A new concept from a new local hospitality group is getting ready to make its debut soon in Point Loma, located at 1410 Rosecrans St.
Ian Ward and Danny Romero, two former workers at Addison, San Diego’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant, have officially created a new hospitality group called Service Animals, with the goal of developing projects that provide “excellence with a touch of whimsy” to San Diego, according to San Diego Magazine. The first concept from the new group will be Ponyboy, which is set to replace Charles + Dinorah within The Pearl Hotel. The new concept is expected to open this summer.
The new restaurant, which was initially called Heyday, will be inspired by 1950s and 1960s Palm Springs and feature era-specific classics within its food and drink menus. Customers can expect a mix of classic and whimsical options on the menu, including ambrosia salad, seasonal aspics, and chicken a la king, as well as a handful of fun desserts, such as Cherries Jubilee, Rocky Road ice cream, and root beer floats. The drink menu will have a similar feel of classic yet fun, featuring a variety of delicious cocktails such as Rob Roys and Sloe Gin Fizz.
This is an exciting development for The Pearl Hotel, which the Casetta Group redesigned in 2020. Once completed, the group hoped to reimagine the dining area within the hotel and reached out to Service Animals at the beginning of the year. While the group is currently remodeling the interior, the hotel and Ponyboy will work together to collaborate during special events, such as movie nights. For example, when the hotel shows Planet of the Apes, Ponyboy will offer banana splits, or during Western Wednesdays, the restaurant could offer fried chicken.
