Tag Archives: The Boy Who Ate San Diego

The Cosmopolitan Hotel & Restaurant (17 of 52)

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Contrary to popular belief, some of the oldest things in San Diego can be found outside La Jolla and Del Mar.  One of San Diego’s earliest settlers, Juan Lorenzo Bandini, decided he needed the biggest house in the new city, so in 1829 he made that happen.  The result was a Spanish colonial-style joint with seven rooms, an entrance hall, an enclosed courtyard, a corral, and several sheds and barns for his sprawling family of 4.  I would also imagine he either had horses or his wife resembled Sarah Jessica Parker.  In 1869, Bandini’s house became the Cosmopolitan Hotel.  Then in 1900 it was an olive canning factory until 1928 when Bandini’s Grandson bought it and restored it, not to his Grandfather’s vision of a comfortable family home but back to the much more profitable Cosmopolitan Hotel complete with modern amenities such as wired electricity, gas and Wifi.  Now the building remains one of the oldest standing structures in the city and it really is beautiful.  My friends and I had to take a foot tour after dinner and I highly recommend you do the same.  Though purportedly haunted, no ghosts joined us for dinner to regail us with tawdry tales from the olive canning industry.

Speaking of tawdry, joining me for dinner were:

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

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

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We ain’t afraid of no ghosts. Just keep the drinks coming.

One of the best parts to the Cosmopolitan is it’s outdoor bar.  Amy enjoyed a glass of Gainey Riesling, which she called “Delicious, sweet without being too sweet and lots of fruit”.  The bartender was fun and the happy hour looked cool.  We were soon led in to the dining room.  We had lots of time to enjoy the decor as we were the only table in it.  It gave the whole affair an eerie feel.

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Private dining room! Just us, our server and a painting of a lion that looks like Hal Holbrook!

The Cosmopolitan is big and impressive but it is with great sadness that I deliver the bad news:

This was the worst meal I’ve had since starting this challenge.

 

I feel terrible about this because I wanted so badly to like it.  I’m speaking specifically of my main course, but we’ll get to that in a moment.  Abby ordered the “Biggest Toad in the Puddle”; Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Triple Sec, Lime juice & Cherry Bitters.  It was good but so not my thing.  A lot of the drinks at The Cosmopolitan stay away from sweetness, which I love.  Amy ordered the Pineapple Mint Cosmo (The special Cosmo of the month) which said was “Delicious and refreshing without being too sweet”.  Aimee ordered a “Razzmapolitan”; Chambord, Vodka, Lime juice, cranberry & mixed seasonal berries.  She said it was excellent.  The bar overall got high marks from us.  They pour heavy, use quality booze and the value is good.

In place of rolls, The Cosmopolitan provides “Cheese Puffs” with fig butter.  They were light and warm.  A great mix of salty and sweet.  For appetizers,   Aimee ordered the Kung Pao Calamari, which she really enjoyed.  Great sauce and most of all, they fry up and serve the entire squid bodies, which is unusual.   Amy had the Rustico bruschetta, with herbed goat cheese and chimmichurri sauce.  This sauce was the highlight of the whole dish for Amy.   Abby had the Braised Pork Cheeks.  With caramelized onions, crispy onions and a merlot reduction.   She enjoyed the almost beef wellington-ish style of the cooking.   For my appetizer, I ordered the Ahi Lettuce Cups with ginger, julienne vegetables, garlic in baby iceberg lettuce cups.  I found it refreshing and zesty but nothing Earth shattering.  The jalapenos on top were a bit much.

Enjoy. It's down hill from here...

Enjoy. It’s down hill from here…

Amy took another one for the team and had another cocktail, purely in the interest of journalistic thoroughness.  She ordered the The Stagecoach Smash; bourbon, honey, ginger beer, fruit and champagne.  She said it was delicious.   Dinner held much promise as many of the things on the Cosmopolitan’s menu sounded super yummy.  Chief among them was what Aimee and Durwood both had; Fried Chicken and churros with bacon jalapeno infused maple syrup.   While this sounds like heaven, the result was less than Godly.  The plate comes with different cuts of chicken.  Aimee’s plate had a breast, wing and drumstick.  She said the breast was really good but the wing & drumstick were both dry.  The syrup was not overpowering and the churros (served trapped under the chicken) were good but she couldn’t enjoy them together.   Durwood gave the dish high marks for concept but came to the conclusion that the chicken was not home made but frozen.  I trust him because those people know their fried chicken.  By “those people”, I of course mean Southerners.   He also found himself wanting more syrup.  His dinner included a thigh but no breast.  This launched us into a very long discussion about how odd it is, on the part of the restaurant, to not include the same cuts on the same dish.

Abby had the homemade gnocchi with pan seared scallops, cherry tomatoes, asparagus and chimichurri sauce.  She loved the light char on the gnocchi and said the scallops were tender, buttery and perfectly cooked.  The chimichurri sauce added a great fresh element.  Amy ordered the promising grilled peach and strawberry salad with roasted almonds, a fried goat cheese ball and raspberry vinaigrette.  While Amy said the peaches were delicious, the goat cheese was best and necessary to cut the sweetness of the strawberries and the dressing.  She found the salad very unbalanced.  While it wasn’t bad in her estimation, she wouldn’t order it again.

Harry had the espresso braised short ribs with pan-fried garlic brussels sprouts, herbed marble potato and natural au jus.  He praised the meat for being perfectly fork tender with an added bonus of nostalgia, as the flavor of it brought him back to the beef jerky his Dad used to make.   Side dishes that we shared included a greasy cornbread and crispy brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze and goat cheese, which was everyone’s absolute favorite.

For my dinner, I had the herb crusted pork chop with confit baby red potatoes, sauteed spinach, edamame succotash, roasted corn and a taragon cream sauce.  Everything about it was awful.  Everything.  The succotash was mostly mushy black beans, there was barely any corn on the plate.  The “baby potatoes” were cooked whole and about the size of two baseballs.  The breading on the pork chop was absolutely flavorless.  The cut of meat was awful; fatty, overcooked and completely bland.  It was a horrible mesh of luke warm crispy, chewy, mushy, muddled mess on a plate.  Total disappointment.

You had one job, dinner. That job was to be delicious. You have failed.

You had one job, dinner. That job was to be delicious. You have failed.

