Toast is Toast

I went to Toast Enoteca with my family and this new wine bar and kitchen has been open for one year. The way our evening went I would have thought it was opening night.

We made a reservation for 7:00 and when we got there they were going to seat us at a table that was literally in the doorway. Pretty much the worst table in the restaurant. We decided to forgo our "VIP" table and wait for a table inside the restaurant with some warmth to it.
We sat at the bar and enjoyed the some wine tasting from state-of-the-art wine dispensing machines. That was the best part of the meal.We finally were seated 45 minutes later at 7:45. We decided to go with the restaurant week menu. 3 course meal for $20.00.
We ordered our drinks, meals and received our water and wine a half hour later. It was 8:15pm and at this point we were starving and got up and asked the owner/chef/dishwasher (that is what he called himself) for some bread. Which was one of our first courses. The bread was bread, and the balsamic vinegar that was served with it was sweet and delicious. Besides my Stags Leap Chardonnay the vinegar was probably the best thing I tasted there.
We got our second course a while after that. Cavolfiore Al Forno - Oven-baked Cauliflower in the House Pomodoro Sauce. This was pretty good. I enjoyed the red sauce it was served in but nothing to amazing.
Pere E Gorgonzola - Baked Pare served with Gorgonzola Cheese. I really enjoyed this. It was served on top of arugula. I loved the sweet pare with the tart cheese.
I was starving, annoyed, and ready to leave and grab a burger someplace else at 8:45 and we finally got our main course. I have never heard my father (the nicest most mellow man in the world) drop the "F Bomb" so many times at the table.
Rigatoni A La Bolognese - nothing special. I have had better Bolognese.
Tortellini Al Burro Tartufato - Tortellini stuffed with Ricotta Cheese in a Truffle Infused Butter Sauce - What should of been cooked "Al Dente" was cooked "Al Jacked Up". I think it might of been raw. I expected a bite but this bite was way to hard and the what should of been soft hot cheese in the middle was a cold hard mess. Not good at all. I don't know if they were rushing to get us our food because they saw how unhappy we were or what but it was not cooked. I mean they only had 2 hours to do so.
Lasanga Al Broccoli E Salsiccia - Lasagna in a Broccoli and Sausage Parmesan Sauce - It tasted good but it sure was greasy.
I would of taken pictures of all the food but to tell you the truth I was to hungry I couldn't deal with pictures. The portions were tiny too, which would not of been a problem if the service was better and if the food was cooked to perfection.
They were understaffed. I felt bad for our waitress. This restaurant is small but she too was playing to many parts, busing tables and waiting on tables. Seems to me like they are trying to save money where they can but doing so seems to be bad for business. If you want to go and enjoy some good wine this is good place to go for that. Don't go hungry and if you order food expect to wait for it. The service was so off. There was no flow and it was chaotic. I almost wanted to jump in a help them out.
The owner did speak to us at the end of our meal. He apologized and knew it was an off night and said he saw everything that went wrong. He gave us his card and told us to come in to either one of his restaurants, Acqua Al 2 or Toast and he will do it right for us and take care of us. It was nice of him to offer that but I don't think I will be back. After he walked away from us, water pitcher in hand, he failed to fill our water glasses. The 2.5 hours we were there our water glasses never got refilled. Go figure. I wont be Toasting to Toast today, that's for sure.
Toast Enoteca
927 j street san diego ca. 92101
619-269-4207

O BO-Beau, BO-Beau!

Wherefore Art Thou BO-Beau? That is what I find myself saying after dining at the newly romanticized BO-Beau last Tuesday night with my dear friend Saul. It's the newest addition to the Cohn Restaurant Group. BO-Beau, which is located in Ocean Beach takes over the space that was formally known as the 42 year old restaurant Thee Bungalow. The once grandma-house-style restaurant has been transformed into a masterpiece. Not an ounce left of the 1969 french restaurant Thee Bungalow, except the old menu's framed in the restrooms.

I can't believe the transformation that has taken place and the revamped restaurant screams, Vintage, Rustic, Romantic, Warm, and French. What an amazing job was done on the decor that was designed by the man behind Bleu Boheme, Philippe Beltran. Beltran fronted BO's with French Colonial gates from mid-17th century Egypt and filled it with antique farm tools, wine barrels from a Spanish estate, and added a fire placed pizza oven patio.
Lyrics to a french love song written throughout the restaurant in french and frames near the lyrics translating the song in English.
We'll fly away from the same pier, our eyes showing the same reflections, for in this life and the one after, you will be my sole purpose.
(See? screams romantic!)The restaurant was packed for a Tuesday night and has only been open a couple weeks. The Bar (yes they put in a bar!) didn't have a seat open. The drink menu looked so good. It was a Tuesday night and a couple days after New Years Eve so I am laying off the alcohol but I plan to go back and try: Le Romantique - belvedere black raspberry + pomegranate-rose petal nectar + champagne + a rose petal.
Ooh, La, La!!!
Not just is the decor amazing but the food is spectacular too. BO's is rustic style bistro french food at its best. Rightly so as the Executive Chef, Katherine Humphus graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris France. French food is what she does best and she does it superb!
The menu which you can see here consists of Appetizers & Boards, Woodstone Oven Flat Bread, Soups & Salads, Moules & Frites, Pasta's such as Housemade Fettuccini with Duck Confit, Roasted Mushrooms and Parmesan Reduction, and some french Bistro Classics such as Boeuf Bourguignon & Steak Frites.

The first thing we had was the house bread. I believe it was ciabatta. It is a rustic peasant style bread with lots of holes in it. Soft on the inside and super crusty on the outside. Why am I writing about the bread? Well it was damn good and I loved how the bread came served in a brown paper bag with soft butter on the side. So different then the normal boring bread basket. Loved it!We started with the Caesar Salad - Crisp Romaine, Soft Boiled Egg, Ciabatta Croutons, and Shaved Parmesan. I loved this salad. The dressing was perfect. A little tangy and just enough of it to not over power the salad. I loved the soft boiled egg on the side which added some richness to the dish. A great combination of flavors.We then had the Billi Bi - Cream of Mussel Soup and Tarragon Dumpling. It was rich and creamy with a few plump mussels. The tarragon dumpling was crispy on the outside and soft in the inside. So many different textures and this soup is decadent. We ordered a side of the mac n cheese. I really can't pass that up when its on a menu.
Leek "Foundue" Mac N Cheese with Cheddar Gratinee. You really can't go wrong with mac n cheese and BO-Beau's mac n cheese is really good. I did think it could be a little creamier and cheesier. It seemed a little dry. Still very good and I love how crispy the top was.We also tasted the Braised Short Rib Woodstone Oven Flat Bread topped with Braised Short Rib, Horseradish Smashed Potatoes and Chives. I love this flat bread. I have never had short rib on a pizza before and I love short ribs, pizza and smashed potatoes with horseradish. Together they are delicious. What an amazing creation!
We also tasted (by this time we were so full so tasted would be the appropriate word) the Moules A La Moutarde. Mussels with Whole Grain Mustard, Fresh Herbs and Frites. I really liked the mustard broth the mussels were in. Much better then a boring white wine broth. You could really taste and see the mustard seeds. Loved it!The Frites were awesome. Again served in a brown paper bag. I love this rustic touch. Keeps things casual and fun. That is what french food needs to be in order to get people to go back. For that matter to even get people to step in. BO-Beau does just that. You will go and you will be back!
If we hadn't consumed enough food, Chef Katherine brought out the best dish for us to try and I saved it for last.
This is a must if you go to BO-Beau. Crispy Brussel Sprouts sprinkled with Pancetta, Parmesan and Balsamic. I love brussel sprouts and these are divine. The outside leaves were so crispy and that is exactly how I love my brussel sprouts. The flavors of the pancetta, parmesan and balsamic jazz these bad boys up to the highest degree.
I love how they were served scattered on a wood plank and inside this rustic jar. A favorite for sure!The staff and service at BO-Beau was impeccable. The prices are fantastic too. The most expensive entree is $19.00. Portions are generous but not too large, and can definitely be shared.
I said it once and I will say it again. French food that is fun? BO-Beau does just that.
Finally!
BO-Beau
4996 west point loma boulevard san diego ca. 92107
619-224-2884

I Love You Maryjane

Cypress Hill said it first but I second the motion. Maryjane's Coffee Shop has been open in the Hard Rock Hotel since October 2007 and I went for the first time this past weekend for brunch. I didn't order a million things to try as I was still full from all the holiday indulging but really enjoyed this swanky coffee shop. Good ole American style cuisine and home-cooked breakfasts are served at Maryjane's. I loved the individual TV screen at our booth playing the Cardinals vs. 49ers game. Can't go wrong with that!

I ordered a build your own omelet and it was super good. Cheddar cheese, mushrooms and avocado served with the best hash browns I have had in a long time and a tasty biscuit! Not one of those omelets where the grease oozes all over the plate. I really enjoyed it.
Other recommended items are the Eggs Benedict, LA Sticky Buns, Disco Fries, Signature Burgers and Salads.
If you are looking for a new breakfast joint that is casual, hip with a flamboyant touch this is the spot. They serve lunch, dinner and breakfast all day and on weekends they are open till 3am. It's a great place to go to soak up the cocktails consumed after late night dancing.
Right now they offer a "Get Your Burger On" Wednesdays. Mouthwatering burger specials for $4.20 from 4:20pm till close on Wednesdays.

Who isn't in the mood to dine along side photos of Mick, Janis, and Prince? See you there 4:20pm on Wednesday!
Maryjane's Coffee Shop
207 5th avenue san diego ca. 92101

3 Bean Turkey Chili With A Kick

2011 is here! What an amazing New Years Eve I had. I hope yours was just as magical and you continued the celebrating through the weekend! I know I did. As most of you I am ready to start eating healthy and getting back into the normal routine of things. Although the time off has been fantastic and I am a little sad to go back to work. We have 6 months until bikini season but this cold weather sure is going to make it hard to get ready for it! I went to the farmers market and grocery store today and stocked my fridge with produce, fruits, veggies and proteins, in hopes that this next week I will be eating in and cooking healthy inspired meals!
I wanted to share a fantastic healthy recipe with you eat on these cold nights without feeling the guilt. I did some cooking over the last couple days in 2010 for some close family friends. They had a party New Years Day to celebrate the New Year and watch the Rose Bowl.
I have never made Chili before and was asked to make a traditional turkey chili. So I did some research and found a great recipe that I altered a little bit.
This chili is so delicious. It's the kind of chili where the kick creeps up on you when you least expect it. The dried pasilla chili peppers give this recipe a distinct smokey flavor. I am not a huge chili fan but now that I have made it I am! This chili is so flavorful you wont even know its turkey. If you prefer to use red meat go right ahead. It's fantastic and you can't go wrong!
3 Bean Turkey Chili With A Kick
inspired by Guy Fieri for Food Network Magazine
serves 10-15
Recipe
5 dried pasilla chili peppers
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 jalapeno peppers, minced (remove seeds for less heat)
9 cloves garlic, minced
2 small red onions, diced (or 1 large)
3 pounds coarsely ground turkey (thigh & breast meat)
1 small can tomato paste
2 15oz cans tomato sauce
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (adjust for more or less heat)
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
3 15oz cans pinto beans with liquid (no sodium)
3 15oz cans kidney beans with liquid (no sodium)
2 cans black beans with liquid (no sodium)
3/4 cup flour (if needed to thicken)
shredded Colby jack cheese & sour creme for garnish
Directions
Rehydrate the pasilla peppers in hot water for 20-30 minutes, or until softened; drain. Remove the stems & seeds; dice the peppers.
Warm the oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the pasillas, bell peppers, jalapenos, garlic & onion and cook until caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add the turkey and gently stir, trying not to break up the meat to much; cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauce, stir for 4 minutes. Then add the chicken broth. Add all the dried herbs, salt & pepper. Stir in the beans and their liquid, lower the heat and cook, uncovered, for at least 1 hour. If you cover the pot it will not thicken.
If you need to make it a thicker consistency make a roux with flour and some of the sauce from the chili. Add it to the chili, mix well and break up any lumps.Garnish with shredded fat free cheese & light sour creme.
I wish you all luck getting back into shape for bikini season. Tomorrow is Monday. It's the perfect day to start.

Lucky Foods For The New Year

New Years is a time to ring out the old and ring in the new. It's a time to forget the past and make a clean start. It's a time for resolutions! Instead of depending on fate to increase your good fortune why not enjoy a meal to give you some good luck!

There are a variety of different foods you can eat on NYE & New Years Day to improve the odds that next year will be a good one. Of course this varies from culture to culture.

Here are the six major categories of auspicious foods.
GrapesNew Years revelers in Spain consume 12 grapes at midnight - one grape for each stroke of the clock. This dates back to 1909. Each grape represents each month, so for instance if the 3rd grape is a bit sour then March might be a rocky month. For most the goal is to swallow all the grapes at the last stroke of midnight, but Peruvians insist on 13 grapes. 1 for good measure.

Cooked Greens

Cabbage, collards, kale, and chard are consumed at New Year in different countries. Their greens look like folded money and are symbolic of economic fortune. The Danish eat stewed kale sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, the Germans eat sauerkraut (cabbage), while in the Southern US, collard greens are the greens of choice. It's believed the more greens one eats the larger one's fortune next year.

Legumes

Legumes, including beans, peas and lentils are also symbolic of money. Their small, seed like appearance resembles coins that swell when cooked so they are consumed with financial rewards in mind. In Italy, it's customary to eat sausages and green lentils, just after midnight - pork has its own lucky associations! Germans also eat pork and legumes, usually lentil or split pea soup with sausage.

In Brazil, the first meal of the New Year is usually lentil soup. In the US its traditional to eat black-eyed peas or cow peas in a dish called hoppin john. This all traces back to the legend that during the Civil War, the town of Vicksburg, Mississippi, ran out of food while under attack. The residents fortunately discovered black-eyed peas and the legume was thereafter considered lucky.

Pass the bean's please.

Pork

Pigs symbolize progress. The animal pushes forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving. Roast pig is served for New Year's in Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, and Austria - Austrians are also known to decorate the table with miniature pigs made of marzipan. Pork is also consumed in Italy and the US, where thanks to its rich fat content, it signifies wealth and prosperity.

FishCod has been a popular feast food since the Middle Ages. Long before refrigeration and modern transportation, cod could be preserved and transported allowing it to reach the Mediterranean and even as far as North Africa and the Caribbean. The Danish eat boiled cod and Italy eats baccala, or dried salt cod. Herring is consumed at midnight in Poland and Germany. Germans also enjoy carp and have been known to place a few fish scales in their wallets for good luck. In Japan, herring roe is consumed for fertility, shrimp for long life, and dried sardines for good harvest.

Cakes

Cakes and baked goods are always served from Christmas to New Year's around the world, with a special emphasis placed on round items. Italy has chiacchiere, which are honey drenched balls of pasta dough fried and dusted with powdered sugar. Mexico's rosca de reyes is a ring-shaped cake decorated with candied fruit and baked with one or more surprises inside. In Greece, a special round cake called vasilopita is baked with a coin hidden inside.

Cakes aren't always round. In Scotland, there is a tradition called "first footing" in which the first person to enter into a home after the new year determines what kind of year the residents will have. The "first footer" often brings symbolic gifts like coal to keep the house warm or baked goods such as shortbread, oats cakes, and a fruit cake called black bun, to make sure the household always has food.

Just like there are lucky foods for the New Year there are also some unlucky foods to avoid.

Lobster - they move backwards therefore can lead to setbacks

Chicken - the bird scratches backwards, which could cause regret of dwelling on the past. Another theory warns against eating any winged fowl because good luck could fly away.

In Germany, it's customary to leave a little bit of each food on your plate past midnight to guarantee a stocked pantry in the New Year. Same with the Philippines.

So I hope this New Year Eve your grapes are very sweet, your greens are full and bring you good fortune, your black-eyed peas bring you lots of luck, your pork chop keeps you moving forward, your shrimps are large and succulent for a long life, and your "first footer" brings you lots of yummy cakes so your pantries will be full all year in 2011!

Whether you are superstitious or not just enjoy your New Year's celebration what ever it may be. Eat what you want, as much of it you want, and when you want. After all, I will see you at the gym New Years day. Or really January 2, 2011 once the hangover wears off.

Have a Happy New Year and thank you for the support in 2010. 2011 is looking very promising & tasty.

Another Kung Pao Christmas

I absolutely love this time of year. We all get to surround ourselves by those we love the most. Everyone must eat, but the meaning of what, when, how and with whom we eat with are all cultural inventions. In America, the food of ones ethnic group symbolizes tradition and community. Hanukkah came and went to early this year, but I don't mind! In fact I like when Hanukkah does not fall on Christmas. I can not see myself eating Latkes (potato pancakes) on Christmas.

I am Jewish and I celebrate Christmas. I get just as excited about it as anyone else. Like most who celebrate Christmas I surround myself with those I love the most, but my choice of food is Chinese Food. I have to have it either on Christmas Eve or Christmas. I am not sure how this Jewish tradition started but I think it has to do with Chinese food restaurants being just about the only restaurants open on Christmas. Its a tradition I love and cherish and Christmas would not be the same to me with out it. Of course we always end the evening with a Golden Globe nominated movie.
This Christmas Eve I went with some very close family friends of mine who are Jewish as well to eat Chinese Food and see a movie. Normally we would have ventured to the trendy China Max. One of my favorite Chinese Food places. We would of ran into others from "the tribe" and enjoyed our meal but this year I wanted to try someplace different. I wanted a Kung Pao Christmas Adventure.
Some good friends of mine who are foodies and have amazing palates had suggested to me to try Spicy City. It is located in the same shopping center as China Max which was a perfect plan, in case the Spicy menu scared us away. So I took their suggestion and we went. Spicy City was slammed. Every table was filled with families and this place is authentic. There was not another Jew in the place as they for sure were all at China Max. We put our name on the pad of paper and there were 6 ahead of us. We waited 45 minutes and during that time the paper filled up with others waiting behind us for a table. 2 sheets were full of names. I knew Spicy City had to be good. We are all so excited to eat and had the dishes we wanted to order picked out by the time we sat down.
Now just about everything on the menu is spicy. After all Spicy City is the name of the restaurant. On the menu they have 1, 2 or 3 chili's listed next to the name of each menu item to distinguish how spicy the menu item is. There are very few without chili's, but don't worry we found a few. None of us are too crazy about really spicy food and we wanted to be able to eat the food and taste the flavors so we told our waitress we don't want anything to spicy. It was almost as if our waitress new what to expect from us. Most of us from "the tribe" cant handle all that spice but a rare few can. I admire you.
Many of the menu items we picked were suggested to us by my friends and thank god for them. Great suggestions!
We order the Green Beans. I don't know what kind of spice they were mixed with but they were amazing! It was like a sweet browned garlic & soy sauce. Not spicy at all and so flavorful. A favorite for sure. They were cooked to a perfect crisp.The Kung Pao Chicken was so good. It had the perfect amount of spice and the flavors were amazing. Like no other Kung Pao Chicken I have ever had before. None of us dared to eat those spicy red peppers but that didn't effect the dish at all! YUM!Eggplant with Garlic Sauce was my personal favorite. I love Chinese eggplant and this dish was sweet and delicious. Not too spicy at all. I loved it!
The Beef Chow Mein was delightful. So good!
The last dish is the Special Fried Shrimp. The perfect amount of breading and the shrimp cooked to perfection. It was the best fried Shrimp I ever had, but it lacked flavor. It would of been nice with a dipping sauce or something to go with it. After all the flavors we tasted from the other dishes this was bland and mediocre.If you love spicy food this is the spot for you. I was so happy to know that those who don't love spicy food can still partake in amazing Chinese food and Spicy City will make it how you like. No attitude here at all. Spicy City is my new favorite. Goodbye China Max.
After dinner we went to see the movie True Grit. It was a perfect Christmas Eve. Amazing Chinese food followed by an amazing movie with amazing people. I hope you too have a Merry Kung Pao Christmas. Celebrate how you like with those you love the most. That's what this time of year is all about.
Now off to celebrate Christmas Day with my second Family. They are Italian and are serving homemade pasta & lasagna at 2:00 pm. I LOVE Christmas!
Spicy City
4690 convoy street ste 107 san diego ca. 92111
858.278.1818

