by david vera
OLD AND NEW: FIVE SAINTLY VENUES FOR YOUR VALENTINE
AT THE RISK OF COMING
OFF TRITE, love is inescapably in the air. Whether you’ve actively searched high and low for a beloved beau to spoil all month long, or a chance spark from Eros’ rod has locked your unwitting eyes with those of an equally aloof stranger, mutual attraction strikes all around us. And the fragrant bouquet of budding romance isn’t just for the newly attached. Even longtime lovers can feel the tip of Cupid’s arrow prodding them toward one another for a refreshing arm-linked strut down lovers’ lane. Cynics will continue to condemn V-Day a superfluous societal ploy to pressure us to pair off and thusly spend twice as much money. But none of us can deny the magic felt when live mu- sic, fine cuisine...even the bubbles in our Champagne flutes seem to exist only to fuel the immense magnetism between you and that mesmerizing creature gazing at you warmly from across your candlelit table. Throw in striking panoramas with the breadth of San Diego’s cityscape or its provincial countryside and you’ve got yourself quite the cocktail of allure and intimacy to secure a Valentine’s Day neither of you will ever forget. The five following establishments promise to fulfil this prospect, and perhaps dazzle you with offerings you never even knew you craved.
64 RAGE monthly | FEBRUARY 2014 WAYS TO WOO OLD FAVORITES
BERTRAND AT MISTER A’S 2550 Fifth Avenue, Twelfth Floor, San Diego, 92103 619.239.1377
bertrandatmisteras.com Urban locals and distant rurals are all familiar with the towering beacon of cu- linary care and community philanthropy capping the crest of our hill. Eating here is a treat for all, as Chef de Cuisine Stéphane Voitzwinkler and Owner Bertrand Hug both value their positions and opportuni- ties to serve
us...and they aren’t afraid to show it. Just visit the site and take a quick gander at the list of dozens of beneficiaries whose operations have improved thanks to the generosity of a certain “Mister.” DON’T MISS: Chef’s Valentine’s Tasting
Menu—$75 dinner service offered from Friday, February 10 through Sunday, February 16, but strangely not 14. Hmmm. The loving lusciousness starts off bold with dishes likeMaine Lobster Salad and Filet Mignon Tartare. Classic choices like Herb Crusted Chilean Sea Bass and Rack Of Veal follow the pulsing melody. Top that with Chocolate Filled “Beggar Purse” or a Lemon Meringue Tarte and who wouldn’t feel on top of the world?
bertrand at mister a’s
ADDISON AT THE GRAND DEL MAR 5200 Grand Del Mar Way, San Diego, 92130 858.314.1900
addisondelmar.com I’ve raved about this place before, but
I don’t feel I can overstate the labor and talent that produces every dish enjoyed here. I could gush for paragraphs about the locally rare five-star/five-diamond laurels bestowed upon this resort that looks like it was air-lifted right out of Tuscan farmland. Instead, however, I’ll let Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef William Bradley’s seven-course dinner menu do the talking. DON’T MISS: Valentine’s Day Din-
addison at the grand del mar
ner—$205 per person; $325 with wine pairings. Succulent offerings from far-east seas merge onto comforting and familiar European staples and end with the snap of Asian spice. And you can be assured that presentation of all seven courses is more vivid and beautifully minimalist than your mind currently imagines. continues on page 66
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