Julia Child said it best when she said, “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces, just cook good food from fresh ingredients.” Chef Ryan Johnston and entrepreneur Arturo Kassel, took Julia’s words to heart and in 2008 opened Whisknladle in the heart of La Jolla. The restaurant considers itself a farm-fresh establishment that serves from-scratch cooking.
For appetizers, the bone marrow is a must. The charcuterie platter is also an excellent choice but beware, it is a very generous platter. The cured meats, the cheeses, the pickles and the condiments all come together in a perfect marriage. The oysters are so fresh with the citrus topping giving them a completely different twist than the usual horseradish and cocktail sauce.
The flat iron steak and roasted vegetable tart is a great main entree. The steak and the seasoning are on point, and the veggie tart, which is outstanding on its own, plays a great supporting role to the steak. Don’t miss their classic burger. It is juicy cooked beef slathered in a heap of caramelized onions, yummy Gruyere cheese, extra crispy bacon and topped with a fried egg (don’t let this egg part scare you, try it).
The warm chocolate cake for dessert is just pure joy. A must try is the Orange Cream Semifreddo (with coconut lace cookies, blood oranges and caramel). It reminds you of a mix between an ice-cream cake and custard. It is delicious because it has just the right amount of flavor and not overly sweet. The blood oranges add a tangy/tart to the sweetness. Paired with the coconut lace cookies and caramel, it makes an excellent combination.
Whisknladle serves lunch and dinner daily, as well as brunch on the weekends. The happy hour menu is offered daily in the bar from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and includes the restaurant’s award-winning $4 tapas, $5 sangria and $8 handcrafted and signature cocktails.
For a bit of pure dining heaven, make Whisknladle your next restaurant choice.
Whisknladle is located at 1044 Wall Street, La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 551-7575
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