Best Italian

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JALU3
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Best Italian

Post by JALU3 »

Now, since there is a Best Coffee Thread, let us start another one. What do you think is the best place for Italian? And for a subsection of that what is the best place for Pizza. Now the criteria is that it has to be within San Diego County, and it has to accept all customers (i.e. you can't suggest Kaga Sushi in Chula Vista for Best Sushi because it's rather discrimenitory).

I am sure we'll here standards such as Buca di Beppo, and Filippi's ... but seriously, lets not kid ourselves and suggest someplace like The Olive Garden.
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Post by Digital_Boy »

your comment about Kaga Sushi piqued my interest. Do tell, what are their discriminatory practices? Do they only tend to serve the Japanese community here in San Diego or what?
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Post by mordraine »


[quote="Digital_Boy"]your comment about Kaga Sushi piqued my interest. Do tell, what are their discriminatory practices? Do they only tend to serve the Japanese community here in San Diego or what?[/quote]

If it's the place I'm thinking about, then yes that's exactly what they do. If a non Japanese goes in, they'll say something like "Oh sorry we're closed."

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Post by mordraine »

As far as Italian goes, there's a place in Clairemont (on Balboa about a block east of Genesee) called Giovanni's that has pretty awesome traditional Italian food. Their pizza is half-way decent as well. Last time I was there I had a really great Chicken Parmigiana

The best pizza place in the entire county is called Bronx Pizza. It's on Washington in Hillcrest. It's very well known though, so it's not a hidden gem or anything like that.
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Post by mordraine »

Oh, and speaking of Chula Vista, La Bella's on 3rd Ave is pretty great for pizza.
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Post by mrlost »

Pizza Bella in Old Town. Simply amazing. You gotta try 'em.
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Post by mrlost »

Pizza Bella in Old Town. Simply amazing. You gotta try 'em.
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Post by ekomega »


[quote="mordraine"]As far as Italian goes, there's a place in Clairemont (on Balboa about a block east of Genesee) called Giovanni's that has pretty awesome traditional Italian food. Their pizza is half-way decent as well. Last time I was there I had a really great Chicken Parmigiana



The best pizza place in the entire county is called Bronx Pizza. It's on Washington in Hillcrest. It's very well known though, so it's not a hidden gem or anything like that.[/quote]




For New York style, Bronx Pizza is the best! I hear Lefty's in North Park is good for another style.



For American-Italian, I really like La Dolce Vita on Clairemont Drive. It's a weird neighborhood (kinda bad), but the service is nice and the food is good. I do NOT recommend Trattoria La Strada as they cannot cook veal right.



But the best italian in San Diego is probably Acqua al 2 in the Gaslamp. There's one here, and one in Firenze (Florence). They're authentic and really good.



If you guys want to talk about food, there's always Yelp and Chowhound, although I much prefer Chowhound.



Finally, I need to go to this exclusive sushi place. Even Izakaya Sakura takes non-japanese customers, despite the fact that they have no sign on the restaurant, only advertise in japanese magazines, have a semi-hidden location, and you have to know where to find them.

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Post by mordraine »


[quote="ekomega"]For American-Italian, I really like La Dolce Vita on Clairemont Drive. It's a weird neighborhood (kinda bad), but the service is nice and the food is good. I do NOT recommend Trattoria La Strada as they cannot cook veal right.
[/quote]


Hey, that's MY neighborhood bud! Although I will concede it's an old area, and kinda looks run down. Needs a facelift definitely.



I haven't tried La Dolce Vita yet, even though it's basically walking distance from my place. I'll have to check it out.

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Post by BlanchPrez »

If you want a good deep dish, Chicago style pizza, you just can't beet Lefty's Chicago Pizzera. Fantastic food there! It's in North Park, on 30th, just north of Upas.

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Post by Wintermute »

Pizza Port. It's great pizza with a proper San Diego atmosphere. For Italian I'm partial to the Filippi's on India Street (the others are pretty hit or miss).
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Post by Skyman »

So let me thrice and quatra vote Lefty's Chicago Style and Bronx Pizza. I think we are in agreement for it's kick azz taste

Zia's on Adams is a healthy favorite of mine. Not for everyones taste

So enough of Pizza

Volare off of Pacific Hwy next to the Adult SuperStore is one of my Favs

Nicolosi is another favorite but my friends and family are mixed on it because the marinara might be too watery for some tastes.

The Godfather Resteraunt is another hidden find that I like. Outside it looks like another strip mall eatery but inside is a nice fancy and intimate setting. A bit pricey my wife reminds me

De Milles on Adams is nice alternative. If you want an inexpensive reception for a wedding or any shin dig then its a good choice. I like the food and sauce

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Post by ekomega »


[quote="mordraine"]Hey, that's MY neighborhood bud! Although I will concede it's an old area, and kinda looks run down. Needs a facelift definitely.



