donovan’s prime seafood / downtown san diego
Last week I posted pictures of what I made for Jake for our 6th anniversary and this post will be … Continue reading donovan’s prime seafood / downtown san diego
Category: Multiple Locations
hodad’s / ocean beach – san diego, ca
I haven’t been to Hodad’s in forever. The last time I went was when Alyssa (my good friend and long … Continue reading hodad’s / ocean beach – san diego, ca
taco eating at rubios
I don’t go to Rubio’s that often. Once in a blue moon I’ll go on Taco Tuesday and get the … Continue reading taco eating at rubios
spiked, boozy coffee at islands restaurants
Hot drinks and booze. What more could you ask for this holiday season? Islands is offering these specialty drinks just … Continue reading spiked, boozy coffee at islands restaurants
the brigantine / coronado – san diego, ca
As a San Diego native I’m a little embarrassed to say that I’ve never dined at the Brigantine before! It’s a local chain of seafood restaurants and for whatever reason… I just never went. Probably due to the fact that the most of the people I hang out with are opposed to seafood for some ungodly reason. Oh, little sea creatures, come fill my belly with your delicious ways!
Ahem, you can just ignore me.
So, I was invited to come dine at the restaurant recently and I took Laura with me, since she’s my one seafood-faring friend who lives nearby. We met up at the Coronado location for a night of seafood treats!
[brown bread (wheat, rye & molasses) and sourdough]
Though we did start our seafood adventure with bread. I am not one who turns down bread. In fact I’m having a cheese and bread party very soon for my birthday, because, well… why not?! Bread and cheese, my two great loves. Mmm.
This complimentary bread was very tasty – served fresh and warm with a little vial of butter. The sourdough was crisp and the brown bread was delicious with that touch of sweetness from the molasses.
[lemon press – lemonade and ginger beer]
I wasn’t in the mood for any “hard” drinks, so I opted for this Lemon Press drink – a mixture of lemonade and ginger beer (or ginger ale… I can’t remember which, fairly sure ginger beer). Really delicious and crisp drink – a tad on the sweet side, but not overbearing.
Overbearing sweetness is so… overbearing.
Stop rolling your eyes at me.
[virgin mango margarita]
Laura wasn’t in the mood for the strong drinks either, probably because I wasn’t, and opted for this virgin Mango Margarita. I had a little sip of this frothy looking drink – had a good punch of flavor and was definitely very mango tasting. A bit sweeter than my Lemon Press. Maybe a touch too sweet.
[prince edward island mussels and littleneck clams in garlic wine broth]
We started off with appetizers after trying not to eat that whole basket of bread (it was hard). We started with this mixture of mussels and clams in a garlic wine broth. You have the option, too, of getting just clams or just mussels, if so desire. We so desired to have both though.
The clams and mussels were very nice with a tenderness and a slight chew. The garlic wine broth was a little on the weak side – I would have preferred a richer tasting broth with more garlic – but I’m kind of a garlic fiend. It was still satisfying though in it’s own way (though maybe I prefer Anthology’s version of this dish a bit more).
[crab & shrimp fondue with garlic toast]
Oh wow, I ordered something with cheese in it? What a surprise!
NOT!
If you put something with a lot of cheese on your menu, I’m gonna order it. I think I have a special stomach just for cheese.
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slater’s 50/50 / liberty station – san diego, ca
It was high time for me to visit Slater’s 50/50. Jake and I had heard kind of mixed things about the place – some people really liked it and some didn’t and some just thought it was okay. I had to decide for myself though and after a few failed attempts at visiting, Jake, T and I went on that hella hot weekend we had a few weeks ago – when it was in triple digit temperatures. We went next door to Ace Hardware just for the A/C while waiting for our table. I do like their notification system – which sends you a text message to let you know when your table’s ready. Very neat!
We were seated in a corner table. Pretty much my thoughts were, “Gee, do they have enough TV’s in this place?” Must be an ADD person’s heaven. Me? I thought it was distracting. But maybe I’m the only one (or maybe that’s the point).
[combination plate – onion strings, french fries and panko fried mac n’ cheese – $6.95]
We decided to get the combo plate for appetizers. Jake and I both thought we were getting regular mac n’ cheese, since it was further below on the menu – we both didn’t notice it was fried mac n’ cheese. Oops.
We each got one mac n cheese ball. It was very crispy on the outer, with a melted, cheesy middle. A little on the bland side. Not as great as I thought it would be, especially since I was expecting just mac n cheese… but that was my fault for not reading the menu properly. These were okay.
The onion strings/rings things were good, I dug those. French fries are french fries. I will say though that we were hoping for fries on our plates, but when we realized we didn’t get more fries, we ordered 2 more orders. One order tasted like they dropped a salt shaker on it, it was so salty that it was inedible. We had that one taken off our order after we told the waitress though but did not get another order – wasn’t necessary. Besides, the fries weren’t that awesome.
[build your own burger – starting at $8.95]
All three of us did the “Make Your Own” sandwich thing. This is T’s creation – which had fried chicken instead of a hamburger patty.
