Pamplemousse

We love good food but really can't afford to eat at the great local restaurants very often. So we wait with lustful anticipation every year for San Diego Restaurant Week. 

During this week, the better dining establishments of our county offer a prix fixe menu that is much more affordable, gives us commoners a chance to eat like the royals. 

We like to dine on these excursions with our great friend Renée. Somehow we always go back to the same place every year, Pamplemousse Grille in Del Mar. 

It is my longtime favorite restaurant in San Diego County. Due to Covid and scheduling problems we have not celebrated this tradition for a few years.

Last night was the last night for restaurant week. We picked our friend up and drove down from Fallbrook for our 6:30 reservation, which I had booked on Open Table several weeks ago.

The special menu offered us a lot of hard to make choices. Everything looked great!

In order to clear our palette and heads and make the absolute right choices, a bottle of Veuve Cliqcuot champagne was ordered.

We quickly powered through a tray of delicious bread and muffins.

After a few minutes of weighing our options we ordered our three course dinner.

Renée started with escargot, off menu. Leslie ordered the kimchee seafood martini and I had the melon prosciutto salad with the delicious toasted goat cheese. 

I almost ordered the special lobster mac and cheese with truffles but thought my dinner was probably already rich enough.

We all shared, as is customary for our group and all of the first course items were absolutely delightful.

I am sorry that I have to show you plates of half eaten food, I left the phone in the car and the girls were a bit slow on the trigger.  Rookie amateurs...

Renée and I both had the duck confit and quail dish, Leslie the filet with the braised short rib stuffed ravioli. 

The dishes were all wonderful and prepared perfectly but I must confess that I liked the crispier finish on the duck better than the quail, which I prefer crisp, La Fonda or Vietnamese style.

I understand why they prepared it this way, wanting a textural difference to the two fowl offerings but the duck just kicked ass on the quail, which was juicy and succulent but a bit squishy, in my opinion anyway. Of course I am quibbling now, still great and full of flavor.

Leslie's beef was exceptional. All was fabulous, in any case, as were the excellent vegetables accompanying our proteins.

Dessert was also delightful, an apple tarte tatin, chocolate truffle cake and a key lime tarte. I had the last one and it was the prettiest with its perfect meringue but the taste was a bit sharp. The other dishes were fab.

Had such a nice night. I noticed that they took my favorite videos out of the men's room last time I was there but there is a cute painting on the wall of women peeping toms! 

Strauss has a great sense of humor, place doesn't take itself too seriously, staff is great, keeps us coming back time after time.

Great meal, didn't break the bank, can't wait to go back next year!

Pamplemousse Grille
514 Via De La Valle Ste 100
Solana Beach, CA 92075
(858) 792-9090