California has somewhere in the region of 80,000 restaurants to choose from so you are certainly spoilt for choice. We have listed some of our personal favorites and hope you like them too!
Whether you have a family celebration or have simply had a busy day at work and are too tired to cook we think you will be delighted with our recommendations for California dining.
Busalacchi's Restaurant opened in 1986 for it's owner, Joe, to showcase his culinary talents and to have a place for our customers to come to have a fine meal and always feel "at home". Busalacchis Restaurants carefully select their staff so that they become a part of ther family and in turn, the customers do too!
Busalacchi's on Fifth
3683 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, California
Contact/Reservations: 619.298.0119
Many restaurants in Little Italy have become destinations, among them the Busalacchi family's Trattoria Fantastica. The rustic décor features a relaxed country-style feel throughout the restaurant, including the delightful patio. The wonderfully welcoming atmosphere celebrates yet another delicious Sicilian food lineup, including wood-fired pizzas and all that you would expect from an authentic Italian menu. The terrific entrées show the Sicilian influence, and fill the restaurant with great aromas.
Trattoria Fantastica
1735 India St.
San Diego, California 92101
Contact/Reservations: 619.234.1735
The menu at Café Zucchero™ lists fine panini (sandwiches) such as the Melanzane Parmagiana with chilled eggplant, mozzarella cheese, and marinara sauce, or the pollo (with grilled chicken, feta, bell peppers, onions, and tomato).
Cafe Zucchero
1731 India Street
San Diego, California 92101
Contact/Reservations: 619.531.1731
Po Pazzo
1917 India Street
San Diego, California 92101
Contact/Reservations: 619. 238.1917
Zia's Bistro
1845 India Street
San Diego, California 92101
Contact/Reservations: 619.234.1344
Via Lago Trattoria
866 Eastlake Parkway Ste. 210
Chula Vista, California 91914
Contact/Reservations: 619-216-8660
Little Italy Spaghetteria
1953 India Street,
San Diego, California 92101
Contact/Reservations: 619-398-2974
Dining Out - The Rules
The rules of eating out depend on the venue, occasion and type of food but we we had a little brain storm and came up with this dining etiquette list. Enjoy!
- Never reach over someone else's plate.
- Don't lunge for anything that you have to stretch for - walk to it or ask a fellow diner to pass it to you.
- Eat over your plate, not over the table, your lap, someone elses lap (you get the message)
- Try to avoid making rude body noises (you know what we mean!)
- Avoid discussion topics over the dining table that might put other diners off their food (again, not hard to work this one out).
- Left or right handed? Avoid the elbow situation and if you are left handed, don't sit to the right of a right handed eater. Knocking someones fork out of their mouth is not going to make you popular.
- When the bill arrives, make sure you pay your share and contribute towards the tip. Never quibble over a couple of bucks. Misers don't get asked out often.
- Cutlery - Generally you would start from the outside and work your way in. If you aren't sure, casually observe your host to see what he/she uses first. If after 10 minutes you are both sitting looking at your plate of food chances or neither of you know, ask the waiter.
- When to eat with your hands. The type of dining establishment you are visiting will be a good indicator although if there is no cutlery on the table that could be a helpful sign too.