Last week my fiancé and I decided to treat ourselves after a hard week of work so we ventured out to Kensington Grill. Located in the quaint neighborhood of Kensington (duh), this little gem has drawn attention for its amazing small plates menu, as well as being part of the same restaurant group who owns the acclaimed Cucina Urbana. When we walked through the door, the first thing we noticed was its’ neighborhood feel blended with both coastal and modern design influences. We knew before we even looked at the menu that we were going to order several small plates since that’s what they’re known for. After ordering some well-needed cocktails and salivating at all the dishes on the menu, we had narrowed it down to four dishes.

Shortly after putting in our order, the first two dishes arrived: gorgonzola buffalo tots and hog board, which consisted of pork cheek-hash, quail egg, chorizo, and jalapeno bacon. A little intimidated by the hog board at first, we decided to dive into the buffalo tots. It was clear that these were not the tots that you ate growing up as a kid. These were like little fried pillows of deliciousness. Inside the crispy tots was pureed potatoes stuffed with little nuggets of gorgonzola. The cheese nuggets were like the prize in the middle, a little explosion of cheesy saltiness! The tots were accompanied by a side of celery sticks and of course buffalo aioli sauce for dipping. The aioli provided the acid and kick that brought it all together. Needless to say, these didn’t last very long between us.

We were ready to turn to the hog board, pausing briefly to determine which part of the trio we’d attack first. I gravitated toward the pork cheek hash with the quail egg. The hash was served in a little seal-top mason jar with a delicately fried quail egg on top. Of course the first thing that I had to do is break the egg yolk so it would run through the hash to add that egg-y richness to the dish. My first bite was perfect: pork cheek, potato, yolk, and a little bit of egg white. I just about melted into my seat. The pork cheek was extremely tender, potato cooked just right, and the yolk was unctuous. This was hands down the best interpretation of hash that I have ever had.  Not to exclude the other pork dishes on the board, I decided to move on to the jalapeño bacon (well, that and because my fiancé had decided to dig into the hash and there was only room for one fork). It was cooked to my liking, crispy but with a little bit of chew. At first I couldn’t tell the difference between this and regular bacon, but after a couple of seconds I could taste a little bit of the pepper as well as the warmness that accompanied it. I personally would have liked a little bit more of that bold jalapeno flavor and some added kick but then again, I’m the guy that puts hot sauce on everything. After finishing the rest of my perfectly cooked bacon, we moved on to the chorizo. The chorizo was a dark brick red color and had a casing, which is not always the “case” for chorizo (I know… bad pun).  The chorizo provided that spicy punch I was yearning for. It was a juicy and delicious piece of sausage that provided the correct amount of spice, but didn’t quite have the same “wow” factor as the pork cheek hash. While the chorizo and jalapeno bacon were great, it was clear that the winner of the pork board was the hash.

Soon after demolishing what were buffalo tots and the pork board, our next two plates came out: duck steamed buns and a shrimp waffle. The duck was marinated in a bbq ginger hoisin sauce, garnished with cabbage and diakon radish cilantro. It was the closest thing to a Chinese taco that you could probably find and it certainly tasted like one too. The duck was tangy and sweet while the garnish of daikon radish cilantro added that bit of freshness to the dish as well as some needed crunch.  The steamed bun was also well done and resembled my Chinese step-mother’s steamed buns but of course, in my opinion, not quite as good.

The last dish we had in front of us was the shrimp waffle dish which was comprised of a jack cheese and scallion waffle topped with shrimp, Fresno chilis, and shallot Creole butter. This is actually not the first time I had this dish. On a previous visit about a year ago I had this same dish and it was phenomenal. In fact, it’s the only dish that I remember from my previous visit so I was very eager to try it the second time. After taking the first bite, I immediately remembered why the dish had stuck out in my mind. The shrimp were cooked to perfection, tender, and succulent. The jack and scallion waffle had a crusty exterior with a warm chewy inside and hints of cheese and onion. However, the icing on the cake was the melted shallot Creole butter.  There was not a single bite that I took that wasn’t smothered in the melted butter and it was even more amazing sopped up in the waffle. The addition of the Fresno chili gave a subtle kick to the waffle and that was much appreciated. This dish had lived up to our high expectations and we were happy that we chose it again.

