mmm-yoso – Page 488 – 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.

Punjabi Tandoor

July 15, 2008 mmm-yoso Indian Restaurants

A quick warning, this post is quite long, so you may want to check out moowiesqrd’s more concise post on Punjabi Tandoor, found here.

I’ll say this upfront, we know almost nothing about Indian Food. In fact, it used to be that the Missus had to be in a particular "mood" to eat Indian Food in San Diego. She’d often find the offerings to be; "butter intense", "too cheesy", "too fatty", and basically "too rich". But after eating Indian Food in Siem Reap, the Missus found Herself craving it upon Her return home. And one of the places mentioned in Chowhound, among other places, was Punjabi Tandoor. In several of the posts and comments I was quick to pick up phrases such as "my Indian friend says", which along with statements like, "I’m Chinese so I should know" always raises more questions than answers with regards to diverse cuisines. But an acquaintance of mine(who has since moved on) who is from the State of Haryana, MrR, told me that the food at Punjabi Tandoor was "humble, but quite good". Which I thought was a nice recommendation, just one of many; until I checked a map and found that Haryana is the State directly to the South of Punjab, and from what I remember reading, was originally carved out of the state of Punjab. Unfortunately, MrR moved on to, hopefully, greener pastures before I could get some specific recommendations, so we were left to our own machinations.

Punjabi Tandoor is not found in San Diego’s "Little India" on Black Mountain Road, but a bit further down the street and to your left on Activity Road. The location is a bit odd residing amongst the generic prefab offices and buildings in the area.

The restaurant is a mostly take-out joint, no frills, and the food served in, or on Styrofoam. The heady herby fragrances are everywhere once you enter the tiny restaurant.

The menu is quite large, and can be a puzzle if you haven’t much experience with Indian food, but the staff has always been nice and helpful….somewhat helpful.

There are also different "specials" listed on a greaseboard alongside the cash register.

So here’s a brief rundown of various dishes we’ve tried at Punjabi Tandoor.

Onion Bhaji($2.95):

If you’re thinking "Onion Rings", you wouldn’t be far off. These were fried to perfection, in a nicely seasoned, lacquer-like batter. Served with the standard green and red chutney, we polished this off in no time at all. What we enjoyed most of all, was that you could make out the sweet flavor of the onion.

Kadai Bakra ($8.95):

This was one of the "greaseboard" specials. Once I found out that Bakra (bakara) means goat, we were all over this dish. On the each of the 3 occasions we had this dish, the meat was very tender and moist. It could stand to be a bit more gamey in flavor, but it was fine. The depth and breath of flavors was excellent…..tangy, salty, with a slow building spiciness that was very pleasant.

There was a nice layer of fat on the top, but the result was a definite "fei ur bu ni", "rich without being greasy".

The Channa Masala ($3.95):

This was nice, not too wet and mildly spicy. At most steam-table joints, the chickpeas will be overcooked and mushy. In this case it was the opposite, the chickpeas were almost too hard.

The Bengan Bharta (Baingan Bharta – $4.95):

Eggplant that is first baked, mashed, than cooked with various herbs, onions, and tomato. This had a nice, rich, velvety texture, and good spice. It also stayed molten hot for quite a long time. Great with Nan.

Dal Makhani ($3.95). We had this twice, the first time, it had a nice smoky flavor, was mildly thick, and was very nice.

The second time, the dish had a thick "skin", which was nice, but it was very thick, and tasted too "milky".

Bhindi Masala($4.95):

The Okra was cooked to perfection, but the flavor was out of balance….just plain spicy, and not much else. It did taste better the next day.

Alu Gobi($4.95):

The Missus loved this dish. The Cauliflower and Potatoes were cooked perfectly. I barely had a shot at this one. Per the Missus, "there’s a lot going on here….."

The Garlic Nan($1.95) was not very good on the day we tried it.

It was incinerated and bitter.

On another day, the Nan($1.49):

This was a serviceable Nan….nothing out of the ordinary.

Chicken Vindalu(Vindaloo $4.95):

This was a bit puzzling to me. I’ve had Vindaloo before, and it usually has a tangy-vinegary flavor, along with a good amount of spice. This had a "cheesy-sour" flavor, and wasn’t spicy in the least. The dark meat chicken was excellent though, I could cut it with my plastic spoon.

On the left Nav Rattan Korma (mixed vegetable curry $3.95), on the right the Malai Kofta ($3.95):

The Korma was mediocre, almost bland. The Malai Kofta "sauce" was very creamy, both in texture and taste. The Kofta, fried cheese-vegetable balls, had a nice flavor, but were on the dry side.

So there you have it, a nice sampling of dishes from Punjabi Tandoor. Punjabi Tandoor may not fit the bill as a place for and "evening out", but most of the food is well flavored, and balanced, and the prices can’t be beat.

Punjabi Tandoor
9235 Activity Road
San Diego, CA 92126

Red Beans and Rice Monday

July 14, 2008 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

"Honeeeyyyy……Honeeeyyyy!" So sayeth, or screameth, the Missus one evening while I was right in the middle of one of my posts. I already know that nothing particularly good can come out of this. But the Missus is not to be denied. So what prompted the "3 alarm" call? Well, the Missus is watching some show on the Food Network, I’m not quite sure which. I’ve kind of stopped watching Food Network since reality shows have taken over. The Missus is pointing to the screen, and tells me, "I want that." So just what is "that"? Seared Foie Gras? Wagyu beef Ishiyaki(don’t laugh…I’ve been thinking about it)? No, it was Red Beans and Rice! Huh? Talk about a "Latkes moment".

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, even though I haven’t been to New Orleans(yet) in the late 90’s, I spent a year and a half working in places like Atlanta, Columbus(Georgia), Fort Smith(Arkansas), Lawton(Oklahoma), and such. And I really enjoyed the food, though I never developed a taste for Chitlins. Still, I’ve never tried to make Red Beans and Rice. And of course, knowing the Missus, there were certain ~~requests~~ demands to be followed, "ummm, no bacon fat, and I don’t want it to be too fatty." Talk about spoiling all of my fun. Luckily, this request came during the July 4th weekend, and I was already set on going to Iowa Meat Farms. I really like the Ham Hocks they sell, they have a decent amount of meat, and are really nice and smokey.

So what’s with the Red Beans and Rice on Monday thing? From what I’ve read, Monday was traditionally wash day. So using the left over ham bone from Sunday supper, and slow cooking it with beans would be meal that could be left simmering, while you were busy doing the wash.

So this is what I came up with…it is probably different from any of other 1 million or so versions of Red Beans and Rice, but the Missus enjoyed it.

Red Beans and Rice

1 lb Red Beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked overnight
1 good sized ham hock – or large meaty ham bone
Water
2 (about 1/2lb) Andouille Sausage
1 onion chopped fine
1 bell pepper chopped fine
1/2 Cup celery chopped fine
3-4 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Cayenne
2 Bay leaves
2 Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
3-4 Tb(or more) Hot Sauce – I used Crystal Hot Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Chopped scallions for garnish

1 – Drain beans, and place into a pot with the Ham Hock, and bring to a boil. Skim off foam. Reduce to a simmer and cover.

2 – Prick the andouille sausage, and cook over medium heat in a skillet. Turn and brown, and allow for the fat to be released from the sausage(no bacon fat, eh? Thanks for the tip Mark Bittman!). When the sausage is browned remove from pan, and cut into chunks(it doesn’t have to be fully cooked).

3 – Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper in the pan, and cook in the sausage fat. When the trinity starts getting translucent, add chunks of sausage back into the pan, along with the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes break down.

4 – When the ham hock is tender(this was about 2 hours) remove the ham hock, strip off all the meat, chop, and return to pot. Add all the spices and garlic, simmer for 15 minutes, taste, and adjust salt and pepper.

5 – Add the sausage and vegetable mixture, and cook until the texture of the beans are to your preference.

6 – Just before finishing, I removed bout 1/4 of the beans with a slotted spoon and mashed them up to thicken the mixture.

7 – Garnish with chopped scallions, and add hot sauce to taste.

A couple of things; remember to crush the dry herbs before adding them. The andouille sausage from Iowa Meat Farms tasted a bit different from what I was used to, more like linguica, but I don’t think it affected the dish much.

What about the other ham hock?

Well, the Missus also wanted some collard greens, so that’s what ended up happening. Lots of rinsing, trimming’ and slicing.

There were a couple of problems with this…..the Missus decided to start in on the collard greens before I thought they were ready. And She finished all of them….I used 3 bunches of collard greens. I don’t think I’ll include a recipe, since it’s really not much at all. But I will add a little equation for you:

Red Beans + Collard Greens = you get the picture, right?

Sammy, you better stay upwind from Momma tonight!

Pupuseria Cabañas 3: Odd Bits and Bites in Yuma

July 13, 2008 ed fromyuma Latin American Cuisine, Salvadoran Restaurants, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

Kirk and the rest of the mmm-yoso crew are no doubt out scouring San Diego and the rest of the world looking for good food to share with you. Today, it's just ed (from Yuma) with more food and photos from his favorite dining destination.

*** I am saddened to write that Pupuseria Cabanas is no more. One of the few cases of a restaurant doomed by its success. At least as I have heard it, the landlord was getting complaints from the towing/repair shop next door that there was no place to park during the day because the pupuseria had too many customers. Lucia was not allowed to be open weekdays, and then on Nov. 1, the restaurant was empty with no sign about another location etc. I will update if (I hope, when) she has relocated *** :-(

While San Diego has a much richer dining scene than poor old Yuma stuck out in the middle of the desert, Yuma does have one benefit for me. With such limited options, I can fully explore the range of dishes offered by my favorite places. Case in point, I have probably eaten at Pupuseria Cabañas every week since my first visit. In the over two months since my last post on this place, I have tasted many different things and learned more about this tiny and wonderful restaurant. Certainly enough stuff for another post.

Soups

My favorite soup is still probably sopa de pata, whether the hoof is hiding under the tripe:

Or completely visible:

I have even found out what cow toes taste like (the covering skin is very beefy – almost gamey – in flavor):

No matter what cut of hoof or type of tripe, there is always a lot of tasty tendon to chew on:

For something completely different, they offered albondigas one day:

I have no idea if this is authentic Salvadoran or just a Mexican soup that they felt like cooking, but in either case it was very tasty – as good an albondigas as I've had in town.

And the meatballs were especially rich:

One weekday night, my friend Dave suggested having dinner at Pupuseria Cabañas – since he had already been there and tried one of their outstanding soups. That night, the available soup was bean:

The beans were tender and flavorful as were the pieces of soft pork scattered throughout the incredibly rich thick broth. Then, almost simultaneously, Dave and I discovered something weird in our soups. They looked like this:

Oh my god! What were these? What do you think these skin covered, bony, finger-length things were? Hint: a pig has only one of them.

No, not that! These were pigtails. Yeh, I thought they'd be curly also. Clearly, the skin, bones, and richness of these appendages contributed to the wonderful succulence of the dish. It may be the best single bowl of bean soup I've ever eaten.

