Bits and Bites

Easter is around the corner, and here’s a quick roundup of things to do and places to go if cooking a ham isn’t your thing….

Get the kids involved on Thursday, April 21, when Cups La Jolla hosts an Easter Cookie Decorating class from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Chef Francois of renowned bakery Girard Gourmet, teaches the fun class. Ccst is $50 for a parent and child team, $15 per additional child, and $30 for a solo adult. For more information or call 858-459-2877.

More cupcake ideas come from the HOP box at Sprinkles. The box contains dark chocolate, red velvet, brown sugar praline and carrot cupcakes adorned with pink and green bunnies and is from April 15 to 24. The Jewish holiday of Passover isn’t forgotten here either. Get a dozen Passover Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes adorned with blue Star of David and sealed with a Star of David sticker and available from April 18th to 26^th. 8855 La Jolla Villa Drive, La Jolla. 858. 457 3800.

Take your daughter (or son) to tea at The US Grant Hotel on Saturday, April 23 from 1pm to 3pm where you’ll sip premium loose leaf teas served alongside a tantalizing selection of house-made sweets and savory treats.    Cost is $47 adults and $22 children.  For reservations, 619-744-2039 .

At La Valencia, you can do brunch buffet style, served throughout the day in the hotel’s various dining areas, seating from 11 am and is $75 per adult and $32 per child plus tax and tip. Bring the kids for an Easter egg hunt from 11am to 3pm. For reservations, please call 858- 551-3744.

Also in La Jolla, Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar offers an à la carte menu from 11am to 2pm with interesting dishes that include Jidori chicken adobo; breakfast tacos with eggs, cheese and Asian guacamole; macadamia nut pancakes and more. For reservations: 858-551-5252.

If you’d like to sweeten an Easter basket, consider chocolates from Chuao (available countywide), Chi Chocolat (Liberty Station), The Elegant Truffle (Point Loma village), Eclipse Chocolat (University Heights) and Chocolat Creamerie (Hillcrest and Gaslamp). Buzz can attest that each of these purveyors makes artisanal and extremely luscious chocolates to satisfy every chocoholic.

Change comes quickly to 1500 Ocean with the news that chef de cuisine Brian Sinnott will leave effective April 1, and as he assured me in an email, it’s no April Fool’s joke. He wants to concentrate on his family.

Supper club dining comes to San Diego: Whisknladle Monthly Supper Club does it on the last Tuesday of each month as they begin their third year. Bringing strangers together in celebration of food, wine & great conversation, the three-course family-style fixed-price dinner for up to 12 to 14 guests served in Whisknladle’s private dining room includes paired wines. Limited to four per group to spur mingling in their private dining room, the next dinner is March 29 and the cost is $75 plus tax and tip. For reservations: 858- 551-7575.

Grant Grill Saturday Night Supper Club creates a jazz evening, with specialty cocktails and dinner. Drink and dine and then spend the night at the hotel with their Saturday night escape package which you can find on their website after scrolling down seven items in the list. (Note to hotel, make it a bit easier to locate on the website.)

Should you find yourself in Sacramento’s downtown area, be sure to try Red Lotus Kitchen & Bar for some of their well-presented, unique and seriously good dim sum on their dinner menu. The fresh water eel and shrimp dumplings with cilantro and pistachio puree, tobiko and truffle oil ($8) might sound odd together but the flavors were subtle, yet flavorful and blended well for each luscious mouthful. Two roughly 3 or 4 inch beef marrow bones split lengthwise, delicately spiced with five-spice powder, and roasted– unusual, rich and tasty ($11)–and six perfect shrimp dumplings (har gow) with house-made XO sauce ($7) easily stand high above run- of- the- mill har gow. Family style portions are generous, service gracious and attentive, and you can sit and eat at the lively horseshoe shaped bar as well. 2718 J Street, Sacramento, 916-231-0961, open from 3pm.

Also downtown, at 11th and K Street, in the area known as Cathedral Square, Ambrosia Cafe & Catering does a fine job with breakfasts such as crème brulee french toast ($4.95) or grilled jambon & gruyere croissant ($4.50), lunches that include salads, house plates and panini, and desserts from owner and pastry chef, Patricia Murakami as well as Nicole Becker who now handles most of the desserts and pastries. Open now for desserts after the theater or a long day jawing with politicians a few blocks away Thursday to Saturday from 7pm to midnight. 1030 K Street, Sacramento, 916-444-8129, Open 6:30am to 5pm Monday through Friday, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 3pm.

Night owls who love cooking and television shopping, note that the Home Shopping Network (HSN) will feature a weekend of cooking related items from world-renowned chefs, including Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Padma Lakshmi, Ken Hom and others. Check out the schedule for HSN Cooks Spring Weekend Event presented by Bon Appétit on March 26-27.

Bernard Guillas is quite the chef. Known as one of San Diego’s top toques (executive chef at The Marine Room) he garners worldwide recognition that includes his recent induction into the very prestigious Maitres Cuisiniers de France, IACP nominations in two categories for his Two Chefs One World cookbook, tireless teaching at Macy’s Home Store and lots more. This week he appears on the Today Show with a cooking segment that airs Wednesday, March 23 at 10:40am with Kathie Lee Gifford.

On the move: Ted Glennon leaves 1500 Ocean and Eno at the Hotel Del Coronado for a new venture in Monterey, near Pebble Beach. Coastal Luxury Management will soon open Restaurant 1833 in the building that originally housed Stokes Restaurant & Bar. Glennon will direct the wine program.

Now that the news is finally out about El Bizcocho’s new executive chef, Nicolas Bour (he’s been in the post for a few months) the Rancho Bernardo Inn will likely re concept the long running restaurant in the next few months for redesign and perhaps a name change to fit with Bour’s farm to table expertise. In May, he’ll be in Kentucky for a major Derby fundraiser.

La Playa Bistro will open a cafe as Buzz noted back before they opened. Owner Cindi Hoang said they expect to open the cafe late April or May. Look for take-out sandwiches and other easy to-go items, including gelato, smoothies and more for the lunch crowd that doesn’t have time for a sit down meal. Expect to see the crowded (and unsafe) intersection get a bit worse for noon time driving.

The latest eatery to grace the village of Point Loma is the terrific Supannee House of Thai in the strip mall at Shelter Island Drive and Scott Street. Buzz has been there three times in the past week…and they just opened. The menu features everything from soups to Thai sausage ($7.50) and summer rolls ($7), warm glass noodle salad ($8) and many house specials including spicy squid with small round Thai eggplant, green peppercorns, chili and basil ($10.50). The food is authentic, fresh, flavorful and well (not overly) spiced so that the ingredients meld yet are not overpowered by each other. It’s a tiny space, just 24 seats so if you’re in a hurry, call ahead for takeout. Open for lunch from 11am to 3pm and dinner from 5pm to 9pm. 2907 Shelter Island Drive, 3110, 619-795-8424. Closed Sunday.

While you’re waiting for a take out at Supannee, drop in next door to The Wine Pub for a glass of red, white or micro brew.

Here’s a place Buzz would take anyone looking for interesting sandwiches, omelettes, crepes, pancakes, French toast, and more. Cafe 21 recently opened a second location in the Gaslamp and the menu reflects a refreshing take on breakfast dishes that are served all day. The terrific version of eggs Benedict involves no bread or typical English muffin. Instead a thick pancake of potato mixed with sweet corn and shrimp or another with grilled wild salmon and potato, rice and zucchini or chicken curry. The cakes are topped with poached eggs and the various combos are satisfying and delicious ($13). Ingredients are locally sourced, breads and pastas made from scratch, and the dishes reflect the Azerbaiijan roots of Layla and Alex, the husband and wife owners. Service is gracious but can be a bit slower than expected. 750 Fifth Ave. 619.795.0721 Open daily 8am to 3pm, (dinner when their liquor license arrives) and 2736 Adams Ave., 619.640.2121, Open daily 8am to 3pm, 5pm to 9pm.

Expect the action to pick up in the sleepy little village of Point Loma with the addition of Harbor Town (as the ABC posting says) in the old Roseville space on Rosecrans at Canon.

A block away on Scott at Canon in the former La Scala spot, Lighthouse Bar and Grill opens as soon as they get their approved liquor license as noted here. Expect the menu to have steaks, burgers, sandwiches, bar food and a well-priced, not fancy menu, all with an Italian flair. Both new venues will certainly give the locals other choices other than Old Venice (where the bar stools are arguably the most uncomfortable seats anywhere).

Other choices close by on North Harbor Drive include Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern where you can sit and sip inside or out with a perfect view of the dock and the yachts. In the same complex Pizza Nova pleases with the same view and good pizza and drinks.

In Fashion Valley Mall, look for Stacked to open summer 2011. They will occupy the Uno space and customers will be able to custom build (stack) everything from burgers to pizzas using tableside IPads with proprietary technology. The brains behind this unique concept also created BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse. Love Boat Sushi expands from North County to the spot once held by Smith & Hawken. And sadly the Bing Crosby space waits for litigation issues to resolve.

Coronado now has its own store featuring olive oils and more. Check out Coronado Taste of Oils where you will find everything from oils and vinegars to pastas and pesto. 954 Orange Avenue, Coronado, 619-522-0098.

Knight Salumi Company has closed as reported by Caron Golden of San Diego Foodstuff. No details as the phone is disconnected.

Surprise your Valentine with a special dinner in the dark at the US Grant Hotel. Experience a three-course dinner from February 11 to 14 presented by Opaque Dining. Your sense of taste, smell, touch and sound will be heightened as you eat in a totally dark dining room served by blind or visually impaired individuals trained to serve in the dark. The cost for the prix fixe dinner menu is $99 (+tax)/person. Drinks and tip are not included in the ticket price. Tickets for this event must be pre-purchased and are available online at www.darkdining.com.

If you’d rather stay in and have dinner delivered (no, not pizza), but a menu that is aphrodisiac centric, check out Dining Details. Just think, no worries about drinking and driving…you can toast your honey in the privacy of your own home.

Arterra finally has a new executive chef, Tony Miller who comes from the Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Latitude 41 in Columbus and Wailea Beach Marriott Resort. He kicks off his new menu (and redone dining room) on February 17^th from 5:30pm to 8pm with Taste of Arterra where you can sample signature dishes like lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, Moroccan braised beef short rib and avocado butter cake with almond crunch. The event is free with a $10 donation per guest to Feeding America San Diego’s Farm2Kids program. Advance reservations required at Opentable or directly at 858.369.6032.

Seems like La Jolla is picking up with the soon-to-open WeOlive. From the website it looks to have quite an impressive selection of California oils, as well as other olive products including soaps, mustards and tapenades. Opens about February 1 at 1158 Prospect, La Jolla.

Those of you who wonder what the next food craze could be need only look to San Francisco’s well-known Tartine Bakery & Cafe and its sister Bar Tartine where new chef Nick Balla arrives March 1. He and Tartine owners Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt will take the food and the breads to Eastern and Central Europe according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Note also that many other San Francisco restaurants are changing menus to explore this mostly untapped culinary area. Wonder if San Diego restaurants (and their patrons) would ever embrace the modern versions of goulash and a fabulous house made rye bread.

Those of you who remember Jason Seibert (chef/owner of the closed Cafe Cerise) might want to catch up with him on Tuesday, December 7 from 6pm on. You’ll find him at the Stout Public House (site of Cafe Cerise) as he bids goodbye to San Diego for a position as executive sous chef at Eventi, a Kimpton hotel property in New York City.

Au Revoir Bistro finally opened in the old La Vache site in Hillcrest (Robinson and Fourth). This is the latest venture from the group that owns Arrivederci Ristorante among others in Hillcrest, North Park, La Jolla and Point Loma.

If you’re looking for unusual Italian and American small food and wine producer, Corti Brothers in Sacramento is worth checking out. Should you want Delamain Grande Champagne Cognac 1982, or panettone from two of Italy’s well-known bakeries, Loison and Bardi, or aged aceto balsamico, be sure to read the newsletters on the website. Owner Darrell Corti is renowned for his food and wine knowledge and this well-established family business has been around since 1947. 5810 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95819, 800-509-3663 and the website for more information.

Congratulations to Lisa Redwine (General Manager, The Shores Restaurant) and Ted Glennon (Wine Director, 1500 Ocean) two of San Diego’s well-known wine directors who just passed The Court of Master Sommeliers Level 3 Advanced course and tests on their way to Master Sommelier. They join advanced sommelier Jesse Rodriguez (Wine Director, The Grand Del Mar) and hope to become master sommeliers, an august group of just 174 worldwide. The first American Master Sommelier is another San Diegan, Eddie Osterland.

Foodbuzzsd will take a short break until the New Year unless there is breaking news. Happy Holidays to you all

It's Got Bite

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
About San Diego's Food Scene

Easter Dining in San Diego

1500 Ocean and Supper Clubs

Sacramento Eats and HSN

Bernard Guillas: Chef on the Run

1500 Ocean, Restaurant 1833, El Bizcocho and La Playa Bistro

Supannee House of Thai and Cafe 21

Point Loma, Coronado and Fashion Valley

Opaque Dining, Dining Details and Arterra

WeOlive La Jolla, and SF’s Tartine Bakery Goes Eastern European

Jason Seibert, Advanced Somms, Au Revoir and Corti Brothers

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