Brian Malarkey is Doing a New Restaurant in Little Italy

Eater has confirmed a swirling rumor that Brian Malarkey has another restaurant in the works; though Malarkey previously said that he wouldn't venture to open another concept in San Diego, we've learned that he's signed a new lease in Little Italy.

Perhaps Kettner Boulevard should be renamed Top Chef Street; Malarkey's taking hold of a space at the corner of Kettner and Ivy that's only one storefront away from "Top Chef: All-Stars" winner Richard Blais' Juniper & Ivy, which opened this past March. Might we see a real-life "Top Chef Duels" play out in the neighborhood?

His yet-unnamed project is intended for a 8,000-square-foot brick warehouse that currently houses Mixture, a modern furnishings store that first opened in 2003 and has been for sale since last year; the striking building seems primed for a restaurant, with a large roll-up door at the entryway and a tri-level open floor plan that flows into an outdoor area.

The chef is still working with Hakkasan Ltd., the global investment company that bought majority stake in the Enlightened Hospitality Group earlier this year; the group will develop another Searsucker in Santa Monica.

Though there's no specific word about what the concept will be, we know it probably won't be an iteration of an existing "Fabric of Social Dining" eatery; we're hearing that it will be an entirely new brand that he intends to launch in early 2015.

UPDATE: the Hakkasan Group has confirmed that they will be involved in the Little Italy project, and say they will also be working with Malarkey to take Searsucker to Las Vegas. President Nick McCabe said, "Searsucker has experienced remarkable success and recognition, which Hakkasan Group is proud to now be a part of. We are thrilled to introduce this concept and others featuring Brian's inventive cuisine to new cities across the country."
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