Mark's Restaurant / Babe's & Ricky's | L A

Tonight was not your typical boring Monday night. Nope it was one of those nights where you wanted to be in 2 or 3 places at once. The ability to teleport thru out Los Angeles would have definitely come in handy. I tend to have a lot on my plate, and I'm not just talking about food. Now when you take a lot on your plate in life, you tend to use up large amounts of energy. Which is why I take naps. Now, on this particular night my nap was a lot longer than the hour I scheduled. I woke up and had one of those "where am I?" moments. It was as if I had gotten really drunk the night before and then waking up in panic wondering where the hell I was.

Well it was 8:45 PM! And I realized I was late to my friend Morgan's birthday dinner at 8 PM! I've never ever missed a birthday dinner of his, and I wasn't gonna start now. I hopped in and out of the shower so fast I felt like I was in one of those coin operated car washes. I ran out of the pad and found myself buying flowers and rushing off to Mark's Restaurant! Now I've been to Mark's many times, and I do like it a lot. Especially on Monday nights where all there dinner entrees are offered at half price. This includes everything like their Filet Mignon with Lobster Mashed Potatoes. So I parked and ran to the restaurant, as I got there I, the party had just finished dessert and they were all paying the bill. Well I was bummed, but I am really glad I showed up, better late than never right? So after missing dinner I couldn't really talk to you about a meal at Mark's this time around because I didn't even have time to grab a martini. I realized I still had to meet some other friends in Crenshaw. Which after 7 years living in L.A. I've never even been to this part of town aside from the usual daily commute.


So without traffic, to get anywhere in L.A. takes 15 minutes. I got to Babe's & Ricky's in due time and to my surprise I was inundated with culture. Now whoever said L.A. didn't have culture? The place was packed and happening on a Monday night. Monday must be the new Friday, because on Monday nights they host live blues bands, with a soul food buffet! I helped myself to green beans, potato salad, collard greens, black eyed peas, fried chicken, and the oh so crunchy corn bread. I was in soul food heaven. I sat with my friends and started to pig out and enjoy the blues music playing. The waitresses were really casual and cool and got me a 7 Up and a Corona for $6.50. The buffet had cost $8. This was a steal for dinner, drinks, and entertainment. I highly suggest coming here, step out of the box and get ready to have a memorable meal. Oh yeah check out their website below, there is tons of history to this place.

861 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA. 90069
Phone: 310.652.5252
www.marksrestaurant.com

4339 Leimert Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA. 90008
Phone: 323.295.9112
www.bluesbar.com

Archibalds | Long Beach

Okay so we were drunk and hungry, and we were on the search for the usual A.P.E. (After Party Eatery) I guess the place to go, recommended by my friend Ernie, was Archibalds.


Now it was just about 3 to 4 blocks of walking from Ripples, but since it was open til 3 am, we had to go to fill our stomach with get sober food. The service was fast and friendly, which was surprising being so late and having to deal with drunk people drama. This wasn't your sit down restaurant, it was order at the counter and pick it up yourself food. The place reminded me of Fatburger, but with a little bit more to choose from. I got a combination of the Monster Burger, which was a double cheeseburger with all the fixings and had avocado and bacon. The fries here are pretty good, and were medium sized dashed with a little bit of cajun seasoning. On this late Saturday night we were lucky to beat the rush, because soon after came 6 new customers came in, hungry and buzzin. Archibalds is definitely a great place to eat after a night of clubbing, but don't think it'll help you get that six pack you've always wanted. There is plenty of parking in their lot and prices range from $4 - $8.

4600 E 2nd St.
Long Beach, CA. 90803
Phone: 562.434.0444
www.archibaldsrestaurant.com

Club Ripples | Long Beach

"Strobe lights make everything, sexier,
shadows dancing on the wall,
I wanna rock with you, let's converse,
talk with your body, don't say anything at all,
I want to rock with you." - Janet Jackson


Don't let Ripple's home exterior fool you, this place rocks out the best in dance songs just as good as any club in L.A. It was a Saturday night and the place was packed. The line was around the corner, it was elbow to elbow and there were strobe lights and go go dancers everywhere. Ripples was such a nice break away from the city, and such a fun fun place to dance. It's two stories and pretty big, you can't help but feel like you are in someone's house party. The bartenders here are ultra friendly with no attitude and they make the drinks really strong. One of the great things about this place is the location, situated along the coastal street of Long Beach's Belmont Shores, Ripples is just a few steps from the beach, which would make for great walks of sobering up with old friends or new friends at that.

