) and horseradish, which was pungent and freshly ground. With the horseradish, the taste of the bivalve was emphasized.

A close-up of a High Roller:

And a Madhouse:

While both were certified extra small, both were extra tasty, especially the one from the Hood Canal. Outstanding.

Tina's tuna burger, the next item to arrive at the table, fell short of outstanding:

The slaw was probably very healthy and certainly very bland. The bun was homemade and nicely grilled. The burger itself was large, filled with ground ahi, breaded and fried. The avocado portion was generous, but the sandwich never came together to my taste. The teriyaki like sauce on the burger and the chipotle mayo spread on the bun seemed an odd combination. And the fried exterior seemed an odd complement to the raw interior:

Likewise, the fries were just okay:

The portion was generous and the potatoes tasted fresh, but they lacked crispness and maybe had sat under a heat lamp for a little too long.

So I felt like I'd hit the jackpot by ordering the Port St. Lucie French Seabass sandwich:

Except for the slaw, this was excellent. The fish tasted fresh and flavorful. The roll, the breaded filet, the tomato, and the tartar sauce along with generous dill pickle made a flavorful combination.

Here's the check:

Was it worth it? Heck yes. The oysters (even though pretty spendy) and the seabass sandwich were outstanding. The tuna burger and the fries were okay; only the slaw was truly disappointing. We'd come back again.

Buck & Rider, 4225 East Camelback Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85018, (602) 346-0110. website

Sunday Sandwiches – Supernatural Sandwiches Revisited

April 16, 2017 mmm-yoso Sandwiches, Seafood

**** SuperNatural Sandwiches has closed

Man, four years can be like a lifetime when it comes to eating establishments (and Food Blogs too). It's been only four years and change since I first ate at SuperNatural Sandwiches, which at that time was in the now defunct San Diego Public Market. Forward a year and they opened a brick-and-mortar shop. During that period I noticed that they had really gotten down the flavors of my favorite at SS, the Siren. Though that shop was pretty tiny and got packed pretty quickly. Last year, they moved into even bigger digs and are now open 7 days a week!

I'd had a revisit marked down on my "list", but other than one real quick take-out visit, really wasn't able to revisit. Until a couple of months ago.

And they were doing some major business on this day. There's a definite demographic that makes up the customer base here….they are mostly those that are much more hip and as whole a lot younger than I am. Still, it's good to see folks, going for good "sea to table" grub. It must make Mr Grumpy's Tommy Gomes's heart warm.

As you would expect….SS seems to be always doing new "stuffs"…there's now soups, ice cream sandwiches (see Kirbie's post), and other sandwiches to choose from. But you know me……I decided to go with my favorite….The Siren.

For me, this sandwich is a bit of a tight rope walk. The brioche bun rides on being just a bit too sweet and buttery; the aioli too rich and spicy…..but it just seems to work here as the shrimp were nice and plump…and the flavor of the shrimp stood up to the spice and sweetness. If anything, I think they could knock out the garlic and we wouldn't even notice. It is a good, messy (I always get "mayo-hands" here), satisfying sandwich.

It's always comforting to know that a favorite is still going strong….or even stronger for that matter.

And I know, I've got try out some other things here….I'll save that for my next visit…..at least that's what I always tell myself.

SuperNatural Sandwiches
7094 Miramar Rd. #122
San Diego, CA 92121
Hours:
Mon – Fri 9am – 8pm
Sat 10am – 8pm
Sun 10am – 4pm