Point Loma

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.

Little Italy: Wandering along India Street in Little Italy one quickly realizes the overwhelming number of restaurant choices. If you want to go beyond the familiar spaghetti and meatball fare, La Villa is your place. The restaurant belongs to a group that began in 2000 with Trattoria Itrulli in Encinitas and now includes other venues in Little Italy: Buon Appetito, Tazza D’Oro, Sogno di Vino and The Market by Buon Appetito. It’s a Buzz favorite for many reasons.

First, they finally got their website up and running and now you can see the menu of innovative dishes from chef Chris O’Donnell. He uses locally sourced seasonal ingredients to create–without fussiness–interesting and approachable food with a rustic Italian touch. O’Donnell enjoys changing the aspects of some of his dishes almost weekly which can be a frustrating for diners who come back for a favorite only to find it revamped within weeks. At times, even the kitchen can’t keep up with a tweaked dish. One recent night the wild mushroom pizza changed that day to include fresh morels and other ingredients, but the kitchen delivered the original version first, then rectified the error.

There’s patio seating, (with heaters and even a cozy corner sofa), a chef’s table in the bustling kitchen (seats 12 or so, but just two can dine there too) and an interesting wine list that includes a small (and growing) selection of half bottles. Yes, you read that correctly. Reasonably priced, real half bottles, not carafes masquerading as Among the choices you’ll find a 2008 Schramsberg sparkling wine ($27) and a delicious 2009 Storybook Estate Zinfandel ($26).

Cocktails go well with my favorite (thankfully unchanged) avocado bruschetta–toasted baguette slice with a smear of avocado, topped with sliver of hard-boiled egg and dotted with capers ($10). A recent meal included that Storybook along with a fresh morel, baby chard leaves, ramps and a sprinkle of fresh English peas pizza ($18), a perfectly cooked (that means not chewy) grilled octopus tentacle salad ($14) and squash agnolotti with fresh favas and squash blossoms delicately plated and lightly accented with tomato sauce and pesto ($17). Fish, meats and chicken preparations vary as noted above–sometimes more often than one might wish–all good however.

The front of the house offers effortless and helpful service. A recent wine dinner seated the 65 plus diners at tables of 8 to 10 people. A smart idea that allowed a table to be completely served at once, thus the kitchen was able to work smoothly with the wine service and no one was left wondering when their food would arrive. Food paired well with the wines and more dinners are in the offing. Full disclosure: Though I know the GM and chef, I pay for my meals. La Villa, 1646 India Street, Little Italy, 619-255-5221, open daily from 11:30am.

Point Loma: Word on the street about the construction in the long vacant building on the corner of Nimitz and Rosecrans that Vons once occupied: It will soon be Ralphs. Expect the new store to open about May 10.

The perfect espresso shot can be an elusive drink in San Diego. It seems that many places (and Buzz has tried many), don’t train their baristas properly. If it’s not the barista, it’s the espresso machine, the grind of the coffee and of all things, the weather that can affect getting that one ounce shot topped with crema (that creaminess you see on the top of the liquid). A shot isn’t a four-ounce bitter cup of coffee that many places serve. More isn’t better when it comes to a shot of espresso.

Barely a year old, Toma Sol sits at the corner of Washington and Albatross Streets. Owner Seekey Cacciatore has trained staff that know how to pull a shot. A perfect shot. The comfortable independently owned neighborhood café also carries a varied selection of foods that include breakfast wraps, lunch sandwiches, beers and wines and even gluten free brownies and cookies so good you’d never guess there’s no gluten. Cacciatore books interesting events from art openings to fundraisers and the café is the drop off place for Garden of Eden’s CSA box of fresh produce The organic and sustainable coffee comes from Cafe Motto. 301 W. Washington St., Mission Hills, 619-291-1159, Monday to Friday 6:30am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 7:30am to 8pm.

Caffé Calabria in North Park roasts coffee for many places around town and is a Buzz favorite for the quintessential espresso. They now serve Neapolitan style pizza Wednesday through Sunday from 5pm to 11pm. Among the others with Calabria’s beans: If you’re in Liberty Station, Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe makes the best cinnamon roll in the city along with great breads and sandwiches–that partner perfectly with the good coffee. Con Pane’s staff is trained by Caffé Calabria to understand the intricacies that make a shot. Gelato Vero Caffe at the corner of Washington and India Streets also uses Calabria’s coffee to make good shots. Their espresso bean gelato in a shot of espresso makes a fabulous afternoon pick-me-up.

A morning espresso at Little Italy’s Caffe Italia is almost like being in Italy. Some of the locals hang at the end of the bar dishing in Italian while sipping a perfect espresso and commenting on everyone who picks up their just-made drink nearby. The espresso bar uses LavAzza coffee–a company that began in 1895 in Turin, Italy and continues there today. They also carry Gelato Vero’s various gelato flavors, including Buzz’s all time fav espresso bean. 1704 India St., Little Italy, 619-234-6767.

A few places Buzz wishes for a better pull: Ask for a shot at Red’s in Point Loma and unless you specify short, you can end up with half a cup of coffee–that is not a shot. Buzz likes the vibe of Red’s, the roasted- in-house coffee at Red’s, even some of their morning pastries, but goodness gracious, please Cyndy Grace Savoy (owner), train your staff. It’s a waste of really good coffee not to have each and every person know how to make a proper shot. Is it because there’s an ever-changing morning staff who apparently are not trained on the espresso machine or have never heard the words short shot or proper shot or simply espresso? They also have beer and wine and good food long into the night. 1017 Rosecrans, Point Loma, 619-523-5540.

Across the street at Living Room Cafe ask for an espresso and you end up with nearly 5 ounces. They will remake it to whatever you want, but that shouldn’t be the case for a proper espresso. Come on Living Room, an espresso isn’t a vente!

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 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 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.

Point Loma Seafoods new building (on the same site as the original), opened Monday, March 19…and it’s a swell place. The menu is bright, large, easy to read and in color (note the fish in the blue background) while the cases (arranged in a large horseshoe) show the large selection of fresh fish, seafood, sushi and more. There is a corner for wines by the bottle, a large selection of tap beer, as well as self serve case for their tuna salad and other small take away food.

The place hasn’t gone totally new–you still don’t take a number to place your order so there’s that hustle and shuffle of people asking “Are you in line?” but that’s part of the charm of the place. For a treat, take your food upstairs to the patio area and soak in the sun and gorgeous view of the boats and the city. Those who pay with plastic can now do so, a big plus for many customers. 28o5 Emerson St., Point Loma, Open daily 9am (Sundays 10 am) to 6:30pm (later closing hours coming soon), 619-223-1109.

Tracy Borkum (Cucina Urbana and Kensington Grill) recently opened Cucina Enoteca in Irvine Spectrum, and gets a nice nod for its interior and furniture from the Los AngelesTimes.

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.

UPDATE: To clarifiy the status of Sea Rocket Bistro, according to an early morning email from Chad: He will train and mentor his replacement. He still is a part owner of the restaurant that expects to continue doing well in 2012.

The food at Brian Malarkey’s soon-to-open Gabardine in Point Loma will feature a “Portugese-esque seafood bar” according to the press release that arrived today. Overseeing this “heavy focus on shellfish paired with an extensive selection of local craft brews” menu you’ll find chef Chad White who made news at Sea Rocket Bistro in North Park. Prior to that gig, White was two blocks from Gabardine as Roseville’s last chef before it closed more than a year ago. For a bit more on Gabardine (expect a February opening), see item 3 here. One wonders what prices customers can expect with a shellfish and seafood centric menu (hint, likely not low budget).

As the New Year approaches, it’s time to remember a few of the stories that got Buzz’s attention in 2011:

1. The unexpected death of Naomi Wise, San Diego’s only truly anonymous food critic. She wrote for the San Diego Reader and was scrupulous to keep her identity hidden. I was an occasional member of her eating posse as she sometimes referred to her dining companions. Back in 2007 a post appeared here and Naomi wrote a perfect comment about what she did to be the critical and (sometimes unpopular) restaurant reviewer in the county. While San Diego does have writers and bloggers extolling the latest dish about a place, none are completely anonymous–ask any of the PR agencies that host media dinners. These days, everyone thinks they know food, just look at Twitter, Facebook, Yelp and other social media. Naomi’s honest, food knowledgeable voice will be missed.

2. National TV beckoned Nine-Ten‘s chef Jason Knibb who took on Bobby Flay in an Iron Chef America challenge. Knibb lost but had a good time with the “all business” Flay who barely bothered to speak to Knibb after the show. Riviera Magazine lost food writer and editor Troy Johnson to San Diego Magazine. Along the way he had time to create and star in Crave, a new show for the Food Network. Bernard Guillas, executive chef extraordinaire at The Marine Room appeared twice on the Today Showand also was inducted into the Maitre Cuisiniers de France, a very high honor.

