by Frank Sabatini Jr.

A brilliantly unusual appetizer of ahi tuna at Kitchen 1540 in Del Mar leaves you wondering if fish and fowl are secretly mating on some moonlit beach in the wee hours of the night. Chef Paul McCabe uses a protein-binding enzyme to combine glistening cubes of the raw tuna with crisp, smoky duck skin. Their tissues are fused in seamless fashion, with the fat of the duck skin breathing new life into an otherwise common menu item.

Kitchen 1540 • 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar • 858-793-6460