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    Perky's

    4.7 (254 reviews)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Perky's Photos

    PERKY'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Perky's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Steak and Mushrooms Hot Meat Pie
    Dianne A.

    I've been eyeing this place for quite some time, and finally said f**k it and went here on a whim. Perky's is in a business/industrial complex right off the 163, sandwiched between other notable landmarks and other food places to boot. You might not see it at first, but they do have a sign outside. Once inside, you'll find that the store itself is quaint and small, displaying different decors to highlight Perky's South African roots (love!). They also have a (South African) grocery inside! Perky's is somewhat of a "hole in the wall," but what a hidden gem this place is. An elderly (couple?) was in front of me during my (first) visit. Shortly after, the store was filled with more people! The pies on display were also limited, so an ambulance was going off in my head. I CAME HERE FOR MEAT PASTRIES AND THERE WASN'T A LOT LEFT :( AND PEOPLE ARE BEHIND ME. I DIDN'T WANT TO BE "THAT" CUSTOMER THAT TOOK THE LAST XYZ PIE :'((( WELL, PLOT TWIST: I WAS STILL THAT CUSTOMER ANYWAY, lol. I may have taken one of the lasts: + Chicken & Mushroom Pie + Steak & Mushroom Pie ...So, yeah, I was "that" customer. I'm honestly not sure if they can make more, or if it's a "what you see here is what you get" kind of deal. If that's the case, then you need to come here once they open for the day... I am not kidding when I say that they did NOT have many pies left on display. OKAY, ON TO THE FOOD. I love mushrooms. I'm a mushroom fiend. Mushroom mama. The pies are as big/bigger than a palm (bigger than mine, at least). I heated them up in my air fryer and I, unfortunately, JUST EVERY SO SLIGHTLY burnt them :( It ended up being OK! The meat and mushrooms were neatly tucked away under that layer of buttery and flay goodness. They were seasoned perfectly and each bite was truly just so darn good. Though they were slightly smaller in size, the 2 pies made me full! If you have a larger appetite, I would definitely get a 3rd one (for an afternoon snack... or eat all 3 in one sitting... you do you... and they're that good). CONCLUSION. I am looking forward to many other meaty trips here and will be back to check out their grocery store! GET YA PERK ON AT PERKY'S!!!

    Matthew B.

    Wow! What a great little spot to get a variety of South African foods. Both handmade pastries and sausages, as well as canned and packaged items. I ordered the Chicken Curry pie, and it was flavorful and delicious. The chicken was nice and tender. I enjoyed the fact the pie wasn't messy, yet each bite had a burst of flavors. PLEASE BE AWARE: The curry had some heat to it. I highly recommend this if you love spice! If you don't, please skip this and try another item. I will definitely come back to try other items!

    The freezer of delicious pies!
    Rika C.

    Now you mean to tell me I've lived in SD my whole life and never went to Perky's?! A crime! This hole in the wall spot sells South African style pies, desserts, and condiments of all sorts! You can buy the meat/veggie pies piping hot or frozen for later -- I grabbed a few of each! My absolute favorite was the steak & mushroom pie ($9), which had a perfectly flaky pastry crust and the most delicious, umami-full steak and mushroom filling. The steak was tender, not chewy! I was able to prepare it at home by simply throwing it into the toaster over for 10 minutes. I still have a beef curry pie at home for later! I also got a milk tart to share ($18 large, $6 small) by recommendation of the owner, and just as he said, it was not too sweet, and almost like a flan! It's a fluffy sponge cake base with custard and cinnamon on top. You'll have to scoop it out with a spoon unless you're really talented with pie cutters, since it's so soft. But oh my was it delicious. Cant wait to come back to try more!

    Beef and mushroom pie
    Miranda G.

