the rebirth of Cafe 21 San Diego

Those of you who have been following my blog know my immense love for Cafe 21. It is a love affair which begins several years ago, almost immediately in fact, after my first bite. As the years fly by, that location soon becomes a vital part of my life, providing so many fulfilling memories for my friends and I. We always leave with a stomach full of delicious food, perhaps, a tad intoxicated by the creative cocktails and sangria, but always extremely happy and satisfied.

That is many years ago, and through time, as time often does, takes on a new meaning, a new journey if you will, towards bigger and better things. This is certainly the case with Cafe 21, who now resides in its new spot just a block or so away from its previous Gaslamp location.

Cafe 21 is one of those restaurants which I feel has been with me through my life’s journey the last four to five years. I doubt this love affair will ever end. I’ve been waiting to visit the new place and am excited to see what it looks like. As I eagerly wait across the street, I see it is busy with people, and a warm fuzzy feeling comes over me.

The decor is stunning, and my photos definitely do not aptly capture the essence of its entirety, or the soul of owners Alex and Leyla Javadov. You will have to take my word for it until you have the opportunity to step inside and experience it for yourself.

There are traces of the Javadovs’ Azerbaijani roots, mostly visible in the upstairs “loft” area, but overall, the chic and modern decor is exactly what 2014 calls for. Besides the loft, there is a patio, bar and dining room area — a different experience can be had depending on where you sit, but it will always be one that is etched in your memory long after your belly is full, days and months down the road.

It is morning, but that does not stop some people from enjoying a cocktail or two. Cafe 21 is famous for its house-made sangrias — six are available on any given day — take a peek when you walk in the door. If you are not able to make up your mind, you partake in a flight for a taste of them all.

Another popular cocktail is the signature Bloody Mary — there are four to choose from — here’s a glimpse of the Prawn Star ($15) and the California Greenin ($15) which uses a tomatillo mix created in-house.

However, it is too early to drink alcohol, so we start with some Loose Leaf Tea ($4) — you choose either hot or cold. Of course we choose the latter. A variety of Scottish Caramel Pu-Erh, Raspberry Lavender and Green Sencha arrives. I love the vessels they come in.

Once the tea has enough time to steep, position it over a large glass and release the tea over the ice and voila, your ice tea is ready! The server is happy to provide this service, but I am like a child in a candy store.

The caramel pu-erh is intoxicating. The deep amber liquid is sweet to the nose, and rich on the palate. I buy some to take home for another day.

I am mesmerized by the teapot, so when our next round arrives, I want to photograph the procedure once again!

The first of our meal comes to the table, Blueberry Pancakes ($11 choice of 3 short stack or 5 full stack) is on the ubiquitous stainless steel platter Cafe 21 is known for. These are fluffy and delicious. The house-made blueberry compote is not overly sweet, retaining the natural flavors I so love. They are generous with the butter, but you don’t have to use it all.

The Shrimp Cast Iron Omelet ($13) is an ideal brunch item comprising eggs and a protein of your choice. We choose pesto marinated shrimp which nestles atop, and in between the light fluffy eggs, along with tomato, spinach, pesto sauce, feta and mozzarella.

There are specials every single day and on this particular one, the Stuffed Flatbreads ($15 choose two out of three options) is a recommendation I, at first, am hesitant to order. However, a little bit of convincing later and I am enamored by both the vegetarian selections. Cheesy organic spinach with pesto, goat cheese, feta and mozzarella cheeses is vibrant, however, it is the creamy potato and onion with locally grown cauliflower that wins hands down all around. The lilac hues of the cauliflower peek through when you cut into the flatbread, but it is robust aromas of this cruciferous vegetable that blows our minds.

We are quite full by now, but there are two more items to hit the table. Lagman Pulled Pasta ($14) with hand-pulled pasta, bell peppers, tomato, onion, butter sauce with lamb meatballs (not listed, but you are able to choose this protein) — more like a dinner item than a brunch due to its sheer volume. I am only able to take a bite. I wish my stomach is bigger, but the lamb meatballs are seasoned perfectly and the vegetable accoutrements colorful and inviting.

Seared Grouper Sandwich ($14), another special of the day sees a generous piece of fish sandwiched between a brioche bun along with lettuce, tomato, onion, chipotle aioli and a side of your choice. Again, I only manage a bite.

I am always so happy when I leave here, and especially so when I am able to introduce new people to this extraordinary eatery. Whenever any of my friends ask for a San Diego recommendation, I always say Cafe 21. In fact, last week, while dining at Tavern on 2 in Long Beach, a couple sitting next to us overhears me talking about Cafe 21 and interjects. They tell me about their visit back in March and how amazing it is. This is exactly the thing I like to hear. If you haven’t yet experienced Cafe 21, do it soon. It is so worth it.

Cafe 21
802 5th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101
Tel: 619-795-0721

a long awaited revisit to Quinn’s Old Town Grill

The last time I was at Quinn’s Old Town Grill was seven years ago, and according to my Yelp review dated May of that year, I was not impressed. Last week, some friends decided to gather here for brunch and I was skeptical, but joined in mostly out of curiosity, but also, because I had heard that the restaurant had undergone some changes including a management and staff overhaul.

We arrived at 10am on a Sunday to find the place completely packed in both dining rooms as well as the patio. It was definitely bustling with even the bar stools taken up by customers.

I wasn’t interested in drinking so early in the morning, but my friends were, so a round of Bloody Marys ($8.75) and Mimosas ($11.95 free flowing) were ordered. The other thing I’d like to mention is that the busboys fill the water glasses up with ice, which is a huge plus. I hate room temperature water and always have to ask for ice. I loved how I didn’t have to do that here.

But I was famished as usual, and could not wait to dig into some food. The kitchen was on the slow side this morning but when the food started to hit the table, I was not disappointed.

One of my usual gauges for breakfast is always eggs Benedict. We decide to steer away from the traditional, and instead, opt for the Irish Benedict ($11.50) with corned beef rather than the Canadian ham we are all familiar with. The corned beef is a great choice — tender, moist, and not overly salty. I loved the hints of citrus in the Hollandaise sauce, something I’m really picky about. My only complaint is the slightly overcooked poached eggs, but overall, I was happy with this dish.

Corned Beef Hash ($10.25) is something I shun because so many restaurants open a can of mush and call it corned beef. These days, there is dog food that is far more sophisticated than a can of Libby’s and just the smell of the canned stuff makes my stomach turn. You won’t have to worry about that here. The generous chunks of house-made corned beef is interspersed with chunks of potatoes — not all smashed together might I add — is hearty and very good. It is what I will compare all corned beef hash to in the future.

I am a huge fan of sausages and therefore, when someone ordered Bangers & Eggs ($10.95) I did not object. The bangers are grilled, albeit required a few more minutes on the flattop, possessed nice flavors and definitely something I would order again.

We could not leave without trying the Chicken & Waffles ($13.50) and it was absolutely stellar, with perfect crispiness on the outside and juiciness on the inside. Why would I need to drive to Roscoe’s when Quinn’s offers up a comparable option so close by? The other thing worth mentioning is that the waffle is indescribably good. I am not a fan of waffles and I could not stop eating it especially slathered with the butter and a drizzle of syrup. The salty sweet gooey softness was addicting.

Since it was brunch, some lunch items were also featured including the very stellar Alaskan Cod Fish & Chips ($14.50/2pc or $15.75/3pc). The fish is nice and flaky, very moist, and I was okay with the amount of coating although just a hint less would be even better. The most impressive thing was the perfectly cooked steak fries. Each piece was browned well and stayed crispy throughout the meal.

