Which Wich Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)

Pricing:

They boast all over the restaurant that no matter which "wich" you pick it's $5.  But there's a lot of fine print to this.  If you want a slightly bigger sandwich or, say, a drink, you're going to be reasonably spending about $8 per person for lunch.

Distance:

Located in the Forum shopping center in Carlsbad.  5-10 minute drive for Encinitas residents.  Unless you get stuck in El Camino Real traffic.  Then it will take 20-30 minutes.

Thoughts:

I like Which Wich enough to be a repeat customer.  But I go there knowing that it's a slight rip-off.  Yes, the sandwiches are only $5 but so are the sandwiches at every other sub sandwich place.  $5 foot long, anyone?  So you basically are getting a sandwich that is the same price as everywhere else but is a lot smaller.  You do feel full when done.  But one still can't help but go "hmm...."

In their defense, I do feel like the ingredients are a lot more fresh than, say, Subway.  The toasted feature is also nice. In no way do I feel like this is a spin on Quiznos.  Which Wich is definitely its own flavor experience.

This particular location is a good one.  It's located in a higher end shopping plaza and has some nice outdoor seating which is a refreshing change from the sterile environment sub places usually boast.  Plus, it's right next door to a Cold Stone and a toy store.  So not at all a bad option for kids and adults alike.

The Fish Market Review (Solana Beach Restaurants)

Pricing:
Decent considering that they're selling fresh seafood.  Much will depend on what you feel like eating (lobster vs. salmon) and if it's in season or not.  Most of the entrees range from $16-28.


Distance:
Right off of the Via de la Valle exit.  About a 10-15 minute drive for Encinitas residents.


Thoughts:
I really enjoy The Fish Market.  Yes, it's a chain seafood restaurant but I think it's fair to say that you would never guess it walking in to any of locations.  The Solana Beach branch has been around forever.  Off the top of my head, I can't think of a better place around here to eat seafood (fish tacos don't count).

You wouldn't want to waltz in still covered in beach sand but the environment is very laid back.  I have a hard time enjoying myself at restaurants that feel a little too formal.  The Fish Market always feels cozy and friendly.

The food is fantastic but you have to like seafood.  Don't expect a whole lot of non-seafood options.  The entrees are filling all by themselves but many of their appetizers are just too tasty to pass up.  They have excellent clam chowder, shrimp cocktails, artichokes, etc...  They'll also do seasonal appetizers such as corn on the cob which I think is a nice touch.

When it's Del Mar Fair and Horse Racing seasons, this restaurant can be difficult to get into (it's right across the street from said locations).  Expect a 30 minute wait during those times.  The rest of the year, it's usually fairly easy to get seated.

Joey's Smokin' BBQ Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)

Pricing:

Not too bad.  Most of the entrees (pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, etc...) are about $8.  Every entree includes a side of your choice.  

Distance:

It's in the La Costa shopping center cornered by El Camino Real and Aviara Parkway.  Takes about 15 minutes to drive to from Encinitas.

Thoughts:

I confess that I have pretty high standards when it comes to barbeque.  I have visited Kansas City numerous times so I've had the original stuff.  The cooked-with-sauce-that-probably-was-made-in-the-Civil-War kind of original bbq.  And once you've gone to that level it's tough to look imitators in the eye.  But I do try because I like bbq.

Joey's Smokin' BBQ is not the original stuff.  It's not even good stuff.  It's corporate stuff.    The service was mediocre at best.  There's a soulless attempt at creating a Southern farm atmosphere.  And the food was average at best.  The whole experience was just... depressing.

I really can't see this place lasting.  There's no trademark sauce or anything that would make it remotely memorable.  Plus, there are a dozen other places where you could get pulled pork or ribs; practically every brewery restaurant serves them.

The only upside that I can see to Joey's is that it's cheap.  So I guess if you're looking for a lunch place and you don't feel like Subway, this could be an okay option.

Chart House Review (Cardiff by Sea Restaurants)

Pricing:
Expensive.  With fresh fish, steak and lobster, you could hardly expect otherwise.  Most of the entrees are between $20-32.


Distance:
A Cardiff restaurant on the Highway 101.  Right across the street from Las Olas.  Will be about a 10 minute drive for most Encinitas residents.


Thoughts:
The Chart House is practically a landmark in the Encinitas/Cardiff area.  It's kind of the go-to nice restaurant around here.  Yes, there is plenty of nice dining in Del Mar or La Jolla.  But in Encinitas, you go to Chart House to spend the big bucks.

The food is fantastic, the service is great and the view is unparalleled.  With windows on practically all sides of the restaurant, there's not a bad seat in the house.  Sometimes it seems like the food is just there to add to the view rather than the other way around.

Sure, you'll be forking over the big bucks to eat here.  But if you're celebrating a special occasion, it's really a classy way to go.  I've never had a meal here I didn't like.  The menu has a nice range of selection so there's sure to be something to please everyone.  Plus, their chocolate lava cake is died-and-gone-to-heaven delicious.

I would highly recommend making a point to visit the Chart House at least once if you haven't.  As I said before, it makes for a classy special occasion.  For everyday dining?  You'd have to have a lot more money than I.

Elevation Burger Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)

Pricing:

The burgers themselves are $4-6.  So slightly more than going to McDonald's.  Slightly less than going to a sit down burger joint like The Counter.  The french fries are separate and cost about $3.  A single order of fries is definitely large enough to share.

Distance:

In that same new Carlsbad (La Costa) shopping center as Tommy V's.  It takes about 20 minutes to get to whether you take back roads or the freeway.

Thoughts:

It was kind of strange walking into this place.  It felt like I had just entered a parallel universe and Elevation Burger was what they called their Five Guys.  Because it was Five Guys.  Only it was blue and not red.  And there weren't any peanuts.

The format was exactly the same "build it yourself" high end fast food style.  There are posters everywhere with pictures of cows and farms that boast over how organic their meat is.  Whatever.  If the meat was that organic they wouldn't be charging only $4 for it.

But I digress.  I admit, I liked this place more than Five Guys.  It was less greasy and more flavorful.  The fries were freshly cut and cooked.  I also appreciated the fact that their milkshakes contained actual fruit (it was frozen fruit, but still).

The major drawback to Elevation Burger is the out-of-the-way-deep-La-Costa location.  Yes, I liked it more than Five Guys.  But was it so much better that it warrants a twenty minute drive...?  No.  If I was in the area, however, I would definitely seek it out again.

Tommy V's Urban Kitchen and Bar Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)

Pricing:
This is one of those places where the appetizers will get ya.  At $9-12 for snackage, it costs almost as much as their entrees which run in the $12-18.


Distance:
Nestled in the La Costa part of Carlsbad which means that there's no quick way to get there.  From the freeway it takes 20 minutes to get there because you have to drive on Palomar Airport Road for awhile.  Even if you opt for a non-freeway route it will still take about 20 minutes to drive to from Encinitas because it's impossible to hit every light green.  Trust me, I've tried.


Thoughts:
I was actually kind of pleasantly surprised by this place.  I admit, I approached it with a skeptical eyebrow raised.  It's in a newly developed commercial area in La Costa that seems to want to give off an "urban trendy" vibe.  I'm extremely wary of trendy restaurants because it usually just means below average food for a higher than average price.

Part of my theory rang true with Tommy V's.  The prices are slightly higher than they probably really should be.  Especially considering that the portions are, well, average.  However, the food is quite good.  Though this is not a strictly Italian restaurant, they do offer quite a few Italian dishes.  The lasagna that I had was better than a lot of Italian-only places I've tried.

I will also give Tommy V's points for having some interesting dishes.  I find it refreshing to have a choice of both classic food options and options with a little bit of a "spin" on them (such as a salad with duck on top).

I also wasn't at all disappointed with their appetizers even though they were a bit on the expensive side.  With a large portion of this restaurant devoted to an enormous bar counter, you can tell it caters to an after-work crowd.

So I will admit that Tommy V's didn't entirely fall into the trendy trap.  And despite the dubious "urban kitchen" title (I mean, what the heck does that even mean?) the food is tasty.  Definitely worth a shot if you want to try and mix up your regular restaurant rotation list.

Buon Appetito Review (San Diego Restaurants)

Pricing:

This place is a hole-in-the-wall but it ain't cheap.  Most of the dishes are $12-18.  Throw in a few glasses of wine, appetizer and one of their fantastic desserts and it will make quite a dent in your bank account.

Distance:

In the Little Italy portion of downtown San Diego.  It's on India Street.  From Encinitas it takes about 20-30 minutes to drive there traffic permitting.

Thoughts:

I love eating in the Little Italy area of San Diego.  It's just so much fun.  There are a ton of really good places to eat but Buon Appetito definitely is one of the better ones.

Be warned that if you choose to dine here it will not be a quick in-and-out experience.  There's almost always a wait around dinner time due to the limited seating.  You can't call ahead.  The only way to put your name down on their list is to do so in person.  The seating host(ess) will call you when it's your turn so you can wander around a bit and go get a coffee.  If they call you up and your whole party is not present, they won't seat you.  So just be mentally prepared to wait.

That aside, the food is fantastic.  It's good Italian food as opposed to "chain restaurant" Italian food.  There's more of an emphasis on flavor rather than quantity.  I've tried a variety of items on their menu from soup to fish to pasta and I've yet to be disappointed.

Though people get a little dressed up to go here, the atmosphere is still fun and relaxed.  Many of the waiters seem to be imported straight from Italy which adds to the dining experience.  Italians consider it very rude to rush someone's eating.  So despite the large number of people trying to get into the place, you never feel rushed out once you're seated.