San Diego Magazine's Happy Half Hour

Latest Episodes:

The President of the Jacobs & Cushman Food Bank of SD explains how you can help the hungry Dec 12, 2018

Show notes

With all the restaurant development that’s happened in Little Italy and North Park, it was only a matter of time before the trend trickled northward. In today’s edition of Hot Plates, we have three new restaurants above the 56, including D.C. export ChiKo in Encinitas, Eve (coming to Oceanside next year), and Exhale—a modern Mexican restaurant—also opening in O’side. Closer to the city, The Nood Bar will open early next year in North Park and Moto Deli’s Alex Carballo has purchased a dive bar with a special history. Our guest is Jim Floros, President and CEO of the Jacobs & Cushman Food Bank of San Diego. He’s helped expand the Food Bank’s programs, increase the number of people they serve monthly from 320,000 to 370,000 San Diegans, and shift the nonprofit’s focus from just “food banking” to “nutrition banking.” In fact, they have a full-time nutritionist on staff and a policy against stocking sodas, sheet cakes, muffins, candy, or energy drinks. Floros also explains why they teach people how to grocery shop, why expiration dates are bogus, and how you can easily help hungry locals during your next grocery store trip.

Big changes at Solare and chef Danilo Tangalin of Bivouac Ciderworks drops in Dec 06, 2018

Show notes

On today’s show, we’re talking about chef Accursio Lota’s exit from Solare and the new restaurant he’ll open downtown, El Jardín landing on best restaurants lists in both Esquire and Food & Wine, and Buona Forchetta’s move into the barbecue world. Plus, Council Brewing announces its close, SuperNatural Sandwiches opens a new location, and Fort Oak by the Trust Restaurant Group is due next month. Our guest is chef Danilo Tangalin, who interned at big-name restaurants like Le Bernardin and Eric Ripert’s 10 Arts Bistro before coming to San Diego, where he’s led the kitchens at Tidal and Jrdn. Now he’s infusing his Filipino roots into the menu at Bivouac, the cider-centric restaurant and bar in North Park (check out Troy’s review from our November issue). He tells us the top three dishes to order off his menu, why his version of fish and chips is so different, and his favorite authentic Filipino eateries in town. Plus, what does “Bivouac” actually mean? DJ explains. In Two People/$50, we’re recommending Lotus Thai, The Rabbit Hole, Lola 55, and Raglan Public House. And did you hear? San Diego Magazine has launched its Insiders club, offering exclusive discounts at editor-selected restaurants, bars, spas, and more for just $10 per month. That’s right—it’ll cost you less than happy hour. (Speaking of happy hour, our next Insiders Happy Hour—where you get free drinks and bites—is taking place next week right in our office. Sign up here for the details.)

A mezcal bar opens in Old Town and Palomar Health Executive Chef Alicia Bell Nov 29, 2018

Show notes

This week we’re back at Fernside, the new South Park cocktail bar and eatery from Christian Siglin (Bracero, The Grass Skirt, Cutwater Spirits), Shane Gerde (UnderBelly, Cutwater Spirits), and Adam Cook (Bluefoot Bar & Lounge) and also one of the participating restaurants in this year’s SoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off. In Hot Plates, we’re talking about more ramen coming to Hillcrest, Fashion Valley’s North Italia restaurant led by former Waypoint Public Executive Chef Rich Sweeney, a new mezcal bar that’s landed in Old Town, and awhiskey slash steakhouse spot coming to Gaslamp next year. Our guest is Alicia Bell, the District Executive Chef of Palomar Health and winner of the People’s Choice Award at our Top Doctors party. The San Diego native and classically trained chef tells us about going from “cooking for rich people” to cooking in hospitals, how her mother’s cancer diagnosis changed her career path, and why she wants people to eat at a hospital for lunch. Plus, she gives us the scoop on the award-winning tacos—and shares the recipe below! In Two People/$50, we’re recommending Cucina Urbana, Carnitas’ Snack Shack, Tacos el Gordo, and The Cork and Craft.

