If the last 20 months or so of lock downs, canceled events, limited socializing, and restricted dining options have left you hungry for celebrating the joys of gastronomy, the 17th San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival, November 11-14 is just what you need to satisfy your appetite.
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Love Seafood? Love Wine? Want to spend several hours enjoying both at one of San Diego’s premier oceanfront restaurants? Then you don’t want to miss the Ocean-to-Table Luncheon held at The Marine Room in La Jolla Shores as part of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival on Wednesday, November 13 from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Continue reading
Question: Where will you find the most ooutstanding variety of regional Mexican food?
Answer: San Diego
What? You say San Diego is in California, not Mexico? Well, yes, but on June 1, the best of Mexican cuisine comes to San Diego for the Mexico Gourmet Festival, a one-night tribute to Mexican gastronomy, traditions and art, held on the Embarcadero Marina Park South from 5pm-9pm.
More than 30 chefs and traditional cooks from 13 different regions of Mexico, each with their own cooking style, favorite ingredients, and signature flavors will be presenting their cuisines at the Mexico Gourmet Festival. Ciudad de Mexico, Baja California, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Hidalgo, Coahuila, Veracruz, Yucatán, Tlaxcala, Sonora, Chiapas, and yes, even San Diego and Los Angeles will be represented. Mexico Gourmet Festival goers will have the chance to sample the cuisine and products from some of the most prominent chefs, restaurants, artists and vendors on both sides of the border, while experiencing the sights and sounds of Mexico. Of course, you’ll want to pair all that gastronomic bliss with equally outstanding beverages, so the Festival will also showcase craft beers, Baja wines, and authentic tequila and mezcal from at least 18 producers. Now, I call that a fiesta! Continue reading
With a powerhouse team, Vistal, InterContinental San Diego’s signature restaurant offers upscale dining not just for hotel guests
by Wendy Lemlin
Vistal’s harborview patio
Yes, the food is excellent, the open, contemporary space compelling, and the views out over San Diego’s harbor gorgeous. But one thing that is sure to entice locals to experience Vistal, the signature restaurant at San Diego’s new bayfront Intercontinental Hotel, is COMPLIMENTARY 3 hour valet parking! Yes, as in FREE. In an area overlooking the Embarcadero and cruise ship terminal, where meters are enforced 24-7 and charges add up quickly, that is huge! Think of trying to park anywhere near most of the other premier fine dining restaurants in San Diego or La Jolla, especially at luxury hotels that seem to charge for anything they can, and you know why this is a big deal.
Chef’s Paul McCabe & Amy DiBiase
But, of course, free parking alone wouldn’t mean much if Vistal wasn’t serving food worth coming downtown for. With the powerhouse team of Chefs Paul McCabe and Amy DiBiase at the helm, however, damn good food is pretty much a given. Continue reading
by Wendy Lemlin
In recent years, San Diego has done a lot of growing up, gastronomically speaking. What was once a culinary backwater, defined mostly by gringo-ized pseudo-Mexican surfer grub, has blossomed with growing sophistication and appreciation for inventive cuisine, fine wines, craft beers —and direct collaboration between chefs and the farmers, ranchers, fishermen, winemakers and brewers whose labors provide the raw ingredients for the new excitement in local cuisine. And, in the last 14 years, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival has been showcasing and giving impetus to this delicious maturation process in a multi-day event unlike anything else in the San Diego gastronomisphere. Because of its multi-faceted scope of events, San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is my favorite local gourmet experience.
This year, San Diego Wine & Food Festival Festival, which runs November 12-19, is more eclectic than ever and has something for everyone who loves to eat or drink. From fermentation to fish tacos, from wine to wagyu, guests and participants can partake of events celebrating both the latest trends and the time honored favorites.
The Grand Tasting
By Wendy Lemlin
With its authentic food and outstanding vegan menu, Civico 1845 is one of my favorite Italian restaurants in San Diego, and it looks like it is going to become even better. Beginning this month, the Civico team is collaborating with chefs Antonio and Luca Abbruzzino, a Michelin rated father/son pair from Calabria, Italy, to highlight genuine southern Italian ingredients in the restaurant’s dishes. Continue reading
Words & Photos by Wendy Lemlin
Like most San Diego locals over 30 years old, I rarely venture into downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter, and, despite the blocks of cheek-to-jowl restaurants, even more rarely do I ever dine there. I’ve always had the impression that, with a few notable exceptions, most of the restaurants serve overpriced, mediocre “tourist” food, or unsophisticated bar bites. On a recent visit, however, I’ve found that Florent Restaurant & Lounge, on the prime corner of 5th and G, is one of those notable exceptions,
Executive Chef Brad Hightow
Executive Chef Brad Hightow has been running the culinary show there for the past 15 months, and his high quality take on New American cuisine is creative and delectable. Flavors are balanced and complementary, presentations are attractive, and ingredients are sourced from such local standout purveyors as Specialty Produce and Catalina Offshore Products. Continue reading
By Wendy Lemlin
Wonder how much San Diego loves food and drink? Just look at the success of the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival, now in it’s 12th year, bigger and more comprehensive than ever. Running November 15-22, with a full roster of events, dinners, tastings, classes, and exhibits, it is one of the largest food and wine festivals in the country, shining a spotlight on both San Diego’s burgeoning gourmet dining scene and our cross-border connection with Baja’s exciting culinary landscape. From tacos and beer to wine paired-haute cuisine, there is something for anyone who loves indulging in crave-worthy food and spirits. And really, who doesn’t?
More than a dozen celebrated national chefs, including Rick Bayless, Gayle Gand, and Suzette Gresham will join over 40 local luminaries in presenting delicacies and/or cuisine-related educational programs. Look for such regional favorites as The Marine Room’s Bernard Guillas, Javier Plascencia of Bracero, Finca Altozano, and Mision 19, Jason 
Knibb of NINE-TEN, Chad White of Comun and La Justina, Ironside Fish & Oyster’s Jason McLeod, Flor Franco of Finca La Carrodilla and Indulge Contemporary Catering, Mario Medina of Bernini’s Bistro, The Patio Group’s John Medall, Anthony Sinsay of Dukes’s La Jolla, James Montejano of La Valencia Hotel, and a host of others.
Eat Your Way Through October
by Wendy Lemlin
What is it about October that always makes it such a busy month for food events? Is it because it’s usually one of the best weather months in San Diego, when temperatures start to cool down and skies are clear? Is it because it fits so nicely between summer vacations and holiday frenzies? Or maybe it’s more about fiscal calendars and venue availabilities. Whatever the reason, this will be every foodie’s dream month—just be prepared to splurge, both calorie-wise and money-wise, if you plan to go to everything! Here are a few events coming up. Continue reading