The vibe is really casual and really beachy, leave the suit jackets and scarfs at home, you'll be sweating in here if you choose to dance. I would suggest getting there early to avoid the long, now I mean loooong line. There is a cover on certain nights, and on this night it was around $10. There is plenty of street parking everywhere and acquiring a taxi maybe tricky since the bar is surrounded by residential houses and apartments. Drinks are strong and reasonably priced around $8. Now if you want to dance like crazy, I suggest you go upstairs where the real party is at. Check out Ripples for a nice getaway from L.A.

5101 E. Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA.
Phone: 562.433.0357
www.clubripples.com

M Bar | Hollywood

Located in a rundown strip mall on Vine St. in Hollywood, the M Bar is a hidden gem! It was a challenge to find, and maybe that was part of the fun. Valet is available, but on this night I chose to walk two blocks to park my car. I am not a fan of valet service, it costs money first of all, and second of all I actually like the act of walking, it makes me feel like I am back in New York, and walking always made me appreciate the moment I was in... not to mention I got to burn off a few calories (how L.A. was that). But enough about calories, valets and walking, and let me start talking.



The M Bar is like I said, a hole in the wall gem. As I walked in, I was absolutely stunned to see that what lied ahead of me was a dark red velvet supper club equipped with a grand piano and full bar. The vibe was cool and the room was filled with candle lit leather boots and funky chandeliers. They had a small martini list, and the menu was filled with italian dishes. I ordered the Caesar Salad with a Linguini Bolognese and a Lemon Drop. The salad was so so, but the pasta was absolutely tasty. I don't know what they put in that tomato sauce, but it was good! The decor was pretty nice old school Hollywood, the service was nice, the bartender cool, and the drinks not so bad. I was lucky to sit at the bar and make two new friends/patrons.


I actually came here on this particular Friday night to support a fellow artist/friend. His name is Dwayne Britton and he's a singer, a really really good one at that! It was a cabaret style show, and he did a few covers of songs that were on his new CD. Check him out on his website below, or visit his myspace page. He has a great voice! He did a few songs, my favorites were Annie Lennox's "Why" and the songs "Pure Imagination," and "Go the Distance." The show was more than a bunch of songs, he had elements of an autobiographical one man show, to stand up comedy, to an awesome rendition of "Fame." It was cool to support a rising talent, and definitely cool to realize that there's more culture to L.A. than your typical happy hour or night of clubbing.

1253 North Vine St.
Hollywood, CA. 90038
Phone: 323.856.0036
www.mbarhollywood.com

www.dwaynebritton.com
www.myspace.com/dwaynebrittonmusic

Del's Saloon | West Los Angeles

Now I've been to some dive bars in my life, and this is definitely one of them! Located between a Smart & Final and a Lightbulbs Unlimited, Del's Saloon is one of the few dive bars in West L.A. Now I came here to celebrate with a bunch of friends for our friend's dirty 30 birthday. I walked right in and I was actually surprised to see how much more hip the crowd was, and then I realized we were in L.A. The crowd was mixed, from your seedy single men, to young post college 9 to 5ers, to a bunch of rowdy and fun restaurant staff workers. This is a dive bar at its finest.



Above you can see one of my good friends Nika and I walk into the bar with a guy singing karaoke to Nirvana.

It was a Wednesday night, and Wednesdays and Mondays are their karaoke night. Now if you are a fan of karaoke this is a great place. Why? Well first of all the wait to get picked to sing isn't that long, and second of all, the drinks are really cheap here. On this particular night we celebrated our friend's birthday with renditions of Tina Turner's "Proud Mary," Third Eye Blind's "How's it Gonna Be," and Pat Benatar's "Love is a Battlefield." Now since the drinks are so much cheaper than your typical L.A. bar, you feel more inclined to drink more, and buy rounds and shots on your tab. Well after a few hours, the hot clientele soon turned into a hot mess. Innocent back up dancing turned into strip teases minus the pole, a stroll down the sidewalk turned into a vomit fest, and the seedy single man at the bar turned into the seedy single man stumbling and falling on his ass on the crosswalk of Santa Monica Blvd. All this on a Wednesday night. Towards the end of the night my friends and I all congregated on the street corner helping our drunk birthday girl. I looked up the block and one friend was flirting with the LAPD, another was helping the sloshed single seedy man across the street, at one point I asked myself, "What the hell is going on?!" And I realized, "yup I'm in L.A. alright."

