A friend and I went to TJ for lunch the other day, partly to prove how quickly we could cross the linea. We totally failed in being swift because leisurely exploration got the best of us, but in wandering about …

Since the first time I tasted Luke Johnson’s food, I’ve openly and vocally touted him as one our city’s most innovative chefs…and one worth holding onto. I was worried the young talent would up and leave town when I heard …

“Pierre says Eat!” says the sign. Okay, why not? Pierre could be the guy with the beret and the black apron working away right above us in the white food truck. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jul/30/28808/ Crepes Bonaparte. Truck’s only been going a couple …

Back in May, I wrote about my pre-open tour of Vintana. A the time, there was no furniture and only preview-sized bites of the dishes that would someday be served there. The eatery, which is interestingly perched atop The Centre …

Going into the Shabu Shabu House on Convoy Street gave me a pleasant sense of cognitive disconnect. I've been meaning to visit a Japanese-style hotpot restaurant for years, but the occasion has never sprung up until just recently. The idea …

Perched on the corner of 5th and Pennsylvania in Hillcrest, Voyou sits on a block densely populated with good restaurants, though it holds its own in terms of cuisine and ambiance. The restaurant has a lot of European style in …

We’re sitting in the back of the 901 bus, Friday night around five, heading south. This lady with a stack of yellow plastic bags starts telling her neighbor what a bunch of bargains she’s picked up. “It tell you these …

San Diego State? State of Disrepair, more like. Big hole in the ground where you come out from the Green Line trolley. It’s a mess. All in a good cause, of course, the new Aztec Student Union. Greener building, they …

Sister to the West Coast Tavern, Uptown is now open for business where Ono Sushi was. Brandon Hernandez labelled the project "ambitious" early on, and the remodel seems to bear that fact out. Gone is the dark, club-y, borderline labyrinthine …

From the moment it went in, I had to wonder—what were they thinking? There was no denying it was a one-of-a-kind concept: a bar/restaurant outfitted to look like a log cabin. But what gave the owners the impression that San …

Entrées are great, but a combination of things—the rise of tapas-style dining, the lower risk and greater cost effectiveness of rolling out more out-there ingredients via smaller dishes—has led to the appetizer and small plate sections of menus garnering much …

When you cover your front door with praise, you set the bar pretty damn high. The Hash House seems to be almost universally loved, in- and outside of San Diego, for the gigantic portions of comfort food that draw lines …

First came Neighborhood and El Dorado—forward-thinking, alcohol-fueled, fledgling additions to a downtown scene thirsty for change and in need of an impetus for it. Back then, the owners of those establishments, Arsalun Tafazoli and Nathan Stanton, were independent. It was …

Back in May I wrote about Paul McCabe debuting his new bill of fare at Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe (6106 Paseo Delicias). Coming out a full seven months after the chef made the move from L’Auberge Del Mar’s KITCHEN …

Down by the ballpark, about 5:30 p.m. Lotsa glass-clinking and laffs from across J Street. Basic Pizza’s up and running. Almost tempted to cross over and stop in for a pint and…well, no. Don’t really feel like the whole pizza-in-a-warehouse …

Mary Beth Abate already did an excellent job of describing the philosophy and cuisine at Casa de Luz, the vegan and macrobiotic restaurant in North Park. She correctly pointed out that, despite the "crunchy" ethos that governs the entire business, …

“Good sex?” says John. “Oysters, not clams. But these clams are deliciously briney.” John and Angie run this first mobile food truck dedicated to fresh seafood that I’ve seen. And it’s not just fish and chips. Hey, it’s not even …

With summer fully underway, local restaurants are mixing up their menus and programs to enliven the summer scene as best they can. Here are a few notes on some of the interesting things going down in the coming weeks: Edit …

A friend, who spent time as a 'Zonie, got really excited about seeing the Pita Jungle set to open in Hillcrest. She said the ones back in Arizona were cool places, with live music, good vibes, and tasty food. There …

