That’s exactly why Beau du Bois looked to CDMX’s culinary capital—the Roma Norte neighborhood—for the name and inspiration behind Roma Norte, Puesto’s brand-new 21+ bar concept at The Headquarters at Seaport Village, which officially opens Friday, July 26.  

Roma Norte’s sprawling interior spans 2,000 square feet, anchored with a moody dark brown marble bar and seating for 60. The vibe feels mysterious, yet charming, utilizing elements like rich velvet furniture, bronze accents, and antique mirrors for an ambiance inspired by Mexico City’s iconic architecture and melded with a modern San Diego feel.

It’s luxe. It’s intriguing. It’s super sexy, no doubt about it, and best experienced sans sunlight. “The meat and potatoes of its personality is after dark,” du Bois promises. From the moment you step inside, he wants you to feel immersed in the experience, starting with an oshibori hot towel service to start fresh, literally and figuratively. 

The superstar bar director is already the vice president of bar & spirits at Puesto and Marisi and has created award-winning cocktail programs at places like The Restaurant at Meadowood, the three Michelin-starred restaurant at the Meadowood Napa Valley resort. But he says he’s never created anything like Roma Norte before.

Working alongside director of bar logistics, Derek Cram, the final cocktail menu reads like the pages of a well-stamped passport. Nearly 70 unique drinks are divided between what they refer to as “Technique Driven” and “House,” plus four additional mocktails. Du Bois is already known for his Taco Truck cocktail, a riff on a Negroni using mezcal with Campari infused with cinnamon and pineapple. “For the opening of Roma Norte, we did an NA version of that which is really, surprisingly, very, very good,” he promises. 

Developing world-class cocktails with, and especially without alcohol, can be “an extreme challenge,” he says, but one that only helps hone the team’s skills and caters to the growing demand for equally balanced alcohol-free creations. “The tagline for Roma Norte is ‘every day is a school day,’ because we’re just constantly learning.”

Technique-driven dominates the menu, with selections like a Nitro Punch with mango, nitro-muddled hoja santa, lime and lemon juice, Champagne cordial, Park Pineau des Charentes, Macchu Pisco, and singani; or du Bois’ arguably most unexpected addition—his take on a rum and coke that’s perfectly clear. Made with milk-washed Bacardi 8 and Banks 7 rum, house-made cola, clarified lime cordial, and an ice spear, it’s definitely one that’ll use your eyes to fool your tongue. 

Even the House cocktails are anything but basic. From a banana daiquiri clarified using a centrifuge “the size of a Xerox printer” to the Rosetta with unaged apple brandy, milk cordial, and a whole bunch of other amazing sounding things, it’s clear that scientists and spirit lovers alike have something to look forward to. 

That emphasis on innovation in flavor, technique, execution, service, and even technology and equipment is something du Bois says will set his small team apart from anywhere else in San Diego. He admits he’s asking a lot of them, constantly pushing them to evolve, hone their understanding of chemistry, and experiment with unexpected tools (like said centrifuges). But after training at Roma Norte, “they’ll be in the top five percent of bartenders in the country, easily,” he claims. “These things have to be learned. They have to be demonstrated and shown, and it’s just not happening at this level, [with] this many cocktails, at any bar in San Diego.”

Although Roma Norte is a Puesto-adjacent project, don’t expect any overlap from the menu. Alongside du Bois’ concoctions are chef Erik Aronow’s creations, a collection of small plates specifically designed to go along with the star of the show—the drinks. Expect a few heartier plates like a carne crudo, a prime diced hanger steak with birria-spiced aioli, shimeji mushroom, and radish sprout, or the torta de Milanesa that features veal on a potato roll and topped with spicy cabbage, avocado, cilantro green chile aioli, and pickled onions. There’s plenty of seafood, too, like tostadas with scallops or yellowfin tuna specifically designed to be shared.

For the late-night crowd, Aronow has a few lighthearted bites like Flamin’ Hot Corn Nuts served with housemade crunchy hominy and a cheesy spice blend. Du Bois says that appealing to dinner and late-night crowds, as well as industry folks who get off work late at night is something he believes San Diego’s bar scene lacks, especially compared to Los Angeles, New York, and yes, Mexico City. “It’s just not a cocktail bar if you’re not open later in the evening,” he says. “That’s the DNA of a cocktail bar.” Is Roma Norte the answer? du Bois says yes. 

