{"id":253625,"date":"2018-09-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/a-touch-of-new-orleans\/"},"modified":"2018-09-07T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-09-07T07:00:00","slug":"a-touch-of-new-orleans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/a-touch-of-new-orleans\/","title":{"rendered":"A touch of New Orleans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By\u00a0Frank Sabatini Jr. | Restaurant Review<\/p>\n<p>You wouldn\u2019t know from immediately stepping inside 5th Ave Kitchen &amp; Tap that chef and co-owner, Andrew Boyer, funnels the spirit of his native New Orleans into the establishment.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>There are no glittery voodoo skulls peering at you from dark corners and no Mardi Gras beads hanging from decorative wrought iron. The menu, however, is the giveaway. It features the recent additions of jambalaya, catfish and gumbo.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34416\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34416\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34416 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Fifth-Ave-Kitchen-and-Tap-exterior.jpg\" alt=\"A touch of New Orleans\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/450;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34416\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Crafty food and cocktails with a New Orleans bent await inside this Fifth Avenue hangout <em>(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>New Orleans staple po\u2019boy sandwiches are also available. (Although they were already on the menu when Boyer opened the place earlier this year.) In fact, the airy French-style rolls he uses for making them are sourced from Leidenheimer Baking Company, which was established in The Crescent City more than 100 years ago.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-34422 alignright lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Untitled-1-copy-1.jpg\" alt=\"A touch of New Orleans\" width=\"229\" height=\"375\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 229px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 229\/375;\" \/>In addition, the atmosphere will soon be fueled by fans of the New Orleans Saints whenever they play in the upcoming NFL season. The games will be broadcast across 10 flat-screens that dominate the bar and front dining areas, thus raising the allegiance to Boyer\u2019s hometown.<\/p>\n<p>Replete with familiar roll-up windows and a large bar, the space last housed Spitz, and Doghouse Bar &amp; Grill before that. It came with a full liquor license and a spacious back patio. Both have played to Boyer\u2019s advantage since he took over the address, which followed a 10-year stint working as chef and general manager for Carver\u2019s Steaks &amp; Chops in Rancho Bernardo.<\/p>\n<p>His cocktail list offers perky temptations such as \u201clime in the coconut\u201d made with coconut vodka, lemonade and soda water. There\u2019s also a spicy mezcal mule accented with cayenne pepper, plus a variety of botanical cocktails flavored with orange blossoms, cucumbers and roses. Craft beer lovers get to choose from 16 taps.<\/p>\n<p>The dog-friendly patio has become a profitable draw. Almost equal in size to the main dining room, it serves as a venue for fashion shows and weddings, as well as meetings by the San Diego Young Democrats, the ACLU, and the Bankers Hill Business Association.<\/p>\n<p>I visited with a carnivore in tow on a Thursday night, when prime rib dinners are available from 5 p.m. until closing. For $15, you get a 12-ounce slab of the slow-roasted meat accompanied by mild horseradish sauce plus a vegetable and a starch. It\u2019s a deal you\u2019ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34421\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34421\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34421 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Fifth-Ave-Kitchen-and-Tap-prime-rib-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A touch of New Orleans\" width=\"600\" height=\"357\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/357;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34421\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Slow-roasted prime rib is available on Thursday nights.\u00a0<em>(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Fortunately, I was told about it ahead of time because we didn\u2019t see any signage promoting the meal. Nor were we informed about it by our server, who doubled that night as the bartender.<\/p>\n<p>On this evening, the plate featured a pleasing salad of mixed lettuces, and fried potatoes tucked under the steak, which gave the spuds extra flavor as they absorbed the juices. A steak knife wasn\u2019t needed (or ever brought to us), as the medium-rare meat cut easily with our butter knives.<\/p>\n<p>Like the prime rib, meats such as brisket and barbecue pork ribs are roasted in-house. And bacon is cured onsite.<\/p>\n<p>Boyer also cranks out meatballs that rival those in trendy Italian-owned restaurants. (Sorry Maestoso, but yours can\u2019t hold a flame to these.) Served two to an order as an appetizer, and with a toasted slice of garlic-kissed Leidenheimer bread, the orbs are moist from ricotta cheese that\u2019s folded into the meat mix. They\u2019re also braised all day in tomato sauce, which is key for achieving memorable texture.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34417\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34417\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34417 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Fifth-Ave-Kitchen-and-Tap-meatballs-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A touch of New Orleans\" width=\"600\" height=\"388\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/388;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34417\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Meatballs with truffle-ricotta cheese\u00a0<em>(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We had kicked off the meal with a shareable roasted beet salad dressed judiciously in pesto vinaigrette. The veggies tasted garden-fresh, the feta crumbles were creamy, and the candied walnuts weren\u2019t overly cloying \u2014 a comforting summer medley by any standard.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34418\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34418\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34418 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Fifth-Ave-Kitchen-and-Tap-beet-salad-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A touch of New Orleans\" width=\"600\" height=\"422\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/422;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34418\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Roasted beet salad\u00a0<em>(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For my main course, I was initially lured by the selection of internationally inspired burgers, which include the banh mi with pickled veggies; the Argentina consisting of house-made Spanish sausage and chimichurri sauce; and the Cajun combining crawfish and Cajun sausage.<\/p>\n<p>But I was hell bent on a shrimp po\u2019 boy.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34419\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34419\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34419 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Fifth-Ave-Kitchen-and-Tap-shrimp-po-boy-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A touch of New Orleans\" width=\"600\" height=\"397\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/397;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34419\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The shrimp po\u2019 boy\u00a0<em>(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Without regret, my teeth glided through the lightweight French roll and into scads of fried, breaded shrimp. Mixed within were the usual po\u2019boy essentials: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, pickles and zesty remoulade. Substantial in girth, half of it came home with me.<\/p>\n<p>Other po\u2019boy choices include chicken, meatball, brisket and rib eye.<\/p>\n<p>The dessert list features white-chocolate bread pudding, bananas foster and peach crumble. We chose the latter. If high doses of cinnamon float your boat, as it did ours, this loose version of cobbler with vanilla ice cream on top won\u2019t disappoint.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_34420\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34420\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34420 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Fifth-Ave-Kitchen-and-Tap-peach-crumble-copy.jpg\" alt=\"A touch of New Orleans\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/400;\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-34420\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peach crumble\u00a0<em>(Foto por Frank Sabatini Jr.)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Service at 5th Ave Kitchen &amp; Tap is very casual \u2014 it\u2019s a seat-yourself kind of place boasting all the trappings of a San Diego sports bar, but with food and drinks that will probably exceed your expectations in quality.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u2014 Frank Sabatini Jr. is the author of \u2018Secret San Diego\u2019 (ECW Press) and began his local writing career more than two decades ago as a staffer<br \/>\nfor the former San Diego Tribune. Reach him at <a href=\"mailto:fsabatini@san.rr.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fsabatini@san.rr.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By\u00a0Frank Sabatini Jr. | Restaurant Review You wouldn\u2019t know from immediately stepping inside 5th Ave Kitchen &amp; Tap that chef and co-owner, Andrew Boyer, funnels the spirit of his native New Orleans into the establishment.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":726,"featured_media":253626,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11555","_seopress_titles_title":"A touch of New Orleans","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11547,11551,11555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-253625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-news","category-uptown-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/726"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=253625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253625\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/253626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=253625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=253625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=253625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}