Brussels Bistro San Clemente

I love French food, so for our February lunch bunch, also my birthday celebration, our group went to San Clemente  for lunch at Brussels Bistro.  They also have a Laguna location, but we opted for San Clemente, so much closer.  We were not disappointed.

It's a small restaurant, right across the street from one of my favorite restaurants, Nicks.  There are lots of seats at the bar area, numerous high top tables, and some regular tables inside and more on the patio.  We were there for lunch on a Tuesday, so it was not very crowded.  I had looked at the menu ahead of time, and knew exactly what I was getting.  I ordered the lunch special, moules et frites (mussels and fries) a very Belgian and French meal.  I was offered a variety of broths with my fries.  I got the creamy garlic, which was delicious.  Fries were served in a cone shaped paper, with a side of catsup and home made mayonnaise.  For $15 you can't beat it, and the nice glass of wine went beautifully with the mussels.

Others at our table ordered the beef bourginone, served with noodles.  They raved.  Salads and sandwiches were also ordered, and everything was delicious. One of my favorite items which was ordered by several of us was mushroom soup topped with puffed pastry.  I always said Crystal Cruises had the best mushroom soup ever, but this was equally good.  Cream of asparagus was also served at our table, and it was a winner too. The menu also consists of typical Belgian items like escargots and beef tartare.

We finished off the meal with a birthday order of chocolate mousse.  It was fantastic, with a huge dollop of whipped cream on top.  The best part was that instead of a candle, they had a huge sparkler that burned for about a minute.  I loved it.  Everyone else did too, so much so that we had the waiter give us the name of the company that sold the sparklers so we could go home and order some.  It was so much better than a candle.

Prices at Brussels Bistro are moderate for lunch a dinner.  Of course it's a great place to dine, as you can combine a little shopping and make it a great outing.  I want to go back soon for dinner.  Thanks to our lunch bunch for making it such a special birthday lunch.

Beshock Ramen and Sake Bar: Carlsbad

A few weeks ago Yelp listed some new hot restaurants in North County, so one by one, I am trying them.  I went to Beshock Ramen and Sake Bar in the Shoppes at Carlsbad Mall one day while I was runnning errands.  I was alone, so I sat at the bar.  I love sitting at the bar.  I talked to a young man who was a regular there for lunch, so he helped me order.

I had the lunch special for $13.95.  I was a bao bun that was split, and filled with delicious pork chashu, lettuce, tomato, red onions and garlic chips with eel mustard sauce.  So tasty.  Next, I had a big bowl of Umani Ramen.  The broth was so rich and intense I couldn't stop eating it.  The noodles were done to perfection, and plentiful.  The pork chashu was fantastic.  Other ingredients in the soup were green onions, bamboo shoots and half an egg.  They have several other ramen soups available, including chicken and vegetable.  Other items on the menu include seaweek salad, yellowtail carpaccio, brussels sprouts, fried calamari, crispy shrimp roll and much, much more.  The food is fresh and delicious, the service is fast and friendly, the restaurant is small but comfortable and nice and clean.  It's a great place for a quick lunch while out shopping, or lunch with friends.  I can't wait to find a friend who likes ramen as much as me and wants to have lunch there with me.

Great Flavors at City Tacos

On one of our Saturday walks, Fran and I decided to try the new taco shop in the Lumberyard.  We often end up at The Taco Stand, but we decided to try the new kid in town, City Tacos.  City Tacos was born in North Park several years ago, and now has five locations, including La Mesa and Encinitas.  They will soon be opening in Sorrento Valley.

We were pleasantly surprised with the delicious meal we ate.  It's definitely just a taco stand, but oh, are these tacos good.  It may be my new favorite taco place in the area.  We ordered two different tacos and split, so we could try more than one thing.  The pork chorizo taco with pineapple was served on a freshly made thick, hot corn tortilla.  It was delicious.  The chicken taco consisted of big chunks of chicken, tomatoes, sliced almonds and arugula.  It was served on a flour tortilla, freshly made.  We enjoyed both tacos, and decided we will come back soon again and try some of their other interesting flavor combinations.

They also offer vegan, vegetarian and Paleo tacos, so they cover all the bases.  Side dishes include guacamole and chips, black beans, and Mexican corn on the cob.  Indoor and patio seating are available.  We were their first customers of the day, but I imagine it gets busy and very lively as the day goes on.  It's a great place to stop for a small snack (one taco is about $4) or a big meal when you're in the Lumberyard.  You'll be happy you tried City Tacos.

