Tag Archives: Anthony Donovan

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

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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!

 

 

Alchemy (26 of 52) (CLOSED)

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I kind of love the San Diego neighborhood of South Park.  It’s got small town charm with hipster-y pubs and bars plus a yummy ice cream parlor.  There’s also a number of great places to eat in this section of town.  Among them is a place many of my friends have been going to for years but I’d never been to.  Several people were shocked to hear I’ve never been to Alchemy to which I always responded next time invite me, bitches  I guess the timing just never worked out.  Oh well, that’s what this here challenge is all about.  Joining me in this week’s adventure were:

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

Amy-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

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

Suzanne-My Italian soul sista, Can throw down in the kitchen, the cultured one who pronounces everything correctly.

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Until we come back here and get a photo of all of us staggering drunk after sampling the entire drink menu, this shot will have to do.

The atmosphere at Alchemy is nice.  There’s books on ceiling.  I’m not sure why but it’s a quirky touch that I enjoyed and most importantly, not a single one fell on my head during dinner.  That’s a good thing,  as my ability to injure myself in unusual and hilarious ways is at damn near Wile E. Coyete levels.  Alchemy, as to be expected from their name, has a rather enormous drink menu.  Our group made good use of it here.  Aimee had the white Sangria, which she loved and applauded the fact that it was served without ice.  Amy ordered the Alchemist Mule (grapefruit-lime cordial & ginger-beer with Vodka) and later the Southpark (Gin, barrel-aged satsuma shrub & burnt orange).  She felt the real strength of this place was in their drinks with their interesting and different options.  Joey echoed those sentiments, adding that the cocktail menu was super thought-provoking and one that he’s eager to explore further.

For appetizers, Kelsey had the Shrimp Cocktail.  She found it nothing to write home about with a runny sauce.   Amy had the Pepita y Limon Ensalada (english cucumber, shaved radish, house blend red chile powder, arbequina olive oil,  micro cilantro)  and a bowl of Watermelon Gazpacho.  She said the salad was nice &light but could use a touch more chili powder.  In contrast, she loved the gazpacho and said it was fantastic.  Suzanne, Joey and I all ordered the Thai Corn Fritter (white corn,  chick pea flour,  fish sauce,  green curry,  micro cilantro & sweet chili sauce).  Joey called it delicious with a perfect pairing in the chili sauce but wouldn’t have minded a heavier hand with the fish sauce.  I really liked these.  The corn was fresh and sweet.  They were fried a little harder than I like but the flavors were all there and the sauce was insanely good.

I would build every course around this sauce... Which would get really awkward come dessert...

I would build every course around this sauce… Which would get really awkward come dessert…

For main courses Aimee ordered K.C. BBQ Pork Spare Ribs, Cheddar cheese grits with apple wood smoked  bacon and cheddar bay biscuits with wild flower honey-butter.  Aimee  said her ribs were delicious; tender but not overdone with a great sauce.  Of less note to her were the sides, stale white bread and “grocery store quality” cole slaw.  Pretty standard sides in her estimation.  Her grits (which were strangely missing bacon) were good, which is high praise from an Alabama native raised on such fare.  The real star aside from the ribs for Aimee were the biscuits and honey butter, both of which she absolutely loved.  Suzanne had the Sancocho Columbiano (stew pot chicken,  carrots,  plantain , yucca,  sofrito,  avocado & micro cilantro).  This was a dish Suzanne grew up eating.  Alchemy’s approach was a little different from how she knew the dish but she enjoyed their take on it.  The temperature at which the dish was served was a little extreme and she’d never seen the dish served with bone-in chicken but she really enjoyed it and the soffrito based, which they seemed to nail.

Joey had the Watermelon Cod.  While the dish was light and fresh, Joey felt the flavors were lacking.  The seasoning that was there was noticeably uneven from bite to bite.  The pickled watermelon on the dish could’ve been stronger in flavor but the radishes offered a nice texture component.   Kelsey ordered Braised Beef Cheek with Ricotta Polenta and cheddar bay biscuits with wild flower honey-butter.  While she felt brown gravy was an odd choice for the dish, she did enjoy it but felt it was under seasoned and nothing she couldn’t make at home.  We’ll file the last part of that sentence under “things you’ll never hear me say unless a cereal restaurant opens somewhere”.

Amy ordered the Farro Risotto with heirloom tomato, broccolini, shaved golden beets, almond cilantro pesto & almond parmesan.    She was very impressed with the Farro.  Most places that offer a vegetarian or vegan options (Alchemy has both) tend to be limited and unimaginative in their offerings but Amy was really happy to see all that they offer.  She said Alchemy really knows how to make a good vegetarian dish.  “They get us.”   Harry had the shoe string frites & Larb Goong (shrimp tossed with lime, mint, bibb lettuce cups & peanuts).  Harry, like most of us who tried it, was crazy about the curry ketchup offered with the fries.  The curry spice with the tomato was kind of perfect.  Even Joey (a notorious ketchup detractor) seemed to like it.  Harry said the Larb Goong was really good with a nice, nutty flavor.

At first I resisted ordering the Fish & Chips as it seemed to be a very pedestrian choice.  I’ve noticed as time has gone on with this challenge, I’ve gotten used to ordering more unique dishes so this felt like a step back.  On the other hand, it was what I wanted so I went for it.  The portions were huge!  3 pieces of giant fried fish in newspaper.  That having been said, they were pretty delicious.  The fry went a little more well done than I prefer but it was super tasty and moist.  Then we have the chips.  THANK YOU SWEET LORD OF POTATOES!!!!  ACTUAL. STEAK. FRIES.  THIS is what I have been wanting for WEEKS!!!  Thick cut, done to perfection.  Floppy, moist and fluffy (also the names of my imaginary pet Llamas)  The garlic aioli was outstanding.  I’m sure the curry ketchup would’ve been pretty bomb with these also but by the time this occurred to me, the garlic aioli and I had already cemented our monogamous relationship with one another.  Seriously awesome.

Yes the fish was good but THEM FRIES, THO.

Yes the fish was good but THEM FRIES, THO.

After dinner, Harry and Suzanne kept the drinking theme going with a flight of Ports.  They seemed to enjoy them very much.  Suzanne called them a great finish to a really nice meal.   Alchemy’s dessert menu is by no means large but we sampled some of it.  Aimee & Harry had the duo of house-made gelato (The featured flavors were Lime/Cherry and Pink Guava).  They were both very tasty but the portions were a bit small.  Just a scosche above tasting portions.     Amy ordered the Blueberry Bread Pudding with bourbon caramel, strussel and cinnamon gelato.  This one was pretty deadly.  Sweet in all the best ways.  It evokes flavors of every great kind of blueberry baked goods and the cinnamon gelato was outstanding.

The big Blueberry finish.

The big Blueberry finish.

Overall I would say Alchemy lives up to the hype.  It seems like it would be a great place to stop in for a cocktail and some small plates at the bar.  Their brunch is also highly touted and this place made a good enough impression on me that I’m eager to return and see how many of those steak fries I can eat at try their brunch.

 

Further reading: http://alchemysandiego.com/

If you want to see all of the pics from this week’s entry, be sure to follow The Boy Who Ate San Diego on Instagram!

