**Wine lovers rejoice:  The wine bar at Fifty-Seven Degrees (on Hancock at Washington in the old Pier 1 Imports building) opens March 5 with a stellar group behind the bar.  At the helm is Sheila Tracy (the original Laurel and Farmhouse Café) who enlisted three top wine tenders:  Billy Spain (original Laurel), Cindy Bartelli (Crush) and Christopher J. Hile (Ivy Hotel).  The wine store features the expertise of Brian Farres (original Wine Bank).

**Downtown, Bacchus Wine Market is a hidden gem, with good tastings and a retail shop.  In the East Village, Toast Enoteca joins the wine bar market with a contemporary and comfortable room, complete with those serve yourself, credit card type wine dispensers (and many more behind the bar).  Best of all there is an Italian- inspired food menu that goes beyond a cheese plate. Little Italy is a hotspot for wine bars including Enoteca Style (on India between Ash and Beech) where the menu has panini’s, some salads from their sister restaurant Salad Style (on F near 8^th), wine and beer.

**Two blocks away on Union between Ash and Beech Extraordinary Desserts dispenses more than delectable desserts.  New the first week in March are ports, Madeira and other libations that complement the sweet and savory menu. Worth a trip for a nightcap after the symphony or a night on the town. Or start the day there with coffee and pastry.

Changes: Venice, in UTC has closed and it’s all about location, location, location. Office buildings that garner the lunch crowd cannot be guaranteed the same at dinner.  Crescent Heights (shuttered last year) was a terrific downtown restaurant on a Broadway corner with access mainly through the lobby of a large office building not close enough to catch the Gaslamp or convention crowd.

Ivy Hotel is now Andaz San Diego, and part of the Hyatt’s upscale boutique properties.  We’re hearing executive chef Nathan Coulon will continue to oversee Quarter Kitchen, that features local ingredients that become terrific menu items.  Coulon is a member of Cooks Confab, a group of talented chefs here in San Diego.

**We’re hearing that Five Guys Burgers & Fries will be opening a second San Diego location in Liberty Station near Vons.  North Island Naval Station already enjoys these burgers—the franchise began in Virginia.  No opening date set for the new site.

**Smashburger, chose La Jolla as its first entry into the soon-to-be saturated San Diego market.  Expect the store to open in the next few weeks. Note to Smashburger…Do we really need three daily teaser tweets before you’ve sold your first burger in this market?

**In the space next to the empty Jack’s La Jolla on Girard, Cups serves organic cupcakes in two sizes: petite (three-bites) and large (six plus bites). Buy five get the sixth free—$2 each for small, $4 for large.  For a treat anytime, the flourless chocolate decadence is moist and worth every crumb.  Flavors change daily (the website has the weekly schedule) and they’re open late

**In Hillcrest, The Big Easy takes over in the The Better Half space while just around the corner on Fourth next to Tapas Picasso, Kips Café has reopened after relocating from El Cajon.  Haven’t tried either yet, as both opened in the past few weeks.  Down the road on Adams Avenue, Café 21 now offers dinner in addition to breakfast and lunch.

**Bankers Hill will soon welcome Isabel Cruz and Barrio Star in the space that housed the short lived Mukashi at Nutmeg and Fifth.   And down the hill on Fourth and Ivy, Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant opens in March, the second venue for Market Restaurant + Bar’s Carl Schroeder (Buzz noted in October).

**Love lasagna, live in Scripps Ranch and hate to cook?  You’re in luck  as Lady Lasagna opens in Scripps Ranch with another location soon in the North County Mall.  Various lasagnas include Genova (pesto) and Alba (with truffles).  Check out the pictures on their website.  Haven’t tried it yet.

**Rainwater’s on Kettner a San Diego steak and seafood institution for 20 plus years will close New Year’s eve.  It’s all about the over-crowded market that is the Gaslamp, and the desire to reopen closer to their clientele, many of whom live in La Jolla. Buzz will keep you posted when they find their new location.

**Euro Food Depot is new and primarily an e-commerce business specializing in hard to find foods from France and Europe.  During the holidays, they are open to the public Saturday, December 12^th and 19^th (9:30am to 3pm) and Wednesday, 23^rd and 30^th (3:30pm to 6:30pm). They are committed to selling rare imported foods at competitive prices (after all, they are a depot…) and can special order products as well.  Expect to find (as I did) sherry vinegar, a variety of French mustards, olives oil and cornichons, boudin noir and boudin blanc and other sausages, pates, prosciutto and a growing selection of cheese from France. After the first of the year they will sell online. 6370 Lusk Blvd., #F102, 858-452-9200.

**In  La Jolla, those who love to cook their own steak while smoozing at the grill with friends, can now do it at the latest Cohn restaurant, La Jolla Strip Club, in the old Trophy’s location in UTC.  With nearly 100 vodkas, all of which are $7, and a fun big bar, as well as a couple of pool tables on the patio, this venue speaks to the 21 to 45 year-old demographic. 4282 Esplanade Ct., in the Costa Verde Shopping Center. 858-450-1400.  Open for lunch weekdays, dinner daily.

**San Diego is a tough place to find good take out food that doesn’t come from a large supermarket.  The tiny PrepKitchen is worth noting and does some very good food for takeout or casual patio dining.  This is Whisknladle’s second location and both places feature seasonal, local and artisanal dishes. Buzz recently bought  a pine nut and raisin spiked eggplant caponata with the vegetables finely diced and not overcooked, a gently truffled chicken salad with raisins and a faro salad with grapes and walnuts and a drop dead chocolate brownie topped with  salted caramel…an intense and very good dessert.  PrepKitchen also features sandwiches, green salads, soups and entrees such as PK meat loaf with beef, Fontina cheese mushrooms and fresh herbs ($13.50), roasted fresh catch ($17.95) and hand made pasta at market price, among others. While the salads or snacks as they are called are all quite good, my only minor note would be the overuse of raisins, nuts and grapes in each. They carry Framani cured meats (though they also make their own that you’ll find at Whisknladle) and a few artisanal cheeses—a cheddar from Fresno and a lovely French sheeps milk.  Their cheeses are $5 per quarter pound; those  snacks are all $5 for 8 ounces, enough to serve two and the entrees all come with a side of vegetables or starch. 7556 Fay Ave, across from Vons, 858-875-7737. Open from 11am to 9pm.