I hadn't driven south of Long Beach for quite sometime, so when choosing a restaurant to go to in the San Diego area, there were many places I wanted to try. A very good family friend spoke incredibly highly of George's. Albeit a little confusing, George's is actually composed of 3 unique dining options: California Modern, George's Bar and Ocean Terrace.
California Modern is known for using seasonal, local ingredients and was thus where I choose to dine. We started with a cocktail at George's Bar and then went downstairs for dinner at California Modern. All 3 restaurants have the same magnificent view over looking the coast. It's a difference in cuisine and atmosphere that make them 3 distinctly unique restaurants.
George's Bar and Ocean Terrace are lively with casual food. The drink list at George's Bar was extensive.
Down in the California Modern the atmosphere was much more focused on the food. Couples sat quietly admiring the view and the beautiful presentations of food in front of them.
We started with the grilled local octopus. Served with fava beans, potatoes and a fennel saffron aioli, this dish was nicely platted. The flavors were nice, however the octopus was not of the best I've had and could have been a bit more tender.
We also had the fish tacos, which were a unique dish with avacado tempura, tuna and wasabi aioli. This dish was missing something-so we asked for some soy sauce and it all came together. With the soy sauce this was excellent.
For my main course I had the California Lamb chops. I've found California lamb to be quite good when prepared properly, and this version was no exception. It was accompanied with a fork tender braised shoulder as well as peperonata, chino farms eggplant, sauce nicoise and yogurt. This dish was excellent. The yogurt balanced the heaviness of the meat and all the flavors came together beautifully.
George's California Modern is a great option for a nice meal in the San Diego area. The food is focused on good, seasonal ingredients and is in a surrounding with a beautiful view.
George's California Modern (858) 454-4244 1250 Prospect St. La Jolla, CA 92037
