ment, especially when dipped in Martinis’ own house-made ketchup. Cardenas also plans to debut a new small appetizer: thick-cut potato wedge fries resting in a short martini glass filled with seasoned marinara sauce. “A take on French food,” says the chef about his meaty option. Having worked in and traveled to kitchens around


the world, serving his cuisine to “stars” including Car- rie Underwood, Kellie Pickler and Paul McCartney, Chef Cardenas also knows how important location is. Considered one of the top chefs in America, when asked about what makes San Diego’s culinary scene special, Cardenas responded, “San Diego has great weather, which means great produce. A lot of fresh, daily, organic vegetables, believe it or not, come from Mexico, but American produce is easier to track.” In a moment of trivia, he asked me to guess which city was the biggest booming food city in the country: “It used to be New York or L.A.,” he offered, “but now it’s Las Vegas. All the top chefs are opening restaurants in Vegas, because that’s where the money is.” Cardenas is a man with a contagiously warm and


Returning home to be closer to his parents in


Poway, Chef Cardenas began his culinary career in the early ‘80s, working under the renowned sushi chef, Yuki Hirota, who later went on to open Sushi Ota on Mission Bay Drive: “I worked under him and he taught me a lot about sushi and I learned about cooking in general. My brother was already working there and said, ‘After school, you’re not doing anything, you’re getting in trouble… Why don’t you come and work?’ At 13 years old, I was making more money than most of my friends’ parents.” I sat down to sample a few items Cardenas was


excited to share, starting with a very aesthetic and light plate of caper-olive deviled eggs topped with a small sprinkling of paprika. There were a couple of small cherry tomatoes sliced in half on the side, as well as a garnish of arugula for good looks. Chef Cardenas has made exotic deviled eggs before, back when he worked on Sunset Boulevard, “When I was in L.A., I was doing stuff that was ahead of its time, even for L.A. So, if I bring that type of stuff here, it might actually scare people. Like, I did a deviled egg with panko crusted, Kumamoto fried oyster on top.”


Next up was my personal favorite dish, jalapeño


and bacon, pickle mac and cheese. In his version of the classic dish, chef Cardenas uses two types of pasta (cavatelli and rotelle), a slice of jalapeño, a conserva- tive amount of diced pickles, and a small bacon garnish. The entree sports a rich, cheesy flavor with a slight undertone of spice from the jalapeño. The pickles are there, but only barely so. Perfect for sharing with a few friends, or for keeping all to yourself if you bring an appetite. Cardenas remarked on his pasta dish, “Most places stick to a traditional flavor; I throw in smoked gouda, gruyere cheese, some parmesan, giving it nuttiness and depth. When people eat it, you can tell it’s not your Velveeta cheese.” For the vegetarians out there still looking for a


dish packed with flavor and variety, there is a new, Asian-inspired tofu stir-fry on the menu: a colorful arrangement of Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, bell peppers, edamame, green beans, and bean sprouts, all tossed together in a teriyaki marinade. For the meat-eaters, however, an Asian barbecue


marinated skirt steak served with a helping of garlic fries will definitely leave you with hearty content-


comedic personality. When he’s not in the kitchen, he makes sure to still fill his life with good food, good drinks, and good company: “On my day off, I go restaurant hopping. I’ll invite some friends and go to four or five different restaurants. Have a drink and two appetizers here, four drinks and one appetizer there, six drinks and no appetizers…” His food is only half the fun—Cardenas’ jovial style


is a perfect fit for Martinis—a man as entertaining as many of the acts on stage. On any day of the week, guests can catch live entertainment, including an array of no-cover performances as well as ticketed events. With acts ranging from comedy and live music to DJs and drag queens, Martinis will showcase just about anything that’s fun and fits on their stage. So, whether you’re there to grab a drink, watch a show, hang out with friends, or just let loose after a long day, rest assured that there will be a good meal waiting for you just behind the curtain.


Martinis Above Fourth Table + Stage is at 3940 Fourth Avenue in Hillcrest. For more on their upcoming shows and ticketed events, to make a dinner reservation or for more information, call 619.400.4500 or go to ma4sd.com.


SEPTEMBER 2018 | RAGE monthly 55


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