Por Frank Sabatini Jr.

A former mechanics shop next door to Juniper & Ivy in Little Italy will open as The Crack Shack the week of Nov. 9. The much-anticipated eatery, co-owned by celebrity chef Richard Blais and entrepreneur Michael Rosen, promises a playful menu showcasing free-range, non-GMO eggs and the chickens that lay them.

Blais and Rosen also run Juniper & Ivy on the same lot. Their latest venture features a 5,000-square-foot space with custom-made communal tables, a bocce ball court, a nine-foot-tall chicken statue, and an outdoor dining area. A preliminary peek at the menu reveals pollo asada sandwiches with schmaltz fries, chicken-fried farro with a sunny-side-up egg, and protein bowls filled with grains, smoked chicken breast and soft-boiled eggs. 2266 Kettner Blvd., 619-269-9036.

The 12th annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival will be held Nov. 16 – 22. It features a series of chef-hosted meals and wine and cooking classes around town, as well as a lavish “grand tasting,” which will take place from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nov. 21, at Embarcadero Marina Park Norte. The outdoor event gives visitors a chance to sample wines from more than 150 wineries and foods from dozens of San Diego’s top chefs and regional gourmet food companies. Among the restaurants taking part from the Downtown area are Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, el conceder parrilla, Royal India, Comun Kitchen and Tavern, and more. General admission is $135. Tickets can be purchased at sandiegowineclassic.com or the gate. 500 Kettner Blvd.

After operating in a smallish space for nearly a decade on F Street in the East Village, Salad Style is settling into larger digs in Downtown’s west end, at 611 B St. The eatery, known for its fresh meal-size salads and savory homemade soups, is due to reopen in the coming month. 619-255-6731.

The craze for zany donuts is well represented at the new E. Vil Donuts, which opened recently in East Village with a menu that allows customers to choose from a wide range of toppings, including various ice creams and breakfast cereals. Head baker Kyle Wells said the top sellers so far have been the maple-bacon bars and apple-pie donuts. His latest rollout is the Wesley Snipes, a chocolate mousse-filled donut dipped in chocolate glaze and topped with Oreo crumbs. In the pipeline are gingerbread donuts and chicken-and-waffle donuts. The latter, he says, “is taking some time because it’s a little tougher to create.” 565 Park Blvd., 619-795-7661.

The Gaslamp Quarter is making way for a 24/7 eatery as Du-par’s Restaurant & Bakery prepares to open by the end of the year at the corner of Fourth and Fifth avenues. With locations in Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area, the restaurant is famous for its home-style meals, freshly baked pies, and jumbo pancakes, which are served with melted, clarified butter. Biff Naylor, who is the third owner of the company since it was founded in 1938 in Los Angeles, closed the previous San Diego location on Midway Drive last month in preparation for the move to Downtown. His new location sits beneath Oceanaire Seafood Room. The space, he said, is about 80 percent the size in comparison, but will still serve breakfast, lunch and dinner around the clock. 440 J St.

Season 13 of Bravo’s Top Chef reality TV show will feature a few familiar faces from the San Diego restaurant scene. Competing in the show’s new season for the “top chef” title is Chad White, who owns Comun Kitchen & Tavern in East Village and La Justina in Tijuana. He is one of 17 contestants featured in the series, which focuses this time around on chefs based in various California cities. Also appearing in the season are chefs Javier Plascencia of the new Bracero in Little Italy, and Richard Blais of Juniper & Ivy (and the upcoming Crack Shack). Blais is a former Top Chef All Stars winner who has been serving as a judge for the show for the past few years. The season premieres on Bravo Dec. 2 and 3.

—Frank Sabatini Jr se puede alcanzar en [email protected].