It’s summer vacation so Buzz will take some time to play and tackle new projects while occasionally posting throughout the next few months.  Expect to see Buzz pushing beyond the San Diego boundaries to bring you food and travel news to inspire the wanderlust in all of us…from Los Angeles and New York to Paris and Prague (and beyond).   But first, news from San Diego:

Red Velvet Wine Bar in Little Italy closes tomorrow Saturday (as noted by a Keli Dailey tweet).  To answer Dailey’s question of “why”, Buzz talked with wine director Kyle Showen today to get the answer.  Bottom line:  Owner Wendy Segal wants time off and isn’t ready to recalibrate the staff as Kyle is moving to San Francisco where Katie Brookshire (opening wine director) now works.  Terrific chef Luke Johnson will be missed as will the very contemporary and grown-up spot for interesting wines and well-paired food.  We hope that Segal will not keep the place shuttered too long.

The Marine Room‘s dynamic duo Bernard Guillas (executive chef)  and Ron Oliver (chef de cuisine) nabbed two big awards at the IACP gala last night in Austin, Texas.  Their cookbook Flying Pans, Two Chefs, One World won the People’s Choice award along with best in the Chefs and Restaurants category (they beat chefs Rick Bayless and Michael Chiarello).  Congrats to Bernard and Ron.

On the move:  Ted Glennon leaves 1500 Ocean and Eno at the Hotel Del Coronado for  a new venture in Monterey, near Pebble Beach.   Coastal Luxury Management will soon open Restaurant 1833 in the building that originally housed Stokes Restaurant & Bar.  Glennon will direct the wine program.

Now that the news is finally out about El Bizcocho’s new executive chef, Nicolas Bour (he’s been in the post for a few months) the Rancho Bernardo Inn will likely re concept the long running  restaurant in the next few months for redesign and perhaps a name change to fit with Bour’s farm to table expertise.  In May, he’ll be in Kentucky for a major Derby fundraiser.

La Playa Bistro will open a cafe as Buzz noted back before they opened.  Owner Cindi Hoang said they expect to open the cafe late April or May.  Look for take-out sandwiches and other easy to-go items, including gelato, smoothies and more for the lunch crowd that doesn’t have time for a sit down meal.  Expect to see the crowded (and unsafe) intersection get a bit worse for noon time driving.

Bo-beau kitchen + bar gets everyone’s attention because it’s the latest Cohn venue housed in the redone Thee Bungalow in Ocean Beach.   If you like the French-inspired casual bistro interiors of Philippe Beltran (Vagabond and Bleu Boheme), you’ll find his third variation here where the many rooms are filled with all things old French.  Beltran’s got a whimsical sense of decorating humor:  Sit in the noisy bar and look up at the ceiling where you’ll see a huge canvas painting of a woman in white laying on a bed, legs seductively apart–Buzz hears the piece depicts a French prostitute.  Love the huge mirror on the far wall of the bar.

Two visits gave us hits and misses with the food that left us wondering how much young chef Katherine Humphus (trained in Paris) gets to assert her mark on the menu.  One imagines it can be difficult especially when the Cohn group of restaurants is known for less than stellar food that aims to please a tourist/convention diner.  Of the hits, try the very classic and good onion soup ($7) or the calamari fritti (watch the cherry pepper pieces that are spicy hot and fried with the tender squid that includes tentacles) that come with a zippy tomato/caper dipping sauce that could be the base for caponata ($9.50). Six escargots stay in the shell bathed in butter and garlic, a classic preparation though more garlic would give it a boost of flavor ($10.50)

Not impressed with the bland chicken fricassee with Brussels sprouts that needed more mustard (or Champagne) as the sauce promised ($17).  Flatbreads are more like pizza, thick crusted and baked as a rectangle, cut in fingers–ours touted chorizo and Serrano ham…flavors that got lost with the cheese and marinara sauce ($12).  An appetizer featuring crispy Brussels sprouts, pancetta, Parmesan with a balsamic glaze came with very al dente and not so crispy sprouts ($7).  And some (though not Buzz) like the cute idea for serving–in a brown paper bag– Sadie Rose sliced bread for the table.  Dinner from 4pm, 4996 W. Point Loma Blvd., Ocean Beach, 619-224-2884.