La Especial del Norte!

[Jeters]

I just wanted to say a huge thank you to my fellow 'Hounds for tipping me off about this awesome place in Encinitas!

I've been driving to and from downtown all week -- I'm not used to getting up at 5:30 in the morning so I've been operating on very little sleep.
Yesterday, I drove up the five, hungry and exhausted, and when I hit that awful stop that always seems to happen at Del Mar, I thought, "Screw this, let's take the coast!"

I'm so glad that I spotted La Especial del Norte on my drive up the 101 and finally got to try it out. A beer and caldo was EXACTLY what I needed after that day.

The bowl of tortilla soup was by far the best I've ever had: crunchy strips of tortilla, buttery avocado, and large pieces of jucy chicken in a great broth, perfect. I got the small bowl but that was more than a meal -- I didn't really need the relleno I ordered with it. Sadly its a little far from my work or I'd go here for lunch at least once a week!

The only down part of the meal was that the sauce on my chile relleno tasted like canned enchilada sauce -- not sure if that is the case or if it's my fault for ordering something random like that off the menu that's not a specialty.

anyway, thanks again to you guys for letting me know, I'm thrilled that I finally have amazing soup not *too* far away from me. I seem to always forget about all those restaurants on the 101 (probably because I live in Vista which is for the most part a culinary wasteland!)

[Luigi1963]

Jeters,

Do Not dispear I been finding many hidden gems in the area. I might recommend some of the following:

San Giorgio Lucano Restaurant
1280 East Vista Way, Vista, CA 92084
[phone]

Excellent Southern Italian/American food.

PHO Little Saigon
1717 East Vista Way, Vista, CA 92084

No atomsphere but tasty pho.

El Asadero Restaurant
1717 East Vista Way, Vista, CA 92084
[phone]

In the same strip mall as little Siagon with killer seafood caldo.

Lasty check out:

Curbside Cafe
307 Main Street, Vista, CA 92084

A great place for breakfast and lunch and look out for John's tortilla soup it's super good.

[Jeters]

Curbside does look pretty good, I have yet to have a sit-down meal there but it's on my list.

Nothing beats Pho Lucky (off of sycamore) in my mind, but I'll look for those mexican places for sure.

[Leucadian]

The soups are their claim to fame, but I've had a delicous mole chicken there.

[Ela0427]

Since you live in Vista.. you should try La Perla in Escondido..their specialty is seafood and the food is great. I loooove the aqua chiles...raw shrimp in lime juice, salt, pureed jalapenos and cucumbers. It is making my mouth water just writing about it now. They have a huge selection of soups too. It is very small but always great.

[maestra]

I agree that you have to stick with the soup. The soups are excellent. We tried other menu items once (enchiladas, etc.), and we'll never make that mistake again.