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"Founded in 2013, the company produces small-batch whiskey, bourbon, rum, and gin at a Spring Valley distillery and is opening Liberty Call Distilling Kitchen in Barrio Logan—a 3,000-square-foot restaurant with a 400-square-foot patio at the Mercado del Barrio that will include a second distillery and is slated to debut next spring. Designed by Hurkes Harris Design Associates (The Local and OB Surf Lodge), the 60-seat space will feature an open floor plan with a bar, communal dining, and a view of the distillery through a glass partition. The project is part of a $1 million growth investment that also expands the original East County distillery by 2,500 square feet under newly hired distiller Mat Brady (formerly at BNS Brewing & Distilling Co.). Founder Bill Rogers describes the cuisine as mainly “California tapas,” with a lunch and dinner menu that includes a rum-pickled strawberry salad, smoked glazed lamb, and a signature whiskey burger created by executive chef Miguel Valdez (who honed his skills at The Red Door in Mission Hills). Guests will be able to taste the distillery’s lineup—single malt whiskey, bourbon, gin, and white and spiced rum—and enjoy cocktails by head bartender Albert Allison." - Candice Woo