News for Restaurants in Orange County, CA
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| RESTAURANT NEWS |
Once known as Back Bay Cafe, the completely renovated and re-named Back Bay Bistro has opened. The main dining room's huge open space is romantic at night, with a convertible open-air roof, slate floors, mod chandeliers, wicker-weave chocolate-colored chairs, and a vast white-marble bar. The Euro-Cali cuisine by chef Daniel Jimenez features crab partfait, shrimp and lobster quesadillas, lobster bisque, grilled New Zealand lamb chops, and chocolate "thunder" cake, which serves four. With its modern ambience and pretty bay view, Back Bay Bistro makes for a good holiday party venue. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. Back Bay Bistro, 1131 Back Bay Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660, 949-729-3800.
Early in 2009, Tim and Liza Goodell have plans to open a third location of their 25 Degrees restaurant concept at the former Ristorante Max in Newport's Westcliff Plaza. The Goodells recently opened a 25 Degrees restaurant at Hotel G in Beijing, China, and their flagship outpost resides at the famed Hollywood Roosevelt hotel. 25 Degrees is an upscale burger restaurant, which also offers soups, salads and sandwiches. 25 Degrees, 1617 Westlicff Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660, no phone available yet.
Chef Takashi Abe and partners Ted and David Lee (Bluefin, Izakaya Zero) have opened Sea Smoke Sushi & Grill in San Clemente's Talega Village. This new South County contemporary Japanese-style restaurant combines the best of Abe's classic from Bluefin and small plates from Izakaya Wasa along with grill dishes like grilled salmon or rib eye served with teriyaki-ponzu sauce, wasabi mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables. Sea Smoke is open for lunch Mon.-Fri. and for dinner nightly. Sea Smoke Sushi & Grill, Talega Village, 831 Via Suerte, San Clemente, CA 92673, 949-276-5331.
The 12 Cocktails of ChristmasWildfish Seafood Grille, which is located at The Bluffs in Newport Beach, is serving up "the 12 Cocktails of Christmas." Artfully served and priced at $11 each, the dozen holiday martinis come in flavors such as pumpkin pie, caramel apple, gingerbread man, toasted-almond, candy cane, peppermint patty and chocolate mint. Wildfish Seafood Grille, The Bluffs, 1370 Bison Ave., Newport Beach, CA 92660, 949-720-9925.
Spiny Lobster Makes a Splash
Chef Lewis Butler of Surf & Sand Resort's Splashes restaurant is cooking up items made with local spiny lobster, which is caught daily by a Laguna Beach fisherman parked just feet from the resort's sandy beaches. Sometimes called Dana Point spiny lobster, this local langoustine is in season from October through March. And when available in season, Chef Butler prepares these freshly-caught lobsters as specials such as spiny lobster with Oregon forest mushrooms, butter-poached spiny lobster with butternut squash purée and Tahitian vanilla sauce, and grilled salmon with spiny lobster noodles. Splashes, Surf & Sand Resort, 1555 S. Pacific Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach, CA 92651, 949-497-4477.
New Jazz & Comedy Nights at Manhattan Supper Club
Manhattan Supper Club in the city of Orange brings soothing sounds and laughter to its hip, sophisticated bar scene. Starting Saturdays at 7 p.m., you can sit back and listen to a lively jazz quartet while sipping on creative cocktails like a mandarin Cosmo. Need a laugh in these tough economic times? Manhattan Supper Club now has an open mic night on Monday evenings from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Funny bar man Tim Lea emcees the laughs while guests nosh on chef Stephane Beaucamp's fab French-Cali fare for half-price and order up $3 well drinks. Manhattan Supper Club, 202 S. Main St., Orange, CA 92868, 714-978-6161.
Calzone Crazy & Free Wireless at Buon Giorno
Buon Giorno, a truly authentic coffeehouse on 17th Street in Costa Mesa, now offers Italian-style lunches and snacks throughout the day, as well as its smooth Costadoro of Torino brand coffees, espressos and capuccinos. We enjoy the new mini calzones, which are made with crispy pastry dough, melted Fontina cheese, thinly-sliced ham, tomato sauce, oregano and basil. Proprietor Athos Fiori also installed free wireless internet recently. Buon Giorno, 474 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627, 949-645-3900.
Chef Trip Maudlin has taken over the kitchens at Pelican Hill Golf Club's sophisticated Pelican Grill, replacing chef Thomas Ryan. Maudlin has relocated from the Bay Area, where he worked for many years. Most recently, he was the executive chef at Fringale, a Basque-style French bistro in San Francisco. He also cooked at The Dining Room, Michael Mina and Aqua in the city, as well as Angèle in Napa. Pelican Grill, Pelican Hill Golf Club, 22800 Pelican Hill Rd., Newport Coast, CA 92657, 949-467-6800.
The Patina Group chef Lulu De Rouen has been transferred as the executive chef at Leatherby's Café Rouge to Pinot Provence. De Rouen just returned from spending an inspirational month studying Provençal and Mediterranean cooking in France, Monaco and Spain. De Rouen is the first female chef The Patina Group has ever appointed to an executive position in Orange County. Provence, The Westin South Coast Plaza, South Coast Plaza, 686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, 714-444-5900.
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