Go toGolden Triangle
or Mission Valley
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Russian immigrants Food fanatics have fallen for Downtown San Diego’s elite epicurean eateries. But if that’s too much of a mouthful for you, there also is a new wave of places serving salt-of-the-earth fare: honest, basic stuff, the kind most of us were weaned on. One of the best of this new breed is Kabob House on Sixth Avenue, in the space formerly occupied by Macho's Mexican restaurant, just south of B Street. Here, Russian immigrants Roman Shalomov and Arkadiy Shamuelov have created an eatery in their native spirit. Convinced "there's enough fancy food Downtown," these old friends who knew each other as boys growing up in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a region of population 4 million, and bonded as immigrants to San Diego in the late 1980s decided what the San Diego urb really needed was "simple ethnic food." Menu items range from borscht to lagman (pasta soup with beef), blintzes and hummus (Russian food brings together diverse cultures) to smoked fish. But kabobs form the solid foundation: chicken, shrimp, beef, lamb, plus a "kazan" kabob plate (lunch only) featuring spicy lamb stew. On the dinner menu, steak was recently replaced with more imaginative main courses, including veal steamed in red wine, and quail on a baked potato "nest" lined with "straw" of julienned potatoes. Launch your meal with appetizers, including pan-fried breaded mushrooms, pickled mushrooms, or satte floured, pan-fried eggplant basking in a garlicky tomato dill sauce. For lunch one weekday, I had the chicken breast kabob sandwich, juicy, tender pieces of grilled chicken stuffed in a pita pocket, accompanied by fries and a simple garden salad topped naturally with Russian dressing. My lunchmate began with the hearty lagman soup, tender bits of beef with vegetables, before digging into the kazan kabob plate: succulent chunks of lamb sauteed with cumin, bell peppers, onions and garlic. At the risk of experiencing a case of afternoon nods, we also wolfed an excellent dessert: a flaky, tasty Russian version of the cream puff. As much as good old-fashioned basic food, what Kabob House offers is the offbeat atmosphere of a potential set for a Jim Jarmusch movie (yeah, he really is the brother of the Union-Tribune's architecture critic). A large-screen television over the door can be tuned to requests from customers, but most often it is set on a travel channel that airs images of exotic escapes a strange contrast to the usual sports or soap operas. The owners believe Downtown workers need a mind-trip away from humdrum urban life. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can also decompress under the spell of live Russian gypsy music that spurs visitors to enthusiastic circle dancing. In his former life, Shamuelov was an architect, and his touch is evident in the restaurant's dark hardwood, brass railings, oriental rug, and a hearty brick oven that serves as the centerpiece of the kitchen in full view of the dining room. Prices at Kabob House range from lunch entrees at $5.95 to dinners from $9.95 to $14.95 (the quail). Imported wines and beers are available but you'll have to smuggle in your own bottle of Russian vodka. San Diegans are lucky this pair made its long, strange trip, which began with a gargantuan amount of paperwork submitted to the American Embassy in Moscow. Their first food enterprise was a kabob cart at Kobey's Swap Meet, but they decided to open a restaurant after a hefty rent hike. Like an under-appreciated leather-bound volume of Dostoyevski, the swap meet's loss is Downtown San Diego’s gain. by Dirk Sutro |
Go toDowntown
or Mission Valley
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'Big fat pig' eats I 've said it before and I’ll say it again. The Brasserie is one of the few restaurants in San Diego that would not only survive, but thrive in a big-shot food city such as New York, Seattle or Chicago. I only have so many words to tell you about this fine restaurant, so I’m not going to waste a single one moaning about the location (in a Sorrento Mesa industrial park), or about the decor (pleasantly average). The Brasserie is all about food ... and it’s sublime. It has an exquisite, fairly priced wine list. But that’s a given. After all, this is the Brasserie, upstairs neighbor of The WineSellar, probably one of the best wine sources in the county. My guest (a rather handsome fellow I might add) and I started with a beautiful glass of Duetz non-vintage champagne ($8 a glass/$32 per bottle). It’s a better value to order by the bottle. I, however, ordered only a glass because, like a lot of women, the more champagne I drink, the more I love everything; and this particular evening, much to my escort's dismay, I had to stay completely objective. I ordered from the appetizer list the roasted duck foie gras in a white port wine sauce on a toasted brioche ($18). Foie gras, a specialty from Alsace, is the liver of a fattened duck. It was well presented on a big white plate and had contrasting flavors of salt and sweet. It felt like butter melting on my tongue. I was, for the time it took me to eat it, in a state of higher consciousness. My