Alchemy Restaurant Opens in Logan Heights | Eater San Diego

"Opening for lunch service this week in Logan Heights with dinner soon to follow, this all‑outdoor, independently functioning restaurant is connected to Hotel Narcissus, a six‑room boutique hotel located at the base of the Coronado Bridge. The trio behind it includes Eduardo Cortes and Juan Saad‑Quintana, who operated Mexican seafood spot Barracrudaat at the nearby Bread & Salt complex, and veteran chef Marcus Twilegar, a South Bay native and partner at Palmys in Pacific Beach who also runs a pop‑up at Saturday’s Tuna Harbor Dockside Market and a catering company out of Parq Nightclub downtown. In the weeks leading up to its opening the restaurant has been offering “community meals” to its neighbors, which feature a dish and a drink for $10 — a gesture that will continue on the lunch menu alongside other dishes served out of the kitchen’s walk‑up window. Dinner will be a full‑service experience in the hotel’s inner courtyard, decorated with works by local artists including the renowned De La Torre brothers, and opening dishes will include local fish crudo garnished with charred hibiscus salsa, pickled grapes, and Tajin furikake; a twist on zarandeado that uses Mexican shrimp instead of fish; and an aguachile negro that subs in charcoal‑seared ribye for standard seafood. Along with local wine and creative low‑ABV and alcohol‑free cocktails, the menu will include frequent specials — from fresh pasta to seasonal plates like spiny lobster served with crispy sunchokes, oranges, and salsa macha — and the operation plans to expand into brunch and other culinary events, from guest‑chef dinners to penthouse parties with music, drinks, and tray‑passed bites. Owner Benjamin Longwell, who also developed the Orchid in Normal Heights (which houses White Rice Bodega), designed the Hotel Narcissus project with architect Jim Brown, founder of Bread & Salt, and Longwell told Eater that he’ll be opening a private speakeasy steps away from the property that will be accessible to hotel guests." - Candice Woo