Restaurant Review: My Place, La Jolla, California

La Jolla, California, the jewel by the sea, is a fashionably trendy community north of San Diego. Home of Torrey Pines Golf Course, La Jolla is a picturesque city perched on cliffs high above the Pacific. With its tres chic downtown, filled with one-of-a-kind upscale shops, La Jolla is favorite destination for those from Los Angeles as well as San Diego.

La Jolla is also home to a multitude of restaurants, all beckoning with the inviting sights and smells of cuisine that is truly Californian. Because of the enormous selection available, it is hard to narrow down the choices for lunch or dinner.One such lovely restaurant is My Place. Located a block from the hubbub of the main street, My Place is a touch of French sensibility in the middle of Southern California.

A day of shopping in La Jolla can raise any appetite, and we found ourselves in My Place on just such a day. A small indoor dining room awaits, but if the weather is good and space available, opt for sidewalk dining, where basking in the sun and people watching are the cause du jour.

While My Place serves decidedly French fare, the food and the ambiance are anything but stuffy. The wait staff is friendly and fast, and this bistro fare is wonderfully not fussy. The French onion soup is to die for, but make sure to ask about the soup of the day as well. In addition, there are specials, and the menu changes with the availability of produce.

Lunch choices are quite reasonable. I tried the grilled shrimp and scallop salad, which was quite large. The seafood was perfectly grilled, and at $14.75, was reasonably priced, considering the neighborhood. My daughter enjoyed the pasta provencal, which was prepared with tomatoes, shallots, garlic, herbs of Provence, and capers ($13.75), and it was delicious.

My Place, of course, offers crepes, various cheeses and a charcuterie plate for lunch, as well as sandwiches. Main courses include beef bourguinon ($17.00), chicken provencal ($15.50), steak pommes frites ($17.00) and a wonderful fisherman's stew ($20.00), as well as other items. Nothing is over $20.00, making My Place a value among high-brow bistro eateries. There is also a prix fixe menu, which gives a good selection for only $17.50 per person.

My Place offers a good selection of both red and white French wines, some California varieties, and a decent selection of Champagne, the perfect beverage to enjoy while dining al fresco.

The service at My Place was second to none, and our waiter (French!) was knowledgeable and friendly.

There is currently a coupon online for $25 off a purchase of $50 or more, making this a great time to try My Place. Lunch hours are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and dinner hours are from 5:00 p.m. to closing, and makes for a seamless transition from one to the other. My Place is open seven days a week.

Highly recommended, I would dine there again in a heartbeat.

My Place
777 Girard Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037
858.454.3535
www.myplacelj.com