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handles provide marketing pizzazz for microbrews What do a green pear, a humpback whale, a multicolored parrot, a honey bee, a left hand and a dancing Padre have in common? All are draught beer handles. Today, there are mega numbers of taps behind almost every bar. In the 1970s, when mass-marketed beers had virtually no competition, it was rare to find a bar with more than a handful of taps. With the rise of microbreweries, a few adventuresome establishments began to offer multitap bars. Now a beer aficionado can walk the length of a bar and survey a small forest of tap handles, each representing a different American microbrew. If serving good beer is good for business, then serving lots of good draft beer must be great for business. At least that’s the theory of a growing number of bars carrying lines of craft brews. Al Lininga, owner of Chrislan Ceramic Inc. in Vancouver, British Columbia, estimates his company has more than 400,000 ceramic tap handles in use throughout North America. Owners add the appendages because it is smart marketing. While many of the tap handles remain the same year-round, some rotate as the seasons change or for a special promotion. Roland Dextradeur of Southern Wine & Spirits says that although many of the handles are the same shape, some suppliers offer hand sculpted models. Look for the three different whale handles for each of the Humpback brews. The whales are behind the bars at hudson Bay Seafood, the Red Oak Steakhouse in Encinitas, the Rusty Pelicans throughout San Diego, the Boat house, the Catamaran Hotel, the Strand Bar in Oceanside, Cucina Fresca in Ocean Beach and Ruby's Diner in Oceanside. At any of the Rockin' Baja Lobster Cantinas, the Windsock, O'Briens and La Tapa Tia, look for the brightly colored parrot handles representing Hussong's. German immigrant John Hussong opened his now famous cantina near Ensenada in 1892. The premium brews are crafted in the old world tradition and are based on the original Hussong's recipe, using a special blend of premium malts and hops from the Pacific Northwest. *** The Red Lion Hotel in Mission Valley switches flags this month and becomes the Doubletree Hotel San Diego-Mission Valley. *** Mama Gucci's has opened Downtown at 1157 Sixth Ave. Offering breakfast and lunch, the restaurant specializes in home-style Italian cooking. Mama Gucci's is owned by Inge Pietsch, who also owns The Symphony Cafe in Symphony Towers. *** The new general manager of the Coronado Brigantine is Bryan Chan, an 18-year veteran of the restaurant business who joined Brigantine five years ago. Chan replaces Mario Esquer who has taken over as owner of the Night & Day Cafe in Coronado. *** A special rate of $14 per room through March 14 at the 280-room Rosarito Beach Hotel & Spa is good Sunday through Friday. For more, check www.rosaritohtl.com on the Internet. *** Gene Warneke resigned as executive director of the American Institute of Wine and Food and editor of its Epicurean Tattler to take a position with PRA, a destination management company. *** Executive Chef James Boyce of Lowes Coronado Bay Resort was named "Third Best Seafood Chef in America" by Seafood Magazine, re-ports the Epicurean Tattler. *** The next Sammy's California Woodfired Pizza Restaurant opens this summer in Mission Valley at the new Park in the Valley shopping center, located between Mission Center Road and Camino del Este. The 3,450-square-foot restaurant will seat 120. *** The Holiday Inn Agua Caliente, five minutes south of the border in Tijuana, has opened a full-service spa — Vita Spa Agua Caliente — on the site of the famous sulphur-rich hot springs. *** Lowes Coronado Bay Resort has promoted chefs Michael Stebner and Stuart Clark to Azzura Point chef and RRR's American Cafe chef, respectively. *** Lotsa Pasta, Carol Blomstrom's Pacific Beach restaurant at 1762 Garnet Ave., has nearly doubled in size, to 5,000 square feet. *** The new general manager of the Kona Kai Continental Plaza Resort & Marina is Carlos E. Maldonado. The Mexico City native and 10 year hospitality veteran had served as acting g.m. for about the