Everyone has that one friend. You know the one. The guy who likes to nibble at pickled duck feet. The girl who crunches slices of cold pig ear and offers to take yours “if you’re …
September 20, 2016
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Stories by Charlie Morgenstern
Pork knuckles and duck necks?
How much more black could it be?
Down in the sunblasted “heel” of Italy, grapes with thick, black skins flourish in the baking sunlight. The wines produced from such crops are quintessentially Italian in their boldness and, if I might go out …
August 14, 2016
Warm summer nights, wine, and you
Between the twist cap and the tongue-in-cheek copy and imagery — “Giocato is made by Aleks Simic, one of Europe’s greatest (and most humble) winemakers” on the back of the label, while the front depicts …
August 13, 2016
Europeans and Asians eat mackerel and bonito
Fun Fact Number One: University Heights seafood counter Beerfish couldn’t get www.beerfish.com because some obscure rod and tackle outfit with the tagline “Worse for wear and overpriced” has it locked down. Fun Fact Number Two: …
August 2, 2016
On French time
Since 1903, the only interruptions to the Tour de France have been the two World Wars. Every summer the world’s best cyclists complete a 21-day circuit of the hexagonal country, often dipping briefly into Spain, …
July 23, 2016
It can cleanse fish-and-chips with just one sip
Vinavanti Urban Winery’s tasting notes for their BPN get it mostly right. The quirky, pseudo blanc de noirs do indeed taste of raw cranberries and just-ripe raspberries. They fail to mention the green apple tint, …
June 25, 2016
Overripe cherries, before the squirrels got to them
Since the state is shaped like a mitten, Michiganders often hold up their left hand so that they can point to where they’re from. Italians are generally too proud to point to a thigh-high boot, …
June 20, 2016
Hello, gorgeous
“Are we anticipating ketchup tonight?” This may be the most delightful phrase I’ve heard spoken by a server so far this year. The beauty of it is in the anticipation of the ketchup itself, rather …
June 2, 2016
Assertive licorice
In 2012, Utah’s happy hour ban went into effect, adding that state to a short list of others that consider special prices on alcoholic drinks a source of great social harm. Later that year, Hurricane …
May 24, 2016
Sushi fans head to Serra Mesa
You have to want to go to a sushi bar such as Kokoro. Apologies to Serra Mesa residents, but this place isn’t near anything. Chef/owner Akio Ishito claims “many Japanese” seek out his restaurant, and …
May 8, 2016
Tasting the beast
Near as I can tell, Buty Vineyards produces Beast wine as the experimental section of their operation in Washington’s Columbia Valley. For this particular bottling, the winemakers blended Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, and Mourvèdre (if …
April 25, 2016
Young, white wine in the La Jolla sunshine
You can’t help but like the way the sun streams into a southwest exposure during the afternoon in Bird Rock. This time of year, it slides in obliquely, without the driving force of summer, but …
April 16, 2016
How many ramen shops can San Diego sustain?
How long does a restaurant have to stay open before a GRAND OPENING sign comes down? Nishiki Ramen, sharing a parking lot with Mitsuwa market, still proudly flies their big, red banner, six months after …
April 14, 2016
Have you tried the bone broth?
In the world of nightlife and dining, there are cool scenes and there are bad scenes. There are plenty of weird scenes out there, too. Then, there are the random scenes, the likes of which …
March 20, 2016
USD’s secret
“People lined up around the block!” states one exuberant diner, his orotund voice booming with joyous, blustery, academic indifference. “They’ve never had voter turnout like that before,” he adds, closing his assessment of Bernie Sanders’ …
March 11, 2016
Burgers and beer, then and now
It’s easy to talk about a restaurant’s food. Almost too easy. Sometimes there are better stories to be told if you go a little deeper. In the mid-‘90s, all we wanted was cold Tecate, cheap …
March 3, 2016
What is “New American” anymore?
The designers of Masters Kitchen and Cocktail embraced the building’s auto parts warehouse history. Perhaps too much. Cold drafts bother when the weather turns cool, the whole place seems designed to an inhuman scale, and …
February 25, 2016
Tiny dogs and good sushi
If you’re dining on a patio somewhere, one good way to tell you’re in Del Mar is when multiple impeccably groomed, toy-sized dogs discretely nibble bits of sushi from the manicured fingers of their doting …
February 23, 2016
Expensive, and worth it
Diamond solitaires and pearls glimmer in the dim. A woman laughs loudly, sharing a private joke with the bartender as she orders another $20 glass of wine. A table of attorneys from L.A., fresh from …
February 5, 2016
Jinya offers a big dose of chic
Worlds collide to the tune of “Fresh garlic, yo! This is key!” from a well-dressed 20-something, who only moments before elaborated on how one particular dish was “so bomb” that it’s what he gets every …
January 7, 2016