TERRA
By David Nelson
Uptown Restaurant Critic

A restaurateur possessed of the soul of a caterer, Jeff Rossman thinks in terms of variety, of variations on a theme, of offering a good deal of food at a set price.

At his long-running, well-regarded Terra restaurant in Hillcrest’s Uptown District, Rossman – who in fact is very much a caterer, and does a substantial business in this line — already has a couple of nights designated for specialties, which are served in addition to his sizable standing menu. For several years, summer Thursday nights have doubled as “BBQ ‘n’ The Blues” evenings of hearty American fare and live music. The current promotion ends September 24, which means there’s just one more chance to enjoy the bluesy notes of musicians like guitarist Ben Powell, while savoring slow-cooked, deeply flavored meats and generously portioned, all-American sides. The music travels achy-hearted roads from 6 P.M. to 9 P.M., and the meal’s a steal at $15.95 per person.

This year, Rossman introduced Friday night “Lobster Fests.” The chef is more than a little enthusiastic about these events, which feature succulent, heavy-clawed lobsters from Maine.

“We’ve got rotating menus with things like lobster egg rolls, lobster chowder, lobster raviolis, and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese at a discounted price (the last dish, usually priced at $26, sells for $19.95 on Fridays),” he said one recent evening. Rossman’s eyes lit up when he mentioned his prime specialty, a $29.95 pairing of beef filet and lobster tail, and he suddenly exclaimed, “We’ve got lobster!” Terra’s offerings in this department actually go even further, with such other specialties as lobster risotto, and on occasion, the chef agrees to serve plain old whole Maine lobster. This is a pretty fine thing to eat as long as you don’t mind working hard for your dinner, since cracking those shells requires dexterity and muscles. Friday night’s bounty prefaces a Saturday noon feast, when that day’s lunch menu offers an elegant lobster BLT sandwich to which applewood smoked bacon and tarragon mayonnaise add plenty of class ($10).

The chef’s enthusiasm for variations on a theme has him considering introducing a weekly slider bar, which, he said, would feature “all kinds of sliders,” or savory little sandwiches that can be consumed in a few bites. They’re already popular at trendy bars around the county, and Terra easily holds its own in this category, thanks to a handsome cherrywood bar at which a plate of sliders and a glass of wine would make a tasty light meal.

An accomplished chef, Rossman learned the business at his parents’ Café Pam Pam in Mission Valley. He invests plenty of imagination in his menus, and at dinner, the creativity starts at the top of the appetizer list with crisp lettuce cups overflowing with Thai-spiced chicken in a tangy sambaal vinaigrette (“sambaal ” specifies certain types of condiment, of which ketchup happens to be one) fragrantly accented with fresh cilantro and mint ($8). Sliders, which someday may be offered in profusion, already are on the menu as a pair of mini beef burgers dressed with the sharp flavors of caramelized shallots, Cambazola cheese and truffle-flavored mayonnaise ($9).
The appetizer list offers so many lively choices that it would be easy to order two or three and skip a formal entrée (a route some guests probably already choose). Even familiar dishes are cooked or presented in a way that sets them apart, such as the shrimp in the shrimp cocktail, which are grilled rather than boiled ($9.95). The result has an especially toothsome texture that marries perfectly with a sweet-tangy sauce flavored with wasabi, Chinese hoisin sauce and diced pineapple. Other tempters on the starter list include coconut-dusted crab cakes boldly accompanied by truly hot mustard ($13), a plate of goat cheese and roasted beets with candied pecans and honey-miso dressing ($6), and for cheerful nibbling while you chat with tablemates, crisp, garlic-seasoned french fries ($3.50).

Apart from Asian restaurants, it’s difficult to imagine a San Diego restaurant that declines to serve Caesar salad. Terra’s version is nicely presented with a garlic and Asiago cheese-flavored crouton, and creamy garlic dressing that brings out the best qualities of the romaine ($5). The salad pleasantly prefaces an entrée list that emphasizes hearty fare such as lager-braised pot roast: a presentation of tender-chewy, long-cooked meat moistened with its own well-browned juices, a ragout of leeks and wild mushrooms, and mashed Yukon Gold potatoes ($19.50). This is home cooking, but it’s not truly home-style, since Rossman gives the flavors a very professional boost by adding a drizzle of truffle oil.

Bright flavors characterize both the roasted half-chicken flavored with citrus juices and ginger ($16.50), and seared sea scallops finished with well-reduced stock enlivened with dill and mushrooms ($25). Along with the grilled flat iron steak with Port sauce and Cambazola cheese ($24), and the grilled flank steak in many-herbed chimichurri sauce ($22), the menu lists the scallops as a gluten-free dish. For dessert, Terra’s banana-caramel Xango ($6) is so distinctive that it has been trademarked, and no wonder: the rich cheesecake is layered with chunks of banana and swirls of buttery caramel, encased in a flaky pastry “tortilla” and sided with vanilla bean ice cream. Sweet and silky, it’s a dessert to remember.