Revisits: The High Dive, Kayaba, and Island Style Cafe

Some revisits to start off the week.

Tonkatsu from Kayaba:

I guess it's strange that I go to a "food court" when I want my Tonkatsu fix.

But for under nine bucks, this tonkatsu is a favorite of mine in San Diego.......

Crisp, usually moist, love that mashed potato salad.

'Nuff said.

Kayaba
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd Ste 119 - In the Mitsuwa Marketplace
San Diego, CA 92111

The High Dive:

So, the Missus has become a big fan of the Tap Hunter app. I guess She's now an offical Beer Geek. Anyway, there are places that are real good at keeping Tap Hunter up to date and places that are kind of blase'.....Common Theory, I'm looking at you. For all its short-comings, mainly food-related, The High Dive seems to do a good job keeping things updated. Recently, when the Missus was busy with work, She noticed that one of our favorite beers, La Fin du Monde was on tap. I was ordered to head on down and report back post-haste.

And of course, when I arrived, it was there, poised and ready. There's some flavors with "La Fin" that we enjoy, a mild fruit, with flavors that seem like clove and other spices, which make it fine match with spicy food for us. The flavors seem to go really well with anything I make with ghost peppers, strange as that may seem.

This draft version seemed a bit lighter without the spice notes. Maybe for the first time, I preferred the bottle to the tap....weird.

I Buffalo Wings were adequate and by the book. Nothing to make them stand out, but no complaints.

I thought it was a bit too heavy in the sour end and the wings were fried way past well done, but that would be nitpicking.

High Dive Bar and Grill
1801 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110

Getting my "loco fix" at Island Style Cafe:

It was time for my bi-annual locomoco fix......well, strangely, it would be the first "loco" I had this year. I've got some catching up to do! Anyway, I went with the Kaloko Loco at Island Style Cafe. A rather unconventional Loco Moco; usually I'm not a fan of fried rice for my loco and this one even has a crepe, but it all seems to work out for me.

Like my good FOY CAB says, there's an interesting, yet complimentary interplay of sweet with savory going on that I enjoy. The eggs were overcooked for "over-easy" on this visit and I've kind of gotten used to jasmine rice so the calrose got my attention....I gotta head back home for an attitude adjustment soon! I think the burger here is still too tough and lean, but that's nit-picking as this is still my favorite loco moco in San Diego.

Island Style Cafe
5950 Santo Road
San Diego, CA 92124

 

Comments

[kat]

a little hit or miss...

[Sandy]

I usually go to Santouka for ramen, but I should change it up and have tonkatsu at Kabaya. Do you know if they have chicken katsu? I think I prefer the loco moco at Homestyle Hawaiian over Island Style Cafe; however, I haven't been to Island Style in awhile so maybe I need to go back and refresh my memory.

[Kirk]

A little Kat!

Hi Sandy - I prefer the straight up loco moco at HH over ISC....however, that Kaloko Loco is in a class all its own.

[Jinxieats]

Such an interesting loco moco, I've been quite intrigued... it's a little far from where I live, need to do some convincing to get the boyfriend to drive there, haha.

[Kirk]

Hi Jinxi - They open at 7am on the weekends....maybe you can talk the BF on hitting them up before you go shopping or something?

[Lynn @ oh-soyummy]

i'm gonna take dennis to Kayaba. he loves his Tonkatsu!

we tried 'high dive' during burger week but weren't that impressed with the burger or sliders. the mixed drink was better at least.

i think i've been to Island Style Cafe with my coworkers once. i don't really remember the food much but i'll know what to order if we ever go back!

[James]

I love the tonkatsu at Kayaba, though I've stopped getting it curry-style since sometimes the curry was spicy and other times it was almost candy-sweet. Super ono, though!

[Kirk]

Hi Lynn - I think for nine bucks it's quite worth it! The High Dive takes really good care of their beer, tho' for obvious reasons it's "Ballast Point" heavy. The food....not so much.

Hi James - I agree. Most times I just get it, well.....straight up is the best way to say it.

[janfrederick]

We just went to Island Style this weekend for breakfast. I had a char siu scramble (scrambled eggs with char siu, Spoam, and fish cake) over pork friied rice with an "oriental" sauce. It was nice, albeit on the sweet side.

We'll be back to sample their other interesting dishes, but we'll probably not order a side of bacon again. I must say that I've never been served cold bacon before. I can almost forgive them for pre-frying it, but if you do that, ever hear of an invention called a microwave?

[Kirk]

Hey Jsn - You know, the Kaloko Moco is pretty much the only thing I get at ISC..... for some reason, everything else I've had kinda falls short for me.