Volare Italian Not Too Far Away
Plus: LV News Briefs, Eating Contest Planned for LV Multi-Cultural Fair, Closing of Taco Bomb, and Trash Collection Decision Coming Soon
The Linda Vista Update
As many of you may know, Steve is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, and as such we often find ourselves at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (right off the Pacific Coast Highway) filling up with gas, shopping at the Marine Exchange, or just driving around admiring the beauty of the facility. During these times we have often noticed a restaurant across from the Recruit Depot at 3528 Barnett Street called Volare Italian Dining. We have heard rave reviews about Volare and have been meaning to try it for a long time, but for one reason or another, never did. We decided this was the week, as I was craving Minestrone Soup and knew they would have this particular menu item.
Volare is a very unassuming place from the outside and parking was a little tricky, but once inside, I knew we would have a good eating experience. Volare is a family operated business serving San Diego since 1978. According to a website Volare was started by two Sanfilippo brothers from Italy who ran it for 20 years before returning to Sicily in 1998. At that time their sister took over. Ever since then she, family members and long-term employees continue operating it in the same manner which has made it a success for so many years.
We went for lunch and the lunch specials menu board was right in front. The restaurant inside is much larger than you would think from the outside and very cozy. We were greeted in a friendly manner and seated immediately. Volare serves lunch Monday thru Friday 11 to 4 and is open every other day from 11 to 9 PM. They have separate menus for lunch and dinner and both are very extensive. You can view the menu online. They also have daily specials. You will be amazed at their reasonable prices. They have a large number of sandwiches such as eggplant and chicken parmigiana, torpedo, salami and many more. They have pastas such as spaghetti, ravioli, gnocchi, penne, salads, sides, soups, and of course pizza. Their pizzas go from 8” to family size 28”. They have cannoli and tiramisu among desserts, and beer, wine, soft drinks and other beverages.
We looked over the luncheon specials and I decided on half an eggplant parm sandwich and cup of minestrone soup, which was $9.95. Steve chose cheese filled ravioli which was $9.95. We also ordered a to-go capicola sandwich for the Carnivore Sidekick, 6” $8.95, 9” $10.95.
We were given a basket of warm Italian bread with butter. My minestrone soup was chock full of vegetables including beans, onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes and more. The broth was perfectly seasoned. My half eggplant parm sandwich was as big as most whole ones and was cut in two. I ended up taking half home for Steve to have at another time. It was delicious. I loved the tomato sauce on the sandwich and the cheese and eggplant was perfection. One of my favorite meals in a while.
Steve’s cheese filled ravioli came with a topping of mushrooms and sauce. It was quite a bit of food, but he managed to finish it. He said it was so good, he didn’t even add any parm cheese on top. With the Italian bread to take up the sauce, he was very happy with his meal.
I ordered the capicola sandwich for the Carnivore Sidekick because it was one of my favorite things growing up in Pennsylvania. Every week a panel truck came to our street filled with all things Italian such as provolone, mozzarella and other cheeses and different types of Italian meats such as prosciutto and capicola which hung in the back along with a scale. The kids were always given samples and capicola was my favorite (before I became meatless).
The Carnivore said he really enjoyed his sandwich - along with a good amount of meat was cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion with a vinaigrette dressing. He indicated it was very fresh and tasty, and he detected spices such as paprika, garlic and red pepper. Enough for two people, but he ate it all himself.
Volare is really not that far from Linda Vista – it takes about 10 minutes to get there. Just 1.4 miles from the Linda Vista Road and Morena Boulevard intersection. I think you will enjoy it very much. They also do take-out so you can order from the online menu.
