Sometimes you just walk by a place and have no idea what you've been missing. That was the case up until a few days ago with The Smoking Gun in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. I live just a few blocks away and have walked by the place regularly, without stopping in. On the outside it looks like just any other "hipster bar" downtown but what we found inside was surprisingly good quality cocktails, a very creative menu and a great atmosphere that I can't wait to return to sometime soon.

Wings used to be one of those things that came free with a happy hour special at your local pub. Today though they are a premium treat that in some cases is just as expensive as a steak or good piece fish. Unfortunately not all wings are equal and so it can be very complicated to separate the premium wing companies that are worth spending your money on, from the ones that think you just don't know any better. Lucky for me - and millions of others in San Diego! - Dirty Birds is a great example of a company producing a fantastic product that I personally can't wait to enjoy again on my own dime.

Aside from our time spent on cruise ships recently, it's been a while since we've had the opportunity to attend tasting events at local bars and restaurants here in San Diego. However, if there's one thing that can compel me to get off my seat and venture back into a bar it's a great rum paired with fantastic bartenders and that's just what we had this week when we met with Diplomatico's California Ambassador to talk a bit about two of their newer expressions: Mantuano and Planas.

I'm a sucker for dining with views of the water, I'm addicted to sand, palm trees and the sound of waves crashing on the beach while I eat. Heck, even in colder areas without sand and palm trees I still love oceanfront restaurants where you can smell the sea breezes. Oceans 234 in Deerfield Beach delivers all of that in a chic but still chill, laid back and relaxed environment with some of the best food I've had in a long time.

Most people think of tacos, enchiladas, and burritos when it comes to Mexican food but at cross-border towns like Tijuana, you'll find a much more diverse culture. With a history that included serving as a destination for American's seeking drinks, gambling, and "other things" for the past more than 100 years, Tijuana has a culture that represents a unique blend of California and Mexico. One of the cities most legendary culinary contributions is undoubtedly the invention of the now internationally famous Caesar Salad.

There are only a handful of restaurants that are more iconic as The Hitching Post and it's cousin The Hitching Post 2 (immortalized in the movie Sideways). These are icons of the "real California", a land between the big cities filled with ranches and cowboys where we roll the clock back a few decades and the only thing that matters is big hunks of beef and great wine. Leave your fancy clothes at home because unlike pretty much every other legendary steakhouse, The Hitching Post is laid back and casual. It's a place you go when all that matters is having a huge meal with friends.

Years ago when I first tried sushi, it was a rare and elite luxury designed only for those willing to spend a lot of money and savor every bite. There is still that aspect of sushi and the exquisite precision of Japanese food preparation but over the past few decades, sushi has become democratized. Today, you can get sushi in ballparks and gas stations as well as some of the world's finest restaurants. Sushi Deli is somewhere between those with both the ability to bring sushi to the masses while still maintaining very high quality and adapting it to a market seeking fun, excitement and innovative ideas. It's no surprise then that they were also one of the first to adapt to the new realities by making their pickup experience one of the easiest and safest in San Diego.

2020 was a rough year in a lot of ways and generally, we like to do at least one restaurant feature every month, sometimes two or even three. With dine-in options mostly closed or simply not to my level of comfort, I stopped doing restaurant features the way I liked to do previously. I still continued to order out but it took time for the industry to catch up and start producing options that made sense beyond the typical take-out heroes like burritos, sushi, sandwiches, and sandwiches. I was a bit nervous for New Years Day dinner since not only is this a big night for foodies in general... but it's also my anniversary. Luckily we saw Parc Bistro on TV and loved their attitude and creativity so we decided to order their Beef Wellington and try it out.

I haven't had too many chances to do restaurant features this year but The Gathering Table Restaurant at Ballard Inn, located in California's Santa Ynez Valley was absolutely worth the experience. It goes to show that you can still offer a fine dining experience in a safe way despite challenges from the pandemic. While their outdoor space would normally be more decorative than functional, there's a certain sense of romance to sitting in a garden with a string of lights above you while enjoying fine wine and food on par with anything you could find in Los Angeles.

While many people are out and about again, others of us such as myself are still focused on staying at home as much as possible. It's tough though since frankly, I'm getting tired of the things I know how to make and sometimes you want a restaurant-quality experience that is just easy. Delivery often fails in this regard since that crispy, fresh from the oven experience just doesn't work after sitting in a delivery bag for 20-30 minutes. That's why I love these treats that Porto's Baker from Los Angeles sent us to try out as part of their Porto's Bake At Home experience.

San Manuel has long been a leader at delivering a premium gaming experience to Southern California, including their Asian-inspired gaming room - Lotus 8 Palace where you could find slots and table games not found in many other casinos in the area. Lotus 8 even had a noodle menu, and Asian beer as well as sake. What San Manuel was missing though is a really good Asian restaurant and that's why they created Hong Bao Kitchen!

For a tiny island, Key West has a lot of stories - some are tales of greatness... others are tales of what might have been. In the case of Pan Am, it is a little bit of both. First In Flight Restaurant & Brewery celebrates this early aviation heritage on the site where Pan Am was born with craft beer and food.

Key West has no shortage of great places to get some awesome food and so when our host (The Florida Keys) sent us to the next island over, I wasn't sure why. As it turned out, this was no mistake - Matt's Stock Island Kitchen & Bar located in the Perry Hotel is an absolutely fabulous restaurant and while we just came here for dinner, the property is a great destination for guys planning a fishing trip since the marina is right there. Plus they are building out a distillery and a music venue complete with pool and bar service. What more could you possibly ask for?

Just a few hundred feet from my loft in San Diego is Lionfish - Modern Coastal Cuisine - set inside the Pendry Hotel. I've walked by a few times but for some reason never had a chance to enter and check it out. Last week their PR team reached out to me to promote the fact that they have been recognized as a 2019 James Beard Foundation Smart Catch Leader, and would I be interested in stopping over for dinner sometime. Not one to pass up a chance to enjoy some food and drinks I graciously accepted their invitation. Now, I'm just wondering why I haven't visited before now...

Typically, visiting a steakhouse like Ruth’s Chris is something reserved for special occasions like celebrating a new client or a birthday - but why not plan a “because I love you!” date night for someone you love? That’s what I did with Heather a couple of weeks ago before leaving on another week-long trip.

In the world of steak, sometimes bigger is better and other times it is all about being ridiculous and over-the-top. This $100 steak at Greystone Steakhouse in San Diego's Gaslamp firmly belongs in that second category. The 3oz Japanese Wagyu steak comes topped with 24 karat gold flakes, hand shaved black truffle and is served on a slab of fine marble. 

Good wine needs good food and so when we were invited to dine at Vineyard Rose at South Coast Winery, I immediately said yes.

Babe's BBQ and Brewhouse is located in Rancho Mirage, CA about the middle of the "Greater Palm Springs" area and that makes it a great spot to meet up after a day of golf, off-roading, or in our case driving at the BMW Performance Center. With a combination of Latin Fusion, a variety of BBQ styles, and craft beer it's got something for everyone.

Father's Day is coming up and I think I speak for most men and we'd love a great big hunk of meat for dinner. There's a wide spectrum of options out there today from high-end steakhouses to grabbing a steak at the diner down the street but the middle space seems filled with marginal options. Sure, these chain restaurants are good but inevitably they miss the mark when it comes to quality, preparation, and atmosphere. That's why I was truly surprised after my visit to Black Angus Steakhouse here in San Diego earlier this week. Despite being part of a chain that's operated in the western United States for more than 50 years it felt like an independent location with good quality food and a fun atmosphere that while kitschy - felt genuine.

Texas is known for being big and over the top, so I don't know why I was surprised to see a real live Texas Long Horn bull out front of The Ranch at Las Colinas when we arived. Not only was this cool to see, but it was there as a photo op for kids (of all ages!) to sit on as they took your photo. The bit of morbidity that you are quite literally playing with your food before dinner aside, this set the tone for one of the best steak dinners that I've had in a long while.