For those who could live on French cuisine alone, there is Cavaillon, situated mid-county in Santaluz, a new, upscale community in the northern reaches of San Diego.

Apart from Restaurant Week, chef-proprietor Phillipe Verpiand does not make a habit of fixed price menus, but given the exceptional quality of his cuisine, the prices seem more than reasonable.

In an era that has seen the price of steaks cross the $50 threshold, Cavaillon serves a $32 beef tenderloin perhaps unsurpassed for the flavor of the expertly cooked meat, and for such haute cuisine accoutrements as a subtle sauce of red wine and demi-glace, and log-shaped fondant potatoes, which contrast crisp exteriors with melting centers.

The steak is the top-priced dish on a short, lovely entre´e list that encompasses seared diver scallops with creamy corn risotto, pan roasted salmon in a delicate herb sauce, and a deliciously crisp duck leg confit with a ragout of mushrooms and corn.

 

14701 Via Bettona, Santaluz (San Diego); (858) 433-0483; cavaillonrestaurant.com;Review by Signonsandiego