Howdy!
SF post got me thinking about old restaurants in SD and wondering which ones are still around?
Albie's Beef Inn in Mission Valley comes to mind and Bully's East..and the beloved Bali Hai..
If you ever watch Ken Kramer's About San Diego on KPBS, he will hit one of the old places every couple of weeks. I will add Chicken Pie Shop, Filippi's, and the Marine Room. And I think they may been around longer than your three. The Pie Shop moved, I think, in the 50's, The Marine Room has been renovated, but I don't think Filippi's has changed much sinse it opened.
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Marine Room Restaurant
2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037
I'll add Old Trieste, Anthony's, Niederfranks (okay, that's not a restaurant but their ice cream's been around a long time), Nicolosi's has been around for 50+ years. FWIW, Hob Nob Hill and Mr. A's, the Westgate, El Indio, Tony's Jacal, Posiden, and the Grove Bakery.
I'm pretty sure I can come up with more if I think about it.
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Tony's Jacal
621 Valley Ave, Solana Beach, CA 92075
Hob Nob Hill
2271 1st Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Old Trieste Restaurant
2335 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
I was at Albies last weekend, just for drinks and appetizers. Closed the place down with some friends. I had never eaten there before. The artichoke was just about the worst I've ever had -- boiled to a soggy, limp and overly acidulated mush. The calamari was better -- a pounded steak, fried with a light breading and covered with a too lemony sauce. But the martinis are fine as is the singer.
Crown Room (Sunday Brunch)
Restaurants at La Valencia since 1926
Hob Knob Hill 1944
Tony Jacal 1946
Red Tracton's established 1948
La Especial Del Norte
Grant Grill established 1951
Red Sails Inn established 1957
Old Trieste
Harry's Coffee Shop 1960
Red Fox Steakhouse
Imperial House early 70's (feels older)
Lubach's . . . oh, wait.
I don't think there was a finer restaurant than Lubach's. Many a memory was made there. I lived in Los Angeles but handled court cases in San Diego. Impressed girlfriends with Lubach's and the mock turtle soup and the duck in Montmorency.
Ran across a Lubach's menu from 1976 and see that the mock turtle soup was $1.25. The lobster Newburg and thermidor were both $9.50.
Would love to, but it's in a book published that year called "San Diego Restaurant Menus", and I don't think it would be legal, copyright-wise. (No, I didn't steal an actual Lubach's menu back in '76.)
I had several restaurants that are in the table of contents circled; this is one of them. It was fun looking back -- hadn't looked at (or even run across) this dusty old paperback in decades.
They were temporarily closed for a bit when the prior operator left in the hands of another relative, all from the same family as the original founder. So as far as I know it never left the original family's hands.
Anyway before they reopened, now quite a while ago, I had a chance to talk with the new operator, apparently an Uncle of the former operator. He said that when he takes it back he'll re-introduce the founder's original Carnitas recipe. Apparently he felt that they had deviated a bit and he was keen to bringing the old recipes back... ...not that I ever noticed... They've always been good...
They're still in the same 'ole spot in Barrio Logan, right across the street from the Fruitlandia...
I think the closing was temporary. Sounds like a field trip is in order to verify.
I used to eat there a LOT when I worked on Newton Street. I'd grab a dozen of their freshly cooked harina tortillas, or a couple of their little mixto carnitas burritos -- just homemade carnitas, a dab of beans, and some salsa. Crazy good.
Hi, I have finally found out how to post to the one I am trying to reply to. Finally. Sorry to you all.
Yes, Hungry Hunter back then, took over when the Big Yellow House went out of business. Remember that? They always did have good chicken. At Hungry Hunter, I always thought it was special that they would bring that little revolving tray, like a little salad bar, to your table and you could choose what ingreds you wanted in your salad. The steaks were great. I think Mission Valley is the last one left and haven't eaten there in over 10 years. Bye
As for Las Quatras Milpas, small menu, dive, best, best food, hot, hot sauce, not salsa. GO, GO NOW, get there early. L
Hi Magic,
Thanks, I didn't know. I only go up there to Carlsbad once a year for the flowers. I forget the name of the place, and then pick strawberries down the street at the U Pick.
Or if I am going to Anaheim to the Park or to visit my best friend.
Your friend just made a reply to one of my posts. He said you used to work at Lido's a long time ago. I have eaten there all my life. We must have met. How long did you work there? When did you stop? I don't know how to tell you where to look for that post. He said he used to go there for lunch, so something, and you were a bus boy? Try to find that post, you would enjoy reading it I think.
Best, Lindy
Hi Magic,
I don't even know how to log in. I just reply to the Emails they send me.
Do you still eat there?
If so, go look for my daughter's picture. It's a fruit still life. I am so sorry we lost the origional in our house fire 12 years ago, but we had copies, so that is good. She is about ready to get her degree in art and then who knows? I would love to be 24 again with my whole life ahead of me. Okay, off topic.
Now I need their pizza. Lucky me, I have some in my freezer from 3 weeks ago : )
Bye, L
Morning Magic,
Have you ever tried Lorna's Italian on Govenor Drive (about 1 mile west of the 805)? It in a large, 3 sided strip mall. They have really great food. The only thing that is not great is the spag. marinara. The pasta Bolognese is the best I have ever had. It comes with a different pasta, but I always get it with angel hair. They mix the meat with spicy sau. so it has a bit of a bite.
It is not a really old SD rest. But I have been eating there, for about 20 years. Don't know when they opened. Most of the staff has been there a very long time. They have two kitchens, one for hot, one for cold. The chopped antipasto is also very good. Even their house salad is good with that homemade dressing and toppings. My daughter likes the pizza. I have tried many of the chicken dishes. Medium priced. Very excellent service!They recently changed their bread after all these years, and it is SO good. Better than before.
Have a great day, Lindy
What is your favorite Italian?
I have never heard of, nor tried Lorna's. Thanks for the tip! I love Italian, and could eat it 8 nights a week if I could.
I love, love, love "raw" sauce, or marinara and make it all the time. We grow tomatoes in season, bad always "can" as many jars as I can. I sauté raw peeled garden tomatoes - do a rough grind in the food processor then sauté with fresh garlic and sweet - yellow-onions, cool off and use my food saver and " preserve" in large jars then freeze. A great base to a great sauce. I will add all kinds of veggies -yellow squash, zucchini, etc and build a sauce from there. Our preference is angle hair but also enjoy rigatoni. How about you Miss L?
Hi Magic,
Please try Lorna's. You won't be disapointed. We all like different kinds of sauces. Because, I personally, don't like their marinara, doesn't mean you won't. Just don't start there. Try the Bol. I told you about. And I BET, if you ask real nice : ) ,they would give you a little taste of the marinara. The Bol., they make up fresh for every order. They must make the marinara ahead of time. They have two dining areas, one in the front as you enter and then one on the other side. Like they took the next space over, it is a strip mall. In the next seating area is where the hot kitchen is. It is where the tables for the larger parties are. I bet if you asked they would seat you there by the kitchen. I don't know about you, but I just love to sit and watch anyone cook in an open kitchen. They make most of their sauces fresh as an order comes in. I think you would have fun watching too. They make their pizzas in the back of the front dining room where the cold stuff is.
I also have canned sauce. I usually put it in freezer gallon baggies (2 cups) so it will lay flat and I can stack them. I couldn't this year, health problems, but we had about 6 plants. They didn't do as good as past years. Especially the grape and cherry tomatoes. They had tough skins. And we got no where as many as in the past. Last year we had a bumper crop of blackberries, and this year was about 1/4 of that. Sometimes it is just like that. Actually, now that I am thinking about it, the zuccini, all the squashes, nothing was as good as last year. I planted some asperagus. That takes a couple of years to really get going good. I had a house once, where I could pick 3/4 lb. a day of pencil asp. every day for, maybe, 5 or 6 weeks. It built up to than and then went down, but I still picked every day. Now that was a treat!!! They grow very fast.
Your sauce sounds good. You use it as a 'base' for many things. So do I.
Bye for now, Miss L : )
We will try Lorna's in the near future. I am also growing asp, and in its second year. Looking forward to picking our own.
I love exhibition kitchens and have dined at many of them over the years. I lived in the Bay Area for years and they have any number of great food open kitchen. I have yet to find one here or in the area. Too bad. Just built a 3x6 ft raised bed and going to plant lettuce and some "winter" root vegs. Will be fun. I always have a garden growing. Have a great Sunday and root for the home team!
Morning Magic,
I wouldn't call Lorna's an exhibition kitchen really, like the fine restaurants you are remembering. This is just an open kitchen you can see and watch. Also Aladdin Cafe (Middle Eastern food) in Clairemont has an even better view. I will tell you about their food on another post soon. YUM And best view is Buca di Beppo. You get a reservation for their "Kitchen Table" and it is literally right in the kitchen. It is a big booth that can hold up to 6. There is only one booth there. There are two seatings you can reserve, I think 5 and 8. All the servers, well most of them, will stop and pause and tell you what they are holding, so you can see. Then off they go. It smells real strong like garlic in there, my favorite perfume : ) Their food is good, not excellent, but well worth going for the show.
I don't know how much you know about growing asp. so I will give you my 2 cents. Always cut the sprouts by at least, 12 inches. You do not want them to turn into fern leaves. That will slow down the growth of the plant. Below ground is spreading and spreading and you want it to, so you will get more and more asp. I only learned this by growing them. Every year, your crop will get bigger and bigger. Did you get to harvest any this year, I hope? When you do have some, just snip them at the ground. Mine used to only need one or two days from when they popped out of the ground until I cut them. They were mature plants though. The more you cut, the more they grow.
Have fun watching the game, Lindy
Hi Lindy, Thanks for the tip on the asp. I thought I read you should let them fern out and grow tall for the 1st year or so. I have not cut them back. Should I gut them to approx. one ft, etc? We have been to the kitchen table at Bucco's 3 times, and fun. Lot's of small "samples" as waitresses, etc. whizzed by. A fun night, but as you know too much food.
I spent the morning planting romaine lettuce,6 each, bell peppers, and more herbs. I have the perfect sunny side yard which is sunny almost all day so most everything grows well - provided I don't over water too much, which I seem to do. Take care.
OMM
Hi Magic,
Please do what you think is best. I was only talking from the point of having some. I guess, read some more, or call the place you buy your plants from.
Sounds like a fun morning, You must be west of me. I am by La Mesa. Where is your neighborhood? BTW, Romaine is my fav lettuce. I bet, since we won't get winter until the beginning of Dec. or so, you could put in some zucc or any squash to grow around the other plants, they sure spread out, and you could have some in 6 weeks? Good luck with your new garden.
Have fun! L
I welcome your input. I will cut the asp back tomorrow morning and see what we get. Everyone's positive opinion is welcomed
We live in a small non-gated private community called Bay Ridge on the top of the hill where the 94 crosses the 15. 160 homes built in 1980. We bought our home 5 years ago when I retired and did a 100% remodel. We had a condo in Mission Valley for 19 years.
Thanks for the tip on the asp. Difficult to grow "winter" veg in this climate.
Ps purchases the asp at Walmart in Lemon Grove.
Hi Magic,
From what happened to my asp., they go dormant in winter, ha (when it is colder)it is never colder. You could look it up, but cutting them to the ground, I think, is a good thing. You prob will not get much new growth this late in the year, but it will help for next year, I hope.
My asp. I got with a new home, it was trial and error. More error and learning, ha. Learning is always a good thing.
I used to live in Lemon Grove, long time ago. Not too far from you now. You are pretty close to Los Cuatros Milpas Mexican, have you ever been there?
It must be great to have a yard after being in a condo for so long.
Night, Lindy
Hi Magic,
I wrote this somewhere, who knows, before I learned how to post correctly.
When I was 19 I worked in a furniture warehouse a few blocks from there. Plus, I had to drive around to the stores, but barrio logan was my base. We would get take out from there every week. It was a BIG order. I was the asst. buyer for the chain. I had never had mexican like that before. Imagine, no guac? Unheard of. If you go early there is basically no line.
I had some friends visiting from New York and I took them there. A man and his daughter. They were Indian, from India, origionally. Vegetarian. Still plenty for them to choose from. They raved about the food. He never had eaten anything like it. They loved it. He took his camara back and took pictures of the ladies making the tortillas, many pictures, dozens. He went into the kitchen, not the tortilla one, the back one, and took pictures. He was about 50 then and he was like giddy. He went back and bought two huge containers of the hot sauce to take home when he was done, he loved it so much. I said it will be bad by the time you get to NY. He said, don't worry, we will boil it and it will be okay. I was worried. He wanted it for his wife who loved hot sauce and they never had anything like that before. (they didn't die) He hand carried it on the airplane. Much later, I learned those big chunks, you sometimes get in the hot sauce, are pork fat. I still feel guilty now. I didn't know, and he took it home.
Night, Lindy
Yes, we are long time patrons of Lorna's. Have been eating there since it opened in 1988 and even before that. Lorna's was actually imported from Santa Monica, where it was called Louise's (on 26th Street). Can't tell you how many times I ate and hung out at Louise's in the 80's (opened 1978). A bunch of our friends worked there as well. When Steve Stern (the owner) told us he was opening a new location in San Diego with the same menu as Louise's, we were overjoyed because we were attending college in SD.
Louise's eventually moved locations to Montana Ave and then morphed into something different with no ties to Lorna's or Steve. Lorna's, however has maintained the old Louise's menu and feel and is still owned by Steve as far as I know.
It is no frills solid Italian cooking for a decent price. Nothing fancy, just good home cooked Italian. The Tagliatelle Bolognese is a particular favorite. Chicken rigatoni in tomato cream sauce is another favorite (tomato cream sauce is very good). Calzones are just like old Louise's and super tasty as well.
The service however can leave something to be desired. Wildly inconsistent and it usually starts from the top down with Steve, the owner doing a Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde. Never know what kind of mood this guy will be in or what kind of service you will get. Usually everything is fine. Some times it's really, really good and we wonder why we haven't been eating there more often. A few other times we have left disappointed or worse, just pissed off. It probably hits more than it misses though.
At this point we would probably choose Godfather's for old school San Diego Italian 4 out of 5 times over Lorna's. That said we haven't been to either in over a year.
Hi, I used to eat at Charcoal House all the time. Haven't been there for at least 20 years. Food quality went down, fast. They used to have this most delicious dish, can't remember the name. It was a filet on a pan that is like the modern day fajita plate. The steak came out with this delicious sizzling sauce. It had, I would guess, congnac (sp?) shallots bit of dijon, CAN SOMEONE HELP ME HERE WITH GETTING A SPELL CHECKER TO WORK ON MY POSTS PLEASE The sauce was like lick your plate clean, that good.
We always went to the BBQ Pit on Fltc Pwky on top of the hill. Same great quality today. No change. I ask for no fat on my ham and they will do it, none. They are great. Tasty beans, and tasty soups too.
Filippi's, we ate at the El Cajon one, that is now where a frwy on or off ramp is now. Shopping center gone. Now we eat at the one on Friars. It hasn't changed much. They changed the bread. The new way is not so good, but if you ask for it the old way on sour dough, they will do it for you. That is much better. Bye
I agree; they no longer bake their bread in-house.(Or if they do, they cheapened the ingredients). I used to go there just for the bread! Or the bread and a side order of marinara for dipping.
What about Zolezzi's when it was on University near 5th? They had a great antipasta bar. It was a basic red sauce joint, but really good. One of their specialties was artichoke fritattas.
Having grown up in the South Bay, I have a whole other list for you.
LaBella's Pizza - 1955, still family-owned and operated (Chula Vista)
Jalisco's Cafe - since the early 1960's; spent my share of "wee hours in the morning" sobering up there in college (Imperial Beach)
El Juan's - see commentary on Charcoal House (National City)
Venice Pizza - family-owned and operated since 1954 (El Cajon Blvd., San Diego)
Aunt Emma's Pancake House - see commentary on Jalisco's (Chula Vista)
Charcoal House - I remember going there as a kid, so the place has to have been around a long time! (La Mesa)
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Charcoal House Restaurant
9566 Murray Dr, La Mesa, CA 91942
El Juan Cafe
2316 Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950
Aunt Emma's Pancake Restaurant
700 E St, Chula Vista, CA 91910
OMG phee...you mentioned El Juan's across from the Pink Pig in National City and when I was young we would get our meal comped because I would eat jalapeno's and no one could believe it...my mom always dragged my butt in there for a comped meal!
Jalisco's cafe has some excellent tamales and the Charcoal House next to Anthony's still has some of the best blue cheese dressing and a damn good cheeseburger!
Did anyone mention Mt. Etna Pizza and my beloved Waterfront or NuNu's?
Yes, Carnation's and Rudfords always two separate locations.
But if you're one who even remembers Carnation, it would be very cool to get together a group of near native San Diegans who went to any of the places mentioned back in the 50's or 60's. Membership in this group could be expanded to include those who went to Rudford's or Carnation in the 50's (or early 60's), OR, to Nicolosi's at the 40th / EC Blvd location.
While I'm at it, does anyone reading this remember (in same general neighborhood), the Red Arrow Cafe, The Owl Cafe, Baker's Hamburgers or a Malt Shop at 37th / University??
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Rudford's Restaurant
2900 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92104
Hi Mcgrath,
I am reading back, catching up. What is a near native of SD? My kids are third generation. I used to go, for dessert, at Carnation's, well, long before Chicken Pie even moved over there, their third location, for Chicken Pie I mean. There was another restaurant on El cajon Blvd. that opened up where an old time , very popular, expensive and stylish dress/clothing shop used to be. East of chicken pie now and on the same side of the street, not too far. Anybody remember the name of that? It is on the tip of my brain.
And I completely agree with you McG, Lets go to Rudfords or Nicolosi's or anywhere and enjoy some food and good company. I believe I remember the Malt Shop. Not the others you mentioned. Do you remember at the Woolworth's at Mission Valley mall (I am a bad speller just so you know) you used to , long ago, be able to go in there and sit on a softy round stool and get the very best shake? In a very cold, tall clear glass. Yummy O delicious.
Night, Lindy
Spot on, Josh. I'd forgotten El Patio. We didn't go out for Mexican food much, as my Nana had Mexican nationals who worked at her cafe. Why go out for it when they would bring the most wonderful food from home to share? No one would remember Miller's Cafe anymore, but that was hers. When we did go out, we'd head for El Juan's. I think it was the flying saucers. :)
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El Patio Restaurant
410 Broadway, Chula Vista, CA 91910
El Juan Cafe
2316 Highland Ave, National City, CA 91950
A coffee shop/semi-dive in El Cajon called Kozak's (there was some other "upper-scale" place at the back, but we ate at the front Kozak's. Served real cooked oatmeal, not the instant stuff. Waitresses had been there for 20+ years. We'd sit at the counter and look at all those slices of pie in the old-fashioned glass upright display cases.
