Tower23 sits on Pacific Beach
A comfy Signature Serenity king-sized bed with a view
A bit of bubbly to enjoy on the balcony.
A gentle sunset as viewed off the balcony of our room.
A look down the 3.2 mile boardwalk
The lifeguard tower after which Tower23 is named.
A stormy sunset on evening two of our getaway.
AGUACHILE ROLL
GRILLED HAMACHI COLLAR and FRIED BRUSSEL SPROUTS
BRAISED SHORT RIB
CHOCOLATE CROISSANT BREAD PUDDING
Located in funky Pacific Beach, Tower23 sits just above the sand, surf and endless sky. Named after a nearby lifeguard tower, the hotel offers the traveler the full beach experience in a modern, luxury setting.
Situated about 11 minutes from La Jolla to the North and 10 minutes from Downtown San Diego to the south, Pacific Beach has a 3.2 mile-long boardwalk lined with restaurants, shops, and beachfront bars. It’s along the boardwalk that Tower23 is located. Steps from the beach, the hotel is a great homebase for biking, surfing, sunbathing and other beach activities.
Our room was located on the second floor with a roomy balcony and a full-on ocean view! It’s the perfect perch to watch the sun dip down to meet the horizon. The decor is modern without being austere, with plenty of amenities for the modern traveler. Our room was equipped with USB ports, a bluetooth speaker, wireless internet, and a nice big telly.
The first thing we did upon arrival was to pop a cork on a bottle of red and park ourselves on the balcony. It was a gray day with the ocean a sparkling silver, we arrived shortly before sundown, making it the perfect time to take some lovely pictures. As we sat and enjoyed the show, a knock on the door heralded the arrival of a bottle of Chandon Brut with two stemmed glasses in a bath of ice. What a wonderful surprise! We stayed on the balcony until the last of the light faded into night.
That evening as we crawled into our Signature Serenity king-sized bed, it was with the knowledge that we had another day and night in this magical place, with time to unwind and explore. The next morning we enjoyed a room service breakfast of Avocado Toast, with two eggs, smashed avocado, french bread, dukkah and garlic chili oil and Steak + Eggs Rancheros with eggs in a rancheros sauce with black beans and the steak represented in three short rib + mashed potato rolled tacos topped with lime crema, queso fresco and pico de gallo. It always makes me feel special to have my meal served to me in my room, especially with the beautiful balcony.
That day we spent exploring the long boardwalk, dodging raindrops, and just generally having an enjoyable time. After another stunning sunset we departed for JRDN and our evening meal. JRDN is the onsite restaurant with beachfront dining and lounging. Executive Chef Stephen Gage’s menu offers seasonal California cuisine from local vendors and Wine Director Chris Delaney’s extensive wine list compliments the food nicely.
We began the evening in the bar, situated between the open view sushi bar and of course, the ocean. I enjoyed a glass of Rose from Provence, while my companion opted for the Old Fashioned. The bar in JRDN is an enjoyable place to be and we could have whiled away the hours but we had dinner reservations and were getting hungry.
Since I had been staring at the sushi bar for a while, I just had to start our meal with a Aguachilie Roll, a combination of shrimp, spicy tuna, yamagobo, cucumber, pickled red onion, sesame seed and salsa verde. The “chillie” portion of the description was correct, that spicy tuna sizzled with heat. But the rice, cucumber and pickled red onion worked together to cool the bite.
For dinner it was the Grilled Hamachi Collar and Fried Brussel Sprouts for me and Braised Short Rib and Roasted Baby Yams for my companion.
Fresh off the grill and glistening with char, the Hamachi Collar was a some-assembly-required kind of dish. Following the contours of the collar, the Hamachi yielded tender morsels of unctuous flesh that when dipped in the accompanied sweet chili ponzu, burst with flavor. The Brussel sprouts were full of flavor; from the sprouts’ frizzled edges, to the pomegranate, ricotta salata, maple brown butter vinaigrette, and golden raisins, each bite was a symphony of tastes.
My companion’s Short Ribs was enrobed in a complex sauce of fig demi-glace. Cooked low and slow, the ribs melted in my mouth and that sauce; rich, sweet, deep and dark. To gild the lily, a lone, crisp Vidalia onion ring sat atop the ribs; enticing. The baby yams had a bit of Mediterranean going on with labneh, dukkah and a sweet maple butter.
We shared a dessert of Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding. Rich and dense with a deep chocolate flavor the pudding was accompanied by a tangy honey buttermilk ice cream which balanced the sweet, and a fun sprinkling of honey’d corn flakes for a bit of crunch. What a finish!
It was the last night of our getaway, often bittersweet, but also satisfying. We’d had a wonderful time at Tower23 and were going home, rested, refreshed and grateful for the time away.
Tower23 is located at 723 Felspar Street, Pacific Beach, San Diego, 92109. For reservations and more information visit, www.t23hotel.com or call 858-270-2323.
