I have to come clean…

I just can’t do long, belabored restaurant reviews any more. Sorry about that. I feel like it’s more “me” and more useful to just write a few sentences of my overall impressions, whether I’d recommend it or not, our stand-out dishes, and stuff like that. I find that I dread writing about every single detail to the point where I don’t blog anything at all about our meals. And that just won’t do. So I’m introducing the new “Zen” look at where we eat.

So on that note, here’s a quick-and-dirty roundup of where we’ve eaten lately:

Red Pearl Kitchen in the Gaslamp - Definitely fun for groups, good service, cool decor, yummy but too salty food. Best dish was the Flash-Roasted Edamame. I wish I could make edamame like that at home! Perfectly seasonsed, toasty taste, served warm, totally kicked-up notches. If the chef would turn the saltiness level down quite a bit, they could have a winner here.

Trattoria Ponte Vecchio in Del Mar - Overlooking the lagoons of Torrey Pines and the sunset on clear days, this is a sweet little Italian place that my friend Mary introduced me to. I believe ownership changed hands over the past year and Mary (who was a fond regular of the former establishment) said that the cuisine is actually improved now. I ordered the handmade gnocchi with a delicious, perfectly spiced Bolognese sauce. The beef carpacchio and salmon special also got high marks from my friends. The space couldn’t be cozier and the service was warm. And I like this restaurant even more now that I just read how the chef aims to use fresh, locally grown, organic ingredients. Even better! My husband raved about the leftovers and wants to go back himself some time soon.

Shien of Osaka in Rancho Bernardo - We were lucky enough to be treated to dinner last night at Shien of Osaka by a friend who’s Japanese and she hooked us up with all the best dishes straight off the all-Japanese menu. Can’t believe we’ve never been there before! Also we sat in this cool little private room that was really cozy and seats 8. Great for getting to chat and really focus on who you’re with. Favorite dish: the toro maki sprinkled with green onions. Also, I’m a new fan of unfiltered sake. Sign me up any time!

Arrivederci in Hillcrest - We ended up at this Italian place on the same day that Italy won the World Cup which was fun and fortuitous. The waiters dyed their hair and painted their faces to match the Italian team’s uniforms, wine was flowing generously, and everyone was in a great mood. Their thin-crust pizza merits a return trip and I like the locale because it’s just a short walk away from the hecticness of the heart Hillcrest. Oh, and I just read in San Diego Magazine today that Arrivederci was voted Best Italian in San Diego. Hhmmm, who knew?

But I do have one place that special in my heart that merits a more in-depth look and that will come soon. I’ll just hint that it’s a damn good burger joint and I’ve been going there since before I was born (in my mommy’s tummy) Aww… how cute!

Stay cool, foodies!