Shimbashi Izakaya (Del Mar)

Date night: super-yum!

Have been meaning to try an Izakaya (Japanese tapas bar) for a while....There are some good ones elsewhere in SD but also this fancy cocktail-y one in the Del Mar Plaza. Mixed reviews on Yelp, but when we got unexpected babysitting tonight (yeah, grandma!) we decided to give it a shot.

MMMMMM-YOSO (to borrow the name of another SD restaurant blog).

Super-fresh veggies - they apparently use Chino. Maybe we ordered all the right things but we loved everything.

Atmosphere: Cute. Very uncomfortable chairs (no backs). Mix of Japanese customers and other Del Martians.

Service: Very friendly, efficient Japanese women.

Food: Forgot about the chairs once it came!
--Green salad: Such fresh delicious lettuce and other veggies, with a good dressing....A big cut above green salads in other Japanese places.

--Miso soup: CH says it was ok, nothing special.

--Amuse bouche (they called it free mini-appetizer): grated seaweed and black mushrooms in a ginger-sesame broth. YUMMMMMM.

--Green beans and eggplant in sweet miso paste: I don't even like green beans - I thought this dish was just eggplant. BUT I LOVED IT! Green beans were super fresh and perfectly cooked; sesame miso paste was divine. They have a bunch of eggplant dishes but this one was starred as a must-try. Thank you, menu-writer!

--Shabu-Shabu: CH got this, super-fresh veggies, cooked his own beef in his choice of broth. He really enjoyed this. They say they have this only in winter.

--La fresca roll: Was deciding between this and miso cod (another starred must-try). Was excellent choice: spicy tuna, avocado, yellowtail, cilantro, and a fresh diced tomato-onion-pepper conconction on top (like a fresh salsa). Not traditional but super-fresh and delicious

Oh, and did I mention my $5 sake colada? (like a Malibu with pineapple except made with coconut sake). LOVED IT!

Not super-cheap but was a great price/value ratio. Not a place to go with Boy (other kids were there but the chairs and atmosphere are not for our roaming boy). Hope to get there again another time.

(oh - and there were lots of other veggie choices I didn't get to try - they're starred with Vs on the menu)

Del Mar Rendezvous and other quick takes

Have been sick and ST is keeping me busy, so just a few quick takes.

Del Mar Rendezvous: yummy! large vegetarian/vegan menu! Same family as Dumpling Inn and lots of the same dishes! Hooked on vegetarian konnayaku noodle soup - super-delish for Foodie Mom with a cold! We have done take out twice in the last week. Dumplings, black bean fish (which ST loves), mmm....We went once a few years ago and weren't impressed but we'll be back.

Tender Greens today: super-good. It can be inconsistent sometimes. But today the albacore/tomato-based fisherman's soup was awesome, the albacore was perfectly seared, the grilled veggies were awesome (ever seen a global carrot?) and of course the mashed potatos were awesome as ever.

Awesome seems to be my word of the day....

San Diego: A Pizza Town! (Carmine's in Oceanside)

Todder yumminess!

SuperToddler earned himself a ride on the Coaster today by going diaper free for 5 whole days. You go, kid! Since there was to be 3 hours between the northbound and southbound rides, and you can only play at the pier for so long, I scouted out the grub near the train station in advance. Was hoping for something halfway decent.

Carmine's: what an awesome surprise! San Diego is really turning into a pizza town. (yes, Oceanside is not really SD, but let's not be technical - good pizza is busting out all over the county).

We went a good 10 yrs in Ca. with no good pizza (at least not good NY pizza). Now we have:

--Sicilian Thing (North Park)
--Bongiorno's Miramar
--Bongiorno's Solana Beach
(Bronx: we don't go there but I know it's fine)

And....Carmine's in Oceanside. The crust is not quite in the same league, but my veggie pizza (white, sundried tomatoes, peppers) was absolutely delish, and the cheese slice was very respectable (CH was less enthused about the slice than me, but agreed that the cheese and sauce were just right - he just thought there wasn't enough sauce and the crust kept it out of the league of the others I mentioned).

But it was super-yummy, cute (brick walls)....and if you're so inclined, they also have a great beer and wine selection (since North County really is the craft beer capital of the country). Carmine, the owner, is the real thing...he's from Cleveland (Cleveland? I guess there are Italians there too) but he says ricotta properly and makes good pizza.

Definitely worth a visit, esp. if you are having a pier or Coaster outing!

Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria (Encinitas), Visit 2: Strictly for the Hard Core!

(date night, toddler-free review! nothing new to report on the toddler front....)

Because I liked Wade Hagemann at Blanca so much, and because CH's colleagues keep telling us how yummy Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza is, we decided to give it another try - even though last time the food was just ok.

This time: super-crowded at 5:45 (isn't everyone still eating Thanksgiving leftovers??), got heated patio seating on a freezing night....Not a super-auspicious start.

Salad: ok.
Bread, squash soup: good not great.

Still don't like Hagemann's red sauce: last time I thought it was sucky, and this time I tasted CH's: still yukky, too sweet and too much oregano.

And though CH liked his homemade pickles, I thought they were too sweet. They did nothing for me.

I FOUND THE HOLY GRAIL, THOUGH! Once you figure out what to order at this place, it is awesome - strictly for the hard-core foodie!

Signature white pizza: ricotta, housemade mozzarella, lemon zest - I don't even like lemon really and this was AWESOME.

Dessert: everyone talks about their butterscotch pudding. I don't even like butterscotch! But we decided, what the hell, we'll taste it. OH MY GOD - AWESOME. It has this amazing salt - it just left a warm, happy happy feeling in my mouth for the next hour. (Thanks, Mr. Manvite!).

LOVED IT, we'll be back.

Just be careful ordering, and if you don't order right the first time, try again!

(oh, and it's a good thing I threw on something other than mom clothes, because somehow all of CH's company was there - first one of his employees and then his boss!)

I love mixology (my fave San Diego cocktails of 2010)

Foodgirl is settling down a little: instead of trying to hit new places every time we have a babysitter, we are starting to retract a bit and revisit places we like. One of the things that makes this fun and not boring are the wonderful seasonal cocktail menus at so many places in San Diego these days. I love mixology! Bartenders are using seasonal fresh foods (usually fruits but sometimes veggies and herbs) and so much creativity. Here are some recent faves, in no particular order.

1. Kitchen 1540: Hibiscus Cooler. Yum....that's all I have to say about that.

2. Urban Solace: Better Than Eden's Apple. Well, that drink was better than just about anything. ANYTHING! SO DELISH! Tart, intense, really super yummy.

3. Alchemy: Tempranillo Rose Vanilla Sangria. They had this in the summer, and it's not on the menu anymore. Wowza! My recent cocktail there, a halloween pumpkin-cranberry thing, was not quite as good. I am game for returning to work my way through the season's choices, though!

4. Searsucker: The Peter Rabbit. Ridiculously good: pickled radish, carrots, pimm's, lemonade. One of the yummiest things ever! But it was gone in a flash (almost nothing to it), and it costs $12. The cocktail I had on my next visit, a reimagined cosmo, was creative and interesting, but not in the same league.

5. Clay's La Jolla: A more traditional menu, but they had a great great Mojito with tons and tons of fresh mint and lime. Outstanding.

6. Roy's: something with St. Germain Elderflower. Of course I love everything with St. Germain, so I'm not that picky, but I recall this being good.

Can't wait for the next time we can go out!

Revisiting Urban Solace (North Park)

Date night here....

We first hit Urban Solace in Jan. 2009 or so. It had tons of buzz and I remember being super impressed. It felt "urban", way more than other places in San Diego, and the food was delicious and very reasonable. I still remember what I had: those famous biscuits; a salad that was to die for; and a grilled portabello sandwich that came with a little soup ($9, I think). Reasonable, yummy.

Then I saw Matt Gordon speak at a food panel and thought he was menschy, smart and cute (not as cute as Cute Husband, of course, but young and menschy for a chef). And recently he's in the news a lot for throwing high fructose corn syrup off the menu, even for cocktails, and pushing for sustainability in all his products. All around a nice guy.

The only reason we haven't been back sooner: the food seemed a little heavy every time I looked at the menu. The current menu had some lighter choices for me, so back we went.

Verdict: Very good, but not as nirvana-y as I remembered.

Decor: yes, it's loud and urban, but I am kind of suprised that I was so impressed by this 18 mos. ago. San Diego has really come a long way. Searsucker is way more exciting, but I think there are also other places with buzz and a coolor atmosphere.

Cocktail: WOWZA! One of the best I have ever had. Better than Eden's Apple: could it be any yummier? Very intense and delicious: Gala Apple Vodka, Roasted Orange-Infused Syrup, Orange Bitters, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Fresh Citrus Juices, Fresh Apple Slice. Need I say more?

Appetizer: Liked my albacore chop-chop. Wasn't nearly as good as any ceviche that Ricardo Heredia makes at Alchemy. CH liked his wedge salad. The biscuits were as good as we remembered.

Entree: This was the other highlight of my meal. L-O-V-E-D my salmon. Great fish, perfectly cooked, yummy farro with veggies underneath. CH thought his mac n'cheese was ok, not spectacular.

Dessert: "not so red" velvet cake. Pretty disappointing. Liked the cream cheese frosting but not really the cake. No taste compared to the cake I had at Kitchen 1540.

CH's verdict when I pressed him: Nowhere near as good as Alchemy. I certainly wouldn't argue with that. We probably won't rush back again, but I did really enjoy my cocktail and entree, and I still think Matt Gordon is an all-around awesome guy.

Pacific Coast Grill (Solana Beach), plus Alchemy III

Quick round-up.

Pacific Coast Grill is a great place for toddlers...and it's yummy! Surprising but true: we went at 5 pm, and it was not super busy, and lots of the other tables had well-behaved toddlers too. Super Toddler was on his best behavior. He enjoyed his brioche grilled cheese and french fries, and colored happily with crayons. (Of course he kept calling out, "Man!" to the waiter because he wanted a lemonade refill, but we taught him the word "Sir").

I had a scrumptious mixed greens/cranberry/blue cheese/almond salad, followed by Izzy Balderas' awesome fish tacos (they have two kinds). I really like his food: it's not super-ambitious, but it is extremely delicious and well executed. Creative yummy cal comfort food. CH was kind of grumpy at the menu ("nothing for me", he said) but eventually he settled on some beef skewers and caesar salad, and ended up enjoying his meal in spite of himself. He says he is not dying to go back, but since it worked really well for ST and me, and was pretty darn relaxing (like taking ST out on date night) we'll see in a few months whether he is willing to go again. The prices are super-reasonable at happy hour.

Hit Alchemy last weekend for visit #3. RICARDO HEREDIA is still THE MAN! He puts out awesome awesome creative food and I love that place to death. Had a cranberry pumpkin cocktail (it was Halloween weekend) and the most awesome fish ever (loup de mer, with pumpkin, spinach, pear brunoise....the flavors were so exciting, and I had not even gotten the lardons, which I'm sure added another layer to the dish). Always love going there!! Cute Husband likes their food too - he got a salad which he enjoyed and then "some kind of meat" (ha - I don't remember since I didn't taste it, but he really liked it too).

I love Waters (Solana Beach)

Haven't gotten out for meals much lately. However, have found time once a week to bring some yumminess home. Waters Catering, I love you! Some of this week's loot:

--creamless veg butternut squash soup for me
--delicious tomato soup for ST
--butternet squash gratin (no cream)
--salmon cake
--tofu and broccoli (yum)
--roasted sweet potatoes and squash (yes, lots of vitamin A this week)
--Waters egg salad (DH loves this stuff, hates Jimbo's)
--Waters albacore salad (love eating this for lunch)

Plus mini-lemon bars for ST as a treat. Also got him orchiette with peas and butternut squash, but he is getting increasingly picky - only ate the peas. (Still, tomato soup and peas is not bad on the healthy front, even with lemon bars for dessert).

Didn't get granola this week. Got a little bag last week and downed it in one sitting. That stuff is addictive (but awesome).

Was good for 2 days worth of delectable meals for us. Yum!

Exceptional Thai Food on a Rainy Day: Chedi Thai Bistro (La Jolla)

Quick workday post. Met Museumgirl for lunch - we wanted to hit Bibby's Crepe Cafe on Pearl St. (La Jolla) - mmmm...buckwheat - but they were closed for some reason. As an alternative, we hit Chedi Thai Bistro.

Exceptional!

Vegi-friendly!

Lovely atmsophere. Terrific lunch special: $9 gets you 2 appetizers of your choice (including a fried root vegetable spring roll or an exceptional spinach dumpling or a very fresh vegetarian soup). We both also got delicious tilapia curry...mine came with quinoa instead of rice for only $1 more.

Loved it - would love to go back. Not your standard Thai place at all - fresh and modern. Full bar too!

Another one bites the dust: Avenue 5 (Banker's Hill)

Avenue 5 is still in business....

And yet it might not as well be, as far as we are concerned. Always *loved* Chef McLaggan. Classy place - outrageously tasty (if not surprising) food.

However, Avenue 5 has joined the "CucinaURbanization" of food in San Diego. By which I mean they now have lowered all the prices to "$20 or less" on entrees, made it more "casual" and "hip."

So....The place is more packed than ever. The service is still super-friendly. The atmosphere is nice.

And yet the food....has totally lost its deliciousness and specialness. It ranged from ok to tasty. I'm sorry, but tasty is not super-yummy. What happened to Colin McLaggan???? The salads there used to be outrageously good. Now there is a boring green salad. The fish dishes used to be wonderful. The salmon was eh.

No point in returning - so much for my #3 restaurant!!!!

Pretend Soup II: Quesadillas

Even though this is supposed to be a restaurant review blog, at its base it is about my Pursuit of the Yummy in San Diego amidst my working mom life. So if Super-Toddler can sit still long enough for us to cook something *delicious* together, then that's just as good as our weekend eating out - not to mention a great thing to do together when I'm home from work!

After the success of Pretend Soup (fruit soup) from the Pretend Soup cookbook, we made the book's quesadilla recipe this week. Super-yummy and super-easy! Something about the combo of refried beans and cheese on grilled whole wheat tortillas was super delicious. Super-Toddler had fun spreading the beans (I never let him use a knife before) and sprinking the cheese. Our homemade quesadillas were even yummier than any of the restaurants we eat at! I may yet be raising a chef rather than an athlete.

Pretend Soup

Not a restaurant review post: ST and I actually did some cooking today! (yes, at 3, he is starting to stay in one place long enough for me to think this is possible).

We made Pretend Soup from the book of the same name. Essentially an OJ-yogurt-honey-banana-berry concoction that you ladle and eat like soup. Instant gratification, tasty, fun.

A toddler outing: Kidding Around + Cafe 56 (Carmel Mountain/Rancho Penasquitas)

I don't usually review play areas, but we visited the new Kidding Around today. Kind of austere/boring for Mom & Dad (they need music, they're working on it), but Super-Toddler absolutely loved all the tunnel slides and cars. We'll undoubtedly return. He's also digging Way Beyond (UTC) but I haven't been there with him yet so can't vouch for the mom part of the experience.

Being over in that area was an excuse to try a place I'm always getting ads for: Cafe 56 on Black Mountain Road. Good to know about. Not gourmet by any stretch, and I won't claim it's super-yummy. But it's a diner-style American food restaurant that was quite mellow and pleasant. They had good music on (Joni Mitchell, Woodstock, came on during the meal - they had XM 27 the Bridge on), and all of our food was decent. (Mickey Mouse-shaped pancake for ST; french toast, ham and eggs for CH; and mahi-mahi tacos for me). Not gourmet but relaxing enough - ST stayed in his seat and got a blueberry muffin at the end as a reward.

My favorite restaurant in San Diego: Searsucker, review #2

Yes, dear readers, after several unsuccessful attempts this summer, I can now fill the title of "my favorite restaurant in San Diego" (left vacant since Jai's decline): the delightful Searsucker. After two visits, it is clear that nothing holds a candle to it, in combining:

--exciting, vibrant, urban atmosphere
--great people-watching
--delicious, inspired cocktails
--friendly/casual but efficient service
--delectable creative menu, with lots of choices for meat-eaters and veggies
--reasonable prices
--efficient kitchen

Brian Malarkey was not even in view this time, and it was still delightful.

What I had this time:
--watermelon/beet/goat cheese salad: delicious, and have you ever seen a yellow watermelon?
--salmon dish: delectable and light. At first arrival, it was not quite hot enough. But then quickly made me a brand-new one; it came out very quickly. (Even after I had eaten all the original beets and a little of the salmon). Perfectly cooked, delectable sauce.

CH loved his:
--lettuce and lemon (perfectly light)
--lemon chicken (yes, he had a lemon theme)
--corn with bacon

We also loved, once again, the complimentary cheddar poppers.

I would love to try dessert but we were happily full - plus we were on our way to see the adorable Sutton Foster in concert. (They got us in and out in 45 min., even including redoing my entree - and we didn't feel rushed. Very impressive).

For a "fine dining" occasion, I would probably still choose somewhere calmer and more elegant. This is also why I am not terming it "the best restaurant in San Diego" but more modestly "my favorite" (it is subjective, after all). But for a combo of exciting atmosphere/creative food/reasonable prices this is the place.

Alchemy, you retain your #2 spot. There Ricardo Heredia's food is even more creative and outside-the-box than Brian Malarkey, with a nice relaxed atmosphere. (but Searsucker is more exciting/glamorous, and not every dish at Alchemy attains its mark).

Our next visit will likely be the restaurant currently holding my #3 spot: Avenue 5. The food is more classic, but it is wonderfully flavored, well-executed California-French food, and happy hour at the bar is so lovely and reasonable! Can't wait!

The Best Pizza in SD: Sicilian Thing (North Park) + Viva Pops VI

Yes, I now am ready to pronounce Sicilian Thing THE best, breaking its tie with Bongiorno's Miramar (though Cute Husband insists that I say: "except when Mike Bongiorno is there and the pizza is straight out of the oven"). We still love Bongiorno's Miramar, but it has become clear that Sicilian Thing is just super-consistent even when Paul is gone. Today I got:

--Nino Espinosa: spinach, stewed tomatoes, cheese
--Barack-oli Ricotta: duh, broccoli ricotta

Lots of fancy places in town try "artisan pizza" that's expensive (I'm talking about you, Blue Ribbon). Hands town, ST has the tastiest *and best value* pizza in town. It's working-class instead of all gussied-up, but it's inexpensive AND outrageously yummy. If you like NY pizza and haven't gone yet, what is the matter with you?! You can take your toddler too, of course....

The Nino Espinosa was out of this world: the flavors, and the crust. And I didn't even get anything Sicilian today....

Paul knows how to make a pie and how to get his staff to do it right too!

By popular request, Super-Toddler got to go to Viva Pops after (he's been a good boy lately). He got strawberry. Mom got creamy passionfruit (sorry, Dr. T. - I'm not talented enough to make these). Even Dad got into the action, though he has always declared he doesn't like popsicles and always resisted before. He ordered grapefruit. He decided: still doesn't like the texture of popsicles, but the flavor of the grapefruit was delicious, like fresh farmers' market grapefruit.

Stayed tuned for a post on our return to Searsucker, hopefully sometime this weekend!

Haha...

Just noticing I haven't been to Viva Pops in a whole 2 weeks. :) Their business must have dropped off sharply! hehehe....

Restaurant Round-Up II: Arterra (Carmel Valley), Roy's (La Jolla)

Two toddler-free outings....

Arterra: since the departure of Carl Schroeder for Market, I normally avoid this place (we were not impressed by his successor - and now even he is gone for some anonymous chef). However, needed to catch up with a colleague - Fri. night after the kids were in bed for a drink was the plan - Arterra was equidistant between our 'hoods. Plus they have lounge night on the weekend.

Result: Food was just ok (sushi, whole-wheat flatbread). However, they have AWESOME happy hour prices; great cocktails; and the atmosphere is KICK-ASS. A bunch of trying-to-look-young folks in our age group and older, so we didn't feel too lame. DJ spinning hot tracks around the pool. Cabanas. Torches. In Carmel Valley. Need I say more? App, entree, cocktail and tip were less than $25. Nice!

Roy's La Jolla: I ate there once years ago, and have remembered it as "corporate food" and eh. We had a nice time last night, but my description wouldn't really change. Way too expensive for the quality of the food. Salad: eh. Misoyaki Butterfish: pretty good but not $30 worth of good (esp. given the tiny sides on the plate). Dessert: pineapple upside down cake: decent, but hardly filled the dessert craving that that awful show Top Chef Just Desserts has been lighting inside me for the last two weeks.

The high points of the meal: a very delicious elderflower cocktail (Foodgirl is all about the St. Germain liqueur). Plus very good service. Now it just so happened that when our waiter arrived, he reminded me that he used to work in my lab, and he addressed me as Dr. Foodgirl throughout the meal. Hehehe - Dr. Foodgirl likes that, since most of the time I'm known simply as "ST's Mom." He was very sweet. But I think the service would have been very good anyway. I would totally go back pre-theater: if the bill had not been $120 for the two of us, with only me getting a cocktail, no wine, and ordering the cheapest apps. ($6.95 salad). For the quality of this food: yikes!

We still need good pre-theater options in La Jolla, but Playhouse Season is ending for now....luckily, onto the Globe and Avenue 5!

Faithful readers: look soon for a follow-up visit to Searsucker, which is up for the next date night!

Restaurant Round-Up I: Kitchen 1540 (Del Mar)

We've had good babysitting lately so have had one date night a week. Plus I met a friend for drinks on Friday while CH was home with ST. So I have a bunch to report. Here's the first one!

Kitchen 1540: My friends who love this place, I am sorry to disappoint you with this report. I *loved* my cocktail (delicious hibiscus margarita - very strong). I *loved* the beet salad with pistachio brittle and carmelized yogurt. About this point of the meal, I declared to CH that this was now my favorite restaurant in San Diego. He reminded me that I hadn't gotten my entree yet. I don't care, I said - this is way better than I thought. No pretentious Del Martians, just outstanding food.

CH liked his salad too.

Around this time my stomach began to hurt but I was sufficiently drunk that I kept eating anyway. *Loved* my salmon (not on menu - had seen it on restaurant week menu even though they changed their mind and didn't do restaurant week). *Loved* my red velvet cake - not quite as good as entree and app, but still very creative.

