Mexican food eateries are a dime a dozen in Old Town San Diego, but Miguel’s Cocina stands out from the others by offering upscale cuisine and mighty margaritas in a warm and charming setting without the formulaic décor and overwhelming liveliness of neighboring spots.
The Old Town location is one of six Miguel’s in San Diego County, not including Miguelito’s in Coronado, which is considered a “Miguel’s Jr.,” if you will. The Miguel’s brand is part of the Brigantine family of restaurants, and has been around since the original opened in Coronado in 1973. Chef Rigo Gutierrez heads the kitchen at the Old Town location and has been with the company since the first Miguel’s opened more than thirty years ago.
The décor at Miguel’s is clean and modern, with subtle
Mexican decorations and white stone walls and pillars accentuating the indoor
dining area’s elegant appeal. The copious Charger gear surrounding the bar seem
out of place, but are small trophies of a catering account the team has had
with Miguel’s for the past ten years. The Old Town spot boasts that it is the
site of all the catering output of
the Brigantine Group.
The service at Miguel’s is top notch. A server immediately provided water and offered
up one of their many cocktails, beers, or wines by the glass or bottle. Upon
recommendation, I chose the Miguel’s “ultimate” margarita ($9.50) with a salted
rim, served up in a clear shaker that provides for two tasty servings. My companion picked the skinny “boss”
($12). Keeping with the trend of light
margaritas invading the town, Miguel’s version is strengthened with patron
silver and lightened by agave nectar and fresh lime juice, making for a
refreshingly delicious ‘rita without the unnecessary calories.
Miguel’s menu is filled with tried and true favorites like
burritos, fajitas, and tacos, but they also feature traditional Mexican dishes
and specialty items. To start, the
albondigas, is a classic Mexican meatball soup in a light but flavorful
tomato-vegetable broth - full of savory crisp vegetables and juicy meatballs. ($4 cup/$6 bowl). If you happen to go on Taco Tuesday, like I
did, sample one of each of their tacos. Although seemingly less than a bargain
at $3 a piece, each street taco was tastier than the next, with the carne
adobada being the decided favorite.
From the list of entrée items, the plato del Old Town ($16) has taste, value, and surf and turf -
consisting of a serving of grilled skirt steak, a spicy shrimp tamale, and a
side of guacamole. The marinated skirt streak was fairly tender and juicy for a
frequently tough cut of meat, and once dabbed in a side of mole sauce, it was
the star of the plato.
The camarones jalisco ($18) is a house favorite and
rightfully so, as the combination of ingredients makes it a winning dish from
the start. With jumbo shrimp stuffed
with Monterey jack cheese and spicy pepper strips, wrapped in smoky bacon,
grilled, and topped in the famous jalapeno white sauce, how can you go wrong?
Miguel’s Cocina has happy hour from 3-6 daily, and all night
on Mondays in the lounge, featuring food and drink specials. For more details, check out the website or
give them a call for reservations.
MIGUEL’S COCINA
2444 San Diego Ave., Old Town
(619) 298-9840
Hours:
Lunch & Dinner: Mon.-Sat.
11am-9:30pm Sunday 11am-9pm
Lounge: Daily 11am-10:30pm
Happy Hour: Daily
2pm-6pm Monday All Night in the Lounge
Brunch: Sun.
10:30am-3pm
