Full Moon Restaurant Offers Sushi and More!

Donna Danzig and Becky Wise. photo by Jim Evans

By Jim Evans

Sushi lovers in Ramona, rejoice! According to owners Donna Danzig and Becky Wise, the best “American Gourmet Sushi” anywhere is served at Ramona’s own Full Moon Restaurant, 109 10th St. — and many of the restaurant’s regular customers would readily agree.

Executive sushi chef Ken Hall has more than 10 years of experience in preparing sushi at some of the best restaurants in San Diego, and “we offer generous portions for a great price,” Danzig added. In other words, you get more than your money’s worth at the Full Moon.

Wise, an experienced restaurateur and master chef who has “always loved to cook,” and Danzig have been friends for more than 20 years. They opened the Full Moon — Ramona’s first sushi bar — in January 2004. They must be doing something right, because business is booming.

“We just felt that Ramona needed something different,” Wise said. “Why should local residents have to drive down the hill to enjoy the best in sushi, steak, and fresh seafood when they can find it right here?”

The Full Moon menu is as varied and enticing as some of the best restaurants in San Diego. It features appetizers such as fried calamari, shrimp and vegetable tempura, spicy tofu, fried gyoza, and more; soups such as red or green chicken pozole, cream of broccoli, salmon chowder, lemon chicken garlic, and lentils; green- and red-leaf salads (no iceberg); fresh seafood; top quality steaks; Japanese cuisine; Caribbean-Belizean jerk spicy rub; and much, much more. Whole fish and grilled artichokes soon will be added to the menu.

And don’t forget the sushi!

“Almost all of our menu is homemade,” Danzig said. “Everything is fresh, and nothing is prepackaged — we even cut our own meats. We offer an excellent children’s menu too, and the kids really enjoy watching the fish in our two large aquariums. We also carry a variety of local wines to support our local wineries.”

More than just a restaurant, the Full Moon has also established an enviable reputation as the place to be every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night for live entertainment in the sushi bar, featuring rock ‘n roll, blues, surf tunes, and lots of original music.

“Customers are invited to take the microphone and belt out a few tunes,” Danzig said.

When entertainment is not on the schedule, the restaurant shows classic monster films such as “King Kong,” “Godzilla,” and “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.”

“There’s something for everyone,” Wise said.

Starting in June, the Full Moon will accept favorite recipes from local residents as part of their new “chef of the month” promotion.

“Residents should bring their favorite recipes to the restaurant in person during the first week of the month to enter,” Wise said. “We will select one recipe from among the entries during the second week and the winner will be announced as Full Moon’s “chef of the month.”

The winner’s entrée will then be featured on the restaurant’s menu during the third week. Sounds like fun!

The Full Moon is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

In addition to sit-down dining, the restaurant offers catering for weddings, football games, reunions, parties and other special events.

Call (760) 788-0993 now or plan to do lunch or dinner at the Full Moon sometime this week. It’s a “Full Moon” over Ramona!