Closed – Page 78

El Sol Mexican Restaurant

December 11, 2008 mmm-yoso Burgers, Mexican Restaurants

**** El Sol has closed

Claims of the best burger in San Diego are spoken by the patrons of this little shop on University, just North of Park Boulevard.

The Owner, whose claim to fame is making burgers for former President Clinton at his former place of employment(Danny's Palm Bar), runs this little Mom and Pop shop with a menu full of variety. Serving everything from Chimichangas and Quesadillas, to Veggie Burgers.

The cozy interior is full of knick-knacks and memorabilia, much of which follows "the Sun" (El Sol) motif:

You can figure out what I ordered….. a burger of course. Hamburger with Cheese and Onion Rings($7.99). First up came some chips and salsa:

Nothing special, but for free so who's going to complain?

I ordered some Iced Tea, and for $2.50 expected a large glass……but got a full glass, and a pitcher.

And a Tecate six pack holder also arrived at the same time with the various dressings….mustard, mayo, salsa, etc… nice job of "recycling".

And soon enough my burger arrived.

The onion rings were a 100% pure Sysco-fied, and no big deal. The lettuce, tomato, and pickles are provided on the side, and just as with the iced tea, and dressings, you can add what you desire. Freedom of choice reigns supreme here.

The bun for the burger had been placed on the grill, and was a bit dried out. The cheese was also very mundane. The burger had an interesting taste….mildly peppery, and you could definitely taste the oregano. I found the burger to be dry, and on the mealy side…. I think it had been pressed pretty hard on the griddle, and much of the juices had escaped.

Maybe not the best burger in San Diego, but not too bad. What about Bill Clinton? Well, you gotta remember that 'ol Bubba loved his McDonalds burgers…… Still, not bad.

I returned a few weeks later, earlier in the day, and decided to grab some breakfast. This time I went with the Nopales and Eggs ($5.99). Nopalitos are the prepared pads of the prickly pear cactus.

This was, in essense, a Nopalito Scramble, and was quite a bit of food. From the salsa and pickled carrots and peppers, a bit too mild fo my taste. To the beans, of which a whole plate was provided…. lots of bulk, but a bit short on the salt end.

However, the eggs were not short on salt……

And though the Nopalitos were canned, and much of the mild tartness was gone, the flavor was very much like green beans. I like the way this was cooked, not too runny, and not dry. A perfect amount of salt was used. The corn tortillas were packaged mass produced, but I expected as much.

In the end, this was a lot of food, and bang-for-the-buck, this was well worth the $5.99.

While you may not experience any culinary epiphanies at El Sol, you get a pretty good value for your money. I consider it a pretty solid Mom-and-Pop eatery. I'm still trying to figure out what a "Nayarit Burger" is…….

El Sol Mexican Restaurant
2037 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92104

Open 9am – 9pm Daily.

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Mr Dumpling

December 1, 2008 mmm-yoso Chinese Restaurants

*** Mr Dumpling has closed

Ever since PedMa and MrC mentioned that a restaurant called Mr Dumpling was opening up, the Missus & I kept tabs on the place during our trips to 99 Ranch Market. We both found the location, on Convoy Court, away from Clairemont Mesa Boulevard to be a bit strange.

But the Owners have done a really nice job with the place, from the very clean and uncluttered interior, to the orchids adorning the patio. Mr Dumpling the restaurant, does not resemble what I'd imagine a "Mr Dumpling" to look like.

The tables are covered with crisp white tablecloths, and the earthy tones, are quite nice and relaxing. Of course, the Missus couldn't help but say, "of course it's nice, they just opened up….give it a couple of years."

The menu looked like a scattershot of various Mainland Chinese dishes, everything from Mapo Dofu and Hunan Dofu, to of course, Jiaozi. The array of offerings did cause some head-scratching, but we're pretty familiar with the Chinese clean-cafe-eatery, phenomenon in LA. Actually, this is not isolated to Chinese cuisine, FOYs, Beach, Chubbypanda, and I had discussed this with regards to Vietnamese Restaurants in Little Saigon as well. Even a brief discussion would take up several posts, so I'll pass on that subject this time around.

Back to Mr Dumpling. We were informed that the "Chef" is from Shandong, which helped to give the Missus and I bearings with regards to ordering. While perusing the menu, we encountered our first mildly disturbing "sign", our pot of tea was delivered….. with the tea bag label sticking out of the pot. That single teabag tag sticking out of the top of the teapot just seemed out of place, and in stark contrast with the surroundings.

We started with a dish that the Missus has been eating since a young child – The Shanghai style Smoked Fish (Su Shih Hsun Yuu ), the price ($9.95) was a bit startling, but it's a dish that we can't help but order everywhere we go. It is a Shanghainese dish, but one that is very popular in Shandong.

This was just wrong on so many levels; first, this was a very, very, small portion(for $10)….check out the tines of the fork for comparison. Second, there was none of that sweet-5 spice flavor that is the hallmark of his dish. Third, the type of fish was wrong….the texture was too meaty, and tasteless, like really bad albacore tuna. Click on any of the links above the photo, and you'll see what we were expecting. The Missus's maternal Grandmother was master of this dish, and Her Fifth Aunt, who is the best cook in the family, carries on the tradition. My Mother-In-Law believes the version at Chin's, is spot on. I dunno what this was, but it sure wasn't Shanghai Smoked Fish. We'd have been satisfied if this wasn't a classic rendition of the dish, and had some redeeming qualities, but this was plain bad.

The next dish to arrive was something whose very mention can cause the Missus's mouth to water; Dezhou Pa Ji – (Dezhou Style Braised Chicken, $6.99). Dezhou a city located in Northwest Shandong, is well known for their braised chicken. This dish evokes so many deep-seated memories, that the Missus wrote Her one and only post on it.

The dish arrived, steaming hot…..but the skin was dry…..microwaved perhaps? All the Missus's hopes were dashed after one bite. Again, this was bland, with just a hint of flavor, which was more like soy-sauce chicken than Dezhou Pa Ji.

Alas, this meal was not going very well from the food standpoint. The service however, was very attentive, our plates changed, and our water refilled. Soon a tray of vinegar and soy sauce was placed at our table.

This last dish we ordered, if good, would make the entire meal worthwhile. If there is just one item that immediately comes to mind when the very word Shandong is uttered, it would be Jiaozi. Over the years, I've come to understand what an important role Jiaozi plays in the Northern Chinese household.

We ordered "Mr Dumpling's Special Dumplings" ($6.99).

First off, these dumplings took 40 minutes to get to us. I really didn't mind, I had mental pictures of fresh dough being made, rolled out, and formed by hand to order, floating through my head. Well, this didn't quite deliver, the filling, a combination of pork-shrimp-chives, had decent flavor. But the dough was hard, noodle-like, tearing instead of having any pull. As the Missus says, "it's all about the wrapper". From that end, this was pretty mediocre. Again with the Missus: "this place makes Dumpling Inn seem more like Dumpling King." We had thoughts when initally looking over the menu, of seeing what the food was like, and than ordering more; a strategy that I'm glad we took.

For us, the food at Mr Dumpling didn't live up to the decor, service, and price. Driving home we were trying to figure out what was going on. Perhaps the Chef was new to the various ingredients sourced in the US? I'm going to give this place a long rest, I hope the food improves…..

Silver Lining Note: The Missus felt so bad for me after this meal. So She decided to come out of Her self-imposed Jiaozi "retirement". I had Shrimp and Chive dumplings the next day!!

Mr Dumpling
7250 Convoy Ct
San Diego, CA 92111

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Wal Mi Do Part 1 – Say hello to Sannakji

November 16, 2008 mmm-yoso Korean Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi, yoso-silly

*** Wal Mi Do has closed

*** Part 2 of this post can be found here.

I noted in my brief post on Sam's reappearance at Walmido, that Sam had told me to drop by for dinner and he'd have a "surprise" for me. So recently, I did just that. It turned out to be an interesting night. My previous experience with Hwe (Hoe – raw) type dishes has been Hwe Dop Bop, and the occasional Kimbap (a roll). During my previous lunch time visit, I had a fairly quick meal of Hwe Dop Bop, chatted with Sam and hit the road……

But early on this evening, I arrived, in a much more relaxed state. I took in the rather small sushi bar (7 seats), and the large tank of live seafood residing right next to it.

As I took a seat, Sam and I exchanged pleasantries….and our usual share of jokes and insults….questions about family…conversation built up over years of patronage….

A few minutes later, a green salad, some edamame, and miso soup arrived. Sam clapped his hands together and said; "ok Kirk-san, are you ready?" At which point Sam walked out the side of the sushi bar, and back around the kitchen area, only to appear behind tank.

I started to say something about not bothering with the live abalone, it's not one of my favorite things, when I noticed it…. Sam, cracking up, said;" look Kirk-san, they know I'm coming, they're running away…" I made some feeble remark how quickly I'd get "out of Dodge" if I saw Sam's face peering at me through a piece of glass as well. Sam brought a little Octopus out of the tank, seething and wriggling out of the tank. After extricating it…or more appropriately removing his hands from the suckers of the baby Octopus, Sam placed in on a plate.

Sam told me, "I'll make it just the way I like it….salt and sesame oil." Ohhhhkay…..

You know, unlike the very talented and ever intrepid Eddie Lin(man, I love his writing), I don't seek this stuff out. But put it front of me, and I'll likely, with a few exceptions, eat it. It's a matter of respect and appreciation. Plus, Mom always said, "you have to try it once….if you don't like it, ok, but you must try it once….." Words of wisdom, if I've ever heard any. (Though I've paid sorely a few times over the years….)

Plus, Sam rambled on about his love for Sannakji, so you know I had to try it! I guess you could say, I've been "sucked in?"

And so here I was, beyond all the bad puns, peering at writhing segments of suction cups on a plate. The sesame seeds just made things look much more peculiar; pulsating, shiny, smelling of sesame oil…….

The flavor is very mild, and most of it came from the sesame oil and sea salt. Knowing the love that Korean's have for various textures, from the stretchy Naengmyun to the crust developed on a Dolsot (stone bowl), I can understand why they love this. It is the ultimate in a meaty-chewy texture, and it moves around in your mouth of it's own, semi-free will to boot! And if you thought peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth was problematic…….

It is a strange sensation…..you're trying to chew and swallow dinner, while dinner is fighting back in desperation…..it's the ultimate, "You kill me, I kill you right back" moment.

I did clean my plate……and only had to pull the little suckers off my teeth or the roof of my mouth a few times. I had a harder time separating the wriggling, pulsating segments. Not something I'll crave, but not terrible.

So, if you decide to have some Sannakji, tell Sam to make sure to get a "lively one"…and chew like heck! It is probably worth trying, and who knows, you may end up loving it. You'll never know unless you try it. And, I'm pretty sure that you can't get this anywhere else in San Diego.

If you thought this was interesting, stay tuned for part two, in which I learn a bit more about the differences between a Japanese Sushi bar, and a Hwe Restaurant. And we delve a bit deeper into the Korean love affair with chewy and crunchy textures.

Wal Mi Do
4367 Convoy St
San Diego, CA 92111

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Kien Giang

November 3, 2008 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Kien Giang has closed

OK, I'm still suffering from major jet lag…yesterday, I got up at 4am, did chores, blah, blah, blah…..had an early breakfast/lunch at 10am, and decided to take a "short" nap which didn't quite turn out that way……my watch alarm went off at 330 pm…it was still set for 530 am Lao time. Boy is my butt dragging…..I must be making slug trails all over the house! Well enough about my jet lag. Here's one that's been on the back-burner for a while…..

