From Surf City, USA down the coast to San Diego’s Gaslamp, Alternative Strategies’ clients have been making their marks in their new locales and updating their looks. Mediterranean food in Huntington Beach, coffee in Del Mar, modern-American in the East Village and Thai food in Hillcrest are just some of the concepts that have opened or re-opened this summer. And be on the lookout for more Alt Strat clients coming your way!
Cafe Cantata
Located in the exquisite city of Del Mar, Café Cantata is brewing up satisfying sips and flavorsome fare. Nestled in the renovated Flower Hill Promenade, it has settled into a spot formerly occupied for the past 25 years by Pannikin Coffee and Tea. Café Cantata opened in late June with a menu featuring local, farm-fresh breakfast and lunch items along with custom coffees and exquisite teas.
This brand-new coffee shop and eatery comes courtesy of Johan Engman, the owner and founder of Fig Tree Café which has expanded to three locations in San Diego’s Hillcrest, Pacific Beach and Liberty Station neighborhoods. Café Cantata’s name is derived from Coffee Cantata, a Bach composition that declares coffee “is more delicious than a thousand kisses.”
For more information on Café Cantata, please visit: facebook.com/CafeCantataSD
TABLE No. 10
Just steps away from Petco Park, Table No. 10 is located at the corner of 10th Avenue and J Street. Its Modern-American menu differentiates itself from nearby sports bars by offering a variety of small plates and entrees. Savor Executive Chef Jason Gethin’s homemade specialties such as crispy chicken skin, and a unique ravioli stuffed with goat cheese and pine nuts served with pine needle brown butter under a dollop of parmesan foam. Larger plates such as Kobe beef brisket and Colorado lamb bolo with tagliatelle pasta and house ricotta are sized to share. End your culinary journey with Table No. 10’s homemade doughnuts or deconstructed peach cobbler served with crème fraîche ice cream.
Dinner won’t be complete without one of Table No. 10’s original cocktails. House-made tonics and sodas with top-tier spirits combine for flavors that are as unique as they are tasty. Each menu item is carefully paired with a mixed cocktail, wine or beer offering in mind. Spiked with diverse offerings, cocktails are infused with creativity and eclectic ingredients such as jalapeños and duck fat. Also, no mass-market soda or tonic here, with one exception: Mexican Coca-Cola. And that’s only because Owner Cooper McLaughlin insists on it.
What’s in a name? Table No. 10 refers to the chef’s table, located adjacent to the kitchen. It’s ideal for observing Chef Jason’s innovative approach to intriguing cuisine in action.
Table No. 10 is located at 369 10th Ave in San Diego’s East Village. For more information and to reserve a seat, please call 619.550.1262.
Luna Grill
Serving uniquely authentic Mediterranean cuisine, Luna Grill offers delicious and healthy food at fair prices in a stylish, contemporary and inviting atmosphere. Their fresh Mediterranean cuisine isn’t simply limited to their restaurants, either. Luna Grill provides catering services for corporate and private events, bringing delicious food straight to the office or home.
Luna Grill holds true to their mission of creating meals that are as equally healthy as they are delicious. Only the choicest meats, freshest produce and finest spices are used in preparing menu items, such as kabobs, original salads, gourmet wraps and special desserts. Meat choices are antibiotic- and hormone free, and there are no trans-fats to be found. They also serve beer and wine to accompany their specialties.
There are currently 13 Luna Grill locations throughout California’s San Diego and Orange counties. Huntington Beach and Rancho San Diego are the two newest locations, opening just last month!
Orange County’s newest location is located at 7511 Edinger Avenue, in Huntington Beach’s new Bella Terra Shopping Mall. All are invited to attend their Grand Opening event on Saturday, August 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. San Diego’s Rancho San Diego location is located in El Cajon at 2963 Jamacha Road. Their Grand Opening celebration will take place on Saturday, August 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Luna Grill is going nationwide with a Dallas spot to open soon. This fast-casual restaurant chain plans to further expand Luna Grill to 20 locations by the end of 2014, and will double their stores to 40 by the end of 2016.
To find your closest Luna Grill, please visit www.lunagrill.com.
Prohibition
After months of renovations, complete with a new website designed by the Alt Strat design team, downtown’s very-own speakeasy reopened last month! Prohibition celebrates handcrafted artisanal cocktails in the heart of the Gaslamp- where bartenders are artists. Above all, Prohibition is a beacon for those who feel that a dram of alcohol is not meant as merely a vessel for intoxication, but a sensory experience all of its own.
Paying homage to a time when drinks were serious and uncomplicated, Prohibition brings together bartenders and enthusiasts from all over the world to enjoy everything “cocktail.” They are open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., with live music each night.
Prohibition is secretly located at 548 5th Avenue. For dress code and more information, please visit www.prohibitionsd.com.
Lotus Thai Hillcrest
With two prime San Diego locations; one in Hillcrest on Sixth Avenue and the other downtown on Market Street, Lotus Thai caters to a diverse crowd as each area’s best option for Thai food. Indoor waterfalls and Buddha statues add to the eye-catching, eclectic décor creating a peaceful, yet intriguing dining experience. Lotus Thai offers a variety of authentic dishes surrounded by an inviting atmosphere that defines the ideal setting for happy hour or dinner with friends. Thai, Chinese, vegetarian and vegan menu items make Lotus Thai’s two restaurants irresistible choices for exotic neighborhood dining.
Lotus Thai’s Hillcrest location has thrived in the neighborhood since 1999. After a week of renovations, the restaurant has been updated with a fresh coat of paint on both the walls and ceiling tiles, and new wood flooring, booths and artwork, yet still maintaining its cozy atmosphere and comforts of a traditional Thai home.
Open for lunch and dinner, the menu includes Thai Corn Fritters, Lettuce Wraps with Mieng Rice Noodles and other traditional selections for sharing. Main courses consist of traditional favorites like Pad Thai and Drunken Noodle, along with inventive dishes such as Hor-Mok Halibut. Curry and wok specialties are also available. A favorite, the Panang Half Duck Curry, is named after a state in northern Malaysia and carries with it the flavors and aromas of the distant land. Satisfy a sweet tooth and end the meal with green tea ice cream or sweet sticky rice with mango.
The Hillcrest Lotus Thai restaurant is located at 2761 6th Avenue. More information can be found by calling 619.299.8272 or visit www.lotusthaisd.com.
COMING SOON...
North County residents, prepare to be hooked! After first dropping anchor in Pacific Beach in 2010, Encinitas Fish Shop is opening this month. Many will remember it as former St. Germaine’s Café & Bistro on South Coast Highway 101.
Encinitas Fish Shop’s menu is uniquely tailored, offering a boatload of fresh fish selections to choose from, a preferred option of seasoning and a choice between having it all tucked within a taco, sandwich, salad or on a plate. With plenty of parking and an open patio, two- and four-legged patrons will enjoy the freshest seafood east of the beach. The many local and California micro-brewed beers on tap complement every dish, or choose from Fish Shop’s selection of wine. For a $5 corkage fee, guests can also bring in their own favorite bottle to enjoy. Those wanting to eat at home can order prepared items to-go or one of the fresh daily market selections to cook at home.
Encinitas Fish Shop can be found at 1010 S. Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas. For more information, please visit facebook.com/EncinitasFishShop.
Coming March 2015…..
Chef Javier Plascencia (Romesco Mexiterranean, Mision 19 and others) will be opening a Little Italy restaurant in 2015. This new eatery will be found at the Ariel Suites at the corner of Kettner and Beech. The “yet to be named” concept will occupy a 4,800-square-foot corner space with two levels for dining. The menu will be modern Mexican with a street-food influence that will include small plates, larger entrees and family-style shareable platters. The beverage program is set to highlight Baja wine and Mexican spirits. Luis Pena, manager of Romesco Mexiterranean Bistro, and co-proprietor of the new space hints that the bottom level of the space will be for more casual, daytime eating while the upstairs level will feature more upscale dinner service. An open kitchen component, a bar and outdoor seating are also planned for both levels.