Carlsbad

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Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

This is one of my new favorite steak dishes. It was bursting with flavor and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The crispy onion was such a great addition and the Thai chili dipping sauce enhanced the flavors of this dish. Highly recommend and worth trying!

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

Gonzo Ramen is the best ramen spot in North County and one of my all-time favorite ramen spots. I got the Gonzo Black and the broth was perfection: garlicky, smokey and rich. The highlight for me was the chashu; it had the perfect amount of fat and was so thick, tender, and juicy. I can’t recommend Gonzo enough.

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

I highly recommend Blue Ocean’s Chef Specialty Roll for all spicy tuna lovers. The spicy tuna was high quality; it tasted a lot fresher than most that I’ve had. The garnish, spicy mayo, and eel sauce also elevated the dish.

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

I fell in love with the Spicy Garlic Ahi Poke Bowl at Cherry Blossom Burmese Cafe in Carlsbad. This poke bowl transported me to Hawaii because it was very comparable to the bowls there. Their spicy garlic sauce bursted with flavor and the ahi was so fresh. I appreciated how simple the fix-ins were, like in Hawaii, so that all the attention is on the fish and sauce. I loved that there were apple slices because they added a nice crunch and flavor! I’ll be back to try some of their Burmese dishes and highly recommend this restaurant!

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

The viral Red Chickz is finally in Carlsbad! I get how they became so popular because their hot chicken sandwich was heavenly. Every bite was jam-packed with flavor and each component came together so beautifully. The chicken was fried to perfection and very well seasoned. The sauce and slaw balanced the heat from the chicken. And I loved that the sandwich came with potato wedges. Red Chickz just became one of my new favorite hot chicken places! 

Carlsbad, Encinitas   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

Their menu had so many great options, so I went with my server’s recommendation: the Birria Enchiladas. You can never go wrong with birria — it’s so tender, juicy, and packed with flavor, which theirs was. And I loved their enchilada sauce. It had the perfect amount of spice! The spicy refried black beans complimented the enchiladas very well, too. I was also surprised by the big portions. I highly recommend Le Papagayo if you want a slightly fancier dinner and will be back for their steak and ribs! 

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

We ordered Paneer Tikka Masala and Vegetable Korma. Both were so flavorful and had great texture, but we preferred the Korma. The Garlic Naan was great, too.

Carlsbad, Oceanside   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

This is my new favorite North County burger spot. The Cosmos Burger is as close to a perfect burger as it gets. The two patties were perfectly grilled and so tender, flavorful, and juicy. They nailed the caramelized onions and blew me away with their Cosmos sauce, which was like an elevated In-n-Out spread with hints of garlic. Highly, highly recommend!

Carlsbad  |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

This is my new favorite pork chop dish. I don’t have much to compare it to but it was such a delicious meal. All the elements and flavors came together beautifully, particularly the bacon jam. I also loved the perfectly charred brussels sprouts and creamy mashed potatoes.

Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

Chin’s Szechuan is a popular Chinese chain in San Diego County that serves up huge portions of delicious dishes. Their Tangerine Chicken was amazing! The chicken was crispy and juicy and the sauce was tangy, sweet, savory, and spicy. I love how you can adjust the spice levels on every dish. I highly recommend this San Diego staple and will be back to try more of their dishes!

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

Surf Up Chicken is an amazing family-owned business that serves up delicious Taiwanese fried chicken in Carlsbad. According to the owner, the chicken is marinated for 3 days and I believe it. This meal transported me back to Taiwan and I couldn’t get enough of their crispy, mouthwatering chicken. They even make house-made sauces like Yum Yum, Nashville Hot, and Zesty Green! My favorite sauce was the Golden Chicken Dip, which tasted like an elevated version of the Chick-Fil-A sauce. Their Filipino-style Spaghetti was very nostalgic for me as I loved the sweet, savory sauce. Highly, highly recommend checking this place out. 

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

The highlight of the Country Fried Steak was the gravy—so creamy and flavorful. I’d definitely come back and try their Cinnamon Rolls or any dish with the “Cardiff Crack” (tri-tip). 

Vista, Carlsbad, Encinitas   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

3 words: Thai. Chicken. Pizza. Leucadia is one of our favorite pizza spots in San Diego and their Thai Chicken Pizza blew me away!

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

​I’m obsessed with Black Garlic Oil Ramen and BESHOCK satisfied my craving. The broth was super flavorful and I recommend adding chili oil. The ramen egg was cooked perfectly and the chashu was so tender and delicious. Overall, I highly recommend!

Encinitas, Carlsbad, Vista   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

I’ve never had duck in ramen and I loved it! The creaminess and flavor of the broth were chef’s kiss.

Vista, Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Their Pad See Ew is great. They also have amazing Thai curry! Super rich, flavorful, and had a nice creaminess and spice. I preferred the yellow over the red.

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Tasty Noodle House at the Shoppes at Carlsbad has lots of tasty Shanghai dishes to offer! Whenever there’s dim sum, I’m always going to go for the Xiao Long Bao. The pork was juicy and flavorful, especially with the black vinegar sauce and chili oil. I was wanting just a little more soup though. The Vegetarian Buns were also fluffy, delicious, and went so well with the chili oil. I’ll definitely be back here to try their noodle dishes!

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Thai Style is one of my new favorite spots at the Windmill Food Hall in Carlsbad! I loved their Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice because it was packed with flavor and the chicken was cooked well. The Pad Kee Mao was also delicious. I’m looking forward to trying their Pad Thai and Yellow Curry next time!

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Fresco Cocina is a great spot in Carlsbad for Mexican food! I loved the Short Rib Tacos. The meat was so juicy and flavorful and the chipotle aioli was a nice touch. I just wish the tacos were a bit bigger because they were so good! 

Carlsbad, San Marcos, Encinitas   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

Hooked on Sushi has a large selection of sushi and locations in Carlsbad, San Marcos, and Encinitas! I loved their Killer Salmon Roll, which came with salmon, spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, and a mixture of sauces. The highlight was their “captain sauce,” which tasted like a sweet chili sauce. I’d come back to try their other rolls!

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 8/10

Himalayan Sherpa Cuisine is an excellent Indian/Himalayan restaurant in Carlsbad! I loved their Korma—it was so creamy and flavorful. It had the perfect balance of sweet and savory and their spice levels were on point. I also enjoyed their Momo! 

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 8/10

A satisfying bowl of ramen! I enjoyed the rich, garlicky broth.

Carlsbad, Oceanside   |   Website

Food Rating: 8/10

Señor Grubby is a good Taco Tuesday ($2 tacos!) spot in Carlsbad! I got Al Pastor, Fish, and Carnitas. My favorite was a close call between the Al Pastor and Fish. The Al Pastor was so flavorful but could’ve been just a little juicier. The crema was the highlight of the fish taco. I wasn’t a huge fan of their carnitas though. Overall, I’d recommend checking out their Taco Tuesday!

Vista, San Marcos, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Del Mar   |   Website

Food Rating: 10/10

This North County staple is my favorite ice cream shop of all-time. They have a wide variety of flavors and their ice cream is high quality. My favorite flavors are Graham Central Station and Buckeye. Plus, their 4 Scoop Sampler is an incredible deal and perfect for sharing. 

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 9/10

The Salted Caramel Apple Crumble was undoubtedly their best pie. They nailed their savory pies but blew me away with their sweet ones. The highlight was their salted caramel filling. This is a must try item here! The Pumpkin Cream Cheese was an elevated pumpkin pie as you could taste more spices than a traditional one would have. My favorite component was the dollops of cream cheese—they achieved a great texture and flavor with them. The pepita was also a nice touch!

Carlsbad   |   Website

Food Rating: 7/10

The Mini Donut Company recently opened up at the Carlsbad Windmill Food Hall! My favorites were the Cinnamon & Sugar and Maple.