Dishing It Out Archive

As the late (and great) Freddie Mercury sang, “And another one bites the dust.” This time it was Palomino Euro Bistro, closing Aug. 23 on the mini-restaurant row adjacent to the Hyatt Regency La Jolla.

But good news is cooking. The leasehold improvements and restaurant contents were purchased by local restaurateurs Michael and Victoria McGeath who, along with their loyal group of investors, own Trattoria Acqua in La Jolla.

Look for a November opening of Acquarella, offering traditional and regional Mexican fare specializing in seafood. Thom Miller will serve as g.m. and Damaso Lee as executive chef at both Acqua and Acquerella.

So, will this new bent on expansion ever lead McGeath back Downtown, where his skills in the late 1980s made Fio’s a culinary icon? Umm, “No,” say he and his bride. Strongly.

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Check out Axis, the newest restaurant and martini bar in Del Mar.

Located in the former Remington’s, Del Monico’s and Durante’s space at 2010 Jimmy Durante Blvd., this complete redux of the former sports bar is anything but a sports bar. Managing partner Bob Lehmeyer — the former g.m. of Dave and Buster’s in Mission Valley and, for you old fogies, Brewskies in the Gaslamp — wanted to create a hipper and younger environment to showcase food from all over the world. Executive Chef Mike Almos, formerly of Delicias, and Henry Freidank (Chive) have put together a menu of mostly small plates, including dishes such as “Asian BBQ Short Ribs,” “Yukon Gold Potato Lasagna,” “Lobster Tamales” and “Filet Mignon Sliders.”

Axis serves lunch and dinner daily and hosts a hefty happy hour from 2-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, featuring nicely discounted drinks and appetizers.

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The Brigantine family of restaurants shook itself up in June by closing the Old Town Brig for six weeks of renovation and a new concept.

Zócalo Grill has since emerged, featuring contemporary bistro-style Pacific coastal cuisine. This seafood-themed restaurant offers menu items with influences from the Pacific Northwest, California, Hawaii and Latin America.

The new name and concept are modeled after the Mexican zócalo (pronounced SO-cah-low), a central square or plaza where residents and visitors to Mexican cities and small towns gather to socialize, listen to music, dance, shop and eat. Corporate Chef Mark Adair oversees the menu.

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Gringo’s Cantina and Restaurant has named Victor Jimenez as executive chef, reports owner Brett Miller, who also runs Moondoggie’s. Jimenez is a graduate of the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and most recently served as chef de cuisine at Thee Bungalow. You also may remember him from stints at Dakota Grill and Spirits and Gulf Coast Grill. He replaces Ricardo Martinez, who left to pursue his own restaurant concept.

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Eric Wadlund is the new executive chef at La Casa Del Zorro Desert Resort in Borrego Springs. Wadlund began his cooking career at Café Pacifica many years ago before moving to Arizona, where he was executive chef at Café Terra Cotta in Tucson.

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Had enough of all the Euro-Asian-Pacific-Latin-American con-fusion fare? How about a new eatery that focuses on one thing and one thing only — peanut butter.

Nutter’s opened Downtown in August at 428 C St. in the C Street Square food court. The brainchild of owners Robin Miller and Andrew Schiff, this peanut-sized restaurant offers dishes with big tastes. The menu features sandwiches such as the “Trick or Treat,” peanut butter and M&M’s; “The Shave,” peanut butter with shaved chocolate; or the “Nutter’s Way,” peanut butter with real marshmallow fluff. All sandwiches come with carrot and celery sticks, pretzels and Hershey’s kisses.

The partners make their own peanut butter varieties, including “super smooth,” “cinnamon raisin” and “dark chocolate infused with pretzels.” The owners boast that their peanut butter is lower in fat than most because they use less oil. Watching your carbs, but love peanut butter? Try the “Happy Together,” Nutter’s version of a salad, which includes your choice of any of their homemade peanut butter flavors, served with carrot and celery sticks, sliced apples, bananas and raisins.

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.