Old Town San Diego

Old Town San Diego is considered the "birthplace" of California. San Diego is the site of the first permanent Spanish settlement in California. It was here in 1769, that Father Junipero Serra came to establish the very first mission in a chain of 21 missions that were to be the cornerstone of California’s colonization. Father Serra’s mission and Presidio were built on a hillside overlooking what is currently known as Old Town San Diego. At the base of the hill in 1820’s, a small Mexican community of adobe buildings was formed and by 1835 had attained the status of El Pueblo de San Diego. In 1846, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant and a Marine Lieutenant, raised the American flag in the Old Town San Diego Plaza.



Bazaar Del Mundo Shops, a warren of mostly Latin-themed gift stores, operates this Mexican restaurant situated a block away from Old Town State Historic Park.




Not only is Casa Guadalajara better than what you'll find in the park, it's often less crowded than its counterparts (though waits of 30 min. or more are not unusual here Fri-Sat).

Mariachi tunes played by strolling musicians enliven the room nightly, and you can also dine alfresco, in a picturesque courtyard occupied by a 200-year-old pepper tree. Birdbath-size margaritas start most meals, while dining ranges from simple south-of-the-border fare to more gourmet items like tequila lime shrimp and mango chipotle chicken -- but the extensive menu features all the fajita and combo plates most people expect.

Though Casa Guadalajara is suppose to be less busy, the place was still PACKED when we arrived!

Begin with an appetizer or three, especially the nachos supreme done with crispy blue corn, yellow corn and chipotle tortilla chips and the special nacho sauce; the chipotle chicken taquitos and some of the best guacamole dip in town.

You can order tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tamales and chile relleno a la carte, but the combinations served with rice and beans and specialty dishes lure you to Casa Guadalajara.

Breakfast is also served on weekends. This place (like the Bazaar) is touristy, but out-of-towners looking for old California ambience and reliable Mexican food will find it here.

First time all week, we had respectably HOT and SPICY chilli and so I was pretty happy with the meal! However, Mexican is rather heavy and I doubt that this would be the kind of cuisine I would look for on a regular basis! A nice experience all in all!

Del Mar

Del Mar is not an ordinary town, and Del Mar Plaza is not an ordinary town center. Del Mar Plaza was developed and created by, Ivan C. Gayler and David J Winkler who designed it to celebrate the magical quality of the beach town, carving a new community center into its sea-cliff site.

It was built in the 70’s and won many awards for its innovative and cutting edge design. As a result, Del Mar Plaza looks like a natural extension of the village with each of the shopping center’s three levels opening to terraces with panoramic ocean views.
Winding pathways lead visitors easily up through the levels past a variety of shops. Specialty shops, art galleries featuring local artists and a food market, are intermingled with national retailers, providing a nice variety for shoppers, while reflecting the community's character.

The leather shoes and jackets are in a class of their own! I went crazy shopping here... I would say, great styles and high quality leather goods, maybe only a close second to Europe. Later... lunch at En Fuego's .... Mexican !

En Fuego, loosely translated means "On Fire".

As usual, being Malaysian and all, and a chili padi addict, I didn't really feel-the-fire at "on fire"... hmmmmm....

En Fuego opened in July 1995 , on Opening Day at the Track; thus making the most popular day of the year in Del Mar a proud anniversary.

This restaurant serves traditional Mexican dishes and fresh seafood. With the help of Chef Todd Castner, their specials exemplify "South of the Border" cuisine from Mexico through South America.
The eating area has an open concept, with heaters to warm up the place in winter..
Downstairs, there is a bar for patrons to chill out with a beer or two...



the restaurant....
the soup...


the Tamales with fresh corn masa, topped with tomatillo sauce, served with canela rice and black beans...


the chile Rellenos, also served with canela rice and black beans is your typical mexican meal... this was what I had, and the cheese really fills you up.



the black beans were exquisite... Chunky yet smooth... and totally melt in your mouth !

(Looks like "hak lor mai" right? haha )



And the cool pub downstairs... :)


Food : 7/10
Price : moderate
Service : Good