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Stories by Ed Bedford

Maizbaan cooks up one hot stew

Maizbaan’s Pakistani cuisine is so good, Ed returns days later for another meal.

Going Socialist at Sobaka

Kafe Sobaka/Restoran Pomegranate offers Ed Bedford plate sizes ranging from “Communist” to “Imperialist.”

Soup, gloop, fish, crêpe at the PB farmer's market

Cruising down Garnet, heading for the #30 bus at Mission and Felspar, when I find myself crossing Bayard. It’s closed off to traffic. Huh. Oh, yeah, it’s Tuesday. Must be the farmers’ market. Lots of ...

Worthwhile hike to the Corner House

Ed raids a farmhouse (from Point Loma) in the valley (Sorrento).

Grub of the gods at 94th Aero Squadron

Grazing’s good next to Kearny Mesa’s airfield.

French mall-feel at Mademoiselle Mimi's

Ed Bed discovers the French side of Santee.

Happy Hour: Silver linings of a down economy

Just think: If Wall Street hadn’t collapsed, happy hour may never have exploded the way it has. All these bars and eateries wouldn’t have needed our business so bad. As it is, suddenly I can ...

Gumbo bona fides at the Bistro

Ed meets Sixth Avenue Bistro’s humble gumbo man.

The siren call of Café Bleu

Whew. Just hiked up West Washington from the Washington Street trolley. Quite a climb. Crazy traffic. No sidewalk. Then I spot this beautiful li’l French bistro. I know I shouldn’t go in. Too sophisticated, too ...

One catfish at a time

Ed finds the Red Rooster, a Louisiana-style eatery tucked away in Lincoln Park.

Rockefeller style at Spike Africa's

Ed kills by eating

Ed kills an oyster at Spike Africa’s, in the Gaslamp District. He also learns about Spike Africa, the man.

Fondue wins out at Candelas downtown

Ed scarfs a “lush little baby” (pizza).

We're talkin' cavemen with Not So Fast food truckers

Ed has a meaty snack at the “Not So Fast” food truck, which specializes in paleo diet items.

As I chew at Sora

As the cocktail world turns, Ed Bedford chews at downtown’s Sora Restaurant.

Ue Kara Grill takes sushi beyond the California roll

Ed kicks himself for not visiting Chef Arturo sooner.

Mock animal at Plumeria

Ed has hot-hot-hot soup at Plumeria, which is a Thai restaurant that bills itself first as “vegetarian.”

Heard of the Baja-Med movement?

Ed says “What the heck” and orders the snail pizza

Snail pizza at Tijuana’s El Taller Baja-Mex Restaurant.

Late-late brekky

The Village @ 631 serves up come coffee and sausage at Ed’s request

Hula for moolah in Encinitas

Kelia swings her butt as only Hawaiians can. “That’s called ‘hula for moolah,’” says her mom, Kealani. They burst out laughing. “I used to have all the staff do it,” Kealani says. “Every time a ...

Ghost stories and slurpy food in Old Town

The ghost comes and sits in Chanel’s husband’s chair. “I heard the chair creak. Then I looked, from ten feet away, right here by the curtain, and I saw it, the empty chair, bounce back ...

Carla and Ed compete at Bistro d'Asia

Bistro d’Asia in Coronado was a Mexican restaurant when Marilyn Monroe and Errol Flynn came to dine.

Ma's the backbone

Ma Eugenia’s Kitchen in Logan Heights prepares several traditional stews daily.

Great-white chomp

Ed Bedford gets a burger at the Alamo Mexican Cafe and then hits Churchill Cigar Lounge before last call.

Leave it to me

Ed leaves his order to Cool Hand Kate, Miss Sushi

Kate Murray went to sushi school against the advisement of men who told her raw fish begins cooking in women’s hands because they’re warmer than men’s.

In Ida's time

Chris lifts up Guinness number 66. “I’m aiming for 100,” he says. “You get five free pints for every 100 pints you drink, and your name on that ‘Guinness Century Club’ plaque.” He indicates a ...

Queen Cheese

The Cheese Shop doesn’t specialize in cheese, they were too embarrassed to tell Mr. Cleese.

Drop-Jaw Chomp

Ed unhinges his jaw and attacks a sandwich at Rubicon Deli. One of the most popular, says Caesar, is called the “Rich Boy.” (“Like a Po’ Boy, but better.”)

Woo-Hoo!

Ed Bedford and Elmer Niederfrank’s ghost approve of the ice cream being made in National City.

More Than the Dish or the Deal

Restaurants you can take to heart.

There are some places that you kinda take to heart. They’re more than the dish or the deal. Something clicks about the people and the place, and you want to come back and be a part of it. These are just some.

Danged Tasty

Ed Bedford sniffs out the tostilocos (a newish Tijuana street food) in National City.

Feeling Manly

Slurpin’ at Pho Vinh Vietnamese Noodle House in deepest Chula Vista.

Torta Trundlers

Bolillo aims to be as big with their tortas as Chipotle is with burritos.

Since 1980

A box of eggplant parmigiana (lots of cheese!) at Rosaria Pizza in Mission Beach

Romance of Egypt

Ed Bedford ducks into the Egyptian Tea Room for a bite just before it changes hands.

Out of This World. Past Mars.

Ed chews at Baja Oyster & Sushi Bar in Nestor.

Between Slurps

“Californians drink wine by itself, like a cocktail. In France, we drink it always with food.”

Magic Tacos

Fond Comic-Con memories and a cod-taco plate at Tin Fish Gaslamp.

“First time I came here, the streets were for sailors and streetwalkers.”

Cow Foot Friday

Ed Bedford shows up too late for the cow-foot stew at Caribbean Taste Jamaican Restaurant.

Fertile Ground

Campo had a post at that three-freakin’-star Michelin restaurant, and he comes back to sell tacos?

High Urban Cooking

“People started looking back, to find how they had survived pre–Burger King.”

Half-Price on the Bay

Happy hour all day at Candelas, in Coronado, on the bay.

When Not in Rome

Napizza arrives from Rome. “Slow is our thing. With yeast, more time equals more flavor.”

Mezzah — Arabic Tapas in El Cajon

“Iraqis love big entrées. It’s the Lebanese who like to snack on different small tapas.”

Spontaneous Picnic

They’re wearing red T-shirts with a message: “Keep Calm and Eat Well.”

Trucked In

Pierogies and banh mi — two specialty delicacies sold off San Diego food trucks.

Our Dad Was Marco

“We grew up in there. Five sisters. Kitchen slaves!”

Three sisters — former “kitchen slaves” — opened their Cafe Di Roma in Imperial Beach.

West Coast Superfood

“You might say it’s the French thing versus the German thing.”

Tiger! Tiger! Yeah, yeah, craft beer…and mushroom-lentil sandwiches?

Our Generation

“Urban India, in places like Mumbai — Bombay — is going Vadoosh! You’d say ‘Kaboom!’”

What’s with this “Urban” thing? There’s “Urbn,” the bar-eatery in North Park, “Urban Eats” on Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest, and now “Urban India,” near the Gaslamp. I noticed it walking down Fourth toward Broadway the ...

Wild Pork Wings!

“Actually,” says Joe, “we were arguing over this, me and Doug, the kitchen manager.”

When they make wings out of pork parts and call it bar food, our cheap-eats guy is there to scarf it.

Afghan Ambassadors

His one piece of advice to his son: “Don’t start a restaurant. You’ll never be able to relax.”

Afghan-inspired pizza at Zia — there will be eggplant and yogurt.