Category: Hot Picks

Centrally located in Little Italy, San Diego’s Chi Chocolat is a chocolate-lover’s dream.

Seriously, if you’ve never been, I suggest you stop in ASAP. Most of their chocolates are handmade with some of the best ingredients in the world, AND there are absolutely no nasty additives found in commercial chocolates.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, this upscale chocolate boutique is sure to have something delectable for every taste and budget.

Stop in after work for a delicious chocolate treat, or order a custom gift package for a lucky friend, family member or that special someone. Nothing says “I love you” more than a basket of gourmet chocolate (or maybe that’s just the foodie in me speaking!)

On a side note, their varieties of chocolate truffles are to die for.

Chi Chocolat also offers an extensive selection of beverages and Paninis, so you can stop in for lunch and take home a chocolate confection to enjoy afterwards. That’s what I did; only I had my desert first… I know, I know – bad!

If you aren’t sure what to sample, you can always go for an on or off-site chocolate tasting. Rates start from $27 per person, and it’s a great idea for parties, hanging out with the girls, or corporate events.

During the tasting, you’ll get to sample a variety of fine chocolates, take home some chocolate samples and enjoy various beverages throughout the tasting. It’s a great way to enjoy a lazy afternoon with pals, or get together with co-workers to relieve the stress from work.

You can even purchase a selection of their gourmet chocolates online, including custom chocolate gift baskets, chocolate slabs, chocolate bars and even chocolate covered strawberries.

Save some room for delectable chocolate the next time you’re out and about downtown San Diego. From delicious fine chocolates to impeccable service, Chi Chocolat has it all.

Brazilian BBQ isn't just a meal, it’s part feast, part endurance test. You may think that last sentence was a joke, but anyone who has been to a truly great Brazilian BBQ would agree with me. When I first strolled into a Brazilian BBQ (or Churassco in Spanish) a couple of years ago, I had been warned by a friend that the whole experience may be a bit overwhelming at first. Brazilian BBQ is a completely unique experience from any other type of eating, which can intrigue some and intimidate others, so I will lay down the ground rules for the inexperienced. Take notes, because you will be tested.

Rei Do Gado has a reasonable price of $25 dollars per person for a Brazilian BBQ Lunch. The way Brazilian BBQ works is that once you sit down, you receive a placard with a green side and a red side on it. The green side is to indicate to the waiter (or Passador in espanol) that you want to be served, and the red side is to tell the waiters to stop bringing you food. "Why would I ever want to put it on the red side?" you might be asking, "I can eat a lot!". Well, I bet you can, but each Passador comes around with a skewer wrapped in meat that has been marinated and grilled fresh. The meat menu is rather large and includes top sirloin, kosher beef, ham and pineapple, lamb, filet mignon WRAPPED in bacon (Only Homer Simpson could come up with this stuff) I mean...the list of meats goes on and on.

I didn't even know that many varieties of meat existed before I stepped into Rei Do Gado. The smell of freshly grilled lamb and the concept of having a buffet come to you rather than the other way around, combined with the enthusiastic waiters who want you to try everything, can easily overwhelm a newcomer. If you get distracted by the whole experience and keep your placard on green for too long, you might look back to your plate and find a huge pile of meat that you didn't expect stacked on it. A good tactic is to keep you card on green for a couple of meats, then flip the card to red so you can relax and enjoy your meal without feeling pressured to eat too much too fast. I promise you the waiters will still be there when you flip your card back over.

Besides the freshly grilled meat, with your $25 dollar "cover charge" you also get unlimited access to the appetizer/salad bar, which has a wide variety of salads, roasted vegetables, sweets and other appetizers to choose from in case you need to balance out the 20 pounds of beef ribs on your plate. My only complaint is that some of the appetizers were empty, leading me to believe they were either really good or the wait-staff was too busy to refill them, leaving me a little disappointed.

Rei Do Gado is one of the best Brazilian BBQ places I have been to, and I was impressed by every aspect of the place, from the tranquil setting (great place to bring a date) and variety of meats offered, to the eager servers who were more than willing to load up your plate with food. The location was right near the hip gas-lamp district of San-Diego, so its centrally located in case you want to go to the mall or bar-hop after you eat (That is, if you can gather the strength to move after eating so much).The price was also fair for the lunch BBQ, however the price for the dinner BBQ is rather expensive, hovering around $45 dollars per person. The dinner menu is supposed to be have a lot more variety than the lunch menu, but honestly, whether you spend 25 or 45 dollars on your Brazilian BBQ experience, you'll be so full you wont want to move for the next 8 hours.

So that pretty much sums up Rei Do Gado and Brazilian BBQ in general. The key to Brazilian BBQ is to stay calm, be sure to come hungry and bring pants that will stretch out. Trust me, you'll need em.

