Brians' American Eatery-Closed

Brians' American Eatery
1451 Washington St
San Diego
619-296-8268

Brian's American Eatery is your classic diner. You're getting comfort food in good sized portions at good prices. I've been to Brian's once, back around the time when Petco Park opened for the San Diego Padres. I went during their Saturday special, all you can eat beef ribs. The ribs are pretty good, they aren't BBQ, the menu even says oven cooked ribs, but they tasted good and for about $14, you can't beat it.

This time around, I came on a Sunday afternoon and it was fully of people. Luckily the weather was cloudy and overcast, so I said first available, and we got a table outside on the patio.

I got the Big Rooster-grilled chicken with bacon and melted swiss cheese on onion bun, with side salad and mac and cheese.

The chicken sandwich was a bit greasy, the bottom portion of the bun was a soggy mess and a bit dry, I guess they figured you would add condiments to the sandwich. But, the chicken was well cooked and the swiss cheese was melted nicely. The bacon was huge, crispy and tasted like it had just been cooked, not sitting under heat lamps. I added some ranch dressing, from my side salad, and it really helped. Maybe, Brian's should call it the Ranch Big Rooster.

My favorite part of the meal was the mac and cheese. WOW!! What a great example of mac and cheese. Everything was well blended together!! The cheese, the perfectly cooked macaroni, everything. They know how to make a roux at Brian's!! They serve this as it's own entree, I think that's what I'll get next time I come to Brian's.

The side salad had fresh veggies and their ranch dressing is great!! It's now some watered down ranch you find at other restaurants, but a well mixed and seasoned ranch.

Service was ok. The server was nice but he wasn't around that often. I understand they were busy, every table in the dining room and patio was filled. But, that's not an excuse for coming by the table only to take our order and to drop off our order. He didn't even come by to give us our check, we were walking to the cashier, when he gave us our bill.

While this visit wasn't great; the Big Rooster wasn't good, and I wouldn't order it again. But, I like my other trip to Brian's and will go back for their ribs, soon!!

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
380 K St
San Diego
619-237-1155

Ok, I'm not the type of guy who likes eating at chain restaurants. Why go to a chain, when there maybe a restaurant just as good? I'll admit, I didn't know certain restaurants were chains when I at there. If I see a new restaurant when I'm out for dinner, I'll just stop in and have a meal there. I don't do research on a restaurant while I'm out and about. But, if I do have time to research a restaurant, I will see if it is a chain and then put that restaurant on the back burner of my "to try" list.

I went to this same exact Flemings about five years ago. I had an enjoyable meal and figured since I was in San Diego I would try them again. Fleming's is running a promotion; if you make reservations online, you get $25 off your meal, if you spend $50 or more and then you get a $25 off card that is good for the first three months in 2012!! A great deal.

Flemings is located in the Gaslamp area of downtown San Diego. It's a fairly big sized restaurant that is dimly lit. It has a nice modern steakhouse decor.

Since I was dining alone, I had to order over $50 of food, so I got an appetizer, Jumbo lump crabcakes, $16.95, with roasted red pepper and lime butter sauce. Jumbo lump are the second highest grade of crabmeat, similar to a choice cut of beef. Jumbo lump are white meat from the two muscles near the swimming legs of the crab. They should be nice and sweet.

I hate crabcakes that are nothing but fillers, breadcrumbs or other junk that doesn't belong in a crabcake. When I cut into this crabcake, nothing but beautiful white meat!! The crabcakes were beautifully browned on the outside, and it wasn't heavy with butter like some place do. It was a nice light sear and a nice texture to the crabcakes. The meat was well seasoned, if they don't use Old Bay seasoning, they use most of the same ingredients like Old Bay. The roasted red pepper and lime butter sauce added a nice cool flavor to the crabcakes. But, I could have eaten the crabcakes alone and been very happy.

If anybody complains about the price of the crabcakes, they are just clueless. Jumbo lump crab meat isn't cheap and as long as the crab cakes have little fillers, this crabcake was about 98% jumbo lump, 2% bread crumps and parsley, it's well worth the price.

Well, a steakhouse, no matter how good their appetizers maybe, has to serve good quality steaks that are cooked perfectly. I got the main filet, $41.95, cooked medium. After telling the server I wanted my steak cooked medium, he said hot pink inside. I told him yes! I like how the server make sure how your steak is going to be cooked. Some people have different definitions of how a medium cooked steak should be.

Anyways a few minutes later, I got a perfectly cooked filet!! This steak was very well seasoned. Some may say it was a little heavy on the pepper, but I like a good amount of pepper on my steak. And Fleming's uses prime steaks, the top cut of beef. So the steak was tender, melt in your mouth, good!! A very good quality steak, well worth the price.