"Landmark" restaurant Anthony's Fish Grotto in Chula Vista - 37 years on Bay Boulevard - now closing its doors.
Wow. I hadn't read that. They (the city of CV) really wanted to do something spectacular with the bayside development down there, and I remember this place called Shangri-la that opened up at the end of what I think was E Street. It just didn't get the business. So they brought in Anthony's, an already established restaurant in the county. It flourished for many years, but a friend told me recently they weren't getting near the business of the other Anthony's in SD. All the "bay" business went into the marina at the end of J Street, and I think most people even forgot Anthony's was there.
Isn't there a longstanding Chinese restaurant in that pink and neon "landmark" building on Pacific Coast Highway downtown? Drive by when I'm heading to the airport, but the name escapes me. Bugs me that I can't remember now!
Perusing this infinite thread this evening, and when I got to this old post I was reminded of a photo I took long ago of part of the top of the Fat City sign. So I dug it out and here it is, for what it's worth.
Froze my butt off setting up and taking the shot, since it was wintertime. Yes, Kodachrome 25.
Hi Doc,
Long time, no talk. I have been busy but you will see me more soon.
I loved China Camp. Ate there for decades until about 5 years before they closed. Ate there maybe 4 times a year, it was far. Great lighting, etc., everything, loved it in there. Had a few favorites, would always order one of the three things, that in that rest. were my favs.
Didn't they have some kind of, okay, I am not spelling this right, pou pou's that were delish and unusual? Of course, egg rolls, but different, and some sort of flaming or sizzling plate or stacked black plates on a thingy. Do you have any idea, or anyone, what I am remembering?
Great Pic! I didn't know you took pics like Fakey? But then, again, I am still new and learning.
I did not! like Fat City. Did you? Didn't like the food nor the environment (sp?) Ate there a few times through the years, never changed my opinion.
Take Care, Lindy
No, I didn't care for the food at Fat City. I think I was there only once, in fact. The food at China Camp was decent, but I didn't go there more than a couple of times either.
But I did like the interior ambience, which epitomized the era. And I liked that huge neon sign and the rest of the massive overall frontage.
That place was a real classic.
Morning Doc,
My favorite Chinese Place, La China, closed after 19 years last Dec. 1. It was the location in Tierrasanta. The other one, in San Carlos, El Cajon was sold long long time ago. Totally diffent places, same name. Recipes different and quality no where good. I can't eat there. I did try it once a few months ago, just in case it had gotten better.
Anyhow, we loved La China for Chinese and if we felt like that kind of food, that was the only place to go. Yes, it wasn't REALLY OLD, but still, 19 years in business still counts as old.
I miss it so bad and have tried many other Chinese Rests. in the past year. Nothing comes even close as to the freshness of ingredients, nor flavor of sauces. Everything, everything was excellent, but of course I had my best four.
Where would anyone recommend for Chinese within 15 minute drive from San Carlos/La Mesa/Del Cerro area please? My Mom won't drive far, and we have, I think, tried every Chinese Restaurant with in 15 minutes in the past year. No luck, nothing lives up to La China.
It is like so many restaurants we all have mentioned here on this topic, that we used to love, now they are gone, but never forgotten. Like that never again antipasto salad bar at Tep's for example.
Anyhow, all suggestions would be really nice!!
Thanks, Lindy
Have you tried Golden Bowl in La Mesa? We always use the Entertainment coupon they have had. We like the pupu platter and sweet & sour dishes. Decor is VERY old school Cantonese with 60's tiki flair. It looks divey from the outside, but the food is decent. We recognize one of the waitresses from the old Mandarin China in Pt. Loma.
Saska's Steak House in Mission Beach is 60 years old...it opened in 1951.
The Barbecue Pit (the last remaining restaurant of the chain is on University Avenue) is 64 years old...it opened in 1947.
The Pernicano's restaurant on Turquoise in Pacific Beach is pretty old though I'm not sure precisely when it opened.
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Saska's
3768 Mission Blvd, San Diego, CA 92109
Now, that I just read this, because Doc made a comment two or three above and I was reading again.
When we used to go to Hillcrest Pern. or even any, they would let us get half and half pitcher of beer. Meaning, I did not like dark dark. My husb did. I like med lite, not lite I mean color, amber. They would put half each into different pitchers for us, and we were each happy, same price. How kind. We did that at many restaurants. If you are nice and polite, well, anyone will try to help. Boll Weevil always did it for us. And Lido's, and lots others. I didn't remember this until right now. I am more a wine girl now, thought I do enjoy a good amber with Mexican food.
Enough. Thanks......
STill there. The University Ave. one in North Park became a catering only site, then was bought by the long time employees of the National City branch. They've changed some of the sides and the sauce is a bit thicker, but the beef is the same. Those simple beef sandwiches have been a favorite of mine since the 60's when we patronized the PB branch. Currently love the double cooked fries and value meal (sando, side & drink) for about $10.
Hi, Pernicano's and the building behind, something like Casa di Baffi, they are being forced to sell the property. They closed the restaurants and wouldn't sell the real estate and it is an eyesore. It is for sale now at way too high a price, but the city is making them sell. I remember going to both places, such good food. Lindy
I don't thing they are being "forced" to sell by the city (although, I agree there has been a lot of pressure to do so). The next generation has taken over the management of the owner's asset portfolio, and I believe they are pricing it a fairly marketable price for that property and the future development prospect. A final ciao to Casa Di Baffi and good riddance to the horrible blight it became.
Hi foodie, Yes I read about it. The old man would not sell and now they are being forced to sell or fix it up into working condition. And, yes, the next generation has taken over because he is about 95 give or take a few years either way. They have no choice. I read in more than one place, that the price was way too high. They all will come to a meeting point, I just wish I could have had the chicken marsala one more time : )Thanks for your comment, Lindy
Maybe I've missed their mentions, but hand in hand with Bali Hai is Tom Ham's Lighthouse, which he opened after rescuing Bali Hai. And don't forget Kona Kai as long as we're doing Shelter Island.
Oh, and Su Casa, in La Jolla, opened in the '60s.
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Bali Hai Restaurant
2230 Shelter Island Dr, San Diego, CA 92106
Josh, I don't think your statement is true either. I'm pretty sure you weren't around in 1947 to know how good El Indio was, or wasn',t back then ;-).
There was a period of time, however, say 1947 - about 1970 when El Indio was really pretty good. The tourist trade hadn't yet found them and they were very quietly and successfully feeding San Diegans what San Diegans "thought" was good, authentic Mexican food, despite the proximity to the border. It was a smaller volume place than it is now and doing with the founders knew how to do best. It was for a long time the best place to get masa and some people still swear by El Indio masa.
Time and popularity have not been particularly kind to El Indio. I don't think it's anywhere near as good as it used to be but there was a time when everything truly was made from scratch and really pretty good. That time just isn't now
I don't know, I wasn't around in 1947 and I don't think that was the point of my comment 8 months ago.
My parents and grandparents were here then and, yes, they did spent a good deal of time outside. But then again, it's pretty hard to own and operate a chicken ranch (real chickens, not the NV kind) from inside the house.
We did spend a lot of time outside growing up whether it was playing, riding bikes, going to the park, the mountains, the beach. When we were in school or in the house because it was dark we were outside. Remember, this was the era before video games and TV was still black and white.
Hi Diva, I agree with you. There are still a few stand outs, crispy delux beef no sour cream extra guac, beef flautas, huevos abanil (think I spelled that wrong), machaca. And about a year or two ago, they started charging for salsa when you get take out. You can only get two per entree. That is a rip off. Lindy
No ones mentioned the Chop Suey - Peking Restaurant in North Park. It has been there since 1931.
http://chopsueysd.blogspot.com/
As to ones I miss, I loved the German place in La Jolla Shores that is now Piatti's. I used to ride my bike there in summer to get their sandwiches.
And how about this menu from the Del circa 1900.
I love you Beach Chick. That's what I always say in Vegas. I saw that movie "21" and it has always been in my head. Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner. That was a based on a true story actually. Lindy ps One of the origional team is a famous poker player now, he went to MIT and was on the team, Andy Bloch
McG, you are quite right, the LJShores place was the Rhinelander House. We loved it, but it was so long ago, that's about all I remember. My Dad was stationed in Germany during the Korean War and learned to love German food and beer. It was one of the few places he could get those flavors. The Bratskellar was downstairs on Prospect, as was the Istanbul. They had the best marinated lamb kebobs and ice cream (rose and orange blossom flavors). We loved Chuck's Steakhouse on the same block. There is one Chuck's still alive : Santa Barbara on upper State. They still have a tasty teriyaki sirloin and a salad bar.
Still going strong since the 20's, but parking has become difficult. We've been enjoying their basic Cantonese plates for almost 20 years, shortly after moving to North Park. It is a family run operation. We love their tomato beef chow mein and walnut shrimp. It's that's comfortable old shoe of a place you can count on for take-out Chinese. Call them and they'll take it out to you curbside on a busy parking night.
Some places that haven't been mentioned yet:
Adam's Steak and Eggs - this was my groups standard Sunday morning hangover recovery place after going to Crystal T's, Flannahan's or Aspen Mine Company the night before, carne asada and eggs was $2.89 during the disco era.
La Pinata - this was around Old Town long before Dianne Powers took over.
Etna Restaurant has been around at least since the 70's. It looked ancient then.
Ponce's in Kensington has been around since at least the 70's.
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La Pinata
2836 Juan St, San Diego, CA 92110
Pinnacle Peak in Santee. Went there once in 1975 and got the toughest steak I've ever had in my life.
mikec nailed it. It was good enough years ago if you wanted to put down cheap drinks at the Red Fox and grab some average steak or shrimp late night, but now there are so many other options in the area with far better food. last time I got some late night food there I was surprised at the prices being high for the quality of the food.
Piano bar can still be pretty fun, even though Shirley has departed us.
Cool article about the old Rheinlander and its founder/owner (who recently died):
I haven't waded through all of the posts to see whether someone has already posted this, so just in case, check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&...
If you've never been there, The Chicken Pie Shop is a very old San Diego tradition. But I don't think the full chicken pie dinner is still $1.10 any more. But I'm pretty sure it's still good!
Ah yes, the Chicken Pie Shop. I've been there once, and ordered the chicken pie (of course), and found it to be fairly good - good crust, good enough filling, and good gravy. It was everything I expected. On the other hand, my significant other ordered the pasta primavera (don't ask me why, as I have no idea what possessed my s.o.), and it was awful. That said, the place is cheap, and really old.
Also, have we mentioned Ruford's? I went there for the first time about a week or so ago, and their menus have a picture of JFK driving by the restaurant, which is cool. On the other hand, its basically diner fare.
Oh Man Jmtreg,
I was there when JFK came here when I was 4. I will always remember it. He went down El Cajon Blvd. Back then, different neighborhood. He was waving side to side, turning. He passed us waving to the other side, so I saw his back. We were standing directly on the curb. I will never forget that day. Thanks for that memory xoxo
Yep, still around. I've heard varying reports about how good it is or isn't. Back in the day, it was good.
The rolls at the Chicken Pie Shop are wonderful. We get them for Thanksgiving because, with all the other cooking to do, the last thing I want to make is bread. Apparently, I'm not alone because, when you go to pick them up, there are literally hundreds of orders of rolls sitting there waiting to be picked up. And they make great little turkey sandwiches the next day.
Hi, Still Okay food for a very decent price. I ask for extra gravy and mix the veges in. They did a bad thing now and have changed their roll recipe. They are not the same anymore. I loved them. Now, yuck. I don't know why they would change it after so long. We still eat there every couple of months. My Mom ate at the very tiny one, the origional one, when she was a girl, maybe 63 years ago or so. Nite, Lindy
I remember Azteca on El Cajon Boulevard, Casa Blanca in Old Town, Our Perry's Pizza (the first square pan pizza), and Leonardo's on El Cajon Blvd and 70th. I recall the wonderful aroma of authentic Italian food at Leonardo's. Other favorites include Pernicano's, Anthony's, Hamburger House, and Consuelo's in La Mesa with their delicious quesadilla appetizer. When I was in high school at Crawford we used to walk to Azteca for the special '10 rolled tacos for $1'. Those were the days. Today I live in Oregon and even though northwest cuisine is scrumptious I still miss the places I ate as a child and teenager. And don't forget DiMille' s Pizza and the flying saucer at El Juan's in National City.
- DeMille's is still open and doing well.
- Azteca was across the street from the Aspen Mine Company, spent many an evening there after a night of drinking.
- Leonardos lasted a good long time.
- Our Perry's Pizza, that was some pretty good pizza
- We went to the Casa Blanca on La Mesa Blvd. We loved that complimentary app - the crispy flour tortilla with melted cheese - I've managed to recreate a pretty decent version of it. Nothin' fancy, but it is a taste of childhood, which makes it so good :-)
- There are 3 Anthony's left, the one in La Mesa is the most consistent and even it isn't so great any more.
- There is 1 Pernicano's left and old George Pernicano still refuses to give up his 3% ownership of the Chargers. His Casa di Baffi on 6th between University and Robinson is still there, still closed and still an eyesore.
Thanks for the walk down memory lane :-)
Aspen Mine Company...lots of drinking..toga parties..they served food didn't they?
Casa Blanca..was that the one by Drew Ford at the end of LM blvd..that cheese crisp was awesome..
Pernicano's in Hillcrest...when is George going to clean up that hot mess in Hillcrest..that just so wrong!
Aetna Pizza is still there and still really good..had lunch with Stephen Bishop at that Mex restaurant on El Cajon blvd by Crawford HS..what was the name of that place?
I think AMC served food, but I wouldn't know about that ;-). I usually only made it into the bar (and their bartenders were not real good about remembering to ask for ID ;-D)
Casa Blanca was on LM Blvd. between Uni and El Cajon on the east side of the street. I can still drive to but I couldn't, if my life depended on it, tell you what is there now. I don't think the building is a restaurant any more.
Aspen Mine Co. was mostly a steak place (at least that's mostly what I remember ordering there). Decent steaks. Though they didn't have to be that great after a couple of Zombies... Don't remember any Toga Parties, but those were probably right after "Animal House" came out (1978) and that was right around the time I stopped going regularly.
I was wondering if by "Hamburger House" the OP meant "Hamburger Hamlet" which was in front of Hoover High on ECB.
I think George Pernicano is still lucid enough that his family can't sell off that property and George doesn't want to let go of it for less than an absurd amount (about 3x what it's worth). That was what I'd heard from a friend who made a serious inquiry about two or three years ago.
Hi Beach Chick,
Yes, AMC served some mighty fine food, delicious.
Casa Blanca, never got to try it. I think it is Mariettas now, not so good, been there for a long time.
George is being forced by the city to clean up his act, and they are forcing him to sell or put it back into a useful state. It is for sale right now. I just read about it last week.
I don't know what mex place you are talking about but was over there by the HS all the time at the JCC Bye
Diva,
How do you know so much about so much like I do? We could be sisters : ) Di Milles opened a second location for about 7 years in La Mesa in the shopping center now where Outback is, It was down the row. Corner of Baltimore and Lk. Murray. It was so nice because we didn't have to drive all the way to Adams. Now, I will certainly drive for the best lasagna in the city, in my opinion.
I still like the Anthonys in La Mesa but I make sure to say, I want a fat one and not well done. The guys in the kitchen always over cook the fresh fish , like the halibut. If you are going to pay that much, I want it nice. And the cole slaw is still the same and excellent. The baked potato, not so much.
Leonardos, we ate there all the time, dine in, not take out. YUM is all I will say. Later, I got take out some times but they pre made their antipastos. So I learned to ask them to make it fresh and they would. I miss how good it was.
I posted below, the city is forcing him to sell the property of Pern. and Baffi. Now the price is way too high, but he will come down, he has no choice but to sell. Took the city a darn long time, I would say. Bye L
I still get cravings for The Aztec! I wish they would have written a cookbook. There were two Aztec restaurants in Old Town. I loved their bean burritos with cheese sauce, guacamole tacos and suprema tostados. I lived in San Diego in the '70's and they were the best cheap eats in town.
If anyone knows any of the recipes, please let me know!
Two long-gone greats that I remember fondly are Olinda's (started near Morena, then moved over by Old Town) and Don Jose's on El Cajon Blvd. At Don Jose I remember the "community" salsa vat on the table. Never got sick. That wouldn't fly today...
Hi Dan,
We used to eat at Don Jose's twice a month when we grew up. Back then, I didn't get to order or choose. I wish I could have but my parents ordered for me, what they liked. I started there young. My mom went to Hoover. She told me a story about when she was young and her parents took her there for the first time. Her mom did not know what salsa was and took a big bite to taste. Well you have eaten there, she must have almost had a heart attack. HOT HOT. Wish I had the recipe. Cute story. Wish I could go again. Take care, Lindy
Diva, I just posted and now I just read yours. I am on Boulder Lake. We have got to meet for lunch, You love food as much as me. I didn't really understand how to use this posting thing. What else can I do in the middle of the night when I am awake. I grew up in this neighborhood. Did you go to Henry? We must be just blocks from each other. I went to Gage, Pershing, Henry, graduated 76. What about you? Lindy I have lived on Forrestal for 3 years, a bout 4 years ago, and earlier when our house burned down we lived in those terrible appartments right next to Fish Merchant. Archway then, I think. Thats another story.
Yes, Nicolosi's is an institution as well...Last I saw off of Waring Rd. Standout for me was the "relish tray" (or whatever they called it) they put out with everything. The cheese slices, pepperoncini, and what not...
Nicolosis is NOT gone. Some family members reopened with the SAME recipes right down the street from me. Some things were a bit changed, menu choices and such. It took a couple months, they bought the property where the long lasting Fish Merchant on Navajo Rd was, and they are there. I had lunch there 7 weeks ago or so. I heard they opened a second location in El Cajon not long ago. The food is mostly the same, good. Expensive, very. Best cheese Ravioli, but as good as they are, I just won't pay 17 or 18 for a small plate of ravioli.There are even some of the old waitresses that I knew from the old place, Pam and Linda. It's really all too expensive, but they have to pay the mortgage on the property, and where they are, it not cheap. So the food had to go up. Bread good as always. No little salami and cheese and peppers anymore with entree.
Hi Onemagicman,
I like your name.
We were SO very sad when Sam closed that place down. He had so many long time regulars. It was on the news, even. We ate there the last three nights in a row, because we never thought they would reopen. We waited in HUGE HUGE lines each night. I am still glad we did it. They kept running out of bread.
Sam closed because the owner of the property wanted to raise his rent, way too much. And he also wanted to retire. I think if the rent hadn't been such a problem, he would still be there. I hope he is happy now. Do you remember the super displays he would put up for Christmas and Halloween. He just loved holidays. He would set up that ghost or something to fly on a string all the way across the restaurant, up above. All the Halloween decorations were so nice. And at Christmas, he would even take away two tables, at the busy season, so he could set up that whole holiday scene for all of his customers.
I wish the prices were less now, I would go more. And the new place doesn't do the chicken catchitori (sp? this is wrong) Now, that was DELISH.
I think Di Milles has the best lasagna in town. I just love it. How long have you been eating there? And the chicken marsala is the best around now, great sauce. Order it the "old" way with the chicken cut up. Now they serve a whole breast, the old way was much better. And I always ask for extra sauce and muchrooms, pasta on another plate. Boy, I must be neurotic (sp?)
Night, L
Hi LindyN, We would go to Nicolosi's every Christmas and get a table looking directly at the Christmas tree. Otherwise, where the tree stood was one of our favorite tables (removed, of course for the tree.) you sat against the wall and could see the whole restaurant. We went to the restaurant, I think next to the last night before they closed, and it seemed we waited a long time for a table. Quite a tribute to Sam. I can still see him behind the Cannoli counter when you walked in. I always had the "crazy chicken" (Chicken Gorgonzola, and once in awhile the lasagna, which I felt was one of the better. They put fennel in their home made sausage and I like that flavor. I also remember the night Sam rolled back the prices to the prices to the 1950 prices. We have been going to Demilles for over 20 years, almost always use a coupon. If you have not gone try Volare in the Pt. Loma area. It is right down from the old main Post Office, on Bancroft St. Worth the trip. (I am an armature Magician, hence the name.) Take care.
Morning,
Yes, he was a character. He always wore those, Hawaiian like shirts. I never had that particular chicken there, don't like gorgz. My favorite, still is, I think the best in san diego is the cheese ravoli. Huge and filled full of sweet cheese. Even how much I love them, I won't pay $17 or $18 for them at the new location.
We live out of the area of DiMille's so we never get coupons in the mail for there. Wish we did. We would go more, do have a good lunch special, though. They always had one in the Ent book, we used that.
Volare, been there dozens of times. They were always in the Entertainment book too. And even at regular price I couldn't understand how they could keep their prices so low. I had a girl friend who first moved into Liberty Station. When I went to her house, we usually went there for pizza and pasta, great meat sauce. They own the building, I don't know if the older lady is still alive, but I thought she lived upstairs. Everything there is real good.
I love magic. There have been some good new magic shows on TV lately. That is so fun. Did you watch America's Got Talent the last few months and for the first time ever, the magiciann won. He deserved it.
Have a great day, Lindy
On a rare occasion, when I was "batching it" I often went to Nicolosi's and sat at the bar and enjoyed a meal watching TV. I graduated in 1963 in NJ. Again, our new favorite is Volare' We always ask for Sara our waitress. There is a "young man" there whose name is Cosmo, and when asked he said he was one of the owners. We always start out with a large antipasti salad, a liter of house Chianti and an entrée. Life is good! I watched intently AGT and Mat Falco winning the competition. I now follow him on Face Book, and this is a whole new experience for him. He is from New England and seems - based on his new exposure - in Las Vegas, etc. a real nice guy. While I understand his "magic" quite well, he is a master having been interested in magic since he was 4 years old. We always use the entertainment book and have one auto shipped each year. It is amazing how much you can save with BOGO. The Reader is also a good source for coupons. Have a nice weekend.
Hi Magic,
I haven't been to Volare for a very long time now : ( My friend moved 8 blocks away from me and then to Arizona : ( She was a great eating buddy. Maybe the young man is the son?
When Matt won, I was so happy. I don't do facebook, what is it saying. I figured out how he did the phone in the seat trick and a couple of others, but he is so amazing. I hope he gets his own show in vegas like Terry Fator did at the Mirage. I would love to go see a whole show of them. On AGT they talk about the winner getting a show in vegas. Actually, they all, the top ones,do a show there for two nights, and the winner gets the most time on stage. That would be a fun show to see. So, I hope he gets his OWN show. There are a lot of magic shows in vegas, though.
Bye, Lindy
I have a vague memory of Atlantis being up and running as early as around 1966, when I would have attended a high school event there one night. Or maybe it was just at the Atlantis location before it became Atlantis. Either way, it certainly did have the fine dining reputation when it opened as Atlantis.
I had a fake ID and my bf and I, who used to swim with the Beluga whales in the Sea World show and we would go into the park at night, which, btw, came alive with all the marine life sounds...we would take the baskets over to Atlantis for kahlua and creams..
From memory, the guy running the ride would turn it on for us, after hours, since we were cute lil surfer girls.
Can't do any of that stuff these days..
Those were some great days with no surveillance cameras et al.
; )
I could of sworn there was a Springfield Wagon Works in EC off the 8...either 2nd or Mollison..it was a free standing build to suit..
Was it 'Krishna' Mulvaney's but went by Mulvaneys?
It's in Santee..
Since we both lived down the street from one another but didn't know each other in Mt. Helix area, did you eat at the pancake place?
Was Springfield where the Butcher Shop is now off the 163?
Our family was insufficiently posh to enjoy neither Mt. Helix (Fuerte Farms) nor a restaurant for pancakes (we can get pancakes at home!)
Yes Krishna Mulvaneys was I believe shortened to Mulvaneys, and there may have been a perfectly good Springfield in EC, but I wouldn't know.
However.
The Name Family did occasionally enjoy a Sunday morning drive thru the donut shop on West Main Street with the crazy motorized four-dot sign.
LOL..
Fuerte Farms, Horizon Hills, Lemon, Explorer ;^ ) and Alzeda were where all the rich kids lived.
I remember the red doted signs..
Just think how many times we must of ran into each other at the 7/11 on Avocado getting a cola cherry slurpee on our skateboards..ha ha ha
Is Mulvaney's in Santee still there?
Coupla things...
The drive-through donut shop in E.C. with the four-dot sign, if it was the one famous for its buttermilk crullers, was actually on El Cajon Blvd in EC, not W. Main. Just up from the Hell's Angels clubhouse.
I'm thinking the Mulvaney's in Santee was actually Magnolia Mulvaneys?
And if BC and Fakey went to Helix, they would've been Highlanders, not Hilltoppers.
"That would be great BUT I think most of us would want to kick your ass first before cocktails.."
But, once we got over that hurdle, a meet might be pleasent.
As long as there's no loud music, TV screens, Fetish Beer, screaming WooHoos or sub-standard food.
It is my largely unshared belief the current "Craft Beer Sensation" is an emperor without clothing.
I further believe the product differential is so small it must be shored up by extreme marketing tactics, in particular names like "My Mama's Morning Breath IPA" or "Socrates' Hemlock IPA".
This rational determination has not kept hordes of the great unwashed from elevating these products to a status well beyond their natural position in the beverage marketplace. A position that I believe lies more in fetish than actual value.
Thus, Fetish Beer.
Some disagree with me.
I share your belief to a large extent. I am just so done with all the over hopped IPAs. Anything over 60 IBUs obliterates my palate, curdles my murdle, and eventually results in a headache. To me they are like listening to death metal all the time. I want well crafted beers with subtle flavor profiles, not brewers who use dumptruck loads of hops so that it's dominates everything else. Sure I loved IPAs 30 years ago when few even knew what IPA stood for and they weren't crazy over the top hopped. My palate has matured since then (same with wine) and bigger doesn't usually translate to better IMO.
I'll ignore most of the entire argument, just because we don't need to rehash *everything* time and time again, but there is one point I'd like to make.
Very few people in the "craft beer fetish" are buying an IPA because of how they are named. They might be buying it because of brand reputation, because it has certain hops, because of word of mouth, whatever, but they aren't blindly choosing beer by name. Quite frankly, that wouldn't be geeky enough.
Now your gateway beers - you might have a point.
The bitterness in beer comes from the bittering hops that are used during the boil. Looking back at my records, I see that virtually all of the beers I brewed in my homebrewing days were in the 30 - 40 IBU range. But it's not really the bitterness per se that counts; it's the balance between bitterness and sweetness. Most of the sweetness in beer comes from alcohol (some from specialty malts), so a higher alcohol beer can tolerate more bittering without going over the top. My brews were relatively "low" alcohol, although I always used specialty malts, and the 30-40 IBU range was just right.
On the other hand, the majority of the fresh hop flavor comes from the finish/flavor/dry hops that are used. I think this is what's off-balance in many excessively hoppy beers, overwhelming both the malt flavors and the nuances contributed by the yeast.
Many things about the flavor of beer can’t be quantified, but some can. The most basic thing that’s quantifiable is the absolute malt flavor intensity, which, if pale malt is a “1”, then crystal malts vary from 2-6, and black is a 12; the types and quantities of the malts in the mash determines most of the malt flavor intensity in beers. (Some can come from the yeast!)
That established, there’s the sweetness to flavor-intensity ratio; the absolute hop bitterness to sweetness ratio; the body (protein content, viscosity), color depth; and hop oil flavor intensity. These things can all be quantified. Along with clarity, head density and retention, and carbonation level.
But, although the flavor and color of a given beer starts with these quantifiable structural basics, as with wine it expands far beyond. Every detail of the recipe and process affects the flavor result, such as details of the barley and malting process, details of the hops and season, and details of the yeast strain.
Beer, like wine, can be enjoyed on many levels, and one of those is definitely an ice cold beer with "good Mexican" on a hot summer day.
This was just posted on Vintage San Diego's FB page- pretty cool if you're into that sort of thing.
I realize BC has not yet heard of FB.
There was also a Mulvaney's in Coronado (and I think 1 other location). The owner's son ran with a bunch of Coronado and Pt. Loma kids when I was a teenager.
Krishna Mulvaney's was on Mission Blvd where the Promenade is. It would have sat on the northeast corner of that lot. Krishna's had the rusted, plant-filled, '40's something, Cadillac out front that originally belonged to another PB restaurant owner and Krishna's devotee, Billy (sumthinorother), who had a bar where the Open Bar is now. Apparently the Cadillac wouldn't start one night and was commandeered overnight into its position as a planter. Mulvaney's (just Mulvaney's) was the EC version of the beach hangout. It later had iterations as Magnolia Mulvaney's and some Wagon Wheel version after it was sold I believe. That's the way my crusty memory has it and I may be incorrect about the EC version of the resto. After all, it was flyover territory back then.
The name of the bar that I couldn't recall was Billy Bones. If you remember Billy Bones you took your drinking seriously. It was post Swan Song but pre Old PB Cafe across the street. Who here remembers Uncle Susie's in PB in the lot that became the Swan Song?
OMG...Billy Bones!
Lived 3-4 blocks away in college and I jogged by and the owner was out that morning hosing down the streets and never had been in there, even with my fake ID, I asked,if he was hiring and he looked me in the eyes and said 'you're a pretty girl with your whole life ahead of you, I will not hire you because of that'..
I owe him, big time!
I think I was in there years later and that was a gross place to drink..
Trammell Crow developed the Promenade, where Mulvaneys used to be..they did that deal with the Old man who owned most of the land in PB..nice guy.
Remember that it housed the famous rib place?
That is a good place to park if heading to Lahaina's for a pitcher, during summer.
Love that place.
Is your avatar Bora Bora..looks familiar.
How lovely deckape..
We have something in common..
Did you know that I got married in Moorea, Tahiti, in a beachfront Chapel and spent my honeymoon in the French Polynesia wonderland..called Moorea.
St.Regis Bora Bora is stunning..I'm more a Four Seasons gal but the 2 resorts are pratically contiguous to each other...some of the best 5* resorts in the world..love the over-water bungalows.
It is probably my favorite place in the whole world, besides Paris and Maui..
la Orana
Bali Hai is still in business as is Anthony's Fish Grotto in La Mesa. I think it was Pinnacle Peak that cut the tie off.
Morning,
Bali Hai is still around but the owner certainly ruined it. They took the best dishes off the menu and it will never be the same. I cannot imagine going there and not being able to select and eat Oyster Beef. It was the best dish there. Sometimes we would drive up to their little pier, my parents had a boat, and we walk in from that side. Later, my son loved the Chicken Of The Gods. That has long been off the menu too.
About 20 years ago I was lucky enough to meet a wonderful man who owned a small delicious dive of a Mexican Restaurant. He was head chef for 20 years at Bali Hai. He gave me the recipe for Chicken of the Gods, but I lost it in a house fire 12 years ago, sad. And they had a very nice lunch buffet back then. Still great view, but I will never go back.
Have a great day, Lindy
Can't remember the name of the steak house where they cut your tie off but it wasn't the Boll Weevil. The Boll Weevil might still be there on Mission Gorge Road? It was the first place that let you put your own toppings on their fantastic hamburgers. Speaking of hamburgers, I'd kill for a Char Burger! Tiny, tiny little drive thru's with barbequed burgers.
http://www.bollweevilrestaurants.com/ Five locations.
The one on Mission Gorge closed and has re-opened, one block East.
Loved taking the car ferry over from Coronado to SD..
(That is probably the love for the water taxi)
We'd go to a place in IB, called the Red Hawk, that had the best Roquefort dressing and they would give me 20+ cherries with my Shirley Temple.
Hands down, Lubachs was one of the best restaurants in SD..
What was the name of the pizza place with piano player?
Hi, My girlfriend and I would ride our bikes, every week, over to the one in the shopping center, corner of Navajo and Fletcher Pwky and split a Large Pepperoni. We did that from Jr High thru High School. But in 11th and 12th grade we had cars. I wish I could do that now. She just passed so this brought me a smile remembering that.
Bye
Hi Beach Chick,
We would take that ferry over every few months for a fun day.
Do you remember the Cotton Patch right off Rosecrans. They would give me cherries like that too. Very dark in there, very grown up, best creamy garlic dressing I ever had, I remember. Best steaks ever. After all these posts, I guess I have eaten out a lot, lol. Does anyone remember Cotten Patch?
I haven't seen anyone mention "Jose Murphy's" in PB? As a dive bar/restarant/rock music venue, there weren't much better.
Wow, I am late to this post. Great reading and good memories.
Ceasars is the first rest. that I would mention. How I miss their spag with that brownish sauce. Just had one location when I was a girl and then opened several more. I would pay $100. for a plate of it now. I WISH. And the dressing on their antip. salad was to die for. I ate there every week on the way home from bowling when early 20's. Does anyone, please, have any idea how to make that sauce? I think it must have been a combo of some kind of a beef gravy and tom sauce and the ground beef with a potato masher to get it that fine.
Saskas, yes. That was the first 'grown-up' rest. that my parents ever took me to. Steak of course. But I didn't get to order. My parents thought well done was the way to get steak. Leather. I never knew better, or any other way. Now I know what a steak should taste like.
What about the old Top Shelf in La Mesa. YUMMY. They had the best green goddess salad dressing on their small salad bar. Anthony's across the frwy from there, I have eaten there forever and still do. Smaller portions and expensive but the cole slaw is great as ever. AND THE VIEW!
Fidel's, memories. We went when I was so young for so long. Again, I didn't get to order. I got 1/2 suprema (tostada) and it was so good. Along with the chips and great salsa. It wasn't until I was in my teens that I went there, got to read the menu, and order what I wanted. YUM. I love their chili rellanos with extra sauce. They charge you for it, but worth it.
Don Jose's Boy, that's a long time ago. Again, I never got to order. My Mom told me a story of the first time SHE went, maybe 70 yrs ago and her Mom didn't know what the salsa was and took a big bite to taste it. For those of you who do not know, it was hot enough to blow your head off. All fresh ingreds. and so good. It is long gone.
There was a middle eastern place in OB very near the pier that had the best falafal and shawarma. I have never been able to find anything even close to that for 30 years. Anyone have any suggestions? I am near La Mesa now.
Thanks for letting me talk. This was a fun memory.
Lindy
The Top Shelf, yes. Great steaks. It's the Brig now...and much remodeled :-)
Consuelo's for the complimentary (Sonoran-style, tho we didn't know it was Sonoran-style at the time) cheese crisp. I still make those occasionally
Hi, I just love a cheese crisp. There is a darn good one at El Indio. You can just get it plain with cheese or deluxe with meat/chicken, lett, tom, guac, sour cream. Wow, now I have to go there.
Also, Perry's Cafe (El Cajon and the old location near Old Town) has a great one, huge. You have to order the guac in addition, but their salsa is GREAT.
The Brig, nah, too crowded, too noisy, not great food. Miss my dressing.
Where is Consuelo's?
Hi Beach Chick,
I don't remember Top Shelf being fancy. I remember wearing regular pants. Back then girls didn't really wear jeans. My family went there often and loved it. We lived in San Carlos, not far. Still do.
I never went to Anthony's La Jolla, always La Mesa. Unless there was company in town and we would take them down to the bay location. For the view. I like La Mesa and the lake. Oh, what was the name of the restaurant right next to Anthony's on the bay, the fancy one. They are hooked together. Star of the Sea Room. I always got lobster. Best ever. And if you got there early you could sit by the window. They are closed now and only do catering I think or maybe small private parties.
I went to Lubach's only once. I had a big date with this guy I met when I was in Palm Springs with a girlfriend for a short vacation when I was about 22. She was somewhat older and wiser and we met these guys at the bar and had dinner with them. My guy was the editor or publisher of TV Guide back then. He was from the East Coast, prob NY, and he would fly out to see me. He was older. The first visit he took me to Lubach's. The service was the best, but the food didn't impress me. I prefered Mr. A's back then. Great food, great view. And Imperial house, that was and is, a classy place. Do any of you know/remember Felix. He is a class act. They don't do lunch anymore, sadly. Felix must be retiring soon. I hope they don't close the restaurant. Without him, it will never be the same, however. Best Steak Diane I have ever eaten. No, tie with Elario's in La Jolla. Best service, best food ever, and what a view from the top floor. They have been gone a long time.
Bye for now, Lindy
Remember George Joe's Chinese restaurant across the freeway, near Anthony's La Mesa? I loved the set dinner feast. Top Shelf was for special dinners, went there with my boyfriend before a high school dance (Helix). I think it was Pernicano's in Lemon Grove where we went after football games, loved the small pepperoni slices. When I was older, Lubach's, The Fountainbleu Room in the Westgate Hotel, and Mr. A's with their footrests and menus without prices were my favorites. I still make the flour tortilla cheese crisp I first had at Casa Blanca on La Mesa Blvd. Great memories.
