Chef Shake-Ups at The Linkery, El Take It Easy
Since coming on as the chef of local farm-to-table restaurateur Jay Porter’s empire, Max Bonacci has had a lot on his plate—and I’m not talking food. He’s been heading the culinary operations at North Park’s The Linkery (3794 30th Street) …
A bite with Chad White at Counterpoint
The first time I met chef Chad White was when he was working the line at Point Loma’s since closed Roseville. At the time, he was a clean-cut, eager unknown pushing out ground chuck patties for the restaurant’s weekly burger …
Fezziwig's Brewing set for soft open
Remember the Carlsbad-based brewhouse-in-progress with the steam-punk logo I reported on back in July? No? Well allow me to reacquaint you with Daniel Guy and his Fezziwig’s Brewing Company (5621 Palmer Way, Suite C). Guy is a young homebrewer taking …
First Look: Offbeat Brewing Company
Aside from the obvious lure of fine, hand-crafted beer, one of the most alluring facets of reporting on upcoming brewing companies is being able to tell the stories behind them. Recently, I heard one that was more touching than most. …
San Marcos Brewery celebrating others for 19th b-day
I remember when I was 19. It was quite a year for yours truly. I moved out on my own, got my first steady job, and became a dad. The latter was enough to nudge me to grow up, but …
1500 Ocean hires well-traveled chef
When there’s chef turnover at one of your favorite restaurants, one becomes rightfully concerned. Under former chef de cuisine, Brian Sinnott, The Hotel Del Coronado’s fine dining restaurant, 1500 Ocean (1500 Orange Avenue), gained increased recognition among the foodie sect. …
The Five Chef Societe
A table of people having a good time is commonplace in a brewery tasting room. So, when I spied such a scene at Kearny Mesa’s Societe Brewing Company (8262 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard), I counted myself to be in just as …
Saint Archer lands big brewing talent
A recent trip to Hawaii afforded me everything I’d traveled to the islands in search of—cool breezes, peace, tranquility, an abundance of pork. Check that. I got almost everything I wanted. Being that I visited the Big Island, I missed …
Provisions, Soda & Swine coming to Normal Heights
Back in July, I reported Consortium Holdings—the company behind Neighborhood, El Dorado, Noble Experiment, Craft & Commerce, and Underbelly—would be opening a new venue near the corner of 30th Street and Adams Avenue. As it turns out, CH headmen Arsalun …
Chefs show up to showdown
There are a lot of events out there where food from local chefs is counted on as the big draw. They can get a bit monotonous and sometimes leave attendees hungry for more. One annual event that’s always sufficiently fed …
Pesca...check that...Vegapalooza: True Food Kitchen
“It’s my favorite new restaurant!” When I hear a statement like that, my food writer alarm sounds. Coworker, stranger, friend, or foe, I have to ask for the subject of such a major compliment. As San Diego’s number of eateries …
Pescapalooza II: Tender Greens UTC
Spurred on by a meat- and poultry-less meal with a pescatarian friend the night before, I decided to go the fish-and-veggie route the following day when I met my wife for lunch in University City. Due mostly to geography and …
Pescapalooza: Uptown Tavern
Friends bring camaraderie, an ear, a shoulder, fun, and numerous other positives into one’s life. In the case of one of my friends, it’s not so much what she’s added as what she’s subtracted from our time together that I …
Pick & Rocks Emerge from Snake Oil Shake-Up
Mixed drink consultancy Snake Oil Cocktail Company came out of nowhere and quickly raised the bar for mixology around San Diego through contracts with restaurants such as Whisknladle and Gaijin Sake & Noodle House. Armed with encyclopedic knowledge of spirits, …
A Tale from Inside Hotel Hell
Aside from admiring a chef with the chops and the gumption to make the rise he has, I just plain get a kick out of Gordon Ramsay. The scowl, the sarcasm, the expletives—he’s good TV. I regularly tune in to …
#SourBeerDay: September 8
In 2011, a pair of Twitter-savvy beer industry insiders managed to rally droves of imbibers from here, there, and everywhere to down an India pale ale (IPA) on August 2. It started with a hash-tag—#IPADay—and, thanks in part to hordes …
Ballast Point...Beer...Boobs...
O.K., now that I've got your attention... Earlier this month, while providing a sneak peek of Coronado Brewing Company’s soon-to-open Tecolote Canyon production brewery and tasting room, I mentioned having joined Beer For Boobs, a Susan G. Komen 3-Day walking …
Italy meets Japan at Sora
Noriyoshi Teruya worked under world-famous chef Nobu Matsuhisa at his namesake flagship in New York City. From there, he went on to help Matsuhisa extend his reach at Nobu locations in Milan and our own San Diego. Recently, he decided …
Cavin snacking, shacking up at El Take It Easy
Last week, in reporting chef Lhasa Landry’s departure from The Lion’s Share, I mentioned that restaurant was my favorite new eatery to open in 2011. This led many to ask me what other local places made that list. There were …
Urban Kitchen, Jack Fisher get their just desserts
It’s not as well documented as my love for, say…beer, but I do have quite the sweet tooth. The reason I don’t write about desserts as much as I do savory fare is because, by the time I get to …