My pick for this year

Some of you may notice there's been a break in posts and with that is good news, I'm officially a nurse on a hospital unit and have been slammed with work and a new schedule!  Hopefully this post can make up for my recent absence, with a place I've definitely identified as a favorite in my neighborhood and a favorite for many locals.

Found in the University corridor, Carnitas Snack Shack has been lauded as top newcomer, a must stop and one of the best eateries in San Diego.  Accolades don't stop there, individual dishes have been considered must eats with special attention to great prices and high quality food.

Snack shack has a great laid back atmosphere and the seating has even been expanded since this picture was taken.  Whether you're under the heat lamps on a chilly day or lounging in the shade on a hot day, you'll find a comfort zone for yourself in the spacious open seating.

If you're looking for something light to start with, I highly suggest the beet terrine.  This little cube contains layers of tomato, beets, spinach, goat cheese and balsamic glaze.  Not only is this refreshing but the richness of the goat cheese really adds a creamy layer that rounds the whole dish out.

You might be so inclined for something a bit more...meaty?  This little cube of goodness is roast pork belly with a sweet chili glaze and an apple radish slaw.  This has been one of the best preparations of pork belly I've ever had (and trust me I've been around.)  The meat melts in your mouth and the slaw is the perfect tart accompaniment to take you into the next rich bite of meat.  I understand a lot of people get turned off by the layer of fat in pork belly, but even if you simply went for the meat on this one, it'd still be worth it purely on great flavor.

The sandwich that's been speaking to a lot of patrons is the Shack pork sandwich. This is a loaded meat sandwich with tender pulled pork as the base, then crunchy schnitzel next and smoky bacon to top it all off.  All the meats are distinct yet really blend well to make a cohesive sandwich without being too overpowering alone.  The peperoncini-pickle relish is that tart element to the rich pork, very consistent in the dishes around here.  For even more contrast, theres creamy morsels of corn on the side that can change things all together.

The shack is even taking classics and adding their own twists.  You couldn't have an eatery sporting excellent pork without a good ol' BLT.  Here the sandwich is elevated with brioche bread, crispy ham and aioli.  This is the definition of simple goodness, bringing all the elements of the classic with just a few mix ins to make unique and a must try.

Ok I get it, maybe pork isn't your thing at the moment.  How about some red meat?  The steak sandwich brings thin sliced ribeye (my favorite cut,) grilled tomatoes, pickled serranos, jalapeno jack cheese, with chipotle aioli all on jalapeno-cheddar bread.  I was lucky enough to have the steak cut thin but cooked rare, if that's your thing I highly recommend asking for it this way.  Every bit of the sandwich is just a win in flavor from head to toe and will knock you out at the end of finishing it.

Ok you've heard about my favorite dishes but don't forget some tasty fries on the side.  The fries are pretty standard shoe-string, but with a nice little peppery dusting.  The real twist is the "ketchup," which is more like a gazpacho or cold tomato soup.  However you see it, it just makes these fries a must order.  I consistently ask them to bottle and sell because I could put that stuff on anything.

This final dish is a special that seems to pop up on mondays at the shack.  This cheesy goodness is a riff on Canada's beloved poutine fries.  They take their seasoned fries and top them off with pulled pork, white cheddar bacon gravy and a bacon crumble.  If there's any special you're going to seek out, patrons and staff will agree this is it.  A perfect combination of crunch and richness from cheese gravy and the salty rich flavor of the pulled pork really make this a perfect dish.  I think any Native San Diegan familiar with Carne Asada fries will really find a comfort zone with this dish and can really enjoy this one.

Carnitas Snack Shack has unique dishes made with great fresh ingredients available to the masses.  I see this place as somewhere to go for great tasting food with hits of gourmet flair but very friendly to the wallet with the menu all under $10.  Chef Hanis has done an excellent job with this place and look out for this name because it's constantly being published.  With that, this place is gaining popularity by the day and they just recently reached their one year anniversary so you know they're still climbing.  For all these reasons, the Snack Shack is my pick of the year (2012,) and a place to be for 2013 when I nurse those cravings.

Carnitas Snack Shack
2632 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92104 
(619) 294-7675
Check out their site

And the Search for my favorite SD Ramen comes to a Close

Ever since moving back from Las Vegas, I feel like I've been missing my favorite ramen spot Monta.  Sure I've been a huge fan of Santouka and even Underbelly on certain nights, but I just haven't gotten that Tonkotsu flavor I crave until I found Ramen Yamadaya.

On the suggestion of my little sister, I've discovered my new favorite ramen shop(at least in the San Diego area.)  Yamadaya focuses strictly on the tonkotsu broth, claiming to boil pork bones for 20 hours which really shows in it's rich flavorful broth.

Yamadaya even takes tonkotsu a step further with their koterri option, a rich fattier broth with black garlic oil.  If that's not your thing they also have a traditional tonkotsu or even a spicy choice(with 3 levels,) but for me it's about deep rich pork flavor so Kotteri is my usual choice.  Yamadaya has, by far, the best tonkotsu ramen broth I've had.  After a little digging I came to find out this restaurant originated in the LA area and is a favorite of ramen fanatics.

When ordering ramen, you have your choices of meat and toppings, this particular visit I went a little simpler with the already included egg, green onion, black fungus and bamboo shoots.  Of course you can add even more like corn or any of the already mentioned items.  The meat hidden submerged into the broth are roasted chashu pork, simple slices of roast pork taking it's flavor in from the broth with a perfect tender compliment.  The little plate on the side is an order of kakuni pork belly, if you're looking for your meat to add a little more flavor to your ramen this is it.  The kakuni has strong flavors of soy and ginger and is fall apart tender for that contrast to the creaminess of the Tonkotsu. 

The noodles are also a winner for me, thin with the perfect amount of chew.  They air on the side of angel hair as far as noodles go which so happens to be my preferred thickness.

I usually enjoy some grated garlic in my ramen so when I asked for my favorite condiment I was pretty surprised to see this.  This is the only place I've seen this offered but it's definitely a nice change of pace.  Being so fresh in your broth, this is a bit strong of flavor for some but for me I loved it, I don't know if I can go back to the pre-grated stuff again!

At about $8-10 for a bowl of Ramen, Yamadaya is competitive with the better choices in San Diego.  Add on some combos for chashu bowls and gyoza you're looking closer to $15 for a ton of food.  Overall Yamadaya wins me over on taste, with no gimmicks and great tonkotsu choices, I've found a clear winner when it comes to simple ramen done well in San Diego.  Just make sure you make your way there soon because this place is gaining popularity quick within the ramen-loving community.

Ramen Yamadaya

4706 Clairemont Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92117

(858) 483-3431

http://www.ramen-yamadaya.com/

You may call it a temperature drop, I know it as soup weather!

Slowly but surely the weather around San Diego has dropped a few degrees, and as the sweaters and jackets have made their ways out of storage, so has our need for warm comfort foods.  This brings us to a little spot on El Cajon Blvd., where a shop opens it's doors to serve up scratch made soups and warm paninis.

 The place itself is very nice, a bit smaller on the inside but plenty of seating outdoors to enjoy your warm soup and the charm of the Boulevard in front of you.

When I saw lobster bisque on the menu, I knew that had to be the first thing I was going to order.  From the first time I've tried it at other spots, I've been hooked by the flavor but was always put off by salt content.  SD Soup Shoppe did not disappoint.  Being scratch made, it really puts things on another level.  The soup is rich and deep with a great creamy flavor to finish off every bite without being close to salty.  You get great lobster flavor on the front end and a bit of sherry on the back end.  The kicker for the soup bowl is the fresh made bread they receive in the morning that has that little bit of crunch and chew you only get from being recently baked.

I was soo blown away by the lobster bisque, I decided the the clam chowder was a must try.  The broth has a perfect thickness with a great cream-rue flavor.  Again great seafood content without being overly salty.  Big pieces of clam are a nice treat and the potatoes are diced small with a soft texture.  One of my pet peeves with chowder are huge hard pieces of potato so this was perfect.  The fresh roll of bread on the side that's made it's way through the panini press plays a nice crunchy compliment to the soup, a great dipper for those inclined.

As for the sandwich, we went with the chicken pesto with bacon and red onion.  The grilled chicken breast is thick and moist, almost as if they had been through a brine before the grill.  This is topped with a nice slice of fresh mozzarella and bacon with a mild olive oil mayo over top.  The pesto base is nice and flavorful but not too overpowering and adds a nice dimension to the sandwich.  The whole thing is your traditional chicken club kicked up with the pesto and mozzarella to create a different experience all together.  Again we have a fresh rosemary olive oil bread to pack all the goodies into, nice and crunchy from the press with just enough flavor to round the contents of the sandwich out.

I can't say enough, it's one thing to make a soup from scratch but it's a whole other story to have a great recipe and make bowls of amazingness.  What SD soup shoppe does is take soups you normally wouldn't have a second thought about and does them at such a high level that when you try them there, you realize you've been missing out.  This place opened earlier this month and they've gotten off to a great start.  Other choices for the soups are Mushroom and Brie, Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda, Mediterranean Lentil and Italian Wedding Soup.  At 6$ for soups(add a dollar for the lobster bisque,) and $8 for just the sandwiches they aren't cheap.  I'd love to see some combination specials in the future but hey, I'm soo enamored by the fresh philosophy of the place I'm willing to pay the premium right now.

San Diego Soup Shoppe

2850 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104

(619) 795-3870

Or Follow them Online 

A Night Out for Oysters Turns Into Soo Much More

Last Thursday night me and the family went out on a mission for some oysters once we found out that El Take it Easy in North Park has a $1 oyster night.  Luckily for us, this happened to land on the same day as the monthly 30th on 30th event.  What does this mean?  A lot of delicious small bites everywhere we walked!  For those not very familiar, 30th on 30th is an event on the 30th of each month to showcase restaurants on 30th street with small plates that cost about $3-5.  Along with drink specials and many participating bars/restaurants, this turns out to be quite the event!

So a little background on El Take it Easy.  Like a lot of North Park, they've followed suit on a commitment to fresh ingredients on a cuisine considered to be "New World Mexican."  This philosophy branching off from the fact it's a sister restaurant to Linkery.  The menu reflects traditional Mexican food with modern sensibilities toward preparation.  The decor has that hip North Park feel you'd expect from a newer joint with a full bar, chalkboard menus and local art on the wall.  Definitely a fun hang out spot.

The event special was a $3 ceviche tostada with goat chicharron sprinkled over top.  This was really good!  The ceviche consisted of chopped shrimp and cut yellowtail "cooked," in a mild lemon/lime mixture which tasted great with cucumber and tomato mixed in.  Both refreshing and satisfying with the amount of seafood.  This was all on a freshly made and fried tostada which makes a huge difference in delivering the mild but great flavors the ceviche had to offer.  The real kicker was that goat chicharron sprinkled over top which added an interesting depth of flavor and texture, elevating the whole dish to something a little extraordinary.

   Here we have crispy pig ears, served with an asian slaw and sweet soy dipping sauce.  Seeing this on the menu, we just had to order it.  The pig ear bits looked a bit rubbery at first and I was a bit skeptical if it was really crispy or not but with the first bite you get a nice crispy texture with just enough chew on the inside.  In the sauce you get an asian flair with sweet soy and sesame seeds.  The slaw is mayo based but was mild enough to add contrast to the pork and sweet sauce to create a balanced dish.  If pig ears are your thing, this for you.

 Now we finally get to what we ventured out for, the oysters!  At $1 a pop, we had tempered expectations with only hopes of freshness and quality.  El Take it Easy delivered on all ends with this one.  The oysters were a bit on the smaller side but had great flavor(Not fishy at all,) which reflected a general freshness to the shellfish.  The picture up top is the raw serving, served with a mild lime-mignonette which added that zing without overpowering the oyster like straight citrus would do.  The picture here on the left was the grilled option, served with a mild hotsauce and the mignonette again.  We generally preferred this but that may be because the raw preparation was a little too close to room temperature for our taste.  We prefer our raw oysters to be a bit more chilled and if they were to be served warm, we prefer them grilled.  Maybe this was an off night for them given the event, either way I think it's well worth a try and still good quality oysters.

On our way home we passed by The Ritual Tavern and found them grilling off some porkbelly skewers.  If you know anything about me or this blog, this stopped us in our tracks and became a must try.  Talking to the chef, we found that the pork belly was cut into cubes, skewered and simply seasoned with salt and pepper before hitting the grill.  Where the flavor really takes off is the passion fruit glaze the skewer is doused with right after it comes off the grill.  The glaze has a deep flavor from the fruit with hints of olive oil, garlic, pepper, oregano and other seasoning I couldn't quite put my finger on.  This was a surprise winner for us with a great unique fruit flavor on the meat and of course great quality pork belly with just the right ratio of fat to meat.  The real kicker here was how the chef told us that the fruit was picked from the restaurant's garden which really became a testament to the food's quality.

Before we left tavern, we couldn't help but notice the big sign advertising the mussels cooked in white wine out in front.  We decided to order one to share.

These mussels were AMAZING!  The meat had great texture which I believe is attributed to it's freshness.  The white wine sauce was deep and rich in flavor with shallots and onions rounding everything out on the backend. 

The dish is of course served with crusty bread which we happily sopped the delicious white sauce with.  We were very happy with this and at $13 for the pound, it was money well spent.

So the day was a complete success.  We went out looking for a deal on oysters and were pleasantly surprised by the day's events and food offerings.  Calling North Park my new home, I will definitely keep the 30th in mind as the day to venture out and try some new things and places.  Although a lot of the special dishes I talked about won't be offered every 30th, or even on the regular menus for that matter, it goes to show that making your way out to local events can provide you with some amazing eats and hopefully insight on what an establishment's food is all about.   I barely put a dent on the many offerings of North Park, but if this is any sign of what's to come, we are all in for a treat!

More info on 30th-on-30th

El Take it Easy
3926 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 291-1859

The Ritual Tavern

4095 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104

(619) 283-1618

Getting to know my neighborhood

Since I'll be calling North Park home soon, I figure it'd be a good idea to start familiarizing with all the great food offerings of the area.  Most locals are in the know that North Park is one of the neighborhoods around San Diego that have been revitalized with a younger crowd seeking niche bars and good eats.  Most of these eateries lean toward the modern food tastes while running the gambit of dives to fine dining.  A place that I've personally set my sights on for a quite a while but never actually made my way to is The Linkery. 

The Linkery isn't exactly the newest joint around town, but since it opened it's been applauded for taking fresh local ingredients into their menu daily and creating flavors that are uniquely San Diego.  Truly a farm-to-table approach.  Along with quality food, the restaurant has that hip modern vibe with great open air seating that has become commonplace to North Park and San Diego in general.

Not only is the Linkery a great spot for food, they tout a very reputable selection of craft beers that San Diego has recently been known for using daily specials and food pairings to enhance the experience for those seeking a quality brew with their food.

On this day we made a lunch trip which to no surprise, came with lunch specials.  Obviously being called Linkery, I had my sights set on a sausage or two until I spotted the Salchichero topped fries.

Ok so I guess I'll start at the bottom with this one.  The fries are cut fresh and fried in beef tallow (fat.)  This preparation really lends to a unique flavor of the fries as they took on a richness you don't get with any regular fry oil.  This is probably why they had such a great crunch to them as well.  Over the fries was the house made longaniza which had a great pork and red pepper mix although more resembled Mexican chorizo due to the way it flaked rather than Spanish longaniza.  The locally found spring hill cheddar added a perfect bite of cheese without being overpowering and created that classic taste with the fries elevated by preparation and quality.  The avocado over the cheese was a quick guacamole mix which fit well with the theme of the fries and longaniza while adding a fresh contrast to the fried cheesy goodness.  Where things take a twist is the bacon and eggs.  The egg is fried perfectly over easy and as the yolk drips down into the rest of the food, it doesn't get any more rich and flavorful (if you're into that sort of thing!)  The bacon is just icing on the cake, smoked in house and cut thin adding a great note to the end of your bite.  If this dish is any indication towards the goodness of the rest of the menu, I can't wait to be back.

The Linkery is definitely unique and worth a try, especially for lunch where you can get something like the above dish and a draft beer for $12.50.  The lunch specials also had offerings catering toward the extensive sausage menu which will probably be my route the next visit.  The prices might be generally high but remember, the philosophy is farm-to-table so the quality is definitely there and I can vouch for that.  As a side note, for their method of gratuity, 18% is added automatically(kind of Euro style,) and anything extra is donated to the charity of the month so don't be shy if service was particularly great on your visit.   

The Linkery
3794 30th St
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 255-8778

Little Italy...home of...great ramen?

If you've read my post about Monta, you understand my love for a good bowl of creamy tonkotsu ramen.  Now that I've moved back to San Diego, I feel like there's a big soup bowl sized part of my stomach missing I just had to fill.  This brings me to Underbelly located in Little Italy, a stones throw away from the downtown area.  Underbelly takes the traditional Tonkotsu concept and fuses modern ingredients into the mix to create a refreshing ramen experience.

Before I get to the food, I have to mention one of the things I enjoy most about this place, the location.  Sure it's small and if it's cold the open concept can be a little chilly, but I appreciate the view and the modern ambiance the area has to offer.  It makes this location not only unique but adds to the whole experience of being in Little Italy.

And here it is, aptly named the underbelly ramen bowl.  The broth is subtle, light on the cream factor but definitely enjoyable with all the traits of tonkotsu I enjoy.  And yes the pork flavor is there, prominent in it's own right.  The noodles here are the thicker type with a thick bite and aren't my favorite but definitely gets the job done.  The meats are what makes the ramen really shine here.  On the right is the Chashu Belly, roasted tender with a good fat:meat content ratio and a really straight forward pork flavor that goes well with the broth.  At the top of the picture is Kurobuta sausage, a pork sausage with great snap and smokey flavor.  The sausage takes a different approach on the pork flavor you don't commonly find in tonkotsu and creates a great contrast to the broth and adds flavor that goes well with the starch of the noodles.  On the left is an applewood smoked bacon.  The bacon is thick and carries the flavor of the smoking process into the soup.  As any bacon would be, this is fatty and carries the applewood flavor adding a great dimension to the ramen.  The way I look at it, it's kind of a re-imagining of the traditional chashu that makes Underbelly so unique.

Sorry for the quality on this pic, this was taken on a night visit and let's just say the lighting isn't the best!  Anywho, this is another offering from underbelly, this one being called Belly of the beast.  The noodles and broth are the same found in a bowl of Underbelly as described above.  Again, the winning factors for this bowl of goodness are the house made meat toppings.  What you can slightly see over top are the hoison glazed short ribs.  The meat was very tender with a great beef flavor.  The glaze over the surface created a char from the cooking process which added a very welcomed burned flavor to the meat which was great in depth of flavor.  On the left is the brisket which also was tender but took on a very straight forward approach to beef with a more subtle flavor and added the much needed meat content to the ramen.  The dumplings on the right were probably the most interesting being filled with oxtail.  For those not familiar with oxtail, the meat is high in fat and collagen content pretty much due to the bone marrow aspect of the meat.  These properties carried over well into dumpling form as each bite was very rich, fatty and beefy working very well with the pork broth.  This ramen was definitely a dive into the fusion aspect of this place.

Sure they have the red Togarashi pepper you can add, but they also have a chili sauce too!  Look for this little jar, it contains a dialed down ghost pepper puree that caters to those heat seekers.  Although the sauce is made mild, you have the hottest pepper hidden in there and the more you add, the hotter it gets.  The ghost pepper sauce isn't even just about heat though, they managed to get fruity properties of the pepper to come through to add a great flavor to your soup.  Add with caution, but definitely add some.

Until now I've been relegated to the most traditional of Tonkotsu ramen which I enjoyed more than anything.  Underbelly has opened me up to the potential of ramen, using different ingredients to add depth and complexity that I frankly didn't see possible until now.  Underbelly goes beyond simply adding odds and ends to your ramen but rather well thought out meats that compliment the flavors rather than overpower them.

Quick Tip: For you first timers, be prepared to drink from the bowl!  Underbelly does not serve soup spoons, ironically they take the traditional approach and prefer you to slurp the broth straight from the bowl just like the mainland....enjoy!

Underbelly

750 W. Fir St.
San Diego, CA 92101

619.269.4626

Back to Basics

Ok so obviously I've been MIA...but after graduation and taking the NCLEX, it's been a blur moving back from Vegas to San Diego and the blog unfortunately fell to the wayside.  I wasn't sure I'd even come back to it but now that I'm in the middle of the job hunt I've found a few minutes to update and even though I might have lost all my readers, I just can't help but find the joy in talking about food I love!

So without further delay, this post is about my favorite San Diego spot, Sab-e-lee, a tiny little Northern-style Thai food spot in the Linda Vista area that really brings the heat.  The ironic thing about this place is that despite the high yelp ratings, I was never really motivated until a local blogger talked it up soo much.  Boy was I glad I listened because this place is not only a favorite, but I'm a consistent regular and I have yet to be disappointed.

This is actually the dish that drew me in, spicy raw beef.  I know what you're thinking, raw beef?  If you're feeling brave and are into the unusual, this is your dish.  A mixture of good quality raw beef, Thai spices, green and purple onions with mint and garlic slices.  With the strong seasoning, you lose the iron-like flavor of the beef.  You then get the strong flavors of the other ingredients that just blends to make a tremendous mix of flavor and texture.  A notable seasoning for the beef is the rice powder which adds a little bit of a harder crunch which actually adds to the complexity of the dish.  Obviously this dish is spicy, and being able to order on a scale of 1-10, the masochist I am, I can't help but order a 10 every time.  The spice is from a blend of Thai chilis and lime juice that will make you cry in your chair, in the best of ways!  This dish is definitely not common in most Thai restaurants and this definitely ranks high on my all time favorites list.

Through my various trips to Sab-e-lee, I discovered this little gem called Nam Sod.  This has literally become my favorite dish, I find myself having a hard time trying the rest of the menu because I just HAVE to order this.  Nam Sod is a preparation of ground beef, raw sliced ginger, purple onions, cilantro, Thai spices, pork belly and peanuts.  These ingredients are all mixed with a spicy lime juice and served as a salad although I have no problem throwing it down on some rice.  This is just the epitome of the flavors that Thai food is all about.  A little sweet, salty and sour, spiced up with chilis.  Not only is there a great contrast of flavors but the bite of fresh ginger and crunchy peanuts add great contrast to the dish I can't get enough of.  The most unique part about getting the dish here at Sab-e-lee is the pork belly.  Those translucent slices you see in the picture are actually the pork belly themselves, probably steamed or boiled then sliced thin.  This is more of a gelatinous texture but with the rest of the ingredients just adds depth of flavor and just another welcomed contrast in texture.  Again, I order this at a 10 and the mix of flavors have proved to be a perfect vehicle for the chilis and it really does burn.  I've ordered this dish in several restaurants, nothing comes close to what Sab-e-lee offers.

A few notes on this place:
Take the spice scale seriously, I go with a 10 knowing it burns so good, but for those not soo inclined, start low!  The spice also depends on the season of the chilis and if they are in season they are even hotter, kind of adds to the intrigue every time I order.  The restaurant itself is actually very small, seats around 20 more or less so plan accordingly.  A lot of the dishes are catered to Northern-Thai specialties so it's kind of cool to get past the pad thai and panang and order something a lot different than usual.  And finally, one of the best things about this place is that the dishes range from about $5.95-8.95, hardly breaking the bank but definitely fills you up!

Original Sab-E-Lee

2405 Ulric St
San Diego, CA 92111

(858) 650-6868