By Frank Sabatini Jr.
After sitting empty for nearly a year, End Zone Sports Bar & Grill in North Park has reopened under new ownership with a refreshed interior featuring flat screens and whimsical wall art. A front patio was also added, although it only allows for eating until the bar receives its permit for outdoor alcohol consumption.
There are 24 beers on tap, mostly local crafts, along with low-alcohol spirits. The food menu features salads, tacos, burgers, pizza, filet mignon and salmon. In addition, breakfast is available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and happy hour is offered from noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday ($1 off drafts, and $2 off mixed drinks). 2859 University Ave., 619-677-2928.
Everything’s new at Burnside, the gourmet-sandwich eatery in Normal Heights that recently reopened after closing temporarily for renovation. The space now features additional seating and an extended bar, plus an expanded menu that includes several Southern-style options from barbecue master Todd Johnson — smoked turkey, baby back ribs and pulled pork sandwiches, plus many of the previously established standbys. 3375 Adams Ave., 619-501-7715, burnsidesd.com.
A large meat smoker marks the spot of Golden Hill’s newest arrival, 26th Kitchen & Carry, which opened this month to the tune of sandwiches, flatbreads, scratch-made sides as well as smoked chicken, pork belly and tri tip. The barbecue items are available on Fridays and Saturdays only. Located behind a liquor store and geared for take-out customers, the space offers limited counter seating. 2601 Broadway, 619-531-0026.
Italian transplants Fabrizio Facchini and his wife, Samira, have opened Clandestino in Hillcrest, in the space that previously housed Mess Royale. The intimate restaurant leans heavily toward seafood dishes ranging from ceviche soups and honey-caramelized halibut, to lobster burgers that are made to order and octopus with potato cream puree. The menu extends also to fresh pastas, chicken and New York steak. 142 University Ave., Suite C, 619-578-2909, clandestino.co.
Nine different areas throughout SeaWorld San Diego will be utilized for the park’s second annual Seven Seas Food Festival, which runs every Saturday and Sunday, from May 7 to June 12. The culinary journey features stations reflecting the cuisines of Nuevo Baja, South America, Asia, France, the Caribbean, California, and other regions of the globe.
Dishes will spotlight local, sustainable ingredients, and they’ll be paired with local craft beers as well as wines from California and France. In addition, mai tais and piña coladas will be available in the new Polynesian area.
Menu items throughout the festival include grilled oysters, lamb sliders, Peruvian ceviche, jerk chicken, escargot, crepes and dozens more. Dishes can be purchased separately or through a $40 sample package that allows guests up to five food items and five drinks from any of the areas. A food-only sampler is available for $20.
The event is included with park admission ($89 for ages 10 and older; $83 for ages 3 through 9; and free for children under 3). 500 Sea World Drive, 800-257-4268, SeaWorldSanDiego.com.
Look for one-off beers using experimental hops after Amplified Ale Works of Pacific Beach settles into its new, primary brewing facility and adjoining tasting room in the Sorrento Valley area. This second location soft-opened April 26, and will allow for the production of 1,000 additional barrels of beer in the coming year, some of which will include limited releases by head brewer Cy Henley as part of his “Distorted Hops Series.” 9030 Kenamar Drive, amplifiedales.com.
The Nevada-based Rubicon Deli has added a third location to its San Diego portfolio. The new UTC-La Jolla shop features the same menu of well-stacked sandwiches as the other outlets in Mission Hills and Mission Beach. Lauded for its house-baked breads, such as Dutch crumb, garlic-cheese and jalapeño-Jack, the latest outlet replaces Papa John’s Pizza. 4130 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 104, 858-877-9911, rubicondeli.com.
—Reach Frank Sabatini Jr. at [email protected].