I wanted to catch up on a few updates to previous recent posts:
First- Happy Hours: we have had some great responses to our post about Happy Hour, and definitely plan on trying out Chive and Donovan's pretty soon. I also found some good San Diego based Happy hour websites including Happy Hour Mag Online and also San Diego Happy Hour both of which have some great suggestions.
Next- Picnics: We took the advice given to our picnic post and headed out to Kate Sessions Park in PB. Wow, I was stunned, I don't know how I had never been up there before, the park was beautiful enough in itself, with gorgeous trees and flowers ( a great tribute to a great woman), however it was the view from the park that was draw dropping, you can sit on the grass and just have the whole of San Diego laid out in front of you- stunning. What was even more amazing was how quiet the park was, you would think more people would like a piece of this wonder.
Finally: The Wedding brunch. We went ahead and went to Poseidon for the wedding brunch and things went off very nicely. The restaurant did put us inside which was a slight pity, but everyone seemed pleased with both the location and the food. I have to say I still don't understand why it was quite such an ordeal to find a place for 25 (Poseidon still acted like they had done us a huge favor). The restaurant was far from being packed, with no wait for brunch, and the additional $350 or so we must have spent should have been something they might like?
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
The Mission- North Park
Of all the wonderful breakfast places to eat in San Diego, for some reason we had never yet gotten round to trying one right in our own backyard- the Mission cafe in North Park. Often put off by the very long lines out front on the week days, and then often preferring a seaside view or such like, we had never yet given this legendary spot a try.
Having a rare weekday morning to ourselves today we decided to give it a sh. Happily there was no line at all outside the cafe and we were seated almost immediately in the slightly understated dining area. We enjoyed the art covering the walls and the hustle and bustle of the incredibly fast waiters. in fact this this is really the one overriding impression given to me t the Mission. The speed of these guys was phenomenal. no sooner were we seated and our order was taken, the order being taken our food arrived in 5 minutes tops (well I suppose it was possibly a little more, but seriously, these guys were very fast).
The food was also wonderful, something that arrives so quickly would usually be disappointing on the pallet, but not so. I had taken advice from San Diegos various food blogs and reviews and gone with the French Toast. It was perfection. The chefs had taken a loaf of cinnamon bread to fry up, and served it with a wonderful syrup, sweet and luscious and slightly moist, this really was the most perfect French Toast I have eaten. My wife went for the papas locas which were also fantastic, the potatoes were chunky and perfectly cooked (soft inside crispy outside). far better that these tiny little squares of potatoes that seem common at breakfast places around town. The chillies added a wonderful spice, and the beans and sour cream countered with some coolness. the two breakfasts were at once among the more interesting fare we have encountered, the most nicely presented, and the most delicious tasting. Now we can properly see why people stand for an hour or so outside this great cafe. - Oh and the prices were great too!
Having a rare weekday morning to ourselves today we decided to give it a sh. Happily there was no line at all outside the cafe and we were seated almost immediately in the slightly understated dining area. We enjoyed the art covering the walls and the hustle and bustle of the incredibly fast waiters. in fact this this is really the one overriding impression given to me t the Mission. The speed of these guys was phenomenal. no sooner were we seated and our order was taken, the order being taken our food arrived in 5 minutes tops (well I suppose it was possibly a little more, but seriously, these guys were very fast).
The food was also wonderful, something that arrives so quickly would usually be disappointing on the pallet, but not so. I had taken advice from San Diegos various food blogs and reviews and gone with the French Toast. It was perfection. The chefs had taken a loaf of cinnamon bread to fry up, and served it with a wonderful syrup, sweet and luscious and slightly moist, this really was the most perfect French Toast I have eaten. My wife went for the papas locas which were also fantastic, the potatoes were chunky and perfectly cooked (soft inside crispy outside). far better that these tiny little squares of potatoes that seem common at breakfast places around town. The chillies added a wonderful spice, and the beans and sour cream countered with some coolness. the two breakfasts were at once among the more interesting fare we have encountered, the most nicely presented, and the most delicious tasting. Now we can properly see why people stand for an hour or so outside this great cafe. - Oh and the prices were great too!
Monday, June 18, 2007
A big mistake
We like our boiled eggs a little runny in the middle. We usually have boiled eggs in salad and a little runny egg yolk seeping into the salad dressing is always a good thing. I find that about 8 minutes 30 seconds makes for the type of egg we prefer. So yesterday night I put on a pan of boiled water and went to boil 10 eggs for the following week. Now most likely what happened is the sheer amount of cold eggs in the pan of water brought down the temperature so much that 8 and a half minutes was just not enough to cook them fully. When I opened the first egg up I found that it was very very runny still inside, in addition to a runny yolk we even had a runny white (not what we were looking for). The eggs have all been drained now, and the water poured away so popping them back on the stove doesn’t seem like an idea. Suddenly I come up with a plan. I have heard in the past about using a microwave to poach eggs. I figure a little blast might finish them off nicely. I plan to try this out with one egg first, popping it in for 30 seconds. My wife is skeptical, I ask her advice on the 30 seconds. This is where some misunderstanding comes into play. My wife is thinking that I am putting all the eggs in a bowl of water and throwing them in the microwave- she suggests 2 minutes for this venture. What I am actually doing is throwing 1 egg straight in the microwave- no water. I took my wife’s advice and did this for 2 minutes.
We took the egg out- it looked fine. We cooled it down under some running water and my wife began to peel off the shell………….. BOOM! The whole egg explodes, it covers the entire kitchen the noise was incredibly loud coming from one little egg. My wife was covered in egg, her hands scolded.
The humor of the situation is now creeping in, but let me tell you, microwaving eggs is not a mistake we will be making again.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Happy Hours?
Well, it's Friday, which means time for some sort of Happy Hour outing. We have been searching in San Diego to try and find a really good Happy hour. A recent internet search came up with an article from the UT which suggested Zoccalo Grill as having the best Happy Hour in town. The review was incredibly good so we decided to give it a shot.
Entering the restaurant we asked the host outside what hours happy hour ran- he didn't know. This didn't seem like the best sign, but undeterred we walked on in. The restaurant, although almost empty of people was awash with servers, hostesses and cooks. There were actually 4 people standing at the greeting point, not knowing quite who to address, we were told by 2 of the 4 that they knew nothing. Eventually we managed to get the attention of the other two who were chatting away and were taken to a table.