3. Brian Malarkey who brought us Searsucker continues on a material tear, opening places all over the county, all named for fabrics that include Burlap and for 2012, Herringbone, Gingham, and Gabardine. Interesting concept and Buzz wonders if he didn’t get the idea from Washington DC chef/owner who, a few years ago, named his first restaurant Corduroy. His second, Herringbone opens in 2012. Malarkey picked up the shuttered La Playa Bistro and plans for it to become Gabardine. It will be worth watching how Malarkey unbuttons this small space located on a corner at the end of Point Loma’s business area. For anyone other than area residents the restaurant’s location is nearly a dead-end destination. And what about the food? Will Malarkey’s name be enough to fill the spot? Someone remarked the restaurant could have had a more nautical name such as Canvas, to reflect the neighborhood’s well-known tenant-–the San Diego Yacht Club is just two blocks away.

4. Chefs making news: Amy DiBiase now oversees The Shores in La Jolla, working with executive chef Bernard Guillas; Paul McCabe left his executive chef duties at Del Mar’s Kitchen 1540 for a partnership with the owners of Rancho Santa Fe’s Delicias; Jason Maitland left Flavor del Mar and will open Red Light District in the old Sushi Itto in the Gaslamp while CIA schooled and highly credentialed Brian Redzikowski took Maitland’s spot. Chad White jetted to Sea Rocket Bistro in North Park. At the Hotel Del Coronado’s 1500 Ocean Brian Sinnott chose family over running the kitchen, Aaron Martinez is now in charge and wine director Joe Weaver just moved north. Jason Shaeffer opened 1500 Ocean in 2006, then moved to Windsor, Colorado, bought a restaurant, named it Chimney Park Restaurant and Bar and was just named one of OpenTable Diner’s Choice Overall Winners for 2011 (as was Addison at the Grand Del Mar). Carl Schroeder made it to the semi-finals for a James Beard Foundation Award in the Best Chef Pacific region (as was William Bradley of Addison in 2010), neither made the finals…

5. San Diegans like to drink. According to a survey in , San Diego ranks 9th in drunkest cities…This may not be an honor the city needs.

Happy New Year…May 2012 bring San Diego’s chefs, restaurants and diners great food (and service, too). And perhaps this year will bring a James Beard Foundation award to a deserving chef and restaurant. It’s last minute, but you can put in your own nominees for the awards here–just do it before December 31, 2011 at midnight.

In Liberty Station close to the Barnett Avenue entrance look for SOL Markets(Seasonal, Organic, Local) to open late January. According to one of the principals in the venture, Vincent Brown, “We will only carry products from local farmers/ranchers and other craft purveyors. The farmers market rotates its suppliers and appears part time. We will be open 7 days a week and are moving to open an exhibition kitchen and tasting room for beers and wine. We have a dedicated space there for community and education, we carry credit cards and fully vet our suppliers. We are not here to compete with the farmers markets, but to help grow the number of people who are interested in buying locally and eating seasonally.”

In Hillcrest, Lotus Cafe and Juice Bar adds a second location (they’re in Encinitas) and moves into the spot recently occupied by Pizza Nova. Construction is underway, so expect to see it open soon.

And beer buffs can get in on the festivities to celebrate and enjoy San Diego Beer Week that runs until November 13.

A quick note about Buzz’s absence on these pages: For the past year she’s been testing recipes for a friend’s cookbook due out next October, coupled with traveling far and wide. Expect to read about some of the meals she had in New York, Puerto Rico, Paris and soon Cuba. In the meantime, here are a few bites from Buzz about San Diego’s restaurant scene. Expect another post sometime after November 17!

If you’ve yearned to try a new restaurant, or one that’s been around and now has a new chef, check out San Diego Restaurant Week, September 18 to 23. This season, many restaurants offer $10, $15 or $20 lunches along with dinners for $20, $30 or $40. Places where a new chef is in place: 1500 Ocean (Aaron Martinez) and The Shores (Amy DiBiase). Some lunch spots include Bali Hai , Bertrand at Mr. A’s and Flavor Del Mar.

Point Loma loses La Playa Bistro and the cafe it recently opened next door. They closed their doors September 8, due to the economy (as noted on a letter posted on their doors).

It's Got Bite

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

Point Loma Update: Pommarola Pizza and More

La Villa in Little Italy and Ralphs in Point Loma

Espresso: Toma Sol, Caffe Calabria, Caffe Italia and More

Village Vino, Avenue 5, City Deli and More Malarkey

Point Loma Seafoods and Cucina Enoteca

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

UPDATE: Marlarkey Names a Chef for Gabardine

San Diego’s Notable Food Stories in 2011

Beer, Lotus Cafe and SOLMarkets

Restaurant Week and La Playa Bistro

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