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Tea Station- a quick lunch

July 27, 2011 Cathy Chains, Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Welcome! You have found mmm-yoso!!! a blog. A food blog. Kirk usually writes here, but he's busy with his job. ed(from Yuma) sometimes writes here, but he's busy with vacationing. Today, Cathy is writing here because she isn't that busy.

Hi. I blogged about Tea Station, in the middle of another post in 2007, when I had just become aware of Tea/boba type snack houses. Since then, The Mister and I try to take the time to stop for small meals and/or snacks when we are out and about. For the record, I still think of boba as being large snots and just don't order those large chewy masses of tapioca…

A few weeks ago, we went to Tea Station and noticed it had expanded into the next store front.
So we sat in the new area. It looked like it can seat about 50 people, plus the area out front can have more tables. The beverage bar is a few steps down, in its original location and the seating there is the same (about ten four person tables).

Tea Stations are franchised, all the locations seem have the same inventory and menu. The beverages to choose from include, hot and cold, tea- regular, fruit. flavored and milk, coffees, milk drinks, snow ices, jelly ices and healthy drinks. This time, we decided to try a small pot of the Rose tea ($4) . It came with two cups.

The tea both smelled and tasted of roses, yet had a deep strong undertone of black tea. Different and very good. It was perfectly brewed before being brought to the table.

The menu is divided into Snacks, Meals and Noodles. We decided to try a 'New!' item from the snack menu- fried squid balls ($5.25). These were quite substantial, meaty/chewy in a good way, had a light breading, were lightly fried, not greasy and enough spice to make them just right. I hope they remain on the menu.

We also decided to try the Tea flavored mushroom pork ($8.25). This came with rice and three side dishes (which vary daily). There are small mushroom pieces in the shredded pork and gravy, which has a mild tea flavor, but you can taste the meat flavor. The gravy was thick and tea/mushroom flavored. This day two of the side dishes had meat in it ground pork (or chicken) mixed with stir fried bok choy, the other with shredded pork and various vegetables and the third was room temperature pickled vegetables. Each side had its own flavor and in a larger serving, each could have been a meal with rice. Very refreshing and complimentary to the main dish.

Even though the plate seemed to be expensive, it came not only with those delightful side dish additions, but also a beverage choice of: hot or cold, black or green and with or without milk tea. This is a cold green tea milk and it tasted very nicely strong of green tea as well as milk.

All in all, a very nice relaxing light snack/lunch.

Tea Station 7315 Clairmont Mesa Boulevard San Diego 92111 (858) 268-8198 Open 7 days 11:30 a.m.-12:00 Sun-Th, until 1:00 a.m. on Fri and Sat Website

Bayu’s: Ethiopia in Hillcrest

July 18, 2011 ed fromyuma Ethiopian/Eritrean Restaurants, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!

This is mostly Kirk's foodblog. Sometimes Cathy blogs here too. Today's blog is by ed (from Yuma).

I was in SD on my own because Tina was stuck in Yuma working and taking care of our new, irresistibly cute rescue dog Chloe:

My plans were up in the air – so many enticing dining options that my mental palate couldn't decide.

Then right there on University just before I was going to turn left to get on the 163 going north, I spotted an Ethiopian restaurant, Bayu's:

So a decision happened. I remember my first Ethiopian restaurant about 30 years ago in Portland, Oregon. The exuberant and friendly owner told stories about diving for cover during World War II when the Italian fighter planes strafed his home village. He made it seem like a child's game. Between his stories and the food, it was a totally different restaurant experience.

And the food – the sourish gray pancake covered with a lamb shank stewed almost to disintegration in a dark and fiery sauce full of spices and flavors I had never encountered before. My mouth burned in a really good way.

In any case, I am still a sucker for Ethiopian food even though most other Ethiopian restaurants don't live up to my original memory (memory is like that sometimes).

Bayu's is a very clean and attractive space with tasteful decorations and pleasant Ethiopian music playing in the background:

Upon entering, I was greeted by a friendly and pleasant hostess who would also be my server. While I quickly located a sampler platter on the menu, it was interesting to watch and listen as she explained the cuisine to some newbies – trying to be as accommodating to their requests and desires as possible.

I ordered the giant combination, called Taste of Bayu's. At $26.50, it was certainly the most expensive item I've ever ordered at an Ethiopian restaurant. What's more, the meal would be gigantic, more than I could possibly eat, but I could sample a range of this restaurant's dishes.

I also tried a bottle of Ethiopian beer, which the helpful young woman explained went well with Ethiopian food:

She was right. Although the beer by itself tasted rather sweet and bland, it paired nicely with the cuisine.

Before I describe the meal in more detail, I should explain about injera:

This is the national bread of Ethiopia. Is a fermented flatbread made from a grain called teff. This grassseed is gluten free so the bread does not rise. When the dough is placed on the flat grill, it bubbles like a pancake. Unlike a pancake, is not flipped over, so one side is flat and smooth and the other is like a sponge. The meal came with this basket full of cool injera rolled into cylinders (I have no idea why injera is never served heated).

But injera is not just a bread, not just a starch; it is also the main utensil. When eating Ethiopian food, you tear off a piece of injera and use it to scoop up your food and place it in your mouth. In addition, Ethiopian meals are presented on large round discs of injera. The bread then is knife, fork, and plate.

My order of Taste of Bayu's came to the table looking like this:

The meat dishes were on the left and center - the vegetarian dishes around the right side.

Best way to describe the meal is to proceed clockwise with additional pictures when they are helpful. Starting at 12 clock, we have misir wat, spicy lentil stew. I grew up eating lentils and almost never dislike a lentil dish. Here the flavorful pulse was enhanced by Ethiopian spices including ground dried chilies, giving the dish a nice moderate heat level.

Right next to the lentils was atakill, curried split peas. The pair of legumes presented a definite contrast in look and color:

The contrast went deeper. The peas had a chewier texture and a robust and earthy flavor profile – with just a light kiss of curry spices.

The next item, atakik alech, was probably my least favorite of the night. Nothing wrong with it, but the potato/carrot/cabbage combo was plain and ordinary. Of course, if you like those basic flavors, you would think of this is a natural and straightforward presentation:

The three items between four o'clock and six o'clock are usually served together as special kitfo, and they did make a nice group of flavors, textures, and tastes:

The meat was finely chopped beef cooked in butter. Its flavor was very meaty, though there was a touch of greasiness left on my tongue. On its right is ayib, translated Ethiopian cottage cheese on the menu. But in some ways it reminded me more of a cotija or perhaps a feta, drier and saltier than most conventional American cottage cheeses. The greens, gomen, are chopped and stewed collards. Minimally spiced, they were nicely prepared – not overcooked at all. The flavor of the collards spoke spoke to me without an interpreter. While each of these three items was uniquely itself, they complemented each other well. One intensely meaty, one simply cheesy, and one greenly vegetal. I understand why they are often served together.

The next item – to the left of the kitfo – was one of my favorites that evening. Called sega tibs, it is a complexly spiced rich beef stew, each chunk still having some chew and a lot of beef flavors. It deserves a close-up:

The next two items were sega wat (spicy beef stew) and yebeg alecha (mild lamb stew). In contrast with the tibs, both of these meats were cooked to a soft stewed texture.

The central item on the plate was doro wat or spicy stewed chicken with boiled egg:

This centerpiece was a little disappointing to me. There seem to be as much boiled egg as chicken. And the sauce, while flavorful, wasn't as intense or as fiery as I have had other places. To be fair, one poster at Yelp complained that the chicken stew was inedibly hot, so maybe Bayu's has toned things down a bit since then.

For me, the tomato salad sort of thing at the top of the platter was extremely successful:

While some sort of salad is usually included in Ethiopian combination plates, those salads are often bland combinations of chopped lettuce and tomato. Here, however, the diced onions and tomato had been tossed with some sort of vinegar, making the salad an excellent and tangy palate cleanser. I loved it.

One great thing about Ethiopian food is that the injera on which the dishes are served soaks up sauces and juices throughout the meal:

While you can use pieces of the separate rolled injera to pick up morsels of meat and vegetables, I prefer to use the injera on which the items are served. While that is certainly the messier option, it is also the juicier option. And I am not embarrassed to lick my fingers, particularly when they taste this good.

Overall, my experience at Bayu's was a positive one. I would happily return. The atmosphere and service were excellent. While it would have been nice to have some berbere paste available on the platter or on the side to add fire, the spicing was generally satisfactory and complex. It would also be interesting to try some of the dishes that are not on the combination plate, like creamy tasting shiro (ground peas), a different lamb dish (spicy stew or lamb tibs) or even gored gored, a raw beef dish. Because of the friendly and helpful service, Bayu's would also be a good restaurant for folks unfamiliar with Ethiopian cuisine.

Bayu's Authentic Ethiopian, 530 University Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103, (619) 546-0540.

Tijuana (100%) Seafood Bar Mariscos La Cacho (Ambiente Familiar)- Chula Vista

July 12, 2011 Cathy Seafood, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! It’s a Blog O’ Food. Kirk is resting today after our week or so of crazy heat. ed (from Yuma) is also relaxing with his local temperatures being ‘only’ in the 90°’s, in the evening. Cathy did manage to head South and eat, photograph, download and is now checking in with a short report.

Last week, The Mister and I happened to be in Chula Vista and we were hungry. I vaguely remembered Kirk’s visit to a Mariscos food truck that had it’s own parking space in a lot on Main Street so turned West from Third Avenue on to Main. Before the next corner, we saw this sign.

I passed by. Cars were parked in front and on the side street (Fresno). At the next corner, I turned and drove back around the block. I had to. This was the side view of the building from the crumbling parking lot:

Parking lot was full at 12:30 pm. It was a Thursday. I figured this must be good. The mariscos truck could wait.
We walked in and seated ourselves kitty corner from the front door. We had a view of both televisions (showing soccer games) and of the kitchen area across the bar. No air conditioning. We were handed two menus- one in Spanish and one in English. Great atmosphere.

A basket of crackers and tostadas, some limes and the container with spoon of hot sauce (which pretty much was Sriracha) was brought to the table.

We ordered and soon items were brought out as they were ready. The marlin taco ($4).
A fresh cooked (large) corn tortilla that had a layer of melted Mexican cheese filled with the warmed smoked fish which was sauteed with onion and mild chile. Perfect. Not too salty (as I have grown to dislike) and with a mild smokiness. We both really liked this.

The 99¢ fish taco was excellent. A large piece of fresh flaky white fish dipped in egg batter and fried to a light and perfectly crispy/not at all greasy crust. Topped with cabbage and chopped tomatoes and a bit of sauce. Our waitress seemed surprised we ordered only one. But we were trying a bit of everything.

Here’s everything else we ordered…
The fish ceviche tostadas were advertised on the walls and doors and almost every table as ‘buy one get one’, so for $2.50, we got the fresh made fish ceviche overflowing on two small tostadas. Really fresh and with just enough touch of heat in the sauce.

This was the medium shrimp coctele. ($9). Fresh made with cucumber and mild onion, topped with avocado. It was good, the shrimp were pretty large. I am spoiled by the $8 salad bowl of shrimp cocktail I can get from my local taco shop in Santee. Let’s just say there were not 23, 20 or 15 shrimp in the cup. (That Corona was $3.50)

This. $2. Looks like machaca– because it is. A manta ray machaca taco. That’s what was written on the menu. Since machaca is traditionally made with dried beef or pork, I assume this devilfish was dried then rehydrated. Or maybe it wasn’t. It was soft and had a nice ‘tooth’. Not fishy. It was stir fried up with some egg, onion and green pepper- or maybe a mild green chili. It had a really good flavor and almost pork belly texture for me.

The sign out front, the receipt below and the name listings online are all different. You’ll be able to find the place. When we left and headed West, we saw the La Prieta Mariscos truck on the left, about three blocks West. Next time…

Seafood Bar Tijuana 100% 3120 Main Street Chula Vista 91911 (619) 422-2287

Saturday Stuffs: Luong Hai Ky returns to Convoy and La Playita tries to bring me back from the dead.

July 9, 2011 mmm-yoso Cooking, Mexican Restaurants, Seafood

**** Both of these restaurants are no longer in business

Luong Hai Ky returns to Convoy:

Friend of yoso "Yummy Yummy" told me about this one. Luong Hai Ky has returned to Convoy street in their original location. I guess business just wasn't "phat" enough for Phat Restaurant. It never a good sign when a place goes from menu to buffet…..

Though I don't think the food at LHK ever reached the same heights after the original owner passed away, it still served a decent bowl of egg noodles soup. I had thoughts of dropping by, but it was just too darned hot this past week.

Luong Hai Ky Restaurant
4633 Convoy St Ste 107
San Diego, CA 92111

La Playita tries to bring me back from the dead:

Figuratively of course….. that's the Vuelve a la Vida ("Back to Life" – $13). Man did this hit the spot… and actually brought me back to life, if only for a short while. The version at La Playita is tangy and a bit sweet….I suspect from ketchup, but I'm not complaining, as there's a generous portion of seafood. It could be a bit more "picante", but I usually add a bit of hot sauce to fix that.

You can find Cathy's posts on La Playita here and here.

La Playita Seafood
5185 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117

So how'd you deal with this past weeks heat?

Frankie has his own way off letting me know he's hot….. he lies flat on his side on the floor, usually in the middle of the living room with his tongue sticking out…. quite subtle, don't you think?

Happy Hour at The Dragon’s Den

July 7, 2011 mmm-yoso Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Chinese Restaurants

**** The Dragon's Den has closed

I've been "wrassling" with my my thoughts about the Dragon's Den since going there for "happy hour" last week.

Ever since I heard that the owner of the now closed Shanghai City was opening a restaurant downtown with Dumpling Inn as one of the partners, I've been quite…. well, curious might be the right word. I wondered what the menu would look like since the word "fusion" was bandied about. Once the place opened, I checked out the menu, and yes, there was stuff that would make PF Chang's proud like Lemon Chicken and Lettuce Wraps, the inevitable seared Ahi… and even…a sushi bar! But still, the menu's soul looked very Chinese, with English translations of course…jiaozi were of course dumplings, Niu Rou Chuan was Beef Brisket and Hoisin Green Onion Wrap, and Xiao Long Bao…… were Xiao Long Bao! Looking at the menu online, I decided that perhaps happy hour might be my best bet. So, I recruited two of my favorite FOYs (friends of yoso), PeterL and his lovely wife Angela, both have been on road trips to the SGV, and and Peter just can't seem to get enough Niu Rou Chuan. There were just two conditions. Based on the location, there was no way I was going when the Padres were playing at home…. and I sure as heck wasn't having no sushi!

The location of the restaurant is fantastic….literally right across from Petco Park.

The Padres were out of town on this day, so the bar area was open when I arrived, and the bartender, a very friendly and pleasant young lady told me to just sit where ever I wanted.

There are about six beers on tap and San Diego microbrews aren't really represented, other then Karl Strauss.

I had some time to check out the menus while waiting for Peter and Angela…… so here you can see what I saw.

The Happy Hour menu is pretty sushi heavy. Pardon the jailhouse look, but based on our meal I found it somehow appropriate.

I think I need to apologize to Pete and Angela because I'd pretty much picked out what we were eating before they arrived.

I have a hard time resisting Salt and Pepper Chicken ($6 happy hour priced):

I can understand using white meat chicken….. I suppose there's a thought that the general public prefers white meat to dark. But I don't think that, if someone is going to order something battered and deep fried that they'd want a gummy coating that seemed to have been fried at a temperature too low. The seasoning, while restrained would have been passable had the chicken been fried properly.

The Xiao Long Bao ($6 – not happy hour priced) proved to be somewhat (unintentionally I believe) humorous.

These actually looked like the XLB from Shanghai City…. while the wrapper was always too thick, and the fold at the top was too hard, I always preferred them to the version at Dumpling Inn…. such is the sad state of XLB in San Diego. Don't even mention Chin's which I believe gets their XLB frozen from LA! What was really funny is that we were provided with forks and knives….. really….. I'm going to eat a Bao with soup in it with a fork and knife??? That, combined with the obvious lack of soup in the XLB (at least they weren't broken), made me wonder what folks who hadn't had XLB before would think upon eating this? No wonder they thought Dumpling Inn was so good! I asked for spoons, and after an odd look, got regular spoons. Actually, the flavor of the filling wasn't bad, slightly sweet, but there was almost no soup…. I guess maybe we didn't need spoons after all?

Next was the Shrimp and Chive dumplings ($6 – not happy hour priced). Over the years, my "enthusiasm" for jiaozi has been subject for some funny emails and comments…. I've been called the "dumpling Nazi" and parodied in some comments…..which I think are quite funny. But this time, I think the photos speak for themselves.

It's quite telling that we each had only one jiaozi a piece. I had thoughts of just posting photos…. but I think quotes from others will do just fine. Peter, "man, this is pretty bad, it's really gummy…" We took the rest with us when we left and met TammyC and YY, letting them each have a taste. TammyC said it best; "what is this, fish? The stuff in the package with the panda on it is better than this!" 'nuff said…..

The one item that looked really good was the Beef Brisket Green Onion Wrap (Niu Rou Chuan $5 – happy hour price). I can understand the less oily dan bing. it was indeed thinner and more crisp.

It was not bad overall. If I had to go with one item, this would be it. Too much hoisin, not enough bite, beef a bit too dry…..but not bad overall.

I realize that places like Dragon's Den are perhaps not designed for me. But I really don't think I ask for much and I also believe that when one is doing fusion, it doesn't mean safe and dumbed down; there are places that already do that. To me it means taking something to that next level… being creative and moving things forward. To paraphrase a very popular tune, "perhaps I'm more Atari, and this is X box", but I think it's more Commodore 64.

And yet, in the end, I do have a nice recollection of my time in the Dragon's Den. You remember that young lady with the short blond hair who was bartending? She made time to talk to everyone since it wasn't too busy, and she seem to know the regulars. But what impressed me was when she saw two dogs passing by who looked like they were overheating, she called to the woman walking them and brought the two dogs a bowl of water….. in my mind that almost made up for the jiaozi…. almost.

The Dragon's Den
315 10th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101

Troy’s Greek Restaurant-breakfast

June 30, 2011 Cathy Breakfast/Brunch, Greek Food, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is a foodblog wherein Kirk writes most of the postings here, but he can't write today because he is busy. ed(from Yuma) also writes quite a bit, but he isn't writing today, because he is lazy. Cathy writes a good part of the posts here and apparently has some free time today.

