Open all day, the 1,401-square-foot space has both indoor and outdoor seating and offers a menu that ranges from fried lumpia to pho, ramen, Chinese congee, rice and noodle dishes and entrees including lemongrass shrimp and chicken and pork adobo. Votta is also overseeing Ginger Noodle Bar, a modern Asian eatery. Its upscale farm-to-table menu of California cuisine will be lead by executive chef Antonio Votta, who was most recently the executive chef of The MINA Test Kitchen, award-winning chef Michael Mina’s research and development lab before that, he was the chef de cuisine at Manhattan Beach’s acclaimed MB Post. The 3,896-square-foot signature restaurant, called Locale Kitchen and Lounge, serves lunch and dinner and features an enclosed patio, lounge and bar. Point Loma firm IGroup Design worked on the entire property, including the three fresh eateries. The grownups-only addition also includes three new dining options for guests and visitors. Officially opening today at Viejas Casino & Resort is Willows Hotel & Spa, a newly-built luxury tower, or hotel within a hotel, stacked with 159 suites, additional gaming space and spa facilities ranging from a saltwater pool to a salon and fitness center.