Other Dishes

In addition to always having pupusas and a soup, I have found that other tasty items are sometimes available at the restaurant. For example, one day they had a Salvadoran version of a torta, the flavorful chicken touched with Salvadoran coleslaw and something like a barbecue sauce:

For breakfast, one can get fried bananas served with black beans,queso blanco, and crema:

The pureed black beans were flavorful, and the tangy sour dairy items complemented the slightly sweet bananas.

On another occasion, the special was fried yuca and what they call chicharrones (here pork, not skin):

The pork was the essence of deep fried piginess, and the yuca (note – this is not yucca) was a revelation. I have had fried yuca elsewhere and had always been disappointed with the limp greasy results. Here it was absolutely perfect; the outside of the vegetable was crunchy with no hint of grease and the inside was light, fluffy, and starchy.

Over time, I have grown more fond of the rich chicken tamales (even though I have learned that no banana leaves are killed in their preparation):

Mystery Veggie

In a previous post on this restaurant, I mentioned that my favorite type of pupusa had cheese and some sort of green veggie in it. I have since learned that this vegetable is called loroco, and basically, it is a flower bulb. A bunch of them look like this:

Loroco gives pupusas a distinct herby almost flowery aroma that I find very pleasant. Mixed with cheese inside a pupusa, this is how they look:

Other Notes

The variety and quality of the aguas frescas at Pupuseria Cabañas continues to be remarkable. I have had various fruit drinks ensalada – topped with fresh chopped fruits – often apple and mango:

Other fruits are also served regular agua fresca style, and at times, I have had melon, strawberry, watermelon, and at least one slightly sour Salvadoran fruit whose name I've forgotten.

At least on their business cards, the restaurant is now officially known as Pupuseria Cabañas – no mention of tacos. The name derives from the inland state of Cabañas in El Salvador (where the family is from). Before coming to the desert, they lived in Hawthorne, California.

I know many of you are eager to jump in your car or hop on an airplane just to come to Yuma and eat at this restaurant. Therefore, it is my duty to let you know that our current temperatures are usually over 110°. Also, the restaurant will be closed from July 21-August 8. But do come visit in the fall; the wonderful food at this restaurant is worth the cost of gas (at least from San Diego or Phoenix. From London or Tokyo, your results might differ.)

One last note: I have learned that the restaurant actually has a phone number, (928) 782-1874, so visitors may call ahead to find out what dishes are available.

Pupuseria Cabañas, 3405 8th St, Yuma AZ, (928) 782-1874

Hunan Smoked Pork and Fresh Bamboo Shoots

July 12, 2008 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

While in Phnom Penh, when not checking things out, or eating, the Missus was glues to the television…..and the 3 Taiwanese channels!!! Beyond the various soap operas, there were a few Taiwanese cooking shows; and one of them featured Fresh Bamboo Shoots. Needless to say, the Missus was smitten, and upon returning home, She requested a dish using Fresh Bamboo Shoots. Fresh Bamboo was pretty rare when I was growing up, and quite expensive as well. We had a neighbor, whose son would, on occasion, return from "hiking" with Fresh Shoots. These were usually eaten raw, as "sashimi", or after a few days, simmered in the water left from rinsing rice. I've read that rice bran is also used instead of the rinse water to cook Bamboo Shoots. Needless to say, the shoots we bought weren't what I would call super fresh, but they would pass muster in a stir fry.

It just so happened that we had a ton of leftover rice, and we really don't keep rice bran in the house…..so remembering the cooking show, I used 1/8 of a cup of rice instead. I cut off about 2 inches of the top of the shoot at an angle, and also about a half inch of the bottom, which had become hard. Brought the bamboo shoot to a boil, reduced the heat to a mild simmer, covered, and simmered for about an hour and a half. I knew it was cooked when I could pass a skewer rather easily into the shoot. I left it to cool in the water. Although most recipes recommend adding a few chilies to the liquid to reduce bitterness, I didn't do that. After the shoot is cool, you proceed to peel the thing. I cut off the tender tip, and gave it to the Missus as a snack. She thought it was fairly sweet, and loved the "crunch".

So what to do with the beast? Having left over Hunan Smoked Pork from another recipe, we decided that a simple stir-fry with the smoked pork and leeks on the Big Kahuna would do fine.

This is so easy, it's kind of embarrassing…..but it just shows that the simpler the better. You can do a number of things with the recipe…add chilies, other veggies, and so forth.

Hunan Smoked Pork and Fresh Bamboo Shoots.

1/4 Sliced Hunan Smoked Pork
1 Bamboo Shoot sliced
1 Leek Sliced
2 Tb Good Quality Light Soy Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 – In a hot wok stir fry pork until it releases some fat.

2 – Add Bamboo Shoots and stir fry, until fragrant, and it starts getting tender.

3 – Add soy sauce, and leek, and stir fry until leek is tender, but not soft and mushy.

4 – Reduce heat, taste, and adjust flavoring.

Siem Reap: Angkor Wat

July 10, 2008 mmm-yoso Cambodia, Siem Reap, Travel

After a quick, distracted, lunch, we headed across the street and walked, albeit slowly, in the heat(temp in triple digits, and almost equal humidity) to the causeway leading to Angkor Wat. The benefit to visiting Angkor Wat during high noon is the lack of tourists. As Narin explained to me later, "after lunch, during the hottest time of the day, all the Japanese and Korean tourist head back to the hotel for a rest. The European tourist are visiting the other temples, and will return later in the afternoon, and stay for the sunset." And he was right, the only other folks we saw were Cambodian and Thai.

Angkor Wat was built by Suryavarman II and is dedicated to Vishnu, the Hindu God who is the preserver and protector of creation. One of the texts I read, mentioned that during the time of Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat was known as Vrah Vishnuloka, "the sacred home of Vishnu." Suryavarman II identified himself so closely to Vishnu, that when he died he was given the name Paramavishnuloka – "he who has entered the supreme paradise of Vishnu". Almost a thousand years later, Angkor Wat is so ingrained into Cambodia’s National Identity, that all you need to do is to look the Cambodian flag:

Angkor Wat is famous for the spectacular Bas-reliefs that line the walls of the first terrace.

These "galleries" if you will, document great historical events, and significant Hindu legends. The galleries are meant to be viewed in a counter-clockwise direction, and we started from the Southwest corner. There’s so much here, that I won’t delve into them much. I think you’ll enjoy the photos. Click on any of the photos to enlarge.

Panel 1 – Depicts the story of the Mahabharata.

Panel 2 – Suryavarman II and his army.

This is a well known bas-relief of Suryavarman II shaded by 15 parasols:

Panel 3 – The Heaven and Hell Gallery is broken into two; the top shows heaven where people live the leisurely life.

On the bottom terrible punishments are inflicted in hell. People chopped in half, eaten by animals, and forced to watch Jerry Springer Show reruns.

Panel 4 – Is probably the most famous Bas-relief, the Churning the Sea of Milk, the Hindu creation myth. Unfortunately, part of the gallery was undergoing restoration.

The most famous portion, that of Vishnu in the middle of the 92 Gods and 88 Demons in a tug of war for the elixir of immortality was in full display.

Panel 5 – Vishnu conquering the demons.

Panel 6 – Battle between Krishna and Bana.

Panel 7 – The 21 Gods fighting the demons.

Panel 8 – The Battle of Lanka

I’m sure by now you’re relieved that I’m done with the bas-reliefs, no? Near the end of our little "tour", the Missus saw a flash of orange…it was a Monk, enjoying the bas-reliefs. Intrigued, She insisted we follow Him. I had my reservations, "There’s something just wrong about stalking a Monk. This is bad, we may get punished by being sent to one of the 32 hells….the one where we have to watch all of the episodes of Golden Girls." "Hurry up, he’s turning the corner, let’s go!"

Though the bas-reliefs are the main draw of Angkor Wat, there were a few other things we enjoyed. Among them was the Hall of Echoes in the first terrace. If you lean back against the wall of this small room, and thump your chest, you’ll hear and feel the vibration echo throughout the room. Who needs Disneyland?

There’s much to see, much more than I could ever hope to capture in a single post. Here are a few more photos:

After visiting the other terraces, we were amazed…it was already 230! As we left the temple, a wave of tourists started pouring into Angkor Wat.

More on Angkor Wat from Wandering Chopsticks can be found here.

As we left Angkor Wat, Narin met us with fresh cut pineapple, iced towelettes, and iced water. We’d been out since 520 am. As we drove away, Narin, who’d started to get to know us, asked us if we’d like to visit Tonle Sap Lake. Having read in various guides to Cambodia that Tonle Sap was a bit of a tourist trap, we weren’t quite sure. But Narin said, "I think you would like it." He also told us not to worry, we’ll take care of the entrance and boat, and he wouldn’t charge us extra for time and mileage. Because of all the questions we asked, he really wanted us to see Tonle Sap Lake.

And because this is a food blog…….

While I was in the tour office purchasing entrance to Tonle Sap, the Missus caught a whiff of something that put Her on high alert:

It was the fragrance of the roasted sweet potatoes.

The Missus couldn’t help Herself, and bought a couple. The Missus devoured one, and She gave one to Narin, and saved one for later. Per the Missus, these were moist, roasted perfectly, sweet, and were the best She’s had since childhood. Sweet potato – sweet memories……

Coming up – Tonle Sap Lake.

Fredcel Lumpias & Catering Restaurant

July 9, 2008 mmm-yoso Filipino Restaurants, Sisig

This one is thanks to "Dee" who emailed me, and asked what I thought about Fredcel….. I had heard about them, but just in passing. I didn't realize they were located right off University on 38th street. The reason I hadn't seen them before is that I usually zoom by that intersection, and they are located a door or two down the street. But if you look for the bright yellow building, you can't miss them.

After breakfast at El Salvador Pupuseria y Restaurante, I walked on over. They were closed, but just the photo of the Sisig was enough to bring me back. I don't think I've ever been able to walk away from Sisig.

A few days later, I finally made my way to Fredcel, and walked through the door, tripping the "beeper". The interior is spartan, but clean. The tinsel around the pole made me smile…..it was cheesy, in a nice way.

The steam table held about 10 various offerings. A quiet, but nice young man helped us. I was again with MG, and we were picking up lunch for a couple of us. He was so quiet, that MG first thought he didn't speak Tagalog…..he did of course. The prices here are "bargain city". One item plus rice or pancit is $3.99, two items $4.99, a third item is $2 more.

On this day I decided on the Kaldereta Baka(Beef Kaldereta) and Sisig(my lucky day):

The portion size is not quite the ginormous Tita's Kitchenette-sized plate, but I've heard that prices have now gone over $6 at Tita's. And of course, we don't have to put up with the attitude.

The Kaldereta was interesting. The beef looked tough, but it was fairly tender, with a "fat cap". The flavor was a bit lacking in the tangy, tomato department, in addition it had a bell pepper flavor, without a hint of "heat". It was also too thin and watery. To me, it looked almost looked like a weak Beef Mechado, but I was told it was Kaldereta.

The Sisig was pretty good, at least to my taste. It had a nice bracing, puckery, vinegar flavor, a mild amount of heat, and the Lechon Kawale was still crisp. It was not greasy. A very pleasant version of Sisig.

