The Patio Restaurants

A neighborhood, pet friendly restaurant in Pacific Beach, featuring an eclectic wine list, tasty craft cocktails, local beer, and a dynamic small plate food menu

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The Flavors of Fall

by Erin Vaughan

Know what goes great with crisp fall air, warm sweaters, and falling leaves? Why, the scent of home cooked, savory foods, of course. With its deep, rich flavors and spicy touches, fall’s menu practically sings to your tastebuds. And there’s nothing that the folks at The Patio and Modernize love better than snuggling up with some apple cider, a warm blanket, and a plateful of fall’s bounty. Here are some of the best flavors of the season.

Via Modernize

Sage

With its spicy, citrusy notes, sage brightens up carbohydrate-heavy dishes, and adds a touch of complexity to a simple base. The name sage comes to us from the Latin word for “to save,” and while we’re not sure if this recipe for sage butter will save you, it sure does make a tasty companion to mashed sweet potatoes or turnips.

Via Kitchen Tangents

Sweet Potatoes

Speaking of sweet potatoes, they have their own place in the fall hall of fame, and for good reason. They’re bright, they’re full of beta carotene, and they can be plunked into a pie as easily as a savory dish. We love them in this unexpected twist on hummus.

Via Fake Food Free

Pumpkin

Pumpkin spice latte. Pumpkin spice candle. Pumpkin spice muffin. Suddenly everyone has gone gaga for pumpkin, and for good reason: it’s fall’s crown jewel. Impress your friends by serving the next pumpkin spice—the Morrocan kind!—in this delicious, spicy soup. And don’t be ashamed to use canned pumpkin—trust us, it’s one time-saver that’s worth it.

Via A Spoonful of Sugar

Ginger

Ginger is a versatile little root. Paired with lemongrass and soy, it becomes an Asian delight. But mingled with cloves and cinnamon, butter and sugar, it is a baker’s dream. We love the homey taste of these soft ginger cookies that make you want to grab a cup of tea and snuggle up in your favorite chair.

Via We Women

Butternut Squash

This little gourd has been around and seen it’s share of autumns—researchers estimate that squashes are some of the oldest known crops, dating back an astounding 10,000 years. Honor this ancient vegetable by baking it into a delicious lasagna bursting with fall flavors.

Via Dessert Comes First

Pecans

Like the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet, pecans add a satisfying texture to fall dishes. Try them drizzled with sugar in this perfect marriage of the sticky bun and pumpkin muffin, a true fall mashup.

Via Southern Living

We hope these recipes have given you some inspiration to fill up the chilly fall nights ahead. Happy cooking!

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CSA at The Patio

Community–supported agriculture, also known as CSA, is a growing eco-trend here in the U.S. as many people are becoming more aware of how their food arrives onto their plates. CSA is an alternative to many regular big-farming models because it centers around the idea that a community can be created by farmers and local consumers where people buy a share of the local farm’s upcoming crops. The benefit to the consumer is that they get fresh, organic produce every week, while the benefit to the farmer is that they are able to sustain their business through this guaranteed income and support. The consumers share in the risk as well as the reward. If there is a bad season or crop, they help take some of the burden of that loss off the farmer, while in bountiful seasons they take home more abundant offerings.

Here at The Patio, we are ardent supporters of the local CSA. Specifically, we get our vegetables from Be Wise Ranch in Escondido. Be Wise has been farming their organic fruits and vegetables since 1977, focusing their methods on creating superior crops through organic and biodynamic methods. They have a particular focus on improving their soil quality through responsible farming methods and cultivating a holistic approach to agriculture. This not only makes their fruits and vegetables taste better, but they are more nutritious and it leads to better farm sustainability.

Although most people receive their CSA box once a week, we get our CSA boxes daily to keep up with the needs in our restaurants. This time of year is especially exciting to open up the boxes and see what we get because springtime brings in new seasonal crops. 

This last week, for example, we received avocados, broccoli, blueberries, carrots, chard, fennel, cauliflower, spring mix, Italian squash, and green cabbage. Our chefs work hard to utilize this bounty every week and none of it goes to waste. At this point, all of our vegetables at the Patio come from Be Wise Ranch with dishes like our Spring Vegetable Salad, Seasonal Vegetable Flatbread and Roasted Seasonal Vegetables all highlighting our seasonal CSA.

Not only is it important to us to support the local agriculture, but sustainability is a key factor as to why we use CSA. Buying locally creates a much smaller carbon-footprint and stimulates the local economy.

The Patio on Lamont has declared Wednesdays, ‘Organic Wednesdays’, where we use the fruits and vegetables from the CSA box to create a special selection of dishes that are not on our regular menu. This allows our chefs to get creative beyond what’s on our regular menu and figure out new and exciting ways to prepare the fresh produce. This is actually one of the benefits for home-cooks and families that join a CSA too. We all have our favorites, but when you open the box and see something new, you have to get creative and that’s when the magic happens. Your family gets introduced to healthy, nutritious foods that they might not have tried before and new and exciting recipes will be a part of your weekly meal planning. Getting the kids involved is a wonderful way to help them connect to food that they put in their body and how it makes them feel. Eating healthy and clean fruits and vegetables daily is part of a balanced diet, but making it fun and interesting will help create life-long habits and tastes. The best part is that joining a CSA is completely affordable and in fact is often no more expensive than going to your local grocery store. Be Wise Ranch offers their CSA boxes for $30 a week. The difference is that in large chain stores, fruits and veggies have been picked long before they were ripe and sit in storage for weeks before they get to your table, whereas CSA vegetables were pick either that day, or just a few days before. This leads to better tasting and more nutritious foods, and who can argue with that!

Next time you are at one of our Patio restaurants enjoying one of our many dishes that use CSA fruits and vegetables, know you are making a healthy and sustainable choice that supports San Diego’s local agriculture.

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IntroducingThe Patio in Left Field

Baseball season kicked off this past weekend and millions of fans flocked to stadiums around the country to soak up some baseball, beer, food and fun. Here in San Diego, our Padres played for sold-out crowds at the gorgeous Petco Park and The Patio was right in the middle of everything with our new venture, The Patio in Left Field.

The Patio in Left Field is a new and exciting restaurant in Petco Park that focuses on bringing baseball fans the local, sustainable and sophisticated dining experience our patrons enjoy daily at our restaurants in Mission Hills and PB. Located in the left field sections 128 and 228, this establishment marks the third Patio restaurant in San Diego, with more in the works.

The food is front and center at The Patio in Left Field and executive chef to The Patio Restaurant Group, John Medall, wanted to showcase some of the signature Patio dishes alongside specially created menu items that are in the spirit of the ballpark. Joining the ballpark menu are the ever-popular Ahi Poke Tacos and Chicken Sandwich from both Patio restaurants.

For new flavors, Medall stocked the menu with ballpark influenced fare like Tijuana Dogs and Rally Fries. Tijuana dogs are a culinary specialty here in San Diego, and our version, with applewood smoked bacon and charred jalapeno, aims to please a discerning San Diegan palate. A further nod to the Mexican culinary influence here in San Diego is the Mexican Street Corn that is available on the menu. Roasted corn that is showered in lime, cheese and Mexican spices, this snack is a mobile and delicious ballpark treat.

Rally fries were originally orders of fries sent to Seattle Mariners fans by announcer Mike Blowers throughout a baseball game in the superstitious hope that it could cause the team to rally from behind and win the game. Although the practice has since died out, Medall wanted to infuse the generous and delicious spirit of the Mariners rally fries in his own versions of this honored ballpark snack. Our ode to rally fries come either tossed with black truffle butter, herbs and Asiago cheese or smothered in New York steak and Gorgonzola cheese.

Also making her debut is our own Juicy Lucy Burger, an aged cheddar stuffed beef patty, topped with caramelized onions and nestled in a brioche bun. Rounding out the menu are chicken tenders and a truly unique duck and bacon sausage served with crispy onions and a blackberry ancho sauce.

Need a little pick-me-up in the 7th inning? No problem! We will be offering both hot and cold coffee from our sister company, Swell Coffee Roasting, for all of your buzz-worthy needs. Finally, belly up to our Torrey Pines Table for a local, craft beer and keep your drink cold in the custom made cooler in the middle of the table.

We had so much fun dreaming up knew ways to excited and delight our patrons at this new location and we are looking forward to serving all the baseball fans here at Petco Park for many years to come. For more on the whole Patio family please visit us at http://thepatiorestaurants.com/ 

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Sustainable Seafood at The Patio- Part One: Wild Seafood

Sustainability is a hot topic in the food world as people are becoming more aware about the methods at which food is produced and caught. Here at The Patio, we are passionate about the sustainability of the seafood we serve on our menu, but what exactly does “sustainable” mean and how do we make sure that the seafood we serve is good for the species and the environment?

The definition of sustainable seafood from Wikipedia is, “seafood that is either caught or farmed in ways that consider the long-term vitality of the harvested species and the well being of the ocean.” Perhaps the best way to understand what sustainability means is to first learn about what practices are considered unsustainable.

Unfortunately, because of modern industrial-scale fishing practices, fisheries around the world’s oceans are in a state of decline.  Overfishing and lack of effective management are just two of the factors that contribute to this alarming state, but it’s also the method of fishing that has the capacity to positively or negatively affect the ocean environment. When you ask “Is this fish sustainable?” what you are asking is if the fish was caught through methods such as blast fishing and bottom trawling or in a way that promotes overfishing or causes a high degree of bycatch.

Unsustainable Fishing:

Blast Fishing is just as it sounds, making this method is incredibly destructive to the surrounding ecosystem.  Fisherman use commercial dynamite or other homemade explosives to kill or stun whole schools of fish for easy gathering. Although this is internationally outlawed, the practice is still widespread in South East Asia and coastal Africa.

reefkeeping.com

Bottom Trawling is a method of fishing that also causes incredible destruction to the oceanic bed. It’s utilized by industrial fisherman and entails giant nets that are weighed down and dragged along the sea floor. This either rakes up or crushes anything in its way from species of sea life to coral beds and ecosystems. In fact, the WWF estimates that these accidental catches, which are thrown back in the sea either dead or wounded, accounts for 40% of the of the total haul, worldwide. This collateral damage is called bycatch. Bycatch is the marine life that is unintentionally caught while fishing. These can include turtles, marine mammals, species that aren’t eaten and even the wrong size of the species that are being targeted.

declineofanempire.com

Overfishing is another significant issue that leads to unsustainability in the fishing industry. Overfishing is the act of catching fish faster than they can reproduce and wreaks havoc on the ocean ecosystem as well as the fishing communities relying on the industry. However, when fishing practices are tightly managed, damage from overfishing can be repaired or circumvented altogether. The Pacific Salmon population in Alaska is a good example of good fishery management. Through the regulating the number of new fisherman and boats, limiting fisheries to open only after fish migrate up river to spawn and monitoring the populations closely, the population of Pacific Salmon in Alaska is now at record levels.

Sustainable Fishing:

So what are the sustainable forms of fishing? Methods that result in low bycatch as well as a low impact on the environment as well as methods that utilize specialty management techniques are considered sustainable. Harpooning is a traditional and sustainable method of fishing because there is virtually no bycatch and only large, pelagic predators, such as Bluefin tuna, are fished this way. This is important because it lessons the impact on the marine food chain. 

castafari.com

Other methods that have low levels of bycatch include jigging, which uses a type of grappling hook that lights up to attract fish, and mid-water trawling, which utilizes the trawl method but doesn’t disturb the ocean floor. Mid-water trawling results in a much lower level of bycatch. Good old-fashioned pole fishing is completely sustainable too, because even if an unwanted species is caught, it can immediately be thrown back in with little harm done. Finally, traps and pots used to gather lobsters, crabs, and shrimp are a much more sustainable fishing technique than the bottom trawling that can take place to catch these species. This is because they have a low bycatch rate and have little to no impact on the seafloor.

Chef John Medall meticulously researches the seafood that we put on any plate at The Patio. One of the ways he does this is through the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. This website has a wealth of information regarding fishing sustainability as well as indispensable search function where you can put in the name of the fish and it pops up as either a “Best Choice”, a “Good Alternative” or it’s tagged as “Avoid”. Best choice fish are well managed and caught or farmed in ways that causes minimal harm to the habitats and other wildlife.  Good alternatives are still ok to consume, but there are concerns as to how they are caught or farmed. These types of fish call for further research into the fisheries where they are caught. Fish to avoid are ones that are overfished or caught in ways that hurt other species or habitats. The best part is this resource is available to anyone through their website or through their free app. http://www.seafoodwatch.org/

Stay tuned for our next blog on sustainable seafood where we discuss the pros and cons of farm fishing or as it’s also called aquaculture...

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Tequila at The Patio on Goldfinch

Coming up on April 7th is another exciting and enticing Tequila Dinner here at The Patio on Goldfinch with Chinaco Tequila. One of our favorite things is to create innovative menu pairings with one of our favorite spirits. In fact, we love Tequila so much that we have our own Catador here at the restaurant. Chris Simmons, our general manager and resident tequila expert, not only curates a list of over 100 tequilas and agave based spirits here at The Patio, but he also developed and oversees the Tequila Ocho Project. This exciting program is something that Chris cooked up in his valiant quest to reintroduce Tequila as more than a margarita base. By aging Tequila Ocho Blanco in 5-liter American Oak barrels, Chris is able to create a truly unique spirit. We age the tequila in these Oak barrels for either 14 days, 28 days or 42 days, deepening the flavor while imparting notes from the individual barrels. When serving this specially aged Tequila at the restaurant, we pair each style with Ocho’s Respado, Anejo and Extra Anejo, respectively. By pairing our aged Tequila with a refined, aged, counterpart from Ocho, we hope to provide an exciting tasting experience for our patrons.  

