The Dish: November 29-December 5

The Dish is your source for the latest menu updates, new cocktail programs, happy hours, and special offers from San Diego’s best restaurants and bars!

This week is full of holiday specials as we head into December!

Enchanting Cocktail Trees from Grind & Prosper

Grind & Prosper Hospitality has introduced a unique culinary trend in San Diego with their enchanting cocktail trees. Available at Coco Maya, Louisiana Purchase, and Miss B’s Coconut Club, these cocktail trees serve five signature cocktails simultaneously.

That means you may have enough to share with a friend… 😉

At Coco Maya in Little Italy, guests can enjoy a variety of tropical mimosas and martinis, while Louisiana Purchase features a “Gold Digger” cocktail flight with various mimosas. Miss B’s Coconut Club in Mission Beach presents the “Welcome To The Jungle” cocktail tree with a range of mimosas and daiquiris.

A month-long Christmas celebration at Temaki Bar

Indulge in a month-long Christmas celebration at Temaki Bar in Encinitas with their exclusive Merry Maki menu. Throughout December, guests can immerse themselves in the festive spirit with a variety of holiday-themed rolls, including the Bad Santa Handy featuring yellowfin tuna for $13, Stocking Stuffers with inari and jalapeño priced at $8, and the Krampus boasting tempura shrimp, spicy tuna, and pop rocks for $23.

Additionally, the menu includes specialty salmon, hamachi, and yellowfin nigiri. Guests can also enjoy Stiegl Goldbrau or Gluhwein while savoring the sushi delights.

Feast of the Seven Fishes at Piatti

Piatti in La Jolla pays homage to the classic Italian-American Christmas tradition by offering its own unique take on Feast of the Seven Fishes. Available every Monday throughout December, diners can enjoy a multi-course holiday meal featuring a variety of seven types of fish and seafood offerings. Priced at $100 per person, meal courses include:

First course: Shrimp arancini | Smoked salmon carpaccio with sorrel, caperberries and dill
Second course: Baked seabass with saffron, leeks, capers and lemon | Linguine with salmon, kalamata olives, capers, onions, herbs and spinach
Third course: Zimino shellfish with calamari in a shrimp tomato broth and served with grilled bread
Fourth course: Citrus salad with arugula, fennel, celery and oranges | Mini cannolis

Feast of the Seven Fishes derives from an ancient Italian tradition of eating fish on Christmas Eve and emerged in the 1900s when Italian American families rekindled this tradition by preparing a seven-course seafood meal that made them feel close to their homes while celebrating the sea – a major connection in Italy.

Reservations can be made HERE.

“Bocaditos” at Vino Carta

Mesa Agrícola’s Juan Gonzalez, the resident chef at Vino Carta Solana Beach, has introduced a “Bocaditos” – or snacks – menu to go along with his dinner offerings in the sip-and-ship wine bar and store.

Now available are Quince Pintxo (three-month Manchego cheese, roasted pistachio, quince paste), Bocarones (white anchovy, orange zest, parsley & chives, Picual olive oil), Marinated Olives (Spanish blend olives, market citrus), Marinated Feta (California bay leaf, thyme, pink peppercorn), House-Made Laffa Bread, and Gluten-Free Bread.

Chef Juan also prepares two flatbreads, which you can get 50% off on Wednesdays:

Flatbread Blanco (Mozzarella di bufala, Strauss cream, confit garlic, pecorino Romano, arugula, limestone rosemary, lemon zest)
Flatbread Rojo (Tomato sauce, manchego cheese, Calabrian Chile, jamón serrano, red onion, manzanilla olives, Pedro Ximenez sherry vinegar).

The food menu is available Wednesday – Sunday beginning at 5PM each day. Chef Juan and his wife Megan own
a 1/4-acre farm in Valley Center, where they harvest their own produce for Juan’s cooking.

Side Bar Launches Holiday-Inspired Cocktail Menu

Side Bar, this extravagant nightclub and lounge in Gaslamp that recently celebrated 20 years of success serving San Diego, recently launched a special holiday cocktail menu that’s as funny as it is tasty!

Check out the menu!

