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Restaurant Review: Fred’s Mexican Cafe- Too Hot and Not-So-Hot

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Fred’s Mexican Cafe
Old Town Location
2470 San Diego Ave
San Diego, CA 92110
619-858-TACO (8226)

By Judi Curry

Frequently we get into a rut by going to the same restaurant time and time again because we like the food, the atmosphere, the price, etc.  Every few months or so members of my support group attend the play at the Cygnet Theater in Old Town – thanks to one of our members ushering there often – and we always go to lunch (or dinner) before – or after – the play.

Sunday we saw the 3pm performance of Maple and Vine and decided to have lunch before the play.  (BTW – the play was an interesting one; the plot different than most plays put on by the Cygnet, and quite enjoyable.)

Ro, one of our members who just happens to be the reason for our theater outings, had a discount ticket at “Fred’s Mexican Café” and we decided to go there instead of the regular places we usually eat.   [Read more…]

Gardening Is the New Front Porch in America

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By Susan Taylor

Gardening is the new front porch in America. Scratch not too deeply and we all have agricultural roots from someone, somewhere. San Diego is growing veggies in the front yard, the back yard, a community garden or even on someone else’s property. The “new” hot landscaping is called edible landscaping. Take a walk and look around. See any lettuce, chard or grapevines next to the sidewalk, near the front door?   [Read more…]

LGBT Leaders to Call for San Diego County Clerk’s Resignation

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By Doug Porter

Leaders of the local LGBT community will call for the resignation of County Clerk Earnest Dronenburg on Tuesday, presenting documentation they say proves he overstepped his legal authority, violated his oath of office and imposed his religious views on marriage into his non-partisan office.

Following the US Supreme Court decision that effectively overturned California Proposition 8 (banning same sex marriages) last summer, Dronenburg petitioned the state supreme court to issue a a writ of mandate requesting that the state hold off on issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Dronenburg said he wanted remove “uncertainty,” telling a reporter from UT-San Diego “I still have a reservation about what happens if in the final decision, the court decides that gay marriages aren’t legal,” he said. “Then we’ve set up all these people to having to tell them that their marriages aren’t legal. I just wanted a time-out.”

Except that wasn’t what was really happening.   [Read more…]

Calls Intensify for Obama to Fulfill Campaign Promise on GMO Labeling

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Members of congress, farmers and businesses await response from president

By Elizabeth Kucinich / Center for Food Safety

When polled, 93 percent of the American public said they supported the labeling of genetically engineered food and ingredients. Sixty-four countries already have GMO labeling standards.

A morning press conference offered a beacon of hope for farmers and activists on Capitol Hill today as members of Congress and 200 organizations demanded Obama fulfill his 2007 campaign promises to label GMOs.   [Read more…]

Restaurant Review: El Cuervo Taco Shop

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By Judi Curry

Restaurant Review
EL CUERVO TACO SHOP
110 West Washington St.
San Diego, CA 92103
619-295-9713

Several weeks ago I did a restaurant review of “Ortiz’s” in Pt. Loma.  Michael, one of the readers of the review wrote that he thought that “El Cuervo” was one of the best Mexican restaurants in town.  In fact, he said, “ . . . El Cuervo Taco Shop in Hillcrest.  Everything cooked to order and prepared as if grandmother was in the kitchen.   The Veggie Burrito ROCKS!!!  The Carnitas Burrito and the Pibil Burrito are both excellent too.  Have fun.”

“Go.  Now.  Eat!”   [Read more…]

Restaurant Review: Ortiz’s Taco Shop

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Ortiz’s Taco Shop
3704 Voltaire
San Diego, CA 92107
619-222-4476

By Judi Curry

Interim Mayor Todd Gloria has promised to send authentic Mexican food to Denver Mayor Michael Hancock in the event that the Chargers lose the game this Sunday. As an aficionado of such cuisine, I was amazed to see the three restaurants Gloria selected: Ortiz’s Taco Shop in Point Loma, Lolita’s Taco Shop in Kearny Mesa and Mama Testa Taqueria in Hillcrest.

So I called two of my friends – Ro and Irene – and asked them if they would like to join me in reviewing these three restaurants – one at a time, of course.   [Read more…]

Restaurant Review: Seasons 52

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By Judi Curry

I have heard about this restaurant ever since it opened.  It prides itself on items that are less than 475 calories, no matter what it is, from flatbreads to appetizers, to small salads, entrée salads, fish and seafood, poultry and meat, and even their desserts.