Addison (24 of 52)

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When I think about some of the best meals I’ve ever had, the 1st attribute of them that comes to mind is not that they tasted good.   I mean, of course, they “tasted good” (that’s kind of a basic qualifier)  but the very best meals go much further than that.  These meals transport you.   They make you taste the skill in preparation.  Each ingredient sings and comes together in such a way that you never forget not only the taste, but the presentation, the smells and how eating it made you feel.  That’s the real stuff there.  The stuff that makes you view food differently than you did before you sat down for that meal.

Addison, located by the Grand Del Mar,  is Southern California’s only Five-Star/Five Diamond restaurant and is said to be the “finest dining experience available in San Diego”.  Well, Addison, the crew from BW8SD and I wholeheartedly accept your challenge.

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

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

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

Kathy-Loves a good farmer’s market, another camping enthusiast, Mother of Chris.

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

 

Me and my dear friends in the world of high end fancy-pantsness. Amazingly, they let us use the good silverware.

Me and my dear friends in the world of high end fancy-pantsness. Amazingly, they let us use the good silverware.

In addition to this here blog post, we were also celebrating Chris’s birthday.  He has been one of the driving forces behind this blog and he suggested this place so I figured if I’m gonna drop an obscene amount of money on dinner I may as well do it under the guise of celebrating the birth of a dear friend.  We were led by our host (yeah, we had our own) into the marble-lined lobby, through the marble-lined foyer into the equally marble-lined salon.  That’s fancy talk for lounge, in case you thought they were going to give us all ANTM-style makeovers before letting us into their restaurant.  Although, for a minute, I was hopeful.  We ordered some cocktails to start the night.   Aimee and I both had the La Grand Champange; j.lassalle champagne, grand marnier, bitters.   Sumptuous, fruit forward with great bubbles and a slight sweetness.  Also, strong enough to knock out a burrow.   Kathy ordered the Philanthrope; patron silver, basil, cucumber, lime, agave.  She loved the refreshing qualities of the drink.   Amy B had the Les Belles Abielles; belvedere vodka, thyme, lemon, vanilla, honey.  She said it was delicious and loved the name.  Harry ordered the Creme a’ l’orange; buffalo trace bourbon, lillet, orange.  He also enjoyed it.   Kelsey had the Mon Amor; bombay gin, elderflower liqueur, campari, lemon.  Le Salon visit was going really well.   Along with our cocktails, Chris ordered a plate of Kumamoto Oysters, which he and everyone else who ate them said were absolutely spectacular.  They seriously wouldn’t shut up about it so I’m gonna guess they were good.

The time had come and our table was ready.  Our bartender took all of our drinks and arranged them on a tray so we could be led into the main dining room.  We walked in procession and all I could hear in my head was this.  As we got closer to an enormous table, each of our 9 chairs were being stood behind by a different server.  In precision usually found in a choreographed ballet, all 9 chairs were pulled out at once and we sat down.  Before purses could hit the floor, small “purse stools” were placed beneath them.   This was luxury at it’s finest and I left like a toothless hillbilly seeing indoor plumbing for the first time.

The 1st thing we were brought was an amuse bouche.  Something to wake up the taste buds before the meal.  A base of yogurt with cucumbers, honey and a few sour elements.  Each of the flavors hit my palette like singers hitting perfect pitch in a beautiful 4-part harmony.  This was Boyz II Men in my mouth.  This was really unlike anything I’ve ever tasted and the meal hadn’t even begun yet.  The next 4 hours (Yes, FOUR HOURS) would be only uphill from here.

Addison Amuse

4 bites. A million flavors. This was the point we realized this meal was going to be something epic.

We ordered the laughably named “4 course menu”.  I say laughably because all told it wound up being about 11 courses of stuff being brought to us over the course of the night.  We all ordered largely different things but we all got to try just about everything so who ordered what will be less specific in this entry.  Just assume everyone had everything they could eat.  1st course offerings included a Sake cured Hamachi (Lime, Uni & Asian Greens).  Chris called it really phenomenal with the best Uni he’s ever had among raves from everyone else who tried it.  I (and our vegetarians) had the Spring Vegetables A la Nage (Parmesan and Extra Virgin Olive Oil).  You would never imagine a dish so simple could be so amazing.  The broth was poured over the vegetables at our table.  The smell of this rich, earthy broth wafted up at me and everyone near me.  It was magical.  The vegetables were slightly crunchy and mildly sweet.  Each flavor was present and prominent.  Full of flavor but still so incredibly light.  This dish was the result of a masterfully delicate hand in it’s preparation.

I could have eaten a gallon of this broth. Amazing work.

I could have eaten a gallon of this broth. Amazing work.

I wanted to take a minute here and recognize Addison’s Wine Director Elizabeth Huettinger.  She not only was able to suggest 2 fantastic wines for the table (a 2013 Chenin Blanc from Jurassic Park Winery and a South African Grenache, which were both fabulous) but she was super engaging, nice and immediately knew how to appeal to our geeky nature.  Plus her wine knowledge and know-how of food pairings was pretty spectacular.  She was awesome.

Before the next course arrived, we were treated to our 1st bread service.  A small ball of Brioche with a melted Rosemary butter cream in the center.  The chef requested that we eat it as a single bite.  Considering, at this point in the meal,  everyone at this table was ready to murder a bus load of orphans if the chef asked, we found following these instructions quite simple.   We all ate it at once and a hush fell over the table.  I just looked up and saw closed eyes and looks of absolute bliss across the table.  I just said “Heaven”, because that’s what the experience of this melt-in-your-mouth bread felt like.  Beautiful salty and sweet, soft & warm textures.  Fantastic.

Bread has no business ever being this delicious. Like, ever.

Bread has no business ever being this delicious. Like, ever.

2nd course offerings included Octopus Grille (Charred tomatillos, garlic and espelette).  Aimee, briefly an actual Japan resident, called it one of the most amazing dishes she’s ever had.  Joey, of actual Japanese heritage, said he’s never had better octopus.  Aimee implored me to break my standing rule that I mentioned right from the get go and try it.   I ate a small piece and it tasted like tender, light white fish.  I’m told this in no way represents the usual texture of octopus and is simply a side effect of the magic that our wizard chef practices on food.  Aimee told me to never try it again because it would simply never be that good again.  This advice, I can follow.  Kelsey had the King Crab (savoy cabbage and shellfish consomme) which she described as amazing and tasted like butter.  The Amy’s had the Red Pepper “Tarte Tatin” (Chevre, black olives and arugula).  The final florish on this dish was the 50 year old Balsamic Vinegar.  Yeah.  50 year old.   Amy B said words fail her to describe the amazing-ness of this dish.  Amy J said the dish was expertly crafted and fantastic.  I had the Caramelized Codfish (Daikon, charred scallions & Dashi).  This was gorgeous piece of fish that was melt-in-your-mouth good with another incredible smelling and tasting broth.  Perfect levels of sweet, savory and salty.

Right around here was where I decided I was never leaving.

Right around here was where I decided I was never leaving.