So why will you be disappointed, my friends? Because that pain in my stomach (from the pistachio brittle, maybe?) stuck around all night. I would have possibly still given it another chance....but then CH felt violently sick after the meal. Maybe we just have sensitive stomachs, but Kitchen 1540 is no longer my favorite restaurant in SD. (It was fun while it lasted for about 30 min.). I still think the flavors are awesome and it's lovely, but just don't want to take a chance there again. CH keeps coming up with unprintable parodies of the name (____ 1540, ____ 1540), all stemming from his post-meal stomach troubles.

Alas - it was super-yummy!!!!!!!

Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria (Encinitas)

Faithful readers, you know I have been dying to go here since I caught wind it would open back last spring (thank you foodbuzzsd.com). Loved the meal I had with Wade Hagemann at Blanca...then he "unceremoniously left" there, now he was resurfacing in a reasonable artisan pizzeria. Early reviews have been a little mixed: glorious reviews on yelp, followed by, 'That must be a relative.'

PLUSSES: Lunchtime it was actually ST-friendly. We sat on the patio with crayons, watched cars, listened for the Coaster horn. Corn soup was crazy yummy (CH thought so too). Certainly good ingredients on my caprese bruschetta.

MINUSSES: The pizza really was not "all that." I loved the crust, but the spicing and tomato sauce on the Blue Ribbon Pizza (mozz/tomato/basil) was certainly not the best ever. Plus this is certainly not the cheapest place ever. $14 for a tiny pizza. $9 for a corn soup. The lunch special is decent (cup of corn soup + bruschetta, $9) but I was hungry after.

RESULT: I am certainly willing to go in the evening and give it another try when we have a free date night. The ingredients were very good, and I'm hoping there is another pizza on the list that will be an awesome combo of ingredients. We would both love to have that corn soup again. But I'm not going to tell anyone that they must go yet, esp. since it's rather pricey for what it is.

(Mr. Manvite, sorry we did not get to try the butterscotch pudding this time! :))

Which 'Wich (Carlsbad)

Restaurants, restaurants, restaurants....Lately Foodgirl has been to a bunch. Time for a bunch of catch-up posts!

Today we finally made it to Which 'Wich in Carlsbad. Had high hopes: supposed to be a gourmet sandwich chain, fast and nice atmosphere.

What we Found: a slightly more upscale Subway. My black bean burger was just ok. But food came fast. Cute Husband liked his chicken sandwich. Super Toddler liked the fruit roll-up that came with his grilled cheese.

Will We Come Again? I can imagine returning some Sun. night when we are not interested in other options. But it's certainly not super-yummy.

Clay's La Jolla

Beginning our pre-theater La Jolla explorations, in the wake of Jai's decline. Before Limelight (not great, but good enough to stay past intermission), we tried Clay's.

--great ocean/LJ view
--not really a hot spot
--prices high but decent if you do happy hour in the bar or get a restaurant.com gift certificate
--comfy chairs - did I mention the view?
--my ahi tuna tower was delicious; really liked my wild mushroom ravioli
--awesome mojito: lots of lime and mint
--they have a whole vegetarian menu

Was this my favorite restaurant ever? No.
Was it pleasant? Yes.
Would I go back? Sure - why not, if I need something pre-theater.

Definitely worth a visit!

Blind Lady Ale House/Viva Pops (V?) (Normal Heights)

In brief: Foodgirl gets lots of recs from her friends (and from yelp-surfing). BLAH is supposed to be "not blah." A friend says it's great, takes her kids - and proclaimed to me that the pizza is better than Basic Urban Kitchen ("fresh, wonderful ingredients, etc.").

Sorry - that doesn't matter if the pizza is BLAND!!! Maybe we had bad luck, but all three of our pizzas were boring, tasteless, not very interesting. Wished we had gone to Sicilian Thing - cheaper, faster, much yummier. Yes, BLAH has a great beer selection and games for kids. But it was too much pizza hype and not enough good pizza for us!

However, being on Adams Avenue was a fine excuse for....visit #5 (?) to Viva Pops. Anyone reading this tonight: they are giving away FREE VIVA POPS (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) at the Little Italy Farmers Mercado tomorrow morning (Sat.) b/c they are going to be on the cooking channel. Super-Toddler loved his strawberry once again: Mom resisted (so sad) b/c the BLAH blah pizza was sitting in my tummy.

SD Magazine best of list

Haven't had time to read it through yet; some interesting ideas:

http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/August-2010/Best-of-San-Diego/

Prepkitchen (Del Mar), plus the DM Farmers Market

Quick post, as we're in toddler-sick-land today. Ran out to buy produce at the Sat. afternoon DM Farmers Market and to grab food at the new Prepkitchen Del Mar.

Prepkitchen is of course the offshoot of Whisknladle in LJ, which gets lots of foodie love for its artisanal approach to ingredients.

However, went once a few years ago: ok, meh.

Went to Prepkitchen, the more casual offshoot in LJ a year or so ago: overpriced, meh.

So I was not overly excited by the announcements this year that a new Prepk would open in DM. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me; fool me three times?

A friend loves it, brings her kids often since it opened. So I decided to scope it out today in combo with going to the FM.

Result: totally overpriced - was very grumpy that my beet/goat cheese/walnut salad, with a scoop of tuna on the side, was $18 (no prices on website). Could get a kick-ass version of the same at waters for about $10.

Was not expecting to like it and was going to do a grumpy post. Turns out it was pretty decent. But still not worth $18!!! Not going back, but won't totally badmouth it.

As for the farmers' market, the new signs that say it's open at 12 are fake-outs. I was there at 12:15 - almost no vendors. After I went to Prepk, came back, waited longer, only about half of the merchants were ready to go by 1:15. Left with no peaches and nectarines - ST was disappointed when I returned, but alas!!

Quick takes: Curry n' More, Apollonia, Specialty's

Curry n' More in San Marcos: yelpers claim it has very fresh Indian food and is the best in the county. Yes, it's fresh, but "best in the county" are some fighting words, and it just does not beat the Sorrento Valley/Little India places for me. They messed up my spice level, plus the food is not cravable to me, especially for being so out of the way. India Princess up there has a more standard buffet, but is more delicious in my view (especially for a working mom who wants to eat and go)....Sorry!

Apollonia (Greek, UTC): Blogged about it once before but I want to blog it again, since it is not an obvious place to take your toddler...and yet we had another successful outing there when ST was in a dangerous mood. The hostesses never seem super-friendly, but we've had two super-kid-friendly waiters, who rushed us out some humus and pita so ST could avoid hitting dangerous levels of hungriness. I loved my spanaki lemonato as always; had some salmon dolmas and felafel. ST loved his lentil soup (am I lucky or what that he likes Middle Eastern food? too bad Indian is too spicy for him or we could hit the buffets like when he was a baby); humus and pita; and Daddy's "fight" (that's Sprite to you and me). CH likes their humus, and tried their boureks for the first time (to them, this equals blintze-looking stuffed-meat crepes). He likes them, but not as much as his usual staples there (like chicken couscous).

Specialty's (UTC): Still haven't made it there myself, but everyone CH has sent there in the last week is raving about it. And that bread he brought home was serious business. Too bad they aren't open on weekends!

Looks like we get to have date night in 2 weeks and then once the following weekend. Oh, the possibilities!

I do love Tender Greens (Liberty Station)

Sometimes we get the same ol' same ol' at good old Tender Greens. Seems perfunctory (grilled tuna and veggies and potatoes) - even if it's good.

Got the specials of the day today. SUPER!!!! Kick-a$$ fisherman's stew (cod- and veggie-based), plus a grilled yellowtail sandwich. TG has tons of farm-to-table fresh veggies....and yet I was so drawn to the carbs today. LOVE the Con Pane bread, esp. grilled; stole some of ST's quesadilla (what a corn tortilla...); even if I bypassed the potato leek soup with blood orange oil; the yummy mashed potatoes; and only had a bite of ST's cookie.

ST is tantruming a bit....no more blog time for me!

Naomi hits Blanca, take two

So she has gone back for the newest chef:

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2010/aug/25/restaurant-review-sweet-ideas/

Sounds good, though I'm suspicious of the service there. They have coupons (!) in the Community Guide. We'll see if I get there before this guy leaves! I think CH definitely doesn't want to go back. Happy hour, anyone? (you get to try the food and not deal with the servers!)

Still need to hit Wade Hagemann's (former chef) new artisan pizza place in Encinitas! (see list on right!)

San Diego Magazine "Best of San Diego" Party 2010, Quick Takes

Went tonight to the SD Mag. Best of SD Party with a great Groupon deal. Total mob scene - glad we got there early. Puzzlement: very long lines for Rubio's and other undistinguished places, no lines for Kitchen 1540 (at least at first), JSix and several other top places. SD seems to be changing culinarily...and yet, it's still fast-food tastes for lots of folks.

Some quick takes:

--Winner of the Night: Kitchen 1540, with a tomato soup with a molecular gastronomy shaved thing on top which Paul McCabe was personally shooting (is that verb?) on top. Dr. T., I get it: the food is yummy and totally different. Next special occasion: we're there!

--Most Happily Surprised: Had a god-awful meal at Roppongi 8 yrs ago or so - we thought it was worse than MickeyDs and did not get the hype. They had an awesome bigeye tuna dish. Went back for seconds. I won't bag on them anymore.

--Anthology: so underrated, and yet so yummy. Some beet thing with goat cheese in the middle: yum.

--Alchemy: love ya, love ya, love ya! Ricardo Heredia stayed at the restaurant: how could they manage without him tonight? The restaurant's host was manning the saute pan at the booth! And yet, they set him and the other cook up so well with a well-conceived dish: no-fail sauteed squash blossom with goat cheese, and a flavorful gazpacho. Nice going! Tasty...and veg....I love you, Alchemy!

--The Cravory Cookies: Loved you as 410 degrees. Sorry, don't love the new name. But you still have the most ridiculously delicious cookies ever. Skipped Red Velvet tonight and had PB overload (insane), some rosemary basil somthing and some other good cookies. Bypassed birthday cookie (already know it's the bomb) and Pancakes and Bacon (whaa??)

--Urban Solace: CH loved their pork dish. I loved seeing that talented and menschy Matt Gordon manning the booth.

--Nobu: OMG! Their black cod is phenomenal! Didn't love serving it with jalapenos, but it is justly celebrated. No line there...go figure....

--Massive lines at Royal India and Monsoon. Do that many people like Indian food in this town? Can those places really be better than the best of Sorrento Valley and Mira Mesa? I was curious but not optimistic enough to wait on those lines....

--Addison: a no-show, I think?! I was looking forward to trying William Bradley's food...without having to give my money to Doug Manchester! For that matter, didn't see Oceanaire or Quality Social, which were also supposed to show.

--Roseville: closed this week but the chef (owner?) showed up anyway! They're looking for a new location, as FoodBuzzSd.com reported. Their carrot amuse was a nice touch, but was the same as I felt about their food when I ate there: nice idea, nothing special.

--Bencotto: CH's fave of the night: the paper-thin prosciutto. Decent cookies.

--Con Pane: Love their breads at Tender Greens: what they had on display was not as exciting (loaded up foccacias that were not as flavorful as their plain ol bread)

--Tender Greens: You served pork...too bad for me! No matter...I'll be there again soon, eating my way through the menu.

