The Dish: 5 new restaurants and a new chef at Books & Records (original) (raw)
Books & Records in Bankers Hill is celebrating its first anniversary with a new chef and several new menu items.
Founding chef Sam Deckman left the restaurant in May to join his father, Michelin-starred chef Drew Deckman at newly opened 31THIRTYONE by Deckman’s in North Park.
Ryan Stickel, the new head chef at Books & Records restaurant and bar in Bankers Hill. (Common Stock Hospitality)
The new chef is Ryan Stickel, who had worked by Deckman’s side at Books & Records, as well as two other Common Stock Hospitality restaurants: Common Stock and Farmer & the Seahorse. A San Diego native who grew up in Coronado, Stickel worked previously at Mister A’s, Ironside Fish & Oyster and Morning Glory.
Stickel’s new menu items include yuzu cherry-cured diver scallops with avocado mousse, candied jalapeño, togarashi kataifi and kiwi-lime emulsion; charred broccoli with mango ricotta, sweet’ n’ sour peanuts, passionfruit tahini and herbs; squid ink linguine with wild red shrimp, preserved lemon chermoula and artichoke hearts; and Hawaiian marinated flat iron steak with harissa-celery root purée, black garlic guasacaca, and sunchoke chips.
Books & Records is inviting the public to a one-year anniversary party from 4 to 7 p.m. Sept. 1 at 2202 Fourth Ave., San Diego. Tickets are $25 and include all-you-can-eat party food, a raffle ticket, drink tickets, live music and prize giveaways. Purchase at booksandrecordsbar.com. Visit booksandrecordsbar.com.
Tableside tiramisu service is one of the specialty dishes at newly opened Trattoria da Sofia in San Diego’s Kensington neighborhood. (Arlene Ibarra)
Trattoria da Sofia opens in Kensington: Trattoria da Sofia, a new Sicily-inspired Italian restaurant, opened Aug. 15 in the former Cucina Sorella space in San Diego’s Kensington neighborhood.
Co-owner Andrea Carbonara said the menu at the 4,000-square-foot restaurant features fresh-made pastas, local seafood and shareable plates. There’s also tableside whipped-to-order tiramisu service.
Trattoria da Sofia is at 4055 Adams Ave., San Diego. Dining room opens at 4 p.m. daily. Visit trattoriadasofia.com.
A poke bowl at newly opened Tortuga pool bar and restaurant at the Omni San Diego Hotel in downtown San Diego. (Omni San Diego Hotel)
Omni opens two new restaurants: The Omni San Diego Hotel at 675 L St. in San Diego’s East Village has re-emerged from a renovation with two new restaurants: Tortuga and Ace Porter.
Tortuga is a seafood-centric indoor/outdoor pool bar and restaurant located on the hotel’s sixth-floor terrace. Dishes include grilled Baja fish tacos and shrimp adobada. Ace Porter is a street-level restaurant and bar. With its proximity to Petco Park, Ace Porter has a baseball-themed “designated hitters” menu of shareable dishes like blistered shishito peppers, vegetable meze and nachos. Local beer, wine and cocktails are served at the wraparound bar. For details, visit omnihotels.com/hotels/san-diego/dining.
Specialty coffee and matcha drinks at newly opened Spinnaker Coffee at the Lakehouse Resort in San Marcos. (Lakehouse Resort)
Spinnaker Coffee debuts in San Marcos: Lakehouse Resort on Lake San Marcos has renovated and rebranded its onsite coffee shop. Now named Spinnaker Coffee, the shop serves coffee and matcha drinks, smoothies and specialty beverages like the Lakeside Lavender, with espresso and lavender syrup. There’s also fresh pastries and breakfast sandwiches at 1025 La Bonita Drive, San Marcos. Visit thelakehouseresort.com/san-marcos-dining/spinnaker-coffee.
Blueberry buttermilk pancakes at Zentrl Kitchen + Bar in La Jolla. (Zentrl)
La Jolla’s Lot restaurant revamped: The Lot restaurant at the Lot movie theater in La Jolla has undergone a name and menu change. On Aug. 14 it re-emerged as Zentrl Kitchen + Bar.
Open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily at 7611 Fay Ave., Zentrl serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as sushi and a shareable plates bar menu. Specialties from the different menus include blueberry buttermlk pancakes, crème brûlée French toast, ahi poke tacos, citrus lime salmon bowl, flatbreads, chicken schnitzel, pasta dishes and desserts. Visit zentrlkitchen.com.
Pepper Lunch spots headed to North County: Pepper Lunch, a Japanese experiential fast-casual restaurant chain with more than 500 locations worldwide, has announced plans to bring five Pepper Lunch locations to North County in 2025.
Pepper Lunch serves its entrées on sizzling iron skillets, as well as salads and sides. Meals are designed to be ordered and eaten in under 20 minutes and for under $20. For details, visit pepperlunchrestaurants.com.
The local locations will be owned by TD Family Ventures, led by Bao Doan, who cofounded the Urban Bubble bubble tea café in the Convoy District. Locations and opening dates will be announced later this year or early next year.
Originally Published: August 22, 2024 at 9:14 a.m.