Category

707 G Street, San Diego, CA 92101. 619-230-0125

Zanzibar Cafe

This is my second visit to Zanzibar Cafe. The first visit was a so-so experience because of slow service. My coworkers and I came during the weekday lunch rush and didn’t get our sandwiches for almost 40 minutes after placing our order (it took them about 10 minutes before they even came to take our order!).

This second visit was much better. There was only one waitress this time but she was quick on her feet and we got our meal within minutes. Lynn and I ordered Spinach and Artichoke pizza.

Spinach and Artichoke Pizza ~$10

Delicious! Nothing beats a fresh tasting pizza thats unique and topped with a mountain-full of ingredients. There was plenty of artichoke, feta cheese, spinach, and olives over freshly baked focaccia bread. The only thing that you may not like is the saltiness. Lynn thought the pizza was fine, but the feta cheese and mysteriously salty olives were a bit much for more.

On the way out, we grabbed a mocha dessert bar to go. Oh man… it was the best! Normally, we find these chocolate desserts to be too sweet but this was perfect. And it had a slight hint of coconut on the top layer that just melts in your mouth…

Taste: 8/10

744 Market St. San Diego, CA 92101. (At the corner of 8th and Market)

I’ve walked past this restaurant a couple times on my way to eat at The Kabob House in downtown San Diego. Today, my coworkers and I thought we’d finally give it a try!

Champagne Chicken $6.00 (Lunch price - Normally $8.00)

The Champagne Chicken is just a fancy name for their version of a sweet and sour chicken but with an extra kick of spiciness. Yes! It was quite spicy, even by my standards. There were these little thin slices of peppers that caused me to teeter totter between satisfaction and insanity. Most of the pieces were cooked alrite. There were a couple of pieces that were extra crispy from overcooking. Overall, I loved this dish but I wished they gave me more rice! One scoop is definitely not enough for a hungry man like me.

Chicken Katsu-don $6.00 (Lunch Price - Normally $9.99)

My coworkers ordered this one. All they could say was that it was better than the last time they had it from some restaurant on Clairemont.

Service was really slow at this restaurant and it wasn’t even busy. It took a long while before they came to take our order and an ever greater length of time to deliver our check. We never received any drink refills either! Also, there was a mysterious 5 minute delay between them serving my entree and serving my coworkers…

Taste: 8/10
Service: 2/5
Atmosphere: 3/5

Total: 13/20

2121 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116. (619) 269-9662

http://farmhousecafesd.com/

I read about The Farm House Cafe in an article at http://www.signonsandiego.com/ and I just had to try it out. The cozy little cafe’s decor reminded me of another French restaurant (Bleu Boheme). There isn’t a lot of space inside… you can sit at one of their small tables or at the counter. There are also tables outside so you can enjoy a nice sunny day. The atmosphere is casual and relaxing. As I looked around, I noticed tables full of friends and families enjoying a lazy Sunday brunch. This place is definitely not like Denny’s, IHOP, or Coco’s. You’ll find the food to be much more sophisticated here.

I ordered the Pain Perdu - French Toast with Lavender Honey ($7). This was absolutely delicious! When it was first presented, I didn’t recognize it as French Toast. Why not? It was made with FRENCH BREAD! I think they take a baguette and cut it into one and a half inch thick slices. Like I said, more sophisticated than a chain restaurant. It is also available in a “petit” size for $5.

My friend Minoru ordered the Farm House Cafe Omelet ($7) with a side of Chicken Apple Sausage ($3). Of course I sampled everything The omelet was made with cheddar cheese and chives. It was very light and fluffy. The potato galette was practically the perfect hash browns. It was cooked, but not dry and crunchy like other restaurants. The sausage was tasty and not greasy at all.

The Farm House Cafe is a must try! The staff is very friendly and they offer delicious rustic country French cuisine at affordable prices!

Appetizer

A super-sized fried wonton? No. This has onions, potatoes and peas. It was a drier taste than creamy which worked because the pastry didn’t get soggy. It also went particularly well with the sauce. The sauce that came with it was almost like a salsa except that it had a more vinegery taste to it that really fit this appetizer. It was spicy but not enough that it bothered Lynn. The ingredients for the sauce include jalepeno, cilantro, and vinegar. The only downside to this appetizer is the large size. It will fall apart once you try to cut pieces toward the center. I think if they had made smaller bite size pieces it would be perfect.

Chicken Kabob

The chicken was cooked pretty well. It was juicy enough on the inside with tiny charred edges. It came with a roasted tomato with the char lines and a breadstick that was twice the length of the other dish. The lunch entrees included a decent sized starter salad with a creamy cheesy kind of sauce. Both entrees came with a great amount of rice possibly sprinkled with red crushed pepper. There was definitely a slight coating of the cooking oil. All together, the meal was very filling!

Minced Meat

The minced meat was tender and served with a very delicious red sauce. It was the right portion to go with the meal to keep the rest of the meal untouched. Lynn thought it reminded her of meat loaf in a way.

Dessert was almost like eating a candy of caramel, nuts in a crispier shell, but instead, had pistachios and other fillings. It came in the shape of a slice of pie and was overall an interesting and sweet way to finish off the meal.

We were a little disappointed that the restaurant seemed a tiny bit… dusty. When we pulled out our napkins, it seemed like there was some dust that flew into our waters. It could be due to the recent opening of the restaurant and a still-growing customer base that doesn’t require changing out the table clothes as often. The menu selection is currently limited due to this, as told to us by the manager. At least service was attentive and courteous.

Taste: 7/10
Service: 4/5
Presentation: 3/5

Posted for Dave

“Hey Dave, you watch Sam the Cooking Guy much?”
“Nope. Never seen the show. Why?”
“He does a recipe with seared ahi tuna you gotta try.”
“Mmmm… ahi. Sounds good.”
“Yeah, he rolls the ahi in Cap’n Crunch.”
“I do like ahi. I should… wait, say again?!”

Yes, you read right. Seared ahi tuna covered in crushed Cap’n Crunch cereal. Some friends recommended it so I pulled the recipe from the Sam the Cooking Guy site. Granted, it is an odd combination, but hey, I’m the guy who thinks that aerosol cheese deserves its own food group so I’m willing to try anything. Turns out it’s pretty good. Check it out.

Cap’n Crunch Seared Tuna

1/4 C mayonnaise
1 T yellow mustard
1 lb. sushi gradi tuna, in 2 rectangular blocks
1 C regular Cap’n Crunch
fresh ground pepper
chili sauce
oil

Mix the mayonnaise and mustard and set aside. Crush the cereal in a plastic bag until fine and put on a plate and top with fresh ground pepper. Lightly oil the tuna then press down into the cereal making sure it’s covered wll on all sides. Heat a non-stick pan really will first and then add about a tablespoon of oil. When it just starts to smoke, add the tuna and sear quickly on all sides until lightly browned. Slice and serve along with the mustard/mayo mix and some chili paste.