Tartine

Coronado Island is one of my favorite places to take a walk; there beautiful homes, tree lined streets, and a view of downtown San Diego from the Ferry Landing. Although most people love the landmark Hotel Del Coronado, I prefer the Loew's or the Marriott properties; this may be because the old landmark is said to be haunted and being on the grounds and in the hotel feels creepy to me.

The one place that I always go to eat when I am on Coronado is Tartine. The location has had several incarnations, but every one has been a place to find good coffee and good food. Tartine is no exception. Even sitting at an inside table, you get a voyeuristic view of the street and life in a small wealthy enclave (the median price of a home here is $1 million).

Tartine serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, but most people come for breakfast, lunch, or a coffee break since they offer an impressive selection of baked goods. I chose the Quiche one day, made with spinach, tomato and gruyere, served with a green salad. It was a nice rendition, but not noteworthy. I found the crust and filling too dense with not enough spinach or tomato to satisfy my taste buds.

My second lunch of tuna salad was much better. Made without mayonnaise (as I like it), the tuna was mixed with nicoise olives, giving it a nice salty bite, the tomatoes were ripe and fresh, and the quality olive oil used added just enough moisture without overpowering the tuna. The baguette was nicely soft, yet firm enough to hold, and the mixed green salad was not overly dressed.


My favorite of everything I ate here was the pumpkin scone; it was moist, fully of pumpkin flavor, and so good that I had to stop myself from ordering another one to go (I should have). Their scone selection changes daily, so if you see this, grab one!

Some things change for the better and others for the worse, Tartine has wonderful servers, a great location, and some dishes that are outstanding, so in this case I would say change here has been for the better.