sd:dialed in: food edition

2008-11-05T16:56:00.000-08:00

Chef Vito's

Starbucks In Normal Heights

The Local

Welcome to the freakin neighborhood

2007-04-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

For anyone who doesn't know, I have lived in Kensington for 7 years. Living right on the main street, there has barely been a time when I didn't have some sort of construction going on around me. The lofts on Adams between Kensington Ave and Marlborough took a while, bringing in office space and homes in their multipurpose units. Then there was the condo conversion next door, where two bedrooms that once rented for $700 were "upgraded" and sold for $476,000. Soon, the gas station across from me and the two houses next to it will be knocked out and more multi-use office and loft space will be built. My landlord has been offered a lot of money to sell, too, and she's held out thus far, but one day I'll be displaced to be sure.

One of the additions to Kensington in this development has been a Starbucks. I'm not a fan of coffee in general though I spent plenty of my high school years hanging out at Just Java or Café de Café or at my first job at Pronto Café. Starbucks has a knack for building stores adjacent, across the street, or diagonal across the street from established coffee shops. In my neighborhood, they moved in diagonal from San Diego Coffee Company at Kensington, the new name of the shop since Kensington Coffee couldn't compete. I've almost gotten over the Starbuck's...I know a lot of people like their standards and consistency, it's always busy, and non-customers enjoy the patio they've built. I won't, however, get over the traffic it's created on the corner, especially the assholes in SUVs who park in the red zone (because they are excluded from laws), then cut me off as I'm making my left turn onto Adams from Marlborough.

Regretfully, my problems may be minimized at someone else's expense. The people of Normal Heights will soon have their own Starbucks, conveniently (and I say that with the most sarcasm possible) diagonal from Lestat's. They booted out the Mexican produce market and have redisgned the corner. Now Jerry Sanders can get his coffee in Kensington without being harassed by the people from the other side of the 15 bridge; they can have their own hideous Starbucks to go to.

How they allowed this design to pass, I will never know. But just another step in the wrong direction.

Chef Vito's Is Closed

2007-03-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

In going through my daily blogs, I came across and entry that Chef Vito's closed. This is sad news to me. My family has been going there for several years...it's where we went for birthdays, for my brother's deployment, for my brother's return, it's where my sister and her husband announced their engagement to us, and just for occasional family dinners. It was one of my favorite, if not my singlemost favorite Italian restaurant in San Diego. This is sad news and I hope the best for their family. Mine will be very disappointed.

North Embarcadero Visionary Plan

2007-03-09T12:37:00.000-08:00

This has nothing to do with food, but it's something I wrote and thought there might be interest from my readers, so I decided to post it here without cluttering my music page.

North Embarcadero Visionary Plan
http://www.portofsandiego.org/projects/nevp/
by Rosemary Bystrak

Meeting March 8, 2007, 3-4:30 pm

The Port of San Diego held a public open house this week to discuss the current status of what is called the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan. The plan, which has been talked about for at least a couple decades, has officially been in the planning stages for 7-10 years and is finally expected to break ground in 2008.

The overall project is broken into 10 phases with a total estimated cost of $221 million dollars with total completion not expected for several years. This particular meeting was held as a public briefing on the status of the project.

A PowerPoint presentation walked through a history of the project and each of the phases as well as the intended results from each phase. It was stated that the embarcadero area in most places is at least 80 years old and the overall intent is to make San Diego’s port “world class”. As development has increased downtown, the pressure has increased to not just serve tourists, but residents as well, with services and the most important aspect of the project, open park space and public art.

The first phase of the project is probably the most important and was the most talked about. The Broadway Hall and Formal Gardens is expected to break ground next year. A major component of this phase would be the realignment of Harbor Drive approximately 65’-70’ east in order to create space for an Esplanade. The roadway would be narrowed to 74’. To offset the narrowing of Harbor, Pacific Highway will be built out to 130’, with a 16’ landscaped median, 3 lanes in both directions, parallel parking, and striped bike lanes in both directions.

As a natural result of the street realignment and construction, not only in the Embarcadero but the Navy Complex and residential construction, parking is a major priority and public concern. As a result, the very first project will be a parking structure on the Navy Pier. Once completed, construction will start at B Street and move south to Broadway. The B Street Pier will be reinforced and made to accommodate the large cruise ships coming through San Diego and become the main cruise ship terminal. Some work has already been done on the piers with a separate $10 million loan from Carnival Cruises. $2 million has already been spent on dock improvements and passenger receiving areas. The low interest loan is being paid back by a $4 surcharge to cruise passengers and in no way comes from the Port, the City, CCDC or taxpayers.

