mmm-yoso – Page 198 – 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.

Montreal – Patati Patata

May 11, 2018 mmm-yoso Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Canada, Canada Food and Restaurants, Montreal, Travel

It was our last morning in Montreal, our flight was at 3pm, though we had to check-out at 11am. We did need something to hold us over….so why not poutine? There were a few stops to make in the morning and Patati Patata Friterie de Lux….well, with a name like that and being a few blocks from where we were staying, it just made sense.

This tiny corner shop was quite charming as it really looked like an old school diner.

The Missus enjoyed the fresh squeezed orange juice and we both enjoyed our coffee.

We also ordered the Poutine Avec des Ouefs…..which seemed like something right down our alley, with easy over eggs (sorry to FOY Jessica).

So, the frites were crisp, but on the dry side, the cheese curds too mushy, the gravy quite salty….the eggs wonderful. This reminded us of the poutine we had in Vancouver. Not a bad thing, just not to our taste.

The service was great, we loved the vibe, but not the poutine. glad we got to try it though.

Patati Patata Friterie de Luxe
4177 St Laurent
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

We had use of one of the Sky Team lounges at Trudeau International Airport which was pretty quiet.

The food choices were fine for a snack to hold us over.

And we had bought some "goodies" to have at home…..

Though it was nothing like having it there….in Montreal.

I guess we'll just have to return.

Paris – Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Sadaharu Aoki, and Dinner at Café Constant

May 9, 2018 mmm-yoso Chocolate, Desserts, France, French Restaurants, Paris, France, Travel

We awoke on our first full day back in Paris ready to go. We had the remnants of our previous evening's shopping and then headed off. The Missus wanted to visit Pere Lachaise Cemetery, mainly because She had read about it in various guidebooks. I knew of the cemetery because of one specific gravesite. I thought this would be kind of neat, so I was all for it. We caught the metro and got off at the Pere Lachaise stop.

Walking the winding paths, we were taken in and overwhelmed. It was at the same time haunting and yet beautiful. Each grave and tomb told a different story.

And while I had a mental list of all the famous laid to rest here; Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Edith Piaf, we were so taken in by "la cite des morts" (the city of the dead), that in the end, I really only tried to find the final resting place of one American.

I sent a text to one of the folks whom I knew would understand, CC.

And still there were a few interesting resting….and perhaps "non-resting" (for now) that caught our attention.

I noticed this grave had metro tickets lying on it.

So I felt compelled to add mine to the pile.

The Missus looked at me and said; "why are you doing this, you have no idea who this person is." To which I replied "this is Gilbert Morard former head of SNCF, the official train company of France!". Google to the rescue again!

We found this tomb to be kind of freaky.

A camera stares back at you…….. When we got back to the states I found that the person this is meant for, André Chabot is still alive. This space is reserved for André Chabot a photographer who specializes in "funeral art". Go figure….

That's not to say there aren't any tombs that aren't plain creepy and scary.

In the end, while we really enjoyed Pere Lachaise, I don't think we saw everything we wanted to. We'll definitely be back to this fascinating "la cite des morts" again.

We decided to walk back to the 7th (of course), taking the long way.

We soon passed the flagship store of Galeries Lafayette and the Missus was totally entranced by the Christmas displays. From the huge Christmas Tree several stories high, with balloons slowly rising up and down as the tree slowly spins. We linked to several videos we took in our Christmas post.

If that doesn't stir the inner child in you; the window displays along Boulevard Haussman will.

It's mesmerizing and so wonderful. And less you think there's no rhyme or reason to it….well, every year, the display tells a story. On this Christmas season, it was a love story, of a pigeon named Pierre and a dove named Coco. They run into each other in Fairground and the window displays tell that story…..

Who doesn't love a Christmas romance? We ended up stopping by Galeries Lafayette several times. And without fail, the Missus just had to go in and view the trees and spend about 20-30 minutes staring at the window scenes.

As we got close to our apartment, we stopped at the Rue Saint-Dominique location of Sadaharu Aoki.

Sadaharu Aoki is well known for blending Japanese flavors into traditional French desserts.

So, of the Missus had to add to Her growing dessert collection. She bought a dozen bonbons and really enjoyed them.

