Archive for October 2007

There is a Thai food phenomenon known to the residents of San Diego's Mission Hills neighborhood; one the locals would likely prefer you didn't discover: Su-Mei Yu's Saffron Noodles and Sate' and Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken restaurants. Truth be told, though, it is Su-Mei herself that is the real phenomenon!

For over 20 years, this dynamo of Asian cooking has scoured the far reaches in search of new and authentic homemade food creations with origins in Thai, Malaysian, and other Southeast Asian kitchens, bringing them home to her adjacent India St. establishments (one sit-down, the other take-out) and winning an impressive roster of famous devotees in the process. If you've missed her appearances on Good Morning America or The Today Show, with Julia Child or Martha Stewart, she is known to pop up as well on the local San Diego stations to spread the word and pass the sauce. She is doing for Thai cooking what Julia Child did for French haute cuisine and has the cookbooks to prove it!

In addition to her books (Asian Grilling, Cracking the Coconut, and soon-to-be-released Earth, Water, Wind and Fire, The Thai Natural Path to Heath and Spiritual Well-Being), Su-Mei has had her share of articles published in such journals as Fine Cooking Magazine, Food and Wine magazine, and the prestigious British journal Petits Propos Culinaire.

Sit down to eat at Saffron Noodles and Sate' and you'll know what all the fuss is about as you dig in to a stir-fried noodle or noodle soup entrée (with choice of pork, beef, chicken, or tofu, of course), skewers, or curries of all description and flavors. Hankering for a Fish Curry? How about Wonton Soup? Papaya Chicken Salad? It's all Duck Soup down at Saffron Noodles and Sate' - in fact, why not order the Duck Soup Special? It's on the Daily Specials menu every Friday! And the Spicy Laotian Sausage is worth traveling to Laos for if Su-Mei weren't serving it every Monday.

Meanwhile, for those of you on the go, right next door is Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken for take-out that is out of this world. With soups and salads, rolls, and a variety of finger foods to choose from, the real focus of Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken, of course, are their grilled chicken combos and specialty sauces. Peanut, sweet pepper, and Sriracha sauces, as well as chutney, salsa, and their own egg roll sauce compliment this traditional Thai grilled chicken dish every bit as well as they do all the wonderful dishes found at the sit-down tables. So even if you're staying you're sure to be going back—again and again and again to Saffron Noodles and Sate' and Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken.

At first sight, Downtown San Diego's famed Horton Plaza appears to be just another Southern California mall: shops, restaurants, vending carts, teenagers – the works. However, once inside the structure named for the same San Diego family whose name Dr. Seuss used for his famous character and you'll soon see why the famously "fun" architectural plan has been baffling visitors and regulars alike for over two decades. If you enjoy searching for your ride after a day of shopping, you'll soon see why Horton Plaza is the go-to location for those with the patience of Job or the sense of humor of the good Dr. Seuss himself. After all, when the parking structure and the shopping mall itself enjoy different numbering schemes, hilarity is sure to ensue.

But go for the adventure and you'll stay for the shops, stores, and eating establishments. Macy's and Abercrombie & Fitch enjoy residence here, right alongside less well known names such as Chico's and Wet Seal. Sam Goody's has your music needs covered, while Coach has bags for those on a budget, albeit a large one.

Drop the kids at the Foot Locker, the GameStop, or the Gap, and you're free to enjoy lunch at La Salsa or Panda Express. Royal India Express and the Boston & Maine Fish Company have what you need to rejuvenate, unless a tasty Wetzel's Pretzel or Cinnabon are all you need. Of course, there is fine dining to be had at Samba Grill, where the Brazilian all-you-can eat barbecue is literally an on-going feast, while Napa Valley Grille is one San Diego's best dining experiences anywhere. Of course, the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream shop has a sweet treat for you, as well. And once you think you're ready to go in search of your car you're going to want an invigorating mug of coffee first – fortunately there's now a Starbucks on nearly every level of the mall.

