What Cathy Eats! – Page 106

La Playita-Mexican Seafood. Excellent.

August 13, 2007 Cathy Seafood, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

La Playita has closed

Other posts on La Playita can be found here, here, here and here

mmm-yoso never goes on vacation. It is a blog, you know. A blog about food. Today, Cathy is talking about what she ate. The other blogger guys are merely reading and enjoying vicariously.

Hello again. I am back and oh so happy. The Mister and I just had the most wonderful meal. In April, Mr. P. told me this place was great when I asked him about it and I merely stored that tidbit of information.

I could kick myself for not going to La Playita sooner. It is right up the street from Ba Ren, in the same parking lot as the Smart N Final on Clairmont Mesa Boulevard, in the back corner of the parking lot Lp_003 , closer to Limerick Street.

This is pretty much what it looks like inside-3 small tables and 7 stools at the counter…and lots of references to Pancho Villa, I am unsure why. You order and they start assembling and cooking. Basically, it is all seafood except for the corn tortilla quesedilla for $2.50, mentioned on a piece of paper taped on the wall.

We decided to be the token Caucasians and order in that way this first time, so the fish(0r shrimp) taco ($2.50) (also mentioned only on a piece of paper taped to the window and on the wall), was ordered. They had to fry it- an unusual sound – using the pan fryer and all. These two are the only fried items you can order.Correction- when it is hot weather out, those are the only two fried items you can order. When it is of a better temperature outdoors, there are several 'specials' on the wall listed that are pan fried and delicious!

Lightly corn meal battered slices of fresh red snapper (which is otherwise used in the ceviche) served on a single tortilla with tomatoes, cilantro, onion and some spicy, creamy orange colored sauce which is also made in store. Served with a home made hot sauce which is very good.

This is the menu on the wall. No take out menu and the website isn't quite working. (Click to enlarge.)

The medium Shrimp Cocktail ($7). We did not count how many large, juicy, sweet tasting shrimp were in here, but at least a dozen. They were barely cooked (i.e., not mushy) and nicely chilled. So sweet and quite large. The nice lady at the counter (mom?) put some what we thought were onions and shrimp juice on the bottom, then the shrimp, then more sauce, which was made of fresh tomatoes and their juice, cucumber slices-not onions!-, cilantro and lime juice. Perfectly simple and wonderfully refreshing. (The Mister does not like onions at all.)

Then, the reason I came- ceviche. This is the small ($5) tostada of "House" ceviche- Three sizes available, 4 types to choose from(could have gotten shrimp, imitation krab or the large ($10) size of ceviche tostada called "Super Crazy") and the House one is made with scallops. Scallops that are raw and only start cooking in the lime juice when you order and the ceviche is assembled. Fresh. For you. When you order. This small size is more expensive than other ceviche tostadas around town, but is definitely double the amount of seafood and tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro than you usually get elsewhere. No Jalapeño or onions, just fresh, crisp wonderful fresh flavors. By far the best I have had.

If you are craving Mexican Seafood, this is the place to try.

La Playita Seafood 5185 Clairmont Mesa Blvd, San Diego 92117 (858) 874-6484 . No hours listed. Website

A Brooklyn Pizzeria- on Mission Gorge Road; NY Style Pizza without the attitude

August 10, 2007 Cathy Pizza, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso, the blog, is back with Cathy talking today. Kirk and Ed are merely eating somewhere -one of them in California, the other in Arizona- so they, too, can blog soon. This is a fun hobby we have.

Hi. So, anyhow, The Mister and I were out last Sunday, looking for something cold to drink in the humidity that is "summer" (for all of two weeks) to those of us who now live in San Diego and were on Mission Gorge Road. We saw "yetanotherStarbucks" and stopped. A few doors down, this placard caught my eye:

This storefront was a Republican Party Headquarters for the 2004 election, and I never paid attention to it once "Frank’s Happy Chef" closed in the mall ( We really liked Franks- Greek and wonderfully fresh; it is now an Indian Buffet). There is a Souplantation in there, but the parking situation is kind of horrid since there are quite a few places to eat and it is within waking distance from two Kaiser Hospitals.

