87614 Tue Jul 05 22:29:33 -0700 2005 17 3 California 0 483072 Going to spend a few days in San Diego/La Jolla next week. I scanned the board but couldn't quite find what I wanted. I can get good French/Italian/etc. back home in NYC -- I'm looking for a couple meals that I would be hard-pressed to duplicate on the East Coast, something unique to the San Diego area (some regional cuisine, a unique fusion experience, indigenous ingredients, who knows what). Food is very important, but some non-touristy ambiance would be appreciated. We'll be staying downtown and later in La Jolla, but we do have a car and don't mind exploring. Nor is mixing high cuisine or down-home eating a problem. Finally, price is not a limiting factor. Also, to satisfy my sweet tooth, looking for a good bakery or dessert-oriented cafe (a la Citizen Cake in SF or Cafe Sabarsky in NYC). Any assistance would be appreciated. I have always found fellow 'hounds to be most helpful and have pointed me to great meals on three continents. Tue Jul 05 22:29:33 -0700 2005 0 Joe 1 483075 I would recommend "El Agave" in Old Town for a very unique Mexican meal. It's one of those places where you don't know what all of the ingredients are, so the tastes are completely different from anything you've ever had before. Reservations recommended on busy nights. Their margaritas (top shelf) are the best. Even if you have a good tolerance, one or two will really get you buzzing - very strong and delicious, even though I'm not usually a big margarita fan. This place is a much better choice than the typical tourist trap Mexican food in the Old Town area. http://www.elagave.com/ If you want a totally authentic Mexican experience (where you practically need to know Spanish in order to place your order) and you're willing to drive a bit, you should go to El Gordo on H Street in Chula Vista. Just take the 5 South and get off on H Street and turn left. El Gordo's in on the left pretty quick. It's not fancy by any means, but the food is authentic Tijuana street tacos and if you love meat, you will love it there. They are little tacos and sopes - you order 2-3+ to fill up. Definitely something you can't find everywhere and it's always worth our drive to get there. If you want sushi, Ono Sushi in Hillcrest and Sushi Ota in Mission Bay are the best. Ono is more of a trendy scene, but don't miss the Ono roll. Ota is more authentic and hole-in-the-wall, but lines are out the door because the food is so good. A few other menus to check out online would be Kemo Sabe and Indigo Grill. http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/cohn/cohnrestaurants/indigo/index.html http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/cohn/cohnrestaurants/kemosabe/index.html That should get you started. If I think of anything more, I will post again. Have fun! San Diego is the best! Beth A native San Diegan Tue Jul 05 23:30:49 -0700 2005 483072 0 Beth 2 483102 For fine dining San Diego style try: Parallel 33 (sounds like what you are looking for) Roppongi (these top two are our favorites) Marine Room (great view but a little stuffy) Mille Fleurs in Rancho Santa Fe (very fancy) Bertrand at Mr. A's (same) George's at the Cove George's Ocean Terrace (great for lunch) I have also heard good things about El Agave, but I have not eaten there. It's also fun to go out for breakfast/brunch on the weekends. Try Brockton Villa in La Jolla, the Mission or Mission 2 in Mission Beach, the Hash House a Go Go in Hillcrest, or Cafe Zinc in Solana Beach. While you are here you should grab a carne asada burrito from a taco shop - that's definitely a San Diego specialty. You may have a hard time getting a good fish taco in a taco shop - they vary quite a bit. Some may beg to differ but I think Rubios are pretty good. The best dessert places in town are Karen Krasne's Extraordinary Desserts, with one location on 5th between Quince and Palm, and one on Union Street near Little Italy - and Michele Coulon Dessertier on Fay in La Jolla. Definitely try one or both of the Extraordinary Desserts locations while you are in town. If you like desserts, order the date madeleines at Parallel 33 - weird but delicious! Wed Jul 06 17:08:57 -0700 2005 483075 0 Alice 3 483120 Have been here since the late 60's and agree with most of the other responses....am also a big fan of El Gordo but don't have to drive to Chula Vista anymore - they opened one in the Vons shopping center in PB - corner of Girard & Jewell. Not to NY standards but one of the best French-style restaurants in the area is in Del Mar across from the race track: Pamplemousse Grille, 514 Via De La Valle (an exit off 5 - go west - it's on the ri) The Fishery, 5040 Cass St, in Pacific Beach serves GREAT fresh fish - open for lunch and dinner - also a fish store. Not fancy, tourists haven't discovered it yet but it always has a crowd of locals. Enjoy our "finest" city....pat Wed Jul 06 22:27:13 -0700 2005 483102 0 Pat McDonald 3 483161 I'm not a native, but upon moving to SD, I got to work at a few hospitality venues (Hotel Del and W Hotel) which opened several doors to experiment around town, since SD is pretty damn expensive! By the way, both their restaurants are pretty great- If by uniquely San Diegan, and simply meant references to chefs and scenes you can't experience anywhere else, then I also vouch for Parallel 33. The chef does an AMAZING job. I also appreciated Indigo Grille, conversely, I disliked Mai Tai Lounge. Good traditional sushi to me, is the same everywhere. Just different decor and service. Recommend Ota if you've got the craving anyway. Chi Chocolat in Little Italy... their chocolate milk is divine! OMG, they are meticulous in crafting it, and well worth the stop in. I hadn't tried much else there, so experiment for me and let me know! Mexican. So far I love Tio Max in Escondido, the Sombreros chain, and El Agave (if that's the mole place -- it's awesome! but expensive!). As for fish tacos, my boyfriend loves Roberto's in PB, and I'm going to try South Beach in OB today -- I will let you know what I think! Sorry for the long email.. Sat Jul 09 13:45:27 -0700 2005 483102 0 Suz 1 483077 Living in NYC, it is hard to beat the variety and depth of cuisine out there. However, the few things that NYC and the East Coast doesn't do well is straightforward Mexican food--the burrito, enchiladas, carne asada, machaca type. The better taqueria places are in the South Bay and East County areas, well out of La Jolla (which tends to be quite yuppy and non-ethnic). I can't think of any specific places but there are several which frequently pop up on the board. I think Super Cocina is one of them. Look for postings by Cristina, Phee and Gayla. One local, hole in the wall Mexican place I go to because it's along my commute is El Cuervo in Hillcrest. On Washington or University St, near 1st or 2nd street. Try horchata (a sweet, cinnamon spiked rice water drink) with your meal. Really yummy and great for cooling off the "too much hot sauce" burn. And they don't dilute it with water or too much ice like other places. They're always busy at lunch. I usually get their machaca or bean, rice and cheese burrito for lunch because it is eatable while driving. I'd also search the board for "best fish tacos" because that is a common post and fish tacos are "uniquely San Diego." In La Jolla, a "uniquely fusion" place is Roppongi's. Go any day between 4-6 pm and get all the tapas/appetizers 50% off. They fuse Indian, Japanese, Thai, etc into really good dishes. Nine-Ten in La Jolla specializes in fresh, locally produced ingredients. They are very good. Their original chef left a year ago and opened Region in Hillcrest, which is also excellent. Region has a $30 3 course prix fixe on Tues pms, I think. I also found NYC doesn't have great Chinese food. However, San Diego has "ok" Chinese food, as compared to LA and SF. However, if you're into Northern Chinese food, there is a great dumpling and noodle place called Dumpling Inn, on Convoy Ave in the Clairemont Mesa area. About 15 min east of La Jolla. Hole in the wall, tiny place. Get the dumplings pan-fried. I think they taste better than steamed. Also get their sauteed vegetable of the day--they do it simply and very well! for dessert, Michele Coulon in La Jolla is supposed to be very good. I have never been and it's on my list to "must try." There is another dessert place in the Kensington area that is escaping my name right now. It got good comments on and off the board. Maybe someone else remembers the name. I would second Sushi Ota in Pacific Beach for sushi. I'd also look into Sakura on Convoy, Sushi on the Rock in La Jolla. Wed Jul 06 01:01:03 -0700 2005 483072 0 daantaat 1 483081 In La Jolla, Porkyland (silly name, don't be fooled) has authentic straight up inexpensive mexican. Nine-ten is high art with a slant towards local ingredients. Nine-ten also has great desserts - unusual maybe, you can check the menus online or on front of the place, but great. I also second Region for the indigenous ingredient scheme, high-end like nine-ten. As for uniquely San Diego, that is tough - perhaps a place in La Jolla with an ocean view - Georges, or the Marine Room (literally on