Week 121: Trust & Sinners

Week 121: April 20th-26th, 2025

I was needing some good food, and hated the thought of making dinner, so I treated myself to a nice meal with my friend Victoria. Victoria appreciates good food and elevated dining, so we tried Trust in Hillcrest. Trust, by chef Brad Wise, has been highlighted in San Diego's Michelin Guide and been awarded "Best Restaurant" by San Diego Magazine.

I made a reservation for two on Wednesday at 6:30pm to give Victoria enough time to get off work at her big girl hotel manager job in Chula Vista.

The outside dining area at Trust

Inside a very not-busy Trust

My Marston House cocktail at Trust

I got there slightly early, per usual, an annoying trait of mine that is both a blessing and a curse. This gave me time to really look at the menu and enjoy the space. I chatted with the server, who pretty knowledgable about the menu and chatty. Once Victoria arrived, we quickly ordered drinks and picked our favorites from the menu. I got the Marston House cocktail and she got the Florida Canyon cocktail.

It wasn't busy at all, probably because it was dinner in the middle of the week and Trust is actually more known for their brunch service, so I was thankful. We didn't feel rushed to order or finish our meal and could actually talk and catch up with each other. Victoria was one of my first friends in San Diego. We lived on the same floor in our dorm freshman year at SDSU and have been close ever since.

Because of the smaller plate size, higher price tags, and our shared desire to try more than one dish, we decided to split four plates. We got the Hamachi Crudo, the Crab Fried Rice, the Foraged Mushroom Mafalde, and the famous Char Siu Brisket. Every dish was fantastic, but my favorites were the Hamachi Crudo and the Brisket.

Hamachi Crudo at Trust

Crab Fried Rice at Trust

Mushroom Mafalde at Trust

Char Siu Brisket at Trust

I always love a good meal, especially with good company, and definitely want to return to Trust to eventually try their famous brunch service.

For four dishes and two cocktails, the damage wasn't too bad - $163.77 before tip. We tipped 20% in cash since oddly enough, we both had some on hand, and parted ways.

We decided against ordering any dessert, not because we were feeling frugal, but because we were so full. The Chunky Monkey did stand out to me, since that is one of my favorite Ben & Jerry's flavors. Plus, Wednesday night Survivor was starting soon so I had to get home!

Apart from good food, I also got to enjoy a good movie this week. I felt like I had to see the new Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan movie 'Sinners' because I'd been seeing so many positive reviews online. I took advantage of the 50% off Thursdays at our local Ultra Star Cinemas theatre for an evening showing. It seems like everyone else also wanted the 50% off deal because the theatre was packed, and I was glad we'd gotten there early to get some good seats.

I'll avoid giving any spoilers but overall, I loved the movie. It was a great balance of humor, horror, music, and culture and the actors were all very good. The classic vampire weakness of needing to be invited in, hating garlic, and dying in the sunlight were a cherry on top. I think Michael B. Jordan did a great job portraying the twins, Smoke and Stack, and loved the references to Capone, Irish and Italian gang wars, and blues music.

Bonus: On Easter, I traded my normal daily treadmill walk for a real walk outside and explored the luxurious Civita Park right across Friars from me. My entire walk was about an hour loop, and now that the weather is getting better, I think this route will become a new staple in my routine. There are a bunch of stairs that will make your legs feel quite heavy at the top of Civita Park, but they are worth it because they lead to a tunnel with a gorgeous San Diego-themed mural.

See you next week.