Katana (Carmel Valley): So-so

Takeout from Katana (it has become a standby). It seems to be slipping, but not so much that we won't stop ordering, at least for now.

CH: liked his miso soup + chicken teriyaki

SB, getting over a tummyache a few days ago and still on modified BRAT to get him set for candy-day tomorrow, had miso soup, rice, and edamame and seemed content

Me: miso soup in styrofoam: tasted chemically
--edamame: really bland, most boring edamame ever
--Ichiko roll: not on the print menu; spicy fake crab, avo, tuna on top, spicy mayo: pretty tasty, with or without soy-wasabi; best part of the meal, reason I would still order again
--salmon nigiri: fine, inoffensive

I wish they were more consistent!

I love San Diego!!! (a post doped-up on veg Indian food)

I really need to get east of Scranton Road more often!!!

We are invited to a Diwali party tonight. Potluck Indian. No point cooking Indian - CH can't stand the smell of the spices. (this is why foodie mom snatches every possible opportunity to get her Indian food fix at lunch on the run). No problem, I thought: I'll head down during quiet time to grab some sweets at Surati Farsan market. It ain't home-cooked, but who's going to complain when I bring mango, coconut, rose, and pistachio sweets from Surati Farsan?

Got there - street fair in the Little India parking lot! They're just setting up, so there were still spots in the lot. But so much Diwali excitement in the air! Booths advertising veg Indian treat after veg Indian treat were set up, but not selling yet, which whetted my appetite.

Went in, got my sweets, headed to the car....but couldn't leave Little India without a savory Indian treat (too bad if I'm going to a potluck - I needed instant Indian gratification). So I headed right back into Surati Farsan for a snack.

SURATI FARSAN MARKET is so ridiculously tasty (I hate to say it, but even yummier than Sitar or Sher e Punjab). I never get savory stuff there, but I really should. Got a little bowl of dodhi chana curry, with one roti. Chana should be chickpeas, and they told me it was with kambocha squash; it was actually a kambocha-lentil combo. Ridiculously good - chemically ridiculously good. Good Indian food makes a happy-making reaction in my body (I'm not speaking figuratively - don't know exactly what causes it). A few bites and I was on a ridiculous Indian food high.

If you see this before the evening, head on down to Little India. How's that for an unexpected food adventure while on a short break from SuperBoy? I LOVE SAN DIEGO!!!

Urban Plates Takeout Review (Carmel Valley)

Trying more things on the menu....

Got a 4-Up tonight: 4 hot or cold sides instead of an entree.

Salad: uh-oh, this is not as exciting as when the place opened. Too much dressing and/or sitting around in a container with hot food and getting steamed?

Quinoa/edamame salad: still ridiculously tasty

Mashed potatoes: good, not in the same league as Tender Greens, though

Mushrooms/leeks: still good

Grilled bread: delicious

Also got the coconut-lemon cake for the first time. Super-yummy

And I loved stealing part of SB's whole wheat grilled cheese sandwich. They make the tastiest grilled cheese ever!

So overall, some less exciting notes, but still lots of tasty choices.

Fairouz (Sports Arena)

Delish dinner at Fairouz (the Palestinian - er make that "Greek/Middle Eastern" - place on Midway).

SB dressed up so he would look extra special. He knew George, the owner/host, would be happy to see him.

Some of SB's faves:
--lentil soup
--hummus and pita
--cooked carrots
--carrot halva dessert (with coconut and honey)
--sugar cookies

Cute Husband enjoyed:
--hummus and pita
--some kind of chicken :)
--spicy carrot salad

My faves of the night
--stewed green beans
--stewed zucchini
--lemony potatoes
--spicy chickpea salad
--hummus
--carrot halva
--rosewater pudding desserts

Wasn't as crazy last night about the okra, baba ghanoush, broccoli-quichey thing (unfamiliar name), lentil soup (ok, not super-delish).

Fairouz is wonderful because it's a fixed price ($13.95), you don't have to wait for your food to arrive, and they have a stamp card. So last night we got one free meal, and ate like princes for $20 for all 3 of us (with drinks). Yum!!

Alchemy + Somewhere Review (Old Globe) (or two Latinos that I love: Ricardo Heredia and Priscilla Lopez)

Sick Cute Husband on date night..... :( He didn't feel up to taking care of SB, so we kept the babysitter and I went on date night (Alchemy + theater) with Sabragirl.

Very quick....love, love, love Alchemy, even if every dish wasn't equally spectacular

--Farmer's Market salad: very good, yummy blue cheese was the best component for me (sabragirl loved the grilled onions and kept marvelling at the idea, which she needs to copy at home)

--Mixed Grain salad: this is one of his longtime veg classics on the menu, but I wasn't that excited about it. I get it: it's healthy, high fiber, low fat, low carb. But it's not as flavorful or exciting as other things. Was ok.

