Convoy Conquest!

January 5, 2013 6:15 PM

Tireless eaters Jenne and Miko set out to try every restaurant along San Diego's Convoy Street. (via Projects)

THE RULES

1. We'll be covering Convoy St. from Clairemont Mesa Blvd. to Aero Dr. We'll go down the west side of Convoy first (north to south), and then we'll go up the east (south to north).

2. We must order at least one of the server's recommendations.

3. We can only choose to skip a restaurant if we have both eaten there.

4. We are allowed to skip chain restaurants.

5. If food is not the main business of the place, we do not have to go there (e.g. bars/karaoke spots that serve food).

6. If we would like something sweet after the meal, we have to try the dessert places/cafes in order.

7. We are not allowed to look up reviews beforehand.

They've already eaten almost seventy meals as part of the project, sampling items ranging from transcendent honey toast to curry stew that "tasted exactly like the powdered cream of chicken soup we used to take on backpacking trips."

posted by threeants (19 comments total)

There's a group called Serial Diners in Toronto that has been eating at every restaurant in the phone book, alphabetically, for something like 23 years.
posted by dobbs at 6:26 PM on January 5 [7 favorites]

omg i miss convoy (and SD!)... thanks for sharing, threeants (and exceptinsects!!) :)
posted by raihan_ at 6:28 PM on January 5

Drunken Convoy Karieokie powered by soju followed by Korean BBQ and some Boba.

Ah, good times...
posted by The Power Nap at 6:59 PM on January 5

Very cute logo!
posted by Anything at 8:24 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]

I'm suddenly quite hungry.
posted by brennen at 8:25 PM on January 5

Friends of mine did this for the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 8:51 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]

Aw, missing Dumpling Inn and Nozomi, two of my three favorite restaurants on Convoy (though they did get Convoy Tofu House).
posted by Runes at 8:53 PM on January 5

We just visited Dumpling Inn, but haven't posted yet! It's one of our favorites, too. In fact, that was part of the genesis of the project--we realized we just kept going to the same places all the time and figured we were probably missing out on some great things. And we were right!

And we haven't reached Nozomi yet--we are going in (more or less) strict order. What's your other favorite?

(Miko designed the logo, because she is awesome.)
posted by exceptinsects at 9:47 PM on January 5 [1 favorite]

I went to Dumpling Inn a little while ago looking for a replacement for Luscious Dumplings in LA (an impossible task) and it was absolutely terrific. If 13 year-old me were around though he'd tell you that Jasmine is probably the best restaurant in the world and you're a fool if you go anywhere else.
posted by villanelles at dawn at 10:20 PM on January 5

Crap, let me get a pen, I need to write this down...

Dumplin inn...
posted by The Power Nap at 10:33 PM on January 5

So many great places there... I don't often feel nostalgic for San Diego, but I fear I'll be up late lamenting my distance to the ma po tofu at the Szechuan place...
posted by rouftop at 11:02 PM on January 5

We will be in San Diego this February. Looking forward to going into debt eating at all of these restaurants.
posted by Deathalicious at 11:09 PM on January 5

This is pornography. Delicious delicious pornography.
posted by dazed_one at 1:22 AM on January 6

Despite having been to San Diego only once and having not strayed more than about five blocks from the convention center, I really enjoyed reading this.
posted by hoyland at 4:47 AM on January 6

"...one of the panchan tastes like you licked a hippie..."

This made me snort coffee down my nose.
posted by essexjan at 5:07 AM on January 6

So what happened at Café International on 15 May 2011 that there was no review?
posted by essexjan at 6:38 AM on January 6

Ha, keep forgetting to write that one up. Try it now.
posted by exceptinsects at 12:51 PM on January 6

I spend a couple of months in San Diego every year and I've taken to staying at a hotel near Convoy 'cause the food is good there even though the location is sub-optimal to where I work. To expand on my earlier recommendations:
Nozomi: Some seriously creative rolls here, with lots of terrible names. I really like the "Bill Gates Roll". It's also worth it to go off the sushi menu here, try the green noodles and the giant seafood salad (this is not a one-person salad).
Dumpling Inn: While one person can eat here, it's not optimal 'cause you'll want ALL THE DUMPLINGS. But given the tiny eating area, getting a table for more than 4 is impossible. I think 3 is best 'cause that leaves room on the table for the food.
Santouka Ramen: Not really on Convoy, but in the Mikasa food market. I prefer the ramen here to that at Yakyudori. It's in a food court so don't go for the ambience.
South of where Convoy becomes Linda Vista is K's Sandwiches on the corner of Linda Vista and Mesa College. I seem to remember they have a wider selection than Cali Baguette, and the breakfast ham-and-cheese croissant with jalepeno is awesome. It's definitely a bigger operation than Cali, so you won't get the personal service, but they do have stuff that Cali doesn't like fresh-squeezed sugar cane.

Just remembered I'm going to be in town later this month. Anyone interested in a meet-up?
posted by Runes at 7:33 AM on January 7 [1 favorite]

Early last decade someone did this with Massachusetts Avenue in Boston and Cambridge. Sadly I can't find it.
posted by madcaptenor at 12:01 PM on January 7