Carlsbad
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Posts posted by Carlsbad
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Thanks for the information. I think I'll pass on Le Villaret.
We have reservations for Au Bon Accueil the first night, followed by La Fontaine de Mars, Le Troquet, lunch at Tour d'Argent, and the last night a lot of cold seafood at Bofinger. I have a dozen lunch possibilities for 5 days in Paris. The fact that the friend who is traveling with us has never been to Paris and has a desire to try certain places affected the choices, but I'm generally happy with them.
We leave in 10 days. I will report back on these and the meals in the South. Thanks for all the help.
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I'm wondering if anyone has tried Le Villaret in the 11th. I'm down to our last choice for late this month. Any feedback is appreciated.
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Thanks for the update, John Talbott. I look forward to going there the end of June.
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Thanks for the information. I will give it a try next month and will report back.
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Has anyone tried Le Troquet in the 15th? Any information would be appreciated.
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menton1: I've had this at my favorite Italian restaurant in San Francisco, Acquerello. It was delightful. If you ever get to SF, try it. They have a great wine list.
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I've never had a problem using a Visa card anywhere in Europe. I do have a Visa from B of A, and they constantly refuse charges in places like San Francisco when there are a lot of them, even though I have a large monthly balance and travel quite a bit.
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Try offering them your first born.
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Thanks for the great review- and all the others.
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My experience exactly, Lesley C.
I would think Bocuse is the legitimate heir to Fernand Point, and Point's restaurant had three stars long after his death. Point may have been second only to Escoffier in the annals of French cuisine. After his widow died, La Pyramide was totally redone, but it still rates two stars. Maybe it is that good, or maybe it's the legend.
I'm not sure I will ever go back, but I still recall dinner at Bocuse 15 years ago very fondly.
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It saddens me to read that review. We had a fabulous dinner at Bocuse in 1989. I can still remember the soupe de truffes, rouget with potato crust, and bresse chicken en vessie, which was carved with precision at the table. The cheeses were memorable (and at proper temperature), especially a Roquefort which I still recall as the best I have ever had. Most of the dishes were becoming dated even then, from another era really, but all were perfectly executed. The service was superb as well. We considered a return on subsequent trips to France, but my wife would always say another visit might ruin the memory of our meal there. Apparently, she was right all along.
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After seriously considering whether I want to stay up until 1:00 a.m. to try to get a reservation at L'Astrance 30 days before I get to Paris, I've made a decision. I'll pass.
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BackwardsHat: How was L'Astrance?
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We ate at Merenda in 1989, when it was run by a husband and wife. He did all the cooking and she served all the tables. They didn't have a phone then either. We stopped by to make a reservation in the morning, and the husband told us that we had to talk to the wife about reservations. After first asking if we wanted to eat at 6:30 pm, she allowed us to come at the later seating. There were mostly locals there when we dined, and husband and wife both sat down with everyone after dinner was served, graciously including us in the conversation. I remember a good pistou on some noodles, a decent beef daube, and the freshest mesclun onto which she poured great olive oil at the table. The wine choice was either red or rose, both local, which I remember being well-suited to the meal.
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I didn't notice before that you are staying near Escondido. You might want to check out the Be Wise Ranch, which isn't too far from you. http://www.bewiseranch.com/
Also, I've had several very good meals at the French Market Grille in Rancho Bernardo. http://www.frenchmarketgrille.com/ In downtown Escondido, Vincent's Sirinos (French) http://www.sirinos.com/ and 150 Grand Cafe (California) http://www.150grandcafe.com/ (website may be out of order) are both very good and moderately priced.
El Bizcocho at the Rancho Bernardo Inn is expensive, but one of the best in the area. http://www.ranchobernardoinn.com/Dining_elbizcocho.htm
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I'm not sure if you have a car available, but I will give you my favorites all over San Diego County.
Food Shops and Markets: Chino Farms on the edge of Rancho Santa Fe has an outstanding vegetable stand. Chuao in Encinitas has some of the best chocolates I've had. Ranch 99 Market has terrific seafood, and is like a trip to Asia.
Restaurants: Tapanade in La Jolla for good Provencal food. I love lunch on the roof of George's at the Cove in La Jolla on a nice day- great casual food and a view. The more formal restaurant below is also very good, if more expensive. Good seafood and wine list. In La Jolla Shores, I like the Marine Room, which is literally on the beach. I would get there before dark and ask for a table on the beach side. The chef is French and the seafood is quite innovative. Decent wine list.
In Del Mar, Il Fornaio has a great view and fairly authentic Italian food. In the same center is Pacifica del Mar, with the same view and Southern California seafood.
If you want to venture to Rancho Santa Fe, Mille Fleurs and Rancho Valencia are first class.
In Downtown SD, I've enjoyed Laurel- another Provencal restaurant, although I prefer Tapanade. It's a cab ride from downtown, actually. If you want real French food downtown, Le Fountainebleau at the Westgate Hotel is very good and the closest we have to Paris. They have a very good happy hour at the bar downstairs if you like Cole Porter. And the "coffee shop" at the hotel is a less formal place with very good food, especially for lunch.
Near Ranch 99 Market, Jasmine and Emerald both have good dim sum during the day and good seafood and other Chinese food, as authentic as you will get around here.
As far as things to see, I always take visitors to the Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma for a little history and a great view back to the city. The ferry from downtown to Coronado is always fun. The zoo is world-class if you are into zoos. as I mentioned in another post, I think Dizzy's is a great jazz place. Humphrey's gets world-class talent right on the bay- I just wish they would get better chairs.
