Eater San Diego shares the top stories of the week from San Diego’s food and drink scene including news of a San Diego chef competing on the TV series, “Top Chef,” and, finally, a launch date for the highly-anticipated Shake Shack.
San Diego Culinary Pro to Compete on “Top Chef”
Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins, formerly the chef de cuisine at Javier Plascencia’s now-closed Bracero restaurant in Little Italy, is one of 15 chefs competing on the 15th season of Bravo Media’s TV cooking series, “Top Chef.” The show, filmed in Colorado, debut on Dec. 7. Today, Zepeda-Wilkins is on her way to opening a new modern Mexican restaurant called El Jardin at Liberty Station.
Shake Shack Gets Oct. 20 Opening at Westfield UTC
The first San Diego location for the global burger brand is scheduled to officially open on Oct. 20 at the newly-expanded Westfield UTC. The eatery, which is also bringing a location to Mission Valley, will feature local treats from North County bakeries and San Diego-brewed beer in addition to its cult favorite burgers, fries and milkshakes.
Draft Republic Debuts With 101 Taps in Carlsbad
The Cohn Restaurant Group has opened a second location of its popular Draft Republic eatery in Carlsbad, a sprawling 12,000-square-foot restaurant that houses 101 beer taps. The menu includes tiki cocktails and housemade sausages. There's also plenty of entertainment, ranging from TVs to video games.
Balinese-Inspired California Cuisine Comes to Oceanside
Dija Mara opens in Oceanside this weekend with a menu that combines modern technique and seasonal ingredients with Southeast Asian flavors. Partner/chef Ryan Costanza, has worked in some of San Francisco’s and Los Angeles' top fine dining kitchens.
Intimate Sushi Bar Lands in La Jolla
Now open in downtown La Jolla is Hitmitsu, a cozy sushi bar and patio with a veteran of Pacific Beach's esteemed Sushi Ota at the helm. The menu at the dinner-only eatery features traditional nigiri sushi, plus Japanese small plates, beer and sake.
Candice Woo is the founding editor of Eater San Diego, a leading source for news about San Diego’s restaurant and bar scene. Keep up with the latest Eater San Diego content via Facebook or Twitter, and sign up for Eater San Diego’s newsletter here.
