Most of my recent blogs covered our recent family trip to San Diego, and they related some of the sights and activities we enjoyed with our young granddaughter. We did take time to enjoy a few grown-up evenings, however, when our daughter and son-in-law and my husband and I traded off childcare duties while the other couple dined out. After Jenny and Josh returned from a meal at Herb & Wood (I have to admit I heard the name of the restaurant as “Urban Wood”!) raving about their fantastic dinner, Harry and I decided we’d also give it a try later in the week. We did not regret that decision.

Herb & Wood, located in the Little Italy neighborhood of San Diego, presents a “modern interpretation of traditional Mediterranean cuisine” and focuses on wood-fired dishes. We arrived around 6 p.m. on a mid-week night to a very busy neighborhood and drove around for a bit in a fruitless search for a parking spot. (As in so many communities, COVID forced many establishments to expand seating into the streets, reducing parking options.) We finally opted for valet parking — a simple solution. Little Italy boasts a wide assortment of restaurants, and I’ve never visited when it wasn’t bustling.

The restaurant itself resides in a cavernous brick building that appears to have been an industrial warehouse dating back to the early 20th century. Several dining rooms surround a large, square-shaped bar, and modern, minimalist décor provides a neutral background for large avant-garde paintings and sculptures. The place was hopping and seemed very popular with a predominately millennial and Gen X crowd. The sound of many voices and what seemed like dance music bounced off the high ceilings and hard surfaces, making it a bit difficult for conversation at times. (I wouldn’t recommend Herb & Wood for a romantic date night, but it’s great for a fun, high-energy evening out.) We ended up being seated just under the window wall that offers a peek into the busy kitchen, which thankfully gave us a little extra light to be able to read the menu in an otherwise quite dim space.

We started with a delicious appetizer of Caña de Cabra, a warm (wood-fired oven-roasted, perhaps?) Spanish goat cheese resting in a white wine, lemon and thyme sauce with greens and wild mushrooms and served with slices of crusty levain.   The contrast of the bread and the buttery, rich and silky cheese made for a wonderful bite, with the sauce and greens added a nice tangy complement.

We chose two different dishes from the Vegetables section of the menu: the King Trumpet Mushrooms and Roasted Carrots. Both were very generous portions, and we certainly could have done with just one of them between the two of us (but that allowed us to take some home for the next day). The mushrooms came in large slabs drizzled in a black garlic vinaigrette and chimichurri, spinach, cilantro and a garlic crunch on top.   The garlic provided a strong counterpoint to the earthy flavor of the mushrooms, making for a well-balanced and tasty dish. The carrots, perfectly roasted, were covered with a carrot top pesto, a cashew-sesame dukkah (a Middle Eastern crushed nut, seed and spice blend) and aleppo yogurt. It was a perfect example of the way Chef Brian Malarkey uses those Mediterranean herbs and spices to enhance and enliven his dishes.

For my entrée I chose the Grilled Iberico Pork “Secreto.” Lovely slices of medium-rare pork were served upon a bed of cannellini beans, with mustard greens, panchetta and an apple mostardo all contributing to a cohesive, delicious plate. Harry chose one of the pasta dishes, torchio with a hearty lamb ragu, served with a creamy dollop of burrata and crunch provided by breadcrumbs and almond picada. He was kind enough to share a few bites with me, and I really loved the slightly spicy, rich ragu.

We really had no room for dessert, but we decided we could handle a single scoop of the house-made gelato. It was a cool, sweet conclusion to a really magnificent, rich meal.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor