Lola 55

by anthonydonovan2014

I consider myself a fairly smart person. Fairly. Like, I know a lot of things about a lot of stuff. I can list all of Madonna’s albums in chronological order, from memory but I also didn’t learn to properly tie my shoes until I was 23. So, give and take right? But few questions will make my head explode faster than “Where can I get a good taco in San Diego?” Seems like a simple inquiry on it’s surface but I guarantee you every San Diegan who just read that sentence said “wow”. There’s, like, a million places. And there are follow up questions to be had. Not all tacos are created equal. In a recent episode of The Boy Who Ate San Diego: The Podcast, we even briefly touched on this very subject. Dan wisely responded with “Well, what kind of taco? Because I’ll likely have a different place for each kind” and he is not kidding. It’s a big deal around here.

While great Mexican food places come in all shapes and sizes, each has their own spin on a particular dish or style of Mexican cooking that makes them special. Naturally, when I started this challenge, I got roughly a gazillion suggestions of Mexican places to try so I had to be extra nit-picky when it came to which to try first. I could seriously do a whole series of just Mexican food in San Diego. I can’t believe I lived so long on the other coast thinking I had actually had real Mexican food! HA! Oh, baby Anthony. Although I will say, in the years since I’ve seen the light (the “light” in question being the neon glow of the Filiberto’s drive-in sign from the passenger seat of a friend’s car at 2am because I am definitely unfit to drive in this moment), Mexican places in other parts of the country have stepped their collective game up. Not too long ago, I even let my Brother take me to his favorite Mexican restaurant in Bridgeport, Alabama (no, really). My expectations were so low, they melted in the face of the Earth’s liquid magma core but I have to say, it was actually pretty good and dare I say kinda authentic? Who knew?! We won’t even get to how long it took for me to have actual Mexican food in actual Mexico. Let’s just say it was well worth the wait.

My buddy Chris suggested Lola 55 to me for this challenge. I take his suggestions seriously as he is not only well schooled on all things food, he’s been with me for nearly all of the most exciting and noteworthy places I’ve covered on this blog since it’s inception 10 years ago. Lola 55 is one of many in that it is a Mexican restaurant in San Diego but one of few since it’s Michelin-recognized. Yes, really. Located in San Diego’s East Village and Carlsbad, Lola 55 bills itself as a “modern Taqueria” with a focus on the always-delicious Oaxaca region. This concept holds a lot or promise and expectations were high for me and my taco-loving compadres:

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

Amy J-Chief science officer, Michigan Football loyalist, a common floozy

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves sandwiches. Like, a lot.

David-Wonder Woman superfan, musical theatre enthusiast, the narrator’s love interest

Located just East of downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, Lola 55 is just close enough to all the action that you can easily have a pre-game or pre-concert taco (It’s blocks away from PETCO Park, San Diego’s largest sports stadium and the reason I had to leave my awesome downtown apartment in early 2002. It’s a long story and I’ve accepted that I will absolutely die mad about it, so let’s keep it moving. Nothing to see here…) but Lola 55 is also far enough away from the craziest tourist/traffic/downtownness that going there is not a chore. Navigating Downtown San Diego can be so rough, I know dozens and dozens of people that will automatically veto going there for any reason. Got jury duty? Guess where the courthouse is…Wanna attend San Diego Comic Con? Guess where that is… It’s a whole thing.

We arrived in time for Happy Hour, so cocktails were a must. Aimee had the Red Sangrita, which she found light, refreshing and very fruit forward. I ordered the Lola Marg (Blanco Tequila, Grapefruit Cordial and Lime with an option to make it spicy. I made it spicy.). It was pretty tasty but nothing outstanding. A solid Marg. I might go more adventurous next time. Amy J got the Bidi Bidi Bom Bom (We love a Selena reference, may she rest in eternal peace). Made with Mezcal, Jamaica Passionfruit Syrup, Pineapple and Lime. She found it tasty but not her favorite part of the meal. Chris ordered the Golden State Fizz (Gin, Pamplemousse, Raspberry Cordial, Lemon and Fizz Bitters). He called it perfect blend of fizz and citrus that paired well with the pork tacos.

For appetizers, I ordered the Masa Fritas. Puffed masa rounds, pasilla Salt and lime zest served alongside an avocado mousse. This was the most unique and satisfying part of my whole meal. They literally ate like fries. I had to double check that what I was eating was, in fact, corn. Lightly fried with just the right crisp and fluff ratio. I would come back for these alone. David loved the avocado mousse and wished it had come with a bigger ramekin of it.

*Not since the Mission Tortilla Factory at Disney California Adventure (RIP) have I been so invested in corn.*

We also had some Brussels Sprouts, charred and tossed with Mole Amarillo Vinagrette, cotija cheese and thick cut bacon. While the sprouts had a nice flavor them, the spicyness of the dressing was a little loud for those in our party sensitive to such things and the bacon was straight up burnt.

Now it was time for the star attraction, the tacos. Not gonna lie, they weren’t my favorite. I had 3 very different tacos but ran into the same issue with two of them. First up was the Squa-Shroom taco (Lions mane Mushrooms, Squash blossom, housemade beet soyrizo, poblano salsa and potato chicharrones). It was tasty if very unwieldy. Yes, I know great tacos can be messy but this was served with nearly the entire tortilla covered in large items. The mushroom cluster and squash blossom were large and hard to eat in a taco but the flavors were good. Amy J also ordered this taco and found it to be a great combination of flavors and textures. She liked how the firmness of the mushrooms held up firmly against the softer ingredients.

*The only kind of Shroom I’ll have. No Phish concert required.*

Next up was the Mesquite Chicken Taco (Mesquite grilled chicken, chicken chicarron, cucumber, coconut rice, peanut macha salsa and pickled cilantro). While the mesquite had a nice spice, it was so vinegary it damn near blew out my palette. The pickled cilantro doubled down on that note and there wasn’t much the cucumber and rice could do about it. Very unbalanced and also overloaded. My final taco was the Baja Style Fish (Local fish, remoulade, chorizo-tomato vinaigrette, baby mizuna, pickled serrano and purple basil). While I will say the fish was great; big, juicy, well fried and seasoned, this was another case of the vinegar shoving everyone else out of the way and taking center stage. The balance was nonexistent for me. Aimee, on the other hand, named this taco as her favorite. She felt the well-fried fish and vinaigrette were a great pairing.

David and Chris both ordered the Smoked Carnitas Taco (Pork Shoulder Confit, crisped maciza, shaved tomatillo, avocado mousse, picked red onion and cilantro). It was David’s favorite of the night. The tomatillo added the right amount of zing and a welcomed bit of moisture with an absolutely delicious tortilla (seconded. Really well made tortillas). Chris praised the great flavor, tender pork and just the right amount of crisp. Aimee had the Steak Taco (Mesquite grilled steak, mash, avocado mousse, smoky pasilla salsa, crispy onions and jalapeno toreado). She found it tasty but the cut of the steal itself was too big and difficult to eat. She ended up cutting it up into smaller pieces. She also got the Pork Belly Al Pastor Taco (Achiote pork belly, mesquite pineapple, baby mizuna, avocado mousse, crema and cilantro). While she describes the flavors as nice, she also said the pork belly wasn’t tender. One bite and the whole piece “Slid out like a bad onion ring”. She said she wouldn’t order this one again.

Our resident pescatarian, Amy J, ordered the Rainbow Cauliflower Taco (charred cauliflower, eggplant bacon, avocado mousse, almonds, golden raisins, morita dulce salsa, cilantro). While she found it a bit spicier than she normally enjoys, she praised the salsa and how it mixed with the textures of the eggplant bacon and cauliflower.

Amy J also ordered a side of Lola’s Beans (a food I won’t touch so I was glad to have her input) creamy peruanos with diced red onion. She calls it a “must-have”; creamy and flavorful. A bowl of comfort. David was also a big fan of this dish, claiming he’d never had beans so creamy and loved the zest from the onions. Love that for them.

We capped off the night with dessert. We got the made-to-order churros, served alongside a vegan cajeta dipping sauce. They were fried a bit darker than I’m used to but they were very tasty with fluffy insides. The sauce was giving more maple syrup than caramel but it was also very tasty. We also ordered bowls of all 3 ice cream flavors offered; Dark Chocolate Mole, Horchata and the seasonal offering; Pumpkin. We were unprepared for the chocolate and horchata to be topped with peanuts (bad news for allergic Amy) but she did get to have the pumpkin ice cream which, instead, was topped with crunchy pepitas. She found it to be heavy on the Fall spices without being too Pumpkin-y (also a plus for others at the table who don’t love pumpkin but enjoyed this ice cream). I enjoyed it as well. I don’t know that I could get through a whole bowl of it but it was very tasty.

The Horchata Ice Cream was another hit, even for Aimee who doesn’t love the original drink the ice cream is modeled after. Great vanilla and cinnamon coming through on that one with a rich creaminess. Chris chose “Best Life Only” options by adding the Cajeta sauce from the churros to the Horchata ice cream, calling it a perfect finish. For David and me, the clear winner was the Dark Chocolate Mole Ice Cream. Served with a syrup that hardened like a rich chocolate shell along with the peanuts made for a great crunch on top of a rich, not-too-sweet ice cream. I will say, had I not been told there was mole in it, I wouldn’t have known. It just tasted like a rich chocolate ice cream. A little heat would’ve been nice but for what it was, I really enjoyed it.

*The Michelin recognized version of Magic Shell.*

While my taco experience at Lola 55 was less than stellar, I will say this place is worth seeking out for a number of reasons: location, value (nothing on the menu is over ten dollars, unheard of for food of this quality) and great small plates. The Masa Fritas are a MUST. I will be back to explore more of the menu. I’m still not eating the beans. I’m sure they’re wonderful. The answer is no. Leave me alone.

Check out my YouTube Channel for this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@TheBoyWhoAteSanDiego

Check out the deep dive podcast for this episode! https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-wbbmi-1580be8

The Friendly

by anthonydonovan2014

Something that I feel is missing from a lot of popular food culture is the art of simplicity. I’m not a fan of food gimmicks, particularly when it comes to burgers. I’m sure you’ve all seen the clips and pics of some obnoxiously huge burger with 12 patties, a bowl of pasta, a brick of cheese, a shrimp po boy, a whole live mackerel and an original vinyl pressing of De La Soul’s “Three Feet High and Rising” on it. It’s 17 pounds, 3 feet tall and needs to be carried by 4 servers, the last of whom presents the table with a release of liability form for you to sign. It’s giving unmistakable dark flavortown vibes, for like $60. I know you know this burger. Aside from the fact that these are often absolutely disgusting they are also always wildly impractical. And that’s the part that bothers me the most. It can’t be picked up. How do you even get at that thing?! Am I supposed to unhinge my jaw like a python? The taste of it is secondary to giving you something to blow up ‘the Gram’ (That’s what the kids call Instagram. It’s also what I used to call my Maternal Grandmother, so I’m hosting a terrifying buffet of mental images right now after writing that). None of these ridiculous toppings are bringing anything to the party flavor-wise. The taste of this thing people are meant to eat has become irrelevant. Lost in a gimmick gone too far. I say no thank you.

The competition for “best burger” is fierce everywhere and San Diego is no different. There’s no accounting for taste but you bring up things like best taco? Best Ramen? Best burger? Them’s fightin’ words. Opinions will be shouted, emotions will flare, friendships and marriages will be irreparably damaged. People are serious about this shit. San Diego has some serious contenders for ‘best burger’ but I knew as soon as I came back for this series that only one place stood out from the crowd enough to warrant a feature. What’s that you say? Anthony, you can’t cover a place you’ve already been to!” This here is a new Boy Who Ate San Diego, gentle reader. As part of this series, I’m highlighting some of the “Icons” of San Diego. Places that have been around for a minute and I’m exploring why.

The Friendly on 30^th (There are 3 locations in town) is, by definition, a pizzeria but my favorite thing to order at this pizzeria is actually the Dirty Flat Top Cheeseburger. Butter braised onions, American cheese, garlic aioli. That’s literally it. Simple. Life changingly delicious. It’s almost too simple. It almost gives “House Burger” (A little something for you Gen X Eddie Murphy fans) except that it’s deliciousness will have you thinking about this burger for days after you eat it. At least that’s my experience with it. But it’s more than a burger and a slice of pizza. There’s an experience to it.

I was in a production of the musical “The Full Monty” last Summer. After a performance attended by my inner circle, we were in search of after show eats and one of the only things open after 11pm (Do not get me started on this city’s ability to pull in the sidewalks by 9pm) was The Friendly on 30^th. I’d had their burger before when my work crush brought me one a few years ago. But I needed to be sure that the euphoria I felt eating this burger wasn’t just the feeling I got when I looked in his dreamy popsicle blue eyes and melted in the presence of his irresistible troublemaker smile into that usual chokehold that unattainable straight boys had me in for most of the 90’s. I needed a second go at this burger with a clear, less horny mind. This was that chance and, friends, lightning struck twice with this glorious burger.

Returning to the scene of the crime with me were some of my most trustworthy burger and beer lovers:

Dan-Lawful pirate, metal lover, can tell you everything about a great beer. And he will.

Joseph-Music educator, loves just about every food I won’t touch, masterclass Dad joker

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves sandwiches. Like, a lot.

Anna-Canadian Goddess, Theatre dresser, puppet builder

Joe-Theatre and beer enthusiast, podcast co-host, TikTok Dad

I don’t know how but this picture manages to give indie band, brewery founders and coffee house staff all at the same time.

I tried my best to not let my all-consuming obsession with this burger cloud the fact that I was here to give readers an overview of the whole experience of The Friendly. And, let me be clear here, it is an experience. Seating inside is limited, there’s one small bathroom. There is always a line out the door. Not the place for a sit down meal. We almost always get our food and gather outside on the sidewalk and enter into a collective food coma under the white hot fluorescent lights and painted signage on the window. Menu alterations (especially in regards to the burger) are not allowed. I honestly go back and forth about my feelings on that. On the one hand, I applaud the unwillingness to alter the experience. After all, I don’t know that I would have ever thought to order a burger this way so it kinda forced me to experience something I now love. On the other hand, the unwillingness to modify excluded all of our usual suspects who can’t eat gluten (most notably, my partner). Also, as Chris astutely pointed out, there’s also no ketchup and no fries. I don’t know that I would’ve been sold on coming here, had I not had the burger first.

The Friendly offers pizza by the slice. I’m no aficionado and I’m SURE some stranger in the comment section will set me straight if I’m incorrect but I would most closely compare The Friendly’s pizza to New York Style. I’m one of those rare people who equally loves New York and Chicago style pizza, which often gets me strange looks from folks who have chosen their side in the battle of the only two cities on Earth that make pizza. The Friendly’s attitude is well reflected in every aspect of their menu, down to the pizza names. Both mine and Joseph’s first slice was the Dr. Green Thumb (Garlic, Spinach, Red bell Pepper, Mushrooms, Red Onion and Artichoke Hearts). Were it not for the fake cheese, I would’ve ordered a slice of Did I Tell You I’m A Vegan based on the name alone because HA! Really tender crust, the artichokes added the perfect amount of tang without overpowering the whole slice. Ratio of sauce to toppings was on point. Joseph enjoyed the large chunks of garlic and balance of veggies.

My favorite Friendly slice (The Becky: White Pizza, mushrooms and ricotta) was out for the night, likely watching a rom com or having a meet cute at a café. I instead chose for my second slice, the Michael Cane Italian Job (Not The Marky Mark Version) (BTW, that’s the actual full name of the pizza, parenthetical diss and all). White Pizza with Ricotta, Red Bell Pepper, Garlic and Sausage. I was happy to see this slice didn’t have pepperoni, which I hate. I know, an Italian who hates pepperoni. Sacrilege! One of many ways I’m a colossal disappointment to my family. The ricotta was creamy and was sliced thin enough to keep from weighing the slice down. The garlic and sausage played well off each other and the crust on this one was also tender and toothsome. Good stuff.

I resisted suggestions to smash them together into one giant slice because I am not a competitive eater or an anarchist.

Now that I was a good boy and ate my pizza it was time for my reward: The Dirty Flat Top Cheeseburger. I don’t know why it works so well! The grill they make them on like a little assembly line looks like it’s clean and totally up to food grade but tastes like it hasn’t been cleaned since 1961 and I mean that as the highest possible praise. I would never order American Cheese on anything! But for some reason, this yellow slice just becomes creamy, velvety and perfect atop this burger patty. The butter braised onions bring in sweet and smoky elements and the garlic aioli ties it all together like a symphony. I loved it so much, I didn’t even care when I thought it was mayonnaise! Some folks ordered two burgers and while I respect the dedication, I can barely get through one of these, so I savor it. 25-year-old Anthony would be crushing these in 3’s like full sized sliders (which, admittedly, might prevent the existence of present day Anthony but I digress). Joseph praised both the crust on the bun and the crust on the burger. He points out that he really can’t name another $7 burger that rivals the comfort and full flavor of the dirty flat top.

About to risk it all for my cheesy, salty, greasy Roman Empire.

Chris really hit the nail on the head when he compared The Friendly to an immobile food truck. He praised the burger’s taste, texture and mild greasiness (in the way good burgers are allowed to be). He rated the pizza slices “as good a slice as you’re going to find in San Diego”.

Dan had the Meat Lover’s pizza (which I’m sure had some other smart ass name on the menu board). While many pizza places can go easily overboard on their meaty toppings, he enjoyed that The Friendly was smart about their balance. No topping dominated any other. While he usually a fan of the burger, he mentioned it tasting saltier when he’s sober as opposed to other occasions. I want to point out here that multiple people in our dining crew said this place would be perfect to show up to drunk. I’m not encouraging that you get sloshed before going to The Friendly but if you do, please do so safely on foot, call an Uber or a friend who owes you a favor (Don’t get me started on San Diego’s lack of public transport) But it was still delicious for him. He recommends (and so do I) making a late night weekend trip to The Friendly after having a few beers up the street at Fall Brewing Company. The vibe is festive and must be seen to be believed.

And speaking of beer, Dan continues his role in my life as “beer hero” bringing his love and expertise of the sudsy devil to my table. The Friendly offers Tecate, with a dollar off if you shotgun the can. Dan did the thing because who doesn’t love a dollar off? He proudly boasts missing his shirt and only getting a few drops on the counter. Chris was not as lucky with his but we still love him.

I absolutely loved Anna’s description of The Friendly in North Park as a “pause two thirds of the way through a bar crawl for a fever dream of a cheeseburger.” That made me Kermit nod, IYKYK. She mentioned it’s the type of delicious burger that tastes better after at least 3 drinks. I’m sure she’s right. It almost makes me want to like beer. Almost. I honestly would risk it all for this damned burger. Anna’s slice of pizza included ricotta (which she describes as the cat nip of the cheese world), pepperoni and mushrooms. She said it was solid and praised it’s ability to be folded without fuss, which proves to me that she has spent enough time around New York actors because no Canadian I know would eat pizza like that. Also, Anna is not Canadian. Moving on.

As Anna lacks the ability to shotgun beer (leaving that to her Husband, Dan) she did enjoy a refreshing Topo Chico Sparkling Water. I will say the only thing I don’t love about this place is the lack of drink options for the non-beer crowd. I usually just have bottled water because Mexican Coke is a real bad choice for me (cut to the glowing ghost of Wilfred Brimley giving me a Kermit nod, IYKYK)

I will conclude this review in a way that will not at all shock you. It’s all about the burger (which is available in other iterations at The Friendly’s other two locations in town, but you gotta start with the dirty flat top) but the pizza is also pretty great. The vibe is humorous with a smart ass charm. The folks working behind the counter perfectly reflect that vibe also. On some nights, you can buy a round of Tecate for the staff. It’s a party and one I always enjoy getting to attend. Also, The Friendly on 30^th is located walking distance from multiple options for drinks and dessert. Grab your friends and make a night of it. And tell the burger I love it and I can’t wait for it to meet my lips again soon.

Check out my YouTube Channel for this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@TheBoyWhoAteSanDiego

Check out the deep dive podcast for this episode! https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-6in9k-1541798

Further Reading: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-friendly-san-diego

17Jan2024

Louisiana Purchase

by anthonydonovan2014

In 2014, I took one of the best trips of my entire life when I made my very first excursion to New Orleans. In fact, I was so impressed with it, I blogged about it. You can read that here: https://theboywhoatesd.com/2014/03/19/special-report-the-boy-who-ate-new-orleans/

Sad to say I’ve not been back to the big easy since but hopefully someday. In the years since, any place with New Orleans-style eats on the menu automatically gets my attention. While choosing what places to cover on this first season of BW8SD: The New Class was no easy feat, the fact that this place was named among the “must-try’s” made it an immediate contender.

Louisiana Purchase is located on the corner of Louisiana Street and University Avenue in the San Diego neighborhood of North Park. The fact that the place is called “Louisiana Purchase” AND located on Louisiana Street is either an incredible real estate coincidence or was by design because I can’t imagine the place being called “University Purchase”, unless it was opened by Lori Laughlin (Jokes ripped straight from the headlines of 2019! You’re welcome!) Drawing on the famously bold flavors of New Orleans, Lousiana Purchase bills itself as an “intimate cocktail restaurant”. Executive Chef (and NOLA transplant) Quinnton Austin is serving up inventive takes on classic Southern cooking while the bar eschews the more “sugary” New Orleans standards in favor of a more modern focus on “Quality and craftsmanship”, per their website.

Joining me on this maiden voyage to Lousiana Purchase was my own delightful band of anthropomorphized bayou critters to my Princess Tiana. But let’s face it, I’m more Charlotte.

Aimee-Roommate since the 90’s, BFF, allergic to hot dogs and therefore labeled a commie by many

Dan-Lawful pirate, metal lover, can tell you everything about a great beer. And he will.

David-Wonder Woman superfan, musical theatre enthusiast, the narrator’s love interest

Harry-The I.T. guy, equal parts Type A and goofy as all get out, He probably knows how to fix that.

Kelsey-Project manager, Keeper of Christmas, has been known to drop it like it’s hot

Joseph-Music educator, loves just about every food I won’t touch, masterclass Dad joker

Shannan-Medical examiner, pumpkin enthusiast, drives the coolest car you’ve ever seen

*Laisse les bons biscuits au babeurre rouler*

Louisiana Purchase is the type of place that lets you know straight out the gate who they are and what they’re about. The buy-in for me was immediate. From the purple lights of the bar to the portraits of Snoop Dogg and Britney near the restrooms but for myself and others at my table, the biggest non-food highlights was the music. All night we were treated to a sublime curated mix of 90’s-early 2000’s R&B. I’m talking full-on Bill Bellamy MTV Jams-era bliss. As more and more plates arrived to our table throughout the night, their arrivals were set to the sounds of Lauryn Hill, SWV, Maxwell, Soul For Real and Mary J. Blige. What sold me was hearing the 12” version of Jodeci’s undisputed 1992 boot knockin’ classic “Come and Talk To Me”. THE TWELVE INCH. Remember 12” remixes and Maxi-Singles? Kids, ask your parents. The 90’s were it. We were a PROPER COUNTRY. Seriously, wall-to-wall bangers all night.

While their food is undoubtedly the focus, Louisiana Purchase also offers a full menu of fun, Nawlins-inspired cocktails, both traditional and with a twist. I was eager to partake of said cocktails since I enjoyed so many in the Big Easy (from what I’m told, I had a lovely time) but your boy was unfortunately on a round of antibiotics for a UTI that night so I had to lean entirely on my amazing krewe to drink and dish on my behest. And boy, were they up to the challenge. Aimee had the French Margarita, with cognac, fresh citrus and agave nectar. She gave it a thumbs up for the sweet, refreshing balance of the agave nectar and the cognac. Shannan had the Hand Grenade, a frozen cocktail blended with Jameson, Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Fresh Citrus and mint. It had a really nice flavor without being too strong.

Harry and Dan both ordered the Praline Old Fashioned (Bourbon, pecan orgeat, orange bitters and chicory bitters). Harry found the drink very accessible with controlled flavors and a mild sweetness. Dan found it had a woody taste but no buzz (“Alexa, play ‘You’ve Got a Friend In Me’”) Harry also gave high marks to the Jamaican Superman (LP LIT Mix, sorel, lemon, simple syrup and starry). David went the classic New Orleans route and tried Lousiana Purchase’s very fun take on a Hurricane. Made with a house rum blend, house fassionola (A word I absolutely did not have to Google), almond orgeat, fresh citrus and burlesque bitters, which I can only assume is the flavor of a disastrous 2010 film starring Cher and Christina Aguilera that only gay men are able to enjoy. Served with a side of Pop Rocks (yes, really), it takes the experience to a whole new level. He said the drink was (surprisingly) not too sweet. Also, shout out to our server, Abraham, for letting David pick out another flavor pop rocks after being brought strawberry, which he is allergic to. I was delighted watching him and Shannan toss back pop rocks and giggle while they drank a sip of hurricane like two adorable children getting drunk on a Wednesday night.

The cocktails continued to appear at various points through the night. At one point, David had the Strong Island Iced Tea. As a native of Oceanside Long Island, New York, this was a no-brainer for him to try. Made with LP LIT Mix, orange curacao, lemon, simple syrup and cola, the Strong Island changes up the recipe of a classic Long Island but, according to David, very successfully and deliciously evokes the flavor of a young person trying to get as drunk as possible for as little money as possible. Y’know, the good ol’ days.

We started with several small dishes for the table. Garlic Cheddar Biscuits arrived. They were large, fluffy and served with jam and honey butter. A nice mix of savory and sweetness. The taste and textures were a hit with the table overall. Among the most anticipated dishes of the night was an original creation by chef Austin; Alligator Andouille Cheesecake. Savory cheesecake, alligator, andouille and a crawfish cream sauce. Wildly creative, original and absolutely not for me. I know. I KNOW. CALM DOWN. I got no problem with alligators. In fact, one used to live in our yard in Florida and my Mom made the front page of the local newspaper in her efforts to stop wildlife authorities from killing it (That story is 100 percent true). I just can’t get down with reptiles as food. It’s a me problem. This is why I bring other people with me. According to the more adventurous eaters at my table, the cheesecake (which, btw, this isn’t a slice of cheesecake, it’s a whole mini cheesecake about 4” in diameter) was rich, creamy and intensely flavorful. A wholly satisfying experience for everyone who tried it. There was also some discussion about what constitutes a “cheesecake” and whether or not this dish qualifies. More on that on this week’s podcast episode. The point is, the dish brought raves from those brave enough to give it a go. Love that for them.

*Hot, moist and full of unexpected alligators. Kinda like Florida but better!*

My first plate of the night was the crawfish Mac and Cheese. Homestyle Gouda Mac and Cheese with big chunks of tender crawfish. This might be the best Mac and Cheese I’ve ever had. Where most homestyle Mac and Cheese dishes get it wrong for me is the texture of the pasta. It’s almost always overboiled and mushy. These elbows were al dente. Perfectly cooked. The cheese was kept in check, giving the right amount of rich, velvety, sauce consistency without being overly stringy (which I’m also not a fan of). There was just the right amount of crisp on top and a slight heat on the finish. An absolute stunner of a dish. I would go back for this alone.

*The mere existence of this dish means I can no longer call San Diego the “Bullshit Mac and Cheese Capital of America”.*

Harry was a fan of the ACME Chargrilled Oysters, seven gulf oysters with garlic lemon butter and parmesan. David ordered the Crawfish Garlic Parm Wings. Chicken wings are smothered in a rich garlic sauce with crawfish and dusted with parmesan. The dish is traditionally offered with fries but, as said fries include a batter, Gluten-unfriendly David had a side of brussels sprouts instead. David said the wings were very messy but cooked to perfection. Agreed on both counts. The crawfish adds so much richness to the crispy wings while the parmesan glides in with just the right kick of salt on the finish. Kelsey had the Spinach N’ Artichoke Toast (Spinach and artichoke dip on toasted sourdough with fried jumbo crab). She had some issues. While the dish is listed among the ‘shareables’ on the menu, she found it barely appetizer sized and a bit of a non-bargain at $22.

The main courses started arriving. David had the shrimp N’ grits, served with a garlic tomato creole sauce and topped with bacon lardon (Which, as any culinary expert will tell you, is simply fully erect bacon). He says the shrimp were plump and perfectly cooked with expertly flavored cheese grits. The only possible drawback to this dish (and I have to agree) is the tomato sauce which doesn’t overpower the rest of the dish but, if overdressed, could easily do that. It skirts the line of “too much”. Kelsey ordered the Crab Stuffed Shrimp and was underwhelmed. The accompanying jerk ranch dip helped but does not rank among her favorite sauces. Joseph had the Shrimp N’ Fried Cabbage. Served with andouille sausage, peppers, bacon and jerk spices, he found the Shrimp to be the most delicious part of the dish with a nice mix of sweet and spicy from the cabbage. The only real misfire here for him was the rice, which was more undercooked than he liked. In his words “Unintentionally crunchy rice is something that is hard to reel me back in from”.