the beach - the surf hits the windows at super high tides), both are upscale and can be really good, but nothing in particular about the food is distinctly SD. Point Loma Seafood would be a good bet for lunch, just a fish shop but good and certainly has a different complement of critters than you would find in the NYC fish markets. The sushi places are either more traditional style (Sushi Ota) or trendy (Sushi on the Rock). I don't like the trendy ones. If you do go to Roppongi definitely go for the 4-6pm half price menu as suggested. The 'uniquely SD' question has come up fairly often, I still don't know what a good answer is. As a final note, fish tacos are indeed a SD thing, but there are a thousand variations, of which a significant number are awful (often the ones at 'real' restaurants). Personally, if you are looking for a quick lunch and you see a Fins, go for it (and remove half the cabbage), if you see a Rubios, don't (IMO). I guess what I am trying to say is don't go out of your way to find a great fish taco. Good luck, and don't be shy about reporting back (positively or negatively). Wed Jul 06 03:49:53 -0700 2005 483072 0 rotochicken 1 483084 Uniquely San Diegan is indeed a moving target. I lived most of my young to middle adult life in SD and now live in the midwest. When I return to SD I always go to several old Mexican favs, including El Indio for lunch or breakfast, so I think that the rec to seek authentic Mex is spot on. I also always think of fish in SD. My never miss is Point Loma Seafood for lunch. In my mind, a similar dinner experience is to be had at The Fishery in La Jolla. So having been there and now not, I can say that those 3 are uniquely "San Diego" to me. Wed Jul 06 10:45:58 -0700 2005 483072 0 Ringo 2 483085 I can also say unequivocally that for me the "San Diego" fish to eat is White Sea Bass. It must be line caught so it is rarely shipped out of state. It is the firmest, sweetest fish going. It is so good that it needs no sauces, etc. Just grilled with a little seasoning, it is the single food item that is most "San Diego" to me. Wed Jul 06 10:49:56 -0700 2005 483084 0 Ringo 2 483123 I'll second the Fishery. BTW, if you would like to sample fish tacos the Fishery makes a wonderful grilled swordfish taco plate. It's not on the menu (over the years the Fishery has gone more "upscale"), but just ask and they'll be happy to dish them up. Wed Jul 06 23:56:05 -0700 2005 483084 0 MarkM 1 483087 I am a native San Diegan, and there really isn't anything "unique" to America's Finest City as far as food goes, and San Diego is NOT a culinary mecca by anyone's stretch of the imagination. But...........that does not mean you can't get some interesting and very good food here. Service is casual, relaxed and a little too often really laid back. And while San Diego doesn't do fine dining especially well, it does do breakfast really well. Pacific Beach is easily accessible from either downtown or La Jolla. Cantina Panaderia, a block west of Cass and Feldspar, has a very interesting breakfast menu which is well worth seeking out. Portions are large, prices are fair with almost everything under $10. Coffee here is very, very good. Also in PB is The Broken Yolk Cafe, a very high volume breakfast joint. Food is mostly "okay" to sometimes very good, portions huge, service is fast, prices are generally low. Don't order the Eggs Benedict, the hollandaise is some sort of yellow dreadfully ersatz sauce. The Original Pancake House on Convoy St. does great breakfast and is usually packed. There are several Mission Cafe's around town which would also be a good bet for getting your day started. For real hole-in-the-wall breakfast dining take a walk down Newport Ave in Ocean Beach. There are 4 or 5 small places between Cable and Abbott that serve breakfast, mostly under $6. Visitors to SD usually request "amazing" Mexican. Well, frankly, amazing Mexican isn't really an option in San Diego. There are 3 places that I can recommend without hesitation - Super Cocina for home-style cooking that is about as authentic as you're going to get, don't be put off by the steam table service; Chilango's in Hillcrest is owned by 2 brothers and they do Mexico City style food, it's usually pretty good; and Cesar at Mama Testa's has a commitment to doing authentic Mexican as well. Someone else recommended El Agave, which *is* very good, the menu is not comprised of the "usual suspects", prices are moderate to high. If you go to El Agave try one of their Mezcal flights. They serve Del Maguay mezcals, which are an organic, single village, super premium