We heard raves about this place.
Must be folks from Omaha or something, or anti-foodies. Food wasn't bad....it was fine, well-prepared. But it was not inventive in any way, very ho hum.
Bread: maybe the best part of the meal, warm and tasty
Cocktail: Green Dragon Mojito, fine
Appetizer: Ch didn't like his corn soup; my salad was good enough
Mains: CH not very impressed with his steak. My salmon with veggies was well-prepared. Nothing remarkable about it. Certainly not cravable.
Side of corn: meh.
Dessert: Very boring choices, circa 1985. Chocolate "Godiva" lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream was the least old-fashioned on the menu (ha!). It was fine. Wasn't oohing or ahing. But it was relatively tasty.
Service: A little too intrusive. It's better than being inattentive, but they always seemed to be fussing with things at the table. But good overall.
Bill: $$$$$$$$$
Table was comfy, had quiet conversation, so a nice evening. No need to go here or recommend it, though if someone else is paying and you're not craving exciting food it's not bad.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
La Gran Terrazza Review (USD): Yum!
Quick take on La Gran Terrazza. Beautiful! Beautiful view! Limited menu (3 choices per course on this weeknight), but very yummy.
Enjoyed: very fresh, tasty caesar salad.
Nice fresh bread, especially the asiago bread.
Decent sangria.
DELECTABLE salmon with hazelnuts and cabbage. One of the best fish dishes I've eaten in SD in a while. Simple but very well-prepared and great flavors.
Dessert: very pleasing lemon ginger panna cotta.
Service: occasionally got a dish confused but otherwise extremely professional and warm.
My visiting Mom declares it is her new favorite restaurant in SD. I wouldn't go that far, but I would be happy to return. (We had great company too, including the ever-fun Dr. T.!).
Enjoyed: very fresh, tasty caesar salad.
Nice fresh bread, especially the asiago bread.
Decent sangria.
DELECTABLE salmon with hazelnuts and cabbage. One of the best fish dishes I've eaten in SD in a while. Simple but very well-prepared and great flavors.
Dessert: very pleasing lemon ginger panna cotta.
Service: occasionally got a dish confused but otherwise extremely professional and warm.
My visiting Mom declares it is her new favorite restaurant in SD. I wouldn't go that far, but I would be happy to return. (We had great company too, including the ever-fun Dr. T.!).
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Veladora Restaurant Review (Rancho Santa Fe)
Hit Veladora for a post-Valentine's Day dinner.
REMODEL: Beautiful. Feels like a secret getaway far away, not a few miles off the 5. Love the art. Tables are well-spaced. Totally different than its previous golf club look. Beautiful courtyard and lighting.
TABLES: Nice looking, but we agreed with folks on Yelp or Open Table who said they were not 100% comfortable. We were kind of too far from the table, had to lean forward.
SERVICE: Very friendly. Attentive at first, but then slower than we would expect at these prices.
FOOD: Very good, cutting-edge. Eric Bauer (formerly of Anthology) has gone crazy here with Chino produce and innnovative flavors.
BREAD
--Decent warm rolls, kind of interesting combo of EVOO-balsalmic-parmiagano reggiana
DRINKS
--Got a mocktail of organic strawberries, agave nectar and lime juice. Perfect! (and they only charged me $6 instead of what it would cost with alcohol - bonus!)
AMUSE-BOUCHE
--cute little deep-fried kale and parmesan soup (spoon of soup deep-fried = hollowed-out tasty fritter). Even CH liked it, and I don't think of him as a kale fan.
APPS
--CH got the carrot and squash soup with spiced mascarpone and some other yummy components. We both thought it was terrific. He saved me a few spoons.
--I got the market vegetable salad. In a sense it was more "boring" than his soup, which showed more cooking flair and a more complex flavor profile. HOWEVER, it was incredibly light, refreshing and tasty. The vegetables were all shown off beautifully. I ate every morsel up, including the crème fraîche, herb pesto and "beet soil" at the bottom. It was certainly tasty and virtuous. Would probably get the soup next time.
ENTREES
--Cute Husband got the cap steak ($45). He enjoyed it - said it was "very good." He substituted smoked carrots for the brussels and thought they were delicious. His plate was substantial.
--I got Squash Tortellini with Umami Consommé in an entree size. It was very tiny for $29. However, it was extremely tasty and innovative. Ate up every morsel.