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the original pancake house / poway – san diego, ca
Jake, T and I were in my ‘hood one Saturday afternoon and I decided I wanted to try this Filipino place. But then when we got to the Filipino place, I remember that the Original Pancake House was right next door and I suddenly wanted pancakes instead! Sometimes I just don’t know where my stomach is going to take me.
I haven’t been to this location in forever, but it’s pretty much the same as the one in Clairemont.
Here are some sides that our waitress brought out first – the lingonberries for T’s pancakes, some applesauce and sour cream and some butter.
These are T’s Swedish Pancakes – which look like crepes! These are very thin and kind of holey (they say “lacy” on the menu), resulting in a thin and delicious pancake. I had a couple of bites and it was really tasty – excellent with the lingonberries. I’m pretty sure the only other place I’ve had lingonberries is at IKEA!
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beach bowls, kona pies and girly drinks at islands restaurant
I’ve been to Islands quite a few times. Those skin-on french fries they are are highly addicting. But they’ve got other stuff, too! You know burgers, whatever. And sandwiches! And tacos! And also new things, like paradise mai tai’s and chicken beach bowls.
I’ve sure you’ve been here before, too. Let’s keep this short and sweet, yes? (See emphasis on the sweet at the end…)
[Maker’s Wedge and Paradise’s Mai Tai]
Jake and I both opted to try one of their new drinks – I chose the Maker’s Wedge (right – maker’s mark, ginger liqueur, pine juice, lime and agave nectar) and he went for the Paradise’s Mai Tai (which had Bacardi rum, Myer’s Rum, lime juice with a tropical mix). There was also a drink with Jagermeister… but yeah, no, thanks. Not going there.
Someone other than our server took our orders, so the most amusing part was when our server put the mai tai in front of me and the whiskey drink in from of him.
Heh heh heh.
I teased him about his girlier drink while we waited on food to arrive.
[Islands Beach Bowl with grilled chicken]
Island’s newest Beach Bowl is chock full of veggies with your choice of either grilled chicken or mahi mahi and includes fresh grilled pineapple, red bell peppers, snow peas, water chestnuts, red onion, broccoli & diced scallions in a hoisin sauce and all of that served over brown rice. This bowl screams “I’m good for you and low in calories” (just under 576 calories) and you might just want to opt for this one after viewing the calorie intake of the burgers on their menu.
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tacos el gordo de tijuana / chula vista, ca
You like Mexican food? Of course you do! What’s not to like about delicious tacos piled with meats and cheeses? Tacos El Gordo de Tijuana is one place that really does it right. This little taco shop is originally from Tijuana and they have ported themselves over the border to San Diego with three locations in town, plus one in Vegas.
[menu at tacos el gordo in chula vista]
As soon as you walk in, you can tell this place is just a little bit different from the other taco shops in town. The menu is well lit above you and there are stations. Each station specializes in a particular kind of meat. There’s a carne asada guy, an adobada guy and a guy who kind of serves up “everything else” (tripe, cabeza, legnua, etc.)
You pick the kind of meat you want and order from that station. Jake and I always go to the adobada station for the spicy pork that’s turned on a spit.
[adobada slowly turning on the spit]
Mmm, meat on a spit.
[slicing pieces of adobada]
I always make Jake order because he does know enough conversational Spanish to get by. I’d rather not break out my rusty old high school Spanish.
God, I’m such an American.
I’m sure they’ll understand you even if you speak English, but I still make Jake do all of the ordering. What a good boyfriend.
The guy starts slicing meat off for our assortment of treats and prepares our tortillas by dipping them in the drippings from the pork and then grilling them. Holy heart attack on a plate! Probably why it tastes so darn good…
They’re fast and efficient and get your order ready in no time. There’s a line behind you, they gotta be quick with this stuff. Once you have all of your treats you go over to pay then try to find a seat so you can devour your meal.
[juicy, freshly made adobada taco – $2.00]
Jake usually gets the tacos with everything – salsa, onions and cilantro and some avocado looking dressing tucked on top of two corn tortillas.
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the secret cookie service / san diego, ca
A brief knock on the door. I peek outside and see a well dressed guy in sunglasses, black slacks, white shirt and a tie holding a briefcase. I quickly usher him inside. Agent Snickerdoodle has arrived with my special delivery and I’ve been waiting all night for it to arrive. What’s in the briefcase that could be so important?
Why, cookies, of course!
[hand delivered brown paper bag contains the goods]
The Secret Cookie Service has been in operation since September 2011, delivering late night cookie treats to the students at UCSD. The service has recently expanded to deliver to nearby neighborhoods and has recently set up shop so the students at SDSU don’t miss out on any of the cookie service goodness.
While they are mainly an at-night service, placing an order 24 hours in advance can net you a daytime delivery if you don’t live the vampire — or student — lifestyle.
Agent Snickerdoodle, after passing a screening from my dog, Maya, handed me this seemingly plain brown paper bag that contained what I’d been jonesing for all night. I couldn’t wait to dig in and try out this stash!
[mysterious white envelopes holds the cookies together during transport]
These random looking white bags are not really random at all.
For they contain delicious treats.
COOKIES!
[reese’s pieces cookies]
These aren’t peanut butter cookies per se, but they are loaded with Reese’s Pieces, one of my very favorite candies. There’s a sweet peanut butter flavor from the candy but the cookie itself is just a base for holding the pieces. There’s a good candy to cookie ratio here – I got a Reese’s Pieces in nearly every bite. The cookies are very soft and chewy. My second favorite of the bunch.
[mint chocolate chip cookies]
The mint chocolate chips were still kind of melty and sticking to the white envelope. The nice thing about that is that it let me know the cookies were baked fresh very, very recently and I love when chips are partially melted still. That’s the best part of warm cookies! These were quite soft and had a good minty-chocolate flavor.
Agent Snickerdoodle informed me that this is one of their best selling cookies and I could definitely see why.
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lotus cafe and juice bar / hillcrest – san diego, ca
Lotus Cafe and Juice Bar is a local restaurant with two locations in Hillcrest and Encinitas. They serve fresh, healthy, natural food and have a lot of dietary options for people who have gluten restrictions, are vegetarian or vegan. Many items can be made vegan and there are a few meaty dishes for those who prefer a bit more protein with their meal.
[Lotus Cafe and Juice Bar Menu]
[Menu Key – The menu is marked with various symbols indicating what the different options are. ]
When I found out I was being invited here and looked at the menu, I decided that I would bring Stacey along with me on this outing as she’s the closest to a vegetarian friend that I have, without actually being vegetarian. What can I say? The girl really likes her salads but can’t bear to give up bacon (bacon smells really good, you must admit).
[Hummus & Pita Bread – spread made of ground garbanzo, sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon & garlic, served with wedges of whole wheat pita bread]
We started off with an appetizer of hummus after we spent an obscenely long amount of time trying to figure out exactly what we wanted. The hummus comes in a big scoop. It’s very solid so not as creamy as other hummus that I’ve had, but the flavor of garlic and lemon shines through and gives this a nice texture and flavor. It comes with a mess of carrots and sprouts along with whole wheat pita bread for spreading and eating.
[Lotus Caesar Salad – Mixed organic greens with tomato, avocado, croutons, Parmesan cheese and vegetarian Caesar dressing]
We also shared this very large Lotus Caesar Salad between the two of us (half salad is also available). This comes with a vegetarian Caesar dressing on the side. The Caesar still has all of the flavor and kick of a regular Caesar so you’re not missing out when you get this. The tomatoes were so fresh and bright and the Parmesan shavings added a nice salty flavor to the salad. Half of a perfectly ripe avocado is placed on top for you to devour (which we did). So refreshing and crisp – the addition of the avocado here really made this shine for me.
[Stuffed Veggie Quesadilla – Whole wheat chapati stuffed with sauteed veggies and cheese, topped with guacamole, salsa and sour cream]
Stacey was between two items for quite some time but finally decided on this Stuffed Veggie Quesadilla. This one can be made vegan, if you so desire. It’s stuffed with with sauteed veggies – including big chunks of broccoli (something we both found really weird at first but it tasted so good that we decided it was a brilliant idea). The veggies are still a bit crisp with a little bite for extra texture. Covered in delicious cheese and topped with a spot of guacamole and sour cream, this is a very delicious and healthy version of a quesadilla.
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the kebab shop / san diego, ca
It’s been awhile since I’ve been to the Kebab Shop. But I was recently invited to come in and try the menu again and I happily accepted.
I revisited the one in Mira Mesa and was happy to see they have expanded to include two new locations in Encinitas, CA and Little Italy. The Kebab Shop serves up the kind of food you’re used to seeing at Greek places, but slightly different. Their main item are their Doner Kebabs (sort of like a gyro, but wrapped in flatbread instead of pita bread), Shawarma (think sandwiches) and Shish Kebab. They also offer a variety of salads and plates of meats to round out their menu. I got a bunch of stuff to-go and take home for sharing.
[Cucumber Dill Salad, Greek Salad and Hummus]
The Cucumber Dill Salad was one of my favorite salad items here. I’m often afraid that the dill will be overpowering, but on this it had just the right amount – enough to taste the dill without the overkill. The cucumbers are completely peeled and have a nice crunch to them.
The Hummus (which came with pita bread, not shown) was a nice creamy and smooth consistently with a good bit of flavor. Salad is pretty much salad, but it was fresh and crisp and came with a tasty dill dressing (again, not overpowering, woo).
[Falafel]
I also got an order of freshly made Falafel – I’m not the biggest fan of falafel to begin with so I wasn’t totally digging on this one. They seemed to be a bit overcooked and dry. Or maybe I just don’t like falafel.
[Lamb Rotisserie Plate with Greek Salad and Saffron Rice]
This probably looks familiar! They have lamb on a spit that they shave off and serve as a plate with two sides. You get a yogurt based sauce with this (not quite like tzatziki sauce but similar – no cucumber detected in their sauce) and your choice of two sides. I added Greek salad and saffron rice to this.