Stifler’s Mom: Absolut Elyx Vodka, Lychee Puree, White Grapefruit Juice, Garnished with a Magenta Flower
Hit The Slopes: Absolut Elyx Vodka, Lime Juice, Watermelon Mint Syrup Tropical Red Bull, Fresh Mint, Gold Sugar Rim
Not My Gumdrop Buttons: Absolut Elyx Vodka Infused with Gingerbread, Simple Syrup, Amaretto, Chai Tea Bitters, Ginger Beer Topped with a Gingerbread Cookie
Holiday Affair: Monkey 47 Gin, Corazon Puree, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, St Germaine, Charred Grapefruit Tonic, Garnished with a dried blood orange and micro-flowers
The Vixen: Cazadores Tequila, Ginger Syrup, Lemon, Pear Puree, Conundrum Red Blend Wine, Rock Candy Syrup, Rosemary
Home Alone: Coconut Washed Rum, Tom & Jerry’s Mix, Candy Cane Syrup, Egg White, Holiday Pie Bitters, Melted Chocolate Rim

Great Dickens Holiday Pop-Up At Duck Dive

It’s thee most wonderful time, of the year…to enjoy festive cocktails at PB’s favorite beach bar! Duck Dive’s Great Dickens Holiday Pop-Up opens Friday, December 1 with eight cocktails to choose from!

The holiday menu includes sips like Fizziwig’s Ball, a delectable drink comprised of duck fat-washed bourbon, fresh lemon, chai syrup, cardamom, and egg white, adorned with a tasty cookie, and the Bah-Rum-Bug, made with rum, aperol, pineapple, maple, fresh lime and a dash of cinnamon.

Duck Dive will be fully decked out in Christmas décor, so come check it out from 4PM to close, every day. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling Duck Dive at (858) 273-3825.

NOVO Brazil Otay Ranch Celebrates 4th Anniversary – congrats!

NOVO Brazil Brewing Company is celebrating the fourth anniversary of its Otay Ranch Mall brewpub on Saturday, December 2 with live music and giveaways throughout the day. The musical lineup includes Chula Vista native, Sophia Hoffman, who competed on the 2023 season of The Voice; Cuband4ever, which performs regularly at Café Sevilla in downtown San Diego; DJ Chino from Channel 93.3; and kids from School of Rock Otay Ranch. Festivities start at 12PM.

Warm Your Spirits At You & Yours Holiday Tea Pop-Up

Holiday Tea Party Pop-Up at You & Yours Distilling Co.

This holiday season, You & Yours Distilling Co. is making spirits bright with a Holiday Tea Party Pop-Up! On Saturday December 2nd, guests will be treated to holiday flights, tea cocktails, and savory & sweet tea treats along with live holiday jazz in the festively decorated East Village tasting room.

Unlike in years past, all menu items will be available a la carte (no tickets or reservations required) and the festivities will start at 12PM and run throughout the day. Click here for more information.

Burgundy Wine Flight with Master Sommelier Josh Orr

Vino Carta Solana Beach, the neighborhood sip-and-shop wine bar and store, is welcoming Master Sommelier Josh Orr for an afternoon of Burgandy, France, wine tastings on Sunday, December 3. From 2PM–4PM, Orr will lead the group through a flight of five wines from various producers within the vaunted region of Burgandy.

Tickets are $100 and can be purchased here.

Orr became a Master Sommelier in 2019, and there have been fewer than 300 such titles given out by The Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas since 1969. Vino Carta focuses on small, family-run producers of natural wines.

Discover California’s Enchanting English Afternoon Tea Service

Enjoy a charming afternoon sipping a variety of freshly brewed teas while noshing on delicious small bites and finger sandwiches at California English. The best way to spend time between lunch and cocktails.

Tiered towers are filled with deliciously moreish uncrus-TEA-ble sandwiches and sweet petit-fours, along with an assortment of jams and marmalades. Guests can choose from two towers including:

English Tower For Two served with a Honey Lavender Scone

Uncrus-TEA-ble sandwiches: Smoked Salmon and Dill, Curry Chicken Salad and Deviled Egg
Petit-fours: Madeline, Battenberg Cake, Shortbread with Chocolate, Lemon Posset
Spreads: California English Jam, Clotted Cream, and a California Citrus Marmalade

California Tower For Two served with a Honey Lavender Scone

Uncrus-TEA-ble sandwiches: Toffee Apple and Cheddar, Rotisserie Chicken with Almond and Dates, Confit Ahi Tuna and Red Onion Marmalade
Petit-fours: Madeline, Battenberg Cake, Shortbread with Chocolate, Lemon Posset
Spreads: California English Jam, Clotted Cream, and a California Citrus Marmalade

Guests can book a Tea Time service by calling the restaurant directly at (858) 201-3461.

