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Slowtwitch Forums: Lavender Room:
SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go?

 
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JohninMadisonWI

Feb 15, 06 14:02

Post #1 of 9 (282 views)
SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? Can't Post
I prefer authentic hole-in-the-walls to Chevy's. I will be spending two or three days in SD after Ralph's - probably at the Hilton Resort on Mission Bay (I could stay somewhere else if needed, but the water is calling me). Anything good walkable? How about an easy post-cerveza drive? I hope to hit as many as possible, but will still be limted - so tell me the good ones, please.


(This post was edited by Zoe's Dad on Feb 15, 06 14:04)


Xenu

Feb 15, 06 15:09

Post #2 of 9 (274 views)
Re: SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? [Zoe's Dad] [In reply to] Can't Post
You want authentic hole-in-the-wall? There's only one place, then.

Los Cuatro Milpas, in Barrio Logan.

Get the rice and beans (I like the beans with chorizo), and either a taco or burrito. I like the pork better than the chicken, but some friends like the chicken, too.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=23158

It's not the safest part of town, but it's safe during the day. I won't go there at night.

It's a few miles from the Hilton, but it's an easy drive.

---
"You'll find a slight squeeze on the hooter an excellent safety precaution, Miss Scrumptious."

"I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it is much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might be wrong." -- Richard Feynman


slowguy

Feb 15, 06 15:40

Post #3 of 9 (266 views)
Re: SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? [Zoe's Dad] [In reply to] Can't Post
There's not much "authentic hole in the wall" up by Mission Bay. Old Town's got tons of good places, or you can drive down to National City and stop at any roadside burrito place for some Carne Asada.

Mmmmmmmmm,...carne asada burrito.

Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)


petertraylor

Feb 15, 06 18:04

Post #4 of 9 (252 views)
Re: SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? [Zoe's Dad] [In reply to] Can't Post
I second Quatro Milpas (I think it is spelled with a Q not C for some reason) as a must visit place. Get a giant bowl of Chorizo and beans with extra tortillas and hot sauce......mmmmmmmmmm. Hands down the best in town. I used to work close to downtown and ate there at least twice a week. Make sure to show up before 11:30 or after 12:30 as there will be a big line down the street at lunch (and they are only open til 2:30 or 3:00. Really easy to find. Take the 5 south and get off on Ceasar Chavez Exit, turn left on Logan and you will see it about 1 block on the right. Porkyland is also right down the street, much more Americanized but a Jumbo al Pastor burrito will be enough for two meals.


JohninMadisonWI

Feb 16, 06 13:37

Post #5 of 9 (221 views)
Re: SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? [Xenu] [In reply to] Can't Post
Las Cuatro Milpas it is - at least for Monday. They are closed on Sunday.

So i will probably hit Old Town then. Any favorites in Old Town????

These would not have to be dives. I'd like to spend the afternoon sipping margs and eating chips and people watching. And then order the Carne Asada, Carnitas or Al Pastor - or maybe some shark tacos - we don't get those in Wisconsin. I loved them when i lived in SAC.


(This post was edited by Zoe's Dad on Feb 16, 06 13:40)


Xenu

Feb 16, 06 13:38

Post #6 of 9 (220 views)
Re: SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? [petertraylor] [In reply to] Can't Post
Hands down the best in town.

Agreed. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

I used to work close to downtown and ate there at least twice a week.

You suck. (or, at least, you used too.) At least twice a week? Dangit.

Note: the giant bowl that he recommends is really good, but it's also really big. If you have a way to keep the leftovers, then this truly is a hot ticket...the leftovers will keep you happy for awhile.

And, like he also says, the line is almost always long. But do not bail. It's worth the wait.

Twice a week? Yer killin' me.

For less authentic, less hole in the wall (but still a far cry from Taco Smell), head to Old Town--really easy drive from Hilton Mission Bay. The really good places (Casa Bandini and Casa DePico) are gone, but Old Town Mexican Cafe is pretty good, and they have the best margaritas in Old Town (or at least they did when I lived there). They pride themselves on their carnitas, which are pretty good. There are a lot of mexican restaurants there.

