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Sunday Sandwiches: Revisits to Pacific Time and Monkey Paw

September 6, 2015 mmm-yoso Cheesesteaks, Gastropub, Sandwiches

**** Both Pacific Time and Monkey Paw have closed

A couple of revisits for a nice leisurely long weekend.

Pacific Time:

I took the Missus and did a "drive-by" of Pacific Time when we were on our way to TJ's in MV. And was pleased to see that they had expanded their hours. So we decided to drop in.

It looks like the shelves are starting to be filled, there's a menu of cheese and charcuterie plates to go along with selections from the beer and wine bar.

They also now have a fairly decent selection of beer as well.

I enjoy chatting with the Cheese Guy here…he's so friendly, approachable, and quick with the samples. On this day we bought a couple, with Andante Dairy's Tomme Dolce being the crown jewel. It is a heck of a nice aged goat cheese.

As for the breads….well, it's that "Bread and Cie" thing….much too chewy and hard, but I do love the breads toasted.

I've also been dropping by for a sandwich now and then. My favorite previous visits is still the Spicy Italian ($9). Like I said, the bread that PT produces does real well toasted, when it gets crunchy and crusty.

Again, I loved the proportion, and that spicy capicola really drives the sandwich.

A few days later I ordered the Veggie Delight ($7). And while I ordered it on a baguette, I had vapor lock and forgot to tell them to add garlic aioli and press the sandwich.

While I like the combination; I still think it lacks zip and having the baguette untoasted made it a bit too chewy for me. It was basically a tug of war with each bite. I'll remember how I want this next time.

Really nice folks; it's good to see their business improving.

Pacific Time
5277 Linda Vista Rd
San Diego, CA 92110

Monkey Paw:

To regurgitate a passage from a post back in 2005:

" Almost a decade (now two decades) ago I had a conference in Philly, so of course I had to try a cheesesteak. A friend of mine took me to two famous stands, Pat's and Geno's both with a huge line and you had to kinda know "the rules", that is, how to order your steak, or you really got a hard time. Well I had this Cheese Whiz thing twice, nice, hot, and gooey, with the faintest hint of beef. And I thought, "what's the big deal"? But a funny thing happened; about two days later, I'm still in Philly, and for some strange reason I'm craving a cheesesteak. Now I've only had this once in my entire life, why the heck am I craving it? I ended up getting a cheesesteak in downtown Philly; wasn't much good, and it pretty much killed that craving. Until a day later, when I had a cheesesteak in Reading Terminal Market, this time with provolone, and I found my "cheesesteak". I'm convinced that there's somethin' in the cheesesteak; some insidious ingredient that after a short gestation causes an extreme craving for another cheese steak sandwich."

So…it was time for another cheesesteak and since it was a nice and rather balmy afternoon, a good craft brew sounded good as well. So I headed back to Monkey Paw. And got the Blairsteak, I'm just not a whiz kind of guy, plus you gotta remember, Pat's who claims to have invented the cheesesteaks did so in 1933…..taking the Whiz wasn't done after 1953, when it was invented.

First thing I noticed was…well, the price…was it always $13.75? Oh well, I wanted, nay needed, my fix.

Second thing, those really lousy waffle-cut fries were gone. Replaced by crisp, thin cut fries, perhaps bit too salty, but really nice with a dash of malt vinegar….and the good thing? They kept crisp the whole time.

As for the sandwich…well, the roll was perfect, I love that little gritty finish of the Amoroso. The flavors were all in line, from the mildly milky cheese to the beef, to the pyrazinic flavor of the green bell peppers. The cheese was gooey, though the beef was a bit drier than I usually like.

Still, it was just what I needed and now I can go another 8-9 months without one. Hmmm, this should have been one of those "What's My Craving" posts…..

