sandiegouniontribune.com THURSDAY • SEPTEMBER 22 , 2016

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SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

stamina— some people will onlyeat out once, some will fill up everyday. To help you strategize and getthemost out of the week, here aresome dining scenarios and sug-gestions.

One meal onlyIf you’re limiting yourself to one

meal, make it count. For mymoney,that would be dinner at Nine-Ten.More than a dozen years in, chefJason Knibb quietly continues todeliver some of themost superblyexecuted dishes in San Diego. Trythe hamachi sashimi, Jamaicanjerk pork belly orMoroccan spicelamb loin and you just might bemaking another reservation. To

San Diego diners, get outyour smartphones andstart reserving: It’s time forRestaurant Week again.

More than 180 eateries are par-ticipating in the twice-yearly, multi-course, fixed price event, whichkicks off Sunday and runs throughOct. 2.

Whether for a $10 lunch or a $50dinner, Restaurant Week spursfood lovers across the county torevisit a local favorite, check out anew place or splurge at a specialoccasion spot.

How you approach RestaurantWeek depends on your budget and

come back. $50, 910 Prospect St., LaJolla; (858) 964-5400; nine-ten.com

One day onlyTake in the full San Diego expe-

rience with a day at the beach and anight on the town. Start with lunchat the picturesque Sea180° CoastalTavern, right on the sand atImperial Beach. Catch sunset onthe pier and then head to one of themost chic restaurants in the urbaneEast Village: Bottega Americano.Big city dining doesn’t get muchmore delicious. Sea180°, $20, 800Seacoast Drive, Imperial Beach;(619) 631-4949; cohnrestaurants.com/sea180. Bottega Americano, $40,1195 Island Ave., East Village; (619)

255-7800; bottegaamericano.com

For the trendspotterDon’t miss the bluefin lump

crabcake, with smoked onion re-

Plot a Restaurant Week strategy

Campfire trout topped with chimichurri, served with coriander slaw andmasa cornbread at One Door North in North Park.MICHELE PARENTE U-T

SAN DIEGORESTAURANTWEEKWhen: Sunday through Oct. 2

Online: See menus atsandiegorestaurantweek.com;reserve directly with therestaurants.

BYMICHELE PARENTE

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moulade, pickled mustardseeds and pea shoots, atTop of the Market. 750 N.Harbor Drive, downtownSan Diego; (619) 234-4867;the�shmarket.com/topofthemarket.aspx

Three of San Diego’snewest restaur ants feat ur etrout on their RestaurantWeek menus, two prepared“almondine.” Who knewtrout was a thing? Sampleit at:

One Door North: TheSmoking Goat’s camp,camping-themed littlesister. $30, 3422 30th St.,North Park; (619) 618-1285;onedoornorthsd.com

Decoy Dockside Dining:Waterside dining with aGreat Outdoors theme. $20,$50, 1025 La Bonita Drive,San Marcos; (760) 744-0120;lakehousehote-landresort.com/decoy

Paci�c Standard Coast-al Kitchen: “Rustic-re�ned”from “Top Chef ’s” GiselleWellman. $30, 2137 Paci�cHighway, Little Italy; (619)819-0090; paci�cstandard-restaurant.com

For the marathon dinerMaking a week out o�t?

Plan accordingly.Day 1: Start with a bang

with the luxurious menu atCoronado’s swanky StakeChophouse & Bar. Go richright o� the bat with op-tions such as roasted cauli-�ower velouté and butter-poached halibut. $50, 1309Orange Ave., Coronado;(619) 522-0077; stakechop-house.com

Day 2: Stay on a perfec-tion roll with superlativesushi for lunch (at the al-ways impeccably freshAzuki Sushi) and �avorfulGreek for dinner (CafeAthena is seasoned lambheaven). Azuki, $20, 2321Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill;(619) 238-4760; azukis-ushi.com. Cafe Athena, $20;1846 Garnet Ave., Paci�cBeach; (858) 274-1140; ca-feathena.com

Day 3: Grab lunch atThe Lot (grilled street cornand roasted mushroom�atbread, anyone?) beforetaking in an afternoonmovie. Skip the popcorn,because you’ll want to behungry for dinner at theunderrated Top of theMarket. Make sure to tasteeach other’s blue�n crab-cake and grilled Spanishoctopus appetizers. The

Lot, $20, 7611 Fay Ave., LaJolla; (858) 777-0069; thelo-tent.com. Top of the Market,$50, 750 N. Harbor Drive,downtown San Diego; (619)234-4867; the�shmar-

ket.com/topofthemar-ket.aspx

Day 4: Hanging in there?Have a kale salad for lunchso you’ll be geared up fordinner at The Craftsman

New American Tavern. Yes,we love chef Wade Hage-man’s hearty classic fare,but we’re really going forthe Blue Ribbon butter-scotch pudding. $30, 267 N.

El Camino Real, Encinitas;(760) 452-2000; craftsman-tavern.com

Day 5: With your creditcards likely getting moreexercise than you, opt for atasty $10 lunch at Taste ofThai, then celebrate yoursavings at Cicciotti’s Tratto-ria Italiana & Seafood,where dinner is $20 andthree glasses of paired wineare just $12 more. Taste ofThai, 527 University Ave.,Hillcrest; (619) 291-7525; and15770 San Andres Drive, DelMar; (858) 793-9695; sdtaste-ofthai.com. Cicciotti’s; 1933San Elijo Ave., Cardi�; (760)634-2335; cicciottis.com

Day 6: Time for somefrozen margaritas andmartinis! Take a trip backto traditional San Diegowith a $10 Mexican lunch atCafe Coyote in Old Townand dinner at the retro-hipButcher Shop Steakhouse.There you’ll be ensconced inred leather booths and theFrench onion soup, primerib and chocolate lava cakeis just $30. Sorry, drinksaren’t included. Cafe Coy-ote, 2461 San Diego Ave.,Old Town; (619) 291-4695;cafecoyoteoldtown.com.Butcher Shop, 5255 KearnyVilla Road, Kearny Mesa;

(858) 565-2272; butchershop-sandiego.com

Day 7: Feeling all overthe culinary map? Focus inon one chef. Begin withlunch as Galaxy Taco, chefTrey Foshee’s playful takeon Baja California cuisine,then spend the day playingat La Jolla Shores. Clean upfor a fancy date-night din-ner at George’s CaliforniaModern, where Foshee hasmastered sophisticatedseasonal fare. Galaxy Taco,$15, 2259 Avenida de laPlaya, La Jolla; (858) 228-5655; galaxytaco.com.George’s, $50, 1250 ProspectSt., La Jolla; (858) 454-4244;georgesatthecove.com

Day 8: Yes, RestaurantWeek is eight days! Endyour culinary extravaganzaon a high note at RanchoSanta Fe’s swanky Ve-ladora. Arrive early tochillax at the stunningRancho Valencia Resort &Spa and then powerthrough one last lusciousmeal. Lobster, of course, isavailable as an appetizerand entrée. $50, 5921 Valen-cia Circle, Rancho SantaFe; (858) 759-6216; ranchova-lencia.com

michele.parente@sduniontribune.com

In downtown, Top of the Market’s blue�n lump crab cake is a must-have, with smoked onion remoulade, pickled mustard seeds and pea shoots.MICHELE PARENTE U-T

Shrimp toast appetizer, with sofrito, lemon con�t, pea tendrils and fresno chile,appears on the prix �xe menu at Paci�c Standard Coastal Kitchen in Little Italy.

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