The funding for Phase 1 of the Project will come from two sources. $10 million dollars will come from CCDC money out of $45 million dollars in bond proceeds allocated for the total project. The Port’s $10 million dollars will come from their share of money for the Lane Field (Broadway Navy Complex) lease agreements which will be under construction as early as this year.

Another major component of Phase 1 will be the creation of B Street as a thoroughfare all the way to the waterfront. Currently the street ends at the Complex.

To help control what could easily turn to chaos with the Embarcadero project and Lane Field and a host of other construction in the area, the Joint Powers Authority has been created. The JPA is made up of representatives from the City, the Port, and the CCDC. A meeting in May or June is expected to clarify how the projects will work together and be constructed concurrently with as little disruption as possible.

The other phases include The Cove, Market Square, South Lawn, North Lawn, Tavern on The Bay, The Wharf, Grape Street Pier and Piazza, The Crescent. Some of them are predominanty landscape projects, with the installation of decorative concrete pavers, pedestrian passes, etc. Some are more elaborate, like Market Square, which would have sail like structures that would serve as info booths on cruise days, and a public market on non cruise days. Some other interesting spots are the Wharf which would provide temporary/hourly slips for regional sailboats to sail in, park, and enjoy the embarcadero, the Grape Street Pier and Piazza which would actually allow water access in some manner, like a wide tiered area of steps to the water from the street level, or the Tavern By The Bay, which would allow for more dining in the area in front of Anthony’s.

There were clearly many issues that still needed to be worked out. Competing representatives from the Cruise Ship Council and Hornblower Cruises were present and tension was high because Hornblower had to relocate in order to accommodate larger cruise ship needs. An accessibility advocate was present and requested that the project surpass minimum code requirements, citing the walkways at Seaport as horrible for anybody in a wheelchair, and raised concerns about slope, terrain, and auditory directories for the blind.

I am looking forward to seeing this project break ground because park space and open land has not been enough of a priority in this city for too many years as it is hard to generate revenue from such areas. My feeling is that we live in San Diego, we pay the “sunshine tax” to be here, and we deserve these open spaces and park areas, and not only that, but they have been promised to us for so long that it is about time to make it happen.

Hiatus

2007-01-29T14:54:00.000-08:00

I just thought I would write here and say that the food blog will be on hiatus until I get my new computer. There's just too much going on with Dialed In right now for this to get any attention.

Go eat...

Bargains!

2007-01-18T08:44:00.000-08:00

*1/17-1/19 OCEANAIRE EXTENDS RESTAURANT WEEK MENU The Oceanaire extended its Restaurant Week menu for a week longer (until January 19) so patrons can still enjoy the $30 three-course dinner steal.400 J Street, Downtown San Diego 619.858.2277

*Cohn Restaurants is celebrating their anniversary by offering $20.07 dinner specials at select restaurants including Dakota, Thee Bungalow, Corvette Diner, Kemo Sabe, and Dakota. Check out the site here and check it out before it ends on January 24.

I will try to get to some reviews this weekend: my favorite sandwich spot downtown, California Grinders; Panda Inn @ Horton Plaza; La Strada and a couple others...

Multicultural Fair

2007-01-10T16:37:00.000-08:00

This is more for Dialed In but it's long so I thought better to link you to this page:

NINTH ANNUAL SAN DIEGO MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP ANNOUNCED

SAN DIEGO, CA — The Ninth Annual San Diego Multicultural Festival will feature
an exciting lineup of entertainment that reflects San Diego's diverse
population. The free event on Saturday, January 13, will feature a variety of
food, entertainment and fun for the entire family. The festival takes place from
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. along the Martin Luther King Jr. Promenade on the north
side of Harbor Drive between Market Street and Fourth Avenue, across from the
San Diego Convention Center. The festival coincides with the Martin Luther King
Jr. Day Parade at 10 a.m. near PETCO Park. The popular festival regularly draws
thousands of people, and this year, 25,000 to 30,000 people are expected to
attend. For all festival details, visit www.ccdc.com.

