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Pizzeria Mozza, Freshii Arrive; Fleming’s Wine Deal

Pizzeria Mozza in Newport Beach is brand new and opened to the public last week.

The anticipation for this one has been great with the foodies. The Los Angeles location (at Highland and Melrose avenues) has had lines out the door and unstoppable publicity for more than two years now.

The hype is partly due to the principals in Pizzeria Mozza: super celeb chef Mario Batali; Joe Bastianich, a restaurateur who owns at least 22 restaurants with Batali; and celeb baker (La Brea Bakery) and restaurateur Nancy Silverton.

Since the two fellows own so many restaurants together, don’t plan to find them hanging around our location a lot.

The Newport Beach restaurant is in the old Dolce location on Pacific Coast Highway, just across from the Balboa Bay Club. It seemed that nothing at all was happening for the last few months and then along came a spurt of building activity that put the new restaurant in place pretty quickly.

I haven’t braved the crowds yet but will certainly dine there very soon. I am curious to see how the parking situation works out—there seems to be lots of speculation about the amount of valet spaces necessary to accommodate the anticipated throngs.

I would like feedback from those of you who beat me to the table. My email address is chaothyme@aol.com.

Pizzeria Mozza: 800 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach, (949) 258-4389.

Fifi Chao

Freshii: Healthy, Unique

Newly opened Freshii in Newport Beach brings a unique and healthy casual restaurant concept. It offers 70 toppings to create custom-built salads, wraps, rice or noodle bowls, yogurt parfaits, or soups that are available for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The restaurant features breakfast items such as a bacon, egg and cheese wrap; spinach and goat cheese wrap; slow-cooked oatmeal; yogurt parfaits; and more. Throughout the day, order items such as the Bangkok burrito, vegan wrap, spicy noodle bowl, antioxidant crunch salad, grilled steak salad, or create your own dish!

Freshii: 1320 Bison Ave. (in The Bluffs shopping center), Newport Beach, (949) 760-8760.

Asada Opens

Asada has opened in Laguna Beach. When Javier Sosa closed the downtown location of Javier’s about three years ago and moved to his flashy new building at Newport Coast’s Promenade center, many lamented the loss of the longtime favorite spot.

New owners from North San Diego came and gave it a whirl, but it didn’t make the culinary waves that Javier had managed.

Now, in a third go-around, another set of investors have turned it into Asada, with a nice remodel of the space and lots of good reviews about the food.

I like that there still are all the front windows opening to the street for people watching, although that’s not an easy seat to get.

Wherever you sit, the atmosphere’s charming and the food’s really good, with its signature carne asada holding up its end of the bargain nicely. For the flavor and vibe of Laguna, this is an energetic and fun place to eat.

Asada: 480 S. Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 715-5533.

Starfish

Starfish Asian Coastal Cuisine in Laguna is three months old. Its location across the highway from the Montage Resort offers an interesting alternative mix for locals and hotel guests.

The theme is Asian-tinged with vivid colors of the sea and sunsets and comfortably casual seating that invites guests to delve into dishes of the AmerAsian variety: Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, China and India bring some influences to the fusion menu. My husband Patrick and I dined one evening with a jovial group, Kierstin Olson, who had the table in stitches, and the always-fun Business Journal publisher, Richard Reisman.

It was an evening of good conversation and unhurried forays into rather unique and exotic tastes.

We did forego the call of Asian mojitos, martinis, sakes, sangrias and artisan beers in favor of a red wine from their sufficiently constructed list. Having all those choices does cater nicely to everyone, though. We all enjoyed the small-plates concept, bowing to more variety at the table.

From several dishes, some of our highlights included: cubes of lemongrass-flavored filet—skewered, grilled and very tender; chicken in green curry sauce; a trio of Korean-style mini BBQ beef tacos with Asian slaw; Cambodian cucumber salad; and Atlantic salmon with a white miso glaze. The menu is interestingly laid out with street foods, curried and noodle-laden broths and a bunch of cleverly envisioned appetizers called opium bites.

Starfish: An easy place to find and to enjoy.

30862 S. Coast Highway (in the Aliso Creek Shopping Center), Laguna Beach, (949) 715-8205.

Broadway on the Way

This month you get to try Laguna’s Broadway by Amar Santana. The restaurant is in the former Five Feet space and finalizing opening details. Amar is the former executive chef of Charlie Palmer at South Coast Plaza. His front-of-the-house partner in this project is CP’s former general manager, Ahmed Labbate.

Like so many new dining ventures, it all begins to take shape when a customer is enthralled with some chef’s food, some restaurant’s hospitality factor and an urge to have a restaurant of his own. In this case, the third partner it is the former owner of a medical devices company who loves cooking and good wine, Rich Cadarette.

I’m hoping to add this to my dance card for September. Broadway is at 328 Glenneyre St., Laguna Beach, (949) 715-8234.

Almost Italy

We hadn’t been to Il Fornaio in Irvine for a while. I spend so much time in restaurants and can only get around to each one occasionally, but I’ve had the ongoing urge this time to kick myself in the ankles for not getting over there.

I’d been mentioning Il Fornaio to Patrick off and on for a couple of months and then came the late afternoon when I did not want to cook and absolutely nothing caught my fancy as far as dining out.

Then came the light-bulb moment when Il Fornaio came into my thoughts again.

There is something so very calming about this place. First of all, even though there’s a parking structure nearby, I like that the valet parking right in front of their courtyard and bocce ball courts is so utterly convenient. It feels like a restaurant on a convivial piazza in Italy even as you drive up.

