Indulge in San Diego’s new winter dining offerings, from a taste of Baja’s Guadalupe Valley to a Japanese collective concept.
Chef JoJo Ruiz is helming Joya Organic Kitchen. PHOTO COURTESY OF: CLIQUE HOSPITALITY
Joya Organic Kitchen
From Clique Hospitality, behind popular San Diego spots Lionfish and Serẽa, comes an organic experience opening at The Boardwalk at Science Center Drive in La Jolla late this month. Chef JoJo Ruiz, a James Beard Foundation Smart Catch Leader, will helm the approachable, open restaurant concept—which will serve breakfast, lunch and happy hour, plus grab-and-go salads and sandwiches. The lush grounds boasting over 4,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor dining space are perfect to enjoy seasonal lunch dishes and breakfast smoothies, acai bowls and freshly pressed juices. Or, rent the scenic space for your next event, complete with on-site catering. joyakitchensd.com
Enjoy Baja chef Roberto Alcocer’s cuisine from a prime terrace table at Valle. PHOTO COURTESY OF: MISSION PACIFIC HOTEL
Madison on Park
Warm up with the University Heights Mediterranean bistro’s dozen new winter dishes. From Madison’s heated patio, guests can indulge in Greek lamb kofta, harissa Bolognese, osso buco, cioppino seafood stew or a Mediterranean burger with cucumber tzatziki and feta. Lead bartender Danny Kuehner crafted four original cocktails, including the Heavy Metal Drummer with apple and pear brandies, and Kuehner is also pouring the second wine he produced, a grenache from Valle de Guadalupe. The new Paru Tea Bar Hot Toddy is a toasty collaboration with local PARU tea bar, and waffle churro sticks—previously only available for brunch—make for a sweet finish. 619.269.6566, madisononpark.com
Piper pasta chef Jeremy Travis Vasquez makes pastas by hand PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE SEABIRD RESORT
Piper
The Seabird Resort’s stunning signature restaurant and bar right off the beach in Oceanside welcomes patrons with sunny California coastal decor and a lively wraparound patio. Begin the day with caramelized French toast and freshly pressed juices. At night, Piper transitions into an intimate bistro with an open kitchen, a full bar and a pasta station offering pasta chef Jeremy Travis Vasquez’s handmade squid ink tagliatelle and campanelle with braised pork, kale and fennel. Executive chef Kurtis Habecker’s garden-to-table dinner dishes include a vegetable cassoulet with local farm egg and ribeye with fried maitake, cauliflower and salsa verde. 760.512.3816, piperoceanside.com
Underbelly Little Italy debuted a futuristic redesign. PHOTO: COURTESY OF CONSORTIUM HOLDINGS
RakiRaki Commons
Japanese culinary trailblazer Junya Watanabe has retooled the Little Italy space that formerly held his vegan sushi concept and transformed it into RakiRaki Commons—a multiconcept outpost featuring four of Watanabe’s San Diego brands. Culinary options will include RakiRaki Ramen, Watanabe’s award-winning ramen brand with locations in Kearny Mesa and Mira Mesa; JCK (Junya’s Crispy Karaage), offering Japanese fried chicken; The Yasai by RakiRaki, vegan sushi helmed by chef Hajime Matsuoka; and Matsuoka, its nonvegan counterpart. Sapporo beer, Japanese lanterns and reclaimed wood add authenticity to the traditionally rooted experience. 619.240.8511, rakirakiramen.com
RakiRaki Commons houses four of Junya Watanabe’s concepts, including vegan and nonvegan sushi PHOTO: BY CINDY WANG
Underbelly Little Italy
To mark its 10-year anniversary, the Little Italy ramen pioneer debuted a futuristic redesign and expanded food and beverage offerings. The revamped space channels Blade Runner with neon lights, retractable liquor racks descending from the ceiling, a flashy bar area and a reconfigured kitchen. The menu now coincides with Underbelly’s North Park counterpart, and includes small plates, baos, bento boxes and signature ramen—with both traditional and unique flavor combinations. Don’t skip the inventive cocktails served in unconventional glassware, like the Sakura Falls, with Japanese gin, nigori, coconut cream, sakura blossom and lime. 619.269.4626, godblessunderbelly.com
The Heavy Metal Drummer cocktail at Madison on Park features apple and pear brandies PHOTO: BY HALEY HILL
Valle
Award-winning Baja chef Roberto Alcocer—who worked at Michelin-starred staples in France and Spain and opened renowned restaurants in Mexico—makes his U.S. debut with Valle. The signature restaurant at Oceanside’s Mission Pacific Hotel features wooden touches and a charming outdoor veranda. Valle channels Baja’s Guadalupe Valley wine country with tasting menus and a la carte dishes that range from a reinvented quesadilla with black truffle and Humboldt Fog cheese to a roasted bone marrow creme brulee with California sea urchin. Pair them with agave-forward cocktails and Guadalupe Valley and California wines—including chef Alcocer’s own blend. 866.723.8906, valleoceanside.com
Photography by:
