By Shauni Lyles, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video by Suzanne Bartole

August 24, 2023 (San Diego) - It’s been one year and counting since hopeful chefs looking for a way to start a business in their homes found one through the County’s Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO) program.

An East County Eater review for East County Magazine

By Henri Migala

Photos by Miriam Raftery

July 25, 2023 (Julian) – If you live in San Diego, you have probably taken a leisurely country drive to enjoy the historic mountain town of Julian. But now there’s another exciting reason to visit Julian – Kali’s Garden Café &Juice Bar.

Open just a few weeks ago in a  charming little cottage with relaxing outdoor seating at 1921 Main Street, Kali’s Garden is already enjoying nearly 900 followers on Instagram, a 4.5-star rating on Yelp – and a 5-star rating from this reviewer.

The restaurant features entirely plant-based foods, such as jackfruit-based tacos and mock-pulled pork sandwiches with jackfruit. I love meat, but found jackfruit an entirely satisfying substitute with the taste and texture of real pork. The jackfruit tacos came with mangoes and more for a delicious burst of flavor.

Black woman-owned business won 3 months free rent and  $20,000 business investment in mall’s Taste for the Space Competition

Source: Parkway Plaza

July 20, 2023 (El Cajon)--   Parkway Plaza held its first-ever Taste for the Space competition in June, offering one local food business the opportunity to win three months of free rent at Parkway Plaza’s food court, plus a $20,000 business investment.  Chef Char’s Seafood N Soul is the lucky recipient of the prize package and will be moving into the shopping center’s food court latet this month.

Over 600 people came out to taste food from 12 selected local businesses to vote on whose cuisine was the best. The winner was chosen by a combination of votes from the community and a panel of tastemaker judges that included El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, Chef Phillip Esteban (Open Gym, White Rice and Weapon Ramen), Christina Ng (local culinary personality and Foundation Cultivator for Berry Good Food Food), and Sabrina Medora (freelance writer and novelist). The judges helped decide the winner based on taste as well as overall fit for the center.

Winner Charlene Plummer launched Chef Char Seafood N Soul (formerly known as ChefChar2020) amidst the Covid-19 pandemic when her then 16 year-old was unable to find employment. Creating the business not only helped provide her child with work, but also an opportunity to play a large role in the company which she could help cultivate and design.

By Miriam Raftery

July 6, 2023 –Our East County Dining Club is back!  East  County Magazine invites you to join us on Thursday, July 20 at 6:30 p.m. for a fundraiser where you can savor the flavors of southern Italy at AnniVenti La Trattoria,  a delightful new restaurant at 8099 Broadway in Lemon Grove. RSVP early to save space!

15% of all food and drinks plus 100% of raffle tickets will benefit East County Media to support East County Magazine, nonprofit award-winning community news coverage, and East Coundy Wildfire & Emergency Alerts.

For just $35 per person, (excluding tax and tip), the 4-course feast will include:

Appetizers served family-style (pistachio burrata, calamari, and charcuterie)

Pasta entrée options:

-- Spaghetti Vongole (clams, white wine garlic sauce, pesto and pistachio)

-- Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe (chicken pasta in creamy pepper sauce)

-- Busiata Normanna(eggplant, tomato, basil, mint, ricotta)

-- Pappardelle al Ragu (slowly braised beef pasta)                  

Caesar salad

Desert:  Tiramisu,Limoincello, or Cannoli

The restaurant also has a full wine list as well as beer and creative cocktails.

Win prizes! We will also have a raffle with prizes including a gift card to AnniVenti, gift certificates for other local merchants, gift baskets, jewelry, flowers, books, and more! Thanks to our prize sponsors so far: Anniventi La Tratorria,  Mastiff Kitchen, Jasmine Creek Florist,  Elevated Coffee, Mario's Family Clothing Center,  Stephanie Klein at Roots Real Estate, Lemon Grove Antique Mall, El Pollo Grill, Maxwell's House of Books, Mary Ann Chanthala at ASKMary4RealEstate brokered by ΓEA⅃, Moutain Gypsy, Jean's Dance Studio, Busy Bee Garden Co-op, Flowers by Elsa, and more.  

RSVP BY JULY 17: Please email editor@eastcountymagazine.org and include your name, the number of people in your party, and the subject line  “RSP for AnniVenti.” To reserve space for the July 20 event. (Late RSVPs may be accepted on a limited basis, based on availability.) We expect this to be a popular event to welcome Lemon Grove’s newest fine dining restaurant!

East County News Service

June 8, 2023 (La Mesa)-- It's the best breakfast deal in town.  On Saturday, June 10, Heartland Firefighters of La Mesa will host a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser at La Mesa Fire Station 11 (8034 Allison Avenue) from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. For just $5, guests can savor pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee and orange juice, as well as  receive emergency preparedness training.

The public can receive training in several areas: CPR, Basic First Aid, and Crime Prevention. There will be training “stations” for the public to receive the information.

