mmm-yoso – Page 518 – 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.

Cantonese Feast at Yummy Yummy in Yuma

August 19, 2007 ed fromyuma Chinese Restaurants, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

Hi everyone – this is ed from Yuma again. mmm-yoso!!! is Kirk’s wonderful blog, and he is kind enough (or lazy enough?) to let Cathy and I post here occasionally. I felt like sharing with you a meal that I recently shared with some of my friends in Yuma. Unfortunately for you, they got to taste the dishes, you just get to read about them. Sorry about that!

I can still remember a conversation that took place about seven years ago. I was waiting for some take-out from this nearby Cantonese restaurant, and I asked Mary, the proprietor, if they could make greens with foo-yee sauce.

"You like foo-yee?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and a quizzical look on her face.

"I love it," I lied. I had never tried it. However, I had just read at Chowhound that Jim Leff initially judges a Cantonese restaurant by ordering greens in foo yee sauce. If they could not make it, the restaurant was not authentic. If they could not make it well, the restaurant was not likely to make anything else very well either.

A week later, I opened my first carry out box full of greens in foo yee sauce. The pungent aroma of fermented tofu heavily laced with garlic rose to my nostrils in a scented steamy cloud. The greens were in a light colored sauce full of garlic chunks and smears of fragrant tofu. What a funky wonderful way to eat a vegetable. As it turned out, this was the true beginning of my relationship with Yummy Yummy restaurant and of my education about Cantonese cuisine.

Over the years, Mary has taught me about various Chinese greens and other vegetables, and her restaurant has served me hundreds of generally satisfying dinners and lunches.

Anyway, this last week I hosted a veggie dinner at Yummy Yummy for nine of my friends, most of whom have treated me to dinners and parties at their homes. This was my way of partially repaying them for their gracious hospitality without having to clean my apartment. Since I had just returned from San Diego (and the Ranch 99 market), I made sure that Mary had a range of interesting vegetables to prepare.

After we had opened numerous bottles of wine that we brought, and after steamed rice, fried rice, and a vegetable chow mein hit the table, the first real entree to arrive was fried tofu and pineapple in a sweet and sour sauce:

As usual at Yummy Yummy, the tofu was perfectly fried, putting a nice skin over the moist and tender interior. To balance the sweetness of this dish, the bitter melon in black bean sauce was served next (photo is a bit fuzzy):

While some of my friends are not very fond of bitter melon, I love this dish, and Mary has taught me how to select melons that are more or (as in this case) less bitter. The deep flavors of black beans provide a perfect foil to the smooth bitterness.

Two orders of vegetable egg foo yung soon followed. While not earth-shatteringly good, Yummy Yummy’s egg foo yung has a straight-forward, mild flavor. I had never ordered it until some of us got together for a similar feast last year, and one individual asked for egg foo yung, and I was reintroduced to a dish I only remembered from childhood:

In order to show off Yummy Yummy’s Mexicali style kung pao, I asked Mary to prepare kung pao squash.This restaurant’s kung pao is done with celery, baby corn chunks, and water chestnuts instead of peanuts to add crunch. While I usually have the dish with chicken, the squash was a good substitute that added to the various textures (sorry about the blurry picture):

Everyone thought this was a very tasty and spicy dish.

The next two dishes were two versions of yu choi (Ranch 99 was out of on choi and their long beans looked long on age). One of them was prepared with foo yee sauce, and the other with a ginger and garlic sauce (pictured):

Although both preps were good and showed off the fresh green flavors of the yu-choi, the greens with the foo yee sauce were the favorite of my friends. Considering that no one at the table had ever eaten foo yee sauce before we started dining at Yummy Yummy, it amazes me to hear someone say "wow, I love that foo yee sauce!" with a rich Texas accent.

Two plates of my favorite dish from the meal, tofu with fresh shiitake mushrooms, then followed:

The intense umami of the mushrooms is a perfect complement to the neutral tofu. In addition to the soft chewy ‘shrooms, the slightly bite resistent tofu skin, and the soft creamy interior of the tofu, thin strips of onion and celery added to the contrasts in textures and to the overall mouthfeel of this succulent and savory dish.

Tiny baby bok choi arrived next, their light sauce full of ginger slices and chunks of garlic. Again the cooking emphasized the freshness of the veggies, leaving plenty of cruch to match up with the softer green parts of the leaves:

The same wonderful baby vegetable then arrived paired with fried tofu:

For a bit of a change of pace, the spicy tofu was served with steamed tofu. Normally this dish would have had different vegetables, but I think Mary felt that she needed to use up the whole bag of shiitakes that I brought back from San Diego:

Amazingly, most of the spicy dishes at Yummy Yummy are created using a single dried chili pod from a type of chili that I cannot recall ever seeing elsewhere in a restaurant or a store (the pic is from another meal). Yet that single chili is perfectly capable of spicing up and flavoring an entire plate of food.

