New Business Roundup: Seafood eatery, cafés and more open in La Jolla

Next spring, in the restaurant space at 1251 Prospect St. that formerly housed Alfonso’s, a new seafood eatery is coming to The Village: Ways & Means Oyster House. On the menu will be sustainably-sourced seafood and craft cocktails. In addition to oysters, the restaurant will serve small plates (starting at $4) to encourage diners to create their own tasting menu.

There are currently locations in Huntington Beach and Portland, Oregon and a dozen more are in the process of opening. According to press material, the restaurant was created in the tradition of world-class oyster bars around the world, boasting fresh seafood and seasonal dishes. Ways & Means has developed a collection of private label products, including oysters, wine, rum and beer to create an extensive cocktail menu.

“Our focus is to be more than just a restaurant to our guests; we aspire to be a part of their lifestyle. Ways & Means celebrates community and quality seafood and we are very excited to introduce this concept to La Jolla,” said VP of Operations, Dan Schneider.

In other locations, a fan favorite is the Lobster Monday special, where whole Maine lobsters are sold for $9.99. Further, signature menu items include the Lobster Mac & Cheese, Chowder Fries, Jerk Seared Salmon Bowl, the W&M East and West Oysters, and the W&M Lobster Roll, with “hearty chunks of pure Maine lobster claw meat, shredded cabbage, red bell peppers, and red onions, tossed in a house-made ‘life-altering’ aioli.” wmoysters.com

The Coffee Buzz

Parakeet Café, owned by the same husband-and-wife duo who live in La Jolla and own the nearby Juice Crafters bar, opened in July 6 at 927 Silverado St. in The Village. Business hours are 6 a.m. (the kitchen opens at 8 a.m.) to 7 p.m. daily to sling high quality coffee, beer and wine, and a full organic food menu.

“We have the same menu all day because we want to provide a space where you can come in any time and get whatever you want,” said co-owner Carol Goldwasser. “The food is pretty delicious. We’re trying to give people high-quality food and educate the community that healthy food can taste good.” Popular items thus far include the avocado toast, overnight oats and zucchini noodle salad.

The coffee program features beans from multiple roasters (international and local) and the Cafe has its own blend called Birds of a Feather. Continuing on the bird theme, Goldwasser said there is wallpaper with parakeets on it, along with other colorful decor. “Our wallpaper is amazing. We incorporated fun elements into the design. It’s a beautiful, cozy environment,” she said.

A bakery is forthcoming with gluten-free options, and Goldwasser said the idea came from Juice Crafters’ patrons. “Customers suggested we branch out and serve food and hot drinks, and we love being here, so when a space opened up we took that step,” she said. “We think it was serendipitous.”

Cooper’s Coffee House opened in La Jolla Shores this summer to take over for the Shore Thing Café at 8080 La Jolla Shores Drive. It offers breakfast and lunch options for dine-in or take out. The eatery, which has a dog-friendly patio, serves bowls, bagels and other breakfast options for pre-surf energy, and sandwiches and salads for after. There is also a market with deli items, breads and fruit. Cooper’s is open 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. weekends. (858) 456-7576. cooperslajolla.com

Cali Street Tacos

Specializing in a variety of authentic street-sized tacos, Cali Street Tacos, opened July 1 at 5525 La Jolla Blvd. in Bird Rock. Menu highlights include made-to-order corn tortillas, topped with guacamole, onion and cilantro with choice of meat; tacos with shells made of cheese instead of tortillas; carne asada chips or fries; and when in season, elote, corn on the cob with cotija cheese, butter and mayonnaise.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. calistreettacos.net

Blue Mercury skincare

Earlier this summer, Blue Mercury skincare opened in the former Reebok space at 7802 Girard Ave. with makeup, lotions, skin treatments, bath and body products, haircare, perfumes and more, for men and women. It joins nearly a dozen other skincare and beauty service businesses on Girard Avenue. Some Blue Mercury locations offer spa services, but representatives were not able to confirm which services are in La Jolla. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. (858) 456-3870. bluemercury.com

CVS hearing services

CVS Pharmacy is expanding its Hearing Aid Centers to include four new locations in the San Diego area, including this fall at the 8831 Villa La Jolla Drive location. Open five days a week with evening and weekend hours, the Hearing Aid Centers inside CVS Pharmacy will provide hearing tests; video otoscope exams; Bluetooth capable, wireless and rechargeable hearing aids; hearing aid demonstrations; testing; and more. cvshealth.com

California Body Sculpt

With the motto “All women are beautiful,” the women-owned California Body Sculpt opened in January at 7855 Fay Ave. (a Mission Valley location opened in June). The non-surgical, infrared light-based fat removing laser lipo machine known as infraSCULPT was created by Bryche Abawi.

“My passion for infrared light started when I designed, manufactured and distributed infrared saunas and grew it into a successful business to help make a difference in people’s health,” Abawi said. “I thought it was so interesting that this red light could also reach those hard-to-target fat areas on the body, too.”

The process features three steps: first, infraSCULPT is used on specific areas of the body chosen by the client, typically stomach or thighs, where the infrared rays penetrate the fat cells; the second phase stimulates the lymphatic system with whole-body vibration; lastly, the client sits in an infrared sauna to sweat out the fatty toxins. Treatments start at $195. Following the treatments, Abawi advocates for a continued exercise program to keep the fat from coming back. (858) 412-3362. californiabodysculpt.com

Co-mmunity: Shared space

Co-mmunity, a “creative co-working space” and learning center for attorneys, opened at 7580 Fay Ave., Suite 204 to provide workshops and resources for “progressive thinking lawyers” as well as a rentable workspace for professionals. The center features yoga and meditation, video and podcast studio, classrooms and more. The facility also offers an event space, meeting rooms and address/mailbox services.

Jacob Sapochnick said, “We want our lawyers to be able to focus on their law practices and their services, not all the tedious stuff that comes along with building a practice. We should be taking care of that for them, not just offering desks and coffee. We also want to teach them the art of giving back and building a sustainable business.” co-mmunity.com

Sami opens Pisco in Point Loma

Sammy’s Pizzeria owner Sami Ladecki’s latest project, Pisco, opens its doors July 27 at 2401 Truxtun Road, Suite 102 in Liberty Station’s Public Market. Named for the most popular cocktail in Peru (the Pisco sour), Pisco is a Peruvian rotisserie and cevicheria.

The launch of Pisco ushers the West Coast welcome of Peruvian culinary ambassador Executive Chef/Partner Emmanuel Piqueras, who hails most recently from New York City as the host and co-producer of “Sabor y Fusion,” a Peruvian cooking show. Born in Lima (his mother is Lima’s first elected female mayor) Piqueras began his professional career in 1994 at age 22 working with chef Don Cucho La Rosa at his Lima restaurant, Pantagruel. piscorotisserie.com