I tried a new spot in Del Mar last week and honestly it kind of ruined me for the place I used to go every Thursday. Not gonna name names on the old spot. But the new one? Market Restaurant on Camino Del Mar. If you haven't been in a while, go back. The menu shifted and whatever they're doing right now is working.
Here's the thing about me. I get a little obsessive when I find a new restaurant. I'll go three times in two weeks, try half the menu, then decide if it earns a permanent spot in the rotation. Some people are loyal to one place forever. I respect that. I just can't do it. I need the new thing.
And honestly that energy carries over into how I look at real estate. Buyers in La Jolla or Rancho Santa Fe sometimes fall in love with the first property they tour. I get it. The ocean view from a house on Marine Street or the gates of a Rancho Santa Fe estate can hit you in the chest. But I always push people to see at least four or five homes before making a move. The first one sets the bar. It doesn't have to be the winner.
That's a take some agents disagree with. A lot of them want to write the offer fast, lock it up, move on. I think that costs buyers money. I've seen people overpay by six, seven percent because they didn't take the time to feel the market. And in a place like Del Mar where you're looking at $4M to $8M pretty casually, that's real money left on the table.
Back to the food thing though. There's a parallel I keep noticing. The best neighborhoods and the best restaurants share something. They don't try too hard. The good ones just have the right bones. Good light. Good flow. You walk in and your shoulders drop a little.
Del Mar does that to people. So does a well-built house on a quiet street in Rancho Santa Fe. So does a perfect plate of food you weren't expecting.
What's the last restaurant that surprised you? I'm always looking for the next one.