kalypso

I'm going to add a big "me too" to this list. I like the traditional food of Mexico, but a recent trip really opened me up to contemporary Mexican and got me thinking about things, some of which were raised earlier in this thread. I would be very interested in more discussion. To Shelora - You bemoaned the lack of a CIA-style cooking school in D.F. That does, indeed exist. El Centro Culinario is remarkably similar to to the CIA. I toured and ate at their facility in November and it reminded me an awful lot of CIA-Greystone in Napa. The Exec. Chef (Sergio) is fairly young (late 30s/early 40s?) and is a veteran of El Bulli and Le Cirque in NYC. The schools' whole approach is beyond the strict parameters of traditional Mexican and is an attempt to integrate the vast array of influences that have shaped eating in Mexico. An exciting concept and well executed in the terrific meal I had at Alquimika, the resto operated by El Centro Culinario. I picked up a brouchure for the school and spent some time talking to Sergio while I was there and asked specifically if it would be possible to do a stage with them. Yes, you can and they'll work with you on the length. A reasonable level of language skill would be necessary. If you're interested PM me and I'll give you the contact information.

Porkyland also makes and distributes some pretty decent corn tortillas too Barrio Logan is what used to be called Southeast San Diego because it is just a little bit South and a little bit East of downtown. It's in the general vicinity of where the Coronado Bay Bridge and the I-5 meet up, on the East side of the freeway. Used to be called Logan Heights when it was a Black enclave, became Barrio Logan as the Hispanic community expanded into the area. Safe during the day, a little dicey at night. There is a farmer's market there on Sunday's on Imperial, big building, visible from the I-5 going South just past Balboa Park, some of the food stalls are worth exploring. If you go East on Hwy. 94 from downtown, take the Euclid exit and go South about a mile or so. When you cross the trolley tracks you will see a Food 4 Less shopping center. At the back and to one side is Magnolia's, which is arguable the best Southern restaurant in San Diego. Not that we have a lot of Southern restaurants mind you, but Magnolias will make you want to write bad checks. Oysters, fried cat fish, fried chicken and some outstanding collards. Be sure to save room for the peach cobbler, though the bread pudding isn't bad either. Also in the same genre, Bud's Louisiana Food Shoppe in Little Italy serves up some fresh and flavorful Cajun/Creole food. It's a good lunch spot if you happen to be doing the tourist thing in Little Italy. As are Pete's and The Waterfront. Pete's for sandwichs, The Waterfront for burgers and dive bar ambience.

For Baja style lobster skip Tijuana and drive through Rosarito to Puerto Nuevo. That's where it all started eons ago. You can't miss it because it's over built and hyped, but you can still get a lobster dinner for about $20 +/- USD...........and you'll have about 60 restaurants to choose from, all serving the very same thing, grilled lobster, rice, beans and tortillas. Ortega's is one of the oldest Puerto Nuevo lobster family restaurants, and they've got several of 'em. The one I like is on the 2nd corner of the main road as you drive in. They do a pretty consistent job on their lobster, plus they make a mean margarita. The border wait crossing back into the U.S. can be mind-numbingly long. There is a new way to satisfy those Baja lobster cravings in San Diego. One of the Oretga sons has opened his own restaurant in Hillcrest on University. It's called - what else - Ortega's It's been open about 7-8 months and buzz is strong. Across the street from Ortega's is Chilango's, which serves some of the best Mexican food in the city. It's menu isn't about the usual taqueria suspects, but about food typically found in Mexico City. Their sauces are very good. But if you do want the usual taqueria suspects look no further than Mama Testa Taqueria, which offers 26 varieties of tacos from all over the Republic of Mexico. The pibil is fabulous and it's actually slow roasted in banana leaves. I love chorizo in Mexico but hate it in the U.S. Mama Testa makes their own chorizo and it's a pleasure to eat. A previous poster mentioned Fins for fish tacos. Alas, Fins is no longer. After 16 years the owners came to the conclusion that they had grown this small regional chain as far as they could and it was time to bow out to do other things and live life, so they sold it. If you happen to want a decent fish taco check out El Zarape in University Heights. It's on Park Blvd. right before it dead-ends at Adams Ave. This is probably the best fish taco in San Diego at the moment, and it's only $.99 to boot. The best Mexican food in San Diego is at Super Cocina on University and Cherokee. This is real comida casera, home cooking. Don't be put off by the steam table service, their guisados are fantastic. Don't know what to try, or even what it is? Ask for a taste, una prueba, and they'll give you a small sample of whatever looks good. Portions are generous. This is stick-to-your-ribs Mexican food like an abuelita might make. Not for the diet conscious or unadventurous eater You would think that San Diego would have good Mexican food, but it's not really all that great. If you want to spend some time in the seedier parts of town you can ferret out some really decent stuff, but the bulk of what's offered is pretty mediocre. Carnitas Uruapan in Lemon Grove is worth finding for dynamite carnitas. This is a sister restaurant to the one in Tijuana. El Por Venir in Barrio Logan also does exceptional carnitas as does Porkyland also in the Barrio and in La Jolla (go figure). Some folks like Las Cuatro Milpas, I've been underwhelmed on each visit and think it's overrated. Have fun and enjoy your visit.

