Warren Van Dam

A primer on San Diego’s most chill coffee shops

Foodie Warren Van Dam is proud to be a San Diego local. Aside from the refreshing atmosphere in the city, it is also starting to be known as a place where people can enjoy amazing food. For this blog post, he recommends coffee shops in the city where people can take a break and relax.

The Living Room Coffeehouse

This popular coffeehouse has been part of the San Diego community since 1991. The goal is to provide people with a place to try and enjoy gourmet coffees and exotic teas in an atmosphere that allows them to do so. Whether a person is alone or with a company, The Living Room serves up great drinks and meals for their customers. Its lattes, coffee, and blended drinks are a hit among the younger crowd. People usually visit during the morning to get a hearty brunch.

Holsem Coffee

Warren Van Dam recommends this coffee place because aside from serving a good cup of coffee, its beans are also ethically sourced and brewed using advanced methods. It also has gluten-free and vegan options in its food and drinks. Fans of design will also appreciate the minimalist aesthetic that is refreshing to the eyes.

The Forum

This place is a good choice for those looking for unique coffee, tea, and toast creations. Warren Van Dam shares that aside from serving a feast for the taste buds, the food and drink in this place are also served creatively. Its toasts are filling and delightful, and the tea blends are popular among its patrons. On top of this, the atmosphere is perfect for having a relaxing time. The Lighthouse offers a great atmosphere that will be perfect for a special occasion.

Three great places to get a post-surf meal in San Diego

San Diego is one of the best places in California for sun, sea, and surf. As a foodie, Warren Van Dam shares the best places in his city where surfers can get excellent grub after a day at the beach.

Taco Surf

Those who are heading to San Diego for the first time must visit this institution on Mission Blvd. For over 30 years, the business has been home to people from the surfing community in the city. After a day of surfing, nothing beats eating their rolled tacos and California burritos. It also serves as a gallery of sorts that shows the evolution of surfboards through the years. Taco Surf truly captures the area’s unique charm.

Swami’s Cafe

This family-owned restaurant is all about enjoying sea vibes while getting treated to a plate of fresh meals. With a variety of items on its menu, Warren Van Dam shares that there will be something for everyone in the cafe from breakfast to dinner. The burritos and soups are a perfect treat for those who spent many hours playing on the beach. The atmosphere is also perfect for those who want to hang out and relax.

Tom Ham’s Lighthouse

This historic place is known for being one of San Diego’s best seafood dining destinations. Foodies and locals can enjoy excellent meals with a great view of the ocean. Aside from its wide selection of seafood, Warren Van Dam also approves the steak, paella, salads, and soups that Tom Ham’s Lighthouse offers. Many couples also aim to hold their weddings in the Lighthouse as it offers a great atmosphere that will be perfect for a special occasion.

Why San Diego is a food junkie’s paradise

As he continues with his series of blogs that showcase the whole San Diego food scene, food critic Warren Van Dam wants to share with us his thoughts on what makes this special place a food junkie’s paradise.

Generally, the culture in this part of California is quite rich and diversified, with it being situated as a border town, where a lot of cultures have really come together and engaged with each other. It also has a very large Hispanic population, which can be traced back to the storied past of Spanish America and Mexico.

The openness of San Diego as a locality has made it easy for its own society to welcome a diversity of other people originally from outside of the country, notes Warren Van Dam. Today, it’s very common to find Mexican, Italian, French, Spanish, Greek, German, Latin, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Islander food all over the city.

From this alone, it’s not hard to imagine how the country’s most revered life events are celebrate in communal gatherings here. For instance, during Thanksgiving, it’s not uncommon to have the centerpiece roasted turkey on the table, with three or four other sides that come from different cultures.

This diversity has become an accepted fact in each and every corner of the city, wherein people don’t mind having their meals at a restaurant which has a different ethnicity from theirs, Warren Van Dam shares. This even paved the way for fusion cuisine to thrive.

For the food junkie, it can be quite a challenge to scale the food culture in San Diego, simply because the diversity of food is quite vast. One specific dish may even have multiple renditions, and you are sure to notice a few differences here and there, as you eat out in more restaurants.

Five of the most incredible craft beers in San Diego

Craft beers native to cities make culture much more interesting, diverse, and inclusive. A large city like San Diego maintains a number of craft breweries that adds to the beauty and mystery of the destination. San Diego-based food blogger Warren Van Dam shares on this blog five of the most sought-after craft breweries in the city.

