Playa Grill & Margarita Bar

September 28, 2010

San Diego, California – In the San Diego area again, trying to find a place to eat. I couldn’t find my planned destination over in OB (Ocean Beach) (I found out later I was less than two blocks away) and didn’t want to fall back on someplace I’d been before. My wanderings had me getting off I-8, getting back on, then circling around between the 163 and I-8 a couple of times before heading west off the 163 back toward I-805.

Eventually I ended up at Fenton Marketplace in Mission Valley. One of the first places I saw there was Playa Grill. Their website proclaims that they serve “sustainable and all natural” food. Sounds good to me. Let’s see what they have to offer.

Walking in, the first thing you see is the hostess station. My hostess was very nice and offered me a choice of seating areas. It was getting dark and I was battling the onset of a cold (a battle I lost the next morning) so I decided to sit inside. They have a semi-circular bar, which was populated by regulars whom the bartenders all knew. Several television screens above the bar had various sporting events on. A long crescent moon-shaped table traced the bar, with booths surrounding it. More tables and booths are to the right of the hostess station. A larger dining area can be found in back and an outdoor dining beyond that. It looked like there were gas-fed patio heaters outside.

Not long after I was seated, my server, Logan, arrived on scene. He was extremely friendly. He was very patient, answering my questions and offering suggestions. Made me feel right at home. I can see why Playa Grill has so many regulars.

Right after Logan finished taking my order, chips and salsa came to the table with two kinds of salsa; red and green. Nothing special here but I did prefer the red salsa better.

Apparently I had arrived near end of Happy Hour. They have a few happy hour specials. You have got to check out the margarita menu! They have quite a selection of their own unique margaritas and specialty cocktails. And they boast a selection of tequilas that’ll make any tequila aficionado muy alegre.

Taking a chance I ordered the Ultirita ($10). I was fighting the onset of a cold after all. So this was for medicinal purposes. The Ultirita consists of Patrón Silver, Patrón Citronage, agave nectar, fresh squeezed lime and lemon. Then they add a slice each of lemon, lime, and orange for good measure. The rim of the glass can be salted at your option. Logan warned me about the, um, potency, of this concoction. I took one sip. Whoa! Logan was right. I’m only having one of these tonight. It was as delicious as it was strong. The tartness of the lemon and lime juices mixed perfectly with the two tequilas. I made sure I nursed this one very carefully.

Since I was attempting to eat my soon-to-be cold into submission, I went for an appetizer. Today that would be something called Merry Piglets ($6.95). Merry Piglets?! Yep, Merry Piglets. The name is what caught my attention. The menu says they are slow-roasted pork sliders with savory barbecue sauce, jicama slaw, and caramelized pineapple. They are dusted with chopped cilantro and rest on a bed of the remaining slaw. Mmmm. Succulent. The roasted pork flavor did get lost in the other ingredients but it was still detectable. All of the flavors combined to make one delicious item. My mouth was very happy, indeed. Eat these quickly; the juices from the pork, slaw, and sauce will eventually saturate the bottom bun and slowly render it a soggy version of its former self.

For my entrée I chose Surf and Turf Fajitas ($16.95). Grilled filet mignon and shrimp along with red and green peppers and sliced onions come sizzling to your table in shallow cast iron skillet. Spanish rice, beans (in its own ramekin), sour cream, guacamole, and salsa fresca come on a separate plate. Warm tortillas stand by waiting to be filled to your liking.

I figured I’d start with a filet mignon-only fajita. It was good but it filled me up too quick. I was expecting a bit more flavor from it. It’s not that it was dry; it wasn’t. It just could’ve done with more flavor. Longer marinade, perhaps? The shrimp fajitas were better. They were lighter and the flavor blended better with the vegetables and the tortilla itself. If I had it to do over again, I’d go with the shrimp fajitas alone.

To wash it all down, I ordered iced tea. I must have gone through about 3 glasses that evening. No room for dessert tonight.

Playa Grill is a great place to go with friends after work. The attentiveness of the wait staff makes solo diners and couples feel welcome, too. I especially like the fact that their food is all natural and is prepared fresh. I left there feeling full and had forgotten all about my impending cold.

Playa Grill and Margarita Bar – 4.5 forks. Highly recommended.  ‘Like’ them on Facebook to get the latest offers.