Grossmont? Arterra is well worth the trip from the East County and worth the splurge on a student's budget The more you taste, the more you educate your palate and sense of what works and what doesn't. But you'd better get there quickly. I heard an unverified rumor that Arterra has been sold and the chef is moving on. I sincerely hope the rumor is unfounded because I've have long been a fan of Bradley Odgen's restaurants and style of cooking. The dining scene in San Diego has made tremendous headway in the last few years, I'd really hate to see if loose one of it's better players.

Hi BSK. No I'm not related to Calypso in Luecadia :-). I used to breed and show pedigree cats (Maine Coon Cats). My cat Calypso had a pretty decent show career and she happened to be laying on my lap when I had to select a user name for with my ISP (this was a long time ago). Calypso with a "C" was taken, but it available using a "K". I, unfortunately, live in that culinary waste land known as the "East County" so getting out to La Jolla and the North County is sometimes a challenge. Jack's is new in La Jolla, on Girard (or maybe Wall) I think. I don't think it's hit it's stride yet, but probably worth checking out if you're in the neighborhood. Based on what you've written about "a glass of wine and an app" (I do that too ) if you haven't tried Meritage in Encinitas in the Lumberyard it might be worth a go. A friend and I had a glass of wine and a quick bite to eat on their patio one evening before a chocolate class we were taking at Chuao. Not exceptional, but very pleasant and the food was competent. And do stop by Chuao for chocolates I admire Deborah Scott's architectural capabilities with food. Her presentations are wildly over the top. I love the room at Kemo Sabe even if it does get noisy, but the food I can take or leave. I liked the food at Indigo Grill but haven't been back for a couple of years and I've heard reports that it's been uneven lately. Yes, she did open a new spot this summer. Remember the old Rueben's on Harbor Island? That's the new resto. She took that old barn of a building and converted it into 2 restaurants. They did a lovely job with the remodel. Island Prime is the upscale side specializing in steak and seafood. Very pricey, competes with Morton's and Ruth Chris in terms of menu and check average. Opening reviews were generally good, word of mouth I've heard has been so-so with most of the complaints being that the quality wasn't matching the price, so therefore, the value wasn't there. The other side of the restaurant is the C Level Lounge, at which I've eaten 3 times. C Level probably has the best view of the city, maybe better than Peohe's in Coronado. They've added an outside deck and every seat in the dining room has a pretty unobstructed view of the water. Interesting drink list and the wine list isn't too bad either. Food is casual with almost everything under $15. My meals there were shortly after it opened. Some things were good and some were rather mediocre, and my last meal was disappointing, but the view and ambience couldn't be beat. For a drink and an app, tho, C Level Lounge is an engaging place to while away an hour or two. Here's the link, I think for the Cohn Restaurant Group click on the link to Island Prime for more info. I like Saigon House on El Cajon for pho (also their clay pto catfish), across the street from Hoover High, although there are any number of wonderful places on Convoy St. in Kearny Mesa. Spicy City has it's followers, including Jeffery Steingarten, the man who ate everything. I like Ba Ren though, which is just above hole-in-the-wall status. They do the best Sichuan chinese in the city. For Korean try Buga. For sushi try Sushi Ota in PB, Sammy's in the Convoy area or Sakura on Convoy as well. Gotta run...............

Wow, the frozen chicken head in my freezer is sounding pretty mundane right about now.

I made the blood orange curd variation in Sherry Yard's baking book and used it as a filling for a cake. Turned out quite well, sweet, tart and rich. Color of the juice going into the curd was a deep rosy/ruby red. But, of course, all those egg yolks in the curd turned it a vibrant orange. I also did an impromptu salad with them by peeling, removing all the pith and slicing crosswise into rounds. Overlapped on salad plate, topped with thinly sliced red onion rings, some chopped stuffed green olives a few pin nuts, a few shavings of parm reggiano and a light drizzle of good extra virgin Spanish olive oil. (Ellen - you might want to check out Windmill Farms in Del Cerro, about 2 miles east of your new digs. That's where I've been getting my blood oranges and they've been sweet.)

Sure, I'd be willing to get together. I do like Arterra. I've also been there for breakfast which was very well done. I have not tried Cavaillon yet, nor have I heard much buzz on it. It may be deliberately flying below the radar to get any bugs worked out. Le Bistro Bastide (or maybe it's Le Bastide Bistro, I always seem to get it backwards) has generally been very well received. Comments during restaurant week indicated some unevenness, but the non-restaurant week comments have been far more positive. I have to admit I was a little surprised by what people thought a restaurant should provide for a $30 meal. But I digress...........the chefs at both these new places are Tapenade alumni and I like Tapenade a lot. Their lunch specials are some of the best deals in town. For suggestions? Nine-Ten (best desserts in town, especially the Panna Cotta) Roppongi in La Jolla - go for happy hour. Their entire app menu is half price Region in Hillcrest is rather a version of Chez Panisse in San Diego. Very fresh, locally grown or produced products, prepared in ways that let the ingredients shine. Slow Food member. And to be perfectly honest, the meals I've personally eaten at Region have been underwhelming, but the food my dining companions have been served during the same meals have been outstanding. I think the kitchen is somewhat uneven, but my opinion isn't shared by everyone. In spite of that, I really like Region and what they are trying to accomplish. Do not go for the "Trust the Chef", you can do as well, or better, by selecting your own meal, and the cost is about the same. Terra Restaurant also in Hillcrest is one of the more under-rated and undervalued restaurants in San Diego. Very consistent and I really like the diversity of vegetables they serve and how well they prepare them. They've got a great little outside dining area and if you're looking for a good breakfast with an upscale feel but not the upscale price tag, Terra is it. Good coffee too. A.R. Valentien at The Lodge at Torrey Pines One of the consensus top picks in the county. The Gaslamp is, of course, choke full of restaurant in every price range and in every quality range. I've had good luck at JSix in the Solamar Hotel. Their braised short ribs were fantastic, and they've got a date macademia nut cake that was probably one of the best desserts I ate last year. This link will get you to the home page for Laurel, Chive and the Kensington Grill. Laurel was one of the top places in SD but slowly declined. New ownership and a new chef have helped revive it. The meal I had during Restaurant Week was the best; terrific mussles, deliciously and exotically sauced (well at least for SD) Tai snapper. Chive is a consistent favorite. My experience at Kensington Grill wasn't so great (dessert was inedible). Across the street from the Kensington Grill is Just Fabulous Desserts. Love this place. Lively and vivacious retro decor, nice casual menu, well done, well prepared and well presented. But the real claim to fame are the desserts which are, well, just fabulous. This is a real neighborhood place, not real high profile. Cafe Chole Parallel 33 Chilango's does some of the best Mexican in the city. It's on University between 1st and 2nd. Across the street is Ortega's, related to the Ortega's in Puerto Nuevo of lobster dinner fame. Ortega's has only been open a few months but has already garnered quite a few glowing reviews and endorsements. And a few blocks down University to the East is Mama Testa's a unique taqueria serving 26 different varieties of tacos from different states in Mexico. They use only free range poultry and organic, hormone free meat and cookign from traditional recipes. This is not dumbed down Mexican food even though it's just a simple, ubiquitious taco. The interior is decorated with traditional Mexican folk art, all of it depicting some part of Lotteria game (similar to our Bingo except with symbols rather than numbers). The salsa bar at Mama Testa's is wonderful; it usually had 10-12 different salsas, all freshly made in small batches. And they recently received a 100% on their last inspection from the SD Department of Environmental Health, a rarity for any restaurant. And if you're interested in funky, you can try The Vine at Niagra and Bacon in Ocean Beach. Interesting wines and a kitchen turning out some solid reliable food. If you're interested in specific cuisines or specific parts of town let me know and I can probably provide a recommendation or two, or three.............and I didn't even get into all the Asia choices on and around Convoy St. in Kearny Mesa, they are abundant. PM me when you get into town and perhaps we could find some time to meet and dine

