More Restaurant Openings and Closings

One thing is for sure.  Things can change rapidly on the food scene in San Diego, and I can't eat enough meals to keep up with it.  So, I will let you know about some of the openings and closings, but I have not yet gone to most of them.  Unfortunately, most of the restaurants are south of Del Mar, a good 30-45 minute trip for me.  Some are worth the trip, others, not so much.

Recently opened in Carmel Valley is Kens Sushi.  I have not been there, but I have it on good authority that this is great food.  On the pricey side, so maybe lunch is the best time to try it.  Also opening soon in Carmel Valley is Sea Salt Bistro.  It will take over the space on Carmel Valley Road formerly occupied by Edemame.  In Carlsbad, we now have Perfect Pairings.  I had not heard of it before reading about it online, but it sounds interesting, and I will try it soon.  It pairs food with wine, the menu changes frequently, and they have lots of brewery and winery events at the restaurant.

Juice Crafters, originally from LA, has come to San Diego, and has six locations on their immediate schedule.  Little Italy is open, and La Jolla and Hillcrest will soon be open.  They serve the latest juice concept, cold pressed juices.  In Hillcrest you might also want to try The Whole Pig.  It's a barbeque catering company, now a restaurant, with the focus on, you guessed it, pork.  They serve two regional styles of pulled pork, Cuban sandwiches (yum), and side dishes like collard greens and black eye peas.  The restaurant I'm really looking forward to is Rick Bayless' Red O, which will be taking over the space formerly occupied by Donovan's in La Jolla.  They are completely renovating the space, adding lots of square footage, and plan to open mid 2016.  Red O  will serve steaks and chops and Mexican food with a sophisticated flair.  In UTC Lemonade, a chain of restaurants from Los Angeles will open in Westfield Shopping Center.  They serve healthy prepared salads from their case and sandwiches.  I love their food.  My favorite lunch there is a three salad combo, where you pick out three different prepared salads from the cold case.  Food is just delicious.

Finally, Mozza in the Headquarters closed its doors a few months ago.  It was bound to happen.  I was there several times and never had a meal that came close to what was served at their Hollywood location.  Different management means different food, different service, different attitude.  Even though Mozza had big name chefs behind it, the San Diego location missed.

North County is slow to get great new restaurants, but one of my favorites just opened in The Forum.  Urban Plates is up and running and I expect it to be a great hit.  Fresh, delicious food just like the one in Del Mar will make lines out the door inevitable.  I don't mind.  Next month, more openings and closings to keep you eating out.

The Patio: A New Look In Mission Hills

San Diego is teeming with new restaurants, and some really good ones are popping up. The newest restaurant you may want to try is The Patio on Goldfinch. The original Patio in Pacific Beach was an instant success, and their second restaurant on Goldfinch will probably be too
  The new restaurant is modern and open air in the front room with a fireplace. The designer is Lahaina Architects. The feature that everyone is drawn to is the huge, plant wall in the back of the room. It looks like the rainforest on a wall. It adds oxygen and life to all the dead materials that are used in construction today: concrete and steel. The Patio is going for Leed Platinum certification (as eco friendly as you can get)

The Patio has a cheese "cave" that Venissimo helped curate. They also plan to open a retail store called Front Porch around the corner. It will serve all sorts of gourmet foodstuff, plus some to-go lunch and dessert options. They are already planning another retail spot at Liberty Station, and possibly something in North County. Now that's what I call confidence.  The Patio just opened, so I haven't had a chance to eat there, but from the buzz it's creating, it should be good. I like to give restaurants at least a month to get their menu and service straightened out. I will visit the restaurant next month. In the meantime, Mission Hills is now loaded with fine dining spots. The Patio on Goldfinch joins Brooklyn Girl, The Red Door, The Wellington and Lefty's Pizzeria, all standouts within a couple of blocks. I can't wait to try it.

