mmm-yoso – Page 17 – 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.

Monday Meanderings – Gusto Grocery Italian Market Moving from Bay Ho, La Posta de Acalpuco (Hillcrest) Closes, Ajisen Ramen (Kearny Mesa) Closes, and Other “stuffs”.

August 11, 2025 mmm-yoso Markets & Grocers, Mexican Restaurants, Ramen, Taco Shops, yoso-silly

A couple of closures and a move for this Monday……

La Posta de Acalpuco (Hillcrest) Closes:

I noticed lots of upcoming changes in my short walk from where I parked my car during my visit to Makai Sushi. Like this one.

Though one of them caught me by surprise. Looks like La Posta de Acalpuco, like El Cuervo has closed.

Like El Cuervo, this was a place I'd go to every so often when my office was in Hillcrest….though mostly when I'd have to work nights as there wasn't much open late in those days. And much like El Cuervo; I hadn't been back in ages.

Times change and it seems that Hillcrest is in major turnover mode.

I'm sure folks are going to miss what I used to call the "late-early crowd"……which someone once described to me as "Goth's, Grungees, Gays, Gargoyles, and the bar scene from Star Wars!" And another once told me "You know, the food here is okay, but it sure tastes better at 4 am!"

3980 3rd Ave
San Diego, CA 92103

Ajisen Ramen (Kearny Mesa) Closes:

This one was fairly widely announced, but I was shocked at how quickly the signage was gone for Ajisen on Clairemont Mesa.

Which explains why they tried Wagyu Street concept. Was never a big fan of Ajisen, though the late Ed from Yuma enjoyed his visit there in 2017. And of course, ramen-maniacs will always remember the Ajisen soup scandal.

7398 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

Who you calling a creep ummm, Creap?

On occasion, while shopping, I'll see something that will bring a smile to my face. While looking over the ever changing "treasure hunt" at Nijiya, I cam across this.

I've come across this in Japan before…it's known as being the only "powdered creamer" that uses real milk. But on this day I just read "Foaming Creap"….. I know, silly me….. But I was sorely tempted to buy some for folks and see if they got the pseudo double entendre.

Gusto Grocery Italian Market Moving from Bay Ho:

A week or so back, I needed some Pesto Genovese….for some reason, we've starting enjoying Avocado Toast with a touch of pesto. And yes, in spite of what I learned in Liguria, I just didn't see myself making pesto from scratch for some avocado toast.

So, I decided to head up to Gusto Italian Market, which, since they opened their brick-and-mortar shop in Bay Ho next to Rose Canyon Deli has been a blessing for picking up Italian Staples for us, without having to head into Little Italy. So, I headed on up and arrived at 1030…and strangely, the shop didn't seem open.

So, I walked on over and noticed the door was unlocked so I walked on in. I found all the shelves empty! The nice woman who works there came on out, smiled and explained to me that the grocery was closed and moving to "somewhere north"…… Their online orders were being fulfilled at their warehouse now. Bummer, as I'd been kind of taking this place for granted!

I do wish them luck in their new space; wherever that might be!

4901 Morena Blvd Suite 314
San Diego, CA 92117

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue Opens in Clairemont Town Square

August 10, 2025 mmm-yoso Hawaiian Food, Plate Lunch

So, there I was at Clairemont Town Square….having to get something at Ace Hardware yet again, when I turned and saw that it seemed that the L&L I'd noticed was "coming soon" a couple of weeks ago was open?

So I walked on over.

L&L Clairemont 01

As I approached, the "Open" sign got turned on! Well now; I really hadn't planned on having lunch at 10am and really am not enamored with the "cult of Eddie Flores"….who, if I recall once said in the now defunct Honolulu Weekly, which I've mentioned in an earlier post:

"L&L doesn’t use the term “plate lunch” in its mainland restaurants. Instead the cuisine is called “Hawaiian barbecue.” Flores says that with about 80 L&L restaurants on the mainland today and more than 100 set to open by the end of the year—along with 50 or 60 copycat restaurants with names like Waikiki Hawaiian Barbecue and L&K Hawaiian Barbecue—the words “plate lunch” are on their way out."

“In five to 10 years, we won’t call it plate lunch but Hawaiian barbecue,” he says. “Only old-timers will remember the plate lunch.”