12238 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA. 90025
Phone: 310.207.1978

Hyatt Hotel | Long Beach

If you ever find yourself vacationing in Long Beach, and you want to stay at a really really nice hotel, and you're willing to spend some money, I highly recommend staying at the Hyatt Hotel. This was a such a nice place to stay, the service was amazing. Everybody was on point, you can tell each individual is highly trained and are good at what they do. The customer service and hospitality were top notch. I was really impressed with this hotel. You can tell there was a lot of attention paid to the details, from the engraved note cards inside the rooms reminding guest to conserve towels and to not smoke, to the beautiful foliage and flowers in the lobby.


Right when you walk in, you can't help but be taken away by the beauty of the hotel lobby. Immediately I was greeted by the staff and I noticed how the hotel was populated by people on business, with cell phones and laptops out. The lobby was a huge space centrally located and had the lobby bar and coffee shop directly across from check in.


The hotel house a restaurant called Tides, which offered the usual California cuisine. The service and the food was good, but the decor was pretty ordinary. Now if you are going to call a place Tides, you need to back it up, or else it's just another ordinary restaurant with a cool name. But names aside, the food was pretty good, and I had their Cobb Salad which was excellent.


The bedrooms were nice! Below you can see a small tour that I give on the room I was staying in, equipped with full size bed, and waterfront views!



The hotel is centrally located in downtown Long Beach and there is easy access to numerous bars, restaurants around the area, and even a ferris wheel. On this particular Monday night, we hung out at the Lobby Bar and had a few cocktails and munched on some Filet Quesadillas and watched Dancing with the Stars. Our cocktail server was awesome. We later strolled the streets and was surprised to see our server honk her horn as she pulled up near us. She gave us a ride and we were able to squeeze a bunch of us in her car, she took us to a cool tiki themed bar called The Mai Tai, which obviously served strong ass Mai Tai drinks. It was a Monday night so it was pretty slow, but we found some entertainment in an R&B cover band.


I loved everything about the hotel except for one thing, and that the wireless internet access wasn't free. You had to set up an account thru T-Mobile and to use the net for 24 hours will cost you $9.99. Other than that, the hotel is beautiful and centrally located. It won't be hard to find entertainment, shopping, or eating around here.

200 South Pine Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90802
Phone: 562.491.1234
www.longbeach.hyatt.com

97 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA. 90802
Phone: 562.435.1200
www.maitaibar.com

La Casa Blue | Highland Park

Now this was my second time at La Casa Blue. The first time was at night to see my friend Golda sing, and the second time was just recently to celebrate the end of a furious scavenger hunt through Hollywood to celebrate my friend Christian's "I'm leaving L.A. and moving to New York" going away party. And both times I've enjoyed it here.


The prices are cheap, and you can get a lot for your money here. It's great during the daytime for that coffee shop atmosphere, and at night it is great for that cabaret type atmosphere. Margaret Cho recently performed new material here, and can be seen on their official website. It's a really great space for performance art, displaying works of visual art, or just meeting friends for drinks.



They serve wine and beer and lots of Mexican food. They have a new bar which is in the center of the space, so I can only imagine how much more livelier it gets at night. There is lots of street parking. If you are not familiar with the area, be ready to consult your map quest directions or Thomas guide, and that's for both arriving and departing.

5930 York Blvd.
Highland Park, CA. 90042
Phone: 323.257.0089
www.lacasablue.com

Greenwich Pizza | West Hollywood

One thing that New York has, that L.A. doesn't, is a wide array of "after clubbing eateries." Now fast food places don't count. I want FOOD, REAL FOOD, sit my butt down and get sober FOOD so I don't drive home and get a DUI FOOD! I mean you got a handful in L.A. which consists of: Norm's, IHOP, Canter's, the Standard, your usual "G Dog / Ghetto Dog" ( Hot dogs wrapped in Bacon sold from a cart ) and then you have... Greenwich Pizza. Which is where my friends and I have been going to for the last 6 going on 7 years. Now pizza is pizza, and I'd hate to make comparisons, but there is no pizza like New York pizza...okay! I don't know what it is about New York pizza, but it must be the water and the grease, is what I've been told in the past. Nothing beats Ray's Pizza in NYC, or a slice of Brooklyn pizza in Williamsburg right off the L Train.