escort started with the Dill Blini topped with house smoked salmon and lemon creme' fraiche ($11). A blini is a little yeast raised pancake, in this case with a bit of fresh dill added, which complemented the salmon nicely. We seemed to have developed an ordering pattern here: Boy orders light seafood entree (pan roasted monkfish), girl is big fat pig and orders filet mignon in a Madiera wine sauce, accompanied with what was billed as Yukon Gold potato puree'. A couple entrees up on the menu I noticed a roasted pork loin that came with homemade ricotta gnocchi. I, of course, had to order a side of the gnocchi as it sounded like heaven, and it was. The waiter was very cool about it too because he not only acted so nonchalant about my overeating, he didn’t charge me for my excess. My filet was perfectly grilled to medium-rare. The caramelized onions were sweet. The Yukon potato puree' left me wanting for salt or butter (I couldn’t decide which), but not badly enough to ask my waiter for either. By the way, both the salt and the pepper are absent from the table. They must be sitting on a stainless steel shelf somewhere back in the kitchen (where I think they belong anyway). The monkfish ($26), perched high on a bed of baby bok-choy, was garnished with rock shrimp and a ginger-curry lobster sauce. The fish was firm and moist, and the lobster sauce had just a hint of the curry and ginger. Perfect. We shared an apple clafoutis ($7) for dessert. Clafoutis is a traditional country French dessert of fresh baked apples topped with a cake batter and again baked. This chef provided a nice twist by serving it with homemade cinnamon ice cream. Again I say the Brasserie is all about food, and they know it. We all know it. That's why it doesn’t need a trendy corner location, or drop-dead interiors. (For these, you can always visit Laurel, its hipper younger sister Downtown). Make reservations at the Brasserie, take an extra half hour on the Stairmaster so you can order anything and everything you want. Plan on spending a little bit of dough, (it will be worth it), and do what I do when I’m there. Pretend you’re in New York. And definitely order that second glass of champagne. by Terryl Gavre |
Go toDowntown
or Golden Triangle
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Former Tony Romas' At first glance, restaurant-goers may not recognize the new Trolley House Restaurant at Hazard Center; memory reveals that it’s where Tony Romas stood just a few months ago. Unlike the usual turning of the tides in the food industry where one eatery replaces another when business has gone bad, Trolley House is picking up where Tony Romas left off, making this an even better version of its predecessor. Owners Barry Ross and Mike Recesso were tired of being franchisees of the major chain; they wanted to design their own dishes and decor, and dictate portion sizes and prices. And they are doing a very fine job. Named for the trolley station being built across the way, Trolley House offers generous portions of excellent food at reasonable prices. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, able to discuss ingredients in detail and recommend favorite dishes. Her suggestions led us to open our meal with the ever-popular, heaping plateful of shredded onions, enough for two to share. Although fried, the light and crispy strips were not greasy, and the tangy barbecue dipping sauce complemented the sweet onions. A wide selection of ribs, chicken, burgers and seafood may lead to the dilemma of what to order. So do what we did instead order a combination meal (we got the ribs and shrimp). In general, portions are generous, offering good value and leftovers for diners with smaller appetites. Ribs are a house specialty, guaranteed to "melt in your mouth." The baby back ribs brushed with "original" barbecue sauce were outstanding. The shrimp skewer was grilled just right with onions and green peppers. Served alongside entrees is a choice of tossed or Caesar salad and a side dish. The au gratin potatoes we chose were seasoned with grilled onions, spices and melted cheeses. On the lighter side are several pasta and salad entrees. The garlic chicken pasta is a flavorful dish of angel hair pasta, vegetables and chicken, tossed with (a bit too much) olive oil and garlic. Dessert is difficult to pass up. Nobody had to twist our arms to try the apple crisp. Although not original, this dish of fresh apples baked with crumb topping, drizzled with butterscotch and topped with vanilla ice cream, is a winner. A close-second was the key-lime pie. Although excellent, its distinctive lime flavor may not be for everyone. Lunch specials at $5.99 offer those in a rush an assortment of sandwiches, soups, salads, burgers and pasta. Regular menu items average $7 for sandwiches and burgers, and $9 to $16 for chicken, seafood and ribs. Trolley House's mahogany wood decor is accented with forest green, making the atmosphere warm and comfortable; actual street lamps and a wall-length mural depicting San Diego’s history add character and make for interesting conversation. All in all, Trolley House is definitely worth a visit on your next trip to lunch, no matter what the mode of transportation. by Melissa Jacobs |
