Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Uptown Tavern rivals its North Park sibling in San Diego, CA



Bobby Jones and David Cohen took off when they opened West Coast Tavern in North Park 5 years ago. Known for their American, small plate menu, it was destined to have an off shoot to offer more dishes to the patrons of the Hillcrest area. In July 2012, Uptown Tavern was born and debuted during PRIDE, one of the most popular events in Hillcrest and a great event to show the area what they are cooking up. Executive Chef Dana Francisco created a menu infused with world flavors. They also have an awesome music selection. You’ll dance in your seat while between plates. It’s a little loud, but if you sit on the patio, it’s just right and you can people/car watch. The service is attentive and if you come here often, they know you by name, like Cheers. The Hillcrest area is a lot like Belmont Shores with trendy shops and restaurants – a real beach town feel with people just strolling along and walking their pups.

Watermelon Salad is topped with candied nuts, basil-honey vinaigrette, goat cheese, and sesame seed atop a bed of spinach. This is a nice salad for summer using ingredients of the season. The watermelon was a bit too subtle and might be better with a more acidic fruit like fresh strawberries, orange/grapefruit segments, or even blackberries to play off of the goat cheese and spinach. The salad itself tasted fresh-picked from the garden. The salty, creaminess of the goat cheese played well with the sweet candied walnuts.


Mahalo,

OC Food Diva

Uptown Tavern on Urbanspoon

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