whatwedig's Profile
Favorite Carribean and or South American Rest in SD
I have never liked Andre's and their sandwiches are nothing like they are supposed to be unfortunately. But the Bodega is great. I liked Miami Grille for some items, but they have some weird South Asian items/ingredients mixed in which takes away from the authenticity.
Favorite Carribean and or South American Rest in SD
We haven't tried Tropical Star and will add it to our list. Kirk's review looks pretty good.
Favorite Carribean and or South American Rest in SD
This is funny, I literally just posted an overall review of Cuban food in San Diego (am Cuban myself) on our blog (www.whatwedig.com). The place in OSide is pretty good, not exactly worth the trip for us since we are near downtown. I would say it is comparable to Miami Grille (which we think has some decent items) without the less authentic items Miami Grille offers. Sadly, there is nothing truly excellent in Cuban cuisine in San Diego that we have found.
San Diego - Tapas?
We love Appertivo as well. It is one of our favorites these days. And if you are not demanding Spanish tapas, this is the place to go.
Bud's Louisiana Food Shoppe (San Diego)
We are also big fans of Bud's its great and has always had consistently good New Orleans fair. We don't eat there enough!
Good eats near 3rd & Bway - SanDiego
I know I have said this before, but he should try Dobson's which is I believe on 2nd and Broadway. Mussel Bisque Soup with some of their sourdough right out of the oven.... That is all he needs to order.
Phils BBQ San Diego - When will it reopen?
I am sure there is blame to go around, but my father-in-law owns a shop right nearby and my understanding is that two people in particular pushed hard to try and get rid of Phil's. I used to have a meeting nearby once a week and would smell the food for the couple hours I was there. While I can understand getting sick of it, you are right, I never reached that point. Any way, we still miss it terribly and hope it reopens soon.
Parallel 33 tonight
Let us know how you liked it. We tried it several years ago and weren't blown away by it. It is in the neighborhood so we always think about giving it another shot.
Cavaillon in Santa Luz
We have heard great reports about it, but have also heard it is not necessarily worth a trip if you live far away (like downtown). What do folks think? Is it worth a trek?
Ortega's Bistro Report
I have only had them grilled in Puerto Nuevo (at least that is what I thought). I have tried the lobster at Ortega's and sadly it is a disappointment. The rest of their menu, however, is pretty good. We are fans of the Grilled Dorado in particular -- it is excellent and big enough to split if you order the dinner portion. We have also enjoyed all of their tacos (I am partial to the pork one) and the Kobe Bistec is pretty darn good. The mole is good, but nothing out of this world. We also usually get the table side guac.
Chilangos -SD bad news
I get the feeling Ortega's might have been taking a lot of their business. Very sad indeed.
Phils BBQ San Diego - When will it reopen?
I know some people in Mission Hills (particularly his business neighbors) made it tough for Phil here. But there are a lot of fans of Phil's in the neighborhood and we are all dying to have the plce reopen again. I drive by every couple days with a hopeful gaze toward the store. And when I am driving near the location from about 11am on, I notice the lack of that wonderful smell in the air. Not all of us are snobs and we truly hope the store reopens soon.
What's On Your Rotation? (San Diego)
I think I would agree with most of your list of complaints, but then again, I wouldn't have recommended a lot of them in the first place (and I don't agree with your pan of Saffron, we live right by it and it is a great cheap take out option). Did want to make one comment on Donovan's. Go there at about 4:20pm on a weekday. Sit at the bar and order a nice red wine by the glass. When the bar tenders come around with the little sandwiches (they do this between 4-6pm every night), grab like 2 or 3 of them. They are free and amazing. You can leave there -- if you do this a couple of rounds -- very happy for like the cost of a glass of wine (how expensive of one is up to you).
Looking for good italian in San Diego
We are big fans of La Taverna in the La Jolla village. It is a tiny little place. We also like Manhattan although I tend to not stray from the Veal Cannelloni which is awesome. We also used to go to Zio's in University Heights for simple family style Italian, but they were going to change their menu and we have not been back since -- so I do not have an update on that one.
Phils BBQ San Diego - When will it reopen?
Ok so those of us in Mission Hills are long past ready for Phil's to reopen here. We tend to pick it up for take out and driving to Sports Arena is just a tad too far.
Oh and while I understand that there is probably better bbq elsewhere in the world, we are quite fond of Phil's in this household. Will be tring a few of the other spots mentioned by folks. There is a place called Texas BBQ off Miramar, anyone tried it? I have passed it a couple times and been curious.
La Jolla Help?
I would add...
Rimel's for casual.
Zenbu for great sushi and fresh fish dishes (it is also a little nicer)
La Taverna for casual, cute, and a bit romantic Italian. It is a tiny little place, but it is excellent Italian.
