398855 Sun May 06 09:15:48 -0700 2007 23 3 California 0 2545937 Am planning a trip out in a few weeks and I've been lurking on the California board looking for some great recommendations. Based upon what I've read here so far, am planning to hit The Cottage & Original Pancake house for breakfasts, Dobsons, Jack's, Nine-Ten, JRDN, Laurel, Chive, Liar's Club, Mama Testa, maybe Jayne's Gastropub and Roppongi for lunches \ dinners. (Plus I gotta have an In & Out burger stop too - that's non-negotiable! ) Am curious if Roppongi is still having their happy hour ? When I went on their website this am - there was no mention of it & the site seems to have changed. I'd love to hear some feedback - have any of these places gone downhill recently or are just not worth the visit? Am also meeting some friends for dinner who want california cuisine or fusion (they were not specific on what type of fusion, just no italian) but not too expensive ( entrees under $20). They live in Rancho Bernado area but will meet us anywhere in the San Diego area - any suggestions would be appreciated ! TIA! Sun May 06 09:15:48 -0700 2007 80193 Trufflebaby 1 2546107 In RB, I'd highly recommend El Bizochco at the RB Inn - Chef Gavin Kayson, represented the US in this year's Bocuse d'Or competition and was just named a F&W Best New Chef. Also in the northern part of the city and not a bad drive (15mins) for your friends from RB is Cavaillon in Santa Luz. Monday nights they have a great prix fixe for $32 (I think that's the price). The best coq au vin in town! On your list I'd delete Chive - food is so-so and the noise level is unbearable. Same owner as Laurel, a much better choice all around IMO. If you're set on downtown, there are much better options. Cafe Chloe and Modus are some of our faves. In La Jolla, Tapenade is terrific and as good or better than other LJ spots you've listed - though I can't include Jack's as it's the only one I've not tried. Also, I don't know where you're traveling from but if you're interested in finding great food with an ocean view - LJ is the spot. You should definitely check out George's Moderne. Chef Trey Foshee (former F&W Best New Chef) just spent over $2 remodeling the place and upgrading what was already a fine menu and one of LJ's classic haunts. The view is incredible and hard to beat - unless you head down the coast a bit to The Marine Room where another reknown chef Bernard Guillas dishes up wonderful chow which is really just a side-show to the view, especially when the tide is really high. The waves often come all the way up to the dining room windows and the higher the tide, the better the show. It's a great rush to feel and see waves hitting the room while you're noshing on seafood;) Have a great trip! Sun May 06 10:32:44 -0700 2007 2545937 10943 mimosa 1 2546383 I don't know if Roppongi is still doing their half price appetizer special for happy hour, but I have heard they're doing a Martinis and Manicures on Monday promotion. La Bastide, just a little south of RB in Scripps Ranch is also an option. Very good food, nice atmosphere for being in a shopping center and the prices are an excellent bargain for the quality and amount of food you get. Sun May 06 13:02:29 -0700 2007 2545937 10506 DiningDiva 2 2547237 Thanks, Dining Diva! I looked them up on line and La Bastide sounds perfect ! Am glad I decided to ask! & am very happy to hear that Georges is still good ( Thanks Mimosa!) I used to love that place but had taken it off my list as I heard it had gone downhill Sun May 06 20:18:38 -0700 2007 2546383 80193 Trufflebaby 1 2547311 add Mission Coffee Cup to your breakfast/brunch place. It's on Wall St in La Jolla, across from the post office. Latino-Asian inspired food. Their breakfast tamales, pancakes, smoothies and coffee creations are all really good. If you are there for lunch, their Double Happiness (grilled, marinated chicken and beef on rice) is excellent. Jack's La Jolla has 3 levels with 3 different menus. The best food is the Formal DIning Room--the most creative of the menus. The Ocean Terrace is the outdoor eating area that opens into the "can be very noisy piano bar." I haven't eaten at The Grill level, so can't vouch for the food. Was just at Mama Testa's for dinner tonight--excellent as always! El Bizcocho's entrees will run you well over $20, although the food is very good. Probably your best bet for the area is Cavaillon's Monday prix fixe, although it is not "California cuisine" or fusion by any means. It's really good French bistro style dining. The chef used to be at Tapenade. Their fritto misto is excellent and we had a totally delicious dessert that had a candied tangerine (think syrupy tangerine juice bursting out of the fruit), chocolate mousseline, madeline and tangerine sorbet. I'd go back just for the dessert! They're also open for Sunday brunch. I'd add Cafe Chloe, Modus and Oceanaire if you're downtown. If you're in Del Mar, go to Market. Sun May 06 21:03:23 -0700 2007 2545937 10853 daantaat 2 2547430 I was at the La Jolla post office last Tuesday, and Mission Coffee Cup was all boarded up. I found a web nugget that said there was a kitchen fire there in January, and I guess they still haven't reopened. Sun May 06 22:43:09 -0700 2007 2547311 10969 RB Hound 3 2548852 bummer--I was hoping they had opened up by now. thanks. Mon May 07 12:33:41 -0700 2007 2547430 10853 daantaat 4 2551243 They have a sister restaurant in Pacific Beach called Cantina Panaderia. Basically the same menu and nicer setting. Ate there in January and still think about the great meal we had! Can't wait to go back the next time we visit. Tue May 08 08:15:48 -0700 2007 2548852 11195 LAWoman 1 2553016 Roppongi still has 1/2 price happy hour...I was just there a few weeks ago. Delicious! Tue May 08 16:20:56 -0700 2007 2545937 16518 sds 2 2553395 What did you get ?? Tue May 08 18:19:36 -0700 2007 2553016 80193 Trufflebaby 3 2572446 Had the lamb chops (de-lish), the indian cheese plate? I'm indian, and I cant remember what it was, but it was cumin spiced pita with somethign in the middle. We got a couple of rolls, which were mediocre. Lamb was the favorite, hands down! Tue May 15 16:01:58 -0700 2007 2553395 16518 sds 4 2576417 It was keffir cheese sprinkled with sumac that was on top of the pita. One of the best apps on the menu! Skip their sushi rolls--sushi is not one of their strong points. Wed May 16 19:51:24 -0700 2007 2572446 10853 daantaat 1 2554612 I would suggest Asia Vous in Escondido but the entrees are over $20 but delicious. it is an French-Asian fusion place, very charming and intimate. Wed May 09 08:46:40 -0700 2007 2545937 94347 Ela0427 1 2555370 For Breakfast in LJ, I would do either Harry's Coffee Shop on Girard.. Brockton Villa across from LJ Cove or the Cottage.. Lunch in LJ would be George's..eating on the terrace..great food and views..Alfonso's for great Nachos and Marg's..love La Valencia out on the patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Dinner in LJ would start with drinks at the Marine Room..I am not fond of the food but the view is great..Tapenade is really good, Roppongi's for Happy Hour or Crab Catcher for the Seafood Happy Hour.. I am a big fan of the Whaling Bar at La V but its very old school. Rancho Bernardo...El Bizochco is excellent!! The French Market Grille is good and inexpensive. Downtown SD.. Hash House A Go-Go for Breakfast (Hillcrest), Chive for Happy Hour and Island Prime for dinner on Harbor Island..love the oyster bar at the Fish Market on the Bay. Love the Mussel Bisque at Dobson's! The best Italian in SD is Baci's in the Mission Bay area. Wed May 09 11:57:22 -0700 2007 2545937 97452 Beach Chick 1 2572550 At In-n-Out order the "animal fries well done"..extra crispy fries topped with their dressing, grilled onions and cheese.... they are sooooo good and greasy!! Tue May 15 16:39:40 -0700 2007 2545937 94347 Ela0427 2 2572606 Yum.. I didn't know that In-n-Out did fries "animal style"..thank you for letting us all know.. sounds like the perfect hangover food! Tue May 15 16:58:46 -0700 2007 2572550 97452 Beach Chick 3 2572646 Google "in-n-out secret menu". Animal fries cost double the price of regular fries, but are a meal in themselves... Tue May 15 17:13:22 -0700 2007 2572606 12123 Cathy 4 2572709 Or...the best meal EVER for a pregnant lady. I guy that I worked with made the drive one day because he thought I would enjoy them....so sweet and he was right. I guess the "well done" fries are good since they do not get soggy. Tue May 15 17:37:04 -0700 2007 2572646 94347 Ela0427 5 2573849 breakfast also in La Jolla at Codys.. great view..their new menu for breakfast is nummy! Dinner is also great.. The patio is very nice in hot weather..Harrys I found just regular food,but fun people watching.. Also for lunch or dinner is the newly redone Epazote in Del Mar. Its now a steakhouse..great view,,food fantastic..very cool interiors and patio. Wed May 16 07:42:30 -0700 2007 2572709 73402 karenc 6 2573964 I hated the old menu at Epazote... Mexican/Asian fusion was not a good mix.. that patio view was great and so were the margaritas. Wed May 16 08:13:56 -0700 2007 2573849 94347 Ela0427 7 2574675 They still have the margs & the happy hour marg deal too! Wed May 16 11:25:58 -0700 2007 2573964 50314 jturtle 1 2575150 Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I just flew home this am and can't wait to plan my next trip back! We stayed at the Grand Colonial (loved it - was within walking distance to beachs, shops & restaurants) and ended up having a few of our meals at Nine-Ten. But we would have gone out of our way to eat there even if it wasn't attached to our hotel. They have a small but nice bar area - the homemade chips & marinated olives are addicting! Plus we had phenomenal burgers w. bleu cheese and carmelized onions, & an excellent chocolate lava cake. Breakfast was good there too - belgian waffles, french toast w. carmelized apples and tangerine mimosas. I felt very spoiled! The staff was very personable - Justin took care of us at the bar on several occassions plus he makes a mean lemon drop martini w. chambord ( it was so pretty the way the chambord floats to the bottom of the glass) and we loved one of the waitresses - Liz. who made some great recommendations for the Temecula portion of our trip. We did make it to Hash House a go go in Hillcrest for breakfast and loved that as well! It was only a 15 minute wait for a table ( on a saturday morning) Funky little place & great music - just what you need to wake yourself up! But oh my god, their portions were huge ! we all split the banana chocolate chip pancake, corned beef hash and an omelete and had still had tons of leftovers. Happy Hour at Roppongi for margaritas, california roll and the rock shrimp & fennel tempura w. a garlic aioli - delicious as expected! Late dinner at Fresh in La Jolla. Had a wonderful lavender cosmopolitan - very light and refreshing - But only one bartender on that night and was very hard to get service and it took over an hour to get a table - even at 9:30 at night. We all ended up eating very lightly and got the salad w. humbolt fog & beets, scallops, curried carrot soup and a ceasar salad w. grilled chicken. Again another excellent meal! Temecula for wine tasting & lunch. We started off at Thornton which was usually a favorite - I was looking forward to trying their sauvignon blanc but was not impressed. We worked our way thru Maurice Carrie (for riesling) and then ended up at Ponte. Loved it (thank you Liz for the recommendation!) Beautiful grounds, great tasting room and probably my new favorite winery in that area. We ended up grabbing a late lunch at their Smokehouse cafe - Had the pulled pork sandwich, salad w. beets (this was very good, but Fresh was better!) and the baked brie w. a grape salsa. Breakfast at the Cottage in La Jolla . Hands down the best breakfast ever ( in my opinion)! Meatloaf hash, and my personal favorite - their french toast stuffed w. marscapone cheese and strawberries - much lighter than I expected it to be. Also made it down to Ocean Beach for burgers @ Hodad's. I can see how these get on the top of the best burger in san diego lists! Even the non-burger fans in our group were impressed! Onion rings looked delicious but didn't get to try them! Dinner at Georges by the Cove and another great server - Michael! Stuffed date salad, the dungeness crab w. tangerines, fennel and avocado ( heaven!), lamb chops \ osso bucco and the pork tenderloin w. cipolline, crispy polenta & trumpets w. peas Lunch at the Prado - I only wish we had more time to check out the museums there. The room was spectacular - loved the colors and the glassware! Tortilla soup (something I definitely can't get at home), the farmers salad, papadelle w. mushrooms & peas and the Chicken cobb salad. Loved their mango martinis and of course the sangria! Thanks to all the chowhound recommendations, every meal was delicious and with the exception of the bar at Fresh, service was also fantastic - very attentive without being obnoxious! We never made it to In & Out burger which was a major let down cause I was really craving the animal fries.... but all the more reason to get back out there sooner rather than later ! Wed May 16 13:17:07 -0700 2007 2545937 80193 Trufflebaby 2 2575651 Great trip report Trufflebaby! Glad you had a blast in LJ...I live a block from the Colonial..great hotel and the staff is great at the bar. Wed May 16 15:08:08 -0700 2007 2575150 97452 Beach Chick 2 2576291 So glad you had a good time. Thanks for the report!! Wed May 16 18:58:34 -0700 2007 2575150 11803 Alice Q