San Diego

Wine Vault & Bistro, San Diego, 4/12/25

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entrance – 3731 India St, San Diego, CA 92103

Wine Vault and Bistro pairs a menu with wines for dinner on Sat and Sun.  All are multi-course and the menu is based on what’s seasonal and fresh, changing weekly.  If they are not doing a winemaker dinner, it a Chef’s 5-course tasting menu on Sat. only.   All wines served at dinner are available for purchase by the bottle to take home.  It opened in 2005 as a wine shop offering tastings of wine and cheese.  Our winemaker dinner had a 6-course tasting menu at a bargain price point around $140 per person, including food and wine.   There is limited parking and you need to climb several sets of stairs but then you find yourself in the communal dining room where seats have been assigned.  The bar opens 45 minutes before dinner, which starts promptly, so don’t be late.  At the bar they have limited offerings, like $9 glass of red or white wine or a $15 martini.  I saw no one try to come in late, in fact most were there early and lined up for a drink at the bar.  There were basically 2 rooms with a variety of seating options.  In our room it was long communal cloth-covered tables topped with paper but the other room had more tables for four.  The bar was in between the two rooms.  The wine was brought out in decanters for each couple so you could divide it how you wished.  The chef offered an explanation of the food to come at the beginning.  It wasn’t the friendliest crowd but it was fine.  Overall the wine was better than the food. Continue reading →

Trust, San Diego, 4/12/25

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building – 3752 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92103

Trust Restaurant is another of Chef/Owner Brad Wise’s concepts.  He is the chef at the Fort Oak restaurant written up a couple days ago.  This is a similar place in the idea of shared plates and wood-fired cooking.  This place opened in 2016 and was the start to a half dozen places he now owns.  On the ground level of a multi-story building, the corner restaurant takes full advantage of the patios outside to add extra dining space.  Inside some bench seating bisects the room between the bar with seating and the tables.   The back of the room is part of an open kitchen and there is music in the background.  The bare wood tables are matched by wood in the ceiling above the exposed ductwork.   Some sound absorbing panels hang up there to help with all the hard surfaces below.  It’s stylish but much more casual feeling than Fort Oak.  We were there for the brunch which is available on Sat and Sun but dinner is the mainstay, serving that every night but Tues.  Service was friendly and efficient and the food is good.  I’d love to know what you think if you go there for dinner. Continue reading →

Fort Oak, San Diego, 4/11/25

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building – 1011 Fort Stockton Dr, San Diego, CA 92103

Fort Oak advertises itself as an ‘ode to fire and the sea’ with Chef/Owner Brad Wise using a wood fire to cook much of the food.   They supplement that with a large raw bar for seafood.  They are open for dinner every night but Tuesday.  In a separate room where the wood-burning hearth/kitchen is they also have a Chef’s Counter for 10 guests on Thurs and Fri nights.  The tasting menu also has optional beverage pairings.  We were not able to secure a place at the tasting counter but our server walked us by the window to the room to see the chef and his team in action.  The  main dining area is in an historic former car dealership space with the horseshoe shaped bar being in the old showroom and then various dining rooms are in and outside.  A lion statue was supposed to be a tribute to the actual lion that the car dealership owner brought with him to work.  Tile, glass and wood make up the various stylish spaces filled with music.  The menu is designed to have shared small plates and we did just that – sharing a number of items.  While they were creative, I would say the food was mixed in tastiness, but the fun in lots of little plates is that some will delight you while others are just food.  Let me know what you think when you visit. Continue reading →

La Vecindad, San Diego, 4/11/25

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exterior – 3827 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

La Vecindad specializes in tacos from Mexico City in a large, very casual space.  After attempting to patronize several other spots that had been recommended, where we couldn’t find parking, we ended up here for lunch.  This was an open air space with a long counter with stools leading to the order area.  Picnic tables were in the front as well as on the sidewalk.  The salsa bar (for fixings) was next to a cooler with soft drinks and bottled beer but they also had beer on tap or a full bar.  Music was playing in the background and the staff were friendly and welcoming.  The good sized menu is supplemented on weekends by a “Secret Menu”.  We probably erred by ordering from it but it seemed like a good idea at the time however I’m betting you should stay with tacos if you come here.  Our lunch was edible but nothing special.  The draft beer was cold and satisfying to drink while we waited. Continue reading →

Callie Restaurant, San Diego, 4/10/25

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interior – 1195 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

Callie Restaurant is the melding of Chef Travis Swikard’s love of Mediterranean cuisine but using farmer’s, and fishermen’s and ingredients from the San Diego region.  Swikard is a native of San Diego who gained experience cooking in NYC and England before opening this, his first solo venture.  The name Callie is Greek for “the most beautiful” and that well describes the large striking interior and well-seasoned, tasty food.  You enter near the bar with its curved wood ceiling and then move into the large dining area filled with bare wood tables.  A variety of seating options include chairs and benches some with windows to the outside streets and some next to the glassed in wine cellar and private dining room.  The long open kitchen is on one side, exposed ducts are painted white in the ceiling, with lots of plants in the room and background music.   They have no dedicated parking lot but a city lot is next door and the restaurant will validate your parking ticket there for a couple of hours.   The menu was supplemented by some nightly specials (some of which we chose)  and the wine list was well priced.  Service was super friendly and helpful in determining how many of the small shared plates we would need.  They do offer a ‘feed-me’ menu where the kitchen picks what you get for a set price, but we picked our own items.  It was a flavor packed delightful meal.  I hope you’ll try it when in town. Continue reading →

