Elite Event: Marina Kitchen

Oh heyy my first elite event! Big THANK YOU to Unilocal and Marina Kitchen for making it the perfect experience for me.
It is located right in the heart of downtown San Diego, they actually got a beautiful patio, it would make a good dating spot for sure. The food was wonderful that night, my favorite will have to be the Short Rib Poutine! Fries topped with yummy gravy and delicious short rib and cheese curbs on the side, it went perfectly with the red wine that was paired with it. My mouth is watering AGAIN. There were more stations with amazing food and wine pairing, as a wine fanatic, it. was. heaven. As I walked to the back, my friend was going crazy for the bourbon station while I enjoyed more wine and the live music on stage.
It was an amazing night, and a pleasure to meet more SD elite fellows. I will definitely be going to more events if I have the chance to.

Ha! I was thinking about how wonderful this event was since the day it happened that I THOUGHT I already wrote a review. That surely does not happen very often.
This was a wonderful event, let me count the ways!
All in all I NEEDED this event. I had has a rough few days, weeks… and this was the oasis that I needed!
Cue the friendly faces, elegant yet relaxed ambiance, delightful service, decadent foods paired with wines in a multi-​room, multi– station setting, with great party favors (aka Unilocal swag) and you have a full blown, winner! We had space and time to relax, options of food and ambiance to meet all tastes…
Gosh, even when I throw event, this is EXACTLY what I aim to deliver and it was so awesome to be on the receiving end! This event had the right feel and flow for any event. And guess what? The next event I do, you KNOW I’m going to be thinking, Marina Kitchen. If my 20^th High School reunion hadn’t happened yet, THIS is where I would want to hold it. I loved it where I put it, but maybe this is the spot for 25^th, if nothing else better comes up. I mean, it’s even in the Marriott Marquis hotel, no less. If I still was in charge of company holiday parties, I’d totally throw it here and do exactly what this event did:
Food stations with wine pairings
Bourbon Cocktail Flight Tastings
Live Music in one room
Open Air mingling
Charcuterie and wine room with Sommelier
Tray passed milkshakes
Party Favors distributed throughout
This is certainly one of San Diego’s best kept secrets and I intend to share that secret with a few friends and family :)
Thanks Brad and Jocelyn for throwing such an amazing event. This was great for a Unilocal Elite Event and ANY event, as far as I’m concerned!
Just excellent.

Ah, the Marina Kitchen… even Chingy would admit that the Holidae Inn ain’t got nothin’ on this Marriott restaurant! Definitely got to give a shout out to Marriott, Marina Kitchen and their staff for being amazing hosts and huge thanks to Brad for making this holiday season an awesome one for elite Unilocalers!
The food here was so good, the poutine was my favorite by far. I could not help but frequent the bourbon station throughout the night because I uhh. could not decide which of the 3 I liked the most. yeah, lets go with that. And the live music? Awesome. semi-​drunk photographer? Nice touch. lol top to bottom, this was a fantastic event. I’m glad to have caught up with familiar faces and get to know a couple new ones. Had it not been for this event, I probably would have Marina Kitchen on the back burner for places to try out. But now, I will obviously make an effort to get back here sooner than later.
As always, it was an awesome time and I’ll be looking forward to the next elite event. Fun times!

spoiled, absolutely spoiled rotten. The food?! No, I mean me!
What a fantastic night! I will forever re-​think my hotel restaurant preconceptions. Everything was fantastic. I took a night off from my usual vegetarian ways so that i could fully enjoy the evening. It was absolutely worth it in this case.
12 hour steak, crab cakes, and the crab salad were magical. I even had some of the chorizo in the wine & cheese room that was delightful. The pairings worked well and I was delighted to try so many fantastic wines! The sommelier in the wine and cheese room was extremely knowledgeable and gracious with his wine knowledge.
In fact, the entire staff was fantastic. Welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable.
The place was well laid out and spacious. It was fantastic to mingle and wander around, taking in the view of the bay and just a well executed evening. No one rushing from station to station to get «dibs» on food made it very relaxing.
One of my top events, overall. Well done MK, Brad B and my fellow elites for making it a perfect evening!

