Taste of the Nation: Los Angeles - Sunday, June 6, 2010, Media Park in Culver City

Thanks to the generosity of POM Wonderful, I had the opportunity to attend my absolute favorite LA food event, Taste of the Nation, for free! More importantly, I got to bring a fellow food lover (Miss A) along for the ride. Considering that general admission tickets cost $100 each and we’re (kind of) starving graduate students, this was a total treat. It was a serious afternoon of culinary indulgence in Culver City, and I can only hope this narrative does this event justice.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Taste of the Nation (TOTN) is a culinary benefit that supports the efforts of Share Our Strength to end childhood hunger. Since 1988, this event, held in nearly 40 cities across the United States and Canada, has raised more than $73 million. While I may not be the most kid-friendly, I can’t help but think feeding kids is a pretty good cause. Go figure. ;)

Let me start by saying that this was my fourth time attending this event. And every year, I’ve been disappointed to some degree in my performance. The first year, I somehow deluded myself into thinking I could walk all the way from Westwood to Culver City, without sunblock (a very bad idea), and still be functional. Let’s just say heatstroke is associated with loss of appetite. The second year, I somehow got roped into doing brunch prior to the event, and what’s worse, I ended up arriving late. Honestly, was there even a point in going? Last year, I actually made it for the entire event, but unfortunately, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Enough said.

Seeing that I was getting my doctorate soon and possibly moving away from California, the likelihood of making it to TOTN in LA again would be slim. Therefore, I was thrilled to have the chance to dominate this event -- once and for all!

Before arriving at Media Park, I’d emailed Miss A the event link, and suggested that she review the expected dishes for any that she definitely didn’t want to miss. The key to events like this that: 1) offer so many amazing options and 2) allow patrons to visit any one booth an unlimited number of times, is to go in with a commitment and a strategy to avoid overeating. Otherwise, you end up filling yourself up to the point of not being able to enjoy the food, which then defeats the purpose of going in the first place.

That said, Miss D and I have gone to enough tasting events to know that you simply should not finish your entire plate, unless it’s a particularly small bite. This approach did not sit well with Miss A, who’d rather stuff herself than throw away food. That being said, at Miss A’s request (and considering my lack of interest in bread anyways), we decided to skip any slider/sandwich options. While this knowingly eliminated dishes from two of my favorite restaurants (Ford’s Filling Station’s lamb burgers & Grace‘s pork sliders) and several other establishments, it was ultimately a matter of self-/stomach-preservation.

After comparing notes on our top picks, we decided to go with the following strategy. First, we made an initial loop to visually identify those dishes we definitely couldn’t miss out on and to re-assess our original list of preferences. This is an essential step because restaurants often swap out or add other dishes on event day. Plus, dishes that sound appealing in print may not be as appealing in person.

Miss A, for one, was dead set on making it to Nobu for their miso marinated black cod with butter lettuce -- her personal favorite. And considering that she stopped by a few more times, the dish obviously lived up to expectation. Flaky yet moist, with a lovely sweet and salty flavor from the miso.

I, on the other hand, had my sights set on XIV’s braised and grilled Piedmontese beef cheeks. If anything could be more delicate than perfectly prepared braised short ribs, it’d be perfectly prepared braised beef cheeks. These were absolutely decadent, and required several moments of focused savoring.

In terms of unexpected favorites, we both thoroughly enjoyed the yakitori grilled beef skewers c/o M Café/Chaya Brasserie, which simply melted in your mouth.

Miss A was particularly drawn to different interpretations of the traditional caprese, including the one from Culina. Likewise, I was completely enthralled by the gelato di parmigiano alla caprese from Lago. A parmesan gelato -- who would’ve thunk? And what great presentation!

On our second loop, we sampled almost all of the must-have savory dishes on our lists. I did my best to incorporate some veggies into the mix, but I must admit that the event was fairly heavy on the meat. (Not that I’m complaining, of course!) Thankfully, a few restaurants offered chilled soups and drinks, which precluded the need for us to break stride in order to hydrate.

I enjoyed the chilled porcini soup with shaved foie gras from Bistro LQ, but was actually more intrigued and delighted by the soy milk white chocolate ice cream with American caviar. Both were surprisingly light, despite their decadent ingredients. Creative AND delicious.

Nevertheless, one of our favorite pit stops was the POM booth set up in the center of the park, where we wandered over for quick breaks between rounds, to rejuvenate with cool and refreshing POM juice. I even made a point to introduce myself as the POM reporter, and snap a few shots with the POM banner!

While suffusing ourselves with POM, we had the chance to check out the main stage, where we spotted a few big stars throughout the day, including Michael Voltaggio (of Top Chef fame) cooking up a storm, and the Two Hot Tamales (Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken) auctioning off a private dinner party catered by the two of them. From what I can recall, I think they raised several thousand from some last-minute (and very excited) bidders!

On our third loop, we picked up the last of our savory dishes, making it a point to grab seconds, thirds, fourths, and even fifths (!!) of our favorite bites.

Out of all the dishes we tasted, Miss A and I were in total agreement about our favorite of the day. Hands down, we absolutely ADORED the torchon foie gras from Bottega Louie. We literally went back FIVE times, and we even picked up Sam Marvin’s card from, well, Sam Marvin himself. This bite was the perfect blend of flavors and textures, requiring no improvement whatsoever. Literally, if we could’ve sat there all day eating these bites, we wouldn’t have complained.

Another dish worth mentioning, not only because of its POM affiliation, but also because of its culinary creator, was the POM sphere offered up by Marcel Vigneron (again of Top Chef fame) from Bar 210. This bite offered a lovely and refreshing burst of POM-ness, with just the right balance of sweet and tangy.

By the time we reached our final loop, it’d been about 2 hours since we started our eating adventure. We were quite stuffed at this point, but unlike Miss A, I have quite the sweet tooth, and I was determined to fit in some dessert before the day was done.

Unlike typical Oreos which are crunchy, the homemade “better than Oreos” from Mercantile/District resembled a thin layer of butter cream squished between two dark chocolate brownies. All I can say is: OMG. HEAVEN.

Other memorable desserts included the panna cotta vaniglia from Osteria Mozza, and the crispy chocolate hazelnut mousse from Patina. Both were quite rich, but in the most magical of ways. Mmm….

To cleanse our palates, both Miss A and I indulged in two rounds of gelato from the Gelato Bar. While I was in love with all four gelato flavors I tasted, I was actually more enamored by the fact that Ben Ford was literally standing RIGHT in front of me on our second gelato run. I was tempted to ask him for a picture, leading me to tug ever so lightly on the sleeve of his chef‘s jacket. Thank goodness he didn’t notice, because after I thought about it, I realized that I much preferred not to disrupt his gelato enjoyment. (That, and I might’ve started babbling like an idiot.)

As we pondered the afternoon’s highs (of which there were many) and lows (of which there were few), we decided to take one last slow saunter around the park. Many restaurants were already packing up, but it was great to see people still wandering in, even with just 30 minutes left!

From what I could recall from previous years, there seemed to be fewer restaurants involved this year. That said, I thought the number of participating establishments was just right, as the park seemed much less congested and the traffic much more manageable.

All in all, Miss A and I had the BEST time. She was thankful for being my special guest. And I was thankful for being chosen as POM Wonderful’s intrepid reporter! Thank you for this amazing opportunity to share my love of this event -- and food in general! Bon appetit, mes cheries! :)

Taste of the Nation:
http://taste.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TOTN_homepage

Share Our Strength:
http://www.strength.org/

POM Wonderful:
http://www.pomwonderful.com/

Brooklyn's Finest

On a cold, rainy, Saturday night, one of the best things to do is head to the movies. Of course, everyone else is thinking the SAME EXACT THING, so I was slightly overwhelmed by the throngs of people that were milling about the theater. That said, it's always nice to get in some spontaneous BFF time, so I'll suffer a little bit of agoraphobia for that!

After some discussion and debate, we decided to go to see Brooklyn's Finest over Shutter Island. (Apparently M had watched the latter and wanted to get those 2 hours of her life back, so I decided that that wasn't the best review to go in with.) I miss home so badly at this point that I perk up at any mention of New York, so this was definitely the better choice -- despite dramatically dark representations of the projects (where I grew up) that freaked me out a bit.

Brooklyn's Finest falls in line with many many MANY movies that bring together several story lines that collapse into each other within the last 10 minutes. If you're looking for complicated plot structure, this movie isn't for you. Each of the three story lines revolve around a cop (if you haven't figured that out already) -- a burnt out cop about to retire (Richard Gere), an undercover cop looking to get out (Don Cheadle), and a stressed out cop trying to support his family and willing to do so by any means necessary (Ethan Hawke). Come to think of it, those are pretty much the story lines. So I suppose that's that.

In terms of character development, I think more work could've and should've been done for the audience to understand what exactly drives the action -- and inaction -- of the three main characters. Richard Gere certainly did NOT live up to his potential in this movie, doing that *blink blink* he so often does to indicate *intense* thought. (As H would say, are you kidding me??) Don Cheadle didn't fare much better, offering nothing more than a stoic look throughout the entire movie. YES, cops are stoic, but where the heck was the depth?? Out of all three, Ethan Hawke gave the best performance, creating a portrait of a man under serious duress from family obligations. All I can say is that his pain was visceral. Watch for it.

