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I enjoyed the curried chicken wrap and a bowl of tomato soup, which comes with a mini grilled cheese sandwich. All three were well done and made to order — meaning fresh veggies, hot soup, and a nice little crunch on the grilled cheese, perfect for dipping. Joya serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, with extended hours on ursday and Friday. While waiting for a meeting, I strolled into Darshan Bakery in Del Mar and had a delicious wedge of quiche. is French-style bakery, on the corner of 9th and Camino Del Mar, offers all your standard Parisian offerings: baguettes, croissants, viennoiseries, and sandwiches. Open daily, 7am to 4pm. How often are you in Little Italy at lunchtime? I know — never! Well, next time you're downtown for a meeting or a trip to the airport, take a short detour to Bencotto Italian Kitchen. Not a newcomer by any means, but it deserves to get it back on your radar. I stopped by for lunch and shared the burrata and tomato salad, followed by their house specialty, Tagliatelle al Nero di Seppia — house-made squid ink fettuccine in a spicy pink sauce with shrimp. So delicious. I also ordered some gnocco fritto for sauce dipping. At Vanessa's insistence (she runs the place), I stepped next door to their sister restaurant, Monello, for an affogato for dessert. Nothing comes close to vanilla gelato topped with steamy, fresh-pulled espresso. Oddly, I didn't feel full anymore — the espresso perked me up to do some footing around Little Italy afterward. Oh! And this year the bartender was off duty for anksgiving, so I picked up some of those fancy canned cocktails from Tip Top (you can find them at BevMo, Pavilions, or online at tiptopcocktails.com). We set them out with all the glasses, ice, and garnishes on the side and let everyone do their own thing. I definitely recommend having them on hand for when neighbors pop in. Do you have a favorite dish I should try? Email me at terryl@ranchandcoast.com. T ucked away on Science Center Drive — well off the beaten path for us regular folk but squarely located in the middle of San Diego's medical, tech, and science corridor and adjacent to the UC San Diego campus — is Joya Kitchen. Don't call this an office park eatery! is quick-service restaurant is very well done, with awesome indoor and outdoor spaces. Chef JoJo Ruiz of Clique Hospitality designed a healthy, ingredient-forward menu of smoothies, salads, bowls, and wraps. What I Loved Last Month In addition to feasting for almost a solid week on anksgiving fare, I had quite a few dishes out and about BY TERRYL GAVRE Indulge dining PHOTOGRAPHY BY TERRYL GAVRE Joya Kitchen Joya Kitchen Monello Darshan Bakery Bencotto Italian Kitchen ranchandcoast.com 104 DECEMBER 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE