Guanciale in Rhubarb Snow at La Valencia Hotel
Guanciale in Rhubarb Snow
La Valencia Hotel
The Heavenly Hog Fall Pigout was a collaboration dinner between some of San Diego’s better chefs—all charged with cooking an entire pig, tip-to-tail, from Cooks Pig Ranch. It was also of the first major events held under La V’s new exec chef, Daniel Barron. It proved the kind of new, progressive life Barron is pouring into the old grand dame of a property. His dish—housemade guanciale and kielbasa with “rhubarb snow,” and little gem puree—was one of the highlights of the night. Barron knows how to use molecular gastronomy without turning the plate into an inedible art project. Go visit him. La Valencia Hotel, 1132 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.454.0771, lavalencia.com/dining
Orange butter spiny lobster at Catalina Offshore
Orange butter spiny lobster
Catalina Offshore
Walk in and look for the walrus. Tommy Gomes is part mustache, part fishmonger. He’s been pulling quality swimmers out of the San Diego waters since birth, just like his father and his father’s father before him. And inside Catalina Offshore—a big warehouse where the city’s top seafood restaurants get the stars of their plate—is a fish market where Joe Blows like myself can buy the freshest seafood around. I visited him last week for a story, and he sautéed a little local spiny lobster in orange-butter sauce right there at his desk. So damn good. Proves why China is buying up most of our local delicacy. Not sure how to cook it? Just ask Gomes, who’s likely to throw some in a pan for a show and taste. Catalina Offshore, 5202 Lovelock St., Linda Vista, 619.297.9797, www.catalinaop.com
New Caledonia Blue Prawn at Avant
New Caledonia Blue Prawn at Avant
A full review of Avant and the reincarnated glory of El Bizcocho is coming in our next issue. But I’ll advance this: The place is bustling. And this dish—sautéed prawns served heads-on over one of the best squid-ink linguines I’ve ever tasted, next to crispy sweetbreads—was an absolute winner. The difference-maker was the tiny bits of preserved lemon in the linguine sauce. Go see Avant for yourself and we’ll share thoughts next issue. Avant at Rancho Bernardo Inn, 17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr., 858.675.8400, ranchobernardoinn.com/avant
