One of the long-standing questions posed to guests on my Thursday episode of my radio show is what would their last supper, their last meal on earth, be. It would consist of three courses, a starter, main and dessert.
I’ve heard a lot of crazy ones over the years and one of the more notable ones was a chef who worked in a very high-end restaurant and all he wanted for his last supper was Taco Bell. I laughed like he was joking but he was dead serious. And after some thought, I could somewhat relate how he is around high-end, very rich cuisine on a daily basis how he would want to go in the complete opposite direction for his last meal. And hey, even with all the solid Mexican options we have around here I still get a Taco Bell craving that harkens back to my high school days.
Given what I do with Lick the Plate, my last supper is constantly changing. But since there are five episodes of Lick the Plate that air weekly, for that week of shows I had Jennifer Eve Thorn from Moxie Theatre guest host and I gave myself the luxury of picking a last supper per episode, from San Diego restaurants that I have either written about for The Coast News or had on the radio show.
With that, here we go with my first selection. Because most of these selections would have ended up in separate episodes, I combined them into one and am going all in on Fish 101 for my first three courses. I’d start with a couple dozen of their super fresh oysters, paired with a glass of grassy Sauvignon Blanc. They serve a lot of oysters at Fish 101 and they are always super fresh, crisp and delicious. My main would be their Fish Po Boy with a side of their fresh cut fries. This is a monster sandwich with an extra piece of fish to share or trade with a dining companion. The pickled onions give it a twang and the roll it’s served on is a beauty … along with those amazing fries of course. My dessert would be almost any dessert they serve up at Fish 101, but their Tres Leches is the best I’ve had.
For my second last supper I’d start with the Quail I had at Solterra a few months back. Three of those delicious birds were served on a board with and were just a perfect way to start a meal. I’m not sure if they are still on the menu but they really should be if not. For my main I’m going to head downtown San Diego to Cowboy Star for their Bone-In Ribeye cooked medium rare with a side of asparagus. It’s meat and veggie perfection and worth the drive down. I’m coming back into North County for my dessert and getting a variety box of doughnuts from VG Doughnuts and yes, I’m eating them for dessert because it’s my last supper and dang it, I want doughnuts!
My third has me driving way south to Bonita where Romesco is located and I’m going to start with their exact replication of Tijuana’s original Caesar’s Salad. It’s the best Caesar outside of TJ and the tableside presentation adds a romantic flair to it. I’m Encinitas bound for my main course on this last supper and I’m going to keep it real with the Patty Melt from the Encinitas Café. I’ve raved about this in the past and I really do love it. I’ll finish this version of my final meal off with any pie from Pannikin in Encinitas. They are all so good I would be very happy with any of them.
My fourth last supper takes me to the Shelter Island Pier and a place called Fathom Bistro Bait & Tackle Thursday for their Wedge Salad. First off, Fathom is on the pier and yes, it’s attached to a bait and tackle shop. It’s an amazing place and their Wedge Salad is one of the best I’ve had. Leucadia is home to Kai Ola and my main course where I will hope for some Bluefin sushi and sashimi on the menu but am quite happy with any of the sushi they have available. The Butterscotch Pudding at Blue Ribbon will finish off this meal and please don’t expect conversation from me while I slowly indulge in this lovely dessert.
And to wrap up this week of last suppers I’m getting the Meatball from Buona Forchetta in Encinitas and having my way with it. The Drugstore Hamburger from The Grill at Torrey Pines is the best burger in San Diego and that’s why I’m picking it. And finally, to celebrate some great news, I’m going to get the Acai Bowl to celebrate the reopening Mozy Café when it reopens soon in the Fulano’s space in Leucadia.
And there you have it, five meals that I would be very happy with as my last. I’d love to hear from readers who would like to share theirs. Let’s keep them San Diego-centric and shoot me an email at [email protected] with your picks.
