DELIRIO'S
5721 La Jolla Blvd. La Jolla (858) 456-5821
The Bird Rock neighborhood of La Jolla has undergone extensive redevelopment over the past several years. Sections of La Jolla Boulevard were demolished, and completely rebuilt. The area now boasts European style traffic circles, modern condominium complexes, and several new restaurant ventures, including Delirio's. At the helm of this establishment's kitchen is Executive Chef Aaron La Monica, who previously worked under Michael Stebner's tutelage at both Nine-Ten and Region. Chef La Monica has created a menu that marries California cuisine with Baja ingredients and flavors. This struck me as an intriguing concept, so I recently visited Delirio's twice to get a feel for this style of fare.
Housed in the space that once hosted Cindy Black's, the front of the restaurant sports an intimate, candle lit bar area.
The attractive dining room features brick accents, mustard colored fabrics, and contemporary artwork.
Delirio's offers several dining options. You can order entrees and appetizers individually, or select one of three tasting menus. There is a three course Prix Fixe available Sunday through Thursday ($33), as well as the nightly five course "Trust the Chef" ($55), also offered with the addition of wine pairings ($75). Jerome Astolfi is General Manager and Wine Director at Delirio's. San Diego food acolytes may recognize Astolfi's name from his work at Nine-Ten, and more recently, as a member of the opening team for Jack's La Jolla. On my second visit I asked Mr. Astolfi to select pairings for my various courses, to be noted at the appropriate points in this column.
The meal gets rolling with an ever-changing Amuse Bouche.
On this evening house-made tortilla rounds were topped with avocado cream, braised pork, cilantro, and goat cheese crumbles. These made for tasty small bites, and I enjoyed the eye pleasing rectangular plate-ware.
Soon after, fresh french bread was served.
One item that caught my eye on the starters menu was Fritto Misto of Artichokes, Asparagus, Spring Onion, and Zucchini, served with Meyer Lemon, and Chipotle Aioli ($8). Wine Pairing: Piesporter Riesling Spatlese 2004, Germany.
The perfectly battered and fried vegetables were great alone, and even better with a squeeze of lemon, and a dip in the velvety, slightly smoky, aioli.
Of the two salads offered, I chose Baby Greens with Radish, Avocado, Blood Orange, and Goat Cheese ($9).
The tart blood oranges faced off well with the rich avocado and goat cheese flavors.
I also ordered Grilled Octopus with Salsa Verde, Olives, and Grilled Potato ($10).
Grilled octopus has the propensity to be tough and chewy, but my fears were allayed. The flesh was incredibly tender, and the excellent caper studded salsa was the perfect condiment. Octopus lovers should not miss this.
Another starter that drew my attention was the House-Made Chorizo with Basted Egg and Parmigiano Reggiano ($9).
Chef La Monica created the Salumi Program at Region, and the skills he acquired in that endeavor were apparent in this appetizer. The succulent sausage was skillfully spiced, and its heat was cleverly tempered by the soothing egg yolk. This might be the best chorizo I have ever had, making it another big winner from the starter list.
An appetizer I ordered on both of my visits was the Short Ribs Mole with Gremolata ($15). Wine Pairing: Hug Cellars Zinfandel 2005, Paso Robles.
In this version, the ribs were plated on a bed of new potatoes. I was pleased to find that the short ribs were falling apart tender, a welcome quality after a recent unpleasant experience at a different high end restaurant. I truly love a good mole, and Chef La Monica's rendition did not disappoint. It had an engaging spice complexity, with a firm chocolate component. The richness of the mole was well cut by the zesty gremolata. Deliro's short ribs are an exceptional appetizer, and a must for any mole fan. This dish is sometimes served with a mushroom risotto.
While the version with the new potatoes made for a more striking presentation, I could not help but miss Chef La Monica's perfect risotto, creamy, toothsome, and full flavored.
An entree special offered one night was Yukon River Salmon with New Potatoes, Haricot Vert, Dill, and Horseradish Cream ($24).
The ultra fresh salmon was cooked to a moist, medium rare. I really enjoyed its bold flavor with the smooth horseradish cream, crisp beans, and soft potatoes.
Another featured special was the Main Diver Scallops with Maitake, Beech, Porcini, and Chanterelle Mushrooms, Grilled Asparagus, and finished with a Beurre Blanc (Market). Wine Pairing: Dalton Estate Chardonnay 2004, Russian River.
These diver scallops had just the right sear, which developed a beautiful caramelized crust, yet preserved the buttery texture of their interiors. The beurre blanc heightened the taste experience without detracting from the flavor of the scallops. The unusual combination of exotic mushrooms took this dish over the top, making for an outstanding offering.
A regular on the entree list is the Brant New York Steak with Cremini Mushrooms, Braised Greens, and a Chocolate Cabernet Sauce ($30).
My steak was cooked to a juicy medium-rare, and possessed the beefy flavor you'd expect from a good New York cut. The chocolate cabernet reduction did a nice job of enhancing the flavor of the meat. Beef lovers take note, this is the entree for you.
On my second visit I ordered the Brant New York Steak with Morel Mushrooms, Braised Greens, Pickled Onions, and Twelve Year Old Balsamic Vinegar ($30). Wine Pairing: Chateau Ht Barreyre Bordeaux 2005, France.
Having enjoyed the steak so much on my first visit, I could not resist trying it again with my beloved morel mushrooms. This preparation had more of an acidic note, but the robust steak easily held its own with the vinegar and pickled onions. I actually preferred the chocolate cabernet to the balsamic vinegar, but in the end, the extravagant morels carried the day, as this incarnation proved to be my favorite of the two.
Another entree I just had to try was the Duroc Pork Porterhouse with Caponata, Achiote, Fennel Pollen, Squash Blossom, and Salsa Verde ($27).
Duroc pork has reddish flesh, and much more marbling than regular pork. My big chop had been marinated, and cooked to a perfect medium, which left it flavorful and bursting with juices (thats right folks, slamming heritage pork by overcooking is an equivalent sin to cooking USDA prime beef well done). The caponata, fried squash blossom, achiote, and parsley flavored salsa all joined together to give this dish a complex personality. This is an excellent entree that should not be missed.
My motto is "never pass on the cheese cart," so when dessert time arrived, it was the cheese plate for me. The cheeses were Roaring Forties Blue, Pecorino Ginepro, and Clochette. Accompaniments were dates, strawberries, honeycomb, and pickled onions. Wine Pairing: Chateau Cosse Sauternes 2005, Bordeaux, France. Suffice it to say, my dessert experience was luxurious.
Delirio's has a lot to offer the restaurant enthusiast. The intimate and well-appointed dining room provides a relaxing setting for a fine meal. Wine aficionados can experience some brilliant pairings if, as I suggest, they put themselves in Jerome Astolfi's most capable hands. The service under his watchful eye is knowledgeable, professional, prompt, yet inobtrusive. When it comes to the food, Chef La Monica has created a menu that is fresh and exciting. By combining California cuisine with the exhilarating flavors of Baja, Deliro's has adroitly distinguished itself from other area fine dining establishments. Incorporating high quality ingredients, flawless execution, and unique flavor profiles, Delirio's brings cuisine that is original and innovative to the San Diego dining scene.
Hours:
Friday, Saturday 6pm-10pm
Sunday 6pm-9pm
Monday Closed
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 6pm-9:30pm
Happy Hour 5pm-7pm
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