San Diego Unseen: An Urban Portrait
You might recognize the name Dionysus in connection with live theater. Some people think this Greek mythological figure is the god of the performing arts, when, actually, he just used to see a lot of shows. He’s more the central spirit of fertility and drunken revelry (he invented wine, in fact); he had a rep for literally waking the dead, and if he didn’t like you, then woe betide you and your family and your 401(k). He’d regularly go up and sit at his dad Zeus’ right hand, mostly just for show; if he could stagger his way to a play and bang his date at the same time, more was the power to him.
Mind you, there’ll be none of those sorts of shenanigans at Encore! Café, the sandwich / dessert place right next to Coronado’s Lamb’s Players Theatre (in fact, a common wall opens onto the eatery from the venue)—nonetheless, Lamb’s, which owns the restaurant, has the right idea in combining live performance with food and drink. The three go together like ancient Greek chariots and the war-weary horses that pulled them—but the Greeks were at a decided disadvantage, ’cause they didn’t have Encore!’s absolutely delicious signature panino. It’s called The Cuban, and it’s stacked with pine-smoked ham, dill pickles and Swiss cheese on a big fat roll; it’s perfect with a grilled chicken salad (featuring tomatoes so tasty that they must be from Mars). Both items are $8, with sandwiches, tacos and desserts (get the chocolate lava cake!) running $1 to $4 less. The day I was there, they had a mini-run on snack and cheese platters ($6 to $12), featuring three cheeses and a bunch of big fat fruits and nuts.
Encore!, at 1138 Orange Ave., is closed Mondays (like Lamb’s) and opens Tuesdays through Fridays at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m., closing when it gosh-darn-well feels like it. Sunday hours are 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (the number is 619-435-2124; see lambsplayers.org for more). If you go and then follow up with a play, you’ll assure your place as a mainstay in the Dionysian tradition. And your 401(k) will remain intact
