Category

2121 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116. (619) 269-9662

http://farmhousecafesd.com/

I read about The Farm House Cafe in an article at http://www.signonsandiego.com/ and I just had to try it out. The cozy little cafe’s decor reminded me of another French restaurant (Bleu Boheme). There isn’t a lot of space inside… you can sit at one of their small tables or at the counter. There are also tables outside so you can enjoy a nice sunny day. The atmosphere is casual and relaxing. As I looked around, I noticed tables full of friends and families enjoying a lazy Sunday brunch. This place is definitely not like Denny’s, IHOP, or Coco’s. You’ll find the food to be much more sophisticated here.

I ordered the Pain Perdu - French Toast with Lavender Honey ($7). This was absolutely delicious! When it was first presented, I didn’t recognize it as French Toast. Why not? It was made with FRENCH BREAD! I think they take a baguette and cut it into one and a half inch thick slices. Like I said, more sophisticated than a chain restaurant. It is also available in a “petit” size for $5.

My friend Minoru ordered the Farm House Cafe Omelet ($7) with a side of Chicken Apple Sausage ($3). Of course I sampled everything The omelet was made with cheddar cheese and chives. It was very light and fluffy. The potato galette was practically the perfect hash browns. It was cooked, but not dry and crunchy like other restaurants. The sausage was tasty and not greasy at all.

The Farm House Cafe is a must try! The staff is very friendly and they offer delicious rustic country French cuisine at affordable prices!

http://bleuboheme.com/

4090 Adams Avenue, San Diego, CA 92116. (619) 255-4167

Ever since the Taste of Adams, I have been waiting for Bleu Boheme to open.  The sign said mid-July.  Well, it was a busy summer and you know how it goes…  Here we are in October and I finally made it to their French Restaurant.

Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah, JP Chenet 2004 ($6.50) - “spicy deep and flavorful with a great body and a lingering finish.”

Carre d’Agneau Provencal, Ratatouille et Pommes de Terre au Gratin ($21.50) - “roasted Rack of Lamb served with Nicoise Ratatouille and Gratin Potatoes finished with a Rosemary Jus.” Edmund says it was cooked just right, but he’s dying to go back and try the mussels. Someone at another table ordered the mussels and as it came out, we could see a mountain of steaming hot mussels. I tried some of the potatoes and they were great.

Saumon en Papillote sur lit de Ratatouille ($17.50) - “filet of Salmon, wrapped in Parchment Paper over a bed of Ratatouille.”  When my dinner was presented, I definitely thought it was interesting.  The parchment paper was twisted in a pretty fashion, but it hid my salmon.  There was intrigue…

The salmon was moist and delicious.  Part of the reason why I ordered this was because I’ve never had ratatouille before and having watched the movie, I felt like I needed to try it.  The potatoes were good and hearty, but I didn’t try the eggplant.

Plateau de Fromages, Miel en Cire d’Abeilles ($8.50) - “assorted French imported cheeses served with honey comb.” I was disappointed when the honey comb turned out to be just a little container of honey. I can’t remember the exact names of the five different cheeses, but one was a soft Brie and another was some sort of blue. There was a really strong cheese and I made the most horrific face as I tasted it.

Tarte aux Fraises ($6.50) - “Strawberry Tart.”  This isn’t normally on the menu.  For some reason, the souffle wasn’t available so they substituted with a strawberry tart.  I was looking forward to dessert, but there was nothing spectacular about the tart.  It was very ordinary from the crust to the custard and strawberries.

The staff was friendly. They wore white shirts with blue jeans. I’d recommend making reservations. When we showed up, the only available seating was outside and it started to get a little chilly. The decor inside seemed very rustic. It can be romantic with all of the candles that were lit. There’s a bar section that seemed quite popular. They have a pretty long wine list.

Try something different… Try some French cuisine… Try Bleu Boheme!

Taste: 8/10
Presentation: 4/5
Service/Atmosphere: 4/5
Total: 16/20

3805 5th Ave. San Diego, CA. (858) 404 - 0642.
http://www.sttropezbistro.com/

After hearing much meritted raves about this tiny place in Hillcrest, my friends finally took me there for lunch before I move away to college. The scenic walk through the flamboyant streets of Hillcrest with the warm breeze flowing through our hair only added to romantic setting. St. Tropez, if you don’t already know, is a village in France. Therefore, it was suiting that the restaurant be adorned with paintings and colors of the warm French Riviera. I fell inlove with the lamppost directly in the middle of the restaurant which pulled the whole place together nicely. Diners could either eat outside, at the bar, in booths, or tables. Murals of blue skies and birds enveloped the ceilings as various paintings and photographs hung against the vibrant walls.

The menu had a great variety of European cuisine, from salads to pasta to paninis. What I enjoyed the most was that each dish had an accompaining wine suggested by the restaurant. The girls and I decided we’d each have paninis (or sandwich). Diana and I ordered the Monaco while Amber and Gina opted for the more unique St. Tropez.

The Monaco, which was preferred by the waiter, includes grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, mozzeralla, and topped off with fresh pesto. The St. Tropez also had grilled chicken, lettuce, and tomato, but had a nice spread of eggs, mustard, and mayo. Each panini is served with salad with your choice of cesar, ranch, or vinegrette dressing. Both are heated sandwiches.

I’ll start off with the salad. It was incredibly CRISP and FRESH, almost beautiful. The cucumber was the sweetest I’d ever tasted and the tomato had a unique zest to it. Sprinkled with cheese and light cesar dressing, the salad it was a delightful start to a masterpiece meal.

The panini I must say was absolutely gorgeous. The wheat bread was perfectly toasted to a light crisp, none of the crunchy, hard bread that not only scratches, but mutilates the roof of your mouth, thank God. The pesto was a great way to somewhat moisten the whole sandwich, while the chicken itself was very moist and flavorful. The melted cheese was a wonderful touch to teh sandwich. I LOVE it when melted cheese drapes from your food like streamers (you know like in pizza commercials). Not only was I filled after the first half of the sandwich, but I felt very clean, fresh, and healthy.

Afterwards, we ordered dessert and settled on what we thought would be a mundane chocolate crepe (I had suggested the more exotic fruit crepe). But once the mountain of chocolate, crepe, whipped cream, and powdered sugar was placed in front of us, it was anything but mundane. The chocolate sauce that filled the thin, light crepes was still warm and melted in your mouth along with the cold whipped cream. It was like art!

Overall, I would have to say that St. Tropez has it ALL. I looked through the breakfast menu along with the appetizers, dinner, drinks, and dessert menu and this place offers such a wide mouth-savoring variety! I think their speciality is crepes: savory AND sweet. This place was affordable AND delicious! It is hardly ever “crowded” yet it feels warm and comforting like a well, authetic european bistro should. There are several other locations around San Diego, including La Jolla and Mission Valley if Hillcrest doesn’t float your boat!

Two thumbs up and a HOORAY for St. Tropez! (wow that kinda rhymed. I’m genius)

Taste: 8.5/10
Presentation: 3.5/5
Service: 5/5
Total: 17/20

Once again, this is Susan for Oh-So Yummy Reviews saying “Mahalo.”