Don’t get me wrong – I’m still out there eating and exploring and enjoying all that San Diego has to offer. I’ve been cooking and pinning and creating delicious meals out of only the pantry and freezer. We went to Disneyland and Cars Land and ate food served in cute little cones and walked until we pretty much broke our feet. There’s a lot going on. It’s just not making it online.

Life is just too busy and too fun to sit down at the computer and edit photos, type up pages of words, and fiddle with links. I guess you could say I’ve gotten a bit bored. I’m not about page hits or tags or site views – I just wanted a place to lay out my thoughts and grumbles. Along the way, I got to meet a lot of awesome people and have a lot of fun. I’m still having fun (sometimes with those awesome people!), I’m just not writing about it here. I do hope to drop in now and then when there’s something I absolutely have to say. Eventually, I hope to come back to more regular posting. In the meantime, just know I’m being well-fed.

ps – Toby became my best buddy and shadow, but we finally did take him back home. If only he wasn’t such a barker! I miss his cuddles, but I don’t miss all the blanket-hogging he did.

Toby!

So, this is Toby, one of my mom’s crazy (adopted) foster dogs. He has a brother, who looks like Benji and they look nothing alike. But, they’re both scared out of their wits by anyone other than my parents. My mom had them and their mom since they were tiny pups, so I can’t imagine what happened to them to make them so scared. Their mom was certainly friendly to other people (or at least us, when we went to visit). I like a good challenge (actually, I like an odds-are-in-my-favor challenge that doesn’t take a lot of work), so on our last trip home we brought Toby home to see if we could “fix” him. Toby, at least, stays visible when we visit my parents. His brother hides under furniture the entire time we’re there.

When we got home, Toby was too scared to move. This made it pretty easy on us, since we pretty much just picked him up and moved him to wherever we were going to be (kitchen, couch, bedroom). But then he got just comfortable enough to know he was not at home and he didn’t like it. He’d run away if you looked in his direction, we’d have to herd him out the back door just to get him outside, and we had no idea if he was eating or drinking. For a while, if you cornered him and then just sat still for a while, you could touch his head, lift his paw and pick him up.

My first strategy was pretty much fake-it-til-you-make it: Toby was going to sit on the couch with us, on our laps, until he actually started to like us. This approach lasted a day, as it got really tiring to corner the dog, sit quietly, and try to touch his paw without a freakout every time we got off the couch.

The next tactic was ignoring him. I threw puppy pads around the house for when we were away at work and we just let him hide in a corner all day long. No one bothered him, no one cornered him, no one tried to make eye contact with him. I did see him go up to a water bowl once when he thought no one was looking, so at least he wasn’t going to die of dehydration! This didn’t really work, since I’m pretty sure Toby could out-ignore us for weeks.

Then, one day I was in the kitchen and the dogs came in to see what kind of food was getting dropped on the floor (poached chicken). I saw a small little head poke out from around the island and tossed a piece of chicken onto the floor. Aha! The dog was finally hungry enough to seek out human interaction! I could work with this! I dug up a can of dog food (our dogs get a bucket of dry kibble and they either eat it or not, we’re so mean) and sat on the floor tossing pieces of canned food out, like I was luring a stray cat to come inside. Which, if you think about it, isn’t too far from what I was trying to do. Once we established that there was food to be had, it was good food, and Toby was hungry enough to want it, I started just holding out food in my hand. Eventually, I got him eating out of my hand while the other dogs sat, lay down, shook their paws, and tried to show how good they were being.

I think the long Christmas weekend of having us home all day and night helped. I’d feed Toby in the morning, a snack at lunch, and then again in the evening. A scoop for Toby, a scoop for the house dogs. Pretty soon, he was hanging out in the kitchen or coming up to us while we were eating dinner, to see if it was something he could eat. I fed him in the kitchen, in the living room, in the family room, with treats tossed here and there. He still wouldn’t let you pet him, or pick him up, but at least if we opened the back door he would just run out without much herding.

And then, as we were eating homemade pizza (on the couch, in pjs and sweatpants), that cute little dog pawed at me. And let me scratch his ears. I’m still not sure if he wanted petting or just food, but it was still a little heartwarming. Even after I fed him, he stuck around and put up with all sorts of petting, ear scratches, and cuddles. And then the next morning he ran away like we were never buddies to begin with.

It’s still a work in progress and he’s still wary of Travis (but will accept food from him!), but now he follows me around the house and sometimes lets me pet him without food coercion. We’re sometimes-friends, and that’s okay for now. We’ll just keep working on it and see how far we get.

[side note: I don’t really like the word “blog” and don’t really like saying I’m a “blogger”. I feel pretentious when someone says it (about me) because I’m really just occasionally posting words on the internet and it seems like just about anyone can do that. Also, I don’t like the word “foodie”. I don’t understand people who are happy with mediocre food and don’t think it makes me a “foodie” to want to eat good food. Not good-for-you-food, mind you, because sometimes you really want a Double Double with animal fries or a chicken biscuit sandwich and sometimes those 2-for-99-cents deep fried fast food tacos. Just because I don’t want to meet you for dinner at Chili’s and want to go to a better restaurant should not make me a foodie. It should make me a reasonable person.]

