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

El Agave

Perhaps I was expecting something a little more low-key and relaxing, but El Agave was definitely WAY out of my ambiance and price range for a fun Mexican catch-up dinner.  And while my friend (who was a sweetheart to pay) was gracious enough to say that it was definitely food we couldn't have gotten at one of the boisterous places we passed by in Old Town on our post-meal walk, I kept thinking it would've been nicer to go to any one of those places where there were actually, well, Mexicans!

I mean, that was one of the things that was most obvious about this place. Granted, we were there *really* early (like 5:30PM early) because we were too hungry to wait for our 6:30PM reservation, and the place was pretty empty, but that shouldn't have made a difference. If the place is known for good Mexican food, I would've expected *some* Mexicans in the house. That being said, this place is apparently also known for more eclectic dishes, which could've explained the lack of, shall we say, ethnic presence. Moreover, the entire place was covered in tequila bottles. And while we *were* in a tequileria, the glass was a bit overwhelming, and the lighting just made the whole place dark and depressing. Thank goodness we were seated by the windows (even with its blah view of the parking lot), because otherwise I would've felt I was in a tomb!

Although my foodie brother and sister-in-law had recommended this place (and warned me that it was on the pricier end), I should've done a bit more of my usual research.  I should've been clued in by the fact that there were no prices on the menus online, though I was unfortunately sidelined by the lovely list of moles that were available.  I should've checked the reviews, which clearly indicate the combination of high-quality food with significantly above-average prices. And I should've known that any place that you can find on OpenTable means inevitably higher prices. Regardless of who paid, this didn't please me at all, especially since I knew that we could get absolutely amazing Mexican food for substantially less than what we paid. BUMMER to say the least.

Setting all that aside to focus on the dishes themselves, I must admit that the menu is fairly extensive. Considering that I've been craving mole recently (for some odd reason unbeknownst to me), I really wanted something with the traditional Oaxacan mole negro. After perusing the menu, I was conflicted between the pheasant in a different sauce, or the rabbit in the mole negro. Even though my friend pushed for the pheasant (given that it's rarely seen on most menus), I ultimately decided on the rabbit, which the waiter (who was originally from Oaxaca) also picked from my two choices. (SIDEBAR: My brother and I had seen a rabbit cross our path the other night, so I took it as a sign that I was meant to eat this rabbit since we let the other one go!) My friend went with a few smaller dishes instead, and picked the quesadilla appetizer, the sopa azteca, and the nopalli nopal salad.

The meal started off pretty well, with a bowl of various breads and rolls. We were a bit famished, so we may have stuffed ourselves with a few more than we otherwise would've, especially *moi* since I'm really not a big bread person in general. That being said, they were all quite good, particularly the crescent-shaped roll that was stuffed with cheese and a bit of chile. My friend was personally fond of the big wheat crisp (the one I personally thought tasted like cardboard), which was good at picking up the yummy sauces that came with the bread. The staff was nice enough to replenish the bowl, so we had some to throw in with our leftovers at the end of the night.

When the quesadillas came, we were a bit confused, especially since they didn't look like quesadillas at all! In fact, they looked like mini empanadas, which was quite disappointing, since they were pretty small and didn't look filling at all. So while these wannabe quesadillas tasted OK, they were fairly insubstantial. We even got several different ones to try (basic cheese, mushroom, shredded chicken), though none of them really moved me in any way.

Next up was my friend's soup, which I had a bit of, and found DELICIOUS. It's something that she orders at every Mexican meal, so I'm glad she was pleased with it! She ate around the chicharonnes, which I actually thought were quite fabulous, despite not having their usual crispy texture. By the time I had them (which was after she'd finished most of the soup), they were nice and chewy and flavorful from having soaked up all the yummy liquid. Mmmm....

After we'd stuffed ourselves with bread and "quesadillas" and soup, we were faced with her salad AND my rabbit. Needless to say, we didn't make it very far on each. The cactus was nicely diced and piled high up on the plate -- a tower of flavor I have to say. On the other hand, my rabbit, which was supposedly braised, was super dry. The rice and mushrooms were OK, but the rice tasted kind of soggy and the mushrooms came with some other weird chewy vegetable that I couldn't figure out for the life of me. The saving grace of the dish was the mole sauce, which had a deep, rich, and complex flavor -- the best qualities of a mole sauce. I could totally taste the chocolate, which was perfectly balanced between savory and sweet. If I could've just gotten the sauce, I think I would've enjoyed the dish more.

At any rate, we barely made it through the meal because were so full, so we didn't even bother to get dessert. To be honest, it would've just been more money spent on mediocre food. While there were definitely highlights, I still think we would've been better off elsewhere. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

El Agave Tequileria
2304 San Diego Avenue
Old Town, San Diego, CA 92110
619.220.0692

http://www.elagave.com/

piatti ristorante

as a well-deserved respite from my days and nights of dissertation writing, i got to see the lovely miss lina AND the lovely miss alison this weekend in SD. miss lina was down for a conference, and miss alison trekked down for a little respite herself, so it was wonderful to have some catch-up time w/the ladies.

although we were definitely headed to ED for sweets, we weren't quite sure what was going on for lunch. not until alison's colleague suggested piatti over in la jolla. now i must admit that, when lina told me alison wanted italian, i was a bit crestfallen, especially since italian certainly isn't my cuisine of choice. however, i thought i'd give the menu a chance, considering that i never choose italian myself, and i was absolutely delighted when i saw sweetbreads on the menu. (and FYI that i'm a BIG offal eater.)

sweetbreads, when done well, pretty much do it for me. (i had them done NOT so well at comme ca in LA, and i've vowed not to go back -- well, at least for a very long time.) piatti had sweetbreads both as an appetizer dish, and as a brunch dish w/eggs. and as soon as i saw that, i knew that's what i was getting.

when we arrived, we were shown through the main dining room to the back patio. although i don't like my restaurants empty, i also don't like them packed, especially when i'm planning catch-up time and i need to hear what my companions are saying. thankfully, the place was fairly empty when we showed up around 11, which pleased me immensely. it was also nice and sunny, and just on the warm side, so it was the perfect day to sit outside. the sun was in my eyes from the start, so we shuffled over to the adjacent table with our plates. i personally don't have any qualms about doing this, especially when a place isn't crowded. and even though our server seemed surprised (and ready w/an umbrella), i'm glad the busboy made it a point to say that it wasn't a big deal. as a patron, if i wanna move, i wanna move. please don't try to stop me. it's impolite.

honestly, i must admit that the waiter was a little too old-school italian for me. he spoke a little too close to my face, and he looked a little too intense. perhaps that was his natural expression, but it weirded me out just the slightest bit. another thing that weirded me out was the fact that the big fat dude at the adjacent table literally kept staring at us. it was so bizarre. i mean, yes, we're stunning, but seriously, fans can wait outside. it was only slightly disturbing, and thankfully, i was probably the only one who noticed. two other random observations were that we seemed to be: 1) 10-15 years younger than anyone else there (at least the people paying) and 2) the only people of color. now, as someone who studies diversity, i simply notice these things. and it certainly isn't a big deal (i mean, the same thing happened at tavern in brentwood, and i absolutely LOVE tavern.). it probably just reflects the demographics of la jolla. i mean, who else would wake up for brunch at 11 on a sunday? ;) well, us, obviously.

and i'm certainly glad we did b/c the food was totally delicious and satisfying. lina went w/the french toast, which looked (and apparently tasted) quite decadent. the bread looked like huge crostini, and she made it through 2.5 slices before admitting defeat. alison chose the breakfast panini made w/pizza dough. the thing looked quite monstrous (size-wise), but she polished off a fair bit of it before we mentioned that we still had ED left on the day's food agenda. otherwise, i think it was scrumptious enough that she would've considered finishing it.

i personally LOVED my sweetbreads on egg whites (my preferred substitution for eggs -- did you know one egg is 70% of your daily cholesterol?!?). just so folks know, sweetbreads, when served in isolation, are generally prepared w/a nice sear on the outside and a melting quality on the inside. w/this particular dish, the sweetbreads came sauteed w/mushrooms and placed lightly over egg whites. first of all, both the sweetbreads and the mushrooms had just the right amount of chew. you certainly don't want either of them mushy or rubbery, and both were done perfectly in this case. secondly, the sauce was rich in flavor but not in texture. it totally brought the sweetbreads and the mushrooms together without weighing down the dish. minus the egg whites, this dish would've been perfect -- which is probably why they have it prepared as an appetizer that way. plus the egg whites, it wasn't bad. they just made the dish more breakfast-ey. in fact, they actually did a good job of soaking up the sauce and filling me up, so that i couldn't inhale the whole dish within the first five minutes of brunch. the sauce was actually so good that i allowed myself to have bread, just so i could use it to soak up the remaining traces of sauce on the plate.

in addition to my meal, i ordered a non-alcoholic mint julep, which consisted of ginger ale, lime juice, and a bit of mint. it was quite good, and i'm always appreciative of a few non-alcoholic options on drinks menus. as a non-drinker, i always feel left out, so i'm totally happy when my needs are considered.

the waiter came by at the end of the meal to tell us about a fundraising effort they were taking part of to raise money for breast cancer research. for the month of october, they were asking each patron to donate $5, and with each donation, each patron would receive a free cappuccino or coffee. considering that each drink was about $2.50, it was like each patron was donating $2.50 and the restaurant was donating another $2.50. it was quite a nice offer, and the ladies too advantage of the opportunity to get some additional sugar and caffeine. i, on the other hand, was saving up my pennies (and tummy space) for ED. i felt a little bad, but not enough to throw in another $5 from my dwindling coffers.

all in all, piatti gets two thumbs up. i'd definitely come back and i'd definitely request the back patio. as lina commented, it's probably even lovelier w/the lights and heat lamps on at night. pretty AND toasty.

btw, i just found out that piatti's actually a chain. so if the food's this good AND it's a chain, i'm certainly more than impressed.

piatti restorane & bar
2182 avenida de la playa
la jolla, ca 92037
858.454.1589
http://www.piatti.com/