Sadaharu Aoki
103 Rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris, France

**** Cafe Constant has closed

We wanted a place that was casual and low stress for dinner. The Missus had enjoyed our dinner at Christian Constant's Les Cocottes on our previous visit to Paris. So why not complete the set and visit his no reservation, open all day, Café Constant.

Man, this place was packed…….a combination of Parisians and tourists.

The service was quite genial and while it didn't look like there was room for us….they made some….under the stairwell. Which we got a kick out of…..

To tell you how laid back this place is….well, the couple next to us had their Lab under their table. He'd poke his head out once in a while hoping for a hand-out!

We decided to just go for the 36 Euro 3 course meal….something easy, not much thinking involved.

The Missus started with the Tartare de saumon, huîtres et bar au gingembre – Tartare of oysters, seabass and salmon seasoned with ginger and lemon, which was surprisingly good and refreshing.

Not too heavy handed on the ginger; very tender salmon and seabass, this was much better than I expected.

I had really enjoyed the rustic Country-style Pate at Les Cocottes and they had the same one here on the menu.

Nice earthy flavors, not overly rich, just as I remembered.

As Her main the Missus had the Parmentier de cuisse de canard croisé au vin rouge, pommes gaufrettes - Potato Parmentier with duck in red wine sauce and potato gaufrettes.

Again, done by the book and done well. Nice potatoes; the sauce wasn't overly salty or winey, the duck toothsome, but not tough, with a nice earthy-gamy flavor.

I had the Stewed Beef Cheeks – Joues de boeuf.

The beef cheeks were very beefy, tender, and the potatoes and carrots were nicely stewed; not mushy, not hard. The stew itself needed a bit of help with some salt and pepper though. The texture of the stew was good as it nicely coated one's tongue.

The Missus got Her first Rum Baba, which She immediately took to.

Too sweet for me….but She loved it.

I had a forgettable cheese plate……

In the end, the service was good, the food, while not amazing was comforting, the price not bad….for Paris. Like Les Cocottes…no muss, no fuss, no complaints.

Sometimes you want a by-the-book dependable meal and this did the trick……

Café Constant
139 rue Saint-Dominique
75007 Paris, France

It was time to get some rest……tomorrow was going to be a shopping day for the Missus!

Nordstrom-Lunch in the Department Store (again)

May 8, 2018 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Desserts, Pizza, Salads, What Cathy Eats!

Thank you for reading mmm-yoso!!!, this food blog with almost daily postings. Kirk is a bit busy with work this week and Cathy finally has some free time, so she will be posting.

Eating at restaurants located within other businesses has been a longtime way to keep people from leaving a store and possibly not returning to complete a shopping trip. I've written only two other posts about Nordstrom, but have frequented it many times. I do love their coffee and sometimes stop in just to be able to sit down and enjoy a cup.

You can walk up and grab a menu to decide what you'd like to order and your first stop will be some friendly servers who can take your order, or maybe just hand you a cup or bowl of fresh soup. Trays are next to this station. You can walk to the register and pay…perusing other offerings along the way…perhaps your order will change, or have additions.
As in one of the previous posts, the chicken, apple and Goat Cheese salad ($14.25) is a regular choice. Tender, white meat chicken is mixed with baby greens, fresh Granny Smith apple slices, dried apple chips, spiced candied almond slices and onion, all topped with a champagne vinaigrette. This is a satisfying meal.
Next to a display of the soups available was a display plate of this rustic Cheddar chive biscuit ($2.25). I thought this would go with the salad. I was correct. Light, flaky/crumbly (like a savory scone) this biscuit has wonderful, fresh flavors.
A pepperoni and mushroom pizza($13.25) was also an order, since there were three of us this day.
The very thin, fresh crust was still chewy as well as crispy (but not cracker crisp). The fresh, juicy shiitake mushroom slices and thin pepperoni, as well as basil and oregano toppings on the Mozzarella and aged Provolone cheese was so perfect- each item had a unique flavor, even the slightly sweet tomato sauce. This was a great pizza.
Of course a 'meal' of pizza and salad was just so perfect; balanced and with such a variety of complimentary flavors.
You seat yourself here, but have your receipt and there is a waiter who will assist you with beverages as well as other needs (water, silverware, boxing up leftovers). We had ordered the Creme Brûlée dessert ($6.50) and our waiter said he would bring it out, freshly Brûléed, when it was time.
Wow. The fresh vanilla custard (heavy cream, egg yolks, vanilla bean; you can see 'specks' of vanilla throughout) topped with a thin layer of fine sugar crystals which are either heated with a torch, or melted in an oven until a thin, delicate crisp top forms was just so simply delightful. Always a special treat here at the Cafe.

Nordstrom Cafe Website There are different restaurant levels at the various Nordstrom store locations. This one was in Fashion Valley

Even though you have already paid, the traditional chocolate mint stick is given. A wonderful ending to an always great meal.

Bonny’s Cafe-Breakfast in El Cajon

May 7, 2018 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, What Cathy Eats!

Here you are, back reading mmm-yoso!!!, wondering where Kirk has been. Well, he's at work. Cathy is writing this post.

Lately, the days have been busy and going out to breakfast seems the easiest; not too crowded, everyone can order what they want, the day is off to a good start. Of course, local standbys are most interesting (Perry's, Izzy's) compared to chains (although I have a few posts about chain breakfasts, too). I realized that I had never posted about Bonny's Cafe, even though we've been here many times

In this location for about 24 years, Bonny's is a breakfast-lunch diner with a bit of a decoration 'theme'.

Primarily 1950's America. This is but a small glimpse; the dining area was packed at 8 a.m. on a Wednesday.

A short stack ($6.50), add bacon and two eggs (scrambled) ($2.95) is quite enough breakfast. The from scratch pancakes are slightly sweet, fluffy, large and cause cravings. The bacon is thick and meaty.

The chicken fried steak meal ($10.75) comes with a choice of toast or biscuit and gravy…oh and the gravy here is magical- smooth, not salty, containing a lot of house made sausage bits and just enough black pepper. More gravy on the house made fresh, fluffy biscuit was a bonus. The chicken fried steak here is *wonderful*- a crispy, lightly seasoned coating on very tender cube steak, cooked just so perfectly. The hash browns were crispy on the top but fairly raw/plain in the center; only the edges were consumed.
French toast, thick slice of a good quality sausage patty, and eggs over hard ($7.95) Why eggs that way?
The salsa. I've never asked if it is house made or a certain brand, but gosh is it good! With the hard cooked eggs, it's quite a burst of great flavors. I sometimes crave a bit of sweet (the French toast) with a generally savory meal. This combination is just right.

Bonny's is a great, local, fun place. Look at those plates!

Bonny's Cafe 596 Broadway, El Cajon 92021 (619) 579-3464 Open Wed-Mon 6 a.m.-2 p.m. CLOSED ON TUESDAYS

Aaharn by Koon Thai (National City)

May 6, 2018 mmm-yoso Thai Restaurants

**** This location of Aaharn has closed

The weather's been warming up, so the Missus decided it was time to start hitting up Zarlitos again for Her weekend poke breakfast. While driving past National City Boulevard, I noticed this.

At street level of Bayview Towers. The thing that caught my eye was the "by Koon Thai" on the signage. Returning home, I did a bit of searching and found out this is a new "concept" by Koon Thai. Along with this National City location, there's one on Kettner near Santa Fe Depot. Shows how long it's been since I've been around those areas, huh?

Anyway, that evening, with the Missus working, I decided to drop on by….yes, back and forth to National City twice in a day! Now that's dedication, right? Actually, I was that curious about the place. Which was small, but I liked the décor.

The young lady working was so warm and friendly.

The menu can be described as Koon Thai "light"……stuff like gyoza? But there were still some ungringo dishes on the menu. I placed my order, not really thinking a couple of things thru.

I started with the Nam Tok, which I ordered spicy. The poor young lady was so concerned about my personal welfare….I assured her that I'd be able to take the heat…evening mentioning Sab e Lee. But she looked so concerned (more about this later), that I ordered it medium.

This was definitely not a "Thai sized" portion. Holy smokes, there was a decently sized steak under the herbs and veggies. On an interesting note; unlike what I've had at Koon Thai, the lime-sugar-saltiness was decent if a bit on the mild side for my taste. I've usually found the beef at Koon Thai on Convoy to be pretty tender. This on the other hand, looked great, but was cut way too thick, and was really sinewy and tough. I'd have appreciated more lemongrass flavor and roasted rice powder, but at least this wasn't too sweet. Oh and it wasn't hot at all….barely tickling my tongue.

I was happy to see a Koon Thai favorite on the menu; the Khao Karr Moo ($10). Again, I found the portion size to be quite large.

There was quite a bit more pork that what I get at Koon on Convoy. There was a nice balance of sweet-soy sauce going on. The pork was a bit drier and tougher than I prefer; except for the darker, fattier slices. There were boiled eggs, decently done for this dish which takes me back to Thailand. I wish the usual pickeld greens were used instead of the gringo broccoli and carrots.

Still, not too bad. The young lady was very nice. When I mentioned the spice level not being up to par, she apologized and told me a couple of stories about folks not quite knowing what "real" Thai food was like and the various questions, challenges, and folks basically almost dying from "mild" level heat. I get it.

I decided to return yesterday and there was this really nice young man working….same friendliness and warmth, a really nice guy. As temperatures had soared to the mid-eighties, I wasn't in the mood for any curries or soups. I saw something called "Herby Chicken" ($12) on the menu and asked if it was "Kai Yang" and he smiled and said "yes". A whole half chicken arrived.

The photo above really doesn't do the portion size justice as it is a pretty hefty half chicken. As with most American birds, the thigh and leg meat was vey nice and moist, but the large and hefty breast was really dry and didn't absorb much flavor. In terms of taste, well, this was quite mild for me. It was salty enough, but definitely needed more. I use lemongrass, garlic, and ginger in my recipe. It could have also been a touch sweeter. The skin was tough and rubbery.

Still, this wasn't bad by any means, better than many Thai restaurants in San Diego.

I also got free Thai Coffee/Thai Tea with my entrée. I'm guessing this is a grand opening perk.

I love the artwork and really enjoyed chatting with the folks working here. I was told that someone actually came in and had no idea what Thai Curry was!!! The top selling dish? Pad Thai.

I hope they do well. I might return one of these days. I was the only customer in the place during both my visits. I hope and wish them well.

Aaharn by Koon Thai
801 National City Blvd
National City, CA 91950
Hours:
Mon – Fri 11am – 3pm
430pm – 9pm
Saturday 430pm – 9pm
Closed Sunday

There are three or four parking spaces behind the building specifically assigned to the restaurant. Though I parked along A Avenue. After driving in Italy and France, I've kind of learned to appreciate roundabouts and there's one here.

I also enjoy the historic homes in the area.

Right next to the quite 70's looking building is Morgan Square Plaza, a colorful little oasis. And on this day, it looked like some teens were having their graduation pictures taken.

They added some life to a rather desolate area on a Saturday evening.

Saturday Stuffs – Farmer’s Table Coming to Bay Park and Hidden Sushi to Convoy

May 5, 2018 mmm-yoso Blog

Two quick things for a busy Saturday.

Farmer's Table Coming to Bay Park:

At least that's what the window display says.

Yes, this is an outpost of the popular La Mesa eatery.

It's good see some new places opening up in our neck of the woods.

3057 Clairemont Dr
San Diego, CA 92117

Ready for some "Hidden Sushi"?:

Saw this a couple of weeks ago. Right behind the former FuAn/Hui An.

A few days later; I read the piece on Eater. It's an omakase only concept….I hope it's more than just a concept.

4764 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Montreal – The Mont-Royal Street Festival and La Banquise

May 4, 2018 mmm-yoso Beer, Canada, Canada Food and Restaurants, Festivals & Events, Montreal, Travel

During our last evening in Montreal, I wanted something in particular….poutine! The Missus decided to humor me. And to make things even better, She decided we could catch the metro instead of walking all the way to our destination.

So, we got out at the Mont-Royal metro stop and wouldn't you know, there was a street festival taking place.

We couldn't help but really enjoy the chill and relaxing vibe of the street festival.

One of my favorite scenes on this trip was when the gentleman below heard the DJ put "his song" on and just dropped his bags and started……well, calling it dancing might be a stretch. But we just loved it.

We had such a good time that we actually went past the street we needed to turn on and walked all the way until the end of the street fair.

Not sure when it'll be this year….but this was a lot of fun.

Anyway, we turned on Avenue Papineau and backtracked until we came to a place I was looking forward to eating at. La Banquise.