Entertainment Lineup:

EAST STAGE: MACY'S STAGE

11:30 a.m. Native American Dancers, Northern Traditional

12:15 p.m. Bayou Brothers, Louisiana Bayou Music/Culture

1:15 p.m. CIA (Callahan Institute of Arts); Hip Hop Dance

2:00 p.m. Harvey Mendiola, Polynesian Dance

2:45 p.m. Riders of the Purple Sage, Classic Western Band

3:30 p.m. The West Coast Boogiemen, Blues, Rock, Swing

4:15 p.m. Bolgazohdoomah, Music of Ghana

WEST STAGE: CCDC STAGE

11:15 a.m. Skelpin', Irish, Spanish and Turkish Music Fusion

12:00 p.m. Lucky Lion Dancers, Traditional Dances of China1

2:30 p.m. Corazon y Candela, Cuban Music (Salsa)

1:30 p.m. Joel Penner, Jazz

2:15 p.m. MLK Parade Awards

3:00 p.m. Balinese Dance

3:30 p.m. SoulVoice, Women's A Capella Quartet

4:10 p.m. East West Band, Jazz Fusion

INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLERS STAGE

12:00 p.m. Native Talk, Native American Storytelling

1:10 p.m. Asako Aizawa, Japanese Storytelling and Origami

1:45 p.m. Alyce Smith Cooper, African American Tales

3:00 p.m. Tales from the Story Bag, Irish, Scottish and English Tales

3:35 p.m. Tales Alive, Musical Folktales from Asia & Africa

4:15 p.m. Abel Silvas, Californian Native American Storytelling

Albertson's

2007-01-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

I live in Kensington. That means the nearest Albertson's is in City Heights. I love my Albertson's because it is probably an experience of the greatest diversity that one can have in San Diego. There are white people, African-Americans, Latinos, Eritreans, Vietnamese, Chinese, and more, who all converge in the same place to get groceries. The store is huge and accomodates the mixed demographics with cultural and ethnic foods. There are aisles with Asian and Mexican foods, Soul food, etc. This diversity in San Diego is always fascinating to me, even when I'm getting annoyed by the person in front of me redeeming 20 WIC certificates. (There really has to be a better way)

What a contrast my Albertson's is from the new Albertson's downtown. Located in the "East Village" on 14th, between G and Market streets, the new Albertson's is an experience unto itself. It is huge, probably the same size as my City Heights Albertsons, but it couldn't be more different. There is a huge "customer service" center which I've never even seen in a store before. There is a wide area with various to go food items such as the soup bar that lead you to the butcher counter in the back and the deli on the side. The aisles throughout the store are wide and the store definitely carries more specialty items. The liquor aisle isn't all locked up and there is a huge selection of wines.

I originally entered the store with the intention of just getting a fresh steak from the counter, but I realized there were some sale items I needed, too. I got my stuff and then just kinda browsed around. This was definitely not my Albertsons. I guess if you bought into the whole "East Village" thing and bought, you are paying in more ways than one. The markup on regular items is huge. You know Easy Cheese, right? The aerosol stuff in a can? $5.09!!! Holy shit.

Anyway, the store is nice. As it is on my way home, when I need stuff, I will stop there in the future (they actually observe the "3s a Crowd" rule), but my coupon cutting dad would seriously kick my ass if I were to ever buy a regular priced item in that store.

The Local

2007-01-05T10:20:00.000-08:00

I'm really not very good at keeping this blog up to date, but I'll work on it.

This week Dave, Sara and I ventured to The Local. We have been there many times before but it has always been a question for us because in our experiences, the lunch hour there is so busy. The food is good but the service has always been slow. One of the first times, we sat down at noon, finally got our order taken at 12:25, and got our food at 12:55, which we basically had to take to go. That particular day, about 2 hours after my lunch, there was an ad on Craig's List from the Local looking to hire someone during the day shift.

Well, I'm happy to report that on Wednesday, the usual waitress was there, but now at least 2 other food runners/bussers who help keep drinks full and whatnot. Our orders were taken promptly, our food came out in a reasonable amount of time, and our check was delivered without any wait. All of this lets me get on to the food.

As I mentioned, I've been there many times before. I'm a huge fan of the "steak stuffer" sandwich. This is a hollowed out baguette filled with large chunks of steak (or chicken if you prefer), melted cheese, with sauteed mushrooms and onions. They offer this sandwich "local style" too, with lettuce and tomatoes and other stuff, but I was told that they only suggest that with the chicken.

This time, however, I was lucky that the tortellini was a special of the day. Whenever its on special, I get this plate. The tortellini are made of tri-colored pasta stuffed with cheese in a garlicky alfredo sauce. There are chunks of grilled chicken on top and served with garlic toast, which is pretty much white bread rubbed with garlic and toasted. Sounds plain but it's good. There is a lot of food, and as I type this, I'm eating the leftovers cold, and it tastes just as good as it did when it was served hot.

