Restaurant openings in San Diego County are hard to keep up with these days, with new openings every week. Here’s a taste of three eateries that have opened in Carlsbad, National City and Chula Vista.
Pitfire Pizza, Carlsbad
The Honey Bear pizza at Pitfire Pizza in Carlsbad.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
I was eager for this L.A.-based artisan pizza chain to open its first San Diego County location, which debuted in November in Carlsbad. My daughter lives less than a mile from the 27-year-old company’s Venice outlet and we often make a pit stop at Pitfire when I visit. There’s not a bad dish on the menu. My only disappointment is that they change their menu periodically and swapped out a craveable artisan salad a few years back that I can still taste in my head.
The menu offers a dozen sourdough-crust, brick oven-fired pizzas, with vegan and gluten-free options. There are the traditional cheese, pepperoni and Margherita options, but I recommend the Honey Bear, with spicy sausage, honey, three kinds of cheese and Calabrian chiles. Another killer pizza is the Field Mushroom with Fontina cheese, two types of seasonal mushrooms and fresh sprigs of thyme. My favorite pasta dish is the Chicken & Mushroom with cellentani (corkscrew) noodles, garlic crema and arugula. There are also appetizers, entrée salads, veggie sides and desserts.
The new location is in the Beacon shopping center and Pitfire has been busy since day one, so plan your visit accordingly. It’s also an order-at-the-counter setup, so check out the menu online in advance to save time. There’s indoor and outdoor seating and a 20-seat bar serving craft beer, wines by the glass, cocktails and slushies.
In honor of Pi Day on March 14, Pitfire will be serving mini Margherita pizzas for $3.14 on 3/14 until 3:14 p.m. (dine-in only).
7720 El Camino Real suite A, Carlsbad. (760) 203-6642, pitfirepizza.com
Butcher’s Plate, National City
Roasted brisket sandwich at Butcher’s Plate in the Market on 8th food hall in National City.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
On Jan. 6, Manny de Luz and Charles Knowles — the partners behind the 8-month-old Portuguese café Bica in Normal Heights and the pop-up Cops and Robbers Eat Club — opened their third culinary concept, the Butcher’s Plate meat sandwich shop inside the Market on 8th food hall in National City.
Butcher’s Plate serves ethically sourced roasted meats and chicken, either in sandwiches and plated with roasted herb-fried potatoes. All of the butchery and roasting is being done in-house. All of the additional ingredients are sourced from local artisan food makers, including Charlie’s Best Bread, Venissimo cheese, Hani’s Lamb Farm in Poway, Cafe Moto coffee and seafood from South Bay Fishery.
I stopped in during the shop’s opening week and found three protein choices on the menu — housemade porchetta (Italian-style rolled pork roast), roasted brisket and rotisserie chicken. I opted for a brisket sandwich and was not disappointed. The brisket was freshly roasted, seasoned well with delicious crispy burnt ends and so tender it almost melted in my mouth. I enjoyed the fresh ciabatta roll, herbs and side of pickled veggies. The plated version of the dish comes without the roll but a side of herb-fried potatoes. There are also optional veggie side dishes and desserts.
The prices were on the higher side for a sandwich, but it’s a good portion and very high quality so I found the cost reasonable.
41 E. Eighth St., National City. butchers-plate.com.
Spoon House Korean Cuisine, Chula Vista
Beef bulgogi, left, bulgogi bibimbap, top, and Korean chicken wings at Spoon House Korean Cuisine & Cocktails in Chula Vista.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
This family-owned Korean restaurant and bar opened last year on Third Avenue in Chula Vista, which is one of the county’s fastest-growing dining and drinking districts.
Spoon House may not have much in the way of decor or atmosphere, but the service is friendly and the Korean food is cooked to order, authentic and delicious. There’s also a full bar serving beer, wine and cocktails and a pool table. The menu is small by Korean restaurant standards, but the three dishes I tried were all very good.
The spicy Korean chicken wings were double-fried for extra crunch, drizzled with a sweet-spicy Gojuchang sauce and topped with green onions and sesame seeds. Like the other dishes on the menu, the wings were flavorful but not too spicy.
Beef bulgogi — thinly sliced, grilled or pan-fried steak — is served over french fries as an appetizer or as an entrée with sides of rice and steamed vegetables. The bibimbap, a Korean rice bowl, can be made with a choice of bulgogi, chicken, spicy pork or shrimp and comes with a soft-fried egg and seasoned vegetables. The dishes come to the table seasoned with salt and pepper, but no heavy sauces or oils. Those can be added, according to one’s personal taste, at the table.
Other options include hot pot soup, ramen, galbi (Korean short ribs), scallion pancakes, dumplings and stir-fried Korean rice cake.
305 Third Ave., Chula Vista. spoon-house.square.site