Review: George's at the Cove

This is a restaurant review of George's at the Cove, 1250 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037. 
858.454.4244. This restaurant uses OpenTable to make reservations. 

            George’s at the Cove fits the bill when you think of a typical Southern California upscale dining experience. A large outdoor patio built on a cliff offers unparalleled views of the Pacific. As you sit on the deck with the endless SoCal sunshine above, you feel as though this restaurant should be in a movie scene. If you’re looking to impress a date, this is certainly the place to go.

Photo Credit: Andrew Magill

            We get to the hostess stand where we get a friendly smile from a pretty girl working the booth. A quick glance in the dining area shows nearly every table is full. The kitchen must be in the weeds. There are no seats available right by the water but we take a table in the middle of the patio.

            Our server, Joe, quickly makes his way to us. We each order a glass of Reisling and he says if we plan on having more than one glass it would be cheaper to order a bottle. Clearly he was trying to upsell us, but we went for it anyway. We ordered a bottle of Hans Lang 2007 Reisling ($40) It was the most affordable option but a great choice, it had a nice light body and sweet taste for a beautiful southern California summer-like evening.

            Next came the appetizer. I was disappointed the restaurant didn’t offer a cheese course but Joe suggested the charcuterie plate ($12) that came with slices of prosciutto, toasted sourdough, pecorino cheese, and a wonderful caramelized fig sauce with mustard seed. The prosciutto was good but whoever was slicing it didn’t cut the cured meat thin enough, it was hard to chew. Prosciutto should almost melt in your mouth. This was slightly disappointing, but the fig spread made up for everything the prosciutto lacked. It was deliciously sweet and paired so well with the sharpness of the pecorino. I’m going to be honest here--I’ve never eaten fig before but after trying this spread I’m going to be cooking with this Mediterranean treat more often.

            We both ordered the herb-crusted halibut special ($28) for our entree. The halibut was sautéed in butter and crusted with different herbs. At first glance the fish portion seemed small, but after eating it all, the portion was just right. The fish was served over a bed of baby corn and snap peas, tossed in a tomato-basil vinaigrette. There was too much corn on the plate, it made the dish way too starchy and sweet. I would have preferred the fish to be served over a bed of greens with some pieces of corn in the salad, it would make the dish lighter and add more depth of flavor. The corn was delicious, but there was way too much of it.

            A meal isn’t complete without dessert, and I ordered the crème brulee served with strawberries and a small cookie ($8.25). It was deliciously creamy and sweet and perfectly caramelized on top, the perfect end to our meal.

            The service was excellent: the waiter was always present but never imposing. Joe, our server, always made sure our wine glasses were filled and regularly checked in to make sure everything was completed to our satisfaction.

            The bottom line: George’s at the Cove is a beautiful restaurant that serves up elegant food, but for the price you will definitely find other restaurants that are more satisfying. I wanted the food to be more carefully prepared for the price. For $28, the halibut special could have been a lot better. However, if you are looking to impress that special someone in a gorgeous atmosphere, George’s is the place to go. I give this restaurant 3 stars.