mmm-yoso – Page 301 – 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.

Luong Hai Ky (Mira Mesa) revisited

January 13, 2015 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants, Vietnamese Restaurants

Working late one evening, I was craving some Beef Sate Noodle…..of course Tan Ky Mi Gia has closed (I've been to Tim Ky – that post is upcoming), so despite some pretty unimpressive visits, I decided to give them another shot……you know, the place that claims to be the "The Original Chinese Noodles"……which means they'd have been around for like 4000 years, heck this isn't even their original location.

It's was prime dinnertime, but the place looked kind of empty. There I stood, promptly ignored by the three guys milling around, when the young guy practically screams at me "SIT!" pointing to one of the booths. And just in case I didn't hear him, he goes "SIT!" again. Now I may talk this way to Sammy and Frankie once in a while; but they have four legs……

Menu promptly flies onto table and the guy hovers over me. Now the last time I was here, I looked high and low for Beef Sate Noodle and the Server who was hovering over me just like this guy practically ordered me to have something else. This time I was going to find that damned dish even if took all night. Much to the dismay of the guy hovering….who finally let out a sigh and left me to concentrate on my meal. And wouldn't you know….I finally found it on the bottom of the menu. So the guy comes back and simply says "what???" Man of few words, or would that be word……

Anyway, here it is in all it's glory Beef Sate Noodle – Dry ($7.30). By the way; it's on the bottom of the noodle soup page.

It looked pretty decent; until you went to mix it and found all that iceberg lettuce hidden by the noodles, which were basically raw and still sort of powdery. There was not enough sauce and the beef was tough.

The broth was basically MSG water….really salty.

Sad really, since in the good old days LHK did a pretty good job. However, since the MM location opened and the failed attempt at reopening on Convoy, it seems the prices have gone up rather quickly, the flavors have gone down, and the Servers here only speak in monosyllables. Actually, the young man spoke perfect California English….there was a table with a couple of guys whom I'm thinking were his friends….they were talking about football. Which was great for his buddies…..though perhaps I would prefer just single word sentences from him……

So this is my third post on the place. And unless someone has some compelling dish to try, I think that's it for "The Original Chinese Noodles".

Luong Hai Ky Restaurant
10606 Camino Ruiz #2
San Diego, CA 92126

Testing Out the 30th Street Stumble: Tiger Tiger!, Belching Beaver, Toronado, Hess Brewing, Waypoint Public, Brabant, Modern Times, and others…..

January 12, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgian Cuisine and Restaurants, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub

On one of the Sundays right before Christmas, work done for the day, the Missus and I decided to have some "us time". She wanted to go to Tiger! Tiger!, for a beer and something to eat.

Nursing my "Heavenly Hefe", I went over the little trolley-brewery thing Candice and I did a month or so earlier. The Missus was fairly certain that 30th street would be much more fun. As I mentioned in in this post, that option was certainly open.

**** Tiger! Tiger! has closed

So, there we were noshing on the ciccioli…..

When the Missus, bless Her heart, told me, "let's do it! Let's do it right now"…….which is how we set off on an impromptu 30st Street crawl, which I hereby name the 30th Street Stumble…..

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

Right around the corner from TT is the Belching Beaver Tasting Room.

I have a couple of friends who refuse to partake or visit the place due to the…well….sort of double entendre naming conventions of the brews and the rather creative visual effect of the logo.

Still, it's a nice space…..

Belching Beaver Tasting Room
4223 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

I can't wait for Rip Current to open their tasting room. I've been to the San Marcos tasting room and I really love their Rye Brown.

Our next stop? Well, it was so the Missus could get Her pork belly skewer fix at Toronado. The Missus really didn't care much for the place when we first visited, but She has really started to enjoy the vibe…..love the jukebox and the interesting ATM.

**** Toronado has closed

And also the beer selection of course…..

Toronado
4026 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We veered off 30th and took a look at Bottlecraft, then walked into Hess Brewing Company.

Where we ran into a couple whom we saw at Tiger Tiger and Belching Beaver….guess great minds think alike!

