On any given night, you’ll find a line of patrons waiting for a table at Le Papagayo, a popular restaurant on Coast Highway in Leucadia.
The Latin American-fusion eatery, which was opened in 2003, brings an eclectic menu to the beach town — a menu filled with dishes like pozole and paella.
The concept of Le Papagayo came to fruition by Francois Patanchon, a Frenchman, whose background is actually in the industrial industry.
“I moved from France to San Diego in 2000 to run a heavy duty equipment manufacturing company,” said Patanchon, 49. “I loved that company and the job, but I felt that I couldn’t really express my creativity.”
Patanchon said he wanted to explore the creative side he developed as a young boy in France. He said he enjoyed cooking for family and friends, using farm-fresh products, and wanted to bring that “farm to the table” concept to the region. He then opened Le Papagayo.
“For 10 years, I ran and operated my restaurant at the same time I was running the manufacturing company,” Patanchon said. “At that time, I worked at least 18 hours every day. This was my American Dream, and I don’t regret a minute of it.”
Now, 14 years after turning Le Papagayo into a North County favorite, Patanchon has a new venture on his plate. He’s the co-owner of Tapas & Beers, a downtown bistro that offers Spanish plates served with craft beers.
The restaurant, which opened this month, mixes locally sourced ingredients to bring dishes like a sausage plate, flatbreads, and beef sliders on Brazilian cheese bread. It’s a menu designed by Patanchon himself.
Patanchon said the goal of his new restaurant is to bring simplicity back to the San Diego food industry.
“I am not opposed to fine dining with sophisticated sauces or a sous vide type of cuisine, but this is not what I want to eat every day,” Patanchon said. “With Tapas, the idea is to go back to the source. Simple food, high quality local sources and the good combination between the ingredients and smaller plates.”
The menu is complete with a carefully selected beer menu. Patrons can expect 20 drafts on tap with 18 microbrewery varieties.
Although his time is limited, especially with his new restaurant venture, Patanchon said he still enjoys cooking for his friends and family during his spare time. In fact, they are the ones who inspire him to succeed in the ever-challenging food industry.
“Everything I was able to do since I moved to the U.S., I did it with the help of my friends and my staff who believed in my dreams, and helped me to accomplish them,” Patanchon said. “They are the ones who inspired me.”
Tapas & Beers is at 926 Broadway Circle in downtown San Diego.
