There's been a little commentary on Feast! blogs that people would prefer to see local businesses over big, national places. That is sort of a double-edge sword, folks. At the end of the day, the industry is the industry and …

Having been open over twenty years, in varying locations, Khyber Pass must be filling a niche market for Afghan cuisine that most people might not suspect exists in the first place. With Afghanistan geographically splitting the difference between India and …

Elizabeth Salaam’s recent Feast! blogs celebrating lunch at Target and Ikea, and Ed Bedford’s tribute to 7-11 hot dogs got me to thinking about one of my favorite guilty pleasures, the Costco hot dog. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/mar/30/21910/ Food courts are the booty …

The first time I walked into the tasting room at Mira Mesa/Miramar nether regional Rough Draft Brewing Company was in mid-February. At that time, it was completely empty and non-operational; merely a meeting space for owner Jeff Silver and I …

Nine at night in Normal Heights: Khaled Waleh is trying to explain just what Afghan pizzas are. This place, Zia Gourmet Pizza (3311 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights, 619-284-4320) is his vehicle to bring Afghani tastes in food to a town …

The last time I was talking about Mother Earth Brew Co. brewer Dan Love, I was giving him props for crafting his Big Mother Triple IPA. Churning out that bad mother (shut your mouth) was a big accomplishment, but it …

Saturday is shopping day, and after the farmer’s market, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts/Henry’s and, possibly, Costco, I’m always ready for a beer and some lunch. This week’s errands took us to Point Loma, so that means a stop at Mitch’s Seafood. …

Good Friday and Easter are coming next week, and with it, that unbelievable aroma: Hot cross buns. I remember it from when I could first waddle into gramma’s kitchen. The smell of nutmeg, the cloves, cinnamon, the taste of black …

Lunch dates with my three-year-old daughter are usually a casual affair. I’m not a fan of the big chain fast food type places, and I can only eat so many Target hot dogs or diner sandwiches. Therefore, I count myself …

Maki and nigiri are far and away the most common types of sushi available at Japanese restaurants in the US. There are other, less readily available sushi preparations, such as chirashizushi, can make for an entirely different gastronomical experience. Chirashi …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/mar/29/21824/ Most people figure the best part of a brewery tour is the tasting component. They’re right. But the most important part of being a beer journalist has nothing to do with imbibing. Often, visits with brewers are alcohol-free affairs. …

Barbarella in La Jolla is an area that’s popular with tourists, but it has the feel of a neighborhood place. That’s not an easy atmosphere to cultivate. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/mar/28/21804/ It’s warm, cozy, and a little quirky. In the bar area, you …

Yesterday, when I went asking around for lunch ideas, a friend sent me to Fatuma, a Somalian restaurant on University. As is often the case at African restaurants in City Heights during the lunch hour, the place was full of …

Any tour of multiple breweries carries with it both the possibility of discovering the next big thing or the next big disappointment. Sometimes a brewing company you had little to zero expectations for shocks your taste buds into standing up, …

Drawn in by the offer of half-priced wine for happy hour (until 6 every day), I visited Charisma for dinner and I ended up having a remarkably good meal. The little trattoria has a few seats on the patio, and …

How am I going to tell Carla this? One of her favorite places on the sceptered isle of Coronado is closing down. Bino's Bistro and Wine Bar (1120 Adella Avenue, 619-522-0612) has been serving breakfast omelets and crêpes and sandwiches …

The day before our wedding, M and I got our friends and family together for an informal rehearsal picnic that ended in a game of Wiffle ball – girls against boys. We all feasted on the mountains of food we’d …

The first time I went to Raku, it was still Yakitori Yakiyudori, and I was pregnant. It had the vibe of the tiny izakayas from my years in Japan - minus the cigarette smoke and the drunken old Japanese men …

Like something out of an early ‘90s Disney movie, Sicilian Thing Pizza in North Park is introducing a new pizza in April called “The Und1sputed Ones” to benefit San Diego’s premier fight gym soccer team of the same (and equally …

One of the most interesting stops on my craft beer tasting room tour was at a non-brewery. The powers that be at White Labs, one of the largest yeast production companies in the United States, allowed me to come in …