I cooked a 7-bone, 20#, USDA Prime, standing rib roast for Christmas. Here's how we did it. Cut it into 2 roasts, a 3-bone and a 4-bone. We knew about half the guests preferred their meat medium to well, we figured two roasts would give us enough latitude to satisfay everyone's doneness preferences. We made a seasoning paste with butter, salt, pepper, garlic and some other spices I can't remember and smeared it over both roasts. 425* oven for 30 mintues, then down to about 300* for the remaining time. Remove when meat thermometer hits 120* internal temp. Residual cooking will finish it. Let stand minimum of 20 minutes before cutting.

Okay, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I didn't exactly love this cake even though the finished product looked spectacular. Oh, I liked the filling and the frosting, but the cake itself pretty much sucked. The crumb was coarse, on the dry side, it crumbled an awful lot when cutting and I thought the flavor profile was flat. For the hit on the fat grams delivered by the huge amount of fat in this cake I was expecting something better than what I got. I wish I had found this thread before I baked it. I like the idea of both the lime and coconut milk. I did add some coconut extract to the filling which helped enhance the flavor on that component. I'm a pretty good baker when it comes to cakes, but as I went back over how I made it, I really couldn't come up with a good reason for the cake to have been as dry and crumbly as it was. I was pretty precise with the method. I really do like coconut cake, so I may go ahead and make this again and do some tinkering. If I do, I'll probably reduce the amount of overall fat in the recipe and switch the heavy cream in the cake itself to buttermilk and perhaps add some coconut extract to the batter as well. I might also consider using lime curd in place of the filling. I just kind of fail to see what the hype is about this recipe and this cake.

Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Creme, 42 Degrees Serves 14 as Dessert. When I lived in the Bay Area one of my favorite desserts was the Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Creme at the now closed 42 Degrees. Ann Walker was the pastry chef who created this recipe. Pot de Creme is typcially a baked custard dessert. The method for this recipe is range-top, which technically would make this a pudding, I suppose. But it is far richer and more resembles a pot de creme than a pudding. This is without a doubt one of the best all-time chocolate comfort desserts. Michael Bauer, food editor for the San Francisco Chronicle printed the recipe in his book Recipe for Success, and it appeared once in the Chron food section at least 10 years ago. For the book Bauer tested several different chocolates and recommended Callebaut as the best chocolate for this recipe. 4 c Heavy Cream 1-3/4 c Half & Half 1/2 c Sugar Pinch of Salt 18 Egg yolks (yes, that's correct, 18 egg yolks, which is why it's so good ) 12 oz Bittersweet chocolate, Callebaut preferred, finely chopped 1 tsp Vanilla 1. Chop chocolate and place it in a large bowl and set aside. 2. Combine the heavy cream, half & half, 1/4 cup of the sugar and salt in a large sauce pan and bring to a simmer. 3. Add the remaining 1/4 of sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until well incorporated. 4. Temper the egg yolks by adding a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture to it, whisking well. Then pour tempered eggs into the hot cream and whisk. 5. Over medium heat stir mixture until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. 6. Pour thickened mixture over the reserved chocolate and add the vanilla. Whisk until the chocolate melts and cream mixture has been well incorporated. Strain through a sieve. 7. Pour into 8 oz. ramekins and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. 8. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired. * Callebaut chocolate really works best in this recipe according to Michael Bauer Keywords: Intermediate, Chocolate, Dessert ( RG1617 )

Ah... the good old Bully's. After all these years. If memory serves correctly, they have another Bully's at La Jolla too. Does that Bully's still exist? There is another glass-house like restaurant along I-8 underneath I-15. Flanagan's, is it? Is it any good? ← Bully's in La Jolla is still there, but the one is Missio Valley is still the location of choice. They do an excellent steak, but their prime rib is even better, and they do both for a lot less than their more upscale brethern. Certainly no elegance or pretense here I-8 and I-15 is pretty much Qualcomm Stadium and hillside office buildings. But back in the 70's and 80's there used to be a glass restaruant underneath I-8 and I-805. It was one of the old "fern bar" style places, early Houlihan's. I think it is currently a Todai buffet restaurant now, definitely not a steakhouse.

