Encinitas food crawl

I needed to go to the coast yesterday to see my accountant. After the meeting, Leslie and I drove over to Ron and Lena's. We all wanted a walk and lunch so we headed over to Bulltaco in the Cardiff campground, great view and interesting food, home of our favorite duck burrito.

But it was closed. People didn't show up, out of food, one excuse or another.

So we headed into Encinitas, parked in front of the Lumberyard.

And embarked on a truly gluttonous afternoon. First stop was Napizza. We had heard great things about the place, all natural, wheat flown in from Italy, 72 hour rise on the dough. Place has gotten some rave reviews.

We asked the guys behind the counter and got two suggestions, the truffle mushroom and the potato bacon. We all shared, both were heavenly, the former just out of this world. Crust great, rectangular shape. Certified organic and nasty free.

Encinitas is their fourth location. Deserves the raves.

Ronnie was in the mood for fish tacos, just a block or two up the way so we then hit the Taco Stand. The day was rapidly turning into a food walk.

We had been talking fish tacos, we like Pedros, not so into Wahoos or Rubios anymore. Car wash stinks now. Taco Stand is our pals' go to fish taco.

The options were battered, the baja, or grilled mahi mahi, the pescado. We did both. Habonero sauce was excellent. Good, not the best I have ever had. But good is good.

We still had to get back to the car and we had to walk past another pizza joint to do it. Past the old hydroscape and the now defunct Encinitas Land and Cattle co., whatever that was?

And so we passed URBN, the restaurant that's missing a vowel. In for a dime, in for a dollar. Leslie got a taste of the coconut rye stout, we ordered a margharita pie and shared it. Excellent, great thin crust.

I should state that Encinitas rivals Little Italy for the sheer number of Italian restaurants. My father's favorites was Pinos, now long gone. I guess Borellis is the oldest, place I had my first legal drink. George Harrison and Ravi Shankar loved Borellis.

But there have been some real good ones and bad ones and the place is now awash in pizza. Leucadia Pizzeria was the best slice in the old days, but nowhere close to the Bronx in San Diego, our favorite and the gold standard. Still the champion.

Urban was good. Coal fired. Cheaper and I liked it better than Blue Ribbon across the street. We would go back to all these places. East Coast pizza at Seaside market is very good too, or it used to be anyway.

Now I am not in the customary habit of having three lunches in immediate sequence, trying to watch my figure. I was full. I looked at the lobster roll joint with genuine sadness. But my cohorts were hungry again, can you believe it?

There is a place in Encinitas that is so crowded and loved for their ice cream that the wait is simply too great to endure. Name of Handel's. National franchise. Yesterday incredibly there was no one there. Lena had the butter pecan, Leslie went for a heavily chocolate influenced four scoop medley. Of course we all shared.

Very good. Kind of like Neiderfranks, remember them? Last great local ice cream, from ages past. Handel's was good but not having rocky road was a big fail for me.

I was stuffed. I would like to tell you about the great dinner I had when I got home but I can't. Gluttony just doesn't look as good on me as it once did.

But I did it all for you.

Afterwards we went over and had a walk around the lagoon. I shot some birds, didn't get much. Amazed I could walk.