A recent business lunch found Buzz at the new Fashion Valley location of Bing Crosby’s Restaurant & Piano Lounge (one of three in California).  The decor takes you back to the 30’s and 40’s swing era with an eye toward the glam of Hollywood–piano bars by night, golf courses by day–and, of course, the music of Bing and his cronies.

The website calls the menu innovative “California Country Club Cuisine”–whatever that means. The actual country club food (or yacht club) type cuisine that I’ve experienced over many years, centers on classic salads and sandwiches, Caesar, Cobb, tuna, roast beef, Reuben, BLT’s, club and more.  So when I see innovative I figure it means small twists of taste and presentation on classic dishes. There is nothing wrong with sticking to well-executed classic food especially in this theme restaurant.  To that end, I’m not sure that Bing’s namesake accomplishes that, at least for now.

We were very unimpressed with the half roast beef sandwich–roast beef with nary a lettuce leaf, mayo or anything on the thick French roll–part of the menu’s “The Lunch Trio”, that included a rich cup of chowder and a green salad.  “The Sandwich Combo” as does the trio, allows choices of sandwiches and salads.  The half Reuben fared better with the usual corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island–it was moist and gooey from grilling.  The whole leaf Caesar could be a favorite of mine because of the presentation but the dressing tasted more like a base of Thousand Island thinned out rather than the primary flavors of olive oil, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese with hints of anchovy and garlic generally associated with such a salad.  Prices are in the teens and up.

Our service was attentive, though a friend recently walked out on a Friday lunch about 1pm after sitting for more than ten minutes with no acknowledgment from a server, bus boy, anyone, while tables to either side of her were served.  She rightly told the hostess on the way out why they left.   Her feeling about the experience says it all:  “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”  Words to be heeded by all in the industry.

Would I return?  Sure, for drinks and dancing to live bands nightly in the piano lounge. Happy hour runs from 3pm to 6pm Monday through Friday and for the industry from 10pm to midnight.  The restaurant closes at midnight on weekdays, 1am on the weekends so it would make a nice finish to an evening at the movies or shopping at Fashion Valley.  7007 Friars Road, 619-295-2464.

Treat yourself to a sumptuous dinner featuring truffles in dishes paired with German wines at 1500 Ocean at the Hotel Del Coronado on November 12. Chef Brian Sinnott and the boutique wine merchant, Truly Fine Wine created a five course menu that includes veal cheeks, halibut and more along with a reception.  Among the wines there is a  Barth Spatburgunder Rose, Brut from the Reingau and a yes, there are fabulous dry German wines, that, contrary to what you might think, are quite dry…not sweet.  The cost of the dinner is $130 and includes tax and gratuity. For reservations and menu information:  Call 619-522-8490.

The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival has events, tastings, and enough food and wine to satiate a novice or gourmand.  It’s all happening November 12 to 16.

Celebrate the end of a long election year and support Taste of Little Italy on Wednesday, November 5.

Some of the best value wine dinners happen at Wine Vault & Bistro.  Get on their mailing list and learn about upcoming dinners and events.

There’s some buzz that the diva dessertier (her clever made up word) from La Jolla is in the permit stage for a place in Liberty Station.

From a reader comes a Wade Hageman (executive chef at Blanca) update: He’s looking to open a pizza place in Carlsbad…as noted in this comment from my earlier post.

La Mesa steak lovers who like to schlep to Golden Hill to cook their own dinner at the popular Turf Supper Club will soon have Riviera Supper Club and Turquoise Lounge in their “hood”.  Turf Club and Starlite owner Tim Mays will open Riviera at 7777 University Avenue in La Mesa.  Turf Club will close within the month and move to the much larger space–look for a December opening.

From a Buzz correspondent comes her account of opening night a new place in University Heights:  “Muzita Bistro, that features the foods of Abyssinian Cuisine (Ethiopian / Eritean). is located on Park Blvd. across the street and a couple doors down from Bourbon Street.  Last night (10/30/08) was (soft) opening night.  This place is cozy, vibey, hip and busy.  The food was delicious.  Beer and wine.  Patio seating.  It’s owned by the Woldemichael family who hail from–where else–Ethiopia.  They are local business and property owners in University Heights and are excited to be adding their ethnic cuisine to UH’s growing and diverse dining options.  Remember, it’s opening week so go with the flow.  Say hi to Abel (a-BELL), don’t let the dreds fool you–he’s an accountant.”  Website not up yet.

