Ask Lesley Cohn which is her favorite in the Cohn family-owned restaurant group and she’ll say that’s like asking a mother who is her favorite child.
An apt metaphor, as the Cohn group has recently adopted Thee Bungalow, a longtime Ocean Beach dining establishment on the corner of Bacon Street and West Point Loma Boulevard for more than 30 years.
The restaurant was added to San Diego’s culinary first family, comprising premiere San Diego eateries such as The Prado at Balboa Park, the Corvette Diner in Hillcrest and Rox, Kemo Sabe, Blue Point and Mr. Tiki in the Gaslamp.
Cohn said she couldn’t be happier that the small, quaint business has joined their ranks, adding that Thee Bungalow fits in perfectly with the group, who, like some real-life families, don’t really resemble one another.
“We’re not a chain,” said Cohn. “We don’t duplicate concepts. We have a ’50s diner, a Polynesian restaurant, an American grill and a Pacific Rim restaurant.”
Besides small cosmetic changes, such as adding central air conditioning and new chairs, little else has changed at the old Ocean Beach bungalow location since the Cohns took over in March.
“Typically, we go into a restaurant and gut it or take over one that has closed,” said Cohn. “But here it’s not broken, so there’s nothing really to fix.”
Though Cohn said though there will be a “tweaking of the old guard,” referring to the menu at Thee Bungalow, most items will remain the same. The famous roast duck, filet mignon and, yes, even the veal sweetbreads are here to stay. Newer, fresher ingredients will be added in an effort to reach out to younger diners, though careful not to alienate the loyal customer base that has been patronizing the restaurant for decades.
“Our goal is to try to infuse a more contemporary twist on things,” said Larry Abrams, executive chef.
“The problem is [that] French Continental is more established, maybe not as exciting,” he continued. “This is a restaurant that has been coveted by people who have been dining here for years and years.”
Ultimately, however, Abrams said the food speaks for itself, though “it’s the presence and the ambience that need to be greater than the food.”
For Abrams, a San Diego native who received culinary training both domestically and abroad in France, that means getting out of the kitchen, meeting guests, making personal contact and welcoming new and old friends.
The Cohns took over Thee Bungalow from Ed Moore, who ran the restaurant since 1987.
“I could not have asked for a better transition,” said Moore, who has since focused his energy on other projects, including Nicks at the Beach and The Third Corner, which, incidentally, is located opposite Thee Bungalow.
The Third Corner originally opened as a Mediterranean seafood restaurant five years ago. Though Moore said it had a following of loyal customers, he closed the business after three years and used the location primarily for private parties.
Last year, Moore said he decided to re-open Third Corner as an upscale wine shop and bistro, and ever since, business has been better than he could have imagined.
The Third Corner crowd, whom Moore described as predominantly female and younger in age as the night goes on (they serve dinner until 1 a.m. and close at 2 a.m.), say they come as much for the fun atmosphere as the food, something Moore modestly attributes to luck rather than his hard work and dedication to the business.
“Sometimes you close your eyes and swing as hard as you can, and hope you hit a home run.”
For more on Thee Bungalow, call (619) 224-2884 or visit www.theebungalow.com. For more on The Third Corner, call (619) 223-2700 or visit www.the3rdcorner.com.