Zare "More Tentacles, Please" K.'s Profile

Steven has a notable ability to distill complex legal language and concepts into clear and comprehensive explanations. When working with him I feel comfortable that I understand my options and am getting the right information and level of detail to make the best decision for my particular situation.

El Zarape has done a lovely job designing a warm and welcoming interior. It's too bad the food and service don't live up to that promise. On our first visit a couple of months ago I had the camarones culichi (shrimp in a poblano cream sauce). The shrimp were nice and tender but the sauce was bland and very heavy. Service was slow and rather indifferent. We returned for a second visit last week, and while the service was faster and more attentive the food had not really improved. The mole sauce on my enchiladas enmoladas was passably good if not very complex, but the chicken inside the enchiladas was dry as sawdust and had very little flavor. I had to help it along with some salsa to make it palatable. One unexpected bonus was the surprisingly good cup of refried beans-- creamy with a little bit of spice and a sprinkling of cheese. Otherwise, we found little motivation to return to El Zarape again.

It seems I like the cupcakes here for the very same reasons a number of the other reviewers don't. In particular I really enjoy the dense, moist texture of the cakes and definitely prefer it over the lighter, airier cakes that I gather are more popular. Their frostings have a good buttery flavor, complement the cakes well, and aren't overly sweet. I also  appreciate that they use a moderate amount of frosting, not like places that pile on a frosting mountain taller than the cake itself.

They offer one or two gluten-free cakes on certain days of the week and my wheat-avoiding spouse says they have the best approximation of "real" cake she has tried so far.

I love the concept of Small Bar with its extensive beer selection, carefully chosen list of classic cocktails and spirits, and casual atmosphere. The service has ranged from friendly to merely indifferent but has always been competent. I can't comment much on the food except to say that the mac and cheese sounds great but is underwhelming-- burgers and sandwiches look like they might be better.

However, I don't care if they're serving ambrosia from the gods-- this will only be a three-star establishment until they do something about the noise level. I shouted myself raw after spending only a couple of hours there this weekend and it was frankly unpleasant. Something playing on the jukebox that night had bagpipes in it-- in what universe is that a good idea for such a small and already noisy venue? The noise problems alone are enough to make me think twice about patronizing this otherwise appealing place.

Asmara's food is quite addictive. I can go "Just one more bite... no really, last one... well, maybe one more" here for some while. We've tried most of the meat and vegetable dishes here, and while they're all good, the really stand-out dish is the shiro-- mashed chickpeas richly flavored with a generous amount of butter and spice, served bubbling hot in a miniature cauldron topped with a charming straw "hat". Ladle it onto the injera a bit at a time, and you'll be starting the "just one more bite" routine yourself.

Staff here are quite pleasant, but this is not a place for a quick meal. I appreciate being able to linger and savor the food, but once finished it can take some time to flag down someone to bring the check.

I was initially wary of Pizza Fusion because of the steep prices and general yuppification. However, a couple of years ago my wife learned that she is wheat-intolerant and we had despaired of finding her safe pizza (it's one of her favorite dishes) outside of my own kitchen. So, seeing that Pizza Fusion offers a gluten-free crust, we decided to give them a try.

I'm happy to say that it very much exceeded our expectations. The gluten-free crust is nice and crispy and lacks the weird aftertaste that plagues so many gluten-free baked goods. I don't feel like I'm getting a poor substitute when we eat here. Cheeses, sauces, and toppings are good quality and very flavorful, if sometimes a little scant in quantity. We like the Founders' Pie (chicken, kalamata olives, red onions, and gorgonzola) and the sausage and bell pepper combination. The vegan, gluten-free chocolate brownie isn't half bad either.

There is a nice list of wines by the glass and a small selection of draft beers-- offerings from Stone Brewery are always solid of course, but other selections can be hit-or-miss.

Staff have always been friendly, attentive, and happy to answer our questions.

If we didn't need the gluten-free crust I'm not sure how often we would eat here. It's definitely premium pricing and there are other competitive pizza options around. However, this is a great resource for people who follow a wheat- or gluten-free diet.

Just tried out the hiking trail this afternoon. Florida Canyon certainly isn't a destination hike. Proximity to busy roads and Balboa Park mean there's no illusion that you're out in nature, and there is little shade along the trails. However, the pleasant range of plant life, bunnies and lizards zipping around in the brush, and gentle vertical climbs make this a nice place to get a little time with Nature, all practically at the front door of the North Park/Hillcrest area.

This is one of those restaurants that I'm reluctant to publicize because I don't want to be crowded out of it (not an unreasonable concern since the place is tiny). But while there are plenty of Thai restaurants in San Diego and some of them are pretty good, they all feel fundamentally similar-- except for this one. Sab-E-Lee is something special.

If you want white-gloved service this is not the place for you. The small dining area is clean and tidy, but the menus are paper fold-ups and the proprietor splits his time between serving tables and cooking at least some of the food.

If you are chili-phobic or object to having a detectable Blood Garlic Level you may well find some tasty dishes but you will be missing out on some of the more interesting offerings. Even if you're a spice devotee like myself, be aware that their hotness scale seems calibrated differently than other places. A 5/10 here is perhaps an 8/10 elsewhere.

Now, if you're still game, go forth and try the salted fish fried rice, the noodles with pork and mint sauce, and the spicy raw beef. Especially the spicy raw beef. It's an explosion of salty-hot-sour flavors garnished with chunks of raw garlic (which actually blend in, believe it or not). The raw beef has a mild, savory taste and a texture not unlike some sashimi fish. It's very addictive.

The second time we went in the owner came over to take our order. "You want spicy raw beef?"  he asked. "Sure," we nodded. "Try something different this time," he said. "Northwestern style with some bitter herb." I usually avoid very bitter dishes-- for example I hate bitter melon-- but I was curious and said yes. Now, on top of the spicy-salty-sour was a very slight bitter undertone. After a while he came back and asked us how we liked it. Happy in our chili haze we said it was delicious, and he smiled. "This," he said, "this is real Thai."

Understand that this four star rating is in the context of the food court setting. Taken by itself Kabul West is maybe a three-star place. In any case, a couple of items really stand out here. Their chicken salad (which at so many other places is bland vat-grown chicken over mildly distressed vegetables) features tender, marinated grilled chicken kebab over greens and some warm grilled vegetables. The have a nice selection of salad dressings as well, some of them made in-house.

One occasional menu special worth watching for is the lamb stew. I ordered it expecting to get your basic lean stew meat, but they actually make it with lamb shank meat still on the bone, slow cooked until tender with a rich and mildly spiced sauce. It's served with the usual rice, bread, and small green salad. Definitely recommended.

Against fairly steep odds (ordinarily I am quite snooty about sushi) Nozomi has become one of my comfort restaurants. This is not a good place for sashimi or nigiri. This is not a good place to explore the more refined aspects of Japanese cuisine. I usually don't care for sushi rolls filled with melanges of fried miscellany, sticky sauce, and  other not-fish.

...And yet, somehow what Nozomi does works. Their rolls, some of which approach the size of a small burrito, hold together variety in flavor and texture without becoming overwhelming or glorpy. I'm not quite sure I can explain it except that fish + pickles + rice + a little bit of fried or spicy + sauce = comfort and love. Also, the chirashi salad-- assorted chopped fish, lettuce, rice, and a little dressing, drizzled to taste with chili sauce-- is a refreshing hot-weather dinner.

(One caveat: while the sushi roll menu is epic in length many of the rolls are variations on the theme of spicy something, shrimp tempura, or both. If you combine someone who doesn't like a lot of "spicy something" rolls with someone allergic to shellfish you will have to hunt a little for a compatible selection).