out and about: paradisaea summer '24

When my parents announced that they were moving to birdrock in the 70’s, my grandparents cried. It was not the neighborhood it is now.

Growing up it was one story bungalows with two bedrooms and one bath. The lots were twice the size, and everyone was barefoot.

We walked to everywhere on the blvd. long before traffic circles were a thing. To the restaurants (rip bully’s and milligans), the shops, the drugstore (aptly named drugtown). We used to have a full service deli; and specialty produce? Well, the original market from whence it got it’s inspiration was down the street.

Times change, as do restaurants, shops, and all the things. Drugtown and the meat company are now cvs. But the one constant always stood the test of time. The piano building.

Architecturally stunning, with it’s rounded walls, it was always a sign of coming home… just seeing all the pianos in the window. Unfortunately, while it was around for decades, the piano store didn’t last forever. And neither did the tux store that came after.

It took locals to turn the store into something much more, and upscale, yet still casual restaurant and bar, that pays homage to the original with a piano smack dab in the center window. Quite the homage, if you will.

And quite the spot for some tasty bites.

The menu changes over periodically, which ya’ll know I’m a fan of, and boasts a selection of shareable starters, which is also my jam.

We’ve been many times since it opened, and the food never disappoints. My biggest issue is that they want you to order everything at once, v/s being able to course things out yourself, one dish at a time in order to enjoy and savor every bite. Plus we like to take our time, and enjoy a respite from the kiddos.

This time, we were solely there for shareable bites, so one at a time was perfect. And now we know the sweet spot key. Appetizers only, it is.

goo goo muck hazy ipa: fall brewing

filthy martini: choice of vodka or gin, house-made olive brine, olive skewer

I like my martini’s with gin, and I like them super dirty, so this was a no brainer. And this was an excellent martini.

And I’m not the only one who thinks so. In a roughly 10 minute time period 4 other people, two of them clearly regular regulars (as opposed to us who go regularly), ordered the martini. All different iterations, all filthy. Some with a twist, some with blue cheese, some with vodka.

Suffice to say, order the martini.

Oh, and if you like hazy ipas? Ignore the name and order it too.

crudo: hiramasa, citrus, shaved fennel, charred avocado, parsley emulsion, burnt citrus oil

This dish was so incredibly clean. The fish was perfect, the citrus fresh, the charred avo added just the right bite. The parsley emulsion was just the right herbaceous touch without being over powering. The fennel was delicately shaved and just the right amount— adding to, and not taking away from the fish itself. The burnt citrus oil was almost undetectable, which was great… because if you are going to eat raw fish, you don’t want sauce coating it, to where you wonder if the fish is fresh or not. This, was not that.

I don’t know what we expected, but this wasn’t it. And I am so glad.

Light, bright, and perfect for summer.

babbette’s table speck: grilled peaches, bear hill sheep’s milk cheese, sumac, lemon oil

Another great dish.

This was basically a reconstructed charcuterie platter if you will. Instead of having all the different option, they were combined together in the best possible way.

And such a bite it was. Perfectly balanced. The sweet from the peaches, the salt from the speck, a slight bite to the cheese, and the tang of the lemon.

I just wish there was more of it.

dodo: ritual bourbon, pear, ginger, lemon

Pro tip: paradisaea has a mocktail list… to which you can add the real thing if you so choose, and turn it into a cocktail.

Which I promptly did. The dodo has everything I love in a bourbon drink, plus, my kids call their great aunt “dodo” so there is that.

Not to mention, it’s delish.

grass fed beef tartare: remoulade, kohlrabi pickle, cured egg yolk, house rye bread

So, this might just be one of my favorite restaurant tartare’s in san diego. Not gonna lie. And I love a good tartare.

But there is something about the creaminess of the remoulade that completely changes the trajectory of the tartare. And, it manages to do so without taking over. You still taste fresh beef, it’s just more.

Plus, I’ve learned I like pickled kohlrabi. Who would have thunk all those years ago when I was reading the abc’s of fruits and vegetables to the kiddos. Now I just need to figure out where to get my hands on some and pickle away.

ravioles du daupine: roasted heirloom carrots, house made ricotta, black olive crumble, carrot nage

This was some of the best pasta I’ve had in a long time. I know that dauphine ravioles are less dense, and the pasta much thinner than regular ravioli, so I’m sure that played into it (I hate overly think pasta), but it also had to do with the pasta being perfectly cooked. Exactly how you want it. The perfect al dente.

And don’t get me started on the broth. Why have I never thought to do a carrot broth? Kicking myself right now. And be forewarned. There is a homemade carrot sauce in my future.

Basically, if you’re like us, and love the appetizer game, this is definitely the place for you. We were 4 for 4 on taste and flavors, and 3 out of 3 on drinks.

I know for us, we’ll be back, looking forward to whatever new dishes they will throw at us.