Lunching @ Robataya Oton - Part Three: Few Menu Additions

A few updates in Robataya Oton's lunch menu. I noticed some newer items earlier in the year and been slowly trying over the last several months. My first post when they had just started lunch service in 2011 can be read in Part-one here, and another update Part-two a year and half later here. Other mentions are randomly scattered about my blog as usual.




They've definitely gotten more popular as a lunch spot compared to the days I did those early posts. So if your group would like to sit in the cozy cubbyholes be sure to come early (I'm not sure if they take reservations during lunch). The smaller counter space up front is where I usually sit since I prefer the better light for photographing.

I was probably most into trying their Ten-don (Tempura Donburi, $10.50). Was a nice bowl with all the tempura made to order, hot and fresh. The shrimp had a good springy texture and the squid also soft, helped some by skilled knife scoring.

I love Shiitake (I've heard called 'the abalone of the forest' which I think is neat) and the Ooba green-shiso leaf battered on a side was happy to see. The oil used seems pretty neutral (no flavor or scent of sesame detected) and the sauce on the lighter side but it's not like I was expecting an Edomae experience. Its personality fit Oton's. The only small but unfortunate thing is it seems the unpretty head of mushy rice is rearing itself up again which I thought was dealt with during my second update post. It's not too bad but I really hope they fix this once and for all.

I almost forgot, your lunch starts with a small starter salad now, chilled and crisp. Since I enjoyed the tendon I tried next the Ten-soba (Tempura Soba) which is available as an Udon as well. Comes with two Inaris and not a bad deal at $8.50 I thought.

One thing I noticed earlier with their optional side mini-sobas was how the broth here seemed to have gone from very light Kansai-style to dark/robust Kanto overnight. I personally prefer this stronger Kanto flavoring so not complaining, just was a little surprised.

The noodles are off the shelf and so softer but there's something oddly calming and reassuring about it, haha. But don't get me wrong, I sure dream of a handmade teuchi shop to open in SD one day. I thought these shrimp could've been prepped better as they didn't seem to be strategically 'broken' in areas to fry straight. Being shaped a question mark the thicker end were tougher, but overall it was a pretty pleasant bowl despite.



They have Japanese Curry now (yay, hehe). The standard is $8 but this Kurobuta (Berkshire) Katsu Curry special was around ~$10 if I remember right. A much less viscous style, it's a very wa-fu rendition, created more with the intention of the Curry Udon (coming up). Was a little too light for me and the rice-to-curry ratio being off didn't help (I needed way more curry). They know how to fry here though and the pork cutlet was great, crispy on the out, moist and tender in, calculating carryover heat.



The Curry Udon I had most recent (twice) and the curry definitely matches this dish better. Has that good underlining but noticeable wa-fu dashi flavor and the aburaage (fried tofu skins) were a nice touch. Having said that I do prefer Okan's more concentrated version much more but Oton's is a good lighter alternative. Not bad, only different. The last new permanent addition is a Nigiri Sushi set but at $16.50 a bit over my lunch budget and didn't try for the post.

One day's special was a Kurobuta Katsudon that I did try. The katsu was a little smaller than I expected but nicely done otherwise. Eggs were not overcooked, still left a little wiggly in some areas. Overall a decent rendition but still not quite up there with the great one I had at Otafuku Noodle House in Gardena. Definitely one of the better had in San Diego though. I opted for the mini soba here which is an upgrade (also optional mini udon) in place of the miso soup for $2.




Other specials often seen were their bento boxes of Berkshire katsu and grilled mackerel, as well as (maybe my favorite) fried panko crusted sardines and sashimi.

The rice issue doesn't happen often enough that it prevents me from inviting friends. But hopefully the kitchen will resolve it once and for all. :) I'll be looking forward in having the Ten-don again but for the most part my favorite lunches at Oton remain the same. The Spicy Harami-don, budget conscious Tori Soboro-don and Yakitori-don.



Robataya Oton, 5447 Kearny Villa Rd # D, San Diego, CA 92123

Hinotez Breakfast Updates - Getting Your Asa-raa Ramen Fix And More

I've posted a few times on Hinotez' Japanese breakfast, first when they had started and another update sometime after. All other subsequent asagohan meals there were either mentioned randomly in a ramble post if not at all since there weren't much new to mention.

When I had tried their ramen during the first month of opening I thought it was in need of a little massaging but overall decently serviceable (at least for San Diego standards, and at least if they kept with consistency...). But what I always thought would be neat was if they extended the service to breakfast hours. While the culture of Asa-raa or "morning ramen" have been only distinct in a few limited cities in Japan, the trend has been gaining popularity in Tokyo for a few years now. I had been bugging one of the waitresses and another person with ties to the owner of Hinotez about this without much success... until just a couple months ago. :)



We'll have to see how this pans out in the long run but I personally feel it's a clever use of minimal investment to make the restaurant more unique in the area. So now aside from Vietnamese Pho or Mi, I have another option for soup noodles in the morning, and that's a good thing.
So one morning I got the Shoyu Ramen with extra negi. Not bad for $6.50 and the extra green onions were only $0.50 more. The lighter assari style of the bowl fits nicely for the time of day while the Shio would be another good alternative maybe. If someone were inclined to go more hearty, the full ramen menu is offered (miso, tonkotsu, etc.). Hinotez' full updated breakfast menu here.



Other new items I've tried was their Saba no Shioyaki. Relatively the more pricier single item at $3.50 but was a nice portion. The only bummer is as with the Salmon which I've had a few times in the past you can tell it is reheated on a pan. These simple salt seasoned fish taste astronomically better when actually grilled, and it wouldn't be that hard to do with those inexpensive stovetop ceramic mesh grillers.



I found the Tamago-yaki very attractive for only a buck. Lightly sweet and I could taste a good amount of dashi used. While I do feel I'm pushing my luck some, if they'd now only fry an egg for me I'd be grinning an even happier smile (I've asked multiple times without luck). Because drizzling some soy sauce over a sunny-side egg on rice is probably one of my favorite things to do. All my Japanese friends agree. C'mon Hinotez, make us feel loved! ;)







Aside from them I had second tries of the mini soba as well as the ginger pork side, Japanese curry. More my usual though is natto. Fyi, there are parts of Japan where natto is not commonly eaten. Its dislike by most people of Kansai region are fairly known. I've personally learned to love the stuff a long while back after hanging with one of my sister's ex-BF's who's family was from Tokyo.



I had a conversation with friend recently regarding Tororo grated mountain yam, how it's probably not a very typical thing had for breakfast in Japan. But we often find ourselves ordering it because we like it so much. Similar with the Onsen Tamago which is not convenient to make in a home setting, especially during busy mornings. I've had them more for breakfast at rare stays in Japanese hotels or ryokan maybe. Which then makes it even more neat to know that if you happen to live in San Diego, your fix is only a quick ways drive to Hinotez. :)



Hinotez Japanese Restaurant, 7947 Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA 92111

The Early Bird: Breakfasts @ Bella Vista Caffe (And Lunch With The Jinxi!)

More new eat spots, La Jolla biotech edition. While Green Acre had opened last year and its permanent second location already in the works, I got word about the only months old Bella Vista Social Club & Caffe from Jinxi of the Jinxi Eats blog. In fact we had our first lunch meet there (that was fun Jinxi!). I then had a couple solo breakfasts visits since and will go through those quickly. Gosh I didn't realize my last Early Bird post was August of last year. (!)




Bella Vista Caffe is located in the Sanford Consortium building campus, located right across from the famous Salks Institute that you also pass en-route to the picturesque Glider Port. Parking is plenty (at least for now) and validated in the cafe. If you sit in the patio area you can see some ocean peeking behind a few trees. It's really nice over here. :)




My first morning I had a regular size cappuccino and their Del Mar Omelet (smoked wild salmon, onions, tomatoes, capers & feta cheese). Hard to go wrong with that but they also have a three-cheese Tre Formaggio and another called the Istanbul with Turkish sausage, roasted bell pepper and artisan Italian cheese that I'll have to check out another time. The toast was lightly buttered and nice. Also came with a side of fresh fruits. You can browse through their full online menu here.



My next breakfast visit I tried their Brioche French Toast. I forgot the exact price but it including another capp was about ~$7. The weekend brunch version (8am~3pm) comes with additional thick-cut bacon for a little extra. The menu is quite different for weekend brunch with pancakes and also several eggs benedicts to choose from (yum).



In early May Jinxi and I had met up for lunch and it was my first visit here. It was a very short drive from my office so I was pleasantly surprised to find another great lunch spot option. I remember Jinxi telling me that she had walked. ;)



Above is Jinxi's Croque Madame (grilled Italian cheese, black forest ham, a fried sunny-side egg on thick toast). Darn, that looks delicious (and so pretty). Came with a side of Tabouleh and seasonal fruit. The little container I assume is dressing for the salad. I don't think Jinxi has posted on the visit yet but I'm sure you'll be able to read about it in more detail soon.




I had their leek and truffle quiche (which might've been a special the time) and a bowl of scratch made mushroom soup. The quiche was great (leeks, truffle, cheese, flaky pie crust = awesome combo) as well as the soup which had a slight whipped texture and nice garlic kick. Paninis as well pastas also make up their lunch menu which for a cafe I feel is fairly extensive. They have also recently started happy hour from 4pm~6.(!)

