January 17-22: La Jolla Restaurant Bargains

Welcome to San Diego Restaurant Week. From January 17-22, many local restaurants will be offering 3-course meals for $20, $30, or $40 per person.

LA JOLLA RESTAURANTS

Some of La Jolla's best places to eat are participating in this special promotion. These include George's, Nine-Ten, The Marine Room, Tapenade, Roppongi, The Steakhouse at Azul, Whisknladle, and Trattoria Acqua.

This is a just a sampling. To see all the participants, go to the San Diego Restaurant Week website. (www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com). It's set up so you can search by location, cuisine, or price.

I can't imagine an easier way to get a good deal on a great meal.

Photo courtesy George's at The Cove.

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)

Why am I doing this?

I live in La Jolla and I'm a travel writer.

What that means is that, in addition to enjoying my home town's great weather, beautiful surroundings, and range of cultural and recreational options, I also see La Jolla - and the rest of San Diego - as a travel destination.

And what I see sometimes drives me batty. People flock to La Jolla, but don't take advantage of everything our community offers, so I decided to start this blog and provide a heads up for would-be visitors. The "inside scoop for out-of-towners," if you will.

Hey. I figure if I can write The Insider's Hong Kong (http://www.ranchandcoast.com/archives/february2006/travel.html) and The Insider's India (http://www.ranchandcoast.com/archives/october2007/travel.html), I ought to be able to lead readers off the beaten path that starts just outside my front door.

And in the process, I'm having fun revisiting my favorite places and discovering some new ones.

Travel writers are naturally snoopy, and this blog is my excuse to have a good ol' sticky beak around my home town. Stay tuned...

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.

Larry King, spiny lobsters, and high tides

Visitors are welcome at these fall and winter La Jolla events:

If you'll be in town between now and November 1, I recommend you have a meal at Barbarella Restaurant in La Jolla Shores. Host Barbara Beltaire goes all out with spooky Halloween decorations - popular with kids and the young-at-heart.

Beltaire also serves great Italian meals - lunch and dinner seven days, plus breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Barbarella Restaurant & Bar is located at 2171 Avenida De La Playa (858- 454-7373).

If you're a diver and you'd rather catch your dinner, note that spiny lobster season in San Diego opened October 3 and runs through March 17, 2010.

"High-tide breakfasts" are a specialty at the oceanfront Marine Room restaurant. Scheduled to coincide with dramatic surf that brings waves right up to the big picture windows, the buffets will take place from 7 - 10:30 am on Oct. 17-18 and Nov. 14; 8 - 11am on Dec. 5; 10am - 2pm on Dec. 6; and 7 - 10am on Dec. 29 and 30. This is definitely one of San Diego's most memorable winter experiences. For more information go to www.MarineRoom.com or call 858-459-7222.

November 5: La Jolla Gallery Wine Walk. Taste the dining highlights of seaside La Jolla at this sixth annual gallery and restaurant walk, featuring 15 art galleries offering fine art and fine wine, along with more than 20 dining establishments serving samples of their specialties. 5 to 9 p.m. 619-233-5008, www.lajollabythesea.com/gallery.

The annual San Diego Jewish Book Fair, one of the top Jewish literacy events in the nation, will take place November 5-12 at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. As I write this, it has just been announced that television veteran Larry King will speak on Sunday, November 8 at 12 noon. The JCC is located at 4126 Executive Drive. (858-457-3030, http://www.lfcc.org/)

November 21: La Jolla Antique Brewery Fest. The La Jolla Historical Society celebrates the best in brews--some first made in the 11th century--at this special event at Wisteria Cottage. Guests enjoy gourmet hors d’oeuvres, sample international suds from breweries in Belgium, England, Scotland, Germany and the Czech Republic and learn about beer’s history and its impact on society. 6 to 9 p.m. 780 Prospect Street, La Jolla, 858-459-5335, http://www.lajollahistory.org/.

The United States Tennis Association National 40 Hard Court Championships take place November 30 – December 6 at the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club in La Jolla. Spectators can watch the competition heat up during the men’s and women’s matches in singles, doubles and mixed doubles events for players over the age of 39. The event features former touring pros and the nation’s strongest players in this age group. For more information, visit http://www.ljbtc.com/.

You can also join locals at the very family-friendly La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival (http://www.ljparade.com/) on December 6. The floats and bands roll right through town on Girard Avenue.

Even with the sun shining and the palm trees swaying - you'll swear you're in Middle America.

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.

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.