East San Diego Dining

 Alpine Inn
 2225 Alpine Boulevard Alpine, CA 91901 619-445-5172 Prime rib, steaks, Alaskan crab legs, twin lobster tails and all the classic favorites in a rustic, mountain high setting just perfect for the jeans and cowboy boot crowd. Extras: Early bird specials. Bloody Mary Sunday brunch. Fireplace. Party facilities available.

 Mom's Pies
 2119 Main St. Julian, CA 92036 760-765-2472 Julian is all about apples and apple pie, aromas of spices and apples wafting up and down Main street like that etherial hand that beckoned your favorite cartoon character. Several quaint places in town offer "the best apple pie in Julian," and honestly, they're all really good. At Mom's Pie House you can watch through the large window from the street as pie chefs create mouthwatering variations on the apple pie theme. The storefront is framed out like a log cabin, rustically charming and not as big time as the nearby Julian Pie Company ("big time" is a relative term in this vintage town). Mom's offers traditional flakey two-crust and crumb-topped Dutch apple pies, then mixes it up a little by offering boysenberry-apple or cherry-apple.

 Pine Hills Lodge & Dinner Theater
 2960 La Posada Way Julian, CA 92036 (760) 765-1100 Need a great weekend excursion? Deep in the heart of apple country is a fun barbecue buffet and theater experience, set in a rambling rustic house in the middle of the pines. This is also one of San Diego's favorite Thanksgiving retreats. Extra: Reservations suggested. Dinner theater Sun. during the fall.

 San Diego Souplantation
 9158 Fletcher Parkway La Mesa, CA 91941 (619) 462-4232 All you can eat salad, soup, pasta, dessert is still a favorite fixture for those who don't mind fetching their own food.

 Times Past Cafe
 2363 Alpine Blvd. Alpine, CA 91901 619-445-2121 1950s diner with a love of old hot rods. Car afficionados park along Old Highway 80 to display their detroit wonders. You'll even find a few vintage Harley's and Indian's prowling the parking lot, from time to time.
 

 Sunny Garden
 5500 Grossmont Center Dr. La Mesa, CA 91941 (619) 464-2288 Downhome Chinese restaurant specializes in Mandarin and Szechwan delights. Full bar. Takeout.
 

 Mamma Rosa's Restaurant
 1773 E Main St. El Cajon, CA 92021 619-442-0231

 Marco Polo Restaurant
 1340 Broadway El Cajon, CA 92021 619-593-6096 Talk about a mixed musical history. Nostalgia buffs recall this as the Bostonia Ballroom, where Big Band--era be-boppers came to strut their stuff. The ballroom has been converted to The Saddlerock, a two-steppin' Country Western saloon, but off to the side, in the sedate Marco Polo dining room, the sounds are those of Italian crooners of the 1950s and '60s. Marco Polo's extensive Italian menu is heavy on the seafood, including such hard-to-find specialties as salmon alla livornese. Carnivores often opt for the well- prepared steak Diane, and we enjoy such pastas as gnocchi in pesto, and cannelloni stuffed with spinach and veal.
 

 Brigantine Seafood Restaurant
 9350 Fuerte Dr. La Mesa, CA 91941 619-465-1935 Featuring fresh seafood of all types -- including their signature dish, grilled swordfish -- the Brigantine offers up delectable appetizers such as crab cakes and oysters as well as a wide selection of innovative fish dishes. Each of the restaurants has a distinct ambience, but most use a nautical motif. The patrons tend to be a mix of locals, tourists and families, though as the evening grows later the dating and bar crowd tends to edge out those looking for sustenance rather than romance. All of the restaurants have outdoor patios, many with views, and the attention to detail makes your lunch or evening out a memorable experience.

 Red Lobster
 8703 Murray Dr. La Mesa, CA 91941 (619) 463-4449 Good quality baked and fried seafood, if that's the way you like it, and most kids do, from the sauted shrimp to the crunchy fried shrimp. You can create a combo plate with fried shrimp, shrimp scampi, chicken, clam strips and bay scallops, or just go for the lobster. Takeout available. Good for large parties and family dining.
 

 La Torta
 8350 La Mesa Blvd. La Mesa, CA 91941 619-466-3953 Picture a big soft bun stuffed with Mexican concoctions of beef, chicken, fish or pork, and finished off with "The Works" -- avocado, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The entire thing is slightly smaller than a bowling ball, so bring your appetite. There are over 30 types of tortas to choose from, one of the most popular being the Super Natalia's Torta. Stuffed with roast beef, ham, turkey, jack cheese, bacon, beans, jalapenos and "The Works," the Super Natalia's definitely not for the light eater, so take your time devouring these gigantic sandwiches. For those who aren't quite as courageous to bite into the monstrous torta, this casual eatery also serves a wide variety of quesadillas, with the standout being the Florentino, which marries ham, chicken or shrimp, spinach, onion, mushroom, jack cheese and a garlic and wine tomato sauce on a flour tortilla. There's also a kid menu and appetizers such as home fries with cheese and jalapenos.

 Los Panchos
 1709 Main St. El Cajon, CA 92021 619-440-2376 Fancy may not be the first word that comes to mind when you go to Los Panchos, because it could very well be one of the restaurants to which all other later, corner and strip-mall taco stands have aspired, and the after-hours crowd that gathers there will readily agree. The outdoor, covered seating at most Los Panchos locations may lack frills, but you'd would be hard pressed to find one that didn't have a lot of friendly employee flair. If you drive-thru, you won't be able to enjoy the huge Salsa Bar heaping over with many freshly made family creations such as green chile sauce, numerous salsas, marinated hot carrots and chiles to enjoy with your free tortilla chips.

 Santana's Mexican Food
 411 Broadway El Cajon, CA 92021 619-444-4628 Santana's isn't known for its classy imported decor, mostly because there is none. They specialize in walk-up, drive-through, eat 'n' enjoy service. Each location moves into a building and makes it uniquely "Santana's." Whether that means a quaint, south-of-the-border look, such as the one on Midway, or a gaudy purple and orange motif such as the Rosecrans location, you're drawn in, and leave full and happy.