Off the Map: Right Cove, Wrong Fish Tacos

 Fish Tacos - George's at the Cove, San Diego, CA

George's at the Cove

First of all, turns out we ate the wrong dish. At the wrong restaurant. Nevertheless, we loved everything about it.

This Kind of Hard-Hitting Reporting Is Seemingly Why No One Reads Our Blog

So as it happens, when "George's at the Cove" was featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate way back in 2011, it was for their California Modern restaurant, which is on the lower level of their complex in La Jolla, CA.

In a Surprise Twist, This Is Not the Lower Level

We did not eat at California Modern. We did not even KNOW about California Modern. Instead, we ate on George's Ocean Terrace.

Bet You Can't See the Seals from the Basement!

Now at this elusive California Modern restaurant, they apparently serve something called "Reinvented Fish Tacos," which is presumably why they were featured by Aaron Sanchez on the REINVENTED CLASSICS episode of the program.  

Using Our Brains Left and Right Here in San Diego

On the Ocean Terrace, they serve plain old fish tacos, which is what Vodka and Vesper ordered.

Welp

Now, in our defense, California Modern is apparently temporarily closed. And in our additional defense, who would travel all the way to the La Jolla Cove and then sit in a basement, when the rooftop patio is there beckoning you, begging you to enjoy its scenic overlooks?

Take a Little Time to Enjoy the View

All that to say, we adored George's at the Cove, if that is in fact where we were eating.

A Packed Cove

Upon being seated at what other envious diners referred to as "the best table in the house," our exceedingly pleasant waiter welcomed us and apologized for the snafu on our reservation.

To which he received a completely blank stare from Vodka.

"We had to switch the day of your reservation...?" he prompts, and it finally dawns on Vodka that when she made the lunch plans over a month ago, they had initially been for the day before. Only George's was closed the day before for a private event, and it was a tech glitch that allowed Vodka to book on the blacked-out day.

Speaking of Blacked-Out Days

All to say, this snafu did not cause much heartache, or even so much as a tangible memory, on Vodka's part, which is why the fact that George's decided to compensate the issue with complimentary flutes of champagne was all the more lovely.

Raise a Toast to Extraordinary Customer Service

Since Vodka does not drink bubbles, she pawns her glass off on Vesper and opts for her go-to Grey Goose martini, along with a tuna crudo appetizer to share. 

A Rose-Colored Beauty

The fish dish, featuring tuna with watermelon, jalapeno ponzu, and basil, is so good - fresh and chilled and surprisingly delightful - that Vesper asks for the menu again so she can copy down the ingredients and attempt to recreate it at home (note: this will never happen).

One Perfect Bite

For our entrees, Vesper gets the designated fish tacos, and Vodka the sweet corn cacio (mostly because it's been a full two days since she's twirled pasta onto a fork and she is beginning to go into withdrawal). 

A Pasta a Day Keeps the Proteins Away

The fish tacos are relatively pleasing - not the best fish tacos Vodka has ever tasted, which may be why they were NOT actually featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate. 

Also Could've Used More Chips

The cacio is similarly decent, though nothing extraordinary (and actually a bit too sweet for Vodka's tastes, though this is her fault for ordering a dish that literally has "sweet" in the title).

Thankfully, By This Point We Were Also Tipsy, So We Still Licked Our Platters Clean

The creme brulee that we order for dessert heads back into the same extraordinary territory as the tuna crudo - a ramekin of perfection with an accompanying delectable cookie.

Now This Is a 5-Star Moment

And while George's had some decided "hits" on its menu (namely from the appetizer and dessert portions), the real appeal here is the location, which is nothing short of spectacular. In fact, we could have lazed away the entire rest of the day on that roof had we allowed ourselves to. 

George's Showing Off What Makes San Diego So Appealing

Instead, after a respectable three drinks each, we made our way off the patio, past the darkened basement of California Modern, and out into the La Jolla Cove itself, leaving San Diego with the most marvelous of a moment.

George's at the Cove's Fish Tacos: 4 stars