Finally seated, we told out server we were just here for happy hour, and he presented us with the menu. We were severely disappointed. The margaritas were still pretty expensive (even the 'house' variety), as was the food. Most things seemed maybe a couple of bucks cheaper than usual. The only thing I could see in a usual happy hour price range were some sweet potato fries, so we settled on these and a couple of house margaritas. Several servers passed our table over the next few minutes, although ours was not to be seen. eventually he did appear, took our order and then returned into the sea of staff, that were standing around in all sorts of places, some watching TV some leaning against the bar having a chat, some crowding the greeting point.
With so many staff, and two or three bartenders in the vicinity of the bar we didn't think it would be long before our drinks arrived. Unfortunately however there was a good 10-15 minute wait before some miniscule glasses with weak watery margaritas arrived. Our food meanwhile was nowhere to be seen. The waiter informed us it would be 'right out', and then returned 15 minutes later baring a tiny little plate of some deep fried sweet potatoes, just like the ones we make at home- there was maybe half a potato worth of fries there. The dipping sauce was not especially pleasant. This being 15 minutes later we had of course finished our drinks before the pitiful fare arrived. The waiter asked if we would like another and was met by a resounding "No Thank You" from the both of us. We finished up, waited another 10 minutes for our check, watched the hoards of staff standing around, and speeded over to Cafe Coyote where we new we could at least get a good sized cheap margarita, and a dollar taco.
So- not a good experience, and we are still on the search for a good Happy hour. I have been told McCormick and Schmicks is exceptional, so we shall try this soon. Any other advice would be wonderful. Here are some places we like:
Lot81- cheap (good) beer, a $5 burger and other great happy hour food.
Gulf Coast Grill- some very nice happy hour food ( we like the fried green tomatoes and the quesadilla). Great prices on drinks. Monday night is all night Happy Hour.
Basic- $5 martinis and free pizza
Kensington Grill- changes each night of the week. Usually has a good quesadilla going. A very chill more classy happy hour.
Entering the restaurant we asked the host outside what hours happy hour ran- he didn't know. This didn't seem like the best sign, but undeterred we walked on in. The restaurant, although almost empty of people was awash with servers, hostesses and cooks. There were actually 4 people standing at the greeting point, not knowing quite who to address, we were told by 2 of the 4 that they knew nothing. Eventually we managed to get the attention of the other two who were chatting away and were taken to a table.
Finally seated, we told out server we were just here for happy hour, and he presented us with the menu. We were severely disappointed. The margaritas were still pretty expensive (even the 'house' variety), as was the food. Most things seemed maybe a couple of bucks cheaper than usual. The only thing I could see in a usual happy hour price range were some sweet potato fries, so we settled on these and a couple of house margaritas. Several servers passed our table over the next few minutes, although ours was not to be seen. eventually he did appear, took our order and then returned into the sea of staff, that were standing around in all sorts of places, some watching TV some leaning against the bar having a chat, some crowding the greeting point.
With so many staff, and two or three bartenders in the vicinity of the bar we didn't think it would be long before our drinks arrived. Unfortunately however there was a good 10-15 minute wait before some miniscule glasses with weak watery margaritas arrived. Our food meanwhile was nowhere to be seen. The waiter informed us it would be 'right out', and then returned 15 minutes later baring a tiny little plate of some deep fried sweet potatoes, just like the ones we make at home- there was maybe half a potato worth of fries there. The dipping sauce was not especially pleasant. This being 15 minutes later we had of course finished our drinks before the pitiful fare arrived. The waiter asked if we would like another and was met by a resounding "No Thank You" from the both of us. We finished up, waited another 10 minutes for our check, watched the hoards of staff standing around, and speeded over to Cafe Coyote where we new we could at least get a good sized cheap margarita, and a dollar taco.
So- not a good experience, and we are still on the search for a good Happy hour. I have been told McCormick and Schmicks is exceptional, so we shall try this soon. Any other advice would be wonderful. Here are some places we like:
Lot81- cheap (good) beer, a $5 burger and other great happy hour food.
Gulf Coast Grill- some very nice happy hour food ( we like the fried green tomatoes and the quesadilla). Great prices on drinks. Monday night is all night Happy Hour.
Basic- $5 martinis and free pizza
Kensington Grill- changes each night of the week. Usually has a good quesadilla going. A very chill more classy happy hour.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Dolmades
I catered a 50th birthday party of a friend yesterday- it was a fifies theme- some great outfits. Poofy skirts and Elvis wigs abounded all over. For the food I avioded the fiftiesness. I went with stuffed strawberries, stuffed tomatoes (using those darling little mozzarella balls from Trader Joes), Endives, and a greek platter. Everything went down very well, especially the dolmades. I have posted the recipe below- the main secret is to use lots of lemon juice which kind of caramalizes down the bottom. Make sure you cook them thouroughly also, or you end up with crunchy rice!
Dolmades
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup Plus 3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
3 spring onions (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp Minced fresh mint
½ cup Pine nuts
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
½ tsp Ground allspice
1 Jar grape leaves
Several stems of fresh parsley
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup vegetable stock
Method
1, Heat 3 Tbsp of the olive oil in a wok. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the rice, ½ cup of the remaining olive oil, the spring onions, parsley, pine nuts, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2, Rinse the grape leaves under running cold water to remove as much brine as possible, pat dry, and stack on a plate. Place 1 leaf at a time, shiny side down, on a flat work surface. Cut off and discard the tough stem end. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of the rice mixture in the center near the base of the leaf. Fold the stem end over to cover the filling, fold both side inward lengthwise and then tightly roll leaf toward pointed tip end to form a compact packet. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
3, Pour about 2 Tbsp. of the remaining olive oil in the bottom of a large pot and strew with a layer of parsley stems. Arrange the stuffed leaves, seam side down and almost touching, on top of the parsley, making as many layers as
necessary. Drizzle the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice, and 1/2 cup stock over the leaves. Top with a heat-resistant plate and weight with a heavy can to keep leaves from unwinding
4, Cover the pot, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour. During cooking, add a little heated liquid as needed to keep dolmades moist. Remove from the heat and cool in the pot. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.
Dolmades
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup Plus 3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (finely chopped)
3 spring onions (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp Minced fresh mint
½ cup Pine nuts
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
½ tsp Ground allspice
1 Jar grape leaves
Several stems of fresh parsley
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup vegetable stock
Method
1, Heat 3 Tbsp of the olive oil in a wok. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the rice, ½ cup of the remaining olive oil, the spring onions, parsley, pine nuts, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
2, Rinse the grape leaves under running cold water to remove as much brine as possible, pat dry, and stack on a plate. Place 1 leaf at a time, shiny side down, on a flat work surface. Cut off and discard the tough stem end. Spoon about 1 Tbsp of the rice mixture in the center near the base of the leaf. Fold the stem end over to cover the filling, fold both side inward lengthwise and then tightly roll leaf toward pointed tip end to form a compact packet. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
3, Pour about 2 Tbsp. of the remaining olive oil in the bottom of a large pot and strew with a layer of parsley stems. Arrange the stuffed leaves, seam side down and almost touching, on top of the parsley, making as many layers as
necessary. Drizzle the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice, and 1/2 cup stock over the leaves. Top with a heat-resistant plate and weight with a heavy can to keep leaves from unwinding
4, Cover the pot, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour. During cooking, add a little heated liquid as needed to keep dolmades moist. Remove from the heat and cool in the pot. Sprinkle with lemon juice and serve.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Costco?
We went to a baby shower yesterday. It was a very non-traditional affair, more of an afternoon get-together with a pregnant woman! For lunch they served up some sandwiches in those great ciabatta rolls from Costco.
In principal it would seem that I am fairly anti- Costco- a lot of nasty, low quality overpriced food exists between its massive walls after all. But increasingly we are starting to think about joining. In the non-food realm there are some great deals on tires, electrical items, and bedding. Not to mention the really awesome return policy.
Foodwise I am generally not a fan, but there are a few items of note that I really do like:
In addition to the ciabatta rolls there is: cheese- fresh mozzarella did buffalo (to die for) and some wonderful brie. Vegetables: great hot house tomatoes and English cucumbers (some of the fruit is okay, we don't go through fruit in Costco sized portions, whereas we can easily go through 2 packs of tomatoes a week). My fave item in the veggie section is the peeled garlic- a laziness I never thought I would go for, but after having one container at such a low price I am converted! In the frozen section there is the really great spinach ravioli and a couple other occasional items. Then I like the big bags of pinenuts and other random ingredients that store well, so that a huge quantity is not a problem.
We still haven't totally decided, but with the taste of ciabatta still on my tongue I am leaning towards membership.
In principal it would seem that I am fairly anti- Costco- a lot of nasty, low quality overpriced food exists between its massive walls after all. But increasingly we are starting to think about joining. In the non-food realm there are some great deals on tires, electrical items, and bedding. Not to mention the really awesome return policy.
Foodwise I am generally not a fan, but there are a few items of note that I really do like:
In addition to the ciabatta rolls there is: cheese- fresh mozzarella did buffalo (to die for) and some wonderful brie. Vegetables: great hot house tomatoes and English cucumbers (some of the fruit is okay, we don't go through fruit in Costco sized portions, whereas we can easily go through 2 packs of tomatoes a week). My fave item in the veggie section is the peeled garlic- a laziness I never thought I would go for, but after having one container at such a low price I am converted! In the frozen section there is the really great spinach ravioli and a couple other occasional items. Then I like the big bags of pinenuts and other random ingredients that store well, so that a huge quantity is not a problem.
We still haven't totally decided, but with the taste of ciabatta still on my tongue I am leaning towards membership.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
A brunch by the Sea
Charged with the task of finding a brunch for my cousins upcoming wedding, I recently have delved into the world of Del Mar and La Jolla eateries. Initially we seemed like the like perfect candidates for this task- knowledgeable about San Diego's geography, big brunch lovers, thrifty, and, without have actually ever gone to cooking school, students of all things culinary.
These were our requirements:
Somewhere that not only seats 25, but takes a reservation for 25
Somewhere that will take a reservation for 25 at 11am
Somewhere that serves brunch on a Saturday
Somewhere with prices of $12- $14 per head
Somewhere with yummy food
Preferably somewhere with a pleasant ambiance suitable for a wedding.
Somewhere between the Temple (La Jolla) and the Reception ( Thousand Oakes, north of LA)
The task turned out to be a tricky one, and I would have been absolutely lost without the help of Jim, San Diego's resident Sunday Brunch Master. Jim your site was invaluable on this occasion, as as ever I thank you!
With the geographic requirements, and the thought that we were already facing a 2+ hour commute up to Thousand Oakes in mind, we decided to look mainly in La Jolla, Del Mar and Cardiff. This has the obvious problem of clashing with one of our other requirements- $12- $14 per head. Coupled with the Saturday brunch requirement we managed to narrow our search down to a very few restaurants. these we then called, one by one, and one by one were told that there is no way a reservation for 25 people can be made in the middle of Fair season. (I hate the Del Mar fair, and hate it even more after this long search).
The good part about all our restrictions, was that it really left us with very little choice. When we happened on Del Mar's Poseidon and were told that a reservation could be made for us- furthermore a reservation on the patio overlooking the sea, we were overjoyed! We decided to head up to Del Mar and check it out the next possible weekend.
May Gray would not be my first choice time for brunch by the sea, and the weather in Del Mar was much as expected, overcast and more than a little gloomy. Still the fact that many people were still heading to the beautiful beaches cheered us up a little, and added that relaxed vacation feel to our morning mood. so many people were at the beach indeed that parking, as it almost always is in Del Mar, was a nightmare. Del Mar is I believe the only city in the county that has parking meters working every day of the year. Not only are they always working, but they cost $2 per hour! this being the cases we really had little choice but to valet at Poseidon, something we never do. The valet was $3, and almost cheaper that the mater, not to mention the fact that we couldn't find a meter to begin with! Valeting really was about the dumbest thing I have ever done however, we drove up (through the valet parked cars), stepped out of the car and let the valet park it maybe 15 feet away.... not the greatest start, and the thought of all the wedding guest having to do this was irritating. Still, we kept our spirits high.
We were seated for brunch on the outdoor patio- this does afford a wonderful view of the sea, and seemed very luxurious. Still there were a few improvements that I believe could and should be made- the paint, for example, was horribly flaked off most of the chairs, a scruffy look, which once noticed, seemed very at odds with the Del Mar beach setting. The wait staff, who were so attentive as valet's and hostesses, were not the best at serving food to tables, coffee was only topped up every half hour or so, and waiters failed to inquire about any problems you might be encountering.
The food, however, was very good. I got a chicken sandwich (thank goodness not burnt "blackened" chicken, but just regular grilled chicken, nicely cooked and with great, though unoriginal, fixings. My wife got a spinach omelet that was really delicious, filled with some juicy mushrooms, and topped with decadent cheese. The house potatoes were also great, and for once the servers did remember my requested side of mayonnaise.
