Flavor - Del mar

The much anticipated latest addition to the Del Mar scene is Flavor. Taking center stage during the horse race season, decided to venture out to experience what all the rave was about. The simple yet sophisticated decor emphasizes white. Metallic and wood accents here and there, but white tables, backings and glass panorama overlook the L'auberge Del mar. On a clear sunny day, the outside patio would be ideal for a glass of wine under the sun and overlooking the ocean.

Simple but full of flavor is the name of the game here. Dishes are not overly complicated and there is a strong emphasis on seafood. Ironically, the array of salts brought out would have fared better with some rustic bread as the bread was forgettable.

For starters, the tuna crisps were sampled:

A 4inch thinly cut crisp topped with truffle oil, tuna and mixed greens. Tasty and delicious, sharing it turns it into an amuse bouche!

The tuna tacos, served with guacomole, red onions and micro cilantro were absolutely delicate-able. Perfect bite size appetizers to share:

The pear and persimmon salad of local greens came adorned with pomegranate seeds, pistachios and a lemon vinaigrette:

The big eyed tuna tataki dressed in daikon, avocado and a tomato ginger dressing :

For dessert, the panna cotta, a light and semi-custardy texture topped with strawberries and an ice cream topping:

the chocolate bar, a rich bar of chocolate served with vanilla ice cream and nutty toppings:

Flavor, with a star studded executive chef and ideal location of panoramic view of  Del Mar is setting the stage to make a splash. Just don't forget to bring the amex card as its a bit more pricey than local establishments.

http://flavordelmar.com/taste/

Charisma -Hillcrest

A small new Italian restaurant that opened up near the ever popular Mo's bar on University avenue is Charisma. From the outside, the red interior is an attractive calling to come inside, with sidewalk opening glass doors that create an outside seating patio, the family owned restaurant prepares specialties from the southern parts of Italy, particularly with an emphasis of flavor from the Napoli region.

For a small environment, the interior has about 10-12 or so table, gets lively and cozy.

For starters, rich lentils soaked in olive oil are brought out with hot bread.

The fritto misto, a collection of tempura covered vegetables, shrimp and dates (?)...

The mussels and clam dish, baked Carlsbad mussels in a tomato broth with a piece of grilled bread..

The bruschetta, tomato, garlic and olive oil topped toasted ciabatta bread

The chicken cacciatore dish, a pasta and chicken piece layered with tomatoes cooked with onion and rosemary

the whole wheat penne, ricotta cheese, onions and garlic...

an eggplant pasta dish..  couldn't find the eggplant!

a special panna cotta... chocolate pudding consistency

a richly stuffed cannoli

Charisma offers inexpensive plates, a comfortable atmosphere and richly sauced pasta dishes. Be careful with the wine ordering, most wines are stored on top shelves that are subject to rising temperatures, discriminating palettes would not be impressed. Overall, the flavors are not overwhelmingly strong. Ideally, a student population would love this place. With one of the few restaurants in SD with adjoining outdoor patio overlooking in the street, we'll keep our paws crossed for it.

http://www.charismacucinaitaliana.com/

Kensington Grill- Kensington

Kensington Grill, a member of the Urban Kitchen group and sister restaurant to Cucina Urbana, is a gem of a neighborhood restaurant. Rustic, warm decor with a California cuisine inspiration, sustainable and locally sourced ingredients are made available whenever possible to create a fantastic dining experience. Restaurant week was no exception.

An arugula and prosciutto salad with shaved manchego cheese and drizzled balsamic

Roasted trout cooked to perfection, with spinach, sliced carrots and sprouts in a lightly gingered ponzu sauce

The pan roasted jidori chicken, A marinaded chicken inroasted tomatoes, onions and celery in a vegetable and chicken broth

A braised short rib, served on top of bok choy in a lemongrass ginger jus

the pear and cranberry cobbler... crisp with oatmeal layers

homemade ameretto cheesecake.. light and fluffy with chantilly cream



http://www.kensingtongrill.com/about

Toast Enoteca- East Village SD

The latest creation of sister restaurant Acqua al 2, Toast opens its doors in the up and coming East Village neighborhood in SD. Located a block away from the ballpark and across from Basic Pizza, Toast offers a small scale wine tasting experience. A modernized wine tasty venue, bottles are plugged into automatic dispensers, load up a refill card and taste by ounce or by glass.

But the interior decor, a modern rendition of a cool loft with concrete exposed walls, abstract art and low-lit light highlighting the reds, blacks and dark wood bins holding wine bottles. The food menu is focused.. salads, panini's, pizza and a handful of main plates.

The baby arugula salad with shaved Parmesan and cherry tomatoes was fresh, aromatic and drizzled with a good load of a light dressing, giving it a slight nutty flavor:

The wood fired pizzas are a must try. Flat thin crusted baked fresh to order pizzas have delicate crusts with bubbling burnt effects that give it an extra crunch. The pizza bianca came topped with fresh mozzarella, grilled guanicile, an Italian bacon and potatoes. Yes, the combination worked well:

With a restaurant rewards program and a wine saving card program, Toast is making an entry into the East Village


http://toastenoteca.com/foodmenu.html

MerK - downtown SD

MerK bistro has reinvented itself as a rustic Italian cuisine with an american flare. Settled underneath the boutique Keating hotel and enjoying an all new interior decor by famed Pininfarina (think Maserati and Ferrari design). With its hues of red and black with brick and glass, colors and textures enhance the dining experience.

A beet and burrata salad comes with both yellow and red beats, herbed salad and hazelnut vinaigrette:

Pizzas are also offered, Veggie, cheese and sausage come out served on a paddle of wood:

The pan seared local seabass came adorned with Carlsbad mussels, tomato broth, spinach and miniature potatoes:

Yelp check ins receive and automatic 30% off on wine!

http://themerk.com/menu.asp

Truluck - La Jolla

If you are in the mood for seafood with a Texan spirit, head on over to Trulucks.  A subtle dim lighted interior with dark red booths, black wall interiors layered with  fish icons and tables enhanced with selective overhead spotlights  to accentuate your food creates a casual yet sophisticated environment for dining. Trulucks restaurant has branded from its Texan hold to establish itself on the west coast with a grand entrance. Bringing along with it, its epic portions.

From supersized Alaskan king crab to large claw snow crab, this is definitely a place to come to for quality crab. Crab cakes are solid lumps of crab, specially packaged into a seared perfection. No fillers, no bread crumbs, just pure luscious crab, served on top of a light garlic aioli, spring greens and lemon to drizzle. Fabulous.

The salmon and tuna tartare duo, also equally impressive.

fresh lumps of tartare, sprinkled with black and white sesame seeds, adjacent to a wasabi cream and a side serving a pickled cucumbers.

For a main course, the miso baked seabass was the specialty of choice. A healthy portion of seabass, served with shredded carrots and squash, piled on top of a crab fried rice and decorated with a sweet miso circle.

The dessert was beyond extraordinary. A chocolate bag filled with pound cake, berries, and ice cream. Standing 8-10inches tall, the chocolate bag was literally molded out of thick delicious chocolate. After a minor procedure, the bag was opened up to reveal its inner goodness:

Aesthetics aside, the inner mounds of pound cake, berries, ice cream and cream all mixed heavenly with drizzles of molten chocolate. This little bag of goodies was more than a hearty table of 6 could endure!

Red Pearl- Downtown SD

Red Pearl, an Asian inspired dining spot brings to the colors of red to whole new level. A giant red chair graces the entrances to a dark lit interior, that's part sports bar and part dining room area. Step past the sporty lounge section to a private booth where you can have an intimate dinner or sit at one of the communal tables where you can bump elbows with fellow diners.

The mixologist on staff has a creative effort to bring lychees, pomegranates and fruit liquors to a whole new level. Enjoy a Singaporian sling, a dragon bite or a pomegranate sparkling martini. Appetizers include thai spiced calamari, fire spiced edamame, or this fantastic new find. Tuna tartare topped with tobiko caviar, served on a tempura squash crisp and drizzled with a semi-sweet teriyaki flavor... the textures where fabulous:

The crunchy crispy lemon chicken, topped with roasted lemon rinds and served on top of green beans and eggplant was a citrus delight:

The drunken noodles with shrimp were prepared to order, hot and pipping, thick wide chow fun noodles in a light oyster sauce garlic and hints of fish sauce. Stir fried delight..

Red Pearl brings you pan-Asian food, curries, dim sum in a red and hip environment.


http://redpearlkitchen.com/

Joao's Tin Fish-Liberty Station Point Loma

Joao's Tin Fish eatery, located in Liberty Station in Point Loma is a seafood lover's dream with an Italian and Portuguese kick. Paying homage to the fishermen that started the city, Italian and Portuguese dishes, spices and elements are fused with local seafood.

With a full raw bar, oyster shucking sessions are available. On this occasion, brunch was the calling. The casual restaurant offered full breakfast menu.  Starting out with crabby Mary's, the classic bloody came packed with crab meet, tender chunks marinated in the mix as well as a side serving of lump crab.. a bevarage with a built in meal!

The crab omelette, another wonderfully stuffed omelette that oozed out molten cheese and healthy crab chunks, was served with Portuguese beans:

The eggs Benedict, sunny side up served with an Italian spice influenced Bearnaise sauce, home potatoes with onions were equally tasty:

With a wide selection of ahi, mahi, swordfish, and oysters, this fish-house might require a separate visit to explore the specials from the sea...

http://www.joaostinfish.com/

http://www.joaostinfish.com/menu/lunch_dinner_menu.pdf

Thanksgiving Festivities

Thanksgiving is a fantastic holiday to sharpen the cooking skills, celebrate with family and friends and give thanks for all that you have.

Let's start with the turkey. A 26lb bird was prepared fro this year's celebration, stuffed with a mixture containing prunes, raisins, breadcrumbs and baked until tender to pull apart.

A side of stuffing.. spiked in with fruits, prunes, corn, raisins and bread stuffing...

a full spread included roasted brussel sproats, green beans with onion and bacon, a honey baked ham topped with pineapple, homemade mash potatoes and sides of gravy.

honey glazed sweet potato...

and for all those that won't let anything go to waste, the neck meat of the turkey is apparently the softest and tenderest of the entire bird:

Happy thanksgiving and to all the creative leftover recreations!

Urban Plates -Carmel Valley

Carmel Valley and Del Mar have experienced a recent expansion of restaurants. From the popular and scene at Burlap, to timely spots such as Blue Taverna, and Flavor. All to be found in the convenience of strip mall amenities! A newly opened up place in the Del Mar Heights shopping area is Urban Plates.

A casual and comfortable atmosphere, Urban Plates is a mesh between a gourmet cafeteria and a food court with various options. From a salad station where fresh kale, spinach and greens are whipped into Cesar, Asian chicken salad or Mediterranean style, to a carving station where beef, chicken and grilled fish is available, to a pizza and dessert bar. You can pick and choose to your liking, with full entrees averaging between $10-12. Plus various wines and beers and tap, in a lofty and natural earth toned environment and you have a casual dining experience.

Tuna salad nicoise. A seared ahi steak layered on top of fresh greens, baby fingerling potatoes, fresh boiled eggs and cherry tomatoes with green beans mixed in a light vinaigrette... delicious

The seared ahi plate, served with fingerling potatoes, green beans and a grilled piece of bread..

a lemon bar for dessert.. tart and flavorful..

Urban Plates: grilling, serving or tossing it fresh daily...

http://www.urbanplates.com/

SD Food & Wine Event

The annual Food & Wine event in SD takes over the marina and seaport village area, showcasing many of the local restaurants and wineries from Sonoma, Paso Robles, Napa and Temecula. Foodies, purveyors and wine aficionados from the area came by on this gorgeous sunny day to taste and drink to their hearts content.

Romesco, a baja med bistro located in Bonita was showcasing some fabulous colors and flavors. Corn tortilla wrapped carnitas with marinaded red onions, shreds of papaya, guacamole and a slice of jalapeno..

Blue Point was serving some supersized crab claws. Sustainable harvest, apparently only one claw is taken. Hearty and great with the garlic aoili, but a bit challenging to eat while on the go.

Sea Rocket was rocking with the baja shrimp, pipette containing tomato enhanced juice, topped with a candied basil and thai basil foam. Inside the plastic holder was a butternut chowder.. delicious, but an environmental disaster..

Buster's beach house was sporting a healthy sizes ahi poke, layered with seawood and avocado

Masala prepared a vegetarian biryani. Spicy and flavorful.

Peruvian specialties were prepared by Secret Cafe. Ceviche prepared in several ways, clam and tomato, spicy mahi and scallops

brisket and potatoes... how can you go wrong?

beef cheek... in a semi sweet glace..

With several hundred options to choose from and wines to equally match, tasting is definitely a fun adventure to enjoy with your local foodie friends.