the Bistro Restaurant at Cliff House

(World) Famous Cliff House Popovers(!)... 
for what ails ye!

https://cliffhouse.com/bistro/


Place: the Bistro Restaurant at Cliff House

Location: 1090 Point Lobos
(at the end of the Earth/Ocean Beach)

Hours: open for breakfast Monday - Saturday at 9:00am, Sunday at 8:30am

Meal: Shakshuka ~ two poached eggs on a bed of lightly spiced tomato and red pepper sauce with goat cheese & green onions served with warm pita bread, and also served with a side of fruit and roasted potatoes; to drink, a Ramos Fizz ~ Gordon's® Gin | sweet & sour | egg whites | cream | orange flower water (so, your basic Breakfast-themed beverage), which came with another neo-retro paper straw; and, of course, a basket (which included three this morning) of (World) Famous Cliff House Popovers(!) 

(Despite the contradictory themes in these two temporal-related songs by the Rollink Stonz boyz, I am sure that both Sir Mick and Kommoner Keef hate Daylight Saving Time [either the Start or the End] as much as I do.)


When I woke up this morning, I was not sure that I was going to go out for a breakfastary repast. I think something that I ate yesterday did not agree with me (much like my family... except, with an upset stomach, I can always take some Pepto-Bismol™; unfortunately, they do not offer that for family get-togethers yet). It was quite possibly the Burger King® Impossible™ Wh*pper® that I had yesterday for lunch. But then I got to thinking, if (World) Famous Cliff House Popovers(!) can not quell my stomach woes, nothing could. So, (even though Baseball Season ended last week ~ Congratulations to the 2019 World Champion Washington Nationals!), to close out my Breakfastary Starting Rotation, I simply went back to the Bistro Restaurant at Cliff House (see last 'blog-entry from Sunday, May 26th, 2019).

What a gorgeous Autumn day to be a seabird out on Seal Rocks! 
(This was the view from my seat this morning.)

This is a brand new item on their menu. It was not offered back in May on my last visit. My ever-informative waiter/server-guy, Chris, (who has been working there as long as I have been going there; I usually pester the H*ll outta him about some of the lesser-know Hollywoodland stars' photos on the walls) said that they just added this to their menu in the last four months. Chris also told me that the Shakshuka has become an instant hit with many of the patrons; he also told me that most patrons usually have to ask him just what the h*ck exactly is a "Shakshuka". At first, this did not look like an awful lotta food, but with the three (World) Famous Cliff House Popovers(!), potatoes, and fruit, it ended up being almost too much for me to finish. I did "force" myself to eat the last bite of my (World) Famous Cliff House Popovers(!), though. Needless to say, I fully enjoyed this version of Shakshuka.

With the recent menu change, they no longer offer either Farmer's Scramble or Sautéed Vegetable Scramble (which had been two of my stalwart favourites in past years). However, Chris astutely informed me that you can still order both of these items "off-menu", too. Seems like a decent menu trade-off to me.

Today's side of fruits included: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, strawberry (one), and red grapes (two).

For condimentary supplementation, the Bistro Restaurant at Cliff House only has Tabasco® Brand Pepper Sauce (Original Red Sauce). I just used a little of my own H*ll's Kitchen Whiskey Habanero Hot Sauce (Thanks, Mom!) on the potatoes and several grinds of The Spice & Tea Exchange® Earthly Delight Spice Blend (Thanks, Cindy!) on top of the Shakshuka and potatoes.

Hollywoodland Spotlight of the Day

Positioned just over my left shoulder this morning was the above autographed photo of Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland. She is a two-time Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Award winning actress ("To Each His Own" [1946] and "The Heiress" [1949] ~ both for Best Actress). Still alive today, at 103 years of age, she is among the last surviving movie stars of the Golden Age of Classical Hollywoodland. I think her younger sister acted in a few Hollywoodland movies, too.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000014/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1


Glen Bacon Scale Rating:
Shakshuka ~ 7.2;
Ramos Fizz ~ 7.1;
(World) Famous Cliff House Popovers(!) ~ 8.2

Dottie's True blue café

How come no one ever complains about Saturday the 14th being unlucky?

