mmm-yoso – Page 229 – 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.

Where in the world are we (again)? Part 1

April 4, 2017 mmm-yoso Hida-Takayama and Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Nagoya, Tokyo, Kamakura, and the Kantō Region, Travel

It's been a tough couple of months and we needed to get away.

We'd had the outline of this trip planned for a while and after some consideration pulled the trigger.

It's easy traveling here and we learn something new and fun at every turn….like what a "Hanami Party" is. Folks here get (even more) goofy this time of the year…..I think this has something to do with it.

We started in familiar surroundings…..the Missus wanted Her horumon fix.

Check that one off the list.

We then headed to a city we've visited before, but spent a couple of days here this time.

And even went on a rather easy and fun hike on an ancient trail. Where you needed to ring the bells to avoid….well as the sign says.

In terms of eating, well we stayed with some of the "local specialties".

Including some really great noodle soup eaten on the Shinkansen platform of all places.

It had snowed a few days before our arrival at our next destination. And there were remnants everywhere.

We enjoyed the beef and the style of food here.

We're on the train to our next destination. Hope everyone is safe, sound, and warm, where ever you might be.

Winchell’s Donuts- quick breakfast

April 3, 2017 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch

Thanks for stopping by to read this food blog, named mmm-yoso!!! Kirk is almost ready to write again, Ed (from Yuma) is still dealing with computer problems and Cathy is writing today's post.

The other morning, I had to leave before eating breakfast and, after my appointment, decided to stop at the convenient corner location of Winchell's in National City. It's open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Winchell's Donuts first opened in Temple City, CA on October 8, 1948 and is the West Coast's largest donut chain with over 170 locations in six states, as well as in Guam and Saipan. The locations around San Diego are franchises, usually run by families.

There is always a good choice of warm, fresh donuts available ('Warm 'n Fresh' is trademarked by Winchells) as well as a variety of other baked goods and beverage choices available. Also on the menu board (and advertised on the windows out front) are sandwiches. I ordered a bacon/egg/cheddar sandwich on a croissant ($4.49) (could have also had it on a bagel) a small cup of coffee ($1.59) and a donut ($1.09) The coffee was very good; it's a special blend made for Winchell's. Arabica beans. The sandwich was quite good; egg was fluffy and light, the cheese was real cheddar. The bacon was thin, but added a nice flavor. The croissant was, of course, fresh and warm. All in all a nice, quick meal.

Winchell's over 170 locations Locator link Website

Tapioca Express, again

April 2, 2017 Cathy Caffeine Fix, Chains, Desserts, Stuff, Taiwanese Food and Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is this food blog. Kirk is, right now, taking a well-deserved break. Ed (from Yuma) is having some connectivity problems. Cathy is awake and writing about another of her adventures with food.

I first discovered the concept of tea houses and boba in 2007 and subsequently wrote about some of the food choices enjoyed from Tapioca Express, as well as other places. Yes, they seem to be beverage oriented, and I get beverage overwhelmed.

This is the menu board at Tapioca Express. The first FIVE columns are beverage choices, the last two columns are food choices, where I zone in. (My beverage choice is always the 'Coffee Milk Tea' ($2.98), either hot or cold, no boba, no added sweetener). Our shared meal this day consisted of a boiled pork dumpling plate ($4.98) which comes with steamed broccoli and a vinegar-soy dipping sauce. Fried shrimp rolls ($3.98) with a mild level of spice. These are pleasant, with a good crunch.The calamari (always rings)($4.28) are quite meaty, a good choice with an added bonus of fried basil, which i really like. When I thought we were finished eating, The Mister walked back into line and ordered the Chinese donuts ($4.28) which came out piping hot. These are a fried bread dough, not a typical donut batter, and served with both whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk. A delightful end to another light meal.

Tapioca Express 4646 Convoy San Diego 92111 (858) 636-7889 Open Sun-Thurs 11:00-midnight, Fri-Sat 11:00-1 a.m. Website There are three stand alone San Diego locations as well as a few food court locations.

