Menu Matters

Here’s a half-dozen servings of local restaurant dish—Broken Yolk is in; Crescent Heights is out…

It’s been a busy spring in the restaurant business. Here’s the dish on the urban eatery scene:

--Broken Yolk had a trial run Tuesday for family and friends at its new downtown location (355 Sixth Avenue). The official grand opening is June 22. Like the Pacific Beach Broken Yolk, the new one will serve 30 kinds of omelets. It’ll be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Sunday through Thursday, and open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday. “Expect to find a happy-faced staff working here,” says partner Sarah Abadi.

--Crescent Heights Kitchen & Lounge gave it a run at 655 West Broadway, but the run was a sprint. The restaurant—located in a tough place for downtown dinner foot traffic—closed its doors this week.

--Dish at Universal is still for sale, but nothing is final, says spokesperson Jamie Lynn Sigler. Several potential buyers have walked through the Hillcrest location, including chef Rich Sweeney, but nobody’s buying, yet. Apparently the weekend brunch scene remains popular.

-Lucky D’s will finally re-open downtown at 804 Market Street. The grand re-opening is June 26 (that sign that says Opening May 2009 was driving us crazy). Gone is the sports bar feel—the video games and pool table are gone, though some TVs will remain. Spokesperson Lauren Clifford describes the look as “glammy-meets-Bali/Fiji.” Look for mirrors, hardwood flooring and couches covered with leather and purple snakeskin. “It’s more a local’s bar than a lounge, but it’s very lounge-able,” says Clifford.

-The Mission Hills site of the former Parallel 33 will be turned into The Red Door, says owner Ric Libiran, who also co-owns Café Bleu in Hillcrest and Market Street Café; in San Marcos. At The Red Door, chef/partner Brian Johnston will cook up contemporary comfort food, like meatloaf, mac-and-cheese and buttermilk-fried chicken. Look for a mid-July opening, says Libiran.

-It’s possible that Quarter Kitchen at The Ivy Hotel will make way for a SushiSamba. “That is not confirmed,” says spokesperson Audrey Doherty. “Anything is possible, but I cannot confirm that.” The Japanese/Brazilian/Peruvian SushiSamba chain hit Las Vegas last year and has been spreading west. In the past, company officials have made known their desire to expand into San Diego. Stay tuned.

 Ron Donoho is a regular contributor to NBCSandiego.com and a contributing editor to sandiego.com. His Web site (sandiegoDTOWN.com) is dedicated to news, sports, culture, happy hours and all things downtown.

Send Ron a Tip or Invite Here

Contact Us