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Chef Colin MacLaggan will open Avenue 5 Restaurant & Bar in the Bankers Hill Area this August.

Avenue 5 features a sophisticated yet accessible menu that will offer American cuisine with a French flare. Drawing on his extensive global gastronomic experiences and training, Chef MacLaggan is able to put his own twist seasonal favorites.

"Good food does not have to be overly complicated," says Chef MacLaggan. "At Avenue 5, we'll focus on creating deliciously simple, first-rate fare around a seasonal selection of ingredients and prepared using classic French techniques."

These simple but exquisitely prepared and presented a la carte appetizers, entrees and desserts will showcase local ingredients at the peak of their perfection. Summer menu items will include "Pesce Alle Erbe Aromatiche" composed of marinated tuna in aromatic herbs, heirloom tomatoes and infused oils; a "Chevre and Artichoke Tart" and "New York Steak" with a crème fraîche potato puree, baby arugula, porcini vinaigrette and onion rings. The restaurant will also feature a full bar offering an international wine and beer selection along with signature cocktails and top shelf spirits.

The casual yet sophistic menu is also reflected on the restaurant's interior. A welcoming bar and lounge area will greet guests as they take in the elegant yet relaxed surroundings of Avenue 5's timeless interior. The décor features warm colors and materials, as well as a mixture of contemporary and classic furnishings. The banquette-lined dining room will offer guests comfort and intimacy while a collection of inviting tables and chairs are generously spaced through the middle of the restaurant. Guests will also be able to take a unique peek at the textured glass-enclosed kitchen.

Chef MacLaggan, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in London, began his career at London's Le Pont de la Tour and Cantina del Ponte, both restaurants highly celebrated by the world renowned Conran Restaurant Group. A San Diego Native, Chef MacLaggan then decided to return home to further hone his culinary skills in the kitchens of several restaurants such as Arterra, Mille Fleurs, Rancho Valencia and Bertrand at Mr. A's.

Chef MacLaggan is not alone in this restaurant venture. Joined by his long-time friend, local restaurant hospitality guru Nicholas Carbonne, these two will combine their expert knowledge of a restaurant's kitchen and dining room to provide Avenue 5 guests with a warm, welcoming neighborhood eatery that emphasizes both dining and service excellence.