Elite Event: Elite Week At Blue Point Coastal Cuisine

Guilty as charged. I am one of those who have frequented this fine San Diego Gaslamp Quarter and walked past Blue Point to check out some trendy hotspot that no longer exists.
So glad that I had an opportunity to enjoy a fancy evening with a five-​course tasting menu. Our waiter, Dave, took care of everything. The wait service is strong with this one. He extensively knew the menu and highlighted each course along with the wine pairing particulars.
To single out a favorite dish, when all are enjoyable in their own way, is tough, like choosing a favorite child, or picking only one item from the prize bin. Even, my dining companion who admittedly isn’t fond of mushrooms thought the ravioli dish was great. No leftovers tonight. Just empty plates.
I would definitely enjoy another visit here again. Service was on point and the meal was delicious. With so many wine pairings, our initial cocktails eventually watered down. Dave graciously offered to refresh the drinks. Win.
Thank you to the team at Blue Point Coastal Cuisine for a wonderful evening, and of course, another big thank you to our awesome Unilocal CM, Brad, for coordinating another classy Elite Event.
Cheers!

Another excellent Unilocal Event as usual! However, this time breaks the tradition to host the event throughout the whole week and allows Elites who were confirmed to bring a +1. I want to thank my fellow Elite, Ryan, for inviting me to share this amazing event.
It was my first time visiting Blue Point. I was expecting to be a high-​end restaurant since it’s located right on the Market St. and 5^th Ave. We were seated right the way when we arrived at the reservation time. The booth was set near the bar for Unilocal Event already. It was beautifully set with tableware and glasses. The waiter quickly addressed our arrival and welcomed us with greetings. Although the Unilocal Event was a set menu, I loved the fact that they still included the full menu on our table at the beginning. This allowed me to follow through the courses.
We began with their complimentary tasting spoonful of delights. It was a seafood mix and was delicious! Bread and our first pairing wine were served quickly following that. The first plate was seafood platter, which included variety of seafood from tuna sashimi to raw oysters. The first plate clearly showed that they are a seafood restaurant serving the top of line fresh seafood. The wine pairing was excellent to bring out the sweetness of oysters. Smoothly after the first plate, the second plate of kale salad was presented in an elegant style. The salad was neatly wrapped inside a cucumber into a perfect circle. Next to it was a fried goal cheese ball nicely complimented the salad. The second plate showed me this is a well rounded restaurant. They not only know how to handle their seafood, but also prepare excellent meals for everyone. The third plate was wild mushroom ravioli. I am normally not a big fan of ravioli because they are often too cheesy and creamy that essentially has no other flavors. I have to say their wild mushroom ravioli really blew me away! It was amazing! The soft and thin layer of dough wraps around bold wild mushroom flavor filling. It was also cooked perfectly so it was still slightly chewy. I loved this dish! It definitely wowed me with its creativity and quality. The wine pairing with red blend from Napa Valley was also a smart touch. The red compliments the flavor of wild mushroom really well that makes you can’t stop eating. By this time, I was already very full but couldn’t give up the next two plates. The fourth plate was pan seared scallops, which were absolutely high quality large scallops. Simply pan seared with light seasonings. Personally, the scallops were slightly undercooked but still an excellent job! The quality of scallops was undeniable. Last but not least, our waiter brought out the last dessert wine pairing for our cheesecake cream brulee. It was another highlight of our night, the Pacific Rim Framboise. Wow! That was such a delightful taste, sweet raspberry wine. Excellent choice with the cheesecake cream brulee. Overall, I was completely blown away by their dishes and flavors. Also, the ambiance was excellent with amazing services. Our waiter was professional and courteous. I truly enjoyed this event and will come back and try other dishes.

oh yum!!!
this was an exquisite event!
i selected the final day of elite week…5:00 res…
we were downtown to see a children’s performance of A Christmas Carol. then headed over to Blue Point for Dinner
No need to go over each and every item we ate (since it is the same as everyone else here!)
i love love loved every bite and and sip that i had this evening.
the service was stellar! from before our reservation to beyond.
we arrived before opening… so we waited outside… they came out and invited in to wait (since it was cold)…totally nice.
we had a stellar booth table facing the bar.
our server was fabulous at explaining everything he brought to our table.
thank you Blue Point and Brad for including me in this amazing evening!

