Earthly delights
It may be housed in the lobby of a Marriott, but Arterra isn’t your average hotel restaurant. Its named derived from combining the words “art” and “terra,” the restaurant places heavy emphasis on fresh, local ingredients on its menu, a collaboration between celeb chef Bradley Ogden (of the famed Lark Creek Inn in Northern California) and up-and-comer Brian Pekarcik. The latter chef recently wowed guests of the James Beard House in New York City with an inventive dumpling entrée and his heirloom tomato tasting, made with produce from the revered local vegetable stand at Chino Farms. Back home, Arterra continues to attract an after-work crowd for happy hour at its newly opened outdoor lounge, where Pekarcik’s kitchen serves fancy finger foods like this trio of Kobe sliders while occasional DJs and live blues bands provide poolside entertainment.B daily, L Mon.–Fri., D
Mon.–Sat. All major cards. 11966 El Camino Real,
Del Mar, 858.369.6032. $$$ Map X22