Author Archives: anthonydonovan2014

Fat Sal’s (35 of 52) (CLOSED)

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*puts on sweater, old lady glasses and white wig*

Picture it: San Diego, 1998.  Two young college chums arrive in a new city after 10 days on the road from Florida.  Not knowing a soul and without a dime between us, Aimee and I stayed with the only person we knew in California (a former student of Aimee’s) who lived in the San Diego beach community of Pacific Beach, or “PB” as the locals call it.  Its got a personality all it’s own and while PB is not my favorite place in the city, I will always reflect fondly on it as the first place in San Diego that I called home.  PB is also the location of this weeks challenge, Fat Sal’s.

The deli was the vision of 3 New York guys: Sal (The aforementioned Fat one), Jerry (The guy from HBO’s Entourage) and Josh (The guy with no easy description).  They wanted to bring over-the-top food to the masses.  With 4 locations (2 in Los Angeles, One in Texas and I forget where the other one is…), oddly enough none of them are in New York.  With the promise of such over-the-top food, I needed over the top company, that’s why I brought these folks with me:

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

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves good Scotch and gay jeans

Dylan-The newest addition, the 2014 model.  A Kate & Joe production.

Joe-Theatre and beer enthusiast, podcast co-host, Co-Creator of World’s Cutest Baby

Joe “Bish”-Computer wunderkind, Husband of Kate, a tall drink of water

Kate-Costume designer, Comedian, Once starred in a church rap video

Lily-World’s Cutest Baby (a Joe & Nicole production)

Nicole-Stage Manager, Cupcake diva, Co-Creator of World’s Cutest Baby

Sebastian-The coolest kid in Kindergarten.  A Kate & Joe production.

DSCF2738

We’re eatin’ sandwiches ovah here.

Joe ordered the “Fat Anthony” (Chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, fries, marinara sauce, ham, genoa salami, pepperoni, shredded lettuce and tomato) minus peppers and vinaigrette.  The sandwich was not as big as Joe was expected, but still a very appropriate size.  The chicken, fries and cheese seemed to get lost in the fold and it was closer to a cold cut sandwich.   Nicole had the Tenacious Turkey (Oven gold turkey, melted provolone, lettuce, tomato, balsamic vinaigrette and basil) minus roasted red peppers.  She thought the sandwich was splendid, with the vinaigrette & the basil being standouts.  Even though her sandwich was also smaller than expected, she felt it was satisfying.  Nicole had a side of seasoned fries, which she dubbed spicy but delicious.  Lily did not have a sandwich as her parents have refused to let her eat food that is more than half her size until she’s older.

Chris ordered the Phenomenal Philly Cheesesteak (Thinly sliced rib eye, yellow American cheese, and grilled onions).  He said it was not the greatest Cheesesteak he’s had in the city.  Chris was yet another person who felt the sandwich would be bigger, going so far as to suggest it’s a bit pricey for what you get.  He felt that this place would be an amazing stop after a night of drinking (which is why it’s one of the only places in PB open til 3am)  Aimee ordered the “Fat Jerry” (Cheesesteak, chicken fingers, bacon, fried egg, fries, mayo, ketchup, salt and pepper) minus the mozzarella sticks.  She was also expecting a larger sandwich and felt it was overpriced.  She felt the sandwich had so much going on flavor-wise that after the 1st two bites, she felt there was no taste difference in any of the components.  The ingredients seemed to cancel each other out.  She also gave positive notes to the seasoned fries.  Aimee also ordered the #5 milkshake (Vanilla ice cream, a slice of NY cheesecake, strawberries and graham cracker crumbs).  She felt it was over priced but decent.  I, on the other hand, loved this milkshake.  Definitely coming back for that one.

Joe Bish had the “Fat Buffalo” (Chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, melted cheddar, fries, Buffalo hot sauce & blue cheese dressing).  He really enjoyed the Buffalo sauce.  The sandwich was also a hit with Joe, with him calling it the “Frat Boy Bro” version of a California Burrito.   Kate ordered the “Fat Banh Mi-Ki” (Soy marinted steak, pickled vegetables, Szechuan slaw, onion rings, tomato, jalapenos, cinlantro, Teriyaki glaze, sriracha, & mayo).  She felt the sandwich was good, if a bit over sauced and could do with more vegetables.  Her side of a fries were cold and a bit stale.  She also ordered the special shake feature, The Butterscotch, fudge brownie, walnut.  She felt it was lacking butterscotch but the brownie was delicious.  Sebastian worked on some chicken tenders, which he enjoyed about as much a 5-year-old enjoys anything involving eating dinner.  Joe and Kate gave positive second opinions.  Dylan had “The Kate” (Kate’s left boob, available for a limited time), which seemed to do the job.

I ordered the “Fat Buffalo” as well.  I found the sandwich to be (much like everyone else’s assessment) smaller than promised but I really enjoyed it.  The flavors were on point.  The chicken was good, the sandwich was hearty.  I agree with Chris that this is prime drunk food but I was also impressed with the sandwich while sober.  I would come back.

fat sals 1

At last, a decent late night sandwich option that isn’t Denny’s or wrestling roadkill away from a homeless person.

I also ordered the #1 milkshake (Chocolate Ice Cream, Peanut Butter, Marshmallow Fluff, Roasted Peanuts & Sea Salt).  While the shake was good, I wouldn’t say it was $6.50 good.  Tasty to be sure but nothing Earth shattering.  Overall a great dinner.

fat sals 2

They tout the fact that their shakes are so thick, you won’t need a straw. Clearly, Fat Sal’s wildly underestimated my ability to suck! Oh, stop it. You know what I mean.

Closing thoughts from the group were mixed.  Chris felt he was “far too sober to be here” as a Fat Sal’s sandwich might seem like an oasis in the desert after a night of binge drinking (which is VERY easy to do in PB).  Aimee was underwhelmed with the size of the food and the value.  Kate pointed out that there is only one bathroom in the place and it had no changing table.  I imagine that must be bothersome for the many parents bringing their infants with loaded diapers into Fat Sal’s at 2am.  Joking but that’s a serious practical note.  I would like to add that we had no problem being seated for the time that we were there and early dinner time seemed to be pretty kid-friendly.

As for me, I really liked it.  I would absolutely come back and am eager to enjoy another Fat Buffalo before or after a trip to the beach.

Further reading: http://www.fatsalsdeli.com/Default.aspx

To see all of the pictures from this week’s restaurant, be sure to follow The Boy who ate San Diego on Instagram!

 

Family House of Pancakes (34 of 52)

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These days you can pretty much find a new restaurant cropping up on every corner in San Diego.  While it’s always fun to play with the new toy, there’s also a ton of classic eateries that have been here since forever.  This week’s challenge is one of those places.  Family House of Pancakes dates back to 1964 and is pretty much an institution for anyone who grew up in the Southern San Diego neighborhoods of National City or Chula Vista.  In an effort to side step any nostaligic bias, I brought with me 5 San Diego transplants and a girl from Santee.

Abby-Swim instructor, Disneyland buddy, Stresses about making food for my other food-savvy friends

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

Amy B-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Amy J-Rocky Horror performer, Michigan football loyalist, a common floozy

Joe-Theatre and beer enthusiast, podcast co-host, Co-Creator of World’s Cutest Baby

Lily-World’s Cutest Baby (a Joe & Nicole production)

Nicole-Stage Manager, Cupcake diva, Co-Creator of World’s Cutest Baby

We were comforted by the comfort of comfort food. It was all very comfortable.

We were comforted by the comfort of comfort food. It was all very comfortable.

This place instantly reminded me of every family restaurant my parents ever took me to when I was growing up in Rhode Island in the 70’s.  Wall-to-wall wood paneling, hotel art on the walls, giant booths, coffee urn on the tables, a sweet waitress who you could tell had worked there for a minute.  Hopefully the food would be as good as I remember from this place I’d never set foot in before right now.  The stakes, they were high.

Aimee had Chicken Fried Steak  with grits and a side of pancakes.  She liked her steak a lot and praised the really good gravy, which was peppery with big chunks of sausage.   She also approved of the grits and said her pancakes were awesome.  Abby ordered the Southern Style Eggs Benedict with a side of sausage and an orange guava juice.   She ordered her eggs medium but they came out hard.  She also felt the gravy didn’t really compliment the sausage patty and there biscuits weren’t that great.  The bright spot of her meal, however, was the grilled tomatoes with breading.  Great concept and flavor.  I tried them and they were pretty damn good.

Family house 2

Imagine a pork chop and a tomato had a baby. and then we ate the baby. and it was delicious.

Joe had the Bacon Breakfast Burrito with home style potatoes and cheese.  The burrito was “so effing huge” it defeated him.  It had lots of bacon and was very good.  Here’s hoping Joe’s next battle with his breakfast will work out in his favor.  Nicole ordered the Biscuits and Gravy with a side of potatoes and scrambled eggs.  While she very much enjoyed the sausage, she said the biscuits and gravy failed to impress.  Lily had Banana, potatoes and egg because she is a baby.  Also her 3rd attempt to steal Joe’s bacon turned physical.  The little lady is a biter.

Amy J had the Pecan Belgium Waffle with an over-easy egg & potatoes.  She was a big fan of this dish.  She said it was really well flavored with LOTS of pecans.  The potatoes met with her expectation (the accompanying salsa was a nice touch).  She mentioned that she ordered her eggs over medium with the thought of dipping her waffles in it but the waffle was so flavorful, she didn’t need to.  Amy B ordered the Banana Pecan Waffle.  She loved the fact that pecans were included in the waffle batter.  Next time she will order extra whipped cream (Her prediction, not mine.  That would be weird.)  The portions were also huge.

I was happy to see my favorite breakfast thing ever on the menu; Strawberry Belgian Waffle.  It’s hardly unique but it’s something I love and this whole place had me feeling nostalgic so I went for it.  First off, they COVERED the damn thing in whipped cream and for me, that’s pretty much the best way to consume anything served with whipped cream.  The waffle itself was really great.  It was soft, mildly sweet and really fresh.  The only not-so-awesome note for me on this dish was the strawberries.  They were not fresh and slathered in sugary goo.  I know this is pretty standard but I prefer less glaze with my strawberries.  Aside from that, the whole dish was really tasty.  The side of bacon and eggs were top notch.

Family House 3

CREEEEEEAAAAAMMM. Sha-boogie-bop.

So overall, I have to say I don’t have a hard time understanding why Family House of Pancakes has been a staple in San Diego for so long.  The place had charm for days, the staff was nice, I never saw the bottom of my coffee cup & the food was inexpensive and tasty.  I look forward to going back.

Further reading: http://familyhouseofpancakes.com/

To see all the pictures from this week’s restaurant, be sure to follow The Boy who ate San Diego on Instagram

Bruxie (33 of 52) (CLOSED)

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I’m back!  I hope you haven’t missed me too much.

For the last month I was in production of a new musical that made it’s world premiere here in San Diego.  I’ve still been going to restaurants every week but have been short on time to properly review them for you all.  Lucky for you, I take good notes and love attention.

I think it’s getting to the point in modern food, where you can actually classify gimmick as a restaurant category.  Whether it’s a cupcake ATM, a place that serves only side dishes or all the food is served upside down, there’s lots of new places offering a fun slant on traditional food.  Bruxie easily threatens to fall into that category as everything they serve is between two waffles.  Sound amazing?  Sound too good to be true?  I was unsure what to expect but I had my waffle-loving gang at the ready to sit in true judgement.

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

Amy B-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Amy J-Rocky Horror performer, Michigan football loyalist, a common floozy

Anna-Educator, flannel wearer, still mad at us for going to Snooze without her

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves good Scotch and gay jeans

Durwood-Best friend, comedian, San Diego’s go-to young black non-singing actor

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Joey-Future music professor, Sazerac drinker, makes a mean cup of coffee

Kelsey-Project manager, Advanced level foodie, Has been known to drop it like it’s hot after a few cocktails

You had us at waffles.

You had us at waffles.

Located on the campus of San Diego State University (SDSU to locals and the typographically lazy), Bruxie’s design is much more fast food than stuffy restaurant.  We were lucky to get in during morning hours as the place is usually jumping at night.  The menu offered a number of tasty breakfast, lunch and dessert-type things.  We ordered a pretty wide variety of waffle-hugging chow.

Amy J went the sweet route and ordered the Liege waffle with Nutella and caramelized pearl sugar sandwiched between two waffles.  She said it was very yummy, excellent portion size with a great crunchy texture from the crystalized sugar.  Nutella, is of course amazing, as anyone with taste will tell you.  Amy wishes there were more vegetarian-friendly menu items.  Harry had the Michel Cordon Bleu cold smoked Smoked Salmon Lox & Dill cream cheese waffle sandwich with cucumbers and chives.  He said the salmon and waffle were a really nice pairing.  The cucumber added a refreshing element with great crunch.  The sandwich was also accented nicely with what Harry called a “perfect amount of dill”.  Kelsey ordered the Prosciutto di Parma & Gruyere waffle sandwich with whole grain mustard and chives.  She felt the sandwich could use more acid to cut the overall heaviness.  Kelsey also had a side of “Irish Nachos” (Crispy waffle fries with Bruxie cheese sauce, applewood bacon, sour cream and chives).  She said they were delectable but lacking somewhat in the toppings.

If you had told me salmon on a waffle was good, I would asked "How high are you?!" of course, I asked that about most of the menu items here.

If you had told me salmon on a waffle was good, I would have asked “How high are you?!” of course, I asked that about most of the menu items here.  The stoners alone must pay the rent here.

Chris ordered the same sandwich as Kelsey (Prosciutto di Parma) but added arugula and a fried egg over medium.  While he enjoyed it, he mentioned he would be more apt to return for a breakfast waffle sandwich after trying Durwood’s order.   Anna had the Country Sausage, Egg & Cheddar waffle sandwich.  She also added maple syrup to the sandwich.   She said it was delicious but the real highlight to the sandwich was the very thin layer of mayo.  Amy B ordered the Lemon Cream and Seasonal Berries.  She said it was delicious and very well balanced.  Durwood had the Buttermilk fried Chicken and waffle with chili honey and cider slaw.  He said it was great with flavors that married extremely well and extremely juicy, well seasoned chicken.  He added the syrup, which he said was also good but ultimately unnecessary.

While it escapes me at the moment, I am confident there's a way to spin this as a "healthy breakfast"...

While it escapes me at the moment, I am confident there’s a way to spin this as a “healthy breakfast”…

Joey ordered the Roasted Mushroom and Goat Cheese Waffle Sandwich with fresh basil, arugual & balsamic reduction.  He also added avocado.  He felt it was a bit balsamic heavy but incredibly good.  Joey appreciated the great crunch of the waffle while remaining structurally stable as a sandwich.  Aimee had the Green Eggs and Ham Waffle Sandwich with Tillamook Cheddar, mayo & Arugula Pesto.  She said the pesto was good and really fresh.  the waffle was filling and not too soggy all at a great price.  I, along with Anna, ordered the Country Sausage, egg and Cheddar waffle sandwich.  I was horrified to discover the egg in question was a fried egg and not a scrambled egg, as years of setting my standards no higher than fast food breakfast sandwiches has taught me.   I went back up to the counter to order something else when they very generously offered to scramble the eggs for me.  I was truly shocked by that but they did it and it was really awesome.  A one-two punch of great food and great service.

My appetite was satisfied and childish food phobias were catered to. Perfection.

My appetite was satisfied and my childish food phobias were catered to. Perfection!

Dessert was also a big selling point for coming to Bruxie.  They serve frozen Custard, which Amy B was VERY EXCITED about.  I’m not talking Christmas morning excited, I’m talking we found a matching donor excited.  You see, as a native of Wisconsin, Amy was very familiar with this frozen treat.   I looked to her for the final official seal of approval and she gave a big thumbs up.  It had the taste and texture she remembers and loves.  She cannot wait to come back.  Several of us ordered the frozen custard and everyone enjoyed it.  I personally didn’t feel like it was far in taste and texture from soft serve ice cream.  But seeing as I love soft serve ice cream, this was hardly a bad thing.

What some call "dessert after breakfast", I call "research". For you, I do this.

What some call “dessert after breakfast”, I call “research”. For you, I do this.

Overall, I was super impressed with Bruxie.  Several people in our group had been to the Orange County location and enjoyed it.  I can see why.  It merges my love of waffles and things jammed between them.  Go.  You’ll thank me.

Further reading: http://bruxie.com/

To see all the pictures from this meal, be sure to follow The Boy who ate San Diego on Instagram!

Swami’s (32 of 52) (CLOSED)

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Breakfast.

Just saying the word makes me smile.  It’s a gift to have breakfast.  Don’t believe anyone who tells you otherwise.  I love that other people love breakfast and then they open restaurants that serve it.  It’s a circle of love.  Not in the filthy way.  Or maybe it is for you, I have no idea what goes on at your house in the early hours of the morning.

Swami’s is one of the newest restaurants in the growing San Diego neighborhood of North Park.  It’s big, open early, has lots of natural light and a dog friendly patio.  These are all good things.  While I didn’t show up with a pack of hungry dogs it was good news for… Well, let’s just say my friends are also enthusiastic about breakfast:

Alex-Northridge student, EDM fan, Boy with camera

Amy B-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Amy J-Rocky Horror performer, Michigan football loyalist, a common floozy

Anna-Canadian goddess, theatre dresser and puppet builder.

Daniel-Metal lover.  Can tell you everything you want to know about great beer.  and he will.

Christy-Rocky Horror performer, Cat lover, We’ve all seen her boobs

Lea-Northridge student, Star Wars fan, Alex’s better half

Jason-Rocky Horror performer, 75th level-coffee snob, token minority

A lot of squinting night owls.

A lot of squinting night owls.

One of the first things we noticed about Swami’s menu was also one of the coolest; there’s lotsa stuff on it.  I’m a big fan of stuff.  I also enjoy items and things.  A wide variety of juices and smoothies meant we had lots to try.  There’s also a ridiculous array of coffees to choose from.  Even more good news.  It’s not a sit down restaurant.  You order your food and drink at the counter and they bring it to you, which is kinda perfect for a place that operates when most working people don’t have time to sit down for a full breakfast on a weekday.  Those people probably go into their jobs later than 8am every day.  I hate those people.

Jason ordered the Eggs Benedict with bacon and avocado.  The eggs were in line with what he was expecting with a good poach.  The avocado and bacon option was a great addition to his dish.  The potatoes were a bit cold for his taste.  Jason works for a major coffee place (I won’t name it, but I must take this opportunity to stress that it is ABSOLUTELY NOT the place seen behind us in the photo.  Like, at all.  He would kill me for even implying such.)  As Jason comes with a lot of coffee knowledge I was curious to get his input.  He loved the choices but felt dark roast was underrepresented.  He tried 4 different coffees and dubbed the Organic French Roast the best.  It wasn’t burnt and was pleasantly astringent on the finish.  Daniel had the Lobster Benedict.  He described it as nothing short of Nirvana.  He really loved it.  The lobster was perfectly cooked and the dish wasn’t too salty.  He would absolutely come back for it.

swami lobster

If you think I didn’t spend a minute excavating a forkful of egg-less lobster from this plate, then you my friend have never experienced the endless frustration of eating with me.

Alex’s desire to to try the Corned Beef Hash was dashed as they were out of it, so he instead ordered the Breakfast California.  He wasn’t crazy about the spinach tortilla but found salvation in their red salsa.  It was well portioned and he was very full.  The potatoes got another less than stellar review.  Lea had the Huevos Rancheros and Apple Hop Juice.  While felt the addition of ginger in her juice left the apple taste kinda lost, she enjoyed her meal.  She loved the sauce and the great spicy element.  In the future, she wishes they’d go easy on the beans and chips but she was overall happy.

Anna ordered the whole grain Pancake, a Grapefruit smoothie and the Organic Mexican Blend Coffee.  She absolutely loved her smoothie.  She also gave high marks to the coffee bar and felt her multi-grain pancake was flavorful enough that it didn’t need syrup.  To me, that’s about the craziest thing I’ve ever heard but I was just gonna roll with it as I backed away slowly from Anna and made my way back to my normal people breakfast.   Canadians.  Love y’all.  Amy J had the Waffles Benedict (minus the bacon) and potatoes with a Swami’s Surprise Smoothie.  She enjoyed the smoothie.  She also approved of the Hollandaise sauce.  She was uncertain at first but felt the dish worked great with the waffles.  The eggs were slightly overcooked to her liking (she explained that they weren’t runny and should be)  She enjoyed the potatoes (way to turn it around in the 7th inning, spuds!)  The asparagus was overcooked and stringy, which is kind of crime but made up very little of an otherwise good dish.

Big food good. Sorry, I'm simply not that poetic before sunrise.

Big food good. Sorry, I’m simply not that poetic before sunrise.

