Just For You cafe

http://www.justforyoucafe.com/


I made the "long trek all the way over" to Dogpatch this morning to revisit Just For You cafe (see October 24th, 2010 entry). For some reason the restaurant name on the awning states "Mabel's Just For You cafe", but I am not quite sure who "Mabel" is as I think the owner's name is actually Adrienne. Just (another one of those mysteries in life) for you (and me).

Always a good sign when dining out is a place that plays some interesting and good music, today they were playing a little Buena Vista Social Club ~ "Chan Chan" ~ on the house stereo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rRJP8rVg-4&feature=related

As I had the Frittata of the Decade the last time I was there (and even though it is a new year, it's still the same ol' decade), I decided to try something different from their menu. The Greg's Scramble looked tempting, but I had already had some of Greg's breakfast cooking (okay, it was a different Greg, but still a Greg) while on "holiday" in Englandia two weeks ago, so I decided on Huevos Rancheros: 2 eggs any style on a tortilla, smothered in special sauce, black beans*, and melted cheddar cheese. They have three different types of Ranchero sauces from which to choose: Red meat sauce HOT!, Vegetarian red sauce HOT!, and Hatch, New Mexico green chili sauce ¡YOWZA! (made with chicken stock). I also had a side order their tasty, chunky home fries and a cuppa their most excellent N'Orleans-style coffee (which is Community Coffee® ~ The Genuine Flavor of New Orleans™).

Their Vegetarian red sauce is fresh-made with roasted chilis which give it a great flavour, and the actual spicy heatness** will vary from batch to batch depending on how hot the chilis are that day. Today's version was pretty en fuego; it had enough heat and flavour that I didn't need to add any extra salsa from the multitude of bottles that they have on hand, and I am glad I didn't muck it up by adding any other salsas before trying it.

They use black beans instead of the normal pinto beans/frijoles refritos, which is nice. I like both, but black beans gave it a little more auténtico Sabor cubano as it seemed to pair well with the music being played. Their version of Huevos Rancheros is very good, but their home-made kick-ass Vegetarian red sauce is the real winner here. I can't speak for the other two non-vegetarian sauces, but if they are anywhere as good (and I am sure they are), give them a try, too.


Edmund McIlhenny be damned, I went with some El Yucateco® XXXTRA HOT SAUCE Salsa Kutbil-ik®*** de Chile Habanero (and, I am still learning, it is sin "ñ") and The Pepper Plant® Original California Style Hot Pepper Sauce on the home fries ~ a little on both sides of the heap. The El Yucateco® was XXXcelent and very spicy (with a Scoville Heat Unit of 11,600), and The Pepper Plant® was also pretty good (not sure of the Scoville Heat Unit as it was not listed on their website or on the bottle, but it wasn't too spicy); however, neither matched the depth and flavour of the home-made Vegetarian red sauce.

I find it pretty funny that Just For You is now offering Provolone cheese on their Frittata of the Decade due to a remark/suggestion that I made when I last ate there in October (Thanks, Adrienne/"Mabel"!). If only I had known it was that easy, I would have also suggested that any idiot that has a local breakfast 'blog should get to eat for free.


Glen Bacon Scale Rating: Huevos Rancheros ~ 7.0; Vegetarian red sauce ~ 7.5; Community Coffee® ~ 6.9


*(The first time I ever had frijoles negros was at a Cuban restaurant in Miami back in 1983; it was the first time I ever had fried plantains, too. Black beans have been a favourite legume of mine ever since. ¡Gracias, Jordan y Pam!)

**(Not an actual word, but what the heck was the "Intro-Net" twenty years ago, nu?)

***(This is interesting that they not only have the company name as a registered trademark for their product, but also this specific "Original Mayan Recipe" variety of salsa is a registered trademark. My Spanish is a little rusty, but I think "Kutbil-ik" translates loosely as "Water? We ain't got no water. We don't need no water. I don't have to show you any stinkin' water…!")