I’m surprised that I never heard of this place before! So thankful for Unilocal SD & Marina Kitchen for putting this together.
Where do I even start? Everything was so amazing, first with the service. As soon as we walked in we were greeted with smiles, all of the staff and Marina Kitchen was what I thought made this experience amazing. They were on top of it, there was always food for each station ready and the selection of wine for each pairing were amazing. I must say that the crab cake blew my mind. I don’t think I can eat another crab cake again if it’s not Marina Kitchen. They kicked up my standards real high.
As for the ambience of the restaurant I must say very very romantic. For all you fellas hint hint, one great option for Valentine’s Day.

Possibly one of my favorite events, so beautiful. I first worried about this being a ‘hotel restaurant’. however, the service and views were impeccable.
The wine room where we were treated to a variety of cheeses and meats was stunning, I really enjoyed speaking to the gentleman in that room (whose name escapes me), I love a nice wine conversation.
They carry Schramsberg, a local sparkling favorite of mine.
Marina Kitchen is located in/​near seaport village, their happy hour sounds amazing and I want to return. My favorite food item was the medium rare NY strip! That mushroom sauce/​garnish was to die for. Die in a good way, obviously.
Crab cake was a second and close runner up, so tasty and moist.
The pairings were absolutely wonderful and they host wine events on Wednesdays.

I don’t even have to scroll through any other reviews to know that there is nothing but 5 stars for this event! SO FUN!
This venue was gorgeous! Marina Kitchen is a really modern space with a menu to match! They reserved half the restaurant for a group of eager elites, and it was amazing! Each room held wonderful servers ready to give us a taste of some amazing food and wine pairings. All of the staff was ready to answer our questions, and was super knowledgeable about what they were offering.
My personal favorite station had the BARREL-​AGED COCKTAILS served by the amazing Ericka! My favorite was the Old Fashioned, which seemed to ring true among fellow elites. Ericka, you are the BEST! Thanks for letting me retry that one a couple times. ;)
Let’s not forget the BOOZY MILKSHAKES! Are you kidding me with these? Delicious vanilla ice cream mixed with liquor, placed right next to the stage with an awesome live band? Is this heaven?
The highlight of the evening for me and my counterpart Alicia K. was the wine room with our new pal JOSH, who is not only an awesome guy, but a super amazing sommelier. He chose some incredible wines, and gave us the backstory on them all. Really interesting! He was able to juggle the endless line of thirsty Unilocalers while still giving personal attention to me and Alicia K., who must have bothered him for 30 minutes. Who’s up to check out WINE WEDNESDAY, which is a small gathering hosted by Josh each week. $ 20, 6 wines, endless knowledge!
Thanks Brad and Estefany! This one was one for the books!

This is why we Unilocal.Before Unilocal (for those of you too young to remember the dark ages) you had to ask a bunch of people for recommendations before dining out. Sometimes you have your hopes up but end up disappointed, and later meet other people who were disappointed by the same place. You feel like kindred souls and commensurate about the veal…
Marina kitchen, I would have never found you, but now that I have I would like to keep in touch and send you Christmas cards. Thank you for the generous meal and the hospitality. The facility is breathtaking! Floor to ceiling windows, open floor plan with intimate little niches to hide in. Modern, beautiful décor and food to match. The stations were perfectly spread out for us to pick up goodies as we peruse and perambulate the premise.
My favorite… Was everything! I don’t think there was anything I didn’t like, but the beef was super amazing and totally worth coming back for. Fantabulous as always to mingle with other elites, old schoolers and new comers alike. Brad B! Yo-​my-​homeboy-​fosho!