George’s at the Cove, San Diego, 4/10/25

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view – 1250 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA 92037

George’s at the Cove has been in business over 40 years with a location overlooking the ocean.  The large place has 3 floors of dining all with scenic views from one side.  The top floor has an alfresco rooftop lounge as well as tables for casual dining.  The lower floors looked a bit more formal with cloth covered tables.  Chef Trey Foshee stresses using local products and sustainably sourced items but I did see non-local options on the menu.  Service was friendly and mostly efficient but we were there to enjoy lunch with friends and catch up on not seeing each other for 30 years, and I think the server caught the vibe and gave us space.  I snapped photos of the food and got basic comments but this was a meal where we were more focused on friendship than food.   It was a lively place with valet parking ($20) out front or street/city garage parking options.  If you’re in San Diego go for the view but watch out for the sun.  There are lots of places to get fresh, local seafood but this one is mostly about the location. Continue reading →

Addison Restaurant (update), San Diego, 4/9/25

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entrance – 5200 Grand Del Mar Way, San Diego, CA 92130

The last time we ate at Addison Restaurant in the Fairmont Grand Del Mar was in Aug 2021, during Covid.  Then the restaurant had one Michelin Star and all dining was outside.  This trip we got to eat in the dining room.  The restaurant, still under Chef William Bradley, now has 3 Michelin Stars.  They serve only a 10-course tasting menu with optional wine pairings on Tues – Sat, with the last seating at 8:30.  It’s on the pricey side at $385 per person and their pairings, like the wine list, are quite marked up.  They also offered to add a separate caviar course and/or upgrade the quail course to wagyu – no prices given. We turned down both supplements, because caviar was already on the menu and we were looking forward to the quail.  The large dining room was divided by a low wall and serving table, with one portion being next to the window wall overlooking the gardens with a tile floor and the other side with carpet by the fireplace.  We were happy to sit in the more interior room but both had large white cloth-covered tables.  Our side had tables spread way apart, with the four corners offering a booth-like option.  Music from the 1980s played in the background, sometimes a bit too loudly.  The restaurant is up on a hilltop and not in the same building with the hotel so they provide transport to and from as it’s too far to walk.  After checking in with the hostess she guided us to the bar/waiting area which included outside seating too, as we were early.  The service was great, pacing varied, portion control was spot on, the room elegant and the chef came out to chat with some of the guests.  The food was very good, contained lots of luxury ingredients and attractively presented but I would have liked to see more change in the menu from the last visit.  It’s a fine dining experience but you’ll have to decide if it works in your budget. For me I’m glad I went back but don’t think I’ll go again. Continue reading →

Breakfast Republic, San Diego, 3/25/21

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Liberty Station

Breakfast Republic is part of a chain of places in southern California.  They serve innovative breakfast combinations surrounded by tons of fun, almost kitsch decorations.  We visited the location in Liberty Station built in the Spanish Colonial Revival style which was the site of the Naval Training Center in 1923.  The chain supports composting of uneaten foods and recycling.  This location had 2 good sized heated patios to dine on.  They are open daily from 7 to 3.  Service was friendly, masked and efficient.  While the food sounded great in the menu I would rate it acceptable + with generous portions. Continue reading →

Addison Restaurant, San Diego, 3/24/21

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exterior

Addison, San Diego’s only Michelin starred (one) restaurant, has been on the property of the Fairmont Grand Del Mar for 15 years.  Chef William Bradley is in charge of the kitchen where they offer 5 and 10 course tastings featuring California gastronomy.  Wine pairings are available but there is a huge wine list also.  Due to Covid the recently renovated indoor area is closed but there is seating on the large heated outdoor terrace.  It you stay at the Fairmont it is a bit of a hike to get up the hill so the hotel graciously provides car service up for you and the staff call for a pick up when you are finished.  It’s little touches like this that make it a lovely experience.  The staff anticipate your needs – like bringing a glass of ice for my water or a stool for my purse -and yet it never feels stuffy, and there is the beautiful back drop of the hotel’s golf course with bubbling streams.  We chose the 10 course menu and got bottles of red and white to pair with courses as we chose.  In addition, it is a surprise menu but they were kind enough to email a copy of what we had that actually did have the courses detailed.  There was only one supplement offered that night and that was to substitute A5 Wagyu for Barbecued Squab.  I chose the supplement and my husband had the pigeon. Continue reading →

Sushi Ota, San Diego, 3/24/21

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exterior

Sushi Ota Restaurant is in a nondescript strip shopping center in San Diego.   They have some indoor tables that are well separated with wood partitions and have also built an outdoor dining area that has plastic roofing and some sides.  At the entry is the large sushi counter that due to Covid has no seating but fresh seafood is in the counter.  The large menu has many options for ordering – lunch specials, the traditional check list or there are 3 plates of sushi combinations.  The combination “C” contains the local sea urchin for which Chef Ota is known, and that was the one we chose.  With the combination plates you also get miso soup and ice cream. Service was well masked, efficient and friendly and tables were distanced and thoroughly cleaned between customers.  The menu offers a good number of beers, wine and saki. Continue reading →