I loved this topic on the old board, and thought it could be a good thread here.
The Alpine Pub.
Yakitori Yakyudori, for that matter, all of Convoy
La Torta
Bake Sale
Ryan Brothers
Cafe Virtuoso
Cafe Moto
A Chau
J & T Thai
These are just a smattering of places…Yours?
English Meat Pies at Shakespeare Pub on India
Solare, Liberty Station
Nine-Ten, La Jolla
Panevino, Gaslamp
Fig Cafe, Hillcrest
Smattering for sure, I’m dieting (trying to).
Extraordinary Desserts (Little Italy)
Pappalecco
Cucina Urbana
Basic
Zion Food Court (Old Food Place or Cocohodo)
Dduriba
Juniper & Ivy
Georges
Cafe Chloe
Solare
Smoking Goat
Monello
Cucina Basilico
Blue Ribbon Pizzeria
Buena Forchetta
Eat at Pearl
Escogelato
Kaito Sushi
Mariscos Nine Seas
Yakitori Yakyudori
In-N-Out
Zumbar Cardiff
Lofty Coffee
Bagby Beer
Hoai Hue
Luong Hai Ky
Okan
SunFlour Bagel (on Japanese pastry days)
I have to add another one to my list as I find myself going back there more often than not.
Queenstown.
Very good Fish N Chips, desserts out of a Paula Deen wet dream, and people watching (during the Mercato) worthy of the price of admission.
The food court inside Parkway Plaza has Olympic level people watching.
Ooops, I forgot Buona Forchetta and Smoking Goat. How could I?
Little Lion Cafe
Tiger!Tiger!
Jayne’s
Yakitori Yakyudori
Phuong Trang
Surati Farsan
Native Foods
Tender Greens
Sushi Ota
AR Valentien
Birdrock Coffee
Bread & Cie
Iceskimo
I go to San Diego about 5-7 times per year between the zoo and del mar but these are all on heavy rotation
Mr Frostie
Iron Pig Alehouse
Carnitas Snack Shack
Birdrock Coffee
Snooz
Pizzeria Luigi
Juniper & Ivy
Tender Greens
Ballast Point Tasting Room
Oscars Mexican Seafood
A sister of Bare Back Grill in PB.
Tender Greens
PrepKitchen DT and DM
Piatti
Galaxy Taco
Red Tractons
Barbarela
Urban Solace
Water Grill
Aloha eatemup!!!
Let the party begin…
Have you been to the new resto next to Main Stage in Ramona, The Main Course?
www.themaincourserestaurant.com/#menu
By golly, I have. We went there on Saturday with high hopes. Might give it another try after some time passes. Let’s say there were some issues but only with the food and the service.They said they are trying to invoke a Chicago speakeasy. With no bar (only beer and wine) how could that be. I did not move to Ramona for the chow (er, food).
I haven’t posted earlier to this thread because I don’t really have a rotation, per se. I go to restaurants I’ve liked in the past, and try to get to new ones – the list keeps growing and is almost unmanageable. Everything is day to day.
But I’ll comment on a few of the places already mentioned above that I also like and that I try to get to from time to time:
Yakitori Yakyudori. Excellent ramen. What’s not to like? Except for the crowding.
J&T Thai. Not a favorite at first, but I’ve grown to like it here. (TY cstr and dagney.) There’s a large “secret” back room in case the front is full. Head past the WCs.
Shakespeare Pub. Last time I mentioned this place I got certain people “pea-d off” so to speak … (well, not literally, LOL) Chowhound
Cucina Urbana. A great spot, and one I always unhesitatingly recommend. Some sound conditioning would be appreciated.
Basic. Yes. Very. And really good.
Juniper & Ivy. Eclectic and inspired. Yes, that sounds like ad agency language. But true here.
Georges. One of our very finest restaurants. Elegant food.
Café Chloe. Excellent French cuisine, charming setting.
Cucina Basilico. Basic Italian things done very well.
Buona Forchetta. The “Fork Place” as my companion calls it. Our favorite place for pizza, but there’s much more.
Phuong Trang. Somewhat unsung. Heavily frequented by local Vietnamese. And me. Nice selection of dishes and all are pretty darn decent. (Well, ok, of those that I’ve had.)
Iceskimo. Bite after bite is ecstasy.
Carnitas Snack Shack. Good food but a pain. Not been to the one “up north”.
As a kitschy tourist:
Clayton’s
Bluewater Seafood
El Pescador
The Cottage
Bud’s Louisiana Food Shoppe
Croce (because well it’s fucking Jim Croce).
Bluewater is another place that I always suggest to vistors and friends. You have to be patient, but it’s worth it. The salads are really good, and a good deal.
Croce’s was among the first places people felt safe at downtown, especially after dark. (Except for the Spaghetti Factory, of course.) I can’t remember the others. It was truly at the leading edge of the renaissance downtown. The food was just ok, but who cared? Its imminent closing sometime back was the reason I started actively posting about restaurant-related political issues, and then restaurant food.
My little sister was a huge fan of Jim Croce, and when she first moved to SD, we went there from time to time. She was living on 7th just north of University and we’d drive straight downtown on 6th. I wasn’t as big a fan, but liked the ambience of the place and identified with the kind of people who went there.
I haven’t been to the new location.
First Croce’s and Morgan.
Then Fio’s and it was “on” after that.
sigh…
Yes, downtown was “on” after that. Until the crater. It hit too close. Just too damn close.
Ah, what could have been.