Juniper & Ivy: A Love Story

(It's important to note the title suggestion I received from my editor Andrew -

 "I'm obsessed and may need clinical help")

By what merits do we call something exceptional or extraordinary? Ideas of perfection seem always to be subjective. Perfection, like beauty, is found in the eye of the beholder.  

That being said, I’d like to assert that I have found perfection, the crème de la crème, the best of the best, the very thing that should be the standard by which all challengers should be compared to and to which all contenders should aspire to be.

That standard of perfection? 

A restaurant (the other is my mama, and you can read that post here).

Juniper & Ivy, your name should be listed as the synonym for perfection in every foodie’s thesaurus.  

Juniper & Ivy interior and kitchen,
and my designated seating..the plating station!

Juniper & Ivy is the gastronomic child of food genius, Top Chef Superstar, restaurateur, author, and the only celebrity that makes me blush, Chef Richard Blais. Blais studied under some of the world’s iconic chefs, including Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud. He began his first eateries in Atlanta and in 2014, Blais brought San Diego its greatest culinary gift to date. He debuted Juniper & Ivy in March 2014, changing life for us foodies as we know it.

I didn’t know it was possible to love a restaurant until I stepped into J&I one unforgettable April evening. I had been a fan of Blais since my mother/daughter date night ritual of watching Top Chef and Top Chef: All Stars. Blais was always our favorite, but never did I think that one day, he might just know who I am.  

First time meeting Chef Richard Blais at the San Diego Burger Bash 2013

20+ visits later, I am in a full-on food love affair with J&I. Consuming food from dozens of food establishments each month is daunting, educational, and entertaining at the same time. I used to love it. But now, J&I has ruined my hobby, in the very best way possible.

Richard Blais doesn’t cook because of the profit or because his name makes people’s hearts swoon. He cooks because he wants to and because he has a passion for food.  He sees dining for what it can be and aims to do that which others have been too afraid to do. 

The "carne cruda asada toast" 

I have found myself comparing anything I may eat to “the standard” (aka Juniper & Ivy) and to the thought process “WWRD” (aka “What Would Richard Do?”). I still aim to be objective and give each new restaurant’s dish the courtesy of due process. But often I find myself holding back thoughts of that perfect bite of the moist and flavorful carne cruda asada toast, with the oozing quail egg that perfectly softens  the toasted edges of the thick cut bread, giving the senses both crunch and softness and salt and sweetness and a taste that makes you wonder how you will ever eat a piece of toast the same way ever again.  I blush at these memories of J&I, and quickly scan Opentable for the next available reservation. 

This past winter, I checked off an item from my foodie bucket list when I dined at a few two and three Michelin Star restaurants. Daniel Boulud and Jean Georges’ establishments wowed me. They enticed my palate and my mind with their attention to detail, and their perfectly orchestrated lunch and dinner service. The food was as beautiful as it was delicious. I also spent an evening at Colicchio & Sons, wanting to have a taste of Tom Colicchio’s acclaimed Craft restaurant collection. The service was on point, the dishes flavorful and satisfying, and the atmosphere made you forget the winter storm brewing on the other side of the glass window. 

These restaurants were some of the best I will ever visit. 

But…they weren’t J&I.

As I stared at the beautiful entrées on the gold plated dish wear, I longed to be at Juniper & Ivy. I longed for the surprising twists, the complicated yet complementary flavors, the sarcastic remarks of Chef Jon Sloan, the organized chaos of the plating station, and the comfort of the yodel  (see pictures below and you’ll understand). The greatness of J&I also stems from the staff that embody the very essence of Juniper and Ivy, and the Richard Blais’ culinary vision has. 

As told to me by the staff, Chef Blais, alongside business partner and J&I investor Michael Rosen, didn’t open Juniper & Ivy to give the general public the mild and lackluster dishes that they are used to; he opened it to cook the food he dreams of, with the confidence that there are those that will appreciate the oddness that makes each starter, entrée, and dessert beautiful, balanced and unforgettable. 