Best Burgers and Fresh Fries in San Diego?
Longhorn's is great. We definitely like it a lot and frequented it more often when we lived near by. They also have more options than Rocky's Cheese Burger and Fries. However, I think Rocky's is definitely a better burger.
Best Burgers and Fresh Fries in San Diego?
We've heard that and intend to do it that way. Looking forward to it!
Best Coffee/Coffee Shop In SD
When I worked on Broadway and India, a ton of people in my office passed a couple coffee shops in our building to walk over to Tony's. Definitely a great cup.
San Diego restaurants are bad
Interesting thread. We have lived in LA and Boston and have experienced food extensively in NY and SF as well as some of the better food cities around the world... While SD does not have the number of great restaurants of these cities, there are some. You just have to look for them. A lot have been mentioned here... We would agree with Pamplemousse, Tapenade, El Bizcocho, Market, 1500 Ocean and Nine-Ten. We would also add Cafe Chloe (for more casual) and Dobson's. Not the breadth of a list you would get from the great food cities, but enough to rotate around the city. And for Italian, we like La Taverna in the La Jolla Cove area.
San Diego restaurants are bad
I grew up on Mexican food in San Diego and I have also lived in L.A. and I cannot disagree more - San Diego has fantastic Mexican. L.A. can't hold a candle to the carne asada burritos, quesadillas, and hot carrots found throughout S.D. (particularly at La Posta on Washington Street). Also, we now have Ortega's which is great, Mama Testas for Mexico City style tacos, South Beach for fish tacos and Candelas for upscale Mexico City Mexican.
San Diego restaurants are bad
I understand the desire to keep posts about restaurants to the right geographical region, but folks in San Diego consider Tijuana and upper baja as part our region and many of us go there for dinner only to return the same night. It is that close. So I would hope we can at least talk about some of the places in Tijuana on this board even though they are technically in Mexico.
Thanks!
Casual Romance in San Diego
Ok... I forgot one and want to reinforce one of the suggestions above.. Appertivo in North Park (it is on 30th and University). Sorry to keep going Italian on you, but this place has some great food, atmosphere and prices. It is Italian tappas. They have a little bit of everything. While it is an big room, it has an intimate side in the small tables. We wrote about it (http://whatwedig.com/?p=6) if you want more info on it.
And, we just got home from the Linkery and it was excellent. We had not been there since they first opened and so I was not thnking it was that intimate, but it really is. Low lighting, cozy and some really tasty food. We'll likely post something on it over the weekend, but I am sure there are a ton of posts here about it.
Casual Romance in San Diego
Very interesting. Disappointing they haven't impressed folks. We thought it had some potential when we first went there. And the one consistent thing I have read is that everything is way too expensive and as I mentioned above, we agree. I think we split the entree the first time and it was still $100 with two (may be 3) glasses of wine. Oh and that reminds me, their wine pours are stingy. Penny wise and pound foolish...
Re Chloe, we definitely like it there (just not sure it fits the intimate portion of the request above). Haven't been to Cavaillon, but we will definitely add it to our list of places to try.
Casual Romance in San Diego
Well, we agree it isn't romantic. Curious that you don't think of it as modern though. Retro chic, perhaps. I get that it isn't industrial or anything like that. But the lines are very square and sharp, dark colors, dark gray walls... Feels modern to me. But as I mentioned, hip and cool, I'm not. :-)
Re the food. I concur the price point is way off. But we have actually enjoyed the food when we have gone. My first visit involved a pork tenderloin with a sweet potato mash and mushrooms in this amazing sauce. They also have La Brea bakery bread which we really liked. We have heard it can be inconsistent though -- we have just not experienced that.
Our thoughts on Market in San Diego...
Some asked that we post a review we did of Market on our blog (www.whatwedig.com) here... We were there for restaurant week a few weeks ago with some friend. Hope you find it interesting:
Market Restaurant & Bar
3702 Via de la Valle
Del Mar, CA 92014
(858) 523-0007
http://www.marketdelmar.com
Dined there on January 10, 2007 at approximately 7:00 p.m.
Due to timing constraints this week, we were only able to go to one restaurant during Restaurant Week. We knew exactly which one we wanted to try and made our reservation for Carl Schroeder’s (previously of Arterra) new endeavor in Del Mar. Market describes its offerings as “Fresh, regional and seasonal cuisine” and is located at the old Blackhorse Grille site off Via De La Valle heading into Rancho Santa Fe from the 5 Freeway. The awning still says “Blackhorse Grille” and the main street sign is a tarp with Market’s logo over the old Blackhorse sign. Hopefully, this will be replaced soon as it gives a sense that the restaurant is not quite completed.
