07/05/09

A local gem

by SabriS

great food + cool atomsphere = FUN TIMES

07/05/09

Great food, Great atmosphere

by luv2trvl2Italy

We recently discovered Illume Bistro after a friend told us about it. We were very excited to try it out after their raving review and sure enough we were VERY happy with our dining experience.

As you walk through the doors of this stylish and quaint restaurant, you instantly feel welcomed in the coziness and warmth of the colorful lights. We were greeted and seated right away. We sat by the giant old wine barrel on the wall. (The wine barrel design is a story itself). Anyhow, this table for two was quiet enough to have a conversation and still feel like a part of the crowd.

As we looked over the menu, we decided to try the grilled eggplant rolls and the 4 cheese pizza. Both were very tasty. I especially loved the 4 cheese pizza with the blue cheese. I never thought about adding blue cheese to my pizza and loved the taste.

For our main course, our friends said we had to try the Braised Beef Short Ribs. So, I did and was not disappointed. The meat was so tender and melted in your mouth. But the best part was the port syurp sauce. I wish I could buy bottles of the stuff and use it on everything. It had such a sweet and tangy taste that makes me crave it as I'm writing this. My husband ordered the Grilled Flat Iron Steak. It was cooked perfectly and was not overly seasoned with the herb de provence.

For dessert, we opted to try the Almond-chocolate cake with homemade nutella ice cream. This was the PERFECT way to end such a delicious meal.

Overall, we truly enjoyed our meal and service. The only complaint, if you will, is that the food was so tasty that we wish we could have had more food on our plates.

We highly suggest Illume and will definitely go back.

07/04/09

AWESOME from A to D - Appetizer to Dessert!

by Sherphire

OH YEAH! What a great place. I have to go every time I am in San Diego, which is frequently. Get there early (I think they open at 4:00) and ease into your dining experience by starting with the cheese plate (served with bread baked fresh daily) while tasting some of their wine offerings (they will recommend some good ones!). Best Caesar salad anywhere, it's so unusual and I get constant cravings for it! Entree's ... not sure where to start ... the short ribs are one of the best, the lamb is perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked and served with outragously good gnocchi; just a couple of the many options. Some items on the menu change periodically which keeps things interesting. Be sure to save room and go crazy with dessert because they have some awesome choices! They make homemade ice creams (they even have Nutella ... yah, I said Nutella ice cream!), outrageous almond chocolate cake and absolutely the best rice pudding I've ever had, anywhere, hands down! It's served warm and is long grain with a broken brittle on top ... seriously!

The decor is gorgeous with beautiful fiber optic lighting, abstract rod iron wall sculptures and the tables and bench's are made from real wine barrels! (Don't worry, there are chairs too!) The back walls are adorned with real wine barrels. One cool thing about this place, you can get a table that is more intimate or sit and be more a part of the crowd depending on your mood or company, great planning. Staff always look like they are having a great time and the faces seem to stay the same. You get a "Hello" whether they know you or have never seen you before, very friendly place.

Food, atmosphere, staff, Illume Bistro has it all and it won't disapoint!

If you are a Caesar Salad fan, don't forget to try this one!

• Pros: Fantastic food in a warm, contemporary atmosphere!
• Cons: Parking sometimes a little tough, but SO WORTH IT!