In Bankers HIll, Hexagone French Cuisine now occupies the corner of Fifth and Laurel in the old Gemelli spot.  Hexagone is the newest addition to French Market Grille up in Rancho Bernardo.  The new place  features everything from salad niçoise ($13.75) and onion soup grantinée ($6.50) to traditional coq au vin ($17.50) and sea bass with corn risotto and fennel-vanilla sauce ($22.50).  I haven’t eaten at either spot yet.  And if you’re wondering (as I did) what a hexagon has to do with French cuisine, it’s the term the French use  when talking about the shape of their country.  Hexagone French Cuisine, 495 Laurel Street, Bankers Hill, 619-236-0467.  Open daily from 11am.

For fabulous and very French desserts and chocolates,  Mille Feuille is your place at the corner of University and Fifth.   Executive pastry chef Thomas Gèrard,  comes from  La Valencia in La Jolla, and being French knows his pastries.  I’ve tasted a few:  Opera (light coffee sponge cake, chocolate ganache and coffee butter cream, $6.50), apricot summer (coconut-pineapple and carrot sponge cake layered with orange-apricot cream cheese filling, $5.50) and lots more including a caramelized onion and cheese quiche ($5.50) and  macaroons almost as ethereal as those found in Pierre Hermé’s Paris shop.  For lunch there are sandwiches and from 2 pm to 4pm there’s high tea for $20.  Mille Feuille, 3896 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest, 619-295-5232.

Barely two years old, Rannoosh the Middle Eastern restaurant next door to Mille Feuille, is closed.

The well-known Luna Notte in Point Loma will soon become part of Hillcrest’s popular Arrivederci Ristorante.  Luna Notte’s owners, Rob and Angela Scott have sold the restaurant and are moving to Bainbridge Island in Washington at the end of this month.  It will be interesting to see how locals at  Old Venice, La Scala, Pizza Nova and Solare in Liberty Station will take to their new neighbor.

Up in La Jolla there’s buzz that two well-known (and very good) chefs may be vying for Damon Gordon’s executive chef spot at the Gaslamp’s Ivy Hotel.

And up in Solana Beach, could it be that the chef from the area’s top eatery may be looking to move on?

Downtown has a new chic dining room:  Crescent Heights Kitchen & Lounge at the corner of India Street and Broadway.  The contemporary room (designed by the same firm that did Blanca in Solana Beach) matches the modern American menu that features mussels with flavored chorizo in an addictive broth, lovely charcuterie and cheese plates (and you can choose your meats and cheeses), along with Parmesan fries, skinny onion rings, sliders and lots more.  Three of us sampled most of the above on a quiet Saturday night…We’d all go back.  Open for lunch and dinner, closed Sunday.  655 West Broadway, 619-450-6450.

Arterra’s general manager, Tom Mastricola moves on for an, as yet, undetermined location.  Sara Hanson moves from The Pearl to take Tom’s place.

Up in Hillcrest, The Better Half can help get over the shock of the stock market drop and still eat well with a three-course dinner for just $15.  Called the “Stressed Economy Blue Plate Special” the dinners are available from 5 to 7 pm daily.  You can choose flat-iron steak, snapper, wild game meatloaf or pasta, along with soup or salad and, of course, dessert.  Pretty damn good deal at a place with a wonderful selection of half-bottle wines. 127 University Ave., Hllcrest, 619-543-9340.

Blue Boheme in Kensington will preview their Papa Nanou menu (even though the restaurant is not yet ready) on October 19.  It’s a prix-fixe menu for $48 and reservations can be made online or at 619-255-4167.

A restaurant’s website says volumes about a place, I think.  A reader emailed me to say that she was disappointed to learn that a wine bar’s hours weren’t updated on the site.  When she and friends arrived at 3pm to find the place opened at 5pm the, place lost customers and credibility with the public.  Another restaurant, opened during the summer, still has only an unedited paragraph that waits to be updated.

What do you think about restaurant websites?  Does a site give you a feel for the restaurant–good or bad–or does it matter? Do you frequent a site for information such as a menu, contact info, etc?  Do you like the flash and splash of many sites?  What about the music so many insist on?   Give Buzz your thoughts.