Crepes And Corks: Herb & Wood

Brian Malarkey is well known in San Diego for creating the "fabric restaurants" such as Herringbone and Searsucker. In his latest creation, he has taken over a huge art warehouse in Little Italy to bring Herb & Wood to life. The decor is minimalist, with very high ceilings, black furniture and chic chandeliers. It is an inside-outside concept, with a cozy, heated patio. I really loved the dining space, and it was complemented by glass walls looking into the kitchen at the far end of the dining room. I believe next door they are creating a cafe-type space, which is still under construction.

There is a huge wood-fired oven and grill in the kitchen, around which the menu was created. Apart from wonderful pizzas, there is a variety of roasted items including seafood and vegetables. They have also incorporated some Mediterranean influences and raw dishes. I loved every dish we had here, including our cocktails. The standout was the branzino. They filleted the fish, stuffed it and rolled it with Serrano ham. The ham made the dish a bit salty but the presentation was beautiful and the fish perfectly cooked(see below for a better idea). The grand opening is coming up soon so I highly recommend stopping in ASAP.