RoundAbout San Diego

Yesterday was my birthday and we went to one of my favorite restaurants in the North Park area - Apertivo.It is a very loud and lively place to eat dinner. You are surrounded by groups of people having animated conversations, drinking wine, and sharing small plates of fabulous Mediterranean food. The food is reasonably priced and the wine list offers a great selection at lower than usual prices. There's a small bar in the back corner where, if you're lucky enough to grab a spot, you can sit and talk about wines and food with the owner. The idea is to relax and order a medley of small plates to share with everyone at the table. With the wine and conversation flowing, you'll find yourself sitting there for hours. Last night we started out with a Caesar salad and capelinni with gorgonzola cream sauce and pecans. We then went on to the osso bucco d'angnelli (lamb braised in red wine), the criimini mushrooms cooked in sherry, the oven roasted potatoes, and the broccoli sautéed in butter and garlic. We finished with the lemon cheesecake mousse and hazelnut port. Everything was really great and the lamb was spectacular. I'd like to say we walked out of there but I think it was more of a waddle. As a last note I started this post by saying Apertivo was loud and lively and it is. This is the one complaint that many people have after eating there. It is not a place to go for a nice meal with quiet conversation. Apertivo is a great restaurant and I really enjoy the vibrant atmosphere.

One last thing - I finally joined the masses last night by becoming the proud owner of a cell phone. It's not yet charged but I look forward to walking around with it glued to my ear.