Fig Tree Cafe Hillcrest - San Diego

What a great surprise! I was there by chance for the Thursday all day Happy Hour menu. The Truffle Fries were a bargain and delicious. The Pizza was excellent. If they would just upgrade their beer/wine/drink selections it would be outstanding. I would go back nonetheless.

The food was fantastic but no surprise because we have been here many times before.

We ate here for dinner. The appetizer jars were the first disappointing item. The avocado chutney was a small piece of avocado, with stale tomatoe chunks and a lot of onion. The olive tapenade were cheap black olives mashed up. The entrees were not much better. The sausage pasta and short rib dish were both heavy and uninspired. No thanks won 't be returning here.

The warmly lit dining room was very comfortable and inviting. We sat at the bar that overlooks the kitchen and prep area which afforded a nice glimpse into the hard work the cooks were putting into their foods. The wine selection was high quality without breaking the bank and the all food was incredibly fresh. What stood out to me was the fish entrée- cooked perfectly with light seasoning that allowed the subtleties of the natural oils in the moist filet to really shine; the side vegetables and potatoes were tender and bursting with flavor. This is a great restaurant for meeting with friends after work, date night, or hosting some out of town relatives to experience high quality cuisine that is distinctly San Diego .

I wasn't expecting much since I don't usually eat in the area. But once I took a bite of my food I knew it was a good choice. It's a nice place. The food was tasty and the portions were very reasonable for the prices. The restaurant was very short staffed when we went but they handled themselves very well. Great find and highly recommend.