Bits and Bites

**We’re hearing that Five Guys Burgers & Fries will be opening a second San Diego location in Liberty Station near Vons. North Island Naval Station already enjoys these burgers—the franchise began in Virginia. No opening date set for the new site.

**Smashburger, chose La Jolla as its first entry into the soon-to-be saturated San Diego market. Expect the store to open in the next few weeks. Note to Smashburger…Do we really need three daily teaser tweets before you’ve sold your first burger in this market?

**In the space next to the empty Jack’s La Jolla on Girard, Cups serves organic cupcakes in two sizes: petite (three-bites) and large (six plus bites). Buy five get the sixth free—$2 each for small, $4 for large. For a treat anytime, the flourless chocolate decadence is moist and worth every crumb. Flavors change daily (the website has the weekly schedule) and they’re open late

**In Hillcrest, The Big Easy takes over in the The Better Half space while just around the corner on Fourth next to Tapas Picasso, Kips Café has reopened after relocating from El Cajon. Haven’t tried either yet, as both opened in the past few weeks. Down the road on Adams Avenue, Café 21 now offers dinner in addition to breakfast and lunch.

**Bankers Hill will soon welcome Isabel Cruz and Barrio Star in the space that housed the short lived Mukashi at Nutmeg and Fifth. And down the hill on Fourth and Ivy, Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant opens in March, the second venue for Market Restaurant + Bar’s Carl Schroeder (Buzz noted in October).

**Love lasagna, live in Scripps Ranch and hate to cook? You’re in luck as Lady Lasagna opens in Scripps Ranch with another location soon in the North County Mall. Various lasagnas include Genova (pesto) and Alba (with truffles). Check out the pictures on their website. Haven’t tried it yet.

Two San Diego chefs are featured in the March 2010 issue of Food & Wine magazine. On page 45, Thai maven and owner of Saffron, Su-Mei Yu, shares recipes from her newest cookbook, The Elements of Life.

Then on page 54, longtime San Diego chef Deborah Schneider (she opened JSix and headed the La Jolla Hilton at Torrey Pines before that) appears with her take on Mexican food. Schneider’s newest book, Amor y Tacos is due out in a few months. And anyone traveling to Newport Beach might find her at her recently opened Sol Cocina where she is a partner and executive chef.

The word is out (and the sign is up) that the popular Point Loma Con Pane Rustic Breads & Café will soon have a new home in Liberty Station. It is in the same complex as Joao’s Tin Fish Eatery & Pub, Ace Hardware and backs up to the Point Loma Sports Grill & Pub. The greater access with lots of parking and a big patio should be a boon to bakery goers far and near. And yes, the place is a Buzz favorite.

As mentioned in a September 8, 2009 post, wine lovers who might have wondered where Bryan Ferris landed after his many years downtown at The Wine Bank, can now sip and smooze with him at the new Fifty-Seven Degrees on Washington in the building that was the Pier 1 outlet store. The wine store is open along with the wine storage facilities and the center of the room wine bar is just about finished. 1735 Hancock Street, San Diego, 619-234-5757

On Valentine’s Day (and everyday, really) show your love in ways that go beyond the usual hearts and flowers.

For those who love bubbles (the drinkable kind), get a head start with your Valentine and book the Chandon dinner on February 10 at The 3^rd Corner. It includes four courses and guest Tom Tibarzi, the sparkling wine director at the winery, who will talk about the wines. $75 plus tip. For reservations 619-223-2700.

On Valentine’s Day surprise your sweetie with coffee and a chocolate bread teddy bear from Con Pane Rustic Breads & Café. Made from the bakery’s pane cioccollata (Italian chocolate bread), this tasty cutie comes boxed with a red ribbon. Not too rich, but with bits of Belgian chocolate scattered through it, this $12.95 bear will bring a smile to your true love. Order ahead: 1110 Rosecrans, Point Loma, 619-224-4344.

Should an edible teddy bear not suffice, how about a lovely wine or Champagne with a selection of cheeses, pates and crackers or bread. In Carlsbad, La Costa Wine Co. will help you choose the perfect bottle to go with their lovely selection of imported cheeses and pates that you would find in fine restaurants. La Costa Wine Co. 6986 El Camino Real, 760-431-8455.

Venissimo Cheese with locations in Del Mar, Mission Hills and downtown, carry a wide variety of cheeses, crackers, jams and even honey (for dabbing on certain cheeses or just keeping your love sweet throughout the year). Taste Artisan Cheese & Gourmet Shop can also help you with cheeses and local salumi from Knight for a platter to please the palate. 1243 ½ University Ave., San Diego, 619-683-2306.

Most restaurants do special Valentine’s Day dinners, many with a prix-fixe menu so check with your favorite spot for options. If you want to try something different, reserve a space for a chocolate inspired dinner at the tiny Eclipse Chocolat shop. They will serve a four-course dinner for $100 per couple. Well-known for their monthly chocolate dinners, they take just 200 reservations for their 27 seats on two nights, at multiple seatings beginning at 2pm. Dinner cost includes wines, plus tax and tip. 2121 El Cajon Blvd., at Alabama, 619-578-2984.

