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"Enthusiastically embraced by the South Bay since its 2019 arrival in Imperial Beach, I’m excited that El Pez Kitchen is opening a second location in Barrio Logan as an anchor of Los Patios; the National Avenue restaurant, scheduled to open in September, will offer indoor and outdoor dining and a more refined design than the original Palm Plaza outpost. Co-owner Alex Aguayo and co-founder/chef Armando Mondragon have built the menu by incorporating Japanese and Asian elements into familiar Mexican dishes — examples include an octopus tostada with ancho chile ponzu and a tuna aguachile with togarashi and pickled cucumber. Other highlights that meld Mexican and Japanese cuisine include specialty sushi rolls like the Palm roll (imitation crab, shrimp tempura, tuna, avocado, cilantro, and salsa negra), ramen bowls enriched with carnitas and chorizo, fresh oysters dressed with Mexican and Asian flavors, scallops marinated in Maggi sauce, sushi hand rolls, and expanded sashimi and crudo options. The bar will serve beer, wine, mocktails, and sochu-based cocktails." - Candice Woo