mmm-yoso – Page 218 – 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.

Szechuan Impression (Alhambra)

September 4, 2017 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Los Angeles County, Road Trip

So, work has me going up to Irvine occasionally these days. It makes for a long drive, so recently, I had sessions all day and the Missus was off, we decided to head up and spend the night. I had wanted to stay in our old 'hood, Hacienda Heights, but the Missus wanted to be fairly close to my location so She wouldn't have to drive far to drop me off and then could do whatever She wanted. turns out She'd been working so hard and slept thru my texts when all my meetings were over. So I ended up having a nice 2 1/2 mile walk to the hotel. Which wasn't too bad; though it was pretty hot on Chapman.

And things seemed a bit seedy as well….I kind of stood out walking up the street and two different guys asked me if I was interested in "stuff". Strange.

Anyway, I got back to the hotel and we headed off for dinner. The Missus was really missing good Chinese food, specifically Sichuan. My first thought was a visit to Chengdu Taste, but since I'd recently checked out the Rowland Heights location, I thought we should visit Szechuan Impression, which has been creating quite buzz since opening a few years back. Yes, it's been that long since both the Missus and I have been able to take our time visiting our old stomping grounds. And yes, we've really missed the food in the SGV….but really haven't missed the traffic. A whopping 75 minutes from Garden Grove to Alhambra, without an accident to be seen.

I had actually planned well for this as we arrived right before Sichuan Impression opened.

This restaurant is on the small side; though there seems to be outdoor seating. Like the nice clean and well lit interior. We also enjoyed the rather professional service….we watched a couple come in with a young boy and the Server actually brought a little child's bowl for him.

We decided on a couple dishes from the menu. I love Sichuan Liang Mian, but have struggled to find anything like the version at Ba Ren, which closed in 2012. So, I had to order that here, since I'd heard good things about this version.

This was a disappointment. The sauce wasn't bad; though it was spicy enough, not enough vinegar tones, not enough sweet, not enough garlic….not enough. The noodles were a disaster; really hard and crumbly, with no "pull" at all.

Of course we had to have the Toothpick Lamb, which was better than what I had at Chengdu Taste in Rowland Heights.

The meat had been cooked at least twice, since the interior was pleasantly toothsome, which indicates some sort of braise and the exterior light and crisp. Good amount of cumin going on; with some spice, and a touch of the Sichuan Peppercorn signature numbing effect. I appreciated the cilantro, still don't enjoy the toothpicks, and the Missus wanted a bit more salt on this.

I miss the winey-porky-slightly sweet Chinese style sausages that Missus grew up eating in China. The closest facsimile we've had in the states had been at QingDao Bread. It was pretty hot out; so I ordered the "Impressive Sausage".

I enjoyed these a lot; nice cured pork flavor, decent wine, nice heat. The texture was a bit on the crumbly versus the nice waxy side and it wasn't salty enough. There was a smokey component to this that was seemed strangely reminiscent of paprika to me. The Missus wasn't going for this; as Her "Northern Sausage genes" kicked in….not enough wine, no sweetness, not salty enough, wrong texture. Still, I really liked this.

I didn't care for the Mapo Tofu.

There seemed to be a rather medicinal taste to this dish that was somewhat off-putting to me. It hit the Missus as well, but the more She ate it the more She enjoyed this. Loved the texture of the tofu; good "ma" (numbing), but not enough "la" (heat).

As we ate, we noticed that all the customers, save the couple with the young child, coming in were young. It seems that this is the new wave of Chinese regional restaurants, catering to the younger, "hipper" crowd of Chinese. The dishes aren't as salty, use less oil, and isn't quite a spicy. The Missus and I enjoyed the portion sizes as it seems that trend of "quantity over quality" is coming to an end. Cuisine isn't like the Mona Lisa, it's not a moment caught in time, it is constantly shifting. Though our meals are moments caught in time and we keep reaching for that moment…….and to be honest; for now I prefer the more traditional.

So, as it seems that another trip to China is not in the works; I'll keep searching for some good Sichuan Liang Mian.

Szechuan Impression
1900 W Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803

Arely (Again)

September 3, 2017 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, French Restaurants, Salads, Sandwiches, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!! on this sweltering day. I hope you are staying cool! Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are busy today. Cathy is writing this post.

