By
OCinSite
on September 15, 2011 9:47 AM
By Kedric Francis | Photos by Edward Duarte
Naming the ten best restaurants in town is sure to start a debate that can turn into an argument that may result in a family feud. People are passionate about their favorites when it comes to something as intimate and essential as eating. But perhaps the biggest obstacle to coming up with an ultimate top ten list is this: discerning diners can differ, and what’s an amazing gourmet accomplishment for some is just expensive art on tiny plates with hard to pronounce ingredients for others.
And so it is in Newport Beach.
So we created two top ten lists, one for Newport and one for what we’ll call Oldport—simple descriptors having little to do with age and with no offense intended.
The restaurants on the Oldport list are classics, with upscale interiors, often of dark wood and leather. They’re reliable, conservative and don’t follow the whims of fashion or trend. They offer big plates, rooms with a view and servers who don’t act like they’d rather be someplace else. You won’t hear the terms molecular gastronomy or locavore here.
The Newport list of restaurants change menus often, will note proudly which farm a product comes from and will offer dozens of “Martinis” on its cocktail list, but few made with gin. The servers will wax poetic and at length about the specials, the chef may have been on television, and there will be vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options for just about everything on the menu.
So with little explanation and even less apology, here alphabetically are the top ten restaurants in town—twice!
The Newport Top Ten
A Restaurant With a welcoming bar, intriguing menu and the fabulous Shelly Register running the market next door, this is the neighborhood place for a new generation. arestaurantnb.com
Andrea The Resort at Pelican Hill’s signature Northern Italian restaurant satisfies the resort’s international clientele in style. pelicanhill.com
Bluefin Taste Abe’s world-class sushi and forget the rest. bluefinbyabe.com
Crow Bar and Kitchen O.C.’s first gastropub now has Chef John Cuevas at the helm creating a new kind of coastal cuisine. crowbarcdm.com
Fleming’s It’s a Newport Beach-born steakhouse for a new century, with a crowd cool enough to try something new when offered—which is often! flemingssteakhouse.com
Mariposa The ladies who lunch at this super stylish Neiman Marcus café are among the coolest and chicest in town. neimanmarcus.com
Palm Terrace The newish interior is a bit old-school, but exec chef Bill Bracken’s menu is brilliant, and always changing. islandhotel.com
Sage Organic produce addict Richard Mead’s Eastbluff original is still his best, with some of the most creative dishes in O.C. sagerestaurant.com
SideDoor The restaurant that dragged Five Crowns into this century, this gastropub does just about everything right, from artisan beers to some of the best small plate bites in O.C. sidedoor.cdm.com
True Food Good, and good for you with pizzas made with spelt and flax seed crusts and healthy versions of street tacos. foxrc.com/true_food_kitchen
The Oldport Top Ten
21 Oceanfront Divine dining by the pier in this oceanfront historic landmark that’s a haven for adults amid the often chaotic peninsula scene. 21oceanfront.com
The Arches Dan Marcheano’s classic place has moved around a bit since it vacated the original space on PCH, but one thing hasn’t changed: his Semper Fi patriotism that supports almost every cause in town. And it still has one of the best staffs around. thearchesrestaurant.com
Basilic A tiny, six-table restaurant tucked onto Balboa Island that features classic Swiss French cuisine? Why not! It’s one of those places you either fall in love with at first sight, or not. Most do. basilicrestaurant.com
The Cannery Born as a commercial fishing cannery operation, Ron Salisbury’s restaurant honors it’s history well. The patio is one of the prime waterfront spots in California with traditional seafood fare, with a buzzing bar and sushi upstairs. cannerynewport.com
First Cabin at the Balboa Bay Club A refined restaurant for ladies and gentlemen where Chef Joseph Lageder is justly famed for his creative continental cuisine.
balboabayclub.com/dining.
Kitayama Newport locals have been following Japanese businessmen and women to this place for a couple of decades for what insiders say is some of the freshest sushi around—arrive early for the sushi lunch special. kitayamarestaurant.com
Mastro’s Ocean Club Though some of the rich who live nearby may be nouveau, this stylish restaurant is definitely cut from the old- school cloth. Men in Italian suits and ladies dressed to thrill, all in for some mega martinis, serious seafood and stunning steaks.
mastrosrestaurants.com
Quiet Woman Steak, lamb and swordfish have been the staples at this CdM landmark since 1965. And even if the QW almost was disqualified from the Oldport list for calling out the provenance of its pork rack chop (Salmon Creek), the family-style Sunday suppers put it squarely back in the top ten. quietwoman.com
Tradition by Pascal Pascal Olhats came to Orange County in 1988, and instantly everything was better. He’s the father of French cuisine in Newport Beach and a leader in giving back to the community. pascalnpb.com
The Ritz Restaurant and Garden Known for impeccable service, classically inspired cuisine and a healthy pour at the bar, things have only gotten better since owner Ray Jacobi, former GM of the Island Hotel, took over. When the society ladies come to the lounge after a gala luncheon and they’re still there when the happy hour bar burgers are brought out, there’s no place we’d rather be. ritzrestaurant.com
By
Jason Sanford
on June 08, 2011 10:17 AM
Chau Haller, owner of Bamboo Bistro in Corona del Mar. | Photo by Jody Tiongco
By Jason Sanford | Photos by Jody Tiongco | Newport Beach Magazine, June 2011
Ginger tea doesn’t give away much of its deep, zesty flavor with the wafting steam that rises from its white porcelain cup—it just barely entices the nose, sort of seductively teasing it, with that whole “you’ve never had anything quite like me before—and yes, you will be back for more.”
Bamboo Bistro serves the unique and incredibly complex ginger tea, in addition to savory food that is right out of Little Saigon, regular Saigon or even Nha Trang, which happens to be Chau Haller’s coastal Vietnamese hometown.
Chau is the founder and owner of Bamboo Bistro and its twin Garden Grove sisters, Brodard and Brodard Chateau. Already revered by hungry locals—not to mention the Times’ and the Register’s food critics—Chau’s cuisine is authentic to the max and chock-full of flavor, which is a nice kick to the taste buds considering it’s healthy cooking.
“I love to create, I love to cook,” Chau says. “That’s me, I love to feed people—it makes me feel good.”
Feeling good is definitely one of the side effects of feasting on Chau’s family recipes, especially when spring rolls filled with ahi or soft-shell crab are brought out to start the meal. The spring rolls are thick and are held together with the expertise (and fresh rice paper) that it takes to properly build them, meaning that they’ll take all that tasty dipping sauce without making a mess.
Usually Vietnamese spring rolls limit their creativity to pork or veggies, but these are a refreshing fusion creation, and have a different set of ingredients and taste. “The art of the spring roll” as Chau calls it, is a great appetizer here, no matter what’s wrapped inside.
While the base of the menu is Vietnamese, there is a greater blend of influences from across the Asian continent at work in Bamboo Bistro’s kitchen. Conventional offerings are given new definitions, such as the tea with the added bite of ginger, the delectable crab spring rolls and the fresh mango salad served with tiger prawns.
“It’s Vietnamese food that grew out of Thai food in the beginning here,” Chau explains. “I’m all about fusion, your food must be friendly. It’s unexpected, and people like that.”
There is much to like at Bamboo Bistro, as beyond the tea and rolls are the tasty tiger prawns over mango salad, which is a great balance of sweet fruit and savory seafood. The scallops in black bean sauce are delicious as well, featuring a sauce that enhances the natural flavor of the tasty mollusks without burying them in salt or spice. Whether the selection is more Vietnamese or Thai matters not—it is going to be fresh, surprisingly healthy and delicious.
Fresh Ahi Tuna Rolls are an innovative treat. | Photo by Jody Tiongco
Also, Bamboo Bistro offers catering, from large company parties to weekend gatherings on the beach. In addition to heading up Bamboo Bistro and her two other restaurants, Chau stays in constant motion in her new role as mom, yet still manages to get out to local 5K races and film festivals. She even talks of one day bottling her own sauces so that people can enjoy them at home.
“I love to come up with dishes based on trying new food,” Chau says with a smile. “We do a lot of things here out of love.”
Love and quality ingredients go together nicely on a plate.
2600 E. Coast Hwy.; 949-720-1289; vietbamboobistro.com
Hours: Daily from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Reservations: Accepted
Prices: $8.95 to $24.95
TIP: Ample free parking is available on the residential side streets near Bamboo Bistro.
By
OCinSite At-Large
on May 03, 2011 1:29 PM
The start of something wonderful at Avila’s El Ranchito, Laguna.
