Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Hash House
On my return to San Diego, I told J that we had to go to Hash House A Go Go. Considering the place was on Man V. Food I think you'll get the idea about the portions. File it under: Only In America.
As an aside, being on the East Coast now I've almost forgotten about life in a perpetual drought. I might be ingrained to turn off the water when I brush my teeth, but I had forgotten about having to request it at a meal.
In any case, I had promised J food as big as your head. Submitted for evidence: a pancake bigger than A's head. Boom.
What follows constitutes a before section of my crab cake Benedict and R' chick hash:
It pretty much an open challenge to the patrons to finish anything that you order. Frankly, I don't think anyone should do so on their own. No naturally, by the time we left, everyone had leftovers. The question is if it looks like you even ate anything.
M put a dent in his...
And G almost championed his waffle (though he arguably had the most reasonable portion)...
But A had nearly two further meals worth of pancake left over.
R's could have been untouched.
J's had enough for her to eat for three more days.
While I was left with a little...
M decided that he need to attack the fruit.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
As an aside, being on the East Coast now I've almost forgotten about life in a perpetual drought. I might be ingrained to turn off the water when I brush my teeth, but I had forgotten about having to request it at a meal.
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
In any case, I had promised J food as big as your head. Submitted for evidence: a pancake bigger than A's head. Boom.
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
What follows constitutes a before section of my crab cake Benedict and R' chick hash:
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
It pretty much an open challenge to the patrons to finish anything that you order. Frankly, I don't think anyone should do so on their own. No naturally, by the time we left, everyone had leftovers. The question is if it looks like you even ate anything.
M put a dent in his...
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
And G almost championed his waffle (though he arguably had the most reasonable portion)...
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
But A had nearly two further meals worth of pancake left over.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
R's could have been untouched.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
J's had enough for her to eat for three more days.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
While I was left with a little...
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
M decided that he need to attack the fruit.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Lightning Brewery
Apparently there a growing craft brewery network in North San Diego. So Tagen to J and I to a very small operation out of Powey called Lightning Brewery.
To say that it is a small operation is an understatement. First of all they only produce a tiny amount of beer annually, I don't remember the number but it wasn't much. Secondly, the physical operation is really tiny. Working out of a modest office building provides only the most limited space. The top photo here is really all there is aside from a couple of front offices.
But what they have to offer is good quality small scale beer (all though they don't get very high marks from the beer geeks on BA). I brought home a Thunderweizen Ale for our grill since I felt it would do well with the food and the weather. It got rave reviews from both mom and dad.
Tastings are free twice a week on Fridays and Saturdays and worth checking out. But the current set up was off putting for me. Without Tagen to march in and get things going I would have likely loitered around front for a while. There little indication of where the tasting took place compared to the small empty office.
The people were friendly, most of the people giving us samples weren't even employees, and I got the feeling that little separated Tagen in his company shirt from the guys helping us. The oddest part was trying to talk to one of the older guys; when I told him I was visiting from Boston he replied, "that's too bad, they don't have any good beer out there." ... joke. Right?
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
To say that it is a small operation is an understatement. First of all they only produce a tiny amount of beer annually, I don't remember the number but it wasn't much. Secondly, the physical operation is really tiny. Working out of a modest office building provides only the most limited space. The top photo here is really all there is aside from a couple of front offices.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
But what they have to offer is good quality small scale beer (all though they don't get very high marks from the beer geeks on BA). I brought home a Thunderweizen Ale for our grill since I felt it would do well with the food and the weather. It got rave reviews from both mom and dad.
Tastings are free twice a week on Fridays and Saturdays and worth checking out. But the current set up was off putting for me. Without Tagen to march in and get things going I would have likely loitered around front for a while. There little indication of where the tasting took place compared to the small empty office.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
The people were friendly, most of the people giving us samples weren't even employees, and I got the feeling that little separated Tagen in his company shirt from the guys helping us. The oddest part was trying to talk to one of the older guys; when I told him I was visiting from Boston he replied, "that's too bad, they don't have any good beer out there." ... joke. Right?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
"This isn't a bbq, its a fancy grill"
Since I was home and showing J around and all that, I decided that my big brother and I should have a little shindig to mark the occasion. When it was all said and done J commented how she was used to "putting some [frozen] hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, throwing a bag of chips and people and calling it a day."
But Mom just don't go out like that. Instead we got a Costco cornucopia: chicken breast, sausages a case of beer backed up by bean salad, coleslaw, home made hummus, bread, veggies and do-it-your-self ice cream cones. Boom.
We started off by marinating chicken breasts in a secret sauce (read: we didn't know what it was), added kosher salt, pepper, minced onion, garlic, olive oil, white whine and rosemary.
Meanwhile we parboiled Italian sausages in beer with a little bay leaf to ready them.
Aaah the rosemary; not only was it part on the chicken we also opted to smoke it on the food as well. Thanks to an abundance in my parents backyard we filled an empty tin can with fresh sprigs and placed the can in the coals to smoke during cooking.
If you look carefully you can just make out the green of the rosemary among the coals.
All in all, I think it was a smashing success. I recommend trying the fresh herbs in your grill if you have the means and the appropriate weather.
But Mom just don't go out like that. Instead we got a Costco cornucopia: chicken breast, sausages a case of beer backed up by bean salad, coleslaw, home made hummus, bread, veggies and do-it-your-self ice cream cones. Boom.
