Jyoti Bihanga/More on Urban Plates

Jyoti Bihanga: so freakin' delicious. When I first moved to SD and didn't know a ton of restaurants, I used to go there frequently. Now that I know so many more, and since CH doesn't eat veggie, I almost never go there. But when I make my yearly visit (usually with my visiting Mama), I am always struck by how yummy and fresh the food is. This time, I had a yummy fresh Indian kind-of-dal soup (it was not a traditional dahl); and the Buddha Burger, which was super-delish. Very wonderful bread, and a great veggie burger. Mom got the veggie stir fry, which she always loves and also the soup.

Urban Plates: Not always consistent. I think the salad has gone downhill. I wasn't wild about the kale (Jimbo's sesame kale is much better and the kale doesn't taste so raw and chewy). Mashed potatos are still good. The economics of meat/fish are interesting. For the $10 carve up, they give you massive quantities of steak if you order that, but only a little bit of ahi. I end up still hungry and CH is very full. I did enjoy the kids' pizzette that SB got (fabulous artisan bread crust), but he didn't.

Blue Point Coastal: Meh! (Gaslamp)

Now before I call Blue Point Coastal "meh," let me explain the standards by which I'm judging it.

Were I a tourist staying in the gaslamp, with an expense account, I probably would have found my meal and the atmosphere delightful. Atmosphere: buzzy yet elegant. Food: tasty.

And yet....I come already knowing the yummiest places around the county - AND knowing that the new chef, Daniel Barron, is a James Beard Award nominee for the Southwest, someone who got three stars at the restaurant he opened in NY, etc. So I'm going - and paying Blue Point Coastal prices ($30+ for entrees) - thinking this is going to elevate our local food standards and be super-exciting. I think he's known for molecular stuff too.

So in this context, when my food was merely tasty and normal, I say.... MEH!

Liked the atmosphere.

Liked the service.

Liked my St. Germain cocktail (had them custom-do something; cocktails on their signature menu seemed not up my alley for some reason).

Liked my spicy tuna wonton.

CH's salad: ok, boring.

Liked my thai basil crusted salmon with chevre polenta. Ate every morsel....and yet, it can't hold a candle to a Ricardo Heredia dish. Just plain "tasty" - not $32 tasty or James Beard nominee tasty or 3-star tasty.

My theory is that at this corporate Cohn restaurant in the Gaslamp, cooking for conventioneers, maybe he's had to dumb down his food. But as much as my meal and experience were perfectly fine, there's no need to go again - nor for my readers to try it!

If you want the fine dining experience in the gaslamp - go to Grant Grill! It's a whole lot more special - and quieter - and with more exciting food. If you want buzzy and great food - just go to Searsucker! It will still be cheaper, probably!

New York on Rye (roving food truck, deli)

The folks in front of me at the Miho line said this place has the best pastrami in SD:

http://newyorkonrye.com/

CH will have to check it out!

MIHO Gastrotruck (Carmel Valley); Yummy!

Hit Miho on High Bluff in Carmel Valley today.

Longish line, a fun and lively scene. (a bit of North Park crossed with office park!)

Food: great flavors. They actually messed up my grilled squash sandwich and only gave me the bottom half of it! But when I wrote them after lunch to double-check, they were very apologetic and told me that it is in fact supposed to be a sandwich with two pieces of bread, goat cheese, etc., and they sent me a coupon for a free entree. Even though the part I got by mistake wasn't filling, the flavors (grilled squash, spinach, rosemary focaccia, carmelized onions) were excellent. I'll definitely return to try more things.

Half a farro squash salad: $3.95 -tasty, very healthy, not quite as exciting in the flavors as the grilled squash sandwich.

Got lemon orzo soup for SB to eat at dinner ($3.25). He's all about the lemon. I tasted it - yum, light vegetarian broth, with celery etc.

They also had a bacon chocolate chip cookie which they were sold out of by the time I got there! (some disappointed folks!). And homemade drinks too which people thought were yummy.

Got to hit Miho again if I can remember when it's on High Bluff! Am interested in Foodfarm too but don't know much about it, and they never change the menu on their website.

Burlap (Carmel Valley): O how I love thee, Rachel the pastry chef!

I'm now settling into Burlap (3rd visit). I have decided I only like going on off-nights, catching up with a girlfriend in the comfy couches in the bar area. Feels much hipper and more intimate than the rest of the airport-hangar restaurant. (there are other places I like to go for dates with CH!).

Tonight's plan: Snake Oil cocktail, split some dishes, try a new Rachel King dessert (yes, I had to track down her last name - the (ungracious?) Brian Malarkey gives her no prominence on the websites for either restaurant, let alone post her dessert menus!).

We got:
--the Snake Oil guys' newest Burlap cocktail, a hibiscus something (the online menu also shows no love to them and doesn't list the cocktails); my favorite cocktail there so far, very subtle, not as crazy as the other "Asian-inspired" cocktails on their Burlap menu

--field greens salad: had gotten it before; this time there were persimmons instead of strawberries. This is still a yummy salad, and one of the better values on the menu, since 2 can split it for $7

--miso cod: Yelpers rave about this; it's tasty, but at $30 without any side dishes, not any better than the versions available around town for a fraction of the price; wouldn't order this again unless I had money to burn

--cauliflower with curry yogurt sauce: yum. love Brian Malarkey's cauliflower dishes, and this is a nice sized portion for $7

--Rachel's green tea mousse and condensed milk cake: I had gotten this before, but my companion, hiphopgirl, wanted to try it (and I said it was yummy). Still tasty: the crunchies (puffed rice here) were my fave.

--Rachel's new devil's food cake with homemade chocolate ice cream, chocolate ganache, chocolate square with ramen crunch, and creme anglaise. Super tasty. More well-balanced than any of the desserts I have had of hers so far - I liked the whole thing a whole lot. Fewer crunchies than on her other dishes, as it was a small smattering of ramen crunch on the chocolate square. But I ate this all up - it's a perfect chocolate dessert if one wants chocolate!

Still a steep tab: $90 pre-tip, including a shared salad, shared entree, shared side dish, 2 cocktails and 2 desserts. But for a splurgey girls' night out, I've now decided that Burlap is my place. (I'll still head to Searsucker for date night with CH, though!)

Don't cry for Red Robin (Carmel Valley)

So it's the big joke of the Ralph's shopping center renovation (Del Mar Highlands) that Red Robin is the big loser. It used to be packed on a Fri or Sat. because there were no other decent family-friendly choices in the neighborhood. With the Counter and the other restaurants open, no lines anymore at Red Robin. They can't be happy.

Well, we went tonight (SB wanted to play video games, which they do have there, and he was a good boy so he got to pick the restaurant). I remembered why it's never my first choice.

--slow service

--they can never get a veggie burger properly cooked. I appreciate that they allow you to sub in one for anything on the menu. But mine always comes out lukewarm. Today the sweet potato fries were lukewarm too.

I do appreciate the skinny margarita. It was kind of sickeningly sweet, but at 130 calories for something limey, drinkable and alcoholic that I could drink while I helped SB eat his grilled cheese, it was a nice treat.

I'm sure we'll go again - SB is not as picky about food as his dear old mom. But they deserve losing the business they're losing. I would have had a much better burger and dinner at the Counter!

Passage to India (Encinitas)

I never remember to go here, and think of it as dark and the service as not that friendly. But I hadn't been for maybe 3 years. Found myself between errands/meetings in Encinitas last week and decided to pop in here to get a fast meal and satisfy my Indian craving.

They actually have one of the better standard-issue Northern-Indian buffets in the county. Very large, lots of choice. And it was tasty. Some of the highlights:

--very fresh pakora

--delicious carrot halva (I didn't want to overeat so didn't try their gulab jamun, the other choice)

--4 or 5 veg curries

Price was steep relative to other buffets - $12.95. I'd of course rather just go to Sitar if I was over there and there was no line. But this was very good for a fast, filling, quality Indian meal.

There was a big table nearby of moms and their toddler girls, so you could make a lunch party out of it if you had toddler-in-tow and your toddler ate Indian food (SB doesn't anymore - so sad since his spice tolerance lowered dramatically after he turned 13 mos or so!)