Four dishes and two cocktails later we were stuffed and satisfied. We knew why this place had generated a lot of buzz for its small dishes; there was not a bad or even mediocre dish in the entire meal. We had discussed that if we were to rank the dishes the top spot would go to the pork cheek hash, and a close second would be the shrimp waffle. The tots were a very close third, followed by the duck steamed buns, chorizo, and last but not least the bacon.  We were glad that we came to Kensington Grill because it was exactly what we needed after a long week. The food was awesome and the service was just as good; our food was always piping hot and water glasses always full. We will definitely be going back to the Kensington Grill in the near future and I suggest that everyone give this neighborhood joint a try.

Photo Credits: Tori Photography

My friend’s little sister is always posting pictures of sushi that she and her husband made, and each time I’m more jealous than before. Making sushi sounds formidable, but Executive Sushi Chef Gerald Warner broke everything down step by step.  The best teachers are ones who are passionate and knowledgable about the subjects they are teaching, and I’d be willing to bet Gerry knows and loves everything about sushi.  He started off talking about the history of sushi (did you know it was used to help preserve fish back in the day?) and the preparation of the rice.  It might sound boring to you, but you can’t help but be engaged by Chef Gerry.  I never realized how important the rice was.  You really have to work up a sweat to make it perfect! 

Once finished speaking about and demonstrating how to make the rice, we moved on to fish.  We were going to be taught to make California rolls, but Cafe Japengo and Chef Gerry went above and beyond by teaching us about other kinds of fish common in rolls; how and where to buy it, how to prep it, and even how to store it.
Sidebar: I was already impressed, but while talking about fish, Chef Gerry was brought out the biggest and most beautiful piece of tuna I have ever seen.  The quality of the ingredients used at Cafe Japengo is second to none.  In going to eat there, you can be sure the fish will be the best and freshest around.

Back to the class…It was then time to make our rolls.  The seaweed was surprisingly easy to handle, and it was on to assembling the rolls. The rest of our very fresh ingredients were brought out, and lo and behold!  They use real crab!  It was delicious and succulent, and when paired with the avocado and everything else that went in there, oh my word.  No wonder they have San Diego’s best California rolls! 

It was easier than I had thought, and I was so proud to have made my roll that  for a split second, I hesitated digging in.  I took a few pics on my phone, and let myself devour that yummy roll.  Sometimes things taste better when you know how much hard work goes into making them, and that was hands down the best California roll I have ever had.  I didn’t mention this before because I was distracted by the amazing sushi, but there is also a sake tasting included in the class (and they were not skimpy on the tastings).

 
I had a ton of fun learning how to make the best California Roll of all time, while also learning some really helpful tips, ranging from where to buy products and how to pick quality fish, to why some things are more expensive than others and what you can skimp on. You know the old adage, “give a man a fish and he eats for one day, teach him how to fish and he can eat his whole life”?  That’s the mentality of this class.  I really respect Cafe Japengo and everyone who worked so hard putting this course together.  They’ve not only succeeded in inspiring me to try making sushi at home, but they also made me want to come back to their restaurant.  Many thanks to Cafe Japengo and Executive Chef Gerry Warner for de-mystifying the art of making sushi!

Photo Credits: Infatuated Eye

It was 9am on an absolutely beautiful Saturday morning when Vy and I stepped out of the elevator, and onto the rooftop of the Andaz Hotel (formerly The Ivy) and, whoa.  It’s absolutely gorgeous up there.  Sometimes I forget what a beautiful city we live in, until I get to see it in all its glory.  Sitting there next to a wall covered in ivy and flowers, looking out toward the bay, I was still waking up (it was 9am, remember?), but couldn’t have been more at ease than if I were in my own bed. 

This is me in front of the ivy and flower wall.

Though it took us a few tries to order our coffees and OJs, Vy and I were happy to spend the time looking over the menu.  Herein lies my biggest challenge when it comes to going out to breakfast with people: I’m all for savory foods.  I feel like it’s customary for one person to get an egg dish and the other to get pancakes or waffles, but coffee is plenty sweet for me, and I tend to find myself coveting that bite of benedict my friend just ate off my plate.  Vy shares my leanings toward savory breakfast foods, so we ordered the chicken and chili hash and the breakfast burrito.  Just for kicks, we added on a homemade chocolate pecan scone to enjoy with our coffee.

 
A good sized portion of potatoes topped with heaps of house smoked chicken with onions and hatch green chili, and two poached eggs covered in chili-lime hollandaise soon appeared before me.  And it was as delicious as it sounds.  I can’t recall if I’ve ever actually stayed in New Mexico, or if I’ve only driven through it on numerous family road trips from Dallas to Bakersfield (“doesn’t that sound like fun?”, she says sarcastically), but irregardless of time spent in New Mexico, I love their green chile.  In saying that, if there was anything I had to complain about this dish is that I wish there had been more green chili.  Then again, maybe my affinity for the stuff makes me biased and it would be perfectly balanced to the normal person. 

We also ordered the breakfast burrito, which as a San Diegan, I feel can be included in your traditional breakfast fare.  The warm tortilla filled with eggs, turkey chorizo, avocado, queso fresco, jalapenos, onions, potatoes and tomatoes with sour cream and roasted salsa on the side, while being fairly straightforward, was yummy and satisfying nonetheless. 

Though we thought the chocolate pecan scone would arrive first, it ended up coming out last as a pleasant way to finish off our meal.  It wasn’t as dry as I typically expect in a scone and I am not complaining.  It was rich and buttery, almost more like a cookie/breakfast pastry hybrid.

At the end of the meal, I was so content that I was ready to camp out and nap on one of the many inviting day beds sitting around the railing.  I had plans to stay for lunch, and afterwards take a stroll around the rooftop, cocktail in hand.  Who knows, maybe even party it up that night?  Andaz and Chef de Cuisine Reese Hay have created an atmosphere that’s hard to pull yourself away from.  But with food like what I had, why would you want to?

The cured meat board was a generous assortment of 5 meats.  Prosciutto, Speck (a smoked Prosciutto), Salami, Mortadela, and Bresaola (I’m guessing on the last one).  They were accompanied by a basket of artisanal breads, two kinds of mustard (stone ground and a spicy Dijon), and 3 olives…literally  Back to what is important here, the cured meats.  By far the favorite was the Speck.  It was perfectly smoky and delightfully salty.  It paired well with the stone ground mustard but was most impressive on its own.  The other meats were also notable but the Speck was the star on the board.  As we finished off the fantastically salty cured meats the main course arrived. 

First the Burrata and Speck.  Slices of Speck were layered on top of two generous tostinis each mounted by a mound of Burrata.  The Burrata was then drizzled in honey and sprinkled with spiced walnuts and fried rosemary.  If you have never had Burrata cheese, you don’t know what you are missing.  Essentially, it’s a fresh mozzarella  outer shell with a mozzarella and cream inside. The texture reminds me of hot gooey mozzarella inside a calzone but with a creamy and slightly salty taste.  The walnuts, fried rosemary, and honey married the creaminess of the cheese and the saltiness of the speck wonderfully.  The dish was absolutely delightful.  My only criticism, and this is me being very picky, is that the cheese was very chilled.  As a result there was a strange temperature contrast between the cheese and the rest of the dish but again, this was a very minor issue as I truly loved this dish. 

Now I can’t remember if my wife’s dish was called a stuffed French toast, a panini, or something else all together but whatever it was called it was like having desert for breakfast… and I mean that in a great way.  Panettone bread stuffed with marshmallows, fistfuls of macadamia nuts, and baked apples topped with a caramel sauce.  It was rich, sweet, and delicious.  We concluded our meal with a shared espresso gelato while my wife sipped on a solid cappuccino. 

Stuffed and content, we strolled out of Chocolat very happy to have made the trek from North County.  While at the restaurant we also learned that they have a second location downtown.  If the downtown restaurant is anything like the Hillcrest location, head over to whichever is closest to you when you get the chance, you won’t be disappointed.

The vibe of the cafe is vibrant, colorful, and open. As we walk in, we are greeted by a full bar to our left and a glass case of gelato and deserts to our right, making which to attack first an extremely tough choice. Weaving through the crowd, we push a little further and quickly notice the case of meats, cheeses, and salads as well as a chalkboard menu boasting a wide assortment of paninis and pizzas. We decide to start with some savory sustenance and save the desserts for later.

We start with a few plates of the featured appetizers and a couple glasses of wine. The highlight of the plates is a ham, cheese and béchamel filled crostini. The mini pizzas and risotto balls are satisfying enough to go back for complimentary seconds but not something we would otherwise order off the menu. The full size pizzas coming out of the wood burning oven, however, look fantastic and are enough to pique our curiosity for a return trip. On this night, these pizzas appear to be reserved for those in attendance who have some personal affiliation with the owners. In fact, it’s quickly beginning to feel like we’ve stumbled upon a San Diego episode of The Sopranos and it’s evident who in this restaurant “belongs” and who is just visiting. So, we settle for sampling the desserts.

Knowing we’ll eventually get to the namesake dessert, we start with the sample plates of miniature tarts and cream puffs. Neither is exceptional but perusing the other items inside the display case, it’s hard not to be curious about the possibilities. We decide, like the pizzas, they’ll have to wait for a subsequent visit. Thus far, the promise of this place and what they have to offer is more intriguing than what we’ve actually experienced. With that, we move to the gelato.

Cremolose (the restaurant, not the dessert) is extremely accommodating for those of us who are undecided about what we want to order and offer us tastes of any flavors of gelato or cremolose before we commit to a selection. Among the samples we try are pistachio, prickly pear, and red orange. However, I am ultimately seduced by both the macaroon and lemon and Genesis can’t pass up the figs and cream. We are pleased with our choices and immediately agree that this is the culinary highlight of the evening.  We will definitely be returning on a warm afternoon to again enjoy this refreshing treat.

While not everything was a home run at the grand opening, we both agree that this new place has a lot of promise and is worth checking out for the full experience.  A hip vibe, some promising menu options, and weekend hours until 4 am, this place is bound to attract the tourists and trendsetters alike.

A couple of weeks ago when Savor San Diego set out to follow our new friends at MIHO Gastrotruck to learn more about their story, we had no idea how much we’d fall in love with them (and their food, of course).  Not only do they care about where the food they serve comes from; they also care about how it’s prepared, how it’s meant to be eaten, their HOMIs, and our community. Their desire is not just to serve good food and then pack up and leave.  Everytime you enjoy a meal from MIHO, they want your experience to be unique…the MIHO experience. They are meticulous in everything they do – from food source to the music they play while you dine. We’re thankful for the new friends we’ve made and we can say with confidence, we’re HOMIs for life! 

***GIVEAWAY!!!***

Leave a comment at the end of this post to be entered to win a meal for two.

Savoring us some MIHO.

How cool is their truck?

 

Thank you to Megan Ann Photography for the awesome pictures!

But, although the microbrew industry has room to grow in its attempt to win over light lager lovers, it is impossible to ignore the amount of options out there already. After all, what’s another IPA when you already have local fare like Ballast Point’s Sculpin, Green Flash’s West Coast IPA and AleSmith’s IPA to choose from? The recent demise of Airdale Brewing Company should remind us beer nerds that capitalism’s creative destruction can take you down quickly unless you find a way to separate your brand and more importantly, your beer, from your competitors.

With this in mind, I recently visited Aztec Brewing Company which just had its hard opening in October of 2011. The brewery space itself is warehoused in a business park and this makes it a nice hidden surprise at the moment. The room to grow is obvious as there are only three chest–high fermenters and four mash tuns which must be working around the clock to reach the brewery’s goal of 400 barrels this year.  The sole bottler in the back room might be working on some Sacrifice Red Ales soon (and it has good craft beer pedigree as an Alesmith hand-me-down).

The brewery is the brainchild of John Webster who had the vision to revive the Aztec Brewing brand that had gone defunct since it’s post-Prohibition heyday.  Old postcards and posters of various old “ABC “ (ie: Aztec Brewing Company) ads from the past appear around the brewery and serve as an interesting backdrop to John’s newer vision focused on images related to the ancient Aztec culture. But, although John was ready to handle the theme side of the business, he and his wife Claudia Faulk had one problem given their limited home-brewing experience. Who was going to brew the beer?

Enter brewer Rob Esposito. Having graduated from Chicago brewing school Siebel Institute of Technology and learned his craft at breweries like Oceanside AleWorks, Rob was ready to make his mark. He even helped organize the North County Homebrewer’s Association which I’ll probably join soon when I’m ready to have new people criticize my crappy homebrews. Therefore, an alliance was born. (I should mention that to their credit, John and his wife Claudia do have a hand in creating and refining some of the recipes at the brewery as well). So now that you know the players, let’s talk beer!

I should mention that the brewery’s current size likely means you’ll experience a slightly different beer selection every time you go as beer runs out and new offerings move in. But, there’s no need to fret because among the myriad options you’re sure to find something you like.  

Chipolte IPA – Crisp citrusy hop flavor going down with subtle pepper on the finish. (Nothing like the eye-watering offerings occasionally handed out at QUAFF club…and for me, that’s a great thing! With that said, if you’re looking for an uber-spiced beer, this one isn’t for you.)

Diablo del Robles (“Devil of the Oaks”) Barleywine – Intensely rich and malty with just the right amount of alcohol aroma to remind you that you’re going to pay for it if you go back for seconds!

Chocolate Porter – Dark and roasty with mild chocolaty notes like traditional versions of the style. I wouldn’t mind seeing the chocolate flavors kicked up a notch in this beer though. (After all, the Aztecs were some of the first to introduce us to the wonders of chocolate!) For porter fans, however, I recommend the Noches de los Muertos version of their porter that uses adjuncts to spice up the normal flavor. (I’ll leave this surprise for you to try and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed).

English IPA (Seven Nations) – A moderately hopped offering with great caramel notes balance this beer out perfectly. (If you’re thinking American IPA, you’re in the wrong place as the hops in the English IPA are not supposed to leave you thinking you just licked a pine cone. But, this beer is good enough to make a fan out of even an unknowing dunce!).

Sacrifice – This dry-hopped red ale is a bold choice to kick off Aztec’s bottled brews. The toffee and caramel flavors typically found in red ales nicely complement the citrusy and bitter hop finish in this beer.

Agave Wheat – This more American version of the wheat beer style (ie: few clove and ester notes) goes down smooth and finishes slightly sweet. A tasty way to present Aztec’s focus on natural ingredients tied into the ancient Aztec culture in their beer.  I prefer this beer to the Hibiscus Wheat option being brewed at Aztec mainly because I’m not a huge fan of hibiscus in general. But, for fans of the flavoring flower, you’ll probably be happy with the result. 

Bitter Brit (Seven Nations) – Light with a bitter impression and a dry finish. What did you expect? It’s delicious and this one comes in at around 4% alcohol that makes it great for a session of drinking with your friends while yelling at the tv.   

Overall, I was very impressed with Aztec Brewery’s offerings. The slight tweaks to some popular styles are perfectly dialed in for anyone looking to try good beer with a twist.  I’m sure as word of their beer spreads, room at the bar will get crowded so if you’re a beer snob like me, now’s the time to go!

For starters, the restaurant itself is in a great location.  I know what you’re thinking because I was thinking the same thing. La Jolla?  La Jolla always seemed to me to be somewhere you can get a great meal if you’re willing to shell out, or you can get cheaper, crappy food that’s for tourists (sorry holiday makers).  At Puesto, however, you don’t have to compromise anything.  They use high quality ingredients to make the most interesting flavor combinations you could think of, and they do it in the friendliest, most comfortable manner.  Megan and I had barely walked in the door when we were greeted by a happy face, given a menu and told to let her know if we had any questions. While looking over the menu, we had a few minutes to check out the inside before stuffing our faces.  The wooden stools, bright colors, brick and metal were brought together in a way that felt industrial yet homey, and nicely set the mood for tacos.

I had checked out Puesto’s website before meeting up with Megan at Puesto’s amazing downtown La Jolla, and wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  The website was amazing, kudos to the web designers, and I was having fun looking at all the options, dreaming/salivating about what combinations of meats and veggies I was going to get. But, fancy, gourmet tacos for very reasonable prices?  I was either in for a second rate taco, or for a fabulous experience.  Luckily for me (and all of you), it was the latter! While the salads and guisado bowls looked really good, Megan and I each had 3 tacos.  Here’s the breakdown:

Megan – carne asada + nopales (cactus), pollo al pastor+pineapple, papa chorizo (potatoes with soy chorizo)

Me – pollo al pastor+pineapple (Megan copied me for the record), papa chorizo+Tinga (spicy onions with chipotle), zucchini flower+corn truffle

When you get cheese on your tacos, the chef will put some on the grill, and as it starts to melt, fills it with the meats/veggies you’ve chosen, wraps it up like a little burrito and sets it into the tortilla.  Genius!  How have I never thought of that?  

Needless to say, Megan and I opted for cheese on all our tacos.  They were topped with fresh avocado, cilantro, mild salsa for Megan and pistache salsa para mi.  

Don’t get me wrong, the tacos are absolutely incredible, but even if they weren’t, I would go back for that salsa.  I’ve never looked at a pistachio and thought, “hmm, I should make salsa out of that”.  Luckily for me, the chef at Puesto did and I would put it on everything if I could.  I even considered asking for a bowl of pistache salsa to go.  It sounds sweet and mild, but that salsa had a kick, and it breaks my heart that Megan, who is a self professed spice wimp, couldn’t enjoy it.  

We ended our meal with a refreshing Mexican street cup filled with fruits and veggies, lime, chili and sea salt.  Soon, maybe even already, they’ll have beer, wine, and hibiscus margaritas.  I’m seeing many happy hours here….

Eric and his brother Alan have really created something unique and worth visiting again and again in La Jolla.  I’ve never seen a restaurant that had only been open a week be running so smoothly, full of happy, contented customers, and already have regulars.  But after visiting Puesto, it’s not hard to believe.  Before, I’d make the trek to the cove for a special meal or if a friend was in town, but thanks to Puesto, I’ll be spending a lot more time in the Village of La Jolla.

Photo Credits: Megan Ann Photography

This little restaurant is lovely inside.  With creamy walls and low lighting, it’s an intimate affair in an upscale bistro atmosphere. There were four of us dining this evening and we decided we should order everything on the menu instead of doubling up on any particular offering.  This decision was quickly vetoed after the starters though.  I’m not sure how we thought the Garden Salad would hold up to Braised Pork Cheeks or Shrimp Creole. It actually was a typical garden salad which just does not compare to tender pieces of pork that literally melt in your mouth or creamy and spiced laden shrimp.

I have never experienced pork cheeks presented in such a delectable way.  They were wrapped in light and flaky puff pastry and then laid in an au jus with ruby cabbage and onion marmalade.   This is seriously such good food that after each bite you will hope it is not the last.  The shrimp creole was another tasty offering that did not disappoint.  The shrimp was soaking in a spiced wine and cream sauce with just the right amount of punch.  The added crispy polenta gave the dish a perfect contrasting texture. 

We moved onto our second course and all agreed the Lamb Meatballs was the dish of the night.  The meatballs came laden in a house made chimichurri sauce.  I absolutely love chimichurri and find it’s hard to pair this sauce with any meat and not have it taste amazing. Although chimichurri sauce varies greatly I found theirs to be the right amount of garlic and vinegar, and the right amount of earthiness.  The meatballs were moist and full of flavor and seemed effortlessly  complimented by the accompanied house made gnocchi, broccolini, feta, and pine nuts.  This was one rich dish but easily worth every bite and lick.

