My approach to hot new trendy restaurants with Lick the Plate has always been to let the hype subside a bit, then make a couple of visits to get a feel for the real deal, the everyday vibe of the place. Such was the case with Leu Leu in Leucadia, which opened to much acclaim this past February.
I first got wind of the restaurant about a year ago when local promoter Michael Schmitt, an Encinitas lifeguard and promotions chair for Leucadia 101 Main Street Association, informed me that his wife and Leucadia native Brittany Corrales were involved in a project with acclaimed chef Claudette Zepeda – my interest was piqued!
Like Schmitt, Corrales has a passion for the magical community of Leucadia and is also the owner of Mariposa Events Co. Leu Leu is the collaborative brainchild of her, Zepeda, and Jason Janececk, a landscape designer and managing partner at Corner Pizza. Their vision for Leu Leu emphasizes creativity and community. They wanted to create a locally focused space that honors Leucadia, past and present, and they nailed that vision.
It was the location that had me even more curious, as the corner space they chose in the Leucadia-style assortment of businesses on Coast Highway 10, which included Fully Loaded Micro Juicery, had not housed a winning concept in a while.
That said, given the combined resumes of the talented folks making this happen and design by the talented sister duo from Design 4 Corners, this version of the space was destined for success. And I must say that I was struck by the design the minute I walked through the doors, which was sourced from an old Egyptian villa.
This is executive chef/partner Zepeda’s love letter to San Diego through the beach bungalow-influenced culture of the space. Given that I reside in an old school Leucadia beach bungalow a few blocks up Coast Highway from Leu Leu, I felt that vibe the minute I walked through those exotic doors.
Other similarities to my bungalow included a disco ball-adorned tree and an eclectic assortment of vinyl, including one of my favorites, “Soul Mining” by The The, which features the classic song “Uncertain Smile.” I should also note that disco balls hung from trees that capture the light from the Leucadia golden hour sunlight are a joy to behold.
In fact, the more I reflect on the style and vibe of Leu Leu, the more it makes me smile and think, ‘Oh hell yeah,’ these folks have created an original space that captures the essence of the neighborhood without being too obvious. I should also note that there is a very small bar, with two seats, if I recall, that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. It’s on my list to sample, as it would be fun to experience the restaurant from that perspective.
OK, I’ve established that the space is as eclectic and original as the neighborhood it resides in, and it took absorbing the atmosphere with dining partner J.R. O’Brian over a glass of wine to really soak that in before we moved on to perusing the menu.
But before we get to that, I’ll try to recap in short the impressive culinary resume of Zepeda that I’ve touched on before from her time at Vaga up the road. She is an award-winning chef and culinary entrepreneur based in San Diego, known for her innovative approach to regional Mexican cuisine.
Her 20-plus years of experience working in kitchens, combined with her extensive travels around the world and creative vision, led to the founding of Chispa Hospitality, which features food concepts in San Diego, Nashville, Australia, and Mexico. She has represented the U.S. in London and Paris for the Taittinger Champagne Prix Culinaire, marking the first time the U.S. has participated in the competition’s 55-year history.
Other honors include glowing reviews and acclaim from the New York Times and Esquire, inclusion on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list, Eater San Diego’s and San Diego Union Tribune’s Chef of the Year in 2018, and a Beard Best Chef West semifinalist in 2019. Not to mention her regular Food Network appearances, including “Top Chef,” “Iron Chef,” “Bobby’s Triple Threat,” and a Christmas special with Selena Gomez.
So yeah, there is no doubt about the talent behind the menu at Leu Leu.
We started with one of my favorite bread courses ever, the Rip & Dip, which features Prager Brothers bread, veggies, and your choice of dips. We were off to a fantastic start. Next up, the Leu Leu Faberge Egg, featuring Wagyu Beef Tartar and a sushi rice-wrapped perfect egg with panko and sweet and spicy glaze, was crazy good.
The Bluefin Tuna Crudo with lemongrass coconut, carrot leche de tigre and Chiltepin chile was crudo elevated to the highest creative level of flavor profiles I’ve experienced.
Entrées also excited with the Crispy Chicken, accompanied by a creamy tomato mole and pickled tomatillos and herbs. The Wagyu Char Siu was a wholly new and original flavor sensation with braised cabbage and crispy rice.
So, dessert is where the naming of the dishes got wildly creative…and delicious, of course. Matilda’s Revenge comes with Principal Trunchbowl ice cream influenced by the Roald Dahl book “Matilida,” and Stay Gold Ponyboy, from a line in the classic novel “The Outsiders,” that translates loosely to “stay true to yourself.” Love those references and everything about Leu Leu.
As we ease into autumn, Leu Leu is uncorking their “Pour Decisions” Wine Club. Members enjoy 2-3 hand-selected bottles each month, plus exclusive perks like complimentary pours when dining at Leu Leu, where you can expect delightful surprises along the way.
If you’ve not been yet, I’d put Leu Leu on your short list now.
Leu Leu is at 466 N. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas. www.leuleuleucadia.com
