mmm-yoso – Page 261 – 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.

Granada: A Revisit to Saint Germain and Dinner at Alacena de las Monjas

March 26, 2016 mmm-yoso Granada, Spain, Spanish Restaurants and Cuisine, Travel

We'd had a pretty busy day, starting the morning with a visit to The Alhambra, then getting some train ticketing straightened out and taking a walk around the Old Town. We were bushed when we got back to the apartment and had a well deserved siesta. There's something to be said about an afternoon nap. We awoke refreshed, ready to take on…….well, dinner, of course! This being Spain, dinner really doesn't start until 9pm or thereabouts, so we decided on taking a nice little walk along Paseo de los Tristes (Walk of the Dead Ones), the street that runs parallel to the Darro River, just past Plaza Nueva.

It's a wonderful stretch of road and the views of the Alhambra form here, especially at night are wonderful.

On one side you have the Darro River and the Alhambra; on the other tiny alleyways leading up to the Albayzin, the Moorish Quarter.

The walk was short, but enough to stimulate our appetites. Thinking (wrongly), that we might tire of tapas in Granada, we booked dinner at Alacena de las Monjas, when we passed by on our first day in Granada. They didn't start dinner service until 9pm, it was 745….what to do? Well, head back to Saint Germain of course!

It was about a 15 minute walk to Saint Germain, which was just opening when we arrived.

There was something about this place that we really loved. The selection of wines suited the Missus, who found that She really enjoyed the house Blanco-Seco. I really loved Encaste, a nice very balanced Cabernet Savignon from Dona Felica Winery in Ronda.

We also wondered if we'd get a repeat of a tapa from our first visit. Well, we didn't! This time around it was a nice brie, brushed with honey and a fruit compote on bread…..love the way they toast the baguettes here.

Without a doubt, our favorite wine bar in Granada.

Saint Germain
Calle Postigo Velutti 4
Granada, Spain

We then headed off to Plaza del Padre Suarez….pocket wifi is wonderful, we initially used it on our first trip to Japan and it was invaluable, especially with Japan's crazy address system. For Spain we used Wifivox which I highly recommend. It was delivered to our hotel in Madrid and we used it without incident. Nothing like being to use Google Maps and other apps while roaming around unfamiliar territory.

Alacena de las Monjas was an interesting experience to say the least. The atmosphere is somewhat romantic and the prices not cheap….for Granada standards. It's not quite fine dining; the staff is young, very nice, they work hard, but really aren't very polished. We really didn't need reservation as we were the only table for most of our meal and there were only two other tables occupied when we left. I did love our table which was located in the cellar.

The young staff really wasn't able to help us in wine selection so I chose something randomly…..

The amuse arrived…..

It was kind of funny….just sliding around the plate. For some reason, the presentation bothered the Missus. So I went ahead and plated it the way I thought it should be presented.

Much better, eh?

We started with the "Traditional" Salmorejo (9 Euros).

This classic Andalucian cold soup is a favorite of mine. While gazpacho, the more well known cold soup is seasonal, salmorejo is consumed year 'round. This version was very smooth and creamy, though according to the Missus, it needed more olive oil and "where was the hard boiled egg garnish?"

I got the Anchovies with Iberian Tomato and Beet Carpaccio (18 Euros).

The flavor of the anchovy was too strong for the Missus. Meanwhile, I loved the savory-brininess. Lovely peppery-grassy flavors from the olive oil, the tomatoes added a mild acid component, though I could have used more acid and perhaps some additional pungency. The flavor of the beets were very mild, I expected a bit more sweetness.

The Missus got the "Charcoal Smoked Octopus" (18 Euros). Isn't that simply called "grilled"?

While the "smoked" flavor was almost non-existent, I think the octopus had been sous-vide first, then grilled. The texture was outstanding, crisp exterior, almost melt in your mouth. I'd have appreciated a bit more seasoning as I felt more salt was needed.

I got the "Suckling Lamb Shoulder Cooked at Low Temperature" (24 Euros). Man, this was a huge portion, we ended up taking most of this back to the apartment.