The third course only got better and better as our proper main courses took the stage.  Salmon au Beurre Sale (beets, apples, fennel and “troisgros” sauce) is possibly the best piece of salmon you’ll ever eat.  Joey praised the perfect temperature and preparation.   Kathy ordered the Coffee Roasted Canard (koshihikari rice and candied peanuts).  Canard is French for “Duck”  (I knew that without looking it up, which I’m sure would make my 11th grade French teacher, Ms. Coyle, very happy.  Provided she’s still alive somewhere.)   It was hugely aromatic.  Kathy loved the toasty elements and thought the texture was incredible.    I ordered the Kobe Beef Short Rib (mushroom gratin and potato croustillant) The sauce on the meat was chocolate fudge-level thick with an amazing impactful flavor.  The meat was tender and rich.  The potatoes were incredible.  Along with the mushrooms, these were great reminders of what we were seeing over and over again throughout this meal:  The simplest ingredients can be the most amazing thing you’ve ever tasted if they are prepared by a skilled enough chef.

You're probably thinking at this point that none of this looks like a lot of food. Trust me, it was the perfect amount by the end of the night.

You’re probably thinking at this point that none of this looks like a lot of food. Trust me, it was the perfect amount by the end of the night.

We had a long way to go still before dessert, so this was the perfect time for the table to enjoy Addison’s Cheese Service.  5 incredible cheeses: Largo: soft, smokey, ashy and creamy with just a hint of sour on the finish.  Ardi Gasna: A little firmer with a tangy, richer but still creamy flavor.  Hafod Cheddar: Bold and strong with a zingy sharpness.  Crystalization from the again process gave it beautiful cripsy and creamy texture.  Cabot Clothbond: soft, rich, earthy and pungent with mouth-filling flavor.  Fourme d’Ambert: a tangy blue with the perfect amount of bitterness, salt and creaminess.  The word “Foodgasm” was dropped more than once in the description of these cheeses.  One unnamed diner even went so far as to say this cheese plate was so good it made her “not want to have babies”.  Well, then.

I felt food drunk after this cheese plate. That's a good thing, btw.

I felt food drunk after this cheese plate. That’s a good thing, btw.

After the full scale assault of this cheese, Addison provided a palette cleanser in the form of a light lemon sorbet with rhubarb.  Kelsey described it as “Like the greatest orange sherbert you’ve ever had”.  She’s right.  It was light, refreshing and sweet.  The tiny slivers of rhubarb gave the dish a perfect tang and crunch.  A perfect in betweener before dessert.

Only the best place on Earth will bring you dessert twice.

Only the best place on Earth will bring you dessert twice.

No one in our group was surprised to find that dessert here was also all sorts of amazing. Among the dishes ordered were Tarte au Chocolat (cherries glacé and pistachios), Vanilla Pot de Creme (wild berry confiture and passion fruit) and what I had for dessert; Galette au Chocolat (mint chip ice cream and chocolate mousse).  The best way to describe this dessert is the fanciest mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich you’ve ever encountered in life.  It was perfect.  Rich, sweet, creamy and beautiful to look at.  The mousse was absolutely perfect.  A dessert so incredible, I didn’t even care that I was eating it at 10pm.

Gold flecks on top bring to mind the image of a disco pimp making it rain in the club right before the food leaves the kitchen and arrives at your table. At least that's what it said to me, your mileage may vary.

Gold flecks on top bring to mind the image of a disco pimp making it rain in the club right before the food leaves the kitchen and arrives at your table. At least that’s what it said to me, your mileage may vary.

Just when Joey said that he couldn’t eat another bite of food, one appeared.  Addison just likes to make absolutely certain that you will forsake all other dining experiences in your life, so they delivered a single Macaron to each of us and it was, of course, perfect.  Sweet, light, cripsy and slightly chewy filling.  Aimee, usually the toughest dessert critic, called it one of the best she’s ever had.

Strong finish to an impossibly flawless meal. I may have dreamed this whole thing.

Strong finish to an impossibly flawless meal. I may have dreamed this whole thing.

Now, in the interest of maintaining my title of “keeper of the real”, I will say that Addison is by no means cheap.  I won’t be so crass as to share the exact amount of our bill but I will say that the 9 of us ate an amount of food equal to purchasing a 2003 Ford Focus (Yes, Chris actually checked the Kelly Blue Book rates on this).  The flipside of this is, this is a once in a lifetime dining experience that I wholeheartedly believe everyone should have at least once.

Chris really put it best; This was different from just a “nice restaurant” but rather food on another level altogether.  It’s not merely cooking but an expression of art.  The team at Addison, led by Executive Chef William Bradley & Chef de Cuisine Anthony Secviar, are artists in the purest sense of the word and their work deserves to be experienced by everyone at least once.

Further reading http://addisondelmar.com

Also, be sure to follow The Boy Who Ate San Diego on Instagram to see all the pictures from this meal and trust me, you WANT to see these pictures.

 

Teri Cafe (23 of 52)

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The sentiment of “Never judge a book by it’s cover” is truthful, wise and applicable to all areas of life, which is why most people completely ignore it.  I’m guilty of it too.  I’ve refused to even test drive cars because they look angry.  So when it comes to restaurants, I can be a quick judge based on appearance but I always shape my final opinion solely upon the food.  This is why I will eat just about anywhere from “mortgage your house if you want dessert” to “I pray there’s enough alcohol in this beverage to kill whatever’s growing on this glass”.  It’s all good.  Unless it’s not, but I’m getting away from the point here.

Oceanside’s Teri Cafe serves up Japanese/Hawaiian inspired dishes in a cute surrounding with an almost fast food-like method of serving.  You order at a counter, they give you a number for your table, they bring you food.  The place was mobbed (always a good sign).  Luckily we had a smaller group this week consisting of myself & some of the leading ladies of BW8SD:

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

Suzanne-My Italian soul sista, Can throw down in the kitchen, the cultured one who pronounces everything correctly.

Contrary to what this picture suggests, we didn't eat dinner at Trader Joe's.

Contrary to what this picture suggests, we didn’t eat dinner at Trader Joe’s.

Amy was immediately thrilled to see Teri Cafe offers Lilikoi Passion Fruit Drink; a favorite of hers from her time in Hawaii.   With so many Hawaiian inspired choices on the menu, we were surprised to see not a single item on the menu with Spam.  Not that I was sad about this because I’m only just okay with actual ham and don’t do pink, potted, gelatinous food-type items used as props on Monty Python.

Suzanne, the only person in our group who had been here before, had the Beef and Chicken Teriyaki and a shrimp plate served with Miso Soup, green salad and potato salad.   She said the rice was done perfectly and she loved the fact that additional teriyaki sauce is available on the table in a squeeze bottle.  Her beef and chicken were perfectly cooked and well textured with huge portions for a great value.  The potato salad at Teri Cafe has pasta in it.  Yeah, pasta.   While this combining of my two least favorite types of cold salads would be a toasty romp through Satan’s nether regions for yours truly, Suzanne said it was strange but really delicious.  Amy had the Vegetable Yakisoba.  She claimed the Yakisoba is the best she’s had.  The noodles were delicious and the vegetables were not soggy.  The grated ginger on top was a great touch with a pleasing, slightly sweet, sauce.