What ultimately drove this movie was the intense action, which started from a shot through the head in the first five minutes and ended with several shots in the style of Gran Torino (BRILLIANT movie). Although I love dramatic action, I tend to be a sensitive and jittery sort, so I was thankful to have H asking me if I was OK every few gasps and jumps in my seat. I was also thankful to have a shoulder to turn my head into after consecutive gunshots were fired and serious blood was splattered across the scene (which happened quite frequently).

Even though this movie lacked any semblance of depth, I must admit that the action was enough to warrant the ticket purchase (though perhaps a matinee ticket would've been preferable). Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view), I found the nudity a bit excessive and gratuitous, not adding all that much to the flow of the movie. Then again, what sells? Sex, drugs, and alcohol -- all of which this movie has PLENTY.

If you're looking to indulge, check it out.

http://www.brooklynsfinestthemovie.com/

Valentine's Day

To be honest, it's been a stressful week. One that needed to end with a cheesy chick flick and some quality girl time. Needless to say, I was happy when it did. (Thanks, L&A!)

As one who likes to bankroll New Line (and my friend's fiancé), I pretty much see everything that comes out of this film studio. And I pretty much pay to see them several times over, only to own them several months later. (And yes, I'm a fan of consumerism.) Valentine's Day may not necessarily be the exception, but I'll admit that it wasn't quite as good as Sex and the City and He's Just Not That Into You. (Sorry, Mark!)

Valentine's Day attempts to be an American version of Love Actually -- or at least has been referenced as such, opening on a holiday and being all about love and stuff. By comparison, I'd have to say that Love Actually does a much better job of plot and character development, creating more surprises through its subtle interweaving of story lines. With that said, however, Valentine's Day did offer one major surprise, which left me teary-eyed at the end.

As a whole, Valentine's Day is a perfect movie for Valentine's Day. On a day that celebrates cheese and sap, you WANT the best friends to end up together, you WANT the cute kids to end up together, you WANT the old couple to end up together, and you WANT the random singletons to end up together. To say you don't is pretty much blasphemy.

Ultimately, this movie offers little in the way of depth, but more than enough in terms of red, pink, and good-looking actors. All I have to say is this: McDreamy, McSteamy, and Bradley Cooper? What more could a girl want for Valentine's Day? OK, maybe some roses would be nice. No worries. Ashton has those covered.

http://www.valentinesdaymovie.com/

Up in the Air

For those who watch movies for their visual appeal, Up in the Air offers more than its fair share of lookers. As a man who continues to age like a fine wine, George Clooney has a Cary Grant style about him -- casual, warm, sexy, with just the right amount of self-effacement to make him that much more desirable. Vera Farmiga has a more formal air about her, evoking the glamor of yesteryear yet oozing sex appeal without even trying. As for the rest of the cast, Jason Bateman and Anna Kendrick are both quite adorable, offsetting Clooney and Farmiga's old school movie star qualities with their quirky cuteness. Looks aside, these actors show off some impressive acting chops.

For those who watch movies for plot, Up in the Air presents some nice arcs and some great surprises over the course of two hours, making the time fly by (no pun intended, really). The movie starts off with Clooney and no doubt ends off with Clooney, focusing on his mile high club status (ahem) and his dreams of being the superelite of supereilte travelers. Along the way, his relationship with Farmiga, which develops out of a feisty competition over who has more travel status cache, is totally captivating, in all its sweet, daring, and hilarious glory. Clooney's work life and the potential elimination of 90% of his travel are made that much more dramatic by Bateman's cavalier attitude and Kendrick's naive presence. Finally, his interactions with his sisters, which involves getting a cardboard cutout through customs, adds an endearing bent to a movie with more somber qualities.

Finally, for those who watch movies for those deeper messages, Up in the Air is a humdinger. Based on how you interpret the characters and the outcomes of the story lines, this movie is either depressing or hopeful. The fact that you can take things either way may ultimately be the goal of the movie -- which is really quite ingenious if you think about it. Depending on your mood and personality, this movie can either reach into your inner sense of doom and gloom, or your inner sense of promise and resilience. Either way, what you come away with may be more a reflection of you than the movie itself. When Clooney stands beneath that flight board at the end of the movie, he has a choice. The message, however, isn't in what he chooses, but in the the fact that he has a choice.

http://www.theupintheairmovie.com/

Indigo Grill

I have to admit that I *love* being taken out to eat -- especially when I have free reign to pick where we go, and especially when my dinner date has yet to fully experience my lavish dining habits! So when Dave suggested coming down to SD for a nice meal out, I was more than a little bit excited. :)

After perusing many many many menus, and offering Dave several options to choose from, we decided to go with Indigo Grill down in Little Italy. When I discovered that J&T had gone several times, and tried almost everything off their menu, I was confident that we chose well.

On a dreary and wet Saturday night, we made our way downtown. With the rain still coming down, and Dave a little more stressed than usual, the drive was a little dice-y. OK, not really, but I thought it'd be dramatic to write that. ;) What *was* dice-y, however, was the parking situation. It took many loops around (which I didn't mind since we were early for the reservation anyways) for Dave to concede that we'd have to settle for a lot. Thankfully, at that hour (around 8ish on a Saturday), the flat fee was about $5, which is better than the cost of parking before 7PM (about $8-$10).

As we made our way into the restaurant, I noticed that it was quite bustling, which is always nice to come into from the doom and gloom outside. We were seated pretty quickly at a great banquette table in the middle of the back wall. I scooted in on the banquette side and got a great view of the room -- a few twosomes, a small group to my right, a couple of large groups, a bar near the front entrance. The room had great decor, with a bit of safari-tropical flair, and lots of color and light. The whole space was lovely on the eyes, and felt simultaneously warm & comforting and hip & cool.

Our server Nika brought us menus fairly quickly, and was perfectly attentive all night. We were a bit starved, so we skipped drinks, and dove right into appetizers. Both J&T and Nika had warned us that the portions were ginormous, but Dave was splurging, so we decided to try everything and take stuff home at the end of the night. For appetizers, I went with the Pipian Crusted Brie, which came with jalapeno jelly, honey roasted garlic, grilled nopales, mole negro, and scallion flatbread. (Apparently, "pipian" is now the adjectivized form of pumpkin seed. Who knew?) Dave went with the Stacked Beet Salad, which came with orange segments, shaved fennel, lime-caraway dressing, and dried beet chips. When the apps came to the table, we were floored. They were simply ginormous, totally entree-sized, and absolutely beautiful. Total works of art on super-sized plates.

More importantly, the food tasted absolutely delicious. The melted brie literally oozed out of it's pipian crust, and the mole negro was nice and salty (perhaps a bit too salty?) with layers of flavor. The nopales were grilled perfectly, and the crispy flatbread was a great vehicle for the jalapeno jelly. I'm not a big fan of garlic, so I just had a bite. Dave's salad was quite substantial, with the beets being cooked to just the right consistency -- a good chew without being too mushy. The beet chips were nice and crispy, with a great beet-iness that I could totally taste.

I thought we'd both committed to not finishing our appetizers in preparation for our entrees, but I was clearly wrong. We were obviously starving, because when I looked down at our plates, we'd both pretty much cleared them. Eek! So when our equally ginormous entrees showed up at the table, there really wasn't much more we could do but stare. Yet again, we were met with towering works of art, even more substantial than before. The plates were completely covered in food, in an I've-already-been-dominated-so-let's-see-if-I-can-even-make-a-dent sort of way. At this point, there was a split second when I wished I hadn't ordered an appetizer. However, this thought vaporized quickly as soon as I thought about the yummy, ooey, gooey brie settling nicely in my tummy. :)

For my entree, I decided to go with the Mojo Bone-in Rib Eye, which came with honey-roasted garlic & spicy corn relish, a tamale with mole negro, pipian rojo, and butternut squash with bourbon-walnut butter. Dave had never tried chimichurri, so he went with the Flat Iron Chimichurri, which came with pico de gallo, black beans, a cilantro vinaigrette salad, and a chili honey-glazed quesadilla. I was more than amused with his look of shock when our massive dishes arrived at the table. I sensed that he also felt beaten before the game even started -- and he's quite competitive, shall we say.

I literally couldn't make it through more than a third of my steak, but what I did have was absolutely divine. I ordered it rare, and it came out just so! A rarity in itself. (No pun intended. OK, well, maybe, just a little.) The meat was well-salted, and I could taste the fat. Mmmm.... FAT.... The relish offered a great contrast in taste (tangy) and texture (poppy) to the steak. And the butternut squash was nice and rich and creamy with the bourbon-walnut butter. Unfortunately, all I could get down was a few bites of each. And I didn't even attempt to open the tamale.

Seriously. Beaten. Dave didn't fare much better with his steak, which was also well-seasoned and well-sauced, but remained barely touched. We both agreed that it was probably better to keep the meals fairly intact, so that we could enjoy the whole experience when we got home. OK, whatever, TOTAL LIE. We were simply intent on having dessert, which was the main reason that Dave picked this place out of the list that I sent over. Plus, how can one  truly splurge without having dessert?

Considering that we'd polished off our appetizers, Nika wasn't surprised when we asked her to box up our entrees, though she was probably a little shocked when we asked for dessert menus. We already knew we wanted the Roasted Plantain Cheesecake Flautas, which came with a firewater dipping sauce. But I upped the ante by adding the Rainforest Sorbet Assortment at the last minute. I've read that the sorbet assortment is always tacked on by the pastry chef as a safe choice for diners, but I love having my palate cleansed at the end of a meal. Nika wasn't quite sure of the three flavors for the night, but I wasn't partial either way, and we ended up with mango, raspberry, and guava.

The flautas had a lovely crisp exterior and a warm smooth interior, making for a great textural contrast. I'm not the biggest fan of cheesecake though, so I preferred the berries & cream that came on the side. Dave literally had to stop me before I ate them all off his plate! As for the sorbets, they were delicious in all their variety. The mango tasted just like my favorite Trader Joe's version. The raspberry had a nice tang to it, and I think it was Dave's fave. The guava was my fave because it wasn't too sweet and there was just a bit of bitterness to it. Like grapefruit without the acid. I seriously wish I'd considered the possibility of taking them home (which Dave totally suggested and which we ended up doing) before I started eating big spoonfuls of them all. I would've left more behind! *DEEP SIGH*

At any rate, this was the best meal I've had in a VERY long time. And I was honored and touched when Dave said it was his best meal EVER to date! Apparently now he knows how princesses eat. :) Let's hope he comes back to SD really soon -- with the same appetite in tow!

If you want great ambiance, food, and service, definitely make your way to Indigo Grill. It was a totally unforgettable experience.

Indigo Grill
1536 India Street
San Diego, CA
619.234.6802

http://www.cohnrestaurants.com/restaurants/indigogrill/

Zocalo

Considering how ragged and stressed I've been lately, it was an absolute delight when Teresa suggested a nice lunch out. After discussing a few options and perusing the menu, we decided to try Zocalo -- a restaurant with two locations, one in Old Town and one in 4S Ranch. I'd seen the Old Town location from the outside, but I hadn't gotten to try it yet, so this was the perfect opportunity. Since Teresa needed to stop by BBB, we made our way to the 4S Ranch location and wandered in around noon on a Friday. (I even made a quick reservation to get those lovely Open Table points!)

Now, I have no idea how early/late people eat lunch in SD suburbs, but I suppose noon is a bit early for some. When we walked in, the restaurant was fairly light, though I didn't mind too much, since I always think service should be even better under these circumstances. Either I was right or our server was simply awesome or possibly both, because we literally had some of the best service either of us have ever had. But before I go on, I'd just like to say that I thought the decor was magnificent. Seeing that it was a grey day, I was unbelievably happy to see all the colors -- reds, oranges, greens, blues -- on the walls, on the tables and chairs, everywhere. Plus, super high ceilings always do it for me. I love walking into big, airy, expansive spaces -- it makes me feel a little like royalty.

Soon after the hostess showed us to a half-moon booth, our lovely server Jeannie greeted us happily and offered us drink and lunch menus. The first memorable thing she did was ask us what kind of lunch we where having -- a quick power lunch or a more leisurely lunch? I don't remember ever being asked such a thing, but I thought it was quite brilliant. Isn't it annoying when food or checks come out too quickly or too slowly? Totally frustrating. By asking a quick question, Jeannie did away with all that nonsense and totally put us at ease. Major brownie points!

As she was going over the menus, water, chips, salsa, and warm gooey cheese appeared magically in front of us by way of another server. Teresa quickly dipped into the cheese -- a total novelty -- and delighted in its warm gooey-ness. We were left for a bit so that we could peruse the menus on our own. After contemplating the drink menu, we decided to go with the Carmen Miranda -- a non-alcoholic drink blending coconut, pineapple juice, and cream. Teresa wasn't quite sure whether the flavors would go well together, but I sensed a willing accomplice, so I ordered it to share.

The second memorable thing that happened was that the bartender automatically split the drink into two glasses for us. Normally, I'd suppose that bartenders would be annoyed that we didn't order two drinks, but instead, this one was nice enough to make sharing easy. Totally unexpected, definitely more brownie points. More importantly, the drink was absolutely delicious. Just enough sweetness, not too much tang, not too heavy. It would've been a lot for me to drink both glasses, but split into two, it was just perfect. Mmmm.... And with the indoor palms overhead, we totally felt like we were in a tropical paradise. All we needed were some umbrellas in our glasses!

Because I hadn't been out in a few weeks, I decided that we needed to start with an appetizer. After Jeannie assured us that the seafood was only lightly dusted, we went with the crispy harina masa fried shrimp and calamari. The dish came with an assortment of squid rings, squid tentacles, and shrimp, as well as a spicy tomato mojo and a lime crema. With a nice big squeeze of lemon and a quick dip in one or both sauces, the shrimp and calamari were delicious. Not too fried, really great flavors.

For our main dishes, I went with the large masa-crusted soft shell crab and shrimp salad, which came with crisp watercress, snap peas, tomatoes, and roasted wild onions.  I ordered the dressing on the side, so my plate showed up with a small cup of cilantro dressing, and two smaller cups of ancho chile cream and more lime crema (which are normally drizzled on top apparently). The dish was very pretty, with my single small crab sitting atop the watercress, and my two pieces of shrimp leaning on the side. At first, I thought, "Wow, that's all the crab and shrimp I get?" But after I started eating, I realized that that was more than enough, especially after the appetizer. All in all, I thought the dish was quite good, though the crab could've been slightly crispier. The sauces went well with the calamari and shrimp from the appetizer, so it was fun to dip dip dip away!

