These are desperate times. I’ve promised Carla a meal and it’s heading for nine o’clock at night and I’m still traipsing across the bridges over the open wound they call Chollas Creek. No bus, no …
June 12, 2013
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Stories by Ed Bedford
Trevi: Ten inch pizza deal in the wilds of Chollas Creek
Rockin' Baja, Toscana, and the perfect afternoon
With a $30 budget (and on a mission to spend every cent of it), Ed hits Toscana Café & Wine Bar and the Rockin’ Baja Lobster.
June 12, 2013
The stomach rules
‘GIT N ’ERE:” That’s what the sign says, so why not? I’ve got time before the Coaster. That sign’s under another that reads “Pierview Pub.” But inside, a big neon sign above the bar reads …
Tom yum and pizza on Park
Ed visits Bahn Thai and Red House Pizza in University Heights…eats tom yum and pizza for lunch.
May 29, 2013
Calafia confidential: mission accomplished
Ed Bedford finds a meal at Los Cristales, a restaurant at Las Olas Grand Hotel in Calafia.
Maizbaan cooks up one hot stew
Maizbaan’s Pakistani cuisine is so good, Ed returns days later for another meal.
May 15, 2013
Going Socialist at Sobaka
Kafe Sobaka/Restoran Pomegranate offers Ed Bedford plate sizes ranging from “Communist” to “Imperialist.”
May 1, 2013
Soup, gloop, fish, crêpe at the PB farmers' 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 …
April 24, 2013
Grant Hill’s Island Spice: A little curried goat'll make a man of you
It’s one of those surprises you’ve got to work for. Here I am walking down 28th Street from Broadway, past a sign that says “Grant Hill, a community of San Diego, America’s Finest City." Jes’ …
April 22, 2013
Worthwhile hike to the Corner House
Ed raids a farmhouse (from Point Loma) in the valley (Sorrento).
April 17, 2013
Grub of the gods at 94th Aero Squadron
Grazing’s good next to Kearny Mesa’s airfield.
April 10, 2013
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 …
April 3, 2013
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 …
March 20, 2013
One catfish at a time
Ed finds the Red Rooster, a Louisiana-style eatery tucked away in Lincoln Park.
March 13, 2013
Rockefeller style at Spike Africa's
Ed kills an oyster at Spike Africa’s, in the Gaslamp District. He also learns about Spike Africa, the man.
February 27, 2013
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.
February 13, 2013
As I chew at Sora
As the cocktail world turns, Ed Bedford chews at downtown’s Sora Restaurant.
February 6, 2013
Ue Kara Grill takes sushi beyond the California roll
Ed kicks himself for not visiting Chef Arturo sooner.
January 30, 2013
Mock animal at Plumeria
Ed has hot-hot-hot soup at Plumeria, which is a Thai restaurant that bills itself first as “vegetarian.”
January 23, 2013
Heard of the Baja-Med movement?
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
January 9, 2013
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 …
Salaam Fish House: Encanto-size sandwiches
Early evening, South Encanto. You know it’s Encanto because lines of passenger jets come cruising overhead, silent, like an invasion of UFOs, coasting in to Lindbergh. Looking to see if the Salaam Fish House is …
January 1, 2013
Encanto: Gualberto's Fish taco replaces cow’s hoof?
Honestly, it was the cow’s hoof. That’s the only reason I hopped off the Orange Line trolley at Encanto and headed for the rack of stores beneath the clay cliff that runs up the valley …
December 31, 2012
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.
December 5, 2012
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
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.
November 20, 2012
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 …
November 14, 2012
Queen Cheese
The Cheese Shop doesn’t specialize in cheese, they were too embarrassed to tell Mr. Cleese.
November 7, 2012
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.”)
October 31, 2012
Woo-Hoo!
Ed Bedford and Elmer Niederfrank’s ghost approve of the ice cream being made in National City.
October 24, 2012
San Diego Reader Feast! Issue – Kearny Mesa Asian lunches, best fried chicken...
San Diego restaurants taste-tested for you. Eats for Freelancers | Spirit of Family Dinnertime | More Than Dish or Deal | Accessible Gourmet | Lunchtime in Kearny Mesa | Fried Chicken | Restaurants to Try At Least Once
October 17, 2012
More Than the Dish or the Deal
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.
October 17, 2012
Danged Tasty
Ed Bedford sniffs out the tostilocos (a newish Tijuana street food) in National City.
October 10, 2012
Torta Trundlers
Bolillo aims to be as big with their tortas as Chipotle is with burritos.
September 26, 2012
Since 1980
A box of eggplant parmigiana (lots of cheese!) at Rosaria Pizza in Mission Beach
September 19, 2012
Romance of Egypt
Ed Bedford ducks into the Egyptian Tea Room for a bite just before it changes hands.
September 12, 2012
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.”
August 22, 2012
Magic Tacos
“First time I came here, the streets were for sailors and streetwalkers.”
August 15, 2012
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.