Here are 5 facts about Cinco de Mayo:

1. Cinco de Mayo IS NOT Mexican Independence Day. The actual Mexican Independence Day is September 16th.
2. Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla between Mexico and France, which happened on May 5th, 1862.
3. The poorly equipped Mexican Army, consisting of 4,000 soldiers, was able to defeat the almighty French army of 8,000 soldiers.
4. While most battles last for weeks or even months, the Battle of Puebla lasted for less than 4 hours.
5. On the Border Mexican Grill and Cantina has been the one stop spot for Cinco de Mayo fun for the past 10 years.

Get your sombreros and maracas ready, this fiesta is going to be muy caliente! For all you non-Spanish speakers, that means the party is going to be really caliente!

There is no better way to spend Cinco de Mayo than at an On the Border Parking lot Fiesta. Our margaritas will be big, and our beers will be ice cold.

We will be hosting special Cinco de Mayo events at Mission Valley, El Cajon and Escondido. Be sure to check out our website for event information regarding each location! Sign up at our Cinco de Mayo Headquarters page for free cover, space is limited and running out fast.

On the Border Mexican Grill and Cantina is all about Margaritas, Ice Cold Beer, Great Mexican Food, Fine Tequila, and San Diego. There are 4 locations, El Cajon, Escondido, Mission Valley, Mira Mesa.

Find a On The Border near you.

This time around, though, I had heard a lot about the trendy rooftop bars and restaurants in New York and was interested in giving them a try. After all, the famous New York skyline is something that no visitor should miss seeing. I eventually ended up at 230 Fifth – a restaurant, bar, and nightclub that catered to a range of different people.

The atmosphere of this establishment was very energetic, which was surprising since it wasn’t even a weekend. Aside from that, though, one of the first things I noticed was the size – it is much larger than most other clubs I’ve been to, and it had indoor and outdoor areas for eating, drinking, and general socializing.

Of course, 230 Fifth is famous for that outdoor, rooftop area, and they do everything they can to make sure it’s a nice, comfortable experience all year long. When I went there the weather was very pleasant, but when things turn cold the club breaks out its famous warm robes that have been described as something in between a Snuggie and the latest Jedi fashions. Still, they apparently get the job done.

The view from this vantage point is nothing less than spectacular. The skyline includes the Empire State Building and there really is no better place to relax and enjoy a good drink and a few items off the menu.

And how was the food? I only sampled a couple dishes, but on the whole I was impressed. The prices for the drinks and the food were about what you would expect for an upscale establishment like this – which is to say it was a little pricey, but it was consistent with the quality and the atmosphere of the club. Food is served every day of the week, all year long, from 4:00PM to 4:00AM. Only at restaurants in NYC will you be able to get chicken wings in Malaysian oyster barbecue sauce at three in the morning.

On my visit I started off with the Romli Sliders – spiced beef hamburger sliders that had some kind of chili sauce, pickled cucumbers, and a few other ingredients. According to the menu these were some popular dish from Kuala Lumpur, which didn’t actually mean a lot to me, but I did find that the little burgers were really quite good.

I followed that up with the Curried Smoked Salmon Salad, not because I’m watching my weight so much as I’m a sucker for anything curried (and, to be honest, because it was on the cheaper end of the menu). It was a little different from what I expected, but in a good way. It was definitely a unique flavor, but I would recommend it to others.

Between the atmosphere, the food, and the view, this is one of the clubs in NYC you really shouldn’t miss. Whether you are just going there for a quiet drink or a full meal, this is definitely an experience unlike any other.

230 Fifth Rooftop Garden Bar and Restaurant
Phone  (212) 725-4300 ‎
230 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10001

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

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

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

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)

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