Aimee ordered the Teriyaki Chicken and Shrimp Tempura, an Aloha Roll, Unagi and Fried Gyoza.  Her tempura was great and the chicken was really good.  The fried gyoza was tasty but she (and I) prefer a softer pan seared style gyoza to the fried crispy kind served here.  Her Aloha Roll (Shrimp Tempura Roll with Tuna & Spicy Mayo) was pretty basic but good.  She praised the lack of “filler” in her sushi.  Good fish with a “no frills” approach.  Not so successful for Aimee was the Unagi (Eel roll).  She felt the dish looked and tasted pre-made.  In comparison to the fresh -tasting Aloha, it was a swing and a miss during what was, otherwise, a very successful meal for her.  I had the Spicy Tuna Roll, which was delicious.  The Tuna was super fresh, which I’m embarrassed to say was a surprise given the fast food-y vibe of this place.  I’m always glad to be proved wrong like this.

I will never doubt you again, food.

I will never doubt you again, food.

The Shrimp Yakisoba wasn’t quite as successful for me.  I found there to be a lot less shrimp and a lot more vegetables.  Plus, some of the shrimp on my plate weren’t properly cleaned.  Granted, these were by no means a deal breaker.  The noodles were tasty and the shrimp were well cooked.  I would be curious to explore more of the menu as it’s affordable and, as Amy pointed out, the portions are generous.

Just use the fork. Don't be a hero.

Just use the fork. Don’t be a hero.

Overall, my experience at Teri Cafe was a positive one and I would certainly come back for lunch or take out.  The menu is pretty extensive and there’s way more stuff to try in future visits (Suzanne highly recommends the Bonzai Ramen Bowl).  So if you’re up in Oceanside and are craving Japanese style take out without spending a fortune, go to this place.

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

You can also see pictures of all the dishes we ordered by following theboywhoatesandiego on Instagram!!

The Neighborhood (22 of 52)

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One of the coolest things about San Diego’s bid to become one of the premiere food destinations is the number of super trendy eateries that have sprung up in our most touristy spots.  As downtown San Diego is the hub of our tourism, it seems only fitting that so many of them should be located there.  It was also kind of funny that just a day or two before my friends and I hit up this week’s restaurant,  this meme had been making the rounds on the interwebs.  That is not to say that The Neighborhood meets the criteria of that list but in all honesty, it walks a fine line. Joining me to find out just how fine that line is were the following usual suspects:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The people that you meet each day

The people that you meet each day

If you enjoy beer and spirits, you might actually believe you’ve died and gone to heaven at The Neighborhood.  Their beer and bourbon list reads like a damn phone book.  Of course, if you’re a vodka lover, your application to heaven has been denied and you’ll soon to get meet your new roommate, Satan.  Because you’re in Hell.  For reasons not made terribly clear, there’s two things you will NOT find inside this place:  Vodka or Ketchup.  There’s a nice blurb in the menu about the aversion to the red stuff but the vodka ban remains a mystery.  Speaking of mystery, there’s also a secret locked deep inside the Neighborhood.  The Noble Experiment is a speakeasy with a secret door.  We didn’t go in there because they don’t serve food and that’s really the point of this here blog but since we’re super besties, here’s a look inside.  Cool right?

Meanwhile, back in the commoner section of the Neighborhood, we attacked the drink menu with gusto!  Amy B had a few beers, among them the Mikkeller Brettanomyces Bruxellensis (SOLD AMERICAN!) Wild Ale series 2.0/Beer 1, the Allagash Victor and the Allagash Odyssey.  Amy J had the Mezcal (a smoky tequila).  Chris ordered the Duchesse de Bourgogne Flanders Red Ale from Brouwerji Verhaege.  It’s worth noting that he asked me to try it and I didn’t find it completely disgusting.  Considering my well documented hatred of beer, that’s kind of a big deal.  Kate had the non-alcoholic Fentiman’s Ginger Lemonade.  Brad had the Jolly Pumpkin Chestnut Porter and the Almanac Doghatch Strawberry Sour Ale, the latter of which I tried and got me right back on track with my choice to live beer-free.  Yuck.

We ordered some small plates to start with.  Joey & Brad both ordered the Fried Chicken Deviled Eggs.  Brad found them to be pretty good but nothing special.  Joey found a pleasing slight acidity in the dish and good seasoning in the yolks.  He felt the chicken got a bit lost in the egg but it provides an interesting textural contrast.  Amy B had the pickle plate: Bread & Butter pickles, pickled cucumber and pickled green beans.   She proclaimed the dish quite good with so many different flavors and herbiness in each pickle; a refreshing start.  Amy J had the Cheese Sampler: Point Reyes Bleu, Koko’s Netherlands Cow with coconut & Vlaskas Holland Cow served with Almonds, Honey and Cranberries.   She enjoyed the good size of the plate and the good cheeses offered.  Chris went a bit further and said the Vlaskas Holland Cow was one of the best cheeses he’s ever had!  Aimee and Chris both ordered the Chorizo Corn Dogs served with mustard seed aioli and smoke chipotle.  Aimee found them very tasty with a nice spice and just the right amount of breading.  The mustard aioli was her favorite sauce and she gave the dish high marks for presentation.  Chris was less in love with the portions of the dish.  Kate ordered the Pink Salt Deviled Eggs.  She found them to be spicy (in a good way) but a bit over priced for the portions, which is an opinion not unheard of in this challenge.  Kelsey had the Goat Cheese Balls with tomato sauce.  She found them really rich and good.  I tried them and completely agree.  Crispy, creamy and savory; a winner.  I ordered the Neighbor’s Chicken Nuggets with Sweet & Sour Mango sauce, Cranberry Sauce and Habanero Aioli/Lemon BBQ sauce.   The real star of this dish was the sauces.  Lots of bold flavors that complimented what was basically popcorn chicken pieces.  I enjoyed it but was left wondering what the dish was really without the sauces in the equation?

Neighborhood chcken

I resisted the very strong urge to toss a piece of chicken in the air, catch it in my mouth, say “Proper” and take the stage with my 4,356 back up dancers to perform “Addams Groove”.

For our main dishes,   Aimee and Brad both ordered the “Local Animal”:Polish sausage and braised pork with a fried egg, mustard and molasses glaze with arugula.  Brad loved the runny egg and said the dish was perfectly spiced with the glaze being the real stand out.   Aimee also enjoyed it but didn’t understand the inclusion of the egg.  She also called the glaze the best part.  Joey had the butter poached black mussels with braised leeks, grilled toast points and spicy flakes.  He found the fume a bit aggressive on the acidity at first but warmed to it throughout the meal.  The mussles themselves Joey found tender and delicious but thought the arugula seemed like a bit of a throw away in the quantity given.  Not dressed enough for a salad but too much for a garnish.  Amy B ordered the Fork & Knife Veggie Sandwich with grilled asparagus, hummus, oven dried tomato and burratta on sour dough.   She found the dish hit and miss.  A hit in the delicious flavors but a miss in the rough, chewy and flavorless ends of the asparagus left on.