My main course for the night was the Uptown Kitchen Sink Gumbo. A blonde roux gumbo (which I can only assume means it’s dumber but hotter than the other rouxs and never has to pay for a drink at the bar), roasted chicken, andouille sausage, crawfish and shrimp with a scoop of rice taking centerstage. There’s a certain feeling to gumbo done right. An unctuousness, a depth of flavor that half-assing any step of the process will immediately destroy. You can taste the time in a good gumbo. You can taste the care. Plus, if you’re going to open a New Orleans-style restaurant and your gumbo is a buncha bullshit, don’t bother. Bestie, this is the real deal. While I think it’s weird to anthropomorphize food, it felt like this dish exuded actual swagger and confidence. It walked into the room and did what it does in a “Stay humble but let bitches know” kinda way. I see you, Gumbo. We all see you. So good.

*This was everything I wanted in one bowl. The season can honestly only go downhill from here.*

Aimee had one of the house specials (A rotating menu at Louisiana Purchase); Halibut with crawfish chowder, grilled cajun corn, red potatoes, applewood smoked bacon and grits. The richness of the chowder had Aimee wishing it had been served over rice instead. She was also convinced the dish was served with polenta and not grits. She insists there is a difference that she can spot immediately; an innate ability to those born and raised in Southern Alabama, along with the ability to make any topic of conversation about college football. She said the halibut was perfectly cooked and delicious.

Dan ordered the Lemon Pepper Catfish with two sides (he chose brussels sprouts and LP’s Gouda Mac and Cheese that I lost my shit over just 4 paragraphs ago). He found the fish to be wonderfully flaky with balanced seasoning and a non-greasy fry. The maple butter on the brussels made the side cloyingly sweet while the Mac and Cheese felt too heavy and overpowering in contrast to the rest of his meal. For his main course, Harry had the Crafwish Monica Ribeye, A USDA Prime 14oz cast iron seared ribeye paired with nola’s famous spice cream sauce. He said it was cooked to a perfect medium rare. In fact, he found the sauce to be a detractor and could almost be left off for him.

The dessert menu at Lousiana Purchase doesn’t offer a whole bunch in terms of selection (with only two options) but at least we got to try all both of them. First up, the Ooey Gooey. Yellow cake with cream cheese topped with cinnamon, bananas foster and vanilla ice cream. The cake was light, buttery and fluffy with just enough ice cream to keep the bananas foster in check. We were all pretty full at this point in the night so Harry and Shannan got the other dessert (classic beignets) to go and play Lousiana Purchase: The Home Game. Follow up reports were fabulous. Sweet, doughy with a light crisp that gives way to soft insides. Again, this is another NOLA classic that I feel like you need to get right. Lousiana Purchase was up to the challenge.

The evening didn’t go perfectly (I’ll get to that in a minute) but I have to highlight the service at Louisiana Purchase, which was top shelf. Our server, Abraham, was charming, knowledgeable, helpful and even nice enough to split the bill for us, even though everyone had obeyed my threats to bring cash. That having been said, there were some missteps with the pacing of our meal. A cocktail and side dish were forgotten but no one seemed particularly peeved about it. It was a Wednesday night and we were a big group.

I can’t see myself ever ordering that much rich food again in one sitting BUT, I really loved what I had and I am already planning to return. If you love New Orleans food, Louisiana Purchase is a San Diego must. The good times will roll. No diggity. No Doubt.

Be sure to watch the YouTube Series episode about my visit!: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBoyWhoAteSanDiego/featured

For a more deep dive discussion among the panel, check out the Podcast!: https://theboywhoatesandiego.podbean.com/

Further reading: https://www.louisianapurchasesd.com/

18Dec2023

It’s Hard Out Here for a Restaurant

by anthonydonovan2014

When I decided to relaunch this blog series, I got very curious to see how many of the original 52 places I reviewed were still even open. While not as bad as it could have been, my findings were still pretty grim, at least to me. So, let’s pour one out for the ones we lost, for better or worse….

IN MEMORIUM:

Bistro 760

Searsucker (Fear not, gentle reader, Brian Malarkey has opened many more restaurants)

Empire House (If this was the Oscars, the sausage bread from this place would undoubtedly win the audience dead-applause-o-meter)

BiCE Ristorante

Cafe Japanego

Carnitas Snack Shack (Just the North Park location, there are others)

Heat (NOT. MY. FAULT.)

Southpaw Social Club

Pure Burger

Alchemy

Saigon on Fifth (The absolutely CAVERNOUS space it occupied remains empty to this day in Hillcrest until some plucky new upstart can meet the 7 million dollar-a-month rent. I made that last part up. It’s probably much higher.)

Fat Sal’s

Bruxie

The Patio

Little Tokyo

Waypoint Public

Saltbox

Bijou

Tam’s

Zensei Sushi

Bonus reviews:

Burger Miester (San Francisco)

Farmer Brown (San Francisco)

Neptune’s Waterfront (San Francisco)

Out of the 52 places I covered, only 32 remain open at press time (I feel like the Clark Kent-yest MF on Earth just writing the words “press time”. Am I a journalist?!?!). That’s a good sign no matter which way you slice it but in the restaurant business, it’s damn near a miracle. According to Bin Wise, about 60% of restaurants fail in their first year of operation. 80% fail within 5 years of opening. That’s crazy to me. When you consider the original BW8SD list is now a decade old, bravo to those that held on. And of course I get that the list was a VERY wide net. It encompassed everything from celebrity chef vanity projects to unknown holes in the wall with bomb ass food and that was very much by design. While the fate of Tam’s always hung in the balance, I doubt anyone at Addison was saying “Well guys, time to tighten the belt. We need to switch to dollar store brand for the men’s room mouthwash carafes”. If you aren’t a celebrity chef, other reports claim that restaurant owners can operate their business for between 10-20 years before raking in a substantial profit. To say nothing of the mental health and stress challenges that come with restaurant ownership. This is why “The Bear” was so stressful to watch!

Plus there’s the added complexity of operating a restaurant in the age of COVID. The bounce back from the initial shutdown has been a wild ride. According to a rep from the National Restaurant Association, even though restaurants made record sales in 2023, the industry is still extremely fragmented. While takeout, delivery, drive-through and curbside sales have increased since 2020, on-site dining traffic has remained down. Many factors can contribute to a restaurant shuttering prematurely but according to Google, the number one lifespan killer of a restaurant is location. I think I’m just a weirdo because that never really bothers me. I’ve driven hours just to go to a place I like but, now that I think about it, those places aren’t ones I can get to regularly enough to keep their lights on.

It was during the initial shut down that I realized how much of a difference supporting the local restaurants you love can make. The ugly vibes of fear, misinformation and racism made Chinese restaurants an early target. We made it a mission in our house to make take out from our favorite Chinese spot a standing weekly appointment. This place shall remain nameless as they recently changed ownership and I have not yet been back to see if the food is still good at press time (THERE I GO AGAIN). As time went on and restrictions eventually lifted in San Diego, I never took my favorite places for granted again. It’s important to support the places you love in your communities. I went from a “good” tipper to a “great” tipper. I want everyone at every job level in this business to do well. I want everyone to win. Yes, even the places I give less than stellar reviews to. That can mean spending more money but, for me, the experience is worth it. Y’know, usually. They can’t all be Addison. Because if they were, I’d need a sugar Daddy and at my age the sugar daddies are all sugar corpses. Related: Great podcast and YouTube Ad sponsorships available! Help a brotha out cuz some of y’all got expensive taste.

In the meantime, hopefully this here blog can be a resource for you to find some great new places to support in San Diego (and elsewhere). LET’S EAT!!!!

27Nov2023

The Big D

by anthonydonovan2014

As I’ve gotten older, I’m feeling more and more like the real secret sauce to life is the ability to show up as our most authentic selves. While curating an online life that looks flawless and makes everyone else jealous is certainly fun, I feel like it’s not sustainable. Because let’s face it, eventually you’re going to reach an age where the more filters you use will make you look more and more like an oil painting smeared in vaseline. Your own parents will see you in person at Christmas and feel like they’ve been catfished as they run past you to hug the younger person with indistinct facial features that look vaguely like you at the airport. More and more, especially in this phase of my life, I’m finding real connection is where it’s at. To that end, in rebooting my Boy Who Ate San Diego adventures, I needed to be honest with you. I briefly touched on this in 2014 but didn’t give any real insight but now I feel like it’s time to actually talk about this.

I am a devoted foodie but I’m also one of the 37.3 million Americans (About 11.3% of the US Population)* living with Type 2 Diabetes. I was diagnosed at age 38 during a routine physical for my insurance. It shocked me. I’ve never been classifiably “obese”. A little doughy and outta shape in a Dad-bod before it was cool kinda way? Sure. But Wilfred Brimley, I was not. That’s something old people get, right? I did not take it well. In fact, it took years for me to get okay with it. There’s a lot of emotions that come with that diagnosis. It’s hard to accept because I was told on a Monday that I have this very serious, potentially life-threatening condition but I felt no differently than I did the day/week/month/year before, even though I still had this very serious, potentially life-threatening condition. I just didn’t know it. Knowing it changed everything. Among my first thoughts was “Oh, shit. I’m about to start a food blog!” I had 3 months to get my act together, and boy did I, but it came with a lot of challenges.

I’d never been on any medication prior to this. Now I was on about 8. My doctor at the time was not an Endocrinologist. He was old and old school. His solution to just about anything was to throw more pills at it. It took me years (and the right subsequent doctors) to discover I was WAY overprescribed and way over-medicated. My body was not happy with this very sudden and dramatic change. The way we treat Diabetes in this country is a rant that is way too long, angry and intense for this platform. Just know, they get it wrong at the expense of patients. A lot. Plus I went from living my best life food and drink wise to eliminating all carbs, sugar, alcohol. Y’know, the good stuff. And working out like a fiend. I got my A1C to non-diabetic levels in just 3 months. Even though I ate whatever I wanted at the 52 restaurants I covered in the first year of this series, the other 6 days of the week were eating clean AKA, the saddest, most boring food you can possibly imagine. But I do what I gots to do.

This was a pretty rude awakening for ya boy physically but also psychologically. No one ever really talks about this but suddenly not having the freedom to choose what I ate or drank was a battle for me. One of the best parts about being an adult was having the freedom to eat whatever I wanted, however much of it I wanted and whenever I wanted it without a second thought. Plus, I was addicted to sugar. Have been my whole life. Now suddenly, in the blink of an eye, I had to watch every bite of food that went into my mouth. I got pretty depressed about it. Also, angry. I had me a great big mad about it. Especially when you consider, I surround myself with people who are not burdened with Type 2 and can still have whatever they wanted without consequence (At least from where I was sitting). I felt like I’d been punished. Grounded. Forced to make amends for the horrible things I’d done while all my friends, colleagues and loved ones were still free to roam about the culinary cabin. Looking back, it doesn’t surprise me that I felt that way, considering how our society views diabetes.

For those who love fatphobic rhetoric and food shaming, Diabetes is the automatic go-to punchline. The timeless classic. Tried and true comedy gold. You’ve all heard them. I’m sure you may have even made those jokes yourselves (Lord knows I have). I’m sure those underlying pervasive beliefs made their way into my subconscious. As I’ve gotten a handle on my Diabetes, I get more and more annoyed with these jokes. Just know that when you make those jokes, we hear you. You’re telling on yourself more than you realize.

I’m not about to sit here and tell you that I never again had struggles with my Diabetes. It’s a lifetime commitment and one that’s hard to honor faithfully. I’ve had good and bad spells with my numbers. When seemingly the whole world was on the couch drowning their sorrows in junk food, cocktails and attempts at home-made bread during season 1 of COVID, I was in there with everyone for about a month before my doctor said “I don’t think so, Mr. Co-morbidity. Back on the treadmill.” The next big turning point came last Summer. I’d been managing okay with my numbers, skirting the limit of “normal high”. I was on a new medication and found a great Endocronologist who took me off a lot of the unnecessary meds I’ve been on for years. Then two very sobering things happened.

The first concerned my friend Sarah. Sarah was the first friend I made during orientation weekend at college in Florida. She was responsible for introducing me to her roommate who remains my best friend and roommate to this day. We were close throughout all our years at school. She moved back to Minnesota after graduation but we kept in touch for more than 25 years. She even came to San Diego to visit me a few years ago. Sarah was (to use a term I hate) “Clinically obese”. She was also a heavy smoker. She developed Diabetes and had her ups and downs with it over the years but rock bottom came in November 2021 when a neglected foot injury resulted in her becoming an amputee. Just a few short months later, right as she was poised to return to work, she was hospitalized and died of cardiac arrest a few days later. She was 45. Just a year younger than me. She was single with no children but had so many more dreams and hopes for her life. 45 is too young. It hit me like a truck. While I would never try to make the death of a dear friend about me, the writing was on the wall: “Get your shit together before it’s too late”.

Right around February was when “the great shortage” happened. One of my key medications hit the internet as a hot weight loss drug. Yep, Ozempic. Once it was discovered that this Semiglutide for Diabetics will cause weight loss, the folks with enough cash to pay for it out of pocket and enough self-hatred to want a quick fix for those pesky pre-high school reunion pounds cleared pharmacy shelves, leaving those of us who actually need it in the lurch. The thing that really irritates me about it is this; there is no chemical weight loss component to the drug per se. It just makes you so blocked up and nauseous, you don’t want to eat. At least that’s been my experience on it. It is NOT sexy. Like, at all. The side effects are pretty gnarly. This shortage lasted months. I still have difficulty getting it on a regular basis.

I am also fully prepared to admit that what happened next is 100% on me. What I should have done when my medication shortage happened (It was another medication in addition to Ozempic. Badly timed supply shortage) is immediately cleaned up my eating. I wasn’t eating poorly but a far cry from what I should be. I already go to the gym 5 days a week but I was coasting, ignoring the “ottoman rule”. Y’know those little round mid-century style ottomans with the three legs that you see in hip coffee shops, your Grandmother’s living room and in the chic home of every elderly Palm Springs gay couple? It needs all 3 legs to stand up properly. If you take one or more away, it topples over. In my experience, keeping my A1C down requires three legs: Diet, Exercise and Medication. Meds can’t do all the work. If you eat crap, it doesn’t matter how much you work out. If you eat all the right foods from your couch, no dice. You gotta have all 3. I was down one proverbial leg and didn’t make up for it in the other areas. In just a few months, my A1C shot up to 10. It had never been that high. Ever. It wasn’t even that high when I was diagnosed.

Fortunately, I have a great endocrinologist who sprang into action. He put together a plan without shaming or scaring me. I was more ready than I’ve ever been to put in the work. It was hard. It still is hard but I made up my mind. Meal planning, tracking my glucose, new work out regemine, all of it. Discipline became my new religion. In fact, I got so gangsta with it, I had difficulty allowing myself to have a piece of cake on my birthday but I did because that’s important too. Finding that balance. It was right around this time that I decided it was time for a new BW8SD. I still love food, even if what I eat day to day is pretty boring. I’ve had MANY people over the years tell me “Oh, I’ve got the perfect Diabetes-friendly recipe! It’s so healthy, you’ll never miss the sweets”. I could regenerate the Earth’s atmosphere 10 times over with the amount of oxygen that has been wasted in my direction by these well-meaning folks. I’ve never gotten over junk food and dessert. I never don’t want it. All of it. This is why moderation doesn’t work for me. I’m an addict. Full stop. I understand and accept this about myself and live my life with Type 2 Diabetes accordingly.

After 3 months of some pretty severe discipline, I got my A1C from 10 down to 5.8 (well within non-Diabetic range) My doctors were all pretty shocked with the progress I made in such a short time. When I get my mind made up (no easy task), I don’t play. In just over 4 weeks, everything started improving. I won’t say it’s been easy but as my primary care doctor (the other guy retired) said “You’re giving yourself the gift of longevity”. Also, as my best friend often says in response “You’re not gonna live any longer, it just feels longer”. I feel like both philosophies apply.

Plus, getting this part of my life under control gives me more appreciation for the wonderful (and otherwise) food I get to try in this series. These dining excursions are always a treat. Now more than ever. I’m glad you’re along for the ride too. I just wanted to keep it 100 with you and let you know how much work it took to get here.

Now, let’s eat!

*According to the CDC website. I’m not nearly creative enough to make this shit up.

13Nov2023

And We’re Back.

by anthonydonovan2014

If you work (or have ever worked) in theatre, you know these words well. They are said by an often tired, overworked, underpaid and underappreciated stage manager to let actors and musicians know that it’s time to stop whatever you were doing and return to your places in rehearsal. And that “whatever” we were doing has never, ever, EVER been anything important. But once those fateful words hit the air, the energy in the room changes. It means we are all now focused on the thing. Back to business. No fooling around.

I’ve always viewed my break from this blog as kind of like an intermission or rehearsal break. Just a brief pause for things like, pursuing other interests that don’t make me feel like I have nightly homework for the rest of my life, or working 3 other jobs to try to maintain some quality of life in the most expensive city I’ve ever lived in, or a global pandemic that had the entire food service industry circling the drain for a hot minute. Y’know, normal stuff.

I wanted so badly to not discuss the pandemic on this blog. Whether you were on the frontlines as an essential or stuck at home trying to stave off boredom, everyone went through their own flavor of Hell during Season 1 of COVID and I would love nothing more than to eternal Sunshine that shit right out of my brain forever but that’s not how the world works. And it’s impact was too severe on the food service industry for me to ignore it now. Plus, it’s not over. Not by a longshot. We’re back, indeed.

I know it’s highly dramatic to say that I feel like I’m relaunching this blog in an entirely different world than the one I created it in, but am I wrong? This blog coming back was the furthest thing from my mind when I drove past my neighborhood Chilis in June of 2020 to see sad picnic tables in the parking lot with sad people eating even sadder food packaged to-go from 10 feet away but somehow was already cold once it got to their table. All over San Diego, once respectable dining establishments now looked like a Hillbilly wedding reception (I’ve been to several Hillbilly weddings, do not @ me). Seeing someone’s Dad trying to cut his soggy chicken crispers with plastic cutlery really broke something in me for a while there. Just like his knife broke before he tossed his useless compost flat wear to the ground and tearfully went at his sweaty chicken tenders with bare hands to glean some shred of the now-dead thrill of dining out. Don’t even get me started on Little Italy. I can not.

It was during this time that I saw a BUNCH of my favorite San Diego eateries shuttered. But a few rolled with the punches, acted fast and got creative with how to keep serving the community and keep their business afloat while doing it safely in the face of a seemingly impossible public health crisis. A few of these places, through these actions, gained me as a customer for life. Others went the opposite way and will never again see me inside their establishments, many of which were shitty even before they served their food on the “good Chinet”. As the years went on and the world at large attempted to stumble forward in the age of COVID, more and more places sprang up and shut down just as fast. To quote Olivia Rodrigo (I’m very young and current) “It’s brutal out here”

Pandemic aside, keeping a restaurant afloat anywhere at anytime is a Herculean task at best (Blog post about this very subject coming soon) so I salute those who make it work to keep doing what they love. Once enough time had passed, I decided I really missed doing this and was ready to give it another go. A much bigger go than before.

