[Isabel's Cantina - Restaurant Review
At Isabel's Cantina, Chef Isabel Cruz fuses Latin and Asian cuisine into sensual and creative concoctions that are both remarkably addictive and surprisingly healthy. By incorporating ingredients from spicy pork carnitas to tofu, Chef Cruz creates a vegetarian’s haven as well as a meat-lover’s paradise. The exotic dining space is at once dramatic and hip, with accents such as an enormous 15-foot Buddha statue staring down at the dining room. Casual booths, stark lines, and warm colors create an atmosphere not found elsewhere in Pacific Beach, attracting crowds for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Recommended Restaurants
Rainwater's
Address: 1202 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
Over two decades ago, Rainwater’s brought the first Eastern-style fine steak and chophouse to San Diego and has been accumulating awards ever since. Entrance by way of an elegant stairway transports diners to the ambience of a private club with exceptional service, complete with owners Laurel and Paddy Rainwater acting as hosts. Rainwater’s award-winning wine list pairs with classic steakhouse specialties, distinct salads, and quality seafood fare. Whether you go in for an upscale dinner or a more moderately-priced lunch, Rainwater’s on Kettner is a cut above the rest.
Review | Info | Menu | Wine List | Chef | Photos | User Reviews | Book Table
The Fleetwood
Address: 639 J Street, San Diego, CA 92101
The Fleetwood sets itself apart from its Downtown neighbors. The modern, versatile space is part restaurant, part nightclub, and part sports lounge, with a menu to suit all occasions. Chef Mark Bolton marries classic comfort food with premium ingredients, offering a menu that runs the gamut from down-home comfort to gourmet elegance— you’ll find fried chicken with mashed potatoes and creamed corn next to grilled filet mignon with chanterelle mushrooms. The large, luxe corner space offers an array of seating options, including communal tables, traditional banquettes, and lounge-style seating for happy hour or late night noshing. With an extensive bar that includes bottle service and a separate sports room that morphs into a posh, late-night lounge, be careful—you may come for dinner and end up staying all night.
Review | Info | Menu | Wine List | Chef | Photos | User Reviews | Book Table
Bernard'O Restaurant
Address: 12457 Rancho Bernardo Road, San Diego, CA 92128
Unassuming elegance is paired by striking attention to detail at Bernard’O Restaurant, in Rancho Bernardo. The main dining room provides a cosmopolitan space lit with the glow of an Italian-tile fireplace. The patio that affords views of glistening stars most nights also has a fireplace to keep diners comfortable. The menu is a toast to fine French fare, and Chef Patrick Ponsaty plates dishes complex in flavor and refreshingly direct in vision. The Californian Bouillabaisse is an ode to the sea with seabass, scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams, and potatoes, in a Rouille lobster sauce.
Review | Info | Menu | Wine List | Chef | Photos | User Reviews | Book Table