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Eat, Drink, and Help Your Community

Escondido Eats presents “Fill Your Plate, Fill Your Heart” throughout the month of November.

 

From November 2-22, the Escondido Chamber of Commerce and the Escondido Downtown Business Association are hosting Escondido Eats - formerly titled “Dine Out Escondido.” 

“The program is designed to increase awareness and attract customers to participating Escondido restaurants to help bring much needed relief to the local restaurant industry. This collaborative effort combines the reach of the Downtown Business Association and the Escondido Chamber of Commerce and was sparked by the City of Escondido's desire to support local restaurants,” said James Rowten, President and CEO of the Escondido Chamber of Commerce.

This fundraising event includes restaurants throughout the city that participate by creating event specials and select menu items for diners to enjoy, and $1 from these meals will be donated to the North County Food Bank.  “This fun event gives Escondido residents and visitors a chance to try new restaurants as well as their favorite spots, while also giving back to the community,” said Amber Tarrac, Escondido’s Deputy Director of Economic Development. “As more and more people are dining out again, it’s the perfect time to showcase Escondido restaurants.”

Alex MacLachlan, President of Escondido Downtown Business Association said “Most of our downtown restaurants will be participating in this event, with a handful creating a signature dish during the event's three-week period.”

MacLachlan added the timing of this event works well because charitable causes appeal to patrons during the holiday season and the event will bring holiday shoppers to the area.   

Two restaurants participating this year are BAPS! Restaurant and The Flying Toad.  

Two Brads Bring Flavor and Service to Family-Friendly Dining

Brad Allen Pelletier and Brad Allen Sulley co-own BAPS!, the name of which was derived from their initials. Just off the 15 freeway at Centre City Parkway, the American-fusion restaurant brings fresh, quality meals to residents and travelers. 

“We came across this location in Escondido and fell in love with it,” said Sulley. “It’s right off the freeway, and it’s a stand-alone with plenty of parking.”

Pelletier, who is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef, preps every meal from scratch with fresh ingredients. Pelletier and Sulley were friends for years and both dreamed of opening their own restaurant. They opened a food booth and catering service in Oceanside at Sunset Market and opened BAPS! in December 2019.

Even with pandemic and re-opening restrictions, the two Brads have found ways to adjust. “We have a ton of outdoor dining with covered seating. Plus we have misters for the heat and heaters for the cold,” Sulley said.

BAPS! is participating in Escondido Eats this year with a pizza special. Anyone who orders pizza and mentions Escondido Eats will get $2 off their order, and $1 will be donated to the fundraiser. 

Fundraising is something important to Pelletier and Sulley. “We have always been charity-minded,” said Sulley.

Since opening, the duo has created several fundraisers. So far, they have donated to local little league baseball, provided surprise dinners to frontline workers at the fire station, Palomar Medical Center, and markets in Escondido, and helped a local retired teacher who was in need. Both Brads were raised by single parents and are working on a future special service for single-parent families.

In addition to participating in Escondido Eats, BAPS! offers a daily meal prep service and is taking orders for itsThanksgiving Dinner Special, complete with all the traditional fixings. 

BAPS! Restaurant is located at 2680 S. Escondido Blvd and can be reached at 949-393-2723. 

French Cuisine with Traditional Comforts

Whether you are in the mood for French delicacies like frog legs and escargot or comfort foods such as French onion soup or pot pie, you can order it at The Flying Toad on Grand Avenue. The sister restaurant to Vincent’s on Grand, The Flying Toad offers the same quality dining created by Chef Brandon Hunsaker, with a diversified menu, at a reduced price. 

Owner Jeannette McBrearty purchased Vincent’s in November 2019 and opened The Flying Toad shortly after the pandemic to create a simpler take-out menu and more casual dining. With a limited indoor capacity allowance, McBrearty said City support has helped.

“The City is allowing us to utilize sidewalk seating, so we are closer to our normal numbers,” she said.

The Flying Toad is participating in Escondido Eats this year with free bread and soup specials. “Our chef makes a lot of soups in November, so we are offering some at a discounted price after 7:45 pm, sort of a reverse soup happy hour,” said McBrearty.

One special is the starter size split pea soup with a croque monsieur (ham and cheese sandwich). Other November soups are French onion, Thai curry, and a full-sized shrimp ramen not included in the special.

McBrearty and her family have lived in Escondido since 2001. Her husband Chris works at Fairway Independent Mortgage in Escondido. This is McBrearty’s first venture in the restaurant world, and she said she was drawn to it after planning parties and cooking for six children. 

“I’m very familiar with organizing parties. So when you come into my restaurant, it’s fun and amazing,” she said.

That spirit is reflected in the mid-century decor and Chef’s creative menu selections that are changed monthly. 

