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News for Restaurants in San Diego
April 2013 Archive

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RESTAURANT NEWS

Openings

Old-school dining at Rancho Bernardo Inn’s El Bizcocho has been replaced with a new concept called Avant. A $2.5 million renovation has transformed the spacious dining room into a California Ranch-style ambiance with wood and cozy leather furniture and woven textural fabrics. A new menu by executive chef Nicholas Bour showcases seasonal produce, house-made charcuterie and artisan cheeses. Dishes include retro deviled eggs; crispy cod cheeks; line-caught swordfish with cauliflower, roasted pepper and arugula; and Baja grouper with heirloom beans and salsa verde. Expected to open in the summer of 2013, Avant will also serve up classic cocktails, wines on tap and craft beers. Avant, 17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr., San Diego, CA 92128, 858-675-8500, 877-517-9340.
 

News Bytes

Del Mar Village’s annual Summer Solstice
Celebrate the arrival of summer at Del Mar Village’s annual Summer Solstice on June 20, 2013. Set in lovely Powerhouse Park next to the sea, this festive event features 20 local restaurants and 15 wineries and breweries, live music and a silent auction. Summer Solstice runs from 5 p.m.-8 p.m. so guests can listen to the sounds of the steel drum while the sun sets into the Pacific. Tickets are $65, and VIP tables are available for $800 for parties of 10. For more information, visit www.summer.delmarmainstreet.com.
 
Mother's Day at The Grand Del Mar
The Grand Del Mar hotel is offering a variety of festive experiences to celebrate Mother’s Day. There will be a brunch buffet in the Elizabeth Ballroom and a three-course brunch at Amaya. If afternoon tea appeals, share finger sandwiches, pastries, teas and wines with your loved ones. Addison will also celebrate the occasion with four-, seven- or even 10-course dinners prepared by chef William Bradly and his team. The Grand Del Mar, 5300 Grand Del Mar Ct., San Diego, CA 92130, 858-314-2000, 855-314-2030.
 
Twenty/20 Brings San Sebastian-style Cuisine to Carlsbad
Twenty/20 Grill & Wine Bar, the family-friendly restaurant at the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, has undergone a renovation and now offers top-rate indoor and al fresco dining in the spirit of San Sebastian. Talented executive chef Robert Carr has composed a new farm-to-coast menu highlighting local produce, fresh seafood, grilled meats, paella and yes, sangria. Enjoy a great happy hour menu featuring tapas such as lamb meatballs, charred octopus, bacon-wrapped dates, and shishito peppers. The flatbread with caramelized onion, Cabrales blue cheese and arugula is a standout, as is the Spanish Margarita with jalapeño-infused agave nectar and a kiss of orange liqueur. Twenty/20 Grill & Wine Bar, Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, 5480 Grand Pacific Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008, 760-827-2500.
 

Chef Shuffle

Chef Amy DiBiase has returned to Paradise Point Resort & Spa as executive chef to help launch a new dining concept at the Mission Bay hotel, slated for later this year. DiBiase, who previously worked as chef de cuisine at the hotel’s signature restaurant BALEENsandiego from 2006 to 2008, rejoins the team after recently serving as chef de cuisine at The Shores Restaurant in La Jolla. DiBiase, who’s known for putting a California twist on Italian and French cuisines, creates responsible menus that use fresh, local and sustainable ingredients. Set on the 44-acre island in Mission Bay, Baleen offers diners stunning waterfront views in a relaxing atmosphere. BALEENsandiego, Paradise Point Resort & Spa, 1404 W. Vacation Rd., San Diego, CA 92109, 858-490-6363.
 
Celebrated chef Paul McCabe, a local favorite, is trading in his La Valencia Hotel culinary post for a new gig at the the Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Scottsdale. McCabe, who also championed Kitchen 1540 and gave L’Auberge Del Mar a respected seaside restaurant, will be sorely missed for his creativity and progressive menus. La Valencia Hotel, 1132 Prospect St., La Jolla, CA 92037, 858-454-0771.
 


Closings

CLOSED FOR GOOD
Take your taste buds on a walk down memory lane! Check out our exclusive closed restaurant database for San Diego to virtually visit your favorite dining spots from the past. Mr. Tiki Mai Tai Lounge, R.I.P.

After three years in business, El Take It Easy in North Park shuttered on April 22, 2013. It has been replaced with Hubcap, which focuses on grass-fed burgers, craft beers and cocktails. El Take It Easy, 3926 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104, no phone.
 
Avenue 5 Restaurant & Bar, a neighborhood eatery in Bankers Hill, closed its doors in April. It offered seasonal American dishes with French influences in a sophisticated setting that blended European style with California cool. Avenue 5 Restaurant & Bar, 2760 Fifth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103, 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.


View our calendar of Wine Dinners & Tastings in San Diego

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VALENTINE'S DAY WINES

Add wine to the celebration of love, curated by GAYOT´s Wine & Spirits Editor.

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CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS

For a rosé bubbly Valentine's Day celebration.

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GAYOT'S RESTAURANT AWARDSOver the years, we have been electing restaurants to be on GAYOT's Yearly Restaurant Awards.

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