Best Restaurants for Foodies in Mission Valley

Food and service was outstanding. The must have dishes are the pork belly and venison tare tare appetizers, the oxtail gnocchi and Secreto entrees, and the date cake for dessert. The H&W Negron was also a stand out.

This was our second visit to Animae. Last night we dined as a couple, and I think we enjoyed the dinner even more than with a group of 7. We were not distracted by the friends and conversations, and we appreciated the amazing creativity and innovation that Chef Tara is bringing to San Diego diners! We began with the Kampachi Crudo with Yuzu sauce as a cold starter, and it was excellent. We also had the Beet Salad from the cold starter section, and the beets were on a ricotta creamy sauce. Also Excellent! My favorite burst of flavor from both visits was the Hunan Lamb Chops which have Szechuan Peppercorns as one of the lively flavors, from the Hot Starters section. We ordered the Wagyu Fried Rice, and enjoyed it very much with the Lamb Chops and with the final meat course: Roast Duck Leg, with an Asian flavors sauce. We had the Chocolate Cremeux dessert, and it was also a show stopper! The table service was gracious, informative, friendly, and not irritating in any way. The scene inside the restaurant was very cheerful, and the room is dramatic and very arty! Animae is definitely our go-to restaurant for out of town guests who might have preconceptions that San Diego dining is not on an international level.

C* is our go-to for any special occasion. They make the best steaks of all of San Diego - possibly of all of Southern California! This time around we were celebrating a birthday. C* service is always impeccable - everyone from the host to the waitstaff asked whose birthday it was and wished our birthday guest a happy birthday which was a sweet touch. We got the French Onion Soup to start, the best made anywhere. Also got the 40oz Porterhouse for 2 which was AMAZING - perfect amount for 2 people. Mac & Cheese side, which was a hit and the bacon was a delicious topping. Sticky Toffee Cake for dessert - also very unique and tasty. Can’t go wrong with their cocktail menu either! Our favorites include the C* Old Fashioned, Smoking Gun, and Oaxaca Old Fashioned. We’ll be back soon enough to try out some of the dessert liquors as well!

We had a wonderful early evening dinner. Our waiter was kind, informative, courteous and timely. The fajitas, mahi tacos, carne asada nachos, and Tres Leches Cake and margaritas were delicious. Parking was plenty and free. The views of the city at night with the Christmas lights was stunning.

The food was amazingly fresh. Overall a great experience.