Another way that Tequila lovers can enjoy themselves with their favorite spirit is by attending out Chinaco Tequila dinner coming up soon. Chinaco Tequila, in the Tamaulipas region of Mexico, is rich in history. Started in 1977, this distillery came into being after a man named Guillermo Gonzalez grew agave plants that were contracted to be purchased by a distillery in Jalesco, at the time, the only state allowed to produce Tequila. When the buyer reneged on their agreement, Gonzalez fought the Mexican government to change the laws defining the regions allowed to produce Tequila.  After winning the right for Tamaulipas to produce Tequila, Gonzalez created Chinaco Tequila and began another journey into the world of distilleries and spirits. However, he didn’t stop there, and in 1983, Chinaco became the first 100% agave Tequila distributed in the United States. Up until this point, the Tequila consumed here in the U.S. was a watered-down version of today’s premium Tequilas, with added sugar. So, the next time you are enjoying a nice Tequila you should give a little thanks to Guillermo Gonzalez for his pioneering efforts that allow us all to enjoy the fine Tequilas we do, today.

What makes Chinaco Tequila special is the very fact that their agave plants are grown in somewhat different conditions compared to the agave plants grown in Jalisco. Much like wine, the taste of Tequila has a lot to do with the weather conditions and soil that the agave plant was grown in.  In fact, Tequilas from this region are known for their spicy, herbal qualities, while also maintaining acidity.

We are delighted to be pairing five scrumptious courses with five Chinaco Tequilas coming up on April 7th.  Take a look at the menu below, and take special note of exciting and unique food pairings that we have worked to provide for diners. We want to move away from the idea of only pairing Mexican fare and although you will see that influence throughout the menu, you will also experience a wide variety of tastes and styles during this dinner.

Chinaco Tequila Dinner Menu

amuse bouche pacific northwest oyster with raspberry mignonette shallot - cucumber - champagne vinegar blanco first course assorted stuffed peppers duck confit - ahi tuna - street corn reposado second course porketta dried fruit - pine nut - charred carrot anejo third course braised beef cheek salted celery root - preserved meyer lemon - chicharon reposado dessert vanilla infused tapioca custard fresh seasonal berries - strawberry coulis extra anejo

This dinner does have limited seating and it has sold out in the past so get your tickets today to this exciting culinary experience! Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1391940

For more info on Chinaco Tequila please go to:

http://www.chinacotequila.com/landing.php?p=home

For more info on Ocho Tequila please go to:

http://ochotequila.com/us/

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Torrey Pints at The Patio on Goldfinch

On February 23rd, The Patio on Goldfinch held the first in a series of monthly Table Talks called Torrey Pints. This special event series brings in local breweries to discuss their craft beer as well as provides a food pairing as a way to expand people’s perception about what foods go well with beer. Kelly Legan, our certified cicerone and beer buyer set up this first talk with Gwen Conley from Port Brewing Company/The Lost Abbey.

On this gorgeous San Diego afternoon, a group of 25 or so craft beer lovers settled into the high tabletops in the bar area of the restaurant. Kelly introduced Gwen, the Director of Brewery Production and Quality Assurance at Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey in San Marcos, CA. Gwen has been a maven in the craft beer world for years and was the Quality Assurance/Sensory Director at Flying Dog Brewery in MD before joining the Port Brewing/Lost Abbey team.  She also is a veteran judge at the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival and moonlights as an instructor for the American Brewer’s Guild as well as the UCSD Brewing Program. Even with all of this experience, one of the best parts about Gwen was her obvious zest for life and her keen ability to describe the beers we tasted and the senses they awakened.  

Gwen started us off with Avant Garde, a Biere de Garde style of Belgian beer.  This style of beer is best described as Farm House ale, brewed for hundreds of years in Belgium. She had us deeply breathe in the 7% beer’s aroma first, and then again before we tasted, explaining that our sense of smell has a great impact on how we receive a beer.  The aroma was fruity and bready…pulling images of warm bread being baked in a hearth. The initial malt flavor I got when taking the long awaited first sip gave way to subtle hops and a crisp finish. What was interesting was that the beer took on a whole new life when it was paired with a nibble from the aged Gruyere that on our tasting plates. The cheese with the beer was perfection! The creamy nature of the cheese cut the malt flavor in the beer and balanced it out in the best way. After years of thinking that wine was the best thing to pair with cheese, I have been converted! In my opinion, the carbonated nature of beer is perfect with cheese because the tastes play off each other by cutting both the heavy richness of the cheese with the malty, yeastiness of the beers.

Gwen served us a total of five beers from The Lost Abbey. Since this brewery focuses their skills on brewing Belgian beers all the beers were in this style, and they were delicious. We also got to taste Red Barn, a 6.7% Spiced Saison Ale that she paired delightfully with bites of dried chile spiced pineapple as well as Lost and Found, an 8% Dubbel, which is a perfect example of The Lost Abbey’s signature style of layering malt flavors surrounded by yeast led complexities. The Dubbel was paired with the candied pecans she had added to the tasting plate. Again, the beer was a divine pairing with the sweet treats, as they picked up the malty-chocolate notes of the beer. The next beer we tried was their Judgment Day, a Quadrupel version of the Lost and Found. This 10.5% behemoth was my favorite of the bunch. Big and bold, this beer has layers of dark malt, raisins and yeast. What was produced was a bold, malty, hoppy wonder that I promptly drank for my companion when they confessed they liked the lighter beers. Finally we closed the afternoon with a pairing of The Lost Abbey’s Board Meeting with a Samoa (or if you are from the East Coast, a Caramel Delight) Girl Scout cookie. Cookies and beer? Now we’ve heard it all. But this was exactly Gwen’s point: beer pairs with a multitude of flavor profiles including savory and sweet. This imperial brown ale was wonderful, and the cookie brought out its coffee and cocoa undertones.

After the official talk was done, Gwen stayed around answering questions and generally charming us all with her “salt of the earth” personality. Throughout the talk, Kelly was great about jumping up and answering any questions and giving us additional insight into the craft beer world. All and all, it was a delightful afternoon with superb beers and engaging people and we can’t wait for the next one!

For more info go to:

http://thepatioongoldfinch.com/

http://lostabbey.com/

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Industry Mondays at The Patio on Lamont

Announcing Industry Mondays at The Patio on Lamont! We want to throw out a little love to all of our brothers and sisters in the restaurant and bar industry so head on over to The Patio on Lamont on Monday nights for drinks specials and live music by blues legend, Tomcat Courtney.

Tomcat Courtney was born in 1929 in Texas. Growing up, his father’s nightclub was a frequent haunt of blues greats like Sonny Boy Williamson. This early education in the Blues shaped Tomcat Courtney’s music and inspired him to learn to play the guitar. In the early 1960s, he moved to L.A. where he began performing his style of traditional Delta blues in notable blues clubs like the 54 Night Club, Eightball and Psychedelic Shack.  When he moved to San Diego he fell in love with the city and has made it his home ever since. He played for 20 years, never missing a week at O.B.’s Texas Teahouse as well as all over San Diego. He has won numerous awards including being inducted into the California Blues Hall of Fame. We feel truly lucky to have Tomcat Courtney perform for us every Monday night. Just another reason to come to The Patio on Lamont on Mondays!

The Industry Monday deals include a special food menu starting at 9 pm and also $4 draught beers, $6 craft cocktails and half off all wines by the glass all day!

So now you know what you are doing tonight (coming to The Patio!) what do you have planned for the rest of your Monday? Here are some ideas on what to do with your Monday, when you have Mondays off.

Go Shopping!

Mondays are a great day to hit the mall. The weekend crowds are gone and there are often great deals to be had. In fact, according to insiders on ratherbeshopping.com, Anthropologie, the Gap, Ross and even Target are all known to mark down their stuff on Mondays. In fact, Target has one of the most regular markdown schedules and Mondays find markdowns on electronics, accessories, kids clothing and books!

Get Moving!

San Diego has so much to offer people who love the outdoors. From beach runs, to hiking trails, Monday is a great day to get out and enjoy our great weather. One of the best places to go for a hike, but is often too crowded on weekends, is La Jolla’s Torrey Pines State Park.  2,000 acres of coastline with miles of trails, all for the taking on a Monday when most people are back at work. Explore lagoons and tide pools, beaches and trails, just make sure and check out their web page for a list of up to date rules for visiting a state natural reserve. http://www.torreypines.org/

Get Cultured!

One of the jewels of San Diego is the historic Balboa Park. Originally built in preparation for the 1915 World’s Fair, there are 16 museums including the San Diego Museum of Man, the San Diego Museum of Art and the San Diego Natural History Museum. The great thing about going to these museums on a Monday is that you get to skip the usual weekend crowds and amble through museums at your own pace. No lines and easy parking make Balboa Park a great activity for weekdays. One spot you shouldn’t miss is the Botanical Gardens located in the middle of the park. The gardens are free to visit and a truly relaxing experience with the incredibly lush vegetation and unique flowers blooming throughout.

Now that you know what you are doing during the day on Monday, you can plan on coming to The Patio on Lamont for Industry Night for drink and food specials after your day out. See you soon!

http://thepatioonlamont.com/

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The Patio and San Diego Restaurant Week 2015

Here at The Patio, one of our favorite things about January is the fact that we get to take part in the winter edition of San Diego Restaurant Week. More than 180 restaurants in San Diego County partake in this seven day eating extravaganza held from January 18th to the 24th. During this week, participating restaurants offer up special prix fixe menus at incredible prices. Lunches are priced at $10, $15 or $20, while dinners are priced at $20, $30, $40 and $50, for three courses.

  What makes this foodie event so exceptional and fun is that it's enjoyable for both diners and chefs alike. For the guests, this means getting to try out new and interesting restaurants at wallet-friendly prices. For the restaurants, San Diego Restaurant Week gives chefs the opportunity to create new and interesting meals that showcase their talents and gastronomic point of view.

  San Diego Restaurant Week began as a beachside bash in La Jolla more than 10 years ago. Through the last decade it has evolved into a San Diego event that draws over 140,000 people all ready to eat their way through the culinary creations from San Diego restaurants. Although no tickets are required, reservations are recommended because of the popularity of this event.

  The Patio Restaurant Group's Executive Chef John Medall is especially excited about this round of San Diego Restaurant Week because not only do some Patio favorites grace the menu but he also has created some unique and delicious dishes just for this week. Let’s take a closer look at the menus at both of our locations.

  The Patio on Goldfinch

This is our Goldfinch location’s second Restaurant Week and the menu that Chef Medall has planned will certainly make a splash! For the $20 lunch, we are offering your choice of Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower with sriracha, honey agave and tempura (pictured below), an Ahi Tempura Roll with lemongrass, tempura fried with a seaweed salad, or a Kale Salad with currants, rosemary fried marcona almonds, grilled feta, and apple in a while truffle and bacon vinaigrette.

  For the main lunch course, Medall decided to throw some new dishes your way including an inspired Chicken Pot Pie, a Maple Glazed Salmon with spinach, mushrooms and porcini broth and a vibrant Cappellini Pomodoro. Even though lunch is officially two courses, we knew that you have to have something sweet to end the meal so lunch diners also get a mini dessert to enjoy.

For the Restaurant Week dinner menu we are offering appetizers such as our famous Ahi and Crab Tower (pictured below) and a Crab Cake made with blue crab, peppers and Cajun seasoning on a bed of shaved fennel and rocket argula. 

  The entrée selections consist of new dishes like the Petit Filet and Scallop, accompanied by purple mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies and a Pescatore Pasta made with shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels with white wine and basil. Don’t forget about dessert, because you get your choice of our Carrot Cake, a playful S’more and a decedent Tiramisu.

For more info on The Patio on Goldfinch's restaurant week menu please got to http://www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com/restaurants/the-patio-on-goldfinch

    The Patio on Lamont

The Patio on Lamont has quite a menu planned for Restaurant Week. Here, the lunch menu consists of soup or salad and then a choice between Patio favorites, Ox-Tail Ragu with creamy polenta, goat cheese and arugula (pictured below), a creamy Vegetable Risotto and a new dish, Seared Calamari and Couscous with citrus, roasted almonds, shaved fennel, sweet pepper relish and lemon-garlic oil.

  The prix fixe dinner menu at our Lamont restaurant includes appetizers like our Shrimp and Grits, a Shaved Fall Salad with roasted carrots, parsnips, fennel, Brussels and avocado and the cheesy wonder pictured below; Smoked Cheddar and Broccoli dip with bacon jam and toasted ciabatta.

   For the main entrée, diners will get their choice of menu items like Mushroom Rigatoni Pasta with caramelized onions, spinach and pecorino cheese and a Cioppino made with our Fish of the Day. The dish not to miss would be the Mild Braised Pork Cheek served with a caramelized onion sweet potato mash and watercress in a candied bacon vinaigrette. End your meal with a choice between a French Apple Tart, Molten Chocolate Cake and our house Carrot Cake. 

For more information on The Patio on Lamont's restaurant week menu go to: http://www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com/restaurants/the-patio-on-lamont-street

  So make your reservations today for the rest of this week, and make sure to visit both of our Patio restaurants. For more info and reservations please go to our webpages:

http://thepatioonlamont.com

http://www.thepatioongoldfinch.com

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January Wine Dinners at The Patio Restaurants

It’s officially 2015 and here at The Patio we are ringing in the New Year by hosting two exciting wine pairing dinners in January.  We love hosting these wine dinners with our sommelier, Shelia Tracy and head chef John Medall, as it allows both of their creativity to flow and travel in new directions when the mood strikes. In fact, for these wine dinners being hosted at both locations, Medall and Tracy have worked to create the perfect marriage between both the craft cuisine and the myriad of wines being served during these evenings.