           



For centuries, food has been the universal language of connection and community. Food is love. Food is the way to people’s hearts. Food is meant to be challenged and manipulated and crafted to best of its abilities. Food deserves innovation, but it also warrants a sacred respect for the way it has united people since the beginning of time. Juniper & Ivy gives food the reverence and attention it so rightfully deserves. 

Floor manager Dan Pena; Chefs Jon Sloan and Anthony Wells, and servers Lynette, Gino, and especially Matt, are some of J&I's best assets, just to name a few, continually propelling Juniper & Ivy’s standard of perfection, and ultimately ensuring the restaurant's success and a loyal family of diners. The food is half the reason I come, and the people are the other 50%. 

Juniper and Ivy feels like home; it is where my heart AND stomach are, and it’s where I gladly hand over my credit card and exceed my daily calorie allowance.  Eating at Juniper & Ivy is like falling in love again and again and again. It’s a rush of endorphin's and bliss and happy memories.

I love Juniper & Ivy more than most people will understand and that’s okay. I love Juniper & Ivy because it has challenged not only my mind but my taste buds, pushing the boundaries I once believed a dining experience could contain. Blais has opened up my world to flavors I would have never put together; to new tastes; new smells; and new textures. Juniper & Ivy isn't just a restaurant; it’s a culinary mecca where people who truly love what they do happily share their talents and gifts with others, with the added bonus that it so happens to be in the town I call home. 

One of the many wonderful things about J&I is that their menu changes daily as the restaurant molds the menu to the produce delivered daily, ensuring every meal is made from the freshest and highest quality ingredients. Some of the classics stay and these I will always eat in a heartbeat...the oysters with horseradish pearls, the Carne Cruda Asada Toast with cotija and jalapeno, the Garden & Grains and the “secret” In-N-Out inspired burger with kimchi ketchup. And don’t get me started on the yodel. That is heaven on a plate.  Only Richard Blais could manage to stuff a frozen chocolate log with dehydrated strawberries; pearls of milk chocolate, white chocolate and dark chocolate; brownie pieces; and brittle into a creation that leaves you speechless. It’s so good; I've even seen a chocolate hater accidentally slip a smile after tasting this insane creation.  

"THE YODEL" - with all its glorious components exposed

If you’re still reading this, you might think I’m obsessed or crazy or somehow paid for this endorsement. All opinions are my own, free of request or bribery. I just can’t thank Juniper & Ivy,Richard Blais and the entire team enough for the impact they have made, not only on me, but on San Diego and the region as a whole. Juniper & Ivy should be the new standard of food, demonstrating restaurant perfection through its talented chefs, staff, and management team. Every restaurant should aspire to reach the level of passion and creativity that oozes out of the J&I menu and people.

Finally, Richard Blais, in all his talent, skill and culinary prominence, is so very present in his restaurant. He doesn't expect to ride on his name; he just really loves what he does and he loves to share it with the community. This humble legend even dines in-house with his wife and daughters. Watching him create something spectacular in the kitchen and then serve his daughter his most recent creation reminds you that it is in fact possible to achieve both personal and professional success, all while doing what you love.  

Thank you Richard Blais and the Juniper & Ivy team. You have created the consummate culinary experience and a level of perfection that will be hard for others to surpass. And thank you for ruining other restaurants for me; I stopped searching for “the one” when I met Juniper & Ivy and I’ve been living happily ever after since.  

Hungry?? (Because I am...) Make a reservation NOW: http://www.opentable.com/juniper-and-ivy
                 

For more information visit http://www.juniperandivy.com/ 
Purchase Richard's cookbook here.

America’s best restaurant can be found at –
2228 KETTNER BLVD., SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92101
PH: 619.269.9036
SUNDAY-THURSDAY 5:00-10:00 P.M.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY 5:00 P.M.-11:00 P.M.
BAR/LOUNGE OPENS DAILY AT 4:00 P.M.

The first thing I ever ate at J&I, this sous-vide chicken had me at first taste. 

The most beautiful entree I've ever seen - the "Garden & Grains."

Note: All pictures are my own and mostly captured via iphone. And yes, I've consumed every dish pictured above. And that's not all of them either...