Hi. A few months ago, when I was going to Kaiser Hospital, I saw a guy spinning an arrow sign on Mission Gorge Road at Zion at the far corner of the mall. It's the same mall as Carl's Jr., Ra Ka De Ka, San Diego Brewing Company, Saigon Star, the newest Gaglione Bros location, Starbucks, Rubios and Einstein Bagels. The sign was advertising breakfast at Troys Greek Restaurant (which is not to be confused with Troy's Family Restaurant, which is in the Clairmont Square).

While The Mister and I have enjoyed several lunches and dinners at Troy's, breakfast wasn't one of those meals.

The restaurant looks 'dressed up' for breakfast, with a fresh flower on each table.

The menus are under the glass covering the table cloths. One thing I noticed was the price point. None of the breakfast choices is over $6.95.

Greek gyros and eggs ($6.95). Eggs were poached perfectly. There was a good amount of gyros. The accompanying warm pita bread, tomatoes and Feta cheese made this a nice breakfast, or early lunch.

I do realize that Kirk will be posting about his vacation in Greece and that breakfasts there are nothing like this. In fact, after having a 'sneak peek' about the Greek part of His and His Missus' vacation, I may never bother with this common restaurant gyros again. However, I do want to stress that this meal at Troy's Greek was very good, very fresh food.
The Village Omelette ($6.45). I was curious as to the description of the omelette including sausage. It was sausage links that were chopped and added along with Feta cheese, tomatoes and onions into the nicely cooked eggs. This was accompanied by home fries and a side of warm pita bread. I never have considered adding chopped sausage links in with my omelettes at home, but now I will. The sausage with Feta, onions and tomatoes was a nice blend of flavors.

Coffee was $1.95 and fresh, kept constantly refilled.

If you have occasion to be in the neighborhood, breakfast is served Monday through Saturday and there is a buffet brunch here on Sunday. Being able to get a sit down breakfast here is a nice addition to the neighborhood.

Troy's Greek Restaurant 10450 Friars Road, Suite T San Diego 92120 Website

Taco Loco- a little taco shop with Mexican food- in Santee

June 29, 2011 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

Taco Loco has closed. It's now a similar yet different taco shop.

Thanks for reading mmm-yoso!!! Cathy is blogging today. Kirk is very busy and ed (from Yuma) is busier.

In an obscure location on Fanita Drive just past the first signal light South of Mission Gorge Road (one block North from Goa Way, a private street) next to an unimaginatively named Liquor Store in Santee, this small building has always housed a taco shop. The latest incarnation, Taco Loco, is, by far, the best.

Yes, that's the building… behind the drive thru menu.

You can park and walk inside and will find five tables and 14 chairs. The tables are covered with happy colored table cloths and there are some interesting (a few Mexican) beverage selections in the cooler, although homemade aguas frescas are also available. Specials are written on a white board, there is a menu behind the cash register.
Also are some more specials on the wall to your left if you are standing at the cash register.

After seeing the sign, I had to try the cabeza and lengua tacos ($2.45 each)(cabeza is on the left, lengua is in the front in this photo). If you eat in, your items are brought out to your table on a tray with a real plate. The tacos are each served with two corn tortillas which are topped with meat, cilantro and onions. Nothing more was needed, even though a green and red hot sauce were offered and salt packets are on the table. The cabeza (meat from the head of the cow) was more game-y tasting, almost like goat. There was a nice, sticky fat on some of the diced pieces; carnitas-like fat is a good description. The meat was chewier/had more texture in comparison to the lengua (beef tongue) which was very smooth in texture and had milder hut distinct flavor. Both taco meats still were more flavorful than even carne asada/marinated meat. I suppose I should have tried a carne asada taco to compare further but these two tacos filled me up.

As mentioned in the title and signage, Taco Loco serves Authentic Mexican food. Above is Camarones Culichi ($7.99) Shrimp (plump and good tasting) served in a green sauce with cheese along with rice and refried beans (good and made with lard). Culichi is a traditional Sinaloan sauce made with poblano chilis and cheese and is a flavor I crave. The preparation here is great.

Well. This sign is on another wall. One day I had to.

This is the large Shrimp Cocktail ($7.99). It is served in a large salad bowl. Bowl.Of. Fresh. Shrimp. Cocktail. The photo is a bit perspective challenged. I counted 23 shrimp, but think I may have miscounted and probably 24 were in this large bowl which included lime juice, tomato, onion, cucumber, cilantro, avocado. Wonderfully perfect and so fresh. [The small cocktail is $6.99; I haven't bothered ordering one to see the size difference for only $1.]

Of course, Taco Loco is a taco shop and burritos are on the menu. Large burritos.

Cross section of the chile relleno burrito ($4.69). This was an excellent fried chile relleno. A fresh poblano chili filled with melty cheese, battered in an egg-flour mix and fried light and crispy. The burrito included beans, lettuce, sour cream and salsa.

The carne asada burrito ($4.69) is very good in its simplicity. The meat is tender, mildly flavored and wrapped in the giant tortilla with guacamole and pico de gallo salsa. Not as good as the other meats here, in my opinion, but not horrible.

The chile verde plate ($7.59) also is substantial and topped with a very, very good home made tomatillo sauce. The carnitas meat was tender and flavorful. This is served with tortillas, rice, beans, guacamole and some lettuce.

The shredded beef taco salad ($4.69) is a good meal. The shredded beef has an excellent stewed flavor which is complimented by the beans, cheeses, salsas, guacamole and crispy cold lettuce.

Here's a good size comparison photo of a plain cheese quesedilla ($3.19) and a chicken adobada taco ($2.59). The marinated chicken is moist, flavorful and, as you can see, a substantial serving size, simply served on two corn tortillas with guacamole.

Taco Loco is an exceptional hole in the wall that you may want to seek out if you are in the neighborhood. Try some of the items that aren't served at your regular taco shop.

Taco Loco 8667 Fanita Drive Santee 92071 (619) 562-6060 (Call ahead for faster service) Open 8 am-10 pm Mon-Thurs, 8 am-11 pm Fri-Sat and 9 am-9 pm Sunday

Website

The little note under the drive thru menu? "When ready to order, move forward please."

Sushidokoro Shirahama

June 28, 2011 ed fromyuma Sushi and Sashimi, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!

Usually Kirk or Cathy post at this foodblog. They are busy today, so ed (from Yuma) is posting on a sushi bar (in San Diego).

It was about 6:30 on a Tuesday night and I had no firm plans. I wanted sushi (as usual) but I also was looking for something different — because I had eaten with Sammy at Yaro on my previous visit to America's Finest Urbation, and I have been going to Sakura for nearly 10 years now. With the Fair jamming traffic heading north out of town, Kaito was out of the question. So I was driving through strip malls on Convoy just looking for something, anything interesting and different.

And then I saw it — Shirahama — with an open parking place right by the entrance. Nervously, I pulled into the parking spot, made sure I had my camera, and walked up to the door (the photo comes from later in the evening):

When I entered the tiny restaurant (10 seats at the bar and 4 small tables), it was empty except for the wizened itamae and his younger assistant. I had heard stories that the chef could be very rude and intolerant, particularly to people who did not speak Japanese. However, he gave me a friendly smile when I told him that I had heard that he served the best and most authentic sushi in San Diego and asked if I could be seated. I was allowed to take a seat at the sushi bar — but not one of the seven prime places, which were reserved. Having been to Sakura, this seemed routine.

I let the older gentleman know that I was putting myself in his hands, that I liked everything and was particularly interested in what was different and special. I then remembered to say "Omakase," in very poor Japanese I am sure.

Soon after the young man had brought me my glass of ice water, the chef set two pieces of nigiri in front of me. "Bluefin and fluke," he said. I was happy right away. Instead of serving only pairs of items, most of the time I was given one piece of two different nigiri. It was also nice that he was speaking English to me. Made me feel more welcome:
All of the sushi was served to me on this tray with gari (natural color, of course) on the side. There was like a mini teapot with shoyu that poured a thin stream into a small bowl. No wasabi:

As soon as I began chewing the hirame, I understood why there was no wasabi available. It was spiced perfectly – the strong wasabi flavor burst in my mouth and complemented the mildly flavored flatfish perfectly. The maguro had a deep and full tuna flavor with just a light hint of wasabi in the background. It was a good start.

Next came "amberjack and sea bream":

I was happy already. I don't recall ever encountering these before (at least not by those names). As I put each piece into my mouth, I closed my eyes and concentrated on the taste. The bream was both meaty and fishy – if that makes any sense. In a pleasant contrast, the amberjack was rich and creamy, suggesting hamachi, but with a more sophisticated and subtle flavor. Like many items that evening, the taste lingered in my mouth for a long time. I was smiling. "Very rich; better than hamachi," Kotani-san said to me, and I nodded in agreement.

Next up were salmon and Spanish mackerel:

Because of where I was sitting, I did not get to watch the chef's preparation, but he seems to have cut into the aji and stuffed it with sliced green onion. I don't normally think of scallion as a major flavor ingredient, but it was a perfect match with the fish and contributed much to the overall result.

The sake didn't look like anything special, certainly not as fatty as what I have been served at Sakura and Sushi Yaro. Nonetheless, it was still very rich and the flavor intensity pleased my palate. The finish was long and lingering. I have no idea how Kotani-san can make ordinary looking salmon taste so good.

