Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! This week’s episode is our first international one, and our special guest is Fernando Perez Castro, the founder of La Lomita Winery and Finca la Carrodilla in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California’s wine country. Fernando founded the winery in 2009, and it’s the first certified organic winery in the region. La Lomita’s Pagano grenache is on the wine list at the acclaimed The French Laundry. Fernando chatted with us virtually from his home in Ensenada. Every October, the region gears up for the Valle Food and Fest, which was started by chefs Javier Plascencia and Nancy Silverton, and food writer Carolina Carreño. Even though it launched only four years ago, the event has attracted celebrities and other big names in the food and wine industry. It was slated to commence this weekend, but canceled and postponed to 2021 because of the pandemic. Valle de Guadalupe is an emerging wine region. In recent years it’s received a lot of media coverage—Anthony Bourdain called it “Little Tuscany” when he visited—and it’s become increasingly popular with San Diegans and Angelenos. But there have barely been any tourists for months. Crossing the border for nonessential travel is still limited until the end of this month. How is our southern neighbor holding up? Unsurprisingly, Fernando says the valle has been hurting. He closed La Lomita’s tasting rooms, as well as Lunario—the winery’s new restaurant that had just opened last fall—for nearly four months. They managed to keep their employees on payroll, and have since been able to reopen at a limited capacity, but businesses are struggling. Fernando says they miss the regulars from Southern California who appreciate the valle and its vintners. During this episode, we also learned a lot about the ins and outs of exporting wine from the valle to California, that small businesses in Mexico don’t have access to any kind of government assistance, and what qualifies as an organic winery. In Hot Plates, we talked about the revamped Taste of Little Italy event, which starts October 4, and how it’s been tailored for takeout. Sam the Cooking Guy is launching a ghost kitchen, Eats by Sam, in Seaport Village with sandwiches and burgers available for delivery. Cali Dumpling, an LA-based company that delivers frozen handmade Chinese dumplings like wontons and xiao long bao, expanded to San Diego. Last, we want to help spread the word about a fundraiser for San Diego chef Anthony Sinsay: Anthony was diagnosed with cancer and is in need of funds for his medical treatment, because he was laid off from his executive chef position and no longer has health insurance. Please donate if you can. In Two People for Takeout / Two People for $50, Fernando gave us some great recommendations on where to eat around Baja: Via Torél in Valle de Guadalupe, carne asada at El Paisa in Ensenada, and the fish tacos at Tacos Corona in Ensenada, which was recently highlighted in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles. David’s pick this week is the mussels at Original 40 Brewing in North Park. Troy is on a quest to find the best ramen in San Diego, and he liked the ramen with roasted black garlic sauce at Nishiki in Hillcrest. I also had a ramen pick this week—the tantan ramen at Menya Ultra Ramen in Clairemont. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! This week’s special guest is Anchi Mei, senior program manager of the International Rescue Committee in San Diego. The IRC is a nonprofit devoted to helping refugees and asylees set down roots and build a new life. Anchi runs its MAKE Projects (Merging Agriculture, Kitchens, and Employment), which include a small working farm, a café, and a culinary program right in the heart of North Park, by St. Luke's Church. Through the farm and the café, high school students and adults alike can earn an income while learning job-readiness skills. Their catering company, Project CHOP, was created as a transitional employment program to provide their interns and employees—many of them students attending schools in City Heights, and women—the opportunity to “learn by doing.” Anchi shares that the pandemic forced them to adapt their programs. She and her team turned a vacant lot into Pop on 30th, an outdoor dining spot where they now collaborate with North Park restaurants who can also use the space. They also changed the crops they grow on their small farm—they previously grew specialized vegetables for area restaurants, but have switched to more common produce like zucchini and tomatoes to start a CSA box that the general public can subscribe to, which will help support their programs. While their mission across the board is to help refugee and immigrant communities gain the skills and knowledge to build stability and success in their lives, Anchi believes the benefit goes both ways, because they get to deliver fresh food to the community. Check out their website to make reservations for the café and subscribe to their weekly CSA box. In Hot Plates, we’ll start with the bad news first: Tiger!Tiger!, a North Park favorite, isn’t going to reopen. Bankers Hill Restaurant and Bar is temporarily closing after September 26, but take heart—it’s not permanent. We end the segment with good news: A new French bakery