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ranchandcoast.com 52 APRIL 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE Words of encouragement for those venturing to this one-month- young eatery: your GPS mapping app is not on the fritz (this time). When exiting Interstate 5, you do, in fact, need to drive miles inland before pulling into a humble strip mall. And while a nondescript exterior sporting signage of the temporary variety may spark apprehension, fear not. Beyond 24 Suns' front door awaits a purposefully modest Asian interior (scrolls, a folding panel screen, and dragon-ensconced fan) bolstered by rhythmic beats conveying a comforting sense of zen. While Michelin-caliber chefs typically ply their trade in high-rent districts, luxury hotels, and similarly upscale environs, Webber and Jordan have quickly made their new home their domain. In doing so, they have proven even the most inauspicious vessel can deliver dignified, innovative, well-crafted cuisine, while winning over Oceanside residents and inspiring the Del Martians that were once their bread-and-butter to chart a course for inland North County for what is, truly, a one-of-a- kind Chinese-food experience. Many of the items on 24 Suns' bill of fare are intended for sharing. ey come in on the smaller side while delivering big flavor. A prime example is the "Bird's Nest," baskets made of fried threads of kataifi pastry filled with smoked swordfish rillette and given a pop of briny salinity care of salmon roe along with the signature tongue-numbing sensation of Szechuan peppercorns. e fillings of this signature item rotate, as do many of the ingredients on the menu, which are incorporated and emblematic of San Diego County's micro-seasons. In celebrating those, Webber and Jordan refer to the Chinese lunisolar calendar and its 24 solar terms (i.e., suns), ensuring frequent introduction of new offerings and augmented dishes. Other shareables include a soft custard with lap yuk (Cantonese- style cured pork belly), shrimp- and scallop-stuffed jiaozi dumplings with savory doubanjiang (a fermented black bean condiment) butter and charred pineapple, and a take on the American-style Chinese classic, orange chicken. e last one subs in milk-soaked sweetbreads for yardbird, which are lightly breaded and served in an adorable ceramic take-out box sporting a rotund kitty waving hello. Not only does the sauce in this dish taste of real orange juice, it lacks the cloying sugariness and cornstarch-borne gloppiness of its New World archetype. A dish pulling inspiration from an Addison langoustine setup and famed French chef Joël Robuchon puts the "star" in starter. Dubbed Shrimp Robuchon, it consists of a pair of jumbo crustaceans wrapped in a thin, crispy North African crepe with permeating hot-mustard spice and tartness from pickled goji berries. e latter — acid — is prevalent throughout the menu, but whereas most restaurants rely almost solely on vinegars and lemon juice, Webber and Jordan get innovative. Lime, grapefruit, preserved gooseberry, and fermented kumquat help lighten and uplift. Indulge dining << 24 Suns chefs and owners Jacob Jordan and Nic Webber