48 San Diego Reader February 25, 2016
Vegetarian territory
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Want a beer with that? The Compass, 300 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carls- bad. According to the website for Carlsbad Village gastropub the Compass, “Sometimes drunken conversations become a reality.” Not surprisingly, the reality of this two-blocks-from-the-beach restaurant is a full bar plus plenty of wine and a craft-beer tap list. On the gastro side of things, the effort to pro-
FEAST!
vide better-than-average eats skews into relatively healthy, even vegetarian territory. Not only does its elevated pub-fare menu offer a few legit sal- ads, but shareable appetizers include tempura squash blossoms, organic snap peas, and porto- bello fries, while a quinoa burger backs up the house beef blend. Grante d, that ’s
assuming you aren’t tempted by the many meaty options. The most stand-out option among first plates — perhaps the entire menu — is the house- made corn dogs featur- ing bacon-wrapped, cheddar-stuffed brat- wursts. In other words, the place caters to groups of people with different cravings. Some may lean toward the fried green tomato and ahi tuna stack, others will be more enamored of the pork belly banh mi. I swung by for a late lunch on a windy day.
more than the short-rib grilled cheese, served with grilled onions and horseradish aioli on a ciabatta. On a menu featuring naturally raised beef and chicken, this became my tender and cheesy choice at $11, including fries. Beer-wise, I had more to consider. The 20 taps featured a range of good, mostly So Cal beers, but at $6 or $7 a pour, that priced me out of a lunchtime beverage. A shame, because turns out the
grilled cheese could have used some flavor to pair with. As finely
cooked as the beef was, it wanted more flavor, and neither the cheddar nor even the aioli contributed enough. I suspect a pilsner or blonde ale would’ve propped it up nicely.
by Ian Anderson Hard to say no to a short rib grilled cheese
Delectable bones D’Carlos, 1347 Main Street, Ramona. Some of you may remember that a while back I under- took an epic journey throughout the county in search of barbecue. I found good and bad in ample amounts, but the ordeal was so strenuous (I was defamed and condemned to eter- nal damnation in the process), that I took a long break from ribs and brisket. That break is over as
Since the windows face east, to the interior of the Village Faire shopping center, they were wide open, allowing plenty of sunlight and only a hint of ocean breeze. Basically, a perfect afternoon setting to catch up with an old friend. Many menu items had me curious, but none
of now, because I must speak up about the beef bones at D’Carlos. Yes. That’s right, Ramona’s horse-themed “Murican” restaurant dishes up a kick-ass beef rib. I do not know why D’Carlos has such exqui-
site bones or how the kitchen achieves this feat of slow-cooked mastery. My assumption is that the bones remain behind after the prep for the restaurant’s nightly prime rib dinners, which explains why they’re trimmed down a bit more
Pure, tender succulence.
than they might otherwise be, but the specifics of their preparation elude me. However it goes, the result is pure, tender succulence covered in a deep, all-over bark of crackling goodness. Maybe it’s that I spent the bulk of 2015 out-
side the U.S. and have been far removed from barbecue, but D’Carlos’ beef bones call out to me with a siren song and I am powerless but to throw myself upon the rocks and be dashed to barbecued smithereens. Also, anyone who makes the trip up the hill
(or any locals prone to swing through), do try the Hellanback Rancher’s Classic while it lasts. Made right there in Ramona, it drinks like a decent Bordeaux and has a lot more going on than a lot of similarly priced SoCal wines.
by Ian Pike
Raw fish and more Ceviche House, 4594 30th Street, University Heights. This small counter shop specializes in Peruvian seafood dishes tiradito (raw fish) and ceviche (raw fish cured in citrus juices). Organic and fresh-caught local ingredients are the norm, and all dishes are made to order. They call it Ceviche House, but it’s really more
a ceviche small storefront in an old shopping strip. It’s got a 30th Street North Park address, but it’s a little far north to be part of the burgeoning hipness at 30th and El Cajon and a little south of
the burgeoning hipness at 30th and Adams. Ce v i ch e Hou s e
opened in December, the work of young chef Juan Carlos Recamier and his wife Viviana. After a few years work- ing the farmers’ market circuit, they’ve outfitted this tiny counter shop with white subway tile and the works of a local artist. They put a couple tables and chairs on the sidewalk and dressed the de facto patio with suc- culents. They sell natu- ral sodas and kombucha.
All very nice stuff, but looking from the outside
in, it still looks like a small storefront in an old shopping strip. Which makes me wonder, Do I want to eat uncooked fish here? Yes, I do. They source fresh catch daily from
Catalina Offshore or directly from local fish- ermen most of us only encounter at the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market on Saturdays. There’s a seasonally rotating selection of white fish, tuna, salmon, and shrimp. Out of consideration for a guy like me who can’t do shrimp, they even set up separate stations so shellfish never touches non-shellfish dishes. Aside from its ceviche menu, the shop offers
tiradito, Peruvian-style raw fish that falls some- where between sashimi and crudo, which can be traced back to Japanese immigration to Peru that started in the 19th century. There you’ll find a salmon carpaccio and a twist on chile relleno involving bigeye tuna and charred pob- lano pepper. I gravitated to the Mexican Sashimi, a $14
trio of raw salmon, tuna, and yellowtail served over julienned carrots, cucumber, and jicama. You won’t find nine pieces of sashimi at this low of a price at a Japanese restaurant. That said, the sashimi tag invites an unfair comparison, as neither the quality of fish nor the knifework can compare to what you get at a good sushi spot. This dish also suffered in comparison to the other half of this lunchtime order, the Ensenada-
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