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).
About La Playa. What a shocker…by opening that new cafe, they’d created a situation where you had three independent coffee/smoothie/sandwich places basically on one corner. I know each of the places has their own focus, but in an economy like this it’s a surprise that any of those shops are surviving, let alone trying to support 2 or 3 on the same block. (And not one of those happening kind of blocks like you get over in North Park) Whoever came up with that idea has less business sense than me AND I’m dripping with ill conceived student loans.
Sorry to see La Playa close. It could have been the perfect neighborhood restaurant: nice interior, good bar, cool location (for locals). Too bad the food was uneven, menu options a little strange and the service was terrible at times. I had some really good meals and others that didn’t live up to the price tag. Management was too busy socializing at the bar when they should have been focused on the details. Hopefully an established operator (not the Cohn’s) can turn it into what it could be.