Travel

Dining Outside the Home: Little Italy’s Civico 1845 of San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Little Italy’s Civico 1845 of San Diego, California! Nestled on the corner where the air is filled with aromas of Southern Italy is a quaint place to relax with a glass of wine and a plate of pasta. The exuberant staff at Civico 1845 is as passionate about their food as they are about family traditions. Everyone abounds in vitality as the steady stream of Italian floats from table to table overflowing through open-shuttered windows onto the terrace. The most difficult decision is choosing what to order, although the chef can modify any dish to appeal to personal favorites. Mine was the vegan potato gnocchi topped with spicy grilled shrimp in a fabulous white sauce that was to die for. My husband, on the other hand, ordered raviolo classico with a polpette (homemade meatball in neopolitan ragù) on the side. The flavors were just right. Favoloso!

Dining Outside the Home: Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market San Diego, California! Three city blocks were filled with artisans and tent vendors. California growers sold bushels of farm fresh produce while gourmet chefs filled platters of specialty foods offer tempting samples for patrons walking by. Wide selections of fresh cut flowers and seasonal arrangements brightened up street corners. From European linens and handmade soaps to sushi-filled sea urchins and artisan breads, the weekly Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market is well worth the walk. 

Dining Outside the Home: Leroy’s Kitchen and Lounge on Coronado Island San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Leroy’s Kitchen and Lounge on Coronado Island San Diego, California! There’s no better feeling than being on a island and eating fresh, local, sustainable food. That’s exactly what Leroy’s Kitchen is all about. They partner with local farmers to create specialty dishes from seasonal ingredients for a flavor explosion in every bite. It doesn’t hurt that they’re a block from the ocean and dishes appear served farm-to-table on a salty breeze. Portions were so generous I didn’t dare take a peek at the Dessert Menu. Sounds like a great reason to return. 

Dining Outside the Home: Point Loma Seafoods in San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Point Loma Seafoods San Diego, California! Quality fish and other creatures of the sea are caught straight from the boat, directly bought from local fishermen, and sold at the market the same day. It doesn’t get any fresher than that. What began as a family business of simply processing and selling sport-caught fish over 50 years ago, turned into a place to gather and nibble on the salt-water delicacies prepared with secret recipes. From flaky crab cakes and shrimp cocktail to breaded clam strips, seared ahi, and smoked salmon on bakery fresh sourdough bread, the selection is overwhelming. What a unique experience for the heartiest eaters. 

Dining Outside the Home: Pizza Nova of Point Loma San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Pizza Nova of Point Loma San Diego, California! You gotta love a pizzeria that serves hand-tossed garlic knots rolled in rosemary butter as soon as you reach your table. A view of the water doesn’t hurt either. The wood burning ovens lent a coziness to the atmosphere as aromas of time-honored Italian dishes kept our heads spinning. A traditional meat-lover specialty pizza oozing in heirloom San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella was delivered to the table on a pedestal. Within seconds, the crunch of the award-winning crust had us yearning for more. 

Dining Outside the Home: Seaport Village Pier Café in San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Seaport Village Pier Café in San Diego, California! For a charming waterfront experience with an amazing sunset view, this landmark café on the pier was a natural choice. The quaint New England-style wooden structure harbored a casual, yet romantic atmosphere. The automatic choice for a late-night dinner was the fresh catch of the day: Flaky batter-fried fish fillets and crunchy golden chips. The tangy tartar sauce and malt vinegar satisfied the taste buds. As the sun dipped below the shadowed horizon, we quenched our thirst with the ultimate refreshment, a Grand Marnier margarita. 

Dining Outside the Home: Café Coyote in Old Town San Diego, California 

Dining Outside the Home: Café Coyote in Old Town San Diego, California! Nestled in the heart of the city, at the site of the oldest settlement in San Diego, you can stand on the street corner and inhale the spicy aromas. Turn one way and you’ll be lured by mariachi music. Turn the other, and you’ll catch a glimpse of smiling señoritas making handmade tortillas from scratch sold warm to those passing by. Our table on the open patio at the Café Coyote afforded us the advantage of an authentic Mexican meal with a view that entertained. After all, this was the “Day of the Dead! (Dia de Los Muertos).

Dining Outside the Home: MIA of Oxford, Ohio

Smooth jazz set the stage for a celebration dinner at an intimate table for two in a private curtained alcove set apart from others. The flickering candlelight seemed to dance off the red lampshade casting tiny shadows across the stemmed water glasses. Dinner was divine: Filet mignon upon a bleu-cheese risotto cake served impressively with a delicate pink plumeria as its crown. Is it any wonder the magic of its allure transported us to a tropical island where these same flowers lure Sphinx moths to their fragrant petals? The attention to detail earned this upscale restaurant a five star rating, in my opinion.

Dining Outside the Home: Dakota’s of Oxford, Ohio

Dining Outside the Home: Dakota’s of Oxford, Ohio.

From the moment we walked through the doors, it felt as though we had entered the wild western Black Hills. The rustic atmosphere enveloped us as we settled into a cozy booth where the anniversary celebration began with chilled margaritas. From appetizers to dessert, our taste buds were blown away by this semi-private dining experience where steakhouse met saloon.