San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter is gearing up to taste Baja California as Michelin-starred chef Esteban Lluis prepares to open Kaluú, a new restaurant and nightlife venue on Fifth Avenue. Slated for a mid-August debut, Lluis, the chef behind Valle de Guadalupe's acclaimed Damiana and recent recipient of a Michelin star in the inaugural Michelin Guide Mexico, will take command of Kaluú's kitchen offerings. According to Eater San Diego, Lluis will hold full creative control over a menu that will present a more casual, shareable dining experience than his tasting menu at Damiana, featuring dishes like banana leaf-wrapped tamales colados and Sinaloan-style chicken with molcajete sauce.
As evening fades into night, Kaluú is set to transform from a restaurant into a vibrant nightclub, complete with a long bar set adjacent to a dance floor that will regularly host live DJs. Helping to secure the musical ambiance, the venue’s ownership has roots in the iconic ‘90s Tijuana discotheque Baby Rock, and general manager Tellas Bobo brings experience from his time at Oxford Social Club and other nightspots, Eater San Diego reports. The establishment promises an immersive, dual-experience where diners can savor fine cuisine before the space pulses to the beat of cutting-edge music.
Teases of the upcoming hotspot have made waves on social media, with Kaluú's Instagram account promising a fusion of high-end culinary craft and vibrant nightlife. Lluis, known for his standout culinary presence in Baja's signature wine country, is set to deliver a range of gastronomic delights, including items like NY beef tartare and an intriguingly composed Wagyu burger.
Located in the former Double Black Lounge Bar & Kitchen space, Kaluú looks to enrich San Diego's downtown dining landscape with its unique blend of sophisticated Mexican cuisine and dynamic nightlife. "Dishes on Kaluú's menu will include Tamal Colado (tamales of strained dough), NY Beef Tartare, Tacos de Nada (potato and soyrizo, tomato-oregano salsa, cotija, crema), "Sinaloan Style" Free Range Chicken with Molcajete sauce, Suckling Pig, a Wagyu Burger and more," according to a preview by SanDiegoVille. To accompany the feast, the bar will offer a full array of cocktails, beer, and wine, which is well equipped for the throngs of patrons eagerly anticipating the latest night to enliven the already dynamic Gaslamp scene.
