the best bites I had in San Diego this week

lovin' it #6- which is pretty much just a round up of all my favorite San Diego spots

Nov 14, 2024

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Hey hi hello!

Well y’all- I did it. I turned 30 over the weekend. When asked how it “feels” all I’ve got is that my back hurts a little more. I also need an extra 4 hours of sleep each night to feel #human- but, that could just be the seasonal depression.

Over the weekend I had a huge, blowout bash of a rager!! Which for me, is a staycation with copious amounts of pastries and in being in bed by 10PM each night. I ate tons of amazing food (and some not so great). Which for the most part I spent this weekend eating at all my favorite places. I’m always open to trying new foods and having new experiences but when celebrating? It’s such a gamble to try a place you’ve never been before. Like, I don’t want my celebrations to be anything short of perfect- especially when centered around food. This weekend was a reminder of this- because the ONE new spot I checked out fell short in SO many ways. But, it’s been a minute since I’ve done a lovin’ it round up of all my faves- so buckle up we’re getting into it.

FOOD & DRINK:

Wayfayer Bread- This one is a long time fave and had to be a priority on the food tour this weekend. The lamination is out of this world, such a flakey and delicate crumb. A lot of classic flavors and fillings. But, a personal standout is always going to be their Kouign Amann! On the weekend there’s usually a bit of the line, but it moves quick and is worth the wait. PRO- tip: Take your pastries and make the 5 minute walk on down to Calumet Park for a little picnic over looking the La Jolla cliffs.
Relic Bageri- No one is doing it quite like Relic. Currently, they’re a weekend pop-up located out in Miramar, depending on where you are though- it’s worth the drive out. I’m not usually a savory croissant girl, but all my faves off their menu are the savory offerings. The pork and gravy? Divine. The lamb shepherd’s pie? The best thing on the menu right now. The currywurst sausage, is so flavorful, juicy AND the sausage is made in house!! Their menu changes often which is honestly so refreshing, obviously they have the classics and the heavy hitters on for longer, but they keep things hyper seasonal and I LOVE that.

Ferchaladas- Honestly, I’ve only ever had the nachos from Ferchaladas, aside from a few bites from someone else’s quesabirria. But, girls, the nachos? The chips are thick, crunchy and maintain their integrity from the first to the last bite. The cilantro creama? drown me in that shit. The birria is so flavorful and tender. + if you get lucky Ana’s will be open next door and you can get an agua fresca to wash everything down- my fave mix is pineapple + mango :)

Callie- The best way to experience Callie is to do the mediterranean feast. $75 for a 5 course meal. Some standouts from my last visit include: the clarified marg with a salty foam!! Fuck a salt rim I want salty foam on all drinks moving forward. (forever and always) the avocado labneh- she’s acidic, creamy, nutty. I wish they served this up in a trough it’s amazing. I’m not huge on eggplant but the eggplant “caponata” is a dish that changed things for me and moving forward i’m open to more eggplant dishes. The fattoush is also a stand out. The pumpkin caramelle is a must if you find yourself dining at Callie during fall. It’s sweet and salty, the perfect bite. The aleppo chicken is so flavorful and juicy (which okay I need to speak my truth, but juicy chicken sometimes freaks me out, but not here, it’s perfect). The swordfish was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The pom seeds add the perfect sweet acidic pop of flavor. I will say though, for the most part I’d skip desserts, the curd of the pavlova is on the eggy side for me, the cookie is a little cakey, and rice pudding just isn’t really my thing- but they do brulee it, so that’s a redeeming quality for me. All in all though- a great meal always.
Bica- The salted honey latte (with WHOLE milk and HOT… not very bisexual girlie pop of me I know) is a fave cup of mine in san diego.
Bowlero- Okay, I’ve been really into bowling lately? By, “into bowling” I really just mean I’m into the mozzarella cheese bites they serve. They’re tot sized and like why is everyone not making mozztots?? It’s the ideal way to get copious amounts of fried cheese into your diet.
Pumpkin Spice 2.0- I picked up a jar of this blend (Royal cinnamon, cardamom seeds, grains of paradise, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves) in my most recent spice restock from Burlap & Barrel. The flavor is more well-rounded than the OG PSL blend. A great addition to the pantry this holiday season!
Toasted Rye- I’ve been loving subbing 20-25% of AP flour in recipes for toasted rye flour if you couldn’t tell from my recent “perfume” cake recipe and the turmeric carrot cake recipe. It’s subtly nutty and herbaceous in flavor. Just toast the flour in a 335-360F oven, no need to be exact with the temp here. Toast until golden around the edges and fragrant. Allow to cool before using in recipes- it also goes well in a chocolate chip cookie or a brownie!

+ one big ole skip for this round up.

LEILA- Alrighty y’all. This place is over hyped, which sucks because I was honestly so excited to have a meal here. I stayed up until midnight a month before to get a reservation (which is prob the thing I’m most upset about lol). The breads that came with the dip platter were just not it. They were fine while they were still warm (most baked goods, even the bad ones are good while warm) but as they cooled down, they ranged from being dry and tough to rubbery. The bread that came with the steak skewer was so tough you couldn’t rip a piece off! The lamb had a slimy/tacky mouthfeel to it, which is a sign of spoiled lamb. The fish also seemed to have spoiled. The service was also, not great, which is something that can make or break a less than pleasant meal. I will say the drinks were decent, but that was about it. Thinking back, I realized all the videos on this place only ever call out the ambience and never mention the food, which should have been a sign!

MISC:

Annabel’s Birthday Cake- This is the inspo for the next perfume cake recipe (coming next week!). I bought a sample size of it to get an idea of the notes- and i’ve been using it so sparingly to stretch it out as long as possible. It’s powdery and sweet, like walking into a birthday party filled with latex balloons. I WILL be asking for a full sized bottle for Christmas!
This dessert plate from Urban Outfitters- I honestly got this plate just to curate the *vibe* for the anabel’s bday cake video… SUE ME. But, it’s because it’s so cute.
Glow and go facial @ shop/good- It’s been so dry lately and my skin has been SUFFERING. So, I got a quick lil 30 minute facial at shop/good before my bday weekend- my skin was GLOWING. Moisturized. Dewey as hell. Had me looking like a glazed donut. It was also such a relaxing experience (and this is coming from someone who doesn’t like being touched). If you’re in need of a facial 10/10 recommend shop/good in North Park.
Botnia’s Essential Enzyme Cleanser- Aside from the seasonal dryness, I have pretty decent skin with minimal breakouts. I do get light congestion under my skin from time to time but that’s about it. Cheyenne, who did my facial recommended Botnia’s Essential Enzymes to break things up. It’s gentle enough to use daily and can even be used weekly as a mask. I’ve been using it for a little over a month and my skin hasn’t been this clear since pre-puberty.
SIFT by Nicola Lamb- Okay, I’ve had a digital copy of this book for a while now, but my physical copy is final here. Holy shit, it’s even better in person. I talked about this book in my last round of books to make you a better baker. The first 100 pages are a deep dive into the science and elements of great baking before going beautifully written and approachable recipes.
To keep the 30th celebration rockin’ & rollin’ and a little thank you from me to you for sticking around for another year of recipes, ramblings, yada yada. I’m offering 30% off of the upgrade to a paid subscription, through the end of the month. ♡
upgrade your sub here

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