Since TC and I both have one week off for Thanksgiving, we wanted to try someplace new. I had coupons of course and our choices were Jimmy's by the Park (in downtown Chula Vista), McGonagle's (in Paradise Hills) and Cafe 21 on the outer edge of University Heights. I didn't want to stay local so we took the drive up to Cafe 21 on the corner of Adams Ave and Oregon St.
It's on this little corner...
It was kind of crowded inside so we chose to eat outside on their patio. It wasn't too cold and the sun came out from time to time. Behind us (not pictured) was a swinging bench set. TC wanted to eat on that but that would have been problematic with the food, heh.
We sat on the far end of the patio by the wall.
Our waiter was super nice - a young guy with tatts on his arms and neck (that one read "Madrid"; I should have asked him about that). TC was giggling because he called us "ladies", as in "How are you ladies doing today?". I thought he was charming and very polite. After he left, she chanted, "I'm a lady!" (like how the Julius the ring-tailed lemur in "The Penguins of Madagascar" says it).
Their breakfast items looked really good - omelettes and crepes....
I had my eye on one of their sandwiches...
The coupon I had was buy 1 entree and get 1 free (up to $10 worth). Luckily it did not include having to buy two beverages either (Yay, I usually prefer water)! [Tokidoki Alert! That tiny thing is my Tokidoki Rosetto cosmetic case in the Messagio Print, Spring 2010; I have the Carino cross body messenger bag and love it because it has every color in it and matches EVERYTHING! I use this cosmetic bag to hold my keys, lipstick, lipstick liner and emergency liquid eyeliner because I'm vain like that]
Since we were getting one free item, I saw that they had a Potato Pancake ($4.50). It was NOT what I pictured because I was thinking more like a "latke" kind of potato pancake, not an actual pancake with potatoes in it. There was a nice potato-ey crust though but texture wise, it was not was I was expecting. I was probably better off NOT ordering this.
This was our strategy, order one savory item and one dessert and split it. So TC ordered the Strawberries and Creme crepe...I was expecting one big one, not four small ones, so this was pretty cool!
I got the Monte Cristo sandwich with raspberry jam (already inside). I liked how it wasn't battered and fried. It was grilled quite nicely and came with a choice of sides (soup or fresh fruit or salad with strawberries) so I got the salad, which was really delicious. Turns out it's one of their signature salads. It had a housemade raspberry vinaigrette and sliced strawberries which were so sweet and ripe. In the photo below, I'd already split the sandwich between us. I love the mix of savory and sweet. TC also loved the salad, taking at least half of it!
Who else ate at Cafe 21?
Dennis from A Radiused Corner" went here back in July and loved their poached pesto eggs...
and Darren from San Diego Food went here last month and had omelettes and pancakes.
Here are some reviews on Cafe 21 (formerly called Cafe 2121):
SD Reader (After reading this review, I found out the owners are from Azerbaijan, cool! Had I known that ahead of time, I would have tried an Azeri dish but I didn't see any on the lunch menu, so I assume it's on the dinner menu! Oh well, next time!)
a nice write up from the San Diego Newsroom and Yelp.
Here is their Official website.
On another note, am I just a cranky bitch or what? Immediately after Halloween, I noticed at all the stores (grocery, mall, and so on), I keep hearing piped in Christmas music! Fkg hell, let Thanksgiving happen FIRST people!
And that's why I finish all of my Xmas shopping in October so I can avoid the infernal Kenny G/Miley Cyrus/Mariah Carey hell that passes as Christmas music. Why can't they play subversive Christmas music like this instead? (Yes, I actually like this song! Sofa King Hilarious!I make sure to include it on my Xmas CD compilations - NOT Family Friendly!)
So catchy! Play THAT at your next holiday soiree...or this:
Because nothing screams Christmas Joy and Christmas Cheer like this rollicking toe tapping ditty from the Ramones!!!
9 comments:
Hi CC, according to Wandering Chopsticks the owners are Azerbaijani. I can't figure out what items on the menu are from the area though if there are any (maybe more on the dinner menu). Anyway I love the poached egg with pesto sandwich here. Really messy but good. Soups are always great too.
Ha! We heard the first Christmas muzak right after Halloween and thought wtf. Someone on our block has already started putting up lights, sheesh.
Now that's a good looking Monte Cristo. Just had Studio Diner's version and was not impressed with it.
hi dennis - cool - thanks for the info! my husband would like tha tpoached egg. he likes that gooey stuff!
hi CAB- yeah, i thought so too! WTFF! i feel sorry for the jewish, muslim and atheists who have to listen to xmas muzak as well.
re: the monte cristo - it was pretty good. i liked the studio diner version but it was a bit too "fried". this one seemed a little "lighter". the best monte cristo i ever had was at the now defunct Elario's, which used to be at the top of the summer house inn in la jolla.
I was gonna ask you if that was a Tokidoki Rosetto cosmetic case?
hehehe.
I love your tokidoki alerts. I have the small handbag with that print. I agree it matches well with everything. I use mine a lot.
hi michael - i love tokidoki! it's my kryptonite...
hi kirbie - this print is diff't from previous prints in that in mostly graphics scattered with the characters. have you seen the new pattern, favola? it's a fairy tale theme and it's so cute. can't afford it right now though. :(
The potato pancake sort of looks more like hash browns than a pancake, weird. The crepes look really good, too! I love good strawberries.
As for Christmas stuff, good god, I saw stuff in the store BEFORE Halloween. I wanted to scream. Have already seen Christmas trees up in my neighborhood. I can't handle 2 months of Christmas, sorry. I do my shopping online and avoid malls at all costs.
Yes I saw the favola print! So cute! Definitely one of the cutest I've seen in a while. I think it's more reminiscent of the older prints. I'm waiting till there is some discount or deal though.
hi mary - yeah, it's more of a hash brown, but it was way too "mushy" and "soft" for my taste. those strawberries were amazing - not those awful unripe ones - these were so ripe and fragrant.
re: xmas and shopping - yeah, i try to avoid malls at all costs. online is also convenient. no having to deal with people, ha ha. antisocial i am.
hi kirbie (again) - unfortunately the favola print is not on sale yet. i'd totally splurge on that. i must admit, i DID splurge on another new print (reminiscent of the older style of allover prints), "Americana" - it was 20% off with free shipping on ebags.com - i got the Americana Carino cross body bag and the matching cosmetic case. The print is so cute - very 50's/Fonzy/Happy Days/sock hop! merry christmas and happy early bday to me (ha ha)!
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