Galpão Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse opened its seventh U.S. location in San Diego in late October. The 400-seat restaurant took over the former Seasons 52 restaurant space in the Headquarters at Seaport Village shopping center in downtown’s Marina District.
The restaurant specializes in serving the Brazilian cowboy menu known as rodizio. The all-you-can-eat menu offers diners choices of 17 different kinds of beef, seafood, pork, chicken, lamb and more that’s served tableside from long sword-like skewers.
The restaurant’s signature dish is the Picanha, a tender cut of beef sirloin. In addition to meats and seafood, there’s a self-serve salad bar, side dishes and cheese bread. Desserts and cocktails, wine and beer are a la carte. The meal is priced at $48 for weekday lunch and $72 for dinner and weekend service.
Galpão Gaucho has four locations in Northern California and one each in Las Vegas and South Carolina. “San Diego is a wonderful city that we always wanted to step foot in and provide guests with an experience like never before,” said Sidinaldo Silva, regional manager of Galpão Gaucho, in a statement.
Galpão Gaucho is at 789 W. Harbor Drive, Suite 134, San Diego. For reservations, call (619) 373-9969 or visit galpaogauchousa.com
New restaurant and bar open in Rancho Santa Fe
The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, which was recently sold for $100 million to Chicago-based GEM Realty Capital, opened a new restaurant and bar on Nov. 1. Lilian’s restaurant, named after the 99-year-old inn’s original designer Lilian Rice, serves fresh-catch fish, grass-fed meats and seasonal local produce and other California ingredients, like a Monterey Bay king salmon with artichoke puree and lentil salad and citrus slaw. Bing’s, named after onetime Rancho Santa Fe resident and horse-racing enthusiast Bing Crosby, is an English-style pub/speakeasy serving custom cocktails and light bites like Peking duck tostadas and mini lobster rolls. Lilian’s is open for breakfast and lunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. Bing’s is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. 5951 Linea Del Cielo, Rancho Santa Fe. liliansrsf.com
The first San Diego County location of the Nashville hot chicken chain the Red Chickz will open Dec. 2 in the Shoppes at Carlsbad.
(Courtesy of The Red Chickz)
Red Chickz to open in Carlsbad
The first San Diego County location of this Los Angeles-based Nashville-style hot chicken chain will open Dec. 2 in the Shoppes at Carlsbad mall. The 58-seat, quick-service restaurant serves fried chicken sandwiches, tacos, wings and tenders, as well as jumbo shrimp, fries, cheese curds and vegan options. 2525 El Camino Real, Unit 217, Carlsbad. theredchickz.com
New fall dishes at Cassara Kitchen & Bar in Carlsbad.
(Courtesy of Kambria Fischer Photography)
Cassara Kitchen & Bar at the 2-year-old Cassara Carlsbad hotel has introduced new fall food and cocktails items. New food items include a harvest salad with pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, blue cheese and apples; smoked salmon dip with chipotle cream cheese; bacon and Brussels sprouts flatbread; and fried chicken sandwich with pineapple fennel slaw and Swiss cheese. New cocktails include the Rest in Peach with vodka and peach liqueur; Daily Double with gin and absinthe; and Bootlegger with bourbon, Scotch, chai and Angostura bitters. Hilton took over the former Grand Pacific Palisades Resort that overlooks the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch and re-branded the 90-room resort and revamped its restaurant. 5805 Armada Dr Building B, Carlsbad. thecassaracarlsbad.com/dining
This Little Italy sushi restaurant debuted a secret menu in October created by chef Robert Cassidy. Although details have not been published, the restaurant has announced “secret” items like a smoked chirashi bowl, fried elote, spam fries and Hong Kong-style waffle and chicken. 1953 India St., San Diego. cloakandpetal.com
RoVino market to close
RoVino The Foodery, an Italian specialty foods market that opened in East Village in 2019, has announced it is closing to make way for Krisp Beverages and Natural Foods, a San Diego-based gourmet market chain with locations in Ocean Beach, Downtown, Golden Hill and Little Italy locations. The date for the transition has not been announced. 969 Market St., Downtown. krispsd.com
Pastry chef Jamie Decena of Cowboy Star is participating in the 2023 Friendly Feast AAPI bake sale on Nov. 19.
(Courtesy of Friendly Feast)
Friendly Feast bake sale features six AAPI chefs
Six chefs from San Diego’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are participating in the 2023 Friendly Feast AAPI bake sale on Nov. 19. The annual event will raise money for Friendly Feast and the Asian and AAPI arts nonprofit Pacific Arts Movement. Participating pastry chefs are Jamie Decena of Cowboy Star (pictured), Ashley Papa of Born and Raised, Faye Rodriguez of Faye’s Desserts, Ashley del Rosario of Animae, Kat Ordillas of katkatxmochi and Kristianna Zabala of KRZ Kitchen. Customers must pre-order boxes of fresh-baked goods for pickup at either 10 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 19. Each $45 box will contain six different items (one from each chef). Cowboy Star, 640 10th Ave., San Diego. Order at friendlyfeast.org/ff-events/aapi-chefs-bake-sale/.
