Tuesday, September 4, 2007
i suck at blogging
I recently got a comment asking "is this blog dead?" I suppose that means I'm overdue for another post...that and the fact that it's been a few months since I posted anything. Sorry dear readers, I've just been busy and haven't made time for you. That ends now...and begins in again tomorrow probably.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
in search of bread
Hey San Diegans.
I'm on a quest. I've eaten a bunch of delicious food from exotic ethnicities here. Despite my being a strict vegetarian, I feel like I've gotten a lot out of the cuisine of San Diego. However, meat-eaters and carnivores both have a deep and profound love for one of food's most basic elements: bread.
I've eaten some yummy sandwiches (Capriotti's) here in San Diego and I've had some great donuts and bagels (Sunny Donuts and Big City Bagels) but I have yet to find a really great, affordable, non-chain bakery that produces loaves of bread. There's a couple decent chains: Panera and St. Tropez, and okay, St. Tropez is barely a chain since there's only 4 locations and they're all in San Diego...but I find them to be a bit too frou-frou, personally.
Even the big stores (Henry's, Whole Foods, Vons, etc.) have some decent breads, but they're just not what I'm looking for.
What I really want is a place buried somewhere that is family owned (ideally) that makes great, simple bread. Doesn't have to be "artisan" per se, but should be substantial and have a good value. They need to have a bread that's great for a sub sandwich (as I have my frozen mock smoked turkey now and I need something to put it on that will do it justice) and they need to have a decent focaccia or similar bread that I can toast with some cheese on it.
So let me know what bakeries you've tried and what your experience has been. Here's a list of ones that I'll be looking into (some of them seem to be catering or supply for larger markets only):
Arely's French Bakery
City Bakery
Rita's Bakery (possibly mexican bakery)
New York Bakery (seems like a supplier)
Paris Bakery
Timby's Bakery
Deniss Bakery
Camau Bakery Deli
National Bakery
Bread & Cie (a little too well known already and too busy for me)
Cafe in the Park
A La Francaise
Baked by Etta
Bread on Market
Sadie Rose Baking Company
Solunto Baking Company (supplier, I think)
Bakery & Cafe - Big Joy Family, Incorporated
There's a place up in Del Mar next to a Jimbo's (name escapes me at the moment) that is great but a pit pricey and too far up the 5. I'd like to find something more central to San Diego.
So far, just by looking at websites, I think the Big Joy Family has a very good chance of being what I'm looking for. It's up in Kearny Mesa (Convoy) which is nice and off the beaten path of where one would expect to find a fantastic little bakery.
I'll be reporting back in a couple weeks with the results of my survey of local bakeries to let you know what I find. Send me your suggestions!
I'm on a quest. I've eaten a bunch of delicious food from exotic ethnicities here. Despite my being a strict vegetarian, I feel like I've gotten a lot out of the cuisine of San Diego. However, meat-eaters and carnivores both have a deep and profound love for one of food's most basic elements: bread.
I've eaten some yummy sandwiches (Capriotti's) here in San Diego and I've had some great donuts and bagels (Sunny Donuts and Big City Bagels) but I have yet to find a really great, affordable, non-chain bakery that produces loaves of bread. There's a couple decent chains: Panera and St. Tropez, and okay, St. Tropez is barely a chain since there's only 4 locations and they're all in San Diego...but I find them to be a bit too frou-frou, personally.
Even the big stores (Henry's, Whole Foods, Vons, etc.) have some decent breads, but they're just not what I'm looking for.
What I really want is a place buried somewhere that is family owned (ideally) that makes great, simple bread. Doesn't have to be "artisan" per se, but should be substantial and have a good value. They need to have a bread that's great for a sub sandwich (as I have my frozen mock smoked turkey now and I need something to put it on that will do it justice) and they need to have a decent focaccia or similar bread that I can toast with some cheese on it.
So let me know what bakeries you've tried and what your experience has been. Here's a list of ones that I'll be looking into (some of them seem to be catering or supply for larger markets only):
Arely's French Bakery
City Bakery
Rita's Bakery (possibly mexican bakery)
New York Bakery (seems like a supplier)
Paris Bakery
Timby's Bakery
Deniss Bakery
Camau Bakery Deli
National Bakery
Bread & Cie (a little too well known already and too busy for me)
Cafe in the Park
A La Francaise
Baked by Etta
Bread on Market
Sadie Rose Baking Company
Solunto Baking Company (supplier, I think)
Bakery & Cafe - Big Joy Family, Incorporated
There's a place up in Del Mar next to a Jimbo's (name escapes me at the moment) that is great but a pit pricey and too far up the 5. I'd like to find something more central to San Diego.
So far, just by looking at websites, I think the Big Joy Family has a very good chance of being what I'm looking for. It's up in Kearny Mesa (Convoy) which is nice and off the beaten path of where one would expect to find a fantastic little bakery.
I'll be reporting back in a couple weeks with the results of my survey of local bakeries to let you know what I find. Send me your suggestions!
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
NY Pizza and Subs
New York Pizza
2358 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92104
I love Eggplant Parmesan. On a plate or in a sub, it's my favorite Italian dish. I love eggplant and it's not easy to make it just right. Every place does Eggplant Parmesan very differently. Some places leave the skin on and just grill the eggplant. Other places trim the skin and batter and fry the eggplant. Every style is good if done well (unless you don't like the skin, but if it's done right you won't even notice the skin as it will be tender and easy to eat/digest).
