Elite Event: Elite Week At Prepkitchen La Jolla

AHHHH-​FREAKIN-​MAZING!
This was my first Unilocal Elite Event and I was so stoked that I got picked. I had my best friend come join me for brunch and we had some mimosas and wine. I had the passion fruit mimosa as well as the cucumber honey, but I would definitely recommend the passion fruit. We shared a smoked salmon benny, while he had the roasted beet and spinach salad and I had the tuna sandwich with shrimp and a side of chips (the server said he had never had anyone do that — add shrimp to their tuna sandwich, so he was intrigued to try it for himself). We ended with the bowl of fruit, because they didn’t really have much of a dessert option for that time of day. Which was fine though, because we were already so full.
Service was great, food was great, and an overall pleasing experience. First experience at Prepkitchen out of several more to come.

Prep Kitchen never fails me.
The La Jolla location is located behind Von’s. Nice outdoor patio seating with heat lamps to warm you up. We sat on the smaller patio area closer to the street. Tupac and I were greeted by a friendly young lady who actually ended up being our server. She was quick to say hello as she passed by and took the time to ask if we had reservations etc. then a young man returned and took over and he quickly seated us as soon as the table was available.
We had a total of 4 glasses of cabernet wine
Food:
— Cutting Board and
— Shrimp «Salpicon»
— Flat Iron Steak with Fries
— Fresh Catch Halibut
— Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream
We also bought a KITCHEN SIXER for the staff to enjoy a drink.
Service:
Jen was our server and she was very attentive to not just our table but to all the patrons sitting in her section.
Prep Kitchen always delivers yummy dishes. I will definitely return as often as I could.
Thank you to our fearless leader, Brad and Prep Kitchen La Jolla for an amazing experience.

OK, this might qualify as the best +1 Elite event I’ve ever been to in Honolulu or San Diego. Not only is Prepkitchen a delicious eatery in La Jolla, but the service and the Unilocal perks were top notch.
We walked up to the host desk, introduced ourselves as Unilocalers and we were seated immediately. We opted for al fresco dining since the weather lately has been so nice. Our server was very friendly and explained to us how to proceed with our meal. Brad left us a very nice love letter.
Unilocal perks of the evening:
Two alcoholic beverages per person
1 appetizer per person
1 entrée per person
1 dessert to share
What we ordered: Mimosas to start, beers with our meals
Appetizers: Mussels & the cutting board
Entrees: Lamb shank & Spare ribs
Dessert: Goat cheese torte
Verdict: Everything was delicious! We were stuffed after the appetizers but we kept eating because our entrees and the dessert were so yummy! Loved this event!
Huge thank yous to Unilocal,Brad & Prepkitchen!

Love! Love! Love! This location!!!
I have been to three Prep Kitchens and can atest that each one has its own feel. This location is more intimate and really makes use out its outside seating. Although I opted to sit inside as I get chilly and Camilla can get a little out of hand outside!
We were seated right away by the friendly staff. I totally forgot our servers name but she was amazing! She walked me through the menu like a pro and I felt like I wanted everything!!! Seriously the staff were amazing here and I never felt ignored.
All the food was amazing and this event was super generous. My mahi mahi was some of the best I have ever had. Camilla the Unilocaling Hen had to have the salted caramel brownie wrestled from her so that she didn’t eat too much.
Camilla spied her friend Jack The Godfather of Unilocal but was so full she could only send a text. Legend has it that if you dine in the same place as Jack that it adds «umami» to your meal. So much so that when restaurants know they are going to have an important critic come by they beg Jack to eat at their venue. Being an upstanding Unilocaler he declines their free offers. Some owners have been reduced to tears because of this.
I wouldn’t have come here if I was in the area because I thought I already knew what Prepkitchen was all about and maybe would have tried something new. However my mind has been changed. This is by far my favorite location and has a flair all it’s own while retaining the quality, fun, and excellent service the chain is know for.
Thank you Brad for your hard work getting this event together. Camilla felt special to read her Unilocal letter (no one tell her everyone got one k?)

Bravissimaaaa!
Great way to enjoy the benefits of being Elite. a few Elites had the privilege to be invited to Elite Week at PrepKitchen La Jolla and enjoy their wonderful food and hospitality.
It was a warm and lovely evening. Most people were stil out and about so the restaurant was not busy and the staff can indulge someone like me who talks and talks with fellow elites and takes his time to order.
Started with a drink — a light tasting beer recommended by my server as I waited for a fellow Unilocal Elite to join me. After he arrived, he was able to taste the wine he was thinking of before deciding on it. This type of service is not as common as you think anymore. After a short time, we ordered our appetizers (2), the charcuterie board and the artichoke as recommended by another friend sitting next to us. Both were a delight and truly delicious.
For entrees we ordered the flat iron steak and fries for my friend and the lamb shank for me. Truly another rewarding experience.
I have been to PrepKitchen Little Italy, Del Mar and now La Jolla. I truly can recommend the place for any time of the day, brunch, mid day snacks, happy hour and of course dinner.
Service was as always incredible.
Thank you Prepkitchen, WhiskNLadle Hospitality Group and Brad B/​Trish S for making this experiences love our local businesses.
What are you waiting for… go check them out yourself! And lastly don’t forget dessert… we didn’t! loved the budino!

What an extraordinary elite event!
How fortunate to have been treated to a full dining experience to one of the most well received restaurants in La Jolla? Lucky, lucky, lucky was I and my +1! We also scored on getting the first choice of date and time. Friday at 6:30pm. Yayyay!
When this much anticipated TGIF dinner finally arrived, I made sure I brought my appetite!
Here’s the breakdown of this extra-​ordinary dinner:
Drinks:
Sangria — Strong and yummy as our pre-​meal drinks.
Malbec and Pinot Noir– Paired wonderfully with our dishes.
Apps:
Mussels — That first slurp of that broth put a smile on my face. So flavorful and derlishious! The mussels were cooked perfectly while the fingerings gave some added filling to the dish.
Pork belly — I stay clear from most (not all) piggy dishes since I have a fascination for them as cute, little pink pet-​like creatures. But ohmygawd. This just can’t be past up. It melted in mouth. Oink. oink.
Entrée:
Lamb shank — So much food. Soo much; it was big enough for two! Most importantly, it was fantastic! Bold flavors burst in my mouth with each bite. Loved the kale! A very well executed dish for sure!
Flat iron steak — Simple and straight to the point with a pile high of french fries and salad. A satisfy dish that the +1 couldn’t even finish himself.
Dessert:
Budino — I have to say that I really am glad that I went with this. Light, chocolaty without it being heavy. It was the perfect way to close out on this exquisite experience.
I loved how everything flowed well throughout the night. Katie, our beautful server didn’t miss a beat! She always walked up with her beaming smile while Jeffrey, who did the occassional check-​ins, was fun and left us with a few giggles. I can not thank Prepkitchen and Brad enough. This was way generous but proved to be something that’ll be worth coming back and paying for ourselves. But as for now, I will lovingly have great memories (and plenty of leftovers) of this night because of you! Thank you, thank you!

Hello, Al. It was a business doing pleasure with you, as you said! Blame it on my 2^nd Passion fruit vanilla mimosa if I indulged in sinful pleasures. Vin S and I were entertained by your witty conversation as we devoured our 4 choices from the best menu in La Jolla! I felt smoking hot even before my Smoked Salmon Benedict arrived. My eggs were poached perfectly, and the dill hollandaise sauce added a dash of courage to the entrée, which sat atop crunchy hash browns, and the entire creation was topped with arugula.
Vin S ordered the Huevos Rancheros with pepper jack, avocado, cilantro & lime, thanks to your recommendation, Al. I had a taste, and it had fantastic flavor and good textures.
The passion fruit mimosa combines a tart start with a smooth vanilla finish, and it’s my new favorite mimosa.
By the time my Ricotta Stuffed French toast arrived, Al, we learned to my surprise that you weren’t actually part of the Unilocal Elite event. You were a customer of Prepkitchen La Jolla who happened to be seated near us! We hope you decide to become an active Unilocaler, as you have exquisite taste, and you are great company! Best of luck in the next chapter of your life. Unilocal is delightfully contagious, so be aware! (-;
Our sweet server also brought us donut holes, and a glass of ice so I could make iced coffee on this very hot Saturday! I always enjoy exceptional service at Pk La Jolla.
The owner, David Balanson, the staff of Prepkitchen La Jolla, and Brad B and Estefany put together an incredibly generous Unilocal Elite event! Vin S and I were able to choose 2 menu items per person from the entire brunch menu, and 2 drinks as well! Coffee was also complimentary, and banana bread and scones were offered while we waited, since the computers were down at first. The wait was short, and the staff was exceptionally accommodating. Note that if you choose dessert, that counts as one of your 2 items on the brunch menu. Vin S and I are both elite, so I’m not sure if the offerings are different for an elite dining with a non-​elite Plus 1 guest. I AM positive that this was a generous, welcoming, and very successful Elite event!
Gary R, it was great to meet you in person!
Nicole F, I’m glad you enjoyed your first Elite Event, and hope to see you again!
Steve F, it’s always a pleasure to see you, and be sure to spoil Kathy! (-;

My God.
I started making full-​drunk calls after this event. It wasn’t the alcohol that hit me, just the amount of freaking good food. I was delirious afterwards.
Okay let’s talk food:
Drinks. Nice sangria to start the night, then a great zin with my lamb. which I will get to.
Mussels. awesome. but what was awesomer? the friggin rich, fragrant broth. I wanted to drink it all up in sloppy slurps. Thank God for bread. It was at this point, I said in my head, «screw my low carb diet».
Lamb shank. AAAAAH SHANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LAMB SHANKS, PREP KITCHEN. It comes down with gravitas and force in a heavy cast iron dish. It’s served on a bed of polenta that has been drizzled with jus from the lamb shank… OH GOD THAT GIANT SHANK. huge. Intimidating. tender. falling off the bone. And let’s not forget the kale and raisins, which cut the richness of the lamb.
BUDINOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. served in a mason jar. basically a glorified molten brownie in a mason jar, served with whipped cream, crispy chocolate balls and salted caramel gelato. Perfect little treat to end this perfect event.
Let’s not forget about the cool elites I got to hang out with who looked really good being elite with bow ties and all… I was impressed.
Okay time to take a jog to run off all the decadence I had last night.

This is for Day 3 of the Event and the five star ratings from the previous days still held up. This was one of the sit down events that I’m glad I didn’t miss. It was a full on meal with drinks! We had the table of 6 and we all went communal on the appetizers, so we got to try a bunch of the appetizers. We tried the cutting board, fried artichoke, mussels, pork belly, and caesar salad. All were fantastic, especially the pork belly. For the main course, i had the catch of the day which was the Mahi Mahi and it was grilled perfectly over a bed of veggies. I came into the event thinking I would have to consider it a cheat meal, but most of it was pretty clean, so that was definitely a plus!
Service was on point as our server was knowledgeable about the menu, prompt, and checked up on us frequently to make sure everything was ok.
Brad joined our table after he made his rounds and it was nice to see him more relaxed and just hang out at the event. It was one of those elite events where you can sit down and get to know some of the elites and our CM; definitely appreciate these.
Brad, you always pull some magic with these events. No idea how you were able to pull off an entire week here. Thanks again for an amazing event. Thanks to Prep Kitchen and the staff for taking care of us.

This is by far the best Elite event I have ever attended.
I attended with my brother. We found great street parking right across the street, but this area does get busy so plan ahead. We told them we were Unilocal and we were immediately seated on the patio which was perfect because it was a beautiful warm and sunny day. The host presented us with an envelope with a greeting and kind details from our illustrious leader Brad B.
Our server, Katie came by and introduced herself and presented us with menus. On a side note. Shout out to Katie! She was an outstanding server and helped make the experience that much more memorable.
The craft beer selection was awesome! A lot of beers that I have not tried. I had the Saison and my brother had the Mt. Figuorea Red Ale for the first round. Both were great beers. We had the pork belly and the shrimp as the appetizers. The shrimp was super fresh, served ceviche style with chopped veggies and plenty of fresh avocado. The pork belly was the best damn pork belly I’ve ever had and that says a lot. It was glazed and covered with fresh sliced strawberries and had an amazing sauce. I will be back just for the pork belly!
For the second round we got the boulevard IPA and the Golden Road Get Up Offa That Brown. Love that name! Two more really good beers but I would pick the Saison out of the bunch.
For the mains we had the short rib and the corvina. My brother said the short rib was outstanding! It was served boneless with a mashed potato and some root veggies. My corvina was amazing!!! It was served with a potato purée, sautéed spinach and an sauce to die for. The plating by the chefs was just beautiful (check out my pics).
For the dessert we had the Warm Chocolate Budino which is a warm chocolate cake drizzled with sauce and topped with gelato. It was delicious! I was so impressed by anything I bought the kitchen a round of drinks (its an option on the dessert menu!). After that meal, they definitely deserved it!
Overall, I reiterate my point that this was an amazing elite dining experience. Although I did miss interacting with my fellow elites, Brad B and Jennifer N. were there to keep me honest! I was impressed by all aspects of Prep Kitchen La Jolla. The professionalism of the staff and execution of this restaurant concept was flawless. The service was outstanding and John, the manager, stopped by to make sure our experience was outstanding. I have not been to any of the sister restaurants yet, but they are now on my radar.
Stay sexy fellow Unilocalers!