The folks at North Park’s URBN (3085 University Avenue) shot me a line when they started offering breakfast pizzas. I was instantly intrigued. I had recently experienced something similar—a pizza topped with bacon, tater tots, and fried eggs—at nearby University …

Back in May I wrote about the upcoming opening of Bardot Bars, a fancy-schmancy ice cream bar shop in La Jolla. I say fancy-schmancy because the shop, one of three opening in SoCal this summer, is located in a primo …

Talk about hidden pearls. This is down near the IB sloughs, in Nestor, where Saturn Boulevard heads for the border. That only makes Baja Oyster & Sushi Bar (1912 Coronado Avenue, Suite 105, Nestor, 619-575-4606) more weirdly amazing. I hopped …

I took my place at the back of the line—and what a line. It stretched 10 to 15 yards, from the bar all the way to the front door of the final stop on my brewery tour, Oceanside’s Breakwater Brewing …

Market Street just keeps getting better. Yesterday I was walking by, noticing how all the chestnut trees are out in their full green finery, when I saw all these new wooden plank tables just beyond Mak Cleaners, and before the …

These days, with new breweries in the planning stages throughout the county, my beer touring tends to involve hitting works-in-progress. Of all the upcoming brewing companies in San Diego, the one with the most eyes on it is Rip Current …

How well is Napizza (1702 India Street, Little Italy, 619-696-0802) doing? “We’re looking for a second location,” says cofounder Christopher Antinucci. “Things have gone really well here since we opened.” http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jul/18/28264/ Antonucci with co-owner Giulia Colmignoli Napizza came direct from …

The next stop on the tour was to a place I hadn’t been in ages. Back in 2007, when I visited my uncle-in-law in Oceanside, we would regularly head to a nearby business park to visit a small brewery that, …

As so often happens, I got a ringing endorsement of Urban Chicken from a friend, which probably went along the lines of, "dude, have you tried that chicken place in Golden Hill?" This is how I select restaurants, for better …

Went to Candelas once last year, kinda graduation dinner with our Spanish teacher. Not cheap. I never thought I’d see the inside of Candelas again. Okay, Candelas at the Old Ferry Landing on Coronado (1201 1st Street, #115, 619-435-4900)... http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jul/18/28225/ …

I was down at Café Moto buying coffee beans, and on a tight time schedule. Where’s a good place to grab a quick lunch?, I asked the ever-helpful Moto staff. They pointed me towards Rolando’s Taco Shop, just a half …

The distance from the first stop on my tour to the next was less than a mile; a testament to how brewery-saturated San Diego County is becoming. Unlike the first place we visited, this one—Fezziwig’s Brewing Company (5621 Palmer Way, …

My roommate asked me if I had been to COFFEE yet. "That new place on El Cajon," he said. "It just says "COFFEE" on the wall." Sure enough, that's the signage for the Coffee and Tea Collective, a combination coffee …

“Cow foot?” That look comes over Brandon’s face. “Cow’s foot does a man good, know what I’m saying? Gives him strength. That’s why Peter cooks it Friday nights.” http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jul/16/28085/ Hmm. We’re standing at the counter, here at Caribbean Taste (6171 …

The first time I met Mary Beth Abate was at The Reader offices. We shook hands and, as one would expect, started talking about food and writing. We hadn’t gotten more than a hundred words into our exchange before she …

It’s been a bit of a tough stretch for The Lodge at Torrey Pines. Last month, Tim Kolanko, the chef de cuisine of the past 10 years for the property’s gourmet restaurant, A.R. Valentien, retired from the kitchen to take …

Tucked in one of the many mini-malls along Convoy Street, Mignon didn't make much of an outside effort to stand out from the crowd. The blacked-out windows revealed very little, but the decor inside lent the impression that the restaurant …

