For decades, 7766 Girard Avenue was where La Jolla bought its flowers. The building is now Roseacre, a 5,000-square-foot project from the designers Paul Basile and Jules Wilson. Basile's studio has designed more than 75 restaurants, among them Born and Raised. The plans call for an 80-seat dining room, a 36-seat streetery, a 14-seat bar and an alley bar modeled on the vintage Orient Express. A rooftop Garden Bar is planned for later.
Erik Anderson runs the kitchen as culinary director. He has cooked at The French Laundry, Noma and the Catbird Seat, and he earned two Michelin stars as executive chef of Coi in San Francisco. The cooking is described as refined yet approachable: California ingredients, open fire, seafood and vegetables, all driven by the season.
Two partners round out the house. Holsem Coffee will run a café at street level. Upstairs, Sushi by Scratch Restaurants will hold a 10-seat omakase counter. The project was announced nearly three years ago and has been delayed more than once. As of this writing, Roseacre's own site still says Coming Soon, which only adds to the anticipation.