Great Italian Food at Piazza 1909

On Debbie's recommendation, our lunch bunch drove to La Jolla for a delicious lunch at Piazza 1909.  The restaurant is on Fay Avenue, just across from one of my old favorites, The Cottage.  Piazza 1909 is an old house turned into a charming restaurant, with five or six tables inside, the rest outside on a beautiful patio.  We were there on a cool day, so the inside was very crowded.  We were also there during restaurant week, and although the three course meal looked interesting, we ordered off the menu and shared a lot of dishes, as we always do.

First, the focaccia bread with tomato dipping sauce was delicious, and with my nice of Chianti, tyed  me over until our meal came.  First we had delicious bruschetta, with nicely toasted bread and fresh tomatoes.  Next, we had meatballs in marinara sauce that were excellent.  We also had an arugula salad and a tagiatelle with and intense meat sauce.  Finally, we ordered a pizza with cheese and prosciutto.  Everything was quickly devoured, and several in our group were ready for dessert.  They ordered a chocolate volcano, similar to a lava cake, with a scoop of vanilla bean gelato on top.  Not being a great chocolate lover, I passed on dessert, except for two spoons of gelato, which I couldn't resist.

This is a great little find in La Jolla.  The food is very good, the service friendly, and the atmosphere is very homey.  It's great for lunch or dinner.  Enjoy.

Oh, the restaurant also has some sort of a wine club, and for $60, they have a cooking class where you learn to cook three dishes and then eat it.  That might be fun to do.

Del Lusso: Great New Find In Bressi Ranch

I got an e-mail from Yelp the other day, listing new restaurants to try in North County.  The one that caught my eye was Del Lusso.  It's next door to Eureka on Innovation Way in Carlsbad.  Right near Bressi Ranch, but far away from the parking hassle and huge crowds.

Don't get me wrong.  The restaurant is bustling, and with the play area in front of Eureka, the restaurant is family friendly.  It's fresh and sparkling clean, with a brick wall behind the bar area, and a beautiful Italian pizza oven, visible for guests to see.  Chairs are super comfortable, which isn't always the case.

We were planning to go there for a 6pm dinner with our friends Ian and Carol, who were visiting from Scottsdale.  Ian is allergic to garlic, so I called the restaurant  early in the day to see if they could accomodate him.  The hostess ran and got the chef, who spent five minutes on the phone with me going through the entire menu and telling me what Ian could and could not eat.  I was hooked.  I knew I would like Del Lusso because the owners and staff want to make sure you have a great experience.

About 5:20pm I called the restaurant to see how long the wait would be at 6'oclock, as I was coming with 4 people, one of whom  was in a wheel chair.  The hostess said they don't take reservations, but they wanted to make sure we didn't have much of a wait, so she took my name.  We arrived at 6'oclock, and our table was waiting for us.  They held that table just for us, and we appreciated it so much.  Fabulous service at every level!

Not only was the service great, but the food was too.  We were seated, and in  less than two minutes, and our server was there to take drink orders, which appeared promptly at our table.  A few minutes later, Walter Wong, one of the owners, came over to introduce himself, welcome us, and give us a short summary of his background and and the kind of fresh, locally sourced food we could expect.  We were delighted to meet him.

Now, for the food.  Pizzas were fantastic.  They use some special flour imported from Italy, and all the toppings are fresh and local.  We had pancetta, tomato and olive.  Ian and Carol had a pizza with  spicy sausage with veggies.  We also ordered spaghetti carbonara and salad.  The salad was great with delicious ingredients, and great dressing.  We also tried the bread and dipping sauce which I loved.  Balsamic vinegar, oil and lots of garlic, served with hard, crusty bread, which our waiter told us is made in house.

All in all, you will want to try Del Lusso.  It's a great place for kids, too, as they have a special menu for them, including a mini pizza and drink for $7.  Be sure to meet Walter, owner and host.  I wish him well.

