New craft beers highlight this week's culinary tidbits(3)
Roseville 1125 Rosecrans St., Point Loma, 619-450-6800. Laurel transplant Chef Amy DiBiase has a hit in this newish upscale-yet-casual brasserie. Standouts include the watermelon salad, duck confit and, for dessert, lemon chiffon parfait. www.rosevillesd.com.
Noodle Town. 4647 Convoy St., Kearny Mesa, 858-565-0403. Grab some friends and claim one of the round tables with a center grill out on the patio. There, cook up a delicious selection of meats while munching on traditional Korean side dishes. You may end up wanting one of the special grills for your own backyard.
Farmhouse Cafe. 2121 Adams Ave., University Heights, 619-269-9662. Owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Oliver and Rochelle Bioteau, the cute, quaint Farmhouse does surprisingly inventive dinners and tasty weekend brunches—the ricotta pancakes are especially good.
Sea Rocket Bistro. 3382 30th St., North Park, 619-255-7049. The eatery that took over The Linkery’s old space focuses on fresh, locally caught seafood. Fisherman will occasionally drop by to chat, and the owners are pros at pairing dishes with local craft beers. www.searocketbistro.com.
Mariscos German. 2802 Ocean View Blvd., Logan Heights, 619-239-3782. The Mexican seafood purveyor has a couple different incarnations, from a taco truck that parks at University Avenue and 35th Street to the Logan Heights ship-shaped restaurant. Everything's fresh and tasty, especially the seafood cocktail and the shrimp cooked in a garlicky sauce.
Neighborhood 777 G St., East Village, 619-446-0002. The place to get a good burger (the signature burger’s a hit) and a craft beer in a hip unpretentious setting. Be sure to include a side order of the sweet potato fries.
Cafe Athena 1846 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach, 858-274-1140. The casual Greek eatery with an outdoor patio does all the standards well: tzatiki, baba ghanuj and a tasty spanakopita—flaky filo dough layered with a spinach and feta mixture. If you’re feeling indecisive, there are lots of appetizers and entrée samplers to choose from.
San Diego Wine & Culinary Center. 200 Harbor Drive, Suite 120, Downtown, 619-231-6400. The fact that Dizzy’s jazz club has taken up residence here makes this one of the cooler spots in San Diego. The wine choices are affordable and well-picked, and the menu features plenty of tasty accompaniments. www.sdwineculinary.com.
The Restaurant @ The Pearl. 1410 Rosecrans St., Point Loma, 619-226-6100. The lovely Pearl Hotel has a hit with new chef Trey Hartinger. The house burger and Kurabota pork are standouts for dinner. If you’re a morning person, try the Sunday brunch with “bottomless” mimosas and incredibly fresh, creative dishes. www.thepearlsd.com.
Pauly’s Pizza Station. 1050 Park Blvd., East Village, 619-231-0300. This new pizza spot, located at the “Smart Corner” transit station, won us over with fresh, creative toppings (like the house special—a white pie with strips of roasted bell peppers, fresh spinach and ricotta cheese) and sublime crust. www.paulyspizzasta tion.com.
Sushi Ota. 4529 Mission Bay Drive, Pacific Beach, 858-270-5670. Among the best sushi restaurants in San Diego, true sushi fans should belly up to the bar and ask for Mr. Ota’s omakase (chef’s menu). Expect a wait, even for regular seats, but it’s worth it.
Asmara Eritrean Restaurant. 4155 University Ave., City Heights, 619-677-3999. Eritrean cuisine is similar to Ethiopian, with food served on (or with) tangy, sponge-like injera bread. Use the bread to scoop up delicious vegetable stews and flavorful meat dishes at this cozy, family-run spot.
Northgate Gonzalez Market. 1410 S. 43rd St., Southcrest, 619-266-6080.The 60,000-square-foot Mexican market houses a taqueria, where you can order freshly prepared tacos; a pasteleria, selling fresh baked cakes (such as tres leches); and specialty Mexican food items. www.northgatemarkets.com.
Tango Wine Company. 2161 India St., Little Italy, 619-564-7700. This small wine bar offers a variety of favorite vinos at affordable prices with no corkage fee. They don’t serve food (except when they host tastings), but they don’t mind if you bring your own. www.tangowine.com.
Phil’s BBQ. 3750 Sports Arena Blvd., Point Loma. 619-226-6333. Arrive very early, or very late, because if you pull up right around dinner time, there’ll be a line out the door. This popular restaurant serves tasty Texas-style barbecue that’s worth any wait. www.philsbbq.net.
Blue Water Seafood Market & Grill. 3667 India St., Middletown, 619-497-0914 A no-frills but fabulous spot for fresh local seafood. The grilled-fish sandwich is always a good choice, as are the oysters and outstanding ceviche.
Yumeya. 1246 N Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, 760-633-4288. Yumeya serves ippin ryori, or small à la carte plates akin to tapas, plus houses an outstanding selection of sake, like the smooth, crisp ginyu shizuku. Stand-out dishes include potato croquettes and tempura udon.
Bonnie Jean’s Soul Food Café. 1964 54th St., Oak Park. 619-262-8854. The café offers authentic soul food, from the red velvet cake all the way to the sweet tea. Other Southern specialties include catfish, fried chicken and waffles and oysters.
Villa Manila. 500 East Eighth St., National City, 619-477-8512. Meat heaven for meat lovers, this Filipino restaurant features favorites like pata (pork leg simmered to tenderness, dried overnight then deep-fried) and nilagang baka, a mild but long-simmered soup of beef shanks and vegetables in an onion broth.
Jayne’s Gastropub. 4677 30th St., Normal Heights, 619-563-1011. This classy step above your average pub serves standards like burgers and wiener schnitzel, plus more creative takes on traditional pub grub. It also features a nice selection of ales and wines. www.jaynesgastropub.com.
Yoshi Sushi. 6755 Mira Mesa Blvd., Mira Mesa. 858-587-4755. Features inexpensive, fresh sushi and all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner menus.