  One of the main ideas behind these five-course dinners was our desire to bring people together for a community style dinner where they can meet new friends in a collaborative evening of entertainment. We like to keep the dinners somewhat intimate. Therefore, we cap the number of attendees to a number where everyone can sit together in one space and discuss the meal with both Tracy and our chef as well as with each other. Questions are welcomed and banter is expected. We want the evening to be educational as well as entertaining. Make sure to arrive in time for the welcome spritzer at 5:30 and meet the other guests and your hosts.

  It’s exciting that we get to start off the New Year with not one, but two wine dinners. First we have the “Shooshing the Alps” night at The Patio on Lamont on January 6th. For this five course wine dinner Medall came up with an outstanding menu to compliment each and every one of the Alpine themed wines that Tracy wanted to feature. From maple-glazed pork belly salad to a unique take on a traditional Weiner Schnitzel, the dishes created for this dinner will not disappoint.  With each course, a different Alpine nation’s wine is featured including a Sylvaner from Italy, a Fleurie from France, a Gruner Veltliner from Switzerland and a Rotgipfler from Austria. If you aren’t familiar with these styles of wines, never fear, you will learn all you need to know as you sip and eat your way through these Alpine themed courses.

        For our wine dinner at The Patio on Goldfinch on January 13th, Tracy and Medall once again team up to take us on a culinary journey, this time to Rome. “When In Rome” will be a night of creative yet traditional Italian fare, centered around the ancient city of Rome.  Here the chef features ingredients such as smoked tuna and swordfish in an inspired affumicata and tender veal in a rich Marsala brown butter sauce. These decadent dishes are perfectly paired with four different wines: a 2013 Gavi, a 2011 Super Tuscan, a 2013 Pinot Grigio and a 2010 Amarone to round out the evening.

      So bring some friends or come alone and meet new ones and get your tickets today on brownpapertickets.com. Seating is limited and these dinners often sell out so for more information and links to tickets please go to either http://thepatioonlamont.com or http://thepatioongoldfinch.com

#thepatiorestaurants #winedinner #craftfood #creativity #collaboration #shooshingthealps #wheninrome 

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New Year's Eve at The Patio and Traditions Around the World

The New Year is fast approaching and if you haven’t made plans for celebrating yet, check out The Patio’s New Year’s Eve prix fixe dinner with wine pairing! Ring in the New Year at either location with amazing food and lots of good cheer! At The Patio on Goldfinch, we will be serving a Surf and Turf prix fixe while at The Patio on Lamont we will be doing a whole fish dinner. Wine pairings can be added to your celebratory dinner and our regular menu will be available all night too. 

Cultural traditions are a fun part of the New Year’s holiday often meant to signify and bring luck, wealth, and health to people around the world. Here in the U.S., many people watch the ball drop on TV and kiss loved ones at midnight, all while singing boozy versions of Auld Lang Syne. But if you were ever looking to spice up your New Year's celebration, here are five worldly traditions that help people from near and far ring in the New Year. 

Denmark

Sick of your old set of dining ware? Save up your plates, cups, and other dishes and on 12/31 you can follow the Danish tradition of smashing dishes! Danes throw their unused dishes on their friends’ front doors, shattering them everywhere. Apparently, this isn’t seen as an act of aggression like it might be seen here in the States. In Denmark, it actually is flattering to have people shatter their dishes against your door and the family with the most broken dishes at their doorstep on January 1st is considered to be the luckiest because they have the most friends who hold them dear to their hearts. 

http://blog.tripomatic.com/

Peru

This unique tradition agro-Americans might do well to adopt. In Peru, in the Chumbivilcas Province, people use New Years Day to settle their differences and disagreements. In fact, people who have had land disputes or conflicts with other villagers call out their desired opponents and then they step into the ceremonial circle and begin to fight! They must hug or shake hands before and after the fight and when someone is beaten, the dispute is considered settled. When you think about all of the money and time tied up in the American justice system, this method just might be a good idea to settle small disputes in a timely and inexpensive manner.

http://wickedreport.com/takanakuy-fighting-festival-in-peru/

South Korea

While the Korean new year is traditionally celebrated on Jan 31st, many Korean Americans have moved the celebration forward to the 1st and celebrate by making a big pot of dumplings. These tasty pouches are filled with meats and vegetables and either fried or boiled in soup, but the fun part is that traditionally people are supposed to eat a dumpling for every year of their life to promote wealth. Easy-peasy when you are four years old and only have to eat four, but what happens with someone is 36 years old? Luckily, this tradition has changed over time to mean that adults eat as many dumplings as they can, rather than a strict number; which is just fine with your 88 year old great uncle. 

http://www.businessweek.com/

Belgium

In Belgium, the New Year, or Nieuwjaarsdag, is a chance for families to get together for big parties to say good-bye to the past year and welcome the New Year with celebration and zeal. For farmers though, they can’t forget to thank the beings who are responsible for their livelihood. This tradition dictates that farmers must go to their herds of livestock on New Year’s Eve and thank them for all of the hard work they put into being livestock. This is supposed to bring the farmer good luck in the new year as well as promote farm unity and cross-species tolerance...or just luck, I made up the last two reasons. 

http://dnr.wi.gov/wnrmag/

Ecuador

The Ecuadorian tradition of burning effigies of politicians, celebrities and other characters at midnight is a sure-fire way to light up New Year’s Eve. This tradition started during a yellow fever epidemic in the late 1800s when people burned the clothing of people who had died of yellow fever as a symbol and the act of purification. Now, people in Ecuador make it a more light hearted tradition, burning effigies of figures or people that stood out culturally in the last year to signify the end of the old year and the fresh start of a new year. So people aren’t burning Spongebob because they hate him, they are doing it because he was part of their culture the year before and are honoring him. This one might be a hard one to bring state-side though, because since burning effigies is generally seen as a threatening gesture over here. 

Photo by Esteban Mendieta Jara

Now that you have learned a little about New Year traditions around the world you can set to work planning your celebration. What seems the easiest, though, is making a reservation with The Patio for our prix fixe New Year’s Eve dinners and skipping the fist fighting, dumpling cramming, effigy burning hoopla that is New Year’s around the globe!

For more information on our New Year's Eve celebration and dinners go to http://www.thepatioongoldfinch.com/  or http://thepatioonlamont.com/

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Toys for Tots at The Patio

While this time of year is a time of joy and holiday cheer for many of us here in San Diego, for some families, this time of year is not the happiest. There are more than 100,000 children in San Diego County living in poverty. For them, Christmas can be tough knowing that other kids get so much, while they receive so little. That’s why we wanted to try and do our part to make Christmas just a little more special for kids in need by participating in Toys For Tots.

Toys For Tots was started in 1947 in Los Angeles when a young Marine officer’s wife made a Raggedy Ann doll and couldn’t find an organization that would take the donated doll. After realizing that there were a great number of families that go without Christmas presents for their children because they simply can’t afford them, she and her husband got together with his fellow marines and ended up distributing 5,000 toys that first holiday season. Since then, people volunteering for the program have worked tirelessly to provide toys to more than 7 million families each and every year.

Bill Grein, the VP of marketing and development for the Marines Toys for Tots Foundation shares a story that exemplifies the situations that many families face during the holiday season. 

“With a heavy heart, a single mother of two who was down on her luck sat in her kitchen painting an empty container of Quaker Oats to fashion it into a drum for her 5-year-old. She planned to use McDonald’s straws for drumsticks for what was to be her son's only Christmas present. For her 2-year-old daughter, she planned to rewrap one of her dolls, hoping she would be too young to notice it wasn't new. She wasn't sure she could pull it off and then came a knock on the door. The kids beat her there and when they opened the door there was a box of toys on the stoop. The kids knew Santa had brought them, but the mother saw two Marines driving away down the street."

This family did get back on their feet and now they contributes every year to the Toys for Tots Program. I think that many of us reading this don’t truly know what it’s like to feel as this mother did. To want so badly to give their kids a happy Christmas who don’t fully understand their family’s financial situation. Toys for Tots make it possibly for families down on their luck to forget about their troubles for one day and allow their children to experience the joy of opening a wrapped toy brought just for them. 

Here at The Patio on Goldfinch and The Patio on Lamont, we are trying to help out by holding toy drives for the San Diego chapter of Toys for Tots. We have large bins in both locations that are accepting any new, unwrapped toys for kids of all ages. One thing to remember is that there are teens in these families in need. Teens often get forgotten in toy drives because people tend to focus on gifts for younger children. Toys For Tots came up with a list of teen friendly donations to help out with gift ideas for these older “kids.” 

Sports equipment

books

makeup

purses/backpacks

board games

watches/wallets

skateboards 

bath gift sets

hand-held electronics

As far as best gifts for the younger kids goes, Toys for Tots encourages people to donate what their own children would want. They don’t provide a list because then all the different kinds of toys they get would be reduced to a few types on the list and they want to encourage people to get creative and think about what kids might like each year. 

Here at the Patio, we want to thank you for your donations so when you bring in a toy to be donated to the Patio on Lamont, you can take advantage of a special drink menu called “Santa’s Lil Helpers.” These drinks are half-off with your toy donation to our Toys for Tots drive and will definitely help get you in the holiday spirit! 

Stop by both Patio locations today with your new, unwrapped toy and help us make Christmas a little more special for San Diego families in need.  For more info go to http://thepatioonlamont.com/ or http://www.thepatioongoldfinch.com/.

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The Patio's Top 5 Picks for San Diego Holiday Fun

It’s that time of year again! Time for trimming trees, shopping for that perfect present and gathering with loved ones to celebrate whatever holiday you like to celebrate. Although there is often a certain amount of stress over the holidays, we wanted to try and make things a little easier for you to navigate through all of the amazing holiday activities that San Diego has to offer. Just because we don’t have snow here doesn’t mean that we don’t celebrate the holidays in style. Here are our picks for the Top 5 Holiday Events held here in San Diego in the month of December.

1. SoNo Fest and Chili Cook-off, 12/7 11-5pm, Corner of Thorn St and 32nd (T-32)

SoNo Fest is one of our favorite festivals to attend, blending community and culture in true North Park fashion. SoNo is Mckinley Elementary School’s biggest fundraiser of the year with more than 1800 clay chili bowls thrown and glazed this year by the good people at the San Diego Ceramic Connection. These gorgeous take-home bowls are $20 and can be filled five times by competing chilis and as much as your heart (burn) desires of the community chili. More than 40 local restaurants are taking part in the cook-off this year, putting out their best chili in an effort to win fame and glory. This festival isn’t only about chili though. There are more than 10 bands playing on different stages through out the festival, a craft beer tent, a kids zone with games, crafts and bounce houses, and local artisan vendors selling jewelry, gifts and clothing. Come early because this event gets packed but this neighborhood favorite shouldn’t be missed. For more info on this chilitastic day go to: http://sonofestchilicookoff.com/

2. San Diego Parade of Lights, 12/14 and 12/21, 5:30

Now in its 44rd year, the Parade of Lights is one of the defining holiday events here in San Diego. This free event consists of more than 100 private boats which are bedazzled with all sorts of lighted wonders and follow a predetermined path along the San Diego Bay waterfront.  Come early and bring a blanket to set up and watch the aquatic parade. Make sure you pack some hot cocoa and snacks and you can picnic with your family and try and pick the winning boat. Seaport Village is also a great place to shop for holiday gifts, decorations and pick up some food to-go. For more info go to: http://www.sdparadeoflights.org/

3. 7th Annual Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade, 12/14 at 3:00 pm

You know how much we love our four-legged friends here at The Patio restaurants and so another one of our favorite holiday events is the Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade. This one isn’t just for the dogs though. So bring your furry, feathered or scaled friend to the historic Gaslamp district to walk in the parade or just come to watch the spectacle. There will also be a Pet Expo held at the Gaslamp Hilton with goodie bags for participants in the parade.  The cost of walking in the parade is $20 on the day of. For more info go to: http://www.gaslamp.org/pet-parade

4. The Old Globe’s Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

This wonderful and whimsical musical is fun for all ages. Now in its 17th year at the historic Old Globe Theatre, this play captures the imagination and unbridled fun of Dr. Seuss’ classic Christmas tale. Tickets are still available for the show which runs until December 27th with 11:00 am matinees that are family-friendly where kids under 3 can see the show. For more info go to: http://www.theoldglobe.org/tickets/production.aspx?PID=11481

5. Holiday Wonderland at Petco Park, Saturday and Sundays leading up to Christmas

This is a new addition to San Diego’s holiday calendar but what a spectacular way to make an entrance! Open for 12 nights in December, this experience includes magical lighting displays, Candyland, a ride on the Polor Express trains, photos with Santa, the chance to feed live reindeer and sled down a giant snow covered hill. Tickets are $15 for adult and $10 for kids. For more information go to: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/sd/ticketing/holiday.jsp

When you are all done with these exciting events, head on over to The Patio on Goldfinch for a hot meal, and rejuvenating drinks specials. We love being a part of such a great community here in San Diego and we look forward to celebrating all the holidays have to offer with you! 

http://www.thepatioongoldfinch.com/

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Balboa Park December Nights 2014

The holiday season is upon us and that means it’s time for Balboa Park December Nights! Even though we don’t get the quintessential cold weather and snow here in San Diego, we still know how to celebrate the holidays in style. December Nights rings in the holiday season by being the largest, free community festival here in San Diego, drawing more than 350,000 visitors over the coming weekend.