Speaking of Lechon Kawale……I somehow managed to rationalize("this is going to be 2 meals, so don't worry"), and justify purchasing an order($2) of Lechon Kawale. Mainly because it was sitting there looking all golden and lovely. As Lechon Kawale goes, this was fair to good, crisp but not hard, the fat portions were nice and buttery, and the meat, though on the dry side was not too bad. It was a bit on the bland side, and the lechon sauce was nice, not too sweet, not too "livery".

I did end up sharing everything, which made me feel a bit better. Altogether not a bad meal.

Recently, the Missus was looking to ordering some lumpia for a party. Not wanting to drive all the way down to National City, I mentioned that the prices at Fredcel were pretty good – 100 lumpia/$30. In order to check out the lumpia, I made a Fredcel run.

Man the plate had a ton of rice on it! What really impressed me as I chomped on my lumpia(I needed a quick taste), was that I was given 6 lumpia! I ate one before deciding to take a photo. The lumpia was not bad, lots of filling, decent flavor, not oily, fairly crisp. Can't ask for much more. I'm not a big fan of the sweet and sour sauce though. It is a neon red, teeth hurting sweet concoction, that has hardened to almost a jelly like texture.

Even though I had arrived at 1130, there were only 4 items on the steam table; pork adobo(of course), the kaldereta, pinakbet(which in retrospect is what I should have ordered), and Menudo, which is what I ordered. The menudo was fairly bland, and was probably the least favorite item I've had from Fredcel.

Before we had checked out Fredcel, MG and I had wondered if people enjoyed this place simply because it was the only place that served Filipino food in the vicinity. But overall, the food was decent, and it's a good value to boot. And the Missus is ordering the lumpia from Fredcel for Her party……..

Fredcel Lumpia & Catering
3876 38th Street
San Diego, CA 92105

Open – Mon-Sat 9am-9pm
Sun 9am – 7pm

Thanks for letting me know about Fredcel Dee!

Cathy and Ed’s Eating Adventure: Balboa Tofu House

July 7, 2008 ed fromyuma Korean Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!

This is a Very Special Episode of mmm-yoso!!!, documenting a very special meal. Cathy is "talking" in green. Ed will talk in blue

While Cathy and Ed both post here at mmm-yoso, before Ed’s last visit to town, they had only met once. So they were looking forward to sharing a lunch.

After exchanging some e-mails, we realized that we both liked the Balboa Tofu House on Convoy. What’s more, nobody had ever written about this place at the blog. That settled it. We were surprised neither of us had blogged Tofu House, since we both ate here kind of a lot. Apparently it was some secret neither of us wanted you to know about.

If you were paying attention to what ed just wrote, yes, it’s true. ed and I have only met for a total of four meals at this point in time, two of those with Kirk. (for you Sudoku/applied logic wizards out there, that means the three of us have met for exactly two meals together). (Sure, we post here, helping each other out and keeping this blog going when one of us is overwhelmed with life or work or is out of the country on a vacation or just doesn’t feel like it, but the three of us having an actual meeting and eating together… Twice).

Blogging. It’s magic. (sorry for rambling…on with the post!).

Because we arrived at 11:30, we each could find a parking place in the usually hellishly crowded strip mall parking lot. An auspicious omen. Note: Cathy’s picture here must have been taken some morning at 7 AM. I’ve never seen the lot so empty: (9:30 a.m.) (on a Sunday.) (Just before meeting Mr. C for dim sum across the street)

The interior of the restaurant with a lot of nice wood surfaces seemed much like it was 10 years ago when I first started coming there. One thing that has changed are the prices (not that we were expecting . . . ). The soft tofu soups now range from $7-$9. And my mouth was set or one of those soups. The menu lists numerous combinations of ingredients that one can have with the broth and soft tofu. The range of add-ins includes things like pork, pollock roe, kimchi, shrimp, mushrooms, oysters, clams, fresh peppers, and more. If my memory serves — and at my age that is always problematic — more different combinations were listed than before, and the list of possibilities ends with the challenge to put together your own combination. In addition, customers are given the choice of spice level and of regular or vegetarian broth.

I must confess that I didn’t look at the rest of the menu, but Cathy did.

ed and I had lunch the day before, at Asia Cafe, and the Nem Khao was still on my mind…

I wanted crispy -not fried- rice. OK, I *needed* some more crispy rice. So anyhow, we ordered. (I am inserting this photo of Nem Khao from Asia Cafe, so everyone will know what I am talking about).

The first food to hit the table was the pan chan. I thought the selection and quantity were little disappointing. On previous visits, seaweed covered with a rich deep chili sauce had been the highlight of the side dishes. It was woefully missing:

The kimchi, however, was quite good with a slight touch of sweetness to offset the pickled crunch of the cabbage:

Then my soup (a seafood combination with mushroom and bell peppers) arrived bubbling hot and steaming:

After taking a few pictures, I grabbed one of the eggs that sit on every table top and broke it into the soup:

Soon I broke up the egg with my chopsticks and whisked it throughout the bowl, adding touches of eggy richness throughout and cooling the soup enough so that I could begin eating.

For me, this was perfect soup. The spiciness of the broth flavored up all the ingredients. And the textures — from the creaminess of the tofu to the chewiness of the mushrooms and the crunch of the peppers — were wonderful. This is one of those dishes that tastes so much better than it looks:

Along with the soup came what they call brown rice:

Obviously, brown means different things to different folks. Actually, the color in the rice comes from the few dark grains that stain the rest of the white rice purple. It tastes slightly sweet and is chewy and hearty…Sometimes I describe foods so chewy and fiber-y as "tasting healthy" (which means no flavor) and in this case, it is just really good rice. A rice I have a craving for, and I don’t usually crave rice.

Cathy ordered Hot Stone mixed rice with mushrooms ($10)

It arrived looking like:

and it sizzled.

(here’s a detail view):

Nice close up,ed.

After mixing:

Thanks for taking the photos, ed. I was so busy waiting for the rice to get cool enough to eat after scraping the hot stone pot that I didn’t take any photos…oh, we were talking, too…

My bowl of goodness was topped with sliced enoki and shitake mushrooms, as well as cabbage, carrots, corn and some onion. It satisfied my cravings for flavor as well as texture of crispiness of the rice formed on the hot sides of the pot. The veggies were very fresh and just enough fresh in flavor which contrasted with the crispy rice I was scraping. Although, I did add kimchee for more flavor once I got to the non-crispy rice part of the meal…

and between the two of us, we ate up our pan chan…

and everything else!

The food and company were excellent. Let’s do it again. I agree!

Balboa Tofu House 4646 Convoy San Diego 92123 Website

Sunday Shopping

July 6, 2008 mmm-yoso Markets & Grocers, yoso-silly

Are food prices affecting the way you shop? That was the question posed by Caron, who does the fine San Diego Foodstuff Blog, in her May 28th post. I recall reading the post, and for some reason it has occupied a place in the back of my mind for several weeks. If you’re like us, fuel and food price increases have had an effect on how you shop, eat, and play. I’ve noticed that we’ve been eating at home more. And over the last couple of months, there’s been sort of a shopping "rotation" that occurs on either Saturday or Sunday. And at first I thought the rotation was purely random, until I realized that there was a reason, some of them having nothing to do with $$$ cost, but still a reason for doing things in the order I chose. Yes, you’ll finally be able to get a look into the anal-retentive mind of yours truly. I’ve always been a bit odd in that way. My late Mother always enjoyed kidding me about my childhood hobby of reading flight schedules. I remember my favorites were the schedules of the now defunct Western Airlines(who remembers, "It’s the oooonly way to fly!" ). I also hate crowds, so early weekend mornings are best for me, even back "home", my friends used to kid me, saying, "you like to shop with the Obachans(Japanese for Grandmothers)".

So the mmm-yoso express is taking off…….

Stop 1 – Henry’s Farmer’s Market – Clairemont:

Why? Well first off, the place opens early, 7am. I usually get there at about 800-815. There are always a few cars in the parking lot, but the place is pretty empty. This location of Henry’s is also only 3 miles from our house.

For what? Mostly cheap, basic produce. And the Missus always has a list of bulk items. The mid-week ad helps us decide.

Henry’s Farmers Market
4439 Genesee Ave
San Diego, CA 92117

Stop 2 – 99 Ranch Market:

Why? Next stop, 3 miles from Henry’s, and 99 Ranch Market opens at 8am. I’m usually there a bit after 830 (you’ll see why next). I hate crowds, and especially hate the shopping cart demolition derby that occurs later on in the day. It’s nice to see the parking lot looking like this.

At this time of the day you won’t have to worry about coming back to your car to find a whole new set of dings in your door.

For What? All the Chinese ingredients that are running low at home. Chinese greens, and other vegetables, the fruit at 99 Ranch is a bit disappointing. And if you want help at the meat or seafood counter you never have to worry about getting "hip-checked" by grandma…..

The empty aisles also allow for some nice browsing. No matter how many times I shop here, I always find something Id never seen before. I’ve mentioned my preference for shopping here at an early hour before.

"Chinese Spaghetti Sauce" anyone?

99 Ranch Market
7330 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92111

Stop 3 – Zion Marketplace:

Why? Only 1.24 miles from 99Ranch Market. Zion also opens at 9am…even on "Holy Days". This is one market that gets crowded pretty quickly, so I want to get in and out ASAP. I’ve been jostled, knocked aside, and almost run over by many customers here. I want my shopping experience to be as enjoyable as possible, not something akin to a blood sport. Plus, this parking lot is hell…even with the parking lot across the street. Seeing it like this brings a smile to my face.

What for? Zion always has fruit on sale, also the garlic is usually the cheapest and best quality, along with other produce. Of course there’s the panchan, and the meat. Among other things….

Zion Marketplace
4611 Mercury St
San Diego, CA 92111

Stop 4 – Nijiya Market:

Why?: 1 mile from Zion, Nijiya opens at 9am but is not as busy until later on.

What For? Most Japanese staples, some fish, one of the few places we’ll by chicken. Has always been our dependable standby.

Nijiya Market
3860 Convoy St Ste 109
San Diego, CA 92111

Sometimes I’ll drop by First Korean Market, but usually it’s.

Stop 5 – Mitsuwa Marketplace:

Why? .41 miles from Nijiya. I know it’s backtracking, but there’s a reason. Mitsuwa opens at 9am.

What For? Stuff I can’t find at Nijiya. I enjoy selection of tsukemono at Niitakaya’s little "alcove".

Mitsuwa Marketplace
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd Ste 119
San Diego, CA 92111

Stop 6 – Marukai:

Why? Marukai opens at 930, that’s why I backtrack. .34 miles from Mitsuwa.

What For? We get the monthly ads for Marukai, and because all the sale items are sold at LA/OC prices, they are pretty cheap. So we can plan on what we need from Marukai.

Marukai Market
8151 Balboa Ave
San Diego, CA 92111

Sometimes, I’ll hit Vien Dong on Linda Vista, and backtrack home on Genesee. Or like on this morning, I’m finished at 940…just in time for Costco…..

So, how have gas prices affected your eating and shopping habits?

So, what’s cooking this (long) weekend?

July 5, 2008 mmm-yoso Cooking, Recipes

It’s really nice when Independence Day falls either on a Friday or Monday. You really get to enjoy a nice long weekend. I usually do double duty on the first weekend in July….both to celebrate the 4th, and to celebrate Sammy and Frankie’s Birthday. This year, instead of grilling, I decided to stay indoors. I dropped by Iowa Meat Farms and grabbed a 2lb Beef Tenderloin. If anything, I’ve always gotten pretty good service at IMF, they cut and tied a tenderloin while I waited. I also picked up some beef rib bones for Da’ Boyz. At home I sliced off about one-fourth of the tenderloin, this was their share. I seasoned the tenderloin well, and seared it in my cast iron skillet, and finished in the oven. No rocket science, here.

While waiting for the tenderloin to finish, I smoked some corn in my stovetop smoker.

I had also browned the Da’ Boyz share of meat and bones, thrown that in the oven as well. Sammy, who really doesn’t care much for all the chopping, hacking, and pounding in the kitchen, going against character, kept hanging around. I think he knew something was up.

As much as I love Beef Tenderloin, I enjoy Beef Tenderloin sandwiches even more! So while I’m waiting for the beef to finish off, I prepped some Roasted Mushrooms. This time, I just used some white button and criminis. After mixing, I dumped it on a large piece of foil, made s double layer of mushrooms:

I folded up the foil into a little pouch. I also sliced 4 bulbs of garlic crosswise, topped with sea salt and olive oil, and wrapped in aluminum foil.

Then I started up on some mirin caramelized onions. Real easy stuff:

Mirin Caramelized Onions

2 medium sweet onions sliced
4-6 Tb Mirin
2-3 Tb White Sugar
2 Tb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Cracked Pepper to Taste

1 – Place onions is a cool dry pan.
2 – Turn heat to medium. Stir onions every few minutes.
3 – After about 5 minutes, when onions start to soften, add Olive Oil, 2 Tb Sugar, Salt and pepper, and stir.
4 – When onions have started getting translucent add 3 Tb mirin, stir turn heat down to low, and cover.
5 – Check onions and stir about every 5 minutes or so. When onions start getting "sticky" taste, and adjust flavoring.
6 – When onions are golden, soft, and "sticky" they are ready.

You can adjust the recipe for any number of uses…add garlic, butter, rosemary, oregano, balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper, etc, etc… I gave "ballpark" amounts, because they’ll have to be adjusted based on the sweetness of the onions.

So, even though I had a nice Beef Tenderloin Salad.

I was thinking ahead to today’s sandwich:

Some prepared Horseradish mixed with roasted garlic, a layer of beef tenderloin, a layer of mirin caramelized onions, some roasted mushrooms….

On Ciabatta I got from Bread and Cie. Topped with local tomatoes(from the Fruit Stand), onion sprouts, and arugula.

Of course while eating the sandwich, I was already thinking ahead. Hmmm, maybe a nice pasta with the roasted mushrooms and garlic?

We hope everyone is having a fun, safe, and delici-yoso long weekend!

Siem Reap: Morning at the Temples of Angkor

July 3, 2008 mmm-yoso Cambodia, Siem Reap, Travel

I know many have been waiting for more on the Siem Reap portion of our trip. The biggest problem for me is trying to figure out which photos to use. Over the course of our trip we took over 4500 photos, and discarded many. But we are still left with about 3700! But without further ado, let’s move forward.

We had no problem waking at 430 am in anticipation of our 520 pick-up. The combination of our still present jet lag, and our excitement over-rode our internal clocks. Our Driver, Narin was there to pick us up exactly at 520am. Narin seemed to be a very nice, mild-mannered, calm individual, and once the Missus started up with Her incessant questions(everything but "why is the sky blue") , Narin warmed up and started smiling a lot more. He took us to get our passes(with your photo), and asked us what we had in mind, and helped us plot out the day. And soon we were off. On some very good advice, we had decided on hiring only a driver. Drivers are allowed to drop off and pick-up tourists, but not enter the temples. Only official guides (costs $2000, + a test, + some, ummm, "connections") are allowed on Temple grounds. At every site you’re supposed to show your pass to the guards. Some are a bit more diligent than others.

The main reason for the early wake-up was for the sunrise at Angkor Wat. We looked for the classic shot of sunrise at Angkor Wat, from the pool on the Northwest side.

What this photo doesn’t show is that everyone else is trying for the same shot.

Even though we had been told by several people how annoying all the clicking of the cameras and jockeying for position was, we never did get that feeling. Perhaps deciding to visit during the hottest month of the year wasn’t too bad an idea. By this time we decided to extricate ourselves from the crowd, crossed over the causeway and took more photos of the sunrise.

Knowing that we’d be returning later that day, we quickly made our way back out to the car. we quickly arrived at Phnom Bakheng. Phnom Bakheng, situated up a hill(sometimes called, "The Strong Hill") was one of the first major temples built in the Angkor era, at about the 9th Century AD. It is believed that the first capital of the Khmer Empire, Yaśodharapura(City that Bestows Glory) was built around the Phnom Bakheng, by Yasovarman I. Due to the hilltop location, Phnom Bakheng is usually packed with tourists during sunsets. All this traffic has badly damaged the original stairways up the mountain, which are now closed off.

Instead, a trail wound it’s way around the mountain, and since it was still fairly early in the morning, the weather was still cool, and we only had the constant electrical buzzing of Cicadas to keep us company for the short walk up the hill.

Having the Phnom Bakheng to ourselves only heightened the feeling of awe and wonder.

And while the Missus was climbing about exploring, I just circled. I still had some reservations about walking on the ruins. And though I would get over the feeling that I was somehow a party to destruction, the thought was always hovering about in the background.

