Ever since my move from San Francisco to San Diego, I have been on the quest for good restaurants-the ones that can match the Vietnamese fusion high class waterfront Slanted Door at Fisherman’s Wharf, or the quaint Italian restaurant, Delfina South of Market.  Most of what I have seen down here have been the usual chains.  Chilis, Islands, TGI Fridays, El Torito.  These are all fine and good if you want un-originality served up on a plain white platter time and time again.  I craved a taste that would tantalize my taste buds.

Luckily, if you look hard enough, San Diego has many eatery gems, perhaps not on the grand scale of the City By The Bay, but it seems unfair to compare.  A few of my favorites are: Pad Thai Restaurant in Encinitas, get the curries and get them spicy, your taste buds will cry with joy; Las Olas in Cardiff, if San Diego boasts one thing over San Francisco, it’s Mexican food and this place makes you want to bring along your own Sombrero (whatever that means); Stone Brewery in San Marcos, which has a.) the best beer around, try the Kolsch and b.) non greasy, very high-class food that will not give you insurmountable heartburn in the hours following, as opposed to most beer joints.  They have an excellent ambiance as well.  Finally there Sushi On the Rock, which happens to be a chain, but they have damn good sushi, so that’s excusable.  This is coming from a girl who once despised even the word “Sushi.”  Though admittedly I still can’t use chopsticks…so don’t laugh.