Beginning in 2007, I posted twice about Arely, then waited until 2014 for an update, with Kirk writing his observations in 2016 and I chimed back in most recently in June 2017. Well, here we are again…because A) We like it here, and 2. It's convenient with recent events bring us to this part of town. One morning, the Breakfast ClubSandwich ($10.50) was a choice. The fresh baked (here) whole wheat bread, in three slices, is filled with fried egg, ham, bacon, avocado and Romaine. It's a wonderful sandwich and is quite large. This Ham and Cheese Crepe ($8.20) is filled with ham, eggs and cheese. It's wonderful! "Monkey Breakfast"($7.49) {listed as a whiteboard special, behind the cash register} was priced slightly less than the 'regular' French toast (which is $7.75), so we ordered it, thinking it was just a banana sauce over regular french toasted bread- but it was the most delightful use of leftover banana bread turned into French Toast! I'm quite fond of various quick breads and to have slices dipped in egg then fried to a light crisp, with the center still being a (quite great version) of banana bread…wow! Unexpectedly wonderful. One visit here was on a Friday (when I don't eat meat) so the Brie Cheese Salad ($8.25) was my order. A quite large salad of various lettuces, fresh tomato and bell pepper, onions…a nicely tart strawberry balsamic and a split baguette, toasted and topped with melted slices of a quality Brie cheese…just a perfect accompaniment.
A visit here usually includes an appetizer; French onion soup ($3.50/cup, $4.80/bowl). It's just wonderful-the stock made with fresh herbs, the onions…the cheese…slices of French bread…
The pastry cases, seen when you walk in…leaned against while waiting to order… The almond croissant ($3). A reason to stay seated, relax and enjoy with a cup of coffee. Just delightful.

Arely French Bakery Cafe 4961-A Clairemont Drive 92117 (858)270-1910 Tues-Sat 7:00 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun-Mon 7:00 a.m.-7 p.m.

Quebec City – Lunch at Le Saint-Armour

August 31, 2017 mmm-yoso Canada, Canada Food and Restaurants, Fine Dining, French Restaurants, Memorable Meals, Quebec City, Travel

We decided to cap off a fun morning in QC, with a nice lunch. During our walk around QC the previous day, we wandered away from Rue Saint-Jean and came across one of the restaurants I had on my list; Le Saint-Armour. The lunch menu, while not cheap, looked interesting. One of the Servers came out and chatted with us. Since the restaurant was a short detour from the way back to the hotel; we decided to stop and have lunch.

We were led to our table by the nice gentleman who chatted with us yesterday. He even remembered us.

The elegant, though simple exterior of the restaurant belies the charming, classy, and quite elegant dining area. A garden like ambiance, what seems to be a former courtyard is topped with a glass ceiling….the natural light and colors just give the place so much character. Quite romantic…..

It was easy to pick our choices from the lunch menu…I think we're getting a bit predictable these days….

The baguette was lovely and warm; which doesn't seem to be the norm in QC.

And of course, I started with the Foie Gras.

The foie gras was very refined; super smooth, perhaps too much for my tastes these days; which is now evolving to enjoy more earthy flavors. The purees were interesting; Sea Buckthorn Jelly, slightly bitter with a touch of tanginess and sweetness, and "Apple Spruce", which tasted like a basic apple based sauce.

The Missus's choice was more interesting, called "Asparagus Elegance".

The asparagus had such a nice, pronounced flavor, it seems that vegetables really shine in this part of the world. The parma ham was tender and added a nice salty component to the dish as did the cheese; a washed rind cheese from Charlevoix (in Canada), which added a fairly mild, milky-acidity to the dish. Of course there was that perfectly poached quail egg.

The Missus got the Pork Cheek for Her main, which She loved.

The mushrooms and sunchokes really added nice earthy tones to the dish. The pork cheek was perfectly braised…spoon tender; though the sauce was a bit too strong for my taste.

I got the "Red Deer"….possibly the most tender venison I've ever had.

I could cut that venison with my fork! The jus was seasoned perfectly and added a velvety, earthy elegance. The Missus loved the cauliflower and sweet potato purees. And that one lovely piece of mushroom in the corner had me wishing for a whole plate of it.

Dessert, is of course the Missus's department and She enjoyed both.

I thought the chocolate cake was very nice….not too sweet.