That marks the end of a long string of extra date nights. No big plans for the next few weeks - except hitting Specialty's some day with CH (he brought home a loaf of bread today. Holy crap - he is right! It is awesome bread, and I'm not really wanting to eat bread right now!)

JSix (Gaslamp): Very nice experience!

Went to JSix last night to taste Christian Graves' food. He is always mentioned by the food-writers in town and is the king of the Chefs' Confab. And yet....there are not tons of reviews on yelp or on opentable, and some of them are mixed. What gives?

After eating there, I think I get it.

Room: nice, but somehow missing a certain je ne sais quoi (can't put my finger on it).

Service: incredibly friendly but not incredibly efficient. Chef Graves himself came out from the (open) kitchen to greet us when the hostess was not at her stand. How 'bout that?! But it took a really long time to get water and our order in. When my food first came, it was already lukewarm-to-cold. On the other hand, the waiter had great suggestions; was very friendly; and they gave us a super-delicious comp dessert. Once food started coming, it came quickly. And once I got my entrée a second time, it was a perfect temperature.

Food: Let's go course by course:

--What a cocktail! Lavender-basil lemon drop. SUPER-DELISH. One of the best parts of the meal.

--Bread: Loved the bread, loved the anchovy-laden tapenade.

--Amuse-bouche: crostini with delish local peach, goat cheese, nuts. Veg for moi? Thank you, Chef Graves!

--Salads: Strawberry-parmesan mixed greens. Very yummy; a bit heavily dressed, but I liked it.

Entrees: Great pricing/idea here. I got a "small entree" portion of roasted corn ravioli (with leeks): very yummy. Following the waiter's advice I also got a "half-portion" of a vegetarian plate. Was simple-looking but very yummy. Perfectly charred asparagus, grilled portabella with some yummy reduction/glaze on it; cioppilini onions and mashed potatos. For these two courses together, was only $18. Very nice! CH was not as impressed with his chicken. He reluctantly agreed that the chicken itself was 'okay....good" but he thought the carrots were disappointing. Someone on yelp had mentioned that this dish was bland.

However, here's the piece de resistance: because it was a special occasion, they brought us out a COMPED Valrhona chocolate dessert instead of the dessert menu. Mousse-pretzels-caramel: I'm not sure all the ingredients that were in this concoction, but it was OUTSTANDING. Mmm...it was all I could do to not eat it all up.

So….overall I would say I thoroughly enjoyed the food. I’m not going to rush back, like to Searsucker (we passed it on the way back to our car – it was even more hopping than when we went. THAT is the new in place). However, I can say for sure that JSix will be one of the tables I’m most excited to stop by on Friday night at SD Mag’s Best of San Diego party (and not only because Chef Graves said he would make something vegetarian :)). If you haven’t been: give it a try! Definitely get the cocktail and dessert I got, and recognize that the service might be slow. It’s not an absolute don’t-miss, but it was certainly pleasant and yummy! And the chef is a gem!

And now a word from my Husband (Specialty's, UTC)

CH called this morning: "I am in heaven. I sound like you. The best new restaurant opened."

Turns out a deli called Specialty's Cafe and Bakery, which he liked in the Bay Area, just opened in UTC. He awaited his sandwich. Here are his quotes:

"Oh, this is so good."

"I am so happy."

What kind of food makes the normally un-gushy CH talk this way?

Sandwiches on "amazing bread" and "incredible" cookies of all kinds, especially chocolate chip.

I just looked at their website (specialtys.com) and see lots of veggie soups too.

I can't vouch for this yet, but this kind of foodie behavior from the husband merits a post!

Hype! Hype! (Review of Searsucker, Gaslamp)

(a non-toddler-oriented review tonight!)

I've been on a "Don't believe the hype!" kick of late. Here are some recent buzzy places that have disappointed:

--Banker's Hill Bar and Restaurant (heavy/fried, a little boring...Carl Schroeder, I love you at Market but not here!)

--Bice (meh...not the second coming of Italian food)

--Bencotto (tasty enough, made me sick after...still wasn't the second coming)

--Cucina Urban (MuseumGirl, I know you love it and I only went once, but the food I had was only ok and the service was horribly slow)

So am I suspicious of hype? Hell yeah! (though there are exceptions: Urban Solace and Alchemy, both buzzy, were super-delish)

That leads me to Searsucker in the Gaslamp: tons of buzz, open for 3 weeks now. Created by Brian Malarkey (of Top Chef 3 and Oceanaire) and James Brennan (of Stingaree and other restaurants/nightclubs). Tried Malarkey's food at Oceanaire once: very meh, very don't-believe-the-hype-ish. Food at Stingaree: very boring (though the club itself was hella-fun the one time we went pre-ST). Should note I have also been suspicious in general of Top Chef contestants at this point. After being very excited to try that TV-delicious-looking food at Oceanaire and at Absinthe in SF (Chef Jamie from a few seasons ago), both were meh....I started to think the TV "Top Chefs" were not really great chefs, but only the most telegenic and drama-inducing (which no doubt plays some role in casting).*

BUT HERE'S THE RUB: Ladies and gentlemen, may I say that SEARSUCKER SHOULD BE BEST NEW RESTAURANT OF 2010. Super-delicious food, great vibe, great cocktails, very nice and efficient service....plus you get to watch the TV star himself expediting the food in the open kitchen. High drama....yummmy....what more do you want...and at reasonable prices in the Gaslamp?

And this is on top of my eating veg. there, which could have been very boring!

I had:
--Peter Rabbit cocktail (Pimm's, basil, carrots and some other cool and delicious stuff: hell yeah!)

--mushrooms, truffles and burrata (super-yum)

--free popovers sent out "compliments of the chef" (super-yum again: they were as good as the popovers at Arterra in the Carl Schroeder days)

--eggplant, mozzarella and tomato dish: not a real parmesan, but outrageously yummy: the eggplant was not cooked exactly as I would like it but the textures and flavors of this dish were truly to-die-for

--one $12 glass of super yummy pinot noir.

Prices were super-duper reasonable except for the alcohol. It was very high quality but I still don't like to pay $24 for two drinks. (Given how many places charge $12 for bad wines or boring cocktails, though, I don't want to press this point too much!).

As for CH, he may not be ready to give the place any awards but he also enjoyed it (remember he does not get very excited about food). I asked him for a quote on his salad: "Mediocre at best." However, his entree (a chicken dish) was "very tender and good." In all "he would come back." High praise from the husband!

My faith in Top Chef (and Brian Malarkey) is restored!! (This adds to the wonderful experience MuseumGirl and I had when we hit Craft in LA (Tom Colicchio's restaurant) at a conference several months ago. Ridiculously good....and crowd-pleasing (if I recall we ordered one dessert: and were given a pre-dessert, a dessert, complimentary cookies, and then a morning pastry to go to share with the folks at home!).

SO VIVA THE HYPE FOR SEARSUCKER!! My friends, get thee there on date night!! But I'm hoping this is a place that will be around for a long while. Very few are the places that make me want to go back soon to try more of the menu as opposed to trying the next hot new place....I love Alchemy too much to move it off its perch in my heart, but Searsucker will draw me back soon! (And it was fun to sneak over to the chef at his public-arena post and to tell him how much FoodGirl loved it and what a hit he has on his hands!).

Piatti's: oh well (La Jolla)

Had a delectable meal at Piatti's (LJ Shores) a few years ago, remembered it very fondly, couldn't believe I had never been before. (NYUGirl used to live in that 'hood - if you can call it one! - and said it was her favorite there).

Went this week - major disappointment. Bread was good, service was good....Aside from that, overpriced, average salad; undercooked (!) pasta [how often do you notice your pasta is undercooked? we're not talking al dente]; too rich eggplant dish; CH said *Coco's* makes a better chicken dish than his was.... We shan't return - too bad! With the decline of Jai and the closure of Venice, we are very eager for new pre-theater choices! (dear readers, do weigh in if you have advice! Apollonia is good, but not that exciting for date night; Roy's is kind of corporate; Whole Foods Deli is delicious but not a real date place; going into and out of La Jolla village probably is too hectic pre- a 7 pm show!); am over PF Chang's!

Mama Testa's, plus Viva Pops IV

Yes, another weekend....another impromptu trip to Viva Pops.

Hit Mama Testa's for the first time in a year. Loved it when we tried it last year, a little less today. Still has the best guac in town; great salsas; great service; lots of veggie options; pleasant. But parking is a royal pain in the rear in that neighborhood (we circled multiple times and were about to leave when Mom spotted a spot being vacated), and the veggie options aren't actually that healthy/filling if you're doing low carb like I'm trying to (mashed potato taco, or other taco combos that are carb heavy and don't have much veggies or beans). I'm sure I'll be hungry soon again. Flavors are yummy though.

ST slept in his big boy bed all night long (bye bye crib) so had earned some ice cream. He decided (perhaps I influenced him a bit!) that he preferred to go to the popsicle store. So back to Viva Pops....he got strawberry (still super-yummy); this time I tried the Mojito. Yum! Not my favorite of all I have tried (straw cucumb/mint; tart plum; nectarine basil) but still very good.

A new family-friend place in Carmel Valley! (Katana)

Quick post: a great new option in CV! Katana is much larger than the other Japanese places in CV. Food is fresh and tasty, arrives quickly; army of waitresses, all indulgent of super-toddler's hyper behavior (tonight was not his finest hour). Plus they give balloons for good behavior.

50% off sushi special is a bit of a tease: the portions are not that large when they come. But I still really enjoyed my "ex-girlfriend roll" and "spicy diet roll." CH said his chicken teriyaki was fine (not the best ever but certainly good enough to return with ST). They brought ST a wonderfully presented plate of tofu...very kind. Great place to go with kids!

Iris (Del Mar)

Yummy fish tacos for lunch. Great setting. Ahi sandwich good but not as good (a little too rare for me). Delicious salad dressing. Not the best value ever but worth it with a coupon. Great for a pleasant lunch if you want to chat a lot!

Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant: Tasty but not Cravable!

Ok, let's review: I'm a huge Carl Schroeder fan. CH for some reason *hates* Carl Schroeder's food. From Arterra through Market, he absolutely hated going with me and only went to eat Schroeder's food when we were forced (for instance friends stayed at the Marriott and had their kids upstairs and could only eat in Arterra :)). The last several times I have been to Market (and I haven't gone for at least a year) have been with other people. And it seems so expensive lately in comparison to all the good deals around these days, so that also has kept me away!

So I was psyched about BHBR, Schroeder's new cheaper place near the Park. Maybe CH would like it better? And I could eat Schroeder's food a lot!

Well, here's the rap:
--very nice room, much nicer than when it was Modus->cute, casual, airy, fun
--had a lovely time - helped by very reasonable Temperanillo!
--bread was warm and delicious, food was tasty overall
--CH didn't hate his food - he would not object to returning

HOWEVER, irony of ironies, it was just not cravable and I am the one who doesn't feel the need to go back:
--the famous deviled eggs were just ok. A mom in my mom's group makes tastier ones....
--my watermelon and watercress salad: overdressed, and the watercress was kind of blech - I ate up the watermelon, goat cheese and pistachios but left the greens behind. CH's fresh vegetable salad was yummier but not enough to induce me to go back
--my salmon: very good, liked the peas and potatoes with it. Was it the greatest fish dish ever? Ummm...no.
--dessert menu: totally uninspiring. Ditto the cocktail menu. Strawberry basil martini seemed revolutionary when they served it 5 yrs ago with fresh strawberries at Market. Today that drink seems to be everywhere in town. You don't have any other ideas? (there was some pear ginger alternative....sorry, not my thing!)

