Crazee Burger, North Park, San Diego, CA

So it's the 4th of July, and neither my wife nor I really feel like cooking lunch.  After some discussion we find ourselves on the road with one though in our mind, we need a burger, a really good burger.  This isn't my first time trying to hunt down a good burger, but it is the first time I've tried to do it on a holiday.  My usually go to places are closed but I take a chance and head over to the North Park, and then I see an open sign in the doorway.  Parking the car we get out and walk into Crazee Burger, where half the fun is deciding just what you want in the bun.

Okay I made that last part up, but it sounded good in my head, and it is true.  Crazee burger is known for its wide variety of burgers.  You can get anything from Angus beef, to ostrich, to my personal favorite, wild boar.  The line is predictably long but not too long that day.  Being open on the 4th is not only good business but a godsend for people who just don't feel like barbecuing.  My wife and I get to the back of the line and take a look at the menu, and then I remember the bad side of having so many choices... that there are so many choices.

For the adventurous eater there is a wide array of tasty burgers, and that's not even considering the type of meat you want.  For instance, outside of wild boar I also enjoy the taste of gator, kind of like chewy chicken, you can add great flavor to it.  A quick glance at the menu and I know this will take forever so I do something uncharictaristic and decide I'm just going to have a regular meat type burger, nothing exotic.  Okay that cuts down my options from 54 to 18.  Still not an easy choice, and I just cut out my favorite Santorini Burger as it is half lamb.  Okay, I guess if I am going to do beef, and it is the 4th of July I'll try something in theme with the day so I get the Texas Burger, as it is one of the few burgers with BBQ sauce.  My wife goes with her usual Dansk Burger, as she has series weakness for Blue Cheese.

We get an order of fries and two drinks and look for a seat.  We find a table with dishes but the staff, which as far as I can tell is just two guys working the front, despite being busy get it cleaned off for us in less than a minute.  Then we sit down to enjoy the madness.  The place is packed but the kitchen is still cranking out burgers at a regular speed, and when we finally get our, about 10 minutes later, it is well worth the wait.  My Texas burger is cooked perfectly, and topped with bacon and Hickory smoked BBQ sauce, with and my first bite is filled with flavor.  The burger is good, but its really the sauce that does it for me.  The sauce is faintly sweet, and combined with the bacon comes together as one of the better burgers I've had in San Diego.  I glance over at my wife's burger, with a fair amount of Blue Cheese on it and remember my wife also got avocado on it. It's hard to miss as you can see in the pictures there is pretty much half an avocado sitting on top of it.  Which is perfect for my wife.  I hazard a taste and the avocado is amazing, but I find blue cheese a bit too dry for my palate.  A minute later we remember the fries and after apologizing the server brings that out.  As much as I admire the creativity of the salt and Parmesan cheese blend I'm not a big fan of it.  Next time I think I'll just go with the onion rings.

So overall a nice little meal at a nice little place.  The man at the front says goodbye but I barely hear him.  I'm already thinking about the next time and what kind of strange and exotic meat I'll get, probably the gator.

Crazee Burger
4201 30th Street
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 282-6044
http://crazeeburger.com/

D.Z. Akin's, College East, San Diego, CA

It's Friday night and neither my wife nor I particularly feel like cooking.  A smile crosses my face as I think of a place we haven't been to in a while, one I know she will like.  After a quick back and forth on who will drive, we head out to the area around San Diego State University for a little piece of home cooking, assuming your home was a Jewish deli.  I smiled as we entered, it had been too long since I've been back to D.Z. Akin's.

Again I offer no prior or interpretive knowledge of Jewish cuisine.  Perhaps the food is better over in New York, or Miami, where I am to understand there are large Jewish communities.  Having no point of reference on Jewish cuisine does not matter though, as I have a very good, in my opinion, reference on what is great tasting food, and that can most definitely be found at D.Z. Akin's.

D.Z. Akin's can be found a little less than a mile away from San Diego State, yet every time I go I am surprised there are not more college students inside.  Maybe they are trying to save money, but as far as prices go D.Z. Akin's is around the norm for restaurant food, and that doesn't include sheer size of the meals.  Sandwiches stacked high with meat, salad's that looked as if they've used an entire head of lettuce, and dinners I've glimpsed on other tables, so vast I know that not even I would be able to finish them, but I digress.

