Cultural Culinary Treats: A Growing San Diego Trend

America has grown rich with varying cultures; and San Diego restaurants are creating unique dishes to represent them. You don’t have to travel far to taste some unique culinary treats that come from other traditions. Three local restaurants will take your tongue on a taste tour you won’t soon forget. They represent a growing trend among San Diego restaurants to accommodate the tastes of a country that is truly a melting pot.

One example of a restaurant that features a unique cuisine is Aladdin. The casual yet fine dining restaurant aims to offer something original on the menu for everyone, even for those eaters especially fond of pizza. Aladdin's main categories of food are Lebanese, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean. There are a number of different dishes with Middle Eastern sauces and spices, as well as unique types of kabobs. The menu offers both vegetarian and meat Meza Platters that highlight many Middle Eastern cuisine staples. . The Aladdin Meza Platter contains stuffed grape leaves, falafels (which are a kind of fried hommos with spices like cilantro), regular hommos, baba ghanouj (another dip like hommos with eggplant), chicken lamb shawerma, pitabread, pickles, and olives.

Another San Diego restaurant that is emblematic of a specific culture is Cafe Sevilla. You don’t have to fly to Spain to experience authentic Spanish cuisine and music; you need only take a ride to the Gaslamp Quarter. Dress casually and come enjoy some Flamenco guitar in the tapas bar or visit on scheduled nights for a Salsa dance lesson. There are over 40 tapas (Spanish appetizers) to choose from. Try the Jamon Iberico Croqueta: a cornmeal patty with a fine ham imported from Spain. If an entree is what you’re looking for, try a classic dish that has helped to keep this restaurant on the radar: the Paella Valenciana. This unique recipe combines Bomba rice with mussels, clams, calamari, shrimp, scallops, chicken, and imported Spanish sausages.

If you’re yearning for a trip to Hawaii, Peohe's is the next best thing with its tropical interior, waterfalls, and view of Downtown San Diego's skyline. This Coronado restaurant is bound to serve up a taste of paradise that will hold you over until you get to Hawaii. For a taste of a true Hawaiian Island entree, try the Peohe’s Mahi Mahi Mai’a; it’s a fish specialty served with macadamia nuts, banana slices, and a Frangelico cream sauce, with wild rice. Another option is the Sesame-Crusted Salmon, which is rolled and baked in toasted sesame seeds, and served with sautéed Szechwan vegetables and a Thai peanut sauce.

Why not indulge in a new adventure on your next night out? You might be surprised at what a great time you’ll have, and what culinary treasure you may discover.