http://dottiestruebluesf.com/


Place: Dottie's True blue café

Location: 28 6th Street 
(on the corner of Stevenson Street)

Hours: open 7:30am (welllll... they actually opened a bit later this morning for some reason and did not unchain the front gate doors until about 7:45am) Thursday through Tuesday

Meal: Mushroom, Goat Cheese, Roasted Tomato Tart, cooked in Champagne, eggs any style (where I went with "over-medium" style) + fruit; and a cuppa (and one-and-a-half refillas) Coffee (whatever the house roast/blend might have been)

(In spite of what you may think, Bessie and Lavay are not related in any way.)


As we (sadly) near the end of the Regular Baseball Season (Okay, there are those faithless pundits that say that the Boston RED SOX season was over back in late August, but I say it ain't over until Adele buys her ticket to Logan Airport and sings at the Way of the Fens!), I figured it only fitting to make one last run-through of my Breakfastary Starting Rotation. And what better way to start than returning to Dottie's True blue café (see last 'blog-entry from Sunday, May 5th, 2019)?!

I happened to be the first idiot waiting in line around 7:10am, and ended up being the only one standing there until another ten minutes or so. After that, the line started forming a bit more quickly. Even so, they did not fill up immediately (even after having opened up fifteen minutes late) and everyone in the first wave got seated.

I had nothing really in mind to order this morning. I was just planning on ordering something from their specials blackboard menu if there was a decent st*pid vegetarian option. Otherwise, I was gonna create an omelette of my choosing from their list of good omelette filling choices off their standard printed menu. I was very surprised to see that there were no Zucchini Cakes on this morning's/weekend's specials blackboard menu. It has been a staple on the specials blackboard menu for so long now, I just assumed that they would someday be adding it to their everyday printed menu... someday.

"Oh, my!" 
(to be read in your best George Takei voice)

As soon as I saw the tart special that was being offered for this morning/weekend, I knew exactly what I was going to order. This was a brand-new item (confirmed by one of the friendly waitresses/server-ladies) to be offered. At first look, I did not think it was going to be a sufficient amount of food (even for my meager breakfastary appetite), but it was rather deceptive and proved to be very filling after all. I initially thought about asking to substitute some of their excellent homefries for the small bowl of fruit-stuff; luckily, I did not, as that would probably have "exceeded the limit" for me. Now, this dish may not equal their most awesome and original Zucchini Cakes, but it is definitely return-worthy all on its ownsome. However, this one was definitely not for the fungi-faint of heart as it was truly chock-fulla sliced mushrooms. 

Today's side o' fruits: watermelon, green grapes, blueberries, strawberries, and cantaloupe.

As for condimentary supplementation, Dottie's True blue café has their "the usual suspects". I used some of my own Pepper Palace Gator Bite Hot Sauce (Thanks, Greg & Cindy!) on both of the eggs and several grinds of The Spice & Tea Exchange® Pirate's Bite (Thanks, Cindy!) on the eggs and tart-thing.


Glen Bacon Scale Rating:
Mushroom, Goat Cheese, Roasted Tomato Tart ~ 7.3

Loma Brewing Company/Loma Coffee Bar

A(nother) Breakfastary Roadtrip:
the (Spanish) Kitty-Cats, CA[1]

https://www.lomabrew.com/


Place: Loma Brewing Co. & Loma Coffee Bar[2]

Location:  130 N Santa Cruz Avenue, Los Gatos, CA
(in the ♥ of Los Gatos)

Hours: (brewery/restaurant) open for "Brunch" Tuesday - Sunday at 11:30am (however, they had special hours today and tomorrow and were open at 10:00am);
(Coffee bar) serving breakfast Wednesday - Sunday at 7:30am (well, I had arrived there around 8:30am and was told that they really don't start serving any kinda hot food items until 8:00am usually)

Meal: (me) Breakfast Flatbread ~  bacon (Really, Kevin?! Ain't that kinda non-כַּשְׁרוּת?), spinach, caramelized onion, Mozzarella, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, sunny side egg, salsa roja;
(Dave) McLoma Sandwich ~  chili Beer brined ham, sharp Cheddar, folded eggs, housemade English muffin, tropical fruit cup;
to drink:
(me) two cuppas Ethiopia Guji Heirloom and a 13-ounce glassa Youks Kolsch[3];
(Dave) a Cappuccino (made with Youk! - Loma Espresso Blend) and also a 13-ounce glassa Youks Kolsch

(... 'cause everyone knows that the "[Greek-Jewish] King of Swing" is better'n any ol' "Sultana of Squat" [aka "the Babe-beano"].)


