By Frank Sabatini Jr.
Soon to replace the long-running Royal Thai Cuisine in the Gaslamp District is the highly anticipated Sovereign Kitchen & Bar, a modern Vietnamese restaurant headed by Michelin-starred chef Michael Bao Huynh and San Diego-based restaurateur Alex Thao, who also owns Rama and Lucky Liu’s.
Huynh, a native of Saigon, previously opened a series of restaurants in New York City that earned him glowing accolades by New York’s top food critics and celebrity chefs.
Sovereign is due to launch in early June with a menu focusing on pho and other signature dishes. Until then, the restaurant has been giving consumers a casual primer via the adjacent Food Shop, which the team opened recently with a selection of banh mi sandwiches, noodle bowls and Vietnamese coffees. 467 Fifth Ave., 619-888-4829.
Steaks and seafood cooked theatrically by master chefs on tabletop teppanyaki grills is the draw at the new Shima Japanese Steakhouse in Coronado.
The 8,000-square-foot restaurant features everything from sashimi martinis and creative sushi rolls to wagyu steaks and whole red snapper. The restaurant was launched by Tim Aaron of nearby Nicky Rotten’s. Augmenting the wine, cocktail and craft beer lists are proprietary sakes as well as non-alcoholic drinks such as smoothies and flavored lemonades. The establishment is located near the island’s ferry landing and replaces Firehouse Bar & Grill. 126 Orange Ave., 619-435-1775.
Goodbye Wet Willie’s and hello Blush Ice Bar + East-West Kitchen, an upcoming replacement venture combining icy fruit-infused cocktails with a contemporary menu of dry-aged meats and locally sourced seafood. Due to open by mid-summer, the concept of “blush” cocktails was first introduced in San Jose by East Village residents Russ Fukushima and Taylor Kim. For their San Diego venture, they’re bringing onboard Chef Daniel Barron, formerly of La Valencia Hotel, who is still hammering out a number of crafty dishes that don’t exclude green tea noodles and local vegetables. 555 Market St.
The music-fueled San Diego Oysterfest is shucking its way back to the Marina Embarcadero North June 13, from noon to 7:30 p.m., when dozens of purveyors and restaurants show off a variety of species from Pacific, Atlantic and Baja waters. Non-oyster dishes will also be available for sale, along with beer, wine and spirits. The grounds will give way to non-stop live music by Little Hurricane, Birdy Bardot, The Young Wild plus several DJs. General admission is $32, which doesn’t include food and drinks. 500 Kettner Blvd., oysterfestsd.com.
Nearly 30 restaurants located largely along India and Kettner streets will swing open their doors and offer samples of their latest and greatest dishes at this year’s Taste of Little Italy, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m., July 17. Foodies can choose from full or partial routes, with the north and south ends each priced at $30. Or for hearty grazers, the full shebang costs $45. Among the restaurants taking part are Davanti Enoteca, Ironside Fish & Oyster, Kettner Exchange, M Winehouse, NaPizza, Queenstown Public House, the new Pan Bon and more. littleitalysd.com.
Step back in time at the Westgate Hotel’s Le Fontainebleau restaurant as it celebrates its 45th anniversary with throwback dinners for two that are now available through Dec. 30. The pre fixe menu starts with Caesar salad made tableside and then proceeds to chateaubriand with mushrooms and Brussels sprouts before finishing with flambéed cherries jubilee. The cost is $135 per couple, which includes a glass of wine for each person. 1055 Second Ave., 619-238-1818.
The new Quad AleHouse perched on a third floor overlooking the Gaslamp District is up and running with a 30-tap beer program conceived by consultant Beau Schmitt of The Brew Project. Leading the pack in the beer selection are full-strength Belgian quads and quadruple IPAs. The bill of fare includes a fitting variety of house-smoked meats available on sandwiches or plated. Cocktails and wine are also in the offing, along with happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, when the booze and food drops in price by a few bucks. Schmitt is also launching The Brew Project House in Hillcrest in mid-July. 868 Fifth Ave., 619-239-3339.
After a few postponements, Bracero Cocina de Raiz in Little Italy is now due to open in late June by whiz-chef Javier Plascencia, who owns the lauded Romesco’s in Bonita along with several restaurants in Tijuana. His latest venture in a two-level 4,500-square-foot structure promises authentic south-of-the-border food involving spit-roasted meats, house-made tortillas and Baja-inspired ceviches. The restaurant was originally slated to open in March. 1490 Kettner Blvd.
—Frank Sabatini Jr can be reached at [email protected].
