Local restaurants offer special dishes at low price for participants

By Ashley Mackin | Downtown News

The Grub Sprawl, which has had successful runs in Hillcrest, Coronado, North Park, La Jolla and Little Italy, will spring onto downtown for the first time. On Feb. 13 from 6 – 10 p.m., the Grub Sprawl will take over the East Village.

This year’s participating restaurants include: Bub’s at the Ballpark, Hotel Indigo, The Knotty Barrel, Village 631, Proper A Gastro Pub, East Village Tavern and Bowl, El Vitral, Lolita’s at the Park, Smashburger, Toast Enoteca, Bootlegger and Mission Brewery.

“We wanted to participate in the East Village Grub Sprawl because this is our community,” said Smashburger owner Dave Whisenhunt. “It’s important to us to be part of community events and support local programs. The Grub Sprawl is a fun way to spread more burger love downtown, and we’re all about that.”

For the Sprawl, Whisenhunt said his Smashburger location will be offering a Classic Smashburger with a Coors Light or a Classic Smash Chicken sandwich with a Coors Light. The restaurant is located at 801 Market St.

To participate, attendees must wear complimentary wristbands, which can be picked up at either Bub’s at The Ballpark, located at 715 J St. or Hotel Indigo, located at 509 9th Ave. starting at 5:45 p.m. that evening.

Bub’s at the Ballpark General Manager Frank Miller said, “We’re excited to have more events that are starting to come down to the East Village so we can showcase our restaurant and what we’re about,” which he said is, “fun, great food in a bar atmosphere [with] sports and tater tots.”

For the Sprawl, Bub’s at the Ballpark will offer their Skinny Boy Archie Chicken Sammie and tots.

Wearing the wristbands enables participants to enter any of the participating restaurants and order the restaurant’s special dish, priced at $5 each.

“We’re excited to finally be able to bring the Grub Sprawl to East Village. This Grub Sprawl is the first of six that we’ve planned for this year, and will set East Village apart as its own distinct community with an up-and-coming restaurant scene,” said William Lopez, president of Alternative Strategies and creator of the Grub Sprawl.

“It feels great to have so many diverse restaurants eager to participate this time around, with the addition of our first drink-oriented participant, Mission Brewery,” Lopez said. “We’re also thrilled to see that so many past attendees are expressing how excited they are to return and experience all the Grub Sprawls throughout San Diego County in 2012.”

For more information on the upcoming East Village Grub Sprawl, visit grubsprawl.com.