Some Elite Events are absolutely nuts, some are a little tame (not a bad thing), and then there was last nights event which fit perfectly right in the middle.
A good sized crowd spread out in a big area really freed it up last night.
A live band that you could hear blasting out some kick ass covers throughout Marina Kitchen, but not overbearing.
A good mix of Unilocalers, old friends and new. Also, a great view of the bay at night with the full moon. Good Job Brad for getting that moon to be full.
I really like events with stations. It gives you the freedom to walk around and check out the place. Especially if those stations are offering good booze… and really good food…
{Here is where I disclose that Im not a huge wine person. If you poured me a glass of 2 Buck Chuck or one from the most expensive bottle in the house, I probably could not tell you the difference. Its not that I dont like it though.}
First up I had Short Rib Poutine, with a pinot noir.
I think this ended up being my favorite. The short rib sauce with the cheese curds just killed it for me. Paired with that red wine… oof.
Next was the Crab cake paired with a glass of Chardonnay.
These crab cakes were amazing. I felt bad asking for a second one, but when I did the girl responded with «Of course, take two»! Awesome.
Wondering around I came across a charcuterie station with beers being served.
All the cheeses were damn good, but that sliced Chorizo and IPA are my new best friends.
Dungeness Crab Salad with pork belly was another hit!
Sadly, I did not get to try the steak or the milkshakes. I was getting full but I heard they were great.
It was all over for me memory wise when I discovered the bourbon tasting station.
I sampled the Manhattan, Old Fashion, and the American in Paris. I was’nt sure which one I liked the most so I had to try them all again… and again…
Anyway, thanks to everyone at Marina Kitchen and Unilocal for a really great Thursday night.
I want to try the brunch here next.

«Leave the gun, take the cannoli.» ― Mario Puzo, The Godfather: a fitting quote, synonymous to the way one felt as they walked in to this event, and putting all those problems a side, to enjoy all the great offerings.
The evening was filled with creative pairings and lively music. From the moment I walled into the Berkel Station, I was not only highly impressed with the beers on tap, but the the assortment of cured meats and artisan cheeses (
). The prosciutto was a thing of beauty and tasted rich and nutty (
). The piles of artisan cheese had cheese lovers jumping with joy (
), and that spicy pepperoni was had the spice and flavor, not mention just the right amount of fattiness that provided that flavor that lingered in the mouth (
). The gentlemen who ran this section were quite keen and filled with information regarding the pairings. This room made me feel as if I were at home…
I enjoy a good cut of meat, and the station with the Cold Smoked New York Loin was bliss. The New York Loin had a terrific seared exterior with a perfect warm medium rare center (
), but what really had my attention, was the mild smokiness the meat acquired and sprinkling of a coarse salt that found is way around the outside of the meat, that accentuated the beef’s flavor (
). This was my favorite of the evening, because in its simplicity, it succeeded in its perfection (
).
The Short Rib Poutine was no slacker this evening with its very well braised savory short rib and paired with the Greisbauerhof Schiava, I was like, «come to papa» (
). Seriously, this short rib not only had a deep rich color, but a deep rich complex flavors as well (
). The rustic fries underneath were the perfect vessel for the beef, and the torched sealed cheese on top, just added to the decadence (
). The petite MK Crab Cake with Watercress and Old Bay Remoulade was a great slightly sweet with flavors of the sea was the perfect ambouche (
), and the Prime Rib Fried Rice was a clever concept served with a great Mission V Pinot Noir (
). The Dungeness Crab Salad with the pork belly was promising and what gave it that X-​Factor was that tender pork belly on top (
).
MK out did themselves, with their great and smart selections of eats and libations, I know doubt was able to put away my troubles for the evening and enjoy unimpeded. However, this evening would not of been possible with out the coordination of Micheal W. and and Brad B. Their meetings of minds made this event happen as well as it could of been, and with the help of Estefany B., this evening had success written all over it. I send you all a gracious thank you, including the MK servers and kitchen staff for what you accomplished this evening.
I guess great things do come in pairs… and the only thing that was missing this evening was Camilla the Unilocaling Hen…

What do get when you combine a large venue like Marina Kitchen with an intimate crowd of Unilocal elites?! An AWESOME Unilocal elite event!!!
I had a chance to get to know some really fantastic elites who I’ve met at past events but never had the chance to really chat with before. I also took some shots with Mitch and his boys which couldn’t help but make a good night great!
The venue was large, open and on the fancier side but the lighting and décor made if feel warm and welcoming. The staff was extremely courteous. They even went as far as to offer me vegetarian fried rice when I couldn’t have the rice with prime rib!
The pairing menu was super cool. The food was yummy and plentisome. My faves were the poutine and the cheese/​charcuterie station. People raved about the cold smoked New York. The wine selection was great too. Venessa, Jena and I had fun with the «Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert» in the Marina Kitchen wine room.
I enjoy each and every Unilocal event because they always give me a chance to get together with my fabulous Unilocal friends but I must say I enjoyed this event even more than usual!

seriously people… why would you cancel??? better for us…
this was by far one of the best events I have ever been too… maybe it was because I was eating and drinking… no it was because it was an amazing event!
We had the entire restaurant to ourselves and it was so spread out! i was in utter shock when i found out that there were more rooms in the back.
food and pairing stations were spread out in different rooms… there were no lines… no crowds no pushing or shoving for food… no attacking servers… it was classy! now that’s elite! AND we got to try everything.
my goodness… the food was fabulous… standout’s were the poutine and the beef… holy moly… oh wait… then there was the cheese room… where we pulled up to the bar and got to do a flight of wine tasting… I could have stayed in the cheese room all night (with my poutine of course).
favorite wine’s of the night were the Zin that was served with the beef and the Rose from the wine room… omg that was good!
I met a newbie Unilocaler vicky last night! shout out to her… she is going to be spoiled after this fabulous event!
Thank you Marina Kitchen and Brad and Estefany for a fabulous evening… two major meals in one week! I better be careful and not get fat

I had this amazing dream last night where I was in a room filled with a giant block of blue cheese, charcuterie, and unlimited pours of high-​end wines…
Oh, wait! I think that actually happened.
I was running a little late to the event, and I was worried that I would miss out on some of the food items prepared by Marina Kitchen. Hah, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only was there plenty of delicious food waiting for me when I arrived, they were still providing food right up until the end of the event. Everything was set-​up in stations, so we were able to casually stroll through the space and eat/​drink along the way. All of the food pairings were spot on, but my favorite of the night was the NY steak — yummy! The invite listed a Cab Sauv for that pairing, but I’m pretty sure they were pouring a Zin. I wish I would have paid more attention to the label because it was fantastic!
When I arrived at the event (fashionably late), my fellow Elites were already pretty deep into the wine. It was so fun to walk into a room full of happy (and handsy) Elites. It was an AMAZING group of Unilocalers! I love these smaller events, where we are really able to socialize with everyone. It was great to see all of my favorite faces!
I cannot believe how excellent the service was at Marina Kitchen. The staff all seemed legitimately happy to be there. They made us feel completely welcome. Thanks Marina Kitchen, for being such amazing hosts!
Last night was definitely one of those nights where you feel incredibly lucky to be Elite. In the spirit of Thanksgiving month, I want to say how thankful I am to be part of such an amazing community. It wouldn’t be the great group that it is without our fearless leader, thanks for being you Brad B.

