san diego restaurant week

San Diego Restaurant Week is back between January 19 - 26, 2020! Participating restaurants throughout San Diego County offer prix fixe meals with lunches ranging from $10-25 and dinners at $20-60. Through a media pairing with Peohe's, we were able to visit majestic Coronado Island and dine within meters of the ocean!

View of the skyline at Peohe's, a Chart House Restaurant in San Diego

Seriously, what could be grander than food with a view? From one side of the restaurant patio, you can see the San Diego downtown skyline and from the other side, you can see the Coronado bridge. Peohe's is next to the Coronado Ferry Landing, has free parking (yay), and presents an elegant atmosphere with family, friends or that special someone!

Beef and Chicken Fajitas at Casa Sol y Mar

San Diego Restaurant Week (SDRW) starts this Sunday, January 20, 2019 and continues until SundayJanuary 27, 2019. This bi-annual event features over 180 restaurants offering a prix fixe meal which range between $10 to $50. We've partnered with Casa Sol y Mar for a sneak peek of their dinner menu.

Shrimp and Scallop Pasta at Farmer's Bottega for SDRW

San Diego Restaurant Week (SDRW) starts this Sunday, September 23, 2018 and continues until September 30, 2018. This bi-annual event features over 180 restaurants offering a prix fixe meal (several courses served at a fixed price) which range between $10 to $50. We were thrilled to be paired with Farmer's Bottega, a farm-to-table inspired restaurant. For SDRW, an ample 4-course meal was offered for $40 with an optional $15 wine pairing. If you ever wanted to explore farm-inspired fare, this prix fixe meal can get you started! The SDRW menu is attached at the end of the review.

hamachi at Pacifica Del Mar seafood restaurant

Pacifica Del Mar provides sensational seafood dishes with a ocean view within the beautiful community of Del Mar. We last visited 2 years ago for our anniversary dinner and were delighted to return for a San Diego Restaurant Week (SDRW) preview as media! Rather than being limited to a pre-selected menu, diners pretty much have free reign over the entire menu (premium items have an additional charge). Their SDRW lunch is $20 for two courses and dinner is $40 for three courses! This promotion starts on September 24 until October 1 here and at other participating restaurants.

We came in for an early Sunday dinner while the sun was still out. Outside on the patio, you can see downtown Del Mar as well as peek at the ocean views to the west.

coconut salmon at Crudo by Pascal Lorange

Crudo by Pascal Lorange found its way to the top of my list for San Diego Restaurant Week. I have higher expectations when a restaurant brands itself with a chef, especially if their name appears in the name or tagline! Every aspect and little detail matters including the decor, ambiance, service, and of course the food and drinks. It didn't hurt that their SDRW lunch menu was being offered for only $20 including dessert! Can't. Resist. Crudo.

Crudo by Pascal Lorange

Dennis and I took a drive along the 56 freeway and arrived at The Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch. This plaza was brand spanking new (at least for us) and we found the restaurant on the northeast side next to Crunch Fitness gym. The easiest parking was the lot in front of the gym and luckily new years resolution gym bodies hadn't filled every spot. Our late lunch timing could have helped as well!

The space was elegant in white, silver and light wood tones. There was an open spread of seating both inside and out, plus a center bar area for drinks. We were sitting in these papasan chairs during the meal and thinking... if I relax too far back, I might bump my neighbor behind me! *excuse us*

escargot at Parc Bistro Brasserie

Lately in San Diego, it's been raining a bit. This kind of weather temps me to morph into homebody mode, safe and dry from the rain, but a little drizzle couldn't stop us from a San Diego Restaurant Week preview at Parc Bistro Brasserie. This restaurant took over the Banker's Hill spot of the well known Croces (4+ decades of live music and dining between here and gaslamp). I'd been having good luck with picks in the Banker's Hill area (Azuki Sushi, Banker's Hill Bar & Restaurant) and hoped to keep the trend going!

dining at Parc Bistro Brasserie

We checked in at the front and were shown to our seats in the cozy back area. A huge wine rack display caught my eye and other guests seemed quite content, enjoying a glass or two with intimate company.

