Good Food in Cali

I just returned from my second to last trip of this very busy summer. Mr. Patton and I have been out of town nearly every weekend since the beginning of June (and two additional weeks in between). It's been so much fun, but also exhausting trying to stay caught up at home. We've learned there's a lot of truth to the phrase, "there's no place like home," but we have had some really fun adventures!

Last week, we were in gorgeous California. We started in Anaheim and drove down the coast, visiting Huntington Beach, driving through Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, and spending the day in La Jolla. In San Diego, we played the night away in the Gas Lamp district, basked in the sun and surfed on Coronado Island, and dined in Little Italy. Needless to say, San Diego has become one of my favorite cities for the fun and entertainment, as well as for the Good Food. That's one of my favorite parts of traveling to new places too, of course. The food.

I love trying new and interesting dishes. Mr. Patton isn't quite as adventurous, but we ended up at some great places. It was very difficult to choose and there are many more I'd love to hit up next time we go...whenever that may be. Thought I'd share a few photos:

Brockton Villa in La Jolla: Portobella Sandwich with roasted red peppers, goat cheese and avocado. I also had their "Epic (seafood) Chowder." All enjoyed from the deck overlooking the cliffs and ocean in La Jolla. Couldn't have been a more perfect lunch.

La Jolla

Duke's Huntington Beach: Seven Spice Ahi Tuna with papaya hot mustard, pickled bok choy and jasmine rice. We were also able to enjoy the ocean view here right above the pier overlooking the beach. The servers were super friendly and really knew their stuff!

Huntington Beach

Sammy's Woodfired Pizza: Brie and Mushroom Pizza with Truffle Oil (on the most flaky and delicious crust I've ever tasted). Oh yeah. This one made my top pizza list for sure along with some St. Louis faves (in case you're wondering...Pi, Adamo's, Fortel's and Dewey's). City dining at its finest, right in the heart of the Gas Lamp district. Yes, dietitians have their splurges too :)

Last but not least, I was not able to snap a decent photo of the delicious Sea Bass (my favorite) with Bay Scallops over Pasta Marinara I enjoyed at Buon Appetito in Little Italy.

It seems like every city creates its own unique dining experience. That's why I look forward to it so much! Where have you dined lately?