Well, 6 years and 630 reviews later, I finally made it to an Elite Event! Hooray for me (and my taste buds and stomach)! Me and my wife just had an AMAZING dinner at Prepkitchen. It was our first date out since the birth of our son back in January too. It couldn’t have been better timing and at the end of the night we couldn’t have asked for anything else. We had a GREAT night out!
We drove down the 52 and got into La Jolla around 7:30 or so. We found parking about a block down which was sweet! We made our way up to the restaurant and checked in at the podium. We were a few minutes early and we took a seat. Soon thereafter we were being led to our table outside on the patio. This place is pretty cozy. You are close to your neighbors but not right on top of them. The inside looked a little more tight. I’m glad we got to sit outside. I was facing the street and got to people watch for a bit. One of the hosts brought over the Unilocal envelope and I cracked it open and read Brads message. Big Props to Brad for hooking this up! Thanks dude!
Our server Jen came over and introduced herself. She brought with her a carafe of their cucumber water. It was refreshing. She went over the menu and answered a couple of questions we had. During that time we also placed our drink order. I got a lemonade and my wife got a glass of their sangria. When Jen bought back the drinks, we placed our order for our food. We went with appetizers of The Cutting Board and Mussels. For our main dishes my wife went with the Marys Chicken and I went with the Porter Braised Short Rib. I was thinking about going with the burger but that will have to wait until the next time I come back. A little while later the food started to come out. Here is how everything tasted…
Mussels– Damn! These things were great! You got a whole huge bowl full of them. I would guess at least 2 dozen mussels. They were swimming in a nice spicy broth and were absolutely delicious. You could see the chili flakes distributed nicely. Gave them a nice little kick. They were great!
Cutting Board– This wooden paddle came out filled with goodies. The salamis tonight were double calabrese and some other kind (I forgot what it was). The calabrese was great. Just spicy and fatty enough. The other kind of meat was a little bit greasier and much thinner. I preferred the calabrese. The board also came with 3 kinds of cheese (cow, goat and sheep) The cows milk cheese tasted like butter. no real «cheese» taste to it but it was still soft and good on bread. The goat and sheeps cheese had nice texture to them and had good bite. This board also had raisins, walnuts and fresh pickles too. It was very tasty and everything was great except that one meat that was too greasy.
Marys Chicken– My wife got this dish (I ate a lot of it though). This is a split half chicken laid on top of some great mashed potatoes surrounded by peas. I hate peas but still had a few of these. They were crisp and not soggy. The chicken was juicy and moist. The skin was fantastic. I even tasted like a bit of maple in it, somewhere… couldn’t pinpoint it but kind of reminded me of a maple sausage link. It was very unique and extremely delicious!
Porter Braised Short Rib– This will sound ridiculous, but its true. I had never had a short rib dish before tonight. When it arrived at the table, it kind of looked and felt like pot roast nuggets. Here is the thing… I am not a big fan of pot roast. Too soft and bland sometimes. One bite in to these short ribs and I could instantly tell that I was going to love them. The meat was so soft and tender you didn’t need your knife. There were 8 or so chunks of short rib placed atop some mashed potatoes and then paired with carrots, onions and mushrooms. All of this was covered in a semi sweet and hearty sauce. It was VERY good. I was highly impressed! I finished that bowl in no time at all. Every flavor blended well and it was a fantastic dish!
We finished our food and it was time for dessert. We ordered 2 things off the dessert menu. We got a Warm Chocolate Budino and a Kitchen Sixer (6 pack of beer for the guys in the kitchen… it was the least I could do for preparing such a great meal. Cheers fellas!)
Chocolate Budino– This was kind of a take on a chocolate lava cake. It came in a little cup with the cake on the bottom, gelato on top and then it was coated with these little crunchy candy pieces (same texture as Whoppers candy but without the malted flavor… they were straight chocolate). We woofed this thing down and were on our way.
Big THANK YOU to Jen and the staff at Prepkitchen. Every single person we interacted with was extremely friendly and helpful. The food was delicious and best of all, it was on the house. Can’t beat that! Thank you Brad! Thank you Prepkitchen! My first Elite Event was definitely a memorable one!

This event reminds me that I need to get caught up with my reviews and actually write one for the Prep Kitchen I’ve been to. It was the first time I’ve been to the one in La Jolla and was excited to be here for dinner since I’ve been to the one in Little Italy for brunch.
After finding parking down the street, I walked over and got to meet CM Brad for the first time. I was really excited to enjoy this dinner with some Elites. Turns out that Brad was joining us at our table, totally awesome.
Since we were the cool kids who didn’t RSVP with a +1, we got the honors of hanging out with Brad for the whole night. Hey, I’m not complaining!
To start, I got the passionfruit vanilla mimosa. Delicious and really was refreshing! I thoroughly enjoyed it after a long day at work. It was funny when our waitress told me that the black specks were vanilla bean and for me not to fret. Nice touch! ;)
APPETIZERS:
We all decided to order something different so we can share it, family style! Great idea because we got a taste of most of the appetizers.
We got the Cutting Board with amazing cheeses, bread and cured meats.
The mussels which had fingerling potato chips and the sauce was to die for. Our waitress was wonderful enough to bring by some more bread for us to sop up all the broth.
Bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese. Now, I’ve had bacon wrapped dates, I make it at home. But the blue cheese really took it to another level!
Honey glazed chicken wings was another appetizer. The taste of thyme on the wings really added another layer of flavor. Seriously! Sweet, savory, sticky, all in one bite! Perfection!
Then of course, we got the sloowwww.roasted.pork.belly. It was to.die.for. The strawberries that accompanied the pork belly was a nice touch. First off, I’ve never had green strawberries and red strawberries on the same plate. Then to have it with something so savory like pork belly, now that’s something new to me! I loved it though, delicious bite after bite.
ENTREE:
I had to get the lamb shank, it sounded too delicious to not go with that. It was served over polenta, kale and golden raisins. There was a party on my platter. Sweet, savory, crunchy, chewy, creamy all in one plate. It was heaven!
DESSERT:
Dessert came around and I barely had any room left in my stomach for a big, decadent dessert, so I went with the salted caramel gelato. Holy mother! Our waitress informed us that it’s made by a local guy from Gelato Bus stop. He gets his gelato equipment from Italy. SOLD! I’m in! I had the first bite and I was taken to a moment in Florence, Italy when I strolled the streets of Italy with gelato in one hand.
From start to finish, our meal was amazing. Company was wonderful. Our waitress was so great, the $ 8 worth of cash I had wasn’t enough to tip her. I added more on my card.
Great event, Brad! Thank you! I think he did an amazing job pulling this together. I loved how laid back it was and it wasn’t loud and hectic. It was relaxing, actually and it was a great way to end my day.

I’m such a lucky girl! I was kindly invited to be a +1 to this event by my buddy, Soo.
Soo arrived a few minutes before me and got us a table inside. We were a little early for our 6PM reservation but there was no hesitation is getting us seated immediately.
Our server Katie came over and welcomed us. She took my drink order of a Cucumber Honey Mimosa and returned with it and some bread & butter quickly. This was quite refreshing in the crazy warm weather we were experiencing.
She went over the days specials and Soo decided on getting the Mahi-​Mahi Catch of Day entrée. His starter was the Pork Belly served with a glaze & strawberries.
I chose the cheese stuffed, bacon-​wrapped dates with Arugula to start and the Braised short rib as my main course. Before my meal came out I went ahead and ordered the Peach & Lime mimosa to try next. This drink was a little too sweet and since Soo wasn’t drinking, I indulged and got another of the Cucumber Honey Mimosas later in the meal.
The dates were perfect. They weren’t overly glazed or too sweet, just right. My short ribs were served with mashed potatoes & carrots. The short ribs were divine! The meat was so soft, it literally melted in my mouth. It was a nice sized portion, big enough for me to share with Soo.
Brad was milling around the tables and made his way over to us before the dessert came over. He told us about all the yummy stuff he had so far this week. We suggested he try the short ribs. He slipped us some Intel on one of the next Unilocal events (open to non-​elites) that he is in the middle of planning and I have no doubt that it will be one to go down in History!
To end the meal we shared the Trio of Ice cream. On a day as warm as yesterday, it was the best choice for us. They substituted the Chocolate ice cream out and gave us the Pineapple sorbet instead. It was served with a soft shortbread type of cookie which was pretty yummy. My favorite of the three was the salted caramel.
We had a the GM stop by our table to check in on us. He along with the rest of the staff were great. I saw Katie being very attentive to not only us Unilocalers, but to all the other guests seated inside. The staff treated us like VIPs.
I will be by again to devour a WNL Burger and a warm brownie!
Thanks again Soo, & Thank You Brad for working your magic on a sit down Unilocal event. San Diego is lucky to have you as our CM.

