Food and Drink Served with a Side of History at Johnston’s

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

When local restaurateur John Pani encroached on the University Heights space left behind by Small Bar to start a new eating and drinking establishment, he intended to name it The Regular. But when his design team began peeling away at Small Bar’s black-and-white facade (formerly black and red), a piece of neighborhood history was revealed.

The building once housed Johnston’s Variety Dept. Store, a five-and-dime joint from the early 1920s that left behind its original 100-year-old signage. So Pani kept it and decided instead to name the place Johnston’s.

Pani also owns neighboring Park & Rec, and he ran the former Waypoint Public in North Park. At Johnston’s, he plays off the yore of University Heights, which is considered one of San Diego’s oldest hoods. The historical nods appear on the establishment’s smart cocktail list, authored in part by longtime friend and manager, James Gomez.

Consider the “1888” a tribute to the year University Heights was actually founded. The drink marks a ravishing beginning to a meal with its ice-cold blend of vodka, ginger beer, bitters and lime—basically a Moscow Mule done right. Garnished with fresh mint, it’s served in a metal antique-looking vessel. As a fussy cocktail imbiber, I found it unforgettable.

The “Trolley Barn” cocktail is an ode to a large barn that stood alongside today’s family-friendly Trolley Barn Park a few blocks away. The structure was a service hub for trolley cars back in the day. As a drink, it combines blackberry-infused gin with house-made grenadine, lemon juice, and soda. In total there are about a dozen history-laced drinks for the choosing.

Customers will also find a focused wine list, with mostly European selections, and eight beer taps offering a range of styles from local and regional breweries.

Dining as a duo, we found much of the menu to be tailored for twosomes. From the “sticks” category we ordered a pair each of salt-and-pepper chicken and maitake mushroom skewers. The former featured moderate-size pieces of lightly sauced thigh meat studded with smoked sesame seeds. Good stuff. My companion was equally fond of the mushroom skewers. Me not as much simply because this squiggly-shaped Japanese species is a little too textured for my liking.

The other skewer choice features pork belly with ponzu sauce—next time for sure.

We also started with an order of six chicken wings, requested extra-crispy. We opted for Buffalo-style. Other flavor options are sweet chili, garlic-Parmesan and Jamaican jerk. Served with house-made ranch dressing, the wings were plump with taut skins. And the piquant sauce lived up to my native-Buffalo, NY standard.

The menu features a “greens” section of three different salads: Chipotle Caesar; a hearty Buddha bowl containing black beans, farro, avocado, and soft-boiled egg; plus a “market salad” mingling baby gem lettuce with strawberries, quinoa and pickled red onions. Despite their high appeal, we shamelessly bypassed them in lieu of some heavier options.

If you’re a fan of Cubano sandwiches, the version at Johnston’s, created by globally influenced chef Peter Ziegler, gives you double pleasure. The sandwich falls under the “Trays” category. It encompasses three slices of ciabatta bread to create two inside layers of generously stacked pulled pork, smoked ham, Swiss cheese and pickles. Hiding in there somewhere was Dijon aioli, which I didn’t detect. But the construct was nonetheless juicy and flavorful—definitely a few steps above traditional Cubanos.

Our other tray meal was beer-battered rockfish, which came with a style of “chips” that immediately won me over. Imagine steak fries that are twisted into a semi-curly shape—crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. They surrounded three pieces of the fish, which were delectably fresh and flaky beneath their crunchy batter. A fabulous dill-kissed tartar sauce clenched the deal.

Other tray options include a “smashed” wagyu beef burger; a fried chicken sandwich using a marinated thigh (the latest gourmet craze) instead of a breast filet; and a vegetarian-friendly avocado caprese sandwich with walnut pesto and herb-marinated mozzarella.

Service was swift and friendly, and the overall vibe is unpretentious—exactly what Pani aimed to achieve while still incorporating some sleek design finishes and gourmet flair into the scheme.

Johnston’s is open daily from 3 to 9 p.m., Sunday through Wednesday, and until 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. It is located at 4628 Park Blvd For more information, call 619-546-9187 or visit www.johnstons-bar.com.