WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE BOB AND REUEL? ... AND WHO ARE THIS BOB AND REUEL ANYWAY

2014 DINING

WED. JAN 1
AU REVIOR in Hillcrest after viewing American Hustle film.

We see a Big Gay Wedding table, our server divvying up their chocolate wedding cake. Atmospheric place we've liked in the past. Cellar 8 merlot wine only $21. Our dishes come out surprisingly quickly despite the party. B. Chicken paillard. (flattened) "This is good! Much better than last time. The French fries are particularly good." Agreed. Skinny kind. R. Steak tatare. Nervy dish very well done. And don't forget the quails egg.

Jan 9-12 LA to Ensenada Getaway Cruise (Sapphire Princess). See blog post for dining descriptions and photos.

JAN 19. DINNER AT HOME WITH BETH AND GRANDNEPHEW SAM.

JAN 20. MONDAY. START OF RESTAURANT WEEK. A Supper Club night with our lady friends. PAMPELMOUSSE in Solana Beach.

NEAT WALL MURAL

SUSAN AND FRIEND

ANDREA (r) AND FRIEND

SHARON

Bob has to drive there at night which neither of us likes him to do. 3 course menu for $45. Reuel. Pumpkin squash soup. Petrale of Sole "Oscar", asparagus. Warm chocolate caramel cake, salted caramel creme Anglos.
Bob. Beer salad. And?












FRI JAN 23. MORTONS STEAKHOUSE DOWNTOWN

Restaurant week menu )45. Very attentive service. Bread loaf delish. Morton's house salad. Blue cheese infused Olive in the martinis especially nice. Bob has the chopped salad. Both 6 oz filet mignon. My side is green beans, Bob's Brocoli. Dessert R key lime pie Which I'll always order if it's on the menu. Bob mous au chocolate.
We bought a $100 card at a Palm Springs fundraiser and then we had a $50 gift card from Rocco (one of two) so all we had to pay on our $149 bill was the tip.







SUNDAY JAN 26. KENDALLS BRASSERIE IN LA. LUNCH.

They don't have Stoli so I'll have . . . Tito's what I remember discovering and liking on United’s Business Class. And Bob his usual Chardonnay. R Cobb salad. The smaller size works. Bob. Quiche and salad. "Tasty".

MON. JAN 27 THE CHERRY PICK (love that name)

next door to the questionable Yamada Hotel for which we have free breakfast coupons is fun. Order at the counter your cheese, bacon and onion omelette, toast and coffee included. They bring it to you at your hightop. Like the Yamada this place is clearly no frills but satisfies for the drive home.

FEB 9-24 See Singapore-Indonesia-Bali tour blog post for dining descriptions and photos.

THURSDAY FEB 26. BACI’S is a San Diego institution.

Sharon, with whom we're having dinner there--also Andrea--all that is in attendance of the Ladies (later to be identified as Supper) Club of whom we are Charter? Members --recalls dining at Baci's 20 or was it 25 years ago. Strange they refuse to seat the four of us at a table for five. We have a quite decent cab $36 X 2. Bob not thrilled with his salad, hates the dressing. I like mine. Got more stuff in it. Pollo Tuscana for Bob good but not exceptional. Mashed potatoes not much flavor. Me a pasta with seafood. I like. Enjoy my taste of Andrea's urchin. Mainly enjoy the company, tell stories of our trip etc.

FEB 30. BISTRO DASIA CORONADO. with Gary and Cyrus Sisson. Terrific Asian Fusion restaurant.

MARCH 12 ICHIBAN By myself, a rare occasion. After haircut in Hillcrest. Bento box with beef, salad, fish combo. Cones with a yummy soup. And Green tea. Ah the simple joy of it.

MARCH 1. DINNER AT HOME WITH NIECE BETH.






FRIDAY MARCH 14. KINGS HIGHWAY PALM SPRINGS. Palm Springs land rights waitress and $24 house white. Tastes it but the night is long. We order the Caesar salads with chicken breast. Good. "I quite enjoyed that,” says Bob. During which devouring the lights are lowered and the place becomes atmospheric and even before the magic 8 pm crowded.

It's adjacent to the Motel (don't tell anyone) 6 where we are guests for the weekend and is the restaurant of the luxe hipster hotel Ace--where the equally sized rooms are a $ multiple of 4 over ours. Take that hipster trash! There's a hipster couple next to us in this formerly Howard Johnsons. He has rolled up jeans and the kind of socks I wear (excessively colorful). Downmarket friendly Indian as in











SATURDAY MARCH 15. SHERMAN'S DELI.

NO WE DIDN'T.

Breakfast. B. Ham and cheese omelette. R. Scrambled with lox and onions. Oh frabjus day! R. "What's more loveable than a Jewish deli?" B. "What's stranger than an orange slice with your lox?" You'd think we SoCals would be used to it by now.

SAT MARCH 15 LUNCH AT THE ANNUAL MEETING of our Palm Springs condo community. Worth waiting a year for (but wouldn't want it any more often). Hamburgers, hotdogs cooked by the indomitable former Navy chef (or was he in intelligence?) Ed. And salads the ladies made.

SAT MARCH 15 TONGA LOUNGE.

Dinner with Gary. We pass up the Cornish hen (Cornish hen?) for cashew dong with chicken. A concoction in a kind of rats nest tray made of wheat, not especially tasty. We’re not impressed.

ICE CREAM TREAT AFTERWARD

SUN MARCH 16. KINGS HIGHWAY Again. Elmer's waiting list is too daunting so we turn back. Chiaquilles with scrambled eggs covered with creme fresh. Excellent.

BOB BACK HOME BARBECUING

FRIDAY MARCH 21. TRUE FOOD.

While we are in the San Diego Fashion Valley Center (to visit the Apple store). All natural. Including my cucumber martini which is, we both agree, delicious. Cucumber floating in it and it's a lovely lime shade of green. Bob is certain his Chardonnay is organic. R. "When isn't wine organic?" I love my chili shrimp and noodles dish. Has a kick but I've got water as an antidote. Bob likes his "street tacos" "by way of Fashion Valley". "Complicated, not Puerto Vallarta ." After tasting, he decides mine is better.

SUNDAY MARCH 23. MARTINIS ON FIFTH. On a $25 voucher from Travelzoo. Com. Included mimosas that keep coming and cheeseburgers OK. Sparse customers, hunky waiters. Bob finds the atmosphere "gloomy". Not a return unless there's a cabaret we want to see.

REUEL'S FAVORITE BREAKFAST. Made by his own hands!

WEDNESDAY MARCH 26. CROCES with our lady's group.

Champs and h'ors deuvres at our house and they get to see our slide show. B potatoes and Brussel sprouts. R breaded sea bass. Not brilliant. Like the Brussel sprouts. Susan liked her duck. Andrea had ahi + ahi.

APRIL 29. DINNER AT HOME WITH DON, DANNY AND BRIAN. 

HAPPIER TIMES

THURSDAY MARCH 3. CAFE BLEU.

With Sharon and her gay 30 something friend Billy. Sharon and Billy decide to have real meals, bypassing the inexpensive Happy Hour menu that we enjoy--$5 glasses of wine and for me steak Tatar (small portion but very good) and for Bob a cheeseburger he likes $9 each. She has a sautéed shrimp--looks good and he something that closely resembles boeuf bourgognon. I taste Sharon's flourless chocolate cake--acceptable not transcendent.

FRIDAY MARCH 4. JIMMY CARTER’S.

R. The always satisfying quesadilla with chopped meat and Bob Texas scramble with beans and rice and tortilla. "So satisfying. My favorite dish here." Plus corona lights. And we're almost--not quite--in PV.

APRIL 10-27 See Boston and New York blog post for dining descriptions and photos.

WEDNESDAY APRIL 29. HEXAGONE with our Ladies Dining
Club. My liver is quote good, soft. Bob's boeuf bourgognon too.

SAT MAY 3. NORTH PARK FOOD TOUR.

This was a gift from Beth. Effervescent Hank is our guide.

SPLASH Pizza slice, cheese and tomatoes. "Caprese salad on flatbread How can you go wrong." A little strong on the balsamic.

North Park started as a lemon grove.

