Our second morning was spent at the San Diego zoo. Since we got there early, we were able to beat the crowds and cover all the exhibits in 4 hours. Food options in the zoo are your typical junk foods, but I had a plan in advance for lunch. We packed enough snacks to keep our stomachs at bay and then headed over to Liberty Public Market afterwards for lunch. This is a large area with stores and restaurants next to the San Diego airport. One of the building houses a giant food & beer hall with multiple vendors selling their products. The variety includes fresh pasta made to order, Argentinian empanadas, raw bars, sushi, and so much more.
My son opted for a stuffed burger which was gigantic, juicy & delicious and I opted for a Thai spicy basil rice with chicken. We found a table, I grabbed a local beer on tap from the beer hall and enjoyed an amazing but affordable meal. My Thai rice was actually spicy and they provided additional hot sauce if I needed. Thai food on the East coast is always so mild that it makes it taste unauthentic. This had real Thai chilies and basil along with the flavors of fish sauce.
For our final meal in San Diego, we returned to George's in La Jolla, but this time to their fine dining restaurant called California Modern. We opted for the four course dinner and I also indulged in their wine pairings. We loved the food and service at this restaurant and had a very relaxed meal. There is too much food to describe here but suffice it to say it was all delicious. I'll let the pictures do the talking....
"Fish Tacos" - rolled ahi tuna with spices |
Strawberries & Figs w/ Burratta & Basil |
Posole |
Venison Loin w/ Spaetzle & Vegetables |
Striped Bass w/ Yogurt Mint Cream & Roasted Carrots |
Mocha Slice w/ White Chocolate Ice Cream |
Coconut Ice Cream within a Coconut "Cloud" |
Next stop Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga & Riverside..............