Point Loma Seafoods or Hudson Bay Seafood in SD - which would you pick?

[CurryLover]

Our flight arrives in SD from the midwest just before noon on a weekday. After picking up our rental car & leaving the airport, we want to stop for lunch nearby & enjoy some good & fresh seafood with nice water views, especially after a long flight. I have been reading the reviews on Point Loma Seafoods and Hudson Bay Seafood and wondering what the chowhounders would pick - the reviews seem to be mixed. Heading to Carlsbad after lunch - still doing research on other culinary destinations during our week in SD & will ask for further recommendations later. Thanks.

[LisaSD]

When you arrive at the San Diego airport and go to Trader Joe's at Liberty Station (down the street from the airport), you can stop and have lunch at Tender Greens located right behind Trader Joe's. It is a new and increasingly popular spot for lunch and dinner. Grilled ahi, grilled flank steak or grilled chicken are the usual proteins along with fresh, farm-to-table salad fixins. Absolutely delicious and the desserts are homemade by the owner's Mom.

[oerdin]

I really like the smoked fish at PLSF as well. They do it right using only hickory smoke, low and slow, for 8-12 hours. I'm partial to the smoked barracuda when they have it though my girlfriend likes the smoked yellow tail tuna.

[CurryLover]

I've never had smoked barracuda - is that a local fish? (I've seen them while diving in the Bahamas.) And, is yellow tail tuna local to southern California waters?? Would I expect to find them as a daily special in early April at PLS?

[oerdin]

Barracuda are a common top water predator found in local waters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barracuda

Yellowtail tuna is also found locally and are a popular fish for both commercial and sport fishermen.

[CurryLover]

What else is caught in local waters as far as fish??? I think the spiny lobster season will be over when we get to San Diego in early April. Is dungeness crab local to SD?- We enjoyed that in Half Moon Bay, CA on our last CA trip.

[DougOLis]

dungeness crab is a bay area thing

[stevuchan]

Yellowtail is not Tuna, Yellowfin = Tuna. Both can be caught locally.

[dahulagirl]

Point Loma Seafoods is a MUST eat for us every time we go to San Diego. In fact we are going in a couple of weeks!

The sushi is always FRESH and Scallop sandwich is divine! We also love the sourdough bread that they sell there. I have personally duplicated their tartar sauce. It took me quite a few tries! :-) Before that I would intensely crave it.

Here are some personal photos of the Ocean Salad, Scallop Sandwich, Clam Chowder, & Sushi

[CurryLover]

Beautiful pictures - thank you for sharing. I don't think we'd be interested in the Clam Chowder - we lived in Boston, MA & that's more of a Boston local/regional specialty - but everything else at Point Loma looks & sounds very good.

[toutefrite]

care to share your duplicated recipe? :0

[surfer1966]

Hudson Bay Seafood has really good fish and chips. My girlfriend says the crab cakes are really good. My kid liked the cheeseburger.

[sdnativa]

Also note: Point Loma Seafoods has a very respectable selection of wines by the bottle at retail prices (no restaurant markup), many of them premium.

[Dagney]

Point Loma Seafoods gets my vote. I am a fan of their calamari sandwich with extra sauce.

[deeznuts]

If you only have one chance, why not go for the known quality, esp. one that can withstand the battering ram which is the group at Chowhound :D

Someone here will probably give Hudson a try (maybe me)

[RB Hound]

It sounds like the OP is going to be in town long enough that they could simply do both.

[CurryLover]

We may do both PLS and Hudson Bay - who knows....it depends on our destinations....we plan to do Anza Borrego (hopefully the spring desert flowers will be blooming at some of the elevations that late in the season), Balboa Park & some of the museums there, Old Town, LaJolla, Torrey Pines State Park, at least one Mission, at least one college visitation, especially a college that has a nursing school (so that we can compare nursing schools west coast vs east coast vs midwest.,) and at least brief visits to one or two wineries. Our 15 year old is not interested in the zoo or Legoland or anything like that. Don't want to stray off topic but I will be looking for restaurants (we like all types of food) nearby all those destinations so that we will know what is in the area. Thanks to all of you.

[Josh]

I'm somewhat surprised how many recs for PLS start with, "I've never been to Hudson Bay, but..."

[stevewag23]

Ha.

It is really not that surprising. In 20 years in san diego, I have never met anyone who has gone there.

[eatemup]

We used to go to Hudson Bay a lot for the grilled fish sandwiches which were very good with a cold beer sitting on a stool over looking the harbor. They have new owners as of about a year ago and I have not been since.

[jturtle]

I have been. You can sit actually on the water on their porch and it is a great view. They have super cheap beers and the food is pretty good. Especially as there fewer crowds and a better view then PLS and Blue Water. There is a (recently) new owner who is emphasizing super fresh and local seafood. I believe he used to work on fishing boats. I had a great afternoon there.

[eatemup]

Good to know. I'll put it back in the rotation.

[csils]

Might be a sign : )...

No one has anything bad to say about the place...so it "could" be a gem...but the take away from the post is that PLS is a well known "CH favorite".

