Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

French, Italian and Carla

Hotel Del delivers cocktails, apps for price of a Bud and a couple of burgers

Seeing we’re in Coronado (see Sticker Shock), and seeing we’ve spent, like $35 for burgers…it’s now around seven and Carla suddenly says “Let’s go get you a French and Italian at the Del. Just in time for sunset.”

“The…the Del?”

Guess I sound like Brer Rabbit saying “The Briar Patch?”

“Look, we just paid out $35 for burgers. Danny's, right? You got paid Friday, right? Let’s make $35 the limit. Have some style, Bedford. Think Great Gatsby! French and Italian…”

She says it like Delilah offering Samson a haircut. Seductive.

French and Italian's a cocktail my bro has always ordered with great bluster. I've even come to like it. A lot, when I can get it.

“Okay,” I say. In for a penny, in for a pound.

So two minutes later, we’re heading in with the crowds to the mighty hotel, skirting around it and down to the seaside gardens.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/29/46494/

Just before the Duchess of Windsor’s cottage, right in front of THE most expensive restaurant in the Del, “1500 Ocean,” is this outside bar, beside a rack of fire-pit tables.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/29/46495/

The Sunset Bar (Hotel Del, 1500 Ocean Boulevard, Coronado, 619-435-6611).

Lord. Haven’t been here for four years, must be. That time I lucked out and found José Palma, who’s a legend among barmen. Not many cocktails he doesn’t know. And yes, he knew what a French and Italian was. And miracle! There he is, right behind the bar. I have three words.

“French and Italian?”

It takes him a moment. “Of course,” he says.

“And ginger ale,” says Carla. “Thanks for asking,” she hisses to me.

“Sweetheart, I was just about to…got caught up in the French and Italian thing…”

"Of course," José says again and disappears back inside to the main bar.

“You’ll pay, of course,” Carla says, as we sit down under a heater. “We are going to have a snack.”

Man, I’m gonna be eaten alive. A snack here is like a 3-course dinner at Denny’s, cost-wise.

But here is the surprising thing. Hidden among the $40 steaks, whatever, is a little line of “sides,” $7 each. Fork crushed potatoes, green asparagus, sautéed snap peas, roasted mushrooms, and hey hey: charred Brussels sprouts, my new go-to side.

“Can we just have a side?” I ask the waitress.

“Of course,” she says.

“With bread?”

“We can get you bread.”

Result: I have this little triangle of heaven to sip, warm, aromatic, with sweet red vermouth (Italian), dry white vermouth (French), and a splash of gin and a slice of lemon to add tang. Reddy brown. Carla’s ginger ale looks pretty cool with the setting sun’s rays shining through too.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/28/46469/

José - not José Palma - brings our plates.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/28/46471/

My sprouts, with little baguettes and butter, are crunchy, carbony, beautiful. Quite a lot in the oval plate.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/28/46474/

Plus Carla’s ’shrooms mix well with them. They’re lush and garlicky. Bit of thyme in there too.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/28/46473/

We eat like parolees who know they’ve gotta get back to the real world.

But here, kids play on the lawn, A whole ring of people sit like us, looking out to ol’ Huey, sinking off Point Loma.

We take bets on what the bill’s going to be.

“$35,” says Carla, and you know what? She’s right on the button. Have to tip, of course, so make that $40 when all’s said and done.

“Think of it this way,” she says. “It’s like Danny’s, right? We're just missing the French fries."

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Why Paul Mitchell the School San Diego is the Top Choice for Future Beauty Pros

Next Article

Kaylee Daugherty, Pinback, Chorduroy, Moondaddy, and Mr. Tube & the Flying Objects

Solos, duos, and full bands in Mira Mesa, Del Mar, City Heights, Little Italy, East Village

Seeing we’re in Coronado (see Sticker Shock), and seeing we’ve spent, like $35 for burgers…it’s now around seven and Carla suddenly says “Let’s go get you a French and Italian at the Del. Just in time for sunset.”

“The…the Del?”

Guess I sound like Brer Rabbit saying “The Briar Patch?”

“Look, we just paid out $35 for burgers. Danny's, right? You got paid Friday, right? Let’s make $35 the limit. Have some style, Bedford. Think Great Gatsby! French and Italian…”

She says it like Delilah offering Samson a haircut. Seductive.

French and Italian's a cocktail my bro has always ordered with great bluster. I've even come to like it. A lot, when I can get it.

“Okay,” I say. In for a penny, in for a pound.

So two minutes later, we’re heading in with the crowds to the mighty hotel, skirting around it and down to the seaside gardens.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/29/46494/

Just before the Duchess of Windsor’s cottage, right in front of THE most expensive restaurant in the Del, “1500 Ocean,” is this outside bar, beside a rack of fire-pit tables.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/29/46495/

The Sunset Bar (Hotel Del, 1500 Ocean Boulevard, Coronado, 619-435-6611).

Lord. Haven’t been here for four years, must be. That time I lucked out and found José Palma, who’s a legend among barmen. Not many cocktails he doesn’t know. And yes, he knew what a French and Italian was. And miracle! There he is, right behind the bar. I have three words.

“French and Italian?”

It takes him a moment. “Of course,” he says.

“And ginger ale,” says Carla. “Thanks for asking,” she hisses to me.

“Sweetheart, I was just about to…got caught up in the French and Italian thing…”

"Of course," José says again and disappears back inside to the main bar.

“You’ll pay, of course,” Carla says, as we sit down under a heater. “We are going to have a snack.”

Man, I’m gonna be eaten alive. A snack here is like a 3-course dinner at Denny’s, cost-wise.

But here is the surprising thing. Hidden among the $40 steaks, whatever, is a little line of “sides,” $7 each. Fork crushed potatoes, green asparagus, sautéed snap peas, roasted mushrooms, and hey hey: charred Brussels sprouts, my new go-to side.

“Can we just have a side?” I ask the waitress.

“Of course,” she says.

“With bread?”

“We can get you bread.”

Result: I have this little triangle of heaven to sip, warm, aromatic, with sweet red vermouth (Italian), dry white vermouth (French), and a splash of gin and a slice of lemon to add tang. Reddy brown. Carla’s ginger ale looks pretty cool with the setting sun’s rays shining through too.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/28/46469/

José - not José Palma - brings our plates.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/28/46471/

My sprouts, with little baguettes and butter, are crunchy, carbony, beautiful. Quite a lot in the oval plate.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/28/46474/

Plus Carla’s ’shrooms mix well with them. They’re lush and garlicky. Bit of thyme in there too.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/28/46473/

We eat like parolees who know they’ve gotta get back to the real world.

But here, kids play on the lawn, A whole ring of people sit like us, looking out to ol’ Huey, sinking off Point Loma.

We take bets on what the bill’s going to be.

“$35,” says Carla, and you know what? She’s right on the button. Have to tip, of course, so make that $40 when all’s said and done.

“Think of it this way,” she says. “It’s like Danny’s, right? We're just missing the French fries."

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Little Italy: Supping with a ghost named Wanda

Next Article

Café Paris: Flying the Flag

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader