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/

Cafe Athena, Pacific Beach, San Diego CA

So my sister came down last week, and I decided to try and hit her up for a free meal. This is infinitely more difficult than it sounds as my sister has something of delicate stomach. Gone were my usual go to options: Italian, Mexican, and Thai. I was down to the a hamburger with its magical quality to be both forgiving on the stomach but pleasing to the palate when I remembered a little place that my fiancé and I had found just after moving to our new place. After all what can be more delicious, as well as easy on the stomach, than Greek food.

Cafe Athena is a quiet little place in a pleasant strip mall off of a major street in Pacific Beach. On the outside it appears as a quaint little collection of buildings, but inside is a light airy white washed room with bits of Greek decor here and there, enough to enliven the atmosphere but not enough to distract from the food. We arrived a little after noon, and were seated quickly. Our waiter was both patient and quick to answer questions, the majority of them about how to pronounce the items on the menu.

Thankfully I didn't even have to and after pointing to a couple of names on the menu the waiter left and we fell into an easy conversation until the first dish arrived. My fiancé got her Avgolemono, which is an egg lemon soup with rice Orzo and chicken broth. I took a sip of it and I thought I would love to have this if I had come down with a cold. It reminded me of chicken soup with a strong but not overpowering lemon flavoring to it. After polishing that off we got the rest of the dishes pretty much all at once.

Now ahead of time I apologize if this seems like a lot of description but I believe the combination of flavors and textures are what really sold me on this place, and I think it will help you understand just how complicated great Greek food can be. All right as an appetizer my sister surprisingly chose to get dolmathakia (Grape leaves stuffed with a blend of seasoned ground beef, rice and herbs. braised and served with Tzatziki sauce). After all the stories from my Lebanese friends about how their grandmother made the best grape leaves in existence I expected the Greek version to pale in comparison to theirs, but I was surprised by just how great it tasted. I didn't quite take to the Tzatziki sauce so I quickly found myself gobbling up the dolmathakia dry, before getting to the rest of the meal.

In addition to that my sister got a combination plate, the Macedonian Sampler. In it was Spanakptia (a blend of spinach, onion, feta cheese, eggs and basil between flaky filo), Bourekia (lean ground leg of lamb, pine nuts and onions in a filo roll), beef kebab and chicken Souvlaki (basically chicken and beef on skewers with the bits of zucchini, red bell pepper and onion), Briami (roasted vegetables with tomatoes, zucchini, potato usually roasted in olive oil) and rice pilaf. Again it came with Tzatziki sauce, but maybe this was a different batch because I definitely enjoyed it more. I, of course, took a bite of everything and found all of it cooked perfectly and incredibly tasty. The highlight of the plate was the Spanakptia, as I'm a sucker for anything with spinach and flaky filo, and the low point was the beef kebab. It just didn't taste all that great compared to the rest of what was there.

In between stealing most of my sister's meal I had ordered Papoutsakia (Italian eggplant filled with seasoned ground leg of lamb, onion and pine nuts. Topped with tomato sauce, fresh basil and Feta cheese. Wrapped in Pita bread). At first glance it looked a bit like ground hamburger tossed into a pita bun, but the taste was nothing short of heaven. The ground leg of lamb offset the bits of eggplant, the one thing I wished it had more of, perfectly. The pita was warm but not hot, and the feta cheese added just the right amount of bite to the plate. It was another dish that I would force myself to eat slowly so I could savor each bite.

I also took a bite of my fiancé’s dish. She ordered the Chicken Aioli (Diced chicken breast tossed with fresh pesto sauce and sun-dried tomatoes. Wrapped in Pita bread with spring mix. Served with garlic Aioli sauce.). I'm really not a big fan of sun dried tomatoes, but I love garlic, and the aioli sauce was incredibly garlicy, which I loved. The first time we'd gone there I'd commented that the chicken was cooked perfectly, but this time around it hovered a few degrees closer to overcooked. Still it all came together nicely, and I let her finish it off, showing just how much she liked it as she usually keeps the leftovers for work the next day.

Overall everything was delicious, and not too expensive. The staff is super friendly, and the atmosphere peaceful and relaxing. One of the best lunches I've had in a long time. If you like Greek food or even just good food, you need to check this place out.

