It has been a summer full of many good eats while supporting independent restaurants and here are some of my favorite eats in Southern California.
The French Door Cafe recently opened in Carlsbad and Chef/Owner Elissa Benjamin is mixing her French culinary training with her international travels to create tasty casual meals and lovely pastries. I’ll keep visiting to try her latest creations. https://www.thefrenchdoorcafe.com/home
Yang Chow has three locations in the LA area and known for their slippery shrimp. I never tasted such good shrimp and also shrimp toast and moo shu pork rolled in thin pancakes. So worth the drive to LA for authentic Mandarin and Szechuan dishes. https://yangchow.com/
Tartine began in San Francisco and their goal of making the best bread spread quickly to hungry eaters. How about this fresh fruit galette from the Pasadena store. Not overly sweet and full of fruit flavor inside a delicate dough. check out one of their many locations https://tartinebakery.com/
The Oinkster in Eagle Rock is known for pastrami sandwiches like the Oinkster Pastrami made like a Reuben but with red cabbage slaw. The real winner for me were the Belgian fries made with Kennebec potatoes. There’s many other menu items which I’m tempted to try.
Ottavio’s Italian Restaurant in Lakeside, Ca, is a local favorite and the calzone is a hefty foot long. This show stopper was filled with sausage, bell peppers and a filling cheese mixture. The menu has favorites of pizza, pasta and salad items for all family members. https://ottavioslakeside.com/
I was in the mood for cinnamon rolls and came across this sourdough recipe from Little Spoon Farm website. It was time to use my sourdough starter and I gave the recipe a try. They were baked in a cast iron skillet in the oven and were perfect with coffee for breakfast. The sourdough made them not overly sweet and the cinnamon mellowed out the roll. https://littlespoonfarm.com/
Solare Ristorante in Pt Loma is continuously rated as a best restaurant in San Diego. This is the place to take in happy hour, then dine inside near the Italian wine section or outside on the patio. You’ll find seasonal dishes and a variety of fish, pork and pasta all with a savory twist. Desserts are a big temptation made with sweet lusciousness. https://solarelounge.com/
German Deli in Huntington Beach (Old World Village) is the shop for European foods, beers and spirits. Take your time to look at the sausages, meats, strudels and then the German products on the shelves. During Oktoberfest, Old World Village is lively with music, dancing and Bratwurst. Celebrate the tradition and stock up for home cooking. https://germandeli.com/
Chef Jun is our go to place for fresh sushi and sashimi. His original restaurant is near Freeway 5 and Morena Blvd and a second location recently opened in Pt. Loma. We take guests to his Pt. Loma restaurant which has easy parking and not too far from the airport. I’ve eaten the ramen and prefer a sushi roll which is the chef’s specialty. https://chefjun.com/
When you need a decadent sweet treat go to Extraordinary Desserts with two locations in the center of San Diego city. Chef/Owner Karen Krasne designs the interior’s exotic floral arrangements and her desserts are topped with delicate flowers. She uses the best ingredients for the sweet and also savory dishes. Sit and relax in the exquisite bistro and make sure to bring home extra desserts. https://extraordinarydesserts.com/
Summer was full of outdoor activities and eating in places with good, quality food. I frequent independently owned restaurants run by hard working people who are passionate about cooking. When you try these restaurants, let me know what you think. Happy dining.
I wonder what fall season will bring…stay tuned!