Kula – conveyor sushi- San Diego location

March 31, 2017 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping to read mmm-yoso!!! It's a food blog with three primary contributors: Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy. The guys are otherwise engaged and Cathy is writing todays post.

I wrote about Kula before this Kaiten-zushi chain opened a storefront in San Diego, two years ago. Getting there at opening is the best way to find a free parking spot; there's a new parking structure around the corner which charges you for the privilege of parking.

There is a Kyobee tablet (like an iPad) out front where you sign in, leaving your mobile number, which will notify you of how much longer your wait will be (and eventually tell you to 'Get back to the entrance!!!') . Again, get there at the 11 a.m. opening and viola! no wait. There are booths as well as bar seats for those wishing to eat alone (or not wait for a booth). The conveyor passes all of the seating areas. The first plate 'announces' what the following three plates contain and you can choose one by grabbing the edge of the covered plate and the protective covering lifts up. All of the choices from the conveyor are $2.25 each. Scallops, seared yellowtail, two pieces on each plate were a good portion. The large pieces of tuna were very fresh. This was the 'spicy popcorn shrimp roll'- two pieces of fried shrimp with a spicy sauce and masago on top served on top of two slices of crab roll. By far, the cucumber salad was my favorite this warm day; a fancy version, it comes with tamago, cuts of fish, octopus (or squid), and seaweed. Topped with some crunchy sesame seeds, it's a light meal in itself. The vinegar based dressing is refreshing.
At each seating area is a tablet with an order panel for additional items. There is a 'countdown clock' so you can expect the arrival (and know it is being prepared fresh). The item shows up right at your table, on a second belt. We ordered a few things.
The tempura vegetables with shrimp on rice ($5.80) was quite perfect in its fry technique. The rice was good to have with the rest of our meal. this came with a bowl of miso, making it a complete meal. The soft shell crab ($4.20) was another good choice. Again, perfectly fried We also ordered 'crispy squid' ($3.20), which was plentiful and fried just right.

When you are finished, you slide your green (from the conveyor) plates in that slot so they are counted. There are small 'prizes' that are discharged from a machine above the top belt, but you have to have inserted 15 plates to get that trinket.

All in all, a fun experience.

Kula Revolving Sushi Bar Convoy San Diego 92111 Open Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Website

Anh Hong Pho Pasteur (revisit)

March 29, 2017 Cathy Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the name of the food blog you are reading. For almost 12 years, Kirk has been posting. Ed (from Yuma) and Cathy have been assist posters. Today, it's a Cathy post.

Typing in 'Pho Pasteur Anh Hong' into the 'site search' box at the top left yields about 50 results. It's another regular stop for us, but I haven't posted about it in almost a year. It seems we are usually seated at this table and I have this view of the far corner back wall. Again, this was another brief lunch meeting for The Mister and I and we chose some items to share. The Banh Xeo is always made quite nicely here; crispy turmeric spiced pancake filled with lightly sautéed bean sprouts, fresh shrimp and pork. (It's served with a plate of lettuce leaves and mint, which I failed to photograph). A small but very full bowl of crab egg drop soup was ordered this day, both because of the chilly day and also because…crab. The wide fried rice noodles under this Chinese stir fry of vegetables with chicken was a nice choice.

Both Vietnamese and Chinese dishes are on the menu, which has over 200 items on eight pages is fun to explore.

Anh Hong Pho Pasteur 7612 Linda Vista road San Diego 92111 (858) 569-7515

Sab E Lee again (3 is medium)

March 28, 2017 Cathy Thai Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is being written by Cathy today. Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are otherwise engaged and not ready to write about their recent food adventures.

If you type in "Sab E Lee" in the 'Search' box at the top left corner of this page, you will get about 435 results. All of us here at mmm-yoso have been there, especially when it opened. We all enjoy the food. Kirk's most recent post was two years ago and he thought it was good grub, but not as outstanding as when it first opened. The Mister and I have become complacent and accustomed to Sab E Lee being a place to go for Issan style food and I've not even photographed some meals here. The food of Isaan is very hot and flavored with pungent herbs and seasonings, with some of Thailand's spiciest salads. The intense flavors of Isaan food is one way of managing an insecure food supply – very hot, flavorful dishes encourage diners to diffuse the flavors with a lot of sticky rice.