Dave prefers the "black bean plate". It is a bowl with about a third of it full of white rice, a third of black beans, and his preference is the steak, though chicken and shrimp are also available. It comes with your choice of tortillas.

Sara usually opts for the turkey club, but this time went with a cheeseburger. Neither marvelous nor disappointing, if you're in the mood for a burger, this place is as good as any. The thing I love about the Local is the proximity to Yard House, which to me, has mediocre food at prices way too high to fork out for lunch. Each of us splitting the bill, including our drinks, tax and tip, paid about $14-$15. Still a little steep for lunch, but for the occasional splurge, it's closer than Karl Strauss.

Also note, they have great daily happy hour specials and they usually have a few good lunch specials. If you're there on the right day, I also highly recommend checking out their seafood bisque. It is delicious.

The Local is located at 1065 Fourth Avenue, close to the trolley line at C Street. It is also a great place to pre-drink before shows at the House of Blues.

Hangover Options: 7-Eleven

2007-01-05T10:19:00.002-08:00

Oh, Thank Heaven. Recently a 7-Eleven opened in my building- the epitome of convenience. I sometimes feel like a little kid when I'm in there. Remember when you're a kid and you want everything but your mom tells you that you're just there for the Sunday paper and some milk? And then there's that time she's getting gas and surprises you by kicking down a slurpee and you know that things are all good. There was the time in 4th grade that I got grounded for riding my bike to the 7-11 and not coming back until after dark because I couldn't ride and hold my slurpee. That was the worst birthday ever. There was also the time that after losing my virginity, my boyfriend and I walked to the other 7-Eleven near my house but just a little further away, to bask in our post coital slurpee heaven.

But back to the point. I was hungover at work and needing some fixin. When I'm in the store, there's a voice telling me that a half pound of beef jerky, nachos, and a gatorade is NOT gonna solve my problems. But then there's this other voice going "Get it all." I compromised. And I decided to try something new. Resting next to those Big Bite Hot Dogs... Something I've laughed at, gawked at, been grossed out by, and now that I've tried, completely appreciate in all of their awesomeness: The Go-Go Taquito.

The Go-Go Taquito comes in several varieties. There're the promo 2 for $2 ones: taco and cheese, pizza, jalapeño and cream cheese were the ones I remember. Then there're the other ones, promo price 3 for $2.79. They come in Monterey Jack and Chicken or Monterey Jack and Beef. I opted for these, though I only made it through two of the three. They're bigger than they seem. The beef is kinda similar to the meat in Jack in the Box tacos. Being that I was eating these at an embarassing hour of the morning, I did have to pop them in the microwave for a couple seconds to get the cheese properly oozy and melty since they probably hadn't been on the little rotisserie grill for long.

I've seen people buy these and then dump nacho cheese and jalapeños in the bag they're served in, and now I know that they are a little dry and not very spicy, but still, washed down with some Vitamin Water, and the hangover issue was solved. Maybe they'd taste better with some salsa or guac to dip them in, but they definitely fit my needs for the day: cheap, alcohol absorbent, and convenient. Sometimes it doesn't get any better than that.

And FYI, when lunchtime rolled around, there was no hunger. In fact, I was good to go until dinner time. And look, you can buy them frozen and take them home... though you probably wanna avoid looking at the nutritional value...

Restaurant Week

2007-01-03T10:31:00.000-08:00

I have been eating at home (you know, gotta save my money for all the shows coming up), but I thought I would point out that next week kicks off San Diego Restaurant Week. Basically the best* of San Diego restaurants offer 3 or 4 course dinners for $30 or $40 per person, depending on the restaurant. The chefs have created special menus. To be honest, I haven't seen a restaurant that I want to try. Looking at the menus, I realize I'm a simple girl. You can throw together a bunch of things on a plate that I've never heard of, but how does it taste? And is it worth $40 plus tax and tip? Anyway, judge for yourself here. You can browse the restaurants and the menus they've concocted for the week.

Rainy Day Bargain: The Fish Market

2006-12-24T13:05:00.000-08:00

It's not any major secret but I thought I would share in case you're not aware yourself.

