SONIC in Santee:
The new Sonic Drive In has been open for almost a month now and we were finally able to drive into the parking lot, grab a space, order a meal and check the place out this morning (lunch at 9:00 AM).
After pressing the button, someone finally acknowledged us after maybe 8 or 9 minutes (I pressed it more than once), and after repeating our order a total of 4 times to this ditzoid, it was delivered maybe 3 or 4 minutes later.
Of course, much of it was wrong (cold fries, no napkins, you have to ask for condiments, which they carry around in a fanny pack, cheese on the burger when I specifically said "NO CHEESE!" and more than once), and after the wife walked into the service area, (instead of waiting another 8 or 9 minutes for someone to respond to the damn button), they brought us some hot fries.
We ordered the Extra long Coney Dog, a Works Supersonic (burger), onion rings, fries and a Coke. Our total was $12.69 and I tipped the kid who delivered it a buck.
Those of you familiar with "Reno 911" will know what I mean when I say we were served by Terry, who was a nice enough kid (they have to buy their own skates or roller blades) and none of this disaster was his fault.
The Coney Dog was mediocre at best, the onion rings way too sweet, the cold fries were ghastly but we changed our minds when we got a hot order and the burger was not bad at all, despite the wife's lactose intolerance...
We had intended to count the covered parking spaces on our way out but they still haven't solved their traffic problem and orange traffic cones block most everything off so we weren't able to drive around to that side of the building, where there appears to be maybe another 20 spaces, maybe more.
There are also 5 tables out front so walk up customers can get served there...
Would I go back?
Not likely but if I did, I would order the burger again (and fries, if they're hot).
UPDATE (3 June 2009):
We were finally able to drive right in and order our food today, after 10:00 AM as well. I had the Supersonic burger again, the wife had a single, we split a small fry (no salt) and tried the Cherry Limeade we see on their TV ads.
The Supersonic was fine (the wife wasn't impressed), the fries were only lukewarm and the Cherry limeade was too sweet for our old palates.
FRIDAY'S FISH WRAP
This started when the wife saw a TV ad for Wendy's Premium Fish Fillet Sandwich (Hand-cut fillets of North Pacific cod in a crisp Panko crumb breading, served with crisp lettuce and creamy tartar sauce on a warm bun). Only available at select Wendy's locations"...
Then I heard a radio spot saying McDonald's was offering their Filet-O-Fish for $1.39 each on Fridays. Finally, our neighborhood Jack In The Box advertises their fish sandwiches 2 for $3.
And it being Friday...
Once we realized our mission, we asked Neighbor Neal if he wanted to tag along. Neal is the guy fish fear, a natural for this gig. He's got a place on the Colorado River with a small fishing boat, is restoring a much larger boat and has a freezer full of Arizona catfish...
We picked up Neighbor Neal right at 10:30 and our first stop (and the farthest away) was Wendy's.
We spent $10.09 (2 fish sandwiches @ $3.59 each, which we split, small fry and small soda) and ate it there. Then we headed off to our local McD's, a couple of blocks from the house. We spent $2.79 for 2 Filet-O-Fish at the drive thru window and then drove across the street to Jack In The Box. We spent another $6.47 there (2 for $3 Fish Sandwiches, small fry, medium drink) for a grand total of $19.35.
Moon rates them in this order: Wendy's, McD's and Jack In The Box and says they need more tartar sauce (that's why we call him El Condimento).
Neighbor Neal and the wife rate them in this order: Wendy's, Jack In The Box and McD's, say they all need more sauce, that Wendy's fish was the best and Neighbor Neal liked Jack In The Box's bun better.
Personally, I rate them in the same approximate order as Neighbor Neal and the wife and yes, they all could use a little more sauce.
And Neighbor Neal popped for lunch since we invite him over for dinner once in a while...
UPDATE: The wife checked out Carl's Jr's fish sandwich a couple of days later. It sells for the same as the Wendy's ($3.59) but their (Wendy's) fish is better. The wife ranks it second to Wendy's (nice bun, plenty of sauce and a slice of tomato) and ahead of Mickey D's and Jack's...
UPDATE II: The wife and Boy checked out Rally's and Burger King a couple of weeks later. Both said they were in the neighborhood of McD's Filet O Fish and that they never give you enough sauce but disagreed on overall scores.
The wife rates them (in order): (4) Burger King, (5) Rally's & (6) McD's.
The Boy prefers: (4) McDonald's, (5) Burger King and (6) Rally's...
Then I heard a radio spot saying McDonald's was offering their Filet-O-Fish for $1.39 each on Fridays. Finally, our neighborhood Jack In The Box advertises their fish sandwiches 2 for $3.
And it being Friday...
Once we realized our mission, we asked Neighbor Neal if he wanted to tag along. Neal is the guy fish fear, a natural for this gig. He's got a place on the Colorado River with a small fishing boat, is restoring a much larger boat and has a freezer full of Arizona catfish...
We picked up Neighbor Neal right at 10:30 and our first stop (and the farthest away) was Wendy's.
We spent $10.09 (2 fish sandwiches @ $3.59 each, which we split, small fry and small soda) and ate it there. Then we headed off to our local McD's, a couple of blocks from the house. We spent $2.79 for 2 Filet-O-Fish at the drive thru window and then drove across the street to Jack In The Box. We spent another $6.47 there (2 for $3 Fish Sandwiches, small fry, medium drink) for a grand total of $19.35.
Moon rates them in this order: Wendy's, McD's and Jack In The Box and says they need more tartar sauce (that's why we call him El Condimento).
Neighbor Neal and the wife rate them in this order: Wendy's, Jack In The Box and McD's, say they all need more sauce, that Wendy's fish was the best and Neighbor Neal liked Jack In The Box's bun better.
Personally, I rate them in the same approximate order as Neighbor Neal and the wife and yes, they all could use a little more sauce.
And Neighbor Neal popped for lunch since we invite him over for dinner once in a while...
UPDATE: The wife checked out Carl's Jr's fish sandwich a couple of days later. It sells for the same as the Wendy's ($3.59) but their (Wendy's) fish is better. The wife ranks it second to Wendy's (nice bun, plenty of sauce and a slice of tomato) and ahead of Mickey D's and Jack's...
UPDATE II: The wife and Boy checked out Rally's and Burger King a couple of weeks later. Both said they were in the neighborhood of McD's Filet O Fish and that they never give you enough sauce but disagreed on overall scores.
The wife rates them (in order): (4) Burger King, (5) Rally's & (6) McD's.
The Boy prefers: (4) McDonald's, (5) Burger King and (6) Rally's...
No. 165
Hooley's Irish Pub & Grill
This was our old friend Wild Bill McGinley's favorite watering hole and it took us 4 visits until we finally got to check it out. As you may remember, Wild Bill passed away suddenly on Thanksgiving Day a couple of years ago.
Several years ago, we had scheduled lunch there on a Monday, when we were going to a movie next door to their Rancho San Diego location, only to discover that they aren't open on Mondays.
The second time was last year, when they were preparing to staff their new La Mesa location (I'd grab lunch while the wife waited for an interview).
Unfortunately, we realized it was a Monday again...
The third time, last month, was when all of us were going out for dinner (and it wasn't a Monday) but this time, we discovered they shut down after the lunch rush and don't reopen until 5:00 PM, a good hour from then....
Today, after the wife got out of a seminar she had to go to, we drove over to the La Mesa location, and walked right in, shortly before Noon.
We split their Fish, Shrimp & Chips lunch ($14.95), side order of slaw ($.75) and I had an iced tea (the wife doesn't drink with her meals) for a total of just over $19 before tip.
They will substitute the shrimp for a second piece of fish at NO extra cost...
The steak fries were actually hot, the cod wasn't too bad, the 4 shrimp were nice and we both liked the cole slaw. They make their own tartar sauce (very good) and also sent out a small serving of a hot sauce (also very good).
Yes, we'd both eat there again (the French Dip and the French Onion Soup both looked good), and splitting the meal between us was just perfect...
Their web site: http://www.hooleys.com/
This was our old friend Wild Bill McGinley's favorite watering hole and it took us 4 visits until we finally got to check it out. As you may remember, Wild Bill passed away suddenly on Thanksgiving Day a couple of years ago.
Several years ago, we had scheduled lunch there on a Monday, when we were going to a movie next door to their Rancho San Diego location, only to discover that they aren't open on Mondays.
The second time was last year, when they were preparing to staff their new La Mesa location (I'd grab lunch while the wife waited for an interview).
Unfortunately, we realized it was a Monday again...
The third time, last month, was when all of us were going out for dinner (and it wasn't a Monday) but this time, we discovered they shut down after the lunch rush and don't reopen until 5:00 PM, a good hour from then....
Today, after the wife got out of a seminar she had to go to, we drove over to the La Mesa location, and walked right in, shortly before Noon.
We split their Fish, Shrimp & Chips lunch ($14.95), side order of slaw ($.75) and I had an iced tea (the wife doesn't drink with her meals) for a total of just over $19 before tip.
They will substitute the shrimp for a second piece of fish at NO extra cost...
The steak fries were actually hot, the cod wasn't too bad, the 4 shrimp were nice and we both liked the cole slaw. They make their own tartar sauce (very good) and also sent out a small serving of a hot sauce (also very good).
Yes, we'd both eat there again (the French Dip and the French Onion Soup both looked good), and splitting the meal between us was just perfect...
Their web site: http://www.hooleys.com/
No. 164
Pizzeria Luigi
1137 25th St.
San Diego, Ca. 92102
(619)233-3309
We first saw this place on TV Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives".
We made it down there (I used to live in the neighborhood back in the early 70's) early one Saturday afternoon, well before any dinner rush, at least hypothetically...
When we got there, they were lined up out the door, on the sidewalk and down the street. As I'm not fully recovered physically, we stood in line as long as I could and then left, grabbing a pizza back here in El Cajon.
Later in the week, I called and talked to Chris and he said it was because of the TV feature and that it'd quiet down soon, please come by again.
Tonight, we literally stood in line for only a few minutes, placed our order and then grabbed a table...
When our pizza came, it looked wonderful but it's fairly large (18") and with the pepperoni calzone (hold the ricotta), side salad and 2 Cokes, table real estate was at a premium.
Our total was $27.50 and I threw another $2.50 in the tip jar.
The calzone was burn-your-mouth-blazing-hot and the Boy did exactly that, our half of the pepperoni pizza was wonderful (the wife's half was vegetarian, hold the cheese) but the side salad was mediocre.
I heard one of the guests at the next table tell someone there that he'd also seen the segment on "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" and when he saw our calzone come up, he asked what it was so I gave him a bite (he loved it but I suspect he burned his mouth too).
I really liked the pizza's crust (we all agreed on that) but the sauce was too mild for the wife's taste and she wouldn't order it again. The Boy especially liked the calzone and said it was probably the best one he'd ever had. It was a lot of food and we tossed half of the salad and a couple of slices of the wife's vegetarian pizza before we left.
On the way out, they served an order of pasta to one of the outside tables and the wife and the Boy both commented on how good it looked.
Finally, we didn't get to meet Luigi as it was his night off...
Their web site: http://pizzerialuigi.com/
Luigi's pepperoni calzone with marinara sauce for dipping
UPDATE: 31 July 2009
Now there's a second location, this time on El Cajon Blvd, approximately 10 miles from here and parking is pretty hard to find in that neighborhood.
We stopped by to check it out and we have to say it's way too loud (all reflective surfaces with nothing to dampen the ambient noise). And they should lower the volume of the music too (OK, I'm a geezer but in my defense, I've also antagonized a neighbor or two over the years with our stereo)...
The Boy and I split a pepperoni and mushroom pizza (one size only), we had a couple of sodas from the machine (the wife had water) and she ordered the Pasta Putanesca. We love their crust but our pizza had way too much sauce and the wife says the pasta was great.
Our total was $25 exactly (I tossed a couple of bucks in the tip jar).
No. 163
Chen's Golden Palace in El Cajon (Since 1992):
We had started out to grab a quick bite at Popeye's but they were out of mild chicken and we didn't want to wait.
We'd been through that before there when an idiot manager refused to let us out of the drive thru line when they said it'd be another 20 minutes.
That's actually a crime (false imprisonment) when all they have to do is have the car in front of us pull over to wait for their order, standard procedure for just about any drive thru operation on the planet.
Needless to say, we wrote the company about this idiot manager's actions...
Ed Bedford who writes the "Tin Fork" column for The San Diego Reader had reported on Chen's recently and since it was right down the street from Popeye's, we decided to check it out.
It's a small store front operation and the menu says they specialize in Chinese Cuisine and Fish & Chips.
We ordered egg rolls (4), sesame shrimp, Mongolian beef, an iced tea for me and a couple of cans of Coke for the Boy. The egg rolls were a little too sweet for my taste (like Pick Up Stix, they used a lot of carrot), the sesame shrimp were morsels of shrimp meat in a lot of breading with honey and sesame seeds on top and the Mongolian beef came with slivered onions and red and green bell peppers. The Boy says he would have liked larger pieces of beef in the dish but it was OK other than that.
They also served us some fried won ton crisps with a sweet orange sauce for dipping and a couple of small bowls of generic brown rice. I asked for chop sticks for myself and a small container of hot mustard.
Service was prompt, eveything was hot and it was just over $25. Everything came in styrofoam containers, cups or plates, maybe a dozen items total.
The Boy says he enjoyed it but probably wouldn't go back again.
We had started out to grab a quick bite at Popeye's but they were out of mild chicken and we didn't want to wait.
We'd been through that before there when an idiot manager refused to let us out of the drive thru line when they said it'd be another 20 minutes.
That's actually a crime (false imprisonment) when all they have to do is have the car in front of us pull over to wait for their order, standard procedure for just about any drive thru operation on the planet.
Needless to say, we wrote the company about this idiot manager's actions...
Ed Bedford who writes the "Tin Fork" column for The San Diego Reader had reported on Chen's recently and since it was right down the street from Popeye's, we decided to check it out.
It's a small store front operation and the menu says they specialize in Chinese Cuisine and Fish & Chips.
We ordered egg rolls (4), sesame shrimp, Mongolian beef, an iced tea for me and a couple of cans of Coke for the Boy. The egg rolls were a little too sweet for my taste (like Pick Up Stix, they used a lot of carrot), the sesame shrimp were morsels of shrimp meat in a lot of breading with honey and sesame seeds on top and the Mongolian beef came with slivered onions and red and green bell peppers. The Boy says he would have liked larger pieces of beef in the dish but it was OK other than that.
They also served us some fried won ton crisps with a sweet orange sauce for dipping and a couple of small bowls of generic brown rice. I asked for chop sticks for myself and a small container of hot mustard.
Service was prompt, eveything was hot and it was just over $25. Everything came in styrofoam containers, cups or plates, maybe a dozen items total.
The Boy says he enjoyed it but probably wouldn't go back again.
No. 162
Goodbones of El Cajon (formerly Geno's BBQ)
We'd eaten at Geno's maybe half a dozen times in our almost 6 years here and heard there were new owners recently but finally made it over there last night, the night before Thanksgiving.
