Taste of Thai Hillcrest – $
527 University Ave. San Diego, CA 92103
When too many visits to Hi Thai have left one bored, an easy drive to Taste of Thai can spice things up. Taste of Thai doesn’t fool around with authenticity or prices — for $10, lunch goers can get two courses, and choose from favorites like Tom Yum and Pad Thai. For a $20 dinner, guests can get three courses, and might be torn over menu highlights such as Pork shanks sauteed with Thai herbs spices, chili, green peppercorns, garlic, kachai, lemongrass and lime leaves, and Grilled Salmon topped with Choochi curry sauce and shredded kaffir lime leaf. Dessert is simpler with either the choice of Homemade Non-dairy Coconut or Green Tea Ice Cream.
Roppongi – $$
875 Prospect, La Jolla, CA 92037
Any restaurant with its own “Buddha Room” is worth giving a try. For those harder to convince, the Asian inspired menu can speak for itself. Dim Sum plus a Mini Mongolian Pulled Pork Sandwich is one possible $15 lunch pairing, while dinner for $30 further excites with dishes like Crispy Jidori Chicken with Apple Puree and Persimmon Crisp with Pumpkin Gelato on the list to choose from. For those not in the mood to sit in the “Buddha Room,” diners can opt to sit outside at the chic covered patio, which allows for relaxed gazing out onto downtown La Jolla’s Prospect Street.
Old Venice Restaurant – $
2910 Cannon St. San Diego, CA 92106
This well-known date spot (yes, there will be cutesy string lights and an outdoor patio) is making date night a lot less stressful. Though Point Loma isn’t the quickest of drives, it beats defaulting to The Bistro for taking out that special someone. Even the pickiest of dates like eating Italian, and for only $30, one gets three courses with a variety of Italian classics to choose from, like Pesto Caprese salad, Chicken Florentine and Tiramisu. If an earlier meal sounds better, a two-course lunch is only $10 and features comparable items like Walnut Gorgonzola and Lasagna.
Whisknladle – $$$
1044 Wall St, San Diego, CA 92037
The La Jolla gem Whisknladle is famous not only for its trendy vibe, but also for its taste fusions that borrow ingredients from all over the globe. It doesn’t stop with Restaurant Week, where they’ll serve a $40 dinner that can include dishes like Roasted Cauliflower & Curry Brown Butter soup and Venison Pithivier with Celery Root Puree, roasted parsnips, shiitake and venison jus. Not intense enough? Try one of their equally daring handcrafted cocktails, such as the Durazno, a mix of Jalapeno Tequila, white peach and thyme ($9).
Bleu Boheme – $$$
4090 Adams Avenue, San Diego, CA 92037 Kensington’s Bleu Boheme is serious about French cuisine, but visitors don’t need to fear the onslaught of French names that fill the menu. The rustic interior is inviting and brings guests closer to the kitchens in Provence. Menu items scream French comfort food, and dinner goers can have a three-course meal for $40 that includes traditions like Moules Provençales, Boeuf Bourguignon and Crepe au Creme Brulee. The ambiance is satiating in itself; expect to sit on wooden tables, soak in warm lighting and find French words on chalkboards covering the room’s brick walls.
The Prado – $$
1549 El Prado, Suite 12, San Diego, CA 92101 Balboa Park isn’t complete without The Prado: The restaurant’s Spanish styled design is one of the city’s prettiest spaces, and its Californian menu a local favorite. Lunch goers can start with choices like the Prado Caesar and pair it with a dish like the Sliced Smoked Neuskes Turkey Breast, together for $15. The dinner menu will feature starters like Spicy Calamari Fries, entrees like Lemongrass Scented Skuna Bay Salmon, and desserts like a Chocolate-Hazelnut Mousse bar that comes with marshmallow ice cream, a three course meal for $30. Tip: Don’t miss the priceless after dinner stroll around the park.
Cafe Coyote – $
2461 San Diego Avenue, San Diego, CA 92106
Cafe Coyote is one of Old Town’s most bustling spaces, with senoras effortlessly luring people in by cooking fresh tortillas outside, and two stories of dining space to accommodate more than enough tourists and locals. Watch out for Taco Tuesday — the joint can get extra packed because of its deals, so go early. They will continue the generosity throughout Restaurant Week by serving a $10 lunch, where visitors can select two courses like Empanadas de Queso Rajas and Famous Old Town Carnitas, while dinner for $20 allows for two courses plus a dessert, like a Mousse de Chocolate y Chile.
Flavor Del Mar – $$$
1555 Camino Avenue, Del Mar, CA 92014
A good meal always tastes better with a nice view. Flavor Del Mar’s sleek interior hosts wide windows that lets guests look out onto a Del Mar street view and the Pacific Ocean and complements the sophisticated modern-continental menu. Lunch goers can pay $20 for two courses, can choose starters like Mexican Bay Scallop Ceviche, and to follow, entrees like a Double Double Prime Beef Burger topped with aged white cheddar, arugula, caramelized onion, tomato confit, ketchup and mayo within a brioche bun. For $40, an extra dessert course is offered where diners can indulge in sweets like a Butterscoth Budino, which consists of Italian pudding, caramel, whipped creme fraiche, and maldon sea salt. Every menu item is paired with an optional wine choice.
D Bar – $$
3930 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103
The almost all glass exterior of D Bar adds curiosity enough for first time visitors, but the names of the menu items might add even more. Dishes like their Coca Cola Braised Short Ribs and the d = mc^2 dessert stray from the ordinary. For $15, diners can choose one “Savory” and one “Sweet,” and for $30, a starter is included for a complete three-course meal. Guests might also get to see co-owner and Executive Pastry Chef Keegan Gerhard, seen often on the Food Network during his off-camera time.
