Olea

Olea Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: After years of impressing South Orange County diners with San Clemente’s Vine and Laguna Niguel’s Ironwood, restaurateur Russ Bendel and executive chef/partner Jared Cook have finally landed a spot north of the El Toro Y. Located on the Newport Beach/Costa Mesa border, at the east end of one of OC’s hippest thoroughfares, this sleek venue effortlessly matches the quality of its sister spots. The venue’s dark color scheme and hopping centralized bar produce a contemporary vibe that’s tinged with a slightly rustic sensibility, thanks to a log-festooned ceiling.

Likes: Good energy.
Dislikes: Parking could be tough to find.

Food & Drinks: Plenty of Cook’s signature items are found on the menu, from starters like the sugar pumpkin agnolotti with truffle goat cheese to the must-have Jidori chicken schnitzel with squash spätzle. There’s room for Cook to craft several new goodies anchored by a “global wine country” milieu, such as the terrine of duck liver, bacon and bourbon appetizer and the Pacific Northwest filet mignon topped with crispy langoustine béarnaise. Desserts such as the Belgian chocolate chunk cookies with peanut butter cup gelato are worthy indulgences. The finely tuned wine list features a solid mix of approachable and upscale selections from California and Europe, and the craft cocktail program deserves exploration.