The folks here were very friendly, the space was nice and wide open, and the cask Jucundus with Vanilla Bean was quite good….much better than the can of Jucundus I'd tried a few months back. The Missus enjoyed the Ficus, though it was a bit too strong for Her.

We were really enjoying our time together. We'd both been busy working, so this was catch up time, without household items getting in the way. We were taking our sweet time and enjoying it.

Hess Brewing Company North Park
3812 Grim Ave
San Diego, CA 92104

Back on course on 30th, we stopped in a couple of shops then crossed the street to one of the Missus's favorite places; Waypoint Public. I like the beer selection here, but the prices can be somewhat painful.

**** Waypoint Public has closed

We had some chicharrons…..

And was then joined by a good friend. I'd sent a text to Candice to see if she'd like to join us. She had plans but was nice enough to drop by for a drink! It was great seeing her as always.

Waypoint Public
3794 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We'd already spent a good 4 hours out and about but were not yet done. We headed down 30th Street….it was a nice day, nice and cool, weather in the low 50's.

As we walked over Switzer Canyon, the sun was starting to go down.

And by the time we reached Brabant, evening had settled in.

The place was in full holiday mode…..

This is where I ordered the Missus's favorite beer of the day….in fact, She still mentions how much She enjoyed the The Oude Tart from the Bruery.

We also had "dinner" here. Brat and Stoemp and some frites……

**** Brabant has closed

Brabant Bar & Cafe
2310 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

We had thoughts about hitting up Hamilton's down the street, but decided to turn around here. Tomorrow was a work day after all. But we did have one more stop. This one at Modern Times Flavordome, their North Park tasting room, which is basically on 30th.

We both love the decor, much of it made with recycled items….like the lampshades that line the ceiling.

We ordered small pours for a nightcap.

You could order tacos form Perla next door if you wanted……

Modern Times Flavordome
3000 Upas St
San Diego, CA 92104

We then walked the last mile or so back to the car. This is totally doable, 8 hours, probably 4 miles or so round trip, which is no sweat in good weather. Remember, we did over seven miles for oysters. I had thoughts about stopping at Ritual Tavern….but man, we were stuffed.

The Sunday after Christmas we stopped by Blind Lady Ale House.

And while finishing up our charcuterie plate and our drinks, the Missus said, "hey, you know what?" To which I answered, "no way, that'll by pushing it…." But who knows, maybe next time it'll be BLAH to Hamilton's?

Blind Lady Ale House
3416 Adams Ave
San Diego, CA 92116

Sunday Sandwiches – revisit edition: Spam and Egg Banh Mi at Cali Express (Convoy) and the Blairsteak at Monkey Paw

January 11, 2015 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Cheesesteaks, Sandwiches

So….I have a category for Banh Mi and one for Cheesesteaks, so why not both in a post, especially since they're revisits, right?

So here goes…….

Cali Express:

**** Cali Express is now Cali Banh Mi

One of the good things about having to work on weekends….well, if there actually is a good reason for working on weekends is that I don't have to get in as early as on weekdays. I'm usually in by about 6am during the week, but heck, I'm working for love during the weekend so I'm going to sleep in a bit. And my choices are a bit better at 830 am than they are at 540am.

I love a good Banh Mi Trung for breakfast, so I stopped by for a nice egg banh mi.

The egg was nicely fried, the baquette, light, crisp, and warm, a touch of Maggi brought it all together with the pickled vegetables. I should have felt great, right? Well, not really, since when picking up my banh mi, I noticed the sign posted to the right…….

Spam Banh Mi??? Spam? Banh Mi? And an egg? Why didn't I see the sign before I ordered? I wasn't going to miss another chance at a Spam Banh Mi…….

Another week went by and another weekend of work. I went and got my Spam and Egg Banh Mi and brought it back to the office to eat.

In all honesty, the previous banh mi trung was better. The Spam wasn't browned enough, leaving it without a nice crisp texture. This was Spam Lite, heresy I say….. I mean, really, if you're going to blow your day's worth of nitrites and sodium on a canned meat product, you might as well go all the way. Also, something was not right with the bread on this day……you can just tell by the color, it was cold and doughy…definitely not the banh mi that I've come to expect from Cali Express.

