Two Days, Four Restaurants, Five reviews!

Like many San Diegans, I received the Uptown area restaurant coupon guide this week. Since I am on vacation, I have gleefully sampled four area restaurants and am anxious awaiting the re-opening of a fifth.

Terra - Uptown District, American/Californian cuisine

Yesterday afternoon, I went to Terra, a American restaurant in the Uptown District shopping center. I have eaten there several times, but never during lunch. Upon being seated by the owner, we promptly ordered mojitos. My father then ordered a Lobster Cobb salad and I ordered the Kobe Beef Sliders. The first round of mojitos were very refreshing, and we were promptly served fresh bread with an interesting hummus-like spread instead of butter. I have always enjoyed their fresh take on the bread service. The bread is from Bread & Cie, a Hillcrest bakery with an outstanding reputation... especially with carb addicts like myself.

After a while, slightly longer than expected, our meals arrived. My father enjoyed his salad, however, only one lobster claw was served on top. And it was rather small. It reminded me of a story my sister in law told me. She was served a shrimp cocktail with one shrimp, looked at the server and said, "Excuse me, my shrimp is lonely." Despite the oceanic letdown, the salad itself was a huge portion, with the traditional flavors and a hint of California cuisine.

The Kobe Beef Sliders, a gourmet take on the White Castle classic, were markedly better. While they are only three inches in diameter, they are tall and enticing. The beef was wonderfully prepared, and the flavors used really worked. When ordering any type of burger, you may look at caramelized shallots, cambazola cheese, and truffle mayonnaise with a raised eyebrow. But the flavors came together beautifully. They were served with a refreshing pasta salad, and the meal hit its target.

While waiting for my warm apple tart dessert to arrive, we ordered another round of mojitos. These were the saddest excuse for a mojito ever made! They were simply lime juice, a couple of mint flakes and some booze. Mine tasted like a margarita that was poured through an herb garden. Then, my "warm" apple tart came out cold, with a flaccid crust. It was a horrible way to end a meal.

While this was the first time I was sorely disappointed by Terra, I just can't recommend going there for lunch. The atmosphere isn't anywhere near as appealing during the day. But please check them out in the evenings. For more, go to http://www.terrasd.com.

La Vache & Co. - Hillcrest, Casual French Dining

No Monty Python joke here! La Vache is the real deal. My husband and I ate there last night, and this was my first time straying from the excellent prix fixe menu. Since my husband and I are mere mortals, we started our meal with a glass of the house Merlot, the "La Vache Selection." Unlike many house wines I have had, the Merlot was excellent! That was a great sign! We were served fresh bread with a very playful garlic and chive butter. Plus, we had been in the restaurant about five minutes by this point, and our server was extremely attentive and friendly. Quite an accomplishment for a packed house!

I perused the menu, and was immediately delighted to see traditional French cuisine on the menu. Any place that puts the hard effort into keeping cassoulet on the menu daily should be given an award just for that! In the end, my husband and I decided to order the steaks, which are offered with two preparations - au poivre and Roquefort - so we could put their preparations to the taste test. One bite and we were in heaven. The au poivre preparation is lovely, and the flavors are put together so nicely that you juts glide through the meal. Now, I am a major sucker for red meat and bleu cheeses, but I have been smacked by the fickle finger of flavor before. Not this time! The Roquefort preparation at La Vache is the way it should be done! The flavors complimented the natural flavor of the meat, they did not cover it. The meat was remarkably tender for the medium cooking, and I am still over the moon thinking about it! We both chose the garlic and herb mashed potatoes, which are amazingly light and fluffy.

For dessert, I cajoled my hubby into splitting the creme brulee. Bravo!!! In San Diego, some perceive that just throwing custard into a dish, dusting some sugar on top, and hitting it with a blow torch makes a creme brulee. Not these folks! It's the one of the best renditions I have ever had.

La Vache has my highest endorsement for restaurant. The food is excellent, the service is warm, prompt, and impeccable, and the prices are a steal! All together now.... fecher La Vache! http://www.lavacheandco.com

Green Tomato - Kensington, Charming Cuisine!

My father and I headed out for another lunch date. (I'm not a slacker, just on vacation). We peeked through the Uptown coupon guide, and decided to give Green Tomato a try.

As soon as you walk in, you can't help but feel like you are in a friendly yet elegant home. Our server, Socorro, was delightful! We came in a bit after the usual lunch rush, and she immediately apologized for the items on the menu that had already sold out. Excellent move, I have to give her great credit for staying on top of what was going on in the kitchen!

We settled in to margaritas and a nice bread service. By meal three, I am now convinced that Bread & Cie runs some kind of underground bread racket, but I will never get sick of it! They served fresh unsweetened butter, and after two meals of artful spreads, it was a nice shift to have simple and quality butter.

We look at the menu, and while very elegant, everything was still within a college student's budget. Now that's a reason to celebrate. We ordered the rib-eye steak, which was prepared in the same way as the regrettably sold out filet mignon. Hey, I don't hold a grudge, it's hard to find $15 filet mignon meals in a grocery store, let alone a restaurant. The mushroom, randy, and dijon preparation rolled down the palate perfectly. A steak lunch sounds heavy, but their preparation made it light and satisfying. The portobello mushrooms were just right, and the side of garlic mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables were a great match.

Please check out the Green Tomato, they may just be the best deal in town! http://www.greentomato.net

Daphne's Greek Cafe - Hillcrest Location (Major chain), Quick and Easy Greek Staples

Since I was at risk of turning into a cow, Josh (my husband) and I decided to get a quick dinner at Daphne's. With many locations in the San Diego area, it's not hard to fine one. I started eating at Daphne's at San Diego State by default/accident, since it was the only place that you could go that didn't serve heart attacks on a greasy and flavorless plate. Also, as a Classics minor, it was a compus favorite. It doesn't hurt that I have been surrounded by Greeks my whole life and developed a keen taste for the food.

Josh ordered the Gyros plate, served with Greek salad, rice, and pita bread. He loves their Gyros. I am not much for mystery meat on a rotisserie stick, but he's the pickiest eater ever, and if he likes it, there's something to it. I ordered the spanakopita plate, also served with Greek salad, rice, and pita bread. I love their spanakopita. Love it! I have had way too many servings that feel so heavy, have limpid dough, or worse, taste like spinach cardboard. I have got to hand it to the chain, they know their stuff.

In short, you will be pleasantly suprised by this faster-food option. They have a very diverse menu, and have the flavors right. Even with some American twists, the meals are right on and never too heavy. http://www.daphnesgreekcafe.com/

The Gathering - Mission Hills, A soon-to-be-resurrected Jewel

When I was looking through my Uptown guide, I saw a very familiar face. There is a lovely picture of owner Dan Thomas, with a line of drinks and a deck of cards. My family have been eating there since they opened. The day they opened in 1986 to be exact. The Gathering has been a home away home for my family. I grew up there. My mother's wake was there. My wedding reception was there. Dan, Jack, and Denise have seen me grow from a little kid who would eat nothing but the french onion soup into a woman with a serious palate.

Josh and I ate there with our co-worker Karen after a wedding the day before the fire. The fire gutted the restaurant, and it has been down for the count for six months. But the team is hard at work to get the place open ASAP. I would like to give you five reasons to eat ehere as soon as the doors are back open.

1. The food! The menu at The Gathering has always been stellar, flavor-forward, and very well-prepared. Dan and Co. know their flavor profiles, keep things fresh, and pay very close attention to what customers have to say about the food. Trust me, this is a restaurant with every reason to be cocky, but still caters to what people want. What more can you ask for!

2. The drinks. You would be hard-pressed to find a better bar in any restaurant in town, from the Marine Room on down. Plus, the Fireman's special is always a laugh riot. Anytime a fire engine takes off from across the street, the drinks are 1/2 off. Can't beat that!

3. Major Neighborhood Cool Points. So, you want to some Phil's barbecue, but want a good cocktail to wash it down? Are you craving a tasty salad to go with your Starbucks? The Gathering has got you covered. This is the ONLY restaurant I have ever seen that welcomes guests with open arms, even if those arms have some Phil's or lattes in them. The symbiotic relationship with other neighborhood establishments makes The Gathering a place you have no excuse not to visit.

4. The staff! Dan Thomas belives in his staff so much that he declared almost all of them essential employees on his businewss-interruption insurance. What does that mean? They got paid even after the fire! Would your boss do that? Probably not. But Dan knows how much these folks rock, and that's the greatest compliment you could ever give.

5. The vibe. The Gathering sits at the heart of Mission Hills, at the corner of Goldfinch and Washington Streets. You always feel like a friend walking in the door. You can see business suits, jeans, and everything in between. Every generation, every walk of life, everyone in the world can go in, sit down, and have a great meal and a great time.

Keep on checking for the grand re-opening. Show some love! http://www.sandiegogathering.com.

And Blogger makes Three

So I now have three blogs to neglect (?). Welcome to my little world. I have been on vacation for a week now, and I have some interesting updates on the things I have done. I primarily will use this blog as a forum for reviews, not always my personal life. From restaurants to retail, I shall opine freely here, like half the known universe, but I shall always be fair. Thank you for reading, if you so choose to do.