Pizza

Through the years the north east corner of Scott and Canon Streets housed a strip joint named Fast Eddie’s Booby Trap, then morphed to an Italian eatery, La Scala, with opera singing and pasta, and for a short time, The Lighthouse. For the past few months a makeover occurred in the building. And it’s pretty swell.

Two tenants occupy the corner: Jennifer Marie creates chocolates, heavenly angel food cakes and more at The Elegant Truffle, now five and half years old. Along with terrific chocolates, Jennifer will, in about a month, serve espresso made with coffee from Italy’s Caffe Barbera. She’ll bake a daily scone to go with the coffee and will open at 7:30am. The only other place to find this coffee is in Hillcrest at Cafe Barbera on Fifth Avenue. On Saturday, July 20, Jennifer will cook at Macy’s Home Store kitchen with Chef Bernard Guillas (Marine Room).

In the Lighthouse space comes Pommarola (same owners as its neighbor Pomodoro). The restaurant opens this week with Neapolitan pizza–yes, the real deal with imported flour and other ingredients, along with the oven visible in the open kitchen. There will be a few other dishes, but the star of the restaurant will be pizza. Stay tuned as I’ll soon report on the food.

Coming soon at the corner of University and Fourth: yet another pizza place, Project Pie. Their recently opened first location is in the lower part of the MGM Grand in Vegas. The local connection of this fast casual place comes with the James Markham, who created Knockout Pizza here in San Diego. He sold those stores and went on to other ventures including Pieology in Fulllerton that he sold to his business partner. 3888 Fourth Avenue, Hillcrest.

Coming soon in Liberty Station, a revamp of the space that was Joao’s Tin Fish Bar & Eatery located in the same block as Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe, Ace Hardware and Slater’s 50/50. Look for Roseville Cozinha to open early November with Michaael Alves as the owner and executive chef. Born and raised in Point Loma, his Portuguese heritage reflects his love of fishing and cooking (cozinha means kitchen in Portuguese). Alves, with the consulting help of his childhood pals Pete Balistreri (Tender Greens executive chef), Craig Jimenez (formerly of Craft and Commerce) and Maurice DiMarino (certified sommelier for the Cohn Restaurant Group) Alves will offer house-made salumi, local fish, meats and Neopolitan style pizzas from a wood stone oven. Tony Gemignani (nine- time world pizza champ in Naples, Italy) tutored Alves in that special culinary art. Note that Alves is a licensee of the Tin Fish group and will move the Tin Fish concept to the DaKine’s spot he owns in Liberty Station where the menu will feature fish tacos, burritos and more.

One of the best places to find any and all spices, herbs, blends, rubs and more used to be only online: Penzeys Spices. Now they are in San Diego at the corner of University Avenue and Richmond in Hillcrest. You can find everything from A to Z starting with salt free adobo seasoning (garlic, onion,black pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin and cayenne red pepper) and ending with zatar (zahtar) that popular Middle Eastern blend (sumac, thyme, sesame and salt). There is pepper in every color, grind and blend from Szechuan to India. Best part, you can buy small amounts from under an ounce to a pound, depending on the item. Penzey’s, 1274 University Ave, Hillcrest, 619-297-2777, Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat.: 10:00- 6:00pm; Tues and Thurs.: 10:00- 8:00pm, Sun.: 11:00-5:00pm.

Wade Hageman of the very successful Blue RibbonPizzeria in Encinitas (west of the I-5) will add another venue when he opens The Craftsman New American Tavern. After Mother’s Day takes over the spot that is Savory Casual Fare also in Encinitas (east of the I-5). Expect a late June/early July opening with a menu of “Hand Crafted Comfort” food emphasizing house made sausage, charcuterie, artisan cheese and Hageman’s farm to table approach with ingredients from local farmers, breweries and wineries. Savory Casual Fare, 267 El Camino Real Suite A & B, 760-634-5556, Blue Ribbon Pizzeria, Lumberyard Shopping Center, 897 S. Coast Highway 101, Suite F102, 760-634-7671.

When Savory closes after Mother’s Day, owner, Pascal Vignau moves to Chandler’s Restaurant in the soon-to-open Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa.