I love clam chowder. Love. And really when it's cold and misty and gray outside, like it was on Friday, it's instinct to want soup. So after visiting Andrea at the Village Hat Shop, I decided I would head over to the Fish Market. Yes, you can sit in the restaurant and overlook the water and whatnot, but a cup of chowder will set you back $3 or $4 bucks, throw in a drink, tip, and you're kinda tossing your money around, no? Instead, head to the fish counter. You can order a pint or a quart to go. I think the pint comes in under $5 and it's $7 for the quart. You can choose New England or Manhattan chowder and you get a fresh half loaf of sourdough bread with butter. Sara and I ended up sharing the chowder for dinner and were completely full. Plus the chowder is some of the best in town, thick and creamy with lots of clams- not filled with potatoes or other fillers. It's warm again today, but next rainy day, I think you'll know where to find me...also worthy of mention is their Sushi lounge, but that's for another time.

The Fish Market is located at 750 North Harbor Drive, between Seaport Village and the USS Midway.

Ponce's

2006-12-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

After an über saucy night at The Ken Club for Vinyl Radio, I got a call from my sister who was Christmas shopping in Mission Valley and wanted to have Ponce's. Ponce's is pretty much a guaranteed hangover cure, so I was in.

When Christy arrived, Sara joined us as we walked to Ponce's. I've lived in Kensington for 7 years now, and have been going to Ponce's since before they expanded and remodeled, back when most of the seating were swivel seats along an L-shaped low counter. I loved it then, but I love it now, too. They had to expand to meet the demands of their clientele. Now you can even buy Ponce's t-shirts.

We had another 2-for-1 coupon. Sara ordered the #6: a cheese enchilada, chile relleno, and beef taco with rice and beans. I ordered the #2: two cheese enchiladas, a ground beef taco, with rice and beans. My sister ordered 2 cheese enchiladas a la carte. And we threw in a small guacamole for good measure.

Before I continue, I have to really iterate that I love Ponce's. They are the stick to which I measure all other Mexican restaurants. Their enchilada sauce is hands down the best in town and doesn't have that bitter taste that some restaurants have. The beans have a kinda of roasted rich flavor to them. Not recommended for vegans, sorry. This is the real stuff. There are things that could use work- the rolled tacos, for example, are pretty average and you'd be better off just getting those at El Zarape. I really like the steak picada, but their corn tortillas aren't heavy maza torillas like you'd find at Old Town Mex or El Comál. Still, you stick with the combos, you can't go wrong.

We eat our chips and guacamole and it's become a science. Chip gets dipped in the guac, spoon on a few drops of the salsa, and throw on a dash of salt. Pure heaven and nobody can get mad about double dipping or mixing the stuff up.

The food arrives and you're already full just by looking at it, but you're gonna power through. Go for the taco first. The juicy meat will make that shell soggy in 8.6 seconds, so get it in your mouth. When you finish your taco, your beans are still sizzling from the oven conveyor belt the plates are put on as a final touch to melt all the cheese. (This is why they tell you the plates are hot, and they're not messing around) I worked my way through the taco, a couple bites of rice and beans, and one enchilada. I could feel the food coma coming on.

I get a "to go" box and am happy that I'll have breakfast for Sunday, since Ponce's is closed on Sundays. Flor, my friend who also happens to work there freaks out when we pay our bills. A couple weeks ago, she and her husband and a couple friends came over after the Ken Club closed for a few beers. As payback, she adjusted our bill. A lot. And that was in addition to the coupon. To say we scored is putting it lightly. Over the years, I've seen the prices slowly rise, but nothing is unreasonable on their menu, and the added things, like a full liquor license and all the remodeling, have to be covered. You still won't pay more than $10 for any combo, and you definitely won't leave hungry. With or without a coupon, Ponce's is always well worth the experience, and even worth the sometimes really long Friday and Saturday night wait.

Ponce's is located at 4050 Adams Avenue, across the street from Ken Cinema. Ponce's has a wind protected patio, and all orders can be made to go. Just make sure you remind them to give you extra salsa.

Sake Tasting: The Wine Vault Event

2006-12-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

From the event listing here:

Please join us anytime after 6:00 for a tasting of ultra-premium sakes. This ain't your mama's sake and this ain't that heated swill served in most Asian restaurants! If you've never had premium Sake before, you owe your taste buds this opportunity to experience the real deal! Sake expert Asako Takeuchi will be here down from LA to answer all your sake questions and to share her extensive knowledge. We're focusing on a five of our under $35 favorites from the stellar Joto Sake portfolio, and are serving generous 1.5-oz. tasting pours for a paltry twelve bucks. And for anyone wanting to try something really special, we'll also have tasting pours of an exceptional Junmai Daiginjo available for a mere four bucks extra. Sake reviews are at the end of this posting if you're interested.

