2 Yuma Trucks: Mariscos Güero and Taqueria San Pedro

mmm-yoso!!! is a foodblog focusing on San Diego and the world. Kirk posts most, Cathy posts often, and today Ed (from Yuma) posts this.

Every year the Yuman food truck culture spawns more spots. Here's a couple:

Mariscos Güero

Angie, Tina's manager at work, was raving about a fantastic seafood molcajete at a place on Ave B, just a little south of 8th Street. So a couple of weeks later Tina and I found the place, Mariscos Güero, tucked behind another truck on the east side of B: IMG_1430

There are a few tables and folding chairs sheltered under canvas with windbreaks on all sides. On the truck there’s a menu with no prices (though prices are fair): IMG_1281

On our first visit, in the evening, there were few customers (and the nice folks at the truck said they would be closing evenings once the main season was over). At weekday lunch, the place can be quite busy: IMG_1307

On our first visit, Tina and I had a molcajete: IMG_1284

It was packed with cooked shrimp, octopus, and surimi. The seafood was mixed with large slices of red onion and cucumber pieces, all topped with generous wedges of avocado. The sauce was exceptional –flavors of seafood, lime, chili spice, and even a touch of soy sauce. Overall very good.

We also ordered a ceviche tostada: IMG_1286

Also very good. The sweetness of the fresh raw and cooked shrimp came through the lime. The fresh chopped onions and cucumbers and crunchy tortilla gave textural balance.

On my next visit, I ordered two fish and one shrimp taco: IMG_1310

Here's a close-up of a fish taco: IMG_1311

The tortilla, cabbage, and tomato were fresh and fine, but the crema was awfully thin and lacking in flavor. While the breading on the seafoods was not crunchy, neither the fish nor shrimp were overcooked so they tasted fresh and moist.

On my last visit, it was time for a campechana: IMG_1432

That's huge. And it is filled with a lot of good stuff: IMG_1433

When I ordered the mixed seafood cocktail, I was asked if I wanted it with "blood clam." "Sure," I answered, "con todo." I hadn't run across a campechana with blood clam (also known as concha negra, black clam) since Tio Juan’s disappeared from 8th Street. Here is one of them: IMG_1435

I did not know that some websites list blood clam as one of the most dangerous foods in the whole world. Of course, my old seafood purveyors in Monterey sell them, so maybe not all that deadly.

In any case, I am still alive and feeling good, so I guess I dodged another bullet (picture smiley face of your choice here). I also had the joy of consuming a really wonderful campechana. The octopus and shrimp were not overcooked. The surimi had a pleasant sweetness that I liked. But the mollusks were the stars: the abundant octopus had a perfect chewiness and octopus flavor; the clams had a different chew and were distinctly clammy; and the few fresh bay scallops were tender and lightly flavored. The cocktail juice tasted of cooking water, tomato sauce, (Clamoto?), lime juice, and a hint of soy. With a little bit of salsa it was perfect for my palate.

Taqueria San Pedro

This taco stand on 8th Street has long been a favorite of Tina and me. Though they quit serving hotdogs, their carne asada and other tacos, as well as the attractive ramada area, made it a good place for a quick dinner.

We had noticed, however, that the place seemed to be deteriorating slowly – the leather seats becoming ragged and torn. Then one evening San Pedro was not open. No sign and no sign of life. Oh well, we shrugged, that's the world of taco trucks.

A couple of months ago, we were cruising 8th Street and saw billows of fragrant looking smoke rising from the back of a lot. "Oh My God," Tina exclaimed, "it's San Pedro!" And so it was: IMG_1264

Pedro himself was still there being grillmaster. But the interior had been renovated – now more closed off and refurnished: IMG_1265

Wow. Fancy tables and chairs, a tiled floor, even a heater. The menu, still very small, is on every napkin dispenser: IMG_1267

After we ordered, the first thing brought over was a cup of frijoles: IMG_1268

Good, simple pinto beans in a light broth. Good by themselves, but made even better by adding some of the condiments: IMG_1269

Notice the spicy and the roasted salsa. The guacamole sauce was thinner than eight years ago, and many of the other items were nothing special. However, we really enjoyed the mild and fresh pico de gallo: IMG_1270

and loved the roasted jalapenos, mellowed and sweetened by the grill: IMG_1271

Then came volcanes: IMG_1272

Basically, a volcan is just a vampira except that the cheese goes atop the carne asada rather than between the meat and the desiccated corn tortilla. This was excellent, crunchy and toothsome with meaty asada.