The final dish, egg plant in oyster sauce, was a fitting conclusion to the meal and tasted much better than it looked. The rich flavor and soft texture of the vegetable gave all of us pleasure:

I should note that most of these dishes are not regularly available at the restaurant. The menu simply notes "Chinese Vegetable" ($6.99), and normally only one or two Chinese vegetable choices are available at any time. But as you can tell, this restaurant is very willing to work with a customer (particularly a customer possessing a Chinese vegetable or two) to create wonderful meals.

I should also point out that this is not fancy food, by any means. Instead, Yummy Yummy prepares straight-forward, ingredient-centered dishes. Nonetheless, the 9 omnivores and the one mostly vegetarian person all left feeling like they had enjoyed a true gourmet experience.

I hope you readers and friends of mmm-yoso have enjoyed looking at and hearing about this meal almost as much as my friends and I enjoyed eating it. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s possible.

Yummy Yummy Chinese Restaurant, 2241 S. Ave A, #23 in Palm Plaza, Yuma AZ 85364, (928) 376-0419.

Red Berry-Frozen Yogurt on Convoy Street

August 17, 2007 Cathy Desserts, Stuff, What Cathy Eats!

Red Berry has closed.

Cathy is blogging for mmm-yoso today. Kirk is probably still at work. Ed is, you know, in Yuma. It's a short one.

Frozen yogurt. It is everywhere. Sold by the ounce. With and without toppings. Sometimes sold by the cup. Crazy flavors. Cool interiors of stores. Crowds of people.

Eh, I don't crave sweets, you know this. But I have tried quite a few of these places. They are almost outnumbering Boba places. But I haven't seen any with free wi-fi. I do eat yogurt, the 79¢ cream top incarnation from Trader Joe's and the Cream Top from Brown Cow when it is on sale.

I have gone to the very busy new Frozen Yogurt place next to Tapioca Express and Tofu House on Convoy street. Once. They sell it by the ounce there. I got one swirl of peach and one swirl of plain. No toppings. It cost $1.64. It was good, it was frozen yogurt, I remember Heidi's Frogen Yozurt. It was a trend in the 70's and 80's. Meh. I have no cravings.

Here is the latest incarnation: Red Berry.

It is in the mall with Nijiya Market, Shanghai City, some other places, and Curry House. You know where.

If you enlarge the photo you can see the signs on the door-free samples! Whoo hoo! We were there.

The interior is kind of really neat- cool tables, cool chairs, really cool lighting and a neat effect on the stainless steel walls.

Here is a peek at the menu. $3 for a small (plain) yogurt, $4 for a small with toppings- as much as you want- you can top it one time only- The topping bar was pretty extensive- lots of fresh fruits and some dry stuff ( I did not see Mochi, but did not look for long).*** I was just informed that there are indeed mochi available as a topping, but they look like marshmallows and are easily passed over***

We sampled the blueberry (nice, smooth and tart and richly flavored), the green tea (not much tea flavor- tasted almost like the plain – and did not try the strawberry or mango and ordered a small cup 1/2 peach and 1/2 plain. $3.

Pretty darn large. (that is The Mister's big ole' hand holding the cup). Pretty darn good-plain was nice and tart and the peach had a real/not artificial sweet peach flavor- slightly tart. I liked that it was more creamy and not 'gritty' as some frozen yogurt I have tried. Enough for the two of us to share before we walked into Nijiya.

Oddly, there was no tip jar. We asked. Nice young man working there. He chatted with us. The one time I wish there was a tip jar.

Red Berry, Inc. Frozen Yogurt 3860 Convoy Street, #106 San Diego 92111 (858)571-7947

There is another location in Newbury Park. It's a chain!

Islander Grill

August 16, 2007 mmm-yoso Guamanian/Chamorro

** Islander Grill has closed

So there I was, minding my own business, waiting for my Kelaguen bowl to arrive, when I decided to take some photos. I don't know why, but I had been under the impression that I'd already posted on Islander Grill. WRONG! I did a search, I found that to my surprise…….no post on Islander Grill. Now how did that happen? After digging a bit deeper, I found a few older photos….and here we go….

To say that Islander Grill is in an "interesting" location would be an understatement. The little restaurant is located in the Embassy Hotel on Park Boulevard.

I wonder how many people have done double takes, walking down this street lined with apartments, and St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church, home of the Greek Festival, when they run into this:

Yes, that is a large barrel grill right on Park Boulevard……..