Now after all those years, I must admit I have grown to like the pizza at Greenwich Pizzeria. It's like Taco Bell: cheap, dependable, and tasty. The staff is relatively nice, they always have gum, glasses of water, and all the pop / hip hop music to blast the rest of the night away. I've seen it all, I've been drunk and wasted here, I've been the designated driver here, I've seen best friends puke vomit all across the sidewalk and over everyone's Aldo shoes, I've seen fights break out, couples breaking up, and couples making out. I've seen drag queens, foreign travelers, straight couples, gay couples, bums, couples in open relationships looking for a threeway, one night stand prowlers, wannabe porn stars, trannies, tragic twinks, and I've even seen Dennis Rodman come in at 2:30 am for a few slices.

So after a night of being a hot mess, this is the place to go to fill your alcohol drenched stomachs, after all there isn't much else to choose from but this and yogurt next door. And who in their right mind wants to eat yogurt at 3 am in the morning? One other thing the bathrooms here are nasty. Ladies, you hear that? Nasty! Be ready for a long line, no toilet paper, and some interesting conversation with strangers.

8937 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA. 90069
Phone: 310.278.2003

Eleven | West Hollywood

"If you want it, you already got it,
If you've thought it, it better be what you want,
If you feel it, it must be real just...
Say the word, and I will give you what you want.
Time is waiting, we only got 4 minutes to save the world"

-Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, & Madonna


Okay I'm guilty of prejudging the place. For months since it's opening I've been really reluctant to embrace Eleven. Why? I just thought it was just another bar, with a one word name, with over priced drinks, and snobby clientele. It reminded me of what Here bar used to be when it opened. I've only been here one other night, and it was only down stairs for a few minutes. The place had just opened, and it was just average to me. Nothing spectacular, it didn't really bring anything new to the scene.


So fast forward a few months, I don't know what changed, the club or me? But let me tell you, I got there at 12:45 am and stayed til closing and I had a really rad time! It helped that I downed a Kamikaze shot and an old school drink of mine... a Malibu pineapple within a matter of 4 minutes. I felt like Madonna and Justin Timberlake, "I'm out of time and all I got is 4 minutes to save the world." Well when you get to celebrating a friend's birthday, arriving that late, Madonna's song took on a whole other meaning.



I had a blast, the crowd didn't bother me, and you know what the staff was really nice. I had to wait in line, but it went by so fast, which never happens when you are alone, but the bouncer got me in quick, I headed up stairs to the second level where my friends were celebrating, got my drinks fast, the bartender was extremely nice, and before I knew it... I was buzzed. The setup of the club reminded me a bit of XL, a bar in Chelsea, New York. The music was good, your typical Top 40 techno/circuit music. But hey when you're drunk, you'll like anything upbeat.


I was really impressed with the upstairs level, the interior was really nice and classy, modern and cozy. Fit with a central fireplace. But I think what impressed me the most were the DJs. I think on this particular Friday night we had a duo, which would bust out little mini routines during a song. I love where the DJs were placed, above the dance floor on a make shift floating stage for everyone to see. I had a blast, and only wished I got there a little earlier.

8811 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA. 90069
Phone: 310.855.0800
www.eleven.la

Mediterranean Room | La Valenica Hotel

Since its opening in 1926, the La Valencia Hotel is a charming boutique hotel that is, too put it simply, a really cool place to visit. Now I came here for the first time about a year ago, just out of curiosity. I was in La Jolla, which is just a beautiful place to be in. It's no wonder why it means "the jewel" in Spanish. Once you step foot on the property you can't help but get whisked back in time to the 30s and 40s Hollywood era. It is written that old school Hollywood has claimed the hotel as a hideaway. La Jolla Playhouse founder Gregory Peck "often played host to the new cast at the Whaling bar" in the hotel.


Once you get passed the bar and into the hotel lobby you will see the Mediterranean Room on your left. Here you will find yet another fine dining establishment. Now being a lover of food, I had to eat here. I have come here a few times with some really great friends of mine on different occasions, and the place never ever disappoints. The wait staff is quick, ultra friendly, and attentive. The food is always good. I've only eaten here for lunch, but the view is simply amazing. Now the only reason I came here in the first place is because I was walking along the park overlooking the ocean, and I saw this amazing white hotel with tables and chairs on a balcony, and I said, "I want to eat there!"