Chef Chris Osborne’s new happy hour menu at Wolfie’s Carousel Bar in Little Italy.
(Courtesy of Wolfie’s Carousel Bar)
Wolfie’s debuts new chef and happy hour menu: Wolfie’s Carousel Bar in Little Italy, known for its revolving bar and vintage carnival horse decor, has a new executive chef at the helm: Chris Osborne, who has worked around town at Biga, Cowboy Star, Counterpoint and more. His first order of business has been creating the restaurant-bar’s first happy hour menu that is now served from 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays. Food items range in price from $7 to $18, plus $2 oysters. Happy hour items include a petite steak frites with 4-ounce Angus Prime steak, Bordelaise sauce and house fries for $18; small cheese plates with nuts, fruit and toasted bread for $12; a seasoned olive plate for $7; a petite steamed mussels plate for $16; Angus Prime slider for $8 and French ham sandwich for $9. There are also three French-inspired cocktails for $13, wines by the glass for $10 and $15 and a glass of French Veuve Clicqot for $40. 2401 Kettner Blvd, San Diego. wolfiescarousel.com
Coco Maya has new dinner menu: Coco Maya, the rooftop restaurant/bar in Little Italy, has introduced a new dinner menu. Chef Quinnton Austin’s new offerings include strawberry baby salad with house vinaigrette, jerk chicken gnocchi with grilled mango, Maine lobster flatbread with béchamel truffle sauce and tacos with smoked pineapple. Other items include short rib birria tacos, 12-ounce chili-rubbed prime rib eye. 1660 India St., San Diego. inlovewiththecoco.com
Fig Tree debuts breakfast sushi; Fig Tree Cafe, a brunch-focused restaurant chain with locations in Pacific Beach, Mission Valley, East Village and at Liberty Station, has expanded its menu with a Japanese take on a San Diego breakfast classic: breakfast sushi, sushi roll-like cylinders made with white rice, scrambled eggs, scallions and artisan candied bacon. figtreeeatery.com
Common Theory now pouring cocktails: Common Theory Public House, a restaurant and beer bar that until now only served liquor in its hidden speakeasy, 52 Remedies, has introduced its own house cocktail program. Common Theory’s new bar menu includes a Moscow mule, gin rickey, daiquiri, margarita, side car, old fashioned, Negroni and Manhattan. Still available are 30 beers on tap, as well as bottled beers, ciders and hard seltzers. 4805 Convoy St., San Diego. commontheorysd.com
Plant Power introduces vegan patty and fries: Plant Power Fast Food, which serve an entirely vegan menu, has introduced a vegan patty for its sandwich menu. The Hippie Patty is made with black beans, poblano and chipotle peppers, roasted cashews, garlic and onions. It can be served on any of the restaurant’s eight burger options. Also new to the menu is sweet potato fries. The 7-year-old San Diego-based chain has locations in Ocean Beach, Encinitas, La Jolla and at San Diego State University, plus an online-orders-only location in Escondido. Visit plantpowerfastfood.com
Dining events
Fisher’s hosts weekend paella special: Open since May in Little Italy, Fisher’s San Diego restaurant specializes in Mexican-style coastal seafood. Due to the popularity of its panella dishes, the 8,700-square-foot restaurant is now serving panella from open to close on Saturdays and Sundays. The rice-based dish is cooked in a seafood and saffron-infused soup broth and topped with yellowtail shrimp and octopus. Because of the labor-intensive nature of the dish, paella is only served on weekdays with 24-hour advance notice for carryout. 555 W. Beech St., San Diego. fishers-sandiego.com
Monello hosts tequila cocktail pairings dinner: Monello Italian restaurant in Little Italy will partner with Cazadores Tequila on a four-course dinner with paired cocktail tastings led by Cazadores brand ambassador Vincent Toscano. Tickets are $125. 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 30. 750 W. Fir St., San Diego. (619) 501-0030, eventbrite.com/d/ca–san-diego/monello.
SoNo Fest & Chili Cookoff returns: More than 20,000 people are expected at North Park’s annual SoNo Fest on Dec. 3, which raises money for McKinley Elementary School’s Spanish, art and music programs. This year’s event will features 30 local chefs, 20 breweries, a Bivouac Ciderworks cider bar, a holiday artisan market, two music stages, a kids zone and stage and food trucks. More than two dozen local restaurant chefs will compete in the chili cookoff, which the public will get to taste. Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 3. 32nd and Thorn Streets, North Park. Tickets for five chili tastings are $25-$28. Beer, wine and spirits are $8. Purchase tickets online at sonofestchilicookoff.com
pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
