La Jolla help

[pagoda girl]

My parents are being relocated for business out to La Jolla for the summer, and I was hoping for some advice on their behalf from California hounds (and I'm going to be visiting them, so there is some self interest as well!). Best local haunts to splurge-worthy dinners all needed. Much obliged, and will glad dispense Baltimore recs any time in repayment! Thanks.

[Josh]

There are some great places to eat in downtown La Jolla, not as many in the Golden Triangle.

Cheap:

El Pescador Fish Market - They're on Pearl St., near Wahoo's Fish Tacos. They grill up fresh fish sandwiches that are to die for. Not much to look at, but very delicious food.

Girard Gourmet - On Girard Ave, just a couple of blocks up from Prospect. Owned by a Belgian family, they make delicious sandwiches on their own fresh bread. Several of the sandwich ingredients are made in house. They also have great soups, cookies, and pastries, as well as more substantial entrees like beef bourgignon, duck a l'orange and lamb stew. Look for the apple danish up front, they are amazingly good.

Marketplace Grille - This place is in a shopping center on Torrey Pines Rd. a block before it ends at Girard. Very good kebabs cooked over mesquite.

Porkyland - In the same shopping center as Marketplace Grille, they have very tasty carnitas (a Mexican pork specialty).

Not Cheap:

Manhattan - This is in a hotel (forgot the name) on Fay Ave. They have great steaks and other classic NY-style fancy Italian fare like Veal Oscar and elaborate pasta dishes.

George's - A staple of La Jolla fine dining, but I haven't been since their big re-vamping. Used to be great, hopefully still is.

Marine Room - Amazing location, literally built right on the beach so the waves come up against the windows at high tide. Great food to match the view. Expensive but worth it.

El Crab Catcher - Lots of seafood dishes, but some meat as well. Some imaginative preparations, and a killer view. Nice, quiet atmosphere.

[sparkplug]

In LJ: Roppongi, George's at the Cove, Piatti for great Italian (dine on the outside patio), The Cottage for breakfast, Sushi on the Rocks (great happy hour prices- check them out)
Not in LJ, but close by in Pacific Beach (PB): Cantina Panaderia; fantastic breakfast!!!

[Fake Name]

Been to most of those places, but I'd go to Fresh[er]. My new LJ favorite, which is not getting the attention it deserves.

fn

[cocktailqueen77]

What about Barbarella for lunch or dinner? It has always been fresh and consistently good every time I visit there. I like that the menu changes often. Is Piatti the Italian place across the street from it?

[cocktailqueen77]

Here's a link to another thread for affordable La Jolla restaurants, mainly all local places, no chains:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/394446

[nurit]

I was just out there for a 2 week business trip so I ate at a few places:

The Cottage a nice place in downtown La Jolla. The food was pretty good.. check out their website for info about that.

Teri Cafe: not in La Jolla but just a short drive to Clairemont Mesa Blvd near the 805 freeway, had wonderful Japanese food. Very friendly waitstaff and great prices.

Elijah's Deli in the shopping center at Via La Jolla / La Jolla Village had a huge menu, I wish I had been hungry enough to try more. They had early bird dinner specials with a meat entree (half a chicken, brisket, more), soup, and fresh sides for something like 8 dollars. They also have fresh bagels, cookies etc. Breakfast all day too - omelettes, lox, challah french toast, blintzes.

Sammy's Woodfired Pizza - chain for CA/NV. The goat cheese pizza was excellent. They had a nice outdoor patio with heaters for when it got a little chilly at night. This was in the Costa Verde shopping center at Genesee & Nobel.

[daantaat]

Elijah's Deli is not good deli food. In general, SD does not have good deli.

I second Roppongi's, Tapenade, Nine-Ten, Jack's Fine Dining Room, George's, Piattis, Sammy's (good food for their price point), The Cottage, Sushi on the Rocks, Cantina Panaderia.

if you do a search for "La Jolla" or "Del Mar" on the board, you will pull up many good recommendations. Del Mar is about 5-10 minutes north of La Jolla and has good fine dining. UTC, aka University Towne Center, is up the street from La Jolla proper (aka "the Village") and also has many options.

[Captain Jack]

Elijah's is horrible. It was just ok when it was Sampson's, but when those owners sold and it changed names to Elijah's, it really started to swirl around the bowl.

[Josh]

Teri Cafe's Japanese food is just OK, IMO. Much better (worlds better, really) Japanese food can be found just a couple of miles away at Sakura.

[Beach Chick]

Love Tapenade and of course George's at the Cove on Prospect....Nine-Ten in the Grande Colonial..
I really like Crab Catcher and Trattoria Acqua.
Marine Room too..
I am a big fan of the Whaling Bar at La V for dinner and have brunch on their terrace overlooking the Cove.

[Captain Jack]

Fine dining:

Tapenade, Chef Jean Michel Diot
The Dining Room at Jack's, Chef Tony DiSalvo