last five months. He replaces Peter Baakleand. *** The annual Share our Strength's Taste of the Nation is set for April 27 at Lowes Coronado Bay Resort. The anti-hunger benefit features food and wine from area restaurants and wineries plus cooking demonstrations by top chefs. Tickets are $25. Call (800) 969-4767 for more. *** A two-month program in which Fins Mexican Eateries donated 10 percent of sales of a holiday burrito to Mama's Kitchen raised $427.65 for the non-profit meal preparation and delivery service for San Diegans living with AIDs. *** Daily's Restaurant in La Jolla has more than doubled the number of smoothie flavors it offers. *** Three of Jim Watkin's Winners Circle Resorts International projects — Villa L'Auberge, Coronado Beach Resort and Gaslamp Plaza Suites — won top honors from the Indianapolis based Resort Condominiums International. *** New maitre d' at the Grant Grill is Romanian native Julian Velovan. The position he fills has been vacant for more than a year. *** The San Diego/Del Mar Hilton is offering a $139 room rate to Internet users who dial up www.hilton.com and click on the "Hilton Value Rates" or "Special Offers" links. The deal includes a breakfast for two in The Valley Cafe. *** A dozen top San Diego chefs will show their stuff during "A Celebration of Chefs," a March 11-22 dining festival conceived by Thee Bungalow owner Ed Moore to help celebrate the restaurant's 25th anniversary. Of the $45 per person meal cost, $10 will go to a scholarship fund for promising chefs. *** The latest restaurant to join the interactive comedy dinner theater craze is the Elephant and Castle Pub at the Holiday Inn on the Bay. Appearing each Saturday at 7 p.m. is Flanagan's Wake. Tickets are $39. *** San Diego Police Chief Jerry Sanders was presented with the Gold Key Award at the 18th annual Gold Key Awards Dinner co-sponsored by the San Diego County Hotel-Motel Association and the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association. Other winners were: Allied Person of the Year, Cris Canning (The Event Team); Food & Beverage Person of the Year/Management, Tracy Carter (Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina); Salesperson of the Year, Judy Cronkhite (Hyatt Regency La Jolla); Hospitality Employee of the Year, Ray Hernandez (Hyatt Regency San Diego); Hotelperson of the Year, Duke Sobek (Town & Country Hotel); Food & Beverage Person of the Year/Non-Management, Marjorie Anne Saenz (San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina); and Gina Cesena Award, Jill Ives (Scripps Institute of Oceanography). *** In an independent survey of dinner house patrons conducted by Restaurants & Institutions magazine, Chart House restaurants ranked No. 1 in overall guest satisfaction among national chains. *** The San Diego Concierge Assn. has elected Robert Marks (Catamaran Hotel & Resort) as board president. Other officers are Ray Hernandez (Hyatt Regency San Diego), v.p.; Sarah Gagliardi (Hyatt Regency of La Jolla), secretary; Serene Martinez, (Hyatt Islandia), treasurer; Rosalie Capener (La Jolla Marriott), membership; Joann Corder (La Jolla Marriott), affiliate membership; and Mike Denton (Hyatt Regency San Diego), p.r. *** California Cafe and Callaway Winery team up this month for a three-course $24.95 dinner — 4:30-9:30 p.m. — each night at the Horton Plaza restaurant. The menu features a selection of appetizers, entrées and desserts paired with wines. *** San Diego Convention Center staffers Carole Ann Krizmanic, director of sales; Denise Simenstad, national sales manager; Joy Peacock, local sales rep.; and Joyce Watson, senior event manager, are now Certified Meeting Professionals. *** Award winning chef Fabrice Poigin has traded his waterfront digs at Sally's for the new Crescent Shores Grill opening this month atop the Hotel La Jolla (previously the Summer House Inn). Poigin is director of culinary services while Olivier Bioteau, former chef of Alizé at the Paladion, is executive chef. Vito Gambini, former Prego's manager, is director of operations. A $50-per-person benefit on March 15 for Scripps Memorial Auxiliary heralds Crescent Shores' grand opening. |
