Restaurant Recipes

Lobster Mac' n' Cheese

Restaurant: Terra American Bistro | San Diego

Chef Jeff Rossman’s decadent take on American comfort food is epitomized in his Lobster Mac’n’Cheese. Whether seeking a refined twist on a classic family dinner, a refreshing side for the holidays, or a new dish to impress at dinner parties and potlucks, this rich and indulgent take on traditional mac’n’cheese is a crowd-pleaser.

Crab Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Lemon Sabayon and Shaved Asparagus Salad

Restaurant: Currant | San Diego

This sophisticated appetizer from Executive Chef Geoffrey Yahn is well-suited to cocktail parties or as an impressive beginning to any dinner. These delicate tempura-battered squash blossoms are accompanied by a shaved asparagus salad, and a scrumptious lemon sabayon that is impossible to resist. True to Currant’s seasonal emphasis, this dish is light, refreshing, and crisp: the epitome of summer.

Gnocchi

Restaurant: Solare | San Diego

Gnocchi are one of many pasta shapes made fresh in-house daily at Solare. The pillowy potato shapes are delightful with an array of sauces, including cream sauce, tomato sauce, or meat sauce. At Solare, they are served with a fresh tomato sauce and smoked scamorza cheese

Linguini alle Vongole

Restaurant: Caffe Bella Italia | San Diego

This simple recipe pairs fresh clams with fresh pasta and a simple sauce. It is easy to prepare and quick to make, yet will surely wow everyone at the dinner table.

Southern California Bouillabaisse with Rouille

Restaurant: Moonshadows | Los Angeles

This bouillabaisse is one of Chef Joachim Weritz's signature dishes at Moonshadows, utilizing local, seasonal and sustainable seafood and produce. Bouillabaisse is a very traditional fish stew originating from the city of Marseille. Any type of fish can be used to create the stock but originally scorpionfish, sea robin and European conger are simmered to create the flavorful broth. Rouille is a sauce made from breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron and chili peppers almost always served with Bouillabaisse as a garnish.

Roasted Rack of Lamb

Restaurant: Spark Woodfire Grill - Huntington Beach | Los Angeles

This New Zealand rack of lamb is "double cut", and frenched for a beautiful presentation. It is served on top of a minted walnut pesto and merlot demi-glaze. This dish pairs perfectly with merlot---of course. You can also have single cut chops and serve them "lolli-pop" style with different dipping sauces for parties. Frenching a rack of lamb can take some time and be a little difficult for the untrained. Buy them Frenched by a butcher for an easier time. Marinating them overnight in olive oil and rosemary will add another layer of flavor to this dish.

Dates Stuffed with Fresh Mozzarella

Restaurant: Cicada | Los Angeles

This hors d'oeuvre combines sweetness from the dates, creaminess from the fresh cheese, saltiness from the anchovy fillet and a nice kick from the ginger powder. There are many variations of this dish from wrapping the dates with bacon and stuffing them with blue cheese to deep frying them in tempura and filling them with goat cheese and pecans. These are easy to prepare and are great for parties and barbeques. Whatever flavor combination you like, spicy and sweet, sour and salty, there's an option for you.

Bone-In Rib Eye, Sicilian Style

Restaurant: Po Pazzo | San Diego

Po Pazzo has uniquely infused Italian zest to their signature steak, the Bone-In Rib Eye, Sicilian Style. Quite simple to recreate, this steak is made scrumptious by lightly being dusted with seasoned bread crumbs and parmesan cheese, making it the perfect addition to any Italian meal.

Farfalle Al Portobello

Restaurant: Antica Trattoria | San Diego

The Farfalle al Portobello is just one of many creative pasta dishes Executive Chef Francesco Basile offers at his La Mesa restaurant, Antica Trattoria. A harmonious combination of portobello mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and asparagus is complimented by a simple yet rich brandy cream sauce. While this dish calls for portobello mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and asparagus, feel free to substitute the fresh seasonal ingredients available to you at the time. Getting a taste of what tastes great at the time is the most important ingredient in any recipe. Try and pair this dish with a favorite white wine for a great food and drink experience.

Spicy Ahi Tower

Restaurant: Lido di Manhattan | Los Angeles

Perfect for summer, this appetizer is extremely easy to make, but is nonetheless bound to impress your dinner guests with its attractive presentation. Featuring Californian, Asian, French, and Italian influences, it's a firm favorite on the Lido menu.