May 26, 2023 (Lakeside) – Trevi Hills Winery in Lakeside will host “Runway Chardonnay” on Saturday, May 27 from  3 p.m. to 7 p.m. featuring wine, fashion and music.  The event is presented by Local Umbrella Media and  benefits Music Therapy for Veterans studio.

Floyd Armstrong will be entertaining with his smooth, baritone voice singing favorites while guests sip wine and feast their eyes on Dawn Sebaugh's new spring collection from WALA, a beautiful compilation one of a kind dresses inspired from her original art.

East County News Service

May 15, 2023 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s 14th annual popular “foodie” event is set for Monday, June 26 from 4:30 to  p.m. at the newly renovated Town & Country Hotel in Mission Valley. The popularity and crowd of this annual event has outgrown the La Mesa Community Center, where it was held for the first 10 years.

By Miriam Raftery

\May 9, 2023 (Warner Springs) -- You’re invited to enjoy a self-guided driving tour through San Diego’s beautiful backcountry, savoring vintages from award-winning local wineries and discovering unique works by talented artists and artisans. The festivities include live art demos, fine arts and crafts, wine tasting, craft beer, picnicking, hiking and live music.

East County News Service

April 23, 2023 (Alpine) – You can taste up to 40 wines from 25 wineries, sip beers from a trio of local breweries, as well as savor foods from over 20 local restaurants at Vintage Alpine. The event will take place on May 7 from 1-4 p.m. at Summers Past Farms (15602 Olde Highway 80) in Flinn Springs, which is located between El Cajon and Alpine just off Interstate 8.

By Mimi Pollack

April 11, 2023 (Ramona) -- South African musician and humanitarian Sharon Katz, will be giving a complimentary concert at the Ramona Ranch Winery on Sunday, April 16^th from 2:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon with a wonderful musician in a lovely setting?

Music can soothe and heal the soul, no matter where you are from. The Ramona Ranch Winery, which is also a working farm with animals, will provide a peaceful outdoor setting where one can enjoy their award-winning wines by the bottle or the glass as they listen to songs in Spanish and various African languages sung by Katz, a musician who also has quite a story to tell.

East County News Service

March 25, 2023 (San Diego) -- This year’s Brewers Cup of California included 1,306 entries from 191 breweries. There were 83 categories and a total of 37 medals were awarded to breweries within San Diego County, including 13 gold, 8 silver and 16 bronze. The overall total is nearly double the 19 medals collected by local breweries at the 2021 competition. 

East County’s winning brewers include Burning Beard Brewing of El Cajon, Julian Beer Co. and Smoking Cannon Brewery of Ramona. Julian took silver, while Burning Beard and Silver Canyon won both silver and bronze medals. Gold medalists included Mike Hess Brewing of North Park, though Mike Hess also has a brewery in Alpine. 

See below for a full list of San Diego County winners: 

By Miriam Raftery

March 20, 2023 (San Diego) – Frozen strawberry and tropical fruit products have been recalled due to a hepatitis A outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced. The recalled products were sold at major retailers including Costco, Aldi and Trader Joe’s. 

The recalled products include Kirkland Signature Frozen Organic Strawberries made by San Diego-based California Splendor and sold in Costco.  In addition, Scenic Fruit Company of Oregon has recalled its Simply Nature brand frozen organic strawberries sold in Aldi stores and an organic tropical fruit blend sold in Trader Joe’s.

El Cajon is second-hardest hit community, losing 752,000 meals, report by San Diego Hunger Coalition finds

East County News Service

March 7, 2023 (San Diego) -- CalFresh pandemic emergency allotments have ended, resulting in a significant hit on the grocery purchasing power of many San Diego households during a time of soaring grocery store prices.

But those affected may be able to increase their monthly benefits amount by updating monthly household expenses on record with County of San Diego—and the San Diego Hunger Coalition can help.

Miriam Raftery and Jonathan Goetz

Photo, left: Robert Gehr

February 23, 2023 (El Cajon) – An early morning fire damaged URBN pizza and adjacent Creative Creature Brewing Company, according to Heartland Fire and Rescue Dept.

There had been a large party the previous night that kept staff there until midnight, said Derek Carnation of Creative Creature. "The fire started in their kitchen, and we're just next door; it's mainly smoke damage," he told East County Magazine after their establishments were cleared by the Health Department Thursday afternoon for reopening pending City Inspection, he tells ECM.

East County News Service

County News Service contributed to this report

Photo: Asian citrus psyllids, which can carry HLB, a disease deadly to citrus trees.

February 8, 2023 (Rancho Bernardo) -- The California Department of Food and Agriculture has declared a new citrus quarantine in a 95 square-mile area of Rancho Bernardo after detecting a potentially threatening citrus tree disease during routine inspections.

The bacterial disease, known as Huanglongbing (HLB), is a major threat to San Diego’s $115 million annual citrus crop. Trees infected with HLB can produce mishappen, bitter fruit and the disease can eventually kill citrus trees such as orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit trees.