Sometimes, as sad as it is to see a favorite restaurant go away, it’s always a bonus and eases the pain a bit when it’s replaced by one that is equally appealing.
Such is the case with Switchboard, the restaurant-bar space at Oceanside’s Hilton-owned Fin Hotel on South Coast Highway 101, which closed and was followed by Little Fawn in the same space.
The restaurant has been playing to full houses since it opened.
Honestly, I didn’t know what to make of the name Little Fawn, as it made me think at first of a children’s book or some kind of nature-themed joint.
But alas, I was quickly set straight by owner Jon Rhinerson, who said the name reminded him of the cocktail bars in his native Boston, and also a play on words, like a little bit of a crush, as in fawning over someone or something.
I’ll take that, and honestly, once I started sampling the food, any name confusion quickly went away.
Rhinerson is also the former owner of Échale in Encinitas, and Little Fawn is a rustic, Mediterranean-style spot for dinner, brunch, and cocktails.
Before the food, there were cocktails to sample, and dang were they tasty. I went with The Old Fawn, their clever wordplay on an Old Fashioned with Elijah Craig Bourbon, Amaro Nonino and Angostura and orange bitters, so good. My dining companion, a Chartreuse fan, went with the equally sexy Deez Coconuts with Chartreuse, coconut, lime and pineapple, and she was quite pleased as well.
Before I get into the edible delights, I should mention the joint was jumping, including a table of young twenty-somethings who came up from Encinitas. I hope you appreciate my keeping it in the deer family. Seriously, though, these guys all looked like models, and overall, it was a very attractive crowd.
Also, the kitchen is run by head chef Seth Tuma, who cut his culinary chops at the high-volume Flower Child restaurant chain. A Louisiana native, Tuma headed west for the lifestyle and joined the surfing ranks, along with owner Rhinerson.
The cocktail and wine program is run by Little Fawn bar manager Tony Prosper, who formerly worked at the rooftop Cococabana bar at the nearby Brick Hotel. His 14-drink cocktail menu at Little Fawn includes a lineup of classics plus organic wines by the glass and a handful of local beers on tap.
We were super impressed by the Assyrtiko from Macedonia, Greece, that features high acidity balanced by richer textures, moderate alcohol, and pronounced minerality, and well, it tasted mighty fine.
I went with the first chilled red I’ve had in a while, the Plavinia from Croatia, which was a delightful light-to-medium-bodied red wine featuring notes of red berries, earth, and herbs that is super versatile and would be perfect with our upcoming meal selections.
I can’t ever recall passing on Yellowtail Crudo and Tuma’s version with olive oil, lemon, capers, radish and cilantro was no exception. It melted in my mouth, and I wanted more.
But alas, up next, we were in store for some of the best mussels either one of us has ever had. And I’ve eaten my fair share of them. The combination of fennel sausage, Arrabbiata, Mezcal, white wine, Grana Padano, fennel and sourdough bread induced eye-rolling pleasure.
The broth was so amazing, we quickly ran out of bread and were replenished in short order. As with any truly great mussels, the broth gives as much joy as the mussels themselves, and a solid bread is key to the enjoyment, which it was.
Arrabbiata sauce was new to me and is a spicy Italian sauce from Rome with tomatoes, garlic and dried red chili peppers. I was also unfamiliar with Grana Padano, a hard, granular Italian cheese similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano but with a milder, slightly sweeter flavor. A big tip of the hat to Tuma on this one, and I highly encourage you to give it a try.
Next, we were on to the larger plates and the pleasure that awaited them. I simply can’t say no to chicken thighs or steak frites, and they were two of the six offerings, all of which looked doable. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this in the past, but I’m a huge fan of a simple, well-executed menu, and that’s what’s going on at Little Fawn.
Mary’s Organic Chicken Thighs with roasted red pepper salsa, pickled fennel and gremolata made me forget all about my “no chicken at nice restaurants” mantra, as chicken thighs tend to be an exception to that, and this version did not disappoint.
And yes, I’m a freak for Steak Frites, this one with prime hanger steak cooked to a perfect medium rare, Calabrian Chile marinade, bearnaise, chives, and, of course, perfectly cooked fries.
Pistachio Cheesecake with a raspberry reduction was the lone dessert offering, and that’s all they needed, as it was really nice.
Some of Tuma’s other popular dishes are Roasted Butternut Squash with salsa macha and honey Greek yogurt, Mushroom Pappardelle Pasta, Green Chile Wagyu burger, and Branzino with tomato confit and Castelvetrano olives. The brunch menu includes a Spanish-style French toast with whipped ricotta, a Farro Bowl with house garlic tahini dressing and a Fried Chicken Sandwich with lemon garlic labneh and harissa honey.
Bottom line, Little Fawn works on just about every level. I’d put it on your short list.
Little Fawn Kitchen + Bar 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (brunch) and 5 to 10 p.m. (dinner) Fin Hotel, 131 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside instagram.com/little_fawn_oceanside
