Ian Anderson

Freelance Writer, Reporter and Editor at San Diego Reader

Contributing Writer at San Diego Magazine

Articles

If it's Encinitas, This Musubi Love

1 month ago | sandiegoreader.com | Ian Anderson

It's less like visiting a restaurant, and more like going on a foodie scavenger hunt: drive on Vulcan Avenue toward Leucadia until you reach the Beacons Townhomes. Take the alley to the left of the complex, then proceed to the fourth garage door. Call, don't text, and your order will appear. Sure enough, when I reach the fourth garage, a small sign taped to the door tells me I'm in the right place to pick up my order from This Musubi Love.
Pha Khao Lao serves San Diego's next great noodle soup

1 month ago | sandiegoreader.com | Ian Anderson

It didn't used to be the case that I spent much time distinguishing neighborhoods such as Rolando Park or Redwood Village. Time was, I might go looking for food in these areas once or twice a year, then casually lump them in as parts of City Heights or the College Area — if I mentioned them at all. But from a food-lover's standpoint, this part of town is getting tougher to ignore.
Opinion: Learn from the past lessons of Trans Mountain

2 months ago | edmontonsun.com | Ian Anderson

Author of the article: Ian Anderson, Calgary Herald Published Feb 14, 2025 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 3 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Ian Anderson is the former president and CEO of Trans Mountain. Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia NetworkArticle contentU.S. President Donald Trump’s irrational claims and assertions have sparked an uprising of Canadian nationalism.
Opinion: Learn from the past lessons of Trans Mountain

2 months ago | edmontonsun.com | Ian Anderson

Author of the article: Ian Anderson, Calgary Herald Published Feb 14, 2025 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 3 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Ian Anderson is the former president and CEO of Trans Mountain. Photo by Ed Kaiser /Postmedia NetworkArticle contentU.S. President Donald Trump’s irrational claims and assertions have sparked an uprising of Canadian nationalism.
Bisbas Restaurant surprises with big portions and Somali flavors

2 months ago | sandiegoreader.com | Ian Anderson

Surprises were easier to come by before the internet. In most cases these days, by time I sit down to try a new restaurant, I've already researched its menu, read online reviews, and scoured photos of the food to see what looks good (i.e., photogenic). If there's ever a surprise to be found, it's usually that the place wasn’t worth the effort. Much better are the surprisingly good places that catch me off guard.
La Familia Restaurant & Bar

2 months ago | sandiegoreader.com | Ian Anderson

Video:FEAST!: La Familia Restaurant & BarCount me among the many disheartened when Logan Avenue favorite ¡Salud! Tacos closed last summer, reportedly over a lease dispute. Tacos-wise, Barrio Logan will be fine—especially if Las Cuatro Milpas can keep itself open—but the colorful ¡Salud! managed to create a social atmosphere most taco joints don't even try to provide.
Cocina 35 Brunch: chilaquiles, bougainvillea, and a view

2 months ago | sandiegoreader.com | Ian Anderson

Video:FEAST!: Cocina 35 Brunch: chilaquiles, bougainvillea, and a viewPickled red onions, sliced avocados, and crispy tortillas smothered in spicy salsa. These are the images that used to pop into my head when I thought of the family of Mexican brunch restaurants known as Cocina 35. PLACECocina 35 Brunch1201 1st St., CoronadoI recall the first time I encountered their chilaquiles, down by the Otay Border crossing, at a location they were still calling La Loteria at the time.
The border wall not built by Trump

Jan 22, 2025 | sandiegoreader.com | Ian Anderson

Video:FEAST!: The border wall not built by TrumpThe wall of instant noodles confounds me at first. Not because I can't reach the top shelf—though I can't—but because there's over a hundred ramen options looking back at me, and I don't know how to choose. All the time I've spent dining out at San Diego restaurants has not prepared me to pick out a package of instant ramen.
Sashimi and aguachile meet at Tsunami

Jan 14, 2025 | sandiegoreader.com | Ian Anderson

Video:FEAST!: Sashimi and aguachile meet at TsunamiSmoke fills the small plastic dome before me, obscuring my guacamole and the glistening chunks of raw salmon that sit on top of it. It's a tasty little bit of theatrics served with the salmon guac ($18) at Tsunami Modern Cuisine. When the dome is lifted, and the smoke clears, there's my ring-pressed serving of sashimi and guacamole, dressed with pickled red onions, micro cilantro, and tajin, sitting in a pool of green salsa.
Greenhaus puts broccoli on pizza, and you should see what they do with tofu

Jan 7, 2025 | sandiegoreader.com | Ian Anderson

Video:FEAST!: Greenhaus puts broccoli on pizza, and you should see what they do with tofuBroccoli on pizza has become one of those easy to reach punchlines tossed around by snickering California bashers, right up there with dumb blond jokes, and that we screw in lightbulbs by holding the bulb in place and waiting for the world to revolve around us.