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Sbicca, one of Del Mar’s restaurant treasures, celebrated its 10th anniversary pretty much the way they do everything, with fine food, a warm neighborhood atmosphere, excellent wines and friendly conversation with the owners, Dan and Susan. At an intimate dinner for the media on July 1, exactly 10 years since Sbicca opened and coincidentally the same day as co-owner and executive chef Susan celebrated her birthday, Dan Sbicca reigned over the table and told the “real story” behind Sbicca. Over miniature crab cakes and parmesan crusted artichoke petals (delicious!) he began with the purchase of Kirby’s diner on June 7, 1998. “It was a 60-year-old house with pink and white linoleum in the heart of Del Mar.” Not even a month later, Dan and Susan opened the doors to Sbicca serving breakfast only at the time. A year later, they switched to serving lunch and dinner. Now Sbicca is still a funky old house consisting of a patio and popular bar downstairs, a deck upstairs with heaters and umbrellas, and a “to die for” ocean view from the deck and private dining room. Waiters carry large white dinner plates up the stairs from the downstairs kitchen. Dan jokes that he tells his employees, “this is not a restaurant, it is a health club.” With each new course presented, Susan pops in from the kitchen in her white chef’s uniform, face flushed from the heat of the kitchen and the sprint up the stairs. Susan is 2007’s Chef of the Year (as named by the San Diego Chapter of the California Restaurant Association) and winner of the “Chef of the Year” at the California Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The diners dig into “Susan’s 3 x Mac & cheese” as she explains that it has “all my favorite things” referring to the lobster, shrimp, ricotta, havarti and truffle cheese. It is hard to argue with this as the creamy pasta blends beautifully with the rich cheese and seafood flavors – the ultimate comfort food. Paired with a sauvignon blanc from Ferrington Vineyard, the meal could end there. But Susan had more surprises as she whisked back down to the kitchen to oversee the next course. A crisp Bosc pear salad was a refresher before one of the “top ten dishes of the decade,” Sbicca’s pesto brie crusted halibut in a lemon beurre blanc sauce. With each course and visit from Susan, Dan regaled the diners with more Sbicca saga. He referred to the “dark years” when he and Susan sold Meritage (their second restaurant in the Encinitas Lumberyard) in order to focus their attention on Sbicca while going through their divorce. Fortunately (for all of us) and against all odds they remain friends and business partners, and now Sbicca is still at the heart of their relationship. There were more “decade favorites” that evening. Rosemary marinated lamb shared a long rectangular plate with charbroiled filet mignon complemented by creamy gorgonzola rosemary butter. Dan, dedicated to serving unique wines, expanded on the accompanying red wine he sipped — Magerum “m5” from Santa Barbara County — a blend of five varietals that was smooth and smoky. Least the guests leave without tasting the restaurant’s fabulous desserts, waiters brought a trio of sweets. And as Susan entered for the encore and a round of applause, she was presented with a traditional birthday cake. The evening was a wonderful tribute to the couple that has survived the good times and the bad, and made the most of them. The restaurant celebrates its 10-year anniversary throughout the month of July by serving Sbicca’s top 10 dishes of the decade. “These have been our fan favorites over the years and spotlighting our top entrees is the perfect way to mark this 10-year milestone.” But then Dan adds, “Why does anyone need a reason to eat and drink?” Winning numerous awards such as the “Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator and “Best American” dining in San Diego Magazine’s annual “Best Restaurants Survey” is a tribute to the pleasing qualities of this “local’s restaurant.” They are the quintessential sure bet when it comes to fine local dining in a beautiful setting. Sbicca is located at 215 15th Street in Del Mar and is open daily for lunch and dinner. For more information or to make reservations call (858) 481-1001 or visit www.sbiccabistro.com. |
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