Amy J had the Beet Burger with spinach, hummus and swiss cheese.  Amy really liked the burger and advises potential diners to not be scared of the bright pinkness of the patty (it actually looks like an uncooked beef patty, which made watching a vegetarian eat it all kinds of hilarious).  The burger is not overly beety.  I found it tasted a bit like falafel, which I’m totally okay with.  Kate had the spicy cajun rubbed burger and added some mixed greens.  Her burger came up a bit too rare for her to eat (She’s any-minute-now-level pregnant) but Chris stepped in a proxy taster.  He found the patty decently prepared but without a lot of cajun flavor to it.  Kate also had an order of sweet potato fries which she said were “The shit” that personified her love of pub food forged years ago in England.  Chris echoes that, calling the fries taste and texture outstanding.  Ky ordered the Jalapeno Mac & Cheese and the Grilled Cheese: Pepper Jack and american cheddar with tomatoes, Amish loaf and roasted tomato bisque.  She enjoyed the many different levels of spice in the mac and cheese.  I tried it and it did have some great kick to it.  Ky would later tell me that this was the dish at medium heat level.  She found the grilled cheese, which is actually TWO sandwiches, to be pretty standard with a good soup.  Kelsey and I both ordered the Neighborhood Burger with caramelized onion, blue and gruyere cheeses and arugula.   While Kelsey found the burger to be nothing special, I was a slightly bigger fan of it.  The patty was juicy, flavorful and the arugula added a really nice flavor and texture.  What neither of us were feeling were the Kennebec fries with garlic aioli.  Again, great sauce but the texture of these fries were straight up freeze dried.  They reminded me of the potato stick snacks I ate as a kid.  Kelsey felt the difference was strong enough to warrant calling them “fries” at all a bit of a misnomer.

So I was stupid and didn't get a picture of my burger. This photo comes from Food Smackdown.com. My apologies to them for any food blog etiquette breach incurred herein.

So I was stupid and didn’t get a picture of my burger. This photo comes from Food Smackdown.com. My apologies to them for any food blog etiquette breach incurred herein.

The dessert menu at The Neighborhood is small but I had to try it.  A few of us had the apple pie that was brought in direct from The Neighborhood’s Sister restaurant, Soda and Swine (which I’ve been to and is lovely).  The pie was pretty standard.  I prefer a thicker cut apple filling to the more traditional thin sliced that was served but the flavors were on point.  Aimee was a little tougher on the dish.  She found it lackluster with a bland crust.  She reinforced her point by adding that if a restaurant offers only one dessert on it’s menu, it needs to be spectacular.

Neighborhood apple pie

Some folks at the table lamented that they would’ve enjoyed a slice of sharp cheddar cheese on top of this. I lamented that I have really weird friends.

So overall I found the Neighborhood to be big on style with a mostly solid menu.  The staff was great.  Our server Matt was dashing, helpful and yes, bearded.   Another thing most folks enjoyed were the home made chips that came with some of the dishes (Kelsey and I went amiss in ordering fries in place of these).  Some also pointed out a negative in charging $2.50 for a can of soda with no refills but my thinking is, in a place like this, you most likely are not there to drink Diet Coke but to enjoy a whiskey flight (Yes, they do that).  I say try it out.  There’s lots of character to this place and it’s a cool place to have lunch or dinner.

Further reading: http://www.neighborhoodsd.com/hood/

You can see pictures of all the dishes listed in this review by checking out The Boy Who Ate San Diego on Instagram!

Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria (20 of 52)

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I can be picky about Italian food because I’m Italian.  Sort of.   I grew up in an Italian-American household so the food I had wasn’t necessarily the same food that Italians in Italy would eat but there are certain flavors and tastes that need not be messed with by non-Italians.   Example: The Gravy is what you serve over pasta.  Marinara sauce is what you dip mozzarella sticks in at Denny’s.  Pasta is what you eat in the form of spaghetti and other countless shapes.  Noodles are what comes in a bowl of ramen.  Trivial way of thinking?  Maybe but I’m a quarter Italian and therefore,  kinda think I’m right about everything.  Blame my family.  I do,  it’s fun!  Pizza certainly falls under the “gotta be right” category but I’m also open-minded and like to try different styles of pizza.  I’ve had it in New York and Chicago and I’ve loved both.  This week’s challenge, Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria, leans more towards the wood fired New York style pizza.  I was excited as were my band of fellow tasters:

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-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

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

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

Suzanne-My Italian soul sista, Can throw down in the kitchen, the cultured one who pronounces everything correctly.

Blue Ribbon

Strong pizza and strong opinions. This is why we do this.

Blue Ribbon, located in Encinitas, is small.  Super small.  They don’t take reservations but they were able to accommodate our large group with no hassle.   We started with some drinks.  Abby had a Fallbrook Winery Merlot.  She called it “effective”.  Chris ordered the Acoustic Ales Blue Ribbon Lager, which he appeared to enjoy.  Most of the rest of us were offered Hard Lemonade.  It’s lemonade with some sort of alcohol in it.  I would love to be able to tell you what precisely it is but our server made no move to answer either time we asked.  That having been said, it was tasty and likewise “effective”.

The massive divide in our opinions started with the appetizers.  Aimee ordered the Spicy Deviled Eggs with with Spicy Calabrian Chili Aioli & Smoked Pimenton Oil.  She found the dish overly spiced and overly priced ($7.50 for 4 halves of egg).  Amy had the Crispy Three Cheese Raviloi with Roasted Tomato Sauce & Parmigiano Reggiano.  I got to try these and they were pretty good.  Nice crispy dumplings in a good sauce.  She also ordered the Wisconsin Black Seed Popcorn with Truffle Salt and Parmesan.  This was house special is unique and highly snackable.   It’s good popcorn even without the extra stuff.   The truffle salt added an earthy flavor.  The parmesan added a mild cheweyness.

WARNING: If your popcorn looks like this and there's no truffle salt on it, it's burned and you've ruined movie night.

WARNING: If your popcorn looks like this and there’s no truffle salt on it, it’s burned and you’ve ruined movie night.

Chris ordered the Whipped Laura Chetel Goat Cheese with Black Mission Figs, Pickled Fennel & Toast.  It was a big hit with most of the table, particularly the goat cheese.   Molly had the Caesar Salad.  She enjoyed the house made garlic dressing.  In place of croutons, they were served ground and sprinkled on top, like breadcrumbs, which she found weird.  The salad is also huge.

This was all well and good but we were here to fight over pizza.  I want to commend this week’s group as we all ordered different style pizzas without even making a conscious decision to do so, which is a nice break from the usual hive mentality we live in.

Abby ordered the Blanca Pizza: Roasted Garlic,  Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Mozzarella, Goat Cheese, Sun dried Tomatoes, Capers, Olives & Arugula Pesto.  She thought it was well cooked with strong flavors.  Her favorite being the addition of capers.  Aimee had The Artisan: Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella, Housemade Spicy Pepperoni, Fennel Sausage, Canadian Bacon & Smoked Sausage.   She found the pizza to be just okay but, again, well below the asking price.  The pepperoni and sausage were massively over spiced, which was a problem present in a few of our pizzas.

Anna ordered the Americana Pizza: Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Artisan Pepperoni & Gaeta Olives.  She enjoyed it, particularly the strong olives and quality mozzarella cheese.  Amy had the Signature Pizza: Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Mozzarella, Ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, Lemon Zest, Red Onion & Basil.  Having eaten here several times, Amy’s pizza was a tried and true favorite of hers.  She loves the lemon olive oil best.  I tried her pizza and it also ranked among my favorites.