Amy B ordered the Pineapple Upsidedown Pancakes with a Sea Horse (Orange, Lemon and Grapefruit) Juice.  Amy lives very close to Swami’s so this was a return visit for her.  She described her meal as “Serviceable but not amazing”.  Christy had the Belgian Waffle.  She was not thrilled with it and felt it was a bit too crispy but was in love with the fantastic bacon.  Her side of eggs were good but a little heavy on the onion.  She felt what she did have was good enough for another visit in the future to try other things on the menu.  I had the California Burrito with a fruit cup and Kona Coffee.  I enjoyed the coffee but that assessment doesn’t mean much coming from me as I’m a firm believer that coffee is like pornography: quality be damned, it’s there to do a job.  The burrito was pretty standard but you gotta remember I love breakfast burritos, so I had zero complaints.  The fruit cup was a cup with fruit in it.  Yummy.

Swamis burrito

Nutritional good and evil on one plate with salsa representing moral ambiguity (as usual)

Overall I would rank Swami’s not as a destination breakfast but certainly a good place that I would make a point of hitting up whenever I happened to be in the area around the most important meal of the day.

Further reading: http://www.swamiscafesd.com/

To see all the pictures from this meal, be sure to follow The Boy who at e San Diego on Instagram! 

 

Cowboy Star (31 of 52)

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Steak is a great example of what separates someone who loves to eat from a foodie.  If you go to Prime at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, you love a good steak.  If you go to Ruth’s Chris, you love a good steak.  If you go to Outback Steakhouse, you don’t love a good steak.  If you order steak at Denny’s, you don’t love yourself.  Drink some Oprah Chai tea and give yourself a hug.  The award-winning Cowboy Star, located in San Diego’s East Village, just outside downtown, promises “a unique dining experience by combining contemporary American cuisine with a western flare.”  Pony up, y’all.  It’s time for some old west fusion vittles!  Circling the wagons with me tonight are:

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

Amy-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves good Scotch and gay jeans

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Molly-Recent San Diego transplant, jewelry maker, The new girl

Renee-My dresser in “Five Course Love”, Fellow MSTie, lover of The Wizard of Oz

Tim-Renee’s mysterious counterpart

Hee-Haw: The Next Generation

Hee-Haw: The Next Generation…

The award-winning interior (yup, apparently they give out awards for that sorta thing, which is cool) masters the art of high-end meets country-come-to-town perfectly without being tacky.  Personally, I think a mechanical bull would off-set the look nicely but this is why people don’t pay me to decorate their homes and businesses.  Cowboy Star boasts an amazing variety of specialty cocktails and we were eager to try them (the ultimate one coming at the end of our meal).  Molly had the Hoosegow Mule; which she described as “fantastic” with a great melon flavor to it.  Chris ordered the house Manhattan and an Old Fashioned, which he said were GREAT and right up his alley.  Harry had the Smoking Gun followed by the Saddle Bum, both of which he said were delicious.  Renee had the Painted lady, which she described as strong and “perfumey but in the good way”.  Amy ordered an Old Fashioned (based on Chris’s recommendation) followed by the bourbon-based house Sangria.  She said all the cocktails were fabulous.

For starters before our meal, Molly ordered a C-Star Caesar Salad, which she said was pretty average but made with quality ingredients including, yes, actual sardines.  Renee and Amy both ordered the Heirloom Tomatoes with tomato sponge cake and pickled watermelon rind drizzled with basil puree and sherry vinaigrette. It received high marks from both ladies.  Aimee ordered the Roasted Lobster Mushrooms with seared bay scallops, duck egg, pureed scallions and shaved Summer truffles.   She said it was a little different from what she was expecting but the scallops were good and the sauce was delicious.  Grilled scallions is what made that dish for Aimee.

Chris and Harry shared the Special Hamachi 2 ways (raw and poached with pea pods, marinated cherries and enoki mushrooms).  Harry said the hamachi was incredible with a perfect gastric.  Chris also loved this dish.  I ordered the Sweet Corn Soup.  This soup was kind of amazing.  Smooth, creamy and super sweet.  Along with roasted pepper cornbread chunks, there was a special cream served in the soup.  It was grey stuff and, as promised by Lumier, it was delicious.  This soup was insanely, lick-the-bowl good.

The cream was grey and tasted like Thanksgiving. Look, If I knew what half the shit I eat was, I would probably just cook at home myself. Leave me alone...

The cream was grey and tasted like Thanksgiving. Look, If I knew what half the shit I eat was, I would probably just cook at home myself. Leave me alone…

For main courses Renee and Tim both had Snake River Farms Wagyu; An American style Kobe skirt steak from Idaho.  As someone who generally isn’t a steak person per se, Renee found herself pleasantly surprised with the dish, describing it as velvety, soft and delicious AKA BEEFGASM.  I wonder if she’s taken out the trademark on that term yet?  if not, I’m certain Burger King will jump on it.  Tim also enjoyed the flavors and textures, having had more than one tough steak in his time.  Harry & Chris had the daily cut of dry aged beef, which is aged for up to 35 days.  They also had side of Roasted Corn with chorizo and eggplant and a side of marinated sunchokes.  Harry said that there have only ever been 3 steaks he’s bought in a restaurant that he was happy to pay for and this was one of them.  This is either the highest praise or a sad essay on Harry’s inability to order a good steak throughout his life.  The real story of the night here was the sunchokes.  In a move no one saw coming, these sunchokes were delicious, hearty and full of rich flavor.  Chris likened them to the most “meat-like non-meat thing” he’s ever had.  That’s a really accurate description.  They were the bomb.  Chris and Harry also couldn’t resist ordering a side of Bone Marrow to compliment their steak and completely gross me out.  We’ve been over my feelings on the matter.

Aimee went against the norm and ordered Pan Roasted Salmon with toasted red rice, Chinese sausage, roasted brassicas and Salmon Verjus Reduction.  She said she rarely orders salmon but it was perfect.  Beautifully cooked, medium rare all the way through.  Beautful sear.  What made the dish were the side dishes, the rice (She would’ve gladly taken an order to go) braised cabbage (Brassicas) was amazing.  Just the right amount of char without getting bitter.  Molly had 8 ounce Filet with Blue Cheese crumbles.  She praised the cheese as a nice touch and said the steak was certainly one of the better ones she’s had.  The accompanying potatoes were nice but she prefers a more rustic style mash rather than the smooth, creamy version we were served.  I agree 100%.  Amy ordered the Braised local beets in smoked vegetarian beet puree with shaved beets and radishes, black olive chimmichurri, toasted peaches, cream and mint.  While she said the dish was well done, for Amy, it was less of an entree and more an appetizer due to the dish’s overall lightness.  The inclusion of some kind of starch would’ve helped but it seems like our vegetarian friends are better off ordering a few items a la carte and building their own dinner here.

For me, I thought it would be silly to eat dinner at Cowboy Star and not get a steak so I ordered the 12 ounce New York Strip (a favorite of mine) with Brandy Peppercorn Sauce.  It was really flavorful and very well cooked.  I also liked that, at $38, it was not as expensive as that kind of steak usually runs.  I’ve paid way more for the same thing elsewhere.  While I didn’t find any new ground being broken here from a culinary stand point, it was still a really great steak.

After years of ordering my steaks well done, I now prefer medium rare. Proof that one can go back after going black.

After years of ordering my steaks well done, I now prefer medium rare. Proof that one can go back after going black.

I’ve been droning on so much over the food at Cowboy Star, want to take this moment to recognize the service.  The staff there was fantastic, attentive and committed 100% to our dining experience.  Our server, Jeremy, knew his stuff.  He was helpful with suggestions about food and wine and had a fantastic sense of humor, which is exactly what you need when spending two hours in a restaurant with these drunk assholes  my friends and I.  I wanted for nothing, had every question answered and didn’t once see the bottom of my glass.  This makes me a happy boy.

Before we knew it, it was time for dessert.  As a table we ordered several of the desserts (as always, for science).  Among them were “Our PB&J”, an inventive dish comprised of a Peanut Butter Blondie with concord Grape Sorbet.  The flavors are on point and closely evoke a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  We also had the Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with warm butterscotch sauce.  The dish is served with chocolate ice cream but Jeremy suggested we do vanilla instead and it was another great call.  This was the hit of the desserts with the group.  It was light and mildly sweet without being totally overpowering or too custard-y.  My favorite of the desserts was the Sweet Tea Semifredo with stonefruit sorbet,  granola, meyer lemon & sliced stonefruit.  This dish was super original and unlike anything I’ve had.  I loved the flavors.   It was unexpected and I really really enjoyed it.

The House Wine of the South in dessert form. Yippie Kayay muther forker!

The House Wine of the South in dessert form. Yippie Kayay muther forker!

The final dessert item we ordered was something from the drink menu that we just couldn’t resist; A Bananas Foster Martini.  The only things you need to know about this drink is it’s sweet, it’s strong and it will make you believe in love again.  Several people in our group said they would come back for that martini alone.  But the point being, we’re totally coming back.  I think Chris said it best when he said that he can’t think of anything negative to say.  He (like I) had high hopes and they were not only met but exceeded.    Well done, Cowboy Star.

Further reading: https://www.thecowboystar.com/home

To see all the pictures from my dinner be sure to follow The Boy Who Ate San Diego on Instagram!

 

 

Saigon on Fifth (30 of 52) (CLOSED)

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San Diego is a city rich in ethnic culture, particularly when it comes to food.  So to the point that we’ve got cuisine from nearly every imaginable country.  Even Canada!  But that’s a little too wild for me, so for tonight we’re sticking with Vietnamese.  I love Vietnamese food, particularly Pho, but as it’s balls-out hot here in SoCal, I was looking forward to exploring other options.  Saigon on Fifth is a staple of the San Diego neighborhood of Hillcrest.  Two things you should immediately know about Saigon on 5th:

-It’s not on Fifth.  It actually faces the other way on University just to confuse you.

-It’s WAY bigger than it looks.

Nestled into a business district block, Saigon on Fifth looks like any number of closet-sized restaurants wedged between each other in this ‘hood.  When we went inside, we were lead into a HUGE dining room with an open space leading outside to courtyard patio dining.  It was like a small Asian female Willy Wonka leading us into the chocolate room but with more fountains and less whimsical music.  Cool digs.  Joining me in this trip to Wonka’s factory were the following rowdy, gold ticket winning children:

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

Amy-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves good Scotch and gay jeans

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Kevin-Gentle giant, works among the dregs of humanity, probably lived with someone you know.

Some of us needed a good drink, others a good meal. I just needed to pose in front of a brick wall. Everyone won.

Some of us needed a good drink, others a good meal. I just needed to pose in front of a brick wall. Everyone won.

Like almost every place in Hillcrest, Saigon on Fifth knows its clientele, so there were plenty of libations to choose from and my group wasted no time in sampling.  Aimee had the Cherry Blossom Cosmo, made with Sake.  She said it was really good with a muted sweetness.  Chris ordered a Bourbon Sweet & Sour but was less a fan of it, as it was prepared a little too sweetly for his taste.  Amy had the Buddah Mai Tai, which she described as “Strong, so YAY!”.  Harry ordered the Lychee Martini, which he was a big fan of.

For appetizers Aimee ordered the Steamed Mussels.  She said they were delicious with crispy toppings.  Amy had the Cream Cheese Wontons, which were good but pretty standard with a “meh-level” sauce.  Kevin and I both ordered the Imperial Spring Rolls with crab meat, delicate shrimp, chicken, and vegetables.  The texture was surprisingly crunchy and hearty but the meat was very tasty with a nice, spicy dipping sauce.

They taste more like egg rolls but I'm largely an uncultured savage, so I'll take them at their word.

They taste more like egg rolls to me but I’m largely an uncultured savage, so I’ll take them at their word.

For our main courses, Amy ordered the Bun (a classic Vietnamese dish) with Lemongrass Tofu.  It was different from the way she’s had it in the past but said it was good.  She requested the vegetarian dressing in place of the usual fish sauce.  She described the more veggie-friendly dressing as sweeter than expected but delicious, light and fresh; a great dish for Summer.  Harry had the Spicy Lemon Grass Soup – Fresh Chilli-base soup with lime, lemon grass accent, cooked with lemon leaf and mushroom.   He said it was perfect.  A great combination of spicy and tangy.  Chris ordered Vietnamese crepe with pork and shrimp, which he said was good.

Aimee had the Mango Fish (Whole Sea Bass pan-fried to a crisp, served with shredded green mango in chilli garlic sauce).  She said it was delicious, perfectly fried with a great sauce.  She also loved the green papaya salad included on the dish, which was both cooling and refreshing.  Kevin ordered the Orange Duck, which he said was perfectly crisp and not too fatty with an amazing sauce.  I ordered the Spicy Noodle with Shrimp.  As a big lover of Thai food, I was excited to try its Vietnamese counterpart.  It was delicious.  I ordered the heat level at a 5 out of 10, which was pretty much perfect for me.  Also of impressive note were the shrimp.  They were fresh, huge and really well cooked.  Kind of loved this dish.

Panda Express this is not.

Panda Express this is not.

The dessert menu is a small one with just two options; sweet sticky rice with mango or fried banana cheesecake (note to self: book a trip to Vietnam ASAP).  Chris, Amy and I split the sticky rice.  I’ve only ever had savory rice but it was okay.  I’m not a big fan of fooling my already profoundly dumbed down palette with savory/sweet trickery.  Plus the presentation was… well…

Not working blue today so draw your own caption.

Not working blue today so draw your own caption.

Overall I have to say I really loved this place.  The decor is lovely, the atmosphere is cool, the patio is quiet and romantic (if I ever have another date again, we’re totally coming here).  The food was great and it didn’t cost a fortune.  Opinions among the group were more mixed as Chris brought up an interesting point.  Vietnamese places tend to be more down-home “hole-in-the-wall” type places with more variety and cheaper prices.  He felt as though we were paying more for the ambiance than anything else.

For me, I like ambiance and while I’m sure there are some kick ass, more elbows-on-the-table-style Vietnamese places, this is a great centrally-located place that I plan to come back to often.

 

Further reading: http://saigononfifth.menutoeat.com/

To see all of the pictures from this week’s restaurant, be sure to follow The Boy who ate San Diego on Instagram!