When I lived in the Bay Area one of my favorite desserts was the Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Creme at the now closed 42 Degrees. Ann Walker was the pastry chef that created this recipe, for which it is very difficult to find a link. However, it was printed in the SF Chronicle food section years and years ago, and, Michael Bauer - Chron food editor - also printed it in his book Secrets of Success. That being said, here is the recipe, which is remarkably simple. Bittersweet Chocolate Pot de Creme, 42 Degrees 14 Servings 4 Cups Heavy Cream 1 3/4 Cups Half & Half 1/2 Cup Sugar Pinch of Salt 18 Egg yolks (yes, that's correct, 18 egg yolks, which is why it's so good ) 12 oz. Bittersweet chocolate, Callebaut preferred, finely chopped 1 Tsp. Vanilla 1. Chop chocolate and place it in a large bowl and set aside. 2. Combine the heavy cream, half & half, 1/4 cup of the sugar and salt in a large sauce pan and bring to a simmer. 3. Add the remaining 1/4 of sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until well incorporated. 4. Temper the egg yolks by adding a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture to it, whisking well. Then pour tempered eggs into the hot cream and whisk. 5. Over medium heat stir mixture until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. 6. Pour thickened mixture over the reserved chocolate and add the vanilla. Whisk until the chocolate melts and cream mixture has been well incorporated. Strain through a sieve. 7. Pour into 8 oz. ramekins and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. 8. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream if desired. * Callebaut chocolate really works best in this recipe according to Michael Bauer ** This is not exactly a traditional pot de creme in that it's not really a baked custard, it's really a range-top version. But the end result is the same and utterly delicious. This is without a doubt one of the all-time best chocolate desserts.

San Diego has all the usual suspects as far as steakhouses go. Morton's, The Palm, Ruth Chris, etc. Here are some alternatives that might also work for you Bully's This is one of the oldest steak houses in San Diego. It is very good, but decidedly more casual than most of the rest. It's a little frayed around the edges, but the locals don't care. Bully's might also fit into your "fun bar" category. Their bar area is fairly large and caters to the office crowd in Missin Valley. There are 3 or 4 mounted TVs tuned to sports (no sound) and a pretty decent bar menu. Big plus is their bar tenders know how to mix a good cocktail. This is primarily a happy hour bar, it thins out considerably after about 6:30 or 7 PM. Donavan's Steak House Located in La Jolla's Golden Triangle. Many consider this to be the best steak house in San Diego. It is very popular as well as being very good. If your going to be more centrally located then Dobson's Bar & Restaurant in the Gaslamp Quarter would be a good choice. A lot of people also like Lou & Mickey's and The Strip Club (sorry I don't have a link) downtown in the Gaslamp Quarter for steaks. The Italian options in San Diego are rather hit or miss. The two most widely known - Fillipi's and Nicolosi's - aren't exactly what you're looking for. But you do have choices Baci Ristorante is favored by the upscale and politically connected in the city. La Strada Is a downtown favorite. Food can be uneven at times, though usually pretty good. Trattoria Acqua Good Italian in La Jolla de Medici's In the Gaslamp Quarter Panevino Another Gaslamp favorite il Fornaio I know this is a chain, but I'm mentioning it for two reasons. First, the food is actually pretty good and second, it's in Coronado right on the bay and has a fabulous setting and view. You can take the water ferry across the bay and then walk to the restaurant (it's about 1/2 a block or less). Seau's in Mission Valley is a very popular sports bar. It's owned and operated by San Diego native Junior Seau, former All-Pro linebacker with the Chargers, now with Miami. There is a bar on the top of the roof of the Marriott across the street from Petco Park. I'm not sure how active it is, but it's not a bad place to start the evening with a drink or two. There is a House of Blues in the Gaslamp and a bar call Confidential, both of which are generating good buzz. There are tons of bars and clubs in the Gaslamp, your best best may be to just wander there until you find a club that suits your groups' tastes. Enjoy your visit and have a great time.