The only dish I did not care for was the Patty Melt ($10.95) which comprised of an under-seasoned Black Angus beef patty topped with grilled onions and cheddar cheese. The menu stated Jewish rye bread, but it arrived on white. The entire sandwich lacked flavor and texture, with the bread not completely toasted all the way through. I took the leftovers home, warmed it up in a pan so it crisped up and added some spicy mustard to it. It was definitely far tastier this way.

I am glad my friend lured me back to Quinn’s. The food has definitely improved tremendously. Make no mistake that this is indeed old school dining, even so, a little work to improve the plating is definitely needed in the near future.

Quinn’s Old Town Grill
405 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
Tel: 714-731-2263

visiting the original Cafe 21

Two years ago, I was introduced to Cafe 21 at Gaslamp and fell in love with it instantly. Since that initial visit, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve returned to it, each time with gratifying meals shared with friends and loved ones. So it was indeed an exciting day for me to visit Cafe 21’s original location at University Heights and introducing my best friend to it for the first time! I’d been raving about the food ever since that first time and now it was time to share it.

This location is cozy and ever so quaint. I’ve always loved the eclectic nature of Cafe 21 and here, it is even more evident with vivid Moroccan and Turkish themes throughout. Naturally, we began with some cocktails — even though it was lunch — and I suggested one of their famous Sangrias ($9/glass) made in-house….. I, on the other hand, opted for their green Bloody Mary ($14) made with green tomatillo, instead of the traditional tomato juice base, infused with spicy vodka.

I had seen a photo of the Cafe 21 Breakfast Board ($17) on Facebook the day before, and couldn’t get my mind off it. Therefore, it was the only way to kick off our brunch that day. Two pieces of filet mignon, house-cured salmon, beet infused egg, Venissimo cheeses: Big Rock Blue (from Paso Robles) and Bucherondin (one of the first French goat cheeses exported to the US), pistachios, cranberries, rhubarb compote and lavash complete the platter. I love the presentation, staying true to the Moorish theme.

A Flight of Mimosa ($18) at the next table caught our eye and of course it was too pretty to miss out on.

I have enjoyed the Cafe 21 “cakes” before but never the Chicken Curry ($13) option. Shredded roasted chicken breast tossed in yellow curry, bits of celery, red onion and saffron cream sauce was delicious as is, but topped with two perfectly runny poached eggs? That made it as decadent as it was tasty. We both oooo-ed and ahhh-ed as we took a mouthful proclaiming it one of the best things we’ve ever eaten. The oozing poached eggs were just the icing on the cake (no pun intended).

I love Dutch baby pancakes and here, they offer it two ways. Savory Cast Iron Pancake ($11) is baked with house made sausage, bell peppers, onion, tomato, rosemary and goat cheese served with a house made ajika (red pepper sauce). Reminiscent of a mix between a pancake and quiche, the texture was very pleasing and ajika adds another level of depth to the dish. It keeps well too so take your leftovers home for the following day!

The sweet version — Drunken Cherry Cast Iron Pancake ($14) — is a Dutch-style pancake baked with Bourbon soaked cherries and served with a tart raspberry sauce. The pancake itself wasn’t sweet which totally appealed to my palate. The raspberry sauce was more like a puree than a sauce and was perfect as an accompaniment for the pancake, but we were discussing how it would be great over some vanilla ice cream as well.

We were stuffed, but ended the meal with Creme Brulee Cheesecake ($8) something I’m more than familiar with. I’ve had it the traditional way and also, pumpkin style during the holidays. The version here has a layer of custard giving it a different mouth-feel which we both liked a lot. The side of Blackberry Cabernet Sorbet ($4) was incredibly refreshing and a perfect end to the perfect meal.

Although both locations have almost an identical menu, you will find several dishes exclusive to each location. I’m excited for the new Gaslamp location in a few months, and will definitely return to see what it has in store for all of us who love this place so much.

Cafe 21 — North Park
2836 Adams Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116
Tel: 619-640-2121

The Sliding Door is a must try!

