Searsucker - San Diego

Gaslamp is a gathering of tourists, but I had high hopes for Searsucker. Named for the fabric of the Kentucky Derby and the catalogs of J. Crew, Searsucker looked like a gentleman's spot, and the so-cool, so-casual ambiance searsuckered me right in.

A gentleman likes his whiskey, and a whiskey-girl likes a Henebadger. Honey and a dash of lemon lighten a statement liquor in anticipation of the heavy meal to follow.

The Pork Belly is soft but it settles like a brick. Weigh it down even more with bacon and hollandaise for for a Benedictine crowd-pleaser on brioche.

The chef may be a celebrity, but the Octopus Jar won't be making waves. Much like the Japanese takotsubo octopus traps, the bizarre pairing of broccolini and the icy serving temperature lets none of the fragrant flavor escape.

The octopus was a fail, but the Mussels were one heck of a recovery. The mussels are steamed tender and finish a little bit sweet thanks to the combination of tomato-smoothing chorizo. The sauce has an understated brilliance, evidence that Searsucker knows its stuff.

Unfortunately, the glimpse of greatness starts and stops with the mussels, giving way to more crowd-pleasing concoctions. Out of consideration for other diners, I refrained from using my flash, but sadly the New York Strip tasted as exciting as my pictures look. There's no doubting the quality of the strip, but the chimichurri is barely-there generic, and the roasted new potato and broccolini have been done by every restaurant in town. It's a pretty small plate with a pretty small flavor for $32.

The Warm Brown Butter Cake was basically a cupcake without the sugar. The texture is neither dense nor fluffy, and though I liked it not-so-sweet, it was overpowered by the caramelized apples. The accompanying creme fraiche tasted like a thick sour cream and didn't really help.

Maybe I expected too much from Gaslamp's #1 restaurant (USA Today's 10Best), or maybe I just don't agree with the selection criteria for "essential restaurants" (#15 on San Diego Eater), but I found Searsucker to be only enjoyably neutral.  They like to toe the line with their flavors, and while I found nothing too offensive, I found no spark, no innovation, no excitement at all.

San Diego's hottest restaurant, it is not. Pleasant but not head-over-heels inviting, trendy but not super-chic, and tasty without forming a lasting impression, I enjoyed Searsucker, but I didn't enjoy it enough.