How to bake the perfect pizza? Is it oak-burning wood-fired ovens? Or what you put in the dough? Or 1000-degree muscle ovens that crisp the pie in a minute and a half? Nup. If you believe the message on this …

Days spent hitting up four or five local breweries used to be something I’d devote two or three days a year to. These days, with new breweries opening up like crazy and roughly a dozen slated to debut this year, …

I spent about half my waking hours today on my bike. Lots of miles of North County roads were covered in the semi-gloom of a mostly overcast day. The idea behind the ride was to emulate the Belgian Spring Classics, …

In early January, Brandon Hernandez (of the Reader) made us all aware that Brandon Brooks (long time chef for Ritual Tavern) would be heading down to Liberty Station to take up a position at a new restau down there. I've …

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2012/mar/24/21533/ M had never been to Red Robin before last weekend. A friend of his made the recommendation, and when M suggested it for date night, I was game. As a kid, I loved Red Robin hamburgers, and it had …

A few weeks ago, I told you about Le Dîner á San Diego, the flash mob pop-up picnic inspired by Le Dîner en Blanc, held annually in Paris. The event, which takes place on May 25, 2012, from 6 pm …

I've recently bemoaned being charged more than I thought was fair for a sandwich I felt lacked luster. Happily, I had the opposite experience today at the Deli Llama in Hillcrest. The little sandwich shop on the corner of Fifth …

Where do you go when you’re having your class get-together? Lorena, our Spanish teacher (Yes, been trying to learn el idioma these past few weeks) said “How about Candelas?” She was talking about the swank Mexican place on the bay …

It's the end of an era. An era of scarcity for drinkers in search of cask beer. Referred to in the brewing industry as "real ale," unfiltered, unpasteurized beers that are conditioned in and served from wooden barrels used to …

Westfield UTC, the mall formerly known as University Towne Centre, is undergoing major changes. The recession delayed a much-publicized renovation for three years, but the first phase of construction is underway. The addition of a 14-screen ArcLight premium cinema and …

Say buddy, can you spare me $30 worth of dimes? That’s what it’s gonna cost to get in to the French Gourmet’s contribution to the 2nd annual Tour de Cuisine, or French Restaurant Week. They’ve got a three-course menu running …

Oh man. Having an erotic dream…shrimp tacos with pineapple inside and raspberry sauce on top and walnuts on top of that… I know a place that does that. Honest. And I’m thinking about it ’cause I’m reading about…well, the French …

I stopped in for lunch at the original Zanzibar Cafe in Pacific Beach. There are two more locations now, one Downtown and the other at the UCSD Loft, but the PB shop has the benefit of being near the beach …

If at first you don't succeed...shut down, board up the joint, and overhaul into something different. This scenario plays out all the time in the restaurant industry. Owners think they have what a neighborhood needs and open a business to …

It was 2009 when I happened on a talented collective called Cooks Confab. Made up of notable chefs from around town, their popularity rose with each centrally themed grand scale eat-fest they put on. Soon, they were more than just …

Yesterday afternoon, when I went to the counter at Sub-Marina #2 in Tierrasanta and asked the woman behind the counter what she likes, she said, “I’m boring. I usually have tuna.” The way I saw it, “boring” would be the …

The bright purple and yellow print on the Rum Jungle's sign was enticing, as was the name itself. "Rum Jungle." It sounds like a legendary Tiki bar, or a secret club hidden in a casino somewhere, but it's merely a …

Carla’s on an Indian kick right now. And when she goes for something, she goes all out. This morning a big – like, microwave-size - box turns up. In amongst all the air bubble plastic sixteen boxes of Japanese sesame …

Last month, I told you about new head chef Paul Niles at the eclectic South Park bistro, Vagabond. Now, the restaurant continues its transient march across the Franco-inspired palette by participating in the 2nd annual Tour de Cuisine, which runs …

Soon, fans of Karl Strauss Brewing Company will be able to get their brews straight from the source. San Diego’s eldest craft brewery is revamping its production brewery in Pacific Beach to be visitor-friendly. They’re not just putting in some …

Two slices of cheese pizza and a drink for $5; thus spake the sign in the window of A Brooklyn Pizzeria in North Park. It was the kind of sign that couldn't be ignored on an aimless afternoon spent searching …

