La
Jolla's Café la Rue Restaurant Reimagined
Have
a hankerin' for some European fare but can't fit a
trip across the pond into your schedule? No problem. A visit
to the recently re-launched Café la Rue,
nestled in the heart of San Diego's La Jolla Cove, will give
you a satisfying taste of Europe, and then some. What's become
a signature eatery at the famed La Valencia Hotel, the advent
of the new-and-improved Café la Rue marks the first restaurant
concept change at "La V," as locals call it, in nearly
50 years.
The
hotel's Managing Director, Mark Dibella, recently commented
on the re-imagination of this long-standing restaurant, noting,
"Our goal with the new Café la Rue is to delight
and surprise our patrons with both the space and the menu. We've
worked hard to create an intimate bistro and bar for today's
diners and travelers that embodies a decidedly more casual and
sassy La Jolla social ambiance of easy comfort."
I
spoke with Michael Hutchison, Director of Restaurants &
Lounges, regarding what inspired Café la Rue's new direction.
He revealed that, in its former incarnation, Café La
Rue occupied about a third of the total space and that a wall
separated it from The Whaling Bar, which was in need of renovation.
Given the extent of the overhaul The Whaling Bar required, management
decided on an entire concept change with Café La Rue
to occupy the entire space. Even amid the fresh and fab facelift,
the new interior design embraces the rich history of the location
as the walls remain adorned with the art of Wing Howard whose
works have graced the space for decades.
Situated
at 1132 Prospect Street with an exterior dining space right
on La Jolla Cove's "main drag," this bistro and bar
has it all-great food, cocktails, live entertainment, ambiance,
and indoor and outdoor seating that's ideal for people watching
while soaking up the SoCal sun.
Café La Rue features imaginative European-inspired cuisine
prepared by Executive Chef James Montejano and his crew. "Chef
James," as he is known at the Café, graduated from
the California Culinary Academy and proceeded to work with some
of the best West Coast chefs in the business before taking his
position as award-winning executive chef at Café la Rue.
I've
been to the newly inspired iteration of Café La Rue for
dinner and loved every moment of it. There is ample patio seating
with space heaters available, as needed. The live music creates
a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere that prompts you to decompress
from the day's stresses and, instead, turn attentions to social
and sustenance matters. Of the many dishes I sampled during
my visit, there are a few standouts that are an absolute must-order.
Paramount among these is the Choux de Bruxelles de la rue ($10)-Brussels
sprouts roasted to perfection with Kalamata olives, pepperoncini,
parmesan and extra virgin olive oil. This appetizer alone will
have me heading west to Café La Rue often. The Moules
($12) mussels with a fragrant broth of butter, sherry, garlic,
tomato and parsley with a crostini was also extremely satisfying.
For
the main I opted for the "chef favorite" Crevettes
et Provencal" ($22), with large spiced grilled prawns and
a sundried tomato, garlic and Brussels sprouts, mascarpone and
fennel ragout all skillet-served atop baguette bread with a
side of fresh leafy greens. I also sampled another crowd favorite,
the Loup de Mer ($23)-richly seasoned baked sea bass with sweet
peppers, olives, gorgeous whole-roasted cipollini onions, and
grilled artichoke with a garbanzo puree. For dessert, all roads
led to the Crème Brûlée Lavand ($10), a
creamy lavender-scented delight topped with extraordinarily
fresh berries and a thin and crispy tuile. In all it was a meal
aptly representing the restaurant's reformation.
It's
not only world-class cuisine that keeps patrons coming back
but also the live music on Wednesday through Saturday evenings,
which has made happy hour at the bistro extremely popular. Also
favored during happy hour, which is playfully coined "The
Appointment," is Café La Rue's "1132"
wine program (an homage to La V's address) that gives local
and hotel guests, alike, a unique opportunity to enjoy a bottle
of one of eleven carefully selected wines from the restaurant's
signature cellar for just $32.00. Café La Rue's happy
hour runs daily from 4pm-7pm and features half-priced appetizers,
beer, wines by-the-glass, $5 house cocktails and $7 martinis.
Any
mention of Café la Rue would be remiss without paying
respects to the Pink Lady of La Jolla herself: the Hotel La
Valencia. Established in 1926, La V has been known for lavish
openings and glamorous settings ever since. Throughout its history,
La V has been a popular hideaway for the Hollywood glitterati.
The Pink Lady still glows with timeless elegance, and is a luxury
hotel unlike any other. A few cool factoids courtesy of Hutchinson
include: Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam fame once worked at La V
as an overnight security guard. And, Dr. Seuss had a booth all
his own, complete with plaque embossed into booth, and at least
in part wrote some of his many works in the restaurant.
As
I often do, I asked Hutchinson about his personal favorite aspect
of the eatery. "I'm a huge fan of world-class live music
of all genres which we have in spades," he gushed. "Additionally,
we have the freedom to change really just about anything we
think will best suit our guests' wants and needs. We are not
handcuffed by red tape or corporate policies. Our only guidelines
are to make smart, thoughtful decisions that align with the
best interests of both our guests and ownership."
Hutchinson goes on to commend the team members who give their
best effort each and every day to take such great care of restaurant
guests.
"Our
team as a whole realizes that there simply is no finish line
in what we do," he says. "We must embrace the notion
that what we do well, we can do even better tomorrow and, conversely,
where we have opportunities, we MUST do better tomorrow."
Lofty
aspirations I've no doubt Café la Rue will continue to
realize.
Cafe
la Rue
French Restaurant
1132 Prospect Street
La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 454-0771
http://www.cafelaruelajolla.com/
By Merilee Kern, 'The Luxe List' Executive Editor
"The
Luxe List" Executive Editor Merilee Kern scours the luxury
marketplace for exemplary travel experiences, extraordinary
events, and notable products and services. Submissions are accepted
at www.LuxeListReviews.com.
Follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/LuxeListEditor
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***Some
or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or
service(s) detailed above were provided at no cost to accommodate
this review, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of
Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***