The taco San Pedro is another Sonoran specialty, matching cheese, roasted green chile pepper, and quality asada: IMG_1273

This night, the cabeza was decent but nothing special: IMG_1275

What was  our favorite? The tripa: IMG_1276

Tripa is difficult to get right. Sometimes too musty, often too rubbery, and usually too flavorless. This one, however, was perfect. Crunchy in places with a little char, and what was not crunchy was tender chewy. Porky good. Yum.

Tina and I are happy that San Pedro lives again.

Pho Kitchen – Linda Vista

Recently, I was picking up my dry cleaning, when the nice lady who runs the place asked me what I thought about the new pho place that opened up nearby. I hadn't even noticed! I guess I kinda forget about The Village at Morena Vista. So I drove by and saw a grand opening sign for "Pho Kitchen". For some reason the name sounded familiar. A couple of days later I returned to try them out.

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It's a very nice and clean little shop. There's both wood paneling and vintage Vietnamese black and white photos here. I guess they're not taking any design chances!

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The young lady who took my order on both my visits was an absolute joy; kind, friendly, and efficient. What more could one ask for? Other than good pho, right? I also asked her if they had another restaurant in these parts since the name sounded familiar. She smiled and said "yes, Pho Kitchen in Oceanside". So there you go. I thought the name rung a bell.

Pho Kitchen 04 Pho Kitchen 05The pho here was not too bad; definitely "pho not to offend", very mild, not too beefy, low in oil/fat, no anise/pungent flavors, but not terrible. The MSG level was not too high, the broth was super hot; like scalding hot, which I enjoy. The proteins were decent; the rare steak was actually pretty good, not the usual slices of cardboard, though everything else was just ok; the tendon was too tough and the rest pretty bland.

As expected with the target pho audience here; the place was light on the sprouts and herbs, though both were sparkling fresh. The noodles weren't in the usual clump, which was nice, but over cooked and a bit too mushy for my taste.

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It was actually a not bad bowl.

Which meant I needed to revisit and try something else. After the pho, I was interested in the Bo Kho, so I got he Banh Mi Bo Kho ($8).

Pho Kitchen 07 Pho Kitchen 08Much like the pho; this version of beef stew was rather mild in flavor, no tangy-anise tones, though slightly beefy, the carrots severely undercooked. The stew was on the thin side, but there were 5 rather large pieces of fork tender beef. Only one piece of tendon, which was not bad in texture. I would have enjoyed a bit more cilantro and onions. The bread was interesting as it reminded me more of a bolillo than a typical banh mi and had a mild sweetness to it. It was nicely warm and toasted though. Pho Kitchen 03

So here's the deal. Pho Kitchen and Pho Hut are about equidistant from my house and in opposite directions. In this case; I'd choose Pho Kitchen. If I'm looking for pho as I know and enjoy; I'd choose one of the more traditional places in Linda Vista, though I don't think they've held up well in recent years. If I want a relaxing pace, with middle of the road pho, but really nice service, it's Pho Kitchen hands down……unless I want to get the hell out of Dodge in 20 minutes or less. In that case, I'd go with the "fastest pho in the West". The prices are in line with all those "modern pho" places that seem to be popping up recently.

Pho Kitchen
5375 Napa St
San Diego, CA 92110

Sunday Stuffs: Ajisen Ramen Coming to San Diego, Bitter Brothers Brewing Company, and Revisiting Poseidon Project

Ajisen Ramen Opening in San Diego:

In case you missed the post in Eater. I noticed that the former Coco's on the corner of Clairemont Mesa and Ruffner was being built out, so I walked on over. There's no mistaking the logo…plus the "626" area code.

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Not the biggest fan of Ajisen's ramen, so we'll see. Here's a little fact, I've never eaten at a Coco's or Carrow's, unless you count this one, which a landmark in Honolulu for many years.

