La Jolla Weekend: Jose’s Court Room and Roppongi

Filed under: On the Road — StyleGuide @ 7:52 pm

We hopped the train to San Diego to visit Jennifer, a StylishGuide inspiration and dear friend gifted with the ability to conjure up luxe bargains.  As tour guide, she lived up to her reputation, turning a “diamonds and denim” town like La Jolla into a destination for the cheap and chic. 

Ever the thoughtful host, she drove us straight from the San Diego train station to afternoon margaritas.  Jose’s Court Room on Prospect is an unrepentant dive bar, though one with multi-million dollar wide open ocean views from the bar stools.   A pitcher of frosty margaritas was followed by chips, salsa and creamy guacamole, plus Jose’s tacos (a deal at $3-4 each), and combos for a few bucks more (try the fish taco).

At 4 p.m., she led us a few blocks away to Roppongi.  This is an upscale place, with a fire pit on the patio and a dark, moody interior.  The trick is to hit happy hour — 4 - 6 p.m. seven days a week – when they take half off sushi rolls and Asian tapas, like tender and flavorful scallops on potato pancakes.  Even at half price, this isn’t bargain basement sushi (but let’s be honest — who in the world wants bargain basement sushi?).  Nevertheless, it is a stylish destination for an early dinner at a decent price.

For our “get out of town and drink ‘em down” La Jolla vacation, Jennifer delivered.

Related links  |  eating well closer to home

Asian food:  Empress Pavilion for dim sum

Mexican food:  El Cholo for margaritas and tamales

Posted in On the Road |