Herb & Eatery — San Diego

San Diego’s Herb & Eatery is more than a restaurant, It is also a marketplace where you can pick up goodies for your home, all located within one space. It is one of Brian Malarkey’s latest ventures, and its fresh, clean décor is coupled with a simple, but creative menu that will appeal to everyone.

After perusing the shop, we find a table and settle in for the morning. If you’re looking for something healthy to drink, there are smoothies such as Oliver Twist ($8) a creamy concoction of honey almond milk, banana, blueberries, and ginger.

Or, you can choose Kombucha Brew ($6) from the “beverages on tap” section, which is not only healthful, but also, refreshing.

If you’re a continental breakfast sort of person, you’ll be happy to find a wide selection of pastries in the glass case you can choose from.

Otherwise, if you’re like me and my friends, we like a hearty savory breakfast such as Baked Eggs ($12) a fluffy baked omelette topped with sautéed mushrooms, Humbolt goat cheese, herbs, kale, and crème fraiche.

One of my favorite items is The Thai Croissant ($8) with juicy chicken Thai sausage, with a fried over easy egg, gruyere cheese, arugula, and spicy aioli. The sausage has hints of kaffir lime and Thai basil making it wonderfully aromatic and flavorful. It is absolutely delicious.

Olive Oil Poached Tuna Melt ($14) is one of the best tuna melts you’ll ever eat. By poaching the tuna with olive oil, which is a traditional Italian preparation allowing the tuna to cook slowly, retaining its flavor and texture. The preserved lemons, herbs, and capers are ideal accoutrements for the tuna. This is an elevated tuna melt indeed.