Food news
Some of this local foodie gossip is so good you could eat it
By Candice Woo
Two local pizza shops will be branching out in 2009 with new locations. Exciting, yes, but I’m hoping that the quality of the food remains the same. Pauly’s Pizza Station at the City College transit stop is heading west to the Little Italy trolley station, and the old Phil’s BBQ spot in Mission Hills will be going Italian by way of Chicago, with another Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria, already a hit in North Park.
This Saturday, Sept. 27, in Balboa Park, taste food from more than 20 restaurants, including Golden City, Phuong Trang and Curry House, during the Taste of Asia event at the International Cottages from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The $15 tickets price includes cultural performances and live entertainment, a 10-percent discount at participating restaurants and $2 off admission at some park museums. All proceeds will be donated to charities, with a primary focus on rebuilding schools for underprivileged children affected by this year’s devastating earthquake in the Sichuan province of China. www.tasteofasiasd.com.
My first visit to the Tractor Room was for a recent beer dinner with Jan Toye, owner of Belgian’s largest independent brewery, PALM, and of Brouwerij Rodenbach, whose deliciously sour beer, Grand Cru, frequently fills my glass. The menu of exotic game meats, stewed and skewered, was fall-tastic, perhaps more suited to cooler climates, but the dark and cozy restaurant is effective in shutting out the San Diego sun. Our dessert, Belgian chocolate truffles with Oude Kriek Boon, a tart cherry lambic, was just about as good as it gets.
The guys from PALM had great things to say about our local breweries and one of my favorites, AleSmith, is being spotlighted with beer dinner at Ritual Tavern on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m. The $45 cost includes five courses of organic and seasonal food, plus beer. I have a feeling that the pairing of AleSmith’s Speedway Imperial Russian Stout with vanilla bean crème brulée is going to be a winner. Vegetarian options are available but must be requested with your reservation. Call 619-283-1618 to book a table.
If, like me, you dream of going to a taping of Iron Chef, here’s a chance to see a version of it live, at the Chef Showdown on Oct. 2 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the NTC Promenade in Point Loma. Two teams of chefs from 12 restaurants, including Roseville, Urban Solace and Quarter Kitchen, will compete in a real-time cooking battle, with celebrity judges and co-host Sam the Cooking Guy. Food tastes will be provided by JRDN, US Grant, Marine Room and more. Funds raised go to the Center for Community Solutions, a local nonprofit that offers domestic-violence and sexual-assault prevention and intervention programs. 858-272-5777.
Got food news, send it to candicew@sdcitybeat.com.
Published: 09/23/2008
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT