San Diego Magazine's Happy Half Hour

Latest Episodes:

Ep 63: Mendocino Farms opens a second location and the Taste of North Park event revs up Sep 20, 2017

Show notes

On today’s Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram are talking about the latest restaurant news, like second locations for both Nomad Donuts (North Park) and Mendocino Farms (Del Mar). And we’re joined by Angela Landsberg, Executive Director of the North Park Main Street association, which is hosting the Taste of North Park, a dining and drinking event on October 14 with food from Crazee Burger, Tamarindo, and more, plus 16 craft brewers, like Modern Times Beer and Thorn Street Brewery. (Word to the wise: The event always sells out!) Today’s guest is Claire Groebner, Development Coordinator at Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, a seven-acre garden in National City that provides nutrition education, cooking classes, and other health-focused resources to the public, particularly in the South Bay. Claire explains why National City is a “food swamp” and what Olivewood is doing to shift the perspective through kids’ field trips, gardening lessons, and open house events (the next one is September 29!). Also, she tells us the story of one of their “kitchenistas” who just opened this restaurant. In hot topics, we’re chatting about the ongoing legal battle over the term “natural.” And we share our recommendations for Two People/$50, including Dumpling Inn, Little Lion, Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, and Plant Power Food.

Ep 62: Born & Raised opens in Little Italy, and restaurateur Terryl Gavre stops by Sep 14, 2017

Show notes

In today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram are chatting about the latest local restaurant news, including the opening of Little Italy’s Born & Raised, a swanky steakhouse housed in a gorgeous space that cost $6.5 million to build out. Plus, Plant Power Food has debuted a drive-thru in Encinitas. Today’s sponsor is the Taste of North Park, a dining and drinking event taking place October 14 with food from Crazee Burger, Tamarindo, and more, plus 16 craft brewers, like Modern Times Beer and Thorn Street Brewery. (Word to the wise: The event always sells out!) Mike Hess of the namesake brewery stops by to tell us all about North Park’s evolution and why this event matters. Joining us for the guest segment is restaurateur and self-proclaimed “cook” (she doesn’t call herself a “chef”) Terryl Gavre. The seasoned vet of San Diego’s restaurant scene opened downtown’s Café 222 25 years ago with money earned from a screenplay she sold to Lifetime (true story!) and went on to open Market in Del Mar, Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant, Acme Southern Kitchen, Bake Sale, and more. She gives us the scoop on what it was like to live and work downtown when she first opened 222, and she reveals her one biggest gripe with our city’s restaurant landscape. Plus, we’re talking about how Whole Foods is faring after the Amazon acquisition and why drinking coffee makes you crave a donut. And we share our recommendations for Two People/$50, including Hane Sushi and Bistro du Marché.

Ep 61: Snooze opens in La Jolla, The Red Door’s Trish Watlington talks Farm to Fork week Aug 31, 2017

Show notes

On today’s Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram are coming at you live from Petco’s headquarters in Rancho Bernardo. We’re talking the latest local restaurant news, including the new Snooze that just opened in La Jolla, a dim sum restaurant that just debuted on Convoy, and Green Flash Brewing Co.’s expansion to the Midwest. Joining us Trish Watlington, owner of Mission Hills's The Red Door and Bar by Red Door. She’s also the force behind Farm to Fork week, a discounted dining event, which highlights small restaurants, farms, wineries, and breweries who are loyal to local purveyors. Farm to Fork returns September 9 with a kick-off event at the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. Plus, we’re talking about the rising trend of low-waste cocktails and news that Americans are buying more food at Wal-Mart. And we share our recommendations for Two People/$50, including James Coffee Co., Amarin Thai, and Biga.

Ep 60: Cannabis dinners are trending, and chef Steve Brown of Cosecha stops by Aug 24, 2017

Show notes

In today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson, along with producer Archana Ram are coming at you live from Petco’s headquarters in Rancho Bernardo. We’re talking the latest local restaurant news, like the new Carruth Cellars Wine Garden in Little Italy and the opening of a new burger spot on the SDSU campus (and yes, they have whiskey at this location, too). Our guest is chef Steve Brown, an Imperial Beach native. He’s a big part of the South Bay uprising, with his dinner pop-up series Cosecha, Temp° in Chula Vista opening next month and Bar Logan debuting in Barrio Logan by the end of the year. As if he weren’t busy enough, he also has plans for a two-story eatery in Imperial Beach. Plus, we’re talking about the rising trend of cannabis-infused dinners. Brown tells us why it’s not as simple as “throwing in weed butter and calling it a day.” And we share our recommendations for Two People/$50, including Pali Wine Co., Surati Farsan, Karina’s Seafood, and Solare.

