Modern
Mediterranean at Cusp Dining & Drinks La Jolla
If
you are looking for a chic and sophisticated San Diego
dining spot with an ocean view to die for, then check out Cusp
Dining and Drinks. Perched high on the 11th floor of the Kimpton
Hotel La Jolla, this eatery is where you come to slow down,
linger over drinks and delectables, savor the scenery and revel
in a worthy Southern California dining experience.
The
décor at Cusp is perfectly suited for a Pacific Ocean
overlook. The restaurant is awash in an organic color palette
of brown, beige, and white along with a bright and airy dining
room balanced with stunning petrified wood and carved walnut
screens. In the evening, the room turns moody, lit primarily
with natural candle light that adds to the restaurant's sophisticated
and romantic ambiance.
Upon
arrival, have the restaurant's mixologist whip you up a unique
craft cocktail, optimally timed to savor with a sunset. Besides
classic cocktails, the contemporary drink selection also includes
many aromatic spirits, fresh juices, locally procured produce
and fruit purees. If cocktails are not your beverage of choice,
the restaurant also has 60 wines by the bottle, many glass selections,
and a range of bottled and draught craft beers.
Open
for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with weekend brunch and daily
happy hours, the restaurant operates under the culinary direction
of Executive Chef Donald Lockhartwho has designed a menu around
coastal Mediterranean-inspired fare as well as seasonally-driven,
contemporary dishes. In line with emerging industry standards,
Chef Lockhart's focus is on fresh cuisine, including grilled
fish and locally sourced meats. Many items are also made in-house,
including the pasta, soft cheeses, cured fish and oven-baked
flatbreads.
The
menu at Cusp features a range of options so that you can sip
and nibble from small and large sharable plates, or you can
enjoy a full entrée. Be sure to check out the restaurant's
daily specials, including "Family Meal Sundays" and
"Date Night Tuesday." The restaurant also regularly
features seasonal prix fixe menus that offer additional ways
to sample a cross section of the restaurant's cuisine at a special
price.
Speaking
of family meals, I recently visited Cusp with my brood to see
what all of the buzz was about. While there were just a few
misses (slight grit in the mussels ($12) prepared with chorizo,
roasted garlic, and white wine and a sold out "86"
on the Duck Confit ($26) with grilled Tuscan kale, fennel, black
garlic peppercorn dressing, and grana padano that had caught
our eye), the experience overall proffered a mélange
of inspired Mediterranean fare that aptly delivered on our high
expectations.
For
starters, we savored the Crispy Pork Belly ($9) with a honey
sriracha glaze that delivered the perfect balance of sweetness,
spice, and texture. We also opted for appetizer salads: the
Candy Cane Beet and Pear ($12), another perfect blend of savory
and sweet served with crispy goat cheese, sherry and preserved
orange vinaigrette, as well as the Little Gem Caesar ($9) with
creamy garlic dressing, grana padano, and croutons.
Entrée
selections included the San Sebastian Flatbread ($14) with garlic
roasted shrimp, Spanish chorizo, and Manchego cilantro and Piquillo
pepper sauce; House-made Casarecce Pasta ($18) with roasted
lamb meatballs and roasted tomato in a velvety curry cream sauce;
and Pan Seared Corvina Sea Bass ($29) served with saffron risotto,
shrimp, mussels, Spanish chorizo and Piquillo peppers. On the
side, I opted for the Oven Roasted Pancetta Brussels Sprouts
($7).
To
end the endearing epicurean experience, we delighted in the
decadent Caramel Panna Cotta ($7) served with chocolate cookie
crumbles as well as the Crispy Apple Fritter ($7) with house-made
granola, caramel sauce, and vanilla gelato.
With
such a stunning setting and appealing menu offerings, Cusp is
a great locale for a date, girls' night out, business dinner
or special event.
In
fact, the restaurant has a team at-the-ready to help you plan
a group visit, whether in a separate event room or if you prefer
to commandeer the entire restaurant. The location is also set
up with audio and visual capabilities.Cusp Dining & Drinks
can accommodate cocktail receptions for up to 350 guests and
dinner for up to 200.
For
those of you always thinking about the environment, the Cusp
culinary team is committed to green and sustainable practices.
Efforts include supporting farms, fisheries, wineries, and ranches
guided by sustainable practices; adhering to the Monterey Bay
Seafood Watch program standards for seafood selection; using
recyclable takeout containers; recycling all glass, cardboard,
paper and plastic; using bio-degradable, eco-friendly cleaning
supplies; and focusing on energy and water efficiency systems
and processes.
Whether
you are seeking to dine out for business or pleasure, Cusp is
an innovative and inviting eatery that is making its mark among
locavores in La Jolla and beyond.
Cusp
7955 La Jolla Shores Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone: (858) 551-3620
http://www.cusprestaurant.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
and Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList.
***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.***
