San Diego Highlights - May 2019

Last month, I took a semi-spontaneous trip to San Diego to visit friends (hiked up Black Mountain in the morning, board gaming in the afternoon/evening) and see Jenny Lewis perform at the House of Blues (absolutely loving her "On The Line" album, btw).

Of course, I managed squeezed in a bit of sightseeing and some tasty stops as well. Some of the highlights from the trip include:

Menya Ultra's Negi Miso Ramen w "Braized" Chashu - this has been on my to-try for a while after hearing about its numerous regional, national & global accolades. And sure enough, it did not disappoint. Their housemade noodles were toothsome yet tender, the broth was incredibly complex and rich without becoming greasy or heavy, and the thick-cut slices of braised-then-grilled chashu (limited to first 10 orders of lunch & dinner service) were a wonderful meaty addition to an already solid bowl of noodles. I only wish I was able to order fewer slices of the limited edition chashu or just upgrade the regular chashu for this one... just adding three extra thick chashu was a bit of a pork overload!

Speaking of porky, I also indulged in the porchetta tacos at Porchetta Shack (evolution of the former Carnitas Shake Shack spot in North Park); despite a little skepticism, the herb-flavored pork works well in a taco and holds it own against the creamy guacamole & guajillo chile salsa. Definitely a consideration for future SD visits if I'm looking for something a little different than California burritos & seafood tacos.

Having recently read Liz Thorpe's "The Book of Cheese"; I was eager for any opportunity to explore & sample more cheeses to broaden my palate - and Venissimo Cheese was a wonderful spot to make that happen. Besides the picture perfect cheese plate, I loved that its North Park location is co-housed with Bottlecraft Beer Shop - which made for some interesting cheese-beer pairing possibilities. (My favorite of this quartet was Noce del Piave, an Italian cow's milk cheese that's wrapped in walnut leaves and oak barrel aged for two months, giving it intense umami & nutty notes blends beautifully with Enegren's Maple Baltic Porter)

Wicked Maine Lobster's lobster roll is one of my favorites in the West Coast, so a re-visit is almost always in order when I dive down to SD. (And I'm beyond ecstatic that they're planning a LA shop soon!!!)

You&Yours Distilling for their Chai Maple Old Fashioned using their barrel aged gin, which tastes remarkably close to the whiskey original with a delightfully subtle boost of florals & spices. I absolutely adore You & Yours' gins (which I encountered on the regular at SD cocktail bars) and can't wait to add their Winter or Sunday Gins to my collection soon.

For my sweet jaws tooth, I return to the reliable Le Parfait Paris for their Parfait Signature, with crispy almond praline topped with dark chocolate mousse & glaze. Though you really can't go wrong with any of their patisserie creations.

The only downer of the trip, foodwise, was missing Kettner Exchange's dinner service (like most upscale-ish sitdown places, kitchen closes approx. an hour before the bar/restaurant does), but at least I got to enjoy their KPK, their painkiller variation using a blend of 7 rums + passionfruit juice. Fingers crossed that I come back to enjoy this alongside some food next time!

Menya Ultra Mira Mesa

8141 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92126

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Porchetta Shack

2632 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104

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Venissimo Cheese North Park

3007 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92104

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Wicked Maine Lobster @ Liberty Public Market

2820 Historic Decatur Rd, San Diego, CA 92106

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You&Yours Distilling Co

1495 G St, San Diego, CA 92101

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Le Parfait Paris

555 G St, San Diego, CA 92101

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Kettner Exchange

2001 Kettner Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101

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Seven favorite bites & sips in San Diego

Even though SD is only two hours away (less... if you drive like a speed demon), with so many going ons in the rest of SoCal I'm lucky to make it down there twice a year. So when I do have the occasion to go, I try to make every moment, bite and sip worthwhile.

This most recent expedition (where I was helping out at a friend's wedding, then took a few extra days to explore on my own) was no exception. 

Of course, this made the task of narrowing down my favorites even harder, but I manage to eke out a top seven from the area . . .

7) Rye So Serious from Groundswell Brewing (Grantville)

While I'm no stranger to the burgeoning craft beer scene down here (and I did visit my longtime favorites of Ballast Point & Lost Abbey this time around), I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting breweries to try. Thanks to @VisitSanDiego's pointer to check out Grantville area breweries, including recently opened Groundswell Brewery.

Although the tasting room is pretty bare bones, they more than make for it with their whimsically named, creatively-flavored beers. My favorite of the four I tasted is definitely the pumpkin-infused Rye So Serious, where the typical spicy-bitterness of the rye ale is nicely balanced with the earthy-sweetness of the pumpkin. Alas, since this is a seasonal beer I don't expect it to stay on the menu long, but at least my runner-up (the Ginger Saison) is in their standard year-round lineup!