The interior of Islander Grill is full of Guamanian knick-knacks, and presents itself as sort of a tropical-kitsch.

On this day, the restaurant was pretty well organized, with everything, including the Guamanian magazines and pamplets were in place. The service at Islander Grill has always been nice and friendly, and though things move at a careful cadence, I've always felt very relaxed here.

I'll usually just order one item at Islander Grill, the Kelaguen Bowl with White Rice($6.95):

Don't let the picture fool you, this is a lot of food. The Styrofoam bowl is stuffed to the gills with Kelaguen Mannok, packed on top of a generous portion of rice. I was first introduced to this dish featuring chopped grilled chicken, green onions, lemon juice, and red pepper by a Guamanian co-worker back home. During one of our "cook-outs", his visiting Mom brought over a tray of Kelaguen. This version really doesn't hold a candle to "Mom's", or even Santos's wonderful looking version you can find here. The Kelaguen at Islander Grill is also missing a key component….that would be grated coconut. What makes this Kelaguen tick, is the Finadene, the salty-slightly spicy-tart-sour sauce that brings life to the Kelaguen, or almost anything else for that matter.

As you keep digging away at your Kelguen, you'll start noticing a few things. First, you'll realize after a few large spoonfuls, that you've hardly even put a "dent" in your dish. Second, you'll notice that the heat will slowly get to you, until your brow is in need of some attention from some napkins. The Kelaguen at Islander Grill is served either cold or pretty close to room temperature, and with the hot rice, and Finadene, it is a winning combination.

Here are a few photos that were in "storage". This is the Combination #1($8.95):

A choice of 2 proteins, either BBQ Beef, BBQ Chicken, BBQ Short Ribs, and Pork Ribs, a scoop of Kelaguen, either Macaroni or Cabbage Salad, and either White or Chamorro Red Rice. Whew, that's a lot of food! Guamanian BBQ is on the mild side, and the meat tens to be dry….so much better for the finadene. This was so long ago, that I don't remember much about the macaroni salad, other than it was a bit too "pickly" for me. The red rice was fine….basically calrose rice colored with achiote, no onions or anything else to impart much flavor other than salt.

If you though this looked like a massive plate lunch, you wouldn't be too far off. Talk about needing a nap!

I recall that when Islander Grill first opened up, there were a few more items on the menu….various stews and such. But over time, the menu has been pared down to salads, fried items (i.e. Lumpia and Empanadas), BBQ, Pancit, and of course, Kelaguen. I've also found that even though the hours posted says they open at 11 am, on some days they don't open until noon. You'll need to find parking on Park Boulevard, which is not problem during week day lunch hours, but evenings and weekends can be a challenge. Still, if you need your Kelaguen, you know where to get you fix.

Islander Grill
3645 Park Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92103

Sakura for lunch

August 14, 2007 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso, the blog, is never on vacation. Cathy is writing.

Hi. This sort of is a repeat post, except I have never talked about Izakaya Sakura . Kirk has blogged the Bento Lunch recently. He has enjoyed a meal or two with Ed here and blogged it a few other times and all three of us recommend it to friends, co-workers and complete strangers online and, well, it is assumed and known that it is just good. The first time I met Kirk (and Captain Jack), it was here, for lunch… Gosh almost a year ago.

This is it-click onto the photo- see the "open" sign? That is all the outdoor advertising you will ever see here. Not on the large billboard on the street nor on the building (it is in the back of the parking lot where the Original Pancake House is located).

Very friendly, not too large, a limited menu- which they will give while explaining what is sold out already. They do have sushi rolls at lunch on weekends and the lunch menu is good until 4:30 on Sunday (opposed to 2 p.m. the other days of the week) and, as always, everything is wonderful and fresh.

We started out with a cold tofu appetizer ($2.50).

I forgot to take out my camera and had to re-assemble this beauty..three medium sized pieces of a firm, fresh tofu, topped with sliced scallion greens, a thinly sliced okra-like vegetable and some freshly shredded horseradish (tasted like wasabi) and surrounded by a lot of large bonito shavings.

I liked the tofu plain but then when mixing bites of it with the wasabi and bonito and onion (the okra like vegetable was not pickled, not salty..it was sliced thin but could be considered crunchy but otherwise added not much flavor-wise) it brought out so many flavors. It was just "fancy tofu" for me.

The Mister wanted something crunchy for his meal, so he got the "mixed tempura" ($7.50) Two pieces of shrimp and one piece of fish, along with

tempura’d green beans, kombucha squash, thinly sliced Japanese eggplant and onion. Light, crisp, fresh. Served with Japanese pickled veggies, salad with a homemade fresh ginger based creamy dressing,

rice, fresh made (hot) tempura dipping sauce and some really good fresh made miso soup. I assume the soup was made with a miso paste; it was so rich/deep flavored and had two small pieces of the firm tofu in it along with fresh seaweed.

