San Diego Reader

• Restaurant | Italian | Seafood | Steak | La Jolla

Peri Peri

• 909 Prospect Street, San Diego, CA 92037 | Directions
• 858-454-9664 | Website

The former Vigilucci's space in La Jolla has a new tenant set to take over. Namely, William Sussman, a native South African with more than 20 years of restaurant experience, who will be installing his South African resto concept in early June. The name it will go by is Peri Peri, a term that refers to both a spicy chili pepper and a cooking method hailing from Mozambique.

The 5200-square-foot space’s dining room will feature hardwood floors and a trio of communal tables made with slabs of parota wood. The lounge is also being overhauled to fit the décor of the new restaurant.

The menu will include a number of dishes from Sussman’s home continent. Among them are boerewors, a coarsely ground beef sausage seasoned with coriander, clove, and a mixture of other indigenous spices; sosaties, grilled lamb served in a mild curry sauce further flavored with the addition of apricots; and bobotie, a beef casserole with apricots, raisins, and almonds, topped with a layer of savory custard.

South African-style natal beef curry, and Filet mignon seared table-side on hot rocks will also be on the menu when the restaurant opens this summer.