A fine meal in San Diego will be easy on the palate and even easier on the wallet as San Diego Restaurant Week returns Jan. 7-12.
More than 125 restaurants will be participating in the third annual culinary event that gives diners the opportunity to experience San Diego’s premiere restaurants at a discounted rate.
“Restaurant Week makes it easy for everyone to indulge in the many unique and exceptional fine dining experiences San Diego has to offer,” said Ingrid Croce, chair of San Diego Restaurant Week and board member for the California Restaurant Association’s San Diego County Chapter. “The growing success of this annual event attests that San Diego’s culinary scene is hotter than ever.”
Each restaurant will offer a three-course, prix fixe dinner menu for either $30 or $40 (tax, beverage and gratuity not included), depending on the restaurant.
All genres of restaurants in locations throughout the county are included on the list of participants this year.
Croce’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar, 802 Fifth Ave., is one of the many participating restaurants. The wife of the late singer-songwriter Jim Croce opened the venue in 1985 and has since been an advocate for revitalization of the Gaslamp Quarter through efforts such as Restaurant Week.
At The Grill, 11480 N. Torrey Pines Road, the restaurant week menu begins with three choices for the first/appetizer course: Spinach Salad with apples, pecans, goat cheese and blackberry vinaigrette; Iceberg Wedge Salad with lettuce, bleu cheese dressing and Roquefort crumbles; or Creamy Tomato Soup with a mini-grilled cheese sandwich and fresh basil.
Main course offerings include Shrimp Scampi with fettuccini, lemon, garlic, sweet 100 tomatoes, cream and garlic toast; Sautéed Salmon with butternut croquette, sautéed spinach, melted onions and dill crème fraiche; or Flat Iron Steak with horseradish mashed potatoes, arugula and marinated Cremini mushrooms.
The dessert course has Chocolate Torte with bananas, rum caramel and vanilla ice cream, Root Beer Float with vanilla ice cream and Henry Weinhard’s root beer; or Fresh Fruit Crisp with vanilla ice cream.
Sponsored by the California Restaurant Association’s San Diego chapter, the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau and San Diego Magazine, Restaurant Week is a win-win situation for both the local business owners and patrons that might not otherwise get the opportunity to dine at these establishments. The event is also growing; according to organizers, more than 100 restaurants participated last year.
Diners are strongly encouraged to make reservations by contacting the restaurant directly.
Participating La Jolla restaurants include A.R. Valentien, Azul La Jolla, Beaumont’s Neighborhood Eatery, Brockton Villa Restaurant, Cafe Japengo, Crab Catcher Restaurant, Cendio, El Adobe at Estancia La Jolla, Fresh Seafood Restaurant, Jack’s La Jolla Grille, Jack’s La Jolla Dining Room, Jack’s La Jolla Ocean Room, La Valencia Mediterranean Room, Nine-Ten Restaurant, Roppongi, Roy’s, Shores Restaurant Sea Lodge Hotel, Tapenade Restaurant, The Grill, The Marine Room, Trattoria Acqua and Vida Gourmet.
For a comprehensive listing of restaurants, prix fixe menus and directory information, see ww
w.sandiegorestaurantweek.com.