Artisan menu appeals on many levels
By Pamela Bieri
Sense is a stunning new restaurant born in January, tucked into the little alcove of businesses and next to Las Casuelas Cafe on Highway 111 between San Pablo and San Luis Rey avenues.
Chef/owner Robert Douglas and business partner builder Ben Nance have transformed the former Omri's restaurant by exposing the building's historic 1957 mid-century modern post-and-beam bones.
Its fresh white vaulted beamed wood ceiling, glass walls and black concrete flooring are sleek and bright. Black clothed tables and modern white chairs with metal legs line the zigzag contours of the restaurant that lead from a formal dining area overlooking the highway, towards the exhibition kitchen and chef's tables to less formal seating in the bar to a back patio outdoors. Modern artwork by local artists from Desert Art Source hang throughout the restaurant.
The name, Sense, refers to all the five senses that, according to Douglas, are engaged in what he refers to as “genetic joy” — all that is inherent with fine dining. It also refers to the sixth sense, a dimension of intuition and creativity.
Douglas has brought a finely honed American artisan cuisine that pays attention and respect to food craftsmen — from small produce growers, farm-raised meat and poultry, to cheese and fine product artisans.
He began a chef's apprenticeship at the famed Seven Oakes five-star restaurant in Greensville, S.C., under Japanese chef Osaku Nobuhide, and later apprenticed in baking.
Douglas began his submersion in true slow food artisan cooking working for famed chef Tom Colicchio in a restaurant in a private club on the South Carolina island of Kiawah
“Here I discovered slow food and thought about food differently,” he said. “We used purveyors who purchased sustainable food from small artisan producers, many of which are still my sources for Sense. We support small local farms.”
Since opening in January, business has been very good. “People from Los Angeles and San Diego have discovered us,” he said. “This is the style of restaurant and type of food you find in a big city. Locals who couldn't get in in January are coming in now.”
Sense's menu is organized in Classic, New and Tribute sections.
Under Classic, is a County Line Baby Spinach Salad ($19) with greens from a farm in Thermal with Tillamook cheddar cheese, pickled red onions, pecans and roasted tomato vinaigrette. The Quinault River Blue back Sockeye salmon ($38) is served with mashed potatoes, broccoli de Ciccio, in a Fuji apple beurre blanc.
Under New items, Douglas acknowledges various regions or cuisines that comprise American food, which he said is “a melting pot of cultures and cuisines.”
The Pan Fried Garbanzos ($10) are prepared in traditional Mexican style with smoked sea salt, lime and Tabasco.
The grilled Amish veal skirt steak ($24), reflecting the east coast, comes with lemon hummus, dressed watercress with oregano infused ice syrup. The Applewood smoked pork chop ($34) is offered with sautéed County Line summer squash, pomme (potato) puree and black Arkansas apple sauce.
The Tribute section is a whimsical salute to customers or purveyors such as Running Squirrel's Wild Foraged Greens ($14) with chive and ramp flowers and Noble dressing. The beer and wine list reflects the same careful attention to vendors who comply with sustainable practices such as Ferrari-Carano Reserve Chardonnay, The Malibu Vineyard Cabernet and Sho Chiku Bai, Ginjo sake from Berkeley, Allagash White Ale, Franziskaner Hefe Weisse, Guinness Stout, Stella Artois and Wychwood Scarecrow golden pale ale are among the brews.
Sense is a stunning new restaurant born in January, tucked into the little alcove of businesses and next to Las Casuelas Cafe on Highway 111 between San Pablo and San Luis Rey avenues.
Chef/owner Robert Douglas and business partner builder Ben Nance have transformed the former Omri's restaurant by exposing the building's historic 1957 mid-century modern post-and-beam bones.
Its fresh white vaulted beamed wood ceiling, glass walls and black concrete flooring are sleek and bright. Black clothed tables and modern white chairs with metal legs line the zigzag contours of the restaurant that lead from a formal dining area overlooking the highway, towards the exhibition kitchen and chef's tables to less formal seating in the bar to a back patio outdoors. Modern artwork by local artists from Desert Art Source hang throughout the restaurant.
The name, Sense, refers to all the five senses that, according to Douglas, are engaged in what he refers to as “genetic joy” — all that is inherent with fine dining. It also refers to the sixth sense, a dimension of intuition and creativity.
Douglas has brought a finely honed American artisan cuisine that pays attention and respect to food craftsmen — from small produce growers, farm-raised meat and poultry, to cheese and fine product artisans.
He began a chef's apprenticeship at the famed Seven Oakes five-star restaurant in Greensville, S.C., under Japanese chef Osaku Nobuhide, and later apprenticed in baking.
Douglas began his submersion in true slow food artisan cooking working for famed chef Tom Colicchio in a restaurant in a private club on the South Carolina island of Kiawah
“Here I discovered slow food and thought about food differently,” he said. “We used purveyors who purchased sustainable food from small artisan producers, many of which are still my sources for Sense. We support small local farms.”
Since opening in January, business has been very good. “People from Los Angeles and San Diego have discovered us,” he said. “This is the style of restaurant and type of food you find in a big city. Locals who couldn't get in in January are coming in now.”
Sense's menu is organized in Classic, New and Tribute sections.
Under Classic, is a County Line Baby Spinach Salad ($19) with greens from a farm in Thermal with Tillamook cheddar cheese, pickled red onions, pecans and roasted tomato vinaigrette. The Quinault River Blue back Sockeye salmon ($38) is served with mashed potatoes, broccoli de Ciccio, in a Fuji apple beurre blanc.
Under New items, Douglas acknowledges various regions or cuisines that comprise American food, which he said is “a melting pot of cultures and cuisines.”
The Pan Fried Garbanzos ($10) are prepared in traditional Mexican style with smoked sea salt, lime and Tabasco.
The grilled Amish veal skirt steak ($24), reflecting the east coast, comes with lemon hummus, dressed watercress with oregano infused ice syrup. The Applewood smoked pork chop ($34) is offered with sautéed County Line summer squash, pomme (potato) puree and black Arkansas apple sauce.
The Tribute section is a whimsical salute to customers or purveyors such as Running Squirrel's Wild Foraged Greens ($14) with chive and ramp flowers and Noble dressing. The beer and wine list reflects the same careful attention to vendors who comply with sustainable practices such as Ferrari-Carano Reserve Chardonnay, The Malibu Vineyard Cabernet and Sho Chiku Bai, Ginjo sake from Berkeley, Allagash White Ale, Franziskaner Hefe Weisse, Guinness Stout, Stella Artois and Wychwood Scarecrow golden pale ale are among the brews.
