Searsucker Del Mar

Searsucker Del Mar is a restaurant by Chef Brian Malarkey, serving New American cuisine.

The restaurant has been on my to-do list for quite some time as we pass by it often and have heard good things. We were recently invited in for dinner and had an amazing meal.

calamari chili honey glaze / apples

We started our evening with some appetizers. I really enjoyed this calamari, with its sweet and tangy chili sauce.

tuna poke & shaved taro root radish / sriracha / cilantro

I have such a weakness for jar appetizers. We chose the tuna poke which was served with taro chips. It’s not a combination I’ve had before, but I enjoyed it. By itself, the poke sauce used to marinate the tuna was a little on the salty side, but it balanced out well when eaten with the taro chips.

tomato & burrata basil / olive oil / balsamic

Our server also brought this jar out for us to try and I’m so glad he did. The tomatoes were so sweet, the burrata was creamy and savory. I enjoyed every bite. I’ve said this before, but eating fresh tomatoes with burrata, basil and balsamic is one of my favorite things. Yes, this dish was simple, but it was done right. I’ve actually had several disappointing versions lately of this classic Italian dish at other restaurants due to poor tomatoes, low quality cheese, etc. So I was quite happy to taste this version which was executed so well.

36oz ribeye tomahawk

We were already getting full, so I didn’t think we could possibly handle such a big entree, but our server had been spot-on about every suggestion so far and he sold us on the description of Searsucker’s tomahawk steak. It’s quite large and meant for sharing. It is served with grilled vegetables and two sides of your choice.

When this steak came out, it was quite a beautiful sight. The meat was perfectly cooked and already pre-sliced and removed from the bone. I was sad that such a big bone would go to waste and then Mr. K reminded me that we would be visiting my parent’s house in just a few days so we could bring the bone back to my dog Mochi.

The steak was incredibly flavorful and we savored every blissful bite. One of the best bites we’ve had all year.

If you really love steak, this dish is definitely worth considering next time there is a special occasion or you want to treat yourself or your loved one.

We asked to have the bone wrapped, which they did for us. The bone was so long it was almost as long as Mochi! She was so excited when I pulled it out for her–I’ve never seen her like this. Don’t worry, we didn’t let her have it all. But she really loved it and was not happy about us taking it away from her.

brussels & walnuts

For our sides, we got the brussels sprouts and macaroni and cheese. I loved the brussels sprouts. They were roasted and seasoned with a cider vinegar. I don’t usually like vinegar flavor in my foods, but this really worked for me. I ate almost the entire dish myself.

mac & cheese

Mr. K, of course, loved the macaroni and cheese. I enjoyed it as well, though could only handle a few bites after so much food. It was rich, cheesy, and the sour cream and chives helped to balance out the rich cheese sauce.

chocolate peanut butter tart

The chocolate peanut butter tart was quite decadent, paired with ice cream and caramel corn.

fried banana bread pudding

Let me repeat that: fried banana bread. This was life-changing. I can’t believe I haven’t had fried banana bread until this visit and now I want to make fried banana bread all the time. The frying made the banana bread cubes crispy and warm, paired with the banana pudding. But really, it was all about the fried banana bread. It was my favorite bite next to the tomahawk.

Overall, we had a fantastic meal here. I still haven’t stopped thinking about the tomahawk or the fried banana bread. We’ve been wanting to try the brunch out and will do so as soon as we have a free weekend. For those looking for New Year’s options, Searsucker Del Mar is doing a 4-Course New Year’s Eve dinner and will be serving Brunch on New Year’s Day. You can find more information on their website.

Searsucker Del Mar
Del Mar Highlands Town Center
12995 El Camino Real #21, San Diego, CA 92130
https://searsucker.com/

Please note, as indicated above, we were invited in and our meal was complimentary. All opinions expressed are my own.