“From the moment you’re seated at Roma Norte, we’re taking you off the streets of San Diego and into the vibrant culture of Roma Norte,” he says. “We want Roma Norte to be a consistent option for people in San Diego to trust that it will be open until two in the morning.”

Roma Norte opens Friday, July 26 at 789 W Harbor Drive, Unit 155 in The Headquarters. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Reservations are available on Roma Norte’s website, OpenTable, and Sevenrooms. Adults 21 years old and up only.

The post First Look: Roma Norte Opening at Seaport Village appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

But look for other cultural cuisines—Laotian, Basque, or Hawaiian, for instance—and the city offers few choices. Luckily, lovers of the latter will add one more option to the roster this summer: The Haole Shack opens at 707 Grand Avenue in Pacific Beach in early August. 

The Haole Shack is located directly adjacent to PB Shore Club at the corner of Grand Avenue and Ocean Boulevard. Grind & Prosper Hospitality (Louisiana Purchase, Coco Maya) operates both businesses. The Haole Shack’s director of operations, Ben Carroccio, says the restaurant’s menu of Hawaiian-inspired eats will be available all day through late night onsite and at PB Shore Club once its own kitchen closes.

“We’re hoping to introduce a great, quick-service option for burgers, teriyaki bowls, and shaved ice, whether you’re off to the beach, waiting in line at PB Shore Club, or looking for late-night grub,” Carroccio explains. He says the group aims to create a retro, ’80s-esque Hawaiian beach shack inspired by the founder’s recent trips to the island state. 

The menu will focus on smashburgers (single and double), teriyaki bowls, and shaved ice. Diners will also find black bean burgers and “Double Shaka” dirty fries with tri-tip, chicken, kook sauce, green onions, and sesame seeds over french fries. Teriyaki bowls include chicken, tofu, or tri-tip with steamed vegetables, kimchi-seasoned fried rice, togarashi, teriyaki, and kook sauce. Food will be available to go from the counter, but the space also offers patio parklet seating for 16 people. However, I recommend bringing a blanket and enjoying your bites only a few feet away on the sand. 

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Ember & Rye Reopens With Two Interactive Events

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Ember & Rye is back. It’s celebrating a grand re-opening inside the Park Hyatt Aviara with two events this week. The first, “BBQ with Blais,” takes place Sunday, July 14, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Chef Richard Blais will demonstrate how to hone some serious grill skills. Then, on Thursday, July 18, he’ll guide guests through a four-course meal with cocktails from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets for both events and reservations for regular dining are available on Ember & Rye’s website. 

Beth’s Bites

North Park’s Vegan Market returns this Saturday, July 13, from noon to 4 p.m. at 3812 29th Street. You’ll find more than just vegan goodies—the event is also a vinyl record fair, brought to you by Chakasonica Fronterizx Vinyl Collective. Come hungry and ready to dig through thousands of LPs and 45s for the perfect score.

Happy birthday, Bica! The Adams Avenue eatery turns one on Sunday, July 14, and it’s throwing an all-day party to celebrate. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., expect vendors, giveaways, and live music, followed by DJs, tapas, and tattoos in the evening.

The post The Haole Shack Bringing Hawaiian Eats to Pacific Beach appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Whether you’re a tea aficionado or just looking to chill in a charming spot with a kettle and crumpets, our city’s tea culture has something for everyone. Nothing beats dressing up and feeling like the queen of England, so here’s our list of 13 must-try tea houses for a royally good time.

California English

Sorrento Valley

This restaurant in Sorrento Valley marries the tastes of London and California. Its tea time offers a great deal: $52 for two people gets you a scrumptious tea tower stacked with pastries and sandwiches, plus two pots of tea so you and your tablemate can sample different types. If you’re extra hungry, additional sandwiches can be added à la carte, but the tower should suffice, and you’ll likely take leftover pastries home. 

The Grand Tea Room

Escondido

This charming and cozy space in downtown Escondido wins in the variety category, with an eclectic mix of more than 40 loose-leaf teas served in elegant teacups and lacy décor straight out of a Pinterest board. Get the Cream Tea with fruit, a lemon pastry, and freshly steeped tea, or the two-hour Grand Tea, which includes soup, sandwiches, pastries, and tea. Prices range from $17 to $42, so your tea party won’t break the bank, either. 