Oh man. What a night. You had to be there. And I mean outside Comic-Con, not inside. This was around seven in the evening. I get off the trolley at Gaslamp Quarter, and there, okay, for a start, crowds, of …

In business, despite the best of intentions and the closest of relationships, sometimes the answer to the classic Kingly query “can’t we all just get along” is “nope!” The latest local unexpected biz partner breakdown involves Julian’s recently revamped Bailey …

It's actually harder than one might think to find sincere, small-batch ice cream. Even good shops often buy theirs from elsewhere. The primary reason being that ice cream is difficult and time-consuming to make. I've made plenty and getting the …

Hot news! Café Paris (455 Tenth Avenue, East Village, 619-674-5571) opens tomorrow (yes, Friday the 13th!), 11:00 a.m. And anybody who turns up for a first visit and mentions Feast! will get a free glass of wine. That’s what the …

Canyons restaurant, perched above The Crossings at Carlsbad golf course and the Pacific Ocean, is part traditional golf clubhouse and part fine dining. We discovered this when we recently took company there for a casual lunch (with the possibility for …

Little Italy just wouldn’t be Little Italy without a high concentration of vino. Red sauce with no red table wine—as much a sin as overcooked pasta or grated Parm’ on seafood. A local wine producer is making plans to bring …

Proprietor Rita Pirkl, of the newly opened Village Vino on Adams Avenue, spent eight of her last ten years commuting from Kensington to positions at Chateau Montelena Winery and Peju Province Winery in Napa. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jul/11/27730/ And for the past five …

Right around the corner from newly-opened Spresso, Tommy Pastrami (555 West C. Street, at Columbia, downtown) is newly closed. But only temporarily, they say. Looks like the mess the trolley construction is creating outside is too much for them. "Closed …

I spot the word from Broadway. "Eats." I'm heading up Columbia anyway. Catching the trolley at America Plaza. Columbia's this normally boring street between Broadway and C. Halfway up the block, there's this red canopy and sign. It's a new …

Just north of the Wave Waterpark and the Krikorian Theater in Vista is a relic from the past: Main Street. You’ll find the Avo Theater, a now defunct antique store, and many restaurants, including Urbn Pizza. Unlike the general character …

Here's a little story about the coffee shop and gelateria in Mission Hills: twenty years back, maybe more, the corner of India and Washington was the place in town to meet up and caffeinate before weekend bike rides during a …

Several months ago, a local incarnation of the mega successful family of L.A.-born Japanese eateries, Katsuya, opened up in the space vacated by Quarter Kitchen at downtown’s Andaz San Diego hotel (600 F Street). I was instantly interested in checking …

My first visit to d Bar Desserts, the new pastry shop/casual bistro located on Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest, was successful in nearly every way, except that after my meal, I didn’t have room for dessert. Since I’d watched several of …

The wild world of craft beer is getting so experimental that barrel-aging, a practice that used to represent something of a “next level” in the brewing industry, is starting to be regarded as a bit ho hum. Beer enthusiasts still …

On a whim, I popped into the tavern that abuts the Birch North Park Theatre. I had planned only to slake my thirst, but when I opened the menu I was surprised at the breadth of food available. I distinctly …

Bus crisis. The danged thing was viciously on time, and I wasn’t. If there’s one thing I hate more than being late it’s being early. Now I’ve got half an hour and a gut to fill. This is at 12th …

Fact: getting a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning in La Jolla at this time of year is much harder than one might think, at least in the greater UCSD area. This is probably because the college is sleepy …

It takes a lot to get me out of the house on a Sunday morning. This was especially true yesterday when I awoke with particularly slowed motor skills but a smile on my face after spending the previous evening at …

There's a lot of competition along the main section of 101 through Encinitas. It seems like there's a restaurant in every other window. Barracuda Grill attracted my attention mostly because it wasn't an Italian restaurant. Sometimes, the decision making process …

