Lunch at One Trick Pony Grill and Taproom in Grand Rapids, MI

We dropped our daughter off at the Grand Rapids Fencing Academy again, but this time at 11am, so we decided to head off to lunch, before doing our grocery shopping at the Meijer on E Beltline Rd.  Like we did the day before, we had to find somewhere that had a gluten free menu and also, if possible, participated in the Rapid Rewards Dining program.

Luckily, we found a restaurant that fit our needs - the One Trick Pony Grill and Taproom.  We saw online that they offered gluten free options, so we headed in that direction.  One Trick Pony was pretty easy to find and parking was easy on the street, because of the time of day.  Since it was a Sunday, we didn't have to pay the meter.

We entered the restaurant, using the door handle that was in the form of a meat cleaver, which we thought was a cool touch.  Later, our waitress, Courtney, explained that the meat cleaver means that the restaurant is co-owned.  I did a quick Google search, but could not verify her information.

We were seated at the window at Fulton St.  I ordered a Diet Coke and my wife ordered a water.  We looked at the very small menu and wondered if it was the normal menu.  When Courtney came back with our drinks, she told us that there were also two specials - corn pancakes and huevos rancheros.  She confirmed that the corn pancakes were both vegan and gluten free and the huevos rancheros were gluten free, as well.  My wife ordered the corn pancakes and I ordered the Cider Poached Sausage Pizza with the gluten free crust, so that my wife could try it.  Though they did not have a gluten free menu, each menu item was marked as being gluten free or vegan.

Courtney did a great job refilling my Diet Coke as needed.  When she brought our food, we were very happy.  My wife's corn pancakes seemed very "earthy".  They had a rich, earthy tone and readily soaked up the syrup.  My pizza looked great.  It came with bbq sauce as the red sauce and gouda cheese and included some carmelized onions, along with the cider poached sausage.  The corn pancakes and pizza were excellent.  My wife tried some pizza, but later that evening had some ill effects.  We never verified if the sausage was gluten free, so we came to the conclusion that it was the culprit.  Either that or there was some cross contamination in the kitchen.

When we go to Grand Rapids the next time, I will definitely consider One Trick Pony again.

Takeout from the Mitten Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, MI

After having eaten a big lunch at Brann's earlier in the day, we thought it might be better to limit that amount that we had to eat, plus we wanted to hang out with some friends.  We knew that the Mitten Brewing Company had a gluten free menu and was close and convenient to our friends' condo, so we decided to place a takeout order.

We ordered two regular pizzas, a gluten free pizza, an order of gluten free breadsticks and an order of gluten free cheesy breadsticks with marinara and ranch.  On the regular pizzas, we ordered half cheese/half pepperoni and sausage and on the other we ordered a Deluxe.  We ordered Da Meat Hook for our gluten free pizza.  All of it was great.  My wife and daughter loved the pizza and the leftovers that we brought for our oldest daughter was eaten by that evening.

My friend told me that they have had some bad luck ordering takeout from Mitten Brewing in the past - the pizza was burnt - but this time it came out great.  The toppings were fresh and the pizza crust was crispy.

I have been to Mitten only one other time and that time it was just as busy as when we picked up our order.  I would love to be able to eat in and try some of their beer choices.  For now, I must say that I do like their pizza and breadsticks.

Lunch at Brann's Steakhouse and Grille in Grand Rapids, MI

My wife and I were up in Grand Rapids, MI due to a clinic our daughter was participating in at the Grand Rapids Fencing Academy.  Our daughter started at 10am, so we dropped her off and headed quickly to a movie, which started at 10:20am.  After the movie, we could not decide on where we wanted to go for lunch, but knew that we needed to find somewhere that had gluten free options, since my wife suffers from celiac disease.

Since it participated in the Rapid Rewards Dining program, we decided upon Brann's Steakhouse and Grille on Leonard Street in Grand Rapids.  It was a great choice, since it was close to the fencing club and also had a gluten free menu, which was actually pretty big.

After a few minutes, we decided upon what we wanted to eat.  Unfortunately, our waitress took some time to get back to us.  When she did finally get to us, we ordered 2 pounds of the bbq ribs with buttered steamed broccoli and the vinegar and oil coleslaw to split.  We also added a shrimp skewer to it, so that we would definitely have enough to eat.  To drink my wife ordered a water and I ordered a diet Mountain Dew - it's always nice, when a restaurant has a different diet choice than just cola.  Our waitress arrived with our drinks and with a couple of yeast rolls, which includes their cinnamon butter, which is awesome.

When the huge mound of ribs, sides and shrimp skewer arrived, we knew that we would have enough to eat.  The ribs were falling off the bone and tasted great.  The bbq sauce was a perfect blend of tangy and sweet.  Plus, there was enough bbq sauce.  Sometimes restaurants really skimp on the bbq sauce - not Brann's!  The shrimp skewer was decent and the sides were pretty good.

The value that received for what we ordered was great.  We were able to get out of Brann's for the two of us for less than $25 and we were stuffed.  Add to it that they participate in the Rapid Rewards Dining program, we will definitely be back.

Dinner at Penn Station East Coast Subs in Mishawaka, IN

I had a quick dinner at Penn Station East Coast Subs, located on Main Street in Mishawaka, IN, near Day road.  I had a hankering for their fries - I would rate them just behind those at Five Guys for a "fast food" joint.  At this location, the parking by the main entrance is reserved for the salon next door, but I arrived at about 7:30pm, so the salon was closed, so I parked in one of their spots.

For dinner, I ordered a chicken teriyaki sub with the mushrooms and onion included, plus an order of fries (of course) and a Diet Mountain Dew.  One of the other things I like about Penn Station, outside of their fries, is that they have Diet Mountain Dew on tap.

I usually go to the Penn Station location on the corner of Ironwood and US23, but the Mishawaka location is closer to my house.

I ordered an extra order of large fries, because my wife and daughters had a hankering for fries.  Luckily, Penn Station has a dedicated fryer for their french fries, which allows my wife and daughters to eat them, since there is no gluten cross contamination.  My wife, in particular, suffers from intestinal distress after being "glutened" due to her celiac disease.

Lunch at Carmela's at Macri's Bakery in South Bend, IN

Had lunch with several work associates at Carmela's, which is located at the old Macri's Deli and in the same building as Macri's Bakery.  I had been to Carmela's several years ago with my wife, but had not returned, so I was interested to see what I would think of it.

As we entered the building, I could see the wear/cracks in the brick walkway leading to the entrance of the building.  As we entered, though, the inside of Carmela's looked very inviting.  We were seated at a nice corner table.  There were only about 4 other tables occupied, so the restaurant was not noisy at all.

We had two waitresses - one was training the other.  They did a good job of serving us and keeping up on our drinks.  They were not the greatest servers I have ever had, but they did their job efficiently.

I ordered an Italian Beef sandwich with french fries.  I joked that, since we were at an Italian restaurant, that it should just be a Beef sandwich.  Though my co-workers go the joke, the waitresses were a bit too preoccupied to laugh.  Or - it was a stupid, corny joke.  My coworkers all ordered salads.

The orders came pretty quickly.  All of the salads looked pretty good and my Beef sandwich looked tasty.  I asked for some ketchup, since there was none at the table.  It took them about 5 minutes to finally bring it to the table.  Luckily, I was enjoying dipping my sandwich in the tasty au jus.  When they brought the Hunt's ketchup, I remembered why we always buy Heinz at home.  I am not a huge Hunt's ketchup fan.

The price of the sandwich was not overly exorbitant, really not much more than one would spend at Penn Station, though Penn Station's fries are much better.  I would probably go to Carmela's again for lunch, if I was in that area of town.

Lunch at Ho Ping House in Roseland or South Bend, IN

Had lunch at the Ho Ping House in Roseland, North of the University of Notre Dame campus.  The location had once been a Denny's and before that a Shoney's.  I believe that the owners are somehow related to the owners at the Mandarin House. I like Ho Ping better, since they give you free refills on your drinks.

We were going to ride together, but he ended up having a last minute meeting, which pushed our noon lunch to 12:45pm.  I told him that I would just meet him there, since I had an appointment at 2pm at the office for which I needed to return.  I arrived at Ho Ping at 12:45pm with my stomach grumbling.  My counterpart did not arrive until 12:55pm.  Prior to his arrival, I had ordered a diet coke from our waiter, Jin.

When my guest arrived, we ordered very quickly.  He ordered the Sesame Chicken with fried rice and some lo mien noodles.  I order the General Tso's chicken (like I had done at Cre-Asian earlier in the week) with white rice, a spring roll and won ton soup.  The presentation, like always was great.  Jin brought my won ton soup out quickly and I inhaled almost as fast.  Soon both of our entrees appeared.  As I started eating the chicken, I noticed that either their recipe had changed or my taste buds had.  The General Tso's was not very sweet, as I had been expecting, but was still good.

