26 posts tagged “san diego”
Here's a review for your North County residents. Leucadia Sushi is located on North Coast Highway, north of restaurants such as Jamroc and Cap'n Keno. Basically, where Leucadia really gets funky - not in a bad way, but in a decidedly low-brow, relaxed way. On a side note, I've been wanting to visit Cap'n Keno, for the hell of it. Spaghetti dinners are $2.95. I'm not expecting much, but it's intriguing.
I had a $25 gift certificate from Restaurant.com for Leucadia Sushi so we decided to try it last night when I was sick of turkey leftovers. It was empty except for a group of 4-5 diners, but I think it may be a new restaurant. Here's what it looks like; it's one of those sushi boat places.
The sushi was pretty cheap (around $4 for two pieces of nigiri), and a fairly decent quality considering the price. It definitely can't compare to nicer places like Sushi Ota, Station Sushi, Tomiko or Tajima... but if you're looking for someplace cheap, this is better than your typical cheap joint in, say, P.B.
Overall, I'd say it could be an ok happy hour spot if it attracts some more business. There's a coupon on their website, and of course, you can get a gift certificate off Restaurant.com. The honey and I ended up paying about $28 after the coupon, including tip, two teas, 4 orders of nigiri, and 3 rolls.
The restaurant doesn't offer enough to make me want to come back, because I'd prefer to hit the Tomiko happy hour, which is in Encinitas, which would end up being slightly more expensive, but much better sushi and a much better ambience.
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): 2.7
Value: 3.4
Service: 4
Ambience: 2
Memorable Experience: 2
Price: around $4 for nigiri, and $7-14 for rolls.
Menu recommendations: I liked the salmon nigiri and the albacore. The tuna wasn't very good. Their dynamite dishes had too much creamy mayo-like sauce.
Notes:
Would I make a point to go again, paying full price?: Probably not, given the other better sushi places that are closer.
San Diego Beer Week has just ended. While I didn't go to as many of the events as I would have liked, I went to Hamilton's Tavern and Alchemy on Saturday.
Hamilton's was pouring a bunch of Pizza Port brews, including two casked beers. Excellent. They had free barbecue and a whole roast suckling pig, but -- damnit! -- we arrived too late and all signs of the pig were gone. Sigh.
After a couple brewskis in the very crowded bar, we walked over to Alchemy. Alchemy is a pretty hip, schwanky little restaurant that serves some innovative cocktails, small plates, and a few entrees. There's a cool serpentine-shaped bar there, and I'd like to come back during the weekday after-work hours sometime.
I was really pleasantly surprised by the food -- I haven't been so pleasantly surprised since I ate at Market, one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego county. Alchemy was a little pricey, but the food was worth it. We had:
Calimari - I've actually never had it not fried. I realized what I was missing. The broth was incredible - lots of butter and white wine.
Stuffed squash blossoms - Cheesy, crunchy, delicious. This tends to be one of my favorite dishes. It was nice and crisp, not at all soggy or heavy despite being really stuffed with filling.
Charcuterie plate - Really, really good. They didn't serve the same ol' salami stuff that most places serve (which I love, but it was nice to see something different). There was chorizo, serrano, and duck. The portion is small, however.
Ceviche - Good, fresh, crunchy. Comparable to the good ceviches I've had in Mexico. No unusual spin on this one.
Avocado and corn salad - This dish wasn't my pick but turned out to be very satisfying. Lots of good contrasting textures and it was full of flavor. There was a base of creamy avocado and crunchy corn shaped in a ring mold topped with a salad. I'm not doing it justice, but I'd order it again.
Burger - The burger was full of juicy goodness. It was on some kind of egg roll or challah, which was the perfect buttery accompaniment; the whole burger was rather rich, but the richness was cut by the fresh, crunchy spiced pickles in the burger.
The cocktails looked really good too. My friend ordered the "dirty pickle" which is a martini with pickle juice and cornichons that was quite tasty.
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): 4.8
Value: 3.8
Service: 5
Ambience: 4
Memorable Experience: 4
Price: About $10 per small plate, $10-20 per entree, $10 cocktails
Menu recommendations:
burger, charcuterie plate
Notes: A little noisy, nice bar, great service.
Would I make a point to go again, paying full price?:
Yes
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. | |
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.
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
Since I'm now being super good with my budget, eating out is one of the main areas I had to cut back on. Oh, the humanity! But, I did treat myself to one dinner for restaurant week -- Hexagone, a new French restaurant in Bankers Hill.
Hexagone is on a fairly busy street corner, and has large windows looking out onto the street, which gives it a casual bistro kind of feel. However, I'd say that the food is a bit fancier than the atmosphere feels. Most of the waiters are French, or at least have really good fake accents.
Hexagone was on the $40 menu, and I chose:
- Cappuccino de Homard
- Vegetarian dish - gnocchi and portabella mushrooms with tomato and goat cheese (this description is from memory because it's not on the website)
- Gateau de Fromage Blanc aux Bananes
The vegetarian dish was also quite good. The little gnocchi were in a mustard sauce, perfectly prepared to be like fluffy little pillows. Separately, there was a stack of portabella, tomato, goat cheese in herbs and breadcrumbs, tomato, portabella. I usually don't order the vegetarian dish on a prix fixe menu, but I wasn't in the mood for duck confit or halibut, and I don't usually order steak unless I'm at a place that specializes in steak. So, it may not have been the most expensive dish, but it held up quite well on its own. The portions are typically French, which is perfect for me, but may be a little on the small side for those with a bigger appetite. (The honey would've been waiting for more).
I had a glass of French chardonnay with the meal. Over the past year or two, I've really grown an appreciation for French chardonnays -- unlike their California counterparts, they are not big and buttery (which I also like, depending on the dish). They are subtle, kind of mineral-y. Anywho, I enjoyed it and Hexagone seemed to have a very good wine list.
The cheesecake was delicious. It's hard to get the consistency perfect on a cheesecake -- that point where it's creamy and not underdone, but you don't really have to bite into it. Hexagone did a good job.
Overall, Hexagone was a very good experience. My only criticism is that it's a fairly fancy restaurant in terms of the quality and prices of the food and wine, but the setting feels more casual -- so it isn't a place I'd go to if I was looking for an extra-special date restaurant. I'd love to go back for lunch -- that could be the perfect meal there.
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): 4.5
Value: 3.5 - For restaurant week, it's a 4.2, but the regular menu has prices pretty much in line with what you'd expect
Service: 4.8
Ambience: 3.5 - nice but more casual than the food
Memorable Experience: 4
Price: $21-28 for dinner entrees
Menu recommendations:
lobster soup, bananas foster cheesecake, French wine
Notes: Try it for lunch sometime.
Would I make a point to go again, paying full price?: Yes, but maybe for a group dinner - an occasion where I didn't want quietness and low lighting. Would definitely try it for lunch.
Last night was the honey's birthday, so we went to Kitchen 1540 for dinner. It's in the L'Auberge hotel in Del Mar, which underwent a really nice renovation last year. I had already been to Kitchen 1540 for brunch, which was fabulous.
The decor at Kitchen 1540 is really nice - California beachy modern. Nice lighting, cool bar. The patio is a great place for summertime evenings:
The hotel bar just outside the restaurant is annoyingly loud with the post-race crowd who's typically already half in the bag by the time they get there. (Can you say "meat market"?)
On to the food - The ingredients taste exceedingly fresh and most are local, which is a big plus in my book. Overall, the dishes show a flair for creativity and a respect for the ingredients - particularly the starters. I had a sweet corn agnolotti which was "to die for". Little ravioli-type things with sweet corn and big hunks of Maine lobster. The honey had a mushroom risotto, which came with tempura vegetables on the side. Both were prepared excellently. The risotto was nice and creamy, not too sticky, heavy, or cheesy, which I've found at other places.
I'd like to see more variety on the dinner entree menu, as there just eight entrees, including some of the things I see on a lot of menus, which I wasn't in the mood for - short ribs, fancy burger, roasted chicken. Yawn. The honey ordered the May Ranch beef tenderloin, which we split along with an organic green salad and the starters. The beef was a disappointment. A steakhouse steak it was not - no crusty outside. It was very tender, but had a semi-pasty and gristly texture. It also was not very flavorful, although the tenderloin is a pretty delicate flavor so I wasn't expecting big beef flavor anyway. I think it could have used a lot more seasoning.
The organic green salad came with cherry halves, marcona almonds, and a large hunk of Humboldt Fog cheese, one of my favorite cheeses. Great combo. I didn't order a cheese plate, but would have loved to, as they had a really nice selection.
For dessert, I had the root beer trio - a little root beer float, root beer brittle, and these curious little brown and white cakes that actually tasted like root beer on the bottom (brown half) and foam on the white half. That was pretty cool and very original. The honey had the vanilla cheesecake, which was extremely light, but in my opinion, too light. It didn't actually taste like cheesecake. But if you dislike cheesecake because it's too heavy, you'd like this.
I would definitely come back for drinks and appetizers, and also brunch, but would probably skip the dinner entree next time.
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): 4.3 for breakfast, 3.8 for dinner
Value: 3.6
Service: 3.2
Ambience: 4
Memorable Experience: 4
Price: $11-19 brunch entrees; $16-28 dinner entrees
Menu recommendations: Brunch - California omelette, almond crusted french toast. Dinner - sweet corn agnolotti, risotto, organic green salad (all starters)
Notes: I prefer it for brunch.
Would I make a point to go again, paying full price?: Yes for brunch, no for dinner.
I like to head to the San Diego County Fair once a year, just for the sake of riding the ferris wheel with my honey, checking out stuff like the blue ribbon flowers and 4H exhibits, and snarfing on bad-for-me food. Chicken Charlie, a fast food hawker at the fair, typically debuts a new fried food concoction each year, and out of curiosity I usually try one.