I stepped back and saw the signage with the not too original name (or so I thought)…"Pizzeria, Etc."

We ventured in and grabbed a menu.

I saw the name and website address "A Brooklyn Pizzeria". Hmmm. Other NY Style pizzerias sometime have "an attitude" with us. No names shall be mentioned here. You know where I mean, and I do like their pizzas.

It is not air conditioned inside, but we did not want to take a whole Cheese Pie home…and, they had salads on the menu (unlike my prior Favorite Pizza Joint in San Diego). We said we would eat in, ordered a small antipasto salad ($5.50) and a Cheese Pie ($11.00- $1 less than where we usually go) Of course all pies are the same 18 inch size and made in the NY style. There is a case of ready made pies, where you can order a slice or two at the front door, just like at that place with an attitude.

Nunzio prepared our small salad in two bowls for us- which was nice.

Not much lettuce (which I did not want anyhow but suspect we would have gotten more of if we got the salad "to go") but a provolone/capicola roll, some cut up mortadella and Genoa salami along with gardiniera, fresh tomato, cucumber, olive pieces, onion and a pepperocini, all tossed with a nice Italian dressing and topped with shredded mozzarella. Brought out to our table- nice.

The cheese pie. Again, brought out to our table, (unlike being set in a window with merely the toppings of the pie yelled out, so you can go and pick it up yourself, like at that other place). Nice, thin crust, good, salty, fresh tasting mozzarella with a very good, rich, tomato-y sauce. We did add oregano which was on the table.

When we finished, we went up to ask about dessert with the leftover pizza on the pan and Nunzio boxed it up for us.

This place serves excellent Pizza. (There is a daily special of 2 slices and a drink for $6) and somehow I suspect the sandwiches are great also. They also sometimes have Zeppoli (2 for $1), although not the day we were there. I *love* Zeppoli and can find it on occasion only at Solunto Bakery in Little Italy. The people who work here are all very nice and friendly and efficient. Try to stop by. You will like it and won’t get yelled at.

A Brooklyn Pizzeria 6171 Mission Gorge Road San Diego 92120 phone (619) 584-9000(fax) (619) 584-9004 Sun-Thurs 11a.m.-9 p.m, Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m. website

Palominos #2-yet another (good) Mexican and Seafood Shop

August 9, 2007 Cathy Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is a blog. Today Cathy is doing the talking, because this is where she ate. Kirk and Ed are taking a break.

Hello again. The Mister and I have been sick, yet still eating, just not taking photos and therefore nothing to blog about. However, the camera went with us today when we met up at one of our easy dinner meeting places- Palominos #2 -located across Ruffin Road from the Registrar of Voters Office.

A simple menu with some outstanding food (click to enlarge).

You order, pay and then can load up at the Chips and Salsa Bar.

I kind of like all of the salsas for one use or another, either just to eat with the chips while waiting, or as a compliment to the various meats or seafood.

No real preference. All are outstanding. Fresh made daily.

We started out with an Al Pastor taco ($2.40)- one of the best al pastors I have had.

The pork has been in a deep rich marinade that has a little heat from the red chiles and I detect oregano and cumin in the moist with crispy edged pieces of meat and sweetness from pineapple. It is an excellent example of Al Pastor.

Since it was Tuesday, we got the Special for the day- chile relleños (or cheese tamales), rice and beans ($4.75-reg $5.99).

The chiles are fresh, not canned, the cheese is a very fresh tangy jack and the sauce has a subtle bite to it. They are made in house, fried to order and the batter part that is not covered with sauce is oh so crispy and fresh.

Sometimes I am in a mood for a crispy chilled taco and the shredded beef ones are what I choose($2.05 each). There is something about the shredded beef- must be the grease- that I so crave. Inside the freshly fried shell with some lettuce and cheese and some hot sauce…oh I sometimes *have* to have that crunch.

