Nice dinner in Rancho Bernardo

[escondido123]

So I'm looking for a special dinner next Sunday evening. Fireplace and not too noisy would be nice. Your suggestions?

[escondido123]

We ended up staying in that night but did recently have another nice meal at Tango in Escondido. Can't beat their duck confit!

[FireFlyFiftyFive]

I guess there is French Market Grille - I’ve been there once more than few years ago. Reviews look a little mixed. I have no idea how this place differs from Bernardo’s as most people (meaning me) get them mixed up…

I do think both have fireplaces.

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French Market Grille
15717 Bernardo Heights Pkwy Ste A, San Diego, CA 92128

[AtomicSuplex]

Just went to French Market Grille a few days ago with my wife.

The food was good, but not knock-your-socks-off spectacular. I had the orange duck breast/leg confit which was well cooked and perfectly decent rendition of the dish. She had the roasted scallops which were perfectly cooked and had a very good grapefruit sauce. We split their chocolate mousse dessert which was incredibly rich but satisfying.

Our biggest complaint though was the thoroughly inattentive service. Yes, I get that sometimes it's nice to have a leisurely meal and all that, but this was bordering on comatose. We waited 15 min to be seated. 15 more for our waiter to come by and take our order. The kitchen is in view of where we were sitting and we could see our main courses sitting on the pass for quite a long time before the waiter decided to stroll by and get them. After we finished, our waiter asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu, we said yes, and it was another 15 min before he came back with them and another 15 before he took our order.

Then, when we were finished with dessert and *literally* the last people in the restaurant, we had to flag down one of the chefs to get the waiter to come by and give us our check, which still took 15 min or so...

All-in-all, we probably spent 2 1/2 hours for dinner...

Needless to say, if you love slow meals and savoring your wine, and staring into the deep lovely eyes of your mate, this is your place. If you have other plans later on in the night, I would pass.

There is a very nice fireplace inside though...

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French Market Grille
15717 Bernardo Heights Pkwy Ste A, San Diego, CA 92128

[eatemup]

We gave up on this place long ago. Those service issues were common for us and the food got to be exceedingly dull. No more.

[maestra]

I ended up here once too after finding Luc's closed for a dinner party. The food was boring and the decor dated. Would not return.

[Bob Foster]

Given the way the owner treats customers, we have vowed NEVER to go back.

[chezwhitey]

I'll try to be nice here. Anywhere but el bizcocho. Overpriced, average food, mediocre service. (As of may 2011)

[karaethon]

Didn't they recently redo the menu and revamp the restaurant? I heard it's supposed to be better now...

[chezwhitey]

I hope so, because what they were serving when I went was a rehash things that were described here over a year ago. Hopefully they revamped their service also because that was most notably awful. Dishes came out cold and at uneven timing. A handful of servers were incompetent.

[Beach Chick]

Just bought a Bernard' O coupon...$50 for $25 yesterday and it's still good till late today.
It's in the SD 'Coupon and Deals' on CH.
Haven't been to El Bizcocho for a long time..wonder if the Colachis family in LJ still own the resort.
Maderas Country Club is great to dine in Poway and you can hit up Cavaillon in Santa Luz.
Hacienda de Vega in Esco and you can get one of those private areas.

[escondido123]

Thanks for the suggestions. I just wish Hacienda de Vega had food that was as good as its setting.

[Beach Chick]

I've always had good food at HdV but I always get app's and the queso mushroom with side of guac with fresh tort's and the 3 tostadas are quite good and filling along with a Dos XX draft, followed by a cadillac marg..

[buzznutter]

The RB Inn is still owned by the Colachis family. The new chef is Nick Boer, who is a real talent. The restaurant is going to be remodeled early next year. My most recent meal was on a par with Gavin Kaysen's food.

The Inn's owners have a long tradition of hiring great culinarians, boing back to the 70's. Don't coin t El Biz out!

[daantaat]

El Bizcocho might be your closet bet, although they've changed chefs a few times recently. Haven't been recently to see how it's been faring.

Next best bet would be Addison. Comfy in that "everything is covered in plush fabric to dampen the sound" environment but still elegant way.

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El Bizcocho
17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr, San Diego, CA 92128

[escondido123]

Is Rancho Bernardo and special dinner an oxymoron? Not sure about El Bizcocho as you mentioned and Addison is in Del Mar, no? But thanks for trying.

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El Bizcocho
17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr, San Diego, CA 92128

[daantaat]

Addison is technically in Carmel Valley. Off the 56 and Carmel Country Rd, not terribly far from RB and the 15. When someone asks for a "special dinner" in RB, El Biz is the one that comes to mind.

Cavaillon is good, but the surfaces are hard and it can get loud in there.

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Cavaillon Restaurant
14701 Via Bettona, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92127