Lunch at Yabu

I used to literally live around the corner, so Yabu was always one of my go to places for lunch and dinner since it was walking distance and served very good Japanese food. Now that I live driving distance away, it is still on my restaurant rotation albeit not as much of a regular stop as it used to be. I realized it's been nearly a year since I last ate dinner there, so one afternoon, I went with a friend who had never eaten there for lunch.

I chose my usual chirashi set that includes sashimi, sushi rice, and your choice of soba or udon (hot or cold) for $17. I had not eaten breakfast, so I devoured everything you see below:) The fish was fresh and the hot udon was springy in a light flavorful broth. The portion was perfect for a good balance of protein and carbohydrates with the added bites of pickle. 

I wanted more pickles, so ordered the assorted pickles side for $8 to finish my sushi rice from the chirashi. Everything on the pickle plate was perfect, and I highly recommend the side if you love pickled vegetables.

My friend wanted something lighter and ordered the Seaweed salad that includes three kinds of seaweed and mixed greens for $10. It was a big bowl of greens and any vegans or vegetarians would enjoy this green feast.

It's always heartening to find old favorites still around providing the service and quality that made them an old favorite. I may have to put this back on my revolving lunch rotation no matter the driving distance :)

Colossus Bread

I love bread and I am a fan of anyone who has the patience and skill to source quality ingredients and then allow them to ferment and proof naturally. Colossus Bread recently opened in San Pedro in a small storefront, serving only coffee, bread and pastries. My friend who live there are happy to have a quality bakery in town, and I was happy to not only taste their Whole Grain Wheat and Olive Cumin, but also a few of their viennoiseries. My favorite was their Olive Cumin, studded with olives and with the earthy spice of cumin, this was fantastic toasted and spread with a bit of cream cheese or olive oil. They also freeze very well, wrapped and double bagged in plastic, so no worries if you can't finish the gigantic fresh loaves in one sitting.

Their viennoiseries were good, but a bit too dense and too salty for my taste. Colossus is a bread bakery, and it is rare to find any bread bakery who bakes great bread and also does great pastry. 

I would absolutely get a pastry here to go with some coffee if I was in the area, but I would not go out of my way to come for the viennoiserie. I would however make the drive for the bread, so taste both for yourself and see what you think.

I am always encouraged to find artisan bakeries in places where there are not any, so kudos to Colossus for breaking new ground in San Pedro, and I hope the gathering of people in and outside the shop when I went is a portend of more customers to come in the months to come.

Morongo Breakfast and Happy Hour

 Morongo Casino Resort was a good overnight stop for both rest and food after a grueling drive to the rural high desert. After unloading a 16' truck, my only desire was for a shower :) 

Looking over what the hotel had to offer in the way of libations and food, I saw a happy hour offer at the steakhouse on the 27th floor Cielo and convinced my friends to go for a drink if not for food after our day of labor. We actually ordered our food before our drinks because we didn't realize how hungry we were! Their Happy Hour menu was so enticing we basically ordered one of everything! We started with the calamari for $12 which came with a marvelous san marzano tomato sauce, but was so good that we didn't need it! This would have been my meal if I had been there alone!

The cannellini bean hummus for $8 was the only mediocre dish of the evening, although the olives and cornichons helped perk it up a bit, the actual hummus was bland and boring.

We loved the shisito peppers so much we got two orders, and for only $6 each it was a great deal!

The hit of the evening was the prosciutto tapas for $15 with marvelous crostini, arugula and olives. Several of us had wine or beer for $6 that were very good quality for the price point, and the one who ordered the cosmo for $8 was very happy with the fresh lime juice and Absolut Citron used in the drink.

We also went to the Mozen bar for a nightcap and the beautiful craft cocktails, like the crouching tiger, by the skillful bartender Jonathan, who matched the visuals on the bar screen of Asia. I especially loved the tiny sriracha single packs he shared with me which I now keep in my purse ;)

Since I spent the night, I met a friend for breakfast before the drive back at the Good Times Cafe. I chose my own ingredients for my omelette; spinach, tomatoes, and mushrooms for $13.95 with hash browns and a toast side. The vegetables were fresh, and the hash browns were tasty, but I found the omelet a bit overcooked.

My friend opted for the corned beef hash breakfast for $14.95, and offered me a taste, but one taste was enough for me to know that I had chosen wisely ;)

The coffee was decent, and the service with a smile was very professional and warm, but my favorite part of breakfast was the tiny jars of jam :)

Morongo Casino Resort

I went on a truck moving road trip to bring friends who live in the rural high desert a load of outdoor furniture and survival supplies, like firewood and a generator. After two days of packing and unpacking a 16' truck, there was no way I was going to drive back to Los Angeles the same day.

I lived in Palm Springs for 5 years but had never stopped by, much less stayed at the Morongo Casino Resort. It's recently undergone a remodel, and they are constructing an addition, so it was a good time to get a taste of the upgrades. 

Rates are very reasonable starting in the $150 range for a week-day night, which includes wifi and cell reception that was much better than what my friends have in their remote location (nonexistent). 

For nonsmokers, it was gratifying to find a great filtration system that took away the second hand smoke smell unless you were literally next to a smoker. There was also a very heavy armed uniformed security patrol throughout the casino that was a bit unsettling to me; I wondered why the heavy obvious presence was necessary...

The room was very pleasant, with nice subtle decor and practical touches, even if the electronics were a bit dated; the clock radio dock was for a 5th gen iPod, and no USB charger at the desk.

The large spacious workspace was nice, although I doubt many people come here to work ;)

The closet was nicely appointed, and there was a mini fridge, Keurig (which didn't work) and several small bottles of water (gratis) in the room.

The large bathroom and two person shower had a privacy screen on the bed side that lit up into flowers when the door was closed, and although there were no robes, the towels were fluffy and good sized.

The view from the 20th floor showed a nice contrast between all the offerings in the casino resort vs. what nature offered outside.