Oysters

In addition to their high levels of zinc, a key mineral in testosterone production, these slippery bivalves boast the natural flavors of saline and butter with a snip of fruitiness on the finish—bewitching the palate and, in some cases, the eyes. “Anytime I can watch my date slurp something, I’m in,” says Chef Anthony Sinsay of Harney Sushi, who just introduced oyster- champagne shooters (made with sustainable oysters from Carlsbad Aqua Farms) in cucumber-basil consommé. Sold in trios, these love shots get their tickling effervescence from champagne and extra sweetness from local apple mignonette.

$7 during happy hour; $11 thereafter
3964 Harney St., Old Town
619.295.3272
301 Mission Ave., Oceanside
760.967.1820
harneysushi.com

Avocados

It wasn’t some sex-crazed hedonist who dubbed them “testicle trees”—it was the (sex-crazed) Aztecs who originally noted the way avocados hang from their branches in pairs. The creamy green fruit has since been framed as more than just a visual suggestion of sex, given its superior measures of oleic acid for heart health and stamina, Vitamin A for maintaining good vision (and accurately sizing up new romantic prospects), and Vitamin B6 for regulating hormone balance. At Candelas in Coronado and Downtown, the spell is cast through the Estructura de Aguacate starter: whole Haas avocados, halved and stuffed with lime-marinated scallops, shrimp and crabmeat and given a sensual top-off of cilantro cream and mango vinaigrette. It’s an appetizer that challenges couples to stay in their seats for the remaining courses.

$12
416 Third Ave., Gaslamp
619.702.4455
1201 First St., Coronado
619.435.4900
candelas-sd.com

Coriander

If your affection for another goes unrequited, take a cue from the ancient Chinese by making a love potion from coriander (a.k.a cilantro seed). Even easier, nudge the person into ordering channa masala at Ashoka the Great, which uses cilantro seeds as a main ingredient in the aromatic sauce covering garbanzo beans. The vegetarian dish also features fresh ginger, another organic touted for its aphrodisiacal oomph. “But the coriander has to be there for making a fragrant masala,” says manager Jagrup Singh, who imports the spice from India. The seeds are pulverized with cardamom, cinnamon and black peppercorns and start releasing their charm (and antioxidants) faster than you can play footsie under the table.

$9.95
9474 Black Mountain Rd., Ste. G, Mira Mesa
858.695.9749
ashokasd.com

Figs

Common to the fabled Dionysian orgies of ancient Greece, voluptuous figs hit the taste buds with a fleshy texture and honeyed nectar that can turn unsuspecting humans into amorous spring bees. Fibrous and full of potassium, they’re known to alleviate fatigue, which plays favorably for post-dinner romance. Look no further than The Fig Tree Café in Hillcrest for mouthfuls of the sexy fruit set within a mantle of buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto and zippy arugula. For obvious shows of affection, Chef Alberto Morreale assists by shaping the pizza crust into a darling heart.

$14.95
416 University Ave., Hillcrest
619.298.2010
figtreecafehillcrest.com

Chocolate

The mother of all aphrodisiacs shows up in a new collection of Valentine’s Day indulgences by wholesaler San Diego chocolatier David Bacco, who insists his heart-shaped sweets “work just as well for males.” Indeed, studies have proven that macho brains enjoy the same stimulating punch from chocolate as women, thanks to the superfood’s hefty levels of phenethylamine (a.k.a. “the love drug”). Bacco’s latest creations include Incantato, made with milk chocolate, passion fruit and caramel; plus Captive, which combines the chocolate with mango ganache and balsamic reduction. Fall under Bacco’s sweet spell on Valentine’s Day, when he works his chocolate magic into each phase of a four-course, $65-per-person prix-fixe menu at North Park’s Sea Rocket Bistro (6 and 8:30 p.m. seatings on Feb. 14). His products are available at Jonathan’s in La Jolla, Seaside Market in Cardiff, Albertson’s in Del Mar and Harvest Ranch stores.

9888 Waples St., Sorrento Valley
888.560.5535
bacco-chocolatier.com

barleymash & ginger’s

600 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp
barleymash.com
gingerssandiego.com

Whiskey Girl sauntered a block north last month, making way for Verant Group (Brewley’s Pint, Offshore Tavern, Sandbar Sports Grill, Tavern at the Beach, True North Tavern, West Coast Tavern) to install not one, but two new concepts at the intersection of Fifth and Market, Downtown. barleymash, a resto by day and entertainment venue (live music, DJs) by night, is devoted to all things barley: beer, bread and bourbon. Downstairs, a metro-sensual martini bar called ginger’s promises to be a sophisticated escape from the frenetic Fifth Avenue bustle. The two- in-one venue is set to open in March.

Gabardine

1005 Rosecrans St., Point Loma

Chef-turned-restaurant mogul Brian Malarkey (Searsucker, Burlap, Gingham) is re-stitching the fabric of the San Diego dining scene, one ’hood at a time. Fresh off his conquest of La Mesa via his beefy, beery new restaurant, Gingham, he’s set his sights on Point Loma for his next eatery, Gabardine. Former Sea Rocket Bistro chef Chad White will command a shipshape crew in rolling out a fleet of seafood delicacies.

Gang Kitchen

346 Sixth Ave., Gaslamp
gangkitchen.com

The coal-fired pizza at BASIC in East Village and URBN in North Park earned restaurateur Jon Mangini a piece of the local restaurant pie. Now he’s using his noodle to bring a totally new concept to life. Enter East Village’s Far East-inspired Gang Kitchen (opening this summer), a steely, touched-up warehouse design akin to his initial venues. Artsy graffiti-esque décor will set the tone for a panoply of traditional flavors from various Asian cultures—including pho (soup), rangoons (dumplings) and Shanghai beef—plus a variety of sakes and themed specialty cocktails.

Lucky’s Lunch Counter

338 Seventh Ave., East Village
luckyslunchcounter.com
culywarehouse.com
blockno16.com

The expansive Culy Warehouse by Petco Park is getting an extreme makeover. A project by Ty Hauter, and produced by his company, Good Time Design (co-owner and managing partner of 1st Street Bar, Bootlegger, Bub’s at the Ballpark, Double Deuce, Knotty Barrel, RT’s Longboard Grill and The Tipsy Crow), the new hospitality mega-plex will feature three venues under one roof.
Lucky’s Lunch Counter will serve over-stuffed deli and giant pork tenderloin sandwiches, extreme salads, gourmet hotdogs and hearty soups. A larger chunk of the overall square-footage will become the new Culy Warehouse event space. And the big daddy of the trio is Block No. 16 Union & Spirits, a multi-level entertainment venue (with a 35-by-25’ LED wall larger than the Jumbotron at Petco) intended to rival Southern California’s premier nightclubs and concert halls. The entire project, set to open in May, will hold up to 2,100 people at a time.

Puesto Mexican Street Food

1026 Wall St., La Jolla
eatpuesto.com

Tijuana meets La Jolla at Puesto Mexican Street Food, the Village’s new fast-casual, slow-food eatery, offering a heightened and authentic south-of-the-border experience.
Beginning February 10, all-natural ingredients will be the foundation for tacos and other traditional indulgences, boosted by house-made salsas and modern design.

Raglan Public House

1851 Bacon St., Ocean Beach
raglanpublichouse.com

PJ Lamont and Matt Baker, co-owners of Bare Back Grill in Pacific Beach and Downtown, are taking a variation of their successful, 100 percent organic beef burger-centric concept to Ocean Beach. Named after the New Zealand beach town of Raglan, Raglan Public House is slated to open early February, giving Obecians a casual gathering place for “bloody good” food and craft beers as they’re served in the Kiwi motherland.

SMASHING SUCCESS: Brian Malarkey (right) and James Brennan prepare to break ground at their new Point Loma restaurant, Gabardine, opening in mid-January

By Frank Sabatini Jr.
Photo by Brevin Blach

About the only fabric missing from Chef Brian Malarkey’s expanding portfolio of textile-named restaurants is loincloth. Although, given his Tarzan-like charisma and penchant for chasing down sustainable proteins, we’re not ruling it out.

In just over a year, the former Top Chef (third season) contestant—along with business partner James Brennan—has introduced his bustling Searsucker to the heart of the Gaslamp and swung into Del Mar with Burlap. He’s now utilizing his celebrity to sew up plans for three new restaurants, coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

Gingham in La Mesa is next up. Named after the yarn-spun checkered textile dating back four centuries, the operation will replace GIO Restaurant and Wine Bar on December 15.

“We’ve slapped around the building and roughed her up a bit,” says Malarkey as he combs over his menu of “composed barbecue” along with fried chicken and other picnic-type savories. But don’t expect to eat from gingham-style tablecloths: as with Searsucker and Burlap, the namesake fabric will go missing from the motif.

Think of the durable material used for making fine suits when Gabardine opens in place of Point Loma’s La Playa Bistro in January. “This is my return to the sea,” says Malarkey, referring to a casual seafood bar meant to reflect the neighborhood’s fishing history as well as his former gig as executive chef for The Oceanaire Seafood Room. At Gabardine, however, sails and buoys won’t be the backdrop for the Baja clams: Malarkey has envisioned a “clean, fresh” interior with designer Michael Soriano, who has bestowed his contemporary magic on Vin de Syrah, Sessions Public and Analog.

Malarkey further indulges his seafood passions in April with the opening of Herringbone, named after the twilled material favored by the country club set. The La Jolla restaurant, recreating the vibe of an Italian fishing village, will attempt to reel in the social razzle-dazzle seen (and scene) at Searsucker and Burlap.

“We’ll spread the wonderful flavors of lobster and crab and also offer turf items like bone marrow pizza with prosciutto crust.”

Where will this chest-thumping restaurateur break ground next?

“I can’t look any further than this right now,” says Malarkey, “except to say that we might expand the Searsucker brand to Arizona in the future.”

EELING GOOD

The 6,000-square-foot space that was Quarter Kitchen at Andaz San Diego is about to be reborn as Katsuya by Starck, synthesizing the “green” design trappings of cult architect Philippe Starck with a litany of Japanese dishes imagined by Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi. Slated to open in January, the indoor-outdoor restaurant will offer the same bill of fare seen at seven other Katsuya locations throughout the country.

Uechi directs his robata (Japanese barbecue) flames toward luxury proteins like fresh-water eel and kobe filet crowned with foie gras. Sushi, sashimi and crafty cocktails also take center stage. And if L.A.’s Katsuya is any indication of the restaurant’s celebrity draw, you might find yourself poking into almond-crusted scallops alongside the likes of Paris Hilton and the Pussycat Dolls.

—Frank Sabatini Jr.

Andaz San Diego
600 F St., Gaslamp
619.849.1234, andazsandiego.com

Carpe A.M.

Kitchen 4140 offers tasty ways to seize the day

Starting each day in style is the name of the game at Bay Ho’s Kitchen 4140, where breakfast, lunch and brunch get gourmet treatment against a cozy, refreshing backdrop. Executive Chef Kurt Metzger’s menu is driven by his devotion to farm-fresh, locally procured edibles and shaped by culinary sensibilities he developed while manning the high-profile kitchen at L.A.’s Bistro 45.

Since opening Kitchen 4140 in late 2010 (the latest in his line of businesses including Concept Catering by CK and CK’s BBQ Shack), Metzger has gained a solid following. Count Food Network as one of his fans—look for Metzger battling chef contestants and outlandish ingredient mash-ups on an upcoming episode of the network’s hit reality competition Chopped.

In the meantime, stop in for a taste of this rising star’s seasonably driven fare. Herbs picked straight out Kitchen 4140’s garden add punch to pillowy gnocchi with braised short rib, while culinary inventiveness defines dishes like red velvet pancakes with chocolate chips and sweet cream cheese frosting.

Enjoy such early-to-midday treats from the contemporary comfort-meets-farmhouse casual dining room or the sun-drenched outdoor patio, and discover the truth behind the age-old saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Kitchen 4140
4140 Morena Blvd. (in Bay Ho)
San Diego, CA  92117
858.483.4140, kitchen4140.com
Breakfast, Lunch, Sunday Brunch
Mon.-Fri.: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sunday Brunch: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Game Time

Sycuan Casino scores a home run with brand-new Game Day Sports Bar & Grill

The 15-foot-tall aluminum Louisville Slugger baseball bat greeting guests at Sycuan Casino’s new GameDay Sports Bar confirms you’ve come to the right place for cheering NFL games, UFC fights, golf and, of course, baseball. With five 100-inch Holodisplay projection screens and 39 large-screen TVs filling every well-appointed corner, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.

GameDay Sports Bar & Grill’s hundreds of pieces of sports memorabilia (including a NASCAR engine, a San Diego Chicken costume and the four original owner’s seats from Petco Park) crawl right up to the ceiling, which is masterfully embroidered with baseball stitching. And the arched entrance into the bar was designed to mimic a passageway into Qualcomm Stadium.

This Mecca for sports fans seats 160 guests who also come knocking for Kobe and St. Louis-style ribs, slow-cooked in the bar’s cherrywood smokers. Brisket comes into play as well, along with house-made sauces, specialty pizzas hailing from a stone oven, pork sliders, wings and beer- battered veggies. Among the hottest sellers is the black-and-blue pizza crowned with brisket, blue cheese and roasted garlic (should you arrive dateless).

A fully stocked bar extends to a dozen drafts on tap, eight of them from local microbreweries. And you don’t need to leave your stool to summon Lady Luck, because 29 video poker machines are built right into the bar.