What I *always* get here, no matter what else we order, is the ceviche tostada ($2.99). Made fresh daily with more tasty fresh rock shrimp (rather than small unflavorful shrimp), fresh tomatoes, cilantro and onions (barely any jalapeño as some other taco shops use)…it is perfect. Almost always I am not the only one ordering this treat no matter the day of the week or the time of day. It is served with a bottle of Tapatio Hot Sauce on the side and a sliver of avocado…just wonderfully refreshing. Quality Food. Plenty of indoor seating and three outdoor tables.

Palominos #2 Mexican and Seafood Restaurant 9353 Clairmont Mesa Blvd Suite I San Diego 92123 (858) 292-8470 (Behind the Carl’s Jr.) Mon-Fri 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Saturday 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Sunday 6:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

For Those concerned about me getting my “greens”

August 8, 2007 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Korean Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

**** This location of Nozomi has closed

To appease those who are concerned about the lack of "green" in my diet (various garnishes excluded), I dropped by Nozomi on Convoy. As our very own Cathy mentioned in Her post, Nozomi is a Korean owned "mini-chain" of Korean-Japanese restaurants.

Now Nozomi is a pretty popular lunch spot, known for large portions. In keeping with these type of operations, Nozomi also seems to serve every single version of Westernized sushi roll known to mankind.

Not my cup of tea…but if it floats your boat…..

There's really only one thing I order at Nozomi, and I always call it the "Hwe Dop Bop", I think it's called the Chirashi(scattered) Salad on the menu ($11.45). It is a ginourmous salad bowl with mixed greens on rice, topped with a variety of medium quality fish…maguro, hamachi, sake(salmon), ebi(shrimp), tobiko(flying fish roe), etc….

Now I really wouldn't want any of this fish topping a piece of nigiri sushi, but in this case I'm fine with it. Why, you may ask? Well it's because I end up pouring a ton of the Gochujang based sauce (Cho Jang?) all over the salad. The drill is simple, you mix all the salad ingredients together, spoon into accompanying bowl, top with a generous amount of sauce, and have at it. Try not to let the sweat pouring off your chin, nose, and down your back deter you from completing your mission.

That mission would be to finish all 8 or so bowls of salad….. like Momma always said, remember to clean your plate(in this case bowl). On this day, the maguro was not very good…which meant more sauce. During a single meal, I will sometimes go through almost a half bottle. As for flavors, I enjoy the flavor of the mizuna and the peppery kaiware(daikon radish sprouts). The sauce while not the best I've had, has a mild sesame oil – vinegar flavor, it could stand to be a touch sweeter. If you really think about it…I'd still eat this without the fish(except the tobiko, which adds a nice crunchy texture), but hey, you need your protein, right?

I have seen 2 people splitting this, but on this visit I watched in amazement as a tiny Korean Lady polished this off, along with a roll. And she finished before I did! Well, I did get my greens, and also approached food coma status without the aid of gravy, red meat, mayo, or any of a number of fried items. Eight bowls of salad…..my body's going into shock!

Nozomi Noodle & Teriyaki
4637 Convoy St Ste 104
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 569-7773

Speaking of sushi…..during a recent visit to Mien Trung, I noticed this sign in the window of what used to be La Basil Thai. Looks like a sushi joint called "Sushi Diner" will be taking the spot of La Basil. But tell me…..are you ready for "Diner" sushi?

San Diego Brewing Company- great brews and happy hour!

July 26, 2007 Cathy Pubs and Pub Grub, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is being blogged by Cathy today. Apparently Kirk and Ed have nothing to blog about.

So, I had a meeting in Mission Valley last Thursday that ended at 5 p.m. and could have gone straight up Friars and it turns into Mission Gorge Road and then straight home to Santee, and I suppose would have had to cook dinner. Instead, I used that handy-dandy mobile phone I have and called The Mister and told him to meet me at the San Diego Brewing Company;

They have Happy Hour from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. Beer pints are $3 and appetizers are half off, sort of…if you didn’t study math.

Well, that was easy, since I always get a "Brewman’s Plate" as my main course whenever I come here. It is on the appetizer menu, and I suppose you are supposed to share it.

This is the bad photo. You get a loaf o hot sourdough, a Bavarian Beer sausage, Italian turkey sausage, Gouda, pepper jack and cheddar cheese slices, raw vegetables, fresh fruit and a mustard sauce. (Regular price $9.75 Happy Hour charge $4.75)(don’t ask). I like the sausages here and the Gouda and cheddar are great; I just do not understand the concept of pepper jack. The sourdough is very sour and is also something I don’t crave. It is a nice bread though- crispy crust and soft insides. The veggies and fruits are always varied- this day there was watermelon, cantaloupe and another melon. Sometimes you get a whole apple (which goes great with the cheese). The mustard sauce goes nicely with the Bavarian beer sausage and you don’t need anything with the Italian turkey sausage.

The Mister thought we should try the Country Chicken Tenders

(Regular price $6.99, Happy Hour $3.50). Light , crisp breading on 5 very large, juicy pieces of chicken breast. Served with a ranch dipping sauce. A very large portion of food.

The babyback ribs are listed as being a half rack and I did not count the leftover bones, but I really think they gave us more than a half rack. (Regular price $8.94, Happy Hour $4.25) . A really nice tangy BBQ sauce, very juicy, meaty pork ribs.

We thought we should have more vegetables, so in the vein of the County Fair, we chose onion rings! ( Regular $5.79, Happy Hour $2.90) Light beer batter, thick sliced sweet onions. Perfect.

That was our meal…oh, the most expensive item…well, we could not decide on a beer form those available on tap, so we got a "Taster Set".

There happened to be eight beers on tap that night. The samples are at least 3.5 ounces each, maybe 4 ounces. From top (lightest) to closest to camera: -Grantville Gold, 4.9%, light ale with a clean hop finish;- Whatza Witte, 5%, white wheat; – San Diego Amber, 6%, copper ale;- Old Town Nut Brown, 5.4%, dark brown ale with a carmel and roasted nut finish;- Mission Trails Pale Ale, 5.2%, citrus aroma, rye, hint of hops;- El Hefe, hefeweizen;- Concecrator Bock, 7.5% m chewy;- Oatmeal Stout.

This was the most expensive purchase…$6

Yes, so in total, all of this food and drink was $23.06. I am such a cheap date.

San Diego Brewing Company 10450 Friars Road, Suite L San Diego 92120 (619)284-2739

Solunto Bakery in Little Italy- Breakfast and snacks and baked goods

July 24, 2007 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Sandwiches, What Cathy Eats!

Solunto has closed. It will be missed.

mmm-yoso is being blogged by Cathy today. Kirk is doing something else. Ed is sweltering.

Hi, again. The Mister and I were downtown early on Saturday morning and wanted breakfast. We have a few "regular" spots we like to go to before the crowds (and parking meters) kick into gear, and since I do blog about the foods I eat…here we go!

Solunto Bakery on India Street. Been there forever. They supply the bread to most of the Italian restaurants- in a par baked form- so it is always fresh. We go to the source.

Technically the food area in the back is "Honey Bee Ltd." It is run by the same ladies who work in the bakery. They use the same cash register.

The red menu is the breakfast menu; the middle one is the sandwich and specialties menu and the third, more yellow one is the bakery items price sheet. (Click onto any photo to enlarge)

I got the spinach and cheese two egg omelet ($6.95) It comes with the potatoes and a fresh roll and butter. You can watch the ladies crack the eggs and make the omelet and grab a par-baked Frenchette roll and warm it in the convection oven. (You can buy the par baked frenchettes for 40¢ each or $4.35/dozen).

You can see from this cross section that there is plenty of fresh spinach inside the omelet. The cheese was a mild cheddar. The potatoes are nicely crispy on the outside and flavorful, soft on the inside…olive oil for cooking, Not overly buttery. Of course the Frenchette is excellent. Crispy outside, with a great sesame flavor in every bite.

The Mister saw the calzone in the refrigerator case and asked if we could have one heated up for breakfast…of course we could! ($5.95)

As you can see, it is filled with ham, pepperoni and capicola as well as the nicest, creamiest, freshest ricotta and mozzarella I have had in a long time, surrounded by that wonderful handmade crust. The sauce for dipping was a very nice tomato based one, with a slight amount of garlic and olive oil added. Just right. Tastes so fresh.

