Frank Sabatini Jr. | Downtown News
Among the countless events taking place throughout the county for San Diego Beer Week (Nov. 1 – 10), the fifth annual extravaganza officially kicks off with a San Diego Brewers Guild festival from 2 to 5 p.m., Nov. 2, at the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier. The powwow will feature more than 50 homegrown breweries, musical entertainment and food vendors. The cost is $40. Tickets can be purchased at the event or by visiting sandiegobrewersguild.org. 1000 N. Harbor Dr.
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A veritable Thanksgiving dinner has been squeezed into a bun at The Counter Custom Built Burgers, which rolled the “Not Your Granny’s Turkey Burger” for the month of November. The creation features a third-pound seasoned turkey patty topped with a slice of maple-glazed ham, sweet potato hash, dried cranberries, baby spinach and red onions. Rosemary cream sauce clenches the deal. Sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie milkshakes also await if you save room for dessert. 695 Sixth Ave., 619-810-1850.
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Kimpton Hotels is celebrating its own restaurant month throughout November at a couple of Downtown properties: Jsix and Saltbox Dining & Drinking. The chefs from each restaurant are offering three-course meals for $35 per person, which includes a starter, entrée and dessert. At Jsix, look for sausage-stuffed quail with apricot and sorrel bread salad. At Saltbox, chicken with roasted corn and poblano waffles is in the offing. Jsix: 616 J St., 619-531-8744; Saltbox, 1047 Fifth Ave., 619-515-3003.
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Looking for a spot to rest your weary soles after a day of competitive shopping on Black Friday? The happy hour at RA Sushi Bar Restaurant, which normally begins at 3 p.m., will instead kick off at 11 a.m. and continue until 7 p.m., on November 29. More than 30 appetizers and sushi options will be available, ranging from $2.75 to $7.75. Beer, wine and signature cocktails will range from $3.75 to $7.75. 474 Broadway, 619-321-0021.
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The menu at Café Sevilla is about to receive an avante-garde injection from new executive chef Errol LeBlanc, who came out a top winner on Food Network’s reality series, Chef Wanted with Anne Burrell. Having owned a tapas kitchen in Las Vegas, LeBlanc also opened restaurants at Mandalay Bay and The Paris in Vegas. Gluten-free paella and liquid nitrogen-frozen gazpacho are among the dishes that will soon join Sevilla’s traditional menu of tapas and Spanish entrees. 353 Fifth Ave., 619-233-5979.
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The four founding members of El Dorado Cocktail Lounge will reunite behind the bar in a tour de force to celebrate the venue’s five-year anniversary, from 6 to 9 p.m., Nov. 5. The whiz-bang team features Nathan Stanton and his twin brothers, Marshall and Matthew, plus Ryan Kuntz, all credited with trailblazing the modern-day San Diego cocktail scene. The event will spotlight six of their top cocktails over the past five years, available for $5 apiece. Complimentary appetizers and a nostalgic slideshow are also in store. 1030 Broadway, 619-237-0550.
Squeezing in among The Cheesecake Factory, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, Seasons 52 and other restaurants scheduled to open Nov. 17 in The Headquarters at Seaport District is a marketplace of non-perishable foods under the name Simply Local. The operators are currently accepting vendor applications for the 1,700-square-foot space that will allow for up to 40 merchants using a central checkout station. The marketplace is slated to open by the end of the year. 817 W. Harbor Drive, 619-795-3363.
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Tis the season for spiny lobster, when the California-Baja crustaceans turn up plumper and meatier compared to other times of the year. The Fish Market is currently offering them for lunch and dinner as well as selling them fresh over the next couple months. At the restaurant, the lobsters are prepared Puerto Nuevo style, meaning they’re split and basted with butter while grilling over a mesquite grill. 750 N. Harbor Drive, 619-232-3474.
Frank Sabatini Jr can be reached at [email protected].