Though, there was a time that I enjoyed L&L. Back when we lived in Rowland Heights, I'd be missing home, that's when the first L&L opened on the mainland in Puente Hills Mall, which I've gone more into detail in this post. It was pretty good for a homesick ex-pat Kama'aina back then; though when I returned to the old neighborhood….well almost a decade ago now…man was the food bad. The place has since closed, but that was my last visit to an L&L. My last visit to an L&L in San Diego was almost a decade ago now, to the location in Campus Plaza, which has also closed. I did try to revisit when I did my "Back to the Beginning" post in 2018, but as I walked in I was overwhelmed with…shall we say, the "fragrance"? I've noted that attempt at the bottom of the post.

Anyway, I think my stance on L&L has softened over the last couple of years. And heck, Eddie Flores now retired is chairman of A Better Chinatown Association trying to revitalize Honolulu's Chinatown.

So I thought, why not and walked on in.

L&L Clairemont 02

Well, it sure has been a long time since I've eaten at an L&L for sure. The last time I ate at the Puente Hills location, the Mini Loco Moco was $7….it's now $14. And check out how much the menu has expanded with stuff like Chicken Adobo?

L&L Clairemont 03

The woman working; whom I'm think is one of the Franchisees was very friendly. I fully intended to get something that you don't see much of here in San Diego…a chicken cutlet….not katsu mind you, but cutlet. The difference being; in "local" terms, a chicken cutlet is basically chicken katsu with gravy. It's a way of ordering from back in those "lunchwagon" times. Heck, I remember when Grace's was a lunchwagon near UH. Ok, enough of that.

Well, just like the way I went off on a tangent above; I got distracted when looking at the menu and ended up being really curious about the Kalua Pork & Lau Lau Plate ($18.75)….I don't remember the last time I had decent Lau Lau in San Diego. So I ended up ordering that. The woman mentioned that the Lau Lau comes from Hawaii…she gets it from the same company that distributes the Hawaiian Sun juices she sells.

While the outdoor tables seemed nicer; I just took a seat at one of the two tops in the small indoor space.

L&L Clairemont 03b

And the nice woman actually brought my order to the table!

L&L Clairemont 04 L&L Clairemont 05 Well, where to start? Check out the rice will you? It was very mushy.

You can tell just be looking at the kalua pork. Super chewy and stringy, lacking in smokiness, overly salty, not good eats. It really needed some of the nice, rich, fattiness of the rendered pork fat mixed back in.

L&L Clairemont 06 L&L Clairemont 07 The mac salad was best item on the plate. Unlike what I've had a few times at L&L's here, this one was the classic; simple, well coated macaroni, some carrots….I think there's a touch of onion, nicely salted, quite refreshing.

But man….well most at least, can't live on mac salad alone. The Lau Lau was kinda pathetic. Of course I didn't expect salt fish, but while the luau leaf was quite tender, the pork was again too lean and chewy; lacking in flavor. For me, this was all about the luau leaf (taro leaves), which kind of says a lot about this lau lau. I'm fairly certain; unless they've really gone downhill, this is worse than the frozen Keoki's I can get at Marukai!

L&L Clairemont 08

This was a bumma! Perhaps I had visited too soon? Nice folks, but I did not enjoy my meal. At this point, well I made my mind up.

Since it's only a few miles up the road, I needed to return….and get what I had intended to in the beginning. So return I did a couple of weeks later. Same nice woman working. I ordered the Mini Chicken Cutlet ($13.25)….who'd have thought, over thirteen bucks for a mini plate?

L&L Clairemont 09 L&L Clairemont 11 As you can see, the rice was much better this time. The mac salad had more mayo and less carrots, but was ok.

I went looking for some Tabasco….a must for me for chicken cutlet, but guess what? No moa! This is a full on Sriracha shop…..

The chicken was on the drier side, but the panko batter was nice and crispy-crunchy. The gravy was smooth and not too gloppy, if overly salty and lacking in other savory components. In fact, the whole thing was a bit sodium heavy for me and had me chugging H2O for the rest of the afternoon.

L&L Clairemont 10 L&L Clairemont 12 Not a bad version, but definitely not "return visit" material.

Kind of a bummer since the only place I really think is decent in the huge mall is probably Main Chick…. I'm sure FOY "ChrisR" is going to find that amusing.

Well, perhaps I will return in a few months….perhaps…..

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue
4705 Clairemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117

Valle de Guadalupe – Olibaja Olive Oil, a “Return” to Vinícola Retorno, and Dinner at Salvia Blanca

August 9, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Beer, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Seafood, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

As we passed vineyards on our drive to Vinos Las Nubes, the Missus and I noticed olive trees being used as windbreaks for the grapes. We asked Isaac if Valle produced olive oil and he mentioned several producers of that product in the area. Now this was something we really didn't know! I guess it seemed that we were quite interested in the olive oil and being ever so proactive, when we returned for our next stop Isaac asked us if we'd like to do a tasting! While we were doing our sampling of the wines at Las Nubes, Isaac called around and found a tasting room open, which we headed to after our tasting, lunch, and tour at Decantos Vinicola.

The producer was Olibaja.

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The young lady who provided our tasting was very sweet and also gave us a short tour of the facilities. She was full of information….the few notes I took mentioned Manzanilla olives…..

The olive oil was slightly fruity, with a hint of bitterness, and quite green in color. The Missus had a great time; you know how much She loves Her olive oil having done tastings in several locales.

We ended up purchasing two bottles of olive oil, which is good for daily use, and a couple of bars of olive oil soap as gifts.

Olibaja
Carretera Principal al Porvenir
B.C., Mexico

And then while we were headed to our last stop, Isaac mentioned that his friend, who brews craft beer was working at a tasting room and if we'd like to visit. We said "of course", he then mentioned that it was at Vinicola Retorno which we had visited on the previous day. When we told him this, he was going to revert back to the previous plans, but we told him that Retorno was our favorite wine stop on our tour of Valle and we'd be glad to return. And thus, we "returned" to Retorno.

And we got in a nice tasting of beer and also a special tasting of something, at that time Retorno was doing as an experiment.

Producing a version of Port Wine. Since our visit to Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, I've come to appreciate a nice glass of Port. Especially with Blue Cheese, something I learned during our cheese tasting at Le Cheese Geek in Paris.

This was pretty good!

Good enough for me to talk them into buying a bottle. And the Missus got a bottle of Her two favorite whites as well.

In the end, we enjoyed the more casual, warm, and personal atmosphere of Vinícola Retorno. In fact, we'd like to "return to Retorno" again soon!

Vinícola Retorno
Santos Degollado 161
Villa de Juárez, B.C., Mexico

We really enjoyed the friendliness, flexibility, and expertise of the drivers that Aimee coordinated for us. She was such a pleasure to work with and arranged all the initial tastings and lunches.

As for this evening; well, four stops worked just fine for us as part of the goal was to relax as well. Which we did back at Contemplación Hotel.

And knowing we'd be wanting to just "chill", I had dinner reservations at the restaurant in the hotel complex, Salvia Blanca which I mentioned in my previous post. We got a lovely al fresco table.

Which came with it's own special "host". This super sweet and friendly pooch!

I think he must be one of the dogs considered to be "staff" by the hotel. The actual host did come by immediately and asked if he was bothering us…..and of course we told him that we loved the extra attention!

Having had my fill of wine for the day; I started things off with a cerveza.

I guess the restaurant has its own line of beer? This was on the fruity-sweet side; but nice and light as well.

As for the food; well, in keeping with we had been eating in the region; it was seafood heavy.

Starting with the Aguachile Oysters.

Nice and refreshing, upfront citrus, with a hint of spice and pungency. The oyster's true colors comes thru in the finish with a meaty-brininess.

The oysters outshone the Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche.

Which seemed bland in comparison. While the shrimp was tender, the scallops seemed tasteless and the marinating liquid seemed a bit on the lighter side in terms of crisp sourness….it could have been that this was served alongside the oysters.

The one non-seafood item was the Tuetano; bone marrow.

A bit of overkill with slices of beef tataki on it, but this was really good on the blue corn tostadas. Wish the bone marrow was a bit more "jelly-ish", but an interesting range of flavors with the blue corn tostadas, avocado cream, cilantro, and pickled onions. Perhaps a bit over-the-top since I like my bone marrow plain, but an interesting dish overall.

The fish of the day was interesting.

A lot going on here. The skin was nice and crisp, the flesh had a nice sweetness to it but was on the drier side. The "sikil pak", a pepito and tomato based sauce could have used a bit more acidity and spice; but was quite rich. The salsa topping had the nice kick of jalapenos and some garlicky pungency.

Which meant I needed a cocktail as dessert.

Overall a nice meal. We love the atmosphere and the vibe.

The wonderful "host" is a plus!

Salvia Blanca (Contemplación Hotel)
Calle Merlot Parcela 325 Ejido El Porvenir
Francisco Zarco, B.C., Mexico

Since we had spent some time exploring the hotel grounds earlier, we decided to take the road down the hill to Calle Merlot and take a short walk down the dirt road.

We had enjoyed our stay at Contemplación Hotel and really had fun experiencing some of what the Valle de Guadalupe had to offer.

Valle de Guadalupe – Breakfast at Salvia Blanca (Contemplación Hotel), Vinos Las Nubes, and Lunch at Decantos Vinicola

August 8, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Breakfast/Brunch, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Seafood, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

We slept well after our dinner at Fauna. The rises early in Valle in June and it's great to wake up to this view in the morning.

