Zenbu Sushi Bar & Restaurant Review (Cardiff by Sea Restaurants))

Pricing:
Ridiculous for what you're getting.  They clearly feel justified in charging you extra for the hip atmosphere.  The cheapest sushi you can purchase here is $8-10.  Yes, it's $8 for California or Philadelphia rolls.  To give you perspective, standard rolls such as these are $4.50-6 at pretty much every other sushi place.


Distance:
Right on the corner of San Elijo Ave and Birmingham.  So very close to most Encinitas residents.  A 5-10 minute picturesque drive.


Thoughts:
I was thoroughly unimpressed with this place.  Unless you walk in looking like a high-roller, don't expect your water glass to be refilled.  Ever.  Or even a polite, "May I get you anything else?"

With an extremely sparse sushi menu (you call yourself a sushi bar) that contains all over-priced items, the only thing really going for this place is the atmosphere.  They definitely did a good job making it feel like you're at a party "scene."  The large fish tank is cool and it's fun having both bar and cozy VIP-like booths.

But you know what?  I came to this place to eat, not party.  I feel like it would actually be better if they just advertised themselves as a bar and they happened to have some sushi snacks you could buy.  Because that's essentially what you're getting.

The food was fresh but not exactly flavorful.  At these prices I expect at least a signature dish or sauce.  Sometime to make me go, "Well, that was expensive but so good!"

After ordering three rolls and a bottle of sake, my boyfriend and I were out $65 and still feeling hungry. I feel like there are just too many other sushi options out there to make Zenbu a worthwhile dining experience.

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.

Beachside Bar & Grill Review (Encinitas Restaurants)

Pricing:  

Most of your selections will range from $8-12 per plate.  As most of the entrees are essentially "finger foods" (panini, pizza, etc...), this is actually not a bad place to go during happy hour and just ordering a bunch of appetizers as your meal.

Distance:  

An Encinitas restaurant.  On the highway 101.  Close to Encinitas Blvd.  Takes about 5-10 minutes to get there.

Thoughts:  

Very much a laid back bar type environment.  While many of the restaurants on the 101 are more "date night," this place is definitely more "game night."  With a TV easily viewed from most angles in the restaurant and a nice open air feel, it's not a bad way to go.

This place is a bar.  So it has more than five beers to choose from which is nice.  As I mentioned in the pricing section, going during happy hour is a really good deal.  Order some nachos, soup and chicken tenders (all on their appetizer menu) and you'll have a pretty substantial meal in front of you that is easily shared.

Beachside Bar & Grill is a fun place to go with friends and just hang out for a few hours.  But definitely don't take the friends that are on some sort of health food/no soy/gluten free kind of diet.  They won't find much to eat here.