During discussions about poutine in Montreal, this 24 hour-a-day "poutinerie" would always somehow be mentioned. La Banquise is one of those beloved institutions having been around for 50 years. They also have 30 plus variations of poutine on the menu….though there was only one I was after.

Even at this rather early hour for dinner, the place was humming. Though we had no wait, almost all the tables were taken. We were seated in the covered back area……topped by a bright red-orange tarp, it made all my photos come out rather reddish. So my apologies.

I started with another thing I wanted to try, a Bec Cola. Produced in Montreal with maple syrup being the primary sweetener….well, it was a "must try". This wasn't highly carbonated, with a typical, perhaps slightly bitterish at first taste….but with a definite maple syrup flavored finish. It was refreshing on quite a warm day.

As for my poutine? Well, I'd already had a rabbit poutine in Quebec City and on the previous night, it was an over-the-top foie gras poutine. Here, I just wanted a "classic".

This was by far, my favorite poutine of the trip. It wasn't salty, the cheese curds weren't tough, with a slight "squeak", the gravy had a decent tongue coating beefiness and there wasn't too much of it. The potatoes weren't particularly crunchy, but there was a definite sweetness and deep potato flavor to them. I mentioned this to Cathy who said that she believes the potatoes are grown in excellent soil and left in the ground longer to develop the sugars better.

The Missus, still swooning from the Smoked Meat sandwich at Schwartz's ordered the version with smoked meat.

This wasn't bad….but I'll take the classic version any day of the week.

We were amazed to have finished everything off….and didn't feel stuffed or gross……just totally satisfied.

La Banquise
994 Rue Rachel E
Montreal, Canada
Open 24 Hours

If you want to read more about La Banquise, you can do so here.

Of course the Missus insisted that we walk back to the apartment.

And it "just so happened" as we passed Au Pied de Cochon, we ran smack dab into a chocolate shop.

And the Missus was a happy camper.

Les Chocolats de Chloé
546 Avenue Duluth E
Montréal, Canada

The rest of the walk was uneventful….though I loved the name of this place…..

As we settled in for the night; I opened up the last beer in the fridge. Remember getting those brews by Unibroue on sale for $3.99CAD?

Even the Missus enjoyed this Belgian White Ale with Apple.

Life was indeed good……

Thanks for reading!

Revisits – Pho Lucky and Pho Cow Cali

May 3, 2018 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

Once upon a time; I considered Lucky and Cow Cali to be my favorite pho shops in San Diego. But recently, I've had some less than stellar visits. The weather had been strangely December like over the last couple of weeks; so I thought I'd drop by and see how thing were.

Pho Lucky:

After my terrible last two visits here, I mentioned that I'd stick with the Banh Mi Bo Kho, which has always been a favorite of mine. Which is exactly what I did.

Well, this did hit the spot. Though the stew is not quite as thick as it used to be. There's a light anise flavor, a decent dose of black pepper, a mild tanginess to it all. Though I'm not sure what was up with the herbs…..I don't recall getting as much of it during previous visits.

There was quite a bit more meat than I recall having before. The tendon and connective tissue looked quite tough, but wasn't. It was nice beefy goodness. The carrots were cooked decently, not hard in the center, and the standard issue banh mi was toasted nicely.

A pretty good meal overall. During this visit, I noticed that there were some new items on the menu. I specifically noticed Hu Tieu Nam Vang Kho, which got my attention as it is a dish that I usually go City Heights to get when I have a craving. So, I returned the following weekend to try it out.

So here's the thing. I found this to be quite "different" in a way. First; the hu tieu was severely over cooked and mushy. Second, there's usually some sauce; usually a combination of soy…maggi, or whatever either at the bottom of the bowl or poured over the noodles. This had nothing. I was kind of puzzled. Then, on queue the gentleman came over with a standard issue bottle of maggi sauce. Sigh……

There were two slices of leathery char siu….and a ton of really dry; leathery, and bitter tasting liver. I tried eating one piece and it was terrible.

The other thing I found different as the greasy, pork based "gravy", much like what is served with the Hu Tieu My Tho at Pho King; except it was really bland.

The best two things about the dish was the Chinese celery and the broth; which was quite rich and comforting.

I really thought they might have served me something else from the new menu, but the receipt confirmed I got what I ordered (I think).

I'm still a bit gun shy with regards to the pho here as it has seemed to have gone downhill over the last years or so. So maybe now it's only the Bo Kho?

