Dining in San Diego (Part 2)

[kalypso]

The best food in San Diego isn't in San Diego, it's in the Valley de Guadalupe about 80 miles south of the border. Laja is doing a spectacular job. I know I said The Better Half would be my last meal in San Diego; I should amend that to be my last meal would be at Laja, preceded by a meal at The Better Half.

[chefsteban]

The best food in San Diego isn't in San Diego, it's in the Valley de Guadalupe about 80 miles south of the border.  Laja is doing a spectacular job. I know I said The Better Half would be my last meal in San Diego; I should amend that to be my last meal would be at Laja, preceded by a meal at The Better Half.

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Please add my name to the reservation list for last meals at Lajas....and make my last bottle of wine A nice Nebiello from L.A. Cetto.

[chefsteban]

My suggestions:

Rockin Baja Lobster for Slipper tail lobsters

OMG...I can't believe my eyes....someone has actually suggested Rockin Baja Lobster!!!

A mini-chain whose food is the worst example of "mexican." I've eaten at several of their places and the food has always been horrible and, worst yet, the food ALWAYS come to you cold.

If you want a decent plate of Mexcan, i suggest Luz's on Adams Ave. They are located in the rear of Rosie O'Gradys at the corner of Adams and 34th. I suggest ordering the Steak ranchero and either a cold Modelo Especial or a pint margarita.

Edited June 5, 2008 by chefsteban (log)

[kalypso]

If you want a decent plate of Mexcan, i suggest Luz's on Adams Ave. They are located in the rear of Rosie O'Gradys at the corner of Adams and 34th. I suggest ordering the Steak ranchero and either a cold Modelo Especial or a pint margarita.

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Rockin' Lobster just changed their name.

For good Mexican food on Adam's also try Mayahuel. One of the few places in San Diego where you can get a really good mole.

[kalypso]

Please add my name to the reservation list for last meals at Lajas....and make my last bottle of wine A nice Nebiello from L.A. Cetto.

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If you think the Nebiello is good at L.A. Cetto, see if you can get the front of the house manager at Laja to sell you a bottle of his private stock. He's growing grapes and making his own and it's really nice. Goes well with food and is way, way, way too easy to drink.

[HVRobinson]

Sigh--- I haven't been on the forums since mid April and I get to open by putting my foot in my mouth. San Diego is not a terrible food city, but compared with the good food cities, it (plainly said) leaves much to be desired. There is good (but not excellent) food to be had here, but there are few true values. By that I don't mean that the food should be cheap. What I am saying is that for a $100 meal in San Diego you will get --at best-- an experience that rates "feh" on the food and ambience meter. For this same money you can have the experience of a lifetime in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Denver, Austin, New Orleans, Miami, Nashville, Houston, Boston, or... shall I go on? I have lived here for 5 1/2 years now. I've had limited money to spend on dining-- and realize that you can't eat like a Czar if you can't spend like a Czar. But IF you spend like a Tsar and get fed like a peasant... there's something wrong. There are easily two dozen places worthy of acclaim in this metro area. But I still contend that they would have a tough go of it in Manhattan or San Francisco, and the value for the dollar would probably leave them out of business in 6 months.

Just my two cents.

hvr

(and happy birthday to me.... nyah!)

[Swicks]

Is El Comal still good?

[kalypso]

Is El Comal still good?

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Yes. They opened a new location about 18 months ago on Illinois, half block north of University, in North Park. North Park is quite the culinary hot bed these days. Lots of new, trendy and interesting places opening up. El Comal is a little off the main corridor, but it's doing well in this location and the food is quite good.

Chilango's has reopened in it's old space in Hillcrest. I went shortly after they reopened and was underwhelmed, but I understand for someone that has gone recently that they've regained their old form.

But the most interesting Mexican food is in the southbay (south county SD) these days. Over the last couple of years a lot of Tijuana restaurants have quietly opened branch operations in either Chula Vista or National City. Tacos El Gordo now has 3 locations in SD county, Aqui es Texcoco is in CV doing absolutely spectacular lamb. If menudo is your think Don Vincente's in NC is your place. Dona Maria in CV does killer posole. Mariscos Godoy does land office business as does Durazno Negro.

And Romesco's in Bonita is fabulous, worth the drive down from San Diego.