And so The Boy Who Ate San Diego is back but I’m doing things a little differently this time. I once again asked the internet where the best meal in San Diego is and they once again buried me beneath a list of names that took weeks for me to categorize and research before choosing the 10 places I’m starting with this season. While I have not been to the majority of these restaurants, some I have already and want to share them with you. Plus, I’m including some of what I call the San Diego “Icons”. Places that locals have known and loved for decades. I want to explore why they’ve stood the test of time and share that with you. I’m still a pain in the ass when it comes to food preferences so my stalwart team of friends is once again coming with me to round out the menu and give additional perspective on the gross things I won’t eat or drink (BEER).

Plus, the Boy Who Ate San Diego is now a web series on YouTube. youtube.com/@TheBoyWhoAteSanDiego Hosted by yours truly, I take you inside the places themselves and give you the “moving pictures” experience of the restaurants I’m reviewing. You’ll hear from not just me but also my dining companions (a rotating and delightful bunch) as we recap our visit in our homes while making other food that we love to eat. Since we’re the “talk about what’s for dinner over lunch” type of folks, this is very much in step for how my chosen family and I do life together and we can’t wait to have you at the table with us for all the fun.

PLUS The Boy Who Ate San Diego is also now a podcast! The BW8SD: The Podcast will give listeners a deeper dive into the places and experiences that we cover. We’ll discuss not only the place we ate that week but great food topics in general. The best part is, unlike the YouTube series, you can play this in the car while driving and not wind up in a ditch! I hope. Please drive safely. It will be available wherever you listen to podcasts. I don’t know your life. Link coming soon.

Does all this sound like sensory overload? Has the modern age reduced your attention span to that of a sperm? I GOTCHU, FAM. The Boy Who Ate San Diego is also now on TikTok, serving up bite size morsels of highlights of my reviews and fun outtakes. If you are over the age of 30 and don’t have access to a salty teenger to show you how TikTok works, I didn’t forget about you. You can also enjoy these same videos on Instagram Reels, located on The Boy Who Ate San Diego Instagram. Where I proudly stand as the first ever middle aged homosexual white guy with an influencer complex in known human history. Ever. I’m still just as wildly unqualified to review restaurants as ever (maybe even moreso now) so whether you’re a faithful OG reader of this here blog or you’re just now discovering me, good or bad I promise I will make it entertaining and if I can hip you to a new spot or infuriate you with a bad review of some bullshit place you love, all the better! I’m so excited to bring this new chapter of The Boy Who Ate San Diego to you. LAUNCHING JANUARY 18th, 2024, Y’ALL. LET’S EAT!

17May2016

Empire House (CLOSED)

by anthonydonovan2014

As we get older we often yearn for the simpler days of our youth. Those comforts that bring us right back to our childhood. Things like board games, playing outside til it gets dark or getting the day off from school to go testify in divorce court with your parents. We all treasure these memories. Food can often be great for memory association. I don’t think there’s a kid alive that doesn’t love tater tots. Those crispy little nuggets of carb-y goodness fried in sunshine. And if your kid doesn’t love tater tots? There’s something seriously wrong with your child. Take him or her to counseling today and try to pin point the exact moment where your failure as a parent led your kid down this awful path.

I would love to tell you that my need to explore new American urban cuisine in a trendy area of San Diego led me to Empire House but let’s be honest, I’m here for the tots. Do I look like Giles Coren to you?! (I wish, what a cutie.) Empire House specializes in comfort food with a new urban edge. Kinda like when that first vaguely ethnic family moved into your neighborhood and brought some bomb ass covered dish to the block party that was amazing, wasn’t drowning in mayonnaise and had actual flavor. You start talking and turns out they love Eight is Enough too! Your families then become super besties and spend the holidays reassuring relatives that their purses and valuables are still safe when they come over to the house. I’m starting to think my upbringing may not have been so typical after all. Let’s compare notes later.

The menu at Empire house offers a wide variety of dishes from burgers, sandwiches and hot dogs (which they call Haute Dogs. I died!) to salads and “Tot Pots”, which was ~~exactly why my fat ass is here~~ appealing to my sense of child-like culinary wonderment. My friends and I ordered a large cross section of the menu. “HIGHLIGHTS!”*

*If you read that word in the exact way it’s said in “The Reynolds Pamphlet” from Hamilton, we are now best friends. I have the soundtrack on Vinyl. Come over and have Hamilton feelings with me. There will be singing along. You can’t be Angelica because I’m Angelica. And Aaron Burr. And everyone else. Just listen to me sing.

On the real, the day I went to Empire House was one of the worst in my entire life. My world had pretty much been shattered earlier that morning with the death of my favorite musician of all time: Prince. My music is my life. Prince is my favorite music. Therefore my life collapsed in an elevator at Paisley Park where it transitioned to bring an everlasting funky party to another plane of existence. Awful. Just awful. I needed my friends. I needed a drink. In what can only be described as divine intervention (and if you think Prince and Divine are not hanging out right now…) Empire House offers a mule called the Raspberry Beret.

Fresh raspberries, mint, ginger, vodka. Seriously, what more could I want? Oh right, I WANT PRINCE BACK. But in spite of the lack of necromancy, Empire House gave me what I needed and it was very tasty. Also, huge and generously poured because Hillcrest.

In the other beverages department, the beer lovers in my group praised the selection, adding that the bottle selection does edge out the selections on tap. Good to know if you’re into that kinda thing.

When it came time for the fooding, a real stand out arrived right out of the gate. Empire House offers something called “Sausage Bread”. I guessed it would be some kind of cheesey sausage puff type savory muffin-thing. I was wrong. Sausage Bread is Italian sausage, peppers, onions, mozzarella and parmesan cheese rolled into house-made dough before being baked and served with marinara sauce. Based on a dish he grew up with, made by his Mom, Empire House co-owner Larry made some tweaks to the recipe and the results are just fabulous. You can dip it in the marinara but it seriously didn’t need it. This small plate was delicious, unique and loaded with awesome flavors. Worth the trip alone.

So delicious! I never thought Hillcrest was a place you could eat great sausage.

So delicious! I never thought of Hillcrest as a place where a guy could find great sausage.

For my main course, I had Tots Magee (Tots covered with white cheddar, bacon, green onions and sour cream. I added steak). While it was certainly new culinary ground being broken, it was thoroughly enjoyable. Several of my friends at the table had a side of garlic Aioli with their meals and they all LOVED it. I love a good aioli so I also dipped some of my tots in it. This was a good life choice.

Yes, I know the picture is blurry. Look, I was in mourning, dude. Cut me some slack.

Other items ordered by my friends were met with positive reviews including the “Off the street” steak tacos and some of the burgers. There were some head scratchers, like the lack of any dessert options but while unusual, I wouldn’t consider it a reason not to go here. Chocolat is right up the street, ready and willing to serve you grief crepes with Nutella so you can drown your sorrows about losing your favorite musician. Just, trust me on that one.

I enjoyed my meal at Empire House and I am really enthusiastic about going back for breakfast. Based on the fabulous Sausage bread, it seems comfort food is where Empire House really shines and I’m here for it.

The Crack Shack

by anthonydonovan2014

Don’t call it a comeback.

Actually, it’s perfectly okay if you call it that, accurate even. I want to thank everyone who has reached out to tell me you miss my reviews. I hope you’ve been well. So, yeah, Let’s spend the Summer together, K?

One of the places generating some serious buzz in my city is The Crack Shack. Richard Blais has launched a fun, quirky, casual outdoor chicken and egg place in Little Italy. Little Italy is best known for it’s upscale lifestyle. I always associate it with two things I will never have; a high-rise condo or a decent parking spot. It’s also home to classic and nouveau Italian restaurants, several I have covered on this here blog including Prep Kitchen, Mona Lisa and Juniper and Ivy. Also other favorites of mine like Underbelly and Bencotto and still others that are probably good but I was too drunk to remember eating there (note to self: talk to therapist about constant need to drink in Little Italy)

My friends and I were eager to sample a lot of what the menu had to offer. I was told I *HAD TO* order the Chicken Oysters. The name got you worried? Me too at first but it’s not what you think. The term is used to describe two small, round pieces of dark meat on the backbone near the thigh. So yeah, Chicken tramp stamps. Often called the “Chef’s reward”, many people in the know call this the best part of the chicken. As for Crack Shack, they serve ’em up batter-fried over a bed of delicious crispy kale with a side of mustard seed tartar. They lived up to the hype. They were tender and juicy. Really good stuff.

Instead of a pearl, the hidden surprise was the grease stain on my shirt from when I bit into it while still piping hot Worth it.

The other dish I ordered was the Mexican Poutine with pollo asado and Jalapeno Cheese wiz over schmaltz fries. This one was a let down for me. I get the concept; carne asada fries done like poutine. My first issue was with the sauce. I see the word “Jalapeno”, I expect some heat (there wasn’t any) and “Cheese wiz” I expect something more bold than what it was. The fries were tasty but the biggest disappointment was the carne asado. It was bland and lacked any detectable seasoning. I wanted a bolder dish.

You’re gonna think “Carne Asada Fries”. Don’t think that. This is a milder, polite cousin. A Canadian dish that tastes how you would imagine a Canadian to taste.

Among our table, some of the dishes that received the highest marks were the Chicken Oysters and the Chicken Lollipops. I hate it when things that aren’t a lollipop are called lollipops. Just because something is on a stick, this isn’t even a stick, it’s a bone! That means my foot is a lollipop! That’s ridiculous to everyone except my dog (Dude’s a perv. You don’t even know.) But anyway, the chicken “Lollipops” at Crack Shack are delicious. Tender, juicy with a crispy skin (Think upscale Shake n’ Bake). Good stuff. Other high points were the great beer selection and the cocktails were well prepared and heavily poured. The staff was also super friendly and were highly visible/available for questions, refills or busing trays from your crowded table because you and your friends can’t go anywhere without eating like a wealthy king from the middle ages.

