Gerry Torres isn’t superstitious or a cynic. He’s an optimist with eight restaurants under his belt: six City Tacos locations, Fonda del Barrio in Barrio Logan, and Tour de Tapas in La Mesa. So when he saw the 8,800-square-foot space in Liberty Station that formerly housed the alarmingly short-lived concepts El Jardin and Go Go Amigo was available, he didn’t see a curse. He saw an opportunity.
“I’ve dreamt of being in Liberty Station one day,” he says. “We know it’s a gamble… but we’re ready.”
That gamble, El Punto, opens on Monday, November 9.
El Punto is a collection of Torres’ greatest hits—the signature tacos from City Tacos to the tostaditas de pibil from Tostadas in North Park, which closed (much to my chagrin) in 2018. The menu ranges from shareables like roasted cauliflower with jocoque ranch, soups like a traditional tortilla soup (a hat tip to Fonda del Barrio’s ancestral Mexican cuisine), crudos like aguachile and ceviche, and entrees like pollo con mole, filete porfirio (filet mignon with a squash blossom reduction), and pescado a las brasas.
Executive Chef Eduardo Baeza oversees culinary operations at all Torres’ restaurants with chef Jesus Rodriguez acting as chef de cuisine for El Punto. “We’re going to be very traditional in the rest of the menu, while very playful on the City Tacos side of the menu, so people can have a bit of both worlds,” he explains. Torres’ partner Israel Montano will run the front-of-house operations. Rudy Corona, his partner at Fonda del Barrio, built a cocktail list that focuses more on flavor than alcohol content, with twists like a Oaxaca Old Fashioned with bourbon, mezcal, and orange agave, as well as spritzes, a small, curated wine list, locally brewed craft beers, and a few mocktails.
Despite its size, El Punto’s ambiance is meant to be inviting and comfortable, “like a beautiful outdoor patio at your home,” he says. Torres’ wife and daughter are behind the design, bringing in natural shades of terra cotta, peachy pink, and sand, with cheerful striped awnings over a huge patio with seats for around 130 people spread out over various lounge areas. Inside seats around 57 guests with matching striped booths under wooden beaded light fixtures, and there’s also a dedicated kid’s area with large format games like Connect 4 and giant Jenga. And for four-legged friends, there’s an enclosed off-leash dog area similar to City Tacos’ Ocean Beach location.
“It made sense to keep it beautiful, keep it open, keep it airy, but make it more inviting,” explains Torres.
El Punto means “the spot” in Spanish—that elusive chase of a perfect wave in surfer lingo. Torres grew up riding the breaks of Baja California and San Diego with his friends, stopping for roadside bites like fresh seafood in Popotla or lobster wrapped up in homemade tortillas in Puerto Nuevo. “It was always about ‘the spot’… it was always about that particular experience, that home away from home,” he says. That familiar comfort mixed with a sense of discovery is precisely what he hopes to bring to El Punto.
“My vision for the space is making it a space where friends and family can unite and really enjoy each other’s company in a tranquil and happy environment,” he says. “When I sit in the middle of that patio and look around, I envision it being full of laughter and enjoyment. That’s what we’re hoping for, and that’s what we’re going to try to create.”
El Punto opens Monday, November 9 at 2885 Perry Road, Suite 102 in Liberty Station. Initial operating hours are seven days a week, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lunch, brunch, and full-day service will follow.
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