When restaurateur Mark Oliver acquired the former China Inn site in Pacific Beach, he wanted to establish something new – and different – among local eateries.
He succeeded in creating the more upscale, seafood-centric Pueblo at 877 Hornblend St., which opened recently with its modernistic, indoor-outdoor look and feel in a larger revamped space with new outside and upstairs patio dining spaces.
“I knew I wanted to do something coastal,” said Oliver, who was once part of the executive team at George’s La Jolla, and was also previously involved with Mission Valley’s Randy Jones All American Sports Grill. “In my view, Pacific Beach was underserved in terms of upscale restaurants.”
Oliver talked about his business approach.
“My passion is nice ambience, great food, good service and hospitality, serving an adult market,” he said. “I’d like to serve a market that caters and appeals to all spectrums, all age groups.”
Pueblo does all that.
“It can be a family place for casual dining, or it could be a special-occasion place for a family, or a date night, or a place to meet friends,” said Oliver, who described his new eatery’s cuisine as modern Baja coastal.
“We’re looking at Baja as the influence,” he said, adding,”But we’re not doing necessarily traditional recipes.”
Noting his menu is strongly influenced with fresh seafood, Oliver pointed out, “My aim was to take Baja coastal food and add our twist on it to make it contemporary, with seafood, fresher ingredients, less reliance on fats and more reliance on the ocean. Healthy dining, really.”
Noting the original China Inn site when acquired in January 2015 was about 5,800 square feet, Oliver noted Pueblo has now been redeveloped into an 8,000-square-foot space.
“It was completely indoors,” said Oliver adding, “We got a remodel permit. I took a good year and a half (to remodel) and the first several months were all dedicated to getting permits and the plan passed through the city.”
Reconstruction on the nearly 60-year-old building began in late October 2015 and took somewhat less than “10 months to build,” Oliver said noting getting his alcohol license transferred from the China Inn was challenged, which significantly lengthened how long it took to get the restaurant open.
“When they protest, that takes what normally is a 45- to 60-day process, and puts it into the 1-1/2 year category, or it can, as it was in our case. I have an agreement with the police and the ABC on what the 10 conditions are for the license here. They’re downgraded significantly from what they were when it was the China Inn, and the police and the ABC were satisfied with that.”
What are people looking for today in a modern, upscale coastal eatery?
“They’re looking for food and service in a happy environment,” said Oliver. “What I’ve tried to create here is a place that very much fits in with Pacific Beach, and the lifestyle of Pacific Beach. It’s a little bit more upscale than most other things out here. “It’s indoors, outdoors, which is very much in step. And then people who are looking for something that’s above-average dining, and more creative, and maybe more of an experience in dining, as opposed to your typical Mexican food you would think of when you think of a chain restaurant.”
Oliver believes Pueblo is bringing something new to the local restaurant scene.
“This restaurant helps the diversity, the restaurant culture in Pacific Beach – we’re adding to that diversity,” Oliver concluded. Pueblo
Where: 877 Hornblend St. (formerly China Inn).
What: Modern Baja coastal cuisine with indoor-outdoor dining.
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Info: www.pueblopb.com, 858-412-3312.