I haven't tried La Dolce Vita yet, even though it's basically walking distance from my place. I'll have to check it out.[/quote]


There's a Hometown Buffet there, which automatically = ghetto. Oh, and a 99 cent store called "V Outlet" (very near to Dolce Vita). What's the "V" stand for? What's being let out of it? Stand around there at night, and you could find out! But La Dolce Vita is worth it, anyway, and I've never actually seen any bad activites there.



As for Volare, I always wondered who eats there. I guess if you're jones-ing for italian food across the street from [i]the post office[/i] (maybe when mailing your taxes), it's probably the best bet. Actually, I just checked the interwebz, and apparently it's not half bad. I stand corrected.

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Post by mordraine »


[quote="ekomega"]There's a Hometown Buffet there, which automatically = ghetto.[/quote]
I'm constantly amazed at the huge amount of traffic that place gets, especially on Sundays. Everyone's favorite place to go after church I guess.


[quote="ekomega"]Oh, and a 99 cent store called "V Outlet" (very near to Dolce Vita). What's the "V" stand for? What's being let out of it? Stand around there at night, and you could find out! But La Dolce Vita is worth it, anyway, and I've never actually seen any bad activites there.[/quote]
Yeah, as part of my proposed facelift - V Outlet has got to go.

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Post by mordraine »


[quote="Skyman"][url=http://www.godfatherrestaurant.com/]The Godfather Resteraunt[/url] is another hidden find that I like. Outside it looks like another strip mall eatery but inside is a nice fancy and intimate setting. A bit pricey my wife reminds me



De Milles on Adams is nice alternative. If you want an inexpensive reception for a wedding or any shin dig then its a good choice. I like the food and sauce
[/quote]


I second both of these. Especially De Milles. Good trad Italian stuff there. They have a marvelous meatball sub!

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Post by jimmy corrigan »

i heartily second all mentions of lefty's, bronx, giovanni's and pizza bella.

there used to be a great place on el cajon blvd. called vesuvio's that had great italian food, but have since changed owners and is now, to my disappointment, very lackluster. their breaded eggplant pizza was the best. *sigh*

as far as additional pizza joints, i would highly recommend the sicilian thing on 30th st. in north park and pizzeria luigi on 25th st. in golden hill. the sicilian thing serves new york and neapolitan style. both places sell by the slice or the pie.

just recently i ate at a place on morena called sardina's, which was decent.
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La Bella - Chula Vista

Post by JALU3 »

I knew someone who use to work in the kitchen. I have been told some food horror stories about food handling and preparation. Although I use to go there very often, as I live in Chula Vista, his stories have made me avoid the place like the plague.
Granted he hasn't worked there for over a decade, but if their attitude hasn't changed, I would much prefer to eat something that hasn't accidentally made its way to the floor.

Edit:
Sorry I had the wrong restaurant name.
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Post by mordraine »


[quote="JALU3"]I knew someone who use to work in the kitchen. I have been told some food horror stories about food handling and preparation. [/quote]

Not sure which restaurant you're referring to, but I'm betting that every place has horror stories of food handling and preparation.

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Post by Skyman »


[quote="jimmy corrigan"]


there used to be a great place on el cajon blvd. called vesuvio's that had great italian food, but have since changed owners and is now, to my disappointment, very lackluster. their breaded eggplant pizza was the best. *sigh*



as far as additional pizza joints, i would highly recommend the sicilian thing on 30th st. in north park



just recently i ate at a place on morena called sardina's, which was decent.[/quote]

Vesuvio's you to have some kick to their sauce and I used to order the alfredo pizza. Sad to hear they're not good anymore



Sicilian is a nice pizza place, the guy that runs it used to work at Bronx Pizza but it is entirely a different pizza. Nice sit and go



I like Sardina's. I work by there and get there calzones and fried zuchini every now and then. The kitchen is really small. Probably not better than the places I mentioned but they are not bad

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Post by Skyman »


[quote="mordraine"]Not sure which restaurant you're referring to, but I'm betting that every place has horror stories of food handling and preparation.[/quote]

maybe Pizza Bella's

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Post by ekomega »


[quote="JALU3"]I knew someone who use to work in the kitchen. I have been told some food horror stories about food handling and preparation. Although I use to go there very often, as I live in Chula Vista, his stories have made me avoid the place like the plague.

Granted he hasn't worked there for over a decade, but if their attitude hasn't changed, I would much prefer to eat something that hasn't accidentally made its way to the floor.[/quote]


My older brother worked there [i]20[/i] years ago, and he said it was pretty much the same as any other restaurant. Shit happens, and the customers never find out, and everything's okay as long as there's not mass food poisoning.

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