The Padres are set to take the field at Petco Park. Sunset is nigh. It’s a San Diego archetypical 72 degrees. Kids are running the bases on the mini-field at grassy Park at the Park, and a group cycling class is pedaling in unison on the second-floor balcony of a high-rise on the other side of the park.

The view of Petco Park from the viewing deck at Proper.

^{Photo by Ron Donoho}

And I’m sitting like a fat cat, with a bird’s-eye view of all this downtown activity from my table on the rooftop viewing deck at Proper Gastropub.

This new restaurant complex is packed. Every table is filled, and it’s standing room only at the bar. Too bad the same can’t be said for Petco. It’s a Wednesday. The lowly Arizona Diamondbacks are in town. But c’mon. The miracle Padres have been in first place nearly all season. More of us need to show we believe in our boys of summer.

The bandwagon’s engine is running. But if you need further incentive to get your fanny into the park, make it a Proper stop.

This British gastropub is co-owned by the two husband-and-wife teams who also own four local Wine Steals locations. Here, a Wine Steals and Proper are side-by-side on the ground floor, with a shared rooftop dining area. Menus and beverage offerings are co-mingled.

All are inset into The Legend condo building. (A server confides that there have been a few occasions when residents have forgotten there’s a restaurant right outside their window and unmindfully disrobed; no extra charge for these floor shows.)

General manager Justin McIntyre says the viewing-deck tables fill up quickly on game days. They take reservations; and arriving two hours before a game starting time should also guarantee a roof-top seat.

We dined off the Proper menu. Executive chef Sean Magee has previously been at Croce’s, Urban Solace and Grant Grill.

The ahi-edamame stack.

^{Courtesy photo}

I started with an ahi-edamame stack (held together by thinly sliced pickled cucumbers) that deliciously disappeared quite quickly. My dining companion, a German, announced her sausage roll (a pork patty enlivened by ginger and surrounded by puff pastry bread) was the best she’s sampled in all of San Diego.

Braised short ribs also got high marks from the fraulein. And I tried but failed to finish a scorching hot skillet heaped with shepherd’s pie (no beef; red-wine braised lamb).

My dainty Deutschlander gal pal insisted on trying both Wine Steals’ and Proper’s dessert menus. I liked the kick from Proper’s Guinness-Jameson’s Whiskey tiramisu. She gravitated toward Wine Steals’ chocolate sampler, including a colorful confection which looked to me like half of a kids’ super ball.

During all this plate action, the Padres were making the evening even more digestible by beating the Diamondbacks, 9-3.

Listen: Beginning September 3, the Padres play 10 straight home games. Los Angeles comes to town September 6-8. For that Monday-Wednesday set, don’t let traveling mouthy Dodgers fans outnumber us in our own park. Shoot--Sunday's game at Petco versus the Phillies sounded like it was being played in Philadelphia.

Enough. Dish up the local support. Proudly. Properly.