Dining Out in San Diego: July 20, 2018

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

A niche has been filled in west Mission Valley for buying pizza by the slice, not to mention cheese steaks, stromboli and calzones.

Elmer Rodriguez and his wife, Christina, recently opened Coney’s Pizza in The Presidio shopping plaza at Napa Street and Linda Vista Road. It’s an offshoot to the original Coney’s, which was founded some 15 years ago in Poway and has since moved to 12233 Poway Road. To date, the business has changed hands numerous times.

Rodriguez brings to the table his own recipes for dough, sauces, chicken wings and cheese steaks, which are made with hand-shaved rib eye and Amoroso rolls. The menu also features hoagies and a few pasta dishes. Prior to purchasing Coney’s, he worked at Bronx Pizza in Hillcrest, Long Island Mike’s in Clairemont and Regents Pizzeria in La Jolla. 5201 Linda Vista Road, #103, 619-294-5755, coneyspizza.com.

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The new Poke It eatery in Hillcrest, which specializes in customized poke creations and Baja-Asian burritos and tacos, will hold its official grand opening throughout the day on July 7 in the presence of firefighters from nearby Station No. 5. The event doubles as a fundraiser for the San Diego Fire Rescue Foundation.

Menu items include “ricetadas,” which use rice tostadas as vessels for a variety of seafood, veggies and sauces. Rice is also utilized to form the buns for chicken, salmon and tuna burgers. The beverage list features agua frescas, beer and sake. 690 University Ave., 619-773-6486, pokeitsd.com.

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Meatloaf tacos, Peruvian ceviche, Maine lobster rolls and roasted porchetta are among the diverse options available at the new Little Italy Food Hall. The six-vendor operation is the first project by San Diego-based hospitality group, Grit & Grain Collective. It is complimented by the 11,000-square-foot Piazza della Famiglia, which features outdoor seating and a large water fountain.

Inside the hall is a central cocktail bar offering spirits, craft beer and wine. It’s surrounded by six “food stations: Not Not Tacos headed by television personality Sam the Cooking Guy; Wicked Maine Lobster, which features clam bake and shrimp baskets in addition to lobster rolls; and Single Fin Kitchen, where Brazilian-American chef Antonio Quindere uses fresh fish and veggies for making Japanese rice bowls known as donburis.

The other vendors are Ambrogio15, a Milan-style pizzeria founded in Pacific Beach; Mein St. Asian Kitchen, where dumplings, crispy wings and boba teas rule the day; and Roast Meat & Sandwich Shop, which sells build-your-own salad boxes as well as a variety of meats and artisan sandwiches. Cooking demos on the property are due to start sometime in August. The schedule is still being finalized. 550 W. Date St., Suite B, 619-269-7187, littleitalyfoodhall.com.

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If you recently questioned seeing online IHop spelled IHob, with a “b” at the end, you saw right. The 60-year-old mega chain, known officially as International House of Pancakes, has flipped the last letter of its acronym to signify “burgers” for a national, summer promotion of a few new Angus creations.

“They’re thicker, juicier and more fulfilling,” said an employee at the Mission Valley location, referring to the recently introduced cowboy BBQ, mushroom-Swiss and jalapeno “kick” burgers. Customer feedback, she added, will determine if they’ll stick around beyond September, although it’s highly unlikely the company will actually re-register its name to International House of Burgers. 2169 Fenton Parkway, 619-640-3711, ihop.com.

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Showcasing her heritage and extensive travels throughout Mexico, chef Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins brings a host of regional Mexican dishes to the table at the new El Jardin in Liberty Station. The acclaimed chef, who worked at the former Bracero in Little Italy, teamed up with the locally based Rise & Shine Restaurant Group (Breakfast Republic) for the project.

Replete with a garden that yields ingredients for the bar and kitchen, the restaurant offers a variety of full and small plates such as slow-cooked pork shoulder, Sonoran scallops aguachile, enchiladas suizas, and more. 2885 Perry Road, 619-795-2322, eljardinrestaurantbar.com.

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More than 5,000 pounds of baby back ribs and mesquite chicken will be served at the 10th annual Phil’s Big BBQ at the Ballpark, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., July 29, at Petco Park’s tailgate lot on 14th and K streets. The event leads up to when the San Diego Padres go to bat with the Arizona Diamondbacks at 1:10 p.m. the same day. The cost is $25, which includes the meats, two sides, a soft drink and a ticket to the game. Craft brews and spirits will be for sale inside the lot’s beer garden. All proceeds will benefit Operation Bigs, a program through Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County that provides mentors to children of military families. For more information and ticket purchases, visit sdbigs.org/philsbigbbq.

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Bombay in Hillcrest is temporarily closed, according to its web site. Established originally in 1988 across the street from its current location on Fifth Avenue, the restaurant is supposedly undergoing a kitchen remodel and will reopen July 31. Although rumor is circulating that the spacious establishment might change hands. Stay tuned for updates. 3960 Fifth Ave., 619-297-7777.

