The new Le Royale cheeseburger at Patisserie Melanie (Photo courtesy ChemistryPR)
Culinary enhancements at Patisserie Melanie
The team at North Park’s newest pastry shop, Patisserie Melanie, has made way for chef Anthony Bruno, who previously worked at the prestigious French Laundry in Napa Valley as well as the former Cafe Chloe in San Diego’s East Village.
Bruno joins the shop’s founder, Melanie Dunn, who earned her pastry expertise at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris before initially opening the business from a live-work studio in Hillcrest. Since moving to North Park, she has made the neighborhood swoon with a retail selection of croissants, tarts, macarons, kouignettes and more. On Thursday through Sunday, she also offers French savories such as quiche and croque-style sandwiches.
With Bruno onboard, she recently introduced a happy hour menu featuring a cheese and charcuterie board and the succulent Le Royale cheeseburger made with a blend of chuck, short rib and brisket. Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions and Dijonnaise seal the deal. The happy hour runs from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, when $1 and $2 discounts kick in for beer and wine.
Coming soon to the lunch and happy hour menus are ratatouille, Jamon ham with cheese and egg, and fresh fruit compote with ricotta. A dinner menu is also in development. Its roll out has yet to be announced. 3750 30th St., 619-677-2132, patisseriemelanie.com.
Margaritaville splashes into the Gaslamp Quarter
It’s here! And with every beachy cocktail, island-inspired dish, and Jimmy Buffett album known to fans of this long-established party culture.
Welcome to the newly opened Margaritaville Hotel, a $30 million urban oasis complete with three dining concepts, a rooftop bar and pool, and tropical accents for days. The bill of fare throughout the property focuses on the expected fish sandwiches, burgers, tacos and fresh salads that correspond to the casual vibe of Buffett’s famous song, Margaritaville.
Bar offerings naturally include plenty of adult frozen concoctions, such as what you’ll find on the hotel’s ground-floor at Landshark Bar & Grill. Live entertainment most days further add to the ‘60s-influenced paradisaical escape with its common areas that are open to both locals and hotel guests.
The hotel marks the brand’s first city-center hotel on the West Coast. 435 Sixth Ave., 619-819-9500, margaritavilleresorts.com.
Good and girth-y
If you like your cookies thick and gooey, look no further than Cookie Plug, a growing chain that started a few years ago in Riverside, Calif. and quickly became famous for its graffiti-theme décor and hip-hop playlists.
In June, a shop opened in University Heights (1945 El Cajon Blvd.) More recently, a second urban location (611 K St.) sprung onto the scene just outside Petco Park. Another is slated to open soon in Pacific Beach.
The company’s motto is to break the cookie-cutter mold of everyday cookies by making them “FAT,” “THICC” and “BOMB AF.” They’re baked fresh daily and come in alluring flavors such as chocolate XTC, purple haze, strawberry cheesecake, and bam bam, which incorporates fruity cereal. Keto-friendly options are also available as well as cookie icing for those wanting to add a little more sinfulness to the experience. cookieplug.com.
North Park newcomer
Replacing the space left behind by Little Thief Wine Bar & Kitchen is Long Story Short, a newly opened restaurant by husband-wife chefs Elliott and Kelly Townsend.
The duo previously cooked at Juniper & Ivy and Cowboy Star, respectively. They met at the Art Institute of California-San Diego, where they each earned bachelor’s degrees in culinary management.
Their concept is to relay to consumers through food and atmosphere their personal stories growing up in San Diego—him in National City, and her in Point Loma. They now reside in North Park.
“This is not just a restaurant,” said Townsend. “It’s a collection of things that Kelly and I have compiled to tell a story from our more than 10 years together,” he added. “The music is what we listen to, the wine is what we drink, and the food is what we believe you should be eating at this precise moment. Long story short, this is us, and North Park is our home.”
The menu will change frequently while carrying a creative Southern California flair driven by seasonal ingredients and the couple’s established relationships with local farms and seafood mongers. For their mid-August opening, dishes included white sea bass crudo with salsa and figs; dry-aged local bluefin tuna; and corn agnolotti with huitlacoche.
Natural wines from small, global producers are also in the offing, along with craft beer from six taps.
The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner only. Reservations can be made through exploretock.com. 3017 University Ave.
Another Seaport Village location for Hess Brewing Company
Mike Hess Brewing Company has opened a pet-friendly “tap house” in a Seaport Village structure that sat vacant for the last five years. The space features a 1,200-square-foot sundeck and inside seating as well.
Unlike Hess’ other tasting room located a stone’s throw away, this newest outpost doesn’t have a kitchen. Although guests are permitted to bring food onto the premises from surrounding eateries.
The tap house features 24 handles that dispense the many beer styles within the company’s portfolio, which range from IPAs and blond ales to lagers, dark selections and more.
Customers will also find spiked slushies, hard seltzers, sangria and non-alcoholic craft root beer. 879 W. Harbor Drive, 619-675-7776, mikehessbrewing.com.
