el bizcocho to close and reopen with new name, lower...

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Written byLoriWeisberg

10:14 a.m., May 2, 2012Updated 6 a.m. , May 3,2012

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El Bizcocho "Epilogue"

Two of El Bizcochoʼs former starexecutive chefs, Gavin Kaysen, nowhelming Café Boulud in New York, andTom Dowling of JC Resorts, will return fora farewell dinner on June 7. The eveningwill include a canapé reception and a7:15 p.m. five-course dinner.

The dinner will be priced at $225 or $275with wine pairings included. Proceedsfrom the dinner will go to OlivewoodGardens and Learning Center, a localorganization that connects students andfamilies from diverse backgroundsthrough organic gardening, and nutritioneducation. Reservations can be made

El Bizcocho will soon bid farewellto the white tablecloths, stuffydecor and French cuisine as itundergoes a $2 milliontransformation in hopes ofattracting more diners.

The 44-year-old dining icon isfollowing the lead of so many otherelegant restaurants that havediscovered, post-recession, thatconsumers are eschewing formal,special-occasion dining spots infavor of more casual, affordabledining spots.

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El Bizcocho to close and reopen with newname, lower prices

El Bizcocho, which was added to the Rancho Bernardo Inn in 1968, will close in August for a major overhaul. —Rancho Bernardo Inn

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El Bizcocho to close and reopen with new name, lower prices |... http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/02/el-bizcocho-to-c...

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"We believe the customers'behaviors have changed sodramatically, so the days of hushedprivate dining that lasts for severalhours with a real expensive restaurant have gone away," said RanchoBernardo Inn General Manager John Gates, who acknowledged that thehotel put a lot of thought into the planned overhaul before deciding tomove forward.

"People want more of a higher energy restaurant with shared plates and aprice point that allows them to go more often. Our hope is to get newcustomers and have them dine more frequently and not just on specialoccasions."

The redesign of the 5,800-square-foot dining room will begin in August,requiring the restaurant to shut down during the construction. Gateshopes it will be ready to reopen sometime in the fall.

The restaurant currently employs about 40, but no decisions have beenmade yet concerning the workers during the closure, Gates said.

While the intent of the redesign is to maintain El Bizcocho as the hotel'ssignature restaurant, the formal French ambiance, with dark wood accentsand chandeliers, will be replaced with a more casual vibe, sans tablecloths.In addition, more space will be devoted to lounging, said Gates, whowasn't ready to disclose all the details of the remodel, including therestaurant's name.

The menu, he said, will be California-inspired cuisine, a major departurefrom the French dishes that are now featured. Entree prices that nowrange from $32 to $48 will likely be $25 to $38 in the new restaurant,Gates said.

Just a few years ago, one of El Biz's former chefs raised the restaurant'sepicurean profile when he started incorporating the flashy gimmicks ofmolecular gastronomy into the menu featuring gases, flash-freezing andtableside smoke. The kitchen experiment, though, didn't last.

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Vince Star · San Diego, CaliforniaShared palates? Gross!Reply · · Like · May 2 at 7:06pm2

Doug Orvis · Top Commenter · Washington, District of ColumbiaYeah, this is a mistake. The formal service is very rare in San Diego, and was one of the fewreasons to go there after Gavin Kaysen took a less hands on role. Causal atmosphere dining youcan get anywhere. There's a less formal French place (by a former RBI chef) right down the street.Reply · Like · May 3 at 10:14am

Edward Spain · Top CommenterThis is a great loss for San Diego..I took my family there for nearly every special occasion, thoughonly a few could afford to go there on a regular basis, it was a real treat for my family to eat thereespecially the Raspberry Souffle and the Venison Loin...but $500 was kind of steep for us..It willbe missed...Reply · Like · May 2 at 7:20pm

Edward Spain · Top CommenterOne of my favorite resturants...Reply · Like · May 2 at 7:21pm

Edward Spain · Top CommenterMy favorite place in San Diego to dine formally great food. I believe this is the onlyresturant I miss in San Deigo since I have moved...Reply · Like · May 7 at 6:01am

Wayne Schoeneberg · Works at Goodman DistributionBuild the fence now.Reply · Like · May 4 at 6:49am

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el bizcocho to close and reopen with new name, lower...

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