A few weeks ago I spent four days in San Diego for a work conference. Like most work trips, the majority of my time is spent tucked away in conference rooms, and the only time I escape is in the evenings for dinner. This trip was no different, although I did get in early enough on Monday to go for a long walk all around the Gaslamp district and along the water when the weather. It brought back great memories from my trip to San Diego a few years ago. Ryan and I still talk about those fish tacos!

I ate at a few places that deserve a mention, in case you're headed to the area anytime soon! As you can see, I didn't take many pictures except for the one above (I try not to be obnoxious on work trips), so you'll have to make do with photos I found online!

bite m.e: The day I arrived, I was still on Central time so I was starving by 5 pm. None of my coworkers were in town yet, so I ran in here and grabbed takeout. The food was good, but I was turned off because the description for the Greek salad didn't match what I received (black olives instead of kalamata olives, for one), and the server misheard my order and didn't top it with the falafel I asked for. They also forgot to give me silverware! The roasted eggplant and pillowy pita bread I got on the side made up for all of it though. Overall, this place was nothing special, but a good, reasonably priced place if you're craving mediterranean!

Basic Pizza: This pizzeria sits in what looks like a giant warehouse. It's large and most of it is open-air, with garage doors open, letting in the warm San Diego air. Basic keeps things casual, serving pizza on paper plates and maintaining a pretty basic (no pun intended) menu. They have a few pizza combinations to suggest on their menu, but for the most part it's up to you to choose your base (red or white, with or without mozzarella), and then choose from a long list of toppings, including everything from roasted red peppers to fried eggplant to meatball to mashed potato. Our group started with the only salad on the menu: mixed greens, pears, candied walnuts, and gorgonzola in a vinaigrette. Simple, but fantastic. We couldn't decide between a red or a white pizza, so we got one of each! The red pie with eggplant, sausage, tomato, and mozzarella, as well as a white pie with chicken, artichokes, spinach, and ricotta. The crust is chewy and thin, and the toppings are fresh and plentiful. The atmosphere was loud and the place was packed, especially for a Tuesday night, leading me to believe this place is an area favorite! Special thanks to Swirled Sweeties for recommending this place!

Searsucker: I'm pretty sure everyone who wasn't at Basic was at Seersucker! A group of us ate here on Wednesday night and even when we arrived after 8 pm, the place was packed. Two hours later when we left, it was still just as crowded! It had a similar warehouse decor that Basic was going for, but  a more upscale version of it! While we scanned the menu, our server brought melt-in-your-mouth cheddar puffs to the table and I immediately knew we were in for a good meal. The wine was fabulous, my fish (haddock, if I'm remembering correctly) was perfectly cooked, and each of the side dishes I sampled (fried brussels + walnuts, sugar-snap peas + carrots, cauliflower + manchego, and bacon grits) made me think an assortment of side dishes would have been a perfectly acceptable dinner! Again, like Basic, the place was loud--almost too loud--but we squeezed so many people at a table we were close enough to hear one another ;)

Lucky's Lunch Counter: Lucky's was right around the corner from my hotel, so I grabbed dinner here the night before I headed to the airport. First and foremost, I must say the service was top-notch. Both workers were incredibly friendly and didn't think I was crazy for my insane salad order. I have a tendency to go a little hog-wild when endless options are before me, and I found myself throwing anything that sounded good onto my build-your-own-salad. Olives? Of course! Avocado? Gotta have my healthy fats! A fried egg? Why not! Don't worry, I snuck some vegetables in there as well! I also tried their homemade potato chips on the side. I'm not a chip-lover by any means, but I can't ever resist fresh potato chips and these did not disappoint! Besides salads and chips, Lucky's has a large breakfast (served all day) menu as well as a number of sandwiches, hot dogs, and more. I get the feeling this tiny place is packed around lunchtime each day, and rightly so!

One Year Ago: Gooey Sandwich Cookie Bars
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Almond Layered Cheesecake
Three Years Ago: Babe Ruth Bars