From the 1920s through the 1960s, San Diego was known as the Tuna Capital of the World. Though initiated by the Chinese and Japanese in the early 1890s, the tuna industry became dominated by the Portuguese and Italians in the early 1920's and they held their reign for decades to come. Roseville Cozinha owner Michael Alves is a descendant of Point Loma's deeply rooted fishing tradition, and his restaurant pays homage to that history with everything from the food to the decor.
Roseville is the oldest settled neighborhood in Point Loma, where many Portuguese fishermen and fishing boat owners originally made their homes. 'Cozinha' is Portuguese for 'kitchen' and though Roseville Cozinha incorporates Portuguese influence into its food, it is not a Portuguese restaurant, per se, but a blend of various influences, just like its owner Michael Alves, and just like San Diego as a whole.
The menu at Roseville is seafood-focused, but they also pride themselves on offering some of the best wood-fired pizzas in town. Executive Chef Craig Jiminez is a mainstay at the wood burning oven and his wild mushroom pie ($16) is one of our favorites. We frequently order it for take out and enjoy it picnic-style in the nearby park. This time around, we wanted to further explore the menu, so we started with the well-reviewed crab cake ($16), which came over a delicious beurre blanc sauce and sided with mixed greens. The cake was all big lumps of crab, crisp and moist, and combined with the rich beurre blanc and local greens made for a lighter version of a classic dish - possibly one of the best we've had. Another favorite from the small plates is the mussels ($13), served in a skillet with a flavorful white wine sauce and garnished with a herb crusted lemon wedge and crispy garlic bread for dredging that delicious sauce.
The juniper brined pork chop came succulent and stunning. This thick cut of bone-in chop came atop Suzie's Farm braised kale and was topped with roasted cipollini onions and a spicy green chimichurri. This dish was spiced beautifully and demonstrated Roseville's versatility beyond seafood and pizza.
In addition to delicious dishes, Roseville Cozinha fully embraces San Diego's craft beer influence and budding cocktail culture. Unique taps are frequently changed and updated, and Roseville makes its own syrups, bitters and additives for craft cocktails. They have an impressive wine list too.
Roseville Cozinha offers lunch everyday of the week from 11am-4pm and happy hour Monday thru Friday from 3-6pm and 5pm to close on Sunday. There are also daily specials and a late night happy hour from 8pm to close, which includes a $15 burger and beer and $7 beer sample flights.
ROSEVILLE COZINHA
2750 Dewey Road #104, Liberty Station
(619) 794-2192
rosevillecozinha.com
Hours:
Sun-Thurs
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Fri-Sat
11:00 AM - 10:30 PM