The lower marks from the table were the sandwiches. The proteins were a little greasy to the point where they muddled some of the other flavor notes in the sandwich. Crack Shack also offers a decent mini biscuit but many people weren’t loving them for the same reason I wasn’t. It was almost impossible not to compare this biscuit to Juniper and Ivy’s biscuit. Especially since Crack Shack is right next to that place. I was just sitting there eating my biscuit and staring at the glowing green sign for J&I. All I could hear was the Pussycat Dolls singing “Don’t cha wish your biscuit was hot like me…” Before you knew it, I had even’t taken a second bite because I’d spent the last 5 minutes wondering why Nicole Scherzinger didn’t have a more successful solo career. The Miso Maple Butter was really nice.

The food was heavy for me as I don’t eat fried foods as often as I’d like but I was determined to power through and order dessert. Fat kid resolve is as solid as Gibraltar. Crack Shack features a cookie du Jour and soft serve. Believe it or not, these were the overwhelming favorites. I had to two fresh baked cake batter cookies with Mexican Hot Chocolate soft serve. The cookies were pretty much perfect. A little crisp on the outside and “slightly underdone” level softness inside. The soft serve had a touch of Cinnamon that was really nice. I made my own ice cream sandwich and it was magical.

It looks neat in this picture but one bite and this thing was a bigger mess than Batman Vs Superman.

Overall, we agreed we would return to The Crack Shack again (Minus our vegetarian, who outside of the delicious Border Slaw and mini biscuits, had not a single entree option available). The chicken is good, the cookies are bomb, the service is awesome and there’s giant chicken in the yard where you can play Bocce Ball like my 87-year-old Grandfather used to when I was a child. If you got a tender tummy, go light on the ordering and save room for dessert!

Special report: The Boy who ate San Francisco

by anthonydonovan2014

I swear I tried to come up with a less pornographic-sounding title.

Okay, I didn’t. But I thought about it.

It may have taken me nearly 40 years but I finally made a proper trip to San Francisco. It was pretty awesome. Beautiful scenery, amazing architecture, friendly people, lots of local color (read: homeless/crazy people) and most importantly, unseasonably warm weather and clear skies for 5 straight days. The locals almost seemed mad about that. While there I saw all of the touristy things that one should on their maiden visit to San Fran; The Walt Disney Family Museum, the golden gate bridge, Pier 39 and Haight Ashbury. My traveling companions and I also took every opportunity to enjoy the food of this culinary destination city. I often wondered what is the native cuisine of San Fran but came up with some mixed answers. With the city’s large Asian population, a lot of Asian food looms large (which I love) but there’s also a lot of Mexican food (some claim the burrito has its roots in San Fran) and Southern food. Not to mention, food trucks galore, but I’m getting ahead of myself. I documented every meal I had in town so please enjoy the findings of my research!

Burger Meister (CLOSED)

Our first stop upon arriving in the city (First, meaning we ate among our luggage which we’d just hauled across town) was the Cole Valley location of Burger Meister. Locally owned and locally sourced, Burger Meister’s goal is to deliver amazing burgers at affordable prices. I dove in head first and ordered the house specialty: the Mesiterburger, with fresh avocado, thick-cut bacon, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed onions and choice of cheese (I chose Pepper Jack).

The burger was well cooked and messy as hell, which I enjoyed. Super high quality bacon set it off nicely and I enjoyed the use of red onions, a particularly bold choice for sautee as I usually only see sweet onions done in this manner. Red onions are more burger-friendly flavor-wise. The folks at Burger Meister know their stuff. I also had a “Blended Cow” milkshake with Vanilla ice cream and Ghirardelli chocolate syrup. Pretty standard but damn tasty. Further reading.

Brenda’s French Soul Food

Dinner for our first night in SF was at Brenda’s, located in the Tenderloin; a part of town known for its ~~scared white people~~ urban diversity. This place is the brain child of Louisiana’s own Chef Brenda, who brought her Nawlin’s-born creole culinary skills to SF in 1997 and ten years later (along with her wife, Libby), opened the very place we were sitting in for dinner. This was arguably the finest restaurant meal I had in this city. Readers of this here blog know that I went on a life changing trip to New Orleans last year where I acquired a forever love of creole-style cooking. This place hit me where I live.

I started with the Crawfish Beignets (because anything donut-like is automatically my favorite thing) with spiced with cayenne, scallions & cheddar. It was less light and fluffy like a Beignet and more hearty filled sandwich-like. SUPER tasty. I also had the buttermilk-fried cauliflower with a side of house ranch dressing. So simple and yet so tasty. Golden-fried to create a great crunch but not at all greasy. Very impressive starters.

While my dining companions gave high marks to just about everything they tried (Hush puppies being the big hit with an honorable mention to Brenda’s amazing fried chicken, which is worth the trip alone) but my “Stop the presses” moment came from the Catfish des Allemands, which is Bronzed catfish and crawfish étouffée over pecan rice pilaf. I would put the sauce in this etouffee among one of the best I’ve ever had. It was so robust, so full of juicy tomato flavor, rich and satisfying. This dish was nothing short of a grand slam. Absolutely fantastic. Seriously, go to this place. Further reading.

Coqueta

First proper meal of day two was the first and only honest-to-Alton Brown celebrity chef restaurant, Michael Chiarello’s Coqueta, located on Pier 5 in the Embercadero. Much like the term “Coqueta” is Spanish for “Flirting with no intention of putting out”, this place is eager to serve you small plates with no intention of stuffing you. Spanish style cuisine and small bites are the order of the day. This was the really the first place on my trip where I started to notice the commitment San Fran’s culinary community has to exquisite presentation. Case in point: The Pintxos (small skewers of meat, cheese and/or jammy yummyness in a single bite served table-side)

Tell me that shit isn’t ART.

For my small plates, I started with Patatas Bravas (Smoked New Potatoes with Bravas salsa and garlic Aioli). It was a tasty enough dish but nothing Earth shattering. Just a nicely presented treat for those of me who love potatoes.

Next up was Albondigas a la Feria (Duck and pork meatballs with tart cherry temperanilla salsa and crispy shallots). With these two proteins front and center, the richness and juicyness factor of these balls were cranked up to 10. A successful dish that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Overall I would say Coqueta was a nice place to stop for a snack but the price seemed more “dinner” for what we got. Still, this was a good place for Tapas made under the direction of a very talented chef and his team. Note to self: try the Paella when I have more time. Further reading.

Bambino’s Ristorante

For dinner we made a quick (and I do mean quick) stop to a small Italian restaurant near our rental house. Bambino’s is small, quaint and packs all of the San Fran charm you could want or need into a home-style Italian joint. I had the Angel Hair Pasta with tomato, artichoke, basil and shrimp. Simple, light and delicious. I almost got gnocchi but I learned quickly in San Francisco that you pretty much need to eat light before you jump on the muni/BART/trolley/bus/sketchy bike ride because it will be followed by 6 blocks of walking, which one cannot due with a tummy full of potato flour. But this dish was very tasty and the price was good. I could see myself eating here regularly to explore the rest of the menu if I lived here.

Farmer Brown (CLOSED)

Brunch was a must while in town so the following morning, we ate at Framer Brown. This Southern-inspired restaurant offers fresh food made with locally sourced ingredients. They also make some pretty tasty cocktails. As for me, I was there for the brunch buffet, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Cheesey grits, fried catfish, chicken and waffles with all the other standard breakfast fare presented and accounted for. Good stuff.

The only real downside to this otherwise very impressive meal was some less-than-stellar service. More than half the people I was traveling with had been there before and raved about the service so I’m willing to chalk this up to an isolated incident but not gonna lie, it will be fresh in my mind when I go back. and of course I’m going back cuz duh, brunch. Further reading.

Neptune’s Waterfront Grill and Bar (CLOSED)

We did lots of touristy stuff in SF but the most touristy thing we did was a trip to Pier 39 with a boat ride around the bay and Golden Gate Bridge. After our ride we decided to hit up a nearby restaurant. Neptune’s Waterfront Grill and Bar wasn’t the most impressive place I ate but they did have big frilly drinks with fruit in them and some decent food. Just not what I ate. Neptune’s offers a “Lobster Mac and Cheese” which is bland, under seasoned and barely contains any trace of lobster (a fact the price seemed to be unaware of). Meh.

By the bye, if you want the most bomb lobster mac and cheese you will ever have ever in life, go to D Bar in Hillcrest. You will thank me later.

Alembic

I had been planning this trip for weeks. Asking friends, co-workers, colleagues and strangers where to eat and drink. The gold star suggestion came from my co-worker Nick who told me this was the place to go in Haight Ashbury. Imagine my delight when I discovered that the rest of my group were already planning to go there. Alembic bills itself as a bar and I will tell you that their craft cocktails are top shelf. Absolutely spectacular libations but the real break through was the small plates of food offered. They were, quite simply, the best food I had in San Francisco. With such a large group, we ordered nearly the entire menu. I tried a lot of dishes and did not have a bad bite of food at all but I’m gonna focus on the three things I personally ordered.

I started with the corn fritters with padron peppers, seabeans and smoked tomato salt. They were crunchy, sweet and loaded with concentrated flavors. I am usually not a fan of crunchy (my love can be found on team crispy) but these were so well done and so snackable. I could eat a bucket of them.