It was wonderful to make some coffee and sit out on the lanai and take everything in…..

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So relaxing. Breakfast was included in our stay and the restaurant at Contemplación Hotel (which I briefly covered in this post) named Salvia Blanca. The restaurant doesn't open until 830, so we had time to wander along the various paths and do some additional exploring.

We loved all the little art installations along the pathways.

Which led us to Salvia Blanca.

The restaurant was fairly large with a lovely outdoor dining area.

Things start later in Valle…..we were the only folks having breakfast in the restaurant on this day.

Not being too hungry, the Missus and I split sunny side up eggs, bacon, and beans…..

Which (of course) came with tortillas.

This was a fine breakfast. I had made dinner reservations at Salvia Blanca since I (correctly) thought we'd be having a busy day and would just like to relax for dinner. So you'll be reading more about the place then.

Salvia Blanca (Contemplación Hotel)
Calle Merlot Parcela 325 Ejido El Porvenir
Francisco Zarco, B.C., Mexico

After breakfast, the Missus and I decided to explore more of the hotel grounds before our scheduled pick-up time.

IMG_9584a

We started noticing a lot of dog themed art along the way…..like this statue of Kuzco.

We would later see several really well behaved pooches around the offices and Salvia Blanca. We were told when we checked out that they consider these dogs to be "staff members"! How cool is that! Sadly, I did forget to ask about Kuzco. I guess that just gives us reason to return, right?

There's even a lovely little chapel on the grounds.

We returned to our villa to freshen up before our driver arrived….and like clockwork, fifteen minutes before our designated pick up time, he was ready and waiting for us.

Our driver today was Isaac, who was very outgoing and fun. And also very flexible as we'd end up making two detours in the afternoon which was lovely.

Our first stop was Las Nubes Bodegas y Viñedos, which had a beautiful setting on a hillside with a lovely view.

We sat on the lovely patio.

Admiring the view and petting the two lovely pooches…..

While doing our tasting….it doesn't get much better than that, right?

If I recall, the Missus enjoyed the Rose here….

For me, it was all about the view and the pooches….

Las Nubes Bodegas y Viñedos
Callejón Emiliano Zapata, El Porvenir
Francisco Zarco, B.C., Mexico

Our next stop was just a short distance away. Decantos Vinicola also had a pleasant view. We did our tasting on the porch area.

Then were escorted into the restaurant for lunch.

We just wanted something refreshing and light, so we got the Tiradito.

Which was interesting as it included Shiitake Mushrooms! Which gave it a more earthy-savory flavor; tempering down the acidity of the dish. I don't recall what the fish was; but it was fresh and fairly meaty. Of course it came with Tostadas.

We also got a half dozen Oysters.

These were also interesting as it was topped with a melon compote, which added a fruity-refreshing aspect to the briny meatiness of the oysters. Quite an interesting combination to say the least.

After lunch, we were met by a very friendly young lady who took us on a tour of the wine making facilities. The pathway was artistically set-up….you just follow the barrels.

For some reason, the underground cellar reminded me of our Champagne Tour in…of course Champagne!

And soon enough, we were off to our last two stops…..

Decantos Vinicola
Rancho San Miguel Fraccion A, S/N
El Porvenir, B.C., Mexico

Which were just done spur of the moment and would actually be the highlight of our day!

Stay Tuned!

Fauna – Valle de Guadalupe

August 7, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Fine Dining, Latin American Cuisine, Memorable Meals, Mexican Restaurants, Travel

For our blowout meal while visiting Valle de Guadalupe, I made reservations at Fauna which for several years had been touted among the "best" (in lower case and strong quotes) restaurants in Latin America. Of course…those lists…..Fauna was chosen as the "best" in Mexico in 2023 according to Eater. Of course, I kind of temper my expectations at bit. We've dined at Maido, which has claimed the title of Best Restaurant in the World in 2025 and Osteria Francescana when it held that title back in 2018. Both meals were good and innovative; but each with short comings for us. Still, what I had read and seen regarding Fauna was interesting, so I made those reservations.

Of course our driver, Ivan was super punctual, and off we went! We were dropped right at the entrance of Fauna which is located in the huge and sprawling Bruma Wine Resort.

We were greeted and seated. The Missus wasn't too fond of the communal seating arrangement, but I kind of enjoyed the social aspect.

I had a cocktail and the Missus wine while we looked over the menu.

We started with some wonderful shellfish. I think the Missus's favorite was the super sweet abalone, which came with a nutty pepito flavored aspic. The blood clams were so sweet and an umami bomb.

The Baja Oysters were mildly briny and refreshing, with a clean finish.

The Tuna Fin Sopes where a bit salty and the sopes were on drier-chewier side. For some reason, it also lacked a nice "maize" flavor as well.

The Octopus with Tomato was interesting as it was quite herbal. The octopus was cooked perfectly and quite tender.

The scallops in the Scallops in Eggplant Puree was so sweet and tender.

But the eggplant puree was thinner than I anticipated and really lacked the smoky-savory flavor we enjoy. It was also a bit on the salty side.

The Rabbit and Celeriac was an interesting dish as the rabbit was compressed.

Surprisingly mild in flavor, the rabbit was super moist and tender. The celeriac added some nice sweet tones as well. This was served with some blue corn tortillas, which, unlike the sopes were mildly sweet and "maizey".

Seeing Sweetbreads on the menu; you know I just had to order it, right?

Served on a savory, lovely potato puree, and with crispy fried kale to add an interesting bitter-sweet flavor and also textural contrast to the nutty-buttery, mildly offaly sweetbreads, this was an delici-yoso dish!

The Striped Bass with a Pasilla Adobo was very good.

The fish was perfectly pan fried, crisp exterior, moist and flaky, while a bit on the salty side. The adobo was wonderful, smoky, slightly sweet, mild spice, quite rich in texture.

There were two dishes we were advised to order by folks we know. The first being the Charred Cabbage.

Which lay in a large dollop of a sauce made of Chilhuacle Chiles, which was the sweeter side. The cabbage was fine….and we've been ordering charred cabbage this when we see it on menus since we had it at Senia. The cabbage was quite mild in flavor, even though it was charred and should have really developed a sweet smokiness.

And then there was the Wagyu which was served with a Pasilla Chile Stuffed with Cheese which was kinda overkill.

The steak was toothsome and quite beefy, though cooked past our preferred doneness.

The Missus did enjoy the desserts.

While the Missus was not particularly fond of the communal seating and definitely not in same league as Pujol; I think we'd return if we had a chance.

We felt sorry for the young man who was part of the Asian couple across from us. He was so excited to be dining at Fauna; but the young lady accompanying him was having none of it. She made many rude comments…sometimes not even touching what was on her plate! She just didn't want to be there it seems, making the meal as unpleasant for her date as possible, and was totally unable to just "suck it up" for the sake of the young man. Sigh….

Fauna
México 3 Km #73
Francisco Zarco, B.C., Mexico

After dinner we strolled around the area a bit.

Thinking that perhaps we might want to stay around here should we return to Valle.

Fauna 00

Pizza Kaiju Yoshoku Diner

August 5, 2025 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Japanese Restaurants, Pizza

Back at the end of April, FOY "Mar" asked me if I'd been to the new location of Pizza Kaiju which had moved from National City to Barrio Logan after the Market on 8th changed ownership. She mentioned that there were "Yoshoku" (meaning western style Japanese dishes like curry and katsu) on the menu. I hadn't really given it a thought, but seeing that they had stuff like Sisig Pizza on the menu….well, now that was kinda fascinating. One of the things that really stopped me from visiting were the hours at that time. The shop was only open from Wednesday to Sunday; with lunch service only from Fridays to Sunday starting at 1pm.

But finally, on a quiet Sunday, between road trips with JJ, I decided to head on down to Barrio Logan, which is not an area I really frequent. The restaurant is located in the huge Mercado del Barrio….which I last visited back in 2018 when I went to check out Pho Bo….which is still there.

I had fully believed that parking would be at a premium, but I easily found parking on all three visits. The restaurant is actually a combination of three concepts; Pizza Kaiju, Ultra Donuts, and what looks like a beer bar and is in a huge space right on the corner of National Avenue and Cesar E. Chavez Parkway.

Kaiju 01

What was even more interesting was trying to get into the place as they list the address as being #1115, which seemed closed; but the shop stretches over to both suite 1111 and 1113.

Kaiju 02

More confusion ensued as I tried to figure out where to look at a menu and place an order as the shop was completely empty. Until the very nice woman working saw me, smiled and waved me over.

Kaiju 03

I was shown the various menus and while the pizzas were humongous, they also sold slices. I was shown the display case with what was available by the slice on this day.

Kaiju 04

Kaiju 05

Kaiju 06

Sadly, no Sisig or Bulgogi pizza by the slice on this day, but a really nice gentleman was walking by and introduced himself as "Rob" and told me he was one of the owners. He recommended trying a slice of Potato Curry Pizza which was just finishing up and was going to be available. The slices were nicely priced at $5. Wanting to try something else off the menu and I went with the Karaage ($10) as well. This is one of those order and pay at the counter and find a table kind of places.

I had a short wait, but soon enough my dishes arrived.

Kaiju 07

First off the Potato – Japanese Curry Pizza.

Kaiju 08 Kaiju 09 This was really not to my liking. The crust of the pizza was rubbery and soggy, the edges quite chewy. I don't think it had been baked long enough. It did look nice and I thought the amount of cheese was good, but in spite of the curry, I thought this a bit bland overall. The curry itself was quite thick and had some spice; but for some reason the flavor just seemed to vanish in the entire package.

As for the Karaage. Well, you know how much I enjoy my karaage and tori nanban right? I've even experimented with different recipes as well.

Kaiju 10 Kaiju 11 Well, I wasn't too inspired by the whitish color. Was not a fan of the way too soft coating which lacked crispness, something that I like in my karaage.

The flavor however was really good, nice umami tones…the soy sauce, a hint of sweetness, it was so moist and juicy. If that batter was better, it would have been among my favorites in San Diego! This was a pleasant surprise!

And since I was still curious about the Sisig Pizza; I decided to return for another visit. This was after our most recent road trip and Kaiju was now open for lunch at 1130 on weekends. The place was a bit more busy this time around and I was also shown some new menu items by that nice woman.

Kaiju 11b

But I was really just wanting try that Sisig Pizza, which they had by the slice on this day. Rob was there as well and he recommended the "Aporkalypse", so I got that as well. Slices were $5 a piece….so ten bucks for lunch….well, that's a bargain these days.

The Aporkalypse was my favorite of the two slices. As you can see, the crust was much better this time around….good yeasty crispness. Loved the tangy tomato tones along with the salty bacon-pepperoni-sausage….there's a hint of spice as well, which was quite enjoyable.

Kaiju 13 Kaiju 14 As for the Sisig slice……well, this was fairly bland, even with the slices of serrano chilies; it really lacked the tangy-sour-porky flavors that make Sisig one of my favorite food items. What did help things a bit was the Black Garlic Ranch Dressing that Rob brought to me to try. It had the typical tangy-rich-sourness of ranch dressing, with the addition of some sweet pungency.

Rob came by at the end of my meal to chat. I was curious about how all of what is offered fits within his background. And man, was it an amazing story….born in the Phillipines, raised in Japan and Guam, and a graduate of Campbell High School….that would be in Ewa Beach for those not familiar. The large variety of cuisines fits within his experiences in life…….glad to know it's not just "con-fusion and cultural appropriation". I really enjoyed our chat and Rob was so generous with his time!

So, of course I had to return, right?

Kaiju 15

Rob wasn't around, but that really nice woman was. It was empty again during this weekend lunch hour.

Kaiju 16

I had thought that the karaage was so close to being a favorite, that I decided to actually try the Katsu Curry, which is supposedly done Kanazawa style. I went with the chicken katsu ($16.50) version.

Kaiju 17

Upon delivery I looked and yes, this looked like the thick-rouxed Kanazawa style curry!

Kaiju 18 Kaiju 19 The katsu was really crisp, perfectly fried….I think I'm going to ask Rob the next time I see him, what kind of panko he uses. The chicken was moist, nicely seasoned without being overly salty, though I think it could be a bit more tender.

The curry was super thick, rich, and had a nice spiciness to it…..definitely "stick to your ribs" kinda Japanese curry. Of shredded cabbage was a must for "recovery".

The rice was perfectly cooked.

Kaiju 20

I'm thinking the Missus might like this katsu curry. I mentioned wishing that I could bring JJ here to the woman working and she said "bring him, he will be welcomed"! So, perhaps I will. At that moment, the Old Town Trolley stopped at the corner and a few people got off….some of them entered the restaurant, which made me smile. Really great folks and even though I'm not big on the pizzas here, I'd like to try some of their other menu items. I hope they do well.

Kaiju 21

Pizza Kaiju
1985 National Ave #1115
San Diego, CA 92113
Current Hours:
Wed – Thurs 3pm – 9pm
Friday 1pm – 9pm
Sat- Sun 1130am – 9pm
Closed Mon – Tues

Kaiju 00

It’s that time of the year again – HFS at Centerpark Labs Revisited

August 4, 2025 mmm-yoso Local Kine Stuffs in San Diego, Poke

Ah yes……as we flip the pages of the calendar and the weather turns warmer, it's time for poke again here. I just checked and noticed I hadn't been to HFS at Centerpark Labs in over a year! How the heck can that be? Well, I think that two trips "home" got me my poke fixes. Though my recent visit to Makai Sushi had me wondering how HFS at Centerpark was doing. So, it was time to head on over……old habits kicked in and I arrived 5 minutes before opening, time enough to beat the lines.

