662626 Tue Oct 27 08:01:43 -0700 2009 12 3 California 0 5134223 San Diego for a business trip. Wonderful food, weather and women. Thanks to the chowhounds for the recommendations but in this case the locals led me to the real jewels. Mama testa: Bobby Flay recently had a Throw Down here for the fish tacos. I found the catfish & pulled pork tacos both really good. The beans were not great. Salsa was a mixed bag. Tamarind drink was tasty. Azucar: Got this suggestion from Chow. Guava pastry was one of the best my wife and I have ever had. IMO this is the perfect pastry. Paper thin flaky dough, Amazing filling, Something really special with the crust. Perfect way to start the morning. Fish market: This looks like a tourist trap. Its in a tourist trap area. One of the best seafood meals we've had. Price was good. Sunset view was outstanding. Pecan crusted trout was delicious. My wife is not a seafood eater and she was impressed. Believe me that is saying something. Anthony Fish grotto: This looks like a tourist trap. Its in a tourist trap area. And believe me its a tourist trap. Dinner was expensive and it kind of sucked. I got the Lobster Tail & Shrimp Scampi and found the Scampi dull and rubbery. Coconut Crusted Tilapia was a thumbs down. Anthony Fishette: Lunch version of the place above. This was nice. Quick seafood for lunch. Fish and Chips got the thumbs up and the tarter sauce was really tasty. Barra Barra: Just walked into this place in Old Town. Puerco de Achiote (braised pork shoulder braised with garlic and achiote paste) was amazing. The pork was succulant and flavorful. Cooked nice and slow because the fats dissolved into this delicious butter for the pork. Coming from D.C. I'm not use to the complimentary chips coming out with salsa and black beans but it thought it was a nice touch and tasty ta boot. Great City with really good eats! Tue Oct 27 08:01:43 -0700 2009 151285 bumpthekoala 1 5135103 thanks for the report! Tue Oct 27 12:29:04 -0700 2009 5134223 23771 JRSD 1 5136210 How did you end up at Anthony's Fish Grotto??? Tue Oct 27 19:36:22 -0700 2009 5134223 10853 daantaat 2 5137116 Azucar is a local gem, wish I could make it down to OB more often. Wed Oct 28 08:10:55 -0700 2009 5136210 12980 stevuchan 2 5140627 A local who doesn't go out much decided on it. He had home court advantage. Thu Oct 29 11:16:38 -0700 2009 5136210 151285 bumpthekoala 3 5140725 New meaning to the phrase "local knowledge". Thu Oct 29 11:42:06 -0700 2009 5140627 155341 stevewag23 4 5140826 Maybe you should ease off. This person found several restaurants that he/she liked and came here to give us a mostly positive trip report and now you feel the need to mock the advice he/she was given. I know you seem to want to bash SD whenever but no need to bash out of town posters. Besides, Mama Testa and Azucar are nice little places and the Fish Market does have some good items on the menu. Thu Oct 29 12:15:17 -0700 2009 5140725 50314 jturtle 5 5140979 stevewag was hardly bashing bumpthekoala. Dantaat specifically asked why he had chosen Anthony's Fish Grotto (a place that he negatively reviewed), and bumpthekoala said it was because he was with a local that had chosen the place. stevewag was simply joking about the local (not the poster) that had chosen the place. I know that stevewag can be polarizing, but I'm just not seeing how you interpreted this particular post of his as an attack on the original poster. Was it *that* hard to follow this thread? Thu Oct 29 13:19:16 -0700 2009 5140826 10969 RB Hound 6 5141008 Um clearly I said he wasn't mocking bumpthekoala I said "mock the advice he/she was given." When the whole point of a somewhat positive review becomes, once again, an opportunity for certain posters to bash San Diego, its "locals" or posters etc...it just gets old. Thu Oct 29 13:30:09 -0700 2009 5140979 50314 jturtle 7 5141079 Lighten up. It was humorous. No one "bashes" any thing on this forum that doesn't need bashing. Sorry it is not the love fest you were looking for. People have different opinions, some positive some negative on things like restaurants. That is what makes a forum like chowhound great: different opinions. If you want to only see your opinion, go start a blog. In the interest of fairness, I will say Mama Testa is a good cool spot. Thu Oct 29 13:51:07 -0700 2009 5141008 155341 stevewag23 6 5141137 RB Hound, Thanks for following the thread. Thu Oct 29 14:11:42 -0700 2009 5140979 155341 stevewag23 5 5140981 Settle down. It was a joke. I found some humor in the fact that a "local" steered him to the place that he didn't like. And it was a great report. Thu Oct 29 13:19:33 -0700 2009 5140826 155341 stevewag23 6 5152797 Um... thanks :) Tue Nov 03 12:53:08 -0800 2009 5140981 151285 bumpthekoala