8 minute read
It's A Date
by SARAH DAOUST
Amid what undoubtedly has been a weird and rough year, enjoying an evening out with that special someone (safely, of course) is just what the cabin fever ordered. Enter these San Diego restaurants to the rescue—offering remedies in the form of exceptional cuisine, decor, service, style and romantic ambiance. Following are a few of our favorite restaurant picks for date night this winter. Come as you are or dress up a little. Just be ready to experience some major (and much-needed) joie de vivre.
ANIMAE
Animae’s glamorous interior
This magical wonderland by the Puffer Malarkey Collective offers the best of all worlds for date night. Inside, the decidedly dramatic decor designed by Bells + Whistles is simultaneously sexy, opulent and playful. Think: glam, art-deco romance meets a luscious Japanese forest—punctuated by rich jewel tones of emerald and gold, and grandly draped curtains—topped with a pop of post-punk futurism. (For reference, stop by the bar and meet Big Chuck—the eyepopping, futuristic art piece by Berlin artists Igor Posavec and Sven Sauer installed behind it—and report back.) Outside, be transported to the firefly forests of Japan’s Shikoku Island by way of the Zen Garden dining patio. Nestled among lush foliage and trickling water fountains next to the Pacific Gate by BOSA tower, the space is an entrancing urban oasis—punctuated by the 25-foot-tall Pacific Soul sculpture by artist Jaume Plensa, which emanates a warm glow at sunset.
In the kitchen, James Beard Award-winning chef Nate Appleman is a gastronomic Jedi. As Animae’s new culinary director, Appleman was challenged to build upon the restaurant’s already-acclaimed, Asian-infused West Coast cuisine. This means coal-fired meats (there’s an entire wagyu section on the menu); elegant sea fare; flavor-dense rice and noodle dishes; and refined plates that spotlight seasonal ingredients and local produce.
♥ Menu highlights: the Ora King salmon and wagyu beef carpaccio starters; the Singapore chili lobster noodles; the prime skirt steak; and the Vietnamese iced coffee and bao doughnuts for dessert. Try the Lemongrass Gin & Tonic or Cherry Blossom Margarita to wash it all down. 969 Pacific Hwy., downtown, 619.432.1225
CIVICO BY THE PARK
Brothers Dario and Pietro Gallo welcome you to their new creation—formerly Il Dandy and now a sister restaurant to their popular Civico 1845 cucina in Little Italy. The cuisine is an homage to the brothers’ native Calabria, featuring authentic antipasti (we adore the fritto di mare and carpaccio di bresaola with shaved Parmesan), scratch-made pastas and entrees. But the star of the menu is the pizza, and the star of the pizza is its dough. Choose traditional Calabrian-style pizza dough, or try the pinsa Romana—original Roman pinsa made with wheat, soy and rice flours, and left to rise for 72 hours. The result is a light, airy dough that is low in calories and gluten, and easy to digest. (Another fun difference: Roman pinsa pizzas are oval-shaped versus round.) Try the margherita pie and let the simple, fresh ingredients and dough do the talking. More bonuses: Civico by the Park offers a full vegan menu and Italian cocktails such as the Civico Spritz with Aperol and grapefruit kombucha.
♥ About the ambiance: the 5,000-square-foot restaurant is a stunner. A glamorous decor fuses mid-century modern with European opulence and Italian futurism. This means ornate trimming, jewel-toned velvet chairs, gleaming marble floors, 16-foot ceilings and abstract modern artwork. And the ample outdoor dining terrace merely steps from Balboa Park makes for an enchanting date night. 2550 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill, 619.310.5669
HUNTRESS
Huntress’ Magic Mushroom dessert
Dress to impress for a night out, big-city style. One of the more anticipated new restaurants of the year, Huntress has at last opened its doors, and guests are in for a real treat (especially if you love wagyu steak). With the kitchen helmed by executive chef James Montejano, the posh, ultramod steakhouse and Japanese whisky bar by RMD Group offers alfresco dining on its expanded patio facing Fifth Avenue. Or dine and imbibe indoors amid an ultrasexy, sleek decor designed by Davis Ink— complete with a custom-designed chandelier made of 95 strategically placed glass pendants; and a more intimate mezzanine overlooking the restaurant's main dining floor.
♥ Our first love: the thick-cut, wagyu katsu sando on the appetizer menu. Tender, rare wagyu meat is sandwiched between toasted, buttery brioche—bite after bite, it literally melts in the mouth. Carnivores will swoon in general over Huntress’ vast steak selection, which includes both American and exclusive A5 Japanese wagyu selections, prime filet mignon and dry-aged cuts. For the ultimate splurge, go for the prime, 50-day-dry-aged tomahawk with sides of black truffle butter and bone-marrow butter. (At 32 ounces, this bad boy is ideal for date-night sharing.) Fish lovers will adore the miso Chilean sea bass— which arrives with a dashi consommé that gets poured before your eyes—surrounded by vegetables and fragrant truffle-prawn wontons. For a sweet finish, good luck resisting the Forbidden Fruit and the literally smoking Magic Mushroom—both dreamt up by brilliant pastry chef Melanie Stagnaro. 376 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 619.329.4868
JEUNE ET JOLIE
Candlelight, olive trees, twinkling lights, stars above, soft music playing … Sold. The outdoor dining space at this beloved French bistro is so lovely that regular patrons are hard-pressed to recall its former life as the parking lot. The “Starry Night” experience entails a five-course tasting menu that changes weekly; plus add-ons such as wine pairings and elegant shellfish platters of oysters, mussels and crab legs. On a recent visit, we enjoyed a beautifully seared big-eye tuna plated with a drizzle of yuzu aioli, celery, cherry and pistachio; a luscious salmon fillet lightly draped with beurre monté (melted butter), plus asparagus, beets, cucumber and creamed corn; and Wagyu Zabuton côte de boeuf cooked perfectly medium-rare. And we usually skip the bread course when dining out (to save stomach space and minimize carb guilt), but the brioche pain at Jeune et Jolie is worth every flaky, salty, buttery bite.
