Tag Archives: The Boy Who Ate San Diego

Bijou (45 of 52) (CLOSED)

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Several hours after this week’s challenge, I awoke in a darkened room feeling the fire of a thousand volcanoes rumbling in my chest.  As I chewed a fist full of Tums & went back to bed, I said in my best Madonna voice “Absolutely no regrets”.  Obviously, this serves as proof that I don’t eat 14 pounds of fried butter on the regular (So yes, Dr. F, you can rest easy).  This can only mean this week’s challenge is French food!  Bijou in La Jolla is the Sister restaurant of a place I covered earlier this year on the blog, the fabulous Addison Del Mar. Expectations were high as my friends and I arrived in our fanciest eatin’ pants.

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

After this dinner we started to think that French people may actually be too lethargic to move when someone starts playing a Jerry Lewis film and that's how that whole rumor got started.

After this dinner we started to think that French people may actually be too lethargic to move when someone starts playing a Jerry Lewis film and that’s how that whole rumor got started.

Bijou is luxurious and elegant without feeling super stuffy.  The staff was very attentive and knowledgeable.  They made us feel very at home and did a bang up job at keep a straight face while we butchered every word on the menu.   Fortunately booze transcends all language barriers, so we started from there.  Aimee had the Peche Champgane Cocktail, which she said was great.  Chris ordered a Blue Mint. Chris and Amy B both had a “starter” cocktail (Pear Vodka, Germain, Lemon Juice, Grapefruit juice and basil).  They said both cocktails were flawless.  Amy B also had Aligote for her wine.  Harry got the Kentucky Bees Knees.  Amy J had the “Yellow Jacket”.  They both enjoyed their drinks.  High marks to the bar.

The chef was feeling generous (or bored.  Either way, Yay.) that night so he sent out a few bites for the table to enjoy.  The first was the Oeufs Mayonnaise.  Basically the French version of a deviled egg.  I’m not a fan of eggs, so I gave mine to Aimee.  She said it was good.  Nothing to scream about but a really good deviled egg.  The second bite he sent out was a beautiful pork belly.  I don’t think I’ve ever used the word “creamy” to describe meat before but it just melted in your mouth.  Really spectacular.  A perfect bite of pork.

For starters, Aimee ordered the Salmon Rillettes (with toasted baguette, radish and onions).  She said the dish was incredibly rich and sized for sharing.  The radish and cornichons really added great crunch and broke up some of the fattiness of the fish.  Chris and Craig both got the Escargot en Croute.  Craig said the dish was well prepared.  Jackie started with the French Onion Soup.  She said it was awesomely cheesey and she loved the browned part of the cheese on top.  I ordered the steak tartare.  I’d had it before but had forgotten that it came with a raw egg yolk on top. While I almost always bend to my ridiculous food fussings, I decided it was time to man up (er, “boy” up?) and try it.  I quickly cut up the egg yolk and just told myself it was a sauce.  It added a great richness to an already lovely pile of raw steak.  I love a good tartare.  true story.  Still not eating eggs though because gross and no.

Like all things I don't like, I quickly sliced it up and ate it before I even had time to think about what was happening.

Like all things I don’t like, I quickly sliced it up and ate it before I even had time to think about what was happening.

For our main dishes,  Aimee got the Steak Frites.  She called it easily one of the top 5 best steaks she’s had in her life.  She loved the compound butter on top that added great saltiness.   Chris had the Coq au Vin.  While he said it was good, it struggled to meet expectations after our experience at Addison.  Harry ordered the Loup de Mer (Ratatouille).  He said it was pretty much the second best meal he’s had this year (behind Addison, of course.  Have I mentioned how hardcore we ride that place’s jock?).  Rich, savory and buttery.  He loved it all.  The Amys split the Gnocchi al la Parisienne, Mushroom Ragout and Haricots Verts.  Amy B found the gnocchi to be delicious with an usual texture (Bijou makes its gnocchi from flour rather than the traditional potato.  Super light!)  and a great buttery sauce.  She also gave high marks to the Haricots Verts (green beans) and mushrooms.  Amy J also found the gnocchi to be a flavorful highlight.  Craig ordered the Veal Pailiard (with arugula, tomatoes and mushrooms)  Jackie and I both ordered the Lobster Gratin.  The dish was incredibly rich and flavorful.  Warm and savory with huge, tender and delicately sweet chunks of lobster with mushrooms and various veggies that married perfectly with the rest of the dish.

I printed this picture out so instead of wasting both our time with a list of foods I shouldn't be eating, my Doctor can simply point to it.

I printed this picture out so instead of wasting both our time with a list of foods I shouldn’t be eating, my Doctor can simply point to it.

Dinner in a French restaurant without having dessert almost seems stupid.  So we ordered just about everything on the dessert menu.  Hilariously the only thing we didn’t order was the creme brulee which I don’t doubt was awesome but stomach real estate for all involved was at a premium by now.  We were looking to break some new ground and we did with one particular dessert, which I’ll get to in a moment.   Other dishes served were Brown butter Clafoutis.  Macarons Du Jour.  Pot de Creme.  Fruit tart with Lemon Curd.  The standouts according to most diners were the Clafoutis & Pot de Creme.  All of the desserts were fabulous but one simply rose above to a whole different level altogether.  The “Paris Brest” is a light pastry with a hole in the center (Think a croissant shaped donut.  Hey, what a novel idea!) in the center they pipe in almond cream, sprinkle toasted almonds on top and drizzle with caramel.  It’s the best dessert I’ve had on this entire challenge.  It’s also only $10 and I dream of it fortnightly.  Life changing-level fat kid bliss.

As gay man, here is a pair of brests I would happily throw my face between forever.

As gay man, here is a pair of brests I would happily throw my face between forever.

The final verdict from me on Bijou is a positive one.  While others with me felt there are better places to go to drop that kind of money on dinner, I really liked what they had to offer.  Addison is not special occasion dining, it’s once a year dining but I feel that Bijou is a good special occasion place, especially if you love French food.  You’ll drop a pretty penny but it’s accessibly priced for upscale dining and you will get an expertly crafted, elegant and tasty dining experience.

Further reading

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

Tam’s (44 of 52) (CLOSED)

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One of the things I’ve developed a great fondness for in the last few years is Thai food.  I first tried it when I was dating a guy some years ago who loved Thai food.  In the years since I’ve been unable to shake neither my love of spicy basil noodles nor younger guys who are completely wrong for me.  Fortunately, tonight I was only revisiting one of these life choices.  Tam’s is the first restaurant in this challenge that is literally walking distance from my home.  I still drove because lazy, but I totally could have walked there if I was so inclined.  Joining me was a small but dedicated group:

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

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

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

We stood on the stage for this pic. Does that sound odd? You ain't seen nothing yet...

We stood on the stage for this pic. Does that sound odd? You ain’t seen nothing yet…

Located in a tiny strip mall in Normal Heights, Tam’s defies expectations.  Unless you were expecting to walking into an empty restaurant in November with Valentine’s decorations up, Christmas lights, Disco ball lights, a stage and a tiny Asian lady asking what you’d like her to make for you, in which case you nailed this place.  Tam is delightful.  She’s such a character I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out she’s an actress playing the part of an old lady from a Kung Fu movie who has a Katana in her broom closet and the secrets of a thousand-year-old empire hidden in her spice rack.  I’m actually still unsure those last two aren’t true.  She speaks broken English, she’s sassy and she cooks all the food.  It’s very much like we were guests in her home and she treated us as such.

She bulldozed us into recommended we start with a curried potato egg roll with pumpkin sauce.  Not wanting to offend our hostess, we smiled politely and sipped our bottled water (which she brought us free of charge and insisted twice we weren’t drinking fast enough)  Turns out Tam knows what the hell she’s talking about and can throw down in the kitchen.  These were a massive hit with the table.  Crispy, rich with just the right amount of heat.  Easily worth coming back for alone.  This whole night just got as awesome as it was bizarre.

Asian fusion? Indian-inspired? Call it what you will, it was delicious.

Asian fusion? Indian-inspired? Call it what you will, it was delicious.

It wasn’t long before we had collectively finished enough of our water that we were allowed to order our dinners.  Tam was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of food but seemed up to the challenge of feeding this table full of hungry Americans (Look, for all I know she could also be a citizen but it’s way funnier to paint her as the near-offensive film cliche so just go with me on this.  Did I mention we love her?)

