New cafe ups the ante for hangout spots.

Filter North Park’s departure left the neighborhood shy one coffee house. The opening of Young Hickory on the site of the ex-Filter at 4096 30th Street addresses the lacuna, and then some. The expensive and extensive remodel was more than …

A conclusion (of sorts) and a trip to Mexican Fiesta in Little Italy.

All the searching and it’s come to this: Mexican Fiesta (1460 India Street) in Little Italy. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/oct/03/54184/ Developed buildings reach for the sky all around, but this squat taco stand resists the passage of years, crumbling in on itself like …

Tracking the origin of the most famous tacoburgers of all time at Danny's Palm Bar in Coronado.

There’s this taco shop in North Park. El Sol, it’s called. Ed Bedford wrote a Tin Fork in which he told the compelling story of Nacho, the restaurant’s owner. If Bedford’s to be believed, Nacho is one of the most …

Busalacchi group replaces L'Angolino with a flashier, seafood-centric version of itself.

Apparently, the Busalacchi-owned L’Angolino North End Lounge wasn’t cutting it. The successful group, which seems to comprise half the restaurants in Little Italy, gave the former “little corner” a facelift. NE Lounge (1971 India Street), presumably for the “north end” …

Downtown's Blind Burro puts an upscale twist on the humble tacoburger.

Nobody ever said the tacoburger would be forever relegated to plebian restaurants. Nothing stops high-concept ventures from mining taco shop culture and developing a next-generation burger for the upwardly mobile. In the restaurants Downtown, some of which are as far …

At the Tin Can Ale House, Dood's Foods innovates the tacoburger still further.

If taco shops can take ownership over hamburgers, what’s to say that hamburger shops can’t take charge with some tacos, or, more precisely, burritos? Dood’s Foods at the Tin Can Alehouse in Bankers Hill (1863 5th Avenue, 619-381-2756) doesn’t see …

It's all about the plancha at Benny's Mexican Food in Golden Hill.

During the day, it just looks quaint, maybe even homey. After dark, Benny’s Mexican Food (1244 30th Street, 619-238-1740) in Golden Hill has some horror movie qualities. It looks closed even when it’s open, as if to say, “You shouldn’t …

A trip to La Fuente and a brief primer on why anyone would want to dedicate serious time to the idea of taco shop cheeseburgers.

Surf the web a little. Read about burgers. It’s a bigger topic than you might think. Here in San Diego, the gold standard is obviously In-N-Out. Any chef trying to foist a $14 burger on the populace has to be …

Convoy Street bakery is worth a trip for coffee and dessert

How a place like Cafe Hue (3860 Convoy Street, 858-571-7947) comes to be is a mystery. If the name indicates anything, it’s a Vietnamese business, but they sell Liege-style waffles, crepes, and gelato; none of which are known as specialties …

But don't rush out to stand in line for one.

Ramen burgers are taking the world by storm! At least, that’s what the bloggers and foodie pundits--who thrive on buzzworthy stories about food crazes and celebrity chefs--would have you think. To hear them tell it, the ramen burger will bump …

After-dinner digestives aren't as big a custom in American restaurants as they could be. Urban Solace, for one, leads the way in stocking a bar with the herbal cordials.

Rumors of a new-ish dessert menu led me to Urban Solace. I guess you could call something that came out in May “new,” since sometimes it takes a while to stay on top of things. Regardless, I thought perhaps some …

New sake house in Hillcrest improves upon the old, better fills the niche between Tek Chan and Masa.

Yu Me Ya Sake House struggled in Hillcrest despite the sterling reputation founded by the restaurant’s original location in Encinitas. Its main problem was an inability to distance itself from its competitors. Masa always had the late-night ramen crowd on …

North Park sandwich and munchie shop offers something a little different.

It pains me to have invested so many bites and miles into Tour de Cheesesteak, only to have the place that began it go out of business! Philly Grill is no more. 86’d, as they say. In its place, Twist …

Filipino bakery's cheese balls are a must have among many tasty confections.

Here’s a place so new and off the radar that it’s hard to google: J&H Hopia (3403 East Plaza Boulevard, National City, 619-479-0056). It’s so new, they don’t even have the credit card machine up and running yet (bring cash!), …

A response to Slate's publication of an article by former Linkery owner Jay Porter

After eight years of stuffing sausages and pushing the issue of farm-to-table dining, sometimes earning short mentions in major media outlets, North Park’s Linkery called it quits. Prior to the mid-July closure, its then-owner Jay Porter published a sanguine farewell …

"New American" bistro in Bay Ho fails to live up to the pricey standards it sets for itself.

At first look, Kitchen 4140’s summery patio and dining room ooze charm. The place looks phenomenal, like a little oasis secretly hidden in the industrial park ugly of Morena Boulevard in “Bay Ho,” which Google assures us is the correct …

24-hour Santee donut shop has decades of personality, and tasty donuts to match.

“I’ll be heading to dinner tonight in Lakeside,” says the woman behind the counter at Mary’s Donuts (9031 Mission Gorge Road, Santee, 619-448-4800). “At the rodeo,” she adds, almost as an afterthought. That introduction, unsolicited, prompts a long discourse on …

Vietnamese restaurant in Hillcrest is a textbook example of classy, effective design.

The ideas behind designing a proper dinging room often elude restaurateurs. Part of this is because the trend right now is to create big, open spaces that are more like lofts or barns than restaurants. But hanging an Edison bulb …

Coronado restaurant leaves the South behind, embracing a menu that's less clumsy, but less adventurous.

Stylistic changes to the menu at Leroy’s Kitchen (1015 Orange Avenue, Coronado, 619-437-6087) reflect the addition of a new chef in the kitchen. JC Colon, formerly of the Kensington Grill, joined Leroy’s earlier this year. Before, the kitchen was hung …

University Height's brand new barbecue spot breaks out the mesquite and gets it right with the tri-tip.

BBQ 81 is fully operational in University Heights. Big news for uptown San Diego, which has had nothing but Brazen Barbecue in recent years. There’s some clamor over whether BBQ 81 (2302 El Cajon Boulevard, 619-255-1958) is a “real” barbecue …