Ian at SWOON. Products mostly from San Diego area. Intense flavors. Ice creams are a player in his dishes. Super seasonal. Changes menu weekly. Gets bored. Tasting menu $18. Cafe 10 pm on. He does go on. We get 70% dark chocolate gelato raspberry sea salt ganache shavings with tangerines, a delicious combination of flavors with a habanera chile pepper kick.

Artwalk here is the  2nd Sat of every month.

REDWINGS. Chicken wings slathered in spicy sauce. 2 kinds, the buffalo and the barbecue. Prefer the barbecue. But nifty. My tongue is tingly. And it's pretty much the same old gay bar I remember from a quarter of a century ago

TONI’S CRAZEEBURGER. Rather downmarket neighborhoody. We get a Kobe slider. With tomato and onion. Quite good actually.


Hank talks about El Cajon Blvd. which us nearby, how it won being terminus of hwy 180 over LA.

Of Birch Theatre. Ghosts of Harold Lloyd and Bebe Daniels.

Stern's gym where Swartzenegger trained.

SUBTERRANEAN COFFEE BOUTIQUE on 30th. We get an ice tea sample.

Bob best were pizza and gelato. Beth the gelato and the burger slider.
Reuel pretty much liked them all, even the chicken wings.

Craftsman style David O Dwyer.
L o n g walk through North Park to ZENSEI SUSHI. We get the 30th and University inside spicy tuna outside fresh tuna, avocado and salsa on top.

SAT MAY10. AU REVOIR. 

We choose our favorite corner table. As our Young Frenchy server calls it, "the romantic table." Yes. $21 Malbec merlot. Great buy and most serviceable with our selections. R. Boeuf Bourgongnon. Not genius but a hearty flavored French country version well put together, Bob says it's "solid, not brilliant" yup. B. The combo. Mushroom soup "lovely lovely" and a lovely salad candied walnuts tiny tomatoes pickled apples (actually he ordered the tartine but isn't unhappy at all with this).

We like "our" table because as Bob says we can see everything, the big family table of ten, the baby is the cynosure, the father and mentally incapacitated son, 30 years old?: father cuts up his food and comforts him when he is overwhelmed to tears. We want our question to be answered. Tell us more of your lives. Don't leave us to conjecture as we do.

THURS MAY 22 CAFE BLU.

With Sharon and Susan. Same as last time. Whites for us. Red for the ladies. We the burgers, Sharon a salad (she has to leave early for a surprise party for her granddaughter) and the steak tartare for Susan (which I think she finds wanting in the nourishment department because she very much enjoys Bob's fries). Pleasant place. Discussion, our latest trip. Our cut $48 with tip,


FRI MAY 23 LULUS. Palm Springs. It's 4 pm. After meeting with our accountant and needing sustenance and comfort. We both have pizzas, sharing a marguerita and a pepperoni. Actually excellent choice here. B whites. Me Vodka. Both X2. Great. $48. Tot. And we get to take a pizza "doggie" home with us. We love Lulu when we're back in town! We'd just bought Stoli at $19.99 x 8 at Smart and Final so we anticipate many good budget happy libation evenings here in PS and in the home port.

SAT MAY 24. SPENCERS.

Our old favorite, elegant with its cool gray and black colors. Since we don't have reservations, we are seated inside, which is fine with us. Same old piano player, playing standards--A Day In the life of A Fool speaks to me. I Lost My Heart In, More, Michelle Ma Belle, etcetera. The Boy from Ipanema ends the set. They've wine specials and we have a really nice Pinot--blackberry flavors we agree, "plummy, hint of pepper" adds Bob for $24 with our Sirloin cheeseburgers.

TUES MAY 27. JUNIPER AND IVY. Sharon. Barbecued pork. “Almost impossible for me to not like pork."

The ladies. Verry trendy. Huge warehouse space, No sound buffers. R. Small plates. Octopus and chicken Liver mousse plates. Andrea also octopus (doesn't like it. Chewy. Like they don't know how to cook octopus. I agree. And Beets. So we oh bravery turn it back and order tuna tartare instead. Delicious. Redeemed. Fusillade pasta. Susan. Also the mousse.
Susan's cobbler is delicious as is Bobs mousse. His "presentation wins" says Susan. R. A churro (a little muffin thing) something on a silver platter. Interesting flavors.