What have we been doing? Well, there was that trip I took with my mom to Seoul, Narita/Tokyo, and Honolulu. And then Travis and I went to Pennsylvania for his 20-year high school reunion and we someone spent a lot of money even though I swear everyone else was feeding us. We finally got through the refinance process (which is probably the most draining experience ever) which means we get to seriously start looking at a house remodel project (which I anticipate as being draining yet exciting?)

There’s been food making, just not interesting food making. In an attempt to keep our spending down, I’ve been trying to go through our freezer and make meals. You’d think this would be a perfect opportunity to blog about freezer meals and making the most of your pantry. But our freezer is stocked with things like leftover short rib ragu and a container of turkey soup from LAST Thanksgiving and ten bags of shredded cheddar cheese. Most nights I’m happy if we get a protein and (frozen) veggies on the plate.

I did make Ina Garten’s lemon cake the other day and it was fantastic. Definitely better the day after being baked. It’s all dense and cakey, moist with a lemon syrup, then crunchy on the outside from the lemon glaze. As a bonus, it uses 4 lemons (zest + juice) and only 4 eggs. It’s really hard to find a recipe that uses more than 2 lemons.

There was also a cocoa powder brownie recipe than turned out too cakey and turned me off cocoa powder-only brownies. I think the melted chocolate helps give brownies a fudgier texture. Or maybe I’m just spoiled with Baked’s brownie recipe. That same day I made Ina’s corn pudding, which was fantastic. We took it to a potluck and I was wishing I had left some at home to eat later.

There have been no Christmas cookies (yet) although I do have an office cookie exchange to participate in, as well as a gift exchange. And there is a box of graham crackers in the pantry making me wonder if you can make some sort of cracker crunch bar with them successfully.

Our Trader Joe chickies are growing up and three of them have started crowing (actually, I don’t know which ones are crowing but someone is, which means all 3 of them are going). They’re so pretty, I wish we could keep one, but this morning I heard crowing at 2 am, and if this keeps up I’m pretty sure our neighbors are going to hate us.

And, on our last trip to my parents’, I pilfered one of my mom’s crazy dogs and brought him back with us for some Doggy Rehab. Last Christmas, we bought back portly Maya so we could take her on walks and get her to lose some weight (and she lost something like 8 pounds while she was here!) One of my mom’s adopted (fostered) pups is a basket case and won’t let anyone near him. Which is weird since he’s lived in that house since he was born, so it’s not like he’s been abused or mistreated. I am loathe to accept that I am not completely loveable by every dog I encounter, so he came back with us to be my new project. So far, he’s been too scared to really run away and lets us pick him up, carry him, and spoon feed him canned dog food. Our dogs aren’t really fazed by this temporary addition, although the cats seem particularly fascinated by this animal who is more skittish than they are.

That pretty much sums up what we’ve been up to. How about you?

San Diego Restaurant Week is here, once again. If there was a restaurant you missed the last time, now’s your chance to visit. If there’s a favorite spot you’re looking to score a deal, now’s the time to make your reservation. If you’re a fan of honey walnut shrimp, boy do I have the place for you.

Del Mar Rendezvous invited us to preview their SDRW menu, which is happily full of dishes on their regular menu plus a couple of extras.

Because I wrote about the tasty, tasty food before, I tried to pick out some different dishes to try.

While we both absolutely love the eggplant, I wanted to try the honey glazed spare ribs and the dumpling sampler.  Make sure you ask for fresh ginger and vinegar for the dumplings if it’s not offered! The dumpling sampler comes with vegetable dumplings, shrimp ha gau, and xiao long bao (XLB), those tasty little soup dumplings that are scarfable by the dozen.  The shrimp dumplings were plump and tender, while the vegetable dumpling wrapper had a bit more heft and chew to them. But, my heart (and stomach) belongs to the XLB, dunked in a little sauce, nibbled to let the soup broth out, then eaten with strings of fresh ginger on top. Because I wasn’t as huge a fan of the shrimp or vegetable dumplings, I’d probably order the eggplant for my appetizer and come back for a regular order of the XLB. The ribs weren’t as sweet as I thought they’d be, but they were every bit of fall-off-the-bone tender as I’d hoped.  It’s a meaty appetizer and a good start to the meal.

The honey walnut shrimp (see top of post) and the five spice braised beef are both on the regular menu; the three cup chicken is a special SDRW dish. Normally, I wrinkle my nose at SDRW menus that offer you things you can’t order outside of Restaurant Week, but because everything else on DMR’s menu is fabulous, I wouldn’t feel cheated at all with the regular dishes.  We’ve eaten their honey walnut shrimp before, so I justify this pick by saying I was just testing for consistency and making sure they were still as good as before. They are – piping hot with a crisp batter, just sweet enough sauce, and huge three-bite tender shrimp. At least, it takes me three bites. It might take you two, but definitely not one. The braised beef is a dish perfectly suited for chopsticks since the meat shreds easily at the slightest touch. Meaty, savory, moist, and delightful, it’s a really good dish. Equally delightful was the bok choy that was crisp yet cooked through. Sometimes I end up gnawing my way through bok choy, but not here.  I could eat the honey walnut shrimp all the time, and I’m definitely keeping the beef dish in mind in case I ever find myself wanting something with the substance of short ribs but without the fatty mouthfeel.

