A friend recently said the Shorehouse Kitchen doesn’t look like much from the outside. Maybe she was distracted by the area’s recently disheveled garb – the Shorehouse, after all, sits in Avenida de la Playa, turned upside down through tons of infrastructure repairs that stopped this La Jolla Shores neighborhood in its tracks for the better part of nine months. Memories of the uproar are probably fresh in the minds of the residents and proprietors, but at least now they can get from point A to point B in order to share them. The Shorehouse might just be the place to do that, from an aesthetic standpoint (the exterior is pleasantly angled and tidy, with lots of cool windows) and amid a breakfast menu to die for. The neat thing about it is that the staff treats breakfast like breakfast – dinner’s the time for heavier fare, see, and depending on what you’re doing, lunch can be the most noncommittal meal of the day. But breakfast at the Shorehouse features all these really light things, their edibility nearly excelled by their presentation. The California Omelet, which by any measure sounds like a heaping dish, features arugula salad and mushrooms; surely, you can slice through that with little or no effort. And the Seared Salmon and Baby Kale even sounds unobtrusive to the untrained ear. Ditto buttermilk and cornmeal pancakes, whose textures nearly carry them skyward before you’ve had a chance to turn your head. Dinner, now; that’s another story. The house meatloaf, the Parmesan-crusted swordfish, the Cabernet-braised shortribs and the LJ Burger are enough to feed the whole Village by itself (in fact, in times of strife, they’ve been known to). Thai chicken, and all those crushed peanuts, is the way to go at lunch – and you don’t need to feel obligated to share it with Bowser, as the Shorehouse has a five-entry Doggie Menu. OK – so one of ’em’s water. Bacon Bits, scrambled eggs and chicken make up the rest, assuring that the other animal in your life won’t feel left out. That’s to say that the Shorehouse Kitchen has you covered for all three meals. There’s a ease and a comfort factor about this place, one that translates into a serious sigh of relief now that things are back to normal in Avenida. For once, those huge windows look out over more than a clutch of burly construction guys. You can see more at shorehousekitchen.com, or call (858) 459-3300. And just so’s you’ll know: The Shorehouse is holding a five-course beer-pairing dinner Tuesday, June 30 at 6 p.m. featuring a selection of core and specialty brews. With all that pent-up energy from construction limbo, the eatery promises to make it worth your while. New restaurant opening:
The little bell has rung La Clochette du Coin translates as “the little bell in the corner” – but since its founding last year, this French-inspired café has been making quite a ring in the Village. Willie Wu Jye Hwa and his wife Karine, originally from francophile Madagascar, fell in love with San Diego following college, and due diligence told them the French influence (plus a partnership with downtown’s La Parfait Paris) would resonate in La Jolla. Voila – the shop’s organic coffee drinks, sandwiches and artisan pastries are de rigueur. The shop is at 6830 La Jolla Blvd., suite 101. Visit laclochetteducoin.com or call (858) 291-0781.