Serẽa Coastal Cuisine: Exquisite Sea-toTable Coronado Dining By Noreen Kompanik Located just steps from the beach at the legendary 1888 Hotel del Coronado resort, Serẽa is a diamond in Coronado’s crown jewel of the San Diego waterfront. Making quite a splash on the foodie scene in the summer of 2019, the restaurant has been a welcome addition to the resort after a $200 million redevelopment. With renowned San Diego chef Jojo Ruiz at the helm, this dining establishment with distinctive Baja and Mediterranean influences is a culinary treasure. Ru i z ’s u n r i v a l e d dedication to craft cuisine has earned him two James Beard Fo u n d a t i o n S m a r t Catch awards, one at Serẽa and the other at San Diego Gaslamp’s renowned Lionfish. This p r e s t i g i o u s recognition honors chefs who promote sustainability within the seafood supply chain. Dinner is served nightly along with a weekend brunch. Reservations are highly recommended as this restaurant is always busy, and for good reason. The setting is spectacular, with stunning ocean views, yet there’s an air of casual sophistication. With San Diego’s almost picture-perfect weather, it’s no surprise that 60 percent of its seating is outdoors on its spacious terraced patio. A sleek outdoor bar area serves as an attractive focal
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point of the restaurant. For those who dine inside, the open-air setting still provides stunning views. You won’t find a bad table at Serẽa, and my husband and I were pleased with our seaside fabric-covered booth with decorative pillows near the outdoor fireplace. Surrounded by swaying palms, strings of romantic lights, and the sun setting into the Pacific, we reveled to each other “This is a perfect date night.” A wide selection of wines and bubbles by the glass or bottle, beer, sake, cocktails, and liquors are included in the extensive beverage menu. We decided on a bottle o f Me r S o l e i l Chardonnay from California’s Santa Lucia Highlands region of Monterey. Intense, complex, and golden-hued with fresh bright aromas and lush flavors of fully ripened fruit, it was a perfect selection to pair with our meal. Aromas from foods prepared from a wood-fired grill wafted through the air as we perused our dinner menus. Cuisine here is sourced locally and responsibly from area farms, markets, and California and Baja waters, then impeccably prepared. As a result, selecting a menu item can be challenging to diners.