Go French for a week and dine at some of San Diego’s best: The Marine Room, Vagabond, Bleu Boheme, Winesellar & Brasserie to name a few. The Second Annual Tour de Cuisine (French Restaurant Week) runs from March 24 to April 1. Click here for more information and to see the three-course menus.

The Red Door Restaurant & Wine Bar named Miguel Valdez, who has been with the restaurant for a year and a half, their executive chef. On April 4 and June 20, Valdez will accompany guests on a tour of the Mission Hills Farmers Market, buy ingredients for the dinner, then return to the restaurant to enjoy an inspired meal. Four courses $45, with wine $70, and evening includes one of Chef’s recipes. For information: 619-295-6000.

Change is part of life and on Fifth Avenue between Washington and University change is redefining life for some of Hillcrest’s locally owned restaurants. Not long ago Kemosabe and Corvette Diner left the area and now, across the street in the complex that houses the Landmark Theater and 24 Hour Fitness, Pizza Nova closes at the end of August after 17 years (and a doubling of rent) while next door Banana Leaf that served southern Indian food (owned by Bombay formerly in the space and now across the street), just closed.

Apparently the owners/developers decided to up the rents to be more in line with the current going rates on the street–anyone interested in $3.50 a square foot for these spaces? Interested parties can check with Location Matters for more information.

The new leases for the expected winter opening of Colorado’s Snooze (breakfast and brunch) and soon-to-open Texas transplant Freebirds World Burrito, (owned by the Tavisock Group out of Florida) are both just above $3, not $3.50. But in this economy, one wonders if prospective tenants (locals or out-of-town franchises) are beating down the doors to get into spots like Banana Leaf or Pizza Nova. Buzz hopes the area doesn’t discourage locals trying to compete with new franchises. Time will tell.

At the corner of Washington and Fifth, Brazen BBQ Smokehouse & Bar opened this week. It’s a casual spot with patio tables, a wash sink for sticky hands in the dining room, a full bar and eager staff. This is the soft opening so be patient if you try the place in the next few weeks as they work out the kinks and add menu items. Buzz popped in to see the place. Here you won’t find parboiled meat, just smoked. While I was waiting for my to-go order (3 meats and 3 sides $20.99) a big basket of chicken wings waited its turn in the smoker that’s right behind the cashiers. 441 Washington at Fifth Ave., 619-816-1990, closed Tuesdays, open daily from 11am

Finally, heard on the street that City Deli on the corner of Sixth and University is up for sale.

In Mission Hills, Philippe Beltran (of Bleu Boheme in Kensington) gave up on a place next door to Lefty’s Pizza. The building will now be a beauty salon: Cut. Instead, Beltran will focus on redoing a former flower shop on Adams Avenue where he will then turn out pizzas.

At the corner of Rosecrans and Talbot in Point Loma, the nearly finished box of a building (certain to be nominated for an Onion award in design) will house La Playa Bistro due to open this June or July. Expect traffic congestion–it’s a very busy intersection as the entrance to La Playa and the sub base.

Also in Point Loma, according to workers on the construction site next to the Dolphin Motel, the buzz is that the restaurant will be a coffee shop, not a steakhouse. Stay tuned.

The Arrivederci restaurant group has been busy. Along with their Ristorante Arrivederci and Arrivederci Pizza on Fourth Avenue, the group also owns the soon-to-open Au Revoir Bistro in the former La Vache location at Fourth Avenue and Robinson. They’ve just about made Monopoly on those few blocks of Fourth. The long awaited Il Postino by Arrivederci opened in North Park. Haven’t been, but will as it is next door to Buzz favorite, Caffe Calabria.

East Village Asian Diner just opened in Encinitas. With a chef trained at the French Culinary Institute in New York, the casual menu looks good and well priced. Open for lunch and dinner. 628 S. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, 760-753-8700.

Luna Grill Neighborhood Kabobery opens its second location in Mission Valley—in the same complex as IKEA and Costco. The 65-seat restaurant features modern fast casual Near East/Mediterranean food, including the freshest kabobs, salads, wraps and sandwiches. 2245 Fenton Parkway, Suite 105, 619-516-5862. Their first location is in the Albertson’s shopping center at the 56 Freeway and Torrey Highlands. Haven’t been, but Buzz loves their well-designed website.

