Welcome back to Happy Half Hour! We’re taping from our sponsor, 10 Barrel Brewing this week, where they’re celebrating their two-year anniversary with a hazy V-IPA, brewed by the pub’s most loyal customers, as well as an early 2000s-themed party at the end of the month.
We’re honored to have Wally Sadat, marketing director and part owner of The Kebab Shop, as our special guest this episode. The local chain won this year’s critic’s pick in Best Restaurants for Best Middle Eastern Food, and you’ve probably had their doner kebabs and fries. But something you might not know about the company is that it’s still family-owned, or that they once auditioned for a reality show on Bravo. They’re opening their 15th location next month—the first one outside of California—in Austin, Texas. Sadat explained how The Kebab Shop went from concept to reality, and how the famous cilantro sauce found its way to the menu. His pick for Two People, $50 is Barbusa Modern Sicilian, and the staff liked Northgate Gonzalez Market’s menudo, Village Vino in Kensington, and Bay Park Fish Company.
This week in Hot Plates, we have new celebrity chefs in town. Michael Mina and NBA-star wife Ayesha Curry are opening their upscale BBQ chain, International Smoke, next month in One Paseo. Little Frenchie, a Parisian-style bistro with a “drink by numbers” wine-pairing system, recently opened in Coronado with Chef Matt Sramek (Thomas Keller’s Bouchon) leading the kitchen. The owners of U-31 are opening The Original 40 Brewing Company in North Park, and our very own Troy Johnson got the first look at the new spot. The brewmaster is from Mikkeller, and the chef, Luke Johnson, has worked at Melisse in L.A. and Sky Room at La Valencia. Last but not least, Sisters Pizza just opened in Bankers Hill, where first-time restaurant owner Emily Green serves New York and New Jersey-style pizza by the slice, as well as whole pies.
In regards to Hot Topics, Star Wars fans, listen up: Disneyland just opened the Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge theme park. The 14-acre park also includes Oga’s Cantina, where fans can get a Star Wars-themed cocktail. It’s the first and only bar in Disneyland that serves alcohol.
Please come and join us and see the Happy Half Hour live at Eppig Brewing’s Waterfront Biergarten on July 8 at 3 p.m. We will be sampling the first of three collaboration beers we are doing with Eppig, Fall, and Coronado brewing in celebration of our Best of San Diego issue. There is no charge to come down, but there will be discounts for everyone in our Insider’s Program. We hope to see you there!
We want to hear from our listeners! Call us at 619-744-0535 and leave a message. Or if you’re too shy to call, you can email [email protected]. You can give us your recommendations for Two People, $50, tell us about any news happening in San Diego’s culinary world, or let us know who you’d like to hear featured as a guest on the podcast.
Subscribe to the Happy Half Hour on Spotify, iTunes or Google Play, or listen below. Check back later this week for our next regular episode!
Recent Episodes
- Happy Half Hour: Episode 149
- Happy Half Hour: Episode 149
- Happy Half Hour: Episode 148
- Happy Half Hour: Episode 147
- Happy Half Hour: Episode 146
- Happy Half Hour: Episode 145
- Happy Half Hour: Episode 144
For all previous episodes, click here.
Would you like to sponsor a podcast episode at your restaurant or bar? Email David, our producer and digital media director.
Meet Wally Sadat, one of the owners of local chain The Kebab Shop
Courtesy of The Kebab Shop
