Dishing It Out Archive

Big news for San Marcos’ “Restaurant Row.” Look for a mid-summer opening of Zip & Zack’s Filling Station and Pickup Joint at 1020 W. San Marcos Blvd. “Restaurant Row” is a collection of more than 15 eateries conveniently located next to the San Marcos multiplex movie theater.

This is the first venture for Cohn-Zip Inc. Does the Cohn part sound familiar? Cohn-Zip is a newly formed company between David Cohn, of the Cohn Restaurant Group, and Steve Zipfel, best known for more than 12 years as g.m. of Dick’s Last Resort in the Gaslamp Quarter.

This still-under-construction restaurant will have a “gas station and garage” theme. Old station signs, pumps, garage doors and chromed-out cars will fill the 6,000-square-foot eatery, which took over the space formerly known as the Gentleman’s Choice restaurant. Zip & Zack’s will offer large portions of comfort-style food. This will be a fun-with-just-a-little-attitude family restaurant offering dishes such as ribs, burgers, steak and salads. Zip (for Zipfel) and Zack’s (that’s another story) will boast a full bar, lots of televisions for watching sports, and live entertainment.

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Tom Cruise ain’t got nothing on San Diego’s own Ed Hibbert. OK, OK — maybe a few million dollars and Penelope Cruz, but Hibbert, who works as a bartender at Martini Ranch, recently returned from a Flair Bartending competition in Milwaukee with a first place trophy. Sure, Cruise looked cute in the movie, but as Hibbert can demonstrate, those groovy moves and bottle tosses Cruise did in “Cocktail” were mere child’s play.

Hibbert began competitive flair bartending a few years ago after reading a few books and renting a few videos on the subject. He set up a bar in his garage and began practicing. There are three categories: speed, accuracy and flair. In the speed round, competitors are required to make five drinks and are judged on correct amounts, proper garnishes and method. In the accuracy portion, judges measure the pours and competitors are penalized points for every one-eighth of an ounce they are off. Then comes the “no holds barred” flair round where the bartenders really show their stuff by flipping bottles, throwing glasses and using flames.

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After a few weeks’ absence from walking up Fourth Avenue I find Hennessey’s Tavern has opened up right under my nose.

Located at 708 Fourth Ave., (in the space formerly known as La Provence), this is the third Irish-themed restaurant and bar in the San Diego area (the others are in Pacific Beach and Carlsbad) for former Wall Street broker-cum-restaurateur Paul Hennessey. He opened the first Hennessey’s Tavern in 1976 in Redondo Beach and has since opened 14 more in coastal beach communities scattered between Redondo Beach and San Diego.

The Downtown location is more than 3,500 square feet, offers live music, and serves dishes like “Traditional Fish and Chips,” “Meatloaf” and the “Red Irish Chicken Sandwich.”

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Also new at 835 Fourth Ave. is Assaggio Italian Bakery. This darling little food shop offers morning pastries and coffees, wonderful sandwiches on delicious house-made breads for lunch, and a light dinner menu that includes pizza and pastas.

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Trattoria La Bucca opened last month on Fifth Avenue in the space formerly known as La Tavola, but probably best remembered as 515 Fifth. The new owners did a nice remodel and the eatery features “flavors from Tuscany to Sicily.”

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Last month winemaker Paul Hobbs was honored at a sold-out dinner at Arterra Restaurant in Del Mar. Executive Chef Carl Schroeder and wine director Matthew Andrews designed a fabulous five-course meal, pairing each course with a Hobbs wine. Guests enjoyed tray-passed appetizers, such as mini-crab cakes and house-made potato chips topped with caviar and crème fraîche, while sipping on a Hobbs 2000 Russian River Chardonnay.

I simply couldn’t get enough of the first course, “Organic Watercress Soup with Foie Gras Profiteroles.” The airy puree was complemented by house-made pastries that burst with the taste of rich, buttery foie gras with one bite. Courses that followed included grilled salmon, barbecue glazed quail and filet mignon served with aged cheddar au gratin potatoes. Arterra Restaurant hosts monthly wine dinners. Call (858) 369-6030 for more information.

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Fellow foodies, get ready for the ninth annual “Taste of Gaslamp” from 5 to 9 p.m. June 4. Almost 30 of the Gaslamp Quarter’s restaurants will participate in the event designed to highlight their chef’s specialties. New to the tour this year are stops for those 21 and over at the Samuel Adams Beer Tasting Garden and at the Onyx Room, a luxury martini lounge. Tickets are $25 and are available through the Gaslamp Quarter Association at (619) 233-5227.

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 can be reached at 233-4060, Ext. 316, or at food@san.rr.com.