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In honor of San Diego, each section of this blog will feature a gif of Will Ferrell (mostly from Anchorman) as a tribute to the greatest movie ever made here (sorry, Top Gun).  There are five crucial questions a journalist must ask (and answer) when researching and developing a story: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. These Five W's, along with a bonus "How" for further clarity, will preclude each blog post to provide proper insight into this weird, wild nomadic journey. The Five W's + H: Who: The whole crew of Christina (life-saving traveling nurse extraordinaire), Sophie (butt-licking brown tabby) and yours truly (Writer Mc Writeyguy) What: Top 5 places to drink up Where: San Diego (and Surrounding Area), California When: February 2020 - May 2020 Why: We can't seem to find a reason to quit traveling, so this kicked off our fourth year of exploration. Our time in Fort Worth was complete and the beauty of California beckoned once again, this time at the south end of the state. San Diego is filled with charm and a rich history, even the origin of the city's name is simply majestic:  + How: Back on the grind, we sped through roughly 1400 miles and 20 hours of drive time. Passing through El Paso (for the umpteenth time) and Casa Grande (a suburb just south of Phoenix where we actually had the best Chili's meal—no really—ever) before we made it to our ultimate destination: Bonsall, CA (a suburb about 45 mins north of Whale's Vagina). (Note: As of this writing, Covid-19—aka the plague—has infected more than 25 million people and killed at least 425,000 more here in the United States alone. Here in San Diego, we were able to visit most of the restaurants on this list before much-needed Covid-19 restrictions shut down dining. The only exception was Mariscos, where we were only able to get takeout. Luckily, none of these restaurants have been forced to close for good but some have had to close temporarily in spurts. Per usual, all of the restaurants listed below feature outdoor eating areas and/or offer to-go ordering when open for business. Mask up, stay socially distanced and stay classy out there folks.) Five Places to Drink Up: San Diego Area, CAWorld Famous (711 Pacific Beach Dr. San Diego, CA 92109)Quotable: "Best brunch with a beach view in PB." Waterfront views and quality eats sum up the appropriately named World Famous located in Pacific Beach. Everyone may know what it means, and it may not be very provocative but it will get the people going so we're going to write about one thing and one thing only: the Steak & Lobster Benedict.  This grilled skirt steak paired with butter-poached lobster and topped with poached eggs on a toasted English muffin would most aptly be described as a fancy feast. Tack on some perfectly crispy, cubed home fries and this brunch bite balls so hard you're going to want to find it—on your next trip to San Diego! Burger Bench (237 E Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025)Quotable: "Delicious fully customizable burgers, tasty tots and plenty of local beer on tap in Escondido." Burger Bench in Historic Downtown Escondido (about a 30 minute drive north of San Diego) features the best burgers and tots around. Step on up to the counter where your preferred burger concoction and cold beverage awaits. The Taco Burger at Burger Bench is tastily topped with a house-made salsa (picture more a pico-de-gallo), cilantro aioli, crunchy tortilla strips and melty shredded cheese. You can add or 86 any topping/protein you like, and my go-to is the standard Taco Burger with an Impossible patty and avocado slices on top. You can't fully enjoy a burger without some salty spuds riding shotgun. Add a side of golden, crispy Tots or go big with the Truffle Tots (pictured above)—tossed with truffle sea salt (drool) then topped with parmesan and some fresh parsley so you can say you ate your greens, too. I'm a sucker for a blazing hot and spicy chicken sandwich, so Burger Bench's Inferno Fried Chicken is right up my alley. Cajun-style fried chicken topped with pickled slaw, crunchy pickles and house-made comeback sauce (picture an elevated secret sauce) is perfect for those yearning to spice things up. The searing heat comes fast, so have a cold beverage handy and don't say I didn't warn you.  