Fusion

At the Hotel Del Coronado’s signature restaurant, , the search for a new chef de cuisine is finally over with the arrival of Robert Hohmann who worked with Thomas Keller, Mario Batali and most recently in Napa at Michael Chiarello’s famed Bottega. Expect Hohmann’s new menu to debut October 1, using Southland Coastal ingredients to create contemporary Mediterranean dishes that highlight the flavors of Italy, France and Morocco.

Those of you who miss chef Chad White (ex of Gabardine and Sea Rocket Bistro), his toque landed in Golden HIll at Counterpoint. The menu for this wine bar says “food for people” and “wine for people” (who else besides people?), and features an eclectic collection of items from fried bologna and cheese on white bread and plum barbecued tofu to a cheeseburger and rabbit confit. We’ll see what changes chef White creates in the next few weeks and months.

In Mission Hills, Brooklyn Girl Eatery‘s opening chef, Tyler Thrasher moves on and sous chef Colin Murray takes over the kitchen duties.

For the those of you looking for a different type of meal, check out where the various food trucks of San Diego are serving up everything from cupcakes (Corner Cupcakes) and Asian fusion (Tabe BBQ) to espresso (Joes on the Nose) and ice cream (Sweet Treats).

The Hillcrest corner of Fifth and Washington that housed Sushi Itto will soon become Brazen BBQ on a ten-year lease for the 3300 square foot space. Two young guys, John Bracamonte and Brad Thomas, who are winners of some major barbecue competitions, including those sanctioned by the prestigious Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS), are the minds behind Brazen BBQ. Sounds like they may give Phil’s a good run for the money…San Diego could use some really swell and authentic barbecue.

And in case you missed it, also in Hillcrest, Kemo Sabe closed to relocate at some point to a coastal site in North County. The Cohn Restaurant Group will launch their food truck Chop Soo-ey in January at the Little Italy farmers market. In the meantime, they have their launch party in November and are doing private gigs. Their competition as recently seen on local NBC tv, is Miho Gastrotruck with creative food including pork belly sammy and lots of other goodies.

While we’re talking Cohn restaurants, they recently installed a hot new chef, Daniel Barron, at Blue Point Coastal Cuisine. This restaurant gets a huge share of convention business, and the place was full on a early weeknight. Barron has cooked around the country. However, there was disappointment in what was touted as one of his signature dishes, a 60 hour boneless short rib ($35). As explained by the server, this chunk of meat is cooked sous-vide and comes out melting in your mouth. Not. This was one tough hunk that needed lots more time, though it apparently was meant to be what was served. The horseradish hash browns were yummy, crisp and with a bite. Perhaps one needs to stick to the seafood.

There’s still time to join the fun at the San Diego Wine & Food Festival that runs from November 17 to 21. Famous chefs, lots of wine and a good crowd to boot.

If beer is your drink of choice, the annual San Diego Beer Week has many many options for you…Check out the schedule here.

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.

Zensei in North Park is a favorite among the locals. Here you can sit at the sushi bar and listen to the chefs speak Spanish as they create nouveau fusion rolls (many with cream cheese–too over-the-top fusion for me). This restaurant, in 2005, was a finalist (along with winner Café Japengo) in the First Annual California State Sushi Competition where fusion reigns in the presentation and ingredients.

At this comfortable corner restaurant two of us found a menu with everything from oysters on the half shell and tempura jalapenos filled with crab and cream cheese to standard nigiri and quirky rolls such as pizza (baked smoked salmon, avocado and dynamite sauce) and yellow submarine (eel, crab, cream cheese, avocado, golden tempura and eel sauce, with a slice of jalapeno if you desire). Imitation crab is used, though the real thing can be substituted. Not your purist place.

We enjoyed crunchy roll with shrimp tempura, crab, cucumber, cream cheese (avocado substitutes for the cream cheese). Also pleasant was the crunchy salmon roll with cucumber, gobo and bonito flakes. These rolls run $ 9 to $11. If fish isn’t your thing, the kitchen produces a multitude of noodle, chicken and meat dishes with unusual twists. Service is attentive and the room is hopping most of the night. Monday through Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. is happy hour. 3396 30th St. at Upas, North Park, 619-546-6171. www.zenseisushi.com

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