jayne's addiction

had a very enjoyable evening at jayne's gastropub in normal heights last night. jay and i drove over there with our friend david who is moving back here from san francisco, and we met his friends there who live a couple of blocks over from jaynes. the restaurant, which is relatively small and divided into two rooms, was about half full, and we sat at the bar in the entry room for a bit. the gleaming kitchen is in plain view beyond the bar area, and two inviting bistro tables offer views of the street. we had a drink and were quickly seated in the main room, with tasteful large mirrors on the walls. jay said it reminded him of balthazar in nyc.

several of the entrees looked appealing, but since we'd had a very late lunch at rancho's down 30th (and honestly were still full), we limited our choices to some of the smaller plates - like a deliciously-seasoned jayne's burger, two orders of modest-sized but crispy fish and chips, some decent calamari, and a refreshing salad. while the food was good (maybe a bit pricey), the atmosphere was even better, with relaxing lighting and what looked to be the original tile flooring. there's a big patio out back that jayne's' co-owner said will be open soon - maybe in time for the new breakfast service that will start shortly.

in fact, our conversation with the co-owner was a highlight of the evening. he said they were going for a san francisco feel with the place, and it did remind me of something i'd see in north beach. it makes you wonder why there aren't more places like jaynes in san diego, that offer solid food and service, and a charming atmosphere without pretension.