So- a good choice and we are happy. Perhaps not our favorite place in San Diego, but the sea view alone should make for a great wedding day brunch, and the lowish prices make for happy mother of the groom!
These were our requirements:
Somewhere that not only seats 25, but takes a reservation for 25
Somewhere that will take a reservation for 25 at 11am
Somewhere that serves brunch on a Saturday
Somewhere with prices of $12- $14 per head
Somewhere with yummy food
Preferably somewhere with a pleasant ambiance suitable for a wedding.
Somewhere between the Temple (La Jolla) and the Reception ( Thousand Oakes, north of LA)
The task turned out to be a tricky one, and I would have been absolutely lost without the help of Jim, San Diego's resident Sunday Brunch Master. Jim your site was invaluable on this occasion, as as ever I thank you!
With the geographic requirements, and the thought that we were already facing a 2+ hour commute up to Thousand Oakes in mind, we decided to look mainly in La Jolla, Del Mar and Cardiff. This has the obvious problem of clashing with one of our other requirements- $12- $14 per head. Coupled with the Saturday brunch requirement we managed to narrow our search down to a very few restaurants. these we then called, one by one, and one by one were told that there is no way a reservation for 25 people can be made in the middle of Fair season. (I hate the Del Mar fair, and hate it even more after this long search).
The good part about all our restrictions, was that it really left us with very little choice. When we happened on Del Mar's Poseidon and were told that a reservation could be made for us- furthermore a reservation on the patio overlooking the sea, we were overjoyed! We decided to head up to Del Mar and check it out the next possible weekend.
May Gray would not be my first choice time for brunch by the sea, and the weather in Del Mar was much as expected, overcast and more than a little gloomy. Still the fact that many people were still heading to the beautiful beaches cheered us up a little, and added that relaxed vacation feel to our morning mood. so many people were at the beach indeed that parking, as it almost always is in Del Mar, was a nightmare. Del Mar is I believe the only city in the county that has parking meters working every day of the year. Not only are they always working, but they cost $2 per hour! this being the cases we really had little choice but to valet at Poseidon, something we never do. The valet was $3, and almost cheaper that the mater, not to mention the fact that we couldn't find a meter to begin with! Valeting really was about the dumbest thing I have ever done however, we drove up (through the valet parked cars), stepped out of the car and let the valet park it maybe 15 feet away.... not the greatest start, and the thought of all the wedding guest having to do this was irritating. Still, we kept our spirits high.
We were seated for brunch on the outdoor patio- this does afford a wonderful view of the sea, and seemed very luxurious. Still there were a few improvements that I believe could and should be made- the paint, for example, was horribly flaked off most of the chairs, a scruffy look, which once noticed, seemed very at odds with the Del Mar beach setting. The wait staff, who were so attentive as valet's and hostesses, were not the best at serving food to tables, coffee was only topped up every half hour or so, and waiters failed to inquire about any problems you might be encountering.
The food, however, was very good. I got a chicken sandwich (thank goodness not burnt "blackened" chicken, but just regular grilled chicken, nicely cooked and with great, though unoriginal, fixings. My wife got a spinach omelet that was really delicious, filled with some juicy mushrooms, and topped with decadent cheese. The house potatoes were also great, and for once the servers did remember my requested side of mayonnaise.
So- a good choice and we are happy. Perhaps not our favorite place in San Diego, but the sea view alone should make for a great wedding day brunch, and the lowish prices make for happy mother of the groom!
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Russo's House
We had a nice little lunch at Russo's house this weekend. Having missed brunch hours we were looking for somewhere new close by to try out. Italian isn't something we tend to eat out very much (an easy thing to prepare well at home, and often overpriced at restaurants). Russo's house is somewhere we have often passed by, nestled up by 1st Avenue and University this homely little spot is quite small, with a nice patio outside to take up some rays (although May Gray doesn't seem to be offering us too many).
Going through the menu we settled on a couple of fresh looking pasta dishes. A nice touch at Russo's house is the ability to chose from a wide selection of different noodles with your chosen sauce. I should point out that at this point, (having missed brunch and not yet eaten) we were absolutely starving, and therefore a little disappointed not be offered some bread or something whilst we waited for our meal. Still, the service was quite fast and we sat in the calming patio sipping on a crisp, and very reasonably priced Chardonnay.
Our pasta arrived and was very nice, I suppose I always feel, as mentioned before that this is something that I could have quite easily prepared at home, but it is nice to be pampered on a Sunday afternoon. The ingredients were very fresh, diced tomatoes, frehs herbs, capers and garlic combinign to make a wonderful dish. The higlight for me was the italian sausage which really added a great dimension, evoking flavors i haven't tasted since my last trip to Italy.
Still having some Chardonnay left our waiter persuaded us to grab a small dessert to share to end the meal. We settled on a lemon cheesecake. The cheesecake was good mainly because cheesecake is always good- it was by no means spectacular however the lemon too faint, the cake not rich enough and the crust hardly there. Still cheesecake is always good and we reflected for a little while on how strange it is that so much of the food we enjoy comes from 2 animal species..... and then we came to the less pleasant part of meal- finding a thick black hair in the center of the cake. I'm not sure what it is about finding hairs, but it really can be pretty gross, particularly when contrasted against the creamy white texture of the cake. Luckily for the staff I think we were certainly mellowed by the Chardonnay and did not make a big deal. Our waiter handled everything incredibly well, managing to make a joke of the whole thing whilst also being extremely apologetic and, of course, comping us for a new cake.
Well, don't let our hair experience put you off this nice little restaurant- at least ti shows the food is being home made! If you are looking for good reasonably priced Italian fare Russo's house is a good bet.
Going through the menu we settled on a couple of fresh looking pasta dishes. A nice touch at Russo's house is the ability to chose from a wide selection of different noodles with your chosen sauce. I should point out that at this point, (having missed brunch and not yet eaten) we were absolutely starving, and therefore a little disappointed not be offered some bread or something whilst we waited for our meal. Still, the service was quite fast and we sat in the calming patio sipping on a crisp, and very reasonably priced Chardonnay.
Our pasta arrived and was very nice, I suppose I always feel, as mentioned before that this is something that I could have quite easily prepared at home, but it is nice to be pampered on a Sunday afternoon. The ingredients were very fresh, diced tomatoes, frehs herbs, capers and garlic combinign to make a wonderful dish. The higlight for me was the italian sausage which really added a great dimension, evoking flavors i haven't tasted since my last trip to Italy.