So if you're anxious to blur the distinction between shopping adventure and bewildering ordeal, and relish the opportunity to cry: "dude, where's my car?" then Horton Plaza is where you'll want to shop till you drop.

For a taste of younger, hipper, less trendy San Diego, Ocean Beach (O.B. to its friends) offers the experience of a neighborhood nestled against the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Having largely resisted the trend toward the mall, the multiplex, and the franchise chain in general, O.B. has remained true to its roots in 1960’s attitudes, allowing the visitor a glimpse into several generations of youth culture of the last 40 years. Here, surfers, hippies, punks, and college-types peacefully co-exist in this reprieve from corporate San Diego just 7 miles removed from Downtown. Right on, brothers and sisters!

Long a bastion for alternative lifestyles, Ocean Beach offers its own Jazz Festival in late June, the Ocean Beach Christmas Parade in early December, a March Kite Festival, and their Annual Chili Cook Off every June, so if you think you’re gonna drive down and find nothing to do in O.B., think again. Better yet – just go!

You can fish year 'round off the West Coast’s second-longest pier, home of the Ocean Beach Pier Bait Shop and the Ocean Beach Pier Café. Load up on chum in the morning and shovel in some chow in the afternoon right after you land the big one. Don’t forget to tell 'em the story of the one that got away – they never get tired of hearing that one. Or, you may just want to walk the pier for the view and the fresh air alone. Tens of thousands of visitors apply their own two feet to the nearly 2,000 feet of the Ocean Beach Municipal Pier marking O.B’s southern end. On the northern end, meanwhile, a local ordinance provides for a section of the beach where man’s best friend can roam free, if you know what we mean. That’s right, leash-free living is the promise offered every canine visitor on the "Dog Beach" end of O.B.

Between the two poles is a mile of boardwalk, sea and sand, as well as dozens of local shops, eateries, music venues, and single-family dwellings defining the very individual character and charm of the area. You may not find your Starbucks, but you will enjoy your fresh ground coffee, tea, pastry and the full breakfast menu at The News Room. With a view facing the undulating waves, you’ll love reading the morning paper courteously left for the next fellow to read by the guy just finishing his Mexican omelet with croissant and homemade jam – its that kind of place, it’s that kind of neighborhood.

Comfortably residing alongside numerous Mexican Restaurants and beer 'n seafood establishments is yet another Ocean Beach staple: its live music scene. You can shake it on down to Winston’s to get your reggae on, mon, then have your Latin, Jazz, Funk itch scratched at Portugalia.

Mom 'n pop surf shops abound, and if you like your t-shirts tie-dyed and psychedelic, this is San Diego’s Mecca for the retro fashions you’ll love. The second-hand stores are all first-rate! All in all, Ocean Beach has got a vibe that just won’t quit, and once you get there – neither will you!

Looking for a romantic dinner cruise for yourself and a loved one? How about an edifying tour of historic San Diego Bay replete with narrative history? Perhaps whale watching inspires the Captain Ahab in you. Well avast, ye matey and all aboard a Hornblower Cruise. They’re setting sail multiple times a day, all year ‘round.

From its origin as a two vessel business operating out of the San Francisco Bay, Hornblower Cruises has expanded down the California coastline to permanently drop anchor in several ports of call, bringing with them their unique brand of seafaring entertainment. In partnering here with the San Diego Natural History Museum, The Maritime Museum, the Ruben H. Fleet Science Center, and the USS Midway, Hornblower brings guests not just an entertaining afternoon, but genuine science education supplementing the experience of the area’s rich, oceanographic history. Not only will you spend an afternoon in close proximity to the sea lions who call the San Diego bay home, or with the whales and dolphins further out, but you’ll benefit from the knowledge of some of the world’s finest researchers broadening your understanding of the world before you.

Or maybe it’s a romantic dinner and dancing cruise you’ll be wantin,’ ye scalliwags! Well, they’ve got that, too. Steak dinners with all the fixins and as much champagne as you can toast are yours for the asking on the Hornblower evening dinner and dancing cruises, seven nights a week. Evenings all tied up? Try the Saturday and Sunday brunch cruises. You won’t believe the menu.

