thefourthvine | San Diego Help?

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San Diego Help?

Anyone out there know San Diego? BB and I are going there with the earthling, and we've just realized we may be in big trouble in terms of feeding the earthling. (The first time we were there, I was in the first trimester of pregnancy and we spent half the time searching for food, because there did not appear to be any in San Diego - seriously, people down south, do you just not eat out at all? - and going somewhere with a woman in early pregnancy means you need a LOT of food. Best Beloved had no idea how much I was eating until that trip, and I remember the first morning she watched, horrified, as I ate my entire breakfast, and half of hers, and then two food bars. She told me later that she was genuinely afraid that I might eat her arm next, which was probably a good thing, as she was very diligent about the food search thereafter.)

Anyway. If you know San Diego, I would appreciate recs for:

Kid-friendly, vegetarian-friendly places to eat. If they serve earthling-friendly food, that's a plus, but we can work his issues in most restaurants because he's distracted by everything going on around him. (Provided we do not ask him to eat hot dogs. Hot dogs are Just Wrong.)
Kid-friendly places with very fast service. (Mongolian BBQs! Places where you order at a counter! Salad bars! Whatever! Sadly, the earthling will not eat at true fast food places, like McDonald's or Burger King. He judges them.)
Grocery stores that are not Albertson's or Ralph's, where the parent of an earthling could purchase organic produce and all-natural snacks said earthling might actually eat.

We will be staying near Sea World, but are willing to drive to places if they serve food there.

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There's an organic grocery store in Ocean beach. I think it's on the same road the bus is taking when it's going down the hill toward the beach; about a few blocks from the beach on the left side. I think. Ocean Beach is not too far from Sea world. There may be more places like that in ocean beach. They also have a farmers market right near the beach with a lot of organic procuce (very very tasty and high-quality food) but I don't remember what day of the week.

*googles* this may be the one I was thinking of.

This website might help as well:

http://vegsandiego.com/veg/38/Restaurants.htm

There are tons of Trader Joe's and Henry'ses in San Diego, both of which are of grocery stores of the healthfood/organic sort. I'm not sure where the closest to Seaworld are, since I didn't manage go down there that often, but there should be some nearby?

Hot dogs are Just Wrong.

And with that remark, the potential epic love story of a Frog and an Earthling is shattered. For Frog knows that no cuisine in the world is peer to an Auntie Annie's pretzel dog.

All of these should be in Yelp.com with more details and links to the restaurant sites.

The Mission, both in Mission Beach (near Sea World) and North Park is good for breakfast. The Zen breakfast is quite good there. Excellent cornmeal pancakes.

People's market in Ocean Beach for organic food.

You might want to try a Mexican restaurant in old town. Very kid friendly. Doesn't matter which one, they all pretty much taste the same. Guadalajara's is popular.

BTW, I would really recommend you check out Yelp. The reviewers for this area have been very good in steering me right.

I live in San Diego. I am familiar with the area you are talking about. Will do research :)

There are 3 'big' chain health food stores: Henry's, Wholefoods and Trader Joes. I will find out which is closest to Sea World.

There is the Soup Plantation restaurants (salad bars). I will search for addresses.

Well, there is TONS and TONS of delicious food in San Diego, but most of it isn't anywhere near Sea World.

However! There's now this giant mall/weird compound thing called Liberty Station that's pretty near there. I think it used to be a...something? a military housing area?

Okay, I looked it up and it was a Naval Training Center. Anyway. Here's the website. (Warning, it plays stupid music)

The point is, they have a Trader Joe's, AND they have this quite nice restaurant called Tender Greens where you order at a counter and they have nice salads and stuff but it's not so fancy that you can't bring kids. Definitely vegetarian-friendly.

If you're really looking for someplace distracting, I think the Corvette Diner moved to Liberty Station too--it's one of those 50's theme restaurants and kids love it but the earthling might be a little young for it still. And it might drive you insane.

