Kingfisher

San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — The heated patio at Kingfisher can be an interesting place to enjoy your $200 dinner, a patch of sidewalk that’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from the #2 bus stop in a quirky part of town. At best people will walk by and look at your food, at worst some random homeless person might spit in it. I’d suggest sitting inside.

While sometimes it can be a struggle to find a truly great meal in San Diego, more often than not, when you do, that meal will be off the beaten path. The most rewarding experiences tend to involve a mild sense of confusion, of falling through the looking glass and winding up in an unexpected place. With the strip mall next door and the tiki bar down the street, Kingfisher is just that.

From my visits to Kingfisher, I’ve learned that this is where classic cooking technique, local harvests, and Vietnamese French flavors converge with the freshness of California cuisine. Add in one of the best cocktail programs around and desserts that are unforgettable, and for fans of one or all of the above, this is the complete package. 

The menu is divided into sections for cold appetizers, hot appetizers, main dishes, and entrees for the entire table, a handful of items where you hear the word “pounds” to describe the size and heft, though really everything on the menu is suitable for sharing. The first thing to do is pick at least one thing from each section, unless you’re having the chef’s tasting menu where that will be pre-selected for you.

Much of the menu features fish and any of these plates will be a winner, either hot or cold, cooked or raw. The ceviche and crudo dishes are a personal favorite, marinated expertly while never masking the flavor of the sea. The crudo, in particular, sings of good olive oil, the sort that’s earthy and fragrant that you might expect to find somewhere in western Europe.

This is food that’s both sophisticated and humble, like the noodles, all hand-made and tossed in any number of vinaigrettes or sauces, and this was my first time having congee, a delicious bowl of rice, morel mushrooms, and english snow peas topped with an egg yolk and assorted herbs. All mixed up with a few dabs of the bright house spicy “sim”bal sauce, it is a dish that is equal parts comfort and savory.

And then comes the duck, the sea bass, or the skirt steak, depending on what’s on the menu, all masterfully paired with the bounty of the season such as mustard greens, mushrooms, and oranges. I hear the smoked duck is the standout entrée that sells out nightly, aged for two weeks, coated in palm sugar and pepper, and served on a large platter with enough meat to feed a small country, or at least a party of four.

The drinks run the gamut from light and refreshing to bold and smoky, with names like Ms. Ho and Duck Around. They get refreshed each season and served from the center-piece bar, a long, oval space that lights up the place. I’m not usually a citrus drink fan but the Cielo Alto here is tops, a mix of mezcal, alma tepec licor, tamarind, pineapple, and lime. If you save room for dessert, and you must, the chocolate lava cake has your name on it, served with a dollop of house-made ice cream.

Parking in the area is more or less plentiful and easy, even on a busy night, and the Victorian houses in the vicinity make for a little sight-seeing to walk off your meal. I’d recommend a reservation, especially for the chef’s tasting menu; note they are closed on Tuesdays.

Written by Joy

Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.

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