What a weekend of local eats!

This weekend was awesome! Spent some time with some friends both from in town and from out of town between Friday night all the way through Sunday evening and of course we made sure San Diego's food scene made a pretty solid (and impressive) impact on things in a very good way for both myself and my friends who got to partake in these past 3 days of amazing "grubbing."

Let me walk you through the timeline of culinary escapades with some pictures, descriptions, reviews and reactions of the hot spots we hit up. I also want to offer some insights to my recent start of my own top 21 bucket list of places in town I plan to hit in the next 10 weeks time and I am inviting all you readers to partake with me!


Friday night I went solo for my first ever debut experience with Ramen! I chose Tajima Ramen of Hillcrest based on the San Diego Magazine (SDM) recent listing from Troy Johnsons top 103 spots you must visit before you die.  I have adapted this list of 103 to my own smaller and more manageable list of 21 spots. I picked those I have not been to before, are within 20 miles of my home and actually have some appeal to me to go try out of course. I look to hit 2 spots each week for 10 weeks to see how Troy and I compare in our thoughts and perspectives on these venues and dishes.

At Tajima I got the classic, their Tajima Ramen with added asparagus, bamboo shoots and veggies. Bottom line is that I am now a Ramen fan for life! How I waited 3.5 years in San Diego to try this I have no clue!

Next up was a Saturday early afternoon, solo, post farmers market pick in Little Italy to the Crack Shack for another debut experience. I went with the Senor Croquet Chicken Sandwich. This thing was really good no doubt but at $13 for just a chicken sandwich? Little costly in my book.

Next up was a group visit with some out of town folks from Solana Beach and the one place I am sure to take every out of towner is of course Hash House A Go Go! I love blowing people's minds with this place and I just freaking love going there period. The key to going on a Sunday morning is this.....order take out meals and then hop over to Balboa park off 6th ave and set up shop at the park tables and take in the outdoors, the sun, people watch and avoid the hour long (or longer) line that is a norm on Sunday mornings at HH. My group had our 3 entrees within minutes of pulling up and minutes later I was diving into my Sage Fried Chicken Benedict seen below. I had never gotten a benedict from HH before until now and my god am I glad I did! Freaking amazing in every right! The tin pan does not do justice to show this dish is the best possible form but take my word....its everything you need in a breakfast dish that's rib sticking good and of course, filling. I was the only person in our group of 4 that finished my own entree..... booya!

 Next up was a quick stop for 2 of my out of town visitors to satisfy their sweet tooth with something unique a new. During our strolling of Gaslamp I suggested the Ghiradelli Chocolate Shop. Now being very sensitive to lactose I am one who has to bypass on almost all soft cheese and cows milk based dairy items and ice cream is sadly one item I cant contend with. But that wa snot going to stymie my visitors experience here so I used their debut experience to showcase the masterpiece shown below. The Treasure Island Sundae served in a dipped waffle bowl. They got added banana to really top it off. I can't speak from my own experience but according to both of them this was a pretty decent Sundae indeed. Some of the best hot fudge and brownie bites they had ever had period. The vanilla ice cream was good also but nothing outstanding. At $15.50 for one average sized Sundae they felt that your paying for the Ghiradelli brand name and chocolate quality more than anything.

To close out our weekend of eats, myself, my roommate and my 2 out of towners opted for some pizza. This again is an item I normally have to bypass despite my endless love for pizza. I am Italian after all! Cheese heavy pizza just wrecks my gut for hours after. Thin crust, light cheese or no cheese pizza, and renditions of the two are pretty workable for me however. I had tried a slice of Berkely Pizza before at the Farmers Market in Little Italy over a year ago and recall it being outstanding in taste and also agreeable with my gut. I took a chance and said we should opt for that and so we did. We got a small take and bake spinach and mushroom pie ($16) (serves 4 perfectly) and finished it off in the oven at home. They write the exact direction right on the box for you so you can be sure to bake it right. 15 minutes at 425 and bam! Pizza perfection as seen below! My roommate and out of towners (and I) just LOVED this pizza. The other 3 who had never had Berkeley before claimed it was a near deep dish like pizza but without the super thick crust or super cheese heavy ratio but rather topping heavy with loads of tomato and just enough spinach/mushroom. The crust being part semolina over just four also adds a unique flavor and texture to the pie which I loved.

Being the first bite of any pizza I had had in over a year I had to get a close-up shot of the moment my pizza drought ended. It may only have been 1 slice but OMG was it worth it! Pie heaven! Look at them layers of goodness!