Of course, I ate everything on my plate and was very satisfied after doing so.  Jin brought the check and the fortune cookie, which I ate straight away.  After paying and on the way out, I took a peppermint candy to help freshen my breath after the feast.

I will definitely be going to Ho Ping again in the near future.

Happy Hour at Brother's Bar and Grill at Eddy Street Commons in South Bend, IN

I went to Brother's Bar and Grill at Eddy Street Commons for happy hour on Thursday, September 18.  Brother's is a small, regional chain that originated in Lacrosse, Wisconsin.  I have been to Brother's for happy hour before and enjoy the plethora of craft beers that they have on tap.

On this day, I entered the bar and sat myself at a table in the bar area.  Though no one greeted me, when I entered, the waitress was quick to come to my table.  As I stared at the beers that they have on tap, she brought me a beer list.  I immediately spotted a Green Flash West Coast IPA and ordered it.  Since I was meeting someone from San Diego, I thought that it would be fitting to order a craft beer from San Diego.

The bar was not too busy, when I arrived at 3:45pm.  There were some revelers at the bar and a few tables had some folks at them, but there was no one seated at the tables in the restaurant area.  Of course, since it was a nice day outside, there were a few people seated outside.  Inside it was a bit sticky and humid, but I quickly got over that, when the waitress brought my beer.

My guest was about 20 minutes late, so I had almost downed my first beer, when he arrived.  I am not sure what he ordered, but he ordered me a second Green Flash West Coast IPA.  I did not realize how strong they were, but could start to feel it a little, once I was halfway through the beer.

I will definitely be back to Brother's since I like them better than O'Rourke's for that type of bar scene and because they have Green Flash beers on tap.

Lunch at Elia's Mediterranean Cuisine in South Bend, IN

Had lunch with some friends at Elia's in South Bend, which is located near the corner of US23 and Ironwood, not far from Cre-Asian, where I recently had lunch.  I have been going to Elia's since they opened at their location on US31 North in Roseland.

As usual, there were quite a few people scattered throughout the restaurant.  The four of us sat down and just ordered waters.  Our server was quick and efficient and took our orders.  Most at our able order the Shish Tawouk, a great chicken dish.  I ordered the Midardara Bowl Combo, which is a mixture of lentils and rice topped with tabouli, hoummos and garlic paste.  Just after we ordered, our fifth joined the group.

Our orders were prepared pretty quickly, but the presentation is always spot on at Elia's.  Everything was in the right place on our plates and looked delicious.  We quickly accepted our server's suggestion of some pita.  The pita at Elia's is of the thin, but quite delicious variety.  My coworkers devoured their Shish Tawouk.  I was pleasantly surprised with my dish, since I had never ordered it before.  All of the flavors complemented each other very well and the garlic paste was tasty, but not overpowering.

The price was just right for what we ordered.  It is awesome to have a good Mediterranean restaurant in our community.  I will definitely continue to frequent Elia's on a regular basis.

Lunch at Cre-Asian in South Bend, IN

Had lunch with some friends at Cre-Asian, a Vietnamese restaurant that has recently expanded it's menu to Chinese and Taiwanese food.  I had been here once before a couple of years ago, but had not been back.

I knew where the restaurant was located, but I still missed the entrance, as I was going North on Ironwood.  The entrance to the complex is BEFORE you actually see the restaurant.  After doubling back to get to the restaurant, many of the parking spaces are reserved for the two other businesses that are located at the shopping complex.  Since there was no parking up front, I made my way to the back, where there was more parking.  I noticed that many patrons were parking in the parking lot next door (to the North), where the business is currently vacant.  In fact, as I was walking from the back of the building to the front, where the entrance is located, one of my friends pulled up in that lot.

As we entered the restaurant, we encountered our other friend and were seated at a table.  They seemed to be doing a pretty good business, since most of the tables were full.  It became apparent pretty quickly that there was only one waitress on duty, so we made sure that we were ready to order when she came by.

As a group, we ordered the pot stickers and I ordered the General Tso's chicken with an egg roll and white rice and a Diet Coke.  My friends order the Chicken Pad Thai and the other the Drunken Noodles with Chicken.  While they both ordered theirs to mild heat, I ordered mine to be nice and spicy.

The pot stickers were very good, followed by our entrees.  It was quickly that we noticed that the heat index we had discussed with the waitress was not followed.  My chicken was not spicy, but the Chicken Pad Thai had a very large kick to it.  Even though my General Tso's chicken was not spicy, it was still good.  Even though our waitress was alone, she did a good job of refilling my Diet Coke, so that I did not have to wait too long.