Again, this dish could have used more seasoning and perhaps some time in a pan to crisp up the skin which was gummy. Still, this was obviously sous-vide and the wonderful gamey flavor made up for any shortcomings. The lamb melted in your mouth…the potatoes were basic, but quite tasty as well.

As a whole, I don't think I'd return here if/when we're back in Granada. The service was very nice, though rough around the edges, and I expected better execution at this price point. Not a terrible meal, but not memorable.

Alacena de las Monjas
Plaza del Padre Suarez 5
Granada, Spain

Granada: Cafe Bar Mercado

March 25, 2016 mmm-yoso Granada, Spain, Spanish Restaurants and Cuisine, Travel

After having some nice Bocadillos at Cafe Opera 5, we made our way back to the train station. You see, I went to check our tickets for the rest of our trip and noticed that one set was missing! Luckily, I had my receipt. Along the way we finally found a supermarket and stopped to get a few items.

Along the way we pass the Monastery of San Jeronimo.

We walked parallel to Gran Via, then LAC, actually walking through the University. Making it to the train station and the Renfe Desk, I was told that since I'd purchased our tickets at El Cortes Ingles, I'd have to go to their travel office. He was nice enough to point out; grabbing a map, the closest office of their travel agency, even drawing out the path we should take! All of this with his minimal English and my inability to speak much Spanish! We managed to find the nearby office and the woman who worked their was amazingly nice….even though it took about an hour, she straightened everything out for us and we left tickets in hand.

The office was right next to Plaza del Triunfo, so we took a nice little stroll through the plaza.

That's the Triumph of the Virgin Column above. Though there's not much out there on this plaza that's not in Spanish; I've read some interesting stories about this location. There originally was a Basilica at this location, but it was destroyed and replaced by a Muslim Cemetery. When the Christians took Granada, a hospital was built here. When the forces of Napoleon took Granada, this was the site of public executions. Mariana Pineda heroine of the famous play (with the set and costumes by Dali) and an opera was executed here in 1831.

Business taken care of; the Missus broke out the Rick Steve's book and we set off on one of the walks. We started off at the Corral del Carbón (Coal House) which was built in the 14th century by the Moors. Like the Ungelt Courtyard in Prague and even more so, the "Hans" in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, this was a place for merchants to spend the evening, their camels and pack animals resting on the ground floor; a caravanserai.

Across the street is a rather colorful alleyway; the Alcaceria. This was once the location of the silk market. The street between these two locations used to be a river and a bridge connected the Corral del Carbon and the Alcaiceria. Now it's a long alleyway full of tourist shops.

We headed down the lanes and ended up in a plaza we'd walked through the night before….Granada was already starting to get smaller; full of cafes and shops named Plaza de Bib Rambla and the fountain with Neptune on top called "Fuente de los Gigantones" (Fountain of the Giants).

Right around the corner is the Cathedral, which looks quite impressive.

I think being tucked in between other buildings just makes it look that much more impressive. As with other churches and cathedrals we saw during this trip, this is built on the former site of a mosque.

I really enjoyed the view of the rest of the square, Plaza de las Pasiegas, from the Cathedral steps.

We went around the side street of the Cathedral past a building that for some reason was one of my favorites in Granada.

And back out to Gran Via. By now, the Missus was getting a bit hungry. We decided to head back toward Mercado Agustin. We'd seen a Café/Bar/Restaurant when leaving Café Opera, with signs posted with a really nicely priced menu del dia – basically daily lunch specials.

The place was very comfortable, a section with little tables below and a larger bar area up above. They did offer a rather inexpensive menu del dia; like 8 Euros and also full and half servings (media raciones) of dishes. The missus took the menu del dia; Sopa de Calabaza, Pumpkin Soup to start, Calamares de Granada, and a glass of wine.

I went with a Cerveza……

And a media racione of the Morcilla con Pinones; blood sausage with pine nuts.

Good thing I got a half order. This was quite good; blood sausage, more like a nice earthy, slightly sweet, blood pudding, studded with pine nuts which provided a nice contrast in flavor and texture. The Missus really enjoyed this as well…it went so well with bread.

The Missus enjoyed the pumpkin soup.

The "Granada style calamari" turned out to be basically fried squid rings……

The flavor was quite nice, but the squid was on the tough side.

