Benihana

Every time I eat Japanese food, there is always something new either in the Japanese cuisine or in the way the food is prepared. This is especially the case at Benihana, located at 477 Camino Del Rio South. Benihana is not just about food, but also presentation and entertainment. Benihana designed their restaurants so that the chef will cook right in front of you (which is called Teppanyaki). I went to eat at Benihana around lunch time and I had their Lunch special: the Beef Julienne Lunch Boat (around $9.50 ) which comes with shrimp and vegetable tempura, sashimi, (3)half California Roll, edamame, onion soup, salad, steamed rice and fresh fruit. Just to caution, If you do order this item, it will not be made in front of you, as well the ½ Crunchy Roll ($4.15). I didn’t realize that, but I did order the Hibachi Chicken Rice (around $3.25) which is prepared in front of you.



When I regularly eat Japanese food, or any food cuisine at a restaurant, I never see the food being made. So at Benihana it’s a real treat to see the food being made. The chef will actually play with the food by making the fried rice into the shape of a heart or Mickey Mouse! Even with the onions, they create a volcano and put some water and create steam. It is definitely entertaining.







Now how about the food? I first received their onion soup. It was like a chicken broth with green onions and some crunchy fried onions. Overall the soup was a bit tasteless; the best part was the fried onions.


Next was the Crunchy roll, which had avocado, cucumber, crab, and tempura crumbs. All I could taste was the crunch. It had flavor, but to me it was pretty bland for a sushi. I also ordered the California roll which had a similar filling and it was a tad better than the Crunchy roll.




I don’t think I had the best sushi at Benihana, but what made up for the sushi I ate was the Lunch Boat. My food actually came in a boat with several food items in it. The first item I ate was the tempura, which was very crunchy and really good. Since tempura is a fried food, I was surprised that the tempura wasn’t greasy. What was even more of a surprise was the mushroom tempura, which was the best of all the tempura. A soft texture fired to perfection, it truly was an amazing dish. I then ate the sashimi, which is raw fish. This was the new item I leaned in Japanese cuisine. I want to say this is the extreme version of sushi. Sushi is raw fish with rice and other ingredients rolled up in seaweed. Sashimi is just the raw fish with no other ingredients involved. I had salmon and tuna sashimi. Since this was my first experience with sashimi, it was actually interesting. It was really good, but what made it interesting was the texture; it felt flaky and sort of smooth. I think it was delicious and you should try it if you love sushi. The next thing was the main event, the Beef Julienne. The Beef was juicy and very flavorful, but some small slices of the beef were a bit dry. The beef was soft and had a balanced flavor to it. The last thing was also the highlight, and that was the Hibachi Chicken Rice or as everyone knows it: fried rice. Benihana is famous for its fried rice. The rice has eggs, chicken, carrots, onions, rice, butter and garlic sauce. This rice is so delicious with a buttery coating. The chefs also have the most fun cooking with the fried rice.

Overall this restaurant is enjoyable. It has excellent presentation, friendly service (Its all about the chefs), and pretty good food. I do have to admit their sushi was not good at all, but since their sashimi was really good, I would give them one more shot to impress me with their sushi! The main attraction of Benihana is having fun while eating good Japanese food. I don't think that the food is authentic Japanese food, but its pretty close. You are paying, not for the authenticity, but for the entertainment.


Taste: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Amazing


Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield

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Crepe World

As you have seen, I have visited Kearney Mesa a lot in this blog, but I found this French cuisine in the heart of an Asian community. The restaurant, Crepe World, can be found on 4646 Convoy St. I have been a loyal patron of Crepe World, but the problem is that I only get this one item that is so good and is a perfect dessert to finish the day.

The Fruit Crepe with coconut Ice Cream and Nutella ($4.48) is really good. I can’t emphasize this enough but this dessert is really good. The coconut ice cream is milky and creamy and sticks nicely to the thick chocolaty and nutty Nutella. Then they put these ingredients on top of a hot crepe, which melts everything, and top it with strawberries and fold it all together. Its sweet, cold, hot, thick and creamy all in one dessert.

The only drawback at eating at Crepe World is the plastic utensils. It’s such a pain to eat a crepe with a plastic fork and a plastic knife. It makes you work hard for your dessert. If you are having a bad day, those utensils wont help your day eating a perfectly good dessert. I recommend bringing your own fork and knife. If you have never had crepes before, then this is a good place to start. Even though not authentic, they're great crepes nonetheless. 

Taste: 5/5

Quality: 5/5

Service: N/A

Overall: Fantastic

Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield

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Miso Harney Sushi

Sadly I was really hungry that I 

forgot to take the picture of the

Hawaii 5-0

When you go to a restaurant you want to go and eat food and have a fun time. Miso Harney Sushi not only does that but more. Found at 301 Mission Ave in Oceanside, the restaurant had a party theme to it. Although technically it isn't a club, it has a club atmosphere. To me this is a plus since I really don’t want to go to a restaurant to party. I want to go to a restaurant and eat really good food, and Harney Sushi fulfills these expectations.

So how is Harney Sushi a club atmosphere without the club? It has to do with the ambiance and the crowd. At a comfortable level, they play music of all types from oldies to dance to pop. The music makes you want to dance and enjoy the experience. The music was controlled by a DJ who was doing exceptionally well. The whole look of the restaurant is modern and sleek. The service was pretty good, always being ready to serve our drinks and to see if we were ok with our dishes.

The food was also up to par with the restaurant, they just had crazy names for their sushi! Examples of their specialty rolls are: the Hawaii 5-0, Hippie Roll, and even the Chuck Norris Roll. Since this was the first time I ever went to Harney Sushi, I didn’t know what to get and the names were definitely not helping. I ordered the second thing on the list, the Hawaii 5-0 ($16 dollars). It had eel sauce, cream cheese, tuna sashimi, avocado and some spicy sauce. I ordered around 8:30 pm and received my sushi in ten minutes. The sushi was actually really good and was so smooth. When I say smooth, I mean the sushi goes down your throat nicely and you can feel this slickness in your mouth. The sushi was smooth because it has great combinations. The avocado, the cream cheese and the tuna sashimi not only made the roll actually smooth, but also made it taste really good. The sushi also had a sweet, refreshing taste to it.

Not the Hawai 5-0, but the crunchy Roll

The only problem is the pricing. The cheapest sushi is about 5.50, while the most expensive is18.50. The Hawaii 5-0 itself was expensive, costing sixteen bucks while only getting 8 rolls. I know I did not get filled up with this dish only. If you don’t have a lot of money and if you're very hungry, then you might not be too happy with this restaurant. But if you are a sushi connoisseur, you will want to try Harney Sushi. 


Taste: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Fantastic



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Extraordinary Desserts

Its been said that anything less than extraordinary is a waste of time. As food critics, we hold these words dear to our hearts, because we cant afford to waste the time of our readers. Therefore we jumped at the opportunity to review a place known as Extraordinary Desserts in downtown San Diego (1430 Union St.). We strongly encourage all to give them a visit. We promise, it's well worth your time! Here's what we found:

Pineapple White Chocolate Cookie (2.50)
This scrumptious cookie was well worth every cent. The combination of white chocolate, macadamia nuts, and thick pineapple bits made this cookie unique, and frankly unforgettable. The cookie was dense and bursting with Hawaiian-like flavors due to the pineapples and macadamia nuts. The white chocolate chunks add a subtle sweetness to the cookie without overpowering it. If you're on a budget but want to enjoy a taste of the good life, this cookie is your ticket to paradise! 

