Yet another great trip to San Diego! I love that I can eat almost anywhere here and it’s just such a great, vibrant city. Bonus is that I have some of my wonderful family nearby for visiting and crafty-funtimes. I tend to hang out in the Gaslamp area because it’s near the convention center and I work a lot of 12 hour days, so the energy to wander out into the rest of the city isn’t always there.

 Tinfish
http://www.tinfishgaslamp.com
Tinfish is one of my favorite places to grab a quick bite when I’m working. It’s right across the street from the convention center at the edge of the Gaslamp and anything from their grill is safe to eat. They also make a fresh cole slaw with vinegar instead of mayonnaise that is delish! I usually get the mixed fish grill and have never been disappointed. They do cook with canola, so it’s not paleo, but it’s still a much better option than most cities offer in and around their convention centers. Add in the outdoor seating, friendly servers and good mix of music for two thumbs up, yet again, Tinfish!

Henry’s Pub
http://henryspub.com/
The staff at Henry’s Pub are awesome. Our waitress was knowledgeable about gluten and the food on their menu. She had great personality, too. That said, the menu was lacking in options. There were only a few choices and everything had to be modified. I was out with coworkers and didn’t want to be difficult, so I ordered a burger, protein-style. I have to say, it was a really good burger. Overall, I had a really good experience here, I just wish there had been a few more options on their menu. Thank goodness I’m a huge fan of a good burger!

Barleymash
http://www.barleymash.com/
I was nervous eating here and those nerves lasted until I was sure I wasn’t having a reaction. They don’t have a gluten-free menu and the waiter I had wasn’t really familiar with the gluten-free options. I could tell as he went over the menu with me that he either didn’t know his menu well, or he didn’t know what was actually gluten-free. He assured me all the burgers were fine if served protein style, so that seemed like the safest bet to me, but when taking my order, informed me that the burger I selected was not gluten-free. Thankfully, they have Angry Orchard, so I knocked back a 20 ounce and said a prayer to the gluten-free support group in the sky that I wouldn’t have a reaction. No reaction and the food was really good, so all’s well that ends well.

Il Fornaio
http://www.ilfornaio.com/page1.htm
If you haven’t been to Coronado, do it and go by ferry or water taxi because the view is epic. Other than that, I didn’t really see much of a point to the island, but it was still a pleasant evening spent with coworkers I count as friends, if not family, so it was wonderful. Il Fornaio is a chain restaurant, but the food the serve is of a better quality than most chains I have experienced. They have a gluten free menu with a lot of options, including desserts. I ordered a mixed seafood plate because I thought maybe THIS would be the time I like calamari, but it wasn’t. Maybe next time.

The Blind Burro
http://www.theblindburro.com/
I wanted a taco. Everywhere you go out here there are tacos. I always find little taco joints that have all corn tacos, and I was hoping that would be the case today. The first place I tried was a bust, but then I found the Blind Burro. First off, I wish it hadn’t been lunch because the bar looked very inviting and I wanted to try everything on the menu the staff told me I could eat. They didn’t have an actual gluten-free menu, but so much of the regular menu was gluten-free that I was almost overwhelmed with options. I’m pretty sure the bartender thinks I’m in love with him and I’m totally okay with that because I AM in love with their tacos. I want more. Now. There was a magical shrimp and pineapple one that is calling my name and it’s just a few blocks away from me.