   Roel Construction has completed tenant improvements for Diane Powers’ new Casa de Pico restaurant in Grossmont Center, where it moved from Bazaar del Mundo in Old Town.
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More than $16,000 was raised at the inaugural Chef Showdown in Balboa Park. The event was a benefit for the Center for Community Solutions, which provides support to victims of sexual and domestic violence. Local chef and restaurateur Isabel Cruz (The Coffee Cup, Cantina), who sits on the Community Solutions board, helped organize the event. It included a silent auction, martini bar, appetizer and dessert stations by local restaurants. The evening’s highlight was an “Iron Chef” style competition between two teams of local chefs. The teams of four were given a pantry of basics and three “mystery” ingredients — whole snapper, mushrooms and chocolate — and asked to prepare four dishes each using at least one of the mystery ingredients. The dishes were judged by a panel of food critics: Maria Hunt of The San Diego Union-Tribune, Frank Sabatini of Gay and Lesbian Times and this column representing San Diego Metropolitan.
The judging was based on three categories — taste, creativity and presentation. Team Zappoli featured Matthew Zappoli, FRESH Restaurant (captain); Tony Di Salvo, Jack’s in La Jolla; Amy Di Biase, Laurel; and Luis Camacho, Cantina Restaurant. Team Kaysen’s roster included Gavin Kaysen, El Bizcocho (captain), Victor Jimenez, JRDN; Jesse Paul, Star of the Sea; and Deborah Scott, Indigo Grill, Kemo Sabe and Island Prime.
Viejas Casino donated the stage, lighting and Jumbotron screen and provided video services for the competition, while Dacor donated two gorgeous demonstration kitchens. Both teams came up with creative, and a few outrageous, dishes but team Zappoli — whose offerings included a nut-crusted snapper over squash risotto and roasted baby asparagus — edged out team Kaysen by a small margin.
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Sophia’s Italian Table quietly closed last month in UTC. The restaurant, located at The Aventine, opened in July of 2003. Operators Michael and Victoria McGeath (Trattoria Acqua) were disappointed that their concept didn’t make it but noted that “the Southern Italian menu, heavy with pizzas and pasta was not accepted by The Aventine crowd who were devotees of Atkins and the low carb craze.” In the end, they believe that they simply “opened the wrong concept in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
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Don’t let the tourists have the San Diego Wine and Culinary Center all to themselves. Located across the street from the San Diego Convention Center at 200 Harbor Drive in the ground floor of The Harbor Club condominiums, this recently opened wine bar and event center is a gem. Proprietors John Alonge and Hans-Trevor Gosseman offer wine and cooking classes, product sampling classes, seminars, banquets, tours and excursions. For class schedules and general information visit sdwineculinary.com.
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Kensington Coffee Co., located at 4141 Adams Ave., has changed hands and is now the first retail location for San Diego Coffee Tea & Spice owned and operated by Ron and Jill Begelmann. Jill Begelmann also is the v.p. of sales and marketing for Tea & Spice, distributors of fresh roasted coffees, fine teas and gourmet spices. More retail stores are planned.
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Riko Bartolome, chef and owner of Asia Vous in Escondido, traveled to Manila last month and took part in a fund-raising dinner for the Asia Society Philippines Foundation. Friend and fellow chef Rodelio Aglibot of Yi Cuisine in Los Angeles joined him.
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Check out “Fondue Fridays” at Rancho Bernardo Inn. Executive Chef Lewis Butler’s menu includes “Tapenade Blue Cheese Fondue,” “Classical Swiss Fondue” and a variety of other good-for-the-dipping items.
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After dining last week at Blackhorse Grille with our three children, we discovered one of the best children’s menus in town. Not just your cheese pizza and plain pasta with butter here — try big, dripping, juicy sloppy joes, barbecue chicken with corn on the cob and shepherd’s pie with mashed potatoes and melted cheddar cheese. Chef Ryan Johnston also makes housemade barbecue potato chips and an adult-friendly Mac n’ Cheese to die for. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Ladeki Group restaurant if you couldn’t get a Messy Sundae. This is a smaller version of the tippy-top-heavy Sammy’s Pizza version, but it’s only $3.95 and big enough for mom to dip her spoon into at least a few times.
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 terryl@sandiegometro.com.
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