By this point in the meal, the little restaurant was filling up. The seven reserved prime seats were filled with what seemed to be Japanese salarymen. Two of the small tables were full and the two chairs to my left were occupied by a younger couple who seemed more American and artsy – though he grew up in Tokyo, she in Hokkaido. You can see my empty seat next to her at the bar:

Around this time, I decided some sake – no beer being available – would be a nice complement to the meal, so I ordered the second least expensive bottle on the menu, Kikuizumi ($26.50 for 350 ml):

The back label of the bottle gives the English name for the chilled rice wine, "Fountains of Joy," and describes the flavor, "Silky and elegant at first sip, then a touch of peach and muscat at mid range, concluding with a soft and lingering finish." My thoughts exactly :-). It was a fountain of joy full of complex flavors. I even preferred it to the small glass of more expensive sake offered me by the couple on my left.

At about this time, the next two pieces of sushi arrived,"Crab and something like scallop but not really scallop from Japan":

I have no memory of ever being served what was virtually an entire crab leg as sushi. To be honest, I'm impressed when a sushiya serves shreds of real crab in a California roll. The flavor of the crab leg was somewhat like Dungeness, being firm and sweet, but not as stringy in texture.

The who-knows-what-it-is from Japan was unique. While the texture was somewhat reminiscent of a toothsome scallop, the flavor was like neither scallop nor clam. Instead, the seafood had deep underlying tones that suggested earthy loam. Like nothing I have ever put in my mouth before.

Now came the tuna belly and the yellowjack:

Again the chef was playing with contrasts and similarities. The yellow Jack was firm and rich and complex with a touch of fishy tang in the background. The toro was all about rich, smooth, buttery flavors. And like many other items that evening, the taste stretched out over my tongue and lingered there.

Fresh sweet shrimp was next. After Kotani-san selected one for my sushi, its compatriot decided it was time for a jailbreak, but got no further than the tamago:

Being so gigantic, the ama ebi became two pieces:

Unlike much ama ebi, this was fully packed with shrimp flavors. The firm texture made it chewy as well, a texture almost like lobster. Very good.

Shortly, the shrimp's head arrived, light, salty, and crunchy:

By this point I was getting full and my palate was almost exhausted from focusing on such complex, unusual, and interesting flavors. But the nice couple on my left said that my visit would not be complete without having some of Shirahama's famous raw octopus sushi.

It was served beside a piece of kohada (gizzard shad):

The shad was excellent with a depth of fishy flavor that filled my mouth until I washed my palate with some sake. The nama tako was amazing. The texture was both firm and soft and the flavors were clean, moist, clear, and octopussy. Words escape me and my notes at this point are hard to read.

The last item I was served was sea urchin:

Ooops, no picture, I'll blame that on the sake. Or on my memory. Or both.

I am so used to San Diego uni that I was surprised and pleased by what I was served this evening. It was darker and less granulated in appearance than what I am used to. It was also less moist, like a thick custard, but the flavor of the uni was deeply concentrated and long-lasting, the texture dense and smooth. A wonderful conclusion to the meal.

As you can probably tell, I had a truly fine experience at Shirahama. Even though I was the only customer that evening who could not speak Japanese, I was treated well by the itamae and his assistant. Some people at yelp complain about the decor and ambience at the restaurant, but the understated interior and the Japanese music in the background seemed appropriate and met all of my requirements. There were no distractions. I go to art galleries to look, to sushi bars to eat.

Honestly, I think it would be a waste to come here with a group to discuss business or politics. This was food that begged for my full attention and rewarded my concentration.

So, if you have some extra money sitting around and want to have real Japanese sushi in a Japanese environment, this place is for you. Sometimes that is just what I want, and I hope to return — next time I'm in San Diego and have some extra money sitting around.

Sushidokoro Shirahama, 4212 Convoy, San Diego, 92111, (858) 650-3578, open daily 12:00-2:00 and 5:30-10:00. Reservations accepted and encouraged.

Mama Jamaica’s

June 13, 2011 mmm-yoso Jamaican Restaurants

*** Mama Jamaica's has closed

The other day I was driving down Clairemont Mesa Boulevard when I happened to stare up at the sign for the strip mall that houses Oton….. and did a double take. Did it really say Mama Jamaica's? Really, Jamaican food at this strip mall? That was enough to get me to drop by a couple of days later.

If I had any doubts, a quick look inside told me the answer…….

It was almost too cliche, I mean "One Love" was playing over head…… This seemed sorta fast-casual in the decor. The menu was interesting, it had most of the standards; but a couple of other items like "Jerk Tri-Tip"…..

Being in a bit of a rush, I ordered the Jerk Chicken to go ($7), which gets you two thighs ($1 more for white meat) Rice and Beans, coleslaw, and fried plantains.

The coleslaw was nothing special and the plantains seemed to be under-ripe as it wasn't very sweet. The rice on the other hand, was better then what I've had at other places. You could actually make out the mild flavor of coconut.

The chicken was interesting, this was more of a grilled then braised bird, lacking the crisp skin that I enjoy so much. But it also avoided the one pitfall of grilled chicken; dryness.