6) "Garden & Grains" from Juniper and Ivy (Little Italy)

From a quick search for popular SD restaurants, this seems to be the *it* spot of the moment so I made a timely reservation to check it out (and it wasn't until later that I learned it was headed by Top Chef All Stars winner Richard Blais.)

Given my overindulgence earlier that day, I opted for a lighter meal . . . and super thankful that I did. Their simply named "Garden & Grains" was a vegetarian (perhaps even vegan) delight that even omnivores could enjoy. Crisp, fresh vegetables played nicely with the toothsome mix of ancient grains (incl. amaranth, wheatberries & quinoa) and sweet swirls of red and golden beet purees. As an added bonus, this dish saves fantastically well, from the half I boxed up and chowed down on the morning after.

Another practically a must try (from all the orders I've seen sent out from the kitchen), the decadently beefy and tender carne cruda asada with quail egg on toast.

Fun Facts Learned During California Avocado Grove Tour

Since Cinco de Mayo is one of the highest avocado-consuming days of the year, I figured its timely to post about my California Avocado tour in the Temecula Valley. And even though my love & familiarity with this buttery fruit spanned decades, I was surprised by the number of things I learned during this one-day outing.

Our first stop was Persea Tree Nursery in Fallbrook, a nursery & greenhouse facility that grows, grafts and sells avocado rootstocks to groves and orchards. 

As we toured through the facility, including an "avocado dark room" & swelteringly hot greenhouse (the humidity helps these young plants — which are native to the tropics — thrive,) I picked up on these fascinating tidbits:

• a single avocado pit can supply enough energy to start up to 6-7 plants.
• when properly cared for, a tree can start producing edible fruit in 2 years.
• when stressed, the trees have a tendency to bear fruit on alternate years - resulting in a cycle of high & low yields (and consequently, prices in the market.)
• 95 percent of avocados produced in California are of the Hass variety (I knew they are the most popular, but wasn't aware of how big a majority they made up; meanwhile, I'm crossing my fingers for the giant, round Reeds - my favorite varietal - to take up more of the market share & be more readily available.)

Fave Bites & Sips from Vegas, Dec. 2013

With T-24 hours before I head to Las Vegas, so Sin City's definitely been on my mind lately — and it's a good a time as any to reminisce some of my favorite bites & sips from my last excursion there... a month ago.

I know, gussied up burgers aren't anything new - but I definitely dug Bachi's Mr. Ho's burger, when the burger was given an Asian treatment with garlic, ginger, sauteed mushrooms and lop cheong (Chinese sausage) - the last ingredient, with its sweet-savory fattiness, is what made it extra memorable. And kinda makes me want to buy some and put it on everything!

We also tried their famous foie-gras Shogun burger too, while that was good too -- the foie totally got lost within all the other ingredients.

Drinks-wise, a return to Cosmpolitan's Vesper Bar was a must. While the near-unanimous favorite with my friends is the One Night in Bangkok from a former menu (a refreshing Thai twist on a Ramos gin fizz), from their current menu I loved their Moscow Mule spin -- the Garden of Hermitage with Enlightened Spirits' Rosemary-Lavender vodka, Thai basil eau de vie, basil, ginger & lemon. I was afraid it'll be too perfumey at first, but the aromatics were nicely balanced and gave this effervescent drink that uniquely fragrant je ne sai quoi.

Other modern interpretations there that I love: The Last Samurai (a Rob Roy twist with Japanese whisky, punsch & amaro nonino) & Chai One On (Brandy milk punch given a spicy twist with chipotle, Masala & even a Yogurt liqueur!)

Ode to Tomatoes Day 1: Artisan, Paso Robles Wines & Apple Farm Inn Dinner

Paso Robles wines have piqued my curiosity for a long time but visiting the area itself has—until recently—eluded me, since I either didn't have enough time to make a side trip en route to Northern California, or I just get lazy and sooner make my vino-focused daytrip with Santa Barbara County wineries instead.

So, when the Boutique Hotel Collection had invited me for an "Ode to Tomatoes" weekend to check out what their resorts and restaurants have to offer, I decided to pad the already long weekend with a few extra excursions of my own.

And it was so worth it.

The three and a half hour drive up the 5 and then westward on the 46 was largely uneventful, but it was a great opportunity to polish off my podcast backlog (a mish mash of This American Life, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me, Slate Gabfests, The Table Set, and Science Friday.)

Upon arriving in Paso Robles, I was ravenous - so I heeded the advice of a friend and went to Artisan, a casual-chic restaurant in downtown that does local-seasonal fare. 

And I'm so thankful for that rec, my lunch there was delectable: a luscious potato soup gratin made with pork stock and topped with gooey aged white cheddar and crispy lardons, followed by a meltingly tender lamb leg French dip with an almost gravy-like lamb neck jus; the latter was beautifully paired with Talley Vineyard's 2011 Estate Pinot Noir.