 

Old Town Mexican Cafe (29 of 52)

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San Diego has absolutely no shortage of Mexican restaurants.  You can pretty much find one anywhere.  Historic Old Town is no different.  It’s the oldest place in San Diego (oddly enough not home to the oldest people.  Looking at you, La Jolla…) It has culture, theatre and the 10th most haunted house in America . Directly across the street from the Whaley House is Old Town Mexican Cafe, where Scooby, Shaggy and the gang can enjoy a margarita after running from Yankee Jim with the Harlem Globetrotters.  As for me, I brought my own gang of rag-tag ghost hunters:

Abby-Swim instructor, Disneyland buddy, Stresses about making food for my other food-savvy friends

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

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Kasey-Rocky Horror performer, Coffee wife,  Occasional Drag King

Ky-Rocky Horror performer, Disneyland enthusiast, Roommate of Brad

Sean-Former “Ambassador to Spain”, Halloween spookster, A picky eater like me

Yes, Mexican culture is rich, in-depth and lovely. Keep the Margaritas comin'...

Yes, Mexican culture is rich, in-depth and lovely. Keep the Margaritas comin’…

The first place you notice about Old Town Mexican Cafe is it’s big, crowded and LOUD.  Not the place you wanna bring a quiet dinner date but the party atmosphere is pretty contagious.  In what can only be described as the ultimate reward from the universe, we happened to be dining at Old Town Mexican Cafe on National Tequila Day.  Yes.  That is a thing.  Actually everyday is national something day.  ALL OF THE MARGARITAS FOR EVERYONE!!!   Abby had the Patron Margarita, which she called “effective”.  It’s important to note that Abby had already been there for a while when we arrived and was at a point in her Tequila Day celebrating where we probably could’ve gotten her to dance on our table with her skirt over her head with minimal fuss.  Ky had the Mango Margarita.  Kasey had the Strawberry Margarita, which she found to be lacking a fair deal of flavor and was essentially “The flavor of red”.  Harry got the 1800 Cadillac Margarita, which he called “awesome”.  Aimee ordered a Midori Margarita, which she also said was good but lacking flavor.  I had the classic margarita (blended).  The margarita was tasty and effective and totally worth the pain I had to endure from a bad reaction to lime juice with my medication.

Worth the pain.

Worth the pain.

The menu is big and they’ve got a wide array of Mexican and American food to choose from.  I would love to meet the sad tourist that would come here and have a burger, but I digress.  Abby ordered Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, which is served almost ceviche-style and she enjoyed.  Ky and I both had the chicken and rice soup, which was hearty and good.  Possibly not the best choice for a hot July day after a Margarita, but I like food so there’s that.  I also ordered the 3 Lobster Rolls.  I’ve seen these done elsewhere but they always seem to have black beans in them, so that was a deal breaker.  I’m happy to say that while Old Town Mex’s Lobster Rolls were not the greatest thing I’ve ever had in life, they DO NOT have beans of any kind in them, so this was a tasty victory.

Sized for sharing but I could've easily demolished this plate without a second thought.

Sized for sharing but I could’ve easily demolished this plate without a second thought.

For main courses Abby had the Fish and Lobster Enchilada, which she loved.  Sean had the two Enchiladas combo with one chicken and one pork enchilada.  While he mentioned he wished the chicken meat had been cut smaller for an enchilada, he said it was tasty and the pork enchilada was perfect.  Ky had the Steak Azteca (Marinated steak stuffed with jack cheese and  green salsa).  Ky said the steak was amazing but her rice was gross.  The salsa had some serious heat to it but she really  liked what it brought to the steak.

Harry ordered the Mariscada (Marinated shrimp and halibut with lime juice, onions, cucumber and avocado).    He said it was a nice light flavor.  Sort of like having a plate of ceviche.  He wished the cucumber could’ve had a bit more marinade but no other complaints.  Aimee got the 1/2 rack of Mexican style ribs.  She said that these were probably some of the best ribs she’s ever eaten.  High praise from our Southerner.  They are prepared rotisserie style and are served with no sauce but Aimee insisted it wasn’t needed.  Also delicious were the home made tortillas served with the dish.

Kasey ordered the Beef taco and Tostada Combo.  She described the dish as “standard sit-down Mexican restaurant quality” and was creeped out by the crust over her beans.  I had the Chicken Verde Enchiladas with rice and no beans.  I thought they were good with a nice spicy sauce.  I’ve had better enchiladas elsewhere but these were pretty solid and not super expensive.  It was a good meal.

Mexican food as it should be. Fresh, hot, bean-less and in front of me.

Mexican food as it should be. Fresh, hot, bean-less and in front of me.

For good measure, we ordered one of the few desserts offered, Churros with Vanilla Ice Cream.  These weren’t exactly a showstopper in concept, execution or taste but they were good enough.  While Old Town Mexican Cafe is a fun place with a great party vibe.  I think I would come here more for the bar food and drinks.  Not that this is a bad thing at all.

Further reading: http://www.oldtownmexcafe.com/

To see all of the pictures from this dinner, be sure to follow The Boy who Ate San Diego on Instagram!

Heat (28 of 52) (CLOSED)

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*sigh*

Okay, here goes…

The trendy San Diego neighborhood of Hillcrest (Trendy, of course, meaning “gay”) is home to some great food.  I’ve covered several places in Hillcrest on this here blog.  Located just a mile or two away from Balboa Park and right next to my favorite night club, Heat is a small place that offers Seasonally-inspired, all-natural cuisine crafted from local fresh ingredients and culturally infused.  We had a rather large group but they were able to offer an outdoor table to us:

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

Amy B-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

Amy J-Rocky Horror performer, Michigan football loyalist, a common floozy

Chris-Attorney, lifelong food snob, loves good Scotch and gay jeans

Craig-Jackie’s lucky and mysterious other half, picture unavailable

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Jackie-Awesome Soprano, fellow East Coast transplant, Has a Vegas story or two

Joey-Future music professor, Sazerac drinker, makes a mean cup of coffee

Kelsey-Project manager, Advanced level foodie, Has been known to drop it like it’s hot after a few cocktails

This week's episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dispappointments" is brought to you by Jaegermiester. All hail the might orange buck.

This week’s episode of “Diners, Drive-ins and Disappointments” is brought to you by Jaegermiester. All hail the mighty orange buck.

We ordered damn near the entire drink menu so I’ll try to keep the details as accurate as possible.  Harry had a Manhattan.  Aimee had the Peaches and Bubbles (Brokers Gin, Pavan Liqueur, fresh squeezed lemon, Peach Puree, a dash of Angostura Bitters, Brut Prosecco and lemon zest).  She said it was really good and beautifully blended.  Most importantly it was strong.  Joey and Chris both ordered the Divine Aspect (Apple wild Turkey Rye, Gin and Apricot Liqueur).  Chris described the drink as “Mind blowingly good” but when he ordered a second one, it arrived over an hour later and it was inconsistently mixed, making it a whole different drink.  Joey described his as “really satisfying”.  Chris followed that with Amy J & Kelsey, who got the Blacklist Punch (Dark and white rum, Mahoney & Powell Pomegranate, fresh squeezed Ruby Grapefruit, Bitters and a dash of Nutmeg), which they seemed to enjoy.  Amy J followed with an Amaro Smash (Svedka Vodka, Averna Amaro, fresh squeezed lemon,  orange wedges and Agave nectar), which she said was tasty as well.  Kelsey and Amy B had the Sam’s Smash (Bourbon, Briottet Creme De Mure, Passion fruit puree and simple syrup with a pinch of lemon and mint) followed by an American Mule (American Harvest Vodka, passion fruit puree,  fresh squeezed lime, ginger syrup & dash Angostura).  This drink unfortunately seemed to be “mostly ice”.

For appetizers Harry ordered the pickle plate (or as Joey hilariously called it, “A brine-y plate”).  Joey and Kelsey had the Flatbread Du Jour (Pork, onion and Dr. Pepper Barbecue sauce)  and the Quinoa and Farro with Beets, Goat Cheese, Dates, Watermelon Radish, Olives, Arugula, Citrus Vinaigrette.  Joey enjoyed it but felt the dish would be better served with a different cheese and the Dr. Pepper got lost in the sauce, whereas Kelsey pretty much dubbed anything “Dr. Pepper” flavored a misnomer, especially barbecue sauces.  Amy J had the soup du jour, which was a tomato basil soup.  She didn’t actually order this but it was brought to her and she seemed happy to have it.  Chris ordered the Cheese and Charcuterie plate as well as the house special fish tacos.  He really enjoyed the olives and meat cuts but felt the fish taco was unimpressive.  I had the potato chips with smoked sea salt aioli.  They were pretty standard and tasty.  I’m a sucker for a good aioli.

Potato Chips but yay Aioli!

Potato Chips but yay Aioli!

Here’s where the problems really started kicking into high gear.  The food took a long time.  Like, a really long time (like, all-told, we were there for more than 3 hours, long).  The place wasn’t terribly busy so we were never actually sure what the hold up was.  When the food did eventually arrive, there were issues.  Harry ordered the Mac N’ Cheese with Duck Craklin’s.  He hated it.  It was bland and said “Kraft Blue Box is better than this atrocity”.  This was the first (and only) place in this challenge that he had to ask for Salt and Pepper.  Aimee had the Duroc Natural Pork Chop with soft polenta, charred raddichio and apple raisin persimmon Chutney.  She said the porkchop was overcooked.  While the polenta was okay, the raddichio was extremely bitter.  She found the whole dish to be way over priced.  Joey and Jackie both ordered the Local Mussels and Fries Sake with confit garlic, shallots, aioli sauce and fresh herbs.  When Jackie’s arrived, it had sat out so long it was cold, so she sent it back.  Joey’s did not arrive for more than an hour after he ordered it and when it did show up, it had no spoon, no additional, plate, no side items and no fries.  Jackie’s second order arrived and she said they were good but nothing special.

With a small amount of vegetarian options available, Amy J had the Quinoa and Farro appetizer as her meal.  She said it wasn’t great but it was okay.  The dish could’ve used more cheese and dressing.  She worried that Heat’s angle of “Healthier food” may be the cause behind some flavor sacrifices.  Amy B ordered the Melange of Seasonal Vegetables with soft polenta, pickled shallots, Piquillo peppers and shaved parmesan.  She felt the dish needed Salt & pepper.  While polenta (much like Aimee’s) was decent, the uncooked yellow squash was just “meh”.  Kelsey order the grilled Flat Iron Steak with potatoes pave, cauliflower, creamed swiss chard, baby carrots and Bordelaise sauce.  Kelsey said the steak had good flavor but was way overcooked.  The potatoes were flavorless and raw.  While the cauliflower and creamed spinach were good, the carrots were overcooked to complete mush.

Some of the rare highlights of the main courses were Chris’s Maple Leaf Duck Breast with Duck cracklings, Farro, roasted cauliflower, sauteed greens, dates and sherry gastric.  He really enjoyed it.   Craig and I both ordered the Heat Natural Burger with Bacon jam, Gruere, Peppery greens, House fries and jalapeno Aioli.  Craig added a fried egg to his burger and I didn’t because ew.  I thought the burger was pretty solid.  Juicy and a little messy (like a good burger should be) but hardly a stand out from anything you could get elsewhere.  My fries were cold and gross.  They had obviously sat out for a while.

It took me several seconds to realize that this picture was not an outtake from my review of Pure Burger a few weeks ago.

Cold fries from a place called Heat…

So where did it all go wrong?  This place came highly recommended to me.  The Yelp reviews are impressive.  It didn’t make any sense.  We came to this place as lovers of great food and drink.  We wanted to like it but the whole night was a mess.  So we had to do something we’ve never done on this challenge: we had to speak to the manager.  I am loathe to complain but I, like several other people at this table, have experience in the restaurant industry and knew exactly how badly the ball had been dropped.  Especially considering we had reservations and dropped some serious cash (scroll back up and have another look at that bar tab) to have had such a negative experience.

The mark of a good restaurant is how they take a bad situation and make it right.  In addition to knocking 50% off our bill, the manager had the kitchen prepare 4 different desserts for the table, gratis.   This meant another 30-45 minutes but we love dessert and were eager to put a positive spin on the night.  Among the dishes they brought us were Strawberry Shortcake, Banana Bread Pudding with Cinnamon ice Cream and a S’more’s-style dish.  I’m pleased to report that these were all pretty fabulous.  A bitterwseet end of sorts.

The problem was this may have been too little too late as, of the 11 people in the group, only Craig and I would be willing to return to Heat in the future.  I’m no glutton for punishment, despite what my dating life would suggest, I’m just super curious to see if this bad experience was an isolated incident.  Chris wisely pointed out to the manager that there were bright spots on the menu and if they could get a handle on the kitchen, Heat could have real potential.  The problem is just that for a lot of people, the best food can sometimes be overshadowed by a bad service experience.

My hopes, they were higher.

Further reading: http://www.heatbarandkitchen.com/index.html

To see all of the pictures from this week’s restaurant, be sure to follow The Boy who ate San Diego on Instagram

 

Southpaw Social Club (27 of 52) (CLOSED)

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One of my favorite memories growing up was when my Dad would take my Brother and I to Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox play.  I couldn’t tell you a single team that played against the Sox during any of the games we went to because that wasn’t the reason I loved it.  For little Anthony, it was all about the excitement of the crowd, the lights and the food.  I LOVE ballpark food.  I also loved the fact that driving home from Boston back to Rhode Island always meant that we got home so late that I wouldn’t have to go to school the next day, which was pretty much the best thing ever.  I went to a Padres game for the first time last year and had a ball eating (and drinking, yay being an adult!) myself silly.  I could seriously care less about the game itself then or now.  I have less romantic memories of Petco Park coming to San Diego in 2002.  You see, I had a lovely apartment in the heart of Downtown San Diego.  Once plans were finalized to give San Diego a second stadium (Y’know cuz Qualcomm got lonely), my rent tripled in a very swift and effective way of exterminating the middle class from this new cash cow real estate.