So you can see this weekend was in fact a foodie adventure of the best kind. Touring a city like San Diego offers so much in terms of entertainment, history, sports, festivals, beaches etc......their is no shortage of things to do on any given weekend. Bringing in the out of towners to share and experience in these events is always a good time. I enjoy being able to bring the culinary vibe of San Diego to the mouths and stomachs of my visitors whenever I can. In the process I often find myself trying new places and new dishes as well. In cases like that, everyone involved can find A Better Bite! 

Getting Freaky!

As most know by now I am one who looks far and near, high and low for the most unique, novel and new places to score A Better Bite around San Diego. When I get word of or see an item or place doing something pretty nifty it does not take much to pull me in the door. That is just the case for my visit to Facing East Noodle & Bar off Convoy St in Kearney Mesa. Just 4 days after catching glance of the "freak shake" concept they have on their menu (5 in all) I was sold that I MUST try this out! And so I did!

3pm on a Tuesday afternoon after a rock solid training session I made my way up to the store and popped into an empty restaurant, grabbed a seat and told them right off the bat.....I am here to try this awesome freak shake I have seen. Salted Caramel Pretzel please! Lisa Yu, one of the 3 store managers told me all about these creations which were inspired at their opening after a fellow manager saw one in NYC and not only loved it himself but saw the popularity they had there. Why would this not work in San Diego he figured? Well, he figured right because Facing East alone has 

over 1/3 of their 374 Yelp member picture posts featuring 1 of the 5 freak shake options on the menu.

Who would think a Taiwanese, Chinese, Asain Fusion joint like this would rock the house with a dessert item like this? It is truly freaky to think about!

It took about 10 minutes from order until the masterpiece hit my table and I was bug-eyed at the presentation all while trying to capture the perfect shot with my camera before it began to melt. The discipline I used to hold off and get the good $$ shots was not easy and I so wanted to dive right in! This thing has mini pretzels, KitKat bar, fudge, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, sprinkles and french vanilla ice cream with chunks of caramel cookie mixed in! The whole shabang indeed! And a perfect blend of flavor and texture at that! The perfect size dessert for the gastronomically gifted like me or to share on a date night indeed! At about $9-10 each they are easy on the wallet as well!

Heaven in a mason jar!

$$ shot after first bite!

Be sure to let Lisa know that Josh the food blogger sent you in and she will take great care of you and your tummy's sweet treat needs!

Sicilian cuisine found in Little Italy's Barbusa!

This week Tuesday evening from 6-8pm I was privilaged enough to have been given an invite to my 4th Yelp.com Elite's only event. The lucky guy I was, I wanted to be sure I got all I could out of this experience for me of course.....and you the readers of this blog so read on and feast your eyes and then get your butt into Barbusa for A Better Bite pronto! 

As always is the case with these Yelp Elite events (agian my 4th), Brad or community manager, did a great job of organizing the whole event with the owners and Chef/kitchen staff and they wow'd us all with a 2 hour non-stop tour of Sicily (I was there in 2007 so I know) from the massive perfectly grilled yellowfin tuna entree (with a killer salsa verde and chimichurri sauce!) main dish to the vodka spiked mac n' cheese, the mushroom risotto, the creamy polenta board, 2 types of amazing bruschetta (eggplant and mushroom), the cannoli chips....yes chips! And of course some amazing sips from the bar (outside red wine I am not a drinker so cant comment much).

We all got to take home samples of homemade pasta made in house as well so how cool is that!? Chef Ninno was amazing and it was clear he loves his job and prides his teams ability to put out the best Sicilian food in town. PJ heads the ship at Barbusa and was sure to talk with anyone willing to speak with him all night long.....a great guy indeed!

The Elite members in attendance both vets and noobs alike are always a class act clan. I love my fellow YE's and meet new faces every time. Nothing like great food and great new venues with other people who give a serious damn about it!

Hope to see you all at future Elite events in this great city of San Diego!

Check out the storyline of photos here to see all fun, food and sips I got to be part of (and you can too!). Make sure you let Chef Ninno and PJ know that Josh the Food blog guy sent you in!

Picture storyline

Dessert on a new level

As a guy with a very low-key sweet-tooth I do not often find myself in deep craving for sweets as many often do (pancakes the big exception). I am more of a savory type who gets the fix for steak, burgers, burritos etc. There are times when through my screening of new places on Yelp.com, a picture or two or high star review of a local joint catches my eye and pulls me in. This was just the case for SD Boba Tea. After a few minutes of picture surfing their page on Yelp.com I was 100% sold I had to come in for my debut visit and try this dessert item that riddled half their customer submitted pictures....honey brick toast. You can fully build these perfectly solo (or shared if you're that nice) sized dessert plates with tons of toppings as their menu lists. I went basic and added graham cracker crumbs, strawberry/banana slices and whip topping........then I got all crazy with some of my own add-ons to make it macro friendly.....IIFYM put to practice all the way baby!