OH MY GOD THIS IS THE ONE QUESTION YOU HAVE THAT I CAN ANSWER. Bean's grandparents live near Sea World (by "near" I mean "can see the fireworks from their fourth-floor apartment"). They love to go to The Broken Yolk, which is a vegetarian-friendly kid-friendly brunch place of yummy deliciousness. http://www.thebrokenyolkcafe.com/

Is Trader Joes acceptable for a grocery store? There should be one not too distant from where abouts you are staying.

ETA: Also, there's a Keils in around there somewhere, though I'm not sure that's so much better/different than Albertson's/Ralph's.

Edited 2010-01-27 08:30 (UTC)

Check out Horton Plaza. There's a food court there that has a Mongolian BBQ and a Panda and a sushi place. There used to be a grocery store there as well, but that might be gone.

Admittedly, my knowledge of SD comes from going to ComicCon once a year, and things come and go, but I know my kids can manage to find food there, and I have one vegetarian and one vegan.

Good luck, and have fun.

I was just there a few weeks for a trade show. If you are looking for places to eat out, check out The Gaslamp Quarter - It's eight blocks long (from Broadway to Harbor Drive) and two blocks wide (from Fourth to Sixth Avenues). It's got over 150 restaurants and, what made me whoop out loud, the Chuck Jones museum, where you will both squee and be horribly depressed that you have yet to win the lottery (lots of signed cells for sale).

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We liked Henry's when we were in San Diego: http://www.henrysmarkets.com/h/home/

The one we found was closer to the downtown than Sea World but there might be another one, and not too TOO far from Sea World anyway.

And there is definitely a Trader Joe's not too far from the Henry's.

And I agree that there are a bazillion restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter. Don't know how many of them are child-friendly, since we did not have a child with us when we were there.

I was born and raised in San Diego, actually, and lived there the first 25+ years of my life. Somehow I knew this would come in handy some day! Hee. I've got lots of answers for you here, but if you want even more info, feel free to email me (sdwolfpup@gmail.com). Also if you need any assistance or anything while you're down there, I can probably talk some people (either my or AHH's parents/grandparents, as they are all also down there) into helping.

And, yeah, while San Diego is a large, spread-out county with lots of people, it is still really rustic. Seattle feels way more cosmopolitan than San Diego ever did. They've been working on getting SD into more presentable shape (downtown renovations, the area around Petco Park, etc), but it's still not great.

1. Kid-friendly sit-down restaurants, you'll probably want to stick to the chains: Applebees, Cocos, Mothers. These you'll find at or near the big shopping centers: Horton Plaza downtown, Fashion Valley where the 8 and the 163 meet or Mission Valley which is where the 8 and the 15 meet, if I'm remembering correctly. Like the others have said, the Gaslamp quarter is great for food, that's one of the places they've been working on. There's an Old Spaghetti Factory there and a ton of other choices, and it's not too far from you.

Your best bet for true vegetarian, though, is to stick to sites west of the 5. Del Mar, which is north up the 5, is always good for healthy options. Ooh, and La Jolla! IN FACT, there is a great vegetarian only restaurant there...crap, what's it called...let me get that and get back to you. It's perfect AND it's near a Henrys.

2. Like others have said, the big shopping malls have food courts that should meet your needs for fast and kid-friendly. Horton Plaza is really nice, and outdoors.

3. Henry's is probably your best bet. There's also a Whole Foods in Del Mar, I believe. There's also this great Co-Op we used to go to, as well, which you guys would love. I'll get the address for that, too.

*cracks up*

One of the things I remember very well from pregnancy and breastfeeding was being hungry. HUNGRY. My friends all joked that they took turns risking sitting next to me, because I very well might eat their arms.

*grin*

I hope you guys have a good trip.

Stasia

Huh. I would actually NOT suggest the Gaslamp quarter. It's "party zone" if you get my meaning. A lot of bars, upscale clubs, expensive restaurants and yuppies. The only good thing there is The Old Spaghetti Factory.

When are you coming? I'll do research tonight. I know of a Trader Joes and Wholefoods in Hillcrest (near my work). there might be ones closer to your area. Wholefoods has a deli/salad/hot food section that my co-worker eats at all the time.