There's a few items left from Geno's, such as the signs, the old menu board, a little of Geno's sauce, an old surfboard, some rattan, a surfing mural and maybe a dozen miniature "Woodies" but the food is vastly different.
To start with, they now smoke their meats with hickory, the way it should be (I like other woods, even mesquite, but hickory is it), and unlike Geno, who didn't smoke it at all. Geno was all about his sauces, which he had attempted to mass market and called his smokeless meats "West Coast Barbecue".
And I have to admit that I like their new sauce more than the Geno's variations. For one thing, it's almost perfectly spiced instead of offering 3 different heat ranges.
As I'm not the eater I used to be, the Boy and I split the 5 pork rib dinner with 3 side orders and 2 sodas for a little over $17 total. These weren't baby back ribs (which I eat almost exclusively) and even though I had a couple of them and the Boy had 2 as well, they were meaty enough that the wife had the leftovers when she got out of class last night.
We had wanted corn on the cob as one of our sides but they were out by the time we got there so we had corn bread instead. The other 2 sides were their slaw and beans.
The beans were almost chili flavored, the corn bread was too sweet for us (we're corn bread bakers ourselves) but the slaw was servicable, almost a compliment as we're very particular about our slaw.
We both agreed we'd go back again.
I want to sample the pulled pork and talk to the owners.
I think they'd do themselves a favor by eliminating the remnants of Geno's reign as most Q joints are rather plain inside and concentrate on upgrading their menu boards and the menu itself.
Geno's used to offer buffalo burgers and other distractions and I think a good rib joint should stick to their strong points instead of trying to appeal to everyone and pleasing no one...
See the web site here (it appears they may still be related to Geno's): http://www.goodbonesbbq.com/
Update: 3 December 2008
The Boy and I made a second visit last night and split the shredded pork sandwich, with slaw and beans again. It's a great sandwich with very little difference between it and Geno's version (Geno toasted the bun).
With a couple of sodas, our total was $10.05.
And we talked to one of the owners who tells us that Geno sold it a couple of years ago now (our best guess is that new signage is way too expensive, which would also explain why Geno's name is still on the web site). She also advised us to check out the beef brisket, which we will do on our next visit...
Update II: 10 December 2008
We tried the beef brisket last night (split an order) and it was good but it wasn't what we expected.
In most places (and when we make it at home), Texas style beef brisket is a slab of smoked, sliced beef with au jus, but here, it's shredded and served like a pulled pork sandwich with light BBQ sauce. Good brisket needs no sauce and I'd be interested in having it done that way on our next visit.
I also had an ear of corn on the cob with my meal and it wasn't a frozen, boiled cobbette and I'll order it again (they were out the last time I asked for it). Our total was just over $13 with 2 sodas and beans for the Boy.
We'd eaten at Geno's maybe half a dozen times in our almost 6 years here and heard there were new owners recently but finally made it over there last night, the night before Thanksgiving.
There's a few items left from Geno's, such as the signs, the old menu board, a little of Geno's sauce, an old surfboard, some rattan, a surfing mural and maybe a dozen miniature "Woodies" but the food is vastly different.
To start with, they now smoke their meats with hickory, the way it should be (I like other woods, even mesquite, but hickory is it), and unlike Geno, who didn't smoke it at all. Geno was all about his sauces, which he had attempted to mass market and called his smokeless meats "West Coast Barbecue".
And I have to admit that I like their new sauce more than the Geno's variations. For one thing, it's almost perfectly spiced instead of offering 3 different heat ranges.
As I'm not the eater I used to be, the Boy and I split the 5 pork rib dinner with 3 side orders and 2 sodas for a little over $17 total. These weren't baby back ribs (which I eat almost exclusively) and even though I had a couple of them and the Boy had 2 as well, they were meaty enough that the wife had the leftovers when she got out of class last night.
We had wanted corn on the cob as one of our sides but they were out by the time we got there so we had corn bread instead. The other 2 sides were their slaw and beans.
The beans were almost chili flavored, the corn bread was too sweet for us (we're corn bread bakers ourselves) but the slaw was servicable, almost a compliment as we're very particular about our slaw.
We both agreed we'd go back again.
I want to sample the pulled pork and talk to the owners.
I think they'd do themselves a favor by eliminating the remnants of Geno's reign as most Q joints are rather plain inside and concentrate on upgrading their menu boards and the menu itself.
Geno's used to offer buffalo burgers and other distractions and I think a good rib joint should stick to their strong points instead of trying to appeal to everyone and pleasing no one...
See the web site here (it appears they may still be related to Geno's): http://www.goodbonesbbq.com/
Update: 3 December 2008
The Boy and I made a second visit last night and split the shredded pork sandwich, with slaw and beans again. It's a great sandwich with very little difference between it and Geno's version (Geno toasted the bun).
With a couple of sodas, our total was $10.05.
And we talked to one of the owners who tells us that Geno sold it a couple of years ago now (our best guess is that new signage is way too expensive, which would also explain why Geno's name is still on the web site). She also advised us to check out the beef brisket, which we will do on our next visit...
Update II: 10 December 2008
We tried the beef brisket last night (split an order) and it was good but it wasn't what we expected.
In most places (and when we make it at home), Texas style beef brisket is a slab of smoked, sliced beef with au jus, but here, it's shredded and served like a pulled pork sandwich with light BBQ sauce. Good brisket needs no sauce and I'd be interested in having it done that way on our next visit.
I also had an ear of corn on the cob with my meal and it wasn't a frozen, boiled cobbette and I'll order it again (they were out the last time I asked for it). Our total was just over $13 with 2 sodas and beans for the Boy.
Number 161:
Sharp - Grossmont Hospital Food Service
I recently spent almost a week in the hospital and, as expected, hospital food and I really don't get along. It's not that there's anything wrong with it, especially when a dedicated, trained staff is trying to save your life, but...
I guess the nearest comparison would be airline food, although I haven't flown since I was discharged from the Navy in 1973, but I have to admit that it was better than that, and in fact, some of it wasn't too bad at all.
I recently spent almost a week in the hospital and, as expected, hospital food and I really don't get along. It's not that there's anything wrong with it, especially when a dedicated, trained staff is trying to save your life, but...
I guess the nearest comparison would be airline food, although I haven't flown since I was discharged from the Navy in 1973, but I have to admit that it was better than that, and in fact, some of it wasn't too bad at all.
(Then there's military hospital food and I've had my share of that too)...
The main thing they try to do is feed you a balanced, low fat, low cholesterol, low sodium diet with enough fruits and veggies to satisfy the biggest gorilla in the zoo and I did my best as I am now recovering from a heart attack, have diabetes and do recognize the need to change, if only to prevent this from happening again.
Over the week, they fed me a fairly good chicken noodle soup with wide, flat noodles (like Mom used to make), a fair version of mac & cheese, roast beef (tough and chewy), several attempted chicken dishes, a plain (no mayo or anything else) tuna sandwich, which was delicious at the time, scrambled eggs, tiny little pancakes, tea, juices, lots of fruit (peaches, pineapple, etc), stewed tomatoes, brown rice, etc.
Condiment packs are small (for instance, a single packet of pepper) or non-existent. Salad dressing comes in a 1 ounce serving, and there's lemon juice for tea but hardly ever any sugar. I did learn to appreciate Spike, although I'm not quite sure what it is and they gave me a 3 ounce serving of ice cream once. And, shortly before I left, I discovered you could ask for hot tea anytime (I froze most of the time I was there and it would have been helpful if someone had mentioned it 5 or 6 days earlier)...
