For the those of you looking for a different type of meal, check out where the various food trucks of San Diego are serving up everything from cupcakes (Corner Cupcakes) and Asian fusion (Tabe BBQ) to espresso (Joes on the Nose) and ice cream (Sweet Treats).
The Hillcrest corner of Fifth and Washington that housed Sushi Itto will soon become Brazen BBQ on a ten-year lease for the 3300 square foot space. Two young guys, John Bracamonte and Brad Thomas, who are winners of some major barbecue competitions, including those sanctioned by the prestigious Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS), are the minds behind Brazen BBQ. Sounds like they may give Phil’s a good run for the money…San Diego could use some really swell and authentic barbecue.
And in case you missed it, also in Hillcrest, Kemo Sabe closed to relocate at some point to a coastal site in North County. The Cohn Restaurant Group will launch their food truck Chop Soo-ey in January at the Little Italy farmers market. In the meantime, they have their launch party in November and are doing private gigs. Their competition as recently seen on local NBC tv, is Miho Gastrotruck with creative food including pork belly sammy and lots of other goodies.
While we’re talking Cohn restaurants, they recently installed a hot new chef, Daniel Barron, at Blue Point Coastal Cuisine. This restaurant gets a huge share of convention business, and the place was full on a early weeknight. Barron has cooked around the country. However, there was disappointment in what was touted as one of his signature dishes, a 60 hour boneless short rib ($35). As explained by the server, this chunk of meat is cooked sous-vide and comes out melting in your mouth. Not. This was one tough hunk that needed lots more time, though it apparently was meant to be what was served. The horseradish hash browns were yummy, crisp and with a bite. Perhaps one needs to stick to the seafood.
There’s still time to join the fun at the San Diego Wine & Food Festival that runs from November 17 to 21. Famous chefs, lots of wine and a good crowd to boot.
If beer is your drink of choice, the annual San Diego Beer Week has many many options for you…Check out the schedule here.
From J.B.a longtime Foodbuzzsd reader: The Cohn Restaurant Group is the poster child for the mediocrity that so often defines the San Diego dining “scene.” I usually enjoy your posts, but having to suffer through a paragraph on CRG begins to make me feel like you do about the new U-T. Please leave it up to Wolfgang Verkaiik to publicize the Cohns.
J.B.: Your points are very well taken, and I must agree with you. Service, while pleasant at Blue Point, was lacking in the small things, like refills on water. The food truck, well, it needs to be publicized, only because the trucks are somewhat of a big deal, sort of, here in San Diego.
Brazen BBQ offers real wood smoked meats, that in itself would make it better than the oven- baked-over-sauced-joke-of-bbq-that-is-Phil’s.
Hooray for Beer Week!
Hey guys, we are a non-profit & want to find a food truck willing to work twice weekly in Poway California, to serve our Tuesday afternoon crowd (approx 50plus people), and Saturday early evening (more dinner crowd). Our snack bar just isn’t of the variety of food they want & doesn’t raise enough funds to be worth the trouble of organizing Volunteers to run it. Got any ideas?
Thanks,
SH
San Diego already has authentic BBQ in the form of Abbie’s Real Texas BBQ at Clairemont Mesa Blvd and Ruffin Rd. She has a very large smoker and the meats are great! You can see the smoke ring on the meat. Buzz should check the place out. I also agree with Howeler about Phil’s.
Just to jump in here to defend Phil’s….a lot of people rag on their BBQ and think they are an easy target, but I send people from TX, KC and NC in there all the time…I think people get into their heads their own subjective “definition” of true BBQ…it’s almost like “don’t discuss religion, politics or BBQ” because it’s such a personal thing. It’s not an argument worth starting but had to say my 2 cents.
In response to the new chef at blue point coastal cuisine Daniel Barron the short rib you so keenly made a joke of was voted the best meat dish at the San Diego Bay wine and food festival and it was voted 3rd overall. It must not be too bad. Maybe he shouldn’t just stick to cooking seafood.
With respect to the dish that was served that night to us, we asked the server if it was supposed to be tough, and pink inside that even a steak knife barely cut it. He said yes. And so, my comments about it were based on that experience. Either the server or the kitchen should have known that the dish was not executed properly. Sixty hours sous vide ought to make a piece of meat moist and nearly falling apart. Perhaps a bad night in the kitchen. Unfortunately I’m not inclined to spend another $35 to see how a winning dish looks and tastes.