Says Granite

i finally caught my first glimpse and taste of Miho; San Diego’s premiere and so far acclaimed farm-to-street ‘gastro-truck.’ On Saturday, owners Juan and Kevin parked their (free-range) roach-coach at Bird Park, proving one grass fed beef burger at a time that food trucks don’t just cater to stumbling drunks at 2am.

My guess is that Juan and Kevin acknowledge their stereotypical target crowd with sarcastic adornments such as these:

My next guess is that Kevin and Juan will regret assuming that people would think these taps a joke. ‘Dude, can i get a whiskey with my potato croquetas?’ Uh, yeah… that might get old after awhile.

Miho’s offerings are also apart from your typical Haute-Stoner cuisine food truck menus. Locally purveyed food is served straightforward with global influences in dishes like the Banh Mi (lemongrass grilled all natural chicken, pickled carrot & daikon, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeño, baguette), and the Miho Dog (Niman Ranch hot dog & bacon, pico de gallo, caramelized onions, jalapeño aioli, bun). Dishes in the works pay tribute to Cuba, Korea, and Quebec; cuisine of the world rendered locally, a concept we don’t see too much of in restaurants these days, let alone mobile cafes.

A kind gentleman allowed me to photograph his slow roasted Niman Ranch pork, pickled red onion, local corn tortilla tacos:

And another street food soldier (who follows Miho on FaceBook and Twitter), let me shoot her Banh Mi and Potato Croquetas:

Adding to Miho’s flavor, hand-painted quotes from gourmand icons spell out the truck’s name (Pollan, Mom, Waters, Thoreau, et al):

i wanted to order the most bizarre thing i could from a ‘roach coach’ so i went with the salad. It did not photograph well, but was tasty as hell. In summation, mad props to the hearts and minds of Miho for hitching onto the food truck craze… down the road less traveled, of course.

Oh hey now. My classy photographer Edwin Real and i collaborated on this Inside Dish via 944 Magazine. Read what’s new and happening this June if you want a taste of the good stuff.

The Inside Dish Your Monthly Guide to the Gastronomic Good Life :: 944.

Spending money and expending calories. What i do!

Bencotto

i found it, oh yes, i did: the best bowl of pasta in San Diego. One of the most unanimously enjoyed meals ever, it’s a shame that when i see it on a menu i opt for something else out of fear of disappointment, and subsequent rage. On a sunny afternoon and after 2 glasses of glorious prosecco, i decided to take a chance on the Gemelli sauced with the Bencotto variety (tomato and cream based, spiked with pancetta). The short twisted pasta spirals cradled the sauce in its crevices, bits of Italian bacon strewn within, all dusted with a zesty layer of fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

photo by Edwin Real

Mario Batali drilled into me for years that pasta should always be front and center in a pasta dish; the sauce is its condiment, there only to accentuate the pasta. Fantastic attention is paid to the pasta at Bencotto (made in house, dried or fresh varieties and also available for sale), which is al dente, and sauced with the perfect amount, contrary to the overcooked, over-sauced, over salted, and cheesed garbage found at most ‘Italian’ restaurants in town. i’ll be back soon, because after filling out a comment card post-meal, i got an email coupon for a free tiramisu!

Con Pane

Looking for an Old World style bakery and sandwich shop? Con Pane specializes in 24 varieties of artisan baked breads, and also happens to be one of the last standing cash, coin or theft only establishments in San Diego. Following this ancient method of commerce must be challenging for Con Pane, especially in response to frustrated and ravenous customers who just want a fucking sandwich with the swipe of a bank card- i know, a lot to ask for in the digital age. Finally on a day that a dude with cash accompanied me to the acclaimed bakery, i got my mouth around a turkey sandwich on olive oil and rosemary bread. Coming from someone who loves a daily dose of mayo, there was enough on this sandwich to choke a horse. Aside from that, the bread was in fact flavorful, chewy and had fantastic crusts. Con Pane is a bit out of the way for this central city-dweller, however, they are moving a bit closer soon to a spot at Liberty Station. The cookie was OK, bread was great, get a CC machine and perhaps i’ll venture back…

Influx, Little Italy

This is the spot, people. Where you come to sit inside or out, munch on affordable, fresh, creative sammies (i love the ham with pineapple spread), drink your coffee, or choose from a selection of craft sodas, root beers and kombucha. Not to mention baked fresh daily goods that go FAST. i tell you, i’m not a cupcake person, but seeing as people come in all day asking for these treats (and sulk away when they find out they’re all sold), i might have to order one next time… for research purposes, of course.

photo by Edwin Real

Although this photo is of the space at night, during the day, the Jonathan Segal designed building (also home to Bencotto) is one of the most inspiring settings to work remotely in town. Despite the small shop, high ceilings and surrounding windows create the illusion of a larger space. The help is friendly, food comes fast, ample plugs for laptops, fantastic natural light, killer smoking patio area… this, to me, is the Little Italy experience. Stylish folks frequent Influx, serious people sit and work (ah-hem), and without effort, you feel part of the India Street action.

Pizzeria Bruno Napoletano

Touted by some as ‘the best pizza in San Diego,’ Bruno’s Pizzeria serves by far some of the worst i’ve ever had. Not to say our ‘pizza’ tasted terrible, rather, the top quality ingredients comprising our pie were badly abused. Trapped under a blanket of water buffalo’s milk cheese drowns a thin layer of crust that never had a chance. Although I have not met anyone from Naples personally, allow me to put words in their mouth regarding this limp, wet, eat-with-a-spoon, out of a bowl, monstrosity of a pizza pie: ‘Getta the fuck outta here!’

