San Diego Gay & Lesbian News has a regular dining-out column written by The Taste Buds, SDGLN's resident foodies. Today's review is by Sweet and Salty, two of our staffers who plan to keep their identity the best-kept secret in San Diego.

WEST COAST TAVERN
2895 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 295-1688
Brunch served 10 am to 3 pm, Saturday and Sunday
westcoasttavern.com

SAN DIEGO – OK, a bit of a confession. Sweet and Salty, your Taste Bud reviewers today, are both wild about North Park, a quirky, diverse, urban neighborhood that is home to a sizable LGBT community.

That out of the way, we also want to tell you about a great place to enjoy brunch on the weekend, especially if you don’t have the patience to wait in the long lines to get into the über-popular The Mission restaurant.

West Coast Tavern is located just a couple of blocks east of The Mission, and although there was plenty of room at 11 am when we arrived, it filled up quickly; so if you are a straggler, you might want to call ahead.

Brunch is served from 10 am to 3 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, inside the restaurant or outside along pedestrian-friendly University Avenue, near 30th Street. There is plenty of flexibility with the seating options, allowing them to accommodate any size group, however large or small.

Owner David Cohen, who in 2007 bought the old Hawthorn’s in the historic Birch North Park Theatre, has quickly transformed the restaurant and bar into a popular gathering spot for locals as well as the theater-going crowd.

Cohen has a new executive chef, too. Chef Eli Freebairn, previously the sous chef at West Coast Tavern, recently stepped up and is now running the kitchen. Chef Eli, who credits Chef Stephane Beaucamp of the Manhattan Supper Club as his mentor, prepared our brunch menu, and took time out of his busy day to discuss each dish with us.

The refreshment

Chef sent out two glasses of the St. Germain Champagne Sangria ($15 per carafe) found under the “Brunch Specialty Cocktails.” Both Salty and Sweet thought the drink was quite refreshing.

The pretty-in-pink colored sangria contained St. Germain (a liqueur made of elderflower blossoms), champagne, white wine, peach liqueur, a splash of pineapple juice, a hibiscus flower in the bottom of a large white wine glass, a slice of orange and several slices of strawberries. It was good to the last slurp and a perfect way to start the day.

The egg concoctions

The first dish served was called Egg in the Eye ($9), two slices of buttered egg bread, each filled in the middle (i.e., the “eye”) with a sunny-side-up egg. It came with a choice of bacon or sausage (we tried both), “house taters,” maple syrup and thin slices of watermelon, honeydew and pineapple. Sweet found the dish to be unusual and appealing, first eating the egg then adding the maple syrup to the remaining bread, a la French toast.

Although Salty generally prefers eggs done a tad more than these were, by adding butter, cutting the crisp Texas toast-like bread and eggs up together and dousing it all with the maple syrup, the egg-dipped French toast experience was had, and what a delight it was.

The potatoes were soft and tender, lightly mixed with caramelized onions and diced green onions. Chef said he blanches his potatoes and drains them, then returns the spuds to the grill for the final preparation. He recently changed the recipe, eliminating diced red peppers, and he made the right decision.

As far as the meats go, Sweet said the sausage (a Jones brand, one of the few things on the menu not made in house) was mild, and could taste the sage. The bacon was ordinary. Salty didn’t think either meat was anything special, but both went well with the meal.

If you prefer to drink your brunch

Our server, Ashley, invited us to try the Build-Your-Own Blood Mary Bar ($7). Sweet is not a Bloody Mary fan, and thus is not a good judge of the experience. However, Salty has indulged in Bloody Mary’s on many occasions, so had no trouble elbowing up to the many choices offered.

With a celery and sea-salt rimmed pint-sized glass, filled with a generous pour of SKYY Vodka and four blends of tomato juice mixers to choose from, your options for Blood Mary madness are limitless.

You have all the expected add-ins and so many, many more. Horseradish, tomatillo, jalapenos, artichoke hearts, green beans, olives, white onions, paprika, rushed red pepper, brown sugar, Tabasco, Worcheshire sauce … if you’ve ever considered putting it in your Mary, it’s probably here. It truly could be a meal all by itself.