The regular coffee here is, meh, and the cappuccino is better with breakfast, but we knew we were heading to the New Downtown Albertson's (it has a Peets inside) and so we just got a regular coffee on this day.

We always get something par baked ( panini are 55¢ each or $5.75/dozen or a demi loaf $1.75), but I didn't take a picture and since it is Tuesday, well, it's gone.

Occasionally, as it says on the menu, they have Sfingi for 25¢ each or 5/$1 and I grab them up when I can…(basically small fried donut holes, made with orange and lemon zest- usually eaten for the Feast of San Guiseppe- and sometimes stuffed with a ricotta mixture if you get it from a Good Italian Home)(The Mister and I had some from this teensy bakery in Naples, still warm, and it brings back good memories to taste the warm orange/lemon flavoring in a lightly fried dough…)

Solunto Bakery and Honey Bee Ltd. 1643 India Street San Diego 92101 (619) 233-0881

Arely Again-A revisit to a really good French Bakery Cafe

July 13, 2007 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, European Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso, the blog. This is it. Cathy blogging today; Kirk is resting; Ed is in Yuma.

Hi again. I’ve been under the weather, because of the weather, and didn’t feel much like eating out anywhere in the last week (let’s politely say phlegm was involved and leave it at that).

Looking at Kirk’s post about his Bun Bo Hue dossier, I noticed he mentioned his "regular rotation" and started thinking about it. The Mister and I eat at Arely a lot, not for the atmosphere (5 tables, plastic plates and cutlery) but because of the food. It is very good and quite authentically French. In fact, the last time we were here (a couple of Saturdays ago), three people in front of us all were speaking in French to each other, ordering in accented English and then while we were waiting for our food, another group of three people also speaking only in French were also getting food to eat there. Lots of people get food to go, many cakes are preordered and picked up.

Here is a link to my previous post on Arely. I noticed I said I would talk about breakfast and so here is the follow up.

Here is a copy of the glossy menu you can pick up inside. (Click on any photo to enlarge). It’s the same menu as is on the wall that I had in the previous post.

Let’s start out with something simple, basic. An almond croissant. Sure, I sort of cut it open to show you a cross section in this photo. You can’t feel the weight of it or the fact that it was still warm, with crispy layers-delicate layers of dough, the sweet layer of homemade marzipan-honey mixed with finely chopped almonds, or..oh, look…that filling…it is chopped almonds.

Here, how is this photograph? Hand chopped, thin slivers of almonds, still crispy, sweet. Oh, did I say it was still a warm pastry at 10 a.m. on a Friday morning?…hmmm…what did I forget to tell you? Oh, it costs all of $1.50, as do the muffins, apple turnovers, danishes, scones, and walnut raisin snails. The ‘fancy’ Deserts (Napoleons, creme brule, tiramisu, eclairs (chocolate and vanilla) St. Michele, raspberry chocolate mousse, horseshoes, montmartre, opera cake and cheesecake and a chocolate mousse cake) are each the staggering price of $2.95. It is all made here. Fresh.

This loaf of multi grain bread is$2.60. It is very good bread. Hearty, chewy. Different from the baguettes, which have a nice crispy crust. Fresh.

I know, it is not "extraordinary" as far as the location and ambiance goes. You pay, dearly, for that privilege. This place has excellent, fresh made food and pastries and breads. I shant discuss other bakeries here. I know what is good as well as what is excellent and what I will pay for good and excellent.

Ah, breakfast- here are two omelettes

Each costs $5.95 and came with the 5 slices of baguette and side, as shown.

The one on the left is with the fresh fruit (melon, cantaloupe, strawberries, orange slices and apple slices). Each fruit was extremely flavorful and at its peak. The cantaloupe was the most flavorful one I have had this year. The omelette on the right is shown with the side of home potatoes (sauteed with skins on with some onion and..hmmm… I think it was butter).

Ah, innards.

This one is the ratatouille – eggplant, zucchini, tomato and Herbes de Provence . Really good Herbes de Provence- as in you can taste the lavender herb quite clearly. Fresh herbs, fresh sauteed vegetables.

