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!!!!

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!)

Avenue 5 (Banker's Hill)

It's been a few weeks since I was last there, but since I was just singing its praises to a friend (hi!), I wanted to make sure I honored it here. Avenue 5 rocks! It does not have the buzz and glitz and glamour of some other places downtown or even in the neighborhood, but Colin MacLaggan, the chef, is a god in my personal pantheon. The food can't be called cutting-edge, but it is solid and extraordinarily delicious California-French food. Plus it's an excellent value, esp. if you go to happy hour instead of sitting in the dining room. Some of my favorite dishes are the mushroom tortellini (grapes, grilled corn, madeira broth), *any* of the salads (the grilled caesar and red bliss salad are both outrageously good), and the smoked trout. Very nice atmosphere too (again, I prefer the bar area to the dining room). Great for a fun date night that does not break the bank but is still absolutely delicious! Plus the service is always super friendly for such an elegant atmosphere, with no attitude.

(That is, it is exactly the inverse of what we experienced at the too-trendy-for-its-own-good joint down the hill, Starlite, where the host was so rude we did not stay, despite my being very excited to go, what with all the Michael Stebner alums working there....).

Avenue 5 forever!