Mark "Boom Boom" M.'s Profile

I kept seeing this place on West Morena, but never went until today when I noticed they moved into where Subway used to be next to JV's on (non-West) Morena.  That has to be one of the world's worst parking lots...so that is a bummer.  Subway couldn't even stay in business there...but this place is more of a catering company, so they can probably take less foot traffic.

I ordered the tuna sandwich...and I never, ever, EVER order tuna because it usually sucks and tastes like overly-mayo'd poop.  Not the case here.  This sandwich was amazing and came with an olive tapenade spread and on fresh foccacia.  VERY good.  It did have a fish bone in it, which is good and bad.  Bad because I could have died.  Good because that means it really is fresh fish.  But a chance of dying is not super fun.

Speaking of dying, I almost ordered the turkey pesto and asked multiple times if the pesto had pine nuts in it.  The first person said no multiple times...good thing I asked for a third time because someone else came over and said that it DID have nuts in it. That would have been fun to puke all over their new digs!

Overall, though, they were VERY nice...and I can look past the nut snafu.  I didn't realize it, but I actually went in about twenty minutes before they opened, and they served me anyway.  I thought that was neighborly.  I found this even more enjoyable when a person came in about ten minutes after me and they told her they couldn't serve her yet.  Ha!  TAKE THAT!

I, of course, ordered a chocolate chip cookie to complete my order.  They had a walnut and non-walnut version in separate containers....so they clearly understand the plight of nut-allergy people (even if they don't all know what is in the pesto.)  Wasn't a fan.  It was crispy...and I *think* it's a Crisco version or something like that.  I like my cookies nut free and soft...just like me!

I'll definitely go back...first time I would say was about 3.75 stars...but I can easily see this being a 4.5-star, high-end sandwich shop when they are all settled in and if I came in when they were actually open.  The sandwich was AWESOME...parking sucks...and I can't give any place five stars when their CCCs aren't up to MY clearly expert standards.

What does the "50/50" stand for?  They say it is because the 50/50 burger is half ground beef and half ground bacon (that's right, bacon)...but I don't think so.  Here are some other options.  There is a 50/50 chance that...

-I am going to have a spleen attack after eating here.  I don't even know what my spleen does...but I think it's bad if it stops working.

-I have gone to the bathroom since eating there yesterday at noon.  Send me a message if you want to find out (50/50 chance you don't do this).

-Anyone has ever enjoyed any of the shit Jennifer Aniston has been in since Office Space.  I'm just saying.

-There is pink slime in the burger (how topical of me!)

-You'll wait for over an hour to eat here on a Sunday.  50/50 chance it's because people love to got to church just so they can go here afterwords.

-The traffic on Rosecrans with irritate you so much that you turn around on the way to Liberty Station if you don't live in Point Loma.  And if you live in Point Loma, there is a 50/50 chance you either came from or are going to a strip club.

***

The 50/50 burger was 100% delicious...I just don't see how anyone can go here very often...location is kind of a bummer, and that food makes me fatter just by thinking about it.

I would say it is a must try...just one time.  Maybe right before you go to Les Girls.

Alice in Wonder-Kitchen has an amazingly eclectic variety of food.  From burgers, to sushi, to pizza...you name it...they have it!  In fact, my friend even ordered an apple that was bigger than a watermelon!

Some of the highlights were the delicious rainbow tea, cookies, and most importantly...the gifting of a free necklace with ANY order of fruit!

I would say the best reason by far to go to Alice in Wonder-Kitchen is the young, entrepreneurial owner/chef, Alice.  I got to meet her during my meal...and she was very fun and told a lot of good jokes.  My favorite was "What is a cat's favorite color?"  "Purrrrrple."

I think Alice has a great future ahead of her.  I can't wait to go back and try the frog!

What is and isn't sweet and savory about Sweet and Savory.

Sweet:  You get a free and fresh AND NUT FREE chocolate chip cookie with every order.  YAY...I got to live to write about this place!

Not Sweet: It's only open from 12 to 4 Monday through Friday.  

Savory: Turkey Brie Sandwich.  I don't know if crack was actually one of the ingredients...but I do now live in a crack den and go by the alias "Bottom Boy" after eating this sandwich today.  What does that mean? I don't know.  I'm high on turkey brie crack right now...ask me later.

Not Savory: Potato salad was ehhhhhh.  The potatoes were kind of hard...and I like my potatoes how I like my 50-year-old men...a little soft in the middle.  

Sweet: Two semi-homoerotic references in one Yelp.

Not Sweet: Location is hard to find (read: far from my crack den).  But seriously, if you aren't from Clairemont/Bay Park, you'll never find it.  I promise.  Don't even try.  OK...OK...Try to find it.  I dare you  (but you won't be able to).

Savory:  The lady that helped me had really cool eyes...kind of like a White Walker from Game of Thrones: http://bestfantasystor...

Not Savory:  Clearly more of a catering place...there isn't much "decor" to speak of...unless you count the empty kegs from the liquor store from next door.

Sweet and Savory: I am DEFINITELY going back...if I can find it again.

I live in San Diego, and I drove all the way up to the OC because of how highly recommended RPT&SP was!  I was not disappointed.  Everyone is super friendly and helpful and most importantly, you WILL see results!  

From the moment you walk in the door, the receptionist sets a perfect tone: warm, welcoming, and caring.  The entire staff jokes around with each other, and it has a "we are all just one big family" feel...I was a little taken aback by this at first since I was often in a bad mood when I went there (being hurt and unable to train).  No matter what my issue was, I ended up leaving physically AND mentally in a better place.

I received PT from John a few times (he is awesome!), but I mostly went for dietary advice from Melissa.  In a word, she is amazing.

Melissa helped me with different phases of Ironman training, and changed my diet accordingly.  She was willing to give me extra advice via email, and with her guidance, I lost weight, gained muscle mass, and had more energy.  I never, ever felt hungry...and the way she explained things was straightforward and not overly scientific.  She gave meal plan suggestions and did body fat testing as well.  Melissa is an endurance athlete herself, so she comes at it from actually KNOWING what endurance athletes need!  

I WISH RPT&SP were in SD...I would go more often.  I highly suggest them if you have any sports-related injuries or need any dietary advice!

If it were possible to give an establishment more than five stars, I would do it!  When I saw Matt, I had already been to MANY other sports doctors and specialists to help me with a leg strain I had that would NOT go away, and I had spent countless hours to hear the same things again and again from them:

(1) We don't know what is wrong with you

and/or

(2) Just take time off. Six months or a year should do.

These were not good things to hear while trying to train for my first Ironman.

On the other hand, when I met Matt, he used a completely different approach.  Instead of looking at my injury as something that was impossible to fix...he LISTENED to my particular situation, and took me on as a client that he would investigate, work WITH, and help!  Just his positive attitude alone set my mind (and body) at ease.  He never told me "You can't train," but he did help me to recover quickly and train smarter.

His plan was to set me up with a series of appointments and provide me with area-specific stretches to improve my posture and flexibility.  As necessary, he also rolfed (think deep, concentrated massage) areas of body that needed extra attention.

In sum, you know that expression, "You give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day...but you teach a man HOW to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime?

This is exactly what I felt my experience was like.  Matt showed me how to keep extremely active by incorporating a well-thought-out flexibility routine to my training.

I'm telling you...if doctors and specialists are not helping...GO SEE MATT!

Every day that I drive to work, I drive by Del Taco.  When I drive home...Del Taco again.  I see the sign.  I smell it through my car window and in my soul.

And it calls to me.  Quietly.  Gently.  Grease-fully.  It calls like some sort of merman, dad.  MerMAN....

"Maaaaaaaark.  Come eeeeeeeeeat the Del Classic Chicken Burrrrrrito-o-o-o-o-o-o."

Ignore as I might....there are days when the convenience of having a drive-through right off of Clairemont Drive is too much.  I am only a mere mortal.  There is only so much I can take.

So today, after months of eating quinoa and salads and fruit...I gave in.  And I wrote a little poem about it.  And the poem is dedicated to the beauty and elegance of a fast-food legend....I bring you...My Ode to Del Taco:

O' Del Taco Del Taco
I ate you today
A Del Classic Chicken Burrito
And more, I dare say

I consumed a cheeseburger
And a small order of fries
I raised my cholesterol level so much
I am afraid I might die...s

It was worth it Del Taco
With all of my grease-filled heart
Because I know in a few hours
I'll get revenge on my dogs for all of their stinky dog farts.

Thank you! Thank you!

I'll be here all week...tip your waiters!

(Actually not in the UK...but since New Zealand isn't a Yelp option...and I HAVE TO pick a country to Yelp about something...this was the culturally closest I could get.  Yelp, maybe think about putting the category "Other" or removing the mandatory country option when Yelping.)

When you walk into Friends, you aren't greeted by Joey, Chandler...or even Ross (did anyone even like Ross?)...but by a man named Robin, around a 60-year-old local.  I LOVE Robin.  Love him. Even before 7:00 AM, he started bagging on me the second I walked in the door.  

Robin was also very interested in telling us about Taupo, Lake Taupo, and about the volcano that erupted more than 20,000 years ago.

When I asked if he was around when that happened...he jokingly called me CHEEKY!  I have never been called that in my life...so I will wear that like a badge of honor.

This place is pretty expensive.  We got two coffees and toast...which ended up being about $14 NZ dollars.  It was good toast and coffee and all...but not very friendly at that price.  You also could order baked beans for breakfast.  I didn't, but it is always nice to have such an option.

My cheeky-ass is definitely going to go back before I leave.

(Dark humor alert)

Stacked was created to mess with non-tech-savvy people and for my entertainment.  You actually cannot verbally order anything...but must interact with all staff via an iPad.  Brilliant!  Want a burger?  Put it in the iPad.  Want more water?  Put it in the iPad.  Want to get a hand job under the table?  Well...you can *try* putting that in the iPad but they will probably just bring you more water.

I actually didn't order a burger (I know...I know...I wouldn't even give myself a hand-o under the table for NOT ordering a burger at a burger place), but got a couple of apps.  And although the apps were actually made by real people and not a Star Trek-esque device, they were really tasty!  I got the fries and chicken nuggets with a bunch of handmade (pun intended?) sauces.  Filling and good!

My goal in life is now to bring my grandmother here and watch her try to work the iPad.  That would be so amazing to watch...but mostly because she has been dead for over ten years.

Come on, Stacked.  Do it for Grammy.

A little known fact -- "Min Sok Chon" means "Sippin' on Gin 'n Juice" in Korean (and it really does, so don't bother looking it up).

So, when my biotch(?) and I decided to roll on down to Convoy Street for a little Christmas dinner, we were quite surprised that both delicious bulgogi AND Gangsta Rap were in our future.

One of the coolest things about Min Sok Chon is that when you get to your table, the waitstaff is instantly at your beck and call with an electronic device that you press to get their attention.  This device has three buttons: "water," "bill," and "drive-by shooting."  We refrained from using the most dangerous one..."water."

We ended up ordering WAY too much food...but what we got was all delicious.  I highly recommend the "spicy" chicken wings (not really spicy, but whatever) and chicken bulgogi.  

And even though you don't smoke weed, you should order the Mary Jane anyway.  It's Min Sok Chon; you aint got no job tomorrow; and you aint got no shit to do (http://www.youtube.com...)!  Not to mention, you can eat a lot more chicken wings that way.

I must admit, that was the first meal I have ever eaten while hearing the N word on the stereo twenty times or the F word for that matter, let alone the Q word (Ohhhh...you know how I feel about that Q word), but I felt like it was all part of my new Christmas tradition: eating Korean food on Convoy Street...while pouring a little out for the homies who couldn't be there with me during a Cypress Hill song.  If that isn't part of the Christmas spirit, I don't want to know what is.