Decent “Chicken Parm” lunch special at BJ’s in Esco! The chicken was fairly institutional and the spaghetti was overcooked past al dente. Other than that, it was inexpensive. Wedge salads here are always good. Also enjoyed a mini sugar cookie Pizookie.
I just have to say, the crust on the fried chicken at Marinade on Main is nothing short of exquisite! This fried chicken goodness makes appearances in several of their dishes, including salads, sandwiches and whatnot. My personal favorite though manifests itself in “Marinades Alfredo Pasta”. Creamy, garlicky linguine topped with fried chicken, then beautifully crowned with peppery arugula and salty prosciutto. Such an outstanding combustion of flavors and textures.
The Barrel Room Vintage Wine Bar and Bistro is a fantastic casual dining establishment in North San Diego County’s Rancho Bernardo neighborhood. They include a nice retail and wine bar experience as well. I enjoyed an excellent “Chicken Parmesan”! Panko breaded chicken breast, zesty marinara, mozzarella, plus a side of fettuccine pasta in a garlic cream sauce. A most lovely, elegantly casual dining experience. Highly recommended.
CFA still makes the best mac & cheese in fast food! My favorite location in Del Sur always has genuine, outstanding service and such a classy vibe.
Back in the day I always enjoyed TGI Fridays! Particularly the Carmel Mountain Ranch location with their nachos, Jack Daniels glaze and whatnot. Nowadays there are none to be found in San Diego unfortunately. Closest locations are down in Tijuana or up in LA. Anyway, while traveling back from Florida I wound up stuck at DFW with flight delays. I took the opportunity to visit an old restaurant fave while in Texas and was not disappointed.
Exquisite Pollo alla Parmigiana at Vigilucci’s in Carlsbad! Mary’s Free Range chicken breast lightly breaded, topped with mozzarella and marinara sauce. Served with a side of the best tasting, al dente spaghetti aglio e olio and an artfully presented bundle of grilled seasonal vegetables. We love visiting this beautiful restaurant right on the pacific coast. Unfortunately their small valet lot was full and we had to scramble to find street parking a few blocks away.
Outstanding Chicken Tenders with Tots at Par Lounge and Deck in Ramona! Every now and then I appreciate the simple, tasty food groups of fat, crunch, brown and yum.
Sushi Kami is a cute little restaurant with great lunch specials. The parking lot however is terrible. It’s like crisis mode getting through it or even scoring a spot that you can get in to or out of. Not unusual for Rancho Bernardo in general. Since my office is just up the street I stop by occasionally. Everyone who works here are always so nice and welcoming. I’ve had some tasty susie rolls here but most often order the bulgogi beef or chicken teriyaki bowl lunch special. I recommend eating in if you get this. To-go orders gets the salad packed in the same box with hot food unfortunately.
I’ve never been in a BWW so I thought I’d try the one in Santee on a recent visit. Anytime there’s deep fried cheese curds on the menu I have to order it. They’re very good here. I was surprised when the server recommended a side of caramel dipping sauce! I thought, sure, why not. Very interesting flavor combination. Not as off-putting as it sounds, although I didn’t finish it. The wings here are decent and they feature a dizzying array of sauce options. For my 10 piece order I did a half & half of Caribbean Jerk and Thai Curry. Both excellent choices.
Food Observations 