I am sorry in advance for what you are about to see. For the second day in a row, we prove to you what little piggies Lauren and I can be, when we put our minds (and bellies) to it.
Last week, Lauren and I had the pleasure of treating our taste buds to San Diego’s finest Italian food and drink. The Taste of Little Italy featured 23 different eateries, located on or around India Street. We had so much fun, but then again, how could you not? As promised, here is the recap of our adventure through Little Italy. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
Where to start…? Choosing the first location, is tough stuff; planning ahead is key. As you can see here, the “Passport”, that is handed out at the info booth, shows each participating restaurant, so it is really a matter of deciding on a route and going for it. Somehow, we seemed to just beat the crowds. It was awesome.
After pondering over some house chardonnay for only $2.95 a glass at Zia’s Bistro (best happy hour wine and food, EVER), this is the route that we chose. Or maybe it chose us. We’ll never know. Here we go…
Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano: Polenta with gorgonzola mushroom cream sauce. Holy mackerel, was this tasty. I bet I could eat this all day long. And probably regret it later, but it’s worth the wager.
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto: Tomato & Basil Pizza (with crushed red pepper). Mmm these guys have been tossing up pizza pies for years. You can just tell.
Po Pazzo: Tiramisu. It was bound to happen. We don’t discriminate; dessert is appropriate any time of the day. Plus, if we saved it for the end, this little morsel of goodness would have been extinct.
Mona Lisa Italian Foods: Lasagna and garlic bread. This cheesy wonderland was a hit. Homemade noodles, a truck load of cheese, and good sauce; it all just felt so right.
Puerto La Boca: Skirt steak and Argentinian chorizo sausage with chimichurri sauce; paired with a tasty Malbec. That pile of greens you see below is near and dear to my heart. It is such a flavorful sauce. Oh and the meat was ah-maz-ing.
Only halfway done and we could easily pass for pregnant people. Embarrassing.
Side-note: We are not with child. Just wanted to make that point clear.
I love how they have these plaques bolted to every appendage on the street, including: chairs, tables, trash cans, and bike racks. Just in case someone is lost, they know where they are at, almost immediately. Or I guess they are more so that tourists don’t think these items are souvenirs, and take them home.
Buon Appetito/Sogno DiVino: Fusilli with mushrooms and peas in brandy cream sauce. Nom.
Petrini’s: Mini meatballs and mini sausage. The presentation was so clever! Served in a little martini glass and topped with a tangy tomato sauce.
Yogurtland: We chose the Dutch Chocolate Frozen Yogurt you see in the background. This was a nice little palate cleanser and break from all the pasta.
The Restaurant at the W Hotel: Achiote rubbed tuna on a crisp with tomatillo corn relish. Try this for something different! The ahi tuna was absolutely terrific, especially with the crisp on top, which was the perfect tool to help transport the food to mouth. That chef is one smart cookie.
The ambiance of the W hotel was very relaxed and comfortable. Not to mention that the food wasn’t too shabby either…
Nearing the end, we did a little wine tasting at Enoteca Style. Since we were a little self-concious of our prego food bellies, it was nice to have a break from the eating; now, drinking, we could do. The atmosphere in this wine bar is so unique, with all of the surrounding aquariums and modern-looking architecture.
Burger Lounge: Burger Lounge Slider. Why are they still in the wrapper, you ask? Well, knowing that we couldn’t possibly find the strength to consume a burger, we were going to pass up the amazing Burger Lounge. Lucky for us, as patrons of this event, we remembered that they wrap their burgers. What does that mean for us? Lunch for the next day. SCORE! The nice servers made us take two. We didn’t have any objections.
Caffe Italia: Cappuccino and Anise & Almond Biscotti. I am no stranger to this cafe. Last summer, when I took Italian classes up the street, I became a Tuesday night regular. They serve up a mean cappuccino, while the baristas try their hand at “latte art”.
Yes, we stayed until it was past dark. Do we get more or less points for that?
One word: D-O-M-I-NATION.
Side-note: Please disregard the unchecked box by Landini’s Pizzeria. Things got a little hazy near the end [food coma], and since it is right next door to the other pizzeria, we got confused. We may also have turned a blind eye when rolling past it to our cars. That is the most likely possibility.
From The Little Yellow Kitchen,
Chrissy