HFS Rev 01

By five minutes of opening; there were already a dozen people in line.

As per my usual habit; I ordered a Medium Bowl with brown rice, which is still priced at $19 with the "Kilauea" and the Wasabi Ahi; mainly for the Missus, while I got a half pound of Shoyu Poke ($26.99/lb). Since I'd be taking this home, I asked that the poke and rice be separate. The nice young ladies working separated things and even put the fish on ice! Such great service. And of course, taking this home meant that the Missus needed Her "typical" poke set-up. Luckily, I had gone shopping earlier in the day and was prepared.

HFS Rev 02

HFS Rev 03

Man, that brown rice was nicely cooked, firm and so nutty-earthy in flavor!

HFS Rev 04

The Shoyu Poke was good; the fish of decent quality….like I tell folks here….HFS is about Foodland quality; while not top of the line "back home"; it's about as good as it gets here in San Diego. We really didn't need the shoyu sauce, which is provided on the side.

HFS Rev 05

As for the other poke…the Missus really enjoyed the Wasabi version this time….I also thought the quality of fish in the wasabi was better. While it was a mildly "sinus clearing", the pungency did not overpower the poke. The Kilauea was mildly spicy and the fish of decent quality as well.

HFS Rev 06

I detected a bit of a different flavor profile in the Kilauea….I'm wondering if they've started using a chili crisp in it?

Anyway, this hit the spot. And as the weather turns warmer, I'll probably be going more often. I know that HFS has opened a new location in Poway; but after my experience with the Liberty Station location, I'll probably just stick with the Centerpark Labs location. So, apologies in advance if you start seeing more HFS posts as things heat up!

HFS Rev 00

HFS at Centerpark Labs
6835 Flanders Dr.
San Diego, CA 92121
Current Hours:
Daily 10am – 8pm

Saigon Sandwiches & Deli Revisited

August 3, 2025 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Vietnamese Restaurants

Well, though it's been a while, I hadn't intended on revisiting Saigon Sandwiches & Deli….which kind of always slips my mind. I intended on checking out Da Nang Restaurant and Coffee which had replaced the longstanding Cafe Dore in the strip mall on the south corner of University and Marlborough. This was actually my second try as the first time went at the researched 830 am opening time and the place was closed. This time, I went at 930am in the morning and guess what….sigh…..the place was closed.

Since I was kinda hungry, I just decided to head into Saigon Sandwiches & Deli.

Saigon Sand Rev 01

It had been a while and the place looks like it's been renovated a bit.

Saigon Sand Rev 02

The Banh Mi Pate Cha is priced at $7.99 here; pretty much in the typical range for banh mi these days.

Took the banh mi home and unwrapped it.

Saigon Sand Rev 03

It looked pretty darn good. The bread here is always on the crusty side; but I'm not complaining. There's a butteriness to the bread as well. The generous amount pickled veggies were really thick and somewhat cumbersome. Lot's of cilantro…..mostly leaves, which I appreciated. Of course, no cucumber. The jalapenos on this banh mi was spicy!

Saigon Sand Rev 04

Good amount on nicely sliced cha lua and a nice smear of funky pate.

I actually enjoyed this banh mi…..I'm not sure why I keep forgetting about this place. I need to visit more often.

And well, with the way my luck is going with regards to finding Da Nang Restaurant and Coffee open….at least I have a back-up option, right? I'll probably give the place another try…..but three strikes and I'm going to forget about it. Maybe "FOY" Elle knows what's up with Da Nang? As for Saigon Sandwiches….I need to make sure to have the place on my typical banh mi "rotation".

Saigon Sandwiches & Deli
4133 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92105
Current Hours:
Open Daily 7am – 8pm

Valle de Guadalupe – Vinicola Retorno, Vinícola Emevé, and Staying at Contemplación Hotel Boutique

August 2, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Mexico, Travel, Wine Bars/Wineries

**** No food in this one; just two wineries, and where we stayed in Valle

After a very satisfying lunch at El Guero we headed down the 10, then back up the 3 toward our accommodation. When chatting with Aimee, I mentioned that we really wanted to relax and enjoy and not do too many wineries and that the Missus was partial to whites.

The first stop was a charming and tiny little tasting room for Vinicola Retorno.

The young man working was an absolute joy; so welcoming and friendly.

He was so gracious and generous with our tasting and perhaps it's because there were no other customers on this day…he took us on a tour of the production facility in this tiny winery.

He even scaled the barrels to give us tastes of different vintages…..

The Missus really enjoyed the two whites using Chenin Blanc type grapes. Because this was our first stop, we didn't buy any bottles….but as luck would have it; we'd end up returning the following day.

Definitely the Missus's favorite stop.

Vinícola Retorno
Santos Degollado 161
Villa de Juárez, B.C., Mexico

Our next stop before checking into our accommodations was in total contrast to Retorno. While our previous stop was quaint, tiny, and rustic, Vinícola Emevé was quite modern.

We did enjoy the view and the staff was also quite friendly as well.

We had a tasting of four different wines from Emevé, but the what stays in our memory is being able to walk along the lovely vineyards.

Escorted by this wonderful pooch!

I can see how experiencing moments like this can bring you "closer" to the wine you are imbibing……

Vinícola Emevé
Parcela 67
El Porvenir, B.C., Mexico

Soon enough it was time to head on over to our accommodation. I had booked our stay at Contemplación Hotel Boutique mainly because of the lovely setting; it also had villas, which seemed just the perfect place to relax.

There's a restaurant onsite which included breakfast daily. And the villas were large and comfortable.

We loved the view of the vineyards right out our window.

We'd enjoy walking the grounds a bit later on during our stay.

For now…well, we needed a short break before heading out to dinner!

Thanks for stopping by!

Puerto Nuevo – Restaurant Bar El Guero

August 1, 2025 mmm-yoso Baja California, Mexico, Mexican Restaurants, Mexico, Seafood, Travel

I'm not sure why I took so long to do it…..many folks I know have been to Valle de Guadalupe, not only for winery visits, but also because of the ever elevating cuisine that is being presented in the region, which includes several Michelin listed restaurants. I guess we'd been too busy visiting CDMX and other wonderful areas within Mexico, that we just never got around to it. So finally last year, as a late birthday thing for the Missus, I decided that we should "dip our feet" into the Valle. I also decided that perhaps not driving around in an area I'm not familiar with after imbibing might not be a great idea and really wanted to make this something special for the Missus. It just so happened that I listened to the now inactive "All in San Diego" podcast and heard an interview with Aimee Cruz, who is the founder of Valle Guadalupe Baja Tours. She sounded so upbeat and positive that I went and sent an email and got a very quick response and then had a lovely phone conversation with her. It was a wonderful experience….and no; Aimee does not know I have this blog at all; I'm not one of those influencer types….just some guy that likes to eat…and travel occasionally. Things ended up quite customized, we had our drivers, I made the reservations for accommodations after reviewing some recommendations and checking online. I made dinner reservations and Aimee provided a nice list of possible wineries with their attributes. Everything was scheduled at our pace and preference and once Aimee found out that we enjoy dining she coordinated our lunches along the way. Our drivers, Ivan and Isaac were wonderful, and because it was just the Missus and I, things were flexible and we made a couple of stops that weren't on the itinerary.

Because this was just two evenings we were able to use backpacks for our belongings and take the trolley from Clairemont Drive to San Ysidro, where we met Ivan and crossed over to Tijuana. One other thing of note; we loved it that Ivan and Isaac were always at our meeting spots at least 15 minutes early!

The drive was relaxing and Ivan was quite friendly and full of information. When it was time for lunch, Ivan parked at this corner in Puerto Nuevo and walked us into the restaurant; named El Guero. We got a table with a view.

The vibe was friendly and relaxing. No customers when we arrived; but the place soon started filling up….a mixture of tourists and groups of folks speaking Spanish.

Ivan told us that El Guero was known for the langostas; lobster, so of course we had to order that.

Things started with some fairly routine chips and salsa.

We also ordered some Aguachile.

As you can tell this was Aguachile Negro. The shrimp were nice and plump, the cucumbers added a mild refreshing-light brininess and a nice a sprinkling of Tajin added a bit more puckery-heat to the dish. Overall not bad.

And then the star of the show.

Man, look at the langostas! The beans were bland and watery and the rice on the harder side and also very mild in flavor, but those lobsters! There was a time when the Missus just didn't care for lobster; having had quite a few bland versions of them . But time and visit to places on the east coast and Canada, She has come around. And these were delicately, sweet-oceany, with a firm, yet pliable texture.

Initially, we weren't quite sure about the flour tortillas, as large a frisbee; but they held the lobster well, had a mild, almost sweet-buttery flavor that actually enhanced things.

No wonder they call Puerto Nuevo the "Lobster Village" of Baja!