The interior is vibrant and colorful with a retro 60s feel. Playful reds and dotted color lines cover the booths with mood-setting dangling shimmery things scattered about. The atmosphere is lively, but the sound levels allow for comfortable conversation. A 50 inch plasma that hangs in the bar area displaying a closed circuit view of the kitchen. Some might find this interesting; we thought it a bit bright and distracting. Luckily, from the main dining area, you cannot see the plasma.
We ate with two of our favorite dining companions — Jora and Bryan — and were able to sample a strong offering from the Restaurant Week Menu. A caveat: a restaurant week menu is somewhat limited because of the mass production nature of the event. Nevertheless, we were not disappointed by the meal.
Despite it being restaurant week, the chef sent out a light amuse buche for the table which consisted of tangerines, strawberries, caramelized walnuts, and diced green apples served in an Asian soup spoon. This lovely combination set the stage for the freshness of the food we would be eating. Our table sampled each of the starter offerings. Two of us had the Hot & Sour Petrale Sole & Prawn Hot Pot, which included Maine Lobster, Hon Shimejii Mushrooms, House made Tofu and Konbu. These came out in simple deep white bowls that were covered to keep the pot hot. The lobster, mushrooms and prawns were perfectly cooked and infused with the subtle Asian flavor of the broth. Servers provided a spoon to finish the broth with and we are glad they did. This starter was perfect for winter without being the usual heavy offering that the season often calls for. The second starter we tried was the Homemade Italian Sausage Chopped “Cobb” which was prepared with organic Romaine, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Gorgonzola Blue Cheese. Gil opted to skip the blue cheese as he is not a fan and enjoyed this salad thoroughly. Being a Cobb, it came out appearing drenched in dressing, but the lightness of the dressing made it a perfect amount for the combination of flavors. Across the top of the salad was a beautiful Italian sausage that complimented the flavors of the Cobb perfectly - it was sweet and not spicy at all and added a different angle on the traditional Cobb. The ingredients tasted fresh and healthy and we left nothing on the plate. The final starter was the Baked Bucheron Cheese & Citrus Salad which included a house made puff pastry, roasted beets and honey glazed walnuts. Jora described it as having perfectly roasted gold and purple beets with grapefruit and orange sections tossed in a light citrus vinaigrette over curly endive. That was topped with the crunchy, not-too-sweet walnuts. And then, cheese (a soft, crumbly, tangy, we think sheep’s milk) was baked in the puff pastry with a honey glaze on top. Jora’s overall comment… Yum.
We ordered a 1998 Merryvale Napa “Profile” which is a Bordeaux style Napa meritage. It was initially tight and acidic, but it opened up nicely as we poured it out to reveal a soft not too heavy red wine that went perfectly with the fish and red meat dishes we ordered for the main course.
For entrees, the table managed to sample two of the three offerings. We missed out on the Game Hen Tasting which was a tough call. Two of us – Jora and Gil — had the Tempura Black Sea Bass which came with Yuzu Remoulade, Soba Noodle-Pea Tendril Salad and Gingered Vegetables. Although the breading on the sea bass was a tad bit heavy for tempura, the fish was tender, moist and flavorful. Two pieces of fish were each on different sauces. The Yuzu Remoulade had an orange/red jam color consistency to it and tasted like a better version of traditional sweet and sour sauce. The other was on a tartar sauce-like creation that complimented the fish very well. We described the dish as a gourmet fish and chips with soba noodles and veggies instead of chips. The Soba noodles were perfectly cooked, light and flavored with a spice we could not identify but could not miss because of the heat it generated. The gingered vegetables were well cooked, flavorful and an excellent accompaniment to the dish.The other two at our table – Krista and Bryan — enjoyed the Prime Flank Steak & Shortrib Tasting which was served with roasted root vegetables, whipped sweet onion potatoes and cabernet jus. The Shortrib was served in the middle of the whipped sweet onion potatoes and was easily cut away with only a fork. The shortrib did not have the usual smoky flavor one often expects, but rather a nice subtle meat/deep red wine flavor that accentuated the freshness and quality of the meat. The flank steak was served in thinly sliced segments and was also tender and perfectly cooked to ordered temperature. The chef let the meat stand almost entirely on its own – a fine choice. While the cabernet jus was available for coating on the steak, it was just an added bonus. The meat itself was perfectly seasoned and needed no additional accompaniment.
For dessert we ordered everything on the menu. Two of us enjoyed the Espresso Panna Cotta with Devil’s Food Cake, Sugar Toasted Almonds, and Orange “Confit.” This was one of the better Panna Cotta’s we have tried. The espresso flavor was ever present, but not overwhelming and the Panna Cotta sat on the Devil’s Food Cake as a pie might sit on the crumb lining a pie pan. Jora ordered the Warm Chocolate Soufflé Cake with Tangerine Milkshake and Cocoa-Citrus Macaroons and exclaimed “Oh my God” upon tasting the milkshake. After each trying a bite of the macaroons we asked for more so we could keep enjoying the amazing combination of flavors. Finally, Gil ordered the Spiced Bread and Butter Pudding with Dried Figs and Pear Compote and Vanilla-Black Pepper Ice Cream. Gil is a huge fan of bread pudding and one can assume he will always order it if it is on the menu. This bread pudding did not disappoint. It was the perfect combination of bread and egg and the butter added an extra layer of decadence that was enjoyed to the very last bite. It is rare to enjoy every dessert offered, but this was one of those moments. Pastry Chef James Foran should be applauded for his efforts here.
The service throughout the evening was spot on with a well-versed server providing enough information to make selections easy while not lingering or bothering us throughout the meal. He also gets extra marks for bringing us a menu to take home with us and additional macaroons for the table without hesitation.
Despite the pressures of Restaurant Week, Market presented an amazing meal that all but guaranteed a return visit. Each of us thoroughly enjoyed the menu and vowed to return to see what else this amazing restaurant had to offer.
Help please, I'm coming to San Diego too
Ah Boston... I miss it so -- except this time of year. :-)
Super Concina's neighborhood isn't that sketchy (think parts of JP before the Gentrification got into full swing -- it is also about that far from the City as JP would be from Brookline). But it is probably a bit too long a trek given where you are staying.
One thing to consider is South Beach in Ocean Beach. They have some amazing fish tacos and while it is a white man's bar in the middle of Ocean Beach (a neighborhood that really really wants it to still be the late 60s/early 70s) it is an experience. All out of town folks that have gone there have loved it. You might want to try it on the day you leave -- I think you said you had a late flight. Great lunch spot. Get a mahi mahi taco and some little necks... All will be good. I'll also say if you go to Blue Water, that will cover your fish taco experience (which is a must when you come to San Diego). And if you go to Bluewater another really good option is the Fried Scallop sandwich.
We love Mama Testa's as well and knowing the unbelievable lack of good Mexican food in Boston, I would certainly recommend going there. Another option that is a little more mainstream, but still very good is Ortega's which is near Mama Testa's about about 15 minutes in a car from where you are staying.
For sushi, what do you folks think of Sushi Ota in PB or Nippon downtown. These are great traditional sushi places very close to where you will be staying.
Modus and Cafe Chloe are great suggestions. And as I just wrote elsewhere, another place to think of downtown is Dobson's -- that should be minutes from your hotel and they have a crazy good Mussel Bisque soup.
Addresses for all these places are on our blog's SD Favorites category. www.whatwedig.com.
Have a great trip!
Gil
Casual Romance in San Diego
Something to consider is La Taverna in La Jolla. Tiny little Italian place it is adorable and very cozy. There should be something there for both of you and for the ominvore, I would add some of their homemade sausage to any of their dishes (gnocchi is my personal fav). I also agree with Vagabond, although it is much much busier and crowded. Another place to consider, which I just had lunch at yesterday and loved it soo much I ran home to write about it (http://whatwedig.com/?p=53) is Dobson's right downtown. The upstairs section has this tight, New York/French bistro feel to it. I love the place and the Mussel Bisque is ridiculous. I would make sure to get reservations at all of these places. Nice thing about downtown, is you can go for a drink at the top of the Hyatt after dinner if you are up for it. Take a look at Dobson's menu though, I think I am pushing your budget.
Oh and for future reference, something to consider for a Romantic night a bit more up on the budget scale (mid $20s to mid $30s entrees) is Candelas downtown. Dark, exposed brick, candle light and Gourmet Mexico City flavor.
All of these are on our favorites list on our blog.
Oh and while we love Modus it has a sort of coldness to it. It is dark and all, but a bit too modern to be called romantic in our book. Thought we are not nearly as chic as Alice Q, so always trust her opinion on such things. And we love Cafe Chloe, it is small, cute and French. Not quite as romantic as some of the other places discussed, but a great place for a couple to dine nonetheless.
Have fun!
Looking for Good Mid-to High End Restaurants in San Diego
We went to market during Restaurant Week and loved it. We wrote about it at: http://whatwedig.com/?p=14. It was pretty awesome. I also second Tapenade, Chloe, Modus, Vagabond and Jayne's. A slightly different experience might be Wine Vault and Bistro in Mission Hills. Wine tasting dinners. You have to check their website for what they are offering on particular nights as it changes (www.winevaultbistro.com). And don't forget Kensington Grill and Dobson's which is a great old school place downtown with an amazing mussel bisque.
Gil