When my wife and I showed up and there was a bit of a line so we wandered around the gift shop, a nice little set up for the tourists with San Diego nicknacks offset by gimmicky Jewish merchandise, in other words a gift shop.  This, of course, was so I wouldn't head over to the bakery/deli section.  I don't know what it is about the place but it is hard not to order a pastry on the way out.  Mounds of cookies, cakes, and other deserts luring people out of spare change and diet plans.  Then there is the deli, a particularly dangerous spot with my wife's love of cured meats.  After a few minute or so drooling our name was called and I half dragged my wife to our table.

Our waitress got our drinks out in no time at all, and I didn't need to look at the menu at all to know what I wanted.  I ordered the Pastrami Dip, which is the same as a Roast Beef Dip, on an over-sized plate filled to the brim with french fries, and glancing at the soup board above I decided to try the New England Clam Chowder, just a cup as I wasn't feeling my usual overpowering need for food.  My wife ordered the soup and salad, which is the usual mixed green salad, with a side of blue cheese dressing, and the Kreplach soup (basically chicken soup but with large dumplings filled with ground meat).

My soup came out first and as usual it was bigger than I had expected.  I asked for a cup, but they gave me what would be considered a bowl at most other places.  It was delicious, and I am very picky about my New England Clam Chowder.  I could tell right off that it was home made, just by the taste of the broth.  It was definitely clam broth, but there was a hint of something else that I still can't place, maybe oregano, or perhaps chilli.  Whatever it was it added a zing to the whole dish that I had to stop myself from shoveling it down as quickly as possible.  The clams were just the right size, not giant pieces that some restaurants try to pass off as hearty, but a few sizes smaller, and they were in every bite.  I ended up stealing some of my wife's french bread so I could wipe up the left over broth from the bottom of the bowl.

Then our main meals came out.  The Pastrami Dip was as good, if not better, as the first time I'd ordered it.  The dip, a small bowl of onion soup, was also made fresh in the restaurant and was delicious.   I gorged myself on that and steak fries, my favorite variety of french fry.  My wife on the other hand was not overly impressed with her salad.  She absolutely loves the blue cheese dressing, again made fresh at D.Z. Akin's but the salad was nothing to write home about.  The Kreplach soup on the other had was in her words "yummy."  I stole a bite of that and will probably order it next time I go.

Feeling full and happy we both made our way out the front door, but not before ogling the bakery one last time.  I managed to not buy something this time, but that was only because I was stuffed.  My wife took one sad look at it before heading out the door.  So that brings our average to 1 for 3, and I'm not including the other five times we have been there as that was when the bakery had closed before we left.  If you do find yourself still hungering dessert after finishing off your meal I highly recommend every cookie they have and everything with chocolate.  Just not all at once.

D.Z. Akin's
6930 Alvarado Rd.
San Diego, CA 92120
619-265-0218
http://dzakins.com/

Johnny Rebs' Orange, Orange County, CA

I must be on some type of barbeque kick as this is the second place I've hit with it this month. So it's midday and I'm not looking forward to the long drive back home to San Diego, but I've got my, now, wife by my side and a hankering for some good ol' grub to fill me up before I head home. It's then that I remember a little barbeque place over in Orange where I had my first smoked omelet. At the time those around me did not quite take to the taste of smoked eggs, but I thought it was one of the best things on the menu.

We got there a little before noon, and the place was pretty much like I remembered it. The outside done up in country-hick chic, like it had been before chic was added to it, but the inside was pleasantly clean and cool. We were sat down immediately, and seeing the subsequent guest to the restaurant seated in a similar fashion, I quickly came to the conclusion that Johnny Rebs' took the term "Southern Hospitality" to heart. Everyone there was kind and gracious. The man covering the front door that might or might not have been the manager had no trouble coming over to the our table to take our order when our sever was busy grabbing food in the kitchen.

After perusing the menu for much too long my wife ordered the Lonestar Burger with a side of mac and cheese and I ordered the Cajun Sausage Sandwich with a side of mashed potatoes and seasonal fresh veggies.  Then we spent the 15 or so minutes waiting for the food talking about Disneyland and watching a little girl who had just turned four jump up and down  on peanuts.  Apparently it is a thing they do there for people's birthdays, and I endeavor to go back and see if adults were also allowed to do the "Peanut Dance" as I have dubbed it.

Finally our food came out, and just like the Johnny Rebs' itself it didn't look like much on the outside but in the first bite was a fair amount of flavor and good old southern cooking.  My first bite was of the seasonal veggies.  Years of dining at other restaurants had prepared me for a collection of slightly hard carrots, broccoli, peas, and a few pieces of  squash and zucchini for color.  As you can see I got the zucchini, and corn, and...  Well I guess that served me right for ordering vegetables at a BBQ restaurant.  Still they weren't half bad.  Then I had a bite of the mashed potatoes, and a dreamy smile came over my face.  The potatoes were smooth as silk and the gravy was definitely up there with the best I've ever had.  I even made the mistake of sharing some with my wife, after which I continually had to ward off her attempts to scoop the remainder onto her plate.  I don't remember that in the wedding vows.  Finally I took a big bite of the my sandwich.  It was the perfect blend of meat onions and green peppers, and the sauce... It had a nice tang to it, a sweetness that I find myself leaning towards the more I partake of good barbeque sauces.

Leaning over I snagged a bite of my wife's mac and cheese, and was met by the only let down of the meal.  The elbow macaroni was cooked perfectly but the cheese sauce left much to be desired.  Then I pointed to something behind her and snuck a bite of her hamburger.  It was the precedent burger.  It wasn't seasoned all that much, which might have been a let down for some, but it has been a long time since I've tasted what a good piece of ground beef taste like without add anything to it.  That along with the sauce, onion ring, and a bit of avocado for good measure, made it a pleasure to eat.  Before my wife snatched it back out of my hands.

Overall I am happy I stopped back here, and there are quite a few items I want to go back and try (I'm looking at you Chicken Fried Chicken). Feeling satiated and happy I exited Johnny Rebs' and stumbled home. A warm smile on my face, a few memories for the road, and a slice of key-lime pie.

Johnny Rebs'
http://johnnyrebs.com/
2940 E. Chapman
Orange, CA 92689
orange@johnnyrebs.com
714-633-3369

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Tustin, Orange County, CA

I will start off with stating that I usually avoid chain restaurants. I have nothing against them, except for the fact that by the time they get big the cookie cutter economics and business style that comes with big chains will usually lower the quality of the food. Thankfully there are exceptions to this rule, and I'm happy to say the Lucille's is one of them.

So it was sunny Sunday around noon. I was visiting my folks up in the OC and trying to think of something that we all could eat. My parents have gotten more adventuresome as they've aged but getting them to go somewhere new can still be a bit of a hassle. For example, you will never find my mother in a little taqueria down in Santa Ana, no matter how great the food might be, a restaurant has to be clean looking both inside and out for her to approach it. My father on the other hand loves meat, so that takes out a lot of the places where meat is not the centerpiece of the meal, and don't you dare try to feed him tofu. My sister is still nursing a sensitive stomach so anything with too much heat is out, but she is flexible and not shy about asking the chef to change a dish to suit her tastes. So with this group I had to be sly and smart and practical. I finally settled on something very all American, simple, and tasty, Bar-B-Que.

Any way you spell it barbeque is the cornerstone of American eating. Good barbeque takes time and passion to create. Finding barbeque is easy, everybody has their little hole in the wall, or style they like, but finding something everyone can agree on is hard at the best of times. Thankfully a good friend of mine introduced me to Lucille's at one, or two or three of his birthday parties. I was instantly intrigued by the premise, and the giant smoker kept onside, inside the main eating hall, but I digress.

We made our way to the Lucille's in Tustin. The place had the feel of a slightly upscale TGIF, but underneath that there was something more. I didn't notice it until we sat down but the people were happy. After taking our drink orders our server said, "If you need anything just stop somebody we all share the (workload or tips)". I've heard of the idea before, even been to a restaurant that did it in theory, but I saw here that they really meant it, and that smile. It wasn't the regular, "Hey I got to work here, I'll do my best, what can I get you?" It was more, I am surprised by the fact I enjoy working here. The food is pretty good and I really do hope you enjoy yourself smile. Then came the biscuits.

