I totally forgot to mention these other upcoming SD food events! I guess because I'm on a budget and won't be attending the pricey ones. So if you attend, please tell me how they were!
November 1, 11:30 - 3:00
Celebrate the Craft
The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Tickets: $65
Food tastings from some really good chefs, with a killer view
November 6-15
San Diego Beer Week
Various events throughout the county
If you didn't already know San Diego has tons of really great microbrews, it's clearly time to get out of your hole and try some of these events. If you did already know, you're probably already planning on attending.
November 18-22
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
Tickets: $65-90 for no alcohol ("designated driver"), $125-175 for food and wine
Pretty extensive list of vineyards pouring
Since I follow a lot of local foodie blogs, I thought I ought to re-post upcoming events here, in case any of y'all are interested.
Wednesday, November 4
Taste of Little Italy
Tickets $35 in advance, $40 at the door
Includes a voucher for two to attend Anthology's "Fresh Vibe Tuesday" during November.
Participating restaurants:
Anthology |
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Taste: Saffron arancini bites with tomato and basil chutney, parmesan crisps Voted
San Diego's Best Live Music Venue and Restaurant, Anthology is a
perfect duet of tastes and sounds. Located downtown near the hip
neighborhood of "Little Italy", Anthology
delivers a harmonious gathering of food, music, wine and ambiance with
their award-winning three level interior and acoustics. Jazz, R&B,
Latin, Blues, Classic Rock and more take center stage while talented
Chef de Cuisine Kevin Ables and team join the ensemble with their
signature twist on farm to table New American cuisines. National
touring artists and the hottest local acts perform live nightly in this
intimate 300 seat venue. It's a totally novel "night out". |
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Buon Appetito & 1609 & 1607 India Street |
Taste: Homemade pasta specialities and panini sandwiches to include: Fettucini Genovese and Farfalle with mushrooms Buon Appetito combines a dash of nouvelle and a splash of sophistication to bring forth a cozy San Francisco style eatery in the heart of Little Italy. Dream of Divine Wine, Sogno DiVino offers a wide array of fine wines from around the world as well as assorted appetizers, salads and exquisite paninis. |
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Burger Lounge |
Taste: Grass fed beef sliders. A 3 oz. version of Grilled Lounge Burger served with cheese, housemade Thousand Island dressing and pickles At Burger Lounge, we elevate the hamburger to an art form. Starting with grass-fed Tallgrass Beef directly from the grower, fresh cut French fries, house-made onion rings, and home-style-baked buns-we create a food experience you will want to experience again and again. |
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Cafe Zucchero & Trattoria Fantastica trattoriafantas. signonsandiego.com |
Taste: Cappuccino cake Joe and Lisa Busalacchi created the Italian café-style concept that is Cafe Zucchero. You will find that this delightful setting that offers casual and spirited food gets attention around the clock. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily. Diners enjoy lingering over coffee and sumptuous desserts created by pastry maker Frank Busalacchi who was trained by a Sicilian master. Whether you are in the mood for pizza, pasta, seafood, chicken, or veal, this is the place. Also, make sure you treat your sweet tooth to one of the many sinful desserts. Many restaurants in Little Italy have become destinations, and among them is the Busalacchi family's Trattoria Fantastica. The rustic décor features a relaxed country-style feel throughout the restaurant, including the delightful patio. The wonderfully welcoming atmosphere celebrates yet another delicious Sicilian food lineup, including wood-fired pizzas and all that you would expect from an authentic Italian menu. The terrific entrées show the Sicilian influence, and fill the restaurant with great aromas. |
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Caffe Italia |
Taste: House blend coffee or cappuccino Caffe Italia is the perfect spot to take in the daily life along India Street in Little Italy. Come experience Little Italy's finest espresso bar. We also specialize in panini sandwiches/salads, pastries and locally made Italian gelato. |
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Enoteca Style |
Taste: Prosecco (must be 21 or over) Enoteca Style is a place to eat, drink and relax. We pride ourselves in our great wine selections, excellent food and relaxed atmosphere. |
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Fabrison's |
Taste: Variety of French crepes, both savory and sweet Fabrison's is a French creperie |