--Bourek: I wouldn't have ordered this (too carby and buttery), but Sabragirl wanted to check out how he made it. SUPER YUMMY!!!! LOVED LOVED loved it (phyllo horn stuffed with feta)

--INSIDE-OUT RAVIOLI: spectacular dish of the night; Ricardo Heredia is so creative. The filling is on the outside....it doesn't seem that spectacular til you see it. Super delicious flat pasta (would have been the filled ravioli); green pellets of spinach-ricotta; and flat crispy discs of parmesan cheese. Exciting, playful, etc.

Then we saw somewhere at the Old Globe. FANTASTIC. I will be shocked if this show doesn't transfer to Broadway, or at least to a major Off-Broadway theater. What a treat to see in the little Sheryl and Harvey White theater (and in the front row, inches away from Priscilla Lopez!). All of the actors were fabulous (Jon Rua is amazing, Juan Cardenas is rather hunky [not more than CH of course], and and Priscilla Lopez is.... f***ing Priscilla Lopez!). The whole audience was smiling during most of the show. It was delightful and happy-making but also complex, poignant, etc. There were certainly some moments of shock where we all held our breath. The second act needs shortening by 10 mins., but otherwise this is a DO NOT MISS PLAY, absolutely one of the best plays I've ever seen in SD (up there with Laramie Project, Jersey Boys, Memphis, and Sleeping Beauty Wakes). It is not a musical, but it's a family drama about a family that loves music, so there's some wonderful dancing. Here's a synposis: http://www.theoldglobe.org/tickets/production.aspx?PID=8958.

Foodfarm Food Truck?

If you've tried this truck: http://www.foodfarmsd.com/category/menu/, please let me know! Sounds intriguing, hits CV on the same day (Wed.) as MIHO.

Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria (Encinitas): Takeout

We found ourselves in Solana Beach near dinner time on a cranky day for SB, and decided to call Blue Ribbon for takeout. The loot in short:

--still love the signature pizza: still don't like lemon in general but love love love this ricotta and lemon zest pizza

--still not crazy about their tomato-sauce based pies, but SB is fine with them

--sweet corn soup: CH and I agree that it's DYNAMITE. $10 a portion, but the portions are big enough for 2 generous bowls, so it's less obscene than it sounds. (Though it's cheaper than if Wade Hageman was still at Blanca!)

--salad with peaches, blue cheese, and almonds: absolutely fabulous; was thrilled to have some leftover for the next day

--butterscotch pudding: what more is there to say? It's salty and sweet and ridiculously tasty.

Not the best seating environment for Boy, but we have to remember to do takeout once in a while. Love WH's food!

And on a more modest note, must give a shoutout to Waters in Solana Beach for the fabulous albacore salad and roasted vegetables I had today....

Urban Plates (Carmel Valley): Curbside Pickup Review

After lots of reports from friends that they have had great experiences at Urban Plates in the last two weeks as they get more organized, I asked the boys if they wanted to go tonight. SB is usually up for a "re-trant" anytime I ask, but tonight he said, "No, Mommy, I'm too tired. I want to stay home." I was feeling toxic with white carbs (ate way too much potato kugel, challah and matza balls in the last few days), and had been craving a simple UP dinner of grilled tuna, salad and quinoa/edamame. CH proposed my giving their curbside service a try.

VERDICT: It's a wonderful service - you drive up to the back to the 10 min spots, call in, and they bring out your food....Only problem: they forgot my salad! However, when I phoned they were very gracious and not only took that portion of my food off, but my entire ahi plate. So I will definitely give it another try; I take it as opening kinks, and it was very good customer service of them to comp my entree altogether.

FOOD: CH ordered a margarita pizzette. He wasn't thrilled with it (he thought it would have sauce, not be cheese, basil, and whole tomatoes). However, SB loved it and ate it all up.

--Urban Kids: SB got grilled cheese again. Since he was eating Dada's pizzette, I ate some of his sandwich. Ridiculously tasty ww bread, perfectly toasted. A very respectable sandwich. I resisted the homemade chips, since I'm trying to do carb detox. SB also ate my grilled ciabatta.

--My ahi platter. Very nice. But the real revelation this time was the QUINOA EDAMAME SALAD. Fantabulous. Healthy and cravable.

--Red pepper soup: This is the one item I still don't really like there. Tried it on the pre-opening and they were perfecting it. I don't really like it. It's too bad it's their only daily veg. soup and it's not that yummy.

Overall, I'm happy to keep exploring the delicious menu and will give curbside pickup another try!