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Thrillist San Diego

El Take It Easy

The Linkery boys kick back with new digs

Seemingly senseless names often have surprisingly concrete explanations -- "Led Zeppelin" came straight from John Entwistle's prediction that Jimmy Page's new band would "go down like a lead zeppelin", while "The Who" was settled on after millions of American football fans asked "Who?". Now filling your belly, the inspiringly named El Take It Easy.

Just soft-opened by the Linkery's meat masters, El's a farm-to-table gastro-cantina offering "Baja CA meets Global" dishes in a warehouse-esque interior garnished with dizzyingly abstract paintings by Tijuana artist Enrique Ciapara, as well as on breezy front and back patios; far from arbitrary, the name actually comes from an Ensenada friend's Spanglish term for "gigolo", though if your gigolo's only interested in taking it easy, time for a new gigolo. For botanas they're slinging a pork belly & quail terrine, Womach Ranch Farms sauteed chicken spleens, and a Mexican street concoction involving fried white-corn tortillas, cucumber, peanuts, pork skin, and plum/chili chamoy sauce, called "Tostilocos", also Spanglish for when Gary Busey's sitting by the fire. "Smallish plates meant for sharing" range from classics like chicken mole, to the more courageous Goat & Torta Sliders (goat cheek, pastured chicken egg, Pt. Reyes Toma cheese, house-baked bread, rocket), to fried Sweet & Sour Chicken Heads -- hey, you'd have mood swings too if people thought you were only good for fellatio.

El's sprawling bar will be starting with a selection of wines, 11 bottled brews including the vaunted Russian River Consecration, and drafts of Why Not? Wheat, 30th Street Pale Ale, Cucapa Obscura, and Lagunitas Pils, also used as the base for various Cervezas Preperadas -- an idea that could've gone down like a lead zeppelin after the first shocked drinker exclaimed "Hot sauce in my beer? Who did this?!"

ExhortAdd this to My Thrillist

ExhortScope the menu, and stay tuned for deets on their 30th-on-30th Grand Opening at ElTakeItEasy.com

El Take It Easy (Emailed on June 18, 2010)

Soft open now: 3926 30th St, at University; North Park

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