[Restaurant Review
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The Compass Always Points to the Menu
Bordered by countless miles of sandy beach to the West and infused with the briny scent of casual living throughout, San Diego’s Point Loma is one of the poster child neighborhoods for “the good life.” A welcomed newcomer to Point Loma is the Lighthouse Bar and Grill. Located just off one of the area’s busiest thoroughfares, Rosecrans Street, and mere steps from the San Diego Bay, Lighthouse Bar and Grill is quickly becoming a beacon for high quality American cuisine and cocktails in a setting that is deliciously chic and nostalgic.
Recently opened, Lighthouse Bar and Grill redefines what it means to be a nautical themed restaurant, removing the dancing lobster from the equation and replacing it with carefully-crafted design concepts and thoughtful touches. The Lighthouse remains true to its beachcomber roots by staying casual enough for its flip-flop sporting neighbors, while keeping it classy for all those who’ve traded their wetsuits in for the button-down variety. And with a menu that is similarly chameleon—offering a range of dishes from the Risotto Seafood to the Cornish Hen to the Barbecue Baby Back Ribs—the restaurant is a natural fit for parties with varied culinary cravings.
The Lighthouse’s cuisine may be defined as American with an Italian accent. Owner Fabio Speziali and his business partners are well-versed on the subject of successful restaurant proprietorship; having more than one hit establishment under his belt like Pomodoro Ristorante and Osteria Romantica, Fabio understands the importance of gauging the wants and needs of his patrons. Case in point, the restaurant is open nightly for dinner and keeps its doors open extra late on the weekends, ensuring that guests have full access to its well-crafted menu that organizes its dish selection by dominant ingredients. Salads like the Chicken and Steak craft an entire meal from one complete dish, plating fresh and crisp greens with succulent cuts of protein and key-note touches like zesty dressings and punches of aromatic cheeses. Likewise, guests peruse the Pastas, Fish, White Meats, Red Meats, Burgers, and Pizzas confident in finding more than one must-try dish.
Just as its name so aptly suggests, the Lighthouse attracts guests with the promise of safe harbor from the first moment they drive up and park in the lot the restaurant shares with its neighboring businesses. Whether visitors drop anchor at the full bar with any number of specialty cocktails or settle in at a table for heartier fare and drink, it doesn’t take long to feel right at home. The full bar welcomes every guest that enters with its well-stocked selection of top-shelf spirits, liqueurs, craft beers, and wines. Weather worn and sanded reclaimed wood is used prominently throughout the restaurant and constructs the back of the bar, which doubles as the wall that separates the bar area from the main dining room. The wall itself is a stunning architectural piece that showcases planks of the aged wood with alcoves designed to display the bar’s selection from both sides. At the far end of the bar is a large compass painted on the wall—a kind aid to anyone who loses their bearings at the bottom of their glass.
My guest and I are seated at a table in the dining room that is placed against the back side of the bar, allowing us to peruse some of the colorful bottles and consider our drink options as we look over the menu and take in the ambience of the room. Light hardwood floors complement the reclaimed wood tables and chairs, and the exposed wood-beamed ceiling suggests that we are in fact dining in the hull of a sturdy vessel. I gaze around, pleasantly surprised to find so many vintage sea-faring memorabilia and antique touches thoughtfully incorporated into the uncluttered and polished room; fishing nets are draped cleverly about, and old shipping tools hang like artwork on the walls. My musing quickly turns to pure elation as I look up to find honest-to-goodness portholes in the ceiling.
Besides being utterly chic and even whimsical in its aesthetic, the Lighthouse dining space is cleverly arranged to accommodate varying party sizes and moods. Since the bar area and dining room are distinguished from one another, casual game-day gatherings in front of the bar’s big-screen TV don’t interfere with intimate date-night dinners on the other side of the room. Similarly, the dining room is quite large and spacious (easily accommodating around 50+ diners), allowing for tables to be moved around easily for large groups.
Luca, the general manager of Lighthouse Bar and Grill, is our host for the evening and is a truly gracious one at that. Luca is a pro at reading his guests’ unique tastes and shapes his suggestions accordingly. Since we happily agree to try anything he offers us, he first rushes off to the bar for our drink orders. He returns moments later with three specialty libations: the French Martini, the Strawberry and Basil Martini, and the Abita Purple Haze Beer. With the dominant raspberry overtones of the Chambord and a smooth vodka finish, the French Martini is sweet yet clean enough to drink with a meal. The Strawberry and Basil Martini is slightly pulpy with muddled fresh fruit and herbs, and is reminiscent of a refined daiquiri. Boasting actual raspberry pulp, the Purple Haze is surprisingly aromatic, crisp, and even tart.
The Lighthouse’s wine list masterfully complements its assorted dinner menu by representing vintages from across the globe. Striking a deliberate balance between Old and New World varietals, the list ventures from Portugal to New Zealand to South Africa, and always finds its way back to familiar territory in places like Napa Valley and Italy. The by-the-glass selection is also comprehensive and even features more lavish choices for those bubbly toasts and celebrations. However, with the breadth and reasonable pricing of the bottle list, why restrict any festive moment to one glass?
Luca joins us once more to introduce us to a spread of dishes he thinks we’ll enjoy. With him is Javier, our incredibly knowledgeable and helpful server for the evening. The Fish Carpaccio arrives to the table first. As we inspect its artful presentation, Luca explains that this dish is comprised of pieces of fresh tuna, salmon, and sea bass that have been layered, rolled, and then cut paper-thin to achieve flat disks of color and flavor. Five pieces of the Carpaccio are served over a bed of crisp arugula with a drizzling of citrus vinaigrette on top. The Carpaccio is cut with exacting precision and each sliver looks as though it has been painted—the pale pinks and whites of the layered fishes swirl around one another like brushstrokes on a canvas. However, the true complexity of the dish is in the bite itself. The delicate shaving folds in the mouth, exposing three distinct flavor components: the salmon is immediately sweet and fleshy, the tuna is aromatic and subtly meaty, and the sea bass is smooth and refined. The punch of acidity from the citrus vinaigrette enlivens each taste and texture, fully engaging every corner of the mouth in the experience. Finally, the sturdy structure of the arugula provides the necessary crunch, kicking this dish up from being an intriguing taste to a satisfying appetizer.
The Eggplant Parmesan is presented to us next, and proves to be a surprisingly hearty vegetarian starter. Three large slices of lightly battered and fried eggplant are served with house-made tomato sauce. Javier finishes off the dish with a light dusting of Parmesan cheese. My guest and I each take one piece, vying for the one with the most generous amount of sauce. The slightly crunchy breading gives way to the fork easily and exposes the plump vegetable within. The naturally succulent texture of the eggplant is contrasted by the crispiness of the breading, but is not lost to it. The vibrant tomato sauce with its mild sweet and tart notes enhances the fresh aromatic essence of the eggplant, confirming what many vegetarians and eggplant aficionados already know: like mushrooms, eggplant is a meaty vegetable that is brilliantly suited to be the star of almost any dish.
The three entrée selections that Luca chooses for us illustrate the breadth of the Lighthouse menu. While the previous dish is hearty in nature, The Burger is all beef. Topped with thick slices of avocado, crisp bacon, fresh lettuce, red onions, and melted Jack cheese, The Burger is a popular choice. Sandwiched between two lightly toasted buns and topped with a dab of mayonnaise, the all-beef patty is cooked to medium. This burger is honestly a handful, bursting from the proverbial seams with juicy, melting goodness. The creamy, cool flavor of the avocado counters the crisp saltiness of the bacon and is sweetened slightly by the red onions. I do appreciate my fixings, but am happy to taste that the firm yet succulent patty is not overshadowed by its costars between two buns.
The Pizza Rustica in an eight-piece ode to the Lighthouse’s Italian roots. This thin-crust pie is packed full with heaping crumbles of turkey sausage, diced mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese over a fine spread of tomato sauce. Not overly complicated or overdesigned, the triumph of this pizza is in its simplicity. The equally crisp and yeasty give of the crust holds up well to the toppings and is enjoyable to nibble on even at the end. The plump pieces of sausage are moist, flavorful, and expertly seasoned. Melding with the milky flavor of the molten cheese, the mushrooms are firm and almost meaty in texture. Like many dishes on the Lighthouse menu, the Pizza Rustica is meant to be shared and savored by everyone at the table; our’s being no exception.
The Lighthouse’s roots may run all the way to the Old Country, but its home is at the beach; and as such, the next dish we enjoy celebrates the SoCal lifestyle as much as the sea itself. The Fish Tacos entrée serves up three large, battered and fried white fish filets topped with crisp shredded cabbage and a drizzling of spicy aioli. Warm white corn tortillas hold everything together and add a firm and mellow sweetness to every bite. The fish filet is flaky, tender, and moist, holding up just as it should with the thin and crunchy breading. The bitter undertones of the crisp cabbage encourage the slight zestiness of the aioli to come forward. A quick squeeze of fresh lime juice over top ties every component together with a high note.
Before presenting us with the sweet finale to the evening, Luca pours a glass of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout. This decadently dark and frothy beer marries the bitter sweet essence of dark chocolate with the full-bodied complexity of a quality dark brew. Naturally, this beer complements sweet treats and fresh fruit. Needless to say, it goes down nicely with dessert.
Sporting an even bigger smile than before, Luca sets down the Oreo Cake before us. Evidently, Luca is just as talented in the kitchen as he is in the front of the house, whipping up this rich and shamelessly addictive chocolate cake. The personal sized pastry is made with crumbled cookies, resembling and tasting very similar to a dark chocolate truffle. Simple, sweet, and luscious, the richness of the cake is cut slightly by the tart and sweet strawberry served beside it on the plate.
As we thank Luca and Javier for their hospitality and step outside, my dining companion and I are wholly satisfied and content. Not only did we enjoy invigorating cuisine, but we truly felt as though we were dining among friends. As one with its community and clientele, the Lighthouse Bar and Grill brings neighbors together and makes friends of everyone that enters.
Insider’s Tip:
Check out the Lighthouse Bar and Grill Happy Hour weeknights from 4:00pm-6:00pm for enticing drink and food specials. The restaurant also hosts live music on given nights, offering everything you could need to make a night of it: quality and inspired fare and drink paired with live entertainment… The only component missing from this equation of a perfect evening is having a fabled sea creature to wrestle for its prized plunder.
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