By Steve Zepezauer | Photos by Jody Tiongco | Laguna Beach Magazine, May 2011
Chips and salsa. Two simple, yet multifarious foods that can often set the stage for what’s to come. A sub-par offering here can easily lead to a mediocre succession of tacos, enchiladas, rice, beans, et cetera. In the case Avila’s El Ranchito Laguna Beach, however, chips and salsa is a sublime experience and a clear indication that this is the significant beginning of a tasty meal.
Michael Avila, who opened the restaurant on the corner of South Coast Highway and Cress Street in 2006, is third-generation Avila in the restaurant business. His family tree owns and operates 11 Avila’s El Ranchito restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange County. It began in 1966 when his grandparents opened the first El Ranchito in Huntington Park with a $2,000 investment. With grandma’s recipes, which had been passed down for generations in their hometown of Guanajuato, Mexico—and a ton of passion and commitment—the Avilas now have 11 successful locations.
But Avila’s is not a chain. In fact, the mere mention of the term evokes a cringe. Each restaurant is individually owned and operated.
Owner Michael Avila with this wife Christine, and their two sons. | Avila’s al fresco.
“Each restaurant is run for the community it’s in,” Michael says. “Laguna Beach is different from San Clemente, which is different from Newport Beach, et cetera. It’s about the locals and growing up with them.”
That’s the attitude that has brought success to the Avilas. The restaurants are centered around food and family. As Michael says, “We know who we are.”
The staff is very loyal and friendly, as they too are made to feel a part of the Avila family. They almost make you feel like a long-lost cousin as you walk in the door.
The food is consistently fresh and authentic, staying true to tradition. The guacamole fresco comes in a huge bowl and consists of full of chunks of avocado, tomatoes and onions, with a nice hint of garlic and lime. Definitely not your typical gringo guac. Mama Avila’s soup is another primo dish and El Ranchito favorite. This large bowl of chicken breast and rice soup is made with the same care and passion mama Avila did for her own children. It’s served with warm tortillas and is a meal in itself.
Shrimp al Mojo de Ajo. | Authentic fare.
If you like shrimp, you can’t go wrong with the shrimp al mojo de ajo. This beautiful dish features large Mazatlan shrimp sautéed in Avila’s special garlic butter sauce. There are a number of specialty burritos featured, including the fresco burrito. For a lighter version, opt for the mahi-mahi. The combination of lettuce, salsa fresca, rice, guacamole, cheese and cilantro-lime dressing is flavorful and satisfying.
Avila’s also offers a host of traditional favorites and a kid’s menu. And if you haven’t already, get in on a local’s secret: Taco Tuesday. This is a great, inexpensive treat. There’s also a full bar featuring many Mexican beers and tequila Corralejo, an exceptional tequila produced in the Avila’s hometown of Guanajuato, Mexico.
Aside from indoor seating, complete with an ocean view, Avila’s El Ranchito Laguna Beach offers ample outdoor seating. The patio is the perfect place to people-watch over lunch or, when the sun sets, gather ’round the fire pit with friends for drinks and some of that tasty fresh salsa.
Avila’s El Ranchito, 1305 S. Coast Hwy.; 949-376-7040; avilaselranchito.com
Hours:
Monday – Friday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Satruday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Price:
$9 - $19 (entrees)
Other favorites: Appetizer: Make your own tacos with the Botana Appetizer Platter. Choose between carnitas, shrimp or lobster. Served with sliced avocados, fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, pico and lemon slices, and warm torillias; Breakfast: All breakfast items are served all day and all night. Try the very traditional huevos rancheros: two eggs over easy, smothered in salsa ranchera and melted cheese.
By
OCinSite At-Large
on April 13, 2011 10:48 AM
Chicken MamaD’s served with fresh vegetables in a light white wine sauce with an accompanying side of pasta. | Photo by Jody Tiongco
By Jason Sanford | Photos by Jody Tiongco | Newport Beach Magazine April/May 2011
Keith Davidson is a man whose passion is evident—just ask about his mother’s (Mama D) big family Italian cooking straight from the five boroughs that inspired his modern-day Newport Beach establishment. Having a regular line out the door, a vigorous owner that knows your name and a maniacal, drive-for-miles “pink sauce” following on Yelp more than qualifies this restaurant as a celebrated establishment with food to be reckoned with.
“As a society, we’re sick of mediocre movies, mediocre service and mediocre food,” says Keith, the Queens native that owns the joint. “That’s why we’re in the outstanding food business—because if it’s mediocre, then mediocre’s going out of business.”
Owner Keith Davidson | Killer Cioppino
Keith’s philosophy for Mama D’s is strikingly simple and a little kooky—and that’s no accident. He makes it clear what he wants: “We want to be that place you take your new girlfriend or your parents when they’re in town.” He also makes it clear how to get there. Keith says, “Avoid the ‘success syndrome’ by not cutting corners after thriving as a restaurant.”
But what’s with the laminated placards that say “The Crazy Ones” and can be seen lying around the restaurant? They speak of individuality and being misfits in a world of cold rigidity, which is quite the philosophy for an Italian restaurant.
“We’re the scrappy underdog,” Keith says. “We’re not a restaurant in the service industry …we give service that happens to be at a restaurant.”
But how does all of this madness translate to the big white plate?
The ravioli in aforementioned pink sauce is spectacular, converting the taste buds of even the most devout marinara fans, author included. The handmade meatball, which is one of the first things Mama D taught Keith how to prepare, comes out juicy and nicely seasoned, not overcooked. Simple food done simply well is the hardest to find at many restaurants, making it the most satisfying when it’s actually discovered.
If sailors wrecked their ship trying to get to a bowl of the cioppino, it wouldn’t be shocking. Cioppino is a seafood stew that was born in San Francisco, and is very easy to make wrong—Mama D’s gets it right, as the cioppino is hearty, chock full of succulent seafood and possesses a complex flavor that begs to be joined by bread.
Lasagna is a telling yardstick of Italian cuisine, as just too much of one of the ingredients can overpower the rest, and the sauce has to be just right. Mama D’s lasagna is terrific, with layer upon layer of fresh and distinct tastes that are baked together perfectly. It is a treat for the senses with quite a bit of flavor coming together on each forkful.
Mama’s magnificent meatball in sauce. | A casual environment for some serious food.
But what makes Mama D’s so special is its owner’s and its crew’s genuine joie de vivre, which is evident in everything they touch within its four walls. It’s a spirit that comes straight from the top and spreads throughout—starting with Diane Davidson, Mama D herself.
“It’s all about every table, every guest, every day—and we’re not giving any excuses,” Keith says. He then closes his eyes, slowly nods his head and declares, “I want them to say when they leave ‘my god, that was so outstanding—it was exactly what I was looking for.’ ”
Indeed.
Mama D’s, 3012 Newport Blvd.; 949-675-6262; mamadsrestaurant.com
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations: Not accepted. Prices: $4.25 to $32
Tip: When in Manhattan Beach, visit Mama D’s sister restaurant by the same name.
By
Scott Sanchez
on February 24, 2011 4:52 PM
Tommy Bahama Grille’s Crab “BLT” Slider.
When I heard that Dungeness crab had arrived at Tommy Bahama Island Grille, I knew it was time to satisfy my seafood craving. Upon my arrival there, I reflected on a few favorite seafood places that I had frequented in the past. The first was the Captain’s Anchorage in Dana Point, California. The Captain’s Anchorage was a family favorite with a generous crab leg special that came in massive portions which seemed impossible to finish. The Anchorage is now since long gone, but the thought of it always leaves me pining for those days spent with my family. The second I remember is Shaw’s Crab House in Chicago. Shaw’s is one of those places that is a “must visit” when in Chi-town. Good, fresh seafood and the best crab cakes in town—a good old-school joint.
Why do I bring this up? Well, once I dove into my first course at Tommy Bahama’s I was teleported back to my two favorite seafood establishments—that is, my memories of them—great flavors, fresh, and the sense of it all as being a real treat.
Tommy Bahama Grille is located in the heart of NB, a stone’s throw from Fashion Island and the beautiful Newport Beach coastline. For a short time, they are offering a variety of Dungeness crab specials from tasty apps ranging from Bisque to Crab Tacos, to full-on entrees. The entrees include traditional Cracked Crab and Meyer Lemon Butter, a Crab Louie Wedge (yum), a Petite Filet Oscar, and a Spicy Crab with Garlic Noodles. (I was definitely looking forward to experiencing this one.) ...
General Manager Tony Motekef runs a tight ship at the Tommy Bahama Grille, and the staff are on top of their game. The restaurant has a very warm and comfortable feel. TB’s island ambiance reflects their “life is one long weekend” mantra, and so the aloha abounds.
We start with the Dungeness Lettuce Cups; they look amazing with a beautiful slice of avocado blanketing the crab. The flavor is smooth to the palate, a nice blend of flavors. I may repeat this several times—but it bears repeating—the flavors are very clean and easy, leaving me craving more. The Crab Martini has an interesting hint of sweetness, a refreshing starter, not too heavy, just right.
The Hot Crab and Cheese Dip is an interesting mix: a bit spicy, warm and smooth. It was so good I had to grapple with the server who tried to take it before I was done.
Good to the last drop—the Hot Crab and Cheese Dip at Tommy Bahama Grille.
The Crab Tacos are crispy with piquant watercress and chipotle in pleasing juxtaposition to avocado cream and mango salsa. The crab filling is chilled to perfection. If you are a fan of ceviche you will love these tacos.
Crab Tacos, muy bueno.
The food keeps coming and I become aware that I must pace myself. We are greeted with the Crab BLT sliders—really? Yes, and they are amazing. Crumbled Nueske’s premium bacon, arugula, a roma tomato, basil aioli—these are a favorite so far.
I finish with the Spicy Crab with Garlic Noodles. I am a big fan of spicy (I’m the Wing Man, dammit*) so I had been looking forward to this one from the get-go. The dish features crab legs in an excellent spicy sauce on top a bed of pasta. The flavors are great—serrano chiles, herbs, ginger, a hint of mint—the meal is a bit of a mess as you have to crack the crab legs, but well worth the work.
If Dungeness crab is your thing, then you’re in luck—it’s Tommy Bahama Grille’s too—but don’t wait too long. It is seasonal, and a short one at that.
* Scott Sanchez is the “Wing Man.” Read his blog at OCinSite.com
By
on January 13, 2011 12:07 PM
Enjoy the fiery Bling Bling at Mosun.
Nothing says California like putting avocado and cucumber in every sushi roll. Mosun Sushi, a Japanese fusion restaurant, also features sushi and sake bars, and runs a club upstairs on weekends. During the week, the venue alternates between accepting reservations only and offering walk-in specials for Laguna locals.
On Monday nights, Mosun offers all-you-can-eat sushi and rolls, and arriving early can ensure a seat next to the sushi bar, where chefs are able to modify rolls according to your inclination.
Tip: For reservations, call in advance or reserve online, and for open seating, plan for up to a one-hour wait.
“Each person comes in with their own taste in mind, and we do our best to make them whatever they want,” says Ryan Locke, sushi chef.
Ryan’s personal favorite is the Bling Bling. This roll is made of spicy tuna, avocado and cucumber, topped with fresh albacore, and garnished with soy mustard sauce and crispy fried onions.
“And if you want a little extra spicy, we can throw in some sliced jalapenos and Sriracha to soup it up a little bit,” Ryan comments.
The Protein Bar, also a favorite, is identical to the Bling Bling on the inside of the roll, but garnished with sweet eel sauce. Also try the Omega 3, made with tempura-fried salmon with sweet eel sauce.
As far as sushi appetizers go, the Tuna Drop is a hit: fresh spicy tuna with avocado and jalapeno on top of a fried rice cake, served with sweet chili sauce.
Ryan is often able to remember a customer’s preferences and make a custom roll with the right flavor, texture and spicy factors. But, no hard feelings if those sitting at his bar are opposed to trying raw fish.
“Although most of the rolls do have raw fish, there’s a good amount that are baked, so cooked most of the way, or have no raw items at all,” Ryan says. “The Mosun Roll is probably the most popular cooked roll. It’s like a California roll with baked scallops on top.”
The Mosun Roll has a smooth, creamy texture, and when served, is warm all the way through.
“If you like raw fish, definitely go for the Mosun B,” Ryan says. “It’s our sashimi combo that’s really popular with people who love the raw fish.”
The visual appeal of the Mosun B is almost reason enough to try the platter of peppered ahi, albacore with Cajun seasoning, and yellowtail, which is garnished with greenery and a flower.
The Mosun B is as much a visual delight as it is a culinary one.
Mosun even has an option for herbivores who prefer to enjoy the fish in Mosun Sushi’s decorative fish tank rather than on the plate. The Banzai is a vegetarian roll with tempura-style vegetables and avocado.
On weekends, sushi can be just an excuse to hit the dance floor upstairs in Mosun’s Club M. Restaurant patrons will receive a pass to the club when it is open on Fridays and Saturdays.
But, plenty of nightlife is to be had in the restaurant itself—club music is played in the dimly lit bar and seating areas, and Mosun’s menu offers an impressive list of hot and cold sakes and martinis, including a fruity and feminine lychee martini. Yaemon, one of the premier sakes, can be sipped or taken as a shot, according to a Mosun server.
A Lychee martini up, Yaemon sake back.
Ryan recommends the oyster shooter, with raw fresh oyster, quail egg, ponzu, radish sprouts, Sriracha or Tabasco, garnished with yamagobo and slice of lemon, served in either cold sake or Patron.
With a great menu and modern, artistic ambience, first time visitors to Mosun Sushi will surely have a return trip scheduled before they leave. The local crowd is what makes Mosun a home, Ryan says, and he estimates 70 percent of his bar customers are regulars who know him by name.
“So many people are regulars, its like you know what they want. So the menu changes according to how we know to make food for them.”
Mosun Sushi
680 S. Coast Hwy
.; 949-497-5646; mosunclubm.com
Hours:
Monday—Sunday, 5 to 10:30 p.m.; Club M is open 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m., Friday and Saturday; Reservations accepted on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; Walk-in specials on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Catering and takeout are available
Prices:
$8—$40
By
OCinSite At-Large
on October 08, 2010 5:37 PM
Chef Kevin Jerrold-Jones at Tabu Grill. Photo by Kri Sado
Laguna is home to more than 70 restaurants representing the full culinary spectrum. In the latest issue of Laguna Beach Magazine, writer Sharael Kolberg takes a look at 14 of the area’s best chefs and finds out what makes them tick. Shooter Kri Sado captures aspects of their personalities, which we expand upon here with this handful of outtakes from their meeting.
“I like to bring the dishes into the now and make them more approachable.” ~ Chef David Shofner, French 75 Bistro & Champagne Bar
“I love gardening. Working with fresh onions garlic, cilantro ... just going out and picking something and bringing it into the kitchen to create something is wonderful.” ~Chef Martin Gonzalez, Marc’s
“It’s hard work, good taste and a willingness to make what guests want, not always what you want.” ~ Chef Craig Connole, K’ya
“If I create something that makes people happy, I am happy.” ~ Chef Miki Izumisawa, 242 Cafe Fusion Sushi
“... I interact with people all the time. It’s like being a bartender, but with food.” ~ Chef Michael Leech, Cafe Zoolu
“The sensation of food really imprints on people.” ~ Chef Lindsay Smith-Rosales, Nirvana Grille
“I try to touch as many senses and tastes as possible ... to create a balance between sweet, salty, sour and spicy.” ~ Chef Jeff Armstrong, Surf & Sand’s Splashes
Learn more about what drives these professionals to invent menus that leave a lasting impression on both visitors and locals alike. Laguna Beach Magazine, The Eat + Drink issue is available now at newsstands throughout town and in bookstores nationally. Subscribe or visit lagunabeachmag.com for more information.
By
NB Magazine Staff
on September 20, 2010 1:59 PM
3-Thirty-3 Waterfront sports two faces, but that doesn’t make it any less sincere.
The restaurant is a simultaneously a sit-down family restaurant and an energetic nightlife hot spot—a feat that is possible through its unfussy cuisine, available until the wee morning hours.
Located on the bay across from Linda Isle, 3-Thirty-3 boasts a gorgeous view of yachts docking in the harbor, a vista best enjoyed from its patio. With a retractable roof for al fresco dining and a crackling fireplace, the patio is the perfect spot for those looking for a more traditional dining room experience.
Step past the waterfall running down the wall of the patio—and the wine cellar that houses nearly 500 bottles of wine, most available by the glass—into the lounge area anchored by an enormous circular bar. This lively area is the ideal place to catch up with old friends—or to meet new people. 3-Thirty-3 gets its fair share of regulars and singles, says general manager Michele Dial.
“Some part of it is like ‘Cheers,’ ” Michele says. “A lot of single people like having a place to go where they feel like they’re part of the group.”
The restaurant is open until 2 a.m., with night plates until 1:30 a.m. And the 20 options on the late night menu—including seared ahi and filet mignon sliders—move way beyond traditional nachos and potato skins.