Finally, Dinner at Hunter Steakhouse

Hunter Steakhouse opened in 1970, 50 years ago.  I have probably driven by it over 100 times and said to myself, "We should try it."  Finally, when Ron had a taste for prime rib, we decided to go.  They have Happy Hour from 5-6, so we went for that.  Happy Hour takes place in the bar area (the restaurant is on several levels) and is not handicap accessible, so they allowed us to eat in the main dining room, but order from the happy hour menu if we wanted.  In addition to happy hour, they have an early bird menu, which is very reasonable.  Ron and I ended up ordering from the regular menu and splitting.  For a $7 charge, you can split a meal, then get an extra salad and an extra side.  So, for $34 we had a prime rib dinner for 2 (with bone), potatoes, veggies and choice of caesar salad (delicious) or garden salad served tableside with lots of additions.

The food was excellent.  Meat was perfectly prepared, and the service was too.  Our waitress, Karina, was so attentive and efficient.

The menu starts with many starters:  shrimp cocktail, artichoke dip, onion rings with dip, fried calamari and many other traditional appetizers.  Steaks, prime rib and several seafood choices are the protein entrees.  A choice of salad (the tableside salad is great), potatoes and vegetable completes the meal.  Oh, if you order the early bird dinner you also get a slice of chocolate cake.

Hunter Steakhouse is a little difficult to find.  Well, not exactly, but it is hard to get in the parking lot.  It's at the corner of Vista Way and the 5 freeway.  It's worth searching for.  The food is excellent, service is too, and the ambience is warm and friendly.  There aren't too many places around that serve a traditional prime rib dinner.  Red Tractons used to be our restaurant of choice for prime rib, but considering everything, Hunter Steakhouse is our new "go to"place for prime rib.

Panini Kebob and Grill Bressi Ranch

For months I've been hearing about Panini Kebob and Grill in Del Mar from my friends who live in the area, but until they opened in Bressi Ranch last month, I never had occasion to try them.  I went there for lunch with Audrey in November, and it was so good I went back a few days later for dinner with a few friends.  The Bressi Ranch location has a lovely covered outdoor area, plus plenty of indoor dining.  The waitstaff is friendly and helpful.

On my first visit to Panini Kebob I had a vegan meal.  Well, Audrey did anyway.  I had a little tzadiki, which is not vegan.  We ordered the falafel platter.  Hummus, six falafel, tzadiki, lots of pita, and lots of sliced cucumbers.  Everything was fresh and delicious, and there was plenty to eat.  We split the platter and were very satisfied.

My next visit a few days later was for dinner.  There were three of us.  This gave me a chance to sample several other menu items.  I order the date salad.  It was delicious and very satisfying.  Dates, currents, nuts, cheese and lettuce in a  raspberry vinagrette  was a perfect combination.  It was served with a big portion of pita.  Wendy ordered a chicken and brie panini.  It was served with a side salad, and was so big she took half home.  Phyllis ordered the salmon wrap, again big enough to share.  It was a combination of lots of veggies, like lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, parsley plus the salmon, on a large pita and rolled into two large servings.  She raved about it.

The only thing lacking from Panini Kebob and Grill is a few of my favorite Mediterranean salads, like babaganouch and tabouli.  There is no dolmas or spanikopita either, but the good fresh kebobs, fluffy rice, fresh vegetables, and tangy tzadiki will keep me coming back for more.

Lunch At Black Rail Kitchen

Tuscany in Carlsbad was a favorite of many for years, but sadly, it closed over a year ago.  A new restaurant has taken its place, and one you will enjoy for lunch, happy hour or dinner.  It's Black Rail Kitchen.  The interior has been completely redone, with a beautiful bar as the centerpiece.  Comfortable booths and tables are spread far enough apart so you don't feel you're in someone else's conversation.  They have added a beautiful outdoor space, with tables and heaters.  It's a great place to enjoy happy hour.

Our lunch bunch went there recently, and enjoyed the entire experience.  There were eight of us.  We split four entrees, added a few appetizers to share, and finished up with two delicious desserts.  Here's what we had.

Most of the lunch menu has a Mediterranean twist.  Carol and I shared the lamb carnitas.  It was served on a large pita, and the fillings were shredded lamb with Mediterranean spices, guacamole and pickled onions.  It was really tasty.  Fran and Regina shared a burger, and they both said it was one of the best ever.  Vivian and Melanie shared a veggie wrap.  A variety of veggies with sauce, wrapped in a pita.  Marilyn and Debbie shared the meatballs.  I think they were served over rice, and they really liked them.  Then we ordered several appetizers to share.  We had a veggie and goat cheese flat bread that was delicious, served on very thin, crispy bread.  We also ordered broccolini.  What can I say about broccolini?  Then we had shishito peppers, that were charred, mixed with olive oil, and served with a mayonnaise dressing.  They were great.  After all that we thought we were full (we were) and through (we weren't), as our waiter told us about dessert.  We tried two different ones, and I loved them both.  One was an apple cake, soft and moist, with lots of apples on top, with vanilla ice cream.  How can you go wrong?  The other was a Middle Eastern pudding made from yogurt and gelatin, a little tart but very tasty.  The glass in which it was served was lined with very thin slices of persimmon.  There were chia seeds on the bottom of the pudding, and it was topped with pomegranetes and crushed pistacchios.

I will go back for dinner sometime soon, as Black Rail Kitchen seems to have it all:  good food, good service, and a great atmosphere.

Dim Sum in Vista at Kung Fu Noodles

My friend Charlene told me about a Chinese restaurant in Vista that she thought I might like.  She was right.  What she didn't tell me was that it served traditional dim sum items and very little else.  That was fine with me.  I love dim sum, and going all the way to Convoy Street for dim sum is not always feasible.

Kung Fu Noodles is on E. Vista Way, just across from the new Sprouts in Vista.  It's in a shopping center.  There are lots of comfortable tables and it is modern and clean.  It is not a traditional dim sum restaurant in that you order at the counter, then they bring out the dishes as they are ready.  It does not have the full array of dishes you might find at a more traditional dim sum restaurant, where waiters and waitresses come around with carts loaded with delicious buns, baos, meats and vegetable dishes.

At Kung Fu Noodles you can count on fresh, handmade noodles, which makes their noodle soups delicious.  They also offer Dan Dan noodles, and chicken chow mein.  The rest of the menu is devoted to a variety of small buns, filled with pork, shrimp, chicken or vegetables, or larger baos that are steamed or boiled.  My favorite was the bean bao.  Pot stickers are pan fried and are delicious.  Ron's favorite dish was the fried chicken wings.  I don't usually eat them, but they looked so inviting, I tried one.  It was crispy on the outside, with the chicken tender and juicy inside.  We also tried a scallion and sesame seed pancake which was good, but a little heavy.

This is not a restaurant for those seeking a traditional Chinese restaurant.  It is strictly noodles and soups, buns and baos and potstickers.  It's really good, and I can't wait to go again and try some other menu items.

Harumama: Sushi and So Much More

I do love Asian food, so when I heard about Harumama several months ago, I got excited.  It took me a while to get there, but it was worth it.  Harumama is a mix of sushi, baos, noodles and bowls.  It is so good.  They have two locations, one in San Diego, the other on Madison St. in old Carlsbad.  I visited the Carlsbad location.

The restaurant itself is spacious inside and very comfortable.  I sat outside on the covered patio, right near a table where they put all the food ready to serve, so I got to see everything.  The menu has the typical offerings, like Krab wontons, fried rice, potstickers and sushi.  But it is much, much more.  They are known for their character baos.  These are order (2 per order) of steamed buns filled with red bean, beef, pig, nutella, chicken or custard.  They are decorated to look like Snoopy and other well known characters.  Very cute.  They also have bao bao's, which I especially liked.  They take a bao, split it in half, and fold it to look like a taco, then fill it with deliciousness.  Pork sausage, duck, crispy shrimp, fried eggplant.  There are lots of interesting flavor on top, like taro chips and pickled cucumbers or onions.  The noodles, although I didn't sample them, looked delicious.  Vegetable, beef brisket and truffle are just a few of the noodle dishes.

As if this weren't enough, they also have fresh made every day ramen broth.  /vegetable, chicken or beef broth, with maybe a dozen add ons to make this one delicious meal:  noodles, poached egg, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, kale, etc.  Bowls are also available, like poke bowls with salmon or ahi tuna or more traditional chicken bowls with rice.

The coup de grace is dessert.  They have the Japanese shaved ice (looks like snowflakes) filling up the middle of a plate, with fruit surrounding the snowflakes.  It is unique and delicious.

Harumama is a wonderful place to try with a group.  That way, you can share everything and enjoy many delicious flavors.  Enjoy.

Valentina: Neighborhood Restaurant in Leucadia

New restaurants are popping up almost weekly in North County.  It's hard to keep up.  We dined a few weeks ago at a new restaurant on Coast Highway in Leucadia called Valentina.  We enjoyed our meal, but felt it was pricey, with just average service.  It has only been open for a few months, so hopefully things will improve. 

Valentina is  a cute little restaurant right on the Coast Highway.  Parking is a problem.  There isn't any.  Most people end up parking in the dirt near the train tracks across the street.  I was with Ron, in a wheel chair, and getting Ron into the restaurant and getting the car parked, was a real challenge.  Once we did get seated, the tables were difficult to accomodate a wheel chair.

I think the theme of the restaurant is Spanish, as they have Spanish language music playing and other references to Spain.  The menu itself is all over the map.  Starters include frites and aioli, albondigas and marinara, beet terrine, and gazpacho soup.  Mussels in wine, mac and cheese, grilled salmon and veggies, gnocchi pesto and steak and fries are just some of the offerings.  I had a tomato and burrata salad which was absolutely delicious.  It was drizzled with thick aged balsamic vinegar, and was my favorite part of the meal.  Richard ordered the gazpacho soup, which was only fair.  I also ordered steak tartare.  It too was only far.  Laura ordered mussels in wine, and was disappointed .  Ron had steak and fries.  The first plate came with cold fries, but when it was returned and brought out again, it was delicious.  They cooked another steak for us by mistake, and we took that one home.  Pepper enjoyed it over the next few days.

Valentina has lots of room for improvement, and I hope they will do just that.  It's a family run restaurant which I like to support, and the owners are trying hard to please.  Some of the dishes were excellent, others only fair, so I will probably give it another try.  For us, the challenge is parking.  It is tough for the handicapped, so food has to improve for us to make the effort.

Lunch at Pita Guys in San Marcos

On the recommendation of Phyllis, I had lunch at Pita Guys in San Marcos, with my friend Audrey.  For a little strip center fast food restaurant, the food was delicious.  Everything from the babaganoush to freshly baked pita was delicious.  Although there is no ambience at all, the good food makes it worth a trip.

Pita Guys offers sandwiches, bowls, salads and plates.  Audrey and I both got the falaffel bowl.  The base was white rice (lettuce can be substituted), followed by three big falaffels.  Then come the toppings, that are added to your specifications.  I added pickled onions, hummus, babaganoush, and tzadiki.  The bowl was literally of burst of wonderful flavors.  Both chicken and beef schwarma are available.  They even offer a mini bowl for $7.95 which is just a smaller version of the one I ordered.  A mini bowl is more than enough for most appetites.

Pita Guys is great for lunch or dinner, but don't expect any atmosphere.  We sat outside and enjoyed a beautiful day and great food.  Try it if you're in the area for lunch.  It's great.

New In Bressi Ranch: Casero Tacqueria

After the success of Board and Brew, which totals 15 restaurants now, the owners decided to try a new concept.  Their first venture is Casero Tacqueria in Bressi Ranch.  It opened in July, and has been a success from the start.  Laurie and I had lunch there one day soon after its opening, and were not disappointed.

First, the space is beautiful.  It's a fast casual restaurant, which means you order at the counter, in this case the counter is at the front of the restaurant and patrons order outside, so it does not crowd up the inside with people ordering.  Great idea.  There is a beautiful bar area on the left as you enter, an open kitchen on the right with a woman making tortillas, and straight ahead is the dining area.  Beyond that, is a lovely patio that has a view of the older area of Bressi Ranch, and mountains in the distance.  It's very comfortable.  We ate outside in a covered area.

The menu consists of at least 6 different tacos, soups, salads, starters like empanadas and ceviche, tortas and postres _sweets for dessert.  They serve margeritas and other mixed drinks too.  Laurie and I ordered a fish taco, a carne asada taco (delicious) and a Mexican cobb salad.  The salad was great, and included fresh grilled corn off the cobb and lots of Mexican cheese.

When you first sit down, a delicious basket of home made chips with a wonderful, smokey salsa is brought to the table.  We tried not to overindulge on chips, as we knew our meal would be plentiful.  It was.  Prices are reasonable.  Tacos are mostly $4.50 each, salads are around $12.  It's a great lunch spot and good for splitting.  Other new restaurants are coming soon, and I will be sure to let you know about them.

Shorehouse Kitchen Is Great!

My lunch bunch group went to Shorehouse Kitchen in Carlsbad for our July lunch.  We had missed May and June because of my knee surgery and lots of traveling by our group.  Unfortunately we picked opening day at Del Mar for the lunch, which made it a difficult drive for the 5 women coming from that area.  We all finally made it, and were well rewarded with a fantastic lunch.

Shorehouse Kitchen is on State Street in old Carlsbad.  It has a nice inside area, but the outside, with covered shade, is where we sat and where I would suggest.  It has small plates, large plates, sandwiches and salads.  We ordered a variety of items, one being better than the next.  We had two flatbreads, both were delicious.  Pancetta and pear flatbread, and tomato and cheese flatbread were a great way to start.  One of my favorite dishes was the burrata cheese surrounded by tomatoes and lots of crostini to scoop up the delicious cheese.  I could have eaten the whole plate.  We also ordered three salads, one with a 6 ounce piece of grilled salmon, hazelnuts and pomegranete seeds.  We ordered a Thai salad and another salad with cranberries, nuts and cheese.  What a feast we had.

Breakfast and brunch is their specialty, and I can't wait to go back and try one of the mouth watering toast options.  Strawberry toast drizzled with thick balsamic vinegar, avocado toast (traditional), nutella toast and a few others.  Pancakes, waffles, eggs of every variety, acai bowls, you name it, Shorehouse Kitchen has it all.  Prices were moderate, and the wait staff friendly.  Service was a bit slow, but hey, this is a beach area, and nobody is in a big hurry. I took Ron to Shorehouse Kitchen one day for lunch, not quite knowing whether he would like it or not.  He loved it, loved the food, the menu, the service.  We will go again. Try Shorehouse Kitchen next time you want a great meal.  Unfortunately, they do not take reservations.

Eureka Finds Its Way To Carlsbad

You might have eaten at Eureka in UTC.  It's a popular lunch, dinner and happy hour bar and restaurant with good food and drink, and lots of noise.  Eureka has now opened on Palomar Airport Road, just a block east of El Camino Real.  Ron and I tried it for lunch after it had been open for about 6 weeks.  Beautiful spot with a big play area outside for waiting patrons and kids when they get antsy at the table.  The tables are very close together, so likely to hear the conversation at the next table, which I don't like.

The lunch mix was a combination of men who wokr int he center, women out for lunch together, and a few families.  The menu is heavily hamburgers.  All sorts of hamburgers, with lots of different toppings.  They also have about three salads on the menu, all very large.  Then, theres an appetizer section, with brussels sprouts, corn dogs, grilled cauliflower, and mushroom toast with goat cheese and balsamic vinegar.  I had the latter.  It was good, but too much balsamic vinegar for my taste.  Ron ordered a cup of chili, which he liked very much.  Our problem with the menu was that everything was huge, and we were not that hungry.  There were not many small portion items that interested us.

I guess Eureka is good for big eaters or for happy hour, when you can share a lot of items.  Soft drinks are a little bit pricy, but I guess that's to be expected in a bar.

Eureka is a beautiful restaurant with good food, but the noise level and close proximity of the tables and NOISE make it uncomfortable.  If you want to go where the action is, go to Eureka, but if you want to go to dinner and talk, try someplace else.

Mikkos For Great Japanese Food

I've never reviewed Mikkos, one of my favorite Japanese restaurants.  They have two locations:  one on Carlsbad Village Drive near the 5 Freeway, the other, newer location, on Main Street in Vista.  We frequent the Vista location often.  It is good, fresh, and very reasonable.

The best part of Mikkos is that my husband Ron, who does not really like Japanese food, LOVES this place.  It's not just sushi, although the sushi is excellent.  During the evening there are four sushi chefs working furiously to send out delicious rolls, nigiri and sashami.  Mikkos has tempura, and Ron usually gets the tempura dinner for $9.95.  A cup of miso soup, and delicious, fresh salad, rice, and a piled high plate of shrimp and vegetable tempura.  Ron can't possibly eat it all, so I have his soup, and some of the vegetable tempura (he doesn't like the sweet potato).  Then I get a sushi roll, and we've got a feast.  And cheap!   We love Mikkos.

Mikkos also offers noodle dishes, ramen, poke bowls and teriyaki bowls.  So much to choose from, so even for those that don't like Japanese food, there are options.  Hope you get a chance to try it soon.  By the way, it's also great for lunch.  You can get a bento box for $9.95 which includes soup, salad, two pieces of sushi and a meat option, like sesame chicken and rice.  Great value.

Welcome To The Neighborhood, Richard Walker

Finally, we're getting some good breakfast places in the Carlsbad/Oceanside area.  First Toast, and now Richard Walker.  The new Square at Bressi Ranch is now home to the sixth Richard Walker's Original Pancake House.  Here's how this family owned business began.

In 1948, Victor and Everett (brothers) Walker opened snack shops in Evanston, Illinois.  In 1960 they opened Walker Brothers Original Pancakes in Wilmette.  In 1981 Ray and Richard, sons of Victor, opened Walker Brothers Original in Glenview.  Finally, in 2006, Richard Senior relocated to San Diego and opened another location in Downtown San Diego.  I guess Richard Junior decided life in San Diego sounded good, so he moved to the west coast too, and opened two more restaurants (same name) in La Jolla and Carlsbad.

Ron and I stopped by for a late breakfast on a Thursday morning, thinking the big crowd would be gone.  We waited about 10 minutes for a table, so expect a wait, no matter when you go there.  The food is delicious.  Their specialty is pancakes and waffles, but everything is big, good, and beautifully presented.  Spinach crepes, blueberry and sour cream crepes and cherry crepes looked delicious.  We split the apple pancake, and still couldn't finish.  They also have the German pancake and a cinnamon pancake.  Belgian waffles are light and fluffy, and topped with fruit and whipped cream.  Omelettes are huge, bacon is thick and crisp.  They serve corned beef hash and eggs benedict too.  My only criticism is the coffee.

Richard Walker serves Boyds coffee, which they say is excellent, dark and smooth.  At best it was average, and at $3.50 a cup, I thought it was way too pricey.  I can accept higher prices for the food, but not for a less than good cup of coffee.  I guess I'm a coffee snob.  I've said this before.  I usually ask the wait person how the coffee is before I order.  I tell them that if it's not good, I'm going to send it back.  I didn't do that this time, so I drank the coffee.  Next time I go I will not order a drink, and if I really want coffee I will bring it from Peet's just a few doors away.  I don't know how they'll like that, but really, how hard is it to make a good cup of coffee, especially at $3.50 per cup?

Richard Walker is a wonderful restaurant.  The food is outstanding, and most things are big enough to split.  They even have a children's menu (grandchildren?), which consists of chocolate chip pancakes, silver dollar pancakes, and and egg and pancake dish.  Try it, you'll like it.

Modern Food In An Historic Setting

I love to eat out, as most of you know.  I especially enjoy family owned and operated restaurants, as opposed to chain restaurants.  Coastal Kitchen in Dana Point is one such restaurant.  Ron's friend, Steve, is the general manager, and has been bugging us to to try it for over two years.  We finally went there with Richard and Laura on a Saturday night, just before Easter.  The restaurant was bustling.

The building itself is historic.  Built as the first commercial building in Dana Point in the 1920's, it was a restaurant a bit later, and served as a stopping point for travelers going from Los Angeles to San Diego.  The developer who owned it had big plans, but the crash in the late 1920's ruined that idea.  Today, the building has been refurbished, but is still historical with lots of pictures of Dana Point years ago, into a contemporary fine dining restaurant.  The Grant family owns it.  They come with restaurant knowledge from Michael Grant's  days at Hillstone, and Christina's days as a CPA in the restaurant industry, including R-D.  (part of the Hillstone group).  General Manager Steve Sola, greeted us when we arrived, and made sure we had a perfect evening.

After we ordered drinks, our waiter Henry brought us some delicious Parker House rolls topped with butter, herbs and brown sugar.  Next, while we were still deciding what to order, Steve sent out Coastal Kitchen's famous smoked trout spread on toast.  Absolutely delicious.  That was followed by an heirloom tomato and burrata salad, with olive oil and pistachios  and the the most delicious crab cake dish I've ever eaten.  The crab cake had no bread filler.  It was all crab, seasoned perfectly and cooked to a golden brown.  The delicious sauce in which it sat was loaded with fresh corn.  Avocado slices and grapefruit wedges completed the dish.  That might have been my favorite thing, but it was all so good it is hard to decide..  By this time we had determined that ordering salads before the entree was out of the question, so we went straight to the main course.  Ron order cioppino (fish soup), one of his favorite dishes.  Laura and I ordered the halibut, fresh, flaky, and  nicely cooked, with parmesean mashed potatoes and broccoli.  Richard ordered the trout with pecans, which he loved.  Room for dessert?  You betcha.  Ron ordered the ice cream sundae with homemade chocolate sauce, which was quickly devoured.

