Can Noodles Work in Little Italy?
DISH: By David Nelson Photography by Martin Mann
Can Noodles Work In Little Italy?
Salvador Dali might well have bequeathed his marvelous mustache to Arsalun Tafazoli had he anticipated the rise of this highly imaginative restaurateur. Tafazoli nurtures his own curling mustachios, aimed towards heaven so they don’t drift through the soup at UnderBelly. The new, one-of-a-kind ramen restaurant on Kettner Boulevard occupies a corner of the glorious Q building, which also houses Bencotto. UnderBelly is unblinkingly named for the part of the pig that supplies a particularly succulent cut, served char-su-style (just think of Chinese barbecued pork) to garnish bowls of ramen-noodle soups that might also be dressed with applewood-smoked bacon, Kurobuta pork sausage, soft-boiled eggs and myriad other ingredients.
Ramen is Japanese, but the vertical, 15-foot tall “live wall portrait” of planted greenery that project’s Chairman Mao’s stare into the cube-like dining room is decidedly Chinese; it’s based on Andy Warhol’s portrait. Says Tafazoli, a principal partner in other avant garde spots like Neighborhood and Craft & Commerce, “As with anything we do, we like to explore certain genres and push them as far as we can.” Evidently. The Paul Basile design intrigues with details like windows that open into tables for sidewalk diners; they are decorated with water-etched metal bars that bear the names of the Tokyo “ramen masters” to whom Tafazoli dedicates UnderBelly as “a kind of tribute.” It should click with hipsters who agree with Tafazoli’s lament that, “I love this city, but it tends to be one-dimensional.” Not true on Kettner Boulevard…
Homesick homeboy Nathan Coulon, representing the third generation of San Diego’s distinguished culinary clan, returns soon to set up shop in the cavernous former Bing Crosby’s in Fashion Valley, a restaurant that could have gone places but went nowhere. Coulon will reprise his current role at True Food Kitchen in Newport Beach by cheffing at the Arizona chain’s newest outlet. A hit with fans of nutrition guru Dr. Andrew Weil, True Food menus follow the trademarked Weil Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid, which allows “sparing” amounts of dark chocolate as a reward for ingesting lots of legumes, whole grains, vegetables and “healthy fats,” which lurk in walnuts, avocados and — everyone’s favorite — flax seeds. Coulon spilled the homecoming beans at the recent “Celebrate the Craft” event at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, where he dished True Food specialties like vegan butternut squash pie with coconut whipped cream…”
THE TALENT WAS THICK ON THE GROUND at “Celebrate,” the foodie festival that, now in its eighth year, rightly takes credit for introducing farm-to-table principles to San Diego. Andrew Spurgin and Antonio Friscia of Campine Catering submerged dazzling oxtail tortelloni in rich broth, Sara Friedman of MIHO Gastrotruck (yes, the world has turned) compounded “sliders” of seared duck breast, vanilla-pickled beets and more, but the inimitable Carl Schroeder of Market stole the show with elaborate turkey “schnitzel” sandwiches that featured a new breed of bird — local, of course…
THE SUDDEN DEPARTURE OF CHEF Jason Maitland from Flavor Del Mar at Del Mar Plaza startled partisans of the chic aerie, but they’re reassured by the arrival of Brian Redzikowski, most recently executive chef at the Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills. He favors slipping Asian flavors and ingredients into French-inspired cuisine…
DOWNSTAIRS ON Camino Del Mar, Chinese-fusion specialist Del Mar Rendezvous has combined a costly remodel with a re-imagined approach that includes quality wine service (not a priority at local Asian restaurants). Not a glutton for gluten? DM Rendezvous serves a full menu of gluten-free and vegetarian dishes…
UP THE ROAD IN ENCINITAS, San Diego’s own Kaitlin Ramos has returned from a stint at Wolfgang Puck’s Springs Cafe in Las Vegas to oversee the menus at St. Germain’s Bistro & Cafe, the eternally popular breakfast hang-out that now will serve Ramos’ French bistro dishes in the evening, too…
DONOVAN’S PRIME SEAFOOD, the high-end Gaslamp spinoff of the hugely successfull Donovan’s steakhouses, has upped the ante for Quarter restaurateurs by installing Kemar Durfield, formerly chef de cuisine at the top-ranked Addison at the Grand Del Mar, as both chef and general manager. His refreshingly new menu is in place…
TONGUES ARE WAGGING — so to speak — in Little Italy, where Antonino Mastellone (Arriverderci, Buon Appetito et al) is attempting to colonize India Street between Cedar and Date Streets. His newest place, La Villa, is pricey, but offers locally exclusive specialties like risotto with lamb tongue, a truly mouthwatering creation…
A FEW DOORS NORTH, La Jolla’s Whisk-enladle will open another gourmet rendezvous in the second floor quarters that once housed an oh-so-silly “water boutique”…
SUCH FUN: INFORMAL WEDNESDAY night tango parties at Cafe Bassam, the welcoming Bankers Hill caravansary that dispenses fine coffees, wines and other comestibles. Strollers unaware of the festivities may think they’ve danced into Midnight in Paris when they walk by and see the graceful action…
THE TREND TO HOMEMADE EVERYTHING results in treats like the Thursday Sausage & Beer Nights at Farm House Cafe, which pairs house-made links with appropriately flavored suds…
ALESSANDRO (ALEX) MINUTELLA, with partner Vicenzo LoVerso an early Gaslamp Quarter success (Osteria Panevino, Greystone, Ossetra), and on his own with the Chocolat cafes near either extremity of Fifth Avenue, confides plans to venture to a location that would make bolder gents shake in their Ferragamos. To wit, he’s going to open a high-end eatery way far away on West Broadway on the ground-floor premises that were disastrous for a place named Crescent Heights Kitchen — although that eatery’s foolish name was 50 percent of the problem (Old Man Recession was good for another third or so). Minutella, who hasn’t had a failure in the 20-plus years this writer has known him, says he’s signed a bargain basement lease in the luxury office building at Broadway and Kettner, and will open a Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant designed to knock you out of your Gucci’s — and onto a futon…