Because this site is elevated it is very popular during sunset. In fact, I’ve heard it’s downright sardine city! During the evenings you can catch elephant rides up and down the mountain as well.

The next stop, Angkor Thom. Many persons I know who have heard of Angkor Wat, believe that Angkor Wat is the only ruin in Siem Reap. They’ve never heard of the "Great City", Angkor Thom. In the 12th Century, the Kingdom of Champa, and the Khmers were at war. In 1166, the Khmer ruler Yasovarman II was assassinated, supposedly by one of his subordinates, Tribhuvanāditya. Sensing the instability in the region, the Cham, in war canoes crossed Tonle Sap Lake and invaded Angkor, destroying Yaśodharapura, and killing Tribhuvanāditya. under the leadership of the person soon to known as King Jayavarman VII the Cham were defeated and driven out. Seems that Jayavarman VII was quite the builder, and one of his greatest achievements was the centralized city of Angkor Thom. I’ve read accounts that have said that within the 9 square kilometers that comprised Angkor Thom resided anywhere from 100,000(low end) to over a million(high end estimate) people. After reading a bit more about Angkor Thom, I couldn’t help but admire the combination of practicality: the city was surrounded by walls 8 meters high, and huge moats, that provided water, as well as protection. Hard to believe from this pastoral scene, but I was told that they used to have the moats filled with crocodiles….for a bit of extra "insurance".

And spirituality: From accounts I’ve read, Jayavarman VII was a fervent Buddhist, so when he was inaugurated, so was Buddhism, replacing Hinduism. I’ve also read that when the Khmer fell to the Cham, so did their faith and belief in Hinduism.

The South Gate is probably the most famous entrance to Angkor Thom. The entrance portal was built to accommodate elephants entering the city.

The causeway to the gate is guarded by 54 "Gods" on one side:

And 54 "Demons" on the other:

It makes for quite a sight. You can read more on The East Gate, and on Angkor in general on Wandering Chopsticks post here.

For me, the one thing that always stood out, and what I consider to be sort of the "trademark" of Jayavarman VII is this:

Each head faces one of the four cardinal directions.

If that weren’t enough, our next stop was one of my favorites. The Bayon. From afar, it looks like a pile of ruins, with spires rising out of it.

But each of those "towers", holds 4 faces, each face has that mysterious, sly-knowing smile….the "smile of Angkor". According to literature, there used to be 54(yes, numerology is very strong) towers, but now only 37 exist at this temple.

The Bas-reliefs at the Bayon are also magnificent. They are carved much deeper into the sandstone, really projecting the various scenes. I’ll go into these a bit later on. We enjoyed The Bayon so much, we decided to return later on.

The temple consists of 3 enclosing walls and a top terrace, where the forest of towers reside. There are a few stairways, and one good metal staircase. You need to watch your step, some of the stairs are really worn down.

At the top you can get up close and personal with the faces. One thing I noticed, look through any window, and you’ll see at least one, or more heads. I’m sure this was by design. But it really gave me a strange and eerie feeling. The only feeling more strange than those provided by those enigmatic faces, was that in the back of what little grey matter still exists, I could hear the faint sound of a song:

"I always feel that somebody’s watchin’ me
And I have no privacy
I always feel that somebody’s watchin’ me
Is it just a dream?"

Egad! You gotta be kiddin’ me…..I’m standing among one of the great wonders of the world, and the best I can do is a "Bad 80’s" song by Rockwell?

Now for the, "yes we’re tourists, and sometimes we do cheesy tourist things" portion. The Missus had always wanted to do this…so for $10 a person, we rode an elephant around the Bayon. I was a bit concerned for the elephant’s sake, but was told that if this elephant wasn’t giving rides, it would be doing logging work. So I guess this is the lesser of 2 evils. So what about the ride? It’s bumpy, and really no big deal. We can now cross the elephant ride off our list….no need to do it again. We were also told that the elephants have set hours, with breaks. Must be a pretty good union…. We did see elephants trotting "home" for lunch. They can move pretty fast.

Our next stop was the Baphuon, just North of the Bayon. The Baphuon was built around 1060, and is still undergoing restoration. For us, the most interesting feature of this temple is the raised sandstone causeway leading to the temple.

It’s hard to see that the causeway is raised in that photo, so maybe this is a better one:

Here’s a view from under the causeway:

Next stop was the Terrace of the Leper King and the Terrace of the Elephants. The place was fairly crowded when we arrived, but we enjoyed the view, and the various amazing Bas-reliefs.

We took a walk across the road to Prasat Suor Prat, the so called "towers of the tightrope walkers".

The most popular story is that tightrope walkers walked on ropes tied from tower to tower. Another says that the 12 towers were used to resolve disputes. The individuals were placed in different towers, and after a few days the person who was in the wrong would become ill. To his day no one is sure.

Behind Prasat Suor Prat are 2 buildings called the Khleangs.

No one is sure what the purpose of these buildings are.

After walking about, Narin asked us if he could drop us off for lunch. One of his customers needed a ride to the airport. We would have lunch at one stands across from Angkor Wat, and than head on over to Angkor Wat right across the street. This wasn’t a problem with us. We just wanted something small to eat…the combination of excitement and heat had repressed our appetites.

The menu at this place was pretty extensive…but the Missus wanted…drum roll please! Yep, Fish Amok($8.00):

We had a large order, which was served in a coconut…all it needed was an little umbrella to complete the picture. Actually, this tasted much better than what we had at Khmer Kitchen. Much richer, and not as sweet.

And after having all of that very low grade rice in Vietnam, we really enjoyed the rice.

Of course, I was a bit distracted….because right across the way some "dancing girls" were calling to me…..