Kingfisher brings cuisine to Golden Hill

For differing reasons, mussels and chicken wings were not what I imagined eating when I first heard about Golden Hill restaurant, Kingfisher. Granted, it has been nearly three years since word got around a modern Vietnamese restaurant would be opening on Broadway at 25th Street, roughly three blocks from my home. At the time, I envisioned frequent, short walks to indulge in updated takes on phở, or vermicelli bowls, perhaps something more exotic such as caramelized fish.

A lot can happen in three years. Heck, I’ve moved twice in that time, so my dreams of stumbling home after spring rolls and cocktails would not come to fruition. But the bigger difference turns out to be the people behind Kingfisher approached the concept with a lot more ingenuity than I ever expected. I did ultimately get that caramelized fish dish, but not before experiencing a few surprises.

The first being how dazzling a space I would find. Golden Hill’s got several great eating places, but at most they possess what we might call an understated elegance. The neighborhood hasn’t seen anything like Kingfisher, the sort of upscale restaurant that announces itself with a meticulously designed interior paid for with glossy magazine spreads in mind. A mid-size dining room surrounds an oblong island bar that blends hard surfaces of tile, ceramic, and polished metal; the entire room softened by the matte creams and greens of stylized lotus flower wallpaper.

It proves a marvelous date venue, as well as a place for friendly gatherings, which may explain why reservations can be tough to get less than two weeks out.

A menu of shared plates range in price from 18 to 81 dollars and decidedly does not follow the formula of Vietnamese eateries along the lines of Phở Ca Dao, or any of the Little Saigon mainstays. Though southeast Asian flavors permeate the menu, it’s clearly the work of a high caliber chef in possession of a whole world of culinary influences. Which makes sense, considering Jonathan Bautista previously served as head chef of La Jolla fine dining institution, Georges at the Cove.

Our waitress let us know that all the dishes at the top of the menu are served cold, including beef tartare with pickled ramps and cured egg yolk ($22); Baja-sourced kanpachi crudo with strawberry, lemongrass, and jalapeño($21); and a poached shrimp served with kohlrabi, papaya, banana blossoms, and citrus ($19). Everything sounded alluringly over the top, but none sounded as far out there as the mussels escabeche ($19).

Finding its origins in the Arabic culture of medieval Al-Andalus Spain, escabeche typically sees a cooked meat or fish served cold and bathed in an acidic, usually vinegary sauce. This Kingfisher escabeche seems to be influenced by a Spanish version incorporating steamed mussels, though what came after yielded an even more complex fusion.

The mussels came blanched, then finished in acidic coconut broth colored by oils of Thai basil and lemon verbena and joined by fresh fennel sprigs, cucumber, and fresno chili slices. The amalgamation of flavors proved captivating, but it was the plump tenderness of the mussels that stood out. I’d personally never eaten cold mussels before, and wasn’t sure what to expect. After trying this dish, I’d like never to eat them any other way.

Conversely, the first hot dish on the menu is something tried and true at many a Vietnamese restaurant: chicken wings, served in a tamarind glaze, with crushed peanuts and crispy garlic, with dipping sauces of chili sauce and coconut ranch dressing. It’s almost odd to see wings on the menu, surrounded by so many high-minded and nuanced dishes. But if Kingfisher is an upscale eatery in an under 10-bucks kind of neighborhood, its $19 wings are maybe a nod to the community’s casual tastes. They’re good, but I’d call that 20 bucks better spent elsewhere on the menu.

At the top end, dishes such as dry aged, smoked duck and smoked wagyu beef ribs may be the restaurant’s must-haves, but at $72 and $81 respectively, I left them to larger groups who helped keep Kingfisher at capacity.

I would not be disappointed to do so, thanks to the main seafood options, which include local halibut ($32) and spiny lobster ($39). But my choice was arguably the simplest protein on the menu: striped Baja sea bass, seared with a caramelized fish sauce. The light sweetness and rich umami set off the beautifully cooked fish, served over mustard greens and topped with crispy shallots. Not exactly what I’d imagined when I first learned of the Kingfisher concept, but as it turns out, not too showy for Golden Hill.