San Diego, CA (The Joy of Food) — Eventually, the moment will arise where you can’t take one more minute of the million tourists and their screaming kids in Balboa Park or the San Diego Zoo, and the Prado is your shortest walk to alcohol. The Prado also serves the only edible food in Balboa Park.
A work of art on its own, the Prado was originally built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and is registered as a National Historic Landmark. Off to the side and tucked away inside a Spanish Renaissance-style courtyard sits the restaurant itself, named after El Prado, the long promenade that runs through the park. It is Balboa Park’s fancy place, softly perfumed and gently lit with floor-to-ceiling windows in some of the rooms, with cloth napkins on the tables and bowls of flowers placed strategically in every corner, with a giant outdoor patio to make you feel like you’re dining al fresco in the woods.
Despite all this impressive history and artistic flare, this is your typical Cohn-owned property serving an assortment of ‘upscale’ California-inspired cuisine. The menu is overwhelming and has more twists and turns than an M. Night Shyamalan film, a lengthy tome of dishes that are all over the place: mascarpone polenta, a prime beef sushi roll, paella, and some sort of chicken pot pie named after a Mary.
You get a hint for the middling taste of what’s to come by virtue of the table bread, served here as house-made crackers with sesame seeds and cheese crusted on one side. They’re crisp but bland, just like the chipotle hummus spread on the side. This is middle-of-the-road dining in a touristy locale.
The arugula salad comes wadded up in a small square, ready to blossom like a flower into a mix of organic baby arugula, shaved asiago cheese, strawberries, candied walnuts, and figs coated with a sherry-shallot vinaigrette. The salads are usually the tastiest bet and the best bargain, particularly if you’re visiting for lunch.
It is remarkable to watch a restaurant make lots of money off of food that’s basically buffet dining reinvented as casual-upscale fare. Take for instance the fish tacos, the Prado’s most popular dish, served deconstructed like many of the dishes I’ve seen here over the years, an assortment of taco parts artistically dolloped like Legos across the plate. Meat eaters have similar pork or chicken options, all with a mix of toppings, sauces, and tortillas. Each part is lukewarm and dry as if it’s been sitting around, which it probably has. Assembly is required before you can eat your lunch.
The trio of grilled skewers has good flavor from the marinade, but can suffer from the same dryness issue. The accompanying glazes and sauces become your lifeline and can help keep things from wiring your jaw shut. The filet steak sandwich might call your name, slow-roasted meat topped with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, and garlic aioli on a Bread and Cie butter bun. I’ve had this and, again, it’s dry.
The highlight of any visit to the Prado is the strong cocktail program, in particular the sangria, available either by the glass or as a pitcher. I usually go for the Spicy Mezcal Margarita, a cool little serving of liquid heaven garnished with freshly sliced serrano peppers. These are fun to snack on like popcorn as your drink dwindles down.
Service for all of this will be slow. Sometimes I roll with it and enjoy the view, but rare is the day where I have an hour to spend between the salad course and my entree. If you’re dining here before a play at the Old Globe, you’ll need to let your server know of any time constraints.
Arriving to the Prado is a feat all of its own. Anyone who tries to try to drive in or out of the park has a death wish, so don’t. Ride sharing is your friend, as are those rentable scooters if you’re riding one, and they’re the thing that will kill you if you’re not. If you must drive into the area, enter from Park Boulevard on the east side and NOT from Sixth Avenue on the west side, where you’ll end up in a terrifying single-file line situation all the way down the Cabrillo Bridge.
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.
Leave a comment below or get in touch with me via my About page.
I perked up when you mentioned chicken pot pie. I’m back down to earth after checking the menu and seeing it’s $32. I usually get chicken pot pie for $7 at the Chicken Pie Shop. If I was going to spend 4 times as much I wouldn’t be happy unless it was at least twice as good…
Yes exactly it’s not worth the money and comparatively with ‘specialized’ places they will always miss the mark. I used to have one of those Passport Dining cards and all the Cohn restaurants are on it (well they used to be, not sure about now) and it seems they put their food on autopilot and coast on the experience. Coasterra, C-Level, the Prado, etc., usually middling food but great views and ambiance.
I like great views. I like great food more.