David Rottenberg
David Rottenberg's Latest Posts
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn….Girl
The street has come back to life. Many years ago, when I first moved to San Diego, the area around the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Goldfinch Street teemed with restaurants. “The Baker In The Forest” was one of my favorites and was partially responsible for my decision to move south from Los Angeles. […]
Tom Ham’s Lighthouse – Come For the View, Stay For the Food
Can you see the light…at the end of the island? Harbor Island lies adjacent to the airport, just across Harbor Drive. Enter onto the Island, turn right at the intersection and you’ll shortly reach Tom Ham’s Lighthouse, a fully functioning and still operating facility to guide ships. But – surprise – it is more […]
Broken Yolk Café – Breakfast Is The…
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” my mother often intoned. Her second frequent message about how to lead my life was, “focus on what you’re doing!” John Gelastopoulos must have been hiding behind the door because he certainly applied both messages to the way he built his business. Gelastopoulos founded Broken Yolk […]
El Agave Tequileria & Restaurant –Great Food & Great Drinks
The name says it all. The focus of a restaurant’s cuisine is usually stated in its name. A “steakhouse” serves steak; “seafood” means fish. But can you make a meal out of tequila? El Agave Taquileria & Restaurant is a restaurant, first and foremost, but lists “tequileria” first in its name because it has […]
World Famous – “What’s In A Name?”
Here’s the riddle for the day: Is “World Famous” a name or a description? When talking about the restaurant in Pacific Beach, both are correct. Just like Pink’s in Los Angeles and The Palm in Beverly Hills, people all over the world know World Famous. It is difficult to find anywhere a restaurant that […]
La Piñata – Old Town’s Oldest Restaurant
Many visitors to Old Town enter the park by getting off Highway 5 at Old Town Avenue then following the curving road to the entrance. There is another entrance, though, on the north side of the park, off Taylor Street’s exit to Highway 8. That entrance, onto Juan Street, goes past Casa Guadalajara and, next […]
Snooze!
The popular phrase “If you snooze, you lose” takes on a whole new meaning when visiting the similarly named restaurant in Hillcrest. Located on Fifth Avenue, across the street from the center that houses the Landmark Cinema, diners can identify the location of Snooze by the crowds that are usually milling around in front, waiting […]
Spike Africa’s – It’s New! It’s Wonderful!
Spike Africa’s Fish Grill & Bar opened a few months ago in the old Payless Shoes location on Broadway and Fourth, across the street from the redevelopment area of Horton Plaza. It is so new it doesn’t have permanent signage up yet. But, it is right on the corner. You can’t miss it. Spike Africa […]
De Medici Cucina Italiana – Tried and True and New
One of my favorite restaurants is located in the Gaslamp — De Medici Cucina Italiana. It was one of the first restaurants to open on Fifth Avenue and it has prospered even in the face of economic slowdowns. Why? Because of the outstanding cuisine, relaxing ambiance, and attentive service that Sal Vitale and his capable […]
Baci Ristorante – An Unforgettable Old Friend
New Year’s celebrations have come and gone. The haunting strains of “Auld Lang Syne” have faded from hearing. By now, the year’s business has begun in earnest. “In with the new, out with the old” is a common theme, coupled with resolutions to do better, to be better. The New Year, to many, begins exciting […]
