Pernicano's Italian Restaurant in El Cajon
Pernicano's is a locally owned small chain with maybe half a dozen locations. The original one is in Hillcrest and has sat vacant for over 10 years now, since the founder retired (he's in his 90's now). He hasn't done anything with the building (it's a great location) other than keep it up to code and repair the damage when it gets vandalized (repeatedly) as he says all of his memories are there, such as visits from many Hollywood types, like Frank Sinatra...
The original one was started in 1946 but the one here in El Cajon is nowhere near that old. I'd never eaten there before although the Boy had as it's right across the street from the local Ford dealership and when we first got here, we had to have the dealer reconnect the Ford Ranger's U-joint at the rear axle, which was removed to tow it from Squarefield. As dealerships generally move at the speed of a glacier, he found himself waiting around through lunch time and popped across the street for a bite.
He wasn't impressed and neither am I although the wife enjoyed her torpedo sandwich with side salad. I had a small pepperoni pizza and an iced tea.
Our total was $24.48 and the server's name was Bri (your guess is as good as mine; is it Brittany, Bridget, Brianna or maybe even Brian?). Even after putting my empty tea glass on the very edge of the table, then asking for more tea when she didn't get the hint, another server finally came around with a pitcher of tea, no ice, so I had to ask for that too, and the check...
Number 148
Dakota Grill & Spirits
901 Fifth Ave
San Diego, Ca.
(619) 234-5554
16 ounce ribeye steak with sherry demi glaze (L), chipotle butter for corn (R)
We've been meaning to check this place out for some time as Robbin, one of the wife's co-workers from La Jolla Country Club has been there forever.
The bread basket was fairly amusing with a nice, crunchy crust on the warm white bread, dark bread similar to the squaw bread at Outback Steak House, with a taste of honey and multiple grains and their own whipped butter.
Our appetizers were bacon wrapped sea scallops with sauteed mushrooms and a balsamic reduction (absolutely superb) and the 5 onion soup (I love French Onion Soup and have eaten it virtually everywhere we've had the chance and I have to admit that this is one of the best we've ever tasted).
We ordered the 16 ounce ribeye, medium well, as per the wife's instructions and split it (it was huge, with enough left over for Dog Boy's dinner).
I had the grilled corn on the cob with chipotle lime butter for $4.95 (yeah, I know, $5 for an ear of corn) and the Darla had garlic mashed potatoes.
And, as usual, I had an iced tea and the wife ordered a pot of hot tea.
They "comped" the appetizers, everything was great, service was impeccable (of course) so we left Robbin a fairly nice tip. Parking wasn't so reasonable: $10 for just over an hour, but at least it was right around the corner
And I should probably also mention the piano bar...
The web site: www.cohnrestaurants.com/cohn/cohnrestaurants/dakota.php
UPDATE: 2 February 2008
We took the Boy with us for our second visit last night and had essentially the same meal except the wife ordered the halibut with a Parmesan / Potato crust. It was all excellent, of course. Fries were mediocre and $5 a pop...
901 Fifth Ave
San Diego, Ca.
(619) 234-5554
16 ounce ribeye steak with sherry demi glaze (L), chipotle butter for corn (R)
We've been meaning to check this place out for some time as Robbin, one of the wife's co-workers from La Jolla Country Club has been there forever.
The bread basket was fairly amusing with a nice, crunchy crust on the warm white bread, dark bread similar to the squaw bread at Outback Steak House, with a taste of honey and multiple grains and their own whipped butter.
Our appetizers were bacon wrapped sea scallops with sauteed mushrooms and a balsamic reduction (absolutely superb) and the 5 onion soup (I love French Onion Soup and have eaten it virtually everywhere we've had the chance and I have to admit that this is one of the best we've ever tasted).
We ordered the 16 ounce ribeye, medium well, as per the wife's instructions and split it (it was huge, with enough left over for Dog Boy's dinner).
I had the grilled corn on the cob with chipotle lime butter for $4.95 (yeah, I know, $5 for an ear of corn) and the Darla had garlic mashed potatoes.
And, as usual, I had an iced tea and the wife ordered a pot of hot tea.
They "comped" the appetizers, everything was great, service was impeccable (of course) so we left Robbin a fairly nice tip. Parking wasn't so reasonable: $10 for just over an hour, but at least it was right around the corner
And I should probably also mention the piano bar...
The web site: www.cohnrestaurants.com/cohn/cohnrestaurants/dakota.php
UPDATE: 2 February 2008
We took the Boy with us for our second visit last night and had essentially the same meal except the wife ordered the halibut with a Parmesan / Potato crust. It was all excellent, of course. Fries were mediocre and $5 a pop...
Number 147:
Los Panchos:
Not to be confused with other Los Panchos across the state, Dos Panchos, Aiberto's, Alberto's, Adalberto's, Berto's, Ramberto's, Roberto's, etc).
This unit, on Broadway in El Cajon, is one of at least 10 local outlets and was an Arby's until a couple of years ago.
And I was pleasantly surprised by my visit as we have one very close to the house and yet we've never bothered to check it out before...
Their specialty seems to be some serious Mexican soups and I'll be taking the wife there soon to do the research as she's a serious soup freak. The best appears to be the Siete Mares (7 Seas) and features 7 different seafoods.
There's also the Mexican equivalent of a jumbo shrimp cocktail, only with octopus as well as the prawns.
I was there for lunch however and had the standard Gringo Combinacion # 1: a beef taco, cheese enchilada, beans and rice ($6.25). The taco was as good as any I've ever had although the beans were not quite hot enough for me.
I'm not a big fan of the cheese enchilada and can offer no real comment here.
With a soda and tax, the total was $8.23 and I tossed the coin in the tip jar...
Update: Later that afternoon, the wife and I stopped by for the 7 Seas Soup.
It was a bit spicy (red pepper flakes), the octopus tentacles were a bit chewy, there was a lot of shrimp and the crab leg was almost rubber (boiling caused the shell to go soft) so we couldn't crack it open. The total was just over $10, it was a huge bowl (she didn't finish it) but she says she'll be back for more...
Not to be confused with other Los Panchos across the state, Dos Panchos, Aiberto's, Alberto's, Adalberto's, Berto's, Ramberto's, Roberto's, etc).
This unit, on Broadway in El Cajon, is one of at least 10 local outlets and was an Arby's until a couple of years ago.
And I was pleasantly surprised by my visit as we have one very close to the house and yet we've never bothered to check it out before...
Their specialty seems to be some serious Mexican soups and I'll be taking the wife there soon to do the research as she's a serious soup freak. The best appears to be the Siete Mares (7 Seas) and features 7 different seafoods.
There's also the Mexican equivalent of a jumbo shrimp cocktail, only with octopus as well as the prawns.
I was there for lunch however and had the standard Gringo Combinacion # 1: a beef taco, cheese enchilada, beans and rice ($6.25). The taco was as good as any I've ever had although the beans were not quite hot enough for me.
I'm not a big fan of the cheese enchilada and can offer no real comment here.
With a soda and tax, the total was $8.23 and I tossed the coin in the tip jar...
Update: Later that afternoon, the wife and I stopped by for the 7 Seas Soup.
It was a bit spicy (red pepper flakes), the octopus tentacles were a bit chewy, there was a lot of shrimp and the crab leg was almost rubber (boiling caused the shell to go soft) so we couldn't crack it open. The total was just over $10, it was a huge bowl (she didn't finish it) but she says she'll be back for more...
Number 146:
Westcoaster BBQ & Catering:
I recently read about this place and finally got a chance to check it out.
Evidently, the principals had been caterers before retiring, did the permanent travel thing, got bored with it and decided to get back into the rib game.
They advertise themselves as West Coast Style so I emailed to ask what kind of wood they use, a trick question because a few places we've checked out here calling themselves "west coast style" used no wood of any kind.
Olga emailed back this afternoon to say they use oak and that yes, I can get the meat with no sauce or on the side.
After I dropped the wife off at her Tuesday evening class, I stopped by. The customers appeared to be stacked out the front door and onto the patio so I slid past them to ask if they had a single seat for me (yes).
I ordered a combo platter ($15.99) with baby back ribs, a nice slab of beef brisket and the pulled pork. For side orders, I had the beans and wedge cut fries. And, of course, there was the mandatory iced tea.
When they brought my tea (and before I had placed my order), they also brought a warm roll with sesame seeds, poppy seeds and butter.
The food arrived quickly and it was kind of a mixed bag as the beef was great and the sauce is easily the best I've had in years but the ribs weren't cooked near enough and bordered on tough, the beans and wedge cuts were both under done and the pulled pork wasn't really pulled so much as it had been worked over with the meat cleaver. I could smell the smoke the minute I walked into the front door but the only place I tasted it was in the ribs.
They also included a BBQ house specialty; several burnt ends, the best part of the meal.
I recently read about this place and finally got a chance to check it out.
Evidently, the principals had been caterers before retiring, did the permanent travel thing, got bored with it and decided to get back into the rib game.
They advertise themselves as West Coast Style so I emailed to ask what kind of wood they use, a trick question because a few places we've checked out here calling themselves "west coast style" used no wood of any kind.
Olga emailed back this afternoon to say they use oak and that yes, I can get the meat with no sauce or on the side.
After I dropped the wife off at her Tuesday evening class, I stopped by. The customers appeared to be stacked out the front door and onto the patio so I slid past them to ask if they had a single seat for me (yes).
I ordered a combo platter ($15.99) with baby back ribs, a nice slab of beef brisket and the pulled pork. For side orders, I had the beans and wedge cut fries. And, of course, there was the mandatory iced tea.
When they brought my tea (and before I had placed my order), they also brought a warm roll with sesame seeds, poppy seeds and butter.
The food arrived quickly and it was kind of a mixed bag as the beef was great and the sauce is easily the best I've had in years but the ribs weren't cooked near enough and bordered on tough, the beans and wedge cuts were both under done and the pulled pork wasn't really pulled so much as it had been worked over with the meat cleaver. I could smell the smoke the minute I walked into the front door but the only place I tasted it was in the ribs.
They also included a BBQ house specialty; several burnt ends, the best part of the meal.
Our favorite baby back rib recipe:
Salt & pepper rub
At least an hour of indirect hickory smoking (two hours would be better)
Low & slow the rest of the afternoon, 225 to 250 degrees in the oven
Kick it up to 350 degrees for the last hour
It's that simple!
It makes the meat so tender it really does just fall off of the bone and they'd be almost perfect with their sauce recipe (on the side, of course)...
Although the sign says maximum occupation is 42.9 people (I have to ask: exactly how does a supposedly intelligent fire inspector come up with that number?), there are 50 seats inside, a small room with mostly 2 top tables and mirrors on the end wall to make it look much larger than it really is...
There are also enough seats outside to fit maybe a dozen more people.
And I should mention that most of their clientele are in their 60's on up...
Service was quick and efficient although the waitress took forever to refill my iced tea glass. The total was just over $20 so I left the change and a couple of bucks more for the tip and brought the rest back here for the wife's lunch (and a second opinion) tomorrow.
Their web site: www.westcoastcater.com
UPDATE: The wife liked the sauce but says it's just a little too sweet for her. We used it and the "pulled" pork to make a sandwich on a generic hot dog bun and it was quite good. She (and Dog Boy) both loved the beef brisket and she agreed with me that the ribs really need to be cooked low & slow...
There are also enough seats outside to fit maybe a dozen more people.
And I should mention that most of their clientele are in their 60's on up...
Service was quick and efficient although the waitress took forever to refill my iced tea glass. The total was just over $20 so I left the change and a couple of bucks more for the tip and brought the rest back here for the wife's lunch (and a second opinion) tomorrow.
Their web site: www.westcoastcater.com
UPDATE: The wife liked the sauce but says it's just a little too sweet for her. We used it and the "pulled" pork to make a sandwich on a generic hot dog bun and it was quite good. She (and Dog Boy) both loved the beef brisket and she agreed with me that the ribs really need to be cooked low & slow...
Another Eureka Moment!
I'm not lovin' it...
For years, McDonald's pricing structure has been somewhat of a mystery to me. For example, why does a Big Mac cost so much more, when all it is is a little more beef and a differently sliced bun, than their quarter pounder?
And many of you know how I railed about their always cold fries until I figured out to order them with no salt...
Today, I cracked the code on the last problem I've had with them: how to get a simple burger (no cheese), for a reasonable price (hey, us senior citizens don't eat much so why should we pay more for less?).
By now, almost everyone is aware of their long term special, the 99 cent double cheeseburger. For years, I've tried to convince them to sell me a single, small burger (no cheese) for 99 cents (it used to be 59 cents), a lot less food than that double cheeseburger for the same price but no, they insist I pay them a buck 29 or so when I can actually get more food for less money (the 99 cent double cheeseburger).
This time, I ordered a couple of the double cheeseburgers (hold the cheese on the side), took out the second burger patty on each, and had 2 burgers for 99 cents each, with a couple of patties left over to feed the dog twice and enough cheese to make 4 grilled cheese sandwiches as well.
I made it a point to show the manager on duty what I was doing and why.
He, of course, pointed out that he does not set policy and that perhaps I should pass this along to corporate but the chances of them understanding it or effecting such a policy are almost infinitesimal...
For years, McDonald's pricing structure has been somewhat of a mystery to me. For example, why does a Big Mac cost so much more, when all it is is a little more beef and a differently sliced bun, than their quarter pounder?
And many of you know how I railed about their always cold fries until I figured out to order them with no salt...
Today, I cracked the code on the last problem I've had with them: how to get a simple burger (no cheese), for a reasonable price (hey, us senior citizens don't eat much so why should we pay more for less?).
By now, almost everyone is aware of their long term special, the 99 cent double cheeseburger. For years, I've tried to convince them to sell me a single, small burger (no cheese) for 99 cents (it used to be 59 cents), a lot less food than that double cheeseburger for the same price but no, they insist I pay them a buck 29 or so when I can actually get more food for less money (the 99 cent double cheeseburger).
This time, I ordered a couple of the double cheeseburgers (hold the cheese on the side), took out the second burger patty on each, and had 2 burgers for 99 cents each, with a couple of patties left over to feed the dog twice and enough cheese to make 4 grilled cheese sandwiches as well.
I made it a point to show the manager on duty what I was doing and why.
He, of course, pointed out that he does not set policy and that perhaps I should pass this along to corporate but the chances of them understanding it or effecting such a policy are almost infinitesimal...
Heineken's Draft Mini Keg (5.0 liter)
I've went through 2 of these and they varied widely in the amount of beer in each keg, the ratio of foam to beer and my overall impression of them.
Heineken's web site says they should yield approximately 20 (twenty) 8 oz pours (a buck each) but I got much more than that in the first one (21 pours using a 12 oz pilsner glass). The web site: http://heinekendraughtkeg.com/
In the case of the second keg, I only got maybe 12 or 13 (I couldn't believe it was already gone) and at that rate, it would be over $1.50 per 12 oz glass...
And according to my calculations (5.0 liters divided by 12 ounces), you should get a little over 23 pours (or just UNDER a buck a glass).
I suspect that the second keg may have been tapped at the liquor store or somewhere else along the way since the pour spout mechanism is just like a spray can nozzle and there's no way to prevent such a thing (no real seal)...
Heineken designed the keg to see service in a number of countries (USA, Mexico and France) and uses a system of icons rather than language so the little pamphlet that comes with the keg is next to useless. For instance, the web site says the keg should be refrigerated for 10 hours before you use it yet the icon simply shows a clock face with an arrow running around the outside, starting at zero and ending at 10, with no explanation at all.
What that does (using it too soon) is produce a pour of maybe 70% head (foam) and 30% beer.
On the second keg, it was close to 50 / 50 at first but in both cases, by the end of the keg, there was almost no head at all...
There's a small internal CO2 cannister that makes sure the carbonation lasts throughout the entire keg but it imparts a slight flavor toward the end as well.
And, maybe the correct way to use this product is to have a draft for your first beer, then switch to whatever you normally drink the rest of the night...
And, if you once again "do the math", you'll find that this is no bargain, no matter how you slice it as the kegs sell from $19.95 to $21.95, depending on where you buy them. That works out to over $1.50 a glass when you factor in the foam, differing numbers of pours from keg to keg, significantly higher than what you'd pay by buying a 6 pack of Heineken in the glass bottles at either $4.99 or even $5.99 (a buck a beer or even less if you get it on sale).
Finally, a little keg of your own does have a certain amount of cachet and I imagine most people will do the same thing I did; that is, pop for one or two of them and then that'll be that as the "numbers" just aren't there, no way.
Of course, mishandling beer (temperature fluctuations and exposure to light) can give it that strong, skunky nose and flavor, something which is virtually impossible in an aluminum keg...
UPDATE: 19 November 2007 - I've seen the mini kegs on sale now, for as little as $15.99, and they don't appear to be selling that well so I suspect their days are numbered...
Heineken's web site says they should yield approximately 20 (twenty) 8 oz pours (a buck each) but I got much more than that in the first one (21 pours using a 12 oz pilsner glass). The web site: http://heinekendraughtkeg.com/
In the case of the second keg, I only got maybe 12 or 13 (I couldn't believe it was already gone) and at that rate, it would be over $1.50 per 12 oz glass...
And according to my calculations (5.0 liters divided by 12 ounces), you should get a little over 23 pours (or just UNDER a buck a glass).
I suspect that the second keg may have been tapped at the liquor store or somewhere else along the way since the pour spout mechanism is just like a spray can nozzle and there's no way to prevent such a thing (no real seal)...
Heineken designed the keg to see service in a number of countries (USA, Mexico and France) and uses a system of icons rather than language so the little pamphlet that comes with the keg is next to useless. For instance, the web site says the keg should be refrigerated for 10 hours before you use it yet the icon simply shows a clock face with an arrow running around the outside, starting at zero and ending at 10, with no explanation at all.
What that does (using it too soon) is produce a pour of maybe 70% head (foam) and 30% beer.
On the second keg, it was close to 50 / 50 at first but in both cases, by the end of the keg, there was almost no head at all...
There's a small internal CO2 cannister that makes sure the carbonation lasts throughout the entire keg but it imparts a slight flavor toward the end as well.
And, maybe the correct way to use this product is to have a draft for your first beer, then switch to whatever you normally drink the rest of the night...
And, if you once again "do the math", you'll find that this is no bargain, no matter how you slice it as the kegs sell from $19.95 to $21.95, depending on where you buy them. That works out to over $1.50 a glass when you factor in the foam, differing numbers of pours from keg to keg, significantly higher than what you'd pay by buying a 6 pack of Heineken in the glass bottles at either $4.99 or even $5.99 (a buck a beer or even less if you get it on sale).
Finally, a little keg of your own does have a certain amount of cachet and I imagine most people will do the same thing I did; that is, pop for one or two of them and then that'll be that as the "numbers" just aren't there, no way.
