Oh yes, it's the talk of the town over here in New Encinitas. I for one, am not so thrilled we have yet another industrial food operation, though I suppose it's somewhat better than a number of other chain operations we could have gotten.
I'd love to see a casual soup and salad operation that sources local produce from San Diego County, or at least closer than the Central Valley or Mexico (we have a year-round growing season after all). Can't make the drive to The Linkery in North Park very often.
Don't fall for the homemade soup baloney at SP, either. The soup is "assembled" on site, but "homemade" it isn't. While visiting the Chula Vista SP about 2 years ago and seeing all the in-restaurant promotions about SP's "homemade" soup, out of curiosity, I asked the manager about the soup broth, and was assured it was homemade. When I asked if the broth was really made right there, from veggies and bones and not from a concentrated packaged "soup base", he had no clue what I was talking about (he actually had no idea that chicken broth is made from chicken bones, etc.). He came out with the book of recipes & prep instructions that the kitchen crew uses and sure enough, it listed soup base concentrate, not anything remotely like bone broth. No thanks. I like minerals in my broth.
Anna, You had a local soup and salad joint, it was called Ladles. No one went and it died. Say what you will about Encinitas not needing chain restaurants but it's not true. Encinitians love a good chain restaurant.
Didn't know about Ladles. I love the chicken soup from Raul's Shack, though. I usually try to choose local independent businesses over chains. On Desperate Dinner nights, between our generous Be Wise Ranch CSA veggie box and the backyard eggs I get via a neighbor, I usually can get a good frittata on the table faster and cheaper than takeaway from a chain on ECR and not have to worry about crappy restaurant oils or chemical enhancements. But most of the time, I manage to avoid those emergency take outs with some advance planning (usually involving a Crockpot) and weaning myself off expensive convenience options.
Oh, I know my neighbors looooove chain restaurants. It drives me nuts. The schools are constantly organizing fund drives at the chain restaurants. After a few of those, when the whole school seems to show up during the same hour turning the place into a circus, I'd rather donate the cash directly instead (confession time - I've even been known to resort to Chipotle Grill for a salad bowl or a whole chicken at Chicks to serve with my own salad veggies at home ;-). But spending $20-$40 on a casual meal for three too often as a result of not planning for dinner or wanting someone else to clean up gets expensive. I'd rather not go out/take out very often so I can spend the money for better food. Besides, my own soup is so darn good...
While I'm at it I might as well put in a plug for local growers - www.localharvest.org. We have quite a few good local farms & CSA programs. Yes, water is expensive, but perhaps if we got rid of all these lawns...it would ease the water pressure for growers.
The practice of gluttony is never good. The "All you can eat" concept is nothing less than that. We already eat way too much in this country for our own good. $12 for cramming as much food in your gut as you can is no bargain. Neither is going there to eat little. On the other hand, Soup Plantation has excellent tasting food and is probably more eco-friendly than other places promoting all you can eat dead animal flesh!
personally i like dead animal flesh (like tri-tip)... i also like live animal flesh (like my cat which i am now going to rename kotija)
i challenge the notion that SP has excellent tasting food. i've eaten at 5 star restaurants that i wouldn't give such a glowing endorsement to. SP's food is mediocre at best.
"personally i like dead animal flesh (like tri-tip)... i also like live animal flesh "
It's a free country, but it's your body and consciousness. Enjoy your tri-tip at the misery of mis-treated and poisoned animals and the expense of your health.
I'm glad Varones is here. I'll take a teabagger over a flaming liberal any day. I hope one of those flaming liberal supporter of child molester leaves in his place.
Yeah it just came. Awesome. This weekend was a grand opening for charities, and they open for normal business this week.
ReplyDeleteGet on their e-mail list for 2-for-1 coupons.
Oh yes, it's the talk of the town over here in New Encinitas. I for one, am not so thrilled we have yet another industrial food operation, though I suppose it's somewhat better than a number of other chain operations we could have gotten.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see a casual soup and salad operation that sources local produce from San Diego County, or at least closer than the Central Valley or Mexico (we have a year-round growing season after all). Can't make the drive to The Linkery in North Park very often.
Don't fall for the homemade soup baloney at SP, either. The soup is "assembled" on site, but "homemade" it isn't. While visiting the Chula Vista SP about 2 years ago and seeing all the in-restaurant promotions about SP's "homemade" soup, out of curiosity, I asked the manager about the soup broth, and was assured it was homemade. When I asked if the broth was really made right there, from veggies and bones and not from a concentrated packaged "soup base", he had no clue what I was talking about (he actually had no idea that chicken broth is made from chicken bones, etc.). He came out with the book of recipes & prep instructions that the kitchen crew uses and sure enough, it listed soup base concentrate, not anything remotely like bone broth. No thanks. I like minerals in my broth.
