San Diego Unseen: An Urban Portrait
RA Sushi's sushi
From the perspective of a food writer, few things are better than enjoying a good meal. One of them is doing it for a good cause, like Nicky’s Week, now in its seventh year. Through Saturday, June 4, proceeds from the purchase of select menu items at RA Sushi (474 Broadway, Downtown) will go to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, where Nicky Mailliard, nephew of one of RA’s founders, was treated before losing his battle with brain cancer when he was 13. rasushi.com/nickys-week-2011
San Diego’s first annual Grass Fed Beef Week happens Friday, June 3, through June 12 at Burger Lounge, Sea Rocket Bistro, The Linkery, El Take It Easy, Alchemy, MIHO Gastrotruck and Whole Foods Hillcrest, featuring special grass-fed beef menus. Grass contains high levels of Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids (grain contains a sliver of the Omega-6s of grass). The week culminates with a free outdoor barbecue at Whole Foods Hillcrest from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 12, with tastings by participating restaurants and their chefs. grassfedbeefweek.com
Chef Brian Johnson and the peeps at The Red Door (741 W. Washington St. in Mission Hills) and The Wellington (next door—same family) broke ground last Wednesday on a garden, located at 5234 Alzeda Drive in Mt. Helix that will provide produce for both restaurants and use food scraps for compost. Gardening’s a popular trend among chefs, replacing the “eating until you’ve become so unfit you can hardly work” one. (North Park’s Urban Solace also started its own garden in Logan Heights last week.)
Those who haven’t eaten burrata should change that. Jsix (616 J St., Downtown) has launched a new menu, and on it is a Roasted Peach and Burrata Salad. That’s honey-glazed peach, kids. Also at Jsix: Tapas Tuesdays, featuring, um, tapas, Flamenco guitar and drink specials, beginning at 9 p.m. jsixrestaurant.com
Speaking of Downtown eats, guess what just opened up there? That’s right—Smashburger (801 Market St.). I know, you’ve missed reading that word in Nibbles. Interesting tidbit: Each location pays homage to the local culture with a special menu item. For the San Diego locations, it’s none other than The San Diego, a burger with cilantro, avocado, onions, sour cream, chipotle mayo and pepper jack on a torta, served with a token lime slice. smashburger.com
West Steak and Seafood (4980 Avenida Encinas in Carlsbad) serves a tasty-sounding happy-hour menu in its bar and lounge from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Nine bucks gets you Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops in black truffle sauce, Beef Bourguinon and other goodies. Incidentally, West’s chef, Eugenio Martignano, also has a garden. weststeakandseafood.com
Another swappity-swap coming to ya: The next San Diego Food Swap takes place from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 4, at Ocean Beach Women’s Club (2160 Bacon St.). Trade homemade and homegrown food and goods. sandiegofoodswap.yolasite.com
The North Park Grub Sprawl happens from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday, June 6. Free wristbands, available at West Coast tavern and True North, get you access to a special $5 dish of the night at several N.P. locales, including the two aforementioned, Rancho’s Cocina, Rosaria’s Pizza, Eddie’s Philadelphia Steaks/Hoagies/Burgers, The Linkery, El Take it Easy, Splash Wine Bar and Sea Rocket Bistro. altstrategies.com/npgrubsprawl
Barrio Logan’s Blueprint Cafe (1805 Newton Ave., Suite B)
has begun serving happy hour. From 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through
Fridays, get $5, $6 and $7 small plates. Also on special: two beers from
rotating breweries. The menu rotates daily, at the chef’s whim.
blueprint-cafe.com
Cafe Sevilla opens its new, 7,600-square-foot location (353 Fifth Ave., Downtown) three months and $2.7 million later. The grand opening party is from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, with proceeds benefiting the It’s All About the Kids Foundation. You get tapas, paella, Sangria, Spanish wine tasting, live Flamenco guitar and dancing for $25. Get tickets at itsallaboutthekids.org/tickets.
Got food news? Write to brookl@sdcitybeat.com.
