Little Italy: Wandering along India Street in Little Italy one quickly realizes the overwhelming number of restaurant choices.  If you want to go beyond the familiar spaghetti and meatball fare, La Villa is your place. The restaurant belongs to  a group that began in 2000 with Trattoria Itrulli in Encinitas and now includes other venues in Little Italy: Buon Appetito, Tazza D’Oro, Sogno di Vino and The Market by Buon Appetito. It’s a Buzz favorite for many reasons.

First, they finally got their website up and running and now you can see the menu of innovative dishes from chef Chris O’Donnell.  He uses locally sourced seasonal ingredients to create–without fussiness–interesting and approachable food with a rustic Italian touch.  O’Donnell enjoys changing the aspects of some of his dishes almost weekly which can be a frustrating for diners who come back for a favorite only to find it revamped within weeks.  At times, even the kitchen can’t keep up with a tweaked dish. One recent night the wild mushroom pizza changed that day to include fresh morels and other ingredients, but the kitchen  delivered the original version first, then rectified the error.

There’s patio seating, (with heaters and even a cozy corner sofa), a chef’s table in the bustling kitchen (seats 12 or so, but just two can dine there too) and an interesting wine list that includes a small (and growing) selection of half bottles.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Reasonably priced, real half bottles, not carafes masquerading as “half bottles.” Among the choices you’ll find a 2008 Schramsberg sparkling wine ($27) and a delicious 2009 Storybook Estate Zinfandel ($26).

Cocktails go well with my favorite (thankfully unchanged) avocado bruschetta–toasted baguette slice with a smear of avocado, topped with sliver of hard-boiled egg and dotted with capers ($10). A recent meal included that Storybook along with a fresh morel, baby chard leaves, ramps and a sprinkle of fresh English peas pizza ($18), a perfectly cooked (that means not chewy) grilled octopus tentacle salad ($14) and squash agnolotti with fresh favas and squash blossoms delicately plated and lightly accented with tomato sauce and pesto ($17). Fish, meats and chicken preparations vary as noted above–sometimes more often than one might wish–all good however.

The front of the house offers effortless and helpful service.  A recent wine dinner seated the 65 plus diners at tables of 8 to 10 people. A smart idea that allowed a table to be completely served at once, thus the kitchen was able to work smoothly with the wine service and no one was left wondering when their food would arrive. Food paired well with the wines and more dinners are in the offing. Full disclosure: Though I know the GM and chef, I pay for my meals. La Villa, 1646 India Street, Little Italy, 619-255-5221, open daily from 11:30am.

Point Loma:  Word on the street about the construction in the long vacant building on the corner of Nimitz and Rosecrans that Vons once occupied:  It will soon be Ralphs.  Expect the new store to open about May 10.

One of the truly exquisite spots in San Diego is in Coronado at the Hotel Del Coronado.  It’s a place you can walk the promenade between the sand and ocean and then walk up the pathway a few steps for a drink at the firepit lit Sunset Bar or enjoy a lovely dinner at 1500 Ocean. Earlier in the year both chef de cuisine, Brian Sinnott and wine director Ted Glennon moved on and now there’s a new culinary team at the restaurant.

Chef de cuisine Aaron Martinez worked for three years at Addison under William Bradley at The Grand Del Mar , and most recently headed the kitchen at Rancho Valencia. We’ll wait to see what Martinez does with the menu as the current one online still reflects the work of Sinnott as well as his then position as chef de cuisine. 

Joe Weaver stepped into the wine director’s position after working with Glennon for nearly two years.  Buzz knows Weaver from his days at the short-lived (but very good) Crescent Heights Kitchen and Lounge that closed in 2009.   He is certified at the second level of the Court of Master Sommeliers as well as honors study at the  Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

Finally had a chance to try the wildly popular Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill.  Sat at the bar 5:15 on  a  Wednesday eve,  which is burger and beer night.  Next to me, a couple split a burger and possibly the beer; on the other side a frequent customer raved about the fried squash blossoms and chicken liver paté.  I should have ordered the blossoms that came perfectly fried, not a drop of oil to be seen while my  fritto misto with vegetables, shrimp, calamari and soft shelled crab bites ($14) was an unfortunate grease plate with a flavorful and  not-too-capered mayo dip.  One would guess it’s a tale of two fryers:  one with the proper oil temperature for deep frying squash blossoms and one that didn’t heat up for the the misto.  A margharita pizza serves two with six pieces ($13),  a call vodka ($8.50) and the tab was $35 plus before tip.  The busy room is packed with “stuff” including a hanging cage (over the bar towards the kitchen) with a couple of faux chickens perched and lots of mixed and not matched  chairs.  Good bar service, loud room, nice alternative to the Prado if you’re going to the theater.

With all the opening buzz for Small Bar (an offspring of  Hamiltons Tavern) in University Heights, Buzz decided to meet a pal there at 6pm for a Friday night after work beer.  We didn’t make it in the door.  The name says it all:  Small, very small, very very loud jukebox music, very popular and as a smoker said while puffing away on the side entry way, “The food is great.”  That is  if you can find a place to sit and hear yourself talk.  Hamiltons, however, is larger, equally as loud depending on who is playing with the speakers, and specializes in craft beers.  Check out their event schedule

So, we moved on to Kings Fish House in Mission Valley, sat at the bar, ate a plate of very fresh  oysters from New Zealand, Baja and the East coast, beer, and three very tasty small, Tijuana street style fish tacos.  And we could hear ourselves talk!