Russ I frequent bookstores no matter where I am or what the language . If I find the book in either Morelia or Patzcuaro I'll pick it up for you. I'm in San Diego so getting it to you shouldn't be terribly difficult. I'm not holding my breath, but these books have a tendency to turn up in unusual places.

It's a thick, red, coffee table sized book. And it contributed to my getting hit with an overweight luggage fee leaving Oaxaca There is a bookstore underneath Ricardo's cafe on the UNAM campus and they sometimes have copies of the Enciclopedia. They almost always have copies of his other 2 cookbooks.

I will echo - LOUDLY ECHO - Caarina's recommendation for this book. It is, hands down, they single best reference work on Mexican cooking in any language. It is in Spanish only at this time. Ricardo would like to get it translated into English, but there is not funding for it at the moment. Even if your Spanish isn't fluent and your reading skills less than perfect, if you find this book buy it anyway. With a good Spanish/English dictionary and/or a Spanish speaking friend, you'll still be able to use it as a reference tool. Many of the entries are short enough that they aren't that intimidating to translate. The Enciclopedia is only printed in limited run quantities and when each run is sold out it's sold out until the next time, which can be irregular. The print runs in Mexico are considerably smaller than here in the U.S.. I found my copy in the gift shop of the Santo Domingo cathedral in Oaxaca of all places. For those of you that might not be familiar with Ricardo, he is one of a handful of(less than 10) certified Master Chef's in Mexico. In 2003 (or maybe it was 2002) Time Magazine named him one of the 25 most influential people in Mexico. Ricardo is a graduate of the CIA at Hyde Park and has studied in France and Italy as well. He is currently very involved with the movement to have UNESCO declare Mexican food/culture/history/etc. a patrimony. I think they recently lost the first round, but the group working toward this is quite dedicated and will persist. Ricardo hails from Vera Cruz but currently lives in D.F. where he owns and operates Cafe Azul y Oro on the UNAM campus. (Yes, I've mentioned this place as has Esperanza). In addition, he has been president this year of the Mexican version of the National Restaurant Association. In Mexico, he's pretty high profile, in the U.S. he's pretty much below the radar. He truly is a walking encyclopedia of information about Mexican food, Mexican culture and Mexico in general. Caarina -- I will be in Morelia and Patzcuaro the first week of March, I'll check as many newsstands as I can to see if they've got the Enciclopedia serialized. I'm addicted to the cooking magazines sold on newsstands throughout Mexico. So, while I'm checking those out I might as well look for the serial. If you'd like copies of the serialized version PM me and let me know. If I find them I'll bring some back.

Bourbon or whiskey, the good stuff, straight up or on the rocks your preference. Or if you don't like it straight, in a Manhattan - hint of bitters, light on the Vermouth, bourbon (good stuff), dab of maraschino cherry juice and add the cherry and consider it as a serving of fruit. This one never worked for me, but I had good luck with it when I had friends crying on my shoulder and very upset. Couvossier VSOP, straight up. Oh, and mac & cheese instead of meatloaf. Good luck, feel better.

I've had good luck with a Bloody Maria (think Bloody Mary except made with tequila instead of vodka) granita. It's ridiculously easy and quick to put together and pretty hard to mess up. It won't freeze entirely because of the alcohol, of course, but it definitely gets hard enough to scrape and develop nice granita crystals. I usually serve this as the base for a shrimp cocktail with a Latin flavor profile.

I suspect it's more an issue of pork belly not being a big seller rather than an issue of priority. To have it fresh might mean having to price it higher in order to cover an loss incurred on unsold fresh product. Ergo, put it in the freezer case, price it reasonably (or at least reasonably for Iowa Meat Farms) and satisfy the small number of customers that actually come in looking for it. You might talk to them about getting some fresh product. I've talked to them about special orders on occasion and they're actually quite ammenable to them. They don't stock fresh foie gras but they can, and do, get it fresh upon request. Bet they'd be willing to do the same thing with pork belly.