When my daughter Michele called and asked me if I wanted to join her and my grandson Cody I jumped at the chance.  Cody made reservations on-line, and our wait for a table was less than 5 minutes, even though we were early and one person that was going to join us was unable to do so.  Both Cody and Michele had been here before.

The following is taken directly from their on-line page:  “We use natural cooking techniques such as wood-fire grilling, brick-oven cooking, and caramelizing vegetables to let the natural flavors shine through.  And we execute precision with seasoning, and oil with control and care to ensure just the right amount is used to bring out the great flavor profiles.  An added benefit to this style is that our menu items are naturally lower in calories.  In fact, we make a promise that nothing on our menu is over 475 calories.  The result is great tasting, highly satisfying food that just so happens to be good for you!”  NOTE:  They do not have butter in the kitchen nor on the table!   [Read more…]

Restaurant Review: Pear’s Thai Cuisine

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By Judi Curry

My children frequently do not like to go out to a restaurant with me if they think there is a possibility that I may review that restaurant. However, my youngest, Stephanie, has been touting “Pear’s” restaurant ever since they opened and was time to see what she was talking about.

The restaurant was hard to find. It is one block behind Aero Drive – even though the address is on Aero – and skirts John Montgomery Drive to the north. It is actually off of “Gibbs” street in a small strip mall that is easy to overlook. In spite of the location, I was amazed at the number of people that came to the restaurant to pick up take out orders. In the hour that we were there, I counted 7 take-out orders, plus the walk-ins that actually ate in the restaurant. Perhaps that is because you can order on-line, and they also have a delivery service. The restaurant has six tables, with most seating 4 patrons, although there are two for two people only.   [Read more…]

A Taste of Colombia on Imperial Avenue: Antojitos Colombianos

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By Avital Aboody

If you’ve eaten on Imperial Avenue before, you’ve probably enjoyed some great tacos or perhaps pupusas. But you might not know about the newest gem on the corridor: “Antojitos Colombianos,” the first and only Colombian restaurant in San Diego. The doors at 2851 Imperial Avenue opened for business in January 2012, and this home-grown restaurant has been happily providing customers with a truly authentic Colombian experience ever since.

The owner of “Antojitos Colombianos,” Javier Rodriguez, is from Cali, Colombia. He moved to San Diego 28 years ago to study business at San Diego City College, and then decided to build his life here. Javier capitalized on his previous experience in hotel management, as well as his love for food, and spent the next twenty years managing various restaurants. In 2005 he got together with a couple of Italian friends and opened his first business, a continental restaurant in La Jolla.   [Read more…]

Save the Turkeys

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Our fast-growing, heavy-breasted birds can’t even mate anymore.

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It’s odd that the most iconic feature of Thanksgiving — the turkey — is likely the most unnatural. It’s got competition, of course, from the jellied cranberry sauce that retains the shape of its can and various food products sold in boxes marked “Just Add Water.”

(Really, is it so hard to mash potatoes yourself, especially given their divine taste and creamy texture after you’ve added in all the cream and butter required?)

But it’s the turkey that takes the cake. Not that most of us would know that, since the last time most of us met a turkey was in a sandwich, not on a farm.   [Read more…]

For the Love of Food: Mapo Tofu

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By Melissa Phy / For the Love the Food

As a lover of food, there’s nothing better than meeting someone with the same kind of affinity for all-things edible. “You like cow tongue?! I like cow tongue!”

I’m a lucky person. My most recent job had me meeting new people everyday and I’ve been fortunate enough to stay in touch with some of those awesome people. The reason they’re so awesome? They’re FFAs (Fellow Food Appreciators… and, since they hail from Ramona, probably also Future Farmers of America).

Remember my good friend D who miraculously paired pomegranate seeds with spinach and bacon? Well, his dad (Dan) made something recently I had never heard of: Mapo Tofu.   [Read more…]

Who Deserves Our Thanks for Truly American Food?

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Until 1492, Europeans had never tried potatoes, cranberries, corn, or turkey.

By  / OtherWords.org

What do turkey, sweet potatoes, and cranberries have in common?

Yes, you eat them on Thanksgiving. Additionally, they are all distinctly American foods. So are potatoes and the corn in your corn bread.

Believe it or not, the day that Columbus blundered into the Americas back in 1492, Europeans (and Asians and Africans) had none of those foods.

Thanksgiving is perhaps the one day a year when we Americans celebrate with truly American food.   [Read more…]

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