The Polish and Posh: Addison at The Grand Del Mar

All photographs courtesy of Marguarite Clark Public Relations and The Grand Del Mar Resort

Five stars, five diamonds, Forbes listings, Wine Spectator‘s Grand Award recipient, what do these really mean in a dining experience? At Addison, the only Southern California restaurant to boast all of these accolades, at The Grand Del Mar Resort, they mean the difference between a fine restaurant, and an experience you will not forget in service, wine, or dish.

Hosted in the Grand Del Mar Resorts grounds, Addison is the swank resort’s signature restaurant and they have created a venue so special and so refined, it is not something people from every walk of life will be seeing. Tucked back amidst the lush greenery and the almost surreal silence of The Grand Del Mar, Addison is the playground of Chef  and he has taken the standard of dining to the highest level.

From the understated refinery in decor to the light live piano playing to the servers dressed in suits more expensive than some vehicles, everything in Addison is seductively wrapping you in it’s whispers of elegance and status. There are really two menus to be studied at Addison, one is the menu of delectable dishes and remarkable takes on fine cuisine, and one is the extensive and rare wine list.  Bringing in wines that often do not make it to the US, and keeping with a quality standard of only the best, each wine choice is better than the last. While dining here, ask for pairings and allow the truly knowledgable and impeccable staff to do their job in leading your taste buds to the right places for each dish. From the champagne with hints of berries to the sweet Rieslings to the full-bodied reds, the wine alone is a reason to visit Addison. Wine director Jesse Rodriguez has outdone himself here, by far and wide.

The items available for consumption placed before you on the very simply decorated tables are moments your mouth will be remembering for some time after your meal. Chef William Bradley has taken great stride with contemporary French cuisine within this gorgeous, old-world setting, and the results are amazing. As a patron of Addison, you have the option to ask for the Addison Carte Blanche, and let Mr. Bradley create seven courses. It is worth every moment. Keeping with seasonal produce and ideas, the dishes that are served by the very astute staff are each more delicious than the previous. With combinations like ris de veau poelee paired with impossibly creamy parmesan risotto, followed by an Artisan cheese course, this is a far step from your usual idea of San Diego dining. The fish is divine, the meat is perfection, and the dessert literally melts in your mouth. Honestly, there is no adequate vocabulary to describe the event of dinner at Addison, it is something to be experienced.

With ever-changing seasonal menus, a staff very obviously dedicated to being the best in all aspects, and a wine selection that is unmatched in these parts, Addison is in a league all alone, atop the hill, looking down on the rest of us.

Chef William Bradley