A recent, fabulous couple of weeks in Colombia introduced me to another side of Latin American cuisine, and left me craving that wicked, evil, heart-attack-on-a-plate delight, chicharrón. Never mind that I had ordered it practically every day while I was …

Writing a cookbook. It sounds simple enough so long as the author knows how to cook. But as anybody who’s actually sat down to document their dishes can attest, there’s a method to it. That method doesn’t come naturally. Having …

Hanna’s Gourmet, on Adams Avenue in North Park, is one of those little gems that’s just wonderful to find. It’s cozy and delightfully feminine, featuring icy mint walls, curvy wrought iron fixtures and polished copper accents. So pretty and relaxing. …

This combination convenience store and coffee shop on First Ave in Hillcrest is truly great. The two businesses seem technically separate, but they share a building and a clientele and might as well be considered one. Royal Food Mart is …

The lamps that hung from the ceiling of the Peking Restaurant conveyed the spirit of the place perfectly. Any doubts that the meal would end with fortune cookies, or that the leftovers would go home in little, paper boxes vanished …

Strong Where to go for St Paddy’s day? Yeah yeah yeah, Gaslamp. But for me the obvious place is The Ould Sod (3373 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights, 619-284-6594), the classic Irish “dateless losers’” hangout that’s actually the third-oldest licensed establishment …

There's a little sign on the window of this restaurant. It has pictures of famous people on it: Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King's wife, the president of PETA, and others. What do they all have in common? Allegedly, they're vegetarians. …

Oh, Lord... Weighed myself yesterday. This lousy machine I stood on said 210 pounds. I’ve never been 210 pounds! "Bedford, you’ve gotta get off your duff and jump up and down a bit,” says Carla. “And eat less! Eat nuts …

Typically, I write about restaurants, but today’s post is focused on the home kitchen. I recently happened upon a grocery store purchase of such worth that I feel compelled to break away from my normal beat. Not a day goes …

The wife of the French President is singing “I am sexy” on the sound system. Carla Bruni. She sounds très sexy, too. Nicolae the bar guy says it’s a song called “Raphael.” So I’m hearing this ’cause it’s about five …

Funny how things go in pairs. Today, we’re talking French. Everything’s French, and all by luck. For this first one, blame the number 2 bus. I was heading south from North Park. Came down 30th to Juniper. Made it past …

The Del Mar Plaza was weird and desolate on an overcast day. Nobody sat on any of the hidden patios that are attached to no business in particular and the fountains burbled without an audience. Upscale boutiques looked warm and …

Not every sunny day at Balboa Park calls for lunch at the fancy restaurant with the patio. Sometimes, a girl wants to spend less and eat casually on a stone bench outside the Timken. Yesterday was such a day. It’s …

The tamale is not a great drive-and-eat food. But I was hungry and in a hurry when I spotted the tamale cart outside my home office/favorite coffee shop. I had actually noticed the cart a few times in passing, but …

I’m no stranger to food and adult beverage pairing dinners. I’ve experienced numerous multi-course marriages of wine, beer, bourbon, and tequila with many different types of cuisines. Yet, up until recently, I’d never been party to a pairability focused procession …

It looks for all the world like a music store, but there are no vintage Strats or Marshall stacks inside, there are only sandwiches. Tucked around the a corner and just a few steps away from the busy intersection of …

Adam Neitzke, who runs The South Park Abbey (1946 Fern Street, 619-696-0096), sits alone at his own bar. Stacked chairs and drop cloths and paint cans surround him. “Last day,” he says. This was Tuesday. Turns out he has closed …

“Look at that: Lucy’s here!” She says it loud, with real enthusiasm. Everybody pays attention. This is Judy the Beauty on Duty. It's her place. And then her trademark phrase. “Très bien, très bien!” Honestly, for me it’s like – …

Back in December, I shared architectural models of what Puesto, downtown La Jolla’s new spot for farm-fresh tacos and bowls would look like. But, a rendering and sample menu can only tell you so much about a biz-to-be, so I …

I have a fondness for coffee shops with mismatched furniture and a cozy, homey feel. Claire de Lune fits the bill. I especially like the atmosphere in the late evenings, when the lighting is dim and intimate. Evening at CDL …

If, by some chance, you find yourself in Tijuana on a lovely evening and you can't shake the longing for imported lagers and craft ales (because North Park is just oh so far away), fear not! Tasca is there to …

It's been 18 months since Naomi Wise reviewed Craft and Commerce for the Reader, declaring mainly that it had "potential." Since then, the restaurant has seen some expansion, though the overall experience is still pretty similar to what it was …

When I reported that chef Daniel Barron was teaming up with fellow gastronomes Flor Franco, Jeff Bonilla and Mike Yen to start pop-up restaurant operation, Evolve, I had concerns. Chief among them was the fact that the crux of their …

Bet there are a lot of hidden places like this. Bargain food basements in big department stores. Right now I'm here at Tar-Jay. Discovered a perky little place near the cards section called the Target Café (1288 Camino del Rio …

Barrio Logan is way cool. The neighborhood is much quieter than its reputation (fairly earned in the past) implies, and there's no shortage of cool stuff to do; like checking out the murals at Chicano Park and maybe seeing some …

Shout out to Elizabeth Salaam. Her Ikea idea (Ikea Meatballs, Feb 29) was great. Greater than I realized. Came here this morning around ten, and guess what? Free breakfasts! Mondays only, till 11 a.m. Guess they want to kick-start their …

Last week, on a jaunt to the desert, S and I stopped for lunch at the Lazy Lizard Saloon in Ocotillo. When we inquired about the menu, the woman behind the bar pointed to a hand-written sign that read, “Shredded …

Blending different varietals and vintages is commonplace in the wine world. The practice also has deep roots in Belgian corner of the brewniverse best exemplified by gueuzes (blends of lambics of varying maturity) and “grand cru” blends of strong ales. …

This little, Voltaire Street bakery and cafe in Ocean Beach definitely has a bohemian vibe that's in keeping with its vegan-organic menu. It's a small store along a quieter block of the sometimes rowdy beach community. The focus seems to …

It isn't entirely fair to pass judgment--harsh or otherwise--on a place the very first day it's open for business. So, any impression of Taco Banh should be considered an opinion in progress at best. Still, the little Vietmanese-Mexican fusion shop …

Zaccay Amats Amok couldn’t be happier. He’s 39, has his seventh child coming along, and he works in the Yellow Deli’s newest creation in Valley Center (at 32011 Lilac Road, Valley Center, 760-742-2064) . Image from yellowdeli.com Interior of the …

Celebrating its grand opening this weekend, Gaijin Noodle + Sake House is an example of the delicious things that can happen when a chef is given his way. For years, Antonio Friscia and his fellow chef friends have frequented Hillcrest’s …

As an expression of gratitude for a wild upbringing, every Friday morning my partner Heather takes her childhood Nana to get her hair done, followed by a weekly brunch. This usually takes place at Frutas in Chula Vista, where I …

Pink Noodle on University Avenue has cuteness to spare and, as a bonus that sets it apart from the majority of its competitors, a full liquor license and a fun menu of mixed drinks. Thai restaurants can be kings of …

Spring Break? If there’s any place you’d expect to be SB Central, it’s SJ: Sneak Joint (3844 Mission Boulevard, Mission beach, 858-488-8684). The deck, the bikini staff, the music that meshes now with Golden Age of Rock with really funky …

There’s been confusion over what’s happening with the two Johnny Rottens. Downtown spawned the Coronado branch. Owner Nick Tomasello, his dad Dominick and his best buddy Tim Aaron bought the property and started a pretty successful clone. But the Coronado …

It's the black tee shirt. You can’t miss it. Top deck of the harbor ferry, party of half a dozen. Look like they haven’t seen the sun in a month or three. But they’re having fun, taking this ride across …

Heading for the Cruise Terminal to take a cruise to Mexico… Sigh. Kidding. But I was down there at the bottom of Broadway when I thought I’d get me a li’l coffee to keep me going. Right next to the …

To quote author and travel journalist Anthony Bourdain, food writers regularly “kill what we love.” Most often, we do this by penning prose that turns people on to exceptional restaurants that, despite serving up delicious food, have somehow managed to …