DESSERT
--CH was not hungry, since he had a substantial soup and a large entree. I was starving, since I had a light appetizer and small entree. I bypassed a very yummy sounding ricotta cheesecake with salted caramel ice cream and chestnuts for a tarte tatin, which I was somehow more in the mood for. It was as I expected. Wasn't anything innovative (in fact, it wasn't as good as the strudel I had at Crush last week). BUT it was tasty, properly made. Warm stewed caramelized apples, with nice pastry, nice crispy thing, and good vanilla bean ice cream. I happily ate it up. On another night I'd be in the mood for something more innovative.
BONUS DESSERT
--Little plate of mignardaises: salted caramels and passion-fruit jelly. Jelly was fine. Caramels were excellent - too bad there were only 2 of them! We could have eaten more.
Will we return right away? Probably not. Not cheap, and would have liked more attentive service. But it's beautiful, and the food is very yummy and certainly innovative in places. It will be worth another visit in a while! (Am planning my next visit to Grant Grill, though, which still has my crown for the combo of FANTASTIC cocktails-elegant atmosphere-terrific service-very good food).
REMODEL: Beautiful. Feels like a secret getaway far away, not a few miles off the 5. Love the art. Tables are well-spaced. Totally different than its previous golf club look. Beautiful courtyard and lighting.
TABLES: Nice looking, but we agreed with folks on Yelp or Open Table who said they were not 100% comfortable. We were kind of too far from the table, had to lean forward.
SERVICE: Very friendly. Attentive at first, but then slower than we would expect at these prices.
FOOD: Very good, cutting-edge. Eric Bauer (formerly of Anthology) has gone crazy here with Chino produce and innnovative flavors.
BREAD
--Decent warm rolls, kind of interesting combo of EVOO-balsalmic-parmiagano reggiana
DRINKS
--Got a mocktail of organic strawberries, agave nectar and lime juice. Perfect! (and they only charged me $6 instead of what it would cost with alcohol - bonus!)
AMUSE-BOUCHE
--cute little deep-fried kale and parmesan soup (spoon of soup deep-fried = hollowed-out tasty fritter). Even CH liked it, and I don't think of him as a kale fan.
APPS
--CH got the carrot and squash soup with spiced mascarpone and some other yummy components. We both thought it was terrific. He saved me a few spoons.
--I got the market vegetable salad. In a sense it was more "boring" than his soup, which showed more cooking flair and a more complex flavor profile. HOWEVER, it was incredibly light, refreshing and tasty. The vegetables were all shown off beautifully. I ate every morsel up, including the crème fraîche, herb pesto and "beet soil" at the bottom. It was certainly tasty and virtuous. Would probably get the soup next time.
ENTREES
--Cute Husband got the cap steak ($45). He enjoyed it - said it was "very good." He substituted smoked carrots for the brussels and thought they were delicious. His plate was substantial.
--I got Squash Tortellini with Umami Consommé in an entree size. It was very tiny for $29. However, it was extremely tasty and innovative. Ate up every morsel.
DESSERT
--CH was not hungry, since he had a substantial soup and a large entree. I was starving, since I had a light appetizer and small entree. I bypassed a very yummy sounding ricotta cheesecake with salted caramel ice cream and chestnuts for a tarte tatin, which I was somehow more in the mood for. It was as I expected. Wasn't anything innovative (in fact, it wasn't as good as the strudel I had at Crush last week). BUT it was tasty, properly made. Warm stewed caramelized apples, with nice pastry, nice crispy thing, and good vanilla bean ice cream. I happily ate it up. On another night I'd be in the mood for something more innovative.
BONUS DESSERT
--Little plate of mignardaises: salted caramels and passion-fruit jelly. Jelly was fine. Caramels were excellent - too bad there were only 2 of them! We could have eaten more.
Will we return right away? Probably not. Not cheap, and would have liked more attentive service. But it's beautiful, and the food is very yummy and certainly innovative in places. It will be worth another visit in a while! (Am planning my next visit to Grant Grill, though, which still has my crown for the combo of FANTASTIC cocktails-elegant atmosphere-terrific service-very good food).
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Real Food and Spirits Review (Solana Beach Neapolitan pizzeria and bar)
Boys were not restaurant-ready last night but I was in the mood for something delicious, so I thought of where to try takeout from. Had seen a feature on Real Food and Spirits. The whole interview was a little absurd (women want ___; men want ___; women decide on where to go, so we added food for the women!). But it sounded like they had good Neapolitan pizza.
Atmosphere: chill, sophisticated neighborhood bar, cool for being in the Lomas Santa Fe strip mall near the tire store.
Entryway: oh! they have gelato from Bottega Italiana in UTC. I'd know that mojito gelato anywhere!