See June 6-27 blog post for Puerto Vallarta dining descriptions and photos.

SUNDAY JUNE 29 HOB NOB HILL.

An old jewel in our neighborhood we’ve been known to frequent. A carafe of red wine and an old fashioned meal. R. Old fashioned Chicken 'n Dumpling. Cream of chicken soup. (Bob says that's too much chicken. I say it's a metaphor). Bob reminds me he was in a high school play Chicken Every Sunday. B. “It's so good to be transported to the 50's. I'm having a Waldorf Salad." He's also having the Sunday special pot. R. I remember my Sundays in I think a Hackensack New Jersey restaurant where I pined for the cream of turkey. What a treat. We decide they don't stint here--complete comfort food. All perfect. We get and need many boxes for the uneaten leftovers. The mini-Bread loafs, dessert, I/ 2 of our huge entrees, portions stuffed into a teeming plastic bag. I for one waddle out. B. “You had chicken soup and dumplings. You might have had a pound and a half of flour.” Thanks for the estimate.

JUNE 31.GARY'S CORONADO HOME FOR DINNER. 

JULY 2. TRUE FOOD. FASHION VALLEY.

After a bout at the Apple store.
The wait is 30 minutes in this trendy organic foods restaurant but we sit communally immediately by the firepit which is just dandy. Even preferable. Although we can get into the Adirondacks chairs there’s no certainty we can get out although well exercised this morning.

Columbia Chardonnay served in nice glasses from small carafes--good. Pleasant waitress and diplomatic. Of our choices. "Those are my favorites." B. Mediterranean salad. Cucumber, olive, cherry tomato, quinoa, feta, sprouted almond and lemon oregano vinaigrette (it's that kind of place). "Absolutely satisfying salad". Likes the way the quinoa is spiced. R. Red chile shrimp with sesame noodles, gai Lan, spinach and shiitake mushrooms. Great sauce. Has a little kick. We're both terrifically pleased.

JULY 4TH. WITH DON AT HOME.

SAT. JULY 5TH. SAN DIEGO POPS.

SUN JULY 6 PINOT GRILL LA.

We're here to see Last Confession at the Ahmanson with David Suchet. B. Am I Paying today? I hope it doesn't make u feel less masculine. R. I've been feeling less masculine all my life.

Pleasant under the tent even on this rather warm day. My Stoli--not large--is $12. We both have the burgers. (Though I had a burger with my eggs this morning).Bob likes his. I think mine’s a bit salty. Maybe it's the aoli. Beardeda young waiter I knickname Raskolnikov (pre-bad conscience).

SUN JULY 13. A favorite. AU REVOIR after seeing Life Itself in Hillcrest. France. When we say we found Marseilles scary our server agrees (he'd studied in culinary school there but enjoyed the protest where they burned tires when we were there). We related how our experience with Paris' wine bars lead to our opening The Wine Lover in Hillcrest. He says he's been meaning to go. We explain that we don’t care since we sold it two years ago. At bill time he asks us about buying a restaurant and we explain how we sold ours to our manager. We secretly doubt that his owner who owns 21 restaurants will sell to him.

Our corner table is free. Their $21 cab. La Terre. R. Paillard de boef paper thin grilled beef, peppercorn sauce, me sculpin, French fries. Very good. I like the sauce for dipping both the steak and the fries. Bob. Croque Monsieur. Likes. "A deconstructed ham and cheese sandwich". Country French. B. "You know it's good, solid.” We chat with our server, the Authentically French manager. (He chirps.) He asks us where we've been in

JULY 17. WITH GARY AT HOME. 

SUN JULY 20. JIMMY CARTER. It's after Nia and Zumba with Beth and we repair up the block to the very kitched up Mexicano restaurant, Bob admitting that he learned to like Mexican food in his old age (he'd better since it's our default diet in PV). What new food will he learn to like he asks. I say we discovered Thai. (And there are others of course.) I order enchiladas with red sauce) the sauce is good good, chopped meat but Bob trumps with his chile verde enchiladas, gets two of them--really likes and we take one home. Balthazar is our waiter. They all ask if we enjoyed our day yesterday (Gay Pride day). They think we're gay Bob says. You shake your booty?, the busboy asks. Absurdly I shake shake although it seems halfhearted after all that morning exercise.

