About the Joy of Food

Articles by: Joy

The Smoking Goat

in Carbapalooza, Comfort, Gone Fishing, French, United States, San Diego, CA 4 comments

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — Across the street from trendy ramen joint Underbelly and next door to a degenerate day-drinking bar sits the Smoking Goat, possibly San Diego’s very best French restaurant, and certainly my favorite of the bunch. Of course, when you say “French restaurant” in […]

8th and B Poke

in American, Carbapalooza, Comfort, Gone Fishing, Healthy, United States, San Diego, CA 6 comments

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — 8th and B Poke is a tidy storefront in that part of National City where old meets new, a shiny up-and-coming area sprinkled like pixie dust through Victorian houses and quaint storefronts that have been there forever. Once upon a time you […]

Sushi Ota

in Carbapalooza, Gone Fishing, United States, Vegetarian, Japanese, San Diego, CA 4 comments

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — Sushi Ota often ranks as San Diego’s best sushi joint. Simple, casual, and straightforward, it has made national ‘best-of’ lists since opening in 1990, when sushi master chef Yukita Ota moved to San Diego from Japan after finding the local uni here […]

Café Medina

in Breakfast and Pastry, Carbapalooza, Comfort, Canada, Vancouver, Drink, Meaty Goodness, Middle Eastern 4 comments

Vancouver, Canada (The Joy of Food) — I’m not exactly what you’d call a breakfast girl, and I usually say “brunch” is just an excuse to shove down a stack of 25 red velvet pancakes and day drink. If you build it, they will brunch, or something like that. But […]

Pomo Pizzeria

in Carbapalooza, Comfort, Dessert, Drink, United States, Vegetarian, Italian, Phoenix, AZ 4 comments

Phoenix, AZ (The Joy of Food) — By now, everyone’s heard of Franco Pepe, the pizzaiolo making the ‘best pizza in the world’ according to some of the biggest critics, a guy who eschewed the way Neapolitan pizza is supposed to be, did his own thing, and got banned by […]

Osteria Mozza

in Carbapalooza, Comfort, Dessert, Drink, Meaty Goodness, United States, Los Angeles, CA, The Milky Way, Vegetarian, Italian 4 comments

Los Angeles, CA (The Joy of Food) — I talk about Osteria Mozza the way that some people talk about Jesus, lovingly and like it is the center of my universe. As far as Italian dining goes, this Michelin-starred gem is easily the best that L.A. has to offer. I […]

Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe

in Breakfast and Pastry, Carbapalooza, Comfort, Canada, Vancouver, Dessert, Drink, French 4 comments

Vancouver, Canada (The Joy of Food) — The older I get, the more I lean toward dark chocolate, and melted bitter dark chocolate can be something like poetry in a cup. At Thierry, an order of ‘liquid chocolate’ is decadent and indulgent, swirled with ribbons of hazelnut, caramel, or coconut […]

Qin West Noodle

in Carbapalooza, Comfort, Chinese, United States, Vegetarian, San Diego, CA 3 comments

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — The namesake noodles at Qin West Noodle have an ethereal, perfect, almost sinful thing about them, nearly as weightless as they are springy, bouncy, slippery, and soft. You will find yourself still eating more of them long after you are full. Qin […]

Punjabi Tandoor

in Carbapalooza, Comfort, United States, Indian, Vegetarian, San Diego, CA 2 comments

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — Eating out is often about finding a bargain. The desire (or need) to eat cheaply often trumps the desire to eat well. Rare is the place that allows you to do both. This is not one of those places. As you’d guess […]

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

in American, Carbapalooza, Dessert, Greasy Stuff, United States, San Diego, CA 5 comments

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — Freddy’s is a mid-western burger chain that arrived to town and planted its flag right across the street from National City’s branch of In-N-Out, a place that hasn’t seen a lapse in its drive-thru ever. San Diego may be better known for […]