This week, I thought we would stick with the Italian theme. Ian and I both have Italian in our lineage, so it is only fitting that it is a type of cuisine we both thoroughly enjoy. The first Italian restaurant Ian took me to here in San Diego was Alexander’s in North Park. Every since that first visit, it has remained one of my favorite spots in the whole city!

Alexander’s is a quaint little spot on the corner of 30th and Upas. It’s covered with ivy on the outside, and adorable decorated on the inside. The decor is mainly white with big, comfy white booths. The best part is the back patio. At night, they project old black and white movies on the back wall. It is the perfect atmosphere for a date night or a nice dinner outing with friends. The whole place screams romance and love. It almost feels like the streets of Italy itself. (Not that I really know… I’ve never been or anything, but I just imagine it would feel that way? Just roll with it, ok?)

The food is flavorful, upscale Italian. Slightly pricier than your Mom and Pop joint, but totally worth it. The menu is full of appetizing choices, so good luck deciding! The appetizers are great. The bruschetta is inventive and tasty. The twice baked feta is the way to go. It is baked in pesto with sun dried tomatoes. It’s warm, salty, and satisfying. Oh yeah, and they serve you some delicious garlic coated bread with olive oil and balsamic for dipping. You know how I feel about that! Ian enjoys their pizza options. The crust is perfectly crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. We have recently learned that Monday nights in the summer is pizza night. $6 cheese pizzas with $2 toppings OR $12 specialty pies. Oh yeah, and $1 select beers. Could there be any better combination than pizza and beer?

The heart of any Italian restaurant is pasta. You know it, I know it, we all know it. Alexander’s delivers on the pasta front. Ask me my favorite, and I could not tell you. Actually, funny side story. When Ian first took me here, we tried each other’s food, and actually liked each other’s more… so we switched meals! Yes, we are that couple and no, we are not ashamed! My favorite is the baked vodka bolognese. It’s everything that’s right about Italian food. Rigatoni, spicy sausage, and mushrooms in a spicy roma vodka sauce covered in melty cheese. The best thing about all their pastas is the ridiculous amount of cheese they put on top. Ian thoroughly enjoys the meat lasagna. It is saucy goodness. It is cooked in a ramekin with a pound of cheese on top. The baked spaghetti is also great. The list goes on and on. 

The cherry on top of this perfect cake is actually a cake! The tiramisu is, in our opinion, the best we have had in the city. It is light, fluffy, moist, and has the perfect amount of coffee. The lady fingers are absolutely drenched in it. We have tried a lot of tiramisu (it is one of my favorite desserts), but this is the best! If you don’t believe us, try it yourself! You will not be disappointed! Buon appetito!