Great balls of fire, can you believe it’s been 40 years since the original Top Gun movie was released?
To mark the anniversary, many movie theaters are showing it, along with Top Gun: Maverick, as part of a double feature. Locally, the Top Gun Bar (Kansas City Barbeque on Harbor Drive) is having it’s onn party with events throghout May.
On May 15, from 5-7, “Maverick” and “Charlie will be at the bar with it featuring food & drink specias. On the 16th, from 2-4, there Top Gun extras reunion, the “Bucket List Coach Show” podcast will be live and there will be an appearance by Medal of Honor recipient Captain Royce Williams.
Then, on May 23, from 2-4 p.m., there will be a Top Gun pilots reunion with local look-alike characters playing the roles of Maverick, Iceman and Rooster, along with Charlie. The “Bucket List Coach Show” podcast will also be live. All these events are free.
And that is just part of a full month of May at San Diego’s bars and restaurants. Here is a roundup of San Diego bar, restaurant and beer news and happenings for the month of May.
City Tacos’ Taco of the Month for May is the Ranchero Fajita Taco, featuring sliced top round steak, sauteed bell peppers, onions, bacon, potatoes, a drizzle of chipotle aioli and serrano sauce, and finished with a sprinkle of cotija. It’s all piled over melted Monterey cheese on a flour tortilla. It goes for $5.50 at each of City Tacos’ six San Diego locations in Encinitas, La Mesa, North Park, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and Sorrento Mesa. Pro’s tip: While the March and April Special of the Month, the Baja Birria Pocket Burrito, is no longer on the menu, you can still order it ‘secretly’ by name.
• Japanese-influenced Cloak & Petal and its Executive Chef Robert Cassidy, who is half Korean, is celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May with The Zodiac Roll. Inspired by the zodiac calendar, the roll features yellowtail, blackened shrimp, avocado, cucumber, asparagus, sambal vinaigrette, honey wasabi crema, smoked paprika, and cilantro. It goes for $22 all month long at the Little Italy restaurant. Cloak & Petal opens daily at 4 p.m. Reservations are recommended.
• George’s at the Cove has refreshed its spring menu, adding a quartet of seafood dishes to the seaside restaurant. Executive Chef Masa Kojima, who’s been captain of this La Jolla ship since 2021, introduced the following dishes:
– Alaskan Halibut – “creamed” corn, marinated sun gold tomatoes, snap peas, tarragon
– Clam Spaghetti – white wine, parsley, roasted tomatoes, spicy bread crumb
– Local Bluefin Tuna Crudo – cherries, avocado, cucumber, pickled serrano, yuzu ponzu, basil
– Seared Rare Local Yellowtail – asparagus, roasted fennel, chimichurri, king trumpet, smoked tomatillo
Pastry chef Zach Schneider, meanwhile, added two new desserts to the menu:
– Coconut Thai Tea Sundae – mochi, coconut chips, tapioca pudding, mango
– Tres Leches – vanilla mousse, crème anglaise, strawberries
Reservations are strongly recommended, especially at sunset.
• Borrego Rooftop Kitchen + Cocktails in the Gaslamp/East Village area has unleased a new lineup of seasonal cockails. The are:
– The Salton Spritz, with Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, Strega, sparkling brut, Cointreau, vanilla and soda water, priced at $18;
º Purple Haze, made with Ford’s gin, lemon juice, Fee Foam and house-made wild berry syrup, priced at $17;
1886, a combination of Buffalo Trace bourbon, Abasolo whiskey, peach liqueur, lemon and simple syrup, priced at $16;
º The Mirage, crafted with 400 Conejos mezcal, El Jimador Blanco, Lillet Blanc, prickly pear, grapefruit bitters and simple syrup, priced at $18;
º Red Flag, with strawberry-infused vodka, Cointreau, simple syrup, lemon, Lillet Blanc and pink peppercorn tincture, priced at $18;
– The Orange Line, blending Corazón Blanco, Aperol, lemon, grapefruit, simple syrup and Sprite, priced at $17;
– Padres Punch, made with Huckleberry-infused Tito’s Handmade Vodka, lemonade and blueberry purée, priced at $16.
• Pacific Beach’s Duck Dive is offering 20% off for active and inactive veterans, with proof of duty, on Memorial Day (Monday, May 25). The beach bar and restaurant will also be extending its Bottomless Mimosas ($19.75) until 2.
• Speaking of Memorial Day, the Rooftop Bar at Mission Pacific Beach Resort in Oceanside has a four-day Memorial Day Weekend lineup featuring rotating DJs, a new pool concierge and special pricing on wines from California, Baja and Europe for that Monday’s Grape Expectations. A late-night menu launches that weekend as well, running Fridays and Saturdays from 9-11 p.m. PubClub.com does not have pricing at this time.
• The Stand, is a fast casual restaurant chain with 22 locations in California, is coming this summer to “The Valley” outdoor mall in Mission Valley (formerly known as Westfield Mission Valley Mall). Slated to open in August, American classics with an expansive menu of chef-crafted burgers, sandwiches, salads, bowls, wraps, hot dogs, sides and shakes. “As we expand into new markets, our focus stays the same: great food at an amazing value, a welcoming experience, and a place that feels like part of the community,” Stand Vice President Zachary Wishengrad said.
Mission Valley’s OX Coffee Roasters has introduced three springtime drinks to its menu: Lemon merengue cold brew, peanut butter oreo latte and lavender latte.
On Tap: San Diego Beer Happenings
After debuting last year on draft only, Karl Strauss Brewing Company released its Karlitos Mexican Lager in packaging in May. The light 4.4% ABV beer is available in six packs of 12-oz bottles at Karl Strauss’ brewpubs in 4S Ranch, Carlsbad, Downtown, and Sorrento Mesa. It will soon be released into retails outlets as well.
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