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[Getting
there] [More information]
[Places to stay]
| Editor's
note (6/4/06): Although new operators are running a
restaurant at this location, the original Casa de Bandini
has closed and the owner is looking for another location.
We will update this article when we receive the new
information. |
Patio
dining at Casa de Bandini |
One
of San Diego's finest Mexican restaurants is located in
one of San Diego's oldest buildings. The restored Casa de
Bandini (built circa 1829) is the home of a wonderful restaurant
of the same name.
Serving
huge margaritas and the best Mexican food to be found in
San Diego, Casa de Bandini has been voted both the "Best
Mexican Restaurant" and the "Best Patio Dining
Experience" in several newspaper and magazine reader's
polls.
Lush
gardens, fountains, and bright colors greet you as you enter
their courtyard patio. The surrounding building is built
in Spanish/Mexican colonial style. Originally the home of
the Juan Bandini family and later an Old Town San Diego
hotel, the historic edifice has been a restaurant since
1980. At those rare times when San Diego's weather makes
patio dining less attractive, three indoor dining rooms
are available.
My
favorite entrée is the chicken mole enchiladas. The
mole sauce has a sweet and earthy taste that accentuates
the tangy Mexican spices in the enchilada. The menu also
offers a variety of other dishes, including several with
lobster. There's something for every taste at Casa de Bandini.
After
you've enjoyed a hearty meal, you can walk it off in the
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, the oldest colonial
settlement in California. A number of original haciendas,
business, and commercial buildings have been restored and
are well worth discovering. Be sure to duck into the Wells
Fargo Museum for a glimpse of the frontier past.
Don
Woodmancy
1/03
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