Coastal Kitchen is on the expensive side, but portions are generous, and some entrees like pork chops and steaks can be shared.  It's a 45 minute drive from Oceanside, the same distance if you want to go to Little Italy, without the hassle and expense of parking.

Coastal Kitchen is an eating destination I plan to return to again and again, now that I know about it.  There are so many wonderful items on the menu, the ambience is delightful, and the staff friendly and helpful.  Once you try it, it will become one of your favorites in the area.

Can't Wait To Go Back To Duck Donuts

We were out with Laura and Richard one night (at the Himalayan Kitchen in Encinitas) and Laura mentioned that her real estate office had just moved into the center on Encinitas Blvd. and that there was a delicious donut place next door.  Ron was ready to drive to VG's after dinner at the Himalayan Kitchen for his donut fix, but we decided to see if Duck Donuts, on Encinitas Blvd., was open.  It was not, but Laura said she had heard it was pretty good, and so I decided I'd be back there soon.

Several days later, on a Saturday morning when I planned to walk with Fran at the Lumberyard, I stopped by Duck Donuts to pick up a few donuts for Ron.  Wow, are they delicious.  It's not a traditional donut shop.  Duck Donuts only makes a yellow cake donut that they top with just about anything you can think of.  No raised donuts, no French cruellers, just cake donuts that are warm, right out of the fryer, and so good.  You can actually see them making the batter and the donuts, regular size and minis, right there.  After you order, they prepare your donut.  Everything is made to order.

Behind the counter looks like something you would see at a yogurt shop, where they have all the toppings to choose from.  Sprinkles, chocolate, vanilla and maple frosting, bacon, coconut, cinnamon and sugar, carmel sauce, nuts and much more.  You can have one of their special donuts or make your own combination of flavors.  Whatever way, they are great.  Eat them warm if you can.  If you take them home, you can reheat for 8-10 seconds and they're just as good as they would be right out of the fryer.

Duck Donuts began in North Carolina in 2007, is a franchise opportunity now, and has over 25 locations, most in the southeast.  There are now two locations in California,  Huntington Beach and Encinitas.

Duck Donuts are expensive, about double the price of a regular donut, but they are special.  Next time you are near Encinitas Blvd and El Camino Real, stop in for something special.  (can be ordered online too).  I'm so glad my office isn't next door to Duck Donuts.  I don't know how I'd resist.  Good luck, Laura.

Toast Gastrobrunch Is Great

Unfortunately Pisco didn't make it in Carlsbad, but  I'm quite sure the new restaurant, Toast Gastrobrunch will.  I was there on a rainy Saturday morning at 10am, and there was a 30 minute wait.  Not much has changed on inside.  The booths remain, and the high top tables (which is what most of the remaining tables are) are new, and bright.  What's changed is the kitchen.  They've gone from Peruvian food to very fine  breakfast and brunch food.  I  really loved the menu and what I ate was delicious, and what I saw others eating looked delicious.

Everything is made from scratch, from the fresh roasted veggies used in some dishes, to the home made batter for french toast.  Fran and I shared strawberry toast, one of several toast option on the menu.  A thick slice of toasted bread spread with ricotta cheese, then topped with fresh strawberries and some seasoning.  Very delicious, and good to split.  They also have the classic avocado toast, and several other toast selections.  We ordered the spicy chilequilles, which was delicious, but just a bit too spicy for me.  Pancakes and french toast looked amazing, as did the egg dishes.  Toast also offers many alcoholic and non alcoholic specialty drinks, in addition to good, rich, coffee.

I didn't know it before going there, but they are part of Open Table, so you can make a reservation on line.  I highly suggest that, and will do so in the future.  It's great to have a new breakfast/brunch spot in Carlsbad with a fresh, modern menu, takes reservations and has great parking.