An old Air Force buddy of mine (Thanks, Karl! [Even if he is one of "those" D*dgers fans.]) had sent me a recent news-article[4] last week on defacedbook that former RED SOX star-player Kevin ("Youk's on First? Idunno's on Third!") Youkilis had opened a local brewery/restaurant in near(enough)by Los Gatos. 
I figured I would have to check it out sometime in the future... well, apparently today is the future, Doc Brown.

Just so as to not make it a totally solitary trip "all the way down there", I invited another old Air Force buddy Dave (who lives about thirty-five minutes south of Los Gatos and was closer to it than me, anyway) to join me there for breakfast. As it turned out, the new brewery is in the same location as the old Los Gatos Brewing Company, which, coincidentally enough, Dave used to work at way back in 1994-1995 (Dave is very old!). I think that the last time that I was actually down Los Gatos-way was to meet Dave there for lunch, too. I think it was probably back in 1998 or 1999 (Dave is very old!).

Any true red-blooded RED SOX fan of the past twenty years worth his salt, is well-aware of exactly who this Yoooooouk! guy is. Quick bio: After playing nine quality seasons with the GOOD GUYS (and winning two World Series Championships with them in that span ~ which is one more World Series Championship than the D*mn Y*nkees have won in the entire Millennium so far!), Kevin played one more season of MLB with the Chicago South-siders in 2012. Of course, as all faithful and knowledgeable RED SOX fans know, Youk took the entire 2013 Season off... He is a 3-Time All-Star (2008, 2009, & 2011); Gold Glove Award (2007) recipient; and a member of both the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame and the Boston RED SOX Hall of Fame. (I think that I read somewhere that Youk's brother-in-law is also some kinda sports-player; I think he plays Soccer in Massachusetts or sumpthin'... )

Just in case the Big Guy was there this morning hisd*mnself, I made sure to arrive at the restaurant clad head-to-toe (literally) in RED SOX items of clothing: (head-) RED SOX baseball cap (natch') (I went with an old one of mine that is exactly twenty years old this week/month; I bought it back in 1999 during the All-Star festivities in Boston in a sports-shop across the street from Fenway Park; which is one of four 
RED SOX caps that I own); (to-) RED SOX long-sleeve t-shirt (I have way too many different RED SOX t-shirts to really count); and (toe) RED SOX socks 
(I own three different pairs). I do own two different RED SOX jackets/windbreakers, but I did not want to "over-do" it, so I was just wearing a nondenominational red-and-blue sweatshirt. (I do not own a pair of 
RED SOX skivvies, or I mighta also been wearing those this morning... I would just not have been able to show them off to anyone at the brew pub/Coffee bar.)

As Dave and I were the first idiots to walk in just as they were opening (right on the nose, Mr. Durante!) at 10:00am, we had our choice of seats. It is a fairly large restaurant and there are many tables that can seat two-to-eight people. The place filled up pretty quickly, too.

As for the food, I have never met a Breakfast Pizza (Flatbread, whatever) that I did not like. Of course, in honour of Kevin Youkilis' Jewish heritage, I made sure to have them 86 the dead, decaying porky-butt bits from my meal. It was a single-serving Pizza (Flatbread, whatever), but it was just about all that I could do to finish it. (Actually, I "forced" Dave to try a slice of it.)

The McLoma Sandwich looked much tastier than (and was easily twice the size of) whatever that clown Ronald McJ*ter could ever come up with ("... up with could come... "? Nah! That just don't sound right.). The "folded eggs" sounded confusing in the menu, but it was just flattened scrambled eggs ("folded" in between the slices of English muffin). Plus, they make their own (over-sized) English muffins fresh daily. When I had first arrived this morning, they had just finished baking up a batch of these English muffins. I was even thinking of ordering this one myself (again, just making it kosher-likeⓊ).

Loma Brewing Co. had just Tabasco® Brand Pepper Sauce (Original Red Sauce) and Huy Fong Foods Inc. Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce for use as condimentary supplementation. I did not really feel like schlepping any of my own hot sauces "all the way down there" this morning, but, as it turned out, their salsa roja was flavourful (and picante) enough, anyway.

Why the two cuppas of Ethiopia Guji Heirloom? I bought one cuppa when I first got into town. I purposefully got to the place an hour before I was planning on meeting Dave there so that I could walk around Los Gatos for a bit and the second cuppa was for-with breakfast. Plus, 'cause I decided to buy a bagga (it is either a 12 oz or 1-pounder) the Ethiopia Guji Heirloom to take-with-home, I got the second cuppa as a freebie! (They were not being extra nice to me, that is just what they do for anyone buying a bagga.) The Coffee was very good. Ethiopian Coffee is one of my favourites.

I would really have liked to have tried several of their Beers, but, sadly, I did have to drive the hour-or-so back home in the afternoon and thought it best to just try the eponymous brew that I did. It was also very good. I have been a fan of Kölsch-style Beers since living in Deutschland. Dave and I were both stationed together in Berlin-town back in 1983-1985 (Man, that Dave is really old!).

Before breakfast, while waiting for Dave to finally show up, I walked around the area a bit and happened across a local gelato-joint a few blocks down the street from the brewery. I was amazed that they were open for business before 9:00am. Of course, I had to sample a few of their flavours... Well, after breakfast ("Brunch", whatever), I went back over there and got a small cup with two flavours: half-cuppa Sambuca and half-cuppa Horchata. 

http://www.dolcespazio.com/

All in all, this morning turned out to be a very good one breakfastarily for me:

Coffee! Beer!! Pizza!!! Ice Cream!!!!

The only two items missing from the Five Major Food Groups this morning were Potatoes and Chocolate. 

(Hmmmm?! I wonder if'n I should try some Chocolate-dipped French Fries for dinner?!)

Glen Bacon Scale Rating:

Breakfast Flatbread ~  6.7;

(I did not bother asking Dave what he might rate his McLoma Sandwich; he seemed to have liked it well enough to clean his plate; so I would guess it was upwards of a 6.5, too);

Ethiopia Guji Heirloom ~ 7.4;

Youks Kolsch ~ 6.9;

Ice Cream ~ 7.0 (cumulative; the Sambuca-one was probably a 7.2 all on its ownsome)

Kevin Edmund Youkilis ~ .281

(I would just like to point out that Glen Bacon ~ 

he of the above named "Scale" ~ is also a long-time RED SOX fan.)

___________________

1. https://www.losgatosca.gov/

The "town" of Los Gatos is about fifty miles (well, according to Google Map, it is 54.1 miles) south of my apartment in San Francisco and about one hour travel time down there (almost 'zackly ~ I left my apartment at 7:30am and arrived at 8:30am [well, I would have arrived then if I had not missed my exit off Highway 17 and then had to back-track for about five minutes... 

but still... )

I found this titbit of information pretty interesting. Both Olivia de Havilland and her kid sister went to Los Gatos High School.

2. Stupid, useless cunning linguist pointer of the day, número uno:

I do not know why the joint is called "Loma" (I asked one of the baristarettes, but she did not know either), but the word "Loma" en español simply means "hill" or "knoll", Chuck.

(Perhaps, "Loma" has an entirely different meaning in Romanian or Greek.)*

*(Ha! This cunning linguistic stuff kills me.

Just on a lark [there were no Wild Parrots of San Francisco nearby], I Google Translate-d "Loma" under "Detect Language" and it came up that "Loma" in Finnish also means "holiday" and "Λόμαξ" [pronounced "LOmax"] in Greek-speak actually means "hilltop". It did not list anything under Romanian, though.)

3. Stupid, useless cunning linguist/pseudo-brewista pointer of the day, Nummer zwei:

Kölsch is a style of Beer originating in Cologne, Germany. "Kölsch" simply means "from Cologne" auf Deutsch.