Aimee had the Amazingly Rich Pork (Batter fried pork loin with coconut ginger sauce and a Yellow Curry paste).  She said it lived up to it’s name.  Impressively moist for such a thin cut of pork.  Aimee called the Yellow curry a nice touch.  Harry ordered the Broccoli Stir Fry with Shrimp (with carrots and onion in oyster sauce).  He said it was awesome and tasted like Tom Yam Soup.  Amy got the Veggie Fried Rice.  She found the dish surprisingly light with very fresh vegetables and generously portioned.

Durwood had the Orange Chicken Pad Thai (yeah, that’s a thing) and Lard Nar with chicken (Rice noodles stir fried with garlic and broccoli).  He thought the pad thai was wildly innovative and delicious.  He called the dish “Some Top Chef-type shit”.  He also loved the flavor of the Lard Nar, calling it “Home made with a touch of love”.  I tried each one of these dishes and they were fabulous.  Loaded with flavor and super tasty.

Then something went wrong.  Very very wrong.  So wrong that I’m left confused and befuddled.

I ordered the Spicy Thai Curry Noodle (with snow peas, jalapeno, mushrooms, basil and curry powder).  My food came out last.  I was excited because, remember, I love Thai food and the evening had such promise and got off to such a strong start.  This dish…  It was awful.  It was absolutely flavorless.  It tasted like boiled pasta noodles with boiled vegetables.  Also a shit ton of curry powder which only added heat.  There had to have been a sauce she just forgot to add.  There HAD TO HAVE BEEN.  Everything else had been so good and so flavorful.  I poured some of my left over egg roll sauce all over my dinner and it barely helped.  I couldn’t get through it.  I was so upset.  Also confused but mostly upset that I was going to have to write about this dish during what had otherwise been a stellar evening of food.

We didn’t order dessert.  We didn’t have to because Tam brought us donuts.  I don’t mean she served us a house dessert based on donuts.  I mean an actual pink box of donuts from a nearby bakery.  Again, free of charge.  This made the evening even more awesomely strange.  I was pretty sure at that point Durwood was going to propose to her.

Yeah, totally not kidding about the donuts.

Yeah, totally not kidding about the donuts.

As for my dinner snafu, I have to chalk it up to a swing and a miss.  My dish was a mistake.  A smudge on an otherwise perfect record.  I am determined to return to Tam’s for another go at dinner.  She was too nice.  Too talented a cook and again, SHE GAVE US A DOZEN F**KING DONUTS.  I MEAN COME ON! I’m going back and you should go there too.

Further reading

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

 

Little Tokyo (43 of 52) (CLOSED)

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Right now, in 2014, there are actual people who are still afraid of sushi.  My Mom is one of them.  You could even be related to one of them.  You could even be one of them and need smelling salts whenever you read about Aimee ordering Octopus on this blog.  I am here to break it down for you as it relates to this week’s restaurant.  Everything you need to know about what sushi is and isn’t and can be found on this clearly from the 90’s website.  I want you to read it before we continue.  Go ahead.  I’ll wait…

My love of sushi is well documented so I need little to no prodding (maybe a little prodding to get my fat ass loaded back into the car when I try to go home after eating 17 rolls) to go get some sushi.  When Little Tokyo was recommended to me, adding it to the list seemed like a no-brainer.  Joining me was a small but dedicated bunch.

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

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

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

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

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

Little Tokyo 1

Smile pretty! Everyone except Dylan, who finds selfies indulgent.

 

Located in the San Diego neighborhood of Carmel Mountain, Little Tokyo is quiet (very quiet this particular night) strip mall sushi place with charm and an affordable, if standard, menu.

Kate ordered the Crunchy Roll, which she says was good and right in line with white person sushi (or Gaijin as the Japaneses call it!).  Kate’s baseline gauge of the quality of any sushi place is its Spicy Tuna roll, which she also ordered and said was excellent. Finally she got an order of Yellowtail Nigiri, which she said was well cut and fresh.  Sebastian was a tough sell on Little Tokyo’s Orange Chicken with white rice due to the multi-colored sesame seed garnish but Kate bravely picked them out and Sebastian did put a dent in his dinner, which something I understand not all parents have as much luck with.  Dylan was less picky about her dinner as Kate’s boobs did not have sesame seeds on them.  This time.

Durwood had the Devil Roll (Shrimp Tempura, Crab, Avocado topped with Eel and Eel sauce).  He called it “Everything I love about sushi in one roll!” So well done.  He also had the Sesame Chicken Plate, which he called simple with good, tangy flavor.  He’s happy to see things like this available on the menu.  Harry had a Kirin Ichiban beer to drink along with Sunomono Salad, which he said was lacking in it’s customary wakame seaweed but was otherwise good.   Harry also had the Albacore Sashimi, which he said was “like buttah”.

