Tiki Bar's an oasis hidden in plain sight near, well, the busiest crossing in the world.

Come here at sunset. Even though you can turn up any time of day or night. Because the Tiki Bar is open 24/7. And actually it's not a bar. It's a glorified coffee cart. Whatever, sunset is the time. This …

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” …

Ed gets drunk on Mole Poblano, yards from the border fence

You can call this every cliché in the book...the hidden jewel, the Shangri-Là, whatever. Fact is right here, yards south of the border... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/sep/27/53838/ ...in the Casa del Mole (543 Aquiles Serdan, Colonia Libertad, 011.52.664.682-9074) delivers mole poblano like I've …

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 …

Ed gets a lucky beer-taco break on the way to the bus

So I'm coming down 13th, heading for the 12th and Imperial bus and trolley stop. Smell of, well, corn twitches my nose. Look left, and there outside Mission Brewery (¡100 years old this year!) is this food truck I've never …

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 …

When the coals are glowing at Pollos El Tio, the whole neighborhood knows Oscar's Sinaloa chicken is on its way

The smoke wafts past your nose. The sabroso smell. Then you spot the chimney, shooting white puffs like the Vatican announcing a new Pope. I'm up in Tijuana's Colonia Libertad. This community is like a small town in its own …

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 …

Fruit, granola, and yes, vegan donuts at Krakatoa

Bonk! The fig hits my head and bounces onto the table. Nobody even turns and looks. Anak the raccoon-striped café cat, runs around the tree-crowded balcony to smell the fruit. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/sep/23/53582/ And to beg for scrapings of butter from customers. …

Ed tries to get through a super burger and a full bottle of wine. Something's got to give

Heh heh. Been meaning to do this for a lawng time. Test of manhood. Come here to the IB Forum... http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/sep/20/53486/ ...the last restaurant in America, right? - on a Thursday night and order their Ultimate Gut-Buster Burger and a …

Downtown sashimi spot offers a look at the history of sushi and the key to sake pairing.

There’s more to sushi than California rolls, globs of mock wasabi, and too much soy sauce. Unroll the history and traditions of this Japanese staple with Asian fusion eatery RA Sushi (474 Broadway – Downtown), who will be holding their …

Ed eats brekky surrounded by art, French signs and red trolleys. Result: zero I.G.I!

Came off the trolley at the Santa Fe around nine in the morning. Looking for a quick breakfast. But not much time. Have to catch the Coaster, 9:48. Ooh, yes this'll give me a chance to check out the St. …

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 …

Pacific Beach kebab joint and beer garden is sensitive to celiacs.

Though celiac disease - an autoimmune disorder triggered by the consumption of gluten - affects less than 1% of the U.S. population (1 in 133, actually), as many as 6% are allergic or gluten-sensitive. That means no pizza (except for …

Ed discovers a primo birrieria, and he hasn't even crossed the border

We're in the Deep South of Chula Vista, near Palomar. Just walked the dusty sidewalk-free sidewalk of Industrial Boulevard, looking for La Taquiza, cute little place I'd spotted from the trolley, but whack! Closed. Guy in Lucy's Liquor Store next …

Bread sticks are like lovers: you think you're through, then you taste them again, for the first time

I have always been disappointed by bread sticks. I mean they look so tempting, but when you bite in they're usually doughy, maybe a little cheesy, but just not very tasty. And carbs? That's what you're eating: pure carbs. Only …

Navigating Baja's lobster capital is easier than you think

We planned our road trip with a lunch stop in Puerto Nuevo for langosta, their famous spiny lobsters, in mind. Thanks to a remarkably fast border crossing, we made it to the city entrance just after noon. Puerto Nuevo is …

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 …

Ed goes for a simple happy hour, and finds happiness itself

Oh man. Always dangerous to say "best." But his ahi tuna tostada has to be the best in 'Diego. No. Best in the universe. OK. Let's just limit that to best in our particular galaxy. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/sep/12/53026/ Sitting here in the …

Locally-sourced, sustainable meat comes to Uptown.

We San Diegans like things crafty. We shop for locally-sourced produce and homemade hummus at the farmers’ market. We drink hop-heavy beers at neighborhood gastropubs and sip artisanal cocktails in Downtown speakeasies. We slather organic jelly on home-baked bread and …

Should we have a problem with “schoolgirl-clad” servers?

George’s on Fifth, the well-settled steak place you’d see downtown powerbrokers eating at as you hurried by, is history. Even their closing down is history. They served their last meal at the end of March. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/sep/10/52960/ But in their place, …

At Vigilucci's in Coronado, breakfast is all about style

Thank goodness for Jan. Carla's old flatmate is across from Florida for a couple of weeks. I'm mostly sitting watching a tennis match as these two have at it. Gabfest! Who had whose boyfriend. Who stole whose blouse. Who did …

Sunset's the magic moment for the annual moment to chew the fat, and just, well, chew

Whew. Just come from the Feast! party at the cruise terminal... Stuffed with burgers, truffle fries, wines, beers, including hey hey! Arrogant Bastard from Stone. And all of it free - after gettin' in, of course. I mean yes, we're …

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 …

At McDini’s you eat history, one corned beef sandwich at a time

Oh Lord. It stands in front of me, sparkling, sending dewdrops down its side. “Come on, come on,” it says. “Just one sip.” It’s a stein of beer, 32 ounces, the kind you’d see in Oktoberfests. Bud inside. Costs $7. …

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 …

Can Niederfrank's, this town's original ice creamery, really help you fight the heat?

This stinkin' hot weather, there are only two places to hide: whatever bus you're riding in, because at least they have A/C, or get off at National City and head for Niederfrank's, 'cause not only are they the first ice …

My first road trip to Mexico makes my wine and food dreams come true, satisfies my fish taco addiction.

Let’s address this right up front. Crime there is out of control. Gang violence is so rampant that children follow acid yellow street signs to school to avoid being ambushed. But enough about Chicago.* I’ve traveled to several countries in …

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 …

The most expensive appetizer in happy hour is worth all six bucks

First thing to do here is look at the front door. http://www.sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/sep/03/52503/ Look close. It is a pane of glass squishing a solid wall of reddish beans. Azuki beans. Most people rush in without even noticing. I only see them …