New Restaurant: Royale!

The Bloody Mary from Royale! is a tall glass of bubbly bloody indulgence. I knew with the first sip there was carbonation in the bloody mary. Royale! puts a dark Irish porter in the bloody that cuts the boldness and tang of the mix perfectly and brings a dark richness to the cocktail. The bloody mary is topped with an assortment of yummy pickled veggies, a lemon wedge from their family-owned organic hopyard and orchard (yes they own a family farm), a delicious mini grilled cheese and a pickle slice!

brunch, bloody mary, ocean beachLiz McCrayApril 1, 2018Royale!breakfast, new restaurants, brunch, ocean beachComment

Savory Views and Bloodys at Hello Betty Fish House

The bloody mary at Hello Betty has been one of my favorites of 2018 so far! When I first sipped the bloody mary I said to my brunch date, “oooh wow that is savory”. If you’ve read any of my other blogs then you know I’m a savory and salty kind of gal, so the bloody immediately hit the spot! Betty's bloody mary mix is loaded with flavor and spices, especially celery seed and garlic and is light on the horseradish. Every morsel has an umami flavor that is rich, deep and elevates the warmth of the tomato juice. The bloody mary is not spicy, but sometimes that’s completely okay! The Hello Betty house-made bloody mary is topped off with New Amsterdam Vodka, a simple celery stalk, lemon wedge and a kosher salt rim!

Smokin' Mary at Wood Ranch

Tasting the first sip of the Smokin’ Mary resonates with the smell when you pull up to Wood Ranch and get out of your car; barbeque and wood smoking! A deep rich smoky flavor prevails but is not overpowering and contrasts with the light sweetness and tang of BBQ sauce. The Wood Ranch Smokin’ Mary is salty and savory but the consistency remains thin. A little kick of heat nips at your senses but overall is pretty tame. Because the bloody mary isn't too heavy, it’s a great compliment to one of Wood Ranches BBQ dishes.

bloody mary, mission valleyLiz McCrayMarch 4, 2018wood ranchbbq, bloody mary, san diego, mission valley, dining outComment

The Drunken Tomato Awards

The first annual Drunken Tomato awards were a huge success! With 52 entries spanning across 6 categories: New Product, Mild, Hot & Spicy, Ceasar, Liquid Seasoning and Dry Seasoning, the 7 industry expert judges had their hands full! Judging that many bloody marys from all over the world may be a tough job, but someone has to do it!

Liz McCrayFebruary 26, 2018bloody mary, top bloody marys, best bloodys marys, mizes, drunken tomato awardsComment

$5.00 House-Made Bloodys at Eureka!

Eureka! A bloody mary that is house-made, wallet-friendly and tastes really freaking good! Bloody marys and mimosas are only $5.00 every Saturday and Sunday at Eureka! Now I know in some places that might be a standard price, but to find a $5.00 Bloody Mary in San Diego that isn’t rubbish, is an absolute pleasure!

Liz McCrayFebruary 25, 2018san diego, best bloody mary in san diego, dining, drinks, bloody mary Comments

Jurassic Pork Bloody Mary at Breakfast Republic

When the Jurassic Pork bloody arrived at my table I was elated! The dark red bloody is a perfect backdrop for the plentiful spices in the drink and the aroma of the thick piece of Jurassic pork filled the air with warm bacon superbness.

Liz McCrayFebruary 18, 2018breakfast, brunch, best bloody mary in san diego, liberty station, dining out Comments

Table-side Bloody Mary Cart at 1909

Liz McCrayFebruary 1, 2018

The Carnivore at 1909 Temecula

Liz McCrayJanuary 28, 2018

Prawn Star, Ol' Yello' Mary, and California Greenin' at Cafe 21

brunch, best bloody marys SD, bloody mary, san diegoLiz McCrayJanuary 21, 2018cafe 21san diego, bloody mary, scratch, dining out, breakfast, best, top, downtown, brunchComment

Chile de Arbol Infused Bloody Marys

Liz McCrayJanuary 16, 2018Draftdining out, mission beach, san diego, beach, breeze, bloodys, sunshine, brunch, sunday funday Comments

Bayou Bloodys at La Valencia

brunch, bloody mary, best bloody marys SD, la jolla, hotels, oystersLiz McCrayDecember 26, 2017La Valencia Hotelbloodys, bloody marys, dining out, la jolla, bloody marias, brunch, sunday funday Comments

Mission Driven Bloody Marys at FruitCraft Fermentery and Distillery

Have you ever attempted to attend eight brunches in one weekend!? Yeah, me either. That was until my friend Shelley, from The Drunken Tomato told me she was coming to town. I had heard about a new distillery in Hillcrest, called FruitCraft-Fermentery and Distillery that was doing some pretty cool things. So, I knew I had to add them to the bloody mary tour of San Diego I had set up for us!