Once again, Brad B has outdone himself, this time with the help of the lovely Estefany and, of course, the entire Prepkitchen staff! This was my first sit-​down Unilocal Elite event, and I felt pampered the whole time! Not only was the food outstanding, but the attentive service and wonderful atmosphere is hard to beat! In addition, there was a welcome letter to each group written by Brad himself. Nice touch, oh classy one!
The lovely evening began when my girflriend and I arrived at Prepkitchen, and David the owner was at the host/​hostess stand ready to meet and seat us. We asked if we could blend our reservation with that of Mercy B and her friend, which was no problem at all! We decided to dine in a scenic and cathartic area outside, which was a great choice. The weather was warm and pleasant, and we could also people-​watch.
Our server, Jen, served us water that has essence of cucumber, which adds a nice touch. Then I ordered a glass of Zinfandel, and didn’t even notice until afterwards that it’s made by Boneshaker (I ride a boneshaker, btw). It was so good that I ordered another one rather than changing to another wine. My girlfriend had the Peach Mimosa, which was very tasty.
Our group started with the charcuterie board, which was fantastic! It comes with house-​made cuts of meat, three cheeses, raisins, sliced cucumber, a variety of olives, and three sauces — whole grain mustard, dijon mustard, and an olive tapanade. There was also a generous portion of french bread, which I used as the base for the ingredients. No matter what I mixed together, the result was yummy!
We also had the bacon-​wrapped dates, which is basically adult candy! This is such a delicious combination of savory and sweet that I could have it for dessert! The last appetizer our table had was the mussels, which were perfectly cooked and served in a tasty broth suitable for dipping.
On to the entrees! My girlfriend had the chicken, which was tender and juicy with a nice crispy skin on top. It was served on garlic mashed potatoes with the most flavorful fresh peas that I’ve ever had! I ordered the lamb shank over polenta with braised kale and golden raisins, and it was so tender that it fell off the bone! We were more than satisfied with these awesome entrees!
For dessert we shared the Goat Cheese Torte with Huckleberry Compote and Key Lime Curd. I really liked how it was very flavorful without being overly-​sweet! One of the other desserts ordered was the chocolate brownie with salted caramel. She added a scoop of vanilla gelato, which made is like a decadent sundae. It was very rich, but not overly chocolaty, which let the other flavors shine on their own.
All in all, this was a truly epic night of decadence that this foodie will remember for a long, long time! Kudos to Brad B, Esefany, David the owner, and the staff at Prepkitchen. You have all truly outdone yourselves, and I will definitely go back for many meals in the future!

Yeah… thanks to Prepkitchen, the IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) Diet just wasn’t happening. It was completely ruined by an overload of exquisite, culinary perfection. What’s that mean in layman terms? So much friggin’ good food that you just can’t stop eating. A common case of your eyes being bigger than your stomach syndrome… well almost.
Luckily I balanced this King Leonidas worthy meal with a strenuous high intensity workout earlier in the day. I mean, because calories burned are calories earned right? Okay, okay. Who am I kidding? I caved. I ate everything in sight and the truth is… I’d do it again.
Thanks to Brad and the owners/​staff at Prepkitchen, this event was another one that left a very fortunate group of Elites both spoiled and stuffed. The Prepkitchen team really delivered both on the service aspect as well as the culinary side. Our server (Giovana?) was truly outstanding. She was helpful, cheerful, informative and full of positive energy that was just fantastic. Between everybody in our group we tried just about all the appetizers as well as the entrees greatest hits.
Here’s my take on what I sampled:
Bacon Wrapped Dates with Bleu Cheese: Are you kidding me? These were ridiculously good! Sweet dates, paired with cheese and bacon? How can it not bee good?
Cutting Board: This thing has just about everything you’d need to whet your appetite for the entrees granted you still have room. This thing is loaded with thinly sliced meats, chunks of cheese, slices of bread, walnuts, olives, sweet peppers and some other stuff I just can’t remember. Loved it.
Mussels: I’m not a mussels/​oyster kind of guy so I didn’t try these but they were definitely a hit. Everyone in the group loved them and the leftover sauces and juices were perfect for dipping the bread.
Pork Belly: Yes. Simply delicious. I only had a small bite but I wish I would have ate more before it got gobbled up.
My entrée was the Flat Iron Steak & Fries. The steak was cooked a perfect, juicy, medium rare and was fantastic. There was a very generous amount of fries with the order as well. Definitely a worthy meal and as close to a clean post workout meal as I was going to get for the night… until dessert.
CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL & PECAN BROWNIE A LA MODE. DO IT AND DON’T THINK TWICE! Yes I capitalized that for major emphasis on how insanely good it was. I went into the dinner with the plan that I going to skip dessert… Like I said, I caved when I was presented with the option. You just can’t help it so why bother? It’s like kryptonite.
Major thanks the group I was seated with: Brad B, Cindy, Peijean, & Heather. I think I’m forgetting a name somewhere but either way, every single one of you were a pleasure to share a table with. Hope to see you guys at the next event.
Anyway. A million thanks to Brad as well as to the owners and staff of Prepkitchen for putting on this event. I love Prepkitchen and the effort by their team just made it an outstanding night. Since we are on the verge of summer, I can’t wait to drop by for brunch or dinner here for a perfect beach day.
It was a good day.

This place is every fat kids heaven! We started our night with a friendly greeting from John himself. His smile and easy going attitude started our evening right. We were seated inside at a cozy table for two by the window. Our waitress Gianna gave us a menu and some refreshing cucumber water. John gave us a letter from none other than our fearless leader Brad.
As much as I wanted it to be a letter from a secret admirer… It wasn’t. It was Brad telling us how good we had it a at prep kitchen. We started our evening out with the mimosas. Cucumber honey and the peach goodness one. They were both heavenly! As we sipped our drinks we ordered the appetizers. Crispy artichokes and of course the meat and cheese plate… yes the Cheeeeeeeeeese! So good! Not too greasy and a nice mix of meats cheeses olives and other goodness.
I got the flank steak with fries, my date got the short rib with mashed potatoes. My steak was cooked to perfection and went so well with the reduction. I’m still drooling. The meat on my dates plate was so tender it melted in my mouth. We made no noise while we enjoyed our food occasionally making eye contact to exchange a brief smile of approval. Gianna came to check on us worried by the silence,
We ended our night with a chocolate budini… Sorry this didn’t make it to a photograph. It is definitely worth getting! Melting chocolate goodness in your mouth! Thank you Gianna and John you guys made our night. Icing on the cake was getting to see Brad, Conrad and his lovely wife. Thank you Brad for all you do we love you!

And I wonder
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I’ll ever ask of you
You’ve got to promise not to stop when I say when
Foo Fighters — Everlong
The scent of fresh bread is in the air. :-) Nice crunchy crust and smooth, sweet center. :-) Mmm… This is good bread. :-)
Next came the slow roasted pork belly. The scent of the roasted pork and the sweet glaze was heavenly just like the flavor. :-) Loved how those flavors mixed together in the perfect blend of savory with a touch of sweetness. Wonderous how the texture of the crunchy belly and the crispy meat combined in my mouth. :-)
My entrée was the fresh catch of the day which was mahi mahi this day. The mahi mahi was cooked to perfection with an excellent crust from the grill, salt, and pepper. The inside was moist and full of flavor. I have tried making this dish with fresh mahi mahi from Ranch 99 but it has never turned out this well.
I also tried my friend Sabrina’s beef short rib. It was a delicious mix of beef and unknown spice flavors. So good! The beef was melt in your mouth tender. :-)
The sweet ending came with the gelato trio. The vanilla was creamy with a burst of delicious vanilla flavor. The salted caramel was a sweet rich blend of cream and caramel. The pineapple sorbet had delicious pineapple bits throughout.
Katie provided service with a smile which was excellent and I really love the cool outdoor area. :-)
This was the best meal I have ever had courtesy of Unilocal and the awesome staff and management of Prepkitchen. Thanks for setting up this awesome event Brad! :-)
I’m coming back to see if it can be this good again. :-)