I ordered Shrimp Tempura (*my* go-to sushi place appetizer).  God bless the Japanese and their penchant for lightly battering and frying anything at all.  There’s not much variant in how to prepare shrimp tempura but most of the menu at Little Tokyo is pretty standard fare.  It did the job it was meant to do.  Not the greatest I’ve had but certainly not bad either.  Competently made.

Little Tokyo 2

Like a warm hug from an old friend, so is the sight of fried seafood on a doily for me.

Up next was a spicy crab and tuna roll which tasted very fresh and was a really decent size for what I ordered.  I quite enjoyed it.

Little Tokyo 3

Random fact about me: I NEVER eat the end piece of sushi first or last. Sorry for the twitching, all my readers suffering from OCD.

Finally, I had a Surimi roll, which was tasty but HUGE.  Seriously, this was a hockey puck of sushi.  perhaps the most flagrant bastardization of Japanese sushi is America’s need to supersize everything.  It’s intended as finger food and while it was tasty enough, I’m not a big fan of sushi that I can’t eat in a single bite.  I don’t like to hold conversations while I’m trying to deep throat tuna.

Enjoy your sushi loaf.

Enjoy your sushi loaf.

The overall review of Little Tokyo is satisfying but nothing Earth shattering.  The atmosphere is quiet, the place is clean and the staff was very nice.  It’s also very affordable.  It did its job for me and while I could get very much the same type of food closer to home, I wouldn’t make it a point to drive up to Little Tokyo.  But if you are located near by and looking for some decent sushi, this is your place.

Further reading: http://www.yelp.com/biz/little-tokyo-san-diego

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

 

 

Nine Ten (41 of 52)

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La Jolla, California (the neighborhood I work in) is known for being a lavish beach side community where the wealthiest of San Diegans enjoy fine dining, art museums and occasionally perform charitable acts of handing a dollar to any lost middle class folks they see wandering the sidewalks.  The restaurants are known for being equally swanky and unapproachable but this week’s restaurant, Nine Ten, is here to dispell that image.  Joining me for this upscale dining romp are the following friends:

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

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

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

Samantha-My co-star in “Five Course Love”, Aubrey Award winner, A sometimes Amish Jew

Party of 6, here at 7 to see if Nine Ten is the one.

Party of 6, here at 7 to see if Nine Ten is the one.

We found the atmosphere at Nine Ten to be surprisingly chill and welcoming.  They couldn’t seat our party in the regular dining room so they instead gave us our own back patio table, complete with crisp night air, the gentle sound of the ocean and a busser that looked like 80’s TV icon, my boyhood Daddy fantasty and Father of hot-but-douchey pop misogynists, Alan Thicke.  Throw in a delightful singing server named Amy and it made for one magical evening.

For pre-dinner cocktails, Chris ordered the “Ryes an Fall” (Rye whiskey, cognac, Peche de Vigne & Lemon), which he seemed to enjoy.  Harry had a Saserac, which he said was tasty.  He and I also both had the “Endless Summer” (Sailor Jerry, Apricot Brandy, Ginger Beer & lemon) It’s like adult lemonade with alcohol.  Anything that takes my childhood and mixes it with copious amounts of liquor that doesn’t involve an abusive home life, I’m all for!  Samantha got a traditional martini with blue cheese stuffed olives.  She was a huge fan of this drink and particularly the blue cheese.

For our appetizers, Aimee had the house version of Chicken & Dumplings.  She said it was delicious with a great both.   Chris got the Shrimp Toast at the bar, which he said was not amazing but was a beautiful presentation.  He also had the House Cured Smoked Salmon (cucumber, apple, baby potatoes, fennel, radish, rye bread, charred dill oil & whey crème fraiche vinaigrette) which he called a “great starter”.  Harry had the Lamb Tartare (black garlic, orange chili oil, pickled onion, cured egg yolk & masa cracker).  He really enjoyed the pine nut flavors and delightfully delayed kick on the finish.

Samantha got the Jonah Crab Salad (pickled avocado, lobster knuckle, blood oranges, pickled ramps bulbs, herbs, buttermilk dressing and hot sauce powder) She had no idea there was even such a things a lobster knuckles but said the Buttermilk dressing was SO good with the fresh crab meat.  Amy had the Heirloom Tomato Salad (Chino farms tomatoes, Spring onions, Shaved Turnips, Watermelon Radish, Smoked Feta, Mustard Frill, Purple Cress, African Basil Vinegar & Vadouvan Oil).  She loved the amount of flavor in such a simple salad.   I had the Maine Lobster & Hiutlacoche Agnolotti (Chino Farms corn, lobster mushrooms, herbs).  It was pretty damned fantastic.  As one always ready to rub my native-New Englander bragging rights in anyone’s face, the lobster was on point.  Fresh, tender, delicately sweet.  The Corn and pasta were amazing together.  Really solid opener.  Would go back for this alone.

Nine ten 1

I don’t know which cave man got the idea to crack open a giant sea bug one day and eat it’s innards but, boy am I ever glad they did.

For our main courses, Aimee ordered the Pumpkin Seed Crusted Lamb Loin (torpedo onions, roasted acorn squash, kale, pomegranate seeds, lamb pancetta, squash puree & lamb pomegranate jus).  She called this the best lamb dish she’s had in this entire challenge.  She said it was perfectly executed with an outstanding sauce.  Amy had the Chino Farms Butternut Squash rice Grits (roasted mushrooms, acorn squash, pickled squash, pumpkin seed crumble, brussel sprouts & herbs)  She called them amazing with great flavors and textures.  She appreciated the fact that the vegetarian dishes offered were all well thought out and not just “Non-meat stuff”.

The head chef at Nine Ten, Jason Knibb, was offering something special the night we were there.  He hails from Montego Bay, Jamaica and cut up a whole goat (not, like, at our table.  My God.  Could you imagine?)  Harry felt a need to jump on this opportunity, for science.  It was his first time having goat and he really liked it.  It included a mushroom cream which he thought was divine.  I don’t have any more details about the dish because it’s not on the menu but I did want to include it because it speaks to the skill set of a very talented chef.

Chris had the Hay Smoked Duck (Not be confused with Hey!  Smoked Duck!) with roasted asian pears, anson mills farro, huckleberries, duck egg sabayon, puffed wild rice & duck jus.  He said it could actually be the best duck he’s ever had.  As Chris taught me “If pigs could fly, they’d taste like duck”.  It’s a nice metaphor best taken at face value because the mechanics of such an image are really upsetting.  Samantha and I both ordered the Braised Prime Beef Short Rib (roasted beets, baby artichokes, brussels sprouts, savoy cabbage puree, fried brussells sprout leaves & horseradish beet vinaigrette).  Samantha thought they were amazing.  Fork tender with a great sauce.  She also enjoyed the crispyness of the brussells sprouts.  As for me, I thought they were another hit at what had so far been a pretty impressive meal.  Rich, tender and full of flavor.  Chef Jason for sure knows how to cook some meat.  Delicious!

Nine Ten 2

I tried to do some tie-in joke with the In Living Color sketch about that Jamaican family who each had a dozen jobs but every single version had me coming off as a huge racist, so instead I offer you this: Hey! Meat! Tasty!

With such a great meal so far, there was no way we were skipping dessert.  Aimee had the Maple & Apple Butter Cream Puff (white cheddar crumb, local apples, maple & hay ice cream).  She loved its beautiful texture and thought the cheese crumb was great.  She mentioned that the ice cream wasn’t really even necessary for this dessert, one of the best composed we’ve tasted.  Chris ordered the Vanilla Flan Tart (Caramelized Hazelnut, poached pear & Hazelnut whipped cream).  I got the 1/2 Baked Chocolate Cake (with caramel sauce and Vanilla ice Cream) It was sweet, ooey, gooey, warm and chocolatey.  The smartest aspect of this dish is that it’s served in a cup about the size of a coffee cup: the perfect amount.  A great, decadent cap off to a great meal.

Nine Ten 3

Half baked chocolate cake. Had I known doing a half assed job at something could lead to such amazing results, I would’ve exerted far less effort in my life.

So in closing, we really had a great night.  Nine Ten offers upscale fine dining tastes with a friendly attitude.  This place is certainly on the more high-end price wise but it wasn’t so expensive that you would only eat there once a year.  Everyone at the table would go back (that includes the most important opinion: mine!)