I would like to add that piece of watermelon must be one of those Dulcinea seedless personal sized ones that costs quite a bit at the grocery store-it was packed with flavor. The Mister put it aside and saved it for us to share for dessert.

At this time of year, Hiyashi Chuuka ($8.75) is available. I had to…(in fact, I had to yesterday when we went to Chopstix for lunch…but I digress). Cold ramen noodles on the bottom in a light rice vinegar based sauce, topped with cold pork, bean sprouts, corn, shredded cucumber, sliced cold egg, ginger, fresh seaweed and top-topped with dried seaweed seaweed shavings and served on the side, a squirt of Kewpie Mayonnaise and hot mustard. You basically mix it all together and eat. Kind of upgraded leftovers and a real treat. When you consider I do not crave noodles yet I will eat this two days in a row…well, you know I must love the stuff. Oh, I got side of pickled vegetables also.

The one thing we always get at Sakura- night (Izakaya) or at lunch (side order) – is Karaage ($3). A simple, unassuming tidbit of 4 pieces of skinned chicken leg meat deep fried in a light flour breading and served in a bowl of fresh made sauce (not as salty as the tempura sauce) and a pile of shredded daikon radish. At dinner it is not served with the sauce, but I enjoy mixing the remaining tart daikon with the sauce and slurping it up.

That’s it. Lunch. Sakura. Good.

Izakaya Sakura 3904 Convoy, #121 San Diego 92121

La Playita-Mexican Seafood. Excellent.

August 13, 2007 Cathy Seafood, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

La Playita has closed

Other posts on La Playita can be found here, here, here and here

mmm-yoso never goes on vacation. It is a blog, you know. A blog about food. Today, Cathy is talking about what she ate. The other blogger guys are merely reading and enjoying vicariously.

Hello again. I am back and oh so happy. The Mister and I just had the most wonderful meal. In April, Mr. P. told me this place was great when I asked him about it and I merely stored that tidbit of information.

I could kick myself for not going to La Playita sooner. It is right up the street from Ba Ren, in the same parking lot as the Smart N Final on Clairmont Mesa Boulevard, in the back corner of the parking lot Lp_003 , closer to Limerick Street.

This is pretty much what it looks like inside-3 small tables and 7 stools at the counter…and lots of references to Pancho Villa, I am unsure why. You order and they start assembling and cooking. Basically, it is all seafood except for the corn tortilla quesedilla for $2.50, mentioned on a piece of paper taped on the wall.

We decided to be the token Caucasians and order in that way this first time, so the fish(0r shrimp) taco ($2.50) (also mentioned only on a piece of paper taped to the window and on the wall), was ordered. They had to fry it- an unusual sound – using the pan fryer and all. These two are the only fried items you can order.Correction- when it is hot weather out, those are the only two fried items you can order. When it is of a better temperature outdoors, there are several 'specials' on the wall listed that are pan fried and delicious!

Lightly corn meal battered slices of fresh red snapper (which is otherwise used in the ceviche) served on a single tortilla with tomatoes, cilantro, onion and some spicy, creamy orange colored sauce which is also made in store. Served with a home made hot sauce which is very good.

This is the menu on the wall. No take out menu and the website isn't quite working. (Click to enlarge.)

The medium Shrimp Cocktail ($7). We did not count how many large, juicy, sweet tasting shrimp were in here, but at least a dozen. They were barely cooked (i.e., not mushy) and nicely chilled. So sweet and quite large. The nice lady at the counter (mom?) put some what we thought were onions and shrimp juice on the bottom, then the shrimp, then more sauce, which was made of fresh tomatoes and their juice, cucumber slices-not onions!-, cilantro and lime juice. Perfectly simple and wonderfully refreshing. (The Mister does not like onions at all.)

Then, the reason I came- ceviche. This is the small ($5) tostada of "House" ceviche- Three sizes available, 4 types to choose from(could have gotten shrimp, imitation krab or the large ($10) size of ceviche tostada called "Super Crazy") and the House one is made with scallops. Scallops that are raw and only start cooking in the lime juice when you order and the ceviche is assembled. Fresh. For you. When you order. This small size is more expensive than other ceviche tostadas around town, but is definitely double the amount of seafood and tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro than you usually get elsewhere. No Jalapeño or onions, just fresh, crisp wonderful fresh flavors. By far the best I have had.

If you are craving Mexican Seafood, this is the place to try.

