When You Think of Art at the Mingei, Don’t Forget the Food

By Sandi Masori

SAN DIEGO— When you think of museum cafes you think of pre-packaged food, heated up in a microwave or steamer, meant for people who forgot to eat before they came or who didn’t pack their own for later.  Usually you don’t think of the food itself being as artful as the collection curated in the museum.

And yet, a short stroll from the Old Globe Theater is the Mingei Museum, the venue for the Artifact cafe.  It is one of Urban Kitchen Group’s newer restaurants, having only opened in 2021.  And yet it has already earned recognition in the Michelin Guide.

I’m on a quest to try all of the Michelin restaurants.  We have 38 in San Diego, including five that have earned stars, nine that made the Bib Gourmand list and another 24 that got a mention.  Artifact is in that last group.

Usually you can be pretty sure that if it made the Michelin list, you’re in for a treat.  But what to order is still the question.  I’ll come back to the food in just a moment, but I want to talk about the concept a bit first.

Inside the museum, the entire first floor, rather than being empty space, is tastefully set with tables. The ambiance is relaxed and feels open.  There’s also an adjoining patio with more tables.  It was a nice day, so we sat outside.

The restaurant concept is an international fusion.  The plates themselves are pieces of art.  And the food is plated to be photographed.

The service was perfect, there when we needed it, but otherwise not hovering or coming by too much.  The waitress was knowledgeable about the food and able to make good recommendations.  I told her that I didn’t eat pork (or mushrooms) and asked for her recommendations.  The menu has something for everyone on it.  There were vegetarian options, non-pork options, small bite options and larger options for those with an appetite.

We decided to follow her suggestions and got the hibiscus masala and matcha matcha mocktail drinks.  The hibiscus was ok, a little bitter but made me feel like I was being healthy.  The matcha, which I’m not usually a fan of, was to die for.  It tasted like a creamy green tea whipped ice cream float.  Really yummy.  For food we ordered the pea and potato samosa, the beet and Asian pear salad, and the roasted barramundi.

The pea and potato samosa was interesting in that it was a roll rather than a triangle shape, and I had never seen it done that way before.  It was served with a mango chutney and curry sauce.  It wasn’t very spicy in terms of heat, and had a pleasant taste and texture, but while it was good it wasn’t something to write home about.  The same could be said of the beet and Asian pear salad.  It was good, with a nice, whipped feta spread, and the flavors were nicely paired and mild, but I won’t dream about it.

But the barramundi… oh my… the barramundi really surprised me.  When it came out, I thought, okay, nice piece of fish, but no biggie.  And then I cut it in half to share, and at the first crack of the skin, my attention was riveted.  The outside of the fish was so perfectly crisped, the skin on the top the perfect texture, the rest of the cut nicely browned.  The inside was moist and soft.  And the Thai Tom kha cauliflower sauce… wow, sweet and savory and a symphony for my mouth!  This is a dish that I will dream about and that I must go back to have again.  Probably in the top ten pieces of cooked fish I’ve ever had.

We did not have time to go through the museum or the gardens, but if you are not in a hurry, plan to spend some time walking off your meal checking out the public displays on the first floor where the cafe is or in the adjoining garden.

Artifact is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and Thursday and Friday for dinner.  Once a month they host a special fixed menu dinner that is (according to their website) inspired my ancient cooking methods, spices and botanicals.

Have you tried Artifact?  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Sandi Masori is a food and theatre reviewer for San Diego Jewish World.  When she’s not covering food or theatre, she helps authors self-publish, hangs out with her kids, and searches for the best sushi in town.