Casa Sol y Mar Lunch
This article is Casa Sol y Mar Lunch. It is a review of my experience dining for lunch at the Mexican Restaurant Casa Sol y Mar in San Diego.
My lunch experience is part of my San Diego Spring Adventure.
Casa Sol y Mar
Casa Sol y Mar is the fourth location in Diane Powers’ Bazaar del Mundo Restaurant Group, including Casa Guadalajara in Old Town, Casa de Pico in La Mesa and Casa de Bandini in Carlsbad.
Diane Powers is a business icon in San Diego, and also owns the Bazaar del Mundo Shops in Old Town.
Casa Sol y Mar offers regional entrees made from scratch. The seafood recipes have won awards throughout the region and country.
The restaurant’s recipes have been a family secret for many years.
The menu highlights small plates and appetizers, as well as entrees with a modern twist.
A cool feature of the restaurant is that you can watch the tortillas being made fresh, all day long at the Tortilla Kitchen located in the middle of the restaurant.
Check out Casa Sol y Mar on TripAdvisor for other guests reviews and information.
Restaurant Features
The restaurant was named “Best Family Friendly Restaurant” by the readers of Ranch & Coast Magazine in 2018.
The restaurant offers “Kids Eat Free” promotion: All day Wednesday and Sunday 11 AM to 4 PM. Families receive a free Kid’s Meal with each paid adult entrée from the regular menu.
On Thursday to Sunday evenings from 5 to 9 PM, the restaurant offers live mariachi performances to enhance your meal experience.
The Cantina offers Happy Hour, Monday through Friday from 3-7 PM. During that time, the restaurant features appetizer and house margarita and beer specials.
Location
Casa Sol y Mar is located in Del Mar which is about 30 minutes from downtown San Diego and the marina.
It is a nice residential area with several stores nearby.
It was easy to locate once getting off the highway.
Arrival
Upon arrival, my wife and I were welcomed and immediately offered a table.
A server provided menus and suggested we have a margarita or beer.
We ordered margaritas and the server thanked us, provided chips and salsa and said he would be back shortly with the margaritas.
The welcome to the restaurant was excellent and the server made us feel welcome.
Lunch Experience
The server returned while our margaritas were being prepared and he highlighted the menu.
The menu was extensive and there were multiple pages.
All the food sounded excellent.
The server recommended the blackened fish tacos and said they were his favorite. He also recommended an appetizer of ceviche or guacamole.
The server presented the margaritas.
I ordered a frozen one and my wife ordered one on the rocks.
The margaritas were fresh.
The frozen one was sweet, and it had a good mango flavor.
The one on the rocks was a classic margarita and it had an excellent taste.
The server suggested we start with an appetizer with the drinks. We accepted and ordered the guacamole.
Appetizer
The guacamole was served within a few minutes of ordering.
The guacamole was served in a taco shell and it was decorated with a tomato and olive to look like a face. It was a cute presentation.
The avocado dip was smooth and had an excellent flavor with the tomatoes, onions and spices. The portion size was generous, and it went well with the chips and salsa.
The server checked in with us to ensure we enjoyed the guacamole.
Entrée
The server from Casa Sol del y Mar offered to take our order for the entrees and we accepted. I ordered the blackened fish tacos and my wife ordered Tacos Del Mar.
After we finished the guacamole, the entrees were served.
The assistant provided them to the correct person without having to ask who had which item.
The Tacos Del Mar were served on a large plate and they included two large tacos. The tacos were made with shrimp, King Crab, wild Alaska cod, avocado and a chipotle lime salsa. The dish was served with sautéed vegetables, rice and a tangy salsa to put on top.
The Tacos Del Mar were excellent. The fish was tender, and it was cooked well and was bold in flavor. The sauce enhanced the flavors and the dish was enjoyable. The rice had a good seasoning as well. Lime was provided to squeeze on the tacos, which enhanced the flavor of the seafood.
The Blackened Fish Tacos were served hot in a large plate.
Two fish tacos were provided. Each taco had a large Alaskan Cod fish that was blackened lightly and grilled before placing over cabbage. A tangy jalapeno sauce was served on the side along with black beans and rice.
The fish was grilled perfectly, and it had an incredible taste. The cabbage was light and gave the tacos a little crunch. The corn tortillas were freshly prepared, and they had an excellent taste. The jalapeno sauce was tangy, and it went well on top of the fish. The black beans were tangy in flavor and the rice was fresh.
The server checked back with us several times during the meal.
After we finished the entrees, the server offered to box the leftovers. We would have loved to take it, however, since we were staying in a hotel room we would not be able to enjoy it later.
The server suggested additional cocktails after we finished our meal for an after-meal drink.
The server offered dessert and coffee; however, my wife and all were both full at that point from the excellent meal.
Departure
The server presented the check and he thanked us sincerely for coming to the restaurant.
The manager and host thanked us again as we departed the restaurant.
The total cost of the meal was approximately $60.
Overall
My wife and I both enjoyed our lunch experience at Casa Sol y Mar. The staff was friendly and courteous, and we felt welcomed. The food was all excellent. We loved the guacamole and tacos and would love to try the other items on the menu. The drinks were a nice way to relax and enjoy the meal. We hope to get to return in the future.
Note: My meal was generously hosted by Casa Sol y Mar for this lunch experience. The views expressed in this article are my own. I was connected with the restaurant thanks to San Diego Tourism Authority.