OB Restaurant Week Is Back and Includes Hotels

NEW UPDATES !

By Matthew Wood

OB Restaurant Week is back. This time it’s bringing some hotels along for the ride.

The week kicks off Sunday -April 27 – with four hotels/B&Bs hosting a launch party with samples from the 20 participating restaurants. Then the restaurants take over, offering specials every day from Monday to Sunday.

“We’re excited. We really have enhanced the event since the first year by letting the hotels host the event,” said Liz Greene, Creative director for Ocean Beach Mainstreet Association, which is one of the event sponsors.

“It’s like an open house for them to be able to show locals, visitors, everyone who wants to see.”

For a suggested donation of $5, you get a chance to check out rooms and amenities from OB Hotel, Ocean Villa Inn, Elsbree House B&B and the Inn at Sunset Cliffs. There are also raffles from all four hotels for gift baskets worth a couple hundred bucks each. The donation money goes to the OB Scholarship Fund, which helps Point Loma High School students.

As for the restaurants, well, you’re probably not going to find many great deals. And some of the places still haven’t even decided what they are offering. But there is no fee or tickets to buy, and there are some intriguing options if you know where to look.

Raglan Public House co-owner Mike Zouroudis, who is also the event chair, said they want to cater more on locals, as well as current menu items instead of new dishes.

“Last year was really cool, but nobody’s coming here for crème brulee,” he said of Raglan’s original Restaurant Week menu. “We got a good amount of business from outside of OB last year. But most people are coming from around here the rest of the year, so we’d like to focus on them.”

They’ll be offering 25 percent off seven items, including the Bare Lil Lamb and Queenstown Fave burgers, Meso Tasty chicken sandwich and bread pudding.

The Joint – which participated in the inaugural Restaurant Week in December 2012 – goes off its well-known sushi/tapas menu for a big ol’ full meal. Chef Eric Riffe is putting together a wild harvested Texas antelope with fresh vegetables and fruits that could be quite interesting.

Manager Catherine Dinen said the antelope is fresh from Broken Arrow Ranch and the sides – like the cherries in the cherry/port demi glaze – are all fruits and veggies in season right now. It will be served two different ways, for $26 on Monday-Thursday and $33 on the weekend.

“We want to push the envelope with the food,” she said. “Our goal is to make it a great experience.”

Other places, like Nati’s Mexican Restaurant, are participating for the first time. They are offering discounted entrée combos like a burrito and two tacos for $10.50 and chile relleno and enchilada for $7.75. Both come with rice and beans. You can also get margarita or wine specials for $4.50.

“We’re hoping to see new faces, maybe introduce people who may not know us,” owner Marilyn Thomas said. She said they still get a lot of new business in the neighborhood, despite being around for more than half a century.

“We have people all the time who come and tell us they didn’t know us.”

We’re still waiting to hear from some of the places on what exactly they are offering for the week, but here’s a list of participating restaurants and specials that we know of. Seriously, guys, it’s probably time to pick a special and go with it – so people actually know about it.

We’ll update the list when we hear back from the rest of the places. Here is what we have:

 Bobeau Kitchen & Bar – 4996 W. Pt. Loma Blvd: A $30 three-course meal that includes a salad, pork chop or beef bourguignon and a dessert

Chris’ Liquor & Deli – 2275 Sunset Cliffs Blvd: Get a ham and havarti sandwich, normally $6.99, for $4.99

Daybreak Island Grill – 2296 Bacon St: Try select menu items for 25 percent off, including Kalua eggs benedict, sliders, off the lip sandwich, surf n turf appetizer and saimin soup

Espresso Cucina – 1776 Sunset Cliffs Blvd: They are offering two dinner-for-two specials: The $25 pizza dinner includes salad, 14-inch pizza with three toppings and a dessert; the $35 offers a couple choices of entrée, including lasagna or chicken parm, along with salad and dessert

The Joint – 4902 Newport Ave: A special dinner of wild harvested Texas antelope will be served two different wasy, for $26 Monday-Thursday and $33 on the weekend

Lighthouse Ice Cream – 5059 Newport Ave: 10 percent off a different item each day, including their famous waffle sandwich on Tuesday

Nati’s Mexican Restaurant – 1852 Bacon St: Four different entrée specials like tacos, burritos or chile relleno served with rice and beans; also a couple of $3 appetizer specials and $4.50 drink specials

Ocean Beach Kabob – 4994 Newport Ave: Get 25 percent off any entree.

Olive Tree Marketplace – 4805 Sunset Cliffs Blvd: Ham and havarti sandwich for $4.99 (same as Chris’ Liquors)

Pirates CoveTiki Port – 4896 Voltaire St: Get 25 percent off five of their items, including the Incredible Hulk veggie-fruit smoothie and their Rio Acai Bowl

Pizza Port Brewing Co. – 1956 Bacon St: They will be offering their lunch pizza special (slice, salad and a drink) for $4.99 all day

Raglan Public House – 1851 Bacon St –  They’ll be offering 25 percent off seven items, including the Bare Lil Lamb and Queenstown Fave burgers, Meso Tasty chicken sandwich and bread pudding.

Shades Oceanfront Bistro – 5083 Santa Monica Ave: Offering 25 percent off “select entrees”

South Beach Bar & Grill – 5059 Newport Ave: It’s Taco Tuesday all week, as all tacos (except lobster) are $2.75

Sundara Indian Cuisine – 1774 Sunset Cliffs Blvd: 25 percent off their tikka masala, draft beers and wine all week

To the Point – 4161 Voltaire St: Get three different brunch entrees, including chicken & waffles, for $12.50. They are also offering drink specials all week.

Wonderland Ocean Pub — 5083 Santa Monica Ave: No need for a special menu, just take 25 percent off your bill all week.

OB Noodle House – 2218 Cable St

Sessions Public – 4204 Voltaire St

Tiny’s Tavern – 4745 Voltaire St