THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Guild

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED The Guild Restaurant Review:

Industrially glamorous, conceptual without feeling contrived, stylish but not pretentious, The Guild has set the bar for a new type of San Diego restaurant. Co-owner Paul Basile originally designed The Guild as a meeting place for architects, artists and artisans to enjoy fine food and good company; their creative energy attracts the rest of San Diego to Barrio Logan for the chance to rub elbows with the city’s creative elite. We love the hand-crafted furniture, the use of multiple, bi-level spaces and the sneak-peak window into Basile’s furniture design studio. And the food? Chef Melissa Mayer’s eclectic menu gives balance to the architectural seriousness. The majority of the menu consists of small plates, making this an ideal spot for socializing. Try the chèvre brûlée (grilled artichoke hearts topped with torched chèvre and drizzled with thyme-citrus vinaigrette); pistachio-crusted lobster-crab cake stacked with Brie, crème fraîche, mashed garlic and arugula; and the Kobe beef sliders---thick rounds of juicy meat topped with Humboldt Fog goat cheese, avocado and aïoli. Mayer typically offers two daily entrée specials; we recommend her fish preparations, especially the thick and almost meaty coconut-pistachio-encrusted mahi mahi glazed with ginger-cilantro-coconut sauce. The dessert of choice is the chocolate sandwich. Mayer melts chocolate between buttered brioche to create a crunchy, gooey concoction that is both comforting and sophisticated.