Monkey Paw
805 16th St
San Diego, CA 92101

It’s Back to the Routine – Tiger! Tiger! and Toronado

September 3, 2015 mmm-yoso Beer, Gastropub, Pubs and Pub Grub, Salads

**** Both Tiger! Tiger! and Toronado have closed

I'm not quite sure why it took so long…..check that; I do know why it took so long to get back into a nice routine after our trip back in May/June. We ate so well that coming back was kind of a let down. But it seems like we've finally gotten back into a routine and Tiger Tiger and Toronado have again taken their spots in our rotation.

In terms of the beer selection Toronado is a favorite of ours.

I really enjoy Belgian's and they always have La Chouffe and a couple of dubbels/tripels so I can get my fix. Or perhaps a Pliney the Elder. The Missus can always find something She enjoys like a nice Flanders Red, a sour, or even like the 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon (you can now get cans at TJ's) which she loved.

But for some strange reason, She enjoys the jukebox here as well. It took a bit of time, but it's become a favorite of Hers.

Personally…I just want to see what's posted on the (e)ATM(e)…..

Toronado
4026 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

Tiger! Tiger!:

Well, I pretty much covered it before, so this will be mostly photos.

The first time we had the chilled melon soup, it was fantastic.

It was during the recent hot and muggy weather…..this was so refreshing. While follow-up visits weren't as good, it was still quite nice.

The Octopus Sandwich sounded interesting, but we didn't enjoy the bread and it was way over-dressed.

But the octopus was really nicely prepared, soft and tender and full of flavor. The next time around, I decided to order it without the bread and they served it as a salad. It was delicious.

Those pea shoots added so much texture and flavor. Unfortunately, we had this again recently and it was missing the pea shoot and the octopus was tough and rubbery….we didn't recognize the folks working in the kitchen, so I'm wondering if it was the 'B' crew?

One item that has been consistently good is a vegetarian offering (are you reading this KenB)….yes vegetarian. It's the Pickled Squash Sandwich. I know. It sounds odd. But take a look at this and tell me you don't want to eat it.

Some other stuffs…..

Like I said…..we've never really had the time to make it to the regular menu…..

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

Hope you're having a great week!

Suzy Q’s Diner (Escondido)

September 1, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Sandwiches, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read mmm-yoso!!! Cathy is writing a short post today. Kirk got caught up in something at work and Ed(from Yuma) is also crazy busy.

I somehow was on one of the one way streets in Escondido earlier this year, took a turn to try to find my way back to some sort of familiar landmark and was stopped at the signal light on Juniper at East 2nd and noticed this building. Eventually, I brought The Mister here, so we could try out the food. This definitely is an original building spanning the block. Now it is broken into separate storefronts: Suzy Q's, a small Mexican Restaurant, a Mexican Bakery (Panaderia Oaxaqueña) as well as a Laundromat. I couldn't research what it used to be, but did discover that Suzy Q's has been open since January and is family owned.The decor is 50's style with corresponding music being played overhead. The menu is kind of kitschy, with some silly names for items (the Jed Clampett omelet, Patsy Cline, Jailhouse Rock, Milton Berle, Ricky Ricardo, Mickey Rooney, Dean Martin, Patty Page…then again, these names may not mean anything to you. I digress)

I had low expectations, which were quickly dashed.Monte Cristo (chalkboard special, so no silly name) ($11.49). Wow, this was great. A ham and cheese sandwich on a hearty white bread, dipped in egg and fried, like French Toast, topped with some powdered sugar and served with some great blackberry preserves, fruit and a spinach salad. Quality, thick ham, quality cheese…really great.This is the 'Bye Bye Birdie' ($7.99). Holes cut into two thick pieces of white toast, an egg dropped into the hole and cooked to my request (easy); all of it topped with a really great sausage gravy. Served with Country Potatoes, and either bacon or sausage, this was another winner. A great meal. So glad I took the wrong turn and discovered this gem.

Suzy Q's Diner 258 E. 2nd (at Juniper) Escondido 92025 Closed Mondays. Open Tues-Thurs 7-3, Fri 9-9, Sat-Sun 7-3

Oh, Those Salad Days: The Man Salad – Iron Pig Alehouse

August 27, 2015 mmm-yoso BBQ, Gastropub

**** Iron Pig has closed

Man, it's hitting the low 90's here, even near the shore in San Diego. Nothing heavy for us….we just wanted a nice salad. My current favorite is the "Man Salad" from Iron Pig Alehouse. I'm not overly fond of the Barbecue here and the sauce is not really to my liking either. But put some of that normally dry and mealy brisket in a salad, with pickled onions, goat cheese, French fries (!), smoked Portobello mushrooms (something I've been doing for a couple of years, it's great), and arugula….suddenly you have my current favorite salad. It is indeed a "Man Salad" ($12.99).

What's nice is that the vinaigrette doesn't over-power any of the components of the salad and that it's not "over-dressed". It has that great sour-smoky-bitter-mild sweetness-saltiness that is both satisfying and refreshing at the same time.

Also, happy hour (3-6 pm Mon – Fri) with half off select beers is not bad either….though you won't be getting any discount on sours and Belgians…..though ordering a Staffe Hendrick Quad it was pretty over-the-top and perhaps not the wisest thing to do n a hot day like today. In our opinion there's two thing to get here…the salad and the smoked wings….though the wings have been much too salty on our last couple of visits.

Iron Pig Alehouse
1520 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109

So with the temps hitting the 90's….what have you been eating?

Poke Go

August 25, 2015 mmm-yoso Poke, Seafood

**** This location of Poke Go has closed

There seems to be a little revolution going on in LA and the OC…..poke, something I've eaten….well, being born and raised in Hawaii, basically all of my life has really gained a foot hold. Places like Poke District, North Shore Poke Company, Pokinometry, and of course Costco and Whole Foods, plus erstwhile food bloggers like Elmomonster, means that it's getting full coverage in the OC. It was only a matter of time until a shop specializing in poke opened here…….so, I wasn't surprised to read about one opening in Eater…though I'm not sure Hillcrest is the best location for it. Still, I was intrigued, so I headed up to Hillcrest to try out Poke Go.

Upon entering and seeing the owner; well, I cracked up. It was the guy who used to own Convoy Sushi and Fish Market, Moby Dick Fish Market & Grill, Ocean Harvest Seafood, etc….etc…. He does love creating new restaurants. The "concept" as he calls it, is quite simple, poke "bowls", called "platters" here, Korean influenced rice based dishes, as a quick stop is the objective. Select your fish, Ahi or Salmon (have you ever seen me eat salmon poke?), Rice (White or Brown) or Salad, and then your "spice" (aka da' sauce or seasoning), finally a "side" completes your "platter".

Of course, I went with the "Shoyu Hawaiian" style Ahi on White Rice with Mac (here called Tartar Macaroni) Salad. The menu price for this is $8.99, but during the grand opening period it's $7.99. So here's what I got…..

The first thought that entered my mind when I opened the cardboard carton was "wea's da fish"? This looked like a glorified seaweed salad with a few cubes of fish in it. There seemed to be maybe two ounces of fish in this thing. For the price, I didn't expect anything near, say what I make at home, or even what I make for the Missus. But it was decent, if not great quality fish. What I managed to pull out of the seaweed salad was on the bland side, nowhere near what anything in the islands is like. The sesame oil flavor permeated everything.

The "Tartar Macaroni" was terribly dry and not dressed enough as well.

I did return and to try the version with Kimchi sauce….."extra spicy" they said.

I will say that there was much more fish in this one. Plus, I really enjoyed (gasp) the brown rice; nice and nutty and it went well with the furikake. The fish was on the dry side and fairly bland as before; not too much "suji" (connective tissue), but still kind of chewy. It wasn't very spicy at all. There was kimchi at the bottom of the fish…..which looked like a lot; but one bite in and it was quite apparent that this was perhaps just a bit more than what I had previously.

I will say that the portion of "Kanikama" (surimi) was quite large, but I'd have appreciated a bit more effort in flavoring. I got full on that alone.

So here's what I think. If you don't mind getting full on rice, salad, and seaweed salad, with a few ounces of fish…then this will work for you. I'd gladly take it in place of a fastfood lunch. While this stuff would never fly back home. I've definitively had worse here in San Diego.

