By Frank Sabatini Jr.

Top of the Market revealed its first major facelift in the restaurant’s 26-year history upon reopening Dec. 17 after a fire in May closed it down. (The Fish Market downstairs had also shut down, but reopened in August.)

The result was $2 million in damage repairs, which included everything from new furniture and wall coverings to fresh lighting and ceiling treatments.
In addition, about 75 percent of the menu has been revised with the assistance of new chef Stafford Mather, who previously worked in kitchens owned by restaurateur Brian Malarkey.

Through Jan. 17, the restaurant will donate a portion of its proceeds to the San Diego Fire Rescue Foundation, which augments city funds for equipment.

“Given what we experienced, we are excited to support a cause for our first responders,” said Jim Wendler, president of Fish Market Restaurants. 750 N. Harbor Drive, 619-232-8862.

Come spring, look for a secluded tiki bar within Little Italy’s Craft & Commerce, which has been undergoing renovation and will reopen around the same time. Its upcoming Polynesian-inspired addition, named False Idol, brings in creative director Martin Cate, a rum aficionado who owns the lauded Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco. The hidden space will feature elements by tiki artist Bosko Hrnjak and designer Paul Basile. A menu to match the theme is in the works by newly appointed chef JoJo Ruiz. 675 W. Beech St., 619-269-2202.

Replacing Nicky Rotten’s in the Gaslamp Quarter is 1919, which its promoters are touting as “a different kind of neighborhood sports bar.” Due to open in February, it’s named after the year of the infamous “Black Sox Scandal,” when eight Chicago White Sox players who were up against the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series were caught intentionally losing games in exchange for money from gamblers. The concept will encompass classic American comfort dishes, creative cocktails, nostalgic design elements, and 25 high-definition flat screens. 560 Fifth Ave.

Saturday-night “fiestas” are being held weekly from 9 p.m. to midnight at Puesto in The Headquarters at Seaport. The new, ongoing promotion provides guests with one free taco with the purchase of a “Puesto perfect margarita.” It’s an unlimited deal that includes such tacos as chicken al pastor, zucchini and cactus, carnitas, and more. 789 W. Harbor Drive, 619-233-8880.

Through experimenting with fermentation, the new lead mixologist at The Westgate Hotel, Irving Gonzalez, has added novel twists to traditional Mexican drinks such as the tepache and pulque. Hailing from the avant-garde Hacienda Guadalupe in Ensenada, Mexico, he brings to the bar some of his native staples: tamarind, horchata water, and agave. Or if you want to talk beer with Gonzalez, you’re in good hands because he’s also a homebrewer. 1055 Second Ave., 619-238-1818.

—Frank Sabatini Jr can be reached at [email protected].