94^th Aero Squadron: Unique, Good, Reasonable

By David Rottenberg
Editor, Dining San Diego Magazine

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I grew up reading the wonderful Peanuts cartoons by Charles Schulz, laughing at the gentle, wise humor of Charlie Brown and Lucy. Snoopy was one of my favorite characters, especially when he put on a helmet and donned the role of “World War I Flying Ace” in heated doghouse “dogfights” with the accursed Red Baron.

These memories came flooding back to me as I drove up to the 94^th Aero Squadron. On the outside, the delightful theme restaurant looks like a French farmhouse from those long-gone days, protected by cannon encased behind a sandbag wall. An old biplane, with two wings and spindly landing gear lies parked in a corner of the lot. Another plane is parked behind the back patio. Park-like trees and grass surround the building, which overlooks Montgomery Field. It is easy to return mentally to those old days when watching small planes take off and land. I could even hear Snoopy demanding more suds as he gulped his root beer.

The interior of the restaurant is very romantic, despite the military paraphernalia. Dark wood beams run across the ceiling. A large fireplace casts a mellow glow. At night, flickering candles sit on every table. Along one side, a glass wall provides a stunning view of a comfortable outdoor patio and the Montgomery Field landing strip behind it. Along the other wall, couples can sit in snuggly booths. Despite its proximity to the small airport, noise of airplanes coming and going did not seem to enter.

But 94^th Aero Squadron offers outstanding food in addition to a unique ambiance. Our dining experience began with the home baked light brown loaf of cracked wheat bread that was placed on our table when our drinks arrived. Hot, with the kind of mouthwatering aroma that comes out of a good bakery, the bread contained lots of crunchy wheat sprouts, adding texture to taste.

My companion and I shared Crab Stuffed Mushrooms ($7.94) as an appetizer. The mushrooms were arranged in a sectioned serving dish that was designed to keep them apart. But, all the contents ran together, making it messy to take them out of the dish. Even so, the flavor of the crab mixed with the sauce and mushrooms was outstanding. We combined that with a bottle of Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon by Robert Mondavi ($14) that blended in perfectly.

The wine list at 94^th Aero Squadron lists many local favorite selections and the prices of the wines was incredibly reasonable. This restaurant marks up the prices very fairly.

Our waitress brought out the entrees, struggling with the weight of the food. I ordered the Porterhouse Steak ($21.94) a full, 20 oz cut, surrounded by a massive backed potato and crispy fried onion strings. My companion selected the Lobster & Prime Rib special ($24.94), with vegetables and drawn butter. Our waitress skillfully added the toppings to my baked potato and walked away wondering if we could eat it all.

The porterhouse cut has the best of both worlds for carnivores – filet on one side and sirloin on the other side, separated by a bone whose juices add to the taste of the dish.

This steak lived up to all my expectations. Every bite was tender, easy to cut and chew and full of flavor. My companion ate his prime rib with obvious delight and then attacked the lobster tail with vigor. He struggled with getting the succulent meat out of the claws, until we showed him the best technique with the nut cracker. From then on, it was easy.

The dessert offerings were presented on a silver platter. The favorites include a Walnut Apple Pie ($4.94), Creme Brulee ($3.94) and Mile High Mud Pie ($4.94), with dark and delicious chocolate. I was attracted to Almond Joy($4.94), with rich coconut filling topped with a thick layer of dark chocolate and, of course, a large almond – just like the candy bar. Many of the desserts are made on the premises.

The atmosphere at 94^th Aero Squadron makes it an ideal venue for small parties, meetings and events. Groups of up to 150 people can be accommodated easily. The outdoor patio can be reserved for small groups and is a lovely place to spend an evening.

The restaurant serves lunch and dinner only. During the week, lunch includes ordering off the menu or a buffet that features a large array of salads, main courses and desserts. Vince Celis, the manager, explained that the WeekEnd Champagne Brunch (Sunday only - $16.95) offers an even larger variety of outstanding dishes and is a terrific brunch value.

94^th Aero Squadron has a large bar area which accommodates several social groups midweek and entertainment several nights a week. The parking lot is very large and convenient.

94^th Aero Squadron is a unique, enchanting place to dine, serving good American food that is reasonably priced. The restaurant is located at 8885 Balboa Avenue, between Freeways 163 and 15. Reservations are accepted at 858-560-6671.

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