As to whether it's Poke "no" or Poke Go….well, you'll have to make up your mind yourself.

Poke Go
3614 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103

What’s My Craving? Kayaba

August 24, 2015 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants

**** Kayaba has closed

Every so often I get the craving for some Tonkatsu. And my go-to, based on price and execution is Kayaba. And so I headed to Mitsuwa Marketplace and waited my turn in line for my Tonkatsu ($8.50). What I got was rather surprising.

Notice how dark the cutlet is? Man, this was totally fried to death….and maybe beyond. The panko breading was hard as rock….it had separated from the meat during the cooking process. There were actually gaps between the breading and the protein, which by the way, was dry as heck.

Bad technique and poor quality control, what a bummer. I've usually had decent meals at Kayaba and I'm hoping this is just an off day. At least the potato salad was as good as ever….but I didn't pay like nine bucks for a scoop of potato salad.

Much like my previous craving, this one goes unfulfilled…….

Kayaba
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd Ste 119 – In the Mitsuwa Marketplace
San Diego, CA 92111

Bolsa-Mira Mesa (lemon beef salad time)

August 18, 2015 Cathy Vietnamese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Well, well, here you are again, looking at mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. Kirk is still overwhelmed with lists of things to do. Ed (from Yuma) has lists of places to see. Cathy is writing today, with a list of favorites.

It's about time for me to rotate locations and cuisine to Mira Mesa and Vietnamese. Bolsa has been located in this same mall that holds the storefronts of QT Pot and Tapioca Heaven at the SouthWest corner of Mira Mesa Boulevard at Black Mountain Road for more than ten years. Kirk wrote one post about Bolsa in 2008 and he didn't like the pho. Let me say that after 7 1/2 years, the pho here still is not the best. But so many other menu items are. The interior is always clean and we've always been seated immediately.The fried squid appetizer ($9.95) can be a meal or can be shared. Lightly seasoned and breaded and properly fried, the crispy batter combined with the tender squid is always a good choice.The version of cha gio ($6.50) are made with my favorite, rice paper skin. The deep fried egg rolls are filled solidly with a variety of vegetables and just bit of pork. Six are served with a good amount of fresh mint and lettuce; more than enough for wrapping. The nuoc cham dipping sauce here really has the sweet, sour, salty, savory and spicy hints of flavor that compliment the rolls.Then again the order of spring rolls ($4.25) are also multi vegetable filled, tightly wrapped in fresh rice paper with my preferred filling of pork ball and the accompanying peanut dipping sauce.Banh Xeo ($7.95) is ordered before opening the menu. The crispy sizzling rice batter, flavored (and colored by) turmeric needs some extra time to make. The filling of sliced pork, shrimp, bean sprouts and mung beans are all part of our 'ritual' of cutting up the savory pancake and placing a bit of everything on a piece of lettuce along with some mint and dipping the wrapped morsel into the nuoc cham sauce.

It's gotten to the point that one of the waiters merely tells us that they have begin preparing the Banh Xeo because they saw us in the parking lot…The version of chicken curry ($6.95) here is excellent. Savory with some sweet, the curry sauce is thick and always has such deep flavor. Served with a warm loaf of banh mi that is used to soak up the sauce after eating the (large amount of) chicken along with the onion, carrot and noodles that are in the bowl, this is a great meal, especially on a cooler day.The turmeric marinaded fish ($13.95) is so good. The accompaniments in the upper photo include lettuce, sesame leaf, cold noodles, peanuts and sesame studded rice cracker…but those are hardly necessary for the first bites of these fried thicker pieces of moist fish with a light turmeric seasoned crust and fresh cooked dill. The flavors of just those basic pieces could be enough, but I end up making small lettuce filled bites using all the other ingredients to continue the enjoyment of the flavors.Last summer, my obsession was lemon beef salad. The version here is called lemon sauce beef ($9.95) and is listed as an appetizer. The salad, with its lettuce, onion and mint along with some crushed peanuts and the lemon cooked thin slices of beef seems to be exactly what I crave on hot, humid days. However, I still seek out other versions, just to be sure I have found my favorites.There's also a 'Stir Fried Egg Noodle' section the menu. You can ask for the noodle to be deep fried instead of stir fried and sometimes (like rainy days) the crispy noodle, topped with a combination of everything ($9.95)…beef, pork, shrimp, squid and vegetables..along with the addictive flavorful gravy is just perfect here.

Bolsa 9225 Mira Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92126 (858) 693-3663 open 9-9 daily

The Village Kitchen (Ocean Beach)

August 17, 2015 Cathy American/New American Restaurants, Diner, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for stopping by to read this food blog named mmm-yoso!!! Kirk is again having a busy few days at work and Ed (from Yuma) is having a busy few days staying indoors, avoiding the heat (in Yuma). Cathy is busy writing a few posts about places where she's had a meal.

Late one overcast morning, The Mister and I drove West and spent a considerable amount of time looking for a parking space. We ended up about four blocks from the ocean on Newport Avenue near Sunset Cliffs Boulevard. This bright yellow storefront caught our eye.Standout bright yellow…and such a narrow storefront…but the building is deep. The restaurant has been in that location a long time. Mom and Pop…everyone in here seemed to know each other…a locals hangout. That's the ocean…you can see the American flag on the post that's built into the sidewalk at the edge of the beach, if you squint.Classic diner decor…breakfast is served all day, but there were some menu items that we were more interested in trying.The Monday special- meatloaf ($6.95). The slices of meatloaf were thin, but so flavorful… the color of gravy is a hint- carrot was used in the loaf and therefore the gravy, and there was not much bread filler; it was all meat. The potatoes and veggies were standard (and went well with the gravy) and the grilled toasted dinner roll was just enough bread for the meal.Asking if the chili was made here (and being unaware of the Ocean Beach Chili Cook Off), I was answered with a hearty "of course!". (Mental note: the OB Street Festival and Chili Cook Off occurs during the San Diego County Fair). I ordered a cup ($3.95).

Well. This was more of a soup-chili, which I grew up eating. It had beans, which is how Mom made it. All the right flavors were there. Nostalgia.What really caught my eye while reading the menu was the Stuffed Tomato ($6.75). Stuffed with a generous portion of Tuna Salad. A wonderful, lightly dressed, simple, made with good tuna Tuna Salad. Cutting up the tomato and having forkfuls with the lettuce, cheese and occasional pickle had some food memories triggered. This was a great meal…and I am on the lookout for Stuffed Tomato on menus…my new craving.

Village Kitchen Restaurant 4853 Newport Avenue San Diego 92107 (619)222-0151 Open Mon-Tue-Wed 7:30-2, Thur-Fri 7:30-6 Sat 8-6, Sun 8-2

Ice Blast (shaved ice plus) (Convoy Street)

August 14, 2015 Cathy Desserts, What Cathy Eats!

Ice Blast has closed.

mmm-yoso!!!, a food blog. It is just too darn hot for Kirk, Ed (from Yuma) and Cathy to eat much or to write about much. Here's a short post about a local place that's been in operation for about two years.

In the far corner from Phuong Trang, which Kirk and I have written about numerous times, and also sharing the same parking lot with Big Joy Family Bakery (which I've also written about more than once) is a tiny store front…which I thought was maybe a water store that also sold bagged ice. In addition, cc had written about Ice Blast after other bloggers had after it opened and I took it for granted I would be writing a post, yet never got around to it. Until today. It's 5 p.m. and 99 degrees outside. I can't think of any sort of meal at this point. Fortunately, The Mister and I are always adventurous and unafraid to walk into places…or at least peek inside windows. Let me just say that if you are eating by (or ordering just for) yourself, the "tiny" size is more than enough. The outlines drawn on the glass are accurate.