And then there was my shining moment. While waiting for coffee service, I walked over to the restroom. As I was returning, a party of four middle aged Asian women walked up and told the hostess, "we have reservations for xxxxxx". They were Japanese! They sat at the table right in front of us. The Missus was quick to point out the 20k Hermes bag one of the women had. They spoke very little English and the good natured Server was trying his best to explain items on the menu to them. In the end he smiled and said; "Madam, I can explain the menu in five languages….unfortunately, Japanese is not one of them…." I decided to seize the moment, walked up to the table, bowed slightly, and said "sumimasen", one of the few words I know in Japanese. Luckily, when it comes to food…perhaps it wasn't perfect, but I was able to go down the menu and say…."hotate……buta tontoro (while pointing to my cheek)…rokuniku….bīfu-sutoroganofu……." all the four women made that Japanese game show sound "aaaah"! They then asked me if I am Japanese and I mentioned that I'm sansei….so speak very little Japanese. They all thanked me and went ahead and ordered. I walked back to the table head held up high! As the Missus smirked, shook Her head, and said; "you're such a show off!" But even She couldn't bring me down. Heck, I milked what little Japanese I knew!

And heck, Le Saint-Armour was probably the best meal we had during this trip. Great food, superb service…..

Le Saint-Amour
48 Rue Sainte-Ursule
Quebec City, Quebec

We did some shopping at Place Royale on the way back to the room. Picking up a few gifts.

The Missus looked at this shop and laughed…..

Nope it's not "Prada"….it's Frada!

We were having a great time in Quebec City!

Los Palmitos (revisits)

August 31, 2017 Cathy Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog which we (Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy) thank you for stopping by to read some of our sometimes interesting and sometimes mundane posts about meals consumed. Cathy is writing about a typical San Diego Taco shop today.

According to the phone book, San Diego has over 200 'Taco Shops' within its 4200 square miles. I think everyone has a couple of favorite, conveniently located shops-one close to home and one close to work, maybe a handful of others where they stop in for a quick bite or to go meal. Los Palmitos is one of ours, despite only blogging about it twice; in 2008 and again in 2012.

The exterior was upgraded within the past year. New. Old.

It's not air conditioned, but being shaded keeps the eating area a bit cooler than just being under umbrellas.

When you have a 'for here' order, fresh fried corn chips and cups for the salsa bar are provided.
The salads here are refreshing; lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pickled onions and cojita cheese, topped with (in this case) carne asada. ($7)A simple shrimp ceviche tostada ($5) is just perfect on some days; not too large, but definitely not small. My 'usual order here is the whole fried fish ($12.50)Which I enjoy completely. This is a grilled chicken salad ($7), similar to the carne asada one, above. You can see the cilantro-lime dressing on the chicken, which is so refreshing.
Sometimes, I crave fried items and the 'side order' (no rice or beans) of beef flautas ($5) satisfies. On chilly days, the fish soup ($10) is just perfect. Large pieces of fish, plenty of vegetables in a seafood/tomato broth. It really hits the spot.

Stay cool!

Los Palmitos Taco Shop 5145 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard (between Limerick and Longford) San Diego 92117

(858)974-1946 Open 8 a.m.-midnight, daily Website

Why, yes, the first photos are from meals prior to the addition being built. These above photos show the new plates being used as well as the new tabletops.

It's hot, I wanted to post about a favorite place and really, the food is the same…although the slices of orange on that above whole fish plate were painfully thin and dry…

Szechuan Chef (again)

August 30, 2017 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of this food blog, written by three friends. Today, Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are unable to write about any meals either has consumed recently and Cathy's got a meal recorded on her camera, ready to share.

It's been *hot* the past few days! When I woke (around 2 a.m.) it was 65 and by 2 p.m., it was 101. {I fall asleep around 7 p.m., if you are concerned}. It was a day to get chores done early and then do nothing when the heat hit. Cooking inside our (non-air conditioned) house was not considered.

So, back we went down Convoy Street. Szechuan Chef is part of our 'rotation', which Kirk first wrote about in 2013 then I wrote about in 2015, posting once more as one of our 'birthday meals' in 2016 and most recently, Kirk wrote about a meal in April.

We try to order one 'new to us' dish as well as one 'familiar' item when we go out and today was no exception. Fish filet with tofu in black bean sauce ($10.99){rice is $1} was very nice, quite a large portion, had some great flavors and textures. Crispy fish, fried tofu and a not too salty black bean sauce with onion. Mild-no heat. Of course, my go to here is the deep fried cumin (not turmeric) fish ($10.99). Red pepper, onion, Chinese celery, garlic, ginger and chile peppers. We are never asked about what spice level we would like and it always is just enough.

Stay cool!

Szechuan Chef 4344 Convoy Street #F San Diego 92111 (858) 279-8881

2018 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade float road testing. Small snack at Cream Pan-Tustin. Breakfast at BMC Pho-Hacienda Heights.

August 28, 2017 Cathy Bakery, Festivals & Events, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!!, this food blog, usually has a story about how a meal or meals occurred. Today, Cathy is writing. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are busy with meetings and appointments and 'check off the list' stuff.

Saturday morning, leaving the driveway at 5 a.m., heading North. After about an hour, getting to the parking lot and stepping inside Cream Pan,

for the first time this year. It's mostly the same,

other than the slight (10¢) price increase for the strawberry croissant… …and the new, secondary check out area. Cream Pan 602 El Camino Real Tustin, CA 92780 Website
We purchased a ham and cheese croissant ($2.60) and a cheese crisp ($2.50) and jumped back on the freeway, heading to Irwindale and the new location of Phoenix Decorating Company, arriving before 7 a.m.. We passed the new Construction/Decorating 'barn' and saw some of the floats which were tested last month.

We noticed only three floats were lined up for testing this morning. "Story Time", the entry from the City of Alhambra features a bookworm reading the book 'Tales from the Alhambra', ladybugs flying, zinnias, leaves and lily of the valley.

The openings in the above photo are where the 'observer' and the 'driver' will be seated when the float is driving down Colorado Boulevard on January 1.

The colors are painted on the floats as a marking for the decorators and also in case of weather (in the event of rain or wind, the float might lose some of its natural decorations and people on the parade route will still see color).

The road test is for both mechanics and maneuverability of the float. Each float has at least three tests, the final test that everyone can get off of and out of the float in 45 seconds or less.
The Lions Club International entry to the parade, "Preserving Our Environment" will have a water feature- flowing around the rotating water wheel. The colors have not been marked yet.The third float tested on Saturday was this one from Trader Joe's- interesting in that there is a long hitch on both the front and the rear, which makes this a part of a multi-piece float.

Now you've seen floats in three stages of testing!

Phoenix Decorating Company 5400 Irwindale Avenue Irwindale, CA 91706 Website

Since this float builder location and part of Los Angeles County is 'new' to us, The Mister and I began to drive South and explore, looking for breakfast places as well as possible places to eat after we decorate floats in December.
Noticing this at the corner of Gale Avenue and Hacienda Boulevard,we stopped.

So much is offered here, but the banh mi menu (to the far right, just behind the cash register) caught my eye. I'm always on the lookout for a good banh mi (nothing in San Diego satisfies me any more since the fire of August 4, 2015, destroying the now almost reopened K Sandwiches). We were very pleasantly surprised. BMC has a 'buy two, get one' deal, so all three sandwiches cost a total of $7.50. We chose the #2, #4 and #6-BBQ pork, shredded chicken and egg. Each was prepared on wonderful, fresh, crispy crusted light bread, a spread of mayonnaise and topped with pickled daikon, carrots, cilantro and fresh slices of jalapeño. We were impressed with the char grilled flavor of the (plentiful amount of) pork and flavorful shredded chicken…oh but the egg… Crispy whites, solid yolks and just a perfect breakfast sandwich.

We will be returning here at some point to try out other menu items.

BMC Pho 1104 S. Hacienda Boulevard Hacienda Heights, CA 91745 (626)330-3765 Open daily 7 a.m.-9 p.m.

Bun Mam Thru the Years from Nhu Y

August 27, 2017 mmm-yoso Vietnamese Restaurants

We had a bit of cool down recently, which was great for having noodle soup. For some reason, I'd been craving Bun Mam; I hadn't had it in a while, so I decided to "scratch that itch" and headed to Nhu Y.

After being Nhu Y for a number of years, it seemed that the place went thru a couple of name changes over the last couple of years. Now, I think they're back to being Nhu Y. In spite of those changes; the heart of the menu has been the same for me. And the one item I get here is the Bun Mam, which has also gone thru a number of changes over time….I'll get to that at the end of the post.

Here's the Bun Mam circa August 2017.

I'm going to mostly stick to the broth on this post. Which was much "redder" than I recalled; more than the 2012 version. While it still has that rather swirly, darkish, cloudy, almost thick look and feel, this was much lighter than other versions. It was also less funky; I believe they don't use as much fermented fish paste as they used too. This had less of a savory punch and was more sweet and spicy.

As for the rest; well, I'm used to the catfish being on the muddy side here these days; the shrimp was actually deveined on this day. The eggplant was soft and velvety, the pork belly a bit on the chewy side.

I wore dark clothes and was careful to not spill any broth on my shirt.

After all these years; still a pretty good soup to have when you want something hearty and rich.

And I think they've gone back to being Nhu Y again….I think.

Nhu Y Restaurant
4712 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115
Open Daily: 7am – 9pm

As mentioned in the title and first paragraph of the post. The Bun Mam at this location has changed over the years. And just looking the photos tells the story.

From the first bowl of Bun Mam I had here in 2006.

Dark and pungent. The broth hit you from the first sip….perhaps not in the most pleasant way, but you just kept on going because it seemed to just get better and better. The catfish was quite good in those days and the pork belly was very "swiney" and tender.

In 2010 Nhu Y became Com Tam Thuan Kieu though the Bun Mam didn't change much.

To quote – "The broth was as before, salty, slight sweetness, pungent, and spice, all converging in a bowl."

Then, in May of 2012 my dry cleaner lady told me that Thuan Kieu had changed the recipe, so I dropped by and noticed that yes, it had indeed changed.

Less pungent fermented flavors and more spicy, sweet, tangy, and lighter. Though in terms of fragrance; "For the two women who stopped and sniffed the air and the one kid who actually whiffed his armpits when I walked past you at Nijiya after my meal. It was just me….'ol Mam Tom breath………."

By 2014; the place had become Com Tam Nhu Y. And it seems that the recipe had reverted back to a facsimile of the original.

This wasn't quite as thick and there's the addition of the stuffed jalapeno. It was still pretty potent though: "This was actually pretty close to what I had recently at Nhu Y Clairemont and I didn't have to wait until after 3pm to order it. Though that Hispanic couple who came in and sat behind me, then moved after my soup arrived may want that 3pm rule implemented here…."

And then the version I had at the end of last year.

Kind of on the "oily" side; a ton more shallot and garlic tones, the broth had started down the road of more sweeter than pungent tones. "It's quite a savory concoction……you want to make sure that you don't spill any of it on your clothes. Sammy will often follow me around the house after I eat this….must smell great to him!"

Who knows what the Bun Mam here will be like the next time I get that itch? I do hope it'll head back in the direction of that first bowl I had in 2006. At the least; I'm sure it'll be interesting.

Bolsa (revisit)

August 26, 2017 Cathy Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Here you are, reading mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. This is a quick Saturday post, since Kirk, Ed (from Yuma) and Cathy are each out and about (in their own way) and still, there is some sort of food item that should be shared. This is Cathy posting.

Cha Ca Thang Long, turmeric coated, pan fried fish. This is one of my favorite meals, so much so, that I chose it as one of my birthday meals during 'birthday week' last year (the Mister and I were born seven days apart and our tradition is to go out to eat on each of those eight days).

We were on Mira Mesa Boulevard, avoiding traffic, and decided to stop at Bolsa before the final few miles home.

On this day, my dill and onion topped freshly pan fried turmeric coated fish plate ($15) was accompanied by the 'traditional' sides- lettuce, mint, chilled rice noodles, peanuts and a few pieces of Bang Trang Me (sesame rice crackers). Again, everything was perfect. The individual as well as combined flavors of this dish are cravable. The Mister wanted a salad of some type on this (another) hot day, and the shrimp, pork and jellyfish salad ($8) matched his cravings. The jellyfish is marinated in a vinegar/fish sauce and the resulting salad is sweet, spicy and sour at each bite. The lettuce, cucumber, mint and peanuts round out the vivid flavor combinations.

I hope your weekend is relaxing and not too hot!

