Carlsbad's 20/Twenty restaurant relaunches at new Westin

San Diego Union-Tribune

Sept. 27, 2018 6 AM PT

Carlsbad —

As part of a rebranding effort at the newly opened Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa, the long-established 20/Twenty Grill restaurant has undergone a menu and interior decor refresh this month.

On Aug. 6, Westin Hotels & Resorts opened its new Carlsbad resort at the former Sheraton Grand hotel property near Legoland California theme park. Marriott Corp. owns both Westin and Sheraton hotels, and as part of the rebranding effort, it built a new 169-room Sheraton next door to the Westin earlier this year.

The new Westin has 208 rooms, including 28 newly built ocean-view luxury suites that range in size up to 1,309 square feet. The hotel property’s renovation included a rooftop terrace for special events and an upgraded gym and spa.

The final piece of the rebrand is the relaunch of 20/Twenty, an all-day, 5,200-square-foot restaurant and bar that was named for its clear view of the Pacific Ocean.

Under Sheraton’s management, 20/Twenty was a more casual restaurant, serving burgers and flatbreads for lunch and dinner with a few more expensive items. Because Westin is a bit more of a luxury hotel brand than Sheraton, the restaurant has been reimagined with a more upscale look and menu.

The result is a more fine dining-themed menu and ambiance. The burgers and flatbreads are no longer available at 20/Twenty, but can still be found via a three-minute walk to the north at the new Sheraton’s recently opened 7 Mile Kitchen poolside restaurant.

In early September, 20/Twenty closed down for several days for an interior refresh that features a more open layout, a new gray color scheme and upgraded tables and chairs.

The restaurant’s executive chef is Eduardo Zamora, whose past credits include nearly four years at the Omni La Costa Resort and a year at the Temecula Creek Inn.

His new contemporary California cuisine menu features ingredients mostly sourced within a 40-mile radius of the resort. The dishes are minimalist in design to highlight the fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Some of the dishes that highlight his new menu are Atlantic pan-seared halibut with broccoli cauliflower risotto and citrus vinaigrette; deconstructed ravioli with sun-dried tomato cream, lobster and Chanterelle mushrooms; and Good Earth Farms pork cheeks with garlic whipped potato, asparagus and heirloom tomato confit.

The restaurant’s bar has also been updated. The bar menu includes 15 cocktails, including six featuring spirits barrel-aged in-house. One of the new specialties include a Maple Bacon Bourbon with Knob Creek single barrel #3084 bourbon, bacon-infused maple syrup and a candied bacon garnish. Another popular drink is the Lemon-Basil Snake Bite Martini with Venom vodka, jalapeño-infused agave nectar, lemon juice, basil and Torres Orange Liqueur.

The restaurant offers a happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. daily with $2 off cocktails, $4 well drinks, $6 house wine and half off select starter dishes. On Thursdays from 5:30 to 9 p.m., live acoustic music by North County musicians is offered on the restaurant’s heated patio. Music is also offered on Saturdays from 6 to 10 p.m.