SOHO Restaurant

It's not that the guys who opened the new restaurant SOHO miss New York City, in fact is quite the opposite. Carlos De Narvaez selected the corner of 30th and El Cajon Boulevard because North Park and the surrounding urban communities are most certainly on the upswing. Similar to SOHO in New York City, the arts and cultural scene is what got people throughout San Diego to pay attention to this neighborhood. Once the people were here entrepreneurs followed suit by opening restaurants, bars and retail establishments. Being part of this eclectic community where food and art are well embraced was their main intention, but they most certainly have brought something new into the mix.

Carlos spent the earlier part of his life in Bogota, Colombia helping his family run a fruit and flower export company. This is where his start in the food industry began. Once his family returned to the United States, he followed this career path by working the front end of several restaurants, bartending, serving and managing. It was at Bernini's Bistro in La Jolla where Carlos received the specialized training and encouragement to open his own restaurant. Carlos' background in the food industry turned into a nicely balanced and distinctive menu influenced by Latin and southern cuisine with the quality of fine dining at a price point that works for this community.

One notable dish is the chicken mole, served over a mound of mashed plantains. Carlos grew up enjoying mole and said it reminds him of special family occasions. Carlos also incorporates his cultural background into the braised short ribs. While most restaurants serve this dish with a side of mashed potatoes, at SOHO the short ribs are accompanied by a tamale with goat cheese, smoked tomatoes and spinach, topped with a reduced cherry salsa.

As for the future revitalization of the Boulevard, Carlos is an art enthusiast and foresees SOHO as a hub for the emerging Arts District. At the same time they hope to gain a reputation for their restaurant's excellence in food, they also want artists to feel that SOHO is a place for their work to be acknowledged. By hosting art openings, industry events, and tantalizing people's eclectic palettes this new restaurant on the Boulevard is bound to capture the attention they that the name SOHO rightfully deserves.

SOHO - 3025 El Cajon Boulevard