Where NOT to eat in La Jolla

This won't make me popular with a couple of local restaurateurs, but I have had two very disappointing meals in the village recently.

Until they mend their ways (hire a new chef?), I suggest you avoid Bistro 101 and Alfonso's - both restaurants are on Prospect Street.

I don't like reporting negative experiences, but the whole point of this blog is to help you get the most out of your time in La Jolla -- and that includes leading you away from cold soup and cardboard burritos.

Artful Cuisine at the Museum Cafe

One of the most popular lunch spots in the village, the Museum Cafe offers delicious salads (shrimp and papaya is my favorite), great soups (such as country vegetable), grilled items, and creative sandwiches.

As the name suggests, the cafe is located at the La Jolla branch of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) at 700 Prospect Street. Much of the seating is outdoors - a safe bet in sunny San Diego - amidst the white pillars of the building's facade. While the Pacific Ocean is on the other side of the building, it isn't visable from the cafe.

Giuseppe Ciuffa gets the credit for this bistro's success. In addition to being its chef, he's a popular caterer and has just taken over the cafe at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. Additional credit goes to a staff of very attentive and genuinely friendly waiters.

Museum Cafe (http://www.mcasdcafe.com/) serves breakfast and lunch Monday - Friday 11 AM to 3 PM, and Saturday and Sunday 9 AM to 3 PM. They also deliver within La Jolla.

In fact, Museum Cafe delivers in every sense of the word. Give them a call 858-581-2205.

San Diego Food Finds

My friend Maria Desiderata Montana writes a blog about San Diego restaurants, and I want you to know about it should you decide to venture outside La Jolla for a meal.

San Diego Food Finds (http://www.sandiegofoodfinds.com/) includes restaurant profiles for great places to eat all over San Diego County. Some of my favorites are: Fidel's (Mexican) in Solana Beach, Quarter Kitchen in downtown San Diego, and Con Pane (bakery/cafe) in Point Loma.

Maria is Italian, and in "cent’anni" (Italian for "May you live 100 years"), she shares recipes from her own kitchen as well as some of her chef friends. Her site also keeps foodies up-to-speed on local food "happenings."

I know La Jolla inside and out, but when I have a need to eat elsewhere, I rely on Maria's sage advice.

Pictured above: Seared Hamachi with fresh arugula salad and strawberries, available at The Loft restaurant at the Montage Laguna Beach. (Photo by Maria Desiderata Montana)

Update on Sorella della Taverna

I wrote about La Taverna and its sister property Sorella della Taverna in August 2008. The former is a cute little Italian bistro on a side street in the village. Sorella is a gourmet deli that provides take-away meals and delicious picnic fare.

I'm happy to report that both businesses are still going strong, and Mary Anne Vitale has just set her winter hours for Sorella. They are: Monday- Friday 8:30am - 6pm and Sunday 9am- 2pm.

Sorella della Taverna (7420 Girard) is within a block of the Sunday Farmers Market (one of San Diego's best), which makes it a handy place to pick up whatever you couldn't find at one of their many food booths - and head to a park or the beach for a picnic. The most popular items are homemade pastries, fresh-baked bread, pasta salad, mozzarella, and prosciutto. Call 858-866-6400 if you have questions.

Bon appetito.

News Flash - Jack's Closes

Jack's La Jolla, the darling of the local dining and nightlife scene, suddenly closed its doors yesterday.

"The economy isn't the only factor," according to owner Bill Berkley. (My guess is that the economy is only a very small part of the decision to shut down. Cash poor restaurants don't close in the height of the tourist season when they can make tons of money.)

The 17,000 square-foot, three-level restaurant had been a popular destination for the young and the restless since it opened four years ago.

The good news is that diners and drinkers have other great choices on Prospect Street's restaurant row. George's (pictured above), Alfonso's, the Crab Catcher, Azul, and The Whaling Bar at La Valencia are all about having a good time.

Good bye, Jack.

Hello George, Alfonso, and friends.

La Jolla Shores vs. “the Village”

In addition to dispensing La Jolla travel information via this blog, I also answer questions on TripAdvisor’s La Jolla Forum. It’s recently become apparent on this site that many visitors aren’t aware that what we locals call “the village” is not the same place as “the Shores.”

The village (think Prospect Street and Girard Avenue) is great for shopping and dining, but (about a mile away) the Shores is THE PLACE for wiggling your toes in the sand, surfing, and kayaking. In addition, Avenida de La Playa – the main street in the Shores – is home to some of La Jolla’s best restaurants.

Admittedly, The Cove is great for snorkeling, but La Jolla Shores Beach is the best overall for families. Surf Diva (858-454-8273) offers surf lessons for females of all ages, and Menehune specializes in teaching kids to hang ten http://www.menehunesurf.com/ Kayak rentals are available at La Jolla Kayak (2199 Avenida de La Playa, 858-459-1114; http://www.lajollakayak.com/).

Most folks seem to know that The La Jolla Shores Hotel (http://www.ljshoreshotel.com/) is right on the beach. In addition, you might consider staying at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. It's right next door and offers free parking, as well as a private, less crowded beach. Their website is http://www.ljbtc.com/

The “B&T” is primarily a private club, but savvy visitors can take advantage of the resort’s wide variety of accommodations, including two-bedroom, two-bath units.

I live about a mile from La Jolla Shores Beach and walk along this beautiful stretch of sand several times a week year around.

I also dine in the Shores regularly. My favorite place is Osteria Romantica, 2151 Avenida de la Playa, Tel 858-551-1221, http://www.osteriaromantica.com/

Book early for dinner during the summer. It’s easier to get a table at lunch because all the nearby parking is consumed by beach-goers. Osteria Romantica’s food is great, and I love the waiters – imported directly from Italy.

Fabio and his staff will make you feel like familia. .

La Jolla Festival of the Arts - June 20-21

I just realized that in my last post I included the La Jolla Festival of the Arts in the Calendar of Events, but I didn't point out that it's this weekend - June 20-21 from 9am to 5pm. More than 200 artists will be exhibiting their work. Live music and a food court will add to the fun.

If you're planning to visit La Jolla this weekend, you might want to go to the Festival on Saturday when the forecast is for clouds and save sunnier Sunday for the beach or a bike ride.

The Festival will take place at the east campus of UCSD at Genesee Avenue and Regents Road. Admission is $10, but active military and children under 10 are free of charge.

For more information call 858-456-1268 or go to http://www.lajollaartfestival.org/.

Have fun!

A Picnic Table With A View

Seems like everyone who visits La Jolla wants to find a restaurant with a good view. Certainly there are several of these along Prospect Street, but savvy locals know that the show-stopper vista is up at the Torrey Pines "International" Gliderport (www.flytorrey.com/).

Here, the Cliff Hanger Café (858-452-9858, open daily) serves great made-to-order deli sandwiches, soups, and salads to diners who have an up-close-and-personal view of hang gliders and paragliders taking off over the Pacific. It’s truly a breathtaking sight.

To get there, take North Torrey Pines Road to Torrey Pines Scenic Drive and turn west. The first thing you’ll see is the landmark Salk Institute designed by architect Louis Kahn. As you continue driving towards the water, colorful paragliders and hang gliders floating over the sandstone cliffs will come into view.

Is this really an “international” gliderport? Just listen to the languages spoken by the pilots. They consider La Jolla to be the ultimate destination for their sport.

If you decide to try a tandem flight, you might want to wait and have lunch afterwards.

Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar

“The best deal in town.” That’s how a friend described the happy hour menu at La Jolla's Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar – so of course I had to go and check it out. And sure enough, my beloved Chinese pot stickers filled with shrimp and scallops and served with Tobiko caviar sauce, normally $14.25, are now half price between 3- 6 daily. Ditto the delicious pan seared sea scallops on potato pancakes.

