FOODIE FRIDAYS: Beat this, Bobby Flay (or how The Marine Room makes FoodTV look like amateurs)

If you watch too much FoodTV you start believing that you are some great cook.  You got some of those squeeze bottles with sauce, you know how to sprinkle spices around the edges of plates, you even know to wash your hands after touching raw chicken.  Well, maybe it's time to turn off the TV and go to a real restaurant to see how the pro's do it.  Yeah Bobby, this means you.

I set my sights on The Marine Room in La Jolla, one of the best views in town.  But would the food match the view?  Let's see.

Here's the view.  What, you want a better shot?

There you go, the entree without the distracting ocean beach view.  See, the food is the star here!

A lot of places have lobster on their menu but few cook it as well as The Marine Room.  Delicious?  Oh yeah!

The steak was perfectly cooked, the presentation so good you didn't even want to eat it.  Not really.  It was good, really good.  Now how about some desserts?

Creme Brulee with a banana stick.  I think they called it something fancier but it is what it is and it was great!

How very Zen of you.  Tiny bites of tasty goodness.  No, you may not have a bite even though I tasted yours.  Sorry, I lied.

Proof that the chef is on LSD, but thank goodness for that! 

So you have to respect a great local chef like the one at the Marine Room.  Sure, he doesn't have his own TV show, heck, he's not even an Iron Chef!  He doesn't wear skin tight t-shirts like Bobby and Rachel Ray (not a good look on either, btw), and he doesn't have catch phrases like EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) or GBD (golden brown and delicious) but he sure knows how to cook and in my book that's good enough.

Want more?  Go to Local Wally's Guide to San Diego!

Don't forget my San Diego Daily Deal!

Want to give Bobby another chance?  Bobby Flay's Grill It! at Amazon.com

WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY: San Diego's Secret $4 Golf Course

Looking for something to do this weekend that you've probably never done before?  How about a round of Frisbee Golf at Balboa Park's Morley Field?  Never played?  Not to worry, here's the deal.

$4 gets you onto the course - including disc rental.  You just show up and line up to go.  When it's your turn, you fling the disc and hope it actually goes forward towards the basket.  Everyone flings, then you walk to get it and fling again until you get the disc into the basket. 

Oh, I forgot one very important thing - you get to drink a beer while you're waiting, while you're walking, and while you're just thinking about your next shot.  Wait - you can drink beer while Frisbee golfing?  Sure, it's not legal but tell it to the guys with their coolers walking the course.  Let's just say it's part of the Frisbee Golf culture. 

Fun for the whole family (the golf, not necessarily the beer), you'll have a great time treking up and down the slopes, ducking in and out of bushes looking for your disc.  And you won't want to miss a San Diego landmark, the Shoe Tree!  Where else can you have this much fun in San Diego for $4?

Frisbee Golf takes no experience but there are some serious Disc Golfers so let them go ahead of you if you see them behind you.  Wear comfortable tennis shoes, sunscreen, a hat, and bring some waters.  There's 18 holes, some not clearly marked, so pay attention to the people ahead of you so you know where to go next. 

Afterwards head over to Balboa Park's Municipal Golf Course down the street to their old school clubhouse where you'll find another San Diego secret, a killer $5 burger with fries and $8 pitchers of .....beer!  Looks like a pretty good weekend coming up, doesn't it?

Want to learn more about San Diego hotspots?  Check out Local Wally's Guide to San Diego!  And don't forget my San Diego Daily Deal!

TACO TUESDAY: Searching for Mr. Rolled Taco

THE PLACE:  Los Charros Authentic Mexican and Seafood, 915 East Valley Parkway, Escondido, (760) 746-2416

THE VIBE: Looks scary on outside but nice and inviting on the inside.

THE COST:  So cheap it's stupid!

OVERALL LOCAL WALLY RATING:  A-

My search for the ultimate Rolled Tacos took me to Escondido the other day.  I have this theory that some of the the best Mexican food is found in the worst looking restaurants so I had high expectations as I pulled up to this run down ex-Round Table Pizza joint.  

The exterior of Los Charros isn't exactly pretty but inside the restaurant is clean and the staff friendly.  You order at the counter and they bring you a basket of chips and salsa as you wait for your food.  The chips were light and fresh, the salsa a bit odd though - sort of like it had some sort of peanut undertone.  Weird, but luckily the salsa bar was well stocked.

See what I mean?  Good stuff!

