Dishing It Out Archive

The Hotel W San Diego quietly opened last month, offering nice rooms and four food and beverage venues; Rice, Beach, Magnet and The Living Room.

• The Living Room, a lobby/reception area bar, boasts a three-story “techno-plasma wall” that features a continuous stream of videos and photographs, along with hip designer furniture and plenty of people-watching.
• Beach: Moon Bar and Lounge (that’s the full name) is an energetic rooftop bar where the sand is heated and the clientele is cool. A fire pit takes center stage. It is flanked with cabañas, which are perfect for small groups of six to eight people, and rent for $250 a night — drinks not included.
• Magnet: Cocktails and Natural Attraction is the downstairs, darker, swankier, clubby lounge for those who want to sit back in soft leather chairs and chill out with a big fat martini.
• Riko Bartolome (formerly of 150 Grand) is heading up the kitchen at Rice, the Hotel W signature restaurant that offers “modern Pacific cuisine.” The elegant dining room combines bold reds with sleek black and stainless steel. The room is softened with dark wood tables and fabric chairs with rich leather seats. The menu offers appetizers such as “Sizzling Vegetable Tempura with Citrus Ponzu” and “Salmon Crab Cakes with Chile Aioli.” Look for entrées like “Grilled Tuna with Crunchy Gazpacho” or “Lobster Indochine with Coconut Red Curry.”

Located at State and B streets Downtown, the Hotel W, which classifies itself as a “hotel of style,” is owned and operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.

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The Aubergine Restaurant and Bar’s new owners, Bob Lehmeyer and Brian Roach (Axis), have completely gutted and remodeled the humongous space Downtown at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Island Street. This is the former Sybil’s Down Under, which has changed hands and appearance many times over the years.

Brian Roberts-O’Connor is the restaurant’s new executive chef. He attended the Baltimore Culinary Institute and worked in New York for a year at Troutbeck as sous chef before moving to San Diego. He spent three years at Tupelo as sous chef and just completed a one-year stint as sous chef at Bertrand at Mr. A’s working under the fabulous Fabrice Poigin. O’Connor calls the cuisine “French Creole” with an emphasis on local ingredients. “Head-on Prawns with Stone Mill Grits, Tasso Ham and Andouille Pan Sauce” will be just one of the headliners on the menu. Brian Kelly, formerly of Parallel 33 will serve as sous chef.

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The Lodge At Torrey Pines has completed a remodel and concept redux of its coffee shop style grill that has been a popular breakfast and lunch spot over the years for golfers. The Grill, which is located on the putting green, features warm wood with accents of leather and copper and boasts a demonstration kitchen that showcases Chef David Sokil preparing casual California bistro fare. Sokil may sound familiar as he spent many years with the Cohn Group working as executive chef at both Blue Point and Tupelo. He has spent the past couple of years in the Washington, D.C., area where he has been executive chef at Clyde’s.

Under the direction of Executive Chef Jeff Jackson, Sokil’s menu of soups, salads, appetizers, pastas and entrées features a new twist on old favorites. The Grill is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving continuously from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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If you know a high schooler who loves to cook and dreams of a career in the glamorous restaurant business, read on. The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef in America Competition and Scholarship is looking for students interested in the field of culinary arts to compete in a nationwide contest. The prize? A full scholarship worth $30,000 to study culinary arts at the institute of the student’s choice.

The Art Institute of California-San Diego will host the regional competition on March 29, with the winner advancing to the national competition in New York. which will take place May 16-17.

For more information, call (888) 328-7900 or visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nc.

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Michel Malecot didn’t just bring The French Gourmet concept to the top of the Hotel La Jolla, at the former Elario’s. It’s now called The French Gourmet at Elario’s.

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Finally, according to last month’s Food Arts magazine, a Beijing restaurateur got 18 months in prison for a scheme to “hook” diners and keep them coming back. He sprinkled ground opium poppies on the specialty of the house. He reportedly enjoyed a “swimmingly good•business” — until he got caught, that is.

Terryl Gavre 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 (619) 233-4060, Ext. 316, or food@san.rr.com.