Now in its 37th consecutive year, December Nights is being held on December 5th and 6th in San Diego’s famous Balboa Park. Spanning the whole park will be food, music, entertainment and overall holiday cheer. Here’s a look at some of the ‘can’t miss’ features at this year’s celebration:

Entertainment

From musical acts to dance performances, December Nights has acts scheduled on multiple stages throughout the whole weekend.  On Friday, notable acts include the San Diego Sun Harbor Chorus on the Organ Pavilion Stage at 5:00 pm, the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet performing excerpts from the Nutcracker at 7:00 pm and the Bayou Brothers playing at 8:40 pm. On Saturday, acts such as the Bethel Baptist Children’s choir, Flamenco with Roots and the San Diego Cloggers will be performing. For a full list of entertainment please go to http://www.balboapark.org/decembernights/entertainment

Food

The food at December Nights is a true multicultural treat. Not only are there tons of great food trucks and vendors throughout the festival, but one of the most interesting places to eat during December Nights is the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages. These historic exposition cottages were first built in 1935 and house 32 multicultural groups which all serve traditional food from the area of the world represented. Head to the House of China for chicken and veggie rice bowls, pot stickers, egg rolls and boba. Try out Finnish treats from the House of Finland, serving salmon temptation, pea soup, beet salad and blueberry pie. The House of France will be serving up French onion soup and crepes and the House of Iran will be serving kabobs, veggie soup and baklava.  With so many different ethnic foods to choose from it may be difficult choosing just one, so make sure you have room to try more than one house!

For more info on all of the delicious food that will be offered, please go to http://www.balboapark.org/decembernights/food

Holiday Cheer

“Where’s Santa?” is one of the big questions asked every year at December Nights by throngs of children waiting to tell him their holiday hopes and dreams. Santa will be set up throughout the festival, and also will be taking pictures out of his main area in the Spanish Village Art Center. People will also have the chance to take pictures with the Grinch over at the Old Globe Theater, so there will be plenty of holiday photo opportunities. At the San Diego Hall of Champions, they will be showing free holiday movies all night long starting with Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town at 5:00 pm. Don’t forget to take a ride on the 1948 G-16 Miniature Train too to check out the holiday lights and sights and a chance to feel like a kid again!

Parking can be tough, but you can park for free in the San Diego Zoo parking lot and City College and then there is a $5 lot with shuttle at Petco. The festival is held 3:00 pm-11:00 pm on Friday and on Saturday from noon to 11:00 pm.

To charge yourself up for such a fun evening, stop by The Patio on Goldfinch for lunch before you go, or come by for a nightcap when you are done. We are located less than 2 miles North of Balboa Park and have plenty of holiday cheer to add to December Nights!!

http://www.thepatioongoldfinch.com/

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A Brief History of Craft Beer and San Diego's Beer Scene

People certainly love their craft beer here in San Diego, but did you know that San Diego is home to more than 88 breweries, earning itself the title of “Craft Beer Capital of the U.S.?” In fact, our craft breweries account for 30% of all craft breweries in California, which is ranked as the #1 craft brewery state with just over 300. Whether you love a good, hoppy west coast IPA, or prefer a smooth stout or a refreshing saison, San Diego craft breweries are here to help you sit back, relax, and enjoy life. 

It’s been said that we live in the Golden Age of Beer, but it was not always easy for brewers here in the United States. Before Prohibition came into effect in 1919, there were more than 1500 breweries here in the States. Not a bad number, and although the number was cut down significantly by Prohibition, it wasn’t the outlawing of alcohol that almost brought independent brewers to their knees. Prohibition ended in 1933 and by 1940 there were 498 active breweries in the U.S. However, by 1978 there were only 42 active breweries. 

What happened that caused this dramatic drop? It was a mix of consolidation and dominance by large beer producers like Anheuser-Busch and Coors Brewing Company and then WWII. Wartime growth made is easier for these large breweries to dominate the market because they used cheap ingredients and large scale industrial processes to put out an inexpensive product that was uniform in flavor, and coincidentally started the international stereotype that American beer was lacking in flavor and style. From the 1940s to the early ‘80s ‘The Big Three’ breweries quietly bought up any smaller breweries that tried to get into the business of beer. They wanted a monopoly on the industry and they were successful for a long time until President Jimmy Carter signed H.R. 1337 into law in 1978. This made it legal for people to brew small amounts of beer and wine for personal consumption. This was the birth of micro breweries in the United States as home brewers began to perfect their craft, many of whom went on to open establishments of their own.  In fact, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company was established in 1979 by home brewers Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi. 

Fast forward to today when there are more than 3000 craft breweries in the United States and you can see why someone might call it the Golden Age of Beer. Craft breweries are defined as being small, independent and traditional. Also, no more than 25% of a craft brewery can be owned by a non-craft brewer. This keeps the brewer (and not the ‘Suit’) front and center to this artisan movement. With so many interesting styles of beer to choose from, craft beer is taking a food-hold in the U.S. beer industry, where macro-brews still account for nearly 90% of the beer market. 

Beer lovers in San Diego are incredibly lucky to have so many craft breweries within a short car’s ride and in many cases within walking distance. Traditionally, the craft brew scene was started out of business parks in Escondido, Vista and Miramar because of a need for large spaces and low costs. Breweries like Stone Brewing Company (founded in 1996), Ballast Point (1996) and AleSmith (1995) all followed this formula. Now micro and nano breweries are popping up all over neighborhoods and urban areas.

http://www.craftbeersandiego.com/

The San Diego microbrewery scene is one of collaboration and unity. In fact, the craft brew movement has been considered “open source” before that term was used as it is now in the age of the internet. Brewers and breweries freely share information, techniques and technologies with each other for the common goal of helping everyone produce better beer. Larger breweries have often collaborated and created relationships with smaller micro and nano-breweries to further the innovation of the craft brew scene. Smaller craft breweries like Thorn Street Brewery, Poor House Brewing, Acoustic Ales and Monkey Paw Brewery have created strong followings not only within their neighborhoods but from people all over San Diego, as they are introduced to drinking great beers through restaurants and bars in the San Diego area. Here at The Patio, we have extensive craft beer menus that showcase San Diego craft breweries. We love to support local businesses, and when it’s so easy to do because of the high quality of the beer, everyone comes out a winner. 

Stop by and see what craft brews we are pouring today!

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Our New Breakfast at The Patio on Goldfinch

It has been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet more than 31 million Americans skip a daily breakfast. Whether it's lack of time, issues with the availability and affordability of breakfast foods, or they are just plain not hungry, people have cited many reason why they skip out on their first meal of the day. Studies have shown, however, that missing breakfast is not the healthiest of habits. In fact, people who skip breakfast have been shown to consume more high calorie and high sugar foods later in the day when compared with people who eat something at their morning meal. 

Here at The Patio on Goldfinch, we understand how breakfast can easily get pushed off and so we are offering a whole menu filled with breakfast items that aren’t only healthful, but since most are $9 and under they are also friendly to your wallet. Our new breakfast menu consists of a number of delicious breakfast dishes that will delight your taste buds. From a cured lox sandwich, sitting atop a house-made croissant, to a build-your-own omelette, to our breakfast burrito made with applewood smoked bacon, sausage, eggs, cheese and topped with our country gravy; we have something for everyone. 

