San Diego Unseen: An Urban Portrait
Wine not your style? We’ve got beer, too. Or at least The Linkery does. On Thursday, Oct. 7, vegan or not, you, my friend, are invited to a vegan beer dinner. Check out the snazzy lineup of brews paired with fare made from local produce from Suzie’s Organic Farm (we’re groupies, kind of) in the Tijuana River Valley, south of Imperial Beach, and Wingshadows Hacienda in warner Springs. Four courses total; $9 for each dish and a half pour of beer. Non-vegans are entirely welcome but will have to share a seat with a Tea Partier in the corner with no lighting. Drink up! 5:30 p.m. until food runs out. 3794 30th St. in North Park. thelinkery.com
Wait, you don’t drink? Then check out Numero Water Bar in Little Italy (1660 India St.). With premium water from the foothills of Mt. Fuji, Japan, quench away. It’s not new, but the place offers spa services, and you probably need some Shiatsu right about now. Sorry, no happy endings. numerowater.com
AVE 5 (2760 Fifth Ave. in Bankers Hill and not to be confused with Avenue Q, the dirty puppet play) celebrates its third anniversary this week. The resto’s owners tend a veg and fruit garden on the property of Ramona’s Highland Valley Ranch. Freshly grown vittles will not only appear in the dishes they serve, but also near the door as you depart. Take them home to make your own tasty meals, compliments of the AVE 5 crew. What the dilly! Eventually, you’ll be able to share your home recipes and stories on avenue5restaurant.com.
Oh, and we’d be remiss not to tell you about a tasty little $8.95 menu in coastal North County. Pacific Coast Grill’s happy-hour dinner menu, with treats like Hawaiian Style Baby Back Ribs, Three Cheese Sea Bass Burrito and Miso Braised Short Rib Sliders, is served in the bar and lounge and on the patio daily from 4 to 7 p.m. The dog menu looks fab, too, as long as your pooch isn’t a vegan. Sample: Harry & Arthur’s Filet of Beef, served medium rare. No splitting with Fido. 437 South Hwy 101 in Solana Beach. pacificcoastgrill.com
A glimpse of next week: More places you can dine with your pup. And, it’s officially lobster season, so we’ll have a lineup of where to get the goods this side of the border.
Got food news? Write to brookl@sdcitybeat.com.
RECENT REVIEWS
Prepkitchen. 7556 Fay Ave., La Jolla, 8585-875-7737. Whisknladle’s sister restaurant does the slow-food-seasonal-ingredients thing, but with unpretentious flair. The weekend brunch is something special; lunch and dinner are served throughout the week and are worth a try simply for the free house-cured olives. prepkitchen.com.
The Deli Llama. 3702 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest. 619-295-4666. There’s a bit of a circus theme here: a cartoon mascot llama dressed as a ringleader and sandwiches with names like “The Tattooed Lady” and “The Knife Thrower.” But it’s more than schtick—the sandwiches are tasty and creative, and the menu includes a solid selection of soups and panini.
Searsucker. 611 Fifth Ave., Downtown, seersucker.com. The new Gaslamp restaurant from Top Chef Brian Malarkey is doing a lot of things right with its “New American Classic” cuisine, but the menu is excessive in its foodie inside jokes, and many of the items seem to have one ingredient too many.
O’Bistro. 4934 Voltaire St., Ocean Beach, obistrocafe.com. O’Bistro doesn’t try to be more than what it is: a chill neighborhood spot in a chill ’hood serving up solid, tasty fare on a cozy, expansive out door patio. Yes, there’s indoor seating, but the patio’s where it’s at.
Chiba Japanese Cuisine. 10435 San Diego Mission Road, Mission Valley. This sushi restaurant in a non-descript Mission Valley strip mall is a local favorite, serving creative takes on traditional fare. Standouts includes the “baked volcano,” Las Vegas roll and Mission roll.
