A Sconnie Eats San Diego Style

This summer my husband and I took our first major vacation together to San Diego and we had a blast.  We spent a lot of time relaxing on the beach and we also checked out the Zoo, Old Town, and the downtown Gas Lamp District.

The hotel we stayed at was in the Mission Bay Area and it was right on the Marina.  We were right on the ocean and just about a mile from Mission Beach.  The scenery, weather, and sunsets were all beautiful and we could not have asked for a better time.

Now, I may have mentioned before that I have added fish back into my previously vegetarian diet.  So, now I guess I’m more of a pescatarian, but I only eat fish every so often.  While we were in San Diego, I was so excited for some seafood.  In Wisconsin there really isn’t much a fresh fish scene, and when I am in coastal areas I just love the abundance of fresh seafood.

So, there are two places we ate at that we enjoyed. The first was actually a restaurant in our hotel called Firefly.  They have some great outdoor seating with a good view of the bay.  It was a little chilly though and the outdoor heater where we were sitting was broken.  Luckily another table left shortly after we arrived and we moved to their spot and started to warm up.  The service was a little slow.  We needed refills on our drinks halfway through our meal and didn’t get them until we were done eating.  That said, the food was still great.

For an appetizer we had their Bruschetta.  It was delicious.  There were six pieces with three different toppings:  Goat cheese, Mozzarella, and Carmelized Fennel.  It was really fun trying the three different kinds and it worked out perfectly that we each got one of each kind.  I definitely recommend this appetizer for those that go here.  It really impressed me. 





For our entrees, I had the Seasonal Catch which was a rockfish.  It came with Israeli cous cous and seasonal veggies.  The fish was cooked perfectly and seasoned well.  I have had an unpleasant experience with Israeli cous cous in the past and was a little nervous about getting it, but it was actually fantastic.  Everything on the plate just really went together well and the flavors were well balanced. 

AJ had the 1/2 Fried Chicken that came with garlic mashed potatoes and a tomato chutney.  It did seem a little small for being 1/2 of a chicken but AJ said it was pretty good and the potatoes were delicious. 
All in all we had a great time here.  The atmosphere I think could have been improved if the restaurant wasn’t right next to the hotel pool that plays music of its liking from the time they open until the time they close (past 10 pm).  I did however enjoy watching the fireworks from our table that Seaworld put on every night. 


The other place we ate at that we enjoyed while we were in San Diego was called Saska’s.  This restaurant has been around for sixty years and you can tell when you walk in.  The place looks like a sixties supper club and really could use some updating.  We got seated however, in a really awesome booth.  It was like a sweet circle booth with a small table; perfect for two.  We also had a great view of the TVs which made us happy since we had been following the women’s world cup all week.
 
Our service here was a little slow, but didn’t feel so bad because they warned us ahead of time that our server was dealing with a large party and was a little behind.  Here, AJ had a steak stuffed with crab meat that he really really enjoyed.  He kept trying to get me to try it, but I believed him.  I enjoyed an amazing salmon filet.  I just love fresh fish and this was a great way to end our vacation.  I savored every bite of that fish and by the end of our dinner we were so stuffed.  We thought that after dinner we would take a walk and then come back for their late night sushi deals, but we could barely walk when we left we were so full.

I don’t have any pictures of the food from Saska’s but I will just say that it was delicious and we had a great time.  I will however, leave you with a picture of the sunset that night.

Caught off guard and regretting my response.

Today while spending some “me time” around the square doing crossword puzzles, drinking iced tea, etc.  Two women approached me asking me what restaurants are good in the area.  I reply with, “What kind of food do you want to eat?”  and they respond, “Healthy, vegetarian.”  I say, “Oh, ok, I’m a vegetarian too,” and I start to name a couple of my favorite restaurants around the capital square, I eventually send them off to The Capital Taphaus on State St.  They have a pretty good vegetarian sandwich.  They thank me and head on their way.

I was really caught off guard with this inquiry and as I walked home I knew there was a place I had forgotten about.  I thought and thought and halfway home it hit me.  The Great Dane Pub and Brewery.  AHHHH.  I wanted to run all the way back and find those ladies and send them to The Great Dane!  I have a food blog for crying out loud!  How could I not blurt this out immediately??  I blame downtown Madison for having so many restaurants.

So I think it’s time I let you all in on some amazing food and beer.

The Great Dane Pub and Brewery is one of our go-to places around here.  They have a diverse menu with a good amount of vegetarian options including pizzas, amazing mac and cheese, falafel, a veggie burrito, and more.  They also have great burgers, fish and chips, and lots of Sconnie favorites.

But the best Sconnie favorite that they have there is their beer! The Great Dane is a brewery and their beer is very very good.  Being a light-beer drinker I usually stick to the Landmark Light and the Crop Circle Wheat, but no matter what kind of beer you like they have a delicious option for you.

My only gripe about this place is their selection of side items.  I only get the fries there because all the other sides I have tried including their coleslaw and cous cous have been majorly disappointing. 
Other than that though, the rest of the food, the atmosphere, and the service are great.

I apologize to the women that I sent to the Taphaus, hopefully they still have a good lunch and a nice time there.  It is a great place, but The Great Dane would have definitely been a better choice for them.  I will not make this mistake again! : )

Insider Tip:  Sometimes this place gets crowded, so if you’re just going there for drinks, there is a Rathskellar with its own bar downstairs that a lot of people don’t know about.  I always seem to find seating down there.

MmmmmmmMaharaja!

Though I can't claim that Maharaja has the best Indian food in Madison (since it's the only Indian restaurant I've been to in Madison) I will say that it is AMAZING and it is the best Indian food I've ever had.


