THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Común Kitchen & Tavern

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Común Kitchen & Tavern Restaurant Review:

Chad White is a good example of a chef who is straddling both sides of the border, and doing it well. He's got La Justina in Tijuana and Común Kitchen & Tavern in downtown San Diego. Común's design defines urban cool, with its exposed brick, painted cement, wild art and an industrial feel. An L-shaped wraparound counter allows diners to sit close to the action in the kitchen. The 12 self-pour taps spill local beers and some outsiders, rotating constantly to complement the Baja Med cuisine. Start with the pozole soup with guajillo chile broth, loaded with pork butt, hominy and cabbage, then move on to the ceviche tostada, a medley of tilapia, tomatoes, red onion, avocado, lime and just enough jalapeño heat. For botanas (snacks), we recommend the marinated ahi with chicharron and sesame, or the street corn (sautéed charred corn with lime, butter, mayo and chicharron). For the "build your own" concept, guests choose a base plate (everything from tacos and tortas to fries and giant pots), then a protein, perhaps carnitas, carne asada, smoked mahi mahi and pollo asado. Resident mixologist Kyle Belshaw has a few tricks up his sleeve, like the Milkman's Baby (rum with cinnamon bourbon and horchata) and the Heal the Shaman (mezcal with honey vodka, charred sage and herbaceous Amaro Nonino).