Last month, I made my way down to Offshore to meet Tommy Gomes face-to-face, drawn to a culinary-education phenomenon called Collaboration Kitchen. I’d heard Gomes’s name before, most often from chefs on their way to …
October 26, 2011
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Stories by Brandon Hernández
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Brain Food
Beer Town
Passing by this constantly packed spot in the East Village, one would never guess the perseverance it took for owner Arsalun Tafazoli to force it down downtowners’ gullets. His goal was to provide the perfect …
October 19, 2011
San Diego Pizza Places
The younger sibling of the larger Arrivederci Ristorante a few doors down specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza. Sidewalk seating gives diners a front-row view of Hillcrest happenings. Servers are likely to speak Italian, and the low …
October 19, 2011
Nibbles and Drinks
What first drew me in here was Starlite’s informal, relaxed atmosphere, illuminated by a sparkly, starry sky-like chandelier hovering over the sunken bar. Though atmosphere played a significant role, it was the consistent deliciousness of …
October 19, 2011
Burrito Especial
At this Five Points hot spot, hefty helpings of flavorful carne asada and shrimp are packed into flour tortillas like a past-his-prime wrestler into fluorescent pink Spandex. It’s a fitting analogy for a venue that …
October 19, 2011
Burger Time
Half-pound cheeseburger, $6.25 The champion bar burger, certainly for the money. It starts with the beef: fine grind, loose pack, superjuicy, good grill seasoning that keeps you taking bite after bite. A medium rare that …
October 19, 2011
Beer and Cider Meat Their Match
A few months back, I mentioned the chilly beer cave at Mission Valley’s Iowa Meat Farms. Today, I’m happy to report the meat mongers in the back of the shop have upped their devotion to …
October 5, 2011
The Best Main Dishes from the "Feast" Blog
What follows is a selection of posts from our Feast! blog. Every day our team of foodies posts news and reviews from San Diego eateries. New Menu Trend Leaves Too Much to the Imagination<br>By Brandon …
September 7, 2011
Some Rules for Riding San Diego's Craft Beer Superhighway
The recent passage of AB 1014, a bill initiated by San Diego’s own Nathan Fletcher, will make life a lot easier for the individuals behind our county’s craft-beer tasting bars. It also ensures that the …
August 24, 2011
R.I.P., Red Velvet
On June 4, I awoke to an otherwise awesome Saturday, fired up the ol’ email, and clicked open a message from one of San Diego’s finest local chefs. What I saw horrified me. One of …
July 13, 2011
Beer for Brontos
I am a Car3 — a Card Carrying Carnivore! I love the supple, greasy squish of tender, gastronomically compromised muscle tissue yielding beneath my molars. I enjoy the tart, grassy zing of goats’-milk chèvre, and …
June 1, 2011
On Wednesdays, TNT Stands for True North Tacos
Each Wednesday night, North Park’s True North Tavern — a good-time spot for drinkers, foodies (the menu is the product of chef Matt Gordon from next-door neighbor Urban Solace), and all-purpose revelers — holds its …
April 6, 2011
The Relation Chef and the Pop-Up Restaurant
Like water funneling down the tract of the Colorado River, it often takes a while for some of the nation’s culinary trends to work their way into America’s Finest City. That’s not to say we …
February 23, 2011