AND SO, since Avenue 5 is in the hood...and Alchemy is on the other side of the park, I don't see any reason to return! The good news is that that simplifies things as we make pre-theater choices in upcoming months. The only other places I'm itching to try nearby are the new Cafe Bleu (had a great meal in Hillcrest before it moved) and maybe Charisma in Hillcrest....

CH Loves Avenue 5 (Banker's Hill)

Now, the rap on my husband is that he really loves Bongiorno's Pizza and Wahoo's more than anything, and only goes along on my foodie adventures to nicer places because he is sweet and likes to indulge me.

However, that is clearly not true!

For the second time in a row, he has now persuaded co-workers to take visitors to Avenue 5 as opposed to anywhere that is remotely closer to his office or house. CH (that is cute husband, if you've lost track of his nickname of the month) clearly is craving Colin MacLaggan's food (who can blame him, really?). CH does not like to "eat and tell" too much, but I got him to at least say that the dish he craves, that drives him to speak up in meetings to get Avenue 5 named as the business dinner destination, is chicken with a "sweet sauce."

I am thrilled it's on his list, since the upcoming Old Globe season means date night is almost always going to be in the Banker's Hill area for the next few months. Love me some Avenue 5 - and happy not to be dragging him somewhere he doesn't want to go!

(but still, Banker's Hill Bar and Restaurant is next on my list to try...can I persuade CH that Carl Schroeder's food is good after all?? Watch this space for news!)

Viva Pops again, this time with El Comal (North Park/Normal Heights)

So I couldn't resist it! Dr. T. came with me to El Comal (I loved the pescado al ajillo and Dr. T. enjoyed his Cochinita Pibil). Lovely atmosphere, and they take restaurant.com!

We were talking about the blog and Dr. T. mentioned my Viva Pops entries. "Well," I said, "we ARE only about 1.5 miles away...Should we go?"

5 min. later, we were both enjoying strawberry/cucumber/mint "sugar-free" pops (with agave). Super-yum, loved the mint (though they were much less intensely strawberry than the wonderful strawberry pop that ST had on Sat.). Dr. T. took an apricot lemongrass for the road and sounded almost like my Mom did when she had her tart plum ("love lemongrass!").

Dr. T., thanks for the adventure! I love excuses to hit North Park/Normal Heights!

Sicilian Thing/Viva Pops

We took SuperToddler to Sicilian Thing today (excellent Philly pizza + city buses - what could be better?). He was so well-behaved I thought of Viva Pops and we headed over there (it's about 1.5 miles).

Mom had nectarine+basil (chosen over lavender lemonade, mojito, Mexican chocolate, and lots of other flavors).

ST had plain 'ol strawberry (v. strawberry +cucumber+mint)...which was not plain old at all, since the strawberry flavor was super-intense.

Fresh, delicious, cold....love Viva Pops!

Cafe Coyote over Old Town Mexican Cafe (Old Town)

Ate at OTMC with a Comic-Con visitor and TruckBoy yesterday (he was so well-behaved I am going to call him SuperToddler). OTMC gets all the buzz ("best Mexican"), but I'm sorry...Cafe Coyote is way better! SuperToddler had a great time we were at Cafe Coyote last time. Food is delicious; comes fast; is served in lovely patio setting; plus there is a lot of space for wandering, stairs to climb, even a parrot.

Plus ColdStone is across the street and can be held out as a reward for good behavior. (And the trolley is close by if you have time for a real outing!)

Other than the decent tortillas at OTMC, my meal was undistinguished. Not making the mistake again of going there instead of CC!

Foodgirl hits the OC!

Foodgirl must post about the delicious food she and CH had while on a little escape to Dana Point.

1. Watermarc in Laguna: LOVE IT! We went last year too. Super hip, super reasonable, super yummy. It's like Alchemy, only more stylish and going-out-at-nighty. Including the link as special encouragement in case any friends want to check it out: http://watermarcrestaurant.com/. Love the cocktails, love the little plates....yum.

2. Andrea in Inn at Pelican Point (Newport Coast): Kind of like Vivace in the Aviara, only the food is arguably better. Perfect pasta (I had hand-cut spaghetti, unlike any spaghetti I ever had), very nice atmosphere, celebrities in attendance (hi, David Spade!). Prices to match, but a gorgeous gorgeous resort for peeking at and a fun evening.

As for the Dana Point Harbor, bleh. We went to Harbor Grill. If that's supposed to be the top place at the Harbor, that does not say much....

Fibonacci's UTC (3rd party review - oh well!)

Was excited about Fibonacci's in UTC. Who wouldn't love a new Waters outpost, and so convenient for so many things?

But alas, ABW (whose name is now going to change to CH, cute husband), and MuseumGirl and NYUGirl, have all been there recently and report that is bleh. No atmosphere, and very limited selection. If you work in a nearby office building it is better than nothing, but definitely not worth driving to.

Alas!!! (and sorry, Waters, I still love you...I'll just be hitting SB instead!).

Viva Pops! (Normal Heights - plus Tao and Jyoti Bihanga)

Foodgirl took her mom today to Tao - it was so yummy to go back. Still like the garlic "chicken" best - pho ok - homemade tofu with asparagus and lily flower was tasty but maybe too healthy - hehehe. Salad and strawberry cheesecake ice cream for dessert were yummy.

Mom wanted to get Jyoti Bihanga to take out for dinner (she came 3000 miles - she wasn't going to leave the neighborhood without getting something there!). I got a beet and coconut soup to go - yum!

But most important, Mom got Viva Pops, 2 doors down from Tao. She does not get as excited about food as Little Old Moi does....But after she had the sugar-free tart plum popsicle, all she could say was "WOW!!! WOW!!!! WOW!!! I sound like you, Foodgirl. WOW!!!" I had a taste too...I am not a tart plum kind of girl, but it certainly was intense, refreshing and tasty if you would enjoy eating a whole entire tart plum.

I never go there since Tao gives free dessert, but it is certainly worth a return visit!

Waters again (Solana Beach)

It took me so long to blog Waters that it deserves a second post....

What is so wonderful about Waters is that the menu is always different, so except for a few things like roasted vegetables, the sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies, you never know what you'll find there. You can order as much or as little as you want; you order at the counter; it's super-fast and they're super-friendly. (It can be really expensive or very reasonable, depending on what you order). It's a gourmet's delightful surprise!

Yesterday's loot included: gazpacho, spelt salad, cod-and-potato cakes (with the yummiest herb aioli), grilled lemony potatoes, papardelle pasta salad, roasted vegetables and my fave sandwich (the grilled eggplant). Strangely, TruckBoy did not even want to try the lemony potatoes, which should be a no brainer for him, but he munched up all the roasted carrots (some days he won't go near them).

LOVE LOVE LOVE Waters....

Jai: Oh well (aka, I need a new favorite restaurant!).

First time at Jai since the 3-mo. closing and the chef change.

Alas! It was good but certainly not great....definitely has lost the crown of My Favorite Restaurant in San Diego. Chez Kozumi was an underrated genius....the food now is simply: "Nicer, more upscale version of P.F. Chang's." No more, no less....Plus service has gotten slower (even though prices are cheaper now and I liked my wine).

Who will the next holder of the title be? Alchemy is still #2, but it's casual enough that I'd like a fine dining restaurant to be #1! I don't think it will be Blanca, even with a new chef; I love Market but ABW can't stand Carl Schroeder; Grant Grill was delicious but not enough for me to grant it that title; I'm over Jeff Jackson at Lodge at Torrey Pines because he doesn't know what a vegetarian dish is (versus a vegetable plate); Jason Knibb's portions have gotten too small at Nine-Ten for how much the food costs; and Tapenade is yummy but not exciting enough. I need a new fave....hopefully I'll find one soon!

Trattoria Fantastica (Desserts, Little Italy) + Mimmo's

Another quick post to record the fun outing we had a few weeks ago.

Took trolley to Little Italy. Ate at Mimmo's (very reasonable at lunch, order ta the counter so quick-serve, great sidewalk patio). I had eggplant parm; TruckBoy had pizza; Dad had chicken sandwich; plus we had some great salads. Inside is very cute, murals.

But then we went to Trattoria Fantastica next door for dessert. Never went before - ridiculously good! Boy had a beautiful green marzipan cookie thing which he loved. I had delectable opera cake. ABW had gelato. I'm not sure about the restaurant itself (standard Little Italy I think - more expensive than Mimmo's at lunch certainly) but the dessert/cafe is definitely a place for us to go back to!

Restaurant round-up: Fairouz, Waters Cafe, Bencotto, Vela

Foodgirl has been busy and so I haven't blogged! So I don't get too far behind (and because of a special request from my fave Expectant Mama and her veg-loving hubby), here's the quick scoop on some recent visits.

Fairouz (Sports Arena): Fairouz really deserves its own entry since we absolutely love it. Middle Eastern buffet (says "Greek" on the outside but they're really Palestinian). Ridiculously good food (veg and non-veg), very healthy and reasonable ($12.95 for the buffet). Great atmosphere, charming and hospitable host, gorgeous art on the walls (doubles as a gallery); great music. We all like it. Some of the delicious things we get there (they rotate choices): lentil soup, chicken-lemon soup; stewed zucchini, stewed okra (trust me, sounds super-bland but somehow is ridiculously yummy); divine stewed eggplant when they have it; roasted potatoes; various chicken and beef things; tons of salads (humus, spicy carrots, minty macaroni salad); divine desserts (rosewater white pudding; carrot halva, etc.). There are probably 40 choices on the buffet between hot and cold and dessert so I'm leaving tons out. Boy loves the music, not to mention the humus, pita, lentil soup, veggies, and all of the wonderful desserts (esp. the carrot halva). We love this place even though it's a drive.

Waters (Solana Beach): Really Waters deserves about 10 entries, since I go there so often (I usually trust my readers to look up the restaurants but here's the URL so you have no excuse not to check it out! http://www.waterscatering.com/) . It is a gourmet paradise in Solana Beach, esp. if you're a working mom with veg and non-veg eaters at home. They have sandwiches (some of my faves are the eggplant and the portabella mushroom; ABW likes the roast beef especially), salads and wonderful desserts. But the exciting part are the ever-changing entrees, sides, etc in the case, all of which can be tasted and then purchased by the pound. I never leave Waters without buying a ton of stuff for us to enjoy for the next few days. The menu changes seasonally, so you never know what you'll find. Some things I enjoy there: soup (tomato, broccoli, cauliflower, roasted red pepper, gazpacho, etc. - almost anything, and it's usually flourless and vegetarian); macaroni and cheese; polenta; anything with quinoa; roasted vegetables (one of the few things they have all the time - I'm addicted to them); lasagna with the best sauce ever (ABW loves it too); wild salmon cakes; other interesting fish; grilled chicken dishes with all kinds of interesting sauces; etc etc. I'm only giving a little tiny sampling. Also love their zucchini bread, granola, mashed potatoes; sweet potato puree, and tons more. Without Waters, the transition to being homebound during Boy's first year would have been infinitely more challenging (and certainly less tasty). LOVE WATERS! (Plus they are super-friendly there).

Bencotto (Little Italy): Everyone treats this new "modern Italian" restaurant like the second coming; it's getting buzz everywhere. Was good - ABW loved it even more than me (he called it "Good", which is way better on his scale than Ok or Fine). We would definitely have gone back....but I got sick afterwards! It wasn't good enough for me to risk returning again. Had wine; eggplant parm app; delicious homemade pasta. Not sure what did it.

Vela (downtown in Hilton Bayfront): Let's just say I'll never go back. Food was good, but one of us got hurt - and they sicced security people on us and ruined our meal...We never made any comment about suing or anything but they went into horrible Liability Control mode and just ruined the rest of the meal. No apologies or even comping and then relentless calls and letters from their insurance people for the rest of the week until I asked ABW to get them to stop bothering us. The food was good but not good enough to ever have me set foot in that hotel again....

That's all for now...trying an old fave with a new chef tonight and will post on how it goes....Hoping for a much better experience than Bencotto or Vela! :)

Blue Ribbon PIzza to open next week! (Encinitas)

Love Wade Hagemann, have been waiting:

http://www.blueribbonpizzeria.com/index.html

June 8 is the date!

Chef change at Jai

Am already looking forward to Jai's reopening in a few weeks, with LJ Playhouse season starting again. Looks like there is a new chef: Ben Hong, who is coming from one of Wolfgang Puck's other restaurants.

Chef K, sorry to see you go! Am hoping the food will have similar genius and deliciousness, but I'm a little worried about the fate of what has been my favorite restaurant in the last 2 years!

Tao!!!! (Normal Heights)

Foodgirl must blog about the meal she just had at Tao with Museumgirl. We made up for the disaster that was Station Tavern by meeting just the two of us.

YUM, YUM AND SUPER-YUM!!

That place is ridiculous. We had:
--garlic "chicken"
--mango "chicken"
--their free salad
--their free ice cream

They make their own tofu. It was RIDICULOUSLY good. The vegetables were super-fresh and yummy, much better than in standard Asian restaurants. The brown rice was (dare I say?) the best brown rice I have ever had....a mix of 3 different grains. And the tofu and sauces were delectable. The textures of the tofu on each were totally different...and we just loved both dishes. (Does it sound like I liked it?)

There are complaints on yelp about service at night. At lunchtime, it was not super-fast, but still fine. The waitress was pleasant. I got a deal at BuyWithMe.com, but I would go again for full price (they also apparently are on restaurant.com).

LOVED IT!!!!

Interesting U-T article on some new places

Have been watching them here already: interesting to see!

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/02/chef-schroeder-at-bankers-hill-makes-bid-for-king/

(am hoping ABW likes BH R&G when we get there, since I heart Carl Schroeder)

Station Tavern (South Park)

Was very psyched to try Station Tavern. Artisan burgers! Beer! Sandbox for the kids! Thought it was the most brilliant concept ever...was practically ready to invest in it. Had a playdate with MuseumGirl and her clan tonight...thought we would drink and the kids would play. Would be the best place ever!

RESULT: Meh.....

Service: Friendly but overwhelmed, so not very efficient. Did a lot of service ourselves (got our own napkins, changed out our own ketchup bottles, etc etc).

Atmosphere: Tons of pebbles everywhere. I suppose this is fun for the kids but TruckBoy didn't really want to go in the designated "sandbox" and instead wanted to dig/throw rocks near the table. He was a little overwhelmed by all the kids and was being clingy instead. I left covered with dust. Plus it was unexpectedly freezing on the patio and we needed to send ABW to an overpriced organic cotton shop to buy us sweatshirts.

Oh and the Food? It was ok, but nothing cravable. Liked the chickpea veggie burger. Sweet potato fries: ok. Tater tots: ok. Salad: ok. Beers were tasty.

No need to go again...oh well!

El Callejon (Encinitas)

El Callejon is very yummy! But we never remember/manage to get there (or else we do think of it, and they have non-toddler-friendly waits). Tonight we called: no wait. Super-yummy dinner. TruckBoy stayed in his seat (some new cars helped, as did the train whistle next door, plus the wandering musicians - "why don't they sing to ME?" he asked).

The atmosphere is so beautiful: under the stars, lush, so much more special than the other places around. Lots of kids also for Boy to look at. Full bar, and tons of delicious choices (a real restaurant, not just a simple taco joint). But prices are very reasonable for the quality.

We got:

--Foodgirl: Make-your-own snapper tacos: grilled snapper in a delectable tomato-onion-herb stewed sauce, with delicious black beans and rice

--TruckBoy: Good guac; very fresh warm tortilla chips; excellent quesadilla (really good cheese, lots of butter, perfectly cooked)

--ABW: Puntas de pollo: yummy-looking chicken dish

Wasn't wild about our salads. Jamaica was good too (but I wish I had gotten a margarita!).

Most significantly, ABW (the understated eater formerly known as "the Dad") gave his highest praise yet since I started this blog. "Was your food scrumptious too?" I asked. He nodded, "It's good. I like this place. That's why I suggested coming here." (That's the equivalent of a regular person gushing about what they ate...."Good" is very high praise from him, much better than "fine" (which means we can come here again) or "ok" (which means I'd prefer not to come here again).

We just have to remember to go back!

Vacation post + new nicknames (aka Where is the Real Italian-American Cooking in San Diego?)

Ok, first order of business: NYUGirl says Boy and the Dad need better nicknames. I think she's right! So let's try:

TruckBoy for Boy

and

Accounting Boy Wonder (ABW) for the Dad [am trying to be romantic and reclaim some of the nicknames of our younger, pre-TruckBoy years]

Ok, now back to our regularly scheduled food writing! We are on vacation on the East Coast, and eating our hearts' content's worth of pizza, diner food, and deli. We will need new clothes when we get back. TruckBoy has been mostly very good in restaurants (diners often have great truck views onto highways) and we have enjoyed ourselves.

However, our experiences have given rise to an important question: WHERE IS THE GOOD ITALIAN-AMERICAN FOOD IN SAN DIEGO? I'm not talking bad Americanized Italian food (a la Olive Garden or Old Spaghetti Factory). I mean serious 2nd generation Italian-American cooking. We can go into any number of modest family-friendly restaurants here where they knock our socks off with delicately flavored sauces (just the right amount of basil and the ripest tomatoes), fresh handmade mozzarella, homemade pasta, great bread, etc. San Diego has either "regional" Tuscan-style Italian (Piatti's); fake fancy places like the Gaslamp Italian places; or places in Little Italy that just plain are not that good. The only places I can think of that even come close: Solunto's bakery in Little Italy has some homestyle favorites that are at least somewhat inspired (grandma-style square pizza, serious cookies); and of course Bongiorno's. Even though that's "just" pizza, Mike Bongiorno is turning out serious flavors on his pies (especially when he's there baking them himself). But as ABW asked, "Where are all the Italian cooks in San Diego?" Did they move West and forget how to cook? Did they need to dumb their flavors down for San Diego audiences (who either expected refined/expensive/fancy food or cheap/bad/"family" food like at Papachino's)? Or are there just not enough Italian-American patrons to keep them honest, by not even bothering to show up if the food isn't better than they can make at home?

I don't know, but I'm hoping I'm wrong. East-Coast-raised readers: is there a place we don't know about? Do tell!

El Nopalito (Encinitas)

Yum! Happy to move something from the "want to try" column to a report. Definitely recommended!

Right off the 5 at Santa Fe. We were the only non-Mexicans when we arrived and I was the only woman - lots of men happily eating their yummy food and watching soccer on TV. Delicious salsa bar (roasted salsa, chipotle, avocado, fresh tomato, tomatillo, etc.). Boy got a quesadilla (he said it was too spicy, but I think he just wasn't hungry). The Dad got a chicken taco, which he said was "fine." Both of them happily munched on their chips. I got a veggie burrito which was super yummy and flavorful, esp. when I mixed and matched the salsas on top. The tortilla it was wrapped in was delicious and perfectly grilled. We also got a plate of guac and chips. The guac was yummy (though yelpers report that it is "cut with sour cream").

The decor is simple but nice. There are pretty murals on the wall which kept Boy enterained ("whose house is that? whose car is that?" "what's on top of the hills?").

They are also known for lots of specialty foods that I wouldn't eat (menudo, pozole, goat stew) but you, dear readers, might enjoy.

El Nopalito is also a tortilla factory and they sell their famous salsas in their grocery store and elsewhere. I definitely want to go back!

Farewell, Jason Neroni! (Blanca, SB)

Well, I can't say I couldn't see that coming. Accdg to today's U-T, Jason Neroni is heading back to NY after 7 mos. Blanca, the restaurant, the room, the staff, was truly not worthy of Chef Neroni, who lived up to his culinary god hype. LOVED my meal there but wouldn't have gone back, as the service was really bad and the dining experience (other than the actual eating) was not very pleasant. Thanks for the delectable food, Chef Jason - good luck with the childcare back in New York! (he moved out here for in-law baby help)

Two wonderful chefs have cooked there and are now gone. Wade Hagemann, can't wait to try out your new digs in Encinitas when it opens! (Artisan Pizza, as announced on foodbuzzsd....)

Alchemy, Baby! (without a baby) (South Park)

A toddler-free evening, so a regular rest. review!

For the last 1.5 I have been trying to eat my way through all the new and interesting places in the city with what little free time I have. Because of this, even when I hit an uber-yummy place that I'm determined to return to (like Urban Solace and El Comal), I haven't made it back....there are still too many supposedly yummy places to check out.

As you'll see over on the right, I still have an active places I'd like to go. Bencotto sounds especially promising (if the Yelpers don't let me down).

And yet, there I was back at Alchemy tonight...just because the last time I went it was so extraordinarily yummy that I was determined to return, even though it's not in my 'hood.

And oh my, how I love Alchemy!! I won't declare it SD's 2nd best restaurant (though it did win best restaurant of 2008 in SD Mag.), but I am now happy to declare it MY 2nd favorite restaurant (still keeping Jai at the top). What's so great about Alchemy:

--kickass mixologist/wine list: my vanilla-citrus temperanillo sangria was awesome - the wine I had last time I went was yummy and reasonable

--chill but hip atmosphere: not remotely stuffy, very comfy - Sabragirl, who came along on date night and knows something about design, thought it was simple but beautiful and wants to come back

--servers are super-friendly and efficient - kitchen bangs out food really quickly (perfect for getting to a movie or show after)

--and oh....have I mentioned the food? First time I went I had the awesome ceviche with plantain chips. That alone would have drawn me back. Don't remember what else I had but it was deliriously yummy. Tonight I went all veg. We had:

--humus/tapenade/pita chips (very respectable tapenade, perfectly ok humus);
--strange and wonderful beet salad (horseradish-buttermilk dressing, some bitter greens and yellow molten sheep's milk cheese, pecans): I can't say I ate every morsel like at Jai, because it really was unusual flavor combinations, but I'm liking the genius that put it together and it was still yummy
--grilled broccolini with two sauces (loved their grilled veggies last time)
--half chicken with yummy-looking white carrots and delicious hollowed purple potato mash (I ate the purple potatos - as for the rest, my Sweetie pronounced the dish "good", which was high praise from him - he refused to give me more information for the blog because he wanted me to move on from gushing about dinner :))
--farmer's market salad: visually stunning; my Sweetie liked this too (also "good"); Sabragirl and I tasted the lemony white radishes and thought they were super-yum
--local sea bass with fennel: Sabragirl was raving about the fennel

--and last but not least spinach tortellini with carrot and mascarpone filling and pea reduction, with pea shoots and crispy carrot strings: ridiculously good - the pea shoots were the only part I wasn't crazy about because they were either not perfectly fresh or not perfectly edible!

What is especially exciting about Alchemy is that the food is as innovative and exciting as at places that are much more expensive and special occasion. Sometimes I want to go to a place like Grant Grill and spend $$ to feel it's a "special night out". But sometimes I just want a kick ass meal that's reasonable. Oh, Alchemy....Alchemy, Alchemy, Alchemy!!

And Alchemy has so many choices for a meat eater like the Dad or a pesco-veg like me. Bencotto and some others will still need to wait - I see more trips to Alchemy in my future to keep working through the menu!

(And have I used the word yummy a gazillion times in this review? Toddler momhood doesn't afford me the leisure to do too much editing/word refining, but that should give you the picture of how much I love this place!)

Darn Currant! (Downtown)

Ok, Currant is officially inconsistent. I had an awesome meal there recently - and sent some others who had a fabulous dinner. But now both Dr. T. and Museumgirl have had bad experiences there....Museumgirl reports: "Service was bad; food was mediocre, cocktails had to be sent back. Many different meals were ordered around the table. The only one that met with raves was the mussels. I had steak, which was tough, with frites, which were fine. But, come on, frites should not be fine, they shoud be outrageously delish." (hope she doesn't mind the verbatim quote!). So it is a roulette wheel there, I guess!

Foodgirl hates sending people to places that turn out to be disappointing! Shame on the kitchen staff there - making outrageously good things sometimes to get people's hopes up and then having bad service, food and drinks on other nights!!!

Regents Pizzeria Revisit (UTC)

Just a note to say that we revisited Regents Pizzeria today (thanks to NYUGirl for the rec. that keeps on giving). It still does not belong in the SD Pizza Pantheon with Bongiorno's MM and Sicilian Thing. But it's mighty mighty tasty, and certainly covnenient! Today I tried the Chicago pizza there for the first time. I'm not a Chicago expert like with NY pizza, but my "Popeye" (spinach, tomato ragout, artichoke and very good mozzarella) was super-delicious. The crust, which I didn't intend to eat all up, was buttery and delectable. Definitely not a run-of-the-mill place.

So Regents may enter the regular rotation, esp. since they're open on Sun. lunch, and super fast.

Also, Boy announced that their pizza was "yummy in my tummy" and when we left announced that the it "did not smell like poop in there." (Oh well, I guess East Vllg Asian Diner won't be in our regular rotation).

Two winners! (from Island Divine)

Had a babysitter, went to a fun event today - the Junior League of La Jolla's Island Divine Santorini fundraiser at the Cove. Tons of restaurants and wineries and breweries. (Normally not my scene but got free tickets from a coworker).

Really fun event! Can't wait to go to another like this. It was like trying tons of restaurants in a short amount of time. Perfect for a cooped up mom!

My winners for the day:
--savory: The Fishery, Pacific Beach: absolutely divine seared ahi with micro-fennel, tangerine....If the Dad liked seafood, we would go in a second. Readers, try it and report back to me - I was so impressed with the chefs. (It was also the perfect dish for an event like this - easy to plate and to feed the forces; other places had temperature issues)

--dessert: 410 Degrees Cookies: THIS PLACE WAS OUTRAGEOUSLY GOOD. They sell at the Hillcrest and La Jolla Farmer's Markets. We had 5 different kinds of cookies: red velvet, birthday cake, snickers, peanut butter and mojito mint. They were each so creative and wonderful - way better than Cupcake Love and Cupcake Square which are also good and were there too. If you go to those farmers markets, you must buy their cookies!!!!!

Foodgirl is still buzzed on wine (Cass Syrah was the day's fave, and Palumbo Viognier).....

Ali

Apollonia (UTC)

Very quick post: We always loved going to Cafe Athena in PB - it has wonderful, healthy, creative Greek food, much better than anywhere else we have tried in SD. But it's not so close by, sometimes there is a wait, and it is not ideal with Toddler. They bought a few years ago Apollonia in UTC, which is not quite as good but still has some of our favorite dishes from Cafe Athena. Again, not necessarily great with Boy, if you have to wait for your food to come.

Last night we tried to go to La Casa del Pan Marrón (that's Coco's to you and me). However it was crowded, there was a long wait, and we thought Boy was going to go crazy before his food came. So we wandered around Costa Verde. Apollonia: hmmm, doesn't look crowded, let's give it a try with him.

It was wonderful! We were seated right away, our waiter came right away, and he brought Boy's humus and pita right away, along with spanaki lemonato for me (that's the dish that always kept me coming to Athena or Apollonia - sauteed spinach salad with garlic and lemon). We also got some feta (though it was too high-quality for Toddler's taste - too strong a taste, but I loved it); chicken-lemon soup which both boys loved; imam bayaldi for me (a nice healthy eggplant/raisin/walnut dish), Chicken Couscous for the Dad (one of his favorites there), plus rice pilaf for boy.

There was plenty of room to wander in the short interval before the food came.

We would definitely consider taking Boy there again - we do miss us some Greek food, though I know that some nights they are much busier than they were last night.

Oh - and they have a full bar, though I didn't avail myself of it last night!

Sicilian Thing (North Park) - and What a Thing it is!

Trying to work on my backlog, time to write about Sicilian Thing in North Park.

Have mentioned it before: BEST PIZZA IN SD ALONG WITH BONGIORNO'S. Honestly, I can't pick a winner, because they both are super-authentic and delicious, just different recipes. Paul, the owner-pizzamaker, who is from Philly, is awesome. He opened the place so he could make Sicilian pies (do I need to explain that they're square?), but he also does round pies too. Awesome Sicilian, so many choices (I like corner cheese, of course, but also love his fresh mushroom). But the round pies are nothing to sneer at, and definitely rival Mike Bongiorno's pies. I like the Barack-oli ricotta (shout out to the POTUS); last summer's seasonal eggplant pie was great; and the cheese pie is yummy too. Cheap, great views of city buses out the window for Toddler, close enough to Trolley Barn park for a combo outing. Parking can sometimes be tricky but is usually fine. It's not around the corner from us, but every once in a while, we drive down for our fix!

NY Giant Pizza (RB)

Well, this place also will never beat Bongiorno's in a taste test. But in case it's helpful for someone, just wanted to say that the pizza was definitely decent. Went to a birthday party in RB, and this was a welcome change from the Domino's that is so often served at toddler parties. MuseumGirl says they are related to the NY Giant Pizza on India St., and that that place is perfectly passable too (she said good, I think, but I do have pizza standards to uphold - plus I don't think I'll choose it over Saffron or El Indio when I'm in those parts :)). The giant pizza came out to 30 slices when cut in squares.

Anyway, this wasn't a foodie treat, but a better-than-lots-of-others Toddler birthday option....

No babysitting set up for a while....we need to make some plans to hit some other places on my list. I think Kitchen 1540 is probably next in the queue to try, esp. because of Dr. T's praise for it!

Another catchup post: Gaslamp/EV restaurants

Ok, here are my thoughts on some downtown spots:

NEIGHBORHOOD: Oh, how I love thee! Neighborhood is awesome. Very inexpensive, farm-to-table sandwiches and salads, awesome yummy beer, hip and casual, great happy hour too (local SD beers 2-1). Am always happy to have an excuse to go!

TIN FISH: Tried it once, lived up to the Yelp reviews. Yummy fish and chips, very nice location with trolley views.

SULTAN SHWARMA: SabraGirl told me about this place, said it's the best felafel in SD. She is so totally right. Very small and unpretentious - outrageously yummy. Would totally go again. Liked it better than Kebab Shop (though I only tried their Mira Mesa location. It was tasty but nowhere near as good as Sultan Shwarma). Would be very happy to go again when in the neighborhood! They also have nice (but limited sidewalk seating).

CURRANT BRASSERIE: I have only been twice: once when it first opened with the previous chef/French concept, and once recently now that it's an American brasserie. Love the room, love the happy hour, everything I've had there has been scrumptious. Dr. T. went and didn't love it, but he said his friends did, and I just sent a large party and they loved it too. (So maybe try again, Dr. T.!)

Ok, I'm more caught up now!

Quick catchup post on some old visits: Bice, Alchemy

Going to clean up the backlog by doing a double post.

Bice: DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE! Everyone is treating it like the second coming. (well, it was here once before and did return). It was good, not worth a second visit. Of course, we didn't try the notorious cheese bar. The atmosphere was ok but nothing special (maybe it's less disco than the rest of the Gaslamp which is why people are going crazy?). My pappardelle was pretty yummy. The rest of the meal was just good. Certainly not better than Piatti, the recently defunct Venice, or other places in town. DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!

Alchemy: Hype, hype, hype! This place won best new restaurant for 2008 in SD Mag. Oh, and did I see why! We went on one of the walkabout nights in South Park so it was even a better deal. But it is both hip and cazh (that's how we said casual back in the day); outrageously yummy food; very reasonable. The only thing was that the wines by the glass are more than I think they should be for the rest of the concept ($8-10). But I'd be thrilled to go there again. Was fun, lots of veggie options, very cute. (They don't take reservations, though, and the night we went it turned out to be more mobbed than they expected).

Ok, two down!

Alborz (Del Mar)

So it's about time to blog about Alborz. I'm not a Persian food expert, but friends tell me it's the best Persian in SD. It's a longtime takeout favorite of ours.

The boys both like the chicken-lemon-lentil soup. Dad loves the chicken barg kebab. Boy loves the rice, Greek salad (cukes, tomatoes, lettuce, feta and a yummy dressing), and bread. Mom usually gets veget. gheimeh bademjan (lentils/eggplant) or the regular eggplant stew; I also like the veggie dolmeh, the crispy rice and the eggplant/yogurt appetizer. Portions are huge, the owners are friendly, and the food is yummy.

Eat in is probably fine too, but we've never ventured a try with Boy (not sure how fast the food would come and whether he could wander as much as he likes).

Definitely worth a visit/takeout if you haven't been!

Opera Patisserie (SV)

Finally took Toddler here after a year of thinking about it. He's gotten a little better about staying put....Esp. here there is so much to see - trucks and cars on Carroll Canyon, mirrors in the restaurant to watch his face as he's chewing, etc.

Ok, onto the food....Opera is a real French cafe. I like it a lot - great sandwiches and patisseries. My only gripe is that they are totally inflexible about customizing, because they ship the sandwiches up premade from their industrial kitchen in the morning (so I can get a yummy seared salmon sandwich, but they will not put it on whole wheat, because only the grilled cheese sandwiches are premade that way). And they have a bit of an attitude. But love the soups, pastries, truffle fries, etc....and it's quick-serve and pleasant. You don't feel like you're in an office park.

