Addison (Part 2) - San Diego, USA

The last time we visited Addison (by William Bradley) was just about a year ago. It was a fantastic experience that we thoroughly enjoyed. The menu featured a delicious variety of dishes, with influences across Asia, as well as south of the border, and even local California cuisine. Everything was top notch and we got to visit the kitchen afterward. You can read all about that visit here!

Although our previous visit was great, we were hoping to see something new, or maybe a seasonal change to the menu. We were in luck. Although the menu was generally the same as our previous visit, there were some things that had changed, including a couple new dishes that were not present before.

The first new dish, which was served after the ‘prelude’ of small bites toward the beginning of the meal, was called Tuna and Tomatoes. It featured two chunks of raw tuna, topped with jamón Ibérico, and garnished with a drop of concentrated, delicious tomato paste. This dish replaced the kanpachi sashimi which was served at this point last time. Both were well-executed tasty ways to get into the meal, but I think this was an original concept with an interesting variety to the flavors sharing the plate. At a glance visually, it could have been a breakfast plate of bacon with 2 eggs, sunny side up, which I’m not sure was intentional, but something that I appreciated regardless.

For the main course, the protein options were the same as our last visit. However, the Cantonese Quail featured a slightly more reserved plating, though the same ingredients were featured. Although not quite as adventurous of a plating visually, I think I preferred this presentation, since it appeared a little more refined, while still maintaining visual appeal with the chromatic balance of the green leafy vegetables against the intensely gold-orange, perfectly glazed skin of the quail.

Finally, for the dessert course, there were a couple new appearances as well. Taking the place of the “Mangonada” from last time, was a Ginger Tart, topped with a dollop of mildly sweet ice cream and a splash of miso caramel beside it. Despite not being overly sweet, this was such a tasty dish, and I would say I personally preferred it to the Mangonada.

Also as the dessert was being served, one should take note that Addison does their espresso martinis exceptionally well (as they do all their drinks) and one paired quite nicely with this dessert. I should also mention that we had the luxury wine pairing, and it did not disappoint at all. There were a couple heavy hitters on the list, including a 2013 Salon and the oldest (fortified) wine I have tried to date; a Madera from 1895. That was an absolute treat!

The other new dessert dish came at the very end, and was a nice way to finish off the meal. It was a traditional champurrado, topped with a crispy, orange flavored wafer. For those unfamiliar, champurrado is a thick hot chocolate-type drink originating from Mexico, which also contains masa or corn flour, and occasionally other spices. It was unusual to see this on a restaurant menu, let alone this type of restaurant, but as I mentioned the Mexican influence on the menu, it fit right in. I can also say that based on my experience, this was not an “Americanized” version of a sacred classic, but the real deal, which was highly enjoyable and appreciated.

Overall, this was another fantastic experience visiting Southern California’s longest-standing three-Michelin-starred restaurant. Chef Bradley was even present on the floor, checking in on his guests, and making sure the dishes were perfect. As usual, the hospitality and service were excellent without being stuffy. Everyone at the restaurant seemed to be enjoying themselves, which is what you want to see. Each dish was perfectly executed, and service went without a hitch. The new dishes were interesting and inspired, and the long-standing menu staples were as good, if not better than I had remembered. My high recommendation for Addison still stands, and as long as I am blessed with the means and ability, I will come back.