We started off by marinating chicken breasts in a secret sauce (read: we didn't know what it was), added kosher salt, pepper, minced onion, garlic, olive oil, white whine and rosemary.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
Meanwhile we parboiled Italian sausages in beer with a little bay leaf to ready them.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
Aaah the rosemary; not only was it part on the chicken we also opted to smoke it on the food as well. Thanks to an abundance in my parents backyard we filled an empty tin can with fresh sprigs and placed the can in the coals to smoke during cooking.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
If you look carefully you can just make out the green of the rosemary among the coals.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
All in all, I think it was a smashing success. I recommend trying the fresh herbs in your grill if you have the means and the appropriate weather.
Monday, September 14, 2009
California Update: California Burrito
My goal was to get it, and get it I did. The California burrito with the works: carne asada, french fires, salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Say it in the Kool-Aid man voice: Oh yeah!
Take J into Pacific Beach, aka the den of vileness, we wandered into the northern edge of Mission Beach and spied a typical Mexican place: La Playa Taco Shop.
All thought "authentic" seem dubious to me - much like how a Londoner said to avoid anything with "ye olde" on it - the trappins were all correct. Small. Simple. Proper menu. Besides a small inside and a few table outside, like most taco stands, this was nominally a quick eat or take away location.
I was pleased to see that they had red and green sauces on hand in plentiful squeeze bottles.
When the coveted item arrived it was just as I wanted it: warm and just a little crunchy on the outside.
I don't care how hideous this looks to you, it is heaven wrapped in a grilled tortilla.
The meat was lean and juicy, the fries crispy on the outside but soft and tender within. The cheese was melted but not coming apart. Enough juices flowed through to keep the whole thing supple without becoming a total mess. High marks.
The only negative for me was that I loved it so much I could have eaten about 30%-40% more.
Take J into Pacific Beach, aka the den of vileness, we wandered into the northern edge of Mission Beach and spied a typical Mexican place: La Playa Taco Shop.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
All thought "authentic" seem dubious to me - much like how a Londoner said to avoid anything with "ye olde" on it - the trappins were all correct. Small. Simple. Proper menu. Besides a small inside and a few table outside, like most taco stands, this was nominally a quick eat or take away location.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
I was pleased to see that they had red and green sauces on hand in plentiful squeeze bottles.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
When the coveted item arrived it was just as I wanted it: warm and just a little crunchy on the outside.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
I don't care how hideous this looks to you, it is heaven wrapped in a grilled tortilla.
 |
| From San Diego Summer 2009 |
The meat was lean and juicy, the fries crispy on the outside but soft and tender within. The cheese was melted but not coming apart. Enough juices flowed through to keep the whole thing supple without becoming a total mess. High marks.
The only negative for me was that I loved it so much I could have eaten about 30%-40% more.
Friday, September 11, 2009
New Season
And with my first pint of Sam Octoberfest last night, it is officially fall in New England. Plus, you know, the weather's changed too.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Nostalgia
I'm not going to lie, one of the things that I'm particularly looking forward to when I go home to San Diego next week is this:
Mmmm... That's a carne asada burrito with french fries. I get mine with all the fixings: salsa fresca, cheese, sour cream and salsa verde on the side. Plus, its got the coveted Wet Coast style tortilla wrapping.
A friend pointed out that in Boston all burritos have been steamed, which gives them a softer shell. Back home they warm the tortillas on the flat grill which adds a bit of crunch and flake to the outside.
The Cali is a standard menu option at almost any of the innumerate Mexican places, but it isn't always commonly known. Case in point, back in the dark days of working at a high school in east county, my boss offered to pick me something up from a near by stand. When I requested a Cali burrito she squawked, "WHAT!? Are you trying to get award for being weird?"
Turns out she thought that such an eponymous food would have to feature some overly healthy concoction of bean sprouts, avocado, tofu and lettuce as a wrap. Not only was she dismayed that it was on the menu, but that the place didn't bat an eye at her ordering it.
As of late, I've been asking people what they think would be included and they are often stymied when they learn of its contents. I suspect I'll be tucking into one from either, Buenos Dias, the place near my parents' house or Colimas, on University.
 |
| From Global Food |
Mmmm... That's a carne asada burrito with french fries. I get mine with all the fixings: salsa fresca, cheese, sour cream and salsa verde on the side. Plus, its got the coveted Wet Coast style tortilla wrapping.
A friend pointed out that in Boston all burritos have been steamed, which gives them a softer shell. Back home they warm the tortillas on the flat grill which adds a bit of crunch and flake to the outside.
The Cali is a standard menu option at almost any of the innumerate Mexican places, but it isn't always commonly known. Case in point, back in the dark days of working at a high school in east county, my boss offered to pick me something up from a near by stand. When I requested a Cali burrito she squawked, "WHAT!? Are you trying to get award for being weird?"
Turns out she thought that such an eponymous food would have to feature some overly healthy concoction of bean sprouts, avocado, tofu and lettuce as a wrap. Not only was she dismayed that it was on the menu, but that the place didn't bat an eye at her ordering it.
As of late, I've been asking people what they think would be included and they are often stymied when they learn of its contents. I suspect I'll be tucking into one from either, Buenos Dias, the place near my parents' house or Colimas, on University.
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