Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

Funny thing, we're not real big "Christmas folks". But something strange happened during our last trip. First, we visited Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Every year, there's a theme, and a huge Christmas Tree spanning five stories under the dome of the department store. You can click on the image and it will take you to the video page.

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And then we went to the city of Strasbourg, which claims to have the largest Christmas Market in Europe. They say that Strasbourg is the Capital of Christmas. The entire city becomes a Christmas Market.

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Yes, it's very commercial, but for some reason all the happy people, all the sights and sounds, just put us in a great mood.

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You could say we found our Christmas spirit!

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Want to see more amateurish videos?

You can find them on Flickr – here, here, and here.

We hope you have a fantastic and delici-yoso Christmas!

Thanksgiving Day, 2017

We at mmm-yoso!!! wish everyone reading a Happy Thanksgiving Day.  Kirk and His Missus (as well as Cathy and Her Mister) are enjoying non-traditional Thanksgiving Day activities (and meals).  Cathy is writing this post. 

The Mister and I found some good prices on turkeys and sides a few weeks ago.  We couldn't wait and have had our feast.  D395CF31-705A-4573-A95B-6D2D81B71FA9Of course, a regular side dish is always made and usually consumed as an 'appetizer'.80D53779-0976-4698-A389-AAB73ABF5DD3 Fresh cranberries weren't even available in the stores yet….but have been purchased for future meals. 8977ED92-58B3-4B42-803F-AEC104AF4B54 The leftovers were wonderful!

The temperatures in San Diego County will be in the 90's today; it will be summer-y, not autumn-y.

You'll be getting a couple of posts about how all of us observed this holiday.

Until then, be safe, enjoy this day of Thanks, family and/or friends, and/or strangers and have a Happy Thanksgiving from the mmm-yoso gang!

Midweek Meanderings – Red Card Cafe Closes, Sprouts Opens, and Kroran Cuisine Coming Soon

 Red Card Café Closes:

While driving on Morena a couple of weeks ago; I noticed the "For Lease" sign, so I stopped to take a look.

IMG_2128 IMG_2129I was quite surprised to see that Red Card Café had closed down. They had just brought on a new chef and revamped the menu at bit a few months back. Things had looked promising.

Sad to see them go.

4140 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Sprouts Opens in Bay Park:

Or if you prefer; Clairemont. It depends whom you talk to.

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While I was sad to see Keil's close. I felt really bad about all the employees who had been there since we moved to the area fifteen years ago. I hardly ever shopped at Keil's; or any of the large supermarket chains. So, I guess Sprouts makes sense for us. They opened up on the 25th of October.

Good to see the strip mall filling up. Now, I'm wondering what's going to take the place of the Hometown Buffet and the old Mike's BBQ.

3015 Clairemont Dr
San Diego, CA 92117

Kroran Uyghur Cuisine Opening in the Former Nazca Grill Spot:

So, I've been working fairly long hours, some of it in the OC. It's often dark when I leave for work in the morning and likewise when I drive home in the evening. I saw a sign in the window of the old Nazca Grill. So, I took a turn into the strip mall for a look.

IMG_6823 IMG_6824So, Kroran Uyghur Cuisine, huh? This is going to be interesting. The sign says "Coming in 2018".

4310 Genesee Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

 

Quebec City – A Quick Trip to Lévis, Dinner at Le Lapin Saute, and the Secret of the “Red Door” (A K-Drama Tie-in)

We took a short break after our wonderful lunch. Getting back up, the Missus was itching to "do something….anything". I asked the concierge about taking the Ferry across the St Lawrence to the city of Lévis. The very friendly concierge said that just the views of Quebec City was worth the $7.10 CAD (about $5.75) round trip. So off we went. The rather cloudy, rainy weather made for a rather dramatic view of Chateau Frontenac and Terasse Dufferin from the river.

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When we arrived at dock, we just walked out and took a look around. The Missus saw these stairs and of course we ended up walking up.

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We felt a bit odd when we reached the top; it was almost like we walked into someone's yard.

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There were some nice looking homes on this side of the river.

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And the views were wonderful.

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This is Notre-Dame-de-la-Victoire de Lévis Church.

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We took a loop, before heading back down to the dock via the not so picturesque street. And then headed back to QC. We took another break before heading off to dinner.

The place I selected for dinner was on busy Rue du Petit-Champlain. A place named Le Lapin Saute and yes, lapin means "rabbit" in French. The restaurant looks really colorful from the outside and was totally packed! Folks were eating out on the patio in spite of the drizzles.

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Luckily we had reservations.

I had been wanting to try a beer and ordered the Anne Baillargeon from Microbrasserie de l'ile d'Orléans.

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A very light, fizzy, blonde lager….nice and refreshing.

There was one item I really wanted to try here; the Rabbit Poutine.

IMG_5646 IMG_5648You are given a choice of gravies; we chose the version with mustard and it did not disappoint as it added a nice touch of pungent-sweetness that cut the richness. We love the potatoes in Quebec; this version was crisp, but all the fried potatoes seemed to be quite dark, but very sweet. The braised rabbit was very moist and tender, very clean tasting, with a slight almost chicken flavor.

The Cassoulet however, was a mixed bag.

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While the sausage was wonderful as were the lardons; the beans were tough and undercooked, the rabbit dry and tasteless, and the duck confit dry and very salty. There was a lack of thyme-garlic flavor and the dish, other than being salty was a disappointment. The Missus started requesting my cassoulet immediately after.

The service was very friendly, even though the place was slammed. You gotta love Canadians, they are always so polite! IMG_5435

I'm certain we'll return; if only for that poutine and perhaps one of the nice looking salads next time.

Le Lapin Saute
52 Du Petit-Champlain St
Quebec City, Canada

Before heading back to our room; I decided to take a photo of the Red Door.

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What's up with the Red Door you might ask? Well, while walking on Rue du Petit-Champlain during our first afternoon in QC, we noticed a preponderance of Korean tour groups and everyone was taking a photo next to this door. So, when we returned to our room I Googled "red door quebec city" and oh my! Apparently, a K-Drama, known as Goblin, was partially filmed in Quebec City. The series was the second highest rated drama in Korean cable history. And it's made Quebec City a destination for Korean tourists! The Red Door is the portal from Korea to Quebec City and plays a rather large role in the K-Drama. Who'd have thunk? We'd actually run into another Quebec City Goblin filming location before we left the next morning. I texted the photo of the Red Door to our friend and K-Drama junky, "Xiāngjiāo" and got a really excited response "oh-my-god…how did you find the door"! Funny thing, we didn't find the door, the door found us.

I guess that's how Quebec City works!

Thanks for reading!

And now for a short break in the action…..

It's been a busy year for me and I haven't been able to see my dear friends much this year. At least not all together. But this being "C's" Birthday….well, I just couldn't say no.

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And it was such a beautiful day. So, while I still put in some hours at work today, I met them afterwards for dinner. Plus, these are the folks who take whoel roasted pigs to Karaoke and hold Thanksgiving in August, who roasts whole pigs in their parent's backyard. I think "C" wanted seafood……so here's the spread.

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So where's the seafood? Ummm, here…..

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Happy Birthday C! Here's to many more!

Thanks for indulging me folks!

Returning to Tiger! Tiger!

**** Tiger! Tiger! has closed

I sure felt the heat the last couple of days. Must be getting wimpy in my old age.

Just a short post for today…..the humidity almost makes me want to head back to the office…..almost.

A few days back we just decided to get the heck out of the house and head to Tiger! Tiger!. We hadn't been back since January.

As usual the Charcuterie Plate was just what we wanted.

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Though the cucumber – avocado salad was less than stellar. The cucumbers were old and the skin tough….perhaps they should have been peeled. The avocado was brown; too bad, because that dill based dressing was nice.

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Still, it was a nice break.

And yes, I still haven't really ordered anything off the regular menu.

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

It's been tough heading back to Tiger! Tiger! You see the last time we were there at the end of January, was the night we lost Sammy.

It was really strange; the Missus had a rare night off; She's been working like crazy like I have this year. Sammy, who had done deaf two years ago and usually wouldn't hear us when we got home anymore, met us as we returned at the door. I'd recently gotten him some steps so he could hang out on his favorite place on the sofa and we got a kick watching him use it. But you could tell; he was getting up there. He still ate well and his enthusiasm for life was unabated.

The Missus's co-worker knitted this silly looking cap for Sammy and this is our last photo of him on that day….I guess he wasn't amused.

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He seemed extra energetic when we got home, running around, bugging me to play with him and his favorite toy of the hour. He just kept going and going….we just cracked up.

I went into the room we use as an office and Sammy took his usual position right behind my chair. I heard a sighing sound, Sammy looked at me, gasped, and he was gone. We grabbed him, ran out of the house and over to the Pet Hospital, but it was for naught.

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In way, I think Sammy planned it out…..his Mommy was home, he'd had a great and fun evening, enjoyed his dinner, and got to say goodbye.

Typical Sammy.

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Until we meet again.

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SammyK

July 5, 2002 – January 25, 2017

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Strange, our visit to Tiger Tiger was on the 5th……I didn't even realize it until the Missus mentioned it later that evening…..Sammy would have been 15. Maybe???

Rest well my friend.

Midweek Meanderings – What’s the “Story” with Your Story, Taisho Going on Vacation, and Other “Stuffs”

Haven't done one of these in a while…….

What's up with Your Story:

I was doing some errands this past Sunday when I noticed Your Story looked closed.

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Didn't this place just open to a bit of buzz less than three months ago? You can check out Kirbie's post here.

So, what's the story with Your Story? Well, my sources tell me that they are closed permanently and that a KFC is opening in this spot….no, not "that" KFC, but a K(orean) F(ried) C(hicken) spot. I'm fairly certain that Eater will give us the scoop when it's ready to serve.

4403 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Taisho taking a vacation:

At least that's what the sign and Taka-san told me. Closed June 14th – 19th. Reopening on June 20th.  IMG_5775

Nazca Grill closes:

I saw this a couple of weeks ago.

Sad, but on my last visit a couple of months back, the lomo saltado was terrible and the place just seemed tired and worn.

4310 Genesee Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

As did this Jack-In-the-Box:

On the corner of Balboa and Convoy:

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Here's hoping something good takes its place.

Here's what Soo had to say about the place a couple of months back.

7786 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111

Lastly….have you ever seen a more bored looking dog?

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He's not impressed with what Whole Foods had to offer at all…..

Hope you're having a great week!

Trade Winds Tavern Soft Opening, Dudley’s Deli Becoming Tahini Street Food, the Sign for Ramen Ultra is up, Continuing my “Hut Streak”, and Wow, is it Closed?

A bit overdue with these odds and ends.

Trade Winds Tavern Soft Opening:

IMG_3202 IMG_3203Been watching this spot since Char Hut closed. And was kind of curious when I read the Application for Ownership Change announcing the new business, then the Help Wanted sign mentioning a Asian themed Gastropub. So, does Common Theory have some serious competition? Stay tuned. Meanwhile, enjoy the soft opening prices until the end of February.

Trade Winds Tavern
7765 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111

Dudley's Deli Becoming Tahini Street Food:

Almost didn't notice this one.

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Sadly, Dudley's in Kearny Mesa just never gained any traction. Now it's becoming something named Tahini Street Food.

9119 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92123

The Sign for Ramen Ultra is up:

Been watching this location rather carefully. The sign for the shop is up.

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Noticed when I went to pick up lunch at Beauty Hunan. Ready for more ramen?

8199 Clairemont Mesa Blvd Ste M
San Diego, CA 92111

Continuing my "Hut Streak":

So, "Sandy" left a comment on my Noodle Hut post, after I mentioned doing "Two Huts in Three Days". She asked me: What's next – Pizza Hut? Apparently, Cathy read that comment and thought it was a hoot. So, I thought, "ok, why not"? The only problem was…..I don't recall the last time I actually saw a Pizza Hut and let Cathy know. She believes that I just block those places out. So, after doing a Google search, I found a Pizza Hut nearby….doesn't seem to have too many of them left, in Clairemont Town Square. I headed on over……by the time I reached the parking lot, I already had….hmmmm……how to describe it, "buyer's pre-morse"? And upon finding that it looked like a take-out only shop, I decided to turn around and head back to the car.

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Yes…you could say that I….."chickened – Hut".

Still, wanting to keep my "hut-streak" going for one more day, I found a place that fulfilled the criteria.

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It must have been fate, because I found a parking space in the worst lot on Convoy.

And had some Wings – "Naked"….sauce on the side. Nicely fried.

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So there you go. I think three "Hut posts" in a row is enough.

Over and "Hut".

Crab Hut
4646 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

And finally…..

Wow, Is It Closed?:

Well, I'm not 100% sure.

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Other than the brown paper blocking things out….the light are still on. Still, if Great Wow did close like this; it would probably fit the rather interesting pattern of how they opened.

3860 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Recently Consumed – The Numb Nutz Edition

For the two years or so, one of my favorite snacks is this……

06282014 013 Going Nuts 03These "spicy" peanuts are quite addictive. They aren't super spicy, but also have that "ma" (numbing) thing going on with whole Sichuan Peppercorns used along with dried chilies. It's a nice salty, spicy, and numbing snack. Inevitably I started calling these "numb nutz". I even started giving these away to folks, often telling them, "this snack reminded me of you". A little inside joke.

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Anyway, I was wondering what would happen if I actually used these peanuts in a dish. I had a couple of cups of corn and used 1 cup of "numb nutz", doing a quick high heat stir fry. This was actually not bad……

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The Missus has me cooking with "la rou" a lot these days. Her favorite prep is simply spinach stir fried using the Big Kahuna with La Rou and Garlic.

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I topped it with some shaved gobo. It's Her current favorite; though I think the shaved Brussel sprouts with La Rou might be gaining ground. Heck, I've even done an edamame – orange bell pepper stir fry, that was more of a beer snack….it would probably go well with some numb nutz……

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Just playing in the kitchen I guess….

And who you callin' numb nutz?