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Since 1969, restaurant, hotel, travel & other witty reviews by a handpicked, worldwide team of discerning professionals—and your views, too.

The Palette

The Art Institute of California, San Diego
7650 Mission Valley Rd. (Friars Rd.) Send to Phone
San Diego, CA 92108
858-598-1405 | Menu
artinstitutes.edu/sandiego/AboutUs/PaletteDiningRoom.aspx
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This student-run dining room showcases a new cuisine each quarter and the talents of the aspiring chefs at The Art Institute of California.

Cuisine

Open

Lunch & Dinner Wed.-Thurs.

Features

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The Palette Restaurant Review

: At The Palette, students helm the kitchen and the menu reflects their coursework, so you never know what to expect --- apart, that is, from innovative seasonal specials and some good food. Executive chef Michael Zonfrilli oversees the kitchen, dining room and students. We enjoy such starting efforts as a Masala-spiced tomato soup with seared paneer cheese; sweet corn risotto; and spinach salad with strawberries. For lunch, vegetarians will appreciate the chimichurri tofu torta with avocado tempura. It’s a delight to see what the aspiring chefs create --- like spicy fennel sausage with tagliatelle. And while sometimes dishes can be hit or miss, success triumphs failures. Desserts such as green tea mocha ice cream or a chocolate malted crème brûlée deliver a sweet finish. In the end, a meal here leaves us feeling as if we could be eating food from a future Charlie Trotter or Thomas Keller, and the speculative risk involved is well worth the reasonable prices.

User Ratings & Reviews for The Palette
Average rating    2.5
Reviews 1 - 2 of 21
The Palette, experience the next generation of chefs at work
by SteveB on Thu Sep 15, 2011 1:42 pm
 
The Palette is a student-run restaurant and part of the Culinary Program at the school. The hours and days vary according to the school schedule, but it generally is open for lunch and dinner service each quarter.
The service for dinner is formal and usually prompt. The menu changes each quarter, but there are usually plenty of bargains to be found. The prices are nice, and often you may find dishes which would be considerably more expensive elsewhere. The food is professionally presented and often artistic. It is worth the effort to see what the restaurant has to offer.
 
The Palette
by Jay Tea on Wed Sep 14, 2011 12:31 am
 
Being an establishment run for and by students, the service is a little amateur, although that is why the students are there, to learn to be professional. The dinner menu this quarter is quite nice, offering four courses, with three options in each course. I chose the mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes for my opener, the scallops and risotto for the second, the bacon wrapped quail for the third, and, although this was a bit unusual, the advanced pastry class was offering a dessert buffet in lieu of the regular desserts, so I had a whole lot of tasty choices! The deal is pretty good to, $25. The kitchen can be a bit slow, though I assume they'll improve as time goes by and they learn the stations... Only one week left for the summer dinner menu though, then it'll be time for the autumn courses to begin.
 
Reviews 1 - 2 of 21



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