I apologize in advance for not taking any photos on my weekend trip. My first evening in California, I fell flat on my face on the beach (couldn’t see one of those awful wires that mark the areas for beach volleyball). My phone hasn’t been itself since it flew out of my pocket at that time, so I tried to use it as little as possible.
Turns out Encinitas and environs are not a Hound paradise, but they do have some solid options. We got in late Friday afternoon and lucked into what might be the best deal in town: the weekday happy hour at Herb & Sea. They have a special called The Happy Meal which consists of three fresh oysters, a tasty 8 oz smashburger, a nice portion of good fries, and a glass of champagne, all for $20. The happy hour is literally just one hour long, 5-6PM, so it seems like you have to be at the door by 4:30 to have a decent shot at a seat. We rolled up at 5:30 and there weren’t even any spots at the community table, but we got very lucky. A couple who were planning to meet friends there got a call that their friends couldn’t make it just as we were being turned away, so they invited us to join them. Delightful.
We walked along the beach a bit after that, and then got ice cream at local favorite, Cali Creamery. Not the best ice cream ever, but good. There are tons of flavor options, and their single scoops are like 3 scoops anywhere else. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area, especially if you’re with children.
The next morning we made the mistake of trying one of the classic-diner-looking spots on the central boulevard. Horrible. I didn’t know any biscuits could be that bad or that griddle potatoes could be nicely crusted and still taste like absolutely nothing. You’re much better off going further inland or down the coast, or just getting bread and coffee at a cafe. For dinner, Buona Forchetta was just fine, but nothing memorable. A friend’s espresso martini that I took a taste of was the best I’ve ever tasted though.
Our second full day brought better meals. Brunch at Waverly in Cardiff was fantastic. Definitely try the lamb shawarma breakfast wrap. They also have delicious creative cocktails.
And the food highlight of our visit was Sāgo right on that main tourist drag of Encinitas. It’s a dark, moody Southeast Asian-fusion place with stylish tropical jungle-themed decor, terrific cocktails, and amazing food. The cucumber-sesame salad, the coconut milk ceviche, the roast duck nasi goreng, and the Vietnamese coffee tiramisu were standouts.
The best morning coffee we had was at Necessity Coffee.
On the way out, we passed through San Diego again, but it was a Monday and we were only able to eat at around 3, so a lot of places were closed. We settled on Lola 55, a somewhat bougie taco place whose chef beat Bobby Flay in a fish taco challenge. The tacos were fresh and wholesome-tasting with excellent condiments. Next time we’re in the area, we will probably go there first, meet friends, and have cocktails. It seemed like the perfect place to launch a San Diego visit. Their happy hour has some decent deals too, and they always have a couple of flavors of housemade gelato. The gelato looked sublime, but we were too full to even think of it.
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