Worth getting on the email list for the Hotel del Coronado for specials and coupons such as one that takes $25 off a the dinner bill (over $100) at 1500 Ocean, that Sheerwater now has a $30 tasting menu with lots of choices or that Eno has bubbly Thursdays and $5 Fridays.

Caught up via email to former Blanca executive chef, Wade Hageman who will soon (June/July) open his own place, Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizza in Encinitas. Bet there will be lines for the 35 seats and the local, organic, farm to table ingredients that Hageman will make into mozzarella, sausage and pizza to be cooked in a wood-fire oven. His spot in the Lumberyard Shopping Center is just a few doors away from The 3^rd Corner that dispenses retail wines as well as bistro food.

Coming in April, Point Lomans will have more than just pasta and pizza places (not that they’re bad, just that we’ve got many) to have a bite. Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern should be a nice addition to the local scene and is just a few doors away from Pizza Nova on North Harbor Drive. Sign up says they’re hiring now.

In Ocean Beach, The 3^rd Corner has $25 prix fixe dinners on Sunday with updated menus on the website. For those who travel to Palm Desert and drive that winding Highway 74 to get there, Ed Moore’s third 3^rd Corner opens in June in the old Palomino restaurant space at 73-101 Highway 111, just a few blocks from Highways 74 and 111.

Downtown, the short-lived and eclectic Guild restaurant on Newton in Barrio Logan has become a lunch spot named Blueprint Cafe. In 1989 owner/chef Gayle Covner started her catering firm, In Good Taste and in 2010 moved it to the new location. The café, according to a pal with good taste, serves “inventive and tasty” food– Buzz hasn’t tried it yet. 1805 Newton St., San Diego, 619-233-7010. Open Monday through Friday 11:30am to 6pm.

We’re hearing good things about yet another pizza place. Pizzeria Bruno on Park Ave, brings wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas to San Diego. Will be trying it soon.

And while we’re on pizza, the sliver of a place in Little Italy that originally was Luigi’s third location, changed names when the partnership that included Landini broke up. It’s now Landini’s and good (though the sausage was flavorless and not the chunky bulk style). 1827 India Street, 619-238-3502.

Point Loma’s newest addition, The Wine Pub, snuggled away in a corner of a small strip mall on Scott Street, makes a cozy place to meet for a glass or two of wine. It’s small with a few seats at the bar and tables in a simple room ringed with bottles of wine. There’s an outdoor patio with a fire pit, heaters and even blankets to wrap up in while you sip. The wine list is small but features some out of the ordinary choices such as a dry German Riesling named Sabrina that is a Buzz favorite. We wish for less emphasis on pub when it comes to food…pretzel poppers don’t cut it with a glass of bubbles or wine. Their substantial panini’s make for a good snack and work better with the wines and their bruschetta’s while small, are tasty. Open daily from 4pm., 2907 Shelter Island Dr. (at Scott), 619-758-9325.

Rancho Valencia recently became an Auberge Resort, one of a handful of prime and unique properties. With new management also a new chef, C. Barclay Dodge who comes with twenty years of culinary experience from training at the California Culinary Academy to apprenticeships at E Bulli in Spain and Jean Georges and Daniel in New York. He recently moved from Santa Fe where he was chef de cuisine at Terra, the restaurant at another Auberge property, Encantado Resort. Beginning June 1, to celebrate the property’s twentieth anniversary, Dodge will have a $19.89 three-course lunch Chef’s Inspiration menu. Each day there will be a choice of a soup or an appetizer and only one entrée that will be the chef’s choice. Some examples of Dodge’s “coastal ranch” cuisine: sardines grilled with argan oil and escabeche of summer carrots; chilled English pea soup with fromage blanc and chive blossoms; and Valencia orange-scented lamb shank with house cut noodles and Moroccan pickled carrots. Buzz hasn’t tried it yet. For reservations and information: 858-759-6216.

It’s finally official from the buzz that’s been brewing (and from the looks of the cleared tables, no cloths and no setups), Laurel Restaurant & Bar is reinventing its concept and we hope this time it will include a new name. Possibly small plates, possibly Italian, and likely we will just have to wait and see what happens in the next few weeks when the redo should be done.