Further reading: http://www.nine-ten.com/

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

West Coast Tavern (40 of 52)

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A great thing about setting myself on this challenge (and there have been many) has been discovering places that I not only have never eaten at before but many that I would have otherwise never even heard of because they’re so hidden.  Such is the case with this week’s restaurant.  Located in the trendy area of North Park is the Birch North Park Theatre.  It’s a cool place that I’ve been lucky enough to sing on the stage of.  I love it because it looks like the Muppet Show Theatre.  In the lobby of the birch theatre is a bar and restaurant: West Coast Tavern; this week’s restaurant.  Joining me for a fun night of food and drink were the following:

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

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

Elisa-Singer, my Hebrew homegirl, Intense stare

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

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

Tomy-Fashionista, Rocky Horror performer, an original Kathryn

Representin' for the west coast. Only in Cali where we riot not rally.

Representin’ for the west coast. Only in Cali where we riot not rally.

First thing you should know about West Coast Tavern:  It’s LOUD.  It was pretty packed but the music and atmosphere is way more bar/night club than restaurant.  I felt like my Grandmother making everyone repeat everything they said because they weren’t nose to nose with me.  A positive note to counter would be the staff.  They were terrific.  They were able to get us in (they don’t take reservations) with minimal hassle and the wait staff were very knowledgeable about food and drink…  and speaking of drinks…

Tomy ordered the Mommy Dearest (Skyy Vodka, Basil, Strawberries and Lime).  He deemed it Alright but nothing special, having ordered it mostly for the name because gay.  Amy J got the Smoke and Honey (A bourbon concoction of some sort).  She gave the drink a “10” and loved that our server asked if she was familiar with the type of drink she was ordering.  Harry had the Cucumber Basil Gimlet (Hendrick’s Gin, Cucumber, Basil, Lime & Simple Syrup).  He found it nice, refreshing and strong.  For his 2nd drink, Harry ordered the Old Fashioned with Bulliet Rye, as did Amy B and Chris (Templeton Rye for him).  It was a winner for Harry and Chris seemed pleased with it but for Amy, she felt it was decent but not the best available in North Park.  Brad ordered a Mezcal Mule (Xicaru Mezcal, Lime, Ginger Beer & Bitters) He felt it needed more smokiness but thought it was a great cocktail.   Ky had a Strawberry Margarita.  She felt it was alright but very effective.  Apparently this place has a heavy pour.  We are okay with this.

For appetizers, Durwood ordered the Hot Wings.  He called them pretty standard but good.  Harry got the Oysters on the half Shell, which he said were exactly what he wanted.  Brad had the Marrow (Bone marrow with grilled Scallions, Ranch, Pickled Radish, fried Onions and a warm baguette).  The dish reminded him of Escargot in texture and flavor, which he enjoyed.  Brad likened it to eating “Beef butter”.  Gross.  Amy J ordered the grilled asparagus, which was well done if unremarkable.  Ky and I both ordered the bowl of Chipotle Bacon Fondue with bread and veggies.  Ky found it a bit greasy but I really enjoyed it.  Hearty, salty and thick.  The consistency of it was much closer to pub cheese than fondue but it was super tasty.

Now, how to recreate this dish at home in a bacon bowl...?

Now, how to recreate this dish at home in a bacon bowl…?

For main courses, Ky and Tomy both ordered the Spinach and Chicken Mac n’ Cheese (with Goat Cheese, Bacon and Bread Crumbs) .  They both mostly enjoyed it but Tomy did mention the cheese used was a bit stank and bitter, like many of my ex’s.  Ky said it was good and enjoyed the sharpness of the cheese.  Tomy also advised not getting the version offered without chicken as the protein seemed to anchor the dish flavor-wise.  Brad got the Pork Belly & Waffles (with Bourbon infused Maple Syrup, Garlic Butter & Bacon).  He said it was really good, particularly the syrup, which was not too sweet.  The pork was well cooked and the waffle combined sweet and savory flavors.  He deemed the bacon unnecessary.  Amy B & Elisa both had Veggie Sliders (Veggie patties with chipotle Aioli, Tomato & Arugula).  Amy said they were good.  Elisa found the patties to be thick, moist and crispy with a really enjoyable Aoili.

Durwood also ordered the Chicken and Spinach Mac n’ Cheese.  He enjoyed it but the spinach seemed more like a garnish than an ingredient to him.  Amy J ordered the Al Fresco Veggie Flatbread (with White Bean Hummus, grilled red Onions, Tomatoes,  Feta Cheese & Basil).  She found this to be really uninteresting, as though the item were added to the menu as nothing more than an afterthought.  Both of our Amys found West Coast Tavern’s menu  to be surprisingly veggie un-friendly.  Harry got the same Marrow (appetizer that Brad ordered) for his entree and he loved it for some reason.  I had the Angus Beef Sliders (with Cheddar Cheese, caramelized Onions, Garlic Aioli, Lettuce and  Tomato).  As Elisa mentioned with her sliders, these were actually way more food than they looked.  They were well cooked and very flavorful.  The accompanying fries were also great with the dipping sauces available (the best being a very good garlic aioli).

Any opportunity to double-fist burgers and I'm there.

Any opportunity to double-fist burgers and I’m there.

The dessert menu was small but we decided to sample the Pistachio Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel.  This was a smash hit at the table, with everyone pretty much raving about it.  I myself am not a huge fan of pistachio but even I have to say, this was really tasty.  Warm, melty, nutty and rich.  Great dessert.

Melty, gooey, moist and a slew of other filthy-not-filthy adjectives can be used to describe this dish.

Melty, gooey, moist and a slew of other filthy-not-filthy adjectives can be used to describe this dish.

Overall the experience of West Coast Tavern was a mixed one.  The drinks were well received and most of us enjoyed the food.  I had a really great dinner but the atmosphere was totally not conducive to dining.  Others found it to be forgettable.  With so many new places springing up all over North Park, this place has some serious stepping up to do to keep up with the serious competition.  As for me, I would love to eat there again but I would make a point to not do it on a busy Friday night.  But for lunch or even brunch (which they do offer), I would happily pop in again.

Further reading: http://westcoasttavern.com/

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

 

Mona Lisa (39 of 52)

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I grew up in an Italian American household.  That sounds so pretentious.  Like my parents were immigrants who looked like extras from a movie about the cold war (For the record, they aren’t).  Rhode Island was called “Little Italy” by many due to it’s large Italian population and surplus of gold chains and hair gel.  A number of family restaurants have been there for generations and my favorite one growing up was Marcello’s in Cranston, Rhode Island.  Old world charm, amazing classic style Italian food and best of all, on a busy Friday night, my family could show up unannounced and be instantly led past a line full of people waiting to our table.  How cool is that?!  Years later, Marcello’s has long since closed and the only clout I have is when the cashier at McDonald’s smiles at me and says “See ya tomorrow, Andy!” but I digress.  I have great memories of a time long since gone.

or is it?

Mona Lisa, located in a place actually called  Little Italy, is an old school Italian restaurant.  When I say “old school”, I mean dark 70’s wood paneling, romantic paintings on the walls and opera playing on the loud speakers.  At least 4 more square inches of chest hair sprung up on me the moment I crossed the threshold.  While dinner at a family-style Italian restaurant back in the day meant I ate with my family, today I embark on this culinary journey with the chosen family:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tomy-Fashionista, Rocky Horror performer, an original Kathryn

Dine with us. We'll figure out together what, precisely, is a-matta-you.

Dine with us. We’ll figure out together what, precisely, is a-matta-you.

I really can’t talk about Mona Lisa without talking about the deli right next to it, owned by the same folks.  My boss was very enthusiastic about me hitting this up and after one quick walk through, it was easy to see why.  The place is full of all sorts of cool stuff.  Amy was a particular fan of the fact that they sold drums of cannoli cream.  I was shocked to discover a type of pasta I’ve never seen outside of Rhode Island is sold there.  It reminded me of delis in New York. which I love.  I also hear they make some killer sandwiches there so a trip back for lunch may need to be a thing.

We started off with beverages.  I had a real Italian vanilla cream soda with Torani syrup and actual cream.  It was a different texture but super good and sweet.  When they brought my house salad before dinner was when I knew this place was legit.  Oil and vinegar-based dressing.  This place tastes like home.  Very nostalgic.  At this point I was very excited to see how our main courses would fare.

I know it looks like used dish water with extra foam whip but trust me, it's damn delicious.

I know it looks like used dish water with extra foam whip but trust me, it’s damn delicious.