Servers: friendly, helped me with my carryout.
Food at home:
--Boys each got a kids' size pizza for $8. They were quite large. SuperBoy liked it, but Cute Husband did not. It really had a "kids" taste to it - mixture of mozzarella and cheddar, pretty sweet. CH is not interested in going to this place again.
--"Italian inspired" Caesar salad for $12. Fine, but very ordinary. Not humongous. Not worth $12, especially to eat at home.
--My margherita pizza: added eggplant to it. Tasty, not great. Certainly better than having to drive to North Park for neapolitan pizza. However, they told me it would be 30-40 mins. for takeout, and by the time I got there and brought the pizza home, it was C-O-L-D. So I had to heat it in the microwave and it lost something. Was tasty for dinner - not sure I'd spend time going to that restaurant v. other choices.
Looks like a cool place to have a drink with friends if you have time for that. Not my perfect place for a GNO. Not sure I'd do takeout from here again. HOWEVER, it's nice to have that gelato available in SB, and I think the place is open all day, not just for dinner. Yum....pistachio/coconut/chocolate/mojito gelato near Marshall's and Sprouts!
Atmosphere: chill, sophisticated neighborhood bar, cool for being in the Lomas Santa Fe strip mall near the tire store.
Entryway: oh! they have gelato from Bottega Italiana in UTC. I'd know that mojito gelato anywhere!
Servers: friendly, helped me with my carryout.
Food at home:
--Boys each got a kids' size pizza for $8. They were quite large. SuperBoy liked it, but Cute Husband did not. It really had a "kids" taste to it - mixture of mozzarella and cheddar, pretty sweet. CH is not interested in going to this place again.
--"Italian inspired" Caesar salad for $12. Fine, but very ordinary. Not humongous. Not worth $12, especially to eat at home.
--My margherita pizza: added eggplant to it. Tasty, not great. Certainly better than having to drive to North Park for neapolitan pizza. However, they told me it would be 30-40 mins. for takeout, and by the time I got there and brought the pizza home, it was C-O-L-D. So I had to heat it in the microwave and it lost something. Was tasty for dinner - not sure I'd spend time going to that restaurant v. other choices.
Looks like a cool place to have a drink with friends if you have time for that. Not my perfect place for a GNO. Not sure I'd do takeout from here again. HOWEVER, it's nice to have that gelato available in SB, and I think the place is open all day, not just for dinner. Yum....pistachio/coconut/chocolate/mojito gelato near Marshall's and Sprouts!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Urban Pi (Solana Beach): Yum for takeout
Drove home from late night at work with no dinner planned, craving Urban Pi. Got a delicious Skinny V, with some stuff added (olives, mushrooms, ricotta). Their pies are delish - especially without the yukky oregan-y tomato sauce. Loved the salad - a side only $4. The pie $7.50 for as much veggies as you want to throw on. Got SB a peanut butter-oatmeal cookie to have tomorrow ($2) - he and CH had already eaten! This place may be in my own regular takeout rotation even if CH isn't crazy about it. Fast, delish - love the crust!
(would you believe I almost spent $11 for a smoothie again? But the BBar was closed (closes around 4:30 or 5). Still a little sick and was craving an overpriced organic raw vegan smoothie....)
(would you believe I almost spent $11 for a smoothie again? But the BBar was closed (closes around 4:30 or 5). Still a little sick and was craving an overpriced organic raw vegan smoothie....)
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Two great shows: Clybourne Park and Brothers Size
Saw both of these recently in San Diego: Clybourne Park (SD Rep) and Brothers Size (Globe).
Clybourne Park: bitingly hilarious but very deep. Loved it. Everyone should see it. Great acting.
Brothers Size: More of a special play - not for everyone, but wonderful. Beautiful movement in the show - amazing cast of 3 (fine a$$ :)) dancer-actors, in a complex story weaving in Yoruba religion into injustice in Louisiana. Loved it too!
Clybourne Park: bitingly hilarious but very deep. Loved it. Everyone should see it. Great acting.
Brothers Size: More of a special play - not for everyone, but wonderful. Beautiful movement in the show - amazing cast of 3 (fine a$$ :)) dancer-actors, in a complex story weaving in Yoruba religion into injustice in Louisiana. Loved it too!
Grant Grill (downtown):
Went to Grant Grille last week before a concert. They were busy with opera patrons but still were pros at getting us in and out without feeling rushed.
