By Frank Sabatini Jr. | Downtown News

Grant Grill

326 Broadway (in the US Grant Hotel)

619-744-2077

Prices: Breakfast, $8 to $18; lunch, $8 to $24; dinner, $12 to $45

Mosey through the spotless, chandeliered lobby of the US Grant Hotel and you’ll see a gold plaque just outside the stately threshold of the Grant Grill that reads: “Men only until 3 p.m.” The sign is one of the last remaining vestiges of a bygone era that kept male chauvinism alive at the restaurant for nearly two decades, when women weren’t allowed inside during lunch service. If they came for dinner, a “gentleman escort” was required.

The policy was challenged in 1969 by a small clique of women that clamped down their heels during a defiant lunch of mock turtle soup, reportedly provoking shockwaves among the staff. The event was followed by the threat of legal action in 1971, at which point the men’s-only dictate was finally relegated to the history books.

The century-plus-old hotel gave birth to the Grant Grill in 1951, at a time when caviar and sweetbreads were served from pushcarts to presidents, famous music composers and wealthy entrepreneurs.

On a back wall of the handsome, white-linen dining room are framed menus from other restaurants of the property that preceded the Grant Grill, revealing that a hot roast beef sandwich cost 40 cents and a multi-course “deluxe dinner” was only $1.25. The listings provide a fascinating peek into American foodie culture from more than 60 years ago.

Today, the Grant Grill remains one of the few landmark dining rooms left in San Diego, flaunting elegant draperies, mahogany paneling and weighty silverware.

Both the restaurant and hotel have received a showering of renovations over the years — $52 million’s worth in 2006. While there is no dress code, the refined atmosphere tempts you into wearing your better threads.

Visiting for lunch amid a well-suited, mixed-gender clientele, we tested the grill’s famous mock turtle soup. Chef de Cuisine Chris Kurth uses cow’s tongue and braised short ribs to mimic the now-outlawed turtle meat used in the recipe decades ago.

With a sturdy tomato base, the soup resembled good minestrone accented by a jigger of sherry poured into it tableside. My companion’s extra-thick carrot soup was also stellar, a naturally sweet puree that clung lovingly to his spoon.

Our middle courses were fitting of the power lunches that still occur here. A slab of house-made duck pate came wrapped in bacon that was so delectably smoky; it infused the pressed meat to the center core. Kurth pairs the pate with an ideal daub of cherry-mustard compote and super-fine pistachio powder that would disappear from your plate with a gentle sneeze.

Sticking to the chef’s new, seasonal menu items, we proceeded with creamy polenta topped with chorizo ragu, grilled onions and two sunny-side eggs. Folded into the scheme was precious burrata (young mozzarella cheese), which unfortunately became overpowered by the kicky chorizo. We felt that a stronger and nuttier curd like Gruyere would have fit better into the chorus of flavors.

Skipping over the pricier lunch entrees such as seared salmon and oxtail rigatoni, we turned to the sandwich category for our main event. The companion’s grilled cheese on toasted rosemary bread was a superb creation using aged Fontina cheese, dry-cured ham and balsamic-soaked tomatoes. If only they made them this way in high school.

Kurth also bestows a gourmet lift to bahn mi, the normally inexpensive, French-inspired sandwiches of Vietnam served on baguettes. Served here in trios on little round buns for $14, they encase pulled pork cooked in citrus and clove combined tastefully with layers of fresh cilantro, raw jalapenos, carrots and mildly sweet hoisin mayonnaise. The flavors of Asia and the Southwest mingled perfectly.

Had we decided to skip out on the remainder of our work-days, we would have lunched like CEOs with time and money to spare by partaking in a few of the menu’s “luxurious cocktails.” Grant Grill’s handcrafted bar offerings have earned numerous accolades over the past few years, giving us good reason to return soon after sunset. Many of the libations rotate seasonally, using things like Square One Organic Cucumber Vodka and Massenez Ginger Liqueur.

But no matter when you visit, the historic ambiance sets the tone for elegant meals and expert service, and without having to leave wives, girlfriends, mothers and sisters waiting in the lobby for a civil rights victory to occur.

Frank Sabatini Jr. is the author of Secret San Diego (ECW Press), and began writing about food two decades ago as a staffer for the former San Diego Tribune. He has since covered the culinary scene extensively for NBC; Pacific San Diego Magazine; San Diego Uptown News; Gay San Diego; Living in Style Magazine and The Gay & Lesbian Times.