Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Pizza Port and the Ocean Beach Experience

Ocean Beach Pizza Port
1956 Bacon St.
Ocean Beach
619.224.4700


My rumbling stomach lead me to the shores of San Diego last Tuesday. The sleepy sublets of Ocean Beach are known for their laid back attitudes and mellow moods. For some, however, the neighborhood is host to the southernmost premier pizza parlor around - Pizza Port.

Known for supporting local grog and a bevy of small town breweries, Pizza Ports are peppered up and down the coast. While I've visited most of them, the Ocean Beach Pizza Port remains my favorite due to its cozy dining area and proximity to Newport Avenue.
On this particular night, a friend named Athena joined me for a slice. A proud Mexican woman with a fiery temper, Athena has a refined pallet for good cheese and wines. And while Pizza Port does carry a selection of wines, their main bread and butter remains to be beer.

"Two OB Chronics please. Leave the tab open."

Brewed right there in Ocean Beach, the OB Chronic is an amber ale with a synchronized blend of English malt and American noble hops. The mahogany mixture gives off an earthy taste, similar to the aftertaste of its namesake.
Or so I'm told...

With brew in hand, there was little left to do than order our pies.

Pizza Lahaina
The Pizza Lahaina has always been a staple for me there; pineapples, Canadian bacon, bell peppers, and onions can't go wrong. The size of the small is perfect for enjoying while savoring your suds. By the time you finish your last bite, the foam of your second pint should be resting quietly at the bottom of your empty glass.

Athena took my suggestion at the small Pizza Vallarta, which marries the ingredients of bacon, olives, onions, and jalapenos together perfectly. However, she balked at the outrageous amount of jalapenos on the pie and wound up scraping most of them off.

"This is probably the least Mexican thing about me but I hate jalapenos." Athena said.
"Is it possible that I'm more Mexican than you when it comes to food?" I laughed.

The woman shot me a death stare and sipped her beer.

"Don't push your luck, jerk." She warned.

We laughed and talked about life for the remainder of our meal. The great thing about Pizza Port is the lack of official dining area. It's first-come-first-served style with elongated picnic-esque tables translates into long hours drinking and eating amongst friends. While this lackadaisical attitude may not fly in downtown San Diego, the patrons of Ocean Beach Pizza Port welcome the opportunity to kick up their feet and enjoy their pie.

OB: Always A Good Time
Though I finished my pizza rather quickly, Athena declined her last slice and left it to return to the kitchen. It seems that when it comes to the appetite of a five-foot-three Latina, even a small pizza is a bit much.

It may not be the best pizza in the land, but the Ocean Beach Pizza Port remains my go-to spot for great beer and good pizza at a decent price. You'll definitely find my there once more touting a pint of the Chronic and a slice of the good stuff.


RATING: 8 out of 10

Saturday, March 2, 2013

El Vitral: Churros y Chocolate y A Very Empty Restaurant

El Vitral
2015 Birch Rd. #710
Chula Vista
619.421.7067


After a tumultuous week at work, it was steadily decided that my partner-in-dine Ruby and I needed a night out to recuperate, recover, and reconstruct. What better place to set our sights on than a tequila lounge, right?

The El Vitral in the Otay Ranch Mall is a spawn of the El Vitral in downtown San Diego. Touted as a place for fine mexican cuisine and top-shelf tequila, I looked forward to the possibilities of tacos and shots, shots, shots.

Having said that the restaurant itself is in the middle of the Otay Ranch Mall, I already had some preconceived notions as to what I was getting into that night. The restaurants of the area are notorious for being pricey and short-lived, albeit delicious and outside the realm of the norm. However I'll leave the philosophical discussion of whether or not it is wise to open expensive eateries in the midst of primarily military family developments for another time.

The moment we walked through the front door, something was amiss. We were seated in an empty dining hall, joining the other strangers who ventured out in pursuit of a dinner. The sheer lack of bodies in the room was noticeable, and the thought had crossed my mind that we might have chosen the wrong spot.

"Quaint little spot, isn't it?" Ruby said.
"Let's hope we're in between dinner rushes." I replied.

A happy-go-lucky woman came over to our table and introduced herself as our server. Our unfounded fears were quickly quelled as she took our drink order and made some menu recommendations. I decided to keep things simple while Ruby's taste buds demanded something more profound.

"Two margaritas and an order of camote fries. I'll have the carne asada tacos and she'll have the pescado a la tallo."
The server took off and we were left with the empty dining room. I noted the simplistic design of the space, with the lack of visuals reminiscent of an adobe household. However, Ruby saw things a bit differently.

"It's lacking art. There's absolutely nothing that ties the room together," she observed.

I looked around and had a change of heart. The atmosphere wasn't purposely unembellished; it was just a bare room with tables thrown together. The lack of decor became more apparent, and it all felt lackluster when we realized that this was more of an absence of effort than it was an idealistic statement. Yet, our margaritas came and we forgot about the whole ordeal.

We toasted to each other and took hold of the drink. I immediately noted the strength of the tequila they used, ending my sip with a wide-eyed look and mouthing a 'wow' to my cohort. She acknowledge the drink and upped the ante.

"By the way, I didn't tell you before but I took three vicodin before you picked me up."

I laughed. Nothing much else I could do; it's the price I pay for dining with a wild child. However, her drug-ladened admission was less about substance abuse and more about her current state. The woman had surgery the day prior, and was obviously still in pain.

But Ruby is a fighter. Wild horses couldn't hold her back from coming out.

"Well thanks for sharing!" I teased her.

The camote fries came and we commenced our Vitral experience. Lightly baked sweet potato fries sprinkled with cotija crumbles entertained our taste buds. Then the main courses came. My tacos were perfectly assembled with cilantro, avocado, and a saucy chipotle cream. Ruby's pescado dish was exquisitely made; tender flavorful fish served on a bed of rice.

"This tastes amazing." Ruby exclaimed.
"These tacos are on point."

Another round of margaritas came and we began to converse about life. The emptiness of the dining room, though initially off-putting, was a welcomed setting for the night. We had a cozy meal without any interruptions.

"Save room for dessert? We have churros and chocolate!" The server suggested.
"Do you happen to have a dessert menu we can look over?" I asked.
"No, you don't understand," she said. "We only have churros and chocolate."

My companion laughed as I nodded for an order of the cinnamon sticks.

Within minutes, a warm plate of hot churros and a mug of chocolate came out. The sugary pastry melted in our mouths, tying up the journey in fine mexican cuisine seamlessly. If for nothing else, El Vitral is my number one spot for the traditional dessert.


Ruby and I split the check and headed for the door. We lamented on the lack of patrons in the place and how good the food was that night. I want the restaurant to do well, but I feel that its destiny is already written. Unique cuisine at a high price in a financially unstable neighborhood -- not exactly the recipe for success. However, this El Vitral is the second of its kind, so maybe they know something that I don't.

The night was a success, but I feel that it was more due to my partner-in-dine rather than the restaurant itself. Though the food was good, I doubt I'll ever go back for anything other than the dessert.

Well, maybe for another round of those generous drinks.


RATING: 6 out of 10