Nine-Ten
910 Prospect St., (858) 964-5400. B-L-D daily; $$$. This exceptional restaurant is situated off the lobby of The Grande Colonial hotel.
Nine-Ten features lively action and a sidewalk view in a dining area beside the front bar. Additionally, a sedate back dining room on an open-air terrace provides a modest ocean view. Chef Jason Knibb is king of the kitchen, assisted by Pastry Chef Rachel King, who is queen of the desserts. Dishes are highly creative, presentations are beautiful, and flavors surprise the palate. Everyone gets a basket of superb housemade lavash cracker bread and must restrain themselves from eating every crumb so as to leave room for the feast to follow.
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| interior of Nine-Ten restaurant in La Jolla, California |
Nine-Ten features lively action and a sidewalk view in a dining area beside the front bar. Additionally, a sedate back dining room on an open-air terrace provides a modest ocean view. Chef Jason Knibb is king of the kitchen, assisted by Pastry Chef Rachel King, who is queen of the desserts. Dishes are highly creative, presentations are beautiful, and flavors surprise the palate. Everyone gets a basket of superb housemade lavash cracker bread and must restrain themselves from eating every crumb so as to leave room for the feast to follow.
My dinner began with a gorgeous salad composed of beets of many colors.
Then came a pretty and delicious and perfectly cooked wild-caught salmon steak with black morels and a bed of sweet corn kernels.
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| beet salad at Nine-Ten restaurant in La Jolla, California |
Then came a pretty and delicious and perfectly cooked wild-caught salmon steak with black morels and a bed of sweet corn kernels.
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| salmon with black morels at Nine-Ten restaurant in La Jolla, California |
Dessert was a refreshing, very unusual, and again pretty and tasty basil panna cotta with blueberry meringue, fresh peaches, and nectarine sorbet.
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| basil panna cotta at Nine-Ten restaurant in La Jolla, California |
The entire meal was definitely not the usual. A bar menu is also available; stand-out items include a charcuterie plate, lamb meatballs, and a burger with housemade pickles. Happy Hour runs Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 pm.
images ©2014 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
The meal looks absolutely divine - especially your beet salad - and what a presentation.
ReplyDeleteIt all looks good but I specially like the idea of basil panacotta - it sounds so unusual.
ReplyDeleteWow, that food looks stunning and delicious I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteThese dishes certainly are creative. They look delicious. I love the presentation of the beet salad.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get back to Cali! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe name of the restaurant "Nine-Ten" is unusual and it makes me wonder if there's a story behind it. The beet salad is beautifully composed and the rest of the meal looks like so much care was taken to present it attractively. My mouth is watering imagining the salmon and dessert with blueberry meringue!
ReplyDelete910 is the street address.
ReplyDeleteThe presentation of the food looks simply amazing!
ReplyDeleteMost of these exceptional dinners have raised the bar of presentation to an art form.
ReplyDeleteIs it dinner time yet?
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy a blog on food and great places to find it!!
ReplyDelete