Dinner

New places set to open in the next few months:

Pacific Beach, Lamont Street Grill sold (Location Matters handled the transaction) and the new owner is Gina Champion-Cain. The place will be gutted and renamed The Patio on Lamont Street. Expect a May opening (or sooner) with Sheila Tracy in place as the General Manager. Stay tuned for who will fill the chef position. 4445 Lamont Street, Pacific Beach, 858-270-3060.

The Cohn Restaurant Group moves forward with a new place in North County called Vintana Wine+ Dine. Located in a Lexus showroom, at 1205 Auto Park Way in Escondido, Cohn staple and chef Deborah Scott will create the menu. Look for it to open in the next few months. And molecular leaning chef Daniel Barron said goodbye to his chef position at Blue Point…one can only guess that his desire to put a creative spin on his menu didn’t mesh well with the Cohn convention pleasing formula.

Brian Malarky gets an interview in Inc. where he outlines his ambitious restaurant vision.

In Point Loma, Harbor Town Pub will start breakfast in March.

Look for Towne Bakery to open in March in the Del Mar Highlands shopping center. Owner/chef Jason Sigala loves pastries so expect to see the vintage 40’s and 50’s celebrated in decor and in pastry choices that will include pies, cookies, puddings and cheesecakes. 12925 El Camino Real, Suite AA5. For more information, please call 858.794.7001.

March 11, grab a few tickets for Family Winemakers of California Tasting 2012. This tasting showcase features wines from California’s small, family-owned wineries. Taste wines from more than 150 wineries in California for a ticket of just $45 if purchased before February 20.

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.

Up in Little Italy at the new Porto Vista Hotel is The Glass Door restaurant. The hotel sits up on Columbia Street and the restaurant is on the fourth floor with an engaging view of the bay. There is a skinny outdoor patio that is perfect for a glass of wine and an appetizer as you watch the sunset. A pal and I shared simple presentations of flat iron steak with arugula and cherry tomatoes ($14) and a composed blue fin tuna niçoise salad with house cured olives, capers, pan roasted haricot verts that could have used a little lettuce or green to tie the elements together on the plate ($12). Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night snacking. For information and reservations: 619-564-3755.

Up on West Washington Avenue, Olivetto Cafe & Wine Bar (website not up yet) serves homey Italian food in a newly refurbished space in Mission Hills (across the street from the Lamplighter bar). The room is comfortable, wood accents and walls without adornment (they look great). A nightly special of risotto with chicken ($14) filled the bill for properly cooked rice, good chicken to make a nicely flavored, uncomplicated dish. The restaurant makes a good addition to neighborhood eating. Open for lunch and dinner. For information and reservations: 619-220-8222.

Tender Greens, in Liberty Station (on Old Decatur Rd, behind Trader Joe’s and Vons) is a unique concept that uses local ingredients whenever possible including fruits and vegetables from Crows Pass Farms in Temecula, Pacific Beach’s Pacific Shellfish, and Con Pane breads from Roseville. This is the place you go when you don’t want to cook…but want good food at very reasonable prices.

At a recent media dinner we sampled some of the angus flank steak with Yukon gold mashed potatoes, the tuna noise salad with greens, potato, egg, olives and a zippy dressing, and a Chinese chicken salad with spicy greens and crispy wontons. What is terrific about this place is all of these dishes are $10. Yep, and they are satisfying and well made. Desserts are $3 and are homemade with seasonal fruits by executive soups chef, Rain Brandenburg’s mother, Susanna. While this is a casual and eco-friendly restaurant, the food is notches above many other local eateries. The original Tender Greens is in Culver City. Open daily from 11 am. 619-226-6254.

You’ve likely already heard about Wolfgang Pucks’ latest venture, jai at the La Jolla Playhouse complex. Recently, Puck was in town for the media lunch and we sampled some of the menu. The restaurant is contemporary, fits well with the UCSD campus…and is perfect for the theater-going public that longs for the ubiquitous Kobe burger ($16) or a tasty Chinese chicken salad ($8 or $14) or even a steak from Snake River Farm ($45). One of the tastiest dishes is the miss sake broiled butterfish with noodles ($23). This is Asian-fusion done with classic Puck oversight. It’s not Sago in food or in price: Most all of the mains are in the $20 range. Great for a drink and bite before or after the show. Catering available. For information 858-638-7778.

Enoteca Style in Little Italy bills itself as the best panini wine bar in San Diego. It’s the second concept from owners Maryjo Testa and Scott Thomas who created the popular downtown Salad Style for yummy salads that aren’t all lettuce. The new place features a small menu with eight $9 panini combos named for the streets of Little Italy such as Date (honey baked ham, munster cheese, arugula, spicy whole grain mustard) or Ash (salami, mortadella, provolone cheese, pickled peppers garlic aioli). Not a sandwich person? Try their salads (duck confit, soba noodle and ahi tuna or peppered steak), artisan cheese plates and innovative bruschetta (beyond tomato and basil) and of course, wine. Located on India Street between Ash and Beech, it’s an easy walk from Broadway so call your order ahead if you’re short on time. Open from 11am, closed Sunday, 619-546-7138.

