For San Diego readers, and hopeful vacationers

This past weekend was Valentine's Day.  Normally I hate it.  And that is not because I am single.  I have always had a Valentine, I just hate it.  It's a stupid holiday with stupid expectations and stupid expensive things.  That being said, this year my bf, Phil, took me to San Diego for a vacation.  Fun city, but wouldn't want to live there...anyway we went out to celebrate Valentine's day and it was one of the best meals I have had in a long time.

Little Italy at Night is so pretty!

My friend Chris (the one from the Sac posts) is from San Diego, so we asked him for some hints on where to go.  He is a big foodie and recommended Bencotto.  I am SO glad I listened to him because it was unreal.

Welcome to a piece of heaven.

The best part about the restaurant was its service.  Our waitress was so helpful and didn't rush us at all.  We ended up having dinner for 2 hours, and it was awesome.  We had a huge glass of wine.  Like one of the biggest pours I have ever seen at a restaurant.  Then we ordered the Caprese and spicy meatballs.  They were both amazing.  The Caprese Salad was so good.  It was a huge chunk of fresh mozzarella with beautiful tomatoes.  The only way it could have been better would be if it were heirloom tomatoes, but besides that it had basil puree on top and vinegar beautifully crafted throughout the plate.  The meatballs were the big hit.  I absolutely love meatballs (if you can't tell from my many meatball sandwiches).  These were in spicy marina sauce.  They were small but so moist and delicious (sorry SMo, I know you hate that word.)  I highly recommend the meatballs.  I also would have liked to try the prosciutto and melon app or the risotto balls but Phil isn't too keen on too many carbs or melons for that matter.

Spicy Meatballs. A must order!

Prosciutto and Melon

Fried Risotto Balls

For dinner Phil got the Chicken Parm but instead of mashed potatoes he got the homemade spaghetti with meat sauce.  The pasta is so amazing here, getting anything else would be a mistake.  I don't know why he got chicken parm - to be honest it wasn't anything special but he liked it.  I got the lasagna.  It was easily one of the best things I have ever had.  It isn't your typical American lasagna.  The pasta is so thinly sliced and it has fresh marina sauce with great chunks of meat.  I highly recommend it.  And the leftovers were amazing after a night of drinking.

Chicken Parm - Normally comes with mashed potatoes but skip that and order pasta!

They are famous for their gnocci.  Didn't try it but it looked delish!

Lasagna - "Dream about this dish" delicious.  That's a promise.

Phil's pasta with meat sauce - so good!

Unfortunately, we didn't have room for dessert (well I did but Phil was stuffed).  So we paid our bill and walked around Little Italy.  If you don't stop by here you are greatly mistaken. Definitely the best find in a long time!

Outdoor Patio - not bad on a nice day but right on the street and super cramped!

Tourist Tip: Make reservations and sit inside!  We sat at the patio and it was a bit cramped.  If you can't get into Bencotto go next door.  It is their sister restaurant but they also offer brunch options!