Oh well…. While it looks like having to put in those weekend hours may be coming to an end, there's still a few more ahead for me. So maybe I'll give this another shot. Though Spam Lite……maybe not.

Cali Baguette Express
4425 Convoy Street
San Diego, CA 92111

I'd been hankering for a cheesesteak for several weeks. So on the weekend after Christmas, I talked the Missus into grabbing a bite and a beer at Monkey Paw. I'd really enjoyed the cheesesteaks on my previous visits. It's also a favorite of my buddy Candice, who spent part of her childhood in Philly…

Monkey Paw:

**** Monkey Paw has closed

So, what I get here is the Blairsteak. For some reason, the combination of sauteed onions and bell peppers, with the milky, melted cheese on a nice Amoroso makes this a favorite of mine.

I'm not the biggest fan of waffle cut fries and these weren't prepped well. Limp and dry, lacking any sort of crispness.

One of the reasons that I'd never brought the Missus here is because bread is on the Missus's do not eat list. And other than the cheesesteaks, I haven't found anything else particularly good. On my previous visit, I tried the chicken wings, which I didn't care for…..so this time, I went with the frenched pork shank item they call "Monkey Bones",

I'd had this before and thought it was decent……I went with the sauces on the side, which was a nice move as none of them were really interesting. The pork lollipops were dry and the interior cold. So now I've got to think of something else on the menu to get the Missus down here for my next cheesesteak fix. Though the Missus did say She enjoyed the "vibe", so maybe…..

Monkey Paw
805 16th St
San Diego, CA 92101

Antwerp Day 1: Grote Markt and Den Engel

January 10, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Belgium, Pubs and Pub Grub

*** No food in this one….just more beer. Wouldn't mind at all if you just decided to come back tomorrow!

When I mentioned we were going to Antwerp to some folks who had been to Belgium I was asked "why"? Why? I dunno….doing the Brussels – Ghent – Bruge thing sounded fine, but I wanted more and it just seemed like Antwerpen would be a rather nice, laidback destination after Prague. It was a total slamdunk getting to Antwerp. Get the train from the airport and in an hour or so, you are checking out the beautiful vaulted glass ceilings of Antwerpen-Centraal Railway Station.

It's a stunning site; no wonder they call this the "Railway Cathedral". Until arriving here, São Bento Station in Porto had been the most impressive.

We soon figured things out and caught the metro, getting out at Groenplaats. The apartment we were staying at turned out to be awesome. In spite of the 55 narrow and steep stairs, it was equipped with everything we could want and the small things were taken care of, stuff like laundry detergent, even a couple of bottles of de Koninck, the local beer as a welcome. The woman running things was also a joy. The location was amazing, on Hoogstraat one of the main arteries leading to the main square, Grote Markt. The street had a mini-mart, bakery, produce stand, and meat market.

The Grote Markt is lined with Guild Houses, each one topped with a gold statue or emblem. The City Hall, adorned with flags of different nations really stands out. As does the interesting fountain in the center of the square. Is that really someone throwing a severed arm? You bet….. The Brabo fountain depicts the end of the legendary and feared giant Druon Antigoon who guarded the Scheldt River the main river that flows through Antwerp. The giant would demand a toll for anyone crossing the river. If he was refused, the giant would sever the hand of the person and throw it in the river. Silvius Brabo a Roman soldier vanquished the giant and severed the arm of the giant, flinging it into the river.

Such a story called for….well. a drink of course! We were happy to be back in Belgium and were in dire need of some liquid refreshment.

There were two places that I'd heard of right on the square….in fact, they were right next to each other….and looked almost exactly the same. Strange this city where arms are flung into rivers and two different bars next to each other look like twins.

We chose the one on the left; Den Engel. Why? I dunno…maybe because I'm left handed, or because my left leg is lsightly shorter than my right leg so I just tend to lean left?

The was Antwerp, so we both had a De Koninck. It's a bit dry and almost like a lager….in fact, I would have never thought this was Belgian. The Missus didn't care for it very much, though I thought it was fine.

Den Engel
Grote Markt 3
Antwerp, Belgium

The one great thing about having a drink here was the view of the square and especially the 400 foot tall Cathedral of Our Lady.

Walking over to the cathedral, we noticed this plaque written in Japanese.

I was intrigued….what was this all about? Upon returning I did a little bit of research. This plaque, donated by Toyota is to commemorate at story, written by an English author, about a Flemish boy, that's become a classic in Japan. The story? A Dog of Flanders. If you're interested in the who/what/where/why, I really like this post, it covers the story about the story….about the story.

The day was starting to pass us by….it was time to "hele" as we would say back home……

Upon returning home, I noticed a set of photos of an elderly couple making their way through Grote Markt that the Missus took.

I found the photos sweet and touching……with the hope that perhaps this would be the Missus and I someday……

COMC: So much beer, so little time

January 9, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, yoso-silly

I really have to say, I never ever thought this would happen. But over the last year or so, the Missus has come to enjoy a nice cold one. Like my good friend Candice, She's partial to sours….though a nice clean witte is always welcomed with a nice meal. And while I'm still kind of a "Bud Light – bucket ice" kind of guy when "back home". I've come to really respect and enjoy beer in San Diego (and Belgium of course).

Still, I never thought my best beer buddy would ever be the Missus!

It's not strange for us to try a couple of different beer with various foods out side when the weather is warmer.

The Missus has the beer She loves; Monk's Cafe, Duchess, La Fun du Monde, White Rascal, Rueuze (The Bruery), Anderson Valley Brewing's Gose.

We've also been checking out beers we really enjoyed in Belgium; Hop-ruiter was especially memorable, as was the Karmeliet Tripel I had in Antwerp. Unfortunately, it seems that something is really lost when these bottles have to travel all the way here.

My taste varies depending on the day and how I feel.

I do enjoy the Nut Brown from Rip Current and Alesmith. I do like Indra Kunindra and Sculpin (with Blue Cheese!). I too enjoy La Fin du Monde and Blanche de Chambly….if I'm just having beer with no food, I love my dubbels and tripels…..

There seems to be something for every mood and preference……

One thing I did notice about beer………I often approach it like a restaurant. In spite of what folks will tell me, it's an open book….I'll give it a shot, with an open mind…sometimes more than once. Also, like food, I understand the Missus's taste and mood on specific days…… she'll defer the ordering of beer to me. When tasting a beer, I automatically know if She'll like it or not…. I guess it's called being married for so long.

I don't always take photos of what we're having at home, but I think it's a bit more realistic than saving bottles….which I'm sure would drive the Missus crazy.

We've had more than our share of beer we don't care for. But much like how we approach restaurants and food; it's the journey that makes it worthwhile. And once in a while you find a winner. And all is good in the world.

Aaaah….so much beer, so little time!

A Shopping Day lunch at Bristol Farms

January 8, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Markets & Grocers, What Cathy Eats!

Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy are the usual writers here on mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Today, Cathy is writing.

The rush of a multitude of holidays with corresponding activities is winding down, with individuals cleaning up, rearranging and perhaps following some new patterns. Businesses are 'clearing out' holiday-centric food and decorating items. The Mister and I have been out and about, looking for some bargains, and, as always, manage to squeeze a meal into the midst of the shopping. Yes, both Kirk and I have written a few posts about Bristol Farms, an upscale market (the parent company is Albertsons) located in La Jolla.There is both a self serve area (salad bar, soup, hot foods) where you can select, package and then pay for your items and find a seat here in the Bristol Cafe (or just outside), or you can walk up and order items 'to go' or you can seat yourself and a friendly waiter/waitress will bring you a menu and you'll have table service. This Wednesday, the special was a cup of any Soup and Sandwich of the day for $7.49. The Mister chose the carrot ginger soup- which was fascinating in its complimentary flavors and excellent.The 'sandwich of the day' was a "Malibu Melt"…and the description made us simultaneously fearful and curious. Toasted sourdough, the top with soft grilled red onion, Monterey Jack cheese, tuna salad…on top of grilled honey ham and a basil aioli spread. Yeah, we ordered it, ate it and liked it (except for the onion; a bit too many flavors there and it was removed after a bite). The tuna salad alone was excellent, as was the grilled honey ham. No idea who concocted this in their brain, but it works.Playing it safe, I ordered the quiche of the day with a salad ($8.49). The simple salad was accompanied by the most wonderful Thousand Island dressing. The quiche (which you can purchase unbaked in the store) had melange of (at least three types) of roasted mushrooms and spinach baked into a wonderfully flavored custard which was all baked in a crispy, flaky shell.

Yet another day of trying something new, and it worked.

Bristol Farms 8510 Genessee Avenue San Diego 92122 (858) 558-4180 Website

Solano’s Ice Cream in Yuma

January 7, 2015 ed fromyuma Desserts, Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

Kirk and Cathy are busy elsewhere, so today a short post from the banks of the Colorado River. Although it may not seem like ice-cream weather in much of the US, Ed (from Yuma) and the Yuma Visitors' Bureau want you to know it is always summer here (OK, almost always).

At about the same time Arizona inaugurated a governor who made his reputation and fortune selling gimmicky ice cream franchises (yes, you heard me, Cold Stone Creamery), I thought it appropriate to focus on a local, family-owned, independent ice cream shop in Yuma:

Like Baskin-Robbins, Solano's offers you a lot of flavor choices, but unlike Baskin-Robbins, the friendly folks at Solano's are creative, inventive, and maybe a little weird. Every time you come in there will be at least 18 different flavors of ice cream arranged in tubs with labels explaining your choices:

Here's another photo of some tubs:

While I don't have a complete list (maybe one doesn't exist), we have encountered flavors like balsamic strawberry, sweetcorn raspberry, cinnamon toast, maple walnut, vanilla bean, fruit loops, Yuma Fire Dept (with red hots), malted milk balls, coconut, toasted coconut, pineapple, orange dream sicle, Oreos and cream, sweet cream, rocky road, chocolate, red velvet cake, butter pecan, pistachio, strawberry rhubarb, blueberry habanero, and everybody’s favorite maple bacon (okay maybe not vegetarians’ favorite).

You can buy cups of ice cream with three different flavors – and more than three scoops it seems. If memory serves, on our first trip, Tina chose Yuma fire department , maple bacon, and sweetcorn raspberry:

She liked them all.

More conventional, I picked maple bacon, cinnamon toast, and?:

Maple Bacon is an idea that should spread. Just perfect flavor. The cinnamon toast had the right flavors of cinnamon and toast, but lacked the crunch I was hoping for.

Of course, you can get single scoop waffle cones (maple walnut?):

Or single serving cups – here Solano’s sweet cream:

And if you're really hungry they have a range of Sundaes:

Here's a Sand Dune Sundae (I think):

And a Pecan Grove:.

It took me three evenings to eat this sucker; it was so rich and sweet and filling. And good!

Solano”s is truly a family operation:

I believe I've seen at least three generations working together to make the place of success. I don't have a current price list, but you like good ice-cream, you will find the prices fair and portions large. Some hot evenings in the summer, the service is a little slow, but it is friendly, so I have always enjoyed the weight – correction, the wait.

Solano's Homemade Ice Cream, 1452 South 4th Avenue, Yuma, AZ 85364, open noon to 10 PM every day except Wednesday

Squid Beaks and Babylon Snails – Checking out the specials board at Yakitori Taisho

January 6, 2015 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

I can say with a good amount of certainty that since they opened at the end of October, Yakitori Taisho has been a favorite of the Missus. It is one of our two current favorite places (I'll do a post on the other) to have dinner. I mentioned in our last post on Taisho, some of the great items we've had from the specials board. And while none of them made the same impact as that stewed beef tongue, we've had two items recently that we really enjoyed.

Fried Squid Beaks:

Nope, not that kind of squid beak, but this kind.

