Basic

Before you decide to order pizza hut down the street, consider taking a trip down to Basic Pizza in downtown. Once an old warehouse, this place is now a poppin' bar at night that serves pizza until 2am. This isn't just any ordinary pizza, it's New Haven, Connecticut style pizza---a thin crust pizza that is cooked and sizzled in a brick oven. You have the liberty to choose your own toppings so I kept it simple and tried the Pepperoni and Sausage Red Pie with Mozerella. The pizza was delectable and very balanced, every bite had all bases covered as far as ingredients....the salt and savoriness of the pepperoni and sausage, the thin layer of sauce, cheese, herbs, and the dough which was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Absolutely scrumptious and pleasing, Bar Basic's Pizza will not fail you. So make it a special pizza night...dress up, bar hop, and make a pit stop at Bar Basic for some east coast pizza and some hops!

410 TENTH AVENUE,
SAN DIEGO, CA 92101
619.531.8869

Amarin

Are you in an 'Asian food type of mood' and having trouble on deciding what to have for lunch or dinner with your friends, family, or significant other? Well you might wanna try this place out because it offers excellent Thai & Vegetarian cuisine. This hole in the wall hot spot is called Amarin Thai and is nestled on Richmond St. and University Ave. in the Hillcrest neighborhood. I have been here many times and I tend to get the same dishes (Pad Thai & Massaman Beef, can't help it!) but I am not afraid to explore the menu. So this time around, my girlfriend and I decided to try something new and we definitely made the right decision. Apparently the Garlic Salmon Fried Rice is the IT dish at this place. Let me tell you, who ever is competing with this dish is up against the the salmon garlic fried rice gladiator. Thought your mom's fried frice was off the hook? Wrong. Flavorful and Um this dish feels as if you time machined yourself to the streets of Thailand. They also have other dishes that are great such as the Massaman Beef, Mambo Mambo Chicken, and Panang Curry. I have been to a couple of other Thai places here in San Diego but Amarin ranks high on my list. For those of you who like Thai food, give this place a visit sometime.

T: 619.296.6056

http://www.amarinthaisandiego.com/

3843 Richmond St.

San Diego, CA, 92103

Original Pancake House

Corned Beef & Hash w/Eggs Potato Pancakes

German Dutch Pancake

Pecan Pancakes (half order)

I find myself coming back to this place time and time again. I haven't had any pancakes that tops The Original Pancake House as of yet. They use quality grade ingredients like 93 score butter, pure 36% whipping cream and fresh grade AA eggs. They have a wide variety of pancakes but their German Dutch Pancake is a must have. It is almost a cross between a crepe and a pancake and it is served with powdered sugar, whipped butter and a couple of lemon wedges on the side. I know it may seem a bit odd, but once the ingredients all come together it's just heavenly delicious. For those who like corned beef, Original Pancake House offers real corned beef hash (not processed corned beef like many other restaurants) which is also an excellent item on their menu. Their omelettes are also quite original. They are baked and take on the form of a cake with all the yummy fillings inside oozing out when you slice it in half. And did I mention their coffee? They use their own special blend and serve it with whipping cream! Darn good coffee. Can't go wrong with this breakfast spot, the wait can be a bit long but it goes fast and it's worth it!

T: 858.565.1740

http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/

3906 Convoy St

San Diego, CA, 92111

Phil's BBQ

If you are into BBQ and are looking for the best place to eat a rack of ribs, you gota hit up Phil's BBQ. I've been here a couple of times and they are consistent with their quality of food and customer service. The staff is friendly and polite. The restaurant decor is western with neon lights and plenty of sitting area. The beef ribs are the best and I usually get a beef rib dinner which comes with three beef ribs and two small sides or one large side. The ribs are perfectly charred and topped with their famous BBQ sauce. I love dipping my fries in the BBQ sauce as it adds a little essence, that's how good it is. I haven't tried many BBQ places, but I think Phil's BBQ puts up a tough competition.

T: 619.266.6333

www.philsbbq.net

3750 Sports Arena BLVD

San Diego, Ca, 92110

Alex's Brown Bag

Alex's Brown Bag specializes in Italian & American East coast style food. They have a variety of grilled sandwiches such as the reuben, corned beef, pastrami, and even salads, just to name a few. They also have italian cold subs, but they are most famous for their Philly Cheese Steaks. They are really delicious and mouth watering. Every bite wants you coming back for more. The bread is excellent. The texture is soft and it just melts in your mouth as the steak is the main focus of the meal. They also have a few choices of cheese steaks: Pizzaiola (Philly cheese steak with pepperoni and sauce), Buffalo Chicken Philly ( sliced chicken with Frank's Red Hot sauce with mozzarella cheese), Cherry Bomb (sliced chicken, friend onions, hot cherry peppers, BBQ sauce and mozzarella cheese. Now that is what i call a good lineup of cheese steaks. If you are visiting San Diego, just swing by this place if you are craving a Philly cheese steak, it's my favorite place to go.

T: 619.231.2912

www.alexsbrownbag.com

2550 fifth avenue, suite 171

San Diego, Ca 92103

Neighborhood Review

Neighborhood burger is located in downtown San Diego on the corner of 8th and G street. It's a great place to relax and enjoy refreshing beer and burgers. These are not ordinary burgers, I would say they are much more on the gourmet end. They are real good and not too pricy. Check it out! Here are a couple of pictures I have taken with my iPhone.

*Garlic Fries*

-comes with a garlic aioli dipping sauce

-fresh and crunchy shoe string style cut

*This is the Neighborhood burger*

-Caramelized Onion/ Blue Gruyere Cheese/ Pepper Greens