Grant Grill is a classy f***ing joint. This is why it is my favorite restaurant. We dressed pretty casually, next to folks in tuxedos and floor-length gowns. We were treated the same. Great service. Super bread. Fantabulous Jeff Josenhans cocktail (got holiday in Cambodai - cognac, lime, jasmine infusion), with him wandering the dining room playing manager so I could emote to him in person about how delish it was. We shared the big delicious salad. I got the albacore pastrami (minus the speck ham) - had forgotten I had ordered it before. Was delish. I would only replace the onions that are the only vegetable on the plate - who really wants to eat a plate of onions - would rather have something healthier and more substantial. CH liked his meat (can't remember what he got).
We didn't order dessert, but they brought us four tiny, perfect mini-chocolate cookies with our check.
Again, Ricardo Heredia and Alchemy still reign as my #1 place to get your culinary mind blown. But Grant Grill is indeed a classy f***ing joint, that joins a friendly unpretentious elegance with great food and RIDICULOUSLY tasty cocktails. (I am completely sober now so am waxing at the memory of how good it was, not still under the influence.....)
Grant Grill is a classy f***ing joint. This is why it is my favorite restaurant. We dressed pretty casually, next to folks in tuxedos and floor-length gowns. We were treated the same. Great service. Super bread. Fantabulous Jeff Josenhans cocktail (got holiday in Cambodai - cognac, lime, jasmine infusion), with him wandering the dining room playing manager so I could emote to him in person about how delish it was. We shared the big delicious salad. I got the albacore pastrami (minus the speck ham) - had forgotten I had ordered it before. Was delish. I would only replace the onions that are the only vegetable on the plate - who really wants to eat a plate of onions - would rather have something healthier and more substantial. CH liked his meat (can't remember what he got).
We didn't order dessert, but they brought us four tiny, perfect mini-chocolate cookies with our check.
Again, Ricardo Heredia and Alchemy still reign as my #1 place to get your culinary mind blown. But Grant Grill is indeed a classy f***ing joint, that joins a friendly unpretentious elegance with great food and RIDICULOUSLY tasty cocktails. (I am completely sober now so am waxing at the memory of how good it was, not still under the influence.....)
Crush (Solana Beach): YUM!!!
I was super-skeptical about this place: the best restaurant in Chico, CA, is opening a branch in Solana Beach, and we're supposed to get excited?
But I got a Groupon and decided to try it. Some folks on line complained afterwards that Grouponers could only order from a special menu, and it wasn't as much of a deal as had been advertised. That may be so. nevertheless.
SUPER ATMOSPHERE. Hopping but not too crazy on a Thurs. night. Fun standards playing over the sound system (like I've Got a Crush on You - get it?)
SUPER SERVICE: Really, one of the best waitstaffs I've seen in a long time. Very eager to please.
HOUSE WINE: Super-yum. I was stuck with the house wine on the Groupon - however, with house wine like that, it's not called being stuck. So much better than a lot of varietals I get at other places for more. Yummy pinot grigio-sauvingon blanc blend (waiter gave me a taste). And SUPER sangiovese-cab blend. Wasn't really in the mood to drink (getting sick) but it was so yummy I downed it and had to restrain from having another.
FOOD: Not the most creative dish ever (this won't put Ricardo Heredia out of business), but solid, tasty, and very well-prepared.
--Iceberg wedge: CH thought it was ok.
--Tuna tartare: YUM! (but at $15 without a groupon, not a bargain)
--Fish of the night: Halibut with edamame puree, ratatouille and fingerling potatoes. Super-yum. Fish cooked *perfectly*. Ate the whole thing up happily. I think this is normally $21
--Chicken piccata: CH got it and was very pleased.
DESSERT: CH got a chocolate lava cake. Very yummy. I wasn't crazy about his vanilla ice cream, though it was ok (a little too cold).
--They didn't have what I ordered (a PB&J bread pudding), so they brought me an apple strudel with ginger snap ice cream. I almost sent it back. But first I sniffed it....The apple strudel smelled warm and serious. SO GLAD I kept it. Perfect pastry dough, deliciously flavored. Crazy delicious, rich, ginger snap ice cream. Who knew I like ginger snap? Again, this doesn't rival a Rachel King dessert in creativity, but it was sheer deliciousness.
Without a groupon it would not be as reasonable but I still hope to return. It's chill, it has good wine, great food and great service. Fun times!
But I got a Groupon and decided to try it. Some folks on line complained afterwards that Grouponers could only order from a special menu, and it wasn't as much of a deal as had been advertised. That may be so. nevertheless.
SUPER ATMOSPHERE. Hopping but not too crazy on a Thurs. night. Fun standards playing over the sound system (like I've Got a Crush on You - get it?)
