Q: You've been cooking in San Diego for a long time, how did local diners surprise you this year? We're trying to do 80-seat restaurant kind of food in a 300-seat space; we often do 400 covers on a Friday, that's 1600 plates of food. All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. 2228 Kettner Boulevard. Juniper & Ivy is quarterbacked by Richard Blais, winner of Top Chef All-Stars, and when he is in-house, as he was during our visit, it is a fact not to be forgotten. Subscribe to our Newsletter. September 2019. Q: What's your plan for Juniper & Ivy in 2015? Juniper & Ivyâs founding chef Richard Blais, left, talks with owner Mike Rosen at the Little Italy restaurant before it opened in March 2014. Last March, the restaurant stunner splashed down in Little Italy and curious eaters have ventured into and returned to the 7,500-square-foot space at a steady clip ever since; along the way, they've earned accolades including Best New Restaurant as voted by Eater readers and the Union-Tribune and helped to establish the neighborhood as San Diego's hottest dining destination. Juniper and Ivy, Juniper and Ivy, what can we say about this spark-plug of a restaurant that has ignited the San Diego Celebrity Chef scene? Click through the slideshow for more photos of the food, team, and space at Juniper & Ivy ». Q: You've invested a lot in allowing the kitchen to have the freedom to create. After months of anticipation, Juniper & Ivy officially opened last Monday in an extensively renovated building on the northern edge of Little Italy. 0 open jobs. Stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp, pork, and vegetables. We've had a lot of opportunities to do another Juniper & Ivy in L.A., San Francisco or Las Vegas, but it would be hard to recreate this building and the energy created here. "We're more progressive and liberal in way we think about what we're doing," says Blais. Blais: The biscuit, oysters and peals, beef tartare on toast; we tried to take away the linguni and clams but that didn't work. Q: Do you feel like you've gotten to know the San Diego diner? by Eater Staff Feb 24, 2014, 8:50am EST Share this story. We have an upstairs space, I could see maybe devoting it to that in the deep future. Juniper & Ivy, a partnership between Top Chef's Richard Blais, Michael Rosen of Juniper Hospitality and the Atlanta-based Concentrics Restaurants begins dinner service tonight. This native New Yorker turned San Diegan and âTop Chefâ winner sat down with us and explained what he does in the wild, among other things, and talked about his restaurant Juniper & Ivy, located in Little Italy. Some comments may be held for manual review. Juniper and Ivy offers "Refined American Food with Left Coast Edge" courtesy of acclaimed Chef Richard Blais and Michael Rosen's Juniper Hospitality. Our Menu Eater recently stopped by the Kettner Street restaurant to catch up with Blais, Rosen and Sloan as they reflected on One Year In. Rosen: I don't want to say that I didn't get into this as a business, but I was willing to blow through some parameters. Juniper & Ivy: Excellent New Restaurant by Celeb Chef Richard Blais - See 863 traveler reviews, 673 candid photos, and great deals for San Diego, CA, at Tripadvisor. Here a peek at Juniper & Ivy, the San Diego restaurant that's a partnership among ex-Top Cheftestapant Richard Blais, Juniper Hospitality and Atlanta's Concentrics Restaurants.It is ⦠Charred Black Grapes Toast with house-made ricotta and borage, When designing the menu, which is stocked with bar snacks, raw seafood, small plates, pastas, and entrées, Blais says he focused on creating the type of food he wants to eat. Richard Blais on Juniper & Ivy's Menu & San Diego Food. Rising Star Chef Richard Blais of Juniper and Ivy - Biography. I didn't think some of it would work, but it did. Juniper and Ivy offers "Refined American Food with left coast edge" courtesy of acclaimed Chef Richard Blais and Michael Rosen's Juniper Hosiptality. Comments can take a minute to appear—please be patient! I can't believe how well we've done with dishes of beef heart and tongue; we'll sell out of 20 pounds of tongue in two days. Erin has been digging up the best bites in San Diego (and beyond!) Note: First Looks give previews of new dishes, drinks, and menus we're curious about. Last May, Richard Blais (Flip Burger Boutique, The Spence, Bravo's Top Chef: All-Stars, and Cook Your Ass Off on HLN) announced he was relocating from Atlanta to open a new restaurant in San Diego. Named after the streets that border the building's location on the outskirts of Little Italy, the restaurant ⦠There are days when our chef de cuisine Anthony Wells just plays and invents; it's an expensive luxury, but if it drives excitement and enables you to do something that changes people's perception, it's worth it. Share . Talking unkillable dishes, Top Chef and a new restaurant. Enjoy these romantic meals for two this Valentine’s Day, whether you’re dining outdoors or grabbing takeout. Last May, Richard Blais (Flip Burger Boutique, The Spence, Bravo's Top Chef: All-Stars, and Cook Your Ass Off on HLN) announced he was relocating from Atlanta to open a new restaurant in San Diego. Blais: The grind of it, I was not expecting it to be this busy; it's been a great surprise. Richard Blais got his start behind the fish station at McDonaldâs. Have you also thought about opening another Juniper & Ivy? We want to work to keep things up; when you're new, people are excited and the buzz is there, but the second year is a challenge. But they loved the dry-aged lamb necks and half of a pig head carnitas. San Diego, CA. Juniper & Ivy. Blais says he'll shave once he's confident that the restaurant is running smoothly. Blais has a new No. Don't define Blais as just a "molecular gastronomist"; while innovative and modernist, he is also the most talented chef overall that I have ever experienced. Top Chef Richard Blais opens Ember & Rye Years ago I had a memorable dinner at Juniper & Ivy in San Diego, one of Executive Chef Richard Blais culinary destinations. "I'm kind of like a hockey player during the playoffs," he explains. "Our