From left, Witch Creek Winery Assistant Manager Alyssa Gibbony, and General Manager Lani Bringas hand out samples of their wine at a launch party of San Diego Restaurant Week. Photo: Gina Yarbrough/San Diego County News
SAN DIEGO–More than two dozen San Diego area restaurants showcased their best delicacies and beverages September 12 at a private launch party of the 11th annual San Diego Restaurant Week.
About a 100 invited guests gathered at the Go Green Agriculture in Encinitas to sample delicious tastes prepared locally by 39 of the participating restaurants, local breweries, wineries, and distilleries in a private hydroponic garden.
Some of the restaurants participating at the invitation-only event include: Tasty Bites, Blind Burro, Blue Point Coastal Cuisine, Cafe Coyote, Casa de Bandini, Cowboy Star, Croce’s Park West, D Bar, Park Hyatt Aviara, Parq, Peohe’s, Sbicca, S & M, Solare, Stake, Terra American Bistro, The Patio, Tom Ham’s Lighthouse, Tidal Superb Sips, 2 Plank Vineyards, Bernardo Winery, BK Cellars, Bolt Brewing Co., Briar Rose Winery, Fallbrook Winery, Hillcrest Brewing Co., Kill Devil Spirits Co., Koi Zen Cellars, Oggi’s Brewing Co., and Old Harbor Distilling.
San Diego Restaurant Week and Sysco have joined forces with the “All For Kids Campaign” that aims to provide local, needy children with school backpacks through a partnership with Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank’s Backpack Program, which provides weekend backpacks filled with food to elementary school children living in poverty.
Solare Southern Italian at Liberty Station display their heirloom Sicilian style dish. Photo: Gina Yarbrough/San Diego County News
Sysco will donate $1 to the Food 4 Kids Backpack program through its social media campaign. Diners take a picture of the their meal, post the picture on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, tagged the picture with #Food4Kids. The campaign will run throughout Restaurant Week.
“There’s a federal program called Free and Reduced lunch program. These kids get fed all week but their last meal is on Friday, and these kids won’t eat all weekend until they come back to school on Monday. There is something definitely wrong, said James Floros, president and CEO of Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank. “Food banks are trying to promote breaking the cycle of poverty through education, and education starts with childhood nutrition. This program is essential to these kids. Their grades are up, absence is down. Kids are prospering in the classroom. Kids are eating.”
Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank and Sysco San Diego. To donate, post a picture of your meal during SDRW using the Hashtag #Food4Kids and Sysco San Diego will donate $1 to the Food 4 Kids
Restaurant Week kicks off September 20 through September 26 at over 180 participating restaurants in San Diego county.
Dinner will be served as a three-course, prix-fixe menu for just $20, $30, $40 or $50 per person, and lunch will be served as a two-course prix-fixe menu for only $10, $15 or $20 per person.
For a list of participating restaurants, or to make reservations in advance, visit www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com.