    Just had my first meat pie at Perky's! Can I just say that this is about as close to the ones at home as possible. I'm an Aussie and was very impressed with the African meat pies made here. The gentleman who served us (I'm assuming) was the owner and very chatty! He kept telling me that his pies were better than Aussie pies! And so we're his Lamingtons and baked beans.... I had a good laugh with him, he was funny. The sausage roll was pork, I liked it, but did not love it. Either way, I ended up buying some already frozen pies and beef sausage rolls to go as we make our drive back to Vegas! If I'm back in San Diego again, I will be sure to come back and get my fix of meat pies! Tip: if you can - call ahead of time and place your order. When we got there around 12 - all that was left were two beef and mushroom pies and a few sausage rolls.

    Graham the owner of Perky's
    sean d.

    I met the owner Graham and he invited me to come check out his store. The biltong was so tender and well spiced, better than what I had in South Africa years back. I bought a pound of biltong and a mushroom and beef pie, I can see why he has many devoted customers. There is a great little shop in back and Graham says he does catering for parties as well. Thanks for a fun morning on my birthday!

    Sparletta Creme Soda
    Brent P.

    Today my mom and I decided to go here to try out traditional South African cuisine for the first time ever. It can be a harder spot to find and honestly looks closed from the outside but once you open up the door inside there is a counter with warm Gourmet Meat Pies and a hallway to a small authentic grocery market filled with foods, snacks, frozen treats, and more imported straight from South Africa. Today we were greeted by a very nice lady who helped us peruse throughout the store and give us detailed descriptions of pretty much every item in the store. Definitely a great experience especially since my knowledge of South African culture and food was basic. In the end we ordered 1 warm Gourmet Meat Pie with Beef Curry, 1

    Pie selection
    Darryl G.

    If Chicken and Mushroom, Chicken Curry, Pepper Steak and Steak and Mushroom pies do not sound good to, read no further. We just stopped in at Perky's and got these four pies. We went back for seconds, but by then they had already run out of the chicken and mushroom pies. The crust is just soft and flaky, and each of the fillings were really delicious. We will be back for the sausage rolls and cottage pie next.

    Chicken curry
    Lisa G.

    I was hesitant to review this 3 stars as I much more preferred 3 1/2. It was quite the tiny spot to find within the industrial area and as I had 1 hour for lunch, boyfriend was off for his day - we went to grab something to eat. I've actually had this on my list for a while. Astonishingly enough, there was no menu listed. So here is the listing of what they claim to sell from the website online. Still wondering why they did not make one in-store. Unless the Perky's food and the DeliSA (that this is otherwise known as) is not the same thing. Chicken curry or lamb curry with rice and the fish and fries are limited. They make a specific amount and then they have no more - hence why they run out. Chicken curry was tasty - I give it that, but there was no sign of vegetables besides the chunks of potatoes. Yellow rice dominated half the plate alongside with the curry. Fish was nicely pan friend and very tasty. However it still felt like something was missing. My boyfriend tried to see if there was a sauce that they might have with it but after trying the ones that were on the table, it just didn't taste like the right sauce to complement the fish. French fries were crunchy and tasty. Place is small! So if you were planning on bringing a party in, this is not the place for it. There were 2 small tables right in front of the counter when walking in and then looping around the corner behind is a larger table with seating for 6 people. This definitely is not a restaurant - and if it is, it is a very tiny one. Family owned and apparently has been around for about 5 years according to the guy I asked who was working there. Might come around again to try out the pies. Just wish the place was bigger. And small as it is, it looked as though they just started working in that location though they had said they been around for 5 years. http://www.perkysfoods.com/menu.html The remaining part of this review lists the menu from the site. Most likely have to call and ask to see if they have things available as well as the timing for it. FROZEN GOURMET PIES FAMILY SIZE $25.00 SMALL $7.00 SIGNATURE SAVORY FILLED PIES BAKED TO PERFECTION CHICKEN CURRY PEPPER STEAK CORNISH PASTY VEGETABLE CURRY STEAK & KIDNEY STEAK & MUSHROOM CHICKEN & MUSHROOM SAUSAGE ROLLS (1/2 DOZEN) BEEF OR PORK WRAPPED IN A LIGHT FLAKY PASTRY $12.00 SAMOOSAS (DOZEN) A THIN AND CRISPY WRAPPED PASTRY WITH YOUR CHOICE OF SAVORY FILLING, POTATO / CHICKEN / BEEF $20.00 LAMB CURRY / CHICKEN CURRY GRAHAMS SIGNATURE CURRY COOKED WITH A BLEND OF HERBS AND SPICES LAMB CURRY TRAY FEEDS 10-12 PEOPLE $95.00 SMALL LAMB CURRY FEEDS 3 PEOPLE $30.00 CHICKEN CURRY TRAY FEEDS 10-12 PEOPLE $85.00 SMALL CHICKEN CURRY FEEDS 3 PEOPLE $25.00 COTTAGE PIE SOUTH AFRICAN STYLE SHEPHERD PIE LARGE FAMILY PIE FEEDS 10-12 PEOPLE $85.00 INDIVIDUAL SIZE $8.00 BOBOTIE NATIONAL DISH COMPOSED OF SWEET & SAVORY GROUND BEEF MIXED WITH WALNUTS, RASINS & APRICOTS TOPPED WITH EGG & BAKED IN THE OVEN. SERVED WITH YELLOW RICE. SMALL FEEDS 3 PEOPLE $25.00 LARGE FEEDS 10-12 PEOPLE $90.00