opened in Pacific Beach. La Clochette du Coin, a café and bakery in La Jolla known for their tartines, opened a second location on Cass Street. The Wise Ox just had their opening in North Park in the space formerly known as The Heart & Trotter. It was purchased by chef Brad Wise, and is a deli and butcher shop rolled into one serving sandwiches along with housemade hot dogs, burgers, and beef fat fries. A new food truck is coming to North Park this weekend. Chef Lauren Lawless, who just won Supermarket Stakeout and will be on Hell's Kitchen early next year, is launching a tapas food truck, Flawless Cuisine, on Adams Avenue. For this week’s Two People for Takeout/Two People for $50, Anchi chose the croissants from Wayfarer Bread, and Troy picked his favorite Italian restaurant, Bencotto in Little Italy. They also wanted to give shoutouts to their favorite restaurants in City Heights: The Neighborhood Cafe and Minh Ky Restaurant. David also went with pasta, choosing Cucina Sorella in Kensington, and Marie’s pick to satisfy her mariscos cravings was Oscars Mexican Seafood. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! We didn’t release an episode last week, as we took Labor Day weekend off, but we’re back and excited about this week’s guest: Eric Bost, who was recently named the new executive chef at Jeune et Jolie. Eric and his family just relocated from LA and he’s still getting settled in North County, but he took the time to chat with us about his new venture. Eric has an impressive résumé: He worked under Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athénée in Paris, and at Guy Savoy in Singapore and Las Vegas. He relocated to Los Angeles and helmed the kitchen at République before he opened Auburn in West Hollywood. In the short time that Auburn was open, it was named one of the Best New Restaurants in America, and nominated for a James Beard Award for design. In April, Eric unfortunately had to close Auburn. Fine-dining establishments, especially those with tasting menus, have had their own unique challenges during the pandemic and many cannot survive on just takeout. Eric shares with us that it took him two years to get the restaurant open, and that January and February of this year were their most profitable months. We learn how he made the connection with Jeune et Jolie owner Johnny Resnick, and why he chose the Carlsbad restaurant over other culinary opportunities that were available to him. Eric isn’t a stranger to North County—he lived in Cardiff 15 years ago, and while he was in LA he’d often travel with his family to visit on the weekends. He shares what he thinks is different about San Diego’s dining scene and that he’s excited about how it’s growing, and also what’s in store for Jeune et Jolie’s menu. If you haven’t seen the restaurant’s patio setup yet, it’s a stunner. In Hot Plates, Restaurant Week just launched and it’s been revamped to run for a whole month. Michael Mina launched a fried chicken pop-up, Tokyo Hot Chicken, that’s available only for delivery in North County. So Saap, which specializes in Thai and Lao street food, opened earlier this week on the corner of 47th and Market streets. The company that owns Kettner Exchange is opening The Waverly in Cardiff next month, with chef Brian Redzikowski developing the menu. In Two People for Takeout / Two People for $50, Eric hasn’t had a chance to find his favorite places in San Diego yet, but says he’s looking forward to dining in the Convoy area, and that Chiko and Menya Ultra Ramen are some of the places that have been recommended to him. Troy’s pick is Isabel’s Cantina in Pacific Beach (get the carnitas or the Nirvana Breakfast), and David says to get any of the Large Anti-Wimpy Pizzas and Swami’s IPA at Pizza Port. My pick is the famous tri-tip, aka “Cardiff Crack,” at Seaside Market. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! While San Diego may be the craft beer capital of the US, we also have a less-talked-about but flourishing wine scene. We’re learning all about it from Denise Clarke, owner of Altipiano Vineyard in Escondido. Altipiano is also the only Black- and female-owned winery in San Diego, and we ran a profile on Denise in the current issue. Denise shares her journey in becoming a boutique winemaker. She worked in human resources for many years, and her family owned an old avocado grove in Escondido. In 2007 a fire destroyed the grove, and in its place Denise decided to pursue her passion for wine and take the leap of starting her own vineyard. She explains how the microclimate in the hills of Escondido is similar to Tuscany, and is the perfect place to grow the Italian varietals she specializes in. The process of becoming a winemaker without classical training was a difficult one, and we learned it can take three years of production for a wine to become commercially viable. Denise says she found mentors along the way, including the group of 15–20 female winemakers in the county who lean on one another for support. There have been challenges, especially with the lack of inclusivity in the wine industry—Denise says people assume her husband is the winemaker at Altipiano, and at times she hasn’t been taken seriously. Over the years, her wines have won awards, and she’s known for producing bold reds like sangiovese and barbera. She also shares that she comes from a family of farmers, and she discovered that one of her relatives was also a winemaker. Tune in to find out more! In Hot Plates, we had a lot to discuss. First, the big news that restaurants in San Diego are allowed to have indoor dining at 25 percent capacity. New eateries recently opened at Westfield UTC: Rice Goban, Wushiland Boba, and Happy Lemon, which has Taiwanese cheese tea. The owners of Puesto bought the former Whisknlade space in La Jolla and are turning it into an Italian restaurant, and Stone Brewing Co. has named Maria Stipp their new CEO. In Two People for Takeout/Two People for $50, Denise said she likes the tournedos Oscar and outdoor dining setup at Carvers Steaks and Chops in Rancho Bernardo. Troy’s pick (which he jokes is more like Two People, $300) is the wagyu beef and caviar bump at Born & Raised. David talked about re-creating the experience of going to a ballgame at Petco Park by getting takeout from Hodad’s. My pick is the fish and shrimp tacos at La Reyna del Sur Mariscos truck in University Heights. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! We have two special guests for this week’s episode: Brett Roggenkamp, lead organizer for the San Diego Chapter of Frontline Foods; and Rodnia Attiq, owner of El Borrego, a popular barbacoa restaurant in City Heights. El Borrego is one of roughly 40 local restaurants that Frontline Foods has teamed up with to provide meals to health care professionals and other essential workers who are treating COVID-19 patients. Frontline Foods was started in the Bay Area by an ICU nurse, and since March it has expanded across the nation. Its mission is simple: They collect donations, use the funds to place a bulk order with a local restaurant, and then have those meals delivered to local hospitals. Brett says San Diego was one of the first cities the organization expanded to outside of San Francisco, and since the pandemic began it has directed $150,000 in donations back into our local economy and provided over 12,000 meals. Brett says their goal is to partner with restaurants that are independently owned and order from them on an ongoing basis. He tells us how they find which restaurants to partner with, and notes that they deliver meals not only to large hospitals and ERs, but also senior centers and the Psychiatric Hospital of San Diego County. They’re currently working on delivering 1,000 meals to employees at San Ysidro Health’s 23 sites. Rodnia shares that sales at El Borrego were down by 70 percent, and then as much as 90 percent, earlier this spring. The patio at her restaurant is still under construction, so she relies on takeout and to-go catering orders. She says partnering with Frontline Foods helped save her business, and she was able to retain her entire staff thanks to its community fundraising. In Hot Plates, we talked about how Biga (a longtime favorite of the San Diego Magazine staff for its sandwiches) reopened for takeout, and that Artisan Noodle Tatsuski—a ramen shop that was much hyped before it opened last fall—closed its doors. Chicken Charlie’s opened another pop-up location in Mission Beach right by Belmont Park, so you can still get a deep-fried taste of the postponed San Diego County Fair throughout the summer. All of Homestead Solana Beach’s outdoor furniture was stolen last weekend, and it had to close for a few days because of the theft. But the story has a happy ending: Supporters donated to their Gofundme account to purchase new furniture, and the Del Mar Fairgrounds lent them some patio furniture after seeing the story on NBC San Diego. We’ve got a lot of great recommendations in Two People for Takeout! Rodnia chose the curries at Bahn Thai, and Brett’s pick is Lucky Bolt, a home-delivery meal service that partners with local farms. Troy’s pick is the pizza (and parklet setup) at Caffè Calabria, and David says to try the vegan Thai food at Grains. My pick is the Chongqing spicy chicken and Sichuan dishes at Kangxi Is Coming. A listener wrote in to recommend the pastas at Cesarina. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! We had so many questions about the state of San Diego’s restaurants that we went into overtime with today’s guest, Jeff Rossman. Jeff is the owner of Terra American Bistro in La Mesa, a longtime advocate for local farmers, and president of the San Diego Chapter of the California Restaurant Association, one of the largest advocacy and lobbying groups for the industry in the state. Where things stand, many small businesses are projected to run out of money from Paycheck Protection Program loans, the minimum wage in California is scheduled to increase in January, and the HEALS Act is still being debated in Congress. Jeff helps us unpack how this all affects restaurants, and shares what he feels politicians don’t understand about what restaurants need. While many restaurants were able to make the shift to outdoor dining, this may not be sustainable in the long run—despite San Diego’s weather being mild compared to other parts of the country. Jeff says restaurant owners are worried that people won’t want to dine outdoors once temperatures drop, and points out that many restaurants were not able to create an outdoor dining space and are still relying solely on takeout. He also talks about why “ghost kitchens” may not be the right solution for everyone, and other concerns the industry has once fall comes. Listen in to find out more. In Hot Plates, we tried to cover as much positive news as we could this week. There’s a new Chinese American restaurant in Normal Heights led by local chef Tony Guan, more Nashville chicken is coming to town (specifically La Mesa), Jeune et Jolie hired a new acclaimed chef from Los Angeles, and The Friendly in North Park reopened its patio and unveiled a fun new cocktail. In Two People for Takeout, Jeff’s pick is Tak Grill Fresh Mediterranean Food in San Carlos, and he recommends the shawarma. Troy likes The Flying Pig Pub in Oceanside, and David chose the döner bowl and chili at Amplified Ale Works in Pacific Beach. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! Today we’re sipping beer virtually with Esthela Davila and learning about the educational nonprofit she cofounded, Mujeres Brew Club. Mujeres means “women” in Spanish, and Esthela created the monthly club along with Carmen Favela of Border X Brewing to provide a safe space for women, especially Latinas, to network, learn about craft beer, and break barriers in the industry. Mujeres Brew Club is inclusive and open to anyone who wants to learn about beer, and Esthela launched it in Barrio Logan—where she grew up—a neighborhood that is around 80 percent Latinx. Since its founding last summer, the club has acquired its own brewery space; they took over the former Alta Brewing in Bread & Salt, and Esthela shares their upcoming opening plans. Esthela also talks about how intimidating it is to go to a bar and not know what to order, how many people of Latinx descent are not exposed to craft beer, and why the industry needs to be more welcoming. Craft beer has a well-known diversity problem, and a report released last year by the Brewers Association showed nearly 90 percent of craft brewery owners are white, and barely eight percent of brewers are women. And yes, we talk about beer, and Esthela shares her current favorites--tune in to find out what they are. In Hot Plates, we have a lot of good news to share this week. Arlo, a restaurant led by a chef who cooked at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, opened its doors in Mission Valley (yes, Mission Valley!) yesterday. ¡Salud! in Barrio Logan reopened for service, and so did Mister A’s—their patio is open for dining starting next Tuesday, and they’re also offering takeout. Pandemic Pizza, a business started by two prominent local chefs who were furloughed, has found a home inside RoVino The Foodery. Chef Angelo Sosa, formerly of Death by Tequila in Encinitas (our readers’ choice winner for Best Restaurant in 2019) will be on a new cooking show on HBO Max featuring singer Selena Gomez, Selena + Chef. The first episode airs tonight. For Two People for Takeout, Esthela recommends Deft Brewing and Cucina Caprese, both in Bay Park. Troy’s pick is Chuy’s Taco Shop, and David selected Fall Brewing. My pick this week is Red Sea Ethiopian, which the Union-Tribune recently wrote a great article about. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you're too shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! This week’s guest is Kris Buchanan, owner of Goodonya Organics and Goodonya Organic Eatery in Encinitas. Kris has been in the restaurant business for a long time, having founded the organic deli back in 2001 and expanded it to five locations before opening the full-service restaurant in 2015. She tells us how she got into the business, and we learned that she is an Olympian! She was on the USA National Field Hockey Team and went to the 1996 Olympics, and she’s in the field hockey Hall of Fame. We brought Kris on the show to hear what it’s been like for restaurant owners, managers, and workers having to enforce mask wearing among customers. Not only do staff have to deal with the customer who becomes irate when denied entry for not wearing a mask, they also have to mitigate concerns from people who get upset when they see another customer not wearing one. Kris shares the difficulty that her hosts and servers have experienced, and says they’re neither equipped nor trained to handle these types of confrontations—young women, especially, are scared for their own physical safety when they’re caught being the referee between two customers. The abuse that restaurant workers have experienced over this issue has been making headlines nationally, and even McDonald’s announced that they’re providing de-escalation training for their employees. Kris also gave us some information about the Restaurants Act, and we talk about a report from the Independent Restaurant Coalition predicting that 85 percent of small restaurants won’t make it without any aid. In Hot Plates, we discussed the news that Jayne’s Gastropub in Normal Heights won’t be reopening. Brian Malarkey’s Animae has rebooted and gone alfresco with a revamped menu. The Huntress, a high-end steakhouse in the same building as Lumi by Akira Back, recently opened in the Gaslamp with a menu of family meals available for curbside pickup. Chula Vista started a new program closing off a portion of Third Avenue every Sunday, and we recommended visiting Chula Vista Brewery, one of the few Black-owned craft breweries in San Diego. Last, Cutwater Spirits is providing lunch for laid-off restaurant and bar workers this Saturday: bring an old pay stub or business card to their tasting room in Miramar. We always end the show on a lighter note with the Two People for Takeout segment. Kris said her favorite is Birdseye Kitchen, a women-owned business in Leucadia, and she recommends the massaman curry. Troy is excited about the panang curry at Soi Thai Street Food, which just opened a new location in Ocean Beach. David recommends the Taylor ham roll and rosemary-and-salt bagels at Nomad Donuts, and my pick is the stingray tacos and micheladas to go at TJ Oyster Bar in Bonita. Thank you for listening! As always, we want to hear from our listeners. Do you have a question for Troy? Need a recommendation for takeout? Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? Or do you need help finding out whether a restaurant will be reopening? Let us know! You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re too shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! Today we’re admiring the striking food photography of Brittany Wright, and getting a behind-the-scenes look at the art of food styling. Brittany is from San Diego and resides in Golden Hill; her work has been featured everywhere from the pages of Food & Wine to packaging for Fresh Cosmetics, and she published a book of her photography, Feast Your Eyes. How does one become a pro food photographer? Brittany says working at a job where she was unhappy and felt stuck is what led to her current career. She followed her passions and combined them, learning how to cook while photographing her subjects—produce and other ingredients. Now she’s known for her pieces that show off different foods in a color gradient. We learn that Brittany does most of her work in daylight, and that she doesn’t waste any of the food that she shoots. Listen in to learn more. In Hot Plates, we cover the week’s biggest headlines. After five years in the making, the family that owns Brigantine just opened Portside Pier—a huge complex with four eateries and lots of patio space—on Harbor Drive. Local icon Dolores Robledo, who founded Roberto’s Taco Shop with her husband in 1964, passed away recently, leaving behind a legacy of 60 locations throughout California and Nevada. Waypoint Public will be leaving North Park soon, since the owner had to put the restaurant up for sale. Bonchon, a global Korean fried chicken chain, opened a second location in National City. For Two People for Takeout, Troy recommends Hanna’s Gourmet, and Brittany enjoys the vegan cuisine at Kindred. David says the Pho-rench dip at Shank & Bone is a must-try, and my pick is the mar y tierra fries at The Taco Stand. Thank you so much for listening and for staying with us. We want to hear from you. Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? A topic that should be explored? Need a recommendation for takeout? Do you have a question for Troy? Let us know. You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re shy, you can email us at [email protected].

Welcome back to the Happy Half Hour! San Diego has long been a craft beer destination, but the city is also home to a burgeoning small-batch distillery scene. How has the pandemic affected these companies, since tasting rooms have to remain closed? We invited Michael Skubic, founder of Old Harbor Distilling Co., to talk about this. Michael got his start as a homebrewer when he was just 21, and after college he helped co-found Mike Hess Brewing. He later ventured on his own and founded Old Harbor in 2014, and he makes gin, rum, and coffee liqueur out of its East Village headquarters. In the beginning of the pandemic when sanitizer was in short supply, Michael teamed up with other companies in the San Diego Distillers Guild to produce and donate 10,000 gallons of it. Michael talks about the process of making sanitizer (he also studied biochemistry at Point Loma Nazarene University), how his business is doing, and some new products he’s launching. He also shares what makes his San Miguel Southwestern Gin stand apart from other botanical gins on the market—it involves a cool history lesson, so listen to find out! In Hot Plates, we talked about the new Tito’s Deli in Barrio Logan, which specializes in Puerto Rican tripleta sandwiches. Chef Andrew Bachelier announced that he’s leaving Jeune et Jolie, which Esquire named one of the best new restaurants in the country last year. We ended the segment with some good news: Addison, San Diego’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, is reopening in a new outdoor setting on August 1. Chef William Bradley announced this on his Instagram. For Two People for Takeout, Michael recommended Tribute Pizza. Troy said to get the birria to go at Fernandez Restaurant in Nestor. David is a big fan of the Roman-style pizza at the newly opened Gelati & Peccati, and my pick is the shoyu (soy sauce) ramen at HiroNori Craft Ramen. Thank you so much for listening and for staying with us. We want to hear from you. Is there a guest you want us to book on the show? A topic that should be explored? Need a recommendation for takeout? Do you have a question for Troy? Let us know. You can call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a voicemail, or if you’re shy, you can email us at [email protected].