Pala opens new restaurant/lounge Bar Meets Grill

PALA – Continuing its $170 million expansion and renovation, Pala Casino Spa & Resort recently opened Bar Meets Grill, a new restaurant/lounge concept, in the space that formerly housed its CAVE lounge and restaurant.

Bar Meets Grill offers a casual California cuisine menu. It opens at 11 a.m. daily and during lunch offers a wide variety of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and salads. Dinner begins at 5 p.m. and the menu includes popular CAVE entrees plus select pasta and entrée options created by chef Anila Kurti.

The bar provides a wide variety of specialty cocktails and spirits, a selection of craft beers and over 50 wines by the glass. Happy Hour is from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily with premium beer, $3; wines by the glass, $4; craft beer, $5, and specialty cocktails, $8.

Happy Hour appetizers include Pala’s world-famous Luis Rey’s street tacos, avocado fries, chef Anila’s special meat balls, ravioli of the day, and made-to-order flatbreads. The bar also serves appetizers that are available from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Pala’s popular underground wine CAVE will continue to operate in its location and offer guests its extensive wine inventory of more than 480 domestic and imported labels while continuing to feature popular stand-up comedians, jazz and R&B solo artists, duos and trios.

The CAVE also will continue to host elegant wine dinners and tastings sponsored by the top vintners in California and special tasting events like paint and sip parties.

Bar Meets Grill’s popularly-priced lunch menu includes appetizers such as shrimp cocktail, stuffed mushrooms, seared ahi tuna, baked prosciutto and mozzarella, fried calamari and avocado fries. Sandwiches and burgers include not only many favorites but also a Kobe burger and California cheese steak. Pizza your way allows guests to build their own with a choice of three toppings. Salad selections include the classic Caesar with chicken, ahi tuna or salmon; seared herb crusted ahi tuna arugula and Chinese chicken as well as the bar offerings and over 50 wines by the glass.

The dinner menu offers all that and more including entrees such as seared rib eye, prime beef, lobster Oscar, grilled pork chops, chicken Milanese or chicken parmesan with angel hair, egg plant parmesan and halibut fish and chips.

“Bar Meets Grill is yet another unique dining experience at Pala that also offers beautiful views of the Palomar Mountains," said Pala chief executive officer Bill Bembenek. "Its California casual menu can satisfy the tastes of all our guests.”