From the Griddle

Next Chef Eli chose Chicken Fried Chicken ($10) off the “From the Griddle” part of the menu. Sweet, who spent many years in Dallas before moving to San Diego, had stomach-turning memories of grease-laden, heart-attack-provoking, chicken-fried concoctions, served in every little burg in Texas. Surprise! Chef Eli’s Chicken Fried Chicken is outstanding, lightly battered, fried golden and served so tender that you don’t need a knife.

West Coast Tavern uses free-range chicken breasts for the dish, and Chef Eli said he uses Panko breadcrumbs because they are known for their light and crunchy texture. To the chef’s credit, there wasn’t a hint of grease on the plate.

The dish was served with a roasted-corn gravy, a perfect compliment to the Chicken Fried Chicken, along with rosemary potatoes. Salty felt the cream gravy was delicious and not heavy in the least, containing big, plump corn kernels and minced red pepper.

Yogurt & Donuts

From this portion of the menu, Chef Eli chose West Coast Coffee and Donut ($9), a pistachio bread pudding served with honey whipped cream and a cappuccino (see the recipe below). Chef said he has spent years perfecting his bread pudding recipe and caramel sauce, calling it "my baby." He was not only proud of the dessert, but protective of the recipe. Who can blame him?

The menu lists a double espresso with the dish, but Chef sent over a cappuccino to show us you can easily change up the menu. They have a full espresso bar and will make your favorite upon request.

Sweet liked that the bread pudding wasn’t too dry or too sweet, loving the delicate crunch of the diced pistachio nuts. Salty is not a big fan of bread puddings but could not get enough of this dish and its salty caramel goodness. Give yourself 15 minutes for this dish and definitely make sure you have someone to share it with.

Chef’s Specialties

We asked Chef Eli to share a few highlights about some of his favorites on the rest of the brunch menu.

West Coast Tavern has a number of “Bennies” on the menu, and although Chef Eli loves them all, his favorite is the B.L.T. Benedict ($9), served with peppered bacon and grilled tomatoes.

He says the Tavern Chicken ‘n Waffle ($9.50) will make your mouth water. The chicken is marinated in spices overnight then dipped in a light tempura batter. A diner at the next table was enjoying the dish and the waffle looked freshly ironed and perfectly golden.

Admittedly not a fan of omelettes, Chef Eli pointed out the wide array of omelette alternatives that are offered on his menu. Various scrambles, frittatas and eggs-the-way-you-like-them dishes, all served up with his special touches to keep you coming back, week after week.

Recipe: Executive Chef Eli Freebairn’s Pistachio Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce

Serves: 12, great for a dinner party!

Pudding ingredients

1 quart of manufacturing cream
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
1 cup of granulated sugar
5 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup of pistachios coarsely ground
1 loaf of brioche bread
Pinch of salt

Caramel sauce

Half-cup of water
35 ¼ ounces of granulated sugar
1 quart of manufacturing cream
3 ½ ounces of unsalted butter
¼ ounce of Grand Marnier
2 big pinch of salt
(you will have extra but I assure you this is the perfect sauce!)

Instructions for the pudding

In a pot bring cream, vanilla and half sugar to a boil.

In a separate mixing bowl combine eggs and remaining half of sugar and salt.

Grind pistachios. Dice bread.

Combine all ingredients in a half hotel baking pan and incorporate all ingredients.

Bake at 350, covered with foil, for up to an hour. Pick the custard to readiness it should come out clean. Cool for three hours before cutting.

Instructions for the caramel sauce
Place water into a pot and evenly pour the sugar on top. Cook at mid-high on range.

The sugar takes two forms -- first crystalizes then cooks back down (changing in color). You can briefly shake the pan to ensure even cooking but do not stir! Let it do its thing! Once you start to get an even golden color (shaking the pot in a circular motion) and all off sugar crystals are dissolved and looks like a caramel sauce, then add your HOT cream. DO NOT ADD COLD FAT TO HOT SUGAR!

Whisk and let it steam out the water from the cream. By then it should look even and no longer bubbling. Finish with butter, Grand Marnier and salt.

Photo identifications

In the three photos on the left, the top photo is of Chef Eli Freebairn, the middle one is a view of the dining room from the sidewalk along University Avenue, and the bottom photo is of the St. Germain Champagne Sangria.