Coral Tree Tea House

Old Town

This quaint historic house in Balboa Park offers three fancy tea services: the Queen’s High Tea ($50) includes the most food, but the $40 Afternoon Tea will still set you up with sandwiches, desserts, and scones served with Devonshire cream and lemon curd. The $23 Princess and Prince Tea involves smaller portions for little ones ages 5 to 8.

Aubrey Rose Tea Room

La Mesa

Aubrey Rose’s fine china game is on point, turning your average tea time into an upscale affair without the pretentious price tag. Nestled in La Mesa, this quaint spot serves afternoon tea for $43 per person, including a seasonal soup, an accompanying savory, a three-tiered tray, and loose-leaf tea. Your pinky finger may lift itself out of sheer delight, and you’ll leave feeling fancy without your wallet shedding a tear.

Marlene’s Tea & Cakes

Black Mountain Ranch

The décor here resembles the home of your grandma’s chic, artsy friend—cozy yet strangely sophisticated. Bonus points, too, for the relaxing vibes and adorably Lilliputian portions. $35 per adult gets you savories, scones, fruit, and tea inspired by European tradition but fit for Southern Californians. 

The Britannia Tea Rooms

Point Loma

The experiences seem endless at Britannia Tea Rooms. Available only to private parties, the colorful and fabulously eccentric Mad Hatter’s tea room is basically an Instagram filter brought to life. If you’re not looking to throw a full-scale tea party of your very own, book the afternoon tea for $53 per person and munch on a starter, sandwiches, and sweets. Also check out their rotating themed teas inspired by holidays and beloved movies, shows, and books.

PARU Tea

Point Loma

A departure from the British sipping experience, Paru offers Japanese tea services. The shop hosts tea sessions, or mini tea tastings, where you can sample the monthly rotating specialty teas, including loose leaf and matcha options, for only $20 per person. The shop is a digital-free zone, eliminating the temptation to let your phone drink first.

Morning Glory

Little Italy

A hidden gem at this maximalist brunch spot, the afternoon tea service is one of the best deals is town. Skip the two-hour brunch line in the morning and instead enjoy tea, deviled eggs, pastries, and finger sandwiches for only $15 per person.

Extraordinary Desserts

Little Italy

Tea is best paired with desserts. This modern twist on tea time includes tantalizing toasts, decadent desserts, and the option to add a bubbly sidekick, making it the sweetest sip experience in town. Extrordinary Desserts’ high tea is available only on weekdays from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for $45 per person. 

Westgate Hotel

Downtown

Afternoon tea at the Westgate Hotel is a timeless and elegant experience, complete with opulent surrounds that aren’t too far off from a castle. For $55 per person, you can nibble on finger sandwiches, pastries, and macarons. Get dressed up and spend your weekend living like a noble.

La Valencia

La Jolla

Daytime tea with a view of the ocean comes at a price. The Mediterranean Room at La Valencia asks $89 per adult or $65 per child—but they throw in a complimentary glass of Champagne, because nothing says “fancy tea time” like bubbles with your scones and quiche.

Grand Del Mar

Del Mar

Another tea time with fab vistas. Sip some chamomile from the lobby lounge while taking in the Grand Del Mar’s spectacular canyon environs. The $89 price tag covers table and bar service, live music on weekends, and a tea sommelier to help you discover your perfect cup. 

Julian Tea & Cottage Arts

Julian

While the drive to Julian might be longer than your typical tea break, the charming countryside escape and epic tea selection make up for the trek. Choose from an array of options, including a four-course tea with soup, scones, sandwiches, savories, and desserts or a much simpler spread of assorted cookies and a bottomless pot of tea.

The post 13 Places to Get Afternoon Tea Service in San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

The caesar salad they serve here comes with jalapeños and an Al-Pacino-doing-coke-in-Scarface amount of Parmesan. It is glorious.

But back to the room. It is the friend whose shirt never has lint. Lint wouldn’t dare. Lint leaves the shirt of this place and jumps onto your shirt. The chairs are army green or martini olive green, warm yet also nontraditional—interesting enough to practice polyamory. Or maybe the color was invented specifically for this room because none of the rest of us could be trusted with this color. In our hands, it would’ve looked like an army surplus store.

The market oysters, meaning whichever are particularly thriving at that moment, are also very good. The accompanying yuzu kosho granité is the killer here. Yuzu is a tart Asian lemon, and yuzu kosho is a godly paste made from fermented chiles, salt, and yuzu zest. Mignonette, Tabasco, and grocery store lemons do fine, workmanlike work. This is the spiritual enlightenment of that idea.

This place used to be a piano showroom. Before Americans started buying our pianos and consumer thrills from Jeff Bezos, each American city had a glossy little piano farm. You walked in and someone was tickling the ivories beautifully, filling you with the spirit that you, too, might fancy a tickle. You sat down on one of those pianos and played the first few bars of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and stopped after a few seconds because you never learned the rest of the song (that fact has led to more than one romantic breakup in your life). 

Large humans would deliver the piano to your house, where you played it furiously for six or seven days until you could do crimes because your fingerprints were rubbed fresh off. Then, for the next six or seven years, the piano would just kinda sit there, taking up an immodest amount of space (but looking really shiny and projecting your family’s false-front of artsiness) until you eventually forced it on some gullible relative who also enjoys musical delusions of grandeur.

Now that the place is Paradisaea, there’s still a piano in the room, and every Wednesday the principal of Rancho Bernardo High School comes down to play for everyone. After long days of contouring the brilliant and terrifying minds of teenagers, I bet playing here is therapy.

But, on most nights, the music you hear in this room is the ice being rhythmically thrashed about in the bartender’s shakers—that rocky-wet siren song of loose lips. The music is the sizzle and sear of hot pans in the open kitchen. The music is the muffled cultural discussions and gentle insider trading of Bird Rock regulars.

The bartenders make a damn good martini. Drink it while eating the carrots in smoked yogurt—a dish made well in many places around town (Fort Oak famously does a great one), simultaneously smoky and tangy and creamy and carrot-sweet. It’s a dish that makes us moan, tottering on that thin threshold between eating dinner and soundtracking smut.

Dry-aging fish is a fringe kitchen art that’s catching on (it’s honestly an ancient thing—sushi only gets its trademark silkiness by aging a bit). When you age it, it doesn’t get “fishier” in that moldy-dock sort of way; it’s just more rich and luscious. Paradisaea’s amberjack crudo comes with oro blanco (grapefruit-adjacent), shaved fennel, charred avocado, and burnt citrus oil. Fresh, bright, and burnt. That’s a good thing. 

I didn’t much care for the Ora King salmon. That was a tad fishy. But the 28-day ribeye with potato pave and morel mushrooms is an old song played well.

The steak knives are engraved with their island–Def Leppard logo on the side of the blade. That couldn’t have been cheap. You should probably just order the chefs’ tasting menu (at $105 for five courses, it has to be one of the best deals in the city)—each bite seems to come with its own custom utensil.

The post The Prettiest Restaurant in San Diego (& Some Delicious Carrots) appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

“Rumorosa can be anything that you want it to be,” Seville says of the all-day restaurant. 

Oceguera has roots on both sides of the border, and Rumorosa is a tribute to the flavors and ingredients he grew up with. Born and raised in San Diego, he grew up working for his father’s Tijuana catering company. So he knows Baja-Cali cuisine, and he knows this property. His first job out of high school was here, as the cafeteria attendant. Seventeen years later—after working with Bobby Flay at Mesa Grill and Brian Malarkey at Searsucker—he’s back with a bit more experience, and more expectations. 

“When I create menus, I go pure nostalgic memories,” he says. “It’s the food I like to eat and cook but presented in a way that’s approachable for everybody. I don’t want to say it was easy, but I had a good idea of what I wanted to do.”

For example, the aguachile. In Sinaloa, where Oceguera’s family is from, the lime-heavy crudo dish is served spicy. But here, he’s tweaked the recipe by marrying the tequila-cured salmon with a silky, spicy-sweet sauce that uses an unexpected San Diego staple: Carlsbad strawberries. Unexpected could be the theme of this contemporary restaurant named after a two-lane mountain bypass that is as challenging to drive as it is picturesque. Usually, a restaurant picks a lane: casual or upscale. By design, Rumorosa swerves between them both.

There’s a private, 16-person dining room for invite-only occasions and communal bar seating for last-minute plans. There’s a massive illuminated tree structure you’ll want to Instagram and waterfront views that nudge you to put your phone down. There’s a 24-ounce grilled bavette steak for dinner, and street tacos for lunch.

Rumorosa is the first of four new dining concepts to open as part of the Sheraton’s big unveil. Brewery X Harborside, Sunglow Pool Lounge, and Strada Marketplace are also slated to open this year.

The post Exclusive First Look: Rumorosa appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

With all restaurants do to nourish us, we invite you to give back to them by voting for your Reader’s Choice favorites in several categories.

Vote in as many categories as you like, but you can only cast one vote per category. If the altruistic love of your favorite spot isn’t enough, your vote will enter you to win a $200 gift card to the Catamaran Hotel Resort and Spa.

Winning restaurants earn bragging rights for the entire calendar year—and your continued love and support. So, go on. It’s up to you to decide on our city’s next culinary icon.

Voting has closed. View the Best Restaurants 2024 Winners here.

The post Vote Now for San Diego’s Best Restaurants 2024 appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Mexican Cantina with Baja Coastal Cuisine Headed to the Gaslamp

Aron Langellier is one of the masterminds behind local spots like Barley Mash, The Smoking Gun, and most recently, Spill the Beans. Now, he and his partners are looking to bring the same vibe and experience as their other locales to a new arena: Mexican food. Hasta Manaña Cantina is expected to open sometime this spring in the Gaslamp in the former 8,000-square-foot Rockin’ Baja Lobster space. Langellier likes the friendly feel of the restaurant’s name, meaning “see you tomorrow,” and hopes their new addition of a large bar as the centerpiece of the restaurant will conjure that friendly, “catch you soon” energy for tourists and locals alike. 

While the menu is still being curated by Barley Mash executive chef and Hasta Manaña partner Kevin Templeton, Langellier says we can expect the menu to feature Mexican classics like tacos and burritos alongside dishes with a “Baja coastal” focus, using sustainable and local seafood. And with that center bar taking the main stage, visitors can expect a robust and thoughtful cocktail program.

Where to Eat in San Diego: Restaurant News & Food Events

San Diego Restaurant Week is back March 3 through March 10, featuring dining specials (think two-course lunches and three-course dinners starting at $30) at more than 100 local restaurants in more than 30 different San Diego County neighborhoods.

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

The post Where to Eat in San Diego: Restaurant Openings and News (Feb. 12–16) appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Inside an El Cajon Art Gallery, a Couple Serves Coffee Inspired by Their Mexican and Armenian Cultures

When Valerie Urrutia and Christopher Yerikian met on a dating app five years ago, they bonded over a shared love of java and a dream of owning a coffee shop. Their ambition grew alongside their romance—the couple founded an online roasting company, eventually hosting pop-ups and, now, establishing a brick-and-mortar space at the East County Art Association’s gallery in El Cajon. Urrutia and Yerikian describe their new shop, Surje Coffee, as an “elevated coffee and art-viewing experience.” There are plenty of places in town where you can caffeinate and post up with your laptop, but the duo hopes their unique setup will prompt guests to enjoy the surrounding art while sipping a latte and connecting with fellow customers. Their goal is to build community through coffee. 

Urrutia and Yerikian’s Mexican and Armenian cultures, respectively, are also big influences on the business. The name Surje (pronounced surge) means coffee in Armenian, and the logo colors nod to both the Armenian and Mexican flags. On Surje’s menu, you’ll find Mexican ingredients like Oaxacan chocolate and mole bitters and Armenian specialties such as pistachios and rose. 

Urrutia’s favorite drink on the menu is the lavender latte. The drink blends espresso and oat milk with a homemade lavender syrup that Urrutia’s dad created. Meanwhile, Yerikian recommends one of the shop’s coffee “cocktails,” zero-proof bevs that draw on classic drinks like the old fashioned while swapping caffeine for booze. Another must-order is the Mediterranean coffee with pistachio syrup, espresso, oat milk, a dash of Himalayan salt, and rose petals. All menu items are dairy- and gluten-free. 

Coffee and Crepe Shop with Mexican and French Flavors Opens in Old Town

Married couple Gabriela “Gabby” Gonzalez and Benjamin Clement built much of their relationship in the kitchen, creating meals for each other from their cultures. Gonzalez would whip up tacos and enchiladas to share her Mexican heritage with her French husband, while he would craft homemade crepes for her. The pair recently opened Hola Paris in the outdoor food hall space Old Town Urban Market, blending Mexican and French ingredients into their coffees and crepes. Their “suiza” crepe, for example, is a spin on a green enchilada using Gonzalez’ homemade green tomatillo salsa and Clement’s mother’s crepe recipe. 

On the coffee menu, Hola Paris is serving specialty brews with a Mexican flair, including the Mexican mocha, which uses Abuelita brand chocolate, and the dulce de leche latte, which utilizes sweet lechera (condensed milk) in place of regular milk. Guests can also select from a rotation of Mexican breads and French macarons to pair with their coffee. 

As for the vibe, think pink. Gonzalez says she is a “big Valentine’s Day person” and is obsessed with the romantic hue. At the entrance, you’ll be greeted by a wall of pink flowers, and you’ll find more of the color inside, thanks to a pink and green wallpaper. Gonzalez adds that the theme plays into a Parisian vibe—the city is often associated with the rosy color. 

Where to Eat in San Diego: Restaurant News & Food Events

Karl Strauss Brewing Company is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a special happy hour (M-Th) all month long at its four San Diego County restaurants (4S Ranch, Carlsbad, downtown, and Sorrento Mesa). Appetizers like their duck fat pretzel and ahi poke nachos are $10 and all their beers are $5 from 3 to 6 p.m. Their new Outpost beer garden in San Marcos is also offering $5 beers on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the same happy hour window. 

The Lakehouse Resort in San Marcos is hosting their third annual Food and Wine Festival on Sunday, March 3, with unlimited tastings from local restaurants, breweries, and wineries. Tickets come with admission to the “Brandt Beef Experience,” in which five chefs create beef-driven dishes and pair them with local spirits. 

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

The post Where to Eat in San Diego: Restaurant Openings & News (Feb. 5–9) appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

On Thursday, NVRL FT Hospitality Group and Lamplighter’s Frankie Sciuto will open Gaslamplighter, a cocktail-focused karaoke bar at 536 Market Street. Sciuto—a San Diego native, fourth generation bar owner, and owner of Side Bar—used the Lamplighter, his family’s karaoke bar, as a jumping-off point for the concept. 

“The Lamplighter has been a staple in the San Diego community for decades, known as a place to come together and share good times,” said Sciuto in a recent press release. “I’m confident that Gaslamplighter will mirror its legacy.”

Arianne Virsunen, marketing director for the NVRL FT, explains that the Gaslamplighter team “wanted to bring 1920s mixed with a little bit of 1960s New York-style flair” to bring a sense of “timeless nostalgia” to the former Ciro’s Pizzeria space. “A lot of people know the location because that was people’s drunk slice,” she laughs. 

But the 1,600-square-foot suite won’t be quite so recognizable now. GTC Design Studios, who most recently redesigned multiple Rare Society locations, did a complete overhaul, installing speakeasy-inspired accents as well as historical details and photographs provided by the Gaslamp Quarter Association that show what the corner of 6th and Market looked like in the early 20th century. 

“We wanted to pay homage to the Lamplighter, but really create a contemporary iteration,” says Virsunen.

Other recognizable names include beverage director David Tye (Kingfisher, The Crab Hut, The Lion’s Share, Sycamore Den) and Stevie Latona, who Virsunen calls “a huge player in the industry for a long time,” adding that “David actually started his career at Side Bar, which is a very cool circle moment.”

If you’re the type of person who needs liquid courage to belt it out at karaoke, the cocktail menu promises to deliver. Virsunen says the focus is classic cocktails with a modern flair, “everything from a classic Manhattan with a little bit of a twist, to an amazing Martini that’s been taken to a new level with truffle and caviar.” There may or may not even be a Negroni topped with 24K gold. It’s a whole vibe.

Gaslamplighter will open to the public on Thursday and hours will run Thursday through Sunday, 6 pm to 2 am.

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and there are a ton of events to attend and reservations to make. (Seriously, if you haven’t made a reservation yet, time’s a-fleeting!) A few that I’m eyeballing include The Rose’s dinner for two with optional wine pairings (South Park), Monarch Ocean Pub’s “Bottle & Board” special (Del Mar), Bivouac’s cider and dessert pairing (North Park), and Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s prix fixe menu for two (with childcare available? Yes please!) in Carlsbad.

The best part of Super Bowl Sunday is the food (don’t @ me). Luckily for all of us, there are plenty of places to either watch the game or pick up some tasty snacks to impress. See our full list of places to catch the game or just eat some good grub here.

Beth’s Bites

When former New Yorker and SDM managing editor Jackie Bryant vouches for pizza, you know it’s legit. Angry Pete’s Pizza just opened their latest spot at 5335 Overland Avenue in Kearny Mesa, and you can’t miss it—the space’s history as a former Taco Bell is pretty obvious. (No shade, I’m always ready to eat más.)

I’ve never eaten better than when I was in Japan. When that craving hits, I head to Ichiban Sando for one of their sandos on the silky-soft milk bread I haven’t found anywhere else in San Diego. 

More Millennial pink! The Sasan is coming soon to Mission Hills, and with it are two delicious-sounding concepts: Communion, a rooftop restaurant and bar, and Paradis, an outdoor sidewalk cafe. I’m definitely keeping my eye on the Nakhshab Development & Design Instagram page for updates (which I’ll share here, of course).

The post Fancy Karaoke Hits the Gaslamp appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

“We opened up Barbusa almost seven years ago,” says PJ Buslacchi, a managing partner of the Busalacchi restaurant empire which includes Barbusa, Nonna, and Zucchero, will soon welcome Lala to the family. “We realized that its kitchen couldn’t handle another 60 seats, and that’s what we needed [to keep up with demand]. So, Lala was born.”

Lala used to be a pet supply and grooming shop, now a 1,000-square-foot restaurant and cocktail bar designed by Taylor Shaffer, formerly a principal partner at Open Gym, which also designed the forthcoming Wildflour Delicatessen and White Rice.

Busalacchi explains that though it was born from its predecessor, Barbusa, Lala’s focus will be much different. “Barbusa is a more Sicilian-focused restaurant, so when we were thinking of what this could be, we wanted to make sure it was a concept we knew. We don’t want to do anything that we don’t know well.”

Culinarily, focus will be on Italian-style cocktails (think amari and other aperitivi) and small, shareable, almost home-cooked style plates, like a hunk of baked ziti and other pastas. There are bigger plates, too, like a steak that’s sliced in the kitchen.

Design-wise, it’s “vibey, sexy, and intimate.” There’s a brand-new kitchen and a covered patio. Custom light fixtures accent gold-leaf painted Venetian-style plaster; “lots of marble,” Busalacchi says; floor lamps on the patio; hardwood floors; walnut paneling; leather and velvet-everything; sepia, coral, sage, and olive tones throughout; and modern re-interpretations of Renaissance-era art by painter William Etty. Like hanging in your rich friend’s living room.

The cocktail list is of special note. Created by barkeep Antonio Gonzales, who comes to Lala from behind the stick at Barbusa, it’s intended to show San Diegans the versatility and range of Italian spirits in an approachable way.

“Since we’re such a small place, I had to make sure that instead of just having every amari that I love to drink back there to sip on, that I included some of my favorites and also ones that were easily introduced to customers that may not know what they prefer when it comes to sweet versus bitter effects,” Gonzales says.

So, instead of just having a straight amaro section, he says that he created a cocktail list with various amari in them to give their bitterness more complexity. For example, he’s got a drink with bourbon, passionfruit, and Amaro Montenegro, the latter of which has a drying effect and also notes of cucumber, mint, and fennel that balance the sweetness of the former two.

Also of note is its barrel-aged program. Unlike others that are more bourbon-based, Gonzales’ is solera-style, which means he sourced used sherry barrels from Spain. A variety of drinks have already been aged for a year in this style.

All-in-all, it’s intended to be a casual, good time, but with style. “Someone said Lala’s maximalist, and, yeah, sure…” Busalacchi said before trailing off. “But, really, it’s just elegant and cohesive. You’re not going to feel overstimulated. It’s more intimate and homey.” Sounds like just the place to sit back, relax, and dig into a chunk of carbs while clinking glasses.

Lala will open its doors to the public on Monday, February 5, 2024.

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