Teresa went with the crispy soft shell crab sandwich, which came with oven roasted serrano ham, jalapeño tartar sauce, lettuce, and tomato. The sandwich was quite large, and she wasn't sure how to go at it. After some careful layering and maneuvering, however, she was able to get a good grip on it. The serrano looked quite crispy, but she admitted later that she thought the crab was a bit too fried and not meaty enough for her tastes. I was a little sad to hear that, especially since mine was so good, but we both thought she might've met her *fried* quota with the appetizer. Regardless, we both enjoyed her crispy sweet potato fries, which she thought went better with my ancho chile cream than her ketchup.

By this point, we were stuffed. There was no way that dessert could fit into our tummies, but of course I had to check out the menu anyways. Every item looked pretty good, though Teresa was particularly drawn to the coconut flan, and I was wondering about the sorbet trio. Again, there was no way anything else would fit, so we "resigned" ourselves to coming back again. Needless to say, we'll have to, simply because Jeannie (easily) cajoled us into signing up for email offers and updates, which include a free appetizer sampler on our next visit AND an alcoholic treat on our one-year anniversary. Who's going to say no to that? Seriously.

At the end of the meal, she quickly grabbed us some boxes to pack up our leftovers, and was nice enough to honor my request for some extra ancho chile cream and lime crema. For serving us a delicious meal with a lovely disposition, we tipped her well. And we'll definitely be repeat customers.

If you haven't made it to Zocalo, it's time.

Zocalo
10514 Craftsman Way
San Diego, CA 92127
858.924.9200

http://www.brigantine.com/locations_zocalo.html

P.S. I *totally* regretted forgetting my camera!! :(

Sea Rocket Bistro

As a farewell dinner for our family friend G, T suggested we check out Sea Rocket Bistro in North Park -- a cute area of SD that's known for its random collection of restaurants and art galleries. Since it was a Monday night, the area was pretty quiet, with the streets mainly lit by a few storefront displays and a few open restaurants. The restaurant was tucked away on a side street, but we quickly found the awning and ducked into the inviting warmth inside.

Considering that SD is known for its fresh seafood and laid-back atmosphre, Sea Rocket did a pretty nice job of representing the city with its very artsy decor. The restaurant was decorated with all sorts of fish done up in papier-mache. As soon as we entered, we noticed a huge swordfish on the wall to our right, which included some UPS/USPS packaging. And as we made our way down to the end of the ramp, and peeked into the adjacent room, we noticed several large schools of fish (including one of mini-fish) hung overhead above the bar. T had mentioned that this place was totally focused on sustainable, organic, and local products, so the decor was a perfect reflection of this commitment.

As soon as we walked up to the hostess, she noted that there was a private party in the adjacent room, but she could pull together two tables for us by the window. Personally, I'm a big fan of the window (provided that it's double-paned glass -- especially given that it was 40-50 degrees that night), so I thought her suggestion was well-suited for us. It did make me realize how small the place was, minus 50% of its seating. The separation of rooms seemed a bit awkward, but otherwise the space seemed nice and intimate, all the while giving us a great view into the kitchen. As we were waiting by the hostess table, I couldn't help but check out the kitchen staff, and they were quick to offer up friendly smiles and hellos -- always a plus in terms of creating good atmosphere. :)

We got seated fairly quickly, provided with menus, and offered water in the heaviest fish-shaped carafe one has ever had to lift. Barring its serious weight, the fish served as a great vessel and added to the fun decor. In perusing the chalkboard specials and our menus quickly, we realized we had some tough decisions ahead. Everything looked fresh and delicious, and we were hard-pressed to figure out what we wanted. One of the first things to catch our eye was the plentiful number of sea urchin dishes. Now, this is definitely a delicacy that one doesn't see often outside sushi restaurants, and according to J&T (and other connoisseurs), when it's offered up super fresh, it's absolutely amazing.

Let's just say sea urchin isn't my kind of thing, but J was definitely not going to pass it up. He picked that and the fresh ciabatta bread to start, and the fisherman's stew to follow, while G&T both went with the seafood paella. I went light with a whole grilled sardine to start and the open-faced mushroom medley sandwich to follow. What was great was that our little starters were part of a small tapas menu, where several items could be tacked on to our meals for just 2 dollars each. A great way to sample a number of delicious items.

The sea urchin came out first in all its spiny glory. As I looked on from the sidelines, the rest of the table partook in the experience of spooning out its yellow-orange flesh. From what I recall, everyone seemed to be reminded of the ocean, which hopefully meant that it tasted fresh. I was perfectly happy with my sardine, which was lightly covered in lemon oil and sea salt. I'm a big fan of fishy-tasting fish, so I thoroughly enjoyed my sardine on a skewer. The blend of acid and salt was delicious, and I couldn't help but continually re-dip the fish in the lemon oil and sea salt, hoping to pull off even more meat, despite having had my way with it the first time.

