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Jimmy Love's get new cooks; Flicks reopens; and Gargoyle Gallery and Atlantis are open |
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Azzura Point's new chef de cuisine, Michael Stebner, has some additions for fall at the critically acclaimed restaurant. Stebner has worked with Azzura's former executive chef, James Boyce, who is now at Mary Elaine's in Scottsdale. Stebner's two-week apprenticeship with Thomas Keller at French Laundry Restaurant in Yountville has inspired "Taste of Yountville." With it Stebner presents a regional five-course tasting menu at $60 per person. Prior to joining Boyce at Azzura, Stebner was in the kitchen at Lavande at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. *** Top O' the Cove has named Rolf Jung executive chef. Born in Germany, Jung trained there and in France. He graduated from Gotwl school in Badwiesse, Germany, and studied French cuisine under Monsieur Nandrone in Lyon, France. His list of accomplishments includes chef saucier at Maxim's and Pavilion Henry IV, both in Paris. He then came to the United States and added to his résumé stints at the Marriott Hotels, Disneyland Hotel and Atlas Hotels in San Diego. At Top O' the Cove, he replaces Guy Stockrider. *** The Hanalei Hotel in Mission Valley has named Vince Reyes sales manager for the corporate, group meetings and government markets. Reyes is a resident of Rancho Penasquitos and was previously sales manager for El Camino Livery, a transportation company based at the Rancho Bernardo Inn. Reyes replaces Timothy Earp, who was promoted to room division manager. The Pacific Beach resident will oversee the hotel's customer service activities, including guest services, front desk, housekeeping and reservations. Previously, Earp lent his talents to the 32-room Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colo. *** Flicks, a popular Hillcrest nightspot, has reopened after a remodel of the 17-year-old lounge. The new Flicks, still located on University Avenue, was made into a contemporary version of the old lounge. It is designed to offer guests a comfortable atmosphere with something for everyone. State-of-the-art lighting and seating was added for live events, big screen projection systems, and a large beer system featuring 15 brews on draft. There is no reason not to have fun there. *** The Westgate Hotel's Le Fontainebleau, a longtime favorite for romantic dinners and special occasions, now serves lunch Monday through Friday. Included on the menu are four light cuisine items designed by "light" culinary expert and cookbook author, Jeanne Jones. Jones, who also serves as consultant for Canyon Ranch Fitness Resorts, has designed entrées for, as she says, the California lifestyle. Check out the "broiled banana split" with only 7 grams of fat! *** Earl Holding, owner of the Westgate Hotel and the Little America hotels, is adding another property to his list. The Grand Hotel Utah, located in downtown Salt Lake City, is a classical building accented with landscaped gardens. The 777-room, 24-floor hotel is due to open in November 2000. *** One of the Westgate's most popular holiday traditions, the Teddy Bear Tea, runs all month in the hotel lobby. Children, parents and teddy bears join "Nanny Brit" for an afternoon of scrumptious cookies, scones, petits fours and storytelling. Santa will visit each afternoon, and all bears will receive gifts. The teas run through Dec. 23, from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $15.95 for adults and $9.95 for children. Bears dine free. *** Women Chefs and Restaurateurs is sponsoring a dessert party Dec. 6, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at Macy's Mission Valley. The event is to benefit Mama's Kitchen and Meals on Wheels. Coffee will be provided by Starbucks and desserts will be created by: Leanne Backer, The Chopra Center for Well Being; Amalia DiLuccia, Trattoria Positano; Dawn Edwards, The French Gourmet; Amiko Gubbins, Parallel 33; Deborah Helm, Mixx; Fay Nakanishi, The Mission; Susan Sbicca, Sbicca; Deborah Scott, Kemo Sabe; Deborah Schneider, Hilton Torrey Pines; Sandi Slade, Bread &;Cie; Lori Woodside, Elephant and Castle; and Steve Picknell, Café Champagne. (Hey, he's not a woman!) Tickets are $5 at the door. That's a pretty inexpensive fat fix. *** The Gaslamp Quarter is looking forward to the addition of King's Seafood Co. It will be located in the ground floor retail space of the 253-room Hilton Garden Inn, which is part of Bridgeworks, a mixed-use project now under construction. The 8,000-square-foot restaurant space at 210 Fifth Ave. will be the first of three major restaurants for the project. King's Seafood is a family-owned business based out of Long Beach. The company owns and operates Water Grill in downtown Los Angeles, Ocean Avenue Seafood in Santa Monica and eight other restaurants, including a new store in Calabasas. *** Claiming big-time bragging rights, the Four Seasons Resort Aviara is the first San Diego hotel to win the AAA Five Diamond Award presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California. *** The California Restaurant Association reports the state's restaurant industry employed 891,000 people, constituted 73,000 eateries, and generated more than $28 billion in sales during 1998. Gee, that’s a lot of employer taxes; no wonder they want to raise minimum wage another dollar. *** Seven of the 22 San Diego Coco's Cafe and Bakery locations have been converted to the new "hipper-casual" format established by the Irvine-based Advantica Restaurant Group.The 15 remaining sites will be remodeled before the end of 2000. Elsewhere, Advantica is seeking a buyer for its 269-unit El Pollo Loco chain. *** Gargoyle Gallery and Café has opened in Little Italy at 1845 India St. This great little spot, owned by Dino Cresci and Jennifer Morrison, offers French press-style coffee, baked goods and Panini style sandwiches as well as a range of art, furniture and gift items. *** Harbor Island has a new restaurant, Atlantis, located at 1880 Harbor Island Drive (one block from the Westin). Retired tuna fisherman Lionel Medina and his wife, Mary Ann, took over the space formerly known as Charlie's (or, to you old-timers, Barnacle Bill's). They invested more than $100,000 into the remodel. The restaurant features Northern Italian seafood with a French accent. Lionel and Mary Ann, who have been married 23 years, hired Bob Moonswami as executive chef. He most recently worked in Toronto at top-rated Centro Grill (where I just happened to dine about two months ago, and it was fabulous). Chef Moonswami will soon be adding some Portuguese-influenced dishes to the menu as well. I can’t wait to try it because when I was in Toronto I also ate at Chiado, an awesome Portuguese restaurant featuring the best seafood I’ve ever had. Lionel promises the freshest seafood in town because of his many friends still in the fishing industry. I’ll let you know how it is. *** Side dishes... Terryl Gavre spends her entire day thinking about what she is going to eat for dinner. She believes the world would be a better place if everyone worked once as a foodserver. She is owner of Café 222, Downtown and Del Mar. |
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