Addison San Diego

Nation's Restaurant News, Dec 18, 2006 by Lisa Jennings

The Grand Del Mar Resort & Spa, a posh property under construction in north San Diego County, is not expected to open until next year. But Addison, a luxurious fine-dining venue on the resort campus, opened in September.

The stand-alone restaurant is named for architect Addison Mizner, who is known for his signature Spanish/Mediterranean revival-style designs once popular in Florida.

Owner Doug Manchester, the principal behind Manchester Grand Resorts, which operates the resort, brought in William Bradley as executive chef. Bradley previously was the opening chef for the acclaimed Vu at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort in Arizona. Before that, he was a protege of chef James Boyce at the restaurants Mary Elaine's at The Phoenician in Phoenix and Azzura Point at Loews Coronado Bay Resort in Coronado, Calif.

Bradley's goal is to put Addison on the map as a culinary destination in Southern California, and his cuisine has already begun to win rave reviews. The menu at Addison is relatively short, drawing on "the simplicity and purity of ingredients," he says.

The a la carte menu lists five appetizer--or precourse--options, for example, followed by the choice of five entrees. A written tasting menu is offered with six courses for $160 with wine or $95 without.

"I don't believe in a really big menu," Bradley says. "I believe in a small, ever-changing menu that's really refined."

One of the most popular offerings at Addison is Bradley's "carte blanche" menu: eight courses of whatever the chef feels like preparing that night, taking into account patrons' allergies or food aversions. That dinner option is priced at $160 or more, depending on the wines selected, or $120 without wine.

"That's been a big seller," Bradley says. "I almost want to go out and hug all these people that order that menu."

The late-summer menu that Bradley opened with soon will change with the seasons. Some dishes, like the popular John Dory with vegetables a la grecque, capers, clams and tartar sauce, and a beef dish featuring both braised ribs and roasted tenderloin with smoked-potato puree and a shallot-scallion blanquette likely will remain on the menu.

New dishes, however, will include foie gras with a confit of quince, braised savoy cabbage and pain perdu; Taylor Bay scallops with candied chestnuts and soft creme fraiche; and a pecan-crusted duck with butternut squash puree and a pine nut and golden-raisin gingerbread stuffing.

Desserts by pastry chef Jack Fisher on the opening menu include figs with goat cheese gelato, vanilla tapioca with walnut sponge cake, and a parfait of lemon verbena, meringue and plum compote.

Bradley's team also includes Kemar Durfield as chef de cuisine and Jesse Rodriguez, formerly of The French Laundry in Napa Valley, as sommelier.

ljenning@nrn.com

AT A GLANCE

Cuisine: contemporary French with Mediterranean influences and an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients

Location: Grand Del Mar Resort & Spa

Phone: (858) 314-1900

Opened: September 2006

Seats: 80

Average per-person check: $120, including wine

Best-selling item: John Dory with vegetables a la grecque

Owner: Doug Manchester

Menu maker: William Bradley

Website: addisondelmar.com