I love a tale of fate and karma, one of those “it was meant to be” stories where the universe conspires to get you to the place you’re supposed to be even if it means decades later. That’s what happened with the owners of The Sliding Door Cafe & Bakery. When Catherine Del Casale (one half of Off The Menu blog) told me the story of co-owners Kevin Cahalan and his fiancee, Natalie Sarle, I was intrigued, yet not surprised by how “if you’re meant to be, you’re meant to be” came into play here.

The two were in 9th grade together, went on one date at a roller skating rink, and nothing came out of it, that is, until 30 years later, when they reconnected online and six months after that, they were engaged.

Kevin is also the restaurant’s Chef and his resume is an impressive one, having graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park and worked alongside some of culinary’s best, including Bradley Ogden and Wolfang Puck. Then, the native New Yorker relocated to southern California from Long Island, to be with his sweetheart Natalie, and as they say, the rest is history!

I couldn’t stop thinking about The Sliding Door after Catherine’s story and how much she loves the food, so much she’s been back numerous times. I then bumped into her Off The Menu partner in crime, Christopher Trela, and mentioned to him about it and before long, he had planned a gathering of people to go try out this place.

I was immediately enamored by this cozy spot located in Balboa Village, only a few doors down from one of our favorites — Mint Leaf Thai. The cafe exudes a charming ambiance with a secluded alcove perfect for romantic dinners.

Sure, I like cute decor like everyone else, but I was here for the food and our table soon was filled with plates of beautifully plated dishes waiting to be devoured. Goat Cheese Fritters ($12) were delightfully crispy on the outside with a lovely soft filling. The goat cheese is subtle and the chili aioli dipping sauce mild and flavorful. They were scorching hot even after many of us had taken photos. Delicious!

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a Lobster Mac n Cheese ($13) and many places in OC feature it on their menu. The one here comprises four different cheeses: aged cheddar, provolone, Jack and smoked gouda tossed with fusilli. The sauce is rich and gooey, the chunks of lobster ample. I especially liked the crunchy breadcrumb topping which added a nice textural component to the dish.

I’m a HUGE fan of scallops so when Pan Seared Diver Sea Scallops ($28) was brought out, I knew I had to get to it STAT! I was even more tickled when I saw Israeli cous cous as an accompaniment along with bacon, winter squash and mushrooms. The scallops were flawlessly prepared, tender and absolutely exquisite. Yes, I was very happy!

I don’t think anyone really understands how thrilled I am to see Brick Grilled Chicken ($21) on the menu. Three to four years ago, brick chicken was everywhere! Restaurants were embracing this dish left right and center. Then, all of a sudden, it disappeared. At Last Cafe in Long Beach is one of the few still offering it, and rightfully so since they were one of the first to put it on the menu and it has become their signature dish.

Chef Kevin’s brick chicken is delicious. Perfectly seasoned and prepared, the chicken is moist and so tasty. It is accompanied by truffled mashed potatoes, broccoli rabe, root vegetables in a green peppercorn jus. I would come back for this alone! 

Non-meat eaters are not forgotten here. Carrot Ginger Risotto ($24) is a creamy blend of pecorino, romano and parmesan cheese with al dente rice dotted with bits of sweet carrots and exotic mushrooms. I really love Chef Kevin’s liberal use of mushrooms — my fave — in his dishes, especially the King trumpet variety!

The next two dishes are not usually what I would choose when dining out, but they were both impressive. Seared Scottish Salmon ($26) possessed an incredibly crispy skin with unctuous melt-in-your-mouth fish. I loved the use of lentils and cauliflower puree as accoutrements and didn’t expect for red cabbage to work but it did!

Cabernet Braised Short Ribs ($22) was hearty and robust in flavor. Creamy polenta with seasonal vegetables enveloped with a natural reduction, I was shocked I liked it — a lot!. I usually dislike short ribs because most chefs cannot execute it faultlessly, certainly not the case here! The piece of meat was tender and beyond compare, just superb.

If you’re a fan of lamb like I am, Grilled Lamb Rib Eye ($32) is a must try. Cooked to an immaculate medium rare, the tender discs of meat sits on top of a bed of basil almond wild rice, haricot verts (green beans), carrots and a top-notch cabernet mint jelly. Between this and the chicken, it’s going to be difficult to choose!

Chef Kevin also makes all of his desserts ($8). We shared Chocolate Truffle Fudge Cake, Chocolate Walnut Spice Tart with Chinese five spice, White Chocolate Cinnamon Bread Pudding, Cream Cheese Carrot Cake and New York Style Cheesecake. The latter two were my favorites, especially the cheesecake!

I’m so excited that it’s only March and I’ve already found a few really noteworthy restaurants, so good they will make it on to my “best of” list at the end of the year. If The Sliding Door continues to produce food like this, it might even be nominated at that award ceremony happening end September!

The Sliding Door & Cafe
704 East Balboa Blvd
Newport Beach, CA 92661
Tel: 949-673-7173

OC Restaurant Week: a worthy $15 lunch menu

If you’re looking for a worthy lunch from the OC Restaurant Week‘s lunch menus, look no further than Starfish in Laguna Beach. I have been to Starfish several times in the past but it’s been at least a year since I was last there. The first thing which struck me was that it wasn’t as dark inside as it used to be. I like it! I am able to see inside the restaurant and most important, read my menu!

There were four in our party and we were able to try a lot of things from the $15 lunch menu which offers up a 3-course meal. For starters, there were 8 items to choose from and then, an impressive 11 selections from the large plates along with three desserts choices.

Pork Dumplings, filled with ground pork and Napa cabbage, you can have the option of steamed or pan seared. My friend chose steamed. They were decent and the skin to filling ratio was acceptable. I could taste that they were not previously frozen (it says handmade daily) and the wrappers were of a reasonable thickness. The accompanying scallion soy sauce is a good accompaniment. As for chili sauce if you like a kick with your food!

Crab Wontons are not my thing because I just can’t wrap my head around cream cheese in Asian food. However, none of my friends seemed to mind as they gleefully chomped on the crispy wontons and proclaimed them delicious. The wontons are filled with a blend of stone crab, cream cheese, red and green bell pepper, green onion, then fried and served with a sweet chili plum sauce.

I loved the Chilled Cambodian Cucumbers and couldn’t stop eating them. Sliced Persian cucumber rounds are tossed in a refreshingly light chili lime vinaigrette along with baby heirloom tomatoes, mint and Thai basil. My friend who ate my portion of the wontons said “you can have my cucumbers” — and I certainly did!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps were my favorite comprising diced chicken, shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, bell peppers and cashews in a savory sauce with a hint of sweetness. I usually dislike iceberg lettuce but they were perfect as cups for the chicken mixture. I could have eaten a few more of these.

We were all very impressed by the portion size of each item. There was definitely no skimping going on here. When the entrees arrived, we were all pleased with the dishes we selected.

Shiro Miso Salmon Salad was a lot more generous than we had imagined with a nice sized piece of broiled miso marinated Atlantic salmon on top of organic baby greens tossed in a sesame miso dressing. The salmon was seasoned well and prepared to perfection.

One of my friends is a very picky eater and generally stays away from anything “different”. She picked Mongolian Beef and was so pleased with it I could see she was tickled by her selection. The tender pieces of beef are wok fried in a soy glaze along with snow peas, carrot, scallion and ginger. Because she was so happy, I nudged her to try some other things on the table as well.

Sichuan Japanese Eggplant was my selection. I am an eggplant fiend and I can eat it any way it is prepared. I can even eat it steamed with no seasonings — which makes my mother cringe for some reason. I’ve had this dish here before and I love it. Sauteed in a house made sambal sauce, Sichuan peppercorn, bell peppers and onions, I’m happy I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed it.