7398 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Trying out Bitter Brothers: Bitter Bros 01

My good buddy Candice expressed disappointment that I hadn't tried out Bitter Brothers since it was basically in my 'hood. So I made some time to visit recently. I like the set-up, typical industrial-hipster, but in a good way. Wide open, nice breezes blowing through. The beer server was fairly all business at the beginning, spending most of his times with his "bro's", but warmed up after I had got past the tasters phase.

I got tasters of the Little Brother Citra Session IPA and the Prickly Pear version of the Family Tart Berliner Weisse.

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That Session was very nice and drinkable, that tart Berlinerweisse was really good, not too dry, but definitely a Berlinerweisse, just sweet-sour enough. I've got to bring the Missus here for this one.

I finished up with a nice Dunkelweiss, great not too overpowering chocolate tones.

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Nice place, drinkable beers….nothing over 6 ABV if I recall, great for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Bitter Brothers Brewing
4170 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

Back to the Poseidon Project:

The reason I hadn't been to Bitter Brothers was that I've been enjoying the Poseidon Project since they've opened. The vibe and very friendly folks keep me coming back. I'll bring in some take-out and have a nice meal when the Missus is working.

On this fine Thursday I didn't have to worry about that since two of my favorite neighborhood places joined forces.

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Yep, that's my go-to neighborhood Sandwich Emporium, having a Grilled Cheese night at Poseidon.

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I'm hoping they increase the number of pulls, which now numbers 8.

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But don't discount the bottles….I was quite surprised to find the bottle prices in line with most retail locations. And once in a while they have some nice surprises.

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Love the way they've embraced the neighborhood….the place is crazy dog friendly and food friendly. I think someone was having a birthday the other night and brought in like three boxes of pizzas……no problem.

I'm wondering what'll happen when my friends and I bring in a bushel of oysters???? For some reason, I think they'll be just fine with that.

Poseidon Project
4126 Napier St
San Diego, CA 92110

Here are a couple of "bonus bottles". Interesting stuff from the Bruery.

This one I first had at Poseidon. It's a nice dessert type of brew.

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For some reason; and I'm not big fan of regular Horchata, but The Bruery's Or Xata really hit a home with me. Great, balanced, not too sweet tones. Great mouthfeel. To me, the base flavor seems closer to coconut than cinnamon though……

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The 2015 Terreux Rueuze was a winner for me too.

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Think citrus with some hops.

This one however, really

Ronda: A Walk Around Old Town and La Casa del Jamon

Ronda……how can I put words to this place?

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Whenever we travel, time permitting, I try to schedule something a bit different. To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of Ronda before this trip. While doing a bit of research I saw a photo, then read that Ronda is easily accessible by train. So I decided that we'd stay for a night on our way to Seville from Granada. We're so glad we stayed here. And to be perfectly honest, wished that we had more time.

Everything just seemed so perfect; the hotel, the Apartmentos Rondacentro was our favorite on this trip. About a 20 minutes walk from the train station, we had Unit A1, which had a fantastic view from the balcony.

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Though I don't think there's a bad view anywhere around here.

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But first we had to get there. We left Granada fairly early, walking from Plaza Nueva to Granada's Train Station, stopping for a "café solo" from Cafe Opera 5. Construction of the rail line to Granada and renovations around the station were going on during our stay. So we were bussed from Granada Train Station to Antequera-Santa Ana Station.

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IMG_6905 IMG_6906And while I sorely wished for some Ekiben Stands, we'd come prepared. We call it the "Madrid plan" where we purchase bread, jamon, and olive oil in advance and have that on the train, in the airport, or in this case in the train station. The nice olive oil we bought in Mercado Augustin and we'd found some decent Jamon Bellota Iberico Pata Negra at one of the shops on the way back to the apartment the night before.

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Which kept us satisfied and made our train trip a lot more pleasant.

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It was drizzly when we arrived in the White Hill town of Ronda. The walk to the apartment was easy….as I mentioned before, the location is spectacular with a view of the valley below. The place was also quite new and the woman who runs the front desk named Hilde was a joy.

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There was a mini-kitchen and the all important washing machine/dryer. After freshening up a bit we headed out.

Plaza de Toros was a mere few steps away. Ronda is the birthplace of modern bullfighting. Francisco Romero is said to have invented the cape (Muleta) and sword system in Ronda. Before this, knights on horses fought the bulls. His grandson, Pedro Romero is said to have been perhaps the greatest ever.

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The Bullring is a much visited site, but we'd arrived rather late and decided that we'd use our time to visit other places. Like the Alameda del Tajo, a park which wraps around the Bullring and has a beautiful balcony from which you can view the valley and the mountains.

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The clouds and approaching rain added an even more dramatic touch to things.

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As you can tell, Ronda is located above the valley and gorge. This served a purpose providing protection for first the Romans, then the Moors until the city fell in 1485.

The scenic bridge in the first photo is called "Puente Nuevo" and crossed the ravine named El Tajo. It connects the "Old Town", with the whitewashed Moorish buildings to the El Mercadillo; the new town.

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The Missus decided that She wanted to the bottom of the gorge through the Old Town, but first we decided to finish checking out the park.

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This memorial caught my eye, because it looked distinctly Japanese.

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It had the name Miki Haruta inscribed. I was intrigued. Turns out that Miki Haruta was an artist, who came to Ronda, fell in love with the village, and didn't leave until his death in 1995.

We then headed up Calle Jerez until we came upon this shop.

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Looking into the shop, I was met with this sight, which I described to my friends as, "I think this is what heaven looks like"!

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IMG_6942 IMG_6943Of course we got "cien grams" Jamon Bellota Pata Negra and a bottle of some local wine for the Missus.

Boy, the smells were intoxicating. Though I'm not sure what's up with the framed slice of jamon? Is it like the "framing the first dollar earned" thing? I do know the guy in Chef's Whites, it's Dani Garcia who got a Michelin Star for the now closed Tragabuches restaurant while at the helm.

It was a nice interesting stop.

La Casa del Jamón
Calle Jerez 28
Ronda, Spain

We headed on back to the apartment, got a load of laundry going, then crossed the Puente Nuevo into the Old Town.

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There's a nice viewpoint from across the bridge.

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From here we headed on down….taking a break at the Palace of the Marquis of Salvatierra.

IMG_6964 IMG_6962It's quite a distinct structure with an even more interesting feature. Take a look at the four pre-Columbian figures framing the windows and above the balcony. These are Inca Indians! Symbolic of the far reach of Spanish Colonialism.

Right below the palace you can get a nice view of the "Puente Viejo", the Old Bridge which was constructed in 1616 upon the ruins of another bridge.

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And the Arab Baths.

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Taking a quick turn you come to a gate. This is the Arch of Philip V which was built in 1742 on the site of another gate that was located there.

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We headed on down the stairs right before the Old Bridge, then swung around when we arrived at the cute, tiny, little church.

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And arrived at the oldest bridge in Ronda….yes, older than the Old Bridge; called either the Arab Bridge, The Moorish Bridge, the San Miguel Bridge, or the Roman Bridge, depending who to talk to.

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For many centuries, this was the entrance to Ronda. Nice view of the Old Bridge as well.

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Heading back to the Old Bridge; you could really get an impression on how imposing a task it would be to take this fortified village.

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We made our way back to the New Town by crossing the Old Bridge and walking up via the terraces.

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At the highest most terrace, I saw a guy standing outside the gate to the street. I got kind of worried as he just seemed to be loitering around. Turns out, he had the keys to the entrances to the terraces and since it had started to rain pretty hard it was time to close the gates. He was waiting for us to finish taking our photos……..what a nice guy. I felt so bad for making him wait. It took another 15 minutes to get back to the apartment, where it was time for a shower and a nap.

But first things first.

IMG_6998 IMG_6999We needed some sustenance…..something to keep us going….something like; well the jamon we bought earlier. Great thing about jamon, it doesn't need refrigeration. I just like to leave it out and watch it sweat….I hope to see some sweat. That tells me there's a good fat content. As things stood, this was cut well, but it lacked that jamon sweetness and deep flavor and was too salty.

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But of course, it didn't go to waste.

Thanks for reading!

Granada: Saint Germain (yet again), La Tana, and El Tabernaculo

Our last evening in Granada would turn out to be a lot of fun. We had made no plans and just walked on over to Plaza de Bib Rambla and strolled around watching the other tourists…..

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As we meandered through the square, the Missus had made up Her mind…….we headed back around the back of the Cathedral……

IMG_6844 IMG_6852The Missus wanted to enjoy another visit to Saint Germain on Her last evening in Granada. If you're keeping score, this would be three visits in three nights!

And while She really enjoyed the Blanco Seco here, I think She was wondering if we'd get a repeat of any of the tapas we'd had on previous nights. Answer was no…..

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Things started with a quite hefty Tortilla Española, an omelet that was topped with a nice garlic aioli. Love the way they toast the bread here; it's light and crunchy.

For our second glass, we thought this was a repeat…..but it wasn't. On our first visit, we'd had a wonderful garlic-onion toast which looked much like this.

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Except this had chicken in it; making it quite filling as well. The Missus really enjoyed the suspense of wondering what the upcoming mystery tapas was going to be. And there's no place we enjoyed more than Saint Germain.

Saint Germain
Calle Postigo Velutti 4
Granada, Spain

When we left Saint Germain, it was but 0845…much too early to turn in, especially in Spain. So we decided to make yet another stop…..walking past the Ayuntamiento – the Town Hall topped with the stunning bronze equestrian statue by Ramiro Megías.

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Straight down Calle Navas which then turned to Calle del Rosario was another wine bar. This one was recommended by a fan of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown…..he mentioned a place named La Tana, which we had passed two nights previous. Even though I didn't have the chance to watch that episode of Bourdain's show, we decided that we should check them out before we left Granada, so here we were.

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Man, this place was packed…….

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With one amazing woman running the entire bar! Herself! She never missed a beat. The place was crazy packed and when I got my beer and the Missus Her cava we were pretty sure that our tapa would take a while. So we were amazed when we saw folks passing a plate across the room! Our tapa!

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Lovely, flavorful tomatoes, simply seasoned with salt and black pepper…I really took to the olives in Andalucia as well.

The same thing happened when we got a second glass…..this time anchovy with a nice salmorejo.

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I was just amazed at how this woman worked everything so efficiently. She never missed an order, never missed getting anyone their tapa.

IMG_6869 IMG_6866After having our two glasses we decided to head out and on our way. The woman knew exactly what we had…..the Missus was so taken with how efficient this woman was She typed out a little message and translated it to Spanish. The woman asked one of the other customers to translate, but the Missus had already translated it – "eres un tesoro". "You are a treasure". The customer smiled and told us, "yes, this is true!" The woman was tickled and borrowed the Missus's phone so she could show the other customers….that yes, indeed, she is a treasure! Love the friendliness and warmth of the folks in Granada.

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Taberna La Tana
Calle Rosario 11
Granada, Spain

Granada had indeed gotten to us. We headed back via Calle Navas. Near Plaza del Carmen we noticed this rather distinctive bar.

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Peeking in the window we saw….Jesus everywhere!

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How could we not have a drink here! So we had a seat under…..Jesus and other stuffs…..

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Just one older gentleman manning the bar and small kitchen.

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Good lord, he gave us a rather large plate of sausage and potatoes as our tapa!

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Nothing fancy, but very hearty….and free with our glasses of wine….like 3 Euros as piece!

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Quite a unique place with very friendly service.

El Tabernaculo
Calle Navas 27
Granada, Spain

On a side note. When we returned home I watched the Granada episode of Parts Unknown, to see the La Tana scene. And then on came El Tabernaculo! Jesus! Bourdain went to the Jesus bar!

By this time, the Missus had decided that I'd had a bit too much tapas, so she marched me right back up the Albayzin to the Mirador San Nicolas. I must admit, the view at night is quite stunning as well.

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After taking a few photos, we headed back down Cuesta del Chapiz and walked back to Plaza Nueva via Paseo de los Tristes (Walk of the Dead Ones).

IMG_6897 IMG_6900While packing for an early getaway in the morning, I sipped a beer and munched on some Jamon and Queso chips. While we'd seen everything we wanted to and like most places we've visited, the city seemed to be shrinking everyday, we really enjoyed Granada. I'm not sure if we'll ever be back….but then again, Saint Germain and La Tana beckons, so who knows?

Thanks for reading!

Tacos Perla

**** This location of Tacos Perla has closed

Our third stop in the Hipster Taco tour. Over the last few months, I made a couple of stops at Tacos Perla. I'm kind of late to the show here, so you may want to just check out Kirbie's or CC's posts instead. Located near the hipster ramen haven, Underbelly, Tacos Perla occupies a nice spot on the corner of 30th and Upas.

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Being an old fart, I love the black and white movies projected on the rear of the small dining room.

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On one of my visits they were showing Fun in Acapulco….my late Mom was a big Elvis fan, though not as big as my best friends mother who went To Elvis's Aloha from Hawaii concert in 1973. I still kid that tough talking cigarette smoking "Tita" about going all goo-goo and gaga and crying because she loved Elvis so much. Anyway, I grew up listening to Elvis, and "No Room to Rhumba in a Sports Car" was a big favorite along with Wooden Heart. Which I got to sing when I was in a oldies band waaaay back when…..waaaay back when. But that's another story.

Tacos Perla 09 Tacos Perla 09aOne of the draws to Tacos Perla is the short, but quite interesting collection of salsas. It's nice that they have a pairing list as well.

On my first visit I went with three tacos that interested me. At that time it was a pretty pricy proposition, $4.95 for "non-traditional" tacos and $3.95 for "traditional" style tacos. Not a huge list of items to choose from, but that's not important if everything is well prepared and flavors to match.

Tacos Perla 04 Tacos Perla 05As you can tell, I also added a side of Chapulines (crickets) for 75 cents. It had been a while since I'd had chapulines, which really have little flavor (when prepped well), but adds a nice crunch to things.

I really enjoy a good Al Pastor/Adobada, so I started with that.

Tacos Perla 06 Tacos Perla 06aI found the adobada to be a bit gummy and tough. So I decided to add the crickets to this. Not my favorite version of adobada as I found the flavors lacking, especially in sweet and savory tones.

The tortillas struck me as well. Liked the rather rustic homemade feel, but it was a bit too crumbly and there was a tad of sweetness that I could detect as well.

The Ocho ($4.95) was no-brainer for me since I love most edible Cephalopods.

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Loved the texture of the octopus, was less enamored with the rather weak flavorings, which did just enough to mask any brininess provided by the octopus, but didn't bring much else to the table. I've had everything from sannakji to pulpo zarandeado, to wonderful versions in Greece and smoked tako back home in Hawaii. This was a bit of a disappointment in the "what could have been" kind of way.

The best of the bunch was the Del Mar (Shrimp).

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The achiote based seasoning didn't interfere with the pure flavor of the shrimp. The jack cheese added just the right amount of  milkiness and salt to this for me. The recommended "pico de gallo" was a perfect match, good acid-tangy-pungent flavors that didn't mess about with this.

I did return two more times, I'll spare you the second visit, which was kind of basically the same to see if I held the same opinion, with the addition of a carne asada taco, which ended up having quite a bit more gristle that I anticipated. That Del Mar still came out on top.

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I decided to drop by one more time after I heard that Tacos Perla had dropped their prices……great news since I thought almost fifteen bucks for three tacos was kind of pushing it for this type of ingredients put together in this manner, with this portion size.

So, I dropped by once again. This time things were a bit cheaper.

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The Missus really enjoys the Portobello con Vegetales at City Tacos. So I thought I'd try the version here.

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This left a bit to be desired in terms of flavor as it was very bland. Too many underseasoned components. The salsa, advertised as fire roasted pepper and papaya really lacked smokiness, heat, or even enough sweetness to really matter. Strange thing, the main thing I recall with this is how much I could mainly taste the tortilla…..

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I tried the Carne Asada yet again. In terms of flavor it was much better; I swear, there's some soy sauce here?

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It was still a bit to "gristlely" for my taste.

The surprise was the Taco de Pescado. Folks who've read this blog long enough know because of having to deal with quite a bit of mahimahi in a previous life, I'm a bit hesitant about ordering it as it attains a rather "sour" taste beyond 48 hours.

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This was quite decent, perhaps edging on a bit too salty, but tempered by the mango salsa. I do prefer a more crisp batter for my fish tacos though.

Tacos Perla 15So, in the end, I think the Missus is going to stick with City Tacos, though I'll keep tabs on Tacos Perla….I'm sure I'll visit again the future.

Tacos Perla
3000 Upas St
San Diego, CA 92104

 

Recently Consumed: Shoyu Koji and other “stuffs”

It's been another hot one. I really don't feel doing a long post, so here's a round-up of things we've recently consumed….or made for other to consume.

Shoyu Koji:

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Shio Koji is a staple in our household. The Missus especially enjoys those Smoked Shio Koji Wings, so I had to get this when I saw it Marukai. Made some karaage – recipe 1 from this post. Added just a tablespoon of the Shoyu Koji. Gotta be quick on this as the stuff burns rather quickly. The ginger tones and koji really balance out. Used 100% pure potato starch and baking powder for the coating. Flavor was mild, probably due to the 5 minutes marinade time since I was in a rush, but the Missus said the texture really great. Might try to do some kind of teriyaki with the koji.

Dinner has been kinda boring….because of the warm weather…..

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Been enjoying it though…..

During my last trip up to the SGV, I stopped by Lien Hoa for roast duck since I wasn't going any further than Rowland Heights. Strange thing about this roast duck….I swear, the Missus enjoys the fried rice I make with the 'jus more than the duck.

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While on the theme of strange….the Missus loves the way I make Katsudon……but here's the kicker….She likes it saturated or even cold! So after making this beautiful chicken katsu….from brining the chicken breasts to using premium panko….She'll sometimes not eat this until the next day!

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I'm still feeding the folks that work with the Missus. Here's some smoked wings….I made two types of BBQ Sauce…..you gotta have some fun, right? I made a white BBQ sauce – Alabama style. The Missus said it freaked out some of the folks.

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For some reason the folks that work with the Missus really enjoys my Kimchi Fried Rice…….

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So there you go…..hope you're keeping cool. Meanwhile; I'll keep noodling around.

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What My Craving? Gyokai Natto Don from Izakaya Sakura

Man, it was a bajillion degrees today…another record high for April. I wanted a respite from work so decided to head out for lunch to Izakaya Sakura a favorite of us folks here at mmm-yoso!!! 

Whats my Sakura 01 Whats my Sakura 02This would be my second visit since Izakaya Sakura finally put up a sign at the end of last year. I usually know what I'm going to order; the Ebi Kakiage Zaru Udon, but this time, I opened up the menu…..and to my surprise I saw Gyokai Natto Don! I'm not sure when they actually started serving this favorite of mine for lunch. Serves me right for not even opening the menu……

Whats my Sakura 03 Whats my Sakura 04And while it wasn't quite as good as what I'd get when Kazu is behind the counter, this was more than enough food for me. A nice variety of fish; ranging from maguro to some shiromi….I did miss the ika which really adds a nice textural component to the earthy, stringy, flavors of the natto. Served with agedashi tofu, and the usual salad with egg yolk dressing and miso soup (that actually had flavor), this was a nice, hefty lunch.

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Maybe I can talk the Missus into meeting me for lunch again.

Izakaya Sakura
3904 Convoy St Ste 121
San Diego, CA 92111

Revisits: Pho Fusion, Pho Express, and the “Sign of Doom”.

To get this out of the way. Yes, today we had record high temperatures, and yes, I'm still going to post on pho……

Pho Fusion:

IMG_8089It's been a good three years since I last visited, so when the last storm system moved in, I decided to drive on over and see what was up with Pho Fusion. Apparently I wasn't the only one as the place filled up pretty quickly.

I was quite hungry so I started with the "Popcorn Chicken"

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The batter t meat ration slides on over to the batter side on this one. If you like that kind of thing, you might enjoy this, as it's very crunchy. The "spicy mayo" was typical. It's not overly salty, but does get a bit crumbly as it cools. The would be pretty good beer food.

The Pho – #14, was decently priced for the area (small – $6.49.)

Pho Fus Rev 02 Pho Fus Rev 03The sprouts and herbs were minimal, but like previous visits, a request for more was nicely accepted. The broth was slightly cloudy, but not heavy in MSG, the flavor was light, not veering too much in anise nor sweet flavors, though rather light in the beefiness department. It was rather light in protein, of which there was shortage of tendon and tripe. The noodles were in the typical clump, though not over cooked. This was "pho not to offend" on the right side of the scale as was quite evident from the crowd.

The service was nice…..even when that D-Bag of a customer knocked over a glass of water and while the guy was mopping it up told him, "don't forget to get me another glass of water".

