Alchemy | Choose Thy Poison opens this week A uniquely situated restaurant emerges in Logan Heights this week as Alchemy | Choose Thy Poison opens for lunch service, with dinner soon to follow. Though the all-outdoor space will function independently, it’s also connected to Hotel Narcissus, a six-room boutique hotel located at the base of the Coronado Bridge. The trio behind Alchemy includes Eduardo Cortes and Juan Saad-Quintana, who operated Mexican seafood spot Barracruda at the nearby Bread & Salt complex, and veteran chef Marcus Twilegar, a South Bay native and partner at Palmys in Pacific Beach who also runs pop-up at Saturday’s Tuna Harbor Dockside Market and a catering company of out of Parq Nightclub downtown. In the weeks leading up to its opening, the restaurant has been offering “community meals” to its neighbors, which feature a dish and a drink for $10. It’s a gesture that will continue to be extended on Alchemy’s lunch menu alongside other dishes served out of the kitchen’s walk-up window. Dinner will be a full-service experience in the hotel’s inner courtyard, which is decorated with works by local artists including the renowned De La Torre brothers. Opening dishes will include local fish crudo garnished with charred hibiscus salsa, pickled grapes, and Tajin furikake, a twist on zarandeado that uses Mexican shrimp instead of fish, and an aguachile negro that subs in charcoal-seared ribye for standard seafood. Along with local wine and creative low ABV and alcohol-free cocktails, the menu will include frequent specials, from fresh pasta to seasonal plates like spiny lobster served with crispy sunchokes, oranges, and salsa macha. Alchemy plans to expand into brunch and other culinary events, from guest chef dinners to penthouse parties with music, drinks, and tray-passed bites. Owner Benjamin Longwell, who also developed the Orchid in Normal Heights which houses White Rice Bodega, designed the Hotel Narcissus project with architect Jim Brown, founder of Bread & Salt. Longwell, whose office is at Bread & Salt, told Eater that he’ll be opening a private speakeasy steps away from the property that will be accessible to hotel guests. Steps leading upstairs. The view from an upstairs balcony. Aguachile negro. A cocktail and fish crudo. Oxtail tetelas. Spiny lobster. Sidewalk tables in front of the kitchen.