Can't make it to DZ Akins, Milton's, or Brooklyn Bagels? A Chicago Jewish deli called Schmaltz has just expanded, starting with Schmaltz Online. They've got just about everything -- about 35 products, including rye bread, rugelach, pastrami, brisket, corned beef, …

For mysterious reasons, I can't post an answer to your blog, it accuses me in red print of making mysterious errors but doesn't specify their nature. Very Kafkaesque, Hey, he really is cute, for a possum. If you garden, a …

The scaffolding's up, but Al's not down. Al and customer His BB's Deli has been a sidewalk hole-in-the wall in the Sandford long-stay hotel building for 16 years, always known for its deals. But the hotel's going through a major …

If there's one thing I crave when I'm watching 22 Goliath-like athletes knock the stuffing out of each other on an NFL football field, it's a rich, full-bodied Napa Valley cab. Certainly, nothing goes better with the equally mind-swelling roar …

On Monday I wrote about San Diegan Troy Johnson debuting a new show on Food Network, but he's not the only local who made it onto that station this year...or even this summer. Dyann Huffman, Mark Manning, and Kristina Repp …

Just think: a hundred years ago, ladies of the night would be sitting on this balcony, calling "Woohoo!" to the cowboys sauntering by on the boardwalk. That's the legend, anyway. Talking about The Mission SoMa ("South of Market"), the breakfast-lunch …

I so wanna be part of this. It’s not so much a café sidewalk patio as a proper café terrace. Terrazza! Dahling! Welcome to la dolce vita! Do you know count Otto von Schomberger, the Olympic skier…? The only problem …

My father has been trying for years to get me to lunch with him at Yoshino's, a Japanese joint located in the basement of Mission Hills. Because my father is not exactly what I'd call a "foodie" (his go-to eateries …

For several years it's stood in the corner of a strip mall, Solana Beach's home to haute cuisine and revolving executive chefs. It's been awhile since Blanca has had a changing of the kitchen guard and that's been refreshing. Their …

Pizzeria Calabria's Arne Holt is proud of the fact that he has a beehive-shaped pizza built by Stefano Ferrara of Naples, Italy (see this week's Tin Fork). It's da bomb, when it comes to baking traditional Neapolitano pizzas (and they …

Giant rat? No. Baby possum. Thinks Casa Bedford is his local Cheap Eatery. Walks in, confident as all get up, doesn't Wait to be Seated, starts in on the appetizers. Cats don't know what to do with him. Brash confidence …

Not surprisingly, I'm a fan of Food Network, and I'm always excited to see fellow San Diegans getting air time on that channel. It's more than just a hometown-pride thing (or the fact that I'm a member of that club). …

Sorry, Sadie. That glamorous, sexy picture of Wyatt Earp's wife, Josephine Sarah "Sadie" Marcus Earp? You know the one that hangs near Wyatt's photo... ...by the entrance to the Tivoli bar (506 Sixth Avenue, 619-232-6754), the Gaslamp's oldest bar? Tivoli …

What's the McDonald's of Manila? Luwee knows. He's waiting to take my order here at Jollibee (1401 E. Plaza Boulevard, National City), the Filipino fast-food eatery that has created almost 2000 outlets worldwide, including subsidiaries. They were a two-store ice …

Monica Halliday said she'd do it. Turn up at Proper Pub at 4.30 in the morning each time a serious Premier League soccer match happens. And that's a lot. But with the time difference with Europe, that's when live action …

I remember the early days of Stone Brewing Co.’s regime and the small street-fair type of celebrations that came with each passing year. Back then, those little get-togethers at their old San Marcos facility on Mata Way (currently home to …

"I was standing in a shower when it came to me," says Brian McGonagle, "I just knew this was what I wanted to do." McGonagle was 27. He had just come out of eight years in the Marines. Two tours …

John Kennedy hands me an apple-loaded cinnamon roll and a cawfee. "We're the only dedicated cinnamon roll place in town that I know of," he says. Me too. Got drawn in here by the nose. Because there's nothing like the …

Five years ago, I was noticing that a lot of menus in food-forward cities were starting to read very differently from those in San Diego. While in S.D. a dish might be described as "oven-roasted, pancetta-wrapped quail with crimini-pinenut cous …

The fascinating scientific techniques of microgastronomy (as at Ferran Adria's now-closed restaurant near Barcelona) are suddenly passé. The latest hot hot restaurants are in (or near) cold, cold Stockholm, Copenhagen, and even Finland. They're the ultimate in locovore -- the …

You've probably heard of The French Laundry, Thomas Keller's famous restaurant in Yountville, up in Napa wine country. Responding to increasing customer pleas for gluten-free dishes, Lena Kwak, the restaurant's culinary researcher, developed a gluten-free flour. This has got to …

Who knew (I sure didn't) that Solana Beach has housed a gourmet peanut butter and chocolate maker for over a decade? Perhaps it's because Jer's normally sells to retail outlets, not to, um, people. On September 13, you can finally …

One of the first gourmet food trucks to hit the road in San Diego, the MIHO Gastrotruck has been plugging away for over a year. The road hasn't been easy, but they've racked up a cult following along the way …

Feel like getting your feet wet...and red? This Saturday, August 27, Juan Diaz will be running his Third Annual Grape Stomp contest at his -- who knew? -- Barrio Logan Winery (3030 Main Street, Barrio Logan, 619-779-8055). Each team of …

Okay, so I know I gave them flack for their Ironic Independence Day Celebration, but ever since I saw that brunch sign, I've been curious to learn what a fish & chips & beer joint like Shakespeare Pub & Grille …

It ain’t like it used to be, back when food information was confined almost solely to encyclopedia-like cookbooks and a half hour of Julia Child on the tube. Now there are tons of easy-to-tap sources of culinary education. I’ve spent …

"You don't need another big bowl of pasta place in Little Italy," says Scott Harris. He's the wildly successful Chicago restaurateur who has just opened his newest eatery, Davanti Enoteca, right in the heart of the eatin' district on India …

Maybe it was because I was in a rush, but this slice of pizza was a slice of heaven. Was jes' waiting on the trolley at Civic Center and saw that place you trundle past, like every day of your …

Chef Brian Malarkey is well known for giving the entries on his menus names that range from tongue-in-cheek to downright confusing. Only a few weeks in, servers at his new Del Mar Highlands eatery, Burlap, have to be tired answering …

Don't let the "tofu" part of Tofu House fool you: this always-hopping restaurant on Convoy serves plenty of meat, much of it still sizzling on a hot plate when it lands on your table. In fact, the plates at this …

As a preamble to their August 24 grand opening, Stacked restaurant in Fashion Valley has been hosting complimentary meals for select guests, including the staff of the nearby Apple store where my roommate Leif works. Leif, our roommate Marcus, my …

Here's how I discovered this hip place in the Barrio: I was standing at the corner. Looking across kitty-corner from the New Mexico Cafe. (Had been eating at its new addition, Viva Birria! What a great birreria.) So, kinda rubbing …

Potato chips and M&Ms. They seem an odd couple, and I'd never personally mow down on both simultaneously, but growing up, the salty-sweet virtues of this pair were consistently professed to me by my mother, who's always been a fan …

In Hillcrest, goodbye to Pizza Nova and to Banana Leaf (the south Indian restaurant owned by the Bombay group). The developer who owns the properties is looking for a lot more money per square foot. Rumors are two midscale chain …

I'm positive that the fast-food chicken outlet visited by Janet Evanovich's semi-suburban New Jersey heroines in her mystery series (Finger-Lickin' Fifteen, Sloppy Sixteen, Slobbery Seventeen, Overweight Eighteen, etc.) is Chick fil-A, skulking around under an assumed name. But I've never …

The Red Door Restaurant & Wine Bar’s (741 W. Washington Street, 619-295-6000) upcoming Chef’s Market Dinner is Friday, September 16 at 5 pm. Guests will accompany executive chef Daniel Manrique to the Mission Hills Farmer’s Market to explore and relish …

At left: Walla Walla onions Starting September 1, Roppongi's Fireside Menu is switching seasons to fall. Here's a preview of the autumnal tastes you'll find: Note that Walla Wallas are among America's sweetest onions, comparable to Vidalias -- so imagine …

San Diego’s culinary hot shots are hitting the sidewalks this fall for Siesel’s Old-Fashioned Meats Sidewalk Chef Series of free outdoor tastings and culinary demonstrations. The chefs will share exclusive tips and prep demonstrations and insider tricks of the trade …

Wen it comes to hot dogs, the beautiful Carla is the World's Greatest Critic. But hey, she's like me. Appreciates a bargain. And here at the 8th Street trolley stop in National City, I may have the biggest bargain yet. …

And away they go! No, I'm not talking about the ponies breaking away from the gates down at Old Del Mar. I'm referring to a multitude of food trucks spanning just about every cultural cuisine imaginable as they depart en …

It's around 1:30 p.m. Walking through the barrio, and all the time being reminded of Tijuana itself. The street life, the food, the friends, the long late lunches. It specially reminds me of it here on Beardsley, as I head …

Barrio Logan. Wandering down National, hoping to find that El Porvenir is open again... along with Las Cuatro Milpas, the hands-down best burritos in town...because they still use wicked Manteca, of course. But...argh! Just past Beardsley, I see it's still …

