I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a food snob after living in New York for four years. But it’s not just about the quality of food; sometimes it’s about that feeling of dinnerbeing the main event. San Diego is decidedly more casual and far less rabid about its food scene than New Yorkers, but it was like a breath of fresh air to eat at Bencotto in Little Italy this week. It was there that I finally felt that same excitement about eating out.
Bathed in red and black colors (my favorite combo!), Bencotto has that inviting feel like it would be perfectly acceptable to settle into a four-hour dinner. The longer, the better in my opinion. It’s the kind of place where you wouldn’t seem out of place for getting dolled up, and frankly, I had been missing that now that I work from home and log more time in sweatpants than jeans. So thank, you, Bencotto, for giving my skirts and heels some air-time.
Northern California may have Napa and wine, but Southern California has San Diego and beer — beer (hoppy in particular) that’s won accolades and microbreweries that have earned international recognition. Eaman had been to a couple without me, but with my friend Katy in town this past week I finally had a chance to see what all the fuss was about.
Let me first put it out there that I don’t like beer. I don’t enjoy drinking at all actually. I once did, but those were different times when I could go clubbing until 4am, eat Taco Bell and then wake up to study for a psychology exam the next day. Now I have trouble even smelling the stuff. So why am I even telling you about breweries? Well, 1. They’re a staple of San Diego culture, 2. I had a trio of taste-testers at my disposal and 3. These microbreweries are such interesting set-ups that it’s fun to check out even if you’re not imbibing. Many, including the ones we went to, are located in industrial parks in the suburbs. The reason being that the space is large and rent cheap enough. But since these breweries are a happy hour favorite, people are basically going from one office building to the next. If you build it, they will come I guess.
We started at AleSmith, a smaller operation located in Miramar where you can see a few barrels and try saucily named drinks. (Most 4 oz. samples are $1.) Our friend Mike, who has lived in SD for a number of years and counts AleSmith as his favorite, is fond of the Grand Cru, while Eaman liked the Old Numbskull. What did I like? The enormous, beautiful, gentle Newfoundland, Jake, who seems to be something of a brew house pet.
If you didn’t already know, traveling for 13 months and then picking up and starting fresh in a new place do not come cheap. Our tight budgets mean a lot of meals at home, but when we got a buy one-get one coupon in the mail from Burger Lounge’s Hillcrest location, I did a little happy dance. A restaurant outing, hooray!
I knew it’d be worth our time and precious money because the Yelp reviews were stellar. After Eaman and I devoured the signature Lounge Burger, we concur: This was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had*. Great quality grass-fed meat, fluffy buns, Mexican cola (meaning it’s made with real sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup) and BBQ sauce prepared with chipotle and freshly brewed coffee. Isn’t that crazy? Crazy delicious.
*I generally eat vegetarian except for burgers, meatballs, and beef hot dogs. It’s strange and I can only chalk it up to my love for “fun” foods. If you’re veg, Burger Lounge also offers a quinoa patty.
The beauty of working on a few freelance projects from home right now is that we have the flexibility to take a morning walk, get some Vitamin D and try a new cafe before getting back to work/job-hunting. My friend recommended Cafe Bassam in Banker’s Hill for its kitschy, flea market-style decor and huge selection of loose-leaf teas. If there’s anything that’s occupied my daydreams as of late, it’s strange knick-knacks and flea markets, so I fit right into this weird, beautiful place. And in case you’re wondering, yes, owner Bassam has been known to sell some of the pieces in his cafe to customers.
Yesterday morning, we shared a latte and almond-raisin-cranberry scone at Bassam. Both were a nice morning treat, but I’m still on the hunt for my Gimme Coffee replacement. (I miss it so!) But I did fall for the warm, Euro vibe and would love to come back with a book and cup of tea. No wifi here, folks, but in my opinion, that’s a wonderful thing.