[JRSD]

I havent been to Hudson Bay, but I found the Point Loma Seafoods to be very crowded and while the seafood was good, I did not like the atmosphere.

SD Citybeat had a positive review of Hudson Bay and it sounds like if you wanted a more relaxing meal it would be a good choice. I havent been there but I have generally had good experiences at places this reviewer has enjoyed.

http://www.sdcitybeat.com/cms/story/d...

[bhop89]

I agree with Point Loma Seafood being the choice. I'm also with Beach Chick on ordering the scallop sandwich. You won't be disappointed. The people there are very helpful, too. Another reason I visit every chance I get. They offer (even when they're busy) to pack your seafood in ice and honest with recommendations.

[stevewag23]

"The people there are very helpful, too."

PLS is one of the best run establishments in san diego in my opinion.

[Cathy]

Hudson Bay is just north on the same dock as Point Loma. Maybe 100 yards from one front door to the other. You have to park in the pay lot or park on the street and walk to eat at HB (the other lot is for PLSF only). The biggest difference is HB has more grilled items and are not as crowded as PLSF. Prices are about the same or a few pennies higher and there is no seafood counter. It isn't bad, but I like the white clam chowder, cole slaw and frying at PLSF better. Plus I usually buy some smoked fish from the counter at PLSF.

Whatever is fresh will be on the chalkboard as you walk in the door to PLSF.

[Beach Chick]

Point Loma Seafoods..never heard of Hudson Bay.
5 minutes max from SD Airport and parking is tight so park off site.
Scallop sandwich is sublime..get some smoked fish to go.
Hit Con Pane for fab rustic bread a couple blocks away..they make killer sandwiches too.
Trader Joe's Liberty Station is all right there to get your wine and other provisions.

[CurryLover]

Thank you for all the replies - I found recent reviews of Hudson Bay Seafood on the yelp.com website and it sounds like it is in the same block as Point Loma Seafoods. Hudson Bay Seafood sounds like a no-frills place and that is why I was asking what others prefer on this board. I'm glad to know about Con Pane & Trader Joe's - that will come in handy.

What's in season as far as local seafood in Southern California?? Thanks.

[Beach Chick]

Glad we all could help..
So start a new post when you are ready for North San Diego rec's..
One thing about CH's in SD..we are a great group of food loving people who like to have a good time..eating and drinking and showing the tourists that come to SD a damn good food time!

[CurryLover]

I have been very appreciative of all of the replies I've gotten so far. You SD natives are so welcoming! I am glad I am starting to do my research now - our trip to SD isn't until early April - and I want to have all my culinary lists ready to go and I can already tell that I'm going to have a lot of help from the fellow SD CH's. We went to San Francisco last April & the CH's on that board were so helpful in planning our culinary destinations.

Does Trader Joe's in Liberty Station sell beer/liquor in addition to wine? (I'm not sure/clear on what the CA regulations are) We're regulars of the Trader Joe's here in Cleveland, OH, which we get beer & wine from. Liquor in Ohio is only sold in state controlled stores.

Thanks to everyone for all your help - I'll need plenty more help in the weeks to come before April rolls around.

[DiningDiva]

You can get beer, wine and liquor at Trader Joe's in CA. They ran a great special on Sauza tequila last spring. The fact that you'll have a rental car will be very helpful to you when your here. Your trip should be great.

[csils]

As well, trader joe's can be pretty helpful in letting you know what good local beers are, if you're not afraid to ask. San Diego has a lot of small local breweries, some good, some great and some OK.

And I of course am an adamant fan of PL Seafood.

[Josh]

Trader Joe's doesn't sell any San Diego beers, at least none that I've seen.

[The Office Goat]

For good local (and non-local) beers in that general area, this might be a better bet:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/16574
http://olivetreemarket.com/location.html

There is also a BevMo in Mission Valley.

[Josh]

If I was going to PLS, and wanted local beer, I'd probably check one of the liquor stores near the restaurant. Stone's distribution has grown pretty large in San Diego, and it's not hard to find their beers. Olive Tree is quite a long haul from PLS.

[CurryLover]

Josh, Office Goat, csils, Dining Diva, Stevewag, BeachChick, Cathy, bhop, etc.....forgive me for not including everyone - many more of of you provided helpful contributions...

I don't know whether I need to start another post since I have a lot of questions. (I don't want to get in to trouble for straying off topic) I plan to do research & figure out the beers that are local to SD so when we go into a restaurant, we can recognize a local brew on tap & know what to order.

It will be my husband, myself & our 15 year old daughter traveling to SD. If you could pick one or two wineries to quickly visit on the way to or from Anza Borrego Desert State Park, what would you pick as a family lunch or dinner destination (if they have picnic grounds or a small restaurant) considering the fact that we can't really stay long since we have a teenager with us? Are the wineries in So CA worth visiting considering we have visited wineries in Napa/Sonoma/Russian River Valley, CA and the Finger Lakes region of NY, as well as those in NE Ohio.

[Josh]

I don't think there are any wineries between SD and Anza Borrego. The only wineries nearby are in Temecula (1.25 hrs north of SD), and Baja California (2 hrs south).

Beers local to San Diego that you are likely to find on draft:

AleSmith - Any
Ballast Point - Any
Karl Strauss - Avoid Amber Lager and Red Trolley
Stone - Levitation, IPA, Pale Ale, and Smoked Porter are reliable choices
Green Flash - Hop Head Red, West Coast IPA (if you like massive hops)

One place you should not hesitate to check out is Alpine Brewing Co. in Alpine - that IS between SD and Borrego, and they make excellent beers. However their distribution isn't as large as some of the others, so they're not as easy to find outside their own brewery.

[The Office Goat]

Also Pizza Port/Port Brewing/Lost Abbey (these entities are related) and Mission.
The Carlsbad Pizza Port (there are some in other locations, too) has a separate bottle shop with an excellent selection of beers from all over. It's only open limited hours, so be sure to check if you want to shop as well as drink what's on tap at the PP.

BTW there are a number of small wineries and tasting places between SD and Anza Borrego if you're going through Julian. One fairly big one, too: Orfila. Orfila is on the way to/from the Wild Animal Park, between Escondido and San Pasqual.
http://www.orfila.com/main.html

[CurryLover]

Great info! Thanks.

[CurryLover]

My husband is a big microbrewery fan & this information will definitely come in handy. Everywhere we go, he wants to know what's the "local beer" on tap. That's a great start! Gosh, everyone on this board has been so helpful already!

[deeznuts]

There is Bernardo Winery as well, but I have no idea how their wine rates.

[littlestevie]

The only winery worth it in SD county is Orfelia, which is out in Escondido. It is on the way to Anza Berrego if you go thru Julian and Ramona. The wineries up in Temecula are out of your way. Orfelia can hold its own with Sonoma wineries, but it is a different climate, it much warmer and different varitals do better down here. I have never tasted wines in the Finger lakes region, but I have out in Niagra Falls area in Canada. I would assume they would be pretty similar. Those wines were pretty sweet and tended towards the German Style of wines.

[CurryLover]

Great to know...thanks....we're staying in Carlsbad....I suspected that wines would be more on the sweeter side closer to the German style. We have also visited wineries & went to several wine festivals in Germany - mostly northwest of Frankfurt in the Rudesheim area & south along the Rhine. I don't like wine too sweet and prefer wines that are not heavily oaked. Thanks for your help.

[littlestevie]

Sorry but my poor writing skills are leading you down the wrong path. I was guessing that the Finger Lakes regional wines were more of the German style wines. Down in Southern California, the better wine makers try the Rhone style wines due to the warmer climate. Their Syrahs and Zinfandels are were Orfilia Shines

[CurryLover]

That's great to know...I'm definitely going to check that out.

[oerdin]

Most of the wineries are north of the city while Anza Borrego Desert State Park is due east of the city. You won't be going to the areas with wineries. Also, I believe you said you'll be visiting in April which is very late in the season for optimal visiting of ABDSP. The scenery is still beautiful though the desert landscape is austere; spring is truly the best time to visit though when the spring rains make the desert bloom and when seasonal creeks are full of water.

[stevewag23]

I think there is pretty cool liquor store right across the street from PLS.

[CurryLover]

Any idea what the name of the liquor store is?

[stevewag23]

I don't, but the building is very recognizable. You can't miss it.

[Beach Chick]

Trader Mort's Liquor & Deli with the flaming tiki torches out front at the light on Scott/Shelter Island drive..classic Hawaiian design from the early 60's..

[CurryLover]

Great! Thanks to BeachChick & stevewag23 and the rest of the fellow CH's! I'll be in touch as the planning intensifies...

[stevewag23]

Yep. That's it.

[oerdin]

IMO Stone is only so so. A much better choice would be Ale Smith from the Mira Mesa/Miramar area. The beer advocate rankings would seem to bare this judgment out.

[Josh]

I don't think you're taking the OPs question in context.

Yes, in an ideal universe AleSmith would certainly be one of the best choices in locally-brewed beer. AleSmith's market penetration in San Diego vs. Stone is vastly different, however. If the OP is out and about somewhere and wants a local beer, Stone IPA or Levitation is certainly a better choice than anything from Strauss. AleSmith is in my list, if you'll look at it again.

I don't love all Stone beers, but they make some beers that I think are very good. To simply say "AleSmith is better" is ignoring the fact that there are styles each brewery makes that the other doesn't.

[oerdin]

California has very laxed laws wrt alcohol. There are no blue laws and stores which can sell any alcohol may sell all kinds of alcohol legal in the US. As a practical matter restaurants or bars with licenses to sell alcohol are put into two categories those who can sell beer & wine (or other non "hard liquor" items) and those which can sell all types of alcohol including hard liquor. The state is much more free in giving out even hard liquor licenses then just about any state I can think of though there are some technical limits.

[CurryLover]

That's good to know - I just wasn't clear on what the regulations were since I don't live there.

[stevewag23]

Point Loma Seafoods for sure.

I have never been to Hudson Bay Seafoods, nor ever met anyone from san diego who has ever been.

[DiningDiva]

I've never even heard of it. Where is Hudson Bay Seafoods?

[stevewag23]

Like a block down the bay.

I never really noticed it until like a year ago.