Still having some Chardonnay left our waiter persuaded us to grab a small dessert to share to end the meal. We settled on a lemon cheesecake. The cheesecake was good mainly because cheesecake is always good- it was by no means spectacular however the lemon too faint, the cake not rich enough and the crust hardly there. Still cheesecake is always good and we reflected for a little while on how strange it is that so much of the food we enjoy comes from 2 animal species..... and then we came to the less pleasant part of meal- finding a thick black hair in the center of the cake. I'm not sure what it is about finding hairs, but it really can be pretty gross, particularly when contrasted against the creamy white texture of the cake. Luckily for the staff I think we were certainly mellowed by the Chardonnay and did not make a big deal. Our waiter handled everything incredibly well, managing to make a joke of the whole thing whilst also being extremely apologetic and, of course, comping us for a new cake.
Well, don't let our hair experience put you off this nice little restaurant- at least ti shows the food is being home made! If you are looking for good reasonably priced Italian fare Russo's house is a good bet.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Wonderful Spinach Pie
A new great product at TJs- well maybe not new, but new to me anyhow. Trader Joes makes a really wonderful low-fat Spankanopitta. This is one of my favorite dishes, and I love to make
it myself, although brushing every sheet of filo with olive oil, sauteing leeks and shallots, and crumbling feta can be a little time consuming. I don't have many pre-made frozen foods I like to buy, but this one is really wonderful and can be made into a great healthy meal in a few minutes- add in some tzatziki, hummus and a nice Greek salad and you are there.
it myself, although brushing every sheet of filo with olive oil, sauteing leeks and shallots, and crumbling feta can be a little time consuming. I don't have many pre-made frozen foods I like to buy, but this one is really wonderful and can be made into a great healthy meal in a few minutes- add in some tzatziki, hummus and a nice Greek salad and you are there.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Top Picnic Spots
With Summer nearly upon us, I thought it a good time to post some of my top picnic spots. I'd love to hear other suggestions:
Morley Fields- Only a few blocks form our house we love to head to Morley Fields, it gets a little crazy on sunny Sundays sometimes, but you can usually find a table. Lots of fun things for kids to do and generally a nice place to relax- plus we love checking out the mock Renaissance battles that go on out there.
The Protea Garden- Wild animal Park- perfect in December and January, almost always sunny and pleasant. Escondido gets a bit too hot in the summer, but the winter months are perfect. The Wild animal park is always a fun place to go for a day outing and the Protea Garden offers the perfect picnic spot- hidden from most of the tourists, and a far better option than the awful overpriced food sold at the many booths and cafes.
Ocean Beach- If you can find parking then OB can be a great spot for a picnic, lots of tables which don't get filled up except during the tourist season. There is usually a nice sea breeze and you can head off down to the beach after your lunch.
La Jolla Shores- lots of BBQ pits and picnic tables, the shores offer a wonderful place for a picnic with a view. Of course this is probably an area to avoid in July and August, as parking can be a nightmare. After your picnic you can enjoy a nice stroll down to the Children's pool and see the seals, or check out the wealth of marine birds on the cliffs.
Bird Park- another great one close to home, Bird Park affords a spectacular view of the Coronado bridge, and never seems to be very crowded. Take one of the benches, or just set up some chairs and look out at the view. Bird park is also close to our favorite VegN Out, so you can pick up soem food to go inf you are feeling lazy.
Santee's Mast Park- Santee usually affords good weather, and Mast Park offers some wonderful views of the San Diego river. Sit on one of the benches and check out the red-winged and tricolored blackbirds, the coots morhens and red tailed hawks which fly overhead. Utter paradise
Morley Fields- Only a few blocks form our house we love to head to Morley Fields, it gets a little crazy on sunny Sundays sometimes, but you can usually find a table. Lots of fun things for kids to do and generally a nice place to relax- plus we love checking out the mock Renaissance battles that go on out there.
The Protea Garden- Wild animal Park- perfect in December and January, almost always sunny and pleasant. Escondido gets a bit too hot in the summer, but the winter months are perfect. The Wild animal park is always a fun place to go for a day outing and the Protea Garden offers the perfect picnic spot- hidden from most of the tourists, and a far better option than the awful overpriced food sold at the many booths and cafes.
Ocean Beach- If you can find parking then OB can be a great spot for a picnic, lots of tables which don't get filled up except during the tourist season. There is usually a nice sea breeze and you can head off down to the beach after your lunch.
La Jolla Shores- lots of BBQ pits and picnic tables, the shores offer a wonderful place for a picnic with a view. Of course this is probably an area to avoid in July and August, as parking can be a nightmare. After your picnic you can enjoy a nice stroll down to the Children's pool and see the seals, or check out the wealth of marine birds on the cliffs.
Bird Park- another great one close to home, Bird Park affords a spectacular view of the Coronado bridge, and never seems to be very crowded. Take one of the benches, or just set up some chairs and look out at the view. Bird park is also close to our favorite VegN Out, so you can pick up soem food to go inf you are feeling lazy.
Santee's Mast Park- Santee usually affords good weather, and Mast Park offers some wonderful views of the San Diego river. Sit on one of the benches and check out the red-winged and tricolored blackbirds, the coots morhens and red tailed hawks which fly overhead. Utter paradise
Friday, May 04, 2007
Cafe on Park
Recently with my parents in town we had a scenario by which we wanted to get something for lunch, that wasn’t far, and that could be carried back to my Dad who was working on a powerpoint presentation for a conference. Not being exactly enticed by our very local ‘Philly Grill’ I decided to head over to Park Blvd where I knew there were a couple of little places that did sandwiches- namely Café on Park and Urban Grind. The corner of Park and University is not a nice location, and I must say my mother seemed a little hesitant to believe that we might find some good food there. We perused both menus ( both offering an interesting selection of sandwiches) and eventually settled on Café on Park- which had so many wonderful options. Inside the restaurant was incredibly nicely laid out, calming and fresh. I settled on a Avocado and Brie sandwich whilst my mother got the highly recommended tuna melt taking home a meatloaf sandwich for my father. Having been offered a nice selection of sides we settled on the Butternut Squash soup and headed home.