Chris ordered the Red Oak Pizza: Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Ricotta, San Daniele Prosciutto & Arugula.   Chris is also a returning customer to Blue Ribbon and very much enjoyed his pizza.  He’s also a big fan of how well the beers offered pair with the food on the menu.  Suzanne ordered the Staff’s Favorite Pizza: Tomato Sauce, Fennel Sausage, Heavy Cream, Parmigiano Reggiano & Basil.  It should be noted that Suzanne is of Italian decent, is from New York City and she spent 3 years living in Italy, so basically if she were a man she’d have a gold medallion with the words PIZZA SNOB nestled in a mountain of chest hair, visible to all from her unbuttoned shirt.  She found the crust to be on point; crispy but not cracker-thin with a nice char.  The cheese was good but the heavy cream added a lasagna-like consistency to her pizza.  The real villain, again, was the sausage.  She found it overpowering yet flavorless at the same time.  “That could’ve been pork or beef, you wouldn’t be able to tell”.  Well, alright.

Molly had the Craftsman Pizza: Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano & Housemade Spicy Pepperoni.  Like most of us, she found the crust to be skillfully done and tasty but her pizza crumbled beneath the spice of her pepperoni.  I ordered the Classic Pizza: Tomato Sauce, Fresh Mozzarella, Fennel Sausage & Crimini Mushrooms.  I thought it was really tasty.  Good crust, the mozzarella was top shelf and well distributed.  The mushrooms were great but the fennel sausage was ridiculously spicy.  Not enough to kill the dish but a big deterrent from me enjoying it more.

PK classic pizza

We are not spice wimps, I swear.

With only two items on the menu, we felt desserts was a must.  The first dessert was a signature dish for Blue Ribbon:  Butterscotch Pudding with Sea Salted Caramel & Fresh Whipped Cream.  Anna, Amy, Chris and I loved it.  Molly said it was the 2nd best of it’s kind she’d had after Haven in Pasadena.  I thought it was divine and the perfect size for following a large meal like pizza.  Aimee was not a fan.   She felt the dish lacked texture and just felt like a “butterscotch slime”

PK butterscotch

and here I was thinking I couldn’t love anything from a mason jar that wasn’t moonshine…

The other dessert was the Peanut Butter Crunch with Peanut Butter, Chocolate Pudding, Caramel, Pretzels & Whipped Cream.  I enjoyed this one as well but not as much as the butterscotch.  Abby and I both found the peanut butter to be a little muted in its flavor.  Several folks at the table took issue with the “Crunch” portion of the dish.  The pretzels tasted a little stale and would’ve been better served with chocolate on top instead of hiding at the bottom.

PK PB crunch

If the Butterscotch Pudding is unable to fulfill its duties as favorite dessert, Peanut Butter Crunch will be crowned the winner.

Overall impressions of Blue Ribbon were mixed.  Chris and Amy were already fans so they’d come back.  Aimee and Suzanne both said the service was less than stellar and I’m inclined to agree.  They restaurant was busy but we found the wait staff and bartenders to be less than helpful about menu knowledge, refills, etc.  The food was good enough that I would go back at a less busy time, like lunch, for a second opinion.

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

To see all the pics from this meal be sure to follow theboywhoatesandiego on Instagram!

 

Prep Kitchen (19 of 52) (CLOSED)

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There are only two terms used to describe getting drunk during breakfast:  Relapse or brunch.  Fortunately this week’s entry only covers the latter.  Though should I decide it’s all too much to go on living, please look for The Boy who Drank San Diego in 2015!  The thought of trying the much talked-about brunch at Prep Kitchen made me and my merry band of food lovers downright giddy.  Joining me on this quest were all first timers!

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

Amy-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

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

Joey-Future music professor, Saceraz 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

Matt-My co-star in “Five Course Love”, Runner, Lover of beer

Stephanie-Blogger, runner, fellow Disneyland enthusiast

You have no idea how hard we resisted posing on the staircase and calling it "The Brady Brunch". No idea...

You have no idea how hard we resisted posing on the staircase and calling it “The Brady Brunch”. No idea…

Located in the trendy San Diego neighborhood of Little Italy, Prep Kitchen is a 2nd-level, open-air place with lots of unique decor and charm.  The catchphrase a lot of places like to use lately is “Farm to table”.  At Prep Kitchen, this is less a buzzword and more a way of life.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  First up was the Coffee bar, which you could partake of for a dollar.  Yep.  One dollar.  Also available for a few more bucks were tasty muffins with a variety of jams and toppings.   The coffee bar is a really cool concept.   You could refill your coffee when needed self-serve style without having to flag down a server for refills.  The cup handles were a little weird in that they were very small.  Watching Durwood get his fingers repeatedly stuck in the handles made for some great entertainment.

There was no way in hell my crew was going to do brunch without sampling some of the cocktails (not doing so is an act of gay treason that would certainly get me dis-invited from the weekly meetings at Anderson Cooper’s Palm Springs compound)  Amy ordered the Mure et Bulles: Blackberry Calvados Liquer & Bubbles.  She also had the Red Wine Sangria, both of which she said were really good.  Matt had the house made Bloody Mary, which he said was awesome with a perfect amount of spice, even the salt on the rim had some spice to it.  Joey ordered the London’s Burning: Gin, Jalapeno, Avocado and Lime.  He said it was spicy but lacking in Gin botanicals (which was a disappointment for him).  The drink was interesting but he probably wouldn’t order it again but he would like to marinate some flank steak in it because that’s just how his brain works: How else can I consume this?  Stephanie & Aimee had the White wine Sangria, which they loved and deemed a great start to the meal.  Jackie, Stephanie and I all ordered the Cucumber Honey Mimosa, which we all really loved.  It was refreshing and delicately sweet.  Chris had a Boulder Beer Company Shake Chocolate Porter which he enjoyed and foolishly tried to get me to like.  Sorry beer, it’s not you, it’s me.  I don’t like you.

Before the main courses we ordered some of the house-made donut holes.  These were a big hit. Soft, warm, fresh and sweet with a tang that either came from lemon zest or ricotta cheese.   The taste and texture reminded a few of us more of a fritter than a donut but they were super tasty and I certainly wasn’t opposed to dipping them in the Dulche de Leche sauce that came with the muffins.  Fat kid innovation at it’s finest.

Look at them. Just sitting there daring you to eat just one...

Look at them. Just sitting there daring you to eat just one…

When you love eating there is a certain romance that begins between you and good food over the course of a meal.  We had been wined (quite literally) and politely dined but Prep Kitchen leaned in and made their proverbial move in what we tried next.  One of the specialties of their breakfast menu is poppy seed pancakes with strawberries, rhubarb whipped cream and almond crumble.  Our server dropped these at the table for us to try with the confidence and swagger of an MC dropping the mic after a freestyle battle.

Wow.  Just, wow.

Light, fluffy pancakes.  Strawberries in their actual, natural form.  The rhubarb whipped cream was incredible and the almond crumble gave a flavor and texture that made this unlike any plate of pancakes any of us had ever tried.  The most shocking part:  They are served without syrup and THEY DON’T EVEN NEED IT.  Seriously.  Go for these alone.  They are awesome.

Simple, fresh breakfast perfection.

Simple, fresh breakfast perfection.