I added the following items to my already stellar dish of goodness....

Hormel real bacon bits
frozen blueberries
PB2 powdered peanut butter (made into a frosting)
MitoXcell superfood cocoa powder (made into a frosting)

As can be seen here.......it was every single bit as good or better then it looks to be! The honey brick toast is a soft but sweet light and fluffy "toast" crossed between pound cake flavor and yellow cake softness. The cake is cut crosswise into 6 cubes but not all the way through the bottom so it holds together well to support the mound of toppings. The top of the toast is drizzled with honey and it soaks into the bread so very well!

Such goodness at stake!

Close Up $$ shot!

I approve 100%

The owner I spoke to RJ, was way cool and came out to assure I had everything I needed and was enjoying my dish. I sure was! He explained its creation and their purpose with serving it "just as they would want it themselves" which was cool to hear. They offer military discounts as well so kudos to these guys for that! My plate was under $5! Where else ya find dessert like this for the value!?  Truly a place to find a deal along with "A Better Bite!"

PB Sushi "Rolls" Out new AYCE sushi option!

Yes you read that right. The well known and ever popular PB Sushi joint on Garnet in Pacific Beach has just now begun offering an ACYE lunch for $20 (open-3pm) and dinner for $25 (3pm-close) which puts them in with only 3 other AYCE sushi places I know in town. Wasabi Sushi just down the road at the other end of Garnet has one, RB Sushi (both local stores) have one and RK Sushi on Washington in Hillcrets has one as well. I have had them all multiple times before and found them all well worth going. Prices vary a bit, days and times offered vary and pace of service varies just as much. This review will give some insights to why I think PB Sushi may be the new contender.

Besides price-point being one of the best deals compared to the others its also one of the largest menu's I have seen for what is included in the AYCE offer. Pretty much everything!

I being a traditionalist stray from the Americanized stuff and go basic. The pictures below show what I got on my debut visit.

4 hand basic rolls, baja veggie roll and double Miso soup...... winning!

Veggie Tempura roll was bomb! The yam inclusion is melt in your motuh good!

10 piece nigiri spread was fresh and delicious!

I was seated instantly right at the sushi bar, given a menu and explained how the whole deal works which like most others is pretty simple, 3 rounds to order up, 2 hour time limit, charged for anything you do not finish. The place was not too busy for a rainy, cold Sunday night about 7pm. Smaller inside than the other places I go to for ACYE sushi but that did not seem to take away from anything at all either.

I had great service, tentative wait staff and super quick sushi chefs behind the counter! The quickest I have had. Party because I was one of 2 people at the bar and I had 2 sushi chefs back their whipping up my order. I had all the food items ordered in front of me in 10 minutes! Many times you wait 20+ minutes between every order at other places. Now I know this depends on how busy the place is of course so I am curious to see how well these guys would do on a packed afternoon or evening with orders are flying in left and right. However on this visit, these guys were some of the fastest I have had. Very friendly and cool to talk to as well.

This offer just began like 2 weeks ago I am told so this is brand new for them. Even so they seem to have a good handle on what they are doing and how they do it. Being near one of my main gym locations down the street, just 4 miles from home and having this offer available at lunch and dinner 7 days a week could make this my new go-to spot for sushi period. With quality, price, value and speedy service like this....what is not to like?

So come "roll" into PB Sushi soon and find yourself with "A Better Bite" sushi style!

Pancake Perfection

It would be wrong of me not to get at least one more solid pancake review in before the 2016 year lets out so here have it. This is much overdue actually as both of these visits took place on Sunday mornings over the past two weekends prior to my flying home to Madison, WI on December 22nd for leave time with family over the holidays. I write this blog post from my hometown matter of fact.

My SD culinary adventures took me back into 2 places I have been before to quell my always present craving for pancakes. Anyone with a bent for hotcakes likely has heard of or is well aware of both venues......they are none other than Brians 24 and Richard Walkers Pancake House. Perhaps the two most well-known and popular establishments in all downtown San Diego or even the city IMO....when it comes to the BEST EVER pancakes.

Let's recap what was had and what better bite you can land yourself in the coming Sunday's of 2017!

745am Sunday Dec 18th: Richard Walkers Pancake House (downtown)

A plate does exist under this monster!