LV News Briefs
—Upcoming LV Library Activities: The Linda Vista Library is offering the following classes. The public is invited to attend each of these classes:
OASIS Workshop for Adults: Pen! Paper! Prompts. Friday, April 11 1:00 pm. Come play with your imagination. Maybe the genesis of a memoir, novel? Your story is waiting. In English and Spanish. Presented by OASIS San Diego
READ San Diego Family Literacy Workshop and Breakfast: Wednesday, April 16 10:00 am. Parents, grandparents, and caregivers who have at least one child under 12 years old: learn how to teach your child early reading and writing skills. Enjoy breakfast! FREE children's books to keep! Call 619-238-6605 ahead of the program for registration! (Adults must qualify for Adult Literacy Services)
Mad Science Show: Spin, Pop, Boom: Saturday, April 19 2:00 pm. Join us for this action-packed science show! Explore physical and chemical reactions using fire, foam, and music. Experience endothermic reactions that produce shivering results and exothermic reactions like elephant toothpaste.
—Linda Vista Town Council general meeting: The Linda Vista Town Council (LVTC) will hold its monthly general meeting on Wednesday April 16 at the Baha’i Center (6545 Alcala Knolls Drive). Guest speaker for the LVTC meeting will be Darrel Madison, chair of the Tecolote Canyon Citizens Advisory Committee. Social time begins at 6:00 pm and the meeting agenda kicks off at 6:30 pm. Come to the meeting, meet fellow LV residents, and learn about what is going on at Tecolote Canyon Natural Park.
—Mission Heights Park Easter Egg Hunt: Linda Vista realtor Bree Partington will hold her Third Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday April 13. The hunt will take place at Mission Heights Neighborhood Park and is open to all families. Check out the below flyer for details.
—Earth Day in Mission Valley: Mission Valley, an open-air shopping center (mission-valley.com), will host a day dedicated to sustainability, community, and education during an Earth Day-themed event on Saturday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Guests will enjoy an Earth Day Sustainable Market, open throughout the event in the NOVO Brazil Court, that features local vendors specializing in upcycled, recycled, and eco-friendly products. Check out all the details by clicking HERE on a related article from sdnews.com.
Upcoming Community Event
LV Multi-Cultural Fair Adds New Feature
Good news! For those of us who are fans of competitive eating contests, we will no longer have to wait for the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest held each July 4 at NYC’s Coney Island. As recently announced, the Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair will play host to its first food eating contest. On Saturday April 26, the Fair expects to assemble local lumpia fans for a Lumpia Challenge. This Challenge involves a speed eating contest in which competitors will be tasked with eating a plate full of lumpia (without using their hands) in three minutes.
The Lumpia Challenge is being sponsored by Gabina’s Cuisine— a local favorite known for its great lumpia. Judging will be conducted by some of San Diego’s biggest foodies, social influencers, and surprise guest judges. The winner will get a $100.00 gift card for Fire House American Eatery in Pacific Beach, a limited edition LV Fair T-shirt, and eternal glory.
Interested individuals can sign up HERE for the contest.
The Linda Vista Update’s very own Carnivore Sidekick is expected to compete. “I plan to practice long and hard in the coming days in order to win this contest,” said the Carnivore Sidekick, when asked about his prospects for winning. “But as famous NFL coach Vince Lombardi once said, ‘Winning isn’t everything. It’s the taste of the lumpia that counts.’”
Commentary
Sad End of Era in LV
I guess it should have come as no huge surprise since according to one internet source, only 51% of restaurants survive beyond their fifth year of existence. Competition is fierce and profit margins are slim. And these are turbulent economic times, which makes restaurant survival even tougher than usual. However, I was still shocked to see that Taco Bomb, located at 6725 Linda Vista Road, and generally regarded as offering tasty Mexican food, has apparently locked its doors.
I can’t say for sure if it’s closing is final. I didn’t hear or see any formal announcement made. No going-out-of-business sale was broadcast. And the only sign posted on the business’s closed doors indicates not that the business is permanently closed, but that the restaurant’s Agua Fresca machine is available for a rental transaction. But the restaurant’s phone number used for ordering/take-out is no longer in service. And a Yelp review site indicates the place is permanently closed. There was also an article in a recent issue of the online publication SanDiegoVille that identified restaurants ordered temporarily closed by the County Health Department due to health inspections violations cited during the second week in March. Taco Bomb was one of those restaurants cited. I’m not sure how the business was doing financially, but perhaps these recent health violations were the final straw.
We at the Linda Vista Update first wrote about Taco Bomb back in January 2022 when the restaurant opened. Back then there was great hope the new restaurant would follow in the tradition of its predecessor Super Bronco—a noted, long time Linda Vista institution that maintained a strong cult following among locals and USD students—and continue to serve quality Mexican food. And for about three years it did. Many of the menu items remained the same in the smooth transition.
Back in our July 18, 2024 issue we commented on the colorful umbrellas positioned in the outdoor eating area of Taco Bomb, likening the bright pastel objects to the French classic movie The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. The umbrellas were a very colorful sight, and along with the presence of the restaurant, provided a reassuring view for those of us who appreciate a sense of LV continuity and stability. Needless to say, those colorful umbrellas are no longer standing outside Taco Bomb (another sign the restaurant is indeed permanently closed), and sadly gone with those umbrellas is any chance of French actress Catherine Deneuve making a surprise Linda Vista guest appearance.
Lately, however, images of Taco Bomb also showed up in photos that accompanied a couple articles we wrote about the controversial subject of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). The prominent white ADUs standing behind Taco Bomb seemed to typify the proliferation of these housing structures in the LV community.
A major complaint about ADUs happens to be their capacity to dominate and subsequently change the longstanding character of a community. Some ADUs are seen by critics as being architecturally incompatible with their respective neighborhoods. In this particular case, it seems that ADUs have won the battle to dominate the LV landscape, as Taco Bomb, with all that it represented in the form of community continuity, fades into the sunset in a way that the famous poet T.S. Eliot once wrote, “Not with a bang, but with a whimper.”
Trash the Proposed Trash Collection Fee?
Attention, Linda Vista residents who possess strong opinions about the City’s proposed changes to the trash collection service, especially the new monthly collection fee. There is still one more opportunity to express any dissatisfaction you may have with the proposal. Beginning the week of April 21, the City will mail out protest cards to each of the households scheduled to pay the new fee. If a majority of the households—out of an estimated 233,000—submit a completed protest card before or during a public hearing scheduled for June 9, the new fees cannot be imposed under state law.
In a recent issue of the Linda Vista Update we provided a summary of a meeting that the City of San Diego held at the Linda Vista Library to gather feedback and address concerns with the City’s proposal of new trash collection fee. The most prominent concern expressed by meeting attendees comprised from San Diego City Council District 7 was the amount of the proposed fee, which was originally presented to be $23.00 a month (when the measure was on the ballot in 2022), but which now is being estimated to be $53.00 with this initial amount expected to increase in coming years.
Many of the meeting attendees expressed frustration with the City along with a feeling that their voices would not be heard, in spite of this attempt to gather feedback intended for presentation to the San Diego City Council.
At yesterday’s City Council hearing, the council members slightly modified their proposal by voting to suggest a rate of $47.59 for the large 95 gallon bin, approximately $5.00 less than the latest proposal. The other two sized bins will be as follows:
35-gallon bin at a cost of $36.72 per month.
65-gallon bin at a cost of $42.88 per month.
The fees will still rise in future years.
The fate of the trash collection fee now rests in the hands of San Diego residents currently receiving City trash service. The protest card each property owner will receive is the result of “Proposition 218, a state law passed in 1996 to require approval from those facing a rate increase by government agencies, to include a property owner’s right to cast a written protest against a new fee or increase.” According to an article on the KPBS website, the protest card will have the owner’s name, parcel number, and written language detailing the proposed fee. The owner will need to indicate a protest against the fee and mail the card, or drop it off during the City Council’s meeting to implement the fee (before the conclusion of public comments). If a property owner is in favor of the proposal, he/she can choose not to mail the protest card. The City Council meeting to implement the fee will be held June 9.
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