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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Wine Steals Review (Cardiff By Sea Restaurants)


Pricing:
Another one of those "artisan" food places (I have theories about that word related to cost).  The food menu consists mostly of pizza, wraps and cheese/meat plates.  You're going to be spending about $25 per  food item (per pizza or per cheese plate).  But the food is kind of an afterthought.  Most people go here to drink.  The wine here ranges from $10-50 with the average bottle being about $17.

Distance:
A Cardiff By Sea restaurant.  Right off San Elijo Ave. and very close to Birmingham as an intersection.  Right next to the Jack in the Box if you're familiar with the area.  5-10 minute drive for most Encinitas people.

Thoughts:  
This place is overpriced.  The pizza is almost forgivable but $25 for a cheese board containing a few sparse chunks of cheese is just ridiculous.  The wine they sell is average.  If you know a little about wine you can find a decent bottle for a good price but most of the options there are little more than table wine.

But, I won't deny that it's a fun environment.  After 5pm most evenings it gets pretty crowded.  On Friday and Saturday nights it's packed and very much a single's bar type of scene.  So you go for the experience.  It's by the beach, it has a great view at sunset... not a bad way to get a buzz and have relaxed conversation with friends.  

If you're not into the overly crowded bar scene, the best time to go to Wine Steals in the afternoon around 3:30 or 4.  No one is there and you can have your pick of table or couch and just hang out drinking wine.  Then it doesn't really matter how crowded it gets later because you've already claimed your spot.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Cottage Review (La Jolla Restaurants)


Pricing:  
A cute but pricey little breakfast/lunch/dinner place.  Breakfast ranges $10-12.  Lunch is going to be more $12-15.  Dinner starts heading to the $18-22.  The portions are satisfying and tasty but not enormous.  Expect salads and panini for your $12 at lunch.

Distance:
A La Jolla restaurant.  It's right off Prospect St. (as most things are in La Jolla).  From Encinitas, it only takes about 15 minutes to drive to the La Jolla Blvd. exit on the freeway.  Depending on the time of day you go, getting into La Jolla can take a whole lot longer.

Thoughts:
I like this place though it would never be somewhere I go on a regular basis due to the whole price/portions issue.  But the food is very good and is definitely the kind of place I would go to with my mom or friends to have a meal and chat.  

Though it's not a kid-friendly breakfast place, it has a somewhat relaxed environment in the afternoon.  I like that it's slightly away from the main La Jolla streets so you can sit outside and still hear the person you're with speak.

At night, The Cottage goes from a girl gossip haunt to more date-night.  It cleans up nicely and the wine selection is good.  A perfect place to spend an evening getting to know someone.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Casa de Bandini Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)


Pricing:
The full size entrees cost $10-15 apiece.  The enormous fish bowl sized margaritas are about $5-8 apiece.

Distance:
A Carlsbad restaurant.  Though I count this portion of Carlsbad as part of Encinitas.  It's in The Forum shopping center.  Right off Encinitas Blvd., you can use either Lucadia or Calle Barcelona to enter this mall.

Thoughts:
Formerly a fixture in Old Town, Casa de Bandini moved to Carlsbad and got a face lift.  The atmosphere changed ever so slightly from Old Town charming to suburbia dining.  But it's still a fun place to go.  The waitresses walk around wearing flamenco outfits and expect to be serenaded during your meal by the resident mariachi band.

The food is good but could best be described as generic Mexican.  It's really not all that different from El Torito or Garcia's flavor-wise.  One nice thing about this place is that they do have whole parts of their menu devoted to various diet needs such as vegetarian or gluten-free. 

I only have one major gripe about Casa de Bandini: they barely put any alcohol in their margaritas.  Yes, they serve fish bowl sized drinks.  But it's basically just a really expensive slurpee.  And it's not just me.  I have been to this place with people who barely drink at all and were actually worried about ordering a margarita so large.  Every single person ends up saying "is there any booze at all in this?"  I feel kind of ripped off on this point.  I mean, this place is making money hand over fist.  Skimping on the booze is just tacky.

Other than the questionable margaritas, I enjoy going to this restaurant.  It has a fun atmosphere that makes it a perfect outing on a warm evening (good patio seating).  Do keep in mind that there is almost always a wait there of at least twenty minutes.  So plan accordingly.