Peony Chinese- the restaurant, not the flower

This is a picture of some peonys, because I've never taken any photos at Peony Chinese Restaurant here in Temecula, and I always like a snazzy photo for my posts.

Peony's is in the Albertson's shopping center on Rancho California Rd. and combines the speed and ease of a fast food joint with the service and freshness of a sit-down restaurant. You order at the counter and take your number to your table, but then they serve you your drinks and condiments and bring your food to your table, offer refills, and basically take really good care of you. The ingredients are obviously fresh, and everything is made to order....no bins of food under warming lights or anything gross like that.

Now, I saw a Yelp! (maybe it was some other review site, but you get the idea) review written by someone who must love MSG and pre-packaged, frozen ingredients (which was, incidentally, filled with spelling errors) who said that the problem with Peony is that it is run by Mexicans, and although "Mexicans are nice people" they "should not go into Chinese food business". That is about the lamest thing I've ever read. You know, because apparently, in their mind, your ethnic heritage dictates how good of a cook you are, and your ability to provide excellent customer service. Well, Nick A. of Murrieta, CA, not only do you have bad taste in Chinese food, you are also a turd. Is it okay to use the word "turd" in a restaurant review?

Anyway, it's not traditional Schezuan style. It really is a SoCal type of Chinese food, which most locals will love, including my hubby. If you are used to Texas Chinese food, it will not be what you expect, but it will still be delicious. It's more expensive than the food-in-a-bin joints (a la Panda Express or Mr. You's) and I definitely prefer it over Pick Up Sticks (call me crazy, but I like eating off of a real plate). Their lunch portions are enormous, which I would call their best value. Try the lunch curry chicken. OMG. Yum.

Peony Chinese Cuisine

30520 Rancho California Rd
Temecula, CA 92591

(909) 695-1878

Tex-mex meets Cali-mex...and they get along!

There's this thing that happens when a Texan moves to California, and it's not something you're ready for because you figure, well, it just makes sense that you'd be able to find mexican food here.  I know, I know- there are mexican joints everywhere.  The difference is that Cali-mex is a little crunchier, a little fruitier, a little more with the limes and a little less with the cheese.  Tex-mex has sour cream and shredded cheese, and portions so big you can share them with two of your kids and still be full.  For most Texans in SoCal, this is just something you're gonna have to get used to.  Not so if you live in Temecula, though!  Welcome to Rosas Cafe and Tortilla Factory, founded 25 years ago in San Angelo, TX, making fresh Tex-mex so fast you'll barely have time visit the salsa bar before they call your number.

Typical pseudo-mission style on the outside meets roomy loft on the inside, taking you by surprise, but in a good way.  The way that makes you glad you decided to give it a shot instead of going to In 'n Out....again.  

The decor is downright fun, with collections of all manner of spanishy-inspired and not-really-spanishy-at-all items hanging on and from every surface in the place.  From plates to vases to wooden parratos, your kids will get a kick out of this place even before they start eating.

Ah, but then the food will arrive (approximately 18 seconds after you order it), and I'm sure every member of the family will be pleased.  From freshly made tortillas, to healthy portions of both rice and beans, even the pickiest family members will have something to cheer about.

We orderd the chicken fajita platter that, apparently, is supposed to feed 2-3 people.  If you can only feed two people with this combo, then those people had better have just run a marathon.  We had no trouble filling our whole family to the gills with this plate, which included the rice and beans, sour cream, shredded cheese, guacamole, as much salsa/limes/cilantro/onions as our little hearts desired from the salsa bar, and an enormous stack of those freshly made tortillas.  Oh, and of course, the actual chicken.  We loved it, all three of the kids loved it, and our budget was a fan, too.  Feeding five people for $23 and not needing to drink water in order to do it?  Now that's my kind of lunch.

Rosas Cafe and Tortilla Factory

28134 Jefferson Ave.

Temecula

(951) 506-5800

p.s. They have a drive-thru, too.  Sweet!

Little Tokyo: Big on Taste

There are two sweet, wonderful words that, when uttered at the appropriate time, can turn a woman's whole evening around. Feelings of dread and confusion transform into feelings of anticipation and clarity. Exhausted? Not anymore! Irritated? Not at all! No. No sadness or negativity can overshadow the joy that comes with these two delicious words: Free Delivery.

Oh yes, it's true. For those of you with no school-aged children or who aren't in charge of preparing the evening meal, it might be hard to believe. Those of you who know me might be tempted to chalk this one up to hyperbole (which I am certainly prone to). But I assure you that there are evenings when the prospect of preparing dinner is like knowing you are about to have to, I don't know, voluntarily shave your own head. But then get no kudos or sympathy for it the next day, because, I mean, doesn't everyone have to shave their heads every evening? And you could call something in, but then you and all your kids have to get back in the car and go to the restaurant, and then get out of the car and go into the restaurant, and pay for the food while they "explore" and then carry the food in one hand and the baby in the other and pile them back into the van and insist that they can in fact switch places every now and then and that they do not personally own any portion of the backseat, and then.....you get the point.
So when this mom saw a sign outside of this little restaurant that said "Free Delivery", she just couldn't help herself. Like any good SoCal family, we are fans of the sushi and because it is one of the few things we can't make better ourselves at home it's definitely our go-to special dinner treat. Little Tokyo sits in a tiny little shopping center on the south-west corner of Margarita and Pauba, the kind of center that makes you hope that they don't go out of business because you're so very happy that they have free delivery and you hope everyone else realizes this and orders from them so that they make lots of money and buy lots more yummy fish.

For an intimate dinner for two, there are more romantic choices in Temecula, because although the decor is more traditional (therefore less fun) than other places I've reviewed in this here blog,they have a T.V. mounted in one of the corners, on which one can always find reruns of either The Simpsons or King of the Hill. Great if you're waiting for your to-go order. Not so great if you're planning to propose.

Now to the actual food. Let me just say that unlike some of the people who I am married to or write this blog with, I'm not all that picky when it comes to what I eat. It's not that I don't enjoy yummy stuff, I'm just not very good at distinguishing subtle taste and texture differences between things, therefore something that is "better" won't necessarily taste different to me than something that is "not as good". That being said, even I, Dwija of the insensitive palate, could tell that the sushi we got from this lovely little joint was delicious. This determination was quickly corroborated by my good husband, Tommy of the extremely sensitive palate. Even the California rolls, which are usually cheap for a reason and which we only get as filler so as not to leave the table still starving, were a joy to eat. The rice was moist and fluffy, the avocado was flavorful, the cucumber was crunchy, and the ratio of crab-to-everything else was just perfect. And because everything was so amazingly delicious (try the Dynamite Roll, #105), it was all gone before I had the wherewithal to get out my camera to take photos. So, this pic of their Rainbow Roll (#89, also great) taken with my camera from the front cover of their menu, will have to do.And for the non-raw-fish-eating set, there are all sorts of rice, noodle, and meat dishes to choose from, as well as some things I'd like to order just to see if I can say them without cracking a smile (Bibimbap anyone?). You'll all love it- I promise.

Little Tokyo

43053 Margarita Rd. B105

Temecula, CA 92592

(951) 693-5959

Mon-Sat: 11am - 9pm

Sunday: closed

Oh Me, 'Pho Mai'! Vietnamese Food that's Sure to Please

A lot of people talk about how Temecula is just teeming with "big box" retailers and restaurants, usually in a way that let's you know that they much prefer the hole-in-the-wall / mom-and-pop / living-the-american-dream type place....the kind of place, they imply, you're not gonna find in Temecula. Um, have you ever been to Temecula? I mean, yes, you can go to Chili's or Tony Roma's or Outback if you want, but there is also no shortage of tiny, poorly decorated,

totally delicious, absolutely wonderful hole-in-the-wall joints. Joints owned and operated by people who grew up cooking and eating that kind of food, who have no experience with tasteful interior design, and who are so thankful to get up every morning in a place that lets them have their own place. Places without a corporate training crew but with food you crave on a lazy Saturday afternoon and a strange obsession with instrumental versions of Tom Jones songs.

