The stuff that foodies crave
Bits and crumbs from the San Diego food scene
By Candice Woo
Since Opera Patisserie closed its Downtown café late last year, we’ve been missing those French macaroons something crazy, so the news that it’s reopening in Sorrento Valley means that we’ll be enjoying those tiny pistachio, coconut and coffee cream-filled morsels again very soon. The café will also serve homemade quiche, croissant sandwiches, soups and salads. 9254 Scranton Road, 858-458-9050. www.operapatisserie.com.
If you’re jonesin’ for caffeine while in the Downtown area and see a sunny orange truck driving by, flag it down right quick. Inside, you’ll find a friendly surfer guy who makes excellent lattés with organic coffee from local Bird Rock Roasters, blends up indulgent coffee drinks topped with homemade coconut whipped cream and keeps it green with compostable cups and sleeves. Don’t want to risk life and limb trying to stop the coffee-bar-on-wheels? David, owner and operator of Joes on the Nose, parks at the Little Italy and Gaslamp farmers markets on Saturdays and Sundays, respectively. www.joesonthenose.com.
A food friend gave me the heads up that Azucar, a new sweets and sandwich shop, recently opened in Ocean Beach. The menu blends the chef/owner’s Cuban heritage and professional training at Le Cordon Bleu. There are traditional Cuban snacks, ham croquettes and guava cream cheese pastries, and Cuban-inspired inventions like coconut-pineapple scones and Cinco Leches cake, an almond cake flavored with five kinds of milk and frosted with dulce de leche buttercream. The Cuban sandwich could be pressed a little hotter, but it had all the right elements, and the side of fresh plantain chips with garlicky mojo dipping sauce is nice. The Mojito cookie, chewy, crisp and thick with lime zest and fresh mint is so good, who needs the rum? 4820 Newport Ave. 619-523-2020.
The line in front of the crepe stand at the Hillcrest farmers market can get ridiculously long on Sunday mornings. Instead, start the day at Seb’s Panini, where there’s less of a wait and the cheese and carbohydrate payoff is just as great. Plus, the paninis are hand-held, so you can munch and shop simultaneously. (Seb’s is at Wednesday’s Ocean Beach farmers market, too.)
For the next several Fridays, Sea Rocket Bistro will feature a different local craft beer on tap, starting with Lightning Brewery (Poway) on July 25. Five Lightning beers will be available, including the tasty Thunderweizen, and the friendly staff can help you decide which beer will pair best with your meal. 3382 30th St., North Park, 619-255-7049. www.searocketbistro.com.
Summertime is for summer cocktailing. My new favorite concoction is a mix of bracing, bittersweet Campari combined with fresh lemonade and club soda or splashed into Prosecco. Then there’s a Pimm’s Cup made with herbal gin-based Pimm’s and spicy ginger beer. A friend came up with a version of a drink called the Red Tide—a concoction of beer, tequila, a bit of cranberry juice and a squeeze of lime. Sounds weird, but it’s refreshing and a good use for bland macrobeers you have lying around gathering dust.
Got food news? Write to candicew@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.
Published: 07/22/2008
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Thanks for the heads up on Azucar, Candice :)
Walked over there Sunday --and the Espana sandwich was pressed so hot I could barely hold it. The sandwich along with the excellent cafe con leche put me in mind of Spain (i've never been to Cuba). And the Diablo chocolate thing was unreal. A welcome addition to OB!