The omelettes are made with real eggs; I did bite on a piece of eggshell near the end of this meal. It just was reassuring that my taste buds, realizing how fresh the egg tasted, were not playing a trick on me.

This is the ‘why play games?’ omelette- spinach and blue cheese. Oh yes. You kind of need those pieces of baguette to fully appreciate the melted blue cheese.

Please look at the previous post to see the French Onion Soup as well as quiche and sandwich choices we had one day. Then, just go.

Arely French Bakery Cafe 4961-A Clairemont Drive 92117 (next to Pick Up Sticks and Woodie’s- you can see the Krispy Kreme and Outback just across the parking lot) (858)270-1910 Mon-Sat 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Flaming Wok- Mandarin and Szechuan in Santee

June 27, 2007 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Flaming Wok has closed

mmm-yoso, the blog, is what you are reading. Kirk is still not feeling like posting and Cathy does feel like posting.

Hello again. We were hungry, did not want to drive, yet had a taste for something Asian. Down the street, next to Albertsons, for more than 17 years.

Flaming Wok used to be kind of really neat to walk in and watch. The woks were right there behind glass, with flames. Kind of why they named it that way.

They have remodeled. There goes that photo. Now it is just the name of the place.

Nice, decor, but, what is wrong with this photo?

FORKS!!!!

OK. I am done. Just a little pet peeve. The food is good.

I like how the menu has superimposed drawings of the general categories- chicken, shrimp, eggs, cow.

We started with our usual, three ingredient sizzling rice soup. ($6.95) It comes in a large bowl and is ladled out into the smaller bowl seen here. We each got about 3 small bowls of soup from the large one. Sizzling rice squares, a rich chicken broth, shrimp, chicken nd beef, along with water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms and pea pods. The peas were crispy fresh and the meats were juicy and flavorful, with the shrimp being quite large and sweet.

I got the vegetable egg foo young ($7.25)- a huge portion, kin of ended up shaped like it was cut on the bottom of the wok, filled with bean sprouts, shredded onions, shredded carrots , crispy crust on the outside and light and fluffy on the interior. Served with a sauce that was gelatinous/made from beef bones. Not salty, but deep rich in flavor. All of this reheated well the next day.

The Mister wanted noodles. Special Upside Down Pan Fried Noodles ($9.75). Thick rice noodles, cooked and fried until crispy.then placed on top of the stir fried beef, chicken, pork and shrimp in a thick gravy with broccoli, carrots, onions and water chestnuts. The noodles had a nice "bite" even when drenched in the gravy.

It is a nice, local, delve into good fresh Mandarin Chinese Food without the drive to Convoy Street.

Flaming Wok 9888 Magnolia (at Mast) Santee 92071 (619)596-3749 open 7 days 11:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

La Casita Mexican Restaurant- Good Mexican Seafood in El Cajon

June 26, 2007 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is the blog, which Cathy is doing today because Kirk isn’t. He just isn’t.

Hello again. Looking at the past few weeks of the blog, it seems that none of us has gone out to eat, except maybe to a "regular rotation" . So, here is one of our favorite places, yet another Mexican Restaurant, in El Cajon. La Casita "Especialidad en Mariscos"-specializing in seafood. If you are at the interesection of Magnolia and Bradley, ready to turn onto Highway 67- the In-N- Out is on your left, so you are facing south…right there behind the gas station …see it? (So, it is basically on the southwest corner at 67 and Bradley)

OK, park and it looks like this. It is also the Radiator Repair Shop parking lot. One row for cars.

You walk in and there is a menu on the wall in front of you. Order, pay, get a tray with chips and some cups for salsa, load up and sit down. Your food will be brought to you. *** The prices on this printed menu are off by about $1 on some items; new menus are being printed***

It was Friday, so I decided on a fish taco ($2.25)

Two corn tortillas, a lightly breaded, crispy fried fish piece,tangy white sauce, salsa, guacamole and cabbage. Fresh tasting and oddly, light.

I also had a craving for a ceviche tostada ($3.50). It is made with only shrimp here and so wonderful. The mix of tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapeño was jsut perfect. Some nights though, I htink there is too much jalapeño. It is always this overfilled.

The Mister wanted a salad, and there is only one on the menu- #9, Ensalada la Casita- beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and olives, with a choice of shredded beef or chicken ($5.50). Substantial food. Not much lettuce. Great shredded beef. The Mister usually likes the Camarones la Casita plate ($9) 5 very large shrimp with a cornmeal breading and rice, beans, salad and tortilla.

As I said, you do pay first, but the food is brought out to you at these lovely tables. There are murals over all the walls, but I like this one on the back wall the best.

Really, The Mister and I come here for breakfast more often than not. All of the items are $6. We go to the Starbucks in the In-N-Out mall, one block North, for coffee after.

La Casita Mexican Food 1503 N. Magnolia El Cajon 92019 (619)444-8228 Open 7 days 6 a.m.-9 p.m.

Baseball Game Food for others- (A day sort of at the ballpark)

June 24, 2007 Cathy Festivals & Events, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso, the blog, never is on vacation. It is a day for Cathy to write about what she ate,and other stuff. Kirk is way busy.

Hi. It’s Sunday June 24. The 2004 National Champion Boston Red Sox are in town. Tickets to this game have been sold out for months. The Mister and I still saw the game, live. But not quite on ground level.

Oh, yes, we were in the new Diamond View Tower commercial building, right next to the ballpark, 15th floor, along with about 100 of our closest friends, some University of Michigan Alumni.

Seems one of our fellow Alums works for Point Loma Bank and the top floor Suite was available we were able to attend this event for a small donation to the University of Michigan San Diego Scholarship Fund.

This is part of the interior view and there is a patio that looks out onto the Ballpark.

Glass windows, floor to ceiling, and six television sets inside. You could hear the bat hit the ball inside the room, while watching the television. You could hear the crowd roar. It was like being there, but with air conditioning and no lines in the bathroom.

Oh, right. It was catered. Quite well.

This is the outdoor Diamondviewtowersum_002 fire pit, clear and colored tumbled glass with a gas line through the center. Beautiful at night. The flames were on during the day, but I don’t think you can see very well (click onto any photo to enlarge). That giant canopied round pillowed chair looked through the glass railings down on to the field.

Food. Right.

Smoked chicken quesedilla wedges topped with a fresh salsa. very nice.

Bruschetta topped with caramelized onions.

Outside, a grill was going.

Soon, these small, yet substantial "Sliders" showed up. Burger, cheese, pickle, caramelized onion on an egg bun. Really tasty, quite enough in four bites and just plain nice.

There was this bow tie pasta salad,

made with a nice basil based dressing.

Also this spinach/artichoke/onion dip, served with a variety of crackers and bread slices.

Then, this sign and setup(click on the photo to read):

Oh. My.

Me and mashed potatoes. and toppings. Life is good. Ballpark food this isn’t.

The Mister’s first "martini"- mashed potatoes, Gorgonzola, bacon, wild mushroom gravy and some fried leeks.

My first "martini"-potatoes, Gorgonzola, parsley and fried leeks.

Oh yes, it was wonderful. Notice I said ‘first martinis’. There were more, a lot more. The chicken curry sauce was wonderful and different, quite tasty, just a little heat.

Oh, sure, there was a coffee set up with some nice dessert bites. The cookies were unique- one seemed to have instant coffee as an ingredient and the other was more of a soft gingersnap. There were diamond shaped brownies, peanut butter topped brownies, lemon diamonds and raspberry oatmeal cookies. All were fresh and tasty, not too sugary.

But, well, if you have paid attention…I am not that into sweets. Remember those crackers outside, next to the artichoke dip? and the Gorgonzola that nobody seemed to be touching? Yep- a nice little cheese and cracker tray.

Then, I just didn’t bother and filled a martini glass with Gorgonzola only.

Hope everyone is having a nice first weekend of Summer!

Oh, Boston won 4-2. The Mister and I have never attended a game the Padres won. Ever. More than 20 years.