Donovan's Prime Seafood

The Donovan’s Restaurant Group is a trademark in the San Diego dining community known for exemplary service and quality cuisine. While Donovan’s is primarily known for perfecting the classic upscale steakhouse, the restaurant group has set its sights on coastal cuisine for their newest venture, Donovan’s Prime Seafood. Sister restaurant to Donovan’s of Downtown and Donovan’s of La Jolla, Donovan’s Prime Seafood continues the family tradition of excellence with its fresh sea fare and attentive staff. 

Perched on the always-bustling 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp District, Donovan’s Prime Seafood offers a breath of fresh air for seafood lovers everywhere. The location is at the epicenter of San Diego’s Downtown urban scene in close proximity to Petco Park and the Convention Center. The restaurant was previously known as Circle of Fifths, a trendy lounge offering bar bites and plenty of delicious drinks for guests to enjoy.  Unlike its former counterpart, Donovan’s Prime Seafood offers much more than expertly crafted cocktails. 

 As my guest and I approach the restaurant, I observe the elegant patio overlooking the street and the Donovan’s Prime Seafood Logo with a blue background and red lobster emblem located on the lower left hand corner of the sign peeking out from under the patio awning. As we enter the restaurant we are greeted by the friendly hostess. 

The interior changes from sophisticated urban patio to classically elegant with large windows stretching across the front wall, offering plenty of light and a cool breeze from the street. The hostess seats me and my guest at a table in the front room across from the large open windows, creating an airy atmosphere akin to the outdoor patio dining. The interior offers a soothing blend of cream walls, soft red and cream patterned carpet, and classic dark wood tables and brown leather chairs. We are immediately served cold water and are offered the Dinner and Drink Menus.

We are greeted by the Manager who gives us a detailed overview of the menu as well as the wine list. He offers me and my guest a glass of wine and we readily accept. I am served the “Russian River” Pinot Noir, which has floral notes and a hint of berry. After looking over the menu, we decide to let the Chef surprise us. 

The Drink Menu offers an array of wine, beer, and signature cocktails. Donovan’s is proud to serve a 6oz. glass of wine—and they have plenty of glasses to choose from with a selection of red and white wines from primarily California, such as the Bell Cabernet Blend or the Mason Cellars Sauvignon Blanc with a few select wines from Italy and New Zealand. The beer selection includes a variety ranging from Hefeweizen to Pale Ales featuring Bass Ale, Flying Dog Snake IPA, and Carlsberg among other beers.

The Dinner Menu offers fish and shellfish appetizers, salads, and entrees for diners to enjoy. The Kona Spiced Ahi Tuna with beluga lentils, cipollini onions and green garlic sauce; Mediterranean Black Mussels; Seafood Chop Salad; and a selection of 100% USDA Prime Beef and Surf and Turf Entrees including the San Diego Carpet Bagger (New York Strip Steak Stuffed with Sautéed Oysters and Mushrooms) are featured dishes. 

The Manager takes our menus and immediately following a fresh loaf of bread with salted butter is brought to our table. The bread tastes warm and fresh, set off by the smooth saltiness of the butter. After we enjoy the amuse bouche, we are served a trio of appetizers each presented on white porcelain plates. The trio includes the Salmon “House Cured,” Ahi Tuna Tartare, and Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. 

The first Appetizer is the Salmon “House Cured” placed in the center of the plate with wild arugula in a lemon vinaigrette sauce on one side and the rich orange salmon on the other with each piece of salmon rolled into a single serving and fanned out to create a visually appealing dish. The salmon’s smooth texture creates the perfect setting to a symphony of salty, slightly smoky, and sweet flavors.  The fried capers and English mustard sauce garnish add another dimension to the dish—providing an unexpected but pleasing note of bitterness and spice. Tangy and light, the Wild Arugula salad is garnished with red onion, providing a burst of acidity further adding the flavor of the dish.  

Next we sample the Ahi Tuna Tartare served with taro root chips, presented on a rectangular white porcelain plate. A bed of fresh greens garnishes the top of the cubed tartare while the tamarind and ginger, while taro root chips are laid across the plate. I take a chip and dip into the tartare. The mixture of the earthy greens, fresh tartare, and crispy taro chip creates a dynamic range of texture. The fish screams of high quality and freshness as it melts in your mouth, bringing out hints of tamarind and ginger with every bite as the taro chip provides a crunchy backdrop. 

The Jumbo Lump Crab Cake is the last appetizer, also served on a circular dish with a side of remoulade. The crab cake is moist and spongy, with hints of citrus and pepper that pair well with the greens placed alongside the cake. The greens have a light vinaigrette sauce that cleanses the palate between bites of the cake. When dipped in the remoulade, a note of creaminess is added to the cake, contrasting with the bitterness of the scallions.

After we finish the appetizers we are asked if we are ready for entrees. My guest and I happily accept, excited to indulge in another round of palatable bliss. A trio of dishes served on classic white porcelain plates are placed on the table. The Chef has chosen three entrees: Monkfish, Alaskan Halibut, and Diver Scallops. 

The Monkfish is seared and cooked just right; flaking off as soon as you pierce the fish with a fork. The fish is zesty and fresh, set off by the lemon grass and ginger emulsion. A healthy portion of vegetables come with the fish, a delicious mixture of mushrooms, peppers, and braised leeks. The vegetables provide dimension in flavor and texture, providing a necessary boldness that compliments the fish. 

The Halibut, served with wild arugula and Peruvian heirloom potatoes, is a hearty departure from the previous two entrees.  The fish comes with a Kaffir lime beurre blanc sauce that pairs nicely with the Halibut, creating a refreshing twist on what I anticipated to be a traditionally hearty dish. The arugula is cooked just enough to add earthiness and texture while the fennel provides an essential note of bitterness. 

The Diver Scallops offer a delightful interlude in both texture and flavor from the fish, complete with a side of asparagus and carrots. The scallops are a dark brown on the outside and a bright white in the center— pan seared to create the coveted combination of crunchy exterior and moist, soft interior. The texture alone is enough to please the palate, but the almond, fennel crumbs, celery root purée, and pistachio oil blend to create a subtle flavor that brings out the sheer freshness of the scallops. The asparagus and carrots are lightly grilled with the signature crunchiness of fresh vegetables.   

After we finish our entrees we have the opportunity to speak to the Executive Chef Ronald Bankston who in is relaxed, friendly, and extremely passionate about his cuisine. We ask him about his philosophy and he simply stated that he focuses on highlighting the quality of the seafood, bringing out its natural flavors without the use of heavy sauces or complex preparation techniques. This philosophy is evident in each dish sampled— light, refreshing, and of course, containing fresh ingredients of the utmost caliber.

For dessert the Chef selects the Chocolate Mousse with an almond tui, a rich, sinfully sweet end to an overall light and flavorful meal. Layers of chocolate mousse and moist chocolate cake provide velvety richness while the almond tui provides caramel undertones and a hint of almond. The dessert offers plenty of texture for the palate: the chocolate cake provides a decadent backdrop to the crunchy tui, while the mousse rounds out the dessert providing creaminess. 

As our meal comes to an end, we thank our waiter and leave the restaurant. Our meal is flawless in both preparation and service. We are served with an ease that seems so natural it can be expected that patrons will barely have to lift a finger—unless to pick up a fork, take a bite, and enjoy! Donovan’s Prime Seafood embodies the qualities that have made the Donovan’s Restaurant Group successful: a killer combination of delicious cuisine and great service set to a sophisticated décor in a coveted location, making for a dining experience that will keep locals and first timers coming back for a taste of sheer excellence.

Insider Tip: 

Donovan’s Prime Seafood is a great location for large parties, offering a variety of group dining options to accommodate parties of 10 to 150. Due to its close proximity to the Convention Center, the restaurant is for perfect convention-goers in search of a satisfying meal. Donovan’s Prime Seafood also offers complimentary transportation to and from nearby hotels, resorts and businesses via the Donovan’s Complimentary Executive Coach. This service is also available at Prime Seafood’s sister restaurants, the equally tantalizing Donovan’s of Downtown and Donovan’s of La Jolla.