Writing a food and beverage column has its benefits. For example, there’s no shortage of handsome candidates eager to engage as dinner companions. A recent acquaintance, “Lestat”, said he liked Italian cuisine, and I booked a table at Cucina Urbana one recent weeknight. We entered the below street level high-ceilinged dining room and admired the…
I don’t usually give liars a second chance but Tiger, my handsome tattooed dinner companion of three months, deserved an opportunity to redeem himself. He needed to do some explaining and a quiet booth on the airy patio at Amarin Thai was the perfect setting. Heart-to-heart conversations require good wine and I brought along a…
Mark Hunter always dreamed of opening his own fish market. He spent a lot of time at Point Loma Seafood while he was a deep sea diving instructor, but wanted to “step it up a notch.” His dreams came true when he partnered with Executive Chef Vincenzo Loverso and opened Fresh Catch Fish Market &…
Tiger, my handsome well-muscled dinner companion, and I visited Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant one recent balmy evening. We crossed the open-raftered high-ceilinged dining room to our seat at a rough-hewn wooden table on the intimate patio. Sitting beneath the stars on a sultry summer night, we viewed the living wall of bromeliads and ferns,…
Local Habit celebrated their re-launch last March in traditional “La Grande Boucherie” bayou style with a 325 pound milk-fed hog “pulled a hundred different ways.” My studly tattooed dinner companion and I decided to check out the new fare one recent weeknight. We seated ourselves and admired the massive bar made from reclaimed wood and…
Farmer’s Bottega is one of the gleaming gems in Mission Hills’ culinary crown. Chef/owner Alberto Morreale brings his Sicilian roots, professional training and years of experience to the bistro table. The varied menu and natural ingredients reflect his lifelong passion for garden-fresh locally sourced cuisine. “Food doesn’t need to be complicated,” Morreale once said, “but…
A trusted friend raved about Circa, a University Heights restaurant which recently celebrated their first anniversary, and I eagerly anticipated being seated one memorable evening. Sometimes a food column’s word count limit can be frustrating, and this is one of those occasions. Because there isn’t enough space to describe how the experience met and exceeded…
What does one do when one discovers water damage from someone else’s broken pipe? When ones ceiling and walls are marked by water-filled blisters? When the upstairs neighbor, the one responsible for repairing the leak and damage is stationed in Japan? Why, find solace in comfort food, of course. Or at least that’s what I…
There is a minor traffic jam on Fifth Avenue and Maple Street every day around the lunch hour. Motorists are waiting for a parking space in the small lot at Marketplace Deli. There is usually a line inside the store, too, as customers wait for their orders. This is why I always phone-in my selection…
If dining beside a waterfall cascading beneath a lush canopy of tall palm trees and swaying bamboo appeals to you, then you’ll adore Albert’s Restaurant in the world famous San Diego Zoo. Located in the Lost Forest, Albert’s has offered full-service dining since opening in 1992. Their menu features globally inspired cuisine with a variety…