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Filippi’s Pizza Grotto |
Taste: Assorted pizza slices The original! Filippi’s Pizza Grotto has been a San Diego tradition since 1950. Join us for fun, fast and friendly service. |
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The Glass Door Restaurant and
Lounge |
Taste: Sea Skins: Petite baby red potato skins filled with poached seafood salad, vanilla bean emulsion and topped with Tobiko Caviar. Located on the 4th floor of the Porto Vista Hotel, The Glass Door is a chic, stylish San Diego downtown restaurant that is redefining the city's hotel dining trends. A hip yet cozy atmosphere designed to complement the incredible downtown and harbor views. While dining under a canopy of handmade Moroccan lanterns you will experience a world of unique flavors and impeccable tableside service. Join us on the balcony or rooftop deck for great food and refreshing cocktails, our hip "Sunset Happy Hour," and a fabulous Weekend Brunch. |
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Indigo Grill |
Taste: Shrimp and scallop ceviche Chef Deborah Scott’s Indigo Grill, located on the corner of Cedar and India, exhibits flavors from Oaxaca, Mexico up to the Pacific Northwest coast and Alaska. Casual and rustic, the interior is inviting and hip. The menu features items like Pipian Crusted Brie, Oven Roasted Mussels and Clams, Alderwood Plank Salmon and Mojo Bone-In Ribeye. Using seasonal produce, supporting local vendors and, with an interactive open kitchen, Deborah and her team are able to create specials indigenous only to Indigo. Come in for a glass of wine during Happy Hour, or enjoy our patio while you dine and sip a Pomegranate-Lemon Drop. |
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Karl Strauss Brewing Company |
Taste: 3 oz. beer sample of your choice (must be 21 or over) A tiny apartment on the beach, two recent college grads, a 75-year-old master brewer, and a passion for beer... Karl Strauss Brewing Company started brewing full-flavored, quality hand-crafted beer in 1989. It was the first micro-brewery to open in San Diego in more than 50 years. Today you can enjoy a variety of Karl Strauss styles throughout Southern California or get immersed in a craft beer culinary adventure in one of their 6 brewery restaurants. |
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Little Italy Spaghetteria |
Taste: Penne Norma -Penne pasta with eggplant, ricotta cheese and marinara sauce Joe and Lisa Busalacchi created Little Italy Spaghetteria to add a casual, relaxed eatery to their family of restaurants in Little Italy and around the county. Casual and spirited food and drinks are served throughout the day. Also, an extensive kids menu is available. |
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Mimmo's Italian Village Deli & Restaurant |
Taste: Cheese tortellini with sauteed grilled chicken, bell peppers, red onions in a creamy white wine sauce Mimmo's offers casual dining in a unique Italian village atmosphere. Serving San Diego since 1973. |
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Mona Lisa |
Taste: Ricotta filled cheese ravioli in a marinara sauce and garlic bread Come to Mona Lisa Italian Foods where you will find a unique dining experience of an authentic family restaurant and an Italian deli under the same roof. Family owned and operated since 1956, with three generations of experience. We look forward to sharing our tradition with you. |
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Numero Water Boutique |
Taste: Water tasting of 3 distinct waters, assorted flavored green iced teas and hot Japanese green tea Numero Water Boutique, a Japanese oasis tucked in the heart of Little Italy, captures the purity of nature through premium natural waters from Mt. Fuji and offers services guided by Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi. This boutique offers authentic Japanese gifts, products and services such as onsen mineral foot baths, reflexology foot massages, water bar and a modern twist on the traditional Japanese tea room with more than 30 different tea selections. |
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Pappalecco 1602 State St 619.238.4590 pappalecco.com |
Taste: Gelato Pappalecco
offers a wide range of hand made gelatos, as well as sandwiches, fresh
bakery items and assorted coffees and teas. Stop by for breakfast,
lunch or dinner and enjoy outdoor sidewalk dining. |
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Pizzeria Luigi 1827 India St 619.238.3502 pizzerialuigi.com |
Taste: Pizza by the slice Pizzeria Luigi serves authentic thin crust pies and slices, along with calzones, stromboli, pannini, pastas, and lasagnas |
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Po Pazzo 1917 India Street 619.238.1917 popazzo.com |
Taste: Risotto Pazzo Sure our name, Po Pazzo,
is Italian, but the food pays homage to the best urban bar and grille.
Sound Crazy? That's what Po Pazzo means, just a little crazy. Our menu
is filled with great appetizers, ample steaks, superb salads and unique
side dishes. Our wonderfully extensive bar serves the best wines and
liquors. Our staff is friendly and ready to serve. Eating out should be
an experience: Part entertainment, part theater, and of course, all
fun. That's what Po Pazzo ultimately represents; music, food and
friends. Po Pazzo, a new kind of Bar and Grille by Busalacchi. |
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Puerto La Boca 2060 India St 619.234.4900 puertolaboca.com |
Taste: Argentinian chorizo sausage, steak and chimichurri sauce Established in 2004, Puerto La Boca
has brought to "Little Italy" not only the taste of world famous
Argentinian steaks and wines but also a great atmosphere and attentive
service. |
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Rice at the W Hotel 421 West B Street 619.398.3082 ricesandiego.com |
Taste: Serenata de bacalao (salted cod salad) on tostones and Chicken pastelillos (Puerto Rican turnovers) Let RICE
sweep you and your taste buds off your feet. Savor global cusines by
star Chef Rocio Varella, of BRAVO's Welcome to the Parker reality
series, while surrounded by sumptuous décor and stunning city-scape
views. |
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Spicy Pickle |
Taste: A variety of delicious sandwiches, pizzettis and paninis served with signature spicy pickles Spicy Pickle specializes in freshly made paninis, subs, salads and pizzettis. |
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Starbucks Coffee Company |
Taste: Coffee and pastry Starbucks purchases and roasts high-quality whole bean coffees and sells them along with fresh, rich-brewed, Italian style espresso beverages, a variety of pastries and confections, and coffee-related accessories and equipment. The Company's objective is to establish Starbucks as the most recognized and respected brand in the world. |
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Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano |
Taste: Gnocchi with gorgonzola cream sauce Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano offers regional Italian, Sicilian and contemporary cuisine and the menu has earned numerous awards, including a “Very Good to Excellent” rating by Zagat. |
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The Waterfront Bar & Grill |
Taste: Chipotle sliders with grilled onions and fries The Waterfront is the oldest bar in San Diego, voted best bar three years running by the California Restaurant Association. |
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Yogurtland |
Taste: Frozen yogurt sample of 16 flavors such as Dutch chocolate, vanilla wafer, blueberry tart, mango, and pistachio Yogurtland serves 16 flavors of yogurt plus 33 fresh toppings, all for 30 cents an ounce. |
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Zia’s Bistro |
Taste: Penne broccoli At Zia's Bistro food equals life, happiness, friendship and a glass of wine. Find the place where a bar can be a meeting place, as well as somewhere to satisfy your palate. All this in a fun, sophisticated atmosphere. | |
Yesterday was Bucky's training -- and he was a star pupil! Our trainer has been very pleased with his progress. He's learned sit and down, and now we're working on stay and come.
Sit and down were critical for Bucky, as he learns to get over his dog-aggressiveness. Out of fear, he'll launch at another dog, so we need to overpower his natural urge with obedience. And it's been working!
I'm very happy we adopted Bucky, and our adoption agency, Boston Buddies, was great and very honest. But, I've learned that when you adopt a dog, you don't really know what you're going to get until you've had the dog for a couple of weeks. Usually, the agencies get very limited information, and they only know what they observe. I wanted a dog-friendly dog, and I'm sure that Bucky will be dog-friendly within a couple of weeks max, but he wasn't exactly dog-friendly when we got him.
I highly recommend getting training for any dog, but a dog with aggression or bad habits must have training, or they will be a liability to you and a danger to themselves. It's a small investment over a dog's lifetime.
Anywho, in two weeks Bucky will get to venture out with other dogs! The honey and I were kind of sad that Bucky doesn't have any friends in the animal kingdom, but soon, soon!
If anyone in SD needs a trainer, ours is John's Natural Dog Training Company, and we like him a lot.
These photos are from a few weeks ago. It was a lazy Sunday, and Bucky wanted to hang out in the hammock.
What summed up yesterday? Rest. I fell asleep at around 9:00, not having done anything on my to-do list (give Bucky a bath & brush his teeth, make a healthy dinner, read). Oh well, it felt good. Bucky will get his bath tonight.
Last night, the honey and I attended a Chef's Celebration dinner at Kitchen 1540 in the L'Auberge hotel in Del Mar. For $65, you get a four-course meal created by five premier San Diego chefs. Our featured chefs were:
Paul McCabe – Kitchen 1540
Matt Gordon - Urban Solace
Jeff Jackson – The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Jim Phillips – Barona Casino
Amuse: Braised veal cheeks (Chris Kurth)
Cold: Potted jidori chicken liver pate, ginger-spiced poached apple, almond cracker (Matt Gordon)
Hiramasa Crudo, abalone, compressed fennel, sake cured steelhead roe (Paul McCabe)
Hot: Roasted scallops with pork trotters, persimmon, mizuna, hazelnut vinaigrette (Chris Kurth)
Carta Fata Cookery lobster, scallop, prawn, heirloom squash chutney, leek fondue, tarragon infused shellfish sauce (Jim Philips)
Entree: Venison strip loin, roasted venison marrow sauce, mustard braised lights chard, butternut squash and sweet corn spoonbread (Matt Gordon)
Trio of duck, herb smoked breast, confit ravioli, seared foie gras, braised artichoke (Jim Philips)
Wild striped bass, sweet potato walnut saute, black truffle, whipped cider (Paul McCabe)
Dessert: Quince tart tatin and fresh cream (Jeff Jackson & Lori Huffman)
Mignardises: Salted caramels, pan forte, orange truffles (Jeff Jackson & Lori Huffman)
So how was it? You guessed it, wonderful. The veal cheeks were amazingly tender. Every time I order "cheeks" of something it seems to be excellent.
I am not really a pate fan, but this dish must have been very good, because I enjoyed it. All the sides made it much more palatable to me, and the presentation was gorgeous.
The hiramasa crudo was a scrumptious little salty bite.
The Carta Fata Cookery lobster dish had a gorgeous presentation -- everything was steamed in a little bag, which our waitress cut open. The dish was overly spiced for my taste -- a whole lot of Indian type spices overwhelmed the lobster and made the ingredients difficult to distinguish. When you have ingredients like that you want to taste them. However, the seafood was tender and cooked nicely.
The venison was the highlight of my meal. Super tender, lots of flavor, and it didn't turn out gristly or gamey like venison can. I haven't been to Urban Solace yet, but this dish makes me want to go.
I didn't even get to try the striped bass, because the honey snarfed it before I could get a bite. Sneaky!
The dessert was also quite good, but I have to be honest -- my tastebuds were almost worn out by that point. The salted caramel was my favorite part of dessert.
We left stuffed and happy after a 3-hour dinner. Oh, and I have to say -- part of the excitement about the night was that it provided me an opportunity to wear a new Nanette Lepore dress I scored at Nordstrom Rack recently. It was divine.
My boss went to the Chef's Celebration dinner at Cowboy Star, and was raving about it. She sat at the bar, and got to see all the chefs interacting, which sounded really fun.
My blog posts have been dwindling a bit lately -- since I usually stick to travel & food -- but I'm longing to be a bit more introspective. Without boring you. I read a suggestion recently, that I like, which is to sum up the day in a sentence or two. So I think I'll start.... with yesterday. These will be short enough so you can browse right on past when they're boing. :)
The most important part of yesterday was after I cam home from work. Nothing exciting; it just felt good to walk my dog, especially when he has that little spring in his step. I had a lovely dinner with the honey, indulged in my weekly viewing of Mad Men, and read my favorite magazine. It just so happened to feature a series of articles about finding your purpose in life, which is something I often ponder. I particularly connected with the article that discussed ruling out who you are not, rather than trying to define who you are. I'm learning to let go of the stress of figuring out what the rest of my life holds. But living authentically, just being me - that's a lot easier. I think I'll go with that.
Last night, with an empty fridge and empty stomachs, the honey and I decided to use one of my Restaurant.com gift certificates and try out a sushi place in Del Mar called Shimbashi Izakaya.
First, a word about Restaurant.com -- I really like it. They sell $25 gift certificates for $10 (other increments sometimes available). They have 80% off sales so often that I usually get the $25 certificate for $2. The fine print? It varies by restaurant, but usually, you have to spend at least $35, an 18% gratuity is automatically added, and you can't use the certificate towards alcohol. Usually I spend & tip that much anyway, so it's not an issue, and it's an easy way to save some dough.
Now on to the restaurant. Although we didn't sit at the bar, it looks like a great place for happy hour. Nice, open bar, but a fairly intimate, quiet atmosphere in the restaurant. Well-lit, not loud, gorgeous ocean view, and of course, the Del Mar people watching. I'll bet this place gets packed in the summer.
The whole restaurant has a very nice feel to it -- comfortable, organic, fairly traditional. You won't find any crazy rolls with names like "dynamite" or "san diego". But you will find some top quality fish, prepared consistently perfectly.
We started off with the fried squid legs appetizer. "Great with beer!" the menu declared. I'm sure they would be. Kind of like meatier, more flavorful calimari. A little salty, crunchy, chewy... yum. Then we ordered some mixed sushi, a shimbashi roll and a chef's special roll.
The rolls were cut into perfect mouth-size pieces. I find this important with sushi. I don't want something I can't eat in one bite... especially if it's at all mushy. These were perfect. And they have a flare for making rolls with the perfect mixture of textures and tastes -- everything had some crunch, some soft, some savory, some sweet or tart. The shimbashi roll was my favorite. The nigiri sushi was melt-in-your-mouth. I didn't even want to put soy sauce on any of it because it was already perfect.
Shimbashi Izakaya is a little on the pricey side, but you pay for the quality. It definitely rivals or tops any other place in San Diego that I've tried.
The final word
(1-5 rating: 1=BAD, 2=mediocre at best, 3=ok, 4=wow, pretty good!, 5=one of my all-time favorites)
Food (Taste, Quality): 5
Value: 3.8
Service: 4
Ambience: 4
Memorable Experience: 4
Price: $75 (pre- certificate) for 1 app, 7-piece nigiri, 2 rolls, 2 teas.
Menu recommendations:
Shimbashi roll
Notes: Come back for happy hour.
Would I make a point to go again, paying full price?:
Yes
Uh oh, now I have a dilemma! Which of these e-readers do I want... the Nook or the Kindle?
Any thoughts out there, blogger friends?
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/compare/
Nook pros:
cooler design, cooler covers
reads pdfs
reads free books on Google book project
replaceable battery
can lend books to friends for 2 weeks... not that big a deal to me but kinda cool
memory expansion is nice
Amazon pros:
I use Amazon a lot, like ordering through their site
4 more days of battery life
Not sure what the availability and pricing of Barnes and Noble's e-books will be like. Also not sure which wireless set-up would be better, or if there's any noticeable difference there. Hm...
Last night the honey and I enjoyed a nice Sunday dinner with a couple of friends. Here are the recipes... Sorry, no photo yet, but I'll come back and add one hopefully.
Roast Chicken with Lemons, Olives and Carrots
(from this month's Martha Stewart Living)
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted (I used ones with the pits though and it was fine)
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
Paprika, to taste
Mix everything together in a roasting pan, with salt and pepper and a couple tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle the chicken with paprika. Roast in a 425-degree oven for 45-50 minutes.
This dish has really interesting flavors -- more exciting than the average chicken recipe, and it's a beautiful looking dish. It's easy enough to be a weeknight meal if you have time for the roasting, but it looks good enough for entertaining.
Roast Brussels Sprouts with Pears and Shallots
(from this month's Body + Soul magazine - Original recipe is double what you see below but I halved it)
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
3 shallots, quartered
2 red bartlett pears, cut into wedges (original recipe calls for 1, but it'd be better with two.. balances the brussels sprouts)
lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
Mix the Brussels sprouts, shallots, and pears in a roasting pan with salt and pepper and 1 1/2 tblsp. olive oil. Roast in a 425-degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Mix with lemon juice before serving. (If you don't have lemon juice, it will still taste great).
The nice thing is, you can cook these dishes simultaneously. Also, I have never been a Brussels sprouts fan, but thought I'd give these a try... and I found them to be quite nice. The sweetness of the pairs, and maybe the roasting, really balances the bitterness of brussels sprouts.
I served these with a simple mushroom rice pilaf (from a box), and the Pagani Heritage wine from St. Francis winery in my Sonoma post.
