Caroline's Profile
San Diego Best/Worst Neighborhoods for Restaurants
Agreed - Kensington / Normal Heights has a wide variety of solid restaurant choices, whether along Adams Avenue (Bleu Boheme, Kensington Grill, Ponce's, Blind Lady Alehouse, Cantina Mayahuel, Farm House Cafe) or south along 30th Street (Jayne's Gastropub, et al.). Super Cocina is also a stone's throw.
From Kensington or Normal Heights, one can reach all of these within a five minute drive, or a nice walk. I can't think of many neighborhoods with such proximity to good restaurant options.
Jeremy's On The Hill - Julian
After sledding at Mt. Laguna this morning, we headed up to Julian for lunch. After seeing the usual unexiting dining options, we continued toward Santa Ysabel to try Jeremy's on the Hill, as recommended by a few Chowhounds.
Located at the 78 and Wynola, it's located in the same building as the old Tom's Chicken and several failed establishments.
Finally, this neck of the woods has a worthwhile restaurant. The menu can satisfy all palates, with everything from burgers to crepes to lobster bisque. The chef - who trained at the Cordon Bleu in San Francisco - is great at execution, and I've never seen my kids devour hamburgers with such zeal as today. Perhaps it was the filet mignon and ribeye steak that comprise the patty, but I must say it was among the top burgers I've ever tasted.
I enjoyed the chicken crepes, while my spouse had the buffalo style turkey burger. We finished with creme brulee.
The decor was homey and service attentive and gracious. I enjoyed a nice Orfila Chardonnay, and the wine list was better than I expected.
I look forward to exploring their menu again. It is definitely worth bypassing the rest of what Julian has to offer and head toward Wynola for this refreshing little spot.
Farm House Cafe - San Diego
We took our two children (ages 10 and 7) to Farmhouse Cafe this evening, and it was truly one of the better dining experiences of the year so far. What a pleasant surprise on Adams Avenue. As Kensington residents, we have loved seeing the resurgence of exciting dining throughout the Mid City, and Farmhouse is leading the charge.
We arrived at just after 5:00 without a reservation, and if it was any later, securing a table would have been a challenge. For a Wednesday, the place was hopping, and the cozy space invited fun, casual conversation among the various diners. It truly has a neighborhood feel, and considering how so many San Diego restaurants cater to non-locals, this experience was all the more special.
As for the food, the presentation and quality was terrific. My husband had the salmon and I had the halibut entrees. The kids split a hamburger. The portions are small but exquisite, and I would order a starter next time around. The highlight, however, was the chocolate sampler for dessert. Considering how many restauarants in San Diego outsource their dessert courses, the chef's expertise in preparing a variety of delicious bites is truly remarkable. Service was attentive but busy navigating the small space; overall, very good considering that they've been open for just three months.
This is what we all wished Bleu Boheme was supposed to be - perhaps they can trade spaces so the Farmhouse can have more tables!
Help with fish markets in San Diego
The Fishery on Cass Street in Pacific Beach is my go-to spot for fresh fish. They have a wholesale operation that enables them to obtain some incrediblly fresh varieties on a daily basis. Plus, their restaurant is awesome - try the swordfish tacos.
www.pacshell.com
Best Creme Brulee in Palm Springs?
One of the best creme brulees I've ever had was at Blend in La Quinta. Go there just for that!
Mexican Coke (made w/ cane sugar, not HFCS) - Where to buy?
A good source for Mexican Coca-Cola (and all other hard-to-find soft drinks IMO), is Galco's Soda Pop Stop near Eagle Rock in Los Angeles. They ship -- check out their website.
www.sodapopstop.com
Birdrock area
I think we were at that same food event - Island Divine - and those short ribs were terrific. We will be using those gift cards soon just to sample a full portion.
Vindblah Swedish Fusion Cafe notes UH in SD
I had the same experience. The place was empty except for a single employee who seemed to be on the job for less than a week, and a guy reading the newspaper in the corner, who I presume was her friend. The menu uninspiring and vaguely Scandanavian. My open-faced sandwich was equally unimpressive. I could have done better with the ingredients in my office refrigerator.
Ownership needs to focus on their product and dining experience if they want to make it.
Just Fabulous - San Diego
I live in Kensington, and the word on the street is that Just Fabulous may be undergoing an ownership change. They do not plan on closing. The majority owner wants to focus on her core dessert business, and the investors may take over and revamp it as a more of a wine bar with gourmet pizza service. Stay tuned.
Looking for where to buy peameal bacon in SD
I've never seen anything close in San Diego. However, you may be in luck with a few clicks and a credit card:
www.realcanadianbacon.com
Semi-casual rehearsal dinner suggestions?
California Cuisine does a fantastic job in a relaxed setting for special occasions and larger groups. Plus, their food is invariably terrific. San Diego restaurants tend to cater to the out-of-towner, and I always think of California Cuisine as the antithesis; in fact, most locals still don't even know about it.
Heading to Palm Desert...
In October we had a terrific meal at Blend in La Quinta.
www.blendrestaurant.com
Operated by a former French Laundry chef. Try any variety of fois gras -- absolutely fantastic.
Affordable cakes in San Diego
Crumbs of Paris in Tierrasanta is consistently excellent. They can prepare a wide variety of cakes, and their prices are reasonable.
Anyone Tried Cantina Mayahuel in Normal Heights SD?
A new restaurant caught my eye today in Normal Heights -- Cantina Mayahuel at 2934 Adams Avenue. Has anyone tried this place?
Has Bronx Pizza in San Diego changed or is it just me having a problem
We've been going to Bronx for years and haven't noticed any change. The surly charm is there, and the pizza is more or less the same. I suppose it depends on who is working that night, but that's true for any restaurant.
Considering the dearth of decent pizza joints in San Diego, Bronx is both a find and a bargain. Who cares if there's no parking and they're inflexible about ordering options? That's part of the experience and infinitely superior to Papa John's, Round Table, et al.
La Quinta Weekend -- Blend Restaurant? Other Recommendations?
I wish Blend served breakfast.
We made the mistake of eating at La Quinta Resort for our first meals of the day. The service was obscenely slow and nonchalant. Worse yet, the food was expensive and poorly executed. I've had better meals at economy hotel breakfast buffets.
La Quinta Weekend -- Blend Restaurant? Other Recommendations?
Thanks for the tips. We ate at Blend Restaurant in La Quinta. www.blendrestaurant.com It was a nice surprise. The decor is simple and tasteful, but nothing extravagant. It's in an old restaurant space with low ceilings reminscent of a bungalow -- like Pasadena's The Raymond Restaurant, but without that much charm. It was quiet and relaxed, however, and that made for a pleasant evening.
The service was great -- attentive, inconspicuous and knowledgable.
We ordered the chef's selection, a five-course tasting menu for $70 each. It was quite the value considering the variety of courses. Favorites included grilled prawns with arugula, avocado, pico de gallo and a yuzu vinaigrette; a tartare of salmon on taro root chip with a wasabi emulsion; and homemade pasta with a generous amount of black truffles and cream.
The wine list was creative, focused and not overextensive.
I would recommend this restaurant to anyone seeking relaxed fine dining in the desert.
Whats the best egg dish you've had in San Diego?
It's a tie between an old standby and a newcomer:
1. Eggs benedict at Hob Nob Hill. It's a workmanlike effort -- nothing flashy or innovative - but this always hits the spot. The hollandaise is lemony, the eggs done as requested, and the English muffins both crispy and soft. I've ordered it regularly for 16 years, and it seems to taste just as good as when I first ordered it.
2. The Weekend Sandwich at Just Fabulous in Kensington. Fried egg, provolone, bacon and microgreens between two really good pieces of grilled bread. Spouse and I each tried it just last Saturday and kept talking about it the rest of the day. Maybe it was because we were slightly hungover, but I don't think so. It's only served on Saturday and Sunday.
La Quinta Weekend -- Blend Restaurant? Other Recommendations?
Spouse and I are heading to the La Quinta Resort this weekend. For dinner, we are leaning toward Blend Restaurant, recently opened by by Kevin Kathman (formerly of The French Laundry) and his wife.
Any thoughts on Blend or other La Quinta area restuarants for dinner? Breakfast? Lunch?
Thanks!
Kobe beef in San Diego
The best kobe items I've had in San Diego is the kobe burger at Just Fabulous on Adams Avenue in Kensington. It's one of the best burgers in town.
Root Beer in San Diego
Beverages and More has the best selection of "exotic" soft drinks I've found, e.g., creme sodas, root beers, etc. Henry Weinhard's Orange Creme is hard to beat, and the root beer is terrific as well.
Good Butcher in SD?
My first choice is Iowa Meat Farms, but recently I've been pleased with Windmill Farms in Del Cerro, just off College north of I-8. Their butcher has good selection and quality, and their prices are competitive, with some terrific weekly specials.
Sushi quality fish market in SD
Try Catalina Offshore Products -- www.catalinaop.com.
Viking, Themador, DCS or Blue Star, what's the best?
I purchased a 30" Blue Star in July 2005 after months of research. The appliance forums on gardenweb are great -- check out www.goldshlag.com/bluestar/ for a summary of them. The thing is a monster, generating unbelievable heat, and yet the low-level burner allows me to barely warm sauces. It's terrific. My one complaint is that I had to get used to a gas oven, which takes longer to heat than my previous electric oven. However, it performs well, and the broiler is second to none.
Tioli's Crazy Burger (San Diego)
Agreed re: Kensington Grill's burger. It's one of the original menu items that has remained to this day, and one of my top three in San Diego. Another to try is the now-ubiquitous Kobe burger on the menu at Just Fabulous, right down the street in Kensington.
5th & hawthorn
Well, Diva, you're not the first person to report that about Vagabond. It seems to receive significant positive press, but several word-of-mouth reviews have been less than glowing. To be fair, many of those relate to the fact that the place is cramped and exceedingly busy due to its popularity. However, I am surprised that Hawthorn's hasn't received the same level of accolades considering the tremendous meal (and service) we experienced in early June. I recommend going now before it really catches fire.
5th & hawthorn
We had dinner at Hawthorn's last month, after the wait was too long at Vagabond. What luck! One of the better meals of 2006. My spouse had the mussels with pomme frittes, which were fantastic. The salads were also terrific, with an interesting wine list. Service was attentive and pleasant. Definitely one of the better dining experiences we've had in San Diego as of late. The buzz will grow.