Kien Giang is a small shop tucked away in the back of the same strip mall on the corner of 54th street and University that houses Vien Dong Market and Van Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant among others. It's easy to miss….

I had made a previous aborted attempt to grab a Banh Mi here about a year ago, but was dissuaded by the somewhat dilapidated shape the shop was in, and the huge swarm of winged beasts who would have devoured my Banh Mi faster than I could. And then there was the story from a good FOY (friend of Yoso) who once bit into her Banh Mi, only to crunch into a staple. Now I believe that women do need more iron in their diet….just not quite in that manner.

And yet, I like to believe that I'm a pretty open-minded individual, and it wo KienGiang03 uldn't be right for me to just write off Kien Giang just because of its appearance. Which of course led me to Kien Giang one cool weekend morning.

I arrived shortly after opening, and the gentleman manning the counter was quite nice. After perusing the menu, I decided to go with the Banh Mi Dac Biet (special – $3) just to get a feel for the style of sandwich the place made.

My sandwich was wrapped, and when opened looked to be in fine shape.

I found the bread to be a bit on the stale and crumbly side. There was good amount of pickled veggies, but the Cha Lua was cut very thin, and the Pate was tasteless. The Jam Bon (ham) was on the dry side, but had good flavor. Overall a very mediocre sandwich……and yet, a few weeks later I decided to return.

And got a Xiu Mai Banh Mi (meatball – $3). Now I don't know why I keep trying Xiu Mai Banh Mi…perhaps it's to find one that I enjoy as the version at Saigon Sandwiches.

This however, was another one of those fish sauce – tomato sauce versions. Not among my favorite things. The bread was again on the dry, slightly aged, side, and this was again a fairly mediocre sandwich. Which had me wondering; with all of the competition in the area, this place has been here for a while. So they must do something right. Can anyone shed some light?

Giang Kien Sandwich & Deli
5296 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

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Pete’s Meats- Italian Sandwiches on India Street

October 27, 2008 Cathy Italian Restaurants, Sandwiches, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the blog. About food. Written mostly by Kirk with the help of ed (from Yuma) and Cathy. Kirk is in Thailand. Still. ed is in Yuma. Still. Read about Cathy's adventures.

Hi. Pete's Meats is -and has been- located in this nondescript storefront in Little Italy across from Filippi's. In this area of town with all the fancy Italian themed restaurants, Pete's is one of very few places I consider not pretentious and just good.

It used to be a butcher shop and a lot of the original shop paraphernalia is still inside-more to the back of the store.

There are usually two tables out in front.

Inside, pretty much as nondescript, as you can see from this view from one of the back tables.

The simple menu is right there-above the grill, in front of the barstools. Sandwiches- hot or mild sausage, meatball, steak, eggplant. Each $6.95. You can ask for half and half if you would like.

(There used to be a Spitini sandwich which is now covered over on the menu- veal and prosciutto, rolled around a mix of cheese, parsley, onions, tomatoes, pine nuts and currants: heaven. It always cost about $2 more than the other sandwiches, could not be gotten as a half sandwich and was wonderful…)

ANYHOW…This is a photo of half of an eggplant sandwich-grilled, thin sliced pieces of eggplant with grilled onions and peppers, some marinara and topped with Parmesan. Pete's Meats 002

This is a photo of half of a mild Italian sausage sandwich. The same fresh roll and toppings. The sausage is made in house and is *excellent* with the wonderful fennel that compliments the pork.

You can buy canned regular or diet Coke and bottled water as your beverage. That's it.

Limited menu. Done perfectly every time. A San Diego Institution.

Pete's Meats 1742 1/2 India Street San Diego 92101 (619)234-1684 Hours Mon-Sat 10-5, closed Sunday.

