Foods that purportedly induce that lovin’ feeling might have little empirical evidence to back up the claims, but humans have been consuming so-called aphrodisiacs for thousands of years. To be fair, science says that oysters contain nutrients known to boost sexual health, like zinc, which affects testosterone levels. Chocolate has serotonin, a mood enhancer. Capsaicin in chiles increases blood flow and elevates heart rate, for a sweat that will turn up the spice level. Aphrodisiac or not, sharing a bite with your date or partner is an intimate experience—so why not try some feel-good foods from a handful of San Diego’s top restaurants?
Chocolate
Valle
Chocolate Metate
Lovingly prepared on a Oaxacan metate stone, this velvety, rich cacao radiates BDE (big dessert energy). Chocolate ganache is warmly spiced with cardamom and star anise, dipped in cacao butter, and pressed into a custom mold. Let a forkful melt a little on your tongue.
Wolf in the Woods
Kakawa Chocolate Pot
Wolf in the Woods elevates the classic pot de crème with Hatch chile chocolate, cake crumbles, raspberry coulis, vanilla crème fraîche, New Mexican pinon brittle, and Kakawa almond cocoa. The touch of spice infused in the chocolate may surprise your date while leaving them with a lingering sweet impression.
Tony’s Jacal
Chicken Mole
A menu staple since the 1960s, the mole at Tony’s Jacal is simmered with cocoa, chiles, nuts, and a long list of spices. A hint of chocolate gets you in the mood, and the cozy sauce makes you want to cuddle.
Nine-Ten
Half-Baked Chocolate Cake
A cakey exterior houses a decadent center of flowing, warm dark chocolate. Drizzled with caramel sauce and served with silky whipped cream or smooth vanilla ice cream, this shareable dessert at Nine-Ten has been on the menu for two decades. “We’d be banished if it were ever removed,” says marketing director Leslie Araiza-Lorenzo. Two spoons, please!
Pacific Point
Chocolate Experience
Round all four bases with a plate of different chocolate delicacies: dense flourless chocolate cake, light almond mousse, blanc satin for a smooth white chocolate touch, and yuzu chocolate bark for a refreshing citrus note. Strawberry-peach preserves add extra sweetness to whatever strikes your fancy.
Oysters
Rare Society
Rare Society Gold Oyster
Rare Society partnered with Clausen Oysters in Coos Bay, Oregon to develop the restaurant’s signature slurpable. Made to be enjoyed raw, the oyster has a firm shell with a deep cup, boasting sweet meat, clean-crisp minerality, and salty sea flavors with a smooth, clean finish.
Mille Fleurs
Pink Moon Oysters
Pink Moon oysters, from Prince Edward Island, are known for their nuanced brininess and exceptional texture. At Mille Fleurs, they’re poached in butter, bathed in Champagne (another alleged aphrodisiac!) and herbs de Provence, and finished with Black Sea caviar. Pretty hot-pink, beet-dyed salt sprinkled on the platter plays on the name and punches up the passion.
Soichi Sushi
Oyster 1/2 Shell
Start with a pair of Pacific oysters from British Columbia, adorned with Michelin-starred chef and owner Soichi Kadoya’s ponzu—a citrusy, vinegary, sweet-sour sauce that enhances the mollusk’s salty essence—along with a dainty dollop of daikon and slivered scallions. Order two more special oysters topped with luminescent ikura and uni from Hokkaido.
The Fishery
Poached Oysters
A gentle way to cook the tender meat, poaching retains the texture and seaside salinity of the oyster. The Fishery pairs theirs with Champagne butter, crème fraîche, and Kaluga caviar which can elevate the experience, making you smack your lips after sucking one down.
TJ Oyster Bar
Oyster Taco
A hole in the wall with a line out the door, the original TJ Oyster Bar on Bonita Road has been slinging mariscos since 2002. That’s also how long the oyster taco—hand-breaded, deep-fried bivalves on a corn tortilla with cabbage, tomato, and spicy mayo—has been on the menu. The oysters come in fresh daily from Baja or Washington state.
Chiles
Lionfish
Spicy Grilled Octopus
Passion-inspiring oranges and reds invite a dive into this popular dish’s pleasantly piquant flavors: fermented chile and crispy garlic and potatoes on a bed of cilantro aioli.
Dao Fu
Mango Chicken
Chef Eric Tao’s secret spices will flush your cheeks and blur your vision, if that’s what you’re into. Dial down the spice knob for that good all-over tingle. Ripe, juicy mango tempers the heat and gives this dish its warm glow.
The Marine Room
Peruvian Crudo
This is the Marine Room’s tuna-centric take on aguachile. Aji amarillo, a yellow Peruvian chile pepper that is sweet, tropical, and spicy, gives this dish its color and mild heat. Puffed purple boba pearls balance the texture atop the luscious pink fish.
Roma Norte
Habanero Margarita
Roma Norte vapor-infuses El Velo Blanco tequila with fresh habaneros brings out a sweet, floral flavor without too much capsaicin-fueled burn. The zhoozed-up tequila is mixed with mezcal, cherry tomato, lime, and peach and served with a dropper bottle of habanero infusion for extra warmth.
Salt & Butter Bakery by Okayama Kobo, Rising Sun Collective
Spicy Curry Pan
Sample something spicy in a tight little package. Fluffy shio pan, made with flour imported from Hokkaido and flecked with chili flakes, surrounds the Japanese-style curried veggie filling. Grab these hot buns to go for a picnic or pop ’em right in your mouth and chase with a Japanese craft beer on tap.