This year the big news was deep-fried s'mores. They were actually pretty good. Last year I had a deep-fried twinkie, and I think the s'more one-ups the twinkie. It's the melted marshmallows that really make it good, and the bit o' melty chocolate takes it a step beyond the twinkie. Plus, obviously a deep-fried twinkie just doesn't provide enough calories, so you really gotta go whole hog.
Here are some of the other fried-food highlights:
- Fried avocados. Pretty self-explanatory. Take the fattiest fruit and cover it in batter. I was halfway tempted to try it.
- Deep-fried white castle burgers. Ugh.
- Deep-fried chicken sandwich. But wait -- the bun is actually two Krispie Kreme donuts! This was popular last year, but I didn't see anyone ordering it this year.
- Fried Coke. A major disappointment. It's just little bits of fried dough, they just use Coke as the liquid. It does not taste like Coke.
But, the all-time winner of original and horrifying fried creations for 2009 is (drumroll).....
In a spirit of frugality, I've been trying to eat out less often. But, restaurant week was last week and I'd heard good things about Crescent Heights.
First, a note on restaurant week. When it started, the deal was simple: $30 gets you 3 courses at some fancy places you otherwise might not try. I feel like it's gone waaaay downhill in the last few years. There are $20, $30 and $40 categories. Most of the good places--those ones you might not otherwise risk trying--are on the $40 list. If you order wine, and by the time tax and tip are paid, it ends up being a small discount off any other night. Basically, a free dessert. And, there are restaurants participating in restaurant week that clearly shouldn't be. I mean, I don't really need restaurant week to try out the Americanized taco fare at On the Border. (Yes, it really is on the restaurant list).
Anyway, the honey and I had a reservation for two at Crescent Heights, which is near the train station in downtown San Diego. The ambience was pretty nice, although a bit loud.
I ordered: the beet & burrata salad, peekytoe crab risotto (no I don't know what "peekytoe is), and the chocolate souffle for dessert. The honey ordered: winter squash soup, braised beef shortribs, and the lemon curd ricotta cake, along with a wine pairing for $15.
Appetizer Course
This was the best course of the meal. The beet & burrata salad was perfect, and combined some of my favorite flavors (olive oil, beets, burrata, prosciutto, heaven!) The winter squash soup was also delightful, but may not be for those of you who don't like sweeter soups.
Entree
The braised beef shortribs were a big hit with the honey. Personally, I've seen them on the menu so many times I'm getting a little sick of the dish, which is why I opted for the risotto. Bad move. The risotto was a big disappointment. It was just... bland. With indestinguishable tiny shreds of crab (sigh). Boy, did I have menu-choice regret.
Dessert
My chocolate souffle was very good - came with a side of creme anglaise and some berry gelato. Rich, but not heavy. Just like a chocolate souffle should be. I didn't even try the honey's dessert.
All in all, dinner was good, but Crescent Heights doesn't make it to my go-to list. The kicker of the meal was that they included a 20% gratuity... for a party of two. Seems a bit much, no? And it wasn't 20% service, either. More like 15%. I definitely wasn't impressed by that little maneuvre. I'd put Crescent Heights into a business lunch or happy hour category.
The next restaurant I want to try is Market in Del Mar.
There's a new chocolate cafe in North Park, University Heights, and after reading the Eclipse Chocolat blog, I had to try it. So after work last night, the honey and I stepped into the ultra-loungey Red Fox Room for a quick dinner. Side note: if you want the ultimate in dark 50s loungey steakhouse, this is it. Go on Fridays or Saturdays so you can hear the band, complete with accordian player! There's even dancing. Oh, and the grilled cheese is great.
After our grilled cheese & steak kabob dinner, we stepped into the light once again, and walked about a block over to Eclipse Chocolat to satisfy my Exotic-Choclate-Brownie-Craving.
O.M.G. So Good.
Seriously, read the Eclipse Chocolat blog. I chose the muscovado brownie and chile burnt caramel (there are also espresso brownies and walnut brownies, and a blood orange olive oil chocolate sauce). This comes with vanilla bean gelato and their house-made vanilla bean marshmallow, toasted with one of those little blow torches.
The muscovado brownie has a sort of chewy texture with a hint of molasses taste. Spectacular. The chile burnt caramel was really delicious, although I think they could have upped the chile amount to make it stand up to the fairly heavy brownie flavor. (But on something lighter, perfect as is).
If I wasn't about to explode from my steakhouse dinner + brownie sundae, I would have bought one of their cupcakes, maybe the pink peppercorn creme fraiche cupcake, which looked beautiful. Btw, I never say something looks "too good to eat". "Good enough to eat," maybe. They also have a dessert sampling plate which would be nice to share with the honey (and by share, I mean that he gets to lick the plate after I'm done).
I'll be going back.
