What To Expect On The Menu At Richard Blais' California English Restaurant - Exclusive

Listen up, San Diego residents and tourists: Richard Blais has opened up a new restaurant. California English is one of five establishments owned by the celebrity chef, and this newest addition to the fold opened at the beginning of February. If you've tasted his food before, you know Blais specializes in a variety of elevated American cuisines, with his second San Diego restaurant, Ember & Rye, offering a modern take on vintage steaks and fresh seafood.

While Ember & Rye's menu has a bucatini carbonara and roasted cauliflower "pot roast," California English presents a different take on West Coast meals. "I don't mean this to be snarky, but the restaurant's called California English — so it is English food through the California lens. It is pretty much the U.K.'s greatest hits," Blais told Tasting Table in an exclusive interview. The "Top Chef" star is showcasing California's produce through classic London cuisine — such as beans on toast (with a Blais twist, of course). During our conversation, he gave us a peek at what else diners can expect.

We've all heard of beans on toast, which is exactly what it sounds like: canned beans placed topped on a slice of bread. "In California, our version of beans and toast is avocado toast," Richard Blais told Tasting Table. "It's a mashup of all of these things that sometimes you would never think of, but we all have these similarities." Avocado toast surely had its time in the past few years, with California being the largest avocado producer in the United States.

In addition to the iconic beans on toast making an appearance on California English's menu, fish and chips are also being served — with a California twist. "One of the dishes I demoed today was fish and chips with avocado tartar sauce," Blais added. "That's the type of food that I'm doing at California English." The meal is named the "Hot" Crispy Fish Sandwich and is being offered under the eatery's sandwiches and salads menu.

As the name suggests, Blais likes to think of his new establishment as a "fusion" that allows for a "commonality amongst cultures and cuisines." All we know is that we can't stop eyeing that St. Patty Melt Burger.

Season 2 of "Next Level Chef" airs on FOX Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST. For more information about the Sun Wine & Food Fest, visit Mohegan Sun's website. Keep up with Richard Blais' latest projects on his Instagram page.