I got the HUGE German Pancake as I had not had this before here but had seen it many times and finally decided it was my turn to test it out.....glad I did! Different than any kind of traditional pancake I had ever had to date. It looks different, taste different and is different. Just look at it! This giant plate engulfing "pancake" has a nice crispy rim but a soft custard like bottom with a truly amazing texture and flavor that's half pancake and half french toast/custard. Dusted with powdered sugar and comes with lemon slices and butter to drizzle on. I went sans butter myself as I wanted to taste the real flavor of the pancake alone. I found that was good enough! I found that the standard recommendation of "cut and roll tactic" is truly the best method to eat this monster so that you get the soft bottom wrapped in with the crispy rim in every bite. Service was fast, kind, friendly and on point. Prices are fair and dining outside on the patio is a treat in itself with the heated vents. What better way to take in a Sunday morning in DT San Diego?


3pm Sunday Dec 11th: Brians 24

Bacon, banana and chocolate chips packed in every bite!

Having eaten here over 25 times (in the past 2 years) according to my Yelp.com check-in history.......I am no stranger at all to Brian's 24. I think half of those check-ins are for pancakes as well. I also think 1/4 of their Facebook pictures are from me as well.....just saying. I was really feeling creative on this visit and was torn between going sweet or savory style hotcakes. Normally plane Jane buttermilk does just fine and dandy for me at Brian's 24. This time I needed to venture out more. Then my creative mind with help from my roaring stomach came to a compromise.....maybe even Elvis himself shot down a bolt of inspiration at that moment....bacon, chocolate chips, and banana please! My server had no problem with my request becoming a reality. I got the short stack of 2 giant plate size (their plates are hubcap size mind you) hot pancakes riddled with my trifecta of goodies in each pancake. I even happen to bring in my own little concoction of peanut butter "frosting" which I make often and top many homemade items with. It's just a combo of whey protein powder, almond milk and powdered peanut butter. I smothered a generous dose of that on my hotcakes and OMG!! That with the banana-bacon-choco chip combination was something I had not tasted in a LONG time!! Every single bite was a flavor explosion of flavors and textures. (Brians 24 hotcakes as the fluffiest and softest you will ever have btw..) So just when I thought I had experienced the very best of Brians 24 pancake selection, they go and raise the bar yet again with some help of my own creative gastronomic impulses.



So the year is now over yet and if you need to get 1-2 more pancakes fixings out of your system still, or if you need a new years day venue to recover at and soak up some pre-evening booze....then I have found two of them for you. Close out 2016 or bring in 2017 with a Better Bite and order up some hotcakes that will make the German in you scream with joy or have Elvis rocking in the grave....its win-win either way for you!

Happy Holidays to you all! Good eats and good wishes!

Better Bites found at Barrio Star

On a Friday night just last week I found myself with a hankering for some tried and true Mexican food I could rely on. Having been to this venue 3-4x before for breakfast and never once been disappointed with the food or the service, I decided to venture into the dinner menu of the the one and only Barrio Star in Bankers Hill. 

I got in about 645pm and the place was pretty busy but not crazy. Greeted right away and seated by the host. Took a table end seat with a nice view of 5th ave. I really wanted to explore the dinner menu as much as a I could on this visit so thats just what I ordered up. Having had the Barrio power bowl and Barrio power burrito on several occasions before from the amazing breakfast menu they have.....I had high expectations for the dinner menu as well. I was not let down!

Below are shots of the spread I got....

Fresh ceviche appetizer (perfect use of lime)

Cucumber appetizer (love the marinated and  curry spices)

Chicken Pozole Soup Bowl (light and flavorful)

Mexican Chopped Salad with added chicken (dressing is on point!)

Side of organic steamed greens (dressing is amazing!)

Everything I got was delicious! Flavorful, fresh, well seasoned and authentically made with a true Mexican spin. The use of spices and juices/marinades for the chicken, salad dressing, ceviche, soup and even the greens was a hit on all levels. Very robust flavors that enhance the natural flavor appeal of the foods themselves. Nice to eat a meal that goes down well and sits well also because of its natural and wholesome foundation to begin with.

My server Jenna was awesome! She was very kind, super tentative and very caring for me during my experience. Able to keep my large order 100% straight without even writing it down! My dishes came out quite quickly as well from the cucumber to start with and ending with my very well seasoned and steamed greens. Everything was before me within 15 minutes of ordering! Not bad for a fairly busy Friday night I'd say.

So its pretty clear that Barrio Star can pull off both the breakfast menu and the dinner menu without missing a beat. Love a place I can find solid, consistent meals made fresh and authentic for a good price with good service morning, noon and night. That's what I call A Better Bite!