After 6 months of development, the team behind downtown San Diego's Lionfish at the Pendry Hotel has reconceptualized the former 1500 Ocean restaurant at the historic Hotel Del Coronado and transformed it into Serẽa Coastal Cuisine, a contemporary seafood-focused restaurant from Executive Chef Jojo Ruiz set to unveil this weekend.
The onsite fine dining restaurant for the 131-year-old property, 1500 Ocean shuttered at Hotel Del Coronado at the close of 2018, with former lead chef Patrick Ponsaty being appointed to a new corporate role of Executive Sous Chef for the hotel, working under Executive Chef Stefan Peroutka. Prior to becoming 1500 Ocean in 2006, the restaurant space within the hotel’s Ocean Terrace mall was The Luau Room tiki bar from 1949-1969, followed by a bar and eatery called "Prince of Wales Grille", which was opened by longtime Hotel Del president and manager Carlton Lichty in January 1970.
Serēa, which means mermaid in old Portuguese, will grand open this weekend with Chef Jojo Ruiz's "sea-to-table" menu blending California and Mediterranean styles with locally sourced ingredients. The modern restaurant aims to spotlight the best of the region's ocean, as well as feature ingredients from farms and fields from California to the Baja Peninsula. Expect an environmentally-friendly, sustainably-sourced menu that includes raw and cooked options from fresh whole catch to seafood towers and composed entree dishes. There will also be a list of small bites and shared plates, as well as meat-focused dishes. The restaurant will also house a full bar that management hopes will bring some nightlife to the historic resort.
"In San Diego we have such incredible access to some of the best seafood, produce and meats in the country…we’re going to let the beauty of the ingredients do the talking," explained Serēa Exechitive Chef Jojo Ruiz.
Overseeing the culinary redevelopment of Hotel Del Coronado is Clique Hospitality, which was founded in 2001 by Andy Masi, the former Light Group founder and CEO, along with his partners Brian Massie and Shane Monaco. The hospitality firm specializes in "upscale, comfortable and trendsetting dining." Locally, it developed Lionfish, Oxford Social Club, and The Pool House for downtown's Pendry San Diego hotel and oversees several venues in Las Vegas. Chef Jojo Ruiz has been helming the kitchen at Lionfish since 2017. Clique Hospitality also recently overhauled Sycuan Casino's culinary options, including adding "casino-defining" steakhouse & whiskey bar Bull & Bourbon, high-end cocktail hotspot and Asian restaurant Elicit Bar & Lounge, and Retreat Pool and Cabanas. In addition to Serēa, Hotel Del Coronado's other dining options will also receive a refresher over the next three year.
Serẽa Coastal Cuisine is located at 1500 Orange Avenue within San Diego's Hotel Del Coronado resort. The restaurant will grand open this Friday, June 28, and open for dinner at 5pm daily with lunch service on Saturdays starting at 11am. Eventually, the restaurant hopes to add a weekend brunch. For more information, visit sereasandiego.com and check out the menus below.
Serẽa Coastal Cuisine is located at 1500 Orange Avenue within San Diego's Hotel Del Coronado resort. The restaurant will grand open this Friday, June 28, and open for dinner at 5pm daily with lunch service on Saturdays starting at 11am. Eventually, the restaurant hopes to add a weekend brunch. For more information, visit sereasandiego.com and check out the menus below.
