By early next year, the prolific Cohn Restaurant Group expects to debut a 10,000-square-foot dining spot it is developing within the massive three-level Lexus Centre in Escondido that also houses the upscale car dealership.

When the nearly $30 million facility opened in late 2009, the plan had been to incorporate a restaurant into the more than 300,000-square-foot complex. However, it wasn’t until the center’s owner began talking to the Cohn group more than a year ago that the dining concept finally began to take shape. A couple of other restaurant proposals, including a steakhouse, had been considered, but both ultimately fell through.

Although the concept of integrating a dining establishment within an auto dealership is not a new one, it is a first in San Diego County, In fact, much about the Lexus Centre, from its palm-lined reflective pool and dancing waters fountain (not yet completed) to its planned retail mall and outdoor fire pits, is unconventional.

“I’d heard about this project over time and thought oh, this doesn’t make sense,” recalled David Cohn, whose collection of restaurants is up to more than a dozen. “We finally received a call from the owner who asked that we take a look at the space. We figured we’d go up, take a look and turn around and go home, but were truly wowed by it. We thought, this is just amazing, and we were hooked.”

Eager to explore what he says are areas of the county lacking in diverse dining options, Cohn and his wife Lesley, in partnership with chef Deborah Scott, decided that the Escondido location would be ideal for serving the Interstate 15 corridor communities.

Downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter, the beach communities and gentrifying areas like North Park already have become saturated with hip eateries, said Cohn, so it made sense to seek out a locale that had more of an untapped potential.

Scheduled to open by the first quarter of 2012, the Escondido project, just west of I-15, also encompasses close to 20,000 square feet of outdoor event space flanking the restaurant that the Cohns will operate for private functions. An additional 8,500 square feet of meeting and banquet space on the second level will also be under their control.

Together, the Cohns and Lexus Centre owner Judy Jones-Cone are investing $2.5 million to build out the restaurant space, which will take advantage of expansive city and mountain views from 17-foot-high windows and will also include a retail wine shop. And diners will arrive in style via a glass elevator.

The restaurant’s name, Vintana, takes its inspiration from ventana, the Spanish word for window, and vin, a reference to the eatery’s focus on wines. Cohn declined to say how much money his restaurant group is putting into the new dining venture.

Scott, who said she intends to price entrees at under $25, described the menu as one that will focus on California-style cuisine, in keeping with a décor will have a contemporary, casual vibe.

“We don’t want it to feel pretentious even though it’s in this gorgeous dealership with a glass elevator,” said Scott, who has been at the helm of Indigo Grill, Kemo Sabe and Island Prime. “We want it to just be a nice neighborhood restaurant for people in Escondido and the surrounding area.”

Although the Lexus complex opened in the middle of a deep recession, Jones-Cone said she was undeterred and remains committed to building out the second level of the center to accommodate niche retail outlets that will be a good complement to the dealership. So far, there is just one tenant, a gift and design shop, but she said she hopes to attract more retailers in the coming months, like clothing boutiques, a gourmet foods store, a tailor or perhaps a day spa.

“We are seeing the automotive industry, especially the luxury name brands, reach out into other amenities and services to make the automotive servicing experience more convenient and pleasant for them. Some offer more amenities like exercise facilities and places to have your nails done. And you’ll see lots of cafes in dealerships, but I think it’s rather nice to have such a beautiful concept as a full-service restaurant like Vintana.

I think it will bring the experience to Lexus and non-Lexus owners alike up a notch in terms of their enjoyment.”

Lori Weisberg

BO-beau occupies the spot where O.B. standby Thee Bungalow lived for decades. The beach community’s stalwart was far past its prime; it was in desperate need of a facelift—from an interior redesign to overhaul of the dated and overpriced menu. Yet, I felt a little sad when I learned that the Cohns had bought the place—not because the Cohns don’t know how to turn out a decent restaurant, but because a tiny piece of O.B. history was going to be turned into another “property.”