It was Lido's in Lemon Grove, on Broadway.(I don't think there was a Pernicano's in LG) I still go to Lido,s often. The son, Marco, runs the kitchen now and daughter runs the front. It is better that ever. The best thin crust in San Diego, in my opinion. Everybody is picky about exactly how they like their pizza. After our Football Games (in High School, Henry High) we went to Farrells Ice Cream on Jackson Drive, every Friday night. Long gone, fondly remembered.
Hi, Farrell's - the Pig Trough (sp?) Black and White, Tin Roof. The sirens with the Zoo. Once, only once, as they ran around with that huge stretcher, I saw them dump it on a man in a suit. Bad thing. He was okay, just really messy.We used to love to put money and run the player piano.
Is there a way to spell check on a post I am writing? I am not yet too good at this, but learning.
I never ate at Palermo's.
Hi, I am still new at how to post here sometimes, mostly, some of my posts have gone under the wrong reply place. I wrote one post directly to you about 8 hours ago saying we must know each other. Or maybe you are my sister, lol. I don't know how to tell you how to find it because overnight (I don't sleep) I learned how to reply to exact post I wanted to. Yes, I remember Longhorn. I live on Boulder Lk. I wrote I graduated in 76. I bet we know each other. I wrote we should meet for lunch. So where did you move to? What was your street over here. I lived on Forrestal off Jackson for about 3 years, about 4 to 7 years ago. That was much later when my daughter was at Henry. Ha, small world. But I grew up on Boulder Lk. I went to Gage, Pershing, Henry. I can't wait to read your reply. Best regards, Lindy
ps Are you allowed to write your real name on here?
Now my mind is buzzing, the old arby's where the Mexican place is now by Keil's. KFC where the bank is right across the street on Navajo. Sometimes we would ditch school and walk over there.
I remember when they built Gage. And the whole albertons shopping center was not there. Then they built it, but back then it was Safeway. And the corner store was Thrifty's, and boy could we buy a lot of candy with 15 cents when we rode our bikes down there. Do you remember any of this?
I graduated in '71, well before your time there. Yes, I am the resident board dinosaur ;-)
I remember all of it including that Keil's was originally a Big Bear and Windmill Farms in Del Cerro was originally an Alpha Beta. See, told ya I was the board dinosaur :-)
We went to the Thrifty's for ice cream not candy and you can still get Thrifty's ice cream in Mexico, but not here.
Carnation, now that was good :-) We usually went to the one that was about a block or so west of where Montezuma meets up with El Cajon Blvd. Loved their hot fudge sundaes, but I loved their Fudge Ana's even better and I'm not a huge banana fan.
After that one closed we trekked down to the one on El Cajon around, what, Louisiana? Busier but not quite the same.
HI Diva,
Thanks for writing back. You must have gone to Henry very close to it's opening.
I remember the Big Bear. As a matter of fact, I remember when they built that shopping center. And for about 8 years I lived one block from the Alpha Beta and just walked there for groceries. I can still get the Thrifty's ice cream at the Rite Aid by Albertson's.
What area did you move to? I moved to San Carlos in 1961 and my parent's home, well the whole neighborhood, was brand new. They were just starting to build Allied Gardens too. Navajo was a tiny two lane street and basically there was nothing built along it. I remember when the whole area surrounding and including Parkway Plaza was like empty and sort of farm land.
take care, L
Yes, I was there the day PHHS opened. I, too, watched the Big Bear shopping center being built and have watched the evolution. Try AJs Fish Merchant. Their fish and chips are fantastic, probably the best I've had in SD for quite a while. Their prime rib special is really, really good too, as is the key lime pie. Was sorry to see the original Fish Merchant go, but was not sorry to see Tivoli's go, it's shelf life was about 10 years too long.
My parent purchased their home there in 1968. It was 3 houses to the golf course and a half block to the lake. It was never intended to be a long term residence. My sister and I just closed on the house 2 weeks ago. 45 years was a long time, but it was time to move on. I am in the Kensington area.
Actually, the first homes in Allied Gardens were built in the late 40s in the area right off of Twain & Mission Gorge. It was in the early 50s when Waring Rd was put in that they expanded and started building even more. I am totally amazed at how well Allied Gardens has held up for 50+ years. Most of it is still in pretty good shape. The Foster's Freeze is still there - and good for a dipped cone - and so is one of the last Heavenly Donuts. BIG pass on Brother's, gross.
I hate to tell ya this, but Navajo used to end a few yards past the parking lot entrance to St. Terese ;-)
Yes, I know you can still get Thrifty ice cream at Rite Aid, but it tastes better - closer to childhood memories - on the beach in Mexico
Hi Diva,
Yes, it was way past 10 years, way past 20 years, longer, that Tivoli is finally gone. That place was terrible. Started terrible and never got any better. And they never did any business. I thought they used it for money laundering. There was and is a place in Lemon Grove that did that too. A Chinese place.
Allied Gardens was starting to be built in 1961, because they compared the two new neighborhoods and picked San Carlos because it was like 2 Grand, or so, less.
Back to Henry. Do you remember the green and gold days? When I went there Annette Benning was a friend. She was tall, thin, and gawky. Her picture is next to mine in the Annual.
The old Fish Merchant WAS good. I never learned why they went out of business.
Did you see The Trails Restaurant on Foodnetwork with Robert Irvine?
I used to ride with my friends to the old Foster Freeze on our bikes. It is about now where Papa Johns is on Navajo. One of my daughter’s good friends has worked at the FF on Waring for a long time, maybe 7 years. I still stop there from time to time.
Mona Lisa has been there a Long Time. I used to eat there rarely, and only with a 2 for 1 coupon.
Brother’s is gross, I agree, and so was every restaurant in that location. Mountain Mike’s is also gross. I was hopefull when I heard they were going into that spot.
That’s it for now…… Bye
Best service station was the Chevron at the corner of Grossmont Center and Fletcher Pkwy in La Mesa during the late 70's and I worked for a Dentist friend (could see both LJS and pay phone) and we got the phone number from the payphone at the gas station and when someone would try and make a call, we would call the # and there was an dirty old Cadillac next door to the pay phone and we'd call the payphone and the person trying to use the payphone would answer the ringing phone and I would ask them to please wake up my Mom, whom was sleeping in the old dilapidated caddy..
To watch people going over and knocking on the windows and looking in to think they are going to wake up my Mom was priceless..
Plus, we used to call Long John's Silvers and ask for them to stop the people waiting at the bus stop, right in front of LJS and ask them to please go out and stop the certain looking person waiting for the bus that their Mom would pick them up and still can see the Fryer guy in his Chef hat go out and tell the guy at the bus stop not to catch the bus...since we could see what he was wearing and what he looked like..
I still bust gut everytime I think of those good times!
Ha, we never did that. I am crying now from laughing so hard.
We would call up that Thrifty's I was talking about earlier, and other places, and ask, "Do you have 'Prince something in a can'? I don't remember the second word, It was chewing tobacco in a can. They would say "yes" and we would say, well you better let him out.
I went to the station on Del cerro Blvd when I got my first car at 16. I would say they had great service, but I didn't care. There was a really cute boy I liked, two actually, and they took 'extra' good care of my car : )
Lindy
Lido's also is one our go to Italian places. Just passed it this morning going to the Home Depot in LG.
One of the guys who I used to work with lived down the street and spent his high school years there as a bus boy, etc. I have been there for lunch with him many times, and now he is probably 37 or 38. He has great memories of the owner(s) and how well they treated everyone! AKA one magician.
I have eaten there all the time since I was a child. The children run it now and nothing has changed, taste wise. Marco runs the kitchen and his sister runs the front. I love everything there, but especially the thin crust pizza. I knew many of their waitress very well over the years, Lillian, Rosie (that was terrible when she fell and hurt herself so bad)I think Lillian still works there for some lunches and one dinner a week. One of my daughter's beautiful still life drawings is in their case up front under the cash register, the glass case. Next time you go you can look for it. That was from, maybe 13 years ago. She was so good even then, now, wow!
Hi,
I just thought of another one, sadly, long time gone.
Do you remember Tep’s Villa Roma up Clairemont Drive, up the hill from Mission Bay? It was a great Italian Place. Besides remembering how good the chicken marsala was, what really stands out, now, to me, is their antipasto salad bar. It was in a little alcove. You could get all you wanted, salamis (good ones), cheeses, different olives, peppers of several kinds and LOTS more. It was GREAT!! Never had anything like that in san diego, then or now. I went there from, maybe, 1968 thru about 1984 or so when they closed. That was a sad day.
L
Hi Naner, Just rereading something old and scrolled down a bit, reading. Is your Casa Blanca cheese crisp any different than a crispy flour tortilla covered with cheese, melted, guac and salsa on the side? I love these and any recipe tips on this would be appreciated. Also, I have previously written about El Indios Cheese Crisp Deluxe. It comes with shredded beef or chicken over the cheese, scoops of guac, covered with lett, tom and sour cream in middle. I am forgetting one thing but oh well. And Perrys Cafe cheese crisps are huge, plain, tasty, and the guac is almost ALL just mashed avos and the salsa is one of my best favs ever. Anyhow, any recipes/tips welcome please. L
Anyone else remember Hotel Bar downtown?
The food was so-so, but to me that place is a bit of a sentimental SD legend because of exactly one thing: Their superb, very-fresh-squeezed-lime margaritas. I used to think that those margs were the best to be found anywhere in SD.
But, that's also where I first had a pour of Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, ca. 1995, one of the finest tequilas to be had and something of a "life-changing event" (cough, cough, ahem) for me. I still have the first bottle of it that I bought (photo) and some of the larger (1.75 liter) bottles. And lots of cool boxes.
That's still the only tequila that we sip like cognac out of Mexico-sanctioned tequila glasses:
I attached a picture of one. It's similar in appearance to a champagne flute, but not the same.
Check out the link I attached, or google for similar articles.
Maybe I should have clarified that this glass was designated as the "official" tequila glass by the Tequila Regulatory Council of Mexico, a regulatory body that in turn is sanctioned by the Mexican government.
Amazon sells them, among others.
Ok, I have one, inspired by that new thread for the young lady turning 21...
Bobby McGee's in Grossmont Center. My parents took me there for my 16th birthday. The waiter's name was "Dr Midas Welby." I had steak and lobster.
And the old Carlos Murphy's across the parking lot. I spent more than a couple of college evenings there.
Hi again,
I dont remember the Hotel Bar but how I miss Carlos Murphys. That place was great. They did good business, but I guess the place and the rent was just too much
And this blog, or whatever you call it, has really got me thinking.
What about Los Quatro Milpas in Bario Logan. I first went there when I was 20 or so and, I got a good job two or three blocks away. We would get take out every week. The place is a dive. Who cares, clean and the best food. I still go there every few months (it is far for me) and it is the same. DELICIOUS. Very small, very limited menu, order at the counter and they make it right then, hottest sauce (not salsa) you have ever eaten. Cheap. Order the combo rice and beans with whatever else you order. Comes with two of the BEST homemade flour tortillas you have ever eaten.
Does anyone know where to get good Middle Eastern Food around La Mesa please? My fav went out of bus 3 years ago.
Take care,
And hi again to you too, LindyN.
Hotel Bar was half a block south of the Old Spaghetti Factory, right on the corner on the same side of the street, right where civilization -- as we knew it at the time -- ended. It was mainly a tourist-type Mexican restaurant, fairly good-sized. But if you sat at the bar, as we always did, a cool atmosphere and the best margs around. We liked it.
My de la Familia shot there cost $25, and that was almost 20 years ago. But it was worth it, because it was so exceptionally special, although after that, of course, I bought it by the bottle and drank it at home. Main point being that few places had even heard of it, but Hotel Bar had it on the shelf.
Lindy, have you tried Alforon for Lebanese? Almost in La Mesa - very close - and the food is very good.
Also, there are a couple of places in El Cajon: Alibaba and Sahara. I've never been disappointed with either restaurant.
Thanks everyone. This is such fun. I wish more of ya’ll would chime in. DrChow, thanks, you made me remember going here, I am almost sure. I was too young to get a drink then, maybe 47 or 48 years ago, does that sound right? The food was great but I didn’t know about drinks then, and I never cared for teq when I could finally drink or even now. I am a vodka girl. Once you said Spag Factory, I said, oh yes.
And then that brought back memories of the MANY dinners I had there until they closed. I just thought it was special, the atmosphere and the food. Now I know what good Italian is and I guess the ‘ specialness’ was just in my mind. Has anybody eaten at the new one they reopened? I have eaten at one 20 years ago or so in another city. It was the same. It was on a long trip to the Sacramento area.
$25 a shot, way back then was pretty stiff, VERY! Even now.
Hi phee, thanks for responding. I have never heard of Alforno but am checking out the menu now. Sounds good. Thanks for including the links. That is not too far for me at all. What I like best, what I CRAVE, is Chicken and/or Beef Schwarma, and a good Falafel Pita Sandwich. I have eaten at Ali Baba twice. Their homemade pita breads are the very best anywhere but the food was overcooked, dry, and not flavored right for me and my whole group. Oh, my Dad was raving about the pita, but the food was yuck. He still goes there for lunch sometimes. Do you remember what it was before it was Ali Baba? It was a really reasonably priced steak restaurant for a long time. We ate there often. I knew the owner because we ate there so much. It was called Top Sirloin.
I have eaten at Sahara as well. Not quite what I was craving. There used to be a place called Tony’s something in the shopping center where the old Campus Drive In movie theater was. He had to go out of business because they were tearing down the shopping center to make condos. I haven’t been by there since. I thought that was three years ago, but probably more like six or nine. You know how time flies. He made the best BEST chicken schwarma I have ever eaten. It was truly authentic, and so were he and his wife. Their kids were 2 years apart from my daughter and when I went, I would get take out. My daughter used to ride her scooter outside in the front, with their kids while I waited and chatted with them. We became friends. He did a huge take out and it did take some time. Worth every penny. I would buy enough for two days, it reheated well. The steak schwarma wasn’t as good as the chicken. Too fatty and tough for me but the flavor was right on. That was the first place I ever had garlic on a sandwich, the way they make/blend it with oil. WOW. I used to get take out of that and use it at home for my veggies, like when I cooked broccoli for example.
I am running on at the mouth here, well the fingers. Stop reading if I am too long winded. The best Beef schwarma I ever had was this TINY little place in OB. I can’t remember the name. I remember the owner. He was the best cook. We had a restaurant supply business back there, maybe, exactly, 32 years ago, and I was pregnant and would ride around with my husband for fun on some delivery days. Every time he went there, I was in the truck. He was on the right side of the main road right by the pier. Tiny place, only take out, a window, no seating. He was a great chef all around. He closed to become a famous chef in Las Vegas. He taught me how to make his beef schwarma before he left. I begged him. And he also taught me how to make these incredible breadcrumb coated garlic rack of lamb. That one I don’t remember how to do. I had a house fire and lost all my recipes 12 years ago. Very sad! But I mostly remember how to do the beef Schwarma. I still make it and love it but it is not exactly his. I still love it. If anyone cares I could try to write down quantities. I make it by looks now. It takes long but worth it. I always make a lot because I can eat it for days.
Now, I eat at Aladdin Café in Clairemont. Not the one in Hillcrest!! Different owners. Their Chicken/beef (this second I cant remember which I get) schwarma is very good, garlic is excellent, hummus good, tahini very good, falafel is very good too, but you have to say “not well done”. They always overcook it. It is an open kitchen so you can watch. I always ask for those tables. They make their salads right when you order and they are delicious and fresh. Everything is very fresh. And they have pretty good wood fired pizza too.
Okay, enough from me now, I am off to get some breakfast. Have a great day,
Lindy
Hi Lindy. It's fun to reminisce. I think that the Old Spaghetti Factory had just opened right about the time I moved to SD, about 40 years ago. Maybe I'm wrong, my memory is a little dim. As to Hotel Bar, the first I recall going there was "only" about 25 years ago. I suppose it could have been around for many years before that, or a different restaurant may have been in that spot. I simply don't recall.
Hi DrChow,
Nice to hear from you again. So you are a newbie, almost, here in SD. Me, my kids are third generation. VERY RARE. I just noticed your name and this whole thing, blog, whatever, it is called chowhound. Did you make this? This is the first blog I have ever participated in and it is so fun. If you did start it, then thanks. It is a bit frustrating, tho. Twice now, I typed a long entry, and I couldn't enter it. It got deleted. But I am learning. I will get around to typing that again.
Have a wonderful Sunday, Lindy
Sorry this is not about old San Diego Restaurants; I am answering a question posed.
Go farther East on Main Street in El Cajon- Valley Foods has a steam tray area and about nine tables just when you walk in. You can see the two schawarma spits spinning and other items in the steam trays, a menu board and other items available are listed on top of the glass display.
We order kabobs (beef or chicken (or lamb-25 cents more) and also ask to pay for a flatbread- then walk over to the bakery and at the doorway, get a fresh flatbread while waiting for the food. Masgoof, fish filets roasted whole chicken, stews and soups as well as sandwiches made on their fresh baked 'bolillo' rolls. Not fancy but always fresh. You can even order pomegranate juice or yogurt drink from the fountain.
http://www.valleyfoodsmed.com
At Alforon, try the chicken tawook and lahm bajeen...and just about anything else. They have their own imported oven and each bread is made to order. It's small inside and oh so good.
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for the reply and your input. I have been to Valley Foods about two years ago. I saw their commercial on foodnetwork, I think. I got a sample of the schwarma and a few other things. The people there were very nice. I didn’t like the food I tried, though. However, I did not eat the things you are suggesting, so I will give it another try. I did buy lots of good things in the grocery store part of the store. And their prices were pretty good, lots of choices.
I have tried Vine Ripe in La Mesa and their restaurant. Same thing. I didn’t like the food, but great selection in the grocery section. They have some unusual candy choices. If you like peanut brittle, well, they have the best cashew brittle I have ever eaten. That is all I can say. Have strong teeth. There is a special candy section in a big fresh case. You can buy however much you want by the pound.
At Alforon, have you tried the schwarma, that is what I am missing/wanting? How was it? And how is the tahini? Can’t wait to try the bread, YUM.
Thanks and Take, care Lindy
I guess my post got deleted, only the very bottom got posted. I used to eat at Chart House every month. From when I was 4 until 18 my parents owned a big boat that they docked at Kona Kai. When we came in we either at at Chart House, or the Boll Weevil acaross the street, or sometimes we would take the boat down to Bali Hai and dock there on their pier. That was fun
And then there in Miguels Mecican, one block north of Chart House. It opened a bit later, in years, I mean. They had, and still do, great food,sauces, salsa, and the white warm salsa they bring with the red salsa and chips is great. I used to have the recipe for that.
L
Hi, The Mexican place was Don Jose's. They had the hottest sauce, thin salsa, ever, in that little jar on the table. I wrote this somewhere on a different post.......My mom told me a story about the first time her parents took her there. She went to Hoover. I don't know how old she was when they first went there. Her mom didn't know what the stuff was in that glass container on the table and took a big spoonful to taste it.........you can guess how the story ended....not well For all the rest of you, this sauce is enough to kill you, lol I used to go to Aspen Mine all the time. I wasn't a good dancer, tho.
Morning Doc,
Now, I remember. I went to the store, not the restaurant. Unless they had crepes, then I ate there. My son had a ceramics class not far away.
Does anyone remember Square Pan Pizza. There was one in my area on Lake Murray off Navajo, one by SDSU, and even one at the Zoo. Their thing was to cut square pieces out of a big rectangular pan.
L
I must have dined at Piret's well over a hundred times with a friend who lived two blocks away. I loved their house white wine (affordable and good), and that you could design a meal of your choice of 3 charcuterie salads. A slice of the quiche of the day with house salad (delicious vinaigrette) was always pleasant, and then there were the daily specials. George and Piret Munger were terrific chefs and hosts. I remember when Jacques Pepin taught a cooking class at the Perfect Pan (where I bought an over-priced paella pan.) Also, Piret's welcomed to-go orders--like a French deli.Oh! their fresh baguettes were oh so irresistible!
Hi,
I just thought of another one, sadly, long time gone.
Do you remember Tep’s Villa Roma up Clairemont Drive, up the hill from Mission Bay? It was a great Italian Place. Besides remembering how good the chicken marsala was, what really stands out, now, to me, is their antipasto salad bar. It was in a little alcove. You could get all you wanted, salamis (good ones), cheeses, different olives, peppers of several kinds and LOTS more. It was GREAT!! Never had anything like that in san diego, then or now. I went there from, maybe, 1968 thru about 1984 or so when they closed. That was a sad day. I'm getting better at this posting thing
Lindy
That antipasto salad bar at Tep's also had anchovies, among many other things, and since I love anchovies, I'd pile on so many I'd be drinking water for hours. Loved the dark, very old-school environment, and their food was good. I went several times a year. I think they closed much later than '84, though, more like '94 maybe, or even '04?
Hi Doc,
I was just guessing when they closed. I am glad we got more years in then. I didn't eat the anchovies, ew. sorry. I need them in dressings and other things, but not alone. So you remember the selections then. I am glad someone does. Thanks for telling me. And I had forgotten it was darkish. And didn't they have something like a round fire place or something in the middle of the restaurant?
Lindy
No need to be sorry for not liking anchovies. Most people don't, it seems. Anyway, since no one else was taking them, all the more for me! They had an entire bin of them!
Yes, it was quite the spread that they had there -- all pretty good stuff -- in that little alcove area. And you could go back! (At least I did. To get more anchovies...) Pretty good soups, too.
I'm stretching my memory about the fireplace, though -- just can't bring it to mind. I think there was something like that, but can't clearly remember. (My turn to be "sorry".)
I had the rest of the anchovies you didn't eat from Tep's. Still buy them in the big (14 oz) can at the Costco Business Center.
Hi Doc,
I use the white ones for cooking, they add nice salt and a nuance of flavor that no one will recogn. I went back for more salami and provolone. The fire place was raised and round. Maybe 3 feet or 2 1/2 feet high with bricks. And a large round hood. I used to think, back then, that it would be great for a bbq. Now I am remembering more. There was a ledge aroung the top of the bricks. So it must have been more like 3 feet. There were chairs all around for sitting and eating, that is it. I remembered. Thanks.
Bye
Hi Doc,
Thanks. As I was typing, I was remembering. I can picture it now. It had smallish tiles on top of the ledge, tannish.
I am having so much fun with this blog, I think that is what you call it. My first blog ever that I have participated in.
I saw an ad or a listing for another blog or such, for closed san diego restaurants and when I went back to find it, it was gone. I wanted to read it. I don't know how to find it. Could you please post me a link how to get there and be able to read it? If you know how to? Thanks in advance, Lindy
ps Is there spell check here?
Actually, no, this isn't a blog. It's an interactive discussion board. I'm glad you've decided to participate in it! :-)
CH didn't used to have a spell-checker at all, but now it does, sort of, with an auto-correct feature. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work.
Being a former scientist-engineer type (although I was many years a professor, so I have no excuse), my spelling sucks badly. So I appreciate all the help I can get.
When I'm really unsure, my go-to is still dictionary.com...
Hi Doc,
Thanks for the quick reply. I am still sitting here. Usually I type on a word document and copy and paste it to here. At least I can get spell and gramm. check.
I can do most things great, but I did not get the spelling gene.
Okay, here's a couple more....I worked in Chula Vista for a couple early years as a buyer for a furniture chain and manager for a different chain. Does anyone remember El Patio mexican food? There food was medium, but I think they are still there on the corner of like, E and Broadway?
And La Bella pizza. Within half mile of there. Best pizza I had ever had up to then. They have changed their whole restaurant now, catering more to the bar food and drinks. I bet the pizza is still good.
Lindy
There are bells ringing off the hook in my head about Afonso's, but this darn Alzheimer's...
Kidding, but don't clearly recall it in the Bay Park/West Clairemont area.
There was a Mexican place down Balboa not far from Marie Callender that had traditional and also American-Mexican style food and a wonderful bakery. I always took friends there if they wanted Mexican food nearby.
As to Nazca Grill and Peruvian food:
Hi,
Thanks for the link. Right now when I quit typing I will read the menu. I saw the pictures of the food and it looked good, lots of seafood, and lots of sauce. I always order extra sauce on anything, where ever I go. It was in a 4 story building and was only there 15 or 20 years. It was on the bottom floor, large sit down restaurant, low lighting. No bakery and no american food. Good salsa
CHECK OUT these existing old cafes: 12th and Broadway Café, Golden Hills Café, Brians (which is the old Topsy's in n. park), Paesano Pizza on 30th, Rudford's, Aunt Emmas's Chula Vista, Salazar's on Market, Grand Central in the YMCA on Broadway , Hob Nob, Chicken Pie Shop. the following are now closed-I miss the Flamingo Cafe in Chula Vista, the Travolator at El Cortez hotel, Beefmaster's Sandwich Shop at the California theatre, Denny's at 9th and Ash, Keith's National City(now Aunt Emma's), Miller's cafe in the Cabrillo Lanes Chula Vista, Sabino's, Sun Cafe on Market St., Lubachs. I once owned a taxicab there and knew all the places to go to. DAVE S
Hi David, My favorite name, I named my son that,
Topsy's, yes I remember that. A very nice menu selection. Aunt Emma's CV, I think I went to one, what, around 54th street and El Cajon Blvd.? Good pancakes. And some kind of like, homemade blueberry sryup? I skipped over Rudford's Hob Nob and Chicken Pie because I have already written about them. The El Cortez stands out. What did you like there best? Keith's, I would have never ever have thought of them. I can close my eyes and see it.
Thanks for your post, Lindy
Spice Rack in PB was my fave for breaky..the basket of muffins and other goodies was off the chain goodness.
They made the best cheddar, avo, mushroom omelette.
Also, the Box, aka The Old Ox..loved watching the guys around 1:30am putting on their 'Beer Goggles', circling the bar..thank goodness I always went home alone!!!
World Famous where the Green Flash used to be.
Tug's!!!!
What was the name of the best dive bar across from Kona's at the Crystal Pier...it was da bomb!
TD Hays...LOVE that place!
Mom's was one of the first clubs in PB on Garnet.
Hey Chick,
Boy you are good. You spent more time than me in PB
Spice Rack was a classic! Hands Down. Great omlett. and home baked pastries, and the hash browns or potatoes. I told you I am bad at spelling.
The Old Ox, I would never have remembered that if you hadn't written.
World Famous, well it wasn't, would famous and they did not live up to their name. A family, how do I say it, a good friend family friends, their son (1 of 5) was head chef there for a long time.
And there was what? The FireHouse Deli? right across the street. I am not sure of the name. I think it was the Firehouse. I may not have the name right, close though for you to remember. Good sandwiches, fresh. And do you remember when El Indio opened a small restaurant in PB, right there on the second floor of that big mall where Lawreys's or something is now. Upper floor, very left, top. Boy, it was so good while it lasted. Same exact food, better view. Parking was hard and the place wasn't a good choice for location. They would have made it if they had a different, better location.
And there was a free standing pasta place in a strip mall, right near there, or there, with very good pasta and sauces. What was the name?
Oh man, now you got me going on PB. Their Filippi's (pb)was the best of any of them. There was a grocery store/produce store that had the best darned produce anywhere. Right near the very west end of Garnet? I don't remember the name. It went out long, long ago and turned into a reg grocery store, small, but yes. I know I am wierd. But I can remember going in there when I was 22 and you could buy cherries by the each, I mean they weren't in packs like they are now. You could hand pick each one out of a big big box. And that time, that day, they were almost the size of small small plums. I never had seen, nor never again, gotten to eat a cherry like that, black, huge, everything one could imagine. I bought 4 pounds. Wow, how can I remember that. I bet they send all those to Japan now for 5 times the cost. Wait, now I remember, my girlfriend told me of this online place where you could order cherries in June. They were north of Hemet. It was VERY expensive. I ordered my parents 4 pounds. They are hand picked and hand placed in the right directionsame direction, the stems, into the boxes. Now those are SOME cherries. Just too expensive for my blood now. But I would buy them for my parents. Just for two years. They were huge. Picked and then I got them the next day. I still have the link in my favorites.
Thanks Chick, This was fun, Lindy
BC - if you want to go that far back, it was the Elbow Room across from what is now Kona's. The doors unlocked at 6am every morning giving every on-a-roll bartender, inveterate drunk and bleary-eyed sniffler a place to hide, continue the sot and be left alone for the most part. Had a few memorable post-work mornings there indulging in a guilty pleasure. Smelled like decades of cigarette smoke, spilled beer and bad perfume in there. Bukowski and Waits would've loved it.
I forgot all about Bali Hai. A few members have mentioned it and it has brought back wonderful memories. I am a born and bred New Yorker who was lucky enough to spend summers in San Diego. I was an only child who looked much older than my age so I went out with my parents and their two friends to all these restaurants and drank Sprite until I was 16. At the time the drinking age was 18 and my parents allowed me to have two drinks when I went out after that. I know - bad parenting- but I wasn't driving and I was drinking way more than that back in Brooklyn when I was with friends. I remember being in a restaurant called The Butcher Shop during an earthquake in the late 70's. I've mentioned it before but no one has commented so I'm beginning to think I have the name wrong. They used to bring the raw meat out on a tray and you got to pick your cut. Does anyone remember this place? Unfortunately, anyone I can ask has passed away.
Playboy club was east of 163 down in the Camino de la Reina/ car dealer pit.
Butcher Shop was opposite side of the freeway from:
The Cinema 21.
Ooo- lookie: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1...
Can't recall if Playboy Club had food or just cocktails.
I went a couple of times, but only remember having drinks.
What I do recall is that they had classy, classic, genuine cabaret shows, nothing sleazy at all, and nothing like it before or since in SD. It was a good place to take a date, actually, and IIRC, coat and tie were required.
The Playboy Club occupied the site of the former D.O. Mills - part of a small group of restos out of Sacramento. DO Mills had a reasonably nice dining room with an okay menu for the time and a large, wide-open bar/lounge upstairs. It was right next to the El Torito which was right next to Benihana's on Camino de la Reina.
Hi Chick,
I have been gone a couple days, from here. Didn't think I was coming back. But here you go. Too many mods. I want my "L" back. I have been doing bad I guess.
Lehr's Greenhouse. Wowie. The Sunday Brunch was awesome. Downstairs was so different than up. When they closed they sold the gazebos (sp?) I bought one. That was a really sad day. I loved that place. How it was all like clear, like glass, but not. Thanks for reminding me.
Monterey Whaling, yes, I remember. They didn't have good food in my humble opinion.
Now that you say Denny's. What about Love's right next door? Besides everything else that was good there,and it all was good, they had the best beans I have ever had in my life, but the little cup was too small.
And I wasn't looking for hot guys, but I guess I should have been
Night, Lindy
ps how did you get a fake ID, I couldn't
Hi Doc,
I haven't been keeping up. Just read this now. And, no, IT WAS SPECIAL. And every gazebo, was a different price. And of course, every one was different to us all, the ones that we ate there and special memories of specific booths, where I got proposed to. Well, just like any restaurant, I would guess. And there were so many, many to choose from, the place was, big after all. But I knew the one I wanted. Or I may be insane. But you all are too. It burned down, my gazebo, with my house fire, in 2002. That was a great restaurant, what I would say, a classic.
And Doc, it was no small thing to me, way many memories. And it wasn't even that expensive. I don't know where Camino de la Costa is but I will assume you are being sarcastic, I learned that from my son.
L
There were a number of Butcher Shops. I believe they were all owner by the Roberto De Fillipi family. During a bloody divorce, Roberto lost most everything except the Chula Vista Butcher Shop on Broadway. It was quite the place. Roberto, a very dapper dresser, would be in his restaurant everyday and always talking with his customers and checking on the kitchen and the quality coming out. He sold a few years ago - maybe even 3 or 4 to two gentlemen who still operate the location. I think their may been other family involved including a Son? I ate lunch at the CV location many times and they always had a quality menu. As a young salesman, in the 70's we would go to the Butcher Shop at the Plaza International, and could only afford to eat there with an expense account and a customer in tow. That was quite the place. When we were done there we would go across the 8 to the Jaborwalky (sp)on the top of the Atlas Hotel complex. Also on the Company dime. Then we would go home to suburbia to the wife and kids. At least my circle of friends did. Good memories.
Hi Suz,
There were several Butcher Shops. I am familiar with two. There was one in Chula Vista, dark place, big red booths. Good steaks. And there was one other I ate at in Kearny Mesa, by what was then a Filippis. Same decor.
I have come to think, after reading this thread, that there was another 'restaurant' by that name also.
What else do you remember?
Lindy
The Butcher Shop in Chula Vista was fantastic--I remember picking it for my birthday. They had fabulous garlic bread and blue cheese dressing on their salads. You picked your steak from a big round tray of raw meat. Very impressive to a pre-teen in 1960's. When they closed and moved to Kearny Mesa, it just wasn't the same.
i Guys,
Now that Doc taught me how to post the right way, and where, I am reposting this
Let's start the engines............
The Big Yellow House. La Mesa. Which later turned into Hungry Hunter. We have already discussed HH.
The Big Yellow, well, so cute for such a big house. I can remember when they built that one. There were others, one in National City, I believe, and more. Great fried chicken. I loved how they did it all 'family style', very good side dishes. In the beginning, the first years, they could never keep up, meaning, you could get/order as much fried chicken as you wanted, but the kitchen couldn't do it/couldn't keep up. Was that their downfall? What do you remember?
Best, Lindy
Never went to the Big Yellow House (or maybe it was before my time here?), but it sounds like it was "down home" style, which I really, really love sometimes.
When I first moved here, there was a wonderful, maybe-similar, down-home, old-style cafeteria like that on the north side of Balboa a few blocks east of Genesee that had the greatest breakfasts and best home-style liver and onions (and meatloaf, etc.) that I've had. I'd go early on my way to work just to have breakfast there. Can't remember the name -- I'm very bad with names (and have been all my life).
It burned down, maybe 20 years ago, never to return.
Luckily there was still the little place down from what is now Keils in Clairemont (formerly a Von's), where you sat on old-style, elevated, round, plastic, padded rotating stools with fixed metal posts, in front of a Formica counter.
The best chicken soup next to Mom's. It was the last counter-only place of its kind (with waitresses in the middle of the U-shaped counter) that I've experienced. The very end of an era; closed now maybe 15 years.
That turned into a Mexican restaurant for a few years, and then most recently a holistic medical office, just closed.
Thank gawd for Country Waffles...
Hi Doc, This is not letting me reply. Yes finally I can type. I wrote you this long post about the cafeteria, but of course, I deleted it somehow,
You were here for the end of the Big Yellow House. Maybe you never heard of them then. It was a BIG house. Not quite sure why their demise. I would guess, not enough cooks to put out the amount of food their devoted eaters wanted. Long lines, good food, too slow, nice family style.
You wrote about that cafeteria. Man, this has been bothering me A LOT. Mine was on the corner of Univ and 54th. I was young. It was so fun. Huge place. Push your tray along, take a small bowl of this, a small bowl of that, more and more. I have tried my best to remember the name but I can't. I even researched it for hours because, now, it is driving me crazy. I asked my mom, she remembers the cafeteria, but can't remember the name. Please someone, what was the name. It starts with c or l or maybe m. Something short word, cafeteria. I can see it, just not read it.
Have a wonderful day, L
Oh Thank you Cathy,
This was driving me crazy. Thank you. That was the name of it. And yes, it was in their parking lot on the north west corner. HOW DID YOU EVER REMEMBER THIS?
And they always did so very much business, why did they go out do you think? It was so special, I could choose any little and all little bowls I wanted.
Thanks very much, L
Link at bottom of this article says locations are in five states.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio...
Probably was sold off when Kmart started failing and then left California. I never followed any business articles about it.
Hi Cathy,
How come your answer to my question is above my post? I still don't understand all this.
Thanks for the link. Glad they are still around. I would love to eat there again, for old times sake, I didn't know what food quality was when I was 7 or 8. and, boy, would I fill up that tray!! Thank you so much for taking to time to give me the name and link. Really, it was driving me crazy.
Have a nice weekend, L
Thanks again, Cathy,
I never knew K-Mart had any what-so-ever, stake in Furrs. See, I can write the name now. Thanks for that. It was so fun. My parents would let me take as many little bowls and plates as my tray would hold. Looking back, not so good food, but as for the fun, well, I would go back any day. What was their demise?
Thanks much, Lindy
There was a Furr's Cafeteria in Oceanside when I was young, and they had the BEST coconut pie. I think it was southern based, remembering the sides available. My grandmother, Kentucky born loved it! It went downhill before it closed, but at it's height, it was hard to beat. There was also a Sir George's, but all I remember was the nasty, overcooked sliced roast beef, swimming in beef broth.
And what about La Bella Pizza Garden in Chula Vista. They have been there since 1955. The theme of the restaurant has certainly changed over the last 10 or so years, a lot, more focused on beer, bar, and sports. It used to be a family oriented place. Anybody been there lately? Is the pizza as good as it was, say 35 years ago?