These guys have a ton of seafood options like a fried whole fish, but I opted for a classic shrimp taco.  The shrimps were nice and succulent, the salsa and the sauce a perfect compliment.  And look, two tortillas so you can even split it with someone - though it's so good you'll be sorry if you do.  Say, how does this stack up to a shrimp taco from Rubio's?  Are you kidding??  There's simply no comparison, this taco is the bomb!

When you do it right there's nothing better than a carnitas taco and Los Charros hit this one out of the park.  The pork was nicely cooked, tender and crispy on the outside.  The flavors literally burst in your mouth, a perfect combination of saltiness and spices.  They don't skimp on the fillings like some and look, that's real guacamole on top!  Delicious!

Now check this one out.  It's a carne asada quesadilla.  Looks fairly pedestrian but let's see what's inside.

Damn!  And like the carnitas, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, you forget that this thing is probably 2,000 calories. And now, the big test.  Rolled tacos.

And like The Empire Strikes Back where everything was going great until the end, the rolled tacos at Los Charros struck out.  The tasteless iceberg lettuce did nothing to enhance the bland filling, the whole thing was as average as El Torito.  But maybe that's because the dishes leading up to it were so good. 

So while my search for the perfect rolled tacos continues, Los Charros has set the bar pretty high for some great Mexican food in San Diego county.  No whining the next time you find yourself stuck in Escondido, just head over to Los Charros.  You'll be glad you did.

Want more San Diego stuff?  Head over to Local Wally's Guide to San Diego for more restaurant reviews, honest hotel reviews, and the complete guide of the best hings to do!

SUNNY SUNDAYS: Strangest Dog I've Ever Seen

Here's a sight you don't see in San Diego too often.  While walking the dog we ran into someone walking a... lamb?  That's right!

Turns out she's a 4H girl but one with a soft heart as the lamb was  later sent to a farm to hang out with other lambies versus the usual outcome.  (That better be true!)   

Just to show you how small a big town like San Diego is, a few months back I was at the Encinitas Street Fair and snapped this picture of a girl holding chickens.  Look familiar?  Nice to see nice kids, isn't it?

FOODIE FRIDAYS: The Mysterious 7 Course Meal

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, San Diego has great Asian food.  No, I'm not talking about PF Changs, the Asian food equivalent of El Torito.  Those in the know head out to Convoy area where there are tons of scary looking Asian restaurants, mainly hole-in-the-walls in strip malls.  Where to start?  Hey, that one has a bright yellow sign!  It has to be good!

The window said it all - 7 Courses!  And look, smoothies!  And even better, the menu has pictures so you don't have to embarrass yourself by trying to pronounce Vietnamese words.  Nice!  What to get, what to get.... I know, how about the 7 Course Meal!

This darn thing was huge and a deal for $9 or so.  Let's see if I can remember the 7 courses.  That hot dog on a stick looking thing is a deep fried shrimp wrapped around sugar cane, the ball of meat next to it was some sort of ball of meat, there was chicken done up sort of like teriyaki style, next to that was some succulent pork, there was a fried spring roll, I think the crispy things in the middle was fried pork skin, in the middle was some awesome grilled shrimp..... 1, 2, 3, 4...Is that 7?  Why yes, I think I got them all! 

Now this dish will make a vegetarian rethink his commitment.  My buddy got killer grilled beef ribs, sort of like those Korean Kalbi ribs, wow, so good.  These aren't "fall off the bone Tony Roma" ribs, these things have some bite to them and are incredibly addictive.  I think they were around $6.95.  I'm getting these next time.

Here's a weird one.  Get a plate of these "roll em yourself" spring rolls.  They come with the hardened rice wrapper you dip into a bowl of hot water (don't wash your hands in it!).  Tip - don't drop the entire wrapper into the water as it will instantly get too soft.  Instead you just rotate the wrapper a few times until it is al dente.   Put the meat and the herb leaves in it and roll  it up like a burrito and you're set to go.  Dip and eat, delicious.  I know, the meat looks weird but it tastes really, really good.  And yes, that's a mango smoothie, all fruit with no fake colors or sweeteners, $3.

When your co-workers say "Let's get Chinese at PF Chang's, it's only an hour and a half wait", tell them you're pretty busy and let them go without you.  Grab that gal in the office whose always on Yelp and get some authentic Vietnamese food at Pho Convoy Noodle House.  You'll be back before your co-workers can take their first bite of their $14 orange chicken.

WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY: A Day at Scripps

LOOK, UP IN THE SKY!  IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, NO..... IT'S YOU!  That's right, if you have the guts, if you're tough enough (cluck cluck), you can actually strap on some wings and go for a tandem hang gliding ride at Torrey Pines Gliderport.  Ironically, their website has a BIG RED X on it from my Norton virus protection so maybe it's safer to jump off the cliffs than to visit them on the web!  Here's a safer link if you want more info.

Even if you don't want to risk your life the gliderport is a great place to just hang out and watch.  Check out this short video to see how cool this is.

As you can see, it's quite a sight to see and a perfect San Diego experience whether you fly or just watch.  Afterwards take the short drive up the hill to one of my favorite spots.

The Birch Aquarium is often overshadowed by SeaWord but it's still one of my favorite activities and I even have discount tickets for you.  It's the perfect way to spend a few hours with the kids and I'll guarantee you'll see some things you never have seen before....

.....like this seahorse.  See, told ya that there are some incredibly cool things to see.  Yes, this is real!

Stop staring at this guy.  You don't want to hurt his self esteem, do you?  That's a cuttlefish.  Wait, do people eat these things?

Lucky for you if cuttlefish isn't on your menu that Piatti La Jolla is nearby.  With their beautiful outdoor patio underneath the giant fig tree the setting is vacation romantic perfect!  And the food?  Seriously good stuff.

We split the lunch entree and the portion size was still very generous.  Good way to stretch the dollar without giving up the good life.  Oh waiter, more free bread to dip into the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, please!

And now for my table trick.  Can you balance a salt shaker on it's edge like I can?  I learned this in high school and still do it today much to the irritation of my wife.  Here's the trick - you put a tiny tiny bit of salt on the table and carefully scrunch the shaker up to the crystals.  You don't want to crush the salt - you want to find the one edge where the salt fits perfectly with the side of the shaker.  It takes lots of practice (and no fair pouring a tablespoon of salt on the table) but ultimately worth it to see the waitress roll her eyes and wonder if you'll ever grow up.  I guess I didn't.  Oh well....

NEXT FRIDAY - FOODIE FRIDAY!  Come with me to some of my favorite food adventures around San Diego!

TACO TUESDAY: Good Eats on Highway 101

The Place:  Karina's Taco Shop, 916 North Coast Highway 101 Encinitas (760) 633-3300

The Vibe:  Surfer dudes, friendly locals, low key dining room and patio, super clean (not always the case with taco shops!)

The Cost:  Downright cheap, cash only

Overall Local Wally Rating:  B+

Gotta love a taco shop that's trying to outdo the California Burrito (carne asada with fries) by adding a couple of rolled tacos to the mix....what???  And don't you love their graphics on the sign?  It sounds good but let's go with some classics to test out their food.

That's right, this is not some sort of trick - you really do get FIVE, count em, FIVE rolled tacos in their order for the same price as what most places charge for 3.  And unlike some places where the filling is tiny strings of meat, Karina's loads them up.  The tacos are nearly light with a crispy snap to them, but the filling was a little mild.  Roberto's is still the one to beat.  I give them a B.

Let's open up that bad boy Carnitas Burrito and see what that's all about.

Oh man, was this burrito good!  The carnitas still had a bit of crispiness to it, succulent and absolutely delicious.  No rice or beans filling like corporate Chipotle, this one was solid meat and one of the best carnitas burritos I've ever had.  Better than Juanita's, the venerable champ?  Hmmm, I think it's close.  We'll have to do a side by side taste test, but that's another review.  I'll give this one an A+.

The restaurant itself was nice and clean and the staff super friendly.  There's front tables, an indoor area, and a back patio. It's nothing fancy but it's nice to get away from the corporate shops and dine where the locals do, isn't it?

SUNNY SUNDAYS: Can't Touch This Sunset View!

Hard to argue with the view at The Beach House in Cardiff. 

While the food is not gourmet, no one's complaining.

The sun starts to set - will it be a show or bust?

Good one!

Come back for TACO TUESDAYS to read my latest review on my favorite taco shops!

FOODIE FRIDAYS: Hot Rods and Duck Confit

During the Summer hot rods and woodies invade Encinitas every 3rd Thursday.  There's surf music playing, tons of cool classic cars, and when you're done there's plenty of great places to eat.  Sounds better than staying home and watching Wheel of Fortune, doesn't it?  Time to hit up Third Corner, a wine bar/retail wines store/bistro restaurant.

