Solare Ristorante Receives Prestigious Italian Award

A top Italian spot

A fixture in Liberty Station for its seasonal Southern Italian cuisine, Solare Ristorante has received a coveted honor from Italy’s prestigious food and wine rating group Gambero Rosso. After spending almost two years visiting and examining the restaurant’s service and food, judges have bestowed the prized Tre Gamberi award to the local eatery and its executive chef Accursio Lotà, who won first place at the Barilla Pasta’s World Pasta Championship in Milan, Italy, last fall. Solare Ristorante is one of 13 Italian restaurants around the world to have been given the top rating this year. To celebrate the award, the restaurant will offer a special menu featuring dishes that were evaluated by Gambero Rosso; it will be available starting today, March 15, through March 29.

The reigning Prince of Pork

Courtesy photo

Kettner Exchange executive chef Brian Redzikowski proved best in show at the recent Los Angeles edition of Cochon555, which tours cities throughout North America holding events and competitions to raise awareness for heritage-breed pigs and local cooking. Redzikowski and his team beat out a number of big-name chefs, including the legendary Wolfgang Puck, by presenting a six-course nose-to-tail menu featuring a whole Berkshire pig raised by Cook Pigs Ranch. Next, the chef moves on to represent Southern California at Grand Cochon, the national finale competition being held this fall in Chicago.

Herb & Wood x Trust x Campfire

Three of San Diego’s hottest restaurants will join forces April 19 to support “Seeds of the Future,” the Berry Good Food Foundation’s efforts to raise $5,000 to benefit 10 school gardens around San Diego County. Herb & Wood co-chefs Brian Malarkey and Shane McIntyre, along with executive pastry chef Adrian Mendoza, are teaming up with Campfire executive chef Andrew Bachelier and Trust co-owner/executive chef Brad Wise on a menu featuring producers within a 100-mile radius. Held at Specialty Produce’s Studio Kitchen, the dinner is limited to 50 guests and will be hosted by Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien; tickets are $200.

Another well-known brewer joins the Bell Marker

The new Gaslamp brewery restaurant, helmed by brewmaster Noah Regnery (Pizza Port San Clemente), has hired another experienced Pizza Port alum. Ignacio “Nacho” Cervantes, who oversaw brewing at Pizza Port Carlsbad and Ocean Beach and earned multiple Great American Beer Festival awards during his tenure, will produce seasonal beers for the Broadway brewpub.