You Gonna Eat Your Tots?

Chef Rich Sweeney recently took over the space in Hillcrest that was formally known as Busalacchi's on Fifth. Sweeney was the former Executive Chef at Confidential downtown and was a contestant on Bravo's Season 5 of Top Chef.

At R-Gang Eatery Chef Sweeney proves that Retro-American food can be gourmet with out being snooty. Most of the classic dishes on the menu are twisted around and refueled, which left me saying "yuuuuuuuuum" and left me feeling the way comfort food makes you feel. Damn good!
We started with the House Made Tater Tots. I can't remember the last time I ate Tots, but I know never had Tots like this before. We got the Traditional Tots - Cheddar and Chive Tots served with Chipotle Ranch. They were so good. The outside was crispy and in the inside oozed cheese and chives.
Also on the menu are Philly Tots - Stuffed with Grilled Steak, Sauteed Peppers, Caramelized Onions and served with a Cheese Wiz Sauce. I heard from Chef Sweeney himself that White Trash Tots might be back on the menu soon - Stuffed with Spam & Velveeta and served with Ketchayo (ketchup & mayo). As if plain Tots aren't trashy enough? Gotta love it! Also he mentioned a Top Secret Tot that he will be featuring on his New Year Eve menu. I can only imagine what that would be.
For the main course we shared a vegetarian dish Quinoa Stuffed Pepper - Roasted Bell Pepper stuffed with Southwestern Quinoa and served with a Marinated Grilled Vegetable Skewer and Garlic-Thyme Balsamic Reduction. I loved this dish. Quinoa is my new favorite grain so I love seeing it used in different ways. The veggies that were stuck on the rosemary sprig skewer included brussel sprouts, mushrooms, zucchini, and onions. It was delicious!
We also shared The Not-So-Short Short Rib. This is absolutely no lie. I had no idea how big a bone could be and it was at least as big as my forearm. After all size is everything right? (Sorry, I had to throw that in.)
This meat-falling-off-the-bone slow braised bone-in beef short rib is served with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Honey Glazed Carrots, Goat Cheese Demi-Glace and Fried Onion Strings.
The only complaint about this dish is the carrots could of been a little more cooked. To much bite for my liking. But who needs carrots when you have a bone that size on a plate in front of you?
To wash it all down, or more like stuff us all up, we had to try the Smoked Gouda Mac n Cheese with Toasted Butter Cracker Crumb Topping. I thought this mac n cheese was good. We ate the whole thing but I am sucker when it comes to mac n cheese. Really anything with pasta. Was it my favorite and the best I ever had? Probably not, but I had to try to see. I will continue my search for the best.
As if I wasn't full enough we ordered dessert. It was some sundae with chocolate covered bacon. Not my first choice but I tried it. I wont be trying it again. I like my meat left out of my dessert thank you. The people next to me had the S'mores Casserole and it looked great. That is what I will get next time. I love s'mores & casseroles! What a combo!
R-Gangs food shouts FUN and that is exactly what you get. The restaurant is casual and inviting. The staff was extremely friendly and seemed really excited about every dish on the menu. Rightly so as some are really off the wall. You can check out the full menu here. Overall expect a good meal and a good time.
I would go back to check out their brunch. I hear they have bottomless Mimosas!!! How FUN will that be?!?!
Food & Fun, Refueled
R-Gang Eatery
3683 5th avenue san diego ca. 92103
619.677.2854