mmm-yoso – Page 366 – 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.

Las Vegas: Aburiya Raku Restaurant Four Years Later Part 2

January 22, 2013 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Las Vegas, Nevada

We had really been enjoying our meal at Raku, but I sensed an upcoming lull waiting for the item the Missus was looking forward to having. So I decided to just kind of go for it, ordering some sashimi from the specials board. Having really enjoyed the Shima Aji (striped jack) during my lunch at Mitch's, I wanted the Missus to have a taste.

Along with the pristine slices of fish was a small bit of nice tartar featuring avocado, cilantro, along with the shima aji. The fish was quite good, firm, with a mild sweetness. The Missus just loved the fresh grated wasabi and was actually eating the stuff straight up! I really didn't think much of the sashimi and fish dishes at Raku on our previous visit, but this changed my opinion.

I then decided to take a bathroom break……now why would I mention this……a "TMI" moment. But if you recall, I thought the restroom set-up was quite unique the last time we were here. The faux grass and stone path to the potty are now gone…..but the greenery on the ceiling of the restroom and tweeting bird sounds are still there. I also enjoyed the photo collage of various dishes on the wall.

And of course there are still flower petals lining the floor…….

As I returned, one of the dishes I'd been waiting for arrived……the foie gras with tare. With the ban on foie gras going full steam in California, I needed my fix. The Missus thought I was insane ordering a $16 skewer of foie gras, but what arrived was pretty impressive.

I was surprised at how good this was…….it was really ready to melt. The look on the Missus's face when She had Her first bite was just priceless. So luxurious……I told the Missus that this was so good I wanted "to kick myself". We took our time on this, enjoying every single morsel. When the server came to take the plate away, I thought the Missus was going to do bodily harm on the very efficient guy. The empty plate remained on the table….I actually thought the Missus was going to lick all the rendered fat off the plate!

The final dish of the night was the sake kamameshi, the salmon and ikura iron pot rice. It was a chalkboard special the last time we ordered this and at $35 was probably the most expensive rice dish I can recall ordering. Now you can order it by the cup….well, the Missus ordered 3 cups! That's three cups of uncooked rice……which came to $30 bucks anyway!

This was just as wonderful as on our previous visit. The Missus had the extra bonus of pouring off all the rendered foie gras fat on Her bowl of rice. This was way too much for us to finish of course, but like last time, they made us onigiri with the leftover rice. Which I had as a snack over the next two nights.

The service was reserved but nice. The one male server was pretty amazing in his efficiency. He would pick up on every tiny drop of spilled sauce and get things cleaned up and plates changed and removed with great speed.

It could be that we understand what we enjoy at Raku, making this visit more enjoyable than our last……but I honestly think Raku has improved over the last four years. I can't wait for our next visit!

Aburiya Raku Restaurant
5030 Spring Mountain Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 367-3511
Hours: Mon-Sat 600pm – 300am

Las Vegas: Aburiya Raku Restaurant Four Years Later Part 1

January 21, 2013 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Las Vegas, Nevada

Man, time sure does fly, huh? It seems that it was only yesterday that we had a wonderful meal at Raku. But time had indeed marched onward and it was time for the Missus to renew Her certifications….which strangely, you aren't able to do in San Diego. Not that I'm complaining mind you, not in the least. This was actually fairly last minute, but I've got a wonderful manager and a great team who had no problem covering for me in spite of the rather late notice. This time, instead of the Missus flying out and I meeting Her a day later, She just picked me up at work and we drove up to Vegas. Of course this meant that we'd be getting in rather late, but since I usually get into the office before 6 (pssst, what they tell you about needing less sleep as you get older seems to be true!), She could pick me up at a bit after 3pm. In need of a late dinner, Raku, open until 3am immediately came to mind. We made reservations for 10pm, but actually got in before 9, checked in…..it was easy since we weren't staying on the strip….the Missus isn't fond of the crowds, cigarette smoked, and the noise of the strip. We arrived at Raku early to see if they could take us…..and being a rather quiet Wednesday, they had no problem.

Combined with the chalkboard items, the robata-ya, oden, and the rest, there's quite a bit to choose from at Raku. Luckily, we'd been here before and knew what we enjoyed….and more importantly, what we didn't. It made ordering….well not easy because of all the great stuff we had before….but perhaps a bit easier.

We'd had a long drive, so I thought the "Raku Tofu" ($4.50) would be the perfect way to refresh ourselves. Plus, Kirbie made it look delicious.

As per the program, the very nice Server told us to have this first with the matcha-shio (green tea salt), then with the whatever we wanted. While the matcha-shio experience was nice, this was just plain heaven with the house blended soy sauce…..nice mild hints of ume in it. The tofu, while soft, is not quite silken, but still wonderful and I thought the Missus would actually start chugging that shoyu……

Next up was what the Missus thought would be an interesting combination……it wasn't strange for me, but She thought the "gooey on gooey" would be different. Thus we ordered the Poached Egg with Sea Urchin and Salmon Roe ($9). This was really a nice combination. I've always been a fan of the ikura (salmon roe) that Raku serves….it isn't the overly preserved and salty stuff you see at most places. Here's it's briney with a nice "pop".

I loved how the flavors wrapped themselves around my tongue. You mixed the whole thing up…the tororo wasn't just grated, but a combination of diced and grated, so you got the nice, very mildly sweet effect. The flavors created were so complex, sweet and custard like from the uni, a mild "green taste" from the thin slices of okra that seemed like a bonus everytime you had a slice….you get the point, right?

Then the robata items started arriving. First the enoki mushroom wrapped in a nice mildly smoked bacon.

Then the Kobe Beef Fillet with Wasabi….very tender and beefy, with the wasabi adding that nice fat cutting pungency….much like horseradish…..

The tare was nice, not too sweet.

Then something we had on our previous visit, the Duck with Balsamic Soy.

We'd really enjoyed this the last time….this time around…well, I didn't care for it at all. First, the balsamic glaze tasted burnt and bitter to me and the duck was really tough.

The Missus had never had Pork Cheek robata style, so I thought it would be a nice time to try it.

Well, She liked the flavor, but the texture…….at first bite, just like pork, but then chewy and tendon like, freaked Her out.

At this point, it seemed that the one item that the Missus really wanted was still a few minutes away….so what to do?

Stay tuned!

Sunday Soups and Stews

January 20, 2013 Cathy Stuff, What Cathy Eats!

Well, you've found mmm-yoso!!! the food blog. Here's a post written by Cathy. The other folks who write here are busy today…

Those of us who live in San Diego County have endured mornings of frost covered plants and vehicles as well as chilly, windy days for the past few weeks. The weather today should be considerably warmer, thank goodness.

On those cold days when The Mister and I have gone out to eat, it seems the food choices have had a similar theme of being served hot and in a bowl. Here's a summary.

The Pho Tai at Lucky Pho is always a favorite. Thinly sliced raw beef is placed onto the top of bowl of long simmered, flavor filled, hot beef stock as it is brought to the table, cooking as it sinks or gets pushed into the stock/noodle/onion mix. The plate of add ins always contains a piece or two of sawtooth herb in addition to the bean sprouts, basil, jalpeño and lime wedges. One of our favorite restaurants.

Pho Lucky (inside Lucky Seafood) 9326 Mira Mesa Blvd. 92126 (858) 586-7979

We have been going to the Sam Woo restaurant a lot lately, usually buying breakfast or lunch specials before shopping at 99Ranch market across the hall. One cold day we chose the bowl of seafood tofu egg drop soup as our meal…the broth is very flavorful and the bowl is large enough for us to share.

Sam Woo BBQ 7330 Clairmont Mesa Blvd 92111 (858) 505-9888

Another of The Mister's 'regular' choices at Chopstix is the mabo ramen. Nicely cooked fresh ramen noodles topped with ground pork and tofu in the spicy/salty/sweet sauce that is mabo. Another favorite.

Chopstix 4633 Convoy Street 92111 (858) 569-9171

The chicken curry, in the steam tray area at K Sandwich was an automatic choice for a chilly day. The version here is magical, with the creamy, gently spicy, flavorful curry sauce covering chicken and potato pieces. When you get it to eat inside the store, it's served in this low glass bowl with fresh bread.

K Sandwiches 7604 Linda Vista Road San Diego 92111 (858) 278-8961

Typically, Taco Shops serve more than tacos. If the signage mentiones "mariscos" then seafood is also served there. La Casita Taco shop (and Mariscos) in El Cajon makes a great "Siete Mares" (seven seas seafood) soup. Shrimp, clams, calamari, octopus, mussels, crab and fish are served in a wonderful tomato-vegetable base with hot tortillas on the side. A perfect meal.

La Casita Taco Shop 1503 N Magnolia (at Bradley) El Cajon 92020 (619) 444-8228

Yum Cha Cafe serves congee-with various add ins: I always choose the fish. The thick, disintegrated rice based porridge is filling, flavorful and keeps me warm and happy until the next meal.

Yum Cha Cafe 6933 Linda Vista Road (at Ulrich) 92111 (858)268-9988

My favorite item from Lucky Pho -the Bo Kho- beef stew, which is also Kirk's favorite version. Having tried Bo Kho at just about every restaurant in town, I crave the version here – wonderfully flavored gravy covering tender tendon and beef chunks and soft carrot served with a hot, airy thin crispy crusted bahn mi baguette.

Pho Lucky (inside Lucky Seafood) 9326 Mira Mesa Blvd. 92126 (858) 586-7979

I hope the weekend has been good for everyone!

Izzy’s Cafe-Breakfast (El Cajon)

January 19, 2013 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! the food blog is here, where you are. Kirk and other friends write here. Cathy is writing today.

In an effort to keep with my New Year Resolution to patronize local businesses, Izzy's in nearby El Cajon is a natural choice for us. A Mom and Pop Diner that's filled with locals enjoying breakfasts and lunches and occasional dinners (on Thursday and Friday only) almost every day of the week. (Izzy's is closed on Sunday).

Located on the corner of Broadway at Crosby in nearby El Cajon, there is some parking in the lot behind the building, but if you spy a spot on the street, grab it. It's quite large inside and has a Patio area along the side of the building.

Uniquely decorated with memorabilia of all sorts, the seating is comfortable, service is efficient and everyone we have ever met here is friendly.

The condiments on the table should satisfy any craving. The coffee cups are random.

This was The Mister's breakfast one day- a massive (4 egg) fritatta, filled with his choice of fillings (sausage, mushrooms, and spinach)… An Italian omelet, baked in a that large pan shaped dish then topped with cheese and avocado – with a side of grits.

The fresh, fluffy-crisp homemade bisuits topped with homemade sausage gravy were an additional side we shared. We *really* like the biscuits with gravy here…

I ordered my usual of two eggs (poached) with bacon and rye toast.

Perfectly poached, fresh fresh orange yolked eggs. Comfort food and a great way to start the day.

Barbeque is the specialty here and is available as a breakfast meat (BBQ brisket, smoked carnitas, pulled pork), as well as in the lunches. On dinner days, racks of ribs (slow smoked) are available until they run out.

Izzy's Cafe 1252 Broadway El Cajon 92021 (619) 447-5067

Mon,Tues,Wed 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Thurs-Fri 7 am-8pm Sat 6am-2pm Closed Sunday.

Old Mill Cafe (North Park)

January 18, 2013 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! -a blog. Kirk, ed(from Yuma), Vicky (SFBay area), Cathy and a few others contribute to this food centric online diary of sorts. Today, Cathy is blogging.

Long story short- while looking for a parking spot when going to a business on 30th street, we happened to turn onto Ohio Street and found one. Walking back to the car, saw this older looking restaurant and made a mental note to stop here one day.

That day finally arrived.

We got here after the lunch 'rush'. Over the holidays.

The decor is …neat and clean… in a 1970 sort of way. The mural of the Old Mill is on the wall to your left when you walk in. By the footprint, the building looks like it may have been a Ponderosa/Bonanza/buffet steakhouse at some point in time (like the 1970's). In any case, we were told to sit anywhere and did so and quickly the nice Waitress came over with menus, brought us water and coffee ($1.99).

I was happy to see that breakfast was served all day and ordered the machaca ($7.99) which seemed to be prepared just for me. The beef was chunky and moist, the peppers and onion were fresh/slightly raw and the eggs that were binding it all together had a lacy edge of crispness. The beans and the rice were better than usual (the rice must have been simmered in broth or stock, the cheese on top of the beans was plentiful and the beans must have been cooked in lard). This was a great meal.

The Mister's choice of pea soup was excellent. It had chunks of ham, was not overly salted and tasted very fresh.

Ahem. Yes, he ordered the Fish and Chips ($7.29, including the soup). Despite the looks of this plate, the fish was light and flaky and the coating on it was thin, crisp, not oily and had a nice flavor. The crinkly fries were also nicely crisp and not oily and the vegetables were not mushy. This meal oddly brought back fond memories…of the 70's…and comfort.

We will be going back and will order other items from the menu.

Your weekend is here, enjoy it!

Old Mill Cafe 3949 Ohio Street San Diego 92104 (619) 294-3804

To The Point-lunch

January 17, 2013 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

You are here at mmm-yoso!!!, the food blog. A few people write on this blog and today Cathy is writing about a recent nice day and meal.

It seems that The Mister and I have been busy almost every day since Halloween. One place we go to in December and January is Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery to see the Wreaths Across America.

2012 was the 21st year of the nationwide wreath distribution honoring of Veterans buried in military cemeteries across America. The wreaths are set up by volunteers by December 15 and will be taken down by volunteers on January 26. There is still time to see this small 'thank you' to our Veterans, done by this organization that has the motto "Remember. Honor. Teach."

On our way back toward the freeway, at the South East corner of Voltaire at Catalina Boulevard is this cottage-y looking restaurant, aptly named "To The Point". We've passed it many times, seeing people eating at tables out front on weekends and on this day decided to stop.

It's quite large inside…

and is decorated in a mismatched casual theme. We were greeted promptly by a nice Young Man, who offered us both the breakfast and lunch menus, which mention that the food is seasonal, local and sustainable.

As we were seated, we asked what the 'soup of the day' was and he went to the kitchen and brought us out small samples of the two available soups – a carrot ginger and a tomato basil and described the ingredients. Nice touch.

We ordered and were kind of overwhelmed by the beverage menu, so asked for 'plain' water and not long after, a refillable bottle of cucumber water and jelly jar glasses were brought to the table. Lunch soon followed.

The Mister's Cobb Sandwich ($8.50) on artisan French bread. Pan roasted turkey, (thick, flavorful, crispy) bacon, avocado, tomato, leaf lettuce, Blue Cheese: a salad in a sandwich. It comes with a choice of a 'gourmet side', so he chose the tomato soup. This was *really* good.

Here's a cross section view of this very filled -and filling- sandwich.

I ordered the Four Cheese Panini on multigrain bread. ($8.50) and chose the organic mixed green salad which was topped with crispy fried onions, included cucumber and tomatoes and had an oil and vinegar based dressing on the side. (See the water bottle and jelly jars?)

I don't remember the four cheeses, but the combination and meltiness was quite wonderful. Also in the sandwich were sauteed onions and mushrooms and tomato as well as fresh organic baby spinach.

The breads are from a local bakery, the meats, the vegetables – everything was so fresh…and I found out later that the beverages are interesting and wonderful and was told to try the fresh pressed apple juice and lavender mocha…which we will do next time.

To The Point 4161 Voltaire Street San Diego, Ca 92107 (619)226-6222 M-F 7 am -3 pm Sat-Sun 8 am-3 pm Website

Stop and smell the chestnuts…

January 16, 2013 Cathy What Cathy Eats!

Well, here you are. This is the blog about food, mmm-yoso!!! Kirk, ed(from Yuma), Vicky(SFBay area) are too busy to write today and Cathy has time to write.

It's midweek and more than two weeks into the New Year…about the time people start to slip away from their New Year Resolutions. More than ten years ago, I stopped making resolutions to 'stop' doing something (the last one was I would stop using drive thru windows) and instead have made resolutions to 'start' to do something. This year, I decided I will make an effort to patronize local businesses. So far, this has started out well. Here's one…

You see it near the front door of the smaller Asian Markets.

The small umbrella covered cart roasting chestnuts.

People patiently waiting in line to place an order, after waiting while watching the Chestnut Lady (or Man) adding scoops of chestnuts into and out of the fascinating portable heating/roasting/stirring mechanism…removing the freshly roasted, steaming hot chestnuts and placing them in the adjacent basin to stop the roasting.

Stepping up closer to read the benefits of chestnuts (on another list, "Chestnuts are a lusty and masculine food for men, and able to make women well complexioned.") and getting a good whiff of the roast…

and, finally getting to the front of the line to place your order and pay…(it's $5 for 10 ounces, $8 for 16 ounces and $10 for 20 ounces…no bargains for buying more or buying less).

The nice lady waiting on us this day was pretty precise when weighing the amount ordered, removing and adding the small hot nuts, and showing you the scale to get your approval before handing you the bag you've paid for.

It's a nice, thick bag. This is good because those nuts are still hot.

Wonderful, bite size, tasty, thin skinned. Easy to peel, easy to eat. Yummy. Good for you too!

Are you keeping your resolution for 2013?

Jinbao Chestnut Carts, near the entrance of Asian Markets all over the City.

Pork Belly Buns!

January 14, 2013 Vicky (SF Bay Area) Cooking, Recipes, San Francisco and Silicon Valley, What Vicky Eats

Hi Everyone! 🙂 It's Vicky again… blogging about my gluttony up here in the Wonderful SF Bay Area. For some time I thought I fell off the face of the earth!

Taiwan is well known for a type of "sandwich" where a fluffy slightly sweet steamed bun (think a la Peking duck bun) that's filled with a thick slice of stewed pork belly, pickled mustard (suan cai), cilantro, and a sprinkling of ground peanut and sugar. It's called a "Gua Bao" and you can find it all along the streets throughout the island country.

It used to be really hard to find these pork belly buns here in the states but in the last 5 years, it seems like everyone has their own version of it. Momofuku (NYC), Ippudo (NYC), random izakayas here and in the SF Bay Area, there's even a food truck that sells buns like hot cakes named "The Chairman" (play on words with Chairman Bao).

The concept of these buns are pretty easy to make and this past weekend I whipped up a large batch of them using David Chang's Momofuku recipe as inspiration. I brined a large pork belly after removing the skin, roasted it on high heat to render out the fat and then switched to low heat to let it slowly confit in its own juices and fat. Chilled, sliced, steamed some buns, added in some quick pickles, shredded green onions, smudge of hoisin sauce and a squirt of kewpie mayo. Voila! Luscious pork belly buns at home.

No more standing in long lines at the Chairman truck to get my buns…

Pork Belly

2-3 lbs of Pork Belly (have your butcher remove the skin)

1/2 c. kosher salt

1/2 c. sugar

1 T 5 spice powder

2 c. water

Mix the salt, sugar, and 5 spice powder together and dissolve in the water. I use the lazy method and toss everything into a large gallon sized ziplock bag and shake. Put the pork belly in and squeeze out all the air in there and let it brine overnight in the refridgerator.

Preheat the oven to 400, remove the pork belly and wipe dry. Place in a roasting pan and roast the belly at 400 for an hour and then turn the temperature down to 250 for another 2 hours. The belly should plump up and per Momofuku, "feel pillowy."

Let it cool down and wrap it in a sheet of saran wrap and chill in the refridgerator so it can be easily sliced.

Pickles

2-3 persian pickles thinly sliced

1T sugar

1t salt

Slice the pickles and toss in the sugar and salt mixture. Let it sit for about 20 minutes and then rinse. Do a quick 5 minute soak in fresh water to remove the excess saltiness. Squeeze dry and set aside.

Assembly:

Slice the pork belly into slices and reheat on a good cast iron pan to crisp up the edges, steam some store bought buns, shred green onions, and get the hoisin/kewpie ready. Put a dollop of hoisin on one side of the bun, tuck in the hot pork belly slices, squirt some kewpie on there and top off with the shredded green onions and enjoy!

Pho-raging around Kearny Mesa: Pho T Cali, Pho Mignon and Grill, Pho Cali, Pho Fusion, Phuong Trang, Pho Convoy Noodle House, and Viet Bakery and Pho

January 13, 2013 mmm-yoso Pho, Vietnamese Restaurants

A couple of months ago, I was having a particularly terrible bowl of Pho in the Kearny Mesa area. Thinking I'd try to be especially witty, I texted "aw-pho", sorry, it was a bad pun exacerbated by bad soup, to a bunch of my friends. Which started a terrible round of bad phopuns lasting almost two days….I think it ended when I texted something using "pho-lam-bouyant", yikes! The one sane person in all of this, "Yummy Yummy" set me off on a mission with one profound statement, "yes,it's sad that there's no good pho in Kearny Mesa." Really…..really??!!?? Then I stopped and thought about it…..perhaps she was right. I had to find out for myself. So I ended up going to seven different pho shops in the next two weeks….sorry, at the end, I just couldn't see myself going to Quoc Te….I was "pho-ride"…my apologies for that one!

After all of this, I had to think about how to do a post……I mean really, there was the possibility of maybe 2,000 words (I'm alread past 170). So pardon me if I just kind of blaze through these, ok? Plus, I'm still suffering from P(ost) T(raumatic) M(SG)D(disorder).

Pho T Cali:

**** Pho T Cali has closed

This is the place that got me posting "aw-pho".

Broth that looked, and sort of tasted like dishwater…..salty dishwater, with very little beef flavor, and not much else. Mushy overcooked noodles. Though the cuts in this, flank and brisket especially were decent, but I had to send out a search party for my tendon. Oh, let's add insult to injury, the scallions in the broth were turning brown as well.

Actually, this is almost exactly the same as my last bowl here, so this can't really be a fluke, right?

Formula in the perfunctory service. Sad….

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

Pho Mignon + Grill:

I gotta say, the service here is nice….perhaps not efficient, but very nice. Still, I haven't had much luck here. It's kind of bad when the best item you've had from a shop with Pho in it's name are the french fries. I've struck out twice on the filet pho, so I went with the "trolley bowl", which according to the menu is "flank, well done steak, tripe, tendon, and meatballs".

Man, there's something about this broth that I find strange, beyond how it's totally defatted. This time around it had a burnt shallot flavor with a "tinny" finish.

The noodles were fine, the proteins mediocre, except for the tendon which was pretty good, and I still haven't figured out why the ngo om with pho? I'm missing something here.

Sorry, I just couldn't do the broth at all……I hate to waste, but this just doesn't agree with me.

I love the idea of craft brews…..the service is sometimes a bit scatter-brained, but always nice. But man, I just don't like that pho.

Mignon Pho + Grill
3860 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho Cali & Grill:

**** Pho Cali and Grill is now Pho Duyen Mai

Man, it's been a while since I've been here.

This would have been totally MOR (middle of the road) pho, if not for the super salty broth…..super salty, as in there wasn't enough lime to cut the salt. And the meat being on the dry and tough side.

The noodles were clumped, but fine….but man, this was salty.

Pho Cali and Grill
5375 Kearny Villa Rd
San Diego, CA 92123

Pho Fusion:

Man, here's another place I haven't been to in a while.

This really looked like a lighter version of Pho Mignon….I really didn't have high hopes for it. The broth had a very mild beef flavor and was pretty weak overall. The noodles were done well and I gotta say, this was the best tendon I had while doing this. The rest of the assorted protein wasn't too bad, though the flank cuts are on the dry and tough side.

I also should say that the service I received was very good. My water refilled twice and when I looked at the rather skimpy amount of herbs and bean sprouts, the young man told me, "please let me know if you want more, we'd be happy too…."

Pho Fusion
8038 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Phuong Trang:

What to say about the poster child for MOR (Middle of the Road) Pho, other then man, has it really been three years since I had Pho here?

This place has usually been consistent, though on this visit the broth was rather cloudy. The broth is rather light on the beef, but at least you can make out hints of anise-onion-clove. Noodles were fine.

The meat was meh…….flank tough, tripe soapy tasting and scant in quantity, tendon tough and not much of it….you get the picture.

The older gentleman who always used to make me laugh wasn't here. In his place was a very friendly young man……..who I thought was quite charming….until he brought me a fork for my pho? Lets call it what it is….a "pho-pa"….

Phuong Trang
4170 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Pho Convoy Noodle House:

**** Convoy Noodle House has closed

This used to be a dependable stop, but I was sorely disappointed on my last visit. I wondered, was that a fluke? So I had the same thing, #2, well done steak, flank, fatty brisket, tendon, and tripe.

And while the broth had recovered a bit…..slight beef flavor, mild anise, still a mere shadow of what I recalled; the meat, especially the already chewy flank….was almost inedible and without flavor.

The noodles were fine….but I still remembered the pho being much better here. I'm not sure what happened.

Pho Convoy Noodle House
4647 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

Viet Bakery and Pho:

*** Viet Bakery and Pho has closed

Based on my previous visits, I really wasn't looking forward to having pho here. But since the place had "pho" in its name (though probably based on pho ga), I thought it only proper to grab a bowl here. The shop had undergone a major overhaul with regards to looks since my last visit. It looks less like a bakery and more like a proper restaurant.

There really fussy menu has been replaced with something perhaps a bit too spartan, but perhaps that's the right fit. And i'm sure you can get any combination of items you really want. I went with the "Pho Viet", with rare beef, brisket, and meat balls.

I really don't like having preconceptions when having a meal at a restaurant, but based on history, perhaps I expected the worst. This was actually not bad….not good, but not bad. The broth was on the cloudy side, but had a decent beef flavor. It was light with regards to the anise-clove component, but at least wasn't too salty.

The meat, being the rare steak or the brisket didn't appeal to me, being tough and dry. The meatballs tasted exactly the same as what Mignon Pho served. The noodles were a bit overcooked for my taste.

Still, this was much better than anticipated.

Viet Bakery & Pho
3904 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

So there it is…….. and after having all these bowls of pho, I can only conclude that "YY" is pretty much correct. And after thinking about it; whenever I think about having a nice bowl of pho, places in Kearny Mesa never come to mind.

What do you think?

Fish 3 Days, Fish 3 Ways Day3: Porcini Crusted Halibut with Truffled Polenta

January 12, 2013 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

After having the delicate Olive Oil Poached White Sea Bass, the Missus wanted something a bit more "earthy". Her request for the next day was, "something with mushrooms…..lots of mushrooms……" This one was easy for me….well to conceptualize. Getting it done after work in time for dinner….well, that was going to be fun. This was actually easy since I had about an ounce of dried porcini mushrooms on hand. So for a play-by-play….

Step 1 – Soak about 3/4 of the dried mushrooms in two cups of warm water

Step 2 – Slice cremini mushrooms, 2 shallots, and grate 4 cloves of garlic.

Step 3 – Place the rest of the dried porcini, salt, and pepper in a coffee grinder and pulverize to a powder.

Step 4 – Combine mushroom powder with 2 Tb potato starch and spread all but 1 Tb of mushroom mixture on a plate

Step 5 – Place halibut on mushroom-potato starch mixture making sure to coat only one side, well.

Step 6 – Season the undusted side of fish with Spanish paprika, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. set aside.

Step 7 – Strain the porcini soaking liquid. Make polenta using all but 1/3 cup of the mushroom liquid, olive oil, and water. Between stirs, chop the soaked porcini, reserving 3 Tb as a garnish. When polenta is almost done, add all but the reserved chopped porcini mushrooms. Finish with truffle oil and set aside.

Step 8 – Pan fry the halibut in a combination grapeseed-extra virgin olive oil. When the fish is almost done, start step 9.

Step 9 – In a dry pan over medium high heat, place the sliced porcini mishrooms. When the mushrooms start to soften and give off their moisture add extra virgin olive oil, shallots, garlic, Turkish oregano, and reserved mushroom powder. When fragrant add reserved mushroom liquid and white wine and let bubble away. The fish should be ready by now. Set aside. Taste sauce and season (remember, there's salt and pepper in mushroom powder) with salt and pepper. Reduce……

Step 10 – Plate the baby up…….

Somewhere along the line, the Missus chopped some parsley for garnish. I also used some of the chopped porcini as well. I test for doneness using a sharp paring knife.

Man, this was really tasty…and moist.

I put the rest of the polenta in a pan greased with olive oil and then unmolded and stored for future use.

I ended up making this again, this time pan frying the "polenta cakes" a couple of days later.

Not bad for a Thursday night……

So there you go…….Fish 3 ways in 3 days. Whew, I needed a break. Though things started up again the next week, but I didn't work quite as hard.

Though this one is just pan fried halibut with a warm white balsamic vinaigrette.

Thanks for reading!