Welcome back to mmm-yoso!!! the food blog written by a few friends who like to eat and write about their respective meals. Kirk usually writes, but he is on vacation (nobody has guessed where yet). ed (from Yuma) is busy with work. VickyL and a few others are apparently merely eating and not writing and so today, Cathy is sharing a nice breakfast with you.
Hi. The other morning, The Mister and I decided to drive to La Jolla to look for breakfast. We ended up at Bristol Farms, just West of the UTC Mall.
Bristol is a High End grocery store. Very close to La Jolla. Albertsons is its parent company, but nothing in here is like your local Albertsons Store. There is a wide selection of prime and dry aged meats, seafoods, deli meats and cheeses, breads, wines, produce and even the regular grocery aisles have some quite fancy items, as well as everyday groceries. The prices here for the higher end items are not bargain basement, but are fair for the quality of the item. The everyday item prices are similar to what you pay at your regular grocery. 
Each location has a cafe. There are some steam trays, a by the pound salad bar, pizza, roasted chicken and in the morning breakfast burritos already made to grab and go. You can have plates or sandwiches made, pay and take them to go, or you can sit down and get a menu and have a nice meal. 
Starting with a good coffee ($1.65). You can see there are daily breakfast -and lunch- specials. Those specials are about $4 off of the regular price. There are also wine tastings on some evenings. High end, but accessible. Everyone here is very helpful and explains the foods they sell- in the store and in the Cafe.
The Mister got a bacon, avocado and cheddar omelet ($9.49) with seeded rye toast and a fresh fruit cup. The omelet made of two fresh tasting eggs, a very nice, sharp cheddar cheese and the bacon- those 1/2 slices, crispy and maple flavored…really, really good. Topped with ripe, fresh avocado and a side of a fresh roasted tomato salsa. The toast was a thin sliced seeded rye, also very fresh and good. The fresh fruit cup was only cantaloupe and grapes, but both fruits were very ripe and nice flavored. 
I got the smoked salmon scramble ($9.99). Again two eggs mixed with a lot of high quality cold smoked salmon, capers and onions. This was accompanied with a toasted "everything" bagel and whipped cream cheese and those…up there on the top right. I like to call those "Bristol Tots"…cubes of potatoes, deep fried so there is an outer crust and the inside is light and fluffy and lightly seasoned. Heavenly little cubes. Maybe because I have not had French Fries in a very long time, or maybe because of the type of potato used, but those little cubes of goodness are addictive.
A special breakfast inside a special grocery store.
Bristol Farms 8510 Genesee Avenue, San Diego 92122 (858) 558-4180 Website
uuuu, they look so good. I didn’t even know you can order food there.
wow, that’s a lot of avocado there! nice! bristol ‘tots’ look good too!
they were going to open a bristol farms in east chula vista at the otay ranch town center. instead, that was nixed and they replaced it with best buy instead. bummer.
it would have been nice to have an alternative place to go to for food items.
That sure some fancy and pricey breakfast but if it’s quality heck I am for it.
I wonder how fishy it is to cook up smoke salmon.
There is a Cafe in each location, Tammy. Years ago, we went to the location at Crown Valley Parkway and the I-5 and had the *best* cream of mushroom soup…
I like to tell people that Bristol makes Whole Foods seem like a bargain, CC. Maybe the demographics in that area are different than closer to La Jolla…the other location I go to is in OC. It would be nice if a Trader Joe’s was in Chula Vista.
We did get the regular priced dishes, Bill and usually always get something smaller or a Daily Special. I was sort of tossing out a Mother’s Day idea. It is quality food here. The salsa in particular was really good. The smoked salmon was just warmed through and the eggs did not have a fishy taste. It fit a craving for me (plus The Mister does not like lox, so we could share).
Well, there *is* a Trader Joe’s in Eastlake.
I totally missed seeing it the last few times I was in that area! Thanks, Ed!
Nice! I didn’t know about this place and it is easier to get to for me than Whole Foods.
Actually, both are on Nobel, JF. About a mile apart. I usually hit both when I am in the area. More fun than the mall.
hi cathy – Actually there is a Trader Joe’s in Chula Vista – in the Eastlake Village shopping complex (also has Henry’s, Border’s, the new Pho Hiep Grill, etc).
You must have gotten there crazy early… I’ve never seen the parking lot that empty!!
In the afternoon, I’ve always seen them hawking the prime rib, roast turkey, and the fresh pizza.
I’m going to have to check out that TJs, CC. I know that complex and suppose I drove past in a hurry. Many times.
Yes, mindless, the prime rib and turkey meals to go are wonderful tasting and not overpriced. The two slices of pizza with a beverage for $6 is an easy lunch. The panini’s are really good, too.
Hi Cathy, I never sat down to eat breakfast here. One of these days I’ll be up early enough. I actually come for lunch a lot out of convenience. Everything on the hot trays are very rich and it doesn’t take a lot to fill you up (though it’s hard not to over fill your container!).
This Bristol Farms used to be an Albertsons. I’ve never dined at the cafe; I usually end up getting the hot food to go. And thanks to mmm-yoso, I get poke at the fish counter.
Weekends, Dennis. Not that you want to be awake early, but so many places are uncrowded and chores can get done and over with before noon…
I remember when it was Albertson’s Sandy…and thought they had sold it. Then I read that Bristol is owned by that company and so it makes sense. I do usually buy poke-by-the-pound here. It is perfect. I enjoy the samples too.