McBrearty said, “I feel like once you come here, you’re going to keep coming back because of the unique flavors and the atmosphere. It’s so different from anything else in Escondido.”

All orders are available for take out. In addition to November’s Escondido Eats specials, The Flying Toad will be offering pick-up meals on Thanksgiving including turkey pot pie, roast duck, and prime rib. 

The Flying Toad is located at 113 W. Grand Avenue. They can be reached at 760-705-8013.

Additional participating restaurants for Escondido Eats can be found here.

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Longtime Friends are Crafting New Brews in Escondido

Anthony Tallman, Derek van Leeuwen, and Matthew Zirpolo, classmates at La Costa Canyon in Carlsbad, always hoped to someday own their own brewery. After college, Tallman became a brewer at Stone Brewing Company, van Leeuwen went into manufacturing, and Zirpolo applied his college degree and worked in marketing. Soon, they realized that by working together, they could create the brewery they dreamed about in high school.

“With our three skill sets, we decided that we would be a great team,” said Zirpolo. “So we created a business plan.”

In 2016 they launched Burgeon Beer Company in Carlsbad and on November 20, they will be expanding with a new brewery in Escondido. 

“We are very excited to be moving here and to be part of the community,” said Zirpolo, who was, until recently, the former president of the San Diego Brewers Guild, and knows the impact local breweries can have in their communities.

“It’s an organization that really supports its members,” he said. “They work to make sure breweries have all the resources to be successful, and they foster a cohesive mentality among everyone here in San Diego. It’s the ‘rising tide lifts all ships' mentality. We really create a great culture for craft beer in San Diego county.”

That sense of support came to the Burgeon team as fellow brewers were tapping out. 

Burgeon will be occupying the space left by Escondido Brewing Company, which came to an end in June. After three successful years, the Escondido Brewing Company team decided to close their doors largely because of issues surrounding the pandemic. Zirpolo said he and his partners are good friends with the former owners and were approached to take over the space when they decided to shut down. “They came to us with the opportunity to open in their space, and we are honored to be here,” said Zirpolo.

When one door closes, another opens, and Escondido officials were more than happy to welcome the trio’s new brewery.  “Local craft breweries give our communities a place to meet and celebrate, and their localized craft beers bring a sense of pride to the area,” said Amber Tarrac, Escondido’s Deputy Director of Economic Development.  “We are so glad to welcome Burgeon Beer Company, and are happy they are using this space to expand their business and bring our city a place to continue to enjoy craft beers.” 

The central location of the new brewery on Rock Springs Road is close to both the 78 and 15 freeways, and is near the downtown train and bus stations, making it accessible for both residents and guests.

The team has been working hard to transform the space into their own. “Burgeon means to grow,” Zirpolo said . At the new Escondido location, branded The Oasis, the “growth” theme will be incorporated throughout the brewery, with features such as live edge wood tables and counters, green elements, and an earthy aesthetic similar to the design of their Carlsbad location.

The completely outdoor brewery designed like a traditional beer garden, will have 12 taps to serve craft beers and a pilot brewing system, which allows for smaller-batch and specialty beers. Additionally, local craft food trucks will rotate at the location to serve dishes that pair well with the craft beers on tap. Harvest Kitchen will provide the fare in the opening days.

Burgeon will be open Wednesdays through Sundays. Because the tasting facility is an exclusively outdoor setting, with canopies and umbrellas for shading, it complies with existing California pandemic regulations. With that in mind, Zirpolo stressed that the brewery will be taking additional precautions. 

“We want to make sure that everyone feels safe,” he said. “If they feel safe, they are more likely to come back, and I think that’s a reflection of our business.”  Additional measures include staff and patron temperature checks at the front door, hand sanitizers on all the tables, table spacing, and increased sanitizing and cleaning procedures.

Opening just before Thanksgiving, craft specials to tie in with the holiday will be created. “We have two special-release beers coming up the week after we open and right before Thanksgiving,” said Zirpolo. Also on the menu is an Escondido-inspired brew called Burgeon In Escondido, with cans that are wrapped with a map of the city of Escondido. “That will be released shortly after we open,” said Zirpolo.

Along with opening his business in the city, Zirpolo is also moving with his family to Escondido. “I’m very excited to personally be moving here,” he said. “I was born and raised in San Diego, and I’m excited to become part of the Escondido culture and community here.”

Zirpolo said he is looking forward to meeting the community and sharing his product with them. For beer drinkers who are not quite ready to venture into the breweries just yet, Burgeon’s craft beers can be ordered online for shipping and delivery as well. 

Burgeon Beer Company’s The Oasis is located at 649 Rock Springs Road. They can be reached by phone at 760-814-2548 or email taproom@burgeonbeer.com. 

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