Foodie forecast: Solare launches ‘SpongeBob' pre-theater dinner menu
Here is some of the dining news from across San Diego County, as well as some upcoming events for foodies.
Solare plans SpongeBob menu: Solare Ristorante in Arts District Liberty Station is offering a special SpongeBob SquarePants-themed pre-fixe dinner menu in honor of nearby Cygnet Theatre’s production of “The SpongeBob Musical,” which is now playing Tuesdays-Sundays, through July 14. The three-course, $59 menu service is timed as a pre-show option. The dishes are all named after characters and locations in the undersea animated comedy series, including Pineapple Under the Sea salad, Bikini Bottom bruschetta, Squidward’s Shell City risotto, Mr. Krabs’ treasure chest salmon-stuffed ravioli and Jelly Fish Fields Panna Cotta with local strawberries. 2820 Roosevelt Road, San Diego. solarelounge.com
Lao Food Festival: Lao Advocacy Organization of San Diego is hosting its first one-day event to celebrate Lao food and culture. Vendor booths will be selling a variety of traditional dishes and desserts. 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday. Maple Street Plaza, 200 W. Grand Ave., Escondido. Free admission. 760-566-6232, laofoodfestival.org
Catamaran luau season begins: The Catamaran Resort Hotel on Mission Bay kicked off its summer luau season this week, with outdoor Polynesian dinners featuring live entertainment from 6 to 8:50 p.m. Thursdays, through Sept. 3. Guests receive a buffet dinner, mai tais, silk leis and activity bags for children. 3999 Mission Blvd., San Diego. $74.54 to $149.96. catamaranresort.com/sunset-luaus
Bacari adds summer dishes: Bacari, which opened in North Park in February, has revamped its Mediterranean-inspired small-plates menu. Chef-owner Lior Hillel’s new items include the brunch-only menu offering Turkish eggs with herbed labne and hazelnut-pistachio chili crisp. There are two new dishes on the brunch and dinner menus: Sabich, a roasted eggplant and purple potato dish with beet tahini on pita as well as a hibiscus-infused watermelon salad dish with whipped feta, pistachio and lemon-herb vinaigrette. And finally, there are two new dinner menu options: Oyster mushroom kabob with toum crema, salad and pita, and a pistachio lamb kabob wth kale turmeric, beet tahini and salad. 3823 30th St., San Diego. eatwithbacari.com/north-park
PB Shack’s new happy hour: Crack Shack Pacific Beach has a new happy-hour promotion from 2 to 6 p.m. weekdays, with half-off draft and canned beers, wines and cocktails, $15 boozy milkshakes and bar bites starting at $3. Bites include a Nashville biscuit slider, al pastor chicken wrap, cheesy fries, spicy chicken oysters and Jidori chicken wings. 4525 Mission Blvd., San Diego. crackshack.com/location/pacific-beach
Taste of Adams Avenue: Adams Avenue Business Association hosts its 25th self-guided tasting tour of 45 restaurants, coffee shops, bakeries, breweries and shops along a two-mile stretch of Adams from University Heights to Kensington. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 28. $55 in advance, $65 on day of event. adamsavenuebusiness.com/event-info/taste-of-adams-avenue/
Yappy Hour at Margaritaville: Margaritaville Hotel San Diego will debut Yappy Hour, a monthly pet-friendly happy-hour event, from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the 5 o’Clock Somewhere rooftop bar. Dogs are welcome and a dog-friendly menu will be offered. Follow-up events will take place on the last Thursday of every month through October. 435 Sixth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter. margaritavilleresorts.com/margaritaville-hotel-san-diego
Communion cocktails: Communion rooftop restaurant in Mission Hills has a new lineup of seasonal cocktails from bar lead Eliza Woodman. Golden Tempo is a margarita with grilled peach and Japanese citrus; Green Thumb is a gin sour with fruit and savory notes; Eternal Path 4.0 is a reimagined Boulevardier; La Vista is a low-ABV aperitivo; and Bitter Ritual is a citrus-forward amaro after-dinner cocktail. 901 W. Washington St., Suite 801, San Diego. dinecommunionsd.com
Byron Gomez culinary events: Bravo’s “Top Chef” Season 18 alum Byron Gomez of Colorado will host three culinary events on Sunday and Monday at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, where his longtime colleague, Chef Jorge Saldana, is the new chef de cuisine of Ponto Lago restaurant. From 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Gomez will host a ceviche-making demonstration. From 5-6 p.m. there will be a Q&A with the chef featuring canapés and a cocktail. And from 5 to 8:30 p.m., diners can choose options from an a la carte menu for a 4- to 6-course dinner. 7100 Aviara Resort Drive, Carlsbad. Reservations at parkhyattaviara.com/upcoming-events/hyatt-experiences/#!/
Quiero updates its menu: Quiero Restaurants has introduced new menu items at its shared taqueria locations with Mike Hess Brewing at Seaport Village and in Imperial Beach. The new items are peel-and-eat spicy crispy shrimp, the Big Papa rolled taco, Baja protein bowl, creamy mahi tostada and esquites (Mexican corn in a cup). 879 W. Harbor Drive, Suite W14-E, San Diego; 805 Ocean Lane, Imperial Beach. quierorestaurants.com
Pam Kragen, Union-Tribune
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