Swapping steakhouses in La Jolla

Donovan’s, a mainstay steakhouse in the UTC area for the last 15 years, will be moving west to take the place of a departing La Jolla steak-centric restaurant.

The Steakhouse at Azul La Jolla, operating on Prospect since 1999, closed earlier this month after its parent company, the Brigantine Family of Restaurants, sold the business to Donovan’s Steak and Chophouse. While Azul wasn’t looking to leave La Jolla, when a broker approached Brigantine CEO Mike Morton about the possibility of selling the business, he said he became interested.

“We have six Miguel’s and six Brigantines, and Azul was a one-off but it took the same amount of energy running that as it did for six other restaurants,” Morton said. “So now we will put our focus into Miguel’s and the Brigantines.”

Morton said the 7,800-square-foot Azul, which competes with other ocean-view venues like George’s at the Cove and Eddie V’s, was “holding its own.” Roughly 80 percent of its 50-member staff was moved to other Brigantine restaurants, he noted.

“Donovan’s has such a powerful name, so regardless of where they go, they’ll do well,” he added. “Their (UTC) location is very strong.

Donovan’s, located across the way from the Westfield UTC mall, also has a location in downtown San Diego. Late last year it closed its Prime Seafood restaurant after opening just two years earlier in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Alberto Mancero, a spokesman for Donovan’s, would only say that the restaurant could not come to terms with its current landlord, The Irvine Co., on renewing its lease, due to expire in February.

The Irvine Co. was unable to reveal anything about its plans for the space and would say only that any new restaurant that goes in would be casual, “yet sophisticated.”

It released the following statement: “Donovan’s lease is expiring in early 2015. We thank Donovan’s for their time at The Plaza and wish them continued success in a new area location and at their downtown restaurant. We are working to bring in a fresh, new restaurant that we think will create a buzz with office customers and the community and look forward to sharing details as they come available.”

Donovan’s owner Dan Shea said that the new location will remain largely the same but “going from an enclosed space with no windows to a spectacular ocean view will require some adjustments to accommodate the known Donovan’s décor to something with a lot of light.”