The locally-owned Common Theory Public House has carved out a reputable name for itself in the San Diego food and beer scene, and this popular spot has now acquired the acclaimed Jonathan Bautista as head chef. And boy, are we excited about this. Chef Bautista, former Chef de Cuisine at George on the Cove, first started getting to know Common Theory as a patron. He would come regularly to dine and enjoy the hand-selected craft beers. As a frequent diner, he quickly made friends with the owners, two best friends from college, Cristian Lang and Joon Lee. Together, this impressive team of passionate and hard-working restauranteurs have executed a vision for the new menu that is exciting, creative, and most of all, incredibly tasty.
Combining an admirable craft beer selection and innovative comfort fare, these recent menu arrivals capture San Diego’s unique spirit, fancy enough for the hipsters in their ironic horn-rimmed glasses, but still as comfortable as the worn-in jeans you don to enjoy a day in the park. So sit back, relax, and let us take you through a little tour of our favorite new menu items:
Those Duck-fat Fries, though.
The top corner of the menu introduces the duck fat fries, which you can order as a “flock of duck fries”, replete with duck confit, crispy duck skin (are you drooling yet?), and their “emoji egg”, so perfectly yellow and over-easy, that it looks like your favorite emoji face! Your heaping serving comes in a giant bowl, reinforcing that it’s meant to be shared. But no judgement if you keep all the fries to yourself! I had to fight the urge to swat away my dining partner’s hands when he went in for seconds! Shoo! These are my fries!
More to share.
Try their cauliflower fried in rice flour (gluten free, anyone?), dipped in their house-made ranch sauce. Yes, I got two orders of the ranch sauce. And if you like hot sauce, ask for a side of their “hell fire sauce”. It’s more about the flavor and spices than it is about burning your mouth to a crisp. It demonstrates that peppery Southern Comfort food is best served with a California (cauliflower) and Asian (rice flour) twist! Can I get a bib for these, please?
This may be cheesy, but I think you’re grate!
Imagine a decadent, creamy burrata over a bed of roasted apple, walnut raisin chutney, and sesame granola. My friends, you’re looking at some seasonal culinary genius placed in front of you when you order Chef Bautista’s Burrata appetizer. It is accompanied by thick slices of expertly grilled and oiled bread, the perfect vehicle on which to spread your cheese and accoutrements. Who would’ve thunk that sesame granola would be so tasty? I asked them if they would sell it to me by the bag!
Best Burger, ever.
The Pork and Shrimp Katsu burger — an inventive cousin of the traditional Japanese katsu dish –was inspired by the shrimp & pork dumpling. Does this burger deserve the title of “best burger ever”? Well, the title is subjective, of course. But if you are like me, and grew up on shrimp dumplings, you couldn’t imagine a better meal than a shrimp & pork dumpling patty fried to perfection and sandwiched inside a brioche bun. I also couldn’t stop eating the taro chips that accompanied the burger, made in house with the freshest vegetable root and fried to a flawless light crunch. I was literally picking up the remaining crumbs with my licked fingertips to ensure none of the tasty morsels went to waste.
With all the new buzz around Chef Bautista, we should not forget to pay homage to their impressive, rotating draft menu. Each beer is hand-selected (and taste-bud selected) by the co-owner Cris Liang, who is a self-declared “craft beer nerd.” Choose from a lofty selection of craft beers, mostly California sourced, like Speakeasy Ales and Lagers in San Francisco, to the more local Beach Grease Beer Company. There are even radlers, ciders and kombucha for the less hops-forward inclined diners.
Our only wish is that we had several stomachs so we could have tasted everything off their inventive and delicious menu. Especially eye-catching were the Szechuan hot-fried chicken sandwich, impressive selection of flat breads, Korean chicken-fried steak, and salmon over thai curry and bok choy. This just gives us another excuse to go back to Common Theory soon.
So, whether you are looking the perfect spot to host your after-work happy hour, gather your family to enjoy a gourmet meal, or stake out a celebrity watch of San Diego’s A-list chefs (who tend to be regulars here), Common Theory Public House truly is a house open to the public, for your, and everyone’s, enjoyment.
And don’t forget that Common Theory is connected to the Realm of 52 Remedies, the chic Convoy speakeasy, and the perfect celebratory or date spot to imbibe inspired cocktails. Try their new cocktail flight (call ahead to make reservation for the cocktail tasting!)
