The Tag Project
I had MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann on in the background last week and overheard him talking about a San Diego guy who was caught poaching California Spiny lobster from the La Jolla State Marine Conservation Area. The guy had stuffed six down his pants. Um, yeah—good thing local lobsters don’t have claws. Protect your bits and pieces and buy them legally at Catalina Offshore, near Morena Boulevard, which sells local lobsters both live and fresh-frozen to restaurants and the public. 5202 Lovelock St. www.catalinaop.com.
Celebrate the Craft, a truly can’t-miss eating event, will be held on the lawn of The Lodge at Torrey Pines from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2. This year features more restaurants than ever before, including Romesco and MARKET. Each restaurant is paired with a local farm or food supplier and a California winery or brewery; guests wander from station to station sampling the food and drink. I heard that one participating chef will be cooking whole pigs in a caja China, a Cuban outdoor roaster that renders the skin otherworldly crisp and the meat pull-apart tender. Tickets are $65; call 858-777-6635 for info. www.celebratethecraft.com.
Happy anniversary to one of CityBeat’s favorite local eateries, Urban Solace. To mark the occasion, executive chef Matt Gordon has added several new items to the menu (don’t worry—old faves like the House Burger, New York Sharp White Cheddar Mac ’n’ Cheese and the Veggie Vegan Stack are still there). Gordon introduced some of the new dishes at a tasting last week, and they all get a big thumbs-up, especially the Solace Seafood Stew (Gordon’s take on ciopinno) and the excellent “Not So Red” Velvet Cake. 3823 30th St., North Park. www.urbansolace.net.
Kick off Halloween weekend on Thursday, Oct. 30, at the The Pearl’s Oktoberfest dinner—a five-course meal with beer pairings, including two of my frequent drinks, Red Barn and Lost & Found, from The Lost Abbey, one of San Diego’s most inspired breweries. Tomme Arthur, the head brewer, will be on hand to provide beer guidance. The beer dinner, which starts at 6:30 p.m., is $65 per person. Or make a night of it: For $200, you get two dinners plus a hotel room to crash in. RSVP before Oct. 25 at 619-235-5616, ext. 250. www.thepearlsd.com.
Got food news? Write to
candicew@sdcitybeat.com.