The price was very reasonable for what we purchased and the food was decent.  I will definitely consider Cre-Asian again, when I have a hankering for Asian food.

Dinner at Taverna Blu in Del Mar, CA

Had dinner at Taverna Blu, which is situated in the Del Mar Highlands shopping plaza off of Del Mar Heights Road in Del Mar, CA.  I have gone to Taverna Blu because they participate in two separate dining programs, Mogl and the Reward Network or Rapid Rewards Dining.  Anytime that I can double dip on points is a great opportunity.

Though the restaurant is in a strip mall, albeit a high end one, they do a good job of creating an inviting, modern Greek atmosphere.  It always seems pretty busy when I go there, so it does attract the locals.

I arrived to find Hasani, a late 20's body builder originally from the Bay Area, tending bar.  He is a very attentive bartender and a great conversationalist.  I ordered a Trumer Pils to drink and the Gyro Plate with feta fries, as I have done in the past.  I have never seen Trumer Pils anywhere else, but it is quite refreshing.  As I ate and drank, I watched the replay of the Spain vs France FIBA 2014 game from earlier in the day.  Spain, the co-favorite of the tournament with the US, was upset in the game by France.

I returned to Taverna Blu on Thursday, September 11, after my happy hour at Jimmy O's.  Hasani was again tending bar.  I stayed until the end of the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers' game, which the Ravens won.  Like the night before, I ordered a Trumer Pils and the gyro plate with feta fries.

I will definitely be going back to Taverna Blu on my next trip to San Diego.

Happy Hour at Jimmy O's in Del Mar, CA

I met some folks for happy hour at Jimmy O's in Del Mar, CA.  Since it is sometimes hard to find parking, I arrived about 15 minutes early.  Jimmy O's didn't open until 4pm and I had arrived at 3:45.  Luckily, they allowed me to be seated inside, since it was unseasonably warm.  At about 3:55, a waitress asked if I would like something to drink, so I ordered a Ballast Point Pale Ale draft.

My first guest arrived at about the time my beer arrived, so she asked for a vodka tonic.  We deliberated over the menu for a few minutes and decided on chips and salsa, plus an order of the steak bites, since the waitress had highly recommended it.  It was, actually, quite tasty.  The steak was very tender and the gravy complemented the bread bowl in which the steak bites were served really well.  My second guest arrived after having mistakenly gone to The Poseidon, where I had had lunch the day before.  He ordered a Stone IPA.

If I want to watch a football game in Del Mar, I will definitely do it at Jimmy O's.

Breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club

I had not been to the La Jolla Country Club for some time and here I was for the second time in two days, dining there.  Unlike my lunch the day before, we were seated in the more informal dining area.  We enjoyed the same great view of La Jolla village, as we were seated alongside the window.  The waitress and I had a nice chuckle, as she was the same one that I had for lunch the day before.

Breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club

The breakfast menu is not as extensive as the lunch menu, but it was adequate.  My host and I each selected the "Golfer's Special", which included eggs, two pancakes and a choice of meats of which we both chose bacon.  I ordered my eggs scrambled and she ordered them over easy.  I had coffee to drink and she ordered the cappuccino.  Her cappuccino came very well presented with a stick of rock candy and a peppermint stick for flavoring.

When our breakfast arrived, it was garnished with one strawberry and one slice of de-ridsed cantaloupe, which was a nice touch.  The food was good, though my scrambled eggs were a bit dry.  The bacon was okay, but not as good as the bacon I had at The Mission in North Park.

Overall, breakfast at the La Jolla Country Club was adequate to good.  The service, like the day before, was excellent.  The view was spectacular.

Lunch at Las Olas in Carlsbad, CA

Had lunch at Las Olas in downtown Carlsbad, CA.  I found parking on the street in front of the restaurant, but convenient, free (during the day) parking is located on the back side of the restaurant.  I arrived a few minutes early and was told to take whatever table I would like.  The front of the restaurant was very warm and had no cross breeze, so I sat inside, where a nice cross breeze made the temperature much more bearable.

The waitress brought me some chips and fresh salsa and the diet coke I ordered as I took a seat.  The menu is quite extensive with many different Mexican dishes.  It was hard to make a choice, but I quickly decided to choose an entree with fish or seafood.

