insideOUT is Hillcrest’s newest restaurant and lounge — an upscale concept from the masterminds that brought us Mo’s, Gossip Grill, and Baja Betty’s. Residing in the Eitol Towers near foodie favorite TRUST, insideOUT is a sexy lounge meets elevated entrees. Around the lagoon is casual and comfortable seating, the bar separated by a waterfall.
And if you think the scene can’t get any hotter, get a table and order up the Australian Hot Stone Steak. You receive the 8oz aged filet rare, on a sizzling hot stone at your table with your choice of butter, salt, and sauce. (Recommended – garlic butter, black truffle salt). I was happily surprised by the great quality and flavor of the filet. The kitchen grills it rare, searing in the juiciness, and you can finish the process tableside, with the smell of garlic butter on the stone making other tables envious. I was concerned I would need to eat it quickly to prevent the steak from overcooking as it sat, but every bite was perfect from beginning to end.
Rather have the kitchen do all the work? Look no further than the exceptional Lavender Tea Braised Pork Belly. This is one of the most flavorful and tender pork belly dishes I have ever had. It sits on top of a savory cauliflower puree that you might swear are mashed potatoes with a crisp apple and arugula salad that pairs perfectly with the pork.
Chef Maryjo Testa shares her inspiration for the menu. “When I had to design the kitchen and the menu for InsideOUT many ideas came to me, I was overwhelmed for sure. Owner Matthew Ramon and I collaborated with some of our favorite kinds of food and he knew what he wanted to put on the menu. The funny thing about it was that everything he liked, I liked so it ended up being very easy. Starting the menu is always hard, but as you go, it’s easy to change ingredients and presentation, nothing is set in stone. That’s the beauty of cooking, it’s a so interchangeable. Coming from many years of cooking in Southern Italy, gave back to me what I knew was inside of me and that was what tasted natural and beautiful. It just made sense to me that being 3rd Generation Italian, of course, cooking Italian is what I should be doing.”
insideOUT is open to the public everyday starting at 2PM Monday – Friday and open for brunch from 10AM-3PM on Saturday and Sunday, with dinner service starting at 5PM.
1642 University Ave, Suite 100
San Diego, CA // 92103
