Back in SD. . .What'd I Miss the last 16 months??

[pickypicky]

Knight Salumi gone? La Fogada makes it to RoadFood? The Closed Restaurant thread got so long it grew a #2? A Smoking Goat? Myohmyohmy.

After a year on the road with timeouts in Texas, San Francisco, and Sonoma, we're back. So, do tell! BeachChick, Honkman, DiningDiva, Josh, FakeName, Mr. Krispy et. al! What's absolutely au courant 2011 San Diego? New and wonderful? Gone Forever? Thankfully-- like Bruno Pizzeria-- still here!

((( And yes, I'll admit it. First meal back in the city: fish tacos at Don Bravo Bahia, outside at the back, at the little wooden counter, with an El Modelo and a view of the sunny Pacific. Ahhh, home. )))

[pickypicky]

I just found the best thread I've ever seen on San Diego CHOW -- " FOOD LOVE. .what's yours in SD?"

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/715936 That says it all, and the spreadsheet is amazing. Is it still operational, the spreadsheet, as I tuck into my favorite meals here? What I love is that it's all positive, and nobody attacks anybody else's faves. ( I'm getting soft in my dotage. ) Truly, the best guide to San Diego food there is. Well done, all.

[cgfan]

The spreadsheet's still "active", in the sense that it's always been open for edits.

I encourage all to continue adding their CH-names and faves to this effort!

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?ke...

(Click on "contribute to this document" on the upper-left if you want to open it for editing...)

[Beach Chick]

cg...did such a FANTASTIC job!
We are all forever grateful and its a living breathing spreadsheet where I am still adding my picks.
Glad you love the Food Love thread..
; )

[karaethon]

- We either went through 1 or 2 chefs at Blanca, but we like the new chef still.
- Generically it sounds like Addison is on a downswing in quality
- It seems like we're getting 2 more good fine dining restaurants in El Bizcocho and Rancho Valencia
- Yakyudori opened a ramen-ya on Convoy and they also serve yakitori there
- Sab E Lee is a hole in the wall Thai Place in Linda Vista that serves amazing and authentic Northern Thai cuisine
- Food truck craze has finally struck and 57 degrees wine (next to Mission Brewery) bar hosts a monthly gathering of food trucks every 3rd friday of the month
- The craft beer thing is in full swing even more
- Burger Lounge and Five Guys burgers locations seem to be expanding rapidly.
- we have an ongoing debate on CH about if burger lounge is any good with no real resolution yet
- UT decided to start something called "superdiners" that supposedly is more social, but it reads more like some sort of perverted advertising campaign for the places they choose to target
- Malarkey opened up a place in gaslamp called Seersucker where nobody seems to like the food, but they like the decor. He's now trying to open some other place in Carmel Valley

-----
El Bizcocho
17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr, San Diego, CA 92128

[pickypicky]

perfect! i've so missed the SD CHers squabbling! Nobody anywhere does it better. And thanks for resolving the "seersucker" reference that I kept reading. i doubt I can ever eat anyplace with "sucker" in the name even though all my first loves wore seersucker, after Memorial Day of course.

[Cathy]

Actually, it's Searsucker and spelled that way because of seafood (SEArsucker..SEAfood)

...which really makes me uneasy about the new one named Burlap...

Welcome home.

-----
Searsucker
611 5th Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

[honkman]

Actually a number of people I know like that food at Searsucker.

[LaurenZ]

We ate there a while ago and enjoyed our dinner. I was bugged by the prices and the waiter's attitude. Haven't been back mostly due to hating downtown on the weekend.

[honkman]

I think a number of restaurants downtown have this "Las Vegas problem" - everything has a certain higher price compared to other restaurants everywhere else just because of the location and people tend to be willing to pay those prices.

[Fake Name]

Agreed. I think there's also a shop-by-price mentality. Like wine, some folks will measure the quality of the meal by the price they pay. a $$$$ meal MUST be better than a $$ meal, right? The Gaslamp is a great example of this in action- most of the restaurants there are close to the same price point. Like Vegas.

[MrKrispy]

I've found an alternate version of that on Yelp, where prices are the main rationale behind the stars. Therefore, the cheapest places are the best places, regardless of the difference in service, food quality, or creativity.

[CTDub]

Honestly curious about the price issue -- what did you think was out of line? I found it pretty reasonable, especially for a new high profile place in the Gaslamp. I hear the guys above that location doesn't alone justify pricing, but they've got a huge corner space on 5th Ave and nearly half their entrees are still sub-$20.

[pickypicky]

I'm getting teary! Thanks, my dear Epicureans! I love all the news, including Jack in The Box Food Trucks. (Actually pretty funny, considering I od'd on food trucks in Austin.) Scribbling as fast as I can.

[RB Hound]

1. Burgers

2. Cupcakes

[honkman]

If you like Pizzeria Bruno you should look into Blue Ribbon Pizzeria in Encinitas. We haven't been there yet but friends went there and really, really liked it (even more than Pizzeria Bruno). Apparently Thomas Keller was there also recently and enojoyed his pizza.

[MrKrispy]

Hey Picky! glad to hear you got your fish tacos already....I hope a second trip to a taco shop wasn't too far after.

Cohn Group and Jack-in-the-Box have foodie trucks in service, so you have some catching up to do!

[Island]

Jack in the Box, seriously? Wow like there weren't enough locations already without them bringing the drive up to us. Stalker. Enough with the trucks.

[DiningDiva]

Yeah, photo was in the U/T last week, Thursday business section I think. Actually, of all the trucks I've seen - including the ones on TV - it's got the best graphic design. The menu will be super simple, essentially their best late night sellers (inlcuding the beloved taco). They plan to roll it out for the late night drinking crowd in the Gaslamp.

Whether we like the idea or not, I actually think they've got a winner in this thing.

[CTDub]

Between the graphics and the "My Other Truck Is A Restaurant" at least they have a sense of humor about it.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/20...

[Beach Chick]

OMG...Picky is back in the house...welcome home!
Glad you went straight to Bahia's for a cold one and some fish tacos..nothing like sitting on that back patio watching the waves roll in.
Life is good in San Diego.

[pickypicky]

Hi, Beach Chick! I know we share a fondness for the Bahia! I promised Chef Husband never to complain again. No Bad Days! It's All Good! Any new favorites for you?

[Beach Chick]

I hear that Sapori in Coronado is incredible..
Trattoria Acqua closed in LJ.. : (
Con Pane moved to Liberty Station
Found a great taco shop in Esco...Los Charros..so frigging good..DH says carne asada best ever.

[LaurenZ]

Sapori in Coronado is super yum. Defintely worth a trip. Not pricey either.