Herb Wood Herb and Wood Brian Malarkey Herb & Wood

Herb & Wood Awards

Artistic, timeless design accompanies seasonal California cuisine at “Top Chef” Brian Malarkey's venue in Little Italy.
Openings: Dinner nightly, Brunch Sun.

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Herb & Wood, San Diego, CA


Herb & Wood Restaurant Review:


Chef Brian Malarkey and general manager Chris Puffer are a dynamic duo who believe that dining should be an escape for the senses, and this lofty notion is achieved with panache at Herb & Wood. A gourmet market and deli fronts Kettner Street while a striking bar/lounge/restaurant awaits behind. The design riffs on both 1920s Paris and Cape Cod charm --- flickering gaslamps, white-washed distressed wood, blue booths and handmade sconces are among details that make you feel as if you’re by the sea. A wood-fired oven clad in zinc is the centerpiece of the exhibition kitchen, where all culinary cylinders are firing to create coastal California dishes with Mediterranean inspiration. Try the oxtail gnocchi with roasted garlic, sherry and herbs. Grilled venison, robust in flavor, plates nicely with buttermilk polenta, and grilled Iberico pork “Secreto” sings with its apple mostardo. Other rustic must-try items include the crispy potatoes with Parma and hints of horseradish; beets and burrata; the bone marrow and the crudo. Complement your food with a selection from the wine list. For dessert there’s the blueberry soufflé or a spin on Twix made with caramel, crème fraîche, milk chocolate and lava salt. Imbibers can sip handcrafted cocktails (think gin and lavender, bourbon and rosemary, and bubbles with berries) while sitting fireside in the lavender lounge.