Aimee had Steak & Eggs: Hangar steak with herb butter, 2 scrambled eggs, hash browns and wheat toast.  She said her steak was perfect & tender.  She absolutely loved the herbed butter and her eggs were also perfect.  Durwood had the Pork & Sage Sausage Scramble with Fontina cheese and butternut squash.   This was another big hit.  Durwood said it was an incredible blend of sweet and savory flavors.  The true mark of a great restaurant is you won’t find salt or pepper on the table.  It’s a show of confidence in the chef’s ability to season his/her own dishes to perfection.    They were nowhere to be found on our table and it was easy to see why.  None of our dishes needed seasoning.    Matt had the Chaquiles: Chipotle-braised chicken, Avocado, Onion, Queso Fresco & 2 sunny-side-up eggs.  We would later learn from the chef that this dish began as a staff meal that became so popular it was added to the menu.  A few folks said it lived up to the hype.  Matt would’ve liked more chicken but said the tortillas were perfect and he’s excited to try it again with different style eggs in the future.

Amy went with the “Choose your own scramble”:  She combined Brie with wild mushrooms, spinach and truffle oil.  She was really pleased with the results and also enjoyed the crispiness of her potatoes.   Joey also choose his own scramble and added sausage, asparagus, wild mushrooms and Gouda.    It met his expectations and he enjoyed it very much.  He and Kelsey ordered some sausage a’ la carte.  While he would’ve preferred a bit more fat in the side sausage, he enjoyed the sausage in his scramble more.  Stephanie also ordered the “Choose your own” scramble, adding Spinach, Avocado & Wild Mushrooms.  She said it was delicious and the accompanying salsa was phenomenal.  As someone who orders more on the healthy side, she appreciated not having to ask for wheat toast as it came automatically (I gotta co-sign on that, as a Diabetic, I can’t do a lot of white breads so it was a delightful surprise with my meal)

Jackie ordered the Smoked Salmon Benedict: Poached eggs, Arugula, hash browns & Dill Hollandaise.  She loved the inventive use of a hash brown patty with her Benedict.  The poach on her eggs was perfect and the hollandaise was light.  A well-balanced dish.  Chris ordered the WNL Burger: Gruyere, Applewood smoked Bacon, caramelized Onions & farm egg.  He’d heard about this burger and was eager to try it.  He said it was the bomb, even going so far as it call it “The best burger in San Diego”.  Quality bacon on the burger, which is of utmost importance!  While it’s a bit on the pricey side ($18) Chris seemed very pleased with his decision to try it.  Kelsey & Anna had the Ricotta stuffed French Toast with Blackberry Syrup & mint with a side of pork sausage.  This would be the other sleeper hit of the table.  They both thought the french toast was outstanding.  Anna said they were perfect without going overboard on the stuffing.  Surprisingly light but sweet.  She claimed it the best French Toast she’s had.

As for me,  I ordered the Wild Mushroom Omelet with Brie artisan ham, leeks and black truffle oil.  I really loved it.  It had so much rich but light flavor.  The brie brought a buttery note to the meal and the tender mushrooms sang with the black truffle oil.  The potatoes on the side needed absolutely no seasoning.  The wheat toast kept the dish in check.  Totally satisfying.

They know the way to my heart because they led with Brie.

They know the way to my heart because they led with Brie.

After the spectacular showing on the previous courses, it seemed almost silly to leave without trying some of the desserts.  Matt had the Sea Salt Caramel Gelato, which he said was so good, this is a direct quote now: “My mouth never wants to touch my wife again”.  Stephanie was unavailable for comment but I commend Prep Kitchen’s desserts for ruining a 3-week old marriage.  Aimee ordered the Berry Shortcake with Brulee lemon poundcake.  It was incredible.  I don’t even know how in the hell you brulee a poundcake but it had a great crispy coating on it.  Superbly fresh berries and just a touch of mint made for an amazing dessert.  Aimee branded this dish reason enough to come back.

Cake + Fire = Love

Cake + Fire = Love

One of the most interesting (and necessary) options on the menu at Prep Kitchen is the “Kitchen 6’r”, where you can purchase a round of beers for the kitchen.  I guess they felt this was a better idea than customers wandering back there and the kitchen staff getting awkwardly long tearful hugs from grateful strangers while they’re trying to do their jobs.  We bought two rounds for the staff.

So the bar has been set impossibly high on this challenge I’ve set up for myself.  Prep Kitchen managed to deliver everything they promised and then some.  It’s quite a feat to keep this rowdy group of foodies quiet at a table but they got us.  And we’ll all be going back so they can get us again and again.

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

Also, check out pics from all of my adventures on this challenge by following theboywhoatesandiego on Instagram!

Cafe Japengo (18 of 52) (CLOSED)

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The culinary arts, much like college, are a breeding ground for experimentation.  At whatever point in history it happened, some forward-thinking person decided food “A” needed to be combined with food “B” and BOOM!  The “food fusion” was born.  Not to be confused with the “Ford Fusion”, which is far less tasty and far more expensive than the meal in this week’s challenge.  Located in the swanky hills of La Jolla, Cafe Japengo is serving up Japanese fusion, cool cocktails and adventure.  The “adventure” part really only happens if you try to go to this restaurant without using the valet to park.  We wound up parking in the nearby Hyatt hotel parking lot, riding up several elevators and gate crashing at least 3 private events en route to Cafe Japengo.   But I did it, joined by my fearless “Charlie’s Angels” trio of ladyfriend dining companions:

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

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

Mandy-Writer, Top-shelf level geek girl, lives in my pocket

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Don’t let the calm looking demeanor fool you, inside these people are sushi fiends screaming for satisfaction.

The look of Japengo is cool and upscale with a heapin’ helping of hip.  We were eager to get started with some appetizers and cocktails.  Mandy ordered the Sakura Blossom: Hibiki Japanese Whisky,  Sake, Plum wine and bitters.  She mentioned the whisky was a bit heavy handed but the cockatil had a very pleasing sweet note on the back end.  Aimee (the only person in our group to have lived in Japan for a short spell) ordered a Meibo Sake, which she said was excellent.

The appetizers that were ordered included the Curry Dusted Calamari with Thai Lime Vinaigrette, chuka salad and grapes (not a typo. IT’S FUSION, PEOPLE!).   Kelsey called the Calamari good but unevenly seasoned.   She found the grapes to be a very nice surprise.    Aimee also found the calamari unevenly seasoned but the crispy noodles and grapes were nice.   Mandy confirmed a unanimous ruling that the calamari was unevenly seasoned with a bit too much breading for her.

I have absolutely no interest in Calamari so I ordered an appetizer that sounded delicious and definitely stood out for it’s “WTF-ness”.  Truffled Nori Fries with parmesan & furikaki with garlic aioli and wasabi mayo.  This was undoubtedly the biggest stretch on the menu as far as things that barely qualified as Asian but they sounded too good to pass up.    I found them tasty and aromatic with great sauces.  Creamy, rich, spicy and perfectly sized.   While they found them an odd addition to the menu, Aimee and Mandy both agreed the fries were very good.

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Proof that “Delicious” will always trump “Authentic”

Main courses were next.  Kelsey and Aimee both ordered the Char-Siu roasted Duck with local market vegetables, Karobuta Bacon, house made Plum Sauce and 3 Bao buns.  Kelsey said the duck was good but felt 3 Bao wasn’t enough as the portions are most certainly sized for sharing.  Aimee praised the duck and it’s sauce as “perfect”.  The side vegetables were also great.

I ordered Vietnamese Pork with Harusame Noodles, jalapeno, asparagus, mint, grilled eggplant, portabello mushroom & Hoisin.  It was friggin’ delicious.  Tender pork, so full of bold savory flavors.  I loved the sauce and mix of textures added by the asparagus and eggplant.  The noodles were also great.  The whole dish was a winner.

The only thing I have to remember this awesome dinner by as my leftovers were unceremoniously thrown out when someone at my work decided to clean out the fridge. At 9am. Yes, I am still pissed about it...

The only thing I have to remember this awesome dinner by as my leftovers were unceremoniously thrown out when someone at my work decided to clean out the fridge. At 9am. Yes, I am still pissed about it…

We were all also eager to try Japengo’s sushi, so we each ordered some rolls.

Sushi. The most perfect food ever? Y/Y ?

Sushi. The most perfect food ever? Y/Y ?

Kelsey ordered the Fifty/Fifty roll: crab and cucumber on the inside with rice, fresh salmon and yellowtail finished with thin slices of lemon, green onion and ponzu sauce.   Kelsey and Mandy both found the roll good but the lemon slice has got to go.  Too overpowering.  I ordered the Pizza Roll: crab and smoked salmon rolled in rice baked with a crab garlic mayo.  While I’m normally not a fan of baked sushi rolls, I wanted to try it because it seemed like a unique idea.  It was good and had a nice flavor but the baking process did leave each piece with a slightly tough texture.  Aimee ordered her favorite sushi stand-by, Unagi (Eel handrolls).  She said it was good but there’s better Unagi to be found in the city.

Mandy learned all about classic sushi from working in an authentic sushi bar in Massachusetts, so her review of Japengo’s sushi was well-informed and critical.  She ordered the Salmon Nigiri, Spider Roll (Softshell Crab), the Special Albacore Roll (a Shrimp Tempura roll with seared albacore & avocado, finished with Ponzu Masago).  She explained that it’s a personal pet peeve of hers when San Diego sushi restaurants add crab surimi to every roll with the purpose of padding the roll and increasing the price.  She feels it takes away from the flavor of the fish and detracts from the overall quality of the sushi.  Mandy did, however, find the salmon to be fresh and clean cut.   She added that the Spider Roll could use more softshell and less Surimi.

Overall, we felt that while the sushi was not the high point of the meal, the other dishes and drinks made up for it.  Cafe Japengo is a really nice place to go in La Jolla for some solid Asian fusion.

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



El Pollo Grill (16 of 52)

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People from San Diego never need to be asked twice to brag about where they live.  Most never need to be asked but those who brag will almost always talk about how our Mexican food is better than anywhere else in the country.  A select few will even argue that certain parts of San Diego have better Mexican food than other parts of San Diego.  An even select-er few will argue that we have better Mexican food than Mexico does but those people might be missing the point.  The truth can be boiled down to this: short of going to Mexico (a staggering 20 minute trip from my front door), San Diego has the best Mexican food.  Now, I’m not talking about high end Mexico-fusion dining or trendy molecular gastronomy versions of a burrito-type places.  I’m talking the classic, hole-in-the-wall, cash-only, bars-on-the-windows, they-need-to-go-get-the-one-lady-who-speaks-kinda-okay-English-to-take-your-order, neon-painted-lettering-that-covers-the-windows and has-Horchata-on-tap type place AKA THE BEST FOOD EVER.  When it’s 2am and you are knee-walking drunk, this is the place your friends take you to for food that will hug your soul.  It’s the place you take out-of-towners to for a life-changing experience that we who live here all had:  The day you discovered what real SoCal Mexican food is.  THAT’S the shit worth bragging about.

Naturally, when I set out on this quest, I was inundated with suggestions for local Mexican joints from local friends.  I had to choose carefully, but honestly it’s hard to go wrong with these kinds of places.  This week’s challenge was El Pollo Grill in Lemon Grove, which is NOT to be confused with fast food chain El Pollo Loco.  I love Mexican food and I love chicken so this was a labor of love for yours truly and my loyal dining companions:

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

Mike & Marjy-The package deal, a pair of my favorite foodies who once served me cake on a stick in the snowy mountains (true story)

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“Blanco: Party of Five…”

El Pollo Grill is a down-home “elbows on the table” type joint but is certainly not high on the sketch-o-meter of Mexican places I’ve been to, locally.  Good food is good food so I don’t judge.  I’m not a big fan of chicken on the bone.  I will eat it but prefer not to.  Fortunately, El Pollo Grill offers a myriad of others way to get your chicken on.  I took advantage of a few of them and left the chicken mauling to my cohorts.  Aimee ordered the half chicken dinner, which came with tortillas, rice & beans.  She also had a fish taco on the side.  She said the chicken was juicy and well seasoned with a great crispy skin.  Something she (and everyone else who ordered it) found odd was the choice of beans.  Rather than the usual refried or black beans, El Pollo Grill serves pinto beans.  While they were not badly prepared, Aimee mentioned she would have preferred refried beans with her dinner.  Her grilled fish taco was really good with a fantastic sauce.

Chris ordered the “Special C” (also his break dancing name back in ’84): 4-piece combo with rice, beans and tortillas.  Chris enjoyed his meal but found it a little plain.  When he eats white meat chicken, which is rare, he finds it a bit dry.  Such was the case here, even though he admitted the chicken itself had excellent flavor.  He is also not a fan of pinto beans.

Mike and Marjy shared the 12 piece grilled chicken with rice, beans and corn tortillas.  They also ordered a side of jalapeno carrots.  They agreed with Chris on both counts that their chicken was flavorful but a bit on the dry side (which is admittedly better than being undercooked).  Marjy smartly pointed out that the true test of any Mexican place is the quality of their beans and/or rice and both were great with moist tortillas, which is important.  Mike also added that the Horchata (A sweet, rice-based drink) was on point.

I ordered 3 a’ la carte dishes: 5 rolled tacos, a chicken quesadilla and Pollo Asado Fries.  The rolled tacos, served with house made guacamole, were crispy, fresh and flavorful.  The chicken was a bit dry but the flavors were damned near perfect compared to some other rolled tacos I’ve had.  The pollo asado fries were shoes string-cut french fries covered in marinated chicken, guacamole, sour cream and a massive layer of shredded cheese.  Something like this would’ve been akin to food of the Gods back in my heavier drinking days.  The me of today enjoyed the burst of flavors on this shareable plate of goodness.  The food here is kind of large…

Greasy happiness by the plateful. and we grateful.

Greasy happiness by the plateful. and we grateful.

Which brings me to the quesadilla.  It was huge.  Like, the size of a newborn.  I had no idea there was going to be so much food or I would have most certainly scaled back my order.  Full of chicken and rich cheese, this quesadilla had more of a Mexican Calzone feel to it but it was really good.

I would show something next to it for scale but everything on the table was hidden underneath it.

I would show something next to it for scale but everything on the table was hidden underneath it.

Overall feelings on El Pollo Grill were positive.  We all agreed that the place was a great value.  Tons of big food at a great price.  I got 3 meals for barely more than $20.  While nothing was Earth shattering we all agreed that it would be a fantastic choice for a place to take out-of-towners for their first taste of “real Mexican food”.  I say thumbs up, hit it up if you’re in the area for a good lunch or dinner.

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