Urban Solace preps for a huge revamp and chef Amy DiBiase drops in Nov 14, 2018

Show notes

This episode is sponsored by the SoNo Fest. The free street festival returns to the South Park-North Park area on Sunday, December 2 with 40 of the best restaurants from both neighborhoods competing in the ultimate #chilismackdown. There will also be a craft beer garden, food trucks, live music, and a kid’s fest. The best part? All proceeds go to the McKinley School Foundation. This week we’re coming at you from Fernside, the new South Park cocktail bar and eatery from Christian Siglin (Bracero, The Grass Skirt, Cutwater Spirits), Shane Gerde (UnderBelly, Cutwater Spirits), and Adam Cook (Bluefoot Bar & Lounge) and also one of the participating restaurants in this year’s SoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off. In Hot Plates, we’re talking about big changes coming to Urban Solace in January, the new Asian-inspired speakeasy with a major designer behind the concept, Pure Project’s next tasting room location, and our comprehensive Thanksgiving guide, packed with traditional turkey feasts, eclectic buffets, catering options, and plenty of cocktails. Our guest is chef Amy DiBiase of the new InterContinental Hotel’s Vistal restaurant. She talks to us about how she works with a scientist to ensure seafood sustainability, the best dishes to try at Vistal, and why the poke trend may be peaked. In Two People/$50, we’re recommending El Jardín, Seasons 52, the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, Mirin Cafe, and Hernandez Hideaway. And did you hear? San Diego Magazine has launched its Insiders club, offering exclusive discounts at editor-selected restaurants, bars, spas, and more for just $10 per month. We’re off next week, so have a happy, safe, and delicious Thanksgiving holiday—cheers!

Modern Times opens a vegan restaurant, and Burning Beard Brewing’s Mike Maass is our guest Nov 07, 2018

Show notes

Lobster rolls with yuzu aioli, pollo a la abrasa on buttery brioche, spicy drunken noodles—we’re feasting at The Willows Hotel & Spa at Viejas Casino & Resort, today’s sponsor alongside chefs Antonio Votta and Larry Banares. We kick off with Hot Plates. Popular Kensington Tex-Mex spot Ponce’s has opened a new location in Del Sur and Modern Times’ new plant-based eatery has debuted in Encinitas. Plus: Helix Brewing Co. has a new sours-only bar in La Mesa, Umami Japanese comes to San Marcos, and La Catrina takes over the old Tostadas space with a chef who previously worked with Javier Plascencia. Our guest is San Diego native Mike Maass, the cofounder of Burning Beard Brewing, an El Cajon brewery that opened in 2016. He explains the metaphor behind the brand name, starting with home brewing in a bathtub, and why canning beer is the “old new thing.” In Two People/$50, we’re recommending Bivouac Ciderworks, Shank & Bone, The Cork & Craft, and Fifty-Two East. We’re also discussing Scout, a new craft beer and wine distributor that’s revolutionizing marketing for beverages.

SD Bay Wine & Food Festival and Nica Knite of the historic Pine Valley House hotel Oct 31, 2018

Show notes

On today’s show we’re coming at you from our sponsor, The Willows Hotel & Spa at Viejas Casino & Resort, along with vice president of food and beverage David Duran. In Hot Plates, we’re talking about two upcoming events, including the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival and the first annual San Diego Food Tank Summit with bold-faced names of the industry (like the president of the San Diego County Farm Bureau and the co-owner of Café Gratitude) discussing how we can responsibly grow our region’s food movement. Plus, Ike’s sandwiches opens in the Midway district, Buona Forchetta opens its first North County location, and Farmer’s Table expands to Bay Park. Also, we talk about a fundraiser to help the cancer-stricken daughter of local beer icon Mike Hess. Our guest is Nica Knite, the owner and operator of Pine House Café & Tavern and the woman behind the revamp of the historic Pine Valley House & Silver Queen Saloon, a 95-year-old boutique resort, restaurant, and bar in Pine Valley, built by the architect Richard Requa (who built most of the California Exposition in Balboa Park). She explains why she’s restoring the scene in her mountain town and everything on her from-scratch menu. We’re also talking about the recent ban on polystyrene foam, a.k.a. Styrofoam, in the city. In Two People/$50, we’re recommending Din Tai Fung, Grains, Maestoso, and The Mission in North Park.