SUPER SERVICE: Really, one of the best waitstaffs I've seen in a long time. Very eager to please.
HOUSE WINE: Super-yum. I was stuck with the house wine on the Groupon - however, with house wine like that, it's not called being stuck. So much better than a lot of varietals I get at other places for more. Yummy pinot grigio-sauvingon blanc blend (waiter gave me a taste). And SUPER sangiovese-cab blend. Wasn't really in the mood to drink (getting sick) but it was so yummy I downed it and had to restrain from having another.
FOOD: Not the most creative dish ever (this won't put Ricardo Heredia out of business), but solid, tasty, and very well-prepared.
--Iceberg wedge: CH thought it was ok.
--Tuna tartare: YUM! (but at $15 without a groupon, not a bargain)
--Fish of the night: Halibut with edamame puree, ratatouille and fingerling potatoes. Super-yum. Fish cooked *perfectly*. Ate the whole thing up happily. I think this is normally $21
--Chicken piccata: CH got it and was very pleased.
DESSERT: CH got a chocolate lava cake. Very yummy. I wasn't crazy about his vanilla ice cream, though it was ok (a little too cold).
--They didn't have what I ordered (a PB&J bread pudding), so they brought me an apple strudel with ginger snap ice cream. I almost sent it back. But first I sniffed it....The apple strudel smelled warm and serious. SO GLAD I kept it. Perfect pastry dough, deliciously flavored. Crazy delicious, rich, ginger snap ice cream. Who knew I like ginger snap? Again, this doesn't rival a Rachel King dessert in creativity, but it was sheer deliciousness.
Without a groupon it would not be as reasonable but I still hope to return. It's chill, it has good wine, great food and great service. Fun times!
Quick takes: Gaijin Noodle House (Gaslamp), Be Beaming BBar (Solana Beach)
Have been to a few new places recently, but no time to blog.
GAIJIN (Gaslamp): disappointing. High prices, very small portions. Some very interesting flavors, though. Loved the vegetable plate - 5 very yummy tastes. But noodles with tuna poke was miniscule. Spent a lot, left hungry. Wanted to like it! Full of big groups of sake-drinking dressed-up 20somethings on the town.
BBAR AT BE BEAMING (Solana Beach, in same shopping center as UrbanPi across from Flower Hill mall): happened into this place near Del Mar Swirls because I had a cold and the idea of juice sounded appealing. Holy mackarel - where did this place come from and why are there so many people waiting 20 mins. for a $13 raw organic vegan non-GMO juice smoothie??? In truth: my smoothie was super tasty. Got the Lean and Green: delicious hemp-avo-spinach-almond flavor. Would be $11 but I added vitamin C boost. I suppose if you're going to get a $13 smoothie, it might as well taste as good as this. But really? Are there that many people in RSF, DM, SB and CV trying to get cleanses. Clearly the answer in 2013 is: HELL YES!! Do try it, if some money falls from the sky. Otherwise, you can be "thrifty" and just get a $9 Suja "Fuji" smoothie at Jimbo's (yummy, lots of vitamin C and Vitamin A, and feels like a bargain compared to the BBar). They also have yummy-looking desserts, salads, and raw soups, all priced in line with the smoothies.
GAIJIN (Gaslamp): disappointing. High prices, very small portions. Some very interesting flavors, though. Loved the vegetable plate - 5 very yummy tastes. But noodles with tuna poke was miniscule. Spent a lot, left hungry. Wanted to like it! Full of big groups of sake-drinking dressed-up 20somethings on the town.
BBAR AT BE BEAMING (Solana Beach, in same shopping center as UrbanPi across from Flower Hill mall): happened into this place near Del Mar Swirls because I had a cold and the idea of juice sounded appealing. Holy mackarel - where did this place come from and why are there so many people waiting 20 mins. for a $13 raw organic vegan non-GMO juice smoothie??? In truth: my smoothie was super tasty. Got the Lean and Green: delicious hemp-avo-spinach-almond flavor. Would be $11 but I added vitamin C boost. I suppose if you're going to get a $13 smoothie, it might as well taste as good as this. But really? Are there that many people in RSF, DM, SB and CV trying to get cleanses. Clearly the answer in 2013 is: HELL YES!! Do try it, if some money falls from the sky. Otherwise, you can be "thrifty" and just get a $9 Suja "Fuji" smoothie at Jimbo's (yummy, lots of vitamin C and Vitamin A, and feels like a bargain compared to the BBar). They also have yummy-looking desserts, salads, and raw soups, all priced in line with the smoothies.
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