La Bella's has changed, but mostly to accommodate the newer diners. I think the restaurant will always be "family-oriented", but it stands to reason they would do their best to bring in a broader customer base. You don't stick around for nearly 60 years without, for lack of better terms, staying relevant.
That said, I was there was late last year, and the pizza is just as good as it's always been.
Thanks Phee,
Yes, you have to modify if you expect to stay in bus since 1955. They need to cater to all kinds of diners and bring in new bus, anyway they can. I understand that and it is smart.
I am glad to hear you had their pizza. I will be down there in about 6 weeks, just deciding to stop in for lunch or not. Several other choices in the area. If you say the pizza is as good as always, then, I am there. Now, I am ordinary, just a pep for me. What did you have, or should I stray and try something new?
Thanks again for the reply, L
London Opera House...the only semi-classy restaurant in the Balboa/Genesee area, ever.
I went there mostly for cocktails, since it was really the only nice bar to go to in the area.
I don't remember the food at all, although I did have meals there occasionally. (Not memorable, obviously.)
But the dynamite happy hour! Just buy a drink for a buck, and then the spread of excellent munchies made available was terrific. Sometimes I didn't even need a regular "dinner" afterwards.
Turned into the ludicrous "Frat House", then demolished to build what's there now (Starbucks, Boston Market, et. al.)...
Hey Doc,
You want to talk about happy hour, really? I mean, really. You could go so many places, and buy two drinks, eat way more than you should on pretty good/fair/pretty good free food at the bar on happy hour. Back then, much more than now, the food at happy hour was way good. Now, barely passable mostly. But still, for free, who are we to complain.
L
Okay, ps, I can never stop typing. Black Angus, for the longest time, had one of the best happy hours. I could get my wine real cheap, that doesn't sound nice, It was good, and we could get the Wagon Wheel platter, that was the big combo app, for half price!! What a deal!! I am not being sarcastic. It was really good and it was like, 4 bucks and would feed three, shrimp, pot skins, zucc, chicken fingers, good ones, hot,a really nice combo of food for an app. I went to the one on Friars Rd with my kids every week for maybe 5 years. They had this game, it was free, it interchanged with other bars across the US. It was like a trivia game. My kids loved it. Each half hour, it was a different trivia game. So we would eat and play. I didn't know the answers but my son kicked butt. I don't really know what this means, I think there were a really lot of bars doing this back then. but lots of times he won over all the bars that had people playing. Black Angus stopped doing the game, and then stopped doing the half off, but last time I was at TGIF they had the game.
I'm not sure which are still around since we moved from SD in 1971 and visited briefly in 1995 but living there from 1965 to 1971 my family ate at so many. From Memory here goes:
In Old Town Mexican Food was my father's favorite.
The Aztec
Manuel's
Anthony's at Mission Bay, La Jolla, and Scrips Ranch/Rancho Bernardo
The Hotel Del Coronado (Blueberry pancakes)
The Family Tree (best cheeseburgers ever)
Pancakes and blueberry pancakes
The Restaurant in the old part of the Town & Country Hotel. Breakfast there next to the still lit tiki torches and crystal clean light blue swimming pools with fresh farmers brothers coffee are memories that will last a lifetime.
Consuelo's somewhere in Hillcrest off Washington or University Avenue. Several other locations to Rancho Bernado. The fried flour tortilla with cheese as a 'starter' was always a hit in our family (topped with the house hot sauce).
In La Jolla The Reinlander - sitting outside in the garden with fresh fruit and the paprika sauce over fresh scrambled eggs with sausage cooked in and the most delicious pastries.
I remember driving to Chula Vista once with Dad to a friend of his (through Fed Mart) that had opened a Mexican restaurant on the side. Getting a tour of the kitchen then was a treat.
The Mexican Restaurant at Montgomery Field was exceptional as well.
Love's Pit BBQ in what became Fashion Valley and the Hotel Circle area.
In Claremont Mesa, H. Salt Fish and Chips, the Char-Burger, Straw Hat Pizza Parlor in the Grants/Long Drug Store center off Balboa and Genesee. Marie Calendars there close by.
In Fast Food Jack in the Box - literally the clown order taker character, Taco bell used to have 10 tacos for a buck in those years, many of their menu items were 10 and 15 cents at times. I had my first Whopper at the BK off Balboa ave just west of Chandler Drive.
Fresh hot caramel corn at the Fed Mart snack line.
The Bali Hi, Sees Candies at Mission Valley and the Dinosaurs playground. That outdoor mall with Santa at the May Co second only to Santa at Sears in Hillcrest next to University Christian Church (Cleveland Ave).
Roller Skating in an old wooden floor massive rink off near San Diego State. Movies at the Campus Drive In (Woody Allen films), the Pink Panther at the Pacific Drive In, M*A*S*H* at the Rosecrans was it near the San Diego Sports Arena and Fed Mart? Across from the Genie Car Wash. I remember Mash from the projectors turned off that night as the management piped in LBJ's "I will not run speech." And afterwards the whole drive in cheering flashing their lights on the screen and the management threatening to close if folks did not calm down. Resuming the film. .49 cents a Seat matinees at the Pacific Cinemascope theater in Claremont Mesa, Planet of the Apes, True Grit, Voyage to the bottom of the sea, every Saturday at noon.
I-Hop when it was the International House of Pancakes in Hillcrest and a far more natural recipe of pancakes and waffles then. Everything tasted fresh and without preservatives. And the rotating round lazy susan for all the syrups - strawberry, blueberry, maple, pecan, - wow was that ever fun.
The straw Hat Pizza in CM had an onion taste to them. 16mm silent and sound black and white Laurel and Hardy films, the Marx Brothers, WC Fields, the Keystone cops,. that was part of what made it special. Shakey's Pizza behind Fed Mart Kearny Mesa. We had good food growing up too at home.
The 1960s were special in San Diego in my single digit to double digit years. Soupy Sales in the morning from the X stations in Mexico, Bob Daley weekday afternoon movies from KFMB, Uncle Roy's Toy Store and Magic Castle show, Hobo Kelley from KCOP in LA. Gene Autry's Christmas Parade from Hollywood on KTLA, Thunderbirds Roller Derby and Champion Wrestling with Dick Lane as the sportscaster. From the Olympic Auditoriums. Catching the live broadcast of the Carson show from KNBC LA. AM Radio. KGB and KCBQ AM radio. Pirate FM of KHIS radio with Lady Godiva sitings in Pacific Beach and the Cove. Belmont Park when it was a full sized amusement park in its last years. The dipper's accidents. The Plunge pool. A small family amusement park off the 8 at 395 on the NW side of the canyon. Go carts near Jack Murphy Staidum and the 8.
Sorry - mind just going back. Farrel's at Fashion Valley. The trough buttons (made a pig of myself at Farrels) and the San Diego Zoo stretcher with two employees running over the whole place with a delivery to a table. The Loma Theater, Mission Valley Theater, grand LARGE theater and screens, Cinerama 21, TuVu Drive in, Del Mar Drive In, - part of Lost San Diego. And all of it - gone?
Wow, talk about a walk down memory lane :-))
I remember the Gourmet Room at the Town & Country. We got to go every now and again. We had to get dressed up and use our best manners. I have no clue if the food was good, bad or indifferent, but to my young mind, I thought it was good.
The drive-ins are, of course, long gone. They did save the neon majorette from the Campus Drive-in and she now adorns something in the shopping center where she once so proudly stood. The Loma theater is now a bookstore.
Bob Daley, Johnny Downs, the Lady Godiva promo (totally had forgotten about that one). Blast from the distant past :-)
"Pirate FM of KHIS radio"
and sister station, KHRS, both automated broadcasting from TJ. Gabriel Wisdom was the host on HIS. Periodically HIS would go blank for hours- dead air. It was explained to me later in life that at the end of each (tape) cart was a section of transparent tape spliced in- when a sensor saw light through the tape, it would drop the next cart (explaining the shorter dead air interruptions) that would often occur.
The (hours) long dead air was when th elady in charge of reloading the carts left the curtains open in the room, and the sun would hit the sensor, dropping the entire load of carts.
Wow your Memory Lane stream-of-consciousness is enough to give even LindyN a run for her money.
Wish Marie Calender's hadn't been pushed out of their Balboa Mesa location when the Great Recession started back in '08.
Used to go to that Mexican restaurant at Montgomery Field periodically with accomplices from work when I worked in the area. As you said, it was surprisingly good. Breakfast specials on Sundays were wonderful. Haven't been in years -- is it gone now?
Morning Doc,
The name of that Mex Rest. is Casa Machado. They are still in business.
Okay, talking about restaurants at air fields made me remember.
Help me please everyone.
There was a really nice restaurant for a long time on the far east side of Lindbergh Field. The food was great, but the view was even better. All glass facing the runway. Can you remember the name anyone? I think it may have been a two story building. Pretty large restaurant. Diva, you are going to know this, right off.
Thanks, L
Doc, I love remembering all these things. How could we spend more than 50 years eating and remember all these things. It is amazing, and I have said, before, so much fun, and by the way, I knew what you meant, I was teasing you, And, Yes, I have been in the last month, loving to write about it
Best, L
Hi Steve,
Thanks for taking so long to write this. This was a great post!
You and your family sure did a lot in the short time you lived here.
The Restaurant at the Town and Country, at that time, was very fancy. I only got to go there, not even once a year. The huge pool and the tiki torches, were by a medium sized glass room. A whole half of it, the side facing out to the pool, were simply panels of glass. My brother had his Bar Mitzvah in that glass room, there in 1974 or so. Such a fun party and the food was great. The hotel did a great job. I don’t know if that room is still there.
I would have never remembered Reinlander. I am not positive that is the right spelling, though. They had a wonderful Sunday brunch, I think. Do you remember that? Their food was superb.
There are only two Anthony’s left now, I believe, the one in La Mesa with the lake, and the one on the bay, by downtown. That one had the Star of the Sea Room right next to it, that part is closed now as a restaurant. I think they do catering and private parties.
The Mexican rest. At Montgomery Field was excellent. They had a good Sunday buffet, too.
Love’s BBQ Pit was on the south side of frwy 8 and closed a long time ago, sorry to see that one go.
My first job, what would count as a real job, was at Jack #54.(J in the B) That was the one in the shopping center at Navajo and Fletcher Pkwy. It is still there and going strong. So I was 16, and I lived pretty close, and I just had gotten my own car. So I was going to go and apply. My mom knew Jack Goodall, they had gone to high school together. She said, just let me call him and you can get the job. There were about 70 kids applying for 2 positions. And, I said no. I said I’ve got to get this on my own or it doesn’t count. I had to prove to myself that I could do it, get the job. I already had been running my own business since I was 14, but it was seasonal. And I thought working at J in the B would be fun.
I had to look this up, I am going to copy and past a short bit about Jack Goodall I found…
“Last week I attended a seminar at Point Loma Nazarene University given by the former President of Jack in the Box, Jack Goodall. Mr. Goodall joined Foodmaker, Inc. and over the his 38 year career held positions such as Chairman, President and the CEO. He also was the owner of the San Diego Padres and partnered with many non-profits in the San Diego community. Here are some important takeaways from this amazing man.”
I will also give you the link if you want to read the whole article. He was/is quite a man.
http://www.classycareergirl.com/2010/...
This is a great short article about how a man could lead a company into a huge conglomerate using ethics.
Anyhow, My friend Sue wanted to work there too. Her mom and my mom had gone to high school with Jack G. at Hoover. She had her mom call Jack G. She got the job. I got the job on my own. I was so proud.
Fresh hot caramel corn at the Fed Mart. I don’t remember that. You sure do remember a lot of Fed Marts. My great uncle owned one just south of Encinitas, can’t remember the exit. Might have been Fed Co Back to the caramel corn. The first, or one of the first malls built in San Diego, was College Grove. We had to dress up to go there. It was ritzy, sort of like how Fashion Valley is like now. But more so. They had a little store in the mall, an outside mall, that sold warm, delicious, fresh, caramel corn. It was my payment for schlepping to the mall with my mom. That was the very best I ever had, in hind site.
I think the Roller Rink you are talking about was actually on the north east corner, in the parking lot of what was and is Drew Ford in La mesa. I think. And do you remember the ice skating rink on Lake Murray Blvd, just north of frwy 8, it was there so long. They had great snacks. It is now a large church.
I am laughing, I can just picture ‘chaos at the drive-in ‘ The Campus one had swings in the front, right under the screen. Do you remember that?
I would have never, ever remembered the lazy susan for the syrups. It was such a treat to be able to pick more than one. Yes, fun.
Do you remember Frank The Train Man. He sold hobby trains, he had his store just at the end of El Cajon Blvd and Park, I believe, when you went to the zoo? He had that store his whole life, like 70 years.
KCBQ, wowie, when I was in 10th grade, not mentioning the year, I got my government class to want to take a trip to Sacramento. So we had to raise a lot of money. I really don’t remember how I got this to happen, but I designed a Rock-A-Thon down at KCBQ. They had a raised very large cement sort of patio, no cover, out front, and we all brought our rocking chairs, like 25 of us, hence Rock-a-Thon, and we got sponsors by the hour, for as long as we could rock. Wow. And the DJ’s would talk about us every hour on the radio, and sometimes come outside and interview me, so people we didn’t even know would drive by and donate some money to our trip. And they would bring us food. KCBQ was really great. I think they had fun that day too. (I believe KCBQ and KGB were both aired out of the same location in Santee. I once ran into Wolf Man Jack remember him? in Las Vegas, the DJ) Our goal was to stay awake for 24 hours. Only bathroom breaks, short ones., nothing else, just sit and rock. Some brought lush comfy rockers, some were wooden. We raised so much money, we went to Sacramento and money left, so at the end of the semester, we all went to Disneyland too. Better than a bake sale, I’d say.
BELMONT PARK, every summer for one of our vacations we would rent a house at mission beach. And that was the old Belmont, the one you are talking about. When you could get a wristband and go on all the rides, all day long, come and go. They had the best freshest cotton candy. YUM.
And now, Last, Loma Theater near Point Loma, hence the ‘Loma Theater” Sound of Music, when it first came out, it ran there for one year straight. I got to go 4 times in a year.
And do you remember the first stadium, before Qualcomm, where fashion valley mall now sits? Not only ball games, they did the circus there too.
Please, please Mods, let Steve read this. It took me hours to write.
Thanks again, Steve
Bye, Lindy
"When you could get a wristband and go on all the rides, all day long, come and go. "
Not a wrist BAND.
A length of red string with a metal clip that, once closed over the string, could not be removed without damage.
I believe the colors of the string and the clip vaired day-to-day, thus avoiding returns from the previous day.
Alllll aboarrrd the HimmmA LAY aaaaaa!
Hi Fakey,
You are bad as me. the 'wristband' is what they call it these days, and yes they changed the colors so you couldn't cheat. And I did not like the Himmm A Lay aaa it made me sick
What was the name of the one, in that special area, that was like planks going up and down, up and down, you had to judge it, run, keep on your feet. And then there was the barrel. I was like 6 ft in diamt. and went round and round and didn't stop. Well after so long, I learned real well how to walk in there, and it wasn't easy at the beginning. but we would walk for a long, long time and then just sit down and slide, and others would come thru and fall and barely crawl out. We would pick them up and drag them out. But by then it was a piece of cake,
And wasn't there a 'spider' That was REALLY fun, what else? Your Turn, L
Oh yes, the long line of games on both sides on the way to the roller coaster where you could win prizes
Hi Team,
Sorry, and in the most polite way, so what, we have been having a lot of fun. We went to the history of SD. And history is fun too, but we talked about food overall. But thank you for the reminder. But Steve got us going in a very fun way.
I will do my best to go back on topic, as a matter of fact, I talked to my cousin about two restaurants, before my time. I will post them up above like Doc told me, new post
Thanks everybody, for the input, L
Oh Fakey,
Back then, that was high class. But we had to park at the other end? I don't know why. And we had a small WS right down the street. But we had to go to the one in College Grove.
When I was about 7, my parents best friends were going to Portugal with her parents. Well, one of them got sick, her parents. So with 3 days notice, my parents were on their way to Portugal for free. But of course, my mom need new clothes. Terrible polyester pant suits, long shopping day, yes, I got my carmel corn, great trip, good memory
L
Hey Diva,
Just thinking about it. You have to remember the small shopping center, strip mall, with Walker Scott at the right side, west side. It was where Fish Merchant was/is and where Archway or Archstone built those appartments.
Before that it was a strip mall with a Round Table Pizza and the very best Bagel Store. We brought home bagels from there every Sat. or Sun. I can't remember the name of the bagel store, bet you do. They had a few locations. With all the bagel stores around San Carlos now, nothing since, has ever compared to the quality and taste of their bagels, and Fakey, that is where the Small Walker Scott used to be.
Then it all got torn down, just to build some apartments. Our loss... miss it..... The Round Table and the Bagel Store
Baltimore Bagels.
And I remember when that WS was built. There was also a Radio Shack and a Hallmark card store.
EDIT: AH! Found it. Not only was Baltimore Bagels known for their food- their point-of-purchase displays were beautifully photographed by a local photographer of tremendous talent about 1986-ish.
Hi Fakey,
Great Job, Didn't see the reply until now.
Man, their bagels were good. I didn't even know what an everything bagel was back then. I had to have egg. I got no choice. Now and then I could get a pumpernickle (sp?)as usual) They were so good. Why did they go out of bus? they were always busy? I mean all the locations, not just because the shopping center was being torn down. And many years later, there was a sporting goods store that went in, owned by friends of mine, maybe 10 years before it fell.
I remember even before the WS was built. Did you live over here? I don't remember the Hallmark. Do you remember the Round Table? I loved it.
Now somehow, was that photographer, and I am grasping, still new here, was that you, Fakey? And that is some yummy food in that pic. Thanks for telling me the name. Better than all of the shops now. Did you eat there?
Thanks, Lindy
It is not letting me edit my last post.
That really WAS a nice picture. And I remember that IS HOW their food looked. And their logo. We never got sandwiches, though, only bagels on the weekend to take home, and cream cheese. Did they at least feed you?
I remember the Radio Shack now that you said it.
And that tremendously talented photographer was also very handsome I heard.
I had a lot of bagels.
There were several shots that day- this was the only display I could beg from the MV location when they closed. Like most food photography, the props might be treated with whatever special magic potions the stylist uses- so we don't eat food from the set.
Often there are leftover supplies. The Uncle Biffs shoot comes to mind.
The BB shot is a VERY GOOD example of a top-notch pro shot. So many people have no idea how difficult it is to shoot food and make it all look good. Involves far more than spray bottles of glycerine.
Hey Trip,
Yes, I had no idea, well some idea, for 20 years. I knew, but not really. Until I watched two shows on FoodNetwork on Food Stylists. No Idea, well some! They spray all the food with whatever. But is in the exact details with the tweezers to make everything exact, and perfect, and make you want to eat it. Exact! So what we see in any ad looks so appetizing. They want it to look so good you must go there and buy it, whatever, where ever, etc. right away, that is the point. Amazing.You have to have steady hands, to make the food look great, and to take the perfect shot.
Fakey certainly knows how and all about the business. I didn't know Doc did too. Amazingly hard detailed work. But the benefits had to be good too : ) tasting the leftovers, ha.
Great post, thanks, Lindy
Hi Doc,
I agree, also, with Tripeler. It is so very hard, you look in a magazine or whatever, it looks perfect, so much goes into it, even before the photographer starts. Much harder than most people realize.
So you just happened to be there and get the shot of the neon lights at China Camp/Fat City. Great photo. Thanks for sharing. I can't quite remember it, what you took, nor the whole sign. You know me, it will come to me.
Fakey is so good because he worked so hard at it for so long. I do, really, know what goes into the food styling (yes, yes SP?) Let alone the lighting the exact right way and this angle or that angle or ......
I think that is really harder, getting the right angle and right lighting, and especially harder outside, getting the right perfect shot.
Anyhow, thanks for the comments. L
Actually, I planned the shot of Fat City and hauled my equipment down there on a clear night just for that. It wasn't a snapshot; it required a long lens and a long exposure. That sign was a very colorful, photogenic subject and the best shot was the one I posted, which is of a very small part of the overall sign.
Actually, when the food is set up to where it looks the best, the best time for eating it has long passed. It's basically been given too much makeup and silicone to be any good. I am sure we have seen new fast-food items advertised that look terrific, but they don't look At All like the actual product that passes over the counter to you. Great food photographers deserve loads of respect. Certainly Fake Name does, but I can think of many other good reasons to respect the man.
Aw, shucks...
Lots of interesting rules about food photography. The food advertised MUST be the real thing- but the accompaniments do not.
Have a look at the front of a cereal box- see the milk on the edge of the spoon? Looks all white and "plump"? Likely it's Elmer's glue. Much thicker, holds it's position better, and the cereal doesn't absorb it as quickly.
I'm an old skool guy and learnd a lot of the tricks- but digital has changed much of it, so the workload has shifted to post-production.
Hi,
Who remembers Albert's Restaurant at the zoo? They would always have a coupon in the Entertainment book every year, so we would eat there once a year. Amazing to get such fine food in a zoo.
And speaking of odd, do you remember when Square Pan Pizza had a location there right next to the gift shop by the enterance?(sp?) What a relief, so much better that a cruddy hot dog.
L
Hi guys,
I was talking to my cousin about the fun I have been having here talking/writing about the old SD restaurants. And she chimed in. This is before my time.
When she was 10ish, for 10 years or so, give or take, her grandparents (my great grandparents, whom I do not remember) would take the family out to dinner every Sunday. This was a big family. And they HAD to go. There was probably 25 total, adults and kids of all ages. They went to two/three places, adults at one table, kids at the other. My mom barely remembers the first two, but she was 12 years older than my cousin Ruthie. So Ruthie went longer.
Kissel House on El Cajon Blvd. Maybe misspelling as usual
Vallee's (again maybe missing) on 5th ave, also in the 50's El Cajon Blvd. ???
And her last one was Mary Ellen's Dining Room? Again, before my time. They went to these three, EVERY SUNDAY, FOREVER.
Anybody can you tell me something about them? Please?
Thanks, Lindy
Columbo's was the namesake of its owner/chef Paul Columbo, next door to the Arnold-Buck Advertising Agency on 4th and G. Paul C came from a catering background and named a box lunch special after the infamous Chuck Buck. Columbo's went out of business after the owner went through a nasty divorce and he landed as head of catering operations for Hornblower.
Hi FC, You brought up hornblower. Made me remember the many times I had dinner and a cruise on the Bahia Bell. Board and ride from the Bahia to the Catam. Hotel across the bay. I don't remember if they did that all the time, or just in the summer, or on the weekends? I sailed many, many times, now, that was fun, and calm waters.
Hornblower too, when guests were in from out of town, I would take them there. But I didn't like that so much. Always smelled like gas in the dining room. L
Remember the place called Soledad Franco's..or something like that...Downtown SD in a cool brick building.
Also, loved going to business meetings at Piret's downtown in that big glass atrium, first floor building..they made this salad with peas in a mayo based that was sublime.
Boom Trenchards..was that next to Jimsair and they had the airport tower exchange with pilots..
I spent a good share of my happy hours at Frenchie Marseilles, and remember your dad!
I'm feeling the need to qualify my post above. I remember Ron because he was the consummate host, and it was the happening place to be back in the day.
I've heard a lot about Frenchies, but sadly it was before my time as I was 8 when he married my mother in 1993. From what he and his friends have said, it was quite a wild place to be. Would he know you by name? I'd be happy to pass on your regards if you want to pm me (if that's a function on this site) your name. Also, thank you for the kind words about my dad!
Edit: Sorry if this is too forward, but if anyone on here has any memories of him feel free to email me (cwhite01us@gmail.com) and I'll pass them on to him. We had a gentleman stop by our table at Thanksgiving and reminisced with him and it brightened him up immensely. He's been unable to get around easily for a long time now so he doesn't get to see as many people as he used to, but he would love to hear from anyone who had some history with him. He still has former associates stop by the house or call from time to time and it makes his day.
A Church? There was a very good restaurant in a LARGE remodeled Church, on 6th Ave., I believe. I can't remember the name of it when they turned it into a restaurant. Lasted for some time. Then I think they did private parties. No idea if any business or whatever is in there now.
I was talking to my cousin about the fun I have been having here talking/writing about the old SD restaurants. And she chimed in. These restaurants are before my time.
When my cousin was 10ish,(maybe 1950 give or take 5 yrs.) for 10 or 15 years or so, give or take, her grandparents (my great grandparents, whom I do not remember) would take the whole family out to dinner every Sunday.
Kissel House on El Cajon Blvd. Maybe misspelling as usual
Vallee's (again maybe missing) on 5th ave, also in the 50's El Cajon Blvd. ???
And her last one was Mary Ellen's Dining Room? They went to these three, EVERY SUNDAY, FOREVER.
Anybody, can you tell me something about them? Please?
Always had a blast at Houlihan's in Mission Valley..loved the drinks, the food and this was big time fun back in the days.
Then we'd go and party at that Disco next door..what was that called?
Then it went to a cowboy country club with line dancing.
Along with Crystal T's at the Town and Country Resort.
Dual purposes for posting this link: it serves the title of this thread with a YouTube of Tugs closing in 1985. And says goodbye to our great San Diego neighbor Larry Himmel. RIP old friend.
I’ve been following the old restaurant thread, as I have lived in San Diego a long time.
The mention of the bar across from Kona’s caught my eye. Someone mentioned Elbow Room, but I
remember a different establishment, at least from the late 60’s to the mid 70’s. It was Maynard’s Club. It was on our regular rotation for Spaghetti night on Weds. You would order from an outside window on Ocean Blvd. and you would get pasta and meat sauce, a tossed salad and a piece of garlic bread all on
a paper plate. The price???, $.25. Yes twenty five cents, we would order two each. Wait there’s more, on Thurs. (I think) it was Taco night, same price for Taco, beans and rice, and on Sunday mornings they had a Spanish omelet too, same price.
Another PB favorite of mine was La Chaumine. This is where I cut my teeth on French food as a young adult. Great memories of those two haunts.
(I have been lurking here for sometime, so I finally decided to jump in.)
Hi Kenster,
I never remember hearing about La Chaumine. Where in PB were they located? Back then, when you are writing about, I remember going to World Famous now and then. Different restaurant now, different quality of food. And also, something like, The Firehouse Deli Restaurant across the street from WF on the North side?
Thanks Kenster for replying,
I guesS I never heard of, or went to La C. It might have been the Fireside Deli Rest. But I think it was the Firehouse, built in an old fire house, hence the name. It was a sit down rest. not small, deli sandwiches but many other choices. Diva would remember this. It was good, very good, but then the quality went down hill pretty quick. Thanks for responding. I guess I missed a good one with La C.
I used to go to the Filippi's in PB. I thought it was the best of all of them. I am not sure it is still there.
Welcome to Chowhound Kenster!
One of my old boyfriends started with Tom Warren on the swim around the pier, then that morphed into triathalons, with Tinley and the likes from SD that put that sport on the map.
I still see Tug's T-Shirts at Goodwill and I buy them up and give to friends for Xmas..
Is Maynard's Club where the Matador used to be? ( across from Tug's)
I've only known Stage Door to be the best dive bar in the world, well, besides Pac Shores in OB, at the location across from Kona's..
I miss Lamont Street Grill way back in the 80's..
Do you remember Mom's Saloon on Garnet, across from Diego's?
TD Hays was one of my fave's...there was a bar downstairs..what was the name of that place?
Mahalo
LOVE Coaster Saloon!
Across from Belmont Park roller coaster and we'd always go all jacked on the coaster and then hit up the Coaster for drinks and good food.
Beachy divey goodness..
I bet my friends that I could get the young guy running the roller coaster to have it run twice, with paying only once and he did it!!
The horror on the peoples faces that thought it wouldn't stop.
Won a bunch of $$ and I realized right then and there that I had it going on...ha ha ha
Beach Chick,
This photo was taken in 1972. Sorry for the small photo, Maynard's is the beige structure. I do remember Mom's but wasn't a regular. Lamont Street Grill was a go to for
special occasions. Have yet to try the new restaurant at that location, The Patio?
Thanks for the welcome!
Kenster and Beach Chick and anyone else-
If you haven't seen it, the website below is just plain awesome/amazing. Plenty of stories about Maynard's, La Jolla and surrounding areas during the times mentioned in this thread:
Oh jeez...I had the distinct non-pleasure of employing one of the members of the family that owned the place. He was absolutely passionate about Mexican food with near encyclopedic knowledge as well, but man, the kid had NO, and I mean NO interpersonal skills. Ended up getting into a fight with one of my other employees and I had to can them both.
Do coffee houses count? I thought of three...
Java. I am not sure of the exact location, but I remember it was the original ultra-cool coffee hang out.
The Insomniac. It was located directly above Croce's. I actually worked there for a spell, thus improving my cool status by leaps and bounds.
Cafe Chabalaba. Somewhere around....12th? 13th? and B Street? The owner painted a mural of Stevie Ray Vaughn on the B Street side. Very cool place, and she (the owner) always had some kind of live entertainment.
Happy Monday
Dag
some old, some still around, good or bad. I remember these do you?....TRAVOLATOR COFFEE SHOP, SABINOS, SALAZARS, MAYS CAFE, DINOS DINER, SUN CAFE, PAESANO PIZZA, GOLDEN HILLS COFFEE SHOP, HOB NOB, RUDFORDS, TOPSYS now Brians, WOOLWORTHS, BEEFMASTERS, FLAMINGO AND (MILLERS IN THE Cabrillo Bowl) in Chula Vista. CHUEYS at Crosby and Main, HENRYS BBQ on Mkt St.,...DENNYS at 9th and Ash, GOLDEN DRAGON, CHICKEN PIE SHOP, REUBENS, BOLL WEEVIL, TOM HAMS, BUTCHER SHOPPE, FILIPIS, SAN MARNIN, THE GENERAL STORE in Del Dios, EL CARRITO, BOBS BIG BOY, COCOS, GUADALAJARA on Broadway, RANCHO CHICO on 16th, 12th and BROADWAY CAFE, CALIFORNIA MALT SHOP(in Calif. Theatre Bldg. on 4th and C)
EASTERN CHINESE BUFFET(4th and C), MC DINNIS, KEITHS IN National City now AUNT EMMAS, SIR GEORGES BUFFET, AND what was the name of the on near grand an garnet close to I 5?
thanks a mint...I got memory locked on that one...it was a good restaurant...it is gone now isn't it? I know I missed a lot of them...but I always said that you could eat 3 times a day in a different restaurant in San Diego and never go back to the same one for more than a year...so why ever wait in line!!!!!!!are you into MAGIC
Hi David,
Wow, you have a list. IF you read above, we have written a lot about many of them. Great memoroies. Man, Woolworths. That is a REALLY long time ago. I do remember going, the one in Mission Valley. Is that the one you remember?I remember many of these. Chueys, didnt they move? Still in bus? where was beefmasters, that is one I never heard of. Golden Dragon is still there and open for business. Tom Hams had a great view but not great food. We had a Bobs Big Boy 4 blocks away and ate there very often when I was growing up. About two years ago they opened a new one at Parkway Plaza. I was quite excited as I used to love their spag. and chili. It was very dissapointing. Not the same. They only stayed open about a year. It just wasnt the same recipes or same quality or I dont know what. I am so sorry. I just got take out from Filippis on Mission Gorge two days ago. Lasagna. What Guadalajara are you talking about? Downtown ro El Cajon or ? You are prob talking downtown since that is near others you have written here. Must have been your stomping ground. Oh,I wrote in months ago about Sir Georges. I loved it. Ate there for years with my family. They had the first and best corn fritters I ever tasted. Nothing since has compared. The Chinese place by grand or garnet or what kind of food? There was the chinese place, rubios , der weiner, and another one.
the guadalajara was a small one about 1100 block on s side of broadway...and thanks to someone for the answer of sheldons out by grand and garnet...I worked downtown before san diego got crazy and became a metropolis downtown...it was like an old small town that was mainly having everything up and down the main drag.....now it is full of hi rises all over...I live in Midwest now...but managed the broadway and spreckles theatres, owned the American caab co when it was very small...was the last manager of the whole California theatre building at 1122 4th...that is where beefmasters opened up in the old calif. malt shop next to the theatre entry. I think chueys closed...there is something on net about it...I get to san diego now and then...still go to the 12th and broadway for lunch but I think it is just a matter of time when that family retires out and the city owns the bldg...it is next to the Popular mkt. which is in the same family...there was a bobs big boy in chula vista near H and B'wy and another one down the street from Rudfords....to me there is nothing greater than the Diner style restaurants of which Denny's, Rudfords, and Coco's are of that type
my fond reminices of san diego was when as I said before most of the business' were up and down broadway and a block or two on each side...it is so jam packed with buildings now...when i first worked out there it still had walker-scotts dept. store and lots of retail ...then they built the mall at Cabrillo square tore out the underground restrooms and the bums moved in....there were a lot of movie theatres too at that time...before the xxx shows and all that...good thing that is cleaned up a bit...Remember Anthony's by the star of india....Did you ever hear of JAAD it was a business around 1st & G streets that had antique cars...in an old roller rink...I met the owner and he did not sell them so what was that all about...movie rentals or what???? so many neat things lin the 60's and 70's by the 80's it was going fast....I always said that SD was the same old town like it was in WWII until the late 80's.....another few things that have gone...10th ave. garage...Franklin apt hotel on 11th....the list goes on but the restaurants...sure miss them....
Wondering if you might recall a little hole in the wall deli called Manny's? Guessing mid block on G st., maybe between 3rd and 4th or so. My Dad went there when he worked downtown. Said it reminded him of N.Y.C. I wandered in once around 1966 or so as a kid, ordered an egg salad sandwich, and still remember watching the guy crack a hard boiled egg and mixing it up with mayo, celery, pickle etc. Truly made to order. You never see that anymore.
We used to go to Julio's but now it's gone.
I used to love this one Italian restaurant but not sure where it was. Either El Cajon Bld. Or University Ave., somewhere around 54th st. or possibly close to College. Sorry, I was a kid.
My dad used to take me to The Tower but it's not a restaurant any more (and no more tower), just a bar. They had good, cheap food.
Aunt Emma's was great, too.
I didn't eat out much as a little kid, and then later only went where my dad took me.
I spent my high school years in Carlsbad. They had a wonderful restaurant there called simply "The Restaurant" and everyone loved it, but it went out of business (maybe the owner died?).
I also loved the Pisces, which I think was in Carlsbad or La Costa.
Does anyone remember the Salmon House in Quivera basin?
It was about 30+ years ago but I remember it was super popular..wonder what happened..it seemed to blow out as fast as it blew in.
I really miss Pirets and the place in the shores where Piatti's is now..Gustaf Anders..
The Hydra in Cardiff was so charming and loved its salad bar..oceanfront was great for date night.
I wish Lubachs would come back...along with Atlantis at Sea World..
Top Shelf in Mt. Helix was awesome and then hit up Farrell's in Grossmont center..
Dang, I miss those places!
Yes, the ill-fated Marina Village, bougainvillea trellises and all.
But I know, well, pretty sure, that Just For The Halibut was there too.
So, was Salmon House the place with a bar upstairs that had live music and a dance floor? Because I went to that bar frequently, even when Marina Village as a restaurant and specialty shop destination was dying, but I seriously don't recall the name.
Also, a friend's son had a wedding reception there, where I spilled wine on a favorite tie and caught the garter, maybe 6-7 years ago. Also right on the water. There aren't a lot of sizeable spaces in "Marina Village" (long since a conference center), so it has to have been one of those.
deckape!!
So great to see you posting.
I think the Salmon House was there first.. I remember the huge totems..salmon was charred with a mesquite that was really tasty.
Windrose sounds familiar.. wasn't that a bar?
I kind of remember a place by the Hyatt Islandia that was really popular but closed..
Do you recall it or am I having hallucinating flashbacks?
; )
Yep Salmon House (I think it's called the Harbor House now) was in Marina Village at Quivira Basin right next to the old Carlos Murphy's. Big carved totems out front with a Pacific Northwest/Alaska Native American kind of theme. And yes they cooked the salmon on cedar planks. Used to spend many after work hours in the bar there with a lot of the Carlos Murph's staff.
Believe it or not, Carlos Murphy's had the best fish tacos I've ever had anywhere, before or since. Their batter, fresh halibut, tortilla (oversized thick corn) and whitesauce, made for the tastiest fish tacos ever.
I waited tables at Carlos Murphy's and at Hungry Hunter back in the mid 80s. Lots of Charger players used to come in for the all you could eat Mexican food specials (I think you could order 5 or 6 different never-ending combo plates). Big men eating huge amounts of food. The restaurant lost money for sure whenever those guys showed up!
