Italian-The Godfather

Name: The Godfather Restaurant

Cuisine: Italian

Opinion: AMAZING

Area: Clairemont Mesa, Kearny Mesa

About: One of the best Italian restaurants in San Diego, to quote Sollozzo, "Try the veal, it's the best in the city."

What to order: Godfather Bread, Bocconcini Alla Godfather, Vitello Alla Parmigiana, Minestrone, Tiramisu

More info: The atmosphere is very romantic with a piano player, an impressive wine list, and waiters dressed in full tuxedoes. Our waiter was very nice and brought us complementary fried zucchini which was delicious. We then ordered the Godfather Bread which is their take on bruschetta. This place is a little more expensive but is a great place to treat yourself. The portions are good sized and will have you grabbing a to go box. The deserts were terrific, the best tiramisu I have ever had! They take reservations so I would call ahead.

The parking lot is a little frustrating but there is parking in the back.

Website/Menu: http://www.godfatherrestaurant.com/

Address: 7878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. San Diego, CA 92111

Phone: 858-560-1747

The Godfather Bread

Minestrone

Vitello Alla Parmigiana

Bocconcini Alla Godfather

Side of Spaghetti Bolognese

Chocolate Desert

Tiramisu

Fried Zucchini 

Drinks-Tapioca Express

Name: Tapioca Express

Cuisine: Drinks, Chinese, Snacks

Opinion: Great

Area: Clairemont Mesa, Kearny Mesa or El Cajon/San Diego State or UCSD

About: If you have never had Boba, it is hard to describe this craze. If you want, you can order boba which are small jelly-like orbs in your drink. In my opinion they add another dimension. Tapioca Express has a huge menu with smoothies (snow bubbles), teas, and food.

What to order: Milk tea (Hot or Cold) with boba, Spicy Chicken

More info: My favorite location is the Clairemont Mesa/Kearny Mesa area. The parking is horrible but it is worth it. They just opened up a new one on El Cajon, but I am not a big fan of it. The location is nice next to State, but it is not the same as the Clairemont Mesa/Kearny Mesa area. I have never been to the UCSD one, so I can't comment (but if you have then leave your comment below). This is a good place if you just ate at Shabu Shabu House, Taijima, Buga, The B Spot,  Chopstix, or if you just want to meet up with friends.

Website/Menu: http://www.tapiocaexpress.com/

Address: 4646 Convoy St. #106B,San Diego, CA 92111     or    6145 El Cajon Blvd. Ste. #G San Diego, CA 92115

Green Milk Tea

Snow Bubble

Japanese- Shabu Shabu House

Name: Shabu Shabu House

Cuisine: Japanese

Opinion: AMAZING

Area: Clairemont Mesa, Kearny Mesa

About: Shabu Shabu is the Japanese form of fondu. Basically, infront of you is a pot of very hot water, raw meet, a few sauces, a bowl of white rice, and a bunch of raw vegetables. You put the raw food in the hot water and and a few seconds later pull it out and dip it in the sauce. Make sure you save a few vegetables and noodles for the end, and ask for a bowl, because then you pour the hot water in the bowl with some oils and the noodles and vegetables you saved, and now you have a nice bowl of soup!

What to order: Lunch special if you can.

More info: I have had the shrimp, chicken and beef, they're all good. If you go with a friend, see if you can order different things and share them. The lunch special is a very good deal, and even their dinner is a great deal. (I've spent almost double in Hawaii.)

Address: 4646 Convoy Street, San Diego, CA 92111


Fun Fact: Shabu Shabu means swish-swish in Japanese.

Vegetables and Noodles

The sauce

Shrimp

The left over water turned into soup

Japanese-Taijima

Name: Taijima

Cuisine: Japanese

Opinion: Great

Area: Clairemont Mesa

About: Taijima is a little more modern and hip looking then chopstix, but don't be fooled by their look, the food still stays true to it's Japanese roots.

What to order: Make your own ramen, Chicken Katsu, Onigiri (Rice Ball), Okonomiyaki (if you're feeling adventurous, also this takes longer to make then most meals)

More info: There are two locations, and I believe each one has a different menu. The menu is very extensive and gives you lots of options.

