The Red Door - Mission Hills - USA

http://www.thereddoorsd.com/#the-red-door

If the statement to the right of the above photo doesn't give you a sufficient enough hook to try this place, then launch to the inter-web and look for something else that's more to your liking, cause this is just too awesome for you.

A farm to table restaurant that evolved to a FARM that provides food to it's TABLEs.

I love that so much.  I tried to delve a bit deeper into their webpage to find where the farm was, but alas I was unsuccessful.  In some ways I think this is probably intentional on the part of The Red Door because they obviously wouldn't want a bunch of obsessed people, like myself, just showing up at their farm and saying hi, looking around and telling them how cool they are, while really just disrupting the work that they're trying to do.

Back to dinner.

We are a foursome tonight and as such we enjoy a meal and drinks from time to time when our travels have briefly ceased, allowing us to commune and share our goings-on over the past weeks and/or months, since the time of our last respite. 

As we're pretty darn hungry from the get-go, our cohorts, we'll call them K-Dub and EASE to keep the privacy to a maximum, especially after that Ashley-Madison fiasco...anyway, we all select some nibbles to begin with.

The ubiquitous Shishito Peppers

A more than standard fare at most restaurants these days.  All the cooking that these little buggers really require is to just keep it simple.  Just don't F it up.  The Red Door nails it pretty well.  I was concerned when I saw the plate and the lake (lake not lack) of sauce below, but all was well.  The sauce was light and was there for you to enjoy or not, the peppers weren't drowned.  It's also quite possible that they weren't cooked at all, which for me worked, and HG agreed, but I think K-Dub was looking for more, searching, trying to understand exactly what the heck was going on.....  

Sweetbreads

These were yummmm.  Sweetbreads are the thymus gland of a cow.  Normally they are poached and then fried and then sauced, and these (I think) followed that exactly.   A light batter, some small greens, and then an asian sauce things below (the menu states Fig Gastrique, but whatever).  My only complaint was that I wish there were more.  These were soft but still had a firmness that relented when bitten.  They also seems to have been cleaned perfectly, no stringy uglies running through the meat or outer skin stuff.  Just pure gentle loveliness.  Meaty and delicious.

Vegan Nachos

K-Dub's mortal enemy is gluten.  This includes breading, chips, cakes, obviously anything made with flour or yeast or blah, blah, blah.  Basically it = boring, but we work with it cause she's pretty darn awesome and we dig hanging out with her.

So, hence the vegan nachos that would never be on our table otherwise, guaranteed.  But before we can enjoy them (this photo is of the replacement nachos) HG is so drunk that she knocks her wine over, into the nachos, and then into K-Dub's lap (none of that is actully true.  I handed HG the hot plate of peppers and she had to set it down fast, and then everything tumbled.  Toats my fault).   The nachos were meh.  You can see what's on them, no need for further explanation.  Not bad, I'm just not inspired to further eloquence.

Yes, please, more wine.  It's so fricken hot outside that we need to re-hydrate!

And then someone EASEd in and grabbed the big one, no fear, just takes it....

I'm sure it's not his first  :-O

OK, dinner photos.  At this point the sun has set and we are working with man-made luminescence, so there is a golden hue to all that you'll see hence forth.

This is the "special of the night" Short Ribs (I think)

Honestly, truly, I can't remember, and this was my meal  :-O--------  I remember it being good and all the flavors going well together, but it might have been chicken for all I can recall.  Sorry....

Fresh Catch

This was tuna and as we EASEd into this it was room temp, and that seemed kind of weird to all of us.  It also could have been intended to be that way, but we don't know because we didn't ask.  We were on our second bottle and we just wanted to eat.  It's cool.  Sometimes you just want to roll with it, and we did.  Overall I don't think it was bad (EASE?) but not great.

I am always cautious when the waiter recommends the most expensive thing on the menu.  And I often will ask just to see what they say, even when I've already made my selection.