Blood Orange Ricotta Cake (6.50) 
Next we switch gears a bit and discuss a member of the ever-expanding cake family: the sponge. The Blood Orange Ricotta cake is a light, fluffy and smooth sponge cake. The blood orange flavors, while first barely noticeable, are bursting through the frosting, and become even more apparent when consumed along with the ricotta and cranberry filling. This cake was nothing short of refreshing, almost palate cleansing. If anything, it left a remarkably fresh taste, leaving us with cravings for more.
White Chocolate Linzen Torte (7.95)
The torte is a very fascinating dessert, most of which are indigenous of Austria and Hungary. They are moist cakes which are packed with nuts. The White Chocolate Linzen torte from Extraordinary Desserts strikes the perfect balance of nutty crunch and moist decadence. The moist cake, coupled with the creamy white chocolaty center made this cake nearly irresistible! To our surprise, the center of the cake slice also held a light, crunchy, nutty meringue which nicely complemented the rich flavors of the torte. The cake was served with a drizzle of raspberry jam, which admittedly was very good, but may have been a bit superfluous. The raspberry jam was a sweet addition, but this rich, moist torte definitely can stand alone without the help of the jam. All in all the White Chocolate Linzen torte was every bit worth 7.95. For all the savvy epicureans out there, this internationally- inspired dessert is just what you've been looking for! 

Dulce De Leche  (8.95)
In perfect honesty, there was one dessert that we tried that didn't quite meet the standards of "extraordinary". With the Dulce de Leche, the bottom layer has a crisp layer like Rice Krispies. The whole look and decorum makes the dessert look amazing. The taste though was not up to par. If you are a chocolate lover then you will actually like this cake. But if you don’t like chocolate on chocolate and layers of chocolate, then you wont like it. It’s too rich with chocolate and was really too sweet.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. When it comes to Extraordinary Desserts, what sets them above the rest is their seamless amalgamation of ingredients and flavors which leave you and your taste buds leaping for joy! Their consistent attention to detail simply makes them one of the best places to enjoy a dessert in this city. Next time you find yourself in downtown San Diego, why not give Extraordinary Desserts a visit? Be warned: the lines are long and the crowds are large, but as we've discussed, this is no waste of time.


Taste: 4.5/5
Quality: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Overall: Amazing


Critic: Mikery Hatfield, Joshua Villalpando
Editor: MIkery Hatfield



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Dumpling Inn

One of the best places I ever ate for Chinese is the Dumpling Inn. Located at 4619 Convoy St # F San Diego, this is one of the craziest places to eat, what I believe, is true authentic Chinese food. The Dumpling Inn utilizes a wide variety of food, ranging from regular white rice and soy sauce to the most extreme, like jellyfish. The actual restaurant is really small and hidden from plain sight. Since I was with a big group, we ordered a lot of things, so here we go:


Pork Pot stickers ($6.95), Jellyfish Salad ($7.25), Beef Curry Dumpling ($4.95), Spicy Eggplant with Garlic Sauce ($9.95), Da-lu Mein ($8.50), Sea bass with Black Bean Sauce ($11.50) and finally Chicken Pan Fried Noodles ($10.25).


I would not recommend getting potstickers at a dumpling restaurant. It was good, but not worth it. To me they were potstickers that can be found anywhere. One side was crunchy and the rest was chewy, sort of doughy. The pork was subtle and enjoyable.

Jellyfish Salad

The jellyfish was the craziest thing I ever ate, but it was surprisingly delicious!  It wasn’t the best of the night, but it was memorable.  The jellyfish actually reminded me a bit of chicken. In no way does it taste like chicken, but the texture is like the cartilage of the chicken. Its soft, chewy and it is crunchy. The actual flavor of a jellyfish is neutral. I don’t think it has flavor at all, but they put a lot of flavor in it. They dressed it up with vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce and with cucumbers and carrots. This dish is well worth ordering.

The beef curry dumpling was an all fried dumpling, which makes it crunchy. The filling had curry and ground beef. The curry wasn't overpowering which is nice especially for people who hate spicy food. It was pleasantly delicious.


I am very picky with the next item and that is the eggplant. Eggplant can’t be squishy or soft because then it becomes nasty. But this dish is just the opposite, with a kick. I didn’t realize that the eggplant was spicy. The garlic sauce and spiciness of the chee swan makes an awesome combination. Not only does it have eggplant, but also has noodles, pork and bamboo. This has to be one of the best dishes of the night.
The Da-Lu dish was more bizarre than the jellyfish salad. It was like a thick soup, which has egg drops and chewy mushrooms. It had a bland taste which made the dish not worth it.
The only fish dish I had was the Sea Bass with Black Bean Sauce. This fish dish was amazing. It seasoned perfectly and had a variety of flavors and ingredients. It has green peppers, onions, the seabass, and black bean sauce. The onions made the dish sweet and the fish was flaky but not to the point of being dry. It was very delicious with a kick of flavors.


The last dish can only be described as metamorphosis. The chicken pan fried noodles had chicken, fried noodles, buck chow, broccoli, and carrots. The reason the dish changed was that the noodles were hard and crispy, but later on it absorbs the sauce and became soft. This was also a very good dish because the variety of ingredients and the crunchiness and softness.


In the end, this restaurant is one the best authentic Chinese food places in San Diego and should definitely be considered next time you're in the mood for Chinese. It’s not like other Chinese restaurants like Panda Inn where it is fine cuisine, but the soul food of China. Simple and complex all in each dish they served. Even the restaurant is modest but it doesn’t affect the food.


Taste: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: Fantastic


Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor: Mikery Hatfield


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New Editor: Mikery Hatfield

I notice that I really suck when it comes to writing. This is a dilemma because I need to describe food the best way I can without grammatical errors or misunderstandings in what i mean. This is why Tasty Food in San Diego has brought in a new editor to make the writing understandable. Mikery Hatfield is an exceptional writer and here is his bio:

In my opinion, food is the most unifying aspects of human relationship. It has the power to bring those with racial, social and even geographical differences together to enjoy doing something that we all love: eating! I joined this blog because i believe in the power of food, and I wanted to be apart of something which appreciates that power. As an award-winning writer and food enthusiast, Tasty Foods in San Diego is right where I belong. - Mikery Hatfield

Stardust Donut Shop

Doughnuts have to be the quintessential component of American indulgence. According to one study, over 10 billion doughnuts are consumed each year in this country. In dollar terms, we're looking at roughly two billion dollars a year! There is no doubt that people love these small round guilty pleasures. But whether you love to indulge yourself in the chocolate dipped ones, the glazed twisted, or even a good old cinnamon roll, there's only one place in our neck of the woods that’s worth the guilt. That place is Stardust Doughnuts. Located at 698 California 75, this doughnut shop is most definitely the pride and joy of Imperial Beach. Stardust is definitely a "hole in the wall joint" in every sense of the phrase. The tiny shack-like building sits on the corner of the street, and it has space enough only for the two owners and the baking equipment they use to make magic happen. Those who aren't deterred by the seemingly brash exterior are immediately rewarded with some of the best breakfast treats in the South Bay. One taste and you realize how these doughnuts truly are the diamonds in the rough. 

The two most wanted doughnuts at the shop are the classic Buttermilk twist and their famous cinnamon roll. Both are reasonably priced at eighty-five cents.

The Buttermilk twist is a thick moist doughnut with a light crunch. The icing on top makes this doughnut close to irresistible. The only thing I would say about it is that the dough may seem a bit too thick. Make sure your milk is handy.

No doubt though, the BEST doughnut from the best doughnut shop has to be the cinnamon roll. The cinnamon roll is more of a doughnut than a traditional cinnamon roll. When you think of a cinnamon roll, you think of a big, puffy, over glazed bread. Not this cinnamon roll. This roll is a moderate size compared to a cinnamon roll like at Cinnabon. When biting the roll, it has a soft melting effect. The icing can hardly be seen on the doughnut, but becomes noticeable when taking a bite of the roll each time.

The only bad part of this doughnut shop is that they are totally unreliable. They open whenever they want and close when they don’t have any more doughnuts. Also, they are not open on Sundays and Mondays. The customer service is also horrible. On their bad days, the two doughnut makers can become really grumpy to the customers.

In the end, it’s all about the doughnuts, and these are the best in San Diego with affordable prices. Each doughnut they have can melt in your mouth and leave you begging for more. At first glance, it may look like a terrible place to eat a doughnut, but in reality it’s one of the best in San Diego.


Taste: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Service: 2/5
Overall: Very Good


Critic: Joshua Villalpando
Editor and Enhancer: Mikery Hatfield



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