Ah, but those Cohns, they can crank ’em out. Sure, they’ve managed to take one stupidly named restaurant and turn it into another stupidly named restaurant, but with BO-beau, they’ve given OBecians a quaint and stylish offering, with great food to boot.

They don’t take reservations, and when we arrived at 6:30 p.m. on a weekend, the wait for dinner was 45 minutes for our small party. The kind (and, yes, very hospitable) hostess took my number and offered to call when our table was ready. No worries, we just sashayed our hungry patoots across the street to the popular haunt The 3rd Corner for some wine. (I have a feeling the two eateries will have a mutually beneficial relationship.) Thirty comfortably wine-soaked minutes later, we headed back across West Point Loma Boulevard and slipped into a snuggly corner booth.

We got off to a strong start with an appetizer that practically everyone in our section was eating, and for good reason: the crispy brussels sprouts. Brussels sprouts have been enjoying a well-deserved renaissance, and BO-beau’s version is a can’t-miss. If you’re still one of those people who hasn’t given sprouts another chance, perhaps due to some childhood trauma, stop plugging your nose and dive into the pile of charred and healthy nubbins that arrive at your table on a handsome wood plank. The sprouts are roasted until just tender, with wonderfully crispy and blackened outer leaves. The mound of green comes generously dusted with parmesan cheese and drizzled with a sweet reduction of balsamic vinegar. The Cohns do know how to gild the lily, and the brussels sprouts are no exception; you’ll find dime-sized chunks of salty, fried pancetta cleverly hiding like fat little piggies in a vegetable patch.

The Woodstone Oven Flat Breads are exceptional, with unique flavor combinations like shrimp with avocado and almonds. Our table devoured the roasted-beet flat bread, which comes covered in paper-thin beets as sweet as candy, goat cheese and surprising little hot bits of jalapeño.

The steak, a kissably-soft rib-eye, was sizzling, peppery and dripping with herb butter. With plentiful sides of snappy green beans and crispy pommes frites, it’s the consummate bistro crowd-pleaser.

I thank the chicken who gave up the tender thigh to be doused in mustard sauce on my plate of chicken fricassee. The tarragon dumplings that share the plate with the bird have a touch of pan-fried caramelization on the outside. They’re a luxuriously dense way to sop up the remaining puddle of chicken juice, mustard and your drool.

The “bohemian” (BO) and “beautiful” (beau) Philippe Beltran-designed restaurant is warm and evocative without feeling snooty. Grab a blanketa and some sprouts, and make yourself comfortable.

By Jenny Montgomery

BO-beau kitchen + bar’s interior.
Courtesy Photo

Built in the Ocean Beach space formerly occupied by the Thee Bungalow, BO-beau pays homage to that venerable eatery courtesy of French menu mainstays while simultaneously bidding adieu to its somewhat stuffy “special occasion” vibe. What was once a dimly lit bastion for old World French pretention (something that, frankly, always seemed a bit out of place in a space bordered by the parking lot of an athletic field) is now a Bohemian chic refuge offering several distinctly different dining experiences, from al fresca dining on a patio equipped with San Diego’s only outdoor pizza oven, to bites at the bar accompanied by a view of a bustling open kitchen, or traditional dinner service in the formal dining room, or a candlelit nook nestled in the restaurant’s northwest corner.

No matter where patrons choose to dine, the entire menu is available to them. It’s a bill of fare that includes French classics such as house-made pâtés and other forms of charcuterie, plus classics like butter-poached escargots, Croque Madame, Chicken Fricassé and Boeuf Bourguignon. Past that, the remainder of the menu, developed by chef Katherine Humphus (whose résumé includes time logged at The French Laundry in Napa Valley and NYC’s WD-50), mostly leans on French technique in the preparation of ingredients common to Spain and Italy. Such ingredients make sense for San Diego, which possesses a climate that’s perfect for fostering the development of fruits, vegetables and herbs found in countries situated along the Mediterranean Sea. Among Humphus’ offerings are several regionally inspired versions of mussels and fries (moules and frites), house-made pastas (including a seemingly mandatory mac ‘n’ cheese that’s made unique courtesy of leek “fondue”) and salmon with an arugula-pesto gremolata. And, of course, an assortment of flatbreads from the pizza oven, such as a five cheese variety with chorizo and Serrano ham and roasted beets with brie and curry onion marmalade.

BO-beau’s cuisine, with its firm Old World footing and pronouncedly modern American approach, match the mix of contemporary furniture and antiques (procured during Beltran’s travels) that define its interior aesthetic. From the moment one enters, it’s clear that a great deal of time and attention went into creating a warming environment that’s as well-suited for an evening of wine on the patio with friends or a romantic evening out with that special someone. And with a menu where all of the offerings chime in at under $20, either experience is sure to be an affordable one.

Owner David Cohn is teaming with executive chef and partner Deborah Scott to debut Chop Soo-ey, which will not only showcase Scott’s Asian fusion cuisine and her passion for barbecue, but also serve as a mobile billboard for promoting several of the more than a dozen Cohn restaurants.

While many of the startup food trucks that are emerging in San Diego were born of an adventurous spirit by chefs aching to have their own restaurants, Cohn says he sees no reason why a corporate enterprise can’t reproduce the funky feel of the gourmet food truck revolution.

“We used to be the little startup guy doing small innovative things, and now we’re considered the big guys,” said Cohn who runs the restaurant group with his wife Lesley. “It’s like saying chains can’t build great restaurants.

“Let the people on the street determine which trucks they like. We think there’s room for anyone who wants to go out and try it. If you create the right buzz, it will work.”

And there’s certainly no lack of whimsy in the truck’s design, hatched by Cohn and Scott. They’ve hired a Los Angeles artist to wrap their truck with a colorful graphic featuring the San Diego skyline dominated by a menacing samurai pig wielding a cleaver. There will also be room on the truck to promote three of the Cohn restaurants: Kemo Sabe, Indigo Grill and Island Prime C Level.

Although the 15-year-old Kemo Sabe, located in Hillcrest, is slated to close this fall when its lease expires, Cohn said he’s hoping to eventually move it to a North County coastal location.

Meanwhile, his new mobile enterprise will evolve gradually, first appearing at charity events, street festivals and farmers markets. The truck will be also used for catering private parties, and by October, Cohn said he plans to park the truck near bars and nightclubs, hoping to capitalize on hungry night owls looking to grab a bite during the early morning hours.

“We don’t want to compete with other restaurants by parking near them,” Cohn stressed, “but one market we think is not being served is the 2 o’clock-in-the-morning bar market.”

Cohn and Scott will use social media and a special website to communicate where the truck is parked on a daily basis.

Scott said she plans a frequently changing menu of small plates featuring favorite dishes from her restaurants, like Kemo Sabe’s “skirts on fire,” which features a charbroiled skirt steak, and stuffed Mexican white prawns wrapped in bacon. She’s also toying with the idea of Carolina-style ribs, brisket on a biscuit and curly fries with blue cheese, caramelized onions and cubed fried pork belly.

Menu items will probably range from $3 to $8, she said. The trucks themselves, she noted, are fairly pricey, costing $110,000, plus several thousand dollars more to embellish and outfit with kitchen equipment.

The trucks, in fact, are in such demand as their popularity has spread across the country and especially in Southern California, that Cohn says he’s already ordered a second one.

“We might use it to promote the Corvette Diner or the more casual side of what we do’” he said. “We’re trying to make it fun. We’re not looking at this from strictly a business standpoint. We looked at it from a marketing and PR standpoint to market our other restaurants.”

