BO-Beau Kitchen + Bar (Ocean Beach)

Every year, we visit at least one Cohn Restaurant Group restaurant. They always have promos, such as their anniversary special where the price is the same as the year! Last year, we wrote about OB Warehouse and Indigo Grill and this year we picked a “new to us” place, BO-Beau Kitchen + Bar in Ocean Beach. There's another location in La Mesa (BO-Beau Kitchen + Garden) as well as a location in Long Beach (BO-Beau Kitchen + Rooftap).

I remember visiting this location years ago when it used to be Thee Bungalow and their parking lot is still horrible. There’s only a single entrance and it’s super rocky to drive over, plus the parking spots aren’t marked that well, if at all. Once you get past that, the entrance makes me feel like I’m about to enter a little cottage with the landscaping. Or maybe that’s my perspective when I view this picture!

There are two main dining areas inside plus an outdoor patio with heaters available. A nice bar is viewable immediately when you walk in and we were seated there temporarily while waiting a few minutes for our table.

The anniversary special is $20.16 for a two course meal which gives you a choice of an appetizer and a choice of an entrée. A menu is attached at the bottom of this post for reference.

Salmon Tartare / smoked salmon + fresh salmon + herbed crostini + chive cream cheese + lemon

The appetizers came out fast. One of the starters that caught my eye was the salmon tartare. I remember liking the slight saltiness from the smoked salmon when mixed with the raw salmon but I think the bread was just a little *too* crunchy which makes my mouth hurt. The tasty chive cream cheese helped smooth out the bites for me though Dennis isn't a fan of cream cheese in general, including this one. There seemed to be a decent amount of salmon in that little glass container but overall I thought the appetizer was just okay.

French Onion Soup Gratinee

I’m still figuring out this onion soup thing but this version wasn’t too salty or strong and was preferred over the heavy one we had at Café La Rue. The best part was the super cheesy “crust” on the top with breading that dives into the bottom of the soup cup. That lavishly rich cheese kept all the heat of the soup inside. I'm still looking for the onion soup that will convert me into a believer though...

Pistachio Crusted Salmon / creamy spinach risotto + baby carrots + haricots verts + lemon beurre blanc + micro greens

The salmon flesh fell apart easily and was moist. Instead of skin, there was a texture created by the seasoning. Dennis thought the salmon was too soft for his preference, and would have liked it well done with a crisp outer edge. The risotto underneath was creamy but mushy and a bit mellow paired with the blanched spinach. I enjoyed the more buttery, slightly zesty lemon sauce around it for combining with the fish.

Coq Au Vin / chicken leg & thigh + pancetta + baby carrots + mushroom + pearl onion + fingerling potatoes + red wine

The chicken was a little tough and the reduced wine sauce was almost ‘beefy’ to me. I didn’t care for it as a whole, maybe because the vegetables and other contents were thick and too hot to eat. Dennis mentioned the leftovers were much better since the chicken soaked in the stew overnight, the flavors really penetrated the meat and seemed to tenderize it a bit.

Warm Brioche Bread Pudding / vanilla bean spiced rum creme anglaise + candied pecans

We added a dessert to dinner since what meal is complete without one! This bread pudding was wonderfully steamy and warm when it reached our table. Dennis described it as a better version of a Cinnabon, not too sweet, but light and tasty with the cinnamon frosting. The size was perfect for sharing between two people and was our favorite part of the meal.

Too bad they didn't have the Brussels sprouts on the anniversary menu. The group of three next to us who ordered them seemed to know what they were doing. None of them ordered the anniversary special and each ordered something they've had before. And they were all like oooh this is soo goood. We were a little jealous because our items were all over the map. I still prefer some of the other Cohn restaurants to this one. It doesn't seem too noisy here though so the ambiance is romantic and homey plus the servers were friendly. They don't take reservations here so beware during peak dining hours. I may have to come back in the future for brussels... Have you had them?