In fact, all the tapas and sushi rolls are half price during those hours. Sadly, drinks are not discounted.

Roppongi, long a favorite with locals, is located on the corner of Prospect Street and Fay Avenue. You can view the entire menu at http://www.roppongi.com/ (858-551-5252).

The Zagat Survey praised the restaurant for its “unique new Asian cuisine,” but I am also very impressed with the design, which includes a large fire pit on the patio and sophisticated lighting indoors that shows off a beautiful collection of Asian artifacts.

In addition to tapas, the restaurant serves lunch and dinner. They are for sure offering a prix fixe Father’s Day dinner on June 21, but the end date for the half price happy hour munchies has not been announced. I just hope it’s still in effect when you’re in La Jolla. Bargains are few and far between around here – and I’d hate for you to miss this one.

La Taverna

La Jolla has lots of “destination restaurants” that serve good food – and sometimes a view – to out-of-towners.

Then there are the restaurants the locals patronize…places that depend on return business and don’t have a vista to distract from other weaknesses. One of these is La Taverna – snuggled between a dry cleaners and a shoe repair shop at 927 Silverado Street (858-454-0100; http://www.lataverna.com/).

The tiny restaurant offers only a half dozen tables inside and about the same number on a sidewalk patio. The menu of Italian comfort food includes grilled salmon on white bean salad (my favorite), pan-roasted shrimp with garlic and arugula-basil pesto, Parmesan chicken on roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and other satisfying dishes.

At La Taverna, everything is made on site, including wonderful bread, sausages, and gnocchi. If you go, leave room for dessert. The restaurant's multi-layer banana cake is the stuff of legends. Lunch is served Monday - Friday and dinner is Monday - Saturday.

Chef/Proprietor Mary Ann Vitale also owns Sorella della Taverna (7420 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858-866-6400), a deli where locals load up on items such as eggplant lasagna, penne pasta, and grilled vegetables. She also offers salads, sandwiches, and pizza. This gourmet-to-go spot is the perfect place for assembling an extraordinary picnic. They're open 10-5 Monday - Friday during the summer. Best to call for winter hours.

Bon appetito.

La Jolla Farmers' Market

The La Jolla farmers' market is a perfect example of a really cool thing that doesn't get on the radar screen of most visitors. It's held every Sunday from 9am - 1pm on the playground of La Jolla Elementary on "upper Girard." That's the part of our main drag that extends south of Pearl Street.

The market - officially it's the "La Jolla Elementary Open Aire Market" - is popular with lots of locals who are there every week stocking up on fruit, veggies, and flowers. However, even if you are traveling and not cooking (hey, I live here and don't cook) there are lots of other reasons to go.

Personally, I love the jewelry - especially the fact that if I see something I like, but it's not exactly what I want, the artisan will often offer to take a custom order. Even the woman who sells the Deruta pottery wrote down the description of the planter I wanted and brought it back from Italy on her next trip. Other vendors sell colorful cotton tablecloths, Oriental rugs, handmade pottery, and a wide range of clever clothing.

The market is also a great place to find gourmet food items - to keep or to gift. I often buy the flavored olive oil, the handcrafted salsa, and the organic salad dressing. Having said that, in truth, my favorite market foods are the highly-addictive kettle corn and anything from Charlie's Best Breads.

More than 75 vendors set up stalls every week. Another ten or so, set up mini-kitchens. I don't know how they manage in such small spaces, but I've had some great Mexican dishes from this mobile food court, as well as crepes, gyros, kebabs, and barbecued chicken. The shaded picnic tables also make a good spot for people watching.

It's a bit of a carnival really. Serious foodies march from stall to stall procuring ingredients; kids run wild in the play area; folks stand in line for a chair massage; and live music puts a smile on everyone's face.

It can be crowded, and you may have to maneuver around baby strollers and step over a few dog leashes, but if you go, you'll see why it's my favorite slice of La Jolla life.