All appetizers are half off every Monday night at World Famous (in Pacific/Mission Beach just south of Lahina’s).

Menu excerpt (full prices before 50% discount):

Grilled Artichoke 5.50
Lobster Spring Roll 6.95
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms 6.25
Shrimp and Lobster Martini 7.75
Crunchy Jumbo Shrimp 7.25
Fresh Hawaiian Ahi 7.25
Nut Crusted Brie 6.95
Steamed Fresh Clams 9.95
New Zealand Green or Local Black Shell Mussels 8.25

711 Pacific Beach Drive, San Diego, CA 92109-5028

Pomegranate Russian Georgian Restaurant
District: North Park
Phone: (619) 297-4007
Address: 2302 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA
Draw Map: [yahoo | mapquest]
Description: This restaurant provides an excellent amount of culture shock from the first step through the entry door for those who crave an international flair to their diet.

For a good breakfast or even brunch in North County, the Beachgrass Café in Solana Beach offers good cuisine at mid-range prices. The Café is known for its signature morning dish, the “Pineapple Pancake”. The dish is two plate sized pancakes, with embedded pineapples and a crispy crust that makes the eater hankering for more. If it is possible for a pancake to create buzz and discussion among its eaters, this pancake does so with impeccable taste.

If pancakes aren’t quite your cup of tea, the Café boasts a variety of scrambles, ranging from the standard menu fare to the daily special scramble. Each of these egg dishes is sumptuously prepared, and quite large. Additionally, the Café has a good cup of coffee, from the standard black and hot, to the fluffy mocha. The Café is open for dinner and lunch as well. I would recommend breakfast reservations for the weekend, as the Café is quite popular with the locals and tourists alike.

Those living in East County who might be craving a good salmon steak or grilled tuna feel that they might have to drive out to San Diego’s Embarcadero to Anthony’s Fish Grotto for some good dining.

That’s not necessary, as there are many good seafood dining establishments nearby. However, Anthony’s is known for their good service and good food and they have the dining awards to prove it. So just drive over to the Anthony’s in La Mesa for a wonderful dining experience (there are a couple scattered in San Diego County).

Everything is nice, clean, and casual. The service is fantastic and your food is served to you in a timely manner. Enjoy your halibut or fish and chips while looking out over at the duck pond nearby. The price is not cheap however it is worth it just to dine there. The portions are very filling and even the appetizers might get you to loosen up the notches in your belt.

The customer service is superb. Anthony’s has won at least eight San Diego Union-Tribune Readers’ awards for best service and seafood. So you’d like to eat Anthony’s food but don’t have the time to sit and dine out? That’s not a problem since the restaurant sells tuna and other kinds of marine foods to go.

Anthony’s is a good place to take the kids. They have an excellent child’s menu and after dinner, take them out to the pond to feed the ducks (there is a dispenser for duck feed at 25 cents a handful).

Anthony’s Fish Grotto is just across the 8 Freeway going toward La Mesa from El Cajon. It’s a great place for a light lunch or a casual dinner and unlike the Embarcadero downtown, there is plenty of parking available.

San Diego has a ton of great places to enjoy low cost food and drink during happy hour. Most establishments start happy hour around 3 or 4 pm and end shortly before their normal dinner rush.

Old Town, downtown, and the beach communities have a bunch of places that sharply discount their food and drinks. Most have half-price appetizers and beers on tap a buck or two off the normal price . . .

PB Bar & Grill and Moondoggies - both located in Pacific Beach - have great deals. So do all of the Joe’s Crabshacks . . .

Guadalahara’s in Old Town has FREE appetizers in the bar area . . .

When one drives off of Highway 67 into the small city of Santee, one would probably not think much of it except for the Target shopping center off of the corner of Mission Gorge and Cuyamaca. To go further into Santee, one would find the Albertson’s shopping center and a small yogurt place safely tucked away among a smoothie store, a gym, and a Starbucks.

This place, known as Go Get Yogurt, is a local favorite. Flavors range from the classic chocolate and vanilla to more interesting ones like cookies and cream, mocca, and even “grasshopper” (a mint-flavored yogurt). Some of the flavors change every day which gives the customer a different flavor to please the palate.

Not only does Go Get Yogurt satisfy the sweet teeth of its patrons but it donates the tips to local charities such as high school sports teams or to help out a particular individual in need. They are also an active participant in the Santee community as well. Once a year, they give a party where the proceeds go back into schools and other local causes.

Go Get Yogurt is a great place to grab a bite to eat any day or to escape the scorching summer sun of the San Diego inland area. A child-size cup of yogurt offers a generous portion for just under $3.00 and for a dollar more, one can add a topping (there are several). This establishment also offers nutritional information on their yogurt products for those who are watching what they eat. It’s a great place to sit down and relax to a refreshing dessert.

Trattoria I Trulli – Italian Restaurant
830 South Coast Highway 101,
Encinitas, CA 92024
Phone: (760) 943-6800

Trattoria I Trulli of downtown Encinitas combines authentic Italian cuisine with an affable ambiance.

Located along scenic highway 101 you’ll find this delightful Italian restaurant that caters to family outings, romantic evenings or dining with friends. Inside, the quarters are small with an intimate setting that allows for casual conversation. The décor portrays a charming Italian bistro, furnished in scenic paintings of Italy, stylishly covered tables, and vintage wine racks nestled inside the walls. Also available is sidewalk seating with the comfort of heat lamps for cooler nights.

Upon seating you’re served complimentary bread with a spicy and delicious dipping sauce. When you’re ready to order, I Trulli offers seafood, chicken, meat, and vegetarian dishes, along with homemade pastas, gnocchi, ravioli and lasagna. If you’re a seafood lover, try the Linguini Mediterraneo served in a simmering tomato sauce with mussels, clams and butterfly shrimp. For dessert, the Tiramisu is spectacular. Even more enticing, all entrees are reasonably priced with ample portions. So, if you’re looking for excellent homemade Italian food; I Trulli is a remarkable choice.

At first glance, San Diego’s Sushi Bar Kazumi might seem like a typical sushi restaurant, but it is so much more! All of the familiar, or typical, sushi specialties can be ordered, but dining patrons, looking for a little adventure, can simply say, “Surprise me” and they will be presented with a nearly unending flow of new and irresistible delights of the palette.

Kazumi’s can cater to any particular set of taste buds too. They can make it spicy hot, mild, or even sweet. Your wish is their command. This can even add a little flair to the old familiar types of sushi too, but don’t be afraid to try something new… you will not be disappointed!

The owner, Kazumi Yokoyama, has a flair for subtle humor, and if one inquires as to what a particular creation might be, he stoically responds with “fish!” His serious tone is soon replaced by a hearty laugh, and everyone is soon caught up in the fun.

Kazumi’s is certainly capable of serving up the “regular” sushi, but anyone looking for some fun and adventure will definitely not be disappointed, and Kazumi’s added sense of humor most certainly rounds out a pleasurable dining experience.

Written by D’Artagnan “Dart” Fischer

Dorothy, of The Wiz, had it easy when she clicked her heels three times and chanted, “there’s no place like home,” and was transplanted home to Kansas in a blink of an eye. Some of us have to work a little harder. However, franchise owner and operator of Philly’s Best – Authentic Cheesesteak and Hoagie Shop, Ray Aston, figured out a way to bring home to him. After countless trips to the nearest Philly’s Best in Irvine, Mr. Aston decided to take the plunge and become a franchise of his own Philly’s Best. Currently located in Oceanside in the Vons shopping center at 1771 Oceanside Boulevard, Philly’s Best is bringing Philly to us.

Mark Aston, Ray’s son, says a cheesesteak just isn’t a cheesesteak without an Amoroso roll. “What makes a great cheesesteak sandwich is the roll,” he points out. Currently they’re the only cheesesteak sandwich shop importing original supplies directly from Philadelphia, such as the Amoroso’s rolls, “Goldenberg” Peanut Chews, “Wise” Potato Chips, Tastykakes and Frank’s Sodas, all the key ingredients for an authentic cheesesteak, the Astons are living up to being Philly’s Best…and now Oceanside’s best.

