If the third time’s the charm, Lola 55 owner Frank Vizcarra should feel pretty confident about where he’s opening a new location later this year.
The Michelin Bib Gourmand taco shop is taking over the 8,800-square-foot space that formerly housed El Jardín and Go Go Amigo (near Moniker General). Despite the building’s resistance to Mexican cuisine concepts thus far, Vizcarra has eyed it for a long time.
“Liberty Station is one of those places that continues to grow,” he says, pointing to the steady flow of locals and tourists who flock daily to the one-time Naval training center along the bay. To completely transform the indoor/outdoor space, he’s bringing in JSa architects, who designed chef Enrique Olvera’s two-Michelin-starred Pujol in Mexico City and Michelin-recognized Criollo in Oaxaca.
Because of the size and massive outdoor patio, Vizcarra plans to emulate the beautiful but unpretentious dining culture of Mexico. It’ll feature Lola 55’s trademark fast-casual tacos, plus some plated options that feature plenty of wood-fired flavors from the outdoor grill.
“There are just so many things that you can do with wood and fire, and not very many places in San Diego have that luxury and that ability,” he explains. “We have it, and we have the know-how that goes with it as well.”
Frank and Nate Vizcarra
Over the next few months, he’s sending a number of his chefs to different corners of Mexico to hone their skills. Vizcarra’s aiming for an August/September opening, but it’s not the only project he’s working on. He’s also transforming the original Lola 55 location in East Village into a full-service restaurant.
When he opened the first Lola in 2018, he wasn’t sure how San Diegans would receive it. “We were changing the dialogue with tacos,” he says. Covid-19 disrupted their trajectory, but it also gave them an opportunity to evaluate the concept’s longevity.
Business was booming, but customers weren’t utilizing the grab-and-go approach as much as he anticipated. “People were standing there with trays, waiting for a table to open,” he explains. “And as much as you love that, you also don’t feel great because your customers’ food is getting cold.”
Lola 55 in East Village
The reimagined Lola 55 East Village will also have a taco omakase experience, not unlike the famed Pujol, plus tasting menus. Vizcarra anticipates switching all Lola 55 locations to full-service, while keeping the fast-casual concept at newer L55 concepts in Westfield UTC and the Rady Shell (plus future outposts).
He hopes (and believes) people will embrace the change. “Lola belongs to San Diego,” he promises. “We want people to come in and immerse themselves in the location… to be transported into a Mexican ancestral artisan experience.”
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Cheese, Please: New Expo Coming To Liberty Station
The annual Liquid City Cheese Expo has rebranded itself as Cheese & Libation Expo and will take place at BRICK at Liberty Station from May 16-18. It’s still a bonanza of artisanal cheese from around California and the globe (CheeseSmith, Cypress Grove, etc.) and AleSmith and the Women’s Wine Alliance pouring drinks over the three-day event. Don’t drink? Not to worry—plenty of NA beverages will also be available. Does dairy not agree with you? Pack your Lactaid pills and a prayer.
Beth’s Bites
- The talented Logan Kendall has departed from Cellar Hand, and Ashley McBrady—who helped Kendall develop it into one of Hillcrest’s most-talked about restaurant of 2024—is the new exec chef. The restaurant’s full-time fermentation chef Chris Ruhl (ex-Trust) remains by her side to continue their relentless pursuit of hyper-local cuisine. As long as they keep the chicken liver pate, I’ll live.
- Trying to get into Tribute Pizza next week? Hit pause on your plans—the North Park pizzeria is closing for a week starting (Jan. 20-28) to give their pizza oven some major TLC and a few necessary repairs. Try to manage your cravings for Grandma-style pies until then.
- Despite its acclaim as a citrus cultivator (they even have a World’s Biggest Lemon sculpture), Lemon Grove isn’t known (yet) for its thriving restaurant scene. However, the small town just southeast of San Diego is about to get a new mariscos spot called El Cata Mariscos & Sushi at 8099 Broadway in the short-lived Barn House BBQ location. I’m not sure if it’s the same people behind Mariscos El Cata in Old Town, but either way, I wish them luck—and more longevity than their predecessors.
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