Of course, mishandling beer (temperature fluctuations and exposure to light) can give it that strong, skunky nose and flavor, something which is virtually impossible in an aluminum keg...
UPDATE: 19 November 2007 - I've seen the mini kegs on sale now, for as little as $15.99, and they don't appear to be selling that well so I suspect their days are numbered...
Number 145:
Pei Wei Asian Diner:
This is just down the row from where The Darla is working now, Chulajuana (Chula Vista, the fastest growing city in the country). It's fairly nicely done (nice decor as well and the wife says the restrooms are almost a work of art).
I did the research earlier today (looked at their web site) so I knew the general layout (and the menu) by the time we walked in the door.
It's a very limited menu, (a sign of serious restarateurs in our opinion), and we decided to try one dish from each category; spring rolls, hot & sour soup, pork fried rice and Mongolian shrimp stir fry (although the Mongols very likely never saw a shrimp in their lives, living a thousand miles from the sea)...
I had iced tea (in this case, it was Mandarin orange flavored green tea - not too bad in spite of the fact that I generally abhor fruit flavored tea), the wife had a glass of ice water and after placing our order at the register, we took a seat and the food started arriving almost immediately (I wasn't really prepared for service to be that prompt and efficient).
The spring rolls had a bit of carrot and maybe some 5 spice in them so they were just a little too sweet for my taste (but still far short of how they do that to you at Pick Up Stix), the hot & sour soup really wasn't heated through, a point off there, the fried rice was good as was the Mongolian shrimp with a fair amount of green onion , mushrooms and a nice, rich dark sauce.
We didn't finish any of it so the wife packaged it up and The Boy will be all over it when he sees it in the refrigerator.
The only thing the wife says she won't order again are the spring rolls, pretty much my opinion as well.
Our total was $30.71 (no tip, no servers, only runners) and my fortune cookie said "Be content in your lot. One cannot be first in everything..."
Huh?
Anyway, see their web site here: www.peiwei.com
Notice they also feature a gluten free menu.
This is just down the row from where The Darla is working now, Chulajuana (Chula Vista, the fastest growing city in the country). It's fairly nicely done (nice decor as well and the wife says the restrooms are almost a work of art).
We counted 2 long banquettes, 4 booths, maybe a dozen 2 and 4 tops inside and maybe that much more outdoor seating on the wrap-around patio.
The wife had gotten off of work a couple of hours early and she has a cold so I figured I'd get her in there for some hot & sour soup therapy and maybe some hot Chinese mustard to burn it out of her before her class this evening.I did the research earlier today (looked at their web site) so I knew the general layout (and the menu) by the time we walked in the door.
It's a very limited menu, (a sign of serious restarateurs in our opinion), and we decided to try one dish from each category; spring rolls, hot & sour soup, pork fried rice and Mongolian shrimp stir fry (although the Mongols very likely never saw a shrimp in their lives, living a thousand miles from the sea)...
I had iced tea (in this case, it was Mandarin orange flavored green tea - not too bad in spite of the fact that I generally abhor fruit flavored tea), the wife had a glass of ice water and after placing our order at the register, we took a seat and the food started arriving almost immediately (I wasn't really prepared for service to be that prompt and efficient).
The spring rolls had a bit of carrot and maybe some 5 spice in them so they were just a little too sweet for my taste (but still far short of how they do that to you at Pick Up Stix), the hot & sour soup really wasn't heated through, a point off there, the fried rice was good as was the Mongolian shrimp with a fair amount of green onion , mushrooms and a nice, rich dark sauce.
We didn't finish any of it so the wife packaged it up and The Boy will be all over it when he sees it in the refrigerator.
The only thing the wife says she won't order again are the spring rolls, pretty much my opinion as well.
Our total was $30.71 (no tip, no servers, only runners) and my fortune cookie said "Be content in your lot. One cannot be first in everything..."
Huh?
Anyway, see their web site here: www.peiwei.com
Notice they also feature a gluten free menu.
A Eureka Moment...
Recently, the wife started a new job near one of the few Krispy Kreme donut shops left in this county. I stopped by to grab one of their great, hot glazed donuts after dropping her off at work early one morning.
Unfortunately, this particular Krispy Kreme does not make the donuts there and drives them in from the only shop in town that has the necessary equipment for the job, the Clairemont Mesa store, easily 25 miles north.
And, when I asked, no, they are always made up the night before and they are cold (room temperature, actually) when they get them...
I thought about it for a few days and went back again this morning and asked if they have a microwave on premises (they do) and how about zapping one of them for about 5 seconds for me, if you'd be so kind?
Viola!
That's the ticket!
They are close enough that you would never know the difference.
It was heated just enough (from the inside) so as not to melt the glazing and still deliver the full, diabetic coma inducing load of teeth rotting sugar we've all come to know and love. Now imagine sucking one down with an ice cold Mexican Coke in a glass bottle, with close to 2 teaspoons of real sugar in it...
I bought 2 more home so the Boy can try it when he gets up in a while.
Try it yourself!
Unfortunately, this particular Krispy Kreme does not make the donuts there and drives them in from the only shop in town that has the necessary equipment for the job, the Clairemont Mesa store, easily 25 miles north.
And, when I asked, no, they are always made up the night before and they are cold (room temperature, actually) when they get them...
I thought about it for a few days and went back again this morning and asked if they have a microwave on premises (they do) and how about zapping one of them for about 5 seconds for me, if you'd be so kind?
Viola!
That's the ticket!
They are close enough that you would never know the difference.
It was heated just enough (from the inside) so as not to melt the glazing and still deliver the full, diabetic coma inducing load of teeth rotting sugar we've all come to know and love. Now imagine sucking one down with an ice cold Mexican Coke in a glass bottle, with close to 2 teaspoons of real sugar in it...
I bought 2 more home so the Boy can try it when he gets up in a while.
Try it yourself!
Numbers 143 & 144:
The Burger Lounge:
This is the first of at least 2 San Diego area locations; this one is in La Jolla and they have a second one in the Kensington area coming online soon.
They feature meat from cows raised on grass, not grain or feed.
The Boy was off and the wife is at work (it's Labor Day Weekend Saturday) so we made the drive over to check it out for ourselves. We parked in a 15 minute zone (the Boy was nervous), placed our order and sat down at a table on the sidewalk on the corner of the block, diagonally across the street from Karl Strauss. The weather was nice, too; something I can't say about it here in East County, at least for the last week where it's 100 plus degrees.
The staff were all 20-somethings and friendly.
