Ed Dibble's Profile
You are leaving San Diego forever; where would you eat?
Not the new location. Bun Bo Hue at the two is comparable - but Bun Rieu at Mien Trung is pretty amazing.
You are leaving San Diego forever; where would you eat?
Even better and more unusual: Bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup) and bun rieu (seafoody noodle soup) at Mien Trung, There's a lot of pho around, but these two soups are hard to find and done better at Mien Trung than anywhere else.
Good coffee in San Diego?
Just want to thank everyone who has mentioned Bird Rock on this board. i finally made it there and brought some bags with me back to AZ. The Rwanda co-op stuff was good, but the Carmelo Yurja from Bolivia is maybe the best coffee I have ever brewed. Complex, rich, rounded, flavorful -- and no hint of burnt flavors. Can't wait to try the other Bolivian I bought. Thanks again, everyone.
Four dinners in Carmel/Monterey area
You're right about the noise--though I have been generally lucky with my servers. I usually request a table on the east (southeast) side of the restaurant, the longer room, where the loudness is less pronounced.
Four dinners in Carmel/Monterey area
If you haven't been to Passionfish, it is worth a try. Wine list is huge and priced nearly at retail. It is not as fancy and does not have upscale ambiance, but I can't visit the area without at least one meal there.
Ethnic Markets in San Diego
I like Pata Negra. Slices of Serrano Ham and also wet (cooking) chorizo which is perfect for doing paellas. Some interesting Spanish wines also.
I wasn't aware that the nice folks at Latin Chef had a small marketplace - thanks for the tip.
Best ethnic restaurants in San Diego?
Good on Alforon
Sultan for Turkish
Mien Trung for Bun Rieu and Bun Bo Hue
Paso Robles affordable red wines
Thanks - I will have to remember. It's interesting to see the stuff from Lime Kiln Valley. My memory is that Enz used to market their own stuff, and I've been wondering what happened to the vineyards.
Paso Robles affordable red wines
Peachy Canyon has affordable wines, especially zins, and I love Caparone up on San Marcos Rd. Caparone only does reds (Italian varieties and good Cab and Merlots though the cab and merlot are not from estate grapes) and produces old school, unfined and unfiltered ageable reds. Last time I was there, I think the bottles were in the $12 - $15 range.
Julia's pacific grove
It's been a couple years since I was there, but your post corresponds to my memories. I've found Fifi's a bit inconsistent - and the same with Taste. Point Pinos Grill is (or at least was) owned by the Red House people. Lunches there were tasty, but not pretentious. I used to love the grilled chicken sandwich at Michael's.
Kearny Mesa area dining
I must admit that it's been a couple of years since I was at Sakura, but I used to enjoy it quite a bit. Was the recent bad visit after the reopening?
Kearny Mesa area dining
Sushi Yaro is on Engineer just off Convoy. Fish is excellent and abundant. Sammy is very friendly. Everything from most gringo rolls to fairly exotic stuff like pristine uni, herring row, spanish mackerel, etc. Prices are reasonable for the quality.
Sonoran food described as "bland"
Thanks for dredging this up. I had just discovered Chowhound after moving to Yuma in 1999, and Canon Fowler's posts and reminiscences of growing up in Tucson in the 20s and 30s were a fascinating look at one man's take on traditional Sonoran cuisine. If anybody else is interested, he did a series of posts at about the same time that are probably still available here. It's too bad he has passed, but it seems that he had a long and fruitful life.
California for two weeks - SF, Napa, Yosemite, and Highway One
In Paso, I've always liked Los Robles Cafe on Spring. Great green chile omelette for breakfast. Generally good Mexican food. Al Pastor, if memory serves, is a specialty also.
Of course, this isn't Artisan or Thomas Hill, but good for informal dining.
Sushi PB/LJ
Shirahama is great for real old school Japanese - both in the dishes and customers. Some different Japanese local fish. But do not request a spicy tuna and cream cheese roll.
I've been at Sakura's bar many times, and generally the fish is good. Odd that the uni was off once b/c that's usually excellent there. The abalone served is sometimes too hard for me to chew, but otherwise I think he does well. Sakura also has a range of excellent non-sushi small plates. And Kazu also will/can mix in cooked dishes if you do omakase.
Lunch, Dinner and Breakfast in Carmel/Monterey area
I suspect that better middle eastern food exists in Toronto. I would suggest a visit to Passionfish would be more unique to the Monterey area.
Anything in Yuma?
If you're heading to San Diego from Tucson, Yuma is a natural stop.
Anything in Yuma?
Yuma has some great Mexican food. Los Manjares de Pepe is family owned/operated place on 8th St a few blocks east of Ave B. It has been named one of the best restaurants in AZ. Most of the food is good though service gets harried at busy times. Also on 8th between A and B is El Zarape. It has a smaller menu and is less busy, but the food is usually good. With both of these places, daily specials can be a good deal. I would also recommend Mi Rancho (4th Ave at 27th) or Tacos Mi Rancho (4th Ave at 2nd) for the huge menus and generally excellent preparations. The best chips/salsa in town. Mi Rancho is large and has generally good and professional service.
