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When I was growing up in San Diego, the only reason anyone went downtown was for work or jury duty. I went occasionally because my stepdad was a judge and my mom a court reporter at the county courthouse, but I was an exception among my peers. In the early '80s, my mom volunteered with an organization working to revitalize the Gaslamp Quarter—a 16-square- block area named for the electric |
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Now, looking out from my room at the Hotel Solamar (435 Sixth Ave., 619-531-8740), a boutique hotel in downtown San Diego, I stare at the altered skyline, dotted with high-rise condos. All around, cranes loom over steel- framed constructions and recently dug pits, as if to say, This is just the beginning. The Gaslamp Quarter—one of eight distinct neighborhoods that make up downtown—is packed with new restaurants, crowded bars and quaint coffeehouses. And Petco Park, home to the San Diego Padres, now sits in what was once a seedy area. After checking out the view, I head for the hotel's poolside lounge, Jbar (619-531-0105). The Solamar is so new that when I ask the bellboy how long it's been open, he answers in days. And Jbar is so hot that I decide to eat before the trendy crowds start vying for seats around open fire pits, in private cabanas and along the palapa-inspired thatched-roof bar. The menu, a limited version of what's offered in the restaurant, Jsix (619-531-8744), befits this beach and border town: tangerine sautéed shrimp ($25) and Ensenada cocktel, the Mexican version of a seafood cocktail, topped with diced avocado ($11). The whole scene is incredibly hip, compared to The Waterfront (2044 Kettner Blvd., 619-232-9656). This stalwart, the oldest bar in town, is dependably filled with a mix of sailors and fishermen eating burgers ($3) and fish and chips ($7); I make a mental note to pay homage to the dive before I leave. |
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On my first walk through town, I stop for a bite at Taka Restaurant (555 Fifth St., 619-338-0555). Chef Tsuyoshi "Maru" Maruyama has been offering San Diegans an authentic sushi experience for the last four years, serving such delicacies as ankimo (monkfish liver). Knowing how conscientious Maru is about choosing the freshest fish, this was the place where I first mustered the courage to try sea urchin, which tasted sweet and wonderfully briny, with the texture and richness of softened butter. I've since taken to eating it as my last piece, my sushi "dessert." Some of the city's newest restaurants are also its best, such as Café Cerise (1125 Sixth Ave., 619-595-0153), where chef and owner Jason Seibert, who last cooked at Spago Maui, prides himself on using seasonal produce to create a daily French-inspired menu. My dinner there: cider-braised brisket with marinated artichokes, cannellini beans and roasted radicchio ($24). Chef A.J. Voytko at Rice in the W Hotel (421 West B St., 619-398-3082) also takes advantage of regional ingredients, crafting them into global, whimsical combinations, such as scallops with a deconstructed Bloody Mary ($15) and his signature spice-crusted lamb loin with harissa gnocchi ($34). One morning I sit down at Café 222 (222 Island Ave., 619-236-9902), which I'd first checked out two years ago. Looking back, it was one of the first signs of all the changes to come. With a homey feel, a local crowd and a reputation for killer waffles—the long list includes pumpkin ($7) and sweet corn ($7)—it's the mark of any urban community: a neighborhood breakfast joint. I'd often wondered why nobody had opened a French bistro in San Diego like the bustling, stylish ones I frequented in New York, so I was pleased to discover Cafe Chloe (721 Ninth Ave., 619-232-3242), a charming place in the up-and-coming East Village area. Both times I visited, a busy crowd packed the marble tables inside and out, eating steak and fries ($18); macaroni, pancetta and gorgonzola gratin ($14); and for dessert, a fruit tart ($7). On my second visit to Cafe Chloe, I met two of the owners, husband and wife John Clute and Alison McGrath, who grew up in San Diego and left for San Francisco years ago. "We kept watching downtown," McGrath says. "Waiting until the area was ready for us to come home." During those years, they saw buildings going up and people moving in; when the time was right, in 2004, they opened their bistro. The restaurant has been busy ever since, and the owners are opening a second location next spring. After hearing their story, I wonder if it's time for me to move home, too. San Diego, clearly, is ready. Check out our other travel stories: Rachael Ray in NYC; Boulder; Landmark Restaurants |
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