Author: Judi Curry

Restaurant Review

Ortega’s Cocina
4888 Newport Ave.
San Diego, CA 92107
619-222-4205

Ever since Rancho’s closed, I have been craving Mexican food. That used to be my “go to” place and I have felt lost without them. I tried Nati’s, but it was too “gringoized” for me, and the service was not good.

I saw where people had written on Face Book that Ortega’s was a good substitute for Rancho’s, so with a new friend, Frank (not my editor-dude Frank) we embarked on an eating journey that I hoped would satisfy my craving.

Like Rancho’s, they have an extensive menu, with Appetizers

For the life of me I cannot understand why there is still going to be an inauguration later this week. The papers regaled us this past weekend – and practically every day – with more and more dishonesty emanating from the President-Elect. The fact checkers are on overload, checking the lies that are being told and yet nothing – absolutely nothing – is being done to prevent this monster from ruining our country.

If you haven’t been following the news, here are just a few samples:

• FEC fingers Donald Trump for $19 million in illegal fundraising- Illegal campaign contributions –

That report dated January 10th, 2017 has also been posted on the FEC official website and is available for public consumption.

• Trump’s most dangerous conflict-of-interest – has nothing to do with money.

Oceana Restaurant
Catamaran Hotel
3999 Mission Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92109
858-488-1081

As so often happens to those of us living in San Diego, we have friends and relatives that come to visit and we go out to eat with them. Usually when that happens to me I make a suggestion as to where we might like to go, depending on their preference for food. But this time my friend Nel was staying at the Catamaran Hotel with her children and while they were at the beach, we were going to have lunch together.

She suggested the Oceana, because it is the restaurant in the hotel. It wasn’t until I began writing this review that I found it was listed as an “upscale eatery.” It talked about the beautiful view – it is – and the seafood is their specialty.

Restaurant “Re-review”

Point Break Cafe
2743 Shelter Island Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
619-758-9870
pointbreakcafe.com

I have been asked by many of my readers if I ever revisit places that I reviewed in the past, either to see if the quality of food has changed or if menus have changed. Since several of the places I reviewed last year – and gave less than a stellar rating have closed – I decided I would start out the new year with a revisit every month or so. The first place I went to is the Point Break Café.

(Here is Judi’s first review of the restaurant in July 2013.)

”Re-review” of
Pure Thai and Vegetarian Cuisine
3704 Voltaire
San Diego, CA 92107
619-542-9499
www.purethai.com

In my quest to revisit restaurants that I reviewed in the past, Hitomi, my student from Japan and I were out shopping and decided that we wanted to eat Thai food for dinner instead of coming home and cooking. Since we were at Stumps, it was just a natural to turn the corner and enjoy a meal at the “Pure Thai” restaurant.

In looking over my review of November 20, 2013 I rated it very high, and was curious to see if it would appeal in the same way now as it did then. Another former student of mine had eaten there about six months ago and said she had chunks of plastic in her food, and would never eat there again. I know from experience that accidents can happen in the kitchen, but I must admit I entered with a jaundiced eye.

How many times have you heard that? How many times have you said to yourself that you will not be caught up in any type of scam or fraud scheme because you are too smart for that?

I’ve said it a dozen times, and wouldn’t you know it – I got caught twice this week. Damn fool!

The first time was when I purchased a skin ointment to erase my wrinkles. (See my article on my New Years Resolution . A “free” trial and just pay shipping. That has been resolved, after I saw a $89.90 bill on my credit card.

But let me tell you about this other one.

>Lets “face” it. My husband has been gone over seven years and for the past 6 of those years I have tried to find a new companion.

I lost 100 pounds; I grew my hair long – I’ve since cut it -; dyed my silver-gray hair brown – I’ve since gone back to being a blond; and put back some of the poundage I lost. And although I have met several men, none of them were “Mr. Right” – and many of them have been “Mr. Wrong”, as evidenced by the book I am writing entitled, “Liar, Liar.”

So I have tried everything that I know what to do to attract a man with no success. I even have been in a passive relationship, where I have pretended to know nothing so that HE could be the dominant one. That didn’t work either.

What must be the problem? I asked myself.

Restaurant Review

Kona Kai Resort & Spa – Vessel Restaurant
1551 Shelter Island Drive
San Diego, CA 92106
Reservations – 800-566-2524

Last month when I did a restaurant review with Deb, we agreed that we would try to do one more before the year was out. One day this week was that day and we decided to try the lunch at “Vessels” at the Kona Kai Resort. I am so glad that we did.

But, of course, it didn’t start out the way we hoped it would. I had made a reservation using “Open Table” for 12:15pm. The parking is somewhat difficult, and the lot is to the right of the hotel. One must take a ticket to remember to have validated before trying to retrieve your car.

Restaurant Review

Pomodoro
2833 Avenida De Portugal
San Diego, CA 92106
619-523-1301

Strange how fate works. I have been asked five times in the last six weeks if I had ever eaten at Pomodoro. Several times I had planned on doing so but just had never been able to find the right time or right person to go with me. Then earlier this week I saw on Face Book that my daughter had lunch there and really enjoyed it. Then I knew I had to try it.

I belong to a support group where all of us have lost a loved one and it just so happened that we were going to meet on Saturday and it was my turn to select the restaurant. No question as to where we were going to go!

And let me start out by saying that I am glad we went.

Over the past few years, I have done a number of restaurant reviews that have met with, to say the least, mixed reactions. Some of those restaurants that I thought left a lot to be desired are someone else’s favorite, and, thanks to the First Amendment, people have told me how wrong I have been in no uncertain terms.

In talking to my friend Mary this morning, she offered to go with me to any restaurant and “help” me review it. I pointed out to her that she was “too nice” to do a restaurant review. She finds good in everyone; in everything; to the point that I sometimes wonder how she can be such a good friend. … So Mary and I did a “mock” review – over the phone – that I would like to share with you –

By Judi Curry

One of my least favorite places to go to at this time of the year is the United States Post Office. And, more specifically, the Ocean Beach Post Office. Those of you living in the area probably know what I mean without any explanation. Because I am getting orders for my cookbook for holiday gifts, I seem to be spending a great deal of time at the OB Post Office. And…I seem to be spending a great deal of time STANDING IN LINE at this same post office.

It doesn’t seem to matter what time of the day I go to mail my packages. On Monday I went at 4:00pm. I stood in line for 12 minutes waiting to see a postal employee. Why did I stand in line for so long? Because, dear reader, there were 16 people in line and only two windows open. And it seemed that everyone had a number of packages to be sent, or an extraordinary amount of money orders to be purchased.

Restaurant Review

Buona Forchetta
3001 Beech
San Diego, Ca 92002
(619) 381-4844

When writing a review of a restaurant, I frequently invite any of the readers of the review to join me when I do another one. Few people take me up on my offer, but today I had the most delightful lunch with Deb Greene, who did.

We chose Buona Forchetta because neither of us had been there and the reviews of others was intriguing. And it is always nice to step out of Ocean Beach every now and then.

We were greeted by a decidedly Italian waitress – Valentina – who hails from Lake Como in Italy. She has been here for about a year and a half and will be returning to Italy in a year or so.

We were presented with a huge menu, with 32 different kinds of pizza’s on it as well as Antipasto’s; Salads; Desserts; pasta’s and wines and beers. Additionally there was a large chalk board on the wall listing the specials of the day.