It's hard to eat convention-center food, as overpriced and tasteless as it is, and the San Diego Comic-Con is no exception. Add in the fact that Klingons have bad table manners and Boba Fett hogs the ketchup and you have the perfect excuse to vamoose in your 2009 Nissan GT-R for awhile to get some real food on the outside.
And that's just what Ken and I did before we began our back-road excursion in earnest. Ken's the local, so he directed me to a semi-renowned hole-in-the-wall burger joint that shows up on the occasional Ten-Best of San Diego list: Charley's "Famous" Hamburgers in Lemon Grove.
The place has the feel of an old In-and-Out drive-thru that was abandonded by the corporation years ago, though that is not actually the case because In-n-Out first appeared in San Diego relatively recently.
Charley's menu is much more extensive too, in terms of the burgers and the shakes you can get.
So how was it? Well, I had a Chili Burger, and the chili was much better than what you'd find at Tommy's, the yardstick we use in Los Angeles for such things. And my peanut butter shake was excellent. Better yet, it all stayed down with no "complications" after some vigorous churning on said back-roads in said GT-R.
Still, when I got back to the Comic-Com a few hours later I saw something on offer that made me wish I hadn't filled up on such ordinary fare.
Speed Racer had some, and he must have liked it because he took a good-sized doggie bag home with him.
As for me, I'll catch you next year, Darthy-Baby.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 26,050 miles
crowb says:
11:24 AM, 07/27/09
I hope Jar Jar's death was slow and painful...or to put that in Gungan:
Meesa hopin' him havin' da big owies and big crunchin's!
Can't stand that character...Curse you George Lucas for ruining my second childhood!
actualsize says:
11:31 AM, 07/27/09
You mean after Ewoks destroyed your first?
crowb says:
11:48 AM, 07/27/09
I hate you for that, Dan. Can you feel me constricting your wind pipe with my mind?
fuhteng says:
12:00 PM, 07/27/09
Awesome photo Dan.
kurt_ says:
12:09 PM, 07/27/09
That picture of the burger, is that before or after you ate it?
sherief says:
12:29 PM, 07/27/09
Next time you're in San Diego, hit up Rocky's Crown Pub (Pacific Beach) or Hodad's (Ocean Beach) for the best burgers in town.
actualsize says:
12:33 PM, 07/27/09
Drove by Hodad's the next day. The line out the door was way too long and the parking way too limited. Maybe next time.
misterfusion says:
12:58 PM, 07/27/09
LMAO @ Chef Vader! I didn't see that in any of the Comic-Con photo galleries I looked at over the weekend (this is one event that just doesn't lend itself to a vicarious experience).
Not a fan of Tommy's, but I have to say that Carl's Jr.'s chili-cheeseburger defies all odds by not giving me any ill after-effects whatsoever.
blueguydotcom says:
01:12 PM, 07/27/09
Hodad's is amusing but best with a big drunk crowd on a weekday night. Weekends = forgetaboutit.
lenoroc says:
03:00 PM, 07/27/09
"...the chili was much better than what you'd find at Tommy's, the yardstick we use in Los Angeles for such things."
What about Pink's!? Blasphemy!
Mad_Science says:
03:48 PM, 07/27/09
Recommendations after 5 years of residence:
Cotixans: Cotixan Fries
Santanas: California Burrito or Carne Asada fries
Robertos: Carne Asada Burrito
If it's still there, I recommend Lightning Jack's BBQ in Clairemont Mesa.
I *do not* recommend Taco Motion. Led to the worst taco motion I've ever experienced. Seriously, that took me out for a whole weekend.
dderosa says:
04:03 PM, 07/27/09
@crowdb: "Curse you George Lucas for ruining my second childhood!"
Well stated. --Donna
sherief says:
05:42 PM, 07/27/09
I gotta agree on the burrito recommendations above..and would add Lucha Libre for their Surf N Turf burrito..
..but the best BBQ in San Diego is Phil's BBQ in Point Loma (11+ years of residence)
actualsize says:
06:46 PM, 07/27/09
I had my first experience at Point Loma Seafood later on during this trip: old school survival-of-the-fittest counter ordering and a great crab sandwich wrapped in paper.
aurakr says:
07:36 PM, 07/27/09
best tacos in San Diego, CuatroMilpas in Barrio Logan. There is no parking, and the wait is usually at least 20 minutes, but it is the best tacos you will ever have.
It is so good, local units of the San Diego Fire Department show up quite often for orders to go.
actualsize says:
09:56 PM, 07/27/09
You know what you guys are doing, don't you? You're developing the itinerary for my next San Diego trip, that's what.
My lone question is for Mad_Science: Which Roberto's? They seem to be everywhere, and I suspect they're not all referring to the same Roberto.