As for the rest of the dishes, J had the option of making his stew more spicy, but chose to keep down the fire. From what I've been able to tell, spicy in American restaurants is never truly spicy enough for him, so he probably would've been better off amp-ing up the level of heat. Nevertheless, he worked his way through the entire dish, using the ciabatta to sop up all of the flavorful tomato base. I believe the ladies enjoyed the paella -- I heard no complaints, plus paella is a T favorite. My mushrooms seemed slightly overdone -- I detected some unnecessary crunch -- but overall I loved the flavor combination with the goat cheese.

Even though I ordered a Mandarin Lime Hansen's Soda, I wouldn't necessarily order another, especially knowing that I can easily pick up a can for a lot less at Trader Joe's. The ladies, however, ordered glasses of white wine off the wine list, and were fairly pleased with their selections. The list is fairly extensive, and offers a wide range of whites and reds, and even champagnes, by the glass or the bottle.

All in all, the atmosphere was great, the food was delicious, and the prices were totally reasonable. A definite two (and potentially eight) thumbs up!

Sea Rocket Bistro
3382 30th Street
San Diego, CA 92104
619.255.7049
http://searocketbistro.com/

Fantastic Mr. Fox

After a sneak peek from Serious Eats a few months ago, a two thumbs up review from Miss Chau, and a confirmation of George Clooney's involvement, I decided I *had* to see Fantastic Mr. Fox (FMF) this weekend.

Generally-speaking, I've never been that into animation. Thankfully, I've let my guard down with movies like Ratatouille and Up -- and I've been totally impressed. I took another chance with FMF (especially since I haven't liked a Wes Anderson film yet) -- and I wasn't the least bit disappointed!

In terms of animation, this was definitely *not* a Disney/Pixar-type film. It wasn't glossy or refined, or polished to a sheen. However, there was something intensely rustic and endearing about the stop-motion animation -- the way the characters moved and reacted, even the way some characters stayed deadpan the whole time. The level of detail was also quite amazing -- the faces, the costumes, the bristling of hair and whiskers in the wind. If you decide this movie is for you, make sure to look for the zombie possum and the rabid dog. It's all in the eyes.

In comparison to Where the Wild Things Are, which was driven by the characters, FMF was very much driven by the plot, and in a way that could engage both children and adults. Considering that both movies are based on children's books, the plot in FMF moved much quicker and probably did a better job at keeping children's attention. For adults, the plot took enough interesting turns to make you constantly wonder what would happen next. Plus, the characters conveyed wonderfully relatable personalities. Of course, it certainly didn't hurt that George Clooney was the voice of the main character!

As a foodie (and yes, carnivore), my favorite scenes involved lots of hanging meats, as well as chickens being killed and cookies being inhaled cookie-monster-style. If you're at all squeamish about these things, deal with it, because FMF is definitely one to watch.

Fantastic Mr. Fox
www.fantasticmrfoxmovie.com/

Rudy's Taco Shop

While I've certainly had Mexican in more upscale settings, I've always been much happier with my cheap Mexican. And after a blah visit to El Agave, I was ready for something cheap and yummy to make up for it!

Miss D and I were already headed to the Solana Beach Farmers Market, so we decided to check out Rudy's Taco Shop nearby. It was *exactly* what we needed -- a little joint in a little strip mall with an outdoor seating area and lots of happy, full people.

As soon as you walk in, you notice the grocery aisles to your left, filled with random Mexican treats, like spicy chicharones, sweet breads, and other delectable items. I resisted the temptation to wander around, especially since I was too starving for words, but it was definitely hard holding back. Thankfully, I'd been prepped by Yelp reviews to save myself for the real food. :)

From the extensive menu posted over the cashier's counter, I decided to try a few different items, just so I wouldn't miss out on anything this time around. With the prices so low (just one dollar sign!), I spent less than $15 for 4 street tacos, a ginormous bowl of menudo, and a 16 oz. cup (the smallest size) of agua fresca.

For the street tacos, I decided to try the carne asada, the carnitas, the pastor, and the tongue. I'm not positive which was which, but all of them were moist, delicious, and super flavorful, with two of them (possibly the carne asada and the pastor) a bit darker in color. The menudo, which is a specialty that's generally only made on weekends, could probably have used a bit more salt and a bit more time soaking in the liquid. The hot soup, though, was perfect for the nippy day. The agua fresca came out of a machine, and it was super duper sweet, so I decided to dilute it with half water. It wasn't finishable, but then again, it was only $1.50. ;)

Service-wise, the food came out super quickly, the staff were really nice, and the outdoor seating provided just the right ambiance. Customer-wise, there were Mexican families waiting in line, random dudes catching up over burritos, and teens finishing up with ice cream sandwiches. A nice little cross-section of society, just the way I like it.