Service was great!! The server and busboy came by my table often, and I wasn't lacking for anything.

I would gladly go back to this Fleming's in San Diego anytime. A great meal with two perfectly cooked items and great service!! What more can you ask for?

DZ Akin's

DZ Akin's
6930 Alvarado Rd
San Diego
619-265-0218

I enjoy going to the classic deli. I love the atmosphere, the food, the rich cultural significance of a deli. I've been to my share of delis in the LA area. So, on my latest trip to San Diego, I wanted to go back to the only deli that I know of and have been to in San Diego; DZ Akin's. A friend, who lives in San Diego, told me that DZ Akin's became popular because a local news reporter loves the place. In fact they even named a sandwich after him, Ted Leitner-corned beef, pastrami, and American cheese on rye.

DZ Akin's is located off the 8 freeway in a small strip mall. You enter at the bakery and deli counter, then walk through the long dining area. It can get very crowded, I've waited 20 minutes for a table before.

I got the pastrami and corned beef on rye, $12.95. While the sandwich was piled high with meat, the meat quality wasn't that good. There were a lot of fat and gristle on the meat. I know corned beef and pastrami are made from the brisket cut, a very fatty and full of connective tissue, cut of meat. But, most delis trim off a lot of the fat. I can say with almost 100% certainty, that DZ Akin's does not make their own meats. The meats are bought from a source. In other words, I can get a pound of pastrami and corned beef for the deli counter and make my own sandwich, for much less.

The rye bread wasn't anything special, I could have gotten better bread at the local market.

Service was good. I wasn't really lacking for anything, the server was nice, friendly, and helpful. I asked about their plantation soup, and she had the ingredients written on her order book. To me that's impressive. Instead of saying, I don't know or I'll have to ask, all she did was look in her book and gave me the answer. A very well trained and friendly staff.

I won't go back to DZ Akin's again. The food is just ok and like I said, I could get better meats and bread for much cheaper at most deli counters.

Old Town Mexican Cafe

Old Town Mexican Cafe
2489 San Diego Ave
San Diego
619-297-4330

The third and final stop of my, Veterans Day tour of San Diego. Broken Yolk, and Kansas City Barbeque were the first two restaurants that I revisited. Ok, Old Town Mexican Cafe, is a tourist trap. All of Old Town is a tourist trap. But, a good friend, who has lived in San Diego for over 30 years, took me to Old Town Mexican Cafe about five years ago and I enjoyed it.

Old Town Mexican Cafe is known for their handmade tortillas! I made sure to take a picture of the ladies hard at work in the window making the tortillas.

I got a carnitas taco-$3.95 and fish taco-$4.95.

The carnitas taco was huge. The tortilla is thicker than other tortillas but, you can tell they are freshly made. The tortilla was firm and chewy, which I like and held up to all the meat and veggies. They are also made with lard, which just improves the taste, texture and flavor. Ok, so it isn't healthy. The carnitas were dry and kind of bland. I kept thinking they need to add some seasoning to this. It was a good sized portion, making the fairly high price tag, easier to swallow. But, the lack of flavor, quickly makes this an overpriced taco.

The fish taco is made with pollock. The fish was fried perfectly, a light crispy outside, a good amount of fish and not that thick of batter. The white sauce was very cool and refreshing. The cabbage and tomatoes were fresh. Not the best fish taco I've had, and among the highest I've ever paid for a fish taco, but a fairly decent value, considering the size of the fish and freshness of the toppings.

Service was very good. The server is well trained, he knew exactly what kind of fish is used, was friendly, and came to the table about 20 times, making sure everything was ok.

I know San Diego has to have some better Mexican restaurants, than Old Town Mexican Cafe, but if you're caught in the tourist trap, Old Town, it's not a bad place to try. Since I've already been there twice, I don't need to go back. But, I am looking forward to finding the best fish tacos in San Diego!!

Kansas City Barbeque

Kansas City Barbeque
600 W Harbor
San Diego
619-231-9680

The movie "Top Gun" just celebrated it's 25th anniversary. One scene in Top Gun, was filmed at Kansas City Barbeque. It seems as though being in Top Gun is Kansas City Barbeque's only claim to fame.

This was my second stop on my Veterans Day tour of San Diego. I first went to Broken Yolk, and a few hours after Kansas City Barbeque, I went to Old Town Mexican Cafe.

When the San Diego Padres opened their new ballpark, Petco Park, in 2004, I went to a game and while exploring the area, I went to Kansas City Barbeque. It wasn't really that good but I decided to see if they had improved. I found out that two years ago, Kansas City Barbeque, had a fire in the back portion of the building. It took awhile to rebuild, but they have reopened.