The open-to-the-stars atrium in the center of the large dining room used to be my favorite place for sitting. Now, it’s at one of the white-draped tables almost anywhere else in the room because I get better overall views of the cooking crew at work in the open kitchen, glances at the compelling bar and looks hither and yon at other happy diners—all while peeking surreptitiously at what others are eating.

With a glass of good Chianti to keep us company as we studied the menu (most of which I have memorized!), I found a familiar face walking nearby. It was Marcello Apollonio, executive chef at the opening many years ago and now the managing partner.

Marcello still brings the joy and the authentic spark of Italy to us as we think of food, but he also happens to be one of the most customer-friendly restaurateurs in our midst. I would advise anyone dining at Il Fornaio to ask their server to summon him to the table. You will be delighted to chat with Marcello—now wearing suits instead of whites—about the whole concept of his restaurant. You will quickly discover why he is so much the heart and soul of the restaurant and its dedication to the authenticity of Italy.

As for the food, there are several dishes that bring back food memories from the Italian immigrants who were part of the community in which I was raised and more sophisticated dishes we’ve enjoyed on trips to Italy.

Comfort stuff and delicious stuff.

Let me begin with beef carpaccio with shavings of Grana Padano cheese, a sprinkling of capers and wild arugula atop the thinly sliced meat, and all of it finished with a drizzle of lemon-olive oil infusion. Perfecto. A combo appetizer of grilled calamari, shrimp and scallops with Italian flat parsley sauce is very chic. The red and gold beet salad on the current menu is also on my faves list.

Pizzas are thin-crusted (the dough is made in-house) and topped with superb ingredients, and pastas are homemade.

Put a topping of richly braised beef ragù on broad pasta strips, Calabrese-style eggplant-tomato-peperoncino on tube-shaped pasta; or put the exquisite ravioli filled with butternut squash and walnuts amid their robe of brown butter-sage sauce on the plate, and Patrick and I are in gourmet heaven. The Italian sausage ravioli and their lasagna perfumed with porcini mushrooms are also dishes to make anyone smile.

Veal, chicken, beef and seafood dishes are additional highlights of the menu. And, remember that whatever you wander through, the fine variety of breads are made here, and they are addictive, so you will have to pace yourself with them. For dessert, the tiramisu is as good as it gets, just like in Italy.

One of the very best ways to experience the specialties of Italy is via their monthly Festa Regionale menus: Sicily and its food and wines are an additional menu from Sept. 5-18.

Each month, a different regional menu is offered in addition to the full menu. You have choices within the appetizer, entrée and dessert categories for these regional menus. To see this month’s Sicilian specials, go to www.ilfornaio.com/Festa/festa0911menu.html. While there, sign up to be on the email list.

There’s an air of love for good food and dedication to authenticity that floats everywhere in this place. It’s as close to being in Italy as you can get. Il Fornaio: 18051 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, (949) 261-1444.

Fleming’s Wines

For wine lovers, especially those of you who covet Silver Oak cabernets, Fleming’s in Newport Beach has a discounted special.

It’s a perfect way to match a fine wine with a fine cut of meat.

This is all about the 2007 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon being offered for $100 per bottle (normal list price of $150-$175) until Sept. 30, or until their allotted supply runs out.

The sauvignon is a profound, fruit-driven wine from a classic California vintage. It has a dark ruby color with a purple edge and an inviting nose of ripe black plum, blackberry and baking spices. The wine is rich and full, reminiscent of the flavors of a berry cobbler with a long, fruity finish and finely tuned tannins. It is a testament to exquisite ripeness and moderate alcohol.

The wine is 100% cabernet sauvignon, blended of wine from several different vineyards prior to barreling. Aging exclusively in American Oak for 25 months and an additional 15 months in the bottle has resulted in the inviting softness and texture of a wine with much more age.

By now, most of you know that Fleming’s offers 100 wines by the glass, a unique Wine Flight tasting program, and a world-class list of reserve wines to complement the dining experience. Each wine is available by the taste, flight or bottle.

A Silver Oak wine dinner will be held Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. for $125, including all wines. Both the 2006 and 2007 vintages will be tasted. Two additional wines will accompany the hors d’oeuvres at the reception and the first course of the meal. Advance reservations for this meal are imperative.

Fleming’s: 455 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, (949) 720-9633.

El Matador

El Matador has been sitting on Newport Boulevard since 1966, and we’ve been well accustomed to it over many decades.

Since being taken over a few years ago by new owner Greg McConaughy, there’s a new vitality here that I think my readers will appreciate.

The building’s been given a good-looking facelift and a big lounge/dining addition—a good place for meals, especially when sporting events are on and easily viewed on several flat screens. The bar always features at least 170 tequilas; need I say more?

If you’re looking for munching on the crispiest of chips and really good, chunky salsa (served in mini molcajetes), meals here begin that way. The menu is big and covers all the beloved combos and everything a la carte as well. The quality is great, and the portions are way on the generous to huge size.

Carnitas lovers will be happy with the flavor and soft texture. Order a burrito and a box since you will probably end up taking home half of the massive and really tasty roll. Tacos, filled with so many kinds of fillings, are drenched in flavor. Chile rellenos hit high notes with their filling and duality of crisp and soft textures. The same chef has been there for a long time and continues to use old family recipes, which probably accounts for the satisfying dishes.

Lots of restaurants have Taco Tuesdays. Since the tacos at El Matador are so good, and these are served all day at two for $3, you might want to put this on your Tuesday list.

Casual and really good food with very friendly service—and now, a happier, fresher décor—accounts for all the business people having lunch and those of us who are happy anytime to drop in for either midday or evening meals. El Matador: 1768 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa, (949) 645-0324.

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