La Playita Seafood 5185 Clairmont Mesa Blvd, San Diego 92117 (858) 874-6484 . No hours listed. Website

Road Trip: Inka Mama’s Peruvian Cuisine – Foothill Ranch (OC)

August 12, 2007 mmm-yoso Orange County, Peruvian Restaurants, Road Trip

Recently, we had to attend to some business in the Lake Forest/Foothill Ranch area, and went looking for some sustenance. The sign and the words "Peruvian Cuisine" stood out as a better alternative to the various chain restaurants in the area. And since the Missus is now addicted to Cebiche, we just had to stop here.

Inka Mama’s interior is very well adorned in rich browns, and the two Servers, who appeared to be the Owners were very warm and friendly…practically oozing warmth. They literally couldn’t help themselves but dance to the music.

Of course the Missus started with the Ceviche (Cebiche Pescado – $11.95):

We had kinda wondered about the prices, since they seemed a bit high for the location, but the the portion sizes were quite large, and the Cebiche was no exception. I found the fish to be overly tough and stringy, and the Leche de Tigre ("Tiger’s Milk" – the Cebiche Marinade) to be extremely sour. I prefer more balance between the sour-salty-spicy flavors. I’m glad the dish was studded with Cancha (fried corn kernels). After a bite, I needed a big sip of Inca Cola($2) to clear my palate. The Missus enjoyed this more than I, though when She tried to drink the Leche de Tigre, Her face turned into a sour pucker, not seen since I told Her that I couldn’t tell the difference between Her Chanel handbag, and a similar knockoff…….

I had ordered the Chicharon De Pollo ($8.95):

This was an immensely tasty and satisfying dish on many levels. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs had been marinated in a garlic-lime mixture, than deep fried until the exterior was a beautiful brown color. The chicken was topped with a mildly biting, but refreshing Salza Criolla (Salsa Criolla/Zarsa Criolla), a simple relish of thinly sliced red onion, lime, cilantro, and some chilies. The flavor of the moist dark meat chicken and the relish was excellent. The various textures complemented the flavors well. So good, it’s worth another look!

The Missus ordered the Cabrito Norteno ($14.45):

This stew was made with lamb instead of kid, and is also known as Seco De Cordero, and Cabrito(or Cordero) al a Nortena. The thickened sauce is flavored with cilantro and garlic, and in this case the flavors were balanced out with the Sarza Criolla.

Served with a large portion of beans and rice, the Missus wasn’t able to finish….so I took over, and wiped the plate clean.

What about my entree? Well, totally against character(and possibly in response to the, "sheesh you’re so boring and predictable" comments from the Missus), I ordered something a bit different from what I’ll usually try the first time(aka Lomo…). I went with the Ajiaco de Pescado($13.45):

Described as Cod Filet seasoned in a spicy garlic chili sauce, this was not very spicy, and though I could taste some onions and cilantro, there wasn’t much garlic flavor. It was a very thin tomato based sauce studded with diced potatoes. The Cod was very dry, and tasted very fishy…even for me. I guess I had expected more powerful flavors.

Still, based on the Chicharon de Pollo, I’d say this was a good meal. If we visit again, we’ll definitely order that, and I’d go with some basic dishes…and maybe some fried ones. As I mentioned before, the service was warm and friendly…oh yes, and the Lucuma(Egg Fruit) Ice Cream was nice and refreshing. Funny thing is…..Egg Fruit grows in Hawaii! I had never had it, and would never have known, until I did a bit of research. I’ve seen these trees before, but never thought the fruit was edible!

Inka Mama’s Peruvian Cuisine
26676 Portola Pkwy, Suite B
Foothill Ranch, CA 92610
(949) 951-6262

Hours – Mon-Thurs 11am-3pm, 5pm-9pm
Fri 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm
Sat-Sun 1130am-9pm

A Brooklyn Pizzeria- on Mission Gorge Road; NY Style Pizza without the attitude

August 10, 2007 Cathy Pizza, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso, the blog, is back with Cathy talking today. Kirk and Ed are merely eating somewhere -one of them in California, the other in Arizona- so they, too, can blog soon. This is a fun hobby we have.

Hi. So, anyhow, The Mister and I were out last Sunday, looking for something cold to drink in the humidity that is "summer" (for all of two weeks) to those of us who now live in San Diego and were on Mission Gorge Road. We saw "yetanotherStarbucks" and stopped. A few doors down, this placard caught my eye:

This storefront was a Republican Party Headquarters for the 2004 election, and I never paid attention to it once "Frank’s Happy Chef" closed in the mall ( We really liked Franks- Greek and wonderfully fresh; it is now an Indian Buffet). There is a Souplantation in there, but the parking situation is kind of horrid since there are quite a few places to eat and it is within waking distance from two Kaiser Hospitals.

