Malarkey Says No To More San Diego Restaurants

When Eater spoke to Brian Malarkey on the cusp of the debut of his new Seasucker outpost in Del Mar, the chef indicated that it would likely be the Enlightened Hospitality Group's last big opening in San Diego.

Though the EHGRP is expanding their "Fabric of Social Dining" portfolio nationally, most recently with the debut of Searsucker in Austin, Malarkey told us that they think they've saturated the local market. The group's next expansion is rumored to be a new Herringbone in Los Angeles.

As for Herringbone in La Jolla, Malarkey has been spending more time in the kitchen there since the departure of Amanda Baumgarten. Jo Jo Ruiz, a chef from the Gaslamp's Searsucker, has been installed here and Malarkey says they've been working to refresh the menu; some Eater readers tipped us to a Herringbone coupon card being sent to area residents that touts "better pricing and healthier menu options".

Even though Gingham was sold to focus on the Searsucker and Herringbone core concepts, Malarkey claims that he has no such plans for Gabardine, calling it the "little sister" of the group. The Point Loma restaurant seems to have sentimental meaning for Malarkey, whose family often eats there, and the chef says the eatery recently had its best week ever.

Though we may not see more "Fabric" restaurants in San Diego, Malarkey will continue to grow his farm-to-table cafeteria, Green Acre. Two more locations are planned for campuses run by Alexandria Real Estate Equities.
· Searsucker [Official Site]
· All Brian Malarkey Coverage [~ESD~]