Hospital food.

Been a while since the last post - figured I'd comment on the Scripps La Jolla cafeteria.

Have the breakfast - Biscuits and gravy, sausages, bacon, eggs for the two of us. $6. And pretty tasty too.

If your here, give it a try.

Sipz

Sipz is vegetarian Asian food done right. It is a quirky little place on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard hidden in a strip mall. I wouldn't say it was the best food that I have ever tasted. I also wouldn't stay that there is anything particularly special about the place. I will say, however, if you want some authentic Asian cuisine which is delivered fresh and fast, then Sipz is your place.

I, unlike Terry, am a creature of habit. If I like something then I stick to it. I do not feel the need to test boundaries or explore when it comes to food. So, when I go to Sipz I always get the same thing, I get the Pad Thai with "chicken." Being that it is a vegetarian restaurant all of the "meat" is actually tofu. Still, it is tasty and consistently yummy. The portions are generous and the staff is very willing to please.

So, on those nights you don't really feel like cooking make your way down to Sipz. You will fill your tummy and leave with a satisfied smile on your face.

Sipz

La Playita

I do not have Terry's passion for Mexican food. I am the kind of person who can take it or leave it. That being said, however, I am simply enamored with a little Mexican restaurant called La Playita.

I had Friday off because there was a blackout Thursday night and all of the schools in San Diego County were closed. Well, Terry asked if I would like to meet him for lunch. I accepted, of course, and we walked to a little farmer's market in near his building. The market housed approximately 15 vendors, but the smells coming from that parking lot were heavenly.

Being that Terry goes to this farmer's market on a regular basis I trusted that he would know what was and was not good. He has regularly spoken about La Playita, but not being a avid Mexican food lover I was only mildly interested. However, when we walked by their stand I instantly knew something about this place was different. The smells were intoxicating and I felt almost drawn to the counter. Their menu was simple. Fish tacos, fish burritos, ceveche and a couple other items all seemed very normal, but what struck me was that the smells coming from the stand were not typical. I wasn't smelling the heavy greasy stench that usually surrounds these little stands. For once, it smelled delicious and fresh.

I had the fish tacos and Terry had the fish burrito. The fish was cooked perfectly. Large chunks of fresh fish surrounded by cabbage and topped with a lovely salsa. It was flavorful and light, yet it was completely satisfying. Terry's burrito was very similar to my tacos except that the portion was bigger. It was simple food done right. So, even though I do not crave Mexican food, I will be finding my way to their restaurant to sample more of their flavorful dishes. Soooo good!

La Playita

The Farmhouse Tap and Grill

I rarely, if ever, blog about desserts. While I do like something sweet now and again I find that very few desserts impress me. Most are delicious and are a nice way to end a meal, but nothing that I would consider memorable. So, I was pleasantly surprised when our waiter placed an apple tart with homemade carmel ice cream in front of us. Wow, is the only way to describe it.

Terry and I had just spent a lovely day tooling around the town of Burlington, VT. Burlington is a quaint little college town with enough hippies to rival that of Santa Barbara and San Diego. After all that looking around we were in need of food and the smells coming from The Farmhouse let us know that eating there would be a treat. After our satisfying meal we were full, but in the mood to look over the dessert menu. We looked it over for a few moments and both of us thought the apple tart looked interesting, so we ordered it. I am so glad we did. The tart was warm and cooked perfectly, but the carmel ice cream was truly out of this world. It wrapped our taste buds in a blanket of goodness which I will never forget. It was, to say the least, a perfect end to a wonderful day.

The Farmhouse Tap and Grill

A Single Pebble

Who would have thought that little old Burlington, Vermont would be home to excellent Chinese cuisine. I certainly didn't, but while waiting for our plane to NYC Terry remembered seeing a "Best Thing I Ever Ate" show on a place called A Single Pebble located on a side street off the center of town. Alton Brown had a meal he simply thought was one of the best meals he had ever had in his life. Because of this, we went on a search to see how good the dish really was.

We ordered the mock eel which is made up of braised shiitake mushrooms in a ginger sauce. When the dish first arrived at the table I was skeptical that something so horrific looking would actually taste good. They do say that you do eat with your eyes. This, however, does not apply to the mock eel. Once you have that first bite there is no need for any of your other senses. Your sense of taste is all that matters. Initially there is a little bit of a crunch followed by a soft and warm meatiness. The flavors explode in your mouth ranging from slightly savory to a touch of sweetness. The entire experience is enough to make you seriously give thought to ordering another plate. I can honestly say that I will return to Burlington specifically for that meal. It was phenomenal!

A Single Pebble

Gene's

When in Rome..

Or when in Port Henry, do as the locals do. Have a Michigan. What is a Michigan? Well, simply put, it is a steamed hotdog and bun with a chili like meat sauce. But it really isn't like chili. Sweet and sour flavors come to mind, with a fine meat texture. Top it off with some chopped raw white onion, and this is one of those sinfully bad treats we all enjoy!

Can't wait to try another!

Dynamo Donuts and Coffee

Another perk to girl's weekend is that somehow you can rationalize eating things you haven't touched in years. For me that was having a donut.

First, let me clarify, when I say 'years' I simply mean a very long time. I know that on my list of things chubby girls should not eat, donuts are near the top. Still, it was girl's weekend and that rule went flying out the window the moment I stepped off the plane.

To look at dynamo one would never suspect that genius could be found within a little round cake. Don't get me wrong, I like cake (and all cake-like products) but I wouldn't describe them as genius. After our visit to Dynamo, however, I have had to rethink my position on that matter. Flavors such as Mexican chocolate, bacon maple, rosemary lemon, and vanilla bean had us all in a tizzy. None of them were trying to copy the ultra sweet / deep fried Krispy Cream approach. Rather, they were all a triumph of flavor and craftsmanship. No apologies are needed for these non-commercial creations because they simply stand on their own merit.

if you are ever in San Fran I recommend giving these donuts a try. You will be so happy that you did.

Dynamo Donuts and Coffee

Roam

Roam
Girl's weekends are great! Not only because you get to reconnect with friends you don't often get to see, but because it gives you a chance to indulge the palate.

Two weekends ago I met up with some of my girlfriends in San Francisco. Michelle, who happens to live near the city, was our tour guide. She took us on a culinary trek all over the city. As always, Michelle did not disappoint. Roam, an artisan burger joint, was my absolute favorite spot! Hands down these burgers were the best restaurant burgers I have ever had. Each bite was about 1,000,000 000 calories, but it was well worth it!

I had the Heritage burger which is a decadent combination of: applewood smoked bacon, fontina, butter lettuce, tomato, carmelized onions, and herb mayo. Each bite exploded in my mouth while, at the same time, satisfied a deep urge for well crafted junk food. Accompanying my burger were sweet potato fries. The combination of salty and sweet were perfectly executed. Each crunch bite made me feel a little more sinful than the last, but I couldn't seem to stop.

So, here is to spending time with good friends and eating good food.

Green Truck

 Green. Organic. Not usually my thing. But when you add local and fresh. Now your talking!

So the green truck stops in ye ol' cul de sac. I see veggie burger with beet salad, aka: The Happy Trucker meal and I must order it.

Lets just say the beet salad was great! Fresh red and golden beets, quinoa, goat cheese and a really nice vinigarette. Totally good.  I could eat another one of these.

Then the veggie burger. Best I have had. Not too big and just plain tasty. Sized perfectly, cooked perfectly. The beet based mayo sauce was just icing on the cake.

Never mind the great freshly brewed ice tea.

So.. Would I go back. Yes. I will be dreaming of that burger all day. 
Guilt free I might add ;)

And yes.. The green truck burns cooking oil.. !!! Sweeeeet.

Green Truck

Oak Mountian Winery

Today I had the pleasure of trying a Temecula winery that is a little off the main beaten path. Oak Mountain on the De Portola trail. Nice little place, great view of the valley and not a lot of traffic to deal with. And great wine.

Really enjoyed it all. Very Napa like. But we brought home 2 bottles, a White Merlot and a Brut Sparking wine. Both fantastic. I would also have brought a bottle of the Cab, it was smooth like butter! Sometimes you have to save something for the next tasting!

I have favorites in Temecula: Doffo's, Bailey's, Wilson Creek... I'm adding Oak Mountain to the list, right near the top. Worth the trip to the other side! 

Oak Mountain Winery

Roys

Dad is in town for a visit. So tonight, we tried something new. Roy's in La Jolla. Because it was next to the bookstore and I have been wanting to try it for some time.

Ordered a appy plate with a bunch of stuff on it. The tuna was great, the sushi roll was really good and the lobster pot stickers were just about perfect. Order those if you go.

Mains: I had the barramundi, and it was well prepared and tasty. The sundried tomato paste and edemame hummous garnish was a really nice touch. Dad had Hebi. Never had that before. Too bad. Texture was that of yellowtail, taste was more mild. Really, really tasty fish. Hawaii specialty. Joy has the lemon grass shrimp, and it too was a good dish.

All in all, a good dining experience, albeit a tad pricy. Entrees were in the $25-30ish range, but the food was good, well portioned and the service was excellent. I'll be back... !

Roy's - La Jolla location

Two for the road...

So.. What to do for lunch.. ? (And I was actually feeling like something different.. Seeing as I skipped breakfast and was still feeling full from last night's feast..  )

Well.. Thank god for food trucks! Two for the road was in the Copley cul de sac today. Interesting menu, burgers, chicken, etc. But the lobster roll caught my eye. Yummy. Bun was great, lobster was good, not overly mayo'ed up and fresh and tasty. The Mexican diet coke in a glass bottle was a great touch and the free cookie was almost as good as the cookie place at the local farmers markets.

I have already subscribed to the RSS feed for this truck. Will frequent again!

Two for the Road

World Curry

Might call this PB weekend.

Today we wanted something different. And I have been wanting to try the Thai curry place in PB for quite some time. Thai, Indian and English curries all served in a casual setting, right on Garnet avenue.

We started with the Samosas. They were good, fresh and served with a nice sauce. Tasty. If anything they were a tad on the greasy side, but very enjoyable.

Bobbi had the Golden curry bowl. It was fresh and tasty. Served on a bed of brown rice, it was just the right size for lunch, and packed with flavor. I never really tasted it fully, I had already had a few fork fulls of the Phall.. Whats Phall you say? Normally when a place serves something "spicy" it just isn't that spicy. This Phall was, well, as advertised. Probably the hottest thing I have had in a restaraunt in a long time. Like the golden curry, it was fresh, tasty and most enjoyable. I have been looking for really hot food in SD, and I found it here. Will be back. For Phall.

Next time I will take down a whole order of Phall. Eat it in 30 minutes, and my name will go on the wall!

Curry in a hurry - World Curry

Costa Brava

Have you ever walked into a place and felt like you were entering another world, or at least another country? Well, last night Terry and I went to Spain for a couple of hours to enjoy tapas and a little 'us' time.

Costa Brava is a hidden little gem in Pacific Beach. The outside of the restaurant is covered in climbing ivy which acts as a natural barrier to the street just outside the door. When you pass through the gate and go up the steps you are automatically transported into the heart of Spain. The wait staff greets you with a smile and their authentic Castilian lisps which only add to the relaxed ambiance.

The food at Costa Brava is amazing! We ordered lamb skewers, olives with anchovies, sardines, escargot, tuna wrapped in pastry, mushrooms in wine sauce, and lovely little dates wrapped in bacon. It seems impossible that such small portions could pack in so much flavor and satisfy so completely, but they did. I am sure that we will go back again and again.

Amé el alimento y la atmósfera. Estaré detrás otra vez.


Costa Brava

Craft and Commerce

This morning, at the reasonable hour of nine a.m., Terry and I tried to go to the air show on Coronado Island. As we were rolling down hwy. 5 we noticed that there was at least 4 miles of cars backed up. Everyone in San Diego seemed to have the same idea we had about getting to the air show early. So, out of necessity, we decided to change our plans. We decided to park in Little Italy, walk to the water front, and watch the planes pass over the Broadway Pier.

After our afternoon of sitting in the sun we decided to go to take a quick walk up the road to the corner of Beech St. and Kentner. We had passed by Craft and Commerce many times before, so today we decided to pop in for a cocktail and a bite to eat. We shared the salmon B.L.T. and oh my were we pleasantly surprised. I expected it to be delicious, but I never imagined that my taste-buds would joyfully explode with each bite. The buttery salmon and bacon were complemented perfectly by the olive loaf bread, avocado, and fresh arugula. In a word, it was YUMMY!

If you are the sort that likes a refreshing cocktail or an interesting microbrew Craft and Commerce is the ultimate space for drinks. It is not so much a bar as it is a new age lounge with an airy elegance. I had a Cry Baby Cry which is a mixture of hard apple cider, champagne, and ginger. Terry had a glass of Old Viscosity which is a microbrew infused with chocolate and coffee essence. Both were just what we needed to relax, enjoy the moment, and one another. Kudos to the bartender.

All in all it was the perfect start to our Valentine's Day weekend.

Wormwood and the like..

Revisit alert!

Last night I had the pleasure of sharing a meal with my gal at Alchemy. Love that place. Good food. Good spirits.

Started with a tabbouleh like salad, which was a mix of bulgur and quinoa. Great. Something I will try to make at home. Also had a half starter of falafel, and I must say it was some of the best I have had.

My chicken breast was cooked perfectly, and so was Bobbi's burger. Food has always been good.

The highlight of the meal for me was a new spirit to try. (For us anyways.. ) Kubler Absinthe. I was impressed, they brought the water fountian to the table in in no time the louche was busy forming. Quite an experience. I found it to be a complicated herbal mix, not without the complexities of a scotch with the overtones of licorice and citrus. Will do this again!

If your in northpark and want a nice, elegant dining experience, you can't go wrong with Alchemy.

Alchemy San Diego