One of my favorite events! E V E R! I got a full meal all to myself, plus drinks. It was a great way to really sit and try out the menu. I chose the perfect night and time, we were seated outside on the patio and with the burners on, it was beautiful.
Now the menu. The sangria was okay but the mimosas were the best. The shrimp appetizers was good at first, the mix of avocado and queso fresco was refreshing, until I noticed one of the pieces of shrimp was undercooked… the wings were good, sweet and mega messy… For my entrée I chose the flatiron steak, it was great and the watercress salad was a great accompaniment. I almost wish there was more of the salad than the heaping pile of frites. My plus one chose the WNL burger, it was huge and delicious (yes, I got to try a bite) And just when I thought the eating was over, NOPE, dessert time! We shared the budino and it was absolutely perfect. Warm, almost brownie like and topped with cream AND caramel gelato. AH-​mazing!
The atmosphere at Prepkitchen was awesome. and my meal was even more so.
Thanks for such a memorable evening!

WONDERFUL… WONDERFUL…and oh so WONDERFUL!
Arrived at 6 and it was great to see Brad and met the manager Jon, who I spoke with earlier to confirm our reservation. Even though it was a nice evening, we opted to eat inside, and the nice thing was that we were the only ones, so it was like having our own dining room. Our wonderfully friendly server, Gianna, welcomed us and explained the menu, hinting at what are her favorites.
We started with the cutting board which came with three delicious cheeses and three different salamis. There were also some dried on vine grapes, assorted olives, walnuts, and arugula. An olive tapenade and two different mustards came with. What I really liked was that the board was «prepped» with olive oil, a very nice touch. We also couldn’t resist the bacon wrapped dates, stuffed with bleu cheese… delicious and decadent! Cut them in half and let them cool first!
I couldn’t decide between Mary’s Chicken, the lamb shank, or the braised short rib.
Gianna: When will you cook a lamb shank? You’ll have to come back for the chicken.
Sold on the shank, which was tender and served on top of creamy polenta and tasty kale!!! The partner had the flat iron steak grilled perfectly and nice thin crispy fries. The seasoning on the steak had a delicious unique flavor. Both entrees were «prepped» wonderfully and paired nicely with the Malbec and Meritage wines! We ended the meal with the suggested rich, dense brownie with salted caramel and pecans, topped with vanilla gelato.
We told both Jon and Gianna that we were going to add PK La Jolla to our Tuesday rotation. We normally don’t get up this way, but what a great place to come to! Thank you both so much for your warm hospitality. We can’t wait to come back!
Thank you Brad for setting up this amazing week! Great seeing you Heather and Cindy!

What a great concept! Be prepare to be a gluttonous fattie. You get the real restaurant experience with this amazing event!
You walk in and David, the manager, greets and shakes your hand and directs you to a table. Then comes a Unilocal love letter from yours truly Brad.
You and a plus one: 2 apps, 2 entrees, 2 drinks per person, and 1 dessert to share. AWESOME. Can this be any better? Unilocal elite heaven? Now is the time to start Unilocaling you plus ones! (erhm, Colin A). Anything on the menu is free game. So get your fattie ass bib on and feast.
–Cutting board (strong flavors, 2 types of salamis, olives, 3 different cheeses, raisins, olive tapenade, pickles)
–Steam local mussels (broth is SOO good)
–Flat Iron Steak (steak had this unique flavor to it, very good)
–WLN burger (with egg)
–Warm chocolate budino (very light and just right)
–2 sangris, 2 chianti (excellent)
BILL: $ 122, DISCOUNT ELLITE: 100% Total: $ 0 TIP: 30%, yup, they truly deserve it.
What a treat it is for Unilocalers and their lucky plus ones! Thank you Prepkitchen and Brad for such a UNIQUE experience.