Loved the batter on this; somewhat lacquer like with a nice crunch. The almost sweet flavor of the squid comes through very nicely. Loved the chewy texture….this was much better than I thought it would be. We went back recently and they had it on the board, but had just run out…….bummer!

Babylon Snails:

From what I could gather, these are Babylonia Areolata? Regardless, the mildly toothsome snails really absorb the bincho flavor.

It does so well with a moderate amount of salt….sadly, we've only seen this on the menu once.

Fried Baby Octopus:

This was a nice version. Chewy but not tough……

I enjoyed it more than the Missus…loved the crunch, the flavor, the chew.

Gizzard Skins:

The outer layer of the chicken gizzard. Quite chewy.

Grilled Beef Tongue (gyutan):

As a whole, just ok. I prefer mine a bit more charred on the edges and crisp. Good seasoning though, not too salty.

And then there are the items we always get. On many occasions, akahimo (chicken vein) will be put right on the grill as soon as we walk in the door.

Along with chicken livers for the Missus.

As I mentioned in my previous post we'll always get these (when they have the akahimo).

Along with the Tsukune.

We were once coyly asked if we preferred the version here to the version at Yakyudori. Though they both have the same owners, I'm sensing a bit of competition. The version at Yakyudori has changed over the last 2 years or so, the flavor has gotten milder and there seems to be a bit too much filler. So it was easy for us. We preferred Taisho's version. That's when the Missus asked how he got the meatball so moist and tender. The answer……with a laugh, "sorry….it's my secret!"

The one "secret" that was shared with us, was the ingredient that gave the karaage here and Yakyudori that extra umami……

Wouldn't you know it's Shio Koji one of my favorite ingredients….I'm going to need to try that soon.

There are, of course other items that are fine.

But we've pretty much got the core of our meals here set. Of course, I'm looking forward to what will be on the specials board the next time we visit!

If you're planning a visit, you might want to make reservations – (858) 752-0468. Also, the hours have changed slightly.

Yakitori Taisho
5185 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117
New Hours:
Tues – Sat 5pm – 11pm
Sunday 4pm – 10pm

San Diego Restaurants

2015 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade Post Parade Showcase of floats, snacks at Cream Pan (Tustin), House of Cookies (Pasadena) and lunch at Corky’s Place (Azusa)

January 5, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Bakery, Festivals & Events, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome to food blog mmm-yoso!!! where Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy (for the most part) write food centric posts, sometimes interspersed with activities surrounding the acquisition of the food. Cathy is writing today.

The ritual of celebrating a New Year can be exhausting and The Mister and I slept through it, but were wide awake before 8 a.m. on January 1 to watch the 126th Tournament of Roses Rose Parade and all three Bowl games on television.

The next morning, we were in Pasadena (with 100,000 other people) enjoying the Post Parade Showcase of Floats, where we could walk along the two miles of roads and see up close details of all the 40+ floats which participated in the parade this year. Each float was designed to reflect the theme of the Parade, Inspiring Stories.

This is a snippet of all we saw. Information overload, provided by the 'white suits', official representatives of the Tournament of Roses, who stood around each of their respective floats, answering questions about symbolism of the particular float as well as decorating materials used, made this two mile plus walk most interesting.

Links to 2015 Rose Parade float road tests and decorating: 2015 Tournament of Roses Rose Parade float road tests: #1 Test #2 Test #3 Test #4 Test #5 Test #6 Road Test 7 Decorating floats

So, our food this day… Obligatory stop at the wonderful, open at 6 a.m., Cream Pan Japanese bakery resulted in a purchase of a loaf of sesame bread, container of still warm chicken karaage, cheese cracker flat and a fresh blueberry (on top of a layer of creamy pudding encased in a buttery, flaky crust) pastry.

Cream Pan 602 El Camino Real Tustin 92780

Arriving in Pasadena, we knew our next stop, because we were going to park in this neighborhood and walk to the North entrance of the Post Parade Showcase…House of Cookies Still owned and run by a very nice older Armenian couple, this small bakery makes cookies, cakes and other snacks, selling at very reasonable prices. The items on the counter are different daily and we chose two of the cheese puffs ($1.65-total).