Very cool. And the pictures are great, they're kind of whetting my appetite for dinner, which is in the oven. I've had the opportunity to take a couple of classes at the CIA-Greystone in Napa. Really awesome. The kitchens are such a pleasure to work in because they are so well laid out and so complete. And, of course, the food that's produced no matter how good or bad the students are is almost always wonderful. Good luck on your studies. Keep posting, I've enjoyed reading about your experiences.

Yes, and still worth a stop every now and then. Definitely cheap eatz.

Yikes, Toliver, if your mom can hike up Cowles Mountain I'm in trouble I hiked up last year not too long after all the rain stopped. The path was steep, rutted and rocky. Way cool view though. It's 2 miles to the top, and, of course, 2 miles back down. I only made it 2/3 of the way up. Too hot and I'd already exhausted the liter of water I lugged with me. Unfortunately, I took a misstep on the way down and slipped on some loose rocks. Boy, did I end up with a doozie of swollen foot and lots of nice black and blue reminders. And I thought I was in good shape..............

Congratulations on successfully negociating the dreaded Mission Gorge/Friars Rd. intersection. Clearly designed by some demented men with an axe to grind with CalTrans. Once you get used to it, it's not so bad, but admitedly the first few times through it kind of resembles one of the old E-ticket rides at Disneyland. Even though you limit your coffee intake, if you ever decide to splurge, across the street from Jump Tokoyo is a drive through coffee hut (yes, this is the land of the ultimate in car convenience) called Cuppa Cuppa. They serve a pretty decent cup of coffee. They recently reopened after having been closed for - ahem - remodeling after someone took the concept of "drive-thru" just a little to seriously. Not exactly in your new neighborhood, but close and definitely worth a visit with your trusty camera, is Vine Ripe Market. 10 minutes tops from your new place. Closer than OB, but the neighborhood isn't nearly as colorful. Point the duckymobile East on the I-8 and keep going until till you see the Fletcher Parkway exit. Follow that past Chipotle's, past Costco and past Babies R Us (I'm not making that last one up). Slow down when you see Ethan Allen Furniture cuz, the next driveway's where you turn. If you zip past the Chili's you've gone too far. But never fear if you do, a right and 2 lefts will put you in the parking lot for BevMo! a liquor emporium with something for everyone and in all price ranges. But back to Vine Ripe, very interesting selection of "stuff". From dates still ripening on the stalk, to the largest supply of Patak's Indian line I've ever seen on the left coast, halal meats, 3 different varieties of eggplant, chile peppers galore, you name it and it's pickled in a jar, 9 kinds of feta, packages of mystery spices with labels not in English, and mochi ice cream bon-bons are but a few of the offerings. And olives, did I mention the olives? The largest olive bar in San Diego, and they're all good. Produce is usually very ripe, just about to turn, not photo-op pretty, but it is priced to move out the door, and it usually does. The market also operates the Middle Eastern resto that is attached to it. Supposed to be good, but I haven't tried it so I can't vouche for it. (BTW, if it's Lebanese you want try Mama's just off of El Cajon Blvd., on Florida or Alabama). If you visit Vine Ripe and you're in the mood for an offal taco, the Azteca taco shop is only a block and a half away in the 7-11 strip mall on Jackson Dr. just off Fletcher Parkway. You'll hear more Spanish here than English. Buche, tripas and the lot are offered. I haven't tried these, but I have tried some of their other choices and found them quite good. Around the corner from the 7-11, on Jackson, is a liquor store and next to it is another Mexican place specializing in mariscos that's worth a visit too. And as for Mission Trails Park, not a lot of flat land for walking, Lake Murray is a better choice. However, if you want to investigate, there is a market on the corner of Jackson Dr. and Mission Gorge Rd. - right across the street from one of the little parking lots for Mission Trails - that touts their sandwiches. For my money and a sandwich, I'd turn on to Jackson, take it to the top of the hill and then turn left on to Navajo and hit the Cheers Deli in the liquor store in the Kiel's shopping center (kinda behind the Exxon station). Their sandwiches are very generous and reasonably priced (around $6.50), tasty and perfect for a stroll in the Park or by the Lake. And as you know, San Diego has nothing that vaguely resembles a real deli (no, I'm not a DZ Akins fan), but we do have places that make good sandwiches and Cheers is one of them.

Ummm..............does the SD Visitors & Convention Bureau know that you're loose on the town