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Thai Style- In Santee

October 26, 2008 Cathy Thai Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

Thai Style has closed, but remains a Thai Restaurant, the location of Sab-E-Lee, East

Welcome to mmm-yoso!!!, the blog about food. There have been some issues with Typepad (the blogging tool) this weekend and I apologize if things do not look the same. I am still blogging about things I have eaten.

Hi again. Cathy here. Kirk is still in Thailand and e-mailing me almost daily and I must admit I am not only envious, but *craving* Thai-spiced foods daily (when I am not craving Italian or Mexican spiced foods, anyhow). Thai Style I know people are critical of Thai food in San Diego and I am now reiterating that I blog about the taste of the food and if I like it or not.

Thai Style has been in Santee for about a year now, having moved from its El Cajon Boulevard at 70th location, where it had been a mainstay for many years. This makes it the second Thai restaurant in this East County city. Run by a very nice family- Joe, the husband (from the Lanna area of Northern Thailand) and His wife, Kham (from Laos), striving to make good quality Thai foods available for East county residents. Thai Style 009

The interior of this location is much larger than the old place, with seating for at least 46 people.

The interior is nicely decorated and there are two televisions inside, neither of which have been on when I have come here to eat in or take out.

Of course I always get hot tea to drink and here it is bagged jasmine.

We started out this dinner with Som Tum -papaya salad made with tomatoes, garlic, chili and lime juice, topped with peanuts. ($7.95). Of course you are asked what spice level you would like (1-5) and The Mister is having some issues with peppers of late and we asked for a "2" and it was still too hot for him and right on the edge of not being able to taste all of the ingredients for me.

I ordered the chicken larb (also at a level 2) ($8.95) and this was excellent, made with green and red onion, cilantro, mint, rice powder, chili and lime juice and served with a small cabbage wedge.

The Mister played it safe for himself and ordered the Rad Nah with beef ($8.95) -pan fried rice noodles with carrots, broccoli, garlic and a black bean based gravy.

The wide rice noodles were just a touch pan fried and slightly crispy and very nice. The sauce was excellent and complimented the beef.

I had to get the panang curry, because I really like it here.

A very rich, slightly sweet and spicy coconut based curry sauce with green beans, carrots, red and green bell peppers and basil.

Served with rice, of course.

There is a lunch menu, Mon-Fri served from 11a.m.-3 p.m. which are served with soup, a fried vegetable wonton, salad and rice (or noodles when appropriate) with prices from $7.95-$10.95

Thai Style Restaurant 9159 Mission Gorge Road Santee 92071 (619)328-1568

Lunch M-F 11-3, Dinner Mon-Fri 5-9 Sat Noon-9 closed Sunday website

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Ra-Ka-De-Ka .. Sort of Thai ..sort of fast food…sort of good(if you order properly)

October 16, 2008 Cathy Thai Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is about food that Kirk, ed (from Yuma) and Cathy eat. Sometimes we eat good stuff, and sometimes it is not so good. We tell you about it in any case. Cathy is talking today.

Hi. Since we all know Kirk is in Thailand ( I have emails to prove it), I had an urge for some Thai food. The Mister and I went to Sab E Lee this past weekend and then had occasion to go to Ra Ka De Ka, a two location San Diego chain, this week. Since I had been here a few times this past summer, I had photos and thoughts already written down about the food here.

Hot Basil Beef ($7.50)

It is served this way, in the to go boxes, even when you eat in. There is a choice of jasmine or brown rice. The beef is tender, and mixed with bell peppers, onions, carrots, garlic and basil leaves. Hot as in temperature, not spiciness.

Tastes very good and fresh. Vegetables are crispy and not overcooked.

Fresh Spring Rolls-($4.95) Shrimp, tofu, carrots, lettuce and glass noodles wrapped in rice paper. Cut into nine pieces and served with hoisin, sriracha and peanuts. Enough to be a meal: fresh and tasty food.

Thai iced tea and Thai iced coffee. $1.95 each. Don't bother. Way too sweet.

Pa Ram Chicken($6.95). Grilled chicken on top of broccoli and carrots, and a peanut sauce that really was just too sweet. The ingredients were fresh…but mixing the chicken with these Spicy Noodles ($7.50) which were made with beef, basil, green peppers and egg gave the chicken and broccoli much more flavor and diluted the sweetness of the sauce.

The chicken bowl -which is an all day special- is a very good deal at $4.95-a slow cooked chicken thigh served with steamed broccoli and carrots on top of a lot of brown rice. Fresh and tasty food (the chicken thigh is very moist and flavorful), again, not particularly Thai.

The best and most authentic Thai food here is called Lettuce wraps. This really is chicken larb and if you get it medium or hot in spice level, is excellent. Diced chicken with onions, mint, cilantro and lime juice ($6.95) and excellent. A lot of food.

The panang curry is good, as are the red, yellow and green curries. The cooks are Thai and do know how to make things correctly, but you really have to ask and indicate spice level does not matter. The ingredients here are all very fresh and it almost tastes like "healthy" Thai…maybe "Thai Lite" better describes it. There is a brisk, constant business and people seem to really like it here. It does serve a purpose and isn't bad. If you think of it as good, fresh, healthy food, and not as particularly authentic Thai, the prices make it a very good deal. I don't think Kirk will come here when he has a craving though…

Ra Ka De Ka 10450 Friars Road 92120 (619)521-4810

4508 Cass Street (Cass and Garnet) 92109 (858)581-1954

website

Chopstix Too, a second time

October 15, 2008 Cathy Japanese Restaurants, What Cathy Eats!

You are reading mmm-yoso!!!, a little blog about food. Kirk and ed (from Yuma) and Cathy mostly write here about food they eat. Since Kirk is in Thailand and ed (from Yuma) is in Yuma, Cathy is writing today.

Hello. This place has been written about before, by Kirk and I. It was almost two years ago though, so I figure I can revisit with you. Since The Mister seems to have the flu, his taste buds are shot and he has been wanting items with strong flavors as well as texture, so here is a sampling of two meals at Chopstix too.

This is what the building looks like at about 7 p.m., when it is already dark out here.

It is in the same parking lot as Mitsuwa, Staples, the place which used to be the "Technical Bookstore" (today it was called "Book Off") and a Starbucks as well as few other businesses, across from In-N-Out in Kearny Mesa.

I always get hot tea (50¢) and it is a good, strong, brown rice based one, brewed and not made with a tea bag tossed into a pot of water.

Some of the meals include a small bowl of miso soup, with 'crunchies' (and not tofu) added.

It is a strong, not salty miso.

Some meals include a salad, which has shredded lettuces, red cabbage and shredded carrots. Dressing is brought to the table separately.

The mixed tempura appetizer ($7) includes three shrimp, two onion rings, shredded carrot, squash, broccoli and carrot and is accompanied by a fresh, warm tempura dipping sauce.

The breading is delicate and light and crunchy.

One night, I got a combination meal which included the salad, three pieces of a "crunchy roll"(tempura shrimp, avocado, fake crab inside and a spicy as well as tempura sauce and crunchies on the outside), sesame chicken (breaded and fried delicately and topped with a not too sweet teriyaki sauce) $7.50

The Mister, in his quest for flavor, got the ika curry – a lightly breaded and fried squid cutlet accompanied by a medium-hot chicken curry sauce which included potatoes and carrots as well as onions. ($6.50)

One Friday (when I don't eat meat, just in case…) we went and I got the Butter Corn Miso ($6.95)- a large bowl of vegetable-miso based broth with udon noodles topped with onions, bean sprouts, carrots, corn and that hunk of real butter seen at the top of the photo. I was pleasantly surprised at the mix of flavors and textures as well as the filling up I felt while I tried to finish the bowl.

The Mister got his "usual" -mabo ramen ($5.95). Ramen noodles topped with a pork and tofu based medium spicy mabo sauce.

Most of the time, he walks in, sits down and pretends to look at the menu for a while. He pretty much always ends up ordering the mabo ramen.

Chopstix Too 4380 Kearny Mesa Road San Diego 92111 (858) 565-1288

Big Joy Family (Bakery & Cafe) (dot com)

October 13, 2008 Cathy Bakery, Desserts, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the food blog, mostly written by Kirk, along with some friends. He is almost at His vacation destination with The Missus and has no internet access. You get to read about what Cathy eats in the interim. The title of this post has to do with their signage…

Hi. Not long ago it was the "seven days of feasting" when The Mister and I celebrate the week between our birthdays with at least one meal out a day…he gets to choose the first three days and I get to choose the last three. The middle day we have to both agree upon. So anyhow it was his turn. Again. He likes sweets. Why play games?

If you have ever been to Phuong Trang, you've seen this place. It is right next door. We would pass by, after having our fill of (middle of the road) food and look through the window. For years. We took a chance one day…and return here as often as we go to French Cake. The influences here are Japanese and Korean, an interesting mix.

If you haven't been paying attention, I do not crave chocolate. Don't expect to see any in this post. I chose this cream filled stick ($2.25) It is about 12 inches long and since we were eating in, it was served to us cut into six pieces. A non-sweet whipped fresh cream inside a light slightly bread-dy textured, faintly sweet tasting shell.

I, of course, got a hand drip coffee (large $2.95). Served with real cream and whatever that stuff in the colored packets is…

The Mister wanted a mango banana smoothie (large-$3.95) served in this very cool looking tall glass. It is made with Monin mango syrup and a real banana. He also wanted a small plain frozen yogurt ($3).

I decided I wanted to try a red bean topped flaked ice (small-$3.50) which is also topped with tapioca like cubes, small rice cakes (mochi) a red bean powder and a scoop of very nice, rich vanilla ice cream. This is more than enough for two. The large is served in the same size bowl but has two more scoops of ice cream. You can also get fresh fruit and green tea powder as optional combinations. I_dont_eat_sweetsha_005

The real reason we came…on Friday and Saturday only, the bakery makes an organic raisin walnut bread. $2.75. We ate one loaf, sliced for us and served with an *excellent* salted creamy butter. We got another loaf to go. It has a crispy crust, with a soft textured, light, non bulky wheat interior, filled with plump raisins and crispy nuts.

All of this food was less than $22 total, served to us, fresh and wonderful. We did not go out to dinner that night.

You can see other items made here on the website. The cakes are beautifully decorated. Just walk in and try something. There are comfy tables and chairs and free wifi M-F.

Big Joy Family Bakery and Cafe 4176 Convoy San Diego 92111 M-Sat 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Closed 1st and 3rd Mondays each month. (858)627-0888

Sammy Sushi says goodbye

October 6, 2008 mmm-yoso Japanese Restaurants, Sushi and Sashimi

A few months ago, Sam, Owner, Itamae, and the namesake of Sammy Sushi, mentioned that he planned to put the restaurant up for sale. After 4 years and change, Sam had decided that the 24 hours a day demands that his restaurant had put on him had started wearing away at him, both physically and mentally. I don't blame him, the restaurant industry is a tough one. And so it came to pass, a few weeks ago, Sam mentioned that he had a buyer, and the end was in sight. So it is with a heavy heart that I announce that Sammy Sushi's last night of operation will be Saturday, October 11th.

So this week will be your last chance to drop by and enjoy the nice neighborhood vibe of Sammy Sushi. It appears that Sammy Sushi is going to become a Fresh Seafood Market.

Over the years Sam has become much more than my friendly neighborhood Itamae, he's become a friend. And as sad as I am knowing that Sammy's will be gone, I have great hopes for Sam's future endeavors.

Good Luck Sam!