Look for Point Loma’s newest addition, Roseville, to open by the end of the month. Executive chef Amy DiBiase’smenu will feature a French-Mediterranean twist using seasonal ingredients and seafood. DiBiase arrived in San Diego some years ago and worked at the original Laurel Restaurant & Bar as sous chef to Jason Shaeffer. When he left, she eventually became chef de cuisine and when the restaurant sold, moved on to Baleen at Paradise Point Resort. Her food is approachable and innovative so expect dishes from $8 to $27 and nightly specials, all complemented with a worldly and eclectic wine list.

No more Friday lunches at the popular Farm House Cafe. Too bad, as it was a perfect ending after a long week when I met San Diego food lover and blogger Alice and then by chance other friends, well-known Barbarella and her photographer hubby David Fokos. Buzz does understand the need to take a breath between service, especially in a small restaurant such as this so owner/chef Olivier Boiteau decided to keep it simple: Dinner: Tuesday through Sunday, 5pm to 10pm. Brunch: Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 2pm. Reservations suggested: 619-269-9662.

Executive chef, Brian O’Connor, left his post at Laurel Restaurant and Bar to go north for a position in San Francisco. Filling in and doing double duty from Laurel’s sister restaurant Chive is chef Joe Magnanelli.

Red Marlin now serves Sunday brunch from 10am to 2pm, buffet style, $39.95 per person, children (age 4 to 12) $19. Great panoramic views of Mission Bay, lots of entrees, omelet, waffle and dessert stations and, of course, mimosas.

Up the coast Seth Baas (nephew of Padres owner John Moores) and his mom created Blanca, a new venue for north county diners. No view, no waves, but a contemporary, yet cozy restaurant with interesting food and good service. The dining room features booths, tables and banquettes in understated soothing monochromatic colors. With Chef Wade Hageman’s innovative use of ingredients, it’s a place I suspect will be busy all the time.

Here you’ll find a sofa-lined lounge, bar stools worth sitting on for drinks as you munch on a bowl of Wisconsin heirloom black popcorn dusted with Parmesan, toasted black pepper and a hint of truffle oil. Now, before you flip over the idea of anything over and above Orville Redenbacher’s microwavable popcorn, you really have to try this unassuming yet addictive dish. The black kernels pop white and work well with a glass of bubbly.

A sensational Oregon morel soup comes richly finished with leeks, slow cooked until they melt, and crème fraiche (a French version of sour cream). For the more adventurous, wild king salmon tartare (raw and finely chopped) comes topped with a tiny quail egg you mix in with dill oil and eat with brioche toast points. Lounge food prices from $6 to $22, and appetizer prices $11 to $25. Open at 5 p.m., 437 S. Highway 101, Solana Beach, 858-792-0072. First noted in San Diego City Beat, June 2006.

There is something very cool about sitting on the heated patio and hearing the ocean waves at 1500 Ocean in the historic Hotel Del Coronado. The restaurant’s food and the entire experience make this classic beach resort hotel a great destination. Free valet parking for the restaurant is a plus. From the valet, walk along the outside path facing the ocean where you are at once gazing at the sand and sea, swaying palm trees and people having a good time.

From the pathway to the entrance you’ll find an outdoor fireplace and tables for drinks, then the heated patio where I like to sit to watch the sunset and hear the surf. Inside, the restaurant occupies the redone space of the former very formal Prince of Wales Room. And redone it is, in contemporary, simple beige and brown with wood accents, seating with a good mix of tables, booths and banquettes and a bar area at the back of the room with a lit sunset on the wall. Gone are the days of coat and tie for men, as anything goes. On my visits most men were casually dressed in sport shirts.

I confess that I came to know the cooking of Chef de Cuisine Jason Shaeffer when he was at the original Laurel Restaurant & Bar. After a few years cooking in New York, he returned to San Diego and I was delighted to see him at 1500 Ocean. Local purveyors and farmers from Santa Barbara to Mexico supply the seasonal ingredients for Shaeffer’s classic–with a twist–menu. A couple of my favorites: Gnudi (fresh ricotta dumplings) with fresh peas and morels, barely sauced with the mushroom juices, together make an outstanding appetizer. Yellowtail, cured with lime and honey, comes with avocado mousse, shaved jicama and radish and a sweet jalapeno jelly all melding into mouthfuls of subtle flavors and textures; the fish not overpowered by the other flavors. A childhood favorite, toad in the hole, comes to life with an organic egg cooked with its yolk still runny, in the hole of a slice of rich, buttery brioche (bread), surrounded by mushrooms and asparagus tips and some unfortunately soggy hash browns under the bread. It’s a fabulous dish (without the potatoes).