Tired of having to send back the steak that’s a little too bloody? Like your toast just a little bit more, well…toasty? Well, you’re sure to always have it your way at Gaslamp’s The Strip Club because every steak is cooked to your liking: hey, at Strip Club you cook ‘em yourself! Not done enough? Slap ‘er back on the fire, old boy! Too well done? Oh, well—you can always complain to the chef: that would be you!

2006 Gold Medallion Winner, Best Casual Steakhouse, this downtown institution is a second home to lovers of grilled steak, chicken, fish, and vegetables from all over San Diego County. And while the meals may be self-cooked, the menu is nothing if not full-service, with appetizers to get your motor going, drinks to keep ‘er purring along, and desserts to top off an evening of fun spent ‘round the community grill. Locals and visitors alike rub elbows vying for space on one of several cooking surfaces available for fun and feasting. Popular as Strip Club has become, however, there’s never a great wait once you’re there--meat in hand, a hungry look on your face--ready to charbroil your way to heaven. There’s always room for another porterhouse, filet mignon, shrimp, or an Ahi kebob or two. Steak, soy, and hot sauces, salt, pepper, and a variety of other tasty seasonings ring each grill’s perimeter, for those ready to savor some flavor.

And in the unlikely event your little cooking experiment fails to achieve the status of culinary masterpiece, they’ve lined the walls of Strip Club with original works by Spanish artist Vargas, whose masterpieces of feminine beauty—the Vargas Girl—tastefully graced the noses of World War II fighter planes, the pages of Esquire and Playboy Magazines, and the covers of many rock and roll albums from the 1940s through the 1980’s.

There’s a downside to the story, though. Because the bar’s not self-serve, hunky bartenders must keep the refreshments pouring for those just there to enjoy the bevy of plasma TVs shining down on the festivities from above, the jumpin’ music, and the gorgeous bar patrons. ‘Seems not everyone needs a charbroiled steak dinner with garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed asparagus, or beer battered onion rings. And because it’s a proven, scientific fact that not everyone shares the same tolerance for the plush, luxurious, naughahyde booth, Downtown San Diego’s exhilarating nighttime atmosphere, or some of the most beautiful waitresses San Diego has to offer, some people never get to experience the Strip Club’s self-serve wine cellar and Steak n’ Dom Perignon special. You may just need to go on down and take one for the team!

Long an enclave for area aesthetes, Ray Street plays host to a gathering of the artistic, the inspired, the imaginative, and the merely curious eager to rub elbows with the creative element in this nocturnal celebration. Convened on the 2nd Saturday of each month in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood, and located between University Avenue and North Park Way, the PM gallery walk takes place between the hours of 6 PM and 10 PM. It affords access to as many as a dozen venues with live entertainment, food vendors, and even finger food and glasses of wine made available in galleries themselves (in exchange for a small donation).

Participating galleries include: Clay Artists of San Diego Gallery; The Arts & Entertainment Center; Warp 9 Imaging; Andrea Rushing Fine Arts; John Stewart Studies; Sharp Gallery; Planet Rooth Studios; The Rubber Rose; 4 Walls Gallery; Expressive Art Institute; Gallery 3060; ART Produce Gallery; and Gallery 504.

In addition to the galleries, there are those establishments on the surrounding streets whose doors remain open later on Ray at Night nights. Dessert and coffee after the walk? How about Clare de Lune or Heaven Sent Desserts? What about dinner? Try Ranchos Cocina, Old Word Restaurant, or Lumber Jack Grille.

Feeling the need to get your nature on or stick it to the man - or how about both? The Sierra Club is open during Ray at Night to fulfill your every environmentally friendly need, while The Controversial Bookstore has what ails rabble rouser in all of us. Fight the Power!

But Ray at Night is really about the galleries and it is the art and the artists that will keep you coming back - many locals make the pilgrimage all twelve times each year and you will be tempted to as well once you too have caught a little bit of the spirit and the joyous celebration that is Ray at Night.

If you're looking to get a glimpse of some Pacific Gray Whales, head out to Cabrillo National Monument for some great viewing opportunities.

The best time to spot the Pacific Gray Whale is during their migration season - from January through March. If you're up there during that time, take a short hike along the Bayside Trail up to the New Point Loma Lighthouse; the whale overlook is located just south of the lighthouse.

There is much more to see than just whales at Cabrillo National Monument. You can also enjoy picturesque views of the harbor, San Diego skyline, and of course - the Pacific Ocean. While you're there, head over to the Visitor Center and learn about the history behind Cabrillo. The Visitor Center at Cabrillo National Monument offers exhibits, films, and guided tours.

If you're arriving by vehicle, there is a charge of $5. Walk-ins, bicyclists, and motorcyclists are charged only $3. Your entrance fee is good for seven days so come back as often as you like.