December 13th, 2005, by Mary Winston Nicklin
Dining in San Diego’s Gas Lamp Quarter: Chive
SD’s Gaslamp Quarter is seeing a renaissance, this historic hood packed with great shops, tasty bistros, elegant galleries and exquisite fine-dining. Stroll past the Victorian buildings and the old-fashioned gaslamps illuminating the sidewalks. Its energy is conspicuously contagious; this place is where it’s at! Among all the excellent bars and restaurants, Chive stands out for its sleek, contemporary environment and cutting-edge cuisine. Opened in 1999, this chic urban bistro dubs its grub, “Cuisine Moderne.” But I see a global fusion of sorts: mouth-watering dishes like goat cheese crusted Colorado lamb sirloin, and pink pepper crusted mako shark, served alongside more classic American plates like short ribs with a coffee glaze and buttermilk onion rings. Happy Hour, from 5-7 pm daily, runs the gamut of eclectic: Mad Monday (choose from a superb selection of wines by the bottle), Tequila Tuesday (enjoy duck nachos with that margarita), White Wednesday (with Whitehaven sauvignon blanc and a white corn pizzette). You get the idea.
I love San Diego so much - with all the great hotels and awesome restaurants. Plus you get La Jolla, Del Mar, and all the surrounding areas within a 5 to 10 minutes drive.