Red O

http://www.redorestaurant.com

4🍅’s

First impressions are important, right? Red O in La Jolla makes sure as soon as you pull up to their restaurant you’re immediately blown away! A valet attendant opens your door and you step out to sweeping views of desert landscape, a serene pond with waterfalls and a towering fireplace.

Walking inside the restaurant is no different. With vaulted ceilings, over sized pottery and plants, lighted trees, lustrous chandeliers and meticulous tile work, you know this won’t be an average experience.

I personally love Mexican food, so I was excited to try Red O’s elevated Mexican Cuisine. For brunch, Red O offers bottomless drinks for $20 with the purchase of an entree. You can mix and match mimosas, house margaritas, sangria, and bloody marys! That way you’re not tied down to just one drink. Oh the possibilities!! Being that I am Bloody Mary Obsessed after all, I ordered the bloody mary.

Red O’s bloody mary is a “Taste of Mexico”, spicy, acidic and bursting with lime and citrus. Remnants of hot peppers dance on your tongue as your cheeks get rosy, and the tang of the lime juice slowly simmers the heat. With each sip the savory cocktail becomes increasingly saline and rich, making it effortless to finish the drink very quickly. Thank you to the booze gods for bottomless bloody marys!

As if the bottomless cocktails weren’t enough to fill your cup (literally,) the brunch at Red O is fantastic. I began the culinary adventure with the yellowtail aguachile, which was beyond fantastic. For brunch, specific items I highly recommend are the colorful and delicious power skillet and chilaquiles presented in a tortilla bowl. I am excited to go back for entries like steak and eggs and mariscos Chile relleno, as soon as possible!

As if the bottomless drinks, elevated Mexican cuisine, stunning decor and impeccable service weren’t amazing enough, our server ended the meal on an extremely high note when she brought out desert. Red O has hired a pastry chef to make all the deserts in-house and it really shows! The passion fruit butter cake is to die for! I can’t sing Red O’s praises enough! You certainly get a “taste of Mexico” and a lasting impression.