Where Do Mad Men Eat in San Diego? - The Pearl Restaurant

THE PLACE:  THE PEARL HOTELS' RESTAURANT

THE VIBE:  60'S MIDCENTURY PALM SPRINGS HOUSE PARTY

THE PRICE: MODERATE ($15 to $25 entrees)

They say if you remember the 60's you weren't there, but I WAS there.  Of course, I was just a kid so my memories are less of sex, drugs and rock and roll and more of the groovy images I saw on TV.  Just watch any episode of Mad Men - you'll see what I mean.  The Pearl is like those images, a young and hip eatery along side the pool of the very young and very hip hotel.  The setting is crazy loud like a Vegas lounge but the food is taken seriously.  As for the dining experience, well, this ain't your mother's mid century.  Or maybe it was and she's not telling you about it.

DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!!!  SPLAAASH!

They also say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas and I think that rule should apply to The Pearl as well, especially for the guy who dropped down to his boxers and jumped into the pool.  And this also goes for the gal who jumped in after him with her dress on.  No one batted an eye, like this was pretty common stuff.   These sort of things don't normally happen when I go out to eat so excuse me if my mouth was hanging open.

Wally, close your mouth and get back to the menu.  OK, time for a drink. 

I like it that cocktails have made a big comeback.  Did you know that wine is for squares?  It's true.  When I was younger cocktails were for the old folks and wine was hip, but talk to anyone in their 20's and wine is for old people and cocktails are the rage.  Funny how that works.  Anyway, what looks good?  Hmmm, a Dark 'n Stormy is dark rum, fresh ginger, lime, mint, soda, let's get that one along with a classic Manhattan.

The Dark 'N Stormy was cool and refreshing and the Manhattan made me feel like I was in with the In Crowd, which is way better than being in with the IT Crowd.  Drink too many of these and you might end up in the pool.  Maybe that's the point!

The scene around me was classy ladies doing a night on the town, cool couples, young business people sipping their drinks.  Is that Get Smart playing on the big screen over the pool?  Hey, that shoe phone was a good idea.  Maybe Apple could make it.  The Pearl isn't a fancy restaurant, this is poolside dining.  The best spots might be the taller tables that overlook the pool area.  The worst spots might be those tables right on the edge of the pool as it looks pretty darn easy to take an accidental dunk to me - If that happens, just yell "Whooo Hoooo!" as if you meant to do that.

Anyway, let's get on to the food.  For starters we went for the bacon wrapped figs with fondue dipping sauce.

They look sort of weird, but bacon wrapped anything tastes good and the sweetness and creaminess of the fig complimented the saltiness of the bacon perfectly.  The dipping sauce was a bit odd, like the sauce you use in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, but tasted pretty good with the bacon figs.  A creamier sauce would have been better, but I'm not complaining.  I give this dish a B+.

Next up were Carlsbad Mussels made with smoked porter and gouda cheese.  Now I've been telling you that Carlsbad has the best mussels for a long time and these rated at the top of the list for best prepared mussels.  Super fresh and the sauce had a lusciousness to it that's hard to describe.  We ate every bite and sopped up every drop of the juices, that's how good it was.  A+.

The pork chop came with pickled peach, mashed potatoes and veggies ($22) and was a standout, super moist and delicious.  Big, fat bone-in pork chops are the way to go, as long as you don't overcook them and this one was a winner.  A solid A, could have scored higher with a pinch of finishing salt at the end. Just a pinch.  My wife who ordered this disagreed, but who is usually right?  You decide and get back to me.

The special of the night was the sea bass done in a lemon sauce.  I love sea bass for it's flakiness and melt in your mouth texture, but my fish was sadly overcooked.  Dry on the edges, better in the middle, it was a shame as the flavors were spot on and the sauce delicious.  If they had pulled off the heat a bit earlier, this would have been a solid A, but overcooked drops it a notch or two.  Really too bad, this dish had great potential.

Around us people were raving about the burger, aptly named the Best Burger in Town with grilled onions and smoked gouda cheese.  I'm not above bothering people during their dinner to get you a shot.  Hey you, what's that you're eating?

Why, it does look like a Best Burger in Town contender.  It looked fantastic and the people I bothered were loving it.  And fries, man those looked good.  Please offer me one, please, please.  Ahhh, no such luck but they looked great, hot and fresh and hand cut.  I...Want...Those. 

You can actually get the fries a la carte, which brings up a really good idea.  I'm thinking a plate of those mussels and a side of pomme frites would be a killer dinner for under $20.  Make a note of that idea and you can thank me later.  OK, get the burger, too.  In fact, while the more expensive entrees were great, I think a place at the tall tables during Happy Hour, some appetizers and a cocktail, well, it's pretty hard to beat that.   

And a trip to The Pearl isn't complete without a trip to the restroom where the sink looks like a giant oyster shell.  That's pretty cool!  I just let the water run and stared at it.

We also heard that Sunday brunch is a riot with bottomless mimosa's and people actually planning ahead by bringing swimming suits and staying all day in the pool while sipping their cocktails.  I can so see that happening.  And guess what, no one seems to care so if you're looking for a place to hang out on a Sunday and don't mind being part of the show, jump in.

As I left The Pearl the party around the pool was still going on and Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 were still on the big screen.  I think this could be a very fun place to dine as long as you know what you're getting yourself into.  Bringing Grandma out to dinner?  Hmmm, maybe not.  Romantic poolside dining?  Ummmm, not really.  But party like it's 1966 at a pool party where you expect Sammy Davis Jr. to slide up next to you and buy you a drink, baby?  Well, this is the right place.  With above average food, a party scene atmosphere, and its mid century Mad Men vibe, The Pearl achieves its goal of capturing the vibe of a bygone era for today's hip crowd. 

Now please excuse me while I get my wife out of the pool.

GROOVY WALLY CONTINUES AT www.localwally.com
LOCAL SAN DIEGO MUSIC FOR FREE:  www.SDHomegrown.com
TWEET WITH ME:  www.twitter.com/localwally
WHY LOVE ME WHEN YOU CAN LIKE ME AT FACEBOOK?  www.facebook.com/localwally

How To Cook Like a Pro (with a little help from Whole Foods)

A while ago I was making my often opinionated views known on Encinitas getting a Whole Foods.  Maybe it was too much wine, but I was making crazy statements like "who needs it" and "I wonder if people will shop there" and even going as far as "it's not right for Encinitas".  You know what?  Chicken butt, that's what.  Well OK, that might not make sense but basically I am suggesting that maybe I was wrong.  Yes, most definitely wrong!

North County has a lot of good places to buy food stuff, but Whole Food tops them all.  The fish counter doesn't even smell like fish, even though there are whole halibuts on ice in baskets right on front.  See them, next to the Carlsbad mussels and oysters?  Whaaaa?  Shut Up!  That's right, crazy good selection.  And the fish guys seem to know what they are talking about and don't do the Henry's Market shrug/glare/confused look when you ask them to clean a fish or fillet something.  Sure, it's expensive, but it's fresh and the guys are friendly.  There's no point in buying fish that's not fresh, right? 

As for the other stuff, the fruit actually tastes like fruit, the meat counter looks like a high def TV, and there are enough free samples to keep me happy.  And wow, the prepared food buffet looks wonderful, though be careful as more than a few stated that's it's pretty easy to fill a box up with $15 worth of food without even thinking about it since it's priced by the pound.  Back to my dinner.

I bought these weird things, salmon wrapped in cedar paper and filled with veggies.  At around $6, pretty good deal. There's a good size portion of salmon in it, restaurant size, maybe 6 or 9 oz.   Let's get a closer look.

Nice!  Let's let it sit on the grill a bit, careful not to let the paper catch on fire.  Note that the cedar paper is wet.  It was done in around 10 to 15 minutes or so, though your results may vary.  You can tell when it's done by poking the fish and seeing if it flakes.  Don't overcook it!

Steaming hot when I opened the package.  The wood paper doesn't really impart a smoky flavor, it's more to protect and steam the fish and veggies.  I added some lemon rice I also bought at Whole Foods, damn it's delicious, as well as some homemade mango salsa.  I have to tell you, this was a killer meal and I basically had to do nothing but watch the grill for a few minutes.

So Whole Foods Encinitas, I forgive you for taking a rustic part of downtown and turning it into a trendy market with condo's on top.  I'll be seeing you again soon.  And those of you who have not discovered Whole Foods yet, get in there!  It's sure to become your favorite weekend stop.

UNSCRAMBLE THESE WORDS!  OLOCA LLAWY
$5 MUSIC DOWNLOAD TO SAVE THE SEALS:  http://sandiegohomegrown.bandcamp.com/

Is The Prado in Balboa Park a Tourist Trap or a Serious Restaurant?

Today, it seems like everyone is a food critic.  For the record, I have been writing unsubstantiated, biased, and inaccurate restaurant reviews longer than anyone!  And through the years I've been tough on the Cohn Restaurant Group.  Maybe it's because they have been so darn popular with tourists and locals alike, maybe it's because in the past their plates had more decoration on them than a Christmas tree, or maybe it's as my daughter used to say when she was little - "I know why, it's because you're stupid."

I don't know where she gets that from.

Anyway, the other week I found myself at Balboa Park and hungry before the show at the Old Globe.  Let's check out the food options.  Tamale cart?  No.  Hot dog cart?  No.  Crummy concession stand food?  No, No, No!   Wait, how about that place I send all the tourists to?  Right, The Prado.

Located right in the heart of Balboa Park, The Prado is a bit of a hidden gem.  Not because it's hard to find, but because it's location suggests tourist trap food, overpriced hotel quality stuff.  And yes, there are a lot of tourists here.  But trust me, it's way better than a typical tourist stop.

Here's where Local Wally gives you a few tips.  Locals and tourists, listen up  First, the patio is open seating.  It there's a line to the restaurant but you see a table in the front, grab it!  Second, remember that when the kids get out of hand at the park that you can get an alcoholic beverage here.  Third, if you have the time, the outdoor dining area in back is beautiful, a tropical setting that's as good as any in San Diego.  It's like you are on vacation.  Hey, maybe you are!

And here's a super secret tip - upstairs in this building is a restroom that NO ONE knows about!  You don't even have to go into the restaurant to get there.  When the lines are long at other Balboa Park restrooms, the Local Wally Executive Washroom is open.

They start by bringing some crispy crackers and hummus.  Very tasty.  Mmmm, very very tasty.

Here, want a bite?  OK, but as I said, we were here before a show so it's time to order and go.  We only wanted an appetizer to share so what looks good?

How about some ahi poke tacos?  Hawaiian raw ahi tossed with soy sauce and sesame oil, topped with a fresh fruit salsa and served in a lightly fried crispy won top wrapper.  These look good!  Give me a bite!

Damn, that's good!  In fact, this was so good that I wished we didn't have a show to go to so I could sit here and order more food.  The fish was so fresh, the salsa tangy, the won ton lighter than air, is this the best appetizer ever?  More, I want more!

But sadly, I had to go.  I peeked inside and saw so many tasty plates going out, the smell of tamales in the air, I reluctantly left to go to the show.  But I'm coming back, and I hope you give these guys a try next time you are in the park.  I know you're thinking this is a tourist restaurant.  I know you're thinking it can't be any good.  But trust me, it is.  Don't let the tourists have all the good food.

PROVE YOUR WALLY LOVE - VISIT www.localwally.com
SAVE THE LA JOLLA SEALS AND LISTEN TO LOCAL MUSIC IN ONE SHOT:  www.SDHomegrown.com

Late Night Burrito at Juanita's Taco Shop

THE PLACE:  JUANITA'S TACO SHOP

THE VIBE: LOCALS, WORKERS, SURFERS

THE PRICE:  CHEAP

Don't be scared.  I know this place on Highway 101 in Leucadia looks scary with the bars on the windows.  I know you've read the reports of fights outside late at night.  And yes, I have seen with my own eyes the health rating in the window showing a less than perfect score.  But you have to try this place.

The menu has all the classics, as well as a few you might not know, but the real draw here is the carnitas, succulent tender pork.  During the day there's a line outside the door it's so good.  But it's late so let's just order and dive in. 

Munch on a few hot carrots while you wait.  They even have sandwich bags next to this tub so you can take some home.  Is my order ready?

Yup, let's cut these open and see what's inside.  Man, these are big burritos!

Carne Asada!  OK, it was pretty good.  The flour tortilla was nice and fresh and had a good chew to it, the meat and filling good, though perhaps a bit underseasoned.  We got these super late at night so perhaps it's not their best representation, but while very good I think the carne asada burrito at Roberto's is better. 

Step aside carne asada and make room for the Carnitas!  One bite and it's love all over again, the meat so tasty and flavorful.  A squeeze of lime, top it with some salsa, and this is the burrito to beat.  Is there a better meal for around 4 bucks anywhere?  Isn't that about what a Happy Meal costs these days?

So here's your weekend assignment.  Look for this sign.  Stop.  Get carnitas burrito. Is this a great country or what?

Happy Fourth of July Weekend from Local Wally!
www.localwally.com
www.SDHomegrown.com