The three cup chicken is a dish the chef usually makes just for the staff for family meals, but he was coerced into offering it for Restaurant Week.  It’s made in limited quantities, so if you want to enjoy it (and I think you should), make sure you request it when making your reservations.  If you’re not a fan of eating around bones, you may not love this dish, but you’ll be missing out on some good eating.  The chicken is tender but not falling apart, completely absorbing the sauce and flavors during its cooking stint. And definitely don’t skip the gargantuan cloves of garlic in the bowl. They are magically delicious.

Always save room for dessert. It pleases me to no end that the dessert menu here is worth exploring.  I’ve been wanting to try the banana cheesecake rolls for some time and made Travis order the mango sorbet. Personally, I think they make for a good pairing – the banana cheesecake is light but rich, while the mango sorbet is smooth and refreshing.  The sorbet is like eating a mango… in sorbet form.  And the portion is about the size of a mango, too.  I recommend sampling the sorbet while waiting for the fried cheesecake to cool off a little.  I tried cutting the rolls with the spoon, but eventually gave up and just picked it up with my fingers and nibbled on it.  I’m not sure which method ended up being messier.  I like bananas and I like cheesecake, but I find the rolls aren’t prominently banana-y or cheesecake-y.  They’re not dense like cheesecake, and not heavy on the fruit.  Just enough of both, I guess.  In any case, I’d definitely order them again, hopefully with someone to eat the other piece so I don’t feel so gluttonous. While we’re not a fan of the “whipped topping” that accompanies the desserts, I had no problem finishing off my cheesecake rolls.  And half of Travis’ sorbet.

Many thanks to Dan and Kami for inviting us to dinner.  The food was outstanding as usual!

I have a giveaway for one of you lucky people – a gift card for dinner for two at Del Mar Rendezvous!

If you dine at Del Mar Rendezvous during SDRW, you can contact the restaurant for a $30 voucher to use Uber for a ride to and from dinner.  We were treated to a ride (details to follow) and I can see how it would be quite handy, especially if you take advantage of the wine/beer pairing specials with your SDRW meal.

Also, if you dine during SDRW before 6 pm, you can order the upgraded entrees (rack of lamb or crispy sea bass) for only $6!

Giveaway details: Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you’d order with your gift card. Giveaway ends at 11:59 pm Friday, September 7th, 2012.  I’ll pick a random winner and e-mail you to get your mailing address, so make sure you leave a valid e-mail with your comment.

Disclosure: Our meal was complimentary, but I was not compensated for this review. As always, all opinions are my own.

Puesto is tucked away, just off the main drag in La Jolla next to Whisknladle and Karl Strauss.  It’s got pretty good neighbors, if you ask me.  We were invited to check out their fancy custom tacos, fresh daily-made salsas (oh, so many salsas!), and learn what happens when you wrap taco fillings in a layer of crispy cheese (spoiler: it’s pretty awesome).

I forget where, but I read that someone compared Puesto to the Burger Lounge of Chipotles. At the time, I just brushed it off and perhaps might have scoffed a bit. But, once we got there, I could see the similarities.  Puesto makes simple tacos, with not-simple ingredients.  When’s the last time you saw zucchini flowers or huitlacoche (corn fungus) on the menu at Chipotle? Or the option to mix cactus, shrimp, and pineapple?

You start with a laminated menu and a marker.  Choose from 2 or 3 tacos, a bowl, or a salad.  We both picked 3 tacos to try and were walked through the process by Isi, cousin to brothers Eric and Alan and a new co-owner, from ordering food to choosing a drink.  Once you decide how you want to eat your food, you choose your meat (or veggie) and toppings and mark them on the menu. If you’re getting tacos, this is also the time to check the box that says you want them wrapped in crispy cheese or that you’re being good and will forgo the extra tastiness.  Then you just press the menu up the glass window and watch as your tortillas are heated, your cheese is melted, and your fillings are… well, filled.

You can choose to add one of many salsas (I got them all on the side so I could taste each one) and avocado (for free!).  And then it’s off to a table to delve into the tacos.

My taco tray consisted of the corn fungus, chicken and pineapple, and shrimp topped with tinga (hibiscus, onion, and chipotle).  I opted to just wrap two of my tacos in cheese, mainly because I always feel like you’re not supposed to mix cheese and seafood.  Don’t ask me why I think that; I’m sure someone said it to me once and it just stuck for no good reason.  I’m actually glad I left the cheese off the shrimp taco because I think it would have just overpowered everything else. I liked the clean flavors of the shrimp and hibiscus/onion; it also seemed to pair well with the pistachio salsa (as hot as that salsa was, whew!)  The pineapple added a nice sweetness to the chicken, plus there was all that cheese.  Sadly, I am not a fan of huitlacoche.  It’s a little funkier than mushrooms are and it just didn’t do it for me.  But, if you like it, I’m sure you’ll like it in a taco here, too.

Travis got a shrimp taco, a carne asada one, and I think a chicken and zucchini flower, all wrapped in cheese.  I took a bite of his carne asada taco and was pleased that the meat was nice and tender.

While the tacos don’t look all that filling, three of them was just too much for me.  Travis had to finish the rest of my chicken taco.  In the future, I would just go for two tacos.

We tried the fresh hibiscus tea to drink, a Mexican fruit cup, and I just couldn’t resist the frozen horchata.  I originally thought the frozen horchata would act kind of like a milkshake – part beverage, part dessert.  It was delightful and exactly what you’d like frozen horchata tastes like, just a bit sweeter than I expected.  After finishing it, I thought it would be perfect as a dessert.  A closer look at the menu shows it’s actually listed under “Sweeten Up”, so maybe that’s the point after all.  I found the hibiscus tea to be super sweet.  Almost syrupy sweet. But, we’re also those people who dilute cranberry juice with water because straight juice is too much, so maybe we’re just not used to such sweet beverages.  I almost think it would be better split between two cups, with ice and a splash of water (or soda water).  And then there was the fruit cup. Sticks of vegetables, jicama, and mango (all of which could change depending on availability) drizzled with lime juice, chili, and salt.  It’s that great combination of crunchy, spicy, sour, and sweet.  In retrospect, munching on all those veggies may have been why I couldn’t finish my third taco.

Three tacos will set you back $9 and two tacos are about $6.50.  The last time I ordered a regular chicken taco at the taco shop, it was almost $3, so I think the prices at Puesto are pretty reasonable.  Plus, it’s fun to order by marking up a menu and I’m a sucker for such a variety of toppings and sauces. Oh, and there’s frozen horchata.  While we’re not in La Jolla very often, it’s good to know there’s a casual spot nearby for a good bite for lunch.

I LOVE the County Fair. I know people who have lived in San Diego for decades and have never been to the Fair and then they look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them we go every year.  Sometimes more than once, depending on what’s going on and whether we get free tickets or not.  We also have a checklist of things to see/eat that must be done:

• Visit the Collections exhibits
• Watch the pig races
• Eat grilled corn
• Walk to the infield at least once (gotta get some exercise in!)
• Eat mini donuts with a carton of milk
• Walk through the vendor buildings
• Eat deep-fried cheese curds (this is one of Travis’ requests)
• Visit the garden exhibits
• Eat at least one new deep-fried something
• Look at the cute goats

This year, we really outdid ourselves.  We went to the Fair two weekends in a row: we went on opening day because I got the $4 tickets from Albertsons, then we went the next weekend (again with discounted tickets from Albertsons) because that’s when the fancy chickens (and I guess fancy ducks) were on display.  For some reason, we’ve never been at the Fair before when chickens were on display, even after we got our own chickens.  The best part of the chickens? Walking by the bantam roosters and hearing their tiny little crow – it’s so cute! They think they’re so tough!

In addition to the requisite grilled corn (fyi – if you buy a pair of tickets from Albertsons, you save $4, which is what it costs for an ear of corn!) and mini donuts, we really ate our fair share of fried foods.  Yes, we spread it out over two visits, but it was still a bit too much. I highly recommend Fair visits with groups of friends so you can share the deep-fried love between more people!

The gouda-stuffed bacon-wrapped portobellos were at the Bacon Affair stand (it was the Heart Attack Cafe or something last year).  It comes as a plate, with fries, but Travis didn’t want the fries and we kind of had to argue with the girl to give us just the mushrooms without the fries at full price.  You can also get the stuffed mushroom battered and deep fried, but that seemed a little overkill to us.  These were one of my favorite “new” items at the Fair.  Despite being wrapped in bacon, it didn’t feel too heavy or greasy and it was really flavorful.

We also tried the chili-stuffed flying saucers, which were basically hush puppies stuffed with chili.  I was skeptical, but they weren’t nearly as bad as I thought they’d be. I skipped the neon orange cheese sauce they came with, but the chili gave enough flavor to the hush puppy part that the whole thing was actually kind of tasty. Could have used some sour cream, though.

This year, there was a Lobster Shack at the Fair.  I was completely skeptical about eating lobster at the Fair, but we figured we might as well give it a try.  My main complaint is that the lobster meal comes with a drink, but their soda machine was broken so all we got was an extra slice of watermelon.  A soda or bottle of water would have been much better, especially when walking around the Fair. The lobster wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t great.  It came with coleslaw and a roll and the watermelon.  Not something I could recommend, but we enjoyed it for what it was: lobster dinner at the Fair.

We saw some guy walking around with the Big Rib and Travis wanted to try it.  It’s supposedly 2 pounds of steak on a bone, “laser-cut” to size and then smoked.  You can even order it by mail for your next party!  They only had well-done and medium-rare “ribs” when we were there, so we opted for medium-rare. We should have gotten well-done.  When you’re dealing with rib meat, a medium-rare piece means the inside will be chewy and hard to pull off.  At least if it was well-done, we could have cut chunks off and drowned it in some tasty sauces.  Overall, it was huge and filling, but it was also messy and a complete pain to eat.