I stepped back and saw the signage with the not too original name (or so I thought)…"Pizzeria, Etc."

We ventured in and grabbed a menu.

I saw the name and website address "A Brooklyn Pizzeria". Hmmm. Other NY Style pizzerias sometime have "an attitude" with us. No names shall be mentioned here. You know where I mean, and I do like their pizzas.

It is not air conditioned inside, but we did not want to take a whole Cheese Pie home…and, they had salads on the menu (unlike my prior Favorite Pizza Joint in San Diego). We said we would eat in, ordered a small antipasto salad ($5.50) and a Cheese Pie ($11.00- $1 less than where we usually go) Of course all pies are the same 18 inch size and made in the NY style. There is a case of ready made pies, where you can order a slice or two at the front door, just like at that place with an attitude.

Nunzio prepared our small salad in two bowls for us- which was nice.

Not much lettuce (which I did not want anyhow but suspect we would have gotten more of if we got the salad "to go") but a provolone/capicola roll, some cut up mortadella and Genoa salami along with gardiniera, fresh tomato, cucumber, olive pieces, onion and a pepperocini, all tossed with a nice Italian dressing and topped with shredded mozzarella. Brought out to our table- nice.

The cheese pie. Again, brought out to our table, (unlike being set in a window with merely the toppings of the pie yelled out, so you can go and pick it up yourself, like at that other place). Nice, thin crust, good, salty, fresh tasting mozzarella with a very good, rich, tomato-y sauce. We did add oregano which was on the table.

When we finished, we went up to ask about dessert with the leftover pizza on the pan and Nunzio boxed it up for us.

This place serves excellent Pizza. (There is a daily special of 2 slices and a drink for $6) and somehow I suspect the sandwiches are great also. They also sometimes have Zeppoli (2 for $1), although not the day we were there. I *love* Zeppoli and can find it on occasion only at Solunto Bakery in Little Italy. The people who work here are all very nice and friendly and efficient. Try to stop by. You will like it and won’t get yelled at.

A Brooklyn Pizzeria 6171 Mission Gorge Road San Diego 92120 phone (619) 584-9000(fax) (619) 584-9004 Sun-Thurs 11a.m.-9 p.m, Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-10 p.m. website

Palominos #2-yet another (good) Mexican and Seafood Shop

August 9, 2007 Cathy Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is a blog. Today Cathy is doing the talking, because this is where she ate. Kirk and Ed are taking a break.

Hello again. The Mister and I have been sick, yet still eating, just not taking photos and therefore nothing to blog about. However, the camera went with us today when we met up at one of our easy dinner meeting places- Palominos #2 -located across Ruffin Road from the Registrar of Voters Office.

A simple menu with some outstanding food (click to enlarge).

You order, pay and then can load up at the Chips and Salsa Bar.

I kind of like all of the salsas for one use or another, either just to eat with the chips while waiting, or as a compliment to the various meats or seafood.

No real preference. All are outstanding. Fresh made daily.

We started out with an Al Pastor taco ($2.40)- one of the best al pastors I have had.

The pork has been in a deep rich marinade that has a little heat from the red chiles and I detect oregano and cumin in the moist with crispy edged pieces of meat and sweetness from pineapple. It is an excellent example of Al Pastor.

Since it was Tuesday, we got the Special for the day- chile relleños (or cheese tamales), rice and beans ($4.75-reg $5.99).

The chiles are fresh, not canned, the cheese is a very fresh tangy jack and the sauce has a subtle bite to it. They are made in house, fried to order and the batter part that is not covered with sauce is oh so crispy and fresh.

Sometimes I am in a mood for a crispy chilled taco and the shredded beef ones are what I choose($2.05 each). There is something about the shredded beef- must be the grease- that I so crave. Inside the freshly fried shell with some lettuce and cheese and some hot sauce…oh I sometimes *have* to have that crunch.

What I *always* get here, no matter what else we order, is the ceviche tostada ($2.99). Made fresh daily with more tasty fresh rock shrimp (rather than small unflavorful shrimp), fresh tomatoes, cilantro and onions (barely any jalapeño as some other taco shops use)…it is perfect. Almost always I am not the only one ordering this treat no matter the day of the week or the time of day. It is served with a bottle of Tapatio Hot Sauce on the side and a sliver of avocado…just wonderfully refreshing. Quality Food. Plenty of indoor seating and three outdoor tables.