Up next was the Rye Bao with confit pork, pickled fennel, jalapeno and black garlic aioli . Oh. My. God. You. Guys. This was spectacular. A perfect little sandwich with flavors that hit you in succession: the soft, delicately sweet bun. The rich tender pork, The zesty herbiness of the fennel, the heat of the jalapeno and the zing of the aioli. This dish is served with 3 bao but Alembic knows damn well you will be hooked after that plate and offers them a la carte for $5 each. Outstanding. I have dreamt of these things every night since. Not even kidding.

Finally was the Local Albacore with cherry tomato, hungarian wax pepper and ajo blanco. In addition to being supremely fresh and tasty, this dish was very unusual for me. As a sushi junkie, all of the raw tuna I eat is always served on a cold plate. The tomatoes and peppers were seared, then served hot on top of the tuna. Not only did this create a really unique and delicious flavor contrast, it really changed the flavor profile of the fish and it was kind of amazing. I loved it.

We were not done raving about Alembic and I doubt we will be anytime soon so if you’re reading this blog entry for your MUST GO HERE place, this is it. Trust. Further reading.

Crepes on Cole

Breakfast the following morning was at a small, charming place located right near our rental house. Crepes on Cole bills itself as “French-Californian crepery with a distinctive Parisian feel.” Having never been to Paris myself, I can only assume that a typical crepery mirrors the Can-Can scene from Baz Luhrman’s masterpiece “Moulin Rouge” complete with rhinestoned strippers dangling from the ceiling on a trapeze, drag queen dwarfs krumping on tables and tightly choreographed dance numbers set to electro-Y2K remakes of Nirvana songs. If that’s the case, Crepes on Cole has failed miserably on their erroneous claim! But seriously, it was a sweet space for breakfast. I had the Nutella and peanut butter crepe with fresh fruit. Pretty tasty with a unique surprise: Crunchy peanut butter! PLOT TWIST! Not my favorite type of peanut butter in the world but very tasty nonetheless. Further reading.

The Ice Cream Bar

Interesting fact about San Francisco: There’s lots of ice cream places in the city. Like, a lot a lot. As luck would have it, Amy, Durwood and I broke off from the group to ~~search for some ice cream~~ explore our neighborhood. This search wound us up at an honest-to-Mayberry old style ice cream shop and soda pop place called The Ice Cream Bar, which the is the cutest friggin’ thing ever. Amy was eager to try something unique and boy, she found it. It was a milkshake made with Duchesse de Bourgogne Flemish Red Ale, Toro Albala Don PX 2010 sherry, Morello cherry ice cream, and turbinado syrup. Readers of this here blog can tell you I am no fan of beer but I gotta say, this was pretty damned tasty.

I was here for the ice cream and I wasted no time ordering one of the house specials: an ice cream cookie sandwich made with banana cream pie ice cream between two chocolate chip cookies. Everything made from scratch. The ice cream was sweet with an almost gelato-like consistency. The cookies were soft and chewy. Just a perfect snack that transports you back to a simpler time of soda jerks, doo wop and classic cars without all that embarrassing political history. Also, go to this website so you can see how GOD DAMNED ADORABLE this place is.

Foreign Cinema

For dinner on our final night in town, we got all gussied up and went to the Mission district for some outdoor California/Mediterranean-style food and foreign films projected on a giant wall at the aptly named Foreign Cinema. The menu changes daily so my descriptions will be a bit more vague. I started with a saffron pasta with blue crab. This dish was beautifully presented but again with the “Served as an appetizer but priced as a main course”. Granted it’s topped with caviar but I prefer the price point be determined by something less important than a garnish. That seems to be a thing here. It was a good dish but nothing spectacular and the outdoor setting raced to cool this dish to a less than desirable temperature. That’s impressive for me because usually I eat so fast my plate is still smoking when I finish my food.

For my main course, I enjoyed a braised pork chop with roasted peppers, grilled leeks and champagne grapes. The meat was well cooked, the peppers had great flavor and the grapes really added a nice sweetness.

This was a strong finish after a fairly weak start but that’s kind of the beauty of this place’s daily-changing menu. I would go back but for the purposes of a review, I’d say I liked it but didn’t love it. The movie playing was basically background visual as there was no audio but there were subtitles. I see what you did there, Foreign Cinema… further reading.

Soma StrEat Food Truck Court

The Last stop (tear) in our SF trip was The Soma StrEat (HA!) Food Truck Court, which features a rotating line up of local food trucks in a park that also features beer, wine, tv screens, carnival games, wifi, and heat lamps for the cold nights. So, heaven, basically. There was some massive sensory overload and I had to choose my food wisely. I decided to hit up Bacon Bacon because, yeah. They’re known for their burger and it was pretty easy to see why once I got my mouth on it. The Double Bacon Cheeseburger features All Natural Angus Beef, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, Secret Sauce and Cheddar. All full of yum and more yum. I paired it with a nice ginger lemonade from the nearby beverage truck whose name escapes me.

The real star was what I ate next. Seoul on Wheels offers up a distinctly Korean take on carne asade fries. Crinkle cut fries with Korean BBQ beef, sriracha, cilantro and melted cheeses. PORNOGRAPHIC is really the only way I can describe this. Look at this picture. LOOK AT IT!!!

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your life? No. No you have not. This is Sofia Vergara and Joe Maganiello making love on a Grecian countryside-level beautiful. Here’s a picture that aptly portrays me watching them make this for me.

So that was the full culinary disclosure review of my first visit to San Francisco! I really loved my trip and the city. It’s not some place I could ever live because I have to be able to escape people sometimes and that’s just not feasible there but I am already planning to return as San Diego is not so far away in the grand scheme of things.

And speaking of San Diego, I will continue updating with more and more reviews of places to eat in my own city that I love so much. Thanks for reading. It’s great to be back.

-Anthony

8Apr2015

A Night out in Point Loma

by anthonydonovan2014

This week’s entry is a classic “two-fer”. Kind of like how you’d stop for lunch at the Burger King Drive Thru and get your chicken sandwich but then drive to the McDonald’s drive Thru because BK fries are a buncha BS and stop at Jack in the Box on your way back because you skipped breakfast and need a sausage & cheese biscuit for the ride home. Like ya do? Right?…It’s sorta like that. One of the restaurants that had been suggested to me during my 2014 challenge was Point Loma Seafoods and after dinner we were feeling some dessert so we went to the place a friend said had the best milkshakes in San Diego. Seafood and ice cream? Yes please (not together, tho, because gross and no)

Point Loma Seafoods

Located right on the docks in Point Loma, Point Loma Seafood boasts fresh seafood of all kinds. The place instantly reminded me of fish markets my parents would drag me to as a child. I grew up in New England so fresh seafood was a staple of our household. It was crowded but fast moving (no thanks to the older couple who walked in past a huge line of people and when challenged, claimed to have no knowledge of the concept of line. We reacted accordingly). The staff was ~~hot~~ very friendly and helpful. My friends and I ordered a variety of menu items offered. Y’know, for science. The chow was met with mixed reviews. The favorite of most other people at my table seemed to be the crab cakes.

I’m sure there’s a Songebob joke to be made here but I’m afraid I can’t help you because 39. I will find a younger blogger to better caption this pic.

They tasted pretty standard, which is to say good but not outstanding. Others at the table felt that they were breaded beyond the basic need for binding. Durwood had the crab cakes in another form, served in a sandwich, which he said may have been a better use of them. Other things sampled at the table were the oysters, which were met with positive reviews for taste and freshness. Also the fish tacos, which Shannan said were a little too heavy on the cabbage. The fries and onion rings were dubbed weak.

For my dinner, I had the Lobster Roll. The meat was fresh, delicately sweet and very tasty. My only complaint with the sandwich was one that was shared by more than a few people in my party; the value. It was really good but I wouldn’t call it $17 for a 6 inch sub good.

Subway this is not.

Overall I would say that Point Loma Seafoods has great potential as a quick lunch spot if you happen to find yourself in the area but I wouldn’t recommend it as appointment dining for dinner. As we were wrapping up the night somewhat early (PLS closes at 7pm) my friends and I decided to venture out for some dessert. My friend Chris said he was interested to try a place that reportedly had “the best milkshakes and malts in San Diego”. That was pretty much all I needed to hear before we were off to…

Classics Malt Shop

Located in a small shopping center that’s also home of a famous internet meme photo, Classics Malt Shop is a small spot done up in full 1950’s regalia (right down to the decor and furniture). There was very oddly, no music playing but I suspect that’s a usual thing there. I mean, it has to be, right? With a specialty is ice cream, malts and milkshakes, Classics offers a variety of flavors and I was excited to try all the things. What I settled on was the cookies and cream malt.

This picture is blurry due to haste because I just wanted to consume this beautiful thing before me.

It was very tasty. Great texture and thickness. I like milkshakes you can actually drink through a straw without pulling a lung. The included spoon is really less of a necessity and more of a helping hand for the impatient. The malt didn’t really come through but I suspect I may have had more luck with chocolate. That same sentiment was expressed by a few others in my group. The overall feeling was while Classics has the look and style, the milkshakes and malts were not a far stretch above what’s available elsewhere in the city. I will however say that it was good enough to warrant repeat visits to try other flavors as well as some non-dessert food on their menu. The staff was friendly and the prices were reasonable compared to other scoop shops in the city. I say if you find yourself in Point Loma on a hot day, go have yourself a little trip down memory lane to a simpler time where global warming didn’t mean certain doom to humanity and rock n’ roll was as pale as that vanilla shake you’re snarfing down.

You can find more info on Point Loma Seafoods here and some Yelp reviews for Classics Malt Shop here

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The Boy Who Ate San Diego

The continuing adventures of one hungry boy in a big city

Author Archives: anthonydonovan2014

Lola 55

The Friendly

Louisiana Purchase

It’s Hard Out Here for a Restaurant

The Big D

And We’re Back.

Empire House (CLOSED)

The Crack Shack

Special report: The Boy who ate San Francisco

A Night out in Point Loma