Could it be that Bankers Hill will become a sushi mecca with the addition of a well-known sushi restaurant signing up for space near Avenue 5 and the newly arrived Mukashi? And a few blocks south on Fifth Avenue at Juniper, Azuki Sushi is due to open at the end of July.

Jack’s La Jolla redid their upscale dining room to an Italian venture called Viaggio. The menu features chef Tony DiSalvo’s homemade pastas and much more. Haven’t tried it, as it apparently just opened with little fanfare.

La Jolla based Burger Lounge comes to Coronado and will open their third location at the end of July in the old Island Wok space at 922 Orange Avenue. If you want an organic beef burger with hand-cut in house fries, this is your place. To top it off, they are now one of a handful of green certified restaurants in San Diego.

The Cohn Restaurant Group, that many say sets the bar in the city for middle-of-the-road food and service aimed at the mass market/convention customer, is expanding. They’ve partnered with Sunroad Harbor Island (a subsidiary of Sunroad Enterprises) who just got the go ahead from the Board of Port Commissioners for a $9 million overhaul of the former Reuben E. Lee floating restaurant, currently at the end of Harbor Island. Located conveniently next to the Cohn owned restaurant, Island Prime, the LEED certified restaurant will be designed by Graham Downes Architecture whose eclectic portfolio includes Nine-Ten, Chive, and the redo of its sister property Laurel. Along with Lesley and David Cohn, chef/partner Deborah Scott will operate the Lee. Expect construction to begin late 2009 and finish about 2011.

While we’re on the subject of the Cohn collection, as Buzz reported in May, David’s supposedly best-kept-secret-that-everyone-knew-about is finally out. Hard Work, Inc. (Cohn Restaurant Group) signed a 10-year lease for The Corvette Diner to relocate to the old Officers Club at the Barnett entrance end of Liberty Station. Renovation is underway on the space. And further up the coast, in the coming-on-oh-so-hip Oceanside, the Cohns will open a steak and seafood place called 333 Pacific in the Wyndham Oceanside Pier Resort on Pier View Way and Pacific Street. Expect to see the restaurant open by the end of the year.

The Cohns join others who find Oceanside the newest area ripe for restaurant expansion. Old Town’s popular Harney Sushi just opened their second very contemporary spot on the corner of Mission and Cleveland close to the pier. They have a sake bar, lots of sushi rolls and more. The place was very hip and hopping at their opening just last night.

Jai by Wolfgang Puck (pronounced Jay and it means “heart” in Thai and “good luck dish” in Chinese) opens for dinner in the next few weeks. Located at the La Jolla Playhouse complex, the restaurant is fashioned after Puck’s West Los Angeles eatery Red Seven at the Pacific Design Center. The menu features dishes from Red Seven’s former executive chef, Yoshinori Kojima who will oversee Jai.

Had a chance to visit Mukashi with friends…very fresh sushi and other dishes. It’s a comfortable room with a wall water feature, nice sushi bar, chopsticks and black paper napkins. But…what’s the deal with a huge tv screen on the back wall of the sushi bar? Rather than enjoy the sushi chef, the eye from any part of the room can’t help but notice the sports (no sound) on tv. Has the ubiquitous tv become the new necessary “art” for a restaurant? A distraction to say the least, since not every restaurant bar needs to be a sports bar.

In the corner spot on Third and University that was Italian, then morphed to a Brazilian sports bar, then became a seasonal venture, soon goes Hawaiian as Hula’s Beach Bar & Grill moves in. And no, it is not part of the TS Restaurant Group that owns Jake’s in Del Mar and Hula Grill in Hawaii.

Gemelli Italian Grill on Laurel at Fifth Avenue closed about a month ago. Sad, since the area is picking up steam with new and familiar places all around it: Avenue 5, Mukashi, Laurel, Modus, Extraordinary Desserts and others.

Two new additions to San Diego’s restaurant scene: Mukashi in Bankers HIll at the corner of Nutmeg and Fifth finally got their door open last week. Hope to try it soon. Call for dinner reservations: 619-298-1329.

Cardamom Cafe & Bakery in North Park is the newest addition for breakfast, lunch and bakery goods. They’re located at the interesection of 30th and Upas. They serve breakfast all day–a short menu of eggs, pancakes, cardamom sour cream coffee cake along with sandwiches and salads in the afternoon. Buzz looks forward to trying both places.

Once again, chef Gavin Kaysen garnered a top culinary award.  This time it was the James Beard award for Rising Star Chef of the Year. Quite an honor as it is given to a chef, under 30 years old, who “displays an impressive talent and is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in the years to come.” In case you missed Kaysen in San Diego when he cooked at the Rancho Bernardo Inn’s El Bizcocho, now you’ll find him doing his magic at Cafe Boulud in New York.

A wonderful new restaurant named Roseville opened last week in the Point Loma community known as Roseville–one of the first areas settled by Louis Rose in the mid 1800’s. It’s the first restaurant for George Riffle, long known in this town from his stints managing the original Laurel Restaurant & Bar to opening Blanca in Solana Beach and Ivy Hotel in the Gaslamp.

He and his wife Wendy took the space next to the Point Loma-Shelter Island Drug store at Rosecrans and Canon that, in the 1960’s, was the gourmet market called Jurgensens. After the market closed, Italian restaurants came and vacated. Now Roseville brings to the area French-Mediterranean brasserie food and an eclectic wine list. The transformed space features booths, banquettes, a beer and wine bar and open kitchen–a lively room with a comfortable decibel level.

