Chef Brian Malarkey’s latest venture, Herringbone, a homey space accented by exposed brick walls and hardwood floors, opened in La Jolla in May. The seafood-focused menu offers an extensive lineup of oysters and local specialties. The private dining space, lined with six olive trees and facing an open kitchen, seats 22.
Photo: Chantelle Photography
Serving up a menu of Latin-influenced small plates, Kelvin opened at the W San Diego hotel in the Gaslamp district in July. Bright colors, playful wall art, and intricate lamp fixtures set a festive atmosphere. The restaurant is available for buyouts, with seating for as many as 116, including on the patio.
Photo: Jeff Dow Photography
The dramatic, Philippe Starck-designed sushi restaurant Katsuya San Diego opened in February 2012 in the Gaslamp district’s Andaz hotel. An open-air private dining room seats 60, a second-floor semiprivate space seats 45, and the restaurant holds 400 for a buyout.
Photo: Courtesy of Katsuya By Stark
A contemporary American spot, Gabardine opened in Point Loma in March 2012, with a seafood-focused menu including live sea urchin and Maine lobster risotto. The 3,000-square-foot venue is outfitted with wood benches, red-and-white-striped seat cushions, and bold artwork throughout; it holds 100 for buyouts.
Photo: Chantelle Photography
In June, the Westin Gaslamp Quarter hotel added Pinzimini, an Italian bistro-style restaurant. It serves small shared plates, as well as pastas and thin-crust pizzas, alongside an extensive selection of wines and cocktails. The high-ceilinged space has wood paneling, exposed pipes, and floor-to-ceiling windows. A private dining room seats 10.
Photo: Courtesy of Westin Gaslamp Quarter
Image Not AvailableLong-standing Rancho Santa Fe restaurant Delicias reopened in December 2011 with a remodeled, Old World-style interior and a new menu from new chef Paul McCabe. The menu offers dishes like hamachi crudo and charred white corn risotto. Event options include the 75-seat main dining room, the 30-seat courtyard, and the 35-seat front patio.
Open downtown since March 2012, Gaijin Noodle & Sake House is a sleek new Japanese restaurant and lounge with two bars serving sake-based shaved-ice cocktails, plus a 1,000-degree Japanese grill that cooks skewered meats. The venue seats 20 people in the lounge area, 60 in the dining room, and it accommodates as many as 140 for a buyout.
Photo: James Law