More New Restaurants For You To Try

It seems like everyday I see or am told about another new restaurant. A while back I was driving a group of women to Oceanside and we started talking restaurants. There are so many new restaurants in Oceanside, and many of them are good. I had mentioned Privateer, a new pizzeria on Coast Highway which we tried in May and loved. It's pub like in that it has a big bar center stage, then lots of tables for eating and drinking. The bar has many local brews on tap, and the pizza is delicious, nice and thin. Privateer also has lots of wonderful side dishes, like brussesl sprouts, asparagus, and interesting salads. Mary (a passenger in my car) mentioned Pizzeria Venti, which I have not tried, but will try to get to soon. Petite Madeline, which is not new, is worth a try at breakfast or lunch if you're in the area of Mission and Coast Highway. It's a French Bakery and restaurant. Lots of delicious looking cakes and pastries, but just a good place to try for morning coffee and a croissant, or a light lunch. In Leucadia we have a new winery and tapas bar. It's called Solterra, and it's on Coast Highway, just a block north of Leucadia Blvd. The business consists of two separate buildings, one to house the huge casks of wine (you can smell it as you approach), the other is the dining area and bar. Again, I have not yet eaten there, but was in to check it out around 5pm one afternoon and am excited to try it. They have many, many wines by the glass, half bottle and bottle. They have many tapas items (small plates), both hot and cold, like olives, marconna almonds, charcuterie plates, clams, some small salads and lamb chops. The hostess told me that some main courses will be added to the menu soon. I can see going there with a group of 4, ordering between 8-12 small plates and some wine, and having a wonderful dinner. Prices of tapas items range from $4-15. My friend Judith, from the Y (I told you I get all my best information at the Y) said she was there after it first opened and it was so busy that they couldn't get in. Go early on a weekday night and let me know. Also from Judith, I learned that a new sausage and beer place has opened on Coast Highway, just about a block away from Solterra, called Regal Seagull. Sausage lovers, you must try this. They serve about seven types of sausages with lots of different toppings. They also serve more traditional bar food like pretzels with dipping sauce and wings. The long bar takes up most of the restaurant, but there are about a dozen tables along the front windows. They serve many local beers on tap, which is definitely the new trend in San Diego. This is the third restaurant/bar to open recently in North County where beer is the main event. For those of you who didn't know, craft brewed beer from San Diego is very highly rated. In fact, we are known as the largest producers of local beer in the country! We also have a growing wine region in Temecula, with over 30 wineries to date. So it makes sense that restaurants are opening and taking advantage of our local products. Great restaurants abound in the Napa/Sonoma region, so why not here in San Diego? Also, all over Europe and England, pubs and bars have combined great beer with great food. Now we're trying to do the same. I hope you like some of these new finds. (unfortunately I am not a beer drinker so I can't comment on the quality of the beer, but I do love my wine, and I've had some good local ones).

Restaurant Openings and Closings

Restaurants open and close so quickly, it's almost impossible to keep up with them.  I have a few noteworthy openings to tell you about, and some closings as well.  Craftsman Bar and Tavern now occupies the space previously taken by Savory.  (in Encinitas).  Craftsman is the second restaurant from Wade Hageman, who used to be the executive chef at Blanca in Solana Beach, before he open Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza, about 2 years ago.  The menu at Craftsman is vey different, although some of the favorites from Blue Ribbon, like butterscotch pudding and truffel oil popcorn, are on the menu.  I haven't tried it yet, but plan to soon, and will review it at that time.  I can't wait to try it.  Another new restaurant in San Diego which I plan to try soon is True Food Kitchen.  One of the partners is Dr. Andrew Weil, so you know the food is healthy and fresh.  I will review it too, as soon as I can.  Soon to open in the Michael's center in Encinitas is Nosh Deli.  At last a Jewish deli, or so they say.  I'll be first in line when it opens.  Finally, the new Pacific Coast Grill in Cardiff is open for business.  I have not eaten there, but if it's as good as the old location in Solana Beach, it will be a big hit.  Killer views of the ocean and a night club make this a likely new "hot spot."

Several closings have occurred, most of which happened quietly, and I did not know about.  John's Waffle Shop in La Jolla has served it's last meal.  I had been going there for over 30 years.  I don't know how long they'd been in business, but a very long time.  Too bad.  Azul La Jolla is also closed.  I thought the food was pretty good.  I bet the high rent got them.  Vigilucci's Seafood, Steak and Chophouse in La Jolla has also closed.  My old friend Mauricio, was the maitre 'd there, and I know the food was good, but again, high rent probably got them in the end.  Finally, Paradise Grill in the Flower Hill Mall in Del Mar recently closed.  It was such a pretty restaurant inside and out, on the back patio.  I thought the food only fair, and although they tried everything from Happy Hour to two for ones, they couldn't make it. 

Keeping up with openings, closings and changes in chefs is a full time job.  These are just a few I thought you might like to know about.  The good chefs from these restaurants will survive.  They'll find another gig or start their own.  Our restaurant scene is evolving, and hopefully the good will survive, and the not so good will close and be replaced by something better.

Stacked in Mission Valley

Several months ago I heard about a new restaurant coming to San Diego, and I haven't had a chance to get there yet. However, Ron was recently playing in a bridge tournament at Town and Country Hotel, and I suggested he and his team try Stacked for lunch. It's in the Fashion Valley shopping center right next door. So this information is from him, but he knows a good burger and fries, so I trust his judgement.

Stacked began in Torrance. Two of the principal founders of BJ's had sold out their interest in that restaurant group, and were looking for something new to do. They started Stacked in Torrance, and now have three locations. It's nothing new, but the gimmick is that each table has an IPad, to be used for ordering your food. Of course the waiter is available to help you, if you're like me and have never used and IPad. The restaurant itself is busy and quite noisy, and the food is good.

Ron had a burger and fries. He had it just the way he likes it, with cheese, bacon and catsup. It was cooked to his specifications, and very good. Others in his group all had salads. The ingredients were all very fresh, and of course they will make it exactly the way you want it. They have about 6 listed salads, like Caesar, Asian and Mediterranean, then a list of about 30 ingredients, if you want to build your own salad. Other items on the menu include pizza. I don't know if it's thick or thin, but it is very popular. Again, you can order one of their traditional pizzas, or build your own. They also have milk shakes, very popular today on burger restaurant menus. Chicken sandwiches, sausages, and ice cream cookies sandwiches can also be ordered. As I said, the food is nothing new, but everything is made to order, so you get exactly what you want. The gimmick is the IPad, which I think would be fun. It's worth a try for lunch sometime if you're shopping in Mission Valley. Everyone always wants to eat at the Cheesecake Factory, but this is a great alternative, and probably not as crowded. Give it a try.

Emergency Restaurant List

If you're like us, a lot of your eating out is done on the spur of the moment. Sometimes I come home at 5pm, nothing defrosted for dinner, so the next question is "Where are we going for dinner?" Often we draw a blank. Or, as happened a few weeks ago, we went to a nearby restaurant, Fish 101, couldn't get in, and then couldn't decide where to go. So Ron had the great idea to make a list of restaurants that we like, our "go to" restaurants when we're stuck on where to eat. Here is the list we came up with a few weeks ago. They're all basically no reservations places, healthy (for the most part) so if you're like us, you can make your decision at the last moment.

Ron and Susie's Emergency Restaurant List
1. Especial Norte-Leucadia
2. Tin Leaf-Carlsbad
3. Urban Plates-Del Mar
4. Taverna Blu-Del Mar
5. 3rd Corner-Encinitas
6. Todo Sushi-Carlsbad
7. Station Sushi-Solana Beach
8. Off The Hook-Encinitas
9. Fish 101-Leucadia
10. Elevation Burgers-Carlsbad
11. East Village Asian Diner
12. Pizza Nova-San Marcos and Solana Beach
13. Lucky Pho-San Marcos
14. Sans Sai-Carlsbad Outlet Mall
15. Sammy's-Carlsbad and Del Mar
16. Luna Grill-Bressi Ranch and Carmel Valley

More New Restaurants

I am amazed everytime I drive by a new restaurant, especially ones that are being built from the ground up. Opening a restaurant is a huge financial investment. Ron always said you want to be the second person in the restaurant space, that way the kitchen, a major expenditure, has already been built and paid for by someone else. There are a few new restaurants in North County that just might make it in this economy. On Highway 101 near Leucadia Blvd, is the new Fish 101. This has been several things in the past few years, most recently Jawz, a fish taco place from Hawaii, that lasted about a year.

Fish 101 has a great chance to succeed, because it is great. It's small and intimate, but the food is amazing. Seafood salads, fish platters, fish tacos, and every imaginable side to go with these fresh from the sea dishes, make Fish 101 a winner. To top it all off, the wife of the husband/wife team that own the restaurant is a pastry chef, and makes all the desserts. If you still have room for dessert, try the creme brulee. Fish 101 has a modest happy hour menu, with beer and fish taco. Prices are very moderate and the food is delicious.

Another new fish restaurant on Highway 101, this time near Encinitas Blvd, is HappiFish. It's got lots of sushi, but in addition, you can find most any seafood item you want. It's a little pricier, than Fish101, much bigger, and they have a hoppin' happy hour. So far that's all I've been to, but I enjoyed that very much.

Urban Solace recently opened in Encinitas, right behind the Lumberyard. My foodie friends say I will love it, that it's American comfort food kicked up a notch. Right now they are open for dinner only, but in a few weeks look for them to serve lunch, too.

Ignite is the other new player in town. They have redone La Costa Bar and Grill that went out of business about 6 months ago, and they have an extensive menu, that looks fantastic. Salads, interesting starters, pizzas, burgers of all types, and much, much more, make this restaurant appealing. They have Happy Hour everyday from 4-7, with lots of great appetizer choices. I don't know if they're trying to attract a big bar crowd or if they intend to concentrate on good food, but I'll soon find out. I will give it a try very soon.

If you have any new restaurants to report, please let me know. We're all looking for something new, something good, something unique. The quality of restaurants in North County is definitely improving. No longer do we have to go downtown for a good meal. We've got lots of great options in our area, and more are on the way. The new burger place in Bressi Ranch just opened, and was packed when I drove by last week. I hope to go there for lunch very soon, and will let you know how I liked it. It's called Elevation, and it features grass fed beef.

Next time you're looking for something new, try one of the new spots in town. It may become your new favorite place.

Studio Diner Has It All

I love Guy Fieri's show on the Food Network, Diners Drive-Ins and Dives. Lucky for us he has come to San Diego and has selected several diners in the area to showcase on the program. I recently had lunch with a group of six friends who love to eat out, where we sampled a variety of menu items at Studio Diner.

The diner is located just off the 805 and Balboa Ave. All kinds of people frequent the diner, which is open 24/7. Lots of military guys from Miramar Airstation nearby love the place. It has a movie studio theme, from the sleek trailer look of the building itself, to movie equipment as part of the decor.

What I liked most about the diner was the warm, friendly feel of the waitstaff and customers. Good and plentiful food is really what people go to the Studio Diner for.

Reuben sandwiches, monte cristo sandwiches, tuna melts, spaghetti and chile,lobster pot pies, crab cakes, and salads, soups and every breakfast item you could possible imagine fill the menu. I wish I could have eaten more, but what I ate was delicious. Home made mushroom and brie soup loaded with mushrooms, and a monte cristo sandwich that was deep fried to perfection and served with raspberry jam were more than I could possibly finish. The whole experience was great fun, and I'll definitely be back to try one of their humungeous omelettes, crispy hash brown and toast. So many great places to eat, so little time. I

New Eats And Shops In Encinitas

I drive by empty shopping centers,huge spaces where supermarkets or department stores have closed and wonder, "Will they ever rent this space in this economy?" The answer of course is Yes. Just like a house, if you have it on the market for the right price, given time, everything sells. Well, an old shopping center in Encinitas, where Alberson's used to be (on El Camino Real) is getting a new life.

Five Guys, the burger chain from the East Coast, is coming to Encinitas. Horray. It's a good burger, often compared to In and Out, but with fries and coke, it's more expensive. The burger is good, juicy, and has all the trimmings. I found the fries to be greasy, and way too many. However, my guess is they will do well in Encinitas, as we don't really have anything like them. One of the investors in Five Guys is Rancho Santa Fe resident Phil Mickelson. You may go for a burger and run into your favorite golfer!