Of course, you might prefer privacy. Easy! Just charter a Hornblower yacht for yourself and your guests. With over 10,000 private and corporate charters under their belts, who better than the crew of a Hornblower cruise to navigate you and your party to a good time? Besides, what prom would be complete without an evening-ending cruise around the bay? They’ll provide the band, the refreshments - and won’t getting the captain to marry you and your date make it a night to remember? It can’t hurt to ask!

There’s a Hornblower leaving port any minute - landlubbers, don’t miss out!

A very little walking uncovers a whole lotta shakin' goin' in downtown San Diego these days! Many of the Downtown restaurant spaces have turned what were formerly either wine cellars or just plain cellars into late-night discothèques for the youthful and their admirers, but many of the traditional above-ground music venues have bumped matters up several notches, as well. The scene once boasting little more than the Croce's stage has become the go-to neighborhood for the late-night music lover with hips to bump ‘n grind, fingers to snap, or an air guitar with which to kick out the jams!

The House of Blues' music calendar ranges from rock to reggae, blues to funk, soul, r&b, and disco. 4th and B caters to a broad range of tastes, from across the musical spectrum, while new kid on the block Anthology is making waves of its own with a jazz, blues, roots, rock lineup guaranteed to keep you coming back for more than just their excellent cuisine.

And while downtown has its share of venues offering a mix of musical genres to choose from during the week (before going younger on Friday and Saturday nights), there are still a few hold outs who've managed to stick to their guns by offering the faithful regular helpings of what they do best.

Patrick's II dishes up all the blues you can use seven nights a week, while The Shout House features dueling rock ‘n roll singing piano players on a nightly basis (really!). The Westgate Hotel, Georges on Fifth, and The Dakota Grill & Spirits provide Carlyle Hotel-style piano jazz & pop entertainment to the never ending delight of the swells, while Latin flavor can always be found at Cafe Sevilla's Club Salsa. And if they never stop rockin' at Dick's Last Resort, Henry's Pub serves up an assortment of rock subgenres ranging from alternative to classic, rockabilly to 80's new wave - still managing to keep open a side door to the odd blues act or two—just to keep it real. Even the Borders Books has its weekend folk performances as Dublin Square gets its Irish up seven nights a week. Top of the evening to ya!

Yes, downtown squeezes as much music as two ears could want into a 10 square block radius, so if its singin,' dancin,' strummin,' and drummin,' you want, head on down to downtown!

If you're one of those prone to regular eating, there is a French bistro with crepes so light you’ll want to put ‘em in your mouth before they simply float off the plate. With locations in Hillcrest, Encinitas, Rancho Bernardo, and even two in Downtown San Diego, St. Tropez French Bakery & Bistro offers an oasis of civilization in the dessert Southwest. C’est magnifique!

Breakfast affords the early riser their choice of fresh-baked croissants, fruit, eggs and omelets – to say nothing of breakfast crepes of every description to satisfy your need for a little get up and go (even if you just want to stay and sit down!) Try the Eggs Florentine or the berry fruit crepes: you won’t be sorry.

The lunch fare served up daily features a hot and tasty variety of soups, sandwiches, soup and salad combos (featuring your choice of quiche, crepe, or sandwich), paninis, croissants, crepes, quiches – you name it. Go ahead – we dare you! Name it, they serve up it fresh!

Dinner menus are available (except Hillcrest) for the discerning epicure sure to fall in love all over again with the Beef Bourguignon, Coq au Vin, or Salmon with Dill Sauce. Lasagna Bolognese, Chicken Marsalla, Pasta Provencal, and a scintillating Pot Roast in Green Peppercorn Sauce also appearing nightly. Don’t forget to start with an appetizer. Proscuitto & Melon, Marseille Pizza, or Spinach Gratin are sure to grab you.

You eat dessert, don’t you? Who doesn’t? No one after getting a whiff of the St. Tropez Bakery’s finest viennoiserie, pattiseries, tarts, and cookies from a menu which simply must be experienced.