Sunday, September 26, 2010
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!
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!!!!!!!
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! :))
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.
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.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
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!
--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!
Friday, September 10, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, September 6, 2010
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/
http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/August-2010/Best-of-San-Diego/
Saturday, September 4, 2010
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!!
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!!
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