[cjbleid]

Sigh--- I haven't been on the forums since mid April and I get to open by putting my foot in my mouth.  San Diego is not a terrible food city, but compared with the good food cities, it (plainly said) leaves much to be desired.  There is good (but not excellent) food to be had here, but there are few true values.  By that I don't mean that the food should be cheap.  What I am saying is that for a $100 meal in San Diego you will get --at best-- an experience that rates "feh" on the food and ambience meter.  For this same money you can have the experience of a lifetime in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Denver, Austin, New Orleans, Miami, Nashville, Houston, Boston, or... shall I go on?  I have lived here for 5 1/2 years now.  I've had limited money to spend on dining-- and realize that you can't eat like a Czar if you can't spend like a Czar.  But IF you spend like a Tsar and get fed like a peasant... there's something wrong.  There are easily two dozen places worthy of acclaim in this metro area.  But I still contend that they would have a tough go of it in Manhattan or San Francisco, and the value for the dollar would probably leave them out of business in 6 months.

Just my two cents.

hvr

(and happy birthday to me.... nyah!)  

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I don't know about san francisco, nothing really excites me in that city dinning wise. mabye Masas? LA is a way more exciting dining city in my opinion. Nashville and miami?? I just don't se it.

anyway.... lets try to keep this a san diego discussion.

Edited June 7, 2008 by cjbleid (log)

[cjbleid]

cjbleid, I think we're honored that you broke 2.5 years of silence to post on San Diego.

As for din, we're full of places that are very loud.

Re dining - there's good food here. There arent many of us who get to the same restaurants tho, so its hard to build an active discussion.

As for why the press is what it is - we dont have anyone doing cutting edge science-food games. And traditional preparations seem to be panned by the food press. Other than that, I have no ideas as to the general negativity re the available food. Of course, I dont have a lot of experience dining in comparator cities either.

What would you change, and why ? How do you think it would impact things?

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Kouign Aman, is that something you would like to se or think would be sucessful in san diego. avon garde cuisine or science-food games

[kalypso]

Kouign Aman, is that something you would like to se or think would be sucessful in san diego.  avon garde cuisine or science-food games

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Do you really think there's a market/client base in SD for molecular gastronomy or avant garde, cutting edge food This is a city where the only foam is on breakers at the beach, not plates on the table. I think either would be a pretty tough sell.

[cjbleid]

Kouign Aman, is that something you would like to se or think would be sucessful in san diego.  avon garde cuisine or science-food games

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Do you really think there's a market/client base in SD for molecular gastronomy or avant garde, cutting edge food This is a city where the only foam is on breakers at the beach, not plates on the table. I think either would be a pretty tough sell.

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well the question was geared towards your opinion and explaniation rather then mine, but,... yea I think if it is exicuted well; full circle it would. That goes for any restaurant, avon garde just requires more skill, time and effort to acieve greatness. If there is a market for restaurants there is a market for all kinds all cusine.

[kalypso]

Kouign Aman, is that something you would like to se or think would be sucessful in san diego.  avon garde cuisine or science-food games

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Do you really think there's a market/client base in SD for molecular gastronomy or avant garde, cutting edge food This is a city where the only foam is on breakers at the beach, not plates on the table. I think either would be a pretty tough sell.

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well the question was geared towards your opinion and explaniation rather then mine, but,... yea I think if it is exicuted well; full circle it would. That goes for any restaurant, avon garde just requires more skill, time and effort to acieve greatness. If there is a market for restaurants there is a market for all kinds all cusine.

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I tend to disagree. Sous Vide is probably already in use in many kitchens around the county, but it's an old and pretty well established technology. I think some of the culinary branches - especially molecular gastronomy - would not be received as anything more than a novelty and would not be sustained for very long. San Diegans would go, eat it once, say "that's very nice", and not return.

What techniques, foods, styles of prep/presentation are you classifying as avant garde? I think if it's too trendy and too cutting edge, with the exception of some parts of North County, most of the rest of SD would find it to unusual to embrace with much enthusiasm. Safe and familiar is more the choice of food in San Diego; this is neither good nor bad, safe and familiar can be done very well.

San Diego as a city has never been about blazing trails or cutting edge anything. It's been more about the respite and relief from the world of trail blazing and cutting edge.

[cjbleid]

Kouign Aman, is that something you would like to se or think would be sucessful in san diego.  avon garde cuisine or science-food games

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Do you really think there's a market/client base in SD for molecular gastronomy or avant garde, cutting edge food This is a city where the only foam is on breakers at the beach, not plates on the table. I think either would be a pretty tough sell.

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well the question was geared towards your opinion and explaniation rather then mine, but,... yea I think if it is exicuted well; full circle it would. That goes for any restaurant, avon garde just requires more skill, time and effort to acieve greatness. If there is a market for restaurants there is a market for all kinds all cusine.

