Eureka! A local restaurant with the excitement built right into the name!  It’s in the Westfield Shopping Center in La Jolla and it’s only been open for like a month, but I can already see a cult following forming for this place.

Have you ever experienced the pain and disappointment of trying to put out the flames of a burger craving with a run of the mill chain burger where the servers have to wear 17 pieces of flare on their vests?  We all have.  Here’s your remedy:  head to Eureka! Naturally, I was just thrilled to be invited here since they’re not vegan.

These guys really pay attention to the tiny details that make a meal special.  The décor is farmhouse of the future and the lighting is dark and romantic,  they have a full bar and a very creative bar menu featuring what seems to be an almost unnatural obsession with designer whiskey but boy do they know how to mix a pretty cocktail, right down to the tasty little house made candied cherries that, I have to be honest, I ate probably 20 of them.

Everything in the restaurant is 100% American- except the tequila.  We ordered the osso buco riblets, which were tender in a zingy sauce, the lollipop corn dogs featuring real sausage and 3 house made sauces, they come on lollipop sticks- they’re really cute.  We also had the watermelon salad but this was unlike any salad I’ve had.  The salad part was microgreens trampled under a sweet watermelon and fruited quinoa stampede.  I like it when my salad is shown who’s boss.  I’d probably eat that salad all by itself and be satisfied but on this day, I had a burger craving that just wouldn’t subside.  Their gourmet burgers are composed like a symphony of flavors.  We had the fig marmalade burger with goat cheese butter and unlike most burger places; they actually cook the burgers to the proper done-ness! I was in shock by this because no matter where you go you cannot get a burger cooked to medium rare, you just can’t.  Most places don’t do it either because they know their meat is questionable or because they just don’t know how but at Eureka where the meat is grass fed and wonderful, having it done just the way you like it is a special treat.  The California Bison burger with was equally perfect and I couldn’t decide which one I liked more.

The side if cinnamon fries prompted a conversation with Chef Ron who explained their 36 hour fry process that produces a crispy fry with a very creamy center.  And I may have hugged him a little too tightly because he then tried to kill me with the richest creamiest butterscotch pudding with fleur de sel caramel sauce I’ve ever had.

They have live music every Thursday and the heated outdoor patio was a nice place to sit while I regained the ability to walk.

Eureka! Has made me once again hopeful for the future of the gourmet burger in San Diego, and I’m excited to announce that we now have a contender for the Best Burger Challenge! We’ll be announcing the final contender in the coming weeks and then to follow: the award for the Best Burger in San Diego.  Chef Ron has made it clear that he can beat anyone in a burger to burger battle and now that my pants fit again, we’ll be covering that soon.

Eureka!
4545 La Jolla Village Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
(858) 546-8858
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am – 12 am
Fri-Sat 11 am – 1 am