Little Italy is a historic, San Diego neighborhood famous for its delicious Italian cuisine, fine art galleries and boho-chic shops. There is a plethora of fabulous restaurants in this culinarily-focused neighborhood, and we were incredibly lucky to collaborate with Prepkitchen, one of the few non-Italian restaurants in the district and a stand-out spot for artisanal, farm-to-table cuisine .
Recently, we got together with the staff of Catania, another restaurant alongside Prepkitchen in the Whisknladle Hospitality Group, to brew a beer here at Thorn Street Brewery that would pair well with the fresh seafood dishes they are known for. The resulting brew was the Children of the Thorn, hoppy American Wheat ale with 6% ABV.
For the restaurant’s beer release, Chef Johanna Rockwell put together a delectable trio of fresh seafood bites to go with the crisp Wheat ale. The pairing was light and refreshing and consisted of ruby red ahi crudo, a Kumamoto oyster and a yellow tail ceviche.
The ahi was epic in its freshness and clean flavor profile. The oyster was briny, yet mild in an oh-so-light foam to compliment it and the ceviche was bright and citrusy with lime and pineapple curing the yellow tail perfectly. The whole trio paired wonderfully with the beer. The citrus notes complemented the bites without overpowering them, and it also managed to go well with the wide range of flavors displayed in this tasting.
After the tantalizing trio, we decided to get a few more appetizers while we enjoyed the afternoon sun streaming through the open-air patio. Starting us off, the chili-lemon, head-on shrimp were impressive and savory…
The ginger and soy chicken wings were crunchy and spicy delights…
And a true surprise were their PK Tots and Tarragon Dip. These “tots” were a breaded and fried crisp, marriage of fontina cheese and polenta. The creamy inside juxtaposed nicely with the crunchy outside coating and when dipped in the accompanying tarragon sauce, it was both tasty and creative.
Another happy surprise was that since we were gathered during Prepkitchen’s happy hour, which is held daily from 3 pm to 5 pm, all of these tapas were only $5.55! They also have a large list of craft beers, specialty cocktails and wines for $5.55, making this a must-stop spot on any happy hour tour.
The next time you are looking for an afternoon delight, stop by Prepkitchen for bite and a drink. You won’t be disappointed!