With eight full days of dining deals taking place from Sunday, January 20 through Sunday, January 27 for the winter installment of the biannual San Diego Restaurant Week, we thought it best to scour the participating spots and choose one eatery for each night. Check out what would constitute our ideal week of discounted price-fixed meals!
Get ready for prix-fix, multi-course meals all over America's Finest City. We’ve perused the seemingly unending list of over 180 options and narrowed them down to our eight top dinner picks (though lunch is also offered at many locations). Below is our breakdown of our ideal San Diego Restaurant Week 2019. Make your reservations and get out there to support our city's thriving culinary community.
Sunday, January 20 - Solare ($40) - We would kick of #SDRW2019 with a tried-and-true favorite. Liberty Station's Italian gem Solare never disappoints! Newly appointed Executive Chef Filippo Piccini has put together a menu of Italian dishes sure to please, including Wagyu beef carpaccio to start, Wild scallop risotto with black truffles for an entree, and Pana Cotta made with locally grown Point Loma oranges for dessert. There is also the option to add an Italian Wine Flight for an additional $19 and to substitute dessert for a special craft cocktail, which we think all restaurants should do for those that aren't big into sweets.
Monday, January 21 - Et Voila! French Bistro ($40) - For night #2, we would head to Normal Height's French bistro Et Voila - one of our favorite restaurants in town. We would start with the butternut squash and ricotta raviolis with brown Beech mushrooms and a pomegranate beurre blanc sauce, enjoy the grilled Wagyu top sirloin topped with Cabernet sauce and sided by onion compote, and Reblochon and potato gratin for our entree, and finish with the orange creme brulee with Grand Marnier Chantilly. And you damn sure know that we would add the wine pairings for an extra $18.
Tuesday, January 22 - Coasterra ($40) - Being it's Taco Tuesday in San Diego, we would choose to dine on some modern Mexican food at the stunning Coasterra on Harbor Island. Highlights from the SDRW menu include mussels & clams al Spanish chorizo as a starter, chili & herb roasted Black Angus tri-tip for an entree, and housemade churros to finish.
Wednesday, January 23 - Rei do Gado ($40) - Usually we choose something tame for SDRW Humpday when making this annual list, but you know what they say, "New Year, new me!". We're going to test our strength and resiliency at downtown's top Brazilian steakhouse. Sure, we get access to the ample salad bar, but our eyes will be on the prize - continuous service of 16 different meats complimented by Brazilian side dishes like cheese bread, black bean stew, and seafood stew. We would also add unlimted seafood for $10, because why not!
Thursday, January 24 - Great Maple ($30) - So, it's now cool to dine at the mall, apparently. On evening numero quatro, we'd test that theory out by heading to Westfield UTC for three courses at the new Great Maple. For starters, the order would be truffle deviled eggs, followed by GM Cioppino, and for dessert an order of warm potted brownie.
Friday, January 25 - Georges California Modern ($50) - Gotta get down on Friday! As such, we're going to a San Diego institution known for it's amazing food paired with a killer view. Damn near the whole menu is on George's SDRW list, so choose wisely! We would start with grilled octopus to start (+$5), then get the local swordfish entree, and close out the meal with a peanut butter sunday. $30 for wine pairing? Sure.
Saturday, January 26 - Monello ($30) - It's the freakin' weekend baby, so we're heading down to dine at the "naughty boy" of San Diego's Little Italy. Monello is so damn good, and you cannot beat 3 courses for $30. Menu picks include the Caesar Monello salad to begin, then the Spaghetti Neri squid ink pasta in spicy lobster bisque sauce with sauteed octopus as an entree, and gelati e sorbetti for dessert.
Sunday, January 27 - MARKET Restaurant + Bar ($50) - Chef Carl Schroeder’s cuisine is known as some of the best in town, so why not end San Diego Restaurant Week's first installment of 2019 on a high note? The SDRW menu at Market has so many enticing options that it's difficult to choose, but here it is - #1 Buttermilk fried chicken & pickled beets, #2 Miso roasted cod & egg noodles, and #3 carrot cake with cream cheese ice cream. Now, we sleep until spring.
Honorable Mentions - In a most perfect world, we'd also dine at the following: Bali Hai, Bankers Hill, Bencotto, Cucina Sorella, Mister A's, Nine-Ten, Grill at Torrey Pines, The Marine Room, Top of the Market, and Vistal at the InterContinental Hotel.
Make your reservations for San Diego Restaurant Week as soon as possible, because many places fill up fast. It's extremely easy to secure your spots right from the SDRW website at sandiegorestaurantweek.com or on the App for Android or iPhone. Happy dining!!
