KETTNER EXCHANGE: WANT TO BRUNCH IN SAN DIEGO? LOOK NO FURTHER
The Cost - $55 per person
The Atmosphere – Trendy outdoor spaces. Live DJ playing music. Definitely a scene.
Sunday was nearing and I didn’t have brunch plans. I wanted to eat outdoors so I found San Diego Magazine’s list of 47 Outdoor Restaurants To Try in San Diego and Kettner Exchange, which received a Michelin Bib Gourmand establishment honor in 2019, piqued my interest.
When I got to the restaurant, I was shocked at the mix of traditional American brunch and Asian dishes but I was ready to give it a shot.
The Order - Brioche Breakfast Sandwich, Sonoma Lamb Szechuan Noodles, Tenderbelly Pork Belly Steam Bun and two cocktails, the Nobleman and You’re Turning Violet!
The Great - The Lamb Szechuan Noodles was far and away the best dish. The lamb and noodles, mixed with spring onions and shitake mushrooms, were wonderful. The dish had bold flavors and perfect level of spice (medium spicy). Then there were the cocktails! The Nobleman was a mix of Venezuelan rum, scotch, coffee liquer and banana and came served with a salted plantain. I don’t normally drink scotch but this cocktail was lovely to sip on and I really enjoyed it. The You’re Turning Violet! was very different but equally as good; it featured a mix of mezcal, crème de violette, green chartreusse, blueberry lime and soda. It was a refreshing, smoky and sweet cocktail that I could have easily had four of.
The Good - The brioche sandwich was very good (see, high end version of a breakfast sandwich). The pork belly bun was good too but it didn’t wow me.
The Bad - The coffee. I don’t know what the heck it was but it sure didn’t taste like coffee.
The Verdict - This turned out to be a really nice brunch at a very cool spot. The mix of Asian and American options definitely made the food order more interesting and the craft cocktails were obviously invented by a pro. Sun, good food and great cocktails - what more could you want from brunch?