Today's delicious excursion was to Pho Mai Vietnamese Restaurant. Located conveniently, and quite unglamorously, in the K-mart shopping center on Ynez Rd, you'll find no pretense or ceremonious service rituals (i.e. writing of the servers name on your paper table cloth; leading you to your table; smiling...). What you will find are the strange nautical-inspired booths (shown above) a mildly disconcerting interest in preserved butterflies,
and incredible, amazing, delicious, awesome, and cheap Vietnamese food. As the name implies, you'll have your choice of Phos (yes, with menu descriptions that go something like this: tendon tripe brisket tendon with noodle and tendon tripe. Pictured below is #15. I don't pretend to know what's actually in it. Really, I don't), which is why the hubby and I go,but you'll also get a lot "Mai" (haha! get it? instead of "more"? sorry....). Like these mouth-watering spring rolls (#04) , filled with, in addition to all the usual spring-roll ingredients, barbecue pork and an actual small eggroll. You will absolutely drool when you taste that peanut sauce! And for the kids in your life, because I know you've probably got 'em and I'm guessing their not so into tendon-tripe-jalapeno-brisket-tripe soup, there's a whole bunch of great stuff to choose from, like this Vietnamese version of fried rice (#54) that had generous amounts of shrimp and sausage throughout. Or this plate (#49?) that came with half a barbecued chicken, rice, and salad. Yum!

Now this part might not be as important to all of you as it is to me, but I have a child who is especially....um...let's call it 'sensitive', to gross bathrooms. Gross bathrooms and no-name restaurants tend to go hand-in-hand. Not at Pho Mai, my friends!

And although the decor falls squarely on the tacky side of fancy, it was clean, and updated, and as close to SoCal chic as I've ever found in a restaurant of this variety.I must confess, I'm a little embarassed to end a post with a photo of a toilet...so I'll close with a shot of the generically generic shopping center window of the best not-at-all generic Pho restaurant this side of the international date line.

Pho Mai Vietnamese Gourmet

26487 Ynez Rd

Temecula, CA 92591

(951) 296-1880

Monday thru Saturday: 10 am - 8:30 pm

Sunday: CLOSED

Claim Jumper is Better than you Remember

As a server, it's hard to get excited about a mom with kids sitting at one of your tables. I know. I was a server. It's not that servers don't like kids or don't want some of their own, or dislike their moms or moms in general. No, the problem is that too many moms get really picky, order crazy things that aren't on the menu, complain about a lot of things, let their kids behave like hooligans, leave a gigantic mess in/on/around their table and then....they don't tip. I know. I was a server. Obviously I'm not one of those moms, but if you were a server and I walked in with my three kids and no hubby to be seen, you wouldn't know that, and you'd probably be prepared for the worst. If Rose, the sweet, capable, efficient server that we had on Monday at Claim Jumper, was prepared for the worst, I couldn't tell. All I saw was smiles and competence. And really good eye make-up.

Here's Rose

A little backstory as to why we were livin' like high rollers and going to Claim Jumper on a random Monday afternoon: the library!!! Yep, last week's certificate-for-reading was a free kid's plate from Claim Jumper. I took the kiddos on a weekday for lunch so we would avoid any potential wait. There is usually a wait at that restaurant, and now I know why. First of all, the view:

Here is the view from our table (the Temecula Duck Pond!)

And the decor is also a lot of fun for kids (and heck, I guess grown-ups too ;) ). My girls especially loved all the different light fixtures above the booths. Here's the one we got:

Then things got really good, because they put down a special little plastic table cover just for the baby and Rose asked if we would like the complimentary baby plate. True story! Of course, being thrifty and having a baby, I said "Sure!". It wasn't fancy or overly beautiful, but it was totally, exactly what babies like to eat. I mean, except for the parsley of course, which I did away with speedy-quick. And, um, did I mention it was freeeeeeeee? Here it is:

The girls chose the baby back ribs (I know, I know, high rollers....) and each got to choose two sides. That meant steak fries, apple slices with caramel dipping sauce, macaroni and cheese and shoestring fries with lots of salt and pepper. They also have yummy drink choices for kids, including strawberry lemonade- sounds delicious to me! Oh, and the drink lids stay on very, very well. I know. I dropped one on the floor. Not a drop was spilled! As for me, I got the "smallest" thing on the lunch menu, and it was still ENORMOUS. No one's going hungry if you go there, I can promise you that.

Now, I know you don't have to live in Temecula to go to Claim Jumper, but no other Claim Jumper overlooks the Temecula Duck Pond and has Rose available to provide efficient, genuine service. Oh, and let's not forget the free kid's meals courtesy of The Temecula Public Library. Yet another fine summer day made possible by the fact that we live in this great town. You know, I really do heart Temecula.

White Lime : actually sweeter

I really don't love feeling like I'm jumping on the next-cool-thing (hah! I said 'cool'!) bandwagon, but I've got to give credit where credit is due: White Lime (self serve) Frozen Yogurt rocks my socks. My kids were given certificates for one free cup each (see previous post) for their mastery of the english language, so we went even though we probably never would have. Kudos to whomever decided to give out those coupons, because now we're hooked.



When I first walked in, I couldn't help but feel like I was in some coffee bar/convenience store in Europe, the real kind that they don't show in movies, because they had techno-style club music playing at 11 a.m. for no good reason. Uh oh. And the decor...these weird egg chairs and psuedo-futuristic circular tables. Double uh oh. But then, joy of joys, the coupons were easy to redeem, and the flavors (only, like, 10- just right to avoid confusing the young folk) were yummy, and the toppings were excellent, and the chocolate syrup was real, and the price (if we were paying, which we weren't!)....well, only $0.39 per ounce. It's brilliant really: serve yourself as much as you want of whatever you want with as many toppings as you want, then they weigh your tub-o-yumminess and you pay only $0.39 per ounce. Perfect (except, can you turn down the music a smidge?).

For your own serving of deliciousness:

White Lime Frozen Yogurt
41493 Margarita Rd #106-B
Temecula, CA 92591
(951) 719-1422

Reading + Writing = Free Stuff

This is my first summer as a.....wait, first let's establish what we're gonna call me because I'm really not a Stay At Home mom. In fact, I spend very little time at home, especially during the school year. And if I am home, I'm not really "staying" very much. So, I'm gonna call me a Run Around Town mom- RAT for short. Alright, let's start over.

This is my first summer as a RAT and my first full summer living in Temecula. It's hard to even decide what to talk about first, because there aren't enough days in a week to do all the free stuff you could do around here- so I'll start with my favorite childhood haunt: The Library.

From the kids section with the ginormous purple tandem rocking chairs, to the outdoor reading courtyard (complete with fountain!), it really is a great place to foster an early love of reading. They also have neat self checkout stations that kids, naturally, are obsessed with. I think they'd check out other people's books if I'd let them. And, um, hello! You only have to read one (?!?) book a week in order to get the free-summer-coupons-for-kid-food-that-mom-refuses-to-spend-money-on. So far, my kids have scored Chick-fil-a, White Lime Frozen Yogurt (more on that later. Yum!), Rubios, and (unfortunately) Hometown Buffet certificates. Hooray for reading! Hooray for free stuff! Hooray for cheap entertainment and kids not climbing the walls (at least not my walls)!