The ambiance at the sandwich shop makes a trip worthwhile. The décor includes original Philadelphia memorabilia including autographed photos from some of Philly’s most famous, a game celebrating the city resembling Monopoly simply titled, “Philadelphia in a box.” Philly’s Best has mass Philadelphia flavor.

An all inclusive menu that’s also carb-friendly, homemade pickles and peppers, giveaways, gift cards, a big screen television set and a sporty feel, Philly’s Best is a home away from home for the Philadelphia born and a taste of brotherly love for us all.

An ebullient friend of mine once decided to visit every bar in Pacific Beach before he left San Diego to start a drearier life on the East Coast. Ever ambitious he didn’t miss a single bar- or so he claims. I don’t known how he had the stamina because PB (as the locals call it) has enough bars to keep the average consumer drunk for weeks. For those less ambitious epicures who have less time but still a hearty lust for alcohol Pacific Beach can effectively be effectively covered by following the main street, Garnet Avenue, with a deviation here and there.

The best place to start is at Lahaina Beachhouse where the wooden patio on the beach has a view of the sunset that can’t be matched. If you can start bar hopping early enough stray from Garnet just to watch the sunset with the cheering crowd of happily sipping people. For those getting a late start, skip Lahaina and stay on Garnet.

Starting on Garnet at the corner of Mission Boulevard you will come to PB Bar and Grill and its neighbor, Moondoggies. For everything you ever wanted to know about PB Bar and Grill visit . Get your hand stamped and go back and forth between these two bars. In this way you could spend your night hopping back and forth and not even remember there are other bars. PB Bar and Grill has a nice patio, pool tables and good food specials during the weeks. For the sports fans there are also numerous televisions showing any number of different games. Next door, Moondoggies is less talked about but often the better place to go if PB Bar and Grill is less crowded. It, too, has plentiful televisions and a great patio and on Thursdays there are two dollar “u-call-its.”

Heading East up Garnet feel free to stop at any bar you stumble across. All have that similar beach ambience that only Pacific Beach maintains. Plum Crazy Saloon has sixty-eight beers on tap, foosball, pool, and sports TVs. It is small but never a bad place to be and the drinks are usually strong. Further up still is the aptly named Typhoon Saloon, perhaps the most popular bar/club in Pacific Beach. During the day it is mild mannered Big Bertha’s but at night it transforms into Typhoon. Wednesdays is Metal Shop, which is all 1980s heavy metal. The pool tables, huge crowds, dance floors, and different levels make Typhoon unique and easy for people watching or dancing. If Typhoon is your destination then go early because after ten the line goes around the block.

If you do end up staring in shock and indignation at the never ending line at Typhoon there are alternatives. Next-door is Fred’s, which is a great Mexican restaurant with massive margaritas that is owned by the same company. Even at its most crowded there is seldom a line worth mentioning and the atmosphere is less headache inducing then Typhoon’s hardcore partying. Around the corner is The Dog; a small, newly renovated bar with pool tables and dollar beers also on Wednesdays and across the street is the Tavern at the Beach. The Tavern is also a popular bar, more low key, very beachy, and it plays eighties music on Wednesdays. Unfortunately the Tavern’s popularity, like many of the once smaller PB bars, is growing daily, as are the lines.

Amazingly this is not the end of the list of bars you can frequent. Longboard’s is the best place for reggae if you’re bar hopping on a Sunday. If you want strong, inexpensive drinks then the Silver Fox is the dive bar for you. However, while it remains popular, for girls like myself the biggest drawback is the constant appearance of lecherous-looking older men. While this phenomenon is recurring throughout San Diego it seems most prevalent here.

While this list seems extensive it is only a taste of the prolific nightlife that thrives in Pacific Beach. There is so much to do you will never get bored, but be careful. Because it is such an inexpensive place to drink PB is almost as full of policemen as it is of revelers. If you drink and drive you will get a DUI. So take a taxi then walk up Garnet. Get there before ten to avoid the lines and when you get kicked out when the bars close at ten write to me and tell me if PB isn’t the perfect place to go bar hopping.

For more information on San Diego’s nightlife visit.

(Part 1 of a Single in San Diego series)