One of our most popular breakfast items is our Smoked Chicken Chilaquiles. If you don’t know what chilaquiles are, then you are in for a treat. Chilaquiles have been served in Mexico for 100’s of years with the first known recipe appearing in an American cook book in 1898. This Mexican breakfast or brunch dish typically uses the leftover corn tortillas from other meals, fried crisp to make up the base. Then these chips are covered with green (or red) salsa, along with eggs, some sort of meat, often chicken, and garnished with crema and cheese. Here at the The Patio, we are very proud of our traditional take on this latin breakfast classic. We have a house-made salsa verde that is full of bright and fresh tomatillo flavor, which is poured over freshly fried, thick-cut corn tortillas. Then we top that with our smoked chicken, eggs any way you want them (we recommend over medium so the runny yolk can melt down over the dish), crema, sharp cotija cheese and fresh avocado. It’s heaven on a plate, and for $9, it’s a great way to start your day!

We serve breakfast daily from 8:00-11:00 AM and brunch on the weekends. Right now, if you bring in your dinner receipt from a recent visit, you can get 20% off of your weekday breakfast food at both our Goldfinch location and our Lamont location. So stop by soon and try our exciting new breakfast menu here at The Patio on Goldfinch.

For our full breakfast menu visit our website, http://www.thepatioongoldfinch.com/breakfast.php

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The Cheese Cave at The Patio on Goldfinch

Here at the Patio on Goldfinch, we are truly excited about our in-house, artisan cheese cave. When designing the space for our restaurant, we knew that we wanted it to stand out as a place for guests to experience the ultimate in relaxation and green fueled comfort. We built up our living wall and created cozy seating and shady spaces throughout our patio so that guests can enjoy their meals with us to the fullest extent. 

The idea of an in-house cheese cave first came up because we knew that we wanted to be hands-on when it came to curating and offering artisan cheeses on our menu. The cheese cave was furthered because of our relationship with Venissimo Cheese, the artisan cheese shop just down the street from us here in Mission Hills. Cheese aging and curating takes time, so while we build up our own catalog of the Patio cheeses, we are able to rely on Venissimo to bring us some of the most exciting and delicious cheeses from all over the world. 

For our first foray into the world of cheese making we partnered with Central Coast Creamery in Paso Robles, CA. This artisan creamery is known for their aged goat and cow’s milk cheeses. They are committed to only using local California milk from animals that are hormone free and cared for sustainably. They make their cheeses in small batches so that they don’t have to compromise attention to detail when making and curating their fine cheeses. For our first collaboration we worked with Central Coast Creamery to come up with an aged gruyere. It has been aging for six months so far and has another one to two months of aging before it will be ready for our guests. We plan on not only putting it on our Left Coast cheese board, but it also will be used throughout our menu, melted on items like our french onion soup or used in our Cave grilled cheese sandwich. 

Speaking of cheese boards, we have four amazing collections of cheese from our cheese cave to share with you when you come in to The Patio on Goldfinch. From four regions around the world we bring you our favorite soft, hard and deliciously pungent cheeses. Three of the boards offer cheeses from regions in Spain, France and our own West Coast, and the other cheese board changes depending on the whim of our chef. Right now it’s called “You’re My Boy Blue!” and features Valdeon, a cow and goat’s milk blue cheese from Valdeon, a Cambozola Black Label cheese and Mine Shaft blue cheese from here in the states. These cheese are served with honey, dried berries and Andrea’s gold dust dark chocolate. The other cheese boards featured at The Patio are:

Cabrillo, Spain

Ombra, a sheep’s milk cheese served with dried berries

Oriol D Montbru, a buffalo cheese served with a cherry bacon compote

Garrotxa, a goat cheese served with apple chutney

Vive La France

Petite Cantal, cow’s milk cheese from Auvergne served with fresh berries

P’tit Basque, sheep’s milk cheese from Pyrenees served with dried berries

Chabrin, goat cheese from Pyrenees, served with pear and toasted fennel seeds

Left Coast, California

Fiscalini Cheddar, cow’s milk served with apple and toasted pepper

Central Coast Gouda, goat’s milk, served with fig and balsamic

Lamb Chopper, sheep’s milk served with cherry bacon and local olive oil

Stop by and sample some of our artisan cheeses today! 

Our Cabrillo Cheese Board

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San Diego Beer Week in the Craft Beer Capital

San Diego Beer Week is just around the corner! This is one of the best week-long events in our great city, with breweries, restaurants and bars all coming together to hold special events, dinners and beer-centric educational opportunities from November 7th to November 16th. 

San Diego is considered one of the craft beer capitals of the world and it’s no wonder when it boasts over 87 licensed breweries and brew pubs with at least 31 more breweries in the works this year. From larger and more well known breweries like Stone Brewing Company and Ballast Point to smaller micro and nano breweries like Monkey Paw Brewing and Thorn Street Brewery, San Diego’s craft brewery scene is hopping. 

Speaking of hops, San Diego county brewers even have a signature style of beer known as the fearsome Double India Pale Ale, or IIPA. This vibrant and hoppy ale is known for the kick in your taste buds right up front, with big flavor and a quick finish. Watch out for these bad boys though, because most of the double IPAs are 9% and above ABV so they are powerful as well as being delicious. 

North Park is one of the best areas to take a walk down brewery lane, also known as 30th street. There are at least 8 breweries within walking distance and tons of great restaurants along the way. Starting at the north part of 30th in the 92104, there is Poor House, Tiger, Tiger, Belching Beaver, Hess Brewery, Urbn Brewery, Modern Times and Thorn Street Brewery. All of the tap rooms offer tasters, pints and growler fills so you will have plenty to choose from. 

Craft beer has an interesting origin story because there were seven breweries in San Diego before Prohibition (1920-1933).  After 1933, there were only three breweries that  were either purchased or run out of the market by what was known as the Big Three: Anheuser-Busch, Miller, and Coors. These three macro brewing companies dominated the American beer market until 1978 when President Jimmy Carter signed a law legalizing home production of beer and wine. Since then, craft breweries have increased year by year until we are at the point, here in San Diego, where there are so many great craft breweries choose from, it can be a hard task to decide between them all. 

Breweries aren’t the only places getting in the spirit of San Diego Beer Week though. Many restaurant in the area work with local breweries to celebrate the craft beer and all of its glory. In fact, The Patio on Goldfinch and Lamont are both hosting Beer Week events. The Patio on Goldfinch is partnering with local cheesemongers over at Venissimo cheese to bring you a fabulous afternoon of beer and cheese on November 9th. There will be six pairings plus dessert served and discussions surrounding cheese making and beer pairing. Tickets are on sale at http://www.venissimo.com/09-21%3A-cheese-%26-beer-soiree-7407/ .

The Patio on Lamont is also hosting a Pig and Pint Neighborhood Cookout on November 9th celebrating our two year anniversary with a pork lunch and New English Brewing Company. For more info, go to http://thepatioonlamont.com/special-event.php 

If you are looking for more info on San Diego Beer Week  and a full list of events, you can go to https://www.sdbw.org/.