From what I’ve heard, your enjoyment of the deep fried PB&J highly depended on how much peanut butter you got in the sandwich and how much jelly you got on top.  I think we got a decent amount of both, since each bite we had consisted of peanut butter and jelly. Combine that with a soft bready interior and that good ol’ deep fried crunch and I’d say you have a winner.  This was probably my second favorite “new” Fair food.

And then we got the peanut butter and banana creme funnel cake.  The heat of the funnel cake keeps the peanut butter warm and gooey, but the banana creme just wasn’t doing it for me.  If I was in charge, I would have swapped the banana creme for actual bananas and then added a sprinkling of bacon. Now, that would have been awesome.  I think a funnel cake is also just too much for 2 people. By the time we finished it, I was totally over funnel cakes.

We did some good eating at the Fair this year!  I’m looking forward to seeing what they bring next year.

I tell you this because when I hear about a fancy lunch at Vivace at Aviara in Carslbad, a lunch where you could linger and graze and relax for hours on end, I was curious how long Travis and I could really stretch out a meal if we had the time.

The Pranzo menu at Vivace is $45 per person and consists of three stations: a crudo bar, salumi bar, and burrata bar.  Oysters, poached prawns, cheese and salami, fresh mozzarella a burrata, and a bevy of condiments and tidbits to complement everything.  You also get to order an entree (a modestly sized entree, considering all the other treats you’ll be enjoying) and a vegetable side dish. After all that, there’s a dessert bar for grazing. Drinks, coffees, etc are all extra.

I’ll tell you right now that I was excited at the prospect of all-you-can-eat burrata and salami and oysters.  Cami and I had high tea at Vivace not too long ago (okay, maybe a while ago considering their little cutie is approaching 6 months already) and I thought our tea sandwiches and goodies were fantastic. So, I expected lots of fabulous tasting foods and I really wasn’t disappointed.  My one caveat would be to tell you that service matters. By which I mean, who you get as your server will make a huge difference in your experience. At least, it did for me.

For some reason, we were in some weird server island where everyone around us had one server and we had someone completely different.  The gal who was not our server was energetic and perky (in a good way, not the annoying way) and explained how everything worked to her tables. Half of what I know about the Pranzo lunch is because I was eavesdropping.

Our server failed to tell us that, because it was Father’s Day, they were pouring a complimentary glass of prosecco. While Travis was set on ordering a Negroni anyway, I probably would have leaned in favor of a free glass of bubbly instead of a $14 cocktail, had I know that was an option.  We were also asked to order our entree at the beginning, which caused it to show up when we were only two plates in to tasting prawns and cheese and cured meats.  The other tables around us were advised to order their entrees when they felt ready for it, which helps spread out your meal a bit and then you aren’t faced with juggling entree plates, vegetable bowls, and plates of cheese all on one tables.  Because of the way our food arrived, we ended up getting plates of burrata and mozzarella after finishing our entrees but before we had a chance to enjoy any dessert.  Our server saw us eating cheese and brought the check, assuming we were one of those cheese-for-dessert people (ha! shows you how well she knows me!) Then, because Travis wanted some coffee with dessert, she had to re-run our check and bring it back.

These are little things, I know, but at a place like Vivace I feel like the little things make a huge difference. All I can say is, she’s luck Travis was in charge of her tip.

Having said all that, the food was amazing and totally worth going back for.

(from left to right: burrata bar, salumi bar, crudo bar)

The burrata bar starts with a basket of breads, arugula, corn salad, olives, marinated mushrooms, asparagus, garlic confit (mmm…), and teardrop tomato salad, with the tomatoes all peeled (ooh… fancy!) Then you get to the wonderful man who is making fresh mozzarella and burrata right there. Creamy, soft, fresh cheese, drizzled with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and flakes of sea salt. I truly ate more cheese than one person should eat in a day.

The salumi bar had four types of cured meats, one of which was salami, another of which was a shaved prosciutto, and some others which were fantastic and delicious.  Cheese galore, plus little tidbits like candied hazelnuts, pickled peaches, and a fruity mostarda sauce.  I’m told the selections change week to week, but I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed with whatever’s on the table. Unless you don’t like cured meats. Or cheese. In which case, who are you??

The crudo bar had fresh oysters, Caledonian prawns, poached shrimp, an octopus salad, and fresh salmon. The octopus salad was not to my liking – a little too chewy and fishy for my tastes. The oysters are from Carlsbad Aqua Farm, so they’re the small ones, but very good, if you like oysters (which I do).  Between the prawns and the shrimp, the prawns win hands down. You can to pull off the head and shell, but the prawns are about as close to lobster as you can can get. Firm, tender meat with a sweetness unlike any prawn I can remember ever eating.  Now, I am a huge fan of raw salmon.  When we go out for sushi, I always order salmon nigiri and sometimes it acts as my dessert.  This salmon is fresh and melts in your mouth. The fact that it’s drizzled with buttery olive oil and garnished with crunchy salt flakes just makes it that much better. My plate above also has another dollop of burrata, as you can see.

We went through the stations one at a time, one plate for each station, the first time. Then I just started picking the things I loved best, telling myself that having to get up each time and walk to the station totally burned off enough calories to justify eating more cheese.

For our mains, I ordered the flat iron steak and Travis got the sea bass.  We picked the caramelized cauliflower and english peas as our sides. The peas were good, and tasted market fresh, but it was the cauliflower we both devoured. Crispy on the edges, salty, with a sweetness from the currants, and an extra crunch from pine nuts. It was good. Really good.  Travis enjoyed his sea bass, which had a crisp exterior but was perfectly moist and flaky once you got into it. I think sea bass is just not one of my favorite fish. And the flat iron steak? I don’t know how they make flat iron steak as tender and buttery as a filet, but they did. I heard that the rigatoni bolognese is fantastic, but I also know that when we go back, the flat iron steak will be making a repeat appearance on our table.

After we finished more cheese (and then, uh, paid the check), we actually sat for a while trying to decide if we wanted more food or if we wanted to wrap things up with something sweet. I really thought long and had about it, but decided that I really didn’t want to waddle out of the restaurant, so we went up for desserts and basically got one of everything.  The things in glass cups were a tiramisu and something that ended up like a berry tiramisu – regular tiramisu won. The cannoli was okay, but because it had been sitting out, the shell was soggy and half the point of cannoli is the crunchy shell.  There was a chocolate cake and a lemon cake – the lemon cake won because the chocolate cake was just an average chocolate cake with frosting.  I liked the biscotti because it was crisp enough to survive a dunking in coffee but soft enough to eat by itself. If you’re a harcore crunchy biscotti lover, you might think it’s just a chocolate dipped cookie.  There was a nougaty thing and a meringue – Travis enjoyed the meringue as it basically shatters in your mouth and then dissolves away.  But, the absolute winner of the dessert table was the macadamia nut brittle that had an extra dosing of salt so you get a salty, sweet, buttery nut bite in your mouth that is fantastic. I went up for seconds of the brittle and slightly debated getting another one on the way out, but didn’t.

After our lunch (where we spent a leisurely hour and a half that could have been extended if we had more people to talk to), we walked around the hotel, found the game room, played a short round of shuffleboard and then made our way home.

We saw a lot of families with babies there (maybe because it was Father’s Day), so it seems like a very family-friendly spot for lunch, if you think your kids will stay as long as you’re going to want to stay.  There’s also a nice patio outside, which would be perfect for babies who may or may not get fussy.

We’ll definitely be back to Vivace before the summer’s over. The call of fresh burrata is just too hard to resist.

Disclosure: Our meal was complimentary, but I was not compensated for this review. As always, all opinions are my own.

Hillcrest used to be the neighborhood we’d head for when we wanted something new and exciting to eat. Then we moved to North Park, then South Park, and recently have been poking around Hillcrest again. Full circle, I suppose. One place we haven’t visited in a long time that I miss is Tapas Picasso, but that’s now what this post is about.

Whenever we try and new up-and-coming spot, I feel like I’m always weighing cost vs. value, multiplied by the local+seasonal factor, divided by whether or not I have to go outside to find dessert. There’s a lot of math involved with my meal enjoyment, I guess. You’re lucky I haven’t drafted up a spreadsheet… or maybe you’d like that.

Anyway, I was invited into Urban Eats a little over a month after they had opened and I took Travis with me. Some people are good about sharing their media meal experience with other people, I just take my husband because I like eating with him, he lets me eat off his plate (and sometimes just lets me order for him), and I always know what his schedule is for dinner. Plus, he eats just about everything (except oysters) and will even try things I’m not even sure I’ll like. All this is irrelevant, though, because I’m pretty sure everything Urban Eats offers is delicious.

When we went, they didn’t have their liquor license, but they did have a tasty apple soda and Mexican Coke. By now, they’re probably serving beer, wine, and fruit-infused soju. Our server made some recommendations and was very friendly, in addition to being excited about the food they offer (which always makes me happy – people should be excited about their food!)

First, we started with the complimentary cheese-toasted bread (from Bread & Cie) with honey-drizzled butter. I wasn’t planning on eating all the bread, but the honey/butter/cheese combination was too good to ignore. Had I known we were going to start with toasty bread slices, I probably wouldn’t have ordered the Green Toast (apples, brie, honey on toast), or I would have foregone the free bread. I ordered the Green Toast because I’m a sucker for tasty-things-on-bread descriptions on menus. I blame Starlite for that, and I also blame them for taking it off their menu. In addition to the Green Toast, we sampled the Salmon Poki Chips, which we also declared a winner. The salmon had a nice, firm texture and was drizzled with a delicious sauce. And it was served on a fried wonton chip, which just can’t be wrong.

 Travis ordered a rueben sandwich and I was drawn to the Low + Slow Pork, mainly due to the creamy polenta. The rueben was huge, but it was also so good. Just a perfect balance of pastrami, sauerkraut, and rye bread. The pork did not disappoint, either. The brussels sprouts were a tad bit crunchy, but swiped through the polenta (so creamy and cheesy!) with a nugget of bacon they were delicious. The pork itself was moist and fork-tender and perfectly seasoned. It, too, did well with a smattering of polenta on each bite but was equally delicious all by itself. In the end, we took home half the sandwich and a nugget or pork. The polenta was cleaned off the plate, though. If we’d been home, I would have licked the plate.

Sadly, we were at Urban Eats just as they were revamping their dessert menu. However, at the end of your meal, you get a freshly baked cookie and a dish of whipped cream! Free cookie at the end of your meal? You have no idea how happy this made me. I have to admit it wasn’t my favorite cookie (I think there was too much vanilla, or maybe not enough brown sugar?) but it was warm and soft and had melty chocolate chips in it. I would eat it again, no problem.

I feel like sandwich and entrée portions are more than adequate at Urban Eats. I’m pretty sure if we had skipped the appetizers, or maybe just had one, we would have finished our meals and still been full. And with my pork at $10 being the most expensive dish we ordered, eating here is totally budget-friendly. Between the cheesy toasts and the cookie, plus the food being outstanding, and the nice prices, we’ll definitely be stopping by when we’re in Hillcrest again.

Many thanks to Urban Eats and BAM Communications for hosting us!

We don’t really do a lot of Public Service Announcements here on 3DK, but every now and then something Very Important pops up and I feel an intense need to share it with the world. That need, after all, is why the blog was invented, right?

Are you aware that there is a difference between East Coast butter and West Coast butter? I wasn’t really, until we started looking for a butter dish. Something to store half a stick of butter in the fridge, a dish to leave on the counter on Sunday mornings for softened butter without making a greasy mess. My knowledge of butter consisted of salted vs. unsalted and quarters vs. full pound blocks (thanks, Costco!)

And then we bought a butter dish.

It was a clear glass butter dish. No ceramic cows for our household, and my suggestion of a butter bell was met with skepticism. Plastic seemed too shabby, so we went with the $4 glass covered dish from BB&B. Everything seemed fine until we left a stick of softened butter on the dish, covered it, and placed it in the fridge. The butter solidified and stuck to the top of the cover. All of a sudden, we had to use the butter dish upside down (take the bottom off, turn the cover upside down, scoop out butter).

I tried looking for a larger butter dish (thinking we had just bought some dumb, cheap version that didn’t fit). I found a really cute plastic/rubber one at Home Goods, with markings on the outside to measure off tablespoons and a sliding pusher that would push butter out the end so you could neatly slice off pats. But it was too skinny. Our fat butter sticks were squatty and too high. I would have had to remold the butter stick to make it work.

And then, Travis did some internet research and discovered the truth: butter sticks east of the Rocky Mountains are longer and skinnier than butter sticks west of the Rockies. Most butter dishes are designed for east-of-the-Rockies butter sticks (which makes no sense – what about us West coasters??) Also of note, a butter stick is almost 9 tablespoons by volume, even though the markings on the wrapper show 8 tablespoons.

Anyway, the point of this crazy rambling post is this: we have located a butter dish (albeit, a plastic one) that is designed to hold west-of-the-Rockies butter sticks. We found it at BB&B and I could swear it was not there when we first started our butter dish hunt. We’ve been using it for a few weeks now, and our butter does not stick to the cover at all. My only gripe is that the bottom part has a ridge around the edge and I’m worried that over time I’ll just slice it off with a knife trying to get to the butter.

Perhaps we’re the only ones with such nitpicky requests of the butter dish. At the very least, I’ve clued you in to the conspiracy that the butter industry is pushing an extra tablespoon of butter into your diet without you knowing!

Disclosure: Our meal was complimentary, but I was not compensated for this review. As always, all opinions are my own.

Do you remember the first time you went to a “grown up” restaurant? One that had white tablecloths and more than one fork on the table, extraneous glasses, and possibly servers who would pull out your chair at the table? The first one I can remember was actually in New Zealand: I was tagging along with my mom on one of her international trips (she used to work for United Airlines) and we were dining in the hotel restaurant. I know we ordered lamb and that everything was served on beautiful white porcelain plates. And that they were out of the chocolate mousse my mom loved so much, but then we found a dish in front of our hotel room door containing that very (and very delicious) mousse!

Even now, when I mostly call myself a grown up, I’m still excited/nervous when visiting a “fine dining” establishment. I know what all the forks and spoons are for and which water glass is mine, but when everything looks so perfect and the servers are so formal, it makes me wonder if I really belong in such a place.

San Diego may be known for its laid-back attitude and casual dining, but there are still quite a few fancy-schmancy places to grab a good meal: whether you’re celebrating something special or just looking to get all dressed up for a night. Donovan’s Steakhouse is one of them. As a side note, the other reason Donovan’s sticks in my head as a special occasion place: When I first moved to San Diego, my best friend Cami (and her roommate) graciously let me sleep in their dining room (more like a nook, really). Later, when her roommate was looking for work, Cami helped him find and get a pretty nice job. As a thank you, I remember he took her out for a really nice meal – at Donovan’s! One more reason I like Donovan’s Steakhouse is that they serve their steaks with a potato and veggie, instead of serving the meat a la carte and then offering side dishes as an extra. It’s the little things that make me happy, I guess.

What I recently learned is that Donovan’s has opened a new spot downtown (right next to their steakhouse): Donovan’s Prime Seafood! And said seafood joint recently unveiled a new oyster bar. When I was offered an opportunity to check out the oyster bar, I immediately invited Cami. Travis didn’t even get a cursory invitation. With a new baby at home, I figured Cami would appreciate a mini girls night out. More importantly, she enjoys a good oyster, which is more than I can say for Travis.

Donovan’s prides itself on service and I can attest to their impeccable teams of servers. Everyone we encountered that night was super-friendly and pleasant, answering my questions about various dishes or looking for recommendations on what dishes to order. And, they wield their little crumbers with nimble-fingered skill (I appreciate this skill; I’ve come across servers who use crumbers and end up leaving crumbs on the table)

We started out with cocktails and then basically let our servers pick our meal: oysters, ceviche, hamachi tartare, and sea bass. One item I really wanted to try was the seafood tower that’s so legendary at the steakhouse. Because there were only two of us, we were delivered a half tower (which was more than enough!)

Donovan’s Prime Seafood has dozens of varieties at the oyster bar, and Cami and I only tried 3 varieties: Luna oysters from Carlsbad, Hama Hama oysters from the Pacific NW, and Kushi oysters. All were delicious (as a good oyster should be), briny but not salty; sweet and silky. I could have eaten dozens, and I even saved the little dishes of mignonette and cocktail sauce in anticipation of ordering additional varieties of oysters. Spoiler alert: we were so full by the time the entrée rolled around I don’t know how I thought I could eat more oysters.

Then we took part in an informal competition between the traditional hamachi tartare and the up-and-coming local sea bass ceviche: the tartare is served with layers of avocado, radish, and watercress; the ceviche is mixed with citrus segments, corn, and all these lovely curry-ish spices. Both were fabulous, but the ceviche won us over with the flavor twist.

The half seafood tower was impressive and certainly towering over our table. All chilled on ice, split and cut so you didn’t have to exert any effort to get to the tasty bits, we had snow crab claws, king crab legs, jumbo shrimp, and Australian lobster tail. The jumbo shrimp (prawns?) were so huge but still tender – they had that crisp snap and bite, but weren’t chewy and tough. I know lobster is supposed to be every girl’s dream, but I will choose crab over lobster just about any day of the week. And the crab legs and claws in this tower did not disappoint at all. Cold, sweet, delicious, and easy to eat. We had all the requisite dipping sauces: cocktail, melted butter, and tartar sauce – the seafood in the tower was so perfect, I think you could eat the whole thing without ever needing to touch a sauce.

We split the sea bass entrée, predicting that we would not be able to finish a whole entrée each (so correct!) and our half portions were still beautifully arranged on the plate. We did actually wonder if sea bass was on the list of fish you’re supposed to avoid (and, yes, Chilean Sea Bass is) but I admit I didn’t really let that though slow me down too much. I’m in awe of chefs who can sear fish to a crisp on the edges while maintaining a moist, flaky interior, just as our tasty potentially-red-flagged sea bass was prepared. The fish sat on a bed of mushroom risotto (love risotto, mainly because I never make it at home) surrounded by bits of water chestnut, bok choy, mushrooms, and I think a prune.

And then we moved on to dessert. I consider it my duty as a blogger and a sweet-tooth fanatic to know where the good desserts are. Half the time, my decision on a restaurant is dependent on whether or not I want one of their desserts. Plus, I shirk a lot of “blogger responsibilities”, so identifying suitable sweets for you is the least I can do.

We settled on chocolate pot de crème and the cheesecake. Having sampled many, many pot de crèmes and puddings in San Diego, I have to say this one would not make my favorites list. It was good, and it was huge (good for sharing!) and if I was at Donovan’s for dinner I would not turn it away, but I wasn’t really in love with it. I can’t even tell you why. It was smooth and creamy, thick and rich, sweet but not too sweet, and chocolatey enough for the most serious chocoholic. I think I just know where I’d rather go for a pot de crème. The cheesecake was in the middle of dense-NY-style and light-and-fluffy, but it was all good. So good, I even ate the crust, which usually doesn’t happen. What we really loved, though, was the butterscotch ice cream that came on top of the cheesecake. Mmm…

All in all, we had an amazing evening at Donovan’s, who treated us like royalty. And I know they would treat you all like royalty, too, even though you may not be a social media maven like me! In all seriousness, it makes me happy to know that Donovan’s is still the quality (and, yes, pricey) restaurant I remember them to be. I’d be happy to visit either Prime Seafood or the steakhouse the next time I want to put on my fancy pants.

Donovan’s Prime Seafood also holds a daily happy hour (4-6pm) with complimentary fish tacos and wraps.

Many thanks to Donovan’s Prime Seafood and J Public Relations for setting us up with an amazing experience!