Valentine’s Day would not be complete without a mention of many of San Diego’s top chocolatiers and dessert makers. You’ll always find room for chocolate espresso kisses from The Elegant Truffle in Point Loma, or something special from Extraordinary Desserts in Bankers Hill and Little Italy or Heaven Sent Desserts in North Park. Chuao Chocolatier in Encinitas, University Towne Centre and Del Mar Heights creates uniquely flavored chocolates with chocolate from Venezuela. Chocolat Cremerie’s locations in Hillcrest and the Gaslamp feature Italian inspired desserts, crepes and more should you want to indulge for brunch. The Elegant Truffle, 1111 Scott St., Point Loma, 619-222-1889.

Assuming you’re rooting for the Saints and watching the game with friends, plan and theme a Super Bowl party with food from Mardi Gras Café and Marketplace. You’ll find the place on Midway, two blocks off Rosecrans at Riley in small mall that includes a Punjab Indian restaurant (haven’t tried it, looks good) and a 7-Eleven. The café features sausage subs, po’boys and entrees such as red beans and rice, gumbos and jambalaya, all under $10. The market in this tiny space carries pickled pig’s cheeks, crayfish, all variations of sausage, spices, hot sauces (they boast nearly 300) and alligator tail meat, Zapp’s chips, and Café du Monde coffee and beignet mix. Open daily: 3185 Midway Dr., Point Loma, 619-223-5501.

Closed: Bondi in the Gaslamp and SanFilippo’s on Fifth in Hillcrest and according to their new phone number: 619-850-4802, they are looking for a new location.

**Popped into the latest pizza place to grace the University Heights dining landscape: Pizzeria Bruno. Three of us arrived about 6:15 and asked to be seated in the bar area—two adorable, yet screaming children were enjoying pizza on the other side of the room. The kids aside, this is terrific pizza as it should be made…a wood fire oven, very fresh ingredients and a pizza crust that is light, slightly chewy, blistered from the fire and worth every carb bite.

Try the house made mozzarella and tomato salad (ripe heirlooms) with a lovely little balsamic dressing served on the side to be dabbed not smothered on the cheese. ($8) The handmade breadsticks (from the pizza dough) work to sop the cheese, fresh garlic slices and olive oil on the platter. ($6). The 11-inch Campania pizza included tomato sauce, mozzarella, fennel sausage, mushrooms and roasted onions ($15). The short Italian wine list features small boutique wines by the glass and bottle (nothing over $35). Service is spot on and smart (and our server didn’t need to announce her name, she was great). Open for lunch Thursday to Saturday, from noon, closed Monday. 4207 Park Blvd, (between Howard and El Cajon), 619-260-1311.

**Love wine, German wine in particular? Or never tried it, think it always just something sweet? Well, here’s a chance to taste more than eight mostly white (in many styles) top notch German wines with Rudi Wiest, one of the best known German wine importers. This rare event is happening at ENO and 1500 Ocean, two great venues at the Hotel Del Coronado. Starting at 4pm in ENO with wines, cheese and charcuterie with a four-course dinner at 6:30 by chef Brian Sinnott at 1500 Ocean.

Cost: $105 for both or ENO $35, dinner: $70. Drink to your heart’s content and spend the night with 20% off a room at the hotel. For information and reservations: 619-522-8490 or contact Ted Glennon, ENO wine director at tglennon@hoteldel.com.

**Wolfgang Puck’s venture into San Diego with JAI at the La Jolla Playhouse, may soon be short lived. It seems that they miss their after theater audience by closing at 10 pm, and there’s no lunch service that might catch people looking for a quiet place to meet. For many San Diegans, traveling to a university campus to see a play or eat dinner, is more than they can bear…

**Downtown, we’re hearing the Ivy will soon have a new management company. What that means for Quarter Kitchen, and the rest of the property, well, time will tell. Stay tuned.

**Opening in February, across the street from Ivy, in the former site of EXY, Jared Van Camp, well-known Chicago chef will oversee the kitchen of Quality Social. From their press release: “no guest list, no cover, no dress code. The destination will carefully pay tribute to the most treasured elements of the iconic dive bar, with a devil-may-care attitude serving as a visceral component. “ Sounds like a no pretense place that will serve house made charcuterie and some fun dishes such as a BLT with a confit of pork belly and heirloom tomatoes, or a smoked in-house hot dog served in a Pabst Blue Ribbon carton. And no frilly drinks, either. More to come when it opens.

**Pizza seems to be the latest inexpensive comfort food to blanket San Diego. Coming in April, the second location of URBN opens in North Park at University and 31^st. The coal fired pizza joint is Jon Magnin’s spin-off of BASIC Urban Kitchen + Bar. He opened his first URBN in Vista in 2008 and plans to open 10 to 15 more up and down the coast.

