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The Surf Dogarita Special!
En Fuego Cantina & Grill invites you all to the Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon Kick-Off Party!

For the whole month of August, En Fuego Cantina & Grill in Del Mar will be serving the Surf Dogarita!

For each margarita purchased, $1 will go towards benefiting Helen Woodward Animal Center's Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon!

Event:
On Wednesday, August 24th, En Fuego Cantina & Grill is hosting a fun night of food, drinks and dancing to get everyone pumped up for Surf Dog! 10% of all the proceeds from the evening will benefit Helen Woodward Animal Center's Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon. It's going to be a great night so we hope to see everyone there!

Event Time: 6 PM - 10 PM

En Fuego is located at:
1342 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA 92014
(858) 792-6551

The restaurants at the Del Mar Plaza

1555 Camino del Mar, Del Mar. delmarplaza.com

If you’re mapping out places to eat, sip and move on, make sure to hit this plaza. It’s the epicenter of the action. Hosting its first Opening Day party, Pacifica Breeze Cafe (second level; (858) 509-9147) offers two drink tickets, bites and live jazz for $40. Upstairs at Pacifica Del Mar (third level; (858) 792-0476), a $20 cover gets you two drinks at its renovated bar; no cover with your dinner reservation. Neighboring Flavor Del Mar (third level; (858) 755-3663) lets you into the lounge with a $20 cover (drinks not included); Chef Jason Maitland's $55 three-course dinner requires reservations. Flavor’s new wine-bar refuge, Sip, is expected to be open around this time.

En Fuego Cantina and Grill

1342 Camino del Mar, Del Mar. (858) 792-6551 or enfuegocantina.com

This place channels old Mexico, caters to a casual and festive crowd, and doesn’t charge an Opening Day cover. So the line into this bi-level cantina usually snakes down the sidewalk. The day doubles as En Fuego’s 16th anniversary party. Outdoor seating and happy hour every day from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Kitchen 1540

L’Auberge Del Mar, 1540 Camino del Mar, Del Mar. (858) 793-6460 or laubergedelmar.com/kitchen1540

Loaded with chic locals, Kitchen 1540 will greet Opening Day with a new look. The cabanas are still there, but expect a more expressive décor and a more progressive menu from talented chef Paul McCabe. In fact, the menu is so progressive that it's an unwritten, tasting menu filled with unconventional proteins. We're looking forward to this one. The Opening Day after party is $100, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, July 20. Find out more here.

Arterra

San Diego Marriott Del Mar, 11966 El Camino Real, Del Mar. (858) 369-6032; arterrarestaurant.com

Urban oasis, craggy bluffs, giant lounge chairs, fire pits, and the after-the-races scene on July 20 will have specials on cocktails like the sweet bourbon drink on the rocks, the Racetrack. DJ Sachamo spins, chef Tony Miller cooks.

Burlap

12995 El Camino Real, Del Mar. burlapdelmar.com

For $150 it's "a dragon’s share of food and drink" at chef Brian Malarkey's latest invention - Asian Cowboy cuisine. This will be San Diego's first peek at the new ambitious North County restaurant (with two bars). Party starts at 6 p.m., goes until midnight, has a DJ, food stations, open bar and real jockeys on its guest list. Click here for tickets.

Market Restaurant + Bar

3702 Via de la Valle, Del Mar. (858) 523-0007 or marketdelmar.com

Muscle your way into the lounge for Market’s Millionaire Mojito made with champagne. Be prepared to hold your plate of cabernet-braised short ribs, unless you snag a table to enjoy chef-owner Carl Schroeder’s magic.

Poseidon Restaurant

1670 Coast Blvd., Del Mar. (858) 755-9345 or poseidonrestaurant.com

Don’t let the shimmering ocean and patio on the sand fool you — this waterfront restaurant is the opposite of serene, with lots of spirited locals getting merry. Happy hour is 4 to 6:30 p.m., and it’s half-priced wine Wednesday. RSVPs are recommended.