I wanted to order dessert, because really, for me, there was no place to from here but up.  Amy ordered the seasonal berry cobbler.  It’s huge and it has to be ordered a la mode due to the tartness and the fact that it’s served at a temperature to rival the inside of an active volcano.  We also shared the caramelized banana cheesecake, which we all found a little weird.  It wasn’t particularly sweet but the caramelized banana was tasty.   Aimee, Durwood and I all ordered the fried ice cream.  A cool concept but the reality isn’t as impressive.  It’s a baseball-sized ball of vanilla ice cream that just tastes like it’s coated in granola.  Not a high note to end on.

My dessert and the thing that made Durwood the 2nd most overdressed thing at our table.

My dessert and the thing that made Durwood the 2nd most overdressed thing at our table.

So, to be fair, while my dinner was horrible, the reviews from everyone else were not as bad.  I’m not saying I would never go back to the Cosmopolitan but aside from the historical interest, solid service, friendly staff and good outdoor bar, I can’t imagine I’ll be headed back there any time soon.

Further reading: http://oldtowncosmopolitan.com/restaurant.html

 

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/

 

Chart House (14 of 52)

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San Diego, it can be argued, has the greatest weather on planet Earth.  We also have some of the best beaches in Southern California.  There’s truly nothing better than being able to enjoy our weather and scenic waterside views while enjoying a fine meal.

Which makes the fact that it was cold and cloudy with a thick horror movie-style fog a bit of a let down but it’s not snow so I’m not complaining.

Chart House, located in Cardiff, boasts an amazing ocean front dining experience.  Tables RIGHT by the window, which are RIGHT by the ocean.  It mimics the experience of eating a full course dinner right on the beach, only without the seagulls, wind blowing sand in your mouth and men in upsetting speedos trying to take pictures of you in your skivvys.

This picture isn't in black and white.

This picture isn’t in black and white.

With a still impressive view for dinner, my companions and I were very much looking forward to seeing what Chart House had to offer.  Joining me this go-round were:

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

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

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This is my “excited about food” face. Harry is serving up late 1800’s expressionless pioneer portrait realness.

The menu, while mostly seafood, was loaded with traditional stuff.  One definitely got the impression that this is a place you take out-of-towners who want a slightly upscale version of stuff they already know and like.  Not that I have a problem with that.  Good food is good food but I felt like there weren’t a whole lot of unique offerings on the menu.  Armed with this knowledge, I opted to skip the crab cakes (a tried and true favorite) and instead order the Artichoke Three Ways.  Artichoke hearts are showcased 3 ways; Panko breaded, Fire roasted  and bacon wrapped.  You know sometimes you’ll go to a concert to see a particular band and the opening act turns out to be amazingly brilliant?  The headliner was good too but all you kept talking about on the ride home is how you’re now the opener’s biggest fan ever?  Same concept applies here.

They were having a three way right there on the table. In front of everyone! Artichokes are such whores.

They were having a three way right there on the table. In front of everyone! Artichokes are such whores.

This was seriously the best part of the whole night.  We all loved it.  The panko crusted artichokes were my favorite.  Crispy with a delicious aioli.  Aimee enjoyed the fact that they were not oily.  The roasted artichokes were beautifully done and brought out a mild sweet flavor.  The bacon wrapped, while a strong concept, were not the best part of the dish but hardly a misfire.

Harry began with the “Best of Soup”; Tasting portions of clam chowder, lobster bisque & gazpacho.  He admitted that he was least excited about trying the gazpacho but was loved it’s almost bloody Mary-type flavor.   I ordered a bowl of the Lobster Bisque, a favorite of mine.  It  was pretty standard but well done.  Buttery and rich with a nice saltiness.  A little on the heavy side but certainly tasty.

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Warm and smooth. Like a sexy, yet reaffirming, hug from a dead lobster.

For his main course, Harry ordered Savory Scallops & Cucumber Salad, served with a cauliflower mash and cucumber vinaigrette salad.  He said the scallops were cooked perfectly with a largely forgettable sauce but the real star here was the cauliflower mash.  Light and refreshing while staying super tasty.   Aimee had the “New Wave Surf & Turf”: fork tender short ribs with Cabernet demi-glace paired with seared scallops in ginger soy sauce, served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.  She added an additional side of Saffron orzo.  She also agreed that her scallops were perfectly cooked (You people and your scallops.  I can’t.)  She loved the ginger soy sauce, especially the fact that it did not overpower the delicate flavor of the scallops.  Her short ribs were tender and juicy but the positive notes ended there.  She felt her mashed potatoes were just “meh” and the Saffron orzo tasted and looked like it had been a reheated leftover.  Yikes.

I ordered the Garlic Panko Crusted Tilapia (Did I mention I will eat just about anything with panko on it?  Except scallops.  We’ve been over this.)  I thought the fish had great flavor.  I loved the taste and texture added by the panko.  It was served over a bed of creamed spinach.  I don’t know if that was the best decision because for me it gave the dish a real heaviness but the flavors were totally on point.  Super tasty.

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Saucy and rich. Same way I likes my men.

For dessert, we were pressured into ordering the Hot Chocolate Lava Cake.  You see, they bake these little beauties to order but it takes 30 minutes so we had to hastily make the decision at the beginning of the meal.  Like all the smartest people, I err on the side of fat kid, so I ordered the dessert.  The cake features Godiva chocolate liquor in the center & Heath bar crumble on top.  It was sweet yet mild and we all kind of loved the choice of toffee in place of nuts.

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Pretty but it’s what it was on the inside that counts.

Overall this was a good meal.  The place was beautiful, the staff was nice and they were able to accommodate us 2 hours early.  We even saw a dolphin.  In the water, not like at the bar or anything.  Harry and I both agreed that this would be a great place to take a date.  I would frankly come back for the artichokes alone.  That in itself is a sentence I never thought I’d say ever in life, so I commend Chart House for making that possible.

 

Further reading http://www.chart-house.com/locations/cardiff/

 

Muzita Bistro (13 of 52)

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Sometimes at dinner, as with in life, a curve ball is thrown your way and a sudden change of plans happens resulting in an unexpected and delightful adventure.  Whether it be getting lost in a foreign land, learning your new lover is a distant relative or a bachelor party that ends with burying a dead hooker in the Nevada desert.  Learn to expect the unexpected to live your best Oprah-approved life.  So let’s say you and 10 close friends were planning on visiting a hot new San Diego Southern Americana restaurant only to discover an empty place with a note on the door.

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I was going to brand this apology empty and meaningless, until I saw the “truly”, then I felt bad.

With this unexpected left turn, Aimee had already scoped out possible alternative restaurants that were nearby, in the same price range and met the one requirement of this challenge: I’ve never been there.  After a quick group vote, we wound next door at Muzito’s Abyssinian Bistro.  They were super awesome about getting our group in without a reservation and packed us like cattle in the back 40 of the rather small restaurant.  Testing fate with this sudden new adventure with me 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

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

Christine-Singer, puppet enthusiast, Sit next to her at a wedding.  You’ll thank me.

