Another Coulon Popping Up on SD's Dining Radar
The name Coulon is well known among long-time San Diego dining enthusiasts. The family has been delivering exceptional cuisine to locals for over a quarter century, starting decades ago at The Belgian Lion, an OB restaurant that shined exceptionally bright …
O’Brien’s Serves Up Tasteful Tribute to a Fallen Friend
Nowadays, beer is frequently paired with everything from chocolate to cigars. One local spot that was ahead of the suds-pairing curve is O’Brien’s Pub. The venerable Kearny Mesa craft beer bar has been holding beer and cheese pairing events since …
Poway Brewery Helps Drinkers Get Back in the Black
Earlier this year, Stone Brewing Co. played to the tastes of its hop-hungry fans with their Fifteenth Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA. Over the past two years or so, black IPAs (India pale ales) have become more and more prominent, …
U.S. Grant Celebrating Booze-Inspired Felonies of Yesteryear
The US Grant Hotel is a local landmark with history and class to spare. But even this 101-year-old, seemingly demure and upstanding girl has some skeletons in her closet. This weekend, the seedier side of the Grant will be on …
Iron-Fisted Vista Regime a Year Old and Going Strong
A family business is easy to support. A local family business is even easier. A local family-run brewery...well, now we're talking. And so are beer drinkers who've traveled out to taste the fruits of the Sieminski family's labor at Vista's …
Food Network Chef Signing Books at Fashion Valley
Remember the good old days when Food Network’s programming used to be comprised almost completely of instructional shows hosted by professional chefs? It seems like such an obvious formula for giving cooking wannabes, enthusiasts, and experts exactly what they want, …
It's Food Trucks to the Rescue in UTC
I often find myself pondering the manner in which food trucks fit into the local dining scene. Simply by offering product to diners, they have their place. Yet often I struggle to see how food trucks meet specific needs of …
A Frugal Free-For-All in La Jolla
There’s no denying it — La Jolla is one of the loveliest communities in San Diego. Why else would our most wealthy residents and droves of tourists choose it? The well-to-do and folks splurging on their big vacay can afford …
Iris Bringing Food and Spirit to the Cooking Channel
I watch way too much television, but much of it is related to dining and the culinary arts, so when I’m particularly couch-potato, I try to tell myself it’s business related. Being a frequent viewer of programs on Food Network, …
Elusive Chef Gives Way to Pacifica Del Mar Reunion
I’ll never forget the first big culinary event I attended. It was a celebration of La Jolla chefs held four years ago at the Marine Room. Their executive chef, Bernard Guillas, had invited nine of the area’s best fine dining …
Homebrewers’ Goods Getting Commercial Shelf Space
Each year, Samuel Adams holds their annual Longshot American Homebrew Contest where they solicit homebrewers from the around the country to submit their personal recipes for the chance at having them brewed on a commercial level and distributed throughout the …
San Diego Winners from the Great American Beer Festival
Whenever you hear breweries saying they have the number-one IPA in the country or referring to themselves as the Small U.S. Brewing Company of the Year, they’re referring to awards won at the Great American Beer Festival. Celebrating its 30th …
On-The-Tracks Is Anything But
There are company names that are perfect. I see them and wonder how many strategizing sessions and near knock-down brawls business partners had to endure to figure out the right moniker to describe their business. Then there are names that …
Sneak Peek at a Sublime New Menu
Double IPAs and Imperial Stouts are great and all, but one of the best things about beer festivals is the people you meet. When I was covering Green Flash Brewing Company’s 8th Anniversary Festival during last year’s San Diego Beer …
Alpine Beer Company's Jack O' Lantern's Sporting a Frown
While they’re a successful brewing company with a legion of fans, sometimes it seems like Alpine Beer Company can’t catch a break. First they couldn’t get enough of the hops needed to create one of their fans’ favorite brews — …
Book Some Time at SD's Largest Brewery
Some may think a company rather high on itself to pen a meticulously detailed tome all about itself, but c’mon, given Stone Brewing Company’s reputation for healthy ego and self-promotion, surely nobody’s surprised to learn they’ve released such a book. …
Fattening Up While Fighting Childhood Obesity
It's important to get a lot of iron in one's diet, but if you're looking to get a solid helping of irony, look no further than Olivewood Gardens' Heart of the Harvest two-day fundraiser. What's ironic about it? Part one …
An All Island Affair at Leroy's in Coronado
After reading Naomi Wise's assessment of Leroy's Kitchen and Lounge in Coronado, I agree that it's just what the island needed. I read my Reader colleague's dining review mere seconds after exiting the new Orange Avenue eatery. I was there …
Special Edible Deliveries for Brewery Tasting Rooms
In my last print piece for the Reader, I laid out information, locations and some tips for proper etiquette at the myriad of craft-beer tasting rooms scattered across San Diego County. Part of my dissertation explained that tasting rooms aren't …
Karl Strauss Doing Up Wall Street in a Big Way
With so many competitors, keeping up with the Joneses can be tough for local brewing companies. Standing pat practically ensures a slide in the suds standings. Even SD's eldest member of the craft beer community, Karl Strauss Brewing Company, funnels …