The small restaurant expanded out a bit last year, adding five tables and is centered with his beautiful sculpture.

The Mister and I had a small break in our day and met here for a quick meal, choosing the standard papaya salad ($7.95). Made with shredded green papaya, tomatoes, small dried shrimp, green beans and topped with a mix of fish sauce, lime juice and chili (level 2). This is always so refreshing and wonderful. Larb ($8.95), char broiled ground meat or tofu or mushrooms (pork in this case) mixed with roughly ground toasted rice and fresh herbs (notably mint) and flavored with a fermented fish sauce, lime and chili is a great type of meat salad, served at room temperature with either rice or raw vegetables. It is always a favorite and my choice on especially hot days.

All in all, a very nice meal.

Sab E Lee 6925 Linda Vista Road San Diego, 92111 (858) 650-6868 Tues-Fri open 11-3:30 and 5-9:30 Saturday/Sunday 11-9:30, closed on Monday. Cash only

Intermezzo Espresso Cafe- Hazard Center

March 27, 2017 Cathy Caffeine Fix, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog. Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy try to write a post daily about food consumed and events surrounding said consumption. Today Cathy is writing; Kirk is having internet connectivity problems.

The other day, The Mister and I had some rare free time and decided to take a bit of time to sit down and enjoy some treats as well as each other.

Intermezzo opened here in about 2006 and had been a quick stop for a sandwich but never a post.

The menu of choices is extensive and we just ordered what we saw available. The cafe, kitty corner from a Barnes and Noble bookstore in the small, bustling mall has a variety of seating areas inside and out. The self serve coffees are all very good. We decided to share an Americano coffee along with very tasty and fresh dessert items: a lemon bar and raisin scone.

Soon, we both had to be back at work, but were happy for a break in the day.

Intermezzo Espresso Cafe 7610 Hazard Center Drive San Diego 92108 (619)296-JAVA open Mon-Fri 7:30-4 Saturday 7:30-2, closed on Sunday

R.E. Hazard, Sr and his son, Bruce. Part of San Diego history.

Noodling Around – Revisits to Menya Ultra and Pho T Cali

March 25, 2017 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Pho, Ramen, Vietnamese Restaurants

Just noodling around on this Saturday:

Menya Ultra Ramen:

I actually went back a couple of days after my first visit. There was no line, all the customers were Japanese and I got the Chashu Ramen.

The chashu while well flavored and moist, was just too much of a good thing and I left quite full. Still, the noodles were again perfect, just the right amount of pull with a bit of pull, nice and slippery, and a good vehicle for the collagen in the broth, which was, like my previous visit, a solid tonkotsu.

About two weeks later, I found out my haircut guy was working relatively close by and having read about the crowds in the comments on my post….I was curious. I got there at 1045…and no kidding; there were over 30 people waiting in line.

I'm usually not one to wait in line; but I was curious if this new popularity would change anything about the ramen at Ultra. So I put my name on the list….and waited about 30 minutes to get in.

I went with the Ajitama Ramen with an extra egg.

While the noodles were still perfect for my taste and the boiled egg was much better…..lukewarm instead of cold and not as "cooked". There were several things I noticed. The broth had less of a fragrance and indeed, while being fairly mild and nuanced before, was much less rich….more fatty, but lacking in the real noodle coating capacity. It was still good….just not quite as good as my previous two visits.

I'll wait a few months before going back. It'll be interesting to see how things progress. I think it's still the best straight up tonkotsu in San Diego.

Menya Ultra Ramen
8199 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho T Cali:

**** Pho T Cali is now PT Eatery

In my Pho Duyen Mai "dem bones" post; I mentioned being told that the prices at Pho T Cali had gone up quite a bit. While Pho T Cali has never been a favorite of mine, I recall the prices being fairly reasonable. I think it was still under seven bucks when I declared it "aw pho".