Red Tracton’s Steakhouse

550 Via de la Valle, Solana Beach. (858) 755-6600 or redtractonssteakhouse.com

A supper-club feel and the place to be seen mauling a massive “Sinatra” sirloin steak after the races. Located right across from the racetrack, Red Tracton’s has pulled in winners and colorful characters since the ’80s. RSVPs are recommended.

Sbicca Del Mar

215 W. 15th St., Del Mar. (858) 481-1001 or sbiccabistro.com

Owner Dan Sbicca calls this big customer bonanza his “Christmas in July!” Find yourself a patio seat, nuzzle up with some wine and your honey, and watch the parade making its way from the plaza to the waterfront.

Like the thoroughbreds, the people aren’t stationary on Opening Day. Some other party stops: Jake’s Del Mar, The Brigantine - Del Mar, Zel’s Del Mar, Pamplemousse Grille (check out chef Jeffrey Strauss' Jockey Dinner August 11) Prepkitchen, Bully’s North, and Jimmy O’s Sports Bar.

keli.dailey@uniontrib.com • (619) 293-1541 Twitter @kelidailey

Boasting a new venue and a mix of new performers and returning favorites, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club sees even bigger things from its popular Summer Concert Series during the 2011 racing season that starts Wednesday, July 20.

Three weekend special concerts are scheduled led off by “Ziggy Marley salutes the Legends of Reggae” on Saturday, July 30, followed by the return of Weezer on Saturday, August 6 and concluding with Ben Harper on Sunday, September 4. The groups slated to perform following the seven “Four O’Clock Friday” racing programs are G-Love & Special Sauce (July 22), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (July 29), The Bravery (Aug. 5), Jimmy Eat World (Aug. 12), Devo (Aug. 19), The Airborne Toxic Event (Aug. 26) and Fitz & The Tantrums (Sept. 2).

Highlighting the stakes roster for the 21st straight year is the track's showcase event, the $1-million Pacific Classic, which this year will be offered on Sunday, August 28. The mile and one-quarter for 3-year-olds and up will be the richest and most prestigious of 31 "major" -- or "advertised" -- stakes planned for the summer stand. The 31 stakes will have total purse values of $6,075,000. Additionally, the racing headquarters first opened by entertainment titan Bing Crosby and his Hollywood pals back in 1937 also will stage 11 "overnight" stakes with a value of $935,000, bring the total stakes incentives for the session to $7,010,000.

And don't forget - the perfect end to a day of racing or a night of music is visiting En Fuego before you go home. Celebrate your big win or drink to the one that got away. Either way your spirits will brighten as you hang out in our courtyard and have a good old fashion fiesta with your amigos.

Join the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) at La Tienda, the wine bar at En Fuego Cantina and Grill in Del Mar for a celebration of summer, sports and challenged athletes! Enjoy the special "skinny" Athlete Margarita, tasty appetizers, live music, and a coupon for 50% off an XTERRA wetsuit. It is sure to be a night to remember with new friends to meet, including some of CAF's inspirational athletes! En Fuego and La Tienda will donate $1 for every Athlete Margarita ordered and 10% of the evening's sales to CAF. Come thirsty and get ready for some fun!

This popular outdoor cantina can be a cozy nightspot for two or hold a party of 200.

Upstairs dining affords a view of Del Mar passersby and a more intimate dining experience. Downstairs is where the action is, with a nice-sized bar and tables scattered about a breezy courtyard.

Happy hour specials... more

This popular outdoor cantina can be a cozy nightspot for two or hold a party of 200.

Upstairs dining affords a view of Del Mar passersby and a more intimate dining experience. Downstairs is where the action is, with a nice-sized bar and tables scattered about a breezy courtyard.

Happy hour specials abound, and the singles, couples and office-partiers, let out on a Friday, file through the door. (SignOnSanDiego.com)

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