- Ann Chen
San Francisco - Antonio Friscia
San Diego - Mariano Gonzalez
Central Valley - Barbara Cook Overton
North Coast - Clive Pearse
Palm Springs, Desert - Daniel Mickelsen
Orange County - Dan Weitzman
Sacramento, Gold Country - Trey Foshee
San Diego - Jennifer Morrison
High Sierra - Jeff Phillips
Central Coast - Heidi Barrett
San Francisco Bay Area - Jay Lay
Los Angeles - Jody Savin
Pasadena, L.A. - Brian Talley
Arroyo Grande - Jennifer Burke
Healdsburg
Top Food/Restaurant Favorites/Best thing to eat where you live?
A goat by any other name would be called "chivo". A staple in real Mexican kitchens, slow-cooked goat (chivo in Spanish) is impossible to find at 2:00AM at your favorite Mexican drive thru. El Comal in North Park invites you to sit down at civilized hours to enjoy the plata Barbacoa de Chivo. It?s topped with a mild red chile sauce. Nothing is an afterthought: the tortillas, rice and beans are also absolutely wonderful. El Comal offers what you cannot find in touristy Old Town: food made with ultimate care and authenticity, unlike the typical "gringo-ized" restaurant fare. Prices are excellent - most entrees are $12 or less. El Comal's menu offers adventure as well as tradition (chicken in mole sauce, whole fish, pozole with pork or chicken, veggie tacos stuffed with nopales-- aka cactus, quesadillas, fish tacos). The full bar offers sipping tequilas, margaritas and cervesas. And it's all "chivo-licious".
First place you?d take an out-of-town visitor?
Two of my favorite wine and food merchants - Wine Steals and Taste in Hillcrest - hit the local culture sweet spot. Wine Steals is a wine retailer, wine bar and eatery, with top quality wines for anyone's budget ($4.99 and up). In the adjoining space, Taste offers artisan cheeses (like 5-year aged Gouda!), oils and breads. Sample first, and then select a bottle; the staff will set you up for drinking-in: $7 corkage. Small pizzas and cheese boards (olives, salami and breads) are also available. Pull up a wine barrel or sit at the bar to drink and nibble away. You may take anything with you and enjoy it where you choose. Balboa Park is in Hillcrest; picnic, anyone?
Featured Videos
