Whisknladle coming to Little Italy?

[SunandTea]

Anyone else hear anything about this? I think it would make an excellent addition to India Street!

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Whisknladle
1044 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037

[Stiflers_Mom]

There is a 3 courses for $30 Google offers deal for PrepKitchen today. Per CH protocol, i posted the link under the Coupons and Deals section, but felt mentioning it here was relevant.

[MrKrispy]

thanks for the heads up!

[Fake Name]

Yeah- tried it last week for lunch.

Meh.

I found the food mediocre- it was obviously quality ingredients, but my salad was just meh. Kid's burger was pretty good.

The service, however, was pathetic. Place was 1/3 full, staff standing around, and it took over 20 minutes *to get a cup of soup*.

I can be insulted elsewhere. Actually, just about anywhere that sees me coming...

[Rodzilla]

I've never tried their sandwiches, thoughts? They always look/sound good.

[pickypicky]

Stopped in to check this place out (after a great lunch at Underbelly) and I have a criticism I don't expect anyone here to understand. The design. Such a great location, upstairs-- and nothing about the place makes use of it. There's nothing airy, bright, spacious, exciting about it. It's a hodgepodge of every imaginable, current design cliche. We got a menu to go, and the menu kinda felt the same way. Like a discombobulated hodgepodge. Eventually we will go back. We like Whiskanladle well enough, and we love Little Italy. But I've kinda lost a real urge. Tell me I'm wrong. (about the food. because I'm right about the interior.)

[karaethon]

Yeah the ambiance left a lot to be desired even though it's a great location.... The place was so loud... The entrees were pretty un-interesting too

[foodiechick]

But it is NOT Whisknladle, it is Prep Kitchen. That is kind of the point. Although the space is larger and more functional than the original Prep Kitchen, it is still not the team's full menu experience, That being said, the menu looks much more appealing than the limited offerings at PK La Jolla.

[pickypicky]

uh. owned by same people? means they share certain standards? thanks, all, for reports. we will go back, but probably not at night, at least for the first time.

[Fake Name]

"uh. owned by same people? means they share certain standards?"

Uh. Different food, different management, different style, but same ownership.

Is going to AdHoc the same as French Laundry? The coffee shop at a hotel the same as the fine-dining restaurant?

Uh. I don't think that's realistic.

[karaethon]

I agree with you in principle.

The way PK Little Italy is set up though, the "mood" makes it seem like it should be on par with Whisknladle. The prices are certainly somewhere between PK and WnL and doesn't fit the good food at "everyday prices" mantra of PK...

[mjill]

I have to disagree with you on your opinion that PK should be on par with WNL. It is clear to me at least that they are trying to do casual dining (a little on the hipster side but still very casual) there where WNL is not. In my opinion, I think they nail it - they are just offering good food at reasonable prices and not pretending to be more than that. The space is nice and the food is good. I think 1 menu item was over 18 and that was a steak. The best item I tried, the calamari was 9 and was a big enough portion to have it as an entree if you wanted. Any cheaper and these guys would have to do paninis with sides of mac salad OR just dump from a sysco bag, reheat and serve.

[karaethon]

There are a few more expensive priced items on their website menu.
http://prepkitchen.com/little-italy/menu

I was mostly put off by the blue plate special which I remember being charged $30 for and getting fewer bay scallops than the scallop crudo that was $11. I could be misremembering the price on the blue plate though...

[mjill]

Website menus are rarely up to date and in my experience should just be used as a sample reference. Blue plate when I was there was salmon for 18 I believe.

[pickypicky]

yikes. Isn't a Blue Plate Special meant to be a "special" in price? At least that's the olden days meaning.

[pickypicky]

Standards are standards. And yes, AdHoc's standards directly reflect FL's standards. When ownership proudly touts their family of restaurants, they want all to reflect well on the others. BECAUSE I like Whisanladle well enough, I will give their other restaurant a try. And because I'm a reasonably intelligent person, I can see that PK's menu, prices, concept are different, and I will adjust my expectations accordingly.

[mjill]

The food is good. I wasnt expecting much and they won me over, nothing I didnt like. Worth trying for sure. Stuffed calamari was the highlight for me, could eat it again no prob.

[Rodzilla]

I really liked the stuffed calamari, and thought the pork belly was good (though I wouldn't go out of my way for it). Mussels and fries - simple, nice.

Cutting board, a good mix of items and a generous amount - definitely good for a group.

JoJos cookie platter is another highlight if you're into desserts - though I believe it can be gotten elsewhere.

I would like to see more of their entrees. I was disappointed by the blue plate special on the night that I visited (with Karaethon) it's not that the scallop risotto was bad, it just wasn't exciting, I would like to see more of the entrees.

Agreed that it's loud and a bit dim for my liking, but the service was very good.

I would say they're a solid option, but with a few tweaks they could be a standout.

[karaethon]

Actually, I thought the risotto I got was bad. It was very bland, under-seasoned, and I think there was less than 8 bay scallops on our plate. The bay scallop crudo had more scallops for less money.

[mcgrue]

It's true, it's true. I received this in the mail. http://i.imgur.com/pZtRn.jpg

[Haute_Sauce]

Stopped into Whisknladle today for lunch and asked some of the staff. Its going to be one of the Prep Kitchen concepts at the corner of India and Date across from Princess Pub. It will be on the 2nd floor and is slated for a January opening. Server at Whisknladle said although it will be a Prep Kitchen concept it will be full service and a little bigger than Whisknladle with late night hours.

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Whisknladle
1044 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037

[stevewag23]

That oxygen bar spot is a tough sell. I hope it works for them.

" with late night hours"

Any idea what this means?

"late night" in san diego can sometimes mean closing at 10pm.

[SunandTea]

Right? Hopefully they'll stay open a bit later than that--I could see myself heading down later on weekend evenings for drinks and light bites...

I'm just glad there will be a new kid in the neighborhood, and--no racism here--a kid that's not Italian! I mean, I know it's Little Italy, but I'm excited for some more variety :)

[stevewag23]

If they stay open late, they might have a nice niche in little italy.

Food shuts down real early there.

Week nights it is dead after 9pm. Sometimes earlier.

Not very Italian.

[stevewag23]

Which address?

[SunandTea]

Pretty sure it's the stone facade on the west side of the street between Cedar and Date. I believe the address is 1646?? Across from Buon Apetito. Not positive though :)

[stevewag23]

You very well could be correct.

That used to be some kind of furniture type spot.

I noticed a restaurant was able to move in there.

They have a nice little courtyard as well.

Could be interesting.

Anyone know the opening?

[DiningDiva]

I thought they were going into the space above the shoe store on India & Kettner that used to be an oxygen bar or a water bar.

[SunandTea]

Honestly, you'd know better than I would! Too bad though--about the oxygen bar. Love me some oxygen on a Friday night out :)

[honkman]

PrepKitchen is coming to LI