Cook's Ranch Pork Tomahawk

This was the most expensive thing on the menu. It was also the most delicious thing we ate at The Red Door.  Cooked perfectly, seasoned well, glazed with a very light sauce that complimented the meat well, letting the meatiness shine through and be the star while contributing a subtle gentle lingering flavor in your mouth.  The meat was soft and easy to eat.  Delicious.  The Mac and Cheese was also a terrific accompaniment to this dish.  It could have held up on it's own if this was a brewery or bar, etc...

One perfectly composed dish.  Bravo.

And then we blinked and it was over.

There was a last photo of desert, some sort of peanut butter tort thing but by the time I thought of taking a photo it looked like a pack of wild dogs had attacked it and dragged it through the bushes to finish the kill.  Not a very appetizing photo, so we'll skip that. 

Evaluation?  I like The Red Door, I always have.  I also like The Wellington, right next door for a drink before dinner here, or anywhere nearby (The Wellington and The Red Door share the same ownership group.  They even share the same kitchen) .  

The Red Door

It's a great neighborhood spot to slowdown your life and linger over a meal and/or a your beverage of choice while talking with family, friends, even random strangers.  Try it, it can be a good thing.

Linger

Let's do more of that

DVA

Burnside - Normal Heights - USA

http://www.burnsidesd.com

Located on the ever expanding/evolving/diversifying, food-drink-entertainment street (Adam's Avenue) in the heart of Normal Heights is a fresh new eatery, with an older brother two doors to the east, that you should be checking out soon, very soon.

Burnside is sandwiched between The Ould Sod and The Rabbit Hole just east of Felton street on Adam's Ave.  It's a smallish place offering a menu focused on sandwiches and small bites. 

A second amazing creation from the same dudes (or dudettes, I'm not at all sure) that brought you Sycamore Den, just two doors to the east.  All offerings from Burnside are available via delivery (by them) to you at Sycamore Den.  Yeah, super cool.  What is Sycamore Den?  A bitchen drink spot that you ALSO need to try.  Leather, wood, possibly a Jack-a-lop mounted on the wall, maybe, maybe not...  who cares, it's not important.  What IS important is having great food, near by, at a reasonable price, in NOT an over cool setting, not pretentious over overdone (did I say Craft and Commerce?).  Both of these places have these things but they do them in the appropriate amount, with just enough kitsch, but not too much.

Have I beaten this one to death?  I agree, let's roll!

BEER!  They have a few on tap.  It's hard to find bad beer in SD these days so I'm sure they'll have something you'll like.  If something stronger meets your fancy then roll to Sycamore Den.  Easy.

You'll find no mandatory suspenders or curled mustaches here

just the occasional posing cock

The main purpose for this visit is food, and we hit it hard.

Everything we ordered was good, however our favorite is presented last, if you care.

Kimchi Ribeye Buns

The buns were soft, the meat was flavorful and sliced thin enough to keep it from becoming stringy.  I also liked the presentation.  They were easy to handle and get to your mouth.  The kimchi was fresh and light, very very new kimchi, it could have even been made that day, tossed to order, that's how light it was.  If you either don't like kimchi or just a touch or if you've never tried it then I completely recommend this.  A great introduction to the veg.  If you are a seasoned kimchi vet then you will be disappointed, just move on.

This was a decent start to our lunch.

Juicy and delicious.  Crisp and fresh.

Banh Miho

Hoisin Pork, cucumber, carrot, cilantro, jalepeńo, soft nice bread.  A good balance of flavor and a decent banh mi.  They named this the Banh Miho because the sandwich is offered with a dipping sauce best known as the pho broth from the Miho truck (a hugely famous SD food truck).

Again, I liked this but the carrots were either not pickled much or at all.  A significant flavor within a traditional banh mi is the pickled carrot/radish, and this just didn't have that.  I also recall that my only experience with the Miho truck was their banh mi and it ALSO didn't contain pickled carrots, so they may have given some pointers to Burnside.  Man, I hope not cause it kills this sandwich.  A banh mi without the pickled flavor just seems a little empty to me.  Like a california burrito, but made in a bowl instead of burrito style.  It just wouldn't be the same experience, taste, anything,  It would probably be good, but not amazing.  This was good, but not amazing.

Tots

I'm not a huge tot-freak, just a freak.  But I digress.

These tots killed it!  Crispy and flavorful, just the right seasoning, and just salt, and maybe a little more "something", but not chili powder or anything too different.  I don't want chili powder on my tots, fries, or anything except in my chili, or bbq, etc... You get where I'm going, I hope.

These killed it and they look it.  Enjoy.

 Porchetta Cubano

This was the overwhelming star of the meal.  If you missed it let's start again.  This is a cubano sandwich, made with porchetta.  House made porchetta.  There are obviously as many variations on porchetta as there are with everything in life.  A common variation is to gut and bone and roll a pig around various off-cuts of pig and fat and pig, baked in an oven for many hours eventually crisping up the outer fatty layer, leaving the inside porky and juicy and incredible. Slices are cut from the log providing a cross section of all types of meat together, along with crispy crunches. A version that I think Burnside uses is pork belly wrapped around a loin of some sort and baked, etc...

Burnside chops the pork and adds mustard, cheese, a sliced pickle, all "sandwiched" in-between soft bread and panini'd till crisp.  Cuban.  Magnifico.

Also served along side was a sauce that I forget the name of.  I forget it because it simply wasn't needed.  This sandwich had so much flavor that nothing else is necessary.

I really have no more words.  These photos are/should be enough.

The only criticism I can offer is that I want MORE COWBELL!  Wait, no, I want more pickling on the kimchi and carrots.  Dear Burnside, please just bite the bullet and make a few extra days of both and let it sit, give it time, let it develop, please.  If you don't believe me just try it, a personal sample size.  You'll be blown away, I guarantee it.

Come on in and check this place out, you won't be disappointed.  

Better yet, let's meet for a drink at Sycamore Den and share a bite. 

Sound good?

See you there, soon I hope.

DVA

Caliano by Spinelli Take 2 - Monday Nights at Fall Brewing - North Park - USA

https://www.facebook.com/calianofoodtruck

Mario is back, and back with a vengeance in North Park.  

Well, to be a bit more accurate WE'RE back at Fall Brewing, and it's a Monday night so that means Pizza Truck night!  (Mario hasn't gone anywhere...)

For those of you that missed this one the first time around please allow me to re-introduce you to Caliano by Spinelli, one of the best tasting, and absolutely coolest pizza dude, truck, event anywhere, anytime in San Diego and beyond.

If you didn't get it from the post title or the lead-in, Mario is at Fall Brewing in North Park EVERY Monday night dolling out his fresh and tasty offerings.  Pizza, sandwiches, salads, and more.  Great tasting fresh food, cooked in one of the coolest vessels ever built.

Our front row seats give us the feel of sitting in our backyard enjoying a BBQ with friends, and beer...  And no one has to do the dishes!

I need a pizza and I need one now.  There are a few special offerings tonight, along with all of the familiar ingredients that you could or would ever want on a pizza.  The house made sausage is one of my favorites and it also happens to be in one of the specials of the day, the sausage, mushroom, and truffle oil pie.  Feast with your eyes  :-O

A sprinkling of red pepper flakes and this pizza isn't going to be around long.

As Mario places the pie in front of us we are overwhelmed by the aroma of truffle and sausage, and dough and yeast and every fricken thing else that is bubbling on this plate.  In typical DVA fashion I dive in WAY too early, not waiting for the molten cheese to cool a bit.  Ehh, the skin on the roof of my mouth will grow back in a few days.

Perfection in dough form.  A perfect balance of toppings to sauce to crust.  Not one individual ingredient overpowering another.  Firm bottom (what?!?!) yet fluffy and light and with plenty of tooth, if you know what that means, and you should.  Please don't misunderstand my point of ingredient ratio.  It's not sparse by any means, it's just right.  Every bite leaves you wanting another, almost teasing your palate, tempting you to eat more.  And that's just what we want, MORE! 

So we order another one of the other specials of the day, The Meatball Sandwich.

The promotion of this item by Mario has me really looking forward to it.  I want this to be good.  Because I'm hungry, yes, but also because there are a lot of bad meatball sandwiches out there.  Some have great tasting meatballs but the wrong bread/roll, so it gets super soggy.  Or the bread is right but the balls suck and/or it's dry, or too much/not enough cheese.  Something, there's always something that makes it less than awesome.

I gotta believe that this dude knows his stuff.  At least I'm really really hoping he does.....

Mama-Mia!

This thing is loaded with delicious balls!  

I don't know who selected the bread (that's not true, it has to be Mario!) and I don't think he's making it, and he really doesn't need to because this is the perfect roll for this ball-sauce-cheese combo.   

Amaze-balls!

Just look at it!  Stuffed to the gills with meat!  And flavorful to say the least.  

The best part of all is that this is only $5

Yeah, $5

Crazy.  HG and I split one, and also a pizza and we were totally stuffed.  But stuffed with happiness.

Fall Brewing and Caliano by Spinelli

Mondays you can get both in one shot.  Any other day of the week and it's up to you to find them.  One thing is for sure, both are a must have.  If you aren't lucky enough to live within walking distance take an Uber, get a ride, take the bus, just get over here.

Great beer, great food, a comfortable environment with nice, happy people that are genuinely happy to see you.

Way to go Fall.

See you soon Mario!  

DVA

Rip Current Brewing and Sublime North Park - Beer and Food - San Diego - USA

http://ripcurrentbrewing.com/home/

Welcome to our new favorite brewery in San Diego.  Well, to be honest, it's only one of our new favorites being that there are always soooo many to choose from.  

Nestled in fairly central North Park on a larger than normal site is the second location of Rip Current Brewing, and more of a tap room than the original San Marcos location.  They have a decent selection of their own brews and a half dozen or so guest taps.  Now for those of you that know me you know that I'm not an IPA guy.  I love saisons or ales (the non-IPA type) of all types.  However, with that said, and with the advice of our new best friend Andy, photo not included, Andy gently steers us towards their flagship beer, the Lupulin Lust San Diego Style IPA.  A beautiful melange of fruit and hops, sweet and bitter, but just the right amount of both.  If a saison and an IPA had a baby we'd have to name it Lupulin Lust (no frick'n idea what a Lupulin is...but I bet Google does...).

The back wall is adorned with a small portion of the owner's beer can collection, the balance of which is at their San Marcos location.

Hi HG!

Occupying the rear of the property is Sublime North Park.  

Sublime is also a brewery in San Marcos and they are pal's with Rip Current.  Rip Current hasn't evolved into offering they own tasty niblets yet, and they may never will, so they have contracted with their good ol' buds Sublime to bring the meal to your mouth.

Sublime North Park, Gourmet Comfort Food....  OK, I really hope so....  :-O

http://northpark.sublimealehouse.com/home/

Sublime has a fairly extensive menu, from salads and starters to burgers, sandwiches, and pizzas.  

As I approach the ordering window a large mound of bacon stares back.

And here's the deal, we are super starving and have been planning this visit for a while.  We've been here before for the beers and loved them, and this time we're totally looking forward to checking out the eats. One of their "specials" is the Sizzling Sisig.  It reads great on the menu, so what the heck, let's start with that.  Braised pork and onions and jalepeńo, cast iron pan, Hawaiian rolls, yeah, gonna crush it.

And then this arrives.

Gourmet?

Maybe in San Marcos this passes as gourmet, but not here, not many places for that matter.  It looks absolutely terrible, not appetizing, pretty gross in fact.  Did they totally burn the shit out of it and say "serve it anyway, maybe they won't notice!"?????  Well, sorry to break this to you Sublime, we noticed.  Anyone one would notice.  

And then the smell hits us.  Deliciously porky and greasy.   We're 3 beers into it at this point, so we split some rolls, load them up, run them through the grease, and in the mouth they go....

And wowzer, does this taste good?  It tastes really really good.  Although I see no sight nor smell of any onion  or jalepeńo, I taste them, all of them.  It's as though the pork, during it's annihilation over excessive heat, has become one with the veg.  Napalm has fused all of the ingredients into oneness.  A delicious singularity.  Toasty, sweet, greasy and crispy. 

Let's review:

1)  Rip Current Brewery kicks ass.  I love them and can't wait to return.  I love their beers so much that I bought TWO growlers so I can have this stuff at home as well.  Thanks for coming to the hood Rip Current!  See you soon.

2)  Sublime North Park, your presentation needs help, a LOT of help.  We will return and we will eat again, but we'd love for it to look half as good as it tastes, which amazing.  All you had to do with the Sisig was through some fresh onion and jalepeńos on top to finish it.  I want to see the ingredients, even just a little, fake it if you have to, but do it, please, it needs it.

3)  There is no #3.  Thanks for reading or at least looking at the photos.

Peace

Love

Good Food

Good Drinks

DVA

Cali Baguette Express, Kearny Mesa, San Diego, USA

http://calibaguetteexpress.com/index.php?a=1

Hungry for lunch?  It doesn't matter where you're located, how much cash you have, or even what day it is, Cali Baguette Express can give it to you just how you like it, when you want it.

$3.50 a sandwich.  Baguettes made on the property.  Fresh ingredients.  Open every day.  Heck, they are even open till 9 pm so come on in for dinner!

For those of you unfamiliar, please allow me to introduce to you the Banh Mi. 

Banh Mi in Vietnamese simply means sandwich.  Period.  There is a classic expression of this generic name though that should normally include at least cucumber, fresh sliced jalepeño, cilantro, and pickled carrot/daicon (radish).  Over and above these standard ingredients feel free to load in whatever you like,  from rotisserie chicken to paté to the vietnamese take on headcheese and ham.  Pork, beef, fish, veg only, there is no limit or rules other than it must be fresh and delicious.

This baguette was baked within the last few hours and is light and fluffy on the inside and crispy and crackly on the outside.  A perfect French baguette to make a perfect Vietnamese sandwich.  Also, if you are unaware and wondering why the Vietnamese are making baguettes, the French occupied Vietnam from 1887 to 1941 when it fell to the Japanese during WWII.  Independence for the Vietnamese came a few years later.  So, not only is the baguette a big part of the Vietnamese culture but many other cultural and architectural influences from France exist today in Vietnam and with their people.  Possibly there will be more on that in an upcoming post :-O

Here is the traditional #1 Banh Mi at Cali B E.  Headcheese, pork, veg.

A little cock sauce and this sandwich isn't going to be around long.

Fresh and light and delicious.  I really can't emphasis enough how satisfying this is, and not overly filling either.  Looking at the size of the sandwich and the amount of bread it contains can be quite deceiving.  For me at least, it's just the right amount for an individual meal.  A meal with a big explosion of flavors.

 This is the rotisserie chicken, the # 5 I believe.

I hired a hand model for this next shot.  I wanted the sandwich to be held at the perfect angle, thus displaying the melange of ingredients in a fashion that best represents the internal combination of palatal delights.

Thanks ma'am.

The chicken in this Banh Mi is something altogether new and different to me.  Although the name implies juicy and roasty, turning gently over an open flame, this chicken has the fantastic flavor and texture of Carnitas, but made with chicken.  The bite is more dense than I expected, and I liked that it was.  The chicken was not hiding in this bread, it's plays an equal part to the bright fresh veggies, but there is an undeniable fried/Mexican element that really jumps out to you.  Very delicious.

This is the turkey with pesto.

What more can I say?  Awesome, amazing, terrific, can't wait for lunch again.

To reiterate, again and again and again, as many times as need be until you try this place.   No matter where you are, or what time it is, or how much cash you have, this is the place for you.

A true one of a kind find where everything, including the bread, is made fresh, on-site, to order, for you.

Do something good for your body

Cali Baguette Express

Eat it

DVA