WED. JULY 23. Birthday with Beth and Bob at CROCE'S, now in the neighborhood. Spy Valley--93 Parker score says the cute sommelier. Really good grape fruity. We all love our mains. Me sea bass. Beth scallops. Bob. Wild mushroom potato Lasagna. Bravo.

Ingrid herself, owner and former wife of Jim Croce, takes us to our table. Fabulous and we have a booth looking out at the jazz quintet in the cabaret room. Our appetizer of 3 baby back ribs one each--how Right--with polenta delicious. Bob orders an Australian chard--

FRI JULY 25. SAN FILIPIS.

It was either this or Urban Mos. It was this. Not the social environment. But we get our medium pizzas, pesto and meatball and the carafe (yes) of "paisanos" wine. But it's apparent the 100th anniversary of the start of the 1st WW, in which my dad soldiered, and various silent films on the large screen tv's (it's that kinda place) of course prompts all kinds of nostalgic conversational bursts from me. Charlie Chaplin as a doughboy --sublime. We get a big doggy bag which is part of the allure.

Bob "Nothing as good as getting snonkered in the afternoon."

SUN. JULY 28. ELIJAH'S in La Jolla adjacent to the theatre where we've just seen A Most Wanted Man (wonderfully tense and atmospheric), Hoffman's last film.

I don't remember what it was I didn't like here last time so I'll play it safe. We both order Corona Lights (always works with the Jewish) and the soup of the day which is a hot borscht authentically Russian (B. “Much heartier than my grandmother's") it's really good and there's actually little room for the half pastrami sandwich (absolutely delicious with deli mustard) that completes our order.

MON. JULY 28. CROCE'S. This time it's a Bankers Hill CDC meeting. The h'ors douvres are delicious, the cheese crustini, sweet , the hummus crustini and the Bruscetta but the wine at $11 a glass is a bit of a gyp. Ingrid Croce pretends she remembers us from my birthday dinner there last week so all is forgiven.

WED. JULY 30. SEASONS 52 @ the old police headquarters downtown with our LADIES SUPPER CLUB.

Valet park. Gorgeous huge place in the Headquarters complex. Waiting for the ladies at the bar, in front of a chanteuse at her piano. R cucumber basil smash, perfect summer drink. Order next time. It's got a huge mint leaf floating in it. 10.50. B. A gin and tonic. He'd been thinking about it all day in the heat. At table. Louie our waiter is 10 years old. Explains that theirs is a seasonal menu. Susan brings her very accomplished documentary filmmaker daughter, Tracy.

We order flatbreads. Fig bacon. Lobster mozzarella. Roasted duck. All delicious. R. Lemon and herb roasted whole Branzino. Lovely. Andrias salmon succulent. Bob likes his tender flank steak salad.

Then we have little desserts, a variety. I have the carrot cake, Bob a pecan pie. Yummy. Sharon loves her cannoli. Clever marketing, bringing over all the selections and Louie pinpointing each with his penlight. Tough to resist and we didn't.

[I seem to have lost a couple of months of notes. All that great food—long ago digested and forgotten forever. Aha, I do have the photos so some memory lingers on.]

See Sept. 7-27 blog post for Copenhagen/Iceland/Transatlantic cruise on the Royal Princess dining descriptions and photos.

AUG 2 CANTINA AND BEACH CLUB. Palm springs. Let's try the new place near us, formerly Old Creek Inn. Worthy.

AUG 3. KENDALL'S BRASSERIE LA. 

AT HOME A FAVORITE FEAST

AUG 15 JIMMY CARTER'S. 

AUG 26. EDDIE V'S IN THE HEADQUARTERS AT SEAPORT DISTRICT. 

AUG 29. LULU'S PALM SPRINGS

OCT 31 LULU'S New prices damnit.

NOV 1 ASCENA. Bloody Mary's. Most everybody sitting outside. The weather is perfect for it. We're inside. Fine. Bob recommends his French dip. My Cobb salad with Blu cheese dressing nice. The service has definitely improved.

NOV 2. ARRIVEDERCI.