Liz McCrayDecember 17, 2017FruitCraft - Fermentery and Distillerysan diego, brunch, bloody mary, bloodys, dining out, wine, tastingComment

Twisted Sister Bloody Mary at Garage Kitchen + Bar

I knew before going in that the Garage Kitchen + Bar bloody mary was going to be big, but I was not expecting the gargantuan that is the Twisted Sister bloody mary. The Twisted Sister is a thirty-four-ounce Bavarian “twist” on a traditional bloody. San Diego Food Girl and I were wondering why we didn’t bring two friends or more with us to share!

brunch, bloody mary, breakfast, downtownLiz McCrayDecember 10, 2017Garage Kitchen + Barbloody mary, bloodys, sunday funday, brunch, san diego, gaslamp, downtownComment

Monster Candied Bacon Marys at Cali Comfort BBQ

Don’t you just love the smell of Barbecue? Whether it’s your thing or not, you can’t deny luring aromas billowing from slow roasted meat! Smells trigger memories and emotions within our brains, so when I pulled up to Cali Comfort BBQ and smelled the food smoking in the back, I was transported to fond memories of grilling with my dad on camping trips, holiday barbecues or just a regular Tuesday night. Oh, the nostalgia.

brunch, bloody mary, best bloody marys SDLiz McCrayDecember 2, 2017Cali Comfort BBQbest bloody mary in san diego, bloody marys, bbqComment

Sunday Morning Remedy Bloody Mary at The Nolen Rooftop

Do you love blue skies, unbelievable views and great food and drinks? Then look no further than the 14th-floor rooftop destination bar, The Nolen, for “The Sunday Requirement.” I require that you try this place out as soon as possible! When I walked off the elevator and turned the corner, my jaw dropped to the floor. I was blown away by the expansive views and tall ceilings, as were the other members of my monthly Bloody Mary Meetup Group

From-Scratch Bloodys from True Food Kitchen

Have you ever tried something so fresh and tasty that you leave the restaurant feeling energized and refreshed? That’s how I feel every time I leave True Food Kitchen, located at Fashion Valley Mall, a fabulous open-air mall. So, naturally, I’ve stopped in True Food on several occasions with friends and my husband. I wasn’t aware they had brunch, so when I saw their sign outside advertising brunch, I was thrilled!

breakfast, bloody mary, brunch, farm-to-table, mission valley, san diegoLiz McCrayNovember 19, 2017bloody mary, bloodys, breakfast, brunchComment

Post-Work Buzz with Maggie's Cafe $5.00 Bloody Marys

I wondered into Maggie’s Cafe, a Mexican restaurant, and a bar in Serra Mesa. As I walked in, I noticed a chalkboard sign that read, “$5.00 dollar bloody marys” and I almost tripped over myself! Five dollar bloody marys are like unicorns in San Diego; non-existent. I thought to myself, maybe I could have one now with breakfast but quickly used my better judgment and ordered a giant omelet instead.

Liz McCrayNovember 12, 2017Maggie's Cafebloody mary, bloodys, san diego, brunchComment

Brine: Oyster, Crudo, and Chop Bar

Liz McCrayNovember 7, 2017Brinebloody mary, bloodys, dining, newburyport, massachusetts

Made from Scratch Yellow Bloody Marys at Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill

Priscilla started out by muddling the recently delivered Japanese cherry tomatoes from Specialty Produce. Muddling helps release the fresh flavors of the tomatoes and mix with the alcohol exceptionally well. This process took me back to cooking in my own kitchen, making pasta sauce from scratch and blending the tomatoes. Tomatoes taste airy and fresher-than-fresh through this process.

Bloody Marys at Liberty Public Market's Mess Hall

Lucky for me, the Market Mary was unavailable because the garnish would’ve been a distraction from the palatable bloody mary mix. Keeping with their craft cocktail theme, the mix is made in-house and fresh! The Bloody was fierce and citrusy from the olive brine and fresh lemon juice, instantly raising my blood pressure.

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