Craft House CraftHouse Blake Mellgren Craft House

Craft House

34094 Pacific Coast Hwy. (Street of the Blue Lantern)
Dana Point, CA 92629
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South Orange County native brings approachable, intriguing contemporary fare to Dana Point.
Openings: Dinner nightly, Brunch Sat.-Sun.

Features

Craft House, Dana Point, CA


Craft House Restaurant Review:



About the restaurant & décor: Located at the western tip of Dana Point’s Lantern District, this venue’s sharply angular exterior carries a mid-century aesthetic fit for the atomic age. The sensibility is elegantly complemented by sleek dark woods and soft lighting, while a massive central bar and its accompanying craft cocktails help to keep things from getting too snooty.

Likes: Inviting bar design.
Dislikes: Main dining area is somewhat hidden.

Food & Drinks: Executive chef and South Orange County native Blake Mellgren also keeps things real with a contemporary menu that gently and smartly shepherds local palates up to code with some of OC’s most enticing culinary motifs. Start off with an order of Thai-style chicken wings with cucumber kimchi or the addictive chile verde fries with crema, cojita cheese and creamy avocado. Entrées like the spicy fried chicken sandwich with honey sriracha and homemade biscuit are perfect for a breezy night out, while such dishes as the braised pork ragù with house-made pappardelle demonstrate Mellgren’s chops with elevated fare. Save room for the banana bread pudding for dessert. The wine list is compact but contains several heavy-hitters. On Sundays, brunch is highlighted by innovative options, among them cinnamon swirl french toast.