Hi BC,
I think it was the magic pan in UTC. Boy, they are a restaurant to remember/miss. I loved their savory crepes. I am not a sweets girl. They had one, sort of like beef strog with nice sauce, YUM. Too bad there isn't something like that around now. They had good salads too. I don't remember any of the rest of the menu
On Goldfinch, it was Perfect Pan, and was there long before the Mungers opened Pirets. It was the very best place in town to buy cooking utensils at the time, and they had cooking classes.
I thought Just For The Halibut was in the strip mall next to the Sports Arena on Sports Arena Blvd. I recall the Salmon House because it was there when Dos Amigos was open. I think the Salmon House turned into Fast Eddie's? A restaurant opened by a TV sportscaster.. it had telephones on each table with a number, and you could call other diners.
The Salmon House was at Marina Village in Quivera Basin and it was next to a Carlos Murphy's not a Dos Amigos. I know because I waited tables at both places during my undergraduate years.
FWIW the Carlos Murphy's there had the best Fish Tacos in San Diego, before or since IMHO. Damn they were so F'n good! My wife still talks about them.
Dos Amigos was there before Carlos Murphy's. Dos Amigo's was owned by Dale Wilson, who once owned the D.O. Mills in Mission Valley... prior to opening Dos Amigos in Quivera. Dos Amigos was a dance club after dinner hours. It competed with Diego's of Pacific Beach.
Wilson opened a second Dos Amigos location in Old Town (now it's Rockin' Baja Lobster - Coastal Cantina) and soon after both locations were bought by Carlos Murphy's. Wilson went on to co-found the Trophy's Bar and Sports Grill chain.
I remember the Salmon House. The memory is dim, but I remember it. A foray into Pacific Northwest dining as I recall. The salmon was pretty good but I recall the glaze on it being even better.
Oh Baby, You rang my bell. I SO miss gustaf Anders, I had a grocery supply bus at that time and we delivered to him. A total class act and wow, the best food.
Lubachs, well, I don't miss it that much. Had a few dates there and well I would much rather, if I could, go to Top Shelf. Boy, the salad bar wasn't big, it was great and the best part was the green godess dressing. Oh, I would pay for that recipe. And of course the steaks were perfect. And in the beginning I was a kid, who would think a young girl would remember the salad bar over the magnificent steaks. So So sorry they are gone from there. Brig doesn't live up to the space of Top Shelf.
Sorry don't remember the Salmon House. Think I do but never ate there. Never ate fish when I was younger, what a lot I missed. Okay.
And the Farrell's on Jackson, well, I went to Patrick Henry High. After EVERY football game, my group was there, win or lose. A tradition. I sure wish they were still around. I guess we have to drive up to Laguna Nigel? sp? after the last one here went out. Oh to have the wonderful marshmello topping on coffee ice cream, no whipped cream or nothing. YUMMY O
Now Atlantis, that is a memory and more. Ride the ride over there, have the very wonderful food, wonderful. What a treat. When my kids were young we had passes every year, every. And I always wanted to expose them to new things. We ate there I would say, 3 times a year, went to the park every week. What a great treat. Is there anything there now? I thought they turned it into private parties?
I miss those places too, very much, Chick, wow man, gustaf was a class act and a very very great chef
Wow. This old thread about old SD restaurants is bringing tears to my eyes. It's been years since I lived in SD, but I've never stopped missing it. I remember so many of the places mentioned here.
Hi, I remember both the fish house and Po Folks. I liked Po Folks, yes, it was a long time ago. I had no taste knowledge then. But, I liked it. I did not like the fish house. I have eaten at the la mesa outback which is better I think, than the el cajon location. They are franchise.
Oh, an talk about bad, Pinnacle Peak. I used to love it, good steaks, loved the beans, long lines, busy. I went there about a year an a half ago with a friend, for old times sake. Well. To sum it up in one word, YUCK. It is nothing like it way in its heyday. I forgot how huge the place was. I ordered my steak med rare, came out well. Sent it back. Came back out a tad over medium. I gave up and ate part. The beans were terrible, service terrible, don't go. Let your memories remain good. L
How many of you remember The Big Stone Lodge? It was about as Old School San Diego County as you could get and a true San Diego landmark. It was many things over the century; a stage coach stop, mercantile, post office, Doctor's/Dentists office, Lodge, gas station, church, and finally a Restaurant and Honkey-Tonk. The Cedar interior was aged but beautiful in it's own right, with it's large stone fireplace in the dining hall.
In the 80s and 90s you could get a great steak actually grilled over wood, baked potato with all the fixins, and steamed veggies there at at reasonable price and best of all they didn't charge corkage!!! Yes the wife and I had many a steak dinner with aged Cabs from our cellar followed by a little line dancing. This was our big date night out away from the little ones. I really miss that place and it's such a shame to have it sitting empty and dilapidated.
It became Randy Jones when it ceased to be Big Stone Lodge. I recall driving a first date out Pomerado Road to go dancing at Big Stone Lodge. She asked if I was the Hillside Strangler. There was no second date.
Yes Randy bought it, and it was his BBQ location, but still referred to as The Big Stone Lodge and Randy Jones BBQ. The city of Poway, citing complaints by the neighbors over noise and rowdy late night behavior, made him close it down in 2003. The city subsequently bought it back and had plans to turn it into a park or even a B&B to service hikers on the Sea to Sea Trail, but alas it has been sitting empty, rotting away, taken over by the mice, rats, and local hoodrats/vandals.
Here's what it looked like in 2009 (looked bad then, but looks much worse today).
Clay's "Texas Pit" BBQ was pretty good once upon a time - probably because County Health wasn't loony about smokers. I still remember Clay hanging around the place mingling with guests - at least in my very hazy memory. And, the fish fry place is the restaurant at Barrett Junction, it's still there and they still make a big deal about their fried fish.
Have a look, BC...
Thanks deckape!
Hey, for an old guy, your hazy memory serves you well..
Must be all those fish oil capsules you're consuming but major props for remembering Clay...he was a cool, older soulful guy, that was much beloved.
Do you recall the name that was a freestanding, gussied up build to suit Resto, across from Bully's LJ?
My dad loved Barrett Junction's Fish Fry in that dilapated Quonset hut..divey good but my take is that it was so far out there, you were starving and didn't care, by the time you got those greasy fish bombs...
I was always on lookout for the Procter Valley monster, so, hence, I was a wreck, with all those Appalachian hillbillies, milling about.
I swear I think I saw Sasquatch too but could of been a biker dude.
Hello BC - I read through some of these, and I believe you mentioned MOMS in pb, I was there during those years, I also remember Ocean Fresh Seafoods, north on la jolla blvd a few miles, as well as Rheinlander in La Jolla shores. Ocean Fresh had great food, Cioppino, also beautifully carved booths with abalone inlay.
Hi, I dont think Carlos Murphys, I think somewhere Old Town. I am trying to pull it out of the recesses of my old fried brain. What was at Grossmont before Carlos Murphys? That location that is now Casa de Pico. That could be a pic of the waiting area with the bar in the backround. Will try to remember............... L
It was a diner kind of place called Hawthorne House. My father worked around the corner and would often go in for a grilled cheese- they would start his when they'd see him through the front window.
Then it was Fifth and Hawthorne- if I remember correctly it was a good chef- was it Doug Organ? Somebody like that.
After Fifth and Hawthorne it became Jilly's, a New Orleans kind of place.
Hello, I just stumbled onto this thread after returning to see what the new format is like.
I read as many of the posts as I could and remember almost all of the places. I used to crash the Mr. A’s New Year’s Party…. You can’t do that these days. Lubach’s abruptly closed and Mr. Lubach was spotted years later working as a security guard downtown.
When I went to Pinnacle Peak as a child, we always had out guests wear ties. It was located in a much more rustic and authentic building near Gillespie Field and moved to a boring building in Santee in the 1980’s. I did not know it was a franchise until many years ago when I also learned that the 94th Aero Squadron and the Old Spaghetti Factory are also franchises!
I do miss Love Wood Pit BBQ. Some of the places I visited in the 80’s were Dos Amigos, later sold to Carlos Murphy. It was mostly a disco, like Confetti’s and Diego’s in PB. After D.O. Mills, there was a Playboy Club, then Players then demolition and apartments. Also in the valley a restaurant had a hepatitis outbreak, Gulliver’s and they eventually closed. A hotel replaced them.
A favorite Italian seafood place was John Tarantino’s in Pt. Loma. I used to enjoy a little Mexican place in La Mesa called La Posada Del Sol. Also in La Mesa I used to go to The Boondock’s in a strip mall where Pietro’s Italian is (still there after 30 years).
I liked Clay’s BBQ in La Jolla, Di Conti’s Italian, Top of the Cove, the La Jolla Charthouse (now Eddie V’s) for brunch. There was an excellent little French restaurant on Prospect called L'Auberge.
I also recall many of the places you mention. Of course there's Top of the Cove, LJ Charthouse, and L'Auberge, but also Confetti's and the Playboy club among others. I had no idea, though, after all these years, that 94th Aero Squadron is a franchise, and while I know that Old Spaghetti Factory has more than one location, I didn't know that it too is a franchise. Interesting.
I wonder how sure people are that the security guard seen downtown was Lubach himself. Maybe someone who just looked similar? Makes for an interesting story, either way.
Hi, Do you remember the Chuck Wagon on Rosecrans in the 60's & 70's? Also there was a place nearby that had a famous hypnotist. Does anyone remember the name of the Chinese Restaurant nearby on Rosecrans during the 70's & 80's??? They served Cantonese food like tomato beef, etc., then later I think it became a buffet. I want to say Sheng How Low, but that restaurant was on University & 54th I believe. It's driving me crazy! Also remember El Papaguayo in Seaport Village in the 80's, Monterey Whaling Co. in Mission Valley, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor, the lunchroom @ Buffums in MV, & also Robinsons lunchroom there also?
Remember Chuck Wagon, on Rosecrans in 60's & 70's? Also, there was a Chinese Restaurant on Rosecrans that served Cantonese food in 70's & 80's & I think name started w. an S. I'm thinking Sheng How Low but that restaurant was on University & 54th I believe. It's driving me crazy!!! Also there was Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor in Mission Valley as well as the lunchrooms @ Buffums & Robinsons in MV, & the Mongolian bbq place in Hazard Ctr. in MV. Pls. respond.Ty!
Felt I was in the 'Way Back Machine' (remember Peabody on Rocky & Bullwinkle) yesterday when I went to Butcher Shop for Happy Hour. It was raining like crazy, the traffic was stupid so I took a detour off the 805.
If you thought Bully's was old school, this place makes Bully's look like a toddler.
The HH menu is pretty diverse, apps were half price, ended up with fried calamari and some sliders. The calamari was crisp and tender, not over cooked to rubber band consistency. The only weak part of the app was the garlic mayo, what is it with mayo and making it worse by adding violent flavors.
The sliders were cooked to a medium perfection, topped with melted cheese, a nice tender bun that held together and adorned with a pickle coin as a crown on top of the buns.
Beer prices were very reasonable, only bottles available.
Not a lively place, but it was peaceful and not loud, at least not at that time.
I hadn't been for sometime, a forgotten option for HH. Certainly, not high-end stuff, but good chow with value.
If you're in the area, worthy of a stop.
Well, you've snagged a person who does remember Hanley's Steakhouse in Santee. Went there a few times for lunch in the late 70's or early 80's. It now would be described as retro, but back then the leather booths and dark interior were still fairly standard stuff.
Now here's another East County lunch spot from that era that I'll bet nobody's heard of: Kelly's Roadhouse. On Mollison, I believe, near the freeway.
I remember Hanley's, A&W, and Kelly's Roadhouse though I never ate at any of them. Their demise occurred around the time that I was moving into east county. And, yes, Kelly's was on Mollison.
It took years for the Hanley's property to be razed then redeveloped. The building stood vacant for most of that time, with the redeveloped complex of businesses only opening last year.
Kelly's was torn down and there's a car wash now. Next to a taco stand that used to be a Taco Bell. I used to have a business in El Cajon in the 1980's. Would never consider living or opening a business there today.
The A&W is La Mesa was remodeled into a real estate office across from Walmart and a Ford dealership. There's an old Arby's on Jackson Dr. that was just closed to make way for a Sonic Drive-In. Some things don't change.
Okay - so how about Al's Drive in (car hops) on Pacific Hwy, and Chinaland on Midway - these are both from the 50's. I remember going to Filippis on India in 1953 and sitting on a wooden case (crate) that said Coca Cola on the side, as a booster. El Juan's in Natl. City was amazing and Lena's in Old Town. Also Schnitzelbank in La Jolla for German Food and Spenger's Ice Cream in Bird Rock, Dorothy's Oven (related to Hob Nob somehow) with those darling little loaves of bread. Another obscurity was The San Diego Club, a men's only club downtown with family night dinners on Saturdays (very posh, white table cloths).
I just found this post... And remembered this
..
This list is restaurants 50+ yrs old.
http://classicsandiego.com/2016/02/sa...
Even though I didn't grow up in San Diego, we came to stay at the Beach every August (the whole month!) to get away from the heat in Imperial Valley. Loved reading through this thread and recalling some delicious meals at the places you listed, which were a real treat growing up. A few that weren't mentioned (that I saw, anyway) were The Soup Exchange (I think on Pearl in La Jolla). It started the soup and salad rage in my opinion. Then we enjoyed getting sandwiches at Cohen's Deli in Parkway Plaza which had big french hoagie rolls that were crispy on the outside and tender inside. Also, did anyone ever venture out into the mountain restaurant near Boulevard called Chateau Basque? They had delicious food and were quite busy on the weekends. Places I really wish were still around include: The Spice Rack with their super delicious muffin and carrot bread basket that you got when you sat down; Food Basket Supermarket (later became Lucky's) near Garnet in PB that had an incredible bakery which included their Buttery pull-apart rolls...melted in your mouth; The Jolly Ox and Rusty Pelican were a big treat to visit; and lastly, The Blue Bird Cafe in Eden Gardens in Solana Beach was one of my absolute favorites.
Rusty Pelican... Ah, yes.
My companion and I met there 30 years ago. We go there on decade anniversaries, whatever it is, to drink the drinks we had when we first met (a Rob Roy for her; chardonnay for me). And to dine.
For us for that reason, it's an unforgettable place.
But we also liked the food when it was Rusty Pelican. And, when I worked nearby, we would often suggest it as a candidate lunch venue for out-of-town guests.
whoaaaaa....just had a serious 80's head flip. Rusty Pelican! And Chateau Basque, that's a good one. I used to work at the Alpine Bakery, which supplied Chateau Basque with their baked goods.
Now I have a question for the East County folks....what was the name of the sundae shop located in El Cajon, down the street from Parkway Plaza, in one of those little strip malls there, would have been late 80's....at one point they changed hands and changed their name to "Oh My Gosh" sundaes....but the original iteration was a name, someone's last name I think.
Used to walk up from Crawford High School to get rolled tacos at Azteca. Also loved Zapatas Mexican Restaurant at K Mart parking lot, University Ave & 54th Street. Aunt Emma's on El Cajon Blvd. breakfast after Sunday Mass. Heavenly Donut shop. Blummers Deli & Bakery. The Helms truck, donuts delivered to your neighborhood.
Does anyone remember any of the following from the 70s and 80s? Do you have photos?
I would love to see photos and/or vintage menus and matchbooks.
The Ivy Barn in Mission Valley. You had to park on a really steep hill?
Lehr's Greenhouse under the overpass?
Arnolds (Arnies?) near 70th and I-8 next to Marie Callenders?
Round the Corner in Mission Valley where you ordered hamburgers on the phone at each table?
The restaurant inside Bullock's in Mission Valley?
The mural at the restaurant inside The Broadway in Grossmont Center? And what happened to it? Was it destroyed? The waitress uniforms there also? The counter seats?
Doodleburgers on I think Washington near Gelato Vero?
The Black Forest Cafe in downtown La Mesa? Wasn't there long.
Colony Kitchen off I-8 in El Cajon?
Hamburger House in El Cajon?
Picnik'n Chicken in El Cajon (drive thru)?
Bull and Bear in El Cajon?
George Joe's in La Mesa - the fireplace?
The Rubios on campus at SDSU in the mid 80s?
The Good Earth in La Jolla and in La Mesa?
Thank you!
Mary
OK, here are a few more --- would love to see photos or menus if you have them!
Consuelo's in La Mesa
Ichiban's on University in Hillcrest area near Dakotas?
Caesar's (they had Leroy Nieman paintings on the walls in the late 70s/early 80s) in Mission Valley
Antonio's Hacienda - the original location in El Cajon on Broadway? They had the best sopapillas!
I really would love to see any photos of The Hungry Cowboy in El Cajon...they had the best soup served in little black kettles. Off Mollison?
And was it King Richard's Smorgasbord in La Mesa (there were multiple locations)?
I could be wrong on this one with the name but remember getting a hot fudge sundae there with my mom in the early 70s: Dapper Dan's in Grossmont Center?
Carlos Murphy's
The original Corvette's in Hillcrest. Too bad they moved to the new location - the old location near the Greek Restaurant was much better - smaller, with the Bazooka gum display and the old Corvette in the middle on the entrance.
Swensan's Ice Cream Parlor - there was a great one Lake Murray area. Best sundae: The Coit Tower - Spanish peanuts, marshmallow topping, hot fudge.
Straw Hat Pizza - early 80s had the best salad bar and black olive/mushroom pizza combo.
Round Table Pizza near SDSU in the campus plaza - where the old Campus Drive in used to be.
Check out The Gastronomical Time Machine in our blog; all about San Diego restaurants still open since 1961 and before: https://anamericanstream.com/2017/11/
Note: Alas, since the above was written, the Pekin Cafe family decided that their tenure of ownership had reached an end. They graciously thanked the San Diego community for their long patronage. We considered ourselves lucky to have been a tiny part of the tradition.
That post is also a chapter in our travel ebook (and there's chapters about food in New Orleans, and various small town cooking along the way): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XCYSV5B
I am very late to this thread but I have loved going through it. I've probably gone right past it but does anyone remember the classic roadhouse fried chicken restaurants in East County? My recollection is that there was one east of El Cajon and another on the hill going up to Julian. I do remember going to the Twin Inns in Carlsbad with my large Irish Catholic family and loving it - I think it was the first time I encountered a Lazy Susan.
Ten Downing Street was a pub/restaurant in downtown San Diego. I use to take my date their when I was 18.
Butcher Shop in Mission Valley was rumored as an escort (nay) pickup spot. Now people have Tinder. When DeFillipis lost his lease, they had a party and tore the place to pieces. Destroyed all the restaurant fixtures.
French place in Mission Valley? I lived in the valley many years and can't recall a French destination. Most of those were in La Jolla.
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