As I deliberated, I overheard a conversation about Notre Dame's 31-0 destruction of the Michigan Wolverines the prior weekend.  I commented that it was a truly great game.  As we talked it became quickly apparent that one of the group was a Notre Dame graduate, like me.  She graduated in 1994, a year after me.  She and her family were in town from Denver to have some fun at Legoland.

When my guest arrived, we ordered our lunch.  My guest ordered a chicken tostada and I ordered the baja style fish burrito.  My baja style burrito came with refried beans and rice, but I only ate the burrito, since it was large enough to fill me up.  It tasted great - light, but filling with good, but not overpowering flavor.

The customer service was very good.  At first it looked like I might have two waitresses, but finally they talked and only one waitress served me.  At first, she was a bit preoccupied, but later warmed up.  It's not to say that she did not fulfill her role well at first, since she kept refilling my diet coke, as I needed them, but she was not overly hospitable.  She became increasingly more friendly as we continued our lunch.

I have not been to any other Las Olas locations, but I would return to this one, when I am in Carlsbad.  I am interested to see what might be in store at another one of their restaurants.

Happy Hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill

No day is complete without a great Happy Hour!  I was able to enjoy a happy hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill in the UTC area of San Diego on La Jolla Village Drive.  I have been to Harry's several times and mostly during their happy hour.

I arrived a few minutes late, which was exacerbated by no valet attendant being on duty at that time.  I made my way to the visitor's parking lot and then swiftly walked to the bar to meet my two guests.  I made a 4pm reservation on OpenTable, but, since there was no hostess, I was unable to tell them that I had arrived.  Thankfully, I saw that I received the 100 points for my reservation!

Happy Hour at Harry's Bar and American Grill La Jolla

We did not get an appetizer, but shared two rounds of cabernet sauvignon and Budweiser.  The service was fine, though I always got the feeling that when we did not order anything, they didn't want to bother with us.

Harry's is a convenient spot to meet people and the ambiance is good, though I have never been impressed with their food, though we did not order any food this time.

When I left, I got my car out of the parking garage and had to pay $8.75!  It would have been much cheaper to valet it.  My friend had parked in the valet lot, since there was no valet person there, so I might try that the next time.

Lunch at the La Jolla Country Club

After a day with a first breakfast at 6:15am and then a second breakfast at 8:00am, I was happy to have a later lunch, 12:30pm, at the La Jolla Country Club on High Avenue in La Jolla, CA.  I had been to LJCC a few times in the past, but never for lunch.

Lunch at the La Jolla Country Club

I arrived about 10 minutes early, since traffic into La Jolla can sometimes be heavy.  I found the hostess, who said that my hosts had not yet arrived, but would seat me in the main dining room, which is a bit more elegant than their other eating venues.  She seated me at a table on the window that had a beautiful, panoramic view of all of La Jolla village.  While waiting I ordered a diet coke.

In the main dining room, at dinner you have to wear a coat, but at lunch I was fine in khaki pants, dress shoes and a golf shirt.  I ordered the prime rib french dip sandwich with a side of fruit.  The fruit was a mixture of fresh fruit and some canned mango.  The sandwich was very delicious, but I always love to have french dip sandwiches.  My hosts ordered a Caribbean salad and an enchilada meal with refried beans.  The presentation of all of our entrees was top notch.

The service at the Club was great and they were all very attentive.  They all knew my hosts and continued to use their names every time they served them.

If I get the chance to be hosted at the La Jolla Country Club again for a meal, I will jump at the chance, since the view is to die for and the food is decent.

Dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club

Dinner at the San Diego Yacht Club

I have been to the San Diego Yacht Club, but only for lunch and drinks, so when I received the invitation to go there for dinner, I jumped at the opportunity.  Being from Indiana, yacht clubs are few and far between.

We had dinner out on the deck, which is on the water in Point Loma near Shelter Island, surrounded by all of the boats that are moored at the marina.  It was a pleasant evening with great company.

My dinner started at 7pm and, as luck would have it, Tuesday nights is Prime Rib night, so I ordered the prime rib done medium.  It came with a potato, rolls, salad bar and ice cream.  We ordered some roasted brussels sprouts for an appetizer.  We all had wine with our dinner.  Unsurprisingly, I was stuffed when all was said and done.  The food was very good, so I would definitely come back, if I was to be invited by a member of the Yacht Club again.

The service at the Yacht Club was good and prompt, though they did initially bring us asparagus instead of the brussels sprouts that we had ordered.  They promptly returned them and brought us the brussels sprouts.

Breakfast at Brueggers Bagels in Pacific Beach

Bruegger's Bagels in Pacific Beach

I had a breakfast meeting this morning at the ungodly hour of 6:15am at the Brueggers Bagels at the corner of Garnett and LaMont streets in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego.  At that hour it was not too busy.

The restaurant was easy to find and had ample parking.  It was quite clean and the employees were chipper and very welcoming, especially for that time of day.  I ordered the blueberry bagel with honey walnut cream cheese and my guest ordered a breakfast wrap.  We both ordered orange juice, as well.  The cost of the breakfast was just right for what we received.

It had been many years since I had been to a Brueggers Bagels.  At one time a local Mishawaka company, Quality Dining, had owned them, but later spun them off.

Breakfast at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

I had breakfast at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe this morning.  The Inn is a beautiful hotel in "downtown" Rancho Santa Fe, which has a great restaurant in a very serene setting.

Breakfast at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

My guest and I were seated by the wonderful hostess, Tabby, at an outside table.  Though it has been unseasonably hot in San Diego, it is not yet uncomfortable in the morning.  It was a very pleasant experience.

For breakfast, I ordered a belgian waffle with raspberries, blueberries and strawberries.  It tasted great.  My guest ordered an oatmeal with brown sugar and blueberries.  We both also ordered coffee.  The food was brought out to us very quickly and with a great presentation.  The cost was not overly exorbitant, especially considering the cost to stay at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.

Overall, the ambiance was great, customer service was top notch and the food was affordable and tasty.  I have had breakfast at the Inn several times and will continue to do so in the future.

Lunch at The Poseidon in Del Mar, CA

After my breakfast at The Mission in North Park and checking out of the Sheraton Mission Valley, I had lunch at The Poseidon in Del Mar on Tuesday, September 9.  I chose The Poseidon, because of it's awesome location on the beach in Del Mar and for it's participation in the OpenTable and Mogl dining programs.

The Poseidon On The Beach in Del Mar, CA

I arrived at 11:45am, valeted my car for $4 and entered the restaurant.  I had made a reservation on OpenTable (earning me $1 in OpenTable dollars!), so I said that I was early, but had a reservation.  They seated me on the outside porch, as close to the ocean as you can be.  If you have not been to The Poseidon on their porch, you need to try it.  Unfortunately, the greeters did not see my guest when he entered at a few minutes before noon, so he sat himself at the bar.  At around 12:15pm we finally found each other and had lunch.

We started with the rolls and butter that they brought to the table and ordered the sesame seed ahi tuna for an appetizer.  I would have much preferred it with just plain wasabi and soy sauce, instead of the creamy wasabi that they provided.  Overall, though, it wasn't too bad.

As my entree, I had the Thai chicken salad.  It was a pretty good sized portion with a whole chicken breast with lots of veggies and dressing.  It wasn't the best Thai chicken salad I have ever had, but not the worst.  I was not disappointed, since I go to The Poseidon for the view and not so much the food.

I tipped, Claudia, our waitress 20%, since she was quick at refilling my diet coke and had a great demeanor.

After paying for the meal, I received a text from Mogl  that I had just earned $4.78 for the meal.  Not quite 10% of the total, but a nice little kickback for eating a restaurant with a view second to none.  Not including what I earned on my credit card, I earned $1 through OpenTable and $4.78 for the meal.

Breakfast at The Mission in North Park, San Diego

The Mission in North Park, San Diego

After arriving late into San Diego on Monday, September 8, getting my Alamo rental car and checking in late to the Sheraton Mission Valley, I had an early, 7:30am breakfast at The Mission restaurant in North Park.  I had never eaten at that location, but had eaten at the East Village location before.

I arrived at the restaurant promptly at 7:30am, but my guest was running a few minutes late, so I entered and took a seat at a booth on a window.  There were only a couple of other patrons in the restaurant.  The server was attentive and brought me some coffee.  The coffee was their house blend and was decent.

This location has a lot more parking than the one in East Village.  It also is not surrounded by a homeless population, since North Park is further along in its gentrification.  The restaurant has air conditioning, as well, which the East Village location does not seem to have.

I ordered the blueberry cornmeal pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs and bacon.  I thought that the pancakes would be small, but they were 3 huge cakes, which I could not finish.  The bacon was semi-crisp and fatty, which is fine with me.  The eggs were done well.

The prices at The Mission were not exorbitant, either.  Everything seemed to be in line with other similar establishments in the San Diego area.

Overall, I enjoyed my time at The Mission in North Park and would recommend it to anyone that needs to have breakfast in North Park.