Naomi Wise gave a thorough look at this North Park Italian eatery back in 2008, but what she didn’t mention (though I don't think it was offered at the time and even now Alexander’s website and menu keep it a …

Smashburger franchises are springing up all over the place in different states across the country. Texas is currently winning the race to have the most Smashburgers in it (who knew Texans were into burgers), but San Diego has nine or …

Heading south tomorrow! At least via Tin Fork. Full report on the most delicious hot dog in the SD/TJ metroplex. Clue: Swiss dogs, Hungarian wiener, Mexican heat… Except it's behind closed doors... This week's TF.

Wine and cheese at Starbucks? Make that wine and beer and a kind of tapa menu with small plates and savory dishes. At least in Coronado (Starbucks, 960 Orange Avenue, Coronado, 619-437-8306). The idea has been in beta testing in …

The mall at Otay Ranch has only a handful of quick-serve eateries, and Tokyo Grill is the one my daughter and I frequent most often. Though I do prefer sit-down sushi, I like that it’s available at the mall if …

It takes balls to call a beer-based business in San Diego the best damn anything. All over the county, brewery, beer bar, and retail shop owners are working their beer guts off scrambling to put out the best suds around. …

The place is perhaps best known because a group of drag queens mercilessly kicked the crap out of each other in a massive brawl about a year ago, but it's also a place to get a late night taco. In …

I’m kicking myself. That I didn’t get in here and try it. I was outside El Patio de Old Town (261 San Diego Avenue, Old Town, 619-260-8389) one night where a mariachi with a beautiful voice was holding forth under …

The sound of a keg of triple IPA being tapped resonates like the screech of a dog whistle calling hopheads from far and wide to whatever bar’s been lucky enough to procure a keg of Russian River Pliny the Younger …

Massive, sprawling beer festivals are great, but some of the very best craft brewing events involve little more than a quality venue with a stellar beer list. Such is the case with San Marcos suds standout Churchill’s Pub and Grille’s …

Let's ignore, just for a second, the fact that the Sunday market in Hillcrest (it's by the DMV building on Normal Street and can't be missed) is one of the better places to score fresh fruit and vegetables in San …

The weekend breakfast crowd at the Huddle is a mix of hung-over twenty somethings and family-type regulars who have likely been going there for twenty years. The place has been around for a long time and has an old school …

We’re still at the Dragon’s Den. Inside now. At the back, it is a sushi bar, and crowded. A gang of staffers from a nearby Hyatt has come to celebrate a –birthday? They’re sure having a good time. Mr. Makoto, …

Oh boy. Great happy hour find down by the ballpark. Dragon’s Den (315 10th Avenue, at K, East Village, 619-358-9332). Right across from the ballpark and the Tilted Kilt. Every time I’d gone past in my stretch limo (the #11), …

Of all the specialty cocktails on the drink menu at the Pearl Hotel, the Marie Antoinette looked the sexiest. Pearl plum vodka, champagne, lavender syrup, and grapefruit juice. Two days hence, I still regret not trying it. Instead, I opted …

“We have 7,100 islands,” says Nancy Mendoza. “Not 10,000.” Nancy knows. She’s talking about the Philippines. That’s where she’s from. Now she owns this restaurant Villa Manila (500 East 8th Street, National City, 619-477-8512), with some of the best Filipino …

Boy, am I in the dog house. In my blog about Delux Dogs, I confused co-owner Kirsten Bertz and her partner James McGee (who are not married to each other but have separate spouses) with the couple across the road …

With its tiny interior and minimal seating, this little juice bar and sandwich shop would probably get passed by on the regular if it didn't have the most garish facade on the seedy stretch of Newport Ave that makes up …

Toronado — this non-word holds a lot of meaning in West Coast craft beer circles. For San Franciscans, it’s the name of a Lower Haight bar whose stock has consisted of fine craft beer for the past 24 years. That’s …

I planned a surprise party for my mom who was coming from Boise, Idaho to celebrate her 67th birthday. Mom's on a gluten-free diet. The last time she spent her birthday here in San Diego, we found some gluten-free cupcakes …