Game Day Sports Bar & Grill
5469 Casino Way (inside Sycuan Casino)
El Cajon, CA 92019
619.445.6002, sycuan.com
Mon.-Fri.: noon to midnight
Sat.-Sun.: 10 a.m. to midnight

Half Time

Slater’s 50/50 beefs up Liberty Station’s landscape

Hangover cures are essential at a party school as spirited as SDSU. One Aztec alum, Scott Slater, used his—burgers made out of equal parts ground beef and ground bacon—to found a successful restaurant chain.

Enter Slater’s 50/50, an award-winning SoCal eatery whose third iteration debuts in Liberty Station this month. The neighborhood pub and sports bar hybrid will be home to Slater’s former Qualcomm Stadium tailgate staple, the 50/50 Burger (served with pepper jack, avocado mash, chipotle mayo and a fried egg), plus other innovative dishes dreamt up in tandem with fellow SDSU alum and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Brad Lyons.

Among those are standouts like panko-crusted mac ’n’ cheese balls with Tapatio ranch sauce, sweet potato fries served with house-made pumpkin dip and a bacon brownie that’s equal parts pork fat and cocoa-borne decadence. Add a crafty list of libations more than 100 brews strong, and it’s no wonder Slater’s 50/50 has become a household name among carnivores and craft beer enthusiasts alike.

Also on the menu at Liberty Station are San Diego-specific items like fried chicken and pancakes—crispy fried yard-bird smothered in country gravy, topped with a fried egg and two thick-cut strips of bacon and sandwiched between liberally syruped buttermilk pancakes.

Hangover cure or happy food-coma inciter? You be the judge!

Slater’s 50/50
2750 Dewey Rd., Bldg. #193
(in Liberty Station next to Ace Hardware)
San Diego, CA  92106
619.398.2600, slaters5050.com
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
11 a.m.-2 a.m. daily

Rising to the Tapas

Amid new surroundings, Café Sevilla sizzles with the best Spanish cuisine in town.

Locals in the know, meandering tourists and even the Food Network have followed the sounds of live Flamenco emanating from the Gaslamp location of Café Sevilla—since 1987, the place to go in San Diego for an authentic taste of the culture and tapas-driven food fare of Spain.

Injecting new life into the establishment and its neighborhood, the combo restaurant-lounge-nightclub recently pulled up stakes, moving to an inviting and deliciously modern center- stage spot on Fifth Avenue. Despite the new surroundings, however, it’s been business as usual for Executive Chef Cesar Castillo, who prepares exquisite Spanish cuisine by relying on the Latin flavor fundamentals—including the proper use of temperatures, flavors, textures and appearance—he gleaned as a child while working in his uncle’s diner in Sinaloa, Mexico.

In creating Sevilla’s signature paella dishes, Castillo uses Bomba rice imported from Valencia, Spain, because it absorbs the flavors of the broth while maintaining firmness. His passion for Spain’s indigenous flavor profile (which comes out in his grilled Spanish sausages and the dishes he prepares with imported Jamon Iberico, among other mouthwatering ingredients) helps elevate Café Sevilla to the top of the Finest City tapas scene. Further heat up the night after dinner with scorching salsa dancing and DJ beats in Sevilla’s underground nightclub.

Café Sevilla
353 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
619.239.5979, cafesevilla.com
Tapas, Dinner, Late Night, Sunday Brunch
Sun.-Thu.: 4-11 p.m.
Fri.-Sat.: 4 p.m.-1 a.m.
Sun.: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Tapas Bar
4-1 a.m. daily
Nightclub
10 p.m.-2 a.m. nightly

Coastal Eddie

Eddie V’s surf and turf, overlooking the surf—what a delicious concept

Before asking for “Eddie V” in the hopes of snagging recipe secrets for those fabulous seafood and steak dishes dancing across your palate, bear in mind that the name represents two individuals—founders Larry Eddie Foles and Guy Villavaso.

Eddie V’s greets diners with a warm, cordial ambiance replete with dark woods, soft Edison bulbs and jumbo windows that pull in views of the La Jolla Shores coastline. The two-level structure dates to the late 1800s, still warming patrons with its original stone fireplace.

New Orleans-style jazz and blues performed nightly complements a full menu of sustainable seafood, Angus Gold beef and local organics. Executive Chef Bill Greenwood enhances the supper-club feel with mouthwatering prime steaks from Chicago. Lucky are those who seize the bone-in filet when it appears as a special.

For those who arrive salivating for seafood, the crab cake on the appetizer list, constructed with Jonah leg meat from the East Coast and fresh jumbo blue lump crab from the Gulf, is big and naturally sweet. Another house favorite is the eight-ounce hunk of Loch Duart salmon, cooked sous vide with baby vegetables and contained in a sauce of chopped herbs, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and butter. Visit this paradise of top-quality meats and seafood, and you’re sure to be hooked.

Eddie V’s
1270 Prospect St.
La Jolla, CA 92037
858.459.5500, eddievsrestaurants.com
Mon.-Thurs.: 4-11 p.m.
Fri.-Sun.: 3-11 p.m.

Prime Time

Donovan’s Prime Seafood lands a big fish to lead their kitchen

With its reputation for top quality, the Donovan’s Steak and Chophouse empire has now taken things to a whole new level with the addition of Donovan’s Prime Seafood—with Executive Chef Kemar Durfield at the helm. A fine dining veteran with more than two decades of experience at such high-profile restaurants as the Grand Del Mar’s five-star, five-diamond Addison, Durfield has applied his simple yet elegant approach in creating a menu that utilizes a variety of fresh fish and shellfish brought in daily from around the world.

Donovan’s Prime Seafood exudes old-school charm, providing a calm, sophisticated oasis in which to seek refuge from the everyday. It’s the perfect atmosphere for getting lost in luxury and enjoying such epicurean delights as sumptuous wild king salmon with Puy lentils and pancetta, sea bass tartare enlivened by a fresh lime vinaigrette, or plump Kumamoto oysters dressed up with caviar, herb pistu and a refreshing champagne granite. These and all of the dishes on Durfield’s bill of fare allow the natural flavors of pristine seafood and seasonal ingredients to shine on their own merits while adding shimmer to the newest jewel in the Donovan’s crown.

Donovan’s Prime Seafood
333 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
619.906.4850, donovansprimeseafood.com
Happy Hour, Dinner
Mon.-Thurs.: 5-10 p.m.
Fri.-Sat.: 5-11 p.m.

Life of Brian

Chef Brian Malarkey’s getting back to his cowboy roots at Burlap

Raised on a ranch amid livestock and the ever-present aroma of something deliciously stick-to-yer-ribs cooking in his mama’s kitchen, Chef Brian Malarkey has never forgotten his roots. Even after rising to fame on Bravo’s hit reality competition Top Chef, and capturing San Diego’s dining scene spotlight last year with his runaway-hit, New American Classic-themed Gaslamp resto, Searsucker, he hasn’t changed a bit. Boldly flavored, hearty food done right is still his gastronomic bread and butter. That much is clear from the “Asian Cowboy” cuisine he’s putting out at his new Del Mar Highlands eatery—Burlap.

Malarkey’s new style of fusion goes way beyond baked beans and hominy grits, focusing on cooking methods straight out of the heartland— grilling, roasting and spit-over-a-pit—in tandem with Asian ingredients, spices and condiments. But this isn’t about cold noodles and chop suey. Asian Cowboy is something wholly unique, taking staples like oyster sauce, bok choy, five spice and chili paste and using them in an untraditional manner. These ingredients find their way into a variety of rich spice blends, marinades and sauces for beef and game dishes—like Burlap’s venison carpaccio with a truffle-soy emulsion and whole-roasted rotisserie chicken with lime hoisin, ginger aioli and steamed buns. It’s a new brand of East meets West or, as Malarkey says, “West Eats Meat.”

Searsucker
611 5th Ave.
San Diego, CA 92101
619.233.7327, searsucker.com
Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch
Lunch: Mon-Fri, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dinner: Sun-Thurs, 6-10 p.m.
Brunch: Sun, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Bar: daily, 5 p.m. to close

Burlap
12995 El Camino Real, Ste. 21
Del Mar, CA 92130
858.369.5700, burlapeats.com
Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Brunch
Lunch: Mon-Fri, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dinner: Sun-Thurs, 6-10 p.m.
Brunch: Sun, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Bar: daily, 5 p.m. to close

The Perfect Union

Union Kitchen & Taps brings a mulit-faceted experience…and beer…to Highway 101

Consciously crafted comfort food and local brews have drawn North County coasters to Encinitas’ new addition, Union Kitchen & Tap. The latest in a line of foodie rest stops to land on Highway 101, Union has already established itself as a fave for a wide cross-section of families looking for a tasty midday meal and party people looking for a lively late-night spot. Executive Chef Jason Gethin’s menu —stocked with group-ready apps and flatbreads, entrées running the meat-and-seafood gamut, plus vegan options that chime in with equally robust flavors— provides an ideal confluence of hand-crafted numbers to satisfy any taste.

Indulge in braised pork belly and grits made still more decadent with a molasses gastrique, or go by sea with a slow-cooked fisherman’s stew made with fresh bass and shellfish. For weekend brunch, start things off with house-made beignets, whiskey peach Dutch pancakes or chicken and waffles with thyme- infused maple syrup. No matter the time of day (who’s judging?), all can be enjoyed amid Union’s reclaimed-chic splendor and washed down with a wide array of ales and lagers (pulled from the 40 brewhouses peppering San Diego County) or signature cocktails constructed using fresh organic ingredients from an on-site hydroponic herb garden.

Union Kitchen & Tap
1108 South Coast Highway 101
Encinitas, CA 92024
760.230.2337, localunion101.com
Lunch and Dinner Daily and Weekend Brunch
Mon.-Thu.: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Fri.: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Sat.-Sun.: 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

Chew on this: despite San Diego’s proximity to the ocean, the city’s restaurants crank out a whole lot more than just delicious seafood. For more savory beef and game dishes than you can shake a hoof at, check out any of these prime selections for a meal that’s sure to be a cut above.

Raising the Steaks
The swanky new kid on the butcher’s block, with a sweeping view of La Jolla Cove, Eddie V’s serves up premium, hand-cut steaks on a menu emphasizing choice seafood. Spend five bucks extra to parlay the $39, eight-ounce filet into a 12-ounce beauty that—if too hefty for one sitting—will make a most memorable sandwich later. Larger, superbly succulent New York strips and bone-in rib eyes ($46) enjoy the companionship of Chef Bill Greenwood’s spectacular sides, like crab-fried rice and sautéed spinach crowned with real Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Eddie V’s
1270 Prospect St., La Jolla
858.459.5500, eddiev.com

Tangled Up in Blue
Down the street from Eddie V’s, Azul La Jolla offers its own version of classic surf ’n’ turf. Go for gold by chasing market-priced, ultra-fresh oysters with a massive cut from a list that boasts big, bold New York and Kansas City strips; filets; rib-eyes; a T-bone and, for those who like some “chew” in every bite, a 10-ounce culotte top sirloin ($27). Craving something more exotic? The generous marbling of Azul’s Wagyu steaks ($56 to $76), from cattle raised in Australia, provides exceptional flavor.

Azul La Jolla
1250 Prospect St., La Jolla
858.454.9616, azul-lajolla.com

Buying the Farm
There’s a lot prowling the menu at The Tractor Room: elk sausage ravioli, skewers of pheasant and Cognac-rabbit sausage, venison meatloaf and stews of free-range buffalo and boar made with, the menu notes, “demi-glace, root veggies and love.” Unique in San Diego: braised buffalo Sloppy Joe sandwiches with caramelized onions and horseradish sour cream.

The Tractor Room
3687 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest
619.543.1007, thetractorroom.com

Big Time
Gargantuan breakfasts draw the masses to Hillcrest’s Hash House A Go Go, but the cognoscenti come for dinner. High among the resto’s all-American attractions is a cedar plank-roasted prime rib eye splashed with a Kentucky’s Bulleit Bourbon-flavored demi-glace. At $39, it’s pricier than Hash House’s other offerings, but it’s quite a steak—goat cheese, smoked bacon and potatoes mashed with chunks of venison sausage round out the garnishes.

Hash House A Go Go
3628 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest
619.298.4646, hashhouseagogo.com

Oh, Deer
Ocean Beach’s destination for wild boar goulash, grilled quail with jaeger (hunter) sauce and other German delights, Kaiserhof offers an annual fall game menu. One of this year’s highlights is a generous serving of delicate roe deer medallions with brandied green peppercorn sauce and chanterelles.

Kaiserhof
2253 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Ocean Beach
619.224.0606, kaiserhofrestaurant.com

Grate Expectations
Those who live for the thrill of the grill gravitate to Riviera Supper Club in La Mesa for do-it-yourself steaks cooked on a communal gridiron—making it a natural gathering place for Monday Night Football. The place is serious about quality, but if the steak is over-cooked, you’ll have only yourself to blame. While you man or woman the BBQ, the kitchen rolls out salads, spuds and other tasty sides.

Riviera Supper Club
7777 University Ave., La Mesa
619.713.6777, rivierasupperclub.com

Cure for Boardom
La Jolla’s stylish Tapenade is especially good at game. The restaurant celebrates fall with civet de sanglier, an abundantly flavored stew of cubed boar braised in boldly seasoned red wine. Earthy and sophisticated, it’s an edible triumph typical of professional French cooking.

Tapenade
7612 Fay Ave., La Jolla
858.551.7500, tapenaderestaurant.com

Meat Me at the Beach
Specializing in succulent rib eyes, tenderloins, sirloins and strips from top suppliers like Montana’s Meyer Ranch and Brandt Beef in Brawley, California, JRDN’s Chef David Warner one-ups the Pacific Beach meat market with a 10-ounce rack of wild boar ($38) and a bison New York strip. Add a Maine lobster compliment to any meat selection for 36 clams.

JRDN
Tower 23 Hotel
723 Feldspar St., Pacific Beach
858.270.5736, jrdn.com

Game’s On
The roasted elk chop is a top-seller at the Gaslamp’s Greystone the Steakhouse. Richly flavored and exceptionally lean, the elk is rubbed with powdered porcini mushrooms and finished with a sweet-savory reduction flavored with coriander and blackberries. Hearty sides of Swiss chard and herb-mashed potatoes should satisfy any hungry hunting party.

Greystone the Steakhouse
658 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp
619.232.0225, greystonesteakhouse.com

Momma says don’t play with your food, so leave her at home and feed your soul at one of these San Diego eateries, offering entertainment with every mouthful.

Enjoy tapas with a side of Flamenco, fine dining with a generous helping of drag or dinner and a movie—at the same time. Making smiley faces out of peas and carrots is so first grade. Turn that frown upside down (and make Momma proud) by graduating to a new level of eat-o-tainment…and another reason to check in on Foursquare.

SWEET MUSIC
At downtown’s The Shout House, dueling piano players pound the ivories, performing high-energy (and often hilarious) renditions of classic and contemporary rock hits as patrons hurl requests and sing along at the top of their lungs. The unfussy menu of burgers, salads and appetizers is fitting, since the true stars of this show are the ones belting out a huge library of songs without a teleprompter.

The Shout House
655 Fourth Ave., Gaslamp
619.231.6700, theshouthouse.com

WHAT A DRAG
The jazz-and-Broadway-flavored vocals of bodacious drag personality Tiffany Tanqueray accompany casual American fine dining and top-shelf cocktails at Martinis Above Fourth most weekends, while special comedy nights, live music and bingo brunches animate the rest of the month. The new owners are planning to add a stage for more cabaret and variety acts.

Martinis Above Fourth
3940 Fourth Ave. #200, Hillcrest
619.400.4500, martinisabovefourth.com

OLÉ MOLE
Rumba and Flamenco guitarists energize the tapas bar at Café Sevilla, a recently relocated Gaslamp landmark, seven nights a week. Two dinner shows—Gypsy Fusion (Fridays) and the Art of Flamenco (Saturdays)—offer guests a three-course meal of fine authentic Spanish cuisine garnished with live Spanish music and dance performances. Still hungry for fun after dinner? Head to the all-new Sevilla Nightclub downstairs.

Café Sevilla
353 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp
619.233.5979, cafesevilla.com

TUNING FORK
Anthology, one of San Diego’s premier supper clubs, dishes up world-class R&B, jazz and indie music. And with award-winning California Cuisine courtesy of Chef Todd Allison sharing the marquee, dinner at this acoustically exquisite space tastes as good as it sounds.

Anthology
1337 India St., Little Italy
619.595.0300, anthologysd.com

KISS MY SASS
The drag mother of all dinner theaters, Lips delivers its own brand of sassy burlesque from some of the hardest-working “gurls” in the biz. Watch these sultans of schwing lip-synch, dance and sashay across the stage (or host weekly sessions of “Bitchy Bingo”) while you savor cocktails and Euro-American comfort fare. Lip-smacking fun, indeed.

Lips
3036 El Cajon Blvd., Bankers Hill
619.295.7900. lipssd.com

DON’T MAKE CONCESSIONS
Combining gourmet eats and craft cocktails with box office hits, Cinépolis has revolutionized movie night, making the silver screen golden again. Hobnob with friends in the lobby; nibble on sushi, seafood and paninis; and recline in plush comfort with at-your-seat service during the flick.

Cinépolis
12905 El Camino Real, Carmel Valley
858.794.4045, cinepolisusa.com

SHAKE YOUR FOODIE
Be prepared to channel your inner Shakira if you make eye contact with one of the Marrakesh belly dancers—they delight in giving impromptu hip-gyration instructions to guests, who often find themselves shaking it with the evening’s entertainment. A traditional Moroccan menu and exotic drinks compliment the experience.

Marrakesh
634 Pearl St., La Jolla
858.454.2500, marrakeshdining.com

By Frank Sabatini Jr. / Photos by Brevin Blach

During my five years of writing about Finest City food for PacificSD, I’ve covered many of the city’s top culinary artists and their beautiful creations—and loved every bite.

For this, my tastiest assignment yet, I was charged with identifying the to-die-for dish in all of San Diego.

After days of deliberation, I chose Pamplemousse Grille’s $50 grilled cheese, made with chunks of poached lobster and shavings of winter truffles. (One bite and you’ll kiss American cheese and white bread goodbye.)

To spread the love like so much remoulade, I asked the chef who created this sumptuous sandwich, Jeffrey Strauss, to pick his favorite local entrée. His choice: Chef Martin Woesle’s wiener schnitzel at Mille Fleurs.

Next, I asked Chef Woesle to pick his flavor fave, and the city’s ultimate 10-course meal flourished from there…

My (Frank Sabatini, Jr.’s) favorite dish:
$50 GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH
by Chef Jeffrey Strauss
Pamplemousse Grille
514 Via de la Valle #100, Solana Beach
858.792.9090, pgrille.com

Chef Strauss picks…

Chef Jeffrey Strauss’s favorite dish:
WIENER SCHNITZEL
by Chef Martin Woesle
Mille Fleurs
6009 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe
858.756.9945, millefleurs.com

Strauss says: “It’s awesome and served with brown butter and makes you feel like you’re in Austria.”

Inside dish: In classic Austrian style, Chef Woesle uses veal loin to make his wiener schnitzel, adding a twist by serving it with a fried quail egg, sliced caper berries and lemon butter sauce. During busy weeks, he sells more than 100 orders each day.

Chef Woesle picks…

Chef Martin Woesle’s favorite dish:
BISON TARTARE
by Chef Paul McCabe
Kitchen 1540 (at L’Auberge Del Mar)
1540 Camino Del Mar
858.793.6460, laubergedelmar.com

Woesle says: “It was served to me as a simple quenelle-shaped appetizer. The meat was very red and tasted absolutely great.”

Inside dish: Chef McCabe, who’s moving over to Delicias in Rancho Santa Fe on November 15, uses the filet mignon of the bison in a tartare that traditionalists find otherworldly. The raw meat is bound by bacon fat and whipped egg yolks (bring your Lipitor) and further swooped up with chives, shallots and chipotle. “I don’t like anything to stay too long on the menu,” says McCabe, “but since we get a lot of requests for it, we’re running it often as an appetizer special.”

Chef McCabe picks…

Chef Paul McCabe’s favorite dish:
50-FOOT RADIUS SALAD
by Chef Anthony Sinsay
Harney Sushi
3964 Harney St., Old Town; 301 Mission Ave., Oceanside
619.295.3272, harneysushi.com

McCabe says: “I had it a few months ago. The presentation was gorgeous—it looked like it was growing out of the ground. There were beets, stinging nettles, Swiss chard and sunflower petals in there.”

Inside dish: From the center of a beet patch at the organic Suzie’s Farm by Imperial Beach, Chef Sinsay forages 50 feet in each direction to pick his salad’s ingredients, including baby carrots, black kale, flower petals and stinging nettle (weeds that grow alongside beets). “The salad changes all the time,” says Sinsay, “and we now pick from a lot of different farms, including a private garden we help manage next door.”

Chef Sinsay’s picks…

Chef Anthony Sinsay’s favorite dish:
RASPBERRY MERINGUE SPHERE
by Chef Mark Pelliccia
25 Forty Bistro & Bakehouse
2540 Congress St., Old Town
619.294.2540, 25fortybistro.com

Sinsay says: “The dessert is technically perfect—a hollow orb filled with raspberry syrup. It’s completely encased and I can’t figure out how the chef injects the syrup into the sphere. I order it every time I go there.”

Dishing it: Chef Pelliccia builds mystery around the unblemished orbs by starting with semi-sphere molds, which he fills with basic meringue. Once they’re frozen, he scoops out their centers, fills them with raspberry sauce then closes the two halves together quickly. A roll through dry meringue hides the seams. “I saw something similar when I was working as a chef in Italy,” Pelliccia says. “It always intrigued me.”

Chef Pelliccia picks…

Chef Mark Pelliccia’s favorite dish:
GNOCCHI WITH VEGETABLE SAUCE
by Chef Chad White
Sea Rocket Bistro
3382 30th St., North Park
619.255.7049, searocketbistro.com

Pelliccia says: “The gnocchi are very different than the kind I make. They’re much denser, but I like that they’re seared and have a little bit of crunch to them. And I really like the vegetable sauce.”

Dishing it: Chef White is unwavering when it comes his strict, two-day process for dumpling assembly, but he’s flexible with the vegetable sauces that crown his handmade gnocchi. Squash, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and a host of other veggies wind up in the dish. Look for pumpkin, burrata and tarragon to start appearing this season. “We don’t every do anything the same here,” White says.

Chef White’s picks…

Chef Chad White’s favorite:
CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
by Chef Matt Gordon
Urban Solace
3823 30th St., North Park
619.295.6464, urbansolace.net

White says: “It’s a comfort dish that reminds me of having it at home during the winter with my grandmother in Washington State. Matt’s gravy is excellent. The chicken is cooked perfectly, and you can tell that the dumplings are really fresh.”

Inside dish: Chef Gordon’s chicken and dumplings has ranked as a top seller at Urban Solace since he opened the restaurant in 2007. “It’s the most straightforward dish on my menu,” Gordon says, “even though I give the dumplings a little extra flavor twist by using buttermilk and chives.” The gravy is made from chicken bones—Gordon utilizes the whole bird.

Chef Gordon’s picks…

Chef Matt Gordon’s favorite dish:
FISH TACOS
by Chef Trey Foshee
George’s at the Cove
1250 Prospect St., La Jolla
858.454.4244, georgesatthecove.com

Gordon says: “It’s ‘fish tacos’ on the menu, but you really get anything but. The shells are actually little slices of raw tuna folded up around crispy avocado. There’s crema and maybe some crushed corn nuts in there, too. It’s like eating inside-out tacos.”

Inside dish: Indeed, the menu description for Chef Foshee’s fish tacos (Foshee says he slings about 500 of them a month) reads: “Hard to explain, just try it.” The tortilla shells are completely eliminated in lieu of yellowfin, which is meticulously folded around fried avocado and crema.

Chef Foshee picks…

Chef Trey Foshee’s favorite dish:
JAMAICAN JERK PORK BELLY
by Chef Jason Knibb
Nine-Ten
910 Prospect St., La Jolla
858.964.5400, nine-ten.com

Foshee says: “The pork belly is spicy from chilies and sweet from plantains and sweet potatoes, and it’s served with black-eyed peas. It’s one of the best dishes in town and it comes from Jason’s Jamaican background, which is filtered through his Cali-French training and curiosity for the modern. I don’t order the same thing twice very often, except this.”

Inside dish: Pork belly turns sexier when Chef Knibb unleashes his Jamaican roots on the dish. He marinates the meat in jerk spice, braises it and then gives it a habanaro gelée glaze. Black-eyed peas, plantains and yam puree clench the deal. “It’s spicy and complex,” says Knibb, “and I sell about forty orders a week.”

Chef Knibb’s picks…

Chef Jason Knibb’s Pick
FRIED SWEETBREADS
by Chef Mike Liotta
Whisknladle
1044 Wall St., La Jolla
858.551.7575, whisknladle.com

Knibb says: “They look like little chicken nuggets, super crispy and served with fingerling potatoes, beets and capers. I’ve ordered it four times already as an appetizer.”

Inside dish: After an overnight soaking in milk, the sweetbreads are braised in chicken stock and anise liqueur before resting in buttermilk until ordered—when they are finally dragged through flour and fried in peanut oil. Once Chef Liotta sets the sweetbreads atop a warm salad of beets, potatoes and lemon butter, you may not believe you’re eating organs.

Hopefully you left room for San Diego’s ultimate 10-course dessert…

(left to right): Chefs Chris Powell of Bali Hai Restaurant, James Montejano of Le Papagayo and Amy Dibiase of The Shores competed in the 2010 Chef Showdown.

Chef Showdown
WHEN: October 6, 6 to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Liberty Station, Point Loma
TICKETS: $125
INFO: 858.272.5777, ccssd.org

It’s not hard to get Brian Malarkey excited about cooking, especially when he’s talking about events where chefs are competing ladle-to-spatula.

On October 6, the Bravo Top Chef finalist and chef/partner in Searsucker (Gaslamp) and Burlap (Del Mar) restaurants will co-host the seventh annual Chef Showdown, with his buddy Sam Zien (aka Sam the Cooking Guy).

Malarkey says he’s hot to chill with some of the town’s top chefs.

“It’s a wonderful night to hang out with some of San Diego’s premier chefs,” he says. “And believe it or not, not only are they good chefs, but they’re great people.”

San Diego’s very own version of Iron Chef will pit chefs from Bali Hai, El Vitral, Harney Sushi and Sea Rocket Bistro against each other and their counterparts from other leading eateries in nose-to-nose competitions on the historic Promenade at point Loma’s Liberty Station. Judges include well-known chefs and local restaurateurs Bernard Guillas (Marine Room, La Jolla), Ingrid Croce (Croce’s restaurant and jazz bar, Gaslamp), Joe Busalacchi (Busalacchi’s, Hillcrest) and Michelle Lerach (CUPS, La Jolla).

Proceeds benefit the Center for Community Solutions’ mission to help prevent sexual assault, domestic violence and elder abuse.
—David Nelson

Wine Receiver

Chargers kick-off what’s sure to be a grape season

The San Diego Chargers have had some vintage seasons—1981’s epic playoff victory against the Miami Dolphins and the team’s 1994 Super Bowl appearance springing to mind.

Now, the franchise has a new vintage to cheer about: its own Cabernet Sauvignons and Sauvignon Blancs to toast each touchdown and game-winning interception.

Produced by Napa Valley-based Bell Winery, Chargers Legacy wines are sold in bottles bearing the blue and yellow shield logo the team used from 1961 to 1973. The wine, available for purchase at local retailers and at Qualcomm Stadium during games, was developed to commemorate more than 50 years of Chargers football.

South African-born winemaker Anthony Bell says the wines are “designed to be enjoyed by both the serious and casual wine drinker.”

The first in the series, a 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet, contains 80 percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and lesser amounts of Petit Verdot, Merlot, Syrah and Malbec. The deep ruby beverage boasts a fruity nose rich in cherry, cassis and blackberry aromas.

Bell says the versatile vino “pairs wonderfully with steaks,” while its “fruit-forward nature” also makes it a suitable accompaniment to tailgating staples like barbeque ribs and hamburgers.

Bell’s partners in Bell Wine Cellars include A.G. Spanos Co., parent company of the San Diego Chargers (another nice pairing).
—David Nelson

Whine and wine at West Coast Tavern.

Stick A Cork In It

North Park eatery offers solution for weeping on the job

Rather than alienating coworkers with sob stories by the water cooler, complain about work to a larger audience while sipping $10 flights of quality vino at West Coast Tavern in North Park. Every Monday after 4 p.m., West Coast’s “Wine About the Work Week” event welcomes workplace whiners to pen poison prose about their bosses, fellow employees and other working woes. The expressions of job-related angst, written on-site or in advance, are entered in a contest that rewards the most caustic complaint with a West Coast gift card.
—David Nelson

West Coast Tavern
2895 University Ave., North Park
619.295.1688, westcoasttavern.com

Patio dining and amazing views at Bertrand at Mr. A’s in Banker's Hill. (Brevin Blach)

By Brandon Hernandez

Craving a meal at that new place everyone’s been talking about but can’t justify forking over the dough? Here’s your chance to dine without the need to dash. During San Diego Restaurant Week (SDRW), September 18-23, as many as 180 top-tier restos will offer foodies the chance to cross to-die-for dining spots off their lists—at prices that won’t make them cross.

Since its debut in 2006, SDRW has evolved from an annual to a biannual event (held also in January), offering diners two weeks per year during which to enjoy three-course dinners— and now, for the first time, lunches—for as little as half the regular menu prices.

The brainchild of members of the local chapter of the California Restaurant Association (CRA), SDRW involves nearly all of the county’s CRA members and has equated to great success for both the eateries and their patrons.

“Initially, Restaurant Week was established as a ‘thank you’ to the San Diego dining community,” says Michael McGeath, a former CRA San Diego chapter president, whose Mission Hills restaurant, Brooklyn Girl Eatery, is slated to open later this year.

“(Now it) helps drive business forward by introducing thousands of diners to new establishments they may not have tried before,”

McGeath says. “It’s also the impetus to bring guests back to restaurants they already know but might not have dined at recently.”

A key motivator for diners is the fact that three-course dinners cost just $20, $30 or $40 (or $10, $15 or $20 for lunch), depending on the restaurant, creating the perfect conditions for experimentation.

SDRW is a winning deal for particitpating restaurants, too.

BO-beau Kitchen + Bar's pork belly with gruyere, fried egg and parmesan reduction.

“Restaurant Week takes place during the slow times of the year, so it increases sales when restaurants need them the most,” says Ingrid Croce, owner of Croce’s in the Gaslamp and a CRA member who was integral in
implementing the first SDRW.

“I wanted to [help] bring Restaurant Week to San Diego to help our hospitality community be recognized as a dining destination.

Now, it’s the biggest local dining event in San Diego and the second largest Restaurant Week in the country, behind only New York City.”

To hear S.D. mentioned in the same culinary breath as The Big Apple makes you want to take a bite—and another…

From splurging at a buzz-worthy new eatery to savoring the old-school sophistication of a classic establishment, SDRW offers a smorgasbord of flavors.  Here’s a taste of how to navigate the week and spice up the experience.

Fresh Faces:  Cavaillon
When Phillippe Verpiand took his dreamy foie gras and other French delicacies and left the building, North County foodies shed tears in their Coq au Vin. But fear not, there’s a new and highly capable chef in the house, and SDRW provides the perfect opportunity to get a nibble of what Michael von Euw has cookin’.

Supping Sample: Housecured salmon with mustard dressing; locally-caught sea bass with ratatouille; crème brûlée trio—lavender, orange and chocolate.
Similar Options (with new chefs): Eden, Hillcrest; Pacifica Del Mar, Del Mar
14701 Via Bettona, Santaluz
858.433.0483, cavaillonrestaurant.com

Renewed Concepts:  The Mediterranean Room
Don’t judge a menu by its cover. The dining room on the lobby level of La Jolla’s iconic La Valencia hotel may need some updating, but the food is right in line with current culinary trends.   Expect simple, yet zesty tapas-style all-stars, punched up with the trademark flavors brought forth by Mediterranean herbs and spices.

Supping Sample: Crab crake fritter with poblano aioli; Lightning pilsner roasted Jidori chicken with squash risotto; stone fruit cheesecake.
Similar Options: Arterra (San Diego Marriott), Del Mar; Blue Point Coastal Cuisine, downtown; Kitchen 1540, Del Mar.
1132 Prospect St., La Jolla
858.551.3765,  lavalencia.com

The dining room at BO-beau Kitchen + Bar welcomes patrons with a rustic, French countryside charm. (Courtesy Cohn Restaurant Group)

Big Buzz: BO-Beau
What was once Thee Bungalow is now BO-beau Kitchen + Bar, located in bohemian (“BO”) O.B., which sports a cozy, southern French motif. Diners are raving about chef Katherine Humphus’ laidback and often communal take on contemporary cuisine.

Supping Sample: Goat cheese and roasted beet flatbread with curry onion jam; Boeuf Bourguignon with pancetta and fingerling potatoes.
Similar Options: Flavor Del Mar, Del Mar; Terra American Bistro, near SDSU; The Wine Vault, Downtown
4996 West Point Loma Blvd., Ocean Beach
619.224.2884, bobeaukitchen.com

Splurge Spots:  George’s California Modern
With a decades-long legacy as one of San Diego’s top-tier eateries, George’s California Modern could easily rest on its laurels, but owner George Hauer and executive chef Trey Foshee consistently kick up their
game with inventive and unique dishes incorporating fresh seafood reeled in from nearby sustainable sources.

Supping Sample: George’s menu changes so often that they couldn’t commit by press time, but expect one of Foshee’s inventive take on sardines.
Similar Options: Amaya at the Grand Del Mar, Carmel Valley; NINE-TEN, La Jolla; Nobu San Diego, Downtown
1250 Prospect St., La Jolla
858.454.4244, georgesatthecove.com

Classic Dining Rooms:  Bertrand at Mister A’s
New restaurants come and go, but for as long as many of us can remember, this topshelf, top-floor bastion for gourmet fare and incredible views has remained king of the hill—Bankers Hill. With consistency like that, you can bet they’ll be every bit as good during SDRW as they’ve been all these years…at a fraction of the everyday price.

Supping Sample: duo of Brandt farm rib eye and short rib in a red wine reduction sauce; milk chocolate mousse bars, peanut nougat, caramel.
Similar Options: El Bizcocho, Rancho Bernardo; Marine Room, La Jolla; Mistral, Coronado
2550 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill
619.239.1377, bertrandatmisteras.com

By David Nelson
Photos by Brevin Blach
(unless otherwise noted)

San Diego chefs are in the throes of a bacon mania, using cured pork to create everything from jam to ice cream.

This bacon blitz may be rooted in the fact that most professional chefs are men. A study commissioned to determine which perfumes really set men’s noses alight concluded that the average fellow’s favorite scent is frying bacon. Some men like the aroma so much, they want it not only in their mouths but also coming out of their pores (see “Smell Like a Pig” sidebar, page 62).

Here’s a sample platter of dishes Finest City foodies are sure to be squealing about.

DRAWN AND QUARTERED
Quarter Kitchen chef Brian Pusztai satisfies bacon-hounds’ basic instincts with an entrée of Brandt prime flat iron steak with applewood-smoked bacon, soft polenta, field carrots, asparagus and torpedo onion ragu. That creamy delight on the side? Sherry bacon Béarnaise sauce (sans the standard tarragon and shallots), tasting slightly of bacon fat.
Quarter Kitchen
(at Andaz San Diego)
600 F Street, Gaslamp
619.814.2000,
quarterkitchen.com

Sea Rocket’s grass-fed beef burger with bacon jam.

IN A JAM
How does Sea Rocket Bistro chef Chad White build a better burger? By dressing grass-fed beef with caramelized onions, roasted tomato, aioli, house-made pickles and, for the coup de grâce, his very own bacon jam. “We take bacon, molasses, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar, marry it, puree it, reduce it to syrup and spread it on a burger,” White says.
Sea Rocket Bistro
3382 30th Street, North Park
619.255.7049,
searocketbistro.com

GOING WHOLE HOG
At Quality Social, which bills itself modestly as “a bar with food,” executive chef Jared Van Camp uses entire pigs to create various menu items, including charcuterie. He also makes his own hot dogs, which can be ordered TJ-style—wrapped in bacon (cured on site) and dressed with pico de gallo and avocado. Still feeling piggish? Try the bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese and walnuts.
Quality Social
789 6th Avenue, Gaslamp
619.501.7675,
qualitysocial.com

Quality Social chef de cuisine, Sam Burman, with a slab of the eatery’s house-cured bacon.

SMELL OF SUCCESS
At Searsucker (the California Restaurant Association’s 2011 Gold Medallion winner for Best New Restaurant in San Diego), chef Brian Malarkey spreads his baconnaise, or bacon-flavored mayo, on a toasted ciabatta roll, heaping it with succulent, pulled pork with Bourbon barbecue sauce; peach-cabbage slaw; and tiny, crisp onion rings. After pigging out on dinner, try the decadent “King” Sundae, made with peanut butter cup ice cream and topped with bacon-
honey caramel sauce.
Searsucker
611 5th Avenue, Gaslamp
619.233.7327,
searsucker.com

STICK A PORK IN IT
Jsix chef Christian Graves, who cures his own charcuterie, offers this ultimate tribute to the porker: a bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin entrée served with golden polenta, cipollini onions
and black truffle aioli.
Jsix (at Hotel Solamar)
616 J Street, San Diego, Gaslamp,
619.531.8744,
jsixrestaurant.com

Quality Social’s Manhattan cocktail with bacon.

PIE IN THE SKY
For a slice of hog heaven, try Pizza Nova’s specialty pie, made with pancetta (a salt-cured, spiced Italian bacon), Portobello mushrooms and black truffle oil.
Pizza Nova
Locations: Hillcrest, Point Loma,
Solana Beach, San Marcos
pizzanova.net

WHAT ELSE IS NEW?
Marrying bacon to something healthy like cauliflower seems contrary to the spirit of self-indulgence, but it definitely improves the taste of the vegetable side dish offered at Eddie V’s, a deluxe restaurant chain set to open its new La Jolla location August 1. Spiked with shallots, the bacon-rich cauliflower accompanies Eddie V’s hand-cut steaks and seafood selections.
Eddie V’s
1270 Prospect Street, La Jolla
eddiev.com

MEAT YOU THERE
On August 15, downtown’s celebrated Bice Ristorante will celebrate the Italian feasting holiday, Ferragosto, with a five-course meal that includes a salad with bacon-wrapped warm goat cheese and a dessert of fruit sorbet with mango sauce and chocolate-dipped bacon.
Bice Ristorante
425 Island Ave., Gaslamp
619.239.2423,
bicesandiego.com

Offshore Tavern's bacon-wrapped meatloaf. (Courtesy)

ALL WRAPPED UP
Offshore Tavern and Grill in Bay Park is serving up the ultimate in manly, meat-lovers’ grub, wrapping their house meatloaf with bacon and topping it with barbeque au jus and crispy onion strips. This meaty marvel is served with fries at lunch and garlic mashed potatoes at dinner.
Offshore Tavern and Grill
2253 Morena Blvd., Bay Park
619.276.2253,
offshoretavern.com

HEAD OF THE CLASS
Tavern at the Beach is giving beer drinkers something to squeal about on House Party Wednesdays, serving free bacon slices with every beer. Add in a game of Giant Twister for a real
swine time.
The Tavern at the Beach
1200 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach
858.272.6066,
tavernatthebeach.com