series of mezcals from 6 Zapotec villages in Oaxaca. Truly amazing stuff. There really isn't much "quintessential" about dining in San Diego, but for plate presentations that could compete with the best NYC, SF, Chicago or LA have to offer you could check out Kemo Sabe in Hillcrest or Indigo Grill in Little Italy. Deborah Scott is the chef for both and is known for her inventive and architecturally over-the-top plate presentations. Both rooms are a little on the loud side when full, food is okay to good, prices are moderate, service is actually good at both locations. One of the most interesting new restaurants in the county is Asia Vous in Escondido, a 20 minute +/- drive from La Jolla (I have a led foot, your time may vary). If you dont' want to drive to Escondido you could get a somewhat similar meal at Parallel 33 which is located on the fringes of Mission Hills. If all else fails check out the San Diego Reader. Link: http://sdreader.com Wed Jul 06 13:11:39 -0700 2005 483072 0 Gayla 2 483223 Gayla--thanks for being honest. To NYC: something exotic that you might not eat all the time that they do well here in SD is Persian food...I would recommend Sadaf, with 2 locations--the fancier restaurant is in the Gaslamp and the other location is in La Jolla. IMHO, the one cuisine that they do quite well in SD is Thai food....you could try Celadon or Kitima in Hillcrest or Rama (same owner as Celadon) in the general vicinity of the Gaslamp/Convention Center. For desserts, give the Extraordinary Deserts in Little Italy a shot...very good desserts, wine, light snacks and amazing decor. Mon Jul 11 20:24:52 -0700 2005 483087 0 El Chevere 1 483101 I second Region.. In La Jolla I would go to La Taverna or S'Orella Deli-same owner! The owner is Mary Ann Vitale and her food is excellent. I highly recommend her Banana Cake...it is incredible! Wed Jul 06 17:07:48 -0700 2005 483072 0 happyeats 1 483106 An abundance of good suggestions -- guess I'll have to take another trip to sample everything. Thanks for everyone, and I'll report back on what ended up striking my fancy. Wed Jul 06 19:08:15 -0700 2005 483072 0 Joe 1 483153 Joe, I can't believe all these native SD'rs are ignoring the two elephants in the room. I grew up in the OC, a desert wasteland (kind of like NJ)halfway between LA and San Diego. Sometimes we went north, and the best times, we went south. #1. The Hotel del Coronado. Iconic, unforgettable and unique. Built in the 1880's, site of the classic movie, "Some Like It Hot" with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and that other guy (don't kill me movie lovers, having a brain fart here). Go there, it is an absolute must. Ask to see the haunted room, stroll the grounds, have a drink and have a meal (the Sunday Brunch consistently appears on all the top 10 lists. It is massive and amazing. #2. You must, you must, you must go to Balboa Park. The museums are amazing (I saw my first El Greco there as a child, I saw my first Egyptian mummy there as a teenager; I was horrified and facscinated by both. The El Prado restaurant in the park has had some good reviews on this board, I haven't been to this latest incarnation, but I went there under the previous ownership and I was awed by the setting and the "grown up food and service". (BTW, the authentic 1880's carousel next to the SD zoo is awesome and has a brass ring for you to catch). Fri Jul 08 21:59:44 -0700 2005 483072 0 Gypsy Jan 2 483169 I think those were not mentioned because the request was for good food. The Prado is great for sight seeing and the Del is a wonderful place to stay and also sight see in Coronado. Been to the Del a few times and have never been overly impressed with the food. Sat Jul 09 20:21:02 -0700 2005 483153 0 happyeats 1 484574 Wow. I'm a little disappointed in some of the responses here. Having lived in major foodie markets for many years (Boston, SF, NYC, Chicago, et al) and moved to San Diego to settle down by choice a number of years ago, there is such an abundance of LOCAL flavors being ignored. "Unique to San Diego" doesn't have to just be a dish, it can be LOCAL PRODUCE unique to the region and it is featured by a number of innovative chefs in town and in farmers markets every day of the week. You don't get anymore local than that. To suggest we don't have unique food experiences is short sighted and diminishes all the wonderful chefs and artisan producers working diligently to bring San Diego new food experiences and protect local traditions. What is San Diego? How about fabulous figs each summer, local varieties of avocados and fruits like