Our server started off by saying, ‘Our pizza is traditional Neapolitan, which means it is more wet that other styles.’ Am i a moron for thinking ‘more wet’ means saucier? Why would i think, ‘wet, meaning the liquids draining from ingredients on the pie that make this dish pizza goulash.’ Getta the fuck outta here!

photo by saysgranite

The pie arrived, with puffy, thicker than New York style pie crust, atop it the clearly large cut pieces of cheese, San Marzano tomato sauce, and a few whole basil leaves. i picked up a slice, which drooped hard and pitifully; the whisky dick of pizza pies, and just as frustrating. The reviews by San Diego’s finest morons all say Bruno’s is unique, a different experience, and the wet aspect of the pizza is unlike anything they’ve ever had. Sounds like a disclaimer, not an explanation of authentic fare. i understand the pizza in Naples is very different than American pizza, but there’s no way that what we were served is standard and normal even for the most remote parts of the world. You be the judge.

Point Loma Seafoods

Fish sounded just lovely for lunch, little did i know i’d have to take out a second mortgage on the house i don’t own to eat a seafood sandwich and a cup of chowder one sunny afternoon at PLS. i settled on the fish sandwich for 8 bucks and change, and was a bit dismayed by the un-toasted sourdough bread slathered in tartar sauce containing pieces of over-fried fish. Really sad. The fried fish nuggets disgracing this sammie were dry… never seen this, quite confusing. For the most part, all the elements had good flavor, but for over 8 bucks this one fell flat as the bay. The white chowder was good, not great, and with an iced tea the meal averaged out at about 16 bucks. RIP OFF. (The smoked fish selection at PLS looked fantastic. A couple kinds of salmon, albacore, yellow fin and some other interesting varieties you don’t see everywhere. i’d venture back for this.)

Grant’s Market

2953 Beech St
(619) 231-0524

My first beach day of 2010 wouldn’t have been complete without a tuna salad sandwich from Grant’s Market in South Park. Truly exceptional tuna salad is made simply and deliciously with mayo, parsley and the secret ingredient: chopped dill pickles. All of Grant’s sandwiches are tops (Boar’s Head meats/cheeses); there are daily specials and soups, a bevy of chips, cookies, and drinks… oh yes, this is my kind of deli. I recommend this sandwich on the Bread and Cie rosemary variety with some jack cheese. Grant’s takes CREDIT CARDS and also half-sandwich orders. Just do it! If there’s banana bread, grab a slice of that, too. Best since my Nana’s (RIP).

Cafe Chloe

i never turn down a meal on some dude’s company card. In most cases, i am even kind enough to choose the most appropriate locale for a proper business dinner. Just a warning: if you, or anyone in your party, is larger than average, or if there are more than 2 people in your party, you might want to scope the popular ‘date’ place out before showing up. Ideal for couples, the tables are small and ordering several items is challenging. That being said, we ordered the hell out of the menu: bottle of red, large cheese board, bleu cheese and mushroom tart, mussels and frites, steak frites, and for dessert, bread pudding and a strawberry tart. The cheese board, for 18 bucks, was a rip off for the quantity. The savory tart was quite nice, as was the steak, but the moules were very salty and the frites left something to be desired… like a bite of actual potato. This might in fact be the way frites are cut in France, but they were too dry and stringy for my tastes. The best part of the meal was the strawberry tart with vanilla ice cream. A layer of strawberries were partially encased by tender, flaky, buttery pastry that was really some of the best i’ve ever had. The berries were top notch, it was baked to order and melty ice cream made this desert memorable. Not too sweet, handmade and impeccable flavors all around.

A couple weeks ago the phone lines blew up at saysgranite HQ. Turns out some lifeless asshole hacked the website and inserted virulent malware on one of the footers, deeming saysgranite unreadable and useless for fans and haters alike. In a panic, i grabbed the big black book and sent a barrage of texts to all the web-geeks with whom i’ve been acquainted over the years; finally at 2:06am, a reply from one kind gent who promised to tackle the matter at first daylight. After practicing the patience someone else was born with, finally i got word that a site called Google had us up and running again.

Of course this doesn’t explain why, for months, saysgranite has been inactive. Well, it was about time someone finally hired me to do some real office work for real money, which was indeed necessary, and quite appreciated after prolonged (nearly a year), money-less stays in SD, then Hawaii, Chicago and back. As one avid supporter of my career predicted, that first paycheck was like ‘giving a homeless person 50 bucks.’ From facial care to some much needed bikini line improvements, multiple trips to Super Junior Market for rare beers, and several sausage dinners at The Link, i really did it up. A little money, and this gypsy life has evolved into that worthy of her royal highness!

Between contracts for the last 2 weeks, i’ve enjoyed a vacay in my beloved San Diego doing what i do best: eating, drinking, shit talking and scootering. Say whaaaaa?

Yup, to celebrate yet another (albeit short) break in this illustrious/wavering freelance writing career, i decided to purchase a cute lil’ scoot who goes by the name of Pranque. She’s a 150cc highway roving beast, capable of bombing B Street slopes, cruising Sunset Cliffs with guest in tow, and devious late-night-rides to Livewire Bar. No street in town will go untraversed… lookout!

Given the above, i’ve got some catching up to do around here.

Now i write for you.