Opening up our little packages at home, we could not have been more thrilled, everything was excellent, incredibly fresh, meticulously prepared with the most high quality ingredients. The Sandwiches were all wonderful, but the butternut squash soup really topped everything- delightfully creamy and rich without being overly sickly as I often find soups can be, it really was heavenly. We are definitely excited to have found such a great eatery so incredibly close to our house, and I feel ashamed that I have not visited before now.
Opening up our little packages at home, we could not have been more thrilled, everything was excellent, incredibly fresh, meticulously prepared with the most high quality ingredients. The Sandwiches were all wonderful, but the butternut squash soup really topped everything- delightfully creamy and rich without being overly sickly as I often find soups can be, it really was heavenly. We are definitely excited to have found such a great eatery so incredibly close to our house, and I feel ashamed that I have not visited before now.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Lot 81
Our copy of Uptown magazine has expired before our new magazine has arrived. In desperation therefore of somewhere new to eat, and a coupon to help us out with cost we turned to another coupon publication: Get1free . Browsing through the pages we discovered a restaurant/bar that we had noticed a few times on Morena blvd called Lot 81. That part of Morena really is an ugly area of town, and yet the place looked interesting and on more than one occasion we had thought of stepping in to give it a try- here was our chance.
Driving up to Lot 81 Morena Blvd looked sadder than ever, a dreary gray of concrete and chain stores, our moods lifted however when we chanced upon parking right outside the entrance to the Lot 81, and brightened even further when we stepped inside this tasteful, brightly colored restaurant that was as airy and light as the street outside was dreary and gray. Orange furniture filled the small little space, and each table was adorned with striking floral arrangements- sounds a little extreme- it was not and the place felt extremely comfortable and welcoming, complete with a hostess who screamed with excitement when we entered, being her first customers of a very slow Saturday.
Browsing through the menu I chose a burger with pineapple and a glass of beer whilst my wife got a spinach pear and Gorgonzola salad with a glass of white wine. A few more customers came in whilst we were waiting, but the service remained very prompt and attentive and our food arrived very swiftly.
Biting into my burger I quickly discovered that this was the most tasty burger I had yet eaten in San Diego. The quality of he meat was wonderful, and cooked to perfection. The bread was a wonderful combination of toasted and fluffiness and the addition of the pineapple was really delicious. If I had to complain at all it would be simply that the burger was a little tricky to eat- but who careas about that really!
My wife's salad was equally delicious, with a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette that was not at all too sweet, as berry vinaigrettes can often be. A couple of pear slices on top had been sauted to perfection, caramelizing around the edges. The cheese was creamy and delicious and the spinach very fresh- we were impressed!
So, first of all, a big thumbs up to Lot 81 for managing to brighten up this sad corner of Linda Vista. But then I must add a hearty congratulations for serving such great food, I have to admit we weren't expecting the quality to this high and we were very happily surprised. Lot 81 is very close to my wife's work and will make a great alternative to Old Town, particularly once tourist season starts, for an after work bite.
Driving up to Lot 81 Morena Blvd looked sadder than ever, a dreary gray of concrete and chain stores, our moods lifted however when we chanced upon parking right outside the entrance to the Lot 81, and brightened even further when we stepped inside this tasteful, brightly colored restaurant that was as airy and light as the street outside was dreary and gray. Orange furniture filled the small little space, and each table was adorned with striking floral arrangements- sounds a little extreme- it was not and the place felt extremely comfortable and welcoming, complete with a hostess who screamed with excitement when we entered, being her first customers of a very slow Saturday.
Browsing through the menu I chose a burger with pineapple and a glass of beer whilst my wife got a spinach pear and Gorgonzola salad with a glass of white wine. A few more customers came in whilst we were waiting, but the service remained very prompt and attentive and our food arrived very swiftly.
Biting into my burger I quickly discovered that this was the most tasty burger I had yet eaten in San Diego. The quality of he meat was wonderful, and cooked to perfection. The bread was a wonderful combination of toasted and fluffiness and the addition of the pineapple was really delicious. If I had to complain at all it would be simply that the burger was a little tricky to eat- but who careas about that really!
My wife's salad was equally delicious, with a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette that was not at all too sweet, as berry vinaigrettes can often be. A couple of pear slices on top had been sauted to perfection, caramelizing around the edges. The cheese was creamy and delicious and the spinach very fresh- we were impressed!
So, first of all, a big thumbs up to Lot 81 for managing to brighten up this sad corner of Linda Vista. But then I must add a hearty congratulations for serving such great food, I have to admit we weren't expecting the quality to this high and we were very happily surprised. Lot 81 is very close to my wife's work and will make a great alternative to Old Town, particularly once tourist season starts, for an after work bite.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Brunch at Cafe One Three
Trying to be a little more adventurous we journeyed out to a new brunch place this Sunday- Cafe One Three, which describes itself as an eclectic eatery and is located in University Heights on Normal Street, just by Henry's.
The menu, although a little lacking in vegetarian options, was certainly intriguing. everything from herb potato pancakes topped with American caviar, to coconut oatmeal- it took us a little while to pick what we most wanted. In the end I chose some wholewheat pancakes with blackberry syrup and sage sausage. My wife chose an omelet with Kalamata olives, feta cheese and mushrooms, which came with cottage cheese, fruit and breakfast potatoes. To drink we had some freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and a couple of cups of coffee. Everything was excellent!
Cafe One Three has yet to gain a great audience, (we certainly weren't complaining that there was no wait for a table, and indeed at 10.15 am we were the second lot of guests in the restaurant.) However the atmosphere, being so quiet was a little lacking, and the window seat table looked out at nothing more exciting than a Chevron station. Still, the service was very nice, and the presentation of everything very nice. Most impressive was, as I mentioned , the wonderful menu options, which certainly lived up to the eclectic claim- we will be excited to come back here for dinner.
The menu, although a little lacking in vegetarian options, was certainly intriguing. everything from herb potato pancakes topped with American caviar, to coconut oatmeal- it took us a little while to pick what we most wanted. In the end I chose some wholewheat pancakes with blackberry syrup and sage sausage. My wife chose an omelet with Kalamata olives, feta cheese and mushrooms, which came with cottage cheese, fruit and breakfast potatoes. To drink we had some freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and a couple of cups of coffee. Everything was excellent!
Cafe One Three has yet to gain a great audience, (we certainly weren't complaining that there was no wait for a table, and indeed at 10.15 am we were the second lot of guests in the restaurant.) However the atmosphere, being so quiet was a little lacking, and the window seat table looked out at nothing more exciting than a Chevron station. Still, the service was very nice, and the presentation of everything very nice. Most impressive was, as I mentioned , the wonderful menu options, which certainly lived up to the eclectic claim- we will be excited to come back here for dinner.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Basic
Visited Basic last night and had a lot of fun. It was a friends birthday party and she introduced us to this awesome space, right across from the ball park. The main draw of the bar is the layout - an open faced brick building, - an excellent addition to the urban Kitchen scene put together by Graham Downes Architecture (think Laurel and Chive), which makes me think of giving up thoughts of culinary school and heading into interior design instead! So much of eating out is made wonderful by the setting.
Anyhow- the bar was a lot of fun- with this almost paper-thin pizza which comes out looking way too big, but is so thin that one large pizza between three works out just fine and makes a great addition to the many beers on tap. The atmosphere was great at first- very chill and relaxed but became a little manic after the ball game got out. Suddenly 30 guests became 300 in a matter of 5 minutes- a great game and victory however led to a fun excited crowd.
Basic is said to have a great happy hour, with cheap drinks and free pizza- we will be back to check it out very soon.
Anyhow- the bar was a lot of fun- with this almost paper-thin pizza which comes out looking way too big, but is so thin that one large pizza between three works out just fine and makes a great addition to the many beers on tap. The atmosphere was great at first- very chill and relaxed but became a little manic after the ball game got out. Suddenly 30 guests became 300 in a matter of 5 minutes- a great game and victory however led to a fun excited crowd.
Basic is said to have a great happy hour, with cheap drinks and free pizza- we will be back to check it out very soon.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
A Love Affair with Spelt
Another Trader Joes product I have fallen in love with: Spelt... I just can't get enough of the stuff it is really fantastic. High in protein and fiber spelt is a healthy alternative to rice or couscous and it just tastes so great.
The first batch I made rissoto style, mixing in vegetable broth spoon by spoon, then added some dried cranberries, broiled portabellas and asparagus, garlic and goats cheese topped off with some slices of oranges- delicious!
The second batch I made in a similar way, mixing in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar along the way. I then stuffed the spelt into some pre-baked peppers and threw them in the oven for 25 minutes, topping the dish off with a little strong cheddar. Served with a simple side salad you can see the final concoction below.
The first batch I made rissoto style, mixing in vegetable broth spoon by spoon, then added some dried cranberries, broiled portabellas and asparagus, garlic and goats cheese topped off with some slices of oranges- delicious!
The second batch I made in a similar way, mixing in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar along the way. I then stuffed the spelt into some pre-baked peppers and threw them in the oven for 25 minutes, topping the dish off with a little strong cheddar. Served with a simple side salad you can see the final concoction below.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Overrated Pie
I'm not going to go on a long rant here, but having just spent the weekend at William Heise park, I stopped by Julian to have some pie. This was our third trip to Julian for such pie and our third different famous pie shop to try. For the third time we were disappointed - the pie was just not that good....
I am thinking of giving up- unless someone can persuade me a reason or a place to try this renowned pie again!
I am thinking of giving up- unless someone can persuade me a reason or a place to try this renowned pie again!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Fave Breakfast Places
Having been in San Diego for I guess a year and a half now I find myself not exploring as much as I used to, and often going back to the same old places. This is certainly the case with breakfast- particularly after our unfavorable experience at Green Tomato last time we strayed outside our well worn spots.
So- my top five breakfast places:
1, The Beach House- just the heaven of drinking champagne on the beach in the morning sun is enough to make this place top my list. The food is perhaps not as good as at some other places but the whole experience together really is.
2, The Boat House- somehow over the past few months I have fallen in love with the Boathouse Mess breakfast option. The spicy chillies, with the delicious potatoes, creamy cheese and slightly crunchy peppers. The perfect dish after a slightly rough night- great service, never any wait to speak of, and a lovely view.
3, Big Kitchen- probably wins the best for ambiance (provided you don't get a view, and also for the wealth of vegetarian and healthy options. Big Kitchen really can often you whatever you looking for, plus hanging out waiting in South Park with a coffee in hand is always fun.
4, Terra- Prehaps a surprise inclusion- but has some of the best quality food I have had for breakfast in San Diego. Not much on the setting, but sometimes good food is just worth it.
5, Hash House- I'm not in love with this place as a lot of people are, but it still should make the top ten for its novelty value. The huge pancakes are I think unmatched in town- surprising in their thorough fluffiness. Large portions come at a heavy cost here, but well if you are hungry there is no better place to go.
So- my top five breakfast places:
1, The Beach House- just the heaven of drinking champagne on the beach in the morning sun is enough to make this place top my list. The food is perhaps not as good as at some other places but the whole experience together really is.
2, The Boat House- somehow over the past few months I have fallen in love with the Boathouse Mess breakfast option. The spicy chillies, with the delicious potatoes, creamy cheese and slightly crunchy peppers. The perfect dish after a slightly rough night- great service, never any wait to speak of, and a lovely view.
3, Big Kitchen- probably wins the best for ambiance (provided you don't get a view, and also for the wealth of vegetarian and healthy options. Big Kitchen really can often you whatever you looking for, plus hanging out waiting in South Park with a coffee in hand is always fun.
4, Terra- Prehaps a surprise inclusion- but has some of the best quality food I have had for breakfast in San Diego. Not much on the setting, but sometimes good food is just worth it.
5, Hash House- I'm not in love with this place as a lot of people are, but it still should make the top ten for its novelty value. The huge pancakes are I think unmatched in town- surprising in their thorough fluffiness. Large portions come at a heavy cost here, but well if you are hungry there is no better place to go.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Village Kabob Greek Restaurant
My wife's work often means that our weekends start on Saturday afternoons- if we are lucky that this... This weekend we were fortunate enough to have the whole of Saturday afternoon and Sunday to ourselves, and thought we would celebrate the start with a nice trip out to lunch. Picking her up at her office near Old Town we contemplated where to go- Mexican food did not sound too appealing and so we decided to head to Ocean Beach an area we haven't really tried out much in the culinary arena. Passing over the OB Bistro (good but very overpriced from past experience), we headed right to the Newport strip, figuring that we would surely find something among this plethora of restaurants. As we headed down the street however we began to despair- everything looked so greasy and mediocre.Menu after Menu we checked walking all the way down to the beach and then back up the other side with nothing seeming particularly appealing- and then we hit on the Village Kabob Greek Restaurant.
