Restaurant- Cucina Urbana

We have a new favorite restaurant in San Diego!

For our anniversary (23rd) dinner we tried Cucina Urbana (http://www.sdurbankitchen.com/cucina-urbana.html), and all I can say is WOW! Actually, I have a lot more to say, but that is my short reaction to this new place, that opened recently, taking the place of the upscale Laurel restaurant.

First a little back story. In this economy, the owners of Laurel (though it was a highly rated and reviewed place) knew they could not sustain the place. So, while they still could, they decided to change it out to make it more economically viable. They have no entree over $20 bucks. They have a wine shop, with wines at retail, and a $7 corkage fee if you drink it there. It is more casual, with a neighborhood feel and a bar that has really new a refreshing drinks. The menu is California-Italian bistro, and we want to go back and try more! Because EVERYTHING we had was fantastic!

So, we started with Sharlynn selecting the wine. She went with a more expensive bottle, but one that was really nice, Primo I think it was, at $27. Remember that when it gets to our total bill. I also had a cocktail, the rosebud at the suggestion of our very nice waiter. It is vodka, muddled watermelon and a rosemary sprig, and de'lish!

I had heard about an appetizer here and we ordered it to start our meal. It is fried squash blossoms stuffed with herbed ricotta, served on a purple basil pesto with a light lemon dressing, and it is to die for! We were craving it the next day. Elegant, lightly fried and perfectly prepared, this type of dish is why you go out and eat. The stalks were like perfect asparagus, and the stuffed blossoms were mouth wateringly good. Not too much pesto, just a taste for each bite! It was as good as anything I have eaten. Seriously!

Our entrees? Sharlynn had the ‘duroc’ pork chop ‘milanese’, a pounded lightly breaded chop, served with marinated artichoke and a grilled, thick slice of heirloom tomato. Really tasty! Mine was a taste feast. The flavors burst in my mouth with every bite! The goat cheese + lemon ravioli with a corn puree, spring onions and pistachio oil had every taste sensation you could think of! Oh my god it was good! The sweetness of the corn puree, the tartness of the goat cheese, the brightness of the lemon...Ahhhhhhh! LOL!

I did order another cocktail during dinner, because there are so many unique ones there. It was the cucina 'rita. A mixture of tequila, amaretto, ginger syrup and white peach puree, it was great. Definitely a drink if you want to get a girl a little loopy! Because she could sock these down no problem, but it packs a punch! Nice third date drink! (Or as our waiter joked, in the '80's, a first date drink! HA!)

We went all out and split a dessert. It was a grilled peach with a blueberry panna cotta, and again, it was perfect!

The staff here were all very nice, we liked our waiter very much. We got there early, about 5:30 with no reservations and were lucky to be seated on a Tuesday night. If we were planning again, we would make reservations, because by the time we left, every table was taken. You can sit at the bar and order anything from the menu though, a nice option.

This was one of the best dinners we had had out! With the bottle of wine, 2 cocktails, an appetizer, entrees, dessert, it all came in for under $120. Not too bad for a celebratory night out! And a wonderful meal! And we could easily cut a lot off that tab!

We will go back. It is highly and enthusiastically recommended!