San Diego Metropolitan - Downtown Dining

Mike and Barbara Morton, owners of the Brigantine Co., which also owns and operates Miguel’s Cantinas and Azul La Jolla, made quite a risky move last spring. The couple decided, one day before a scheduled mini-remodel, that they were going to close their Old Town Brigantine restaurant for several weeks and reopen with a new name, a new concept and a whole new look. After all, the Old Town location was one of their busiest restaurants. Luckily, corporate chef Mark Adair had a concept, complete with a written menu, sitting in his back pocket just “waiting for a rainy day.” (Doesn’t he know it hardly EVER rains in San Diego?)

Nearly three months and a couple hundred thousand bucks later, the team opened Zócalo (pronounced SO-cah-low).

While the entire redo of the dining room is lovely, particularly the interesting stone walls and big comfy booths, the large outdoor patio is my first choice as it offers fabulous al fresco dining. Two beautiful fireplaces flank the intimate seating area that allows diners to watch passers-by stroll down the streets of Old Town through the hardly-noticeable Plexiglas walls. Soft jazz is just audible behind the usual restaurant noise of diners talking, glasses clinking and clean silverware being scooped out of big plastic bins by busboys.

The menu is eclectic and features creative Pacific Coast cuisine heavily influenced by flavors from Spain, Latin America and Portugal. The portions are large and prices are reasonable. Finally — a great place for a nice evening with your significant other and a great place for families (with well-behaved children), too.

Although the entire menu is full of interesting and surprising fare, I found that the “Starters” list held some of Adair’s best work. With items like “Pepita-Crusted Risotto Cakes,” “Jumbo Shrimp Stack with Mango Relish” and “Smoked Chicken Pupusas with Black Bean and Corn Curtido,” it is as riveting to us foodies as any mystery novel. The “Artichoke Fritters” ($6, yes, six dollars) are wonderful. Artichoke hearts are battered (in the Brig’s famous fish-and-chips batter), quickly deep-fried to a crackly brown and served with Meyer lemon aioli and a smooth pomodoro sauce. My favorite was the “Crispy Tropical Shrimp Sticks” ($11). Hunky “Mexican Browns” are split and skewered, coated in panko, coconut and finely chopped macadamia nuts, then flash fried and served with a halved “sugarloaf” pineapple and mango salsa.

A “Soups and Salad” section offers a creamy, well-made “Lobster Bisque” ($6), a soup of the day and a nice variety of salads that includes “Barb’s Caesar,” the classic, upgraded with spicy shrimp, carnitas, tomatoes and mangos.

Any of the entrées will leave you in heaven, but, whatever else you order, don’t miss the “Braised Lamb Shank” ($17). A Colorado free-range, farm-grown, hind leg lamb shank is braised in a deep skillet with fresh tomato, red wine and mirepois. After nearly one and a half hours, the shank is removed from the pan and the contents are pureed and made into a sauce by introducing a little butter, salt and pepper. The fall-off-the-bone meat is served with the best dang polenta “gratin” (parmesan cheese and crème fraîche are added) I’ve ever had.

Zócalo offers huge “Share Platters” priced at $45 for the “Seafood Share Platter” and $48 for the “Harvest Share Platter.” These are served family style, with all the fixin’s, and are a lot of fun.

In keeping with the Brigantine tradition of a great “Happy Hour,” Zócalo Grill’s “Social Hour” offers drink specials and half off all the appetizers served anywhere in the restaurant from 4 to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Rumor has it that there are several more Zócalo Grills in the making. I only wish they’d build one in North County, where I live.