Big, really big, buttermilk biscuits with a side of maple butter. It took all my willpower to only wolf down one biscuit. Everyone else had at least two. My fiance who loves biscuits, gets them every time we go anywhere that offers them, said they are the best she has ever had, and that wasn't even an appetizer. That is just what they offer when you first sit down. We did wind up getting three appetizers, a half order of Onion Straws. These are basically incredibly thin strips of onion deep fried in buttermilk. Perfect if you don't really like onions, because they are 90% batter anyway, so of course they were delicious. We also ordered some Fried Green Tomatoes because, well you have to order that in a southern restaurant. They were thick, breaded slabs of tomato battered in corn meal and deep fried, atop a slightly spicy red pepper cream sauce. Not hot but with just a hint of kick and a lot of flavor (sorry about the picture, everyone grabbed some before I could get a good picture of it, which just goes to show how tasty they are). Finally my sister and fiance split a plate of Flame Roasted Artichoke. Not my favorite dish, but I managed to snag a piece of artichoke heart and dip it in the very garlicky dip, which turned out to be pretty tasty. The piece of artichoke heart, I should add, was all that was left when they were done.

Trying not to gorge myself on the Onion Straws I waited and watched as the rest of my family ordered a second round of biscuits. You see I'd been to Lucille's before so I knew just how much food we were going to be getting. A short time later the food arrived. Giant slabs of food brought out by three people and gingerly placed before us. I had ordered the Beef Ribs, seven gigantic meat covered pieces of bone and some of the best Beef Ribs I've ever had short of Phil's, but believe me it is close. Of course that came with two sides so I got a little thing of Mac and Cheese and after a few moments of hesitation decided on the Fresh Vegetables. The vegetables were you basic fair (carrots, squash, a corn or two, and bits of red pepper) sounds healthy, but then slather it in oil, butter, and pepper and it is slightly less so, but still delicious. The Mac and Cheese were gooey concoctions of cheese and macaroni heaped into a bowl. Steering away from creamy this Mac and cheese is a bit on the heavy side, and just a bit chewy but only with the cheese, not the mac. The macaroni was cooked perfectly. Definitely one of the better bowls of Mac and Cheese I've ever gotten.

My dad surprised me by ordering the Jambalaya. I thought for sure he would order a rack of something. Still I understand as the Jambalaya has a nice little kick to it, and he does love a bit of spice in his food. I stole a bit and remembered just how much I liked the Jambalaya when I'd gotten it. It is definitely my go to if I don't feel up to having mounds of meat at Lucille's. The rice was cooked just right though I've had better "dirty" rice before, the chicken, hot links, and shrimp were also good, and I think Lucille's does a pretty good job with the piquante tomato sauce they pour over everything. Could do without the garnish though, looked a bit like a toupee made of grass to me.




My mom got a lunch special, the Ribs and Tri-Tip, she also got a side of roasted Vegetables. She settled on the pork ribs, which while I do enjoy them I prefer Phil's. As for the Tri-Tip it they are one of my mom's favorites. I've had them before and while I will always prefer ribs those of you who like slow cooked meat that comes as soft and flavorful then you will not be disappointed.

My sister, the one with the somewhat sensitive stomach, also got a lunch special, the BBQ Chicken Sandwich, hold the BBQ, which blew my mind a bit. I took a small bite, and while I think the Chicken could have been more flavorful, even without the BBQ sauce it was still moist. It also didn't hurt that it was covered in melted cheddar and stacked high with onion straws.



My fiance, and soon to be wife, also got a sandwich. Being a lover of tri-tip she ordered the BBQ Tri-Tip Sandwich with a side of cheese grits. She really loved the sandwich, enough so that I didn't even get to steal a bite, but the cheese grits were a bit below what she was expecting. I managed to sneak a taste and while good they weren't as smooth as the ones her family makes, though they certainly were cheesy.

After a 20-30 minutes of contented eating we were all stuffed. I, having exercised a good two hours before coming so I could eat my fill, managed to make my way to the smoker, where the chef working it was nice enough to let me have a peak inside. Yes, there is an entire smoker inside of the restaurant.















