Cafe Japengo

Japengo used to be the hot La Jolla singles spot for Thursday night. And luckily it is not anymore, because that means I can enjoy going an ANY night of the week without fear of running into throngs of hoity-toities.

This Asian restaurant with a Japanese emphasis is located beneath the Hyatt La Jolla, just between the University Town Center mall and Interstate 5. There is a valet parking lot and attendant at the door, or you can usually find street parking on the street before turning into the lot.

Ask for a booth, the screens that divide the booths make for an intimate dining experience. Up to 5 can fit in a booth – they’ll pull a chair up on the end if you ask.

Pretty much everything on the menu is good. The sushi rolls are worth experimenting with and the new head chef has been concocting some interesting delights, like salted steak filets.

But the best part about dinner at Japengo isn’t dinner at all. It’s dessert. They offer several dessert samplers, which I recommend for the un-initiated. The chocolate sin boasts an array of the chocolate dessert, including a few items not for ordering a la carte, like a chocolate dream shot – creamy ice cream with chocolate and Bailey's in an icy shot glass. The larger dessert sampler also includes delights unavailable to order on their own, like the root beer float served in a martini glass.

Of course if you want to focus in, the chocolate lava cake is hands down the best flour-less chocolate cake I’ve had ANYWHERE, and the small one on the sampler doesn’t quite get the texture right. The assorted brulees are also delish, as are the gelatos (though not quite as grandiose). I recommend the tawny port to accompany dessert, especially if you are having anything chocolate.

Cafe Japengo 8960 University Center Lane, San Diego, CA 92122 Tel. 858.450.3355