After a while, I couldn't take it any more and one of the dieticians offered to get me a hamburger but instead, I had the wife and Boy bring me a salad, some iced tea and bread sticks from home.
Now that I've been discharged and am on the mend at home, I've made a serious effort to keep it up and haven't even had a beer since then...
And I should point out the excellent care I got, from the El Cajon EMT, the boys in surgery, the Intensive Care Unit, the nurses on the fourth floor and Dr. Mike Rodriguez...
PS: Although I am qualified to go through the VA, the ambulance crew takes you to the nearest hospital when you experience a medical emergencey and as we have no insurance, I now have a bill of $111,318.90 to pay off...
Number 160:
Milton's Delicatessen:
This place is just across the freeway from the Del Mar Fairgrounds and I've been meaning to get up there to check it out for a couple of years now (good deli is hard to find here).
Before we left (the wife had a catering gig in Rancho Santa Fe), I looked at their web site and reviews of the place on Yelp and other related web sites. Most said it was pricey (it is) and a number of people didn't care for the service but I had no problem with it.
I had intended on ordering any different number of things but ended up having the French Dip as the waitress assured me that I could get well done roast beef.
The fries were room temperature when my order came (delivered by another employee). I've always said a server should "run" her own food and this is exactly why: the person dropping the order could care less and isn't impacted by a customer leaving a smaller tip...
The meat was good (and a generous serving), they make their own breads inhouse and it was good too (as was the au jus), the iced tea flowed nicely and besides a short wait (less than 5 minutes) to be seated and the cold fries, I'd go back again, if I find myself up that way, 35 miles north of here.
The total for the sandwich and iced tea was $18 and coin, make it an even $22 with tip...
Their web site: http://www.miltonsdeli.com/
This place is just across the freeway from the Del Mar Fairgrounds and I've been meaning to get up there to check it out for a couple of years now (good deli is hard to find here).
Before we left (the wife had a catering gig in Rancho Santa Fe), I looked at their web site and reviews of the place on Yelp and other related web sites. Most said it was pricey (it is) and a number of people didn't care for the service but I had no problem with it.
I had intended on ordering any different number of things but ended up having the French Dip as the waitress assured me that I could get well done roast beef.
The fries were room temperature when my order came (delivered by another employee). I've always said a server should "run" her own food and this is exactly why: the person dropping the order could care less and isn't impacted by a customer leaving a smaller tip...
The meat was good (and a generous serving), they make their own breads inhouse and it was good too (as was the au jus), the iced tea flowed nicely and besides a short wait (less than 5 minutes) to be seated and the cold fries, I'd go back again, if I find myself up that way, 35 miles north of here.
The total for the sandwich and iced tea was $18 and coin, make it an even $22 with tip...
Their web site: http://www.miltonsdeli.com/
A BOOK I HAD BEEN WORKING ON:
Grilled Ribeye Steak Sandwich with Mushrooms, Mayo & Poppy Seed Roll
Chili Cheese Dog...
Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Cheeseburger
Italian Sub Sandwich
Mushroom Cheesesteak with extra white American cheese
Italian Sausage Sandwich
NOTE: Click on photos for a larger version
I'm putting together a small cook book about what we eat for lunch.
It started 10+ years ago, when we lived in Squarefield. I'd jump in the truck, drive around town, looking for something, anything new or different to eat. Maybe I'd forgotten a place or something new had opened, anything...
Normally, I'd drive the loop, find nothing and go home disgusted.
It's not much different here in San Diego, a collection of maybe 40 towns the size of Squarefield, just pushed together. It's a fairly large place, there are a number of bright spots but the problem is everything is also 20 miles away.
Of course, that leads to jumping in the truck, checking out this town again and then going home to pout when I don't find anything...
I also tell people that the book is for guys who work at home, retired guys, guys under house arrest, guys who are problem drinkers, shut ins, etc.
There are 30+ items on the list, I have a great title and theme, we've tested all of these recipes and I'm now shooting them in high resolution for print...
THE LIST:
1) Beef Tacos
2) BLT
3) Brats & Beer
4) Burger (numerous styles)
5) Chicken (or Turkey) Salad
6) Chili / cornbread
7) Chili Cheese Dog
8) Chili Cheese Dog Burrito
9) Cheesesteak
10) Club Sandwich
11) Corn Dogs
12) Egg Salad
13) Fruit Salad & Cottage Cheese
14) Grilled Cheese
15) Ham & Swiss on Rye
16) Ham, Lettuce & Tomato
17) Ham Salad
18) Hot Dog (different buns, toppings, etc)
19) Italian Beef Sandwich
20) Italian Sub
21) Italian Sausage Sandwiches
22) Muffaletta
23) Panini
24) Pizzadilla
25) Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
26) Portobello Mushroom Sandwich
27) Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich
28) Roast Beef Sandwich
29) Salami & Cheese Sandwich
30) Steak Sandwich
31) Turkey with lettuce, tomato & mayo
32) Tuna California
33) Tuna Salad
34) Tuna Spectaculare
35) Tuna Stuffed Tomato
Other Possibles:
Corned Beef on Rye
Pastrami
Rueben
Monte Cristo
UPDATE: Unfortunately, I had to cancel this project recently...
OUR REGULAR MENU:
Beef:
Beef Stew
Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
Roast Beef Dinner, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Roast Beef Hash
Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Shredded Beef Tacos
Steak:
Cheese Steaks
Cube Steak
Filet Mignon with Shallot Sauce
Rib Eye Steak
Salisbury Steak
Shish Kebabs
Sirloin Tips
Skirt Steak Fajitas
Smoked Brisket
Smoked Steaks
Swiss Steak
Teriyaki Steak
Ground Beef:
Chili
Ground Beef Tacos
Hamburgers
Meat Loaf
Spaghetti
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Sausage:
Brats in Beer
Chili Cheese Dogs
Corn Dogs
Hot Dogs
Italian Sausage Sandwiches
Kielbasa with Cabbage & Potatoes
Other:
Calzone
Pizza
Pork:
BBQ Pork Sandwiches
BBQ Ribs
Chop Suey
Ham (baked or fried)
Ham Hocks & Beans
Honey Mustard Pork Roast
Pork Chops
Roast Pork
Ribs & Kraut
Chicken:
Beer Can Chicken
BBQ Chicken
Chicken & Dumplings
Coconut Chicken Wraps
Fried Chicken
Salsa Chicken Packets
Roast Chicken
Rotisserie Chicken
Turkey:
Club Sandwiches
Hot Turkey Sandwiches
Roast Turkey, Dressing & Gravy
Turkey Sandwiches
Fish:
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Catfish
Crab
Red Snapper
Halibut
Lobster
Mesquite Prawns
Prawns with Bacon on a Skewer
Salmon Patties
Trout
Chinese / Japanese:
Beef Tempura
Black Bean Chicken
Cashew Chicken
Fried Rice
Szechwan Shrimp
Tempura Vegetables
Appetizers:
Chips & Guacamole
Chips & Salsa
Deviled Eggs
Green Onion Fritters
Green Onion Pancakes
Nachos
Quesadillas
Salami, Cheese, Crackers & Fruit
Shrimp and Chorizo Quesadillas
Shrimp Scampi
Spring Rolls
Wonton Wrapped Shrimp
Soup:
Cioppino
Egg Flower Soup
French Onion Soup
Hot & Sour Soup
Potato Leek Soup
Shrimp Wonton Soup
Spicy Potato Soup
Tortilla Soup
Vegetable Beef Soup
Salad:
3 Weenie Salad
Chef Salad
Chinese Chicken Salad
Cole Slaw
Cottage Cheese & Fruit
Crab Louie
Cucumber & Onions
Fruit Salad
Garden Salad
Heck of a Jicama Salad
Jicama & Peppers Salad
Mexican Tuna Salad
Moon’s Pasta Salad
Persian Salad
Potato Salad
Shrimp Salad
Slightly Asian Cole Slaw
Wilted Lettuce Salad
Pasta, Potatoes & Rice:
Baked Potatoes
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Egg Noodles
Fettuccine Alfredo
Fiery Angel Hair Pasta
French Fries
Green Onion Rice
Hash Browns
Macaroni & Cheese
Mashed Potatoes
Pan Fried Potatoes
Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Pasta with Pesto Sauce
Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Capers, Olives & Anchovies
Steamed Rice
Wild Rice
Yams
Side Dishes:
Apple Fritters
Apple Sauce
Artichokes
Asparagus
Baked Beans
Black Beans
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cherry Tomatoes sautéed with Red Wine Vinegar
Corn on the Cob
Creamed Corn
Fried Apples
Green Beans
Green Beans a la Romano
Grilled Veggies
Lima Beans
Peas
Pork & Beans
Refried Beans
Roasted Bell Peppers with Balsamic Vinegar
Sauer Kraut
Sautéed Mushrooms
Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes
Stuffed Mushrooms
Whole Kernel Corn
Zucchini
Bread:
Baguette
Biscuits
Ciabatta
Corn Bread
French Bread
Focaccia
Garlic Bread
Sour Dough
Rolls
Dessert:
Bananas Foster (flambé, on the grill, microwave versions)
Banana Pudding
Brownies
Cookies (Lemon Ginger, Date Nut, etc)
Fudge
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Shortcake
Sandwiches:
BLT
Black Forest Ham
Burgers
Cheese Steaks
Club Sandwich
Egg Salad
Fried Ham Sandwich with Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo & Mustard
Good Earth Tuna
Grilled Cheese
Ham & Swiss / Grilled Ham & Cheese
Ham Salad
Portobello Mushroom Sandwich
Roast Beef Sandwich
Salami & Cheese Sandwich
Steak Sandwich with Grilled Onions
Submarine Sandwich
Turkey Sandwich
Breakfast:
Bacon
Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
Eggs
French Toast
Grits
Ham
Hickory Smoked Ham & Red Eye Gravy
Oatmeal
Omelets
Pancakes
Sausage Links
Sausage Patties
Toast
Waffles
Beef Stew
Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
Roast Beef Dinner, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Roast Beef Hash
Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Shredded Beef Tacos
Steak:
Cheese Steaks
Cube Steak
Filet Mignon with Shallot Sauce
Rib Eye Steak
Salisbury Steak
Shish Kebabs
Sirloin Tips
Skirt Steak Fajitas
Smoked Brisket
Smoked Steaks
Swiss Steak
Teriyaki Steak
Ground Beef:
Chili
Ground Beef Tacos
Hamburgers
Meat Loaf
Spaghetti
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Sausage:
Brats in Beer
Chili Cheese Dogs
Corn Dogs
Hot Dogs
Italian Sausage Sandwiches
Kielbasa with Cabbage & Potatoes
Other:
Calzone
Pizza
Pork:
BBQ Pork Sandwiches
BBQ Ribs
Chop Suey
Ham (baked or fried)
Ham Hocks & Beans
Honey Mustard Pork Roast
Pork Chops
Roast Pork
Ribs & Kraut
Chicken:
Beer Can Chicken
BBQ Chicken
Chicken & Dumplings
Coconut Chicken Wraps
Fried Chicken
Salsa Chicken Packets
Roast Chicken
Rotisserie Chicken
Turkey:
Club Sandwiches
Hot Turkey Sandwiches
Roast Turkey, Dressing & Gravy
Turkey Sandwiches
Fish:
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Catfish
Crab
Red Snapper
Halibut
Lobster
Mesquite Prawns
Prawns with Bacon on a Skewer
Salmon Patties
Trout
Chinese / Japanese:
Beef Tempura
Black Bean Chicken
Cashew Chicken
Fried Rice
Szechwan Shrimp
Tempura Vegetables
Appetizers:
Chips & Guacamole
Chips & Salsa
Deviled Eggs
Green Onion Fritters
Green Onion Pancakes
Nachos
Quesadillas
Salami, Cheese, Crackers & Fruit
Shrimp and Chorizo Quesadillas
Shrimp Scampi
Spring Rolls
Wonton Wrapped Shrimp
Soup:
Cioppino
Egg Flower Soup
French Onion Soup
Hot & Sour Soup
Potato Leek Soup
Shrimp Wonton Soup
Spicy Potato Soup
Tortilla Soup
Vegetable Beef Soup
Salad:
3 Weenie Salad
Chef Salad
Chinese Chicken Salad
Cole Slaw
Cottage Cheese & Fruit
Crab Louie
Cucumber & Onions
Fruit Salad
Garden Salad
Heck of a Jicama Salad
Jicama & Peppers Salad
Mexican Tuna Salad
Moon’s Pasta Salad
Persian Salad
Potato Salad
Shrimp Salad
Slightly Asian Cole Slaw
Wilted Lettuce Salad
Pasta, Potatoes & Rice:
Baked Potatoes
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Egg Noodles
Fettuccine Alfredo
Fiery Angel Hair Pasta
French Fries
Green Onion Rice
Hash Browns
Macaroni & Cheese
Mashed Potatoes
Pan Fried Potatoes
Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Pasta with Pesto Sauce
Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Capers, Olives & Anchovies
Steamed Rice
Wild Rice
Yams
Side Dishes:
Apple Fritters
Apple Sauce
Artichokes
Asparagus
Baked Beans
Black Beans
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cherry Tomatoes sautéed with Red Wine Vinegar
Corn on the Cob
Creamed Corn
Fried Apples
Green Beans
Green Beans a la Romano
Grilled Veggies
Lima Beans
Peas
Pork & Beans
Refried Beans
Roasted Bell Peppers with Balsamic Vinegar
Sauer Kraut
Sautéed Mushrooms
Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes
Stuffed Mushrooms
Whole Kernel Corn
Zucchini
Bread:
Baguette
Biscuits
Ciabatta
Corn Bread
French Bread
Focaccia
Garlic Bread
Sour Dough
Rolls
Dessert:
Bananas Foster (flambé, on the grill, microwave versions)
Banana Pudding
Brownies
Cookies (Lemon Ginger, Date Nut, etc)
Fudge
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Shortcake
Sandwiches:
BLT
Black Forest Ham
Burgers
Cheese Steaks
Club Sandwich
Egg Salad
Fried Ham Sandwich with Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo & Mustard
Good Earth Tuna
Grilled Cheese
Ham & Swiss / Grilled Ham & Cheese
Ham Salad
Portobello Mushroom Sandwich
Roast Beef Sandwich
Salami & Cheese Sandwich
Steak Sandwich with Grilled Onions
Submarine Sandwich
Turkey Sandwich
Breakfast:
Bacon
Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
Eggs
French Toast
Grits
Ham
Hickory Smoked Ham & Red Eye Gravy
Oatmeal
Omelets
Pancakes
Sausage Links
Sausage Patties
Toast
Waffles
No. 159
The TJ Hot Dog
The Champion's Booth
The Tap Out
LUCHA LIBRE (Mexican wrestling, if the term seems familiar):
And I finally had my first Tijuana style hot dog today (no way I'd eat off of a cart down there), 5 years after we got here...