Rudy's Taco Shop
524 Stevens Avenue
Solana Beach, CA 92075
858.755.0788

The Fish Market

Let me first admit that I had this meal literally a MONTH ago. It was supposed to be a pre-birthday dinner of sorts, but I have a feeling that it was just a good excuse to use up a lovely gift certificate from our realtor. Either way, I'm not complaining!
Not knowing a thing about anything, I didn't even realize this place was a chain until I looked it up just now. And to be honest, if I hadn't found out, I wouldn't have guessed. Although it was a bit larger and a bit more boisterous, it totally reminded me of seafood restaurants you find right by the ocean on the east coast. Not too fussy, not too stuffy, totally family-friendly, without that fake Red Lobster vibe.

We walked in for an early dinner on a Saturday night, and thankfully didn't need to wait too long. While we waited, we got to check out the small fish market up front, which showed off some of the fresh catch of the day -- some of which probably ended up on our plates, and all of which got our stomachs rumbling.

Soon after we got seated, I noticed the table of four next to us, where one woman was celebrating her birthday. Aside from delivering four delicious-looking chocolate-covered strawberries, the staff also came together for a birthday serenade. We couldn't make out the words at all, so I thought the group could've used a few more rehearsals. I mean, who wants a less-than-enthusiastic birthday song?

We were all starving, so we ordered the ginger lime prawns and the oyster sampler to tide us over until the rest of the meal was ready. The prawns were perfectly cooked (no chewiness whatsoever), but they could've used slightly less char and significantly more sauce. We got a tiny piece of lime that we really couldn't squeeze, so we missed out on any real lime flavor. The oyster sampler came with six oysters, two of each of the following: Canadian Malaspina, Humboldt Bay Kumamoto, and Cape Cod Island Creek. I've since forgotten which was which, but the two I had were delicious. Super fresh and super easy going down. I didn't put more than a bit of lemon juice and cocktail sauce on each of mine, so that I could really enjoy the clean taste of the oyster juice. Heaven in a shell.

Even though the menu is MASSIVE (and totally requires a pre-dinner viewing), I went with my favorite -- trout. Just so everyone is clear, I LOVE TROUT. Trout in any variety, form, preparation is absolutely delicious. I suppose I'm not the biggest fan of smoked anything, but if it's trout, I'm sure I'd like it more than I would any other fish. This time, I went with the cashew-crusted, farm-raised, Idaho rainbow trout, with avocado black bean relish (a kind of salsa, I suppose), fishwife rice (a.k.a. rice pilaf), and roasted vegetables (bleh). The veggies were definitely steamed and not roasted, so I totally felt gypped when I saw the lovely color on Teresa's veggies (thank goodness for sharing). The rice was OK, but I didn't bother having much of it. The relish was pretty good, though it could've used more acid. Needless to say, my focus (without any help from the woefully prepared sides) was the trout. Unlike everything else on my plate, the fish was perfectly prepared, with nothing more than a light dusting of finely ground cashews. I can't tell you how much I hate lovely and delicate fish being covered up with heavy batter, breading, coconut, nuts, and God knows what else chefs think of using to mess it up. Thankfully, I was more than pleased with what was set before me.

From what I recall, Teresa was enamored with the thought of getting the spiny lobster, and was disappointed when we were told the kitchen had run out of it by early afternoon. This was definitely sad but somewhat expected, considering how rarely they've seen it on menus, so she went with the halibut instead. To be honest, halibut is one of my least favorite fish, and I kind of lump it together with cod and all those other mild and bland-tasting fish out there. That being said, hers was done nicely (not too firm) and it soaked up some good sauce from the plate. After some debate, Jerry went with the famous dungeness crab cioppino. The dish came to the table piping hot and bubbling away, accompanied by several big pieces of garlic bread. I'd thought about getting this dish, but I don't think I would've enjoyed all the hands-on work that it entailed. Jerry, however, tore into the dish, and *still* had leftovers to take home! With many thanks to a big bib (that we made him wear throughout the entire meal) and plenty of handi-wipes, he left unscathed.

All in all, this was a great down-home foodie experience. While the mediocre sides highlighted the main dishes, any improvement on those sides would be very much appreciated. Thankfully, the seafood was really high-quality, though the prices certainly reflected that fact. They're definitely higher than I'd like to pay, but I'm probably biased from eating at too many seafood shacks along the highway. I'd definitely be up for a second trip to try the oysters Rockefeller, the Dungeness crab cakes, and some of the other fresh fish -- though hopefully on someone else's dime again!

The Fish Market
640 Via De La Valle
Solana Beach, CA 92075
858.755.2277 (858.755.BASS)
www.thefishmarket.com