Living on the Edge... of Linda Vista

Bob Marley, Sushi and Tortillas

Sushi Diner on the outer edge of Linda Vista

Sometimes you can’t spend your entire time living in the mainstream. There comes a time when you have to live life on the edge. Sounds dangerous, doesn’t it?  But no need to worry.  By living life on the edge, I really mean spending time on the outer edges of Linda Vista.  There are some great places to frequent that are located just outside the periphery of the Linda Vista boundaries, within easy driving distance of most areas of Linda Vista.  Two such places include Carnival Supermarket and Sushi Diner, both located immediately outside the western boundary of Linda Vista, in what is considered Kearny Mesa. Both of these two places offer interesting food and atmosphere that can indeed provide a necessary break from the mainstream. 

The first of these places—Sushi Diner—is located on Mesa College Drive, across the street from Kearny High (between the Mesa College Drive/Linda Vista intersection and the Ashford Street/Mesa College Drive intersection).  What makes Sushi Diner unique is its theme. While most Sushi establishments naturally remind me of Japan, with their simple, Zen-like interiors, this place has a strong Jamaican reggae motif going on (as first evidenced by the Rasta colors of red, gold and green that comprise the Sushi Diner lettering on the front façade of the small building). The interior is literally plastered with pictures of the reggae master Bob Marley. The menu offers sushi rolls bearing the names of such reggae associated names, places and terms as Peter Tosh, The Wailers, Rita Marley, Rude Boy, Trenchtown, and Jah Rastaman.  

Get in touch with your inner Bob Marley

I know what you’re thinking.  What does sushi have to do with reggae music?  I wanted to know the same thing. I’m a big fan of reggae music and I never knew anything about a Bob Marley-sushi connection. I didn’t think for a second that a reggae musician’s reference to rolling his own was actually a reference to rolling sushi rolls. On the day my wife and I stopped there for lunch, we asked the cashier “Why all the reggae stuff?” While Bob Marley’s “One Love” played in the background, she answered succinctly, “The owner really likes reggae music .”  Later, examining a short blurb on the cover of the menu, we also discovered that in founding the restaurant, the owner Daisuke was inspired by “Bob Marley and Jamaican vibes”. That was enough of an explanation for us as we were mighty hungry. We put aside the mystery of the Marley-sushi connection and decided to get down to the more pressing business of eating. We ordered some food, subsequently deciding to go with two orders of Crunch rolls, consisting of shrimp tempura, crab, crunch flakes with eel sauce and spicy mayo.  We came away very impressed!   The order consisted of a large portion ($6.95), and was very tasty, and very fresh.  In addition, we found the service prompt and friendly.  We can’t wait to go back once the COVID-19 crisis is over so we can enjoy leisurely sitting inside the restaurant, eating sushi, and taking in the relaxed Jamaican vibe and some great Bob Marley music. You may think that sushi and reggae produces a disturbing clash of cultures, but that’s part of what living on the edge is all about…experimentation…mystery…the unusual…a little outside-the-box thinking.     

Delicious Crunch roll from Sushi Diner

The other establishment we visited on the edge of Linda Vista—Carnival supermarket—happens to be located just a few blocks east of Sushi Diner on 3560 Ashford Street. Carnival offers much of the same food that you’ll find at a Ralph’s or Food 4 Less, but what makes this grocery store stand out is its fresh-made corn and flour tortillas. The tortillas are made right there!!  If you are a tortilla aficionado, you can stand there and watch them make tortillas, and then immediately take them home while they are still warm. You can’t get that at Ralph’s!  The flour tortillas we bought were exceptional—light, fresh and puffy when re-heated on the griddle. They were well worth traveling to the edge. 

Carnival supermarket located on Ashford Street

There is no overestimating the importance of tortillas in our society.  An article on one business website stated that tortilla production in the U.S. grew 5.4% during the 2015-2020 time frame, and that they “have become a staple of the U.S. diet.”  They are a 6 billion dollar operation in this country. 

 Usually the average store-bought tortilla will satisfy one’s appetite. But there is something special about seeing them actually made. As mentioned on the Food Business News website, “Food provides a way for people to indulge their cultural curiosity. It is modern day sight-seeing.” One can be such a sight-seer at Carnival, and satisfy both one’s appetite and cultural curiosity.    

Fresh, warm tortillas

There other things to enjoy about Carnival, to include the baked goods, the hot meal lunch counter (which includes a Taqueria), and great cheese, fish and meat counters. Their flyer is mailed out weekly and contains coupons and other savings. 

Baked goods at Carnival

There’s no place like home in Linda Vista, but don’t be afraid to occasionally live on (or at least visit) the edge…of Linda Vista.