Pho Lucky
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92126

Pho Cow Cali:

Speaking of pho…….I was wanting a bowl of pho and decided to revisit Cow Cali. After my last visit here, I had pretty much decided to stick to the pho.

I arrived at 10am and the place was already almost filled. I'm not a fan of the rare steak (tai) here; so I stuck with the flank, brisket, tendon, and tripe.

The amount of herbs and sprouts provided was on the stingy side. The broth, in what seems to be an increasing trend here in San Diego, was "sweeter" than I recalled. It was also not as rich. It did have some beefiness to it, with mild anise tones.

The noodles were a perfect stretchy and the proteins, as is usually the case here was the highlite of the bowl. Especially the brisket; though the flank was nice and beefy and very tender. The tendon looks really tough, but is not bad at all.

Not the best bowl of pho I've had here, but it did the trick.

Pho Cow Cali
9170 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

I left wondering…..is it just me, or is the state of pho in San Diego on the downswing?

Ta’cul

May 2, 2018 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

**** Ta'Cul has closed

Because I like to make more than one visit before doing a post, I sometimes take too long. As was the case with El Trebol, a taco shop that a couple of folks had recommended to me at what I call the "gateway to PB". By the time I went to make my second visit, a shop by the name of Ta'cul had taken its place.

The configuration has been changed around a bit and the place is looking kind of rustic. But the young lady and the guy working the kitchen are quite nice.

I liked the menu; both mariscos and what I consider a bit different for this part of town, tacos guisados are available.

Your guisados can be ordered as "street tacos" or larger tacos and run at $2.25 a pop for the smaller sizes. The prices for tacos de mariscos are four bucks and up.

Well, since I was here and fascinated by the menu, I ordered Al Pastor and Cochinita Pibil street tacos, and in typical form for me when it comes to tacos de mariscos, a Gobernador ($4.95).

Service was rather "laid back" as some of the containers on the tables were missing napkin and such. It also took a while to get my tacos.

Even though I saw the trompo in the kitchen, it was not in use. The "al pastor" was heated on the plancha and laid to rest in a mild tasting corn tortilla. It had a very strong, earthy, lightly peppery achiote flavor which kind of overwhelmed everything. It was also quite dry and tough; lacking the different textures of something off the vertical spit. The guacamole helped a bit, as did the onions, but still this really lacked the mild sweetness and balanced flavor I enjoy in a tacos al pastor.

I was quite excited to be able to try the Cochinita Pibil, which I rarely see on menus here in San Diego.

While this was also on the dry side and the achiote flavor was also quite pronounced, there was a mild porkiness to the meat, and the time on the flat top helped add some textural contrast to it. The flavor really reminded me of a milder version of my carne guisada. I did expect a bit more complexity; citrus, cinnamon, garlic, and cloves……but this was better than the previous taco.

The Gobernador looked a bit skimpy, but at least the tortilla was nicely coated with melted cheese to preserve the integrity of the taco.

Not enough onions…peppers….and the shrimp was over cooked. This was the best of the three tacos, but it's hard to get super excited about this……since I usually expect this when I order a Gobernador.

And this for an Al Pastor.

But this is PB and all……

I really did like the friendly service and this time I returned rather quickly.

And ordered the Fried Shrimp ($5.00), Pulpo ($5.95), and a Birria (de res) street taco.

The fried shrimp taco, while being a bit on the greasy side was the better of the two. The shrimp had a nice oceany-briney flavor, the onions and lime helped to cut the greasiness a bit; the batter had a lacquer like crunchiness and the shrimp were moist this time around. The octopus had a nice texture, not too chewy, but really had no flavor and was over shadowed by the peppers and even the queso.

The best was saved for last. It took a while for my taco de birria to arrive. But it was worth the wait.

While this won't make me forget Fernandez or any number of places; most of them are in the South Bay. While the meat was on the stringy side; this had a nice beefiness to it with a decent richness. Definitely the best item I'd had on my two visits.

Due to the nice, friendly atmosphere, I may return for a some more birria and perhaps something else from the menu. Though it's not very high on my list. Also, all they had on my two visits were bottled salsas.

Ta’cul
2015 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109
Hours
Open Daily 11am – 10pm

I wonder if this pooch was waiting for some tacos?