thehake.com
Knowing nothing more about The Hake other than the fact that hake is a fish, I assumed a new seafood restaurant was in the works. I was excited and nervous all at the same time with the idea of a newcomer coming into the sleepy little town of La Jolla. What will they do to stand out? Will they survive? Home to only a few true culinary gems such as Whisknladle and Prepkitchen (both a part of the Whisknladle Hospitality group) most new La Jolla restaurants disappear rather quickly, leaving behind those which have stayed for decades, or those which have a tendency to cater toward the mainstream. Of course as a tourist town, this makes sense. But as a local, we are just screaming for something new already!
The Hake Kitchen & Bar opened their doors at the ever- changing restaurant location on Prospect which sits under street level. Having changed hands at least 4 times in the past 10 years that I could recall, and all with different owners and different concepts, I was curious to know what might be different this time around. I am happy to report that there was a lot that was different here, and it was pleasantly different.
Starting with the service, it was stellar. Polite, attentive, inquisitive, but never overbearing. The dining space itself is the same way: now evoking a nautical open air feel, it's casual, elegant and inviting all at the same time. At first blush, it appeared that someone really knows what they're doing.
Paper menus highlight a variety of Latin inspired dishes. Starting with over a handful of fresh seafood tiraditos from tuna to yellowtail, and moving onto small plate selections such as Grilled Octopus with Olive Oil Poached Potatoes, Tuna Chicharon style tacos, Steamed Mussels with Chorizo Broth, and Shaved Rib Eye with Arugula. There were farm style dishes as well such as a beautiful fresh Burrata Cheese that I adored, which was paired with a plump roasted tomato and a fresh salad of mint, parsley, and basil. And for land grazers there were meatier entrees such as Grilled New York Strip and a Berkshire Pork Chop which looked amazing, But as the name suggests, the seafood really is the star.
The food was rather simple which allowed the quality ingredients to speak for themselves. The dishes themselves weren't over complicated and nothing felt over thought. It was this genuine simplicity in ingredients coupled with the light, yet appropriate hand in seasoning that made this a really enjoyable meal.
And of course, a great cocktail can make an enjoyable meal even greater. Their cocktail menu offers a handful of twists and nods to traditional cocktails (think French 75, Old Fashioned) as well as a nice variety of Mezcal. With the suggested selection from our server, I found the smooth yet robust smokiness of mezcal to be a great pairing amongst most of the more Latin style dishes of the evening.
After a brief visit from the owner, it came as no surprise to discover that there are several seafood-centric restaurants that fall under their umbrella which are located in Mexico City. With La Jolla as the home of their first restaurant under Tintorera Hospitality in the US, they created their menu by continuing to do what has been proven successful.
At times throughout the evening, it was almost mind boggling to experience such smooth service, good timing, and well executed dishes from a restaurant this new. Now having only been open for 2 weeks at the time of this visit, one can only hope that the service will continue to remain as impressive and attentive as it was. As if so, I think La Jolla will be very happy to welcome The Hake into the neighborhood for the long haul.
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