Design-wise, it's pretty austere with lots of sheet metal and modern, minimalist tables and chairs, smooth and industrial looking.
I counted 8 four tops outside and maybe 10 stools inside, period.
We split a well done burger with cheddar cheese (she forgot to add the bacon), small fries and a coke and the total was $12 and coin so I threw the change and another buck into the tip jar.
The burger had good flavor, the bun was toasted nicely, wasn't too heavy and most of all, like a previous reviewer had said, it's nothing more than an upscale In-N-Out Burger. Like In-N-Out, the meat tasted like it had never been frozen and had no bad aftertaste, like you see in a lot of fast food.
The fries were a mild disappointment as they needed a little something more, maybe garlic, but they were hot and fairly good, just not spectacular...
Finally, I should point out that the wife replied to a Craig's List ad for a GM position but since the entire staff is so young, I don't think they'll even interview her, despite her obvious abundance of qualifications.
See the web site here: www.burgerlounge.com
Olde City Grill:
This place is in Pacific Beach and they advertise a cheesesteak made from Wagyu (aka American Kobe) beef so we dropped by there after stopping at Burger Lounge. Traffic was horrible, of course and it cost $5 for short term parking around the block.
We came in through the rear alley and the first thing you notice is that the music is way too loud and I still have a headache now, almost an hour later.
We split a 12 inch mushroom cheesesteak with extra white American cheese, a small fry and another Coke. The meat itself was not very different from the standard ribeye at Gaglione Brothers but we spent $5 more than we would have spent at "the brothers" ($16 plus coin).
The fries were generic, crinkle-cut, frozen fare and I should have saved the money there as I only ate a couple of them.
Traffic wasn't quite as bad going out the back way and now it's time for a quick nap in the chair, watching the Saturday afternoon PBS cooking shows.
Their web site (coming soon): www.oldecitygrill.com
This is the first of at least 2 San Diego area locations; this one is in La Jolla and they have a second one in the Kensington area coming online soon.
They feature meat from cows raised on grass, not grain or feed.
The Boy was off and the wife is at work (it's Labor Day Weekend Saturday) so we made the drive over to check it out for ourselves. We parked in a 15 minute zone (the Boy was nervous), placed our order and sat down at a table on the sidewalk on the corner of the block, diagonally across the street from Karl Strauss. The weather was nice, too; something I can't say about it here in East County, at least for the last week where it's 100 plus degrees.
The staff were all 20-somethings and friendly.
Design-wise, it's pretty austere with lots of sheet metal and modern, minimalist tables and chairs, smooth and industrial looking.
I counted 8 four tops outside and maybe 10 stools inside, period.
We split a well done burger with cheddar cheese (she forgot to add the bacon), small fries and a coke and the total was $12 and coin so I threw the change and another buck into the tip jar.
The burger had good flavor, the bun was toasted nicely, wasn't too heavy and most of all, like a previous reviewer had said, it's nothing more than an upscale In-N-Out Burger. Like In-N-Out, the meat tasted like it had never been frozen and had no bad aftertaste, like you see in a lot of fast food.
The fries were a mild disappointment as they needed a little something more, maybe garlic, but they were hot and fairly good, just not spectacular...
Finally, I should point out that the wife replied to a Craig's List ad for a GM position but since the entire staff is so young, I don't think they'll even interview her, despite her obvious abundance of qualifications.
See the web site here: www.burgerlounge.com
UPDATE: Yesterday (5 Sept 2007), they called the wife to set up an interview for this afternoon. About an hour before the interview, Skye (one of the 3 partners) called to say they'd filled the position, please tell Darla.
OK...
Olde City Grill:
This place is in Pacific Beach and they advertise a cheesesteak made from Wagyu (aka American Kobe) beef so we dropped by there after stopping at Burger Lounge. Traffic was horrible, of course and it cost $5 for short term parking around the block.
We came in through the rear alley and the first thing you notice is that the music is way too loud and I still have a headache now, almost an hour later.
We split a 12 inch mushroom cheesesteak with extra white American cheese, a small fry and another Coke. The meat itself was not very different from the standard ribeye at Gaglione Brothers but we spent $5 more than we would have spent at "the brothers" ($16 plus coin).
The fries were generic, crinkle-cut, frozen fare and I should have saved the money there as I only ate a couple of them.
Traffic wasn't quite as bad going out the back way and now it's time for a quick nap in the chair, watching the Saturday afternoon PBS cooking shows.
Their web site (coming soon): www.oldecitygrill.com
Number 142:
Jamacha Bar & Grille (formerly Jamacha Junction)
Even though we've been here well over 4 years now, this is the first time I ate at this steakhouse (which is right across the street from our local Outback).
Their specialty is USDA steaks (aged 30 days), prime rib and chops.
After spending some time standing out front reading the menu, I went in and was seated in what I'd call "The Brown Room" as the walls were beige, the chairs, podium and woodwork were stained a deep, dark brown, the acoustic ceiling tiles were almost beige, the carpet was brown with little beige accents and the banquettes were all upholstered in dark brown vinyl.
The table cloths were white, however.
This room seats 72 as there are 12 four person banquettes, 4 four-top tables and 4 two person booths in this room, there's a baquet room next door and in the third room, on the other side of the dining room, is the U-shaped bar.
There were half a dozen French poster prints on the walls, a couple of tropical fish tanks and several magnums of wine sitting on top of the room dividers. I should probably also mention the 8 matching wall sconces...
I ordered a well done ribeye steak (12 ounces, a lot of meat for this old man), fries, salad with bleu cheese dressing and iced tea, even though I'd had 3 glasses of it earlier, while waiting for the wife's job interview in Santee.
The server returned with a 12 ounce pilsner glass of tea with a lot of ice and a slice of lemon, as well as a carafe (also iced nicely) so I could refill it myself, a nice touch for a serious ice tea drinker.
When the salad came, it had crumbled bleu cheese on top of a bed of mixed lettuce with segments of Mandarin orange, sliced strawberries and pecans; not exactly my favorite choice of greens but still a good change of pace.
Unfortunately, someone in the kitchen doesn't know what well done means so I had to send the steak back for more time on the grill...
Normally, this results in disaster (way too done) but whoever finished it off had a sensitive hand and it was perfect. They also gave me fresh, hot fries and I ate most of it, bringing home enough for the Rattweiler to have the leftovers for his dinner (I can still hear him licking himself, something he does after a meal he particularly likes).
It was supposed to be served with a red wine demi-glaze but I asked for it on the side as I prefer to taste my meat, especially at that price. The sauce was way too thick and I suspect it's only intended to be served over a slab of hot sizzling meat and then slowly melt into it.
The total was $33 and change (although I can't figure out how they came up with that figure as the meal was supposed to be $24.95 and I doubt the iced tea was 5 bucks but I tossed two $20's on the table and left.
I will ding the server for not checking back sooner after serving the meal (you should scan EVERY table in your section at least once a minute) but it was a pretty good steak and now it's time for my after dinner nap.
No web site or online reviews (new owner and new name).
Jamacha Bar & Grill
777 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, Ca. 92019
619-588-5467
Even though we've been here well over 4 years now, this is the first time I ate at this steakhouse (which is right across the street from our local Outback).
Their specialty is USDA steaks (aged 30 days), prime rib and chops.
After spending some time standing out front reading the menu, I went in and was seated in what I'd call "The Brown Room" as the walls were beige, the chairs, podium and woodwork were stained a deep, dark brown, the acoustic ceiling tiles were almost beige, the carpet was brown with little beige accents and the banquettes were all upholstered in dark brown vinyl.
The table cloths were white, however.
This room seats 72 as there are 12 four person banquettes, 4 four-top tables and 4 two person booths in this room, there's a baquet room next door and in the third room, on the other side of the dining room, is the U-shaped bar.
There were half a dozen French poster prints on the walls, a couple of tropical fish tanks and several magnums of wine sitting on top of the room dividers. I should probably also mention the 8 matching wall sconces...
I ordered a well done ribeye steak (12 ounces, a lot of meat for this old man), fries, salad with bleu cheese dressing and iced tea, even though I'd had 3 glasses of it earlier, while waiting for the wife's job interview in Santee.
The server returned with a 12 ounce pilsner glass of tea with a lot of ice and a slice of lemon, as well as a carafe (also iced nicely) so I could refill it myself, a nice touch for a serious ice tea drinker.
When the salad came, it had crumbled bleu cheese on top of a bed of mixed lettuce with segments of Mandarin orange, sliced strawberries and pecans; not exactly my favorite choice of greens but still a good change of pace.
Unfortunately, someone in the kitchen doesn't know what well done means so I had to send the steak back for more time on the grill...
Normally, this results in disaster (way too done) but whoever finished it off had a sensitive hand and it was perfect. They also gave me fresh, hot fries and I ate most of it, bringing home enough for the Rattweiler to have the leftovers for his dinner (I can still hear him licking himself, something he does after a meal he particularly likes).
It was supposed to be served with a red wine demi-glaze but I asked for it on the side as I prefer to taste my meat, especially at that price. The sauce was way too thick and I suspect it's only intended to be served over a slab of hot sizzling meat and then slowly melt into it.
The total was $33 and change (although I can't figure out how they came up with that figure as the meal was supposed to be $24.95 and I doubt the iced tea was 5 bucks but I tossed two $20's on the table and left.
I will ding the server for not checking back sooner after serving the meal (you should scan EVERY table in your section at least once a minute) but it was a pretty good steak and now it's time for my after dinner nap.
No web site or online reviews (new owner and new name).
Jamacha Bar & Grill
777 Jamacha Road
El Cajon, Ca. 92019
619-588-5467
Number 141:
Hodad's @ Ocean Beach: Putting the fun back into funky...
Hodad's has been an OB fixture since 1969 but I was just a poor young sailor way back then. And we've heard about Hodad's ever since we got back here, just over 4 years ago now. Finally, I got a chance to check it out, even if it was during the lunch rush on a nice, summery Saturday afternoon.
Hodad's has been an OB fixture since 1969 but I was just a poor young sailor way back then. And we've heard about Hodad's ever since we got back here, just over 4 years ago now. Finally, I got a chance to check it out, even if it was during the lunch rush on a nice, summery Saturday afternoon.
The menu is extremely simple: mini burgers, single burgers and double burgers, there's a chicken sandwich and veggie burger (who cares?), with the only real choices being bacon and cheese (there's no hot dog, either)...
For side dishes, it's also real simple: Fries, O-rings or Frings (fries & rings) and there are draft sodas and a number of beers.
I ordered the cheeseburger, onion rings and a Pepsi.I have to admit that it's a great burger (done perfectly, with 3 slices of tomato, generous, thick slices of onion, lettuce, pickle, mustard, catsup and mayo), the onion rings were to die for (it was a huge order and I only ate about a quarter of them) and all of the employees seemed to be very friendly.
The total was $10.50 plus I threw the server another $2.50 tip.
It's also a place well worth taking your out of town guests and we'll be back...
O-Rings to die for...
There's a sign saying the place seats 92 (you couldn't prove it by me) and the walls are chock-a-block with personalized license plates, literally hundreds of them. And apparently, fluent VW is spoken here: besides the Hodad Mobile, a custom shortened VW Bus (below), the nose of a VW Bus sits in the dining room and several VW (Bug) bumpers hang on the walls.
It's also noisy, smoky, the guy standing in front of the back door was peeling onions and the wind blew it into the front of the restaurant, making my eyes water but my only real regret is taking so long to make it over there...
If you do a web search for Hodad's (besides not finding their web site), you'll see that San Francisco Chronicle food writer Michael Bauer calls it the best burger in the US, Roadfood.com speaks very highly of it and AOL City Guide and Yelp also sing their praises of this OB landmark as well.
The Hodad Mobile
Hodad's
5010 Newport Ave
Ocean Beach, CA 92107
Phone: 619-224-4623
UPDATE I: 19 October 2007
I finally got around to taking the Boy to Hodad's for his first visit (he's out of school now and has a whole extra day plus in his week).
Of course he liked it but the fun thing was the order of Frings (fries & rings) as not only could I not eat all of the onion rings (Boy has his own personal fatwa on most things onion), but he couldn't come close to polishing off the generous serving of wedge cut fries, done perfectly, even though I tried to help. They kept their temperature well and I only had 2 or 3, sprinkling a little salt and catsup on each bite. That's the way to go, especially if there are 2 or 3 of you as the burgers are nicely satisfying (I could only eat slightly over half of my wonderful, chargrilled cheeseburger, well done of course)...
UPDATE II: 11 January 2008
We finally tried the bacon cheeseburger and a strawberry milk shake and both were absolutely wonderful, as you'd expect. As an ex soda jerk, I have to admit that it was very likley the best milkshake I've ever had.
And it was our 4th visit (the wife and I had dropped by recently), one of many, many more to come.
And we got to spend a little time with Mike Hardin, the second generation owner, a real fun guy. Since Mike does not compute, we took our photos with us to show him a little about what we do...
Number 140:
Grossmont College Food Court (in the student center)
The wife recently started the Hotel & Restaurant Management (BS) program as she's hit the glass ceiling here, career wise, bashing her brains out against the local good old boy's club, so we've spent a lot of time out at the college recently (and this is just the first week of classes).
While she was at a meeting with her counselor, I decided to check the place out and ordered the cheeseburger, fries and a Pepsi (No Coke!).
The total was $6.11
There are signs all over the place declaring it to be a Trans Fat Free Zone (which generally translates into very little flavor), there's a steam table with several items and the burgers, fries, etc are all pre-cooked in the back room and spend some time under the heat lamps before being served.
There are only 2 long lines to pay for it so the stuff is luke warm at best when you finally sit down to eat it, at least during the lunch hour rush (there was almost no one in line when we went through the student center later).
And the only choices offered are condiment packets with mustard, catsup, mayo, salt and papper.
They also sell pizza by the slice, wraps, steam table stir fry, sandwiches made to order, etc and there are numerous choices available for bottled water, various juices, chips, candy, snacks, etc.
Finding a seat after you get your food is fairly difficult as many are large tables seating 6 or more and most of the 20-somethings aren't exactly into having lunch with an almost 60-something near geezer so I ended up on the patio outside, in the only empty table, sitting in the hot August afternoon sun as this was also the only table without an umbrella or shade of any kind.
I was somewhat pleasantly surprised by the generic burger as it wasn't too dried out from sitting around in the back room and it came with the standard toppings (green leaf lettuce, tomato, a slice of bermuda onion and a single pickle chip (the pickle chip dispenser guy must have had a bad day). A squeeze pack of mayo and another of mustard finished it off almost nicely...
Fries were generic, frozen fare and they were almost hot when they served them (I stuck my finger in there to check them) but by the time I got through the cashier's line and found a seat, they were lukewarm at best.
I asked the guy behind the counter why they don't have a hot dog on the menu but he had no idea and agreed that it was a good idea (there's a corn dog but I'd be willing to bet it's a chicken frank)...
Number 139:
Noodles & Company:
We stopped by this place in the new mall in Chula Vista (aka Chulajuana - the fastest growing city in the US at the moment) after I picked up the wife from her catering gig over that way.
We asked the girl behind the counter what she would order (the Penne Rosa) but we ordered the (small) Potstickers, a small bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup, the Indonesian Peanut Sauté with spicy peanut butter sauce and rice noodles with shrimp, cabbage, sprouts, cilantro, lime and crushed peanuts; next time, please hold the broccoli and carrots!
And I had an iced tea (the machine was almost out of some sort of "organic" whatever it was).
Our total was $15 plus change...
And then there's the mandatory food nazi, vegetarian, fiber filled, well balanced, anti-allergen, calorie-counting, magic trans-fat, feel good hoodoo / rant / sermon in their eye glazing, propaganda laden brochure...
Their web site: www.noodles.com
Noodles & Company
2315 Otay Lakes Rd
Chula Vista, CA 91915
We stopped by this place in the new mall in Chula Vista (aka Chulajuana - the fastest growing city in the US at the moment) after I picked up the wife from her catering gig over that way.
We asked the girl behind the counter what she would order (the Penne Rosa) but we ordered the (small) Potstickers, a small bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup, the Indonesian Peanut Sauté with spicy peanut butter sauce and rice noodles with shrimp, cabbage, sprouts, cilantro, lime and crushed peanuts; next time, please hold the broccoli and carrots!
And I had an iced tea (the machine was almost out of some sort of "organic" whatever it was).
Our total was $15 plus change...
And then there's the mandatory food nazi, vegetarian, fiber filled, well balanced, anti-allergen, calorie-counting, magic trans-fat, feel good hoodoo / rant / sermon in their eye glazing, propaganda laden brochure...
Their web site: www.noodles.com
Noodles & Company
2315 Otay Lakes Rd
Chula Vista, CA 91915
Number 138:
Boomerang's Gourmet Burger Joint - You'll Always Come Back For More:
I was wandering around lost after dropping the wife off at work when I saw their sign, and just had to pull over and check it out. The place has good signage so it's easy to find, even if it's upstairs and in the back (formerly, it was a Chinese restaurant and a Jewish deli in another incarnation).
Their specialty is 1/3 and 1/2 pound stuffed burgers
I had the mushroom cheeseburger, steak fries and a Coke ($12.10 with tax)
And there's a lot of nice art from the customers hanging on the wall.
The owwners are Bruce and Jose and Bruce says he's been in the restaurant racket most of his life, from the East Coast to the Left Coast
Their web site: www.boomerangburgers.com
Boomerang's Gourmet Burgers
4577 Clairmemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
Ph: 858-483-9500
When we first saw the ad for Boomerang's, we mistook it for another burger joint nearby, which we later realized was the EZ Take Out Burgers, on the corner of Genessee and Balboa (www.eztakeout.com).
We tried to check the place out later but parking is next to impossible, the drive thru lane was backed out onto the street and it was too hot out to sit at one of their 2 outside tables (no inside seating).
EZ Take Out Burgers has been slinging beef since 1969 but many of them seem to be in the $1 price range so we'll have to try again later...
I was wandering around lost after dropping the wife off at work when I saw their sign, and just had to pull over and check it out. The place has good signage so it's easy to find, even if it's upstairs and in the back (formerly, it was a Chinese restaurant and a Jewish deli in another incarnation).
Their specialty is 1/3 and 1/2 pound stuffed burgers
I had the mushroom cheeseburger, steak fries and a Coke ($12.10 with tax)
And there's a lot of nice art from the customers hanging on the wall.
The owwners are Bruce and Jose and Bruce says he's been in the restaurant racket most of his life, from the East Coast to the Left Coast
Their web site: www.boomerangburgers.com
Boomerang's Gourmet Burgers
4577 Clairmemont Drive
San Diego, CA 92117
Ph: 858-483-9500
When we first saw the ad for Boomerang's, we mistook it for another burger joint nearby, which we later realized was the EZ Take Out Burgers, on the corner of Genessee and Balboa (www.eztakeout.com).
We tried to check the place out later but parking is next to impossible, the drive thru lane was backed out onto the street and it was too hot out to sit at one of their 2 outside tables (no inside seating).
EZ Take Out Burgers has been slinging beef since 1969 but many of them seem to be in the $1 price range so we'll have to try again later...
Number 137:
Chow Noodle House
This place is in the same building that was formerly Celadon (they moved down the street). It's owned by the same people and the wife had eaten there once before, on her last day at her office job but neither the Boy or I had.
For starters, we had the shrimp tempura and they were excellent. I had had a pizza the night before and had thoroughly vulcanized the roof of my mouth but the shrimp did it to my upper lip. They're served with a light, refreshing tempura dipping sauce and even my brother Jim would love them, they're that good (he's extremely finicky about his fried shrimp). They were large, lightly breaded and possibly the best I've ever had.
Following that, we tried the chicken and beef satay skewers with a peanut butter based dipping sauce. I'm not much for chicken so I didn't have any of them but the beef was fairly good and the wife and Boy both liked the sauce.
Our main dish was seafood chow mein and I thought it was a little greasy but the wife disagrees. I have to say that I liked the large shrimp in it but the scallop was a little too squishy for my taste and I didn't have any of the calamari...
Finally, the Boy chose the Thai beef fried rice. It was glutinous rice with beef, period. I can't say I cared for it at all and Mr. Fried Rice himself (the Boy) wasn't too happy with it as it was rather plain and he doesn't care for sticky rice either.
The wife had her usual glass of water and the Boy and I had several Cokes (warm, in the can, poured over ice in a glass) each (they only have flavored iced teas and I don't "go there")...
The total was just over $36 so it came out to $43 even with tip.
No web site yet and half of what is written about the place is positive and the other half equally negative; try it yourself and draw your own conclusions.
Chow Noodle House
540 University Ave.
Hillcrest
619-269-9209
This place is in the same building that was formerly Celadon (they moved down the street). It's owned by the same people and the wife had eaten there once before, on her last day at her office job but neither the Boy or I had.
For starters, we had the shrimp tempura and they were excellent. I had had a pizza the night before and had thoroughly vulcanized the roof of my mouth but the shrimp did it to my upper lip. They're served with a light, refreshing tempura dipping sauce and even my brother Jim would love them, they're that good (he's extremely finicky about his fried shrimp). They were large, lightly breaded and possibly the best I've ever had.
Following that, we tried the chicken and beef satay skewers with a peanut butter based dipping sauce. I'm not much for chicken so I didn't have any of them but the beef was fairly good and the wife and Boy both liked the sauce.
Our main dish was seafood chow mein and I thought it was a little greasy but the wife disagrees. I have to say that I liked the large shrimp in it but the scallop was a little too squishy for my taste and I didn't have any of the calamari...
Finally, the Boy chose the Thai beef fried rice. It was glutinous rice with beef, period. I can't say I cared for it at all and Mr. Fried Rice himself (the Boy) wasn't too happy with it as it was rather plain and he doesn't care for sticky rice either.
The wife had her usual glass of water and the Boy and I had several Cokes (warm, in the can, poured over ice in a glass) each (they only have flavored iced teas and I don't "go there")...
The total was just over $36 so it came out to $43 even with tip.
No web site yet and half of what is written about the place is positive and the other half equally negative; try it yourself and draw your own conclusions.
Chow Noodle House
540 University Ave.
Hillcrest
619-269-9209
Number 136:
Huffman's BBQ:
For the past several years, I've heard about this place but it was a big let down in a bad neighborhood...
It's been there 40 years now and is decorated with blow up photos of the founder (Brooke Huffman) with Jessie Jackson, Muhammed Ali, etc.
I ordered the hickory smoked ribs (you could smell it outside) with no sauce (on the side), slaw, beans and rice and a canned Coke. They also throw in a couple of slices of white bread wrapped in wax paper. The total was $15.73.
The ribs were tough, the slaw didn't look good so I passed, the beans & rice were flavorless so I tossed it all and grabbed a Big Mac on my way home...
No web site
Huffman's BBQ
5039 Imperial Ave
San Diego, CA 92113
Phone: (619) 264-3115
For the past several years, I've heard about this place but it was a big let down in a bad neighborhood...
It's been there 40 years now and is decorated with blow up photos of the founder (Brooke Huffman) with Jessie Jackson, Muhammed Ali, etc.
I ordered the hickory smoked ribs (you could smell it outside) with no sauce (on the side), slaw, beans and rice and a canned Coke. They also throw in a couple of slices of white bread wrapped in wax paper. The total was $15.73.
The ribs were tough, the slaw didn't look good so I passed, the beans & rice were flavorless so I tossed it all and grabbed a Big Mac on my way home...
No web site
Huffman's BBQ
5039 Imperial Ave
San Diego, CA 92113
Phone: (619) 264-3115
Number 134:
Fat Boyz Pizza:
Fat Boyz is a local chain (other locations are in Mission Beach and OB).
This outlet is in the mall in El Cajon and I had to check it out when the Boy told me that he and his co-workers had ordered a pizza to go for lunch and when they said the total would be $32 (just for the pizza!), they passed...
I ordered their calzone and an iced tea.
Unfortunately, like many other places nowadays, they assumed I want flavored iced tea so without asking (or telling) me, they served up this horrid concoction with way too much passion fruit flavoring and I sent it back. In my humble opinion, restaurants should take their customer's orders at face value and at least warn them if all they have is the artifically flavored iced tea.
The calzone was burned on top and not quite done internally, it was way too large, with way too much bread (why it wasn't done inside), it had no real flavor and there was too much acidity in the marinara sauce on the side...
I spent $16.45 total
Fat Boyz is a local chain (other locations are in Mission Beach and OB).
This outlet is in the mall in El Cajon and I had to check it out when the Boy told me that he and his co-workers had ordered a pizza to go for lunch and when they said the total would be $32 (just for the pizza!), they passed...
I ordered their calzone and an iced tea.
Unfortunately, like many other places nowadays, they assumed I want flavored iced tea so without asking (or telling) me, they served up this horrid concoction with way too much passion fruit flavoring and I sent it back. In my humble opinion, restaurants should take their customer's orders at face value and at least warn them if all they have is the artifically flavored iced tea.
The calzone was burned on top and not quite done internally, it was way too large, with way too much bread (why it wasn't done inside), it had no real flavor and there was too much acidity in the marinara sauce on the side...
I spent $16.45 total
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