April 17, 2014
Surf & Turf has been an American staple and middle class status symbol since the 1960s.
Eddie V's Prime Seafood elevates that base concept and couples luxurious seafood with prime cuts of meat, presenting it with class, elegance and pride. We dove into the
menu at Eddie V's at its recently opened second San Diego location in
The Headquarters at Seaport District, a newly constructed retail and shopping destination that revived San Diego's historic Old Police Headquarters, and we were wowed by a fantastic dining experience.
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| Look at all that wine! |
Owned and operated by
Darden Restaurants, Eddie V's has revamped the space that once served as the city's main courthouse, offering seating for over 300 guests, including an outdoor patio and multiple private dining areas. Exuding a contrasting charm to the oceanside La Jolla location, the interior of the downtown restaurant embraces modernity and features such attractions as a glass encased 2-story wine vault centered in the main dining room as well as an abstract icicle sculpture. The bar area, or '
V Lounge,' hosts live local and national musicians every night of the week, which truly enhances the ambiance of the entire restaurant.
We enjoyed top quality service as we were guided through the Eddie V's menu, beginning our meal with the steak and lobster tartare ($17). Two mounds of deliciousness sat before us: one - a rich, truffled steak topped with a generous portion of shaved black truffle and parmesan; the other - a refreshing serving of big chunks of lobster topped with avocado, peppers and chives. Each were amazing on their own, but mixed atop a slice of toasted baguette...blissful. This dish will certainly make the cut for SanDiegoVille's
Best of 2014 list, and we intend to return during Eddie V's daily happy hour when it's an insane value at $10 for the same serving.
Because there is no draft beer at Eddie V's, we settled in with a duo of cocktails before moving on to more apps. The Moscow Mule came in its patented copper mug, a light and comforting mix of Russian Standard Platinum vodka, ginger beer and lime juice, a drink that has become exceedingly popular in San Diego. The Champagne Cocktail combined Grand Marnier, cognac, champagne and bitters, garnished with an orange peel, making for a sophisticated drink.
Alright - more food! The Point Judith calamari ($15) came Kung Pao style, with the rings and tentacles fried to a golden crisp and served with roasted cashews, slivered carrots, bamboo shoots, green onions, served atop crispy rice noodles and smothered with a spicy, sweet and sour sauce. Watch out for those hot red chilies - they'll getcha!
The jumbo lump crab cake ($18) was huge and clearly not buttressed by fillers. Eddie V's version mixes blue crab and the sweeter Jonah crab, tops it with Panko and sautees to moist and creamy perfection. Complimented by a spicy chive remoulade, this crab cake was a tasty take on the traditional Maryland version.
Our first entree was the Pacific swordfish ($30), a broiled cut of meaty fish topped with fresh lump crab, avocado, cilantro and red chile. Local flavors came together harmoniously in this dish, and we very much enjoyed every bite.
We loaded up on sides ($6 small / $9 large) to go along with our main courses and were ecstatic that we did, as they were each scrumptious! The baby beets were adorable and being that we just love beets, we couldn't have been happier with this sweet and earthy version, mixed with mint, orange and candied walnuts. The truffled mac and cheese is an easy winner, combining cheesy macaroni with truffle infused oil and topping it all off with shaved black truffles. Our favorite of the sides, though, was the crab fried rice with scallions and mushrooms, lightly oiled and lightly 'fried' with precision, each bite boasting the sweetness of the crab in perfect balance.
Of course we had to go turf for entree number two. The 16 ounce New York Strip ($48) was seared, seasoned beautifully, and cooked to an ideal medium rare. Chef Brian Moran let the USDA prime cut of meat speak for itself, juicy and delicious.
We were oh-so-full, but that didn't stop us from indulging in desserts. The hot chocolate Godiva cake is the dessert of gods: melted chocolate oozed over a painfully rich cake, served with vanilla bean ice cream. Not to be outdone, Eddie V's version of banana foster is a pyromaniac's dream, as the banana cake sets ablaze to flambé it table side. This exciting dessert comes with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream, my favorite!
Eddie V's at The Headquarters is a beautiful redesign of a historic San Diego location serving really delicious food. Service is impeccable, each dish has been artfully mastered, and with a
daily happy hour, nightly live music and convenient
private dining offerings, this restaurant really has it all. Stop by and tell them SanDiegoVille sent you!
EDDIE V'S PRIME SEAFOOD
789 West Harbor Drive, The Headquarters at Seaport District
(619) 615-0281
eddiev.com
Hours:
Fri-Sat 4pm-Midnight
Sun-Thu 4pm - 11pm
Happy Hour Everyday from 4-7pm