Another thing about San Diego...there is a class of restaurants here colloquially called taco stands. You can't swing a dead cat without hitting one. They tend to have names like Roberto's, Albertos, Adelberto's, Humberto's, etc. Some are better than others, but most of them are pretty good--a great deal better than any 'Mexican food' you'll find in most places.

If you find yourself in Carlsbad or Solana Beach--maybe because you are checking out B&L and/or Nytro, Fidel's is quite good. (the Carlsbad location is next to the Carlsbad Inn in downtown Cbad, and the Solana beach location is at 607 Valley Ave, at the corner of valley and Genevieve--this location is kinda hard to find, but it has more soul then the Cbad store) Try the pork burrito.

---
"You'll find a slight squeeze on the hooter an excellent safety precaution, Miss Scrumptious."

"I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it is much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might be wrong." -- Richard Feynman


tridexter

Feb 16, 06 13:50

Post #7 of 9 (215 views)
Re: SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? [Zoe's Dad] [In reply to] Can't Post
El Agave in Old Town - definitely not a hole in the wall. They have the best mole I have ever tasted. Lots of different tequilas. Everytime I'm in SD, I try and stop in.


Xenu

Feb 16, 06 14:13

Post #8 of 9 (210 views)
Re: SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? [Zoe's Dad] [In reply to] Can't Post
Las Cuatro Milpas it is - at least for Monday. They are closed on Sunday.

Good call. It doesn't surprise me that they are closed on Sunday.

So i will probably hit Old Town then. Any favorites in Old Town????

Due to a political fiasco, my favorite old town restaurant (Casa DeBandini) is gone. There is another restaurant in it's place _the Continental_, or something. I haven't been able to go in there yet...I'm not done mourning (okay, I'm being melodramatic). It would surprise me if it's not good. But there isn't a line to get in like there used to be.

The Acapulco restaurant on top of the Hacienda Hotel has great views, and decent food. The draw here is the view...it's chain restaurant food. It's okay, it just isn't family restaurant good. Fred's is decent.

I'm still looking for a new favorite in Old Town.

My current favorite is my old fallback, the Old Town Mexican Cafe.

O'Hungry's is kinda fun, too, if you are in the mood for yards of beer, and pretty good guys jamming on classical guitars.

These would not have to be dives. I'd like to spend the afternoon sipping margs and eating chips and people watching.

For this, I'd say old Town Mexican Cafe is the best bet. They have quite good margaritas, and really good chips and salsa. If I was looking for margs and chips and salsa only, there isn't any other place in Old Town I'd even consider. We used to walk down there just for that, when I lived there. The people watching is a little tough here though...they don't have a place to sit on the sidewalk and eat your chips and drink your marg, and watch the people walk by--there are a few tables in the bar by the window, though. Maybe someplace in Pacific Beach, on the boardwalk, if the people watching is highly important. I'd vote for the Green Flash in this case, but maybe others with better PB knowledge will guide you better than I can.

And then order the Carne Asada, Carnitas or Al Pastor - or maybe some shark tacos - we don't get those in Wisconsin. I loved them when i lived in SAC.

Shark tacos? Never tried them...I kinda switched from shark to swordfish, but those would probably be good. Fins will treat you right if tacos filled with swimmy things is what you are looking for.

For a nice (non-Mexican) dinner with great views, I'd suggest Tom Ham's Lighthouse (West end of Harbor Island--on the run course for SD Int'l Triathlon!) and/or TD Hay's (at the end of Grand Ave in Pacific Beach). The Fish Market downtown (South of the USS Midway, also sorta on the run course for the SD Int'l) is fun, too, especially if you can get a window seat (overlooks SD bay)

---
"You'll find a slight squeeze on the hooter an excellent safety precaution, Miss Scrumptious."

"I can live with doubt and uncertainty and not knowing. I think it is much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers that might be wrong." -- Richard Feynman


Flanagan

Feb 16, 06 15:06

Post #9 of 9 (201 views)
Re: SAN DIEGO: Post Ralph's Mexican Food Tour - Where to Go? [Zoe's Dad] [In reply to] Can't Post
Tony Jacals or Fidels in Solana Beach. They are both awesome and nothing like Chevys.


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