It had been a long, frustrating day and I only wanted to sleep. The hour was late-ish, maybe half-past-ten, and I was getting hangry (a portmanteau of "hungry" and "angry") and I felt my need for sleep in fierce conflict …

I finally got around to visiting Viet Bakery and Pho, a newish place on Convoy Street in Kearny Mesa. I’ve been driving by it since April, but just didn’t have the right combination of time and hunger to stop in. …

I admit, I almost didn't want to write this. I wanted to keep Espresso Mio (1920 Fort Stockton Drive) to myself. It's not as if the coffee shop is a massive secret--it's right along a main thoroughfare in Mission Hills …

After eating through four of Brian Malarkey’s restaurants, I’m finishing out by revisiting the one that started it all—Searsucker (611 Fifth Avenue). Many would have started with the Top Chef finalist-turned-restaurant king’s flagship, but I see it as the perfect …

Part of the reason Brian Malarkey is so beloved by some and so abhorred by others is his showmanship. The guy is always on. Always ready for his close-up. Always hungry to grab the spotlight. To be fair, unlike so …

So far this week, I’ve covered two restaurants in the Enlightened Hospitality Group family that have required retooling. One that didn’t, with the exception of a quiet GM change, is Gingham (8384 La Mesa Boulevard), the most casual and unexpected …

Who knew? Fourth of July is also the anniversary of the Caesar Salad. It was the Fourth of July, 1924. Caesar Cardini had a rush on his restaurant in Tijuana. People had come down from LA and San Diego to …

“Over there!” This is Héctor, my buddy from TJ. “The place I was telling you about. Best taco place outside Sinaloa. Shall we?” Like, there’d be a question? This is three in the afternoon. It’s hot. I’m dry, and running …

I first encountered Red Oven Pizza, Justin Burlingame’s mobile Pizza Napoletano truck, at a Green Flash Brewery tasting event, but he can be seen at the Solana Beach, University City and Oceanside farmer’s markets, as well as regular stops on …

Following a recommendation from a friend, I breakfasted at the Olympic Cafe recently. It's right on the corner of Texas and University in North Park in the plaza with Golden Donut (where I stop sometimes for a dozen mixed donuts …

Not long after Chad White was picked up by Enlightened Hospitality Group, Brian Malarkey again lit up Twitter with the announcement he’d signed on another young and adventurous toque, Anthony Sinsay. Over the past year-plus, Sinsay had made a name …

A friend from Imperial Beach told me that Boll Weevil was the place to go for burgers, fries, and beers. He said they had a burger that came mashed between two grilled cheese sandwiches. I said, "don't threaten me with …

Home grown success story David Spatafore opened his first place, MooTime Creamery in Coronado, in 1998. Since then, he’s gone on to launch Village Pizzeria in two locations, the now defunct Beach-N-Diner, Lil’ Piggy’s, a second MooTime in the Hotel …

The lovely Carla is in love with breakfast. Specially Eggs Benedict at Villa Nueva (956 Orange Avenue, Coronado, 619-435-1256), when she makes it to that island nation. Something about the Benedict part, plus luscious country potatoes. Costs $10.50. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/jul/02/27184/ This …

I have ended up at the Red Fox numerous times, always out of a sense of spontaneity. For whatever reason, it seems to be a place to go when plans are changed or abandoned or pulled from thin air at …

When Brian Malarkey and business partner James Brennan opened their fifth restaurant in May, it seemed the flurry of activity surrounding their Enlightened Hospitality Group might finally die down for awhile. That assumption was proven wrong in a matter of …

Chad Deal has reported on special dining events and chef changes at Vagabond Kitchen several times, and they always sound great. Still, I’ve never made it there. Then other day my friend Kerri, who’s steered me towards several pleasurable dining …

You don't have to go to Baltimore to be called "Hon". Our family stopped in at the Daily News Café for a very late breakfast…it was after 1:00. Thankfully, breakfast is served all day. An older blonde woman told us …