A Taste of TJ Tacos in San Diego

Ever have a desire for some authentic Mexican street tacos or a carne asada burrito but didn’t feel like driving all the way to Tijuana? Well, now’s your chance to experience a taste of TJ flair reminiscent of those partying days on the Avenida Revolución. Taco carts and shops with names like el Taco Bell have some of the tastiest tacos ever. Forget Roberto’s, this is the closest thing you’ll find to TJ with out having to deal with all the border crossing issues and the crazy TJ driving.

The San Diego Farmer’s Market located on Imperial Avenue exit off the freeway 5 (one exit north of Coronado bridge) is the solution to getting a full plate of some of best Mexican food ever.

Pictured above is a plate of carnitas and carne asada tacos with layers of cilantro, pico de gallo, avocado green sauce, red de arbol hot sauce and topped with an extra punch spicy salsa from Taqueria “el Guerro”. Warning: some of these dishes are not for the weak; You’ll have to have a iron stomach to handle some of these salsa additions.

What to expect? Well, this isn’t restaurant romantica, and unfortunately, there’s no beer or margaritas that I’ve seen, but do expect to speak a little Spanglish when ordering your food. There are several other spots to eat at this San Diego Farmer’s Market including a bakery, seafood mariscos (shellfish) and more. The large building also holds other Mexican themed stores such as travel, barber shop, and a pet store to name a few. It’s really not a traditional farmer’s market, so don’t expect to find all your market needs here. Check it out just to try something different.

Address Get Directions

San Diego Farmers Market
2100 Imperial Ave.
San Diego, CA 92102

Hours
Open seven days week

Tivoli Too! in Laguna Hills

We decided to head over to the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Hills for a little weekend get-a-way. After viewing the beautiful art they had displayed for sale we decided to grab a bite to eat down the street. A short walk brought us to Tivoli Too! inside the Art-A-Fair Festival.

There you’ll find more high quality art for sale so set some time to check it out and support your local artist by purchasing a new painting for your home.

Greeted by a friendly host Jared (not pictured!), we were promptly seated without having to wait. We had a nice list of menu items to choose from: Appetizers consisted of basics such as taquitos, stuffed jalapenos, nachos, chips and salsa, Gazpacho soup and or salads. We chose the chips and salsa.

For the main meal, we chose the Tivoli Too’s Traditional Hamburger for $8.50 ea. They had a few other sandwiches to choose from like a garden burger, portabello sandwich, tuna melt or fish and chips. They also have a Mexican flair of soft tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, chile rellenos and a few more from the main entree list.

Our appetizer chips came in as a nice bowl of colorful, blue corn, red, yellow and regular corn chips with a generous bowl of salsa. The salsa was a basic Pico de Gallo without a lot of jalapeño heat but did have some decent flavor to whet our appetite.

The Tivoli hamburger is served with perfectly salted waffle potato fries and a pleasant surprise of sweet grapes on the side. My hamburger was prepared exactly as I asked for, medium rare and hit the spot. The hamburger is enhanced with my desire and need for a hotter dish, hence add Tabasco hot sauce spritzed on every bite.

All in all, we were very happy with the food and the service. It was a little warm under the umbrellas but overall a good experience. The view of the waterfall was quite picturesque. Three others took pictures as well while we were dining.

Although it costs money to get in to the Art-A-Fair, you can avoid these entrance fees by making reservations with the restaurant in advance. Parking may be a hassle but hard to say as we coughed up $10 for paid parking.

Check out Tivolis Too!
Tivoli Too!
777 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Phone: 949-494-6044

Sunday Bloody Sundae! A dessert that also entertains.

Another Spots to Eat restaurant review:

Take a heavenly trip to Heaven Sent Desserts

Next time you’re out and about eating at your favorite restaurant, skip the dessert and take a trip to Heaven Sent Desserts on the corner of 30th and University for a cup of coffee or tea and grab a taste of your favorite sweet tooth dessert. You won’t be disappointed.

Contradictory to it’s name, Heaven Sent offers a delicious selection of temptatious and seductive dessert delights that are guaranteed to cure anyone’s deep down desire for sweets.

Their dessert menu offers creative names such as Heaven Sent’ Naughty Angel, to Bitter Sweet S’Mores to a favorite of mine, the Swirled Cheesecake Brulee. Who could resist such a dessert?!

Along with their appetizing list of desserts they also have a decent drink menu of espressos, lattes, mochas, frapps, smoothies, teas and Italian sodas. I for one, enjoy a nice pot of jasmine tea, but don’t let it steep too long as it starts to bitter quickly.

On our recent visit, I decided to try the Sunday Bloody Sundae which I hadn’t seen on the menu before. This sundae truly is heaven sent. They describe it as a rich fudge Brownie grounded on Whipped cream, topped with Mint Ice Cream & Blood Orange Sorbet, accented with ButterScotch’d Caramel and Chocolate Sauces, Seasonal Fruit Compote and finished with Mint Pop-Rocks and a Caramel Halo.

Well, I saw ice cream and managed to miss the minor details of let’s say, Pop-Rocks that come with it. I am a sucker for ice cream so this was a clear choice for me this round.

Much to my surprise, a few Pop-Rocks managed to sneak by in the first bite or two. Finally I identified the mysterious popping in my mouth as my child hood entertaining candy I grew to love. I’ve never been so entertained eating a dessert. Make sure you try the Sunday Bloody Sundae before it’s removed from the menu.

As our closing bites of dessert came to end, Chef Tina Luu came out to introduce herself and check on everyone to make sure all was good. Personally, I’ve always appreciated when a chef or owner comes out and checks on their patrons. Not only does it show they care, it shows class.

And for these reasons we’ll keep coming back to Heaven Sent Desserts. Try them out and bring some friends or family with you. Parking is usually available within a block or so and you can’t miss the sometimes small line out the door.

Heaven Sent Desserts Phone: 619/793-4758

3001 University Avenue (corner 30th Street)

North Park, San Diego, CA 92104

(directions)

Hours of operation:

Tuesday-Thursday 11am-11pm,

Fri-Sat 11am – 11:30pm

Sun 11am – 9:30pm

VAGABOND- Kitchen of the World

We heard about Vagabond by word of mouth. One of our friends said it is always busy and the food is delicious. Since hearing about the concept of bringing foods from around the world and sharing them all in one location, I have really been anxious to find time to get over there. Sure the name may not sound enticing; however it encompasses what this great San Diego restaurant is all about.

When we first walked through the door, we really had no idea what to expect. The hostess greeted us amidst a standing room only crowd waiting for their tables. I highly suggest you make reservations if you do not want to wait long (619.255.1035). We were told it would be a two hour wait unless we wanted to eat at the bar. We chose the bar and were seated within 10 minutes as one couple gave up their place in line at just two minutes prior. What a stroke of luck!

As we browsed the menu, my wife and I find the selection more humble than the typical California cuisine style of restaurant we typically enjoy. This is what makes this restaurant a really great find.

For Starters the choice is clear: Asian Kung-Pao style calamari. Their claim is the calamari is breaded and flash-fried, however it comes as maybe best described as a quick stir fry with the peanut sauce, whole peanuts embedded with those fire bomb red peppers in a Spicy Hoisin Sauce. Although I personally love hot and spicy, one of the red peppers almost took me out this time. Lasting a good 20 minutes of burning tongue, I think I will be a little more cautious the next time around. But I digress,…overall this appetizer is really delicious and fairly unique from the traditional crispy calamari most restaurants deliver. Thumbs up!

On to the main course, the selections are clear. Paella Valenciana Clásica, a traditional dish from Valencia, Spain. Because of a recent visit to Spain, we wanted to compare paellas from Spain and California. Hands down, we have it pretty well here in San Diego. Their paella gives Spain a run for their money. Dressed with chorizo, chicken, rabbit; it is then garnished with black mussels, clams and shrimp and comes in the typical large Paella pan. Very delectable as most paellas are.

Our other choice is the Peruvian “Lomo Saltado“. Clearly, the arrival of Chinese indentured servants to work the coastal plantations and the railroads in the mid-19th Century had a profound effect on Peruvian eating habits. What I love about this place is they give an actual story about each dish; not just the ingredients, but how it came about. It adds a very nice cultural touch to the vagabond restaurant.

