RESTAURANTS
CONTINUED FROM B11
oversee the San Diego kitchens along with lead culinary craftsman Chef Laco Seeber,who has been given free rein to refine and retool menus for the estab-
LICK THE PLATE CONTINUED FROM B11
area to be of a more crowded, high volume atmosphere. It’s perfect for a group to have some fun and food though. There’s also an alcove of sorts that was filled with dart players on the night we were there, and outside there’s a patio with herb garden, which will open soon. The menu can best be described as an eclectic mix of American comfort cuisine that taps different regions for influence and inspiration. It’s a nice combination that I’m sure will evolve with the seasons. They source locally when possible; though that’s become so commonplace it’s not really a differentiator anymore. Chef Jason Gethin is a Culinary Institute of Louisiana grad that has cut his chops at some of San Diego’s finest dining establishments including Roppongi and the Prado at Balboa Park. On my first visit we sat in the dining room and had an attentive server who seemed to have a decent grip of what was on the menu. The appetizer selection is appealing across the board but we settled on the mustard glazed boar ribs with coleslaw. I love game and ribs
FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUED FROM B5
the city’s six fire stations and respond to over 8,000 incidents per year. The association’s men and woman who serve as Carlsbad Firefighters contribute all funds donated by
SIZZLER
B13
THE COAST NEWS
JUNE 17, 2011 lishments.“We’re looking forward to surprising San Diego diners with some exciting and unique dishes inspired by the sea and the wealth of local and organic ingredients,” says Harris. In addition to adding new menu items specific to San
Diego, Harris says he will import a few favorites from his porcine paradise, The Purple Pig, which was included on Bon Apetit’s Best New Restaurants list in 2010, Overseeing the guest experiences in the Del Mar
locations, is general manager Maris Laipenieks. Laipenieks comes from his previous position as general manager at California Pizza Kitchen in La Jolla. Mia Francesca, a casual contemporary Italian restaurant,offers a rotational menu of
seasonal piatti in the Roman and Tuscan styles. Davanti Enoteca is an urban-rustic wine bar offering a selection of domestic and foreign wines along with small plates that evoke the farmhouses and fishing villages of Italy. Mia
and the combination was enticing. Unfortunately, they did not live up to my game and ribs combo fantasy as they came out very dry and lacking flavor. As cool as the concept is, it did not deliver. While game tends to be leaner in general, my expectations of ribs of any kind lean towards moist and fall off the bone tender. On our second visit we started with the shrimp and grits dish with andouille sausage, roasted tomato and cheese grits. This was a very good dish all around with perfectly cooked shrimp and sausage on a creamy bed of grits. Nice work on this one. Appetizers range from $6 to $14. Flatbreads are popping up everywhere these days and Union has a nice selection. We tried the prosciutto with farm egg, burrata and rocket. Ours came out in under a couple of minutes which seemed quick to us,and the egg was cooked well done with a nearly solid yolk. I would have preferred some runniness to my yolk, but all in all it was a decent flatbread that was substantial enough for two at $14. Our entrees were both outstanding. We split the pappardelle with smoked pork ragu and crispy parsley and it
was enough to feed us both well, especially after an appetizer and flatbread. This dish had a nice smoky, almost sweet taste in the mouth and finished with a spicy kick that I really enjoyed. The salmon on white beans and garlic spinach in a smoked broth was also top notch. The salmon was very moist, and flavorful, and the bed of beans, spinach and broth worked perfectly together. They were out of the chicken fried duck confit, which was a disappointment as it sounded like a unique take on two of my
favorite things. All of the entrees are priced below $26. We did the grilled asparagus as a side and it was served slightly charred in a cast iron pan, and was really good. All the sides looked appealing and were under $6. I could see mixing a bunch of them up when dining at the bar. The whole desert menu looked enticing. But the roasted peaches with bourbon pecan ice cream and a crumb topping made us both very happy. They have a full bar stocked with local beers and
some very interesting looking craft cocktails. A social hour,as they call it,runs from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Union is a cool new addition to the burgeoning Encinitas dining and nightlife scene. The location can’t be beat and overall, the dining experience was one I’ll be back for. Visit localunion101.com for more information.
the Carlsbad Firefighters Association. To find out more about the Carlsbad Firefighters Association, visit carlsbadfirefighters.org. To find out more about Carlsbad Youth Baseball, visit carlsbadyouthbaseball.org.
marching bands from Oceanside High School, El CONTINUED FROM B11 Camino High School and Management, franchisee Rancho Buena Vista High President and Chief Executive School to play at the event. Officer Gary Myers invited the Sizzler is at 3805 Plaza Drive.
David Boylan is the founder of Artichoke Creative, an Encinitas based integrated marketing agency. He can be reached at david@artichoke-creative.com.
Francesca Del Mar and Davanti Enoteca Del Mar are in the Del Mar Highlands Town Center at 12955 El Camino Real, at the corner of Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real. Both will be open daily for lunch and dinner.