    Storefront
    Conrad R.

    I'm a dork because I totally thought this was a sandwich deli, you know, the kind with meats and cheeses, with someone putting stuff between slices of bread. Nope, that's not the case here. I got to hang out with yelpers for this edition of the KMLB: Anita Dale Kelly MaryLou Tyson Warren Go figure, that I was the junior among this group of old-schoolers. I'm not counting, but I think there was a combined tenure of about 30 years, with nearly a decade of yelps from OG Anita alone. Like whoa! It was so nice to meet the folks at Deli SA and their food was fantastic. Mary Louse and her kitchen staff brought out a sampling of South African dishes. I've never had traditional South African fare before the Lunch Bunch uye, but much of the cuisine included familiar flavors shared by neighboring cultures. Samosas - crispy puff pastry triangles, some filled with beef and others with curried chicken Pepper steak pie - mini empanadas Sausage rolls - puff pastry pig-in-a-blanket It was all delicious, hearty and filling. There was some leftovers that I was more than happy to scoop up to snack on later. Don't be confused when you get there. It's not your usual full service sit-down restaurant. It's more like a catering kitchen with a small retail storefront. Visit the cafe for some good eats, take home some pies or SA grocery items to enjoy later, or inquire about having them catering your next event.

    MILK TART
    Jasmine R.

    HOME AWAY FROM HOME!!! baie lekker Friendly, loving people that are passionate about their home. Everything is fresh & absolutely delicious!!

    Look for the itty bitty sign past San Diego Paintball and go all the way to the end!

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    11 years ago

    Delicious food, fantastic service. Graham is amazing! Most authentic South African food in San Diego. 2 thumbs up.

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    15 years ago

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    10 years ago

    This is a fantastic spot! I tried 3 pies, and loved each one. They are worth the high prices. Haven't had good ones since I was a child.

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    10 years ago

    Best South African Pies in the United States! Can't wait to see them available everywhere.

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    16 years ago

    The lamb curry that I ordered on line was excellent. It is frozen so you can get many meals out of it. Thanks.

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    Page 7 of 7

    Ask the Community - Perky's

    Is their pie dough made with butter or shortening?

    So does this place serve hot food as well or just frozen?

    They have some warm pies and sausage rolls at the front.

    What is there menu and prices?

    You can view their prices and menu here, but as with all restaurants, in person is the only way to make sure they're up to date. http://www.perkysfoods.com/menu.html

    View All 5 Questions

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    Muzita Abyssinian Bistro

    4.4(2.2k reviews)
    5.1 mi•University Heights
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    Food: 5/5 Portions: 5/5…read moreAtmosphere: 4/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Customer service: 5/5 Speed: 4/5 Price: $$ Takeout: yes Outdoor seating: yes Restrooms: yes Dogs: yes Kid Friendly: yes Vegetarian options: yes Vegan options: yes Ambiance: casual Pros: great food. Friendly staff. Large portions Cons: parking can be tricky in the area

    So, it was AI that landed me here for lunch this past weekend. I asked for suggestions of places…read morethat focused on authenticity - not trendy. This topped the list. I was dreading parking but somehow, only went around the block once and found parking less than half a football field away. I can only guess at how bad it would be during the lunch and dinner rushes. It was metered parking but it was Sunday and IYKYK. Otherewise, read the sigs and be ready to feed the meter. Service was patient and warm. Wondered if it was a one man crew as our server, host and cashier was one person. He would be there and then he wouldn't. Left me wondering if he was also cooking or at least helping in the back of the house. It wasn't busy - my friend and I were one of three parties/tables. Not that we needed much but there was a moment when we wanted more injera ... which leads me to the food. The injera was nice and spongy - great since it's all hands on deck, no utensils. If you've never had this cuisine, know that the injera is like your plate and your utensil. Use it to soak up and grab the veggie and meat dishes but just be aware, you eat too much of it too fast, and it'll fill you up just as fast. The dishes are on the mild side as far as being spicy. I would have loved it spicier however my friend doesn't handle heat but the flavors made up for compromise of not ordering fire. We weren't able to finish it all and couldn't bring it to go as we were on the road from LA but would have gladly taken it for leftovers for another time. I would have added more seasoning and some heat to tickle my taste buds. Don't read into that - that it wasn't good - I do also appreciate when places favor less which allows me to add because if it's too heavily seasoned, diluting certain dishes is tricky and in some cases not worth it IMO. Note: if you've had this cuisine before, know that Muzita does Entrees - not combo's. One or two orders and you should be good.

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    Interior dining area.

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    Mozambique - Peri-peri prawns

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    60.1 mi
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    Had an amazing experience at Mozambique Restaurant! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was…read morewonderful, and the overall experience was truly memorable. A special shout-out to Francisco, the bartender. He was absolutely fantastic--friendly, attentive, professional, and made us feel so welcome from the moment we arrived.

    Took my Lady Jane to Mozambique for her birthday. We wanted a Restaurant that had a nice view of…read morethe ocean. Made a reservation and arrived a little early. We were placed in a table on the roof that had a great view of the ocean and Laguna Beach. We were greeted by our waiter Juan and informed him about my Ladies birthday. He came back with a card wishing my lady a Happy Birthday with a Toucan on the cover. A nice Indaba Chardonnay from South Africa was ordered for my Lady. A nice sized pour of this wine and a glass of ice with a spoon was promptly delivered. We ordered the Seafood platter for two. Our dinner was delivered in a large platter with grilled lobster tails, butterflied prawns, shrimp, scallops and fried squid strips. Accompanying the seafood were bowls of hot melted butter and peri peri pepper sauce. The chefs knew how to properly cook seafood as everything was done to perfection. I am a home cook and a fisherman so I know how to cook fish and shellfish correctly. Enjoying the view we slowly ate our meal. Our water Juan was very attentive but not to the point of hovering over us. After we finished eating a complementary Birthday dessert was brought to our table with a lighted candle. My Lady made her wish and blew out the candle. The dessert was Mozambiques famous Banana Bread Pudding and a cup of vanilla ice cream. The bread pudding was covered in toasted macadamia nuts, blueberries, strawberries and boysenberries. The dessert was like the dinner delicious. Each piece of fruit was perfectly ripe and sweet. The meal, the atmosphere and the service deserve the 5 Star rating. I will definitely recommend Mozambique to friends and family and my lady and I are already discussing when to return there again for dinner!

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    the Eldo - Double scoop of ice cream- too much unless you're feeding the whole table

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    This was our first visit. We arrive very early by 4:30 because we needed to be at an event by 6pm…read more The atmosphere was quiet when we arrived,but an hour later it was getting pretty loud. It is a sports bar after all. The food was excellent. We ordered the fish tacos, a steak sandwich and a burger. The test of a restaurant are the fries. They were very good. The steak sandwich was huge an enough for 2 meals. I would return and I would try outside dining and see if it was quieter. We really enjoyed our experience.

    My husband and I finally went to eat at the Eldo for his birthday. We was excited to try it. Well,…read morenot good first impression as two young girls were just sitting at the booth chatting away. They did not greet us and just said we would have to wait, even though it did not look busy. About 10 minutes later they asked where would we like to sit and we chose the back patio which looked nice but it was too dark. I asked about the lighting and our server said most of the bulbs did not work. THE FOOD: my husband had the beef Wellington and he liked it. I tasted it and it was very, very salty. I had the chicken pot pie, served with a side of peas. It was good but nothing special. THE SERVICE: SLOW, even though It was not a busy night. Our server was a nice young man but wore way too much, awful smelling cologne. Not once were we asked about more drinks, nor were our waters refilled! When he finally came around with our check (too expensive for what we had!!!), he asked if we'd like dessert and I asked for f there's anything they have for the.my husband since it was his birthday. He said no. On our way out, I mentioned my disappointment to the same girls and another server overheard and said that is not true and told us to go next door for an ice cream on them! That was nice However, we will not be returning!!

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    Getting ready.

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    Lynda's African Delicacies

    4.1(229 reviews)
    72.1 mi
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    Literally so good! Heard so much about this place and finally got a chance to visit. The lady…read morehelping was super nice and even the customers were super friendly. The nice man behind us in line was extremely patient when I took forever to figure out what I wanted. Super friendly environment. Definitely going to come back again! I got the egusi/spinach with lamb and fufu. Highly recommend:)

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    Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant - Deliciousness!

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    4.7(167 reviews)
    6.4 mi•City Heights

    My husband and I really enjoyed this restaurant. We love Flavors of East Africa and Muzabita…read moreAbyssinian. This place is on point with both of those fabulous eateries. I am a vegetarian who doesn't eat meat or dairy; my husband plays along because he loves me. :) Anyhow, we made vegetarian choices. My husband had the pasta dish that was incredibly flavorful and spicy; I had the vegetarian Injera bread dish, which was nuts...literally. Did you know that injera bread is gluten-free and made from Teff wheat, which is fermented and is amazing for your gut??? I highly recommend this eatery for its amazing flavors; the owners and staff are very kind, and the service was above par. I loved the red wine with my dinner. I ordered the white wine, but my server brought me red, and I am glad she did; she knew what she was doing. My husband and I sat for a while, drank wine, and watched a bevy of beautiful women come in for a bridal shower. I absolutely love this place, and we will be back. Delicious food, beautiful atmosphere, excellent service !!!! As a San Diegan, come here, you won't be disappointed unless you are Elly C. LOL

    Came here one evening on a whim because it's close to the church my mother goes to. While I had my…read moreeye on the restaurant for a while, I never realized it was so close. The staff are all very welcoming and kind and quickly got me seated with a menu and soon after got my order in, just an order of Derek Tibs, and started. The water I ordered came soon after in the form of a glass and a pitcher. There's a wait time that's pretty typical of ethiopian food that you'll get used to as you have more of it. When it comes to the Derek Tibs, they're honestly a bit bland, but not any more or less so than what I've grown accustomed to. The Berebere sauce (they offered it to me as hot sauce), and the Injera is really what gives it a lot of flavor. Honestly my favorite part of the dry style Ethiopian food is the texture and amount of crust they're able to get on the meats. Overall a very enjoyable experience, I would definitely recommend trying if you get the chance. Likely will return with friends.

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    African Food Kitchen - Yellow rice, collards and spicy chicken, delicious!

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    I bought lunch from their food stall during the Watts Towers Drum Festival in Los Angeles because…read moreit was the only vegetarian option I could find. I had never heard of "makande" before and they let me have a free sample of it as well as a few other items. Makande is made of kidney beans, corn, and various spices and it tasted so good! I ended up ordering that, plantains (bananas), lentils, and half and half yellow and pilaf rice. If I could do it again, I would order just one huge serving of makande and yellow rice because it ended up being my favorite and I'm salivating just remembering it. If I ever see this food stall again at some other festival, I'm making a beeline for it and know exactly what I'm ordering.

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