Bankers Hill

In Kensington, a “uber fun, cool and eclectic” new wine bar , Village Vino, opens (softly) June 28 at the corner of Adams Avenue and Kensington Drive in the same block as the Ken Theater and Kensington Grill. Owner Rita Pirkl will feature wines from around the world from small producers, many family run. There will be classes too. Buzz has seen the space and it offers all of the fun and none of the pretense of so many other wine bars in this town (no sofas either!). 4095 Adams Ave., 619-546-8466, open Sunday to Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday until midnight, closed Monday.

If you’re looking for a restaurant to buy, here are two you might be interested in: Avenue 5 Restaurant and Bar in Bankers Hill is on the block as is City Deli in Hillcrest. For additional information, 858-792-5521.

More Malarkey for his minions: The empire spreads to Scottsdale with a second Searsucker for those hungry “zonies; waived c orkage Tuesdays and half off selected bottles at all five venues; and happy hour arrives at Burlap from 4 to 6pm. Growing pains at the three-month-old Gabardine where chef Chad White is out and Malarkey is in with a pared down menu (unfortunately not yet posted online) and appetizers that include mac n’ cheese, shishito peppers and fries (they were sides before). Is Malarkey trying too hard here with a new brunch hook at Gabardine? Disco? Kind of odd for this old Point Loma neighborhood.

Herringbone just opened in La Jolla, making it the fifth in the fabric named restaurants. If you love noisy, be-there-be-seen places, you’ll be right at home here as you watch nimble wait staff juggle food and drinks around a packed bar and 100-year-old olive trees planted inside the huge ex-warehouse space. Expect a pricey dinner meal with most mains in the high $20’s and starters in the high teens.

And a final thought on Malarkey: Is the expansion too fast and furious given his turnover of chefs (Burlap and Gabardine)? Gabardine certainly needed more thought when it opened (and still may) as the elements of decor, dark corners at the bar, noise and a mish mash of a menu were not cohesive for the four times I visited. (The place is a mile from my home.) Time will tell if he can get the locals hooked.

Chefs Confab (a group of 14 very good San Diego chefs) hosts a week of sustainable seafood events that include dinners, talks, and more. Check the website for information on the series that runs from May 31 to June 6 ending with a $125 dinner at 1500 Ocean created by many of the Confab chefs.

Executive chef Matt Smith, will move from Winesellar & Brasserie to The 3rd Corner’s soon-to-open third location in Palm Desert. Smith is from Indio and this move will let him be closer to home as well as run Ed Moore’s newest restaurant that opens late June. Desert goers will find the restaurant at the junction of Highways 111 and 74 in the old Palomino site.

Blanca lost chef Jason Neroni who quickly realized that San Diego diners weren’t ready to expand their eating habits to include pork in a various ways or foods cooked sous vide, so he packed up and went back to his New York roots. In his place, Gavin Schmidt who just arrived from San Francisco with a resume that includes work as executive chef at the highly rated Campton Place and chef de cuisine at the two-star Michelin rated Coi. We wish him well.

Executive chef Bernard Guillas of The Marine Room , just returned from New York where he launched his cookbook: Flying Pans: Two Chefs, One World.

Buzz fav, Avenue 5 Restaurant & Bar on Fifth between Nutmeg and Oliver, decided to take on the burger craze in a more interesting way. Every Wednesday is Bodacious Burger night from 5pm to close. What kind of burgers? Interesting round-the-world flavored burgers that arrive with six ounces of protein, a small salad, truffle fries and a dill pickle spear and range from $10.95 to $14.95 and include the Aussie lamb burger, the Scottish salmon burger, the Frenchie burger, portobello burger and others. Closed Monday.

Tuesdays at Jayne’s Gastropub in North Park features a Jayne burger and any draft beer for $15.

Roseville in Point Loma has a new menu created by chef Chad White with prices $20 and under along with bar food choices and nightly specials. They do need to get their website updated however, as former executive chef Amy DiBiase now heads the Glass Door (with a great view of the bay and Little Italy) at the Hotel Porto Vista.

Tommy Pastrami, with some of the best pastrami and corned beef on corned rye bread is finally opening this summer. Buzz mentioned them a year ago but they clearly had some problems getting the space finished downtown at 555 West C at Fifth between Broadway and C.

The newest place for Mexican food on Fifth Avenue at Nutmeg is an Isabel Cruz creation, Barrio Star, previously mentioned here. The tag line on the menu: “Mexican Soul Food” and Buzz would agree. Let’s be clear here, tacos are a dime a dozen all over the city. And some would whine that they shouldn’t be more than a few bucks apiece.

If, however, you want house made tortillas from corn freshly ground daily to become masa for tortillas and tamales, or chunks of oven cooked pork for greaseless yet flavorful carnitas, or tamales with moist masa and lots of chicken, or fresh made salsas or interesting black beans and rice and even greens, then this is your place.

The brightly decorated room with a bar is modern with light from the windows that face Fifth Avenue. The attention to and use of high quality ingredients such as Brandt beef and local suppliers make all the difference from the run of the mill taco joint. Two street size tacos piled with carnitas and a side of beans $9.50 at lunch $13 at dinner with three tacos, or the chicken tamale loaded with succulent chicken $10. Open for lunch weekdays from 11:30 to 2:30 and dinner daily from 5 to 10pm. Reservations accepted. 2706 5th Avenue San Diego, 619-501-7827

Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant opened this week. It’s Carl Schroeder’s (Market) uptown place with a tavern menu of comfort foods including what seems to be the hottest new dish for restaurants—the deviled egg. Haven’t seen the actual menu (only the cleverly designed one on the website) but am excited to try it soon. Fourth and Ivy in the old Modus space. Open from 4:30pm, 619-231-0222.

PrepKitchen goes to Del Mar in the old Giorgio’s Osteria del Pescatore (their lease was up) on the corner of Camino del Mar and 12^th. How lucky for the people living in the area. Buzz loves much of the PrepKitchen menu from La Jolla, including a wicked brownie with a bit of caramel and sea salt topping…And the food at their mainstay WhisknLadle represents good use of local ingredients— simple preparations of top-notch ingredients. There’s a happy hour at the bar where a pal and I noshed our way through the daily tapas. Expect the same quality in Del Mar.

And the chef that Blanca brought from New York, decided to return to that city after just nine months attempting to open the eyes of the eating public with interesting food. Chef Jason Neroni couldn’t get the diners to appreciate chicken that doesn’t have grill marks. San Diego struggles on to be recognized as a food city.

As noted here, chef Amy DiBiase recently left Roseville and we’ve learned just landed at the Glass Door in Little Italy. Expect to see a new menu (and hopefully a revamped dining room) very soon. At Roseville, Chad White, who was DiBiase’s sous chef, continues in the kitchen and Buzz guesses there will be some new menu items here as well.

There’s some noise in Point Loma that a building at Garrison and Rosecrans (and backs up to the Dolphin Motel on Scott St.) is being remade to become a steak house…yep, that’s what we’re hearing…so stay tuned for more info.

The latest eatery to join Bankers Hill’s “gourmet gulch” opens Monday, April 5. Barrio Star makes it six for the Isabel Cruz collection of eateries–three in San Diego and two in Oregon–she’s well-known in Pacific Beach for Isabel’s Cantina. It will be a nice addition to the myriad of places available to diners in the area. In just one block on Fifth Avenue between Nutmeg and Oliver, there’s Mexican (Barrio Star), American (Avenue 5 Restaurant & Bar) or sushi (Hane). Dessert is up a block or so at Extraordinary Desserts. A few blocks south on Fifth at Laurel is Italian (Cucina Urbana) and French (Hexagone and Bertrand at Mr. A’s) and there’s more sushi (Azuki) and pizza (Pizzicato) to round out those few blocks on Fifth.

Two more soon-to-open places in Bankers Hill: Gourmet on Fifth in the former space of a coffee and sandwich place (north across the street from Cucina Urbana) and Carl Schroeder’s much anticipated Bankers Hill Bar & Restaurant at Ivy and Fourth Avenue.

**We’re hearing that Five Guys Burgers & Fries will be opening a second San Diego location in Liberty Station near Vons. North Island Naval Station already enjoys these burgers—the franchise began in Virginia. No opening date set for the new site.

**Smashburger, chose La Jolla as its first entry into the soon-to-be saturated San Diego market. Expect the store to open in the next few weeks. Note to Smashburger…Do we really need three daily teaser tweets before you’ve sold your first burger in this market?

**In the space next to the empty Jack’s La Jolla on Girard, Cups serves organic cupcakes in two sizes: petite (three-bites) and large (six plus bites). Buy five get the sixth free—$2 each for small, $4 for large. For a treat anytime, the flourless chocolate decadence is moist and worth every crumb. Flavors change daily (the website has the weekly schedule) and they’re open late

**In Hillcrest, The Big Easy takes over in the The Better Half space while just around the corner on Fourth next to Tapas Picasso, Kips Café has reopened after relocating from El Cajon. Haven’t tried either yet, as both opened in the past few weeks. Down the road on Adams Avenue, Café 21 now offers dinner in addition to breakfast and lunch.

**Bankers Hill will soon welcome Isabel Cruz and Barrio Star in the space that housed the short lived Mukashi at Nutmeg and Fifth. And down the hill on Fourth and Ivy, Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant opens in March, the second venue for Market Restaurant + Bar’s Carl Schroeder (Buzz noted in October).

**Love lasagna, live in Scripps Ranch and hate to cook? You’re in luck as Lady Lasagna opens in Scripps Ranch with another location soon in the North County Mall. Various lasagnas include Genova (pesto) and Alba (with truffles). Check out the pictures on their website. Haven’t tried it yet.