The food was not awesome for Toddler: after a few bites he decided he didn't like his quiche (spinach is not one of his favorite vegetables, and it is the only veg. one they have). Usually he loves salad but declared this yukky. However, once he got an order of fries he was very content (they are very good, esp. if you get them with truffles). He would have liked a dessert but we tried to steer him away. The Dad liked his chicken sandwich. We'd probably all come back again soon if Toddler liked his food more, but it's definitely worth returning in a few months so that we can have a decent meal ourselves and he can still have fun. Very refreshing not to have Bongiorno's on a Sat....Not quite a trip to France but we'll take it!

Oh - and this is of course at the magical corner of Mira Mesa and Scranton/Carroll Canyon, next to Sher E Punjab....On weekends it's only open for Sat. breakfast and lunch.

Naomi reviews Ba Ren and Dede's (Kearny/Clairemont Mesa)

I was wild about Ba Ren the first time I went with colleagues (hi, Dr. T.!), and have sent people there who were very happy, though when I took the Dad with me it wasn't as yummy as the first time. But it still should get its due. Here's Naomi Wise's new review of it and Dede's (which I have liked when I've gone, but is not nearly as friendly as Dumpling Inn, my Convoy fave).

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2010/apr/21/restaurant-review-pecks-pickled-peppers/

Tender Greens! (Liberty Station/Point Loma)

How is it possible that I have not yet blogged about Tender Greens? Tender Greens is the holy grail of toddler-friendly, foodie-friendly places. We've been at least 10 times in the last year...and we don't even live close by. Oh Tender Greens, why do we love you so??

--Farm-to-table grilled veggies - if they were any fresher you'd be crawling in the rows at the farm...and these are deliciously seasoned

--Farm-to-table salads....which Toddler loves too

--Brilliantly simple menu: grilled tuna, chicken, or steak....or veggies....with your choice of the greatest mashed potatoes ever, plus a great salad....or on a sandwich with out-of-this-world bread from Con Pane Rustic, with grilled veggies and a salad-->or a "composed salad" with a protein

--Delicious wine by the glass (Toddler was being relatively calm, so I permitted myself to have a Loire Valley white)

--Stupendous soups (the tomato soup and chicken soup, which they have all the time, are wonderful...but the soup of the day has never disappointed....once I had cream of asparagus with blood orange oil; today a plain 'ol potato leek with chives that was awesome)

--Inexpensive concept: $5.50 for a salad alone, or $10.50 for a plate with everything.

--Kid's menu with quesadilla or grilled cheese, or a grilled protein, plus mashed potato and veggies....it's slightly too gourmet for Toddler, but he is crazy for their salads and bread and tomato soup, and will nibble at the gourmet quesadilla

--Have I mentioned the cupcakes?

I also have left out all the wonderful park space nearby (the regular open space near the restaurant, plus the Liberty Station playground 2 blocks away); the fountains where someone can walk with Toddler if he's particularly antsy, while the other person is enjoying their gourmet meal and remembering what it's like to have a delicious meal out.

Oh - and it's quick casual. You order at the counter and your food comes a few minutes later.

And if Toddler is very good, Cold Stone Creamery is only a few stores down.

Did I mention the airplanes you can watch from the patio?

Thus ends my ode to Tender Greens....Fairouz, you're another of our unblogged-about favorites....we're probably due for a visit in the next month...stay tuned!

Regent's Pizza (UTC)

Thanks for the idea, NYUGirl! I can't say it will ever beat Bongiorno's in a taste test. But it was a nice change of pace (the NY style is not super-authentic, but it was tasty)....and open on Sundays, which Bongiorno's MM is not. Great for a post-mall outing. The Dad got a chicken parm sandwich, which he can't get at Bongiorno's, plus a nice salad. Boy was being the welcoming committee for all the UCSD students - some were amused, some not into a 2yo. But we had fun. Nice to know about! (they also have Chicago-style but we didn't try it).

East Village Asian Diner (Encinitas)

Either my boy is getting more well-behaved, I'm becoming a better disciplinarian, or something is in the water. Lately he sits for 80% of a meal. Pretty exciting!

Last night: East Village Asia Diner. Brand-new in Encinitas. French culinary inst. grad, I think, doing a quick-casual concept (the Pantry in RSF is their other restaurant).

In short: hip, casual, fast, artisanal, flavorful, fun...and toddler-friendly! Boy announced that it smelled like poop when we arrived and that he didn't want to stay (he had the same reaction to Solana Beach Fish House) but I just bent down and told him we were staying or he wouldn't get his books before bedtime....That was the end of that. He gradually decided he was having a great time: tons of red chopsticks on the table (toys!); TVs everywhere; nice view of highway 101 (=city buses and other cool vehicles). Very friendly service. Inexpensive and creative/flavorful Asian dishes (I got the monk's dish; the Dad liked his chicken teriyaki; and boy loved his lime-yuzu salad dressing and the really cool side salad they brought him, plus his tofu teriyaki bowl.

Of course in the car, he said he hadn't liked it at all and that it smelled like poop. But today he said he wanted to go there again instead of to Bongiorno's. So I'm thinking that means he really did like it....

Alive again! Some recent food excursions: Kabul West (SV)

Toddlerhood, work, and getting sick have kept me out of commission for a while. But I'm back! Here's the first one while I have a minute...

Back to Scranton Food Court....This time I went to Kabul West, another one of my favorites. Delicious Afghan food. Sometimes I get the veg combo. This time got grilled fish kebabs, delicious rice, and asked for spinach instead of salad (is much better). Also comes with bread and delicious homemade chutneylike things.

Worth passing up Sitar sometimes!!

More on other excursions when I have time! East Village Asian Diner was tonight with the boys, brand-spanking new, very yummy! (Encinitas)

Shout out to The Place (Rolando/Coll. Area)

Well, this doesn't count as eating out. But in my working mom lifestyle, it's even better! We've gotten a lot of prepared foods this week from The Place, a kosher Israeli/Moroccan restaurant E. of SDSU. Boaz, the chef, is a culinary god (he's also tall and handsome :)). Some of his delicious dishes that we've been enjoying: brisket, moroccan beet salad, potato kugel, and eggplant salads. It's easier and yummier than cooking it all ourselves, and enables us to eat with family and friends chez nous!

Wahoo's (La Jolla)/Spectacular toddler behavior day

Something was either in the water today or our efforts at being firm with discipline were working. Not only was today a pleasure overall, but we had very easy meals at both of the Dad's favorite places: Bongiorno's for lunch and Wahoo's (La Jolla) for dinner. (The Dad would eat at both of them for every meal out if he could :)). Boy actually picked Bongiorno's for lunch, which he got to do because he was being delightful; and then Dad picked Wahoo's for dinner, and Boy stayed put in his seat because he was enthralled by seeing all manner of construction and traffic on Pearl St. out of the window. Wahoo's of course has grilled fish and chicken; quesadillas; delicious tofu, teriyaki veggies and brown rice, etc. etc. There is plenty for a toddler to look at, the service is friendly, the prices are right, and food comes out quickly and is healthy. Hence we go there frequently.

I'll be signing off for a few days because I won't be eating out much this week. Looking forward to some more adventures after that!

Bite (Hillcrest)

Playing with Boy on weekend and doing errands doesn't leave much time for Foodie Mom to post.

So....in the spirit of tweets (but slightly longer).

Bite: hip vibe, super-friendly service, nicely spaced tables, food tasty but not spectacular. Worth one visit, don't think we'll go again. (If you live in the 'hood then maybe more often). Chris Walsh = talented but his food isn't as cravable for us as other chefs in town.

There you go, readers! Happy customers...but customers who'll keep on trying new places! (Oh - Urban Solace and Alchemy are much more crave-worthy for the Cal-Amer-hip vibe)

Michele Coulon, Baby!! (cake, La Jolla)

Lovely late birthday celebration with family tonight. Simple dinner. But the Sweetie "took the cake" by bringing home a chocolate mousse/ganache/meringue cake for me from Michele Coulon in La Jolla. OH BOY! Delectable Belgian chocolate cake....absolutely worthy of a big birthday. Michele Coulon pastry shop has the best cakes (they have lunch too but that's less exciting).

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR A SPECIAL OCCASION...YUM, YUM!! (Of course the Toddler couldn't resist smooshing his hand in before we even put the candles in, but who can blame him....it was too tempting sitting there waiting to be eaten....A mountain of decadent chocolate goodness).

Ralph's and VG's: your cakes are perfectly yummy for toddler birthday parties. But this cake was all about MOM!!!! (and Boy loved it too, which was a nice bonus).

Want to know the buzz? Ask me first! (Jai again)

Here's NW's account of Jai's status....You heard it here first.

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2010/mar/24/restaurant-review-your-neighborhood-azerbaijan/

(see bottom of review for where I helped clarify things on her blog! :))

The restaurant she's reviewing sounds interesting, but is probably not high on my list to try next. If anyone goes there first, tell me about it!

Grant Grill (downtown)

Report on my birthday dinner this week at Grant Grill: AWESOME! NOT REMOTELY DISAPPOINTING! (last year at Roseville and George's in the past turned out to be less than ideal birthday choices - I hate choosing a "top" place for my birthday and then it doesn't live up to the hype).

ATMOSPHERE: Super-classy without being stuffy. Love the room - wood panels but comfy cream colored booths - glimpse of the street outside so it feels buzzy and urban. Thurs. nights there is live jazz in the bar. When we got there at 7:15 the bar was packed but we were the first patrons in the dining room, lots of privacy.

SERVICE: Terrific! Loved the waiter - took very good care of us. Promised me that if I didn't like my cocktail (was hesitating about what to order), he'd whisk it away and let me make another choice. Let me taste two different dessert wines too. He was very enthusiastic about the chef - told us just the right amount about his philosophy but not too much lecturing.

COCKTAIL: Awesome! Horton House = a kind of liquored egg cream. Chocolatey, cognacy, delectable....

BREAD: They take loving care in their daily baked bread, and it's like nowhere else in town. Totally flavor-rich, yeasty focaccia with herbs and EVOO, baked to order....served with butter and smoked salt. Definitely a signature of the restaurant.

APP: Loved my beet salad, scarfed it up. The Sweetie (he gets not to be the Dad on date nights) had a delicious farmer's green salad (thought it was too heavily dressed for me, but perfect for him - but I loved the dressing and the delicious roasted veggies with it)

ENTREE: The Sweetie loved his steak; I ate some of his potatoes au gratin (not his thing). My local California sea bass was lukewarm at first; they took it away and brought it back not hot but at least warm. Flavors were delicious - cubed sauteed sweet potatoes, grapefruit (they're doing a citrus theme this time of year across the menu), olives, lime keffir broth. Yum!

DESSERT: The only disappointing part of the meal. Chocolate pain perdu was pretty dry. But they brought a complimentary piece of chocolate hazelnut brittle>

BONSUES: It's pricey but restaurant.com can at least save you $23 if you get a $25 certif. for $2 on sale. Plus Sue Palmer (of SP and her Red Hot Orchestra) happened to be one of the patrons in the bar, and the band made her and her trombone player get up and do a song. Had to get out of my seat and go watch them - that was some red hot jazz right there!

DOWNSIDE: Felt totally overstuffed after, not like at Jai. Food sat in my stomach a bit all night. The Sweetie didn't have this problem....But the experience was an absolute 9.5 out of 10 - just perfect for a special birthday out, and a whole lot better than other places.

Yeah - this time my research paid off and the place was better than expected!!!!

Next on our list....Bite....stay tuned, dear readers!