Enlightened Hospitality focuses on 'social dining'

Former Top Chef finalist Brian Malarkey and business partner James Brennan are building a trio of concepts in San Diego based on a blueprint of “social dining” that they intend to multiply in other cities.

The partners in San Diego-based Enlightened Hospitality Group first created Searsucker, which opened in July, 2010, a 7,000-square-foot blend of a restaurant and lounge with a classic American menu in the city’s historic Gaslamp district.

Searsucker generated $8 million in sales in its first year — roughly double what was expected — and is projected to hit $11 million in its second year, Brennan said.

Last month, the two opened their second concept, called Burlap, in the more suburban San Diego neighborhood of Del Mar. With an “Asian-Cowboy” theme — Malarkey grew up on an Oregon horse ranch — the 9,000-square-foot Burlap did $795,000 in sales in its first 30 days, almost double that of Searsucker’s opening month, Brennan said.

In March or April next year, the two will open their third as-yet-unnamed concept — hint: the name will be a reference to fabric — in La Jolla, a high-end coastal neighborhood in San Diego County.

While still in gestation, No. 3 will have a neighborhood fish market theme, said Malarkey, who handles the culinary side — or an Italian theme, according to Brennan.

Once the three are open, Brennan said the plan is to start rolling them out to other cities that are “starving for cool,” such as Seattle, Atlanta, Houston, Denver or Sacramento.

“We are not looking in Los Angeles, Las Vegas or New York,” said Brennan, who separately also owns the San Diego nightclub Stingeree.

Though the three concepts, all designed by Thomas Schoos, are distinct, they share the same basic DNA with the notion of “social dining,” Brennan said.

The goal is to appeal to the demographic that doesn’t want to spend $1,000 on bottle service at a nightclub, but they still want a scene, along with hand-crafted cocktails and a great meal, Brennan said.

At Searsucker, for example, a bar is incorporated in the dining room, which has traditional tables, as well as lounge areas with couches.

A counter with bar stools lines an open exhibition kitchen, and the restaurant aims to be known for playing great music, with the lights dimming and music volume rising as the hour gets later.

At lunch, Searsucker shifts to a fast-casual format with a chalk board menu hanging above the hostess station where guest can put in their order and take a number. Food is delivered to the table.

Burlap has a similar format with a slightly higher average check — $50 per person at Searsucker and about $55 per person at Burlap.

The third also will have the same social dining emphasis.

Each restaurant will have a different menu designed to be flexible to appeal to various dining occasions.

At Searsucker, for example, the menu changes daily with what’s in season and includes both shareable and full-size entrée options ranging from the whimsical “cowboy caviar” — aka bull testicles — to filet mignon with lobster butter and cognac.

The fabric theme in the restaurants’ names started as a goof.

“Searsucker” stuck after Malarkey made a joke about wearing his seersucker suit to opening day at the Del Mar race track. The word “seersucker” also has roots in a Hindi word for “milk and honey,” Malarkey said. It is spelled with “sea” to indicate a seafood emphasis on the menu.

The partners plan to open three restaurants each year for the next five years, depending on which concept best fits the location. All three will work in one market, they say.

Brennan said the plan for growth is designed with some sort of liquidity event at some point, whether it be a buyer, going public or taking on a strategic partner.

And Malarkey, who previously was chef and operating partner of The Oceanaire restaurant in San Diego, said he’s not done developing new concepts yet.

“I’ve got possibly one more in my pocket,” he said.