A group of San Diego boating, fishing and restaurant industry veterans plan to breathe new life into the space formerly occupied by Fiddler’s Green, a nautically themed 29-year-old Point Loma restaurant that closed early last year.
Leading the project at 2760 Shelter Island Drive — named the Boatyard — will be chef Jason McLeod, who recently returned to San Diego after two years with Clique Hospitality in Las Vegas. The Michelin-honored chef worked from 2011 to 2014 for the San Diego hospitality group CH Project, then in 2014 he opened Ironside Fish & Oyster in Little Italy.
Other partners in the Boatyard project are Cal and Jan Muir, Owners of Sail San Diego; Whitney Eckis, a marketing executive; and entrepreneur Spencer Moran.
The Boatyard’s menu will feature seafood, prime steaks, an extensive wine and cocktail program, and the building will also include a speakeasy bar.
The existing restaurant, located on the second floor of a building at the northeast corner of Shelter Island Drive and Shafter Street, will be demolished to make way for a more contemporary building designed by Paul Basile.
Central to the kitchen design will be an open wood-burning grill for the meats and seafood.
McLeod’s menu concept focus on simplicity and ingredient quality, where each dish will highlight the natural flavors of the ingredients, using straightforward techniques that enhance rather than overshadow.
The investors have raised all but $1 million of the money needed to begin construction. Their goal is to open the Boatyard in mid-2025.
Opened in 1994, Fiddler’s Green closed in May 2023 after the steakhouse’s owners decided to part ways. The restaurant was known for its nautical décor, including more than 300 boat models lining its interior walls and full-size boats hanging from its ceiling.
The Avenue to open in Coronado
Blue Bridge Hospitality Group, whose Coronado restaurants include Stake Chophouse, Little Frenchie and MooTime Creamery, has announced plans to open another Coronado location early next year.
The Avenue Fish & Oyster Company will open as early as January in the former Islander restaurant space at 1015 Orange Ave. The Avenue will serve fresh fish and oysters from around the world along with classic-style cocktails a robust selection of wines.
David Spatafore, principal of Blue Bridge, said The Avenue’s menu and name were both inspired by beloved Coronado businesses of the past. The Fish Co., once located at 10th and C streets, and The Avenue, a once-popular corner gift shop.
“Coronado is and will always be our home, so we created The Avenue Fish & Oyster Company as a nod to two of the Island’s most beloved and popular spots — places we’ve loved and respect, and places both locals and visitors remember fondly—we hope our guests at The Avenue Fish & Oyster Company will be able to create similar memories when they visit us at The Avenue,” Spatafore said.
Paul Arias, who previously worked at the Catamaran Resort and the Grill at Torrey Pines, will serve as executive chef.
Le Coq plans collab with Parisian restaurant
Le Coq, the nrecently opened modern French restaurant in La Jolla, is hosting a two-night pop-up on Sunday and Monday by chefs from the Les Enfants du Marché restaurant in Paris, France. The team from the famed avant-garde dining counter will be serving a la carte items exclusively at Le Coq’s bar from 5 to 8 p.m. those two nights.
Before creating the menu for Le Coq, executive chef Tara Monsod staged (interned) at Les Enfants du Marché. One of the top-selling dishes on Monsod’s menu was inspired by her time there: Les Enfants du Marché Mussels. lecoq.com
San Diego FC sign official bartender
San Diego FC, the city’s new professional soccer club, won’t have its first match for another four months. But in the meantime it has hired its official club bartender.
Dushan Zarić — winner of the 2002 World’s Best Bartender Competition in Barcelona and owner of the New York bars Employees Only and Macao Trading Co. — made his official debut with the club last weeke at the opening-night party for the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival. Zarić will oversee the beverage program for the club’s concessions at Snapdragon Stadium when its first season kicks off in February.
San Diego FC officials say they are the first-ever sports team to designate an official club bartender.
Old Town crowns guac champ
Diane Powers’ Casa Guadalajara is the winner of the Old Town Chamber of Commerce’s annual Guac Off competition. Five Old Town San Diego restaurants entered their guacamoles for a blind tasting by 125 participants. Other competitors were Cafe Coyote, Casa de Freds, Barra Barra Saloon and Casa de Reyes.
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