Finally had a chance to try the wildly popular Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill. Sat at the bar 5:15 on a Wednesday eve, which is burger and beer night. Next to me, a couple split a burger and possibly the beer; on the other side a frequent customer raved about the fried squash blossoms and chicken liver paté. I should have ordered the blossoms that came perfectly fried, not a drop of oil to be seen while my fritto misto with vegetables, shrimp, calamari and soft shelled crab bites ($14) was an unfortunate grease plate with a flavorful and not-too-capered mayo dip. One would guess it’s a tale of two fryers: one with the proper oil temperature for deep frying squash blossoms and one that didn’t heat up for the the misto. A margharita pizza serves two with six pieces ($13), a call vodka ($8.50) and the tab was $35 plus before tip. The busy room is packed with “stuff” including a hanging cage (over the bar towards the kitchen) with a couple of faux chickens perched and lots of mixed and not matched chairs. Good bar service, loud room, nice alternative to the Prado if you’re going to the theater.

With all the opening buzz for Small Bar (an offspring of Hamiltons Tavern) in University Heights, Buzz decided to meet a pal there at 6pm for a Friday night after work beer. We didn’t make it in the door. The name says it all: Small, very small, very very loud jukebox music, very popular and as a smoker said while puffing away on the side entry way, “The food is great.” That is if you can find a place to sit and hear yourself talk. Hamiltons, however, is larger, equally as loud depending on who is playing with the speakers, and specializes in craft beers. Check out their event schedule

So, we moved on to Kings Fish House in Mission Valley, sat at the bar, ate a plate of very fresh oysters from New Zealand, Baja and the East coast, beer, and three very tasty small, Tijuana street style fish tacos. And we could hear ourselves talk!

We hear the former Modus space on Fourth Avenue in Bankers Hill will soon transform to a restaurant under the direction of Carl Schroeder (owner/chef of the popular Market in Del Mar). Name and concept to be announced .

Over in the Roseville/Point Loma neighborhood, the very busy corner of Talbot and Rosecrans will have a new building to house a restaurant and a place for take-away food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are planned for the bistro type menu with an emphasis on value and local ingredients. Cindi Hoang, owner of The Point ( great smoothies and coffee) on Canon at Scott, will oversee the venture that is months from completion.

If you’re in the market for a restaurant space, Modus in Bankers Hill quietly closed its doors. The space is for lease along with La Vache in HIllcrest. For information: 858-792-5521.

Also with a “not in service” phone: Lucky Buck’s in Hillcrest. CORRECTION: Drove by there today, and the new owners as of June 1 have had a devil of a time getting that phone number changed. They are open and the number is 619-487-9379.

French 101 opens in the old Hard Rock space in La Jolla.

Winesellar & Brasserie’s new chef Matt Smith is slowly updating the menu and we’re hearing regulars are happy for the change.

Want to be the next star on the Food Network? If so, there is an Open Casting Call in San Diego on Monday, August 17th, 2009 at the W Hotel. They are looking for people who are full of life, passionate about cooking, and knowledgeable about food to meet in person at the open casting call. You can be a chef, home cook, caterer or culinary enthusiast to answer the call from 12pm-5pm at the W San Diego, 421 W. B Street, San Diego, CA 92101. Questions: nfns6sd@yahoo.com

You’re missing out on some great food events if you’ve not heard of Cooks Confab a group of fourteen local chefs. All are passionate about cooking and believe in the farm to table concept as well (they give a portion of event proceeds to Slow Food Urban San Diego. Recently Stingaree’s executive chef Antonio Friscia hosted local craft beers paired with morsels by the chefs. It was a fabulous tasting walkabout. Their next event is Pig, on October 4 with executive chef Paul McCabe at Kitchen 1540. Reservations at 858-793-6460 and the cost is $90.

San Diego Restaurant Week starts September 13 and runs until the 18^th. It’s a good time to try new places (you’ll have 180 to choose from) and, depending on the restaurant, tasting menus priced at $20, $30 or $40 (plus tax and tip).

It may be the recession or just fate, but two barely year-old places closed: Mille Feuille Chocolates in Hillcrest and Mukashi in Bankers Hill. Covered in brown paper, the windows at Mille Feuille show only signs that say, “closed, owners relocating”. The stylish euro-designed room featured fine French pastries but suffered dearly, I think, in a lousy location at Fifth and University where parking is never easy. Mukashi had the best intentions with a good opening executive chef, only to fall, likely, for many reasons, including so-so service and the competition from Hane Sushi & Bar in the same block.

Up at El Bizcocho changes at the top with chef de cuisine Steven Rojas who left a few weeks ago for Los Angeles. His molecular-based gastronomic approach to food might not have been the best fit for San Diego, even with a glowing review from Naomi Wise and a terrific explanation by Peter Rowe. Wise was prophetic in her review when she said that she feared the chef wouldn’t stay, all the good ones leave San Diego. How true her words…we had expected to dine there this week.

It's Got Bite

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

Village Vino, Avenue 5, City Deli and More Malarkey

Bits and Bites: Chef Updates and Events

Barrio Star

Bits and Bites: Bankers Hill,Del Mar and Solana Beach

Buzz from the Bar: Point Loma and Bankers Hill

Bits and Bites:: Burgers, Lasagna, Cupcakes and More

Bits and Bites: Cucina Urbana, Small Bar and Kings Fish House

Buzz From the Bar: Bankers Hill and Point Loma

Bits and Bites: A Mélange with Correction

Bits and Bites: Sadly Gone

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