4. https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/06/25/kevin-youkilis-boston-red-sox-loma-brewing-company

Home Plate

https://www.homeplatesf.net/


Place: Home Plate

Location: 2150 Lombard Street 
(between Fillmore and Steiner Streets)

Hours: open at 7:00am every d*mn day of the week

Meal: Dulce de Leche Pancakes ~ banana, caramel, sliced almond and whipped cream; a side-starter of Brussel[ sic ][1] Sprouts ~ fried Brussel[ sic ] sprouts, orange, grapefruit, honey citrus vinaigrette; as always, the meal starts out with a complimentary mini-scone (usually of the raisined variety) and some of their Home(Plate)-made jam (today's edition was strawberry); and, to drink, a large glassa fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice

(Yeah, I really have no idea what they are saying in this song. I am pretty sure that it has something to do with either Brussel[ sic ] sprouts or bananas.)


I generally like to start out any new 
Ⓑⓐⓢⓔⓑⓐⓛⓛ Season (Go RED SOX!!!) with a return visit to Home Plate (see last 'blog-entry from Sunday, May 6th, 2018). I have been going to this great little (well, it has expanded in size by at least twofold from their former location just a few blocks down along Lombard Street) family-owned restaurant for over twenty years now. The food is always interesting and very tasty. If it were not located "all the way over" in the Marina, it would easily be in my Breakfastary Starting Rotation and I would go there more than just once or twice a year. 

Plus, I like a place that opens up much earlier than anything else in the neighborhood. Because of this, they get a lot of the early tourista crowds from the surrounding motels along Lombard Street. I arrived there a little before 8:00am and they were already about three-quarters full (I do not know what a pessimist would say about that). The couple at the next table told me they were from Atlanta and staying at a motel across the street. ("But, Brian, why are you bothering complete strangers when they are just trying to enjoy their breakfastary repast?!" Well, first off, they started a conversation with me when they saw me taking a photo of my pancakes. The wife thought it looked good enough to share, too, and took a photo of my Plate [Oh, wow! I just got that whole "Home Plate" thing now... it is a reference to both Ⓑⓐⓢⓔⓑⓐⓛⓛ and where "Plate" could double as a meaning for a food serving dish. That is clever.] to show her daughter back home. Secondly, why would I start a conversation with any incomplete strangers?)

Even after many trips there over the years, there are still a few (new?) menu items that I would like to try:

Eggs Florentine ~ two poached eggs, spinach, broccolini; served on English muffin, Hollandaise sauce, with salad and potato medley or potato latkes (spinach and broccolini?! this will probably have to be my order the next time that I go there);

Special Crispy French Toast (where they even have the "Special" in red lettering to distinguish it as such) ~ fresh mixed berries, nuts with Mascarpone mousse (this one also sounds intriguing for the next time that I want a sweet dish);

or maybe even

Huevos Ranchero[ sic (I really do not know what they have against all these missing "s"s) ] ~ two eggs over easy, black beans, avocado, tomatillo sauce, salsa, Jack cheese on a handmade corn tortilla.

This is not to mention Greek Frittata ~ spinach, tomatoes, Calamata[ sic (however, because they do use authentic Kalamata olives in this one, I will let that mispelink slide) ] olives, Feta cheese; which I have had on several previous visits and really liked and would never be averse to reordering.

Fear not, those of you that do partake of the dead, decaying aquatic insects, they also offer a few dishes with shrimps[ sic ] in them (Hmmm?! Now I think that I know where all the mising "s"s from Brussel[ sic ] sprouts and Huevos Ranchero[ sic ] went.):

Special Bangkok Frittata ~ shrimps[ sic], tomato, mushrooms, scallion, herbs; three-egg pancake-style omelettes served with potato medley or potato latkes, sourdough toast;

or the more intriguing-sounding

Angry Benedict ~ shrimps[ sic ], spinach, jalapeño, Cajun Hollandaise sauce (I even ordered this dish sans any shrimps[ sic ] two visits previous to check out this version of Hollandaise sauce).

