George's at the Cove

Nestled in the crowd of restaurants that face the La Jolla cove ­ arguably the most beautiful spot in San Diego ­ George's at the Cove opened in this dreamy location over twenty years ago and has been receiving accolades ever since. It has remained the favorite destination and has garnered praise from Gourmet Magazine, Food & Wine Magazine, Bon Appetit, GQ Magazine, and the New York Times.

Both the managerial and the culinary forces at George's are highly esteemed: Founder and principal partner, George Hauer has the honor of receiving the Gold Medallion Special Achievement Award, the highest recognition from the San Diego Restaurant Association while Food & Wine Magazine tapped Executive Chef Trey Foshee as one of America 's Ten Best New Chefs for 1998. He also received GQ's Golden Dish Award and has appeared in Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure, Ski, and Gourmet Magazine.

George's at the Cove ensures its success by offering the right atmosphere for any occasion in its unique terraced structure. Whether you visit the Ocean View Terrace, the Pacific View Bar, or the dining room, you're sure to find something you'll enjoy. The terrace, an alfresco, casual dining experience, offers Chef Foshee's brilliant dishes in a more relaxed atmosphere while the main dining room balances casual elegance and commitment to service and fine dining.

The menu changes often, sometimes weekly, depending on the availability of produce from Chino Farms, San Diego's premiere source for organic vegetables. There is more stability during the summer months, but according to Chef Foshee, the autumn months bring more change to his kitchen. No matter, everything he creates is delicious.

I had spent some time in the Pacific View Bar, had quite a few dinners on the Ocean View Terrace, but had yet to dine in the main dining room. During the summer months, you have more chances to watch the sun sink below the horizon while you dine. Unfortunately, during the winter, your window of opportunity shrinks. As we arrived, we could still catch glimpses of light on the sea.

A few of the dishes we had were from the Fall Tasting Menu, which is available with or without wine pairings, either way is a great value. We started with the Chino Farms baby beet salad with arugula, orange oil, and feta puree and an appetizer of salmon smoked with orange tea served with potato blini, sake infused caviar over citrus cream, and onion sprouts.

The soups were both wonderful; the “deconstructed” caramelized onion soup made with a veal stock with sherry had a bit of a bite to it and was served with compte cheese and croutons. The sweet, perfect-for-fall, butternut squash soup was served with truffled mascarpone, shallot confit, and julienned apples.

The pan roasted halibut with a meyer lemon-caper sauce and served with a cauliflower puree, herb gnocchi, and toasted almonds was my favorite. The sesame crusted pan seared ahi served on a bed of wilted Asian greens with a shitake, garlic vinaigrette is a great option for those wanting to eat lean but rich.

The roasted lamb loin and the sweet, braised lamb shoulder was served with a golden raisin cous cous, baby spinach, yogurt, lamb jus, and curry ­ giving a bit of spice to the middle eastern inspired preparation. The tender, red wine, braised short ribs were served with smoked potato puree and roasted vegetables, all from Chino Farms.

Currently on the dessert menu, Chef Foshee is offering autumnal favorites like warm apple crisp, pumpkin bread pudding served with pecan praline ice cream, and candied pumpkin seeds, and cranberry poached seckel pears served with mascarpone mousse, toasted gingerbread, and candied ginger compote.

The wine list, given the award of excellence by Wine Spectator, is extensive, focusing on California wines. George's also offers private rooms and the option to book the entire restaurant. So whether you want to host a party for two, twenty, or four hundred, George's can accommodate you.