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NORTH COAST
June 28, 2012
On The
Menu
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Whaling Bar & Grill at La Valencia Hotel ■ 1132 Prospect St., La Jolla ■ (858) 551-3765 ■ www.lavalencia.com/dining/whaling-bar-and-grill ■ The Vibe: Old World, relaxed, romantic ■ Signature Dishes: Paella Valencia, The Whaler 3/4 lb. Brandt Beef Burger, Apple and Hooks Ten Year Aged Cheddar Salad, Filet Mignon ■ Open Since: 1940s ■ Reservations: Yes
■ Patio Seating: No ■ Take Out: Yes ■ Happy Hour: 4-6 p.m. Monday-Friday ■ Hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday
The Paella Valencia is a colorful combination of shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, fish, chorizo and saffron rice.
Lamb Chop with snap peas, baby carrots, lamb bacon and salsa verde.
La Valencia’s Whaling Bar & Grill is full of traditions stretched out and sleeping next to them BY KELLEY CARLSON after a hard day of playing at the beach. he majority of restaurants in the There’s an Old World feel to the place, Spanish Revival-style La Valencia too, with its mahogany bar and paneling hotel have a Mediterranean and antique wooden shutters. Pewter influence, but its Whaling Bar & Grill stands candleholders and Egyptian cotton napkins out as classic Americana. are set on the white-clothed tables. Several It’s a “meat-and-potatoes” type of artworks by Wing Howard decorate the establishment, with shellfish platters and brick red-colored walls, including “Whale’s large cuts of meat — “macho food,” as Last Stand,” and whaling tools and a model described by Andrew Mosblech, director of ship are displayed in glass cases. food and beverage. From Thursdays through Saturdays, And its clientele base includes everyone rotating musicians from the tourist in perform quiet, funky, flip-flops and a trucker bohemian and hat to the businessman vaudevillian tunes, in a three-piece suit. Each week you’ll find a recipe rather than “It’s part of the from the featured restaurant mainstream songs. charm here,” Mosblech online at delmartimes.net. Just For a more “refined, said. “You get neighproper” dining borhood chaps (along) click ‘Get The Recipe’ at the experience, patrons with cosmopolitan bottom of the story. This week: may opt to sit on the women from Europe.” Café La Rue side of The Whaling Bar & ■ Whaling Bar & Grill’s the restaurant. A Grill has also hosted Paella Valencia fireplace offers a more La Jolla politicos and romantic and cozy Hollywood stars and atmosphere; the menu is identical to the bar’s. starlets over the years, such as Dr. Seuss and To fully enjoy all that the Whaling Bar & Gregory Peck, and current celebrities whose Grill has to offer, Mosblech recommends identities are generally kept under wraps for confidentiality purposes. During the La Jolla coming in with four to six people and hitting the whole menu. But before Playhouse season, the restaurant draws a lot ordering, make sure to inquire about the of the L.A. entourage, according to Mosblech. “black market” items — those aren’t listed Families are also welcome and made to on the menu. feel comfortable, with spacious, blackStart with shellfish and a classic cocktail, cushioned booths that have dividers to such as a Ruby Manhattan or Resident provide a sense of privacy. It’s not unusual Mixologist Scotty Moises’ award-winning to see parents enjoying a martini or Classic Grand Cosmo. Or there’s the newly Shrimp Cocktail while their children are
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On The
Menu Recipe
‘The Whale’s Last Stand’ mural over the bar is one of several pieces in the restaurant by artist Wing Howard.
The Cafe LaRue side of the Whaling Bar & Grill offers cozy, quiet dining.
introduced Dark and Stormy, a highballstyle cocktail that is sometimes described as “Bermuda’s National Drink,” which consists of dark rum and ginger beer over ice. Next, order a salad, with selections from Mixed Field Greens to the summer specialty of Grilled Peach and Burrata. Follow up with a glass of red wine and a selection from the ample-portioned “full fare.” Choices include Brick Jidori Chicken with pea risotto and pea tendrils, and the Braised Short Rib with Cipollini onion, sage and fontina polenta and carrots. For dessert, it’s rumored that Bananas
Foster and Cherries Jubilee have been among the “black market” delectables. And there is also The Whaler, an “adult milkshake” that is a creamy concoction of brandy, Kahula, creme de cacao and vanilla ice cream — a perfect “end-of-the-night capper,” as described by Moises. There are also more casual dining options: Wednesdays feature beer and burger specials, in which toppings and brew combinations change weekly. The Whaling Bar & Grill’s cicerone (aka beer expert), Tanya Schmidt, assists with pairings and even presents monthly seminars on the art.
PHOTOS BY KELLEY CARLSON