Celebrating Latin Food in San Diego

The San Diego foodie scene has been fast expanding over the last few years.  We’ve gained enough national recognition from outlets such as Forbes magazine and the New York Times, that people are stopping by our town, not just for beaches but for the culinary scene.  Our authentic Mexican cuisine is the best in the nation, and this weekend we have the largest Latin food festival in the world taking place just south of Mission Bay.

Happening next to Seaport Village at the Embarcadero Marina Park, the Latin Food Fest is the ultimate foodie festival for fans of Latin food, wine, and spirits.  This celebration includes all Latin American countries, not just Mexico, so there will plenty of exotic tastings from all over the Americas.  Wander the festival while listening to lively Cuban music and noshing on the best culinary creations from awarded local executive chefs as well as celebrity chefs.  Cooking demos will teach you how to take some of this magic home, and signed cookbooks will be available to purchase for those who want to get serious about learning the art of preparing Latin food.

By attending you’ll also be helping out Camp Able, a foundation based on helping adults and children with disabilities enjoy beach activities like sailing, swimming and canoeing.  Proceeds will be given to help this San Diego-baed charity, who want our disabled community to enjoy the same fun on the water that others might take for granted.  Tomorrow, Saturday, August 13th’s "Grande Tasting" is for adults 21 and over, while Sunday’s event is for all ages (both days run from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM).  General admission is split into two categories for Saturday: $50 (all inclusive food wine and spirits tasting) and $25 for “Designated Drivers”.  Sunday’s prices are $40 for general admission, $25 for “Designated Drivers,” $10 for kids, or $75 for a “Family Pack” (two adults and three children).  

In honor of the Latin Food Fest, and for those who can’t make this spicy and delicious event, we’ve rounded up our favorite taco trucks in San Diego. 

Tacos la Mezcla is a well known spot for San Diego locals, and surprisingly their most popular item is a mix of Korean barbecue and the traditional taco.  The Korean Asada taco is marinated meat grilled in the “Bulgogi” style over open flames and marinated with a mix of soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and countless other seasonings.  It’s addictive and has fans checking into their Facebook and Twitter pages to find exactly where they are parked (usually around Fall Brewery, just north east of Balboa Park).

Located just east of Mission Bay is Kikos Place Seafood Lunch Truck, an unassuming taco truck parked in a liquor store parking lot.  Fancy this is not, but you will find some of the best fish tacos you’ve ever tasted.  Big portions, low prices and incredibly fresh ingredients make this truck extremely habit-forming.  San Diego natives have been known to drive here from all over the city just for their authentic Baja-style fish tacos.  For those who don’t want fish, their shrimp, octopus, or carne asada tacos are all crowd pleasers as well.

Bring your cash when you visit Mariscos Mi Gusto Es food truck as they don’t accept anything else, but rest assured you won’t be spending much.  With incredibly low prices, ( fish tacos start at $1.50 each), its easy to fill up on tacos for under $5 at this downtown favorite.  This truck is no-frills but has a friendly staff who will help you decide on the perfect order, as the menu is written in Spanish.  With a name that means “My Taste is Seafood,” it’s no surprise that they consistently churn out perfect tacos made from grilled fish (marlin is a popular choice) and shrimp.

Whether you stop by the Latin Food Fest or drive around sampling our favorite taco trucks, call Mission Bay Vacation Rentals to book a centrally located summer rental.  After a day exploring some of our best cuisine, you'll be happy to relax near Mission Beach letting everything digest.  But, we should warn you, once you've had some of these tacos, you might form a few serious addictions.   

When Life Gives You Lemons . . . Head to San Diego

Lemons might not be the first thing (or second thing) you think of when talking about San Diego, but our town actually has some historical ties to this bright yellow fruit.  When the Sweetwater Dam was completed in 1888, bringing in much needed water, the combination of our sunny skies and rich soil, led to massive lemon groves, especially in Chula Vista.  Believe it or not, today San Diego has plenty of lemony activities to try out.  

Did you know San Diego actually has a suburb named Lemon Grove?  It only makes sense that the largest lemon statue in the world is located here.  At over 3,000 pounds, 10 feet long and 6 feet wide, this impressive citrusy work of art has been on display for close to 90 years.  Located on the corner of Main Street and Broadway, originally created to be a parade float, the statue was plastered in 1930 to become a more permanent outdoor fixture in the community.  The base is engraved with San Diego's motto since 1925, "Best Climate on Earth," another reason why we deserve the title "America's Finest City."  

At one point Chula Vista was the largest grower of lemons in the world.  Whether or not this is true today doesn't stop the community from planning the popular Chula Vista Lemon Festival, a local favorite for over 20 years.  This Sunday, August 7th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, stop by the free event for live music, crafts, hundreds of vendor booths, and of course, plenty of lemon-flavored drinks and eats.  You won't want to miss the lemon pie eating contest at noon and the largest lemon and lemon peel contest at 2:30 PM.  The Festival Fun Zone will make the kids happy, and the Craft Beer Garden will put a smile on the adults' faces.  Some of the craft beers served will be lemon-infused, and all beers will be priced at $5.  

We've raved about the desserts at Extraordinary Desserts before, and when it comes to lemony confections, we have to say, this place is the best.  All the sweets here look more like works of art than food and they never compromise on taste.  There are two locations, one in Little Italy and one near Balboa Park, and both are amazing.  You can start with their custardy lemon bars, a perfect mix of sweet and tart, or the lemon meringue tartlets, a perfect bite (or two) of lemon curd covering in their signature meringue.  The Lemon Ricotta Cake is a light and creamy torte made up of lemon whipped cream layered between ricotta cakes that have been moistened with lemon juice and fresh blueberries and blackberries.  The piece de resistance is their famous lemon meringue pie.  Imagine four layers of lemon soaked ricotta pound cake and lemon curd all enveloped in toasted whipped meringue.  You might need repeat visits to fully experience all the lemony dessert heaven served here.  

For the best lemonade in town head over to one of two locations of the newly opened California-chain named Lemonade.  This place looks like a cafeteria from the future, serving a seasonal menu that has health-conscience choices along with decadent options like white truffle mac and cheese and Nutella cheesecake.  The only complaint you might have is that there are too many delicious choices, including their wide selection of homemade lemonades.  The "Old-fashioned" never disappoints but there are also more exotic flavors like "Cucumber Mint" and "Blood Orange."  We recommend asking for a sample before choosing which flavor to indulge in.  

Talk about making lemonade out of lemons!  We've got plenty to eat, drink, and do thanks to that sour citrus fruit.  Plan a refreshing holiday starting with booking a beach house or bayside retreat from Mission Bay Vacation Rentals, then follow our guide to find some sweet lemony treats.