Review - SDMA Sculpture Court Cafe by Giuseppe

Lunch and Art at reasonable prices...SDMA Sculpture Court Cafe by Giuseppe

The SDMA Sculpture Court Café by Giuseppe was a very welcome surprise. While spending a pleasant day walking all around Balboa Park, we asked about places to eat inside the park. We had already checked out the Japanese Friendship Garden’s tea room, but found nothing we really wanted. I’ve been to The Prado before, but didn’t want to spend that much money. The Sculpture Court Café turned out to be the perfect place for a sunny day in San Diego.

With tables going from the walkway in front of the museum, through the covered courtyard and into the sculpture garden every table provides a nice breeze and something to look at. The entrance to the café is beautiful. Huge open-work metal gates in a pattern of half swirls separate the crosswalk from the courtyard. The courtyard is covered by a huge sail shade keeping the diners comfortable. Butcher paper is laid over the tables and a small bucket of crayons is provided for those who like to doodle. I drew a picture of a goldfish which I think came out pretty good. They also offer a Grab n’ Go counter where you can purchase pre-made salads and sandwiches that you can take into the garden to eat.

The menu is a nice selection of Italian inspired sandwiches and salads and artisan pizzas. For those who aren't walking around the park all day, they offer a few pasta dishes, a steak dish, salmon and a large burger. They have a few specialty cocktails and wines listed on their menu, but I don't think they have a full bar. They also have a good selection of desserts, although I didn't get a chance to look at any of them. I don't think anyone there was ordering dessert today. And of course, there's coffee drinks for those who do venture into dessert territory.

What did I get?

I wanted to start with Calamari fritti but was told they were taking it off the menu so it was no longer available. Just as well. What I did get turned out to be quite enough. I ordered a drink they call a Balboa Paloma. It’s grapefruit soda, tequila and lime juice. It was a good choice for a warm day, light and refreshing. Both my roommate and I both ordered their “Ultimate Grilled Cheese” sandwich. It was delicious and not too heavy. Grilled sourdough bread with prosciutto, mozarella, fresh tomatoes and pesto. On the side we chose their green salad. A mixture of organic greens and a balsamic viniagerette which wasn’t too sweet. It was just the right lunch for a warm day that involves a lot of walking/biking.

What's cool?

It’s all cool. The food and the setting are both great and it's always fun to have crayons at your table.

What sucks?

Well, not so much as sucks as it is an inconvenience. They’re only open for lunch 11:00 - 3:00 and there was a bit of a wait for a table with nowhere to sit while waiting.

Rating...Mmmmm mmmm good, casual yet sophisticated and not too expensive.

Day in the park

Today was another beautiful day in San Diego. In my attempt to walk as much as possible, my roommate and I have been going places on Sundays where we can walk around and see stuff without spending alot of money. Today we went to Balboa Park Balboa Park. We spent about four hours and very little money.

When we arrived we parked about halfway up Balboa Drive and crossed the Cabrillo Bridge. From there we went to the Organ Pavillion and down to the International cottages. Each week a different nation's cottage has an open house, sells food and performs traditional dances or music. Today was Lithuania. They were selling sausages, kugells and sauerkraut. Not what we were hungry for.

So we walked back up past the Organ Pavillion to the Japanese Friendship Garden where they have a tea room. Still didn't find anything we wanted. We decided to go ask if there were other places to eat besides The Prado, which is good but not what we were looking to spend. Finally wound up at the SDMA Sculpture Court Cafe which we really enjoyed.

After lunch we rented a surrey and rode around for an hour, got shaved ice and watched a juggling show before returning it. That was so much fun. The surrey is easier to pedal than a bicycle at times, but it's still alot of work going uphill. We had a nice enjoyable ride while we were getting exercise and it was only $20. I definitely want to do that again.

There's so much to see at Balboa Park. I think we'll probably be going alot this Summer.

Review - Rei Do Gado (Downtown)

OMG, so much food, but it‘s soooo good...Rei do Gado

Rei Do Gado is a Brazilian Barbecue restaurant. For those who’ve never been to Brazilian Barbecue, it’s an all you can eat meat fest. They grill various types of meats on large skewers. The waiters bring the skewers around and slice off pieces of meat onto your plate. Your given a little wooden object painted red on one side and green on the other. As long as you’ve got the green side up the waiters will keep coming around with meats. Once you turn the red side up they stop. They’re very quick to bring you meat as soon as they see the green. You never have to worry about waiting for more. You’re more likely to find too much meat on your plate at one time and they'll still be coming around. It’s not just meat either. Before you start getting meat there’s a pretty big buffet of salads and sides. The buffet is great all on it’s own, featuring a selection of cheeses, fruits, salads and vegetables, including both white and green asparagus, hearts of palm, marinated mushrooms and olives, stuffed sun dried tomatoes, and the list goes on. If you’re not a big eater you need to be careful that you don’t fill up before the meat starts coming.

They also have a full bar, a variety of wines and a caipirinha station where a woman stands and makes nothing but caipirinhas, and she’s making them constantly so once you order one you get it within seconds. A caipirinha is the national drink of Brazil. It’s made with a Brazilian liquor called cachaca, distilled from sugar, but it’s sweeter than rum. The cachaca is muddled or shaken with sugar and lime and served over ice. You might want to get one just because you’re in a Brazilian restaurant, but for my taste it’s too sweet. If you still haven’t had enough after you’re done with all the meats, they offer a few really nice looking desserts, but I’ve never had room for them.

What do I get?

A little bit of everything. Ok, that’s an exaggeration. If you got just a little bit of everything your stomach would explode.

What's cool?

In back of the dining area there’s a glass wall that you can see the meat roasting through. Also, many of the wait staff are from Brazil. They’re all good looking.

Rating...The perfect place to take your favorite carnivore for his birthday. It‘s not cheap but you‘re definitely going to get your money‘s worth.

Review - Lido's Italian Foods

Good, inexpensive comfort food...Lido's Italian Foods

When I walk into Lido’s it’s like I’m walking into childhood memories. It’s like a mixture of places I remember going to dinner and homes of relatives I haven’t seen in years. The décor doesn’t seem to have changed since the 70s. There’s nothing about this place that doesn’t scream family, with the exception of the bar which is small and closed off from the main restaurant. The main dining room is full of booths and most of the people sitting in them are with family. You’ll almost always see at least one group of people dining there who are chatting with the owner’s daughter. So many of the diners here are regulars. There’s another dining room behind accordion room dividers that has tables and chairs and often is filled with large groups. The food is simple and good. In addition to traditional Italian American dishes like pasta and pizza, they offer barbecue and steaks as well as a couple of seafood items.

What do I get?

I always get the Chicken a la Florentine. You can order half a chicken or a whole chicken for just $5 more. The chicken is great. It’s full of spices and lemon juice and is always cooked just right. They even give out the recipe for this dish both posted on a wall in the restaurant and on their website. The dinner comes with soup and salad. The soup is always minestrone and their salad always comes with the house dressing. You also get garlic bread and a side of pasta or fries. I get the pasta with olive oil and garlic. Definitely not date food. I usually only eat one piece of chicken and a bite of pasta before boxing it up to take home for 3 or 4 meals.

What's cool?

Nothing. This place is about as cool as your mother’s housecoat, but that’s what this place is all about, comfort food and family.

Rating...Good anytime. Be sure to bring Grandma when she visits from out of town.

Review -The Tin Fish (Imperial Beach location)

Good food at the beach...The Tin Fish

The Tin Fish is just what I thought had been missing in San Diego; Good sea food without fuss or high prices. They have several locations in San Diego as well as a few locations outside of California. The Imperial Beach location is completely casual. Just the right vibe for a sunny weekend day. The restaurant is at the end of the Imperial Beach pier. There are a few tables outside, stools at a counter on both sides of the front wall and a few more tables inside. Orders are taken at the register and numbers are called to advise diners to pick up their food. The menu offers alternatives for those who don't like fish but the fish is what it's really about. Their menu calls their fish & chips famous but they not only serve the traditional cod, but also swordfish, salmon or halibut & chips. You can also order various seafoods with chips, several types of fish tacos and burritos, fish sandwiches, fish/seafood soups and grilled fish selections.

What did I get?

Clam chowder and fish & chips. The clam chowder was good. The fish is battered then dipped in what I'm assuming is corn meal before frying giving it a unique texture. The chips, while not traditional are really good. Instead of a thick cut french fry they server crisscut fries that are really crunchy. They even held their crunch after being drenched in malt vinegar. On the side came cole slaw. Their version is different from other cole slaws I've had. There is nothing creamy in the dressing, just vinegar and seasoning. Unusual but good. Their serving sizes are hearty. Their were two of us and we shared a bowl of clam chowder and an order of fish & chips and both of us were satisfied. Actually, I was pretty full.

What's cool?

You can order 1/2 orders of some of their items. I really thought that was great because the fish & chips came with five pieces of fish. I never could've eaten that much. I also loved being able to sit outside and watch the surf while we ate. Luckily we had lunch rather late in the day so we didn't have a problem getting an outside table. All their seating is at a premium during the usual busy periods.

What sucks?

Unfortunately their iced tea was terrible. Since I'd never been their before I don't know if that is usually the case or not. It was over brewed, way too bitter. Even after adding some water to try to tone it down and some lemon, which I don't always use when I drink iced tea, it was still pretty bad. I wound up throwing more than half of it away after we finished eating.

Rating...Definitely the place to go if you just want some good, unpretentious fish and seafood in San Diego.

Recipe - Greek Broiled Lamb Chops

When it comes to red meat lamb is my absolute favorite. I love it. The dish I most often make for special occasions is Greek Roasted Leg of Lamb. But that’s expensive and not really practical when you’re only cooking for two. I came up with this recipe when I found some nice lamb chops at the store. It’s quick and easy, so you can whip it up on a weekday.

Ingredients:

2 lamb chops

2 teaspoons of your favorite Greek or Mediterranean spice blend*

1 medium lemon

1 teaspoon salt*

* My favorite spice blend is Mediterranean Sea Salt from San Diego Coffee, Tea and Spice Inc. http://www.sandiegocoffee.com/. Since it already contains salt I use one tablespoon of it and leave out the added salt.

Preparation:

Sprinkle chops on both sides with spice blend and salt. Squeeze one half of the lemon over the side of the chops facing up. Save the other half for the other side. Place chops under broiler. Broil for approximately five minutes. Turn chops and squeeze remaining lemon over them. Broil another five minutes or until they are done to your liking.

Quick and simple, huh?

Serves 2.

How do I like mine?

Rare

Review - Onami

Sushi bargain...Onami

Onami is an all you can eat buffet featuring sushi and Japanese food. The front entrance features a bit of kitsch, but the rest of the restaurant is subtle and modern. They also have a small patio for outside dining. The menu differs a bit from day to day but the majority of offerings stays consistent. Featuring four different food stations. Salads and crab claws, sushi and sashimi, hot foods and soups, and dessert. They also have a limited offering of pastas. All the food is included in the price of your meail. Drinks are available for a separate charge. They offer sodas, hot green tea or iced passion berry tea, beer and wine, sake and plum wine

What do I get?

I usually start with some of their salads. Sumi salad, shrimp/cucumber, kimchi and smoked salmon. Next is tempura, shumai, fried calamari, gyoza, sweet spicy crab and a deep fried roll with shitake mushrooms. I just eat the shrimp and green beans from the tempura. Next is sushi and sashimi. I usually have a little bit of all the types of sashimi then pick a few types of sushi. Normally I will also have a piece of chocolate cake, maybe some fruit and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert.

What's cool?

The dessert station offers Japanese green tea or mango ice cream. I don’t eat them, but it’s still cool. I also like the women’s restroom. It’s not particularly large or well decorated, but each stall is a little room with walls and a real wood door. However they blew it with the sinks. They’re in a tight space and tend to send water all over the place. The coolest thing though is a smoking area. There’s a somewhat hidden door that leads to a little fenced off are where smokers can smoke…reminds me of an exhibit at the zoo…The great North American smoker. Status: Endangered

Rating...If you like sushi and want a lot of it cheap, go. Just be sure to wear your eating pants.