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The popular Nishiki Ramen in Kearny Mesa has landed in Hillcrest with a second location featuring its authentic “Tokyo style” ramen using house-made noodles. The various broths are made from vegetables and natural chicken and pork. Appetizers, share plates, beer, wine and sake are also available. Situated in the 2,100-square-foot space that formerly housed Whistling Duck Tavern, the restaurants are run by acclaimed Japanese chefs Jimmy Kitayama and Mike Furuichi. 1040 University Ave., 619-831-0101, nishikiramen.com.

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The Carlsbad-based Everbowl makes its metro San Diego debut in Mission Valley on July 20 with an array of “superfoods” used in smoothies and build-your-own bowls. The fast-casual eatery, which promotes healthy eating, offers a choice of acai, acerola, graviola and pitaya as foundations for the customized bowls. Patrons then choose a liquid such as almond milk, coconut water, apple juice and others before selecting from a long list of unlimited toppings. The final step allows customers to choose from a list of “superstuff” that includes bee pollen, Vitamin C, agave, flax and more. 5624 Mission Center Road (in the Ralph’s shopping plaza), 619-487-0443, everbowl.com.

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After nearly 30 years in business, Cafe Japengo in La Jolla has closed. Its last day was June 22. The stylish Asian-fusion restaurant pioneered the way for sushi rolls that were considered daring and dazzling at the time, where ingredients such as mayonnaise, powdered seaweed, slivered lemons, and shiitake mushrooms swirled around raw fish.

Anchored in the Hyatt Regency Aventine complex, the restaurant was operated by Hyatt and its lease expired.

“The restaurant scene in San Diego has changed over the years with a lot more competition and dynamic options. It wasn’t feasible to continue,” said Jayne Aston, director of operations for Hyatt Regency. The space will make way for a national fitness franchise. 8960 University Center Lane.

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Wild hand-caught swordfish has splashed into tacos and bowls at Rubio’s Coastal Grill. As tacos, which are served in pairs, the grilled fish lands in blue-corn tortillas and is topped with Peruvian-style aji salsa made of chilies, shallots, cilantro, garlic and lime juice. The bowls set the fish atop citrus rice, romaine lettuce, black beans and sliced avocado, and with a drizzle of chipotle sauce. A rarity in taco shops and chains, the meaty, slightly sweet swordfish will be available at most local outlets throughout the summer. rubios.com.

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East County’s eminent Italian restaurant, Giardino Neighborhood Cucina in Lemon Grove, has begun serving pasta dishes tableside from a giant Parmesan cheese wheel on Monday nights. Look for a rotating repertoire of classics such as fettuccine alfredo and cacio e pepe (cheese and black pepper). The hip and warmly designed restaurant is owned by chef Marco Provino of Sicily and his Russian wife, Karina Kravalis, who works the front of the house. 8131 Broadway, 619-825-7112, giardinosd.com.

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After nearly 20 years in business, San Diego Desserts in El Cerrito has closed. The gay-owned business started as a wholesaler in 1999 and eventually evolved into a retail bakery as well as a restaurant known as Bistro Sixty. In a Facebook announcement founder Mark Leisman cited financial reasons for the unexpected closure.

“The economics for this business have just reached a point where the Bistro is no longer viable. We’ve explored cutting corners, and just feel that it’s best to go out on a high note,” his post stated in part. 5987 El Cajon Blvd.

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Little Italy’s latest hotspot for pastries, quiche and sandwiches, Frost Me Cafe & Bakery, continues rolling out new menu items in an effort to brand itself as a separate establishment from its original Seaport Village business, Frost Me Gourmet. The latter specializes only in cakes and cupcakes. The company is owned by local couple Audrey Hermes and John Parker, who just added to their Little Italy repertoire nitro cold-brew matcha, dispensed from a tap at 41 degrees. Other new items include a meatless California bagel sandwich and a cinnamon-sugar dusted “morning bun” made with croissant dough. 555 W. Date St., 619-287-2253, frostme.com.

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The much-anticipated tasting room and restaurant by 619 Spirits Distillery opened July 2 in North Park. The venue allows owner Nick Apostolopoulos to pour and sell by the bottle five versions of his 619 Vodka: plain, plus those infused with coffee, rose petals, cucumbers and scorpion peppers. He will also carry spirits from other San Diego distilleries for making onsite cocktails.

Heading the kitchen is chef Bryan Rhodes, formerly of Solterra Winery & Kitchen in Encinitas. His introductory menu features salads, sandwiches, poutine, beef tartare and charcuterie. 3015 Lincoln Ave., 619-940-6456, 619vodka.com.

—Frank Sabatini Jr. can be reached at [email protected].