Set the Scene
Buttercup yellow double doors beckon amidst nondescript office buildings to chef Travis Swikard's new restaurant, Fleurette. If you're familiar with Callie, Swikard's award-winning restaurant in downtown San Diego, this space is more flirty and feminine, with colorful pastels and jewel tones throughout. The two restaurants are similar in size, but Fleurette feels more intimate. It features a 12-seat marble and copper bar flanked by four U-shaped olive leather booths just beside the host stand, along with a main dining room overlooking the open kitchen, and a glass-enclosed 24-seat heated patio.
Diners are well-dressed, with a lithe, athletic elegance. We spotted Olympic medalist and rugby superstar Ilona Maher showing off toned arms in a strapless coral dress on a weekend girls' night out.
What’s the Food Like
Swikard describes his cooking as “cuisine du soleil,” blending the beachy vibes and flavors of Southern France with San Diego's year-round Mediterranean climate and lifestyle. While Callie is more rustic and broadly Mediterranean, encompassing North African, Spanish and Turkish influences, Fleurette zeroes in on the French and Italian Riviera for nouveau riffs–think classics like vol-au-vent, barbajuans, bouillabaisse, and parsley-crusted rack of lamb.
The entire restaurant is built around an enormous Athanor cooking suite built in Lyon, allowing Swikard to flex his French fine dining chops honed from a decade in New York working under Daniel Boulud. Count on perfectly rendered dry-aged duck à l'Orange and côte de bœuf cooked with steakhouse precision.
Vegetarians and pescatarians will be more than satisfied, thanks to Swikard's close relationships with local purveyors. An ostensibly simple snack of poached Sage Hill Ranch Gardens veggies with airy aioli shows remarkable restraint, while San Diego bouillabaisse highlights fresh daily catch. Oeufs & eggs is a revelatory slam dunk of luxury ingredients – black truffle soft scrambled eggs, naturally sweet San Diego uni, sherry sabayon, and an optional half ounce of kaluga caviar all served in an eye-catching purple sea urchin shell.
Let’s Talk About the Drinks
Lead bartender James Roe created cocktails named after coastal destinations in France, Italy and nearby Southern California, with corresponding spirits. Take the creamy floral Encinitas, made with California brandy infused with fresh marigold flowers and Bar Agricole's dry curaçao made with California oranges, along with housemade orgeat. The wine list is excellent too, with a robust selection of French and Californian wines by the glass, and several hundred different wines by the bottle.
Final Thoughts
Swikard's second restaurant is arguably even better than his first, thanks to a dream kitchen capable of consistently executing more detailed and technique-driven French fare. Fleurette is poised to become one of San Diego's quintessential restaurants, capturing peak season ingredients with bright, clean cooking.
Fast Facts
Location: La Jolla, San Diego County
Cuisine: French-Italian Riviera
Pricing: $$
Takes Reservations: Yes – OpenTable
Our Favorite Dishes on the Menu: Oeufs and eggs, San Diego bouillabaisse, crispy chickpea panisse and lavender honey semifreddo
Hours: From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Monday.
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San Diego, California, United States