I have also been told that Chick Fil A is also moving into this center. I'm not a fried chicken fan, but I'm sure many of you will be thrilled with this addition to our choice of restaurants.

Another new spot that recently opened is Off the Hook. It is similar to Pelly's in Carlsbad, except that it doesn't have a fish market. It is fresh grilled fish, either on a platter with rice, beans and salad, or in a bowl with veggies and rice, or as a sandwich. They also have fried fish, french or sweet potato fries, several wraps and fish tacos. Nice, new and it all looks very fresh. I can't wait to try it.I have also been told that Chick Fil A is also moving into this center. I'm not a fried chicken fan, but I'm sure many of you will be thrilled with this addition to our choice of restaurants.


Finally, Kohl's is coming to the same center, which I am definitely excited about. I have only shopped there in Denver, and find them to have great merchandise at good prices. Look out, Target.

Speaking of Target, the Encinitas location is getting a face lift and an upgrade. They are removing the garden center (It was no competition for Home Depot across the street), and upgrading their food service to include Starbucks and Pizza Hut. Is that an upgrade? I guess it is, even though Pizza Hut is not my personal choice for lunch.

Last but not least, we are patiently awaiting the opening of Whole Foods in the Lumberyard. It is scheduled for a June opening. I can't wait. The center also includes small businesses that are already opening. A high end women's clothing store (excellent) and a home accessory store, with crafts, paintings, painted furniture and jewelry by many local artists are already open for business. Stop in the center and see what's new. My guess is that by the time Whole Foods opens, the spaces will be rented and it will be a great place to shop.

If you have any news about new openings, please let me know so I can let the readers of this blog in on what's new. I always love to try new places, so I'm sure you'll see me at Five Guys. I love a good burger and I can do without the fries. Now when is Burger Lounge coming to North County?

Travel Means Trying New Foods

One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to sample the local flavors. I like to do that at home too, but while traveling I get a chance to try new preparations of old flavors or taste foods I've never even seen before. My recent cruise with my mom offered me just that experience.

Two of our cruise stops were in Portugal. I had always heard about grilled sardines as a specialty of Portugal and I was determined to try them. We stopped in Oporto, our very first stop, and I hit the jackpot. We had just finished cleaning out a little store of all their scarves (well, not really, but it felt like we bought out the whole store) and were hungry for lunch. Should we go back to the cruise ship where we knew we would get a fantstic meal, or should we try a local cafe and get the grilled sardines? It was no dilemma for me. I'll always go fo the local cuisine.

The cafe we chose was outdoors in the center of a large pedestrian promenade. Great for people watching, and as I soon discovered, great for eating. The picture menu made it easy to order, and I immediately saw just what I wanted. Grilled sardines, boiled potatoes, and a salad with several vegetables. All this for 8 euros. When my order arrived I was sorry we hadn't split the meal. Several large grilled sardines, potatoes and vegetables were a beautiful sight. Much more than I could ever finish, but I did my best. The sardines were sweet and tender and different than what I expected. After all, all I knew about sardines is that they came in a little tin and were packed in oil. Portugese sardines are a whole different breed. They were about 8 inches in length with bones that must be removed. The ones we get in the can are eaten whole. I loved my meal, but I wasn't done yet. Across the street from our cafe was a bakery, and we had to sample the local tarts that everyone was eating. It's a little tart shell filled with a custard like confection. It was very firm, with a burnt topping. Wonderful. I polished it off before we got halfway down the next block.

When you're on a cruise all your meals are included so you tend to want to go back to the ship for your meals, but you miss so much. I would never have had my sardines or my tart which to me, were so much a part of the trip. It's so interesting to see first hand how different countries take the same ingredients and turn them into something very different. I'll have to go back to Portugal someday to see what other deliciousness I can discover.

Websites I Like

The best restaurants don't necessarily have the best websites. The converse is also true. I have several great websites to share with you. Most are from restaurants I like, but don't necessarily love. Yet their websites are interesting, with recipes, food information and some great pictures. I do love most of the chain restaurant websites, if only for the nutritional information they provide. Here are some favorites.

Roy's Restaurant in La Jolla (and worldwide) is a place I know I will always get a good meal. www.roysrestaurant.com is a great site to see local special events, menu changes and recipes. It's got more than the typical restaurant website which gives you just the menu, hours and a few pictures.

Sea Rocket in North Park is a very good restaurant but has the best website of any restaurant I have checked. My favorite part of the website is the map which shows every food item on the menu and what local farm it came from. Talk about knowing where you food comes from! Check out www.searocketbistro.com.

I have to mention the websites of both Whole Foods and Henry's. Whole Foods is my favorite, and although these are markets, they also serve prepared food to eat on site, so I guess you could also call them restaurants. The Whole Foods website has a blog, recipes, articles about food trends and general health articles. Henry's also has a good website, including weekly specials at the market.

Prep Kitchen, a new restaurant in Del Mar has an interesting blog on their website. One of their owners just came back from a trip to Italy which he chronicled in a blog. He travelled the Amalfi Coast and other areas in the region to learn about wine, cheese making and cured meats. It's a very nice travel journal.

Check out the website of your favorite restaurants and let me and the readers of this blog know if you find anything really interesting. I'd love to know. It's amazing to me that restaurants can use their website to educate and inform the public, besides promote their own product. Ah, the wonders of the internet.

New Eats and Some Old Ones Too

There are two new restaurants opening in North County that I am anxious to try. In Del Mar, Prep Kitchen is opening soon, and in Encinitas, Blue Ribbon Pizza opens on June 18. Both promise to bring a new level of dining to the local scene.

Prep Kitchen comes to us from the crew at Whisknladdle, a highly acclaimed restaurant. They believe the Slow Food Movement, which is a way of living and eating. It is a global grassroots movement that links the pleasure of food and wine with a commitment to community and environment. Prep Kitchen works with local ranchers, farmers and fisherman to provide you with the best possible product in the most conscientious way. The menu they have created looks amazing. Salads like warm white bean and arugula salad, beet, grapefruit and avocado salad, and corn and green bean salad with bacon and carmelized onion salad are needed departures from the standard salad choices.

Sandwiches too, are old classics with a new twist. Chicken salad sandwich with roasted apple, walnuts and mustard, or how about meatloaf melt with onions, gruyere and remoulade. Main courses inclusde everything from half a roast chicken with saffron risotto to Niman Ranch beer braised beef with mashed potatoes. Everything sounds fantastic. I will review it after I actually eat there. For now, my mouth is watering thinking about how I will choose.

Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza (www.blueribbonpizzeria.com) is opening on June 18. I will be there shortly to check it out, but for now I'll just give you a preview of what to expect. There restaurant is the creation of Wade Hageman, former chef at Blanca in Solana Beach. His concept is to use local, organic ingredients to create wonderful salads and pizza in a casual atmosphere. His menu is exciting.

Salads and starters include fresh burrata with sea salt and organic argula, hand stretched mozzarella with local tomatoes and basil, artisan cheese plate with peperonata and black mission fig mostarda, sweet corn soup with chili oil, and peasant tomato and bread soup with basil oil. Pizzas look home made and include all the basics some with special ingredients like fennel sausage. I'm having lunch there soon, so will review it after I eat there.

Finally, there are two restaurants I want to mention that are NOT new, but I love Vietnamese food and wanted to tell you about them. One is Pho Lucky, a comfortable restaurnt in shopping center in Vista. I have eaten there several times and have always been pleased with the high quality ingredients and friendly service. The other restaurant is Pho Ever, also in Vista. I have not eaten there, but will go there as soon as possible on the recommendation of my friend Alan who knows where to eat, and appreciates good food. If he says it's good, I've got to try it.

So here are are few places for you to try this summer. I have a feeling that restaurants in our area are improving. The first two I talked about have real promise. I'm excited to try them both.

Thyme Cafe and Market

A wonderful new cafe and market has opened on Ocean Park Blvd in Santa Monica. It's called Thyme Cafe (www.thymecafeandmarket.com). It's a neighborhood kind of place, with wooden tables, flowers everywhere, food displayed beautifully in cases, and sweets to die for just out of reach. We were there for an early dinner, as they close at 7pm, and many single men and women came in to pick up dinner. Also, many singles were eating in the cafe, most seem to like the community table.

Thyme Cafe is open from 7am-7pm. The food is healthy, creative and abundant. The chalkboard lists the soups, salads and sandwiches for the day, plus a printed menu tells you the standard items. I had a three salad medley. I picked from the 10 or so prepared salads in the case, which was already a difficult decision. I had roasted beets (yellow and red)with goat cheese with just a little olive oil. Fresh and delicious. I also had curried lentils that I devoured. My favorite salad was a roasted butternut squash with bacon, walnuts, dried cranberries, and cheese. That was fantastic. One of the best salads I've ever had. My mom had a thick ham and cheese sandwich on rustic bread and a bowl of homemade soup. We were too full for dessert.

Desserts looked exquisite from lemon bars and brownies, to carrot cake, chocolate ganache cake, to mini cupcakes which vary from day to day.

The breakfast menu is short but full of flavor. Scones, coffee cake, croissants, homemade granola with yogurt and fruit, challah French toast, BLT egg sandwich, and banana pancakes are what they offer. The rest of the menu for lunch or dinner is many salads, like curried chicken salad, greek salad and chinese chicken salad, and lots of sandwiches such as cuban pork, grilled cheese, turkey meatloaf and steak sandwich.

If you're ever in the Santa Monica neighborhood, Thyme Cafe is a great spot to stop for a light meal or just to pick up some great food to take home. I wish there were more places like this. I might never cook again!! (just kidding, I love to cook)

Coffee Wars?

Remember the cola wars of the 1960's? Every shopping center had a booth where you could sample Coke and Pepsi and decide which was best. Years after the cola wars began, there's no answer to the question, which drink is best, Coke or Pepsi? Everyone has their favorites. I guess it's the same with coffee.

I recently was at Starbucks and noticed they are having a taste test from October 2-5. I went home to check it out online, and could find no mention of it. I assume it's a sampling of their many varieties of coffee, not a comparison to other coffee houses like Peet's and Coffee Bean, although that would be a great idea. Actually, last night I saw a commercial for this promotion. They are introducing individual INSTANT coffee drinks, so that's what you'll be sampling if you go to Starbucks this weekend. This is not a new concept, as instant coffee has been around forever, but I'll be anxious to taste it and see if it's any good.

As with the colas, everyone seems to have their favorites, mine being Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. I've been frequenting them for over 35 years. Did you know that they invented the iced blended drink years ago? (Starbucks calls it a Frapuccino, but Coffee Bean was selling this drink in the 1970's). But I digress. The coffee at Coffee Bean is good and strong, but not bitter. Starbucks is good too, but their regular blend is a bit weaker. Peet's and Seattle's Best also have excellent coffee, as do many of the fast food restaurants, most notably McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts. These, however, do not compare to the coffee houses in either regular coffee or specialty drinks.

According to a coffee history legend, an Arabian shepherd named Kaldi found his goats dancing joyously around a drak green leafed shrub with bright red cherries in the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. Kaldi soon determined that it was the bright red cherries on the shrub that were causing the peculiar euphoria and after trying the chrries himself, he learned of their powerful effect. This sounds very good, but is in fact false. The coffee bean began on the plateaus of central Ethiopia and somehow were brought to Yemen where it has been cultivated since the 6th century. Upon introduction of the first coffee houses in Cairo and Mecca coffee became a passion rather than a stimulant.

Our passion for coffee has not diminished through the years. Quite the opposite. On every corner of every city throughout the world, you're likely to find a coffee house. The great marketing of companies like Starbucks and McDonald's have showed us that we can't live without coffee. And going to a coffee house to drink coffee and work has become a lifestyle for many, both old and young. I will often make coffee at home, but much prefer to go out for my coffee. It just tastes so much better!