by Frank Sabatini Jr.
Unexpected fusion
It isn’t uncommon to spot a can of Japanese honey-ginger IPA parked alongside a plate of rigatoni with Italian sausage at the gay-friendly women-owned CinKuni in North Park. What seems like a culinary mismatch turns even odder when you learn that the marinara sauce draping the pasta is miso-infused.
The artfully appointed restaurant offers a rare Japanese-Italian concept. If you’re torn between a shrimp-tempura dragon roll, and let’s say, a Margherita pizza dotted with fresh mozzarella, then go ahead and get both. This is your one-stop culinary oasis for breaking the rules.
Owners Kuniko Holmes of Japan and Cinzia Zolfanelli from Italy have been friends for more than 20 years. After working in the industry for some time, they opened CinKuni two years ago in July.
“Some people are skeptical before they try our food because they don’t know what to expect. But a lot of people give us great comments afterwards,” said Holmes. while noting that the restaurant recently hosted a trivia night for the Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Association.
In addition to its curious menu, the restaurant holds spirited events every week. At 7 pm on Thursdays, for example, customers can partake for free in radio bingo. Instead of marking off numbers, players check off song titles from a card as the games are led by recorded tunes and a comedian emcee. A variety of other weekly happenings, plus happy hour and occasional cooking classes, are listed on the website. 3025 El Cajon Blvd., 619-233-3072, cinkuni.com.
Spice mix with a dash of politics
Wisconsin-based Penzey’s Spices is agitating conservatives with a newly released product called Florida Seasoned Pepper of Hope. The salt-free spice blend comes with a message that encourages consumers to rise up for transgender kids, women’s rights, Black history, and “a future that shines on us all.” The seasoning contains robust Tellicherry black pepper, garlic, onion, and citrus peel. It is available online and at all stores nationwide, including in Hillcrest at 1274 University Ave.
Penzey’s has taken a brave, anti-Republican stance for several years. In January of 2022, CEO Bill Penzey announced through an email blast to nearly 100,000 subscribers that he would name his Martin Luther King Jr. sale, “Republicans are racist weekend.” And on the company’s website, there is a page titled, “About Republicans,” which cites the “slow decline” of the party.
While we definitely won’t find this limited-edition spice mix in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ household this summer, we will definitely give it a try on poultry, steaks, and veggies. Prices range from $1 (for trial size) to $20.29 for a 7.8-ounce bag. penzeys.com.
Little Sisters coming to North Park
Ever since LGBT ally Emily Green Lake opened Sisters Pizza five years ago in Hillcrest (3603 Fourth Ave.) in honor of her late sister, Kate Green, she hoped to eventually present a smaller offshoot of the business somewhere in San Diego.
With her husband, Trevor Lake, that wish is about to come true “hopefully by late summer,” she told us.
It will be called Little Sisters, which Green Lake says will focus exclusively on pizza and dough products such as stromboli and calzones. The latter two items will be exclusive to the North Park shop.
The offshoot venture replaces the former Sicilian Thing Pizza. Green Lake points out that the space is smaller than her Hillcrest location, where she is able to serve soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees. The new digs will be fully remodeled and also feature a design that pays homage to her sister, with whom she shared a passion for pizza and television sitcoms. Pizzas at Little Sisters will be available by the slice, as well as whole sizes, and also in pre-packaged frozen form. 4046 30th St., 619-255-4200, sisterspizza.com.
Not all gloom and doom at Rubio’s
Despite the closure of 48 locations throughout California, the famous San Diego-born taco chain known as Rubio’s Coastal Grill has partnered with two of the country’s top professional surfers in crafting an impressive “All-World Breakfast Burrito.” Created in collaboration with surfer brothers Griffin and Crosby Colapinto, the burrito packs 47 grams of protein and contains eggs, bacon, toasted cheese, guacamole, french fries and white sauce. Most San Diego County locations of Rubio’s remain open, stretching from Vista and Oceanside to Point Loma, Mission Valley, El Cajon and Chula Vista. rubios.com.
Iconic Harry’s Coffee Shop expands to Del Mar
Since 1960 the locally-owned Harry’s Coffee Shop in La Jolla has been a destination for bacon-crowned waffles, house-made corned beef hash, “surfer milkshakes,” and a proprietary blend of hardy coffee. The eatery has enjoyed national recognition by The Food Network and USA Today for its steadfast presence. Just recently it opened a location in Del Mar, marking the first expansion in its illustrious history. Situated near the ocean, it greets with a retro-diner vibe and offers indoor-outdoor seating. 1454 Camino Del Mar, 858-454-7381, harryscoffeeshop.com.
Hillcrest location for Madi on the horizon
Matt Sieve of Madi tells us that his brunch-centric restaurant, which opened two years ago in Normal Heights, will introduce a second location at 1270 Cleveland Ave., in the Hillcrest HUB, “sometime in 2025.” The restaurant will take over the space previously occupied by Panera Bread — and Terra American Bistro long before that. In the meantime, Sieve recently revamped 70 percent of the menu, which now reflects some of the diner fare he grew up with in Minnesota. New items include orange-cinnamon pancakes, chicken fried steak with eggs, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, and BLTs. 3737 Adams Ave., 619-915-5522, brunchlikemadi.com.
–Frank Sabatini Jr. has been writing about food in San Diego for over 35 years. He launched his own food blog during the pandemic, called, “The Hash Star,” which you can follow at thehashstar.com. He can be reached at [email protected].
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