Tag Archives: Ivy

Buzz and Bites: Puck, Pizza and More

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**Wolfgang Puck’s venture into San Diego with JAI at the La Jolla Playhouse, may soon be short lived.  It seems that they miss their after theater audience by closing at 10 pm, and there’s no lunch service that might catch people looking for a quiet place to meet.  For many San Diegans, traveling to a university campus to see a play or eat dinner, is more than they can bear…

**Downtown, we’re hearing the Ivy will soon have a new management company.  What that means for Quarter Kitchen, and the rest of the property, well, time will tell.  Stay tuned.

**Opening in February, across the street from Ivy, in the former site of EXY, Jared Van Camp, well-known Chicago chef will oversee the kitchen of Quality Social.  From their press release:  “no guest list, no cover, no dress code. The destination will carefully pay tribute to the most treasured elements of the iconic dive bar, with a devil-may-care attitude serving as a visceral component. “  Sounds like a no pretense place that will serve house made charcuterie and some fun dishes such as a BLT with a confit of pork belly and heirloom tomatoes, or a smoked in-house hot dog served in a Pabst Blue Ribbon carton.  And no frilly drinks, either.  More to come when it opens.

**Pizza seems to be the latest inexpensive comfort food to blanket San Diego.  Coming in April, the second location of URBN opens in North Park at University and 31st. The coal fired pizza joint is Jon Magnin’s spin-off of BASIC Urban Kitchen + Bar.  He opened his first URBN in Vista in 2008 and plans to open 10 to 15 more up and down the coast.

**Support your local restaurants and dine out during San Diego’s restaurant week that runs from January 17 to January 22.  Check for the participating restaurants and their menus (three-courses for $20, $30 and $40, depending on the venue).  This is a good time to try new places and support our local restaurant economy.

**The Counter Burger arrived in Carlsbad and if you’re in the area of Calle Barcelona and the shops in the Forum at Carlsbad, this franchise that began in Santa Monica in 2004 is making waves.   It’s a build your own burger joint and should do well in North County.  Buzz hasn’t tried it yet.

Bits and Bites: Brunch, Sushi, Pickles and Cardamom

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Everyone is doing brunch these days and here are a couple more choices. In Point Loma, The Pearl, kicks off Sunday brunch on May 4 from 10am to 2pm with newly installed executive chef Trey Hartinger. This particular Sunday is called The Groove 24/7 Brunch Party because it’s not only about the $20 meal with bottomless mimosas. If brunch isn’t your thing, arrive after 2pm for $5 drinks and nibbles til 8pm. Hartinger also redid the dinner menu and when Buzz has a minute, will give it a taste–pork belly, sweet breads and other interesting dishes show off Hartinger’s stints at Azzura Point and Stingaree. 1416 Rosecrans, 619-226-6100.

North Park’s Cardamom Cafe and Bakery will open in the next few weeks for breakfast, lunch and bakery items. Owner Joanne Sherif’s fascination with this wonderful spice comes partly from her Ethiopian husband and the use of cardamom in various sauces as well as Scandinavian baked goods, Indian curries and more. Should be a terrific change of pace and it’s at the end of 30th at 2977 Upas, 619-546-5609.

For city views while you sip your mimosa and munch on an omelet Ivy Hotel features weekend Eden Rooftop breakfasts from 7am to 2pm with items from $5 to $17. Reservations: 619-814-2000.

Bankers Hill is getting to be a mini gourmet gulch. Very soon to open is Mukashi Restaurant and Seafood Market on Fifth Avenue at Nutmeg and in the same block there’s the popular Avenue 5). Just up the street at Fifth and Redwood is the wonderfully eclectic coffee house Cafe Bassam and of course Extraordinary Desserts

Spicy Pickle opened their first downtown location at Beech and Union serving paninis, sandwiches and that sort of thing. It’s a franchise, and their second location is due in Poway soon.