New Caf

Pick one thing you’re good at, and do it well. Many San Diego restaurants are advised to avoid attempting to be everything to everyone. Instead, identify your niche, focus, and thrive.

But there is a different breed of lifestyle establishments that manages to find success in offering a variety of venues all in one. It’s tricky to do; but if you find that balance, you can build an empire.

Café Sevilla is a good example of a successful restaurant, tapas bar, and nightclub that excels in all areas equally. After 20 years on Fourth Avenue, Sevilla temporary closed doors last winter to build a bigger and better venue on Fifth Avenue. If you’ve missed Spanish tapas, Flamenco dinner shows, and Salsa dance lessons, mark your calendar for the new Café Sevilla opening on Monday, July 11.

What’s New: Sevilla remains the same in concept and vibe, yet is now housed in a new three-story venue that radiates with warmth and personality and shines with contemporary appeal without losing its authentic Spanish roots. Many décor highlights, from vintage maps and wall fixtures to the actual wood framing, were transferred to Fifth from Fourth Avenue, while a variety of cultural artifacts were recently imported from Spain. This blend of old and new creates a unique vibe for the new era of Café Sevilla in San Diego.

When facing Café Sevilla from the Fifth Avenue street entrance, you gaze into the wide open tapas bar to greet high ceilings and mismatched textures along wide walls, intermixed with vibrant shades of orange, red, and gold. A staircase leads guests up to the second story dining room, which overlooks the tapas bar through an oversized rustic chandelier, the main source of dim, soft light. Petite tables are surrounded by glass-encased artifacts and cascading vintage light fixtures from the south of Spain. Within the dining room, you feel the energy and hear live music from the tapas bar below, but are treated to privacy and intimacy. The tapas bar has a seating capacity of 150, while the dining room seats between 65 and 70.

For a taste of signature Sevilla flavor, remember the made-to-share tapas, including Bacon-Wrapped Dates stuffed with Cabrales bleu cheese and topped with apple cider vinegar glaze; Green Mussels Escabeche marinated in olive oil and lemon then topped with fresh Serrano pepper salsa; Seafood Crepes stuffed with clams, shrimp, and scallops doused in a light lobster saffron sauce; and Pisto la Mancha, a dish of sautéed zucchini, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers and Manchego cheese. Pair your favorite small plate with Sangarita, a combination of sweet fruit-filled Sangria and the peppery tang of the house made Margarita.

Different from the former Sevilla space, the new venue keeps the subterranean club separate from the bar and restaurant, and guests descend exclusively from the street entrance on Fifth Avenue. Club Sevilla is one of the only San Diego clubs for live Bachata & Merengue entertainment, Salsa dancing, and Flamenco dinner shows. While the weekly schedule will stay close to the same, Club Sevilla now operates on a full stage enhanced by brand new state-of-the-art lighting and technology, in addition to a massive L.E.D. wall that sets the vibe for underground Latin-spiced parties. During dinner shows, the stage will be filled with interactive performers, and the club filled with viewing tables. But when the show is over, the velvet curtain will be drawn back to reveal VIP tables on stage, and throughout the club, all offering bottle service. My favorite part has to be the marble wall behind the bar, with natural “angel wings” watching over the large central dance floor.

Sevilla is Back: The new Café Sevilla is located at 355 Fifth Avenue in downtown San Diego, and is now open as of Monday, July 11. For more information and reservations, call 877.307.2214 or visit Café Sevilla in San Diego.

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Source: DiscoverSD