August 15, 2024 – By editor, Times of San Diego
Landini’s Restaurant Group on Thursday opened the new Slowly Restaurant & Lounge in Pacific Beach, a spot said to blend Mediterranean cuisine and Baja flair.
With Slowly, the group, founded in 2009, aims to blend “the tranquility of a garden patio with the sophistication of a martini bar.”
Slowly, at 1520 Garnet Ave., was created by Leo and Christine Landini, the duo behind the popular San Diego restaurants Landini’s Pizzeria in Liberty Station and Little Italy and Ristorante Illando in Little Italy. Slowly is located on the same block as their Scuderie Italia.
“In the Mediterranean, meals are more than just food – they’re an experience shared with loved ones,” said Leo Landini, who hails from Italy. “At Slowly, we’re capturing that same spirit, where every bite and sip is savored, not just for the flavor, but for the memories made with the company around you.”
At the helm of Slowly’s kitchen is Executive Chef Yadira Cuevas, who has spent more than 10 years working in the culinary industry.. Her dishes focus on Mediterranean cuisine with regional Baja influences. Raised in Michoacán, Cuevas’ dishes reflect her diverse culinary journey and the rich traditions of her heritage.
Highlights include “Slow Starters” such as tuna crudo, featuring sushi-grade tuna, priced at $23; beef skewers with skirt steak, bell peppers and an apple whiskey glaze, priced at $20, and a carrot salad with heirloom carrots, asparagus, pickled beets, orange and Fresno chili, priced at $14.
“Masterful Mains” include Cuevas’ signature herb-marinated chicken, served with cauliflower purée, sautéed asparagus and chimichurri sauce, priced at $28; roasted maitake mushrooms paired with potatoes and mole, priced at $24.50, and the Sweet and Slow pork chop, featuring a guajillo pepper sauce and sweet citrus harissa, priced at $34.
Complementing the cuisine are craft cocktails such as the Tranquil Tiki Dream, made with white rum, ginger liqueur, blue triple sec, pineapple juice and coconut milk, priced at $16; the Whispering Ember’s Old-Fashioned, a fusion of vodka, rum, lemon juice and orange liqueur, priced at $23, and the Christine, made with Sipsmith gin, jalapeño olive, dry ice and edible gold flakes, priced at $23. The selection also includes draft and bottled beers and a wine list of Italian reds, whites and bubbles.
Slowly’s interior features oversized banquettes, chairs upholstered in greens and rich earth tones and hand-painted murals by a local artist.
Slowly is open for dinner, late-night bites and sips from 4 to 11 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday, from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Thursday and from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Reservations and more information are available by calling 858-352-6080 or visiting Slowly online. Slowly is on Instagram at @SlowlySanDiego.
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