Executive chef Amy DiBiase, a graduate in culinary arts and food service management at Rhode Island’s Johnson & Wales University, gives a talented hand to the kitchen. She worked with Riffle and under then executive chef Jason Shaeffer at Laurel to eventually become top toque. When Laurel sold, she moved to Baleen at Paradise Point resort and now Roseville. Pastry chef Heather Fangon rounds out the original Laurel team with desserts that wow, now at Roseville.

And the food? It’s terrific. The Buzz disclaimer: I know the Riffles, DiBiase and Fangon, and have followed them since their days at Laurel many years ago.

Of the recent meals I have eaten with friends (and yes, I paid), the classic duck confit with shell beans (currently cranberry beans) comes with crisp skin and well-seasoned beans cooked with smoky bacon. Or, try the lighter flat iron steak, sliced and served on bed of cherry tomatoes with French feta cheese and light vinaigrette. Start with Carlsbad mussels steamed with flavorful fresh fennel and finished with a fresh herb salsa…and use a piece of Con Pane’s bread to sop up the juices. A deliciously zippy spring salad brings all fresh fava beans, corn kernels and blanched artichoke hearts mixed with an addictive grainy mustard dressing. Lamb, scallops, halibut, veal cheeks, daily specials and sides of frites, asparagus and other seasonal vegetables round out the menu. Ethereal desserts include a lemon chiffon parfait, a dark chocolate pot au crème and more. Service still has a few minor bumps, but the polish is nearly there-small things to be expected in a restaurant open not even a week. Prices range from $6 to $30. Roseville, (website soon) 1125 Rosecrans in the Village of Point Loma, 619-450-6800 for reservations. Dinner from 5:30pm, Closed Sunday

Last week chef James Montejano parted company and moved on from his opening gig at the popular downtown Asian-inspired Jade Theater. No news on where he’s going to land. Chef George Anthony (who worked at Cafe Cerise with Jason Seibert) will bring his French/Asian influence to the restaurant’s menu while keeping some Montejano favorites such as the Jade Bites.

Speaking of Jason Seibert, he’s been on the road with Wolfgang Puck. Could he be in training for Puck’s soon-to-open eatery at the La Jolla Playhouse? Stay tuned.

Over at Currant in the Sofia Hotel, Jonathan Pflueger, whose name remains on the restaurant though nowhere on the website, departed and in his stead Geoffrey Yahn moves up from sous chef to executive chef.

Regardless of price, it seems that high-end wine dinners are all the rage. Even if $200 per person for a Rhone wine dinner seems steep, wine geeks will love this lineup at Winesellar & Brasserie’s June 5th event. Four courses and six spectacular wines that include 2006 Yves Cuilleron, Les Chaillets, Condrieu, 1996 Chapoutier, Le Pavillon, Ermitage and many others. For reservations and information call 858-450-9557.

And by the way, another well attended $200 dinner took place at Blanca where Caymus wines were paired with seven courses from chef Wade Hageman.  Buzz heard about this dinner from an attendee who raved about it….

Rather spend your money for a good cause? Then check out the Wine & Roses charity event on Sunday, June 8 at the Westgate Hotel. $65 per ticket before June 5 and $75 at the door. It’s a terrific outdoor event (Buzz has been to a couple) with food and wine from many of San Diego’s best restaurants and wine purveyors.

Encinitas wine lovers now have Ed Moore’s second The 3rd Corner location in the Lumberyard shopping center. Buzz loves the original spot in Ocean Beach–great wine selection with an educated staff to help you choose your favorites. 897 South Coast Highway, Encinitas, 760-942-2104.

Taste tequila from Herradura at The Palm restaurant on June 12. The dinner is $95 plus tax and tip. For reservations: Cathy DeLeon, 619-702-6500.

San Diego’s East Village has a new place to dine. Cowboy Star (link not working as of this post) opened last week on 10th Avenue between G & Market. According to the menu notes executive chef and co-partner Victor Jimenez is “committed to supporting local and regional farmers, fishers and producers by cooking food that recaptures the simple and pure tastes found in locally grown, natural and organic ingredients….” He features Meyer natural beef and hand-cut steaks from their butcher shop including a 14- ounce grass fed American bison rib eye from Oregon ($34) and a 21 day aged 40-ounce porterhouse for two ($82). If meat isn’t your thing, you’ll find buttermilk fried sweetbreads with green apple-savory slaw ($11), roasted cauliflower soup with toasted caraway seeds and truffle oil essence ($8) and a long-braised rabbit leg with house cured pancetta, carrot risotto and red radish ($26). The interior is cowboy leather, wood, white table linen, open kitchen and cozy bar seems at first glance quite a comfortable setting. Buzz hopes to get there soon. 640 Tenth, San Diego, (619) 450-5880. Lunch weekdays; Dinner Tuesday to Saturday and Sunday brunch.

Lots of action over in North Park as Sea Rocket Bistro moves into The Linkery’s original spot on 30^th just off Upas. Expect them to start serving June 1, using lots of local seafood and other ingredients, including a sea urchin bisque…The Linkery moved down the street on 30^th to a larger space and just reopened last weekend.

Over in the Roseville-Point Loma area, the nine year-old Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe now serves Buzz’s favorite coffee: Calabria from the coffee house and roastery that is a mainstay on 30^th just north of University. Now Pont Lomans can enjoy the bakery’s breads breakfast pastries, sandwiches and cookies with a terrific cup of java. Con Pane, corner of Canon and Rosecrans, Closed Wednesday, 619-224-4344.

Speaking of Roseville, Roseville the restaurant opens late next week across the street from Con Pane and immediately next to the well-known Point Loma Shelter Island Drug. Reservations: 619-450-6800

And for chocolate lovers, The Elegant Truffle, just around the corner from Roseville on Scott Street and Canon, serves up luscious house-made caramels, truffles and feather light angel food cake, cookies and more. 1111 Scott Street, 619-222-1889.