Bolsa 9225 Mira Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92126 (858) 693-3663 open 9-9 daily Website

P.L.Bagels (and some Point Loma exploring)(A stop at the new Jensen’s Foods)

August 24, 2017 Cathy Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Exploring San Diego, Markets & Grocers, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of this food blog. Writing of posts is shared by three friends. Today, Cathy is writing because Kirk and Ed(from Yuma) are busy tying up loose ends.

Yes, I've written about P.L. Bagel a few times, 2012, 2013 and most recently in 2014. It's a regular stop, because it's good..and on the way to a place where The Mister and I can take a peaceful walk.
Prices for a 'Breakfast Special' with a coffee have gone up by 25¢ since 2014, which is minuscule for this family owned and run business. A plain bagel (as well as a bialy) is still 95¢. The mini bagels are now 50¢ Here's a size comparison. That's a Bialy on the left, only available on weekends. I enjoy the baked chewy dough, which has a bit of chopped onion in the center top. This was a nice breakfast, with eggs and cheese. The salt bagel (as are all the bagels here) is covered on both sides with toppings. Not many bagel shops make salt bagels anymore. The bagels here are a 'proper' size- not crazy large nor crazy fluffy.

We've enjoyed visiting this local longstanding business (which makes a great product!).

P.L. Bagel 3704 Voltaire Street, Suite 107 San Diego 92107 (619) 223-4788 open daily 6a.m.-1 p.m.

Our regular walks take us to Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, where we enjoy the overcast mornings and peaceful quietness. Earlier this year, the only market on Catalina Boulevard (the main road on The Point) re-opened as a new location for Jensen's Foods (it had been a Fresh and Easy before that chain left the U.S.). Jensen's slogan is "Make Every Day an Occasion". If you have been paying attention, it is Hatch Chile season and Jensen's is one of the many participating roasters (the prices for Hatch Chiles here are less than other locations).
There are many interesting items at Jensen's, including a by the pound salad bar and (at least on weekends) a breakfast bar. It's quite a nice store. This is the only San Diego location and we are taking advantage of the offerings. (It's been in business since 1940!).

Another nice weekend 'staycation'. Thanks for reading!

Jensen's Foods 955 Catalina Boulevard San Diego 92106 (619)550-2097 Open daily 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Website

Boston Market (Revisits to a place never posted)

August 22, 2017 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Chains, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog. Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy share in writing and posting about meals enjoyed. Today, Kirk is working some overtime and Ed(from Yuma) is busy with things, so Cathy is writing this post.

The Mister and I do not 'regift'. If someone has gone to the trouble of purchasing a gift and a card, addressing, finding a stamp and mailing something to me, I am happy to accept and then use whatever it is. Then my thanks are sincere. So, that's how this post began; a gift card in the mail. Boston Market, since 1985. An American chain with over 450 locations which has the mission "create awesome rotisserie meals, served quickly, by warm and friendly people". How had I forgotten- it's been at least ten years since we had been here. That's the whole menu, which changes with some seasonal offerings. The primary choices here involve rotisserie chicken, turkey and meatloaf… and sides! A plethora of choices: mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, sweet corn, rotisserie potatoes, sweet potato casserole, creamed spinach, fresh steamed vegetables, green beans, southwest rice, caesar side salad, vegetable stuffing, squash casserole and cinnamon apples.

A three piece (dark meat) rotisserie chicken plate ($8.29) with a choice of two sides- creamed spinach and mac and cheese on this one. So nice, decadent, flavorful. The "Market Pair"-soup and half sandwich plate ($7.49) a choice of soups (chicken noodle) and a turkey half sandwich (there are other choices of each item). Again, this was very nice and so very good. Homestyle, not heavy; pleasant, familiar food. A salad with rotisserie chicken ($8.29). Fresh and tasty with a lot of juicy, still warm chicken. Quite a large portion. The meatloaf plate ($8.29) Two thick slices of a very good meatloaf, along with the creamed spinach and rotisserie potatoes (which are nicely crispy yet with a fluffy interior).

The in store meals are brought out to you on real plates, with real (not plastic) utensils after you order and pay. So old fashioned and home style.

The reason I received the gift card? A home bound friend asked me to pick up and order for her earlier this year, during Lent, when I don't eat meat on Friday.

I had noticed this signage and bought myself the seasonal item (which came on a very nice, reusable to-go plate). The baked cod was excellent!

I'm sad that I had forgotten and had stopped dropping by Boston Market, it's a great alternative.

Boston Market, multiple locations, nationwide. Website