Sadly, they no longer offer the Marco Polo Benedict ~ two poached eggs, turkey, tomatoes, avocado, served on English muffin, Hollandaise sauce with salad and potato medley or potato latkes. I was thinking of getting that one this morning if it were still available. Maybe too many people (wiseacre-types for sure) commented on it being neither Italiano- or Asian-related (see, turkey, tomatoes, and avocados are all New World items and would not have been available anywhere in either Europe or Asia in the 13th Century).

These might not prove to be the Best Pancakes that I might have in 2019, but they were definitely the Best Pancakes that I have had thus far in 2019! (insert drooling-emoji here) I suppose this dish could also easily have been called "Bananas Foster Pancakes" (Sorry, Gretchen! [For some reason, I think she really hates caramel.]). There was at least one whole banana sliced and fanned out on top of the pancakes. While the banana itself was not actually flambéd or brûléed, it is the idea that counts, Chef Blangé. (Maybe I shoulda asked for a shot of Rum on the side.) This came as two medium-sized pancakes, but do not let that wording fool you; these were extra thick and fluffy and two were about my limit this morning, anyway.

I would normally get a potato-based side dish (they offer hashbrowns, homefries, and sweet potato tots), but I saw the fried Brussel[ sic ] sprouts dish on the breakfast menu and had to get it. "But, Brian... Brussel[ sic ] sprouts for breakfast?!" Jazeker! Zur Hölle, ja! Enfer, ouais! (Take your pick from any of the languages that they may speak in the town of Brussel
[ sic ], Belgiums.) Besides, there were sections of orange and grapefruit throughout, and that spells "breakfat" (with or without any d*rn "s") to me. As it turned out, the Brussel[ sic ] sprouts starter was the perfect way to go; this made the meal savoury-sweet in its entirety. The Brussel[ sic ] sprouts were excellent and extra crispy (read: burnt just how I likes 'em).

Home Plate offered both Tabasco® Brand 
Pepper Sauce (Original Red Sauce) and Cholula® Hot Sauce (Original) for use as condimentary supplements. I had come prepared with a few of my own hot sauces, too, but due to the meal ordered this morning, none were needed or used, anyway.

Now if they had only drizzled some of that caramel sauce on top of my Brussel[ sic ] sprouts, I bet that would have made them even more awesome.


Glen Bacon Scale Rating:
Dulce de Leche Pancakes ~ 7.0;
Brussel[ sic ] Sprouts ~ 7.3

___________________

1. "Hey, Brian, why do you always feel the Grammar Nazi need to point out when a restaurant mispels 'Brussels sprouts'?"

First off, I prefer the more PC-term: "Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei Grammatician". 

Secondly, I am sure that their computers also have a "spell-checkering" function-thing that would inform them of any missing "s"s before they print their menus.

Thirdly, you must be one of them d*mn linguistic prescription-hating Jews!

(Actually, I am getting pretty [ sic ] and tired of all these places manglising owr hilee vonted 'merican langwidge!)

Ella's American Kitchen

Never judge a man until you walk a mile in his shoes...
but just make sure to sprinkle some Desenex® in them first, you never know where they might have been.

https://www.ellassanfrancisco.com/


Place: Ella's American Kitchen

Location: 500 Presidio Avenue 
(on the corner of California Street)

(new-old) Hours: open for breakfast Monday through Friday at 7:00am; and All Day "Brunch" is available Saturday & Sunday at 8:30am (it seems that they have reverted back to their older/original hours once again)

Meal: Mixed Green Salad ~ cornmeal crouton, cucumber, radish, cherry tomatoes, carrots, champagne vinaigrette, with two poached eggs (to make it a bit more breakfastarily sound); to drink with the meal, a glassa Ginger Orange Juice Punch (with a plastic straw ~ Ha!); and beforehand, a medium (16 oz-er) cuppa Peet's Coffee® - Vanilla Cardamom Latte

https://www.peets.com/menu/seasonal-beverages/vanilla-cardamom-latte

(The first Lady Ella song is because today is the First of September. The second one is because... I don't never need no stinkin' excuses for posting two Lady Ella songs! D*mmit!)


Sadly, September brings with it the last month of Regular Season Baseball, so I am running through my Breakfastary Starting Rotation once again. To start it off, I simply made a return visit to Ella's American Kitchen (see last 'blog-entry from Sunday, April 8th, 2018).

I had initially ordered the Chilaquiles (slow roasted pork [which I requested sin la carne de cerdo muerto, en descomposición-stuff], tomatillo salsa, lime crema, queso fresco, two eggs); however, my waitress/server lady-person came back a few minutes later and told me that I would need to change my order. Apparently,  as reported to me by the Mexican maître d'-guy, their tomatillo salsa is not vegetarian-friendly. (Who makes a tomatillo salsa with meat in it?) He told me that the head chef-lady Veronica wanted their version of chilaquiles to be a little different than the norm (a few visits back, she actually told me herself that this could be ordered vegetarianized; maybe they have since changed their salsa recipe; whatever). I would think that with the pulled pork available in this dish, that might have been a good enough difference from a standard chilaquiles dish. Oh, well, looks like I will not be able to try this dish now.

Which creates a bit of an Oh-oh!-factor for me. With only four-to-five viable stupid vegetarian-friendly dishes from which to choose (since the new ownership/new head chef take-over a few years back, they are no longer offering a seasonal/changing menu), I might have to rethink this place as Breakfastary Starting Rotation-worthy. Which would be a real shame, as it has been ensconced on my list for over eighteen years now.

Luckily, they have just (as in just last month on August 4th) opened a second location (over on Polk Street ~ in the Nob Hill area) and they offer one or two other items which are not found on the original location's menu. This might prove to be a saving grace (for at least another visit or two, anyway). Plus, it is always fun to check out a new place/location.

This had a nice enough dressing (some kinda Balsamic[?]-champagne vinaigrette), but it was still just a buncha rabbit(rabbitrabbit) food with two poached eggs laid (placed) on top. This is nothing that I could not have made at home on my ownsome (... well, if I ever had any eggs [and could learn how to poach 'em successfully]... and cornmeal croutons, cucumbers, radishes, cherry tomatoes, and carrots... and rabbit[rabbitrabbit] food-stuff... in my refrigerator, that is).

I had thought about also ordering a side of their country potatoes (which I knew to be top-rate), but the size of the salad (with the addition of the illegally pilfered unborn poultry offspring) was actually a lot of food to eat, anyway.

For condimentary supplementation, Ella's American Kitchen has Tabasco® Brand Hot Sauce 
(Original Red Sauce) and Tapatío® Salsa Picante 
Hot Sauce. I used some of my own Golden Pagoda Jalapeno Hot Sauce (Thanks, Mom!) on top of one poached egg and some Laura Plantation 
Vidalia® Onion & Peach Hot Sauce (Thanks, Greg & Cindy!) on top of the other poached egg... and several (as in my wrists got tired after a while) twist-grinds from my grains-of-paradise grinder all over the salad and eggs.

(not really just another) Strange Coffee Interlude

On the way to breakfast this morning, I stopped at the Peet's Coffee® in Laurel Village Shopping Center (which is just two or three blocks westward [Ho!] along California Street, anyway) for a freebie (well, from a $20.00 gift card compliments of my dentist ~ which would be sorta like your cardiologist giving you a $20.00 gift card to the Cheesecake Factory®) cuppa. I had originally pre-planned on getting a French Press single-cuppa (made-to-order) of one of their better seasonal Coffees (I was hoping to see something in the Ethiopian-fare). However, when entering the coffeeshop, I immediately ran into the above sign at the front door (no, really, I was not watching where I was going and actually bumped into the d*rn thing). I know 'tis the season for all things Pumpkin/
Pumpkin Spice-related, but I could not really pass up the choice of a Vanilla Cardamom Latte instead. This was made with lotsa cardamom in it, too. In my opinion, the vaniller was completely superfluous. 
Peet's Coffee® has the audacity to call cardamom "the Queen of Spices". My *ss! Cardamom is the Emperor of all Spices, at the least!


Glen Bacon Scale Rating:
Mixed Green Salad ~ 6.0;
Peet's Coffee® - Vanilla Cardamom Latte ~ 7.0