In addition to the regular bistro menu, we're also featuring a special sushi platter for a ridiculously low $10. The platter includes Edamame (Salted Soybeans Boiled in the Pod), Chilled Seafood & Glass Noodle Salad with a Spicy Ginger/Sesame Dressing, Spicy Ahi Tuna Roll (2 pieces) and a Chirashi Sushi Rice Cup Topped with Sashimi-Grade Salmon & Albacore. Here's the sake line-up:

ULTRA-PREMIUM SAKE ~ $12

Shichi Hon Yari Junmai Ginjo

Chikurin Fukamari Junmai

Kasumi Tsuru Yamahai Ginjo

Watari Bune Junmai Ginjo 55

Yuki No Bosha Junmai Ginjo Nigori

OPTIONAL ADD-ON ~ $4

Yuki No Bosha Junmai Daiginjo

SO YOU DON'T LIKE SAKE, EH?

In addition to this Sake flight, we'll also have these and other wines available by the glass or bottle, as well as the usual white, red and mixed wine flights. (You can get descriptions of the other wine flights visiting our website, clicking on the calendar, and then clicking on Friday, 12/22/06.) We also have a full bar with lots of premium libations and attitude adjusters.

GRUB

In addition to the special sushi platter mentioned above, we'll also have an extensive bistro menu (access the same way as the wine flights above via the same calendar link) available featuring everything from salads, appetizers, paninis and cheese plates to main entrees like steak, chicken and pasta, so come on down and make an evening of it! The kitchen will be open until at least 9:00 and the bar will be open until at least 11:00.

RSVP ~ (619) 295-3939

Reservations are strongly recommended but not required. We accept reservations for seatings up to 7:00. For seatings after 7:00 just come on in and we'll do our best to seat you right away. If possible, when RSVPing please let us know how many in your party will be ordering the sushi special so we'll have a better idea of how much to have on hand!

***PARKING! ~ PARKING! ~ PARKING!***

On-street parking is usually available within a 3-block radius. Remember that it’s OK to park in yellow commercial zones after 6:00 and that meters are also free after 6:00. If you can’t find parking immediately next to the restaurant, there’s always LOTS OF PARKING on San Diego Avenue just past the Chevron station across Washington Street. Don't drive yourself crazy endlessly going around in circles waiting to pounce on that perfect spot when there's TONS OF PARKING only two blocks away!

LOCATION & PHONE

Wine Vault & Bistro is located in the heart of San Diego between Little Italy and Old Town at 3731-A India Street on the upstairs terrace. Follow the black handrail up the stairs from the sidewalk to our front door. Our phone number is (619) 295-3939.

SAKE REVIEWS & BOTTLE PRICES

Shichi Hon Yari Junmai Ginjo ~ $35 (720ml)

Technically a junmai daiginjo, this junmai ginjo is an elder sibling of sorts to Shichi Hon Yari junmai. Like the junmai, it has a wonderful combination of earthy and musky notes balanced by fresh fruit; however, it is lighter, more elegant and refined. It should be served chilled and complements sushi, sashimi and other light foods.

Chikurin Fukamari Junmai ~ $13 (300ml) or $28 (720ml)

This junmai is soft, relaxed and mellow, with notes of peaches and strawberries. It is best served chilled and complements yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), nutty cheeses and spicy Italian meats.

Kasumi Tsuru Yamahai Ginjo ~ $14 (300ml)

Smoky, earthy flavors mix with sweeter, fruitier notes in this warm and layered sake. It should be served chilled but also appreciated closer to room temperature. It is a wonderful accompaniment to cheese, shellfish, and grilled and smoked meats.

Watari Bune Junmai Ginjo 55 ~ $35 (720ml)

This junmai ginjo has rich and deep notes of honeydew and pineapple offset by nutty and earthy flavors. Its seimaibuai (degree of rice milling) is 55%, which explains its name. It pairs perfectly with monk fish, monk fish liver, pate, duck, soba and stews.

Yuki No Bosha Junmai Ginjo Nigori ~ $14 (300ml)

Creamy and smooth, with notes of peaches and strawberries. Complements hearty or spicy foods. It should be served chilled.

Yuki No Bosha Junmai Daiginjo ~ $57 (720ml)

Light, open, airy, and elegant, this junmai daiginjo has notes of green apple and prunes that fade into a slim, clean finish. This sake should be served chilled but also appreciated at room temperature. It is a perfect match for sushi and sashimi, as well as elegantly prepared fish and white meats.