Our final Unilocal Elite Event of 2015 was actually more of a weeklong dinner series at one of San Diego’s Cohn Restaurant Group’s premier dining locations — Blue Point Coastal Cuisine. Known for its seafood, I’d heard good things about the place and was glad to have been able to bring my girlfriend Kathy as my +1 for a romantic Saturday evening dinner (especially as she’s normally unable to attend YEEs with me).
The evening was set up with a five-​course sampling menu (not counting the Amuse Bouche that we were served in the beginning) complete with wine pairings for every dish. In order, Kathy and I were served the following:
AMUSE BOUCHE — I had noticed from some of my Unilocal friends’ social media postings that they had gotten spoons of octopus ceviche; instead, on our visit we had bites of tomato and basil pesto on toast. Pretty light, and it served its purpose of getting our palates ready for the meal to follow.
FIRST COURSE (Mixed Seafood Platter of jumbo shrimp, oysters, and tuna sashimi with sides of edamame and seaweed salad; paired with a Voviti Proseco) — I didn’t realize that Kathy had never had tried edamame before, but after a quick tutorial on how to squeeze the pods open, she loved the nutty taste of the soybeans. The oysters went down smooth, the shrimp was filling, and the tuna sashimi had a chewy texture that was pleasing. The Proseco wasn’t was sweet as other champagnes I’d had, but this one suited the sampler perfectly.
SECOND COURSE (Kale Salad with pine nuts, sliced apples, and an apple cider vinegar dressing, with a basil pesto goat cheese bonbon; paired with a Monte Xanic Sauvignon Blanc) — The salad looked too beautiful to eat (especially with its presentation due to the cucumber slice holding the salad together), but we had to try it… and we were pleased with how light the dressing was, with the pine nuts and apples enhancing the flavor of the kale. The wine had an earthy feel to it, but with the kale it balanced out the flavors.
THIRD COURSE (Wild Mushroom Ravioli in a port wine truffle sauce topped with arugula and cheese; paired with a Delgadillo Red Blend) — The wild mushrooms had a meaty flavor and texure to them, and the arugula especially gave the filling of the ravioli an added flavor. The red wine complemented the taste of the pasta and mushrooms.
FOURTH COURSE (Pan Seared Day Boat Scallops served with ricotta gnocchi and bacon, topped with Belgian endive, green apple, and spinach in citrus red bell pepper sauce; paired with a McKinlay Pinot Noir) — Words cannot describe how wonderful this dish was… the scallops went down like butter (no overcooked rubbery texture here!), with each chewy bite being a pleasure to taste, especially with the vegetables and sauce. In fact, the tableside bread (which we actually got starting after the second course) paired quite nicely with the red pepper sauce, which also enhanced the ricotta gnocchi. The pinot noir was my personal favorite of the wines we received; it was very light and not too overpowering, with a slight sweetness.
FIFTH COURSE (Lime Cheesecake Crème Brulee served with a vanilla rum sauce and alongside a pineapple carpaccia; paired with a Pacific Rim Framboise) — The crème brulee had a nice sugary crust that melded with the cheesecake and the raspberry, and the pineapple carpaccia (described by our server as a «drunken thin slice of pineapple with a raspberry») was definitely a plus. The Framboise was very sweet with a slight stickiness; Kathy loved this dessert wine and easily finished off her glass.
Par for the course for this type of restaurant, service was on point — both our server and the manager on duty made sure we were taken care of thoughout the evening. In fact, both of us were surprised at how Kathy’s discarded napkin was refolded while she was in the powder room, and we both wanted the pocket crumb sweepers the servers who cleaned the crumbs off the tablecloths expertly wielded.
Definitely a great place to take your special person to for a great evening (and no pretentious behavior to be found here, either — always a plus in my book)! THANK YOU to Brad, the staff at Blue Point, and the folks of the Cohn Restaurant Group for setting this week of fine Unilocal Elite dining for us, and sending us off in style!
See you all in 2016 at the next Unilocal Elite Event!

This was a superb evening! Easy to award 5 stars for atmosphere, food, service and company.
When one goes to an elite event, or any Unilocal event for that matter, of course we’re going to be treated well. That’s just the way Unilocal does it. But, every once in a while, the event merits 5++ stars. This was such an event.
What made it so special??? Everything! How about what wasn’t to perfection? Nothing!
From the moment we walked in, we were made to feel special. This was a genuine attitude displayed by hostess, wait staff, floor staff, and certainly from Charles, the GM. During dinner, Charles and Chris, our server, were attentively presenting our dishes, with comprehensive explanation about what we were about to eat or drink.
For added company, in addition to dining with my wife, Dianne B., we were also dining with fellow GOLD elite Unilocaler Jocy C., and her friend, Unilocaler-​to-​be, Soo K. This foursome was put together with the gracious assistance of Brad, so Dianne & I could meet some local Unilocalers. Their company made the evening even more special.
Blue Point had carefully constructed a diverse five course tasting menu, paired with wine to balance each dish. We were first presented a glass of Prosecco to accompany our amuse bouche of tomato and pesto on toast. A wonderful start to our dining pleasure.
We’ve all seen the photos of the seafood platter (which don’t do justice to the dish), with jumbo shrimp, large and meaty oysters, ahi tuna sashimi, and seaweed salad. Well the real platter was immense, both in its beauty and its flavor. I appreciated the three small tins of vinaigrette and wasabi cocktail sauce to add to the seafood. We all loved the seaweed salad. A Mexican Sauvignon Blanc was served which was a perfect complement as it was crisp but full-​bodied.
Next up was a kale salad, wrapped within a single ribbon of zucchini, topped with julienned apple. Plated with it was a dollop of a tart beet sauce and a lightly fried, scrumptious cheese bonbon. Absolutely delicious!
Our next course was a bowl of mushroom ravioli with a port reduction sauce. I assure you this was no ordinary pasta dish. With the first bite, I tasted the forest in these edible fungi. I didn’t want it to stop. The hearty red wine (also from Mexico) provided the right amount of strength to balance the mushroom and wine reduction. This was the star of the evening and I will return to get a full order of this next time!!! Charles was most accommodating to my wife as she cannot eat mushroom, so the chef prepared braised octopus in lieu of the mushrooms. It was accompanied with salad and root vegetables. I sampled the octopus, and the tender texture masked the firm flavor which we both enjoyed.
Our next dish was the seared scallops with radicchio, bacon bits and cheese stuffed gnocchi. Perfectly prepared with just enough caramelization for firmness and yet sweet with flavor. The gnocchi was incredible as it burst with flavor in my mouth.
Our finale was the lime cheesecake, prepared brulee style, with pineapple carpaccio, lightly saturated with vanilla. This very creative dish was paired with Framboise, a sweet raspberry dessert wine.
As one could imagine, we all were feeling great about the portion size and wine pairings. There was plenty to eat, and as we paced ourselves during dinner, after almost three hours, we didn’t feel full or bloated, and had a mellow glow from all the good food and wine!!!
I had been to this restaurant seven months ago, and enjoyed it then. This time, it was over the top. It will not be too long before we return again!!!
A special THANK YOU to Brad for organizing and coordinating this event, and inviting me to participate!!! A heart-​felt THANK YOU to Charles and his staff for a most memorable and enchanting evening!!!

«He lept for Aza Chorn, fast as a cheetah; as a mamba; as an ink-​black thunderbolt. Yet, when they brag amongst themselves, the cats and snakes and sheets of lightning use one ultimate comparison, albeit sparingly. Fast as a warpsmith.»
Alan Moore — Miracleman
There use to be more of these old brick buildings downtown. Lends a sense of history to the atmosphere. We were warmly greeted by the manager and hostess. Hostess said our booth was her fav in the house. I could see why. It was quite plush and a bit elevated affording an excellent view of the street and a pretty good view of the salt water fish tank. I was relaxed as Abby our waitress was outstanding keeping my Voss filled and found answers to all my foodie questions. It’s my fav drink chilled near freezing. Love the crisp clean unique flavor. I also liked the house filtered water. It was crisp and clean like the filtered water I get from the PB water store.
Dry aged prime filet mignon came with an option of sauces but I ate it plain and savored the rich beef flavor and the seasonings on the top bark. Tender and juicy cooked to medium as requested. French fries were the standard fast food fry cooked perfectly in good oil so there was no after taste.
For dessert I choice the sorbet trio. Raspberry was very tart and had strong raspberry flavor. Strawberry had a bit more sweetness. The mango banana was the mildest of the 3 and had a very strong banana flavor. Loved the variety of flavors from the trio.
I’m use to sitting at the hard fake wood booths at Sam Woo and in a hurry to leave before my butt got sore. I’m at a loss for the right word to sum up the experience here. Excellent. Exceptional. Awesome… Manager Carlos Novak was able to accommodate my unique requests and planned the perfect meal for me. Server Abby with the bubbly personality kept the Voss flowing all night long and made dining here fun. Atmosphere and the classy surroundings were first rate. On my next dining adventure I’ll ponder the question: good as Blue Point Coastal?
Thanks Carlos, Abby, and Blue Point Coastal for the wonderful evening. Thanks Brad B. for this exceptional end of the year Unilocal event.

Unilocal Community Managers are pretty freaking amazing. I’ve been so lucky to be part of the Unilocal Elite community for 7 years in New York City and then San Diego.
Thank You Brad for organizing a great dinner event as well as putting me together with some great Unilocalers — Lawrence C and Dianne B. Amazing Unilocalers! Talk about a hot dinner date!
The food at Blue Point Coastal Cuisine was delicious:
— Mixed Seafood Platter — loved the oysters, shrimp, and the sashimi
— Kale Salad — loved the red beet reduction and the fried goat cheese that came along with the salad. The fried goat cheese wasn’t «heavy». YUM!
— Wild Mushroom Ravioli — By far, my favorite dish of the night. The sauce and the mushrooms!
— Pan Seared Day Boat Scallops — the scallops and gnocchi were perfectly cooked.
— Lime Cheesecake Crème Brulee — delicious
I will definitely be back to Blue Point Coastal Cuisine. YUM!
Thank You for an awesome event!

By far the best Unilocal event private dinner, I thought it sure was the cherry on top for 2015.
I love the fact that since it was a seafood restaurant that they have set tasting menu so we got a good representation of the restaurant. They didn’t let us choose something like «steak» instead the chose and paired perfect wine combos for us.
Wine pairings were spot on. Very generous on pours and all wines went super well with the food. I also learned something new– champagne went really well with oysters. The bubbly taste really made the oysters pop out. We saw on Bourdain once this one guy in Hong Kong does champagne oyster shooters now we know why.
The food was amazing. I didn’t know Blue Point was part of the Cohn group. Cohn group are one of my favorite restaurant franchise in SD. Quality food, and BP didn’t disappoint. We started with the seafood platter. The sashimi, shrimp, and oysters were so delicious! The shrimp was huge and had flavors without any sauce. The tuna sashimi was so fresh! Next was the kale salad… Delicious yet simple. Mushroom ravioli, it was like a pop sticker… It was succulent and mouthwatering! The truffle on it was decadent. The main entrée– scallops were the best scallop dish I’ve tried! It had a few gnocchis and bacon bits. Just the right amount.
The 5 item tasting menu was more then enough. I’m surprised I was about to finish every single bite. We were totally stuffed afterwards.
I never seem to notice Blue Point, but with the amazing food, it put it on the radar for us, they also have $ 1 HH oysters. We actually came to their HH to have some before dinner! And will be certainly back.
Great end of the year Unilocal event, thanks Brad, Blue Point and the Cohns. It gets better and better and we can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store for us!

