San Diego eats December 2010

Pedro and the spouse visited San Diego again. Was it only 18 months? Here goes:

Marie Callender's
Alvarado Rd, just south of I-8
A fully functional kitchen helped this time. Our group had a Hamburger with Avocado, Tuscan Mac N Cheese, Bacon Spinach Quiche & Salad. For dessert, a properly chilled Blueberry Cream Pie to go.

Mimi's Cafe
Mission Valley (Mission Center Rd, just north of I-8)
For breakfast: crab & avocado omelet w/bacon for both of us. Despite seeing very mixed reviews on Yelp, we went back and were served promptly, and the food was just as good as last time.

Hacienda de las Rosas Winery Tasting Room
An unexpected treat. A friend who knows one of the owners suggested this tasting room in Old Town. An excellent selection, including reds such as Grand Rojo (a spicy zinfandel), Vistoso - Tempranillo (peppery), Sombra and Primera Rosa (awesome). We also tried Dulcinea (Concord), a very sweet wine. Well worth the trip.

Casa de Reyes
To follow the wine, some Mexican food in the Plaza De Reyes courtyard. Carne Asada and Guacamole burritos, Chicken Enchiladas and Fish Tacos were very good. The only drawback was the sun in my eyes and locating our waitress when it was time to (eventually) go. It wasn't crowded when we left, so we could actually sit leisurely and finish off our coffee.

Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill
Mission Valley, Camino De La Reina
A brief lunch with friends. Langostino Lobster burrito, Fish tacos, Street Tacos w/Carnitas - all good. On the other hand, I could be biased since it was my first Rubio's trip in over 15 years.

Chaquita's Mexican Food
Home Ave, just off I-805 S, near Fairmont Park
Very filling chorizo and eggs (my fave). Good chips and salsa.

Lake Murray Cafe
Lake Murray Blvd, La Mesa
This diner had humongous portions. We went in a group of five and barely had room for all the plates, even in a booth. I had the Monte Cristo sandwich and could barely eat half of it. Hearty and delicious. I'd like to go back for dinner to sample more of the menu.

In-N-Out Burger
Mission Valley, NE corner of Camino Del Este & Camino Del Rio N; E of Mission Valley Mall
A mixed bag, considering how good their reputation is in message boards nationwide. We had two double-doubles (very good), a shake and a coffee (good), and some limp, tiny fries. I was hoping for better, since fries are INO's hallmark (at least they were in the 70s and 80s). That put a downer on the meal.

We skipped Roberto's this trip (for shame!)