Fresh[er]

When owner and Manager Arturo Kassel took over downtown La Jolla's Fresh Seafood Restaurant in 2006, he had a vision.  Dubbing the restaurant “Fresh[er],” Kassel teamed up with Executive Chef Ryan Johnston to ensure the restaurant lived up to its name.  The pair renovated the menu, replaced the wine list, and revisited the meaning of the word fresh.  Changes swept through the kitchen, which was equipped to accommodate everything from the aging of meats to the baking of bread. Striving for not only freshness but quality, Kassel and Johnston supplemented their in-house preparations with exquisite produce and artisanal products from renowned suppliers. 

While I had always enjoyed my visits to Fresh, I was particularly excited to visit now that it had been declared “Fresh[er].”  I entered the restaurant on a cool Thursday evening to be greeted by warm heaters generously peppered throughout the large, open-air patio. Waiting for my guest to arrive, I looked around the dining room, taking in the warm tones, subdued lighting, and overall elegant cabana feel.  While I contemplated sitting indoors to have an up-close view of the open kitchen, the hostess recommended the patio for its lively ambiance, and when my guest arrived we were led to a generous booth overlooking Wall Street.

Seated in subdued elegance that seemed modernly formal—table linens had been eschewed in favor of striking black granite table tops—we began to browse the wine list. We got no farther than the second entry when we ordered two half glasses of Veuve Clicquot “Yellow Label,” which seemed the perfect way to begin the evening.  Fresh’s wine list offers a rare and ideal opportunity to order select wines by the half glass as well as the glass, allowing diners not only to taste a small amount of a new or unfamiliar wine, but to taste multiple wines over the course of a meal. 

Appropriately, Chef Johnston’s menu offers plenty of small plates that are perfectly proportioned for the half glass.  In addition to a traditional selection of appetizers, soups, and salads, the menu boasts offerings from a raw bar and tempting side plates such as Shitake Mushroom Risotto and Truffled Fries.  After our server, Emilio, offered enthusiastic recommendations, we selected three “Small Plates” to try.

The Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese & Beet Salad offered a winning combination of Humboldt Fog goat cheese and Chino farms beets, mixed with earthy arugula, vibrant tangerines, and creamy avocado.  The delicate sliver of Humboldt Fog cheese tasted, as Kassel aptly described, like “what goat cheese is supposed to taste like”—luscious and complex, with just a hint of powder and ash.  The beets were equally ethereal, and worthy of a similar description—soft and earthy with a hint of sweetness, these Chino farms beets were what beets were supposed to taste like. 

Our next Small Plate, the “Hot Stone” consisted of the chef’s selection of sashimi seared table side, accompanied by a selection of dipping sauces. I was expecting a grand hibachi-esque production and was pleasantly surprised when Emilio delivered an elegant and manageable single plate.  Thin slivers of ahi, salmon, and scallop lay in neat rows, accompanied by cucumber, mango, and jicama slaw, and a plump, flat, and jet-black stone in a bowl of sea salt. We were told the stone would stay hot for about 5 minutes and quickly set to work draping slices of sashimi on the stone while the sound of searing meat filled the air.  After flipping each piece, we lifted the graceful sashimi from the stone and set to work sampling each fish with each of the four sauces, thoughtfully presented in order of increasing spiciness. I found no single favorite; rather, each sauce seemed perfectly suited to a different fish.  Light, barely-tart citrus ponzu offered a perfect compliment to scallop; creamy smoked chipotle aioli partnered best with salmon; and delicately complex jalapeño lime sauce seemed best suited to ahi. I must admit I stayed away from the spiciest sauce—a bright red sriracha—if only to avoid overwhelming my taste buds; however, my guest eagerly tried the feisty sauce. 

We next sampled the Spicy Catalan Shrimp, intrigued by Emilio’s description of its preparation. Crushed chilies had been added to extra virgin olive oil and cooked over a minimal heat for two days, infusing the oil with a feisty spice that imparted itself on the shrimp.  The dish arrived at our table sizzling in a miniature sauté pan, the second time sound would entice us with the promise of flavor. Each shrimp was succulent, the chili oil offering boldness, spiciness, and a hint of saltiness, and we thoroughly enjoyed each crisp and flavorful bite. 

Finishing the last of our champagne, we studied the intriguing wine list, contemplating where to head next.  The list seemed not only accessible but playful, as if encouraging diners to have fun with their decision.  Wines were divided into categories not only by grape but by characteristic, with such endearing categories as “Lush, and Unsauvignon Blanc-like” Sauvignon Blancs, and “Lightly Buttered Toast” Chardonnays. We opted for two from the “Interesting Whites” section of the wines by the glass, and could not have been more pleased. The Luna “Freakout” 2005 Blend from Napa was a showstopper with intriguing complexity, while the 1985 Brisebarre Vouvray “Demi-Sec” from the Loire Valley offered an exceptional semi-sweetness that was especially refreshing after the spicy shrimp. 

The wines were to pair with two dramatically different fish entrées: Grilled Mahi Mahi with sweet potato mash, pea shoots, and cilantro & lime raita, and Olive Oil Poached Sea Bass atop a bed of hand-mashed potatoes, with braised sweet peppers and pesto.  Both dishes were served in sweeping bowls with perfectly cooked fish sitting atop a gentle bed of potatoes, although the similarities ended there.  The mahi mahi was slightly crisp on the outside with a firm yet gentle flesh that gracefully pulled apart. The golden-yellow sweet potatoes were creamy and flavorful, busting with a sweetness that hinted of honey. The raita, a traditional Indian cucumber-yogurt sauce, was the crowning achievement of the dish, infusing each bite with subtly complex, truly fresh flavor.  

Where the mahi was light, the poached sea bass was hearty, topped with a rich tomato and sweet pepper sauce, heavy with flavors although not with texture.  The fish itself was tender with a hint of firmness, infused with subtle flavor from the slow sous vide preparation. The mashed potatoes tasted surprisingly starchy, showcasing the actual flavor of the potatoes in a refreshing departure from the traditional, oft-overwhelming flavor of butter or cream. 

We next sampled the Hand Cut Paperadelle Bolognese, an enticing combination of house made pasta with Kobe beef short rib.  Thick ribbons of pale gold pasta wove in and around a rustic tomato sauce, the bold red peppered by crumbled beef and topped with delicate shaved parmesan. The short rib, partially hidden beneath thick ribbons, pulled apart gracefully, offering delicate succulence. One bite proved the most savory moment of the meal, the gentle creamy paperadelle combining with bold, hearty beef in a moment that made us forget we were in a seafood restaurant.  Two half glasses of Bennett Lane 2004 “Maximus” Syrah-Cabernet-Merlot Blend paired perfectly, the gentle tannins and smooth mouth feel complementing a dish that proved to be hearty, refreshing and almost creamy at once.

After a meal that traversed a wide range of flavors and textures incorporating bold, flavorful ingredients, we felt dessert might pale in comparison; never had we felt so delighted to be so wrong. Emilio brought us the Dessert Tasting, a brilliant presentation of miniature versions of seven different dessert offerings, all prepared in house. The dish evoked childish wonderment, our eyes growing wide at the array of delights in front of us.  From mascarpone cheese cake with port jelly to molten chocolate cake with hazelnut mousse, the tasting took us on a wild journey where the simple and the complex combined in a dizzying array of flavors. The dish offered a stunning conclusion that touched on every taste, from tart to sweet, savory and even salty—in the form of a playful “peanut butter and jelly” cookie.

Smiling and content, we put down our forks on the glistening granite tables, wondering when we would have the chance to repeat this sensuous experience. There was not a sliver of doubt in either of our minds that we would return to Fresh.  We would return for ourselves—to try the Crispy Calamari and the Truffled French Fries that had looked so enticing; for our friends—to share the unique experience of searing sashimi on a hot stone and to emphatically recommend the dessert platter; and for our curiosity—to see what Chino farms bounty surfaced on the menu when the seasons changed.  But perhaps most importantly, we would return for Kassel’s enthusiasm and Johnston’s approach.  In an industry where restaurants are more often than not focused on profitability and the bottom line, it is refreshing to find a place so committed to exquisite produce, artisanal products, and in-house preparations that ensure that everything is ultimately, well, Fresh.