When I go out I like to get stuff that I can't do better at home.  Duck confit is one of them.  Man oh man, the crispy duck skin, the tender succulent meat, the so-hot-I-burned-the-top-of-my-mouth beans with sausage, the only thing that made this not as good as Paris was the lack of frites on the side.  Wait, what are you going to order?  Yes, yes, good choice!

My wonderful wife ordered the mussels and frites, another Paris memory and done up great at Third Corner.  May I please have a fry?  Oh wow, nice and crispy, I would come here just for the fries.  I love fries, in case you didn't catch that.

Both entrees were fantastic and fairly priced - around $16 for each one.  Plus you can check out the wine store and for $5 they open any bottle for you.  A bottle of La Crema Chardonnay is $17.50, plus $5 for corkage, making it way cheaper than getting wine by the glass.  What does The Brigantine charge for a tiny glass of La Crema?  $9?  Get real!

After dinner there's nothing better than a walk on the beach, and that's just what we did.


NEXT UP:  SUNNY SUNDAYS, PICS FROM AROUND SAN DIEGO

WHAT'S UP WEDNESDAY: Encinitas Boat Houses

What in the world? On 3rd Street in Encinitas you'll find one of the oddest of all oddities, the infamous Encinitas Boat Houses. Built in the 1920's by who was possibly the craziest guy in town, these "boats" were never meant to be at sea. They were the product of the keen imagination of Miles Minor Kellogg who had a knack for taking old building materials and creating something new and unique. With a sea captain for a father, Kellogg's fascination with the sea combined with his skills as a builder was the impetus for creating what has certainly become one of the strangest buildings in America.

Man, I bet his neighbors were mad!

Today the boats are apartments but the people inside are used to cars slamming on their brakes to take a snapshot.  And while you're there in Encinitas, make sure you stop by Keilani's for some authentic Hawaiian plate lunch, 2 scoops of rice with a scoop of macaroni salad and a heaping mound of kalua pork sure sounds good to me.

This is my neighborhood, this is San Diego, and that's What's Up this Wednesday.  Come back in a couple to see what's cooking on Foodie Fridays!

TACO TUESDAY: Casa de Bandini and Why Gov Gray Davis was Recalled

I have to give a shout out to Diane Powers, the owner of Casa de Bandini in South Carlsbad.  She got her booty unfairly kicked out of Old Town by our not too smart Gov Gray Davis in 2005.  He decided that Old Town with it's festive umbrellas was politically incorrect and turned it into a drab sepia toned disaster.  Well, he got recalled and we sent him on his way but Old Town has yet to recover.

Diane lost Old Town but she ain't no fool.  She bought up the rights to the names of the two popular Old Town restaurants, Casa de Bandini and Casa de Pico, and has recreated the fiesta atmosphere outside the park.  Bandini is constantly packed, just like the Old Town restaurant was, and if the food isn't very authentic no one seems to care.

In fact, the food isn't the point at all if you dine at Casa de Bandini.  Girlfriends gossiping at lunch, families at dinner, the focus is on the scene.  The restaurant is lively and the food is exactly as I remember it from Old Town, meaning good but not great.  The salsa was tasty but a bit too salty, the rice had peas and carrots in it, the taco stuffed with cheddar and jack cheese and a generic "Mexican style" shredded beef, heck, the beans were even served in a molded tortilla cup.  The chicken enchilada was sliced pieces of breast meat rolled in a tortilla and topped with sauce.  Is El Torito down the street scared?  Maybe.  Juanita's Taco Shop on 101?  No way, they're probably laughing at the gullible gringos paying good money for this stuff!

If you get roped into coming here by friends who want to get together and have a watered down margarita, go ahead and go.  You'll have a good time and won't even care that the food isn't authentic.  But if you want real Mexican food, if you crave the complex flavors of the real deal, get back into the car and head down the coast to any number of way better options.  Fidel's Little Mexico, Tony's Jacal, La Especial Norte and El Callejon all come to mind.  Or just go local and hit the taco shops like Karina's, El Torito Market (an authentic Mexican market with take out food, not to be confused with horrible El Torito chain restaurant), Roberto's, or Juanita's.  All better.  Way better.

You think maybe Gray Davis was right and just wanted a decent taco in Old Town?  Hmmm.