I would try Vegan Zone in Pacific Beach, but call first to make sure they're open. Word is they are closing the end of February, and they might close sooner. Their website is already down. I'm depressed now.

Pacific Beach is the only place I've visited regularly in San Diego, except once I attended a conference in La Jolla. But that was so long ago, I can't remember much about it.

Vegan Zone
Neighborhood: Pacific Beach
859 Hornblend St
(between Bayard St & Mission Blvd)
San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 272-1913

Do you like Italian?

Little Italy (south of Sea World, not quite to downtown)
http://www.littleitalysd.com/WalkingMap.asp

Lots and lots and LOTS of Italian restaurants. Just park somewhere on India street and walk till one appeals. I've eaten at like 5 or 6 of them - every thing to family dining to upscale and posh. There was one I remember that had counter/fast service with lots of deli case ready salads/pasta's/sandwiches etc.

i don't know how close to la jolla you will be staying, but my cousin lives there with his wife and two kids, and he's a vegetarian, and she used to be vegan, so if that's within your driving range, i'd be happy to shoot them an e-mail. :)

The Henry's (which I also recommend for terrific organic produce and other items) closest to where you'll be is on Rosecrans St. It's in an outdoor mall type place, so it's not actually facing Rosecrans itself -- you have to turn into the parking lot from the cross street, which is Midway Dr. There's a Jamba Juice two doors down from the Market.

Map (http://sandiego.citysearch.com/profile/map/466004/san_diego_ca/henry_s_marketplace.html)

This may sound like a weird rec, but Rose Donuts (http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=donuts+linda+vista+san+diego&fb=1&gl=us&hq=donuts&hnear=linda+vista+san+diego&cid=8866370777394340045) on Linda Vista is a tiny mini-mall shop that yes, sells donuts, but also fantastic sandwiches (breakfast and lunch style). You order at the counter and there are tables inside and out. It's cheap and very, very good.

A kid friendly, very good, sit-down type place is the Broken Yolk. You'll be halfway between the one in PB and the one downtown on 6th Ave. Rec: Huevos Divorcidados (Huevos Rancheros with one egg covered in green sauce and one egg covered in red. *g*)

Menu & addresses (http://www.thebrokenyolkcafe.com/)

A Mexican counter/eat in/take out place in that same general area is El Indio, between Old Town and Little Italy on India St. It's not my favorite Mexican counter-type place (my long time favorite has closed), but it's an institution, is fast, cheap and cheerful.

Menu and address (http://www.el-indio.com/)

Enjoy. : ) I love San Diego.

That's the Henry's I was thinking of - it was great! I had never seen anything like it before!

If you'll be in Ocean Beach, I highly recommend the People's Food Coop. You can shop there, and the pricing is pretty reasonable for organic produce, much of it grown locally.

They also have an awesome vegan deli upstairs. It's fast (you point and they dish it up for you), and very tasty. We're not even vegan and my kids are the pickiest on Earth, yet they LOVE to go there.

Plus the architecture is kind of cool - very green.

Oops, I meant to post the link!

http://www.obpeoplesfood.coop/

The street address is 4765 Voltaire St, SD 92107, and it's pretty darn close to Sea World.

You can trust this comment. This is a friend of mine who I think you know....she is incognito...

Try Jyoti B'hangas on Adams. I'm sure I've miss spelled that, but try Googling and you might get it. It's on Adams in the vicinity of 35th or so. Great Neatloaf and terrific mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy that most earthlings will eat.

Whole Foods has prepared foods and is on 7th and University. Try the Farmer's Market held from 9-12 on Sundays in the DMV parking lot on Normal Ave. in the Hillcrest area of SD. Sometimes they have live music that even the youngest kids/babies like.

You might consider the Big Kitchen on Grape St. near 30th. Very kid friendly, especially if Judy, the owner, is around. Whoopi Goldberg used to work there. Funky, fun and good brown rice, veggies and tofu for breakfast. It is a breakfast place for the most part.

Also consider Sipz restaurant in the Clairmont area. Nice vietnamese vegetarian. They have a noodle dish with tofu, hot pepper and mint I like.

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food in SD

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