♥ New chef alert: Be sure to wave “Bonsoir!” to executive chef Eric Bost if you spot him in the open kitchen. Owner John Resnick sought him out after Bost’s acclaimed restaurant Auburn in Los Angeles became a casualty of the pandemic. His experience and accrued accolades are tremendous—including stints at Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée and Les Ambassadeurs at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris; Restaurant Guy Savoy (awarded two Michelin stars) in Las Vegas; Guy Savoy in Singapore; and République in Los Angeles. 2659 State St., Carlsbad, 760.637.5266
SEREA
Dreamy Coronado Beach and ocean views at Serea
Hotel del Coronado’s dining flagship—under the helm of Clique Hospitality and executive chef JoJo Ruiz—epitomizes finer seaside dining in SoCal. Ruiz has crafted an elevated, sea-to-table, Mediterraneaninfused dining experience, centered on sustainable, local seafood. This means Baja kampachi sashimi, halibut ceviche, and seared market tuna with compressed melon and heirloom-tomato gazpacho. Or choose a catch from the fresh fish display; have it deboned tableside; seasoned with lemon, salt and olive oil; and prepared over an open fire.
♥ Carnivores will love: the roasted half chicken and the beef fillet with blistered tomato. Another bonus: Serea's beachy-chic ambiance. Book a table on the elevated dining porch or on the ground-level terrace—boasting views of Coronado Beach and the Pacific. 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.435.6611
MADISON
“Patio pivoting” has become an art form in San Diego, and Madison's half block-long, cedar “parklet”—which literally spills into the street—has won our heart. This campy-cool spot makes for a fun, casual date night. Dine alfresco or venture through its private tunnel and sit inside, where the architecture alone will drop jaws—cedarpaneled vaulted ceilings, mid-century-mod furnishings, Italian accents and cozy booths. Both spaces are ideal for enjoying Madison’s Mediterranean-infused SoCal cuisine.
♥ Menu favorites: the salmon skewers with lemon orzo and white beans; the asiago filled gnocchi with jumbo shrimp; and the famous panko-crusted pork chop with asparagus and broccoli rabe. You’ll also find the best cocktails in the ‘hood here; try the
Stellar Ember with Peruvian pisco, passion fruit and egg white. 4622 Park Blvd., University Heights, 619.269.6566
Herb & Sea / Leave it to Puffer Malarkey Collective to transform a 6,500-squarefoot, 1920s building in the heart of Encinitas, into a stylish coastal dining experience like no other in the area. Herb & Sea is a modern East-Coast-meets-West-Coast eatery and bar featuring an open kitchen, soaring ceilings punctuated by beaded chandeliers, warm woods and pops of muted turquoise. Partner/owner Brian Malarkey and executive chef Sara Harris oversee a slightly lighter menu than Herb & Sea’s Little Italy sister, Herb & Wood. This means a raw bar and plenty of refined seafood dishes, such as the roasted oysters and bone marrow, and plancha-fired whole branzino; plus wood-fired pizzas, pastas, seasonal vegetable dishes, and butterscotch budino for dessert.
♥ And there’s more: Herb & Sea’s former parking lot has been transformed into The Moonlight Deck—an 1,800-square-foot, bilevel terrace seating nearly 100 guests— complete with ramshackle sand fencing and stylish striped umbrellas. The result is a quaint, SoCal-meets-Cape-Cod ambiance (aka date night gold). 131 West D St., Encinitas, 760.704.8300
BORN AND RAISED
Get dressed up for a fine-dining experience at this sumptuous, high-style steakhouse. Our seating suggestion: Reserve a booth on the sexy rooftop terrace to dine under the stars—complete with well-spaced seating and city views. And of course, it’s all about the beef here. Choose from classic cuts, dry-aged steaks, American and Japanese wagyu, and prime rib served with Yorkshire pudding; plus delicacies such as caviar and uni spaghetti with bone marrow.
♥ On the cocktail menu: Born and Raised is serious about its spirits—stocking the city's largest collection of scotch by the glass and an inventory of more than 300 bottles The bar also boasts some 500 distinctive spirits; plus martinis expertly prepared tableside, Old Fashioneds, Manhattans and other Prohibition-era favorites. An exceptional wine list features more than 150 selections. 1909 India St., Little Italy, 619.202.4577