House of Cookies 2451 East Washington Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91104 (626)794-4280

Inside the Showcase of Floats, there are several food and snack areas.We stopped at the Pie N Burger truck for a $3 slice of (still warm) boysenberry pie. It was at this point my phone told me I could not take any more photographs. I deleted every App while eating the delicious pie.

Not wanting to brave the tourist filled areas of Pasadena, The Mister and I discussed places we had seen while driving on side roads previously and began the drive home East on Huntington, the original Route 66. Previously, this small restaurant in the midst of an industrial area in Azusa, had us curious. We thought today would be good for a light meal.
Small, with a seating capacity of 39, Corky's Place has been here for decades and run by family, who are respectfully memorialized. Prices are extremely fair and the short orders of phoned in breakfasts and grilled sandwiches were constantly being filled. However, we decided to order from the 'Mexican' side of the menu.The Mister ordered the two green enchiladas plate($6)-cheese filled. The sauce was excellent and the enchiladas were very cheesy, with a good stringy Oaxacan.We were given some good salsa with some average chips while waiting.Then there was this…a shrimp and avocado tostada ($5). There's a tostada shell with a layer of (very good) beans, lettuce, cheese, some fresh made guacamole and many, many tiny shrimp. Warm, not sauteed and the kind of shrimp you need to eat three at a time to get the flavor. The rest was filling and we made a note to come back and order from the American side of the menu.

Corky's Place 1050 Foothills Blvd. Azusa, CA 91702 (626)969-7861

I hope your year will be filled with daily adventures and inspirations.

Welcoming back an old friend: Sultan opens in the Gaslamp

January 4, 2015 mmm-yoso Turkish Food

I got some interesting news right before Christmas, my good FOY (Friend of Yoso) Candice and also Som Tommy emailed me asking if I'd heard anything about Sultan opening in the Gaslamp. I hadn't heard a thing, but went to their website where I found an announcement they were opening on Christmas Eve! In the Gaslamp…. Needless to say, I was excited. Sultan has been on of our favorites. In fact, it was the food at Sultan which inspired us to travel, not once, but twice to Turkey. It was a sad day when the owner of Sultan decided to go back to doing only confections.

But now it seemed that Sultan was opening in the Gaslamp? The Gaslamp? I made it a point to drop by right after Christmas.

This restaurant was located on the street level of Horton Plaza and business was doing quite well. There were a ton of worker's, none of which I recognized. The menu though, looked exactly the same. I was shown a small table and actually ordered without looking at the menu; I knew what I wanted; the Adana Kebab. I looked over at the kitchen area and finally recognized one of the cooks from the "old Sultan". Things seemed a bit chaotic, they had only been open for two days after all…… Lot's of employees needing lots of training. What didn't need to be fixed was my Adana Kebab……..

While not as spicy as I recalled; this was every bit as moist, flavorful, beefy, with spices dancing in my mouth as I could remember. My memory told me that the rice was fluffier, with more flavor……I texted this to the Missus who told me that I "was just missing it so much". Whatever, that cacik cut the flavors of the kebab like a yogurt flavored knife….

As I finished my meal, I felt a hand on my shoulder…..it was the owner, smiling, thanking me for dropping by. We had a short, but nice conversation. He's dropped out of the Hillcrest Farmer's Market and his daughter had returned from school in Turkey. He wanted opportunities for some of his family and thought this would allow "each one of them to have a home of their own." The American dream. He also insisted that I try his latest baklava, the pistachio-date…….less sweet, it was more to my taste…delicious.

Whether this incarnation of Sultan will deliver the dishes that inspired us to travel to Turkey, and me to write stuff like this, well, that remains to be seen. I will say that I can't wait to meet up with some of my old favorites here, the lahmacun, acili ezme, saksuka, and patlican salatasi….they're all calling my name.

Welcome back Sultan, we've missed you!

Sultan Baklava Mediterranean Cuisine
770 4th Ave
San Diego, CA