I have been here twice now, and the last time I was there I got a vegetarian dish and was recommended to have the Navarattan Korma which was mixed vegetables cooked with cream, herbs, and cashews.  

It. Was. Amazing.

I don't even know how else to say it or describe it, but the flavor was so good and I couldn't stop eating it.

Here it is in this picture (it's the closest one).

I went this time with my sister Tanya, my Aunt Dotty, my cousin Clare, and my husband AJ.  We all got something different and then put them in the middle so everyone could share.  Luckily my sister and aunt also got vegetarian dishes.  Everything was awesome and the waiter was so funny.

My cousin is the pickiest eater and she even loved her dish.

The setup of the restaurant is the only thing that I think could be improved, but I think they do ok with the space they have.  I felt however, that there wasn't a lot of privacy.  There are a lot of tables in a small space and there is no separation, booths or much for decor.  They try their best to set the mood, and the space is clean, so it really wasn't that bad.  Plus the waiter really made up for it.  We had a great time here.

And the best part???   Hot towels after dinner!!  Ahhhhh..... Bliss.

I recommend this to anyone who likes, or wants to try Indian Food.  They also have a lunch buffet that I haven't tried yet.

Update: Lunch Buffet = awesome

Kabul Restaurant on State

Hey everyone!  I’m really excited to tell you about an awesome taco joint I ate at today for lunch, but I feel like I need to keep to some sort of order.  I’ve been holding out on you for too long and have a long list of foods and restaurants to talk about.  So, without further ado, I will get cracking on this list.
I may have mentioned in a previous post that I’ve been wanting to try a restaurant on State St. called the Mediterranean Café.  I have seen a line out the door to that place and have been curious about it since.
I confessed this curiosity to my loving husband who then proceeded to take me there.  Unfortunately, it was a Sunday and they were closed.  So, while we were there (on State St. I mean) we decided to work on broadening our palates by having lunch at a place called Kabul Restaurant.
Kabul serves Afghan cuisine and from what I had heard through the grapevine was that it was pretty good.  Neither of us had tasted Afghan food before which made the experience really fun and interesting. 
Let me start with the atmosphere of the place.  It’s pretty small on the inside, maybe 10 tables total.  I’m almost positive that the tables used to be really basic fast-food-type booth tables, but they have nicely covered them in a cushiony material and then put a very decorative textile over the top.  The rest of the place was decorated well with a middle eastern theme to it.  It was quiet, but not too quiet, an atmosphere suited to small groups for lunch or dinner.
Onto the food! 
Ok, I just have to say, this place made me fall in love with chutney!  I had never had chutney before, but it is a simple dip/topping for bread or even to have on your food.  At each table sits 2 bowls of chutney.  One red (pimento) and one green (cilantro).  They were completely different in taste, but both were equally delicious.  The flavors are very strong, so if you don’t like cilantro don’t eat the green one.  I happen to love cilantro though, so I found it amazing.  We ate the chutney with the Afghan bread we were given, which was pretty good too.  Really soft, flat, and moist, had a good chew to it (you can see it in the pics below). 
Each entrée comes with a side of their Mashawa (Soup) or their salad with curry cucumber dressing.  We ordered one of each and then shared.  The soup was great.  it contained:

Chick Peas
Kidney Beans
Split Peas
Rice
and I can’t remember what meat was in it. (Sorry we ate here quite a while ago)

It also had a yogurt mint sauce on top of it.  It reminded me a lot of chili with sour cream, but the yogurt mint sauce really gave it the flavor of the middle east and the chick peas gave it some crunch.  I usually don’t like chick peas, and I hate hummus, but I could handle them in this dish.  The salad wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t amazing.  There isn’t much to expect from a side salad, but the dressing was a little overpowering and there was a lot of it.  That’s not to say it wasn’t good, but I think they used too much.
Ok, onto the Entrees.  I ordered the Beef Korma Chalow which consisted of medallions of beef cooked with onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, green peppers, and spices.  It was served over white rice.  It came to me on a plate looking like this..(On the left)     
It was very brown.  It didn’t look as good as it tasted, which is great.  The beef was deliciously tender and everything was seasoned pretty well, but I soon found out that the flavor shot out the roof when you used a little of that chutney on the dish.  Wow!  Both worked well with the dish.  I just put a spoonful on the side of my plate and took a little with each bite.  That added so much more depth to the dish.  I wish someone would have told me sooner because I only realized it once I was almost full. 
The hubby ordered the Lamb Kabobs (On the right).  I only tasted them near the end of our meal, so I can’t say much about them, but I do think that the chunks of lamb were too big, and I’m pretty sure it was a little overcooked.  The sauce that came with it was again, a yogurt/mint sauce, and the kabobs were also served over saffron rice, which I remember him saying was pretty yummy.
We had a great time at Kabul and had a lot of fun experiencing a new cuisine.  That really was the best thing about Kabul.  It opened my mind and my taste buds to something new and provided a chance for me to understand a different culture and their food.  I love to try new things, and Kabul offered a delightful and delicious opportunity.


P.S.  Hopefully soon AJ will be here to guest blog about some of his eating experiences.  He recently ate at a place I’ve been wanting to try called Jamerica!

I've Missed You Too!

Sorry Followers!!  I know I have not blogged in some time.  I do have lots to blog about though!!  I've just been so busy with school work and applying to the business school.

Soon to come:

Reviews on  Kabul Restaurant, Cheesecake Factory ( IN CHITOWN), tex tubbs tacos, and more!

Also, just some fun stuff about our trip to Chicago and our St. Patty's getaway to the Wisconsin Dells.  Stay tuned!  I promise to post soon.