If you want locally-sourced, made-from-scratch, all-you-can-eat, that's going to run you a lot more than $7.
ReplyDeleteIt's a nice idea, but I don't think there are enough people who would be able to afford to eat there often enough to keep it in business.
I could do without the dead birds in the soup though.
takes cheap water to make growing food locally worth it.
ReplyDeletetakes cheap water to make it worth growing food locally.
ReplyDeleteOK w/me as long as they keep it "over there" with all the other garden variety shizz.
ReplyDeleteOur 'West of 5' eateries can't be beat.
7:31
ReplyDeleteGet to know our town before you make generalizations like that.
just hope we get that walmart in the old expo building
ReplyDeleteA few check-cashing/payday loan establishments strung along El Cami would be nice a nice touch too.
ReplyDeleteif you want soup i would recommend la especial norte.
ReplyDelete$10 for all you can eat soup and salad? c'mon son... how much soup and salad can you REALLY eat.
Anna, You had a local soup and salad joint, it was called Ladles. No one went and it died. Say what you will about Encinitas not needing chain restaurants but it's not true. Encinitians love a good chain restaurant.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing about Ladles. I used to go there all the time. I'm pretty sure it was a take out concept being piloted by SP.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know about Ladles. I love the chicken soup from Raul's Shack, though. I usually try to choose local independent businesses over chains. On Desperate Dinner nights, between our generous Be Wise Ranch CSA veggie box and the backyard eggs I get via a neighbor, I usually can get a good frittata on the table faster and cheaper than takeaway from a chain on ECR and not have to worry about crappy restaurant oils or chemical enhancements. But most of the time, I manage to avoid those emergency take outs with some advance planning (usually involving a Crockpot) and weaning myself off expensive convenience options.
ReplyDeleteOh, I know my neighbors looooove chain restaurants. It drives me nuts. The schools are constantly organizing fund drives at the chain restaurants. After a few of those, when the whole school seems to show up during the same hour turning the place into a circus, I'd rather donate the cash directly instead (confession time - I've even been known to resort to Chipotle Grill for a salad bowl or a whole chicken at Chicks to serve with my own salad veggies at home ;-). But spending $20-$40 on a casual meal for three too often as a result of not planning for dinner or wanting someone else to clean up gets expensive. I'd rather not go out/take out very often so I can spend the money for better food. Besides, my own soup is so darn good...
While I'm at it I might as well put in a plug for local growers - www.localharvest.org. We have quite a few good local farms & CSA programs. Yes, water is expensive, but perhaps if we got rid of all these lawns...it would ease the water pressure for growers.
The practice of gluttony is never good. The "All you can eat" concept is nothing less than that. We already eat way too much in this country for our own good. $12 for cramming as much food in your gut as you can is no bargain. Neither is going there to eat little. On the other hand, Soup Plantation has excellent tasting food and is probably more eco-friendly than other places promoting all you can eat dead animal flesh!
ReplyDeletepersonally i like dead animal flesh (like tri-tip)... i also like live animal flesh (like my cat which i am now going to rename kotija)
ReplyDeletei challenge the notion that SP has excellent tasting food. i've eaten at 5 star restaurants that i wouldn't give such a glowing endorsement to.
SP's food is mediocre at best.
i give it less than a year.
WC VARONES GO SUCK A TEA BAG YOU FREAK STAY OFF THE LEUCADIA BLOG.
ReplyDelete"personally i like dead animal flesh (like tri-tip)... i also like live animal flesh "
ReplyDeleteIt's a free country, but it's your body and consciousness. Enjoy your tri-tip at the misery of mis-treated and poisoned animals and the expense of your health.
2:11
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you said it.
'Cajones' (or Cabrones, if you will....) weighs in on everything. The guys a Newb'. Even admitted it.
I'm glad Varones is here. I'll take a teabagger over a flaming liberal any day. I hope one of those flaming liberal supporter of child molester leaves in his place.
ReplyDeleteHey 6:20 -
ReplyDeleteI noticed all tea baggers have rings in their noses and fingers in their ears...you too?
I'll take a double espresso
Oh no. Not the crappy restaurant oils and chemical enhancements. Anything but those!
ReplyDelete