Table set for 7 new dining options in La Jolla

From modern American street food with a Southern twist to classic Japanese sushi, The Village has some new eateries, and more to open soon. Here is the rundown:

Parachute

Parachute Brunch & Supper House opened Oct. 4 in the former Streetcar Merchants space at 811 Prospect St. As the name would suggest, the emphasis is on brunch and dinner, and the restaurant is closed in between. Brunch hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; dinner hours are 5-9 p.m.

“We wanted to bring what we call ‘modern American street food with Southern twist,’ ” said co-owner Kristy Olivolo. “We wanted to modernize your home-cooked meals and hit the spectrum of healthier options and meals with some heartiness to them.”

The brunch menu features sweet breakfast staples like pancakes, French toast and waffles; pastries such as doughnuts, beignets and rolls; along with what they call “breakaway” items like pork belly Monte Cristo, green eggs and ham (poaching the eggs with basil), and a fried chicken biscuit sandwich.

The dinner menu has flatbreads, sandwiches and salads; adds upscale “nibbles,” such as seared foie gras and confit duck wings; and main courses such as sweet potato gnocchi and the “everything salmon,” which is topped with bagel crumble and herbs and cheese dumplings to resemble an everything bagel with lox.

“Our menu is unique,” Olivolo said. “La Jolla is an amazing place, in terms of the restaurant scene, it’s a diverse area with different food options. We wanted to open in La Jolla because we feel the locals are in need of something like us.”

She added that Parachute is “in the middle” between fancy and casual. “We want people to come in wearing jeans and flip-flops, but if you wanted to have a celebration or a date here, we have that atmosphere, too.” — (858) 291-8191. parachutelajolla.com

Himitsu

Helmed by chef Mitsu Aihara, the 16-year sushi chef at Sushi Ota in Pacific Beach, Himitsu Japanese Restaurant opened Oct. 6 in The Village at 1030 Torrey Pines Road, Suite G. Contact information and a website are being developed, but the restaurant serves dinner 5-10 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Touting simple Japanese cuisine with a Western twist using high-quality, fresh fish, Aihara said the menu consists of nigiri (a slice of raw fish pressed into rice), sashimi (slices of raw fish with no rice), sushi rolls, small plates and hot dishes.

“I recommend the sashimi and nigiri,” he said. “The rolls are OK, but they usually have some sauce or flavoring that can cover the flavor of the fish, and that’s what I want people to try. Some fish has a taste people don’t like, but when it’s fresh, some might like it.”

He said the fish is sourced from trusted providers across the world, and he strives to provide “an experience” at the restaurant. “We offer a chef’s choice option that is up to me, and I use whatever is best and most fresh. It might not be on the menu, it might not even be something you’ve heard of, so we can provide the opportunity to try something new,” he said.

Those looking for something less adventurous can opt for dishes with cooked beef, pork, chicken and vegetables. “We also have a great sake and wine selection,” Aihara said.

— (858) 263-4463. himitsusd.com

Philz Coffee

Philz Coffee opened its second San Diego location in La Jolla, at 8849 Villa La Jolla Drive, Suite 307, in September. Founded in San Francisco, Philz Coffee specializes in some 20 customized (and customizable) blends made from high- quality beans from around the world. Ranging from light to dark, there are more than 4 million ways to have a cup of Philz coffee, and those who visit the La Jolla location can create their own cup or trust baristas to make one for them.

Philz does not offer lattes, cappuccinos, espressos or pre-brewed coffees. Beans are available by the pound. The business is named for founder Phil Jaber, who personally created more than 30 unique coffee blends.

Hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

—(858) 242-5070. philzcoffee.com

Shake Shack

The grills are warming up at La Jolla Shake Shack in preparation for a Oct. 20 opening at Westfield UTC. It’s the first San Diego location for the East Coast eatery. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

“Shake Shack started in New York City as a hot dog cart from restaurateur Danny Meyer in 2001 (and soon after) opened as a 475-square-foot kiosk. It was a community venue that took a fine-dining approach to a quick-service restaurant,” said Shake Shack vice-president of development Andrew McCaughan. “The food all comes from a fine dining background using top quality ingredients. And really, the food speaks for itself.”

In addition to the burgers (including a vegetarian ’shroom burger and SmokeShack burger with bacon and cherry peppers), the eatery will offer flat-top hot dogs (including the Shack-cago dog topped with vegetables and the Chicken Dog), and, of course, shakes.

“We have milkshakes and floats with ice cream that we spin fresh every day, and we have a specialty dessert that we call our frozen concretes. It’s a thick, dense delicious dessert. We partner with local groups in every city for fun collaborations for our concretes,” McCaughan said. The concretes are so thick, you could hold the cup upside down without spilling any.

The La Jolla location will offer “Hopscotch,” “S’more Peanut Butter Please” and “Pie Oh My” flavored concretes. “We also serve beer and wine from the San Diego area, and we’ll have a killer patio for people to hang out at,” he said.

— shakeshack.com

Nautilus Tavern

With no other promise beyond “coming soon,” Nautilus Tavern will open in WindanSea at 6830 La Jolla Blvd. on an unknown date. The management company that operates Pillbox Tavern in Solana Beach is also behind Nautilus Tavern. Similar to Pillbox, Nautilus Tavern will offer appetizers, such as lettuce wraps and poke bowls; salads and sandwiches; wings and brunch options. There is a daily happy hour 3-6 p.m. and different daily specials after 5 p.m. Nothing on the menu is higher than $18. — nautilustavern.com

Nekosan Sushi

Progress is slow but steady over at Nekosan Sushi, 1119 Wall St., with tables in place, visible from the street. The sushi eatery will also feature poke bowls and pokerittos (sushi served like a burrito). An opening date has not been announced.

Burgerim

Burgerim plans to open at 1271 Prospect St. by the end of the year, offering miniature burgers comprised of your choice of mix-and-match proteins (in 2.8 ounce patties), buns, toppings and sauces. There will be three buns, six sauces, 11 patties and nine topping options, and orders may range from one to three burgers in a box or a party box of 16 burgers, and each one in the box can be different. — burgerim.com