I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of good places. Have a nice visit.
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If you get into Torino, I would suggest Tre Galline. We had a very good Piedmontese dinner there in June, 2002. (If the door is locked, ring the bell.) We also found well-spaced tables, good prices, an extensive wine list, and the service was friendly and courteous. Torino is a very pleasant city with terrific cafes like Caffe Torino and Baratti & Milano. And at Al Bicerin, you have a view of the Piazza della Consolata from which to enjoy the coffee and chocolate drink that gets its name from this cafe. Or is it the other way around?
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Will you have a car in San Diego? Where will you be staying?
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Just saw this- hope I'm not too late. There are already a lot of great recommendations here. How much can you eat in 9 hours?
My first recommendation would be to stay on BART from SFO and head directly to Berkeley for lunch at Chez Panisse upstairs. Call ahead. You won't get there until about 1:30, but I think they stay open until 3:00 pm for lunch. While it has elements of France and Italy, it is uniquely Californian. You could also go for early dinner and head straight for the airport from there.
I would second L'Osteria del Forno. I've had lunch there 3 times and each one was like a trip to Italy. It's very small and it's wise to get there early or late. You would have to take a cab from the nearest BART station, however. We had dinner at Piperade a few months ago and we loved it. Maye's Oyster Bar is a SF institution and would be great for a seafood lunch.
I think Boulevard has a distinctive San Francisco feel, and the food and ambiance are excellent. It's close to the BART station for a fast get-away. The Ferry Building is very close. If you change your mind and want a romantic spot with terrific, high-end Italian food and a wine list to die for, try Acquerello.
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Thank you for the recommendations, John Talbott. I think maybe L'Avant Gout for lunch one day. The reviews I've read make me want to try it, and their lunch seems a bargain. Cafe Constant also sounds good for lunch, and it's close to our hotel. Au Bon Accueil, seems perfect for the first night. Bofinger and lunch at lunch at Tour d'Argent have been requested by our friend. I need a light dinner and a classic bistro for the other two nights in Paris. Too many choices.
Thanks for the page Busboy. Any discoveries to report?
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It's shopping only at Chino Farms, at a stand with no prices. Nice people though and they will tell you the prices. Off I-5 north from San Diego at Via de la Valle east about 2-3 miles maybe- look for the sign on the right. Turn right after it and down about a half mile.
Chauo is in Encinitas, not far away.
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I've never had grainy chocolates at Chuao. My wife demands them now on special occassions. She says they are much better than the ones in the gold box. My favorites by far are flavored with pasilla chiles. They make very rich, hot chocolate with pasillas at the store, also. It's amazing how the chile and the chocolate blend. But then anyone who has tried a good Mexican mole sauce knows that.
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I'm new to eG and it's probably too late for suggestions, but I'll put my two cents worth in anyway. First. congratulations. I think you have a great itinerary for your honeymoon. You were wise not to spread it over too much area.
I hope you are able to work San Gimignano in for one of those nights in between. It is a magical place at night and in the early morning before the day trippers get there. The Hotel La Cisterna is a great place to stay, especially if you get the room with a terrace overlooking the countryside. The view actually took my breath away. http://www.hotelcisterna.it/index.html
If you can work the Cinque Terre in somehow, you will be very happy. Maybe on that last night before you get to Milano. It's not very good driving to get there, although it's easier to Riomaggiore on the south and Monterosso on the north. My favorite hotel in Monterosso is the Villa Steno. http://www.villasteno.com/en/
Peck is awesome.
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My favorite Italian cookbooks for actual cooking are Hazan's "Classic Italian Cooking" and Carlo Middione's "Southern Italian Cooking." I use them very often, and I think they capture the simple Italian cooking I love. I've tried almost everything in both of them. I have several other of Marcella's books, but this one is the only one you need.
Dining in San Diego
in California: Dining
Posted · Edited by Carlsbad (log)
I moved to the San Diego area in 1982 from LA and San Francisco before that. The food scene was very dismal then. I remember when the local paper polled restaurant people for recommendations for various kinds of food, and for Italian, several said "a plane ticket to San Francisco." It's gotten a lot better, but it's still not San Francisco. Fine dining is not a stength.
I second Tapanade as a good choice. I have eaten there several times, and have found the food to be consistently good. I have also had consistently good food at The Marine Room in La Jolla. It has a terrific setting, right on the beach, and the fish dishes are always interesting and well-prepared. It has some formality and is a good special occassion choice.
I think that the one strength of the San Diego restaurant scene has more to do with the weather and the casual lifestyle than the food. The place I recommend most to people from out of town is the rooftop of George's at the Cove in La Jolla. The rooftop is open air, and I think it embodies Southern California at its best on a nice day. Bring your shades. The food, which includes some very good (somewhat inauthentic) fish tacos; sandwiches like ahi, burgers, portabello mushroom; salads; fish soup, and some more substantial dishes, is moderately priced and especially good for lunch or early dinner. The view down to La Jolla Cove is awesome. I've always enjoyed the main dining room at George's, but lately we always end up on the roof.
In this same vein, are Pacifica del Mar and Il Fornaio, both in the same center in La Jolla. The view at Il Fornaio is about as good as it gets from the terrace, and the food is as authentic and good as any Italian place in the area, despite the fact it is part of a chain. The weather in June can be overcast, but this year it seems to be less so, and most days it clears for at least part of the day. It's a perfect day today.
The food critic in the San Diego Union wrote a glowing review of Anthony's Star of the Sea Room a week or two ago. I haven't been there in years, but the review made me want to try it again.
Have a nice trip.