Lee Chase, co-owner of Blind Lady Ale House, Tiger! Tiger!, and more stops by Oct 24, 2018

Show notes

What’s better than one Buona Forchetta concept in South Park? Two! On today’s show we’re talking about the debut of the Neapolitan pizza pro’s new wine bar, a Cohn Restaurant Group (Coasterra, Island Prime) concept coming to Mission Valley, and the closing of a Vista brewery. In the guest seat, meet Lee Chase, co-owner of Blind Lady Ale House, Tiger! Tiger!, and Balboa Park’s Panama 66, as well as the force behind Automatic Brewing. The San Diego native tells us about his start in home brewing at age 17, what drew him to Stone Brewing Co. as one of its earliest employees, and we revisit our favorite subject, what is going on with the food scene in Balboa Park. Today’s first hot topic focuses on craft beer, specifically how the local industry now pulls in three times the revenue of the Padres. Then we’re asking the question: Will we ever stop eating animal meat? Factory farming counts for one-sixth of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions—but Americans don’t seem to care. We talk about going meatless (for at least one meal per week) and longtime vegan Chase chimes in, too. In Two People/$50, we’re recommending Plant Power, Jaynes Gastropub, and El Jardín. And did you hear? San Diego Magazine has launched its Insiders club, offering exclusive discounts at editor-selected restaurants, bars, spas, and more for just $10 per month. That’s right—it’ll cost you less than happy hour.

Polite Provisions’ Erick Castro stops by Oct 17, 2018

Show notes

In today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour, Troy, Erin, and Archana are discussing Mutual Friend Ice Cream, the hip new ice cream shop from the team behind Dark Horse Coffee Roasters,Surf Rider Pizza Co. coming to La Mesa, and a new hand roll concept coming to Liberty Station from Land & Water Co.’s chef Rob Ruiz. Plus, we have two Thanksgiving-centric events for you: Brian Malarkey’s demo and family-style dinner on November 7 at Farmer & the Seahorse and a November 14 ChefsGiving at Provisional Kitchen, Café & Mercantile at the Pendry hotel featuring JoJo Ruiz (Lionfish), Anthony Wells (Juniper & Ivy), and more, with Troy hosting the event and $25 of each ticket benefitting the San Diego Food Bank. Today’s guest is Erick Castro, partner and bartender at Polite Provisions and Raised By Wolves, not to mention podcaster and documentary filmmaker with his platform Bartender At Large. He’s talking about opening Polite when Normal Heights wasn’t so cool, the one problem with that rotating platform at Raised By Wolves, and yes, he answered why they opened in a mall. Our hot topic is about a food writer turned restaurateur who wants to apologize for all the critiques she’s thrown at restaurant owners. She’s sorry; she now realizes just how hard the industry really is. In Two People/$50 we’re recommending K Sandwiches, Simsim, and Fernside.

The restauranteur behind Coasterra, Bo-Beau, and dozens of other local concepts stops by Oct 10, 2018

Show notes

On today’s show Troy, Erin, and Archana are talking about The Brigantine’s new concept Ketch Grill & Taps, South Park’s Fernside courtesy of some of San Diego’s top talents, and the US Grant’s soon-to-debut Prohibition era-themed bar inside the downtown hotel. Our guest is David Cohn of Cohn Restaurant Group, the man behind San Diego staples like Island Prime, Coasterra, Corvette Diner, Bo-Beau, The Prado, Tacos Libertad, and more. He talks about what it was like to launch in Hillcrest in less vibrant times, how he met CRG executive chef-partner Deborah Scott, and what’s changed about those plastic straws at Corvette.

Michelin star-level dumplings arrive in San Diego, and chef Bernard of The Marine Room Oct 03, 2018

Show notes

On today’s show, we’re talking about two buzzy new imports: the new dumpling restaurant that’s landed at Westfield UTC by way of Tawian, as well as Cava, the fast-casual Mediterranean concept that started in Washington, D.C. and recently opened an Encinitas outpost. Less exciting news is the closing of Russian-Georgian restaurant Kafe Sobaka and Cat Eye Club, the downtown cocktail lounge that has shuttered to make room for a Blind Burro expansion. In the guest seat is Bernard Guillas, the France-born chef who has served as Executive Chef of the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club since 1994, directing its three restaurants and all catering operations. He tells us how he and the restaurant keep things fresh, the number of marriage proposals he sees inside the restaurant daily, and the scoop on that sea lion who wound up inside The Marine Room. In Two People/$50, we’re recommending DaoFu, Vistal, Nine-Ten Restaurant and Bar, and Taegukgi Korean BBQ. And did you hear? San Diego Magazine has launched its Insiders club, offering exclusive discounts at editor-picked restaurants, bars, spas, and more for just $10 per month. That’s right—it’ll cost you less than happy hour.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

San Diego Magazine’s Happy Half Hour

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected