Behind that old Red Door....

If food is your porn, then The Red Door is your Spice channel. Dear God, I couldn't stop eating even though I was full, I just didn't want the food to go anywhere but my belly.

The interior is super cute, almost like a place I went in Paris, but with a San Diego vibe to it at the same time. When day turns tonight it takes on this romantic, calm, but not pretentious vibe, and it's great. We sat in a table right on the corner, so people driving by probably wondered what was happening and if that was in fact my O face.

The service was um, not always the best, our waiter seemed to get really busy and kept forgetting about us which normally we probably wouldn't care about, but we had questions and kept wanting to order other things. He did, however, keep filling my wine glass from the bottle we brought ($12 corkage) and offer his opinion on the appetizers were were debating between. He was spot on with the pork cheek app recommendation, so I won't ding them for the service being less than amazing.

The host (I totally wish I had gotten his name so I could call him out right now) was awesome, he joked around with every table as though they were his closest buddies and always seemed able to make the group laugh whether it was the elderly couple, the young couple or the people on their first date. Awesome.

For real though, make yourself a reservation and head on down for date night. Good times will be had by all.

And this little piggy went EEEEEEEEEEEEEK all the way home.

Tre Porcellini, a new addition to the gayborhood, enticed me for months before opening with their three little pigs. The sign was just so cute (and pink!) that I was dying to try it out. Well, I finally did, and I'm sad to say the sign might well have been the greatest thing about the place (although the little piggy butts on the "closed" sign and back of the staff's shirts are pretty cute too).

Here's my review. The place really does have great potential and if a neighbor or family member wanted to go there and couldn't be swayed elsewhere, well, I'll go back and try again. But, until that time happens, my love for Italian food (and men) will be cured elsewhere in San Diego (or Bensonhurst BK but that's an entirely different story).

Bruschetta. Three pieces of burnt bread with various toppings $10. The only one I really liked was the "traditional" bruschetta and if I were to order this again I'd request that the three slices be this one only. The others were perfectly okay, but bland, boring, and sort of difficult to eat (due to the burnt bread).

"Mac and Cheese" Risotto (quotes used because that's what is on the menu). $11.95. Had a funky after taste, quite an earthy one. Not terrible, but not my favorite either. Despite being a Tre Porcellini specialty, I'd avoid it, try a different offering for your $.

Chicken Marsala. $15.95 (I think). Chicken was cooked really well, potatos were tasty. Sauce was really, really sweet. I commented that it tasted like a Moscato or Riesling had been used to make the sauce rather than the typically dry white. It was shockingly sweet, which really took away from the dish itself. Again, not terrible, but the sweet sauce was really just too much.

Wine list: Actually quite good. We each just had a glass (which are excellent pours for the price) but the list had a great variety and price points to meet nearly anyone's needs.

Ambiance: We both commented that the inside didn't seem to have changed much from Bite, same uncomfortable chairs, booths along the edge, awkward group table up front. Nice bar area.

Service: Nothing to complain about. They were great. Water was always filled, plates cleared away, etc.

Overall, despite the plethora of excellent reviews, there are far better Italian joints (both upscale like this one and lower scale) not much further away.

It's just one of those days, don't take it personal.

Today is just one of those days. I don't know if it's because after a check of the office thermostat it's a lovely 66.9 degrees in here (which isn't cold if you're running errands, or moving around but sitting at a desk trying to type things out for 8 hours straight...well it feels frigid) or if it's because the weatherman has informed me that it is supposed to rain again on Friday, but I'm really over today already. I'm annoyed with everyone - my boss, my VP (aka my bosses boss), my co-workers, myself.

On a positive note, I've got Martini Madness to look forward to tonight. One of my favorite sushi restaurants (Ono Sushi) also happens to have $4 martinis on Thursdays. Sure, it's not like you're getting Belvedere or Grey Goose in those things, but hey, one or two of plain old vodka ones hit the spot after a day like today is shaping up to be. I'm not picky when I've had a rough day. Not. At. All.

Plus, even more importantly, the place has really amazing sushi. It's some of the best I've found in town (and trust me, the more you read this thing, the more you'll realize I eat an inordinate amount of sushi) although not the best I've found ever (that is reserved for a place in Dana Point and a place in Santa Barbara). I'm salivating just thinking about it! Oh I can't wait for it tonight. We took food out thinking that we'd just go for a maritini, but I think I might use the old "we should marinate that overnight" trick and get sushi instead.

And now that an employee just came in and it was all I could do to explain to him what he was supposed to say I definitely think I'll be using the "please, let's get sushi" thing. Oy vey. I hope everyone has a great Thursday, at least we're on the quick downhill slide to the weekend.