Palominos #2 Mexican and Seafood Restaurant 9353 Clairmont Mesa Blvd Suite I San Diego 92123 (858) 292-8470 (Behind the Carl’s Jr.) Mon-Fri 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Saturday 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Sunday 6:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

For Those concerned about me getting my “greens”

August 8, 2007 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Korean Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

**** This location of Nozomi has closed

To appease those who are concerned about the lack of "green" in my diet (various garnishes excluded), I dropped by Nozomi on Convoy. As our very own Cathy mentioned in Her post, Nozomi is a Korean owned "mini-chain" of Korean-Japanese restaurants.

Now Nozomi is a pretty popular lunch spot, known for large portions. In keeping with these type of operations, Nozomi also seems to serve every single version of Westernized sushi roll known to mankind.

Not my cup of tea…but if it floats your boat…..

There's really only one thing I order at Nozomi, and I always call it the "Hwe Dop Bop", I think it's called the Chirashi(scattered) Salad on the menu ($11.45). It is a ginourmous salad bowl with mixed greens on rice, topped with a variety of medium quality fish…maguro, hamachi, sake(salmon), ebi(shrimp), tobiko(flying fish roe), etc….

Now I really wouldn't want any of this fish topping a piece of nigiri sushi, but in this case I'm fine with it. Why, you may ask? Well it's because I end up pouring a ton of the Gochujang based sauce (Cho Jang?) all over the salad. The drill is simple, you mix all the salad ingredients together, spoon into accompanying bowl, top with a generous amount of sauce, and have at it. Try not to let the sweat pouring off your chin, nose, and down your back deter you from completing your mission.

That mission would be to finish all 8 or so bowls of salad….. like Momma always said, remember to clean your plate(in this case bowl). On this day, the maguro was not very good…which meant more sauce. During a single meal, I will sometimes go through almost a half bottle. As for flavors, I enjoy the flavor of the mizuna and the peppery kaiware(daikon radish sprouts). The sauce while not the best I've had, has a mild sesame oil – vinegar flavor, it could stand to be a touch sweeter. If you really think about it…I'd still eat this without the fish(except the tobiko, which adds a nice crunchy texture), but hey, you need your protein, right?

I have seen 2 people splitting this, but on this visit I watched in amazement as a tiny Korean Lady polished this off, along with a roll. And she finished before I did! Well, I did get my greens, and also approached food coma status without the aid of gravy, red meat, mayo, or any of a number of fried items. Eight bowls of salad…..my body's going into shock!

Nozomi Noodle & Teriyaki
4637 Convoy St Ste 104
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 569-7773

Speaking of sushi…..during a recent visit to Mien Trung, I noticed this sign in the window of what used to be La Basil Thai. Looks like a sushi joint called "Sushi Diner" will be taking the spot of La Basil. But tell me…..are you ready for "Diner" sushi?

Monterey Peninsula: Passionfish Part 3

August 7, 2007 ed fromyuma American/New American Restaurants, Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!

I am sure that Kirk and Cathy are eating well and will soon share the details with the rest of us. Today, though, this is ed from Yuma focusing on the entrees at Passionfish on the Monterey Peninsula. Next time I post, I promise it will be about someplace different.

As most of you are able to tell by now, I am a fan of Passionfish in Pacific Grove. Not all of my meals of Passionfish have been outstanding; in particular, I can remember one clunker of a meal about five years ago. On some visits, a dish may not satisfy me as much as most dishes at Passionfish have. Nonetheless, three things remain constant at Passionfish. First, the dishes will be creative and often innovative. Second, the wine choices will be numerous and the wine will be priced close to retail. Third, the meal will represent an excellent dining value, particularly in comparison with the other restaurant choices in Carmel and on the Monterey Peninsula.

A major reason that this restaurant continues to lure me back again and again is that this is a restaurant with a vision. The couple that owns the restaurant, Ted and Cindy Walter, each has an important role in Passionfish’s success. He is the head chef, and she manages the dining rooms. The restaurant represents their personal passion and their individual dedication to the art and science of running a restaurant. Unlike so many restaurants that begin well and then go into a long declining phase, Passionfish has continually improved over the years. The dining rooms have been redecorated to make them more appealing. The chef is constantly working on new flavor combinations and keeping what he is most satisfied with and tweaking dishes that need improvement. In my third and final post about Passionfish, I want to share with you the most interesting and best tasting entrées I’ve eaten (or at least gotten a taste of) over the last couple of years.

While the emphasis at the restaurant is on sustainable seafood, the needs of carnivores are not neglected. My favorite entrée from the land has to be the duck confit ($17 last year, $19 this year):

It seems that ever since the restaurant opened, there has been a version of this dish on the menu. Last year, a moist, rich, and tender hind quarter of a duck was paired with succulent braised fennel and spicy chili potatoes. It is hard to believe that this duck has first been cooked in fat and then grilled because it is not at all greasy or oily. The meat literally falls from the bones. Braised fennel may be my all time favorite vegetable – tender, lightly flavored, and rich. The chili gratin potatoes add a nice contrast in terms of tastes and textures, while the Carmel Valley honey reduction provides a note of sweetness that helps bring all the flavors together.