We left, after grabbing a lollipop or two from the Flying Pig Lounge, and stumbled out to our car to go home and do what all great families do after eating tons of BBQ, take a nap. As for Lucille's the place feels comforting, the people are happy, and the food is plentiful. I would go back there any time.

Lucille's (Multiple Locations)
The District at Tustin
2550 Park Ave
Tustin, CA 92782
(714) 259-1227
http://www.lucillesbbq.com/

Maye's Bistro, Bonita, San Diego, CA

So it's a sunny Sunday afternoon, my fiance and I are headed over to her parent's house to help clean up a few things for our reception a few weeks from now. Still a bit tired from my morning run I race down the highway to Bonita, wondering what I can possibly stuff in my face without going through a drive-thru, but that won't take forever to prepare. That's when I remember a little empanada place a friend happened to mention the day before. Sure, I think, it's not like you can really screw up empanadas. Little flaky, pieces of dough stuffed with anything you can imagine, and that is where Maye's Bistro (pronounced Mai yeh according to the friend who recommended it)shines.

You'll have to look hard for it. Maye's is located in a little strip mall off Bonita Rd. While the outside may be nothing to talk about the inside is somewhat quaint. There are only two tables inside, as most people prefer to grab their empanads to go, but the tables are clean and come with a few condiments, hot sauce (first time I'd seen Tapatio in a packet), and BBQ sauce to name a few. A flat screen TV sits above the front counter, and on the wall as you enter are a few pictures of the owner, and a plaque from the city business commission. Behind the counter is a a little oven used to heat the empanadas if you feel like eating them there. Besides that the room is dominated by two refrigeration units with clear glass allowing you to look in at the flavors of empanada that are there that day.

My fiance and I took a seat by the window perused the menu as we waited for the lady in front of us to finish ordering. It was there that we amazed by the sheer number of empanadas available. I was expecting things like the Pollo con Papas and Carnitas, but there was also Hawaiian Rib, Meatball, Scampi and Linguine, even Lobster (if in season). Not what I was expecting at all. When our turn came we decided on a few different empanadas to split between us. We got the Pollo Chile Verde, Carne Con Chile, Shepard's Pie, and the monthly special Corned Beef and Cabbage. For desert we got a Mango Pineapple and the Blueberry with Blackberry. Then we sat down and waited for them to warm.

As we sat a wide variety of people came in and I was impressed with the the customer service. Polite and hard working there was only one woman working the front and another woman, who I believe was Maye herself coming out if things got too busy. Explanations on how to warm up the empanadas at home, and recommendations on what was good, or at least the staff's favorite. Simple things that some of the larger eateries forget are important.
Finally our food came out, and I both took a bite. So the play by play is like this: the Shepard's Pie was good but had a bit too much potato in it for me. The Carne Con Chile was great, just stuffed full of meat, but became perfect with a dash of hot sauce. The Corned Beef and Cabbage was surprisingly good, and I was amazed on how they were able to capture the that taste of the dish in such a little package. Finally Pollo Chile Verde was my favorite. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and the Chile Verde was not too spicy. I even enjoyed the taste of the black olives, and I usually am not a big fan. As for the desert empanadas my fiance's was good. There mango and pineapple were definitely fresh and tasty, but they tasted a bit heavy and lacking in complexity. My Blueberry with Blackberry had just the right amount of tart to it, with the cream cheese smoothing out the flavors to create an ideal dessert.

Satisfied we got up ready to tackle our afternoon of heavy lifting. I will definitely be heading back to Maye's, I have my heart set on trying some of the more unusual empanadas (Captain Kids with chicken mac and cheese or the Nacho Bites with ground beef, seasoning, cheese, and jalapeno), and definitely the Mole. Mmmmmm, mole...

P.S.: Make sure to get there early as they only make so many empanadas per day.

