In honor of Veterans Day, San Diego’s standout restaurants and bars are showing gratitude with exclusive dining specials for veterans and active-duty military. Whether it’s complimentary tacos or a discounted bill, these spots are celebrating service with the taste of appreciation. GBOD Hospitality Group will offer veterans and active-duty military personnel a 10% discount on their bill at Bencotto, Monello, Havana 1920, Prohibition, plus additional specials at El Chingón. El Chingón, San Diego’s “Bad Ass Mexican” hotspot at 560 Fifth Ave., will offer two complimentary tacos with any purchase. Standout taco selections include veggie, el típico, birria, al pastor, carnitas, Jorge’s Taco de Pescado and shrimp. Signature dishes include pork belly, a tender, boneless cut served with guacamole, rice, refried beans and a choice of tortillas, priced at $32; and the El Chingon burro, loaded with pico de gallo, guacamole, rice, beans, cheese and sour cream, with choice of shredded chicken, shredded beef, pollo asado, chile relleno, carnitas, birria, carne asada or shrimp, priced starting at $9. Located in the heart of Little Italy, Bencotto features favorites like the pollo alla pizzaiola, featuring a lightly fried breaded chicken breast topped with mozzarella and tomato sauce, served with garlic mashed potatoes, priced at $30; ravioli al granchio, handmade half-moon ravioli filled with crab meat, served in a creamy lemon zest Chardonnay sauce, priced at $28; and salmone Mediterraneo, sautéed salmon with white wine, lemon, olives, cherry tomatoes and garlic, served with dill mashed potatoes, priced at $36. Monello, located next door to Bencotto Italian Kitchen, offers standout dishes like spaghetti di zafferano con gamberi, bronze-die saffron spaghetti with shrimp, lemon zest and a Prosecco cream sauce, priced at $26; stinco di agnello, lamb shank slowly roasted with herbs, vegetables and port red wine, served with roasted potatoes, priced at $38; or classic prosciutto pizza, with Prosciutto di Parma with cheese sauce, mozzarella, figs and raspadura, priced at $26. Havana 1920, located at 548 Fifth Ave. in the Gaslamp Quarter, offers dishes and drinks that bring the taste of Cuba straight to San Diego. Standouts include the award winning Cubano with slices of slow-roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard pressed between fresh Cuban bread, priced at $17; bistec Havana, an Angus skirt steak topped with house-made chimichurri, served with toasted Cuban bread and a side salad, priced at $30; and the Ropa Vieja, the national dish of Cuba which includes shredded beef with peppers, olives and onions, priced at $24. Prohibition, the Gaslamp Quarter’s sultry speakeasy, offers popular cocktails like Sweet But Not Too Sweet, made with Patrón Reposado Single Barrel, passion fruit, pineapple, lime, R&D Fire Bitters and a Tajín rim; Trébol Club, mixed with Patrón Reposado Tequila, raspberry, lemon, honey, egg white and R&D Cherry Apple Bitters; or the Hotel Nacional, featuring Havana Club Blanco, pineapple, lime, demerara, apricot and R&D Aromatic #7 Bitters, all cocktails priced at $18. Clique Hospitality will offer 20% off at Temaki Bar: Handroll, Sushi, Sake; Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine; and Serẽa Coastal Cuisine to all veterans and active-duty military personnel with a valid ID. Guests can enjoy premium seafood or sushi paired with craft cocktails at any of the three restaurants below. Temaki Bar offers fresh, hand-rolled sushi such as the Mama’s Roll, with shrimp tempura, blue crab, ooba, cucumber, seared salmon, sweet soy, sesame seeds, negi and lemon, priced at $24; the Super Ninja Bunny Roll with blue crab, toro, bubu arare, chives, brown butter aioli, caviar and truffle oil, priced at $25; among others. Standouts at Lionfish include roasted truffle chicken with truffle butter, sourdough crust and chicken truffle au jus; spaghetti lobster “homard,” featuring half a lobster, Nueske bacon lardon, dashi cognac cream and chives; and spicy grilled octopus with fermented chile, crispy garlic, crispy potatoes and cilantro aioli; among others. At Serẽa, craveable seafood dishes include bigeye tuna tartare with market citrus, petite herbs, Calabrian caper tapenade and crostini; spicy lobster rigatoni, with Maine lobster, calabrian chile and tomato vodka cream; among others.
