Artisan Table, The Lodge at Torrey Pines

The cozy entrance to A. R. Valentien, the signature restaurant at The Lodge at Torrey Pines.

The Lodge at Torrey Pines famously sits above the Torrey Pines Golf Course and provides a sweeping view of the lush fairways and the blue Pacific beyond.

That fact is known to most sports fans and anyone who has attended the annual Farmers Insurance Open or who watched the 2008 U. S. Open on TV.

Less obvious is the Lodge’s fame for its outstanding farm-to-table cuisine. The course may be Mecca to golfers, but it’s A. R. Valentien – the signature restaurant – that attracts serious foodies, gourmets, and lovers of great food and wine.

Dining guests at The Lodge at Torrey Pines appreciate Executive Chef Jeff Jackson’s commitment to the very freshest locally-sourced ingredients, which he obtains from producers across Southern California. In A. R. Valentien, the menu changes with the seasons and is always subject to local availability.

The communal Artisan Table at A. R. Valentien takes place on Thursday night.

Lunch and dinner at A. R. Valentien are great occasions, but the truly savvy lover of food and wine will make a point (and a reservation) to be at The Lodge at Torrey Pines on Thursday night. This is when dinner is served on the terrace at a communal Artisan Table, and guests have a great opportunity to interact with the chefs and sommelier.

In this relaxed, intimate alternative to traditional restaurant dining, guests enjoy a variety of seasonal dishes in a welcoming, less formal setting. Surrounded by 10 – 25 kindred spirits, diners savor four courses served family style. These include appetizers, main course, cheese, and dessert and coffee, along with wines selected by the chefs to complement each unique meal.

The Artisan Table was inspired by the warmth and popularity of the communal dinner for chefs and artisan food producers that takes place at the annual Celebrate the Craft festival, which is hosted at The Lodge at Torrey Pines every fall.

“The conviviality that results is unforgettable,” says Chef Jackson.

A. R. Valentien at The Lodge at Torrey Pines is participating in the La Jolla Foodie Getaway. Click here to enter the contest.

Celebrate the Craft takes place at The Lodge at Torrey Pines every fall.

Tags: A.R. Valentien, artisan food products, celebrate the craft, Chef Jeff Jackson, communal dining, farm-to-table cuisine, food, foodies, gourmet, sommelier, The Artisan Table, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, wine

Category: fun for foodies, Restaurants