mmm-yoso – Page 158 – As in, yoso-silly, yoso-hungry, yoso-full, or best of all; mmm-delici-yoso!!!!! A San Diego based food and travel blog. An Ex-Pat Kama'aina and Friends explore food, restaurants, and travel from San Diego and points beyond.

2020 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade Road Tests #5 and #6, breakfasts at Michael’s Superburgers (Irwindale) and other (regular) stops

November 24, 2019 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Bakery, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Road Trip, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is primarily a food blog. So many events revolve around finding a place for a meal. Cathy (and Her Mister) have a regular pastime of viewing the Tournament of Roses Rose Parade floats being tested for mechanics and maneuverability before being decorated and participating in the Parade on January 1. Here's another post.

The Tournament of Roses is only a few weeks away. There are so many activities which will happen the week between Christmas and January 2- you can find comprehensive and updated listings in The Rose Examiner. The tournament is not just the Parade and the football game; there is Bandfest, Equestfest, Sip and Savor, Rose Bowl Bash, Rose Bowl Hall of Fame Induction and the Showcase of Floats. So much to see and do to ring in the New Year!

The past few months have been unusually busy for The Mister and myself that I didn't post the October Float Road Test at Phoenix Decorating Company in Irwindale. Here are a few photos (some are 'before and after') of both test days.

"Planting Seeds of Hope", presented by the Sikh American Float Foundation, describes the 2020 float: "Bhai Ghaneya Singh, a devout Sikh, leads the float as he symbolically pours water from his sheepskin vessel. He is remembered for his selfless service to all humanity with love, respect, compassion and humility. The water flows onto large sculpted flowers each supporting children from diverse backgrounds. A fantasy garden provides the backdrop to a nurturing environment in which we celebrate our greatest hope for the future….our children." Each year, I learn something from the Sikh float.
The SCAN Foundation has a float in the Rose Parade for the first time. The title of "Hope's Heroes" reflects the definition of this organization, "an independent public charity devoted to transforming care for older adults in ways that preserve dignity and encourage independence".
Shriners Hospitals for Children has the theme of "Hope Knows No Limits" and features Fezzy Bear pushing a young girl, with a below the knee prosthesis, on a swing.
Trader Joe, the Fearless Flyer, is depicted on the 2020 float, "It Takes a Flight of Fancy"…
spinning in a pickle barrel!Western Asset's 2020 Rose Parade entry, "Growing a Better Tomorrow" is quite a large float, depicting a series of tree houses in an exotic setting. Magnificent!
The 'Banner Float" is colored in and ready to be decorated to display the theme of the parade at the start.
The final two floats of the parade
will relay the upcoming Tournament of Roses Rose Bowl football game, to be played at 2 p.m. on January 1.

Decorating (dry/detail) begins Saturday December 7 (and the following Saturdays before Christmas) then the fresh flowers arrive and daily decorating from December 26 forward. There are links to sign up for volunteering on the Phoenix Decorating Company site.

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On to the Food portion of the blog. In October, The Mister and I stopped at 'the usual' place- Cream Pan in Tustin for a sandwich, a ham and cheese croissant and a strawberry croissant. After the float road test, we (again) returned to Portos in West Covina, where we shared an "Omelette Plato" ($6.45)-a cheese omelette topped with avocado and tomato which comes with crispy Spanish potatoes and an arugula salad tossed with a lemon vinaigrette. Filling, refreshing and there's enough room for other items…since this was the last weekend of October,
Dia de los Muerto decorated cookies and Pan de Muertos were purchased. The soft, eggy bread was filled with candied orange peel and orange blossom water; a wonderful bread.

Also, seasonal potato balls were available: filled with turkey, gravy and vegetables, rolled in a well seasoned crust, these are a very special treat (and only $1.05!). [photo credit to canine cologne]

We stopped at the Kolache Factory yesterday and the seasonal turkey with stuffing kolache was available (along with our 'always order' of a bacon and cheese kolache). Seasonal offerings are always special.

When leaving the Road Test, we went one signal light South and then East to the next signal light. On the Southwest corner of Arrow Highway and Vincent, this signage made me take a turn into the parking lot.
The breakfast menu behind the counter is straightforward.
I haven't ordered a bacon and egg sandwich ($6.99) in a while; have forgotten what I am missing. White bread, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, four thick slices of crispy bacon and a beautiful runny egg. Simple perfection.
The Mister ordered a chili cheese omelet ($9.99). At least there eggs, filled with cheese, topped with a really good chili that was topped with more cheese. Again, perfection. His toast was sourdough, the hash browns were wonderfully crisp.

Need to stop at the local places; follow the New Year Resolution.

Michael's Superburgers 16350 Arrow Highway Irwindale, CA 91706 Open daily 6 a.m.-midnight Website

The Cowboy Channel has a float in the parade; it's under construction. Link to artist rendition of some of the 2020 Rose Parade floats

Andell’s Bakery and Kitchen (Rancho Penasquitos)-Filipino and Vietnamese (and cake)

November 23, 2019 Cathy Bakery, Filipino Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!! on this busy weekend before Thanksgiving. Kirk is taking a break (with His Missus) and Cathy is writing for a few days.

Another day of driving without a plan. The Mister and I took the 56 to Rancho Penasquitos Boulevard and drove straight on Carmel Mountain Road to the first light and into the mall on the North. There were few lunch choices: a coffee shop, a taco shop and this 'bakery'.

There were some signs in the window and a sandwich board out front. Of course we walked in.
Menu boards behind the ordering area,
also on the wall…a few tables and counter eating spaces inside. We found a great variety of choices for lunch.
The Daily Specials (only on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) listed Kang Kai Kole (a South Thai chicken curry) ($8.99) this day. Southern Thai food is essentially mild and Kang Kai is a simple curry paste, made with fresh ingredients (not a packet of paste)- Here is a recipe. This curry from Andell's was thick and very fresh tasting (there were bits of ground coriander in the curry paste along with cumin, cinnamon and turmeric along with the salty shrimp paste and a bit of tamarind and some sweet from palm sugar). There was a whole chicken thigh, carrots, onion and potato over a nice amount of (a better quality) rice. This curry is a new favorite.

Since it was Friday (when I don't eat meat) and also because it looked good, a Pandesal with sardines and olives ($4.50) was my order. The bread is baked fresh here. It was perfect, toasted and filled with the mashed mix of sardine with olives. Just large enough for a meal without leftovers.
There is signage everywhere for The Original Londres Sponge Cake, so I ordered a slice ($3.75). The flavors available were durian and pandan. We do like coconut. This sponge cake, filled with a fresh Bavarian Cream was very large (we took half home) and very flavorful, with a perfect sponge and a perfect cream.

Definitely will stop to try other flavors of Londres, along with other menu items. This family owned (and open since 2007) bakery and kitchen is a gem of a neighborhood find.

Andell's Bakery and Kitchen 9926 Carmel Mountain Road San Diego, CA 92129 (858)538-8308 Website Open Wed-Sun 7 am-2 pm, Closed Monday and Tuesday

Tea Station-another post

November 21, 2019 Cathy Taiwanese Food and Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!!. Kirk has been posting a lot lately and is taking a break from blogging to catch up with things. Cathy is writing today.

There have been a few posts here about Tea Station: briefly mentioned in 2007 then I finally wrote a post in 2011, 2012, third post in 2013, and most recently in 2016, a 'regular' stop for The Mister and myself when we are in the area.

You can walk in and order 'to go', or step to the right, find a table and seat yourself. Menus are delivered quickly.
We always order a pot of tea which is brewed to order. This visit, it was Pu-Erh (a smoky black tea with camomile) ($6.25). Brisk, refreshing and so very good.
There are several menu choices which you can order as a "Set" (rice plus a trio of sides of the day) for an additional $5. This day, the order was the Garlic Wing Set ($11.75). The wings-crispy and garlic-y skin, meaty and moist wings. As always, a quality steamed rice. The Set was a wonderful potato salad, a toothsome cooked cabbage sort-of-slaw and a meaty curry with tofu. Quite a lot of food.

The beef dumpling soup ($13.75) was served in a deep bowl, topped with preserved vegetables.
The soup was also filled with vegetables and the dumplings (ten) had a definite tea infusion/flavor.

Always tasty and satisfying food and tea here, with a wide variety of menu selections.

Tea Station 7315 Clairmont Mesa Blvd San Diego, CA 92111 (858) 268-8198 Open 11:30-midnight daily Website

Sunny Side Kitchen (Escondido)

November 20, 2019 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog, with most posts written by Kirk. Cathy writes posts when Kirk needs a break. Today, it's Cathy's turn.

The Mister and I were in Escondido and turned onto a side street (Orange Street), noticed a few tables on the sidewalk with a sandwich board menu. We had to stop.

Sunny Side Kitchen started out as a stand at North County Farmers Markets in 2013 and then migrated to popping up at various North County breweries and eventually moved into this brick and mortar location in 2015. It's open from 6:30-2:30 Monday-Saturday (and does a lot of local catering).

Walk in, check out another menu board as well as the wall menu, order, pay and find a seat. Your food will be brought to you. There are four tables and some barstools inside and three tables out front.
We were here on Friday, when the Soup of the Day ($4) was clam chowder. A wonderful, lighter version (still creamy, but not gloppy), filled with potato, celery, onion and plenty of canned clams, this did nt need any condiments added in- usually salt and pepper are needed and this soup was just perfectly seasoned.
The Quiche of the Day ($5.75) was green chili and was *wonderful*-like a chile relleno; cheesy, eggy, fluffy with strips of green chile. The no crust quiche made it a 'lighter' meal.
One of the sandwich boards had a "Thanksgiving Salad" listed and we ordered the half size ($6.75). The bowl it was served in is deceptively deep and there was plenty of turkey in between all the mixed greens, along with some onions, raisins, candied pecans, craisins and blue cheese. The cranberry citrus vinaigrette was complimentary to all the other flavors.

Everything is fresh, made to order and really good. We will be returning to try the breakfast menu.

Sunny Side Kitchen 155 S. Orange Street Escondido, CA 92025 (760) 294-4450 (between Valley Parkway and 2nd Avenue) Open Monday-Saturday 6:30-2:30 Closed Sunday Website

40N Pho & Grille

November 18, 2019 mmm-yoso Chicken Wings, Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** 40N Pho & Grille has closed

A few weeks back, Calvin told me about a new Vietnamese/Pho shop that had opened in his neighborhood. He said that he was taking the family there on a regular basis. It was located in a strip mall in Scripps Ranch? Scripps Ranch? I had to go and check the place out.

40N is located off of Scripps Ranch Boulevard, in the same Strip Mall as Vons and Starbucks. I have to say; I didn't even know this strip mall existed; even though it's but a few miles from Miramar Road and the 15 Freeway.

I was the first customer on this weekend morning; there was a nice, friendly Asian woman working….she seemed to know all the customers who came in after me. She was wonderful, though this was the only time I saw her on during my three visits.

By the looks of the restaurant; I could tell this used to be a Sushi bar as the sushi case was still in place.

Since Calvin had told me the Pho here was quite good; I ordered the House Special (Dac Biet – small $8.50).

This was actually not too bad. The rare steak was still rare when the bowl arrived. The noodles were nicely done, it still had a bit of chew and wasn't mushy. The broth, while cloudy, wasn't overly sweet as is the norm in San Diego these days. It had a mild beefiness, light saltiness, though it lacked complexity was a bit on the bland side and was overly defatted for my taste.

The other cuts in the broth were fine; though the flank was tasteless, the brisket had some beefiness, and the tendon was adequately tender, if not buttery in texture.

The basil was starting to brown and the amount of bean sprouts was rather sparse as is the case in many more "westernized" Pho shops.

So, overall not horrible.

During my visit, it seemed that every table ordered the Cha Gio. So, I decided to return and try it out.

I got the 3 roll ($4.50).

I knew I was in trouble when these came out in less than 3 minutes. It had obviously been reheated. The wrappers were really chewy and this lacked any crispness. The nuoc mam cham was watered down and way too sweet. The filling was fine, but was totally ruined by how bad the wrapper was. Well, at least the lettuce was fresh, right?

Well, the meal wasn't over yet. I ordered the Banh Mi Bo Kho ($10). It actually says "Beef Stew" on the menu….what arrived wasn't no "stew".

Lukewarm, doctored pho broth, made really salty by whatever seasoning was used to make it seem like Bo Kho. The meat was too chewy and some pieces were still slightly cold. The best part of this were the carrots; which looked unwieldy, but was fairly tender.

The banh mi was standard issue, no complaints as it was light, yeasty, and had been heated up.

This was just not a very good meal at all.

And yet, there were two more items on the menu I wanted to try; so I decided to head on back.

I'd seen Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings on the menu. So I ordered the 6 piece ($7) version.

While looking a bit greasy, these were actually fairly crisp, with a good amount of seasoning….edging perhaps on the salty side, but not spicy at all. All the pieces were moist, the wings were actually quite good. The huge drumettes on the other hand, while crisp and moist, had a bitter, slightly freezer burnt flavor to them. Too bad, because this might have been pretty good overall. I ate all the wings….and said goodbye to the drumettes.

I also ordered Banh Xeo ($10). Sadly, this was not very good.

The crepe lacked crispness and was very spongy, the bottom a soggy mess. It was also very bland and the watered down, overly sweet nuoc mam cham did it no favors. The pork and shrimp were tough and dry; the bean and mung bean sprouts under-cooked. This really looked like it was slapped together. All that wonderfully fresh lettuce and mint deserved a better version of banh xeo.

So, while the pho and the chicken wings weren't bad, I didn't care for anything else as it just seemed a bit dumbed down. I'm sure folks in the neighborhood appreciate the place; but for me, I don't think it's worth going out of my way for….after all Mira Mesa is just right up the I-15.

40N Pho & Grille
9978 Scripps Ranch Blvd
San Diego, CA 92131
Hours:
Mon – Sat 11am – 9pm
Closed on Sunday

Paris – Le Pont de Sichuan times two

November 17, 2019 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, France, Paris, France, Travel

In my previous post, I mentioned the reservations I have and the realities of doing a post when just doing a single visit to a restaurant. But, when travelling, the reality is, you may only have one meal at a place……often a meal you were looking forward to, had planned on having, and when, like that visit to Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie does not work out, well things are magnified. And then there are times when you have a second opportunity to revisit a place. Le Pont de Sichuan was such a place.

My apologies about doing this a bit out of order.

It was Thanksgiving of 2018 and we were staying in the 2nd Arrondissment, as I mentioned in my previous post. We had visited Versailles (coming up in a future post) during the morning and now wanted some "comfort food" (it's all relative, no?) for dinner.

Right up the street was a place I had on my "list"; Le Pont de Sichuan. I had read some positive things about the place….taking note of the ahem, "authentic Sichuan" tag thrown about. Even though I'm not one to use "authentic" in my descriptions; because cuisine is not like a signed Picasso; it is not a static picture, it changes, is dynamic….ok, enough of that.

We decided to check out Le Pont de Sichuan as our Thanksgiving meal.

We were the first customers in the place. The service was also quite nice in terms of Chinese restaurants; it definitely had a French touch to it. I'd done a bit of research and had pretty much decided on two of the dishes beforehand.

One of them was the Crispy Lamb with Cumin.

The lamb had obviously been braised first, then deep fried making the exterior parts quite crisp. Nice and gamey and tempered with soy sauce and cumin. Not overly salty, crisp and then tender….while, in my opinion it could have used more cumin, this was a very nice dish.

We needed a vegetable, so we got the dry cooked green beans which were ok.

A bit too greasy and salty and lacking in savory tones.

The other dish I'd been wanting to try was the Marmite de Champignons; basically sautéed mushrooms….but not quite what your mind pictures as sautéed mushrooms.

We loved the earthy, toothsome variety of mushrooms, all the different subtle flavors, different textures. A slight spice, the pleasant savory-saltiness of soy sauce, a slight bit of sour-acidity, some mild heat….and most of all….a good dose of Sichuan peppercorns. The slices of pork was well seasoned and tender. This was so good.

We really enjoyed our meal here.

And so, during our last visit to Paris, at the end of our 2019 Budapest – Vienna – Salzburg – Munich – Stuttgart trip, we were excited to be back in the Missus's favorite city and wanted to have another nice dinner at Le Pont de Sichuan. I even made reservations.

This time, we thought we'd try some more traditional Sichuan dishes along with that amazing Mushroom dish we'd had on the previous visit.

We started with one of my favorites; the Ko Shui Ji (Mouthwatering Chicken).

First off, his was served warm. Second, the chicken was really dry. Third, other than being drenched in chili oil, it really had no other flavors going for it.

The next dish we ordered is another Sichuan favorite of ours, Shui Zhu Niu Rou (water boiled beef).

Think of this as being really dry, hot pot style top round dumped into a one-dimensional chili-oil based sauce….it lacked the complexity of a good Doubian Jian, though at least in this case, there was a sprinkling of ground Sichuan Peppercorn. No garlic tones; no mild hint of sweet, no complex spicy-savory flavors.

It's ok we thought. If that mushroom dish was a good as on our previous visit it would really balance things out. After all, it was the dish we really came for. Alas, it was not.

As you can tell, the color is a lot lighter, some of the mushrooms were really crisp and over-cooked, some were really tough and under-cooked. The Sichuan Peppercorn flavor was MIA….maybe they forgot? The pork was dry and tough. Uneven stir fry technique. Even though the chilies were present, this wasn't particularly spicy.

Overall, it was quite a disappointing meal, which I'm sure was amplified by the fact that we were really looking forward to eating here.

Sad…..I'm not sure what the norm here is? Was it the 'B' team, or was our first visit just a lightning strike?

There are other places we've revisited in Paris over the years that have been quite consistent. This was not one of them. And while I'm tempted to try them again, our time in Paris is always limited, it's costly, we're on holiday, and want to enjoy our meals. I don't think the Missus would want to roll the dice and take a chance that it's "visit B". Life is too short.

Le Pont de Sichuan (SuperMian)
86 rue de Richelieu
75002 Paris, France

Paris – Le Comptoir de La Gastronomie

November 16, 2019 mmm-yoso France, French Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

While we had enjoyed our time visiting Champagne, Alsace, and Lyon, the Missus was so excited to be back in Paris. After quickly getting settled into our room at Hotel Malte. The Missus had enjoyed visiting the 2nd Arrondisement and while I like the 7th, I thought it would be nice staying somewhere other than the 7th or the Latin Quarter. It would turn out that the Missus really enjoyed the 2nd. Anyway, with no plans, other than perhaps to do some shopping and do what we love doing in Paris; wander and enjoy. Until recently, I didn't even know there was a French term for what we do in Paris; it's called Flâneur or flânerie a term I first heard on that wonderful podcast, The Earful Tower.

And so we headed out, taking a quick walk through the Jardin du Palais Royal a half block away from the hotel. Framed by arcades on three sides, this was an oasis of peace from the hustle and bustle of Paris on a Wednesday afternoon.

From here it was short stroll to one of the Missus's shopping stops; the Louis Vuitton Vendome location which had just completed setting up for Christmas.

Sadly, the Missus couldn't find anything She wanted to spend Her hard earned money on….so She did the next best thing; She bought something for me…..more on that later in the post.

But heck, we were in the Place Vendome area, known for all the luxury shops in the area.

From here, the Missus indicated She wanted to see the Christmas Window displays and tree at Galeries Lafayette, so we just wandered on over. On our way we strolled through this interesting square and this Statue.

Apparently, this is Place Edouard VII. So, a square in honor of the King of the United Kingdom in Paris, eh? Apparently, "Bertie" as he was called, a man of great um…appetites, loved Paris……though I don't think the square is named in his honor because of his excesses or his, ahem….taste in furniture. Perhaps it's because of his role in getting the Entente Cordial completed.

Anyway, in Paris, every corner, every block, and every square has a story. You can find an interesting blog post on the square here.

Soon enough we arrived at Galeries Lafayette. There's something about the window displays and the Christmas Tree inside the department store that brings out the inner child in me. Perhaps because I spent much of my childhood as a Jehovah's Witness and we didn't celebrate Christmas and this just has me imagining that this is what the holiday season should be like. Maybe not, because the Missus just loves this as well.

We slowly worked our way back to the hotel, took a break, and then headed out to dinner.

I spent a good deal of time trying to figure out what we'd have for this dinner. And naturally, after reading all those blog (and you know….those other sites) posts on Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie….and oh, my, all that foie gras. Sold! So, we made our way the few blocks over to rue Montmatre (funny thing as I'm a trip behind on my Paris posts; this is currently our favorite area of the city) and the restaurant, which is half deli/restaurant. We had reservations, which was good thing since the place filled up really fast.

Man, was there a queue lining up! And remember me mentioning that all the Korean tourists had vanished from Les Cocottes on our last visit? Well, I think this is their hot spot right now as two-thirds of the customers were either Korean or Chinese tourists.

One of the reasons I picked "Le Comptoir" were all the duck and foie gras dishes. So, we started with a very nice bottle of wine that the friendly, but over-worked Server helped the Missus select.

And the first dish up was the "Pan Seared Foie Gras with Gingerbread and Mixed Salad" (20€ – about $22/US).

We enjoyed the greens; the dressing had a nice acidity. The gingerbread toast was interesting. Of course, I didn't order this for the greens or the toast. The foie gras was terrible, over-cooked, mealy, with sinewy strings in it. It had that texture we call "dog food". Because it was burned on one end, it was quite bitter.

The Foie Gras Ravioli with Truffle Sauce (21€ – about $23.25/US) was better, if having a bit of a greasy texture to it.

The truffle cream sauce overwhelmed the foie gras in the pasta; which was over-cooked as well. You couldn't make out the rich-earthy sweetness of the foie. Too much of a good thing with regards to truffle oil dumped on a typical cream sauce here.

The last dish of the evening was the Cassoulet "Gratine" (18€ – about $20/US). I enjoy a good cassoulet and even make a version at home; so this was my pick for the meal. Unfortunately, well……this time around, the photo says it all.

The duck was over-cooked (seems to be the theme), hard, and dry. Everything else was so bland and not hot either.

We've had a couple of mediocre meals in Paris before; but nothing that was this bad. You know, it's tough…..if this were San Diego, I'd have made a couple more visits to see if it was an off night, or just not do a post at all. But, when one goes on vacation, spending $$$ to get to a place….working on selecting something ahead of time, well…… I will say this; TripAdvisor and Yelp loves this place….which is why….you know….

Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie
34 rue Montmartre
75001 Paris, France

Well, there was some good (I think) news. The Missus just couldn't find anything She wanted at Louis Vuitton, so She decided I needed a new messenger bag (She hated the one I used to use). Knowing little about the LV brand other than the rather distinctive patterns and logos, I figured that I could get out of this by telling Her that "I don't want loud patterns or a logo on my bag"….hah, that would end things right there….but no, with the help of the wonderful (these sales people are amazing) young lady…..they found me my current bag…..I'm not going to say how much it cost; because I get the heebies when I think of it. So yes, I take an LV bag to work everyday and folks, unless I tell them, can't even tell.

Lyon – La Cave Café Terroir and Café Terroir

November 15, 2019 mmm-yoso France, French Restaurants, Lyon, France, Travel

While I really would have loved to hit up another Bouchon on our last night in Lyon; I thought we should try something different, especially after our rather hefty lunch. As it would turn out; dinner would be just as substantial as lunch….but heck, we were in Lyon after all.

We headed out from the apartment, taking our time, doing some window shopping along the way. We eventually got to the area around Théâtre des Célestins, a place we hadn't explored earlier. There were tons of shops in the area and the Missus enjoyed Herself.

I had a place in mind for dinner; but wasn't able to get reservations. But, I had another strategy; the restaurant I had in mind, Café Terrior started service at 7pm. Café Terrior also had a wine bar a few meters up the street, which opened at 6pm….and I'd read somewhere that the really nice bartenders at La Cave Café Terroir would sometimes make reservations at the restaurant for you. So, we decided to test this out.

We enjoyed the small, rustic, with modern touches of the Wine Bar. The bartenders were indeed quite friendly. The Missus enjoyed a glass of red and I got a Kir. We were given some olives with mustard.

When I ordered our second round, I broached the question. Apparently, this is quite a common practice as the really nice young lady took our names and walked over to the Café….when she got back, she smiled and told us, "voila!" And we had reservation for dinner for the first seating.

You gotta love this place!

La Cave Café Terroir
05 Rue Montcharmont
69002 Lyon, France

When Café Terrior opened, we strolled over and were given a nice corner table. The Missus ordered some wine for us and we were given some charcuterie.

A couple of tables away was a father and young daughter who both were having a wonderful time……chatting and savoring their meal. Kids start young here!

We started with a dish I'd seen in a couple of posts. "Oeuf a la Coque Fermier Mouillettes de Beaufort 24 mois" (9€ – about $10/US). Whew, that's a mouthful! This was basically soft boiled eggs, served with Beaufort, an Alpine Cheese, aged 24 months.

You basically dunk the slightly sharp, nutty, very fragrant cheese in the gooey egg yolk and have yourself a delici-yoso time! Rich, buttery, sharp-milky-savory……this was lovely. The salad helped give your palate a short break between bites.

For Her main, the Missus ordered the "Parmentier de Canette de la Dombes " (18€ about $20/US). This was basically almost like a shepherd's pie of sorts…..

If the potatoes hid rich and gamey duck confit! The rich-gamey-earthy flavor of the duck was excellent and there was a ton of duck hidden below those tasty potatoes, but the duck was a tad on the dry side.

Still, the flavors were wonderful!

I decided to go "hog wild"….even though I'd had pork knuckle just a few days before in Colmar; I hadn't had my fill. I ordered the Jarret de Cochon (18€ about $20/US).

This was wonderful; from the tender, porky meat, to the wonderful gelatinous parts, to even the skin, which had absorbed some wonderful flavors. The Missus loves lentils and these puy lentils were very nice; tender, yet still holding shape; whatever herbs were used in the bouquet garni for this was perfect.

While the meal seemed quite hearty, we finished everything! Though we had no room left for dessert. We enjoyed the rustic, yet modern food at Café Terrior. We'd gladly eat here again.

Café Terroir
14 Rue d'Amboise
69002 Lyon, France

We rolled back to the apartment. I'd had a great time in Lyon and could have stayed another day or two. I could tell, though, that the Missus was ready to head back to Paris. We had a wonderful, blissful night of sleep.

And the next morning; following the instructions we'd received earlier, we followed Louis XIV's "bout du cheval" and made our way to Gare de Lyon-Perrache. We were on our way back to Paris……and more shopping for the Missus!

Thanks for stopping by!

Revisits – Smack’N Guamanian Grill and Gaya Gaya

November 14, 2019 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants, Guamanian/Chamorro, Sisig

Some revisits to a couple of places that opened on Miramar Road this year.

Smack’N Guamanian Grill:

**** Smack’N Guamanian Grill has closed

I was feeling a bit hungry and it had been over four months since Smack’N Guamanian Grill opened in the former location of Bann. So I decided to head on over and see how the Kelaguen was these days.

I arrived right when they opened and things weren’t overly busy.

Ordering was easy. I just went with the two items I enjoyed the most over my previous visits; the Kelaguen (aka the “Fan Fav” – $10.95) and a side order of the Bunuelos Uhang, (Shrimp Patties on the menu $3).

The Finadene here is now self-serve and has a hilarious sign on it – “NOT ICE TEA”. I asked the young man manning the counter and he confirmed that folks had gone there with cups, thinking it was iced tea and actually tried to drink the stuff! Hilarious!

Having packed like four containers of finedene I made my way back to the office. This kelaguen and subsequent side dishes were consistent with my previous visits, the chicken medium chopped, citrus forward, really lacking in spiciness or hints of coconut. The cabbage is basically coleslaw mix with some finedene….hardly any flavor, as I added two containers to give this at least some flavor. The rice was more chewy than on my previous visits.

What wasn’t in line with what I’d had before were the Shrimp and Corn “patties”…..which were actually balls and were totally incinerated.

Everything on the outside was hard and bitter, this was just totally gross. Why would anyone serve this?

For your reference from a previous visit.

It just kind of ruined my meal….just a total lack of quality control.

Smack’N Guamanian Grill
9506 Miramar Rd
San Diego, CA 92126

Gaya Gaya:

***** Gaya Gaya has closed

Man, Gaya Gaya has been open six months already! Soo’s post reminded me that I should head back and see how things are doing.

I dropped by for lunch and the place was totally empty during my entire visit….it’s a large space, which really makes things seem even more deserted.

The young lady who was my Server was such a joy…so cheerful and funny.

I was tempted to order what I enjoyed the most during my previous visits (other than perhaps the balut), the Adobo Rice Bowl, but decided to go “riceless”. I was tempted by something called the “balut surprise” but I’ll save that for the next time.

I started with the Pig Ear Sisig ($12.50), which was a mixed blessing.

The pig ears were nicely fried; crunchy, chewy and the sunnyside up egg, while a tad overcooked for my liking was fine. This dish really lacked the spicy, acidic-sour tones I enjoy in sisig. Pickled onions, jalapenos were used, which were ok bites, but just didn’t stand up well to the porkiness of the pig ears, which didn’t seem sauced……this just seemed like a hipster version of the dish for folks afraid of the strong flavors of sisig. Too bad; when I saw Pig Ear Sisig on the menu; I thought about the last time I’d had a more traditional version of the dish.

The Pinakbet ($9) on the other hand was better than what I’d previously had at Gaya Gaya.

The last time I had the pinakbet here; ampalaya (bittermelon) was MIA. This time, while a bit on the sparse side; there was enough to add a nice tannic-bitterness to the dish. Which balanced out the light sweetness of the perfectly cooked (not mushy) pumpkin. The eggplant was buttery-tender without being mushy and there was enough bagoong to give this dish a nice savory-salty “oomph”. The green beans were a bit too large and a tad undercooked and tough for my taste, but that’s splitting hairs. I enjoyed this dish.

Like I mentioned earlier; my Server was a joy. This wasn’t a cheap meal by any means…over $20 for what is considered two apps. Is it “elevated-modern” Filipino cuisine? I’m not sure yet.

Sitting in this ghost town for lunch made me wonder how much business Gaya Gaya was doing. I’m hoping weekends, dinner, and Happy Hour is taking up the slack as the place is now closed on both Mondays and Tuesdays.

Gaya Gaya
7580 Miramar Rd
San Diego, CA 92126

Lyon – Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse and Lunch at Chez les Gones

November 13, 2019 mmm-yoso France, French Restaurants, Lyon, France, Markets & Grocers, Travel

We were really enjoying our short time in Lyon, from the Silk Festival and Vieux Lyon, to the Basilica and an amazing dinner at Takao Takano. We'd seen a lot during that long first day, but there was another place I just needed to visit.

But first, we decided to take a nice morning walk.

Down to Place Bellecour it's such a vast square right in the middle of Presqu'ile.

There's the Equestrian Statue of Louis XIV, which was an important landmark for us.

We had to catch our train back to Paris from Gare de Lyon-Perrache not our arrival station Lyon Part-Dieu. We had asked for some directions earlier and was basically told to follow Louis's "bout du cheval"…the "horse's butt" straight, ahem, down Rue Victor Hugo. Which were very accurate directions.

We headed toward the Saône and just ambled along……

Right past the Passerelle du Palais de Justice we found a outdoor market…..not very crowded on this rather chilly morning. This is the Marché Alimentaire Saint-Antoine Célestins which runs Tuesdays to Sundays from 6am to 1pm.

The market is located on Quai Saint-Antoine between Passerelle du Palais de Justice and Pont Maréchal Juin.

Being right at Rue Grenette meant it would basically be a straight shot to our next destination which La Part-Dieu neighborhood.

I mentioned Paul Bocuse in my first Lyon post, much revered, especially in his home of Lyon…..a man who was called the "Culinary Pope"; for those who are Anthony Bourdain fans, just look at this picture. 'Nuff said.

I wanted to visit the marketplace that bore his name; Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse.

Plus, I love these market halls……I always get a better understanding of the cuisine of a city, when I get to walk around the marketplaces.

And there were indeed some top notch products for sale.

Visiting made me wish we had more time….as it was, we had meals planned out.

We were getting a bit hungry, so we searched among the seemingly endless stands that wind their way thru the gleaming market hall.

And settled for one that served some traditional Bouchon fare and one dish I had been waiting to try as well.

We were seated at one of the small tables and the Missus ordered some sparkling water and a glass of wine for Herself.

I ordered the food……..which took a while…..actually a good sign to us.

The Missus had enjoyed Her Andouillette so much at Bouchon des Filles that She ordered it here.

Which was served with some mushy vegetables and pretty tasty, but super buttered Gratin Dauphinoise (Scalloped Potatoes).

Like the previous version, this basically exploded upon being touched by a knife. This one was pretty funky and really chewy, the mustard sauce did it no favors.

I ordered the Tablier de Sapeur (The Sapper's Apron).

The tripe was nicely breaded and fried; layers of different textures; the crunchy breading, the chewy layer of tripe, and some additional meaty crunchiness of the rumen. It was very mild in flavor and the sauce gribiche helped things along.

Like with the Missus's dish; I didn't care for the vegetables or potatoes much.

This was an interesting meal; much more rustic than what we'd had two nights before at the Bouchon. Still, it was fairly inexpensive…and I got to have dish I'd been wanting to try.

Chez les Gones – In Les Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse
102 cours la Fayette
69003 Lyon, France

After the meal the Missus had Her eye on dessert.