**Support your local restaurants and dine out during San Diego’s restaurant week that runs from January 17 to January 22. Check for the participating restaurants and their menus (three-courses for $20, $30 and $40, depending on the venue). This is a good time to try new places and support our local restaurant economy.

**The Counter Burger arrived in Carlsbad and if you’re in the area of Calle Barcelona and the shops in the Forum at Carlsbad, this franchise that began in Santa Monica in 2004 is making waves. It’s a build your own burger joint and should do well in North County. Buzz hasn’t tried it yet.

Happy New Year to you all and here’s to a prosperous 2010:

We’re hearing that with the new year, changes are likely at the corner of Canon and Rosecrans. Rumors have been flying for months about a local bank wanting a presence in Point Loma and a somewhat arrogant landlord who is aggressively pursuing said bank and who for years chose to spread rumors about the current tenant who’s about to move to Liberty Station. Stay tuned…

The Fourth Avenue Hillcrest location that was La Vache, will soon be a French bistro…by the group that owns many good Italian places around town that include Arrivederci Hillcrest and Rancho San Diego and Pomodoro (Point Loma).

We’re hearing good things about yet another pizza place. Pizzeria Bruno on Park Ave, brings wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas to San Diego. Will be trying it soon.

And while we’re on pizza, the sliver of a place in Little Italy that originally was Luigi’s third location, changed names when the partnership that included Landini broke up. It’s now Landini’s and good (though the sausage was flavorless and not the chunky bulk style). 1827 India Street, 619-238-3502.

Point Loma’s newest addition, The Wine Pub, snuggled away in a corner of a small strip mall on Scott Street, makes a cozy place to meet for a glass or two of wine. It’s small with a few seats at the bar and tables in a simple room ringed with bottles of wine. There’s an outdoor patio with a fire pit, heaters and even blankets to wrap up in while you sip. The wine list is small but features some out of the ordinary choices such as a dry German Riesling named Sabrina that is a Buzz favorite. We wish for less emphasis on pub when it comes to food…pretzel poppers don’t cut it with a glass of bubbles or wine. Their substantial panini’s make for a good snack and work better with the wines and their bruschetta’s while small, are tasty. Open daily from 4pm., 2907 Shelter Island Dr. (at Scott), 619-758-9325.

With the holidays in full swing San Diego offers many varied choices to celebrate the New Year. Many hotels offer rooms so you can ring in 2010 and not worry about a DUI. Check with your favorite places for their holiday events and here are a few more to consider:

**Downtown, the restaurant Suite & Tender at the Se San Diego Hotel offer a New Year’s package of dining, drinking, and dancing. The “Night in Tokyo” includes a four-course, wine-pairing menu complete with a Champagne toast. Then choose to dance to a lives band in the ballroom or pulse the night away with DJ’s music at the Siren pool deck. Spend the night at the hotel that offers six different packages, some featuring a Hangover Spa service for two, complimentary breakfast, and overnight valet services, each with tickets to either the pool deck or the ballroom. For reservations and information, call 619.515.3000.

**In La Jolla, Nine-Ten’s Jason Knibb and dessert wiz, Jack Fisher cook up special three-and five-course prix-fixe dinners ($55 to $75 without wine pairing) on New Year’s Eve. In keeping with their ongoing commitment to creating innovative cuisine using only the freshest local ingredients, the chefs’ New Year’s Eve Dinner menus will feature the bounty of the season and the best of the harvest. Click here to see the complete New Year’s Eve dinner menu. For information and reservations: 858.964.5400 or online.

**The Winesellar & Brasserie in Sorrento Valley features a $75 three course menu with lovely choices that include among others vanilla poached lobster salad, smoked goat cheese tortellini, skate wing and rack of lamb. Seatings from 5:00 – 10:00 pm. For reservations please call 858-450-9557.

**If you’d rather get out of the city and try your luck at the slots, take a short drive to Lakeside and make it a mini vacation at Barona Resort & Casino. The Ranch House will serve an all-you-can-eat New Year’s feast priced at $29.95 per person. The special buffet menu will be offered from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Check their website for their other restaurant offerings.

**North Park’s Splash features their second annual wine/finger food pairing for $45. If you’re partying at home they can help you with your wine selections.

It's Got Bite

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
About San Diego's Food Scene

Bits and Bites:: Burgers, Lasagna, Cupcakes and More

Bits: Food & Wine Features Two San Diego Chefs

Bites: Con Pane and Fifty-Seven Degrees

St. Valentine’s Day

Bits: Super Bowl Party and More

Bites: Pizza and German Wine

Buzz and Bites: Puck, Pizza and More

Buzz From the Bar: Pizza and Point Loma

Bits and Bites: Wine and Pizza

Bits and Bites: Celebrate the New Year

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