Another really tasty dish was Bangkok Spicy Udon Noodles. It is so unusual for restaurants to be so generous on the ingredients paired with a noodle dish and I commend Starfish here for this. Prawns, grilled chicken, green and red bell peppers, rainbow carrot, red and yellow onions plus Thai basil make up this incredible dish. I almost want to say there was a tad too much of the ingredients and not enough noodles.

There wasn’t much room left for desserts, but we managed to polish off every little bit on the plate anyway. Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding was absolutely delightful. It was perfectly textured, not too eggy and caramelized bananas and house made cinnamon ice cream alongside.

The Chocolate Flourless Cake was another winner with Tahitian vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. The menu states Thai tea caramel sauce as well but I didn’t detect that at all.

However, everyone agreed, Mango Pudding was the best of the lot. Silky mango pudding with vanilla bean coconut tapioca and diced fresh mango was just a perfect finish to the absolutely enjoyable meal shared with friends.

Starfish Laguna
30832 S Pacific Coast Hwy
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Tel: 949-715-9200

C4 Deli: Cure for the Common

My friends and I love food. That is a given. I eat out with them a lot, sometimes one on one, sometimes, in a group. Then, I have two girlfriends I get together with from time to time, although lately, we’ve been getting together a lot more than usual, which is always a wonderful thing.

For our last get together, we decided to have brunch at the newly opened C4 Deli: Cure for the Common in downtown Santa Ana, owned by the same people who own Chapter One: The Modern Local across the street. The first thing which struck me was how absolutely delightful the decor and design is.

We were a little too early for the lunch time sandwiches, so we decided to start with some breakfast items. Smorrebrod ($5.49), a Norwegian style open face sandwich with egg, bacon and sauteed broccoli rabe is served on rye. The runny egg makes this one of the most delicious breakfast sandwiches I’ve had in a long time.

My friend orders the CA Breakfast Burrito! ($5.99), but I, not being a fan of burritos was not feeling so excited about it. Much to my surprise, I actually really liked it. The filling of corned beef, hash, eggs, potatoes, cheddar and chipotle aioli created a complete flavor profile which allowed for great textures and the right amount of saltiness to make it work.

If you’re a coffee drinker, make sure you order some, they bring you individual servings in a French press!

B.E.L.T ($5.99) bacon, fried egg, lettuce, tomato, aioli on squaw was unfortunately, very pedestrian especially with the use of iceberg lettuce. Exchanging it for bibb or red leaf lettuce would make a huge difference to the final product.

I wanted to try one of the sausages since they are made in-house and there are two to choose from, a Bratwurst and Italian sausage ($6.49) comprising fennel. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for the sausage at all. The texture was mushy and liver-like and highly unappealing. I’m not sure if the Bratwurst would have been better since I don’t particularly enjoy coarse ground sausages.

But what I came here for was the Porchetta ($7.99). I remember eating the best porchetta sliders in New York and wanted to relive that experience. Sadly, the porchetta was very disappointing, not in flavor (which was spot on), but in the mouthfeel effect. The outside crispy parts was not crispy at all. I understand that it was not out of the oven that morning, but warming it back up in the oven would have been more appropriate rather than perhaps the microwave? The texture was like bacon cooked in the microwave with the fatty bits not crunchy but on the rubbery side. I was sad.

Our final sandwich was the Pastrami ($8.99) on rye, which redeemed the last two underwhelming selections. The pastrami was wonderfully seasoned and nicely textured. My only complaint would be that it could have been a little bigger. Otherwise, a very delicious sandwich indeed!

The portions here are not large by any means as you can tell by the amount we ordered, we managed to eat everything albeit half the pastrami and the sausage which we left behind. For a new establishment it is decent enough and perhaps with a few more months, the kinks would have worked themselves out and everything will be up to standard — well, my standard anyway!

C4 Deli: Cure for the Common
200 N Broadway
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Tel: 714-263-1555