Aimee had the Gnocchi alla Vodka with meatballs.  Her dish was preceeded by a minestrone soup that she described as “meh” and mentioned that the broccoli in the soup looked and tasted a bit tortured.  The Gnocchi, on the other hand, was a home run for Aimee.  She said it was perfect, light and pillow-y dumplings with a really nice sauce.  The meatball she ordered with it was very flavorful.  Tomy ordered the Chicken Parmgiana with Canadian bacon and minestrone.  He, like Aimee, was not in love with the minestrone and said it needed some pasta in it.  He found is his main dish to be good but not spectacular.  He also made mention of the food being ridiculously large (it’s true, these plates are sized for sharing).  He did however love the cheesy garlic bread that he and Ky shared.

Amy got the Lasagna Marinara with a bowl of minestrone.  She felt the minestrone was solid with good spice.  She found the lasagna to be very good but nothing mind blowing.  She enjoyed the use of quality cheese and sauce in the lasagna.  The whole thing gave her a very comfort-food style vibe and reminded her of similar places she visited as a kid, much like I did.   Durwood ordered the Pesto alla Genovese with chicken with a Caesar salad.  He said his salad was really good; lightly tossed in just the right amount of dressing with quality cheese.  He gave another solid nod to the garlic bread.  While Durwood prefers a more traditional pesto, he really enjoyed his pasta.

Kate got the Chicken Marsala.   She found it to be good but nothing spectacular with a really good portion size.  Her most specific criticism was for the lack of flavor from the onions, which traditionally provide a sweet note.  She suspects they may not have been reduced enough.  Joe and Sebastian shared the Pepperoni Pizza.  This was a surprising hit.  As pizza is usually served as an after thought at restaurants that don’t specialize in it, this pizza was delicious, according to Joe.  He said it was so flavorful, it almost didn’t need sauce.  Ky had the cheese ravioli with meatballs.  She really enjoyed it, praising it’s great spices, cheeses and sauce.  Having tried it, I can honestly say it was my favorite thing at the table.  Super delicious.

Jason ordered the Lingiune with Clam Sauce.  He loved it, saying the dish was beautifully made and had a generous number of clams.  Furthermore, he loved the fact that the clams weren’t sandy, which I took to mean they must instead be Danny.  I had the Chicken Parmigiana.  One thing I found to be a bit odd was the accompanying linguine was served on a separate plate.  I’m used to the meat being served on top (Pause for gay joke).  The cut of chicken was good.  Great breading and moist chicken with a solid marinara sauce.  As Tomy had mentioned, it was huge but very satisfying and made for a great lunch at work the next day.  As Amy and Kate suggested, this was straight up Italian comfort food done well.

Vegetables, you've never been more unnecessary.

Vegetables, you’ve never been more unnecessary.

With the sheer mass of the food, it was tough to think about dessert but we are dedicated to sitting in true judgement about this place, so we soldier on.  Aimee ordered the Lemon Sorbet.   She loved it, calling the sorbet refreshing, light and zesty.  Plus points for presentation as it was served in a hollowed out lemon.  Amy got the Cannoli, which she dubbed really solid.   Durwood had the Tiramisu.   To say he loved it would be an understatement.  He called it fresh, light, creamy.  Basically a mouth orgasm.  It had him dancing in his seat.  Jason echoed that sentiment, calling it the best Tiramisu he’s ever had.

Sebastian and I ordered the Spumoni Ice Cream.  This is a dessert I hold near and dear to my heart.  When I was little, Marcello’s had a spumoni ice cream dish that I loved.  Spumoni is a molded ice cream dish (think Neapolitan) with fruit and nuts.  They would top it off for me with Creme de menthe.  I’m not sure why they would serve a 6 year old alcohol but my parents sure appreciated how quiet the ride home from the restaurant was.  I was disappointed that Mona Lisa did not have Creme de menthe but they offered Kahlua and it wasn’t the same but did call to mind the flavors of the dish as I remember it, which I loved.  Sebastian had his sans Kahlua and really loved the pistachio layer of the ice cream.

The Kahlua made it melty. Come to think about it, it also made me a little melty.

The Kahlua made it melty. Come to think about it, it also made me a little melty.

In closing, while some of the food was hit or miss for the group, we overall really enjoyed the experience of dining here.  Most of us plan on coming back and Durwood said it would be a great spot for a date.  The staff was friendly and very helpful.  It was nice family meal, which is really what a good Italian restaurant is for.

Further reading: http://www.monalisalittleitaly.com/restaurant.php

To see all of the pictures from this dinner 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!