Sunday Service at Q&A

Q&A Restaurant and Oyster Bar, Oceanside’s premier oyster and NOLA-eats hotspot, is introducing Sunday Service on Sunday, December 3.

Sip and slurp this new Sunday-only special that includes a dozen raw oysters from a coast of your choosing (Gulf, East, or West) and a bottle of sparkling brut Campo Viejo Cava for just $40. Whether you’re a large group or intimate gathering, sip and slurp in one of Q&A’s chic booths or enjoy the fresh ocean breeze on the back patio.

Sip on Seasonal Cocktails at Bleu Bohème

Even though the leaves don’t change colors and there isn’t a cool crisp to the air, San Diegans can still get into the fall spirit with seasonal sips. Bleu Bohème, Kensington’s beloved and award-winning French restaurant, is embracing autumn with a selection of fall cocktails, available now.

Seasonal cocktails include:

Bleu Hugo Spritz, a combination of St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Chartreuse, sparkling wine, mint and a squeeze of fresh lime juice served over a Bleu Bohème ice rock, priced at $15
Ma Cherie, made with Bleu Bohème’s house cherry-infused brandy, port wine and bourbon, served over ice, topped with rich vanilla ice cream and garnished with a brandied cherry, priced at $18
Fig et Fenouil, a combination of fig and fennel-infused vodka, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, lavender and sparkling wine, priced at $15.

barleymash now serving Winter Cocktails

Gaslamp’s barleymash rolled out some brand new cocktails for the Winter season:

Winter Refresher: Grey goose Peach Rosemary Essences, house cranberry-spiced syrup, lemon, and sparkling water
Bonded & Tai’d: Jack Daniel’s Bonded Rye, orgeat, orange liqueur, lime, and angostura bitters
Prickly Pear Margarita: Espolon Blanco Tequila, prickly pear, lime, and tajin
American 86: Old Forester Bourbon, honey, lemon, and bubbles
Turkey a L’Orange: Wild Turkey Bourbon, house chocolate orange liqueur, and cold brew
White Thunder: Skyy Blood Rrange, house coconut syrup, lemon, Tropical Red Bull, and tajin

City Tacos’ December Taco of the Month

City Tacos’s Taco of the Month for December is the Caribbean Salmon (grilled salmon rubbed with achiote spice, lemon, and orange juice over a flour tortilla with guacamole spread, arugula, cucumber, onion, tomato, and pineapple – and finished with a serrano chili salsa and cotija cheese sprinkle). City Tacos has seven San Diego County locations, including the 10,000-square-foot OB Playground in Ocean Beach.

Give Back this Holiday Season with Fish Shop

For every one of Fish Shop’s delicious Elote Tacos, Fish Shop donates a meal to It’s All About The Kids, a local nonprofit supporting families that face food insecurity — an especially important cause during the holiday season!

The Elote Taco is just one of Fish Shop’s many fresh, high-quality seafood offerings. Fish Shop’s uniquely tailored menu features a boatload of fresh seafood selections from build-your-own-taco, sandwich or salad plates, fresh poke and more.

Grab your friends and family at any of Fish Shop’s locations, order a round of Elote Tacos with whatever suits your fancy and feel good about supporting local businesses and charities during this holiday season!

Common Theory Public House promotes Chris Lee to Beverage Director

Lee, who hails from Seoul, South Korea, previously served as Bar Manager for Common Theory and the speakeasy Realm of the 52 Remedies for six years. In his new role, he will oversee the entire beverage program at both establishments and create a beverage program for the upcoming Common Theory Otay Ranch in Chula Vista, set to open next year.

Chris Lee expressed his excitement for the opportunity to lead the beverage program in the vibrant and diverse Convoy District and is eager to bring the same positive atmosphere to South County when Common Theory Otay Ranch opens. Common Theory, known for its draft beer selection and recently added cocktail menu, offers a wide variety of options to cater to its diverse clientele.

Managing Partner Cris Liang commended Lee’s expertise in crafting cocktails and curating the draft beer menu, believing that Lee’s contributions will enhance the experience for patrons in Chula Vista and South Bay.

Common Theory is open until 11PM, Sunday – Thursday, and until 2AM on Friday and Saturday nights. Visit the website here for more information.

See you there, San Diego!