Dinner at Spread
Just returned from a lovely dinner at Spread Restaurant in the North Park neighborhood of San Diego!
Spread has an entirely vegetarian/vegan menu of very unique & inspired dishes. They use only organic ingredients purchased from local farmers, so the menu is seasonal, depending on what is fresh & available. Each dish is served one at a time & meant to be shared, which, I believe, is the best way to enjoy a meal!
We started with a round of cocktails, of course…
“Melon Mojito” Spiked with Purple Sweet Potato Vodka.
Yes! Super refreshing yet, knock your socks off, strong! My kind of cocktail!
For our first course, as there were cheese lovers in the crowd, we started with the…
“Burratta Salad” Fresh Burratta, Arugula, Heirloom Tomato, White Nectarine, & Sweet Corn with Raw Oilve Oil & 18 year old aged Balsamic Vinegar.
This salad was delightful, & I have to admit I did sneak a tiny bit of cheese (sorry). I’ve always loved the combination of mozzarella & tomato, so it was hard resist! I absolutely adore heirloom tomatoes - ordinary tomatoes just don’t cut it for me anymore - & I also really enjoy fruited salads, but had never thought to use white nectarines. All of the flavors worked together quite nicely! We all really loved this & agreed it was a great start to our meal!
Next up…
“Cauliflower Fritti” Beer Battered Cauliflower Florets in a Black Sesame Sweet & Sour Chili Sauce.
Uuuummm…hello sinfully, fried, but semi-healthy comfort food! So yummy! You feel a bit naughty biting into the crisp outer shell, but once you come upon the light & tender cauliflower inside, it’s easy to banish the guilt & keep going back…it was hard to share! More please!!!
The main course…
“Vegetarian Bibimbop” Fried Rice, Zucchini, Brussels Sprouts, & Eggplant in a Mild Chili Peanut Sauce.
This was a play on a popular traditional Korean rice dish that is typically served with egg, meat, & mixed veggies. While the presentation wasn’t much to shake a stick at, the dish itself was so, so good, very flavorful & easily the favorite of the evening!
Let’s not forget dessert…
“PB &J” Fresh Baked Challah Bread with Homemade Pluot Jam & White Chocolate Espresso Almond Spread
Definitely an interesting take on dessert, but we liked it! The homemade jam & spread was a surprisingly yummy combination! In fact, you can purchase jars of their unique homemade “spreads,” hence the name….
The dining area is small & quaint & the decor is modern with an “eclectic” twist. The place had a steady stream of diners who seemed to be “regulars,” which is a very good sign to me! While the menu was on the pricey side, the service was attentive & I appreciate their thoughtful approach to cuisine. I am certainly intrigued & interested in coming back seasonally to see how their menu offerings change!