It was over a year ago that I sat in the dining room of North Park's Urban Solace and interviewed chef and restaurant owner Matt Gordon about his upcoming second restaurant, Solace and the Moonlight Lounge (http://www.eatatsolace.com). I was the …

David Chang, hot New York chef (founder of the insanely popular Momofuku chain that features Asian street foods in informal (even uncomfortable) settings, including a noodle house and an Asian tapas restaurant, absolutely refuses to do a TV show: “The …

It's dark on J. I walk up, stop to touch the Lucky Index Fingernail of Chin - the emperor who created China in 221 BC, and also in his spare time built the Great Wall – his 8-foot-tall bronze statue, …

So after that over-stuffing Happy Hour (at McCormick & Schmick's), what Carla calls the perverse side in me is out, rampant. Need something sweet. Touch of dessert. She's out till ten, so still time. I’m walking down Market. Stop at …

Don’t they always say: It’s the poor who pay? The rich don’t have to? Here at McCormick and Schmick’s (675 L Street, in the Omni Hotel downtown, 619-645-6545), I’m testing this out. They’re a chain of business-class eateries that stretch …

To the casual observer happening upon a six-pack of Islander IPA or Mermaid Red - say an out-of-state tourist staying at the Del and meandering down Orange Avenue - Coronado Brewing Company (coronadobrewingcompany.com) may at first glance seem a trite …

Nice thing happened on the way to the forum, uh, ballpark last night. OK, not actually going to the Mets game. Twelfth and Imperial is just my transfer point. So I get off the trolley and smell…barbecue. Then I see…smoke. …

Espirit de corps is at the heart of one of San Diego’s newest brewing operations. Aztec pride, to be exact. A quartet of Montezuma Hall move-ons has banded together to make a go of it in San Diego’s vibrant craft …

Up in the mountains, a man gets a hunger on. But a salad pizza? Isn’t that stretching it? “Not at all,” says Tammy McKay. “It’s one of our most popular pizzas.” Tammy’s at the Wynola Pizza Express (4355 Highway 78, …

A popular Chico restaurant has decided to branch out in Solana Beach. Crush Restaurant & Wine Lounge is nestled in the corner of a strip mall off the main drag (HWY 101). This is where Pacific Coast Grill used to …

By day, he was Don Diego, society fop living the good life in Alta California. By night? He was mask on, sword drawn, out there saving maidens, robbing the rich, bringing justice to the poor. The name? Zorro. So Don …

The weekend is upon us, and you know what that means -- time to figure out where you're meeting your crew for dim sum on Sunday. My go-to place has always been Emerald, but some friends have been converting me …

Best kabob deal in town? How about 99 cents? That's for a beef or chicken kabob to go. Stefan (“Steve”) Sagmani has it going every day at his place (Sagmani’s Restaurant, 478 W. Douglas Avenue, El Cajon, 619-440-0077). Even here …

Photo at left: Montalcino When in Solana Beach, craft-beer lovers know to go to Pizza Port to scratch their hop-and-malt itch. But what if you’re more the Brunello d’Montalcino type? The answer to that question may lie at Crush (http://www.solanabeachcrush.com), …

File this under “worthy survivor.” Talking about Meijo, located right out in left field on the edge of IB (Meijo Sushi, 600 Palm Avenue, Suite 300, Imperial Beach, 619-429-4373). Night view from Highway 75 As ShawnMichel blogged passionately (here in …

I often compare the chef scene in San Diego to professional sports. Like the scores of teams that make up the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball, the restaurant industry is constantly in flux. There's always some spot letting go …

At this end of Park (where it T’s into Adams Avenue), you usually think Mexican (El Zarape), Ethiopian (Muzita), or Persian (Soltán Banoo). But last night I took the Extra Step, and boldly walked almost to Adams. That’s where I …

It was the dog. Standing there tied to the railing while his mistress and a trendy crowd packed the outside deck. You know how you have some areas around town you just never see, even though you’re buzzing all around …

It could be the most beautiful cocktail deck you never see. Still doing our summer waterfront thing here...Friday I made this discovery when I was hanging around the Maritime Museum's ferry Berkeley. I was checking out something the beautiful Carla …

Sausage and beer seems so...German. But the Regal Beagle manages to make it as American as burgers at a barbecue. One of the first things I noticed upon walking in to the place, situated on the corner of a strip …

It’s heading for one in the mawnin’ and this place is popping…but in downtown Coronado? They say Coronado’s usually dead by nine, except for one or two bars like Danny's. Not from now on. We're about 100 yards from the …

One of the most appealing aspects of American craft brewing is the continuous innovation behind the beers and the companies comprising the industry. A brewery that’s led the charge in that area since the uncapping of their first 12-ouncer is …