Mujeres Brew House is the city’s primary Latina-owned and managed brewery and tap room set to serve Border X beer and brews made in collaboration with other local breweries. Battlemage Brewing Company is an obvious ode to the famous RPG board game Dungeons and Dragons. Besides serving winning brews such as the Shroud of Mist Hazy IPA, Verses of Victory Brown Ale, and Hooded Assassin Old Ale, Battlemage hosts weekly D&D game nights.

Resident Brewing is a brewery with a truly San Diego story. Its head brewer and co-founder became a master homebrewer in the local scene while working full-time as an IT consultant. Be sure to try their Vacation Coconut IPA, Golden Kiss Belgian Ale, and Industrial Gris Belgian Saison for a great time. Visitors and locals longing for familiar brews ought to head to Modern Times. Their cans of Fortunate Islands, Blazing World, and Space Ways are undeniable treats.

Warren Van Dam considers Societe Brewing as one of San Diego’s local standards when it comes to craft beers. Their Coachman session IPA bagged two consecutive golds at the Great American Beer Fest, but Societe Brewing’s Belgian inspired beers are not to be missed.

Five content ideas for food bloggers

Warren Van Dam, blogger, enjoys writing and talking about food. But just like most creatives, he aims to create fresh content for those who follow him. Check out these five content ideas for food bloggers.

Origin story

For those who want to shake things up by posting something else aside from food reviews and recipes, it would be good to share one’s beginnings as a foodie. Whether it’s a childhood memory attached to food, a learning experience while growing up, or a pivotal moment that inspired a person to start their blog, readers might enjoy reading about a blogger’s motivation for writing.

“What I eat in a day”

This could be a high-engagement post especially for those who want to share their diet and meal plans. Being open about their eating habits and the food they consume on the daily might help their readers become more intentional when it comes to their own meals. Warren Van Dam shares that this will also make bloggers more relatable especially for those who enjoy preparing their own food.

Interviews

Featuring chefs, restaurateurs, and fellow foodies on the blog will introduce readers to new voices that they can follow. This is also a great way to shake up the usual content by trying something new. The interviews can be done in multiple parts and it can also offer the blogger’s own reflections. Warren Van Dam says that doing interviews is also a fun and inspiring exercise for food writers.

Iconic and mouthwatering dishes from the San Diego area

San Diego-based food critic Warren Van Dam is always on the lookout for new eateries in his area. He enjoys trying out popular dishes, restaurants, food trucks, dessert shops, and cafés in the city. Fellow foodies can expect fun reviews that will make them more excited about trying good food.

Carne Asada Fries

Lolita in East Village and Kearny Mesa’s version of this popular American side dish is probably the most surprising of its kind, notes Warren Van Dam. This iconic San Diego staple includes thinly sliced strips of seasoned steak, shredded cheddar cheese, cotija, crema, guacamole, and thin-cut fries.

Double Bacon Cheeseburger

Several food establishments have the classic double bacon cheeseburger on their menu. However, Warren Van Dam mentions that none of them do quite it like Hodad’s in Downtown and Ocean Beach. Hodad’s take on this beloved sandwich is just right in terms of size, but with that extra surprise which fast-food versions don’t have.

California Burrito

According to Warren Van Dam, there are burritos, and then there’s Nico’s Mexican Food’s California Burrito. The California Burrito at its most basic level, Carne Asada Fries in burrito form. Any burrito fan who’s tasted Nico’s Mexican Food’s legendary wrapped meal won’t want to taste any other.

San Diego’s best places for a cup of coffee

San Diego is a vibrant county filled with amazing food and incredible coffee. A welcoming haven for both locals and tourists, San Diego maintains a rich and funky coffee culture that not many know about. Warren Van Dam aims to open the eyes of his readers to San Diego’s coffee scene through this post.

Heartwork Coffee Bar gets its beans from South America and Africa and roasts them perfectly. The café takes good care of its customers by considering their diet restrictions, offering choices in the menu that have non-dairy and vegan options. Their Chai Tea Latte is a winner, so be sure to grab a cup when visiting. Communal Coffee cares about giving their customers great coffee while keeping them cozy inside the café, thanks to their incredibly chill atmosphere.

Cafe Moto grows and roasts their own beans to perfection. The café’s rugged, rustic, and wooden vibe is an ideal partner to its no nonsense coffee. A shop of different sorts, James Coffee Co. brews specialty coffees while offering customers a chance to shop and get their hair cut while chilling in the café.

