Wrench and Rodent

Growing up in San Diego myself I have never really thought of Oceanside as the first place on my list of areas of go when thinking of where should we go to eat, but after this experience and quality of food I might have to re-evaluate! Wrench and rodent is not big and flashy with a giant neon sign saying “EAT HERE!”, but located on the main drag of Oceanside with the worst part being the street parking! You walk up to an almost unassuming entrance with interesting pieces of….. art? that you would see someone trying to sell at an antique place out in Julian that’s supposed to remind you of the water, but not sure if its ocean or a lake in Wyoming. Before we sat down, my only complaint was the lack of parking but after waiting a little and having a reservation my only other complaint was to be seemingly forgotten after giving them our name and waiting for our table. Once you walk in though, all the complaints go out the window. It’s not gonna be the nicest place you’ve ever been in your life, but it feels like a place an uncle would run until he dropped dead making the food he’s so passionate about! It’s hard to describe the vibe of Wrench and Rodent; the best that I can do is use the word charming. We were seated in the way back which honestly was fine with us since at times these small intimate places can get quite loud, but it was the perfect view for people watching, just a small upside. We had started with the scallops and they were so amazing! Soft and buttery with an infusion of smoke that just lightly coated your mouth that allowed the scallop to still be the start of the whole dish! We also had the tempura squash blossoms that were one of the specials that night and they were to die for! One of the other specials we got was the dry aged tuna nigiri that H was not super excited about, but as a devout carnivore I’m a sucker for dry aging! When we got it, one of us wasn’t sure about it, but it wasn’t me! After some convincing she tried it and actually enjoyed it! When it comes to their rolls, I don’t think there is going to be a bad choice! We did two regular rolls with fish, and one “rodent” roll! If you’re looking for an adventure or just somewhere new to try this one definitely makes the list!

Rating: 8/10

Notes: Check the specials!