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News for Restaurants in San Diego
October 2011 Archive

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RESTAURANT NEWS

Openings

Located in Hotel Palomar San Diego (formerly Se Hotel), Saltbox is the fun new dining spot on the block. Replacing Suite & Tender, Saltbox immerses itself in San Diego’s vibrant cocktail culture by raising the bar with its gastro-lounge approach. The simple menu takes on a spirited focus with skillful food and drink pairings. Meals are made with farm-to-table ingredients, and the cocktail list alone runs the gamut from Prohibition-era classics to Saltbox originals, all made with fresh ingredients and a skilled hand. Saltbox boasts one of the largest selections of rums and tequilas in town, and also offers local wines that are equally noteworthy. Saltbox is open for breakfast and dinner daily, brunch Saturday and Sunday, and lunch Monday through Friday. Call 619-515-3006 to book a reservation. Saltbox, Hotel Palomar, 1047 5th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101, 619-515-3003.
 
Serving up both Mexican cuisine and sushi is newcomer Juan Chou. Menu items include more than a dozen specialty rolls, as well as chile rellenos, burritos, tacos, tortas and tostadas. Juan Chou, 3023 Juniper St., San Diego, CA 92104, 619-487-0455.
 

News Bytes

Loews Coronado Bay Features Beer-maker Dinners at Mistral
The 3rd annual San Diego Beer Week runs November 4-12, and Loews Coronado Bay is trading its Pinot for pints in celebration of the city’s thriving beer culture. Mistral, the resort’s fine-dining French restaurant, is partnering with San Diego’s top breweries to pair chef Patrick Ponsaty’s modern French cuisine with select craft beers. The beer-maker dinners will feature Lost Abbey November 4, Stone Brewing Co. November 5, Karl Strauss Brewing Company November 11 and Mission Brewery November 12. Each dinner will include a four-course menu enhanced by beers for $49 per person. Diners will have the opportunity to learn more about each evening’s featured brewery while admiring Mistral’s breathtaking views of Coronado Bay and the San Diego skyline. For reservations or more information, call 619-424-4000. Mistral, Loews Coronado Bay Resort, 4000 Coronado Bay Rd., Coronado, CA 92118, 619-424-4000.
 
Brian Marlarkey's Burlap Launches Lunch and Brunch Service
North County’s chic Asian cowboy restaurant has just expanded its business with the launch of lunch and brunch service. Offering a range of upscale lunch bites from sandwiches to salads, as well as a few entrees that appear on the dinner menu, guests can enjoy chef Brian Malarkey’s boldly flavored and playful cuisine in a more relaxed setting, whether it’s in the colorful dining room or the sunny wrap-around patio next to the koi pond. Favorite lunchtime selections include the chop chop salad with chicken, edamame, wontons and cilantro with ginger dressing or the seven-spice shrimp po'boy with slaw and spicy mayo. The brunch menu boasts items such as the Benny’s eggs Benedict with miso hollandaise. Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and lunch daily from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit www.burlapeats.com for more information. Burlap, 12995 El Camino Real, Del Mar, CA 92130, 858-369-5700.
 
Shawn Barker Joins the Bertrand at Mister A’s Team
Bertrand at Mister A’s is now shaking and stirring things up with its addition of mixologist and bar consultant Shawn Barker. With his new crafty cocktail menu, Barker will showcase the local flavor and flair of San Diego. Barker, a San Diego native, has also worked at Las Vegas hot spots including Caramel and Light at the Bellagio, Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay Resort and Ice Nightclub, which was featured on Spike TV’s show, The Club. Classic beverages, signature cocktails and skinny drinks made with seasonal ingredients and top-shelf spirits will appear on the menu to give diners a wide variety of drink options to pair with their fare. Betrand at Mister A's, 2550 Fifth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103, 619-239-1377.
 
West Steakhouse Introduces Slow-Cooked Sunday Suppers
For a little nostalgia and tradition on Sundays, chef Eugenio Martignago has launched family-style Sunday night suppers at West Steak Seafood & Spirits where diners choose from a selection of starters, entrees and side dishes. Think corn chowder with bacon, cheddar cheese and fresh basil, or mixed greens with gorgonzola and caramalized walnuts. For the main course, it's osso bucco, Prime rib, lamb shank, short ribs or veal osso bucco, all slowly cooked. Sides include truffle fries, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes and rataouille. Dinner is $29.95 per person. The event occurs every Sunday except holidays starting at 5 p.m. West Steak Seafood & Spirits, West Inn & Suites, 4980 Avenida Encinas, Carlsbad, CA 92008, 760-930-9100.
 

Chef Shuffle

Robert Lee Carr is the newest addition to Twenty/20 Grill & Wine Bar, the cheerful restaurant inside the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa. As executive chef, chef Carr will oversee the food and kitchen operations at the resort, incorporating his own touches of international recipes into the restaurant’s cuisine. Chef Carr plans to up the ante of the sustainable restaurant with a Cal-French inspired menu. Twenty/20 Grill & Wine Bar, Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, 5480 Grand Pacific Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008, 760-827-2500.
 


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.

La Playa Bistro in Point Loma has closed. La Playa Bistro, 1005 Rosecrans, San Diego, CA 92106, 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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