Seafood, however, provides most of the entrées on the menu. I am continually impressed that the kitchen serves only fish and shellfish from sustainable fisheries; yet, at the same time, the menu will always has a wide range of seafood dishes to choose from. This year, for example, Steve ordered Alaskan sablefish crusted with pepper and accompanied by wasabi slaw and baby bok choy ($20):

The tender, perfectly cooked sablefish was moist and tasty, it’s mild flavor shown off by the intense black pepper crust. The accompanying items offered a wonderful contrast to each other. The julienned red apple slices in the wasabi slaw added spicy and fruity notes to the dish. On the other hand, warm sautéed baby bok choy contributed notes of fresh vegetable greenery. For added flavor, the fish was accompanied by a ginger vinaigrette, adding a touch of contrast with its sour spicy tang.

Another long time favorite at the restaurant is the barbecued shrimp with a spicy Vietnamese sauce:

Last year (as pictured) we had the dish as an entrée ($20); this year it was an appetizer ($10). The main difference is in the number of shrimp (eight or four) and the number of cabbage rice fritters (two or one). The shrimp are always perfectly cooked: moist and juicy inside and slightly charred on the outside. The fritters similarly showed the chef’s sure hand, the crunchy exterior completely covering the soft and moist interior. For contrast, the slaw here has strong lemongrass and chili flavors, hot and sour notes. The Vietnamese style sauce that literally underlies the shrimp also has spicy and tangy elements, but it’s more dominated by its touch of sweetness and garlic, with perhaps just a hint of fish sauce. This is a fusion dish that works extremely well.

On the same visit that Steve ordered that wonderful shrimp entrée, I had Gulf of Maine scallops ($23 last year, $24 this year):

To be honest, I have few memories of the broccoli rabe which was underneath the thyme risotto custard. And no memory of the risotto custard at all. But I hope I never forget those scallops as long as I live. That night, I got lucky – I hit the jackpot. Never in my life have I tasted scallops so perfectly prepared. How the chef was able to put a crunchy top and bottom on each scallop while leaving the center of each one perfectly rare and moist is beyond me. Frankly, I doubt if any chef could prepare scallops that perfect on a consistent basis. Each scallop tasted outstandingly fresh and was incredibly tender. I’m sure that the tomato truffle butter went well with the scallops, but again my only memory of that meal are those scallops because they were that good.

During my most recent dinner at Passionfish, I got to sample two very fine entrées. The first was tilapia with thyme mashed potatoes and garlic-balsamic vinegar butter ($18):

The picture here does not do justice to the dish. The tilapia was tender and mildly flavored. The mashed potatoes were soft and rich. The vinegar butter was an ideal accompaniment to bring together the potatoes and the fish. This sweet and slightly sour gravy perfectly accented the flavor of the tilapia and simultaneously cut through some of the richness of the potatoes. To balance the soft textures and complementary flavors of the fish and potatoes, the perfectly cooked (meaning still very crunchy) and extremely fresh sugar snap peas added a major contrast in flavor, texture, and color.

The other outstanding entrée that evening was wild Monterey salmon topped with coriander aioli over a cucumber, dill, and medjool date salad ($22):

Nothing I have eaten in my life really prepared me for the look and the taste of this entrée. The salmon was, of course, perfectly grilled – with a slight touch of char and a wonderful moist and flaky interior. The fish itself was extremely fresh and well flavored. I have learned to expect this at Passionfish. What amazed me that evening and still amazes me is the accompaniment to the fish. While the plate and the fish were both hot, the chunks of cucumber were cool as well as crunchy. The contrasts in taste, temperature, and texture were outstanding. The medjool dates provided a hint of sweetness and the dill added a background spice note, but both were secondary flavors. I assume the beautiful green color resulted from puréed cucumber skin (because I could detect no other flavors), and the resulting two-tone color scheme of the entrée made it almost as attractive to my eyes as it was attractive in my mouth. The aioli was truly a case of gilding the lily as its flavors of coriander and roasted garlic were certainly not needed to make the dish a tasty success. The salmon was rich and flavorful enough on its own, but I was not tempted to scrape the rich aioli off the fish. This was certainly one of the best and most original salmon dishes I can remember.

The only way I can properly end this look at some of my favorite entrées from Passionfish is with one of my favorite desserts there. This simple combination of good vanilla ice cream and unbelievably fresh and flavorful raspberries in a Cabernet syrup makes for a refreshing conclusion to any of the wonderful meals at Passionfish ($6):