We felt like we were on a date night with the romantic French music filling the air plus we could read our menus (I prefer this over darker 'ambiance' lighting)! For the San Diego Restaurant Week $40 dinner menu, there were between 5-6 choices for the appetizers and entrees, making it hard to choose. Everything sounded so good! We were informed that their best dishes were available as part of San Diego Restaurant Week.

I first noticed Red Card Cafe when they followed our Oh-So Yummy Instagram. I peeked at their account and saw they were opening soon in San Diego. A few weeks later, they popped up again for San Diego Restaurant Week with a $20 dinner. A visit was ripe for the picking. Their San Diego Restaurant dinner menu included a choice of appetizer, entree and dessert for only $20 and is attached at the end of the post.

patio of Red Card Cafe in San Diego

Other than a visit to Isabella Pizzeria, we use Morena Blvd in this area strictly for Costco shopping. I was cruising through idly and barely caught sight of the restaurant. There was parking along the street but google maps indicated a back parking lot with an entrance north of the building. I somehow missed that.

My friend Cisco (i.e. headcinema) joined me for dinner. He takes creative eye-catching photos so I like learning tips from him. The strung lights, red umbrellas and natural light enticed us to sit outside before the last rays of sunshine disappeared over the horizon. Picture op!

Candy Stripe Beef Salad at Red Card Cafe

Candy Stripe Beet Salad | buratta, mix greens, pickled fennel, fennel vinaigrette, fennel fronds, toasted hazelnut

Tidal restaurant in Mission Bay of San Diego

When we were invited for a San Diego Restaurant Week (SDRW) preview at Tidal in Mission Bay, I expected delicious food but was also blown away by the gorgeous views of the water! I'm rarely in the Mission Bay area so was positively radiating with excitement from my surroundings!

marina view at Tidal restaurant in Mission Bay of San Diego island at Tidal seasonal craft and catch in San Diego

Outside the restaurant is a pier area and Dennis told me he found this "private island" while taking pictures! The picture on the right shows what's on the island. I could imagine someone using it for a small private wedding ceremony! Paradise Point, the company that owns the restaurant, has quite a bit of land in this area!

outdoor patio at Tidal seasonal craft and catch in San Diego indoor seating at Tidal restaurant in Mission Bay of San Diego

The patio was great but it was a tad too bright for pictures. After we basked in the sunshine, we were seated inside the main dining hall close to the windows with a view! I couldn't help but admire the pretty hanging lights in this huge hall. To our left was the open kitchen, allowing us a sneak peek into the cooking arena!

A few months ago, we popped into Draft Republic with some friends and tried these crazy good Crispy Maple Bourbon Bacon Sticks. Pork belly on a stick haha! It was only a matter of time before we returned... which happened to be for San Diego Restaurant Week.

foosball at Draft Republic in La Jolla

I loved walking into this vivid place. It seemed to be a fun environment with ping pong, pool and foosball tables, all free to play. There are also multiple tvs for watching the games so I can imagine it getting busy during prime hours! They have their own large parking lot which is another positive.

But back to business... we were here to eat, and perhaps play games later. The SDRW lunch menu was only $15 for a two course meal, which includes an appetizer and main entree. The menu is attached at the bottom of post.

Tuna Tataki at Draft Republic in La Jolla

Tuna Tataki / crispy wonton, guacamole, fresh origins micro cilantro

We're always interested in seeing different takes on tuna.

I'm the planner type and during my San Diego Restaurant Week research, Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant caught my eye. Our prior experience with this restaurant is the airport side business providing pre-made sandwiches/salads. Since that is already Dennis's default airport food choice, we had a good feeling about this place. The SDRW menu had so many enticing options that I delayed our reservation by a day to bring extra people to dinner! 

The San Diego Restaurant Week $30 pre-fixe dinner menu includes a choice of an appetizer, entree and dessert and is attached at the bottom of the post.

Appetizers

Brandied Foie Gras Pate at Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant

Brandied Foie Gras Pate (+$6.95) / Blueberry Compote, Candied Walnuts, Endive Salad, Grilled Levain

We upgraded to the foie gras appetizer and were rewarded with a generous sized, richly smooth liver paired with a mildly sweet blueberry compote. The buttery bread was the perfect firmness for a base. Side salad was coated with a slightly acidic but blueberry sugared apple vinegar dressing.