V for victory...

Tommy Vs
7670 El Camino Real
La Costa CA 92009
(760) 943-8182


   Verily, the cards are stacked in your favor at spanking new restaurants opened by partners with a track record of great food and good service. Theres a brain trust behind Tommy Vs that has a history of creating TIP top-of-the-line fine dining treasures across the U.S. for more than four decades.

   Chip McCarty brought a heavy-duty resume when he accepted the position of Executive Chef at Tommy Vs, having helmed fine dining gastronomy at The Hard Rock Caf Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when it opened and until recently. Carte Blanche has been given to Chef Chip, but from what guest Mike Sabella and I witnessed firsthand Mister McCarty very seldom veers from the classics: anticipate martinis and king crab aplenty, Rat Pack style! Sinatra at the Sands is par for the course.

   Clear your calender and pack those clubs into your cart, because Cuisine du Chip is a chip shot away from Golfer Paradise. Make it an afternoon and early evening of indulgence. Factoring in a wonderful round of eighteen holes as part of your sojourn to these hills adds a whole nother dimension, its own compelling argument for patronage.

   Should you hit the links literally NEXT DOOR (www.golflacosta.com), Tommy Vs offers you an excellent 19th (watering) hole. Appetizers during Happy Hour 330pm-630pm with discounts are offered every afternoon and early evening, with a well-appointed bar that does brisk business. Separated from the main dining room by a dividing wall, this proved a more casual atmosphere. Of note, it featured endless beautiful people rubbing elbows.

   Crab cake was a crowd pleaser. It was falsely billed as paired with spicy rmoulade, which was pleasant but not piquant. This sauce of French origins classically contains gherkins (sweet, dark, small cucumber), anchovies, Dijon mustard, capers and mayo. Flavors, wherefore art thou Lump crab used was of the finest pedigree, mixed with a touch of jalapeno and bay seasonings lightly breaded. Chef Chip colored the plate with Asian papaya slaw.

   Triangular flatbread was colored a pesto pigment, adding a splash of artistry to an outstanding tuna tartare appetizer. Herb-infused olive oil took the credit. Big Eye tuna, Hawaiian sea salt, toasted black pepper, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, fresh chives, and parsley comprised the centerpiece of this coronet.

   Wedge salad passed the Litmus test of Proprietor Joey Maggiore, after it went through a boundless series of taste tests to create one of the smoothest bleu dresses this side of Normandy. Photogenic though he is, Joey was camera shy. Check out our sterling review of Joeys Tuscany among the Yummy Diego archive of critiques, another among the local corporate holdings from the same group that owns Tommy Vs. Joeys winning smile can be seen amidst the photos for that review.

   The Chop Salad brought a Mona Lisa-type smile to our faces, perhaps demonstrative but not over-exuberant. It was fair familiar fare, arugula and baby spring mix tossed with candied pine nuts, tomatoes, and crumbs of bleu. Yawn. It did have a good eight year-aged balsamic vinaigrette.

   Word of mouth from Yummy Diego readership ensured good press. Gene Montgomery over by Lake Hodges emailed us at yummydiego@cox.net, Guys, I found the Mother Of All Burgers. This place called Tommy Vs in La Costa sells a ONE POUND Kobe beef slider. I went delirious. We asked Chef Chip about it. He said that it is their best selling item, by far! For this ultimate in comfort cuisine, Porcini mushroom and a Gorgonzola/Fontina formaggio double dosage are paired, with roasted shallot demi-glace. More than not, the latter is a beef sauce reduced with sherry.

   Cheers for deft use of formaggio at Tommy Vs. Chef Chips most unique platter tonight was Saganaki, Greek Metaxa Brandy-flambed (tableside torched) goat/cow blended Kephalatyri cheese, semi-sharpened and served with toast points. Portioned for four, she was a bit much. As far as originality, she was off the Richter scale. It would have been nicer for the Chef to offer a different type of starch here, since we had already sampled similar flatbread with the tuna.

   Bread service at the onset was room temperature Italian with a hard crust. It could have been better, observed Mike. Sometimes the nicer restaurants intentionally put out a thrill kill loaf, to dissuade you from filling up.

   Lobster bisque was to die for. Twenty-five years in the business, it was the best, ever. I dont care if you put Frances greatest living legend in the kitchen aboard a lobster catching frigate, no Chef can outperform that recipe prep. TWO FORKS UP.

   Spacious side patio aside, the interior dcor was a triumph of form over fashion. In essence, they have one long rectangular room at Tommy Vs. It was decided not to put any booths in, thereby giving Joey and company flexibility with their seating arrangements. For each booth, there are fewer seats and less potential revenue. Beyond strict economics, at least one cozy corner booth would have been cool. Reserved for your Martin and Lewis VIP types, Baby.

   Beyond cutting that corner, the designers did well to distinguish Tommy Vs look as it compares to competition in its class. So many steakhouses are rugged in appearance, heavily masculine. Tommy Vs has a friendly neighborhood feel to it. There are traces of sporty and jazzy motifs, with warm colors threaded throughout. Friendly to Dr. and Mrs. Atkins, alike!

   No friend to cholesterol, we would enjoy Tapestry red by Beaulieu Vineyards, a 2000 vintage Napa reserve Meritage. It is a supple blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc grapes. Every sip had a BIG Badda Bing Cherry signature, a custom roadster for titanic turf.

   Local colossal shrimps proved that there definitely IS something in the water, at Baja surfside. Local plus-sized prawns were garnished atop 4oz baseball cuts of awesome beef tenderloin. What you see pictured is a half portion, because we split the order. What made Tommys Twin Filet Mignon and Scampi entre our BEST DISH REVIEWED above the others An outrageous barnaise sauce sealed the victory. Choice chianti, egg yolks, butter, shallots, and vinegar comprised the champ, with a touch of tarragon. Mike was dancing a Samba without any music being played!

   Some of the best creamed spinach Ive ever had, issued Mike in approval for the Almondine. We ordered vegetables so that no one would entirely label us as complete cavemen. Chef Chip tossed a no-hitter with this hot bed of greens. Complete customer satisfaction assured.

   Mashed potatoes and asparagus were regrettably ordinary.

   Bananas Foster was a fitting goodbye, a hole in one. Ill place a bet that the dessert would have met the approval of Richard Foster. He was a beloved, now immortalized saint of a patron at Brennans Restaurant of New Orleans (www.brennansneworleans.com) in the 1950s, birthplace of this beloved American original. The sweet sin was named in his honor, banana slices topped with ice cream, sauted with brown sugar, dark rum and banana liqueur. Its medicinal value, its ability to lift your spirits, is priceless.

www.tommyvs.net
Sunday through Thursday, 430pm-10pm
Friday and Saturday, 430pm-1030pm
Bar opens at 330pm daily