cocktail program and pastry program are really creative. Gift Cards. He founded Trail Blais, a creative culinary company that has consulted on, designed and operated some of Atlanta's most popular eateries. I've been judging for a couple different shows and though it's a lot easier than competing, it is harder than it looks. San Diego, California 92101. Chef Richard Blais' second collaboration with Mike Rosen, The Crack Shack, is set to hatch this November next door to their acclaimed Juniper & Ivy. If that's the case then that's a great idea and I would be offended, personally, if they didn't come to San Diego. Weekly Comfort Food To-Go âFreshâ at Home; DIY Meal Kits; Super Bowl Sunday; Winter Menu; Events; News & Happenings; Contact; Gift Cards; Subscribe; Our Story. In January, the restaurant finally made good on its promise of a chef's tasting menu, launching a weekly Thursday night, eight-seat custom dining experience. San Diego's culinary scene reached new heights with the opening of Juniper & Ivy. Share All sharing options for: Richard Blais & Team Reflect on Juniper & Ivy's One Year In. I wouldn't say never, but we don't want to do anything to mess this up. There have been times when we may have gotten too weird for people; the "abalogna", bologna made completely out of abalone or pickled mackerel with the skin may not have worked. Sloan: The offal. The culinary team is a mix of local talent and others who moved with Blais from Atlanta. Do you feel like you've accomplished that? for Serious Eats since 2010. It's all about making people feel respected and creating culture and community. The concept is "left coast cookery", which Blais says has two meanings. Sunday is our largest age spread, from 30-year-olds with kids to 70 and 80-year-olds because they don't want to come on the weekends. An ooey gooey, creamy, tangy dip that's perfect for fries, nachos, and whatever else you want to bathe in "liquid gold.". After winning Top Chef: All Stars, Blais got back in shape through a vegan diet and regular exercise and lost 60 pounds.He proposed to then-girlfriend Jazmin at the end of his first marathon and the two tied the knot. Menus will go live on Monday mornings, and weâll announce when that happens on our social channels. Blais: I don't think I came in here and did something that wasn't happening already; we've always said there's no difference between San Diego, L.A. and San Francisco, it's the same labor, same ingredients, things should be the same. Blais: I loved it. By any measure, Juniper & Ivy had a triumphant first year. 2 at Juniper & Ivy Anthony Wells, 30, the new executive chef at Juniper & Ivy, visits the Teralta Lamb Farm in Poway. If people are looking for molecular gastronomy, it's happening in our bar and our pastry kitchen," he says. Learn more on our Terms of Use page. Celebrity Chef Richard Blais is more than a TV personality; he is also an aspiring abstract comedian. Juniper and Ivy - San Diego. newsletter, Metl Bar Bringing Southern-Styled Brunch and Boozy Ice Cream to North Park, 10 New San Diego Eateries to Check Out Right Now, Valentine’s Day Dining and Takeout Specials in San Diego. Most recognizable as the winner of Bravo's Top Chef All-Stars, Richard Blais has played an influential role in hospitality for the last 15 years. I hear from my people through other people that yes, I will be participating in hopefully a similar way. Pocket; Flipboard; Email; L to R: Jon Sloan, Michael Rosen, Richard Blais Tim King. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy. Richard, Anthony and I aren't on the line, we're coming up with the dishes and our staff's executing it. From Zagat to Thrillist to Buzzfeed to USA Today, Juniper & Ivy is honored to have been featured in a number of publications. RakiRaki Ramen Expanding Into Tokyo-Style Fried Chicken, Junya’s Crispy Karaage is launching later this month, San Diego’s essential eateries across an of array of cuisines, neighborhoods, and price points — even during the pandemic, the rumor that next season will be set in California, Chef Travis Swikard Previews the Much-Anticipated Callie, Southeast Asian Food Truck Spotlights Specialities of Laos and Cambodia, Taiwanese Tea Shop Expanding to Fashion Valley, Bottlecraft and Communal Coffee Coming to Oceanside. Today, they live with their two daughters Riley and Embry in Del Mar, Calif., so Blais can be closer to his California-based concepts Juniper & Ivy and The Crack Shack. With no disrespect to our other Food Network stars here in San Diego, but Richard Blais has started something that looks like there might be no end in sight. She is also a contributor to San Diego Magazine and city editor for Dining Out San Diego. By any measure, Juniper & Ivy had a triumphant first year. First Look: Juniper & Ivy, Richard Blais's New Restaurant in San Diego, Serious Eats' Halal Cart-Style Chicken and Rice With White Sauce. âTop Chef All-Starsâ winner Richard Blais, a San Diegan since he moved here to open Juniper & Ivy and launch the Crack Shack brand, is next putting his name on ⦠The perfect margarita is all about fresh, crisp flavors, barely tempered by sweet triple sec. Are you signed up for more Top Chef? We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. One is to hang out and have some drinks and bites. Contact Juniper & Ivy Reservations. Q: How was your last Top Chef experience, being on the other side? Juniper âat Homeâ Experiences. Accessibility Statement . Amidst the rush of pre-dinner prep, Blais gave me the rundown on his latest project and prepared some of his favorite dishes. They're the hands and the taste buds and Dan and his team are our front line. The first relates to where ingredients are sourced (the West coast, from Vancouver to Baja and as far as Hawaii). Juniper & Ivy delivers a chef-driven menu that uses hand-selected, seasonal ingredients crafted with precision, passion, and creativity. Blais: That would be amazing. A native New Yorker, Blais relocated to Atlanta, Georgia in 2000 to run his own restaurant, called Fishbone. Q: What do you think of the rumor that next season will be set in California and include San Diego?