A.R. Valentien

If you want to sit down to a great meal, head to Forbes Travel Guide Recommended restaurant A.R. Valentien. The eatery is tucked inside the first floor of The Lodge at Torrey Pines; make a right after the concierge desk when you enter the hotel’s stained-glass doors.You should know that the San Diego restaurant is tucked inside The Lodge at Torrey Pines in the upscale La Jolla neighborhood, considered to be the Beverly Hills of San Diego County. So even the most casually dressed diners will look polished.When you walk into A.R. Valentien, you’ll see a homage to California Craftsman design, which is consistent with The Lodge at Torrey Pines, where the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended restaurant is housed. Inside the San Diego restaurant, you’ll find a metal-strap post-and-beam structure, handcrafted wood-framed windows, Tiffany-style lanterns dangling from above and a frieze adorned with pine boughs. La Jolla'sThe Lodge at Torrey Pinesmay be best known for its golf, but its much lauded restaurant, A.R. Valentien, gives the sport a run for its money.Named after a Craftsman-style California artist, the dining room is a showcase of stained-glass lighting and Mission-style furnishings. It also shows off its pride of place with large windows overlooking the 18th hole and a clubby, timbered style.The quality of the ingredients is a focus of chef Jeff Jackson, who delivers standout traditional American cooking. It isn’t just happenstance that the restaurant is on the 18th hole — it does serve as the ideal 19th hole.