Dining Review: Waverly

When we last checked in on SDCM Restaurant Group Executive Chef Brian Redzikowski, we were assessing the menu he had devised for the revived and reimagined La Jolla haunt The Whaling Bar. That on-site inspection at the base of La Valencia Hotel uncovered inventive takes on street- and comfort-food staples cherrypicked from around the world. They were quite impressive and, in some cases, a tad familiar — with good reason.

Rather than start from scratch when tackling a new SDCM restaurant project, Redzikowski will use a proven template as a menu starting point. In addition to helping the veteran toque avoid the challenge of reinventing the wheel, it allows him to apply different cultural and conceptual touches to base setups, while also salt-and-peppering fan-favorite elements across several venues. That interchange is mostly seen between The Whaling Bar, Little Italy’s Kettner Exchange and Camino Riviera, and this month’s featured spot, Waverly in Cardiff-by-the-Sea.

Opened four years ago in a shopping center popular among epicures for award-winning beers from The Lost Abbey and Cardiff Crack from Seaside Market, Waverly is a laidback neighborhood hangout. That relaxed atmosphere almost belies its coastal-chic interiors but works well for this all-day resto concept. On an average night, friendly conversations intermingle with the dishing of dirt from the well-stocked, U-shaped bar. It’s a chic hub where people enjoy catching up over quality food and drink any time of day (but especially during Waverly’s weekend brunch, when the place is packed).

Redzikowski’s evening menu follows his well-established script, kicking off with a pair of delectable dips served with grilled bread (a zesty piquillo pepper and peanut offering studded with pomegranate seeds, and whipped ricotta, the praises of which we’ve sung), a handful of salads, and a variety of shareable vegetable appetizers. Waverly’s current assortment includes pickled potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes with almonds and yogurt, and cacio e pepe-style Brussels sprouts. They’re tempting and hard to choose from, something that can rarely be said about produce-centric dishes.

The menu includes other mainstays including roasted bone marrow with beef tartare and sourdough for spreading, a sizable duck meatball topped with a golden-brown disc of mozzarella over decadently dairy-rich grits, and to-die-for chicken seasoned with Turkish urfa chilies. 

A signature Waverly app sees burrata-stuffed fritters listed as “donuts” (go ahead and order anything chef puts in quotation marks; they’re always terrific) served over tomato fondue with basil, heirloom cherry tomatoes, and San Daniele prosciutto. It hits on all cylinders — creamy, salty, sweet, spicy, acidic — and serves as a satisfying prelude to entrees including a butter-roasted New York strip steak, grilled Moroccan-spiced barramundi, and luscious seared scallops with a trout roe beurre blanc.

Keys to the previously mentioned meatball and “donuts” dishes are the tomato-based sauces, which are bold in their traditional flavors and come across as a warm hug from an Italian grandma. That same wholesomeness and heart is present in a pair of pastas: Ricotta Agnolotti and Cavatelli with sausage ragu. Walking into Waverly and taking a look around, one wouldn’t expect Italian fare, but it doesn’t feel out of place at the table. 

By not boxing himself in and by allowing recipes from one establishment to cameo at others within the SDCM family, Redzikowski has created a playing field where pretty much anything goes at Waverly or any of its sister venues. That’s a level of freedom that benefits the individuals in the kitchen as well as those in the dining room. 

Also a boon to the clientele is the speed and affability with which servers get orders in and food back out to tables. It’s clearly a point of emphasis and something that couldn’t be done without an efficient team and processes from top to bottom.

The best formulas are those that not only work but are further refined over time so they will work even better. Redzikowski’s well-honed calculus is on display at Waverly and is something to behold. thewaverly.com

Service: 4
Timeliness: 5
Ambiance: 4
Culinary Innovation: 4
Food Quality: 4
Cocktail Program: 4.5
Value: 4