Abnormal Elite Event At Cork And Craft

Abnormal Elite Event at Cork and Craft in Rancho Bernard is a hidden gem! One would not be able to imagine the beauty and craftsmanship were beyond the front doors. Excellent event! I loved the added touches which began as soon as we entered the door. Bubbly champagne to begin our experience and as I walked a bit forward I came into the room with an elaborate table decorated with charcuterie. The food stations were accompanied by a specialty wine. The hosts were friendly and made their presence memorable. The scallops, pork belly (my first taste of one), ribs, brussels sprouts, and wine were DELICIOUS! It was recommended by the owners to make a reservation before coming to Cork and Craft. I will definitely obey their request.
The live music performed by Christian was a wonderful touch.
Can’t wait to try the owners coffee brew next time I’m in the area.

After all the fun I had not drinking I was hesitant to RSVP for this event, but you know what? I had an absolute blast! From seeing familiar faces in line from Unilocal’s Spring Break in New Orleans to familiar faces inviting me to their tables to meeting new friends throughout the night, the event at Cork and Craft was wonderful from the get go.
The rustic, vintage, modern (I have no talent for finding the right words) open design of the restaurant was refreshing and inviting, as was the open charcuterie displayed in delicious edible fashion, and then mouth watering plates of culinary delights. I trolled around the charcuterie to be near and nibbled at the fun pairings whenever it struck my fancy. When I discovered the Brussels sprouts on the other side of the restaurant with open floors and room to break out in dance, I gravitated around the Brussels sprouts table, as these were some of the best vegetables I have had in some time! I highly recommend the Brussels sprouts if that’s all you eat all night! I would also recommend the scallops, but the sprouts just takes home the cake.
I got pretty close up to the coffee ice cream demo, and got to be one of the first to try the coffee ice cream! It was pretty strong coffee ice cream! I almost feared that with the ice cream, coffee, wine and beer I wasn’t going to make it back home, but the combination proved to balance me out and I was still lucid enough to work upon arriving home.
There was a birthday girl in the mix, which made the night that much more exciting with the off tune happy birthday singing, the guitarist playing in the background, the owners of the restaurant explaining their restaurant concept and putting on a seemingly low-​key but extremely fancy night for us! Caroleann and I met Unilocalers who were from Arizona, those normally from lower San Diego, those who were at their first event, those with interesting tattoos and even more interesting stories, and friends old and new. I can’t wait to be back with my friends who live on this side of town and point out the dishes they must try! My biggest thank you goes to Trish, Marina, Abnormal Wines/​Beers/​Coffee and the Cork and Craft restaurant for throwing a super awesome event!

The staff at Abnormal was exceptionally attentive, the restaurant/​winery/​brewery is gorgeous, I smiled at the little thoughtful inconspicuous purse hooks under the bar and at the tables — And most of all the cuisine was excellent!
I enjoyed both the Prosecco and the Chardonnay and was especially impressed with the «Gaston“the various house made cheeses and pâté, which was ridiculously smooth and light yet creamy. Not many places can get a housemade pâté right, but they did.
Then the stations were fun and well paired with a drink that complemented or contrasted with the bite:
* Short Rib En «Sous Vide»
(potato purée, maitake mushrooms, red wine sauce, seasonal vegetables)
While this wasn’t the most tender piece, the flavor was deep and full.
* Marinated Yolk Raviolo (ricotta cheese, bacon pâté, parmesan cheese)
this was a bite of heaven — cut into that tender Raviolo, the yolk was a decadent sauce… yumm. More please.
…Beer Station…
* Braised Pork Belly (apple sauerkraut, pickled mustard seeds, breakfast radish)
Wonderful and tender.
* Wood Fired Scallop (potato pave, basil crème, corn pudding, toasted pancetta croutons) Wow, this big diver scallop was crusted and seared to perfection.
Side note: In chatting with Elvin, I’m definitely gonna order the Grilled Greens salad the next time I come — the kale greens are grilled in the same Wood Oven he says they are so incredible. Can’t wait.
* The Brussel Sprouts were tangy with vinigrette, and sweet from being roasted.
The Mostra Coffee was smooth and rich, and the coffee nitro ice cream is something I’ll definitely order again — clean and crisp flavor. So delish.

Oh my goodness Unilocal has done it again, made my birthday something amazing. A few years ago it was Mc Faddens with the birthday chalice, this year Abnormal wines with the birthday pour. Thank you Trish and Marina for putting together such an amazing night.

I loved seeing all the familiar Unilocal kids and meeting new ones. Someone wrote happy birthday on my name tag so it was neat to hear everyone giving me birthday love.
Throughout the night I sampled great food, scallops, ravioli, meat and cheese and more meat! The wines were excellent, yes I had wine and not beer that night. Everything was amazing, this will be the next date night… who am I kidding the next ladies night out then.

Towards the end of the night there was a nifty ice cream presentation which I loved! The dessert was probably my favorite. Rusty and Jelynn made sure to make my birthday special by having everyone sing happy birthday to me.
I felt so loved and am forever grateful to all my Unilocal friends, as well as the wonderful staff at Abnormal wines. You guys made me feel like a kid again, I think one of the pictures captured that nerdy cheese eating grin. Thank you so much for all you do Trish! Thank you Unilocal for having such awesome representatives that love us! Color me grateful!

Awesome awesome food, drinks and company. One of the best places I’ve been to and can’t wait to come back!
So first we started off with a very nice glass of champagne. It was clean, crisp, and light. Next, the biggest charcuterie I have ever seen was laid across the entire length of the bar table. I loved the crispy skins of salmon skin, chicken skin, and pork rinds. Crisped to perfection. So good. I could snack on that stuff all day. There were also bits of paté, head cheese, prosciutto, briè, blue, and other cheeses with an assortment of bread and crackers.
Then there were stations of delicious food with wine and beer pairings. So GOOD! I absolutely loved the scallops with potato, basil crème, and corn pudding. It was tender and cooked to perfection. Then there was a Red Wine Station where I had the No. 19 Cabernet paired with a Short Rib with potato purée, mushrooms, and red wine sauce. Pairing worked nicely and was delighted!
Then there was a White Wine Station where I tried both the No. 4 Chardonnay and No.16 Pinot Grigio paired with the best ravioli I’ve ever had. It had ricotta cheese, bacon pâté, parmesan cheese and paired perfectly with the Chardonnay. My stomach is literally grumbling as I reminisce…
Next was a Beer Station with an Urban Street Brown Ale paired with Braised Pork Belly. It came with apple sauerkraut and pickled mustard seeds. It was a good balance of Salty sweet and sour. Yum!
There were also trays of cheese puffs that came around that was just magical and perfectly melt, goodness. I don’t even know how to continue describing how amazing it was.
And finally for dessert I had some Mostra Coffee and the No. 1 Chocolate Berry Port. It was so delicious and paired with coffee ice cream that was just amazing. Loved it!
Thank you Trish for another amazing event. I can’t wait to come back! I’ve already tried to once but I ran out of time… Maybe next weekend!

In my youth, I worked as a DC lobbyist, a job that often sent me to cocktail parties. Early on, I was impressed by the people I met (including women whose beauty inhibited speech) and by the delectable food I was offered. I was in my mid-20’s, and the world was extremely cool.
But soon I came to dread these parties, seeing them as unpaid overtime requiring me to move and repark my car through cross-​town traffic, then to endure hours of guarded chat with people who wanted something for nothing. I couldn’t eat much, because I had to mingle. I turned grumpy at 27, and avoided cocktail parties for thirty years.
So I was flattered to be invited to the October Abnormal Elite Event (my first Unilocal get-​together), but I was skeptical. Wasn’t this a cocktail party? My fellow Elite Squad members wouldn’t expect campaign contributions, but I’d have to drive to North County during rush hour to a bar in an office park, then socialize with a room full of strangers, which would make eating difficult. And I’d be a virtual non-​drinker at an event sponsored by Abnormal Wine + Beer.
Turns out, I have a talent for misapprehension. The evening was delightful and my worries unfounded.
The venue was, as Trish S. described it, «stunning.» The place hadn’t simply been decorated; it had been curated by a talented artist of industrial and commercial design. The layout smartly bounced light around the rooms, using recessed cans and reflections from kitchen and brewing equipment to make the public areas glow. There were lamps and at least one chandelier, but they were so unobtrusive that I had to use photos of the Event to confirm the fact. The ceiling was high, the space open, and servers moved quickly and easily from kitchen to table and front to back. The place was a Lamborghini, built for speed and comfort.
And those worrisome strangers? Well, there’s no ice breaker like friends-​in-​common. My pals Mel J. and Vin S. were generous intermediaries, taking time to introduce me to some unfamiliar North County folks and helping me meet some of my new Unilocal buddies. The latter included Jack M. (The Godfather), Maricella H. and Laura D., Jeff S., Steve F. and others, plus North County’s CM, the lovely and talented Trish S., and her assistant, Marina.
I staked out a high-​top near the charcuterie with Caroleann B. and Steve F. While others stopped to chat, our effective if noisy tag team alternately ran for sustenance and guarded the table. We picked at meats and cheeses, but Unilocalers are my people because they know how to find serious food, and soon we progressed to entrees.
The opener, an implausibly succulent and tender Sous Vide Beef Short Rib, was offered with a «contrasting» No. 19 Cabernet that possessed a depth and buttery roundness that graced the beef, and made it better.
We ate Fried Brussels Sprouts, a vegetable I avoided from the day Mom let me stop eating them until two years ago — when someone I love offered the stinky green balls in a way I couldn’t refuse. At the time, I was knocked out by their earthy, nutty flavor. Now I preach their charms, and Brothers and Sisters, last week we ate some righteous Sprouts!
Soon someone gave us Wood-​fired Scallops that were tasty, but I just nibbled. I usually don’t eat scallops, finding that they can make my whole meal about sweet, buttery shellfish.
But then came a honey-​hued No. 4 Chard served with what was, to my mind, the best taste of the night: Marinated Yolk Ravioli enclosing ricotta and Parmesan with bacon pâté. That’s right: I said, «Ravioli,» plural, because I went back for more. Sue me. The bite was cravable, salty at the right time and smooth on the tongue. Imagine small cannelloni filled with bacon and a creamy cheesy sauce. No, that’s not it. Imagine… aw, hell… just imagine eating something so good that you don’t want to fill up because your mouth demands more. That’s what I ate.
In my rapture, I missed the Pork Bellies, but their novelty has worn off for me, so I’m good. Can I have more Ravioli, please?
Later, I was front-​row for the «fun with ice cream» demo, and now I want a job at Cork and Craft. I play with an ice cream freezer at home, but these guys have mad scientist fun, making spooky vapor and bits of product fly out of a Mixmaster. All I do is scare the cat. And, as a bonus, their coffee base was complex and creamy without overdoing the butterfat, which can be tricky. I enjoyed the ice cream very much.
A little Mostra coffee (hearty and not too acidic; I hope this is Cork and Craft’s coffee at table). A genial chat about cold brewed coffee and private on-​site parties with Jelynn Rodriguez, co-​owner of Abnormal and the busiest woman I’ve met this year (check out her acting career/​plan for world domination at
). A few items of Unilocal swag.
And then I drove home, laughing at my first concerns. I was full, I’d had a wonderful time, and traffic wasn’t bad.

ABNORMAL
With a name like «Abnormal», you know its gotta be great, right? This was one spectacular YEE hosted by Rancho Bernardo’s Cork and Craft Restaurant in conjunction with the Abnormal Wine Company and Brew House. These two establishments (soon to be three as their craft brews come online in a few weeks) really rolled out the red carpet by offering us sample bites of their most delicious food which had been professionally paired with their finest wines (and a couple of locally-​brewed beers). To say we were spoiled is an understatement. The food was all absolutely fresh and perfect in every way. The wines were smooth and refreshing, even the Cab and the Chardonnay, which I don’t normally fancy. The Merlot and Pinot Grigio were outstanding, however.
THE EXPERIENCE
Marina H, North County’s ever-​able and gorgeous CM intern, kept the restless crowd in order as we lined up at the door. Once ushered in, we were greeted by our lovely hostess, CM Trish S, who handed us a wine glass and then directed us to our champagne opener (very tasty!). Spread before us was the massive cutting board covered with gourmet cheeses, meats, bread, and other delicacies. Once beyond this to the main restaurant, we dined on scallops, short ribs (which were melt-​in-​your-​mouth buttery), Braised Pork Belly, Marinated Yolk Ravioli, and roasted Brussel Sprout foliage.
I really liked the design of the place. Dark wood, brick, and low but elegant lighting made for a romantic experience. Trish pointed out the large and fancy chandelier, which I would have missed, near the entrance (I believe). This was an understated reflection of the ambiance of the entire Unilocal Elite Event.
THE FUTURE
This is a new place, but it is clear that there’s a lot of love in the efforts of the staff and management of this somewhat abnormal establishment. Each of six owners brings their own twist, accompanied by their own passion. to the offerings of this eatery. I cannot wait to see how their soon-​to-​be craft brews compare with the local competition — they have some serious competition. But if the food we ate and wine we drank at the YEE are any indication, they will certainly hit it out of the park!

Beautiful. Intimate. Friendly. Delicious.
It was a warm autumn night as we lined up outside of Rancho Bernardo’s newest hidden gem, The Cork and Craft. Old familiar faces and new faces alike excitedly discussed what might be in store for us this night.
Although many of us had heard and seen great things on Unilocal about this new restaurant and some, like myself, had already dined here the first week of their opening, nothing prepared us for the absolute enjoyment ahead of us.
When we entered the restaurant, we were handed a glass of champagne and another glass for any other wine or beer that we were to partake of during the next few hours.
A long charcuterie board, 8 FEET LONG, was the next stop — this was the best board I have ever seen or tasted! Cheeses were HIGH quality and the pickeled veggies were delightful. The candied nuts were candied to perfection! To the point where they were tasty and lightly sweetened with a slight crisp! Not the hard and thick candied nuts that most people fear. The awesome and suprisingly delightful ABNORMAL part of this board was the CHICHARON! See pork rinds. I grew up with this stuff — see filipino– and C&C did them right! Light and delightful with an added flavor. C&C is different, not just for the sake of being different, but because their different, works!
Next stop! PORK BELLY! Here, the bartender was sooo helpful and friendly. He explained to me that I had a choice at the beer pairing — did I want the beer that compliments the dish or the beer that contrasts with the dish! How cool! What a concept! I went with the complimentary brown ale and sipped off of Jeff S.‘s contrast and color me satisfied. Again C&C isn’t going for just shock value, but real value. But wait! There’s more!
Rounding the corner, the room is filled with beautiful sounds of live music performed by Christian Taylor. So perfect to dine, sip and socialize too that I noticed it when I wanted to, but it never invaded my space when i was trying to chill. Very pleasant!
Three other dishes were avaialable to us, each with their pairing of wine:
*Short Rib En «Sous Vide»
*Paired with Marinated Yolk Raviolo
*Wood Fired Scallop
OMGeee! The SHORT RIB was soo delicous! My favorite!
The YOLK RAVIOLI was ingenious, I wish I ate 4 more! HOW did they do it??? Now I want one on a burger! ;)
The SCALLOP was cooked to perfection! Do you know how easy it is to ruin scallops and get them rubbery? Nope, this did not happen. This was amazing.
Last but not least, dessert:
YOU MUST have their MOSTRA coffee (so good, you can drink it black) and their coffee ice cream (done with nitrogen, no less)
There is some real talent in that kitchen and yeah, it was just like that when I ate here for a full on dinner, so I recommend it. I RECOMMEND YOU GO BACK TO CORK AND CRAFT AND EXPERIENCE A FULL ON DINNER! I predict that soon enough, reservations will be hard to come by, this place should always be packed! :)
Also, the service is so great! You want to know what I think the secret is to this amazing event and this amazing new restaurant? An amazing team of people. I felt like I was hanging out with Unilocal friends at a friends elegant and yet cozy house party. It was so warm and friendly and OPEN, that on top of it, we actually did celebrate Maricela’s, ‘the cheese’, birthday :)
Really really really a good time. The layout and flow couldn’t have been better. I felt like I really got to mix and mingle with more people than I usually do.
BRAVA Miss Trish and much love to my fellow Unilocalers and the good people of Cork and Craft for a truly enjoyable and memorable evening!

This event was as Craft as it can get! The food, drinks, desserts, and service were top notch! I would never have expected such an awesome place to exist in RB. I wish this place existed when I worked in RB a while ago.
When we first entered the venue, we were greeted with campagne and a huge charcuterie table, not board. Behind that was a beer bar full of craft beers on tap. Then we enter into the main room where all the food was coming out non stop. There were wines/​beer to pair with it as well. After trying all the food, it was definitely top notch. I can go on and on about the food but I’ll let my pictures speak for themselves.
The staff was very helpful and friendly. They were hard at work to make sure the food was coming out quickly and in perfection.
Thanks to Cork and Craft, the staff, Trish, and Unilocal for putting together this wonderful event. I’ll definitely be back for more.

This event was so awesome! I couldn’t miss it since there is wine tasting. My favorite. The parking lot was super dark but luckily I didn’t run over anyone standing in line.
Cork and Craft was such a nice spot to have an event. I loved all the different stations. I really did try to taste all the different wines. I skipped the beers since I am not a fan of beer. I really love the Abnormal red wine. The merlot was so good. All the food was amazing. I got seconds on a few. The set up for the meats and cheeses looked great. The entire place is very welcoming. I love that this is close to home so it’s a good spot to come with my friends and family.
Thank you Trish, Unilocal,and the Cork and Craft staff! Such a great event.

Oh my wow. I don’t normally attend North County Elite events, but Rancho Bernardo didn’t seem all that far away and, in fact, Cork and Craft’s location just off the 15 made it super convenient and easy to get to.
Upon arrival things looked a little sketch — it was all dark, business park-​y and I wouldn’t have known I was in the right place if it wasn’t for the line of Unilocalers already standing outside. Once inside, though? Hoo boy, what a difference. The décor and ambiance were industrial — all brick and metal and exposed stuff that you feel like you’re not supposed to see. Pretty much my favorite kind of décor and ambiance, basically. :)
The meat and cheese (and pickles and sauces and nuts and bread and the all-​things-​good) board was almost too pretty to eat. Almost. Because really? How good you *not* dig into that thing? And I know the grilled bread was probably the least interesting thing on the board, but I really love me some grilled bread.
I really liked how all of the different stations were set up. Having wine and beer pairings for each of the different food offerings was brilliant. I’m gonna go against the grain with my favorites of the night and say something other than the pork belly (delicious, but too big for one bite and I didn’t yet have silverware on hand) and the short rib (tasty, but not nearly as tender as most other versions I’ve had). No, my favs were the Brussels sprouts (I’m really glad this veggie is making a comeback) and the ravioli (holy moly, the bacon addition was practically orgasmic!). And the cheese puffs passed hors d’oeuvres with fig and caramelized onions? SO GOOD.
The addition of live music at an event was a nice change, although I felt bad that I wasn’t clapping more and showing my appreciation — my hands were just too full of plates and silverware and glasses (oh my!). In fact, that’s my one critique of the night. All of the bites required a knife and fork and the table space wasn’t so plentiful, so it made juggling everything a bit difficult. The juggling and jockeying were all worth it, though, as everything tasted amazing and all of the staff and owners did a fan-​freaking-​tastic job of showing what they’re made of and encouraging us all to come back. Way to go!

What the what! Was I just invited to a dinner party hosted by Kanye West without all the drama? I was clearly under dressed for such a fancy event!
Being handed a glass of champagne upon entering Cork and Craft definitely set the mood for the rest of the night. My jaw was already on the floor after seeing the appetizer spread at the entrance. Honestly, if it just ended there with the wine/​beer selection I would’ve been happy as a clam. But wait, there’s more?! Fiiiine, I’ll walk around and meet new friends and dine on classy bites while having a live musician serenade me for the rest of the night.
I was slightly bummed because I don’t eat red meat and didn’t get to try most of the food but the scallops and brussel sprouts were deeelicious! As was that addicting garlic bread. Anything that I was upset about was quickly forgotten about once I ate dessert. That coffee ice cream was out of this world. I’m pretty sure I can’t eat any other coffee ice cream now without comparing it to what I ate last night. Drinks wise, I really enjoyed the «abnormal» Merlot and Chardonnay. I’m not a huge wine person but I could handle these wines, which is a good and dangerous thing.
Overall, my first solo YEE went splendid! I’m glad I got to meet so many awesome Unilocalers and can’t wait to see you guys in future events! Thanks for an awesome event Trish & Cork and Craft. I can’t wait to come back and stuff my face and drink all of the wine and beer… with my pinky up of course.

Great Elite Event last night, full of delectable food and potables!
As per usual, I arrived way early to beat the traffic — in fact, Abnormal Beer Company and Cork and Craft is the first Elite venue I’ve been to that’s close to my place! I spent some time chilling with my friends in line, and then migrated across the room to partake in all the goodies after receiving our taster glass.
LOVED everything that I was able to try — the «Gaston» appetizer table of charcuterie, cheeses, and pickled vegetables (not to mention chicharron!); the braised pork belly with breakfast radish, pickled mustard seeds, and apple sauerkraut; the short rib en sous vide, served with potato purée, maitake mushrooms, red wine sauce, and seasonal vegetables; the fried brussels sprouts with pancetta; and the wood fired scallop with potato pave, basil crème, corn pudding, and toasted pancetta croutons. The only thing I missed was the marinated yolk raviolo… but I sure didn’t miss out on the nitrogen infused ice cream and other desserts (a white chocolate mousse) as well as the in-​house brewed Mostra coffee. I only limited myself to the Chocolate Berry Port, the Merlot, and Urban Street Brown Ale, but what I had didn’t disappoint.
–Fun aside: the gals behind me couldn’t see the nitrogen ice cream demo… so they were watching my iPhone 6 screen as I was recording the initial nitrogen infusion. -
The highlight of the evening was having the room sing «Happy Birthday» to Maricela H. — last night wasn’t just an Elite Event; it was also her birthday! Glad to have been a part of her special day…
Great times with my fellow Unilocalers, including the Unilocal Godfather Jack M., Maria C., Arlene P., Judy S., Mel J., Vin C., Jeff S., Megan D., Micah P., and of course the birthday girl Maricela H. Special shout-​out to Chad C. and Omar S., who were attending their first ever Unilocal Elite Event — hope you liked the experience!
To the staff at The Cork and Craft, Abnormal Beer Company, and Abnormal Wine Company — thank you for being such gracious hosts (and for the pint glass)! Loved the venue; can’t wait to come back soon. To Trish and the NCSD Unilocal crew — thank you for a great event (and for the reuseable shopping bag, sunglasses, and water bottle)!
One Unilocal Elite Event down, two to go!

YES YES YES!!! I cannot seriously stop raving about this event! This definitely is the best YEE I have been to!
I’ve been wanting to try all the different breweries here in North County and let’s be honest, San Diego is known for their craft beer, so we’re all connoisseurs here. I love the amalgamation of an upscale brewery, rustic winery, and classy restaurant combination! As a HGTV interior designer wannabe expert, the industrial atmosphere mixed with the contrasting sparkling chandeliers along with that laid back all too familiar chill of San Diego classiness makes this place so love able.
After entering this place, we were introduced to their 4 foot long charcuterie board which with the help of the Unilocalers coached me on how to properly say charcuterie even though the wine got me more tongue tied. My favorite food has to hands down be the Short Rib and the next time I come here, I will definitely order that. Melt in your mouth goodness! Speaking of that, that liquid nitrogen Coffee Ice Cream was definitely melt in your mouth wonderful! Anything that involves science and fun done in funny exciting demonstration makes this nerdy girl over the Moon! It sure helped that the ice cream was delicious!
Loved mingling with old and new Unilocal faces and asking what wine they paired with the food plates! Not only that but I have to give a shout out to the amazing staff because all of them were super friendly and had no problem adorning you with their passion for Cork and Craft, which quite frankly isn’t that hard to do. It sure didn’t hurt that they were lookers! :P

Great Success!
When I pulled onto the side street I got a feeling I already knew why the Cork and Craft was prepping for a re-​launch. You’d never know it was there, and thats a shame because everyone in the area should!
An amalgamation of three businesses run by locals, the Cork and Craft is now greater than the sum of its parts. Composed of a brewery, winery and restaurant, one might expect the execution of all three to be akin to an Italian/​Chinese/​Mexican restaurant… Instead the three are integrated to perfection.
I’ve tasted many beer and wine pairings, but have never been offered both a complement and contrasting brew to an already exquisite hors d’œuvre. I tasted each with the pork belly and was impressed with both the quality of the beers and the knowledge of flavor needed for a such a great combination. History repeated itself at the braised short-​rib table with two excellent reds, my favorite being the complementing Cab. I think I melted into my chair a bit. The remaining foodstuffs were equally delicious and then some.
The establishment is actually quite spacious, although I don’t expect that to last once word gets around about this place. The décor and lighting are well thought out and balanced, and the staff for this event exuded a pride and passion that invited respect.
Although this is only my second Elite Event, I am already floored with the venues and execution, and I can’t stop emphasizing my fellow Elites in my description to friends. The sense of community and friendliness found here is as much a reason to keep coming back as the decadent food!

What an incredible night at the Abnormal Elite Event at Cork and Craft in Rancho Bernardo, looking at it from the outside I had no idea just how large this restaurant /​winery /​brewery /​bar actually is. The décor is ultra-​modern with ambient lighting setting your mind at ease as to enjoy the delicious wine and food. Everything including the kitchen is viewable from the main floor of the dining area, the bar backs to the large stainless steel brew towers where they brew their beer. Next to the bar area are more large stainless wine tanks where they make their own wine.
Speaking of wine it must be said that their No. 03 Merlot is fantastic, I have tried many different Merlots in my life and this was genuinely unique. This wine is silky with light tannins with very light oak notes. I enjoyed this wine so much I just had to purchase a bottle to take home for further enjoyment !!! This was my favorite part of the evening enjoying this wine and chatting with fellow Unilocalers about their opinions of the wines.
The food was incredible we were treated to a variety of cheeses and their cured charcuterie, short ribs, yolk raviolo, braised pork belly, wood fired scallops and an incredible desert including Nitro ice cream. This ice cream was seriously incredible among the best I have ever enjoyed.
For my very first Unilocal event this really was a special treat, I was able to meet so many people in a short time period all of whom greeted me with smiles. It truly was an honor to attend this event; I especially wanted to thank the owners of Cork and Craft along with Trish for putting this together.

A mirage of fine cheeses and in-​house cured charcuterie appeared as soon as I entered The Cork & Craft. Oh là là! I’m first in line! All this cheese is mine! J’aime du fromage!
But wait. There’s more! Miracles unfolded throughout the evening as the YEE continued. Wood Fired Scallops waited for me gently on a plate with potato-​parmesan pavé, basil crème and corn pudding. The scallops melted in my mouth, as they were perfectly cooked. Sinfully tender short ribs, bathed in red wine sauce, nestled joyfully next to maitake mushrooms and potato purée. This jewel of a dish was paired with No. 3 Merlot.
Braised pork belly was tickled with apple sauerkraut, radish & pickled mustard seed. Amazing what happens to salty fat pork, in the hands of a talented chef! Bravo, excellent pork belly! This piglet was paired with Urban street brown ale. Marinated Yolk Ravioli, brilliantly stuffed with bacon pâté and ricotta & Parmesan cheeses, was paired deliciously with a Chardonnay. Brussel sprouts bravely competed for attention.
Dessert topped off the evening, with a dark decaf Mostra coffee choice, to my delight. Nitro coffee ice cream with cake, white chocolate mousse, and fruit was just right.
I’m in awe of how elegantly this YEE progressed! From the moment we entered, we were pampered by smiling, professional staff serving gourmet foods, fine wines and brave beers. The food and drinks were so accessible that everyone relaxed and enjoyed the camaraderie. Cinderella’s very own fairy godmother floated down and waved her magic wand, and bejeweled gowns appeared on all the Elites. Well, not on the men. They were suddenly wearing tuxes, in the blink of an eye. Jack the Godfather wore a red rose in his lapel. I’m not sure if the photographer caught all this?
Six locals got together and combined their passions, and this collaboration gave birth to this elegant establishment, which combines a new restaurant, The Cork & Craft, with Abnormal Wine Company and Abnormal Beer Company. The winery, brewery, and restaurant all share one 5,000-square-foot location in lucky Rancho Bernardo. This place is already incredible, and it’s only been open for 2 weeks!
This restaurant, winery & brewery is going to get popular FAST! I can’t wait to make my reservation to return! Merci beaucoup, Trish S, and all of the owners and staff of The Cork & Craft, Abnormal Wine Co, and Abnormal Beer Co.

There is something to say about a place that provides great libations, but also for one that provides amazingly prepared food, paired with great people that run, work, and own such a place, because with all of that, well you have a winner in my book. Before I begin, I must thank Maria C. for bringing me food! What an awesome Elite…
This event provided San Diego’s finest Elite Unilocalers a smörgåsbord of mouth watering eats, from a perfectly prepared Wood Fired Scallop, seared to perfection (
) with a medium center, that could be served at any five star restaurant (
). The scallop was served with a tender baby corn and oddly enough, a terrific creamy scallop potato or potato «Pave.» We were also presented with a braised Short Rib En «Sous Vide» with potato purée, maitake mushrooms, red wine sauce, seasonal vegetables (
). This reminded me of comfort food, elevated to a high level of indulgence. The short rib had a nice exterior sear that provided great flavor and texture and a medium warm tender inside (
), and eaten intermix with the potato purée provided that supreme comfort.
The Pork belly was no doubt my favorite of the evening, not just because it was pork at its finest, but because it provided a mouthful of an experience. Aside from the belly being outstanding, the rich but subtle reduction sauce, beautifully laden on the plate, with richness and slurry like appeal, brought the pork belly to its finest (
). That smidget of a sauce made a world of a difference in the dish, not to mention the pickled mustard seeds that provided depth to the pork belly as well (
). The pork belly had the perfect amount of fat to meat ratio, that made the eating a playground in the mouth. I will not disclose how many I ate, after everyone had already had their fill. Hiccup… worth multiple trips. The execution of the pork belly was a thing of beauty. Well done Chefs…
Although I did not partake, I heard through fellow Unilocalers that the Marinated Yolk Raviolo was sinful and the cheese puff was bliss. I did however partake in the coffee ice cream (
), coffee which was provided by Jelynn Sophia’s Mostra Coffee, which was made on the spot via nitro, was full flavored and sent shivers up my spine, not because it was cold, but because its flavor was on point (
). By the way, that little dollop of white chocolate Mousse on top of the cake… heaven.
The wines, the champagne, and the Mostra Coffee were all just terrific, but what really impressed me the most were the smiles: smiles on ever server or employees in the house. I like to observe, and observe I did. What I saw was the up most respectful individuals, with welcoming and warm personalities, that made everyone feel valued and appreciated. My hat goes off to Rusty and Jelynn for their sincere hospitality and to the super efforts of the kitchen staff: a staff that needs to be proud of what they accomplished this evening.
Thank You Trish, for your uncanny ability, in putting such events together, and as I have always said, you are the exemplification of being classy. In fact, if there were an individual that wanted to learn how to be classy, your mentor ship would suffice.
North County Unilocal is reaching new heights indeed…

This was easily the best event of the year, can I get an Amen?!
Thank you Cork and Craft, I will never have to go to Karl Strauss again! The hubby and I usually head down to SD proper for good eats, and more recently del mar. Love Prepkitchen, but it’s a wee bit too far for a weeknight dinner to manage with getting kids to and fro sports and clubs. Cork and Craft just filled that little empty niche of my heart with their «Sous vide.»
The atmosphere is super chill, and the floor plan is so open. I was very impressed with the décor and the whole feel of the place. It’s also uplifting to know that us 30 somethings have the courage and the work ethic to pull off amazing things. Yay Millennials!
Gaston– amazing presentation, each ingredient really shined through here.
Short rib– mmmm, can really taste how long it’s been cooking, and the red wine sauce just pulled all the ingredients together.
Ravioli– delicate flavor and texture and great appetizer.
Pork belly– cooked to perfection and did not taste fatty at all.
Scallops– so generous, these babies were amazing and also loved the potato pave.
Nitro coffee– delicious and super cool presentation!
dessert was super yummy and I was very happy to get some more of that delicious coffee ice cream.
Thank you C&C and thank you Trish for pulling together such a great events. You will be seeing a lot of me.

I flew back in the nick of time!!! Glad I was able to attend this event after a couple of races in Northern California. What a way to celebrate 2 successful races! The location was ideal. The establishment was located right off of Rancho Bernardo Road and about a half mile from the freeway. Ample parking and really easily accessible!
Elites were welcomed with a glass of champagne and then a bed of goodies! Meats, cheeses and crunchies!!! So delicious!!!
I had sampling a of the short rib, scallop, coffee, dessert, cheese ball and the pork belly. Holy man was I stuffed. I only had 1 glass of wine (Pinot Gris), the light beer, and the champagne and had to call it quits.
My fave was the scallop. So smooth and delicious! I can’t wait to come back and try the regular menu.
The staff knew how to treat us Elites. Super friendly and attentive! They were truly on par with their service and food. The live music was awesome too.
Thanks Trish and Marina for making this happen! Love the intimacy of Elite Events and it didn’t feel crowded. Welcome to the new elite members and great to see my old schoolers! Until next time!!!