New York Pizza has the most generic name I've seen in San Diego, but their food is above average. They have a good Eggplant Parm sub and that's what I originally came in for. The sauce is a bit weak on the sub, but it's still pretty good. They have extremely large pizzas (which I haven't tried yet but they look pretty good) and you'll wonder how they get them out the door or into the delivery car.
But their true shining star is the spinach roll. It's under $5 and it's easily two solid meals worth of food. It's about 2 lbs of fresh spinach, ricotta and mozzarella rolled up in a ...well pizza pocket for lack of a better term. It's kinda like a calzone, but more like a pizza burrito with no opening (it'll usually have a couple small cracks in it so you have to be careful as you're eating it, just like a burrito, or it'll explode eventually).
I made the mistake of trying to eat this thing in one sitting. Don't do it unless you're a pro. It looks like you can do it, but you'll be hurting by the last 1/4 of it. It's just plain massive...and only $5!
Other great pizza places: Bronx Pizza, Regents Pizzeria
Other great eggplant parm subs: Florencia Pizza
2358 University Ave.
San Diego, CA 92104
I love Eggplant Parmesan. On a plate or in a sub, it's my favorite Italian dish. I love eggplant and it's not easy to make it just right. Every place does Eggplant Parmesan very differently. Some places leave the skin on and just grill the eggplant. Other places trim the skin and batter and fry the eggplant. Every style is good if done well (unless you don't like the skin, but if it's done right you won't even notice the skin as it will be tender and easy to eat/digest).
New York Pizza has the most generic name I've seen in San Diego, but their food is above average. They have a good Eggplant Parm sub and that's what I originally came in for. The sauce is a bit weak on the sub, but it's still pretty good. They have extremely large pizzas (which I haven't tried yet but they look pretty good) and you'll wonder how they get them out the door or into the delivery car.
But their true shining star is the spinach roll. It's under $5 and it's easily two solid meals worth of food. It's about 2 lbs of fresh spinach, ricotta and mozzarella rolled up in a ...well pizza pocket for lack of a better term. It's kinda like a calzone, but more like a pizza burrito with no opening (it'll usually have a couple small cracks in it so you have to be careful as you're eating it, just like a burrito, or it'll explode eventually).
I made the mistake of trying to eat this thing in one sitting. Don't do it unless you're a pro. It looks like you can do it, but you'll be hurting by the last 1/4 of it. It's just plain massive...and only $5!
Other great pizza places: Bronx Pizza, Regents Pizzeria
Other great eggplant parm subs: Florencia Pizza
Rant: No expensive vegetarian food
Okay, so I'm normally one that gets excited to find cheap, good food. However, there are occasions when I find myself at a more upper class restaurant and I'm thoroughly disappointed by the vegetarian selection (and generally there is but ONE vegetarian selection).
I realize that we are a port city and that high-class cuisine is often synonymous with seafood, but this is also San Diego and there are more than a few vegetarians here. We vegetarians should not feel out of place and bored with the cuisine when we dine at high-class eating establishments.
I'm going to name names: C Level @ Island Prime (and nearly every other Cohn Restaurant Group restaurant) and Osetra: The Fish House have been my two most recent disappointments. Granted, these two places specifically have "meaty" names, but there should be no reason that their top-notch chefs can't get creative with a couple vegetarian selections.
Instead of any original dish, the vegetarian option at any high-class restaurant is almost invariably either pasta or risotto. Don't get me wrong, I adore pasta and risotto...but I can make both...and do on a regular basis...mostly because they're extremely cheap. So I don't tend to get too excited when they're offered as the only vegetarian option.
It's a slap in the face as if to say "we considered a vegetarian option and we decided you weren't worth any real effort or imagination so we'll make you some noodles." I blame the owners, the managers and the chefs for this nearsightedness and I expect more out of San Diego. Come on, fancy-schmancey restaurants. When I've got the money to lay down for a high-priced meal, you're going to have to earn my money.
I realize that we are a port city and that high-class cuisine is often synonymous with seafood, but this is also San Diego and there are more than a few vegetarians here. We vegetarians should not feel out of place and bored with the cuisine when we dine at high-class eating establishments.
I'm going to name names: C Level @ Island Prime (and nearly every other Cohn Restaurant Group restaurant) and Osetra: The Fish House have been my two most recent disappointments. Granted, these two places specifically have "meaty" names, but there should be no reason that their top-notch chefs can't get creative with a couple vegetarian selections.
Instead of any original dish, the vegetarian option at any high-class restaurant is almost invariably either pasta or risotto. Don't get me wrong, I adore pasta and risotto...but I can make both...and do on a regular basis...mostly because they're extremely cheap. So I don't tend to get too excited when they're offered as the only vegetarian option.
It's a slap in the face as if to say "we considered a vegetarian option and we decided you weren't worth any real effort or imagination so we'll make you some noodles." I blame the owners, the managers and the chefs for this nearsightedness and I expect more out of San Diego. Come on, fancy-schmancey restaurants. When I've got the money to lay down for a high-priced meal, you're going to have to earn my money.
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