The Lomo Saltado has Tender Beef, Minced Garlic, Sliced Red Onions and Tomatoes, Yellow Potatoes, Freshly Chopped Cilantro, a Pinch of Ground Cumin and a few drops of Red Wine Vinegar. This dish is quite gratifying. The flavors are very well balanced from the meat to the potatoes. Try the Lomo Saltado and you will see why the Peruvians find this dish their favorite as well.

We skipped any type of dessert this time around as the dishes contain an adequate amount of food plus the appetizer put us over the consumption limit.

So all in all I am happy to write a positive restaurant review about Vagabond Kitchen nestled in Golden Hills. A hidden gem in San Diego but well worth going to even though it is a little loud from the music and the low roar of chatting. The ambience is great. The decor is very creative, showing off suitcases to signs from around the world. Vagabond is a very pleasant find.

Parking: The VAGABOND restaurant is nestled amongst homes and little businesses in the Golden Hills area. There is no valet; parking is found on the street or down the street in the residential area.

VAGABOND: Kitchen of the World
619.255.1035
2310 3Oth Street
San Diego, CA 92104

Authentic Malaysian Food

Banana Leaf Restaurant

If you’re anywhere in 20 miles vicinity of Banana Leaf Malaysian restaurant make sure to stop by for a delicious bite to eat. Banana Leaf offers a unique blend of southern Asian foods from Malaysian, Indian, Hunan, to Thai.

For appetizers we decided on Roti Prata which is served as a multi-layered home made Indian bread dipped in lightly spiced curry sauce and Fresh Spring Rolls. The Roti Prata is a nice light appetizer for 2-3 people, but if you have more in your party, order more appetizers especially if you come hungry. The spring rolls come with shrimp, vermicelli, bean sprouts, basil & Chef’s peanut sauce but personally I think they are a little heavy on the vermicelli. The peanut sauce tastes great and is to die for if you like it semi spicy.

Other appetizers on the menu range from Gado-Gado, Chicken, Beef or Combo Satay, Green Papaya Salad, Lobak, Yu Sang,Sambal Anchovy, Roti Prata, Telur, Murtabak, Tofu Salad, to Penang Poh Piah.

For the main entrees, we ordered Indian Mee Goreng ($8.50) and Cumin Lamb ($12.95) with lemongrass, Thai chili & cilantro. The Mee Goreng is a spicy fried Indian noodle dish with prawns, squids, chicken, tofu, eggs, grounded peanuts & bean sprouts and has some resemblance to the taste of chow mein. On the other hand, the Cumin Lamb is quite a tasty dish. The chef does a wonderful job by adding layers of flavors and spices in this dish. Make sure someone in your party orders it so you can at least try some.

For main entrees, Banana Leaf also offers Poultry dishes such as Mango, Istimewa, Kapitan, Utama Basil, Rempah, Rendang, Green or Red Curry, Tai Pou, Malay Sizzling, Penang Sizzling or chicken.

Beef & Lamb dishes vary from Rendang, Green or Red Curry, Utama Basil, Malay Sizzling, Curry beef to Cumin Lamb.

The Seafood dishes range from Mango, Penang Sizzling, Asam, Siam, Singaporean Chili, and Utama Basil Prawns to Indian Red Curry Fish Heads to Salmon to Pomfrets and Crab.

They also have a decent vegetarian menu which includes a variety of noodle and rice dishes which you will also enjoy. View there vegetarian menu.

All the food at Banana Leaf is reasonably priced varying from $6.95 to $28.95. Because this restaurant is located in a shopping mall, it’s not the most elegant setting, but the food is worth tasting.

Expect a small wait if you don’t have reservations and especially if you’re dining on a Friday or Saturday evening. Parking is available via shared lot but usually packed. Stop into Banana Leaf Malaysian Restaurant next time your in the neighborhood of Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Los Altos, Cupertino, San Jose, or Fremont.

Banana Leaf Restaurant (map)

182 Ranch Dr
Milpitas, CA 95035
(408) 719-9811
www.bananaleaf-usa.com

Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu 5:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Fri 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Sat 11:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

More reviews at Yelp.com

Osetra Watergrill San Diego

While Osetra wasn’t our first choice for a sea food restaurant as it seems a little overpriced for what you get, it still serves a fine meal along with a very nice ambiance.

With that said, their recent name and menu changes from Osetra Fish House to Osetra Watergrill sounds a little more worthwhile to check out.

Aside from their creative touch in decoration, what’s most interesting and entertaining is the central wine tower from which ‘wine angels’ pull wine orders from an extensive selection of exquisite wines. A remote control pulley and cables lift these angels to 20′ to 25′ high shelves of wine. One can only wonder what type of title this job calls for. It is entertaining though.

Osetra has recently added the new E-5 Lounge, with a nicely-priced tapas menu with a casual atmosphere that local residents as well as visitors can enjoy.

We haven’t been there since the new Tapas menu additions have been added so we are looking forward to going soon. The new menu lists such items as Kobe Beef Sliders, Tempura Lobster Tacos or the Chicken Fricassee and I can only imagine how tasty they are.

For my order, I had the lobster, steak and shrimp combo dish. Although a bit pricey for this meal, it was well worth it. Yes, it was my birthday and there’s nothing more rewarding than eating all your favorite foods on one plate. Why spread it over a course of few days or weeks, or months when you can have it all in one sitting?

Try Osetra Watergrill out if even if you already have an existing seafood house favorite. And yes, you will be entertained. I know we’ll be back there soon.

Happy Hour
5pm – 7pm Sunday – Thursday

Parking
Park at Horton Plaza and validate before 9:00 or use their independently owned valet parking which isn’t validated by Osetra. Prices may vary according to days of the week. The valet is available 7 days a week, starting at 6pm.

Osetra Watergrill Tel: (619) 239-1800
904 5th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101

(directions)

Vila Delicatessen in San Diego

The Vila Delicatessen may be a hole in the wall but don’t let this deter you.

If you happen across this little deli hidden off Linda Vista Road and Stalmer Street in Linda Vista area of San Diego, you’ll find on the menu a large selection of delicious international sandwiches to choose from as well as typical sandwiches such as ham and turkey to veggie wraps and everything in between.

As with many restaurants, these delicious sandwiches have been Californianized from the Brazilian owner’s special touch and knowledge of the top tasting foods all around.

If you’re having a challenge choosing something to fit your hungry pallet, your best bet is to choose any of the International sandwiches . Pick one that resonates with your taste buds and appetite. You can’t go wrong.

I’ve been there more than a dozen times and I haven’t been disappointed yet and I never expect to be either.

The wraps are excellent, however I prefer the toasted sandwiches. Whether it’s the TJ, the Balboa Ave., or the Brazilian special to the Paris sandwich you’re guaranteed to find one you’ll love. Everything is delicious!

12/13 –
Because we eat out just about every weekend, eating a salad or two through the week seems to make a lot of sense. Whether you choose the basic Caesar salad, the tasty chicken Caesar or one of the other salads they offer, you will find these are a nice alternative to the sandwich norm. Try them out for a change of pace.

11/16 -
At recent outing for lunch I once again found myself at Vila Delicatessen ordering the Fillet Mignon sandwich for the second time. Just when you think a sandwich can’t get any better, Vila delivers time after time. There’s probably no better way than to have a delicious sandwich than to use thinly stripped slices of the best meat; Fillet Mignon on a toasted roll. Treat yourself to this sandwich just once and you’ll be hooked.

10/24 –
If you have a chance to try the new Napolitano sandwich, try it. It’s delicious seasoned chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, fresh mozzarella and basil on a toasted roll. This is a sandwich that just can’t be put down. Heavenly is a better description for this tasty sandwich. An absolute must for those of you who love an alternative to the norm. Excellent to the last bite!

This sandwich review may be setting your sites about Vila Deli a little too high but really, try them out. It’s certainly my favorite lunch spot but you make up your own mind. Apparently, their new catering menu is better than their lunches. I’d like to hear your feedback or better yet, invite me to your next catered event!

If you find it hard to get over there, call them up as they deliver to the all of Kearney Mesa, Linda Vista and most parts of Clairemont Mesa.

Vila Delicatessen
3520 Ashford St # A1
San Diego, CA 92111-4300
(858) 565-2367