The Marine Room features a number of interesting events including a Monday night lobster dinner for $40 and the thrilling high tide dinners June 19 to 24. The restaurant offers a Fathers Day dinner as well, and with executive chef Bernard Guillas at the helm, the food is always a treat.

New on Fifth Avenue at Laurel Street, Pizzicato a franchise operation that began in Portland, Oregon. There’s also an Encinitas location. They use fresh local ingredients when possible, and Italian Parmesan too. Haven’t tried either….While we’re on the subject of pizza, Pizzeria Luigi in Golden Hill currently tops my list with its thinner, New York style crust and quality ingredients. North Park’s Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria features thicker crust and equally good toppings along with sandwiches, sausages and pasta and opens its second location mid-June in Mission Hills–on Goldfinch– in the former home of Phil’s BBQ.

Just in time for race season and Wimbleton and the US Open, The Grand Del Mar offers five new cocktails in their Lobby Lounge and The Clubhouse Grill from June 1 to September 7. Cleverly named for tennis and racing terms (Moonball Pimms Caipirinhi and Bearing Out Breeze, among others) you’ve just got to go try them yourself–especially if you love rum, vodka, Pimm’s Cup and tropical juices–creatively mixed, though not all together.

Down on the bay near the convention center, Vela, at the new Hilton San Diego Bayfront, conveys serenity in a warm and contemporary room with views of the bay and the docks of the Port’s Tenth Avenue Terminal. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you just might see a Dole freighter unloading its cargo or the lights of Coronado while you dine. The bar doesn’t have the view, but on a quiet Monday, Buzz was able to enjoy a taste pour ($5) of Barth sparkling wine from Germany along with an appetizer of butternut squash tortellini in sage butter (the pasta needed a minute or two more in the water) and a rich wild mushroom risotto ($18). Vela is a place where you can have a quiet meal and watch the world go by. Best yet is their Vela Society for locals that includes complimentary valet parking while dining, seasonal discounts for large parties and much more–and membership is free.

Had a chance to try the new Hane Sushi on Fifth Avenue at Olive Street. The room exudes simplicity…some may say they wish for something more on the blank wall behind the sushi chefs with only a floral arrangement at which to gaze. Buzz loves the lack of visual candy and the contemporary design. There is a separate small bar area, and the sleek sushi bar doesn’t allow the diner to see the fish as most places do. Sushi Ota devotees may find a favorite chef or two working here as Hane’s owners are part of the Ota clan. If you’re in the mood, special sushi and sashimi dishes and a good selection of cold sakes go beyond standard fare found at other places…but don’t expect bargain prices for creativity, quality, freshness and gracious service. 2760 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill, (619) 260-1411.

Blind Lady Ale House in Normal Heights seems to be a hit with the neighborhood, especially on a recent Sunday night. The menu reflects simple pizzas, roughly 12 inches cut into six pieces. It’s very casual; you order from a choice of 20 beers on tap in one line and pizzas in another line where you get a number so the pizza can be brought to you. Plates, napkins and utensils are in the middle of the room and it’s up to you to set your table. Pizzas are European in style with thin crusts and a lighter hand with toppings–though one with butternut squash and shitake mushrooms needed more zip. House-made sausage, chorizo and Fra Mani salami are main ingredients for three different pizzas, and vegan alternatives are available including one for pesto. Pizza prices range from $7 for marinara to $14 for the chorizo with chiles and fontina. 3416 Adams Ave., (619) 255-2491. Dinner only from 5pm, closed Monday.

It's Got Bite

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

Point Loma Update: Pommarola Pizza and More

Hillcrest Gets Project Pie (Pizza)

Roseville Cozinha and Penzey’s Spices

Encinitas Eats, French Restaurant Week and Red Door

Big Changes for Hillcrest’s Fifth Avenue

Bits and Bites: Kabobs, Bistros and More

Bites: Jimmy’s, Blueprint, Hageman and Moore

Bits and Bites: Wine and Pizza

Bits and Bites: A Medley

Bits and Bites: Short Takes at Vela, Hane Sushi and Blind Lady

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