The flavor, while not as complex as the version at Caribbean Taste had a bit more zip, and was better then what I've had at Island Spice over the last couple of years. This was decent, and I felt pretty good overall.

Of course this meant another visit, a more leisurely stop….. and when I walked back into the shop, guess what was playing? One love……. I guess they've got Bob Marley on loop here! This time, after ordering, I was able to take a bit more in and noticed the sign with the daily specials.

Even though this wasn't Wednesday (my luck) I ordered the Oxtail, one of my favorite things in the world. While waiting, I noticed the placard on the wall. I'm guessing the owners used to run a Jamaican Restaurant in Modesto……

After a few minutes my braised oxtails ($10) arrived.

I again enjoyed the rice, perfectly cooked, with hints of coconut. This time around the plantains were lovely, nicely caramelized and sweet. The oxtails looked a bit pale in comparison to what I've had in the past. The texture was pretty good; not mushy, slightly gelatinous… in a good sort of way. The flavor was a bit off for my tastes; too salty, lacking in any deep rich flavor, I wanted a bit more in terms of flavor…. salty just didn't do it for me. Yet you could do much worse around these parts.

Taken as a whole, the food wasn't bad. I do think I'll return just because I'd been thinking about doing some Jerk or perhaps Chadon Beni red meat, so I'm curious about the tri-tip. The prices are reasonable, and the folks are friendly. Based on the folks I've seen coming in during my visits, they've already developed a nice customer base. More power to them.

Mama Jamaica's Cafe & Grill
5447 Kearny Villa Rd
San Diego, CA 92123

Open Mon – Fri 11 – 8pm
Sat 11 – 6pm
Closed Sunday

Super Wok- a Pacific Beach revisit.

June 8, 2011 Cathy Chinese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Super Wok has closed.

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog, written by a few friends, one who lives on the West side of San Diego County, one who lives in East San Diego County and one who lives waaay East, in Yuma, Arizona. Today, Cathy is writing about a place on the West side of this large county. Because she can.

Hi. I wrote a post about Super Wok a few years ago and even though it is and has been part of "our rotation" for a long while and we drive out here regularly to pick up meals, never did I write another post. The location, ownership and food have not changed, the prices have increased slightly (the regular menu by $1 and the 11:00-3:00 Lunch Specials by 50¢ since the 2007 post) and it is still good food and family owned and run; husband, wife and daughter.

It's still located in the same tiny Fotomat Booth of a building. There are three tables inside, but really, get the food to go as the sign on the building instructs. 065 066

The same menu is on the wall, the same Happy Buddha on the same counter. The same four giant woks are in the back. Order, pay and wait. Everything is prepared after you order, so it could take ten minutes or more. I notice many people phone in orders to pick up.

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We usually drive South on Ingraham toward Sea World and sit at the same table at the Ski Beach.
This visit, we had ordered two lunch specials. This is the Beef with broccoli ($4.95). Lunch Specials include fried rice, an egg roll and a Fortune Cookie. The beef is tender and, as you can see, there are carrots and bamboo shots as well as broccoli. There isn't any sticky corn starchy gloppy gravy; it is thin and flavorful. The egg roll is filled with only vegetables and fried properly. Everything is fresh.

The Kung-Pao chicken is $4.75. It's not really spicy. It is a fresh stir fry of onions, green peppers, carrots, bamboo shoots and chicken breast meat. Good food prepared fresh.
The other day, The Mister and I ordered and drove West, to the ocean, and then North to a small park on a residential street in La Jolla. Our little vacation.We had ordered some favorites.
Wonderful. This is Lemon chicken ($6.75). Lightly cornstarch breaded chicken breast, fried crispy and placed onto lettuce, so it will drain and still be a thin, crispy crust. The tangy sweet warm lemon sauce and rice are on the side. This is *so* good. Yes, it is ABCDE…It is ABCDE quality good. (ABCDE=American Born Chinese Dining Establishment).
This- This is why I eat here. Egg foo young ($5.55). Eggs (three), onions and bean sprouts cooked in the wok, to a size too large to fit into the styrofoam box, but slipped into the box so the edges curve over the center and topped with a stir fry of mushrooms, carrots, bamboo shoots and cabbage. All topped with a vegetable gravy. Yes, the meat (pork or chicken or beef) EFY costs just 20¢ more, the shrimp EFY costs $1 more… but I really like just the simple, perfect vegetable egg foo young. Brown on both sides, soft egg, stir fried fresh vegetables…just a good home style meal.

It isn't a fancy eat in place with fancy ingredient food. We like good tasting food. Super Wok serves good, fresh food, prepared very well.

Super Wok 4468 Ingram Street San Diego 92109 (858) 270-4859 Mon-Th 11:00-10:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-10:30, Closed Sunday.