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I tend to disagree. Sous Vide is probably already in use in many kitchens around the county, but it's an old and pretty well established technology. I think some of the culinary branches - especially molecular gastronomy - would not be received as anything more than a novelty and would not be sustained for very long. San Diegans would go, eat it once, say "that's very nice", and not return.

What techniques, foods, styles of prep/presentation are you classifying as avant garde? I think if it's too trendy and too cutting edge, with the exception of some parts of North County, most of the rest of SD would find it to unusual to embrace with much enthusiasm. Safe and familiar is more the choice of food in San Diego; this is neither good nor bad, safe and familiar can be done very well.

San Diego as a city has never been about blazing trails or cutting edge anything. It's been more about the respite and relief from the world of trail blazing and cutting edge.

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Well molecular gastronomy.. avon garde cusine really is the same food produced in other kitchens but exicuted with appling knowledge to product being processed.

for example cooking fish in low temperature baths to a tempertaure of 101 to 114F. Any temperature above that most fish start to lose moisture, exception of high fat fish. Watching the different stages of egg protiens coagulate according to the cooking temperature, an egg can cook in 5 stages by 11 degree segments. Or even knowing why or how a souffle rises. Even better, molecular gustromony is knowing why your souffle didn't rise. With all this new knowledge in cusine it will effect most of the industry specifically fine dinning cusine. Exotic presentations and emotional dining experiences useing new serving utensiles just evolved from this. The use of industrial products will soon not be only used for avon garde cusine to create exciting dining experiences but for banquet production as well for reliance of quality and convience..

[Kouign Aman]

.....

As for why the press is what it is - we dont have anyone doing cutting edge science-food games. And traditional preparations seem to be panned by the food press. Other than that, I have no ideas as to the general negativity re the available food. Of course, I dont have a lot of experience dining in comparator cities either.

What would you change, and why ? How do you think it would impact things?

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Kouign Aman, is that something you would like to se or think would be sucessful in san diego. avon garde cuisine or science-food games

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I was simply answering your comment re our press. I doubt we've much of a market for "molecular cuisine" as a stand alone restaurant. Certain aspects of it are being incorporated into local menus and that works (foams certainly, probably 'caviar' here and there, but not as the main point of the dish).

Classics are dissed, so places that reliably turn out perfect classics & riffs upon them get no buzz (Milles Fleurs for example).

What kind of changes do you think would change the perception (or the reality) of San Diego's food scene?

Do you suppose it would help this discussion if we all went to the same restaurant some time, so we could establish a common set of referents? It wouldnt have to be a gathering, necessarily. It could be that we just all try to get to the place within a month of each other. El Bizcocho? Chive? Other?

Edited June 12, 2008 by Kouign Aman (log)

[cjbleid]

.....

As for why the press is what it is - we dont have anyone doing cutting edge science-food games. And traditional preparations seem to be panned by the food press. Other than that, I have no ideas as to the general negativity re the available food. Of course, I dont have a lot of experience dining in comparator cities either.

What would you change, and why ? How do you think it would impact things?

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Kouign Aman, is that something you would like to se or think would be sucessful in san diego. avon garde cuisine or science-food games

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I was simply answering your comment re our press. I doubt we've much of a market for "molecular cuisine" as a stand alone restaurant. Certain aspects of it are being incorporated into local menus and that works (foams certainly, probably 'caviar' here and there, but not as the main point of the dish).

Classics are dissed, so places that reliably turn out perfect classics & riffs upon them get no buzz (Milles Fleurs for example).

What kind of changes do you think would change the perception (or the reality) of San Diego's food scene?

Do you suppose it would help this discussion if we all went to the same restaurant some time, so we could establish a common set of referents? It wouldnt have to be a gathering, necessarily. It could be that we just all try to get to the place within a month of each other. El Bizcocho? Chive? Other?

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I think that is not only a great idea but the only option to keep this discussion. As to my reply about MG, it was to clear up misperceptions about that style or interpertation of cusine not necessarally referenced towords your posts, they left the opportunity to simply view my opinion and possibly discuss more views on this cusine, or even aspects of MG showing up on menues in the city. For example not necessarally foams but things like fluid gells-turning a liquid into a puree. I guess when chefs seem to be isolateing flavors rather then layering them; this is a clear sign. showcassing technique to highlight flavor resulting in abstract presentations. I feel food is art and more and more chefs will start to show there creativity, specialy in the younger generation of chefs.

[cjbleid]

by the way I did eat at addasion in the grande del, great dining experience! dissapointing food but worth going. will post explaniation later on the experience.

[Kouign Aman]

What restaurant would you suggest, as a good starting point to develop a common set of references?

[cjbleid]

What restaurant would you suggest, as a good starting point to develop a common set of references?