Website/Menu: http://tajimasandiego.com/

Address: 4411 Mercury St., San Diego, CA 92111 and:
                    4681 Convoy St., #1, San Diego, CA 92111

Korean BBQ-Buga

Name: Buga Korean BBQ Restaurant

Cuisine: Korean, Japanese

Opinion: AMAZING

Area: Clairemont Mesa

About: My dad stumbled in this place before we moved here when he was staying at the Motel 6, (yes, it's practically connected to a Motel 6) he was so tired when they brought out the food raw he was very confused. We returned 6 years later and from my first bite I fell in love with this place. 

What to order: BBQ Combos (order according to the number of people) (Around $50 for two people)

More info: I cannot believe how many sides come with the BBQ combo, it is amazing, I still have no idea what I am eating but it's fun to be adventurous. You also get a salad, 2 soups, a plate of noodles, shrimp, pork, chicken, beef, 3 different kinds of sauces, and a few other items depending on the day. It does seem a little expensive but for all the stuff you get it is completely worth it, and you leave feeling stuffed. The meat comes out raw and is cooked in front of you, sometimes when it is not that busy the waitresses will move the meat and tell you when it's ready, if it's too busy, you are on your own! 

Website/Menu: http://www.bugabbq.com/

Address: 5580 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92117-2347

                                          

                                                                Look at all that food!

Sandwiches-The B Spot

Name: The B Spot

Cuisine: Sandwiches, Hamburgers, American, Asian

Opinion: GREAT

Area: Clairemont Mesa

About: You better come to this place with an appetite because the sandwiches/hamburgers are HUGE!

What to order: Texas burger, The Beauty, The Beast

More Info: Placed in one of the most hectic parking lots, this place gets a little lost but it is definitely worth dealing. I have talked with the owner (very nice guy) before and he went to San Diego State (Go Aztecs!) and moved out to the east coast and really learned about east coast food and brought it to San Diego. So most of the sandwiches have cole slaw on them, which I am not the biggest fan of cole slaw and I still enjoyed it. If you don't have that big of an appetite don't be afraid to split a sandwich with someone else. Make sure you get a stamp card because you're going to want to come back.

Website: None

Address: 4646 ste#103 Convoy Street, San Diego, California 92111

Japanese Food-Chopstix Sushi & Noodle Cafe

Name: Chopstix

Cuisine: Japanese

Opinion: AMAZING

Area: Kearny Mesa, Clairemont Mesa

About: This is one of my family's favorite restaurants. It is definitely a hole in the wall sort of place, but it is one of my favorite Japanese places in San Diego! Also it is VERY CHEAP!

What to order: Chicken Katsudon (fried chicken pieces over egg and rice), Chicken Katsu (fried chicken with a salad, bowl of rice, and bowl of miso ramen) , Wonton Chasyu Men (a giant bowl of ramen), Yaki Soba (Noodles and vegetables) , Unagi Don (eel), Chicken Katsu Curry (fried chicken in a curry mix) , Oyakodon (chicken over egg and rice)

More info: The waitress's are very nice, and make sure before your meal you say itadakimasu, and after you say gochisosamadeshita! (That is how you show grace for your meal in Japanese, and the waitresses will be very impressed.) Parking is horrible during peak times, but if you're lucky you will get a spot in the front if not try the back even though it is a tight squeeze. Try a Calpico soda or if you can a large beer with your meal! Even though they do serve sushi, there are plenty of other places in San Diego with amazing sushi, so if you are craving it, have a california or crunchy roll for an appetizer, but definitely try the ramen or meals over rice, which are hard to find at other places. They do have soba and udon, which I am not a big fan of so try them for yourselves and comment on this on how they are. There is a second chopstix's location (Chopstix Too), I went there when the original was closed and wasn't as enthusiastic about it, but again try it out for yourself and comment below.

Website/Menu: http://chopstix.menutoeat.com/index.cfm

Address: 4633 Convoy St. , San Diego, CA 92111


Fun Fact: Oyako-don is chicken over cooked egg and rice. The reason it has the name oyako-don is because don 丼 means bowl, oya 親 means parent, while ko 子 means child, so the parent represents the chicken and the child represents the egg in the bowl!