Xxxxx: Canceled
Xxxxx: Canceled
Xxxxx: Canceled
Xxxxx: Canceled
Xxxxx: Canceled
Xxxxx: Canceled…
…
^If your name was up here, you missed out. Like, really missed out. I’m almost sorry for you. Almost.
Take comfort in the fact that it wasn’t all in vain though as it did make the event better for the rest of us. :p The people at Marina Kitchen spoiled the crap out of us, there was absolutely no shortage of food (very, very, good food), no wait lines, tons of open space, tables, seating, outdoor patio space… you could really, in the words of Christopher Walken as Bruce Dickinson on SNL, «Explore the space!»
Not only was the venue extremely clean, classy and beautiful, the kitchen was serving up some outstanding, quality food samples. I mean, granted I ate something before I came to this event but that typically doesn’t stop me. This event left me feeling full and that typically doesn’t happen because I can pretty much eat enough food for an entire continent.
So what food and drink did you miss out on? Let’s cover it shall we?
First and foremost and probably the overall winner for the night was the Short Rib Poutine. Holy crap. This was delicious. Fries with short rib, cheese curds, it was just magical. I went back for seconds on this one and I should have went back for thirds and fourths.
Meat, Cheese, Wine & Beer Station: This was cool. You had a variety of cheese and meat samples that you could pair with various wines and beers. I learned something crazy about cheese here; there was a cheese here that was aged in an old abandoned mine. I had no idea this kind of stuff existed. So I had to try it. It was good. Anyway, you could pair that with Stone IPA, Black Market Pumpkin Ale, or a Mission Amber Ale. Solid offerings. This was definitely a nice little hangout area.
Crab cakes: ’nuff said.
New York Steak with sauteed mushrooms and kale: Oh yeah, this was probably a tie for the winner because it was just so friggin’ good. I haven’t a had steak in awhile, let alone a quality New York cooked to a perfect medium rare. It was heaven sent for carnivores. This was a popular station and for good reason. Still, no line and they kept replenishing. I had two or 3 helpings of this. I just couldn’t get enough to sink my teeth into. It’s a little past breakfast as I’m writing this and I still want some more.
Adult Shake Samples: These sinful concoctions were outstanding. There were three types, Maker’s Mark with bacon «bits», an apple cinnamon, and a chocolate/​coffee flavored one all with some mixture of alcohol. I probably liked the bacon one the best but honestly, between all three, I probably had like 6 – 7 or like 3.0×10⁸ of these things. Unbelievably good.
Barrel aged cocktail station: Ever since Sly Stallone bragged about Bulleit Bourbon in the movie 6 Bullets, I’ve been dying to try some cocktails mixed with it. This was my chance, They had 3 offerings all of which were good. I took the server’s advice and went in the order of middle, left, right and wasn’t disappointed. The one in the middle was my favorite, followed by the one on the left (Rye Whiskey) and then lastly «The Paris» which was a on the sweeter side. These were excellent cocktails!
Then after the event upon leaving, Marina Kitchen hooked it up with another little dessert, little chocolate covered something or other, somebody help me out on this. I just don’t know what you officially call it. Anyway, I ate them on the walk back and they were outstanding. It was a great closing sample to the night. I felt spoiled rotten.
Anyway… Can you get too much of a good thing in one night? Maybe, but I wasn’t about to let that stop me from over-​enjoying this awesome event. B-​Rad, Estefany, the entire staff at Marina Kitchen and the sidekick photographer, Maria all made it happen for this glorious event. Major thanks to you guys for hooking it up! This was by far one of the best events of the year! I missed Halloween but I’m really glad I didn’t miss this one! As I’m writing this, I still feel like I ate too much… and I’m not sorry.
Anyway, thanks again to all involved. Hopefully I’ll see everybody at the next!

So as I was looking for the Whisknladle event to review on, I saw on the calendar that there was another event. And when I looked, this one was still accepting rsvps, so I thought, what the heck… and I’m so glad I did!
Stacy and I met on the Front street since we parked in the area. Some of the usual suspects were present… Melanio, David G, Vin, Mel, Steve… etc. Oh, and I got to hang out with Lucy since I haven’t seen her in like forever! Met Broderick, Christopher and Andy, who we might have met at a previous event… but you know how events go… things get a little fuzzy. Great to see Mel and do selfies! And then the First Lady of San Diego, Maria C, arrived with the beautiful Nette… and Shalini and Cinna… got to talk with Peijan and Arlene… such a fun intimate event with lots of space to move around in!
Thank you again Brad and Estephany for creating a fun event! And thanks to Miller and staff for hosting us! I loved the short rib poutine and can’t wait to come back and get it along with a Maker’s Mark shake!!!
And thanks again Stacy for the fun walk back to our cars!!!

^ ayfkm.
another pre-​event ftr.
i could’ve posted hours ago.
but i didn’t.
pleese stahp teh madness.
furreals.
smh.
PS: yes, I’m already drunk
* * * * *
this is easily one of my top 5 favorite elite events of 2014. Maybe even on the all time fave lists where do I begin?
I don’t really feel bad for the folks that had to cancel or ended up at the awesome Whisknladle event because it really opened up the venue for the the rest of us lucky ducks. Every food and drink paring station was awesome, but my absolute fave was the bourbon rye barrel station. Erica was the consummate professional bartender and absolutely enjoyed all of the barrel aged cocktails. I could settle down for the evening with this Old Fashioned and listen to the band play all night long.
I heard this event was so awesome that The Unilocal Godfather had to leave early and drive someone else home. That’s so gangster.
My phone battery is gonna die, so F it, I’m out!
* * * * *
PSS: thanks to the fantastic waitstaff at Marina Kitchen. Smiling and conversational. Thanks to the culinary geniuses behind the scenes turning out so many beautiful and delicious dishes. Y’all need a gigantic Marina Kitchen banner that drapes the hotel itself. The little signs on the outside don’t do justice compared to the big thangs going on inside.
Brad and Estephany, just when I didn’t think it was possible, you guys outdid yourself once again by putting together yet another awesome Elite Event. The place was decked out and I noticed the neat Unilocal logo animations being projected on the room column and walls. You so hi-​tech fancy! Again, top notch. Loved it all… night…long.
Cheers & SYOY!

Prime Rib Fried Rice, Crab Cakes, and copious amounts of beer and wine? Hell. Yeah.
Last night, about a hundred lucky Unilocal Elites were treated to a sumptious feast and delicious potables courtesy of Mr. Miller and the fine folks at the Marina Kitchen. This location is inside the San Diego Marriott Marquis (close to the Convention Center side) — as such, it’s a little hidden gem of downtown San Diego that’s quite stylish and classy, yet very spacious! Even the musicians that were playing acoustic covers of classic 80s rock tunes contributed to the wonderful ambiance (but no «More Than a Feeling» or «Don’t Stop Believin’).
We were treated to the following:
— Dungeness Crab Salad: Topped with a strip of pork belly, this one wasn’t too bad.
— MK Crab Cake: Pretty much one bite, and you were done… and I wished this was a bit more filling.
— Prime Rib Fried Rice: I was looking forward to this one; while the rice was a little too crispy, the prime rib was spot on. This was the only dish I got seconds of!
— Short Rib Poutine: French fries, gravy, melted cheese, and short rib… what’s not to love about this dish from our Canadian friends? Up to last night, I’d never had poutine; after tonight, more please!
— Cold Smoked New York with sauteed kale, mushrooms, & steak sauce: While I had gotten seconds of the Prime Rib Fried Rice, THIS was the best dish of the evening! The New York was very tender, and the sauteed kale and mushrooms were a perfect pairing.
— Charcurturie and cheese table: So much meat, cheese, and bread, so little time! The bleu cheese was especially good.
In terms of potables, I only had the Saintsbury Chardonnay (paired with the crab cake), the Mission V Pinot Noir (paired with the Cold Smoked New York), a sample of an Old Fashioned (Bulleit Bourbon, sugar, water, and aromatic bitters), and one of the beers which I can’t remember, except for it being an ale (EDIT: Mission Amber Ale — thanks for mentioning it in your review, Jeff S.!). And the milkshakes… they sure brought the boys and girls to the yard! The one made with apple pucker was certainly memorable!
I arrived early enough to share the bar with Jeff, Melanio F., Chang L., David G. (hope you found out who Tyler was!), and Lucy. And I was fortunate to share a table with our famous Unilocal Godfather Jack M., along with a few others like Judy S., Mel M., Mel J. (after pulling a seat for her), Vin S., and later arrivals Nette B., Shalini G., and Cinna B. — in fact, due to our table being in a semi-​private side room, it was called The Last Supper table (though as we were in Jack’s presence, we referred to it as the Godfather’s table)! Plus, it was nice to see friends like Teresa, Conrad, Staci, Peijean, Andy, Mitch, Mikey, Arlene, and the future First Lady of District 6, Maria C.
Brad, Estefany, Miller, and the rest of the fine staff at the Marriott Marquis: THANK YOU for a wonderful evening (hope I can stop in for Comic-​Con, or a downtown date with my gal) — and also for the great swag (and chocolate almond cookies at check out)! I had gotten in early to get one of the bendy Unilocal-​man clocks (which I gave to Judy)… but the score of the night was the notebook and coffee mug which Mel M. had handily pointed out and was the envy of many an Elite that saw it in my possession last night! Let’s just say I put it to great use this morning…
See you all at the next event (in my case, this coming Saturday for brunch at Whisknladle)!

This is one of those events that I just couldn’t wait to review! I had an awesome time. Ok, I’ll admit, I was thinking of being lazy and bailing, it was one of those weeks… But I didn’t! And I’m super glad I sucked it up and attended the event! It was everything I needed and MORE! There was plenty of elbow room. Live music. Awesome swag. Tasty nibbles. So many generous pours! And the service and hospitality was incredible! This was one of those venues that didn’t care about how much food and drink we eager Unilocaler’s were consuming, but more about providing us with all the details behind the food and the pairings and any other information we so desired. The night was all about us! And It was just about having a good time!
My favorite moments of the night were definitely in the wine cellar. I loved the cozy ambiance and being surrounded by a library of wines. And the berkel station was amazing. Josh took excellent care of me and Lisa H. as I stood off in the corner sipping on all the wines he had to offer… And might I add, he had a damn good wine offering. I heard someone mention Pumpkin Beer and I may have echoed, «pumpkin beer!!! That’s my favorite!» quite loudly… about 5 minutes later, a full glass of Pumpkin Beer arrived, poured specially just for me! What great attention to detail! (Moshen? Mojen? I hope he forgives me, since I can’t remember his name, but it was so sweet of him to bring me that specially delivered pour!).
Special thanks to Brad for putting this together and putting me on the «you’re in» list! One last shout out to Erika! She also made it a memorable night! Mmm that Old Fashion was great! I wish I could have had more, but I was being responsible. And alas, the evening came to an end. But I promise you this, this isn’t the end Marina Kitchen, I will be back for more!

Normally I try to steer away from hyperbole… but not this time. This evening at Marina Kitchen was literally my favorite Unilocal event since I’ve started on this crazy website known as Unilocal dot com. Every single moment of the evening was perfection.
What could be better than wandering into an ultra-​swank restaurant in the middle of an ultra-​swank hotel, and then being greeted by delicious complementary plates of short rib poutine paired with Greisbauerhof Schiava Pinot Noir?
Rhetorical question — there’s nothing better. :-)
… Well, I *thought* there was nothing better, until I started wandering around and exploring this gorgeous, spacious restaurant and stumbled upon the prime rib fried rice (with Mission V Pinot Noir), the Dungeness crab salad (with Champalou Vouvray Chenin Blanc), the mini crabcakes (with Saintsbury Chardonnay), and the cold-​smoked New York strip steak (with Paring Cabernet Sauvignon). The staff was eager and helpful throughout. It was seriously top-​notch food and service.
I didn’t just feel like a Unilocaler; I truly felt like a VIP.
The best thing to wash down this delicious food and drink was one of their boozy milkshakes. I tried all 3, but my favorite was the apple variation.
I know it’s a cliché to say that Brad and Estefany have outdone themselves, but they truly did this time… Bravo to you both, and bravo to Marina Kitchen! Thanks for the spectacular night. :-)

Awesome Surprise! This was the sleeper event of the year! I arrived at the swanky Marriott in my chariot, and was awash with pleasure at how splendid everything was. The evening was classy and laid-​back from start to finish. Lines? What lines? We were pampered in style all evening!
So spacious, so much endless food & drinks, so many rooms to wander into and enjoy! Food and drinks were left over at the end! Are you serious? Yes!
The Marina Kitchen is in the gorgeous San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina, with a lovely view. There’s already talk among Elites about returning for a staycation.
I love the Prime Rib with fried rice, and the rice had a delish hint of ginger. It was paired with a Mission V Pinot Noir. My fav wine was the much smoother Greisbauerhof Schiava, which is a lovely red that doesn’t bite back, from northern Italy. It’s similar to a Pinot Noir. This was paired with sinfully rich Short Rib Poutine. The cheese & short rib were yummy, although the fries were too heavy for my taste.
The Dungeness crab salad with grapefruit & crispy pork belly was light and scrumptious, so I went back for seconds! It was paired with Champalou vouvray Chenin Blanc.
By this time I floated by as if in a heavenly dream! Hello, Barrel aged cocktail flight! I couldn’t handle all three, but I tried 2 samples, and I favored the Old fashioned with bulleit bourbon, sugar, water & aromatic bitters.
I confess my most addicting drink was the spiked mini milkshakes! I’m not sure if they were spiked with bourbon or rum, but tomorrow I’m sure I’ll remember.
Oh Brad B and Estefany and Marina Kitchen, what a night to remember! This stands out as one of the all-​time best Elite events that I’ve attended! The staff was AMAZING, and they literally appeared at my side with glasses of water even before I realized that I was thirsty!
What a decadent pleasure it was to relax with my Elite friends and chat, and feel pampered by the staff, while enjoying gourmet food & drinks in a stress-​free no-​lines atmosphere. I can’t wait to return for brunch, dinner, or even for an overnight at the Marriott!