Now onto dessert which were a mini banana cream pie option or seasonal fruit cobbler.  The banana cream pie was cute in appearance but it sadly ended at that. 

The cobbler easily won as it was warm, fruity, and perfectly crunchy.  Add a scoop of ice cream with drizzled caramel sauce and how can you go wrong?

We best described our evening at the Red Door to be rich.  Rich in flavor, rich in texture, and rich in ambiance.  Luckily, you don’t have to be rich to enjoy what this little gem has to offer inside its doors…

Photo Credits: Infatuated Eye

Upstairs, the ambiance changes slightly to accommodate an audience of urban locals out to enjoy a sustainable meal from a number of the farms they pass on their daily commutes around the county. The middle of the dining area is occupied by a large lighting feature encased in glass that – in addition to creating a subtle, elegant atmosphere – sections off the seated guests into what could easily be mistaken for their own miniature living rooms. Being fans of soft lighting and warm, semi-modern surroundings, we are already enjoying this place.

As we settle into our table, our waiter drops by to welcome us, drop off a bottle of water for the table, and take our drink order. This is a good indicator of the service level throughout the evening – pleasant, attentive, and not too intrusive. He points out the sommelier recommended wine pairing (1 glass each for the appetizer and main courses) and the flight of 3 cocktails from their mixologist as possible drink options for our meal. Although very intrigued by the cocktail flight, we ultimately decide on the wine pairing to start the evening.

The first course arrives with two healthy pours of wine – short rib grilled cheese and flash fried shishito peppers paired with a Parducci “True Grit” Petite Syrah from Mendocino and a Peloponnese by Skouras Moschophilero from Greece. The short ribs are delicate and soft and the manchego acts as a delicious blanket to hold them in the toasty rye bread.  

The peppers, on the other hand, are lightly seasoned and salted to enhance their unique flavor and provide a refreshing alternative to the ribs. The Petite Syrah pairs better with the ribs than the Peloponnese does with the peppers but both are more than palatable and top off an enjoyable first course which only whets our appetite for the next round.

 Both main courses are paired with the same wine, Yangarra Shiraz from McLaren Vale, Australia, and the staff does an excellent job of making sure that it arrives promptly before our food. The entrees, jidori chicken and spicy seafood cioppino, are very different and we are anxious to see how the wine holds up. The cioppino is served in a large black pot with a small loaf of sourdough bread. Small gripe about this dish: it is actually mussels with a cioppino style sauce versus actual cioppino.  It is a little frustrating when menus are not clear since that typically results in your dish not matching up to your expectations. That being said, the mussels are meaty and the broth has a great flavor – subtle spices, fennel (yeah!), capers and roasted tomatoes. Perfect for bread dipping!

 The presentation of the chicken is fairly traditional and reminds us of a nice home cooked meal.  The chicken has a simple coating of mustard breadcrumbs and is accompanied by some fresh roasted vegetables. Aside from the potency of the mustard in the coating, the dish was enjoyable and comforting.

We round out the meal with two desserts, chocolate churros with vanilla crème anglaise and a campfire s’more. After speaking with our waiter, we discover that the hard work and research they have put into refining the desserts has definitely paid off. It’s always encouraging to hear that a restaurant not only requires their staff to taste the menu but also incorporates their feedback into the final versions of the recipes. The churros have just the right amount of sweetness, are soft and cakey, and the anglaise is a perfect accompaniment.

 The s’more is served cold which is surprising, but not as surprising as the smoky flavor that is infused in the chocolate, making the whole thing taste like it is fresh out of a fire and paired with a deliciously peaty scotch.

As we pay the bill to leave, we find ourselves commenting on how much we’ve enjoyed Saltbox – the food, the service, and the ambiance. Although we wouldn’t recommend this for a special occasion dinner, it certainly fits the bill for a first date, not too casual night out with friends, or a round of drinks to ease into your weekend. We’re already trying to determine when our first return visit will be and we hope to see you there!