This college football season, Arizona football beat reporter Justin Spears is trying out popular restaurants in towns the Wildcats are playing in. The last food review location: San Diego — also known as America's Finest City.
SAN DIEGO — In the past, we've highlighted one restaurant in each city Arizona has traveled. Leading up to the Wildcats' 24-19 loss to SMU in the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl, we explored several food spots in San Diego and decided to turn it into a food tour.
Why a food tour? Why not?
Dozens of Arizona fans recommended Mexican food places such as El Indio, Tacos El Gordo, Trujillo's, The Taco Stand and Lolita's. Some of the seafood recommendations included Point Loma Seafood and Pacific Beach Fish Shop. Other suggestions were Ho Dad's (burgers) and Italian restaurants in Little Italy.
We wanted to highlight two food items San Diego is known for: burritos, seafood and fish and chips — and we completed the hat trick. We also added a bonus sweet treat. Without further ado, here's our final food review until the Wildcats visit Pullman, Washington to face Washington State in September.
Kono's Cafe
Food: Breakfast, burritos, burgers and sandwiches
The rundown: Kono's opened its cozy location near Crystal Pier at Pacific Beach in 1991 and has been considered one of San Diego's most popular breakfast spots. Patrons should expect to wait in line for at least 10-15 minutes. Seating inside and the adjacent patio is limited. Our recommended way of eating Kono's is standing on the pathway between Kono's and Pacific Beach. There's something serene about eating comfort food and hearing the sound of the Pacific Ocean waves.
The order: Egg burrito #5 (eggs, chorizo, jalapeños, green peppers, cheese and pica salsa in a flour tortilla) and a coffee.
The final verdict: It's a burrito that offers a spice kick, but it won't have you looking for the closest bottle of milk to cool off your tastebuds. The flour tortilla swaddles the ingredients like a blanket and not once did a piece of the burrito fall to the ground — and I was standing up. Additionally, I didn't have to use more than two two napkins to wipe grease and salsa off my hands. My heart will always belong to the breakfast burritos in Tucson, but San Diego is a true competitor in the burrito game. Former Star sports editor Ryan Finley, who's now at the San Diego Union-Tribune, is a Kono's enthusiast and he didn't steer us wrong. It's a solid 8.5/10.
Sportsmen's Seafood
Food: Seafood, fish and chips
The rundown: Located near Mission Bay and Mission Beach, Sportsmen's Seafood has been serving people in San Diego since 1965. They also have shrimp and chips, clams and chips and squid and chips.
The order: Fish and chips
The final verdict: Good fish and chips, like barbecue in Texas, can be found anywhere in San Diego. Sportsmen's waterfront establishment is the perfect setting to eat seafood or fish and chips. The fish and chips had an ideal breading-to-fish ratio and the fries were crisped. Paired with tartar sauce, lemon and hot sauce, it was a delicious lunch after attending a UA football event at SeaWorld San Diego. 7.3/10.
Brigantine Seafood and Oyster Bar
Food: Surf and turf
The rundown: Another waterfront restaurant in San Diego, Brigantine is located near downtown San Diego, the U.S.S. Midway and Seaport Village. The first Brigantine was opened on Shelter Island in 1969.
The order: Bacon-wrapped and crab-stuffed tiger shrimp with mashed potatoes, vegetables and jalapeño white sauce, with an Aloha IPA from Coronado Brewing.
The final verdict: It was either this or their signature marinated swordfish served with avocado lime butter or the Moroccan spiced salmon. If you're looking for a different twist on a surf-and-turf meal, bacon paired with crab-stuffed tiger shrimp rivals the traditional steak with fish. However, it's challenging to eat the bacon-wrapped shrimp with a fork and knife, but the battle is worth it. 8/10.
Iceskimo
Food: Shaved snow, waffles, coffee, milk tea
The rundown: What started as a weekend pop-up shop in 2014 has evolved into a San Diego chain that offers healthier asian dessert options.
The order: Ube mochi waffle (ube shaved snow, Oreo crumbs and mochi bites folded into a bubble waffle in a cup)
The final verdict: Ube is a purple yam that's grown in the Philippines. It has a vanilla-y and sweet flavor. Anything ube-flavored will have a purple color. Iceskimo also has purple-colored ube lattes. The ube mochi waffle was recommended by former This Is Tucson editor Gloria Knott and community sports editor Elvia Verdugo. Thank you, ladies. I was hoping the waffle would have more crisp, but then it probably wouldn't have folded in the cup. The ube-flavored ice cream — err, shaved snow is a taste that's hard to pinpoint. Is it vanilla? Pistachio? Coconut? Regardless, the ube shaved snow and waffle creation is a must-have pairing for anyone in San Diego. 8.1/10
Other food reviews this season
This Ain't Tucson: Trying the 'Tijuana Torpedo' at The Chuckbox in Tempe
This Ain't Tucson: Having a five-way at Skyline Chili in Cincinnati
This Ain't Tucson: Peanut butter bliss at 'World Famous Dark Horse' in Boulder
This Ain't Tucson: Houston's 'Trill Burgers' is bun-believable
This Ain't Tucson: The Great Plains serves 'Taco Pizza' to Iowa State fans in Ames
