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FOODIST NEWS

A second location for El Vitral, more tasty morsels for your piehole

High-end Mex is a tough sell in San Diego. Roberto taught us we can get rolled taco triplets for pennies. But El Vitral must be doing pretty OK, because they just took over the shuttered Frida restaurant in Chula Vista and plan to open their second El Vitral. The space, on the outskirts of the Otay Ranch Mall, was designed by architect bigwig Graham Downes and boasts a killer central patio with a massive olive tree plopped in the middle. Owner Pablo Becker says he’s going to graffiti-up the place and do a few more street tacos, but keep the El Vitral mainstays (duck enchiladas, huevos benedictos with chipotle hollandaise). Expected open: Feb. 2012. Pick up the Feb. issue for more details in our interview with Becker. 2015 Birch Road, Chula Vista. Elvitralrestaurant.com.

Jason Maitland, the young carnivore champ recently ousted from Flavor Del Mar, will get back in the game Downtown. He’s signed on to be the chef at the upcoming Red Light District on the corner of Fourth and E Streets. The restaurant, formerly occupied by the mayonnaisy Sushi Itto, is owned by the same group from Toscana Café & Wine Bar. Maitland’s got loads of talent, especially with hoofed proteins. Now he needs to focus, Danielson. Expected open: Late Jan. 409 F Street, Downtown.

Boasting a name that calls to mind crinkled bills and centrally located poles, Dirty Birds in Pacific Beach is currently experiencing the joys of media hijacking. The Daily Meal just named them one of the top 10 spots in America for buffalo wings. Being Super Bowl season and all, Yahoo Sports picked up that little story and now messy-fingered tailgate jockeys are calling from all over the country to get a taste. I see a pile of soiled napkins in my future. 4656 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach. Dirtybirdspb.com

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