CyberEater Review 
Poseidon Restaurant – Poseidon Rises From The Sea

By David Rottenberg
Editor, Dining San Diego Magazine

Member, California Restaurant Writers Association
Member, Southern California Restaurant Writers Association
©David Rottenberg, 2004, All Rights Reserved

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San Diego is famous for having many restaurant that offer spectacular ocean views. There are only a few restaurants that offer an experience of dining “right on the beach”. Poseidon Restaurant is one of them.

Poseidon Restaurant is located in Del Mar, across the street from what used to be one of the most picturesque Amtrak train stations in the nation. A large parking lot in front of the entrance is very convenient in this popular beach area. The restaurant’s dining room and bar area led to the restaurant’s patio, which abuts the sand. One may sit on the patio and practically build sand castles between food courses. During the day, nearby sunbathers glisten with bodies covered in tanning oil. A short distance away, the “thock” of a volleyball being “spiked” reverberates, as players leap on either side of their net. The blue ocean waters roll back and forth, just across a narrow strip of beach.

I couldn’t count the numbers of times I’ve enjoyed dining at Poseidon. It is one of my favorite places to bring out-of-town guests, whose eyes turn green with envy over my living near a place of such sheer beauty. On occasional mornings, I’d see schools of jumping dolphin, their shiny bodies arcing high in the air to reflect the sunlight.

Tom Ranglas opened Poseidon Restaurant in the 1960’s at this beautiful location. He recently turned over the torch of management – in this case, “Poseidon’s trident” – to his son and daughter, Tom Jr. and Nikki. With the help of General Manager John Sayer, they soon created more changes.

The restaurant closed at the end of last year for a complete makeover. A well-known local restaurant designer was brought in to come up with new concepts. The existing building was gutted and rebuilt from the ground up. Poseidon Restaurant reopened two weeks ago, like “Poseidon rising from the sea”.

I was overwhelmed when I saw the new design. It looked so different from the old while retaining its most important feature – stunning views of the ocean. The new entrance - heavy glass doors covered by a deep blue awning reflects the sea beyond. The hostess desk has been relocated to just inside the entrance, backed by a modernistic multi-paneled photo of the ocean.

A large fire pit that dominated the bar area has been removed. The bar has been turned around and expanded, so that guests sitting at the bar can comfortably enjoy the ocean view.

The dining room has been redesigned and rebuilt on several levels, so that each level looks out unobstructed to the sea through the clear glass windowpanes that now make up one wall of the restaurant. “There isn’t a bad seat in the house,” Tom Ranglas, Jr. said proudly.

On nice summer days, the windows can be retracted so that the restaurant is filled with balmy ocean breezes. Soft lighting in the dining room gives it a romantic glow after one enjoys a usually gorgeous sunset. The patio has been rebuilt, with a new sand color wall that seems to disappear into the background. Rooftop heaters adjacent to the patio unobtrusively glow with warmth on cooler nights.

There was a change of chef and menu along with the new construction. The new chef, Timothy Gutmann, trained in Oregon (he’s originally from just up north in Orange County) and then mentored locally with famous Chef Jeffrey Strauss at Pampelmousse Grill and the good chefs at L’Auberge Del Mar and at Bali Hai. He brings new, fresh ideas to the menu while retaining old favorites.

I’m delighted that Pojo Burger is still available. Named after “Poseidon” and “Joe”, a former cook, it is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes – a half-pound burger topped with onions, mushroom, bacon and cheese. Totally filling! It is even available for dinner but it is not on the menu. You have to ask for it.

Being so close to the ocean, the menu offers many seafood dishes. “We keep an employee out on the sand fishing all the time,” Ranglas joked. Starters include Sesame Seared Ahi, Steamed Clams, Salmon Cakes and Ceviche.

I particularly enjoyed a starter, the Fried Pistachio Crusted Brie Wedge, a large wedge of cheese embedded on top with nuts and then fried. This gives the wedge a crunchy top while the inside is delightfully gooey. It spreads easily on crackers and went well with the chilled grapes. Another starter, Butternut Squash Bisque was a totally vegetable soup, wonderfully creamy.

Salmon, Ahi, Swordfish and Halibut – all fresh – dominate the entrée selections. They are all simply prepared to bring out the full bodied unique flavors of each fish. Ciopinno was an impressive “stew” of fresh fish and shellfish in a tomato base, with an incredible “nose” of fresh herbs.

Desserts include a yummy, crunchy Granola Apple Dessert, topped with a vanilla bean gelato. Bananas Foster, a classic dish that is hard to find, combines brown sugar and heady Meyers Rum with roasted banana gelato.

The new Poseidon Restaurant epitomized the California lifestyle – casual, yet tasty and always oriented towards sand and sea. The new building, the new menu and the new chef are certain to delight old and new customers. Prices are moderate.

Poseidon Restaurant is currently open for lunch and dinner and breakfast on weekends. It is located at 1670 Coast Boulevard in Del Mar, just north of the foot of 15^th Street. Call 858-755-9345 for information and reservations.

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