Staff Blog Entries

Stanley Cup fever: cheers, chews, boos, booze

At downtown's Stout, $2 sliders and hockey finals have fans coming in droves

“YESS!” Andrea and Alli scream it out with the rest of the pub. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/18/47673/ They're backing Boston and the Bruins ...

Downtown donut: hole lotta gourmet going on

New place sells out so quick, you've got to get there by daylight, practically

“Sold out.” Whack? It’s written clear across the window of this new donut place I’ve run across on B Street ...

Country invades City (Heights)! Nate's Garden Grill

Here you never eat alone. You're surrounded by trees, chickens, turkeys, goats, horse, future salads, and raving locovores.

Walking – again. This time up Home Avenue. Seeking out the holy grail of locovore cooking. That’s what I’ve been ...

Trevi: Ten inch pizza deal in the wilds of Chollas Creek

It’s the first oasis after you cross the deserted canyons from City Heights

These are desperate times. I’ve promised Carla a meal and it’s heading for nine o’clock at night and I’m still ...

Thai Island: Leaping shrimp!

Tom Yum Kung means yummy shrimp in a soup that should bristle with both kinds of heat

I’m always in search of the Perfect Tom Yum Kung. Last I had of this spicy sour lemony soup was ...

Chula Vista: Skins + artichokes = dinner

Happy hour at the BullsEye Bar can get messy

“Try one,” says my bar buddy. He shoves the chalice with half a dozen shrimp curled around its rim. A ...

Barrio Logan: Phish followers' fab elixir

Roxy's Rockin' Grill does juices, feeds Phish fans

Oh no. Passing along National Avenue. Come to the big orange barn where they have the San Diego Public Market. ...

Cowboy Star: Tender is the bite

East Village choice: An $82 steak, or happy hour?

It stands opposite the Grocery Outlet, that new cheap-cheap grocery chain on Market Street that sells discontinued stock at cut ...

A little night muesli: Swami’s La Mesa

No such thing as too late for breakfast here

Ah! Can’t believe my luck. I’ve been wandering in downtown La Mesa looking for lunch in all the wrong places, ...

Ballpark: Bye El Vitral, hi Southpaw

Is Good Time Design taking over the neighborhood?

So. El Vitral really has closed. For months the bar-eatery with 220 tequilas to choose from and the fabulous view ...

French, Italian and Carla

Hotel Del delivers cocktails, apps for price of a Bud and a couple of burgers

Seeing we’re in Coronado (see Sticker Shock), and seeing we’ve spent, like $35 for burgers…it’s now around seven and Carla ...

Sticker shock at Danny's (but it's not what counts)

Venerable bar in Coronado still has "the best burgers." Eat them there, and save

This Memorial Day Weekend, it was kind of appropriate to be swigging a Bud Light here at Danny’s (Danny’s Palm ...

Downtown: Sliders in Salvation Alley

B.B. Blues Bar H.H. delivers musiculture, cheap booze, and pulled pork to die for

“This joint is dedicated to the memory of Jake Blues.” It’s a gold-lettered sign above this bar, the B.B. Blues ...

Linda Vista: Broken rice's secret power

Bale Restaurant's special plate has a story

What price broken rice? Was at Bale’s (“Baa-Lay’s”) Restaurant & Deli last night (6925 Linda Vista Road, Suite B, at ...

Little Italy: Supping with a ghost named Wanda

The new Queenstown Public House comes with unexpected company in the 1905 house

Hauling up Cedar out of Little Italy, past the Pioneer Hook and Ladder – hey, didn’t that use to be ...

Café Paris: Flying the Flag

Loris Compiano thought he had the perfect gimmick to get noticed

"So Loris," I say. I've just popped in to his Café Paris (455 10th Avenue, East Village, 619-674-8439) on the ...

Border: After 43 years selling snacks, no customers

What can Tomás López do with his border snack business, when they change the border?

Spare a thought for Tomás López. We're just inside Mexico, about 9:30 at night, at the western side, near the ...

Downtown: Red trolley, green eats

Customers at downtown's newest lunchery are seeing red - trolleys

"Are you indecisive?" says Christina. "I'm not sure," I say. "Can't decide." “Touché,” she says. She leaves me to Manny, ...

Coronado: fungi for lunch

Kathy's Place delivers on portobello burgers

Oh gosh. Carla and me and Diane are in the Republic of Coronado again. Diane’s just done Carla’s hair, and ...

Barrio Logan: Greenest Roaster in San Diego?

Cafe Virtuoso spills the beans on why organic, why Fair Trade

Who is the greenest coffee roaster in San Diego? My money goes to Café Virtuoso (1616 National Avenue, Barrio Logan, ...