Picky kids (adults, too) will appreciate the classic side dish of mac-n-cheese with spiral pasta and aged cheddar, nothing frou frou here. Finish the evening with a stroll nearby on the ocean boardwalk—it’s spectacular. Appetizers from $12 to $20, Entrees from TK to TK. Dinner only from 5:30 p.m., 1500 Ocean Avenue, Coronado, 619-522-8490, www.hoteldel.com.First noted, June 2006.

The Grand Del Mar, located just off Highway 56 is hotel magnate Doug Manchester’s latest venture. Due to open September 2006 it features a restaurant called Addison, named after Addison Mizner, a 20th century architect known for his fanciful Mediterranean styled designs in Palm Beach and Boca Raton. According to the public relations info, the restaurant will feature photos and other memorabilia from Mizner’s life, in Florida, though he was born in northern California in 1872.

That Mizner’s designs inspired The Grand Del Mar is one thing, but name a restaurant after him? Interesting concept considering we’re in southern California. Don’t expect Florida cuisine however, as Executive chef William Bradley’s menu will feature, what else, California fresh ingredients in Mediterranean style dishes…to complement the hotel’s Florida resort architecture.

Little Italy is one quintessential neighborhood with a unique mix of retail, residential and restaurants, all within walking distance of each other. The heart of this bustling area supports pizzas, empanadas, sushi and a corner pub, Princess Pub & Grille.

Lots of outdoor seating makes for good people watching as throngs of tourists and locals walk their dogs and kids along the street, especially on weekends. The Princess website boasts that it is the original British pub in San Diego, having opened in 1984. Inside you’ll find a large bar with comfortable chairs, lots of pub “stuff” on the walls for décor, and a lot of noise especially with the music turned up and people talking over it. It’s a happening place with a good vibe. Their menu while featuring fish and chips and bangers deviates to also include such things as baby back ribs and blackened Pacific salmon Caesar salad with Parmesan, not exactly my idea of authentic English pub grub. But as my sidekick remarked, they cater to a broader clientele given the location.

We ordered fish and chips and determined the chips, while thickly cut, were too soft and less flavorful than Shakespeare Pub & Grille in lower Mission Hills. For me, the fish batter also could have been crisper. The side of curry sauce for the chips is long on hot chile in the mouth, and reminds me of chile rather than a distinct curry. A meal of chips and curry is $6.50. I did like the Scotch egg as it was served warm, wrapped with flavorful sausage meat, cut in half and served with Branston pickles (a a finely chopped crunchy chutney of carrots and other vegetables flavored with vinegar, onion powder and lemon juice). 1665 India Street, Little Italy, 619-702-3021, www.princesspub.com.

One of my favorites for authentic pub experience, is Shakespeare Pub & Grille, located upstairs among the mini collection of restaurants on India and Washington Streets that include Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Middle Eastern and a wine bar and bistro. This very English pub sports dark wood tavern décor, wrapped with windows and simple wood tables. Out on the umbrellaed wood deck, my pub crawling pal and I sat on green plastic patio chairs and noted the dull roar of the I-5. The noise isn’t bothersome–consider it a version of white sound and inside seating can be noisy.

The menu includes shepherd’s pie (a melange of ground beef, vegetables topped with mashed potatoes and cheese), fish and chips (homemade), a few sandwiches, roast beef and bangers and mash (that would be potatoes and peas), among other things, none of which will bust your budget. Tap and bottled beers along with a full bar, make this venue a good hangout on a hot afternoon.

English chips typically are thick, not the skinny, limp wisps we call fries here in the states. At Shakespeare, those chips are long, crisp, thick and fleshy, and a meal at $4.95. Curry sauce can be ordered separately for $1.50 and must be something the English picked up when they owned India. This mildly spicy dipping sauce comes in a bowl and is a nice change from the usual catsup or malt vinegar. Scotch eggs are served hot or cold, and our server said typically they are cold. Now I happen to like cold sausage, but if you don’t, order it warm, as the sausage is wrapped around the hardboiled egg. Branston pickles with the quartered egg and sausage make a good mouthful. My half pint of black and tan (Bass and Guiness) washed it all down quite nicely. 3701 India Street, Lower Mission Hills, 619-299-0230, www.shakespearepub.com.

The San Diego Pier Café at Seaport Village sits on pilings, more wharf than pier, has a bar, and a slightly more sophisticated and higher priced menu than the other cafes. Open for lunch and dinner, you’ll find nachos, salads and sandwiches, clam chowder in a bread bowl, and more. I prefer the less stylized atmosphere (call it laid back, funky and fun) of the Ocean Beach Pier Café. 885 West Harbor Drive, Seaport Village, 619-239-3968, www.piercafe.com.

It's Got Bite

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

The Patio on Lamont Street, Vintana Wine + Dine, Malarkey and More

Opaque Dining, Dining Details and Arterra

Bits and Bites: New Spots

Bits and Bites: From Little Italy to Roseville

Blanca Rocks Solana Beach

Ocean breezes

“Papa” Doug does Del Mar

Neighborhood pub

Pub grub

By the Sea

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