By Frank Sabatini Jr. | SDUN Reporter
The charcoal grills have been fired up for the summer in front of Albertson’s in Mission Hills, giving passersby the opportunity to purchase burgers, ribs, chicken and sausages fresh off the coals.
The service, available from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays through September, is spearheaded by the store’s meat department. The third-pounder “pub burgers” priced at $4 are a steal. They’re filled with Jack cheese, mushrooms and bell peppers. 422 W. Washington St., 619-291-1277.
A new restaurant showcasing handmade pastas and fresh seafood is due to open in Hillcrest by early July. Named Blue Ribbon Rustic Kitchen, the venture was launched by restaurateurs Wade Hageman and his wife Kristi, who also operate Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria and The Craftsman New American Tavern, both located in Encinitas. Company chef Marlaw Serasti will oversee the menu. Hageman completely gutted and redesigned the space, which was formerly Bayu Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine. The new look features interior brick incorporating wood and metal elements as well as a freshly built bar. 530 University Ave.
Get your French fries smothered in Southern red-eye gravy at the new Hubcap in North Park, which is up and running after owner Jay Porter replaced it last month with El Take It Easy. The succinct menu offers salads, appetizers and burgers using grass-fed beef, along with cocktails, wine and draft beers. For those unfamiliar with red-eye gravy, the recipe blends a little bit of coffee with beef and pork stock. As for the “fluffy cheese” that shows up on the burgers and Jalapeno poppers, it’s a mix of mild cheddar, blue and cream cheeses. 3926 30th St., 619-291-1859.
Rarely do San Diego restaurants fetch a solid five stars on Yelp.com, despite some of the known antics of proprietors peppering their listings with stellar reviews. But even outside the ratings web site, Pomegranate Sobaka in Golden Hill has garnered huge fanfare since opening a couple months ago. With a menu strikingly similar to that of Pomegranate Russian-Georgian Restaurant in North Park, though separately owned, the café whimsically fuses Russian, Georgian and California cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and with scaled pricing options tailored for “communists,” “socialists” and “anarchists.” 2469 Broadway, 619-297-4007.
Chef Olivier Bioteau of the Farm House Café in University Heights proves that duck confit isn’t a French specialty reserved exclusively for winter. Continuing through the summer, he will serve the labor-intensive dish starting at 5 p.m. every Sunday evening, pairing the meat with differently prepared summer vegetables such as squash and corn. Bioteau cures the duck in a proprietary blend of spices overnight before simmering it in its own fat for a few hours. The meat is then oven-roasted to order. Plates range between $21 and $25. 2121 Adams Ave., 619-269-9662.
Delve into a treasure chest of restaurants at this month’s Taste of Little Italy, which will showcase and latest and greatest dishes from nearly 30 kitchens, from 5 to 9 p.m., June 19. Newcomers to the event include Monello, Queenstown and Isola Pizza. Participating eateries are divided into north and south routes within the neighborhood. The cost is $28 for either route or $42 for the whole shebang. For more information, call 619-615-1092 or visit tasteoflittleitaly.com.
