AN,
You are absolutely correct about Asian food being much better in the MM/kearny mesa area where those communities are centered. We probably have 1 or 2 of each type in each of the areas i mentioned. I love many types of food and dont live on hamburgers and hot dogs. My tastes for asian food tend do to the americanized versions with the exception of Indian food. With that said, i stand by what I said about all those places.
In Encinitas, you places like the Self Realization Fellowship (Swami’s), Quail Botanical Gardens, La Paloma Theatre, Pannikin Coffe shop (in the Old Train Station), Lou’s Record’s, Swami’s, Moonlight Beach, Cottonwood Creek park, Olivenhain, Leucadia, Ecke Ranch and the whole funky 101 corridor. Cardiff has the undeveloped coastline and great local joints like Pipe’s, VG’s, legendary surf spots and a state campground at the beach. In Solana Beach, you have great family owned restaurants in Eden Gardens like Tony Jakal’s that have been there for decades, The Belly Up Tavern, Fletcher Cove, Cedros Street etc. Del Mar has the track, dog beach, the torry pines reserve for hiking, Del Mar Plaza, Powerhouse Park and all the beach cottages. All of these areas make up what I consider the quintesential Southern California Beach Town experience.
Mira Mesa has Mira Mesa Blvd, Fuddruckers, Best Buy and On The border. Need I say more? Carmel Valley has a Ralphs where people dress to impress to go food shopping and a coupel strip shopping centers. Is there even a decent park there?
For someone with a love for the ocean, living in place like Encinitas is akin to a snow lover living in Steamboat.