Greek Food always used to be our favorite cuisine, and for some reason in recent year we have neglected it a little- perhaps because it is something we have done a pretty good job with in our own home. Nonetheless the diners tucking into a fresh Greek salad were tremendously enticing- and the clean airy bright interior of the restaurant was a welcome antidote from the crowded dingy bars of Newport Avenue. Contrast can be everything at times and it certainly helped this little Greek restaurant win our hearts, manifesting itself again in the appearance of the friendliest Greek waitress, so helpful and charming that she made the gruff waiter down the street, asking aggressively for our IDs as we checked out a menu, slightly embarrassing.
of the many menu choices available to us I chose the chicken kabob plate and my wife agonizing at first between the Spankanopitta and the falafel was thrilled to see she could have a little piece of both. Perhaps it was just our delight in having finally found a place to eat but everything seemed fantastic- the lentil soup that started welled with flavor, the salad was fresh and the tzatziki light and creamy, even the falafels seemed the best we had had in San Diego.
I'm not sure the Village Kabob Greek Restaurant is exactly somewhere I would go back to- hard to recreate the euphoria of the day- however if I am ever stranded in Ocean Beach looking for a good meal that is not deep fried I will know where to find it.
Greek Food always used to be our favorite cuisine, and for some reason in recent year we have neglected it a little- perhaps because it is something we have done a pretty good job with in our own home. Nonetheless the diners tucking into a fresh Greek salad were tremendously enticing- and the clean airy bright interior of the restaurant was a welcome antidote from the crowded dingy bars of Newport Avenue. Contrast can be everything at times and it certainly helped this little Greek restaurant win our hearts, manifesting itself again in the appearance of the friendliest Greek waitress, so helpful and charming that she made the gruff waiter down the street, asking aggressively for our IDs as we checked out a menu, slightly embarrassing.
of the many menu choices available to us I chose the chicken kabob plate and my wife agonizing at first between the Spankanopitta and the falafel was thrilled to see she could have a little piece of both. Perhaps it was just our delight in having finally found a place to eat but everything seemed fantastic- the lentil soup that started welled with flavor, the salad was fresh and the tzatziki light and creamy, even the falafels seemed the best we had had in San Diego.
I'm not sure the Village Kabob Greek Restaurant is exactly somewhere I would go back to- hard to recreate the euphoria of the day- however if I am ever stranded in Ocean Beach looking for a good meal that is not deep fried I will know where to find it.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Breakfast at Green Tomato
Wanting to try somewhere new for breakfast I was recommended to check out Green tomato- a lover of their happy hour I figured I would give it a shot- particularly after seeing the lines at Big Kitchen (it's good but not hour and a half wait good).
Green Tomato always give me a nice feeling of cleanliness, perhaps the white linens at the tables, it feels a very elegant place to be with the antique style furniture, and of course the British waiter. the restaurant was pretty empty, which was great so far as hunger levels are concerned, but too good an advertisement for the food. A poor advertisement which unfortunately turned out to be right as soon as we got our menus. The menu really was just horribly uninspired, which such insipid choices that it took us a long long while to figure out which dull entree to choose. On the plus side there were some delicious chocolate muffin type things to much on at this time.
The food was not bad at Green Tomato, just decidedly unspectacular, and the ambiance felt like the downstairs restaurant of some chain hotel, all clean and proper with no character at all. When I have been for happy hour before things have been quite different, the lights turned down low, the ornate bar with the amusing bar tender, the elegant martinis served for incredibly reasonable prices. Breakfast just isn't the time to visit this restaurant.
Green Tomato always give me a nice feeling of cleanliness, perhaps the white linens at the tables, it feels a very elegant place to be with the antique style furniture, and of course the British waiter. the restaurant was pretty empty, which was great so far as hunger levels are concerned, but too good an advertisement for the food. A poor advertisement which unfortunately turned out to be right as soon as we got our menus. The menu really was just horribly uninspired, which such insipid choices that it took us a long long while to figure out which dull entree to choose. On the plus side there were some delicious chocolate muffin type things to much on at this time.
The food was not bad at Green Tomato, just decidedly unspectacular, and the ambiance felt like the downstairs restaurant of some chain hotel, all clean and proper with no character at all. When I have been for happy hour before things have been quite different, the lights turned down low, the ornate bar with the amusing bar tender, the elegant martinis served for incredibly reasonable prices. Breakfast just isn't the time to visit this restaurant.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Wasabi Tamari Almonds
As most of you doubtless know a new Trader Joes store opened last month at the NTC in Point Loma. For proximity's sake I will continue to use the Hillcrest Store, but am still excited that prehaps a new store will diffuse crowds a little. Anyway, to mark the occasion I thought I would tell you about a couple of my fave products currently at TJs.
Browsing through the fearless flier recently I came across an article which started along the lines of "do you like spicy, salty and sweet tastes all at once" this being my absolutely fave food I read on and discovered a new product- wasabi tamari almonds. I was a little disapointed- not being a big fan of tamari and positively disliking wasabi. Still the next time I was in the store I decided to get a packet. The first one nearly blew off the roof of my mouth, I was momentarily disgusted, but then the after taste kicked in- the sweetness of the almond. It was delicious, I tried another and another and was quickly addicted. The only disappointing thing about this product is I don't seem to be able to share it with anyone, no one seems quite able to get past the initial wasabi fire- but please do try, it is well well worth it.
My other favorite product now are the roasted tomatoes. Oh my goodness these things are to die for- way better than any sun dried stuff. Initially the package looks a little pricey at 3.50 ish for a small pack- but again well worth it. The package lasts for a fair few wonderful salads, a whole new taste that has been wonderful!
Browsing through the fearless flier recently I came across an article which started along the lines of "do you like spicy, salty and sweet tastes all at once" this being my absolutely fave food I read on and discovered a new product- wasabi tamari almonds. I was a little disapointed- not being a big fan of tamari and positively disliking wasabi. Still the next time I was in the store I decided to get a packet. The first one nearly blew off the roof of my mouth, I was momentarily disgusted, but then the after taste kicked in- the sweetness of the almond. It was delicious, I tried another and another and was quickly addicted. The only disappointing thing about this product is I don't seem to be able to share it with anyone, no one seems quite able to get past the initial wasabi fire- but please do try, it is well well worth it.
My other favorite product now are the roasted tomatoes. Oh my goodness these things are to die for- way better than any sun dried stuff. Initially the package looks a little pricey at 3.50 ish for a small pack- but again well worth it. The package lasts for a fair few wonderful salads, a whole new taste that has been wonderful!
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