The instructions on the glass and on the wall are there to help you…Alternately, there are flavor combination suggestions on the wall near the register and in the menu booklet. Order, pay, have a seat.Really, I do have too many photos of our orders here, but don't want to bore you. That's Jimmy, the owner, in the photo above. He is patient, professional and very nice. He makes the syrup flavors used here. Tigers Blood (a combination of strawberry and coconut) is a favorite, but really none of the flavors is automatically dismissed by me when we stop here, I take a while to decide what I want to try that day. Above, a small ($3.15) Sourbomb (Lime, Lemon and Pink Lemonade, no toppings). Just a great combination of the more sour flavors offered.

You can have the ices topped with sour spray, sour plum powder (ling hing mui), condensed milk or Hawaiian salt, for free. We've tried all and each has its place, depending on the flavors you choose. The most recent visit had us trying the 'exotic' (to us) combination of cherry, banana and guava. In addition, we paid 75¢ more for a scoop of coconut-pineapple ice cream (and yes, it's Thrifty brand; my favorite-extra creamy, old fashioned ice cream).

Another locally owned, really great place.

Ice Blast 4206 Convoy Street 92111 (858) 430-6104 open Mon-Wed noon-9, Thur-Sun noon-10

Izakaya Kanpai

August 9, 2015 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Ramen

**** Izakaya Kanpai has closed

I noticed the sign of this place back in June. They turned the renovation around pretty quickly and opened a couple of weeks ago. I decided to check them out since they're located relatively close to both home and work. One thing I quickly noticed was the removal of the "Yakitori" in the signage….I'm guessing getting that robata thing straight might have been a bit too much.

Nice wide open space……

Cathy recently mentioned that all new restaurants are required to have a wood wall (which CC also mentioned). So of course Kanpai had to have one, right?

My server on both visits was a very gracious, friendly young man, from, if I recall Latvia. He was just perfect, great timing, and for some reason, reminded me of the kind of service we received in France.

It was way too hot for ramen on my first visit, so I ordered a couple of items from the menu.

I started with the Tsukune, because I was curious as to why the "yakitori" part on the sign was removed.

This was on the tough and rubbery side. The flavor was quite mild. The tare was different, sweet with some mild spice, more like teriyaki in texture than a traditional tare.

Like that wood wall; it seems like all "New Japanese" have some kind of Pork Belly Bun on the menu.

In terms of flavor the pork was decent, on the waxy side and cold, but ok. I think heating this up a bit more, getting some caramelization on the pork would make this better. The bun was cold and dry and this seemed a bit slapped together.

I also ordered the Katsudon; you know the iconic katsu (in this case chicken katsu), egg, tsuyu, onion, scallion, and rice bowl. What I got made me laugh…….it was literally "Katsu – Don".

No egg, no tsuyu, no onions/scallions……..just overcooked chicken katsu; hard and dry….and overcooked rice….hard and dry. For some reason I just found this quite funny. Like someone figured out what "katsu" and "don" meant in Google Translate and took it literally.

Overall an interesting meal. I really liked the service, it was so very open, seemed really interested in my opinions, after a while, you can usually tell if someone is sincere when they ask for your opinion of the dishes. I did find out that the owner of Kanpai also owns Fish Attack.

With that in mind, I decided to return for lunch. On the menu there was a "special combination" menu which is ramen along with a rice bowl.

So I went with Tonkotsu Ramen with Karaage Don.

Beyond the standard Sriracha-mayo, this was good. The chicken was perfectly fried, light, crisp, not too salty, with a slight savory backbone. The rice was perfect this time around. I'd easily have this again.

I'd consider this, with consideration as a work in progress, as lower second tier ramen. The egg was fine; in fact much better than what I'd recently had at RakiRaki. The Chashu was decent. The noodles were typical wholesale ramen noodles and were overcooked. The broth was an uneven mixture of tonkotsu base with shoyu. It was much too thin, definitely lacking in richness, though the temperature was good.

I really liked the service, the folks here seem eager to please. I'll check back in a couple of months to see how the menu, and hopefully the food has evolved.

Izakaya Kanpai
5430 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117