Before dinner, sip a cocktail from the bar—perhaps a mojito, key lime martini or the popular Dromo, a mix of Skyy Citrus, Cointreau and cranberry juice with fresh muddled lemon, lime and orange. Pair with the Thai calamari appetizer or ahi poke, and don’t miss the oven-roasted dates—Gorgonzola-stuffed medjool dates wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon. This inventive starter is comfort food at its finest.
Speaking of comfort food, the menu is chock full of it. We recommend the popular mac n’cheese or the lobster ravioli, served on butternut squash pillows with slow roasted tomatoes, sage and white wine butter sauce.
If you have any room left over, indulge in a homemade brownie with vanilla ice cream. And consider pairing it with an espresso martini—it will give you the jolt you need to keep up with 3-Thirty-3.
More info: 333 Bayside Dr.; (949) 673-8464; www.3thirty3nb.com.
By
Jason Sanford
on December 29, 2011 5:48 PM
Nancy Wilhelm, best known for the highly rated Tabu Grill, has a new restaurant concept in Starfish that takes Asia’s varying cuisine and puts it all on the same plate, so to speak.
“There are similar but different flavor profiles from the Asian coastline, and it’s like walking into another dimension or element,” Nancy explains. “It’s like walking into a place in New York or San Francisco or Hong Kong.”
Upon entering, guests are immersed in the restaurant’s inescapably moody seduction—dark, handsome hues accent the restaurant’s interior, and patrons have cozy booths and high tables to choose from. Starfish is immediately unique in town, as it’s located in a strip mall with ample parking, yet feels like it could just as easily be wedged in between metropolitan skyscrapers and subway stations.
Quite naturally romantic, Starfish has a way of scooting a couple’s chairs or butts a little closer together for dinner. The food is presented family style, which also brings those at the table in a little tighter together and adds to the “let’s share the evening” ambiance.
Menu items are varied in their preparation and series of ingredients, which means that each dish flies its own distinct flag, both in origin and in flavor.
The Mauna Kai ahi poke is fresh and flavorful, as it’s served with a couple of taro chips and avocado. Chilean seabass is breaded and brought out on skewers, a new take on a finned favorite—the skewers are crispy and delicious.
The best dish at the place is hard to nail down, as the contenders all have their own flavor profiles and ingredients, though it’s either the sweeter Korean galbi tacos, the incredibly complex flavor of the Five Spice baby back ribs, or the savory Kobe banh mi sliders. Depending on the company and appetite, maybe choosing to order each, instead of choosing between them, is the best course of action.
Or perhaps the best thing to do is to save extra room for the traditional profiteroles, a sweet and just-rich-enough finish to the parade of flavors from across the Asian seaboard.
Nancy, above all else, wants her customers to get lost in their dinner plate when they get to Starfish—mission accomplished.
“We want to provide a genuine experience beyond the turquoise [front] door.”
Been to Starfish yet? Whaddya think? Hit us up on Facebook and let us know!
By
OCInSite Site Admin
on November 19, 2011 8:00 AM
By Brad Johnson
One pizza. One salad. One dessert. And an almost impossible reservation. That’s pretty much all you need to know about the pizzeria jointly owned by celebrity chefs Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton.
First, the fennel sausage pizza: It’s important to adjust your expectations about the crust. Mozza’s dough doesn’t taste like typical pizza crust. It’s not modeled after the styles of Naples or New York or Rome. Instead, it’s got the snap-crackly crunch and tangy DNA of Nancy Silverton’s La Brea Bakery sourdough. It’s extremely puffy around the edges but micro-thin in the center.
Typical pizza strategy is simple: Reach, grab and pull. First person to grab the biggest piece wins. A different tactic is required here—more of a two-handed scoop, shuffle and plop. The sauce on the fennel sausage pizza is nothing more than softly whipped cream, which melts into the already thin midsection so that it collapses the instant you try to lift a slice from the plate. The sausage will tumble right off if you employ the wrong grabbing maneuver.
Second, the Caprese salad. It’s an entire branch of cherry tomatoes still attached to the vine, roasted in the wood-fired oven until blistered and shriveled, then served atop a generous, fist-sized glob of milky, gooey, marshmallowy burrata cheese, the whole of which is then slathered with fresh basil pesto and supremely high-quality olive oil. It’s the perfect complement to the fennel sausage pizza because it delivers my much-desired tomato and cheese fix that’s missing (but not missed) on that pizza. It’s the best of both worlds in alternating bites.
Third, the butterscotch budino. It’s a pudding fit for a Medici, a cocktail glass filled with silky butterscotch pudding with a quarter-inch sheen of translucent caramel on top, liberally sprinkled with flakes of Malden sea salt and crowned with a wispy cloud of aerated crème fraîche.
In a nutshell, that’s Pizzeria Mozza. Give me those three dishes and a bottle of nebbiolo or sagrantino, and I couldn’t be happier. But there’s more to it than that, of course. And the best things about Mozza are the ones that emerge from the wood-burning oven, heavily singed or charred around the edges, slightly smoking and smelling of ash. The duck confit (served only on Tuesdays), for example, or the lasagna (served only on Sundays). Or the marrow bones, three or four cross-sections that arrive at the table like miniature volcanoes, their gelatinous centers still boiling, ready to be spread on thick wedges of heavily oiled and griddled bread.
I have to admit that after repeated visits—three visits in Newport, one visit in Singapore and countless visits to the original in L.A.—I still haven’t tasted the entire roster of 17 pizzas. It’s hard to resist the lure of fennel sausage. And I love the simplicity of a good margherita, always my second choice here. I figured I would never get around to trying Hawaiian-inspired pizza with pineapple, ham and jalapeños. Hawaiian pizzas, of course, have been popular in California since what, the ’70s? And I’d learned long ago that Hawaiian food rarely lives up to the hype.
But the other afternoon, I was sitting at Mozza’s pizza counter, drinking a glass of barbera, eating my margherita, nibbling on a Caprese, and I watched in awe as the cooks assembled a nonstop stream of pizzas to be shoveled into the wood-burning hearth. I was shocked by what I was witnessing. One out of every five pizzas being assembled that day was the Hawaiian-style Pizza alla Benno (named after one of Silverton’s sons) I knew then that my fate was sealed. When I returned for my next visit, I had to give it a try.
It’s funny what happens to a pineapple when it’s been shaved into paper-thin whispers, instead of sliced into hefty chunks, and layered atop tomato sauce on a thin pizza crust and shoved into a 1,500-degree kiln. The pineapple melts like cotton candy. It completely dissolves into the sauce, giving it an ever-so-slight sweetness that tastes nothing like tropical fruit but rather extra-sweet tomatoes. Combine that sleight-of-hand with the blistering sting of fresh jalapeños and a fine, salty ham, and I’ll be damned if this isn’t now my second-favorite pizza.
Third place is a densely clustered tie that includes a pizza with spicy salame and Fresno chiles (the closest thing Mozza has to pepperoni) and one with four types of pork: bacon, spicy salami, fennel sausage and Guanciale (pork jowl). Also in the running is an off-the-menu secret my waitress turned me onto one night: the pizza Bianca (fontina, mozzarella and sottocenere cheeses and fresh sage) with the addition of fennel sausage, which gives a whole new meaning to the fennel sausage pizza. The pie with squash blossoms, although extremely popular, doesn’t really do it for me. I prefer my flowers stuffed with ricotta cheese and fried as an appetizer.
And the fried blossoms are just one of several antipasti born of the deep fryer. Florets of cauliflower arrive piled in a golden mound, too hot to handle right away, but I’ll knowingly burn my tongue anyway. Extra-crispy fingerling potatoes are delivered in a tall cup along with the herbs and chickpeas with which they were fried.
I was initially worried what would happen when Mozza expanded beyond its original location. Typically, when restaurants are cloned and spread across the globe, they become something entirely different. Fortunately that’s not the case here. This location, and the one in Singapore, too, are shockingly faithful facsimiles. The exact same woodworking. Same lamps. Same menu. Same graphics. Same uniforms. Same loud rock-and-roll soundtrack. Similarly sized dining rooms. Shockingly identical food coming from the kitchen. Same insanely difficult reservations—and that’s what almost kept me from dining here.
I called for several days, redialing more or less nonstop for two hours at a time, to no avail. Finally, I had to call in a favor of a discreet, high-powered friend who had connections on the inside. He made a call to an unlisted number. We got in.
Determined to return, I tried calling again. Nothing but busy signals and an over-capacity voicemail box. So I just showed up unannounced, a little on the late side. And guess what? There was never a wait for a seat at the counter. That’s probably the biggest difference between this location and the one in L.A.—though as the newest Mozza makes its mark, your results may differ.
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