Pho Fusion
8038 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111 

Pho Xpress – Mission Gorge Road:

Pho Xpress MG Rev 01Man, it's been five and a half years since I last visited, though Cathy's been here about four years ago. I was in the area on a recent morning with some time to kill. A bit hungry, I decided to drop back in to Pho Xpress. The whole strip mall was undergoing an exterior refresh at the time of my visit. This being around 0900, I had the place to my self.

Pho Xpress MG Rev 02 Pho Xpress MG Rev 03As with our previous visits, the pho was decent, though it's not as rich, nor quite a beefy as it used to be. While the herbs and sprouts were lacking, the basil was especially fresh. The rare steak was presented nicely, not yet overcooked and dry and as a whole everything else was quite good. Not amazing, but quite solid if slightly heavy in MSG. The noodles were perfect.

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A decent bowl of pho overall. The service here is still "A-B" – all business.

Pho Xpress
6533 Mission Gorge Rd
San Diego, CA 92120

IMG_8076While leaving the strip mall on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard after my visit to Pho Fusion I took a quick look at the strip mall sign and was quite surprised. Take a look…….

Most of the restaurant listed are gone; some of them have been closed for quite a while…..

In fact, we've posted on the three places listed on the sign that are no longer there, Cathy has done Sushi Hut and I've posted on Aria and Mercury Grill, places that have been gone for years! I think Sushi Hut is not Hielo, Aria is now Chaba Thai and has been for almost three years, and Dumpling Hut took the place of Mercury Grill last June.

What's up with the sign? Could it be the mall owner is being cheap? Could it be that being on the sign is a curse….and they're hedging their bets by just saying "Mexican Restaurant"? Or….perhaps…maybe we're the curse since we posted on those three places and they closed? Hmmmmm…..I think some of the other businesses are gone too……strange…..

 

Bordeaux: A Return to Fournil des Capucins, Marche des Capucins, and Champion de France de Cuisine Amateur, Plus Canelés Baillardran

Our last day in Bordeaux before heading out to our next destination was spent doing what we enjoyed most in Bordeaux…..taking a stroll down to Marche des Capucins and buying a baguette from Fournil des Capucins.

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Things were much more busy on this morning as there was a line waiting for baguette.

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This was soon remedied as a batch was made ready….the young woman cradled the steaming hot bread in her arms until reaching the baskets, then tossed the red hot baguettes into the basket….they sure were hot!

Fournil des Capucins
62 Cours de la Marne
Bordeaux, France

That task done, we headed across the street to the Marche des Capucins…..where things were really buzzing. Apparently, a round of France's version of Top Chef Amateur – Championnate de France de Cuisine Amateur was taking place.

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The ingredient mystere was duck breast and the contestants were hard at work. It was quite fun and we got drawn in.

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This was our favorite:

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He was quite friendly and jovial.

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And while it was busy; things weren't overly crowded. This market is mostly for locals, but folks actually waved us in and wanted us to sample and vote!

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And while the screen shows Alain in the lead, he actually had the audacity to vote for himself! Igor won – with the dish above; "Cappuccino asparagus, herb pesto, breast skewer and grilled ravioli Saint Jean".

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It was great fun!

Marché des Capucins
Place des Capucins
Bordeaux, France

So much fun, that we realized as we passed the Fleche Saint Michel, we'd forgotten to get some cheese! Not a big deal as we headed on over to Marche des Grands Hommes, since we needed to stop by the Carrefour Market in lower level to pick up that white wine the Missus loved.

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Along with the market, there were several vendors, selling everything from produce, to meat and cheese.

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Even, ahem…sushi and Asian fast food…..

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And since this is Bordeaux, you could also get a nice glass of wine……

06072015 1564 06072015 1558Canelés are a specialty of Bordeaux. Basically a pastry with a custard center. It is shaped in the form of a scalloped cylinder. I'm not much on sweets, but since the Missus was so fascinated with Canelé and this shop, I told Her to give it a shot. I had also done a quick Google search on Baillardran and found that it was a very popular chain that originated in Bordeaux.

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The Missus could hardly contain Herself.

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This was a bit too dense, somewhat mushy, and too sweet for my taste. Though if you're in France give it a try.

Baillardran Pâtisseries
Place des Grands Hommes
Bordeaux, France

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That was basically it for this leg of our trip, though we'd be back after spending a few days in Dordogne.

Thanks for reading!