Phillip Esteban, an award-winning chef who was born and raised in National City, is getting ready to open a new location of his White Rice restaurant in Sorrento Valley at 9955 Barnes Canyon Rd.
The company’s fourth location, and third in San Diego, is set to move into a new development coming to the former home of Courtney’s, according to documents submitted to the San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality. It’s unclear when this White Rice location is expected to open, but it appears to be a part of a more significant development that includes a new location in Puesto. When the new site opens, customers can expect Silog, a class of Filipino breakfast dishes containing sinangag (garlic fried rice) and itlog; house favorites, such as Ube Pandesal, Lumpia Shanghai, and Lumpiang Gulay.
A fourth location, following sites in Liberty Station, Normal Heights, and Los Angeles’ Montebello location, proves impressive for the business owner, who was exposed to the power of hospitality through his travels. Once Esteban returned to San Diego, he saw an opportunity to marry his broad experience and draw from the memories, flavors, colors, and diversity of Filipino food to explore his own story. Now, he will be able to expand his offering.
“Our identity is an ever-evolving sense of self that is shaped by our past, our heritage, and our present experiences,” according to the company’s website. “It allows us to speak from a place of authenticity in the things we create and leave behind for generations. The evolution of White Rice was inspired by childhood memories, grounded in identity and now maturity of time. The new menu will contain an eccentric view of that growth.”
