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2008 Restaurant Issue
Annual Restaurant Issue Published

Vincent's was selected as the San Diego pick on our inaugural Top 40 Cheap Eats in the U.S. list in our 2008 Restaurant Issue. Check out the rest of the newsletter for the Top 40 Restaurants in the U.S., the Top 10 Steakhouses in the U.S. and more!


THE BEST OF




Hot 10

Food Ratings

Barbecue

Breakfast NEW!
Brunch

Cheap Eats
Happy Hour NEW!
Heart-Healthy
Outdoor



Romantic
Seafood
Steakhouses
Value Restaurants
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RESTAURANT NEWS

Openings

Replete with a million dollar remodel, San Diego hot spot Sidebar has reopened under new ownership. Low-lit, sleek and sexy, this boudoir-style lounge, with its gilded mirrors and dark corners for inconspicuous encounters over bottle service, sits under a canopy of red bird cages and hosts a chic crowd. Chef Derek Dinublia serves up New York-style pizza, top-sirlon paninis with brie, and other savory treats to the late-night crowd. Sidebar, 536 Market St., San Diego, CA 92101, 619-696-0946.
 
Corvette Diner recently closed its Hillcrest location and will reopen at a new space twice the size in Point Loma. Set in the historic Liberty Station, the new rock-n-roll diner can seat 242 guests and has a 5,000-square-foot arcade, ideal for birthday parties and family-fun events. The Corvette Diner & Gamers’ Garage new address is 2965 Historic Decatur Road, San Diego, CA 92106. Free parking as well.
 
Vela, which means "sail" in Latin, showcases global cuisine from myriad coastlines. German-born executive chef Patrick Dahms honed his culinary skills throughout Europe and worked at the prestigious St. Regis Resort, Aspen before landing in San Diego. Intriguing eats include lobster Cobb salad, market oysters with a Bloody Mary sorbet, kurobuta pork shank with roasted baby apples and pomegranate cinnamon crème. Vela, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, 1 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101, 619-564-3333.
 

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THRILLS AT THE GRILL
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Top 10 Barbecue Wines

More of America's Best Barbecue

News Bytes

New Savvy Affordable Lunch at Bertrand at Mister A's
Bertrand at Mister A’s has a new 20/20 lunch offering---a three-course gourmet lunch for $20 served in 20 minutes, ideal for business or pleasure. Enjoy wrap-around views of the city and the coastline while nibbling on savory selections like Ahi tuna confit served with green beans; Maine lobster strudel with fresh lobster and mushrooms in filo dough with decadent cognac lobster sauce; and house-made espresso frozen parfait. Cocktail hour features gourmet bites like sole sliders or confit pork spring rolls and runs weekdays from 2:30 p.m.-6 p.m. Bertrand at Mister A's, 2550 Fifth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103, 619-239-1377.
 
Barbarella Launches Breakfast & New Happy Hour Bites
A local La Jolla Shores favorite, Barbarella has added breakfast seven days a week, with huevos rancheros and caramelized-apple French Toast as two highlights. A $5.95 happy hour bar menu features Fontina grilled cheese, truffle fries, salmon tartar, sliders, fresh pomegranate mojitos, martinis and more. Happy hour is available Monday through Friday from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Barbarella, 2171 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla, CA 92037, 858-454-7373.
 

The Marine Room

No More Corkage Fee at Marine Room
The Marine Room will no longer charge a corkage fee for guests wishing to bring their own bottles of wine (limit of two).  Previously, the corkage fee was $25 per bottle. Says Marine Room general manager Dennis Rush, "We hope this new policy will make for a more pleasurable dining experience." The Marine Room, 2000 Spindrift Way, La Jolla, 858-459-7222.




Chef Shuffle

BALEENsandiego at Paradise Point Resort & Spa has a new executive chef, Megan Barnes-Reichman. Formerly, she worked as executive chef at the Deville Four Seasons in Houston, and at Pahui’a Four Seasons Resort in Kona. Her position as a private chef aboard elegant yachts that sailed the world greatly influenced her cooking style and flavor profiles. She prepares a wide variety of global cuisines at BALEENsandiego and is also an experienced pastry chef. BALEENsandiego, Paradise Point Resort & Spa, 1404 W. Vacation Rd., San Diego, CA 92109, 858-490-6363.
 


Closings

Chef-owner David McIntyre's downtown restaurant, Crescent Heights Kitchen & Lounge, has closed. Crescent Heights Kitchen & Lounge, 655 W. Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101, no phone.
 
Urban Kitchen has closed Laurel Restaurant & Bar with plans for a new concept in the same space. Look for their new Italian/American restaurant opening soon, just in time for summer. Laurel Restaurant & Bar, 505 Laurel St., San Diego, CA 92101, no phone.
 
Aubergine, the upscale nightclub, sushi bar and lounge on 4th Avenue, has closed for renovations. No date has been announced for when it will re-open. Aubergine, 500 Fourth Ave., San Diego, CA 92101, no phone.
 

CULINARY EVENTS
Want to
learn to cook? Try new dishes? Meet a foodie friend for fun? Check out our compilation of culinary events in your area.

San Diego Dining

Restaurant Awards

Our annual restaurant issue features the Best Cheap Eats and our top 40 U.S. selections, including Alinea in Chicago, Per Se in New York and more!

Reviews of the Week

Downtown L.A.'s hot dining scene welcomes the second branch of BottleRock, featuring small dishes and a wine shop. Chef Govind Armstrong brings his hip and seasonal cooking style to New York City with his third Table 8 restaurant, while San Francisco's Bar Tartine offers California cuisine with a dash of molecular gastronomy.