I’ve had 2 stellar meals in the last few days.
Last Friday night - Banker’s Hill Restaurant.
We walked in without reservations at close to 8 pm. They were busy, but not slammed and had a table for us.
Cocktails - a tequila reposado negroni and the punch of the day, which was tequila based. Both were very good, quite refreshing and not overly sweet.
Apps - Spicy Glazed Brussels Sprouts and the Watermelon Salad. The watermelon salad was outstanding, the Brussels were okay, but more sweet than spicy and kind of tough. There was absolutely nothing really wrong with the dish, but compared to everything else we ate they were something of a let down.
Entree - we were splitting everything and split the entree as well. The Chicken Schnitzel was over the top delicious. Chicken breast pounded thin, breaded and deep fried and then served on top of some of the tastiest jalapeño mashed potatoes ever. Sauteed veg along side and a nice creamy bit of sauce over the chicken.
Portions are on the large side, even the apps. Even with sharing all 3 plates I still ended up taking leftovers home, and they were just as good the next day.
Last Night - The Red Door
If you haven’t been to the Red Door you really owe it to yourself to do so. It’s one of the few certifiable farm-to-table, sustainable restaurants in the city. The menu is small and well thought out. Service could have been a bit better, but the food was excellent.
Drinks - white wine for my friend, red for me
Apps - we both had the Shrimp Skewers that came with roasted carrots and sauteed greens, all of which was arranged on what is probably the best black bean puree I’ve ever eaten, and I’ve eaten a lot of black beans. As my friend commented…this was so good if I’d been at home I would have picked up the plate and licked it clean. I have to agree, this is one of the best shrimp dishes I’ve eaten in a long time.
Entrees - my friend had the Mushroom Hodgepodge which is a melange of mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, shallots and other vegetables. She liked it but took at least a third of it home because the portion was huge. I wanted something light so I had the Butter Lettuce Caprese Salad. The salad was composed of 3 butter lettuce cups which were filled with juilenned cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes and chiffonade of basil. It was topped with crumbled feta and drizzled with a balsamic dressing. It turned out to be the perfect salad for a hot day. I would have preferred a vinaigrette to the balsamic as it would have made the salad even lighter, but that’s only personal preference, there was nothing wrong at all with the balsamic dressing.
Go forth and eat. I ate well at both meals and neither one cost me more than $60 including drinks, food, tax and generous tip.
And I’ll toss this little tidbit in…
If you live in the Mission Valley area, you know there isn’t much in the way of dining options and this won’t be one either ;-). But there is a little wine bar called the Remedy in the apartment complex across the street from Living Spaces. They offer a small menu of beer, wine, bruschetta-style tapas, charcuterie and salads. Monday night is Trivia night. The place fills up with regulars, the game is competitive but friendly and it’s a rather fun way to spend an part of the evening.
as your friend!
at Del Mar. .