Feeling indecisive? Burger Bench offers mini slider versions of many of their signature burgers and sandwiches (including the Inferno Fried Chicken above) so you don't have to choose just one. Mikko Sushi (231 East Grand Avenue, Escondido CA 92025)Quotable: "Fresh sushi and a medley of delectable appetizers typify this Escondido eatery." Located just down the street from the aforementioned Burger Bench, Mikko Sushi serves up some of the freshest sushi in the northern San Diego area. Let's break down some of this Japanese restaurant's tasty cuisine options:  Appetizers/Small Plates: Stuffed Jalapeños aren't generally spotted on a Japanese restaurant's menu, but Mikko's poppers are a unique combo of Japanese flavor and deep-fried goodness. Jalapeños stuffed with spicy tuna, crab meat and cream cheese are deep fried to perfection then topped with masago (capelin fish eggs), eel sauce and spicy mayo. Specialty Rolls: There are an abundance of options both in Mikko's Specialty Sushi Roll section and their Chef's Rolls, but the Specials section has the game on lock. The best of the bunch is the Yellowtail Maki, filled with fresh yellowtail, soft mango slices and spicy jalapeños then topped with smooth avocado and an extra kick of sriracha. Mango in sushi seems so wrong but, in this case at least, it tastes so right as the mildly sweet and spicy flavors have an epic showdown on your taste buds—with you coming out on top. Nigiri Sushi: Nigiri is my favorite type of sushi, simply made with a hand-formed oval chunk of sushi rice and topped with fish or a vegetable. The best nigiri requires the restaurant to have an abundant supply of fresh, high-quality raw fish on hand. Mikko has just that. Hamachi (Yellowtail), Maguro (tuna) and Snow Crab are the three show stoppers on the menu that nearly melt in your mouth upon contact. Tekila Cocina Mexicana (5256 S Mission Rd. Ste 907 Bonsall, CA 92003)Quotable: "A hearty helping of authentic Mexican food meets a fun atmosphere with a plethora of outdoor seating." Roughly 45 minutes north (with no traffic) of San Diego lies the small town of Bonsall, and in that picturesque community lies some delicious traditional Mexican food at Tekila Cocina Mexicana. Get the party started with the Tekila Platter (pictured above), stacked with not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE favorites from the appetizer section. Bean and cheese nachos (black beans, melty Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese on corn tortilla chips), spicy buffalo chicken wings, beef or chicken flautas, a mini cheese quesadilla and stuffed jalapeños (peppers bursting at the seams with chicken and Oaxaca—white Mexican—cheese then topped with even more melted cheese) can be yours for less than $15. Score! If there's one thing I've learned in San Diego, it's that they make burritos a whole lot differently in southernmost California. San Diego burritos are bigger, better and seemingly located on every corner. Cue Tekila's Monster Burrito (pictured above), a massive flour tortilla filled to the brim with guacamole, sour cream, cheddar cheese, rice and beans then topped with enchilada sauce. Make it meaty with beef, grilled chicken or carne asada (ding ding ding), or be a good person and make it a Veggie Burrito. Come with an appetite because this mammoth burrito must weigh at least two pounds.  Thai Thai (1055 South Main Ave. Fallbrook, CA 92028)Quotable: "Thai Thai features authentic, homestyle Thailand cuisine conveniently located in the middle of nowhere." As we continue north away from sunny San Diego, Thai Thai in Fallbrook brings authentic Thailand cuisine to southern California. Family recipes with an emphasis on chili, herbs and spices combine to create an authentic Thai experience. Looking from the outside, Thai Thai doesn't look like much situated next door to a local convenience store. Inside, at least when we visited at the beginning of February, was a different story. Each table featured a fresh cut long stem rose, and festive Valentine's decorations of flowers and handmade crafts were ubiquitous. This created a warm and unique ambiance that was the perfect intro to our meal. As for the food, Thai Thai came out swinging with fresh vegetables and flavors. A favorite is the Pad Kha Pow (Spicy Basil), which consists of sautéed basil, spicy Thai chili, green and red peppers, onion, zucchini, bamboo shoots and garlic served on Jasmine rice. We went the Vegetarian route and they tacked on even more veggies, but you can also get mock duck, mock chicken, or tofu and they have your standard meat options (chicken, pork, duck, shrimp, seafood combo, etc.). Fresh vegetables, home cooking and unique Thai style are what separate Thai Thai from all the rest.  Bonus: Mariscos (111 North Vine St., Fallbrook, CA 92028)Quotable: "A California Burrito to rule them all." Also located in the outskirts of Fallbrook, another Mexican fare favorite, Mariscos El Pacifico has the market cornered on the best burritos in the country. The California Burrito, a San Diego staple, generally consists of carne asada (steak), french fries, sour cream, guacamole and cheese all rolled up in a flour tortilla. Marisco's puts its own spin on the San Diego classic that results in a burrito that I had to eat literally every week, at least once a week, after I discovered it. Without further ado, let's break down the one and only California Burrito at Mariscos:
And there you have it. Let's close this blog with the most famous gif from the legendary Mr. William Ferrell. Stay classy San Diego!  Oops, wrong gif. Hang on ... 
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