We'd deliberately stopped by this place to check the hot dogs out ($1.50) and the rest is strictly gratuitous. The (skinless) all beef dog and bun were generic but the full condiment attack made the difference (mayo, mustard, catsup, bacon, sauteed onions, red & green bell peppers). It was amusing despite the cheap ingredients and we may do this experiment at home soon.
The wife ordered the deluxe chicken taco, the Tap Out, with grilled chicken & veggies (spiced fajita style), Poblano sauce & avocado slices - $3.25.
And they also have Mexican Coke (with real cane sugar) in the 12 ounce glass bottles and the whole thing only cost us $7.00.
None of it was bad and the decor was quite amusing (think El Asso Wipo), but it's just one of many in an ocean of taco shops in this town and neither of us would go back.
Their web site: www.tacosmackdown.com
No. 158
Chicken tamale with chili verde sauce, beans & rice...
Shredded beef taco (done the right way)...
EL INDIO:
Today, it was a 2-for-1 kind of day. When I went to pick the wife up after work, we decided to check out a couple of places a block apart.
The first is well known by the tourists, has been in business since 1940 and was recently featured on TV Food Network's "Diners, Drive Ins & Dives".
We had their shredded beef taco, a chicken tamale with chili verde sauce, beans, rice and a Coke ($11.98).
The wife tells me the masa was wonderful, maybe the best she's ever had (they make it all there and are also known for their home made chips). The taco was wonderfully authentic (notice the crumbled cheese), taking me back to how it was when I first got stationed here (1969).
The rice was light and airy and well flavored and the beans are as good as I've ever had and we both agree that we'll be back...
Their web site: http://www.el-indio.com/
UPDATE: We stopped by again a few days later, had another beef taco, the wife had the fish taco and we split a beef enchilada as well. We'll be back at least once more for the Boy to check the place out. It's a little out of our way but we'll stop by if we know we'll be in the neighborhood...
WHERE WE EAT:
BBQ:
Lightnin' Jack's BBQ
Phil's BBQ
Burgers (local):
Boomerang's
Crazy Burger
Hodad's
Johnny B's
Neighborhood
Burgers (franchise):
A&W
Burger Lounge
Fatburger
Fuddruckers
In-N-Out Burger
McDonald's
Rally's
Cheesesteaks:
Alex's Brown Bag
Gaglione Brothers
Chinese / Japanese:
Chow Noodle House
Emerald Seafood
Jasmine
S & M
Shogun
Deli:
DZ Akins
Fish:
Brigantine
King's Fish House
Red Lobster
The Fishery
The Little Fish Market
The Tin Fish
Todai Seafood Buffet
Hot Dogs:
Chicago on a Bun
Tommy's Original Burgers
Woodie's Chili Dogs
Italian:
Buca di Beppo
Marechiaro's
Olive Garden
Pat & Oscar's
Pizzeria Luigi
Tommy's Italian
Mexican:
Casa de Pico
El Indio
El Pollo Grill
Microbreweries:
Gordon Biersch
Karl Strauss
Other (local):
Studio Diner
Other (franchise):
Chili's
Claim Jumpers
Popeyes
Soup Plantation
Sandwiches:
Submarina
Togo's
Lightnin' Jack's BBQ
Phil's BBQ
Burgers (local):
Boomerang's
Crazy Burger
Hodad's
Johnny B's
Neighborhood
Burgers (franchise):
A&W
Burger Lounge
Fatburger
Fuddruckers
In-N-Out Burger
McDonald's
Rally's
Cheesesteaks:
Alex's Brown Bag
Gaglione Brothers
Chinese / Japanese:
Chow Noodle House
Emerald Seafood
Jasmine
S & M
Shogun
Deli:
DZ Akins
Fish:
Brigantine
King's Fish House
Red Lobster
The Fishery
The Little Fish Market
The Tin Fish
Todai Seafood Buffet
Hot Dogs:
Chicago on a Bun
Tommy's Original Burgers
Woodie's Chili Dogs
Italian:
Buca di Beppo
Marechiaro's
Olive Garden
Pat & Oscar's
Pizzeria Luigi
Tommy's Italian
Mexican:
Casa de Pico
El Indio
El Pollo Grill
Microbreweries:
Gordon Biersch
Karl Strauss
Other (local):
Studio Diner
Other (franchise):
Chili's
Claim Jumpers
Popeyes
Soup Plantation
Sandwiches:
Submarina
Togo's
No. 157
Neighborhood (Burgers, Beer, Wine)
We first saw this place (during construction) driving by on the way back from court, then Union Trib writer Peter Rowe did a column about it and since we were downtown again yesterday, we stopped by to check it out.
We got there 15 minutes early (it opens at Noon) but Valerie-from-Texas, the opening server, was gracious enough to allow us to sit at the bar and look at the menu until everything was ready.
It's an impressive place.
The biggest thing you'll notice is a gi-normous floor-to-ceiling tile mural of the downtown skyline and a large scale painting of Sigmund Freud holding a hamburger (sometimes a burger is just a burger?) on another wall.
There are other similar paintings around the room; Jimi Hendrix with burger, Mona Lisa with burger, several others we couldn't identify and another painting of Jesus Christ himself (with burger). The wife also tells me that there's a painting of Marilyn Monroe (with burger) in the Ladies room but there aren't any paintings in the Men's room.
There's also a quote by Frank Zappa on the wall behind the large custom built, laminated bar, an imposing item itself. I forgot to write it down but will when I stop by for a second visit (and update this posting). A couple of other oversized features are the huge window which swings open to let the breeze in and a single large flat screen TV, which we applaud as there are way too many bars out there with big screen TV's no matter where you look...
Getting down to the real nuts & bolts of the operation: there are 27 beers on tap (and another coming soon). Valerie tells us that they offer 3 different beer samplers (small glasses of 4 different beers) such as San Diego microbrews, another featuring Belgian beers and another featuring strong ales.
Too bad I was doing the driving or I would have tried one...
There are also numerous bottled beers and even the currently hot (but very retro) PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon).
And there are 8 taps for wines, as well as a huge wine rack on the wall.
Most of the soft drinks are in cans or plastic bottles but they do have Mexican Coke in the glass bottle as well as IBC Root Beer & Cream Soda.
We split an order of the Pale Ale battered Onion Rings, which were H-U-G-E, easily the biggest O-rings I've ever had and they were served with Mustard Seed Mayo with Chives for dipping. There were only maybe half a dozen of them but we couldn't finish them between the both of us.
I also ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger, a hand formed patty served on a Ciabatta roll with wild mushrooms in a red wine (Marsala) reduction sauce. It was pretty good (big, too) and came with a small bag of their freshly made potato chips. I also drank an IBC Root Beer in the glass bottle.
The wife had the Herb Roasted Garlic Chicken Wrap which came with Asian Cole Slaw with Sesame Soy Dressing and brought home a third of it (also huge). As the wife rarely drinks with her meals, she had a glass of iced water, which was served with a slice of either zucchini or cucumber (not sure) but the wife found the idea delightful...
Our total bill was $25.71 and as I only had $32 on me (the last of the money my mom gave us to build the Woodie Weenie Wagon), I made it an even $32, I'm now officially broke (thanks, Steve!)...
I asked about their Kosher Dog (it came from LA) and the menu also features numerous appetizers and other eclectic items (including a $9 grilled cheese sandwich!) but the print is way too small for me to be able to read their To Go menu (even with my reading glasses) and they don't have a web site yet...
We first saw this place (during construction) driving by on the way back from court, then Union Trib writer Peter Rowe did a column about it and since we were downtown again yesterday, we stopped by to check it out.
We got there 15 minutes early (it opens at Noon) but Valerie-from-Texas, the opening server, was gracious enough to allow us to sit at the bar and look at the menu until everything was ready.
It's an impressive place.
The biggest thing you'll notice is a gi-normous floor-to-ceiling tile mural of the downtown skyline and a large scale painting of Sigmund Freud holding a hamburger (sometimes a burger is just a burger?) on another wall.
There are other similar paintings around the room; Jimi Hendrix with burger, Mona Lisa with burger, several others we couldn't identify and another painting of Jesus Christ himself (with burger). The wife also tells me that there's a painting of Marilyn Monroe (with burger) in the Ladies room but there aren't any paintings in the Men's room.
There's also a quote by Frank Zappa on the wall behind the large custom built, laminated bar, an imposing item itself. I forgot to write it down but will when I stop by for a second visit (and update this posting). A couple of other oversized features are the huge window which swings open to let the breeze in and a single large flat screen TV, which we applaud as there are way too many bars out there with big screen TV's no matter where you look...
Getting down to the real nuts & bolts of the operation: there are 27 beers on tap (and another coming soon). Valerie tells us that they offer 3 different beer samplers (small glasses of 4 different beers) such as San Diego microbrews, another featuring Belgian beers and another featuring strong ales.
Too bad I was doing the driving or I would have tried one...
There are also numerous bottled beers and even the currently hot (but very retro) PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon).
And there are 8 taps for wines, as well as a huge wine rack on the wall.
Most of the soft drinks are in cans or plastic bottles but they do have Mexican Coke in the glass bottle as well as IBC Root Beer & Cream Soda.
We split an order of the Pale Ale battered Onion Rings, which were H-U-G-E, easily the biggest O-rings I've ever had and they were served with Mustard Seed Mayo with Chives for dipping. There were only maybe half a dozen of them but we couldn't finish them between the both of us.
I also ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger, a hand formed patty served on a Ciabatta roll with wild mushrooms in a red wine (Marsala) reduction sauce. It was pretty good (big, too) and came with a small bag of their freshly made potato chips. I also drank an IBC Root Beer in the glass bottle.
The wife had the Herb Roasted Garlic Chicken Wrap which came with Asian Cole Slaw with Sesame Soy Dressing and brought home a third of it (also huge). As the wife rarely drinks with her meals, she had a glass of iced water, which was served with a slice of either zucchini or cucumber (not sure) but the wife found the idea delightful...
Our total bill was $25.71 and as I only had $32 on me (the last of the money my mom gave us to build the Woodie Weenie Wagon), I made it an even $32, I'm now officially broke (thanks, Steve!)...
I asked about their Kosher Dog (it came from LA) and the menu also features numerous appetizers and other eclectic items (including a $9 grilled cheese sandwich!) but the print is way too small for me to be able to read their To Go menu (even with my reading glasses) and they don't have a web site yet...
No. 156
Tabu Sushi Bar & Grill
A local (El Cajon) business owner pointed us at this place and we checked it out tonight. After we were seated, we took several minutes to look over the menu before our server appeared. He was a young Mexican guy and he handled the drinks by the rim, our only complaint.
We had the Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura (4 shrimp, an onion ring, a piece of broccoli, red bell pepper and yam or sweet potato), the Vegetable Tempura platter (the same, only more), a California Roll for the wife and Boy (not my cup o' tea) and we all split the Beef Teriyaki Platter (with rice, a small salad with a ginger dressing and a cup of Japanese style minimalist onion soup).
The Boy had a Coke, I had an iced tea and the wife had a pot of hot tea.
Most of the food was fair to good (especially the Beef with mushrooms in a sweet sauce) but I do take issue with the size of the veggies (way too big - isn't it all supposed to be eaten with chop sticks?) and the doneness of several pieces (the bell pepper and sweet potatoes).
The bill was $49 plus, and with a $7 tip (and coin), it came out to $57 exactly.
A local (El Cajon) business owner pointed us at this place and we checked it out tonight. After we were seated, we took several minutes to look over the menu before our server appeared. He was a young Mexican guy and he handled the drinks by the rim, our only complaint.
We had the Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura (4 shrimp, an onion ring, a piece of broccoli, red bell pepper and yam or sweet potato), the Vegetable Tempura platter (the same, only more), a California Roll for the wife and Boy (not my cup o' tea) and we all split the Beef Teriyaki Platter (with rice, a small salad with a ginger dressing and a cup of Japanese style minimalist onion soup).
The Boy had a Coke, I had an iced tea and the wife had a pot of hot tea.
Most of the food was fair to good (especially the Beef with mushrooms in a sweet sauce) but I do take issue with the size of the veggies (way too big - isn't it all supposed to be eaten with chop sticks?) and the doneness of several pieces (the bell pepper and sweet potatoes).
The bill was $49 plus, and with a $7 tip (and coin), it came out to $57 exactly.
It's a small, crowded, noisy place but it sure beats a lot of other Japanese style places around here.
Both the wife and the Boy liked it all and say they'll go back. It's in an older, congested strip mall so parking is hard to find and we missed the late dinner rush by minutes so it'll be during a lull if and when we visit a second time.
Their web site: www.tabusushibar.com
No. 155
The Brew House @ Eastlake:
The wife applied for a job at this place, months ago, before it ever opened.
Anyway, she had a catering gig about a mile from this place last night and having a few minutes to spare (and hungry), I stopped by to check it out.
It's a cavernous place with at least 11 large flat screen TVs around the top of the room. The Olympics opening ceremony was playing on 4 of them and a Padres baseball game and Vikings football game on the others.
And it was L-O-U-D (totally unrelated music from speakers in the ceiling)!
I had forgotten to grab my reading glasses from the truck and had to ask the waitress about the menu, settling on a well done mushroom cheeseburger (with Swiss cheese), mayo on the side, an order of Frings (fries and O rings) and a Hefeweizen. The waitress said the mushroom burger also came with sauteed onions, which I asked her to hold.
When the food came, I had to scrape the congealed sauteed mushrooms off (and realized there were only a few mushrooms), I had to ask for mustard and catsup (and a second time for the side of mayo), the O rings were generic and warm but the fries were already cold. The burger was well done, at least, but it was just one more generic Angus beef patty...
The beer was good (a 16 ounce serving with a wedge of lemon).
I asked for the check as soon as the food arrived as I was getting tight for time and laid a $20 bill on the table. When the waitress brought my change, she laid 3 one dollar bills on the table (I never would have ordered what I did at those prices)...
Overall, service was slipshod, the food was generic bar fare (and expensive), the ambience was just too noisy (hey, I'm old!), the lighting too dim to read the menu (hey, I'm old!) and virtually the entire staff was less than 30 years old (no wonder the wife didn't get hired)...
The wife applied for a job at this place, months ago, before it ever opened.
Anyway, she had a catering gig about a mile from this place last night and having a few minutes to spare (and hungry), I stopped by to check it out.
It's a cavernous place with at least 11 large flat screen TVs around the top of the room. The Olympics opening ceremony was playing on 4 of them and a Padres baseball game and Vikings football game on the others.
And it was L-O-U-D (totally unrelated music from speakers in the ceiling)!
I had forgotten to grab my reading glasses from the truck and had to ask the waitress about the menu, settling on a well done mushroom cheeseburger (with Swiss cheese), mayo on the side, an order of Frings (fries and O rings) and a Hefeweizen. The waitress said the mushroom burger also came with sauteed onions, which I asked her to hold.
When the food came, I had to scrape the congealed sauteed mushrooms off (and realized there were only a few mushrooms), I had to ask for mustard and catsup (and a second time for the side of mayo), the O rings were generic and warm but the fries were already cold. The burger was well done, at least, but it was just one more generic Angus beef patty...
The beer was good (a 16 ounce serving with a wedge of lemon).
I asked for the check as soon as the food arrived as I was getting tight for time and laid a $20 bill on the table. When the waitress brought my change, she laid 3 one dollar bills on the table (I never would have ordered what I did at those prices)...
Overall, service was slipshod, the food was generic bar fare (and expensive), the ambience was just too noisy (hey, I'm old!), the lighting too dim to read the menu (hey, I'm old!) and virtually the entire staff was less than 30 years old (no wonder the wife didn't get hired)...
No. 154
Yeung's Place in La Mesa
I saw an ad for this place in the paper this morning, while I was waiting for the wife to do the weekly grocery shopping. After she put it all away, I convinced her to go with me to check it out.
The location is a small hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall, their second, and they are also marketing a line of Chinese sauces (see the web site address below).
It's clean, the woman behind the counter was personable, everything is cooked to order and it was decently priced as well...
We ordered the #3 combination plate ($7.40) with Kung Pao Chicken (the stir fry veggies were mainly carrots and celery), 6 nuggets of Sweet & Sour Chicken and nondescript Fried Rice. We also ordered the small Fried Shrinp (3 for $3.80), but they were really just deep fried donuts of shrimp pieces. We also had the small Egg Rolls (2 for $4.25) and they were large, the batter was heavy and the predominant vegetable was lots of cabbage.
And I had a can of Coke for a total of $17.99 plus $2 tip...
The trouble with writing something like this is that I have to be fair so I have to admit that I don't care much for chicken (the wife did the ordering) and I have to balance it against many, many other restaurants we've eaten at over time. We've had some wonderful, wonderful Chinese food over the years, but most of it is only mediocre and that's what we'd have to say about this place.
We'll be back, at least to try something on the menu that isn't chicken, but this certainly isn't anywhere near the best we've had here, much less when we lived in The City or Silicon Valley...
Their sauce web site: www.lewsgourmet.com
PS: And since they are in the sauce business, wouldn't you think that that's what they'd serve at their own place instead of those little plastic packets of soy sauce?
UPDATE: The Boy and I visited them a second time a couple of days later. This time, we had the Mongolian Beef, an order of their deluxe fried rice, the egg rolls and 3 Cokes. The deluxe fried rice was adequate and the beef sauce was good but that's it for me...
I saw an ad for this place in the paper this morning, while I was waiting for the wife to do the weekly grocery shopping. After she put it all away, I convinced her to go with me to check it out.
The location is a small hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall, their second, and they are also marketing a line of Chinese sauces (see the web site address below).
It's clean, the woman behind the counter was personable, everything is cooked to order and it was decently priced as well...
We ordered the #3 combination plate ($7.40) with Kung Pao Chicken (the stir fry veggies were mainly carrots and celery), 6 nuggets of Sweet & Sour Chicken and nondescript Fried Rice. We also ordered the small Fried Shrinp (3 for $3.80), but they were really just deep fried donuts of shrimp pieces. We also had the small Egg Rolls (2 for $4.25) and they were large, the batter was heavy and the predominant vegetable was lots of cabbage.
And I had a can of Coke for a total of $17.99 plus $2 tip...
The trouble with writing something like this is that I have to be fair so I have to admit that I don't care much for chicken (the wife did the ordering) and I have to balance it against many, many other restaurants we've eaten at over time. We've had some wonderful, wonderful Chinese food over the years, but most of it is only mediocre and that's what we'd have to say about this place.
We'll be back, at least to try something on the menu that isn't chicken, but this certainly isn't anywhere near the best we've had here, much less when we lived in The City or Silicon Valley...
Their sauce web site: www.lewsgourmet.com
PS: And since they are in the sauce business, wouldn't you think that that's what they'd serve at their own place instead of those little plastic packets of soy sauce?
UPDATE: The Boy and I visited them a second time a couple of days later. This time, we had the Mongolian Beef, an order of their deluxe fried rice, the egg rolls and 3 Cokes. The deluxe fried rice was adequate and the beef sauce was good but that's it for me...
Then there's this...
Mr Frank Webster, we received your message and appreciate your taking the time to contact Pepperidge Farm.
At this time, there are no plans to bring back the Molasses Crisps Cookies.
However, we have forwarded your comments on to the appropriate department.
We appreciate feedback like yours because it helps us become aware of consumer preferences and concerns.
Thank you for visiting the Pepperidge Farm website.
Pepperidge Farm Web Team
At this time, there are no plans to bring back the Molasses Crisps Cookies.
However, we have forwarded your comments on to the appropriate department.
We appreciate feedback like yours because it helps us become aware of consumer preferences and concerns.
Thank you for visiting the Pepperidge Farm website.
Pepperidge Farm Web Team
Another one bites the dust...
Our local panini palace is gone.
When I drove by the other night, the sign out front had been covered over with a sheet of black plastic and the stuff that was in the front windows appears to have been stripped out...
RIP Rosanna's Panini Grill 2007 - 2008
UPDATE: 30 January 2008
Rosanna's Panini is going to be a chocolate shop.
Evidently the business was built for the daughter but she didn't want anything to do with it so he sold it to the new people...
Their web site: www.dallmannconfections.com
When I drove by the other night, the sign out front had been covered over with a sheet of black plastic and the stuff that was in the front windows appears to have been stripped out...
RIP Rosanna's Panini Grill 2007 - 2008
UPDATE: 30 January 2008
Rosanna's Panini is going to be a chocolate shop.
Evidently the business was built for the daughter but she didn't want anything to do with it so he sold it to the new people...
Their web site: www.dallmannconfections.com
Number 153:
El Ranchero Factory Taco Shop
This is a new place, in El Cajon, in the same building Tijuana Taco Shop used to be in (and, coincidentally, they serve Tijuana style tacos).
They have been working on the building for the last month (I stopped by to check it out when the new sign went up) and they opened on Monday.
The menu is simple: tacos, burritos, soup & fruit flavored drinks (raspados).
For the tacos, burritos, etc, you have a choice of pot roast (barbacoa), fish, shrimp, carne asada and cabeza (head meat, which they refer to as cheeks).
There are the usual side dishes such as beans and rice, they have a full salsa bar and the other items you'd expect, such as brand name sodas and beer.
For my visit, I had the carne asada taco, a shrimp taco and a Coke (in the can).
The carne asada was a little too well done for me (or maybe old), the cilantro was too dominant and it was too spicy from the sauce they added in the kitchen (the guy who took my order said it was mild).
The shrimp may have been past their prime and the salsa was also too spicy.
They tossed me a side of fresh, hot rice as well.
The total was $8.77, a bit too pricey for a couple of tacos and a Coke and I now see I was charged for a second shrimp taco, which I did not get.
The carne asada taco is $2.25 on the menu board, the shrimp taco is $2.50 and the Coke was only 85 cents...
Parking is tight, there are 6 stools at the counter, 4 four top tables and one 4 seat booth, I was their only customer and it was already after 11:00 AM.
They have several other locations (2 in Chula Vista and 1 in San Diego) but apparently there is no web site.
UPDATE: 9 January 2008
The wife and I dropped by for lunch today and my opinion has changed for the better. Without the hot sauce, everything was just about perfect.
I had a barbacoa taco and another shrimp taco. The wife had a carne asada taco and a fish taco. We both agree the barbacoa is probably their best.
Again, the carne asada was tough, meaning it may be overcooked or old.
And they set out free chips for their salsa bar and we thoroughly enjoyed both salsas (in moderation); a green chili verde style and the other salsa had a nice smoky flavor, even if both were a little to hot for me...
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