On this Thursday lunch we had the Burrata Cheese Bruschetta which consisted of a garlic baguette, prosciutto, drizzled with white truffle oil. We also had the La Valencia Caesar Salad with romaine lettuce, croutons, parmigiano reggiano cheese, and grilled shrimp. Along with the salad came the Paella Valencia which came with chorizo, shrimp, chicken, clams, scallops, spicy sausage, fish, and saffron rice. The Paella was delicious although it was a tad oily. Our server was amazing and always had a smile.


Now with a view like this and good company, it's well worth the price. And prices here are pretty reasonable considering the location, entrees range from $15 to $27.50. The hotel lobby is gorgeous, total film noir. The bathrooms are really nice too with black marble and dark wood. I've always found parking at least a block away. And being in La Jolla, who wants to get in your car right away when you can stroll thru the pretty neighborhood to get to your car.

1132 Prospect St.
La Jolla, CA. 92037
1.800.451.0772
www.lavalencia.com

The Mission | San Diego

"OMFFT"
"Oh My Friggin French Toast!"


Now when I talk of the "Mission" in San Diego, I'm talking about the delicious chino latino breakfast joint in Mission Beach! Now I've had my share of really good french toast. But this place has the second best french toast I've ever had in my life. Second to none other than Norma's $31 Foie Gras Brioche French Toast at the Le Parker Meridien in New York City. But as far as the Wast Coast goes, I haven't had a better french toast than at the Mission. And what a deal too, at $7.95. The Mission French Toast is "fresh baked cinnamon bread on a palette of berry puree accented with an array of fresh fruit."

Now every time I am in San Diego, it seems like my friends and I are always on a "mission" just to get to the Mission, to eat the Mission French Toast. On this last outing we had the french toast as an appetizer, I loved it so much I had to order another one for my entree which was accompanied with an order of chicken apple sausage, bacon, and rosemary potatoes.


The staff is young, hip, and California cool, and is always accommodating to large parties, ( especially ones on a business meal ). I love it here, from the antique double ceiling fans above, to the artwork, the prices, and of course... the food. You can get a lot of bang for your buck here. The clientele is mixed and reminded me of Venice Beach in L.A. The menu is as diverse as the people inside the place where you can find dishes from Breakfast Burritos to a Ginger Sesame Tofu with Brown Rice. They even offer Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and a wide selection of Espresso drinks. Have you ever had a Mexican Hot Chocolate or a Mission Mocha Thai? You should when you do visit this place.

3795 Mission Blvd.
San Diego, CA. 92109
Phone: 858.488.9060
www.themission1.signonsandiego.com

Bahia Resort Hotel | San Diego

The Bahia Resort Hotel is a nice tropical getaway on a secluded 14 acre peninsula in San Diego's Mission Bay. It's at a prime vacation location, right on the beach, and minutes from Coronado, Downtown San Diego, La Jolla, and Sea World. The property is huge and fun to walk around in. The staff is ultra friendly and helpful.


The rooms and suites are pretty, and reminded me of an upscale motel room. Most rooms come with a great view, I was in room 623 which was a great location on the second level of the tower hotel. When I opened the sliding doors out to the balcony, you can just see the water of Mission Bay and the smell of the salty sea air. I had a little kitchenette with a small fridge, sink, and oven ( which was used to warm a leftover grilled cheese sandwich from Extraordinary Desserts and a french toast from The Mission restaurant ). The bathrooms are clean, bright, and fully stocked with towels. The rooms were big, with big closets, big flat screen t.v., and big couches. They spare no expense here, and each room came fully stocked with an iHome alarm clock fully capable of plugging in your iPods.


Now if you don't have time to go to Sea World, you don't have to look very far. The Bahia has a seal pool located right at the entrance. Here you won't find Shamu, but you will find Gracie, a friendly Harbor Seal that came to them from the San Diego Zoological Society. Gracie isn't the only wild life you can find here, every now and then you can find ducks quacking about the property.

Now if you order room service, they have a good selection of wine, cocktails, and food. It was my first time ordering room service on my own, and what a treat that was. They told me it would be ready and at my door in 20 minutes. The room service attendant was not only punctual, but really nice and really cared how my stay was going. I ordered the Penne Pasta with Blackened Chicken and garlic bread with crumbled blue cheese and grated parmesan. It was good, and after watching P. Diddy on Ellen with the curtains pulled back overlooking the water, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was, and how much fun it was to eat room service. I forgot to mention that I had a glass of merlot while all this was happening. I learned one thing about room service...do it!


The Tangier Bar is a small and cozy Mediterranean themed bar right near the hotel lobby. It's your standard hotel bar with flat screen t.v.s, but they have a happy hour from 4-7:30 pm. They are open daily from 11:30 am to 2 am.

Now if you get bored you can workout in their small workout room. Or take a stroll. Say hi to Gracie the Harbor seal, or walk along the beach, where you can find wildlife, people doing various water sports, or check out the west side of the peninsula where you will find the Bahia Belle Sternwheeler. Now if you are here on a Friday or Saturday evening, take a ride on it around Mission Bay. Now if you have friend's a few cool ideas would be to start a fire on the beach's many bon fires and sing songs, tell ghost stories, chit chat, or even some impromptu free style rapping. And after you're done you can change into your swim trunks and quietly dive into the heated pool. If that's not hot enough, check out their massive sized jacuzzi. It's open til 11 pm.

The Bahia Hotel resort is a beautiful place to get away, and is a nice break from San Diego's congested Hotel Circle. It's good for families, honeymooners, people on business, and young adults. It's no wonder why it has been a San Diego landmark for over 50 years! Check out their website, it's in depth, honest, and has a cool LiveCam where you can see the premises and the weather in real time!

998 West Mission Bay Drive
San Diego, CA. 92109
Phone: 1.800.576.4229
www.bahiahotel.com

Roppongi | La Jolla

"One of the top five restaurants in San Diego by popularity!" - Zagat Survey


So I went to this amazing Japanese fusion restaurant in beautiful La Jolla called Roppongi. Now Roppongi is a district in Tokyo known for its crazy night life, especially geared for foreigners. I remember strolling through those streets as a teenager. Now from what I remember of the real Roppongi, there is really no resemblance to the restaurant other than the fact that the restaurant has a Japanese theme to it. But I did visit the restaurant during lunch time, and there were only six other patrons there, so that probably had a lot to do with it. I am sure at night this place catches on fire and is hop and poppin just like it's real life inspiration.

Roppongi is a fine dining establishment filled with beautiful Eastern influenced interior design, feng shui, and about a dozen or so Buddha statues strewn about. You can't help but feel very Zen here. It's a beautiful restaurant inside. This is a really good place for vegetarians and for people who want to eat nice, but feel healthy at the end.


On the menu is a great selection of tapas (small dishes) plates. There was Fried Tofu lightly crusted with a ponzu dipping sauce, and a Grilled Portobello Mushroom with Spinach, delicious. I got a Salmon Bento Box which was perfect. Not too much food, but just enough to where I got full. In the Bento Box came Sunomono, Shrimp Gyoza, Seaweed Salad, Ahi Tuna Tartar, and Salmon and rice. You can tell by eating the food a lot of care was put into it.

This place ain't cheap, but every dollar is worth it. The staff is nice, and the service is really good. I've heard that dinner here is amazing and that the sushi and the rolls are works of art. I also hear that the happy hour here is really good and relatively cheap. I definitely recommend this place, there is lots of parking everywhere, and you cannot beat the neighborhood of La Jolla. There is nothing like a nice stroll along the sea air with the view of the ocean after a nice meal. This is a fantastic place for a date or for a small group of friends. There is even a table right next to a fireplace which looked like an ideal place to eat inside.

875 Prospect Ave.
La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone: 858.551.5252
www.roppongiusa.com

Surfside Sushi | San Diego

If you love sushi, you will love this place, The Surfside! Located in the heart of San Diego's Pacific Beach district, this neighborhood sushi joint does not disappoint. This is also one of the places I come to frequently when I am down in San Diego. I've never had a problem here when it comes to the food, and the service is friendly and consistent, and they are extremely accommodating to large parties.

You can find the usual sushi items: dynamite, standard rolls ( california, spicy tuna, salmon skin, etc. ),creative house rolls, sashimi, sushi, sake specials, and of course tempura and teriyaki. I usually come here with a huge group, there is something for everyone, whether you're a vegetarian or if you want something cooked and not raw. A bowl of edamame beans is always a great way to start a sushi meal, it comes boiled and lightly salted. For appetizers I highly suggest the Seafood Dynamite, which is a baked dish with rice, vegetables, and seafood topped with a sweet creamy sauce and then baked. I also love the Sea Bass appetizer which just melts in your mouth. As far as the sushi rolls go, all of them are your good standard roll, but the one that sticks out in my mind is their "Crunch Roll!" Oh my goodness, this thing is massive, basically it's a tempura roll covered in a mound of tempura flakes...crunch...and then drizzled with some kind of sweet sauce, I don't know what it is, all I know is that it's friggin good! They have a good selection of beer and sake, and I chose Nigori sake, which was the unfiltered sake and comes in a cloudy milk color. The taste is sweet and light, and reminded me of coconut juice with a little kick to it.



This place is good for celebrating a birthday or just getting together with a bunch of friends. The only negative thing I have to say about this place is the wait. Since it is so popular, getting seated with a big party can take up to an hour. On Mondays they have Happy Hour, which is the best deal because you can get some rolls for half the price. Parking can be tricky as well, there are a lot of metered spots but those get snatched up quick. There are also paid lots where you can park your car for under $8. If the wait is too long, I suggest you stroll down a block to the beach where you can find Tower 23 and get a drink there, or go to Hennesseys ( a pub) where you can get a cheap beer. And after you're done with that drink head on back to The Surfside!

4527 Mission Blvd.
(Between Felspar St. & Garnet Ave.)
San Diego, CA. 92109
Phone: 858.273.2979

Extraordinary Desserts | San Diego

"My sugar is raw, sticky and sweet,
my sugar is raw, sticky and sweet."
-Madonna



This is my absolute favorite place to have dessert in the world! I love Extraordinary Desserts. I remember the first time I came here I was so impressed that I had to come here every time I came to visit San Diego. I love the interior design, the friendly staff, and above all else the food, specifically the dessert! I have been here a handful of times and I am never ever let down. This to me is the high end of desserts without the ridiculous prices. If the desserts here were cars they would be Rolls Royce and Porsches. Everything here is gourmet, from the desserts to the tea selection, to the food.


Chef and Founder Karen Krasne has conceived a artistic culinary gold mine in San Diego. I only wish they had one of these in Los Angeles. From the first step you walk thru their massive glass door, you are blown away by the array of desserts displayed in their case. Each one hand crafted to perfection and served as a work of art. You literally feel like you are eating a 3 dimensional canvas, but even better than the sight of the dessert is the taste. On this particular night a few friends of mine and myself tried the White Chocolate Strawberry Napoleon and the Strawberry Dreams Forever cake... absolutely delicious!


I didn't really have a dinner that night so I ended up ordering a grilled cheese sandwich, which wasn't your typical grilled cheese with cheddar. No, this one had caramelized white onions and emmenthal cheese served with a side of green and black olives.


Extraordinary Desserts is an extraordinary place to bring friends who have never experienced this high end coffee shop. This is the Dean & Deluca of coffee shops. This is also a fantastic place for a late night dessert run, a date, or even a place to escape your worries for an hour or two. Parking a easy after 6 pm its free at the meters, and usually I have never had to walk more than a block to get here.

1430 Union St.
San Diego, CA. 92101
Phone: 619.294.7001
www.extraordinarydesserts.com

JRDN | San Diego

JRDN is one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego. Every time I visit San Diego I have to grab a meal here. Whether it is lunch or dinner, I always end up coming here. I love the interior design, I love the vibe, and most of all, I love the food. The service here is great, always friendly and always consistent.


From the door man, to the hot hostesses, to the happy and attractive wait staff, JRDN is a great place to visit. It's one of those cool "bougie bougie" places you would find in any metropolitan city minus the attitude. This last outing was my first dinner experience at the restaurant and to be honest the experience surpasses dining at lunch here.



On this particular night we came five minutes before closing at 9:55 pm. Yes... we, were that group that restaurant staffs hate, when they come in late, but let me tell you, the hostess and the kitchen / chef were very accommodating and friendly and allowed us to be the last table, which was so nice of them. So tonight we had Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Lobster Bisque, Flat Iron Steak with sauteed mushrooms and Onion Rings, and Shrimp Pasta, washed down with a glass of champagne. I have never been let down by anything at JRDN. Parking is hit or miss, but you can usually get free street parking after 6 pm. And after a meal like this, walking to your car ain't such a bad idea.


Jordan Restaurant
723 Felspar St.
San Diego, CA. 92109
Phone: 858.270.JRDN(5736)
www.jrdn.com