The Missus got an Americano for dessert and our Server was nice enough to bring me one as well. This was a nice relaxed lunch. The service was very friendly and the prices were more than reasonable.

Cafe Bar Mercado
Calle Alvaro de Bazan
Granada, Spain

Funny thing, we left the restaurant by the back door and walked into a courtyard. There were tables filled with folks having wine and tapas. The Missus said, "hey, this looks good!" I had to laugh, it was the outdoor tables of Saint Germain! We'd come full circle it seems. It was time to head on back for a nice afternoon siesta…….

COMC: Brunch at Tiger Tiger, Chef Chin, and Carnitas’ Snack Shack

March 24, 2016 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Chinese Restaurants, Gastropub

**** All of these places have closed

Some photos that have been languishing around for a while….it's time to C(lear) O(ut the) M(emory) C(ard).

Brunch at Tiger! Tiger!:

We'd kind of avoided brunch here as the menu seemed uninspiring. After returning from our last trip, we'd been working hard, so decided to just relax and see how the brunch was here. We were pleasantly surprised. Especially by the wood fired potatoes with the guajillo aioli.

Tiger! Tiger!
3025 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

Chef Chin:

"YZ" had completed a big project, so we decided to go out and grab lunch. We hadn't been to Chef Chin in a while. It was an ok lunch. The best item by far was the Xun Yu, the Jellyfish Head with Chicken the worst.

Chef Chin
4433 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Carnitas' Snack Shack:

It had been over a year since we last visited and the Missus wanted a snack…..and this is Carnitas' Snack Shack, right? We shared the pulled pork hash, which was delish….the fries were much too salty though.

Carnitas' Snack Shack
2632 University Avenue
San Diego, CA 92104

Aaaah, there you go….my memory card is a bit lighter now!

Midweek Meanderings: Banh Mi Bakery and Cafe Coming Soon, Boiling Passion Replaces Pho Paradise, and Mekong Cuisine Replace Sang Deuan

March 23, 2016 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Lao Restaurants, Thai Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

A new shop coming soon and two new places for hump day……

Banh Mi Bakery and Café:

For some reason, this strip mall on the corner of Clairemont Mesa and Ruffin Road always eludes my attention. But on this past weekend, a sign with "Banh Mi" on it caught my eye, so I drove into the parking lot to check it out.

This is the strip mall with Giovanni's. This shop is right next to Palomino's #2, which Cathy has written about a couple of times.

9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92123

Boiling Passion Replaces Pho Paradise:

You can find my post on our visits to Boiling Passion here.

I noticed the sign when driving to pick-up a bento at Nijiya. I noticed that Pho Paradise had closed back in January. Boy did they turn this place around quick. But did they really want to name it "Boiling Passion"?

When I sent off a photo and text to my friends; "John" quickly texted me back asking if this was a massage parlor. I quickly sent off a string of texts about "meat" that isn't really appropriate for this blog…..I'll let your imagination go with that one!

3904 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Mekong Cuisine Replaces Sang Deuan:

I went up the parking lot to turn around and noticed another change.

I hadn't even noticed this one! Sang Deuan sure didn't last long. Well, another place to try. They kept the "Lao & Thai" portion of the old sign, so I'm thinking the menu is probably similar to Sang Deuan's.

3904 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

So there you go….have a great week!

Circling Back to Latin Chef

March 22, 2016 mmm-yoso Peruvian Restaurants

Recently, I'd been wondering how things were going at Latin Chef, I hadn't been by nearly three years. Once upon a time LC used to be almost a weekly stop for us. But over the years things changed; first they lost their original chef who went back to Cusco, so there was no one to make that wonderful tiradito. Then on my last visit, LC had started serving Brazilian food. So now three years later?

Well, there was a little placard on the table that says Latin Chef now serves a buffet lunch. And looking through the shelves, I did indeed see a buffet set-up….they also put in a sink, a toaster oven, and a microwave…..in plain view of the customers. The seating has been cut back too.

