Lilo. Over the past five years, chef Eric Bost (formerly of Auburn and Guy Savoy), along with his business partner John Resnick, has transformed Carlsbad into a bona fide dining destination. Since decamping from Los Angeles in 2020, the chef has settled into the idyllic beachside community, running a pair of Michelin-starred restaurants, Jeune Jolie and Lilo, as well as more casual spots, Campfire and Wildland. Lilo is Bost’s most ambitious project to date. With only 22 seats and a winding menu of a dozen courses, it’s an intimate culinary affair that clocks in at just under three hours. What to order Lilo’s $265 tasting menu goes heavy on seafood sourced from both coasts. Plates tend toward familiar ingredients and flavors but with a few twists to keep diners guessing, such as a Maine lobster tail paired with Mission figs, dried chiles, and expertly laminated brioche for sopping.  A dainty quenelle of orgeat ice cream topped with an even daintier quenelle of kaluga caviar has been on the menu since day one — the whole thing drizzled with almond oil and, for $60 more, a shaving of Italian white truffles when in season. Splurge on the upsell if truffles compel you, but the dish remains memorable with or without the pricey flourish.  A small selection of la carte aperitifs and bubbles accompany the parade of amuse-bouche served on the patio. Lilo offers four pairing options to accompany dinner: traditional ($190), Champagne ($290), non-alcoholic ($110), and hybrid ($165), which includes wine, sake, and enchanting, booze-free elixirs. The zero-proof options are worth exploring — cherry-spiked chilled coffee served alongside the Maine lobster is phenomenal. The vibe San Diego’s laidback energy echoes inside Lilo’s four walls. The horseshoe-shaped chef’s counter gives every diner front row seats to the open kitchen, while a lo-fi sound system pumps out upbeat Gen X tunes like The Cure. Cooks deliver each course: spooning sauces, arranging garnishes, and engaging in as much or as little conversation as diners desire.  Insider tip Before dinner commences, settle in for a drink at all-day restaurant Wildland, which is attached to Lilo. The cocktail list boasts fun riffs on classics and dynamic clarified punches to get the evening started right.  ...read more read less