Arriving from Palm Springs we find parking in Hillcrest, in itself a feat. It's been a while since we've dined here, one of the better Italian restaurants around. San Felice chianti Classico. Once it breaths, it’s superb. $29. B. Tortolini. He really likes. My black linguini with scallops and shrimp in a cream sauce, excellent. Bob takes a doggy. I don't and we riff on the appropriateness for older people to take doggie bags.

WED. NOV 5. ALCHEMY.

Sharon's quinona  and bulgar salad we all take bites out of. A spicey butternut soup all have. Very good. Bob. Quinoa burger. R. Real burger. Sharon. Sol swordfish. "Really good". Susan summer squash and pork tenderloin. Her tenderloin is a little dry. Otherwise very good. Actually Bob (who's been here several times) and I think the food is not all that good. However for me our old South Park neighborhood is a revelation--dynamic, urbane--actually has a nightlife and buzz and all those restored great old houses. The high point and point of the evening is being with Susan and Sharon and having lots of good conversation touching on the politics of last night's election debacle, rearing of children and grandchildren, our planned trips, death (recent ones of Sharon's friend and cleaning man--formerly ours--John, of our Danny's and parental deaths, mystery movies, and on and on.

SUNDAY NOV 9. JIMMY CARTER'S. B. Texas Scramble. Always good. Beer. R. Enchilada carne asada. Margarita. Try beer next time.

SUNDAY NOV 16. GRANT GRILL.

Before the Cameron Carpenter organ concert downtown we decide to walk to the Grant Grill and expect our usual classy and inexpensive happy hour experience. My how it's changed though. The place is almost full, noisy with casually dressed obstreperous people. The offerings have changed. The martinis are now $9. The happy hour bites are skimpy. Soft pretzels? Really? However the charcuterie plate we order has focaccia bread and is ample. And the fries are nice with aioli sauce. So ok. And by 6:15 most have left.

FRI NOV 21. LULU'S. LUNCH. The usual and just the ticket.

FRI NOV 21. PALM SPRINGS. At last we discover our neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant, PHO 533, across the street in our little neighborhood shopping center.

Our server is a very attractive young man who it turns out is the son of the proprietor whose story of escaping from Vietnam in 1975 the year of its fall on a cruiser numbered 533 is featured in the menu. We order the sampler plate--huge, spring rolls, egg rolls, shrimp won tons and calamari (the latter particularly good). I have a steak chicken soup and Bob the won ton soup (good). All accompanied by a perfectly drinkable chardonnay for just $15. Yea.

SAT NOV 22. SPENCERS.

After buying a fresh fake plant at the Alley; we bought two yesterday to replace our dusty fake trees on the terrace. Spencers is always delightful. Makes a person feel accommodated. Lush not louche. Glasses of “Provocative” chardonnay. So nice. Bob the light lunch. Potato leek soup. Half melted cheese sandwich (one of his faves), small salad. $12.95. Reuel, the steak and shrimp special of the day. $14.95. Fantastic. I've got to pay more attention to specials in future. A real and delicious steak. The shrimp sautéed and diced.  Comes with a salad of Brussel sprouts, baked tomato beans with almond nuts. And a cream dipping sauce that has a spicy horse radish taste.

See Nov. 26-29 blog post for West Coast Santa Barbara cruise on the Golden Princess for dining descriptions and photos.

See Dec. 7-9 blog post for San Francisco dining descriptions and photos.

WED DEC 10. DINNER AT SUSAN'S.

An absolute delight to be invited to Susan's house in Lake Murray on Baltimore with our Supper Club group, Sharon and Andrea (this time with her wife Erica). First Susan served us a holiday aperitif of champagne and red dessert wine. Dinner served with quantities of fine Silver Oak wine consisted of a delicious squash, scalloped potatoes, a beef roast, accompanied by a salad of all sorts of ingredients such as red beets and nuts topped by a creamy cheese followed by an ice cream with fruit marinated in berries dessert. All perfect and delicious. Much good humor and talk none of which I remember--wonder why.

See DEC 7-9 blog post of our Danny's memorial visit to San Francisco for dining descriptions and photos.

See DEC 21-24 blog post of Bob’s birthday LA visit for dining descriptions and photos.

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