In the Navy, when Elwood Maiden was young and thin and lanky, they called him "Stretch." The name stuck, and when he opened a little sliver of an eatery on Orange Avenue in Coronado, “Stretch’s” had to be the name. …

And while we’re in North Park… You see them at farmers’ markets in Hillcrest, Little Italy, Temecula, but I never knew these guys had an actual restaurant. They do, and it’s cute: La Crêperie, 3773 30th Street, Suite C. Sami …

San Diego-born sisters Jordan Catapano and Jocelyn Dunn Muhlbach are reaching out to the fairer sex with the release of their new book, This Girl Walks Into A Bar. While a collaborative effort, this surprisingly potent book is a how-to …

Everything changes, right? Not Mr. Lucky. Or his prices. Like, 85 cents for coffee? One egg with hash browns, toast, butter, and strawberry jam, $2.75? Three eggs with three bacon, or three sausages or a hamburger patty, plus hash browns …

“Omygod. It’s made of chopsticks!” This is the first thing that happens when people come sit down in J-Wok. They’re talking about the Japanese-style torrey pine tree sculpture on the wall of J-Wok (744 Market). Chrissie Beavis, who’s a local …

Not too long ago, I wrote one of the types of articles that I hate the most — the story of a chef and a restaurant parting ways. I was particularly bummed to pen that item because the eatery where …

A 55-second pizza? Absolutely, says Giancarlo. “Between 55 seconds and one minute fifteen seconds. That's all it takes to bake a pizza in this oven. It's about 1000 degrees in there." Giancarlo This is the new pizza operation at Caffe …

"I fly," she says. "Airbus." She's sitting two down at the counter, waiting for her veggie omelet ($8.95). "Wow," I say. I've ordered a crispy corn flake French toast ($7.95). "Flight attendant?" She pauses just a moment. Enough for me …

It's won numerous awards and become a big-time favorite among Alpine Beer Co.'s (http://www.alpinebeerco.com) hop-loving fan base. It's Duet, a West Coast-style India pale ale (IPA) made with two types of hops -- Simcoe and Amarillo. The aroma and exquisite …

Ahh. Fresh cool morning on the Embarcadero. Big open terrace, red-and-white umbrellas, blue tables, and above all, that big blue bay spread out in front of us, sparkling in the mawnin' sunshine. Here though, it's nice and shady, this time …

People arrive at a vegan diet (that’s no meat, cheese, eggs, Jell-O, etc.) for a variety of reasons: Environmental: Every vegan saves an acre of trees each year and an average of 2,400 animals in a lifetime. Humanitarian: Corn, grain, …

Never thought I’d be speaking up for Denny’s. But Armando Bueno the maître d’ here and I are shaking our heads in their lobby and wondering aloud: why? Why are they going to tear up this beautiful old building? “This …

It's rare to see a chef stay at the same restaurant for nearly a decade when they're not the one calling the shots. While Augie Saucedo's role was to direct the kitchen at The Shores Restaurant in La Jolla, he …

This might not be best for your after-lunch breath, but man is it worth it. Just go in here where the uh, sandwich board is, and say “Gimme a Stinking Bishop.” They won’t toss you out. Rebecca Gould, who’s an …

I used to live a couple blocks from the RK Sushi in Hillcrest and would occasionally check in exclusively to pregame on their $5.25 large Japanese beer and large sake flask combo. The sake buzz is a special kick, lending …

At left: Ricardo Heredia Cooking for vegetarians can be tough for chefs, not because they don’t respect them, but because, as members of perhaps the most over-the-top caste of foodies, these pros love all the food the world has to …

They say time is money, right? Across Sports Arena Boulevard from Phil’s Barbecue (and that’s a hard place to walk away from at the best of times) it’s for real. Du-par’s Restaurant & Bakery (3711 Sports Arena Boulevard, 619-224-4454), is …

This being officially summer and all, I can’t stop hanging around the waterfront. Specially love it in the freshness of the mornings. Came on this clump of Segue tourists being told about the old San Francisco ferry Berkeley (and hey! …

Sitting at India and Fir, next to a little ol' timber cottage. Sign says Melero Boutique & Gallery. This place, on the other hand is ultra mod: Glass and plastic industrial chic. Everyone who comes in is thin, cool, wiring …

Morning surprise! Walking up Broadway, sun still sloping in from the east, median palm trees backlit, shining. And here, just west of the Greyhound, and right at Front Street, is Broadway's one sidewalk cafe. (And what's with that? When you …

As a beer writer, I’ve always been a fan of ales and the arts. So, when I heard about a pair of art contest tied into the local brewing subculture, I was all in. Not having set a pen or …

I’ve been by Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill a hundred times, but I’d never seen inside. Every time I passed, there was a line out the door, and the idea of fighting for a table or waiting in an …