There are a lot of other decent Mexican restaurants, but these are my favorites. In addition, there is a thriving taco (and other food)) truck scene on 8th St, Ave B, and even in Foothills on Fortuna Rd. If you want a fuller discussion of Yuma food, you could check out my blogposts at mmm-yoso:
http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/yuma/
Tornado or ???
Last time we were in SD, Tina and I had a beer at Tornado, liked the atmostphere, loved the tap selection, and were intrigued by the thought of having beer and a meal there. But I don't know if I've read anything here about the food. Do any of you eat there? Is the food any good? Is there another place where we'd do better with beer/food combination? We're not looking for some hip scene or someplace where we'd have to fight folks for a table.
Julian...wine tasting and lunch
Let me recommend going up to Warner Springs on 79 and tasting at Shadow Mountain Winery. Everything is estate grown at 3400 ft elevation. The original vineyard was planted in the 40s. Some of the wines are truly memorable. The carignane is full-flavored, nuanced, and complex. By far the best CA wine I've every had from that grape. Reminds me of some good Spanish wines. Mostly they do reds, but the viognier and the dry muscat were both quite good as well.
Rediscovering the Long-lost Chef (Hunan Restaurant, Fresno)
I realize that the menu has Sichuan dishes listed, but it is a Hunan restaurant, so i would expect a different treatment.
Fish worth the money in Carmel/Monteray
Sardine Factory is very expensive and not casual. It's been there forever (the bar is in "Play Misty for Me"). Wine list is gigantic and contains some very expensive rare old bottles. Largest wine cellar between SF and LA.
For me, Passionfish is the most interesting choice for seafood as well as reasonably priced wine (and the list is very extensive there as well).
Monterey Fish House, Sandbar and Grill, and even Cafe Fina on the Wharf are decent also (imho), but Passionfish is a cut above and a great value.
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Passionfish
701 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Sardine Factory
701 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940
Monterey Fish House
2114 Del Monte Ave, Monterey, CA 93940
Cafe Fina
47 Fishermans Wharf, Monterey, CA 93940
Mexican restaurants in Gaslamp and/or Pacific Beach that lay off the lard
If you avoid flour tortillas, beans, and tamales, you shouldn't have issues. Taco Surf in Pacific Beach is not super authentic, but real Socal surfer atmosphere and pretty good standard Mexican food. (I'd ask about their beans, however).
Best Eats In Monterey+Surrounding?
Good advice. Particularly Passionfish since these are wine people. You can't beat buying wine at retail prices from a multi-page extensive list to match up with often local sustainable seafood.
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Passionfish
701 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Montreal foodie looking for reco's in Trinidad/Monterey/Morro Bay/Santa Barbara
For the Monterey area, Passionfish in nearby Pacific Grove may be your best option. The focus is on sustainable seafood preps. Reasonably priced. I don't remember the beer options, but the wine list (priced at retail) is extensive and outstanding, and it includes many local Monterey County wines as well as many others. You can search the boards here for more info about the place.
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Passionfish
701 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Best mul naeng myun in San Diego?
Yeh, I was very disappointed in the noodles the last time I was at Buga. Thanks for the Tofu House tip
Note the locater has the wrong tofu house linked. It should be the Convoy Tofu House, 4229 Convoy.
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Convoy Tofu House
4229 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111
One day and night in Carmel
The best restaurant in Pacific Grove is Passionfish. It serves sustainable seafood (and a few other things) in interesting preparations at reasonable prices. The wine list is very extensive and the wines are priced at retail. No view, not much atmosphere, and kindof noisy at times, it has been, nonetheless, my go-to restaurant in the area each time I visit. Open for dinners only and I recommend reservations. You can search this board to get a range of opinions and experiences there, but certainly worth a visit imho.
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Passionfish
701 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Sparks: Delicious lamb soup and lamb tacos at El Zarape
Sad to hear this. It is hard to find this style of food even down here on the border.
Hotel Circle help needed
For Vietnamese, I'd suggest the esteemed Grubs should head east on 8, get off going south at Fairmont exit, go a few blocks to El Cajon Blvd, and turn left. In a couple of blocks, there is Saigon which is a large good authentic Vietnamese restaurant with a wide menu. Or the Grubs could take a flyer on any of the numerous smaller tasty Viet places of which San Diego has many. If they wish to research options, they could consult Kirk's blog. His postings are extensive and he's traveled in Vietnam and knows the cuisine fairly well:
http://mmm-yoso.typepad.com/mmmyoso/vietnamese_restaurants/
Hotel Circle help needed
Agreed. And another thumbs up for Wine Vault, but I would always call there first to find out what (if any) special multi-course meals were happening.