Richard Walker's

2006-12-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

The benefit of 2 for 1 coupons is that you can try out places and if you like them, hopefully keep finding more coupons to go back to spots that you like. Last week, Dave and I ventured back to Richard Walker's for a second time to have breakfast on our lunch break.

Unfortunately, we aren't very adventurous. I rarely eat breakfast out because I'm a pretty good cook. I make my eggs exactly how I like them and I know if I'm cooking, I'm going to be satisfied. As with the last time Dave and I went to Richard Walker's, we both ordered the same thing- 2 eggs with sausage patties. He gets the toast, I get the hot cakes. The food is average, nothing special, but a nice variation from the other downtown fare. Plus, Dave loves breakfast.

Dave ordered a side of hash browns that the waitress never brought (and was not on our receipt). I ordered an orange juice and they automatically brought me the "large", which is maybe about 10 oz for $3.50. Despite the "fresh squeezed" claim, it tasted like it's from one of those fountains. Plus, for $3.50 I could have a whole Jamba Juice. Hell, at a lot of places, that would buy me a bloody mary.

The plates seem really large for the amount of food on the plate. I'd prefer the pancakes on the same plate just so it doesn't seem so sparse. After eating at Hash House a week before there could definitely be more food on the plate, but you don't really wanna go back for 5 hours of work in a food coma, either.

Richard Walker's makes big claims on their menus about their world famous food back east (at Bigford's), but to me, it's not really that hard to make good eggs and bacon. The waffles and German pancakes seem to be their specialty, but I'm not gonna be satisfied after one waffle and that's all you get for your order. I think Denny's is probably just as safe an option. But I guess with a coupon, Richard Walker's ain't half bad.

Richard Walker's is located at 520 Front Street, just south of Market.

Free Saké at W Hotel

2006-12-13T09:42:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday after work, my sister, Andrea and I met at Magnet at the W Hotel where we were THE. ONLY. ONES. who showed up for a free saké tasting. The boutique sakés were brought in by Asako, who works for Joto Saké, a distributor in L.A. The event is called "Palate", andi s a monthly food/drink tasting event that takes place the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 6-7pm. I have been to the event once before for a free tequila tasting and was the only person present for that tasting as well.

The saké we tried are featured in the W's restaurant, Rice. Since we were the only ones there, we not only got to try a flight of saké, but Asako left us all the open bottles which we casually sipped after she had left. I don't have much experience with saké, but I have heard that the only reason sakéis served hot is to disguise the cheap taste, and that good saké should be chilled. We were given small cordial type glasses for our taste testing.

The first saké we tried was called Kasumi Tsuru, which translates to "the crane of Kasumi". This was a kimoto extra dry saké. It was very good and to me tasted similar to a more oaky pinot grigio wine. She recommended this saké with spicy ethnic foods because it cleanses the palate.

The second was called Yuki No Bosha, or "Cabin in the snow" and actually has a clean finish that could be reminiscent of snow. The bottle looked like a vodka bottle which is probably why I liked it. This was a limited release saké. It is a Junmai Ginjo saké. Junmai means that the saké is pure and no brewer's alcohol is added. It is made solely with rice, water, and Koji. Ginjo refers to the polish of the rice and means it is highly polished. It seems to me that it would be quite simple to become a connoisseur of saké because it is so easy to drink.

The last saké was a sparkling sake called Hou Hou Shu and to me tasted better than pretty much any champagne I've ever had. It had a sweet nose but was still clean drinking. Andrea really took to this one. Unlike the other saké we had, this one is only about 6-7% alcohol by volume, compared to the 17-18% of the other two.

The saké was great, Asako was very kind, and we followed up by going to the grand opening of Firefly in Mission Hills and having some brie, chevré and other gourmet cheeses on breads and crackers. Mostly, I can't wait until the next "Palate" event. I'm only bummed that I missed the last several months. I won't let it happen again.

Sushi Deli 2

2006-12-12T13:36:00.000-08:00

The slogan on Sushi Deli 2's website says "Fresh Is Best!", and they are absolutely right. Fresh sushi is the only sushi one should be eating. For this reason, you should steer clear of Sushi Deli 2. Okay, okay, maybe that's a little harsh. Sushi Deli definitely fills the need for fast, cheap sushi, but in this case, you get what you pay for. I don't necessarily believe that all sushi restaurants function in this way, in fact Ra, 2 blocks east on Broadway, is the perfect example of paying too much for average sushi, of paying for attitude and ambiance more than anything, but for now I'll stick to the subject.

I have been to Sushi Deli before- in fact several times, and had okay food. Nothing has ever made me sick, I'm not saying that at all, but when I eat sushi, I at least want to kid myself that I am eating healthy. I would estimate that more than half the menu has some form of tempura in it. Even the miso soup has sprinklings of tempura crunchies in it. I wish I had been warned. The last time I ate there, I tried some sorta roll with shrimp on top and spicy tuna in the center and the shrimp was the texture of bubblegum left on a bedpost overnight.

Yesterday, when a friend of mine was in my office after work and asked if I'd like to get a beer, who am I to say no, right? The closest spot was Sushi Deli 2 and they have good happy hour pricing, so we grabbed a table. Hand rolls are half price and they have a regular deal with a 22 oz Sopporo and sake for $5.50. We ordered the sake and beer, and we each had two hand rolls. I opted for spicy yellowtail and spicy scallop, Devin had spicy tuna and the "Mexican", essentially a fish taco with seaweed instead of tortilla.

Our food was ok. I ate it, there was nothing wrong with the fish, but my seaweed was the texture of tissue paper, only even more dry. Devin had his tuna but didn't like the "Mexican" at all, but blamed himself for ordering it in the first place. Our service was quick and courteous, so nothing against that element of our experience, but in the future I'll opt for a sushi restaurant that I know I like, or I'll head to Sushi Deli with little or no expectations.

Los Panchos de Charly, Downtown San Diego

2006-12-12T11:03:00.000-08:00

There are magazines published by Community Magazine in San Diego that have coupons for several restaurants within the central San Diego region...Uptown, Downtown, and now some Coronado restaurants are featured.

The latest version of Uptown hardly has any good downtown restaurants that Dave, my lunch partner in crime, and I haven't tried but yesterday we thought we'd try Los Panchos de Charly on E Street between 4th and 5th Avenue, since it's just a few blocks away.

Most of the coupons are usually "Buy 2 beverages and one entreé, get the second entreé free". The coupon for Los Panchos was for $5 off when you buy 2 beverages and 2 entreés. We assumed this was because the restaurant might be related to the drive thru taco stands that have bargain but good Mexican food, so the prices would be such that giving a free entreé would be too deep a discount.

AHAHAHAHAHA.

Not. Even. Close.

I will accept responsibility that I didn't look at the menu posted outside the restaurant. We were seated, our drink order was taken, and we were presented with the menus. All "platillos" were $13 and up. For lunch! No wonder there was only one other person in the two story restaurant. We were eyeing the burritos which were in the $7-$10 range, and noticed the "add $2 and make it a combo with beans and rice". Dave had a carne asada burrito combo, I had a shredded beef chimichanga combo. The waiter asked the hostess if those qualified for the coupon and she told him yes.

We got our food and it was very average. I would pay these prices for Ponce's or Old Town Mex, but for tackyland in the center of the gaslamp, not so much. I'll credit the place that their salsa roja had a good zesty garlic bite to it, and the tomatillo had a nice kick. Their rice was perfect and the beans were better than you'd get at a taco shop, but not the best. My food was good, and Dave and I only made it halfway through our plates before we were full. Still, I could've had the same meal (or better) at Pokez, albeit with slower service, for less than half the price.

When 'la cuenta' arrived, there was no discount. The waiter apologized and said that the hostess said the manager instructed them that the coupon wasn't good for the combo. Now this is where I have a problem with semantics. The coupon said "entreé", we ordered "combos" and the restaurant was now contending that the coupon was only valid on "platillos".

I asked the hostess about it and then confronted her, that we were only going to pay the $20 for our meals, not the $25.36 on the receipt. I'm sorry, it's hard enough to justify a $10 lunch, and that's not even including the tip which we still intended on leaving. After asking for the manager and her reluctantly writing the number down (and claiming the discount would come from her wallet), she agreed to honor the coupon, we paid our $20 and handed the waiter his tip and were on our way, but absolutely certain that neither of us will ever step into Los Panchos de Charly again. I mean, unless someone else is buying, in which case, I just might say yes.

I also thought I would note that the busboy looked no older than 15 years old and at 12 noon on a Monday, I couldn't help but think he belonged in school, not sweeping floors in a huge restaurant that had as many employees as patrons. My recommendation to Los Panchos: Create an affordable lunch menu or don't even bother opening until happy hour. And my recommendation to you- walk a few extra blocks up to Pokez for your downtown Mexican food fix. Just call in your order 15 minutes ahead.