The Bay Ho area of San Diego is quickly becoming a destination for progressive dining with fantastic food and drink. Leading this movement is
Kitchen 4140, a most delightful bistro located right on Morena Blvd. I recently enjoyed a very memorable dinner here, choosing to allow the chef to serve us courses and wine pairings at his whim, which I highly recommend for the more adventurous diners. If you have more restrictions, everything was magnificent, so it's impossible to have a mediocre experience!
The first thing we noticed about Kitchen 4140 is the garden on the patio. The chef takes farm-to-table very seriously. The vegetables only go a few feet to being prepared and served! All produce is grown on site, and the meats are local and organic.
The decor is very rustic and homey, with chalk boards boasting the specials for the evening. The night that we visited, it was raining in San Diego, so the interior seemed extra cozy and inviting.
We started our adventure with some shrimp ceviche served with endives for scooping the spicy, limey shellfish. Ceviche is one of my favorite things to order at restaurants, since I can't seem to master making it at home. This version was one of the most tasty that I've had, with large chunks of fresh, pink shrimp complemented by crunchy endives and peppers. We ate the remaining ceviche with forks once we finished the endives, and were amazed at how much more spicy the flavor was without the accompaniment.
Next up, we enjoyed a beautiful charcuterie plate, complete with duck salami (!), chorizo, spicy Italian ham, and very salty bacon. I loved this dish, as it had some truly original creations, rather than the usual proscuitto and pepperonis often served on charcuterie plates. Gourmet olives, crostinis, and mustards rounded out the platter and made it incredible and huge!
Partnered with these two courses was a light, fruity riesling. One of my favorite white wines, the balance of sweet and dry paired quite well with the appetizers.
Next up was the first of our main courses, the Chilean sea bass. Baked to a perfect, tender temperature, the fish was topped with pistachios and marinated cherries. Paired with a fruity pinot noir, the dish was sublime with the mingling of the deep flavors of the cherries and the wine.
Our second main course was a show stopper: spiced, seared New York strip served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. All-American fare with sophistication, the steak was incredibly flavorful, uncharacteristic of NY strips. The steak was juicy, slightly spicy, and perfect with the creamy mashed potatoes and garlic-laced asparagus.
Enchanted by our main courses, dessert seemed almost too much. However, we were amazed by the large pan of mixed berry cobbler! Fresh blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries were combined with a homemade crumble, and topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Berry cobbler is one of my favorite summer desserts, and this one did not disappoint. It was paired with a port, a wine I normally do not care for due to its richness, but the wine was quite fruity and complimented the dessert perfectly.
By the time we left, the rain had stopped, and the clouds lifting set the tone for a content trip home, with full, very satisfied bellies. I very much enjoyed this restaurant, and will absolutely return. Kitchen 4140 also serves a delicious brunch on Sundays, a great reason return, I think.
The Bay Ho area of San Diego is quickly becoming a destination for progressive dining with fantastic food and drink. Leading this movement is Kitchen 4140, a most delightful bistro located right on Morena Blvd. I recently enjoyed a very memorable dinner here, choosing to allow the chef to serve us courses and wine pairings at his whim, which I highly recommend for the more adventurous diners. If you have more restrictions, everything was magnificent, so it's impossible to have a mediocre experience!
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