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Jai by Wolfgang Puck (pronounced Jay and it means “heart” in Thai and “good luck dish” in Chinese) opens for dinner in the next few weeks. Located at the La Jolla Playhouse complex, the restaurant is fashioned after Puck’s West Los Angeles eatery Red Seven at the Pacific Design Center. The menu features dishes from Red Seven’s former executive chef, Yoshinori Kojima who will oversee Jai.

Had a chance to visit Mukashi with friends…very fresh sushi and other dishes. It’s a comfortable room with a wall water feature, nice sushi bar, chopsticks and black paper napkins. But…what’s the deal with a huge tv screen on the back wall of the sushi bar? Rather than enjoy the sushi chef, the eye from any part of the room can’t help but notice the sports (no sound) on tv. Has the ubiquitous tv become the new necessary “art” for a restaurant? A distraction to say the least, since not every restaurant bar needs to be a sports bar.

In the corner spot on Third and University that was Italian, then morphed to a Brazilian sports bar, then became a seasonal venture, soon goes Hawaiian as Hula’s Beach Bar & Grill moves in. And no, it is not part of the TS Restaurant Group that owns Jake’s in Del Mar and Hula Grill in Hawaii.

Gemelli Italian Grill on Laurel at Fifth Avenue closed about a month ago. Sad, since the area is picking up steam with new and familiar places all around it: Avenue 5, Mukashi, Laurel, Modus, Extraordinary Desserts and others.

4 thoughts on “Bits and Bites: Jai and Hulas

  1. I had a meal at Jai and it was phenomenal. Everything from the wine, to the vegetables, to the seasoning was perfect. I had both the butterfish and the General Tso’s chicken wings and they were amazing. From the beginning this restaurant will gain a position at the top of the san diego food scene.

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  2. Buzz notes that the restaurant is not open to the public yet…Samuel’s comment is from a private dinner there prior to the public opening.

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