sapote, pluots, passion fruit and more... all unusual or hard to find for an East Coaster. Also, it's fabulous breakfasts. Few cities rival San Diego for our "breakfast culture." Other things that top my list include amazing ethnic food. Many of our best restaurants are not the fancy corporate run El Prados or George's, they are intimate, chef run owned mom & pop enterprises, often tucked away in shopping centers and unexpected locations. If I was to list some of my favorite foodies experiences or places, I'd be sure to include... - Amici restaurant (peruvian) in downtown Encinitas on the Coast Highway 101 is amazing. One of the best meals in town, hands-down. The chef/owner using local produce paired with interesting imports. You won't be disappointed. While you're up there, visit local chocolate maker Chuao in the Lumberyard complex. - Region in Hillcrest... Chef/owner Michael Stebner draws organic produce from local farms, like organic farmers BeWise. If you want to try what's seasonal, local and fresh, dine here. - Also featuring local produce and meats (like Wrights poultry) in fabulous ways... Jeff Jackson and team at the restaurant at the Lodge in Torrey Pines in La Jolla. Fabulous and offers a great lunch menu too. - Hillcrest Farmers Market, every Sunday from 9-1. Amazing fresh produce and prepared foods. Be sure to check out Spread nut butters and Guanni chocolates (handmade truffles). Afterwards try some of the fabulous ethnic restaurants nearby like Saigon on El Cajon in City Heights (authentic Vietnamese food w/ an extensive menu); Mama's in North Park for incredible Lebanese food (take-out or casual sit-down). The best way to spend part of the weekend. Nothings better than getting take-out (like fried eggplant sandwiches and killer Baba Ganoush) from Mama's and heading over to Balboa Park for the free Sunday organ concerts. - For the absolute best fish tacos in town, check out the Bay Park Fish Company on Ashton street in Bay Park, a stone's throw from Mission Beach and minutes from downtown. Not only the best fish tacos (tried their fried version with panko) but also fabulous fresh local catches every day prepared to your liking. You'll see and taste fish varieties that are hard to find outside of SoCal. - Cafe Chloe in the East Village also features a lot of local produce and products, including Chuao Chocolate, a fabulous local artisan chocolate. - Waffle spots like Cafe 222 on Island Ave downtown are great examples of San Diego's best breakfast culture. Killer pumpkin and pecan waffles. - If brunch with a view is your goal, you cannot beat the Sunday brunch at the Beach House in Cardiff. The seafood crepes are one of the better dishes on the menu, but the spot is better known for the view, which is spectacular. Reserve a table outside on the beach and plan to watch kite surfers and other activities throughout your meal. - Del Mar offers a great farmer's market on Saturdays... Solana Beach has an organic market on Sundays. - Bread & Cie in Hillcrest for inventive breads and pastries and great sit-down breakfasts and lunches. If checking out a local bakery is your goal, swing by their retail location or visit them Sunday at the Hillcrest farmers market. -Vegatarian and vegan fare are fabulous at Spread in North Park and Rancho's in North Park and Ocean Beach. Spread makes 25+ varieties of nut butters, flavors you'll be amazed by. Rancho's mexican menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner is creative and always satisfying. - Raw Food! SoCal's contribution to the health and diet craze. CilantroLive! in Chula Vista offers an incredibly interesting take on all things raw. You may not choose it as a lifestyle, but you'll have a fabulous meal. Call ahead as their times and availability are sporadic. I fully expected to be disappointed when I moved to San Diego, as I've been spoiled and fortunate by international travels and cities I've lived in. But I haven't been disappointed at all. There are enough unique flavors and dining opportunities to keep me entertained and well fed for years to come. So don't write-off San Diego as a second class food destination. Start giving the city and region it's due and you will not be disappointed. Wed Aug 17 14:11:30 -0700 2005 483072 0 relishca 2 484585 Though you hit on some usual recs, relishca, you pointed out some things I have not seen pointed out here before. Nice post. One thing - where the heck are you with the Bay Park Fish Company recommendation whenever the "best fish taco" thread arises? :-) A new place to try. Wed Aug 17 15:37:18 -0700 2005 484574 0 Brian Saunders