Food is AWFUL in San Diego UNLESS...... (Chula Vista, Oceanside: hotel, organic)

[CNYC]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

San Diego has great food, but if you like IHOP, Dennys and McDonalds, you wouldn't think so LOL

You guys and the IHOP comments are really juvenile. Obviously the thread is about food in SD as a whole. The last straw for me was getting pancake batter filled liquid eggs for $13 at IHOP. My point was even at a dump like IHOP they can't crack a few "real" eggs for you, and how pathetic is that at those prices ?

That's what IHOP meant to me. Usually real eggs are REALLY easy to get. Even airports serve real eggs.

[BBslider001]

If you haven't been to Teri Cafe, your life is not full yet. SD has great food options....just have to know where to look. Flying Pig, Teri, Primos Taco Tuesday, La Trattoria in Cardiff, Swami's Cafe, etc....it's all there for the person that wants to find it.

[NYSD1995]

The last time I ate at IHOP I was hungover in Hayward, CA. Under the table someone had dumped an entire bottle of syrup and it had hardened into a sticky mat in the nasty carpet.

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by sprez33

Do you have any real data to back these claims? It's been awhile since I lived in NYC but I remember that there were few and small 'supermarkets' in Manhattan and that the costs of any sort of fresh produce was extremely expensive for low quality product. I doubt that NYC gets the quality and quantity of fresh produce that we have here in California.

You haven't lived in NYC since the 1960s with naïve "factoids" like that. Few people buy fruit and vegetables at the supermarket. Since the 1970s, there are Korean- and Chinese-operated produce shops in every neighborhood, all five boroughs. In Queens and Brooklyn, these shops are ubiquitous, but they're all over Manhattan, too. Today, these stores are owned by other immigrant groups. The prices are very good, and the quality is far better than in most all of of the US. California is the only state that can compete with what NYC has, according to every conversation. The operative word is still "compete"; the quality isn't better.

Originally Posted by CNYC

Produce can be "affordable" at certain times of the year like summer for corn, cherries, and strawberries but the majority of the time it will cost you dearly.

Grapes were around $6 a pound when I left 3 years ago. Strawberries....forget about it. Even lettuce was rip off city.

Both New Jersey and Long Island have farms which truck to NYC but again the deal periods are very short lived.

Just by these few comments I can tell the poster is a gentrifier and not a native.

You attack me as a "gentrifier", though I am actually a freelancer on a limited income. I am a careful shopper (most of my food choices are on sale). You proceed to add outdated 1960s lore to the other poster's lore. My relatives from Georgia just went home from their annual visit with red globe grapes in their suitcase! They can't find similar quality for that price, as central farmer's markets are now harder to find in the South than ever. Produce markets are everywhere in NYC now, all 5 boroughs. Most people don't buy produce in the supermarkets unless there are sales. The produce shops/stands offer two seasons: the Long Is./Jersey/Florida products during the summer and fall, and the Central and (especially) South American produce during the US off-season. My grapes cost around $1.49 to $2.49/lb. during the regular U.S. season, when they come largely from US farms. ("Grapes around $6 a pound" is pure fiction -- I see those prices at fancy gourmet shops only.) Right now my grapes are $2.49 to $2.99/lb. -- they're from Chile for the most part -- in my Queens neighborhood. Corn is one of the cheapest products I ever see: $.99 to $1.99, sometimes less, for four large ears during American corn season in early fall. Boston Bibb lettuce and strawberries depend on the harvest. One year, strawberries and cantaloupes were pricey. Other years, they are not. When did you leave NYC? 1969?

[CNYC]

Originally Posted by BBslider001

Swami's Cafe, etc....it's all there for the person that wants to find it.

Good Place but overpriced. Although maybe the one on Vulcan Ave. is cheaper than the one on Encinitas Blvd ? I have been to both but thought the one on E Blvd. was more expensive. Maybe I am wrong.

I also think I had issues with portion sizes. The dinners they serve are decent but prices were that of a normal restaurant. To be fair though even DENNYS gets into the $20 range these days.

[BBslider001]

Originally Posted by CNYC

Good Place but overpriced. Although maybe the one on Vulcan Ave. is cheaper than the one on Encinitas Blvd ? I have been to both but thought the one on E Blvd. was more expensive. Maybe I am wrong.

I also think I had issues with portion sizes. The dinners they serve are decent but prices were that of a normal restaurant. To be fair though even DENNYS gets into the $20 range these days.

I will definitely agree that it is overpriced. And you are correct....even Denny's these days is expensive in SD County.

Try Teri Cafe if you like Chicken Teryaki, good rice, and decent sushi. I would take my wife and kid there quite a bit because we could all eat well and have a Sapporo for less than $40. That was for 3 people with good appetites.

[usc619]

Funny thread considering that I'm currently vacationing in SD right now. First and foremost anyone who's says the Mexican food is bad is just plan nuts. The Asian food scene here is also pretty good and diverse. Every region has its strong when when it comes to food and BBQ definitely isn't one of them for SoCal. That being said, there are plenty of good places to eat here in SD, you just have to get off the keyboard and experience them.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Probably the hardest one is finding a good BBQ place. Anywhere that cranks out a lot of it usually loses some QC. Iron Pig has good brisket, ribs ...probably lil piggy.

Beef ribs? I haven't found any place that can touch mine and I make my own sauce and rubs. (secret)

[eastcoastbias]

Originally Posted by CNYC

Good Place but overpriced. Although maybe the one on Vulcan Ave. is cheaper than the one on Encinitas Blvd ? I have been to both but thought the one on E Blvd. was more expensive. Maybe I am wrong.

I also think I had issues with portion sizes. The dinners they serve are decent but prices were that of a normal restaurant. To be fair though even DENNYS gets into the $20 range these days.

Swamis has GREAT coffee. I’ve been to the NPark, Encinitas, Esco and Sports Arena locations.

The food is little underwhelming and they try to get too cute - I ordered a Garlic turkey omelette from there - way too much garlic turkey and eggs kind of blah combo. I’ve had hard crispy French toast there too. They will throw items in the omelette that aren’t necessarily listed too- one time I had good dose of green peppers. Not a huge fan of the place- coffee is great though.

For Breakfast I prefer Richard Walkers Pancake House and Parry’s by Old Town is really good (huge portions).

[eastcoastbias]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

Probably the hardest one is finding a good BBQ place. Anywhere that cranks out a lot of it usually loses some QC. Iron Pig has good brisket, ribs ...probably lil piggy.

Beef ribs? I haven't found any place that can touch mine and I make my own sauce and rubs. (secret)

I do my own beef ribs as well usually don’t order something like that out.

Where do you get your ribs? I’ve tried Seisels - very good kinda pricey. Believe it or not one of the better places I’ve bought short ribs- Food4Less. I was shocked- they were meaty and tasty