By Frank Sabatini Jr. | Uptown News Food Briefs
A contiguous trio of establishments by Grupo de restaurantes Cohn has opened in Hillcrest. Among them is Bo-beau kitchen + Cache, an offshoot to Bo-beau kitchens in Ocean Beach and La Mesa that will follow suit with French bistro cuisine.
Located directly next door is Libertad, a taqueria that has earmarked 100 percent of its profits to a different charity each month.
Hidden behind it Cache, an intimate Parisian-style speakeasy specializing in craft cocktails and accessible through a rear door of the taco shop.
The businesses are located respectively at 1027 University Ave. and 1023 University Ave. cohnrestaurants.com.
In celebration of its four-year anniversary, Sycamore Den in Normal Heights has introduced 10 new drinks conceived by cocktail curator Jesse Ross and his bar team.
They include the Hunter Gatherer, which combines in a tall glass with ice herbal Jaegermeister, an aperitif wine, raspberry syrup and fresh raspberries.
Or in the Aloe Can You Go, the recently released aloe liqueur called Chareau is mixed with Liquid Alchemist (a tamarind elixir) and served in a coupe. 3391 Adams Ave., 619-563-9019, sycamoreden.com.
Local restaurateur Paul Fatta of Aterrizaje junto a la bahía in Mission Bay will take over the Ritual Kitchen and Beer Garden in North Park when it closes in the coming month or two. The 10-year-old restaurant has reportedly experienced financial setbacks in the face of rising competition within the neighborhood.
According to Mike Spilky of Location Matters, which is handling the real estate transfer, Fatta plans to invest nearly $500,000 into the property for what will become Working Class American Diner + Bar, due to open this fall. The remodeled space will feature two bars, multiple flat screens and an expanded beer garden in the back. 4095 30th St.
Inventive dishes such as coconut-braised pork belly, tahini chicken burgers and jalapeno-glazed shrimp are in the offing at the new OB Surf Lodge, which was previously home to Shades Oceanfront Bistro.
The restaurant-bar was recently unveiled by the Social Syndicate, a hospitality group with a portfolio that includes The Rabbit Hole, Bootlegger, The Local, y Wonderland Ocean Pub, located upstairs from OB Surf Lodge.
The kitchen is headed by executive chef James Ausem, formerly with El Prado y Barefoot Bar & Grill. And the bar program features classic drinks with contemporary twists, such as Mai Tais with passionfruit foam on top, and margaritas made with rosemary-ginger syrup and served with black salt on the rim.
Bar manager Sean Ward said that despite some final menu revisions in the works and a fire pit that’s yet to be installed on the patio, the establishment “is fully functioning.” It will hold a grand opening sometime in the coming month. 5083 Santa Monica Blvd., 619-955-5475, obsurflodge.com.
Chefs from Punto de referencia público, Solare, Galaxy Taco, casa guadalajara, Cívico 1845 and more created imaginative dishes based on their favorite books at the eighth annual “Eat. Drink. Read. A Culinary Event for Literacy,” held May 18 at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park. The event raised money for the San Diego Council on Literacy. Donate at literacysandiego.org.
The new Liberty Public Farmers Market is up and running with 60 vendors that include local growers, specialty food purveyors and craftspeople.
Located across the street from Mercado público de la libertad on the grassy area between Sims Road and Decatur Court, the market is held from 2 to 7 p.m., every Thursday to the tune of live music. Culinary demos and local chef pop-ups will begin in July.
A portion of proceeds from market sales are earmarked for Outside the Lens, a Liberty Station-based organization dedicated to teaching youth digital media, videography and photography. libertadpublicmarket.com.
Pizza in a cone? The crafty invention was first introduced in Milan several years ago and is the staple of New Jersey-based Kono Pizza, which recently opened a walk-up kiosk in Westfield Mission Valley Mall.
The baked cones are made from fresh dough and filled with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and a variety of options such as meatballs, sausage, chicken or vegetables. They also serve as dessert vessels when stuffed with cannoli cream, Nutella and bananas, and various combinations of Ghirardelli chocolates.
The company’s San Diego debut brings the number of U.S. franchises to more than a dozen. 1640 Camino Del Rio North, 619-546-9557, konousa.com.
—Frank Sabatini Jr. puede ser contactado en [email protected].