Ep 59: Target Express may come to North Park, and Modern Times’ quality manager Morgan Tenwick Aug 16, 2017

Show notes

On today’s Happy Half Hour, Troy Johnson, David Martin, and Archana Ram are talking the latest dining and drinking news, like the prospect of Target Express coming to North Park and Salt & Straw’s winter debut in San Diego. Plus, The Goods coffee and donut shop hits Carlsbad, and Smoking Gun is now open in the Gaslamp. Today’s special guest is Morgan Tenwick, Modern Times’s quality manager and the only female advanced cicerone in the world. She talks nerdy to us about yeast, fermentation, cell counts, and just how many gallons of beer Modern Times has had to dump for quality control (spoiler alert: not much). She also tells us what it’s like to work in her male-dominated industry. Fun fact: females were the first brewers. Plus, the Moscow Mule mug may kill you, and Oprah is launching her own brand of packaged foods.

Ep 58: Nomad Donuts new spot, Eppig Brewing heads to Point Loma, and White Labs joins us Aug 09, 2017

Show notes

In today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson are talking the opening of a new Nomad Donuts, Point Loma’s newest beer tenant, and a wine tasting room now open in Little Italy. On our show is Karen Fortmann of White Labs, a local company that specializes in pure liquid yeast and fermentation products. Translation: White Labs makes homebrewing that much better for the rest of us. She talks about the science behind the booze and how they were able to pitch 96 different yeast strains into one beer. Plus, are milennials killing the beer industry?

Ep 57: A streak of recent restaurant closures and Matthew Lyons of Tribute Pizza Aug 03, 2017

Show notes

In today’s episode of Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith and Troy Johnson are talking all about a spate of restaurant closures, including Bice downtown and Tasting Room Del Mar. On the bright side, charming neighborhood spot Counterpoint in Golden Hill is still going strong; chef Chris Osbourne (ex-Cowboy Star, Pendry) has joined the team. Today’s special guest is Matthew Lyons, owner of Tribute Pizza and winner for Best Pizza Variety in this month’s Best of San Diego cover story. He talks about starting as a pop-up operation to cooking up some of the best pies in town in a historic North Park space.

Ep 56 - Pendry Hotel serves up a champagne-bong, and what’s coming next to the Gaslamp Jul 26, 2017

Show notes

We’re bringing you today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour from Provisional Kitchen, Café & Mercantile at The Pendry hotel in Gaslamp. Joining hosts Erin Chambers Smith, Troy Johnson, and producer Archana Ram is assistant food and beverage director Tiffany McClintock and chef Stefan Schleigh. They tell us all about Provisional’s new summer menu and what exactly a chambong is. Today’s special guest is Michael Trimble, executive director of the Gaslamp Association. Our historic downtown neighborhood is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, so Michael takes a look back at how far the area has come, what’s debuting next, and what it’s like to have 25,000 people wander the Gaslamp during Comic-Con. We’re also sharing restaurant recommendations, including Juniper & Ivy, The Monkey King, and Las Cuatro Milpas.

The Pendry is elevating bar food, and Convention Center’s Exec Chef on catering Comic-Con Jul 20, 2017

Show notes

We’re bringing you today’s episode straight from Nason’s Beer Hall at The Pendry hotel in the Gaslamp. Joining hosts Erin Chambers Smith, Troy Johnson, and producer Archana Ram is Pendry's Executive Sous Chef Matthew Dickey. He tells us about the elevated bar food menu and beer selection at Nason’s, plus their most in-demand dishes. Pro tip: Get the soft pretzel. We open the show with restaurant news, including the Italian eatery Maretalia on Coronado and two eateries headed to La Jolla Village. Today’s special guest is Daryl O’Donnell, the executive chef for the San Diego Convention Center a.k.a. the man helping feed thousands at Comic-Con. He’s full of fun facts—they bought 20,000 hot dogs for Comic-Con and have a Willy Wonka-style contest happening this weekend—and is fiercely committed to sustainability. Nothing goes in the trash in his kitchen; it’s either composted or donated to the San Diego Rescue Mission. We’re also discussing bacon prices are going up, pork belly lovers. We end the show with Two People/$50, including BeeSalt Balcony Tribute Pizza. Bar Bodega, Harney Sushi, and Salud.

Ep. 54 Photographer slash slow food activist Jaime Fritsch stops by Jul 12, 2017

Show notes

In today’s episode of the Happy Half Hour, hosts Erin Chambers Smith, Troy Johnson, and producer Archana Ram talk restaurant openings, like a healthy food café now open in La Jolla, the Horton Grand Hotel’s new restaurant, and Viewpoint Brewing Co. debuting next week in Del Mar. Today’s special guest is Jaime Fritsch, a local photographer with a passion for food, sustainability, and responsible sourcing. He tells us all about what it’s like to work with Javier Plascencia—Fritsch shot the chef’s new cookbook, The Soul of Baja—and hosting the controversial dinner event, Death for Food. Plus, he explains why Bracero really closed.

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