Pho T Cali is basically within walking distance from my office…..but of course my previous experiences kind of keep me away….but I just had to see……had it really hit the "ten dollar pho" category?

Upon arriving and having the menu handed to me….I saw…yes indeed, the dac biet was now $9.95.

So for ten bucks I got this.

The broth had almost no color and had a strong onion taste. It looked like dishwater. While the texture of the tripe was good, it had a strange aftertaste; the tendon was decent though. The portion of noodles was quite large and adequately prepared.

The serving of sprouts and such was paltry to say the least.

I think this is why I saw folks (I was the only Asian in the place) dumping in loads of Hoisin and Sriracha into their pho.

On a rather amusing note; a few days later I received an email from "AlanH" regarding Pho T Cali….I'm hoping you won't mind me using a few excerpts Alan? Some of the, ahem, "highlites" of his email were….

"A -small- Pho "Chin" is now $8.95 (I almost walked out at that point, but was too hungry for Pho)"

"They have totally dumbed and stripped down the menu, which should have been my first warning sign…They have gone to the all photo model with a bit of basic text with prices. "

"The "herbal accessory plate" was its usual mediocre affair, but the basil was even more paltry and under-developed than usual (if the basil was human it would have needed a wheelchair)."

"As they do not serve / have Ngo Gai, I asked for a small portion / bowl of cilantro…THEY WERE OUT OF F'ING CILANTRO!!!!!" " Is there a cilantro shortage I was not aware of?"

"I just paid $11.00 (with tip) for a mediocre -at best- bowl of Pho. Is this Manhattan? No, this is not Manhattan……Manhattan would have had cilantro….."

All I can say Alan is…."I feel (or ate…or something like that) your pain".

Pho T Cali
7351 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

This has me wondering….in a very twisted way; if I were to think the Pho at Pho Mignon is still worse than this.

Tokyo – Oreshiki Jun

March 22, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Ramen, Tokyo, Kamakura, and the Kantō Region

Our trip to Japan had pretty much come to an end….there was still one more stop though. Much like what we on our previous visit, we left for Tokyo Station rather early, stowed our luggage, and went straight for ramen street. The last time it was Rokurinsha….this time the decision was a bit harder….the Missus wanted to share some Tonkotsu ramen so we settles on Oreshiki Jun.

We got our ticket at the vending machine, entered and was seated quickly…….it seemed like all the customers in the shop were Salarymen.

I went with the Deluxe Tonkotsu Ramen which featured a nice, albeit a bit salty portion of mentaiko.

The egg was perfect as were the noodles. I wasn't a big fan of the tonkotsu here as it was a lot milder in flavor….even for a tonkotsu broth than I prefer. It also lacked that nice tongue coating quality I enjoy in that style of broth in addition to being served a bit too cold for my taste. The chashu here is a bit leaner and more chewy than other versions, but makes up for that with a nice porkiness. I really enjoyed the "rayu" (chili oil), which in this case seemed to have some bean paste in it….a wonderful, spicy, savory, package of flavor.

I actually preferred what the Missus ordered.

A nice little rice bowl with raw egg, chashu, and bean sprouts, along with an extra order of bean sprouts, chashu, and negi….along with an extra boiled egg. All worked together quite nicely!

So, perhaps not the best last meal in Japan…..still, we had many memorable experiences again. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before we return.

Oreshiki Jun (Tokyo Station)
1-9-1 Marunochi, Chiyoda, Tokyo

One thing was quite apparent. The Missus really enjoys Tokyo Station City. To the point that She got Her "hair done" twice at this kind of "fast" hair salon named Fass. You basically go in and order your stuff on an iPad. Of course we couldn't really understand anything the first time around….so this really nice, adorable woman came out and the Missus had Her bangs cut. Well, with some time on our hands, the Missus decided She wanted a trim.

We walked in and it was the same woman….who got a kick out of seeing us. Apparently, they don't get too many foreign customers. This time the Missus wanted a trim and some styling, which she did with gusto. At the end, she couldn't stop giggling, telling us "kawaii….kawaii" (cute). I think she had more fun than we did.

You really couldn't help but love Japan……

Kyoto – Torito

March 21, 2017 mmm-yoso Japan, Japanese Restaurants, Kyoto, Travel

The Missus wanted Yakitori for our last meal in Kyoto and I had a place in mind.

But first, some shopping.

Teramachi Dori, one of the major shopping streets, was strangely quiet on this evening.

The Missus managed to do some damage at this location of Lupicia.

After which we took a nice leisurely stroll up to the Juingu-Marutamachi Station. On street level above the station was a rather discreet, but popular place named Torito. I was interested in the place because of the rather polarizing reviews, some folks declared it yakitori for tourists, yet other said it was amazing….the strange thing about that yakitori for tourists thing is….well, you'll see by what we ordered.

It was out last evening in Kyoto, a place that makes us feel quite comfortable…we just feel relaxed and at home here and our trip to Japan was coming to an end.

The Missus decided to get a Hiball, I had a Suntory Draft.

We noticed that we noticed quickly was that the guy doing all the grilling seemed quite young….also, there were English menus.

But what was on those menus wasn't quite your tourist yakitori items….though the tourists we saw come in ordered stuff like breast and chicken rice bowls, we went full speed ahead and started with some very smokey chicken gizzards.

Which was fine….though a bit too dry for me.

The Nankotsu was very, very good….perfectly grilled, nice and crunchy, but really pleasant to eat.

And followed with Tori no Tataki, seared, basically rare chicken.

This was dark meat, very clean, but definite chicken flavor. A bit too chewy for my taste, I should have gotten the white meat, which I think is much more tender raw. Tourist food, huh?

The Missus absolutely loved the "Kimo" (chicken liver) and declared it the best She's ever eaten.

The Kawa-su, chicken skin salad was a nice refreshing change of pace.

Up next was more Chicken Skin….but not "just" chicken skin, but we chose "Chicken Buttock Skin".

Very interesting texture….a bit more chewy, but man, the flavor was so amazingly distinct……

Next up was our Tsukune….this is what I basically judge my yakitori places on. First thing we noticed was that the tsukune was made to order. That is, when the order is placed, the chef forms it by hand. Now watching this guy was amazing as he juggled both the grill and the deep fryer, never missing a beat. As you can easily see; this was the tsukune I've ever had.

From the light and crisp exterior, to the creamy interior….I'm wondering how much chicken fat is in this….a quick dip in the egg; more richness and flavor. This by far is the best I've had.

The Wing Tips were okay, though a bit too hard and chewy for us.

One thing we were noticing was the perfect amount of salt was being used.

I absolutely loved the Hatsu…the chicken hearts, which weren't grilled too heavily…..just the right amount of smoke and salt.

Surprisingly tender.

There's a part of the menu which features local, Kyoto bred chicken (the tsukune is on that part of the menu) and we tried the chicken thigh with quail egg.

There was a more distinct chicken flavor in this; something that's missing here in the States for the most part. Loved the little piece of cartilage left on the meat, it added a nice textural contrast, as did the quail egg, though I could have done without that. The Missus though, loves Her quail eggs.

The Chicken wings were just ok…..especially after having all the previous dishes.

The skin on these was a bit too rubbery for us.

The Missus loved Her "finishing" dish (Shime), going with the rich and velvety chicken bone broth with meatballs.

She still talks about how rich and lovely this soup was.

I went with my standard; a nice, nutty, smokey, yaki onigiri.

A perfect end to a wonderful meal for us.

As we were finishing dinner, the Missus declared this Her new favorite yakitori shop. So I'm guessing we'll be back whenever we're in Kyoto.

The shop is rather discrete. From what I understand….you know, I'm basically about the food…Torito is a species of bird. So the best thing is to find the carving of a bird outside the door of the restaurant.

Torito
9-5 Higashi Marutamachi
Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

As I mentioned earlier….Kyoto has a way of making us feel comfortable….in spite of all the tradition and sometimes, well, interesting stuffs…..