Kansas City Barbeque is located in a great area, right next to the Seaport Village trolley stop and some nice views.

Spare ribs lunch plate, with mac and cheese and corn on the cob, $11.95.

The ribs were overcooked. They were too mushy and the slightest touch and the meat fell off the bone. Good BBQ, the meat should have some pull. It should be tender, but not fall off the bone tender. There was a decent, not great smoke flavor.

The BBQ sauce was just dressed up ketchup, so that didn't add any taste or flavor to the ribs.

The mac and cheese, was from a mix. How do I know? The cheese sauce had a gritty texture to it. That means they couldn't even follow the directions of the mix.

The corn on the cob was so bland and flavorless. They need to buy better quality corn or put something else on the corn.

Service was terrible. There were three servers working. But, there wasn't anybody at the hostess stand, so I waited about ten minutes until a somebody finally came and lead me to a table. The table was on the patio, but it was dirty, with grim and dirt all over. They need to change the table clothes and give the chairs a good power wash.

Then I waited and waited for the server to come and take my drink order. About ten minutes later, the server comes. She is friendly but that's the only good thing I can say about her. I'll admit I didn't go inside the building, I sat on the patio, but she just wasn't around. I get my food, but she doesn't refill my drink. I had to wait to get the check and then I had to wait another five or more minutes for her to pick up my check and get me my change.

Kansas City Barbeque is living off being in a movie 25 years ago. The food is below average and the service is terrible!! There is no reason to go back.

Broken Yolk Cafe

Broken Yolk Cafe
1851 Garnet Ave
San Diego
858-270-9655

I headed down to San Diego on Veterans Day to see how a military city honors it's veterans. For those who do not know, San Diego has a huge military presence, mostly Navy, but all branches of our armed forces are in San Diego. College basketball hosted a game on the USS Carl Vinson beaten Michigan St. and North Carolina.

I figured I would go back to three places that I have been to before and do a review of each. The first place I go to is Broken Yolk in Pacific Beach. This is a very popular breakfast spot. Wait times can be 30 minutes or more, and people just keep coming. There are other Broken Yolk locations in the San Diego area, like San Marcos and Eastlake. I decided to make my trip to San Diego a food tour!! I would go to Kansas City Barbeque, and Old Town Mexican Cafe, on my San Diego food tour.

Daily special, two eggs-over hard, two strips of bacon, and two pancakes, $5.99. The eggs were fresh, but a bit overcooked. Eggs over hard, doesn't mean brown flakes on the outer edges. But the yolk was solidified, which is perfect. I hate runny eggs.

The bacon had a good smokey flavor, but wasn't hot, more like luke warm. I realize they aren't going to cook bacon to order, most bacon is cooked and stored in warmers. But, the bacon I got was luke warm. I was kind of chewy, not beef jerky chewy, but somethings along those lines.

The pancakes were light, fluffy and cooked perfectly. I'm usually not a pancake person, but they were part of the special and I ate them.

I sat at the counter and service was ok. The server was friendly but rarely there. They are so busy, she was running back and forth from the pick up window to other tables. But, I didn't get refills on my drink, she never asked how my food was, and just left the left without saying thank you.

Broken Yolk is your classic neighborhood diner. There is nothing great about the food. If you've been to Denny's, Broken Yolk is slightly better.

Bronx Pizza- San Diego

Bronx Pizza
111 Washington St
San Diego
619-291-3341

Bronx Pizza in San Diego is the best NY style pizza place around. I haven't found anything in the LA area that comes close to it.

They a great special, two slices of pizza and soda for $6.

The first slice of pizza pictured has pepperoni and sausage. A great crust topped with nice pepperoni and flavorful sausage.

The second slice of pizza is called the White Stone Pepperoni with mozzarella, parmesan, pepperoni and ricotta. Awesome stuff. A nice thin crust and great toppings. I thought the cheese may be a little over the top but it really added to the taste of the pizza.

Bronx pizza is a no frills place. Pizza by the slice or the whole pie. They do not have chicken or pineapple on the menu. The service is good but be careful, it is packed almost from the time they open until they close. Once you order, you will enjoy the pizza in a very short time but it may take awhile to place your order. The day I went only one person was ahead of me. But within five minutes there were eight people in line.

Also the day I went the guy gave me an extra slice of the White Stone Pepperoni pizza because the crust came off the other slice. I really didn't notice a difference but I did enjoy the third slice of pizza.

Bronx Pizza is a great place. Good service and great NY style pizza.