David-Technical writer, singer, robot super villian

Kevin-SoCal Rocky Horror legend, IT wunderkind, Owns a Shakeweight for sheer entertainment value

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

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

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

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

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Only the closest friends can share food with no utensils in places other than prison.

The interior of Muzita was small but charming and romantic.  Great date night spot.  The servers were friendly and super knowledgeable about the food.  They didn’t even laugh when we demolished the names of EVERYTHING.  Muzita specializes in Ethiopian (or Abyssinian for you OG’s) food.  The menu is full of meaty as well as vegetarian and vegan choices.  For starters, some cocktails were had.  David ordered the mule (a popular and refreshing highball mixed drink of vodka and ginger beer) which he enjoyed.  Christine enjoyed the Mango Martini and Amy ordered two different African beers; a Hakim Stout, which she described as a “sweeter version of Newcastle” and a Tusker Lager, hilariously named for the elephant that killed one of the breweries founders.  I can’t make this shit up, y’all.  The food was all brought to us family style and encouraged to be eaten by hand on Injera, which is is a sourdough-risen flat bread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. Traditionally made out of teff flour (amesege’nallo’, wikipedia!)

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The cover of this plate was originally worn by Marlo Thomas in a particularly offensive episode of “Kung Fu”*
*I just made that up

Since everything was spread out on our giant plate, I’ll just list off what all we had: Shiro (Eritrean Style Seasoned Ground Chickpeas), Hamli (Braised Spinach & Collard Greens), Beggie Kilwa (Sautéed New Zealand Leg Of Lamb), Prawn Kilwa (Mess Marinated Prawns with House Herb Blend White Wine Awaze Sauce), Timtimo (Spicy red split lentils), Caulo (Braised Green cabbage) and Alitcha Atakilti (Steamed seasonal vegetables)

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Eaten traditional style with each bite of food wrapped in a piece of what Suzanne describes as an “Organic Shamwow”

This was an immensely satisfying dining experience.  There was so much going on on this plate.  An literal explosion of flavors with sweet richness and spice.  The lentils were fantastic with a strong showing from the lamb and the HUGE prawns on the plate.  One of the most popular items was the cabbage.  More than a few folks listed it as their favorite.

Aimee enjoyed the interactive nature of eating family style and said the cabbage was “The business”.  She is dedicated to figuring out how to duplicate the recipe.  David (the only person in the group who had been here before) loved the chicken and has always been a fan of “eating with an ACE bandage”.  Amy enjoyed the tastes and textures of the vegetables.  She also loved the cabbage and enjoyed the selection of beers, many of which she’d never heard of.  Kevin was able to get his food modified spice-wise but would tone down the onions in the future.  Christine enjoyed the flavor and lack of fattyness of her lamb.  She also loved the cabbage, an ordinarily “Humble” vegetable’s chance to shine here.

Suzanne found everything perfectly cooked with a great delicate sauce.  She officially branded the cabbage the “hidden gem” of this place with perfectly balanced sweetness.  Did I mention folks loved this damn cabbage?  Brad said the spice level of his dinner was perfect.  He loved the tenderness of the meat and was a big fan of the lentils.  Ky was happy (as was I) to see jalapenos added to the lamb for extra heat.  She admitted that this meal was her first time ever having lentils and she loved them.  Sean, while skeptical at first, said everything was delicious with great spice.  Mandy also loved the flavors without the spice getting out of hand in each dish.  She also praised the lentils.

Our server told us that there are no Ethiopian desserts (no wonder they always stay so fabulously thin!  Yeah, I’m going to hell for that one) but Muzita does offer a few dishes that look a bit more familiar to the less worldly palette.  Folks shared the Kahlua Chocolate Cake, which I had a bite of and it was moist, delicious and generously portioned.  Kevin announced that this cake was his favorite part of the meal “But I’m biased because i’m fat”.

With that our near-disaster last minute change of venue paid off beautifully.  We managed to find a great new place with outstanding food.  I love that I’ve lived here for 16 years and I can still discover new places like this.  Thanks to my dining companions for being so adventurous with me.  I will for sure be back.

Further reading: http://www.letseat.at/muzita

333 Pacific (12 of 52)

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The city of Oceanside, while technically not in San Diego proper but still within county limits, has a beautiful pier with a sunset one must see to believe.  This was the setting for my latest restaurant in the challenge; 333 Pacific.  Part of the lauded Cohen group of restaurants, 333 Pacific overlooks the beautiful Oceanside Pier.  The style is lavish, upscale and lush, which impresses tourists and makes locals have to wonder why it’s in Oceanside, of all places.  But hey, good food is good food, no matter where it’s located.  I may or may not have used that same theory in place of the “5 second rule” in college.  Don’t you judge me.

I was joined for this dinner by two of my favorite ladies and expert level foodies.

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

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

Wish you were here. So we can sample more cocktails without looking like hopeless alcoholics.

Wish you were here. So we can sample more cocktails without looking like hopeless alcoholics.

 

333 Pacific (named for the restaurant’s street address) has won several awards for it’s food and drink.  Considering they have over 100 vodkas, i’d say they know how to satisfy their customers.  At least the ones who love vodka.  Which is me, so SCORE!  I started with Seaside Tea: A mix of iced tea vodka and lemon vodka.  Think upscale version of a John Daly.  It was really tasty in that special way that says “Don’t order another or you won’t remember eating here”.  Aimee had the Bellitini: A mix of peach vodka, orange juice and champagne.  She enjoyed it but felt it needed more peach flavor in it.  Suzanne had the “Sour Kiss”:  A mixture of citrus vodkas, Grapefruit juice and a key lime foam.  She says it had great flavor, was very light but could’ve done with less foam as it seemed to take up more than half of the glass.

For our appetizers, Aimee ordered the Andoullie & Kale Soup with white beans, garlic, tomatoes & herbs de provence.  She loved it.  Delicious comfort food with a nice spice.  Aimee also mentioned that the next time she’s sick she wants a “bucket of that soup”.  Noted.  Suzanne started with the Beet Salad.  The salad has beets, truffle oil, goat cheese, fried capers and roughly 16 pounds of arugula.  While she praised how well the beets were cooked, Suzanne notes that the salad was uninspiring and tough to eat with so much unruly greenery happening on the plate.  She said that, with micro greens, the dish would be more successful and she’d feel less like a woodland creature wading through the forest for cooked beets.

