San Diego Area, California 2014 (various eateries)

A recent visit to sunny San Diego opened my eyes to more delicious offerings. It seems that the artisanal food world keeps expanding year after year in this fair-weathered city. Not only are there what seems like hundreds of breweries, there's amazing food to be had as well. Below are some of the things I enjoyed on this trip.


Beer
Brewed locally in Santee, Manzanita Brewing Company had these two beers available at a local grocery store.
http://www.manzanitabrewing.com/

To the left, Rustic Horizon Red Ale, which was a very well-balanced beer. With mild hops, and a dry finish, this beer would pair well with any food.

To the right, Chaotic Double India Pale Ale had a fabulous bite with an onslaught of hops and citrus aromas. An excellent beer for this hophead.

Urge Gastropub
16761 Bernardo Ctr. Dr., San Diego, CA 92128
http://urgegastropub.com/
A search for San Diego spots with beer and good food brought me to this place. They, literally, have a book of beers in bottles and an extensive list of beers on tap.

A trip to the restroom brought me to this wall of taps. Quite nice.

 

 

Punishment by Stone Brewing. It's basically their Lukcy Basartd Ale with peppers added and aged in boubon barrels. Has a pretty good kick to it, but still has all those nuances of flavor from their Ale.



 

 

 

White Rascal by Avery Brewing. Very light, crisp, refreshing and has a clean finish. 

Lavender Ale and Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout by Stone Brewing. These were very cute tasting glasses. The Lavender Ale was a bit hoppy with a very subtle lavender aroma. The stout was full bodied and malty.

Potato Chips. House-cut and fried in small batches. These kind of potato chips are pretty much the only kind I eat now since they are so fresh and delicious. Very crunchy and served with aioli.

Vegan Garden Minestrone Soup. Made with organic tomatoes, carrots, yellow onion, green beans, and Ditalinni Pasta in a tomato broth and fresh oregano. This was savory and delicious.

Wild Boar Burger. Perfectly medium rare and loaded with aged white cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, baby greens and a smoky aioli all encased in an artisan bun. On the side were pickled onions and chili garlic broccolini that had a nice kick. Very tasty.

 

Vegan Burger. A house-made patty made with veggies and pan-fried till crispy on the outside. Served with pickled onions, kalamata tapenade and wheat grass. An excellent option for herbivores.



Bread Pudding. Custardy and not too sweet. Topped with caramel sauce and an edible flower, this was a delicious dessert.

The Smoking Goat
3408 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92104
http://thesmokinggoatrestaurant.com/
This little bistro is one that I would rank up there with some high-end San Francisco eateries. With a Chef that was trained in Paris, one should expect good things. They definitely delivered with the delicious offerings made with organic, local, hormone-free ingredients. The craft beer and fine wines were also a plus.


Chateau Cantelaudette Graves de Vayres Blanc Prestige. A very light and crisp French wine.

Suzie's Farm Roasted Beet Salad. Made with local organic beets and greens, walnuts, humbolt fog goat cheese (on the side) and lightly tossed in a champagne vinaigrette. Very fresh.

Winter Squash Ravioli. Creamy squash were enveloped inside al dente pasta. Over the top were brussels sprouts, cauliflower, pepitas, hon-shimeji mushrooms, sage, pecorino romano and aged balsamic. Very nice.

10 oz. Grilled Brant Ribeye Roll. Expertly prepared and perfectly medium rare, buttery ribeye. Served with Duck Fat Fries, which were crispy and savory, herbed butter, red wine sauce and a side salad. So good.

12 oz. Pork Chop. Served with cheesy creamy polenta, Be Wise Ranch dino kale, seasonal root veggies and herbed butter. The grilled bone-in pork chop was tender and juicy and the accoutrements were also very well prepared.

Pear Crisp. Warm with a crumbly butter crust and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this was a wonderful dessert to share.

Crème Brulee. Creamy custard with that nice crunchy coating on top. Lightly sweet and very good.

Rancho Cocina
1830 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA 91207
http://ranchoscocina.com/
This Mexican restaurant has something for everyone. Serving carnivores, herbivores and omnivores alike with meat, veggie and vegan offerings. The place was pretty packed. It was not disappointing; quite the contrary.


Sangria. This was a very unusual way of serving Sangria. It was very thick with what seemed like lots of mango puree in it. It was a bit light on the wine, but very fruity and tasty in and of itself.

Chips and Salsa. Warm and freshly fried corn tortilla chips served with a delicious salsa that had a bit of a kick to it.

Pescado a la Veracruzana. A nicely prepared piece of pan-cooked white fish with a very savory Veracruzana sauce with green olives, red peppers, onion, mushrooms and lots of garlic. The sides were well prepared as well with fresh guacamole dolloped on top.

Vegan Chorizo Burrito. An enormous burrito stuffed with beans, rice, lettuce, tomato and vegan chorizo, which did not taste like real chorizo, but as a whole, this burrito was quite tasty.

 

Batter Up! Cupcakes
16769 Bernardo Center Drive, K1  San Diego, CA 92128
http://batterupcupcakes.com/
This was a fantastic place for cupcakes that are well-balanced, have good cake to frosting ratio and are not too sweet.


Fauxstess. Looks a bit familiar but tastes so much better. This little bite of chocolate madness had a moist cake, chocolate frosting and cream in the middle.

Bananas Foster. Excellent banana flavor. Probably my favorite out of the three I tried.

S'Mores. Also a nice moist chocolate cake with graham cracker encrusted marshmallow frosting with a piece of chocolate to top it all off.

I look forward to my next visit to San Diego. I'm sure I'll find even more delightful treats and great eats.

Naschmarkt--Campbell (Austrian cuisine)

Located at 384 East Campbell Avenue, this place is situated right in downtown Campbell amongst the shops and other excellent Campbell eateries. After a visit to Austria just last year, the memories of the wonderful food still tease my senses. The menu at Naschmarkt reflected true Austrian cuisine with a hint of American influences, so I had to give it a try. Below are some of the things I enjoyed.

http://www.naschmarkt-restaurant.com/


Stiegl Weisse. One of the brews I drank regularly while in Austria. A light but flavorful beer that pairs well with hearty food.

Schlagl Doppel Bock. Also a light beer full of flavor. Malty, lightly hoppy, crisp and refreshing.

Artichoke Soup. A piping hot bowl of creamy soup that had what tasted like a pound of actual artichokes in each serving. Topped with smoked trout and crispy beets, this was just what I needed for a cold, winter evening.

Hungarian Beef Goulash. Hungary is right next door from Austria, so it's not surprising that this dish was on the menu. The focus was obviously the meat as they did not crowd the bowl with potatoes or vegetables. A superbly braised piece of beef. No knife was required and the paprika made a savory stew.

Herbed Spatzle. This was a side that came with the Hungarian Beef Goulash. Buttery, creamy and velvety. A nice side to sop up that hearty paprika sauce.

Veal Shank. One of the evening's specials. This was a bone-in veal shank braised until falling-off-the-bone tender. Underneath was a still slightly crunchy bread salad with butternut squash and brussels sprouts. Over the top was a light sprinkling of pine nuts, parsley and lemon zest. So succulent and even the marrow in the bone was full of flavor.

Schoko Kuchen. A fluffy, delicate chocolate cake that was oozy on the inside and served with pear ice cream. A nice way to finish a fantastic meal.

For a taste of Austria, definitely give Naschmarkt a visit. If you have more than two people in your party, be sure to make a reservation. Bar seating is also available, which might actually be preferable if you want to watch all the action in their open kitchen.

Beer Cheese Dip (Recipe)

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, I've been thinking about different finger foods that would go great with beer and a game. What better to go with beer than food made with beer? Here is a recipe for your food processor.

Here's what you'll need:
4 ounces sharp cheddar
4 ounces swiss cheese (in this case I used Jarlsberg)
4 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup beer (in this case I used a honey wheat ale)
1 green onion, chopped
2 tbsp. hot sauce (or more if you like it spicier)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. chili flakes (or more if you like it spicier)
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Here's what you'll do:
- Roughly chop the cheese, or if using already shredded, no need to do anything.
- Add cheese to the food processor and process until crumbly.
- Add cream cheese and all other ingredients to the food processor and process until a smooth paste. If a bit dry, add more beer. If a bit wet, add more cheese.
- Scoop out into a bowl and serve with bread chunks, pretzels, veggies or tortilla chips.

 

In all honesty, any cheese and any beer can be used for this dip. I just like the taste of sharp cheeses. Feel free to experiment; even add some chopped green olives, apples or sautéed onions to the mix.

 

 



Southside Spirit House--San Francisco (Bar & Lounge)

With a hand-crafted wood bar, wood floors, rich colors, funky installations from local artists and non-abrasive background music, this cozy SF spot has got everything you need to please all your senses. Located at 575 Howard Street, it's just a stone's throw away from the Montgomery BART station. Prepare to be amazed at how good their cocktails and bar eats are. The Saturday night free pizza deal doesn't hurt either.

http://www.southsidesf.com/

Their spirits selection is quite vast. Below are some of the things I've enjoyed.

Autumn Old Fashioned. Made with Great King Street Blended Scotch, black walnut bitters and a dash of maple syrup. This was a little smoky and a little sweet. A very nice and well-balanced drink.

Holy Ghost. How can I resist my new favorite vodka? Seven Stills Vodka vigorously shaken with homemade cranberry bitters, St. Elizabeth Spice Dram, lemon juice and egg white. Sweet and tart with a little spice. Very drinkable.

Corpse Reviver #2. Another well-balanced cocktail with gin, orange liqueur, Lillet Blanc, absinthe and lemon juice. Very refreshing.

Claim Jumper. This was a hoppy delight for this hop lover. Made with Hop Head Vodka, Aperol, lime juice and topped with just the right amount of IPA beer. This would be great on a hot summer day.

Torero En Llamas. A citrusy blend of Corralejo Tequila, Luxardo, fresh lime juice, agave and a float of Green Chartreuse. This was a very sophisticated drink.

Deviled Eggs. Topped with bacon, jalapeno and Cotija cheese. Easily pop-able.

Truffled Tots. Fried till crispy and hot. These were topped with Parmesan cheese, garlic and served with a house-made blue cheese dressing (not pictured). Very addicting.

Kale Salad. I would not normally expect a bar to have such a fresh, delicious salad. A huge portion of crisp baby kale was tossed with cilantro lime aioli, pickled red onions, Parmesan cheese, cherry tomatoes and balsamic reduction. So tasty.

Grateful Dead. A nicely baked thin crust pizza with Zoe's fennel Greek sausage, smoked bacon, marinara, mozzarella cheese, garlic oil and wild arugula. Excellent food to go with drinks.

Southside is on my radar for places to go in the city. Great deals during happy hour and absolutely delicious eats and drinks.