For more than a dozen years, North County restaurant-goers were witness to the Sublime.
That was the name of the beer-and-comfort-food taverns that chef-restaurateur James Limjoco operated, first in 4S Ranch and later in San Marcos and Del Mar Heights. The pandemic forced the Carlsbad resident to close his Sublime eateries in 2021. Then in March of last year, he returned with a new concept, Mak Mak Organic, a Southeast Asian street food restaurant in downtown Oceanside.
The food Mak Mak served — its specialty was khao man gai, a Thai variety of Hainanese chicken, a popular poached-chicken-and-seasoned-rice dish — was flavorful, fresh and delicious. But the menu may have been too exotic for the mainly tourist clientele in the hotel-packed eight-block area east of Oceanside Pier. Seven months after opening Mak Mak, Limjoco closed the 60-seat eatery. And less than a month later, a new incarnation of Sublime opened in its place on Oct. 28.
The new Sublime Tap House will feel very familiar to fans of the old Sublime. There are 27 beers on tap and much of the same menu that Limjoco created at his taverns. And that’s a good thing for the pub fans who relished Limjoco’s savory mac ‘n’ cheese, made with his signature gourmet béchamel sauce, his crispy-chewy pizzas and house-ground, made-to-order burgers.
The Gojuchang fried chicken sandwich and fries at Sublime Tap House in Oceanside.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Among the signature pizzas that have returned are the colorfully named Sublime (with roasted chicken, mushrooms and apple wood-smoked bacon), the First Kiss (tomato, basil and garlic), the Get Figgy Wit It (figs, prosciutto, balsamic glaze and argula), the Camping Trip (pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers and onions), the Gratitude (topped with housemade meatballs) and the Gondola Ride (roasted chicken with garlic and Alfredo sauce).
Same goes for the mac ‘n’ cheese plates (which are designed to serve a crowd), including the Sultry (with braised short rib and Gorgonzola cheese), the Rapture (pulled pork and caramelized onions), and the Fiery (with Black Forest ham and jalapeños). The grilled cheese sandwiches and burger menus are also much the same, including the signature Slap Yo Mama burger (with brie cheese and bacon jam) and the Prosciutto ‘N Egg (with fried egg and sundried tomato aioli).
The mushroom Swiss burger and fries at Sublime Tap House in Oceanside.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
On a recent visit, I tried out several dishes I’d enjoyed in years past at the former Sublime Ale House in San Marcos and found the flavors, quality and large portion sizes just as as I remembered. Yes, the prices have gone up a bit since 2021, just as they have at all restaurants post-pandemic. But it’s the Sublime that fans will remember.
In other ways, the Sublime brand has evolved.
Thanks to the sunny, indoor-outdoor vibe of the the beachy Oceanside location, Sublime feels more inviting than the dimly lit taverns of the past. There are also some new Asian-inspired menu items I don’t remember seeing at Sublime in years past, like the Gochugang fried chicken sandwich and the Korean bulgogi tacos.
Hopefully, Sublime fans will return to support Limjoco’s refreshed Tap House in Oceanside. And maybe some of the delicious dishes he created for Mak Mak can make cameo appearances as nightly specials in the new location.
Sublime Tap House
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Where: 121 N. Cleveland St., Oceanside
Info: (760) 696-3248
Online: sublimetaphouse.com
The curved beer bar in Sublime Tap House in Oceanside.
(Pam Kragen/The San Diego Union-Tribune)