Always a great dining experience at Blue Point Coastal Cuisine. Tupac and I arrived early for our reservation but were seated quickly in a nice cozy booth. The Cohen Group knows how to treat their customers really well. From the time we sat and when we left, they greeted us with smiles and made sure we were content. This goes for all of their restaurants throughout San Diego.
Service was on point and the pre-​fix menu with yummy dishes paired with wine was amazing.
Thank you Unilocal SD and Blue Point Coastal Cuisine for another great experience.

Blue Point Coastal Cuisine you have made a fan out of this girl. I chose to use this lovely opportunity to take a date night out with my special someone. I was super excited by the pictures, posts and reviews of some of the other great Unilocalers that I couldn’t wait till Thursday came!
We used the valet parking close to the restaurant and got there right on time for our dinner reservations at 7pm. Everyone in the restaurant was great from the servers to the general manager they were on point and very hospitable. I am truly grateful for the awesome treatment.
As each course made it’s way to our table it was paired with fantastic wines. I may have found a few new ones to add to my favorites list. The food went very well with each of the wines and we were in heaven with each bite taken. My favorites were the sashimi, scallops and the dessert.
It was nice to see a few familiar faces and I got to snuggle Chang before she leaves us! Happy birthday Jocelyn A! Alisa and Todd wouldn’t share their dessert with me but I still love them too ;)
Thank you Brad and Unilocal for another wonderful night out. Date night was a hit, he enjoyed the meal and my crazy friends. So grateful for being spoiled yet again by Unilocal.Love always… the cheeeeeese ;)

The Cohen group dominates San Diego“s dining scene with award winning restaurants, each having a unique character. I knew that Blue Point Coastal Cuisine would hit a home run launching their Elite week tasting event out of the atmosphere. They pride themselves on service and their sophisticated menu has an edgy flair. It has been a favorite venues for years.
I will attempt to describe a night that will stand out in my memories forever.
The venue
We were seated at a roomy yet Intimate leather booth with flickering candle light, white linen and the finest table settings.
The service
Impeccable. From the moment that we stepped in we were treated like royalty. The manager hand delivered amuse-​bouche, a ceviche of seabass and octopus busting with flavor that lit up my tongue.
The tastings
Small plates of elevated dishes are always in style.
We started with a seafood platter of jumbo prawns, yellowfin tuna and paradise oysters. The raw oysters were clean and bursting with the flavors of the ocean. Our next course was a kale salad, but the artistic presentation made this unique. Thinly sliced marinated cucumber was used to build a salad ring around the chopped kale, apple, currant and pine nut salad. A small bonbon of melted pesto goat cheese in a lightly breaded morsel of deliciousness graced this salad.
Another highlight was a home made wild mushroom raviol topped in truffle sauce. These ware not your ordinary raviolis with thick pasta and thin filling, they are just the opposite. Razor thin pasta stuffed with loads of chopped mushrooms infused this dish a rich, earthy flavor.
The next course satisfied my indulgent craving for scallops, they had a perfect sear and were presented on a light red bell pepper sauce. The chef paired the scallops with ricotta gnocci that were impossibly light and had the texture of little pillowy morsels from heaven. I would like to thank the chef for preparing my plate without bacon on it.
The wines
My favorite wine of the evening was the McKinlay Pinot noir. It was light and served with the scallops. I also really enjoyed the Delgadillo Red blend which was a little bit more full bodied for me.
The best
This was one of the best elite events that I have been to. Lucky Unilocal Elites were treated to an extraordinary night at one San Diego’s premier seafood venues. I would like to thank Blue Point for their generosity, Executive chef Samuel Geffroy for sharing his culinary masterpieces, the servers and management who made sure that my water was always full and that my scallops arrived without bacon on them. Brad’s events are both excellent and popular and I am so thankful that I was selected to enjoy such a special night. Thank you Brad, Blue Point, Unilocal and our server John.