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well.. mabe in la jolla, Georges or Nine-Ten are good choices. I know jacks just re-concepted to Italian, I would like to here some opinions about that. Market or even Addasion aswell. These are just my choices and I did just go to addasion. I don't have a functioning camera though at the monent so no food photos.

[Honkman]

RESTAURANT WEEK!  where have you been? anyone......

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At home or in restaurant not participating in the restaurant week. I always feel that exploring a restaurant in the restaurant week is a bad thing to do. The special menu often doesn't reflect the "real" quality of a restaurant, service is often lousy etc.

Edited June 26, 2008 by Honkman (log)

[chefsteban]

San Diego's "Restaurant week week is tailored to those folks who live in trailer parks. As was stated earlier, the food presented during that week does not reflect most restaurants usual fare. I will go to those eateries on my own time of choosing. This must be a new ploy on the old Entertainment card scheme.

Edited June 26, 2008 by chefsteban (log)

[cjbleid]

San Diego's "Restaurant week week is tailored to those folks who live in trailer parks. As was stated earlier, the food presented during that week does not reflect most restaurants usual fare. I will go to those eateries on my own time of choosing. This must be a new ploy on the old Entertainment card scheme.

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well then, thats a bold statement. chefsteban, where do you work so I don't go there. Yes its not exicuted as well as a normal week do to volume but to say its cadered to people who live in trailer parkes is a little ignornant. I apoligise if I am comming across a little off but to speak in place of the chefs and to say that every restaurant particaping is not worth it, mabe you should try market or nine-ten. What there offering is on there origional menu. Specially, because people are struggling for money at the momement, I feel its a gift to us and mabe we should not explore a new restaurant but visit our favorit. Visit you friends favorit restaurant possibly. Eating out during restaurant can be enjoyable if you want it to be. But if you are still critical, go out on saturday night the day after this is over, I'm shure San Diego restaurants will be empty.

Edited June 26, 2008 by cjbleid (log)

[kalypso]

I kind of agree with Honkman and Estaban. The way Resto Week has evolved in San Diego doesn't really focus on the quality of a restaurant for me any more. It seems more like it's designed to get butts in the seats rather than highlight what a kitchen can do.

It also seems that most restaurants participating in RW are now at the $40 level. Now, I am accutely aware that the cost of food has quite literally gone through the roof and most if not all restaurants are really struggling to provide quality food at still reasonable price points. So, I can cut any restaurant some slack for going with a $40 menu if it means they can cover their expenses, alhtough I also know that food companies like Sysco and U.S. Foods are also helping to underwrite the costs of RW for restaurants. But, by the same token, if I'm going to spend $40 on a meal, I'd much rather go ahead and make my own selections rather than limit myself to only 2 or 3 choices per course that may or may not really be what the restaurant does really well.

I really liked the idea of RW when it first started because it got me going to places I didn't normally go. However, after 3 years it no longer holds the same allure for me that it used to. With gas at $4.59/gallon, do I really want to drive all the way out to La Jolla, then fight for a parking space or end up paying for valet parking, shoe horn into a place where the staff might not be glad to be working RW, just to eat a $40 prix fixe meal. The bloom is off the rose for me...

[cjbleid]

this looks like quality food during restaurant week and presented rather nicely... I guess people in trailor parkes like this type of dining experience too though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jajagapgirl/

[kalypso]

this looks like quality food during restaurant week and presented rather nicely... I guess people in trailor parkes like this type of dining experience too though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jajagapgirl/

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Some restaurants don't want to spend the $1,000 it costs them to participate, $1,375 if they aren't members of the CRA.

Nine-Ten is a very nice, very good restaurant and presentation has always been one of their strong suits. However, the last time I was there for Resto Week (in 2007) the food was good, but not great, and certainly did not demonstrate what that kitchen is capable or producing. Worse was the service which was ATROCIOUS. Now, I happen to like Nine-Ten alot, but if that had been my only experience at the restaurant I would never return. The place was slammed and the staff could not cope or deal with it. The service was amatuerish at best. The abysmal service by inept and poorly trained high school students certainly detracted from the meal. Not to mention the noise level was so deafening that conversation at our four-top was impossible without having to yell at each other. I hardly think choosing not to support restaurant week because it doesn't show off restaurants well hardly makes any of us trailer trash.

Why should I pay $30 or $40 for okay food, horrid service and too much noise just because it's restaurant week and we're supposed to support our local restos. My non-restaurant week meals at Nine-Ten have always been quite good with a manageable noise level, though service can sometimes be uneven. They do a terrific and laid back breakfast.