By Lori Weisberg

After five successful years in the Maui restaurant biz, Pineapple Grill has proven to be no “flash in the pan.” With a long list of awards, it’s celebrating its fifth anniversary this month with a special chef’s signature menu. “As a ‘big mahalo’ to all of you who have supported us, we’re presenting the chef’s signature three-course dinner throughout the month of July,” says Chris Kaiwi, Pineapple Grill’s vice president and managing partner. “It runs all night on Fridays and Saturdays, when we offer our dinner service from 5:30 p.m. until closing.” Savor miso-sake glazed prawns, farmer’s chop salad, Asian-braised short ribs and lemon-and-porcini-dusted monchong, to name a few. Or, go a la carte with new menu items of Olowalu Nui Farms summer tomato gazpacho with seared shrimp and avocado relish with balsamic syrup; and mac-nut and basil-pesto-crusted Hawaiian mahimahi in a saute of local kale, leeks, French lentils and applewood-smoked bacon.

While the food is enough to entice you to dine there, Pineapple Grill will take it over the top by letting customers enter to win the grand-prize drawing. “Anyone who orders this three-course meal will be entered to win the grand prize of an Apple iPad,” says Kaiwi. But there’s more. Second prize is golf for four with lunch at the Bay Golf Course, and third prize is a four-course dinner for two with wine pairings. Ever since it opened, Pineapple Grill has stacked up too many awards to list here in The Maui News and in other publications, and Kaiwi attributes its huge success to the support of its owners. “We have the strong support of David and Lesley Cohn of the Cohn Restaurant Group,” says Kaiwi. “This is not just a Maui restaurant. We’re part of 13 others owned by the Cohns on the Mainland.”

The group was rated among the top 50 in the nation by the National Restaurant News recently — a testament to the experience of its savvy owners. “We recently sent our Executive Chef Ryan Luckey to the Cohn’s home base in the San Diego Gas Lamp District. He certainly has a renewed respect after his return from seeing it all firsthand.” Some of their award-winning restaurants include Indigo Grill, Kemo Sabe, Blue Point Coastal Cuisine, and La Jolla Strip Club: A Steak Place. The website reads the group is “obsessed with hospitality.” “They have a motto, anything anyone requests — absolutely,” says Kaiwi. “If you want it a certain way, we’ll try our best to do it for you.” Kaiwi also says the Cohn’s philosophy carries over to the staff, who then present that kind hospitality to diners on a silver platter, so to speak. “They are the epitome of great and caring restaurant owners and it really shows in our up-and-coming staff,” says Kaiwi.

“Chef Ryan is incredible in his culinary approach. Sheehan McCoy, assistant general manager and wine director, is also really on top of everything in his field.” You will love Chef Ryan’s new entrees of grilled sweet Thai marinated jumbo prawns with Kula vegetables, sauteed in coconut sauce with lemongrass-scented jasmine rice; and his grilled fresh-lime-marinated shutome with ratatouille of Maui Gold pineapple and mango. Pair either entree with the Treana white wine from the Central Coast, a masterful blend of viognier and Marsanne, inspired by the great wines of France. In addition, Pineapple Grill offers nightly specials, so it’s always fresh and you always have something new to try. For instance, Sunday is prime rib night. Monday is the dinner for two paired with wine special. The king crab extravaganza is snapping every Tuesday. “But Wednesday is the craziest night of all,” says Kaiwi. “We offer half off wines by the bottle. Sheehan has developed a really worldly list. Wines come from Italy, France, South Africa and South America. They’re not just from California. We’re very proud of our list. It doesn’t read like a library book. But it’s really focused and food friendly, too, and people love it.” The Wednesday wine special applies to 85 percent of the list. Thursdays, Mauians rock to Jawaiian music by Damien Awai and 50 percent off the bar menu for Industry Night all evening. Friday, come and enjoy the Ocean Beach Party with live music by Scotty Rotten. You may sip Maui’s own Ocean Vodka drink specials all night and get 50 percent off of the bar menu from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday, you may listen to jazz on the green from 7 to 10 p.m. with more bar specials. Diners also flock there for nice golf course lunches with yummy gourmet items thrown into the mix — all proving that Pineapple Grill is here for the long haul.