Baci in San Diego - Still Primo
 

We just enjoyed our Anniversary lunch at Baci - here in San Diego - and it still remains a gem. http://www.sandiegobaci.com/about_us.php

It has a classic setting and our Tuxedo clad waiter - Mario - was a pro's pro.

The house Chard was quite acceptable - as was the Spritzer he recommended for my wife (she had an afternoon appointment).

The faire started with a wonderful/toasted lightly drizzled - garlic/butter bread - and we split a very tasty Calamari appetizer (so fresh and lightly cooked with a sweet Marinara sauce to boot).

My wife then had superb Salmon/Caesar salad (with heirloom tomatoes and perfectly blanched carrot sticks - and what a great piece of Salmon) - and moi - a Pasta/Penne Poscailoa - which had an incredible Aurora sauce - and then with an ultra light Tiramisu dessert - it was just perfect!!

Grazie Baci. :)

Just reading the menu is making me hungry - and out dinner hasn't arrived yet.

Sounds wonderful. Happy Anniversary.

Thank you. Years ago - my wife was at the nearby University of San Diego - and they used to have so many luncheons/banquets at Baci that the VP of the fund raising dept finally banned it. :) He said they were running up too high of a bill.

Seems one of the gals in the dept was Italian and she would disappear into the kitchen to talk her friends/the chef/kitchen crew - and suddenly - a wealth of off the menu delicacies were available. Double :)

There are so many new/great restaurants in San Diego - that sometimes we tend to forget about older "palaces" of cuisine, such as Baci.

Tomsd,

Will have to put Baci on my list if I make it out to SD. You must be a "Foodie" as well as a "Fodorite".

Your descriptions of your dinner is making all us hungry.

Mama Mia :)

LOL. Well, I think I can discourse a bit about fine dining - but hey - like a dog at the ole ballpark - with good mustard - just fine.

Was fortunate to go to the best restaurants in SF when I first moved there in 1970 - as we were working late hours on a big new system - and the company was only too happy to let us choose where to go for dinner - as we put in 80 hour weeks.

Back then - Ernie's http://insidescoopsf.sfgate.com/blog...cocks-vertigo/ ,

the Blue Fox http://www.portlandfoodanddrink.com/a-legacy-of-taste/

the Old Poodle Dog - http://www.historysmith.com/tales_lo..._01_part1.html (or similar name) -

and Le xxxxx (whose name escapes moi at the moment) were the top of the line,

and Tadich's and Hoffman's Grill and others were quite good too.

I actually ordered Calf's brains/cervelle de veau for an entree once - and it was a bit gritty - so once was enuf!!!

Also took a couple wine courses - and a gourmet cooking class up at the Fairmont.

This little ole Hungarian lady was doing a magnificent job teaching us some great French dishes - and she would always call me up after she had cooked the dish to test it - as I was the only guy in the room. :)

My go to (the only dish I could do from memory) was a Tarragon white wine/sweet/cream roasted/basted chicken and rice, accompanied by a real Caesar salad (replete with the ceremonious cracking of the egg) - and I could whip up Bananas Flambe for dessert. :)

Other than that - BBQing kebobs made of tomatoes, onions, and bacon wrapped scallops was a backup - or hey - grilling a good burger could suffice also. :)

Tomsd,

Nice. Bet you like being the dish tester.

I am glad it wasn't in the old days of the "Royal Food Testers".

Had "Cow Head Soup" in Soweto, SA and "Tripe Soup" in Turkey, once was enough for both. TG 4 Garlic :)

Double LOL DMB. Garlic cures a lot if ills, eh?

And - no - I would not have wanted to be a "Royal Food Tester" and fall victim to some palace intrigue. ):

BTW - your dishes sound very "interesting."

During the VietNam war - a good friend of mine was an advisor (US Green Beret) - to the South Vietnamese Rangers, and they became quite close over his months with them.

On the final night - they honored him with a banquet - and his not being a party pooper included eating the chicken head/eyes - which they reserved for the guest of honor. :) He said it went down fairly smoothly after a lot of rice wine.