Southpaw Social Club is right at the gates to Petco Park and I was unsure what to expect.  As Downtown has a slew of hipster, douchey, bros and hos, tourist trap type places, I was sure with a name like “Southpaw Social Club”, I was going to be up to my mohawk in ironic cocktails and gastro foam.  Obviously, I couldn’t go on this journey alone…

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

Anna-Canadian goddess, theatre dresser and puppet builder.

Brad-Rocky Horror performer, Fluent in most nerdisms, Still thinks Miley Cyrus is sexy

Harry-Wise guy, master of the grill, loves camping for some reason

Lily-World’s Cutest Baby (a Joe & Nicole production)

Joe-Theatre and beer enthusiast, podcast co-host, Co-Creator of World’s Cutest Baby

DSCF2722

I’m not really sure what Harry’s doing there on the right but Brad seems pleased. Lily on the other hand seems deeply concerned.

With such an expansive drink menu at Southpaw, drinks were a must.  Aimee started with the Southern Hospitality (Bourbon, Ginger Peach & Honey Syrup with Lime & Angostura).  She instantly dubbed this drink “The Magic elixir” and ordered a second one 2 sips into her first.  She really, really liked it.  Of course with 4 beer lovers in the group (Lily only drinks bourbon) there was plenty of beer tasting to be done.  Harry had the Ballast Point Sextant Stout.   Anna had a Lomaland Saison from Modern Times.  Joe had the beer flight with Golden Monkey, Tricerahops, Rubusto & Shake Money Maker.  I could obviously care less about the beer but watching our server grow increasingly uncomfortable during his long explanation of each beer to Joe while a toddler kept fondling his inner thigh was comedy gold.  I could’ve pretty much watched the adventures of creeper baby all night.

For appetizers Brad ordered the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Skewers with German Potato Salad and Sherry Gastric.  He said the bacon was awesome; perfect and smoky with great sized shrimp. Anna ordered the Lincoln Log Duckfat Fries with Bleu Cheese Dip and Tap Mustard.  Anna immediately pointed out that these things are not fries in the traditional sense.  They’re huge.  Tasty but huge and lacking a bit of flavor on the duck fat end.  I started with the house made Pretzels with garlic, salt, herbs, cheddar sauce and tap mustard.  While the tap mustard was bitter and weird, I am IN FRIGGIN LOVE with these pretzels and cheddar cheese sauce.  The look and consistency is closer to a breadstick but the flavors are fantastic.  Worth coming back for this alone.  Total winner.

I dream of these nightly now. If I liked beer I might never have left.

I dream of these nightly now. If I liked beer I might never have left.

For main courses Aimee had the Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Applewood smoked Bacon, shaved red onion, baby arugula, spiced aioli on a brioche bun.  She described the bacon as “magnificent” (This place does amazing bacon).  The blackened seasoning rub was perfect and the fish was beautifully cooked.  Great sandwich.  Harry had the Crab & Shrimp Endive Wraps (with Granny Smith Apple, Fennel, Dill Greek Yogurt, Shallots, Lemon Vinaigrette & Sherry Gastric).  Harry said the dish was nicely spiced and he loved the refreshing element brought by the Tzatziki.

Joe and Brad both had the Southpaw Mac with Applewood Smoked Bacon, English Peas, Vermont White Cheddar & Pretzel Crumbs.  Joe loved the use of bigger noodles with great sharp cheeses.  The pretzels added a nice crunch.  Brad, on the other hand was not feeling the pretzels as they were storebought and small.  The idea of the house made breadstick-sized pretzels jammed on top of this Mac n’ cheese would just be… sexual  tasty.  Lily had pasta and apple sauce as our server  felt things between them were moving too fast and he could no longer look her in the eye.

Anna had the Steak Burger with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Vine Ripe Tomato, Smoked Cheddar, House Dressing, Habanero Pickle on a brioche bun.  She absolutely loved the jalapeno pickle.  She said the burger was very good and the bacon was “the truth”; the real standout of the whole dish.  I had the Lobster Roll with celery, corn and onion with a side of kettle chips.  Having grown up in New England, I’m a huge snob when it comes to lobster rolls but I gotta say this was damn tasty.  The fresh corn was a nice touch and the kettle chips were great.  Super satifisfying meal.

Southpaw 2

A taste of home without the shitty weather.

So while Southpaw Social Club is heaven for those who love beer and baseball, there’s plenty of other fantastic things to be found there.  It wasn’t game night so it was chill and not super crowded.  This place is definitely going to be added to the regular rotation of “have to hit” places when I’m downtown.

Further reading: http://southpawsocialclub.com/

To see all of the photos from this week’s restaurant, be sure to check out The Boy Who ate San Diego on Instagram!

 

 

The Halfway Mark!!!

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Man, I can’t believe I’m already half way through this challenge.  Thanks so much to those of you who’ve read, supported, commented or joined in on some of these adventures with me.  It’s been some of the most fun I’ve had with clothes on.   In honor of the half way point, I thought I would compile a quick list of where I’ve been and what you should order when you go there.  Sort of a “Boy Who Ate San Diego Cheat Sheet” if you will.  I’ve also included links to the original entries in case you wanted more info or missed it the first time around.   Also note:  For some of the places that are more “Build-your-own” (Basically the burger places, I went with interesting side items and not the obvious “Get a burger”).  Enjoy!

1. 94th Aero Squadron

What to order: Panko Crusted Chicken Roulade

2. Snooze

What to order: Sandwich I am

3. Dumpling Inn

What to order: Kung Pao Chicken

4. Searsucker

What to order: Jameson Sundae

5. Kiko’s Place

What to order: Fried Fish Taco

6. Flavors of East Africa

What to order: Chicken Curry with side of Biriganya  and Wali

7. Bistro 760

What to order: “Monkey Balls”

8. BiCE

What to order: Ravioli di Manzo alla Massaia con Salsa di Funghi Profumati al Marsala

9. The Mission

What to order: Cinnamon French Toast

10. Mille Fleurs

What to order: Lamb with garlic confit and cous cous

11. Slater’s 50/50

What to order: Almond Joy Milkshake

12. 333 Pacific

What to order: Ahi Stack For 2

13. Muzita Bistro

What to order: Caulo (Braised Green cabbage)

14. Chart House

What to order: Artichoke Three Ways

15. Khyber Pass

What to order: Bolani

16. El Pollo Grill

What to order: Rolled Tacos

17. The Cosmopolitan

What to order: Cheese Puffs with fig butter

18. Cafe Japengo

What to order: Truffled Nori Fries with parmesan & furikaki with garlic aioli and wasabi mayo

19. Prep Kitchen

What to order: poppy seed pancakes with strawberries, rhubarb whipped cream & almond crumble

20. Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza

What to order: Butterscotch Pudding with Sea Salted Caramel

21. Carnitas Snack Shack

What to order: the Triple Threat

22. The Neighborhood

What to order: Goat Cheese Balls with tomato sauce

23. Teri Cafe

What to order: Vegetable Yakisoba

24. Addison

What to order: 4-course meal

25. Pure Burger

What to order: Vanilla shake

26. Alchemy

What to order:  Steak fries with garlic Aioli

 

Thanks for coming along on this ride with me.  I’m super ready to finish this challenge out!