I ordered the very interesting “Ahi Stack For 2”.  It didn’t take me long to figure out why they made this dish for 2 people.  It was a stack of sushi rice, avocado, cucumber, mango, crispy shallots topped with an inch thick layer of sashimi grade ahi tuna with a lemongrass-soy sauce to pour over.  Think sushi cake.  The presentation was beautiful and striking.  The tuna was fresh and delicious, the rice wasn’t over powering and the sweetness of the fruit and crunchiness of the cucumber and shallots added just the right amount of texture and contrast to the sour sauce.  Seriously delicious and unique.

The last time I saw something this stacked and pretty was when I saw Sofia Vergara in a Prada gown.

The last time I saw something this stacked and pretty was when Sofia Vergara wore Prada.

For the main courses, Aimee ordered the Kobe Meatloaf: blue cheese crusted with seasonal mashed potatoes, green beans and cabernet ketchup.  Upon ordering our server asked Aimee if she “really liked Blue cheese”.  Rightly suspicious, Aimee answered that she was okay with it.  The server went on to say that this particular dish is covered in it and gave the option to change to a different cheese.  Aimee went with Gouda.  She enjoyed the meatloaf, saying it was really juicy throughout and the cabernet ketchup was a great compliment to the dish.  The mashed potatoes were underwhelming.

Suzanne ordered the Braised 8 Oz Boneless Beef Shortribs: with carrot & parsnip purees, lump crab, applewood smoked bacon, potato zucchini hash and braising jus reduction.  She said the ribs were cooked beautifully, super tender and totally celebrated beef  without being over powered by the parsnip puree, which was stellar.  Since I got a taste of the seafood during my appetizer, I was hankering for a steak.  I ordered the top sirloin (Medium rare).  It was cooked perfectly, not only by my estimation but by both ladies at my table who, unlike me, have actually cooked a steak before!

Yes folks, that is a potato chip on top of mashed potatoes. ANARCHY.

Yes folks, that is a potato chip on top of mashed potatoes. ANARCHY.

I ordered sauteed mushrooms and a peppercorn demi on the side because I friggin love peppercorn anything.  I made the right choice.  The demi was tangy and somehow smoky but paired beautifully with the meat.  There were also unremarkable mashed potatoes on my plate.  This launched an interesting discussion about how some upscale restaurants will prepare and showcase their proteins so expertly but the side dishes often seem like an underwhelming after thought.

That having been said, the overall experience of 333 Pacific was certainly anything but underwhelming.  Great atmosphere, beautiful location and some damn good food.  Price-wise definitely a more “special occasion” or “written off as a company paid business expense” type place.  I would take my East coast tourists here as a means to impress and I feel it would do just that.

Further reading: http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/333pacific

 

 

Slater’s 50/50 (11 of 52)

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Of all the places in this challenge so far, Slater’s 50/50 has the been the place that the largest number of my friends and associates were shocked to learn I’d never been to.  The intonation in their disbelief was similar to when I tell people I’ve never been outside the United States and they say “You’ve never been to Mexico?!” as though I had been there before but just refused to acknowledge it as a separate country.  With so many of my friends familiar with Slater’s I came armed with a lot of knowledge and unsolicited opinions with which to guide the small army of friends I showed up with:

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

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

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

David-Technical writer, singer, robot super villian

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stephanie-Blogger, runner, fellow Disneyland enthusiast

Tomy-Fashionista, Rocky Horror performer, an original Kathryn

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If there were a dozen or so fewer of us you could see the giant bronze burger we are standing in front of.

The namesake burger of Slater’s 50/50 is crafted with 50% beef and 50% Bacon.  Yeah,  BACON. This, to me, was equal parts seductive and terrifying at the same time.  It’s like if  Bradley Cooper and Betty White put out a sex tape.  Among the other bold and awesome factors to Slater’s was the fact that they boast over 100 microbrews on tap.  I don’t even like beer and i’m impressed!  Among some of the beers ordered were Matt’s Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale & Stephanie’s Latitude 33, which they both loved.  Slater’s also offers the opportunity to create and name your own burger, which several folks opted to do.  As for me, I felt crafting my own burger wouldn’t really be giving Slater’s a fair shake at seeing what they offer from their menu so I went with the “World’s Greatest Turkey Burger”.  It’s topped with smoked gouda, baby greens, red onions, a portobello mushroom cap and creamy pesto sauce on a honey wheat bun.  When it arrived, I learned the other trademark of Slater’s 50/50:  Cartoonishly large food.

I now know what it's like to have a sloppy make-out session with Audrey II.

I now know what it’s like to have a sloppy make-out session with Audrey II.

While there was much confusion with exactly how I was supposed to eat this, I made do.  I took at least 2 bites before asking our server for a shovel and a rake.  This was a damn tasty burger.  Well cooked and juicy.  The gouda added a great sharpness and the honey wheat bun was a really nice change up from the usual sesame seed buns I eat at McDonald’s  other fine establishments.

Our appetizers and main courses arrived at the same time, not that I’m complaining.  It was all going to the same place:  the stomachs of 14 ambitious burger lovers.  I ordered a combo plate of Fried Mac & Cheese Balls with Tapatio Ranch and Beer Bettered Jalapenos with cilantro Lime sour cream.  Enormous, fried, soul-hugging goodness.

Sized for sharing.  with a baseball team.

Sized for sharing.  with a baseball team.

Naturally, with so much food I was going to need to wash it all down somehow.  Enter the Almond Joy Milkshake!  The selection of Milkshakes at Slater’s 50/50 is redonk like whoa (meant in the best possible way).  I took the most time deciding what kind I wanted.   When you’re a late 30’s Diabetic, drinking ALL of them isn’t an option anymore so you pick and choose your moments with the utmost care.  It was of course, the best sex you’ve ever had served in ice cream form.

Aimee had the Graceland Milkshake (Peanut butter and banana, RIP king) and the Frito’s Crunch Burger, ground beef patty topped with melted cheddar cheese, house made chili, Fritos and 1000 island dressing on white brioche.  She said the burger was really good with a nice, but controlled spice on the chili.  Anna and Joe both ordered the B’B’B’ Bacon Burger, the lauded 50/50 patty with bacon American cheese, sunny side up egg, thick cut bacon and bacon island dressing on a bacon pretzel bun.  Anna said it was everything you want a bacon burger to be.  I should hope so considering I’m sure the only reason everything on it didn’t have bacon was because the chickens died of heart attacks from the bacon-only diet they were fed before they could lay the eggs for the burger.  Joe enjoyed the burger and added that it was surprisingly, not over-bacon’ed.  Keep in mind Joe’s childhood nickname was “Twinkie” so make of that what you will.

Brad had the Peanut Butter and Jealousy, ground beef topped with thick cut bacon, creamy peanut butter and strawberry jelly on a honey wheat bun.  He felt the burger was lacking Peanut Butter and could’ve benefited from some good sharp cheddar.  He assured me more than once that he wasn’t stoned during our meal.  David ordered The Old Timey because he was the oldest person at the table and at 6:30pm, it was getting close to his bedtime.  The Old Timey is ground beef, American cheese, thick cut bacon, grilled onions, green leaf lettuce, tomato and 1000 island dressing on white brioche.  While he said the burger was okay, for him it was nothing unlike he could get elsewhere, just hugely portioned.

Joe “Bish” ordered the specialty burger of the month: Japanese pork Belly with coleslaw.  He loved it.  Melt-in-your-mouth rich, smooth and well partnered with the coleslaw.  Joe also enjoyed how easy it was to cut up and share, which he did with me because he’s demonstrated many times over the course of our 12-year friendship that he’s skilled at getting on my good side.  Damn tasty sandwich.  They should really add it to the main menu.  Kate ordered the create your own burger:  She crafted a 2/3 lb fried chicken (“The whole God damned hen house”-Kate) on white brioche with coleslaw, beer battered onion rings, thick cut bacon and barbecue sauce.  She named it “The Trailer Dweller’s Delight”.  It was huge.  Seriously.

 

At 6 months pregnant, Kate's soon-to-be Daughter is already entered in 3 competitive eating contests scheduled the week after her due date.

At 6 months pregnant, Kate’s soon-to-be Daughter is already entered in 3 competitive eating contests scheduled the week after her due date.

Ky also created her own burger:  50/50 patty on a brioche bun with Vampire dip (roasted garlic, cheese & artichoke), tomato, jalapeno, pickles, lettuce and garlic aioli.  She named the burger George and enjoyed eating him very much.  Lily Did not partake of a burger because she is a baby but she was able to wear a Brioche bun like a giant hat at the Kentucky Derby.  Did I mention the size of the food here?   Mandy created her own burger called “I’m Boring”.  It had lettuce and tomato on a beef patty.  She found it very flavorful despite the name she gave it.

Matt had his own creation, The “In my Mouth”: a 50/50 patty with bacon pretzel bun, Danish blue cheese, arugula, grilled onions and Slater’s signature Bacon ketchup.  Matt had been to Slater’s several times and deemed his creation “absolutely delicious”.  Stephanie created her own “Texas” burger: beef patty on brioche, baby greens, fresh salsa, roasted corn, black beans, avocado mash & cilantro sour cream.  A Slater’s veteran, she pointed out that they tend to cook mediums closer to rare so level up for desire done-ness.  She also mentioned that her toppings were a bit bland and could’ve benefited from a bit more seasoning.

Tomy created his own burger, “Kathryn”: 50/50 patty on bacon pretzel bun with vampire dip, baby greens, lettuce and Fritos.  He said it was tasty but “a bit much” size-wise.  He was one of a few people who contacted the following day to tell me their stomachs regretted their choices.  Ah, the dangers of building your own burger.  Caution is advised.

The side items seemed to be the real stand out.  Between everyone at the table we had Beer Cheese Fries (chili, beer cheese sauce, melted pepper jack cheese and jalapeños), Slater’s Fries (A canoe sized bowl) with bacon infused ketchup*, Sweet potato fries with pumpkin dipping sauce*, Mashed potato Mac n’ Cheese (Exactly what it sounds like but surprisingly light!).

*Highest overall marks of the night from all diners.

When our affable server, Matt, asked us if we were ready for dessert, we roared with laughter and then quickly stopped ourselves for fear of creating a flash flood of collective vomit.  We then waddled “March of the Penguins style” back to our cars, which were all now lower to the ground.

Overall this place was really great.  Bring your hungriest friends and get ready for some seriously big, but delicious, eats.

Further reading: https://slaters5050.com/

 

 

 

BiCE Ristorante (8 of 52) (CLOSED)

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I’m particular when it comes to some foods but I don’t feel right labeling myself a “Food snob”.  Like, for example, I still eat at The Olive Garden even though it’s not considered “Real Italian food” and I eat at Taco Bell even though it’s not considered “Fit for human consumption”.  You get the point.  I was raised in an Italian/American household so I, like most Italians, have my own ideas as to what constitutes “Home style Italian food”.  There has to be pasta, wine, and at least one older gentlemen at the table who has removed his shirt prior to the meal.  As much as I hold my own family traditions near and dear to my heart, I understand that not everyone grew up in a scene from Tony Manero’s home life in “Saturday Night Fever”.

In the last few years, a series of high end restaurants have sprung up around downtown San Diego and Italian places loom large on that roster, so I needed help picking one.  I found that BiCE Ristorante (Pronounced BEE-CHAY, not like Season 4 American Idol finalist/reason Carrie Underwood has been inflicted upon all of us, Bo Bice) appeared on nearly every top 10 list so I was excited to add it to the list and revisit my old stomping grounds (I lived in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter from 1998-2002 before it became the awful tourist-studded douche-moat that surrounds castle Petco Park).  Nestled away on the corner of Island & 4th, BiCE’s location was delightfully free of the things most locals hate about downtown San Diego.  I had a small but dedicated group of close friends willing to brave this challenge with me for the cheese bar science.

Amy-Vegetarian Belle, Author, Event Planner

David-Technical writer, singer, robot super villain

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

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Meet the “Dietary Restrictions Bingo” dream team.

We were greeted by our server Alessandro who spoke with such a thick authentically Italian accent that I am certain his Grandfather sprang to fame by serving Lady and the Tramp dinner in an alley in 1955.  He was lovely.  Actually, the whole staff was really nice. Kelsey started her meal with a Trio of Tartar: fresh ahi tuna and avocado – salmon with chives – sea bass flavored with citrus.  They were all good but the real stand out for me was the tuna.  light, refreshing and perfectly done.  

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*Photo completely and utterly stolen from BiCE’s website

Amy’s goal from the moment I added this place to the list was to hit the cheese bar and hit it hard.  BICE offers and incredible selection of cheeses that must be seen to be believed.  It can be a bit intimidating but Alessandro put down his accordion long enough to be of great help with Amy’s cheeses.  The in-house cheese monger even came to our table to describe every cheese, recommend wine pairing and even told us which order to eat them like some sort of “cheese expert” or some shit…  The cheese consisted of Lagrein (A semi soft, wine-washed rind cow’s milk cheese), Sottocenere al Tartufo (Truffle cheese with ashy rind) & Sapori del Piave (Rich, complex, Northern Italian cheese).  If the entire dinner consisted just of this cheese, I would have been perfectly fine.  Seriously good cheese.  Plans are already in the works to go back and continue working our way through the cheese menu alone.

The real stand out of this meal was the main course dishes.  You guys.  I can’t even.  Readers of this blog  already know that I make it a point with every meal to try everyone’s dish and decide on a favorite.  Sometimes it’s what I got, sometimes it’s someone else’s.  This was my first honest-to-Mama-Celeste four-way dead heat.  Every single one of these dishes was a home run.  I ordered the Ravioli di Manzo alla Massaia con Salsa di Funghi Profumati al MarsalaSOLD AMERICAN! (Gavel bang)  It’s a homemade Ravioli Stuffed with Braised Beef, Veal and Spinach in a Mushroom and Marsala Wine Sauce.  At first I thought the plates and portions were a bit small for the price but one taste of this and I understood.  Rich as hell, creamy and delicious.  With so much going on in the dish it would seem like some flavors might get trampled in the mix but each note of every ingredient came forward.  It was like a tightly rehearsed band tearing through my favorite song.  Crazy good.

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Meaty, creamy, mushroomy goodness. I love you, food.

Kelsey ordered Tortelloni di Ricotta e Spinaci con colata di Gorgonzola, which is extremely hard to pronounce.  Spinach and Ricotta Tortelloni in a delicate Gorgonzola sauce & crunchy Walnut.  It was incredible.  The perfect blend of salty, savory and a touch of sweet flavors.  I’ve never seen Kelsey tear through a plate of food that fast and we’ve been to crayfish bakes together.  

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It’s almost too pretty to eat! I’m just kidding, put the God damn plate down and back away from the table…

David ordered the special of the day, potato gnocchi with king Crab in a creamy Alfredo sauce with cherry tomatoes.  Another home run; rich, creamy, perfectly prepared fresh gnocchi and fantastic crab meat.  It was so good I had almost forgotten that David nearly ruined the entire meal by spilling his Mojito all over the table.  Almost.

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If I knew this could be the result of Sebatian’s murder in “The Little Mermaid”, I would’ve rooted for the French chef the whole time. 

Amy also ordered a vegetarian dish but it’s important to note that she was hardly low on options.  In fact, Alessandro (While gently kissing up her arm) said they could easily adjust nearly any main course item to be vegetarian.  It gets better:  They also offered a wide variety of whole wheat pasta and even gluten free substitutions, which is fantastic!  Amy had the Tortino di Parmigiana di Melanzane Condita al Pesto Leggero which is properly pronounced only by Italy natives and insufferable show-offs.  It’s Baked Eggplant Parmigiana with Pesto Drizzle and it’s amazing.  Again the “Keep it simple” approach that BiCE seems to employ works perfectly in this zesty dish with eggplant perfectly fried and somehow not soggy (Sorcery at it’s purest).  

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Alessandro was also able to suggest a perfect red wine with dinner which all of us were far too far off in food-induced love to remember.

 Seriously amazing meal.  We had dessert and while I was not as blown away by dessert as I was by everything that preceded it, it was all still very good.  Amy had a Pineapple Tart with maple ice cream, which was very tangy and good.  I ordered BiCE’s take on Tiramisu, which was muted in it’s sweetness and not so aggressive but it was very smooth, and creamy.  A good ending to the meal.  My favorite dessert (as well as the table’s favorite) was what Kelsey ordered; Pistachio Lava Cake.  Made to order, it comes with a scoop of ice cream and a piece of white chocolate Pocky on top.

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I was the only person at the table brave enough to try the candied octopus looking thing on the right. It was candied hibiscus. I am courage.

I have to say I never thought green gooey cake would delight me so much, especially considering I’m not a big pistachio fan, but by this point in the meal I was prepared to follow BiCE to the ends of the Earth.  This was the best place I’ve been to so far.  Fully lived up to the hype.  Also, though a more high end place, not as expensive as I expected.  I’ve ran up bigger tabs with two people at Applebee’s (See? not a snob!!!)

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

 

  

Bistro 760 (7 of 52) (CLOSED)

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In a city as large as San Diego (5th largest in the nation, bigger than the entire state I was born in) those of us who live here basically separate the city like so: “San Diego”, “Downtown”, “North County”, “East County” & “I’m not driving all the way to Chula Vista”.  Tonight’s restaurant, Bistro 760, is located in “North County”.  The city of Vista, to be exact.  A road tripping adventure ensued and our cast of culinary Road Rules was as follows:

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

David-Technical writer, singer, robot super villain

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

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

Tomy-Fashionista, Rocky Horror performer, an original Kathryn

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Reserved: Grown up lingo for “YOU CAN’T SIT WITH US!”

Bistro 760 is nestled in the center of a million strip malls and, aside from the homeless dude Suzanne tripped over on the sidewalk, is quite elegant outside and in.  It’s clearly a sushi restaurant but one look at the menu shows the diner it’s so much more…  Among the usual sushi fare were some real head scratchers such as burgers, bacon barbecue shrimp and Poutine.  Yep, that classic Japanese favorite Poutine.  Poutine is french fries smothered in brown gravy and cheese curds.  Oh, and it’s a French Canadian dish.

Confused?  You won’t be after this episode of Soap!

Bistro 760 originally opened in 2013 as a French restaurant.  The head chef left and the business changed hands with a major overhaul of the menu with only a few dishes from the original concept available.  Maybe it was the quiet elegance of the Japanese interior or the Reggae music playing on the overhead speakers but opportunities to have a Canadian dish served in a sushi restaurant are indeed a rarity, so David seized the opportunity and ordered the poutine.

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Not actual size: The bowl was roughly the size of an SUV hub cap.

Bistro 760’s Poutine was a little different with a lighter gravy, shredded cheddar cheese in place of cheese curds and for some reason, grilled pork.  Cuz, sure, why not?  The dish was rich and while I personally find gravy on fries nauseating, I have to say it was pretty tasty . It’s built for sharing with a table or serves one very pregnant woman.  David gave the poutine deservedly high marks.

Durwood and I both ordered the special “Monkey Balls” for our appetizer because it looked good and was incredibly fun to say and have said back to us by our server while we all took turns giggling coyly like Japanese schoolgirls.  Monkey Balls, containing neither Monkey nor balls, is mushrooms stuffed with spicy tuna, coated in Tempura batter and deep fried.  They arrived with a choice of dipping sauces: Ponzu, Spicy Mayo and ranch, which I initially thought strange but who am I to question the condiment leanings of a French Canadian Rasta Sushi bar?  They were the bomb.  Super awesome.

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I wanna dip my (monkey) balls in it.

Tomy ordered the cream cheese fried wontons, which were large, tasty and very very warm.  Aimee started her dinner with the “Dynamite Mussels” which, according to her assessment, fully lived up to their name.  For the main course, it was tough to resist my usual go-to sushi fare but I managed to order a dish I wouldn’t normally have and just try everyone else’s sushi.  This proved to be a wise decision, not only for my own culinary growth but it reminded me that sushi is often more food than it looks like, so it was easy to just have a bite of someone else’s.  I ordered the Chicken Udon.

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OOH DANG!

Since changing my eating habits several months back, I’m a little more sensitive to things like how much salt is in a dish, so it was really prominent here but I didn’t mind.  The broth was super tasty, the chicken was tender and well cooked.  The noodles were really fresh and tender.  I didn’t particularly appreciate the thing in my bowl that looked like radish, was colored like a white peach and had the texture of rubber, especially after I learned it was an egg.  Gross.  Other than that, the dish was really good.

Aimee ordered the Katsudon Pork Rice Bowl with side rolls of Unagi and Shrimp sushi.  Having stayed in Japan for a spell, she’s particular about her eel (Unagi) but said it was good.  She found the pork a bit salty.  Suzanne also ordered the “Dynamite Mussles”, which she said were really good.  For dinner she got A tuna roll, Hawaiian Roll, Salmon sushi and Yellowtail Sushi.  She felt the sushi was on point.

Durwood ordered the crunchy roll and dragon roll, which he found “Melt in your mouth” good.  One thing I noticed about all the pieces of sushi were they were large.  Traditional sushi is meant to be eaten in a single bite.  Clearly the chef thought he was making dinner for Audrey 2.  Tomy’s dinner was the quite the show piece.  The rainbow roll is quite striking, including multi-colored sushi and a shot glass of flaming something.

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Rainbow colored, dramatic and flaming. The perfect dish for any gay man.

The service was okay.  The restaurant was near empty, save only us and a few other tables.  There appeared to be only one girl serving all the tables.  She disappeared for nearly 30 minutes during our dinner causing Tomy to loudly wonder if she’d died.  My assumption is she was in the kitchen preparing the Matzo ball soup for the African Heritage club’s weekly Russian dance lessons at Bistro 760.  Our overall opinion of Bistro 760 was pretty unanimous: While the sushi was really good, it wasn’t anything unlike what we could get in San Diego without the drive BUT if I find myself in Vista again, I would for sure go back.  They had tasty offerings, a lot of great things to choose from for those weirdos who don’t like sushi and a nice selection of microbrews and Japanese beer (again, if you’re into that kinda thing).  Another highlight?  The value.  The prices were mad cheap, which is always a welcome sight, particularly at a sushi place.

This outing was a particularly fun one because of the group we had.  There was lots of room to comfortably talk and laugh.  They didn’t chase us out the door after an hour or 2 and the music wasn’t super loud.  We basically wish this place was closer, as it would absolutely be added to our list of favorites.  

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

   

  

 

Flavors of East Africa (6 of 52)

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This week’s restaurant finds me and my dining companions getting all international up in hurr!  As a typical American, I know next to nothing about Africa aside from these three things:

  1. In 1985 they ran out of food so the biggest music legends of the day (and Dan Aykroyd) got together and made a song, thus ending world hunger forever.
  2. If Disney is to be believed, all of the animals can talk and will occasionally stage their own version of Hamlet.
  3. It’s one-stop-shopping for Madonna when she finds herself running low on impoverished orphans.

Surprisingly, I’ve had African food before.  Ethiopian food to be exact.  I remember liking it a lot so I was hoping that the offerings of East Africa would meet or beat my already high expectations.  At the very least, it was going to be an exciting adventure through Africa all without having to leave the comfort of my white privilege.   My dining companions for this trip 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

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

David-Technical writer, singer, robot super villain

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

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

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You would totally eat these people. That’s not a typo. The subject of cannibalism came up more than a few times…

Our waiter greeted us with one simple question “Who likes ginger?” then offering Ginger Lemonade, which several of us (including me) had and it was lovely.  You can’t beat the spice and heat of real ginger and this drink had it.  None of us were sure why the lemonade was red but ALL of us were sure it needed vodka.

The signature appetizer of Flavors of East Africa is the Sambusa; a fried pastry with savory and sweet fillings.  They offered a wide variety but also a single plate with all seven flavors.  Yes, please!  Spicy beef, chicken, shrimp, spicy lentil, potato, spinach, cream cheese with pineapple/coconut flakes and shrimp filling.  They weren’t kidding around when they called anything “spicy”.  These little pastries had some serious kick to them, but all were super tasty.  Highest marks from the table going to the cream cheese/pineapple/coconut.  While all of the Sambusas were tasty, what they were not was clearly identified on a plate.  Amy is vegetarian and could get sick from accidentally eating meat, so we took care to cut each one open and taste it before sending the veggies over to her with confidence.  Jackie wisely likened the plate to a “Vegetarian minefield”.

The main courses arrived before long.  Mandy ordered biriganya (chopped eggplant cooked in a creamy tomato basil sauce with African spices), Sukuma (Collard greens mixed with cabbage sautéed in mild spices and fresh garlic), and Sombe (Cassava leaves mixed with spinach, celery, parsley, leek, green pepper and eggplant).  While she wasn’t so impressed with the Sombe, Mandy loved the Biriganya and Sukuma.

Anna ordered the shortrib with Hominy and Lentils, which she enjoyed.  She said the flatbread was a great opportunity to mix components and create an “African Burrito”.  We assured her that if she ordered Avocado, she would be forced to sit at another table.  Amy ordered the “Vegetarian Entree”, comprised of Nyoyo (Hominy, kidney beans, potato and carrots cooked in olive oil, fresh garlic, tomato and onion), Dengu (avory lentils cooked in garlic, onions, curry and creamy coconut milk) & Wali (African spiced yellow rice).  She loved the Nyoyo and the rice especially.  It’s worth noting that this place has a lot of vegan options, which is nice to see as I have several vegans that are close to me.

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No animals were harmed in the making of this dish.

Harry & Jackie both ordered the short rib as well but with differing opinions on the final product.  Jackie had eaten Flavors of East Africa’s food before at various farmer’s markets that they are stationed in but had never dined in this restaurant.  She found the experience of the farmer’s market to be fresher.  She found the short rib to be a bit tough and the hominy a tad undercooked.  Harry enjoyed his short rib and was particularly taken with his sides of Hominy and rice.

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A table divided: The controversial Short rib met with mixed reviews.

The most adventurous diner of our party was Aimee, who ordered Oxtail.  She raved about it.  The meat was perfectly cooked, “Fall off the bone” tender.  The harmony of the dish was outstanding with the rice and spicy collard greens, which perfectly offset the fatty meat.   David and I both ordered the Chicken Curry with side of Biriganya  and Wali (African spiced yellow rice).  Whereas David wasn’t so in love with the chicken, I loved it.  Tender, juicy cuts of chicken with creamy sweet coconut milk based sauce.  The rice and eggplant were perfectly accented with the piece of flatbread accompaniment.  The big stars of the meal for others at the table were these sides, many citing the rice as their favorite.  An explosion of flavors.  I damn-near licked my plate.

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A fantastic plate of food. I might actually have to learn something about this culture now.

The meal concluded with an “African Donut” which was honestly a let down.  It was basically a tiny piece of scalding hot flatbread with a very modest dusting of sugar (and by “Modest”, I mean they pick up a bag of sugar and show it to the donut).  It was unimpressive but not nearly enough of a dim spot to bring down my review of this place.  I was sad to see it wasn’t busier.  The food is good enough to warrant a constant flow of business.  Here’s hoping more folks will discover it.

    

Kiko’s Place (5 of 52)

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My culinary horizons have certainly expanded since I moved to San Diego in 1998.  Before the late 90’s you couldn’t have paid me to eat sushi, I wouldn’t touch an avocado and the very idea of anything served at breakfast inside a tortilla was sheer lunacy in my head.  All of these things have changed since I moved to Southern California, among other things like I constantly say “No worries” and call every human regardless of gender “dude”.  I still don’t own a pair of sandals because I gotta keep something to represent the East coast, y’know?  One of my other delicacy hold outs was the fish taco.  I fell in love with them a few years ago and have had many a fish taco in San Diego, Los Angeles and everywhere in between, to varying degrees of enjoyment.  I was told by my friend Chris a while back that the best fish taco I would get is in the parking lot of a liquor store.  With a description like that, how could I NOT try that shit?!

He was, of course, talking about a food truck.  Although I admit, for a good enough taco, I would happily be served by a dumpster diving creeper out back a la David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive.  I love that food trucks are such a big thing in San Diego.  I’ve had some amazing food from them.  Kiko’s Place is a far more back-to-basics approach with their truck.  Less flash and dash, hipster-mingling, kitschy gimmick stuff and more old fashioned roach coach-style.  My friends and I were excited to try it out but brought a few more experienced fans of Kiko’s just to be sure.  Joining me were:

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

Sarah-Rocky Horror performer, marathon runner, Burning Man enthusiast

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

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

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

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

Kiko Group

Beautiful sunny afternoon outdoor dining in February. This is why we get super dick-ish about San Diego when comparing it to other places. But seriously, your snow looks nice too…

We had some guidance on this maiden voyage as Jackie and Craig were no strangers to Kiko’s but the day did not start so well for Jackie, as her request for Octopus had been denied.  “Octopus? On a Taco Truck?”, you say?  Indeed, Kiko’s is no ordinary taco truck.  They specialize in seafood: clams, scallops, shrimp, octopus and oysters and they do it right.  “Fresh” was the word most uttered in our group as we ate our food.

There was a line (always a good sign with a food truck) and the folks inside the truck were only too happy to offer us a complimentary cup of spicy tomato soup while we waited, which was lovely.  I wasted no time in ordering the tacos.  Being used to modestly portioned fare, I got 2 fish tacos and 2 garlic shrimp tacos.  This was an error on my part.  The tacos are BIG.  Two of these things are easily a meal in itself.

Kiko tacos

“Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task”-William James

As if I didn’t need more proof of how damn fresh this food was, the fish from the tacos had JUST come out of the fryer.  The reason I know this is because they nearly scalded my fingers just trying to pick up the taco.  As my usual M.O. is to pile drive face-first into my food like a hungry dog in a Puppy Chow commercial, this presented a challenge.  In the meantime, I focused on what everyone else was eating.

Sarah had just completed a half marathon earlier in the day and was treating herself to a protein filled lunch.  She started with the Oysters.  I don’t like oysters and you are not at all surprised to learn this.

Kiko oysters

Well, if that’s what you’re into… Takes all kinds, I suppose.

Jackie and Craig also had the oysters and they got high marks across the board.  They turned out to be Sarah’s favorite part of her whole meal.  Jackie loved the freshness of the dish which was accented nicely by the touch of spice and citrus.  This is why I bring other people: to eat & report on the stuff that I’m too much of a fussy pre-schooler to touch.

Jackie spoke highly of the fish ceviche, which she ordered and loved.  Sarah’s lunch also consisted of a Mussels Cocktel, which Joe hilariously described as a “Mussel Parfait”.

Kiko mussels

I like my lunch the same way I like my men: Cold, Spicy, full of muscles and available on a street corner for $3.

As for the guys, we were all about the tacos!  Craig, Joe and I each got the classic fish tacos.  Freshness makes all the difference and you are reminded of that with every bite of these.  Great corn tortillas (yeah, it requires two), shredded cabbage, tomato , fresh light sauce and a batter fried golden brown piece of quality volcanic-temperature fish .  I waited as long as I could!  Starchy, rich, crispy and delicious awesomeness for a $1.15.  Did I mention this place is mad cheap?

Joe ordered the grilled fish tacos, which he said were also really good.  Lily had a pancake and avocado because she is a baby and has already been refused service at Kiko’s twice for showing up drunk and belligerent.  Harry and I also had the garlic shrimp tacos.  The only downside to these was the 3+ bites that were interrupted by pieces of shell but I totally opened up the tacos and picked out the remaining shrimp by hand because they were that good.  Sarah mentioned that she would’ve preferred somewhat smaller portions and I gotta say, she’s right but when it comes to delicious food, “Too much” is the very definition of a first world problem.

While I am not the biggest seafood fan in the world, the fish tacos were pretty great.  A no-nonsense approach to doing it up right.  This alone was reason enough to come back (a close second would be a dish they advertise called “VIAGRA”, which I didn’t try this go-round because there were ladies present…).  The food is big, it’s cheap and it’s fresh as hell.  Thumbs up.

Further reading: http://kikosplaceseafood.com/index.html