Again, really excited to have yet another great lunch option in these parts. Maybe I can convince them to fry sunny-side eggs for me in the morning. And also convince one of these smart biotech peeps to let me document their packed lunches. ;)




Bella Vista Social Club & Caffe, 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Dr, San Diego, CA 92037

Everyday Bentos 3: Bookstore Clerk Nobu-san's Aisai Bento

"Aisai Bento" (愛妻弁当) describes a packed lunch made with loving care by one's spouse. It's a commonly used word in Japan so there must be quite many loving spouses making these love filled lunch boxes for their significant others. How cool is that! Nobu-san who is employed at a local Japanese bookstore is one of these lucky people who brings said homemade care boxes of delicious eats to the office every workday. He is sharing for my blog this day (thanks again for your cooperation Nobu-san!). And so let us have a looksy shall we...



おっ、いい感じに渋いですね！I see Sake (pronounced 'shakĕ') Furēku - seasoned salmon flakes, nori no tsukudani (super nice! A kind of seasoned nori paste which I profusely express my love for in a very old "what's on my rice" post), chicken karaage, and simmered kabocha pumpkin. The miso soup was said to have onions and potatoes in it, and even a side salad of tomatoes and pea shoots to nutritionally balance things out. All the care and loving thoughtfulness is making me blush! ;)




And as usual some simple questions I've asked...

Q: What are your favorite foods?
A: Fish! Salmon is most favorite. Also Nori no Tsukudani you see today. (Me too!) I hate Liver.

Q: Do you and your wife have any favorite restaurants/eateries in San Diego?
A: We usually don't go out to eat very much because I need to monitor my sugar intake (being diabetic).

Q: In that case, on a rare occasion do you have any favorite guilty foods?
A: I actually like Carl's Jr. Teriyaki Sandwich.

Q: If you were in Japan right now, what would you want to eat?
A: Sushi and Tempura.

Q: Where do you like to shop for groceries in San Diego?
A: Mitsuwa and Nijiya.

Q: I hear you also enjoy cooking. What are your signature dishes?
A: That would be beef stew.

Q: What other things tend to be in your everyday bentos?
A: Nothing special, they are usually leftovers. But when my daughter makes, she usually tries to put in my favorites.

I'd really love to try your beef stew one of these days Nobu-san. And thanks again very much for sharing us your bento!!

Part Two: Kensuke's Paleo Hamburg Bento.
Part One: Hairstylist H.S.san's Naporitan Bento. 

Everyday Bentos 2: Kensuke's Paleo Hambagu Bento

This day's personal bento sharing volunteer comes from my local Japanese rental video shop. I've known Kensuke for a while now and he'd always be the first to recommend any new or one-off special food related shows (particularly that of ramen!) that had come in the week. When I discovered he usually brings in a packed lunch I didn't hesitate to ask if he would kindly share for the blog. Thanks buddy! :)



Kensuke admits his lunch usually is made by his loving sister, often consisting of leftovers from the past night. But for the interview he busted out some of his own cooking to better represent his Paleo / Primal Diet. Two large hamburg patties and a side of some broccoli. The hamburger is said to be a mix of ground beef, onions, bacon, eggs, coconut flour, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Broccoli is boiled and covered with butter, salt, and pepper.

Kensuke is also a long distance runner and he explained to me his theory about how he feels the diet helps with his training.

"My diet is Primal to be exact but it is very similar to Paleo diet. The heart of the diet is that you try to avoid anything with grains/sugar/processed foods (which is why I rarely go out to eat). What you want to be eating are things ranging from meat and vegetables, seafood, fruits...

The conventional wisdom would tell me to carbo-load and make sure I have that energy supply but I found that I can go through my training and function just fine. The thing about Primal diet is that you feel so damn good all the time I'd be eating this way even if I wasn't training as an athlete.

I now feel carbo-loading should only be used in special circumstances. Long distance runners do need little more carbohydrates in their diet compared to regular folks but the fact is distance running is primarily an aerobic activity, which relies on oxygen as source of energy not glucose in your muscles.. Thus, you are not training correctly if you are burning glucose stored in your body on a daily basis that requires large amount of carbo-refueling."



Interesting concept Kensuke! And now for some questions for the blog...

Q: What are your favorite foods? Any you can't live without?
A: I wouldn't go as far as I can't live without but I do love bacon and eggs in the morning! I also love strawberries and eat them pretty regularly.

Q: Have any favorite restaurants/eateries in San Diego?

A: I don't eat out much but when my friends visit we go to Phil's BBQ and Tacos El Gordo down a little south.

Q: (My favorite question..) Do you have any favorite guilty/junk foods?

A: Probably chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, since it's not really part of the diet. But I usually don't feel that guilty about it, haha.

Q: I think you said you were from Hawaii? If you were there now, what would you want to eat? Like, what do you miss the most?

A: I am pretty fond of Hawaiian foods like fish and poi (Taro potato) as well as anything coconut. So the Hawaiian food and also garlic chicken from Fat Boys in Kailua!

Q: When you cook, what are areas you take particular care in?

A: Not in particular, but my personality is to take good care of things and I think it rubs off into my cooking.

Q: What other things do you tend to pack in your bentos?

A: Other foods I use for my simple bentos are baked chicken, Primal chili, pork chops, and various vegetables, but as you mentioned they are usually left overs from the night before.

This was fantastic, thanks again for sharing your bento with us!!

Part One: Hairstylist H.S.san's Naporitan Bento.

Lunching @ Green Acre

When Fibonacci's located in the Lilly Biotech Center closed my coworkers and I were pretty bummed to say the least. We really liked them a lot and I particularly felt bad since I never had posted on them. I still have photos of their great pay-by-weight salads (which easily were the best in the area, both Bristol Farms and Whole Foods combined) that were saved for another week-long future Salabration post that never took fruition all of last year. :( Their made to order burgers were quite juicy and tasty too.



Well my lunching cohorts and I now have a pretty sweet replacement called Green Acre, a Brian Malarkey produced establishment situated in a business cafeteria type of setting that seems to be in trend in these parts. For me the sheer convenience is nice enough, if not having such great lunch options. Fyi, you get a small discount if you work in their Nautilus building but Green Acre is open to the public.




Things are pretty comfy here but for me probably the best part is the functioning vegetable garden where the few lawn chairs allow you to actually eat in it, reminding me of old Peter Rabbit tales, ha. :)




So not surprising the salads are great here (tossed to order while boxed can be grabbed if you're on the go) but my go-to meal is usually their burger. I've come to learn to say "the one with meat" as they have another popular veggie pattied option.




Grass-fed beef, roasted tomatoes and leeks, melted brie cheese on a toasted pretzel bun. They've been fairly consistent having the patty done to a pink-center medium the times I've had and the bun holds everything together nicely with good bread-to-protein ratio. It's a pretty good burger. The fries available in russet or yam I'd also recommend. Hopefully you'll get a fresh batch like I did this day. My only wish is to have their 'tomato jam' to taste more like ketchup and less marinara sauce-ish maybe.

My coworker had a special that I apologize not remembering the name of but I had a small taste and the aioli and arugula combo with the moist chicken was fantastic. I'd love to order it if it reappears. Also shown my very manly strawberry lavender lemonade drink with cool paper straw.




Speaking of Fibonacci's, a second Green Acre location is slated to take its place soon. There's a temporary makeshift spot in the front of the Lilly building that I checked out sometime in February I think. The Short Rib Chili was actually Delicious.




The meatloaf sandwich was a little on the dry side and could've been heated more (you can see the unmelted cheese). They have the free 80's arcade machines in there now but I think I'll be waiting until they officially open up in the larger permanent spot out back (only if I don't get a hankering for that chili first).




Last March Canine Cologne, Cathy and I had met up for a weekday lunch. It was my turn to pick a spot so asking if they wouldn't mind the drive I thought it'd be fun to meet at GA. (Thanks again for coming up guys! As usual it was really great to catch up with you both.)

So above, another burger again for me, ha. Cathy's 'Nice!' salad with albacore behind it and CC's 'Drunken Mary' chicken panini and 'Corn Cobb' salad in the next photo. I had a small taste of the quick-seared tuna on Cathy's salad which was done rare and fresh. The time was mostly spent on catching up though and it all but flew too quickly. You can read in detail about them on Canine Cologne's post on her blog here as well as Cathy's description here. I think everyone enjoyed their meals. :)



A Thai style Green Curry with GA veggies was a special one day. Liked that it wasn't too sweet and you could really taste the integrity of the vegetables that are full of flavor. Got some russet fries on the side since I wasn't sure of the portion. :P



You get few Taco options on Tuesdays, a choice between grilled chicken, steak or shrimp.




This was maybe one of their more rare off days where the tacos were served a bit cold, but they were tasty enough with the smashed avo, fresh pico de gallo and shredded smoked cheese. The carrot ginger soup was good too.

I think the Flat Iron Steak Sandwich and Spinach Artichoke Wild Nettles Soup I had the most recent visit, another one of their revolving specials.



Juicy strips of steak with bleu cheese, grilled red onions, Mizuna greens (nice!) and house made steak sauce. Definitely hit the spot. The soup tasted particularly fresh too with flavors of mature garden picked greens potent, an enjoyable nice change.



For some reason if you google "Green Acre, San Diego" at the moment the second locale off Campus Point comes up. The location CC, Cathy and I met up at is the main one off General Atomics Court.

Green Acre, 3535 General Atomics Court, San Diego 92121
Green Acre 2, 10300 Campus Point Dr, San Diego, CA 92121