Found in Lower Downtown, Copa Vida offers amazing coffee and food. Copa Vida’s excellent menu inspires customers to dine and chill at the café all day, mentions food blogger Warren Van Dam. Lofty Coffee Co. in Little Italy has an indoor and outdoor concept that is true to San Diego’s climate and culture. Here, customers can enjoy their favorite roasts while chilling with their dogs, and maybe do a little shopping as it’s located right along the farmers’ market.

What does it take to be a great food blogger?

There are thousands of food blogs in the country alone, all of which are aiming to be food experts for a certain niche or a certain locale. There was even a food blog that blew up in 2016 that exclusively reviewed coleslaw. Regardless of your target audience, the food you review, or the location where you limit your reviews, there are certain elements to a food blog that separates the mediocre from the top tier food blog followed by thousands. Food blogger Warren Van Dam lists down what it takes to be a great food blogger.

Relevant food topics
What you feature in your blog should always be relevant to your target audience. For example, if you were to be reviewing wine, other relevant topics may include food that goes well with wine like cheeses, vineyards that have taste testing events, and bars that have a good collection of wine. According to Warren Van Dam, going off-course could confuse your readership and make your blog look like a hodge podge of topics.

Personality
What should distinguish your fried chicken blog from every fried chicken blog in the country should be personality. Whether you are utilizing your own personality and translating it into the blog or creating a unique character who’s supposed to be behind the blog, personality is how you can show your audience they can have a good time reading your material. They should come to your blog for the food topic and stay for your personality.

Expertise
Regardless of your food topic, you have to show expertise when talking about food. A food blogger can’t just describe the food as good, bad, or excellent. Your expertise in the matter should bleed into the language you use and how well you can describe the food, the taste, its texture, and the overall dining experience. According to Warren Van Dam , beginner bloggers can get away with limited expertise. But if you do not grow in terms of knowledge, there are hundreds of bloggers out there waiting to be read.

Japan in San Diego series: The oyakodon recipe

To say that San Diego-based food critic and foodie Warren Van Dam is proud of his hometown’s many incredible food establishments and signature dishes is a huge understatement.

In today’s blog, Warren Van Dam shares the recipe of one of his favorite Japanese dishes, which can be found in one of the many Japanese restaurants, the oyakodon. Below, readers can find the ingredients and preparation instructions for two scrumptious bowls.

Ingredients:

– 3 cups of rice

– 4 chicken thighs (preferably cubed)

– 3 – 4 eggs

– Japanese rice wine (mirin)

– Dashi stock soup

– Sugar

– Soy sauce

– 1 Onion

Instructions:

1. Mix in a pan 2 tbsp of the rice wine, a tbsp of sugar, a tbsp of soy sauce, and 3/4 cup of dashi.

2. Boil the mixture and add the sliced onion.

3. Wait two minutes, then add the chicken.

4. Once the chicken is tender and cooked, pour in the scrambled eggs.

5. For fluffy or runny eggs, Warren Van Dam recommends covering the pan with a lid for a few minutes to let the eggs and chicken soak the flavors once more.

6. Prepare the rice in a large bowl.

7. As soon as the eggs and chicken are cooked, put them on top of the rice. While shallots are a popular garnish, laver strips or sesame seeds are also quite acceptable.

8. Pour the sauce from the pan and enjoy.

A few recipes of San Diego’s favorite burrito

If there’s one town that’s severely underrated when it comes to food, it’s San Diego; just ask food critic Warren Van Dam. There are countless restaurants, food trucks, and catering services in the city that are worth everyone’s time and money. However, some establishments are more iconic than others, and some dishes are more memorable.

One of these dishes is the burrito, which has been a favorite of San Diego natives for decades. And, for today’s blog, Warren shares two burrito dishes that anyone can make at home.

Bacon, egg, and mushroom burrito

In 20 minutes, anyone can enjoy the bacon, egg, and mushroom burrito. The first step here is to cook the bacon in a skillet. Pour out most of the oil, but leave a single tablespoon for sautéing the mushrooms for two minutes. For people who want a more peppery flavor, they can add arugula.

The next step is to pour beaten eggs over the mushroom and bacon, so it becomes an omelet. This omelet can either be sliced into pieces or put in whole inside a tortilla.

Southwest breakfast burrito

Another egg-based burrito, this uses sausage and bell pepper in place of bacon and mushrooms, according to Warren Van Dam. This is a more traditional burrito in terms of the San Diego community. Warren reminds people that to prepare the sausage for best results, they need to make sure it’s brown and crispy on the outside.