Cafe Athena
http://www.cafeathena.com
1846 Garnet Ave.
San Diego, CA 92109
(858)274-1140

Cafe 21, University Heights, San Diego, CA

I eat breakfast, really. I know everything I’ve posted so far has rotated around fine dinner dining or light but tasty lunch items, but I adhere to the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It just happens that I, like most people, have to fit it in those scant moments between waking up and running out the door to work. Yes, I always have it, and most of the time it is healthy and somewhat tasty meal for me, but it isn’t until the weekend that I get to luxuriate in the meal.

This weekend I managed to drag my girlfriend out of bed and head off to a little place in University Heights by the name of Café 21. Not much of a moniker, and looking at it not much of a location. It’s parked in a strip mall and sits next door to a liquor store. No, not the ideal location at first glance, but come in and sit down and you will be amazed by just how nice an atmosphere can be created with some pretty decorations and a friendly server.

Despite a slight chill in the air we sat outside, and instantly the smiling faces of the staff and the other diners put us at ease. Our server Derek (I apologize if I’ve spelled your name wrong), actually seemed happy to see us. Not pretend happy like a lot of servers put on, or efficient happy, but happy happy, like a man who honestly enjoys what he does. My girlfriend ordered a coffee and I got a large orange juice while I perused the menu. It looked smaller than the first time I had been there. Gone were the Green Eggs and Ham, and I noticed the item I’d had last time, the Salmon Diamonds, had been downsized to a sandwich. My eyes were drawn to a series of breakfast cakes, not the sweet kind, but the savory. My eyes were lingering on one with shrimp when I heard Derek say “lobster.” I instantly sat up and paid attention as he told me the special of the month was a Lobster Cake with a brown butter citrus sauce. I resisted the urge to tell him he had me at lobster. I ordered, and my girlfriend surprised me by getting the Monte Cristo.

We waited a short while passing the breeze and taking in the local color. Despite a view dominated by cars and pavement the outdoors area of Café 21 is really quite comfortable, almost homey. There is relatively little noise from the road, a pleasant but not overpowering breeze finds its way through the front dining area, and the music… well that is a matter of opinion. If you find yourself sitting in the front patio area you might hear the not so gentle sounds of techno wafting through the air. It doesn’t dominate the conversation, but it is definitely not something you can tune out. I found it quite pleasant, a needed change from the muzak that you find in the bigger chain restaurants. My girlfriend, well, she was not so much a fan of it. Still it did little to deter our enjoyment of the food.

Which thankfully arrived in a relatively short amount of time. I looked down and was pleased to note there appeared to be just the right amount of food on my plate. I must admit to a moment of trepidation as I saw a distant diner receive their Lobster Cake combined with a shudder that I had been lured into ordering another great tasting meal in a very small portion. Still in my moment of weakness I had asked Derek for a side of grilled prosciutto, which after some consideration was not a bad addition to the meal. My first bite was heaven. The whole thing was like a superbly modified Eggs Benedict balanced on a perfectly made cake with bits of visibly recognizable lobster. That along was the butter citrus sauce culminated into a perfect pairing of complimentary flavors and consistencies. I knew I’d found the right dish when I found myself consciously eating my food slowly, savoring each bite.

I glanced over at my girlfriend’s plate and received a smile that told me it was alright to try some of her Monte Cristo. Now, I should say that I prefer my Monte Cristo’s fried, sometimes even deep fried, and was a bit hesitant to take a bite when I saw what looked like it had just been grilled, but upon taking a mouthful I knew I’d finally found a great grilled Monte Cristo. The center was warm, but not hot, the bread had a nice crust to it, and again I had to stop myself from snatching my girlfriends plate off the table and making a run for it. Still I ended up eating half of her Monte Cristo in addition to my lobster cake, and mopped up the rest with a few pieces of grilled prosciutto.

I would not hesitate to say that Café 21 is one of the best places to pick up a delicious breakfast on a quiet Sunday morning. The staff is friendly, the food is great, and the environment is serene. You won’t notice the electronic soundtrack in the background, you’ll be too busy ooing and aweing over the food in front of you.

Café 21

2763 Adams Ave

San Diego, CA 92116

http://www.cafe-21.com/