My only regret was not having a dining companion (or a few) so I can sample more of their dishes and drinks (many of which utilize locally made spirits.)

After lunch, I spent a few hours going through Paso Robles Wine Country, which was really mellow and laid-back (reminded of the back roads of Sonoma wineries, and in contrast to the touristy Napa.) Of the wineries I tasted, these three were my favorite stops:

• Tablas Creek - no stranger to the lovely wines they make, so I was thrilled to finally visit their winery. My only grievance, they had already sold out of their amazing Mouvedre-dominant dry rosé when I went. On the other hand, I did discover several new wines from their label that I loved, including the 2011 Esprit de Tablas red blend and the 2012 Vermentino.
• Villicana - my "hidden gem" find of the roadtrip, they had an amazing Roussanne—which I got a bottle of—and also distill their grape juices to make vodkas and gins under the Re:Find label, and having sampled them, I can vouch for the tastiness of their gin and cucumber-flavored vodka (and kicking myself for not getting a bottle of those too!)
• Daou - being one of the highest vineyards in the Paso Robles region, this place offered an amazing view of the whole area, and their gorgeous tasting room and patio makes it a perfect spot for lazying a day away with a picnic and a bottle of their wine (which, from my tastings, lean on the big, bold red side—not exactly my type considering the warm weather and that I was tasting them on their own, but I could see potential for chillier times and when paired with meaty dishes)

After my pleasant afternoon of wine tasting, I finally made my way back down to San Luis Obispo to Apple Farm Inn & Restaurant, the first official stop on the "Ode to Tomatoes" tour.

I had heard & read about Apple Farm Inn before, but was unprepared for delightful country decor of the property and warm hospitality of the staff. It was like getting the charms of a bed and breakfast with the amenities of a boutique hotel.

After checking in and freshening up, I went to the restaurant for their backyard winemaker dinner with Le Vigne winery. Of course, given the theme, every dish was infused with freshly harvested tomatoes -- which taste worlds beyond what one would find in a supermarket aisle. 

With tomatoes this vibrant-tasting, there is very little that needs to be done to them, so I am glad that every dish really highlights their fresh essences than muddle them up with other strong flavors. While the entire five-course meal was solid, I was particularly delighted by the bright heirloom tomato gazpacho with green zebra tomato sorbet; the oxtail ravioli with beefsteak tomato sauce, Thai basil and crispy shallots; and the caramel-poached green tomato goat cheesecake. The last of which I hope to reverse-engineer at home (unless Chef Smeets can bear to part of that recipe!)

Needless to say, I went to bed that night with my tastebuds thoroughly satisfied (though for good measure, Apple Farm did have two gigantic chocolate chip cookies on the nightstand and sparkling apple cider in the fridge waiting for me, in case I get any late night snack attacks.)

And this is the only the beginning of the epic 3-day journey, more to come in a future post...

Additional photos on Flickr set here

Artisan

843 12th St

Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 237-8084

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Tablas Creek Vineyards

9339 Adelaida Rd  

Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 237-1231

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Villicana Winery & Vineyards/Re:Find Distillery

2725 Adelaida Road

Paso Robles, CA 93446 

(805) 239-9456

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Daou Vineyards

2777 Hidden Mountain Road

Paso Robles, CA 93446

(805) 226-5460

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Apple Farm Inn & Restaurant

2015 Monterey St. 

San Luis Obispo, California 93401

(805) 544-2040

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Disclosure: My meal & accomodations at Apple Farm Inn & Restaurant were hosted. 

Finally made it to Lone Pine's Alabama Hills Cafe

For three consecutive return trips from snowboarding weekends at Mammoth, I've missed this pitstop on the way back. Who knew it would take me doing a summer hike at Mt. Whitney to actually make a visit here (twice!)

The menu is straightforward and void of the frou-frou you'd see in the "diners" of LA (good luck asking for quinoa or kale,) but the fare is solid and the portions are lumberjack-sized, and we can't imagine a better way to carbo load and recover before and after our mountainous trek.


For lunch the day before the hike, I ordered their special of the day cheesesteak (on their housemade jalapeno-cheese bread) and for our brunch before taking off, I followed FoodGPS' lead and got the chicken fried steak (FYI, if you're ordering breakfasty dishes here, for an extra buck you can swap your toast for biscuit & gravy -- totally worth the price & caloric guilt!)

As tasty as they both were, I finished neither, and for good reason...

... their triple berry pie a la mode, which had perfect proportion of flaky crust and filling that's not-too-sweet, bursting with ripe tanginess & just goopy enough for a little pie porn. Warmed up with a scoop of ice cream and you got a little slice of heaven right there.

I already can't wait for another excuse to make a re-visit, even if it means racing down the 395 to make it in before their 2 p.m. closing time.

Alabama Hills Cafe
111 W Post St
Lone Pine, CA 93545
(760) 876-4675