So, I sat down to write this, but I was lured into the kitchen by the siren call of the Nutella.
I knew I should not have bought this, but I kept seeing it in the store. So, I pretty much have to eat a slice or two of bread with nutella on it every day, usually in the afternoon. I can't help it. And I usually want more than one slice, but I literally have to hold myself back.
Anyway, getting back to the topic. Last Wednesday was the FP's last show with his band at the Ruby Room. He has such a big influence on the band, that they have most likely disbanded. Okay, it wasn't all because of him, it just seemed like a logical time for the band to split up. Anyhoo, we got there early because some dumb person who obviously knows nothing about running live shows told them they had to load in at 6:30 pm. So we got there around 7pm. So, the FP, the band leader and I went to the Range, which is the restaurant at the front of the strip.
So, this seemed to be one of those doomed to fail locations. I mean, it is large, with a loft or mezzanine level and very visible. The first restaurant was a middle eastern place. I think we ate there once. I don't remember anything wrong with the food, but the place was always empty. And they would never let anyone park in the parking lot in the spaces in front unless they were going to eat there.
So, then, the Ruby Room bought the space and opened up the Ruby Kitchen. I guess it was supposed to be a more classy upscale loungey place with comfort food. The hot dogs were bad. I don't remember exactly what was wrong with them, but not good. That's all I ever had from there. But the place was even slower, if possible. And I think the hours were weird. Like they opened late, and at first tried to stay open late. But then no one ever went in there, so the staff was cut, and the hours were cut. I did read on the internet that the meatloaf cupcakes were good. I guess not good enough to keep the place open.
The next thing I knew, there was some sports bar in the place. Another total decor change. Very sports barred up with the beer and sports signs and TVs. But I don't even know how long that place existed.
Cut to last week. Total image change again with the new restaurant, The Range. So, as you can probably guess, the place has craft beer and an organic, all natural type menu. The place looked great. Different colored wood panels and barbed wire and chicken wire and stuff.
So, anyway, since the FP was playing a gig, he didn't want to fill up. So we split a burger.
Mushroom swiss burger with housemade bread and butter pickles and sweet potato fries.
So, the fries were limp and sad. But they tasted like sweet potatoes and I was hungry, so I ate them all. Guess I should have gotten the handcut potato chips that Bandleader got, they were way better.
The mushrooms were a melange of yummy cultivated varieties - it looked like there were oyster lobster shrooms in the mix. It was really good. Way more exciting than the usual button mushrooms, and they were cooked very nicely.
The pickles were the really big hit though. Interestingly enough, they tasted a lot like my pickles I used to make - the same proportions of sugar, vinegar and salt, and that pickling mix.
The burger was seasoned and a good quality meat, but it was overcooked. :( We asked for medium, and it was medium well, closer to well. It still tasted good though.
So, we had a few beers too, they had Green Flash Hop Head Red, and I had something else... Stone Pale Ale, I think. Just standards. Although, soon, these will not be my local beers! :(
So this place looks like it has something good going. Hopefully it will be able to break the curse!
The Range Kitchen & Cocktails
1263 University Ave
SD, CA 92103
I knew I should not have bought this, but I kept seeing it in the store. So, I pretty much have to eat a slice or two of bread with nutella on it every day, usually in the afternoon. I can't help it. And I usually want more than one slice, but I literally have to hold myself back.
Anyway, getting back to the topic. Last Wednesday was the FP's last show with his band at the Ruby Room. He has such a big influence on the band, that they have most likely disbanded. Okay, it wasn't all because of him, it just seemed like a logical time for the band to split up. Anyhoo, we got there early because some dumb person who obviously knows nothing about running live shows told them they had to load in at 6:30 pm. So we got there around 7pm. So, the FP, the band leader and I went to the Range, which is the restaurant at the front of the strip.
So, this seemed to be one of those doomed to fail locations. I mean, it is large, with a loft or mezzanine level and very visible. The first restaurant was a middle eastern place. I think we ate there once. I don't remember anything wrong with the food, but the place was always empty. And they would never let anyone park in the parking lot in the spaces in front unless they were going to eat there.
So, then, the Ruby Room bought the space and opened up the Ruby Kitchen. I guess it was supposed to be a more classy upscale loungey place with comfort food. The hot dogs were bad. I don't remember exactly what was wrong with them, but not good. That's all I ever had from there. But the place was even slower, if possible. And I think the hours were weird. Like they opened late, and at first tried to stay open late. But then no one ever went in there, so the staff was cut, and the hours were cut. I did read on the internet that the meatloaf cupcakes were good. I guess not good enough to keep the place open.
The next thing I knew, there was some sports bar in the place. Another total decor change. Very sports barred up with the beer and sports signs and TVs. But I don't even know how long that place existed.
Cut to last week. Total image change again with the new restaurant, The Range. So, as you can probably guess, the place has craft beer and an organic, all natural type menu. The place looked great. Different colored wood panels and barbed wire and chicken wire and stuff.
So, anyway, since the FP was playing a gig, he didn't want to fill up. So we split a burger.
Mushroom swiss burger with housemade bread and butter pickles and sweet potato fries.
So, the fries were limp and sad. But they tasted like sweet potatoes and I was hungry, so I ate them all. Guess I should have gotten the handcut potato chips that Bandleader got, they were way better.
The mushrooms were a melange of yummy cultivated varieties - it looked like there were oyster lobster shrooms in the mix. It was really good. Way more exciting than the usual button mushrooms, and they were cooked very nicely.
The pickles were the really big hit though. Interestingly enough, they tasted a lot like my pickles I used to make - the same proportions of sugar, vinegar and salt, and that pickling mix.
The burger was seasoned and a good quality meat, but it was overcooked. :( We asked for medium, and it was medium well, closer to well. It still tasted good though.
So, we had a few beers too, they had Green Flash Hop Head Red, and I had something else... Stone Pale Ale, I think. Just standards. Although, soon, these will not be my local beers! :(
So this place looks like it has something good going. Hopefully it will be able to break the curse!
The Range Kitchen & Cocktails
1263 University Ave
SD, CA 92103
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