Blue Point Coastal Cuisine hosted one heckuva great Unilocal Elite Event this week! The tasting menu was truly sublime, and everybody was super friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely happy to have us there.
The evening began with our being seated at a romantic booth. Most of the restaurant has this ambience — warm woods, muted colors, and low mood lighting. Our server, Abby, explained the evenings offering and brought us our first wine pairing as soon as we were settled. The executive chef, Samuel Geffroy, had prepared a single bite of a wonderful ceviche for us to taste in advance of the main tastings. This was lovingly constructed from Spanish octopus and local yellowfin tuna. Outstanding!
The first legitimate tasting was the mixed seafood platter, a wonderful dish with super– fresh raw oysters, fat and succulent prawns, a little taste of sashimi, and some cold edamame, seaweed salad, and ginger with wasabi. Everything on the platter was basically perfect.
An absolutely marvelous wild mushroom ravioli dish came next. This was pungent and full of earthy flavors. One of my favorite items, I could probably eat this all day.
I nearly forgot to mention the salad. Chef Geffroy had prepared a special kale salad, which was neatly rolled up in thinly sliced cucumber. A beautiful presentation. I don’t normally like kale, but this salad was quite good and I ate every bite.
Two big, fat, and meaty scallops presented next. I’m a bit of a scallop snob, and have had many that were overcooked or poorly seasoned. But these were nearly perfect and beautifully presented with endive and a fabulous red bell pepper sauce.
By now, I was getting full, but of course kept room for the dessert! The chef had prepared a beautiful lime cheesecake brûlee with thinly-​sliced pineapple. This was so good!
Many thanks to the Cohen restaurant group and the entire staff at the Blue Point Coastal Cuisine restaurant. You guys are all amazingly professional and a great team! And, of course thanks to our world-​class Unilocal community manager Brad B. for putting this event together.

Sipping Prosecco in the comfort of our private booth, I dabbed wasabi onto a giant fresh oyster, and bravely let a raw oyster slide down my throat for the first time. It tasted like a breezy day on the salty sea. The large oysters were fresh and tender. The Seafood Platter was beautifully displayed, and I especially loved the sashimi, a yellowfin tuna. The Voveti Prosecco sparkled just like the entire evening.
My husband and I were spoiled in the lap of luxury at our 5 course dinner at the casually elegant Blue Point Coastal Cuisine in the Gaslamp district of San Diego. The Tasting Menu was created by Executive Chef Samuel Geffroy, a brilliant French chef from Brittany.
Executive Chef Samuel Geffroy came twice to our table, to delight us with his French accent and his tales of gourmet cuisine. His passion for fine food is contagious. He agreed to make us a surprise dinner when I make a reservation for my birthday or anniversary. I love chefs who are bold enough to surprise me.
Kale salad was the 2^nd course. Presentation was artful. I’ll taste anything, although raw kale isn’t my favorite texture. I enjoyed the basil pesto goat cheese bonbon which accompanied the kale salad.
I was wild about the Wild Mushroom Ravioli in port wine truffle sauce. Oh, the exquisitely tender texture of the delicate, tender wonton-​style pasta was heaven, and the mushroom filling had the perfect texture. The scent of this dish was earthy like mushrooms and drunken like port wine.
The Pan Seared Scallops were very tender, and contrasted nicely with the Belgian endive. The citrus red bell pepper sauce was unique and didn’t overpower the scallops.
Lime Cheesecake Crème Brûlée sported pineapple sliced ever so thinly, carpaccio style. I rarely like pineapple, but discovered that I really enjoyed this dessert, including the delicate pineapple.
All of the wine pairings worked well for me. The food is marvelous at Blue Point, and the staff is exceptional. The manager, our server Abby, and Executive Chef Samuel Geffroy are talented, passionate and welcoming.
Thank you, Blue Point Coastal Cuisine, and Unilocal,for an exciting introduction to a gem of a gourmet seafood restaurant in the excellent Cohn group. (-:

Restaurateurs who try every idea that comes to them, mostly shouldn’t.
Those who would be all things to the world disappoint us, because even the most accomplished cooks don’t work alone, and, while chefs can hire experienced, talented assistants, they can’t hire mind readers, so despite the kitchen’s best efforts, the boss’ most interesting, complex visions seldom reach our plates.
How then can food-​service entrepreneurs grow and diversify their businesses, keeping things fresh and bringing an interesting array of ideas to market and to table?
Cohn Restaurant Group has an answer: instead of opening and replicating a restaurant with a too-​broad menu, they’ve opened a number of places, each with its own focus. Along with obvious efficiencies, limiting each business’ scope offers two advantages: it helps staff hone their talents, and helps us, as patrons, know what to expect, or better said, what to rely on, from each Cohn bar and kitchen.
For instance, wine lovers love Cohn’s Vin de Syrah, Vintana and 100 Wines; beef-​eaters (and those who love a view) find interesting cocktails and high-​quality steaks at Island Prime; and Blue Point Coastal Cuisine, whose kitchen is smart enough to treat fish and shellfish seriously, attracts real seafood aficionados to its comfortable downtown space, which splits the difference between clubby bar and trendy, elegant open kitchen.
Tonight, my Beloved and I had the pleasure of dining at Blue Point, on the first night of the restaurant’s Unilocal Elite Week.
Service was attentive, not overbearing, and though I had a chuckle at the number of people involved in making sure we had a good time — six — I also noticed that each of these folks knew their job, and that they worked well together. Their superb training, a hallmark of Cohn management, was evident and admirable.
Special congratulations to our server, Jonathan. He began working with Cohn eight years ago, as a dishwasher, then worked his way around the company and up through the ranks. On the night before our visit, Jonathan started in his new position as a server, doing a fantastic job for us, bringing dedication and responsibility to his work. ¡Felicidades, amigo!
Our meal was entertaining, gratifying and filling. We were offered a Unilocal Elite Week Tasting Menu that included: an amuse bouche; a cold mixed seafood plate; a kale salad; a seared scallop entrée; and a dessert. Paired with each serving was a wine or liqueur. These were the items we enjoyed most:
— Seabass and Octopus Ceviche. «Amuse bouche» is a misnomer; the dish should be called «taquine bouche;» or, «teases the mouth.» We ate a customary spoonful of small, meaty-​but-​tender dices of fish and octopus, all coated with subtle sweet– and sour-​ness, and each taste left me anxious for more. There was no more. Taquine.
— Paradise Oysters. These delectable bivalves are grown in British Columbia’s Southern Baynes Sound, and they’re clean, firm and plump, the sort of oysters a person eats when they’re having oysters for dinner, not for a snack.
— Basil Pesto Goat Cheese Bonbon. As simple and straightforward as an appetizer with a five-​word name can be, this delight was just what it should have been: tart and savory inside, crisp and greaseless outside, and craveable. That’s what my notes say, so that’s what I’m writing here. Craveable.
— Wild Mushroom Ravioli. This one’s tricky, because, while the filling for the ravioli was tasty, it was the wrapper that attracted my attention.
That pasta was impossibly thin, delicate, light in a way that made me imagine, as I ate my ravioli, what else Blue Point’s kitchen might do with it. And, as wonderful foods can do, it evoked memories of other dishes, in this case, an all-​time favorite, Lobster Dumplings at New Orleans’ G.W. Fins. I can’t easily eat there, so I’ll ask Blue Point for a favor, down the road.
— Delgadillo Red Blend Napa Valley NV. I’m not a big wine guy, but I appreciate a good glass at the right moment, and the timing was perfect tonight for a glass of this medium-​bodied, almost-​cabernet that coated my throat with luscious, dense and succulent dried fruit flavors. While I drank, I forgot to eat.
There were other excellent tastes, but for me, these were the evening’s standouts. To those who have yet to dine at Blue Point, I say, «get to it,» and to those who’ve had the pleasure, I’m glad for your good fortune.
Thanks to Brad B., San Diego’s Unilocal Community Manager, for arranging such a pleasant evening. Christmas came early this year, at least for we fortunate few.
And finally, I wish to offer a warm and grateful welcome to Blue Point’s new Executive Chef, Samuel Geffroy.
Chef Geffroy, having trained in France, England, Corsica and Switzerland, at highly-​rated restaurants and hotels, brings a literal world of experience to a city desperately in need of rescue from Brussels sprouts, pork bellies and mac ‘n cheese. Bienvenue, Chef.