The dish I had been wondering about was the lomo saltado; once my favorite version in San Diego was served at Latin Chef, it had the right amount of soy sauce, the tomatoes were firm, but just breaking down, the sauce not too salty, but full of flavor, and the meat, toothsome, like it should be, but not tough. So I decided to get the Lomo Saltado ($13.50) which made me want to cry……

The sauce, what little there was, just had no flavor; the tomatoes weren't cooked enough, look at the meat, it barely has any color, was tough, and had that mild metallic flavor of something starting to go south. Two of the papas fritas were not cooked fully. Even the quality of the rice was terrible.

It really made me sad. Once upon a time, this was the typical Lomo Saltado at Latin Chef.

Over the years there are more than few places that have fallen off our list. And while Latin Chef had been off our radar for a while, this meal particularly bothers me. Once upon a time, the food here was quite good. Good enough to inspire us to travel to Peru, where I had one of the most memorable meals of my life. That was about 8 1/2 years ago…sadly, things do change over time.

Latin Chef
1142 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109

What’s the Missus Craving? Thai Papaya by Sab e Lee

March 21, 2016 mmm-yoso Thai Restaurants

**** Thai Papaya has closed

Last week, the sun shone brightly and weather got a bit warmer, you could tell, in spite of the calendar that spring had sprung. So it made sense when the Missus told me She wanted to grab a bite at Thai Papaya. Strange thing, in spite of the chilies and spiciness, we tend to think of Thai and Lao food as something to have during spring-summer-early fall.

It had been a while since we'd been to Thai Papaya and we were pleased to see that menu was now quite large.

Still, the Missus had to have the Som Tom Khai Kem; the papaya salad with Salted Egg, heat level 5….we have to build our tolerance back up every year these days.

The nice salty-savory flavor off the salted egg plays well off of the acid and the flavor of dried shrimp. The papaya and tomato was decently pounded; the papaya still crunchy. I've had the papaya be a little mushy on occasion, but not on this day. The peanuts just seem to finish the dish for us. The Missus does love Her eggs.

Speaking of eggs…….how could we not order the Spicy Thousand Year Old Eggs. At first we thought they forgot the pidan when the dish arrived.

But a quick peek under that curtain of ground pork and veggies revealed the preserved egg. While it won't make us forget Yai Cuisine, this was a very nice dish, the "gravy" not too thin and full of Thai Basil flavor. This was just spicy enough for us at this point in the year. The one item that really added to the dish for us were the bamboo shoots which added a nice earthy-woodsy flavor. The Missus told me after two bites, "now this reminds me of Thailand….."

We also ordered the Issan Sausage; usually a favorite of mine. This time it seemed a bit dried out.

And while I wasn't expecting anything like the sausage at Supanee, but this wasn't quite as good as what I usually get here. It wasn't bad, just not at the level of what I expect. Too dry and strangely lacking flavor.

Still, this was an enjoyable meal and I'm sure we'll be back to try other items on the menu as the weather warms up.

Thai Papaya by Sab E Lee
2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111

Sunday Sandwiches: Ike’s Place

March 20, 2016 mmm-yoso Sandwiches

Memory is a funny thing, I can never remember where I park my car, but food? Well sometimes it can be a bit strange. When I read about the NoCal based chain Ike's Place opening in San Diego, the first thing I though was, "didn't Kirbie do a post on this place?" And she had. BTW, Happy 7th Blogaversary Kirbie! And a Happy 10th (sheesh has it been that long?) to "CC".

Anyway, I'd been going back and forth between my office and Hillcrest quite a bit lately, so at the end of February, I decided to check out the brand new Ike's Place.

If memory serves me; wasn't this a location of La Salsa?

It was before 11, an over a week before their grand opening but they were doing some good business. The sandwiches here start at about 8 bucks, but most are $9.99, with a few breaking the $11 barrier; and that's without "add-ons", like avocado; stretching all the way to beer batter zucchini and onion rings. The folks working here are very friendly and helpful since there are so many options on the posted (and some unposted) menu.

I needed to get back to the office so I ordered the "Matt Cain" ($9.99). A version of this sandwich with onion rings on it won ESPN's Fanwich Competition for the Best Sports Sandwich. I'd heard quite a bit about Dutch Crunch Bread, San Francisco's version of Dutch Tiger Bread, named because of the mottling on the exterior of it from a paste based on rice flour.

Getting back to the office I opened up my sandwich, Good lord, it was quite a mess.

The bread had not stood up well during the 15 minute trip back to the office, it had become soggy. Also, I expected the outer crust to be a bit more crisp, but it was kind of soft. Based on the color, perhaps it had not been baked properly? Also, there was just too much "Godfather Sauce", which had too much mayo in ratio to the horseradish and Dijon mustard. This was just a bit too much for me.

I did decide to revisit Ike's Place; to see if eating in and asking that they go easy on the sauce would make for a more enjoyable sandwich.

I wasn't in such a rush this time around and noticed the interesting lay-out. The outside dining area is bright and spacious. The inside dining area looks kind of odd, almost like it was part of the kitchen area once. The path to the kitchen area is simply blocked by a low-boy sandwich refrigerator prep unit.

I will say that this time around, the sandwich I ordered named the Robin Williams ($9.99) was excellent.

The bread was crisp on the exterior, nice and fluffy interior. I was worried about the amount of Dirty Sauce on the sandwich, but it was perfect. Loved the combination of melted pepperjack cheese and mushrooms.

The chicken in the sandwich is chopped which just made the texture perfect. Nice chicken flavor as well. Along with the nice crunch the lettuce brought, I thought this was perfect in terms of proportion and texture, making this a lovely sandwich.

There was one other sandwich (well of possible dozen) that caught my attention on my visit to Ike's Place; the Anchor Man ($9.99), I mean doesn't a fried chicken sandwich sound great? Well, I think based on a couple factors, this was less than great.

First off, I made a mistake by forgetting to tell them to go easy on the sauce and like my first sandwich, all that Dirty Sauce (a garlic aioli) just overwhelmed everything else in the sandwich.

Second, I took a bite and only got veggies. I took another bite and only got veggies. Not a problem per se; if this was a "veggie" sandwich. So I took a look at the other half of my sandwich.

Notice something about the fried chicken? I opened up the half I was eating and saw that the fried chicken took up about two thirds of the width of the bread. Man, look at that mess….

I tried just the chicken alone and was far from impressed as it didn't seemed "fried" in the conventional manner. It seemed more baked.

The answer was in the "Beer Battered Onion Rings" I ordered.

See how dry it looks? Also notice the burnt spots? The batter was gummy and these were dry….so I took a look up front and didn't notice a fryer. The only "cooking" was done with conveyor type pizza ovens. So instead of frying, it seems that these onion rings were cooked via electric/gas/infrared depending on the brand of pizza oven. You might be ok with this but it isn't my cup of tea with regards to onion rings.

So, will I return to Ike's Place? Yes, I might, though I'd be more inclined to visit BFD. In concept, the sandwiches are somewhat interesting, albeit a bit over-hyped; in case you'd like to see summary of 50 of the best sandwiches on the menu you can click here. I'll be a bit more careful with what I order and have to remember to tell them to go easy on the sauce….too much of a good thing and all that. Service was friendly, though my sandwiches did take a while on my visits; you might chalk that up to being new and all that.

Ike’s Place
1010 University Ave, Suite 101
San Diego, CA 92103

Recently Consumed: Smoked Duck Breast Lettuce Cups and other “stuffs”

March 19, 2016 mmm-yoso Cooking, Seafood

Just some stuff made over the last couple of weeks.

Most meals happen pretty quickly, so Unless I really plan to take photos….well, it just doesn't happen. Strangely, most of the weekend meals we've had have been Chinese influenced.

A lot of recipes I've already posted like Cumin Lamb – Zi Ran Yang Rou.

You know….rather simple stuff…..

The problem being….having the Missus tell me what She wants in the morning, then going out and shopping and the prep. Not bad if you're making one dish; but what about three? In less than 40 minutes with prep…..

Remember that Harissa – Cumin – Black Vinegar – Sichuan Peppercorn oil? Well, I recently found another use for it. Seared off some lamb chops seasoned with Sichuan Peppercorns, Cumin, Salt, Pepper, Harissa, granulated garlic, and 5 Spice.

Added the sauce with some minced cilantro before service. The Missus said these were the best lamb chops I've ever made….

Served with some stir fried broccolini with an oyster sauce glaze.

Every week, I buy one of these.

Twice during the week, I mince, along with minced water chestnut, scallions, five spice, and some cilantro and the Missus has a nice salad topping; or something for lettuce cups.

The last two weeks have been interesting; the Missus started by asking for some simple stir fried tofu and veggies with black bean.

Which culminated in Her wanting my version of fish with black bean sauce……it's basically oil velveting, though without the egg whites in this case. The Missus really loves the seared tomatoes and sliced jalapenos.

I ended up making this three days in a row. I went and bought a pound and a half of fish from Catalina Offshore thinking I'd make this once, then we'd have two other meals….it didn't quite work out that way.

When I visited, Tommy told me to try a make something with a Box Crab. It was quite lively when I arrived home. I decided to just put it in the freezer for 20 minutes, then simply boil.

The Missus basically destroyed this in 10 minutes….though She did share the brains with Sammy….lucky dog! She did say that the flavor is really good, but you have to be prepared for the especially hard and thick shells.

Catalina Offshore Products
5202 Lovelock St.
San Diego, CA 92110

So there you go…..

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Granada: The Alhambra and Cafe Opera 5

March 18, 2016 mmm-yoso Granada, Sandwiches, Spain, Spanish Restaurants and Cuisine, Travel

The main reason for visiting Granada was The Alhambra of course. This grand Moorish Palace resides on top of a hill overlooking Granada. I had bought tickets well in advance and printed them out in the bookstore the night before. This enabled us to take the "short cut", up Cuesta de Gomerez, which was basically right outside our apartment door.

Right up the street was Puerta de las Granadas and it was a nice short walk to the "Justice Gate", the original entrance to the Alhambra. Because we'd printed out our tickets beforehand, we could use this gate to access the palace. Our designated time for Palacios Nazares was 9am, so we had some time to check out the Alcazaba, a large looming fortress and tower, the oldest part of the Alhambra.

In Arabic, Qa'lat al-Hamra' ("Alhambra") means "red castle" and in the morning light, this structure, which dates back to the 13th century did indeed look like a "red castle". If you wind your way though the passages and walkways, then climb up to the tower, you'll be rewarded with a stunning view, which also highlights the strategic location of the Alcazaba. The view is wonderful and is well worth the climb up the tower……..hopefully, it will be a rather clear day and the view will be like this.

You need to get in line for the Palacios Nazaries, the Moorish Royal Palace complex. There are so many features of the palace; like the Courtyard of the Myrtles; basically the central courtyard.

The Mocárabe (Stalactite Work) is amazing as is the symmetry. This is the ceiling of the Grand Hall of the Ambassadors, the wooden ceiling is made up of 8,017 wood inlays and is room itself is a perfect cube.

You could spend hours here just admiring the tile work and visiting places like the Courtyard of the Lions.

And while a sort of fatigue set in; I started looking for random and whimsical features to balance out the perfection of the place, I never got tired of the view. Near the middle top of the photo is the Church of San Nicolás, at the bottom is the Paseo de los Tristes (Walk of the Dead Ones), once the funeral procession route in the city.

We exited the palace and passed through some quaint gardens and then a series of towers. This is the "Torre de los Picos" (Tower of the Points).

Ending up at Generalife Gardens.

The Court of la Acequia is especially pretty.

As is the view of Palacios Nazaries.

After exiting, we headed down Bib Ramblas and ended up where we started.

We then headed to Mercado Agustin, but other than buying some really olive oil were quite underwhelmed….I mean, the jamon here was cut by machine! By this time, we needed a bit of a break. Down the small street next to the market we found this place.

We had intended on just getting some espresso here, but were feeling a bit puckish as well. So the Missus decided we should go ahead and have a Bocadillo as well, which sounded just fine to me. So She had me order a jamon and an anchovy (!) bocadillo. One of the things we really enjoyed about this little shop were the bottles of roasted garlic infused olive oil…..which folks just poured like crazy on their bread.

That Jamon Bocadillo must have been pretty good….because I never even had a shot at it!

The Anchovy version was too fishy-oily-salty for the Missus, but I kinda liked it with the garlic olive oil.

It was nice and briny, man that infused olive oil was good. We quickly learned that it was okay to pour like a gallon of that stuff on your bread. There were some interesting photos in this shop; when I exited the restroom, the older woman sitting at one of the tables pointed to the photo of what looked like the Emperor of Japan on the wall and said something to me in Spanish. Sorry to say I didn't understand.

We really enjoyed this little shop and would return on our way to the train station as we left Granada. Folks here seemed more friendly (and folks in Spain were pretty friendly as a whole) than anywhere else in Spain.

Cafe Opera 5
Ivaro de Bazán 12
Granada, Spain

Brussels: Les Brassins and Revisiting Moeder Lambic (St Gilles Location)

March 17, 2016 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Belgium, Brussels, Pubs and Pub Grub, Travel

It was really hard leaving Cantillon, there was something really cool about the place…..you just wanted to hang around.

Alas, our time in Brussels was coming to an end. I had a place in mind for lunch, but first the Missus wanted to revisit a couple of places we'd gone to on our first day in the city. It would have been but a short ride on the metro, but of course, this is the Missus we're talking about so we walked.

Back to see the "Little Squirt", who was getting a lot of attention as always.

And since we were there, a visit to Grand Place was in order as well. For some reason, the Missus really never took to Grand Place….not sure why.

From here, we headed south, skirting the hills and then back up to the very popular shopping district of Ixelles.

Full of big time chains, boutiques, trendy shops….big city life. But, just head up one of the side streets and you'll find quaint little shops, apartments, and on this street a ton of construction. I was looking for a brasserie I'd read about, in several food blogs and even the New York Times, Les Brassins. The word "traditional" was sprinkled about in most of what I read, so I thought this would be a nice farewell restaurant meal in Brussels.

We'd arrived early and the place was empty except for one table….it was packed when we left. I found the place very comfortable.

Our server was very nice, relaxed, but very efficient. This is of course, Belgium, so we'd get some liquid refreshment with lunch. Nothing too heavy for the Missus; a Silly (how appropriate) Blonde (well, maybe not so much). I had a Caulier Blonde.

The Missus wanted to get Her last fix of Sausage and Stoemp. This was a nice version of the dish. The stoemp was full of greens and was delicious. The sausage well.

The "bacon" was probably the weak link, but the sauce was very nice….a good last version for the Missus.

I had intended to get the Carbonnade Flamande, the classic beef and beer stew that I enjoyed everywhere in Belgium. But all those posts and the New York Time recommended the Rabbit Leg in Cherry Kriek. So I went with the Lapin a la Kriek.

First off, I gotta say, that sauce was just plain delici-yoso! The kriek added a nice sweetness, but wasn't too cloying, that cut the richness. Also, the frites here might be the best I had in Belgium, crisp exterior, fluffy interior. The rabbit, if you've never had rabbit…..when done well, it's fairly mild in flavor, as this was. It was a bit too tough and dry for my taste though. Still, that sauce….

While I think my favorite meals in Brussels were at Viva M'Boma or perhaps Le Fin de Siècle, I don't think you can go wrong at Les Brassins.

Les Brassins
36 Rue Keyenveld
Brussels, Belgium

We walked back to our apartment in Saint Gilles. It was a beautiful day for a stroll. We had our customary nap, then made dinner with stuff we'd bought at the Marche du Parvis.

So this was it huh? Last night in Brussels. The Missus and I looked at each other and instantly knew, this was not the way to end our trip to Brussels. We got dressed and headed out….and back to Moeder Lambic.

It was a bit busier than on our last visit. However, most everyone had taken a table outside. I told the Missus to shoot for the moon and I got a Hop-Ruiter, which I loved so much on my previous visit. So She did…..

I then tried a Vicaris Tripel, which was fairly creamy, though bit too sweet for my taste.

I then helped the Missus finish Her Gueuze. I couldn't help but think that this was why we work so hard. To be able to have a bottle of Cantillon at Moeder Lambic in Brussels. Life doesn't get better. Of course, eventually the glass was empty.

But "my glass" was more than full!

Moeder Lambic
Rue de Savoie 68
Brussels, Belgium

Thanks for reading!