AT A GLANCE
PARIS
Address:
1160 W. Ball Road, Anaheim
Phone:
(714) 535-1622
Concept:
Classic French food in a fetching atmosphere
Entr & #233;e Prices:
$15.75 to $26.00
THE ELEPHANT BAR
Address in Irvine:
14346 Culver Drive
P
hone:
(949) 651-6087
Address in Laguna Hills:
25250 E. La Paz Road
Phone:
(949) 470-0711
Concept:
Casual eclectic American food suitable for the whole family
Entr & #233;e Prices:
$4.95 to $12.95
The last thing I’d ever want is for my readers to get bored, so just in case, here are two new restaurants to try.
For romance and seriously delicious meals, the 5-month-old Paris is serving French food the likes of which Anaheim has never seen. Meanwhile, The Elephant Bar takes a more casual approach,it’s a place where the whole family can chill out.
Were you under the impression that there are no French restaurants in Anaheim? There is one quite worth knowing about. Paris made its debut last November under the leadership of Louis Laulhere, my Restaurateur of the Year presented last week in the Fifi’s Best special report.
There are several charming little rooms of various d & #233;cor in which to dine. Just like going to the real City of Lights and eating in different restaurants along the boulevards, except that the same classic French menu is served throughout this dinner house, and terrific food it is. One room features luxurious red velvet, another is a library room, yet another is dressed in burgundy and beige velvet. All rooms feature French artwork, a plenitude of brass chandeliers topped with tiny glass shades and artifacts that make each space unique.
Few restaurants have so many inviting booths. All tables are napped with starched white linens and sparkling wine glasses sit there, ready to be filled with white or red to complement your food.
Few places anymore serve the actual classic dishes of France. You will find those traditional dishes here, treated with such respect that it’s like reuniting with a best friend after a long absence. They are the foods that the French culture was built on and they are not filtered through the rose-colored glasses of California cuisine.
Bourguignon-style escargots were never better. I know with all that wonderful garlic butter sauce they’re swimming in, you would not have this very often, but it sure cries out to me to grab some of the crusty French bread and soak up every last drop. Both the onion soup, with its top hat of cheese, and the creamy mushroom are rich, sleek preparations. I could make a meal on just these things. The seafood cakes are tender inside, crunchy outside and the lemon beurre blanc sauce accents them quite nicely.
I’ll mention up front that most entr & #233;es come with the best au gratin potatoes anywhere, plus fresh vegetables. The roasted pork tenderloin is downright delicious in a Port wine-veal reduction with a dab of melted St. Agur cheese, a triple cream cheese from Southwest France that in my estimation outdoes Brie by a mile. Normandy-style veal scaloppine is handled gently. There’s just enough apple brandy demi-glace to accompany the tender slices of meat and the caramelized apples on the side continue the theme. The culotte steak is arguably the tastiest piece of beef. How can you do better than having it topped with shrimp and then sided with a most classic bearnaise sauce? Rack of lamb has a little moat of Madeira-thyme jus around it.
Bar is an imported French sea bass with a more delicate taste than the Chilean sea bass we are used to seeing on restaurant menus. Order this delicacy since the opportunity is here. I guarantee you will like it sitting on the bed of saut & #233;ed spinach and drizzled with a light citrus sauce. And though there is grilled chicken on the menu, I jump right for the exquisite roast duckling, fork tender but with perfectly crisped skin and a swell orange sauce.
The wine list is not to be ignored. There are 75 terrific California and French wines. I have been drinking up Louis’ supply of 1996 Stonestreet Merlot. And I suspect you might like dessert, so order the delicate cr & #269;me br & #369;l & #233;e or the exquisite French classic of all time, chocolate mousse cake.
All the while, just think of Paris, the city, and start planning when you’ll return to eat this fine food again in a dining room that only needs to carry the Parisian name.
And then, there’s the casual, fun Elephant Bar. There are 15 restaurants in this chain and two in OC, the newest at Culver Drive and the Santa Ana Freeway. This is a dining adventure with just enough English Colonial kitsch and jungle accents in the d & #233;cor to give us smiles. It does not overpower the senses before you get to the menu. The only rule is that you be willing to have a good time and relax while the well-trained servers bring the food. The architecture makes ample use of natural elements: wood, stone and metal. Open-beamed ceilings surge over the large, easy-going booths that are fully upholstered in jungle prints.
The food is non-threatening, quite good and covers sufficient territory. And it is served in generous portions. A not-too-sweet barbecue sauce blankets the ribs. Pot roast has a decided Caribbean bent. The classic club sandwich is certainly a big affair. Fresh fish and some meats are cooked on the wood-fired grill, including the steak. There’s quite a nice-tasting plate of pasta topped with saut & #233;ed shrimp. Peek into the display wok kitchen where stir-fried dishes such as cashew chicken, sesame chicken and a melange of vegetables with noodles take shape. And while there’s a sensible offering of salads, burgers and sandwiches, there’s also the sophistication of tender braised lamb shanks. Making sure that there’s something for everyone, they even wander into pizza land. It’s a cool concept and an easy place to like.
Chao publishes Chao’s Dinesty, a food, wine and travel newsletter, in Irvine.