Maye's Bistro
4240-A Bonita Rd.
Bonita, CA 91902
(619) 479-0251
Mon.-Fri.: 6:30 AM to 8:00 PM
Sat.: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Sun.: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
http://www.mayescabistro.com/

Fig Tree Cafe, Hillcrest, San Diego, CA

I've visited the Fig Tree Cafe in Pacific Beach a few times, and providing I get there early enough, have found it to provide a wonderfully pleasant breakfast in a beautiful surrounding with an attentive and interesting wait staff, but one of it's downfalls is that it does not provide dinner. Then along came their new location in Hillcrest. Despite Hillcrest and their reputation for going through restaurants like the mother of the bride at a wedding through tissues I waited a few weeks to check out the new Fig Tree. Finally, one quiet Saturday night I made my way back to my old stomping grounds and sat down with my fiancé for what seemed like a much hipper, trendier version of what I grown used to in Pacific Beach.

First off I should note that there is no comparing the two. They are like apples and oranges, at least in appearance. Where the Fig Tree in Pacific Beach is a laid back hippy commune filled with free spirits, the Fig Tree feels more like a well dressed if laid back hangout for hip and happy folk to chill. Where the PB Fig Tree is open and green, the Hillcrest Fig Tree is a bit darker and heavier. Strangely enough I like both atmospheres. It is all dependent on my mood, but as always the most important thing is the food.

My fiancé and I walked into what appeared to be a cross between a wine bar and the innards of a oak barrel and were seated within seconds. The host was perhaps one of the most professional yet likable people I'll ever come across, but more on that later. Our waitress took a few minutes to get to us but after she did she fell into the rhythm of all professional waitresses seeming to know the exact moments to stop and check up on us, and when to leave us to our conversation. The drinks were good, my fiance got a glass of pear cider, and I stuck with iced tea, as I didn't want anything distracting me from the food before me.

We started off with a bite, which is a bit of house baked bread and our choice of two spreads. My fiancé went with sun dried tomatoes and Gorgonzola mousse, which also comes with a sprinkling of walnut in it. I ordered the fresh chili roasted garlic spread. The bread came out in two types: flat bread, which left a little to be desired, and a few cuts from a small loaf, which I rather enjoyed. I knew that I had to try both of the spreads so I started with the sun dried tomatoes first, just to get it out of the way as I have no love for sun dried tomatoes in any venue from sandwich to appetizer. It had an odd taste that I couldn't quite place, but it wasn't bad. Then I tried the chili roasted garlic, and was stunned. I won't go so far to say it tasted bad, but there was almost no taste of garlic in it, not even an after taste, and when I hear the word chili I expect a bit of bite to something, in this nadda. I switched back to the sun dried tomatoes to finish off the rest of the bites, slowly growing to appreciate the taste of the spread, especially the balance of consistency between the smoothed moose and the bits of walnut. Bemused by first part of the meal I moved on to the next.

My fiancé and I decided to order the special, not because the rest of the menu didn't look good. I'm pretty positive the short ribs would have been amazing judging by the description alone, then again I though the same thing about the chili roasted garlic spread. The specials just sounded too good to pass up. I ordered salmon sauteed with mussels, and shrimp served in a light chipotle, cilantro-tomato sauce. My fiancé went with the grilled flat iron steak over roasted garlic mash and sauteed veggies finished in a Bordelaise sauce(a sauce made of red wine, bone marrow, shallots, butter).

My first bite had a hint of fish in it, which I know is what I ordered but I don't like to be reminded of that in the first bite. Moving forward though each piece of my meal was cooked perfectly. The fish was tender, the mussels showed no hint of rubber, and the shrimp brought a smile to my face. The sauce, which I will admit probably got me to buy it in the first place as I have a weakness for anything chipotle, was just incredible. After a few more bites the fishy taste disappeared to be overtaken by the amazing combination and a superior sauce. By the end of my meal I was beaming, my fiance not so much.

This was one of the few times that I'd chosen the better dish, mostly because she doesn't particularly like the taste of fish, but I'll take what I can get. Her steak was cooked medium, but was still succulent enough to satisfy me, but it tasted like steak. There was nothing to enrich the flavor, not even the Bordelaise sauce which sadly enough was not that great. Now I'm not saying I wanted to pour A-1 all over it, the steak by itself tasted good, but the sauce failed to carry it up to the level of greatness, which was a crime in this particular dish as the steak itself had no other flavors to enhance it. Thankfully the sauteed veggies and garlic mash were delicious. I am not usually such a food snob, ignore the self applied Foodie title, but I swear I could taste the healthy local and fresh taste in those vegetables. Almost good enough to be served on its own, almost.

We paid our bill, made our way out the front door, but not before the host from earlier first asked me how I liked the food, and actually seemed to want to hear my answer. A nice personal touch that improved the evening for both my fiancé and myself, then he was gracious enough to snap a picture of us in the restaurant. Yeah, I can definitely see myself coming back, if only to try the short ribs, and a real appetizer, and enjoy the hip atmosphere where even I felt welcomed.

The Fig Tree Cafe in Hillcrest
416 University Ave.
Hillcrest, CA 92103
619-298-2010

http://www.figtreecafehillcrest.com/

The Rubicon Deli, Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA

It is rare that I will ever rave about a sandwich. My grandfather was a master sandwich maker, though he never went pro, and my family speaks of him with an awe reserved for NFL players and Nobel Prize winners. He would pile meat upon cheese upon bread, always applying the prefect amount of condiment (mustard/mayo/ketchup), until there was what could only be described as the perfect sandwich, not too dry, not too wet, and with a balance of flavors and aromas that would inevitably make the mouth water. Unfortunately no one else in my family was able to imitate such genius, and as such I have never had a love for the simple art of sandwich making, until very recently.

While I have no love of sandwiches I do have a weakness for pastrami. As a child my mother would fry some up in a pan and toss it down in front of me. No mustard, no bun, just greasy cuts of deli meat which I would quickly devour. So when I stumbled across the Rubicon Deli on my way home from a particularly long run it crossed my mind that perhaps it was time to rediscover my joy of pastrami, be it in sandwich form or not.

A week later my fiancé and I managed to find a parking spot on Mission Street, a miricale as it was just a bit past noon, and went inside. The interior is what I would call fast food trendy: Bright colors, hard seats, and pictures of surfers on the wall, but definetly clean and inviting. Having slept late I was in no mood for dithering so I got in line and went strait up to the counter to give my order. I knew instantly what I wanted, the Half Pound Dom Pastram, and despite my normal aversion to pickles I found myself holding my tongue and getting them in the sandwich. My fiancé knowing that I am a bit of an ass when I'm hungry quickly ordered the Achin' for Bacon. We also got chips, no french fries at this place, and a drink. Sorry no fountain drinks here, you can either get something from their fridge, which ranges from milk to Mexican Coke, or they have iced tea, sweet tea, which I recommend as it isn't too sweet, and lemonade with free refills. Then we sat down.

I was only halfway done with my chips when the food was brought out. Feeling a bit self conscious about the sheer amount of food I'd consumed over the holiday I decided to order only a half, but as you can see the Rubicon's half is more than most sandwich places' full. I took a bite, waiting for the acidic taste of pickle to overcome the taste of pastrami, but something strange happened. I could taste pickle, but there was a decided lack of brine in the bite. I took another bite , this time making sure to grab a hunk of pickle as I did, and it was the most amazing thing. The pickle tasted good, really good. The pickle added to the overall flavor of the sandwich as opposed to overpowering it. The pickle was so good it actually distracted me from the pastrami for a second, but only for a second. My next few bites were filled with confidence and it became a bit of a challenge to slow down and enjoy the combination of pastrami, swiss, sauerkraut, pickle, onion, and yellow mustard on garlic cheese bread. I paused halfway through to take a bite of my fiance's sandwich. In it was turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and avocado on pesto flavored bread. Personally I would have added a dash more mayo, but her sandwich was great, with a hearty portion of turkey and bacon in the middle.

I finished off my sandwich and the rest of my fiance's, wolfed down the chips, which also tasted great, and was left with a little chocolate chip cookie. I don't want to sound like a cookie snob, but I like my chocolate chip cookies with a bit more give, or flavor. This in store made chocolate chip was definitely head and shoulders above the stuff you find in the stores, but I still found it a bit dry and lacking in flavor. Still, I'll never complain too much about a free chocolate chip cookie, no matter how small it might have been.

Walking out the front door to a street filled with surfer types and late risers I smiled. Now that was a great sandwich, one even my grandfather would have enjoyed.

-Dedicated to the memory of Robert Brandon

The Rubicon Deli
3819 Mission Blvd.
San Diego CA, 92109
858-488-DELI

http://www.therubicondeli.com/