Northpark's Profile
Best Hamburger in San Diego?
First of all, I should mention that I don't dislike the burger at Rock's, I found it decent, but far from the best in town. I do appreciate the quirkiness of the place, I actually like the cash only policy, the decor, and the super simple menu. But none of that makes a good burger, IMO. Good meat, bread, cheese, and toppings, and being cooked to the temperature I request, make a good burger, in my opinion.
I'm especially stumped by the argument that Rocky's is "local" or "the best burger for San Diegans." Any restaurant in San Diego is "local" to San Diegans. Many local restaurants use Brandt beef, raised in nearby Brawley, and so they are more local than Rocky's. Rocky's also did not offer any local beers, despite being in arguably the best beer brewing town in the world. What exactly is so local about Rocky's?
The longevity argument does not sway me at all. McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King have all been around a long time and I don't consider those good burgers. I also don't understand how it's "withstood all contenders." Do you mean it is the best simply because it is still in business? Are we arguing about the best burger or simply the establishment that has been open the longest?
Best Hamburger in San Diego?
With all respect to differences of opinion, is there any reason you prefer Rocky's? Any specific aspect of the meat, cheese, bun, toppings, or sauce?
Sea Rocket Bistro, Suite and Tender
If I was a little more computer literate I would link to my previous post, but to summarize, I had a great dinner at Sea Rocket, enjoying a special prix fix menu paired with beers from a local brewery. I've since returned for dinner a few times and enjoyed it; I especially like the sardines, and recently they've had a very good pasta special with clams and mussels. The beer and wine selection, while not especially large, have some interesting options, and they had a great beer on cask from Green Flash my last visit, if that sort of thing interests you. One down note: like Stevuchan, I was not a fan of the risotto.
San Diego: Mosaic wine bar
I went a few weeks ago and also had a good time. The bottles are pretty reasonably priced - it's much cheaper to go with friends and share bottles than to buy by the glass. Had a cheese plate which was quite good. Service was friendly but a bit disjointed - possibly because it was still fairly new at the time. It's a nice addition to the neighborhood. Oh, and the wines - we bought two bottles, my friend loved the tempranillo (don't recall the producer)and I loved the syrah (from Leal). Pretty good ratio, buying two wines and each of us finding one to really enjoy.
Alchemy, SD
I've been watching as the staff applies the final touches to this new South Park restaurant. Apparently they've been doing dry runs this week and will be open tonight. One of the staff gave me an advance copy of the menu when she saw me staring through the window, and I am excited. Looks like they're going to focus on seasonal, fresh, local, and sustainable foods at some pretty good prices. A grass fed beef burger with manchego cheese, house cured pickles and parmesan frite is ten dollars - which seems about right to me for a quality burger and fries. (yes, I'm talking to you Linkery, Ritual, Jayne's, Starlite, et al.) Also:
duo of local salmon (house cured loin, timbale of belly tartare), $7
ceviche of fresh local sea bass(pickled mango, toasted coriander seed, plantain chip), $7
olive oil poached local halibut (caramelized brussel sprouts, toasted walnuts), $15
crispy skin jidori half chicken (baby bok choy, szechuan chicken broth, shitake dumplings, $15
I only hope it lives up to my expectations.
There's only a few wine selections listed on the menu, but they seem interesting and most are six or seven dollars per glass.
Can't wait to try it, if anyone gets there before me please share your experience!
SD - Sea Rocket Bistro (old Linkery location)
I had been meaning to try Sea Rocket for a while but after reading foodiepeople101's review I was reluctant. However a friend convinced me to attend a special dinner there last night, a four course prix fixe paired with beers from a local brewery for $40 including the four beers. I must say I was very pleasantly surprised. The first beer was a pilsner, and it wasn't the most auspicious beginning, not a bad beer but somewhat lacking in the crispness that the best German pilsners offer. It was paired with a salad with pickled local vegetables, looked like cauliflower, turnip or some root vegetable, and leeks; the vegetables were crisp, just tart enough, and spiced with just enough ginger to give the salad the bite that the beer lacked. The second course was a ceviche of local halibut paired with a hefeweissen; great ceviche, great beer, great pairing. My favorite course of the night. Then came a ground lamb chili, which was almost great - nice lamb flavor, the right amount of spice, but something, I'm not sure what, was missing. Still very good, paired with an amber ale that paired nicely but was not really memorable on it's own. The dessert was a chocolate cake with a baltic porter - I'm not a big dessert guy but the cake had a nice flavor and a rich texture without being cloying in its sweetness. The beer was also extremely rich, with chocolate flavors that mirrored the cake,and while delicious, I couldn't finish either. The beers were from the Lightning brewery, and the brewer made some very interesting comments about the beers and the brewing process throughout the meal. The crowd, about 20 of us, all seated at a communal table,was a fun group of food and beer lovers and there was plenty of good conversation among us. The service was good, not the carefully orchestrated dance of a really formal dinner, but I don't think they aim to be a formal place and it was generally friendly and quick. Our main server was helped by a fellow who also added a little info on the beers, and who turned out to be the restaurant's resident 'beer geek' - a sort of a sommelier for beer.
All in all it was a very enjoyable event, and I thought the price quite reasonable. If anything the portions, of both beer and food, could have been smaller, as I was a bit over full even without finishing the dessert course. I will definitely be back to try the regular menu.
Tahoe City and Reno
It's been a few years, but the River Ranch Lodge, on the road between Tahoe City and Truckee, had a great restaurant in a beautiful setting. As a disclaimer, I worked there one summer but I honestly thought the food was excellent. At that time it was a short menu of seasonal dishes, fairly simply but very well prepared fish, meat and game. I looked on line and saw the chef has since changed, but it might be worth looking into.
Wines owned by corporate giants : yay or nay?
I also strive to direct my dollars towards independent and local businesses whenever possible, but I have to say honestly IMO many of the best tasting and best value wines are in fact made by subsidiaries of the mega corporations. Almost anything from Chile or Australia, for example. I'll continue to seek out small and autonomous producers, but more for ethical/ political than taste reasons.
Best farmers' market SD
Thanks for the quick response. That is great to know as they are both pretty close to my neighborhood.
Best farmers' market SD
Hi, I'm new to this board and fairly new to California, looking for suggestions on the best farmers' markets in the area. Seeking fresh local produce, natural meat, local cheese, fresh fish, pretty much everything. Not looking for a list of markets, I've already found that, but rather for opinions of your favorite. Thanks.
Any REAL Italian food in San Diego?
That is one damn funny reply! I like your quick wit, stevuchan.
San Diego Sandwich Spots people like
Hi, new guy here, very near Mona Lisa (which I love) is the Hob Nob Hill restaurant, which makes a pretty good reuben, something few places in SD seem to do. I think they have some other old school sandwiches on the menu, but I'm loyal to the reuben myself.
